The coming evangelical collapse - Christian Science Monitor
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I agree that it was (definitely) scriptural legalism that stood in the way, not only of spiritual growth, but of any kind of true spiritual understanding during the time of Jesus (for there can be no spiritual growth without spiritual understanding).
Yet, while scriptural literalism is indeed a problem today, it doesn’t necessarily completely stagnate spiritual growth. It does so only if one does not truly understand why and how Jesus came to fulfill the law rather than to abolish it. We cannot deny that there is literal truth in some Scripture, nor can we deny that there is only metaphorical expression in some Scripture. We certainly cannot deny that language itself has evolved over ages, and that we do not have exact interpretation of the Hebrew scriptures to begin with, due to inability to interpret exactly from one language to another.
Just as the time has come for acceptance of physical evolution as fact has come,(in my own personal opinion) so has the time for deeper understanding of spiritual or soul evolution. That however, necessarily becomes problematic if one does not accept or is unable to recognize that the soul is separate from, but in this dimension, encased in, the physical.
What concerns me most with the advent of evangelizing the physical evolution without the simulatenous understanding of spiritual evolution is that cre-atheism (as well as creatheism) may have the inadvertent effect of dousing the flame of reverance for an obvious power that is higher than ourselves, whether one chooses to believe in a creator God or not, and regardless of one’s religion preference or lack thereof,
It appears inevitable to me that the one worldview that will likely eventually ensue will not come gently – nor without the need for evolution of thought. It is my hope that the TGFE movement now in progress will not only open eyes to the facts of physical evolution, but will also eventually point to the necessity of the faith in and of spiritual evolution.
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Janice wrote:
“Just as the time has come for acceptance of physical evolution as fact has come,(in my own personal opinion) so has the time for deeper understanding of spiritual or soul evolution. That however, necessarily becomes problematic if one does not accept or is unable to recognize that the soul is separate from, but in this dimension, encased in, the physical.”Hi Janice, this is interesting. I wonder if you could elaborate on it a little. If the spiritual manifests through the physical then they would evolve together. What would be an example of soul/spirit evolving separately from the physical? I can see them evolving together in these cases:
- evolution of the first mammals enabling expression of love within family groups
- evolution of humans enabling the ability to expand circles of compassion beyond family or tribe.
Janice wrote:
“What concerns me most with the advent of evangelizing the physical evolution without the simulatenous understanding of spiritual evolution is that cre-atheism (as well as creatheism) may have the inadvertent effect of dousing the flame of reverance for an obvious power that is higher than ourselves…”The way I see it, they are lighting the flame of reverence for a higher power. Or intensifying that flame. They are simultaneously evangelizing both physical and spiritual evolution by viewing physical evolution as sacred (a divine expression of the universe), plus with a meta-religious perspective they have created a spiritual bridge between different religions.
My take on the article is that everywhere you see the phrase “evangelical Christianity” you should probably subsitute the words “literalist Christianity”. The author does indeed sense that his literalism is under attack, but he mistakenly assumes that the attack is coming from “the secular onslaught” and “the rising tide of secularism”, rather than realizing that God is using public revelation to try and guide us into a deeper communion with the Holy.
Also, everywhere the author uses the word “faith”, I suspect he means “belief in literalism”.
The author says “A small band will work hard to rescue the movement [evangelical Christianity] from its demise through theological renewal”. I don’t know what kind of theology he’s talking about, but I suspect it’s not the kind of theology found in TGFE.
The author says “We can rejoice that in the ruins, new forms of Christian vitality and ministry will be born… We need new evangelicalism that learns from the past and listens more carefully to what God says…”
Wow, I couldn’t agree more. However, I suspect God is speaking but the author is unable to listen, due to his blind rejection of evolution and science.
It occurs to me that in the time of Jesus scriptural legalism was the big problem preventing people from growing spiritually. Today, it seems that scriptural literalism is the big problem preventing people from growing spiritually.