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October 11, 2007Food for Thought
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Compare modern Christianity's quest for the perfect belief system to medieval church architecture. Christians in the emerging culture may look back on our doctrinal structures (statements of faith, systematic theologies) as we look back on medieval cathedrals: possessing a real beauty that should be preserved, but now largely vacant, not inhabited or used much anymore, more tourist attraction than holy place.
Many of us can't imagine this.
If Christianity isn't the quest for (or defense of) the perfect belief system ("the church of the last detail"), then what's left? In the emerging culture, I believe it will be "Christianity as a way of life," or "Christianity as a path of spiritual formation."
The switch suggests a change in the questions people are asking. Instead of "How can I be right in my belief so I can go to heaven?" the new question seems to be, "How can we live life to the full so God's will is done on earth as it is in heaven?"
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Comments
Well...good and terrible, both at the same time. Good that we want to live so that God's will is don on earth as it is in Heaven.
Bad if we are ever arrogant enough to dismiss out of hand the wisdom of the Bible as the word of God, and even the teaching of Christians who lived a long time ago. Just because it's old doesn't make it right, but equally, it doesn't make it 'outmoded' or wrong.
Heaven is our reward. Should it be our sole motivation also? Interested to hear viewpoints on this.
Posted By: Jill | October 12, 2007 8:49 AM
There is a hollowness is only believing the right thing, but having it disconnected from our actions. I think this is the quest the whole world is on, to find an authentic spirituality that can impact every area of life.
Posted By: Jeanette | October 12, 2007 2:10 PM
My emergent church does uphold
statements of faith and systematic theologies
Actually some of them are read from time to time corporately. My pastor teaches the Bible. My pastor is straight forward about how we get to go to heaven. He is straightforward about compromise.
Just because we chose to abandon the image of a cloned denominational church that is thus and so, doesn't mean we are abandoning the core of Christianity. I think he is lumping all churches into one lump and is scared to see the potential of a really good emergent church. I dunno, maybe there are some around that are bad. Mine isn't. Sometimes it is a personal choice.
Posted By: RosalieG | October 14, 2007 9:54 PM
I agree with Carla, being a woman of integrity is not easy. I too was accuse of wrong-doing by non christians. I was working in a Christian organisation that stresses integrity. I was furious when my boss question my way of doing things over the belief of their made-up story. Anyway, at the end of the whole matter, I was justified by a group of elderly who went to see my boss to clarify the matter. Pat
Posted By: Patricia Loh | October 15, 2007 8:29 PM
I must have been "emergent' before the word was coined. I'm 58 and in 1956 I gave my heart to the Lord because I didn't want to go to hell. I didn't really understand all the other stuff yet. I went to church, memorized scripture, read the word and prayed but it wasn't until I was twelve that I really committed my life to God because I got it -- He loved me just the way I was, He wanted me to be His child, He wanted to lavish His love on me daily. It wasn't just about going to heaven but the quality of life now. I don't believe it is an either or -- it's both. Jesus came to give abundant life -- eternal life is for the here and now. It's a quality of life that affects my lifestyle and allows me to glow in the dark. Eternal life is also heaven. It's both. The Kingdom is within me now and I get to live out the kingdom everyday. It's a wonderful life of eternal quality of Christ in me the hope of glory. When I get to heaven it will be eternal life with Christ forever. It doesn't get much better.
Posted By: Angela C | October 16, 2007 12:07 PM