Glocal Christianity

Making the Headlines

Is religion about war -- or peace Obama or Osama, who is more representative of authentic religion? This article looks at Francis of Assisi and the Crucades

Heated debate again over 'War on Christmas' claims What's your thoughts? Is political correctness stiffling Christmas? Is a secular Christmas religiously neutral?

U.N. chief: Climate change deal reached But how real is the deal? Greenpeace has retorted, "Don't believe the hype, there is nothing fair, ambitious or legally binding about this deal ... The job of world leaders is not done. Today they shamefully failed to save us all from the effects of catastrophic climate change."

Why esoteric Christianity will never reform the church

An unusual juxtaposition of reading material has got me thinking about esoteric Christianity and anabaptist Christianity and their relative strengths and weaknesses.

On the one hand I've been rereading "Inner Christianity: A Guide to the Esoteric Tradition" by Gnostic author Richard Smoley. In this book Smoley discusses the Secret Church, the Johnanine church within the Pererine church.

On the other hand the recent conversation on not going to church prompted me to reread "The Politics of the Cross: The Theology and Social Ethics of John Howard Yoder" by Craig A Carter. In the book Carter observes "Yoder contends there are three basic types of ecclesiology: [1] the theocratic vision, [2] the spiritualist reaction and [3] the believer's church."

It was Carter's description of the spiritualist church that grabbed me: "From the perspective of Pilgrim Marpeck [believer's church], the Spiritualizers and Zwingli [theocratic vision] were quite similar insofar as they both denied the ultimate importance of proper church order. Schwenckfeld [spiritualist reaction], because he thought only spiritual reality matters, did not challenged established worship and church structure of Christendom and thus suffered no persecution ... spiritualism is able to function quite well within the framework of the theocratic society that it rejects, as a 'church within a church.'"

Now, once we recognize esoteric Christianity as a variant of this spiritualist reaction that Yoder speaks of, it becomes immediately evident that many of the same criticisms apply. Thus we can say that, as esoteric Christianity functions as a "formless form" of church rather than an "alternate form" of church, it is unable to concretely challenge the "Christendom form" of church, even when that form becomes horrendously corrupt. 

In other words, esoteric Christianity doesn't challenge exoteric Christianity in any tangible way precisely because it devalues the tangible. It does not offer revolution, it merely offers reinterpretation.

Not so with anabaptist Christianity. Anabaptist Christians suggest alternative forms of church are essential if we wish to reform the church, and I'm convinced they are right. But where I find the anabaptist tradition sometimes lacking is precisely in the area that the esoteric tradition is strongest, in its development of a Christian psycho-theology. Therefore, if anabaptist Christians seek to be genuinely holistic I think they need to work more on developing a holistic understanding of humanity, an understanding that includes the psyche and psychological experience. So, while I reject esoteric Christianity as a dead end on the post-Christendom path, I think esoterics still ask some very good questions.

Malaysian Government and Catholic Church in High Court over 'Allah'

Christian Today reports: "Malaysia’s high court began hearing legal arguments Monday over the use of 'Allah”'by Christians as a translation for God. While the Catholic Church in Malaysia insists that the word 'Allah' is not exclusive to Islam and has been used by Christians and Muslims in Arabic-speaking countries for centuries, Senior Federal Counsel Datuk Kamaluddin argued otherwise, saying that the word is exclusive to Islam and that its sanctity must be protected."

Which supports what I have said previously, that we shouldn't expect Christian inclusivism to be appreciated by Muslims in interfaith dialogue.

Hard Act To Follow

New Zealand church, St Matthew in the City have launched a controversial billboard campaign this Christmas in an attempt to demolish some stereotypes and stimulate conversation.

Well, they seem to have succeeded in the latter if the online Atheist chatter is anything to go by. But so far the conversation mostly consists of Atheists engaging in mutual head scratching, rather than any increase in Christian-Atheist dialogue.

The world is waiting

The creation waits in eager expectation for the sons of God to be revealed. (Romans 8:19)

So? What are you waiting for?

Reveal yourself.

Take action against climate change.

Obama as disciple of Niebuhr

I came across a thought provoking article in the New York Times that paints Obama as a disciple of Reinhold Niebuhr, as reviving the Christian Realism that undergirded cold war liberal thinking. Never having been entirely comfortable with the moral pragmatism of Niebuhr, I don't take this as particularly reassuring. 

Myth Busting

It is often said that Trinitarian teaching was absent in the earliest, most ancient forms of Christianity, that it was a creation of the Council of Nicea. And yet, while you'll never find an explicit articulation of Trinitianian teaching in the New Testament, there are more than a few implicit reflerences for those with an open mind. Take this line for example:

"For though him [that is, Christ Jesus] we both have access to the Father by one Spirit." Ephesians 2:18

So, what's your take on Trinitarian teaching?

Don't ever go to church again

One of my pet annoyances is talk about "going to church". You know the scenarios. Mum and Dad rushing kids to the car, "Come on, we'll be late to church". Teenagers organizing their social life, "Hey, let's meet after church". 

The God who made the world and everything in it is the Lord of heaven and earth and does not live in temples built by hands. Acts 17:24 

To speak of church this way is to fundamentally misunderstand church. Church is not some place we go, it is who we are. The building is not the church, we are!

Consequently, you are no longer foreigners and aliens, but fellow citizens with God's people and members of God's household, built on the foundation of the apostles and prophets, with Christ Jesus himself as the chief cornerstone. Ephesians 2:19-20

This annoyance turns to exacerbation when I hear "going to church" talk coming from supposedly "aware" Christians. Because it's not what we say in our thinking moments that reveals our deep thoughts, it's what we say in our unthinking moments. "Oh, it was a casual slip". Well, yes, it was a slip, but there was nothing casual about it. The roots of this distorted teaching go deeper than we'd care to admit. It needs to be weeded out.

Don't you know that you yourselves are God's temple and that God's Spirit lives in you? 1 Corinthians 3:16

So, let us resolve never to go to church again.

Atheist attacks on Christians in China

Grab your attention? Fox news recently reported that the fastest growing Christian Churches in China are being crushed by Communist authorities who fear any independent social group that could challenge their political / ideological authority. Tibetan Buddhism and Islam come in for similar treatment. Commericalization hasn't improved their tollerance for religion it seems.

Interviewing Anne Rice

Anne Rice speaks on the Vampire Chronicals, Christ the Lord, angels and Christian fiction.

What religions do you find most interesting apart from your own?

This evening I want to ask: what religions do you find most interesting apart from your own? Would you pick one of the major world religions? Say Islam, or Buddhism, or Hinduism or Judaism? Or would you pick something more obscure, like Wicca or Taosim or Rastafarianism or Gnosticism? Would you pick irreligion, say Atheism or Agnosticism? Or if you're not Christian, would you say Christianity?

I was thinking this could even make a good meme.

To participate, state your own religion (or irreligion) as your first preference, state the other religions that interest you most as your second and third preferences, then pass onto five others. If you're feeling brave, say why they interest you.

Here's my religious preferences:

1. Christianity (because I'm convinced Jesus really is the Christ)
2. Buddhism (because I love the philosophy, meditation, paradoxes and poetry)
3. Chaos Magic (because there's an anarchist side to me that's just drawn to a wild concept of Spirit)

And I should say, there is a serious side to this. I think it potentially reveals a lot about our personality, history, culture and spirituality (without - most important - necessarily implying you're a syncretist).

I tag Sally, Ian, Phil, Jarred, Steve

But hey, feel free to participate even if I haven't tagged you.

Religious Clingwrapping

Religious clingwrapping - a game the whole family can play.

The scenes here are takes from Bad Boy Bubby, one of my top 5 weird assed movies of all time.

Integrating Social Networks and Sensor Networks

I came across an interesting article on Integrating Social Networks and Sensor Networks which I recommend you have a read of.

It raises some interesting possibilities for using integrated social / sensor networks to get away from noisy places to find quite spaces. It also offers some possibilities for improving the lives of the elderly.

Get you thinking? Can you imagine other ways integrated social / sensor networks could be used for empowering the disadvantaged and enabling spiritual growth?

Parliament of World Religions

Well, the Parliament of World Religions is now underway in Melbourne. Been reading a few blogs and tweets, checking out the main speakers and stuff from afar. But you know, I think the real interfaith work begins at home. It begins when two people, who wouldn't normally talk to one another about spiritual stuff, do.

Parents splashing out on ‘manger chic’ for nativity plays

This is the sort of thing I am used to reading in Lark News or Ship of Fools.

"Competitive parents are spending as much as £150 on luxury items to make sure their child is the best dressed Mary or wise man in the school nativity play ... 'The amount of money that some parents want to spend on their child’s nativity play appearance would enable Baby Jesus to leave the stable and check into a five star hotel,” said spokesman Ed Watson.'"

But no, this report comes from Christian Today. Sheesh, how can you keep satire edgy when real life keeps trumping it! I think I hear Jesus slapping his forehead in heaven.

Related links:

Santa Jesus art