It is a wonder that Christians are able to reconcile their current practices with the way Christianity has been practiced in the past. If they ever bother to look into their own history books, that is.
The bible is supposed to be timeless. So should the true followers of God be. They should not be tossed and turned by the winds and waves of modernity. They should be steadfast and never-changing, just like God. Christians are supposed to be led by the Spirit of God, the Holy Spirit, the Holy Ghost, who is also God, who should therefore be eternal and eternally unchanging. He is the Counselor to the church, and a church receiving His Counsel should be equally steadfast and unmovable.
Instead, if anyone bothers to trace the history of their church, they would see upheavals and revolutions, and drastic changes in doctrines and practices. For example, Catholics used to believe that Limbo was real, but they no longer do. Christians used to believe in keeping slaves, they no longer do. Women pastors used to be unheard of. And on and on.
Are they saying that as time goes by, they are hearing clearer and clearer from God? Was the reception so bad in the past, the airwaves so clogged up with ether that the saints of old could not hear God too clearly? Does it not smack of arrogance to think that modern Christians have it all right while ancient Christians had it all wrong? Who's to say that the modern Christians are not in major error even now?
And if you extrapolate the way Christianity is changing, the end result can only be a totally godless, heathenly, atheism.
Saturday, August 1, 2009
Subscribe to:
Post Comments (Atom)
5 comments:
Religion evolves to fit the social mores of the day. If a religion can't change to meet modern sensibilities, then it'll go the way of so many other cults. We've seen it happen all through history.
I think fundamentalism is probably heading for some big change. It'll either become more welcoming and survive, or more withdrawn and die out. I can see both things happening to different fundy churches.
Even as early as John Crysostom there were voices saying Christians ought not to own slaves (even if they didn't push the point).
Most Christians across the world are Catholic or Orthodox, and still do not believe in women pastors.
Limbo was never declared a compulsory belief by the Catholics, and they are still allowed to believe it if they desire.
Just because individualistic protestants and post-vatican II Catholics change with every gust of the wind doesn't mean all Christianity does.
Sophia,
Name me a sect of Christianity that has not changed at all in its doctrines/beliefs/practices with the passing of time.
Sophia,
a. I'm sure slavery, as well as Christianity, existed long before John Crysostom.
b. Do they even believe in having pastors?
c. Interesting that Catholics have optional beliefs as well as compulsory beliefs.
I once asked a fundamentalist preacher if it was ok if I did not subscribe to his particular brand of eschatology. Which includes a Great White Throne and what not. He flatly said no. If I disblieved that, I would not be allowed to be a member. I became a member anyway. I don't believe I ever subsribed to that particular belief.
Robert,
I think some will just remain withdrawn and continue as very small, fringe groups. Some of them probably enjoy being utterly different from the mainstream. It has its own selling point.
Post a Comment