So, take a deep breath and plunge into the subject, well at least dip a toe in the water. Is there a god or God? Does God exist and if so where and how? Is God a creation of human imagination and non-existent beyond that? Is scripture divinely inspired or simply the product of the ponderings of humanity? Is religion an opiate of the masses, a means of social control, or is it a vehicle for freeing people from the chains of enslavemen and oppression, or something else? Take your pick. You can argue with people until you are exhausted but it is impossible to 'prove' one opinion to be correct and others wrong. You cannot make a fact out of an opinion or an 'is' out of an 'ought".
So what turns an individual into a person of faith? A damascene conversion, a feeling of being 'strangely warmed' (John Wesley), knowing and seeing Christians in action, convinced by reading scripture, or some other experience?
A definition of faith is to be found in Hebrews: 11.1
Now faith is being sure of what we hope for and certain of what we do not see. (NIV)
"Thus we have confidence in what we hope for. Faith is not proof or evidence of what is unseen. Rather it is the mode by which invisible realities become real for humanity. Faith is not inferior to knowledge, it is the proper mode of knowledge in relation to unseen realities." (Montefiore)
Catholics stress the importance of three strands identified in the writing of Hooker: scripture, reason and tradition. Protestants emphasise the primacy of scripture, although sadly interpretation is sometimes marked by an absence of reason or plain commonsense. Possibly the motivation for this is a longing for certainty and proof, which of course is illusory. The fundamentalist literalist approach to biblical interpretation is driven by this yearning for certainty and proof. Any suggestion of alternative interpretation is anathema to such a mindset, a mindset inimical to a better understanding of the Good News of Jesus. Such an approach makes its followers slaves to a text, not free to enjoy the fullness of God's love.
However whilst a person may lack faith nihilists such as Nietzsche claim it is a wasted effort to seek God. God does not exist, so faith is useless. There are no overarching metaphysical entities that are the source of objective truth. To claim otherwise is to be deluded. Of course this is merely an assertion and we may choose to ignore it, indeed as Christians we reject it, or don't we?
Charles 1 head was chopped off and thus ended the application of the concept of the divine right of a monarch to rule unfettered, at least in England. With him died the application of the concept that a sovereign is pre-destined by God, receives his/her authority from God and has no duties or responsibilites for the citizens of the realm.
In its stead a new concept. A sovereign could only rule with the consent of and within limitations imposed by Parliament, there being a contract, express or implied between the sovereign and the people. A metaphysical concept replaced by a human concept. The link between God and the sovereign had been severed and replaced by a contract between the sovereign and the people to rule in the interest of the latter. It is a transfer of power. Is such a transfer contrary to scripture and worthy of literalist fundamentalists angst? Doubtless they will contrive an unconvincing response.
Can we be Christians without a belief in a metaphysical god? The Sea of Faith movement has it that we can. I know Church of England clergy who hold this view. The old joke is that when the Creed is recited at a service such a minister says 'I believe' then crosses his/her fingers!
Deconstructivism is a postmodernist development attributable to Jacques Derrida. Concepts are based on the subjective meaning ascribed to words by the reader and in understanding this meaning we use words which in turn are understood by other words ad infinitum. Therefore the meaning of words is fluid and this makes it difficult to have a clear definition of concepts such as justice, faith and truth. It follows that meaning is subjective and of human origin and not objective and of metaphysical origin. All objects have meaning only through being defined by language. The implications of this for biblical interpretation have been mentioned in earlier parts of this blog.
The Sea of Faith movement is deconstructivist and akin to Dietrich Bonhoeffer's concept of 'religionless Christianity'. Such Christianity is a way of life based on subjective understanding of the meaning of the words of Jesus: not on systems of belief, doctrines, dogmas and rules: nor on the rites and rituals of churches falsely cloaked in supposed objectivity.
But is this all this postmodernism too bleak for Christians to contemplate? Does it reduce Christianity to a secular prospectus? I shall explore this in more detail in future posts. I am outside my comfort zone, so for me it will an interesting journey.
Are the phrases 'Religionless Christianity' and 'Secular Christianity' oxymorons? Do labels matter given the baggage attached to them?
Postmodernism eschews all metaphysical concepts. There is no God laying down absolute rules. All rules are made by humans, are subjective and fluid as they are interpreted as to their import through language. Postmodernism argues that claims to objectivity by the church are a means of its securing power and control over people, in other words guardians and gatekeepers of the only truth. The literalist Christian mindset endorses and promotes the objectivity approach.
The Progressive Christianity approach may offer a way forward as well as making sense of Bonhoeffer's phrase 'Religionless Christianity'.
Religion is not a synonym for faith. We considered in an earlier the meaning of faith as set out in Hebrews 11:1. Religion is bound up in church doctrine, dogmas, creeds, rules, regulations and approved scriptural interpretation. You join the club and agree to obey the rules. Religionless Christianity simply rejects these hindrances to faith.
According to this approach Christians should concentrate on action to apply the teaching of Jesus. Jesus is the focus of an active faith. What this means for individual Christians and the hoped for impact of the approach will be teased out in future parts.
Dietrich Bonhoeffer coined the phrase 'religionless Christianity' to encapsulate his understanding of christian theology. His ideas are of relevance in the postmodernist world. The two key concepts are:
1. The need for intercessionary prayer, bringing before God those suffering injustice, identifying with them and praying for power and strength to stand up for what is right and just, not leaving nor expecting God to act.
2. We should seek to follow Jesus by engaging in action to promote justice for the marginalised and oppressed in our world.
In other words we should pick up our cross and follow Jesus into battle for the poor in society, not by mere intellectual assent, but by our actions.
Our focus should be on Jesus, not the religious trappings of doctrine, creeds, dogma and gatekeepers.
Bonhoeffer is promoting the centrality of the two Great Commandments and the imperative of our engagement through action, costly though it is.
Love God, love others. Don't just think it, do it.
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