Christianity is really two religions. There are the teachings of Jesus and the teachings of Paul. There are important differences between the two. Early followers of the teachings of Jesus were called Nazarenes and were an obscure Jewish sect that died out soon after it's leader was executed. Early followers of the teachings of Paul were called Christians and created a religion which has dominated the western world for 2000 years.
The stated beliefs of the followers of Paul (Nicene Creed) include:
1. Jesus is the Son of God, born of a virgin
2. He was sent here to suffer and die for us.
3. He descended into hell for a time and on the third day was resurrected ascended into heaven.
4. He will come again to judge the quick and the dead.
5. We can be baptized for the remission of sins.
6. We, too, will be resurrected and look forward to the life of the world to come.
7. If we don't adopt the Nicene Creed, we will be damned to hell when we die to suffer in torment for all eternity.
The teachings of Jesus are that:
1. He is a son of man
2. Our sins are forgiven as we forgive those who trespass against us.
3. The kingdom of God is within.
4. If you ask, God will accept you like the father of the prodigal son.
The miracle of the Bible which was codified by the followers of Paul, is that it has retained the teachings of Jesus in spite of the great differences with the teachings of Paul and the fabrications added to the gospels to strengthen the Pauline tradition.
The teachings of Paul are like the seed husk which has protected the teachings of Jesus, which are like the kernel of the seed, through the ages. But when the teachings of Jesus start to grow and bloom in our lives, they must break through the teachings of Paul which fall away like chaff.
Liberal Christians
Also sometimes referred to as secular, modern, or humanistic. This is an umbrella term for Protestant denominations, or churches within denominations, that view the Bible as the witness of God rather than the word of God, to be interpreted in its historical context through critical analysis. Examples include some churches within Anglican/Episcopalian, Lutheran, Methodist, Presbyterian, and United Church of Christ. There are more than 2,000 Protestant denominations offering a wide range of beliefs from extremely liberal to mainline to ultra-conservative and those that include characteristics on both ends.
| • | Belief in Deity Trinity of the Father (God), the Son (Christ), and the Holy Spirit that comprises one God Almighty. Many believe God is incorporeal. |
| • | Incarnations Beliefs vary from the literal to the symbolic belief in Jesus Christ as God's incarnation. Some believe we are all sons and daughters of God and that Christ was exemplary, but not God. |
| • | Origin of Universe and Life The Bible's account is symbolic. God created and controls the processes that account for the universe and life (e.g. evolution), as continually revealed by modern science. |
| • | After Death Goodness will somehow be rewarded and evil punished after death, but what is most important is how you show your faith and conduct your life on earth. |
| • | Why Evil? Most do not believe that humanity inherited original sin from Adam and Eve or that Satan actually exists. Most believe that God is good and made people inherently good, but also with free will and imperfect nature, which leads some to immoral behavior. |
| • | Salvation Various beliefs: Some believe all will go to heaven, as God is loving and forgiving. Others believe salvation lies in doing good works and no harm to others, regardless of faith. Some believe baptism is important. Some believe the concept of salvation after death is symbolic or nonexistent. |
| • | Undeserved Suffering Most Liberal Christians do not believe that Satan causes suffering. Some believe suffering is part of God's plan, will, or design, even if we don't immediately understand it. Some don't believe in any spiritual reasons for suffering, and most take a humanistic approach to helping those in need. |
| • | Contemporary Issues Most churches teach that abortion is morally wrong, but many ultimately support a woman's right to choose, usually accompanied by policies to provide counseling on alternatives. Many are accepting of homosexuality and gay rights. |
Wednesday, August 04, 2004
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2 comments:
I'm not sure how well the Paul/Jesus division works.
-Paul doesn't ever speak about Mary, a virgin birth
-Paul doesn't as a rule speak speak about damnation
-The Gospels give us vivid pictures of damnation
-John gives us the language of correct belief, as do the catholic epistles, in a manner similar if not more stringent then Paul
What we do get from Paul is the language of atonement, but we can find this language in a number of the gospels, it became for the early church the primary means of interpeting the Christ event. I think you're protrayal of the religion of Jesus harkens more to the work done by historical Jesus research, then what the canon provides us. And Paul I suspect is getting loaded with doctrines and beliefs he didnt necessarily hold.
I do think the division is a helpful thought excercise, in that it points us to other ways by which we can make sense of the Jesus story in our time and place. But I think the critique is better aimed at how the tradition took Jesus, then the two men of Jesus and Paul.
Btw this blog has a lot of thought provoking posts. I enjoy the read.
Thank you Dwight.
LC
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