I started reading Roger Olson's A Mosaic of Christian Belief last night. The discussion about North American Christianity being reduced to a "folk religion" really caught my attention. While I acknowledge the myriad of problems inherent among folk religions, I was left with this question: Was Christianity intended to be a religion of the learned? of the elite? of the intellectuals?
Then, of course, there is the question of whether Christianity is (or is intended to be) a religion at all. If it is a way of life, is it that for all people or only those educated enough to understand it well? Is the gospel "simple, full and free"? Or is it buried, hidden somewhere within the pricey scholarly volumes that are quickly taking over my bookshelf?
I am struggling. I'm struggling to understand my faith and truly know what I believe, but at the same time to not imagine myself as part of a elite bunch who really get it. I really need prayer for grace here. Knowledge's tendency to puff-up is palpable right about now for me. I share Olson's frustrations with the folk religion Christianity is becoming in North America...but I still need it to be the "faith of the folk", if you know what I mean. I think there is so much for us to learn about "the way of Christ" from the simple, the poor, and the illiterate. Perhaps, no, I'm pretty sure Olson wasn't referring to these people as contributing to the phenomenon as much as he was to the educated who choose to hold their faith in ignorance and therefore breed heresy.
Can I say that I hate that I even used the words ignorance and heresy in that last statement? Yuck. They make me very uncomfortable. I'll be exploring why that is. Please be praying.
Shalom.
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I'm kind of left out of the other posts for now, because Kwesi is reading our copy of GO.
But as for folk religion and North American Christianity, I find it very irritating, even revolting.
When my unsaved friends ask me questions about God, I am so comfortable gushing about the One who loves me consistently, completely and perfectly. But when they ask me about church, I cringe. It's like I want them to know God, but stay far, far away from churches and church people. They'll mess you up, I tell you.
I'm not even talking about the drama that comes along with human beings. I mean assumptions like:
1) Your worship should look like mine. (How dare you! Why don't you also tell me how to pleasure my husband, because my expression of worship is as much your business as my bedroom is.)
2) Your finances should look like mine, or else you're doing something wrong and preventing God from blessing you. (Can I tell you that each meal I eat is a blessing from God? Every piece of clothing, no matter how old, is God's provision for me? Just because you have a Lexus doesn't make you more blessed than me.)
3) Our local assembly has THE true understanding of all things God wants to communicate, and anything different from what we say is ungodly. (Oh yeah? Did God tell you to say that?)
4) If you perform like the other televangelists and super-preachers, you REALLY know what you're talking about and deserve every believer's loyalty. (ROTF LMAO)
5) If we see any of your sin, you're going straight to hell. And we'll watch you go, not because we're sinless, but ain't nobody found out about ours yet.
I think I have digressed WAY off track. Maybe I'm a little cynical, Lexi? LOL
This is what I am enjoying so much about the books I'm reading right now. It's refreshing to see a side of Christianity that acknowledges that:
1. We don't have to be the same (holding diversity in unity, and unity in diversity).
2. NOBODY has the truth locked down. None of us has all the answers.
3. Big and popular and flashy and narcissistic is the antithesis to the gospel.
4. And,Guess what? We're ALL a mess. Every last one of us (whether we admit it or not). The gospel is about God saving our mess day by day, relationship by relationship, which can NEVER happen without authenticity.
I'm SO cynical about the church. I feel you, Tania.
The gospel is infact for the folk. We are on this mission to spread the love of Christ to all that we can. Jesus made that His focus. He said if we LOve God, Love others and Love ourselve, the rest would work it's self out.
I've concluded that the problems with the church are the people being distroyed for the lack of understanding.
Study is was is required, isn't it. Too few Christians take the time to work it out. Many would rather it be on the shoulders of the elite few. It's history coming full circle. It very disturbing.
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