Food for thought

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Very eye-opening. I've known about this concept, but this is a very concise and clear quote about the phenomenon of pagan influence in Christian churches, and why most churches today -- both Protestant and Catholic -- present alloyed, impure versions of Christianity -- a worldly-Christian hybrid faith. There is no end to our culture's pagan pursuits, even in most churches. What's "cool" will always draw more people than what's true. (Hence, "the gate is wide and the way is broad that leads to destruction, and there are many who enter through it. For the gate is small and the way is narrow that leads to life, and there are few who find it." Matt 7:13-14)

Bye for now.

Prior to Constantine, there were several variations of Christianity, (Gnostics, and others) which came to be labeled and condemned as heresies.

Constantine was also responsible for codifying Christianity through the Nicean Council.

It may be difficult to say which variation of primitive and pure Christianity was the correct one.

I can't believe that no-one else is participating in the discussion. Was my first post really a knock-out blow to Ragtime?

Anywho, an excellent relevant movie that I can recommend is Agora

http://www.imdb.com/title/tt1186830/


[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RbuEhwselE0[/youtube]

The trailor is incorrect: it isn't "the last days of the Roman Empire", but the movie does deal nicely with the Roman Empire's transition to Christianity. Rachel Weisz does an excellent job as Hypatia.

Nihil novi sub sole.

The Church, all churches, and all religious institutions of any faith are social and cultural institutions that depend for their survival upon an ongoing base of adherents. The Church of the 21st century is a very different institution than the church of the 19th century, which was, itself, much changed from the Church of the 17th century. Thus it has ever been.

The Church is caught in a quandary. Its philosophical foundation lies in revealed truth, fixed and unchanging. But its temporal foundation rests upon relevance.

There can never be an unalloyed Christianity. Ever. Because her scripture is a product of the alloyed, impure Church. The first canonical list of scripture that conforms with the current Roman Catholic Old Testament is the Council of Hippo, in 393. (The Orthodox and Protestant canons did not, of course, exist until those churches emerged in the 11th and 16th centuries). The New Testament canon also emerged in the 4th century.

Perhaps a more worthwhile pursuit is not the quest for some mythical, unobtainable, unalloyed Christianity, but rather an introspective assessment by individual adherents as to whether the Church (or, indeed any religious tradition embraced by the adherent) is fulfilling its mission, as it applies to that individual adherent.

Clearly the Roman Catholic Church does not provide me with any meaningful spiritual guidance. But that does not mean that she cannot do so for another. On the other hand, religious traditions that are meaningful to me are not necessarily of value to others. If we can take any lesson from this it should be the humble admission that there is no universal truth, and that the faith of one believer is just as valid as the faith of any other believer--or any non-believer.

Many Evangelical cults make the claim that they are following pure, unalloyed Christianity. It makes for good advertising, and many cult members actually believe it.

None of them have any idea what they are talking about. A lot of them also claim to believe in scriptural inerrancy (and other blah-di-blah-blah), without understanding that the New Testament wasn't formally canonized until Constantine.

Jehovah's Witnesses have been pretty good about not celebrating Christmas (because it was a Pagan holiday which later became a Christian holiday). And not celebrating anything but Easter (but without the painted eggs and chocolate Easter bunnies, of course). They won't even celebrate birthdays.

So, pagans know how to party. Wouldn't life be bland, without an occasional festival or celebration, even if the celebration has pagan roots?

Is blandness indeed a consummation devoutly to be desired?

If we are to revert to original Christianity, as practised in the time of the Apostles, then consider

Most Evangelical preachers won't talk about the part that comes from Acts 4, because it sounds too much like "Communism", and the Evangelical preachers aren't really interested in sharing their loot with people in need.

But, they are interested in scaring their parishioners with the story of what happened to Ananias and his wife, so that they won't hold back on their contributions. "The first ten percent of your income isn't yours: it belongs to GOD!! !" I've heard Pastor Hagee proclaim. And, his followers need to give him gifts on top of the tithes.