The Process of Emerging

In "The Sixth Paradigm" Richard writes about the process of emerging:

Science is not a cumulative linear process – there are periods of violent interruptive activity – paradigm revolutions or paradigm shifts!

Consider Aristotelian astronomy – a three-decker universe with the earth at the centre (a paradigm that still works in part). New paradigms are resisted (conservative attitudes). In science new paradigms normally oust older paradigms but religious paradigms never seem to get discarded.

1. the early Christians were waiting for the end of the world and the return of Jesus (not much point of social theology because the world was on its way out).

2. from the 1st to 6th centuries – the encounter with Greek philosophy (theology) – the creeds

3. the RC paradigm from 11th to 15th centuries – the encounter with the Roman genius for order, discipline and admin.

4. the 16th century Protestant Reformation and the discovery of the Bible by ordinary people. There was still a need for authority (Luther and the infallible authority of the Bible) – an absolute commitment to pre-scientific paradigms. Reformed churches are very dour and dominated by the minister – the protestant work ethic – a school in every parish!

5. the 17th to 19th centuries – a heroic attempt to steer the Christian vessel between scriptural and institutional fundamentalism and the rejection of all religion as irrational and infantile – trying to adapt religion to contemporary knowledge – religion itself is seen as a relic!

6. in the process of emerging – post-modern – not set in concrete – post hierarchical – religion is recognised as a human construct. Maybe Christians aren’t nearly as important as they think they are! Non religious people often seen to be a good deal kinder and more tolerant than religious people.

In "The absence of God" Richard suggests:

It is very difficult to get beyond words. As far as our senses are concerned God has always been absent – that’s why we invented the word transcendent – the possibility of that which lies beyond any human understanding or experience.

Could it be that God was aware of the inadequacy of words and emptied himself and became flesh? Then along comes talkative Christianity and turns flesh back to words again! Religious language doesn’t convey the mystery of the possibility of God!

In "The burning mystery" Richard suggests:

Using a story in order to put across a message – something that is common in most religious traditions – parables – consider Screwtape Letters! There is a lot of midrash or imaginative construction in the NT. Maybe the whole of John’s gospel is midrash – an imaginative theological construction that is the fruit of years of meditating on the meaning of Jesus. One midrash technique used in the NT is to take great events from the OT and repeat or echo them in a different context in order to show that Jesus had assumed the role that was previously filled by one of these great heroes such as Moses.

The recognition that the church is supposed to express that unconditional acceptance of all – while knowing that the system we have invented to do the job is not up to it because it is run by us and not by Jesus.

The church is an impostor through whom truth is spoken?