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Christian doctrine and Anthromorphism

Thought Leaders Series:2018

By way of context, anthropomorphism is the attribution of human traits, emotions, or intentions to non-human entities. A behaviour which psychologists describe as innate to humans.

For example, in religion and mythology, anthropomorphism is the perception of a divine being or beings in human form, or the recognition of human qualities in these beings.

In Christianity, we are told that we are replicas of God (Gen. 1:27). Thus we find descriptive use of human features for God in Judaism and Christianity. These include references like: “The finger of the lord’ (Gen. 8:19), ‘The eyes of the lord, (2 Chronicles 16:19), ‘The hand of the lord’ (1 Peter 5:6-7) etc.

Jewish scholars tried to do away with this idea once they realised its shortcoming and implications. So they wrote commentaries to shift this perspective, but once the oral tradition had been translated to written text, it was near impossible to convince followers otherwise.

The idea was already branded into their psyche and no amount of enlightened thought could change it. Even today, scholarship is often dismissed as secondary information, as audiences fail to not understand that Bible is not a primary source either. But rather, a collection of commentaries by enlightened thinkers in their era. In fact there is no primary source.

That aside, thinking of the Divine in anthropomorphic terms also means the attribution of human emotions and actions. This is common in most cultures, perhaps more apparent in Greek mythology.

In Christianity for instance: love, anger, vengeance, hatred, justice, jealousy etc., are often used to describe God’s emotion. In Exodus 15:3, Isaiah 42:13, we see examples of human actions. In these two examples, God’s involvement in the killing and destruction of non-compliant nations or people through active warfare.

Thus in Christianity we have an angry God, who holds grudges. One who requires human sacrifice as Atonement for the sin of Adam and Eve – humanity.

But even if we agree that this was Truth, there are plethora of positions with this doctrine. Theologians like Julian of Norwich (1342-1430) believes that Jesus’ sacrifice was once, and for all of humanity (regardless of belief or unbelief). In other circles, in-spite of Jesus’ sacrifice, there are other complicated doctrinal subsets, like the Rapture and Judgement Day, which some believers are likely to fall short of, leading to everlasting condemnation in hell fire🔥with non-believers.

In fact, there is a whole industry built on this premise, with some Christians even having a preview of who might, or has ended up in hell already.

At any rate, except the definition of love as we know and understand it is wrong. Because If it is right, then the Christian God could not be described as loving.

Human Capital Development: Healingsprings fellowship

http://www.healingsprings.org.uk

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Christian doctrines

Thought Leaders Series: 2018

There are three major areas in Christianity: God (a large part of our understanding of this concept emerges from the Text we commonly refer to as the Old Testament), Jesus (sources include the Gospels and writings, mostly in the Texts we commonly refer to as the New Testament), and the Doctrines (the agreed teaching of church through history).

In simple terms, these doctrines are designed to help followers lead a ‘Christian’ life, in the hope that after death they end up in heaven. Therefore these doctrines are reinforced through sacraments, teaching, preaching, rituals, actions and festivities. Doctrines are also important because it is what those who do not follow the faith witness or experience about a Christian.

In terms of origins, these doctrines were agreed after decades of debates by Bishops (church fathers), underpinned by pretty much the kind of politics we see with Brexit today. The most influential faction won the debate, the doctrines were ratified, and its core elements are encapsulated in the Apostles’ Creed.

Interestingly most Christians, especially those of pentecostal or evangelical traditions have no idea what doctrines they believe in, let alone how the doctrines came about.

As such, when they use words like ‘the Sovereignty of God’ (most times as a means of discrediting the contribution of non-Christians to human progress), you find that they lack the ideological and philosophical underpinnings, or implication of such statements. They fail to understand that they are in fact inferring that God has simply used and dumped such individuals. And not until they become ‘Christians’ such good deed amounts to nothing, let alone a place in heaven.

The reason behind such mindsets is because of a lack of sound theological education. As well as other areas, a theological education explores and even critiques doctrinal positions in light of human progress. Most importantly, it explores the origins of these doctrines, offering scholars the opportunity to analyse them.

Christian doctrines are not cast in stone, they were agreed by the church fathers in response to the sociopolitical challenges of their era. As such they can be reviewed today in light of social progress and challenges.

This was exactly what Jesus was doing with Judaism when he challenged doctrines like the sabbath, giving, relationship with gentiles (non-Jews) etc; ultimately leading to his death. He saw that the faith was both unnatural and socially alienating.

So, instead of assumptions which oftentimes lack credibility – hence the need for ‘faith’, I strongly believe that this tradition of critical analysis is one we should embrace and continue in the church.

Healingsprings fellowship: Human Capital Development

http://www.healingsprings.org.uk

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A Moral Critique of the Book of Exodus

Today @ Healingsprings fellowship

Last week I noted that the Book of Exodus is problematic. And that it promotes a sense of entitlement which byproducts include: nationalism, colonialism, slavery, unfair trade, exploitation, genocide, and religious wars.

No matter which angle we treat the Text from, we are still faced with these problems. Hence Prior argues that,

[a]ny association of God with the destruction of people must be subjected to an ethical analysis. (p. 2).

This is one of many challenges facing religion today, hence the need for critical studies. Sadly, no critical studies are handled in churches or seminaries. In fact the latter is designed to ‘inseminate’ (hence the term seminary, meaning to plant a seed) students with traditional doctrines.

As a result we have a faith which fails miserable in addressing the challenges facing humanity.

So, how do we reconcile the message of universal love and kindness taught and preached by Jesus as recorded in the New Testament, when we are presented with an angry God that will not let go until he sees the brutal death and blood of his son as a ‘sacrifice’ or ‘atonement’.

Even if we go with the idea that a transition took place from the Old to the New Testament

  • how do we then reconcile the fact that even with the death of Jesus as an ‘atonement’ for sin we are still faced with the possibility of punishment here on earth (by God or/and the Devil) for non-compliance, and eternal judgement in hell fire after death?

These doctrines are grossly contradictory. It will seem that if humanity relied on Christianity it is destined to doom.

To this end there are issues with the idea of the Bible being ‘infallible’, because the writings and doctrines it presents are largely disjointed, as such, they offer contradictory angles on major moral and social issues, which breeds fundamentalism.

These Texts were written by people trying to make sense of their world through the lenses of their religious framework. Some of their ideas are useful, others pose major problems, especially on human rights and morality.

Hence new coverts to Christianity were called to faith almost as a crash course amidst persecution, owing to the complexity of trying to teach Judaism as foundations, before moving to the revisions of doctrines carried out by Jesus.

In similar vein the notion that Christianity is cast in stone is dangerous, it leaves no room for advancement – which is clearly what Jesus was doing with similar doctrines in Judaism.

Hence the call today for revision of Christian doctrines, hence the call for theological education through the instrument of tertiary institutions, not seminaries, especially for those called to lead churches and parachurch organisations.

Join us at 3pm today for the series: From Order to Chaos: a study on Exodus

St John the Evangelist Hall, Church Rd, Sidcup DA14 6BX

Healingsprings fellowship: Human Capital Development

http://www.healingsprings.org.uk

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