Why Christ Doesn’t Need Christianity
A Huffington Post Article:
The long slow decline of religion in America has produced much hand wringing among Christians. The grief and anxiety are inevitable, but not entirely necessary. After all, Jesus didn’t come into this world to start a new religion. His stated purpose was actually to announce the presence of the “kingdom of God” (Luke 4:43). A reality, which he said, was located within us (Luke 17:21). Oddly enough, the very religion that bares his name has often built the biggest barriers to him and the life he promised.
One thing that might ease our anxiety is to remember…Read More
One Response to “Why Christ Doesn’t Need Christianity
I’ve got a couple of concerns about this. (1) What do you mean by “Christianity”? It could be taken to mean: the Church. But, according to the Gospels, Jesus was concerned with establishing a church. And, a good deal of the NT’s attention is given to this issue. If you mean the ritual forms, theological constructions and ecclesiastical forms of the community of faith — well, yes, these are subject to change and revision. But, Christianity (whatever it’s many faults) still claims Christ as it’s founder & guide — and Christ intended to found a community of faith. There is a social dimension to this — which seems to entail Christianity in some form. (2) I am uncomfortable with the idea that the Kingdom of God is something wholly internal and personal. Yes, it could be: “The Kingdom of God is within you” or it could be: “The Kingdom of God is among you.” Is God King in the present world — a political reality? Is is God King personally — an inner, spiritual reality? I would like to think both. Again, it is the social dimension of “Kingdom of God” that I’m missing here.
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