The other day me and a friend started talking. At first it was a normal conversation, but later it turned into a real serious point…Christianity.
Is it possible that Christianity should adopt to our modern lives?? This is what we started talking about…In such a modern world that keeps on changing…shouldn’t Christianity also change…
For example…you get gay Christians…this on it’s own is totally wrong according to the Old Testament. And yet, they accept gays in the church…modernization. If we also take the kind of music we listen to…it’s not only Gospel..what about Greenday, Seether, My Chemical Romance and many more….also some kind of modernization…
Fact is, the world keeps on changing….isn’t it then logical that Christianity should also change…I’m not saying that it is OK to steal and murder people…not change the rules…but adapt them to our daily modern lives. I think it’s probable…
My friend and I talked about two types of Christians. Conservative Christians and new age Christians….Is this logical? Can there really be something like this?? I honestly don’t know, but I think it exists…but in the end all what matters is what’s inside your heart, doesn’t it? If your heart belongs to God you can do no wrong…
If I would classify myself between one of these, I would deffinately be a new age Christian…
These things are still very confusing…please tell me if you think that I’m talking utter nonsence…
It’s difficult to describe the differences between new age and conservative Christianity. But I do feel that it exists in some strange way….what’s your thoughts on this?
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you definately have a point, and many others are saying similar things. Mayby a few thoughts:
I wouldn’t talk about new age christianity, this has a lot of connectations which you would have to work through and make sure you want them before using the word. New age was a spiritual movement with a lot of inter-religious, eastern religious and pagan religious ideas. Many are talking about postmodern christianity, emerging churches, being contextual christians etc.
What you are talking about is also called contextualization, and is something which has been done through all the history of christianity. It basically comes doen to translating the Jesus-story, and the Bible-story, and the story of Christianity, for our day and age, for our context. How would I be follower of Jesus where I am today, what does following Jesus mean here?
Which bring us to the question of culture; Christ and Culture. Are we simply working with a Christ of culture? Where whatever culture says we need to ‘christianize’; put in ‘christian’ language? (This sound a bit like your modernization of christianity) Are we working with a Christ against culture, where we need to keep on working with the same way of saying things, and where we ned to tell culture how bad it is if the times change? (this sound a bit like your conservative christianity) Or maybe we can find an alternative way of living within culture, maybe even a way pf forming our culture! (this is some of what you will find in the emerging conversation).
OK, so point it, the contextualization thing is much bigger than kissing and making out, and it’s not finding ways in which faith can become like our culture, what then in the point? But it does involve trying to be an honest Christian, honest with who I am, where I live, and what my roots are, trying to figure out this.
That’s a mouth full. would love to here some further thoughts, keep blogging
I think something important to also look at is the difference between the “emergent church” and the “emerging church”.
Lastly, we cannot adopt or keep a culture or parts thereof that go against the holiness of God. Because then in effect you choose the culture above the God. Paul let the gentiles know that they cannot live with sexual immorality and the like after the got saved, those things being a very big part of their then culture. So we too have to give up things to be separated unto God. I’m not saying give up everything, but we have to be able to sacrifice, take up our crosses as it were, for the pursuit of holiness.
John 14:15 – “If you love me, you will obey my commandments.”
I agree with klimraam. If you really love God, and I mean love, not just believe – then you will change your earthly ways to be in tune with His will and commandments. You will outomatically stop worrying about a new age / modern or concervative outlook, because you will know His will. The example of homosexuals – it is possible to know God and the world, but it is you can love only one of them. And if it is God you love, you will hear His voice very clearly – and His voice speak the language of the Old end new Testament and not that of the new of modern times.
En as jy nie verander nie?? wel, nie ten volle nie? Is jy dan nie lief vir God nie? Ek het ‘n vriendin, sy vertel my baie dinge, soms baie skokkende dinge…maaar feit is sy glo, ten spyte van wat sy my al als vertel het. Ek kyk na my eie lewe…ek glo, maar daar is sekere goed wat ek nie kan drop nie…maak dit van my ‘n non-believer?
Nee, dit maak nie van jou ‘n ongelo
wige nie, maar as jy ten volle die Here se genade wil ervaar en seker is dat jy die ewige lewe sal beerf, dan moet jy ten volle Hom gehoorsaam wees. Die Skrif noem duidelik dat ons nie Hom en die wereld kan dien nie (God en Mamon). Of anders gestel – dit staan ook geskryf dat ons meer en meer aan die wereld moet sterf en in Hom moet groei.
Om dit te doen beteken nie dat jy ‘n langgesig, suur, bedeesde mens moet word nie, jy moet juis meer skreeu, sing, lag en die lewe geniet, want jy is vry – vry van vrese, vooroordele en kwellinge.
Ek weet dit klink weird, maar dit is rerig so. Die lewe word skielik soveel meer voller en lekkerder – jy kan dit nie rerig vir iemand beskryf nie.
Feit is – meeste mense in die lewe glo in God en erken Hom selfs, maar min mense is bereid om Sy wil te doen. Gelof is nie ‘n eenrigting bedeling nie, maar moet van God en die individu kom.
Mooi Loop en sterkte.
Hey Hey Anna!! Hopelik weet jy wie dit is… Kan nie my persoonlike naam uit gee op i publieke blog nie, hoop jy verstaan? “Wenk”/ Gothic subculture.. My e-Pos is, sacrifice@vodamail.co.za! E-Pos my
There are more than two options. I have written a bit on it here
http://mattstone.blogs.com/journeysinbetween/2007/07/can-you-be-too-.html#comments
It requires some reflection on the difference between contextualization and syncretism though. Syncretism is anything goes mix and match. Not a fan of it myself. Contextualization is a more cautious approach that involves thinking through what is truly essential about our Christian traditions and what is more peripheral and culturally contingent. For example, pews, pulpits, dirge-like hymns, is any of that spelled out as essential in the bible? Is there anything that suggests we can’t sit in circles, use candles, or heaven forbid, place more emphasis on Christian lifestyle than Sunday services? Not mix and match, but not conservative either.