vitarimor Posted July 19, 2020 Share Posted July 19, 2020 ...starting a new journey and the circumstances of COVID make some aspects of interaction now difficult, so I thought to try to develop my network to include some online resources to give external focus and connections. I subscribe to Liberal Theology more of the early 1900s to a large degree, with some modifications, and find the irony of how the dominant theology of the early 1900s is so relevant to our problems of today. Anyway, greetings... VR 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Elen1107 Posted July 19, 2020 Share Posted July 19, 2020 Welcome to this group. It looks like it will be interesting to hear many of your ideas and insights. Welcome 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JosephM Posted July 19, 2020 Share Posted July 19, 2020 Yes, welcome to the group. Feel free to present your specific ideas. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
thormas Posted July 19, 2020 Share Posted July 19, 2020 34 minutes ago, vitarimor said: ...starting a new journey and the circumstances of COVID make some aspects of interaction now difficult, so I thought to try to develop my network to include some online resources to give external focus and connections. I subscribe to Liberal Theology more of the early 1900s to a large degree, with some modifications, and find the irony of how the dominant theology of the early 1900s is so relevant to our problems of today. Anyway, greetings... VR Welcome VR.......... 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PaulS Posted July 21, 2020 Share Posted July 21, 2020 Hi Vitarimor, I hope you enjoy reading and participating here. I think I'd enjoy reading more about what you mean about you finding the irony of how the dominant theology of the early 1900s is so relevant to our problems of today, if you should care to post about it sometime. Cheers Paul Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
vitarimor Posted July 22, 2020 Author Share Posted July 22, 2020 16 hours ago, PaulS said: Hi Vitarimor, I hope you enjoy reading and participating here. I think I'd enjoy reading more about what you mean about you finding the irony of how the dominant theology of the early 1900s is so relevant to our problems of today, if you should care to post about it sometime. Cheers Paul Hi Paul, you might want to look into some of the writings of George Coe in the early part of the 1900s and look for associated writings. They sought to fuse rational thought and teachings with Christian thought and teachings. I would have found him being exposed to the modern concepts of the science (and it is) of Intelligent Design and how it would have brought the intervention back into the concepts of creation might have impacted his thinking, but that's almost to the side and for another conversation. A big part of their teachings revolve around the ideals that an active faith, a faith that is alive, is where it is deployed by an individual to engage the world with efforts to make it a better place, vs. a disengaged practice of faith and withdrawing from the world...as it is an engine who's function is just that, to make the world a better place. They sought improvement to the world in general, preaching ideals of social justice, racial justice, economic opportunities, etc. In a sense, they were way ahead of their time. The taught independent thinking, critical thinking on the basis that the underlying ideals of society are churned and improve to the better by passing into the hands of growing individuals in faith generation to generation. They promoted the idea of tolerance for diversity of thought. They believed that growth in faith and relationship wasn't the result of some massive emotional epiphany or event, that is wasn't something that occurred from external hounding based upon fire and brimstone teaching of fear for effectiveness, but rather was an innate calling from within us that sought to grow into love and relationship...as an innate, natural part of what essentially makes us human. They believed therefore that the growth in faith required individuals to grow in knowledge and understanding, thus choosing not to run away from learning, but to embrace it and grow with it...understanding the fundamentals of faith aren't lost in learning, but that these ideals are foundational and built on for higher level ideals that collectively act to push society ahead if embraced, supported, championed for the betterment of all, of society in general. Ok...went overboard...but that's the spirit of it. You'll find that at the root level the world functions on the opposition of orthodoxy to progression in faith, that it acts to strip growth and act to prevent the change of perceptions and positive social change that can evolve if allowed in faith. Those that embrace orthodoxy and refuse to grow are acting against the natural call to the growth and development of the world to a higher calling, that faith if allowed drives us to question the short-comings in our society because we DO feel, see, ask why various problems, challenges, shortcomings exist and we want things in empathy and love to change, evolve for the better. This is reflected as the difference between a bounded, legalistic view of Salvation vs. a centrist defined version the grouping that is Christianity, where salvation is not defined as a bounded set of laws we live within, but a turning of direction in our lives to Christ and living in love, faith, empathy with him at the Center...and always seeking to find ways to serve our neighbors, all neighbors of rich or poor, enemy of friend, etc. according to our circumstance, vocation, gifts, calling to his glory, of a perspective and mindset that we are doing so for that purpose. Sigh...overboard again...not full organized...but you just asked essentially a spillage on belief from someone studying it and working towards making things line up in their own heart and head...so forgive me for doing so. Hope this was at least..hmmm...thoughtful..;) VR Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PaulS Posted July 22, 2020 Share Posted July 22, 2020 Thanks mate, that was indeed very thoughtful. And what a first paragraph! I like the way 'they' thought. Was that really the dominant theology of Christianity in the early 1900's, because Christianity in general seems to have moved away from that in recent decades? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Elen1107 Posted July 22, 2020 Share Posted July 22, 2020 17 hours ago, vitarimor said: Hi Paul, you might want to look into some of the writings of George Coe in the early part of the 1900s and look for associated writings. They sought to fuse rational thought and teachings with Christian thought and teachings. I would have found him being exposed to the modern concepts of the science (and it is) of Intelligent Design and how it would have brought the intervention back into the concepts of creation might have impacted his thinking, but that's almost to the side and for another conversation. A big part of their teachings revolve around the ideals that an active faith, a faith that is alive, is where it is deployed by an individual to engage the world with efforts to make it a better place, vs. a disengaged practice of faith and withdrawing from the world...as it is an engine who's function is just that, to make the world a better place. They sought improvement to the world in general, preaching ideals of social justice, racial justice, economic opportunities, etc. In a sense, they were way ahead of their time. The taught independent thinking, critical thinking on the basis that the underlying ideals of society are churned and improve to the better by passing into the hands of growing individuals in faith generation to generation. They promoted the idea of tolerance for diversity of thought. They believed that growth in faith and relationship wasn't the result of some massive emotional epiphany or event, that is wasn't something that occurred from external hounding based upon fire and brimstone teaching of fear for effectiveness, but rather was an innate calling from within us that sought to grow into love and relationship...as an innate, natural part of what essentially makes us human. They believed therefore that the growth in faith required individuals to grow in knowledge and understanding, thus choosing not to run away from learning, but to embrace it and grow with it...understanding the fundamentals of faith aren't lost in learning, but that these ideals are foundational and built on for higher level ideals that collectively act to push society ahead if embraced, supported, championed for the betterment of all, of society in general. Ok...went overboard...but that's the spirit of it. You'll find that at the root level the world functions on the opposition of orthodoxy to progression in faith, that it acts to strip growth and act to prevent the change of perceptions and positive social change that can evolve if allowed in faith. Those that embrace orthodoxy and refuse to grow are acting against the natural call to the growth and development of the world to a higher calling, that faith if allowed drives us to question the short-comings in our society because we DO feel, see, ask why various problems, challenges, shortcomings exist and we want things in empathy and love to change, evolve for the better. This is reflected as the difference between a bounded, legalistic view of Salvation vs. a centrist defined version the grouping that is Christianity, where salvation is not defined as a bounded set of laws we live within, but a turning of direction in our lives to Christ and living in love, faith, empathy with him at the Center...and always seeking to find ways to serve our neighbors, all neighbors of rich or poor, enemy of friend, etc. according to our circumstance, vocation, gifts, calling to his glory, of a perspective and mindset that we are doing so for that purpose. Sigh...overboard again...not full organized...but you just asked essentially a spillage on belief from someone studying it and working towards making things line up in their own heart and head...so forgive me for doing so. Hope this was at least..hmmm...thoughtful..;) VR You make a lot of interesting points and express a lot of interesting ideas. I hope you keep posting and sharing in this forum Thanks for sharing Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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