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To respond to this thread, however far and long (in time) one goes, when one
walks in a circle, one reaches the same spot one starts. Then, one goes over
the same tracks. So I am intrigued, "particularly with the growth of science
and expansion in the availability of education" what NEW theological issues my
good friend Cornel raises (questions not asked before) and NEW responses he
comes up (answers not yet provided).
I read a 700-page history book "The Story of Civilization" on Rome 800 BC to
350 AD. To quote from the book:
Celsus (second century anti-Christian philosopher) sarcastically observed that
Christians were "split up into ever so many factions, each individual desiring
to have his own party." In about 187 AD, Irenaeus listed 20 varieties of
Christianity; in about 384 AD, Epiphanius counted 80. At every point, foreign
ideas were creeping into Christian belief; and Christian believers were
deserting to novel sects. The Church felt that its experimental youth was
ending, its maturity was near; and it must now define its terms and proclaim
the conditions of its membership. Three difficult steps were necessary: the
formation of a scriptural canon, the determination of doctrine, and the
organization of authority.
Author (Will Durant) ends the chapter with: Judea gave Christianity ethics,
Greece gave it (philosophy and) theology, and Rome gave it organization.
(parenthesis mine)
The first council of Nicaea met to work out the varying interpretations in
doctrine. All (316) but two bishops signed on to the Nicene Creed. The Council
of Nicaea in 325 AD did not stop future issues for discussion and
disagreements. As I read the controversies now, compared to the issues (nature
of Christ, Trinity, sin, punishment, etc etc) that the church in the first 300
years faced, I can only describe the present disagreements as superficial,
semantics, childish and self-serving. (Like a 25-year old parroting the virtues
of live-in relation and premarital sex).
I hope whatever question(s) Cornel raises will lead to more light than heat.
The Roman world of 2000 years ago (from England to Iran and from North Germany
to Libya - Carthage) had a much larger variation of religious and social
practices; and interactions of different peoples and races than one ever
encountered in any time in history, including today.
I am sure Cornel and others understand that whatever issues we discuss, we will
not change much. Yet, the discussion is likely to make us smarter. However to
do so, we need to discuss the issues smartly and methodically; and not just
argue some esoteric problem or some real or imaginary historical shadows (which
we often do). With the Church, as in your college, in my hospital, or in our
country, the final decision lies with the person authorized to say, "The buck
stops here!"
Kind Regards, GL
------------- Cornel DaCosta People's Vaddo, DR04 CDC, London, UK.
What you describe about Christianity is that millions of Christians over the
ages have accepted Christianity as a faith / religion. I agree with this.
However, in the same period, there have been many who have questioned that
faith in the context of schisms, agnosticism, atheism, spiritualism, and other
versions of 'belief' but about which you have remained silent.
In more recent historical periods, particularly with the growth of science and
expansion in the availability of education, there is an acceleration in the
questioning of faiths / religions.
