Evolving Christianity: Life After Faith Crisis

The bulk of western society in stranded in a vast spiritual wasteland. That’s not too surprising the, (albeit necessary) deconstruction of traditional faith The modernist deconstruction of traditional religion, while needed, has had a profound impact. I write not to deny that, but to say one thing: We need not fear that wasteland because there is a rich landscape of spiritual life on the other side. Belief in an interventionist God is not required in order to lay hold of a rich, transformative Christian faith, one that is faithful to the Scriptures, proclaims a God of grace transforming all our lives, and is most certainly a gospel worth sharing. God is love, the scriptures say. I am among those who believe that love is the creative impulse animating creation’s evolutionary story. Everything evolves; we are not living separate from the power of that love. No, we are One and so we are sourced, empowered, inspired, even obligated to live into our own unique role. That is our destiny; that is our purpose. We are not static false selves destined to remain the same- dismal, broken, forever and ever, amen. No, we are destined to become unique creatures who reflect the reality of God’s love in a new life. An evolutionary Christianity is realistic about the enormity of that task, but hopeful too, because it recognizes the power of creation unfolding within us, driving transformative change. We will discover that the scriptures themselves reveal that the creative power of love does not so much act upon us as it is expressed through us. This is the Gospel now proclaimed beyond the modernist deconstruction.