Once we are free of
the mental shackles that orthodox religion has put on us, the union of
the religious and scientific views of the universe and life becomes not only obvious, but a joyful
possibility. Science and technology not as a weapon to assail old
mythologies, but as a servant helping mankind understand the life-giving
Force (some call this God) of the universe. The old mythologies not as
relics of the past to be dismissed as irrelevant to modern life, but as
part of our cultural heritage, a record of mankind's failures and
successes in trying to live in harmony with this 'life-giving Force'.
One major
contribution of science to this fusion is the universality of the "Great
Story" -- the scientific discoveries of evolution of the universe and
life on this planet -- that can lead us to appreciate that we are one
people, that one religion does not have the absolute truth; that we need
to practice a Global Ethic. Read what one enlightened Christian minister
has to say about this "Great Story" ...
On
the basis of this Great Story of the Universe, we could make several
affirmations. Here's just [one]: … We are just one species among 10
million others in one great sacred web of life in which all things are
interconnected. … Jesus recognized this notion that we are each part
of a Great Story that is far larger than ourselves. … AND, Jesus saw his
Great Work as promoting the healthiness of the WHOLE inter-connected
community of Life, and sustaining this great delicate fabric of life, so
that the Story could go on and on and on! ----
Living in the Great Story of God's Domain
by Reverend Angus M. Watkins, 9/21/03
Summary of TABLE of CONTENTS from Life
Jackets for the Planet:
These are not your grandparents' sermons! They
will come as a shock to some and a breath of fresh air to others. They show
you needn't suffer brain damage to be a Christian!
1. While we Christians proclaim Jesus as our guide into the realm of God, we
affirm the faithfulness of other people who have other names for their guides
into God’s realm.
2. We experience the presence of God through intimacy with earth, sky, and
sea; and in the process, affirm the common destiny of people and nature.
3. We perceive our sharing of bread and wine in Jesus’ name to be a festive
sign of God’s steadfast love for all people and all creation as we journey
together toward the “promised land” of shalom.
4. We invite all sorts and conditions of people into our common life as full
partners, including (but not limited to):
– conventional Christians and curious doubters,
– homosexuals and heterosexuals,
– females and males,
– the despairing and the hopeful,
– those of all races and cultures, and
– those of all classes and abilities without imposing on them the necessity of
becoming like us.
5. The way we treat other people, other species, and the earth itself is more
important than adherence to creeds, doctrines, and dogmas.
6. We find more grace in the search for meaning than in absolute certainty; in
the questions than in the answers.
7. We see ourselves, that is, the church, as an intimation of God’s beloved
community in which we undertake a journey to acquire spiritual power for
healing and harmony, for justice and peace, in all God’s holy creation.
8. We encounter demands on our lives as well as risks to our comfort and
privilege as we widen our circle of concern, embracing the oneness of
everything.
9. To move “beyond belief” is not to say that we do not believe anything
anymore or that it does not matter what we believe. It is to say that
experiencing God and living in congruence with God’s ways are more important.
10. If you remember nothing else about Jesus, remember the great work he
commends to all who would go with him: Namely, to understand that all things
and peoples are included in God’s world; and, that we are to be about the work
of healing the torn fabric of God’s world.
Available from Seven Paw Print Press (SevenPaws@Buckeye-Express.com, or 4714
Skelly Rd, Toledo, OH 43623) for $8 + $2 mailing = $10.
- William Greenberg drwmg@buckeye-express.com
