This woman GETS IT!
For those outside the Toronto area and Canada, I present to you Marianne Meed Ward who writes columns for the Toronto Sun dealing with issues of faith and religion. I congratulate her for standing up to Bible literalists trying to make scripture into a science book. She is right that the literalists have done more harm than help to the Christian church. In fact, the literalists have ruined the credibility and public trust to the Church all because of their narrow view of what faith should be. Ms.Meed-Ward rightfully objects and says, "First, faith should be stronger than a house of cards that comes crashing down with every breeze of revelation, or alternatively imprisons its followers in an infantile reduction of key religious themes.
I envision faith more like a web, with strands coming and going as the believer gains more knowledge and insight. This is a strong faith, able to incorporate new information, and even abandon downright kooky notions without throwing out the entire faith. " I do look forward to a time in the Christian community, the evangelical in particular, when people will not be looked down for taking a metaphorical view of Genesis chapters 1 & 2 but I think I know that is not going to come anytime soon but I am optimistic that coming decades in this century that will change. If some in the evangelical community were really honest behind all their literalistic shouting,huffing and puffing and other hot air, it's all about defending "original sin", especially it's Calvinistic derivitive of "total depravity" and other misanthropic man-made doctrines (made in the name of God) to make people "hate" themselves and to control the congregating masses. Probably this is high time to believe in "original blessing" as opposed to original sin (but that is truly another topic for another time). The Roman Catholic Church and the Eastern Orthodox for years have had no problem with believing in evolution and faith. It has been perennial problem with American evangelical Christians or as I borrow Gavin Rumney's phrase "fundagelicals". I can only say, it is time for North American evangelical Christians to grow up amongst other issues.
I envision faith more like a web, with strands coming and going as the believer gains more knowledge and insight. This is a strong faith, able to incorporate new information, and even abandon downright kooky notions without throwing out the entire faith. " I do look forward to a time in the Christian community, the evangelical in particular, when people will not be looked down for taking a metaphorical view of Genesis chapters 1 & 2 but I think I know that is not going to come anytime soon but I am optimistic that coming decades in this century that will change. If some in the evangelical community were really honest behind all their literalistic shouting,huffing and puffing and other hot air, it's all about defending "original sin", especially it's Calvinistic derivitive of "total depravity" and other misanthropic man-made doctrines (made in the name of God) to make people "hate" themselves and to control the congregating masses. Probably this is high time to believe in "original blessing" as opposed to original sin (but that is truly another topic for another time). The Roman Catholic Church and the Eastern Orthodox for years have had no problem with believing in evolution and faith. It has been perennial problem with American evangelical Christians or as I borrow Gavin Rumney's phrase "fundagelicals". I can only say, it is time for North American evangelical Christians to grow up amongst other issues.
Read the rest of Marianne's article here at http://www.torontosun.com/Lifestyle/Columnists/MeedWard_Marianne/2007/07/08/4322735-sun.html
Labels: bible literalism, evolution vs. creation, fundagelicals, fundamentalists, Marianne Meed-Ward, so-called creation science
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