Heresy Becomes Orthodoxy

On Being Done with Religion

Done with small talk over coffee, with a quick "I'll pray for you" on the way out the door.
Done with fake smiles. Done with pretending.
Done with "How are you?" being used as a greeting instead of a question.
Done with "fine" for an answer.
Done with sitting in the same room with you once a week and considering it meaningful.
Done with this thin, social veneer which sucks us all into a false sense of belonging.

I want to laugh with you. I want to cry with you.
I want to know what fears still play around with you when you're alone.
I want to know what it feels like for you when you hear His voice.
I want to know what it feels like for you when you don't.
I want to share meals and memories.
I want to share work.
I want to share life.
I want to be community.
I want to be family.
I want to really know you.

And I want to be known.

 

Are You Done with Playing Church?

I'm done... with Christians who walk into church like they are walking into a Country Club

I'm done... with Christians pretending they are perfect

Read more...

You Should Be a Pagan Christian

"I guess that's what I am," the man said as he sat down in the adjacent seat, as I was camped out at Panera the other day, working on my laptop and drinking coffee. I looked up at him with a puzzled look. He nodded to the bright red book on the table that I was reading with the words "PAGAN CHRISTIANITY?" strewn across the cover. He continued, "...a pagan." I wondered what he meant by that and thought that this might be a good opportunity to share the Gospel with him.

 

"Oh, really?" I said, uneasily, struggling with coming up with the right words of hope to share with him. I wanted to tell him that he didn't have to despair, that there was more.

 

"Yeah, you bet," he replied kind of smugly. "Gotta be a pagan before you can be saved."

 

My soul relaxed. I smirked. "Yeah, I guess you're right," I said. He read the rest of his newspaper, finished his coffee, and left. Yet, I couldn't stop thinking about what he said.

 

I just posted a book review on Pagan Christianity? Exploring the roots of church practices by Frank Viola and George Barna. It was a fascinating and challenging read. While it was a bit scholarly in places with a plethora of footnotes, the overall content was compelling and kept me flipping the pages, wondering how it would have an impact on my faith.

 

The authors cover everything from the origins of the pulpit to the development of the seminary, pointing to the influence of Greco-Roman culture and philosophy on the evolution of the institutional church.

 

On the church building, they write: "Most of us are completely unaware of what we lost as Christians when we began erecting places devoted exclusively for worship."

Frankly, I'm not sure where to go from here, but I'm going to talk with my pastor about it. I value his insight and thoughts on ecclesiology; I know that he'll help me come to a gracious, edifying solution.

 

Here's an excerpt of my review:

 

Pagan Christianity is the most dangerous Christian book of 2008. Be advised before reading: it will change your perception of Christendom, your understanding of church history, and even how you read the New Testament. It is not a work to be approached lightly. While it would be "nice" to encourage you to read this provocative approach to ecclesiology with a grain of salt, it's just not possible. 

 

Read more about Pagan Christianity... 

While the book addresses the negative influences of paganism on Christianity, I wonder if we all need to consider ourselves pagans before we can be Christians, as my Panera companion suggested. What do you think?