Christ is the light that lightens everyone that comes into the world (John 1:9)
How Christ the Inward Light Unites Universalism and Christianity?
An insight from Samuel D. Caldwell.
Though written by a Quaker to The Religious Society of Friends, I thought some of the insights might be helpful for the larger Christian Universalist Community. We may not agree with every detail, but it is interesting food for thought.
Where are we going?
URfriend, Dean Johnson
5 comments:
Thanks for sharing the article! I have always felt that Quakerism is a perfect faith community for Christian universalists. Peace bro'!
Quakerboy,
As a Christ-centered Universalist believer, it has been comfortable for me too. An inclusive, spiritually minded, freethinking fellowship, which invites ministry from the members of the body has been a welcome experience.
URfriend, Dean Johnson
Dean Dean Dean, interesting stuff you have here. I can hook you up with tonnes of universalists and others from Regina on my blog (I added you as a link). The majority of the links are free-thinking people of faith (most have left church) and the Regina folks are North VUs, Jolly Beggar, Ursa Smaller, and myself (and now you). I say come and check it out sometime and I will frequent your blogspot (which I'll do anyways).
How do you know me? Well you really don't but I met you the other night at First Nations Alliance, I am one of the contentious brothers (ther was John and you think they would of called me James - they didn't - my name is Jay Bird).
Jay,
Thanks for the postings. I will check out the blogs.
I appreciated your post
"Christian Virtue vs. Business Ethics" on northVUs' Blog
Dean
Here is my little bit from reading Caldwell and what I will discuss with you.
"To paraphrase the scripture, it is the Good News of God "preached to every creature under heaven" (Colossians 1:23)." (Caldwell)
He uses this scripture wrongly but he captures the spirit of it. The word preached is done by us (humans) and not by the inner light (as good as a guide as it is).
"One need not be a professing Christian, in other words, to be saved; and many who are professing Christians are (apparently) not saved" (Caldwell)
I agree with this assertation. I think living according to the teachings of Christ (whether in the church or outside the church) will result in godliness. Some people follow what they do not know they do (I think) and some do not follow what they think they know (within churches).
"This difference in viewpoint explains the real distinction between Quaker "convincement" and evangelical "conversion." (Caldwell)
I think they are both a little short-sighted. The Holy Spirit (by then name it is given) leads each person to godliness or holiness (standards that God would approve of). This neither happens at birth nor at conversion. It seems to happen when we learn the ideas of scripture and then decide to live by them. It seems to be more of a guide than a 'convincer' or a 'converter'.
"Friends have vociferously challenged the fundamentalist Christian assumption that the Bible is the Word of God, insisting instead that the Holy Spirit, the Christ Within, is the Word of God." (Caldwell)
I have some problems with this, as we can tend to err without guidance (or by merely using an internal light). I like the idea of a continuing learning from Christ, I agree with most of that. But how are we to discern this spirit as constituing right and wrong for us? If history shows us things it is that some people can be mis-lead by their own leadings.
"continuing revelation" (Caldwell)
My question is simple, what more has to be revealed? I like the idea and agree to some aspects of it but in Christ we have a final revelation and I think more respect has to be given the teachings of Jesus.
"insisting that the Church is not a building" (Caldwell)
I 100% agree and I also agree with accepting people who do not profess the faith.
I really like some of the views within Quaker-ism and the idea's of changing the structure of the church, it definitely has some of my sentiments. I also like the fact they don;t claim to have it all figured out, so true. Interesting stuff.
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