Will the real Christian please stay up!?

To the question of whether Metaphysical Christians really have the religion “of Jesus”?... I say no. However, I can say yes to having “a” religion of Jesus.  To say “the” religion of Jesus at the surface level seems to have a claim that is unsubstantiated and arrogant. 

Since the religion of Jesus was Judaism, as a Christian, we do not follow the religion he practiced.  As a Metaphysical Christian, we do not follow the Judaic laws, wear sandals, preach from mountains, etc.  However, the term “Christian” has been used to describe a follower of Christ.  If we believe that Christ, as in the divine man as Charles Fillmore defined, existed before Jesus and Jesus was an individual expression of Christ, we could also call Jesus a Christian.  This may be a stretch.  Let us consider that we in Metaphysical Christianity do not use the terms Jesus and Christ interchangeably as other Christians often do.

 We speak with our own authority as we claim the term Christian, just as Jesus spoke of his own authority.  We in Unity also have a tradition, not only from the Fillmores, but also from the tradition of Jesus speaking from his own authority. We are to be cautious in the use of classic epistemology of tradition and not resort to glib statements.  This is where our study of theology serves us.  Theology can engage us in a dialogue with individuals with other perspectives.  Here is the opportunity to practice going beyond the shallow statements that separate us from others.  When we say we have found our “home” in the Metaphysical Christian teachings, we are declaring intuition as a source of Truth.  However, intuition is not a way to prove our knowing.  So we really are practicing “a” practice of Jesus when we speak from our own authority.

Feed or be fed?

Feed or be fed?

As we discussed the three spiritual needs of people I was struck with a couple of questions.  Where do those needs come from?  Embedded theology?  How do we meet those needs?  What is ours to do in meeting those needs from a ministerial perspective?

First, the basis of these needs are so vast it is difficult to postulate the source.  The religious tradition we grew up in would certainly be one of, at least, influence. Whether we embraced the beliefs are not, we have the possibility of carrying over preferences or expectations for our church and minister.  For example, I have heard a number of New Thought followers express a yearning for rituals.  If we consider aspects of our services to include music, for instance, these could fulfill these desires. 

The need of new ideas or perspectives on familiar ideas is often cited to be a missing element in a more traditional church.  These disillusioned souls come into our ministry looking to not necessarily topple their existing theology.  More often it is to refresh their thinking.  They are attracted to the “New” part of our teachings. I consider this an unspoken basic for our services and lessons.

Another essential of our ministries is to demonstrate what we propose in our mission values and purpose statements.  If we as in Unity describe ourselves as “practical”, we must offer principles to apply in life.  Platitudes are very shallow.  It is easy to say God is good and everywhere present.  However, it necessary for us to reveal this in a deeper way and propose useful messages.

These spiritual needs can be met just in a Sunday service alone.  I propose that we also provide the possibilities of meeting them in every other aspect of our ministries, such as classes and social activities. 

We are not in the business of “force feeding” the masses (no pun intended).  However, we are here to offer ways to access the Divine, in us and all around us.  While we in the ministry want to encourage spiritual growth, I believe we also are to provide the conduit rather than obstacles for that growth.  Oh, and by the way, this may be my embedded theology!  Always taking hacks at the Holy!  Blessings!

My basic belief about God is that God is energy.  This energy is neutral.  It is present in everything and everyone at all times.  Merriam-Webster.com offers this definition of energy as dynamic quality:  the capacity of acting or being active <intellectual energy>; usable power.  Wikipedia says this about energy- “It is impossible to give a comprehensive definition of energy because of the many forms it may take, but the most common definition is that it is the capacity of a system to perform work.”

 We as observers of the energy have an effect on the course. We cannot directly observe energy, only the “results.”  God is different for each person given we each have our own theology and therefore God may take many forms.  I consider an example of a vengeance God of the Hebrew Scriptures to be a reflection of the consciousness of the writers.  Yes, God is the capacity to perform work.  And, yes, we are this capacity also, given this energy is in us.  I find God in the spaces.

Sin is in the observation.  When we see the energy as a negative, it goes in that path.  Therefore, the resulting manifestation of the energy is in compliance.  Salvation is the changing of the direction to a positive route.  This is the meaning of the saying that we change the world when we change our minds.  There is no inherent “evil.”  We create or manifest the bad with our thinking.  I view evil as the opposite of “live.”  In other words, in “evil,” it (a person or thing) is not living and growing.  My interpretation of prayer is the act of connecting into this field of energy and allowing it to inform my thinking and feeling.  And finally, I must practice this connecting when living in a world that has a choice.  I personally do not want a shrinking anti-living world.  My practice is to reassure myself and others that we can have a world that works for everyone.  Heaven is not a physical place, but a level of consciousness, as is Hell.

A church is a support for people to practice remembering that God is good and always available to us.  It provides the teachings and community to empower everyone in the congregation to grow spiritually.  This implies that it is not merely a place for people to be told their truth, but where they can safely discover for themselves the Truth, meaning the changeless principles that allow us to experience a life of growth, abundance and understanding.  In this community, with our without walls, they can connect with others in this pursuit, hearing others, speaking, learning, expressing, and trying out theologies.  While I am saying this, I realize that a church has a commitment to teach their theology, but also I maintain that it has a duty to allow conversations and explorations as to the viability of those teachings.  As Thomas Paine said “It is error only, and not truth that shrinks from inquiry.”