Can we create a community that makes sense of the traditions we grew up with, discovers the wisdom of the many other spiritual traditions, and finds a framework for navigating our current world?
Lots of good points here. I too have found the deconstruction accounts a bit dreary, though I don't generally spend a lot of time there--so many things to read otherwise! If you ever do a post on the Apocalypse, let me know--I've been a part of an ongoing exegetical discussion (sadly not in English) on the New Testament eschatology, and we've just wrapped up John's Revelation. Not sure what you mean by "inspired" or "prophetic" (we'd have to unpack these terms), my take is more literary: apocalypses were a popular genre back in the day, and obviously they had to engage Christian motifs somehow. From the other apocalypses I've read, John's work is really the least problematic, meaning, it leaves a lot of things out in the open.
Excellent post! Glad to have found you via the Cottage. I would consider MLK as a positive influence for Christianity in modern times.
Lots of good points here. I too have found the deconstruction accounts a bit dreary, though I don't generally spend a lot of time there--so many things to read otherwise! If you ever do a post on the Apocalypse, let me know--I've been a part of an ongoing exegetical discussion (sadly not in English) on the New Testament eschatology, and we've just wrapped up John's Revelation. Not sure what you mean by "inspired" or "prophetic" (we'd have to unpack these terms), my take is more literary: apocalypses were a popular genre back in the day, and obviously they had to engage Christian motifs somehow. From the other apocalypses I've read, John's work is really the least problematic, meaning, it leaves a lot of things out in the open.