Bruges, 31-12-2006

A farewell to Old Myths ?

Christians to day.

By Alex Kinnet

1. Introduction:

A centuries old expression of faith was based on a biblical, later on a Christian language
and concept that took as granted a supernatural world (Heaven) where God with his
household and servants was throning as the heavenly king and creator of the cosmos.
He was the Alpha and Omega, the origin and the goal of the entire created world, the
absolute ruler who gave the laws, who was to be obeyed, to be worshipped and given
sacrifices.
He granted gifts like wealth or health but could also punish and take away material
benefits and send disasters.
All human race and cosmos was completely dependent on Him and he ruled like an
absolute king; a heavenly mirror of a worldly kingdom.
We call this view “ heteronomy”
This was the general concept up to the start of scientific research and probing
experiences which came to full development in the XIX, XX centuries

2. Old myths:

In the orthodox world the patristic fathers developed perfect balanced but highly
complicated concepts based on the biblical messages and the Hellenistic philosophical
concepts which were dominant at that time.
The first and second Testament was impregnated by those concepts and myths.
Without any doubt one can uphold that those concepts were the result of a fundamental
and truly experienced relationship with God and a real encounter with him through
Jesus Christ.
Those, what is called to day, traditional dogmas, liturgies and concepts were a perfect
product from and for the culture in which they were developed.
A culture that was solely dominated by heteronomy thinking and in a pré scientific time.

3. Faith challenged by scientific activity and discoveries:

As from the 16 the century a complete different axiom was slowly developed in Western
Europe: that of an autonomic cosmos with his own inner-cosmic laws and systems. The
interfering, all dominating Heavenly Power disappeared very slowly.
We see the results to day: a drastic cultural change and a fundamental different position
of man vis à vis God and the religious institutes.

The old axioms and traditional concepts aren’t accepted any more, except by
fundamentalistically inclined people.

The traditional high churches (orthodox, catholic, some protestant churches) in the
daily practice do act as those heteronomically conceived concepts were and still are
part of the fundamental Christian beliefs. Most of the time the autonomy of cosmos and
world is flatly denied, particularly in the liturgies and in their daily messages.

In the past most of those churches, who all still believe that their eternally valid truth and
content of faith came directly from God, were engaged in a very intense battle against
this autonomy and modernity.
Not only came their position under heavy discussion, also the content of faith and
church order was threatened seriously.
Even to day, in daily practice the Bible is still Gods own Word and the from old Jewish
and Hellenistic impregnated concept of faith and church order are still upholded as from
eternal value and ordained by the Lord himself.
That in all the Christian churches a fast growing and impressive number of faithful do no
any longer accept all those articles of faith, concepts and church organisations is a
matter of great concern but apparently not a reason to ponder on the fact why those
concepts are no longer considered as meaningful and life giving and why bible and
liturgy are considered as void of to- day relevancy.
Spirituality has to day in our Western World never booked so immensely a success but
the Christian churches get emptier and emptier and soon Islam and Jewish faith
systems will encounter the same problem.

One has to admit that a change in axioms isn’t a very easy task. Popular beliefs and
practices were always quite distinct from the more theological concepts. The old system
based on a hierarchical all embracing and defining system gave power to the leaders
and stability to the system.
But those axioms have been proven false by the results of the scientific studies and
experiments. Every minute we come to learn more about how we function and what
could be the underlying laws and systems.
Science has demystified quite impressive inner world phenomena and is demystifying
more and more riddles, problems and is improving his capacity to prevent and or cure
problems. Result: the existential reality seems to work without the power of Heaven.
We come to detect that what previously was said and believed to be dictated from
Heaven is a natural phenomena from the cosmos we live in.

4. Challenge:

In the post modern times we as Christians, Jews or Moslems live in a world which is
growingly better informing us and where information streams rapidly become pluralistic
and very intense. Also is the average faithful no longer an illiterate obedient person
deadly afraid of heaven and hell and keen to shop around for relevant inspiration, which
makes his and his fellowship ‘s life and happy life to day in this world.

The Catholic Church is officially backing up scientific study and methods but is
upholding in it’s liturgy and preaching the old world language and old axioms.
The Orthodox Church is in this aspect even more reluctant.
Be it that patriarch Bartholomew during a conference he organized in 2000
(International Scientific Conference) declared “that the church rejoices in the scientific
achievements of humanity; she desires the establishment of an essential dialogue with
science, sharing with it the responsibility for humanity” one has to admit that in practice
little to none is brought into practice by the orthodox theologians or even this effort
encouraged by the clergy.

Faith, or it’s actualised form and methods seem to be still unchallenged.

Is it because of a pastoral concern (real problem though) or simply because a
prevailing, conservative fundamentalist attitude or mind?

In daily practice the Bible, very partially used, is still the literal word of God and the full
historicity of the Bible uphold entirely. The two-world scheme is used without constraint
and the liturgy is bulking of the old axioms.
One sees easily that traditional theological categories are not very helpful for creating a
new integration of science and theology since they presuppose the very super national
categories that are being contested and rejected.
Actually one of the most pressing issues facing theology is to reconceive the activity of
God within the world of natural regularities that we have to come to know.

5. Personal dilemma:

Academically trained with decades long actively realised interest in exegesis, theology
and an active member of an orthodox community; critical question automatically came
up.
Media, particularly television programs didn’t make it easier. The overwhelming anti
religious and anti institute propaganda didn’t contribute very much to soot those
problems, on the contrary.
Obviously from the exegesis studies it was clear that the Bible isn’t the direct word of
God. It’s internal contradictions are too overwhelming and the mythical character too
strong.
The present orthodox and even still the catholic world is facing a growing cleave
between her and the present world, it’s language and organisation lost considerable
meaning and relevancy and is consequently loosing the appeal.

A real pity is that the patristic fathers were notable much less hesitant than the Latin
scholastics to defend the closest of relations between God and world. There is a much
lesser tendency to dichotomise God and the world. Orthodoxy upholder the idea that all
that exists, exists only by participating in god and that the ultimate destiny is deification
of the world. Not to deny that being very” Panentheistic “ minded there was great
reluctance to accept the influence of the world on God. Of course panentheïsm is only
a recent developed theological overall approach but many patristic fathers actually
propagated the same concept be it within a different, non-scientific culture and
philosophical system.

It is therefore very disappointing, to say the least, that in the Catholic and Orthodox
world an overall refusal of modernity and scientifically obtained results is prevailing and
no serious study or discussion is started.
Lucky I had publications of the catholic and Anglican church at my disposal; to name
only a few; cardinal Danneels, the Dutch theologian Schillebeeck, courses at the
theological department in Bruges, authors like Bodifée, Den Heyer Vattimo, Kuitert,
Peacocke, P. Clayton, Polkinghorne J., Keith Ward, Vergote gave me sufficient ground
under my feet. Of course there were some orthodox writers; Kallistos Ware, Lossky,
Thunberg, Zizioulas, Louth. Internet is of course also a very interesting source of
information and several websites do deal with the issues on hand.
Books like those of H.Kuitert and Leanars S.J. were really divesting for the certitudes
that I was given like so many of my co- citizens of my age (65)
How fruitful though they have been as we have to get rid of the old, past packages and
go the way of looking for the essence of our Tradition and present it in a logical,
inspirational and appealing way/ form to guide our life on this spiritual path in awe for
our Ground and Purpose of Life and in thanksgivings and sharing this life living gift of
the Mystery that we call God, who is also very close to us.

A few concrete issues are still bothering me a lot and do need more reflection:

1.Paradise with an ideal couple as occupancy, never existed and consequently also not
the Fall caused by them and their disobedience. As a result the classical redeeming of
J.C. as conceived in the past isn’t valid any more and need to be given a new
perspective.
2.Death, sickness always was and still is” condition humaine” and of the world;
consequently it isn’t a punishment for our sin and surely not for the catholic concept of
original sin.
3.body/soul as an hellinistic concept is considered as a dualistic concept that has
against it very convincing scientifically obtained evidence. Humans are created
accordingly the image and likeness of God; so is a very outstanding, specific and
unique creation. But it appears that all human aspects are coming out and sustained by
the biological elements ( material as well as energy elements). Without biological
support there is no longer a person. Of course one is a person only in the contact with
others, is there now only the contact with God? What is life in God in this view.

I’m aware that this reflection should basically be a study work and of course at best
realised not on an individual basis.
Therefore I tried to find or create via the internet media a workgroup that could
exchange ideas and information on those issues.
I just failed to do so and even I do have it difficult to find relevant publications from
Orthodox people on those topics.
I would therefore be obliged if you could guide me in the search for centres and or
persons that deal with the above mentioned issues; and or recent publications.

In Christ
Yours

Alex Kinnet
P. de conincklaan 8
B8200 Brugge
Belgium