A Belief System from Beyond the Box
by
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As we think beyond the box we must remember that our purpose is to morph the church to survival – thus avoiding its death. We must be prepared for the internal guilt that comes from breaking our traditions and mind sets, even those we have come to recognize as inhibitive and deleterious. We must be prepared for the external guilt that our culture will heap upon us, even as that culture has grave doubts of many of its own traditional positions. As I strive to think beyond the box the church continues to endorse, I will still support this church and denomination in its compassionate works and, in turn, welcome its support within a communion of fellowship. I will resist manipulations that inhibit within the Christian Faith. I will present my beliefs as possibilities to be considered, not as truths that must be accepted. I will courageously present my belief system while encouraging others to present theirs. I will honor the healthy, non-harmful beliefs of others. I will listen to understand. I will speak to affirm. I will encourage my peers within and without the church to hold those beliefs that give them the joy of being response-able to Incomprehensible God and responsible to comprehensible humanity. The Incomprehensible God of the Universe is the Atmosphere of Possibilities. When our leap of faith takes us into the Atmosphere of Possibilities a trust develops within us that makes many things possible. When I transition from inhibitions to possibilities my response-ableness broadens. When we transition from inhibitions to possibilities our relationships broaden. When the church transitions from inhibitions to possibilities its stewardship within the total Kindom will broaden. . . and the church will survive. Blessed Are the Uninhibited for They Shall Recognize the Atmosphere of Possibilities.
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About the Book
As I go back to the first blog that I released into cyberspace, I discover that the date was May 27, 2005 and the title was, It’s Beyond Me. As I scan forward through all the postings I find that two major themes have developed synergistically: 1. That segment of the formal religious establishment described loosely by the term church, is under stress. The extreme nature of this stress is demonstrated by the current, often-quoted, fearsome phrase – “The Church must change or it will die.” 2. The most frequently offered response to this dilemma is the admonition, “We must think beyond the box.” Pragmatism indicates that: “The Church must change or it will die,” phrase is hopelessly destructive. Might this prediction be more approachable if rephrased as? “The Church must morph, then survive.” Survival indicates that it is essential that we determine what it is in the box that we must think beyond. What should be changed so that our belief systems can morph, thus equipping the church to morph to survival? It is my conclusion that my past conceptualizations of God, my core beliefs, have been formed by inhibiting Climates of Cultures, deposited in the box over the ages in an attempt to make God comprehensible. It is my emerging discovery that when we think beyond the box we recognize the Atmosphere of Possibilities, the Incomprehensible God of the Universe. Though our core beliefs may differ we all should be encouraged to hold beliefs that give us the joy of being response-able to Incomprehensible God, the Atmosphere of Possibilities, and responsible to/with comprehensible humanity, including ourselves.
About the Author
How does an author tell a readership enough about himself/ herself that readers acknowledge the writer as authentic?
I believe that I am an authentic church member adequately engaged in the mission of my particular denomination of the Christian Faith. I have been an elder in my local church for more than 60 years, serving my share of the duties vital to its continued existence.
I have participated in the next higher judicatory, presbytery, as a frequent committee member, on administrative commissions, as moderator and as a delegate to multiple General Assemblies.
We need to feel authentic. I do feel authentic. But being authentic is not the issue at hand. One could be an authentic member of the inauthentic Flat Earth Society. The issues at hand are these:
1. Are the beliefs in the box we have been handed by past cultures relevant to the times in which we live? Here I present my working list of the ABCs I see comprising the box:
A. Factious Fundamentals and Doctrines
B. Embellished Stories and Myths.
C. Outmoded Knowledge and Cultures.
2. Are the concepts given in this book relevant to thinking beyond the box, morphing our belief systems and participating in the survival of the church?
Here follows the belief statement I have discovered beyond the box:
“I believe that the Incomprehensible God of the Universe is an Atmosphere of Possibilities within which the human can be a response-able steward to and for the Incomprehensible God – and responsible to and with comprehensible humanity, including self.”
This statement works for me. That is no proof that it will work for all. Hence readers will probably prefer to design their own.