1 post tagged “descartes”
Apparently, being made in the image of God comes with a few limitations, especially if that image happens to be a bit cracked. Oh, yeah, don't forget that Eikon is the Greek translation of the Hebrew term for "image". If you've read McKnight's A Community Called Atonement (see 1/31 post) through chapter three you already know that.
Speaking of an exercise in postmodern humility (chapter six), I can't recommend enough Stephen Toulmin's Cosmopolis: The Hidden Agenda of Modernity (see my review of Toulmin's analysis of the traditional view of the 18th century)
The arena of the 18th century isn't ours, but questions he provokes are certainly applicable. Theology does not take place in a vacuum. We all do our knowing, thinking and believing from a vantage point that is limited, historical, and dependent. The modern decontextualization of all reality, including theology, has the dangerous potential of homogenizing spirituality, turning God and religious experience into products to be marketed at the global level.
A faith maintaining any links to a particular history, a particular way of life, particular symbols and rituals, or a particular institution, remains limited in its marketability. Therefore, those overly influenced by the market mentality will most likely dismiss such a faith.
Have you seen how religious symbols are often reduced to marketing tools? This is most evident in today's plethora of church curriculum, programs and marketing strategies, which offer uniform packages of interpretations and judgements for delivery to every place.
