<html><body><div style="color:#000; background-color:#fff; font-family:tahoma, new york, times, serif;font-size:12pt"><div><span>Len,</span></div><div><span></span> </div><div><span>This column by Douthat is the one to which Diana Butler Bass replied, that I referenced. If you want to see the Bass response just Google or Yahoo "Can Christianity Be Saved." She basically says what you're saying.</span></div><div><span></span> </div><div><span>Randy</span></div><div></div><div> </div><div>"Listen to what is emerging from yourself to the course of being in the world; not to be supported by it, but to bring it to reality as it desires."<br>-Martin Buber (adapted)<br></div> <div style="font-family: tahoma, new york, times, serif; font-size: 12pt;"> <div style="font-family: times new roman, new york, times, serif; font-size: 12pt;"> <div dir="ltr"> <font size="2" face="Arial"> <div style="margin: 5px 0px; padding: 0px; border:
1px solid rgb(204, 204, 204); height: 0px; line-height: 0; font-size: 0px;" class="hr" contentEditable="false" readonly="true"></div> <b><span style="font-weight: bold;">From:</span></b> Len Hockley <lenh@efn.org><br> <b><span style="font-weight: bold;">To:</span></b> Colleague Dialogue <dialogue@lists.wedgeblade.net> <br> <b><span style="font-weight: bold;">Sent:</span></b> Tuesday, July 17, 2012 11:59 PM<br> <b><span style="font-weight: bold;">Subject:</span></b> Re: [Dialogue] Can Christianity Be Saved? Can Religion Be Saved?<br> </font> </div> <br>
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The article is at <br>
<div>http://www.nytimes.com/2012/07/15/opinion/sunday/douthat-can-liberal-christianity-be-saved.html?_r=1&hpw</div>
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Interesting article. It assumes health of the church can be measured
by
numbers, but concludes correctly that we need to better define what it
means to be a Christian. He says:<br>
<br>
<small><i>Today, by contrast, the leaders of the Episcopal Church and
similar bodies often don’t seem to be offering anything you can’t
already get from a purely secular liberalism. Which suggests that
perhaps they should pause, amid their frantic renovations, and consider
not just what they would change about historic Christianity, but what
they would defend and offer uncompromisingly to the world. <br>
</i></small><br>
I may be wrong, but it may be that there is little difference between a
social liberal and a Christian except what one calls ones self. <br>
<br>
It all
boils down to what the defining attribute is for Christianity. And for
this I would put forth Robin R. Meyers definition:<font face="Bookman Old Style, serif"><font face="Bookman Old Style, serif"><font style="font-size: 8pt;" size="1"><big><br>
<br>
<i>The
ultimate defining characteristic of Christianity is <b>the incarnation</b>,
the
mystery of God's presence in a person. The Word became flesh, as
John put it (1:14), and </i></big></font></font><i><font face="Garamond, serif"><font style="font-size: 11pt;" size="2"><big>lived
</big></font></font><font face="Bookman Old Style, serif"><font style="font-size: 8pt;" size="1"><big>among
us.</big></font></font><font style="font-size: 8pt;" size="1"><big>
The
incarnation gives the faith its form and content, bringing God
"nearer to us than our jugular vein," to quote the Qur'an
(50:16).<br>
</big></font></i></font>
<div align="right"><small><small><i>Saving Jesus from the Church</i></small></small><br>
</div>
<br>
In this definition, the mantra <i>"What would Jesus do?"</i> takes on
basic importance. It is a test of an individual and does not require
or recognize any organizational membership. The organizational
membership only points to a set of symbols and rites that a group uses
to remind them of the wisdom that Jesus brought as the incarnation of
the Mystery, God. <br>
<br>
The gift of the church is the keeper of the history and the gathering
of the faithful.<br>
<br>
Len<br>
<br>
<br>
<br>
<br>
On 7/16/2012 2:44 PM, R Williams wrote:
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<div style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: tahoma, new york, times, serif; font-size: 12pt; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);">
<div><span>Last week <i>New York Times</i> columnist Ross Douthat
wrote an article asking "Can Liberal Christianity Be Saved?" in which
he asserted that manifestations of liberal Christianity, like the
Episcopal Church, are facing imminent death.</span></div>
<div><span></span> </div>
<div><span>Diana Butler Ross, author of the recent book <i>Christianity
After Religion, </i>responded to Douthat this week in the HuffPost,
suggesting that conservative churches as well as liberal ones are
declining. She broadens the question to, "Can Christianity Be Saved?"
She ultimately asks, can liberal churches save Christianity?
She refers to isolated instances of local churches that are
experiencing renewal, but suggests "the denominational structures have
yet to adjust their institutions to the recovery of practical wisdom
that is remaking local congregations."</span></div>
<div><span></span> </div>
<div><span>You may access Bass's article at http://www.huffingtonpost.com/diana-butler-bass/can-christianity-be-saved-1_b_1674807.h</span></div>
<div><span></span> </div>
<div><span>The question could perhaps be taken to yet another level
by asking, "Can religion be saved?" Or perhaps even more relevant,
using our language and concerns from the 60s and 70s, is the question,
"Can movemental Christianity survive and thrive without the
institutional church?"</span></div>
<div><span></span> </div>
<div><span>Randy</span></div>
<div> </div>
<div>"Listen to what is emerging from yourself to the course of being
in the world; not to be supported by it, but to bring it to reality as
it desires."<br>
-Martin Buber (adapted)</div>
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