Reader Comments on God's Word or Human Words?
by Greg Mackie. Read the article.
Greg
Thank you so much for your great article on Elaine Pagels and God's word. I found it very enlightening. I have read Elaine's book several times and it is one of her best, for sure. One point that I would like to interject about your article however, if I can. Probably the ONE big difference between the two eras of Christianity then and now is this media that I am using right now. It is marvelous. I can read your thoughts on the course and immediately call up Ken's or any number of other concepts on the idea. Communication and our capability to use it now is unparalleled in history. In Jesus' day MOST of the people never ventured much beyond their village life. They didn't have the capability nor money to do so. This, of course made a situation where the local religous leader was the authority, whether it be Johannian or Marcionian. If a village was lucky maybe a traveling teacher might come into their synagog to teach. Their world view was totally limited in most cases. This, of course set up the situation of hetrodox belief. Now, however we can even send satallite direct TV to a thousand different locations at once. A marvelous tool.
Today, however we are capable of gaining access to any number of ideas on any subject. A simple push of a few keys on this keyboard opens the world up to me. This being said I guess that my point is that I agree with you 100% on your concept of how to teach the course. I would say, however that I would like to see your ideas implemented but be accompanied with a church structure. Many people (or most, actually) get so much out of the fellowship of an ongoing, structured atmosphere with support and fellowship of others. A set dogma is certainly unnecessary, and in today's atmosphere really unacceptable by so many. That is good. But a church structuring around the Course concepts, I think, would be welcome by most. The LDS (Mormon) religion is an excellent example of the use of communication to keep the church philosophy ongoing.
Thank you for your time in reading this, and also again, thank you for your
inciteful writings.
—Ralph Renick
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