Once someone has absorbed the assumptions of mainstream modern materialism, he cannot believe in Heaven - and, much worse, he does not even want it to be true!
That is a Big Difference between recent generations, and people of the past. In the past, people might not believe resurrected eternal life in Heaven was true... They might think it was wishful thinking, a made-up story to manipulate people...
But, if they could be sure that Heaven was real and true, Of Course most people would want it for themselves; of course they would prefer eternal life is annihilation, reincarnation, or the dissolution of the self into deity.
But our modern materialist assumptions spill forwards into our conceptualization of Heaven. People cannot escape the underlying conviction that eternal life is just more-of-the-same - it can only be a continuation.
The modern mind cannot, for instance, see any end-point difference between the imagined technological life-extension of transhumanism, and resurrected life everlasting... except that transhumanism is clearly superior, because it does not lie on the other side of death: you don't have to die to get it.
What I'm getting at, is that our perspective is now so deeply rooted in this-mortal-life and the pervasive assumption that the material is all; that all our theories about the future carry these "realities" with them - our strong imaginations - what seems really-real - are always based on what seems really-real to us, here-and-now.
My understanding is that we can only grasp the significance of what Jesus Christ did, and what he offers; if we can make a mental leap from this mortal life forward.
We need to be able to imagine, and to assume, that "It Is All True" - that resurrected eternal life in Heaven is a possibility, and to experience that possibility imaginatively, and from that experience of Heaven to look back on this mortal life.
That seems to be the only way that we can grasp the real significance of Christianity.
Christianity has become something that cannot be explained! Well, we can of course say the words - but for modern materialistic people these descriptive and explanatory words will be distorted into this-worldly and material meanings: the words, the explanations, the meanings; will be seen from this-side (mortal life), and shall not therefore be understood.
To understand Christianity is therefore a considerable challenge to the modern person. For a start, he must really want to understand it! - and that is very rare.
It seems, instead, that a large majority of self-identified modern Christians want to "use" Christianity as an ideology to achieve this-worldly goals (strength, peace, prosperity, functionality, social justice etc). They are looking at Christianity, at Heaven, from this-side.
For such people (and they are many!) Christianity is the basis of the kind of society, the kind of this-world, that they most desire - and such people are Very resistant to any other and "next-worldly" conceptualization.
It is strange how something that used to be so simple, spontaneous and easily achieved as wanting everlasting eternal life in Heaven; has become something so qualitatively difficult that even the most devout and active "Christians" are utterly unable/ unwilling to comprehend it!
Such "Christians" cannot comprehend Heaven in the sense that they cannot think Heaven; they cannot inhabit that perspective. Therefore their understanding of Heaven is necessarily false and/or unreal.
Because they do not "get" Heaven; they cannot want it - and want something else instead. And therefore, of course, such "Christians" have not even begun actually to Do... whatever it actually takes to achieve Heaven.
Our modern paradox is that we must first already know Heaven, in order to want and get Heaven.
And our fundamental assumptions concerning the nature of reality (i.e. our materialist metaphysics; shared by nearly-all Christians, as well as nearly-everyone else) make Heaven unknowable.
Such is the nature of our condition.
For a long time I used to think that the afterlife was just an afterthought for most Christians. Lately, I have begun to wonder if they ever even get that far. It's odd, yet understandable when you consider the points you have outlined here.
ReplyDelete@Frank - I think many branches of Christianity have virtually deleted all possibility of thinking realistically about the after-life..
ReplyDeletee.g. by making it so uncertain, stacking the odds against achieving it (the possibility of excommunication, of mortal sin without absolution) - or even simply by the idea that if anyone is too confident about salvation, then such "presumption" will of itself prevent salvation.
All of this focused attention on this mortal life - and of course Christian living and practice - became extremely wide and deep, all-pervasive and ultra-complex - in short, completely absorbing for the serious Christian.
Apparently; the outcome is that the simple core was buried, and fenced around; so that the evidence of the Fourth Gospel, and early stories of instant conversions, confidence in salvation by choice etc - come to seem simplistic, childish, and plain incredible.
Does this make any sense to you? A way of thinking that might persuade some materialists to open their minds and hearts.
ReplyDeletePrimordial Ground of Being – The Logos as Source
Creation begins in the Logos, the eternal divine intelligence that contains the potentiality of all existence. The Logos is both transcendent (beyond creation) and immanent (within creation), establishing order, purpose, and coherence.
Emanation of Spiritual Beings and Cosmic Hierarchies
From the Logos emanate spiritual hierarchies—angels, archangels, and higher beings (as described by Rudolf Steiner). These beings mediate divine wisdom and oversee the development of cosmic order.
Quantum Potentialities and Indeterminacy
The quantum realm provides the field of potentialities (quantum wavefunctions). This represents a cosmic openness—creation is not pre-determined, but emergent, shaped by interactions of consciousness and matter.
Observer Effect and Primary Thinking
Human and spiritual consciousness collapse quantum potentialities into actual events. Dr. Bruce Charlton’s concept of primary thinking—intuitive, holistic knowing—enables direct participation in this act of creation, much like the observer effect in quantum physics.
Teleological Evolution and Purposeful Development
Evolutionary processes (biological, cultural, spiritual) are not random but directed by an intrinsic teleology (purposefulness), aligning with Charlton’s teleological evolution and Teilhard’s noosphere. Spiritual beings guide these processes, ensuring that creation moves toward increasing complexity, consciousness, and unity.
Emergence of the Noosphere
Teilhard de Chardin’s noosphere emerges as the collective sphere of human consciousness. As humanity grows in spiritual awareness, the noosphere becomes a global mind—the medium through which the Logos manifests more fully in creation.
Human Freedom and Spiritual Participation
Humanity’s freedom is integral to this process. The interplay of free will and divine purpose allows for creativity, moral growth, and co-creation with the divine. Spiritual practices (e.g., meditation, prayer) nurture this participatory consciousness.
Integration of Matter and Spirit
Quantum interconnectedness (entanglement) mirrors spiritual unity. The Logos’ presence in quantum processes ensures that matter and spirit are not separate but dynamically interwoven. This unity manifests in phenomena like quantum coherence and relationality.
Convergence at the Omega Point
All creation evolves toward the Omega Point—Teilhard’s vision of ultimate convergence—where individuality is preserved but perfectly integrated in divine communion. At the Omega Point, divine omniscience and love fully manifest, fulfilling creation’s purpose.
Key Features of the Process:
It’s dynamic (never static, always unfolding).
It’s participatory (requiring conscious observers—human and spiritual).
It’s teleological (driven by divine purpose, not random).
It’s unitive (matter and spirit as one cosmic process).
It culminates in divinized individuality (Omega Point).
@Mark - It seems too complex and abstract for my taste.
ReplyDeleteI was trying to pull together a Christian teleological evolution and quantum theory and suggest they might be different languages for God's creation; movement away from classical physics and the enlightenment nonsense that only matter is real; return to teleology and primacy of Mind/God - a sort of theoscience.
ReplyDelete