To become a Christian is to climb a ladder; but after we have arrived at Christianity, we should kick away the ladder.
Christianity is Not, therefore, some kind of an elaborate and specific scaffolding that our faith necessarily stands upon; Not a particular form of platform-support that must be assembled and maintained Just-So - or else it will collapse, bringing-down the faith and salvation of all who stand upon it...
Very briefly stated: the place of Christianity is where we know the reality and nature of God; have understood what Jesus Christ offers us - and committed to accepting that gift.
Once we know God and have chosen to follow Jesus - the ladder by-which we climbed to that place could, and probably should, be discarded...
Because otherwise our faith may come to depend on the perceived-integrity of the ladder - so that anything which seems wrong with the ladder will threaten our commitment.
The evidences and experiences which constitute a ladder to Christianity, are as various as people.
It may be some combination of a church or scriptures, or another institution, persons or books; or it may be some life experience - good or bad, happy or sad, joyous or suffering...
To reach the place of Christianity; we may have climbed a ramshackle, crooked, and botched ladder; built from poor quality and weak materials, and including elements that have no good reason to be included.
None of that matters - so long as we do not feel obliged to defend the truth and integrity of every rung and the straightness and strength of the uprights!
So long as we do not come to believe that our ladder is the perfect, only possible, and inevitably effective means of ascent!
If your particular ladder is causing problems to your faith: then kick it away!
2 comments:
I don't think this would even be possible for me. The evidences of the faith are crucial to my faith. Otherwise it would seem a form of fideism. Of course, that's not to say any particular evidence would be crucial.
As ever I may be misunderstanding you!
@M - "a form of fideism".
This is just using ready-made conceptual counters to label (and reject) something without having to think about it! The point is to think things through for oneself, experientially.
If you are satisfied that your faith is robust, there is no point in (or need for) doing anything more than continue. If it works for you, stick with it.
But, as a strong generalization; Christian faith is pitifully weak and corrupt as of Now - which I regard as consistent with serious failure of "evidences of faith" in a world of endemic, multi-source, and unavoidable subversion.
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