Friday, December 11, 2009

Metaphoric Christianity

I have been nursing this term (Metaphoric Christianity) for some time now, but am only now writing about it. The impetus for this post is that I am currently listening to Aeon Byte program # 147, entitled Atheist Christianity (this "web radio" program can be found at http://www.thegodabovegod.com/ ), and it is immediately clear to me that what Abraxas (radio host Miguel Conner) has termed "Atheist Christianity" is exactly the same thing as that which I identify as "Metaphoric Christianity". Miguel's guest for program #147 is  Christian author Jeanette Blonigen Clancy, whose book "God is not three guys in the sky" is the main topic of discussion. The conversation between Miguel and Ms. Clancy is illustrative of my own views as to what is important within the Christian message...and what is not.

Now, you may wonder why I think that "my terminology is better". It's because what we are really talking about here is not a Christianity without "God"...but rather a Christianity without beliefs...a Christianity without facts. A Christianity that celebrates the Christian Myth "as myth" and recognizes that the Truth that Christianity holds for us is far greater than mere historical facts.  Too much import has been misplaced on the claimed factuality of the Christian story, and not nearly enough import has been ascribed to the wisdom the insights and the grace that the Christian story brings us to.

More later on this topic.

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