more religion, not less...

In an effort of become "relevant" to more people, and in the laudable knowledge that no one church had a monopoly on truth, the mainline churches sought to become less "religious." Ever declining numbers would suggest that perhaps that wasn't the way to go...James Freeman Clarke speaks of another way-the way of Paul...

"The whole of Christianity, according to Paul, grew out of faith in Christ. And by faith he meant a simple trust in him as a sufficient leader, saviour, mediator, and way to God. It was not to believe any doctrine about him, but to believe in Jesus himself, as a personal, ever-present friend. Paul declared it as a gospel of good news, wherever he went, that Jesus had been sent by God to save men from their sins and the consequences of their sins, to purify to himself a peculiar people, and make them happy, full of peace, full of love, full of hope. So those who believed Paul's testimony were united together in mutual fellowship as a Christian church...

Therefore, I say, when Paul denied and opposed this Jewish claim that all followers of Jesus must belong to the Jewish church, he was refuting beforehand every similar claim that could be made afterward by any church, sect or party. The greater includes the less, and when the strongest of all arguments is defeated, all weaker ones share its fate. If Paul utterly confuted and silenced those who said, "No salvation out of the Jewish Church," he at the same time confuted those who say, " No salvation out of the Church of Rome" or, " No salvation outside of our sect, our creed, our baptism, our experience and mode of conversion."...

What, then, was his answer to this argument...? How was he able to resist and to conquer such an appeal ?

He did it by going down deeper and going up higher than his opponents. He overcame their demands for ceremonial obedience by demanding a loftier and larger obedience. He asked for more religion, not less. He claimed liberty, that men might become more than ever the sons of God. He did not ask less for Christ, but more. This is the nature of all true and lasting reform. It breaks yokes, and takes off chains, that men may go up higher."

Blessings