Front PagePosting Hiatus Ends And New Study Begins
Submitted by bill on Wed, 05/03/2006 - 16:06. Emerging Church faith religion
Tomorrow I plan to return to regular posting, and to take on a new topic or area for study and discussion. With family visiting this past week, I've hardly touched a keyboard except to check email. But I have been reading and I hope to interest you all in a study of some of the primitive religions and cultures that contributed to the great religions of today.
Why would anyone want to study Axial Age religions and the primitive religions that laid the foundation for this pivotal time in human history? Well, to better understand where we are and where we might be headed, it's helpful to understand where we came from. And the answer to that question is not as simple as we have been led to believe. Also, the road we find ourselves traveling down is what it is, and simplified histories of spiritual revelations will not simplify the complex web of civilization that we sit atop. We are the product of at least 4,000 years of the human search for the origin and meaning of life.
The first caveat is that I'm no expert in comparative religion nor history of religion. So I will bring only what I find along the road on my own journey. Those with knowledge and expertise are invited to add or take away. The second is that this study will challenge religious and cultural assumptions and biases. But that's where the fun is—right? The uncertainty of reality challenges us to grow toward it, while the certainty of prevarication sucks us into the vortex of quibbling over minutia.
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A New Transformation
Submitted by bill on Thu, 05/11/2006 - 11:21.
Brian,
I'm looking forward to your impressions and what your learn while reading through Armstrong's new book. So far, it's a reinforcement for me that humanity seeks God. While the forms vary and even their effectiveness surely differs, we're all in the same leaky boat looking for salvation.
The current protests against Interfaith and Inter Spirituality efforts seem rather self centered to me. Why would anyone be afraid of discussing interfaith issues? The only ones who have something to lose are the leaders of the various groups. And they are the loudest complainers.
bill
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Can you list some chapters/topics?
Submitted by reid o (not verified) on Thu, 05/11/2006 - 17:01.
Karen is the caliber of person who could really do this well.
reido
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Transformation: TOC
Submitted by bill on Thu, 05/11/2006 - 19:00.
Reido,
Here is the table of contents.
The Axial Peoples (c. 1600 to 900 BCE)
Ritual (c. 900 to 800 BCE)
Kenosis (c. 800 to 700 BCE)
Knowledge (c. 700 to 600 BCE)
Suffering (c. 600 to 530 BCE)
Empathy (c. 530 to 450 BCE)
Concern For Everybody (c. 450 to 398 BCE)
All Is One (c. 400 to 300 BCE)
Empire (c. 300 to 220 BCE)
The Way Forward
The first chapter describes the peoples of three areas:
The Aryans of the Caucasus mountains who would migrate west to Germany and Italy, but most important to the story, south and south east to Persia and India.
The Israelites, from both the biblical and archaeological views.
And the Chinese.
The second chapter describes the primitive religions or these peoples before the Axial Age, as well as those of the early Greeks.
Chapter three is about emptying oneself (kenosis gr.) The most important development of the axial age was the concept of personal responsibility and deferring personal wants for a higher cause—God. In this chapter, she also discusses Islam, which would enter its axial age a bit later.
This is as far as I've got, so far. I'm now reading parts of the last chapter to get a better idea of the target. She's losing me sometimes, carrying multiple stories, not quiet in parallel, toward a common destination.
I have some quotes from the last chapter to post soon.
bill
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Quote:She's losing me
Submitted by BLG2319 on Thu, 05/11/2006 - 20:20.
Quote:
She's losing me sometimes, carrying multiple stories, not quiet in parallel, toward a common destination.
I have made it through the first chapter and I know what you are saying. Sometimes I get lost in her explanations. I can't decide if it is her or my lack of familiarity with the topic. When she talks about Israel or things that I know a little more about I am riveted. The reast of it, not so much.
Brian
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Reading the The Great Transformation
I started reading Armstrong's latest work "The Great Transformation" that you reccommended a couple of weeks ago. I am only on chapter one, but I can tell this is going be quite an adventure. I will share my take as I go along as well as look forward to your thoughts.
Like you I am increasingly fascinated by the beginnings of our religious traditions and how each one developed over time. I find myself suprised over and over again about how much our own tradition was influenced by ancient myth and symbolism. I know I said a few months back the subject of symbolism wasn't interesting. I realize now that I just wasn't ready to see how important it could be to understanding my own misunderstandings.
Brian