I've a lot of time for Eugene Peterson, this article has a few gems to reflect on in the way of growing in Christ. However I do find myself wondering about this: "The New Age stuff is old age. It's been around for a long time. It's a cheap shortcut to—I guess we have to use the word—spirituality. It avoids the ordinary, the everyday, the physical, the material. It's a form of Gnosticism, and it has a terrific appeal because it's a spirituality that doesn't have anything to do with doing the dishes or changing diapers or going to work. There's not much integration with work, people, sin, trouble, inconvenience."
He's right and he's wrong and it depends on what you mean by 'New Age'. Yes there is plenty of neo-gnosticism around. No, it's not all like that: quite a lot is very keen to work with 'integration with work, people, sin, trouble, inconvenience.' though not usually in Christian categories. Heck, there's a whole swathe of newagery that starts out from themes like integration, the body, relationships and growing through life's 'inconveniences'.
We don't do Christian mission in these spiritual 'post-times' [to recycle part of the title of something I'm writing] any favours by passing these half-truth memes on.
Spirituality for All the Wrong Reasons - Christianity Today Magazine:[:spirituality:]
02 August 2005
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3 comments:
Andii
These comments from Eugene Peterson are irksome because they constitute:
a). Sweeping statement
b). Are contemptuously dismissive
c). Superficial in grasping DIY spirituality
d). Unreflective -- i.e. DIY arises, in part, because of the church's unpaid bills.
e). Patronising and scathing tone -- typecasting this spirituality as a shortcut.
I'm sure that a lot of Christians would resent their faith being typecast as:
"Oh Christianity, that's just a quick ticket to ride to heaven with no concern for the here and now."
Or, "Christianity promotes speciesism because Christians think the universe was made for humans to exploit."
If we don't like this being done to us, why do we do it to others?
In a world of the quick sound-byte, superficial stigmatic comments act as a substitute for depth analysis.
You'll get little argument from me, Phil. I agree that too often we Christians do things like Peterson does here when we wouldn't be happy about the boot being on the other foot. Your more explicit and fuller analysis of the problems with Peterson's comment is helpful and welcome. I was pulling my punches because my respect for the guy's previous made me hesitate -"Is he really saying this? Have I missed something?" ... you have helped me to have more confidence in my own judgement on the matter, thanks.
I must say I have to disagree with Eugene on this one. When I joined the New Age for a time back in the nineties it was because I saw it as much more practical, down-to-earth and holistic than the forms of Christianity I found on offer at the time. Quite the opposite of what he's claiming here. And I was not alone.
Major issue: Neo-Gnosticism should not be confused with Gnosticism.
As Ive said before, people may be flocking to the gnostic gospels, but ironically the motivation is often to find a more human Jesus than they find in church. What does that say to what we've done with the message? It is superficial of him to leap from the indicators of Gnostic interest to say they are unholistic. Where did the holistic language originate from. The New Age! Don't get me wrong, I do believe Christ offers a better way, but we need to take the log out of our eyes on the gnostic issue.
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