The Future of Faith

Harvey Cox who is a well-known theologian speaking about how he sees the future of faith. You'll need just over 50 minutes to hear all of the video including about 25-30 minutes for the questions and answers which are worth hearing. However, if you want to get a sense of what is covered, here are my notes.

There are 3 Main points (related to Cox's book The Future of Faith)
1. predictions of demise of religion were premature and we can expect religion to be around for a good while yet.

2. We are witnessing a fundamental change in what religiousness means. (In past overestimated the benefits of modernity (Progress?); 20th century disproved the optimistic modernisation thesis. Also underestimated the ability of religions to adapt to changing times). Particularly
(a) the 'experiential turn' (foregrounding encounter rather than teaching) which is affecting all religions globally. Eg Pentecostal and Charismatic Christianity.
(b) change to a more porous/open relationship between religions: Eg RC woman who goes to mass, a Pentecostal choir, yoga and has books by the Dalai Lama. Borrowing.
(c) focus: away from next-life to this-life

3. Fundamentalism is declining and will continue to do so. Term reapplied from Christianity to other religious movements in Judaism, Islam etc. It has hard time coping with the general pluralism in societies globally.

Christianity is entering the most exciting phase in its history. It is now beginning to have a majority of non-western followers for whom (an experience of) Jesus rather than doctrine is most central. Also, discoveries at eg Nag Hammadi, which have emphasised the variety and plurality of early Christianity before imperial centralisation, is beginning to affect and reinforce the experiential turn.

Questions and disputations
Belief ctr faith: Belief is about assent; faith about loyalty (etymologically). Belief often implies lack of surety while faith indicates a direction of life.
Three ages:
1. Pre-Constantinian ('Age of Faith' -?)
2. Age of Belief (post-Constantinian) where Christianity meant asssenting to a creed or creeds.
3. Age of the Spirit (now-ish) reconciliation, unity and wholistic perspectives come to the fore. Analogies in Judaism, Islam, Buddhism.
The issue is how to be in touch with the sacred without the packaging: an awareness of how our symbols and talking are imperfect and provisional.

Re RCC, Pope etc
RCC is showing up a dramatic out-playing of the changes being discussed above. Important figures from 20C RCC: John XXIII and aggiornamento -Vatican II. Thomas Merton who died in a Buddhist monastery. Dorothy Day: Catholic Workers' Movement and serving the poor etc. Oscar Romero drew attention to preferential option for the poor. Benedict seems to have the idea that he needs to 'circle the wagons': defendable and clear articulation of RC faith. He sees secularising Europe, Latin American RCC haemorraging to pentecostalism and Liberation theology and in N.Am lay people asking for a say in church governance. His response seems to be defensive and rallying non-RCs who empathise with 'circling the wagons' hence invitation to Anglicans.
Cox thinks this approach will be self-defeating:. note. for example, married priests coming in from Anglican dissent .... !!!

Family resemblances of fundamentalisms
reaching back, retrieving and redeploying some element of tradition into present day. Changelessness is sought.
All fight a war on two fronts: one is against a secular world, the other is against 'accommodationist' or dissenting co-religionists.
Also share a suspicion in positions of leadership.

Evidence for declining fundamentalism?
Taliban in Afghanistan are increasingly distrusted where they are mainly about violence because they seem unable to build social and economic life in communities. In Iran, the violent response to demands for greater say in governance indicates insecurity.

Human Interest - The Future of Faith - Book TV

Now I'm not as sure as he is about declining fundamentalism, though I do think that he is right to point to the way that the need for positive and constructive engagement with real people, community-building and global citizenship tends to mollify and chasten hardline ideologues -even when the ideology is religious.

I think I would add into the mix concerning 'fundamentalisms' that many of them gain their energy from people who seem to be looking for fights; looking for ways to feel better about themselves by metaphorically spitting on other people. There are some interesting mental gymnastics that have to be done to hold that impetus sealed from the core of most religious traditions which really do lie with respect, love, compassion etc.

I have various ideas about how we should respond to the challenges ahead. I broadly agree that the wholistic impetus is part of a global culture thing that we need to take note of and think how to articulate Christian faith in relation to. The first bite at that gave us a lot of 'New Age' stuff, but that fails to hold onto the distinctive things that characterise Christian faith (and often other faiths too, save, perhaps, some Hindu traditions) and produce a variety of religious expressions that are, in effect, something new and not recognised or 'owned' by any religious traditions thus failing in their unitive or reconciliatory aims.

I have various thoughts about this, but not time to develop them here. Hopefully I'll get to write more in due course about re-playing Christian faith in the key of wholism.

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