Honest to God, by John Robinson

 

I've just finnished Honest to God, by John Robinson. It's been on my wish list for a while for a couple of reasons.
-A number have said that 'such and such, lost their faith because they read 'honest to God'. I hate critiquing anything with out reading the material first.
-It was one of the most influential Christian books of the last 50 years
-One of my quests this year is the exploration of liberal theology. 'Honest to God' seems to be a good start.

Some things which I immediate felt a kindred to::

"The only way I can put it is to say that over the years a number of things have unaccountably "Rung a bell"; various unco-ordiated aspects of one's reading and experience have come to 'add up'. The inarticlate conviction forms within one that certain things are true or important. One may not grasped them fully or understand why that if one is to retain one's integrity one must come to terms with them. For if their priority is sensed and they are not attnded to, then sutly other convictions begin to lose their power: one continues to trot these convictions out, one says one believes in them (and one does), but somehow they seem emptier. One is aware that insights that carry their own authentication, however subjective, are not being allowed to modify them. "

Another quote which I had felt and writen about before was about how a liberal theology may help some come to faith or at least stem the tide of those in the Church loosing their faith and communtiy::

"More over, however inadequate the Liberal theology may now appear to us, it undoubtedly helped many to hold on to their faith at a time when otherwise they might have thrown it up completely."

Then goes onto quote Bonhoeffer::

"How can Christ become the Lord even of those with no Religion"

Robinson quotes two well known liberal theologians, Tillich, Bultman and the third Bonhoeffer was a suprise. Yet when I think about it I'm not surprised. Bonhoeffers writing was sketchy outlines of books. Nothing official from Bonhoeffer.  Yet his courage and desperate situation he was always going to be a favorite to quote by anyone.

Ultimately Robinson lays himself honest saying that he does not believe in supernaturalism,  much of the content written in the bible. Ultimately for him the bible has to be looked at as myth. Yet that does not mean to Robinsion that it cannot inform and guide us.

One thing which I thought often through this book was what would Robinson think of today Pentecostal movement. The fastest growing denomination in the world. Compared to the liberal churches which are shrinking at an absolutely alarming rate...

The Number 42, the meaning for everything

I can remember reading the "hitchhikers guide to the galaxy", by Douglas Adams and been amazed at how a computer could after 7.5 million of year compute the "The Answer to the Ultimate Question of Life, the Universe, and Everything" with the answer "42".
I thought that this was hilariously funny. Lttle did I realise latter that Douglas was an atheist. So much so, that Richard Dawkins dedicated his book "The God Delusion" to Adams, using his quote::

"Isn’t it enough to see that a garden is beautiful without having to believe that there are fairies at the bottom of it too?"

It seems to me that maybe Adams was having a bit of a go at people who believed with his number "42". I still think it is very funny.

A question which has rattled me this year has been. Is it possible for non-believers, athiest and agnostics to take small steps back into community of faith? Let me explain.
I started thinking about this with the reading of Chaim Potok's, "The Chosen". A question is asked by the main character Reuven Malter who is studying to become an Orthodox Rabbi to his father who is a Jewish academic on modern methods of studying the Talmud. I cannot remember the exact question but it is to do with an acquaintance Abraham Gordon, a well-known author who has been excommunicated by the very Orthodox for his books which question the very foundations of traditional Judaism. Abraham Gordon would be the Christian equivalent to Shelby Spong or Paul Tillich.
Reuven's father answers the question regarding Abraham Gorden saying that, and I paraphrase. Abraham Gordon's writing is important because it helps those who cannot believe, believe. (or it may have been: those who believe stay within their community)
I have many sincere atheist and agnostic friends, who have tried to believe. It is, and I believe them, something which is not just turned on like a tap.