Tim Keller the post modern CS Lewis

I like Tim Keller author and pastor of Reddemer Prebyterian church. He writes good books, he listens and observes culture around him. He writes respectful apologetics to those who have genuine questions, without blowing them off.

He reminds me a lot of CS Lewis without the fiction novels.

He recently wrote on his blog defending the inconsistencies of the bible. He made a basic premiss

 

So where does this leave us? There are only two possibilities. If Christ is God, then this way of reading the Bible makes sense and is perfectly consistent with its premise. The other possibility is that you reject Christianity’s basic thesis—you don’t believe Jesus was the resurrected Son of God—and then the Bible is no sure guide for you about much of anything. But the one thing you can’t really say in fairness is that Christians are being inconsistent with their beliefs to accept the moral statements in the Old Testament while not practicing other ones.

Its a really loaded statement. Reminiscent of the famous CS Lewis Trilemma. I know that for many Christians a statement like this gives them some security. But not for me; I see that there is a lot of grey out there. For example the above quote starts to crumble when you like at the word 'Believe' what exactly does Keller understand by the word 'Believe"? A belief that means that it is literal or maybe a belief that what what happened contained 'The Truth' but was mythical? There are other words and lines which I also see as grey.

I see this type of apologic as I wrote previously helpful; truthfully mainly for Christians who need a black and white answer. But unfortunately most of the world full of non-christians would see in gray

 

 

Narnia

Cover of C.S. Lewis

I'm currently watching the BBC version of Narnia with Jemima my daughter; It is compared to the recent movie it appears to be much more loyal to the book by C.S Lewis than the recent movie.

In once scene early on in the BBC Peter and Susan go to the professor who they are living with, asking advice regarding Lucy who is adamant that she has been to another world 'Narnia'. The professor gives three logical bits of advice either that Lucy is a lier, she made the whole story up (Which is unlike her character), Lucy is telling the truth or is mad.

This is basically Lewis's Trilemma, Jesus was either a Lier, the Lord or a Lunatic.

Interestingly the Professor goes on further than Lewis Trilemma when addressing the subject of Lucy by saying 'Until further evidence comes along'.

Maybe that evidence is starting to take shape; N'T Wright address the issue of the Trilemma

...argument lacks historical context, oversimplifying first century Judaism's understanding of the nature of God's dealings with his people.^[23] Wright points out that arguments over the claims of Jesus regarding divinity have been passed over by more recent scholarship, which sees a more complex understanding of the idea of God in first century Judaism.

Kundalini and baptism in the Spirit...

While reading "Jesus the teacher within" by Laurence Freeman,  I came across the word "Kundalini" which is common in eastern religion. I had never heard of this before. So a quick wiki search and I came up with the definition as well as what Kundalini looks like when manifest. Its basic definition is a corporeal energy which is based in the spine. While the physical effects are as follows::

• Involuntary jerks, tremors, shaking, itching, tingling, and crawling sensations, especially in the arms and legs
• Energy rushes or feelings of electricity circulating the body
• Intense heat (sweating) or cold, especially as energy is experienced passing through the chakras
• Spontaneous pranayama, asanas, mudras and bandhas
• Visions or sounds at times associated with a particular chakra
• Diminished sexual desire or a state of constant orgasm
• Emotional purgings in which particular emotions become dominant for short periods of time.^[19]
• Depression
• Pressure inside the skull and headache
• Bliss, feelings of infinite love and universal connectedness, transcendent awareness

What I found interesting was  8 out of 10 of these descriptions I have heard as definitions of been 'Baptised in the Holy Spirit' or manifestations of God, especially within a church service. (Yes even the constant state of orgasm!) I've actually experienced a few of these myself. That yes I would attribute these to God. These manifestations are especially evident in the Vineyard denomination which was the last Church which I ministered in. 

CS Lewis (I think) in 'Mere Christianity' made the point that Christianity does share much with other religions and it is specifically grace where Christianity is distinct.

Related articles

• Kundalini Meditation (brighthub.com)
• Is there a "mere Christianity"? (geneveith.com)