The Rev Klaas Hendrikse is a minister in the Dutch Protestant Church, and doesn't believe that God is a "thing" or a "being", but a word for human experience. While a lot of traditional believers will have some problems with this purely naturalistic view of Christianity, it strikes a major chord with the many Christians who have come to the realisation that God doesn't really exist in the sense we used to think.
Here is a BBC article on Rev Hendrikse and his church, while here is the Unitarian blogger @TimothyJMoore's take on the subject.
I suspect that there are many people within traditional "theist" congregations who share these views. Any thoughts?
One of the recent explanations I've heard used is that 'God is a projection', which is close to my other favourite - 'God is literally a metaphor'.
ReplyDeleteThe human experience explanation from Rev Klaas reminds me of a video from Jim Gilliam -- The Internet is my Religion (posted on Ian's site, I think)
http://irrco.wordpress.com/2011/06/11/amen-brother/
It can only be a good thing- to strip away the anthropomorphic concept of a personal God. BTW Helio, come back to Will & Testament, it needs you !
ReplyDeleteI just needed to point out that of course much of traditional Christianity -including the Thomism of the Catholic Church- denies that God is a 'thing' or a 'being'/
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