Some atheists, non-Christians, and lapsed Christians who find themselves suddenly and inexplicably drawn or re-drawn to the faith take what I would term a Joseph Campbell approach to Christianity.
Intrigued by the philosophical and intellectual aspects of the religion, they explore the Gospels and other parts of the Bible from a mostly mythical perspective and then proceed to sift their impressions through Jungian archetypes, various theological works, symbology, and the cultural boundaries of other religions in a manner much akin to a university comparative literature class.
They become intrigued and obsessed by the deeper meanings inherent in Christianity and spend hours contemplating the implications of aspects like the logos.
Nevertheless, it is important to note that this mostly intellectual approach to Christianity can lead to belief in Christianity but it does not - in and of itself - equal belief in Christianity; and when it comes to Christianity, everything begins and ends with belief.
No amount of knowledge about Christianity can substitute for belief in Christianity. And belief in Christianity centers upon believing on Jesus and His offer of salvation.
Thus, non-belief in Christ and His offer of everlasting life renders all sociological, psychological, historical, philosophical, symbolic or other form of knowledge moot, regardless of how lucid, engaging, and thorough such knowledge may be.
As is the case with everything in life, motivation is key.
The world is awash in information, and yes, some of this information even focuses on Christianity, but people who write and speak extensively about various aspects of the religion in this time and place but do not really believe in and will likely never really believe in the subject matter of which they write or speak are certainly doing more harm than good in this time and place.
Contrary to what many claim, believing in Christianity and its "deeper" philosophical and metaphysical meanings does not have to be difficult.
All it requires is a willing and freely chosen belief in Jesus and His promise of salvation. After that, everything you need to know will reveal itself to you, provided your belief on Jesus is motivated by love, honesty, and an open heart.
Intrigued by the philosophical and intellectual aspects of the religion, they explore the Gospels and other parts of the Bible from a mostly mythical perspective and then proceed to sift their impressions through Jungian archetypes, various theological works, symbology, and the cultural boundaries of other religions in a manner much akin to a university comparative literature class.
They become intrigued and obsessed by the deeper meanings inherent in Christianity and spend hours contemplating the implications of aspects like the logos.
Nevertheless, it is important to note that this mostly intellectual approach to Christianity can lead to belief in Christianity but it does not - in and of itself - equal belief in Christianity; and when it comes to Christianity, everything begins and ends with belief.
No amount of knowledge about Christianity can substitute for belief in Christianity. And belief in Christianity centers upon believing on Jesus and His offer of salvation.
Thus, non-belief in Christ and His offer of everlasting life renders all sociological, psychological, historical, philosophical, symbolic or other form of knowledge moot, regardless of how lucid, engaging, and thorough such knowledge may be.
As is the case with everything in life, motivation is key.
The world is awash in information, and yes, some of this information even focuses on Christianity, but people who write and speak extensively about various aspects of the religion in this time and place but do not really believe in and will likely never really believe in the subject matter of which they write or speak are certainly doing more harm than good in this time and place.
Contrary to what many claim, believing in Christianity and its "deeper" philosophical and metaphysical meanings does not have to be difficult.
All it requires is a willing and freely chosen belief in Jesus and His promise of salvation. After that, everything you need to know will reveal itself to you, provided your belief on Jesus is motivated by love, honesty, and an open heart.
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