Jim Kenney's picture

Jim Kenney

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Integral Christianity

While searching for information on Evolutionary Christianity, I came across a reference to Integral Christianity. 

 

My guess is that Integral Christianity operates with the assumptions that people are at different levels of development cognitively and spiritually, resulting in a variety of theological perspectives.  It seems to be quite intellectual, and highly developed with a number of leading proponents.

 

I am wondering how different it is from the view that due to who we are, where we have been, and where we are now, we have particular ways of viewing God/theology/faith that are suitable for us, and it is helpful to give others space to hold their own particular points of view.  Would somebody who is more inclined to explore the details and intellectual frameworks of various theologies provide me with some guidance on this.

 

I also discovered that evolutionary Christianity is not what I thought it was, a view that Christianity evolves as we learn more about the world, humanity in general, and ourselves in particular along with interacting with other faiths. 

 

I discovered it seems to be what I've been doing ever since I started in ministry:  incorporating evolution and other science into my faith system of belief.  Coming with a science background, and understanding the Bible as mostly metaphor, I never felt any conflict between my faith and science.  Rather, the continuing developments in science reinforce my faith in a very big, very patient God.

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rishi's picture

rishi

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Might relate to this previous thread:

 

Ken Wilber:  New Emerging Church Guru

 

Wilber used to go under the label "transpersonal," but he changed it to "integral" because there was too much New Age confusion connected to the term transpersonal.  It's evolutionary in a religious/philosophical sense, not in the Darwinian sense.

Arminius's picture

Arminius

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Ken Wilber is one of my heroes. Some of his books and his "Integrated Theory" were part of our wonderQuest discussion group in my previous congregation.

 

Yes, I agree with Ken Wilber and many others that we are implicated in a cultural and psychological evolution which evolves not only all of our cultural institutions but also, and most importantly, our own consciousness.

 

The greatest thing about this is that we are co-evolvers in this sacred process of socio/psycho/cultural evolution, capable of taking an active and creative part in the process. What is important, Wilber cautions us, is that all aspects of our cultural and personal development evolve equally. If we are rationally and technologically highly evolved but spiritually and socially under evolved—as appears to be the case in contemporary human society—then things can go very wrong.

 

Jim Kenney's picture

Jim Kenney

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Rishi, that was a long post.  Thank you.  Much to think about. A big challenge is keeping the different kinds of evolution reasonably close together -- hard for an individual, nearly impossible for a congregaton.

 

I wonder if Darwinian evolution may have a role in this.  Each generation includes a range of characteristics; the ones that work best in the current environment are generally more successful in contributing to the next generation.  As we evolve spiritually, socially, and scientifically, those whose development fits the current situation will be most successful in contributing to the next generation.  Some highly specialized, highly effective at self-maintenance, individuals resistant to current challenges may also do well for a while until their capacity for resistance is overwhelmed by the challenges, becoming evolutionary dead ends.  This may apply to some apparently successful for now conservative churches.

Arminius's picture

Arminius

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Being stuck in one particular stage of religious evolution is not really a dead end, it just means being stuck while others advance. Evolutionary stages are necessary, successive stages build on each other, the next successive stage does not deny or invalidate previous stages but confirm and validate them: development through envelopment.

 

We can't dismiss past evolutionary stages. They are necessary and good, but need to be transcended when the time is ripe. We may be proud of our current "progressive" stage, but it too is just another stage in the relentless progression of the human spirit, a stage that will eventually be transcended and become a thing of the past.

 

rishi's picture

rishi

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Jim Kenney wrote:

 Much to think about. A big challenge is keeping the different kinds of evolution reasonably close together -- hard for an individual....

 

unless it's Ken Wilber.  I suspect Ken might be from another planet, though.... sent here to stimulate our evolution. (Just kidding.... I have to be careful what I say around here.)

Arminius's picture

Arminius

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Absolutism is the real enemy of religious evolution. For instance, absolute belief it the authoritarian God keeps Christians stuck in the authoritarian mode and keeps them from evolving further. According to some researchers, 70 % of all Christians are still stuck in that stage.

 

Absolutism, however, is the enemy of not only the authoritarian stage but any other stage. As soon as we are absolutely fixed on any stage, even the most progressive one, we keep ourselves from evolving further.

 

Arminius's picture

Arminius

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Integral Christianity attempts to integrate the insights of science and religion. This, of course, is easy because the leading edge of science is very spiritual. But the danger of this stage is still elitist thinking and lack of patience toward those who are "less evolved." (I ought to know; I am prone to such elitist thinking and impatience myself blush

 

The mystical or unitive stage is, I think, the highest evolved stage so far. People at this level experience everything as a unified whole. They feel this unity emotionally, as universal love and compassion, but they also are able to articulate it intellectually. People at this stage feel compelled, by an inner impulse, to give themselves in service to the whole. Also, people at that stage fully realize the oneness of all stages, and that different people and cultures are at different stages. They also realize that more complex or advanced stages may yet emerge from the mystical stage.

Arminius's picture

Arminius

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Sorry, I can't help but pipe up again. The evolution of the human spirit is one of my favourite topics.

 

I forgot to mention that Ken Wilber and others distinguish between state and stage. People can experience mystical states at any stage of spiritual evolution, but unless they have advanced to the mystical stage, the mystical state can be interpreted as a divine confirmation of one's particular stage, which can lead to absolutism and unquestioning belief in dogma. Some sects, denominations or cults intentionally (mis)use mystical experience to entrench their dogmas and/or elicit blind obedience from their followers.

oui's picture

oui

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Jim, I think you will find this video completely and totally enlightening.

 

http://ww3.tvo.org/video/173822/secret-life-chaos

RevLindsayKing's picture

RevLindsayKing

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Arminius wrote:

Sorry, I can't help but pipe up again. The evolution of the human spirit is one of my favourite topics.

 

I forgot to mention that Ken Wilber and others distinguish between state and stage. People can experience mystical states at any stage of spiritual evolution, but unless they have advanced to the mystical stage, the mystical state can be interpreted as a divine confirmation of one's particular stage, which can lead to absolutism and unquestioning belief in dogma. Some sects, denominations or cults intentionally (mis)use mystical experience to entrench their dogmas and/or elicit blind obedience from their followers.

Arm, I am surprised that this thread did not fly. WHY! Did I just make a rhyme?cool

How come it is not one of the BIG Questions discussed in the OBSERVER?

Arminius's picture

Arminius

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Why did this thread not fly?

Maybe people are afraid to fly high?

 

More rhyme, eh? But there is neither rhyme nor reason to the refusal to discuss the really BIG questions.

 

Every level of spiritual evolution or development builds on the previous level. And the process is open-ended; it spirals ever forward and upward. Absolutism, which means remaining stuck on one particular level, prevents us from evolving further. Absolutism is the enemy, and absolutists refuse to discuss integral Christianity.

 

Previous levels do not get invalidated as one advances up the evolutionary spiral. Each level is necessary, every level has its place, no level is wrong. The spiral is a stairway to heaven, and each step is necessary to advance to the next step. But, as I said, regarding any step as absolutely valid is a mistake because it precludes advancing up the stairway.

 

WaterBuoy's picture

WaterBuoy

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Y did it not fly ... as it is a fallen devination ...

 

For I 've slipped the surly bond o'fearth ... forerunner of fear of the penne ...

But drawn back by de ark angels, a vessel that can contain I's meis ...

Or what it appears i'll be in the future ...

I don't know; it is piously and religiously forbidden ....

As authorities of passion are threatened by feeble, flighty thoughts ...

Beta, or secondary powers?

 

Is an error like redaction ... unintentional if you didn't know beta?

This is the following hermeneutic, sort of latent to presence ...

It'll K'alm; like aDon is just a hole where wadi collects as a Scion of the media of mind ...

Such things that mortal don't gnoe about scratches and fun ETics ...

as derived from phude for the mind as ithchii ...

A phetching thing if you didn't know wordy aesthetics beta ...

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