Christianity and the Bible are Rewriting the Future as We Watch
Jordan Peterson's work on the Bible is part of the Re-Wilding of Christianity in the West
With today's video I've started to work once again on Jordan Peterson project of walking through the Bible. It's an audacious goal but for me a very exciting one. It really does represent what Mark Vernon called "the re-wilding of Christianity"
For those of you familiar with my project you'll know this isn't a crash course but for me a long wondering in the same direction. Why did Jordan Peterson explode on the religious scene in 2017 with his Biblical series?
By now many people have given a number of good bullet-point reasons but the historical evolution of Christianity, secularism, science and the West continues to churn. Jordan Peterson has been both a causative agent and a tell of far larger forces.
While political culture looks at Peterson as a political actor I believe his part in the evolution of Christianity and religion in the West will be more enduring. Politics is now, Religion is always. Politics is cents, Religion is dollars.
As Mark Vernon and Rupert Sheldrake noted there is a movement of returning back to Christianity from some unexpected places. It all has to do with the slow recession of Modernity.
The religious politics of this are very complex. Mark Vernon and Rupert Sheldrake aren't necessarily the kinds of Christians other Jordan Peterson conservative-politically-motivated-religious-enthusiasts are quick to welcome.
Religious revivals in real time are more complex than rose-colored assessment of past historical revivals. Human diversity is astounding and as large a thing as Christianity is means that real people appropriate it in sometimes startling different ways.
Old coalitions and institutions are breaking up. New relationships and coalitions are forming. Church and society are massive, and changes take a long time to filter through the layers.
The unusual collection of thinkers gathered around the table at the Jordan’s Exodus Seminar is really about continued assimilation of scientific, political, symbolic and cultural changes in the West with Christianity's source material.
What if Jordan actually manages to get through THE WHOLE BIBLE this way? Think that through.
Old/New, Ancient/Modern forms of Christianity are already emerging with the recession of Modernity and given Christianity's track record of rewriting human history (read Tom Holland’s Dominion https://www.amazon.com/Dominion-Tom-Holland-audiobook/dp/B07YXDBGQ3) it's anything but clear how things will look.
I’ve watched the Mark Vernon discussion previously and inspired me to write this: https://agloria.substack.com/p/rewilding-christianity
Christianity is moving to the fringes and is picking up the culturally excluded, the left out and the ‘weirdos’. The Church is currently in the Cultural Underworld, preparing for Christ to bring Her back to life.
Paul I thoroughly enjoy and learn from your YouTube talks but will you please switch your format to refrain from constant ad interruptions? I listen while doing, and cannot constantly ‘skip ad’ — my hands are often in soapy dish water or messy from food prep. Thanks!
Yes to Christianity rewilding!
I was brought back to Christianity at Findhorn of all surprising places, and continue to explore with the help of such valuable sources as Cynthia Bourgeault, David Spangler, Jim Finley, Richard Rohr, Ilia Delio, Elaine Pagels, Buddhism, Mark Vernon, Rupert Sheldrake, Jordan Peterson, Peace Pilgrim, George Fox, John Vervaeke, Alice Bailey, Seth, Dorothy Day, Thich Nhat Hanh, Glenn Clark, Edgar Cayce, Jung, James Hillman, Jonathan Elias (Prayer Cycle), Shrek, Rudolf Steiner, Patrick Ophuls, anyone who speaks of separation and re-integration of opposites, etc etc etc.
As a person environmentally educated, it is perhaps no surprise that I would warn that we are heading into dark and different times. I think we all on some level know that. It is essential that anything connecting us all to greater meaning and purpose thrive. I was raised as an FGC Quaker and I still consider myself a Christian, although many within Christianity tell me I don’t qualify. No matter. That is where I’m planted, and with beautiful species and kingdom -intermingled roots. Any faith with love at its core is equally valuable and needed, and in my biased opinion is part of the grand movement toward what some Christians may label as the ‘universal Christ’ revealed ..
she is us. All of us. Every one of us. We are all needed and wanted.