A Critique of Christian Fundamentalism by Pilgrim Simon - HTML preview

TOWARDS A 21ST CENTURY CHRISTIANITY (2011)

In the light of textual, historical and scientific criticism and resulting re-evaluation of the Bible, can we actually begin to form any sort of view about what Christianity is and who Jesus was? Is there anything left after these radical deconstructions?

Ex Christian fundamentalist Pilgrim Simon makes a personal evaluation of Christianity today, cutting through fundamentalist thought and years of orthodox theology and practice to try and ar- rive at what the essence of Christianity really was and is and what theology it would embrace in the light of these modern criticisms.

The Visions of St. Paul and the Judeo/Christian orthodox tradition

(2011)

The visions of the resurrected Jesus experienced by the Apostles and the Apostle Paul in particular form the basis of new Testament and earcly Christian orthodoxy. On the basis of his Damascus Road experience and other, similar spiritual experiences that followed it, Paul received a theology that formed the basis of his message to the non-Jewish community or Gentiles. Paul's writngs and the writings of his associates or followers make up most of the New Testament. This essay explores the context and content of these visions and draws out implications for any contemporary Christian faith.

Do mystics become God? (2011)

Some mystics, following their transcendent spiritual experiences, claim unity or oneness with God - to the point of declaring that they themselves are Divine or an Incarnation of God. This short essay explores this theme of Deification and asks if such mystics and gurus are correvt in their assertions.

The Spiritual Matrix - Questionnaire and results analysis (2012) How spiritual and transcendent is your thinking and behaviour  Where would you place yourself on the spiritual landscape? This questionnaire lists 72 statements about spirituality and asks you to rate them in terms of how much you agree or disagree with them. It then gives you guidance on how to analyse your ratings and gives you a personal spiritual profile and indicates your degree of transendence. It also places your position on a spiritual map. The questionnaire takes about 20 - 30 minutes to complete and ful de- tails of how to understand your ratings are given.

The Spiritual Matrix - Mapping spiritual transcendence - Full study (2012)

The spiritual landscape can sometimes be daunting and confusing such that approaches to spirituality that seem on the surface to promote personal growth and insight may in the end turn out to be regressive and a hindrance. It can be useful to have some sort of ‘map’ to help us to orientate ourselves in this sometimes bewilder- ing scene.

In exploring commonly accepted categories of spiritual ideas and spiritual pathways, the author builds up a spiritual matrix in which various points of view and practices with regard to spirituality can be rated to provide us with our own personal spiritual code. This matrix reveals the depth and scope of our reactions to spiritual ideas and practices, whether we support or oppose them as well as indicating the degree of transcendence of our spiritual philosophy and practice.

This study is divided into three parts – Part one: A questionnaire to rate your own spiritual views and practices, Part two: A discussion of the theoretical approach, Part three: An analysis of your questionnaire results.

Along the way, the author discusses proto-science, pseudo-science, souls, ancestor veneration, spirits, fairy folk, deities, magic, alchemy, materialism, mysticism, Astrology, Mediums, religion and non-dualism.

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