World View

I went to 'Compass' (a youth conference)recently where the topic of their conversation (for a week) centres around building a Christian worldview which is in line with the narrative of scripture. It was truly refreshing to see some real depth coming out in the world of youth ministry. I think so often we are too scared to loose the attention of our youth or too afraid that they won't 'get it'. It was crazy. A whole bunch of teenagers and earl;y 20's engaging with humanists such as Peter Singer (apparently he loves beastiality) and older philosophers such as Plato, Descarte, Nietzsche, Rousseau. Not only that but they are camparing the world views of these philosophers to a biblical Christian understanding of life. A view which is built up over the entire narrative of scripture.

I wonder if we should be doing more of this type of thing in youth ministry? Where are we headed? Why is it that Christians are so against really thinking through the issues at the moment... it almost seems like we rest back on the "God has it in control" idea. While I don't disagree with that I do think that we need to take our responsibility to seek and to know our own world and our own faith more seriously.

Really is it any wonder that young people give away their faith as they move off to university, where for the first time ever they are asked to engage with a variety of worldviews and to critique a variety of worldviews (including the Christian one) and not from a Christian perspective! The Christian faith is just not explored enough... we don't probe enough into our own belief or the alternative beliefs of the world... we are too concerned with being the moral police (NO SEX, DON"T SMOKE, DRINK OR EVEN HOLD HANDS!). There is a big part of me that has had enough! Really is the best we can hope for from our churches a little Bible verse and a couple of stories with a little bit of morality attached on the end... (So... so you should all give to the poor, and don't swear either!) I am a huge advocate of social justice and morality BUT there is a lot more depth to the Christian faith than just that... there is a lot more to our world-view. For goodness sake when was the last time I heard something really decent on what it means to be a human being? Lets stick the Christian understading of "Being the image of God" alongside of the understanding of humanity that we get from a variety of other historical and contemporary pghilosophers and let's do it in church? I Dunno. I just think we need more clever people around! People who understand their identity as it is exposed and revealed in the narrative of scripture.

That is all for now. I really should tell someone about my blog one day, maybe someone would post the first reply to some of my thoughts!

I think I am going to do some studies in philosophy this year theough Massey University... They wouldn't let me into their postgrad diploma program with a Masters in Theology... obviously the field of Theology in itself is not as respected as it once was... probably because of all the stupid things the church is saying these days when they are the ones who are supposed to be in charge of theology, so I can't really blame Massey Uni. Bit pissed of through.

Oh well, God Bless. Bye