Simple Theology
I am watching a documentary on Western civilization that I saw recommended, CIVILISATION - Kenneth Clark's 1969 series on BBC
In episode one, this statement was made about the force that almost destroyed Western Civilization.
The simplest theology in human history: “There is but one God, and Muhammad is His prophet.”
This simple theology is a worldview that, through force and an appeal to the lower nature of mankind, remains to this day at war with what most of us consider the pillars of our peaceful way of life.
When you compare this to the original theology of Christianity, there is a parallel to the concept of simplicity.
What was the original theology of Christianity?
”And without controversy great is the mystery of godliness: God was manifest in the flesh, justified in the Spirit, seen of angels, preached unto the Gentiles, believed on in the world, received up into glory.” 1 Timothy 3:16
This simplicity has since been corrupted so that the average Christian believer cannot elucidate it. See what I did just there? I used a word that is challenging to the average education.
That speaks to the poor state of our education outcomes of the most expensive educational system in the history of mankind.
Here is another description.
“But to us there is but one God, the Father, of whom are all things, and we in him; and one Lord Jesus Christ, by whom are all things, and we by him.” 1 Corinthians 8:6
This is a clarity that finds it’s roots in the foundational principles of the original Abrahamic faith.
“Hear, O Israel: The Lord our God is one Lord: And thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thine heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy might. Deuteronomy 6:4-5
Christianity teaches an ethic of love, compassion, and mercy to not only the believers but a spirit and attitude toward the unbeliever.
Islam, however, teaches an ethic of violence, subjugation, murder, and persecution to the point of subjugation. It further devalued women and made them almost a necessary evil. It painted for their devout men a promise of a paradise of sexual hedonism and encouraged taking the youngest of girls to be wives. Muhommed himself married the youngest of the girls as objects of their carnal appetites.
In stark contrast, we see Jesus.
Jesus taught to love, bless, and pray for all. Jesus condemned and his followers further moral commands to protect children, treasure and protect women, and celebrate the holy relationship between husbands and wives. Jesus further spoke to the protection of wives and the harshest of attitudes to those who would harm children, both girls and boys. Further, the prohibition of hedonistic sexual practices and simple and clean morality.
Today I am thankful for the simplicity of the original theology and the high calling for morality and sexual purity that calls all who would profess Jesus to seek, pursue, and teach to all.
May we all have a clear-eyed understanding of the wisdom and the power of this wisdom that Jesus and the original apostles commanded us as believers, and must hold in the strongest of terms.
My thoughts on this Monday morning,
Scott A. Phillips
The link to the series mentioned above.