© 2005 Meredith Sprunger
© 2005 The Christian Fellowship of Students of The Urantia Book
| Religious Pluralism | Fall 2005 — Index | A Careful Examination of the “Not Inspired” Disclaimers of The Urantia Book (Part II) |
Philip Jenkins, the author of The Next Christendom: The Coming of Global Christianity, Oxford University Press, 2002, believes that the most significant and revolutionary event of the past hundred years is the religious changes that have taken place. We have been largely unaware of the explosive southward expansion of Christianity in Africa, Asia, and Latin America. Jenkins asserts that by the year 2050 only one Christian in five will be a non-Latino white, and the center of gravity of the Christian world will have shifted firmly to the Southern Hemisphere.
It would appear that the Most Highs are continuing to prepare our planet for the Fifth Epochal Revelation. The foundation preparation includes establishing a Global Christianity while at the same time influencing theological and spiritual adjustments.
Christian leaders in North America and Europe are striving to eliminate concepts of fundamentalism, such as the literal inspiration of scripture and the atonement doctrine, while promoting ecumenical relationships and dialogue with other religions. Unfortunately, they have also tended to emphasize the rational over the spiritual, and to undermine the supernatural aspects of faith. Some are even predicting the demise of American Christianity. On the other hand, this negative influence is counterbalanced by the vigorous faith of the Southern Hemisphere that stresses the traditional, conservative, evangelical, and mystical aspects of faith, along with personal religious experience.
The evolutionary influence of the Fifth Epochal Revelation will gradually dovetail into Global Christianity. At some point in time it probably will trigger confrontation resulting in positive decision-making changes in the majority of people in Global Christianity and the other religions of the world.
| Religious Pluralism | Fall 2005 — Index | A Careful Examination of the “Not Inspired” Disclaimers of The Urantia Book (Part II) |