God in the 21st. Century - Part 1

         In ancient times, our ancestors believed that there were many Gods and each community or tribal group adopted their own set of Gods which were often understood to be in competition with each other just as individual humans were competing over the necessities of life

         Then, around 2,500 BCE, an epic breakthrough came in this pattern of religious belief and practice when one tribe in the area of the world we call the Middle East - the Hebrew tribe -  decided that there was just one God – their God – and He was superior over the “false gods” of other tribes.  

         The stories and history of this Hebrew tribe are written in what we now call the Old Testament. Their God, to whom they gave the name YHWH – “Jehovah” - or “Adonai,” was described as omnipotent – all powerful- and omniscient- all knowing. He created the world and all things In it.  He selected certain people as leaders and gave them moral laws to live by. Otherwise he was as capricious as any human being, displaying jealousy, favoritism, and requiring praise, adoration and sacrifice from His “chosen people.”

         A second epic breakthrough came from this tribal tradition around 25 C.E. when a man named Jushua  or Jesus,  began to teach that their God was not a tribal God but a universal God; a God of all and for all people; a God characterized by love, compassion and mercy. 

         Jesus’s teaching and action was such a radical re-interpretation of the God of his Hebrew tribe that the religious leaders saw him a treat to their own religious authority. So they accused him of political treason  and managed to get the political powers to arrest, try and execute him 

         A small group of his followers began to spread his radical message of the God of love, compassion and forgiveness which “caught on” and launched a movement that became known as Christianity. A number of writers told different versions of the story of Jesus life and teachings, some of which are included in our New Testament. The N.T.  was “Canonized”or made official,-by a group of church leaders in 325 CE  at a council called together by the Roman Emperor Constantine.  This Council voted to include some earlier writings about the life and teachings of Jesus & his followers, but exclude others

         Over time, the Christian religious tradition became hardened into creeds – statements of  belief -  which codify the “doctrines”  taught and enforced by the institutions of both church and state.  

         But other religious continued to exist in the human world and others were added creating competition and even wars between national religions, some of the worst in which Christianity has been involved are known as the “Crusades” and the “Hundred Years War”

                           (To be continued)