A new heaven and a new earth

The question for the Church in all of this is how to reclaim the emphasis on a new heaven and a new earth that was central to early Christianity? Sadly, many of the most successful Churches in our time, if success is measured by attendance, are committed to life after death for their members. The irony in this is that the gospel emphasis that if we would have our lives we must lose them, is subverted by self-interest, the interest in getting to heaven. The self is thus captured by a vision that lies beyond death, another idolatry.

Secular society largely rejects the division between mortal body and immortal soul and has called the Church's bluff on what happens after death. This places the Church in a unique situation. One the one hand, many of the members of the churches have been in the Church all their lives and simply accept that life after death is the main concern of Christians. On the other hand, communicating with secular materialists is difficult because the misunderstandings of the past have to be dealt with and replaced by a totally new orientation that requires some sophistication and deeper reading of texts.

In this, conflict is unavoidable, even necessary. It is no longer good enough to be even handed by recognising all theological positions as valuable. The current passion for inclusiveness will ensure the extension of the theological stalemate that has so crippled the Church. The Church must be prepared to have the arguments that will return it to its origins and to be faithful to the gospel.

Perhaps now is the time for a robust investment in theological education for all comers.