Old Time Religion

It makes me very sad to see what has happened to so much of what is being called The Christian Faith.  No wonder there are so many who are deciding that they would rather have "none" than be associated with Christianity.  The theology of Glory, the triumphal theology, the theology of domination, the theology of the promise of victory and blessing, has seemed to capture the moment in many congregations.

But for me, just give me the "Old Time Religion" of the New Testament Early Christian church, the church that was underground, meeting in people's homes,  putting all their resources into a pot and sharing what they had with each other. The early Christian church that did not have any power with political figures, the early church that was able to live and to wrestle with the questions about what to do with the other religions in the neighborhood.  Can we eat the meat that was sacrificed to Zeus? The "old time religion" that attracted people by the way they loved each other.  They were not in a position to try to force the way they lived on other people. That did not happen until the 4th century AD. The old time religion that did not have vast physical empires with gyms, day cares, classes on yoga, financial seminars, that did not have to try to raise millions to pay off buildings that are named for wealth donors.

The old time religion that was speaking about a new kingdom of God that had come into the world and was an alternative to the life and culture that surrounded them. Now the preaching seems to be how can we help our members live more successful and fulfill the American dream of prosperity and leisure.  I understand we will not be able to go back to that old time religion of the New Testament early church but as a goal, as a vision, as a marker towards which we might look, it is better than what so many are preaching.