Evangelical, catholic, and secular at their best?

[Slopeshoulder]

These days, it seems that they all have lost the plot with the ascendency of ultra-orthodoxy in religion and a certain irrational rationalism among the atheists. But it doesn't have to be that way!

OK,here's what I like best about evangelical christianity:
- Evengelicals have a history of being experts and scholars in the scriptural canon and bring to the party a reminder of what it can offer. Even for an atheist, this is a cool thing (after all, if shakespeare turned out to be edward devere, would you stop reading him?).
- They also really live it, believing that faith should transform a person and be relevent to all of life. Putting aside politics, what's not to like?

And here's what I like best about catholicism:
- they are grown ups: GREAT minds, sublime thinking, nearly endless theological, intellectual, spiritual, and artistic resources.
- they do a good job of bringing to the party a reminder of how important it is to bring multiple resources to the whole of life: reason, consicence, tradition, expert opinion, a sense of the sacramental or sacred, and countless fine distinctions honed over centuries etc.

And here's what I like about secularism:
- everybody took a deep breath and let a lot of the silly side of religion go in order to see how we might be just, ethical, and artistic on our own merits
- little baggage, willing to try any good new idea
- courageous to live fully in the face of possible meaninglessness; creating meaning out of chaos
- and they're fun



Putting aside the crazies from all three, what do you like and respect from each? what can you add or contribute? I'm beat tired, so my list is short. Please add to it (and let's try not to debate too much here).

[McCulloch]

Secularism is the idea that religious issues should not be the basis of politics. There are a good many people of faith who hold to secularism.

[Slopeshoulder]

Secularism is the idea that religious issues should not be the basis of politics. There are a good many people of faith who hold to secularism.

it is? I thought it was another word for atheism, non-belief, etc.
Hmmm....I'll have to look that up.

But by your (the?) definition, you're right.

edit:
http://dictionary.reference.com/browse/secular

Seems it means not having to do with religion, which I think is best. Both the political and "atheist" definitions are off the mark it appears. Whew! I use secular in all my books all the time, and I don't mean political or atheist per se.

[cnorman18]

These days, it seems that they all have lost the plot with the ascendency of ultra-orthodoxy in religion and a certain irrational rationalism among the atheists. But it doesn't have to be that way!

OK,here's what I like best about evangelical christianity:
- Evengelicals have a history of being experts and scholars in the scriptural canon and bring to the party a reminder of what it can offer. Even for an atheist, this is a cool thing (after all, if shakespeare turned out to be edward devere, would you stop reading him?).
- They also really live it, believing that faith should transform a person and be relevent to all of life. Putting aside politics, what's not to like?

And here's what I like best about catholicism:
- they are grown ups: GREAT minds, sublime thinking, nearly endless theological, intellectual, spiritual, and artistic resources.
- they do a good job of bringing to the party a reminder of how important it is to bring multiple resources to the whole of life: reason, consicence, tradition, expert opinion, a sense of the sacramental or sacred, and countless fine distinctions honed over centuries etc.

And here's what I like about secularism:
- everybody took a deep breath and let a lot of the silly side of religion go in order to see how we might be just, ethical, and artistic on our own merits
- little baggage, willing to try any good new idea
- courageous to live fully in the face of possible meaninglessness; creating meaning out of chaos
- and they're fun



Putting aside the crazies from all three, what do you like and respect from each? what can you add or contribute? I'm beat tired, so my list is short. Please add to it (and let's try not to debate too much here).

Hey! What are we Jews? Chopped liver?

[Slopeshoulder]

These days, it seems that they all have lost the plot with the ascendency of ultra-orthodoxy in religion and a certain irrational rationalism among the atheists. But it doesn't have to be that way!

OK,here's what I like best about evangelical christianity:
- Evengelicals have a history of being experts and scholars in the scriptural canon and bring to the party a reminder of what it can offer. Even for an atheist, this is a cool thing (after all, if shakespeare turned out to be edward devere, would you stop reading him?).
- They also really live it, believing that faith should transform a person and be relevent to all of life. Putting aside politics, what's not to like?

And here's what I like best about catholicism:
- they are grown ups: GREAT minds, sublime thinking, nearly endless theological, intellectual, spiritual, and artistic resources.
- they do a good job of bringing to the party a reminder of how important it is to bring multiple resources to the whole of life: reason, consicence, tradition, expert opinion, a sense of the sacramental or sacred, and countless fine distinctions honed over centuries etc.

And here's what I like about secularism:
- everybody took a deep breath and let a lot of the silly side of religion go in order to see how we might be just, ethical, and artistic on our own merits
- little baggage, willing to try any good new idea
- courageous to live fully in the face of possible meaninglessness; creating meaning out of chaos
- and they're fun



Putting aside the crazies from all three, what do you like and respect from each? what can you add or contribute? I'm beat tired, so my list is short. Please add to it (and let's try not to debate too much here).

Hey! What are we Jews? Chopped liver?

The Jews are tops!! Too much to list in one post!

[cnorman18]

These days, it seems that they all have lost the plot with the ascendency of ultra-orthodoxy in religion and a certain irrational rationalism among the atheists. But it doesn't have to be that way!

OK,here's what I like best about evangelical christianity:
- Evengelicals have a history of being experts and scholars in the scriptural canon and bring to the party a reminder of what it can offer. Even for an atheist, this is a cool thing (after all, if shakespeare turned out to be edward devere, would you stop reading him?).
- They also really live it, believing that faith should transform a person and be relevent to all of life. Putting aside politics, what's not to like?

And here's what I like best about catholicism:
- they are grown ups: GREAT minds, sublime thinking, nearly endless theological, intellectual, spiritual, and artistic resources.
- they do a good job of bringing to the party a reminder of how important it is to bring multiple resources to the whole of life: reason, consicence, tradition, expert opinion, a sense of the sacramental or sacred, and countless fine distinctions honed over centuries etc.

And here's what I like about secularism:
- everybody took a deep breath and let a lot of the silly side of religion go in order to see how we might be just, ethical, and artistic on our own merits
- little baggage, willing to try any good new idea
- courageous to live fully in the face of possible meaninglessness; creating meaning out of chaos
- and they're fun



Putting aside the crazies from all three, what do you like and respect from each? what can you add or contribute? I'm beat tired, so my list is short. Please add to it (and let's try not to debate too much here).

Hey! What are we Jews? Chopped liver?

The Jews are tops!! Too much to list in one post!

Aaah, I bet you say that to all the religions.

(Your check is in the mail)