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| Category: Religion |
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| About the Book | |
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Religion 2.0 starts with a basic question: If you could build a religion “from scratch” what would that religion look like? This basic question supposes that a new religion is needed in today’s world. We need a new religion, so the author argues, because of all the religious pollution so common today in even the great world religions practiced by millions of people. This “New Religion for a New Day” is called Contemporary Theism (CT). CT provides an understanding of God that is a real alternative to materialism as well as fundamentalism, two of the dominant world views of modernity. While often thought to be opposites, both materialism and fundamentalism share similar types of rational shortcomings and emotional immaturities. CT outlines how the materialist and fundamentalist views, each in their own way, obscure or deny the reality of God. As well as a more comprehensive understanding of God, Religion 2.0 presents a multidimensional understanding of human nature. The six dimensions of the physical, biology, emotions, family, rationality and spirituality must all be viewed in new ways. In this new view of human nature, the argument is made that all these six dimensions are essential for humans to understand who they are and what they might become. Religion 2.0 also outlines the new religious groups that will follow this new faith. Those groups are called Co-Creator Communities (CCC). CCC reject the preoccupation of modern religion with buildings, budgets and clergy. Rather CCC focus on the spiritual dimension in their worship and fellowship. The book describes the spiritual disciplines that CCC members will practice. Those disciplines focus each believer on their own maturation, rather than either demonizing others, or idolizing others. Religion 2.0 also calls for new sacred scriptures. While the sacred scriptures of the world religions will remain inspirational as works of art, they can be transcended by a new view of scripture. In this new view, scriptures must describe the entire relationship of God to the world, and the world to God. Thus the whole evolutionary history of the cosmos is the subject of faith, not just particular texts from the human past. It is difficult to move beyond the current understanding of scripture as ancient human texts, without a new spiritual apprehension of the immensity and grandeur of creation. This new spiritual apprehension is given proper expression only by the findings of science. Even if the reader doesn’t accept all the particulars of Contemporary Theism, or want to join a Co-Creator Community, they will find many hints, ideas, and concepts that will help them mature in their own faith journey. These hints, ideas and concepts are developed in light of the large and challenging array of global and personal problems of the modern world. Readers are invited to become more aware of their true calling as one of God’s Co-Creators.
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| About the Author | |
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John Gruneich has been ordained for over 30 years. He has served as an installed or interim pastor in eleven Presbyterian, Lutheran and UCC churches. This work experience, as well as the author’s search for a rationally authentic spirituality has led him to propose a new faith: Contemporary Theism. |