Are Agnosticism and Atheism Compatible with Christianity? (Jesus, ritual, moral)

[spiritually inclined]

Are agnosticism and atheism compatible with Christianity? If so, how would such people view the sacraments (if you're Catholic, Lutheran, Episcopal, etc.), especially baptism, confirmation, and the Eucharist, as well as the Bible and Jesus?

Can Progressive Christianity be expanded to include aspects of other religions?

James

[lilithu]

Originally Posted by spiritually inclined

Are agnosticism and atheism compatible with Christianity? If so, how would such people view the sacraments (if you're Catholic, Lutheran, Episcopal, etc.), especially baptism, confirmation, and the Eucharist, as well as the Bible and Jesus?

Can Progressive Christianity be expanded to include aspects of other religions?

James

I don't consider myself Christian but then again, I have friends who do consider themselves Christian who accept even less of traditional Christianity than I do, so...

I'd say it depends on how you define Christianity. Some would say that the crux of Christianity is the Trinity, and if so, it would seem to me that agnosticism and atheism are incompatible. Otoh, others would argue that if one follows the teachings of Jesus, then one is a Christian; in which case, it would seem to me that one need not necessarily believe in God. Despite his teaching us to pray, despite his many references to Abba (Father), the moral teachings of Jesus are essentially humanist.

As for baptism, confirmation, and the Eucharist..., I can easily see all of these as being rites that affirm community. Baptism into community. Confirmation, once the person is old enough to decide for her or himself to join in community. Also as a rite of passage into adulthood. And the Eucharist, a sharing of a communal source of sustenance. The bible would be stories and teachings written by humans in sincere effort to understand their own experiences. And Jesus would be a revered teacher, someone to emulate. Both the bible and Jesus would be part of a shared history/tradition.

My 2 pennies.

[angellous_evangellous]

There's a whole movement called Atheist Christianity. I'm not sure how popular they are, but Albert Switzer is one of its leading figures.

Here's an article that I wrote on Altizer: Will Christianity Survive the Death of Theism

[doppelgänger]

And there's a movement of agnostic Christians as well, exemplified by John Shelby Spong (and to some extent Tillich and Bonhoeffer before him).

Here's my blog post about it: Can Christianity Survive the Death of Theism?

[lilithu]

Originally Posted by angellous_evangellous

Here's an article that I wrote on Altizer: Will Christianity Survive the Death of Theism

Originally Posted by doppelgänger

Here's my blog post about it: Can Christianity Survive the Death of Theism?

Wow, and I didn't even know that theism was sick.

[doppelgänger]

Originally Posted by lilithu

Wow, and I didn't even know that theism was sick.

The formal obituary didn't make it into the regular papers.

[lilithu]

Originally Posted by doppelgänger

The formal obituary didn't make it into the regular papers.

Seriously guys, I won't argue that classical theism isn't dead in academic circles, but have you looked outside the ivory towers?

[doppelgänger]

Originally Posted by lilithu

Seriously guys, I won't argue that classical theism isn't dead in academic circles, but have you looked outside the ivory towers?

Sure. I see people more likely to take confession with a therapist or a psychologist than with a priest. People who increasingly look to non-"religious" law (civil and criminal) as the touchstone for normative principles, the rise of nationalism as the dominant factor in individual human identity to which religious identities increasingly are secondary, and people increasingly looking to science for their hope for the future and technology for the means of relating to the world in the now.

And there's are some substantial reactionary movements in response to these forces.