Monday, May 17, 2010

deconstructing Frank Viola.. George Barma..."Pagan Christianity"

Here are a couple very positive reviews of the book "Pagan Christianity" that create the impression that what we call church today is in large measure "adopted pagan forms" and need to be jettisoned..then what?

Keep in mind that Jesus as Christ supersedes all religious forms..past..present and future. He absorbed and is now Lord over All including what is known as "Paganism" in the form of what is known as "Gnosticism", (the previous mystery religions of Greece, the Middle East and the religions of the far East), He absorbed Judaism in His person, and every other existent religion of this world, because He died and conquered death for the sins of the entire world ..and now He is going to supersede what we call Christianity in its many many rigid, dogmatic, forms that All fall short of His Bride that mystery woman clothed in the sun... so listen up! Hear the call for the wedding supper of the Lamb...it is currently being announced to all with ears to hear and eyes to see.

We will have books of all stripes in an effort to "reform" the existing church model that in large measure has been so "politicized", that it has so blurred the line between the politics of the modern Pharisees, and extreme political agendas by the "neo" fascists that are busy tearing away all semblances of our Constitutional rights and freedoms. The widening chasm between the modern church and the person and teachings of Jesus Himself is a result of the old almost medieval attitudes and teachings in churches today, as they evolve (hijacked) into little more than a political action arm of the extremists with their narrow social agendas and inquisitions to follow.

This tinkering and reshaping the old tired inaccurate and unbiblical paradigms of the church we inherited from our elders, will continue until we arrive at the final "divine" form of that mysterious woman clothed in the sun..standing on the moon described in Rvelations 12.



Until we figure her out we are still tinkering with the old wine skins..the myriad of old forms..reform..reform..and reforming yet again, but that is not the form that "She represents,is it? Remember, there is a whore from Babylon to show the door first, once we recognize her and give her a chance to repent!.



Awesome image by Sean Mayfield


here are a few reviews that applaud the book that is trying t "btrak the old mold that has prevailed for the last 1,700 years.

"PAGAN CHRISTIANITY contains a wide variety of interesting and helpful historical information of which most Christians - or non-Christians - will be completely unaware. The book identifies - in part or in whole - the pagan roots of many of our current church practices, as well as indicates some borrowed from earlier Jewish or, occasionally, more recent Customs."
Robert Banks, New Testament scholar, author of "Paul's Idea of Community" and "The Church Comes Home."


"This feisty book attacks the incipient paganism that has been absorbed into historic Christianity over the years. It exposes the syncretistic weak spots in what we assume to be basic in our way of doing church. Thoroughly iconoclastic, it is also at the same time a good apologetic for the house church movement which has strong restorationist impulses. My guess is that it will anger some readers and thrill others. I am one of the latter. Whatever, it won't be too easy to dismiss as it is really well researched and substantiated. I think it is definitely worth the read even if I do think it is a tad purist in tone. Just don't drop it-it is likely to explode."
Alan Hirsch, author of "The Forgotten Ways" and "The Shaping of Things to Come."


and here are some interesting insights that may dispel the excitement of this the latest form that people will experiment with.


Viola, Barna, and the Church 3: Domus Ecclesiae



http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=P0bRFJijk1w

Viola, Barna, and the Church 4: Constantine



http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=E2lwmp6RFOc



Viola, Barna, and the Church 5: Basilicas




http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=e8zHYI2xnYs



Viola, Barna, and the Church 6: Gothic Cathedrals



http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kSTt7vkHCIE

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