Religious Dynamism

I oft wonder how much religion, especially Christianity, has changed and evolved since its conception some 2,000 years ago. How much does religion evolve over time, relative to the culture which it exist in? Since religion is an intangible force, and a very difficult concept to define, it is somewhat difficult to trace the changes and altercations in religious doctrine and interpretation.

Religion, as a part of the human experience, is a dynamic force. Just as societies change, religions seemingly follow an identical path. Throughout the course of human history empires have risen, expanded, decline, and fallen. So too do the religious traditions that were associated within that empires respective societal web. It is seemingly a natural ebb and flow of society. Religions, like societies, debate within themselves and with each other. Religions give societies purpose, explanation, coherence, and hope. They provide people with a standard of ethics and morals and typically define a society’s internal identity, whether or not a given individual considers himself a part of that particular religion.

Given that there is no such thing as religious orthodoxy, how dynamic are religions, particularly Christianity? Out of this question I see two Christian “variables” or interpretations. There can be Orthodox Christianity and Post-Modern Christianity.

As I stated above, since religion is so dynamic and relative to its surrounding society, I believe Orthodox Christianity as a false perception. Although there is certainly Christian principals that remain core and absolute (i.e. Love the Lord thy God and Love your neighbor as yourself), the overall interpretation of the Christian religion will evolve over time.

Post-Modern Christianity sounds like a cliche, catch-all explanation. However, I believe it to be a far more accurate description of how society treats Christianity and religion as a whole. I find it much more accurate to say that most Christian Humanist are more inclined to described themselves are Christian Existentialist when it comes to Christian interpretation and doctrine. They strive to avoid dogma and idiosyncrasies and venture for a more pure form of religion — what the Morman faith describes as “evolving doctrine.”

There is a natural ebb and flow to religion, much like society. I do think its inevitable that religious interpretation will change over time. As long as the globe, as a whole, continues to liberalize itself from prejudicial dogmas and insular, ignorant beliefs, religions will become less exclusive and more universal, applying equal standards to everyone and upholding equality for all mankind.