This past Sunday my minister, Gary finished up the series called "The Need for the Creed." For several weeks the ministers have dealt with The Apostles Creed. Line by line.
Over the centuries folks tended to mingle (and mangle) different beliefs so every few hundred years creeds were written to let everybody know that "this is what Christians believe." Period.
OK, here's my confession. For several years I refused to say the second to the last line in the Apostles Creed. "The resurrection of the body" just didn't make sense to me. What body? This body? No, thanks!
In a post On October 13th titled "Near Death Experience" I quoted Harvard neurosurgeon Dr. Eben Alexander in his new book "Heaven is Real" saying that our bodies inhibit our human consciousness rather than enhancing it.
British anthropologist, Chris Stringer has written a new book called "Lone Survivors - How We Came to Be the Only Humans on Earth." He's saying that there were several kinds of humans in the beginning but, somewhere along the line, Homo sapiens won out - although we do have a little Neanderthal in us.
That explains some of our behaviors but confuses the "resurrection of the body" issue.
A few years ago I resumed saying the entire Apostles Creed. I decided that, once again, I was thinking too small and that the resurrection of the body had a broader meaning - possibly broader than I could comprehend in this lifetime.
And this is what I heard Gary say on Sunday morning. Resurrection of the body? Yes! But, please, not this one.
***
Over the centuries folks tended to mingle (and mangle) different beliefs so every few hundred years creeds were written to let everybody know that "this is what Christians believe." Period.
OK, here's my confession. For several years I refused to say the second to the last line in the Apostles Creed. "The resurrection of the body" just didn't make sense to me. What body? This body? No, thanks!
In a post On October 13th titled "Near Death Experience" I quoted Harvard neurosurgeon Dr. Eben Alexander in his new book "Heaven is Real" saying that our bodies inhibit our human consciousness rather than enhancing it.
British anthropologist, Chris Stringer has written a new book called "Lone Survivors - How We Came to Be the Only Humans on Earth." He's saying that there were several kinds of humans in the beginning but, somewhere along the line, Homo sapiens won out - although we do have a little Neanderthal in us.
That explains some of our behaviors but confuses the "resurrection of the body" issue.
A few years ago I resumed saying the entire Apostles Creed. I decided that, once again, I was thinking too small and that the resurrection of the body had a broader meaning - possibly broader than I could comprehend in this lifetime.
And this is what I heard Gary say on Sunday morning. Resurrection of the body? Yes! But, please, not this one.
***
