Some time ago I opened up the theme of cosmology and did not pursue it. The time has come to pick it up and develop it in a more systematic way. The first thing though is to say cosmology is part of the wider theme of science in general. My intention is to follow up several themes under this heading, including Darwinism as well as cosmology. I also intend to touch on the debates about atheism.
Why cover these issues in a blog about ecumenism?
It has been my intention to explore the theology behind ecumenism and so I have allowed myself quite a wide ranging brief. If each theological topic were written on a card, then I would place ecumenism in the centre of the table and arrange the other cards around it. If I started with a different card, the same cards would be arranged in a different way and I would write about them in a different way. So, I am not claiming ecumenism is a route to understanding everything, but exploring how it relates to various aspects of the world around us.
Going deeper, I would argue that science presents Christianity with a range of challenges and not necessarily the ones we might think at first. I want to argue that the conversation with science is a part of transformational reception and so something that should engage churches together.
But there is an even deeper reason why ecumenism needs to take these matters seriously. Throughout this blog I have argued that the theology of ecumenism needs an understanding of conversation. One of my earliest posts argued that logos can be translated as conversation. I went on to argue that conversation underlies the first creation story in Genesis. I will be arguing that conversation also underlies modern cosmologies. Despite what the atheists assert, in the last 80 or so years, the universe has become more accommodating to the Christian faith.
The problem is that most Christians haven't noticed. Ecumenical conversations are a part of this universal conversation and will benefit from seeing their place within that context. Christians need to do this together so that there is some agreement about this common task. I can sketch a map of this new terrain but the journey must be taken by the churches if they are prepared to do so.
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