A new religion
I see that a programme, or mission, is emerging in my writing, and it is to create a new religion. Well, that’s somewhat overstated, in that I am perfectly happy to be a Christian, so I suppose what I mean is that I am trying to create a new basis for religion. As I am a Christian, it will be a new basis for Christianity, but it applies equally to all religions.
The essence of my approach is that I believe it is possible to provide a secure foundation for religion that relies entirely on empirical grounds, making a life of faith entirely reasonable. It does not use anything speculative, not clearly demonstrated, or relying on positing the existence of metaphysical realities that cannot be proven. I consider that the religion that we are able to produce by such means is remarkably similar to traditional religion, and, in practice, believers would be able to continue with their lives of faith exactly as before. What we are doing is making changes to the framework of understanding in which a person holds their religious beliefs, while keeping nearly all the beliefs the same, and certainly maintaining the essential core of the faith.
My motivation for promoting these changes is to provide a completely secure foundation for living a spiritual and religious life. I, personally, am content and able to live a religious life in the traditional sense, and countless millions of people are able to do the same. They would not need my new approach to religion. However, for those who have adopted a secular and atheistic outlook, a life of faith is not open to them, because they could never bring themselves to commit to those unproven and uncertain beliefs that are currently necessary to live by faith. I consider that this is a tragic loss, because living by faith is what enriches life beyond measure.
Therefore, if I can demonstrate the validity of living by faith using only evidence that is clearly open to all in the public domain of what can be ascertained through empirical means, and clearly demonstrated as true, then there will be a basis for anyone and everyone to adopt a life of faith.
Crucially, I am not arguing for simply adopting a philosophy of life – no matter how noble and profound that might be. I am still arguing for belief in God. The key elements of my argument are:-
- There is an experience of transcendent truth and love that simply exists and can be discovered
- People can create a personalised voice of God in their own minds through their faithful practice
- People can commit themselves to live by faith through believing in the value of believing in God
- People can hold their belief in God within a framework of understanding that is entirely rational and completely integrated with key scientific findings, notably the Big Bang and evolution
- The resulting spiritual life is experienced as a personal relationship with God, who loves you
All these stages can be demonstrated as valid entirely through the use of reason and empirical experience, such that those who currently have an entirely secular and atheistic outlook are free to adopt a life of faith.
It does require some important amendments to the religious understanding of what belief in God means, but, believing that the very heart of religion is a personal spiritual life of relationship with God, this is completely preserved.
In practice, once you have made the adjustments to the framework of understanding in which you hold your religious beliefs, believers will consider that their life of faith is continuing exactly as before, while those who have wanted to live a life of faith, but felt they were unable to commit to it, and those who have dismissed a life of faith as false or negative, will be free to adopt living by faith in God. Traditional believers should have no problem continuing their life of faith, but now in partnership with those with this new approach.
I believe that living by faith in God is the best way to find personal fulfilment and to build a just and compassionate community. It is, therefore, the way of salvation, and hope for the whole world.
Spiritual Devotion 