Religion is not static.
Do with that what you will, but it seems to me that there are plenty of fundamental revivals that pretend to return a faith to its "original" state. With Christianity, this seems a difficult notion, especially in this age of televangelism and megachurches. One wonders what Jesus would think of sweating, prancing diva preachers who squall against the sins and degradation of the modern era while promoting a gospel of prosperity and wealth.
With Islam, one might be tempted to pretend that the violence wracking Muslim communities is a direct echo of the seventh century, such challenges presented themselves at least as early as the ninth. The e'er changing context of the faith has seen wars of necessity, economics, and even crude politics.
If it is true that we can never go home again, it is only because we expect that home to be static. Remember that the person you were yesterday is different from who you will be tomorrow. Our experiences continually transform our outlook, and even those elements of familiarity to which we cling evolve.
It will never again be the century of Christ, or of Muhammad. And while we tend to search through history for some semblance of a Golden Age to which we might return, it is only because the past is somehow familiar to us, and the future unknown. Revivalist appeals to a former era are false comfort offered by bogus prophets.
There is no static faith, no eternal and unchanging rationalism. Even in pursuing an ancient core, seeking to rediscover the original purpose of religious faith—such as we might find among the Sufis—the treasures we find are necessarily incomplete, and the context and application necessarily different.
Notes:
Armstrong, Karen. Islam: A Short History. New York: Modern Library, 2000.
Frater Perdurabo. "Caviar". Book of Lies. 1913. Newburyport: Weiser, 1986. http://www.drizzle.com/~slmndr/uncle_al/lies/9.html
Do with that what you will, but it seems to me that there are plenty of fundamental revivals that pretend to return a faith to its "original" state. With Christianity, this seems a difficult notion, especially in this age of televangelism and megachurches. One wonders what Jesus would think of sweating, prancing diva preachers who squall against the sins and degradation of the modern era while promoting a gospel of prosperity and wealth.
With Islam, one might be tempted to pretend that the violence wracking Muslim communities is a direct echo of the seventh century, such challenges presented themselves at least as early as the ninth. The e'er changing context of the faith has seen wars of necessity, economics, and even crude politics.
If it is true that we can never go home again, it is only because we expect that home to be static. Remember that the person you were yesterday is different from who you will be tomorrow. Our experiences continually transform our outlook, and even those elements of familiarity to which we cling evolve.
It will never again be the century of Christ, or of Muhammad. And while we tend to search through history for some semblance of a Golden Age to which we might return, it is only because the past is somehow familiar to us, and the future unknown. Revivalist appeals to a former era are false comfort offered by bogus prophets.
There is no static faith, no eternal and unchanging rationalism. Even in pursuing an ancient core, seeking to rediscover the original purpose of religious faith—such as we might find among the Sufis—the treasures we find are necessarily incomplete, and the context and application necessarily different.
The Word was uttered: The One exploded into one thousand million worlds.
Each world contained a thousand million spheres.
Each sphere contained a thousand million planes.
Each plane contained a thousand million stars.
Each star contained a many thousand million things.
Of these the reasoner took six, and, preening, said: This is the One and the All.
These six the Adept harmonised, and said; This is the Heart of the One and the All.
These six were destroyed by the Master of the Temple; and he spake not.
The Ash thereof was burnt up by the Magus into The Word
Of all this did the Ipsissimus know Nothing.
(Perdurabo)
______________________Each world contained a thousand million spheres.
Each sphere contained a thousand million planes.
Each plane contained a thousand million stars.
Each star contained a many thousand million things.
Of these the reasoner took six, and, preening, said: This is the One and the All.
These six the Adept harmonised, and said; This is the Heart of the One and the All.
These six were destroyed by the Master of the Temple; and he spake not.
The Ash thereof was burnt up by the Magus into The Word
Of all this did the Ipsissimus know Nothing.
(Perdurabo)
Notes:
Armstrong, Karen. Islam: A Short History. New York: Modern Library, 2000.
Frater Perdurabo. "Caviar". Book of Lies. 1913. Newburyport: Weiser, 1986. http://www.drizzle.com/~slmndr/uncle_al/lies/9.html