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A New View: Theology & Practice

An Attempt at a Theology that
Looks at Things in a New Way
So We Live in New Ways

(Skip to Contents. Skip to Summary.)

How can this life, with all its joys and problems,
be meaningful be in the light of the next?

'New View' sees God as active in and with the world
- more than a mere responder to prayer
or a being to believe in -
with Jesus the Anointed One at the focus

and human beings as representing God
to the rest of Creation
and God's people as representing God
to all peoples.

This site.

Here I have set out my developing understanding of what God is doing, and requiring of us, in the context of history and theology, and of the practice of life with Jesus Christ. As well as explaining 'what', it also tries to explain 'why', and sometimes 'how'. It tries to be self-critical.

Concerning the specific issue of climate and environmental responsibility, I have come to the firm conclusion that this responsibility is:

God the Father's direct command to all humanity (and God's people should take a lead in it);
secured and made effective by Jesus Christ's wonderful life, atoning death and glorious resurrection;
the attitude that the Holy Spirit desires to grow in us.

So are other responsibilities in the world, including in academic, politics and the media.

Enjoy. And comment.

Andrew Basden.

Contents of The Whole Site

This is a mini-website of a hundred pages, that

develops some of the new approaches in theology,
links things together in new ways,
informs new directions in practice of everyday life,
furthers new understanding of God's Cosmic Plan of creation and salvation,
and perhaps even requires a fresh vision of God,

in order to make compelling sense of environmental responsibility and the importance of all that we do in every in work, academia and everyday living - and this bridge the Sacred-Secular Divide.

This site is written from and to an evangelical Christian perspective, but in such a way that readers with other perspectives should be able to understand, enjoy, benefit from and contribute to what is written. It tries to address issues from both an everyday and an academic point of view. It aims to open up possibilities for reflection, rather than polemic for argument - though if my language sometimes seems too 'eager' please treat it as a draft.

Summary Introduction to A New View
God's Plan as Five 'R's.
Major Theme	Some Main Questions	Some Main Answers
Reality Rejoicing	What is God's 'cosmic plan'? Why did he create us and the cosmos? Why did he come to save us?	God creates and gives dignity to all his creation. Something that makes sense of the richly varied world we are part of. God values even the 'mundane' aspects of life.
Radah	What is our Role in Creation as human beings? See Andrew Hartley's Ruling Well over Creation.	Our role is much more glorious than we have assumed: shepherds rather than stewards, masters or consumers. To 'shepherd' the Rest of Creation, for its own sake, not ours. Much more than "the chief end of Man is to glorify God and enjoy him forever."
Relatedness	What's the nature of the creation? What's important?	Understanding Everyday Life: Responsibility, Justice, Fall, Powerlessness and Eternal Life's relationship with here and now.
Rich Redemption -	How does God overcome the Fall?	God's answer and action is even more glorious than most of us might expect. Romans 8 Revisited - Really Good News! Three-dimensional salvation. New inner will and power for a purpose.
Representation	Does God have special people?	The notion of God's special people who represent him is richer than we might think. Joy and responsibility of representing God to 'the rest' - then, now and forever. Salt & Light.

Brief Introduction to this New View

'New View' is a journey and the journey is not yet ended, but I think I can see where it is headed.

Why 'New View' came about.

I felt: "We Christians of an evangelical persuasion
should take the lead in environmental responsibility,
(including for climate change!)
and be willing to radically change our lifestyle".
Many Christians resisted. Was I wrong?
Or have traditional evangelical theologies missed something?
I wanted to find out.

The journey I set out on would reveal more than I had expected!
Way beyond environmental responsibility.

The challenge.

Some evangelicals: "No way! Environmental concern is the Devil's diversion!"
Does Scripture show them to be wrong?
Some evangelicals: "Environmental concern is OK but secondary."
But is it more than just OK? Is it primary? Is environmental responsibility primary in God's eyes,
at the centre of His Cosmic Plan
(of creation, history, salvation and consummation)?
Or is it merely part of social justice, or an aid to evangelism?

What does Scripture really say about this?

What I did.

I would read Scripture seriously and humbly, as the Word of God;
but I would not be bound by conventional ways of interpreting it.
I would take account of contemporary thinking,
but I would ask some of the big questions afresh, such as
"Why did God create in the first place?"
"Why are humans different?"
"What gets saved? - and Why?"
"And why is environmental responsibility important in eternity?"

Result.

Far beyond my expectations!
Yes, I discovered environmental responsibility and the gospel go together.
But more ...
Many Scripture passages began to shine with new colours.
Salvation began to have a new dimension!
(Celtic, Calvinistic and Charismatic Christianities in harmony?)
It throws new light on Christ + Culture, on Evangelism, on Revivals, etc.
All spheres of life are important to God.
- the economy, business, government, agriculture, transport, sport, ...
I could engage with secular thinking without compromise yet without antagonism.
Yet also 'mundane', 'everyday' issues are important in God's eyes.

This new view seems to address the new era we face: the twentyfirst century.

Some Questions About This New View

Why call it 'new'? (Since many today are exploring similar ideas)

Because it sees Scripture saying something
that does not seem to have been said before
because it exposes and meets new challenges
because it links things that others say in new ways
and because this has compelling implications
that do not seem to have been worked out before.
See several reasons above.

Does it seek to replace previous views?

No: it acknowledges them and incorporates them
- the work of God in movements over the past 4,000 years,
from before Abraham to yesterday,
to understand what was important then and why,
and to incorporate them if it can.
For this reason, it is not unconnected to A Brief History of God.
But where that tries to understand all that God revealed through Scripture as a whole,
this New View seeks to address the current situation.

Does it try to be complete?

No, but it does try to be able to address anything that it encounters.
Any new challenge will be given due respect and consideration.
As with any understanding of God, it takes time before the overall shape is discerned, and it will be the same here.
Nevertheless, those of us engaged at the start of it
have the duty and joy to try to make sense of it,
to give it clear shape so that people who have no inkling of it may see it clearly,
to give it a clear logic so that it hangs together coherently
to explain it so that people might rightly criticise it and perhaps refine it,
and above to give clear vision so that people are compelled by it.

Are these ideas of God or simply of my own speculation?

I am an academic, supposed to innovate new ideas;
Generating new ideas has become my habit of life.
So are there problems with the New View?
Maybe all this is rubbish dredged up by my habits?
Or maybe the Living God graciously uses who we are and have become in his purposes?

I pray that what is of God will flourish
and bless and stimulate many,
and that what is not will be overlooked and forgotten.
I cast my bread upon the waters so that it may return after many days.

Why Do We Need a New View?

We need a new view because ...

... We need to understand the times we are entering; we are facing things we have never before faced - a new situation - such as possible destruction of the world for which we are responsible, or the rise of Islam and other religions.
... Thinkers around the world are beginning to recognise the importance of the faith aspect in this post-secular age:
- J�rgen Habermas speaks of "an awareness of what is missing",
- Charles Taylor speaks of "new ways of existing both in and out of relation with God"
- Max Stackhouse speaks of dialogical, 'bilingual' apologetics, open to scrutiny
and we to engaging with such post-secular thought. Because ...
... Traditional and new forms of Christianity lack a solid, compelling theology of our responsibility for things like climate change, of the importance of everyday life and work, of the importance of academic life - of the very creation itself.
See the essay Gospel and Academia: Why and How Should We Engage?, which develops this theme for engaging in academic life, complete with strategic approach, practical method and conceptual tool. And also the page, Enriching Other Thought - Why and how should Christians enrich other (non-Christian) thought?
... We (Christians) need a sound basis for engaging with the thinking going on in the world (e.g. in philosophy or social theory), critically yet with respect; traditional Christianity either ignores, opposes or uncritically accepts the world's ways of thinking.
... There are many portions of Scripture that Christians have for ages overlooked, explained away or ignored, but which are calling out to be relevant today. We need a way of interpreting Scripture that sees how they are all relevant today.
... We need a way to address a number of questions that have perplexed traditional views for centuries.
... We want to be able to acknowledge the work of God in movements, to understand what was important in them and why, to incorporate those insights, and perhaps even to enrich those views or movements. We can expect the way of God for the world to be rich and diverse, and each movement discovers one or more and works it out for humanity.

In What Way 'New'?

I'm not sure the word 'new' is correct. Judge for yourself. It might be new because ...

You can't better on the original story of God, the world and humanity - as recorded in Scripture. But we interpret for our own situation; indeed we must do so. I believe we are entering an historically new situation that demands a new slant in interpretation. So some things in Scripture light up that were not seen before while others, once lit up in a past era, fade - though they retain some relevance.

For example: During the Wesleyan revival in the U.K. (1700s) the importance to God of the ordinary individual 'lit up', as well as the effectiveness of 'method' (hence Methodists). During the nineteenth century evangelical awakening the importance of social justice 'lit up', leading to the banning of slavery. With the twentieth century charismatic movement, that God's action and love is for here and now lit up. Each seems to have been God's work to meet a new social or cultural situation.

I believe another lighting up is due, to do with the rest of creation. This re-interpretation may be more radical than some of those were because the situation we face is like none that has existed since Jesus walked on earth. For want of a better name, I call it A New View. It seems to be new in the following ways, especially when taken together:

Our relationship with the rest of creation stands at the centre of God's eternal Plan, not the periphery. (Most current theologies 'bolt it on' as a more or less optional ethic of care.)
It makes caring for the creation a positive hope and vision, not just an ethical responsibility.
It sees all members of the Trinity as necessarily involved in our relationship with the rest of creation. (Most theologies see God the Father as nature's creator, some see Jesus as nature's redeemer, but few have a place for the Holy Spirit.) (See also The Role of the Holy Spirit in Economics.)
It resolves the tension between our 'dominion' over the rest of creation on the one hand and our care for it, our being image of God, and agape love on the other. (In most theologies our 'dominion' is understood in such as way that it sits uneasily with these other aspects.)
It has a richer understanding of the Fall and of human sin, and hence of Redemption. (Many theologies downplay the Fall as nothing more than rebellion, and Redemption as little more than forgiveness; some deny the Fall.)
It incorporates a different way of interpreting Scripture. (Many theologies tend towards either fundamentalism, liberalism or 'holy book'.)
It recognises many movements of God ('streams of living water', Foster?) as part of the whole story over the past 4,000 years, from before Abraham to yesterday. (Most theologies and movements downplay the validity of others.)
It has a place for philosophy, science and everyday life alongside faith and theology. (Many other theologies either ignore one or more of these or rest uneasily alongside them.)
Whereas most Christian theology has no role for the non-believer (non-Christians), except as potential convert, this New View has an explicit role for the non-believer. Whereas some Christian theology posits universal salvation, wanting to dissolve differences, this New View understands a clear difference between the Christian and non-Christian; Christians (are supposed to) represent God among the peoples, and Israel represented God as a nation among nations.

None of these are unique to New View on their own, but perhaps New View is rare in bringing them together.

Origins of New View

Let me tell you in a bit more detail how this 'New View' site came about. I'm a Christian of evangelical (slightly charismatic) persuasion who has always had a deep love of nature, deep concern for responsibility and a deep awareness that I should not follow my own agenda but God's. But I have questions: I am deeply concerned about environmental matters; should I become active in them in major ways (not just as a sideline)? I find my work (information systems research + teaching) fascinating; should I resist this? Is it important in God's sight as such, or merely as a source of income and arena for evangelism or worship? I enjoy walking, Amiga computer games, music; should I see these as a waste of time?

Traditional evangelical theology did not seem to give me sufficient grounds for doing so - nor even grounds to decide whether to get involved. (See an analysis of three deficient theologies in A Theology of Environmental Responsibility.) I also noticed that vast tracts of Scripture (which Christians believe to be God's Word) were regularly overlooked, yet contained much of relevance to me. (See my story and A Brief History of God.)

So I began looking at Scripture afresh to see whether it does really support giving my life to environmental responsibility - Wow! it doesn't just support this but makes it central and mandatory. What this means is that we are disobedient to God if we fail to give our lives to environmental responsibility. This seems to be a new approach, not found in the many books by Christians on environmental responsibility. It also underlined the importance, to God, of the everyday activities of work and leisure. From looking at history, I also wonder whether something like a New View might be a key to Holy-Spirit-led revival.

What I have found I have made public in the hope that it might useful might be useful to others. It's still developing.

Our Approach: Cautious yet Bold

Am I just trying to 'justify' my own agenda from Scripture? I try to avoid that. It may be new, but is it true? Some new things mislead. Some distract. Some may even be heresy.

Someone said: the truth has no name. Whenever we put a name to a system of thought, we acknowledge it is not the whole truth. So this 'New View' is only part of the truth (if it is even that!), but I believe it is that part that is valid and useful for today.

On the other hand, Jesus warned us against burying our 'talent' in the soil for fear of doing something wrong. So the fact that it is new - and many will reject the new thing - should not deter us from trying to develop it. This site reflects a theology that is still in development. In developing this new view, I try to be cautious and yet bold.

Materials of the New View

The following is a list of materials that might help in understanding and discussing and refining the New View.

Terms of reference

Take Scripture seriously, treating it as the Word of God.
But do not be bound by conventional ways of interpreting it.
Ask some big questions afresh, such as "Why did God create the universe in the first place?" "Why are humans different?" "Why did God come to save us?" "What gets saved?"
Take notice of the myriad of tricky questions that conventional theologies ignore, because such questions indicate what might be wrong at their root.
Take notice of Hebrew and Greek wording.
Take notice of the overall thrusts of Scripture.
Be academically responsible.
But also keep aware of everyday life.
Be self-critical, especially sceptical about my own preconceived ideas or commitments.

Acknowledgements

Andrew Watson has gone through the site and posed some very useful questions about whether what compels me will compel others, and in response I made some significant changes.

Colin Bell, of Faraday Institute, has given very useful indicators of what is and is not new here: "I haven't seen anything which I've describe as 'novel', but this is perhaps a good thing in that you're in line with what the professionals are coming up with! But you've put a few combinations of ideas together in a different way which stimulates some different thinking". In response, I made some modifications to its claims.

This page, URL= 'http://abxn.org/nv/index.html', and the pages for which it is the Home/Index page, is part of the on-going work in developing a 'New View' in theology and practice that is appropriate to the days that are coming upon us. Comments, queries welcome by emailing

at kgsvr.net

Copyright (c) Andrew Basden to latest date below, but you may use this material for almost any purpose except subject to certain conditions.

Written on the Amiga with Protext in the style of classic HTML.

Created: 31 December 2003. Last updated: 11 January 2004, 18 January 2004 intro, 8 February 2004 .nav., 5 March 2004 pdl. 14 March 2004 better overview. 28 March 2004 not whole truth. 27 June 2004 rewrote intro; link to books. 18 July 2004 new link Worship. 11 June 2005 'for its sake'; some corrections. 14 June 2005 how diffnt. 15 June 2005 heaven. 3 August 2005 rewrote intro a bit, with headings; key to evangelism, china. 7 August 2005 yun, caution. 14 October 2005 +ve vision. 28 January 2006 New intro para: why site came about. 7 February 2006 lord's prayer link. 6 April 2006 examples.html. 3 December 2006 Phil Sampson's story; rearranged. 6 January 2008 men.women. 15 March 2008 revival link. 8 June 2008 rearranged, so 'why new' leads; link to new page evangelism. 23 June 2008 roots unsust. 24 July 2008 links corrected. 10 August 2008 kenya. 28 September 2008 perplexing questions. 17 October 2008 new Rs, 'new sit' link. 25 October 2008 diversity and movements. 16 November 2008 some rewords, times link. 23 November 2008 engaging. 18 December 2008 'smy' added. 1 January 2009 link to compelling, new .nav, .end., rearranged sections and added role for non-xns, contents list of 'why new' links. 3 January 2009 children role. 6 January 2009 evang persp. 7 January 2009 intro paras. 20 January 2009 GWBush. 25 January 2009 slight changes to GWB. 8 March 2009 new shorter intro, better 'wny new'. 12 March 2009 'Why new' redone as 'why do we need a new view'. 13 April 2009 corrected a bad error by removing 'don't'! 31 May 2009 link to af, and to ccge mfst. 22 June 2009 removed af link. 30 August 2009 rewrite intro and owt else; link to scripture. 2 September 2009 power. 6 September 2009 Intro: 'wider'; also reordered, with contents first. 30 September 2009 Obama disappointment. 1 October 2009 sin. 11 October 2009 biblestudy, sermon. 1 November 2009 anti-cc. 23 December 2009 Proverbs; new format to start. 25 January 2010 bush moved to bush.obama.html. 2 May 2010 changes to intro; economics; some 'worth visiting' gone. 16 May 2010 a few bits. 19 September 2010 split up Intro; terms of reference. 9 January 2011 link hs. 17 January 2011 ssd. 23 January 2011 better Intro (brisker and more visual). 20 February 2011 better wording of intro; about academic habits of innovating; slogan. 15 April 2011 new cos link things together in new ways; ackn of Andrew Watson and Colin Bell. 28 April 2011 link to problems. 1 May 2011 Christ & Culture. 10 July 2011 prayer, and rearranged a few links. 27 November 2011 link to engage.secular and cfr; removed 'new pages' and distributed to Relevance etc. 11 December 2011 church. 16 December 2011 link to Bruce Wearne's Nurturing Justice. 21 December 2011 miracles. 5 November 2012 3ds.literature, 3ds and materials. 23 December 2012 improved Introduction and list. 3 February 2013 salt.light. 24 March 2013 faith.scholarship. 7 April 2013 rewrote brief intro; brought contents first. 16 April 2013 christian.scholarship. 18 August 2013 better 'Results'. 2 February 2014 God as active, in strapline. 27 February 2014 rearranged, so boxes come before 'how NV came about', new straplines, Habermas, Taylor, Stackhouse. 13 May 2014 env.thgy. 15 June 2014 interconnectedness. 17 June 2014 benefits, and moved context para later. 16 September 2014 corrected imbalance in table sides. 15 March 2015 love.wishy.washy, and page url, corrected internal link to contents. 16 July 2015 romans9-11. 22 August 2015 5 solae. 4 September 2016 church. 23 June 2017 engage.list, removed link to songs cos incomplete. 15 October 2017 verse.html. 25 June 2018 rid a few old 'new' dates. 16 January 2019 scholarship/lyon. 20 November 2019 imago.dei. 2 February 2020 individual. 22 April 2020 put link to qns in contents. 30 April 2020 summary re CC added at start. 17 July 2020 jews.xns. 25 July 2020 CANONICAL link. 16 September 2020 enriching. 4 October 2020 rewrote re nonbeliever; better intro. 25 October 2020 Odd: on phone, both portrait and landscape, Chrome seemed to give righthand margin, narrowing the text area. I then added bgcolor and uploaded and it was OK. 4 November 2020 ah.ruling.well. 21 November 2020 prayer.answers.html; new .end,.nav. 5 May 2021 human.agendas. 20 February 2022 chief.end, glorify.enjoy. 21 June 2022 gospel.acad. 4 July 2022 sp. 7 April 2024 rwanda. 24 May 2024 bible.discoveries. 16 June 2024 HS.and.economics; rid moved old 'new's.

A New View: Theology & Practice

An Attempt at a Theology that Looks at Things in a New Way So We Live in New Ways

Contents of This Page:

Contents of The Whole Site

Some Individual Pages Worth Visiting:

Why New?

Comparison with Other Views:

Relevance of New View:

On the Gospel, Evangelism, Revival, Prayer, etc.

Some Points of Theology:

Summary Introduction to A New View God's Plan as Five 'R's.