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Nicholas Weeks

Nicholas Weeks

Bodhicitta
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A God-filled mystic of the 19th century, who still influences today. But outside conventional Christianity, I suspect.

A powerful, inspiring work by him on Man's True Nature:

http://www.moup.org/Files/MAN_HIS_TRUE_NATURE_AND_MINISTRY.pdf

To anticipate a modern reading of 'ministry' as primarily a church or religious term, here is how it was used in the 19th century - from the 1828 Websters:

MIN'ISTRY, n. [L. ministerium.] The office, duties or functions of a subordinate agent of any kind.
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He says much of value in discriminating between Church & Christianity. Here is a little from page 199:

Now, true Christianity is anterior, not only to Catholicism, but even to the name Christianity itself; the name of Christian is not once found in the Gospels; but the spirit of that name is very clearly expressed, and it consists, according to John (i. 12), in the power of becoming the sons of God; and the spirit of the Children of God, or of the Apostles of Christ, who believed on Him, is shown, according to Mark (xvi. 20), by the Lord working in them, and confirming the word with signs following.
In this point of view, to be truly in Christianity, would be to be united with the Spirit of the Lord, and to have perfected or consummated our alliance with Him.
Now, in this respect, the true genius of Christianity would be less in being a religion, than as being the term and place of rest of all religions, and of all those laborious ways through which men's faith, and their need of being purged from their stains, oblige them to walk daily.
 
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From page 200 - more comparisons follow:

Catholicism [the Church], to which the title of religion properly belongs, is a way of trial and traveil to arrive at Christianity.

Christianity is the region of emancipation and liberty: Catholicism is only the seminary of Christianity; the region of rules and discipline for the neophyte.

Christianity fills all the earth alike with the Spirit of God. Catholicism fills only a portion of the globe, notwithstanding its title of universal.

Christianity carries our faith up to the luminous region of the Eternal Divine Word; Catholicism limits this faith to the written word, or tradition.

Christianity shows us God openly, in the heart of our being, without the help of form and formulas. Catholicism leaves us at war with ourselves, to find God hid under ceremonies.

Christianity has no mysteries; the very name is repugnant to it; for, essentially, Christianity is evidence itself, and universal clearness, Catholicism is full of mysteries, and its foundation is veiled. The sphinx may be placed at the entrance of temples built by men's hands; it cannot be seated in the heart, which is the real entrance to Christianity.
 
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Skull said:
From page 200 - more comparisons follow:
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The catholic church is rich in knowledge of the divine. It is the successor to peter the apostle. I would say its the origin of organized Christianity and all other Christian churches are offshoots of it. Since it is the original church I would say along with Christian churches it fills the earth with teachings of jesus and of doing what is right in life.
 
Skull said:
He says much of value in discriminating between Church & Christianity. Here is a little from page 199:
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The catholic teaching are to be one with Christ in mind and teachings. So how is that different from being a Christian?
 
donnann said:
The catholic teaching are to be one with Christ in mind and teachings. So how is that different from being a Christian?
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Did you read pp 199 & the few pages following? Here is a little more...

Christianity is the fruit of the true: Catholicism can only be the dressing. Christianity makes neither monasteries nor anchorites, because it can no more isolate itself than can the light of the sun; and because, like the sun, it seeks to shine everywhere. Catholicism peopled the deserts with solitaries, and the towns with religious communities; the former, to devote themselves more easily to their own salvation, the latter to present to the corrupt world some images of virtue and piety, to rouse it in its lethargy.

- 200 -

Christianity has no sect, since it embraces unity, and unity being alone, cannot be divided in itself. Catholicism has seen a multitude of schisms and sects spring from its bosom, which have promoted the reign of division, rather than that of concord; and Catholicism, even when it supposes itself in the highest degree of purity, can find hardly two of its members who believe alike.
 
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Skull said:
Did you read pp 199 & the few pages following? Here is a little more...
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I don't agree. The catholic church teaches morals and forgiveness and the teachings of jesus because they are the successor to peter the apostle. Christian churches are offshoots of Catholicism.
 
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