LABELS

Labels can be misleading at the best of times but never more so when applied to spiritual matters. I think of myself as a Christian but I should probably qualify that by describing myself as a liberal or progressive Christian. Some may not regard me as a Christian at all. Certainly I do not think of myself as religious but I do describe myself as spiritual. Confused? Read on, you will be. 

Then there is the really big question. The God question. Do I believe in God? I certainly believe, or am very open to the idea, that there is something "more" to the reality which is known to us through the Universe. Some call that "more" God. God is seen in basically two ways. The first is as a transcendent presence. God is in all things and cannot be separated from all things. The other is an imminent God who is part of the universe but is also a separate "subject" to the created world which stands in an "object" position to God. This God has a separate will and can intervene and act upon human affairs. This God has a providential history. 

I am not convinced by the latter explanation and much more so by the former, but even then not completely as God is largely unknowable and certainly ineffable. 

In some ways I could describe myself as a humanist. I certainly have much in common with humanist philosophy. I believe as human beings we hold our destiny in our own hands. But then I am certainly no atheist. 

Perhaps I will settle on "spiritual humanist" for today at least, as tomorrow I may change my mind. Some, of course, may regard that as a contradiction in terms. But I am not concerned about that for that is what I am today and that will have to do.