From Christianity.com. [Bold added]
James wanted unity and stability in the church and state, but was well aware that the diversity of his constituents had to be considered. There were the Papists (as they were called then) who longed for the English church to return to the Roman fold. There were also the Puritans, loyal to the crown but wanting even more distance from Rome. They insisted that England’s Reformation did not go far enough, because it still retained too many Catholic elements. They had no trouble agreeing with John Knox’s description of Elizabeth as “neither good Protestant nor yet resolute papist.”
The Presbyterians wanted to do away with the hierarchical structure of powerful bishops. They advanced what they believed was the New Testament model of church administration under elders or presbyters.
The Nonconformists and Separatists, some of whom would later become America’s Pilgrims, wanted the state out of church affairs altogether. They were not seen as a potent force at the time, but their movement was slowly developing.
“The state out of church affairs” Very Good. “The church out of state affairs” completes the circle.
And then there is this intersection of religion and politics: Clinton Builds Support from Black Ministers.
More than half of the African-American ministers who attended a Philadelphia meeting with Hillary Clinton on Wednesday have endorsed the Democratic front-runner, her campaign confirmed Saturday.
Clinton met with 50 clergy members for a wide-ranging, two-hour discussion ahead of an investment firm fundraiser with rocker Bon Jovi earlier this week. Since then, 28 ministers have pledged their support to Clinton, with more endorsements coming next week, an aide said.
It is not just the Republicans doing it. And why would politicians go after ministers? Because they deliver votes. What kind of Christianity is that?
Let me quote you from a piece I recently posted.
Jesus was a subversive guy and Christianity – until tamed – was a subversive religion.
What is subversive about enlisting in support of the State?
Comments
7 responses to “James The First Of England”
“Jesus was a subversive guy and Christianity – until tamed – was a subversive religion.”
But you’ve also claimed that we can’t know what Jesus really said because it’s been edited and corrupted for political reasons.
Jesus was probably considered a heretic and false prophet, assuming there was a singular person. There were a lot of Jewish heresies and wacko prophets abounding in the period leading up to the destruction of the temple and diaspora in 70 ad. Heresies and anti-Roman revolutionary movements much the same thing. Life of Brian isn’t just a comedy, it’s almost a documentary.
Identifiable Christianity shows up sometime after 130 ad, several generations after the destruction of the temple, and dispersal of the remaining people. People who had had their entire culture and civilization destroyed, forced to live in strange lands. Spreading rumors and half remembered legends about something some young rabbi might have said and done.
Christianity grew rapidly in the Roman empire because it was open to all levels of society, including slaves and women. Mithraism, for example, was popular in the legions, but was strictly limited to free men, and eventually faded out.
Jam tomorrow has always been the rallying cry of utopian movements. Christianity offers the ultimate in stick and carrot, jam tomorrow belief systems. You get either infinite reward, or permanent burning in the next life for toeing the line in this life. So quit complaining and be happy with your lot in this life, slave. It doesn’t matter how much your life sucks here and now, just wait until you die and the fun really gets going. Trust us.
I think most religions boil down to about 50% good advice and 50% superstitious claptrap.
MMM,
Don’t forget the 50% that is politics.
Didn’t Jimmy 1 also bring back King’s Touch for curing scrofula?
Didn’t Jimmy 1 also bring back King’s Touch for curing scrofula?
I’d have to look it up. I’m not gonna.
MMM,
Don’t forget they had a template for the reborn God. Osiris.
IIRC the kings James were considered superstitious ignorant near-barbarian Scotsmen by sophisticated Londoners, leading to James II ouster in the Glorious Revolution, and the main reason they were so opposed to yet another wild Scotsman, Bonnie Prince Charlie.