Religious Being and Human Becoming

Abstract

When we study the record of past disputes in religion, we cannot avoid the conclusion that our ideas are time-bound. What is of ulti- mate significance is the spirit or, theologically speaking, the Spirit, which moves us at a particular moment in time. These points can be briefly illustrated by reference to our idea of religion itself and our conceptions of religious institutions. At the same time, however, we need guidelines and ways of identifying the Spirit in our midst. If every idea is just as good as every other, regardless of the context, then we might just as well give up arguing and sit in silence. Indeed, at a conference full of people eager to speak, this might be a welcome change of pace. But silence, too, is only significant in relation to what comes before and after. Silence when we should bear witness and speak out is a sin of omission. Silence while we sift the profundity of what has been said is a prerequisite to personal appropriation of the truth. Our task is to reflect on what must be said concerning "Religions and Man", if we are to arrive at the truth for our time that is suggested by this topic.