I was raised to be a Christian. Early on, I turned away. Christian churches were run by male hierarchies, excluded women from decision-making, and functioned as an in-club. The in-club was determined by a pre-determined set of rules. You had to believe, for example, that you were born a horrible person, a sinner, and the only way to ever come close to being “good” or go to “heaven” was to sign up to have Jesus as your savior. In my mind, it was obvious that everyone was born beautiful. And you know what? Anyone could decide to start each day fresh and new, regardless of whether or not you signed on someone else’s dotted line.

Emphasis on rules is a hallmark of most formal religions (then taken to extremes in fundamentalism). Although rules can provide a structure to work from, their design often limits peoples’ forming of their own opinions or questioning of the religious hierarchy. The rules of Christianity, as practiced in the West, are savior-based. They focus on how Jesus died and what followed his death. These beliefs were not defined by Jesus, who was not interested in founding a religion, but by those who came after him.

Another way to look at Christianity is to focus on what Jesus himself practiced before his death––his living legacy. This is called Sophiology, or the study of wisdom. It invites self-examination of the ego and ego behavior. It encourages inner knowing and expanded consciousness (“The kingdom of Heaven is within”). It leads to compassion for self and all others. It is a way of embodying Love energy in the physical world. Sound familiar? It’s the mysticism described in my last post.* Jesus was a mystic.

All of this is beautifully described by Cynthia Bourgeault in The Wisdom Jesus, Transforming Heart and Mind––a New Perspective on Christ and His Message.** This well-researched book, written by an Episcopal priest, explores Jesus’ life, the bible, history, and Christian practice through the lens of wisdom (mystic) tradition. It turned everything I was taught about Christianity on its head, in a good way. It helped me see how my own broad stream of expanded consciousness can include Jesus’ teachings.

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*  https://jennifershoals.com/three-main-points/

**Shambhala 2008.