Seeking a New Theology

Some Hints on What Science Might Enlighten in Theology

David F. Marshall

• Publisher: Resource Publications
• Year: 2021
• Print ISBN:
  9781666703191
  9781666703207
• eBook ISBN:
  9781666703214
• Topic: Theology & Religion
• Subtopic: Christian Ministry

For those who think their beliefs are no longer valid, for all who wonder if there is any truth in religion, for anyone questioning why theology doesn't make sense--this is book for you. Here are arguments against some claims of faith. Science helps us gain new insights into what we used to believe. Recent discoveries in physics and other modern sciences have opened doors that may help you gain a new, more positive perspective on religion. For any of you who want to understand theological conundrums, here are some believable answers, including what happens when we die and whether we exist after death. A quick survey of world religions compares the beliefs of Christianity and how these present challenges lead to doubt; however, some interesting historical and scientific findings can aid you in gaining more insights which can foster your faith. These discoveries are capable of nurturing a sense of wholeness, overcoming doubts about the relevance of your faith. When that happens, your attitudes become more positive about learning what you can believe. This book helps you do that.

Section Two

Questions About Avatars—Gods Who Become Human

A careful study of the possibilities for avatars in major world religions yields those problems incorporated in the avatar of Christianity with its incarnated God.

This single human/god (avatar) creates both scientific and theological questions. A brief survey of major world religions provides you, the reader, a perspective for viewing how the Christ event raises major questions, such as: its timing and locale, the question of gender, the ethnic identification, religious activity and the competition, as well as the questions of how divine and/or human is our avatar. Reasons for having an Incarnation are discussed and some interpretations of those findings clarify the comparisons in the section.

Chapter 20

Human Deities or Avatars

An avatar is a deity that has become incarnated, that is, taken on a form found in natural creation—a deity becomes human. In essence, an avatar is a deity which is substantial matter that can be sensed by humans.

There are many believed-in avatars in the world’s religions. The first religions, animism, were filled with beliefs projected on natural creatures, objects, phenomena or forces of nature seen as divine. Parsing some major modern religions for avatars and searching for parallel theologies, we might discover that they have few avatars, if any, or many more than one. Christianity has only one—Christ, meaning “the anointed one.”

First, we might look at a modern religion that seems to be non-theistic, one presenting a major problem for creating any avatar. One of the major questions in comparative religion is: Does Buddhism have a deity? Some Buddhists claim that it does in the form of the first person to become a Buddha, but others claim that Siddhartha Gautama, the first, was only a royal human who found enlightenment. Although some questions arise, many followers of Buddhism, if not all, claim Buddhism is non-theistic, that is, lacking a deity.49 There are a number of persons who have claimed they, like Siddhartha, achieved ultimate enlightenment, have become Bodhisattvas (highly enlightened) or even reincarnations of Siddhartha Gautama, the original Buddha or “enlightened one.” Others have honored many persons as such or as reincarnations, thus as potential avatars. A much abbreviated listing of a few of the very many includes the following:

Guan Yu, Chinese general in late Eastern Han Dynasty and Three Kingdoms period (died 220). [He was a serving army general who was said to have become the peace-loving manifestation of the Buddha.];

Wu Zetian (624–705), a female Empress of China, who founded her own dynasty, the Second Zhou. [Fewer women than men have claimed or were claimed by others to be a Buddha.];

Gung Ye (869–918), a Korean warlord and later King of Taebong, who ordered his servants to worship him.

Nurhaci, known as Emperor Tai Zu (1559–1626), founder of the Qing Dynasty of China, who was believed by some to be a Bodhisattva, an enlightened person who, out of compassion, forsook nirvana to help others; Nurhaci was believed to be the Bodhisattva Manjushri;

Mirza Ghulam Ahmed (1835–1908), who claimed to be the universal prophet for all religions including Buddhism; he founded a sect while preaching Islam as a universal faith for all;

Peter Deunov (1864–1944, known as Master Beinsa Douno, who founded Esoteric Christianity and was considered a manifestation of Maitreya, the future Buddha. [The Maitreya was to be the final Buddha, coming at the end of time.];

Ruth E. Norman, also known as Uriel (1900–1993), who said she had 55 past lives including: Buddha, King Arthur, Confucius, Socrates, and the King of Atlantis;

Samael Aun Weor (1917–1977), a Columbian, author of over 60 books, who founded Universal Gnosticism, was said to be the Maitreya;

Jim Jones (1931–1978) who founded the People’s Temple cult, claimed to be an incarnation of the Buddha and also of Jesus. [In Guyana, he murdered over 900 members of his church by poisoning their communion.];

Ariffin Mohammed (1943–2016), founder of the Sky Kingdom in Malaysia; he and his followers claimed he was an incarnation of Buddha, also the Islamic Madhi, a final times redeemer, as well as Muhammad, Jesus and Shiva;

Claude Vorilhon, also known as Raël (1946– ), who founded the Unidentified Flying Objects (UFO) religion; some claimed him the Maitreya;

Lu Sheng-yen (1945– ), Taiwanese founder of the True Buddha School, claimed enlightenment in the 1980s and himself as the “Living Buddha Lian Sheng”;

Ram Bahadur Bomjon (1990– ), a Nepalese, who claimed that although Siddhartha Gautama, the original Buddha, reached Sambuddha, that is, self-enlightenment, he, Ram, had attained Mahasambodhi, a higher level than Siddhatha; he and his followers proclaim him as the Maitreya50

This is only a very partial list of Buddha claimants; there are many more. Buddhism is claimed by many adherents to be non-theistic, denying a creator deity. It does teach rebirth, with nirvana as the ultimate goal. A sage, when asked where Nirvana is, replied, “It is where light goes when you blow out the candle.”

Not including those listed above, we must remember that it is almost only in Tibe...

Table of contents

• Title Page
• Acknowledgements
• What This Book Is About
• Section One: Science and Theology as Dance Partners
• Section Two: Questions About Avatars—Gods Who Become Human
• Section Three: Some Recent Scientific Discoveries of Interest and Importance
• An Afterword
• Bibliography