THE CHURCHES

The numerous Christian churches and sects of the world claim that they were founded by Jesus; however, he founded no church. All churches are of human foundation and, as such, have their pedagogical and educational purpose.

Jesus proclaimed the "Kingdom of God," which is not an external, visible, juridical organization because "the kingdom of God is within you." The kingdom of God is a divine experience within the human soul, an experience that is revealed as truth, holiness, love, charity, purity, benevolence, spiritual joy.

The word "church" is derived from the Greek term ekklesia, which comes from ekkaléo (ek = out, kaléo = to call, "to call out," or to evoke, to select from the middle of a great mass). So, the church represents an elite selected from the midst of a profane mass; the small flock of which Jesus speaks to his disciples; are the few chosen.

What determines participation in the church or kingdom of God is not a certain ritual ceremony (baptism), nor the acceptance of this or that form of creed, but it is the "rebirth by the spirit."

If Jesus had founded a church in the theological sense of the word, an ecclesiastical organization of juridical-bureaucratic characters, such as the churches, he would not be the Christ to whom "all power was given in heaven and on earth"; would not be the "only begotten Son of God," for such an initiative would have impoverished his character. In this case, he would be at best an intelligent sociologist and skilled codifier of precepts and prohibitions, such as Thomas Aquinas or Gregory VII. Attributing to Jesus, any Dogmatic Theology, Moral Theology or Ecclesiastical Code would be revolting blasphemy. No cosmic genius of divine experience degrades to the point of organizing any society or writing a book to ensure the perpetuation of its doctrines because it has unlimited confidence in the omnipotence and immortality of the Truth itself, without support and external aids. "I will send you the spirit of truth, and it will bring you into all truth, and it will remind you of all that I have said to you, for it will take of what is mine and will announce it" - this is the language of the cosmic genius which bases the eternity of his doctrine on the presence and unfailing performance of the spirit of Truth, which does not depend on any ecclesiastical organization.

Neither the ecclesiastical hierarchy nor the existence of the Bible is the foundation of Christianity. Still, it is the invisible performance of the "Spirit of Truth" through the centuries and millennia, and this presence and activity of the spirit of God do not depend on any organization or a book. "The spirit blows where it wants." "I am with you unto the end of the world" - this unfailing presence of the spirit of Christ is the sole guarantee of the perpetuity and infallibility of the church.

Being a human initiative, the churches are relatively necessary when facing the imperfection of our humanity, which still needs external crutches and struts for its spiritual evolution since it proves that this humanity lacks sufficient inner firmness. If men had inner security, they would not need such external security. In this sense, churches fulfil their pedagogical role - just as a mother fulfils her mission by guiding a child unable to walk by itself.

Evil is not in the existence of churches, which are relatively necessary as long as mankind is not properly christified and with perfect spiritual autonomy; the trouble lies in the fact that these churches claim to be founded by Jesus, and many of them do not allow their children to go beyond the limits of the dogmas they portray as the revelation of God. Just as the most glorious day for the educator or teacher is one in which it becomes superfluous and expendable, for having brought them into a perfect ethical-spiritual autonomy – and so the church will also have fulfilled its deeds in the day and hour when it becomes superfluous for having lead souls to God.

Unfortunately, churches make from their pedagogical mission a lucrative profession for the privileged class of its ministers, using sacred words to surround them with political and social prestige and to promote economic and financial prosperity, keeping people in ignorance of the great revelations of God, for they know that man who is cognizant of the spirit of Christ will one day pass from the subjection imposed by ecclesiastical theology to spiritual autonomy.

Churches should educate people - but not in being the intermediary between man and God, making the effect of Christ's redemption on man or his frustration dependent upon its performance or not. The effect of this redemption is independent of the presence or absence of an ecclesiastical minister. However, it may help smooth out the paths leading to this redemption, presumably, of course, that this minister itself is redeemed.

"The religion of future humanity will be transcendent, mystical!", that is, self-knowledge and self-realization - wrote the great initiated Sarvepalli Radhakrishnan (1888-1975), a former Indian statesman.