Two Christianities: Revelation and the Sermon on the Mount
Revelation and Justice in an Age of Limits
Understand Physical Realities
Accept and Adapt
Live within Gaia
The third angel sounded his trumpet, and a great star, blazing like a torch, fell from the sky on a third of the rivers and on the springs of water — the name of the star is Wormwood. A third of the waters turned bitter, and many people died from the waters that had become bitter.
Revelation 8:10-11
Throughout Christian history, there has been tension between two competing visions of the faith. One is centered on the Book of Revelation with its cosmic visions, divine judgment, and apocalyptic urgency; the other vision comes from the Sermon on the Mount, where Jesus calls his followers to humility, mercy, and nonviolence.
These two Christianities are both grounded in Scripture, but they diverge in emphasis, authority, and practice. One offers a system of belief; the other, a way of life.
Christianity of Revelation
This approach treats the Bible, especially its doctrinal and theological content, as the primary vehicle of God’s truth. It also emphasizes creeds, catechisms, and church authority. Historical examples include:
Nicene Christianity codified core doctrines in the 4th century.
The Reformation upheld the Bible alone (‘sola scriptura’) as the source of truth.
Modern fundamentalism insists on biblical inerrancy and clear moral absolutes.
Key thinkers include Augustine of Hippo, who emphasized divine sovereignty, and Calvin, who focused on Scripture and God’s will. Jerry Falwell, a prominent fundamentalist preacher, exemplified Revelation-centered Christianity in the 20th century.
Churches that follow this model, Catholic, Orthodox, and many of the Reformed, often have strong hierarchies. Faith is defined as accepting revealed truths and living in obedience to God’s commands.
Christianity of the Sermon on the Mount
The other approach to the faith centers on Matthew 5–7, where Jesus blesses the poor in spirit, calls for nonviolence, and teaches love of enemies. This view of Christianity emphasizes moral transformation, justice, and personal discipleship. For example,
The Early Church refused violence and embraced communal living.
Anabaptists rejected state religion and chose pacifism.
Tolstoy and Christian anarchists rejected coercion.
Martin Luther King Jr. embodied this ethic in public life.
Key thinkers were Origen, who taught inner purity; Tolstoy with his emphasis on nonviolence; and Dietrich Bonhoeffer.
This model is often non-hierarchical, suspicious of power, and focused on living out Jesus’ words in daily life.
Two Visions in Tension
In today’s debates, these two approaches are all too apparent. The ‘culture wars’ pit doctrinal fidelity against calls for justice. Politics divides churches into those that align with power vs. those that critique it. Both forms of Christianity aim to follow Christ. But one seeks God in doctrine; the other in daily life. One defends truth; the other embodies love.
Relevance to an Age of Limits
The fourth angel poured out his bowl on the sun, and the sun was allowed to scorch people with fire. They were seared by the intense heat, and they cursed the name of God...
Revelation 16:8–9
A theme of the posts at this site is that we are entering a time of crisis ― a crisis that is rooted in physical limits. This physical truth is to do with energy, particularly the vast amounts of energy that have been provided to us over the last 300 years by fossil fuels (coal, natural gas and oil). Everything that we do ― everything ― requires the input of quality energy and then creates emissions of low quality energy such as greenhouse gases. Unless someone comes up with a yet-to-be-identified source of energy that is abundant, clean and high density we must live with the reality that infinite growth on a finite planet will not work. Moreover, if we continue with our present trajectory, particularly with regard to climate change, we are heading for catastrophe.
This is our modern Revelation.
Blessed are you who are poor, for yours is the kingdom of God.
Luke 6:20
A theme of these posts is that we have entered a time of limits ― these include resource decline, climate change, pollution and sectarianism, both secular and religious. How these limits will play out in practice remains to be seen, but it will not be pretty.
An increasing number of people will be poor and desperate. Therefore, the message of the Sermon on the Mount will be ever more important.
