(April 7, 2017 at 9:37 am)SteveII Wrote:(April 7, 2017 at 9:17 am)Mister Agenda Wrote: It's not the same impact as turning against slavery and burning witches, I suppose. I doubt you think those changed anything about what it means to be a Christian either, but I regard them as vast improvements. Decade by decade, the arc of Christianity very gradually bends towards humanism.
I would say that all these "add-on" issues that we later see more clearly are a result of the culture and times each of those issues developed in. While I agree that the culture has improved, I think the development of the "add-on" issue did not originate from NT teachings so cannot be characterized as a change in Christianity--but rather of society.
The reformation of Christianity came not so much on the back of humanism, but rather the bible was printed, and the church began to realise that Jesus did not burn people at the stake, extort money from converts, or want wars to promote the faith. The bible of its self has power.
We now know Jesus taught "Love your enemies, do good to them", he pardoned those condemned to death, forgiving and merciful.
