Christian Humanism

Tom Drake-Brockman, Self Published

The author, a historian, teacher has written Christian Humanism to salvage “the humanity of Christianity before it sinks to the murky depths”.

Indeed, Drake-Brockman suggests Christian humanism could just be a “lifeline for Christianity and the West”.

Both Christianity and the West “are in decline and some of the core values of this altruistic tradition have become lost in a flood tide of moral relativism, cynicism, rampant self-gratification and social decay”.

A renewed Christianity requires a new faith in humanity, a new vision for the world and an energy “that derives intense, sustained, compassion from a spiritual source that has the capacity to override the petty concerns and deceptions of the human ego”.

That is, we can do much better!

The book is divided into six chapters covering such themes as, The Birth, Death and Resurrection of Christianity, The Spiritual Humanism of Jesus Christ, The Jewish Jesus of History, A New Humanist Covenant and New Humanist Priorities.

Some of Drake-Brockman’s thesis: Christian Humanism (i) restores the gospels credibility as divinely inspired works; (ii) uses the title “Christ” (rather than Jesus) so his divinity is restored; (iii) declares Christ’s work was one of compassion; (iv) “born again” is reconceived as reincarnation; (v) Christ was intent on establishing a movement, but a reformed and humanised version of Judaism rather than what has become known as Christianity.

The author writes, “The reconstructed Christology that emerges presents us with a simple but tantalising proposition: Jesus Christ was not a Saviour with a social conscience but a latent revolutionary humanist whose divinely inspired mission was to show us how to save ourselves — both spiritually and temporally — by translating compassionate love into remedial action and making some tangible progress towards the ultimate aspiration of reclaiming the world for God.”

There is much in the “churchianity” version of current Christianity that Drake-Brockman does not like — and with just cause.

His plea: It is time to bring Christ’s all-consuming humanism to fruition.

Rex A. E. Hunt