In the febrile imaginings of ancient thinkers the purposes of God's justice were reimagined
as the eternal bliss or damnation of man dependent on their behaviour in life,
and the value of their sacrifices, given to support the priesthood.
Christian teaching took this uneasy concept and placed Jesus at its centre.
He was the sacrifice that saves us, but only if we believe in him, follow him,
worship Him as part of the undivided Holy Trinity, partake of the sacraments
and provide for the church in which they serve.

Can there be veracity in such self-serving theology?

Each of us is self-concerned,
individually driven by survival instincts
and the realisation that we are all we have
Yet we are surely of no real importance.
Creation will continue after us, as it did before.
Maybe our role is to shift, even if only slightly,
the manner in which creation progresses
towards the purposes of God.

We may still wonder about the function of religions,
Religions make their own model of their concept of divinity;
Insist on their ideas as essential to their membership;
as criteria for reception of the benefits that they offer.
Perhaps eternal life shaped to their perception.
Perhaps benefits in another life-span.

We may observe the limitations of religious adherence,
even see them as divisive and contrary to divinity,
but still see the value of religious membership;
the value of the caring church community
in furthering the purposes of God.

For, what brings people together is of God
and all that separates, frustrates God's purpose;
projects individualism to future generations;
denies the potential heritage of mankind;
the growth of the kingdom of God.

It is only when Christianity recovers the message of Jesus,
when it repents of its self-centred ways,
that it and the world will be saved, from the present suicidal path,
to find anew the way of Jesus and the Kingdom of God