America came out of World War II stronger than it ever had. Because of that, America saw themselves as the defender of the West, democracy, and civil liberties and Christianity had a huge role in that. Church membership skyrocketed during this time and the government had a huge part to do with it. American put “under God” into the Pledge of Allegiance in 1954 and the country’s official motto became “in God we trust” in 1956. During this time “congregation-centered, non-denominational Protestantism became one of the fastest-growing sectors of Christianity in the nation” (Jacobsen, 204). While many people still identified as Catholics, many of the other popular denominations such as Lutheran, Presbyterian, and Baptist, simply started to identify as just Christian. Through the sixties and into the seventies four movements really put sought to use Christianity to push their social agenda. And those movements were, “civil rights, the “war on poverty,” opposition to the war in Vietnam, and women’s liberation” (Jacobsen 202). This tied Christianity deeply with politics. However, going into the seventies and eighties, people became increasingly interested in secularism and less interested in the church. Evangelism became a way to counteract act this. Many churches gave birth to movements whose many focus was to covert as many people as popular, particularly on the college campuses.

All of this contributed, along with the concept religious freedom, to Americans’ understanding of being spiritual rather than religious. With the de-emphasis on denomination, people began to feel that religion is more of an individual’s right to choose. Religion is something that can be experienced personally without necessarily the aid of other individuals or the organized church as a whole. People today prefer the term spiritual rather than religious because religious carries undertones of a certain group affiliation whereas spiritual, people feel, carries undertones of personal lifestyle choices.

After taking all 3 courses of History of Christianity, receiving a Bachelor’s in Ministry from a Bible College, and being in the full time ministry for 7 years and leading a church for 2 years, if I had the choice to create a “super Christianity”, I wouldn’t. As I look over the history, I see two things exploited more than anything else: church authority and the authority of the Bible. Many men have come and tried to proclaimed their interpretation of Christianity as the calling of God. Aside from the Catholic church, almost all these movements start and end the same way. It starts as a man, a message, which usually only focuses on one social problem going on in that man’s particular community, then a movement arises that tries to universalize the message into a mission, and finally at some point people began to idealize the man, the message, or the movement and because of that, the movement normally stagnates or eventually declines. Many times this produces more rejecters of Christ than adherents. I believe the church and Bible are important but over the course of time they have been elevated to a position that they should not be. If we look at Christianity in its purest form, the first and second centuries, the Bible was still in the process of being written and “the church” was still an organism rather than what it is today, an organization. Taking all that into consideration, mistakes have always been made anytime someone has tried to brand Christianity and mass produce it. Instead Christianity needs to return to its focus on devotion to Jesus’ teachings, as expressed in what we now consider the Bible. I say let Christianity be defined by the words Jesus taught and let the expression of those teachings be unique to the local communities. That may mean that Christianity in Eugene may “look” different than Christianity in Corvallis, but there’s no need to try and persuade the other group that they need to join a certain church organization or cause to be real Christians or that one group is better than the others. Some other things that can help is the complete separation of church and state. Christians should as much as possible stay out of politics because that did not seem to be what Jesus or the early church was primarily concerned with. The best thing, in my opinion, is to stay away from trying to massly conform Christianity into one big super religion but rather focus local communities on the adherence and expression of Jesus’ teachings. All things can be summed up in loving God and loving your neighbor as yourself.

The original form of Christianity was Catholicism. Catholicism was a strict religion that many people did not agree with all of its practices and beliefs which made people branch off from the Catholic Church. There are different forms of Christianity based on individual beliefs and practices such as Presbyterians, Lutherans, and Baptists. There is more freedom in religion in America and on how an individual wants to practice their faith. It seems like the basic point or idea in all of the Christian forms is the belief in Jesus Christ and that he died for everyone’s sins as long as you accept him as the savior then you will be saved and go to heaven. For example, some Christian Churches accept homosexuality and some Christian Churches do not accept homosexuality. People in America can pick and choose what parts of the Christian religion that they want to keep and practice and find the church that agrees with their views and what they find true to follow in the Christian faith. There are so many denominations of the Christian religion in America that anyone can find the church that they feel they belong with and hold the same values and beliefs as them. There have been so many leaders such as Martin Luther that have branched themselves away from the Catholic church that people in America today can follow the leader on where they see themselves most fit.

If I were given the task of creating a “Super Christianity,” of beliefs and practices from various forms of global Christianity. The element that I would de-emphasize would be the belief in forgiveness and that all sins are equal. I believe that the Christian religion focuses too much in forgiveness which makes people do bad things because they think that as long as they ask Jesus for forgiveness no matter how great the sin, that they will be forgiven. I feel like the Christian religion takes advantage of the part of the New Testament in the Bible that talks about Jesus and the forgiveness of sins. If I were to create a “Super Christianity,” I would change it to the practice of forgiveness if you were doing something that you didn’t know was wrong but once you found out it was wrong you ask for forgiveness and never make that sin again. For example, many women wear diamond rings when they get married. These blood diamonds have caused many wars in Africa and caused many people to die in the process of getting the diamonds. In my religion, a woman would be forgiven of her sin when she finds out the history of diamonds and where they come from and understand the blood shed it causes and from there decides to throw away her diamond ring and not wear it anymore because it is wrong. Then, I believe she should be forgiven however, if a woman knows and understands where her diamond comes from but still chooses to wear it on her hand knowing the death that comes from it, then that sin should not be forgiven. I belief in my “Super Christianity” people would be more careful about what they do and do more good than bad in society because they would fear God more knowing that you are held accountable as soon as you understand when something is wrong.

Americans after World War II sought refuge in Christianity. The majority of the population was Christian during that time and Congress even changed the Pledge of Allegiance and the motto of the country to incorporate God. Christianity was pivotal for Americans in order to return to the “normality’s” of life because it was “polite, white, respected, and community-oriented” (Jacobsen 202). Protestantism was most mainstream among the Americans do to its locations in prime downtown and suburban areas. Catholics remained in their own ethic neighborhoods but Judo-Christian’s is what they were called by society. Once mainline Protestantism hit the baby boomers generation support began to fall and Evangelicalism took its place at the top. Evangelicalism is currently the largest religious movement in America. The reason why Evangelicalism has risen to the top is mainly due to Pentecostalism and the distinct difference between spirituality and religion in Americans. Religion is viewed as the rules and dogmas used to control people where as spirituality is from within oneself being real and unique. Both Pentecostalism and spirituality are hand in hand with each other explaining why both are so popular.

Freedom is the foundation on which America stands. There has always been religious freedom for white Christians but it took until the Civil Rights movement to get religious freedom to everybody and every religion. Americans have had the choice of what they want to believe in but when a group starts spiritual bullying to their cause they are labeled as a cult. But since the Waco Texas incident more caution has been used for labeling groups as cults. The freedom of religion has molded the Americans Christians to where they are now. Being able to choose opened multiple options and added to the diversity of thoughts and ideas about Christianity. Although it is good to chose what one wants to believe nowadays people are unsure what to even call themselves or just blend to religious identities together like Buddhist-Christian.

If I were to create a “super Christianity” I would balance the individualistic influence Western Christianity has with the communal influence African and Asian Christianity have. I would stay along both Protestantism and Pentecostalism because I believe Protestantism can blend well with modernism and secularism where as Pentecostalism focuses on the experience one has. The balance between rational logical thinking and ones experience is very important. Ultimately though I would have love be the main focus. If a genuine love was done in everything a person did the world would be a peaceful place.

America exited World War 2 as one of the two strongest countries. It saw itself as the defender of western culture and an agent against atheism. Most people were still protestant, but the country was making a shift towards religious freedom for the majority. Catholicism started to grow, and they even started their own educational system. Church attendance was at it’s highest ever in the 1950’s, but baby boomers in the 1960’s started to go against societal norms. Trust in government and trust in the church plummeted. There were four public concerns that are highlights in the shift: “civil rights, the “war on poverty,” opposition to the war in Vietnam, and women’s liberation” (Jacobsen 202). Christianity’s response to these events defined American religious life today as one being directly associated with politics. People don’t define themselves through theology anymore, they define themselves through ethics and public policies. “Specific denominational identities have been largely set aside” which has given rise to the growth of congregation-centered, non-denominational Protestantism (Jacobsen 204). Americans these days want churches that support themselves and that aren’t tied to a larger body. Where you go matters, not the specifics of what you believe in. People who are “religious” are associated with organized religion and are viewed negatively, while being “spiritual” is the new trend because it’s authentic, unique, and allows separation from the harsh rules and strict laws of the past. Americans don’t know or don’t agree with the religious denominations of the past so they choose to move away from organized religion as a whole. Americans are combining religions, picking and choosing what they like and dislike, or avoiding it altogether. The shift towards individuality over organized religion isn’t negative, but it’s changed people’s understanding of Christianity dramatically.

      Religious freedom is a huge characteristic associated with Christian Americans. The idea of “soul liberty” first came up in the early 1600’s by Roger Williams, and then continued through the Baptists and Quakers. It was to do with not constraining people’s religious beliefs and allowing them to find God on their own. This is an idea that is largely thought of today. People don’t want to be convinced into believing a religion, it isn’t authentic that way, they must find God themselves. When Americans do find God, He is much different than the God of the past. Early Puritans characterized God as believing all humans “deserve to be cast into hell,” creating an anxiety that came out during the Great Awakening (Jacobsen 217). People felt God come into their lives, they felt Him working through them, and this evolved into feelings of reassurance that they’re all going to heaven as long as they believe. Jesus became a friend, a father. He doesn’t force himself on anyone, but will provide salvation and happiness as long as you know He is real. Also, faith in America is largely associated with community. The Puritans spoke of it in the past, and Martin Luther King Jr. reintroduced the idea when he spoke of a community based on love. He wanted people to respect each other and to work together in a “beloved community.” Instead of seeking personal triumph, Americans focus on giving back to society and their community. This is the same when it comes to Christian Americans, and it all comes back to American’s freedom to choose a religion of their choice.

      If I could create a “super Christianity,” it would look much like the religion that Jesus spoke of in the New Testament. Loving God and loving your neighbor would be the only points people are concerned about. If people focused on loving each other, hateful rhetoric and violent actions would vanish. Religious freedom would be a large part of it, and not imposing your religious will on others would be a main idea. Loving your neighbors means loving people of other religions too. Don’t look down on those that believe in different things, it isn’t the Christian way. Also, people would teach those who are seeking religion and wouldn’t force it on them. Instead of missionaries focusing on turning others to Jesus, they should solely focus on helping the poor. If people ask about a religion or seek it out, teach them then, but don’t brainwash children to advance your own selfish agenda. I love the devotion African communities have for their god, and I love the urge to help the poor in Latin America, but hating or acting against others because they’re different in appearance or because they believe in different things would be the biggest change. Equality would be the strongest point, along with loving all people, and loving God most of all.

Because North America was built many European countries, their politic atmosphere had religious ideology. After World War 2, North America was pulled out from Great Depression. It gave different religious sense that God covered them. Also, one of the goals of the government was rebuilding Europe in the North America. Appearance of Soviet Union which was considered evil communist made them thought that Christianity is the answer for safety. Therefore, “Mainline” Protestantism dominated the American religious lifestyle. The government encouraged people to go to church (Jacobsen, 201). Actually, churches were helpful to take care of local areas. Post-Christianity made people’ soul awake so that they could respect each individual life than just maintaining religious format. For example, in the 1960s, When Martin Luther King Jr. promoted civil rights against racism, it helped to spread Christianity because Christianity made people realize what is wrong or not.

The religious ideology of freedom came up with in North America because they had to embrace diverse ethnicities and cultures in the same continent. Jacobsen defines this freedom in three section. The first is the idea of “soul liberty,” the right of individuals, or more strongly the responsibility of individuals, to decide for themselves what to believe and how to live. Second, synchronizing their life on God’s perspective. Third, making North American nation as a “beloved community” (213). These characteristics contributed to defending the light of individuals and groups to engage in energetic, forceful religious persuasion, they believe that some forms of proselytizing can be coercive (216). I think the Christianity in North America made people actively engage their lives to religion.

If I have to create a “super Christianity”, then I won’t go farther than evangelism because gospel is the core of Christianity. All of chapters in the bible is saying Jesus Christ. I will pour my effort to teach why we have to repent from our sin and re-build relationship between me and God. However, for the practices, I would like to apply Ubuntu and Liberation Theory. Both of them are for the weak and poor people. Christianity should exist for them. Because the Christianity from western culture is focusing on individualism, it is hard to take care about community as my family. I would like to emphasize community bond for establishing God’s will. On contrast, I would like to reject spiritualism because depending only experience could be dangerous because it makes distort God’s true words.

The conclusion of the second World War allowed for a cultural reset in America. Jacobsen says, “World War II pulled America out of the Depression and gave the nation a new sense of global calling.” (201). In 1954, America changed its official motto to “In God We Trust” and added “One nation under God” to the pledge of allegiance. “Mainstream” Protestantism began to take over the religious arena after the war had ended. The Civil Rights movement also undertook a religious drive as segregation was inherently contradictory of God’s law. Christianity was intertwined in culture and subsequently effected political movements and the overall ways of life. The Mainstream religion was largely, “polite, white, respected, and community-oriented” returning America to a post-war “normalcy.” Although this is all true, it is noted that religion became “more inclusive and less religiously particularistic.” The rise in Protestantism did not last long, as the theory of evolution blossomed in the public eye, and culture took a turn toward the secular side.

People began to identify less with religion and merge denominations like Lutheran, Baptist, and Presbyterian under the general category of “Christian.” During the time that Protestantism was on the decline, evangelicalism became popular. Jacobsen notes, “As mainstream culture was becoming more secular, and to some observers more morally confused, evangelicalism provided Americans with a combative version of Christianity that many found appealing.” (206) There is a common association of evangelicals politically siding as Republicans, that many people do not agree with. A large portion of evangelicals do not identify as Republicans, despite the stereotypes. This could be reason for the decline in religious affiliation, as many people do not want to be categorized with the commonalities/stereotypes of a certain group. “Many Americans now prefer to use the term spirituality to describe their faith commitments rather than the word religion.” (Jacobsen, 212). In general religion in America has become watered-down. We have become, “religiously diverse” and “spiritually fuzzy.” It is because of our given religious freedom that we are able to pick and choose the labels we give our individual beliefs. Americans are given the right to reject religious teachings and practices with the confidence that they will not be punished by their government. This freedom is so different from the early European ways and the current laws in some countries that continue to oppress people of different religious choosings. The extent of Religious freedom in America is also cause for the weakened commitment to religion and the increase of diversity.
If I were to make a “super Christianity”, it would not be far from Evangelical Christianity. My “super Christianity” acknowledges the Bible as God’s Word and is totally inerrant. That said, a personal acceptance of Jesus as savior is the only way to Salvation, and the task of a Christ follower is to spread the good news for God’s glory. An element of worldly Christianity that I might add is the culture of community and forgiveness that we see in Africa. I believe American Christianity severely lacks fellowship and understanding in most church communities, and this cause a huge emotional disconnect to one another and to God. The body of Christ (all believers) should stick together as there is power in masses. I also think we could take some of the emotional characteristics of African Christianity. Americans seem to be so concrete with their beliefs and brush off an emotional connection with the Holy Spirit. Neither Biblical knowledge or emotional connection can sustain a person’s faith alone, but together they create a balanced follower Christ.

After World War II America saw itself as “the protector of Western culture.” As the Soviet Union became more secular, the United States remained primarily Protestant and added the phrase “one nation under God” to its Pledge of Allegiance. As war veterans returned home they wanted to fit in with their communities and found solidarity at church. Civilians also sought religion following the war. As a result church attendance skyrocketed to record breaking rates. “Being ‘normal’ was a highly valued social ideal during this time,” says Jacobsen.
Loyalties to a certain Protestant denomination have gone way down since the war. So much so that American Protestants of different denominations have started to refer to themselves as just “Christians.” Non-denominational Protestants have begun identifying themselves more with their particular congregation than with the denomination itself. Protestant membership has continued to decline and even lost its majority status sometime during the nineties. It seems to have been replaced by a large increase in popularity of the evangelical subgroup, the largest religion today. The American religious profile has changed in other ways since the World War II.
Since the 70s, religions other than Protestant, Catholic and Pentecostal have seen an increase of 2%. The number of people identifying as nonreligious has also increased from 2% to 20% in 2015. Many of these individuals prefer to see themselves as spiritual, rather than religious.
Early Baptists were the first to believe in a concept called soul competency, or soul liberty. This led to the development of an ideal that many believe to this day. This is the concept of the right to believe whatever an individual believes in their heart, for lack of a better term. Many American believe it any intrusion into this can be spiritually harmful. At the same time American Christians think it is their responsibility to share their faith in an effort to convert others. This is in an effort to make others aware and give them an opportunity to choose to practice.

Christianity in the United States has developed quite a bit since the end of World War II. For instance, the membership trends in mainstream, traditional denominations post World War II showed that church attendance rates in the 1950’s were the highest that they have ever been in American history. At this time, the term “Mainline Protestantism” was used to describe a select group of Christian denominations that have been well-established for a long time and were found in centralized parts of the country. The membership in these groups consisted mainly of “polite, white, respected and community oriented” citizens, fitting for the time after the war in which the primary concern was restoring normalcy to society again (Jacobsen 202).

Some of the movements that have been advancing the fastest in the realm of Christianity in the U.S. include Evangelicalism and Pentecostalism. Evangelicalism experienced a huge jump in growth between the 1960’s and the 1990’s as it offered Americans some stability in a society that had been dealing with a lot of social change. Evangelicalism also provided people with a direct way to connect with God in a meaningful way. The other movement that shot up in growth is Pentecostalism, now considered a part of Evangelicalism. In the past 20 years, much of the growth of Evangelicalism can be attributed to Pentecostals as their emphasis on spiritual experience is attractive to many people.

America defines “spiritual” and “religious” as two different things. Spiritual can be defined as something that comes naturally to an individual person, allowing “spirituality to be interpreted as something authentic and ‘real’” (Jacobsen 212). On the other hand, religion is defined as the teachings and practices that are claimed by specific religious groups. In general, spirituality is viewed as a positive thing while religion is viewed negatively to Americans as religion is seen as imposing on an individual and their inner self while spirituality is seen to embrace the inner self.

Freedom is one of the defining components of American Christianity. Historically, a large component of this freedom was “soul liberty,” a term coined by Baptist minister Roger Williams. “Soul liberty” refers to the idea that religious beliefs should not be forced upon anyone. If religious beliefs are forced on someone, then faith is not always genuine. This shows the idea that the Christian lifestyle and relationship with God is something personal, between an individual and God, and cannot be forced by any person or institution. In addition to this idea, American Christianity emphasizes the idea that salvation is a choice, something that every individual has the free will to choose. Jacobsen describes this in how Jesus “knocks, hoping for an invitation to come in, wanting to become both Savior and friend” (218). Finally, freedom is also described in the context of community and how as Christians, freedom does not merely mean physical freedom, such as freedom from oppression, but also the freedom to love and respect one another. This idea was seen through Martin Luther King Jr.’s many speeches and protests during the Civil Rights movement which emphasized the greater freedom of loving and treating everyone equally, regardless of race or background. The Christian concept of shalom encompasses this idea by highlighting the importance of being more aware of others around you.

One of the practices that would best comprise a “super Christianity” would be the concept of Ubuntu which is emphasized in African Christianity. A defining concept of Christianity is forgiveness and the importance of having good relationships with the people around you. The practice of Ubuntu demonstrates forgiveness in a way that impacts both the forgiver and the one being forgiven in a powerful way. Another concept that is important is the dedication to serving the oppressed in Latin America. One of the greatest commands in Christianity is to love your neighbor as yourself, and the way that Latin Americans show such enthusiasm and devotion to serving the poor and oppressed people in their society is a strong demonstration of that command. Finally, it would also be important to include the belief found in American evangelicalism that Christianity is a relationship between and individual and God and that such a relationship is the individual’s choice. The relationship aspect of Christianity emphasizes the gospel message that each person is saved by their faith in God alone, rather than by only obeying a set of rules, something that is common among most Christian denominations. A concept that would be de-emphasized is the idea in African Christianity that the individual’s relationship with God is not as important as the relationship with one’s community in the context of a relationship with God. Just like it is helpful to be fit in order to teach a fitness class, it makes sense that it is also important to have a personal relationship with God in order to be a contributing member in a Christian community.

Jacobsen describes American trends in mainstream Christianity after World War II as a renewed turning to God, including adding “under God” to the Pledge of Allegiance in 1954 and changing the country’s official motto to “in God we trust” in 1956.  Mainline Protestantism became the model for achieving a sense of normalcy after the war since they were “polite, white, respected, and community-oriented” (Jacobsen, 202).  This was done with the goal of establishing wholesome social hygiene at a time that was high in anxiety over rapid social and economic changes.

With the evolution of Christianity, “congregation-centered, non-denominational Protestantism [became] one of the fastest-growing sectors of Christianity in the nation” (Jacobsen, 204).  The nondenominational movement has gained popularity as Christians are increasingly choosing to belong to a congregation rather than a particular denomination and thus taking on that identity.  Nondenominational Christians now account “for 7 percent of the total American population” (Jacobsen, 204).  With so many Christian identities available, more and more are choosing to simply identify as a Christian rather than a religion to belong to.

With this sense of identity, Americans are also differentiating between spirituality and religion.  Religion is often used to refer to “teachings and normative practices of an organized religious group, and these are often viewed negatively” (Jacobsen, 212).  In contrast, spirituality is often used to define what is felt to be “something authentic and ‘real’. Each person’s spirituality cannot possibly be captured and passed along by an institution such as a church” (Jacobsen, 212).  This is why a person who considers themselves spiritual but not religious may feel closer to God hiking in the hills rather than sitting in a pew.  This spectrum of faith is one of the things that makes American Christianities so unique.

Jacobsen argues that religious freedom is one of the foundations of American Christianities.  There are three theological implications regarding religious freedom: Soul Liberty, Jesus as Friend, and Beloved Community.

Soul Liberty means “the accountability of each person before God” (Jacobsen, 214).  Each person’s faith is a personal matter between them and God.  However, many Christians feel it is their duty to share their faith with others.  This creates a fuzzy area where coercion is socially unacceptable but persuasion, particularly with emotions, is acceptable.  These techniques contributed to Billy Graham’s crusades and also various cult organizations.  Jacobsen argues that “there is disagreement about precisely where the line between religious freedom and cult coercion lies” (216).  American Christians want the feeling of freedom in their religion, for example saying they choose to be a part of a certain congregation, even while rejecting the knowledge that they might attend out of a sense of fear.  Emotions are an unpredictable tool that many organizations use for their benefit, regardless of whether the end result is good or bad.

The second aspect of American religious freedom is the transition of an angry, punishing God to one of compassionate friend.  This kinder God soothed anxieties during the Great Awakening amongst Christians who worried if they would make it to heaven.  The idea of gentle Jesus gave rise to today’s popular belief that “Christianity is not a religion at all but a relationship with Christ” (Jacobsen, 219).  This personal relationship with God as a friend has changed the way Christians worship and proselytize, and some Christians may see their congregations as being more personal and friendly as a result.

The last aspect of religious freedom is Beloved Community.  Jacobsen defines the meaning that “Christians in America frequently remind themselves that the freedom to pursue personal dreams functions best when it is coupled with concern and respect of others” (220).  This stresses the importance of community while recognizing the American tradition of individuality.  Martin Luther King, Jr. was an incredible example of Christian love and respect and repeatedly spoke out about the vital need for these qualities in communities and laws.  King’s mission was to inspire love and compassion for all people.  Jacobsen particularly got to the heart of it when he said, “Americans have at times been spectacular failures at living up to their own ideals of freedom and community” (221).  This is so telling because the American Dream was never meant for all people.  In practice, freedom was a privilege for the dominant groups, particularly those who are white, male, and Christian.  As an example, Jacobsen points out that the Indigenous ways of life are “strikingly similar to the principles of shalom as articulated in the Bible… ‘have justice, restoration, and continuous right living as their goal’” (221).  In other words, Indigenous families were destroyed (lack of freedom) because of the missionary efforts of white Christians (privileged freedom) in order to force a white version of faith upon Natives to replace the Indigenous system of faith that had been working for them for a very long time.  We still see today that religious freedom and a loving community are not easily granted to those who are not members of the white, male, and Christian menage a trois.

If I were given the task of creating a “Super Christianity” of beliefs and practices from around the world, I wouldn’t.  It would be arrogant to assume that it would even need to be defined as a Christian lifestyle.  Instead, I have dreams for how I hope my own children grow in their spirituality.  I hope that religious labels disappear.  Labels such as “Christian” immediately create a boundary of insiders and outsiders, and these boundaries create barriers to empathy.  Why do we not hear more about the continuous killings of people of color on the other side of the world?  Partly because they are not Christians and therefore unimportant.  This needs to end.  I hope all faiths learn to embrace knowledge rather than fear it.  So many Christian beliefs are in fact only social constructs that have been spun into a type of false doctrine.  By clenching to social mores as if they were gospel also creates boundaries of insiders and outsiders.  Jesus himself hung out with those who could ruin reputations.  Christ choose the outsiders.  I want to see more knowledge, more empathy, and more compassion.  I believe these three components would go a long way to destroying the pattern of Christian arrogance and bring about the kind of love and service that Christ spoke of.  That’s the kind of Super Spirituality that I would like to see.