PRELUDE
Writing Gerard Blankespoor’s personal reflection on Christianity in general and individual Christianity in particular in the twenty-first century of the post-truth era, has experienced years of development in thinking of who God, the man and the world should be in the present.
But also with focus on the future in which Christianity has to profile itself in a different way in order to be able to regain its relevance for the world in which we live.
In other words, a Christian counter-sound, a wake up call, an answer to the Christian church and its believers. An appeal to return to the roots where it all started.
On December 28, 2017, the first letters on this subject will finally be written in order to be published on the personal website gerardblankespoor.com.
Raised during modernism, including his police and theological education, he has been shaped into a sensible person, who does not shy away from the challenge of the post-modern era after that. To this end he studies General Theology at the Free University in Amsterdam, with a specialization in Practical Theology under the guidance of Prof. PhD. Gerben Heitink.
With the rise of extreme populist ideas in the Netherlands and elsewhere, this approach to our world has also gained solid ground in the USA in the shape of the president of the United States elected in 2016.
The Christian response to this development has in general proved to be woefully limited.
It seems that Christians behave and think 180 degrees differently than the good book shows them.
The Christian morality, presented to us by Jesus Christ himself, namely doing what is good for our fellow men, seems to have been lost in the course of time.
In particular, the influence of calculating populists who are exclusively focused on the well-being of themselves and the associated interests, reveal a trace of erosion, disintegration and loss among many Christians of whatever denomination.
Time for action and reaction to this situation/status quo of the current Christian church which developed over time.
Gerard gives thanks to his wife Caroline who, while discussing this topic with him, inspired him, encouraged him and gave him full space to actually give shape to a counter reaction to the current status of Christianity.
