Secular Pseudo Saviours

In last week's sermon at church, Sitho explained how Jesus is the true and final prophet, priest and king. Listen again here.

It got me thinking, (yes dangerous I know), because one of the popular myths of our time is that as a society we have left the ridiculously primitive and superstitious ways of our Neanderthal forebears behind in favour of more civilised, enlightened and sophisticated modes of existence. Or to put it another way, the human race (in the West at least) has finally "grown up," and in doing so, thrown off the shackles of religion in favour of a narcissist voyage of discovery. (There is of course some truth in the fact that humanity is "growing up," but that can remain for another post...)

So our culture has created a pseudo trinity. In a secular (and to all intents and purposes - atheist) universe, the only thing left that can transcend human experience when you've given up on eternal persons is "empirical" principles. Father, Son and Holy Spirit are all usurped (as if that we possible) as Rationalist science, liberal democracy and free markets have conferred upon them much more weight and credit than they ever deserved or asked for.

Instead of the priest, we have the scientist - teaching us what is really real and working on our behalf to deliver us from ev... I mean our ills and fears.

Instead of the prophet - we have the politician declaring to us our woes and how we can change to avoid calamity and bring about Hea... I mean Utopia on the earth.

Instead of the king - we have the business leaders and bankers who through their reigning credit facility and employment powers provide meaning, structure and rule for our everyday lives. Theirs is the kingdo... I mean the property, the influence and the money. Now and for a while yet.

The question is not do I need a saviour, but rather who or what is my saviour? And can they come through for me when it really matters? In life...? After death...?