THE INFLUENCE OF THE CANAANITES IN ISRAEL

It is possible that some, or perhaps many, readers of the blog did not like the texts Religious Consumerism and Activism and A New Religious Aesthetic, because in them I talk about the influence of neoliberal ideology in the life of the church and of the Christians. As I have quoted and commented upon some weaknesses of the present church, they are likely to have taken me for presumptuous. But the gospel teaches, as in the case of the prodigal son (Luke 15.11-32), to look at ourselves, see where we have gone wrong, and turn to God. The church and its leaders need to do this.

Man is in essence a relational being. He is always in touch with the other in constant exchange of experiences. For this reason, the Christian is called by Jesus to adopt a position of influence. He said, "You are the salt of the earth ... you are the light of the world" (Matthew 5:13, 14). Although it is inevitable that we are not molded by the ambience, this should not go so far as to disfigure the spiritual life we ​​have attained in Christ and render the Church irrelevant to society. But the risk exists. Today, we note in the Church a desire for "success" not concerning the spiritual life, but relative to the model of the world.

In the period of the reign, in the seventh century BC, Israel assimilated the Canaanite way of life so deeply that God permitted its destruction by the Assyrians (722 BC) and the Babylonians (586 BC) so that a remnant rediscovered in exile his identity as " chosen people. " Apparently there was no teaching of the Scriptures to the people at that time, for the "Book of the Law" was lost in the temple chambers until, in 622 BC, it was found by the priest Hilkiah, which resulted in a spiritual revival 2Reis22.8).

In those years of apostasy, they introduced in the temple elements of the Baal and Asherah worship that consisted of sexual orgies and human sacrifices. King Manasseh (697-642 BC), for example, built altars for "heavenly armies" in the two courtyards and burned his own son in sacrifice (2 Kings 21: 5,6). There were also in the temple of the Lord a sacred lampstand of Asherah, utensils of worship to Baal, and even facilities where the "cult prostitutes" were, who "ate unleavened bread with the priests, their fellow priests" (2 Kings 23: 4, 5,7,9). Solomon himself built altars for Ashtaroth, Camos, and Molech, gods of his pagan wives (2 Kings 23:13).

Science, technology, and materialism do not have enough argument to supplant the beauty, simplicity, and dignity of Jesus' message. So, we Christians can not allow ourselves to be seduced by the success so valued by neoliberalism. The "success" of the Christian and the Church is in keeping in the gospel and humility of the testimony of Christ. The Apostle Paul said: "for what we preach is not ourselves, but Jesus Christ as Lord ... we have this treasure in jars of clay to show that this all-surpassing power is from God and not from us". What treasure? “[…] the light of the knowledge of God’s glory displayed in the face of Christ" (2Co4.5-7).

Antônio Maia – M.Div.

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