Dr. Peter Jones at First Pres.

Paganism and Gnosticism are alive and well in America.

Harold Bloom, Sterling Professor of Humanities at Yale and energetic proselytizer for neo-Gnosticism, is correct when describes what he calls the “American Religion” as “solitude, individuality and pragmatism of feelings, acts, and experiences rather than thoughts, desires, and memories.” Bloom points his disciples to Ralph Waldo Emerson, who, in his infamous “Divinity School Address” prophetically declared,

“That is always best which gives me to myself. . . . The Puritans in England and America . . . their creed is passing away, and none arises in its room. I think no man can go with his thoughts about him, into one of our churches, without feeling, that what hold the public worship had on men is gone, or going. It has lost its grasp on the affection of the good, and the fear of the bad. In the country, neighborhoods, half parishes are signing off. . . . It is already beginning to indicate character and religion to withdraw from the religious meetings. . . . Let me admonish you, first of all, to go alone. . . . Dare to love God without mediator or veil.”

“Jesus Christ belonged to the true race of prophets. He saw with open eye the mystery of the soul. Drawn by its severe harmony, ravished with its beauty, he lived in it, and had his being there. Alone in all history, he estimated the greatness of man. One man was true to what is in you and me. He saw that God incarnates himself in man, and evermore goes forth anew to take possession of his world. He said, in this jubilee of sublime emotion, 'I am divine. Through me, God acts; through me, speaks.' . . . But what a distortion [of] his doctrine and memory . . . [in] the following ages!”

Don’t miss Dr. Peter Jones’ seminar on “Neo-Paganism.” Dr. Jones is one of the world’s foremost authorities on neo-paganism. He will specifically address “The Presence and Nature of Paganism in Christian America” and “Christian Evangelism in Pagan America.” For more information on Dr. Jones, see his website at http://www.spirit-wars.com/index.html.

Place: Patterson Hall, First Presbyterian Church
Date: Saturday, February 11, 2006
Time: 9:00 a.m. – 12:00 p.m.

There is no cost for the seminar and no registration is required. If you have questions call Jeremy Smith at 601-973-9121.