For many people, Heibert adds, this middle realm is inhabited by “mechanical” forces such as mana, spells, omens, evil eye, or luck, and or more “organic” presence like spirits, ghosts, ancestors, angels, demons, lesser gods, etc. In their traditional folk religions people turn to, say, the local shaman (who can influence these middle-level forces) for a fruitful marriage, or safety during travel, or for protection from evil eye or bad luck.
The problem is that Western Christianity usually ignores this middle level that drives most people’s lives most of the time, as
do the other world religions. Western Christianity leaders usually focus on the “ultimate” issues, as they define them, to the exclusion of the lesser issues; indeed, they often consider middle issues “beneath” them! When Christianity ignores, or does not help people cope with, these middle issues, we often observe “Split-Level Christianity” in which people go to church so they can go to heaven, but they also visit, say, the shaman or the astrologer with help for the pressing problems that dominate their daily lives.
Interesting article to say the least; we as Christians, should never seek out anybody or anything except for Christ…
The original Christians had faith, community, and addressed life as a whole and may have addressed the middle-level more specifically, comprehensively, and powerfully then we do today. A Christianity, of, by, and for the people. Help the common people to live and cope as true Christians day by day in the face of poverty, success, enemies, evil forces, nature’s uncertainties, and threats that come every day.
We need to get back to community, living in power; life lived to the full together.
