Gary J. Quinn
On Christian Life in the Future: The Need for Contemplation Zen and Yoga can supply a correcit''ve to ou'r western wot¡ldvie1v.
One way to envision the characteristics of Christian life in the future is in terms of the way contemporary theological movements affect change in the life of the church. By observing the leading trends of today's theology, future Christian attitudes and behavior can be foreseen, to a certain extent. The problem with this approach is that it immediately becomes necessary to demonstrate that theology actually has a significant influence on religious belief and practice. Most Christians, after all, give little evidence of knowing much sound theology, and what they do know is difficult to measure in terms of its effect on their lives. Yet it seems equally hard to demonstrate the contrary: that theology has little or no influence on Christian life. Theologians in the past have made important contributions to the life-experience of the church, and even though theology is no longer the "Queen of the Sciences," it retains the capacity to influence religious life. Much is said about the irrelevance of theology, but this charge, in my opinion, is valid only in reference to that theology which fails to address fundamental human needs as perceived today. The human need for religion is certainly not dying, whatever may be. said of religious 77