Going Up? — Floor 21–The Former Christian, Current New Age Syncretistic Friend
Redemption, Reincarnation, and the Search for Meaning”
Remember, this series is a lighthearted series of encounters about Christian, the intrepid apologist who encounters friends and strangers in the elevator of a high-rise near his downtown home. During the Season of Lent, Christian is just returning from church where he hears a sermon on the Gospel reading. He tries to apply what he learned in church to his conversations with his friends, old and new.
In the end, and for the entire Season, he will invite them to church with him on Easter Sunday. They all take him up on his sincere invitation.
The Setting: Christian and the Gospel of Grace
Christian is on his way back from church, having heard the Gospel about the Temptations of Christ in the Wilderness. (Luke 4) His heart is still full of hope. The preacher this morning reminded the congregation that Jesus was above and beyond us, in many ways. But, as he quoted from Hebrews, He was like us in one important way: “He was tempted in every way as we are, yet was without sin.”
The point of the sermon really connected with Christian because he had already blown his Lenten discipline. It wasn’t intentional, he thought. He was at a party; he’d planned to give up drinking for Lent, but someone put a glass of wine in his hand, and he’d simply forgotten about his vow. Or was it a promise? A wish? A self-challenge? Did it matter?
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On his way home, he decided to check in on his favorite elevator—the Schindler 7000, capable of reaching nearly 1600 feet at almost 2000 feet per minute. Too fast, in his view. He liked having a bit more time to chat people up about the Gospel.
Approaching the elevator, he noticed a familiar face. It was Samantha, a friend from his college days and a member of their church’s college ministry. He remembered she’d been active during her first year but dropped out sophomore year, thinking Christianity was too exclusive.
This was becoming a common trend among college students from Christian backgrounds—so-called exvangelicals. A recent book described them as “fleeing the fold”: growing up in Christian homes but struggling to maintain their faith due to factors like Trumpism and societal changes.
Many ex-Christians weren’t running toward atheism but discovering a new kind of paganism. Samantha had taken a personalized, delicatessen approach to spirituality. She had become a syncretist, drawing her beliefs from various sources: movies, self-help books, diet advice, snippets of Jesus’s Golden Rule, her sense of common sense, and a circle of friends with whom she frequently partied.
Samantha’s Top Five Spiritual Ideas:
Reincarnation: Death is merely a transition to another life.
Co-Creation with Destiny: She believes she can manifest her own future by aligning with the universe.
Higher Consciousness: The goal is to achieve a higher state of being, rising above pain and suffering.
Inclusive Spirituality: All spiritual paths contain elements of truth; no single religion has it all.
Oneness with the Universe: Everything and everyone is interconnected, part of a divine whole.
Previously, when they were friends, Samantha expressed her hesitations about Christianity with Christian. She suffered early childhood trauma when her father died unexpectedly. Then a few years later, her mother was diagnosed with cancer.
Life seemed uncertain to her, and fate was capricious. Reincarnation and higher consciousness offered her a way to live above pain and suffering. And she has a sense of frivolity and joyfulness because of her trust in the idea of reincarnation, that if she doesn’t get everything right in this life, she gets a do-over.
Let’s see what happens with Christian meets a modern Pagan.
The Dialogue:
The elevator doors slide shut, and the familiar hum accompanies their ascent. Christian notices the soft glow of the elevator lights reflecting gently off the polished metal walls.
Christian: (warmly, with a friendly grin) Samantha! It's wonderful to see you. You look radiant today—the universe must be smiling on you.
Samantha: (laughing lightly) Hey, Chris! I'm just sending good vibes out there. I found this incredible book about harnessing the universe’s energy—new insights on manifesting your dreams. It even includes Zen-friendly recipes in the back!
Christian: Manifesting dreams, huh? Sounds intriguing. You know, that’s actually an ancient idea. So, are you something like a co-creator with destiny? (Christian silently questions himself: Why would the universe listen to me when I can't even keep my own Lenten commitments?)
Samantha: Exactly! We shape our reality. The universe responds to the energy we give off. I'm hooked on the Third Eye Drops podcast lately. (She removes her white EarPods.) What about you? Just coming back from church?
Christian: You know me too well. The Gospel reading today really resonated with me—Jesus being tempted in the wilderness. I’ve been wrestling with temptations myself lately.
Samantha: Tempted by what, exactly?
Christian: Oh, typical stuff. It’s Lent, and I tried giving up wine. Didn't even last a week. But in the Gospel, Jesus fasted for forty days, and at his weakest, he faced serious temptations—comfort, power, security. Yet he resisted each one.
Samantha: Interesting! From my viewpoint, Jesus sounds like he operated at a really high vibration. The devil too, maybe? Both seem to have this elevated consciousness thing happening.
Christian: (chuckles gently) Elevated consciousness indeed. There's even a part of the story when Mark tells it in his Gospel, where angels and animals came to serve Jesus! Imagine that! Wild beasts ministering to Jesus!
Samantha: Angels and animals? Love that. Sounds beautifully holistic. Didn’t realize Jesus was into spiritual veganism—cool!
Christian: That's one way to look at it. But it's deeper. Jesus is fully human and fully divine. He faced temptations just like us but never fell short. He is not just a holy; He is the perfect God. Human AND Divine.
Samantha: Human, yeah—like me. Divine, though? Well, I guess that’s like me too.
Christian: But Sam, if you are both divine and human consciousness, why do you need reincarnation to sort things out? You reenter the world as a different form of life and what happens to the divine part? Pretty confusing. And crowded, too!
Samantha: Well, reincarnation make sense to me, though. I can’t believe that life is just ended when you die.
Christian: And think about this—if life is about reincarnation and infinite second chances, who decides when we've finally arrived? Is it like endless do-overs?
Samantha: Exactly, Christian! Life is messy. Reincarnation gives me peace because I know if I mess up, I’ll get another shot. There's comfort in knowing we get to try again and again.
Christian: You’re getting at something important there. I can understand that comfort, especially given what you went through losing your parents. But what if there was a different kind of comfort?
(He looks at her, remembering the endless, late, late-night coffee talks at Denny’s after their Bible studies.) Not endless chances, but one perfect chance—a Savior who doesn't just catch you when you fall, but actually transforms your heart and gives you a new start, right here and now.
Samantha: Like a divine safety net?
Christian: Even better. More like a divine rescue—someone who understands your pain intimately and doesn't just offer another round, but healing, hope, and an eternity secured by love.
Samantha: (thoughtfully, eyes misting slightly) After my mom passed, I started conversations with my spirit angels. They helped me process her loss. It felt real. I’ve even started speaking to my mom direct—she is with me all the time. I feel her. She eases my sorrow, Chris.
Christian: I get that. Jesus didn't bypass suffering; he embraced it and overcame it. He offers us a way through our suffering. No more endless loops—just grace, redemption, and a new life.
Samantha: (reflective pause) You know, I've never really thought about it that way. You've given me a lot to think about.
Christian: (gently) I'd love to continue this conversation. Maybe you'd like to join me for Easter service? It’s all about new beginnings, a fresh start you don't have to earn.
Samantha: (smiling softly) Maybe I will. Fresh starts have always been my thing.
The elevator chimes softly as the doors slide open. Samantha steps out, offering Christian a warm wave. Christian watches her go, quietly praying for another meaningful conversation and perhaps a new beginning for his friend.
Conclusion
Christian recalled the pain Samantha had endured—the traumatic loss of her father, followed by her mother’s passing. Perhaps the shallow, rules-based approach of their old college ministry had contributed to her drifting away from faith. After all, Samantha had followed the rules and still experienced deep suffering. Christian understood that pain often reshapes a person's outlook on faith. He prayed that she would accept his invitation to Easter, knowing the upcoming message from Luke's Gospel would vividly portray Jesus meeting grieving friends with new hope. He prayed fervently that Samantha would experience that same encounter with the risen Christ, finding comfort, healing, and perhaps even a fresh beginning.
The Anglican is the Substack newsletter for LeaderWorks, where I share insights, encouragement, and practical tools for clergy and lay Christians. I’m also an author of over a dozen books available on Amazon.
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