Christianity - A Journey from Facts to Fiction — Page 140
140 Christianity – A Journey from Facts to Fiction of human activity. It appears that the earlier forms of revealed religions, though possessing the same fundamental teachings, covered relatively smaller areas of detailed instruction. That is to say, a smaller number of do’s and don’ts. These then gradually grew into a larger number of imperatives and prohibitions cover- ing a wider field of human activity. Also, it appears that religions belonging to the ancient civilizations addressed themselves to comparatively smaller audience belonging to particular tribes, or clans or regions. Their messages were confined to the require- ments of the time. They could be more aptly described as tribal, clannish or national religions. The case of the Children of Israel and Judaic teachings is a fitting illustration to prove the point. The historic trend of development, therefore, can be summa- rised as two-fold: A progressive elaboration and comparative perfection of the teachings; a progressive shift from smaller to larger denominations. Continuity does not mean that the same religion that was re- vealed to Adam continued to address mankind and underwent a gradual progressive change, widening its field of instruction and address. What is meant is that in different parts of the world, where different civilizations took root and flourished, Divine revelations gave birth to such religions with corresponding social developments of man in those parts of the world. All of these religions, however, were developing in the same general direc- tion.