Re-Enchantment.

At a meeting of the PCNV* entitled Where is Progressive Christianity at? one of the speakers said that our faith goes through three stages:

When we are children we live in an enchanted world.

Later we experience disenchantment.

But, he said, there is a third stage - re-enchantment.

He said that Progressive Christianity was still in the second stage of disenchantment and was yet to reach the third stage of re-enchantment.

This is consistent with my experience.
After we have learned to be cynical and pragmatic we return to a childlike innocence and openness.

This is also consistent with Jesus saying that to enter the kingdom of heaven we must become again like a little child (Mark 10:15).  And his statement to Nicodemus that we must be born again (John 3:3).

This is re-enchantment.

We do not return to the ignorant, childish ways of our childhood but we regain the innocence and openness of childhood with the knowledge and experience we have gained.

This is true enlightenment and it is achieved when we open our hearts and practice unconditional love.

*Progressive Christian Network of Victoria.