The meaning of Jesus for life and community – Part 1
A few of are starting to deliberately explore community around faith in Christ as postmodernists. I guess we’re actually just a few post-Evangelicals redeveloping our spirituality in community. We’re open to Jesus Christ – as historical man and risen Lord – but not overly fond of church or rather churchianity. What can the “gospel” mean to us?
I’ve recently starting re-reading Dallas Willard’s The Divine Conspiracy. He makes the following statement regarding Jesus and the popular version of the gospel of Jesus in our time:
Jesus shows what God is really like. Indeed, what reality is really like. In its deepest nature and meaning our universe is a community of boundless and totally competent love. Jesus offers himself as God’s doorway into the life that is truly life. Confidence in him leads us today, as in other times, to become his apprentices in eternal living. ‘Those who come through me will be safe,’ he said. ‘They will go in and out and find all they need. I have come into their world that they may have life, and life to the limit.’
But intelligent, effectual entry into this life is currently obstructed by clouds of well-intentioned misinformation. The ‘gospels’ that predominate where he is most frequently invoked speak only of preparing to die or else of correcting social practices and conditions. These are both, obviously, matters of great importance. Who would deny it? But neither one touches on the quick of individual existence or taps the depths of the reality of Christ. our usual ‘gospels’ are, in their effects – dare we say it – nothing less than a standing invitation to omit God from the course of our daily existence.
Does Jesus only enable me to ‘make the cut’ when I die? Or to know what to protest, or how to vote and agitate and organise? It is good to know that when I die all will be well, but is there any good news for life? If I had to choose, I would rater have a car that runs than good insurance on one that doesn’t. can I not have both?
Dallas Willard The Divine Conspiracy
It would seem, to me at least, that much of the churchianity we don’t like stems from a gospel rooted in a distant past that is about an innaccessible future and not applicable to our daily lives. We rightly object too this gospel which we are asked to believe , but can’t see or experience. We are asked to believe it by “faith”. I’m sure I’m not the only one who remembers the story of the emperor’s new clothes!
It’s not that there aren’t churches out there who genuinely and meaningfully experience God/-ess but that not all relate to the culture and practice of churches available. We are looking to do community while meaningfully and experientially encountering Jesus through intimately experiencing the Spirit but don’t really know what that looks like for us yet. What I do know is that church, even at its best, annoys and bores me. I think its just that the centre point of community is the Sunday service, in particular the focusing on the sermon. Worship, however meaningful, seems to be a preliminary to the sermon. Any form of post-sermon prayer or ministry time seems to be focused on a fix job, often related to the sermon, for those who desperately need it. Why does this just not grab me? I guess I’m tired of experiencing the power and presence of the gospel merely as sermonised motivational morality and as a means of sin management.
I long for intimacy with God/-ess and I long for community. I long to know that S/He is present. I want to hear His voice, feel Her touch and glimpse the presence of God/-ess moving in and through community. Surely to worship God/-ess means to connect with and enjoy God/-ess as a present activity that is part and parcel of my daily life?
The following passage from The Divine Conspiracy is one indication of what it means that God’s/-ess’ reign is accessible to us:
The human job description, the creation covenant we might call it. Genesis indicates that God assigned to us collectively the rule over all living things on the earth: animal and plant. We are responsible before God for life on the earth. However unlikely it may seem from our current viewpoint God equipped us by framing our nature to function in a conscious personal relationship of interactive responsibility with Him. We are meant to exercise our rule only with God as He interacts with us. He intended to be our constant companion or co-worker in the creative enterprise of life on earth. That is what His love for us means in practical terms. God’s own kingdom or rule is the range of His effective will where what he wants done is done. The person of God himself and the actions of his will are the organising principles of his kingdom and everything that obeys God’s principles whether by nature or by choice is within His kingdom. Accordingly, the kingdom of God is not essentially a social or political activity. Indeed the social and political realm along with the human heart is the only place where the kingdom or reign of God is permitted to be absent. This is the “on the earth” of the Lord’s prayer.
Dallas Willard The Divine Conspiracy
A basic premise of mine is that we, as humans, are disconnected from ourselves, creation, each other and God/-ess. Spirituality is about connecting, re-connecting with ourselves, creation, each other and God/-ess. It would seem that the nature of character of God/-ess, along with how and why S/He designed and created us, aligns with our heartfelt desire for community and creation. I’m keen to see how community grows and develops among us through this year and am keen to discover the ongoing and inbreaking elements of God’s/-ess’ reign in and through my life and community.
I think those who tend to race ahead with unfettered imagination (like myself) can forget that the basic stuff of wholeness (as laid out above) might not be taken for granted by others.
There is a pastoral side to community which needs to be balanced against the prophetic.
That said, I’m afraid I didn’t understand this line:
“Indeed the social and political realm along with the human heart is the only place where the kingdom or reign of God is permitted to be absent.” Que?
Yes, us ex-evangelicals are truly scared stiff of finding oursleves back where we started, yet long for communion with the Divine and each other.
While going through the process of thinking “nomad” recently, I came up with this comparrison between “church” and what we are talking about.
We are all on a spiritual journey from “A” to Z”. Church takes us on a Train. We want a lttle more freedom of movement.!! Some folk would prefer a more predictive and prescribed spiritual experience. We are more adventurous, but then we need each other as a creative collective.
I look forward to reading part 2
If we look around at the world and ask “Is this God’s/-ess’ reign in action” I’d like to hear a resounding “NO! surely not?”
Humans have been given dominion over the earth and also have their own private dominions, their sphere of impact and influence and their ability to create their world and this extends to the social and political spheres.
The breaking in of God’s/-ess’ reign into our world takes place as it breaks into people’s lives and as people out of their own choosing also make their way in. Though many live conscious of God’s/-ess’ reign a fair number don’t. Somehow S/He has permitted this to be the case and humans choose to participate in or reject God/-ess.
Tim,
Yes, most of us ex-evangelical are scared stiff of arriving where we started as far as Church goes.
However, there is a longing for a spiritual experience with the Divine and each other.
During my recent “thinking Nomad” trip, I had this comparative imagery:
We are all on a spiritual journey from A to Z. The church will send us by train. We are looking for something a little more flexible!! However, some folk enjoy having a predictable and prescribed spiritual life. We are more adventurous travellers, we are explorers and inquisitive, with a need to delve into woods and scramble up hillsides. To do all of this we will need each other as a creative collective.
Points taken, but I still find the original phrasing odd. What other places are there outside of the “social and political realm along with the human heart”?
Anyway I don’t want to digress too much from your central tenants, and the hope of G-ds inbreaking into our lives.
As a parallel move I am reading Brian McLaren’s “Secret message of Jesus” which seems to solidly support Willards approach.
One of the differences between those that follows of Christ compared to Buddha is the “Kingdom on earth” thing. It is good to search after God and seek his face, both in private and in community. However, I think this has to lead to action.
Matthew Fox has a formula that he calls the four paths to Creation Spirituality. It looks something like this:
VP + VN = VC = VT
via positiva plus via negativa results in via creativa and this leads to via tranformativa
The Via Tranformativa is manifested in three ways: Celebration, Compassion and Justice
Absolutely, both are commenting on the “kingdom of God” theme from the OT and NT. I’ve got the audio book to “Secret Message of Jesus” but the audio isn’t working too well for me. I think I may have to read a copy.
Nothing to do with this post really, but I see your blog listed on Amatomu, but the link doesn’t work. Had to come to it via Nic’s blog.
Thanks Steve,
Turns out I typed my address wrong. Thanks for checking the link I have corrected it now.
Thanks for the input FEOTU. I like your synopsis of our nomadic nature. The nomadic life may be a hard one, but it is exciting and fresh and one that keeps us fit
I really like Matthew Fox. His creation spirituality with focus on original blessing is refreshing while focusing us on the kingdom of God/-ess as something part and parcel of this reality. We need to rediscover our spirituality as one that results in the transformation of our world and the cosmos itself. As you say, a pilgrim people won’t settle after achieving a personal and private spirituality but will go on to bring everything aright.
You wrote: “A basic premise of mine is that we, as humans, are disconnected from ourselves, creation, each other and God/-ess.”
The etymology of “religion” is based on the Latin “religare” which means “to bind.” Or perhaps to “re-bind”…to ourselves, others, creation and G-d.
Hey Roger,
In its original setting, as opposed to today, “religion” was a good thing. Both religion and spirituality seem to mean the same thing – living with an awareness of the more to life – but the latter has come to describe inner orientation and former commitment to a specific established religious tradition. There may be scope to redeem the word religion
… as in “ligament”. “Re” as back, so “to bind back”, indicating an encounter with tradition. This of course can be good or bad.
I still think it’s a smelly word.
But examining it properly helps.
I agree Nic. The word’s definition is less important than its actual “meaning” in contemporary use.
Out! Postmodernists, all of you!
Another fascinating & thought provoking post! Thank you.
I couldn’t agree with you more about humanity’s disconnect from ourselves and our Earth. I have been wondering about community for some time, particularly in relationship to blogging. I do feel a strong sense of community as a blogger and feel that it is no accident that this type of community has sprung up now.
Even as old forms of community fail us, eg traditionally structured churches, I sense a the beginning of a great flowering of community for humanity. I believe we are on the brink of a massive evolutionary change that will allow us to connect in deeper ways than we ever have before and to see the Divine in all that we do.
Our current state of disconnect is Divinely meant as a springboard. The destruction of the Earth is both the most horrible thing imaginable and a shining gift to force us back into each others arms- a task so unimaginable it can only be accomplished as one community.
painterofblue, I agree with you. I like the Buddhist notion of “doctrine” and “ideas” as opportunities as bridges meant for crossing over into the experience of something other than what we have been experiencing.
I don’t begrudge older versions of Christianity for not speaking into issues relevant today. After all, as previous generations they had equally significant issues to face that were pertinent to them.
We live in a uniquely privileged time, rich with opportunity and resources. I’m honoured to be in a community with you, and others, equally looking to explore spirituality and community further as well as to contribute to the healing of the cosmos/creation as a whole.