Thoughts of a dying Christian 2…

My previous post never tried to explain why or how I had come to my conclusions and there seems to be a call for explanation. A full explanation would require 24 years of history, thought, convocation and decision so this is always going to be inadequate. In fact it is often inadequate in my mind and I’m largely unconvinced of my own thoughts. Many things are a matter of opinion and mine isn‘t always made up. These are my works in progress. Nothing is comprehensive. Everything is up for debate.

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My current thought – I’m not convinced that Jesus is the Son of God in the sense that we traditionally understand. To be more specific I’m not convinced that Jesus was actually God. God is God.

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My current understanding is this – in some kind of (very big) nut shell

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Our understanding of God affects whether we can talk about God as Jesus. If you see God chiefly under the metaphor of an interventionist Father figure who creates and chooses to engage here and there then Jesus as God may make perfect sense. Equally if your starting point for God is being bound by concern with a broken relationship with humanity then Jesus might need to be God to achieve a solution. I haven’t got a problem with these views of God but it is not where I am coming from when I use the word. I see God as an indescribable force/spirit (for lack of a better word) Within and beyond nature. Within and beyond ourselves. God is creation. God is love. God is.

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The initial problem is the degrees – I think that Jesus was God-like. He embodied God. He was God incarnate. He was a revelation of God, he may even be the foremost revelation. In this sense he may the one who bridges the gap between humanity and God, he may be saviour and possibly even Lord. But I don’t think that Jesus was God. He wasn’t a part of God but God was a part of him. Thinking about it this way means I am beginning to understand the language and metaphors used in the bible in different ways. Doing this can add to our understanding of Jesus and not necessarily take it away.

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It wasn’t until AD325 at the council of Nicea that the debate over Jesus’ divinity was settled and it seems to have been largely assumed ever since. Between Jesus’ death and the Council of Nicea many people thought differing things – some thought Jesus was God, or just a man, some thought they were 2 different Gods. Since then I believe we have read, understood and translated the Bible in light of Jesus’ assumed divinity – that is we have thought Jesus is God and that the authors of the Bible think he is God, we think that the metaphors they use must mean he is God. By doing this we read our own theology into a situation.

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As an example lets quickly look at John 1: 1-18. We assume that the ‘word’ is Jesus, but the ‘word’ is ‘logos’ similar to wisdom. ‘logos’ is a masculine word so the section reads ‘he’. Here it is the ‘logos’ and not Jesus who is with God and was God. As we read on the ‘word’ becomes flesh in Jesus, Jesus is the incarnation of the word, the divine wisdom. Jesus embodies the word and gives it flesh. I don’t think this means that Jesus was God but is showing a ‘fleshy’ side to God, in this section especially the wisdom of God.

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It can also be argued that as the bible was translated it was altered to imply a certain theology, especially after people had fought so hard to come to the conclusions. I think we have to take the claim very seriously that the Bible is the product of human authors and translators, with their own history, theology, agenda and occasional mistake. Again using John 1 as an example. In the NIV verse 18 reads ‘but the one and only Son, who is God himself…’ whilst other translations omit ‘who is God himself…’

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Jesus is described as many things, such as the Wisdom of God, Lamb of God, Son of God, Son of man, Prince of Peace, Light of the World, Living Water, Bread of life, etc Why do we seem to prescribe specific importance to some and not others, namely Jesus as the Son of God. Believing Jesus as the ‘Son of God’, or the second part of the trinity (Father, Son, Holy Spirit) is almost used as a test for Christian faith. The trinity should be about understanding the primary ways God is known or revealed, not about a definition of God – that is God is known as the God of Israel, as God seen in Jesus and as abiding Spirit.

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Son of God, I believe, means embodiment of God. Jesus embodied God, was God-like, had attributes of God, just like we can. He was also the embodiment of man, he embodied how we are to be fully human, in union with God. He gave the Wisdom of God flesh. Jesus lived out God’s Wisdom. Jesus triumphed peace, the Prince of Peace fought the lord’s of violence. Jesus was the ultimate embodiment of God on Earth. He was God incarnate. He was God in human form.

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Jesus is described as ‘Messiah’ and ‘Christ’, meaning ‘anointed one’. Jesus can still be the anointed one, the chosen one, without literally being God. He can still be the saviour that Israel was waiting for and that creation climaxed in.

Jesus doesn’t seem to have much to say about him being Messiah or being God but has lots to say about reconnecting people back to God. Jesus is very ambiguous when quizzed by Pilate, He warns people not to tell others when they claim he is the Messiah. But Jesus is keen for people to follow his way, live the life he lives and understand his truth.

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The story of Jesus’ resurrection is often used to prove he was God. I believe there is a strong claim that these stories may be stories used by 1st Century Jesus communities to explain what Jesus was like and his importance, they are not necessarily historical. It is important to remember that this is common throughout the bible, including the gospels. For example, most people would say Genesis 1 is a story told by a community to explain what God is like. Most scholars would say that Jesus’ ‘I am’ sayings in John’s gospel are a reflection of a community using metaphors to explain Jesus’ nature.

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Some things to consider about the resurrection stories: The first gospel written, Mark, originally didn’t have any resurrection stories. All 4 gospels have differing resurrection stories, but similar death accounts. The author of Luke has Jesus ascend twice at different times, one at the end of Luke and once at the start of Acts.

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My understanding of Jesus doesn’t nullify him, I believe it can leave a richer understanding of the person of Jesus and ultimately hopefully God. This understanding reveres Jesus and the stories about him become central. He is the stories central human character. We are to learn about and follow Jesus. He may be the gap between God and humanity. Becoming a Christian, that is a little Christ, might be really crucial to us tapping into God. Our example is in Jesus but our prayers and worship belong to God.

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Christianity is usually defined as believing that Jesus is God’s son and therefore God. As far as I am aware this isn’t what Jesus said…I think we would be better off defining Christianity as, something like, following the way of Jesus into knowing the God Jesus knew.

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Or, interesting, as Rowan Williams has it on the Church of England Website ‘Christian life is lived in relationship with God, through Jesus Christ’

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(And here is a thought…if Jesus isn’t God, but God is and we are worshipping Jesus then haven’t we created ourselves an idol, a human idol…)

Quick to Talk

Some friends and I have been reading through the book of James in the bible. One of James’ main themes is that faith and works are not opposites but are needed in partnership. “show me your faith without deeds, and I will show you my faith by my deeds” says James. The point here is that what you do is intrinsically liked to what you believe. I found this cartoon and thought it highlighted the point well.

Today I have also read a poem (at least that is what I am calling it) by my friend Simon Barber. I think this too shows us how removed our actions can be from what we believe, think, speak and wish…take a moment to check it out… http://sibarbs.wordpress.com/2011/02/16/i-wish/
Talk is easy. Action is hard.
Quick to talk. Slow to act.

James is point isn’t just about making sure we have better faith. It’s about fulfilling wishes and providing conquering hopes…

A Christmas Story

I’ve written a story, well truth be told, I’ve rewritten a story. A famous story. The Christmas story. Now usually at Christmas I write something cynical and anti-consumer-ish (there is still time) this year I’ve tried to tell the Christmas story as if it happened only a year ago.

This is something I have wanted to do for a long time and it hasn’t worked out as intended. It’s a little cheesy and it doesn’t work as well as I thought but having said that I think it provides a new way of thinking about the story and has some interesting imagery. I’ve tried to follow the structure of the original stories as much as possible and so have put the verses so you can go back and see the parallels.

Take it with a pinch of salt but I’d be up for thoughts, criticism and discussion:

Matt 1: 18 – 25 – This is how the birth of Saviour came about. Saviour’s Mother was called Mary, she was 13. Mary was going out with Joseph, who worked on a building site, but before they slept together Mary learnt she was pregnant by God’s Spirit. Because Joseph was a descent man and didn’t want to accuse Mary of cheating he decided to break up with her quietly and pretend he had nothing to do with it. While Joseph thought about these things, a messenger from God came to him in a dream and said “Joseph, descendant of Martin Luther, don’t be afraid to see Mary, because the baby in her is from God. She will give birth to a son and you will name him Saviour, because he will save his people from their troubles”

When Joseph woke he did what the messenger had told him to do.

Luke 2: 1-16 – In those days Gordon Brown passed a law that I.D. Cards should be issued to the whole of the British Public. This was decided whilst Boris Johnson was major of London and everyone had to go to the British Embassy in London for a retina scan. So Joseph also went down from the city of Liverpool, Merseyside to Westminster in London because he was born British. He went there to register with his girlfriend Mary, who was pregnant, on a moped.

While they were there, Mary’s water broke. And she gave birth to her firstborn son and wrapped him in newspaper, and laid him under a bus shelter, because there was no place for them in any hostels.

In that region there were some bin-men working. Then a messenger of God approached them, and they were scared. But the messenger said to them, “Don’t be afraid; for see – I am bringing you good news of great joy for everyone: born for you this day in the capital city is the saviour, the primary minister. This will be a sign for you: you will find a child wrapped in newspaper and sheltering under a bus stop”

When the messenger had left, the bin-men said to one another, “Let us go and see this things which has taken place, which God has made known to us.” So they went with haste and found Mary and Joseph and the child at the bus stop.

Matt 2: 1-12 – After Saviour was born in London, Muslims from the East came asking, “Where is the child who was born king of the Christians? For we have observed his star rising and have come to pay him homage.” When Rowan Williams heard this, he was frightened, and all in Lambeth Palace with him: and calling together all the chief bishops and priests, he inquired of them where the primary minister was to be born. They told him, “In Westminster, London; for the law states: “And you, Westminster, in the city of London are by no means least amongst the powers of Britain; for from you shall come a ruler who is to rule the people”

Then Williams secretly called for the Muslim travellers and learned from them the exact time when the star had appeared. Then he sent them to Westminster, saying, “Go and search diligently for the child; and when you have found him, bring me word so that I may also go and pay him homage.” When they had heard the Bishop, they set out; and there, ahead of them, went the star that they had seen in the East, until it stopped over the place where the child was. When they saw that the star had stopped they were overwhelmed with joy. On entering the house, they saw the child with Mary; and they knelt down and paid homage. Then they offered him gifts of an ornate crown, incense and an engraved tombstone.

Re-Imagining Hope

This weekend I was at something called Crucible (http://www.urbanexpression.org.uk/crucible), a training weekend for those who are beginning to re-imagine church. The theme of the week was re-imagining hope.

 

It’s interesting to consider what is it we hope for, what we are striving for.

 

Our hope was encapsulated in the concept of Shalom.

 

Shalom is a Hebrew word often translated as peace, but it is not a passive word and extends well beyond peace as we know it. It is better understood as ‘whole’, ‘complete’ or ‘Harmony’ or the phrases ‘everything in its right place’ or ‘everything as it should be’.

 

Shalom is concerned with the individual, the other, the natural cosmos and God.

 

Recently I have begun to see a picture of the future that I can get excited about, work towards and hope for. It is the vision I think the prophets and Jesus talk about in the Bible – a vision of Shalom, of the Kingdom of God. A vision that we are in partnership with God working towards (or against)– he needs us and we need him…

 

But I hope this vision isn’t just idle theology and not just a place to go to once I die. The new vision I see is of a re-newed Earth.

 

Is it really to hard to perceive that as a global community we could eradicate extreme poverty and give everyone access to clean water? That we can defeat HIV/Aids and cancer? That we might no longer resort to violent negotiations and inhuman sanctions? That we can live in a way that restores and respects the environment? And that we can live in neighbourhoods full of friendly and trust worthy communities?

 

Perhaps these things are only as hard to imagine and hope for as it has been for our ancestors to imagine a black president or a woman prime minister, or the abolition of slavery, or near eradication of cholera and TB, or diverse communities home to the church, mosque and synagogue, or woman votes, or the implementation of just war theory and the Geneva convention, or vast complex sanitation networks, or democracy itself…

 

You see the human race has come so far already and we have so far to go. If we keep perusing Shalom who knows how close we will be to putting everything right by the year 2050, or 2500, or 3000…

 

Hope is a powerful thing and this is a vision I would like to hope and strive for. It is the people of hope, those with a dream, who cause the tipping points, the revolutions, the changes…and I’d like to be part, albeit a small part, or the cure rather than the disease…wouldn’t you?

 

 

 

Improvisation

Yesterday I stumbled across a great analogy for helping understand the bible and placing ourselves within the story of God.

Imagine you found a half finished piece of work by William Shakespeare; you had the first five acts and some rough notes on how the final act might conclude. Imagine you took up the task of trying to produce the play and tie the fifth act into the last.

You’d have to submerse yourself into the five four acts and then continue the story, improvising the missing parts, whilst keeping the vision of the end insight.

N.T. Wright takes this further and actually breaks down the acts. The first act is the creation, which teaches us about unity of our one world. Act two is the beginnings of human brokenness and destruction. Act three is the story of Israel, of a people in relationship with ‘God Almighty’. Act four, the stories of Jesus, of ‘God with us’. Act five is then that of the early church and the Christian communities which followed.

Act six then has been left to us, to follow on and bring about what we know of the ending. We immerse into the previous acts in order for us to understand our task. We are formed by the proceeding acts, improvising in keeping with their spirit. We look back at the story of God for it to become our own story.

Improvising cos we aren’t fully sure, we are messy and we stumble. We don’t get things exactly as they should be, but we stumble towards the final act.

The revelation of God is therefore understood as a master story, a collect of ongoing narratives which we can become apart of and live out.