i remember arguing with my sister in bible college about the absurdity of 'christian' record labels.
read this review of a book addressing the "deep contradictions of christian popular culture."
Showing posts with label theology. Show all posts
Showing posts with label theology. Show all posts
5.09.2008
3.02.2007
a quote to ponder
in a continuation of the thoughts in my last post, i submit this quote given to me by a friend. i think it is amazing and captures the essence at the heart of the violence of jesus.
What is the task of the church today?
Shall I answer: "Faith, hope and love"?
That sounds beautiful.
But I would say Courage.
No, even that is not challenging enough to be the whole truth.
Our task today is recklessness.
For what we Christians lack is not psychology or literature,
We lack a holy rage.
The recklessness that comes from the knowledge of God and humanity.
The ability to rage when justice lies prostrate on the streets . .
and when the lie rages across the face of the earth -
a holy anger about things that are wrong in the world.
To rage against the ravaging of God's earth,
and the destruction of God's world.
To rage when little children must die of hunger,
when the tables of the rich are sagging with food.
To rage at senseless killing of so many,
and against the madness of the militaries.
To rage at the lie that calls the threat of death
and the strategy of destruction peace.
To rage against complacency.
To restlessly seek that recklessness that will challenge and seek to change
human history until it conforms with the norms of the kingdom of God.
And remember the signs of the Christian church have always been -
the Lion, the Lamb, the Dove and the Fish -
but never the chameleon.
Kaj Munk
2.07.2007
the violence of jesus
i was talking with karen the other day about the account of jesus clearing out the temple:
John 2:14-16 (New American Standard Bible)
14And He found in the temple those who were selling oxen and sheep and doves, and the money changers seated at their tables. 15And He made a scourge of cords, and drove them all out of the temple, with the sheep and the oxen; and He poured out the coins of the money changers and overturned their tables; 16and to those who were selling the doves He said, "Take these things away; stop making My Father's house a place of business."
i was pointing out the fact that jesus made a whip, a very purposeful and time-consuming act, before going nuts on everybody. we see in this story the anger of jesus displayed in a passionate and even violent act. here's what i want to know. what did he do with that whip? brandish it menacingly? sting the backsides of sheep and cattle? did he use it on any people?
monday i was home from work sick, so i spent much of the day on the couch reading a couple copies of geez magazine a friend had loaned me. i think i overdosed. anyway, geez is very peace-loving. my thoughts were saturated with ideas of following jesus being a way of peace as opposed to war.
here's the question: what is an appropriate expression of anger, and even violence, in this world that we can learn from jesus' example? what will i teach my son about dealing with bullies at school? about war? about justice? we seem to fear anger at times, filing it away in the sinful category. but it is a human emotion just as ligitimate as joy or sorrow or love - within the appropriate context, just as is the case with all other emotions. so when is anger appropriate, and in such cases, what is an appropriate expression of anger? is violence ever called for, ever an appropriate response? i have some theories, but i'm interested to hear what you think.
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