I can’t not have an opinion. Seminary is breeding ground for these types of posts. The whole Rob Bell/universalism debate that exploded via tweets led me to greater questions of my own to ask of the book (which I have not read) and the critics (which haven’t read it either).
Allow me to back the train up for non-nerds who don’t keep up on preachers via Tweetdeck.
Rob Bell, easily one of my top 5 favorite teachers, wrote another book. Since he’s already covered the heated topic of sexuality, this time he thought he’d take on heaven, hell and eternal destity. You know – light, before-bed type reading. Critics (of which the Meanie Award goes to Piper… my opinion on that cluster to come later) hold that Robbie B nears too close to “universalism”, meaning everybody gets to go to heaven no matter their belief (ok, there are varying degrees of such thought, because it’s impossible for anyone to disagree in the same way, but you can bone up on your escatology here).
Because, like the critics and other fans, I have not read the book, I don’t really have a opinion of what he’s “really saying.” But I do have an opinion on what critics are saying. Actually, KLR had it as a quote in her FB at one point – it read (paraphrased – I tried to google it but couldn’t find it. I only looked once. You can proofcheck me, I don’t care):
If heaven and hell didn’t exist, I’d follow Jesus just the same.
So I want to ask the critics: If, as you propose that Rob proposes, heaven and hell don’t exist, would you love Jesus just the same?
Under that question, what I’m really asking is: do you believe based on fear of punishment or in anticipation of reward?
I was fortunate enough to have over an hour in a rocking chair at 1am to perseverate on this further and even come up with (semi-) parallel examples. Behold.
First, love. Do we only love out of fear (aka, of being alone)? What kind of relationship does that yield? Or, on the flip side, do we only love because of what we get out of it – such as clean laundry, a nest egg or pretty children? Love, in its nature, brings a lot of personal benefit – it feels good. But why do we choose to engage in loving others? I propose it’s because we want to be a part of something greater than ourselves. True love is more than “what I can get” or what you’re avoiding.
Exhibit B: learning. Ask any teacher, there are those who do enough to avoid punishment (this was husband’s experience earlier this year; I’ll allow him a guest post sometime to share how succesful that method of motivation turns out to be). A step up are the students to complete assignment if reward is involved. But withhold the reward, and behold, little to no response. Also not overly effective. But there is a third, the student who dives into learning for the sake of gaining knowledge, of being exposed to bigger ideas, to grow. Again, participating in something larger than yourself.
If we put following Jesus on par with love or learning, we have to ask what kind of faith is produced when it stems from fear or anticipating personal gain. I’m not sure it’s the kind of faith that will be tested through the trials or tribulations, much less a book about the everlasting.
I’m not arguing for or against whatever Rob may or may not have written. But the sensitivity of some regarding their opinions of theology didn’t make me squirmy about the book; it made me squirmy about being sensitive about theology. I thought, “is this what I sound like?” Perhaps we could learn more if we stopped defending and asked about the implications if we were wrong. And, more often times than not, it won’t lead us to change our theology but rather gain understanding of why we believe what we do.
Category: Uncategorized (Page 107 of 188)
My whiney voice would like to come out to play. Although, I’ll justify it and say that it’s not all whiney. Just about 60%. About 30% is inspired and 10% envious. But at least 2 of the 3 are less than optimal, so continue reading at your own risk. But I suppose I can try to at least end on a good note.
Yesterday another smart, beautiful, ambitious woman in my life took a big step toward living out her, if you will, calling. Vocation shares its root with call (voice, Latin vox, vocis meaning VOICE and vocare meaning to CALL) and if you know this lady, you know this business venture will just make her sing.
She’s just next on the list of the women around me who continue to fulfill their calling, either “full time” or on the side. I’ve got a good handful of photographer friends whose clientele are growing; one is taking a step of faith in getting studio space (a great choice! I know she’ll fill it with all kinds of photgenic goodness. And that’s a freebie pun, just for you). I connect with a few that can keep their kitchen warm with all the baked good orders they fill. Another good friend ventured into a small business that shows a lot of promise and she’ll excel at finding ways to make it successful and build a customer base with her exceptional customer service. These ladies don’t just dream… they do.
Enter: whiney, inspired, envious self.
But I want to do the things that make me tick. I want to find that groove, dance to the music, sing along with life. Though I’m very fortunate and grateful for a job that has paid the bills and even offered mental stimulation, hiring people just hasn’t made me break out into song or tears, both of which are good indicators that your heart and your work intersect.
I keep searching the want ads, but so far no one is offering a full- or part-time position writing newsletters and blog posts about random topics, learning about the world, current culture and trends from a spiritual/sociological/philosophical/psychological perspective ) and sharing all this pertinent information in a way that makes people understand why it’s important in their lives. Affecting change in a positive way. Making people think and ask questions. And by questions, I don’t mean, “where is this candidate’s drug screen?” No, I want people to ask, “well, what does that look like?” and hope they offer suggestions.
I imagine a large amount of sharing coffee with others is involved with this position, and a good knack at font selection is a required skill. And hopefully it requires just enough time away from the children but yet allows that the laundry gets done and I can fix dinner at a reasonable hour. I cannot even believe there’s not a section for that on Careerbuilder.
From time to time I feel like getting more serious about my “writing”, and I’ve encountered some positive feedback to make me want to take those steps. But questions remain. What market? In what form would people read me? Who would publish? What would I write about that I could stay on-topic for more than 3 pieces in a row? I don’t have a “thing.” I read somewhere that you have to have a “thing.”
It’d be nice to recieve compensation, but that’s not what it’s about, really. I know lots of people venturing into these endeavors aren’t just out to make a buck, but to share what makes them tick. So the measure of success isn’t necessarily the paycheck, but rather the sense of participation and the gratification that it matters to someone else. It’s not what we produce, but who and how we serve. It’s hearing “my day was better because I enjoyed what you provided.” Honestly, being “published” is about being able to reach others, beyond the 12 people that stumble upon my blog in a given week. Oh, how I inflate. I can name a handful of cousins and 2 friends, so that’s getting me close to 12 if I round up.
So, I’m envious that this hasn’t happened for me yet (see that positive spin? YET. I make good on my promises.) – and probably even more acurate, I’m whiney because I don’t know how to move in that direction; but yet I’m inspired to keep my eyes open and perhaps even be proactive about it once I get an idea of what that might involve. You know… what does that look like?
Or I could just get independently wealthy so that I could stay home and write for free and hire a nanny to help with the kids when they need chased away from the stairs or a diaper changed. I could pay people to read it so that I could feel that positive impact. That could work, too. Right?
**Editor’s cut: From The David Crowder *Band, A Lark Ascending (Or Perhaps More Accurately, I’m Trying to Make You Sing)
And I’m trying to make you sing
From inside where you believe
Like it’s something that you need
Like it means everything
And I’m trying to make you feel that
This is for real, that life is happening
That it means everything
I’m just trying to make you sing
I mentioned before that we’re going through a “big questions” series at church, and today – thanks to 2 well-behaved children – I heard the whole thing. This is its own cause of celebratory activities. And I can now tell you exactly how big of a handful of raisins this feat requires. But I digress.
Today was “Is Jesus the only way?” which is a difficult question for some, even seminary grads (I’d argue that these folk are more inclined to feel troubled by giving a hard answer. Normal people get to answer the question without writing a 10 page exegesis on it). One particular thing the pastor said caught my attention and I’ve been a bit stuck on it for a few hours.
He mentioned that we (Christians) are oft hesitant to agree with Jesus’ “I am the way… no one comes to the Father except through me” verbiage for fear of being exclusive. Thanks to a less-than-flattering history, the Christian heritage hasn’t proven to be the all-aboard invitation we’d like for it to be. So by putting it to a Jesus-only discussion, those “exclusive” labels can again be employed.
I don’t really feel the need to apologize for Jesus’ own exclusive claims. I don’t think there’s anything wrong with exclusivity when it comes to deities. But thanks to our “your way, right away” culture, such exclamations are seen as elitist and unfair. (I can hear the cries of woe… “why does He get to be savior of the universe? I wasn’t even given a chance! It’s not fair the role was picked 2000 years before my existence!”) When it doesn’t fit into our handy framework of how we like our world to work, then let the finger-pointing again.
However. Oh, don’t be shocked, you knew it was coming. However… though I believe strongly in Jesus’ exclusive rights on the “way”, I do think we have to be a bit careful when it comes to application. Jesus is the way (road, path), but our experience walking that road may look very different from someone else. I’m down with an exclusive Jesus; I’m not much for an exclusive experience of Jesus.
How God fits into my life, what it looks like to walk the path with him, the conversations involved, the concerns and cares along the way… all of these things are different for travelers. Some prefer to cut costs and stay at the Motel 6. Others glam it up for good cinnamon rolls at the Holiday Inn Express. A good friend of mine tends to pitch a tent in strangers’ yards. Some travelers move at a snails’ pace and in short spurts. Others treat it like a 100-yard dash. And who doesn’t veer off the path to pick daisies once in a while? But none of this yields an invalid path.
I think the shudders to the “Jesus is the only way” conversation have a lot less to do with Jesus and more to do with the messenger. When we say “Jesus is the only way” perhaps the message is heard “my way of life is the only way” or “my way of worship/patterns of devotion/beliefs about social issues are the only way.” And that’s simply not true.
Perhaps we should follow the series with another series called “the questions behind the questions”. It’s not always about what’s being asked, but what is implied in the answers.