episode 9: all in the family (of God)
One of the aspects that is lost when begins to consider a theology that asserts that God’s love wins in the end, is the promise of heaven and the threat of hell are changed. If one leans toward universal salvation, hell is removed from consideration as a significant threat. And, if heaven becomes a gift of grace from God, why does it matter how we live now, especially if Jesus has paid the debt for our sin so that we do not have to? Many of the traditional motivations become obsolete and religion itself seems unnecessary. And if that were the case, announcing the good news of Jesus may be thwarted by disinterest, that is, if anyone remained motivated to speak the good news of God’s realm and reign.
Humans have a religious impulse
In Brian McLaren’s latest book, Faith After Doubt, McLaren poses two interesting ideas to contemplate.
According to Jonathan Haidt and other teachers of moral foundations theory, whatever our religion or politics, we all use the same six basic lines of moral reasoning to defend our beliefs and opinions: justice, compassion, purity, loyalty, authority, and liberty.5 People of a conservative temperament, theorists explain, often feel morally superior because they emphasize all six. Liberals or progressives, however, focus on two: justice and compassion (pg 84).
And later, McLaren describes his experiences while at the rally countering the Unite the Right march in Charlottesville, VA. After describing what he saw and did, Brian goes on to state:
In the days after the event, I was given access to screenshots of the private communications among the fascist and white supremacist groups who organized the event (and who were called “very fine people” by the president). These communications convinced me that when people leave traditional religious identity behind, or subordinate it to a political or racial ideology, they don’t advance to a blissful secular harmony. No: we humans just as easily shift the sense of identity we once found in a passionate Stage One or Stage Two religious faith into what we might call quasi-secular religions like racism, nationalism, fascism, classism, and other -isms. (pg 110).
Humans, it would seem are religion-making social organisms. So the question may not be faith or no faith, religion or no religion, but rather which religion? One primarily motivated by love and justice; or, one guided by the exercise of authority, purity, liberty, and loyalty?
Ephesians 3.14-19
Every ethnic group in heaven or on earth is recognized by him (whom every family [πατριὰ] in heaven and on earth takes its name, NRSV). I ask that he will strengthen you in your inner selves from the riches of his glory through the Spirit. I ask that Christ will live in your hearts through faith. As a result of having strong roots in love, I ask that you’ll have the power to grasp love’s width and length, height and depth, together with all believers (Common English Bible, with NRSV included parenthesis).
Questions for consideration:
1. What is the good news of God (that’s the way Mark’s gospel says it)?
2. Is there any motivation to, or fear of consequences associated with not, accept God’s gift of Jesus and the reign and realm he inaugurates?
3. What do you make of the idea that we are religion-making creatures?
4. What might it look like to announce a gospel of love and justice?