I was going to call this Newbiginday #3 - but Easter trumps it categorically. Christ is risen. Hallelujah. As a reflection, I give a summary of some more strong words from Newbigin regarding the congregation as the hermeneutic of the Gospel. Reading below as a part of the Church, I encourage you to know our story more and more each day. If we are the hermeneutic, the interpretive lens, of the Word, then we must know the Word. The Bible is our primary way to know the Living Word Jesus Christ as well as our identity and our story. Looking forwards into this new Christian year, embracing new life everyday, as Christians we must be in the Bible to know how to live in this new life.
Précis of Lesslie Newbigin, “The Congregation as Hermeneutic of the Gospel,” in The Gospel in a Pluralist Society, (Grand Rapids, MI: Eerdmans, 1989), 222-233.
To be faithful to the message of the kingdom of God, the church must claim the high ground of public truth. This does not mean restoring a past condition of the church; neither martyrdom nor ruling power. The current situation of a secular democratic state is weakened from divisions within, and cannot respond to religious fanaticism without denying its own principles (222-223). The church must hold the tension of Jesus as the ultimate source of power and as the one who was nailed helpless to the cross to appropriately grasp the “impossible possibility” of salvation and that it is the supernatural work of God which accomplishes this. The church is to be a servant as Jesus was a servant: responding effectively to people’s needs while ensuring that God alone is in control as master (224-225). The Church represents the kingdom of God neither with the power of the world, nor modern techniques of persuasion. The only appropriate hermeneutic of the gospel is a congregation of men and women who believe and live by it and who seek together to adopt the character of Jesus (226-227).
This community has six characteristics: 1) It is a community of praise to God which contrasts the modern reliance on doubt and includes thanksgiving to God who has given us all we need, 2) It is a community of truth which prevents delusion by cultural plausibility structures, 3) It is a community deeply involved in the concerns of its neighbourhood; where good news overflows into good action, (228-229) 4) It is a community where members are trained and nourished in priestly ministry in the world under Jesus the High Priest and which rejoices in and embraces the different gifting of its members, 5) It is a community which functions as a new social order of mutual responsibility, (230-231), 6) It is a community which is shaped so much by the gospel story that it lives with hope! This local congregation can represent the reality of the new creation, unmasking the illusions of culture (232-233).
Newbigin getting deep re: inter-religious dialogue and perhaps more controversially (yet apropos) salvation. Keep in mind this discussion was in 1989 - so one might claim a limited perspective of the 'main world religions' from our point of view.
Précis of Lesslie Newbigin, “The Gospel and the Religions,” in The Gospel in a Pluralist
‘Religion’ covers a wide variety of entities. The main world religions can be divided into historical revelation: Judaism; Christianity; Islam, and a-historical revelation: Hinduism; Jainism; Sikhism; Buddhism. Worldviews are atomic: human individual is ultimate, oceanic: all things merge to one, and relational: meaning in relationships. The Bible has a relational view. Religion can also mislead as it excludes secular binding commitments or life principles (171-173). Scripture does not hold us to a strictly exclusivist view of eternal damnation outside of accepting Jesus. This view forces creation of barriers and judgments regarding salvation which are for God only to make. The Inclusivist view (as per Rahner) claims Christ as saviour but acknowledges that this saving can happen outside the church to individuals and religions un-confronted by the gospel reality: “anonymous Christians.” There are those who attack people unwilling to make a judgment as to whether other religions can save because there is a need for a basis to pray together for world peace (174-175).
The Christian approach to world religions must be developed as follows: 1) The reality of God as an ocean of love overflowing has meant all people are witness to God’s grace, 2) The revelation of Jesus compels acknowledgement that the world is in sinful rebellion, 3) Everything is held in tension between these two poles: sin and grace - both universalism and exclusivity remove the tension and disable dialogue, 4) “What happens to the non-Christian after death?” cannot be the primary question: a) God alone has the right to answer it (we see this in Jesus’ response to Peter after the rich young man), b) the question abstracts the human soul away from the entirety of the person, leaving no room for the role that is played in the present reality in light of the end of God’s story, c) this question makes the ultimate concern an individual concern and not the glory of God (176-180). This approach to religion creates four implications: 1) we see the grace of God at work in the lives of those who do not know Jesus as Lord is an implication of God’s greatness, 2) we will cooperate with other religions on projects which move toward the Christian understanding of the end of history, 3) we create context for dialogue with others over the meaning of history, 4) the Christian contribution in the dialogue is to tell the story which God has given to us to tell. The view developed is therefore exclusivist as Jesus Christ is the unique key, inclusivist as God works his grace as he wills, and pluralist in that God’s grace works in all lives (180-183).
I recently wrote a reflection on rest, home, remembering and faith as it relates to Hebrews 11 and the story of Egypt. I actually cannot post it here, but if you would like to have a read then send me an e-mail and I would like to hear about how it resonated (or not) with you as well as your thoughts on the passage.
So, a very kind friend of mine was encouraging me to share more - and I probably should do a bit more sharing here. Though this isn't any thought of my own, it is something I appreciate dearly. Lesslie Newbigin's Gospel in a Pluralist Society was a book that I was tasked with reading in the first term of my current studies and to say that it has been influential on me would be an understatement. I have repeatedly come back to his thoughts on a number of issues as I try to synthesize and absorb a lot of other thinking.
Hopefully, I will be able to regularly present some precis of chapters of this book here at this space. I begin with a chapter which one of my professors called 'one of the best summaries of Wink on the powers.' It is dense, given that it is my summary of his summary (already dense). Please ask to borrow the book from me if you want more (you won't be disappointed).
Précis of Lesslie Newbigin, “Principalities, Powers, and People,” in The Gospel in a Pluralist Society, (Grand Rapids, MI: Eerdmans, 1989), 198-210.
There is a dualism in modern Western society whereby individual behaviour is considered separately from 'culture' leading to the idea that the gospel is primarily about changing people and not societies or institutions. The relationship between individual behaviour and the behavoiur of societies is, however, reciprocal. The individualistic perspective of the gospel is symptomatic of post-Enlightenment Western culture (198-199). Both the Old and New testaments speak of, and address communities of people as well as societal structures. The kingdom of God is about power, authority, and rule. In St. Paul's writing this can be seen in texts about principalities, powers, dominions, thrones, authorities, rulers, angels and other groups of agents. Paul uses language which does not refer to the temporary people-in-power (even though they are necessary for the exercise of power) but rather a 'power' or 'authority' behind, above, and internal to these offices that is confronted by the supreme authority of God in Jesus' death and resurrection (200-202). John the Seer addresses groups of Christians by the power embodied in their congregation (angels or another spiritual reality) and these groups fight against evil spiritual power in their daily lives.
According to Col. 2:8, 15, 20 and Gal.4:8-9, the stoicheia (or ruling spirits) of this universe have been disarmed, and Christians are delivered from their power. However, these powers are not destroyed but rather serve their new Lord until the time when they will disappear, and it is with these powers that the church wrestles (203-204). Human life is lived within limits set by structural features of the natural world (physical elements) and of the world of human society (cultural elements). These cultural, structural power elements serve God's purpose but can be demonic when they are absolutized so as to usurp the lordship of Christ. Outside the NT we see examples of these demonic powers when the concerns of number, chance, race, or money are placed above Jesus Christ (205-207). The powers, or 'plausibility structures,' are part of God's good creation but were found by the absolute personification of God in Jesus to be in striking hostility to God and were unmasked and relativized, yet still upheld by God (208).
In practice, this does not imply anarchy. All human structures and traditions are prone to evil but they are necessary for human life, and as such we approach them with the judgment evident in the cross as well as patience, understanding they allow time for the Church to witness to God's reality. Second, we do not fight flesh and blood, but rather the powers themselves, which can only be challenged with the gospel itself. Both politically naive evangelism and social justice without conversion leading to unmasking of these powers is ineffective (209-210).
The church, according to Stanley Hauerwas, is to cultivate a people who ...
can risk being peaceful in a violent world, risk being kind in a competitive society, risk being faithful in an age of cynicism, risk being gentle among those who admire the tough, risk love when it may not be returned, because we have the confidence that in Christ we have been reborn into a new reality.
Against the Nations: War and Survival in a Liberal Society. Notre Dame: University of Notre Dame Press, 1992, 118, qtd. in Darrell L. Guder, ed. Missional Church. Grand Rapids, MI: Eerdmans, 1998.
So, a reflection paper for Beyond Homelessness, which you've probably heard me talk about in some form or another recently. If you want to commit to this post then listen to these two songs, and then absorb the lyrics, and then listen to them again while reading.
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Everybody listen to me.
That sounds just about right.In fact, much of what Mark Farner says in “Closer to Home” resonates with my own experience of the desire for attention, interest, and ascription of importance from those around me[1].I can get it right, if everyone would simply listen to what I have to say.I begin with my personal reflections on this Grand Funk Railroad.
Everybody, listen to me,
and return me, my ship
I want control now.This mutiny has wrested the control of my own vessel from me[2]; I demand its return.As a sailor without a ship I am homeless.My crew, those under my care in this marine home, have refused both my leadership and the importance of my presence.I cannot live without this sphere of control.
I’m your captain, I’m your captain,
though I’m feeling mighty sick.
I am your captain, am I not?What is a captain of a ship?He is the one who is respected, or at least feared.I should be feared, but I am feeling quite sick.Someone, something else, is steering this ship; either that, or I have been left on land.I am sick because I need to feel the rhythm of the ocean – the rhythm of my home.
I’ve been lost now, days uncounted,
and it’s months since I’ve seen home.
I have no direction now.They took control of the ship; they lost my bearing.The sea is not always a place where direction easily can be found.What is clear is that I am not at home now.
Can you hear me? Can you hear me?
Or am I all alone?
There may not be a single soul here where I am now.My crew cannot hear me or they would know I am their captain.…Lord?
If you return me to my home port,
I will kiss you Mother Earth.
I do not want my ship.If you take me home I will kiss your ring as my King.If I can know a taste of home on the land then I will give up the purpose of my life.I will take a new bearing.
Take me back now, take me back now,
to the port of my birth.
Take me back to the home I knew before I was a sailor.That would be better than any of this.
Am I in my cabin dreaming, or are you really scheming,
to take my ship away from me?
I know I am not alone now.It is you who has taken the ship from me; you are setting the course.
You’d better think about it; I just can’t live without it.
So please, don’t take my ship from me.
I take it back.I cannot be here if I am not captain.Do not take control.It hurts too much.
I can feel the hand, of a stranger,
and it’s tightening around my throat.
Heaven help me; heaven help me,
take this stranger from my boat.
This is not my bearing.I am going to die.I am not lost; I know where I want to go.
The song slowly fades ringing with the question of whether or not we actually are getting any closer to home.The noises of waves and gulls have ceased, so we are no longer near the shore.I am still the captain and I know where this is going; it could be back to Egypt, or it could be Tarshish[4].Yet “Closer to Home” leaves us convinced that on this voyage the captain is still feeling mighty sick.With the bow of his ship pointed towards the long horizon of the sea, he has settled for nauseating control over suffocating freedom.Similarly, Cain so dreaded the lack of control he had over God’s acceptance of his sacrifice that he preferred living with the sickness of his brother’s death on his hands (Gen. 4:1-16).Attempts to construct homes without ‘a relationship of grateful stewardship’ result in the ‘idolatrous self-protective arrogance’ of the human who simply declares: “I am your captain.[5]”
Grand Funk Railroad’s captain’s sickness betrays the reality that the home of his ship is nothing more than half built.It is a Babel into which the Lord gives confusion expecting response (Gen. 11:1-9).As I resonate with the honesty of Grand Funk Railroad I can feel the shocking pain and understand the revelation expressed in TV On the Radio’s “Halfway Home.”The narrator of this song is a disciple crying to the Lord as Jonah did after he realized the home he had made was only halfway[6].It is clear that this disciple has known the Lord intimately.
The song provides no introduction.The fast hand-clapping beat simply arrives surprisingly, bringing with it Tunde Adebimpe’s slow and purposeful retelling of the story which so clearly changed the disciple’s life[7].The surprise continues, as he immediately recalls the ‘gold and blue and grey’ of the Pharisees (Luke 22:66-71), Pilate and Herod (23:1-12), and of Jesus’ ‘gorgeous robe’ (23:11) as they laid him in the dead’s rest stop: a tomb (23:53).The disciple had known of this day, he had seen the difficulty with which his master had struggled to speak to them of his coming dread[8].The way he speaks of that which he saw and heard seems to indicate he knew the blood Jesus sweat as he cried out in agony for his father to take away his cup[9].Yet the disciple also knows, vaguely, of the ‘silhouette’ he saw escape from the ‘top-side’ of Jesus’ earthly burial bed.He knows of the Spirit promised by Jesus, released ‘from out [his] chest,’ colliding with the world and the wilderness[10].He knows that it is the gentle hand of the spirit who will work to call both the world and the wilderness home.She will work until that day when the mold-breaking Christ returns with eyes ablaze (Rev. 19:12).The disciple’s recognition of who Jesus is forms the basis for conclusions he draws about his relationship to Christ. His loss of control in accepting the path that Jesus lived is crucial to his experience of home.
The song’s narrator has difficulty expressing his own experience of discipleship to Christ.He has been ‘folded’ by the touch of Christ; everything in his life is re-oriented.He knows the words that Jesus spoke are too much for him to live the way he was before:
Whoever wishes to be great among you shall be your servant, and whoever wishes to be first among you shall be your slave. Matthew 20:26-27
He must change his bearing, but yet at the same time he feels as though what he has learned is ‘not enough’ for him to undertake this radical change.
This disciple knows he is part of the pain that Jesus bore.He knows that Jesus came to serve, and “to give his life as a ransom for many” (Mat. 20:28).This disciple is sure that Jesus succeeded.He knows that Jesus has faced the worst of the judgments that the world can offer[11] and still ‘showed it up.’
The problem is that his knowledge of this subversive victory has made him insane; he knows that to participate he will suffer as he saw his master suffer:
If anyone wishes to come after Me, he must deny himself, and take up his cross and follow Me.For whoever wishes to save his life will lose it; but whoever loses his life for my sake will find it. Matthew 16:25
He thinks that he cannot then bear this; he would rather wrest back control of his ship.He is the captain, yet his thinking changes.He begins to realize what his master, the Lord Jesus, has done for him.He has been culled into the clutch of the triune God; they are closer now and they have spoken enough to one another.This does not mean he is naïve.He understands the rules of his new house.He knows the road his master walked, the choices he made to release control.He chooses to be rolled under the same pain which crushed Jesus.He chooses to be a disciple, and then proclaims:
Go on throw this stone
into this halfway home.
Here we can see why his release of control is so crucial for home.In accepting his discipleship he cries out to heaven for God to crush his own Babelic halfway home.He is an incurable homemaker, but he has chosen “a relationship of grateful stewardship” over the protective, self-arrogant, halfway constructed, traveling-to-Tarshish, sort of home he had before[12].
The song closes as it began, the beat is quick and there is still the surprise of a single final crash.There is life in this song of the kind declared in John 3:36.It does not end with the false self-assurance of a sure direction.The narrators of both songs are visited by the covenantal Word Jesus, who establishes a new vision of home that involves complete surrender and submission to the will of the father.“For I have come down from heaven, not to do My own will, but the will of Him who sent Me” was what this Word said (John 6:38).The disciple of Grand Funk Railroad’s “Closer to Home” rejects this covenantal word.The disciple in TV On the Radio’s “Halfway Home” does not.The former continues to sail closer to what he thought was home. The latter is culled into the clutching home of the living and triune God.I can respond humbly, prayerfully, and fearfully as he did:
See it take me so.
Bibliography
Bouma-Prediger, Steven and Walsh, Brian J. Beyond Homelessness: Christian Faith in a Culture of Displacement. Grand Rapids, MI: Eerdmans, 2008.
Grand Funk Railroad. “Closer to Home.” The Best of Grand Funk. EMI Capitol, 1995.
Everybody, listen to me, and return me, my ship.
I'm your captain; I'm your captain, though I'm feeling mighty sick.
I've been lost now, days uncounted, and it's months since I've seen home.
Can you hear me? Can you hear me? Or am I all alone?
If you return me to my home port, I will kiss you Mother Earth.
Take me back now; take me back now, to the port of my birth.
Am I in my cabin dreaming, or are you really scheming, To take my ship away from me?
You'd better think about it, I just can't live without it. So, please don't take my ship from me.
Yeah, yeah, yeah ...
I can feel the hand, of a stranger, and it's tightening, around my throat.
Heaven help me; Heaven help me, take this stranger from my boat.
I'm your captain; I'm your captain, though I'm feeling mighty sick.
Everybody, listen to me, and return me, my ship.
I'm your captain, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah.
I'm your captain, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah.
I'm your captain, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah.
I'm your captain, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah.
I'm getting closer to my home ...
I'm getting closer to my home ...
I'm getting closer to my home ...
I'm getting closer to my home ...
Ohhhh ...
I'm getting closer to my home ...
Repeated to fade
[4] The Israelites grumbled about going back to the security of what they knew in Egypt (Exodus 16:1-3). The importance of this is noted in Steven Bouma-Prediger and Brian Walsh, Beyond Homelessness: Christian Faith in a Culture of Displacement, (Grand Rapids, MI: Eerdmans, 2008), 17. Jonah went to Tarshish to “flee … from the presence of the Lord” (Jonah 1:3).He knew the hand that was choking him.
[5] Prediger and Walsh, Beyond Homelessness, 16.For the biblical images, I am influenced by Ibid., 14-17.
[7] Confirmation of Tunde Adebimpe singing and discussion of surprise in their style, “TV On the Radio,” Wikipedia. Feb. 5, 2011, http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/TV_on_the_Radio(accessed Feb. 8, 2011).
[8] The three passion predictions in Matthew (17:22-23, 20:18-19, 26:2) clearly result in death for the ‘Son of Man.’ Jesus’ preferred name for himself is the ‘Son of Man’ (Matt. 26:24), see also Terry Donaldson, “Lecture 11- Jesus,” New Testament I: From the Gospel to the Gospels, 17.
