Redemptive Clowns

John’s clothes were made of camel’s hair, and he had a leather belt around his waist. His food was locusts and wild honey. People went out to him from Jerusalem and all Judea and the whole region of the Jordan. Confessing their sins, they were baptized by him in the Jordan River (Matthew 3:4-6).

There’s a new image in my head. Fresh and new, straight out of the Bible, I also know how it will be perceived in the readers’ mind. My younger friends – including my children – may click onto something else quickly because already it has the look of a sermon. 😉 My oldster friends may be smiling indulgently, “What is Froese thinking about now?” Indeed, Froese has been thinking - hesitating - for quite a few days, finally deciding it must be shared. I cannot but speak of what I've been learning recently (adapt from Acts 4:20)! I once heard a little saying, "Fear of the reader can make for boring articles, just like fear of an audience can make for boring speeches." John the Baptist seems not to have been troubled by any of this.  

Steven Charleston is author of a book providing much timely food for thought, one chapter entitled “The Clown.” [i] What is so funny about John the Baptist? so begins the chapter. "Not a lot," answers the author, and then into description of this character making waves everywhere. “Not even the Virgin Mary rates such a fashion report." [ii] We have here a clown who makes no effort to entertain and a hippy with full detail of his duds. During my years of preaching, I openly and easily claimed ‘J the B’ as my favorite character in the Bible, not only because of his no-holds barred style (You brood of vipers! Matt 3:7), but also his absolute humble devotion to the one coming after him. Interesting man this anointed precursor of Jesus. I have enjoyed him forever and now fascinated to learn a few more things about him.

But a clown? I am now reading this Vision Quests book for the third time; something I just don’t ever do as a matter of principle (so many more books to read). Very intriguing, this biblical character presented as a clown! Especially in these last several years as the world seems to be unraveling – irresponsible politicians surprisingly tolerated as though that’s all we expect of them. "I remember when ..." is a common expression among my peers. 😏 Apparently, age has a way of skewing memory of history and anticipation of next years, "… when you are old you will stretch out your hands, and someone else will ... lead you where you do not want to go” (John 21:18). Somebody else seems to be in charge now.

Enter a clown. Enter John the Baptist, at least as per Dr. Charleston, member of the Choctow Nation and an Episcopalian Bishop. He describes John the Baptist-type eccentrics as regulars in Indigenous faith communities. He acknowledges that non-Natives may find this disrespectful and offensive. He explains, “from the theology of the Native Covenant, it is perfectly accurate because a “clown” in Native American tradition has a different meaning than it carries in European-based cultures. In that culture they are not just buffoons to make us laugh … but spiritual teachers whose job is to make us think.” [iii]

A clown. Perhaps this is why I am now reading Charleston again. My response is likely in character for us European Caucasian types, and even moreso for my Mennonite no-nonsense orderly version of that type. From within this vantage, I confess we are as much a part of the world’s problems as the Israelis and Hamas or the Russians and Ukrainians. Is there a right and a wrong side? Apocalyptic explanations are everywhere and fully as self-righteous as the many battles of the Old Testament, usually with emotive overtones if you do not agree. Among all of this political and interpersonal heat, here is the biblical account. Jesus, the one who us Christians claim as Messiah, came to be baptized by this character John, who protested saying “I need to be baptized by you, and do you come to me?” (Matthew 3:14) but Jesus confidently knew what was needed. When John complied, after baptizing Jesus the heavens opened up, and a voice from heaven said, “This is my Son, whom I love; with him I am well pleased” (3:17). John the Baptist did that which was required of him. While I still have some resistance to a holy anointed person characterized as a clown, the large large purpose of this one preparing the way of the Lord, spoken of already in Isaiah and fully referenced in the New Testament gospels, [iv] cannot be ignored. Charleston is not being clownish; he is making a point.

Most of us can think of people who act somewhat contrary, embarrassing parents and neighbors, usually one or two in almost every small town that I can think of during my growing up years. Not necessarily criminals or troublemakers, but often did not quite fit in (Uhtbundts in the Low German language). Almost every family has what used to be called (inappropriately) a black sheep, or at least one who does not quite toe the line, a bit of mystery to siblings and parents. Some of these may actually be over achievers. I have a brother who was out of step with his siblings. He was positive, not given to teenage shenanigans and never in trouble with teachers or parents. He became a legendary softball pitcher well known in all the small towns and even the big city nearby. He pitched to a back catcher also skilled and very competitive, not at all given to Peter's kind-hearted naivety. He signaled the curve balls, burners, change-ups, etc. to the tune of many no hitter games. The crowds would laugh and roar their approval. My brother would pitch exactly as signaled by Cliff - and feel kind of badly for the batters he had just struck out! 😀 Now in his 70’s this brother of mine is still out-of-step with many. A passionate anti-military pacifist living in Colorado with his wife and other like-minded activists in radical simplicity, often appearing in local media not because he craves it, but it makes interesting news clips. Just like when he was a teenaged star athlete, people cannot but pay attention to a personality like this!

Autism comes to mind as another example. My wife and I have a daughter finally diagnosed in her thirties -   Aspergers high functioning, after years of bullying by teachers and/or fellow students in elementary and junior high. Now in middle age she is finally claiming all her God-gifted abilities. Thank you, God! 

Additionally to uhtbundts, there are also many ways to ‘discover’ or ‘receive’ the gift of faith. There are those who once lived a life of absolute debauchery and sin, only to be smitten by a sudden experience from God to the extent that everybody around is now paying attention. The story of Nicky Cruz, [v] a gangster-become-preacher in New York City has become a best-seller book and a blockbuster movie. The Apostle Paul’s discovery of Jesus could be described similarly. He got knocked off his horse on the road to Damascus (Acts 9). Timothy, one of the other Apostles, learned his faith at the knee of his grandmother (2 Timothy 1).

So, with the world contorting itself in endless strife, cynicism and despair, many of us seniors (the postwar baby boomers who created the good life) and millennials and gen xes and zes (children and grandchildren - those now benefiting from the good life). We seemingly know only good life solutions and that’s how we analyze and talk of all the crap going on. I see provinces liberal or conservative, states democrat or republican. I see professional sports teams regularly firing coaches just to provide winning numbers for small-brained fans. Among all of this there are disillusioned faith seekers shopping around for a perfect church or club, often self-righteously demanding good logical clean credible opinionated resolution to world problems (avoiding their own complicity), along with budget implications of course! Then we read articles, analyses and reports in Christian media using updated language like “imagine” and “live into,” a new faith lingo carefully edited with inclusive language complete with correct pronouns.

Clowns! We probably need some. Not the kind we hire for birthday or office parties to make us laugh. No, we need un-characters similar to the ones that show up at Indigenous Round Dances (Spirit Dances), the ones who act out and even offer some fresh ridiculous ideas on problem solving, like give-aways and sitting with elders to process vision quests. Good reminder from Charleston that John and Jesus both lived the give-away life to the point of sacrifice. “John lost his life as a sacred clown because he brought the chaos of hope into the place of power…. Jesus lost his life because he loved without exclusion.” [vi] 

Personal reminder to me that our neighborhoods can and must include increasing awareness that we are settlers and indigenous. And neighborliness includes a little more than evaluating the tidiness or messiness of each other's yards! [vii] The possibilities are before us. It can happen as result of unreserved commitment to the One who received baptism from the anointed clown. The invite is here, Indigenous and/or Settler to come follow Jesus, even if in some new unconventional ways perhaps not dreamed of before.

I have come that they may have life, and have it to the full (John 10:10).

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[i] Chapter 5 in Steven Charleston, The Four Vision Quests of Jesus (New York: Morehouse Publishing, 2015).

[ii] Ibid, p.78.

[iii] Ibid, p.80. Two sacred clown groupings, the koshares of the Southwest and heyokas of the Plains. See pp. 81-82 for examples of their goings-on.

[iv] Isaiah 40:3; Matthew 3:3; Mark 1:1-3; Luke 3:4.

[v] David Wilkerson, The Cross and the Switchblade (New York: Berkley, 1986). 

[vi] Charleston, op. cit. p.90. 

[vii] "Strangers to Neighbors" very appropriately (providentially?) happens to be the Calgary Interfaith Council theme for this year 2023. It is being recognized as very appropriate given current events in this city as well as world-wide.