This is perhaps the most ridiculous title that has ever
appeared above these scribbles. And if somebody else entitled their post this
way I would be reluctant to begin reading. After my years and years of hearing
this name every day in both the truckers and the churchy environments, it is
now front and center in the old thinker. This probably because I still have at
least a bit of a social life, and I still enjoy reading. Social life? It’s
expected of me and includes a lot of ‘visiting’, not too much cursing but still
a lot of b*s*. Reading? I have always been a reader, but now in these latter
years find it even more important because the other option is the digital world,
gamers and movie buffs now addicted to AI characters and creatures mostly at
war with one another – including some almost credible attempts to identify a
spiritual force (as explained to me by my grandson the other day).
This is not to say reading is the good (or better) alternative
– lots of junk available here too. Yesterday, clicking the headlines of the New
York Times, I discover that Eric Trump, second son of the Donald has just published
a book entitled Under Siege, his own memoir which assigns almost
messianic qualities to the work and accomplishments of his father. [I do not
plan to read it] Definitely there is reason to be selective in one’s reading
material, deceptive best sellers available even when one is reading ‘religious
material’. Do we remember Late Great Planet Earth by Hal Lindsey? [i] He wrote thirty-some books
on end-times apocalyptic theme. Who was, who is Jesus in this passage of time?
This is what has sparked the title of this post.
Who is Jesus? I wish I might have been in the audience on
that occasion some 2000 years ago when John the Baptist encountered Jesus
standing before him at the Jordan river, wishing to be baptized, and with that
rite came the voice from heaven, “This is my Son, the Beloved, with
whom I am well pleased” (Matthew
3:17). I claim this Jesus my Savior and my Lord and,
no news for most people who know me, have been making that reference
increasingly in these last several years. To me Jesus is exactly that – the
Savior who has provided my access to God via his body broken (e.g. 1 Peter
2:24), and also Lord whose help I need daily for attitude and behavior as a born
again Christian (e.g. Luke 9:24).
It is in context of today’s day, today’s multiculturism,
however, that I posit the old question “Who is Jesus?” There are many answers
to that question clamoring for attention, and in this environment, even after
my years of preaching, still find the question compelling and not at all
boring. Many contemporary Christians are in grip of right wing extremism,
claiming more aggressively than ever a need for a pure “Christianity of the
saved” which must include only those who adhere to narrow minded fundamentalism
including Zionism (special place and rank for Israel), which must be protected
by ascribed political and religious leaders who ignore the lordship mandate of
all us ‘saved’ beings.[ii] There is an equal
pushback from many Christians who claim that this ‘narrow mindedness’ is a complete
denial of the Jesus who was promised and recognizable by his loving presence in
the gospels. That open-minded progressivism – woke faith – is often devoid of
any attention to a relationship with Jesus.[iii]
Let’s move beyond this conservative liberal dichotomy. Believe
you me there is more, and it’s interesting. The Four Vision Quests of Jesus,
written by Steven Charleston, a Choctaw Episcopalian minister, interprets four
key events in Jesus’ life – Wilderness, Transfiguration, Gethsemane, and
Golgotha as spiritual journeys inspired by the Native American vision quest
tradition. My experience with this book has been like many books one reads –
kind of interesting but… – until I think about a friend I have, an Indigenous
United Church Minister, a born-again fully committed Christian very active in
this city’s Interfaith Council, providing endless pastoral services here as
well as among his people in nearby reservations. There’s nothing like knowing
someone who lives what they believe.
A second example not uncommon to many. The Mormons, or Church
of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints, are a faith community who have been
around for a long time, in fact right here among the explorers, the Puritans,
etc. who ‘discovered’ America. In 1832 a young man named Joseph Smith, in
upstate New York experienced a divine instruction from an angel Moroni to find
certain golden plates hidden near his home and to translate the text inscribed
thereon to. This holy find would become The Book of Mormon (verified to
varying degrees by 11 witnesses). This slightly stretches my credibility even
beyond vision quests of Jesus. I find the accounts of the witnesses interesting
and even a bit entertaining! However, my hesitation must be tempered. I am fully
aware there is a seeming 400-year lull (lack of reporting?) between the Old and
New Testament of our Bible. Yes, the apocryphal writings are there, but did not
seem convincing enough when the canon was somewhat established in 325 CE. [iv] So, who’s to say that God
did not provide further revelation to those seeking faithfulness, even if they were
already across the ocean during the time of Jesus. The Mormon story is two-pronged,
first the Jaredites who had departed for America already at time of the Tower
of Babel, and then later the Nephites and Lamanites, descendants of a prophet Lehi,
who eventually also opted for an ocean crossing rather than the Babylonian Captivity
as experienced by the people of Israel and Judah (587 BC). The Book of Mormon presents
the Americas as part of God’s plan, alongside the history of the Israelites in
the Old Testament, with the prophets in
both narratives testifying of Jesus Christ. Fast forward to many of our present-day
LDS neighbors. The celebration of Jesus the Savior and the involvement
and participation of whole families in Church life and ministry is an
inspiration to all of us trying to raise families these days.
Seventh Day Adventists adhere to the evangelical gospel
message of Jesus, looking for his second coming as promised. I have received and
read articles in their Ministry magazine during all my years as pastor,
and aside from their somewhat unrealistic requirement of church leaders to
spend hours and hours in prayer (somewhat unrealistic to this workaholic
Mennonite), I do appreciate their emphasis on Sabbath rest. Someday I will ask
Jesus about this, as he did not hesitate to perform healings on the Sabbath.
Sikhs, Unitarians, Bahia’s, Hindus, and a number of other
faith communities honor Jesus as teacher and exemplar, but not as God. Muslims
list him among the prophets, also with clear understanding that a prophet can
never be God, that reserved for Allah alone. Then of course there is Creator,
non-doctrinal but very generously acknowledged as the One above all humans,
animals, and plants.
This brings me back to my opening observation of liberal Christians emphasizing mostly the love of Jesus rather than his divinity. As an Anabaptist Christian fully committed to the peace teachings and social implications of Jesus, I also heartily agree with the evangelical stance so clearly stated in the Prologue at beginning of the Gospel of John, "He was in the world, and the world came into being through him; yet the world did not know him. He came to what was his own and his own people did not accept him. But to all who received him, who believed in his name, he gave power to become children of God” (John 1:10-12). To varying degrees there are evangelical groupings among Indigenous, Unitarians and also Anglicans, Catholics, Mennonites, Quakers, and other non-declarative traditions which to me is testimony of the Savior’s ongoing transcendence beyond denominations and traditions. Praise the Lord, this is ongoing work of the Holy Spirit.
The invitation to relationship with God through Jesus needs
more emphasis these days. To many, us progressive Christians, are explaining
Jesus away as a good teacher but one who must be held at distance, lest perhaps
we worship a ‘wrong one’ or impose some undue pressure. Indeed, there is little chance of the wrong one giving his life for us and now seated at the right hand
of God.
For Thine is the kingdom and the power and the glory forever. Amen.[v]
[i]
Hal Lindsey, first published (Grand Rapids, MI: Zondervan, 1970).
[ii]
See recent blogpost reference to funeral of Charlie Kirk, “Crowd Addictions”,
https://www.jcfroomthoughts.blogspot.com/.
[iii]
An awareness of this reality clearly depicted in “Church for Young Adults by
Young Adults” Canadian Mennonite, Vol 29, no 9, September 2025, p.19.
[iv] “Biblical
Canon”, https://en.wikipedia.org.
[v] Matthew 6:13.
No comments:
Post a Comment