jan adventure 1

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Faith Beyond Fundamentalism & Anti-Fundamentalism:

where do we go from here?

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Faith Beyond a Failed Narrative:Reframing Jesus in a new narrative space

From the place where we are rightFlowers will never growIn the spring.

The place where we are rightIs hard and trampledLike a yard.

But doubts and lovesDig up the world

Like a mole, a plow.

And a whisper will be heard in the placeWhere the ruined

House once stood. Israeli poet Yehuda Amichai

Something is on the way out and something else is painfully being born.

It is as if something were crumbling, decaying, and exhausting itself,

while something else, still indistinct, were arising from the rubble....

We are in a phase when one age is succeeding another, when everything is

possible.

Vaclav Havel, “The New Measure of Man”

Fr. Vincent Donovan:

,,, do not try to call them back to where they were, and do not try to call them to where you are, as beautiful as that place might seem to you. You must have the courage to go with them to a place that neither you nor they have ever been before.

Never accept and be content with unanalyzed assumptions, assumptions about the work, about the people, about the church or Christianity. Never be afraid to ask questions about the work we have inherited or the work we are doing. There is no question that should not be asked or that is outlawed. The day we are completely satisfied with what we have been doing; the day we have found the perfect, unchangeable system of work, the perfect answer, never in need of being corrected again, on that day we will know that we are wrong, that we have made the greatest mistake of all. (Christianity Rediscovered, 146)

a new kind ofchristianity:ten questions that are transforming the faith

! ?Statements evoke debate that

creates a new state, sometimes producing division and hate.

Questions can create conversations that launch us on

new quests.

The Jesus

Question

Just over 1500 years ago ...

Medieval Christianity was conceived through Augustine of Hippo.

Almost 500 years ago ...

Modern Christianity was launched through Martin Luther.

Both of whom experienced conversion through Paul and

his message.

If a new kind of Christian faith is going to be born in and

through us today ...

it will come through a fresh understanding of Jesus and his

message.

Varied Jesuses “on the market” today

The tribal/nationalist/ ethnic/religious US VERSUS THEM Jesus … backing colonizers and empire builders since the 4th century!

The PERSONAL ENHANCEMENT Jesus … helping ME have a better

time in this life and the next. Bringing you the exclusive Personal Savior …

and the ever-popular Prosperity Gospel!

The STAINED GLASS Jesus … the nicest man who set up nice places where nice people could honor him. Amen.

The TICKET-TO-HEAVEN Jesus … solving the problems of original sin,

total depravity, and eternal damnation, so you can be one of the chosen few!

The INSTITUTIONAL Jesus … he may have proclaimed a radical kingdom, but we created a big, bureaucratic religion out of it!

The SECOND COMING WARRIOR Jesus … He may have been peaceful the first time, but next time ... watch out!

-Whatever a new kind of Christian faith is and will be, it involves a fresh vision

of Jesus

A revolution in Jesus study:-Putting Jesus back in his native historical setting (various “quests”)

A revolution in Jesus study:-Putting Jesus back in his native historical setting (various “quests”)

-New insights into “second-temple Judean Judaism”

A revolution in Jesus study:-Putting Jesus back in his native historical setting (various “quests”)

-New insights into “second-temple Judean Judaism”

-Seeing Jesus primarily through the sight-line of his ancestors rather than his descendants

A revolution in Jesus study:-Putting Jesus back in his native historical setting (various “quests”)

-New insights into “second-temple Judean Judaism”

-Seeing Jesus primarily through the sight-line of his ancestors rather than his descendants

-Fresh perspective on Paul, Apocalypse

A revolution in Jesus study:-Putting Jesus back in his native historical setting (various “quests”)

-New insights into “second-temple Judean Judaism”

-Seeing Jesus through the sight-line of his ancestors rather than his descendants

-Fresh perspective on Paul, Apocalypse

-New understandings of the formation of the gospels … starting with Mark (Q).

A revolution in Jesus study:-Putting Jesus back in his native historical setting (various “quests”)

-New insights into “second-temple Judean Judaism”

-Seeing Jesus through the sight-line of his ancestors rather than his descendants

-Fresh perspective on Paul, Apocalypse

-New understandings of the formation of the gospels … starting with Mark (Q).

-New emphasis on the themes of empire/captivity and liberation

In what narrative do we place Jesus?

(A pre-critical question)

Hell

Salvation

Fallen history/

The fallen world

Fall

HeavenEden

Hades

Atonement, purification

Aristotelian

Real

Fall

Into Aristotelian

Real

Platonic IdealPlatonic Ideal

Destruction, defeat

Civilization, development,

colonialism

assimilationBarbarian/ pagan world

Rebellion

into barbarism

Pax RomanaPax Romana

Is there an alternative understanding?

sdrawkcab gnidaerRick Warren, Billy Graham, Charles Finney, John Wesley (or Calvin), Luther, Aquinas, Augustine, Paul, Jesus

reading forwardsAdam, Abraham, Moses, David, Isaiah, John the Baptist, Jesus

Exodus: Liberation & Formation

Exodus: Liberation & Formation

Genesis: Creation and Reconciliation

Exodus: Liberation & Formation

Genesis: Creation and Reconciliation

Isaiah: Peaceable Kingdom - Justice and Mercy

Exodus: Liberation & Formation

G

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Isaiah: Peaceable Kingdom - Justice and Mercy

Exodus: Liberation & Formation

G

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Isaiah: Peaceable Kingdom - Justice and Mercy

HUMAN DESTRUCTION

HUMAN VIOLENCE

HUMAN EXPLOITATION

Exodus: Liberation & Formation

G

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Isaiah: Peaceable Kingdom - Justice and Mercy

HUMAN DESTRUCTION

HUMAN VIOLENCE

HUMAN EXPLOITATION

A New Exodus: Jesus leads us into a new freedom.

A New Genesis: Jesus leads us into a new creation - a new humanity. New Adam, New Abraham, New Joseph.

A New Isaiah: Jesus leads us into a new future - a new kingdom.

Jesus as a servant-leader of social change ...

Not an evacuation plan, but an incarnation/new creation/

transformation/reconciliation/liberation plan -

into which we are invited.

The Gospel Question:

SEEING WHAT HAS BEEN THERE ALL ALONG ... BUT WE

WERE WELL-TRAINED TO MISS IT:

JESUS AND THE KINGDOM OF GOD

After John was put in prison, Jesus went into Galilee, proclaiming the

good news of God.

The time has come, he said. The kingdom of God has come near.

Repent and believe the good news!

Mark 1:15

What does “Kingdom of God” mean?

Remember: Kingdoms (or

Empires) were contemporary

realities in Jesus’ day!

There was Herod ruling over the Jewish people … and the Emperor Caesar ruling over the whole region.

Jesus could have proclaimed a new religion.

But he didn’t.

He proclaimed a new

kingdom.

It was a dangerous time to proclaim a new kingdom. That kind of thing could get you killed!

Too few people realize the radical nature of the message of the Kingdom of God.

There are several reasons for this misunderstanding.

• Many think “kingdom of God” means heaven

(after you die)… especially because

Matthew frequently uses “kingdom of heaven.”

But it’s clear that “kingdom of heaven” does NOT mean “heaven after you die.” Consider the Lord’s prayer:

It does NOT teach us to pray

May we come to your kingdom when we die.

May we all go to heaven where, unlike earth, your

will is done.

Instead, it teaches us to pray-

Your kingdom come.

Your will be done on earth as it is in heaven.

Why do Mark and Luke say “Kingdom of

God,” but Matthew, John, and Paul don’t

(much)?

As the most Jewish gospel … Matthew follows the Jewish reticence about using the name of God directly. “Heaven” substitutes for God.

Why does John hardly ever say “kingdom” at all?

John uses “kingdom” only in chapter 3 and 18. Elsewhere, he uses the phrase “life” - life to the full, or eternal life.

But it is also clear that “eternal life” doesn’t simply mean “life in heaven

after you die,” contrary to popular opinion.

Zoein Aeonian means “Life of the ages” - not life limited by this present age.

“Now this is life of the ages: that they may know you, the only

true God, and Jesus Christ, whom you have sent.”

Paul actually does speak constantly about the kingdom of God - but he uses a variety of kingdom-related terms:

Lord (supreme king), Christ (liberating king), church (ecclesia, assembly of citizens).

Consider the Book of Acts …

Paul (as Fr. Richard Rohr has helped us see) comes to see a universal,

cosmic, and mystical dimension to the life of Jesus ... which he

embodies in the phrase “in Christ.”

The term might be rendered “in the messianic” or “in the new

humanity” or “in the kingdom of God”

After John was put in prison, Jesus went into Galilee, proclaiming the

good news of God.

The time has

come, he said. The

kingdom of God has come near. Repent and believe the good news!

Mark 1:15

“The Spirit of the Lord is on me, because he has anointed me to preach good news to the poor … freedom for prisoners … recovery … release … the year of the Lord’s favor.” … Today this scripture is fulfilled in your hearing.

Luke 4:18 ff

This may be the most radical challenge of Jesus’ message: Someday, everyone agrees …

The poor should helped

The rich should be generous

Racism should end

The environment should be cared for

Wars should cease.

Jesus says the time has come - today!

The poor should helped

The rich should be generous

Racism should end

The environment should be cared for

Wars should cease.

No wonder Jesus says ...

Repent!

... which means, “Rethink everything!”

This vision of the kingdom of God gives us a new sense of mission and a new sense of identity.

261

versus

3

Christian: 3

vs.

Disciple: 261

Disciples of Jesus

Learners of his way

Disciples/Apostles of the good news of the kingdom of God

Eastern Orthodox Roman Catholic Protestant

All of our traditions are contributing to this fresh vision of Jesus.

Eastern Orthodox Roman Catholic Protestant

All of our traditions have contributed to this fresh vision of Jesus.Catholic liberation theologians, missionaries, and biblical scholars …Mainline Protestant Jesus scholars …Evangelical missionaries and Bible scholars …Eastern Orthodox scholars and leaders who maintained a non-Western approach…

And sincere Christians of all traditions …who listened to the Holy Spirit speaking of Jesus in their

hearts.

Eastern Orthodox Roman Catholic Protestant

“‘…do not [leave them where they are], and do not try to call them to where you are, as beautiful as that place might seem to you. You must have the courage to go with them to a place that neither you nor

they have ever been before.’ - Fr. Vincent Donovan (Spiritan priest to Masai)

Eastern Orthodox Roman Catholic Protestant

Eastern Orthodox Roman Catholic Protestant

Eastern Orthodox Roman Catholic Protestant

“Follow me!”

Eastern Orthodox Roman Catholic Protestant

“Follow me!”

Eastern Orthodox Roman Catholic Protestant

“‘…do not [leave them where they are], and do not try to call them to where you are, as beautiful as that place might seem to you. You must have the courage to go with them to a place that neither you nor

they have ever been before.’ - Fr. Vincent Donovan (Spiritan priest to Masai)

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Reframing Jesus:beyond fundamentalism & anti-

fundamentalism

The Lord’s Prayer

1. Our Father above us and all around us …

2. May Your unspeakable Name be revered.

3. Now, here on earth may Your commonwealth come.

4. On earth as in heaven may Your will be done.

5. Give us today our bread for today.

4. Forgive us our wrongs as we forgive.

3. Lead us away from the perilous trial.

2. Liberate us from the evil.

1.For the kingdom is yours and yours alone.

2. The power is yours and yours alone.

3.The glory is yours and yours alone.

4.Now and forever, amen.

5. Now, here on earth may your commonwealth come.

4. Here on earth may your dreams come true.

3. Hallelujah2. Hallelujah1. Amen.

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Faith Beyond Fundamentalism & Anti-Fundamentalism:

where do we go from here?

Circle Conversation:What idea from this session was most hopeful to you? Most troubling? Most confusing? Most important to take away? And why?

What emotion do you feel now?

What does “the good news of the kingdom of God” mean to you?