Hmm

I have already talked about Jesus being a Jew, so I thought I might discuss something we talked about in my Bonhoeffer class today. We got onto the topic of whether or not Jesus would be necessary if God's original plan of the covenant to bring humanity back into unity with God worked. In other words, did God have full intentions of having the Covenant work and therefore had to change God's mind and come up with a new plan for Jesus when it failed? If yes, then what was the purpose of Jesus in the Trinity if his path was uncertain?
The class was pretty divided on it, and I am not explaining the situation very well, either, but the point is that I think we tend to get too caught up in the idea of Jesus based on the 33 years he spent as a human. And then we completely disregard Jesus as Logos: the Word, and the Truth, of God. Jesus is the Truth that was embodied on Earth for 33 years. Only 33 years out of an eternal existence with God and the Holy Spirit, but those 33 years have completely altered the history of humanity. Wether God already had that completely planned out or not, we must not forget that Jesus had a purpose as the Truth of God spoken throughout history and into the future long before he became a famous baby wrapped in swaddling clothes.

nothingness

Exactly.









Gnostics and Zen Bhuddists are similar in their understandings of true meaning in life. Whatever the meaning is, whether it be a state of nothingness, or a vast possession of knowledge, it is found inside of the individual, not in the boundaries of society. In a way, I almost understand that concept. Sometimes, it seems like everything we work for and place priority in is so completely pointless. What if we took some time to be a little more introspective? To try to find a deeper meaning outside of the confines of society's life plan for us. Maybe then we can find God's life plan for us. Yes.

Spirits and Souls

While language may be an excellent tool for communication among people, I think that it really creates some gaps between cultures. Words carry so much meaning, and the same word may be interpreted completely different in one place and time from another. How should we interpret the words spirit and soul in the Bible? Are we immortal because of our understanding of spirits going to heaven and lasting beyond our bodies? Or are our spirits the life force that God gives us, part of our bodies, dying with our bodies, and not seen again until a bodily resurrection? How does it all fit together? And how do we get past the limitations of our language in order to explain and understand all of this?

Choosing

This week in REL 312 we have been discussing the impact of choices in our society. Jesus stated in his Sermon on the Mount that those who have chosen to compromise their reputation in order to follow him are blessed. Do people still relate to that kind of statement? Are our reputations really in danger as Christians? They are, but not the way we would assume them to be.
We make choices every day, and I would say that most of the time, those choices are governed by societal expectations. But what if we changed things up a bit? What if we challenged the system, trying new ways and ideas to achieve political administration and education and policy? Wouldn't that endanger our reputations as followers of tradition and understood rules? Isn't that exactly what Jesus is asking us to do?
Why to we take our routines for granted? Why can't we find new meanings to human interaction and development? Why can't we choose to work together in creating new traditions that can benefit us all?

Honeybees

So in Rel 312 today, we discussed a few of the detrimental impacts humans are making on the environment. Dr. Borders used his favorite example, the honeybee, to show how much the environment will be changed in a few decades as we lose the pollinators necessary for many of our food crops. The point was that people who know that this is happening are still working to make a change, even if it may not necessarily help in the end.
There are so many problems in this world. A lot of the time, I get overwhelmed when I think about our society and standards that are continuing to lower. Sometimes I wonder if the Church is doing any good when it sings the same old songs and tries for the same tradition it has been experiencing for centuries. But maybe the Church isn't just a one-trick pony. Maybe it is just trying to make a change when change just doesn't seem likely. Maybe Christians are just trying to be beekeepers...working to make a difference when it seems like society just won't be able to get better.

Life Together

I love how some of my religion classes are speaking to each other with the concept of the Church and its role in the community. In Rel 312, we talked about the social act of salvation and how it takes being involved in the Christian community in order to be involved in Christ. This idea is very similar to a book written by Dietrich Bonhoeffer, which I studied in my Rel 400 class. In a world where everything is so subjective, how do we reach the sense of community talked about in these two classes? How do we bridge the gap society has created?
My fiance has been talking in his Psychology classes about the lack of communication found in modern relationships. People are losing the interest and ability to talk to each other, and people all over the globe are suffering for it. Maybe we as Christians should take the example of our Saviour and try to start the conversation again. Get people talking about how they feel and how they believe. Not only will it help mend the brokeness in marriages, friendships, and family bonds all over, but it will also bring people back into the community of Christ as we rebuild our bonds with each other and with Jesus Christ.

Wake Up Call

So on Tuesday, Dr. Borders asked us to think about what makes us get out of bed in the morning. Honestly, I don't really know what gets me out of bed. It certainly isn't school.I suppose that the idea of interacting with people that I love and appreciate makes me feel most willing to wake up in the morning. But as far a real purpose for my being awake and alive in this world, I have not quite gotten things figured out yet. I wonder what made Jesus start his day. Did he think to himself, "My purpose for the day is to receive 4 new people in my following, get a new pair of sandals, and work a few miracles while I am at it" ? Did Jesus know who he was? Did he wake up every morning knowing what he would do for humanity? I think the idea of being betrayed, denied, crucified would probably make me want to roll over and go back to sleep for the day. I don't know who I am, or why I am here, or what my purpose my days are supposed to serve. Did Jesus feel the same way, sometimes? Or was he always aware of his purpose for this world?

Hopeless, or Hopeful?

So, in class today we got into a discussion about prominent issues in our lives, in the world, and in Huntingdon. And to be honest, I got pretty depressed when I saw all of the things that are wrong today. It is overwhelming to think about the fact that even in college, where students choose to further their education and want to learn, we are burdened by standards, rules, and implications that limit our freedom as young adults seeking degrees. How in the world are we supposed to fix this?

I think the heart of the problem is the view institutions have of students. We are warm bodies to fill the desks and pump out statistics that make schools look better. But in our minds, the schools are looking worse and worse. Why does a college have an attendance policy that forces students to attend classes that cram their heads with as much useless information as they can in a hour? How can we see the value of our education when all we are learning to prepare for is the next test that can judge the standards of the institution?

In society found in the New Testament, I am not sure that the answers to these problems would be any easier to find than they are now. Having said that, I do think that biblical social groups had a much better sense of community than modern society. What if we, as a student body, bring our questions and concerns to the administration? What if we as a body realized our value to society and decided the things that we really want to know and approached our teachers and administration with our requests? Jesus wanted the Jews to strengthen and broaden their relationships with each other and with outsiders. Huntingdon is a small college. What if we united to bring our concerns out in the open and possibly figure out ways to change things around here? Maybe REL 312 can start the conversation on campus. Maybe we should make our own survey,  documentary, or history, getting the voices of our student body to all sing as one chorus. We each have talents and ideas to bring to the table.

Maybe the Romans could approach the athletes, the warriors of our school, and bring their concerns into focus. Maybe the Essenes could find and approach smaller programs and groups that many know nothing about in the life of Huntingdon. Maybe the Pharisees could talk to teachers and other faculty of the school who need to realize the worries about our student body. The Zealots and followers of "the Way" could talk to the more prominent religious groups and programs around campus that also may have something to say. I know that in one semester, this is a lot of work, and change probably wouldn't happen so suddenly. But I think that it is important for us as a class to take a closer look at our school. To bring our issues into discussion. Because personally, I am really worried about the learning institutions of this nation. Jesus wouldn't just stand by and watch all of this happen. So we shouldn't either.

Alms for an Ex-Leper?

So in REL 312 this past Tuesday, we discussed the difference between purity and pollution, in the ancient sense. Jesus really did rock people's worlds off of their axes when he dealt with so many exiles of society. When he forgave them of their sins, he didn't just heal them (in fact, the gospels seem to want to make it clear that the miracles are not the important part of the stories) he brought them back into relationship with society. Man, I can just see the look on the scribes' and Pharisees' faces when Jesus acted with such audacity as to welcome such outcasts with open arms.
Who did Jesus think he was? Heck, who did the outcasts think he was? Did they really understand what was going on when he interacted with them? I suppose they did, but just because he reconciled them with society didn't mean that they were automatically buddy-buddy with the scribes and Pharisees. When left with no source of income until they found some vocation in their community, did the newcomers to the "in crowd" feel like the ex-leper in Life of Brian? Shoved into a community that didn't really want much to do with them and that they possibly didn't want to do much with?

Bobblehead Jesus

In class today, we discussed the many different portrayals of Jesus Christ. We looked at a variety of depictions, ranging from a classic, European Jesus to a plastic bobblehead Jesus. Where did our pictures of Jesus come from? They certainly are not historically accurate, and yet we continue to use such examples to depict the appearance of Jesus. But why does it really matter what Jesus looked like? Does the beard really give us insight into the personality of Jesus?
I think it is kind of nice that we have so many depictions of Christ, for no one views him the same. Maybe the concept of all of these different appearances (beard, no beard, blue eyes, brown eyes, straight hair, long hair, short hair, curly hair) is to reflect the different understandings of Jesus and his role in our lives. Giving Jesus an appearance we are familiar with and comfortable around, even an appearance we can laugh around (the bobblehead) allows him to become more accessible in our minds. I suppose that as long as we do not become so preoccupied with his appearance that we lose the true picture of Jesus as our Saviour (no matter what he actually looked like) that bobblehead Jesus is okay by me :)

And Jesus Rolled His Eyes.

So, I was reading on of the texts last week in Rel 312, and I was struck by how the book ended one of its chapters on the life of Jesus. It talked about how Jesus was a Jew (of course), and things might have turned out a lot differently if Christianity had not become a new prominent religion after his life on earth. What if Jesus came not to create a new faith, but merely to expand upon Judaism? What if we got it wrong?
The text mentioned that the absence of Christianity might have drastically impacted the rise of anti-semitism and the events of European history in the mid-20th century. Would Hitler have found another reason for genocide, or would the Holocaust be entirely erased from history?
Was Christianity merely a way for Gentiles to become believers? Could we have handled the inclusion of Gentiles in Judaism better? Why is there such a division between Jews and Christians? Did Jesus, after all of his works and teachings, ascend into Heaven and roll his eyes at the misunderstandings of humankind? I really woudn't blame him.

The Way, The Truth, The Life

So, in REL 312 today, we discussed the difference between the modern view of what history means and the view of what history would mean for the authors of the Bible. Now, I've always held the view that the Bible should not be interpreted literally, but to hear that the stories in the Bible are fictional settings of events often placed in the wrong order in order to serve a greater meaning kind of shocked me a little. I think it is hard for many of us to hear "the Bible" and "fiction" used in the same sentence, but I guess we should really ask ourselves why the validation of the Bible seems to rest solely on its ability to accurately record historical events. What does it really matter?
Dr. Borders asked us the question, "Is there one truth?" I think the authors of the Bible would say no to this question, as they were able to reveal many truths in single stories. Truth is based on perception and personal experience among other things, and therefore, no two people are going to see the same truth in something. Jesus said, "I am the way, the truth, and the life." Is he saying, "I am THE TRUTH?" Or was that statement intended to mean something entirely different to those he was speaking to? Dr. Borders said that he might have meant that Jesus is the truth in a lifestyle...a way of living and being. If this is so, then the only truth we've got is a life in Jesus. Who needs written historical facts when we have God bringing purpose and meaning to our stories?