This is a quote of a quote but I though it was brilliant. It is written by Scott McKnight about NT Wright's book "Virtue Reborn" or "After you Believe" as it has been titled in the States.
"It deserves to be said: one reason so many people read Tom Wright today is because he can write prose that is flat-out captivating. Like this: in discussing love, Wright says the "English word 'love' is trying to do so many different jobs at the same time that someone really ought to sit down with it and teach it how to delegate." But those early Christians, who found the Greek word agape, "seem to have settled quickly on this word as the best available one, and they then gave it the fresh privilege of carrying a new depth of meaning in which some aspects of its previous career were highlighted and others were set aside." Vintage Wright."
Looks like a good read.
Saturday, 11 September 2010
Thursday, 12 August 2010
Resurrection
One year on, I'm almost through making the Ignatian Spiritual Exercises. The final thing will be to reflect on the whole experience; what has moved me? where were the areas of consolation and desolation? what is staying with me? But for the next couple of weeks I am finishing 4th week. Before moving to "4th week" I attempted to blog about some of my "3rd week" reflections. Now almost through 4th week, I've found it interesting and very challenging praying with the resurrection.
I don't know about you but I have found my Christian life, for much of the time, centred on the cross. I'm not saying there is anything particularly bad about that, but over the last few years I have found it really helpful to focus on a more complete picture of Christ, extending out from the cross to encompass the incarnation and over the last year to pray with all aspects of Jesus; his pre-existence as part of the Godhead; as the "Word" through whom all things came into being; his incarnation; his early years; his public ministry; his passion and death. But praying in this resurrection space has been a challenge of a different order.
What does it mean to live beyond the cross, beyond the resurrection, beyond the ascension?
I'll come back to this thought shortly.
I don't know about you but I have found my Christian life, for much of the time, centred on the cross. I'm not saying there is anything particularly bad about that, but over the last few years I have found it really helpful to focus on a more complete picture of Christ, extending out from the cross to encompass the incarnation and over the last year to pray with all aspects of Jesus; his pre-existence as part of the Godhead; as the "Word" through whom all things came into being; his incarnation; his early years; his public ministry; his passion and death. But praying in this resurrection space has been a challenge of a different order.
What does it mean to live beyond the cross, beyond the resurrection, beyond the ascension?
I'll come back to this thought shortly.
Saturday, 19 June 2010
Reflection #8
Jesus is dead
What to feel? Exhaustion, numbness, unreality, unbelief, this is a bad dream I can't wake up from. What did it all mean? What was it all for in the end? Maybe. Maybe if he hadn't been so outspoken, so confrontational. Maybe there was a different way to get his message across? If only. How could he leave us like that. What will we face now? Hope. Did he not say..What did he mean? Hope? Crashing reality. I really saw him die. He really is dead. The soldiers proved it beyond a shadow of doubt.
The women huddled together as the spear pierced him. They know he is dead. They huddle together in their grief. His body is taken down - they can't help it - they go and touch him, his mother touching his cheek as each of them makes themselves unclean. They follow the men who have wrapped the body in cloth. They see the new tomb nearby, never used. They see him laid inside.
They weep and make the journey back to Bethany. Only a short while ago eating a meal together. Reminded that Mary really did anoint him for burial. Waking next day with a sudden realisation. It's all true - it's not a dream. Jesus is dead. Passing the Sabbath together.
Then a great big white screen and peace. Gazing up into the vastness of heaven and a cloth with a body wrapped in it glowing like a transfiguration.
What to feel? Exhaustion, numbness, unreality, unbelief, this is a bad dream I can't wake up from. What did it all mean? What was it all for in the end? Maybe. Maybe if he hadn't been so outspoken, so confrontational. Maybe there was a different way to get his message across? If only. How could he leave us like that. What will we face now? Hope. Did he not say..What did he mean? Hope? Crashing reality. I really saw him die. He really is dead. The soldiers proved it beyond a shadow of doubt.
The women huddled together as the spear pierced him. They know he is dead. They huddle together in their grief. His body is taken down - they can't help it - they go and touch him, his mother touching his cheek as each of them makes themselves unclean. They follow the men who have wrapped the body in cloth. They see the new tomb nearby, never used. They see him laid inside.
They weep and make the journey back to Bethany. Only a short while ago eating a meal together. Reminded that Mary really did anoint him for burial. Waking next day with a sudden realisation. It's all true - it's not a dream. Jesus is dead. Passing the Sabbath together.
Then a great big white screen and peace. Gazing up into the vastness of heaven and a cloth with a body wrapped in it glowing like a transfiguration.
Reflection #7
My God, My God why have you abandoned me?
He is in agony. Pain radiating through his body. Very difficult to focus on anything but this pain. Locked in the moment, hyper-aware. You can't go anywhere. You can't escape the pain. Caught up in it. All encompassing. Jesus holds onto God by his fingertips. Separated by a gulf of pain from his disciples and friends. He is alone and becomes increasingly aware of this. No-one can go through this with him. His whole focus is on the agony, alone in his suffering. He tries to hold onto God. Tries to fight the thoughts closing in on him. Tries to stay focused outwards. Darkness falls. Three hours struggling. His head drooping forward. Turmoil inside.
He loves his enemies. His righteousness exceeds that of the Scribes and Pharisees. He is rich and became poor. He offers his other cheek to be slapped. He forgives those who sin against him. He serves one master. He goes a second mile. He is pure in heart, only willing one thing - to do the will of the Father. He faces down evil with incredible costly love.
He hangs there in the face of indifference. He experiences everything but the one thing which is at the extreme of human experience. To be abandoned by God.
At 3 o' clock Jesus cries out in a loud voice - Why? Why? Why Abandoned?
God "in extremis". God hangs there in the face of evil, hypocrisy, indifference and everything wrong in the whole of creation. He also hangs there in the face of losing God. God abandoned by God.
It's a place beyond our comprehension. The moment when Jesus comes to the end of all he is. He is beyond. Off the map.
I don't know how the Trinity worked while Jesus was human, but in this place, Jesus feels himself utterly alone. A being who has lived in community all of his eternal existence. Abandoned. The community of the Godhead totally disrupted, Father and Spirit.
Did he need to go that extreme? It feels to me like he did. He needed to experience this ultimate place beyond God. And I am struck again by his love even in the face of complete mystery and unknowing.
Jesus shouted out again and released his spirit.
He is in agony. Pain radiating through his body. Very difficult to focus on anything but this pain. Locked in the moment, hyper-aware. You can't go anywhere. You can't escape the pain. Caught up in it. All encompassing. Jesus holds onto God by his fingertips. Separated by a gulf of pain from his disciples and friends. He is alone and becomes increasingly aware of this. No-one can go through this with him. His whole focus is on the agony, alone in his suffering. He tries to hold onto God. Tries to fight the thoughts closing in on him. Tries to stay focused outwards. Darkness falls. Three hours struggling. His head drooping forward. Turmoil inside.
He loves his enemies. His righteousness exceeds that of the Scribes and Pharisees. He is rich and became poor. He offers his other cheek to be slapped. He forgives those who sin against him. He serves one master. He goes a second mile. He is pure in heart, only willing one thing - to do the will of the Father. He faces down evil with incredible costly love.
He hangs there in the face of indifference. He experiences everything but the one thing which is at the extreme of human experience. To be abandoned by God.
At 3 o' clock Jesus cries out in a loud voice - Why? Why? Why Abandoned?
God "in extremis". God hangs there in the face of evil, hypocrisy, indifference and everything wrong in the whole of creation. He also hangs there in the face of losing God. God abandoned by God.
It's a place beyond our comprehension. The moment when Jesus comes to the end of all he is. He is beyond. Off the map.
I don't know how the Trinity worked while Jesus was human, but in this place, Jesus feels himself utterly alone. A being who has lived in community all of his eternal existence. Abandoned. The community of the Godhead totally disrupted, Father and Spirit.
Did he need to go that extreme? It feels to me like he did. He needed to experience this ultimate place beyond God. And I am struck again by his love even in the face of complete mystery and unknowing.
Jesus shouted out again and released his spirit.
Reflection #6
They sat around
That's the verse that really got me.
"They gambled for his clothes by throwing dice, then they sat around and kept guard as he hung there."
It's hard to know what to say to that apart from to weep.
"They sat around...as he hung there"
While God died painfully and horribly. While God was stretching and reaching. While God is suffering and dying, slowly.
What does God do in the face of such indifference? Unconcern? They are not looking up; they are focused on themselves; attending to their everyday stuff. Business as usual. What does God do in the face of such indifference? He hangs there.
It's not the out and out hostility that gets me. Atheists don't bother me. They are at least talking about God even if they are not thinking. But those who sit around...
That's the verse that really got me.
"They gambled for his clothes by throwing dice, then they sat around and kept guard as he hung there."
It's hard to know what to say to that apart from to weep.
"They sat around...as he hung there"
While God died painfully and horribly. While God was stretching and reaching. While God is suffering and dying, slowly.
What does God do in the face of such indifference? Unconcern? They are not looking up; they are focused on themselves; attending to their everyday stuff. Business as usual. What does God do in the face of such indifference? He hangs there.
It's not the out and out hostility that gets me. Atheists don't bother me. They are at least talking about God even if they are not thinking. But those who sit around...
Reflection #5
Jesus and the Soldiers
Jesus was handed over to the soldiers after his back has been ripped by the lead tipped whip.
Roman soldiers I imagine were a pretty bloody lot. They worked on behalf of an Empire that was ruthless; mired in ugly and graphic violence of every kind. I imagine they have seen and committed all kinds of violent and barbaric acts. They don't care about Jesus. He epitomises everything they hate about this riotous and rebellious nation they have been posted to. Another messiah. Another insurrection to put down. They are all about oppression and humiliation and displays of power. But mostly - humiliation.
The soldiers gather around and undress him. They pull off his clothes. Humiliation. Put a red cloak on him. I imagine a red travelling cloak of one of the Soldiers. The kind they wrap themselves in to sleep. I imagine the smell; the rough texture; the dust; the vivid colour; the feel of it on ripped and bleeding skin. Here's a crown. Push and twist it on his head. Here's a sceptre. They grab and strike him with it. Humiliation. Spit on him. Humiliation. Then pull the cloak off him and push his clothes back on him.
See how powerful we are. We're in charge. We Romans - King?! Hardly.
They stripped and humiliated him. But Jesus had already stripped and humiliated himself. He had already taken off his robe voluntarily; because all authority over everything had been given to him. SO. He had already shamed himself in the act of washing feet. They had no power to humble him. He had chosen to humble himself. He had taken the initiative. They didn't take anything from Jesus that he had not already given up of his own accord.
They didn't grasp that. Jesus had all the power. They hadn't realised because it wasn't the kind of power they expected. Jesus weakness, his humiliation, was his power.
Jesus was handed over to the soldiers after his back has been ripped by the lead tipped whip.
Roman soldiers I imagine were a pretty bloody lot. They worked on behalf of an Empire that was ruthless; mired in ugly and graphic violence of every kind. I imagine they have seen and committed all kinds of violent and barbaric acts. They don't care about Jesus. He epitomises everything they hate about this riotous and rebellious nation they have been posted to. Another messiah. Another insurrection to put down. They are all about oppression and humiliation and displays of power. But mostly - humiliation.
The soldiers gather around and undress him. They pull off his clothes. Humiliation. Put a red cloak on him. I imagine a red travelling cloak of one of the Soldiers. The kind they wrap themselves in to sleep. I imagine the smell; the rough texture; the dust; the vivid colour; the feel of it on ripped and bleeding skin. Here's a crown. Push and twist it on his head. Here's a sceptre. They grab and strike him with it. Humiliation. Spit on him. Humiliation. Then pull the cloak off him and push his clothes back on him.
See how powerful we are. We're in charge. We Romans - King?! Hardly.
They stripped and humiliated him. But Jesus had already stripped and humiliated himself. He had already taken off his robe voluntarily; because all authority over everything had been given to him. SO. He had already shamed himself in the act of washing feet. They had no power to humble him. He had chosen to humble himself. He had taken the initiative. They didn't take anything from Jesus that he had not already given up of his own accord.
They didn't grasp that. Jesus had all the power. They hadn't realised because it wasn't the kind of power they expected. Jesus weakness, his humiliation, was his power.
Reflection #4
Jesus, the Son of Man (Mark & Daniel)
Jesus is taken to the High Priest's home
The Son of Man comes up in the clouds of heaven
Jesus is led before the council
The Son of Man is led into the presence of the Ancient One
They spat on him
He is given authority
They blindfolded him
He is given honour
They beat him with their fists
He is given sovereignty over all the nations of the world
They mocked him
People of every race, nation, language obey him
They slapped him
His rule is eternal it will never end
They took him away
His kingdom will never be destroyed
"Are you the Messiah, the Son of the Blessed One?"
"I AM. And you will see the Son of Man seated in the place of power at God's right hand and coming on the clouds of heaven"
Jesus is taken to the High Priest's home
The Son of Man comes up in the clouds of heaven
Jesus is led before the council
The Son of Man is led into the presence of the Ancient One
They spat on him
He is given authority
They blindfolded him
He is given honour
They beat him with their fists
He is given sovereignty over all the nations of the world
They mocked him
People of every race, nation, language obey him
They slapped him
His rule is eternal it will never end
They took him away
His kingdom will never be destroyed
"Are you the Messiah, the Son of the Blessed One?"
"I AM. And you will see the Son of Man seated in the place of power at God's right hand and coming on the clouds of heaven"
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