Part 263. To love is to act. Mental assent alone is not enough.

Love is displayed by what we do, not by what we think. Jesus tells us to love our neighbours, not by intellectual assent alone but through action.  In other words it is not a question of paying lip service to the concept of love: it is a matter of showing love for others by doing, by action.

The 'doing' takes many forms. One is by providing face-to-face support to individuals in need. There are many acts of kindness including:  listening, empathising, advocacy, a friendly word. Or it may be meeting material needs: food, shelter clothing. Practical action at point of need.  

Many denominations engage in what has been described as 'ambulance work', patching up the wounded and sending them on their way. Alleviating symptoms but not tackling underlying causes. Let's be clear, this ambulance work is of vital importance providing essential support to people living in poverty or destitution,  people living in areas of multiple deprivation, individuals who are disadvantaged, marginalised or discriminated against. 

Followers of Jesus are called to do much  more. Not only to treat the symptoms but to demand changes to eradicate the causes. In other words systemic change. The reason Jesus was executed by the Roman authorities  was to take out a person they perceived as an agitator threatening to destabilise the country with his radical message of love and care for the poor, the marginalised and the disadvantaged. The Roman authorities wished to stamp out any serious threat to its rule and were aided and abetted by religious, business and religious leaders who saw Jesus as a major threat to political, economic and religious stability. And so the strand of theology developed laying claim to Jesus advocating systemic change in society through his command to love your neighbour.  Social justice is a key element of loving your neighbour. 

Many have followed the call of Jesus. Some have died for their opposition to the  the perpetrators of modern day examples of repression.. Think of  Oscar Romero, Martin Luther King Jnr  and Dietrich Bonhoeffer. We have seen the development of Liberation Theology and the work of Gustavo Gutierrez and Leonardo Boff. 

You may read much more on my Facebook pages: John Hopkinson Theology  and Theology of Social Justice.

Part 262. Kissing Fish Book article.

The following is an article from the Facebook page Kissing Fish Book published on 23.03.2024. The author is Roger Wolsley.  I commend it for your consideration.

“Good orthodoxy leads to good orthopraxy” is a common aphorism wielded among conservative evangelical and fundamentalist Christians. It’s frequently worded in a more aggressive manner: “without proper orthodoxy, there can be no proper Christian discipleship.” These claims intend to convey that unless people believe certain doctrines and dogmas – and in a literal way – they are incapable of engaging in doing good in the world. Moreover, such declarations also seek to convey that if, for some freakish reason, some humans do happen to engage in good acts in the world without giving intellectual consent to a proscribed set of truth claims, those good acts are accidents and “don’t count” - they aren’t enough to be saved (get into heaven).

Examples of these truth-claims that conservatives claim must be agreed with include:

- Jesus is literally God – one and the same.

- Jesus’s mother was literally a virgin when she birthed him.

- Jesus literally walked on water, turned water into wine, and raised people from the dead.

- God is all-powerful and intercedes in the world, performing literal miracles which defy the laws of physics.

- Jesus was born to be killed as the requisite sacrifice needed to atone for human sins, and that the literal shedding of his blood was necessary to meet this need (any form of execution that didn’t involve him bleeding would not have been sufficient).

These beliefs require subscribing to the theologies of supernatural theism and the penal or substitutionary theory of the atonement.

 

Progressive Christianity rejects both supernatural theism and the substitutionary theory of the atonement. Such rejections are considered blasphemous and heretical to conservative Christians, as they have no form of Christianity that doesn’t embrace those theologies. Such Christians have lived sheltered lives, oblivious to the reality that the 66 books of the (Protestant Bible) – convey an even greater number of theologies. They are uninformed about the variety of Christianities which existed prior to the era of the creeds and doctrines that began when the Roman Emperor Constantine decriminalized Christianity (eventually co-opting it to give Divine sanction to Empire). They are unaware that no Church Council in Church history has ever ruled that any one theory of the atonement is the “one, right, true,” and/or “correct” one. And they are unaware that the moral influence/example theory of the atonement is fully supported by verses in the Bible.  

Given that state of unaware dogmatic slumber, we progressive Christians who are unjustly rebuked and condemned by conservative Christians can take heart in recalling words attributed to Yeshua of Nazareth as he was dying on the cross – “forgive them for they know not what they do.”

I provided the following working definition of progressive Christianity in my book Kissing Fish. 

“Progressive Christianity is an approach to the Christian faith that is influenced by post-liberalism and post-modernism and:

-proclaims Jesus of Nazareth as Christ, Savior, and Lord;

-emphasizes the Way and teachings of Jesus, not merely His person;

-emphasizes God's immanence not merely God's transcendence;

-leans toward panentheism rather than supernatural theism;

-emphasizes salvation here and now instead of primarily in heaven later;

-emphasizes being saved for robust, abundant/eternal life over being saved from punishing hell;

-emphasizes the social/communal aspects of salvation instead of merely the personal;

-stresses social justice as integral to Christian discipleship;

-takes the Bible seriously but not necessarily literally, embracing a more interpretive, metaphorical understanding;

-emphasizes orthopraxy more than orthodoxy (right actions over right beliefs);

-embraces reason as well as paradox and mystery — instead of blind allegiance to rigid doctrines -and dogmas;

-embraces the insights of contemporary science;

-doesn’t consider homosexuality to be sinful;

-and does not claim that Christianity is the only valid or viable way to connect to God (is nonexclusive).” p. 63

You’ll notice the mention of panentheism above. It’s a form of theism that has a long history within the Christian faith and is fully grounded in the Bible; e.g., the apostle Paul’s describing God as the one “in Whom we live, move, and have our being.” This theological perspective recognizes that the Divine is fully immanent within all Creation as well as being fully transcendent from it. As I shared in Kissing Fish:

“Panentheism doesn’t embrace traditional Christian understandings of the “Omni” qualities attributed to God by some of the early Christian theologians who were influenced by pagan[1] Greek philosophical ideals. God isn’t understood as omnipotent (all powerful). Rather, God is viewed as very powerful – as powerful as God can be and be in authentic relationship to us. It might be said that in creating humans God relinquished some of Her power to us to allow for the possibility of real and genuine relationship.

Similarly, in the panentheistic view God isn’t understood as being omniscient (all knowing) either, at least not how that’s been traditionally understood. If God has given us free will and agency, and genuine relationship with God, then God can’t know everything in the future. In other words, God knows all that is possible for Her to know given that She’s turned over some of Her power and agency to humanity. This is still an awful lot of knowledge. It is with this knowledge of the past, the present, and the likely and probable future that God seeks to influence us through the Holy Spirit toward the most ideal and beautiful options in each and every moment.

I can’t speak for all of progressive Christianity, but I would like to introduce a new “omni” quality for God, perhaps to override the “omnis” that have been displaced or reinterpreted – “omniamo” or “omniamore”) – all loving. If there is one essential and consistent theme throughout the whole of the Bible it is God’s love. We see that God loves us unconditionally like a protective parent, like a wooing lover, and like a committed lover. God loves us incarnationally, down to earth, and relationally. God loves us like a friend. In sum, God loves us like a God worthy of humans loving Her. We also see that God calls us to love in these same ways, to love ourselves and to love others, as God loves us. Indeed, one of the shortest verses in the Bible is one of the most profound: “God is love.” (1 John 4:8).

Progressive Christianity tends to endorse this form of theism because it corresponds better with the fullness of the biblical text, the writings of the earliest Christian theologians and mystics, the insights of contemporary science, and with many people’s lived experiences of God.”

Yes, orthodoxy does matter, yet our conservative friends don’t have a monopoly on it. Moreover, I suggest that what they hold as orthodox is often an adventure in missing the point, a missing the forest for the trees that leads to the bad fruit of a false orthopraxy of being judgmental, rigid, and inquisitional, – even to the point of the sin of sodomy – being unwelcoming, inhospitable, and exploitive – which is the last thing we need in the Church.

Many progressive Christians embrace the first Creation myth found in Genesis Chapter 1:26, where it says, “And God said, let us create humans in our image,… and God created them, male and female.” The Hebrew word for God here is Elohim which conveys the plurality within the Divine - including the masculine and feminine. We also celebrate how the Divine self-references with the expansive pronouns “us” and “our.” This, coupled with Jesus’ call to embrace non-gender conforming persons (Matthew 19:12); and Paul’s reminder that “in Christ there is no male or female,” helps us embrace and celebrate the full diversity of humanity – including all sexes and genders. Good orthopraxy.

The doctrine of the Trinity is paramount to conservative Christians and some of them claim that progressive Christians reject it. That may be true for those who are unitarians, yet many progressive Christians can and do believe Jesus was Divine (in the way that you and I are), and concur that he’s the 2nd person of the Trinity. Progressive Christians honor and celebrate Jesus as a unique and fully incarnate manifestation of God. We live and move and have our being in God, so did Jesus. Many of us view the Trinity as a beloved Christian poem of who God is – ultimate reality which is in dynamic, loving relationship. This view doesn’t see the Trinity as asserting literal ontological reality, but rather as deftly worded devotional poetry. Yet poems don’t literally define things. Like all art, and theology, they point to what is beyond them. Viewed in this way, we see the Trinity reminding us that we exist in relation to others – and that we are called to love ourselves and others dynamically and lovingly. Good orthopraxy.

Taking the Bible seriously is another tenet of conservative Christian orthodoxy. And, while progressive Christians don’t consider the Bible as inerrant, infallible, or dictated by Jesus or God, we do just that. We see Jesus’ repeated instructions (and actions that demonstrate them) to love – ourselves, our neighbors (especially those in great need), and even our enemies and those teachings lead us to feed the hungry, clothe the naked, and to prophetically speak truth to power and work to reduce the number of people who are hungry, naked, unhoused, or in prison. Good orthopraxy.

It’s important to realize that none of the people described as experiencing salvation in the Gospels – and in the entirety of the New Testament – subscribed to any of the “required truth claims” our conservative friends insist upon. The orthodoxy that matters is an orthodoxy of the heart – not the head. It’s being open to the inner knowing of God’s omniamo all-loving presence in our lives – and living accordingly."

~ RW

Part 261. A 'must read' Jim Palmer article. .

 I concur with all this. Article byJim PALMER.

It’s unfortunate for all those years as a pastor that I cheapened Jesus by making him into supernatural being who would save the world, and not as a courageous and revolutionary human person who came to love it. I can’t relate to the religious Jesus as a sinless saint, but I feel like I understand the Jesus who found deep peace within himself, but could also became unhinged by the abuses of religion. 

With that in mind, here are 10 things about Christianity that Jesus would not endorse if he had a say: 

1. That his vision for a transformed society, got twisted into an afterlife fantasy about heaven.

2. That a religion was formed to worship his name, instead of a movement to advance his message.

3. That the gospel says his death solved the problem of humankind's separation from God, instead of accepting that his life revealed the truth that there is no separation from God.

4. That the religion bearing his name was conceived by the theories and doctrines of Paul, instead of the truth Jesus lived and demonstrated.

5. That he was said to exclusively be God in the flesh, putting his example out of reach, rather than teaching that we all share in the same spirit that empowered his character and life.

6. That the religion that claims his name, teaches that his wisdom and teachings are the only legitimate way to know truth and God.

7. The idea that humankind stands condemned before God and deserving of Divine wrath and eternal conscious judgement, requiring the death of Jesus to fix it.

8. That people are waiting on Jesus to return to save the world and end suffering, rather than taking responsibility for saving the world and solving suffering ourselves.

9. That people think there is magical potency in uttering the name of Jesus, rather than accessing our own natural powers and capabilities to effect change.

10. That people have come to associate Jesus with church, theology, politics and power, rather than courage, justice, humanity, beauty and love.

Jim Palmer

Part 260. My theological position: a summary. Section Three

Three quotations: 

Our religion should be a sincere search for God within us, a search that will bring forth fruits of love, justice and truth.

Oscar Romeo

God is a verb that invites us to live, to love and to be.

John Shelby Spong 

I understand that the ultimate reality that the word  'God' indicates is woven into the fabric of all existence and in the ground of my being.

Jim Palmer 

God is love. The ministry of Jesus is encapsulated in the words: love God, love others. Reports of the ministry of Jesus contained in the synoptic gospels indicate the challenge Jesus engaged in against the prevailing religious, political and economic systems.  His support for the poor,  the disadvantaged, the marginalised and the discriminated against comes through loud and clear.

When reading the synoptic gospels we must consider it in the context of the times and also the motivation of the authors which is a factor in determining content.

We have to understand the concepts and principles articulated in the synoptic gospels and apply them through the lens of love to our current context. That is the challenge for progressive christianity as it seeks to give effect to love, justice and truth for all.

Part 259. My theological position: a summary. Section Two

Who or what is God? Does God exist?  Theories as to the existence and nature of God are simply just that, theories. It is all conjecture and ultimately a matter of personal faith. Hebrews 11:1 encapsulates it well:

Now faith is being sure of what we hope for and certain of what we do not see.

John Shelby Spong commented on the nature of God thus:

God is not a noun, that demands to be described, God is a verb that invites us to love, to live, to be.

God is a human construct, a concept symbolising that which we cannot understand, a concept commandeered for different purposes throughout history.  To my mind, for followers of Jesus God's being and purpose is love for humanity, for freedom, inclusion, equity, for the poor, marginalised and discriminated against.

An associated matter concerns prayer.  I question the idea that God listens to and responds to prayer and the value of intercessionary prayer. I query the motives of individuals who, to justify their actions, assert they are in response to the Holy Spirit. 

We may in faith believe in the efficacy of prayer, the leading of the Holy Spirit but let us not anthropomorphise God. God is beyond description.

Part 258. My theological position: a summary. Section One.

As I have mused on theological matters in this blog some of my beliefs have developed, others have stayed as they were whilst yet others have been rejected. It is all personal opinion, though I trust I have taken counsel from others far more experienced and knowledgeable in theology than I can ever hope to be. I eschew flowery and opaque language. Jargon leaves me cold. Keep it simple but not simplistic.

So what is my theological stance?  

I let go of the notion that the Bible is a divine product. I learned that it is a human cultural product, the product of two ancient communities, biblical Israel and early Christianity. As such, it contained their understandings and affirmations, statements not coming directly or somewhat directly from God.....I realised that whatever "divine revelation" and the "inspiration  of the Bible" meant (if they meant anything, they did not mean that the Bible was a divine product with divine authority.

Marcus Borg 

The above may be read in conjunction with the following statement by Borg.

Properly understood the Bible is a potential ally to the progressive Christian passion for transformation of ourselves and the world.  It is our great heritage.  Along with Jesus, to whom it is subordinate, it is our greatest treasure.

What is properly understood? How do we understand the meaning of words? How do we develop understanding of the message words are intended to convey?  How do we interpret the bible in our context? The ideas of Jacques Derrida and other postmodernists inform us that the meaning of literature is not determined by the author but by our own understanding.  A sensible approach. How are we to know what the authors of the Bible intended? Each generation brings its own interpretation to bear on scripture. In this context I proffer this gem.

My point is not that those ancient people told literal stories and we are not smart enough to take them symbolically, but that they told them symbolically and we are now dumb enough to take them literally.

John Dominic Crossan

So, should we take the synoptic gospels stories about Jesus literally or symbolically and if the latter what do they symbolise? Perhaps that God is love expressed symbolically in human form in Jesus.

Part 257. More quotations

The Kingdom of God is not a matter of getting individuals to heaven, but of transforming the life on earth into the harmony of heaven. 

Walter Rauschenbusch 

Your 'yes' to God  requires your 'no' to all injustice, to all evil, to all lies.

Dietrich Bonhoeffer 

We cannot profess our solidarity with those who are oppressed when we are unwilling to confront the oppressor.

Henri Nouwen

How can we be the church of Jesus unless we reflect the ministry of Jesus?  Is the church a radical incarnation of the ministry of Jesus or a private social club?

Yvette Flunder

The prophetic tasks of the Church are to tell the truth in a society that lives and illusion, grieve in a society that practices denial, and express hope in a society that lives in despair.

Walter Brueggemann 

Part 256. Theology of Social Justice

A political ecclesiology organising then, begins with the Spirit's call to Christian churches to build relationships of liberation and love, and this mission is concretizing in the experience of counterpublic churches, building relational power for political, economic and racial justice.

Aaron Stauffer.  

Phew!. Fortunately Kissing Fish Book Facebook page has provided an explanation in plain English.

"Aaron Stauffer's work encapsulates a profound perspective on the role of Christian churches in societal transformation. It suggests that a political ecclesiology, or the understanding of the church's role in political engagement, commences with the Spirit's call to establish relationships rooted in liberation and love. This call extends beyond mere rhetoric, finding concrete expression in the lived experiences of counterpublic churches. 

In the context of counterpublic churches, the mission takes shape, and these faith communities become agents of change. They actively contribute to building relational power, not only within their congregations but also in the broader social landscape. The objective is clear: to address pressing issues of political, economic, and racial justice.

Stauffer invites contemplation on the dynamic interplay between spirituality and social action. He challenges traditional notions of the church as a passive  observer, urging a more active and engaged role in the pursuit of justice. The transformative journey outlined in his work beckons believers to heed the Spirit's call, actively participate in the mission of liberation and love, and contribute to the collective effort for a more just and equitable society."

I concur with Aaron Stauffer's statement but would add 'and other forms of discrimination'  after 'racial justice'.

Part 255. Theologians and commentators

On my Facebook page: John Hopkinson Theology Page I  have posted a cartoon that has the simple message that Christian faith is about loving God and loving neighbours. Simple that is until the churches and theologians came along to complicate matters.  

Of course the cartoonist has a point, but it would be wrong to be overly critical of  theologians who proffer their insights into the meaning and application of the two Great Commandments set out by Jesus in the synoptic gospels. 

My thinking and hence my faith has been influenced by a number of commentators in the fields of philosophy, politics, law, economics and theology. It is a long held view of mine that we cannot understand faith in a vacuum,  we must consider faith, particularly its application, in the context of the society in which we live. The same may be said of the study of most disciplines: law, economics, politics, sociology etc.

So, who have been major influences in my faith journey? Dietrich Bonhoeffer, Walter Brueggemann, Kenneth Galbraith, Oliver Wendell Holmes, Bernice King, Jacques Derrida, Richard Rohr, Jim Palmer, Leonardo Boff, Oscar Romero, Gustavo Gutierrez, Desmond Tutu, Martin Luther King Jnr, Don Cupitt, David Hayward, John Pavlovitz, John Robinson, Marcus Borg, Richard Holloway and Rowan Williams. 

So from all this my faith comes down to: follow the two Great Commandents,  campaign for social justice for the poor, marginalised and discriminated against, reject the notion of a metaphysical God.

Part 254. KCC budget cuts

Central goverment has put a financial squeeze on local authorities leaving the latter to receive the odium for cuts they make to achieve balanced budgets. Decisions as to where councils cut their budgets is left to local discretion. Statutory services have to be maintained and any ring-fenced resources must be applied in keeping with the purpose of the provision.

Clearly difficult and unpopular decisions have to be taken by the politicians in local government. 

In Kent closure of some Surestart centres, dismembering youth services, funding for homelessness charities and reduction in support funding for disabled people are all in the pipeline. One can have some sympathy for the dilemma facing the policians.

But where is the concerted opposition of churches to these attacks on the vulnerable in our society?  Where are campaigns by the churches, not only at local level but also at national level? Many local councils are in a similar plight to Kent.  The blame rests squarely on the shoulders of The Treasury and ministers. 

For individuals affected by cuts it may then be the case that they turn to the already overstretched voluntary sector, including churches.

Part 253. Quotations (2)

Jesus called people to follow him in a way of living.  He does not require his followers to accept a catalogue of religious beliefs or adopt a set of spiritual practices.  Rather, he offered them a new way to live their daily lives. As a result, the earliest members of the Jesus movement were known as followers of the way.

Kurt Struckmeyer

God is calling the Church to something new, but we hold things back when we do things according to tradition as opposed to partnering with God in the new way.

Doug Addison 

The Church is not memories; we are not just looking in a rear-view mirror. The Church is moving forward and needs new perspectives.

Oscar Romero 

Never be afraid to raise your voice for honesty, truth and compassion against injustice and tyranny and greed.

William Faulkner

Being human, even just a poor worker, is being made in the image of God.  That is not communism or subversion.  It is the word of God that enlightens everyone.

Oscar Romero 

Always be sure that you struggle with Christian weapons.  Never succumb to the temptation of becoming bitter. As you press on for justice, be sure you move with justice and discipline, using only the weapon of love.

Martin Luther King Jnr 

What is needed is a realisation that power without love is reckless and abusive, and that love without power is sentimental and anemic.  Power at its best is love implementing the demands of justice  and justice at its best is love correcting everything that stands against love.

Martin Luther King Jnr 

Part 252.. On the cusp of change?

For those of a progressive disposition the proceedings on Saturday 2nd March at The Salvation Army Belonging and Believing  conference have gone well, if one believes the feedback accurately reflects the substance and tone of presentations and discussions.

The Territorial Leaders  have said: 

Be assured we are not talking about changing our vision of fullness of life for all with Jesus, or our mission - to share the good news, to serve others without discrimination, to nurture disciples of Jesus, to care for creation, to seek justice and Reconciliation - or our values of passion, compassion,  respect, mutual accountability, boldness and integrity,  or our calling to follow Jesus. Rather  we are talking about how we live this out together through discipleship that is radical and inclusive.

Radical and inclusive.

A question posed at the conference:

How can the UKI Territory shape discipleship that is exciting with a radical vision of belonging  committing, and serving the Kingdom of God through The Salvation Army?

That word radical again. 

The Membership Working Party will be taking on board the views expressed at the conference, together with the results of the Belonging and Believing Survey, and many other expressions of opinion. The next step will be for the Working Party  to make recommendations to Territorial leaders.  It is to be hoped that in the interests of transparency the recommendations and the reasoning behind them are placed in the public domain.

Let us hope the recommendations are radical and inclusive, not a damp squib.

Part 251. Belonging and Believing:The Big Conversation

This weekend The Salvation Army is holding a conference at Warwick University to consider inter alia the results of a survey that asked what it means to belong and believe as members or supporters of the Army and what needs to change. The event is fully subscribed.

A large section of this week's Salvationist is taken up with information concerning the event and issues raised by the survey.

What is striking in the Salvationist articles is the strength of support for LBGTQ+ inclusion. This has given great encouragement to those within the Army who have long campaigned for full inclusion.

Will the discussions at the conference reinforce the quest for full inclusion or will conservative fundamentalist evangelicals hold sway? In some ways the arguments reflect the current division within the Church of England.

The Membership Working Party will take on board the results of the survey, what is said at the conference,  as well many other representations it has received, and then draw up its recommendations to be put to the territorial leadership this summer. Will the recommendations and the reasoning behind them be in the public domain? They should be as the need for accountability and tranparency has been promoted by the General. 

TSA is an international organisation. Any move towards full inclusion in the United Kingdom and Ireland Territory will be viewed unfavourably in many Salvationists in the USA and West Africa. However doing what is right for the UK&I Territory should be implemented for that territory alone.

Part 250. Down on the estate (2)

Please read in conjunction with Part 249.

There are over 850 significant social housing estates in England in which the Church of England is being instructed by General Synod to engage by planting churches and seeking new church leaders (including ordinands). Frankly I think this in a mission impossible simply on the basis of sheer size of the task.

One can understand why the CofE wishes to engage in deprived areas. The history of the CofE is one of loss to Methodist and Salvation Army churches.  The two latter denominations are also in decline and looking to re-engage in such areas. The fear is that there will be competition rather than collaborative or partnership working.  

Successful sustainable community engagement in areas of deprivation, that includes individuals who are destitute, are notoriously difficult to achieve.  The last thing people want or need is outsider religious do-gooders preaching at them. Building successful community engagement is a very slow process. Trust is only gained over a long period. It is essential that any community group is of the community, with the community and for the community. 

In areas of multiple deprivation the church must be seen to be campaigning for change, campaigning that has to be led from within the community. Control must rest with a community group, not outsiders whether as individuals or as representatives of a church.  

Nowhere in the General Synod deliberations is there so much as a passing reference to Liberation Theology. The principles of LT are applicable to church engagement in areas of deprivation, indeed are essential.  The church, of whatever denomination, is not there only to apply bandages to the wounded but to engage with communities for them to campaign for structural change.

It is a huge undertaking the CofE is embarked on. To achieve its target will require a massive commitment of human and financial resources.  It would have been preferable to set a much lower initial target and then build on the experience gained.