Just So You Know Where I’m At…
Upon returning home from Emergent SD and realizing Lent starts Wednesday…
Hey Dwight,
Just spent a week with some of the best minds in the Emergent world. I didn’t come away with much that was applicable (from the main sessions), as they had to speak to the majority and the majority were evangelicals beginning the tiptoe towards kneedeep postmodernism.
So now, it’s nearly Lent, and I need help. From a practioner. You know, a guy who really has ants in his basement.
Here’s the thing. My tribe, they are all over the place with who Jesus is/was. The divinty of christ is up for grabs. The reality of the ressurection is up for grabs. How the bloody, violent cross is in any way shape or form an act of redemption is up for grabs.
So how do we celebrate Lent together?
I’ve got loads of books with rituals and readings and cermonies. But none of them work for a group who wants to worship with authenticity, but is at odds about what exactly it is that they are demarcating, remembering, celebrating (etc.)
Got any ideas?
Call me/email me/lets go to lunch…. (i’m free tuesday…)
Shalom,
Rachelle
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Responding to an email from an invisible friend who’s wondering if he can belive something without knowing if it’s true….
Hi DG,
I had to laugh when I read this because I’d just emailed a friend asking for help on how to celebrate Lent when no one in my tribe is sure what they believe, or if those beliefs are really true! For instance, I believe that Jesus died and rose again, but a lot of time I’m not sure if that’s really true. I mean, it’s totally illogical, right? But I can’t help believing it. Others in my group are in the same spot, or an even more “losing my religion” sort of a spot. But you know what, we’ve been there since we left the blissful trusting era of childhood — the only difference is that now we are admitting to it.
Jim always says that the reason he belives in Jesus is because in his life, he’s experienced Jesus as real. I think that’s the most honest answer I can give right now.
The problem is, what does that mean for people of other religions who have experienced their version of God as true?…hmmm.
I think for me, the best I can do with the people who are are with me, is to create spiritual practices that keep us open to God and give us tools for exploring who God is and how God works. I’m more interseted in doing this than in making sure everything we do is distinctly “Christian.” I’m just not sure how to do it at times…esp. becaues in spite of my doubts, I’m distinctly Christian, and unwilling to offer worship to anyone else. So I have to find the places that overlap, the common areas all the tribe members can dance in, and so often I don’t know how to do that.
Someone recently gave me this phrase “writing a new script.” I think the postmodern emerging church is a bunch of people writing a script about life with God that they can live out with honesty and integrity. Just not sure what that looks like right now…
Blessings on you in the Lenten season,
Rachelle
Here’s are some ideas on how we can celebrate Lent even when we can’t figure out what the hell Jesus was. During Lent we as a tribe step into a common pool of brokenness, pain, and suffering. We take on each other’s burdens, we internalize and realize each other’s pain. We prepare to broken as a community in the way that Jesus was broken on the cross. We recognize our own inadequacy and failure. We face the fear and the terror and the doubts of resurrection that Jesus face as he stared down the long dark tunnel that led to the Golgotha.
Lent is the season when we can admit our doubts, when we can huddle together under the dark clouds that obscure our sense of certainty about resurrection, growth, and healing. We search for the hand of God in the darkness of our lives. We grope for a connection with the divine. We scream and cry and lament. We admit that we don’t know where God can be in our misery.
Rachelle,
Sometimes we believe in order to understand.
Not sure how helpful that is…but understanding doesnt necessarily need to come first.
In the Anglican lectionary Lent always starts with Jesus’ temptation in the desert. Lots of ways to ponder that - how are we tempted to play God in our own lives - to usurp the divine? What about when the divine refuses divine power, and how does this set up the story for Easter?
Plus, you can use U2’s Vertigo somewhere (all this, all this can be yours, just give me what I want, and no-one gets hurt…)
;)
Anglican lectionary here:
http://www.io.com/~kellywp/YearA/Lent/ALent1.html
This probably will not be popular but I think it’s best not observe Lent with those in your tribe who do not believe IN THE SAME WAY as with those who believe.
Doing so is a disservice to both groups.
Seekers need to understand there are some events that are for the family of faith and Lent is most certainly one of them (although they should be encouraged to observe if they would like).
A British citizen can enjoy the 4th of July but should not pretend they are an American. They are an outsider unless they choose to renounce their citizenship and become and American. The exclusiveness of the event is part of its power. It’s not a world celebration it’s an American celebration and Lent is a uniquely Christian event.
The things people choose to do during Lent are only uniquely Christian if they arise through Christian faith. Someone who fasts for health reasons is not observing Lent. Renouncing things for your faith and love in Christ is what makes Lent Lent.
I hope the seekers in your community will experience the beauty and power of the love of Christ through observing your faith during Lent and develop a saving faith.
If what you do leads them to believe they can experience the power of Lent without faith I believe they will be taking a step away from saving faith instead of toward it.
Jeremy,
Except….sometimes the people who are most sure about Jesus are the ones who believe it the least. And those with doubts are the ones who are the most authentic in their faith.
I dont think Lent gets its power from being exclusive. If it has any meaning at all it is as an expression of faith, and everyone can express faith no matter where they are in their voyage.
“Except….sometimes the people who are most sure about Jesus are the ones who believe it the least. And those with doubts are the ones who are the most authentic in their faith. ”
Agreed but there’s still a difference between someone who is decidedly on the fence (non-Christian) and those who have crossed the threshold. This distinction must not be blurred unless we want to abandon the entire idea that being a Christian gives you a unique identity, mission and standing before God. This conversation began because Rachelle seems to know those in her tribe who believe the tenants of the Gospel and those who are still processing it.
“I don’t think Lent gets its power from being exclusive. If it has any meaning at all it is as an expression of faith, and everyone can express faith no matter where they are in their voyage. ”
This is where we diverge. Lent is not simply “an expression of faith” it is an expression of a specific faith, in a specific person and his specific passion to save the world. I agree that everyone can express faith but Lent does not celebrate that. Lent is not “Faith Appreciation Month” it is deeply engaging one specific faith and in that sense it is exclusive. We can certainly argue as to whether the exclusive nature makes it more powerful but I don’t think we can argue on whether Lent is exclusive…it is, after all, about Christianity, a specific faith.
Jeremy : This conversation began because Rachelle seems to know those in her tribe who believe the tenants of the Gospel and those who are still processing it.
Jennifer : But isnt everyone, “believer” and “non-believer” alike still processing? Doesnt the believer sometimes ask the hardest questions….”Did Jesus really rise from the dead?” I think most honest believers who “belive the tenants of the gospel” still have doubts and fears and are very much still processing. We’re not all that different from “non-believers” in that wa. ‘Believer’ and ‘non-believer’ are not really all that helpful as far as labels go in this conversation since believers doubt, and unbelievers also have faith. God can handle our questions. Coming to faith doesnt necessarily, and probably shouldnt, stop the processing.
Jeremy,
Thanks for expressing your thoughts on this. I think we are beginning this discussion from very different starting points. What I hear you saying is that for you Lent is a specifically Christian event, Christians have ownership of it (much like the USA owns it’s Independence Day), and those who don’t claim Christianity can watch but not truly participate.
I don’t begin from a different starting point. The starting point for me is “the kingdom of heaven is here.” I think everyone is created in the image of God and invited into the celebrations of God’s kingdom, whether or not they are aware of the actions of Christ. I’m aware that this is not a standard evangelical position. (I am not a standard evangelical
I think all of our Christian celebrations should reflect the open reality that the kingdom of God is here, and that we are all welcome. So while I do agree that Lent is specifically about the life and death of Jesus, I still think we can find ways to allow everyone to participate in Lent regardless of where they are at in their understanding of Jesus. If none of us could play until we had firm beliefs in every aspect of Christ’s life…well, none of us could play!
As the abbess of ThPM/Monkfish Abbey, I’m trying to find practices that we can all hold in common — even while our faith/belief/understandings grow, alter, ebb and flow.
I’m wondering if doing something around remembering the attributes/character of Jesus might be a good start….because even if one is unsure of the personhood and godhood of Jesus one can still live into the kind of living he models for us??? Still thinking….
Well, a good conversation Jennifer and Jeremy. Carry on!
Rachelle & Jennifer -
I think our differences are even smaller than that. I too believe whole heartedly that the Kingdom of Heaven is here and should touch everyone.
It seems our real difference is - should your community make a stark differentiation between those who have made the confession “Jesus is Lord” and fully identify with Jesus (which is the purpose of baptism).
I’m not a guy who usually talks about baptism (I don’t believe is saves etc.) but is seems one of its purposes is to avoid the confusion that could result if people don’t know where they stand before God. When you have come to the point where your faith overcomes your doubt enough to make a stand for Christ you become baptized as a sign to the community of faith (past, present and future) and all in the heavenly realm that you belong to Jesus.
I believe it is biblical and absolutely necessary to make this distinction between believer and seeker in ones tribe in order for the seeker to know there is a point when the journey toward Christianity ends and a new journey into the realized Kingdom of Heaven begins. This transition should be marked by baptism.
Sounds like we simply disagree that this distinction is helpful or necessary.
Let me say also that I highly respect what I guess your motives are for blurring this distinction - A desire to include more people into the richness of God’s Kingdom. I simply believe creating this distinction ultimately makes it more rich for all.
Blessing upon you and your community during Lent.