Reflections on culture, nature, and spirituality from a Christian perspective
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From Rowland Croucher:
“What binds us together is not the ‘purity’ of our doctrinal viewpoint, nor the way we worship and serve the Lord (‘orthodoxy’ and ‘orthopraxis’), but our common allegiance to Jesus as Lord, and our being children of the same Father, united by the same Spirit. The church ought never to be a universal ‘sausage-machine’, turning out clones of one sort or another.”
I agree, there is no normative form of Christianity, what binds us together is Christ.
I love this approach. But I think it still has its difficulties. What do we mean by “Christ”? Who is “Christ”? Is it the signifier (the name “Jesus Christ”) or the signified (what we have in mind when we say “Christ”) that matters? For example, I have a very difficult time imagining that the “Christ” I follow as Lord is the same “Christ” that the hatemonger Fred Phelps and his Westboro Baptist Church (www.godhatesfags.com) follow as Lord.
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If only more Christians/Christ disciples would think along the lines of your Rowland Croucher quote!
I do agree, Adam, that there seems to be a lot of weird images of Christ around. It takes a really deep and personal commitment to sift through the outer chaff and past the husk to the kernel of who Jesus (God who saves) Christ (The Anointed One) the Messiah (Liberating King)really is. Even the language of the translations of those names into English can lead to problematic imagery for 2009 contemporary Christians living in diverse ethno or socio cultural situations around the world. In the meantime, I guess I take his advice about letting the tares grow up with the wheat, being as wise as a serpent but as gentle as a dove, along with the wisdom from what is commonly referred to as The Sermon on the Mount, to be a good touchstone for authentic discipleship to his person and teachings. Other bloggers might wish to comment on what is/has been helpful for them on their journey.
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Adam, I have the same difficulty, seeing as I never find that teaching on the lips of Jesus. Phelps preaches a false Jesus, or dare I say it, anti-Christ.
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