I am a 77 year old man, and as such I was forced to grow up in the “Jesus and John Wayne” model of masculinity. I believe I have resisted as I have not passed that on to any of my five children, three boys and two girls, who all grown in to decent adults.
Below is a quote from Bonhoeffer that speakes to a need for reform newer than 500 years past.
Today you will be baptized a Christian. All those great ancient words of the Christian proclamation will be spoken over you, and the command of Jesus Christ to baptize will be carried out on you, without your knowing anything about it. But we are once again being driven right back to the beginnings of our understanding.
Reconciliation and redemption, regeneration and the Holy Spirit, love of our enemies, cross and resurrection, life in Christ and Christian discipleship - all these things are so difficult and so remote that we hardly venture any more to speak of them. In the traditional words and acts we suspect that there may be something quite new and revolutionary, although we cannot as yet grasp or express it. That is our own fault. Our church, which has been fighting in these areas years only for its self-preservation, as though that were an end in itself, is incapable of taking the word of reconciliation and redemption to mankind and the world. Our earlier words are therefore bound to lose their force and cease, and our being Christians today will be limited to two things: prayer and righteous action among men. All Christian thinking, speaking, and organizing must be born anew out of this prayer and action. By the time you have grown up, the church's form will have changed greatly. We are not yet out of the melting-pot, and any attempt to help the church prematurely to a new expansion of its organization will merely delay its conversion and purification. It is not for us to prophesy the day (though the day will come) when men will once more be called so to utter the word of God that the world will be changed and renewed by it. It will be a new language, perhaps quite non-religious, but liberating and redeeming - as was Jesus' language; it will shock people and yet overcome them by its power; it will be the language of a new righteousness and truth, proclaiming God's peace with men and the coming of his kingdom. 'They shall fear and tremble because of all the good and all the prosperity I provide for it' (Jer. 33:9). Till then the Christian cause will be a silent and hidden affair, but there will be those who pray and do right and wait for God's own time. May you be one of them, and may it be said of you one day, 'The path of the righteous is like the light of dawn, which shines brighter and brighter till full day' (Prov. 4:18).
The part that speaks most loudly to me is the need for a “New Language” which I believe is 21st Century Physics and Mathematics!
Kristin, is Paul only looking at the Christian experiences or for a bit wider net to include similar exrience from other, non-Christian religions? Thanks.
And if you haven't read, “After Jesus Before Christianity”
“A Historical Exploration of The First Two Centuries of the Jesus Movements“
A scholarly work…
Kristin,
I am a 77 year old man, and as such I was forced to grow up in the “Jesus and John Wayne” model of masculinity. I believe I have resisted as I have not passed that on to any of my five children, three boys and two girls, who all grown in to decent adults.
Below is a quote from Bonhoeffer that speakes to a need for reform newer than 500 years past.
https://frightfullypleased.blogspot.com/2008/04/on-baptism-and-bombs.html
Thoughts on the Day of the Baptism of
Dietrich Wilhelm Rüdiger Bethge
21 May 1944
Today you will be baptized a Christian. All those great ancient words of the Christian proclamation will be spoken over you, and the command of Jesus Christ to baptize will be carried out on you, without your knowing anything about it. But we are once again being driven right back to the beginnings of our understanding.
Reconciliation and redemption, regeneration and the Holy Spirit, love of our enemies, cross and resurrection, life in Christ and Christian discipleship - all these things are so difficult and so remote that we hardly venture any more to speak of them. In the traditional words and acts we suspect that there may be something quite new and revolutionary, although we cannot as yet grasp or express it. That is our own fault. Our church, which has been fighting in these areas years only for its self-preservation, as though that were an end in itself, is incapable of taking the word of reconciliation and redemption to mankind and the world. Our earlier words are therefore bound to lose their force and cease, and our being Christians today will be limited to two things: prayer and righteous action among men. All Christian thinking, speaking, and organizing must be born anew out of this prayer and action. By the time you have grown up, the church's form will have changed greatly. We are not yet out of the melting-pot, and any attempt to help the church prematurely to a new expansion of its organization will merely delay its conversion and purification. It is not for us to prophesy the day (though the day will come) when men will once more be called so to utter the word of God that the world will be changed and renewed by it. It will be a new language, perhaps quite non-religious, but liberating and redeeming - as was Jesus' language; it will shock people and yet overcome them by its power; it will be the language of a new righteousness and truth, proclaiming God's peace with men and the coming of his kingdom. 'They shall fear and tremble because of all the good and all the prosperity I provide for it' (Jer. 33:9). Till then the Christian cause will be a silent and hidden affair, but there will be those who pray and do right and wait for God's own time. May you be one of them, and may it be said of you one day, 'The path of the righteous is like the light of dawn, which shines brighter and brighter till full day' (Prov. 4:18).
The part that speaks most loudly to me is the need for a “New Language” which I believe is 21st Century Physics and Mathematics!
I like your thinking!
Kristin, is Paul only looking at the Christian experiences or for a bit wider net to include similar exrience from other, non-Christian religions? Thanks.
My impression was Christian but I’m sure he’d be open to suggestions. Projects morph all the time and often spawn new ones.
Thanks. I think it would be interesting to if there are any similar trends in other faith traditions.