The following question came as a result of some discussions following Theta Phi lectures in chapel (at Asbury) last week. It's pretty broad but I'd love to know your thoughts.
Did Jesus expect his teachings to become national policies?
a humble attempt at authentic living. relying on community and conversation for holistic answers to fractured questions. trying to catch a glimpse of the kingdom coming. seeking the one who said "follow me"...
2 comments:
Dan,
For me, one of the most remarkable things about Jesus' teaching is that it was free from the kind of pretense, self-assured dogmatizing, and demagoguery that so often characterizes debates about "national policy." To my shame, in my own conduct and speech I participate in these same things pretty regularly. But I take hope in the fact that we can, by Jesus' example, proclaim in word and deed a world transforming message that is rooted in love, reconciliation, and peacemaking. Jesus welcomed the questions and he embraced the controversy surrounding his teachings with robust humanity (he obviously felt the pain, but he did not act out of it). Is there any bigger question that you can open your "teachings" to than the cross? It is in this respect that I see the biggest difference between Jesus' teachings and the current discourse in our society. Societies the world over have repeatedly answered your question in the affirmative, and we can clearly see that from the continuing conflict in our world today. So again, I take hope in Jesus primarily because of the way that he chose to exit, on a cross, in a fix that not even Karl Rove could remedy, without the eloquence of a Bill Clinton, or a "war chest" of hundreds of millions of dollars. At any rate, just a few quick thoughts........
An alternate question: Did Jesus expect his teachings to be relegated to "my personal relationship with Christ"?
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