Category: Seminary

A Path

So hey. I don’t have much time to write for pleasure during the semester, but I love the discussion last post encouraged. Rather than reply to the comments via a comment, I’ll post a reply when I have time to write a post.

That’s my decision and I’m sticking to it!

And please remember that when discussing Christian theology, while I may share some conclusions that I do believe and am willing to defend, I am not judging you for coming to different ones. I’m curious to know how you arrive at yours, but we’re adults here. You have to look at the data just like I do. For example, just because the only way I can make sense of God actively participating in violence in the Old Testament and yet commanding “love your enemy” and “turn the other cheek” in the New Testament is by concluding that God wants his people to leave the vengeance to him (and a step further, God doesn’t want his people coercing others), and therefore, I see pacifism as the best doctrine regarding war, just because I believe all of that, that doesn’t mean that if you disagree, you’re wrong. First, most of you don’t seem to self-identify as Christian anyhow so no need to be pacifists–fight away, I say. Second, I’m the only Christian pacifist I know, so I am very aware that my conclusions aren’t popular. But they are mine. And a few posts back, I wrote that a reason to go to a seminary was to find out what I believe. Well, now I can check the “what do I really think about war, given my experience with combat and everything?” box.

Regardless of your belief in “just cause” or “pacifism” or something in between, what I would recommend, if I were to be so bold, is to view (or you can test your might by attempting to karaoke) the following prayer and get all teary with me at least.

It Starts

When studying Theology, Christian theology in particular, the professors teach that there are a couple of prerequisite thoughts. First, God exists. Second, God has chosen to reveal himself to his creation. Third, humans (his creation) can apprehend this (his) revelation.

The professor mentioned that he uses “apprehend” because “comprehend” could be interpreted to mean fully understand the revelation, and that’s just not the case. We are incapable of fully understanding God, he says. He then mentioned he isn’t in love with “apprehend” and is open to suggestions.

My suggestion? “Conceive”. A necessary component of theology, then, is that humans are able to “conceive” of God’s self-revelation to them.

I like this word because it acknowledges that humans are the ones who create the concept of God. Some may fear admitting that humans “create” God, but I stick with St. Anselm whose irritating ontological proof of God goes something like this: “Things exist in one of two realities. Things are ideas or things exist. If God is the most powerful Being, then a God that exists is necessarily more powerful than a God that is just an idea. Therefore, God exists.”

So you heathens have before you two options. Given that you are aware of the concept of “God” or an “ultimate reality” of sorts, you have to choose between two options. One option is that God is an idea conceived by humans bent on deceptively obtaining power over other humans; the other option is that God is an idea conceived by humans because God, in fact, exists and seeks relationship with his creation–in other words, God wasn’t conceived by humans but revealed himself to his creation.

For me, the “created for deceptively obtaining power” conception of God is a little too “black helicopter/Illuminati”. I’ve been a part of some very well-funded, very intelligent organizations and the simple fact is we’re all just people making our way along the journey of life. Nobody is secretly controlling shit. Who has time for that?

Ergo, God–or an ultimate reality if you’re anti-the-word-God–exists.

The next question is, “What is his character?”

Vengeance is Mine – God; Christianity = Pacifism

So I just read that book that I was so excited to read for school–War in the Bible and Terrorism in the Twenty-First Century. Good stuff.

I partook in a “war”. I can’t say I was a Christian during it, but I grew up believing I was a Christian and today my beliefs necessitate that I label myself the same–Christian. So you’re curious to know my conclusion after reading a few essays on whether Christianity condones war? Obviously the matter is complicated, but my head is clear. If I had the time to order a personalized bumper sticker, this is what I’d make it say:

“Vengeance is mine” – God.

Christianity = Pacifism.