Jesus shows concern for others. Out of concern for others he is willing to lead a dangerous life. He intentionally challenges the world’s political, financial, and theological status quo. That status quo is devised by Militarists; supremacists who abuse and violate common people. It needs to be challenged. Jesus first starts gathering common people together … Continue reading “The Misguided Concern for Personal Salvation”
Tag: Jesus
God as Father
Yahweh is a deity within the religion of Militarism. He is the fictional War Lord deity invented by Hebrew warmakers. Yahweh sanctifies Old Testament rulers who dominate over the people. Yahweh cannot be compared to the historical peacemaker Jesus of Nazareth in the Gospel. Attempts to connect the two, however, are sometimes made. One attempt … Continue reading “God as Father”
Life in Christ, Doctrines in Paul
Jesus tells a heartbreaking parable this Sunday. In part, it is about a wretchedly poor man. His misery is painstaking, “Dogs even used to come and lick his sores.” More heartbreaking is the part about a wretchedly rich man. His misery is so painstaking he is unaware that “lying at his door was a poor … Continue reading “Life in Christ, Doctrines in Paul”
Suffering and Violence: Reality and Fable
This Sunday’s long Gospel is about the suffering and violence inflicted upon Jesus. It describes his arrest, trial, torture, and murder. Scripture scholars usually sanctify the violence done to Jesus as in keeping with a ‘suffering servant’ character from Isaiah. Of Isaiah’s 1,292 verses, 30 are so titled. One sample ‘suffering servant’ verse is, “He … Continue reading “Suffering and Violence: Reality and Fable”
How Can We Extend Our Children’s Families?
A story is told about Jesus being lost when he is 12 years old. Mary and Joseph are returning home from a festival in Jerusalem. Having journeyed for a day already, Mary and Joseph cannot find Jesus nestled in the safety of extended family members. They return to the city and after three days of … Continue reading “How Can We Extend Our Children’s Families?”
Hearing the Cry of the Poor and the Earth
There is an analogy between Jesus’ Gospel witness this Sunday and Pope Francis’ recent encyclical on the earth, Laudato Si. The particular ingredient of the analogy is the transformation of a system that marginalizes people. Both Jesus and Pope Francis give care to people who are made poor, sick, and forgotten by directing healing attention … Continue reading “Hearing the Cry of the Poor and the Earth”
Possession
Possession is of central importance in this Sunday’s Gospel. Jesus heals a possessed man and people are astonished at his authority to do so. Commentators on this and other Gospel stories of possession sometimes alter or dismiss the possession element. They suggest possession is a misunderstanding of mental illness. However, possession may in fact be … Continue reading “Possession”
Names
The name Satan conjures up monstrous images; such as a maleficent horned creature robed in red. If rendered human, still the images are monstrous, conjuring up evil people. The word evil, however, was originally defined as an adversary. It could mean one was in league with the devil but that name too lacks the monstrous … Continue reading “Names”
Mystery
What is the leap of faith we make to believe in… God? Such a leap moves us into the realm of mystery. The mystery of God is not revealed in beliefs about being judged or punished – or being magically ‘saved’ from them. Judgments and punishments are not so much beliefs as they are observations … Continue reading “Mystery”
Advocate
The God presented for worship in the Old Testament simply does not match Jesus’ revelation of Divinity in the Gospel. The difference is the difference between the religion of Militarism and the spirituality of Jesus. One assurance of our evolution beyond Militarism’s religion and toward Jesus’ spirituality is the difference between a warrior and an … Continue reading “Advocate”