Our generation is a generation of philosophers rather than scientists. We value intellectuals over braniacs. We appreciate ideas more than facts. Donald Miller’s book Blue Like Jazz put words to my understanding of our posse. He says, “It is a mystery, and I love this about Christian spirituality. It cannot be explained, and yet it is beautiful and true. It is something you feel, and it comes from the soul.” If the generation before us said, “show me,” we say, “talk with me about it.” We are a product of coffee houses, university life, and web-logging. We love to share and we revel in the process. For us, the greatest difficulty and joy comes in spirituality. We are spiritual, but not as a result of factual proofs; we are spiritual because we are chosen. Many of us prefer the image of the open-minded, liberal intellectual, but we cannot escape God’s pursuit of us. Our faith resides in the core of our beings- we cannot run from it. Far from the simple Bible stories of childhood, this Faith is complex and unexplainable. We like that.
Some days I wish I was a Buddhist or a flaming liberal. Depending on my mood, one of those seems more attractive than being a Baptist. I want my hair to be long, curly and hippie-ish. I want to be respected for my ideas and my willingness to listen. I want to be spiritual in a way that is beautiful. I want to have a pierced nose. I want to be at ease in Berkeley and at home laughing in pubs. I want to be a world traveler- not believing I’m more enlightened from my traveling, but more understanding. I don’t want to look like a Baptist. My mom says I’m prejudiced against rich people. I agree. Maybe I’m prejudiced against Baptists, too. I’ve experienced a pristine love in my church, but I’ve also spotted quite a few sheep in the pews. I hate that.
Sunday, February 20, 2005
A Thinking Southern Baptist...Oximoron?
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18 comments:
Remarkable. Now you know why I seldom refer to myself as a Baptist :-) I can't wait until I'm able to sit down with BLJ rather than Guiding Readers Grades 3-6, which is quite possibly the most useless, poorly written textbook ever.
You really should pierce your nose.
PS... I forgot that you were going to bring that book for me yesterday. I still want to use it!
Everytime I find someone else who believes that book, my heart seizes up, seizes hope, hopes hopes that it's a sign.
BLJ changed the way I see people, see "purpose", see Jesus and the way I see me.
Did it change you?
It changed me in that it made me feel less despicable. It didn't necessarily draw me closer to God, but it confirmed so much of what floats through my thoughts. It was the first time I had read a "Christian book" from start to finish with no pain associated with the processs- I couldn't put it down. I love that he's not afraid to admit that he doesn't think and believe like a typical Christian fundamentalist. As I was reading, I underlined and ran upstairs to read quotes to my mother over and over again. I hope it signifies a change in our generation of believers. A change that says, "I'm okay with thinking. I'm okay with disagreeing with the Republicans and following Christ. I'm okay with being who God created me to be and glorifying God through that. I'm okay with not being Suzy Christain." Do you think Don will marry me?
You, who shunned me when I voted for Al Gore?
:-P
So what's up with 20 minutes of rain and then clear skies?
I'm a republican and, probably, always will be. That doesn't mean that I agree with everything they stand for. My mother would probably shoot me if she read this.
I know...we totally could have hung out. I ended up garbage disposal shopping instead. Yesterday was carpet. The weekend before, a toilet. Welcome to the chaos we call remodeling the Musumeche house.
Interesting blog, but I am compelled to take issue with one line in this one...one does not gain spirituality through factual proofs. There is no proof for any of it.
Spirituality, in my opinion, results from the realization that we won't be here forever and we need to find a higher truth.
Or not.
Nice blog, but I feel compelled to take issue with one statement...factual proof is is not the basis for spirituality, quite the contrary.
Spitituality is what you have when you realize that this life is short, if you're lucky.
Or not...
Mmm, BLJ is one of my favorite books. I love what you said. I hope it siginifies a change in our generation of believers too. I think it may. I find the more people I talk to our age they want to be searching for answers and dialoguing about the truth. They want to be rooted in their faith, but willing to hear others' ideas. They are happy to find that there are inexplicable complexities to the universe and to faith. Their journey lies in the seeking, not in the answers necessarily. I think we are a generation not willing to accept the faith of previous generations as is, we are not taking on a hand me down religion, but we are earnestly seeking out what it is God wants for us. And as such, I think we will see a lot of great things happen in our generation.
Hey Sherry, what did you mean by your last line, "Spotted quite a few sheep in the pews. I hate it." ?
I think there is quite a bit of a movement in our generation toward a more honest, culturally relevant, stretching faith. You may be interested in the writings of Robert E. Webber. Especially a book called, The Younger Evangelicals. I think you'd like it.
Some of the best things coming out of this new movement in my opinion: a greater focus and concern for the poor and oppressed, the willingness to deal with people wherethey are at and not just press people into a plastic mold of who they ought to be, a focus on mission not marketing, an interest in story, a focus on fleshing out the faith not just arguing it.
Of coure, as in any movement (including the southern baptist one) there are some dangers and areas I am concerned about. It seems that many in the "emerging church," are buying into a postmodern view of knowledge - which basically believes in unending mystery and uncertainty. I think we need a corrective to the modern obsession with absolute certainty, but some of the guys I've read lately don't seem to give much hope for finding sure truth. There also is an anti-theology strain in many of those I've read. I don't think Miller is like that. But a lot of Christians in our generation pride themselves on not studying theology. But the truth is, everyone has a theology (beliefs about God). Some people look to other Christians and the history of the church for help in developing there's, and some don't. I think the former are better off. So, there are some of my thoughts.
I would be interested to hear what some of you thinkers think about this question: How do we know? How can we have real knowledge about God?
I wouldn't even begin to know how to answer those questions Mark. So I guess I fit right in with our culture in that respect. I think churches need to understand that everyone has their own spiritual journey and it's going to look different for each person. And that's ok. I think everyone has different ways that they connect with God also. Not to undermine corporate worship, but for some people, writing at home or spending time outside brings them into closer communion with God. That's ok too...
"Some people look to other Christians and the history of the church for help in developing there's, and some don't. I think the former are better off."
I think people who do both are better off. Yes, it is important to look to those who have come before us. But I think if you don't ever search for the answers on your own you don't really have anything besides other people's theologies. I don't think you ever really own your faith until you decide what you believe for yourself. Yes, looking to other people and texts is an important part of that, but at some point you need to just be able to say, what is it that I believe? What is it that God is saying to me about these things? Studying theology has its place, but I know plenty of people who only have quotes from books to offer & have very few thoughts of their own on spiritual matters. I want those things to inform my theology, but they can't be my theology.
Well said Aziner. Both. I totally agree with you. We need to think critically and have a search for truth of our own. And that search should probably include help from friends, the church, and Christians of other cultures and times, and it should always be saturated with Scripture. But you're right, at some point it has to move from the head to the heart, or it is dead.
To Pete, I agree that churches need to understand that people "connect" with God in different ways. The two you mentioned I would say are two of the best.
But the question of how we can have true knowledge of God is a different one. How is it possible to have real knowledge that corresponds with reality? How is it possible for us finite, small, creatures to know an ininite transcendant God? I just think this is a huge question for the Christian of our generation. If someone comes to me and says, "why do you think we can know God? How is it possible?" what will I say. And i've had people at work ask/challenge me on this point. What can I say? Why do I think I'm not just having a subjective experience? Why do I think my experience is any more real or valid than the Hindu or the Mormon?
What the hell does fleshing out the faith mean?
Jessica,
it means to live out the faith in the flesh (the body), not just have an intellectual faith (set of beliefs). Jesus was the ultimate example in this, "And the Word became flesh and dwelt amont us, and we have seen His glory, glory as of the only Son from the Father, full of grace and truth." We needed to have more than just words on a page, or a voice from heaven. We need to see God in the flesh to really get it. The world is the same with us. They need to see Christ following in the flesh, not just in words and ideas.
Mark, when you say 'two of the best', do you mean that generally or subjectively. Because if you mean it generally i think you missed my point. There is no 'best' but only what's best for the individual in relating to God on a personal level.
Have you read "Searching for God Know's what" yet?
I had kind of low expectation after reading BLJ becaue BLJ was so good, I thought there was no way this guy writes 2 great books...but I actually like "Searching..." even better
Adam, I have it, but I haven't gotten a chance to read it, yet. I'm glad it's worth the read...I'm looking forward to it.
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