The lectionary text for Sunday, November 23rd came from Jeremiah 23. It regards shepherds that lead the people astray. We do not have to look too deeply into the North American church to discern that we have not done well in heeding this warning. Our disobedience as pastors who have not “tended the flock” but rather sought our own ends – is plainly described as our engaging in evil doings (see Jeremiah 23:2).
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Thoughts on Biblical and Theological Themes, as well as Other Things
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I have had more than one conversation in which I was asked which party I support, whose policies I am aligned with. In our current political climate these are indeed loaded questions. I respond that rather than identifying with one political party over another, my identity is centered in Jesus Christ. I seek to shape my political perspectives by my relationship with Jesus.
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The question whether we are or can be a Christian nation is getting much attention in our current political climate. I don’t know to what extent I have anything to add, however, I do have some questions and a few thoughts.
My last post was a personal reflection in which I expressed that I seek to place Jesus at the center of my life and actions. Perhaps in exploring what kind of nation a Christian Nation might be, we need to ask to what extent is Jesus at the center of this discussion? It might be more important to first discuss what it means to live Christianly, meaning, in what ways do we live out being centered in Jesus and living out what is important to Jesus?
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I regard myself as a simple man, though often I think of myself more highly than I ought.
I am a theological person, as others have noted. I am not talking about holding to dogma or doctrine, per se, but regard theology as the Spirit breathing life into all that is. And so, I am one who thinks and seeks to act guided by theological perspectives, viewing and engaging life, social issues, politics, history, and numerous experiences through a worldview that is rooted in God’s Story and Vision, specifically that of Jesus Christ – though I have friends and colleagues who are much better theologians than I am. They are more articulate, more prolific, more nuanced than I ever can be, even will be. I read what they write and am grateful of what I learn from them.
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In a previous post I noted that Jesus did not come to start a religion – namely, Christianity (that was the doing of those who sought to align religion with the power of the state, such as in the 4th century with Constantine), but rather, Jesus mission was to restore humanity, for humanity to be more humane, which he exemplified through his example and actions in interaction with others. Though the cross is central to this in unmasking the principalities and powers – that’ll be for another post.
The question in this post is this: If Jesus did not come to start a religion, were his actions deemed religious or can we state that through his incarnation he sought to be thoroughly secular? It all depends what we mean by secular.
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Over the years I have discovered in teaching required religion courses at the college level (which students were required to take – and perhaps many did not want to be there) that there is a built in bias towards religious vocabulary, religious language (perhaps in many cases, legitimately). Words like God, sin, salvation, repentance, obedience, to list a few raise in people certain preconceived understandings or emotional responses which shut down an openness to explore what God’s Story and Vision may entail.
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I concluded my last post with the following statement: “the next post offers some thoughts on how God became one of us in the person of Jesus, dwelt among us, for the purpose of restoring our breathing, restoring us (even, to re-story our lives), so that we might catch our breath again and be able to breath deeply – celebrating and giving praise to The One whose name we breathe.”
Perhaps before I get into that, it might be important to think about the relationship between the One Who Is, Who is Being itself, the One whose name is expressed by the action of breathing and Jesus, whom John proclaims as God becoming one of us (John 1:14) and Matthew expresses as God with us (Matthew 1:23).
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The book of Psalms ends with this declaration: “Let everything that has breath praise the LORD (YHWH).”
If you read through the last posts, you’ll note that God’s name is an action, rather than a noun or a verb, that God’s name (with its close connections to the Hebrew verb “to be”) is unpronounceable because God’s name is not spoken, but it rather breathed. Understanding that God’s name is the action of breathing in and out, we come to realize that God is at the center of all that is living – but more so than that – God is at the center of all that is. The psalmist declares that all that breathes, in coming to grasp the enormity of God’s presence is to give praise to God.
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One of the metaphors I have used for life and ministry has to do with breathing. The act of purposeful breathing is something that brings calmness to us, helps us to destress, decrease our heart rate and blood pressure – all important things for me as I age. Yet, also, in that breathing is foundational for living, I also regard breathing as a metaphor for the spiritual life.
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The third commandment of the Ten Commandments expresses, ““You shall not misuse the name of the Lord your God, for the Lord will not hold anyone guiltless who misuses his name” (Exodus 20:7, NIV). In my last post I stated that God’s name is an action, in fact it is expressed through the act of breathing (see August 12, 2025, Vol 1:1 – God’s Name is an Action!). If that is indeed the case, then how can we, do we, misuse God’s name, if the act of breathing expresses the name of God?
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- Allegiance to Jesus
- Being Human
- Being Humane
- Breath of Life
- Centered in Jesus
- Done with Church
- Giving Praise
- God Saves
- God with Us
- God's Name
- In Christ
- Jesus
- Living Christianly
- Ministry
- Open to God
- Privilege, Influence, Power
- Religious Language
- Salvation
- Sin
- Spirit
- Spiritual Life
- Third Commandment
- Yeshua
Musings 