The Cross and The System

 

Reflection Sunday 21^st March 2021 – Fifth Sunday of Lent

 

³¹ Now is the judgement of this world; now the ruler of this world will be driven out. John 12:31 NRSV

³¹ Now is the time for judgment on this world; now the prince of this world will be driven out. John 12: 31 NIV

As we get closer and closer to Holy Week, in the passage from John we’re thinking about today, we see the cross casting its shadow. But for John, certainly on this occasion, Jesus’ death on the cross is not about individuals’ salvation from sin. Nor is John concerned with what theologians call “substitutionary atonement”; through which Jesus takes on the divine punishment that humans beings deserve, to relieve us of our condemnation and guilt. Rather, in John 12: 20 – 33, Jesus’ crucifixion is about judging “the world” and driving out “the ruler of the world”.

“The world” Jesus is referring to is not God’s creation. Rather it is what Charles Campbell in Feasting on the Word calls “the fallen realm that exists in estrangement from God and is organised in opposition to God’s purposes.” For John, the phrase “the world” sums up all that goes against God’s purposes. And in fact, the Greek word John uses, which is translated as “the world” is possibly better thought of as “the System”. The System is driven by a spirit or force (“the ruler of the world”) whose ways are domination, violence, and death. John uses the phrase “ruler of this world” or “prince of this world” several times in his Gospel and he clearly means the Devil or Satan.

It is Jesus’ intention that his death (“when I am lifted up”) will bring about reconciliation for the world with God. And through the reconciliation, the Systems of the world will be overthrown, as the ruler of the world is overthrown. It is almost as if John interprets the crucifixion as an exorcism, in which the System is judged and its driving force, “the ruler of this world”, is cast out by means of the cross. Consequently, because of Jesus’ death (and resurrection) all people from the earth will be drawn to Jesus.

Throughout Holy Week Jesus will demonstrate how he challenges the System. Specifically how he challenges the System of violence. Jesus challenges the idea that the way to defeat violence is through violence.  The writer Walter Wink called it “the myth of redemptive violence.” According to this myth, the way to bring order out of chaos is through violently defeating “the other”. Violence is all too often the way of “the world”, the way of the System. On a personal level and on a global level violence is often seen as a means to resolve conflict.

During Holy Week Jesus refuses to use violence against the violence that will be shown to him. He does not stir up an armed mob during his entry into Jerusalem on Palm Sunday. He does not call down a host of angels to defend him. And in fact, in John 18: 10 – 11 in the Garden of Gethsemane Jesus chides Peter when Peter drew a sword to defend Jesus.

Jesus will provide an explanation to Pilate in John 18:36 NIV

³⁶ Jesus said, ‘My kingdom is not of this world. If it were, my servants would fight to prevent my arrest by the Jewish leaders. But now my kingdom is from another place.’

Or think of it this way

³⁶ Jesus said, ‘My kingdom is not of this System. If it were, my servants would fight to prevent my arrest by the Jewish leaders. But now my kingdom is from another place.’

Jesus’ rejection of violence, is precisely what distinguished his way, from the way of the System and from the way of Satan.

Yet despite this, despite Jesus’ death on the cross, and his conquering the sin of death (which is the ultimate defeat of Satan) we know that the Systems of this world still run contrary to Jesus. We know there is violence for example in Yemen. The System allows that violence to continue. The System allows that violence to be carried out by a powerful country (Saudi Arabia) against a weak one. And the System provides (British and American made) weapons to do so whilst at the same time cutting financial aid to people in Yemen who are starving due to the war / violence perpetuated against them.

Such things pose huge theological questions. Questions such as “If Jesus’ crucifixion drove out the ruler of the world, why is there still evil in the System?” Questions that have been debated for hundreds of years by people far more learned than me. People have written whole books on the subject rather than having space for a Reflection.

But for Jesus’ death to bring about reconciliation to God, one must make the decision to believe in Jesus and all Jesus means. That is, Jesus’ death offers reconciliation to all people, but one must decide to accept the offer.

²⁴ Very truly I tell you, unless a grain of wheat falls to the ground and dies, it remains only a single seed. But if it dies, it produces many seeds. ²⁵ Anyone who loves their life will lose it, while anyone who hates their life in this world will keep it for eternal life. John 12: 20 – 36

I am currently reading a book about Dietrich Bonhoeffer, the German pastor and theologian murdered by the Nazis three weeks before the end of the war. We all know that Nazism was perhaps the most evil regime human history has ever known. “The System” at its worst. Yet Bonhoeffer was not broken by it. The Nazi System did not break his faith. He confronted evil and paid the price. He once said this:

“When a madman is tearing through the streets in a car, I can, as a pastor who happens to be on the scene, do more than merely console, or bury those who have been run over. I must jump in front of the car and stop it”

As followers of Christ, with Christ in our hearts and souls, it is incumbent upon us to confront the Systems, to challenge evil and injustice, to speak out against the ruler of this world. We cannot be bystanders, to use Bonhoeffer’s analogy, watching the car crash occurring. We should be trying our utmost to prevent it.

If you find Bonhoeffer a bit daunting, John Wesley wrote to his "people called Methodist" the following Rule of Conduct:

Do all the good you can,
By all the means you can,
In all the ways you can,
In all the places you can,
At all the times you can,
To all the people you can,
As long as ever you can.

Wesley's Rule of Conduct is a way of challenging "The System". The crucifixion of Jesus is God's Rule of Conduct; it is the rule for our lives as long as we shall live. This is the meaning of the Passion. This is the way of the Cross. 

 

How would John Wesley vote?

One of the challenges that face a church minister today is trying to connect the teachings of the Christian faith with today’s world. And, more specifically, trying to consider the world through the lens of the Christian faith. In short “What would Jesus do?”

(I am always slightly wary of the WWJD movement. Especially when it branches off in some odd directions such as “What car would Jesus drive?”)

There are some Christians who rely solely on the Bible as a basis for forming their view of the world today. It is a limited approach but can work such as when confronted with a menu in a French restaurant for example.

Picture the scene. A fundamentalist Christian enters a French restaurant and is handed the menu. One choice is "Cuisses de grenouilles." A quick consultation with an English French dictionary identified said "Cuisses de grenouilles" as “Frogs legs”. Now our fundamentalist friend isn’t sure whether he should eat those so he now consults his Bible and there in Leviticus chapter 11 he finds this:

9 ‘“Of all the creatures living in the water of the seas and the streams you may eat any that have fins and scales. 10 But all creatures in the seas or streams that do not have fins and scales – whether among all the swarming things or among all the other living creatures in the water – you are to regard as unclean”

This means for our fundamentalist gourmet frogs legs are off the menu (even if served in a delicious tomato and garlic sauce accompanied by a crisp Chablis.)

However, there are many things the Bible is silent on, so what to do? If the Bible is silent does this mean we should ignore the problem? No. We can’t ignore the world around us so we have to find another approach.

One such approach has been termed the “Wesleyan quadrilateral”. This sounds like some odd country dance (or even a move in “Mornington Crescent” – the legendary board game in Radio 4’s “I’m sorry I haven’t a clue.”) in fact it is an explanation of how many Christians (consciously or unconsciously) approach moral and spiritual dilemmas.

John Wesley the founder of Methodism used four different sources in coming to theological conclusions. These sources were first referred to as the Wesleyan Quadrilateral in 1964 by theologian/scholar Albert C. Outler in a collection of Wesley's works edited by Outler entitled simply John Wesley.

The four sources are:

1. Scripture
2. Tradition
3. Reason
4. Experience

For most (if not all) Christians, Scripture is considered the primary source and standard for Christian doctrine. Tradition is experience and the witness of development and growth of the faith through the past centuries and in many nations and cultures. Experience is the individual's understanding and appropriating of the faith in the light of his or her own life. Through Reason the individual Christian brings to bear on the Christian faith discerning and cogent thought. These four elements taken together bring the individual Christian to a mature and fulfilling understanding of the Christian faith and the required response of worship and service.

Source: A Dictionary for United Methodists, Alan K. Waltz, Copyright 1991, Abingdon Press.

A practical application of the Wesleyan quadrilateral might be towards whether people should be employed on zero hours contracts. (Please bear in mind what follows is a very simplified summary and application!)

If we start with Scripture, unsurprisingly there is nothing specific. However, in one parable, sometimes called the Parable of the workers in the vineyard, we see a radical approach to the hiring of labour on a daily basis. (Regardless of whether someone works for 1 hour or 11 hours they are paid the same. Jesus told the story to illustrate his point that in God’s kingdom “the first shall be last and the last shall be first.”)

What does Tradition of the church say? Church tradition / Church history might point to how the Church has viewed employer / employee relations throughout the centuries. Has the Church employed people? If so on what basis? Has the Church commented on how employers should treat workers?

Experience – it may be that the individual has no direct experience of the exact situation but that wouldn’t stop them applying their own faith / beliefs to help them understand. “Didn’t Jesus say that Christians are to “Share Good News (the message and values of Jesus) with the poor? To stand up for the oppressed? And challenge unfairness?” This is a classic “What would Jesus do?” situation.

Finally Reason. In our example it would be about thinking it through. “Would I want to have a zero hours contract? Could I support my family if that was the only job I could get? On the other hand maybe for some people zero hours contracts work if they want flexible working.” (I find that Experience and Reason tend to overlap.)

Having worked through this then a Christian may be better placed to give an opinion.

Faced as we are in this country with having to decide who to vote for on 7th May, applying the Wesleyan quadrilateral to the key policies of the main parties might help. It is a sort of “Who would Jesus vote for?”

It would be wrong of me to say how my use of the WQ has helped me decide – though those of you who know me may have some idea. All I will say is it won’t be UKIP!

Zoop, zoop, zoop, clean - there's something in the water

Over the last few weeks Radio 2 have been playing a song called “Something in the water” by American Country artist Carrie Underwood. As is often the way with a new song I hear it in the background and don’t pay much attention. But after a few times of hearing it I realised that this is clearly a Christian song. And I don’t mean a song which has theological lyrics. This is a Christian song.

Now for my American friends who read this blog I need to explain. Unlike in the USA we don’t have Christian music charts in the UK and there is only really one Christian music radio station. Radio 2 is a BBC national station playing (mainly) older hits with some new music that appeals to its core audience (those of us who are middle aged!) So for Radio 2 to play a song like this is very unusual. Radio 2 does play a smattering of country music (and in fact there is a weekly country music show) but for a country song to get wide airplay is unusual and for a country Christian song to get wide airplay is virtually unknown.
I’ve no idea why this song is getting the airplay it is but it is.

Anyway, back to the song. I think the words that first made me realise that this wasn’t just another country song were these:

And now I'm singing along to amazing grace
Can't nobody wipe this smile off my face

“Amazing grace” was clearly a reference to John Newton’s hymn of the same name (which incidentally became a hit for Judy Collins in the 1970s).

Having pricked up my ears I made a point of listening to the lyrics carefully the next time the track was played. And I was surprised to hear a song about someone who had been having a difficult time being encouraged to change their life and give it to Christ.

Then somebody said what I'm saying to you
Open my eyes and told me truth
He said: just a little faith and it'll all get better
So I followed that preacher man down to the river and now I'm changed
And now I'm stronger

Then having mulled it over for a few days the central character of the song realises that she needs to be saved

Then it hit me like a lightning late one night
I was all out of hoping, all out of fight
Couldn't fight back my tears so I fell on my knees
Saying God if you're there come and rescue me
Felt love pouring down from above
Got washed in the water, washed in the blood and now I'm changed

And it is this verse that interests me as there is a great mix of what is going on in baptism.

In one of the intriguing passages of scripture about Jesus we have the account of Jesus’ baptism. All four gospels have an account – though the accounts in Matthew and Mark’s Gospels are the fullest. In Matthew and Mark we are told how Jesus’ cousin John the Baptist had been

“ … preaching a baptism of repentance for the forgiveness of sins. 5 The whole Judean countryside and all the people of Jerusalem went out to him. Confessing their sins, they were baptized by him in the Jordan River.”

And when we read this passage Carrie Underwood’s song comes together. The character in the song recognises the need for forgiveness, is saved and then is baptised

Got washed in the water, washed in the blood and now I'm changed

A few years ago, our German friends were staying with us. They came to church on Sunday morning and it so happened that I had a Christening.

They aren’t regular church goers but they did attend Lutheran church when they were younger. So were interested to see if a Methodist Christening would be different to a Lutheran. And after the service Peter talked to me about the Christening.

“It’s very similar to that in the Lutheran church. Father, Son and Holy Spirit. 3 lots of water. Zoop, zoop, zoop clean!”

But John the Baptist states there is more. Although he helps people to repent and, in baptising them helps them to symbolically be washed clean of their sin, John says

7 And this was his message: “After me comes the one more powerful than I, the straps of whose sandals I am not worthy to stoop down and untie. 8 I baptize you with[e] water, but he will baptize you with[f] the Holy Spirit.”

The Holy Spirit is the presence of God in our lives; a presence that empowers and instructs, a presence that comforts and corrects. Like baptism, Christ did not need the Holy Spirit to come upon him. He was always filled with the Spirit. But we need the Holy Spirit. It is that Spirit that helps us be what God wants us to be.

We need to be baptized by water but we also need to be baptized by the Holy Spirit.

And that’s where I think the song is clever as although there is talk about being washed clean the title “Something in the water” alludes to there being more. “Felt love pouring down from above” is the something more. It’s God’s love, God’s grace flowing through the Holy Spirit to make the character feel stronger and free from what has been holding her down up to now.

And now I'm singing along to amazing grace
Can't nobody wipe this smile off my face
Got joy in my heart, angels on my side
Thank God All Mighty I saw the light
Going to look ahead, no turning back, live everyday, give it all that I have
Trusted someone bigger than me
Ever since the day that I believed I am changed

Some sound theology in a pop song. In fact I think there are some hints of Wesleyan theology

All people need to be saved.
All people can be saved.
All people can know they are saved.
All people can be saved to the uttermost

There really is something in the water!

A new commandment

Today is Maundy Thursday a day in which Christians remember Jesus sharing the Last Supper with his friends on the night before he died on the cross on Good Friday. The word “Maundy” is derived from the first words of a traditional Latin anthem “Mandatum novum do vobis” or in English “A new commandment I give to you”. These words come from John’s Gospel where Jesus is recorded as saying at the Last Supper:

‘A new command I give you: love one another. As I have loved you, so you must love one another. By this everyone will know that you are my disciples, if you love one another.’
John 13: 34 – 35

John records Jesus saying these words after Jesus has knelt at the feet of the disciples and washed their feet. This is an act they clearly are embarrassed about. A servant would kneel before someone and wash their feet. But now the disciples find their Rabbi, their Master, carrying out this menial task.

When he had finished washing their feet, he put on his clothes and returned to his place. ‘Do you understand what I have done for you?’ he asked them. ‘You call me “Teacher” and “Lord”, and rightly so, for that is what I am. Now that I, your Lord and Teacher, have washed your feet, you also should wash one another’s feet. I have set you an example that you should do as I have done for you. Very truly I tell you, no servant is greater than his master, nor is a messenger greater than the one who sent him.
John 13: 12 – 16

The command by Jesus that his followers should love one another and the requirement that his followers should have a heart for servant ministry, are very challenging. And if we are being honest most Christians would acknowledge that we fall short of obeying the command all the time and certainly fall short of having a heart for being a servant.

Over the last week or so David Cameron has talked on a couple of occasions about his Christian faith. Alistair Campbell, the arch spin doctor for Tony Blair’s government once said that “We don’t do God” when the press asked if they could talk to Tony Blair about his faith. For the first 3 years or so of his time as Prime Minister David Cameron also chose not to do God either. However, this seems to have changed.

I feel it is refreshing that such a public figure is wiling to talk about their faith in public. And clearly from the various reports in the press David Cameron drew comfort from the church before and after the death of his young son.

In an article in the Church Times of 17th April David Cameron explores what he means by being a Christian and how he feels this country is a Christian country.
http://www.churchtimes.co.uk/articles/2014/17-april/comment/opinion/my-faith-in-the-church-of-england

I have to say that my reading of the article is more about why David Cameron is a member of the Church of England than why he is a Christian. And the two don’t necessarily go together. Just as being a Methodist doesn’t mean you are necessarily a Christian.
In the Church Times article David Cameron says that the key Christian values are:

“responsibility, hard work, charity, compassion, humility, and love”

I find this definition interesting. I certainly recognise the last four as being marks of being a follower of Jesus. And I suppose “responsibility” is part of this. After all if we are to conider who our neighbours are. Again as Jesus commanded, then we need to have responsibility to them. But the “hard work” has more to do with church doctrine (“the Protestant work ethic”) than Christ’s teachings.

That said, a Tory of an earlier age, who was also a member of the Church of England did once say that as Christians we should:

“Earn all you can, give all you can, save all you can” John Wesley.

I suspect Mr. Cameron (like Margaret Thatcher before him) would relate to that. But the quote is taken from John Wesley’s sermon “The right use of money”. And in the sermon Wesley clearly makes the point that money must be earned legitimately and not exploitatively. And that money should be used for the good of all. It’s not as simple as earning wedge of cash and doing what you like with it.

“Do you not know that God entrusted you with that money (all above what buys necessities for your families) to feed the hungry, to clothe the naked, to help the stranger, the widow, the fatherless; and, indeed, as far as it will go, to relieve the wants of all mankind? How can you, how dare you, defraud the Lord, by applying it to any other purpose?”
― John Wesley

That self same Church of England priest also once said:

“Do all the good you can. By all the means you can. In all the ways you can. In all the places you can. At all the times you can. To all the people you can. As long as ever you can.”

I am genuinely pleased that Mr. Cameron wishes to talk about his faith. And I am pleased that he is talking about faith during Holy Week.

But please Mr. Cameron, can I urge you to get a complete copy of the Bible. I’ll happily send you one if you like. The Authorised Tory version seems to miss out crucial parts relating to the rich and the poor.