This is such a heartening reminder. Thank you. I remember when I first read Marcus Borg's argument that to expect people to adhere to a particular dogma defeated the purpose of breaking open all the societal expectations for inclusion/ forgiveness/ love; it just created another set of expectations. I'm inclined to think that if love doesn't feel much like freedom, it isn't really love. And if the point of following Jesus isn't learning about love, then what is it?
Thank you Diana! this is truly enlightening. As a muslim who grew up in catholic schools with a lot of christian friends and learning and writing about religions this does answer some of the questions I had. I tend to be too open minded or too closed off depends on the person I am having a conversation with.
Thank you! So much truth. However, we need to keep open to the closed minded people, and love them, too. Don't write them off or judge them. A friend of mine decided I was too liberal for her. She said she didn't want us to continue our sporadic visits, because sometimes she felt pressured by me to change her strong beliefs. I had been trying not to argue with her, but the last time we had disagreed about my belief that Jesus was fully human (although divinely sired and sinless) and possibly didn't know his calling until his baptism. She thought that was terrible. I defended it once with scripture and then stopped arguing. Well, it was too much for her. When she stopped our friendship, I texted her that I understood and was not upset with her. She responded back sincerely thanking me for understanding. I happen to know she was emotionally abused by both parents. She is doing well to believe in Jesus at all. I will continue to pray for her emotional healing as well as for her mother. These wounds are sadly very generational.
Thank you for this beautiful reminder, that Jesus is above doctrines. That transformation happens. That the Resurrection is at the core, telling us that we are not bound by time and space. G-d is so good, and I am always humbled by how He leads me to the next best thing to read, as was the case with your article, as well as quotes. I am currently working on a series of posts, called Yaya Speaks. She was and is my inner child, who held a profound ability, far beyond her years, to believe that forgiveness, acceptance, release, healing and transformation is possible. It has been a long an exceedingly bumpy road. But neither I nor my inner child would trade any of it, for the Grace and awareness it has offered me. Blessing on your writings. I pray every day that each of our hearts and minds be open a little bit more in precisley the measure His WIsdom decrees.
I am not afraid of ghosts, even the Holy Ghost. What I fear most is the radical and untamable freedom that walking in the path of Christ brings. Because the responsibility that comes with that means the end of all excuses. NO EXCUSES, AND NO EXCEPTIONS. From the start of every day to the day's end, I CANNOT HAVE AN ENEMY, AND I CANNOT BE AN ENEMY to any person, myself included. And I cannot make an enemy of the pain, confusion, grief, fear, death and terror that is the common inheritance of all humankind. I must take everything as it comes, and know that everything is included.
And I must do "the best that I can" with all of it, knowing that there will be a lot of days when I do not even want to "show up" for life. And finally, perhaps the hardest thing of all , I must be willing to accept that I am utterly dependent upon the love and mercy of God to sustain me in everything. Sound like fun? No. BUT IT IS ABSOLUTELY THE ONLY THING WORTH DOING WITH MY LIFE.
I am not inside a denomination though I've worshiped as a Methodist, Lutheran, Baptist, UCCer, and Disciples of Christ clergy. The invitation to live as one who is open is harder than it sounds. Angeles Arrien in The Four-Fold Way: Walking the Paths of the Warrior, Teacher, Healer and Visionary writes "Many native cultures believe that the heart is the bridge between Father Sky and Mother Earth. For these traditions, the *four-chambered heart*, the source for sustaining emotional and spiritual health, is described as being full, open, clear, and strong. These traditions feel that it is important to check the condition of the four-chambered heart daily, asking: Am I full-hearted, open-hearted, clear-hearted, and strong-hearted?" As a follower of Christ I appreciate giving attention on what the heart is doing. Christianity is at its best when the heart is open. For me this takes humilty, prayer, and courage to act beyond my ideals, ideas, beliefs, and even my sense of physical capacity at times. I wonder if the resurrection of our heart body is how we join Jesus' radical dance of life? For me it is.
I’ll finish the read later. . . Just wanted to say wanted to get out the observation that the “open” heart and mind that Jesus wants to create is exactly what the “ExEvangelical Bubble” which Sarah McCammon labeled in your conversation a few days ago. . . Don’t have much time to write a fuller comment. Sorry. There is so much more that I could say. . . I’ll close with my Propaganda sweatshirt quote (I’m an “Old Timer with Walking Stick and No Plaques”) “TELL BETTER STORIES”.
📣In case anyone needs a reminder, this IS NOT a post about Methodists (although Methodists may particularly like it) NOR is it about denominational ad slogans. (I don't love such branding efforts, but these are decent ones in a genre I don't really care for).
The Methodist tagline serves as the occasion for the piece -- a theological/cultural entry point -- that helps unpack the main point. The POINT is the two accounts of Easter evening. Why are they different? John and Luke bring two different spiritual agendas to the same story. Here, I show a surprising way to interlace two narratives to make a larger theological point: the Resurrection is about openness. And that implies (very strongly and intended) that the very heart of Christianity is OPENNESS. Not exclusion or boundaries. Just the opposite of what many Christians -- and huge numbers of critics and 'leavers' think.
The point is ever so much larger than a single denomination. (And I certainly don't wish for a string of remarks on how well or not the Methodists live up to it -- all of these denominations sorta live up to their slogans and all of them fail as well). THE POINT IS THE RESURRECTION -- the very foundation of Christian faith -- IS ABOUT OPENNESS.
I found this article particularly rich and inspiring. Great motto for Methodists, regardless of who came up with it, and obviously it should be practiced as well as preached by all who name Christ as Lord.
1. How do we know that slogan for the UMC was developed by a "marketing guru"? Before the Methodists, I used it as an author and editor in a city magazine article about the founding of the city's first hospital.
2. Why are we using demeaning words and phrases, to wit, "gurus" and "slogans"? How about "wordsmiths" and "mottos"?
3. What's wrong with marketing gurus anyway?
4. One person here in said that she doubted slogan for churches changed minds. Mine was changed by the slogan of the Congregational Church of San Mateo: "God has no hands but your hands. God has no feet but your feet."
--Obviously, all of this is thought provoking! Thanks to my fellow posters; and thanks, as always, to Rev. Diana, for opening our hearts and minds.
This is such a heartening reminder. Thank you. I remember when I first read Marcus Borg's argument that to expect people to adhere to a particular dogma defeated the purpose of breaking open all the societal expectations for inclusion/ forgiveness/ love; it just created another set of expectations. I'm inclined to think that if love doesn't feel much like freedom, it isn't really love. And if the point of following Jesus isn't learning about love, then what is it?
Thank you Diana! this is truly enlightening. As a muslim who grew up in catholic schools with a lot of christian friends and learning and writing about religions this does answer some of the questions I had. I tend to be too open minded or too closed off depends on the person I am having a conversation with.
Thank you! So much truth. However, we need to keep open to the closed minded people, and love them, too. Don't write them off or judge them. A friend of mine decided I was too liberal for her. She said she didn't want us to continue our sporadic visits, because sometimes she felt pressured by me to change her strong beliefs. I had been trying not to argue with her, but the last time we had disagreed about my belief that Jesus was fully human (although divinely sired and sinless) and possibly didn't know his calling until his baptism. She thought that was terrible. I defended it once with scripture and then stopped arguing. Well, it was too much for her. When she stopped our friendship, I texted her that I understood and was not upset with her. She responded back sincerely thanking me for understanding. I happen to know she was emotionally abused by both parents. She is doing well to believe in Jesus at all. I will continue to pray for her emotional healing as well as for her mother. These wounds are sadly very generational.
Nix on the broiled fish, however, I would like a helping of open heart with one side of open mind so I can head for the open door!
I loved/love the poem today by Andrew King, "Then He Opened Their Minds." Great Commentary on the Gospel for today from my perspective. Peace.
Thank you, Diana. “Open hearts. Open minds. Open doors.” I am trying. With Jesus’s help I’ll open each a little more each day.
Thank you for this beautiful reminder, that Jesus is above doctrines. That transformation happens. That the Resurrection is at the core, telling us that we are not bound by time and space. G-d is so good, and I am always humbled by how He leads me to the next best thing to read, as was the case with your article, as well as quotes. I am currently working on a series of posts, called Yaya Speaks. She was and is my inner child, who held a profound ability, far beyond her years, to believe that forgiveness, acceptance, release, healing and transformation is possible. It has been a long an exceedingly bumpy road. But neither I nor my inner child would trade any of it, for the Grace and awareness it has offered me. Blessing on your writings. I pray every day that each of our hearts and minds be open a little bit more in precisley the measure His WIsdom decrees.
I loved this. Thank you!
I am not afraid of ghosts, even the Holy Ghost. What I fear most is the radical and untamable freedom that walking in the path of Christ brings. Because the responsibility that comes with that means the end of all excuses. NO EXCUSES, AND NO EXCEPTIONS. From the start of every day to the day's end, I CANNOT HAVE AN ENEMY, AND I CANNOT BE AN ENEMY to any person, myself included. And I cannot make an enemy of the pain, confusion, grief, fear, death and terror that is the common inheritance of all humankind. I must take everything as it comes, and know that everything is included.
And I must do "the best that I can" with all of it, knowing that there will be a lot of days when I do not even want to "show up" for life. And finally, perhaps the hardest thing of all , I must be willing to accept that I am utterly dependent upon the love and mercy of God to sustain me in everything. Sound like fun? No. BUT IT IS ABSOLUTELY THE ONLY THING WORTH DOING WITH MY LIFE.
I am not inside a denomination though I've worshiped as a Methodist, Lutheran, Baptist, UCCer, and Disciples of Christ clergy. The invitation to live as one who is open is harder than it sounds. Angeles Arrien in The Four-Fold Way: Walking the Paths of the Warrior, Teacher, Healer and Visionary writes "Many native cultures believe that the heart is the bridge between Father Sky and Mother Earth. For these traditions, the *four-chambered heart*, the source for sustaining emotional and spiritual health, is described as being full, open, clear, and strong. These traditions feel that it is important to check the condition of the four-chambered heart daily, asking: Am I full-hearted, open-hearted, clear-hearted, and strong-hearted?" As a follower of Christ I appreciate giving attention on what the heart is doing. Christianity is at its best when the heart is open. For me this takes humilty, prayer, and courage to act beyond my ideals, ideas, beliefs, and even my sense of physical capacity at times. I wonder if the resurrection of our heart body is how we join Jesus' radical dance of life? For me it is.
I’ll finish the read later. . . Just wanted to say wanted to get out the observation that the “open” heart and mind that Jesus wants to create is exactly what the “ExEvangelical Bubble” which Sarah McCammon labeled in your conversation a few days ago. . . Don’t have much time to write a fuller comment. Sorry. There is so much more that I could say. . . I’ll close with my Propaganda sweatshirt quote (I’m an “Old Timer with Walking Stick and No Plaques”) “TELL BETTER STORIES”.
Gotta get to “church”
PEACE. My heart is with you.
Thanks for this homiletical interpretation, Diana. You'll end up influencing my own sermon later this morning. Ted Peters
This post is about the Resurrection, not a motto.
RE-UPPING. PLEASE READ MY EXPLAINER COMMENT:
📣In case anyone needs a reminder, this IS NOT a post about Methodists (although Methodists may particularly like it) NOR is it about denominational ad slogans. (I don't love such branding efforts, but these are decent ones in a genre I don't really care for).
The Methodist tagline serves as the occasion for the piece -- a theological/cultural entry point -- that helps unpack the main point. The POINT is the two accounts of Easter evening. Why are they different? John and Luke bring two different spiritual agendas to the same story. Here, I show a surprising way to interlace two narratives to make a larger theological point: the Resurrection is about openness. And that implies (very strongly and intended) that the very heart of Christianity is OPENNESS. Not exclusion or boundaries. Just the opposite of what many Christians -- and huge numbers of critics and 'leavers' think.
The point is ever so much larger than a single denomination. (And I certainly don't wish for a string of remarks on how well or not the Methodists live up to it -- all of these denominations sorta live up to their slogans and all of them fail as well). THE POINT IS THE RESURRECTION -- the very foundation of Christian faith -- IS ABOUT OPENNESS.
I found this article particularly rich and inspiring. Great motto for Methodists, regardless of who came up with it, and obviously it should be practiced as well as preached by all who name Christ as Lord.
1. How do we know that slogan for the UMC was developed by a "marketing guru"? Before the Methodists, I used it as an author and editor in a city magazine article about the founding of the city's first hospital.
2. Why are we using demeaning words and phrases, to wit, "gurus" and "slogans"? How about "wordsmiths" and "mottos"?
3. What's wrong with marketing gurus anyway?
4. One person here in said that she doubted slogan for churches changed minds. Mine was changed by the slogan of the Congregational Church of San Mateo: "God has no hands but your hands. God has no feet but your feet."
--Obviously, all of this is thought provoking! Thanks to my fellow posters; and thanks, as always, to Rev. Diana, for opening our hearts and minds.