Wouldn’t it be cool to
experience one of these every-500 year events?
Well, we’re in luck. We are in
such a time today! Around the world, the
church is changing in dramatic ways.
Geographically, the
church’s center of power is moving from the northern hemisphere to the southern
hemisphere. Organizationally, the church
is moving from central authority to a more egalitarian, grass-roots authority. Theologically, the pendulum of thought is
moving from a doctrine-based faith to a faith based on behavior and how one
lives.
The last period of
transformation – 500 years ago – is known as the Reformation. Out of the Reformation came the modern
Protestant denominations. Lutherans,
Methodists, Presbyterians … and eventually, the Disciples of Christ.
(Well, actually,
Alexander Campbell and other early leaders of the Disciples of Christ preferred
to call it an ordinance rather than a sacrament, but we’ll save that discussion
for another day.)
What happened is
this:
The Catholic Church
said that the bread of communion, upon being blessed by the priest, actually became the body of Christ, and
that the wine actually became the
blood of Christ. This is called transubstantiation.
During the Reformation,
some groups of people developed the belief that the bread and the wine did not actually become the body and blood of
Christ; the bread remained bread, and the wine remained wine; but the body and
blood came to exist with them; alongside them.
The body and blood dwelt within the bread and the wine. This is called consubstantiation.
Now if you don’t
completely understand the difference, that’s okay; it took me a while, studying
it in seminary, to get it.
Other groups of
Protestants then came to understand that the body and blood of Christ was not
present in any real, physical way,
but that the bread and wine were symbolic
of the spiritual presence of Christ’s body and blood. In other words, the bread and wine are
symbols of Christ’s body and blood, but the body and blood aren’t actually present.
These different ways
of understand communion continue to exist today. The point is that not all Christians think
the same or believe the same thing. We
have different understandings.
Most people in the
Disciples of Christ do believe that the bread and the wine are symbols. Christ’s Spirit is present; but the bread is
just bread, and the wine is just wine (or, juice). And I suppose I could spend a whole sermon
arguing that this is the case, but what would be the point? How would that make any of us a better
follower of Jesus?
Actually, I think that
what makes us better followers of Jesus is that we recognize and honor the
different understandings we have. What
makes us better followers of Jesus is that we celebrate the diversity of our
common life.
Instead of me saying,
“this is what I believe, and it’s right so you have to agree,” what makes us
better followers of Jesus is to say, “tell me more about what you believe. Help me understand why that is meaningful or
important for you.”
We celebrate the diversity of our common life, affirming our
different histories, styles of worship, and forms of service.
Keep that in the back
of your mind as we focus for a moment on today’s scripture.
This raises all kinds
of questions for me, questions about Jesus’s body and blood. How did Jesus enter the room if the door was
locked? If he was able to pass through
locked doors, what kind of a body did he have after the resurrection? If it was a spiritual body – the kind of body
that could pass through solid doors – then where did his physical body go? After all, the tomb was empty. But if his resurrected body was a physical,
flesh and blood body, then how could he pass through walls? And why was it so hard for his followers to
recognize him, if he had the same physical body? Mary at the garden didn’t recognize him. Thomas had doubts, even when Jesus appeared,
until he was told to place his hands in Jesus’s wounds. And two other disciples walked all the way to
Emmaus with Jesus, talking with him the whole way, without recognizing him.
The truth is, if you
take the New Testament as a whole, the answer is as clear as mud. In some passages, Jesus’s body appears to be
his same old, flesh-and-blood body, the body that needs to eat and sleep take a
bath once in a while. Ever scar and callous,
every hair and toenail.
And then, in other
passages, we have the Jesus who is not recognized, the Jesus who passes through
walls and doors, the Jesus who cannot be touched; the Jesus whose resurrection
appearance is more spiritual than physical.
Here’s what I want you
to know today. If you’ve been a baptized
member of the church for 50 years, or if you’re just now thinking about being
baptized or joining the church, here’s what I want you to know.
I’m not going to ask
you questions like, “The resurrection is of Jesus’s physical body: true or false?”
I’m not going to ask
you whether communion is a) transubstantiation, b) consubstantiation, or c)
symbolism.
I would like you to
learn just a little about such things, but not so you can have all the right
answers. I want you to learn about such
things just so you know enough to start asking questions.
If the Bible doesn’t
give one clear answer on questions like these, how can any person be expected to give one, clear, “right” answer?
No. Being a Christian is not about taking a test
where all the answers are true/false or multiple choice.
Being a Christian is
about following Jesus.
Being a Christian is
about how you live your life.
Being a Christian is
about celebrating the diversity of our common life, affirming the complexity
and diversity that exists not only among us, but within scripture itself.
Yes, I know: saying
these things shows that I am a part of the current transformation taking place
in the church. The Pastor’s Class of 50
years ago probably would not have expressed things this way. So let me say it again:
Being a Christian is
not about taking a test where all the answers are true/false or multiple
choice.
Being a Christian is
about following Jesus.
Being a Christian is
about how you live your life.
Being a Christian is
about celebrating the diversity of our common life, affirming the complexity
and diversity that exists not only among us, but within scripture itself.
So if you believe that
Jesus’s resurrection was a coming-back-to-life of his physical, flesh-and-blood
body, fine; but what I want to know is, what difference does that make in your
life?
And if you believe
that Jesus’s resurrection was a spiritual resurrection, a spiritual awakening
of sorts, a new awareness that brought new life into Jesus’s followers that maybe
didn’t include the coming-back-to-life of an actual corpse, fine; but what I
want to know is, what difference does that make in your life?
The truth is, if we
can go beyond the true/false, multiple choice answers, we discover the
opportunity for some fascinating conversations; conversations which help us
grow and mature in faith. And perhaps we
can even discover a deeper truth, something that is true whether or not the
story in which it is contained is true literally or metaphorically.
After all, isn’t there
a deeper truth to communion, something that is true whether it is
transubstantiation, consubstantiation, or symbolism?
And isn’t there a
deeper truth to the story of a God who brings new life from death, whether or
not Jesus’s resurrected body was physical or spiritual?
And if you can find
someone to share your questions with – perhaps someone who has different ideas
than you do – then your faith will be enriched.
Some of the best
conversations I’ve ever had have been with people who had different opinions
with me on these and other issues – theological issues, political issues, all
kinds of issues.
That can happen. People say you shouldn’t talk about religion
or politics. Well, if everyone insists
that it’s all black-and-white, true-or-false, what’s there to discuss?
But if we can live out
this principle of identity – if we can celebrate the diversity of our common
life, and affirm our different histories, our different understandings – we can
have some truly enriching conversations.
In faith, it’s
important to not say, “this is how I see it, and you’re wrong.” That is a close-minded attitude. If that’s
the attitude you have, you will never grow in faith.
It’s important to have
an open mind. It’s important to listen
to others, and to say to one another, “tell me what that means to you… tell me
what difference that belief makes in your life…”
No comments:
Post a Comment