Reconciliation Does Not Fix THE Problem

Last updated on: October 7, 2013 at 4:36 pm by Andrew Marin

Reconciliation Does Not Fix THE Problem 2013-10-07T16:36:07-05:00 Andrew Marin

LOGO Patheos Explore the world's faith through different perspectives on religion and spirituality! Patheos has the views of the prevalent religions and spiritualities of the world.

The following post is from Andrew Marin, President and Founder of The Marin Foundation

The core of reconciliatory engagement must always be love. Love, in such a pure form, that the self-giving nature, some would even say humiliation, of Christ, is the central point to one’s understanding of the ever-reaching ramifications of the incarnation. Our incarnational work as bridge builders sets one foot in both worlds–identifying with both, while only representing Christ. This “de-centered center,” as Miroslav Volf puts it, enables us to live within culture’s fluidity, affirm its diverse hybridity, and yet not let it be a threat to the purity of our core identity.

Though what I don’t understand is the ease in which a variety of respected theologians I have been reading recently continue referencing “God’s perfect love” as the default response against any critiques of what compels one to engage in reconciliation. I find their response a copout. “God’s perfect love,” which has legs in the theological-banter-world, means absolutely nothing to those outside the faith. Using the Bible as moral justification to someone who does not view the Bible as a morally legitimate tool is like standing in a garage and trying to convince your next door neighbor you are a car.

Or, worse yet, expounding on about “God’s perfect love” to those of the faith who have been irrevocably changed by [repeating] moments in time not reflecting anything close to such love. Love must not be an abstract in order for contemporary masses to understand it—yet, even for one person.

As a bridge builder who believes in Jesus, I must contemplate the reality of the tension between felt-betrayal, -suffering, -evil, -exploitation, -exclusion, -violence, -conflict; and how God embraced all of those deep feelings, fears, hatred, and insecurities inside of us, through Jesus Christ on the cross.

How does one remain loyal to both the justice for the oppressed and to the forgiveness that Jesus-crucified offered the perpetrators?

The ultimate conclusion to such contemplation ends with an answer to the following question:

Do I either watch others be crucified or let myself be nailed to the cross?

The chosen state of humiliation when one lets themselves step into the disconnect and take both waring factions’ burdens upon themselves to provide space for redemption, opens the floodgates for all onlookers to have unrequested opinions:

You’re doing the right thing.

You’re doing the wrong thing.

You’re doing it for the right motives.

You’re doing it for the wrong motives.

You’re sincere.

You’re not sincere.

You have a hidden agenda.

You don’t have a hidden agenda.

To any of these your response must always be:

Does it really even matter what other’s, even those closest to me, think about the choice the Lord is compelling me to live within?

We must wrap our minds around the blatant fact that greatest limitation in seeking reconciliation is not that reconciliation does not work, but that even with the progress of tangible forgiveness, peace, dignity, and shifting outlooks, new conflicts and disagreements will continually be generated. Even so, I still believe engaging in such spaces are worth every second to live into the life of the humiliation, burden, and effort that Christ modeled for all his followers.

These days I see segmented arguments within the Christian world about the church go viral all over the interwebs. Why are millennials leaving the church? Why are millennials staying in the church? Maybe these catchy questions give Christian writers something to write about? I don’t know. I don’t really care, either.

What I do know and what I do care about is making sure those who claim Jesus’ name actually live like the man; not just write about what would keep millennials in a contemporary version of church the man never created.

But, if those who claim Jesus’ name do begin to live like the man, in even close to as widespread of numbers as those who do claim his name, there will be no need for the numbing amounts of input over who has the best non-statistical analysis of who is leaving the church [see: opinion] or the best statistical analysis of who is staying in the church (which, by the way, I think is very informative). Instead, everyone will be too busy loving people into the Church by placing themselves in humiliation’s way for another’s burden because that is what Jesus did. It’s a very simple concept–one just needs enough boldness to actually do it one situation at a time.

What would Jesus do? Indeed.

Much love.

www.themarinfoundation.org

Bridging Opposing Worldviews

Culture

Faith

Previous Post

September 25, 2013

How Are Churches Walking With Those Pursuing Celibacy?

Next Post

September 30, 2013 We Don't Want to be Dinosaurs

Browse Our Archives

Select a Category Book Reviews Bridging Opposing Worldviews Culture Don't Drink and Drive Faith Guest Posts I'm Sorry Campaign Interviews Language Laura Statesir LGBT Living in the Tension Living in the Tension Gatherings Love Is an Orientation Love Is an Orientation Blog Love Is an Orientation Book Love Is an Orientation DVD Melinda Guerra Memory My One Sentence Bible Newsletter Our Last Option Parents & Families Politics Quick Quotes Quotes ReEngaging Civility Sexuality Speaking The Marin Foundation Theology Uncategorized Us Versus Us Videos Warren Perry Youth and Campus Ministry

Select a Month June 2016 May 2016 December 2015 June 2015 May 2015 April 2015 March 2015 February 2015 January 2015 December 2014 November 2014 October 2014 September 2014 August 2014 July 2014 June 2014 May 2014 April 2014 March 2014 February 2014 January 2014 December 2013 November 2013 October 2013 September 2013 August 2013 July 2013 June 2013 May 2013 April 2013 March 2013 February 2013 January 2013 December 2012 November 2012 October 2012 September 2012 August 2012 July 2012 June 2012 May 2012 April 2012 March 2012 February 2012 January 2012 December 2011 November 2011 October 2011 September 2011 August 2011 July 2011 June 2011 May 2011 April 2011 March 2011 February 2011 January 2011 December 2010 November 2010 October 2010 September 2010 August 2010 July 2010 June 2010 May 2010 April 2010 March 2010 February 2010 January 2010 December 2009 November 2009 October 2009 September 2009 August 2009 July 2009 June 2009 May 2009 April 2009 March 2009 February 2009 January 2009 December 2008 November 2008 October 2008 September 2008

TAKE THE

Religious Wisdom Quiz