More Colossians Remixed

Last updated on: January 19, 2008 at 8:40 am by Tim Suttle

More Colossians Remixed 2008-01-19T08:40:00-07:00 Tim Suttle

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.

A few interesting quotes from Colossians Remixed:

“Paul’s letter to the Colossians is fundamentally about shaping the imagination of the Christian community. Walter Brueggemann says that “the key pathology of our time, which seduces us all, is the reduction of the imagination so that we are too numbed, satiated and co-opted to do serious imaginative work.” If this is true, then the primal responsibility of Christian proclamation is to empower the community to reimagine the world as if Christ, and not the powers, were sovereign. If the image of the emperor that is on every coin serves to ensnare the imagination of a domesticated people, then radical Christian proclamation and cultural practice will seek to demythologize the empire and devalue its currency. Such proclamation, such poetry, will always be a subversion of the dominant version of reality.” p.84

“Our suggestion is simple. Follow Paul, who was following the prophets. Write and perform evocative and subversive poetry that provides an imagination alternative to the empire’s. The point is to so immerse ourselves in the Scriptures, so indwell their narrative, be so permeated by their images that our imagination is transformed according to the image of Christ.” p.85

“Let’s pay careful attention to what Foucault is saying. Truth is not found, nor does it ‘come’ to us from any place beyond our worldly realities. Truth is made, it is produced, and such production (like all production) requires the imposition of power, of constraint. Once such a constructed vision of things is taken to be true, it becomes a regime, a structure of political control.” p.102

After that they go on to make the simple claim that although the truth as Paul proclaims it is totalizing, it does not secure its supremacy through violence, but through suffering and self-sacrifice. “We are not contesting the fact that the biblical metanarrative – and Paul’s epistles – have been used in totalizing and oppressive ways. The weight of Christian history is too great to attempt such a cover up. What we are asking is whether we might discern counter-ideological tendencies in the biblical tradition that undermine such oppressive readings and praxis. Is there anything in the Bible itself that, if taken seriously, would prevent or inhibit us from using the Bible as an absolute with which to punch people in the face? Our answer is yes!”

The two pieces of evidence they use are 1) a radical sensitivity to suffering which pervades the biblical narrative. 2) the rooting of the story of God in God’s overarching creational intent, which delegitimates any narrow, partisan use of the story.

Amen.

Uncategorized

Previous Post

January 16, 2008

Colossians Remixed, Truth, and Certainty

Next Post

January 23, 2008 Impossible Monism

Browse Our Archives

Select a Category abortion corruption Donald Trump elections Empire Entertainment Ezra Klein ideology Justice Lacan politics race Sports Ta-Nehisi Coates Uncategorized

Select a Month September 2026 March 2026 September 2025 March 2025 June 2024 January 2024 December 2023 May 2023 February 2023 October 2022 April 2022 March 2022 December 2021 November 2021 October 2021 September 2021 August 2021 September 2020 July 2020 June 2020 March 2020 September 2019 July 2019 March 2019 February 2019 January 2019 November 2018 October 2018 September 2018 August 2018 July 2018 June 2018 May 2018 April 2018 March 2018 February 2018 December 2017 November 2017 October 2017 September 2017 August 2017 May 2017 April 2017 March 2017 February 2017 January 2017 December 2016 November 2016 October 2016 September 2016 July 2016 June 2016 May 2016 April 2016 March 2016 February 2016 January 2016 December 2015 November 2015 October 2015 September 2015 August 2015 July 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 August 2010 July 2010 May 2010 April 2010 March 2010 February 2010 January 2010 December 2009 September 2009 August 2009 July 2009 June 2009 May 2009 April 2009 February 2009 January 2009 December 2008 October 2008 September 2008 August 2008 July 2008 June 2008 May 2008 April 2008 March 2008 February 2008 January 2008 November 2007 October 2007 September 2007 August 2007 July 2007 June 2007 May 2007 April 2007 March 2007 February 2007 January 2007 December 2006 October 2006 September 2006 August 2006 July 2006 June 2006 May 2006 April 2006 December 2004 November 2004 October 2004 September 2004 August 2004

TAKE THE

Religious Wisdom Quiz

What did Jesus say is the greatest commandment?

Select your answer to see how you score.

Honor your parents Love the Lord your God Do not steal Observe Sabbath