The Implications of the Resurrection #1

As we ramp up towards Easter, I'm going to try to put up several posts on the implications of the Resurrection- why the event is essential to the Christian faith and what it means for us as Christians in the 21rst century.

While preparing for tonight's Sojourn topic, "The Reality of the Resurrection", (which by the way, you should come to, 7:30 @ Webster's) I realized that I have kind of taken the resurrection for granted in the past. Growing up in the church, the idea has never been strange to me, and as far as my own doubts, I've struggled more with foundational things like the existence of God and the validity of scripture. So it makes sense that if I came through those foundational doubts and came to the conclusion that God is real, and that the Bible is his inspired word of God, that there isn't much room left for doubting the resurrection.

However since it is often my doubts that propel me to study things out, I have never spent a lot of serious time dwelling on, dissecting, or questioning the resurrection. My unbelieving friends have also not seemed overly concerned with the topic. They seem to be primarily concerned with the existence of God, the validity of scripture, hypocrites in the church, the problem of evil, the arrogance of exclusive religious claims etc.

What I've realized though as I've prepared to lead the Sojourn discussion is that in the resurrection is a deep theological well that I've barely dipped into. And so these next few posts are as much for me as they are for you.

To kick things off here's a great quote by N.T. Wright that Tim Keller ended "The Reality of the Resurrection" chapter with:

The message of the resurrection is that this world matters!
That the injustices and pains of this present world must now
be addressed with the news that healing, justice, and love
have won...If Easter means Jesus Christ is only raised in a
spiritual sense- [then] it is only about me, and finding a
new dimension in my personal spiritual life. But if Jesus
Christ is truly risen from the dead, Christianity becomes
good news for the whole world- news which warms our hearts
precisely because it isn't just about warming hearts. Easter
means that in a world where injustice, violence and degredation
are endemic, God is not prepared to tolerate such things- and
that we will work and plan, with all the energy of God, to
implement victory over them all. Take away Easter and Karl Marx
was probably right to accuse Christianity of ignoring problems
of the material world. Take it away and Freud was probably right
to say Christianity is wish-fulfillment. Take it away and Nietzsche
probably was right to say it was for wimps.

Is Christianity a Straitjacket?...Brad Pitt Thinks So.

It's getting a little creepy...it seems every time I turn around I see Brad Pitt staring at me from another magazine cover. From Rolling Stone to The Architectural Review, to W Magazine, apparently the world can't get enough Brad (and Angelina)...I guess the technical term now is “Brangelina.”

My boss subscribes to Rolling Stone, so occasionally I check it out on my lunch break. Yesterday I read Rolling Stone's interview with Pitt, and have to say that I really enjoyed reading his thoughts on fame, film, family, and faith. I found much of what he had to say intelligent, witty, and admirable.
It was interesting, however, to hear Pitt's thoughts on religion. At one point during the interview Pitt explains why he tends to approach much of life skeptically:

Pitt: Well, that probably comes from growing up in a religious community (Pitt grew up conservative Southern Baptist). I just found it so stifling, my religion. I know it's very comforting for other people.

Interviewer: Did you go to Church every week?

Pitt: Yeah. And it was too much of what you shouldn't be doing instead of what you could be doing. I get enraged when people start telling other people how to live their lives...

Pitt, like many today, views Christianity (at least for himself) as a straitjacket-- a code revolving around restriction. (To be fair, there are brands of Christianity that do present the gospel as a kind of deal...“You get saved from hell...now here's your rule book...don't screw up or your out of the club”...we call that legalism, and it's bogus and unbiblical...so Brad is not completely off his rocker.)


If I could sit down with Brad, I'd tell him that he is on to something, but I'd also encourage him to consider whether it's possible that he has thrown out the baby with the bathwater.

Tim Keller discusses this notion of Christianity as a Straitjacket in chapter 3 of his book The Reason for God, (which has been the catalyst for our discussion at Missio Dei's “Sojourn Bookclub,” which meets Thursday nights at 8:00 in Webster's Cafe—if you weren't part of the group last semester, we'd love to have you!)

Keller says, “Christianity names some beliefs 'heresy' and some practices 'immoral.' It bars from its community those who transgress its doctrinal and moral boundaries. This seems to contemporary observers to endanger civic freedom, because it divides rather than unites our population. It also appears to be culturally narrow, failing to recognize that various cultures have different perspectives on reality. Finally, it seems to enslave or at least infantilize its members, determining what they must believe and practice in every particular...Christianity looks like an enemy of social cohesion, cultural adaptability, and even authentic personhood.”

Keller goes on to suggest these cultural notions of Christianity are based on mistakes about the nature of truth, community, Christianity, and of liberty itself.

In the next few days we'll consider some of Keller's arguments, not to mention some arguments from a few other credible sources...for example, Jesus!

No question or criticism from our culture should be disregarded. We must heed the words of 1 Peter 3:15: “...in your hearts honor Christ the Lord as holy, always being prepared to make a defense to anyone who asks you for a reason for the hope that is in you...”

*Note: Photo found at: http://jeffreydonovanfans.com/photos/magazines/straitjacket.jpg