the way, the truth, the life

It's not just about truth anymore.  And I don't know if it ever was.

My dear friend, Jim Bell (James Scott Bell) in his blog recently talked about the emerging church.  I responded there, probably not very well, but oh well, and have been thinking about this post a lot since.  This is the quote that keeps resounding in my head:

"Ultimately, I don't think the “emergent mood” will last. People are hard wired to seek Truth, and cannot long be satisfied with an “orthodoxy” that says Truth is unknowable."

I think every person involved in the emergent conversation will say that one thing they know to be true is this:  Jesus is the way, the truth, and the life.  If you're around a group of emergents, you'll hear scripture flying around like crazy.  These people are madly in love with the very Word they're purported not to value by those who critique them. (I'm not saying Jim accused them of this.)  I've got to be honest, you don't hear "arguments" and propositions, but man, do you hear the Word!  All I can say is, you've got to experience it to understand.

While Jim, who is one of the smartest, liveliest, creative people I know (Man, would he thrive in emergent, because his creativity wouldn't be stifled), I would have to differ with the statement that people are hardwired to seek the truth.  While that may have been true to moderns, it is not true to post-moderns, the very people emergent is trying to reach.  As I see it, and I'm by no means an authority on anything but why it's bad to use adverbs, people born after 64 or 65 are looking for meaning and relevance, in that, well, something may be true, but what next?

Relationship.

And that's what I've seen that emergent people focus on.  Relationship and reconciliation to the very God that made us.  Truth is great, but its a dry, academic cracker without relationship.  And perhaps, maybe, it's putting the cart before the horse, especially in this era.  Can we not see the truth of the gospel more clearly by being in relationship to God and others?  Yes, the truth will set us free.  But that truth which sets us free is the gospel, the fact that God so loved the world, that He sent us Jesus, who lived as we lived, veiled in flesh, experiencing pain and hunger and loneliness and all that we feel.  And He wants to be in relationship with us.  The truth of the gospel is that God wants to be in relationship with us.  The truth of the gospel isn't about . . . the truth.

So Jim, my dear brother and friend, I love you, and I hope maybe this explains why I am where I am.  I think you're great!

grace,

lisa

Comments

[Julie Fidler]

I'm part of the "emergent" movement and I can tell you, it's not about stifling Truth. We're looking for something more "real." I'm one of the younger (b. 1979) "disenfranchised" Christians who don't like pat answers and cliche' solutions to questions of faith.
So that's why we focus more on the relationship part. We want something deeper. For the most part, we're trying to find it for ourselves.

I don't know if that's good or bad, but that's where we're at.

[Katy Raymond]

Hi, Lisa! Unlike you and Julie, I'm an old chick at 51, but very much a part of the "conversation," since my son and his wife are active members of Jacob's Well in Kansas City. I read on James Scott Bell's site that you and Will plan to live in urban Lexington, KY? Wow! About the helping kids in the community with homework idea: Did you notice on Jacob's Well's site that they do this? They are teaching English to immigrants, and while the parents are in language class, other church members help their kids with homework--an excellent ministry! Much love to you.

[rick luoni]

Lisa,

Thank you. It is about relationship for me. It always has been. I did not encounter Jesus CHrist while on a search for truth. I encountered Jesus on a search for relationship.

I think much of the talk about truth has very little to do with God and a whole lot to do with "me" or us as a church. Defining what is true becomes about being "right" which is about ego.

"The truth of the gospel isn't about truth."
We'll said.

Thank you,
Rick

[Pauline]

Lisa, I too, read the "talk" on Jim's site... I love how dialog sharpens minds and hearts -- I think these are the types of conversations Jesus had...

I don't know much about the labels of "emerging" and all that post-modern stuff... but I do know that to pursue God is so much deeper than even just pursuing relationship... it's embracing the Spirit of Jesus, the Holy Spirit, submitting my heart to His heart... to let Him break my heart with the things that break His heart (Beattitudes) and to be led by Him according to His direction and will (and this transcends action, it's all about the heart...) I want to live a life Jesus would have lived if He had been born in 1906...not for the sake of being "better" than others, but for the sake of BEING Jesus on earth... I want others to feel Jesus' love when I hug them. I want that single moms to know that Jesus is their husband when I care for her kids and give her a break... I want her to see Jesus as her provider when I drop off some groceries to the woman on welfare up the street from the church... I want the kid who is bullied to know Jesus is the Shepherd who lovingly cares for His sheep by the way I reach out and care... The young woman who was abused -- may she see my healing by the Great Physician and find hope... I want to be Jesus hands and feet and eyes and ears and heart to those He brings me to... but I cannot do that without intimate relationship with Him, without letting Him break me away from the prejudices I hold, from the "religiosity" that has come from being in mainstream denominational churches; while at the same time I must grapple with living out the Calling of being Ordained to Minister in a _ ure that is so confused about what Truth really is... and I often fall into that camp as well... When I hear the news (like today) about the evil that is destroying what God called "good" I want to scream in anger... I want to be part of a fellowship of people who also cry and weep over the strongarm of the enemy, and who will pray as Elijah did, with purpose and fervor before God's throne... I want to shout at people sometimes that "It's all about the Kingdom and seeing hearts being reconcilled to God" -- everything else should fall in place after that, at least it seems to me....

Oops... really on a soapbox here and wandering... Lisa, I am so excited about what you and your family are doing with seminary and following the Spirit's leading... I hope your time in Denver is great -- I'm wishing I still lived there and we could meet for coffee and hang out at Mile High Ministries for a morning... Thanks for provoking thought and discussion and contemplation... you keep me pretty grounded when you do that, and I am grateful.

Hugs today,
Pauline

[lo]

If the truth about the gospel isn't about truth, then why do I want a "relationship" without it. Any relationship not built on the truth is no relationship, just chaff.

[lisa]

Because the truth of the gospel is about Christ, the Truth, capital T. Not truth, the concept. Even the word "evidence" in Hebrews 11, as in "the evidence of things not seen" means in Greek, "the hope on which we stand." It's nothing like what we mean by evidence today.

And honestly, people can "prove" Christianity all they want, but ultimately, it's about faith. I know I'm drawing a fine line here but I still stand by my statement that the gospel isn't *about* truth, it *is* truth. And that truth is that Christ came to reconcile men to God.

[relevantgirl]

Lisa,

I love what my theology-embracing hubby says about the Christian life. We hold it in tension. That has helped me mine this world of postmodernity. I struggle in the tension too--of not wanting to throw away the beauty of Christian thought and creeds through the centuries, but also wanting to embrace relationship.

I think Donald Miller is on to something. His raw spirituality may be offensive to some, but he unmasks most of us by saying what we are really thinking. The truth is life is messy. And God is utterly different than us. None of us knows God utterly. And I think that's the beauty of the emerging conversation.

Patrick (hubby) also says, "You can't know God apart from community," and I agree. We need others to help us shape our theologies. We need the Bible as our backbone. We need the Holy Spirit as our sanctifier. We need each other.

[Carrie K.]

I'm quite unsure exactly what the emerging church is. I've read many, many articles on the subject -- some by people in the emerging church, some not -- and I still can't get a clear picture. My question is, why does it seem like in all the conversations about this, truth and relationship are talked about as mutually exclusive? Can't we have deep relationships with each other and with Christ and still have moral absolutes? Just curious.

[Carrie K.]

I kept thinking I should come back and clarify my comment. I didn't want it to sound like I think people will be perfect if only they know what the moral absolutes are. I know we won't be perfect -- I am very flawed. I want authentic relationships where I can share my flawed self with other Christians and have them love me and not doubt my love for Christ because of my imperfections. But I also don't want to go to a church where I'm told that my sin isn't sin. I want to be loved in spite of it, but I don't want to be encouraged to stay in it.

[Mary]

Lisa,
Thanks for this. Until I started blogging last year, I never knew what "emergent" was. I only knew that a lot of people whose blogs I liked used that word. I'm still not sure I know what it means exactly, but maybe that's what intrigues me.

The mystery.

I told a friend today that I'd have to follow her emerging trail, since instead of emerging, I seem to be falling away, not from the Word or from Jesus, but from my well rehearsed Christian answers for every problem.

Her response? "Good. You're probably emerging then."

I may never know for sure about that, but the relationships I've made with emergent people in the last year have made me more gracious, thoughtful and hungry for Jesus.

Mary

[lo]

Dear Lis,

Thanks for trying to clarify your statement. Although I think your "fine line" is more splitting hairs, I am relieved we are somewhere on the same page regarding the gospel.

As always, you are one fine babe,
Lo

[Melissa]

Aunt Cees,

I'm trying to understand what you're saying in your blog. I know that I'm not the smartest person and can't always put two and two together, but when reading your blog, I feel kinda confused in some of your statements. I read your comment that said "The gospel isn't *about* truth, it *is* truth" and you're trying to clarify your point. But the title of your blog is "the way, the truth, the life" and I'm assuming you're saying that Jesus is all of these. By saying that the gospel isn't *about* truth, and Jesus being truth, than what exactly is the gospel about, in your veiw/opinion? I'm having a hard time grasping these "emergent" concepts, and I'm truly trying to understand yours and Uncle Will's new beliefs because I love you. At times I feel like we're believing two separte things, and I don't know if it's because I just read what you both post on your blogs or if it's because you both are still trying to figure out what you believe and are throwing out new ideas or concepts to see if it sounds good by people's reactions or if we do really believe two separate things. I don't know? I'm really really trying hard to understand and be open to what you both have to say. At this point, I just don't know or understand (for lack of a better term) what you all are saying.

Truly seeking understanding,
Melissa

[Susan]

I'm just beginning to slowly digest the whole "emergent" thing, so bear with me... Thoughts tumble through my head - "Jesus IS truth, the gospel IS truth, Jesus is ABOUT truth, the gospel is ABOUT truth" - and I wonder, what's THAT all about? All of the statements resound permanence to me. That Jesus is who He is and everything about him is perfect and lovely, and WOW, he loves ME. Sinful, nasty, unholy ME. And all I know is that I'm overwhelmed and grateful that he drew me to him, called me his child, unveiled what TRUTH even is, and filled my soul with hope. I don't understand the need to disect truth and relationship. Truth is what establishes and defines the relationship. I just want to celebrate it, not overanalyze it. He in me and I in him....what's more beautiful than that?