06-19-2008, 01:25 PM
It is a common saying amongst Unitarian Christians that they are followers of the religion OF Jesus, not the religion ABOUT Jesus. Until recently I had been unable to make heads or tails of this seemingly simple statement. Recently, however, I was finally able to come to an understanding of what this meant. My 'epiphany' occured as I was battling with my own internal religious struggles. I had been struggling to rectify seemingly conflicting religious views of my own. A religious liberal at heart through and through (I have appreciation for both the head-centered Unitarianism and the heart-centered Universalism) I had tried once again to force myself (unsuccesfully) through the narrow gate of traditional Christianity. Despite my appreciation for many aspects of traditional Christian theology and a certain preference for liturgical-Sacramental (aka Catholic worship) I continued to find traditional religion too limiting. I found myself almost revolted by the doctrinal systems and creeds that compromise "orthodox" Christianity. The Atonement never made sense-yet by most standard definitions the Atonement WAS the crux of Christianity. The Nicene Creed seemed to be a great deal of metaphysical gobblygoodook, that seemed by definition to condemn other religions. Questions raged within me. Was I really a Christian? Was I a Universal Theist? How could I call myself a Christian? How could I reconcile what appeared to be irreconcilable?
Despite being intimidated I didn't give up. After all if my orthodox brethren could insist that God was 3 and yet 1 (proof that Christianity had the "new math" from a very early age) I could find someway to resolve this dilemma. I thought of the possibility of a post-Christian or trans-Christian religion, something that seems to be an element of both Unitarian and Universalist evolution (away from an explicitly Christian religion to a more generic theism). At the same time however such a religion is somewhat hard to define, and I needed something a bit more concrete. I considered the position that the two were completely compatible (similar to how one can be a citizen of both the state of New York and the USA, something beyond states), which I still believe is relevant. Yet the final revelation came when I saw the phrase "The religion of Jesus, not the religion about Jesus". At last it clicked. What religion was Jesus?
Culturally he was born, lived and died a Jew, but this doesn't seem to describe his religious views (at times, perhaps, but not overall). In reality the religion that Jesus practiced was not a "religion" per se at all but rather an aggressive relationship that stripped everything down to the Great Commandment: Love of God with heart, mind, soul and strength; and love of neighbor as self. This was his religion: A religion of relationship. Jesus displayed (at times) contempt for the cultural elements of religion and the puritanical codes, and while at other times he did seem to appreciate their usefulness they were certainly secondary to the relationship element. In the religion of Jesus the human elements of religion were burned away in favor of a direct relationship with God, and relationships with others mattered most. To Jesus the central matters were the One God, and the unity of all people as God's children. Notice a parallel with the Unitarian and Universalist central themes?
The religion of Jesus is an elemental religion, one that is free of cultural bindings and that values free thought and social progress. The simple religion espoused by Jesus has virtually nothing in common with the creed-laden religion that bears his name. To me Christ never intended to found a religion at all, but rather a new way of living. In every way this seems like the truest definition of Christian there is-it is WE who are the true followers of Christ, not the orthodox. Jesus had hardly been gone from this earth before his message was corrupted-first by Paul and then with each generation the corruption became worse as Christianity was transformed into a complex philosophical system (Jesus was no philosopher or systematic theologian), an institution (when Rome, the very institution which he had opposed and that killed him, seized the church), a culture, and even a business.
Liberal Christianity must still confront some of the extraordinary claims that Jesus allegedly made, and wrestle with his identity. To me Jesus never directly claimed to be God, but rather a doorway to God-a human sacrament of the divine, an incarnation of divinity in human form (but not the only such incarnation). I believe that, conversely, as well as representing God Jesus also represents the perfect human, the greatets Teacher/Examplar of moral and spiritual leadership. And there is the matter of the Resurrection-I still believe that something happened on Easter, that somehow Jesus shattered the barrier between life and death, achieving a new state of being, but I make no claims as to how this occured. To me Jesus represents the greatest state humanity can achieve, what happens when God and Man became one, and the epitome of leadership. This, I believe, makes me a Christian, or, as I prefer, "a follower of Christ". Some elements that later entered Christianity are still useful-the Greek philosophers, for instance, provided a spiritual perspective that was missing in ancient Judaism, especially in regards to life after death. Christianity (the orthodox breed) provides a valuable perspective on many matters, as does any religion.
But it is the free spirit of rational thought, the compassion and love, and the progressive spirit found with Unitarianism and Universalism that truly are the faith that Jesus embodied. Believing things about Jesus are secondary to embracing his teachings-Unitarian Christianity and Christian Universalism are closer. And these beliefs are truly trans-Christian, for Jesus never intended to found a religion, and as an old saying goes, one needn't be Christian to be Christlike-for after all, neither was he. The Unitarian view of One God, many names; and Universalist view of all people sharing a common Source, Destination and Value in God's eyes, this is the religion of Jesus. It is true Christian-not orthodox, but true Christian.
Dilemma solved!
Despite being intimidated I didn't give up. After all if my orthodox brethren could insist that God was 3 and yet 1 (proof that Christianity had the "new math" from a very early age) I could find someway to resolve this dilemma. I thought of the possibility of a post-Christian or trans-Christian religion, something that seems to be an element of both Unitarian and Universalist evolution (away from an explicitly Christian religion to a more generic theism). At the same time however such a religion is somewhat hard to define, and I needed something a bit more concrete. I considered the position that the two were completely compatible (similar to how one can be a citizen of both the state of New York and the USA, something beyond states), which I still believe is relevant. Yet the final revelation came when I saw the phrase "The religion of Jesus, not the religion about Jesus". At last it clicked. What religion was Jesus?
Culturally he was born, lived and died a Jew, but this doesn't seem to describe his religious views (at times, perhaps, but not overall). In reality the religion that Jesus practiced was not a "religion" per se at all but rather an aggressive relationship that stripped everything down to the Great Commandment: Love of God with heart, mind, soul and strength; and love of neighbor as self. This was his religion: A religion of relationship. Jesus displayed (at times) contempt for the cultural elements of religion and the puritanical codes, and while at other times he did seem to appreciate their usefulness they were certainly secondary to the relationship element. In the religion of Jesus the human elements of religion were burned away in favor of a direct relationship with God, and relationships with others mattered most. To Jesus the central matters were the One God, and the unity of all people as God's children. Notice a parallel with the Unitarian and Universalist central themes?
The religion of Jesus is an elemental religion, one that is free of cultural bindings and that values free thought and social progress. The simple religion espoused by Jesus has virtually nothing in common with the creed-laden religion that bears his name. To me Christ never intended to found a religion at all, but rather a new way of living. In every way this seems like the truest definition of Christian there is-it is WE who are the true followers of Christ, not the orthodox. Jesus had hardly been gone from this earth before his message was corrupted-first by Paul and then with each generation the corruption became worse as Christianity was transformed into a complex philosophical system (Jesus was no philosopher or systematic theologian), an institution (when Rome, the very institution which he had opposed and that killed him, seized the church), a culture, and even a business.
Liberal Christianity must still confront some of the extraordinary claims that Jesus allegedly made, and wrestle with his identity. To me Jesus never directly claimed to be God, but rather a doorway to God-a human sacrament of the divine, an incarnation of divinity in human form (but not the only such incarnation). I believe that, conversely, as well as representing God Jesus also represents the perfect human, the greatets Teacher/Examplar of moral and spiritual leadership. And there is the matter of the Resurrection-I still believe that something happened on Easter, that somehow Jesus shattered the barrier between life and death, achieving a new state of being, but I make no claims as to how this occured. To me Jesus represents the greatest state humanity can achieve, what happens when God and Man became one, and the epitome of leadership. This, I believe, makes me a Christian, or, as I prefer, "a follower of Christ". Some elements that later entered Christianity are still useful-the Greek philosophers, for instance, provided a spiritual perspective that was missing in ancient Judaism, especially in regards to life after death. Christianity (the orthodox breed) provides a valuable perspective on many matters, as does any religion.
But it is the free spirit of rational thought, the compassion and love, and the progressive spirit found with Unitarianism and Universalism that truly are the faith that Jesus embodied. Believing things about Jesus are secondary to embracing his teachings-Unitarian Christianity and Christian Universalism are closer. And these beliefs are truly trans-Christian, for Jesus never intended to found a religion, and as an old saying goes, one needn't be Christian to be Christlike-for after all, neither was he. The Unitarian view of One God, many names; and Universalist view of all people sharing a common Source, Destination and Value in God's eyes, this is the religion of Jesus. It is true Christian-not orthodox, but true Christian.
Dilemma solved!