Are We Guilty?

Many of you know that a couple of weeks ago I embarked upon a journey to write a book, a story I am sure was placed in my hands by God herself, a book God himself wants written. This exercise has renewed my appreciation for divine inspiration. I’ll admit the bias I bring to this project. I don’t buy the use of "because that’s the way we’ve always done it" as the sole justification for anything. I believe that any time one considers an issue, a dilemma or problem, maturity of judgement requires that there is no limit to what is placed on the table of consideration. Anything great that’s ever come at any point in history was born out of an open mind. With that said, here’s a little snippet...

THE GOSPEL ACCORDING TO JOHN M.

1 I didn’t set out to write a gospel. 2 But then I wasn’t expecting what happened when I visited the secret place of my childhood, a sacred space I always returned to when I found my life in transition. But more about that later. 3 What could I possibly have to say that hasn’t been said already by the four gospels of the current canon and an unfolding tradition covering two millenia? 4 But I was urged to take another look.

5 Instead of bringing the ancient and timeless truths of sacred texts forward, institutional religion at times seems more intent on placing its closed mind in a backpack and hiking back in time to justify itself. 6 I was reminded that we don’t have a gospel that concerns itself exclusively with recounting who Jesus was, what he had to say, what he asked us to consider doing and what happened to him as a result. 7 We have some of that in its purest form in the gospel of Mark which embellishes least upon the primary source Q known by all of the gospel writers. 8 By the time Matthew, Mark, Luke and John sat down to commit to writing what had been to that point an oral tradition, followers found themselves removed from eyewitnesses to the actual events that took place. 9 When they did write they faced particular challenges and circumstances that necessitated their intentional filtering of the story to address and answer those concerns. 10 The result I was told were texts that perhaps better reflected the birth and infancy of an institution than the story of the man who was its cornerstone.

Today’s question then is...

Is organized religion, our practice of faith, our religious experience, to any extent guilty of being concerned more with self-justification than it is with coming to know the heart, spirit and soul of Jesus? If so, where today do you see this playing out most?

© Copyright 2005 gentlefootprint. All Rights Reserved.