Positively Job-like, Part 5

I note this Sunday, at St. Margaret's Episcopal, in Lake Ridge, we took on Manning's Chapter 2(B), pages 42-51, The Life of Christ.

Manning begins stating as long as Jesus was still human, He couldn't gain the power, through suffering, crucifixion and redemption, to transfer via the Holy Spirit to us. (It's why God answered His question as to why He must endure the bitter cup.)

Manning posits, then, that according to John, the only real sin is to resist the power transfer, because that, my friends, represents a deliberate rejection of God.

We'd discussed in previous classes, in terms of this book and others, as to whether folks of other faiths can be saved.

My question, in light of this, is what about atheists? According to a recent news story, there is a GI in Iraq who negates the common phrase, 'there are no atheists in foxholes,' by declaring even under deadly fire, to the chagrin of his superiors, and subsequent legal actions, he still does not believe.

Discussion led to another news item, namely, the Mother Teresa confession she'd lost her faith, and I believe, never regained it before she passed.

I offered the story of the social worker from our shelter for the chronic homeless who decided she'd only work every other week, going, otherwise, to a food pantry where those on the edge of being homeless came for groceries.

The difference between the former and latter is that at the pantry, there is still hope for an outcome other than jail or death. Sometimes those who work in desperate conditons first lose hope and then lose faith.

Manning compares a Communist who admires the general idea of Marx, but not specific doctrines, to Christians who talk the talk but not walk the walk.

It led us to consider limosuine liberals, comparing Rich Mullins, who decided with wealth and fame, he'd deliberately adopt a life of intentional poverty and service, opposed to what appears on the surface to be a flaw of a great hero of mine, John Lennon, who wrote 'imagine no possessions,' but didn't follow through personally to the best my knowledge.

Jill took exception to the contrast - she described how she'd recently read of folks who committed suicide by jumping off the Golden Gate Bridge - they make a splash but it doesn't last long. Perhaps Lennon, while not obviously walking the walk, through his song Imagine, inspired others to do so, creating a big splash, with many ripples.

Okay, then, what are we supposed to do with the exemplary power that comes to us from the Cross?

Does John's definition of sin compare with an old favorite - that of St. Augustine's falling back into comfortable bad habits, followed as penalty by a Calvinist demotion from the Elect (or the broader 'Chosen' as Suzanne points out), or by the once exclusively Catholic destination of purgatory where the magnitude of sin determines the length of stay.

What about non-celebrities like us?

Or, maybe, just one more: ex-President Carter, his lust in the heart confession? I'd read somewhere that men think of sex every 7 seconds. (Asking the women if it was the same, Ann responded, no, with us, it's every 7 days!)

Okay, then, how many people in this class agree that thinking about sex but not acting on it is a sin?

One yes, 7 no's.

Luke pointed out since Christian men (at least) can't avoid thinking about it, we shouldn't dwell on it.

I pointed out the story of Constantine who wasn't baptised until a minute before his death lest he sin - though, that would still have allowed plenty of time for 8 separate seven-second intervals...

Manning quotes Kierkegaard drawing distinctions among Christians: 'drama' people who are caught up in the Passion personally; and those content to admire Him from a safer distance.

My question for the parish of St. Margaret's is what is a surburban American parish to do with our piece of the power?

Although we don't talk about it much, our existence as a continuing church, when we could very well have not re-consistuted after the split, is something we are in itself which, and which we know from the reaction, like Lennon's 'Imagine,' inspires others.

Beyond that, returning to where we started, answering Manning's question, "How can God who was impossible become possible for atheists and those whose faith is wavering?" - there is class agreement that for a parish of our composition and disposition, we are in general, invidually and corporately, people whose daily practices include smaller acts of kindness of which God only knows.

Kate's sermon focused on the Old Testament reading where Moses is assigned various job duties by God. To which Moses responds with excuses. "Shut up," God explains.

(I love that - Damon Runyon coined it as God's response to Job - others take credit for the line - everyone steals since it fits like a glove in so many places.)

And, maybe, for St. Margaret's as we continue to reconstitute, not knowing our future, it's good enough, as Ann says, merely, 'to be,' (as it was for Kevin Costner at the end of Bull Durham) and for someone else like me, who used to run a shelter, but feels guilty he's given it up.