Jesus and the End of Religion

Does Jesus "hate" religion?

2012-01-26T23:23:00.001-08:00

Anyone still following this blog?

It's been a long time since I've posted here, not because I've given up on this important topic, but because I'm investigating some more significant ways to convey this vital message. Nothing is in place yet, but this recent video has prompted me to jump in here for a moment.

In the past month a new video has gone viral (largely because of social media) highlighting the irreligious message of Jesus. Close to 17 million people have viewed it so far, and the response has been mixed. The popularity of "Why I Hate Religion, But Love Jesus" indicates this idea resonates with a large number of people who are increasingly frustrated with organized religion. I have also read many critiques of the video, especially by Christians who either don't see religion as being a problem, or by those who see the message as too harsh.

A few observations. First, the word "religion" often boils down to semantics. There are many views of what it means, and not everyone sees it as negative. Certainly, there are aspects of religion throughout history that have been very positive despite its abuses and excesses. And, as a product of culture, religion is a natural human response which provides meaning and comfort for many. Consequently, anytime we present Jesus bringing the end to religion, we are forced to define our terms and express the radical nature of Jesus' message.

Second, the word "hate" is strong language. While I fully believe that Jesus inaugurated a new approach to relating to God and life apart from and beyond religion, I see no value in condemning those who are living within the parameters of religion. Jesus certainly saw the end of it and attacked those who used it to oppress others, but we can also see where he met people within it as a starting point in their spiritual journey.

Third, my biggest disappointment with the video is that it doesn't fully deliver on presenting the good news of Jesus, but simply regurgitates a simplistic gospel that is focused on individualistic spirituality far removed from the broader Kingdom vision that Jesus was presenting. In other words, we are left with religion deconstructed, but without offering the complete alternative.

If you haven't seen the video, watch it for yourself. And, please provide your feedback.

Why I Hate Religion, But Love Jesus || Spoken Word

Jesus as disequilibrium

2009-07-11T15:52:00.001-07:00

From Shapevine by Alan Hirsch:

"Jesus is always very difficult to deal with, and religious-minded people really do struggle with his form of ‘religion.’ Actually what Jesus taught cannot properly be called religion at all, in fact Ellul rightly calls it ‘anti-religion’ precisely because it undoes all religion. It effectively dissoves any need for a complex mediating institution with all its priestly/churchly paraphrenalia, and opens up the God-relation to all who will repond direclty to its call. That’s why the religious folk hated him. He de-legitimizes everything they stand for (priesthood and institution) and opens it up to the people. they must take him out.

"Here’s what I think: Christianity minus Jesus equalls religion. And this happens in more churches than we are given to believe. We marginalise Jesus all the time and in so many subtle ways. And we do this because dealing directly with Jesus (or God for that matter) is always a disturbing thing to a sin-wracked people who would prefer a stable, more controllable, religion. Like all living systems, churches seek equilibrium. We want to settle down. We want to bolt down the Revelation and make God understandable, accesable, and therefore more controllable–a ‘God-on-tap.’ Sociologists call this ‘the routinization of charisma’ (google that!) and it is written through the structures of all religions including our own.

"But Jesus disturbs our equilbrium. He won’t be controlled. He won’t be handled only by priests and professional religionists. He won’t be domesticated. He is Lord! Yes, Jesus is our disequalibrium. And the way back to an authentic Christianity is simply to put Jesus back into the equation. Christianity plus Jesus equals World Transformation."

Technorati Tags: religion, Jesus, Christianity, Alan+Hirsch, endreligion

Pope acknowledges misuse of religion

2009-05-09T09:51:00.001-07:00

I'm developing a new, expanded website and blog for Jesus and the End of Religion, but in the meantime will occasionally find time for a few new posts:

This week Pope Benedict XVI has been on a goodwill tour through the Middle East, trying to build bridges with Muslims. His trip has generated some controversy, especially in light of some past statements he made.

Interestingly, in Amman Jordan, the Pope said:

"Some assert that religion is necessarily a cause of division in our world and so they argue that the lesser attention given to religion in the public sphere the better."

"Certainly, the contradiction of tensions and divisions between the followers of different religious traditions, sadly, cannot be denied.

"However, is it not also the case that often it is the ideological manipulation of religion, sometimes for political ends, that is the real catalyst for tension and division, and at times even violence in society?"

These statements are certainly no new revelation. But, coming from the leader of the the most venerable religious institution on earth they are significant.

What would have been more profound, however, is a confession over how Christianity has moved away from the radical message of Jesus and repentance leading to the dissolution of the Christian religion. That would really get the attention of those the Pope is trying to reach.

(Source: BBC)

Technorati Tags: religion, pope, Christianity, endreligion

Review: Jesus and the End of Religion

2009-01-23T11:36:00.001-08:00

It has occurred to me that (consistent with my lack of regular blogging here) I failed to post my review of Bruxy Cavey's book Jesus and the End of Religion: Encountering the Subversive Spirituality of Jesus that was published over one year ago.

While this is a relatively new book, it is really an expanded edition of the self-published version that Cavey previously released. Evangelical Christian publisher NavPress asked Cavey (Pastor of The Meeting House in Toronto) to build on his original writing to produce a more comprehensive treatment of the subject. At this time, it is the most significant book on the topic and one that is definitely worth reading.

In this book, Cavey works to demonstrate that Jesus' ministry was centered on a subversive spirituality intended to end our dependence on religion. Probably his most important contribution to this discussion is in his emphasis that this is not a novel idea superimposed onto Scripture by some radical theologians, but is inherent in the New Testament itself.

Cavey covers a complete gamut of topics related to this central theme. At times the discussion drags, especially in places where he expanded the original edition. It's almost as if the publisher wanted him to meet a certain manuscript size. While this newer version provides a fuller discussion of the issues involved, it lacks some of the lucidity and simplicity that were evident in the self-published book. The first edition (although hard to find) then may be a better introduction for those outside of Christianity, whereas this newest version may be more helpful for those currently within the church desiring to grapple with foundational assumptions and beliefs.

As I already stated, Cavey's book is worth reading. Frustrated, religious Christians may especially find this book a breath of fresh air that will enable them to see their faith from a new perspective. Even those outside the church will be impressed that this discussion is even taking place within Christian circles.

Technorati Tags: religion, Bruxy+Cavey, books, Christianity, endreligion

Is Jesus owned by Christianity?

2008-11-21T11:44:00.001-08:00

An interesting article by Tim Timmons on TheOoze challenges the myth that "Jesus is owned by Christianity". Worth reading.

LINK

Technorati Tags: religion, Christianity, endreligion

Post-election reflections

2008-11-06T11:26:00.001-08:00

This week's U.S. elections marked the culmination of an exhausting time of political focus and polarization. Obviously, Americans are desiring change. Status quo is not an option in a time of turmoil, but there have been two major political visions for how things could be different.

Much has been said and written elsewhere about the role of religion within U.S. politics. The Christian right, in particular, has tried hard to influence the political process; but the religious left has had its own political agenda. The close relationship between religion and politics has left many people frustrated and disillusioned. Christians are divided over the election results, with the religious right severely disappointed that their agenda was largely rejected and is slipping in the country's psyche. People outside the church welcome this rejection, and if anything, wish for Christians to return to their private corner and stay out of the public conversation.

This is not really a post about the relationship between religion and politics. And, I do not believe that faith is merely privatistic - the faith of citizens does and should impact their involvement with society. But, I believe this is a time for people who call themselves Christian to seriously reflect on what it means to impact the world.

This is a time to be reminded that Jesus did not promote a political agenda, nor did he teach that we are to be seeking after power as means to better the world. Likewise, Jesus did not promote a religious agenda. Religion has misconstrued the radical message of Jesus, and the world has looked at the church with disdain. We must dismantle these power yearnings and restore spiritually-powerful living and communities that truly transform people through loving relationships.

Technorati Tags: election, religion, politics, endreligion

Institutions

2008-07-18T11:38:00.001-07:00

"it seems to be a general law of social/historical development that institutions tend to distort and destroy the central function that brought them into existence".

- Dallas Willard, The Divine Conspiracy, p. 201

Technorati Tags: religion, institutions, endreligion

Divine scandal

2008-03-24T19:41:00.001-07:00

"What is essential Christianity? From first to last it is scandal, the divine scandal. Every time someone risks scandal of high order there is joy in heaven."

- Soren Kierkegaard

Technorati Tags: religion, Christianity, Kierkegaard, endreligion

Good Friday

2008-03-21T14:13:00.001-07:00

Today Christians around the world remember the death of Jesus.

I wonder, however, how many really grasp the subversive nature of Jesus' crucifixion. Certainly this was a profound event on a number of levels, but unfortunately it has been to easy for Christians to limit its significance to something abstract and metaphysical, focused exclusively on Jesus' sacrifice for the forgiveness of sins.

Good Friday is grounded in a historical context that reveals a much more complex meaning.

First of all Jesus demonstrated through his own action that God's Kingdom was centered on sacrifice, not power. Dying on a Roman execution stake backed by the corrupt religious leaders of Judea seemed, on the surface, to be a complete failure to those watching this carpenter-turned-prophet. Jesus certainly didn't appear to be the heavy-handed, powerful Messiah that the disgruntled people were looking for. Yet, Jesus consistently delivered a message that reminded Israel that they are to be God's servant (e.g. Isaiah), and that the Kingdom was for those at the fringes, far away from the centers of power, affluence and influence.

At a time when Christians seem to be clamoring for political influence, financial prosperity, and social respectability I wonder how many "get" Jesus' death.

The crucifixion of Jesus also sent a strong message about religion itself. The Gospels say that the "curtain of the temple was torn in two" (Matthew 27:51), signifying that the whole religious system was now shattered. People could now be in the presence of God without the mediation of religion, which had become corrupt and misguided.

Good Friday is an appropriate day for us as followers of Jesus to pause and ponder his radical message and life, and its implications for us today.

And, remember, Sunday is coming!

Technorati Tags: religion, Good+Friday, Jesus, crucifixion, endreligion

The state of religion in America

2008-02-29T15:58:00.001-08:00

This week the Pew Forum on Religion and Public Life released their exhaustive study on religion in the U.S. It is significant research worth reading.

Some of the more noteworthy results include:

- nearly half (44%) of American adults are leaving the faith tradition of their upbringing to either switch allegiances or abandon religious affiliation altogether.
- nationwide, one in four adults ages 18-29 claim no affiliation with a religious institution.
- "constant movement characterizes the American religious marketplace, as every major religious group is simultaneously gaining and losing adherents." In other words, it is "a very competitive religious marketplace".

Religion is a fact of life. It is an instinctive impulse that every human has as they strive to discover meaning in life and their place in relation to others.

What is most disturbing to me is that the movement that was to rise above religion as usual has largely fallen back into a religious mode, and as a consequence is just another commodity in the spiritual marketplace of our society.

Certainly a tragedy in light of the radical life and message of Jesus.

Technorati Tags: religion, Pew, Christianity, endreligion

God's revolt

2008-02-08T12:52:00.001-08:00

"Two thousand years ago God started a revolt against the religion He started. So don't ever put it past God to cause a groundswell movement against churches and Christian institutions that bear His name. If He was willing to turn Judaism upside down, don't think for a moment our institutions are safe from a divine revolt.
"I am convinced that even now there are multitudes of followers of Jesus Christ who are sick and tired of the church playing games and playing down the call of God. My travels only confirm that the murmurings of revolution are everywhere. I am convinced that there is an uprising in the works and that no one less than God is behind it."

- Erwin McManus

New edition of The End of Religion

2008-02-04T13:09:00.001-08:00

During my long blogging hiatus one thing that caught my attention was the release of Bruxy Cavey's new book, The End of Religion: Encountering the Subversive Spirituality of Jesus (Colorado Springs, CO: NavPress, 2007).

This is not really a new book, but an expanded re-write of his self-published book of the same titlereleased in 2005. (My review of that edition is here).

This latest edition goes well beyond the original writing, and is getting a much wider audience due to its release by a major Christian publisher.

I am not quite done reading the book, but as soon as I am I will provide a complete review. Nevertheless, it needs to be said that this book is an important contribution to a discussion that needs to occur.

Technorati Tags: religion, Christianity, Bruxy+Cavey, endreligion

Reflections on the end of religion

2008-01-20T17:11:00.001-08:00

Like most bloggers, there are times when the blogging well dries up. And then, after feelings of frustration and guilt, it becomes very easy to throw in the towel and question whether it is an effort worth continuing.

This past year life has been extremely busy, with considerable personal transition and a heavy work load. Taking the time to thoughtfully blog has taken a back seat, and of course, the longer one doesn't write the harder it is to get started again.

Nevertheless, the topic of the irreligious nature of Jesus' message remains a major part of my thinking and spiritual reflection. More and more I am personally liberated by following the radical way of Jesus, and disgusted by the way Christianity has gotten so far off track. I cannot be content to passively watch the message of Jesus twisted and sorrily misapplied.

While I doubt my blog will change this for many people, other than perhaps myself. But, beyond the personal catharsis, if it prompts even just a few others to re-examine their faith in a new way, then it is worth the effort.

So, let the discussion continue...

The growth of atheism

2007-04-12T12:58:00.001-07:00

It has been increasingly obvious that atheism is growing in the U.S. and other countries where there is increasing disillusionment with Christianity. As a recent AP story indicates, some atheists themselves are taking on a militant and fundamentalist tone much like that of the ones they criticize. In other words, replacing one religion with another.

Christians are obviously alarmed at the growing popularity of atheism, especially among those who are convinced that we live in a "Christian nation". But, instead of seeing this as a threat, perhaps we should see this as an opportunity for the irreligious message of Jesus to speak beyond the tired old philosophical debates. Here are some of my reflections on this matter:

1. Let's not be threatened by such developments. While atheism certainly represents a different world view, their skepticism of established religion shares one similarity with the radical, confrontation Jesus had with the religion of his own day. Let's remember that, as I've pointed out before, the earliest Christians were perceived as "atheists" by the world around them.

2. Christians probably have no one else to blame for the rise in atheism other than themselves. The sell-out of both liberal and conservative Christians to the modernist worldview places them in the direct firing line of atheistic musings. The recent alignment of the Christian right with American politics and economics doesn't help the situation either. And, the deepening chasm between Christianity and the teachings and practice of Jesus contributes to the confusion. As Ghandi once said, "I might be a Christian if it wasn't for Christians".

3. The solution for Christ-followers is to stop thinking that the way to counter atheists is through better arguments and debate. Certainly there is a place for apologetics, but the best argument will be through faithful obedience to Jesus' teaching and vision for the God's new reign. In other words we have to start living it. The reality of God's presence showing through in our world will render atheism inert. As Francis of Assisi is to have said, "Preach the gospel. If necessary, use words".

Technorati Tags: atheism, apologetics, endreligion

Worship

2007-03-22T12:53:00.000-07:00

"All this money spent to worship a God who does not live in temples made by human hands."

- Soren Kierkeggard

Technorati Tags: religion, worship, Kierkegaard, endreligion

Isaiah 29:13

2007-02-20T10:40:00.000-08:00

"...these people draw near with their mouths and honor me with their lips, while their hearts are far from me, and their worship of me is a human commandment learned by rote" (NRSV)

Tags: religion, Isaiah, endreligion

Winning the Christmas Battle?

2006-12-24T20:08:00.000-08:00

Now that Christmas is here, it is easy to look back at the preceding weeks and declare Christians as winners in the latest round over Christmas. A year ago things were looking bleak as some major retailers were substituting "Happy Holidays" for "Merry Christmas". Since then these politically-correct sensitive merchants decided that it was bad business. So "Merry Christmas" was eagerly heard at Wal-Mart and other places.

Also this year we saw further evidences of advancements for those who want to see the public recognition of Christianity maintained. For example, at Seattle-Tacoma airport the religiously inert Christmas trees were taken down when someone complained, but were quickly restored when the majority cried foul.

So, does this mean that the battle for Christmas is over?

Hardly. The topic is still one of great debate and there are many places in our society where the trappings of Christianity are not warmly accepted or even tolerated. This certainly bothers many who will not be content until the Christian faith returns to the public square.

But, assuming for a minute that the battle over Christmas was a key victory for Christians, let us ask the question: Is this a good thing?

For the most part, not.

Is it really appropriate to assume that the secular celebration of a Christian celebration really has any spiritual significance? It may put some of the faithful at ease, but in the grand scheme of things it is delusional to think otherwise. Christianity can no longer claim that it is at the center of North American society. Instead, it increasingly operates at the fringes, requiring new ways to express itself meaningfully and to impact our world. It will happen through love and service, not through the establishment of Christian sub-culture.

As I asked last year, "Is it time to take Christ out of Christmas?" Despite the apparent moves this year, I think the answer is still Yes.

Marketers target churches

2006-11-28T21:44:00.000-08:00

Perhaps it is not a new thing, but as an increasing sign of how the Christian church is selling itself out to its surrounding culture, big business is targeting churches (especially large ones) because they see them as captive, homogenous audiences. And, it appears the leaders of these churches and their followers are biting.

The well-regarded Wharton Business School has published an excellent article, "Product Placement in the Pews? Microtargeting Meets Megachurches", which examines this trend. This is a worthy read that anyone concerned about the role of the church in the world should carefully examine. Even renowned business author Jim Collins is quoted in the article confronting churches with the question: "Do they have the discipline to say 'no' to any resources that will drive them away from their fundamental mission?"

Obviously fewer do.

Technorati Tags: church, marketing, endreligion

The anti-religious stance of early Christians

2006-11-20T00:07:00.000-08:00

A noteworthy quote from N.T. Wright, a leading (and refreshing) New Testament scholar:

"...though in many ways early Christianity appears to the post-Enlightenment world as a 'religion', within first-century categories it certainly did not. The early Christians were dubbed 'atheists'. They offered no animal sacrifices. What they did in their communal meetings bore some resemblances to non-Christian religious practices, but it was the differences that stuck out. The main thing that would have struck observers of early Christianity was not its 'religious' side, nor indeed its early doctrinal formulations, but its total way of life."

- N.T. Wright in The New Testament and the People of God, page 120.

Technorati Tags: religion, early+church, N.T.+Wright, endreligion

I'm a Christ-follower

2006-11-09T12:44:00.000-08:00

I've been fairly quiet on this blog lately due to moving, etc. Life has been chaotic, but I am looking forward to continuing the discussion again. There still is much to be discussed regarding Jesus and the End of Religion. What a better way to get the ball rolling than the following four video clips on YouTube (parodying the PC vs. Mac ads) entitled "I'm a Christ Follower":

Christian materialism

2006-09-14T15:22:00.000-07:00

It's one thing to have an abstract or theological discussion concerning the difference between the Christian religion and the way of Jesus. But, when obvious deviations of our faith are expressed we should all stand up, take notice, and refute them.

The latest issue of Time magazine (September 18, 2006) features a cover story entitled, "Does God Want Yout to be Rich?" It's an inside look at the prosperity gospel movement that is increasing among American Christians. According to a Time poll, 17 percent of Christians are part of this movment, and 61 percent believe that God wants people to be prosperous. (Although that last statement could be challenged for being somewhat ambiguous).

True, not all Christians buy into this materialism and self-absorption, but the fact that one-in-six do is alarming enough. And, it provides more negative fodder for those who want to discredit Christianity and everything associated with it.

If we are serious about following the radical faith of Jesus, we cannot simply overlook this growing interest in such a destructive aberration. It's another example of what Christianity as a religion can led to.

Technorati Tags : religion, prosperity+gospel, rich, endreligion

Atheism

2006-09-01T13:01:00.000-07:00

"The number one cause of atheism is Christians. Those who proclaim God with their mouths and deny Him with their lifestyles is what an unbelieving world finds simply unbelievable."

- Karl Rahner

Technorati Tags : atheism, witness, endreligion

Can Christianity be reformed? - part II

2006-08-08T18:12:00.000-07:00

I want to pick up on a post from over two months ago, where I considered whether Christianity as a religion can be reformed? At that time I stated:

"I do not believe that returning to the Way of Jesus will happen institutionally or through an orchestrated reformation movement."

This summer I've had the opportunity to do some reading in the area of church history. Besides discovering that a refresher of history is a valuable exercise that should be repeated regularly, I took time to reflect on previous reformations of Christianity in the last 2000 years. Of course, the Protestant Reformation is the most notable example, but there have actually been many mini-reformations throughout the history of the church. It seems that there were always individuals who were unwilling to accept the deviations that had taken place and who wanted to bring about reforms to correct these problems. They saw a picture of Jesus that was much different than what was being promoted in the church at that time.

What became apparent to me again is the fact that all reformations end up needing to be reformed themselves at some point. The Protestant Reformation of the 16th century confronted the corrupt Catholic church and recovered some important truths that were being overlooked. But, the reformations of Luther and Zwingli soon became corrupt themselves and adopted practices that were not anywhere near the teachings of Jesus. The church quickly became institutionalized and closely aligned with regional politics, and there was considerable bloodshed during the religious wars that followed. One can see this cycle repeat itself throughout history.

It is interesting to note that most reformers never intended to break away from their existing religious bodies. There was usually the hope that the leaders and their followers would see the light, repent of their ways, and everything would get back to the way it was supposed to be. The reality was much different. The powers at be resisted any change, and worked to squelch the trouble-makers.

Jesus recognized this predicament. He was a Jew and wanted to see his people get back to the simple faith God intended for them. But, it became obvious that while the disenfranchised in society were interested in Jesus' revolution, those at the top were determined to end this little uprising. Upon his last trip to Jerusalem Jesus expressed his disappointment that his people would not fully accept him (Matthew 23:37-39), and predicted that ultimately Jerusalem would be destroyed because of the path it had been following and that out of the ashes would emerge his new movement that would sweep the world (Matthew 24). Jesus saw his impending death as a necessary step for this radical reformation to take place.

My point in all of this is to say that true reformation really requires a major break from the past, not just tweaking the messed up system one is in. Jesus' example provides a radical model for change. It's complete change, even to the point of death.

In practical terms, it probably is an indicator of our current situation. Not that they we want to go on some destructive rampage, but is it really productive to try and change the Christian church from within hoping that people will come around? Or, has modern Christianity (at least in the Western world) burned its bridges with society to the point that nothing less than the death and resurrection of the church is required?

I will discuss some practical matters related to all this in another post, but for now I need to restate that a good starting point for us is to acknowledge the anti-religious nature of Jesus's message and begin to live it out where we can.

Technorati Tags : religion, reformation, endreligion

The Da Vinci Code and religion

2006-07-14T17:24:00.000-07:00

Now that the Da Vinci Code movie has bombed, failing to live up the hype preceding it, it might be a good time to reflect on the whole phenomenon initiated by Dan Brown, the author of the runaway best-selling book.

Obviously the Da Vinci Code has attracted much attention in the last few years since the book's initial release. Although fiction, the mere suggestion that history is not what we believe it to be is intriguing for those looking for conspiracy and another reason to discredit Christianity and the Roman Catholic church in particular. Brown's story provides the perfect rationalization for those who want to doubt and turn away from the Christian religion.

Christians, of course, have been somewhat unsettled by the whole thing. In some countries there were protests. Others have become engaged in the discussion, correctly pointing out and refuting many of the plot's historical inaccuracies and speculations.

I personally have not been particularly disturbed by all of this. If anything it reminds me of the growing movement within our society of skepticism toward the Christian religion. Many look at Christianity as archaic, corrupt and oppressive and barely relevant to the issues that our world currently faces. The Da Vinci Code reinforces these opinions.

Yet, interestingly enough, even the Da Vinci Code does not attack Jesus per se. Certainly it provides an alternative explanation of his life and ministry, but the real criticism is reserved for the institutional church that developed out of his initial movement. This correlates with most people's opinions. They have no problem with Jesus; just the misguided organization that represents him.

The criticisms of people are in themselves no reason to disregard all that is associated with Christianity. Some criticisms may not be fair, and others even use them as an excuse. But, it does point out an important point, that people are looking for much more than religion. And, yet what they mainly see and hear from us are the religious aspects and trappings, and rarely Jesus himself and his counter-cultural, anti-religious message.

Technorati Tags : religion, Da+Vinci+Code, Dan+Brown, endreligion

God's revolt

2006-06-22T14:21:00.000-07:00

"Two thousand years ago God started a revolt against the religion he started. So don't ever put it past God to cause a groundswell movement against churches and Christian institutions that bear his name"

- Erwin McManus