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deutsey

(20,166 posts)
30. I feel the same way
Fri May 17, 2013, 04:01 PM
May 2013

When I took a New Testament course led by a Jesuit theologian, I started looking at the crucifixion/resurrection differently.

He basically emphasized that the crucifixion was not a blood sacrifice to make everything ok between God and humanity. He said that historical Jesus taught the in-breaking of the new reality of the "kingdom of God" in his time and place. This new reality welcomed everyone as God's children, not just the rich, powerful, and religiously correct, but especially the poor, marginalized, and outcaste. At the heart of this new reality was new community with a radical trust in God, or what Jesus called "abba" "daddy."

According to the theologian, this was possibly what the historical Jesus believed was his role: to proclaim that the kingdom is at hand and to help bring it into its fullest expression through how he lived his life; his role wasn't to walk around preaching for a few years before going off to shed his magical blood and save the world from sin.

This inclusive new reality that he embodied and lived out, of course, threatened the Powers That Be at the time (the repressive religious/political/economic/social structures that benefited from keeping people poor, marginalized, and outcaste). Especially when Jesus goes into Jerusalem for Passover with a sizable crowd following him and reclaims the temple for this new reality.

He's eventually executed in such a way that struck at the very heart of his claim that the kingdom is at hand and that we should embrace a radical trust in God. As he died on the cross, Jesus himself was probably wondering in anguish about the validity of what he had preached and lived out ("My God! My God! Why have you forsaken me?&quot .

But even in his deepest despair and doubt, Jesus choose to remain steadfast in his faith and belief that the kingdom was at hand and even while he may die, he believed God was ultimately in control and would transform the catastrophe of his crucifixion into something powerfully transformative itself.

His resurrection was the result of that. Whether he was actually raised from the dead or not, his disciples began to understand and experience the new reality he preached in a new and deeper way after his death, in a way that did indeed radically transform them.

They did apparently believe he was going to return soon, which explains why the Gospels weren't written until decades later. Initially, the early followers went around proclaiming that the new kingdom reality was a hand and that the parousia (return of Jesus as the complete fulfillment of that reality) would be soon. As time went on and that didn't happen, however, the new reality eventually solidified into a new religion.

I think I got that right (it was back in the '90s when I took this class, so it may not be comprehensive). All of this, of course, is much more difficult to sum up than parroting a bumpersticker slogan like "Jesus died for your sins."

Well, actually Stargazer09 Mar 2013 #1
While I agree, I'm curious as to just what you will tell them the meaning is. cleanhippie Mar 2013 #7
I tell them d_r Mar 2013 #2
One word Trajan Mar 2013 #3
Well I have no children but my sister does and she asks me to teach the kids religion. hrmjustin Mar 2013 #4
You believe that to be literally true? cleanhippie Mar 2013 #8
Yes! hrmjustin Mar 2013 #10
Yes, I understand that. cleanhippie Mar 2013 #12
But to be honest I tend to stress how Jesus would want us to treat one another. hrmjustin Mar 2013 #14
Sounds like a difficult task, considering how many Christians in this country act cleanhippie Mar 2013 #15
I never quite understood that Marrah_G May 2013 #24
You know my father brings this up to me all the time. hrmjustin May 2013 #25
"why you would need an atonement by killing another myself" Lordquinton May 2013 #31
We believe what we believe. hrmjustin May 2013 #32
I meant it in an interesting way that you phrased it Lordquinton May 2013 #33
Oh thank you! It just poured out as I typed. I like the person I responded to so I felt at hrmjustin May 2013 #34
I feel the same way deutsey May 2013 #30
that was a really great reply Marrah_G May 2013 #35
Thank you deutsey May 2013 #36
It's about Spring and renewal of life on Earth elfin Mar 2013 #5
When we talk about it, we talk about it as Easter being a rememberance of the time woodsprite Mar 2013 #6
Manifested in spirit form? cleanhippie Mar 2013 #9
Yeah, I know, but I when he was little I was afraid he would think that woodsprite Mar 2013 #18
I feel ya. cleanhippie Mar 2013 #20
No longer a 'Christian' but I tell them that it is about the Resurrection of the Body of the Christ. grantcart Mar 2013 #11
That's an interesting way to look at it. cleanhippie Mar 2013 #13
Yes. jeepnstein Mar 2013 #16
I agree. cleanhippie Mar 2013 #17
This is a very, very old discussion:From First Corinthians: hedgehog May 2013 #26
i identified as agnostic when they were little.. Phillip McCleod Mar 2013 #19
That's pretty much the approach I plan to take when my daughter starts asking about religion. cleanhippie Mar 2013 #21
Emphasis on "Progressive" MsTopaz May 2013 #22
Welcome to Du and Welcome to the religion group. hrmjustin May 2013 #23
If one believes that Jesus was both God and Man, why balk at teachings such as the Virgin Birth hedgehog May 2013 #27
I believe in the virgin birth. hrmjustin May 2013 #28
Allegory about renewal, I guess. And the historical connection with seasonal change. pinto May 2013 #29
I tell them the story, emphasizing the message that God is with us, even when things seem hopeless. Burbankteacher Apr 2015 #37
It's an Easter miracle! You've ressurrected a dead thread! cleanhippie Apr 2015 #38
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