Here is another quote from my forthcoming book The Idolatry of God. In the chapter from which this quote is lifted I contrast the conservative and liberal versions of universalism (both of which affirm a content laden view of truth) with the universalism opened up by Paul in his description of Christians as the ‘trash of the world’ who dwell in the ‘neither/nor.’ Just as pirates were known as ‘villains of all nations’ (and thus welcomed all to join), my book explores how those who are caught up in the event testified to in Christ are not slaves to any actually existing cultural, political or religious tribe. For more on the connection between pirates and Christianity check out Kester Brewin’s book Mutiny.
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You’re hitting on it, bro: the true self/the false self (ego) paradigm. Identity, group belonging and tribe are the places we most find our ego at work and the Kingdom of God message Jesus preached demolishes them – especially at the intersection of ego and religion.
Hi Pete, thank you so much for your posts. I was wondering if you could expand a little on the difference between the second and the last views? I admit that when I discuss Universalism I fall into the more “liberal” camp. However, when I speak of Christianity as that which has the power to touch everyone I understand this still as that which can transform the way we live in and engage with the world that across and beyond our identities. If we talk about the power of Christianity as something that transforms you to abandon your idols (certainty/satisfaction) and embrace the world in love, are the second and third views contradictory?
And generally, I am curious what you think of Bell’s views in Love Wins? Do you think the kind of “universalism” implied in his work engages the third understanding you posit here?
Thanks so much
I guess in reading this again, the second view could be interpreted (and is indeed interpreted by many) that everyone will eventually embrace a Christian identity in “the end”. I guess that’s not how I understand my views, so maybe I am more in line with the third view and didn’t realize it?
He’s not “hitting on it” pal…
he’s “got it”.
thats the “arrival”
that ends the deficit of “seeking”…and all the bleating to the sky’s for power.
In that identity beyond cultural identifications is the mind of christ. “no greek etc no slave etc”
“fully letting go,
trusting feeling strange,
awkwardly arriving
into the beautiful change”
“the peace that surpasses all understanding”
“beyond the mind made self”
https://soundcloud.com/kanehoganmusic/so-blessed
I like what you wrote. I had to read it 3 times and ponder it a bit. I think something you left out is that the ‘conservative’ view of Universalism would also include a clause that would state something like this, ” The Christian message is for all, but only those who will receive it. If they don’t receive it, they won’t reap any of the benefits of the message and will reap the dire consequences of what it means to be rejected by the church and then reap what they have sown.” I believe the conservative view is far more damaging to people and is why many, including myself have no desire to join this exclusive community. The church community has become so exclusive that you cannot even have a place for healthy dissent whether it be political or theological. The third view that you wrote about is more like an ideal. We can hold out the ideal and hope to aim for it, landing somewhere close to it. The only problem that I see with the third view is the issue of inequality. We cannot be built up together as living stones until equality within the church is actively and purposefully happening. Until then, I will be a woman that men will view as limited in my ability to participate fully within the context of the local church because of the walls that doctrine has built and in doing so, it differentiates us very distintcly and prejudicially. Because the church has a wrong mindset about wealth and right standing with God, there will be prejudice against the poor. The church is steeped in Fox news and gives no ear to our historical role in the United States as international conflict perpetrators. The church says they want freedom and creativity to flow (in some places), but they have such a stranglehold on people to conform ideologically, there is no freedom. If you try to have peaceful dissent, they descent upon you like the conformity police trying to show you the error of your ways. I for one have experienced this rejection firsthand. Jesus never did this. He loved people and he showed them how to live. The church has His divine power, and yet are rendered impotent because they have fallen into the same trap as the pharisee’s.
Dear Kristy
I am a South African and have been asked to leave the last two churches I have attended. I believe the church has become powerless because of a focus on knowledge about scripture as if knowledge is life. This is the same trap Adam and Eve fell into. Jesus did not come to show us how to live but to show us who we are. I have realised that I am not called to change the church but simply to “be” in church. It is amazing what happens when we are simply “present” and not arguing or fighting, no matter how right the cause. The man crucified with Jesus was brought to consciousness by simply observing the “presence”/ non-egoic response of Jesus towards his abusers. My ego hates this because it literally feels like dying, but then again, I suppose it is. We will destroy the egoic church not by opposing it but simply by being present/conscious in it.
Hey Pete,
I’m curious how this “transcendent identity” is different from the modernist idea of the “objective space”?
I like this line of thinking. One could argue that Jewish apocalyptic prophets understood this. Jewish apocalyptic eshatology is filled with visions of everyone converting to the One True God of cosmic peace and justice. Read the Sibbyline Oracles, Micah, Zecariah, and some other Jewish prophets and prophecies from inside the Bible and outside of it. There is never talk about everyone converting to Judaism; it’s always about the end of nations, hierarchy, and everyone converting to God. The end of borders so to speak.
Interesting comment.
“label” free! excellent.
Hey Pete- I love your work and your thinking. I’ve been wondering if it makes sense anymore to even use the term “Christian”. Do we hang on to it as a lifeline to cling to just in case stepping into the unknown is too much to handle? In other words, is calling oneself a Christian still holding on to an identity that should be let go of?
Hey
I think that one should only use the term if they feel that it reflects what they believe. Otherwise it should be dropped. I use the term just as I use the word ‘Marxist’ or ‘Heideggerian’. But my use of the word is in the non-religious radical tradition of Hegel. I don’t in any way use the term in the way that religious people use it ie to refer to the belief in God
I still consider myself a Christian. Firstly because it is the life, death and resurrection of Jesus that brought me to salvation/consciousness and secondly because most of those I am in contact with, minister to “need” some handle.
Universalism 101:
Happiness is the now-and-forever Mystery that IS the Real Heart and the Only Real God of every one.
Always remember that your inherent heart-disposition wants and needs Infinite, Absolute, True, Eternal Happiness.
Therefore, True Religion must retire to Light!
The heart must be permitted to achieve a universal feeling ecstasy!
I have grown up in an area of the U.S. (west michigan) that sees the term “Universalism” as a deeply heretical thing. It is refreshing to see what it actually means as well as finding a realm outside the liberal and conservative views on it.
I am a Jew. Why can’t I be fully embraced in the church as a Jew? Isn’t Jewishness part of my humanity and who I am?
I am Native-American. Can’t I bring my full identity into the church and be embraced as I am?
Peter – it is my understanding that neither Jew nor Greek means our differences no longer cause us to be opposed to one another because of our distinctions but are rather we are fully embraced by and embrace the other in all that they are. Otherwise how does one avoid the destructive history of Christianity that has sought to cleanse the church of the Jew, Native American, etc? How does one open one’s self to a new way if one isn’t exposed to the other?
Hey there, Peter, I am relatively new to you. I have heard your name bantered about and thought I would check out your web-site. Question for you? In the above post, what I understand you to be saying is that in Paul’s understanding, Christ and his kingdom is truly experienced once we see how futile all other identities are, or, even more to the point, when experienced, all other identities ‘grow strangely dim’. I am sure in your book you extrapolate further, however, I am concerned with where this post ends…where is the ‘person’ to be found. I just need clarification, you are not advocating for the annihilation of the ‘self’ are you? My experience tells me that as I look deeper into Christ I come more to myself. That is, as I see him more clearly, I see myself, Carmen, more clearly. Does this make sense? I guess what I am wondering is what does the next page say? Do I need to buy the book?
Hi Pete! This may sound strange but I finally saw the light! I was in a conversation with a friend and we were talking about the ideas in your Idolatry of God book and wondering about the ramifications and I had what I would call a “vision”. The vision was of a cosmic river that was pulsing with energy and that energy was love, was the mystery. And I saw that every living soul is in the river but only the ones who have let go of their idols can truly experience the real power and magic, really, of that pure, pulsating love. This is a real nutshell version but I can say that I truly saw and, at least for now, can see that everything but that love is empty idol worship. Amazing, amazing, amazing. Thank you for your book, brother!