gut check.

March 4, 2013 in dream. with 10 Comments

gutcheck

a gut check for my conservative friends ::

what would you do if you saw a hindu in heaven?

a muslim?

an athiest?

an LGBT person?

what would your initial, natural response be?

would it be one of celebration?

‘oh! i’m so glad you’re here! i was so worried for your soul – and it turns out God really does extend grace to all of us – i don’t deserve to be here any more than you… how glad i am at how wrong i was – welcome!’

or would it be one of indignation?

‘why the hell are you here?!?! you are dirty, sinful – you don’t deserve to be in God’s presence, like me! i asked for forgiveness – i believed – but YOU! you lived in constant rebellion to the ways of God – if you’re here, i don’t want to be.’

to quote one prominent theologian – ‘i’m not a universalist, but i hope God is.’

what do you think?

  • textteller

    A poet friend once told me, “When we get to heaven; not only will our eyes be opened, but our jaws will drop.”

    • http://www.mjkimpan.com/ michael j. kimpan

      i’m certain we’ll all be surprised. when it comes to the after life, we are firmly in the realm of speculation. *how* we speculate about it tells us a great deal about what we believe about God – and ourselves.

  • Eric Masters

    I love the way C.S. Lewis approaches this in The Great Divorce.

    • http://www.mjkimpan.com/ michael j. kimpan

      absolutely! funny though how many modern evangelicals embrace lewis (and to a lesser extent nt wright), but often have much greater suspicion of folks like rob bell. curious, that…

      • Eric Masters

        I’ve always thought that, even in the narnia chronicles.

        It’s amazing what wearing a tweed suit can do for your credibility.

  • tommy

    I wouldn’t react either way to be honest. My reaction would be puzzlement as I have been taught that Jesus is the way, truth and life and no one comes to the Father but by Him and there is salvation in no one else; for there is no other name under heaven
    that has been given among men by which we must be saved.
    I also reject your premise Michael that a belief system and a sexual orientation are moral equivalents.. My reaction to one would be vastly different than the other. I know for some conservatives they wouldalso lump atheists and gay folk into one pot. I can accept gay Christian. I cannot accept Christian atheist. Does that make me intolerant and narrow-minded?

    • http://www.mjkimpan.com/ michael j. kimpan

      i don’t believe it is fair for me to consider anyone intolerant and narrow-minded simply because of their beliefs, even if they are different than my own.

      i agree with you that sexual orientation and belief aren’t equivalent – and you’re quite right in stating the reason i included both was due to many of my conservative friends who would disagree with the two of us in that area.

      question :: do you think it’s *possible* that the way in which we believe jesus to be the way, truth and life (which i also believe!) may be larger, deeper and more inclusive than we currently understand? certainly that was the case with the early jewish church in their inclusion of gentiles (along with the old testament laws and dietary restrictions).

      i wonder if, in many ways, the discussions we have today in the 21st century about the exclusivity of jesus (and believing the ‘right’ things about him) mirror or at least parallel some of the discussions some 2,000 years ago. what do you think?

      • tommy

        I think I’m more confused than ever. Then again,i’ve been that way for about 12 years now.

  • http://www.facebook.com/michael.danner Michael Danner

    What often plagues the church today is a both a failure of imagination and an intellectual laziness that accepts what they are told without further exploration. Of course we all know that Jesus, in John 14, says, “I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father, but by me.” But what does that MEAN? What are the possibilities? What people don’t see is that they have been given an ideological framework that causes them to read that verse in a particular way. Strip away the ideology and it opens up a whole bevy of possible interpretations which are in keeping with the God’s plan from the beginning to bless the nations.

    • http://www.mjkimpan.com/ michael j. kimpan

      indeed. have you seen what mclaren has written in regard to john 14? if not, i recommend taking a look :: (follow the link) http://wp.me/a2vblU-1sY