Trinity = Love

            The essence of the trinity is not the functions that are usually emphasized in an effort to avoid using the masculine terms of the traditional divine name. In their place creator, redeemer, sustainer, or similar functional terms are used. While the actions of God are certainly important, they are not the essence or power of God. I contend that emphasis on these actions, or functions, to the neglect of the true nature of the trinity do little to help Christians relate to God or to one another.

            In fact it is an incipient modalism. Describing the triune God by function implies that God can be separated. The creator does not require the redeemer. The redeemer does not participate in the work of creation. The sustainer does not take part in neither creation nor redemption. Each function can be seen as independent of the others. There is no necessary relationship within or between them. This is, of course, antithetical to the Biblical trinity.

            Another problem posed by emphasizing the functional names of creator, redeemer, sustainer (or creator, Christ, Spirit) is functional unitarianism. This approach affirms the unity and one-ness of God; which is a good thing. However, it also lends itself to a unitarianism that neglects the uniqueness of the persons of the trinity. The functional naming of God can be interpreted as a singular God (monad) who performs the three divine functions of creator, redeemer, and sustainer alone. Consequently, God the Son and God the Holy Spirit become redundant and we end up with a unitarian God.

            This is a problem because the essence and power of the doctrine of the trinity is the inherent relational nature of God in communicates. The trinity reveals that God’s nature is revealed in the relationships within God’s self. In other words, God’s nature is not revealed in function or action. God’s nature is revealed in relationships of self-giving love. This relational nature is revealed in the traditional Trinitarian name of God: Father, Son and Holy Spirit.

            When wrestling with the nature and name of God one must begin by acknowledging that we are struggling with mystery. Evidence of this is the truth that the Trinitarian name is not meant to assign gender to the persons of the Trinity. Rather, the formula is intended to communicate God’s relational nature. The essence of God’s inner life is the relationship of Parent, child and Spirit. God the Father is not a solitary, divine patriarch. Rather, God is Father/Mother because of God’s relationship with the Son. The relationship shapes the name. Jurgen Moltmann puts it this way in his The Trinity and The Kingdom: 

“If we think in Trinitarian terms … we begin with the second definition [of God the Father] in the Apostles’ Creed: God the Father is the Father of his only begotten Son Jesus Christ, who became our elder brother. It is in respect to this Son that God must be called ‘Father’. His fatherhood is defined by the relationship to this Son, and by the relationship of this Son Jesus Christ to him. Consequently, in the Christian understanding of God the Father, what is meant is not ‘the Father of the universe’, but simply and exclusively ‘the Father of the Son’ Jesus Christ. It is solely the Father of Jesus Christ whom we believe and acknowledge created the world. It is in the Trinitarian sense that God is understood as Father – or he cannot be understood as Father at all. But anyone who wants to understand the Trinitarian God as Father must forget the ideas behind this patriarchal Father religion – the super-ego, the father of the family, the father of his country, even ‘the fatherly providence’. He must gaze solely at the life and message of his brother Jesus: for in fellowship with the only begotten Son he will recognize that the Father of Jesus Christ is his Father too, and he will understand what the divine fatherhood really means. The name of Father is therefore a theological term – which is to say a Trinitarian one; it is not a cosmological idea or a religious-political notion. If God is the Father of this Son Jesus Christ, and if he is only ‘our Father’ for his Son’s sake, then we can also only call him ‘Abba’, beloved Father, in the spirit of free sonship.” 

What this tells us is that the essence and power of trinity is self-giving love. The writer of 1 John expresses this truth bluntly: 

“God is love, and those who abide in love abide in God, and God abides in them” (1 John 4:16b). 

Charles Wesley powerfully expresses this truth in his hymn “Wrestling Jacob:” 

“’Tis Love! ‘tis Love! thou diedst for me,

I hear thy whisper in my heart.

The morning breaks, the shadows flee,

Pure Universal Love thou art:

To me, to all, thy mercies move –

Thy nature, and thy name is Love. 

Therefore, the triune name of God does not connote gender or patriarchy; it is a theological formula that communicates God’s nature. Like any mystery this presents a challenge to all who seek to know and understand this God who is creator, redeemer, and sustainer of the world. The gift of faith equips Christians to wrestle with and live into the mystery that is the triune God who is revealed in, with, and for the world as Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. 

For example, God’s triune nature sheds light on the meaning of humans as being created in the “image of God.” We can safely say that to be created in the image of God does not tell us that human beings look like God or that God looks like us. Since God is Spirit and spirit by its very nature cannot be seen, the image of God does not mean that God looks like us. What it does mean is that we share something of God’s character. Because love is the essential character of God, to be made in God’s image means that human beings are created with the capacity to give and receive love. In other words, human beings are “hard wired” for relationship. We are created for God and for one another. 

Bishop Desmond Tutu describes this essential human nature with the concept of ubuntu. Roughly translated, ubuntu means “I am because we are.” In other words, “I can only become fully me as long as I am part of the community.” Human beings need love and relationships in order to become fully the persons God created us to be. 

The doctrine of the Trinity also gives us a much more faithful and robust understanding of sin than believe in the unitarian god. I’ll deal with that in my next post.

"Baptized into One Name"

Matthew 28:19

Baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit.

As we prepare to celebrate Trinity Sunday, here is a sample of trinitarian theology in the form of poetry by Charles Wesley:

Baptized into one only name

The Father, Son and Holy Ghost,

One nature we in Three proclaim,

One God for our salvation trust:

One God eternally abides,

One undivided Trinity,

And the whole Deity resides

In each of the mysterious Three.

Each Person properly Divine,

Co-equal in majestic power,

With all his heavenly host we join

The great Jehovah to adore:

And worshipping the Triune God

In confidence of humble love,

We soon shall reach his bright abode,

And see his open face above.

[#105 from Hymns on the Trinity, 1767 (LM)]

Pentecost Reflection

“Jesus said to them again, ‘Peace be with you. As the Father has sent me, so I send you.’ When he had said this, he breathed on them and said to them, ‘Receive the Holy Spirit’” (John 20:21-22). 

            This text tells us that the risen Lord is the Jesus who was crucified. We know this because he carries the marks of the cross in his body. The nail marks are his ID. When he appears to his frightened disciples the first thing he does is show them the marks of the cross. Only then do they relax and believe the report they had received earlier from Mary, John and Peter.

            Jesus greets the disciples in the usual way, “Peace be with you.” He shows them the marks of the cross and then repeats, “Peace be with you.” The word he spoke to those frightened friends is “shalom.” The risen Jesus, the one who was crucified, dead and buried, came to his friends to give them God’s shalom, which is peace and much more.

            Shalom is God’s intention for the world. It is the single word that describes the coming reign of God. This shalom is peace with justice, righteousness, and loving kindness. It is the world in which all have access to life and health and love. Shalom brings forgiveness and reconciliation. It brings healing and wholeness. Shalom is God’s will for creation. Jesus is the incarnation of this shalom. It breaks into the world through his life, death, and resurrection. He gives everyone access to this shalom when he breathes the Holy Spirit into the lives of his followers.

            As he gives this shalom to his followers he also tells them they have a job to do. “As the Father has sent me, so I send you.” In other words, the followers of Jesus are sent out to be witnesses and agents, evangelists, of God’s coming reign of shalom. How do they do this? They do it by imitating Jesus. He sends them into the world to do what he did: Love the Lord your God with all your heart, and with all your soul, and with all your mind, and with all your strength; Love your neighbor as yourself; and “love one another as I have loved you, you also should love one another.” The gift of shalom is given so that the community of Christ can share it with the world. It is not given to be a personal blessing and benefit for their own comfort and enjoyment. Shalom is given to the disciples so that they can go and share it with the world that God loves.

            Jesus knew the disciples were not capable of living this mission for the world on their own. They were frightened and fragile men and women who would soon revert to their old habits and eventually blend into the world as though nothing had ever happened. That is why he gave them the gift of himself and his Father. He left them with the Holy Spirit. “[He] breathed on them and said to them, ‘Receive the Holy Spirit.’” The Holy Spirit will be their “comforter” and “advocate.” The Holy Spirit will be the power of God living and working in them. The Holy Spirit guide, equip and empower them to live the mission of Jesus in and for the world. With the Holy Spirit they will be able to give and receive forgiveness and to be witnesses of “God’s deeds of power” for the world.

            This passage from John’s gospel and the story of Pentecost found in Acts 2 reveal that the gifts of God’s shalom and Holy Spirit are given to equip and empower the community of Jesus for mission. While the peace of Jesus and the power of the Holy Spirit are certainly wonderful blessings for the church, they are given so the church will be a blessing for the world. The church is blessed to be a blessing. The church is gifted and commissioned as a sign-community of the coming reign of God. It understands that it is not the kingdom of God. But the world can get a glimpse of life in God’s reign when it sees and experiences the church’s life and witness.

            Pentecost reveals that the Church that emerged from that community of frightened followers of Jesus is equipped and commissioned for mission. Its mission field is the world that God loves. 

Grace ... a thought that changed the world

This is one of my favorite songs. I think we need it today:

The Problem of Pride

In light of the outcome of yesterday’s debate and voting on petitions related to human sexuality, I offer these words from John Wesley. They are taken from A Plain Account of Christian Perfection. This is the beginning of a series of advices Wesley offers to those who are earnestly striving toward perfection in love, aka Christian maturity. Dr. Marjorie Suchocki referred to this passage in her very eloquent comments on the floor of General Conference. I commend them to you now. 

"Q. 32. What is the first advice that you would give them?   

"A. Beware and pray constantly against pride. If God has cast it out, see that it does not return. It is every bit as dangerous as desire. When you think there is no danger, you may slide back into it without notice. 

You may say, ‘Indeed, but I credit all I have to God.' You may do so and be proud nevertheless. For it is pride not only to credit anything we have to ourselves, but to think we have what we really do not have. For example, Mr. L credited all the light he had to God, and so far he was humble. But then he thought he had more light than any man living. This was palpable pride. So you credit all the knowledge you have to God and, in this respect, you are humble. But if you think you have more than you really have, or if you think you are so knowledgeable of God as to no longer need man's teaching, then pride is at the door. Yes, you need to be taught, not only by Mr. Morgan, by one another, by Mr. Maxfield, or me, but by the weakest Preacher in London, yes, by all persons. For God sends to us those whom he will send.  

"Therefore, do not say to any who would advise or correct you, 'You are blind. You cannot teach me.' Do not say, 'This is your wisdom, your human reason.' But calmly discern the thing in the presence of God.  

"Always remember much grace does not imply much light. These do not always go together. As there may be much light where there is but little love, so there may be much love where there is little light. The heart has more heat than the eye and yet it cannot see. God has wisely assembled the members of the body together such that none may say to another, 'I have no need of you.'[1] 

"To imagine none can teach you but those who are themselves saved from sin is a very great and dangerous mistake. Do not entertain it for a moment. It would lead you into a thousand other mistakes from which you may never recover. No, supremacy is not founded in grace, as the madmen of the last age talked. Obey and respect 'those who have charge of you in the Lord,'[2] and do not think you know better than they. Know their place and your own. Always remember that much love does not imply much light.  

"Neglecting to observe this has led some into many mistakes and into the appearance, at least, of pride. Beware of the appearance, and the thing! Let there 'be in you that lowly mind which was in Christ Jesus.'[3] And 'clothe yourselves with humility.'[4] Let it not only fill, but cover you all over. Let modesty appear in all your words and actions. Let all you speak and do show that you are small, humble, and common in your own eyes.  

"As an example of this, always be ready to own any mistake for which you are responsible. If you have at any time thought, spoken, or acted wrong do not deny or dodge your responsibility. Never dream that this will hurt the cause of God. Rather, it will further it. Therefore, be open and frank when you are accused of anything. Do not seek either to evade or disguise it. Let it appear just as it is and you will by this not hinder, but beautify the gospel.” (from A Perfect Love: Understanding John Wesley's 'A Plain Account of Christian Perfection', pages 73-74.)

A prayer for the people called United Methodists: 

God of grace and holiness,

we have sinned against you and your church.

Once again our pride has damaged your church and its witness to the world.

Once again we have rejected humility and love in favor of pride and arrogance.

Once again our prideful certainty has caused us to disobey our Lord’s command to “love one another. Just as I have loved you, you also should love one another. By this everyone will know that you are my disciples, if you have love for one another” (John 13:34-35).

Forgive us, O God.

By your grace, help us to repent of the sin of pride.

By your grace, help us, once again, to forgive one another.

By your grace and in the name of Jesus Christ, cast out the demon of pride from among us; and replace it with humility.

Send your healing Spirit to bind the brokenness of our communion.

Comfort especially those faithful gay and lesbian sisters and brothers, your beloved children, who have been, once again, hurt and excluded and oppressed by your church’s pride and arrogance.

“Grant to us, Lord, we pray, the spirit to think and do always those things that are right, that we, who cannot exist without you, may by you be enabled to live according to your will; through Jesus Christ our Lord, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and ever. Amen.”[5]

---

[1] 1 Corinthians 12:14ff

[2] 1 Thessalonians 5:12

[3] Philippians 2:5 cf

[4] 1 Peter 5:5

[5] from The Book of Common Prayer

Why the Church Must NOT Be United With the State

The New York Times posted on its web site a disturbing article and accompanying video about how Vladimir Putin has given his official endorsement to the Russian Orthodox Church. The natural consequence of this is that the church and Russian state have become closely tied to one another. This has resulted in subsequent persecution, prosecution and eviction of Protestant and Roman Catholic Christians and churches. The greatest concern of both the Russian Church and State is that their people be good, loyal Russians. Being faithful Christians is secondary.

This is a perfect illustration of the importance of separation of church and safe. When the two get together, the mission of the church is perverted to suit the goals of the state. I'm certain such unions are made in hell.

The Way, The Truth, and The Life

John 14:1-14

[This sermon was preached on Sunday, April 20, 2008]

Jesus tells us in John 14:2 the destination of discipleship is life in God’s household. He tells his disciples to believe in God and in him. To believe means surrendering your trust and loyalty to Jesus and his mission of preparing this planet for the coming reign of God. When we believe in Jesus we trust him with our life and follow him to our home in God.


If you know me at all you know that I love baseball. Well, I believe that baseball helps us get at the meaning of today’s gospel lesson. I say this because baseball is a deeply spiritual game. It is the game that teaches at least four essential lessons about life.

First, baseball teaches us that the goal of life is to get home. In fact, you are to work together, as a team, to help as many of our sisters and brothers as possible to get home with us. Life is not about what I can get for myself, but how I can help my brothers and sisters get home. This brings us to a second important lesson from baseball: We seldom are able to make the journey home on our own.
We need the assistance of others to advance us from base to base. This means that all of us must sacrifice ourselves in order to get a teammate in position to get home. This is what Jesus meant when he said, “Any who want to become my followers must deny themselves …” We cannot make the journey home by ourselves, by our own strength or skill. We all need the help and sacrifice of others if we are to make our way home.

Thirdly, we will experience failure much of the time. Life and discipleship are much more about failure than success. In baseball the very best hitters in the game fail to hit the ball and get on base 70% of the time. This means the best players with a .300 batting average fails to hit safely 7 out of every ten at bats.
The same is true in life. All Christ asks of us is to be faithful and to following him.

Finally, there is no clock in baseball. A game takes as long as it takes to play nine innings or until someone wins. Likewise, Jesus is not limited by time or a clock when it comes to getting people to home in his Father’s house.

“Thomas said to [Jesus], ‘Lord, we do not know where you are going. How can we know the way?’ Jesus said to him, ‘I am the way, and the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.’”

Baseball, of course, has rules that govern the game. The rules provide the boundaries within which the game is played and enjoyed. The rules, in other words, are the way the game is played. Within the way of the rules anything can happen, and often does. The rules protect the game and the players. They exist to make the game fair and inclusive; even when boneheaded officials tinker with them and introduce things like the designated hitter.

As the rules of baseball give the world the way to play the game, Jesus is the way to life with God the Father. What does this mean? To understand Jesus’ meaning we need to look at the meaning of “the way.” The way is how we get to our destination. The way is the road, highway, or path you follow. The way is also how you accomplish a goal; like making cookies or assembling a bicycle or teaching someone how to read or how to pray or how to live as a disciple. Jesus is the way to the Father and the Father’s house. If we want to live in the place Jesus prepares for us we must follow him and his way.

The curious thing here is that Jesus doesn’t give his disciples a set of directions for the way they are to follow. He tells them that he is the way.
He tells them, and you and me, that we must live his life. His life must live in us.
When we live Jesus we will be on the way to home in the Father’s house.

What is the Jesus way? Jesus’ way is contained in the summary of the message he preached: “The time is fulfilled, and the kingdom of God has come near; repent, and believe in the good news” (Mark 1:15).

Jesus summarizes the way in Luke 4:18-19 when he reads from the prophet Isaiah:

“The Spirit of the Lord is upon me,
because he has anointed me
to bring good news to the poor.
He has sent me to proclaim release to the captives
and recovery of sight to the blind,
to let the oppressed go free,
to proclaim the year of the Lord’s favor.”

Jesus describes the way in Matthew 5:3-12

“Blessed are the poor in spirit …
“Blessed are those who mourn …
“Blessed are the meek …
“Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness …
“Blessed are the merciful …
“Blessed are the pure in heart …
“Blessed are the peacemakers …
“Blessed are those who are persecuted for righteousness’ sake …
“Blessed are you when people revile you and persecute you and utter all kids of
evil against you falsely on my account. Rejoice and be glad for your reward is
great in heaven …

Jesus describes the way again in Mark 12:30 & 31

“you shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, and with all your soul,
and with all your mind, and with all your strength. … You shall love your
neighbor as yourself.”

Jesus describes the way again in Luke 9:23

“’If any want to become my followers,
let them deny themselves
and take up their cross daily
and follow me.”

Finally, Jesus describes the way one more time in John 13:34-35

“I give you a new commandment, that you love one another.
Just as I have loved you, you also should love one another.
By this everyone will know that you are my disciples,
if you have love for one another.”

Jesus doesn’t give a set of directions or instructions on how to live the way to the Father. Jesus gives himself. When he says that he is “the way” he tells us that we are to surrender our way to his way. This means our life together and as individuals are to be a reflection of his. His way is how we get home.
His way is summed up in one word: Love.

Jesus said, “I am the way, and the truth, and the life.” In Jesus we see that love is truth and love is life. When we surrender ourselves to Jesus’ way our eyes will be opened to see truth. We find and live truth when we begin to see the world through Jesus’ eyes and hear the world through Jesus’ ears. The truth that is Jesus is beautifully described in a song found in The Faith We Sing at #2219.
The words are from Bishop Desmond Tutu:

Goodness is stronger than evil;
Love is stronger than hate;
Light is stronger than darkness;
Life is stronger than death.
Victory is ours, victory is ours
Through him who loved us.
Victory is ours, victory is ours
Through him who loved us.

When we live Jesus we begin to see the world as it really is. The blinders of sin and death, domination and oppression, wealth and privilege, self-centeredness and consumerism, individualism and narcissism, ideology and nationalism are removed. When we give ourselves wholeheartedly to his way we begin to see the world as he sees it, as it really is because he is the truth. He reveals the world of God’s reign in which righteousness, justice, and love are the ruling powers. When we join Jesus in his way and in the truth we become witnesses to the truth for the world.

Finally, Jesus the way and the truth is the life of the world; life as God the Father intended; life that gives life rather than consumes life; life that embodies goodness and justice and peace.

Too often John 14:6 is used as a club to tell who is in and who is out of God’s household. That is not what Jesus is doing here. John 14:6 is not about exclusion, it is about particularity. Jesus is telling us that he is the way, the truth and the life through which human beings may enter life in the Father’s house. In other words he is telling his disciples that anyone whose life is a witness to and channel of love, truth, and life will be welcome in the Father’s house. True belief in Jesus is revealed in fruits rather than doctrines, creeds, and rituals. This means that Christians do not have a monopoly on God, Christ, salvation or grace. The way to the Father’s house is for all who give themselves to Jesus the way who is love, goodness, justice, and peace. For when your life, no matter who you are, or where you live, or which religion you practice, is a witness to love, goodness, justice, and peace you are living the way to the Father’s house.

Jesus has prepared a place in God’s house for each of us. Jesus prepares a place in God’s house for all people who surrender to the way, the truth and the life of God. Jesus comes and shows us the way home. Our task is to follow him, live him, and witness so that as many others as possible will come home with us.

Woman at the Well

To be known is to be loved.
To be loved is to be known.