Toast's Theological & Philosophical Meditations & Musings

My original plan was to call these posts meditations, following in the spirit of Rene Descartes. Rob Bell refers to the chapters in Velvet Elvis as movements, which to my mind has a sort of classical music association going on. The idea of calling them “discussions” also seemed appropriate, and I tinkered with looking up debating terms. Then the ideal term hit me: dialogue. A conversational discussion between two or more people. With a rich history of use in theology, dialogue allows us to place these discussions in a context which I’m comfortable with, whilst still allowing me to take that leap out into those areas outside of the usual considered bounds.

With that out of the way, let’s dialogue with the first two sections of [i]Movement One[/i] of [i]Velvet Elvis[/i]. I’ll be dividing sections in the same manner that the “Movements” in Bell’s Velvet Elvis are divided.

Jump
Everyone is a believer in something. Arguments are not against those who have belief and those who don’t, but between those who disagree with each other’s beliefs. As Rob Bell puts it,

Everybody is following somebody. Everybody has faith in something and somebody. We are all believers

Bell argues that we are all influenced by someone – our parents, our teachers, our peers. We take the ideas we like and make them our own – We follow these people. Even if we claim to only follow ourselves, we all follow somebody.

Way
Following on from the observation that we are all following someone, Bell states that we are all following a way, and that the Christian follows the way of Jesus. Now this is where Bell makes an interesting claim;

Over time, when you purposefully try to live the way of Jesus…you begin realizing the reason this is the best way to live is that it is rooted in profound truths about how the world is. YOu find yourself more and more in tune with the ultimate reality. You are more and more in synch with the universe at its deepest levels.

Jesus’ intention was, and is, to call people to live in tune with reality.

God is the ultimate reality. There is nothing beyond God.

Jesus exposes us to reality at its rawest.

So the way of Jesus is not about religion; it’s about reality.

Perhaps a better question than who’s right, is who’s living rightly?

Quite so. But here’s the thing: was Jesus’ intention really to “call people to live in tune with reality?” In John 3:16John 3:16
English: Good News Bible (UK) - GNB-UK
16 For God loved the world so much that he gave his only Son, so that everyone who believes in him may not die but have eternal life.

WP-Bible plugin, Jesus tells us that he was sent that all who believe shall not perish but live for eternity. Then again, in John 8:31-38John 8:31-38
English: Good News Bible (UK) - GNB-UK
The Truth will Set you Free ³¹ So Jesus said to those who believed in him, “If you obey my teaching, you are really my disciples; ³² you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free.” ³³ “We are the descendants of Abraham,” they answered, “and we have never been anybody's slaves. What do you mean, then, by saying, ‘You will be free’?” : ; ³⁴ Jesus said to them, “I am telling you the truth: everyone who sins is a slave of sin. ³⁵ A slave does not belong to a family permanently, but a son belongs there for ever. ³⁶ If the Son sets you free, then you will be really free. ³⁷ I know you are Abraham's descendants. Yet you are trying to kill me, because you will not accept my teaching. ³⁸ I talk about what my Father has shown me, but you do what your father has told you.”

WP-Bible plugin we see that true disciples will be made free by the truth, and by the son of man. In John 8:12John 8:12
English: Good News Bible (UK) - GNB-UK
Jesus the Light of the World ¹² Jesus spoke to the Pharisees again. “I am the light of the world,” he said. “Whoever follows me will have the light of life and will never walk in darkness.” : ;

WP-Bible plugin we see that Jesus is the light of the world, and His followers shall never walk in the darkness. John 14:1-4John 14:1-4
English: Good News Bible (UK) - GNB-UK
Jesus the Way to the Father ^{14 1} “Do not be worried and upset,” Jesus told them. “Believe Believe; or You believe. in God and believe also in me. ² There are many rooms in my Father's house, and I am going to prepare a place for you. I would not tell you this if it were not so. There are...were not so; or There are many rooms in my Father's house; if it were not so, would I tell you that I am going to prepare a place for you? ³ And after I go and prepare a place for you, I will come back and take you to myself, so that you will be where I am. ⁴ You know the way that leads to the place where I am going.”

WP-Bible plugin tells us that Christ is the way to the Father.

So the argument from scripture does seem to be on Bell’s side here – Christ does indeed point us to God, to the right way to live, and so on. The thing is, I don’t see any mention of eternal life, no comments about not perishing, and no pointing out that by following Christ we shall be set free. Indeed, whilst Bell tells us that he follows Jesus, and insists that he believes in compassion and listening to the wisdom of others and peace and generosity, he doesn’t seem to give any mention to what is to me the cornerstone of my faith: that I am a filthy sinner, deserving of God’s wrath yet saved through my faith in Him purely by His grace and mercy. That “living right” is something that I am incapable of without His influence on me, and that despite any efforts I make I continually fail again and again to live up to the example Christ set for us.

It seems to me that in this situation, Rob Bell is not wrong, but he’s not right either. Whilst Christ does point us towards the true reality that is God, he does so much more than that. Through his death and resurrection, a corrupt world is offered redemption and an undeserved righteousness. Bell’s description of oneness with reality and with God through correct living seems almost more like an all-is-one Buddhist philosophy than the traditional view of the faith.

The question that needs to be asked is, to what extent if any are the two mutually incompatible? In the next dialogue, Bell’s interesting and somewhat controversial take on doctrine, when examined in light of this question, may give the answer.

I admit I’m not a fan of Rob Bell. This will come as no surprise to anyone who’s talked to me about him. I feel the Nooma series of short films is nothing short of dangerous – presenting poor postmodern theology in a manner which is easy to miss, resulting in faulty views of important issues.

One of Bell’s most well-known books is, of course, Velvet Elvis. Recently I managed to get a cheap copy at a Wesley Owen closing-down sale, and  felt I should read it, if only because it does come up in conversation occasionally.

I like it. I may not agree with anything in it, but surprisingly I do like it. I like the way it’s written, I like the way it presents itself as thoughts on a subject. It appeals to the philosopher in me. The last three lines of the description on the back cover intrigue me;

Just because I’m a Christian and I’m trying to articulate a Christian worldview doesn’t mean I’ve got it nailed. I’m contributing to the discussion. God has spoken, and the rest is commentary, right?

Maybe. I want to run with that idea. I want to contribute to the discussion. I’m going to take Bell’s ideas as a starting point and see where it leads, following a rationalist viewpoint. And I’d like to invite you to join me in this discussion. After all, seeking wisdom is always the right path, correct?