This question is a "popular" one, and a good example of why it is important that the Bible be interpreted "in community" and not just by individuals. If one were to read certain passages in the Hebrew Bible--for example, this from II Chronicles 25:12--The sons of Judah also captured 10,000 alive and brought them to the top of the cliff and threw them down from the top of the cliff, so that they were all dashed to pieces--it sure sounds like this was a violent bunch, and you can even find verses where it sounds like God "orders" it. What we really have, though, are primitive texts, written about people who lived hundreds and hundreds of years ago, who did violent things, and sometimes they "blame" it on God. As strict monotheists, these ancient peoples had to locate all authority within their understanding of deity. Hence, when they went into battle, or had to deal with the spoils of war, they often stated that God "told them" to commit violent and selfish acts. This is exactly what is happening with modern-day terrorism. Violent people, from largely lawless lands, commit heinous, violent acts to advance their "power" or political agenda, and "hang" it on a religion, whether it is Islam, Judaism, or some tribal belief. The media would often have us believe that all terrorism is carried out by "Muslim extremists," but this just isn't so. In fact, the desecration and burning of an historic church in Israel was actually done by an extremist group that claims to be representing God and Judaism. The genocide in the Sudan is the result of a tribal conflict. And let us not forget that both the Crusades, which killed thousands, and the Ku Klux Klan, which murdered men, woman and children of color in this country, "hung" their violent acts on the Christian faith! Incidentally, Jesus' commands to "love God with all your heart..." and "love your neighbor as yourself," both come from the Old Testament! (Deuteronomy 6:5 and Leviticus 19:17)
Why did Jesus have to go to hell after all the suffering he did on the cross?
There are only a couple of obscure scriptural references to this idea, such as Ephesians 4:8-10: Therefore it says, "When he ascended on high he led a host of captives and he give gifts to people." In saying, "He ascended," what does it mean but that he had also descended into the lower regions of the earth? He who descended is the one who also ascended far above all the heavens that he might fulfill all things. In the tradition of the church, most of the idea that Jesus "descended into hell" comes from The Apostles' Creed, that ancient statement of faith recited during worship in many churches (although not all include the line, "He descended into hell," when they do. United Methodists don't). In this tradition, Jesus makes a "field trip" into the bowels of the earth (hell), during the interval between his own death on the cross and the resurrection, to release "the captives," whoever they are. Some would say they are those who died before, and who are now "freed" by the redemptive power of Christ, the Messiah. Again, the scriptures don't give us much to go on, so if we try to explain or expand the idea beyond this, we are offering merely conjecture. One thing is for sure, if Jesus did, indeed, "descend into hell," it wasn't any kind of punishment for him, but a mission of mercy.
What is the real value of prayer? I don't expect God to alter his ultimate plan based on my opinion of how things should be...
This question gets us into an interesting theological quagmire! Some branches of theology (Calvinism) leans in the direction of God having an "ultimate will," or some kind of divine master plan, and humans are pawns in the game. Other theologies (Wesleyan) rather believe that people and our redemption are God's plan. Both allow for the agency of prayer. For those who lean toward the "God's will" side, prayer becomes that which draws believers into focus on the needs of another (or oneself), and begins the process of aligning that person with what God is up to. Calvinists presuppose that God's will may be active in guiding their prayers. Wesleyans believe that prayer does the same thing, although we have less of an emphasis on some "ultimate will" of God as governing the nature of affairs, and more the idea that God, in God's desire to redeem us and fashion humanity into a caring, inclusive, and grace-filled community we often label "the Kingdom of God," responds to our prayers and uses our concerns to help shape and form this new reality. Regardless of which view one holds, prayer is important! I find that prayer probably changes me before anything else happens.
No comments:
Post a Comment