I recently stumbled back upon this lovely quote from the theologian Robert Jensen, a quote I shared a few years ago: Yet I think there is another reason for our skittishness with the gospel's truth claims, that is probably more important and is moreover perennial. So soon as we pose the question, "What indeed if it were true?" about an ordinary proposition of the faith, consequences begin to show themselves that go beyond anything we dare to believe, that upset our whole basket of assured convictions, and we are frightened of that. The most Sunday-school-platitudinous of Christian claims--say, "Jesus loves me"--contains cognitive explosives we fear will indeed blow our minds; it commits us to what have been called revisionary metaphysics, and on a massive scale. That, I think, is the main reason we prefer not to start [with the question "What indeed if it were true?"] and have preferred it especially in the period of modernity. For Western modernity's defining passion has been for the use of knowledge to control, and that is the very point where the knowledge of faith threatens us.
I really am grateful for your emails. Always so succinct and so penetrating! My Christianity is reluctant, uncomfortable, like water to a witch. Although, perversely, if more Christians were upfront about this I would feel more at home in a Christian community. As it is, I shuffle into church with my dirty secret under my overcoat, which I never remove, even in the summer. Churches are unremittingly cold for a reason.
I really am grateful for your emails. Always so succinct and so penetrating! My Christianity is reluctant, uncomfortable, like water to a witch. Although, perversely, if more Christians were upfront about this I would feel more at home in a Christian community. As it is, I shuffle into church with my dirty secret under my overcoat, which I never remove, even in the summer. Churches are unremittingly cold for a reason.
Singer songwriter Jason Gray has a song on his new album called, “Jesus Loves You (And I’m Trying)” that fits right in with today’s post. https://themjkxn.substack.com/p/yes-jesus-loves-you
wonderful