"The church is not simply an institution. She is a 'mode of existence,' a way of being." (John Zizioulas, Being as Communion, p. 15)
Mulling over the nature of what it means to be a Christian leading to a careful contemplation of what it means to be me has led to this idea of the church. The stream of what I would call consciousness continues to turn to the nature of God and the nature of His Word, the Bible, causing me to wonder why we so often struggle with the idea of Faith in God being so much more than ritualistic religiosity. Even when we strive to give careful consideration to the personal nature of our faith we still default, at least in my experience, to static information-gathering from God's word, and seeing things as simply an exercise in "following the rules".
First, a few statements to get the ball rolling:
God is real.
A simple short statement that many Christians will gladly stand behind. Do we, however, really buy it? Does this Reality actually mean anything significant to us? What do I, you, or we actually do with that truth which we claim to hold so dear? Do we just simply accept it as a true statement, or do we have a solid understanding for why we have landed on this statement of faith?
God is Father.
Another simple short statement that many, if not all, Christians accept. Father of whom, though? Is the idea of God as Father something easy for you to understand? How does your perception of Fatherhood shape your perceptions of God? Some of us just accept His Fatherhood. Others struggle to fathom His Divine Fatherhood, because they have had such a poor example of human fatherhood in their lives. What does His Fatherhood mean for us, and how can our lives be reshaped and blessed with overwhelming joy by His Fatherhood?
God is Son.
This is also a simple statement for most, but we fail to understand that there are some that profess to be Christian that do not see Jesus as Divine in the same way as God the Father. Is Jesus Divine? What does it mean for Him to be the "only begotten Son" of God? What distinguishes Jesus from other Saviors in mythologies or other world religions?
God is Holy Spirit.
This was a statement that I struggled with myself even though I simply accepted it for the longest time. I found myself not truly understanding the nature of Holy Spirit. Where does Holy Spirit fit in this picture of the Divine? How are we to understand Holy Spirit? Is Holy Spirit He, or it? Is Holy Spirit just a way the Father moves or works? Is Holy Spirit a ghost, an ethereal apparition that just floats about?
I titled this blog "We Are...". If there is to be an understanding of "We Are...", then I think it would be worthwhile to examine the questions of the Divine. I hope that this is worthwhile to someone. At the very least I intend to ask questions, look for answers, and then share my findings here! Love, blessings, and prayers for all who read...and for those who don't!
