Communicating love can be unbelievably difficult–especially to those unlike ourselves. I don’t know if it’s a deep-seeded psychological issue, a fear of the unknown or some other strange side effect of an apple in a garden a long time ago, but it’s certainly something.
Recently, I’ve seen a couple examples of creative, extraordinary love that I wanted to share. Hopefully, they’ll get you and your church inspired to experience and show love in ways you’d never dreamed of.
I might be called a heretic for applauding this move, but Brian McLaren is observing Ramadan. He explains himself:
“We are not doing so in order to become Muslims: we are deeply committed Christians. But as Christians, we want to come close to our Muslim neighbors and to share this important part of life with them. Just as Jesus, a devout Jew, overcame religious prejudice and learned from a Syrophonecian woman and was inspired by her faith 2,000 years ago (Matthew 15:21 ff, Mark 7:24 ff), we seek to learn from our Muslim sisters and brothers today.”
Some will believe McLaren has gone off the deep end here, and undoubtedly some will cry foul. But I think there’s a simple and profound truth that he is communicating by joining them in their fast: When we ascribe value and show appreciation for the things our neighbors do, we show them that we believe they are valuable.
And, coincidentally, God believes they are valuable as well.
Another (probably more palatable) move is the upcoming book tour for Jesus Loves You, a new book by Craig Gross and Jason Harper. Book tour, who cares, right? Well, check out their tour stops and message plans:
- Westboro Baptist Church, Topeka, Kan.: Jesus Loves the Religious
- The Orleans Buffet, Las Vegas, Nev.: Jesus Loves the Gluttons
- University of Southern California, Los Angeles: Jesus Loves the Porn Stars
- Citadel of Faith Covenant Church, Detroit, Mich.: Jesus Loves the Disconnected
- Folsom State Prison, Folsom, Calif.: Jesus Loves the Crooks
- Atlanta Pride Festival, Atlanta: Jesus Loves the Outcast
Holy cow. And make sure you read the full tour announcement for details on each location. They saw a problem–that certain people need to know Jesus loves them, and they came up with an honest solution–other than preach a sermon and hope that these type of folks wander in.
McLaren, Gross and Harper all remind us that we need to honestly ask how we can show love to our neighbors, and then we need to try and go one step further than that. If we embraced this, it could change our churches–and the world–forever.
Bryan
September 1, 2009
I disagree w/ you on this. McLaren’s summation that Jesus “learned from” the woman and that we should “learn from” Muslims is exactly the sort of loosey-goosey stretch that the worst fringes of the emergent movement generates. i know it feels all neat and new-agey to them, Buddhist even, but it’s the wrong idea. Even if what he’s proposing is perfectly harmless, his reasoning is not.
Juan
September 1, 2009
McLaren’s choice is idiotic. How can you prove the claim that Christianity is true by saying that you can learn so much from someone who rejects EVERY central premise of your faith.
Shauggy
September 1, 2009
The God of the OT took an existing spiritual practice of the culture (sacrifice) and turned it around to use for His/Israel’s benefit (reconciling them to Himself). Is that much different from what McLaren is doing?
@Bryan – is your beef with his wording, or with what he’s actually doing? I think far from being harmless, it could be a helpful spiritual practice.
@Juan – I think it would be more foolish to assume that we have everything all figured out and that we have nothing left to learn about God or our spirituality. I’d be willing to bet that we as Westerners have a LOT to learn about fasting and prayer, and that you could prove a lot about Christianity simply by being willing to show respect and love to your neighbor, something that he seems to be doing.
Jim
September 1, 2009
wow…so, rather than actually look at the context and culture that McClaren is in…we’d rather criticize. it’s good to have our own views, but let’s make sure we know the context. McClaren is not looking to convert over, he is finding common ground with others in his community. I know a lot of people have this notion that we have to protect the Christian faith. Last I checked, God was still active and fully capable of working in more situations. It’s we have the issues.
=David
September 1, 2009
I think that the actions are admirable; the reasoning is not. Christ never “learned” from anyone. If you’re doing this to show love and understanding for your Muslim neighbors with the intent of challenging them with the truth of Christ, that is commendable; doing it just for “social understanding” or to “learn about other cultures” is not. That will only breed a feeling of pride and superiority in how “new-agey” you are.
=David
September 1, 2009
Now, the book tour idea…THAT one is brilliant, and if it’s done right (with a call to repentance), I wholeheartedly approve.
Kevin D. Hendricks
September 1, 2009
Interesting reactions. Personally, I don’t see how what McLaren is doing is any different from engaging in the religious practices of a family member or friend of a different religion.
If a friend invites me to their synagogue or mosque, or to take part in a passover meal or whatever the example, I don’t see a problem with it as long as I’m not compromising my beliefs.
Maybe you don’t like McLaren’s rationale, but I don’t have a problem with what he’s doing.
David Lucas
September 1, 2009
I see no problem with what McLaren is doing, in fact, it’s making me consider observing Ramadan for a few days or perhaps a week.
If McLaren fasted at the same time as his Islam neighbours but didn’t call it Ramadan, I don’t think we’d have a problem.
If, as a Christian, observing a fast with rules like Ramadan makes us closer to God, then surely we shouldn’t hesitate?
Love the book tour idea. If my church observed its ideas, our open air services would be very different.
Bryan
September 2, 2009
Shauggy,
As I said, it’s his reasoning (not his wording) that’s the issue. Of course we can all benefit from having an open mind toward new spiritual experiences such as meditation or whatever that isn’t directly affiliated w/ Classic Christianity. It’s just the way he’s bending that scripture, (as he tends to do often), that makes his grounds for this pursuit very questionable. It’s like alcohol; if you say that you’re going to drink because you don’t think it’s wrong, fine. But if you drink and say that it’s your only vice, or you’re not perfect, sorry, your justification doesn’t work. “Why” is usually just as important as “What”.
deviantmonk
September 2, 2009
I’m wondering how loving and respectful it is to participate in a religious practice of a religion that one does not believe or to which one does not belong.
It seems (without questioning the motives involved) to be somewhat of a sham- observance of Ramadan for Muslims is a time to reflect upon the Qur’an and the teachings of Islam, celebrate the giving of the Quar’an to Mohammed, and to allow its teachings, which form the basis of their worldview, to fully permeate their lives and beliefs through fasting, worship and prayer, all of which have as their basis the understandings and beliefs of Islam.
In a similar way, Lent for Christians is not just about praying more and being charitable and fasting, but is a time to allow the understanding of the Gospel (specifically the Passion) to be appropriated more and more and permeate the worldview and beliefs of a Christian through the observance of Lent.
As such, a Christian cannot, as far as I can see, fully participate in the observance of Ramadan, as Christian beliefs are in many ways severely at odds with Islam. A Christian who is ‘deeply committed’ would thus of necessity have to severely castrate its full import. Similarly, a Muslim attempting to participate in Lent would likewise have to limit its import.
If such a limitation is necessary, it begs the question as to how efficacious such an observance would be towards mutual understanding and respect.
After all, if one has to limit its observance to remain true to one’s beliefs, it seems as if it has become more about one’s participation in it than respecting what it means for those who fully participate in it.
I am not saying it has no potential value, nor am I attempting to question anyone’s motives- simply trying to come to a fuller pespective about what is going to have to happen, as far as I can tell, for ‘deeply committed’ Christians to participate in Ramadan.