Jesus said to him, “I am the way, and the truth, and the
life. No one comes to the Father except through me.” John 14:6 NRSV
Oy vey, the ways these words of
Jesus have been used to insist that Christianity is the sole, one true religion,
with all others falling short, at best. It’s yet one more place where a line
from God’s love letter to God’s people is used to bludgeon them.
This passage comes from the book of
John, which begins: “In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God,
and the Word was God.” So seems to me we need to come to this particular Gospel
with a pair of eyes that don’t read only what’s on the surface of the pages,
but also discern what’s beneath and behind the writing. We need to read in
brief bits, stopping to ponder what we’ve read, asking what it means. To apply
John’s words literally is to miss their point and their intention by a wide
mark.
Look again at what Jesus said: “No
one comes to the Father…” This isn’t about getting God closer to us; it’s about
our getting closer to God. After all, this is the same God who’ll leave the
ninety-nine gathered sheep in order to search for the lost one sheep. The same
God whom St Paul says loves us so fiercely and persistently that there is
nothing whatsoever at all that can separate us from that love. And surely one
of the reasons God’s ways are not our ways is because God is so phenomenally
beyond human perception.
It doesn’t seem to me that such a
God would have but one singular port of entry. Too, there’s an earlier verse in
John, where Jesus says, “I have other sheep that do not belong to this fold. I
must bring them also, and they will listen to my voice. So there will be one
flock, one shepherd. [10:14]” We’re dealing, again, with metaphor; but one
interpretation made by Christian scholars is that Jesus is including
non-Christians as members of The Sheepfold of God. So, what was Jesus talking
about in the opening passage? I think it’s worth discussing.
I've often wondered this same thing, Eduardo. What about the old, tribal religions of the world? Native Americans and ancient pagans who celebrated God and what he/she created? I believe God is more complex than we'll ever understand, and with that, we mightsee many people in Heaven who we didn't expect to see.
ReplyDeleteSadie, my sister's spiritual practice leans in the Wiccan direction. Years ago, in talking about this same topic, that "Christianity is the true and only way to God," I commented, that if such were the case, it would require a puny little God. And, of course, there'd also be the troublesome notion of God causing people to be in non-Christian environs, and then punishing them for that.
ReplyDeleteYou're right, God is more complex than we'll ever understand, or will ever be able to understand---and thank God for that. (An understandable God? We're slipping back to puny-God, again.)
Namaste', shalon, Ho, brightest blessings.
Eduardo, I very much appreciate your thoughts on the matter. Reading your words gives me a sense of freedom, in that I have felt those same things about God for my whole life. Bless you, brother, for being a beacon of light and love in this world. And, before I forget, merry meet to your sister, and brightest blessings to her as well. :-)
ReplyDeleteAnd may YOU continue being embraced in that jaw-droppingly wild and wooly love of God, hermana. (And, oy vey, what are you doing up so early? You must be a mom with two kiddos or something. -teehee)
ReplyDeleteHa! You must be psychic.... ;) yes, I am a mother with two children of course, but I was up about two hours before them this morning (homework)! It's good "chatting" with you, Eduardo! I miss working with you in the kitchen!
ReplyDeleteAnd I miss your brightness, and the hugs that got me over a number of icky humps.
ReplyDeleteGood luck with the homework...And the home work.