Category: Michael D
Holy Week?
This year my companion and I are home during Holy week so that means we will break out or favorite Jesus movies on Friday and spend a day watching them. The films we watch on Good Friday are: Jesus Christ Superstar, The Last Temptation of Christ, Jesus of Montreal, and The LIfe of Brian. Sometimes we throw in Godspell too. Tomorrow, a day Christians call Maundy Thursday, I’ll probably watch Oh God as it is the most edgy theological film I know that is not trying to depict the biblical story. Sure, the deity is depicted as an old guy, George Burns, but the theological banter between God and John Denver’s character was fascinating and “liberal” then and is more so here in the 21st century. Some may wonder why I dont’ watch The Passion of the Christ or The Greatest Story Ever Told? Some have asked if I’m watching The Bible series on the History Channel. No, I’m not watching any of that. Why? Because the last three mentioned are overtly trying to be history or represent history and that is not what the biblical story is about or trying to be. These three represent an orthodoxy that cannot be questioned. In the case of Gibson’s film it is made from a perspective that represents a medieval theological orthodoxy that fuels antisemitism and presumes Christianity to be the only path to the divine, period. Sacrificial atonement is alive in the 21st century, but it is not what informs my practice of Christianity nor my belief in God.
The films I watch also have a third century CE theology that is mainline Christian orthodoxy, but they also offer places to explore the characters that participate in the story of Jesus including the character of God. Judas is not always a bad guy, particularly in the Last Temptation of Christ. Judas, as portrayed in this film, is Jesus’ confidant who is given the task of betraying Jesus at Jesus’ request. Judas ask, “If you were me could you betray your master?” Jesus responds, “No, that is why God gave me the easier task.” And the lyrics from “Superstar”, Jesus Christ Superstar, are words I ponder and questions I would ask.
| “Superstar” 1970 Voice of Judas Tell me what you think about your friends at the top Who’d you think besides yourself’s the pick of the crop Buddah was he where it’s all? Is he where you are? Could Mahomet move a mountain or was that just PR? Did you mean to die like that? Was that a mistake or Did you know your messy death would be a record-breaker? Don’t you get me wrong – I only wanna knowChoir: Jesus Christ, Jesus Christ Who are you? What have you sacrificed? Jesus Christ Superstar Do you think you’re what they say you are? |
Enter Diana Butler Bass. Here are a few of her thoughts on Holy week and a good parsing of “for” and “with” that informs my practice of Christianity. Her words might help you as you meet Jesus of Nazareth and those that profess to be believers and or followers of Jesus. Click the title, “Being With God, A Different Holy Week,” to read all of her words.
Being With God, A Different Holy Week
Diana Butler Bass | Huffington Post Religion Blog | 3/27/13On many a Good Friday, I have sat in a darkened church, listening to readings and music, all focused on the first preposition of the Passion’s equation: Jesus suffered for us, for sinners, for the world, for me. But only rarely have I heard spiritual reflection on the second preposition: Jesus suffered with us, with sinners, with the world, with me.
When we come to the Cross on Good Friday, we probably have some sense of what the Passion was for. Many believe that Jesus exchanged himself for our sins, he is the God who died for me. So I offer myself back — I might get saved or baptized or confirmed or serve the church. As part of the contract, the legal bargain, I escape Hell and go to Heaven. In a way, this understanding of the Cross is not terribly remarkable. People sacrifice and die for something or someone nearly every day. Of course, it is particularly sobering-as in the case of soldiers–when someone sacrifices or dies for my freedom or safety. Indeed, thinking that Jesus died for salvation may give pause, cause us to raise a prayer of thanks, feel sadness or relief; but ultimately, the idea that someone dies for something is theologically and spiritually uncomplicated.
Marriage: A Conversation
So, SCOTUS is hearing cases about Prop 8 and DOMA this week. My companion and I have been married 23 years. My parents just celebrated 50 years of marriage. Does recognizing the civil rights of LGBTQ persons to marry whom they wish threaten my marriage or others? No. Think Progress has an interesting article that furthers the conversation about what marriage is. If marriage is only about having children then the folks in Texas should not have given my companion and I a license those years ago, but that was not something we were asked. We did not have to get a license to have children. We got a license to be recognized in a committed, life long relationship. We had a marriage ceremony in a religious setting of our choosing and asked family and friends to bless our relationship with their presence as our public acceptance of being willing to deal with each others baggage the rest of our lives. Here is a paragraph or two and a link.
Beyond Marriage Equality: What Can We Do To Fix Marriage?
By Zack Beauchamp posted from ThinkProgress Election on Mar 26, 2013Welcome to National Marriage Equality Week. After today’s Supreme Court hearing on the constitutionality of California’s Proposition 8, marriage equality has been the topic du jour, and will remain so after tomorrow’s companion hearing on the Defense of Marriage Act (DOMA). I certainly hope the Court sees these discriminatory laws for what they are, but even if it doesn’t, the battle for marriage equality has been won: public opinion has swung strongly and, given the numbers among young Americans, likely irreversibly in favor of marriage equality.
If we assume that deep cultural forces are eroding the traditional, one-size fits marriage model based around norms like permanence and exclusivity, we should start talking about alternatives. That starts by imagining a way to preserve marriage’s social benefits while making it a more fundamentally freeing institution; developing a liberal vision of married life oriented around free choice and equal, mutually life-defining partnership. This move will require a shift in both government policy and social norms, but if we think the marriage crisis is, in fact, a crisis in need of addressing, developing an attractive vision of the institution is a necessary first step.
Click here to read more.