Master 200: Love, truth, and power
Opening reflection.
"In Him [Jesus] was life, and the life was the light of men. And the light shines in the darkness, and the darkness did not comprehend it." (John 1:4-5)
"Again therefore Jesus spoke to them, saying, 'I am the light of the world; he who follows Me shall not walk in darkness, but shall have the light of life.' " (John 8:12)
"While you have the light, believe in the light, in order that you may become sons of light." (John 12:36)
"You are the light of the world. A city set on a hill cannot be hidden. Nor do men light a lamp, and put it under the peck-measure, but on the lampstand; and it gives light to all who are in the house. Let your light shine before men in such a way that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father who is in heaven." (Matthew 5:13-15)
"You're meant to be a light where you are. Light comes in the form of love and truth and power. That's light. In the New Testament, light is love and truth and power, in that order. Would you mind the order please. Because you can't stand the truth until you've had love, and unless you've got both of them, God help everyone if you've got any power. That's what light is. You're put here to love and to live in truth and to know the truth and to exercise power--the power of the Kingdom." (Dallas Willard. Lecture. Circa 1990.)
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The contemplative life.
Today was the last meeting of the graduate seminar on Aristotle's ethics. As part of our discussion, we looked at Aristotle's view of the contemplative life. According to many commentators, Aristotle held that the supremely excellent life was that of pure contemplation--in which the individual could be removed from all interactions with this humdrum world and enabled to spend time exercising only the intellect.
This ideal has (perhaps, understandably) struck many philosophers throughout history as basically correct. Not only professional philosophers, but many religious people and those given to monastic-type callings have often gravitated toward this view. Meditation, rumination, and the contemplation of divine and lofty things is often presented as the highest and best possible human activity.
But can that possibly be right? Actually, it's not so clear that Aristotle endorses this view or recommends this kind of life, even supposing it to be possible or achievable. I won't delve into the text here. Instead, I want to think a bit about the proper place of the intellect and make some comments on that theme.
Many people, throughout history, have thought that our intellectual and rational capacities are very special. They set us apart from the animals and also have been interpreted as reflecting some divine element within us. That is part of why so many have thought that the development of the intellect was the most worthwhile endeavor.
But as we talked about this in class, it occurred to me: the biblical picture of God does not emphasize His rationality nearly as much as did ancient Greek philosophers. If anything, the Bible emphasizes God's love. And when you think about it, love actually seems to be another important attribute that sets us apart from animals.
And as I thought about it more, I was reminded of the above quote from Dallas Willard. Many have thought that humans share in something divine by their capacity to exercise power. Throughout history, power has regularly been exercised, often with detrimental effects, in the name of God or gods.
What are we to make of this situation. Can we pick out any one capacity that God possesses and identify His image in us with that capacity--for knowledge, love, or power? Pick any one of these and you'll definitely go astray. Power without love or knowledge is dangerous and cruel. Knowledge without love is paternalistic, tyrannical, and fruitless. What about love by itself? Well, if you've got love, you'll probably be moved to act and exercise power in accordance with truth for the sake the people you love. Love, then, must be the foundation, but even it does not stand alone.
So I am not saying that knowledge, intellect, and our rational capacities are irrelevant. They are extremely important. Also our ability to act and exercise power and authority is very important. But if we are to reflect the glory of God and pursue the highest calling of human beings, that will, I expect, be guided and motivated primarily by love.
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Why Christians must think.
One of the other things I've been thinking about--loosely tied to the topic of the intellectual or contemplative life, is the need for Christians to think. Actually it is extremely important that all people think, but I have a special interest in addressing Christians on this topic.
How do you motivate people to thoughtful engagement with doctrine and theology? What is its relevance? Why bother with it?
One simple answer: for the sake of your kids. How many Christian parents are not thoughtful, not intentional about living out their faith, not committed to raising their kids with Christian values, and so setting their children up to abandon the faith at their earliest opportunity? Now I recognize and take seriously that very thoughtful people do leave the church. That's not my issue. But it seems like I hear so much wailing and bemoaning about the numbers of Christian teenagers that leave the church, and then I look at the parents and see that they are not serious at all about their own Christian faith. Do we expect that children will develop a robust faith if their only exposure to Christianity comes from two hours on Sunday and two hours on Wednesday night? Ridiculous. Do we expect that children will really commit to following a way of life that is not modeled or reflected at all in their homes or amongst their friends? Absurd.
What then should we do? We need to think. What does it mean for a Christian to think? A thinking Christian is one who is not just swept along by the conventional currents and patterns of life. Instead, a thinking Christian is one who searches the Scriptures and draws upon the advice and counsel of wise Christians and alters his or her life accordingly. Notice the connection between thought and practical life. By advocating that Christians think, I am not advocating a contemplate, sedentary, or inactive life. To be a thinking Christian does not mean that the only thing you do is think. However, the thinking Christian is someone who thinks sometimes. Because thinking is necessary. If you don't think, then you will always act on impulse or based on existing habits--and not all impulses or habits are good. Are rational capacities are extremely important because they are what enable us to change the direction or course of our life.
Why are there so many problems in the world? Two main reasons (in very broad brush strokes): (1) They do not know what is good or right. (2) Even if they know what is good or right, they are ineffective at carrying it out. The mistake that many people make (and have made throughout history) is thinking that simple education (by which I mean, information transfer) is sufficient for bringing about effective moral change. They say things like: "If you really knew what was good for you, you would do it." The problem with this simple view is that it doesn't take seriously how deliberate thought must be involved in the moment of decision in order to bring about serious change. Many people know (in their heads) what is good or right, but our lives are so fast-paced and we are forced to make so many decisions so quickly that there is no time to actually think about what is good or right, and so when we face some situation, we end up just acting on the usual habits or impulses. We may realize, after the fact, that we failed to do what was good or right, but by then it's too late. If we are to bring about serious moral change, we need to be moving through life slowly enough that we can actually see the choice coming up and spend the 2.5 seconds that are necessary to reflect and make the right choice.
Most people don't do that and so they keep on making the same mistakes over and over. They become defeated and think that it's just not possible to change. And so they live lives that are devoid of power, knowledge, or love--and is there any wonder that their kids go away from the church.
This is not a recipe for perfect kids. There are no guarantees. But if this helps some people to be motivated to think about how they are leading their lives and consider a change, that would be great.
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Taking myself too seriously.
Part of why it seemed appropriate to post something about the contemplative life is that I recently finished all the requirements to receive my master's degree. I've jokingly remarked to some people that I'm now in greater danger than ever of taking myself too seriously. Hopefully I can continue to say that in a jocund spirit and will avoid that treacherous pitfall. (If you find me walking too close to that edge, slap me to bring me to my senses.)
It's also funny to reflect on my own journey away from the contemplative life. Certainly there was a time (and still are times) when I thought that it would be wonderful to lead a life of solitude and study--needing nothing more than my books and writing tablets. The world, after all, is such a messy place. I remember the first time that I saw the movie, Shadowlands-- about the life of C.S. Lewis. I was so perturbed to learn that Lewis eventually fell in love and got married. He thoroughly upset my ideal.
College friends did a lot to shake me out of that mindset. I think that a growing appreciation of the necessity of love (both giving and receiving it) for a full life has also guided me away from solitary contemplation. And, of course, we must keep in mind that God is just about the farthest thing from the Aristotelian unmoved mover. (See John 3:16.)
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Lent.
So these have been some of my scattered thoughts from today. I think my ideas were a little more clearly connected earlier today, but I'm sleep deprived and now about ready to go to bed. (I'll be posting this the morning after writing it.)
I think I'll wrap up with just a comment about Lent.
The forty days of fasting that mark the season of Lent and lead up to the Passion Week and Easter, I suspect, are not well-understood by many people. One of the most helpful insights into this time of year has come to me from a teaching that I heard on Jesus' forty days of fasting in the wilderness.
Most people have an unfortunate view of fasting and of 'wilderness.' Deprivation, desolation, hunger, pain, want, unfulfilled desire--these are the ideas and sensations often associated with fasting and 'wilderness.'
Consider this, instead: The wilderness is the place you go to become strong. What do you think of that? The wilderness is the place you go to become strong. Jesus, when He was in the wilderness and fasting, was becoming strong. In fact, He was preparing Himself for the temptation that would come to Him at the end of that forty days. He spent time away from food and water and the comforts of this life in order to commune with the God that is the only true source of nourishment and strength and comfort. By the end of that time, He was so convinced of the goodness and greatness of His Heavenly Father that when Satan presented Him with all the best things that the world has to offer, He was able to dismiss it all.
How well do you do when faced with the temptations of this world? Do you find yourself regularly succumbing? When you do succeed in saying, 'No,' do you feel a sense of loss or deprivation? Could it be that the reason for that is that you have not come to know God in the way that Jesus did?
Maybe it would be a good idea to spend some time, during this season of Lent, to focus on building that relationship with God. Maybe you should fast or take on a spiritual discipline--not because that is the spiritual thing to do, but with the goal of drawing closer to God in such a way that you can emerge on the other side more convinced of His goodness and so prepared to stand as a light in this world. Maybe you need to take some time off to spend in prayer and meditation and contemplation. Not because the life of contemplation is the highest kind of life--it probably isn't--, but so that you can create the space in your life for God to work and speak. That will probably make you more effective at loving people. And isn't that what you want?
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God is in this place,
And that reality, seen and understood by the grace of God in Christ Jesus through the work of the Holy Spirit, makes all the difference in the world.
posted by Metaphysician_delta | 5:10 PM
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