Redemption: Another View of the Jesus Story

My UU Christian Fellowship is currently reading Krista Tippett's book Becoming Wise: An Inquiry into the Mystery and Art of Living. This is the second time I'm reading it, and there is so much  to ponder that I will be riffing on it for a while here at Lifting the Spirit. 

In the chapter on Faith, in Krista's interview with Margaret Wertheim, the subject of redemption comes up, and Margaret, a science writer and a woman who holds a unique image of God as Love, comments an how we humans speak of redemption.

First, a quick review of the definition of "redemption" as provided by Google AI.

Key Meanings of Redemption:

• Theology/Religion: 

  Deliverance from sin, spiritual bondage, or evil, often through a sacrificial act (like Christ's sacrifice in Christianity).
• Finance/Business: 

  Repaying or buying back debts, bonds, stocks, or property, like redeeming a mortgage or shares.
• General/Personal: 

  Rescuing something lost, making amends for past mistakes, or achieving a triumphant comeback after failure or adversity.

I've highlighted "making amends for past mistakes" because this phrase, among the "personal definitions," hints at how we can be redeemed, possibly without direct Divine Intervention. Ms. Wertheim offers that we humans don't seem to be able to discuss the concept of redemption in a personal context, but only within theological circles. She goes on to say:

I don't think that humans are innately sinful, but I think we all make mistakes. Every single one of us. And collectively, we're making massive mistakes. And the question is, How can we redeem ourselves, in the sense of making amends? (Tippett, pg. 215-216)

I am like Ms. Wertheim. The concept of original sin has never made any sense to me. In my Catholic faith, I was taught that infants who died went to purgatory, not to Heaven, so they could be cleansed of their sin before sharing the glory of God. What sin? Where in an infant's short existence can they sin? 

But I'm also skeptical of the dogma that Jesus died for our sins so we are all cleansed. But Baptism is still needed, so the church says, so maybe Jesus' death wasn't completely effective?

I believe that Jesus had a more important gift of redemption to give. In the atonement dogma, the emphasis is placed on the death of Jesus - that horrid, politically motivated, tortuous death that played out over a few days. The Nicene Creed says "...he became incarnate from the Virgin Mary, and was made man...he was crucified under Pontius Pilate, he suffered death and was buried."

Where does the creed acknowledge the power of his life and ministry? Three years of traveling, preaching, molding a group of followers to help reform Judaism and to bring people to redemption. Not through his death, but through each person reviewing their life, putting Love/God at the center of living, and making amends for each mistake and error where they can, and therefore redeeming themselves. 

I believe that's the additional power of the redemption message. Repent! Turn Around! Everyday choose the Way of Love, Gratitude, Surprise and Awe, and Essential Goodness. And when you falter, when you err, make amends. Turn around, make better choices. Jesus showed us throughout his brief ministry how to live and how to claim our own redemption here on earth. 

Jesus may have died for our sins to give us eternal life (for future discussion). If you believe that, I respect that choice. But also consider that the cleansing didn't stop there, for we were also given the guidelines for redeeming ourselves daily through our acts of kindness, loving our neighbors, and making amends. 

What do you think about this personal view of redemption? Possible? Not in line with dogma? Worth pondering? Let me know in the comments. 

And remember that Kindness and Deep Listening are what we do here at Lifting the Spirit.

May you always walk the Way of Jesus.

Blessings,

LaVerne

The Cross

A phrase that I learned at the 2009 Revival was "cross cringe". That's the reaction that we UU Christians sometimes elicit if we wear a cross or state that we are Christians in the company of our UU brothers and sisters. It's that little wrinkle of the nose, a start of surprise, a widening of the eyes, perhaps a soft "Oh." The cross cringe may be as overt as a suggestion that maybe we would be more comfortable at the local Lutheran church. I have seen the cringe from others outside the UU faith. In our society, the word "Christian" is most often associated with a literal reading of the Bible and a legalistic, judgmental religion. In that context, hearing the word "Christian" can move someone to shout "Hallelujah!"; others to respond with "the cringe".

In light of that, I was delighted that Rev. Tamara Lebak of All Souls Unitarian chose for her Sunday sermon the topic, "The Signs of the Cross". She said that it was in honor of the UUCF Revival visitors as well as her own deep fascination with this ancient symbol. Her own collection of crosses fills several packing boxes. And she grinned when she said that it was not often that the All Souls congregation heard the hymn "The Old Rugged Cross" which was sung so beautifully by the choir that morning.

She spoke of Greek crosses, with equal arms, that in 9500 BCE symbolized the horizon and the rising and setting of the sun. Four thousand years before the Third Reich, the swastika cross was used to denote the four directions (North, East, South, and West) and the world-wheel (the eternally changing world, around a fixed, unchanging center or god). The cross can symbolize the meeting of opposites, the merging of human and divine, immenence and transcendence. The Latin cross, the one associated with today's cross cringe, was carved into Bronze Age stones, was used as a ward against evil. It is a rich symbol, and even more powerful, Rev. Lebak said, because it rejects duality. It has so many meanings from so many different times, cultures and traditions, that it helps us to reflect on the Truth. Truth that can only be discerned by drawing all those diverse meanings together. Only then might we sense something of the grandeur and variety of life.

Read Rev. Lebak's sermon; there's also a podcast version out on the All Souls website. It will open your eyes to that "old rugged cross" and make you appreciate all over again that simple symbol. It's got me wearing my cross again, ready to face the "cross cringe".

How about you?

Today's post is the last relating my experiences at the UUCF 2009 Revival in Tulsa, OK. Next time I'll be walking down from the mountaintop and into everyday Christian life. Looking forward to meeting you there!