different ways of seeing God

More different ways of seeing God have emerged with Charismatic, Liberation and feminist theology, and Progressive Christianity entertaining a great variety of expressions of faith.

We are nearing an ending in our journey to freedom from the oppression of literalist understandings of the Bible and from the temptation to worship the Bible rather than the God it points us to. We are coming to the time of being asked which God we are going to choose to follow and worship in the land we are entering, a land of internet and as yet undreamed of scientific discoveries, of healing and health. Tickle points out that in each of these major new things, some old stuff gets thrown away but much is kept, maybe as it is or maybe in an adapted form. It may take many decades for this process. Will God love you less for one decision or another? If you choose to stay worshipping the written word rather than the more dangerous way of following the Word made flesh in Jesus will it matter? It is up to you to decide.

The message of the Gospel reading for today is about being readying ourselves, about being prepared for what is ahead. We, as Christian people, as a nation, as a civilisation, are in a time of turmoil between what was and what will be. We can learn from past times of upheaval that there will be a time of relatively settled peace in years to come.

The young women who were invited to be bridesmaids would have known what preparation was needed for the role. Their lamps needed to be full of oil if they were going to be able to fully participate in the celebrations ahead. We are invited to continue the journey under God’s leadership. What preparation can we do to ensure we are ready for what is ahead? While we may be leaving behind Biblical literalism, I believe every member ministry is becoming more important.

Some suggest that it is the oil of God’s goodness with which our lamps need to be filled. When Moses asked to see God’s glory, he was shown God’s goodness which surely includes justice, mercy and love. Meister Eckhart, a Christian mystic put it that we have “not been created for small things.” May God help us discern which God will bring us renewed freedom in the Emerging Way.

Rev Julianne Parker

(for full sermon see sermons page)