The Hermeneutic of the Gospel – Final Part

* All “boldened” sections have been highlighted by me. 

“When the church fails to be a listening community, attentive to the cries of the poor, then the gospel is implausible and alternative social philosophies take on an air of plausibility. When the church becomes a site of bitter enmity [unforgiveness, unresolved sources of bitterness, hurt, disappointment, cynicism etc] while the world is spinning ever more quickly into war and violence, then the gospel is not only implausible, it is an embarrassment. In the face of such failures to be a community that embodies the truth that can save the world, it is no wonder that alternative visions become more plausible to us.”

[While not all will agree, this general “failure” of the church in the Protestant West to be the resurrection people of God has provided significant impetus and energy to both those who have left church and the so-called “emerging” critique of what Church has been reduced too at the end of the 20^th century in the West.]

“The knowledge that Paul is talking about in this passage [Col. 2:1-4] is “Christ himself, in whom are hidden all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge.” One wouldn’t think that that once we have met in this Christ all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge, no mere imitation of wisdom, no false claims to knowledge, could ever be plausible to us again. But the implausibility of the opposition is dependent on the plausibility of the gospel as it is enfleshed in the historical, cultural, [everyday contemporary] life of the church.”

The interlocutor responds:

“So the church needs to put up or shut up?”

Walsh & Keesmaat

“That pretty well sums up a biblical epistemology [The study of theories of knowledge or ways of knowing, particularly in the context of the limits or validity of the various ways of knowing]. We need to [wisely] struggle to discern Christian paths in politics, the arts, ecology, economics, [work, recreation, family & home life etc] and all the rest of our life because the very plausibility of [what is a very holistic and comprehensive] gospel hangs on it…The false philosophy [that Paul is contending against in Colossae] will remain plausible so long as the Christian community is immature in its Christian character [again, see Phillip Kenneson’s excellent book Life on the Vine: Cultivating the Fruit of the Spirit in Christian Community].”

“Wisdom gaining” (more so than mere knowledge) and “discernment” (learning how to corporately (particularly!) and individually discern – to read between the lines – to see and experience God @ work – very very distinct from strategic planning – we plan and hope God turns up and blesses us) are in my view two critical practices that need to be nurtured within church contexts as part of the Church learning to become a plausible embodiment (i.e. hermeneutic) of the Gospel.

In one important sense this focus on incarnation, on “plausibly” embodying the Gospel (i.e. Christ formed in and amongst us) in community means that the actual form of church becomes secondary to enabling this embodiment to be grown, nurtured, pruned, and nourished. So the question of whether “traditional” church, house church, alt.worship community etc becomes less important and Rowan Williams’ notion of a “mixed economy” of churches becomes more important. Walsh & Keesmaat make some important points that we need to reflect on with regards to our ecclesiology and practices of being church for both the “maturing of the body” and it’s participation in the misso Dei – God’s ongoing redemptive activity.

Plausibly embodying the Gospel will support rather than undermine the Church being the people of God for the sake of God’s world.

Finally, at this point I thought of Steve Taylor’s posts on Key performance indicators in postmodernity, the KPI cringe, and Sheep and Worship. How might we know that we’re embodying the gospel?

I have some questions, drawing on the chapter headings of the previously mentioned book, Life on the Vine: Cultivating the Fruit of the Spirit in Christian Community and biblical commentary on the “fruit of the Spirit” (Gal. 5:22-23). These could be reflected on and discussed within the life of the church community – an annual review!

How are we doing in terms of cultivating love in the midst of market-style exchanges?

How are we doing at cultivating joy in the midst of manufactured desire?

How are we doing at cultivating peace in the midst of fragmentation?

How are we doing at cultivating patience in the midst of productivity?

How are we doing at cultivating kindness in the midst of self-sufficiency?

How are we doing at cultivating goodness in the midst of self-help?

How are we doing at cultivating faithfulness in the midst of impermanence?

How are we doing at cultivating gentleness in the midst of aggression?

How are we doing at cultivating self-control in the midst of addiction [and instant self-gratification]?

Comments

[ron cole]

Hi Paul, I just wanted to voice how much I have enjoyed your commentary and insights into, " Colossians Remixed." I think it not only challenges us individually, but, I think it would be an awesome, challenging and fruitful to see communities work through the book as a journey.It is certainly something I'm planning on doing.

[Paul Fromont]

Thanks Ron for your very kind words. Walsh and Keesmaat have produced a very exciting and provocative book.