The Importance of Love and Rightly Ordered Desire & Longing

A recent issue of Vineyard USA’s magazine Cutting Edge features and interview with Jamie Smith (i.e. James K A. Smith) around themes in his excellent book Desiring The Kingdom: Worship, Worldview, and Cultural Formation and Thinking In Tongues: Pentecostal Contributions to Christian Philosophy. 

Here's a few excerpts. You can read the full interview here (PDF). 

“…Jamie Smith / JS: What defines me is not primarily what I think, or even what I believe in terms of the propositions to which I give assent. What defines me is what I love, what I long for, what I desire. It’s located in the affective core of my person. 

To get that point is not a matter of “getting with it” in a postmodern culture. It’s not, “Oh, well, this is the new way of thinking about being human.” It’s actually just that a postmodern critique of modernism has been an opportunity for the Church to remember what we used to know. We can go back to appreciating a more holistic and affective picture of the human person. 

…Caleb Maskell / CM: So this idea – that we’re chiefly defined as human beings by an account of the things that we love – is an older idea than the idea that we’re defined by our beliefs? It’s not just some newfangled postmodern innovation? 

JS: Right. But nothing is wrong with believing. Believing is good. It’s just that believing is actually the articulation of what we love. It is a kind of understanding we have of God that can’t always be fully articulated. That’s why you can articulate what Christians believe, and it’s not wrong. But this sense that what really defines us is what we love; what we long for; what we desire. That picture of the human being as lover is an ancient picture. I think Saint Augustine is one of the people who articulates so powerfully that we are made for love. The question isn’t whether you love; it’s what you love. 

But I also think it’s a deeply biblical idea. In Colossians chapter 3, when Paul writes to the Colossian Christians and exhorts them to put on Christ, it is putting on love. Paul says, “Clothe yourselves in compassion.” Immediately after that, he starts talking about the practices of worship: singing psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, being devoted to the word and engaging in prayer… 

“…Too much of our evangelism has been informed by picturing human beings as “thinking things.” So when someone sees that bumper sticker, “Jesus is the answer,” they might think, “But what’s the question?” But if you look at it from Augustine’s paradigm of human being as lover, people aren’t looking for answers to questions. They’re not looking to solve an intellectual puzzle. They want to love. They’re looking for love, and they’re looking to love. What we bring to them is the Lover of their souls who alone can satisfy that longing. 

But this means that you must recognize and build on the fact that so many things people do in contemporary culture is a manifestation of their longing, of their desire. Christianity is not fundamentally the answer to a set of intellectual questions that people have; Christianity is the love story that finally let’s people make sense of their desire…”

For more on the importance of "desire" and "longng" you may appreciate an 'introductory' article (PDF) that mapped out some of the themes that I think are important.

 

Comments

[Chelle]

I must say it is freaking me out a little recently how frequently you are blogging about what is on my mind! I am writing a PhD proposal this week looking at re-examining our conception of love in the two commandments and the possibility ensuing of a more mystical approach to public theology and christian ethics.
I think it is a lot more complicated that our beliefs and actions flow from who we love. If we re-conceive of love a la that post on Christopher Cordnor's article, then our ethics flow out of an abundance of the experience of being loved. I think that can help us live by grace not rules, love not fear.
I'm rambling, sorry, but thanks!