Basic Theology 5

There was also in the Jesus People a general lack of reflection and a strong suspicion of higher education. I would say that the dramatic experiences of conversion, and the powerful emotions that came with that, for many, eclipsed rational thinking, especially given the sense and experience of the miraculous. I do not doubt that miracles were occurring, plus some very powerful supernatural manifestations in our midst, because God was palpably present in us and among us. It is helpful to remember that the people being attracted to the Jesus People were often coming from some very damaged, damaging and broken life situations. The immediate impact of the love and joy of God was such that there was often little time or attention given to a more thoughtful and reflective kind of faith, which, when you think of it, really is a luxury of the well-heeled and socially well-established. As understandable was the fundamentalism of the Jesus People, it also became for me problematic. Being a gifted and brighter than average teenager also tended to complicate things for me somewhat, but for the powerful sense and presence of God in my life. Unlike other cerebrally-intense kids, I could not rationalize this experience out of existence. It was simply too real, too authentic, and my life was changing dramatically, from that of a sullen, selfish, self-destructive twit, to a joyful, generous and loving kid. And it was my own family that was noticing the difference, to their consternation and horror! Because it is recorded in John's Gospel that Jesus said "I am the way, the truth and the life. No one comes to the father, but by me," it was generally understood, by reduction, that all other religions and ways are false, and many of us, myself included, bent over backwards to discredit Judaism, Hinduism, Islam, Buddhism, etc. We believed that there was one way to God, and that Jesus was the only way, and we weren't ashamed of declaring this, no matter how many people this lack of pluralism and anti-inclusivity might have offended. We were zealous to witness for our faith and bring in converts like there was no tomorrow. Even now, I believe in the uniqueness of Jesus. This doesn't imply that I discredit other faiths. I honour and respect them. I also believe that God reaches out and touches anyone reaching out to him, regardless of the name they are giving him. But in order to establish that Jesus Christ is unique, I think there is one small theological misunderstanding that almost everyone, many Christians included, often fall into. First of all, Jesus never claimed to be a prophet or a teacher. By osmosis, and by certain statements attributed to him in the Gospels, Jesus claimed to be God, or one could say, God manifested in our humanity. And he didn't say that no one comes to God except through him. Jesus said that no one comes to the Father except through him. If you have any understanding of the Holy Trinity, then we are touching on one God manifesting as Father and Creator, as Son, and as Holy Spirit. Which is to say that we come to God through God, which is to say through our humanity shared by Jesus, or by simply accepting that God has come to us in our fallen and imperfect humanity in order to bring us to himself. This is the one sticking point that prevents too much concourse from occurring between Christianity and other religious faiths, and Christian ministers and teachers, at their eternal peril, will often try to omit Jesus, except as a great teacher and prophet, in order to mix well and be accepted by Muslims and Jews etc, especially since the latter do not accept Jesus as the Son of God. But I still think that God, in his mercy, still reaches anyone who comes to him in humility of heart and spirit, and even if they don't in this life acknowledge Jesus, in the next, they will see and love him as he is.