…… a few days back I got a posting inviting me to be a viewer of a programme on a Christian TV channel (don’t get me started...) called ‘walking in victory’ or something. I pressed ‘delete’ almost immediately.
Here is one of my takes on theology/life- Jesus came to show us God and did that by entering into the ordinary mess and contradiction. He began and begins redeeming the mess.
I guess I used to take the message covertly that he was some kind of gleaming superman who made everything better straightaway. If He didn’t that had to be ignored or there was something wrong in me…… I look back with the great gift of hindsight and see that some people actually taught that and some seem to continue to teach it. If they don’t, well some people of faith seem to feel guilt/desire to hide that they may be broken. ‘Positive thinking’ has a place but it is not the gospel…do not be scared of the dark or grey side.
A blog that I sometimes read once spoke of regret that in a group of churches that he was part of, there was a section of the meeting where ‘Good News’ was an agenda item. He spoke of his dislike of this section due to the pressure to share only good news, suppress the bad or sometimes embroider the truth. I think it is good that we share stuff that has worked or where we have felt the presence of God. However, I also think it is good to share lament or the grey rainy Tuesday afternoons where nothing much has happened apart from staying faithful.
Yes, yes….miserable sod- but then you guessed that from this blog. Enjoy your bank holiday weekend….