by Joel V Webb | Nov 15, 2024 | Orthodoxy Matters
A key theme in the literary genre of fantasy fiction is that of enchantment, or being enchanted. It usually has a magical overtone by which someone or something is imbued with special power or qualities that makes them stand out from everything else around them. Almost every magical story has an enchanted forest where the magical, mythological and fanciful creatures reside, and the protagonist usually has to go in order to continue their quest intentionally or by circumstance. It is in these places that is separated by the hum drum of the world around them, and their eyes are open to what is really going on. This is exemplified in the story of Prince Caspian, written by C.S. Lewis. Caspian enters the “dark forest” where we encounters the truth of the creatures of Narnia, and his true purpose is given to him to free the true Narnians from the oppression surrounding them. Caspian’s imagination is enchanted with what is really going on, and he can move forward in clarity to whatever is next, and into his true calling.
We live in a world that has lost all of its enchantment. Materialism, secularism and modernism have stamped out our ability to have almost any imagination. We are only concerned with what is physically in front of us..and outside of that anything doesn’t have much importance. Sure, we make ascent to the existence of a spiritual world that exists, but there is no real practical application to how we live our day to day lives.
A friend of mine put it this way. “We have made a fasutian bargain with technology. We know everything about the physical world, but we have lost the sense and knowledge of our spiritual selves, which makes us human.” I love technology & science. We have all been blessed by the wisdom that God has given humanity to understand the creation, and from that to harness it for the betterment of human living. But in that we have forgotten the truth of the spiritual world. We live as if our Christian faith is an add-on to our lives, that is part of what we do, rather than understanding that our faith is the understanding of everything.
Just as Prince Caspian experienced, we all need to take a little stroll into the enchanted forest, to have our eyes opened to what is really going on. We live in a world, that while made up of physical things, is really a world of spiritual beings and realities that interact via a physical reality. Our imaginations need to be re-enchanted with the worldview of Scripture, to see beyond the near-sighted reality of material existence, and understand that there is more.
But how can we do this? What can pull us out of our material slumber, and enable us to see the light that is above the low clouds of secularism?
One thing that I have found amazingly helpful is the Lord’s Prayer. While often spoken of as just a pattern on how to pray, this prayer is really a deeply Scriptural and theologically rich prayer that realigns our imagination and vision to how Christ desires His people to see the world around us. In this prayer we begin to see and understand that while stuff is going on around us, our call as followers of ‘The Way’ is to subvert our normal human reaction, and to work in a way that points to Christ’s Kingdom that is in, but not of this world. More of this concept can be explored in the book “Liturgy in the Wilderness” by D.J. Marotta.
This is just a small first step, but the first step is usually the biggest one. Christ calls us to look at the world around us in a different way. Not just as a place that exists with power dynamics and limited opportunities for redemption. But rather as a place that is the field of battle of epic proportions of powerful spiritual forces desiring us to image themselves, rather than the Creator of all things. There isn’t a demon under every lampshade, but there are demonic forces that try often to divert us away from our true calling. And in that same thought there are angels that seek to aid us in keeping us true to the One True King, Jesus.
It might sound crazy. But this is the real world that we live in. So let’s take a jaunt into the enchanted forest and begin to see what is really going on.
Further up, and further in.
by Joel V Webb | May 22, 2024 | Uncategorized
Many in the Church feel there is
really only one of two options. We either give in to the political and philosophical
ideas of the right-wing in order to pursue God’s call for the Church. Others
feel to give into the political and philosophical ideas of the left-wing as the
way to pursue God’s call for the Church. What’s crazy about all of this is that
for those on both sides (myself included) we often don’t even realize that we
are doing it!
For the right it’s the presupposition that
most evangelicals who presume the American dream is an extension of the Gospel if
our nation follows God, waiting to be raptured from trouble. For the left, it’s
the idea that the liberation the Gospel speaks of needs to be exerted
politically for the oppressed using any means necessary to bring in the New
Heavens and the New Earth. Is there some truth contained in both sides. Sure.
But both sides are often taken too far into error that loses the saltiness that
Christ’s followers are supposed to have, trading it in for dichotomy of
politically exclusive choices.
Liberation is certainly a theme in the
Scriptures. God leads His chosen people from Egypt. Once slaves, they were
taught how to be free people, being distinct from the nations around them.
Likewise, the Gospel provides us with liberation from the powers of sin and hell,
giving us the freedom to live truly as God intended us to. But what we
unfortunately see from many of the ideas espoused by those in the Liberation
theology camp is a dangerous blend of Christianity’s call to pursue justice and
help for the needy into a Marxist infused political machine that doesn’t
distinguish itself from the excesses of the political left. Justice without
truth isn’t really justice at all.
Likewise, the far right gives into its
own excesses by shrugging its shoulders much of the time at pain and suffering,
expecting to be whisked away from tribulation at any moment. So often the
vision is really focused inwards, not paying attention to the ways the Church
has historically served as a demonstration of the love of Christ. There has
been no greater witness of the Gospel throughout history than the physical ways
Christians have put themselves out of comfort to work for others good, in the
same way Christ did for us. Often, the issues our society is facing are dealt
with suspicion and fear, rather than understanding and love that leads to
truth. Justice without love isn’t really justice at all.
All of this means living life in
tension. To not give into the ever-encompassing ideas of one side exclusively makes
you a target for both sides. But to do so is to deny dividing points the world
gives us, and instead shows the third way that Christ offers. When we start
with the cross, we know that all of us are guilty. We are all oppressors who
will sin against another image bearer of God. There are no exceptions. And at
the same time we are all under the thumb of sin, desperately in need of
liberation and freedom that is only found in Christ.
The only truly innocent victim was Christ; the only unredeemable
oppressor is the devil; and the only perfect liberator is God. – Biblical
Critical Theory, Christopher Watkin
by Joel V Webb | May 2, 2024 | Uncategorized
Doesn’t it
sometimes feel like the way things are handled in our greater world of politics
just isn’t cutting it? The endless and vicious circle of talking points, ad hominin
attacks and a victory at all costs mindset that hurts anyone in the way. This
has been part of the steady polarization we see in the culture around us in the
West, particularly in the United States.
CS Lewis famously wrote, “If we find ourselves with a desire that
nothing in this world can satisfy, the most probable explanation is that we
were made for another world.”
This fits perfectly in line with the message given to not just the
Christians of the early church in the New Testament, but also to the natural
nation of Israel. Their way of life commanded by God was meant to distinguish
themselves in the culture around them as a people doing things differently.
From having no standing military, a king who was a humble servant of the
people, a priesthood with no means of amassing political or economic power, and
a redemption and jubilee system that ensured that even the disadvantaged were
able to maintain and provide for themselves.
What does this
maybe look like in our day? We feel uneasy or unsettled that the answers our
political systems are providing don’t seem to fit the mold we see in Scripture.
We want to see not just
Then throw in
the mix our fallen humanities insatiable desire for power. In Scripture (both Old
and New Testament) this desire is often personified with the city of Babylon. A
place of idolatry, power and wealth that conquered and commanded other nations.
This desire for power is something every human is susceptible to.
When Christ
came an inaugurated the “Kingdom of Heaven”, things would never be the same.
The systems of this world are turned upside down with how things would be run.
Think of the Sermon on the Mount as the constitution or founding document,
where we see how citizens of this Kingdom are to represent and follow the King
in a new way of life.
Now, back to
that Lewis quote. When he talks about another world, this is not something
being said about just living and being in heaven. That is a myopic and shallow
understanding of God’s Kingdom. That different world is what God intends for
His creation. A Kingdom, a people transformed and changed by Him who make a
world that is known by its love and different way of doing things, not enslaved
to the grasping for power that we see, attempt and experience here and now.
The Kingdom of
Heaven has been inaugurated, and is waiting to be consummated. It is not
finalized, but it is working. Slowly and surely through history it is growing
and changing the world around it bringing us back to how God intended it.
by Joel V Webb | Apr 25, 2024 | Uncategorized
What do you think the bodily coming of Jesus will look like?
I grew up with and was taught to have this image of during the
complete destruction of humanity and everything, Jesus would come at the last
moment to save the day. Because of the antichrist and the great tribulation,
humanity would be devastated, and while some would be protected from the terror,
most would be subject to the evils of the “end times”.
Well…things have changed. While I certainly am open to
having disagreements with fellow Christians on perspectives of end times and
the book of Revelation, I hold a dramatically different view than what I grew
up with. I’ve come to understand that certain views of the end times can be used
to hold people in fear, keep them in line so they don’t ask questions. “If you
want to be protected in the evil days ahead, do as I say”
Are there other options on how to view His coming again? I
believe in the physically bodily return of Jesus to rule and reign over His
creation with His people in a New Heavens and a New Earth.
Jesus spoke of His Kingdom as a mustard seed. Something that
starts small, but over time grows into something very large. In all the
parables about the Kingdom we get the idea that His people will be
transformative to the world around them, making a difference through the new
life He offers empowered by the Holy Spirit.
The work of His Kingdom will not fail. Sadly, when we talk
about the end times there is excitement that the Church will fail at its task
and Christ will have to come in at the last moment to make it right. Here’s the
question that has been stuck in my craw…is the Church supposed to fail?
I don’t think it is. God has His Kingdom as representatives,
workers of His way of doing things to impact and change the world around them
to reflect how He originally intended His creation to be. The problem as I see
it is that some have hyper literalized obviously metaphoric language particularly
in Revelation. And instead of seeing the encouragement to God’s people to
remain allegiant to King Jesus in the face of anything that comes, we see it is
a calendar that once certain things take place, we can begin the countdown to
His return. But that’s not how that works. Not even Jesus knows the point of
His return. So to say we can have a timeline and know it once things begin to
happen contradicts Christ’s own words.
Instead, the image we see presented by Jesus and the apostles
is that we the Church are the do the work of spreading the gospel. Our
perspective should be that of hope. The Church does accomplish it’s task. Not
through our own strength and ability, but through the power of the Holy Spirit,
as we see our entire world transformed one life at a time.
And one day, whether its in 1 year, or 10,000 Christ will return
in the flesh to a people who will say ‘Blessings on the one who comes in the name of
the Lord !’” (Matthew 23:39)
by Joel V Webb | Apr 21, 2024 | Uncategorized
One of the things I remember when getting to apply for colleges was “do I have all the prerequisites?” Has
everything I have done up to this point made me able to proceed with this potential program?
I grew up in a church background that was all about qualifying. Have I done everything perfectly so that I will
merit God’s blessing and favor, will I be enough to be the best of the best Christians to be worthy of the highest
forms of revelation that God could dish out.
This of course leads to and breeds problems.
I have heard numerous sermons throughout my life that were making sure we knew all about qualifying for our
inheritance, doing everything to not miss out on the special promises of rewards and rulership that I could attain.
Then my dad showed me this pesky little verse in Colossians. (this after being out of this context for a coupe years)
Colossians 1:12 NIV giving joyful thanks to the Father, who has qualified you to share in the inheritance of his
holy people in the kingdom of light.
Wait…what is that!?
The text (and the surrounding context makes it abundantly clear) that it is Christ who qualifies us.
WE DON’T DO IT OURSELVES! This may seem really obvious, and it is. But for someone who
was taught (intentionally or unintentionally) to have a spiritual superiority complex, and that I make myself
qualify, this is earth shattering.
This simple truth strikes at the core of the Gospel. Really this is the reason Jesus had to come. We are unable in
and of ourselves, no matter how we try to qualify and make ourselves right before God.
But there can also be a slightly more nefarious implication. In the background I am from somewhere that
everything was about the special spiritual pedigree that we had because of the teaching. And in order to qualify
for the special benefits we had to qualify by staying true. This then could be used as a cudgel to keep people in
line with fear and trembling to obey what they are told. And why? To make sure that you qualify for the “special
blessings”
But this is all hay, wood and stubble. Yes, our allegiance to Christ is essential. We want to stand true to Him not
matter what is going on around us. By not matter what, that is not what qualifies us. There is not spiritual pedigree
or hierarchy that we can measure in this life for what is in eternity. And even if we could, it doesn’t matter because
whatever crown we have we will cast before King Jesus. Because no matter what we did, it was He who qualified
us first.
So be encouraged and know that it is Christ who qualifies us. For salvation or anything else. He is one through
His Holy Spirit that empowers us to be and live differently. When we put our allegiance in Him, that transforms
us into the human He intended us to be. And that starts with Him qualifying us.
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