11.30.2008

Er?... third way?!

I've been contemplating how I'd like to engage an entire book in a single entry (I should have been more with it in the first place--oops!)... well, what-ev.
*note: prepare for a jumble of meandering thoughts :)
First off, I love how J for Prez pints Jesus as a radically charged politician, as opposed to Sunday morning pastel colored christianized ancient comic strip hero. From his names to his actions, he was an extremest advocate who didn't base his success on his ability to effectively network and ass kiss.
...but modern church for the most part has been anti-political and yet okay with letting the "politicians" do their thing (almost as if they're an off-breed of humanity, designed for the political)... yet the think that was so beautiful about Jesus' engagement of politics was simply that he was living activism and reform, not writing books and speeches filled with fluff to get people to vote for him... [and here i go. i could carry on for hours]...
Next thought:
There was a spot right in the middle of the book that really gripped my mind and heart. Let me find it.... here it is, pg. 204:
"Too often we learn history through the lens of redemptive violence, memorizing dates of wars and battles. We've ordered history by the reigns of kings and presidents. But rarely do we remember how nonviolent movements have marked history... And we define news as acts of violence rather than the hidden acts of love that keep hope alive."
This truly connects with me, especially now, as I'm in the process of taking steps to participate in education reform... and in that seeking to turn the way we look at history on its head, while also requesting that we look more carefully at the way we engage the present state of our world and our communities (in a more mindful, less violence focused manner).
This too connects to what Shane talks about earlier, when he shares Walter Wink's philosophy of the "third way". The third way is the arduous, exhausting rout that takes more time and effort--that's why we don't often see it. And when we do, it's usually not thrilling. I've been thinking kinda this is what I'm looking to capture in education (I have no idea how that would work on a big scale--maybe it can't... Jesus' way usually isn't big scale-esk... and if it claims to be, for example our "Christian Nation", then it is usually falsified label, faulty advertising to boost sales).
K. The last section I read through reasonably quick (I'm going to spend some more time with it again)... but I do appreciate the methods and ideas for integration and application, especially the concept of creating "NEW" holidays, language, and heros among other things...

peace friends/advocates/shabby-politicians on behalf of Jesus
~ty
p.s. again thanks J & H.

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