Strange Fire and Churches of Christ
But both are operating from a posture that fundamentally believes God is somewhere else.
This is why we use language like, “And then God showed up.” As if there are places in the world where God wasn’t!
And don’t think for a second I’m trying to ignore the Bible. I’m just trying to start reading it better. Think about how the Psalms talk about Creation, the mountains clap for joy, and the rivers sing!
According to the Bible the whole earth is enchanted!
And the danger of having conversations like this, is that we strip God out of the world He made and we do it, not by using the Bible, but coming from an “Enlightenment Worldview” that has very little to do with imagination, and very much to do with scientific reductionism of the Good world that God created and still inhabits.
Think about the words we use in this argument. It’s words like Natural vs. Supernatural. Where did we get those words from? It’s not Scripture, so if we are going to have this conversation then lets at least admit that it’s not Sola Scriptura we are arguing with.
We are humans, located in certain places and ideologies.
And God help us if we make boxes so tight that God can’t help us.
The Catholic (think Pre-Enlightenment) imagination is rich and filled with different ways of talking about reality. It is what Tolkien and Lewis drew from to tell about the Enchanted world of God.
I’ve spoken in tongues, because all Art is speaking in tongues, I’ve seen God heal people, and I see God sustain the Billion miracles everyday that hold our intricate hearts beating just because of His creative word. I’ve seen babies born and people sacrifice their lives, I’ve seen people healed in “normal” ways like through doctors at hospitals and people healed in unusual ones.
Am I a Charismatic or a Cessasionist? Neither. Because I think both of those stories are two small to contain God.
I believe Aslan is on the move.
The Fire of God is real, the world is ablaze with it.
And when Christians are unable to see that, I think that’s strange.
This guest essay is used with permission of the author, from http://jonathanstorment.com/2013/11/strange-fire-and-churches-of-christ.
[1] Rabbinical tradition teaches that this story in Leviticus isn’t about them disobeying or misunderstanding God, it’s about them not revering Him. The very next verse after this story is a prohibition against drinking while performing priestly duties, so the Rabbi’s have said that was Nadab and Abihu’s sin.
Category: Spirit, Spring 2014
Followers
Fans
