This is old news for most: Anne Rice publicly renounced Christianity two years ago. But she did not renounce Christ.Is that possible? To renounce Christianity, but still cling to Christ?
Although I am a committed churchman, I believe it is possible to follow Christ outside organized Christianity. So much of what goes on in organized Christianity is out of tune with Christ's message. So much of what seems to be important to the organized church is not part of the gospel - “for these thoughts of thine are man’s, not God’s (Matthew 16.23).”
T-Bone Burnett once suggest that followers of Christ should stop calling themselves Christians, because the name has become so tainted, tied to political agendas.
Perhaps the grab for power is one of the many reasons recent polls show the largest and fasted growing religious demographic is people who believe in God and seek to be spiritual but renounce any religious affiliation.
I am sure some readers will object strongly to this blog post, and insist on how important the church is, and say that incorporation into the church is indispensable.
Perhaps it does not occur to some people what a monster they have made God into. Perhaps it does not occur to them that their embrace of politics which favor the rich and punish the poor turns people off. Perhaps they do not realize how misogynist and oppressive they appear when they try to prevent women from getting birth control.
Liberal Christians are not off the hook either. Often very basic Christian belief is treated casually and non-essential in liberal Christian circles. Why should anyone commit to a faith that seems irrelevant to most?
I believe that one day, whether in this life or the next, many Christians will weep bitterly when the realize how many people they have turned away from Christ.
I still believe in the church, I am not ashamed to be a Christian. Yet, I am very sympathetic toward those who feel that they can follow Christ best outside of organized Christianity. Anne Rice is not the first one by a long shot to take this route. Mohandas Gandhi and Simone Weil are other notable figures who proclaimed themselves non-Christian followers of Christ.
I agree with a statement Bruce Cockburn made once, based on his reading of C.S. Lewis: A Christian is one who accepts the reality of Christ.
For me, 2 Corinthians 5.19 beautifully sums up the gospel: “Yes, God was in Christ, reconciling the world to himself, establishing in our hearts his message of reconciliation, instead of holding men to account for their sins.”
I am not going to make the case for renouncing Christianity or Church in the name of following Christ. Anne Rice makes her own case quite well in her comments below in an excerpt from her Wikipedia page. It is entitled, “Renunciation of Christianity.”
Anne Rice's Renunciation of Christianity (from Wikipedia).
On July 28, 2010, Rice publicly renounced her dedication to Christianity on her Facebook page:
"For those who care, and I understand if you don’t: Today I quit being a Christian. I’m out. I remain committed to Christ as always but not to being “Christian” or to being part of Christianity. It’s simply impossible for me to 'belong' to this quarrelsome, hostile, disputatious, and deservedly infamous group. For ten years, I’ve tried. I’ve failed. I’m an outsider. My conscience will allow nothing else."[1][2]
A few hours later she clarified her motives:
“In the name of Christ, I refuse to be anti-gay. I refuse to be anti-feminist. I refuse to be anti-artificial birth control. I refuse to be anti-Democrat. I refuse to be anti-secular humanism. I refuse to be anti-science. I refuse to be anti-life. In the name of Christ, I quit Christianity and being Christian. Amen.”[1][2]
She reaffirmed her faith in Christ with a stance of non-adherence to organized Christianity an hour or so later:
"My faith in Christ is central to my life. My conversion from a pessimistic atheist lost in a world I didn't understand, to an optimistic believer in a universe created and sustained by a loving God is crucial to me. But following Christ does not mean following His followers. Christ is infinitely more important than Christianity and always will be, no matter what Christianity is, has been, or might become."[3]
Subsequently, in an interview, Rice further clarified her statements:
"My commitment to Christ remains at the heart and center of my life. Transformation in Him is radical and ongoing. That I feel now that I am called to be an outsider for Him, to step away from the words, "Christian" and "Christianity" is something that my conscience demands of me. I feel that my faith in Him demands this of me. I know of no other way to express how I must remove myself from those things which seek to separate me from Him."[4]
A media frenzy ensued with newspaper reporters, Internet bloggers, radio and TV commentators and news reporters around the world interviewing Rice and commenting on her announcement.[5][6] In an August 7, 2010 interview with the Los Angeles Times, Rice elaborated on her view regarding being a member of a Christian church: "I feel much more morally comfortable walking away from organized religion. I respect that there are all kinds of denominations and all kinds of churches, but it's the entire controversy, the entire conversation that I need to walk away from right now."[7] In response to the question, "[H]ow do you follow Christ without a church?" Rice replied: "I think the basic ritual is simply prayer. It's talking to God, putting things in the hands of God, trusting that you're living in God's world and praying for God's guidance. And being absolutely faithful to the core principles of Jesus' teachings."[7]
Notes:
1.Anne Rice no longer Christian on publishednow.net
2.Kunhardt, Jessie. "Anne Rice: 'I Quit Being A Christian'". The Huffington Post. TheHuffingtonPost.com, Inc.. Retrieved 1 July 2012.
3."Anne Rice leaves Christianity" on CNN's Marquee Blog
4."Anne Rice: 'I Must Be An Outsider for Christ'" on CBN.com
5.Grossman, Cathy Lynn. "Novelist Anne Rice ditches Christianity for Christ". USA TODAY. Gannett Co. Inc.. Retrieved 1 July 2012.
6."Writer Anne Rice: 'Today I Quit Being A Christian'". NPR.org. NPR. Retrieved 3 July 2012.
7.Mitchell Landsberg, "Anne Rice discusses her decision to quit Christianity." Los Angeles Times. August 7, 2010.
Hiç yorum yok:
Yorum Gönder