Faith Meets Life: What's unique about Christianity?
There's a story about C. S. Lewis, author of the Narnia Chronicles, wandering into a debate at a conference on World Religions. Experts were discussing what unique contribution Christianity has made to the world.
Many religion pundits, bloggers and scholars in the 21st century like to show how all-major religions are essentially the same. They are all equally about loving our fellow human being. Or they are equally all about repression and violence and everything in between.
Such insights can be valuable. But I do notice that they are usually offered by people who are actually not adherents to any of the religions, which makes you suspect that they are the religious equivalent to armchair hockey coaches.
According to the story, told by Philip Yancey (in his book What's So Amazing about Grace?) the conference experts noted that in the stories of the various religions, there were, in fact, a number of common elements. Other religions, not just Christianity, talk of God appearing in human form. Similarly, several religions, like Christianity, have stories of return from the dead.
We might add a few things. Many religions including Christianity have established rituals, formal leaders, creation stories and flood stories.
Lewis, coming upon the group of experts asked what all the fuss was. They told him that they were wondering about the unique contribution Christianity makes among the world religions. Always one to cut to the chase, Lewis responded, “That's easy. It's grace.”
What could he have meant? Did he mean that Christianity is gracious or graceful? The word comes from Greek, and it means “free giving.” In Christianity it means that God gives good things at no charge, with no strings attached. Unconditionally.
This, Yancey writes, violates the orientation of other religions and, in fact, of any common way of thinking. The Hindu doctrine of karma, Islamic codes of law, even the Jewish concept of covenant where there is a high expectation that a devout person will keep the Law of Moses, and the Buddhist eight-fold path — all these ultimately impose conditions that must be met in order to receive something good from God.
In ordinary transactions too we don't give without payment. Conditions must be met. High grades go to the student who excels. We want jobs to go to the deserving. Some parents love us only if we do the right things.
But in the parables of Jesus (found in the four Gospels of the Christian Bible) we meet a God who takes a seemingly wacky delight in giving things that have not been earned. Workers who show up at the last hour get the same pay as those who sweated all day long. A son leaves home to squander his inheritance — and succeeds — and returns to a “lovesick” father (God) who throws a party for him.
Jesus himself welcomed the “unclean” of his day, though they failed to meet many social and religious expectations: lepers, sex workers, women, thieves and the insane. They received from him acceptance, love, renewal.
Similarly, even though there is nothing we could offer to pay for it, God calls people everywhere to receive his forgiveness: forgiveness for every lie, every instance of cheating on our wives and husbands, every hurt towards our parents and children, every act of violence, every insensitivity towards those who are “different.”
And even though there is nothing we can do to pay him for it, he calls all people to receive from him renewal: encouragement and skill to deal with every addiction, every broken relationship, and every anxiety that plagues us.
Editorial opinions or comments expressed in this online edition of Interrobang newspaper reflect the views of the writer and are not those of the Interrobang or the Fanshawe Student Union. The Interrobang is published weekly by the Fanshawe Student Union at 1001 Fanshawe College Blvd., P.O. Box 7005, London, Ontario, N5Y 5R6 and distributed through the Fanshawe College community. Letters to the editor are welcome. All letters are subject to editing and should be emailed. All letters must be accompanied by contact information. Letters can also be submitted online by clicking here.
Many religion pundits, bloggers and scholars in the 21st century like to show how all-major religions are essentially the same. They are all equally about loving our fellow human being. Or they are equally all about repression and violence and everything in between.
Such insights can be valuable. But I do notice that they are usually offered by people who are actually not adherents to any of the religions, which makes you suspect that they are the religious equivalent to armchair hockey coaches.
According to the story, told by Philip Yancey (in his book What's So Amazing about Grace?) the conference experts noted that in the stories of the various religions, there were, in fact, a number of common elements. Other religions, not just Christianity, talk of God appearing in human form. Similarly, several religions, like Christianity, have stories of return from the dead.
We might add a few things. Many religions including Christianity have established rituals, formal leaders, creation stories and flood stories.
Lewis, coming upon the group of experts asked what all the fuss was. They told him that they were wondering about the unique contribution Christianity makes among the world religions. Always one to cut to the chase, Lewis responded, “That's easy. It's grace.”
What could he have meant? Did he mean that Christianity is gracious or graceful? The word comes from Greek, and it means “free giving.” In Christianity it means that God gives good things at no charge, with no strings attached. Unconditionally.
This, Yancey writes, violates the orientation of other religions and, in fact, of any common way of thinking. The Hindu doctrine of karma, Islamic codes of law, even the Jewish concept of covenant where there is a high expectation that a devout person will keep the Law of Moses, and the Buddhist eight-fold path — all these ultimately impose conditions that must be met in order to receive something good from God.
In ordinary transactions too we don't give without payment. Conditions must be met. High grades go to the student who excels. We want jobs to go to the deserving. Some parents love us only if we do the right things.
But in the parables of Jesus (found in the four Gospels of the Christian Bible) we meet a God who takes a seemingly wacky delight in giving things that have not been earned. Workers who show up at the last hour get the same pay as those who sweated all day long. A son leaves home to squander his inheritance — and succeeds — and returns to a “lovesick” father (God) who throws a party for him.
Jesus himself welcomed the “unclean” of his day, though they failed to meet many social and religious expectations: lepers, sex workers, women, thieves and the insane. They received from him acceptance, love, renewal.
Similarly, even though there is nothing we could offer to pay for it, God calls people everywhere to receive his forgiveness: forgiveness for every lie, every instance of cheating on our wives and husbands, every hurt towards our parents and children, every act of violence, every insensitivity towards those who are “different.”
And even though there is nothing we can do to pay him for it, he calls all people to receive from him renewal: encouragement and skill to deal with every addiction, every broken relationship, and every anxiety that plagues us.
Editorial opinions or comments expressed in this online edition of Interrobang newspaper reflect the views of the writer and are not those of the Interrobang or the Fanshawe Student Union. The Interrobang is published weekly by the Fanshawe Student Union at 1001 Fanshawe College Blvd., P.O. Box 7005, London, Ontario, N5Y 5R6 and distributed through the Fanshawe College community. Letters to the editor are welcome. All letters are subject to editing and should be emailed. All letters must be accompanied by contact information. Letters can also be submitted online by clicking here.
