ECCLESIOLOGICAL ETCHINGS
April 8, 2025
I received an email last week from a Christian organization. I frequently receive such emails, primarily from individuals actively seeking new supporters and donors for their religious endeavors. The email began by posing a question: “How is it that not everyone believes in God?” It then went on to explain how God put in the Bible dozens and dozens of proofs for the existence of God. I’ve read the Bible quite a bit, and among the beautiful poetry, challenging parables, and the discomforting prophetic witness, I have not come across a single formula for the existence of God. And the Bible simply saying that God exists is not proof, but a statement of faith birthed out of experience. Of course, the email went on to imply that if you didn’t see the unquestionable proofs for God’s existence, then there must be something wrong with you. I apologize, but Bruce is about ready to get brutally honest. I find that to be nothing less than manipulative B.S., seeking to shame people into claiming they see something that is not there. This is the tool of cult leaders and individuals who gaslight, but those who seek to follow Jesus should trust the ways of Jesus, including humility, love, and the respect of free will. After a beautiful worship service in which I walk away saying, “Wow! God touched my heart in a powerful way,” if someone looks at me and says, “I felt nothing,” it is not my job to berate or belittle the individual. We are all wired a little differently, and how we experience the Holy is going to cross the spectrum of how we as human beings receive and process an experience. In just over a week, we will hear again the words of Jesus from the cross, “Forgive them for they do not know what they are doing.” We have absolutely no concrete proof that Jesus even said those words, yet in faith, I not only believe they represent his life, but they point me to the heart of God. I cannot philosophically explain it or provide a mathematical formula to demonstrate its validity, but the power of such mercy is breathtaking and moves me to the core of my very being. Does that prove anything? No! However, I hope my response to that sacred experience conveys to the world that I genuinely believe such things are true.
Draw me into those experiences where I feel your unwavering love, O Amazing and Generous God. In those moments, I pray for the courage to embody that love in my daily life. It may not prove anything to anyone, yet at the end of the day, you did not invite me to convince others of your love, but to simply love others as Jesus taught. Amen.
