Gnosticism and Contacts, or, How I Made Rich Mullins Roll Over in His Grave
[Didn’t you always love how Rocky & Bullwinkle cartoons had a title and then the weird alternate title. I sure did. This blog is dedicated to Rocky & Bullwinkle. Thanks for the idea, guys.]
So, a month ago (yes, it takes me that long to blog about life) I bit the bullet and got contacts. I have wanted to try contacts for a good while now… but I never had insurance and it’s just cheaper and more practical to wear traditional spectacles. Anyway, one morning, as I was attempting to put in the darn things, I started praying. No, unfortunately not in the fashion of Brother Lawrence. I was somewhat vainly praying (not in vain, “vain as a peacock” vain) that God would give me swift fingers and non-fluttery eye lashes so that I could prove myself punctual (and stylish) at work. And then I started thinking about how cool it is that I can pray to God about something as silly as getting my contacts in. Seriously. And then, not quite in the fashion of C.S. Lewis, I started wondering about what it would be like if there was an alternate universe where God was Gnostic. And well, before I knew it, I found myself singing a mock praise song to the God of that universe. It went like this, “Our God is a gnostic God / He reigns from heaven and… heaven / with wisdom, power and love / our God is a Gnostic God.” So you might hate me right now, but it was both humerous and deep to me. We serve a God who CREATED all the physical stuff of this world. He BECAME physical stuff through the incarnation. And He has and is REDEEMING physical stuff. Not a Gnostic God at all. Which causes me to respond with true songs of praise. And with physical stuff, like dancing. And brings a tear to my eyes. Oh wait, that’s the contacts.
So, a month ago (yes, it takes me that long to blog about life) I bit the bullet and got contacts. I have wanted to try contacts for a good while now… but I never had insurance and it’s just cheaper and more practical to wear traditional spectacles. Anyway, one morning, as I was attempting to put in the darn things, I started praying. No, unfortunately not in the fashion of Brother Lawrence. I was somewhat vainly praying (not in vain, “vain as a peacock” vain) that God would give me swift fingers and non-fluttery eye lashes so that I could prove myself punctual (and stylish) at work. And then I started thinking about how cool it is that I can pray to God about something as silly as getting my contacts in. Seriously. And then, not quite in the fashion of C.S. Lewis, I started wondering about what it would be like if there was an alternate universe where God was Gnostic. And well, before I knew it, I found myself singing a mock praise song to the God of that universe. It went like this, “Our God is a gnostic God / He reigns from heaven and… heaven / with wisdom, power and love / our God is a Gnostic God.” So you might hate me right now, but it was both humerous and deep to me. We serve a God who CREATED all the physical stuff of this world. He BECAME physical stuff through the incarnation. And He has and is REDEEMING physical stuff. Not a Gnostic God at all. Which causes me to respond with true songs of praise. And with physical stuff, like dancing. And brings a tear to my eyes. Oh wait, that’s the contacts.
posted by Jenn at 23:56
2 Comments:
Evan, I am not offended/shocked/frightened/whatever, just too busy to give your question the answer it deserves. Nice picture... I was actually working on his book when I got your post. Weird! I will write after my week at IWS. Love ya'.
Evan, this is something I had been thinking about before you even posted. There are a million ways this conversation could progress, and I’m trying to figure out which direction to head into. (And this reply is so late that you may not be interested in this any longer… sorry!)
To me, the incarnation is this point of extreme redemption. It is largely corrective—that is, correcting the deviations that were introduced with the fall into sin. So, perhaps the starting question is what was the original, Edenic state of human sexuality? If the incarnation is a restorative event, then what (in this case) is human sexuality being restored to?
My initial answer would be that our sexuality is being restored/shaped as we are further shaped into the imago dei. My thoughts on this are largely influenced by both James Torrance’s Worship, Community & the Triune God of Grace and the class discussion about this book at IWS. My prof. made a simple but huge connection: the fact that God made men and women in His image (two of the same natures--humans, but distinct persons) is a reflection of His very image (God in three persons, all equally deity) specifically as it relates to community. The God-head IS a community; there are communal relationships and roles within the triunity. That we are made in and reflect His image is directly tied to living in community as both male and female.
I read what I just wrote and it’s not entirely clear; I think I sound like Gmo, ha. I’m not sure how else to say it just now, so this will have to do. I’m sure there’s enough there for you to jump on something. :o)
The peace of Christ be always with you.
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