Our faith community is going to be having an online discussion group of the novel The Shack. As I was doing a search for some video on it I came across this rant (sermon) on YouTube.
[youtube pK65Jfny70Y nolink]
I think he misses the point of metaphor. The characters in the Shack related to the Trinity are metaphors. They are not meant to actually suggest that God the creator is a black woman, Jesus the redeemer is an Palestinian (though he probably was) and the Spirit the sustainer (is an Asian).
The definition of metaphor from dictionary.com
a figure of speech in which a term or phrase is applied to something to which it is not literally applicable in order to suggest a resemblance, as in “A mighty fortress is our God.
Metaphors help us to wrap our brains around deep concepts by connecting them to symbols or icons that are more readily accessible. It is why use image metaphors in our worship each week.
Jesus used metaphors. Listen to Jesus as we weeps over the people of Jerusalem
34 “O Jerusalem, Jerusalem, you who kill the prophets and stone those sent to you, how often I have longed to gather your children together, as a hen gathers her chicks under her wings, but you were not willing! Luke 13:34Luke 13:34
English: Contemporary English Version (1999) - CEV
Jesus Loves Jerusalem
34 Jerusalem, Jerusalem! Your people have killed the prophets and have stoned the messengers who were sent to you. I have often wanted to gather your people, as a hen gathers her chicks under her wings. But you wouldn't let me.
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Jesus isn’t saying he is a hen. he isn’t making a graven image of God he is using a metaphor that is accessible to those listening. People whose farming background would have made the idea of a hen caring for her chicks quite familiar. Jesus used metaphors by speaking in parables, a common rabbinic way of teaching. They didn’t just tell adn give answers they told stories that raised questions. The parables generated questions and conversations with the genuinely spiritually curious instead of just telling people what to think. Mark 4:34Mark 4:34
English: Contemporary English Version (1999) - CEV
34 He did not tell them anything without using stories. But when he was alone with his disciples, he explained everything to them.
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The book is a novel, a story, not a doctrinal statement or dogmatic text. He is using metaphors iconic imagery that is familiar that is accessible to his reader. If nothing else this gets people (Jesus followers and those who aren’t) in this post-religious world talking about the Trinity one of the most challenging parts of Christian teaching. It is a subject that many avoid and some in recent years have tried to dismiss altogether.
Part of learning to practice faith in the post-religious world is learning to entertain the ideas of other without having to agree with them. Metaphors are a part the language of the post-religious. I think learning to use metaphors as a means to engage in conversation rather than just dismissing them when they arise in culture, is important to living faithfully in a post-religious world . Ironically isn’t that what Paul did at Mars Hill. Acts 17:22,23Acts 17:22,23
English: Contemporary English Version (1999) - CEV
22 So Paul stood up in front of the council and said:
People of Athens, I see that you are very religious.
23 Ws . As I was going through your city and looking at the things you worship, I found an altar with the words,
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So is it possible to have a conversation about this stuff without all the hyperbole?
Tags: Jesus, mark_driscoll, mars_hill, metaphor, parables, Paul, post-religious, the shack, trinity
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