The Idealist - 1
For the first time the other day I was listening to the song King Herod sings to Jesus in 'Jesus Christ: Superstar". Until that point I was going to write about the Realist first but that song got me thinking about the Idealist and so that's where I'll start.
The song is essentially Herod trying to goad Jesus into performing some miraculous sign right then and there which, he claims, will make hime believe. Jesus, however, refuses to be goaded and Herod ends up dismissing Him in disappointment and anger.
Last week at the University Eucharist Will preached on Original Sin, which phrase centuries ago, he explained, would have been used in a similar way to how we now use 'The System'.
These two events (which happened on the same day) made me think about how God combines the refusal to submit to any worldy system or expectations (like Herod's), while at the same time dealing with life as it is.
He will not compromise. 'Uncompromising' is not generally seen as a particularly flattering word these days (Meryl Streep in Doubt springs to mind, and her refusal to compromise on the modernisation of the church and school), but in this context it is a wonderful, and essential, aspect of God's character. He is not like the politician who uses the end to justtify the means, rather He finds another way, in which both the end and the means are glorious, though the means may not be much fun for Him (think of the cross) who those who have promised they will do anything for Him (think of Paul's tribulations, which he describes a couple of times in His letters).
I need to go and play squash now but I'm not done with the Idealist yet so I'll be writing more on Her soon.
The song is essentially Herod trying to goad Jesus into performing some miraculous sign right then and there which, he claims, will make hime believe. Jesus, however, refuses to be goaded and Herod ends up dismissing Him in disappointment and anger.
Last week at the University Eucharist Will preached on Original Sin, which phrase centuries ago, he explained, would have been used in a similar way to how we now use 'The System'.
These two events (which happened on the same day) made me think about how God combines the refusal to submit to any worldy system or expectations (like Herod's), while at the same time dealing with life as it is.
He will not compromise. 'Uncompromising' is not generally seen as a particularly flattering word these days (Meryl Streep in Doubt springs to mind, and her refusal to compromise on the modernisation of the church and school), but in this context it is a wonderful, and essential, aspect of God's character. He is not like the politician who uses the end to justtify the means, rather He finds another way, in which both the end and the means are glorious, though the means may not be much fun for Him (think of the cross) who those who have promised they will do anything for Him (think of Paul's tribulations, which he describes a couple of times in His letters).
I need to go and play squash now but I'm not done with the Idealist yet so I'll be writing more on Her soon.
posted by homethoughtsfromabroad | 8:37 AM
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