Week One: JtME Discussion
On reading texts of the past & Jesus as Judge
Hello bookish friends,
If you’d like to discuss the questions for chapters 1 & 2, here is the place to do it.
Here are the questions you received in your email:
Chapter 1:
In this opening chapter, we’re challenged to examine our own ideas about who Jesus really is. What is your answer to Christ’s question to the disciples, “Who do you say I am?” How has your answer been shaped by your personal and institutional histories and contexts, for good or for ill?
Discuss the value of surprise when it comes to reading old books. Do you think our culture is open to surprise? In what ways have you been surprised lately? How has that shaped your view of other people, and of God?
Chapter 2:
How do you feel when you look at the Doom, or listen to the words of the York plays? How do they challenge you in our present contexts; do they change how you see Christ?
Let’s think about the gift of fear. Does it change how you feel about fear when you think of it as a gift? Do you think fear can help us in our practice of justice or neighborliness?
Feel free to engage with other readers in the comments, ask your own questions, or share your thoughts about these themes and other themes in the book. Thanks for reading with me!
-Grace
Chapter 2 - This chapter as Jesus as Judge I stopped and read twice. It was not what I expected! To think of Jesus as judge inspiring neighborly love and care and humility was beautiful to me. Instead of approaching this chapter in a dualistic, black and white framework (heaven/hell, Christian/non-Christian) the concepts are humility, seeing the image of God in every person we encounter and thus loving them. I am still thinking about this as it alters my lense of how I see Jesus!
I really struggle with seeing fear as a gift. Jesus' wounds meant to promote a fear of "what have we done" and a "self-preserving violence of indifference and callous selfishness" is entirely sobering. To honour my questions- I don't know what I think yet!
I am behind in reading and commenting, but I am going to anyway, because I love the book so much!
Chapter 1 - I am in the midst of a questioning time in my faith after being faithful to my non-demoninational, evangelical, charismatic, somewhat fundamental church for 18 years. Jesus is patience and kindness to me right now as I learn patience and kindness toward myself.
I tend to shy away from surprise, but this book has surprised me! I thought I would not be able to connect with some of the concepts, for example, Jesus as Judge and Dr. Grace Hamman has surprised me with her ideas and writing. I read that chapter twice because I needed to grasp what she was saying! I have been surprised by my own words as I process learning questioning my faith, even using poetry as a way to process.