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St Mark Catholic Parish |
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Catechetical Spot |
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Some thoughts on our image of God ... Lent 2008
Helen Ackermann In the reading I have been doing recently, my attention has been drawn to the fact that we are experiencing an increase in atheism in this country. The May 5, 2008 issue of America magazine devotes five articles to confronting the new atheism. Authors with names like, Dawkins, Harris, Hitchens and Dennett are referred to because of their recent books debunking religion. There has been much written regarding the role of science and faith and the irrationality of God. All of these references to atheism got me to thinking. If our religious traditions limit God to some very narrow definitions, it might be understandable that people reach the point of not believing in God at all. For instance, in Daniel C. Dennett's book titled Breaking the Spell, he defines religions as "social systems whose participants avow belief in a supernatural agent or agents whose approval is to be sought." So if God is defined as a magician to makes things happen magically or if God is defined as a supernatural power who keeps track of our sins and whose approval we seek, it would be logical for religion to be rejected and even a belief in God to be rejected. It seems to me, that if we have not progressed in our understanding of God, beyond what we might have learned as children, we are in danger of contributing to the ideas that make people atheists. The God that Jesus revealed was and is a God of unconditional love whose approval we are never worthy of receiving but whose approval we have because of God's great love for us. Of course that does not mean that responsibility is not part of the equation. Great love demands great responses. If we are loved unconditionally, we need to love unconditionally too. That means letting go of our selfishness and living for others. If God is one who magically makes things better performing miracles for some because of prayer while ignoring others who have equally pressing needs, our image of God is one that is very capricious. What if Christians would look to the Scriptures to come to understand God and use parables like the Prodigal Son to identify the nature of God? What if Christians would look to Jesus to discern the nature of God? Would they be able to understand God as a God of love, mercy, understanding, peace and compassion? What if Christians looked at the first letter of John where God is defined as love? What if God's power is actually the power of love which transforms even the most horrible of situations? Would the world change if at least Christians would proclaim a more authentic image of God which would use love as a power to assist others in their need and work for the common good of all humanity? I do feel that if we continue in our Christian religion to promote images of God that are not in keeping with the God revealed through Jesus Christ we will continue to see an increase of atheism built on a very literal interpretation of Scripture which can ignore the God of love and instead build a case for a God that is a supernatural agent whose approval we need. |