"Napa Valley" Brocken InaGlory. Licensed. Creative Commons CC BY-SA 3.0
"Napa Valley" Brocken InaGlory. Licensed. Creative Commons CC BY-SA 3.0
Welcome to LAST SUPPER RED!!
What if laughter and hilarity are sacred? Might prayer be less about words and more about how we position ourselves before Mystery? What if God is less like Santa Claus and more like air? What if we are defined more by "Original Blessing" than "Original Sin?" Would Christianity flourish if we followed Jesus instead of worshipping him? What if "the Kingdom of God" has much less to do with the hereafter and is instead a here-and-now countercultural idea and reality with political and economic consequences?
What if laughter and hilarity are sacred? Might prayer be less about words and more about how we position ourselves before Mystery? What if God is less like Santa Claus and more like air? What if we are defined more by "Original Blessing" than "Original Sin?" Would Christianity flourish if we followed Jesus instead of worshipping him? What if "the Kingdom of God" has much less to do with the hereafter and is instead a here-and-now countercultural idea and reality with political and economic consequences?
Q again plunges his main characters into an extensive theological discussion. At least they don't end up alienating each other this time.
What do you make of Phyllis Tickle's idea about the church having a rummage sale on its doctrines every 500 years or so? (see Footnote 9 on Page 45.) If it's true, should it happen at all? Should it happen more often? Are we living in such a time today? If so, what do you think the church needs to get rid of?
Q begins to introduce Snark's panentheistic theology by Snark's saying that all of life is sacred. Panentheism (the "en" is important!) is the theological assertion that God is in all things, and that all things are also in God. This is different from pantheism that maintains that everything is God.
Does this theological idea have some appeal to you or not? Discuss.
Does Panentheism provide a useful theological rationale for paying attention to the environment and the many threats to it? If so, how? If not, what would be a better option?
Snark has fun teasing Advocatus about taking things literally. What's your history in taking/reading things that way? Are you attracted to the churches who interpret the Bible literally? Why or why not? This is an important issue.
Is the transformation of life Snark talks about what the church is about in your experience? Should it be?
If the transformation agenda is not just for individuals, but for institutions as well, doesn't this get the church involved in politics? If so, in what sort of ways? Is any of that okay . . . or legal . . . or desirable?
Advocatus links the wine's transformation with sacrifice since the yeast dies. Christianity traditionally talks a lot about sacrifice. If you want, discuss that theme now, though in a later chapter Q will deal with it at length . . . and in ways that are, perhaps, surprising.