Religion, Legitimacy and Politics : March 2024

By Rudy Barnes, Jr., March 30, 2024

The crucifixion was the worst sin of humankind; and God nullified it with the resurrection. The resurrection was God’s universal message that Jesus was God’s Word (the Logos) and the source of eternal life, and that God would never let it die. It was a Word of eternal spiritual life that has remained the source of God’s truth for people of all religions since that first Easter.

The resurrection is the focal point of the Christian religion. It’s about faith and belief in a miracle that’s beyond reason, but not unreasonable. Jews and Muslims accept Jesus as a prophet, but not as the risen Christ. While Muslims don’t believe in the resurrection story, they believe that Jesus will return on the last day to usher in God’s kingdom.

Will Jesus return in a parousia as predicted by Paul and in the book of Revelation, or in the apocalyptic accounts in the gospels? We don’t know, and it’s been over 2,000 years since the resurrection. All mortal lives since then have ended with conventional deaths. What happens when we die remains a mystery, but it’s a mystery we can live with until our death.

The church and Islam have both distorted God’s word by attempting to limit salvation to their religions. Jesus was a Jew who never tried to start a new religion or claimed to be divine. As a Jew any claim of divinity would have been blasphemous. Jesus taught that salvation came in this life, not the next; and became eternal and beyond the reach of Satan in God’s realm.

The exclusivist doctrines of Christianity and Islam should be subordinated to the moral imperative of the greatest commandment to love God and our neighbors of other races and religions as we love ourselves. It was a universal message that God’s Word (the Logos) is a common word of faith, as illustrated in the story of the good Samaritan (Luke 10:25-37).

In a world of increasing religious pluralism, the exclusivist doctrines of Judaism, Christianity and Islam should be subordinated to the universal moral imperative of the greatest commandment. Only then can the light of God’s love dispel the darkness of exclusivist religious beliefs and reconcile all unbelievers into the family of God.

Today we can see the resurrection in a new light of religious reconciliation. If Christians and Muslims believe God is love (I John 4:16-21) and in God’s validation of the teachings of Jesus as Logos (John 1:1-14), then Christians and Muslims can share a common word of faith in Jesus as Logos and the way, the truth and the life and the only way to salvation (John 14:6).

Easter is a time for new beginnings and spiritual rebirth. The Hymn of Promise (UMH at page 707) tells us: In the cold and snow of winter there’s a spring that waits to be; in our death a resurrection, at the last a victory, unrevealed until its season, something God alone can see. Easter promises a new hope for the reconciliation of all people of faith.

Notes:

On Paul’s understanding of resurrection, see I Corinthians, chapter 15; and on his understanding of atonement as it applied to the crucifixion and resurrection, see Romans 3:21-26. Keep in mind that these are Paul’s words, not those of Jesus. Paul promoted exclusivist doctrines of Christianity, while Jesus was a universalist.

Related Commentary on Christian universalism and the Logos:

(1/28/14) Religion and Reason

http://www.religionlegitimacyandpolitics.com/2014/12/religion-and-reason.html

(1/4/15): Religion and New Beginnings: Salvation and Reconciliation in the Family of God http://www.religionlegitimacyandpolitics.com/2015/01/religion-and-new-beginnings-salvation.html

(2/8/15): Promoting Religion Through Evangelism: Bringing Light or Darkness?

http://www.religionlegitimacyandpolitics.com/2015/02/promoting-religion-through-evangelism.html

(4/5/15): Seeing the Resurrection in a New Light

http://www.religionlegitimacyandpolitics.com/2015/04/seeing-resurrection-in-new-light.html

(4/19/15): Jesus: A Prophet, God’s Only Son, or the Logos? http://www.religionlegitimacyandpolitics.com/2015/04/jesus-prophet-god-only-son-or-logos.html

(1/2/16): God in Three Concepts

http://www.religionlegitimacyandpolitics.com/2016/01/god-in-three-concepts.html

(1/28/17): Saving America from the Church

http://www.religionlegitimacyandpolitics.com/2017/01/saving-america-from-church.html

(4/22/17): The Relevance of Jesus and the Irrelevance of the Church in Today’s World

http://www.religionlegitimacyandpolitics.com/2017/04/the-relevance-of-jesus-and-irrelevance.html

(6/17/17): Religious Exclusivity: Does It Matter? http://www.religionlegitimacyandpolitics.com/2017/06/religious-exclusivity-does-it-matter.html.

(7/22/17): Hell No!

http://www.religionlegitimacyandpolitics.com/2017/07/hell-no.html.

(8/5/17): Does Religion Seek to Reconcile and Redeem or to Divide and Conquer?

http://www.religionlegitimacyandpolitics.com/2017/08/does-religion-seek-to-reconcile-and.html.

(8/12/17): The Universalist Teachings of Jesus as a Remedy for Religious Exclusivism

http://www.religionlegitimacyandpolitics.com/2017/08/the-universalist-teachings-of-jesus-as.html.

(9/29/18): Musings of a Maverick Methodist on the Resurrection of Christian Universalism

http://www.religionlegitimacyandpolitics.com/2018/09/musings-of-maverick-methodist-on.html.

(10/6/18): Musings on Moral Universalism in Religion and Politics http://www.religionlegitimacyandpolitics.com/2018/10/musings-on-moral-universalism-in.html.

(10/13/18): Musings on a Common Word of Faith and Politics for Christians and Muslims

http://www.religionlegitimacyandpolitics.com/2018/10/musings-on-common-word-of-faith-and.html.

(12/1/18): Musings of a Maverick Methodist on the Mystical Logos

http://www.religionlegitimacyandpolitics.com/2018/12/musings-of-maverick-methodist-on.html.

(12/15/18): Musings on the Great Commission and Religious and Political Tribalism

http://www.religionlegitimacyandpolitics.com/2018/12/musings-on-great-commission-and.html.

(12/22/18): Musings on Faith and Works: The Unity of All Believers and The Last Judgment

http://www.religionlegitimacyandpolitics.com/2018/12/musings-on-faith-and-works-unity-of-all.html.

(3/2/19): Musings of a Maverick Methodist on a Post-Christian America

http://www.religionlegitimacyandpolitics.com/2019/03/musings-of-maverick-methodist-on-post.html.

(3/16/19): Musings on the Evolution of Christian Exclusivism to Universalism

http://www.religionlegitimacyandpolitics.com/2019/03/musings-on-evolution-of-christian.html.

(4/20/19): Musings on the Resurrection of Altruistic Morality in Dying Democracies

http://www.religionlegitimacyandpolitics.com/2019/04/musings-on-resurrection-of-altruistic.html.

(5/11/19): Musings on the Relevance of Jefferson’s Jesus in the 21st Century

http://www.religionlegitimacyandpolitics.com/2019/05/musings-on-relevance-of-jeffersons.html.

(6/22/19): The Universal Family of God: Where Inclusivity Trumps Exclusivity

http://www.religionlegitimacyandpolitics.com/2019/06/the-universal-family-of-god-where.html

(6/29/19): Musings on a Politics of Reconciliation: An Impossible Dream?

http://www.religionlegitimacyandpolitics.com/2019/06/musings-on-politics-of-reconciliation.html

(7/20/19): Musings on Diversity in Democracy: Who Are Our Neighbors?

http://www.religionlegitimacyandpolitics.com/2019/07/musings-on-diversity-in-democracy-who.html.

(11/23/19): Musings on Jesus and Christ as Conflicting Concepts in Christianity

http://www.religionlegitimacyandpolitics.com/2019/11/musings-on-jesus-and-christ-as.html.

(4/4/20): Musings of a Maverick Methodist on the Resurrection of America’s Values

http://www.religionlegitimacyandpolitics.com/2020/04/musings-of-maverick-methodist-on.html.

(12/23/20): Musings on the coming of a light that can dispel the darkness of the world.

http://www.religionlegitimacyandpolitics.com/2020/12/musings-on-coming-of-light-that-can.html.

(1/16/21): Truth and Reconciliation in Politics and Religion in a Maze of Conflicting Realities

http://www.religionlegitimacyandpolitics.com/2021/01/truth-and-reconciliation-in-politics.html.

(5/22/21): Musings on Morality and Politics and the Need for a Civil Religion in America

http://www.religionlegitimacyandpolitics.com/2021/05/musings-on-morality-and-politics-and.html.

(11/6/21): Musings on the Need for Political and Religious Reconciliation in America

http://www.religionlegitimacyandpolitics.com/2021/11/musings-on-need-for-political-and.html.

(2/19/22): Musings on Reconciliation to Resolve the Dilemma of Diversity in Democracy

http://www.religionlegitimacyandpolitics.com/2022/02/musings-on-reconciliation-to-resolve.html.

(6/4/22): Musings of a Maverick Methodist on the Relevance of Jesus Today

http://www.religionlegitimacyandpolitics.com/2022/06/musings-of-maverick-methodist-on.html.

(12/10/22): Musings on the Evolution of Christianity into the American Civil Religion

http://www.religionlegitimacyandpolitics.com/2022/12/musings-on-evolution-of-christianity.html.

(1/14/23): Musings on Reconciling the Abrahamic Religions with a Common Word of Faith

http://www.religionlegitimacyandpolitics.com/2023/01/musings-on-reconciling-abrahamic.html.

(2/4/23): Musings on the Need for Universal Religious Standards of Morality

http://www.religionlegitimacyandpolitics.com/2023/02/musings-on-need-for-universal-religious.html.

(2/11/23): Musings on Resurrecting a Universal Jesus to Restore America’s Moral Compass

http://www.religionlegitimacyandpolitics.com/2023/02/musings-on-resurrecting-universal-jesus.html.

(2/18/23): Musings of a Maverick Methodist on Jesus as the Logos in John’s Gospel

http://www.religionlegitimacyandpolitics.com/2023/02/musings-of-maverick-methodist-on-jesus.html.

(2/25/23): Musings of a Maverick Methodist on the Irony of the Logos in John’s Gospel

http://www.religionlegitimacyandpolitics.com/2023/02/musings-of-maverick-methodist-on-irony.html.

(5/20/23): Musings on God’s Simple, Universal and Timeless Truth

http://www.religionlegitimacyandpolitics.com/2023/05/musings-on-gods-simple-universal-and.html.

(5/27/23): Musings of a Maverick Methodist on God’s Grace and Reconciling Love

http://www.religionlegitimacyandpolitics.com/2023/05/musings-of-maverick-methodist-on-gods.html.

(8/19/23): Musings of a Maverick Methodist on a Universal and Altruistic Jesus

http://www.religionlegitimacyandpolitics.com/2023/08/musings-of-maverick-methodist-on.html.

(8/25/23): Musings on Changing Christian Doctrine to Promote the Common Good

http://www.religionlegitimacyandpolitics.com/2023/08/musings-on-changing-christian-doctrine.html.

(12/23/23) Musings on the Advent of Jesus as the Light of the World and the Universal Logos

https://www.religionlegitimacyandpolitics.com/2023/12/musings-on-advent-of-jesus-as-light-of.html.

(1/6/24): Musings on Nationalism and Universalism in Religion, Legitimacy and Politics

https://www.religionlegitimacyandpolitics.com/2024/01/musings-on-nationalism-and-universalism.html.

(2/3/24): Musings on How Altruistic Values Can Prevent a Dysfunctional Democracy

https://www.religionlegitimacyandpolitics.com/2024/02/musings-on-how-altruistic-values-can.html.

(3/23/24): Musings on How Following Jesus, Not Worshiping Christ, Can Bring Light Into a Dark World https://www.religionlegitimacyandpolitics.com/2024/03/musings-on-how-following-jesus-not.html.

By Rudy Barnes, Jr.

In all the gospel accounts, Jesus called his disciples to follow him, not to worship him. The crowds that welcomed Jesus to Jerusalem on Palm Sunday were looking for a messiah who would liberate them from Roman oppression, not be a sacrificial lamb of God. Soon the disillusioned crowds that welcomed Jesus to Jerusalem would be shouting, Crucify him!

Jesus was not a Christian. He was a maverick and universalist Jew who sought to reform Judaism, and his teachings are summarized in the greatest commandment to love God and our neighbors of other races and religions as we love ourselves. It was taken from the Hebrew Bible, taught by Jesus and has been accepted by Muslims as a common word of faith.

Jesus was a Jewish rabbi and prophet who never claimed to be divine or sought to start a new religion. Muhammad considered Jesus a great prophet, but Muslims, like Jews who were their Semitic kin, rejected a divine Jesus as blasphemous. No other religion accepts the divinity of Jesus. Most consider Jesus a great prophet who should be followed, but not worshiped.

Over 2,000 years later, Christianity is the world’s largest religion; but the cosmic battle between the forces of good and evil continues unabated. The early church subordinated the teachings of Jesus to belief in Paul’s doctrines of atonement and justification by faith as the only means of salvation, since the teachings of Jesus on discipleship were never popular.

Christianity is shrinking and won’t be the world’s largest religion much longer. But a revival of Christian universalism that emphasizes the altruistic teachings of Jesus over Paul’s exclusivist Christian doctrines as the only means of salvation could give the church a future in a world of increasing religious diversity. Otherwise the traditional church is destined to fade away.

Christian denominations like the United Methodist Church are already in transition based on sexual preferences. A doctrinal shift to emphasize the altruistic and universal teachings of Jesus over exclusivist beliefs would not change the traditional social functions of the church, but for progressive Christians it could have long term moral implications for their faith.

Religions evolve and are shaped by our individual journeys of faith. The main change advocated for Christian doctrine is to conform it to the teachings of Jesus, rejecting exclusivist beliefs and making the greatest commandment a reconciling common word of faith. That could unite us in a universal communion rather than keeping us divided as competing religions.

Easter represents the hope for such a universal spiritual transformation. If the crucifixion was Satan’s effort to divide and conquer God’s will by killing God’s word, then the resurrection was God’s nullification of Satan’s evil efforts It offers a message of hope for people of all faiths that the transforming spiritual power of God’s reconciling love can bring light into a dark world.

Notes:

(1/11/15): The Greatest Commandment: A Common Word of Faith

http://www.religionlegitimacyandpolitics.com/2015/01/the-greatest-commandment-common-word-of.html

(1/18/15): Love over Law: A Principle at the Heart of Legitimacy

http://www.religionlegitimacyandpolitics.com/2015/01/love-over-law-principle-at-heart-of.html

(1/23/16): Who Is My Neighbor?

http://www.religionlegitimacyandpolitics.com/2016/01/who-is-my-neighbor.html

(1/28/17): Saving America from the Church

http://www.religionlegitimacyandpolitics.com/2017/01/saving-america-from-church.html

(3/17/18): Jefferson’s Jesus and Moral Standards in Religion and Politics

http://www.religionlegitimacyandpolitics.com/2018/03/jeffersons-jesus-and-moral-standards-in.html

(8/12/17): The Universalist Teachings of Jesus as a Remedy for Religious Exclusivism