Remembering the future

In my Global Christian Heritage class this quarter we've studied what's happened within the global church in the past century. This past week: feminist theology.

We read a book by Letty Russell called Household of Freedom. I didn't expect to like it. She made this really horrible analogy between authority and playing Monopoly that almost did me in. But I'm glad I kept reading, because I really learned a lot.

Russell is a feminist theologian, but she talks a lot about all sorts of un-privileged groups. I thought a lot about my friends at Juvie while I read.

One thing that stood out to me in particular was Russell's discussion of "working from the other end." Anyone who has been around me at all this quarter knows that I've been pretty obsessed with hope , so it wasn't surprising that I clung to Russell's argument here. She says this:

"Theological thought is not just logical analysis of things as we think they are. It is full of imaginative uses of language and insight that help us picture what God is about in the work of mending creation and invite us to join in the process." (Russell, p.67)

Basically, God has promised redemption for all creation. So instead of getting bogged down in the weight of terrible present circumstances, we can look to what has been promised for the future-- that Jesus is coming again for the full reconciliation of all things. This isn't an escapist attitude though, because the reconciliation process has already begun. Remembering God's promise for the full mending of creation should move us to action.

Russell writes, "Even if we cannot see the alternative future for which we work, by beginning from the other end of God's promise we are able to live with a hope that is strong enough to transform the present." (Russell, p.67)

Some days at detention I wonder how in the world some of these kids are going to get out of their messes. Their situations seem pretty hopeless. But I think I may be working from the wrong end. There's hope when we are mindful God's promises to restore, when we remember the future.

"God has invited us to join as partners in the work of cleansing the temple and rebuilding creation. Because of the memory of God's future, we continue to hope and to plan according to the utopian vision of the new household of freedom." (Russell, p.72)


1 Peter 1:3 tells us that we have "new birth into a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead." The hope to which we're called is a living one. We have reason for it when we remember that Jesus came, died, and resurrected. God's reconciliation has already begun, and we've been invited to live into its full consummation. To me, this sounds like a much better starting point.

*Letty Russell, Household of Freedom (Philadelphia: Westminster Press, 1987).

Up is down

We've talked a lot about the Kingdom of God this quarter, especially as we read through the Gospels in our New Testament class. I met a kid today (who we'll call James) that reminded me what the Kingdom is all about.

God's Kingdom is counter-intuitive. Perhaps it isn't intrinsically counter-intuitive, but counter-intuitive because of the way culture and society has shaped what we know to be intuition. Up is down in the Kingdom, and down is up. The Kingdom belongs to the poor while Jesus bids woe to the rich. The hungry are filled and the filled are hungry. It's those who weep, those who are meek, those who make peace that are called blessed.

There's a unique life that we find among those that society considers least. I find that, more often than not, I receive a lot more than I give in my time at juvie. Sure, there is sacrifice involved from my end, but I never feel like it's in vain. After all, God has chosen the weak and foolish things of the world to shame that which is strong and wise. Jesus tells us that a blessing resides among the weak and the lowly. I don't think that's my blessing to own, but I think I can share in that blessing by knowing the weak and lowly.

James seemed to understand the Kingdom, and he also seemed to embody its ideals in a way.

James shared with me about his hopes and dreams-- things like spending time in all 50 states and cleaning up his life. James told me that he believes he was made in God's image and that God sees that image when He looks at him. He asked me my opinion on issues like immigration laws and how to interpret the creation account in Genesis. He told me that he wants to adopt kids, cherish them, and give them great names because he wants to look up to them. (All I could think while he said this were Jesus' words in Mark 10:15: "Truly I say to you, whoever does not receive the kingdom of God like a child will not enter it at all.") James is smart, funny, and full of life-- even with all his pain and all his mistakes. James understands the Kingdom in a beautiful way.

I'm in the midst of finals, and today seemed like a sensible time to forego my Saturday chaplaincy visits. I'm glad I didn't. I left feeling so refreshed and filled with life after meeting with James, because, really, Jesus met me there too. And in that meeting, he let me share the blessing reserved for the least of these. It doesn't make sense, but I'm finding that the way of the Kingdom rarely does.