'. . . [T]he metanarrative [of Christianity] is not just the story of Jesus, it is the continuing story of the Church, already realized in a finally exemplary way by Christ, yet still to be realized universally, in harmony with Christ, and yet differently, by all generations of Christians. The metanarrative, therefore, is the genesis of the Church, outside which one could only have an ahistorical, gnostic Christ. But once one has said this, one then has to face up to the real implication of a narrative that is at one and the same time a recounting of a "real history", and yet has also an interpretive, regulative function with respect to all other history. . . . In this fashion a gigantic claim to be able to read, criticize, say what is going on in other human societies, is absolutely integral to the nature of the Christian Church, which itself claims to exhibit the exemplary form of human community. For theology to surrender this claim, to allow that other discourses - "the social sciences" for example - carry out yet more fundamental readings, would therefore amount to a denial of theological truth.'
-Theology & Social Theory by John Milbank
I've had countless conversations regarding the moral agendas of the day, and various persons have said, 'We can obviously be Christian and also an environmentalist.' Well, yes, of course; but doesn't quite get around the reality of the historical/political situation. The issue arises in what we regard to be our metanarrative (that is, the 'story above') - the Story that gives definition to all our various life stories. That is, what is giving context to what? I'm hesitant toward flippantly throwing my arms around our recent post-modern environmentalist movements, because these movements generally stake out a comprehensive 'sphere' for themselves. Most have been steeped in and arisen out of a non-Christian, atheistic, nihilistic, and sometimes even neo-pagan metanarrative. We must acknowledge the baggage that we are so hastily accepting under the banner of [insert agenda], because I'm noticing how quickly we are surrendering Christian truth, though we are ignorantly doing so. A chapel speaker (Dr. Sleeth) asserted that the Tree of the Knowledge of Good and Evil, central in the Garden of Eden, is the symbol of God in the Garden - overlooking the very notion of Mankind being God's symbol in the Garden. While studying with a friend, this friend suddenly did a double-take, pointing me to the commentary he was reading; Dr. Striebel is a feminist Biblical theologian who asserted in this particular Biblical commentary that the suffering of Jephtha's daughter far 'out-does' the 'overrated' suffering of Jesus on the Cross. What is giving context to what? When I see large elements of Christianity being stripped out and renarrated, I have to wonder what is being given precedence.
Certainly, let the prophets and prophetesses speak. There's plenty that has been historically troubling. I'm all about being responsible stewards toward our universe, recognising and responding to oppression, and so forth. However, if we seriously believe that Christ and Christian theological truth is sufficient enough for us to stake our lives on it, we have to recognise that these post-modern agendas can't be isolated, violent movements; they should be various conversations for us that we frame within our Christian world-view that we hold to be truth. Now, we can take the truth from the post-modern agendas around us, but we must always be careful that we don't approach these outside agendas as though they are 'inventing' something that has never been comprehended in the Incarnation and His outpoured Incarnation (i.e. His Church), however ignored or unemphasised the point of discussion may be. Otherwise, we are admitting a central theological deficiency. The theological book title Outercourse (regarding the sexual act) intrigues me from the very title, and I would like to read it. But we're in danger of surrendering our particular metanarrative - serving another master - if we jump on a bandwagon without careful consideration of the baggage or the inherent need for 'translation.'
A Biblically Feminist Critique
God
-Man, His Iron hands
Span His empire galaxies
Lease His steel lightnings
Jehovah Thor Mars
His (Mine!) lightning.
Iron Iron and Steel in Threes.
. . .Mary, Mary and Martha, the dog-at-the-table mother. . .
-Alas, the truly mighty God,
Whose hands we hastily and daily pierce,
Whose strength indeed
Is shown in cosmic feats
But also daily makes in silent weavings,
His eternally unrequited love,
His patient everlasting waiting.
-Rick
