In while living in India in1925 E. Stanley Jones published an insightful book called, “The Christ along the Indian Road.” At one point in the book he describes the “conversion by sword” which Islam brought to India (much like the Western Crusades). And asked weather Jesus takes the same attitude. “Are [Christ’s] demands upon India the same as Mohammed’s? Is the slate to be wiped clean and the past absolutely blotted out?”
Jones went on to talk about Jesus in relation to Judaism and highlighted, Jesus’ assertion that he did not come to “abolish the law but to fulfill it.” What if God does not wish to abolish Islam, or Hinduism, or Buddhism or Aboriginal faiths, etc. but longs to bring them to fullness?
What if God not only loves individual people but societies and cultures as well? If God loves the ethos or the spirit that is created as localized people relate to one another than maybe, in the name of Jesus, Christ-followers could work to preserve and fulfill all faiths, Islam, Hinduism, Buddhism, Aboriginal spiritualities, etc. But this may require sacrificing Christianity (or at least Christendom) for the sake of Christ and for the sake of love of the other. Such an act of incarnational love may invite a Christ-follower to convert another religion while simultaneously walking in the way of Christ.
The conservative fundamentalist facet of my heritage tried to plant suspicions about the validity of anyone’s claim to be Christian if they didn’t believe and act the way we did (or pretended to). So much so that if the Pope were to have a genuine conversion experience the Pope would renounce the Roman church and join my denomination; “What a testimony that would!” Or if the Dali lama had an evangelical conversion he would leave his monastery and become a Baptist. Sounds absurd now!
Who walked in the way of Christ, Mahatma Gandhi or Adolph Hitler? Ok, that’s not fair. Wasn’t Hitler a baptized and confirmed as a Roman Catholic – maybe not? But Gandhi by his own admission was shaped significantly by the person and teachings of Christ.
What does it mean to follow Christ? Must one be a Christian? Must one have membership at institutionalized center for religious indoctrination?
By now, I can imagine that some who don’t know me are thinking I’ve off the deep end theologically and are beginning to pray for my salvation. Let it be known, as best as I am able, but the power of God through God’s Spirit, I love Christ and long for the reign of God to be on earth as it is in heaven.
And I believe that the deconstruction of the institutionalized church can be a glorious and loving act, every bit as much as it can be cruel and abusive. And this is a journey that must be walked in faith and humility and community.
Peace, dwight
