Brian’s Reflection: Wednesday, Jan 13, 2010

There is no heresy or no philosophy which is so
abhorrent to the church as a human being.

James Joyce, Irish author. He died on this date, 1941


Joyce was talking about the Roman Catholic Church. As an Irishman, he knew little else, as far as I know. But he might well have been speaking about much of Christianity these days.

The Christian Church in many places and manifestations despises the human body. Considers it and all its desires and needs as against God and Nature. The contempt that oozes out of Joyce’s words are deserved, in my opinion. Much of the Church’s opinions and theology of humanity is “agin it”.

Most of Christianity remains what is theologically called “dualistic”. Holding that humankind is split between “body” and “spirit” – with the “body” being intrinsically “bad”. In my estimation, this is not only utter nonsense, but contrary to the doctrine of the Incarnation and to the Bible. It has caused perhaps irreparable harm both to human self-comprehension and to any kind of true understanding of “God”.

Much of the Christian church has tried for two millennia to deny the true nature of being human. It has tried to twist, coerce, manipulate, threaten, condemn human beings into a concept of our human nature that is not, frankly, Godly. And to punish us for it, threatening us with Hell and Punishment. Needless to say, out of this the Church has gained wealth and power. But it is contrary to Jesus’ explanation of the nature of His Kingdom.

We must forcefully reject this false teaching. We must insist that the “church” embrace and affirm the reality of being human. Especially the beauty and importance of our bodily nature, with all its dimensions, especially including sexuality. At present, many Christian denominations are trying to make their followers deny their true humanity. This only results – as we scan History – in estrangement from both the Body of Christ and from God. And it destroys any possibility of human beings rising to our true glory and possibility.

We are who we are. Flesh and Blood and Spirit, Heart and Mind and radically Free.

Be yourself. Embrace all that you are as human. Bow to the call of Love. Only then can we become the beings God intended,

Brian+