Rules, freedom, or something in between?

[David Gerber]

There is a thread in Naznet about homosexual Nazarenes and I am
reading NT Wright's "After You Believe" and I got to thinking.

The idea of Wright's book, up to page 30 something, is that there must
be something to the Christian life that is somewhere between rule
keeping and doing what makes one happy or feels good.

Regarding rules. Rules are great as long as the things those rules
are based on do not change. If something changes in culture, the rules
for the 'old' way of doing things are less effective, or even
ineffective, to deal with the 'new' way of doing things. If this is
true, and that is a big if, maybe that would explain why some folks
dream, or demand, that things go back to the way they used to be.

Freedom isn't much help either. Unlimited freedom, indulging in every want and desire, doesn't produce much that is helpful either. Freedom is found in restriction and discipline such as in losing weight or stopping harmful drinking. Unlimited freedom isn't really freedom (I think).

Our faith is not culturally dependent, is it? Shouldn't the faith be
able to 'work' in any culture? I understand the need for cultural
savvy and all, but really, the freedom of Christ isn't dependent upon
rules, laws, political parties, or economic systems, is it?

[David Troxler]

I haven't read After You Believe but just finished Wright's Surprised by Hope.

I think that the place is not between rules and freedom but transcends both to something new. In Wright's book on the resurrection, that is our hope--that new life moves us forward in new ways, perhaps even uncharted ways. The "old" has gone.

What that means insofar as what we are becoming is still uncharted territory, however it has to go beyond our feeble understanding of rules and of freedom. Neither rules nor freedom as we understand them are enough to define what it means to belong to Christ.

To your final point, if faith is culturally dependent, then all we are doing is what the Jews of Jesus' day assumed...no room for Samaritans or Gentiles without conforming first to Judaism. We actually become more of what some see in militant Islam, coercive pressure to become one of the same. Jesus doesn't force His way in. That ought to say something to us about what rules and freedom He respects.

[David Gerber]

I think that the place is not between rules and freedom but transcends both to something new. In Wright's book on the resurrection, that is our hope--that new life moves us forward in new ways, perhaps even uncharted ways. The "old" has gone.

That's a much better way to put it. Thanks.