For instrumental reasons, I returned to Church with my family last year after decades away. It was an act of faith without belief. I subscribe to the idea that belief is largely a gift or a grace from God. I keep faith that God may bestow such a gift to me, but in the meantime, attendance has been good for my family and my community. I a…
For instrumental reasons, I returned to Church with my family last year after decades away. It was an act of faith without belief. I subscribe to the idea that belief is largely a gift or a grace from God. I keep faith that God may bestow such a gift to me, but in the meantime, attendance has been good for my family and my community. I am jealous of those who can argue from a position of faith against instrumental reasons to identify with Christianity. Aligning one's convictions with one's behavior is an incredible act of faith for some. I welcome those choosing Christianity for instrumental reasons. I think that is how it has probably always been. I think Ryan Burge made the point that once the social expectations for church attendance eroded, those who didn't necessarily believe were given cover to stop attending. The number of believers didn't change; the number of those sitting in the pews did. For my money, I'd rather have pews full of those with mixed motives than quarter-full ones filled with true believers. God can make of us all what he will.
I suspect you are right, that there have always been those choosing Christianity for instrumental reasons. I take this as a necessary part of a what can be a longer journey.
I find it helpful to think of Bernard of Clairvaux’s four degrees of love that describe a continuum. The point of each degree is not know more or gain more spiritual status, but to surrender more deeply to love (and, so, I believe, become more truly what were made to be).
Bernard’s first degree is “love of oneself for self’s sake”, a fundamental and necessary form of love (and not a given in a climate of comparisons leading to self loathing!) but it is a limited love.
The 2nd degree is “love of God for self’s sake”, and I think this where instrumental or memetic religion would fall. It is an expansion in love and offers much good, but it also is limited, and Tara has described many of its limitations — because it still centers on human control and agenda.
The 3rd degree is “love of God for God’s sake.”The limitations of one’s self are recognized here, and we come to know and love God because God is essentially lovable and seeks personal relationship with us. This may be where relationship with the literal Jesus becomes the focus, and God’s action in the world can overshadow temporal, cultural agendas. But even this has its limits, incredibly, because it’s still the self that’s trying to accomplish love.
The 4th degree is “love of self for God’s sake” — and this might be the hardest to imagine. Bernard says “This degree no human effort can attain: it is in God’s power to give it to whomever he will.” It may be what Julian of Norwich described as being “one-d” with God, or what the Orthodox call theosis. I think it has to do with recognizing and loving ourselves with God’s own love, which means the joyful and willing surrender of the self entirely. But whatever it is, it is not a state of power (as transhumanists crave), but ecstatic powerlessness. It is the home we are made for. Though it is rare, it’s still worth looking forward to.
I don’t think we move deeper in any of these degrees by will power, but only by increasing willingness and desire for the real. They are all necessary, offering true gifts, and they are all dependent on grace.
May you experience and luxuriate and celebrate fully all the gifts of whatever degree you are in! And when/if the time comes, may you desire and receive more.
For instrumental reasons, I returned to Church with my family last year after decades away. It was an act of faith without belief. I subscribe to the idea that belief is largely a gift or a grace from God. I keep faith that God may bestow such a gift to me, but in the meantime, attendance has been good for my family and my community. I am jealous of those who can argue from a position of faith against instrumental reasons to identify with Christianity. Aligning one's convictions with one's behavior is an incredible act of faith for some. I welcome those choosing Christianity for instrumental reasons. I think that is how it has probably always been. I think Ryan Burge made the point that once the social expectations for church attendance eroded, those who didn't necessarily believe were given cover to stop attending. The number of believers didn't change; the number of those sitting in the pews did. For my money, I'd rather have pews full of those with mixed motives than quarter-full ones filled with true believers. God can make of us all what he will.
I suspect you are right, that there have always been those choosing Christianity for instrumental reasons. I take this as a necessary part of a what can be a longer journey.
I find it helpful to think of Bernard of Clairvaux’s four degrees of love that describe a continuum. The point of each degree is not know more or gain more spiritual status, but to surrender more deeply to love (and, so, I believe, become more truly what were made to be).
Bernard’s first degree is “love of oneself for self’s sake”, a fundamental and necessary form of love (and not a given in a climate of comparisons leading to self loathing!) but it is a limited love.
The 2nd degree is “love of God for self’s sake”, and I think this where instrumental or memetic religion would fall. It is an expansion in love and offers much good, but it also is limited, and Tara has described many of its limitations — because it still centers on human control and agenda.
The 3rd degree is “love of God for God’s sake.”The limitations of one’s self are recognized here, and we come to know and love God because God is essentially lovable and seeks personal relationship with us. This may be where relationship with the literal Jesus becomes the focus, and God’s action in the world can overshadow temporal, cultural agendas. But even this has its limits, incredibly, because it’s still the self that’s trying to accomplish love.
The 4th degree is “love of self for God’s sake” — and this might be the hardest to imagine. Bernard says “This degree no human effort can attain: it is in God’s power to give it to whomever he will.” It may be what Julian of Norwich described as being “one-d” with God, or what the Orthodox call theosis. I think it has to do with recognizing and loving ourselves with God’s own love, which means the joyful and willing surrender of the self entirely. But whatever it is, it is not a state of power (as transhumanists crave), but ecstatic powerlessness. It is the home we are made for. Though it is rare, it’s still worth looking forward to.
I don’t think we move deeper in any of these degrees by will power, but only by increasing willingness and desire for the real. They are all necessary, offering true gifts, and they are all dependent on grace.
May you experience and luxuriate and celebrate fully all the gifts of whatever degree you are in! And when/if the time comes, may you desire and receive more.