the empirical logic of love

To continue from my last post:

I had a great discussion about evangelization with some 3rd floor scholars, as we call them. I started thinking about this blog again even though it's been a long time. I can go more into our discussion of evangelism later but to stay on topic, I'll just briefly address that my views stem from an understanding of the Trinity as "Creator, Savior, Love" rather than a hierarchical trio of masculinity. To preach the salvific truth to someone, especially of another faith than Christianity does not necessitate the word "Christ" in my opinion. However, the WORD does need to be there.

So how does this relate to empiricism? I believe that at the moment of our creation, we come into relationship with our Creator. Here we experience an unconditional love for the first time. We are placed into an imperfect setting and now have need for a savior since we know that this love is possible. We crave this in our entire being, wanting to settle for nothing less.

Christians would, of course, name this savior as Christ or Lord. In no way am I saying this is wrong. Though I am suggesting that evangelization need not focus only on a word that means "oily" or "anointed one." If anything, Christians would then be talking about themselves since we profess to have been baptized into this role as well. To preach this title would only be beneficial to urge our brothers and sisters in Christ to see not only the world, but themselves as the Imago Dei.

The rest of the world is no less the image of God. However, our vocabulary might need to be more inclusive, less limiting. Christ Jesus is our ultimate source of love and hope and peace. But why are we preaching this to other people? Because we care about our eternal salvation? theirs? we feel the command of Christ to be crucial to a realized eschatology? sure.
Is it possible that we can learn about the Christian Savior from another religion? In my opinion, ABSOLUTELY!

Of course, I believe in a God who is beyond my imagination, beyond my abilities with language, and beyond my own capacity. Why would I bother with anyone less? I mean, you really wouldn't want me as the savior--I'm pretty powerless, though I talk big sometimes. But if I can experience this eternal LOVE in my own life, then others must be just as able to as well...and through different ways than me.

So the cool thing is that this love that we experienced in the moment of our creation is still available to us anywhere and everywhere and at any time. The wonderful thing about love is that it keeps expanding itself throughout our role in creation. We are created out of love; then we share it, lose it, find it, mistreat it or misrepresent it, and finally we grab hold again and figure out that when we give it away it doesn't leave us. Instead, magically...no rather...mystically it stays with us and grows to another person. Love is the means and the end to our creation. Miraculous!