I read today the Prologue and Introduction of Pete Rollins' forthcoming book, "The Fidelity of Betrayal: Towards a Church Beyond Belief" and had my appetite whetted to read the remaining pre-published copy he sent me. Here are some excerpts that struck me in profound ways and will hopefully entice you into reading his book:
PROLOGUE:
Pete tells a parable about a small town of believers faced with a very difficult situation, one which would challenge their obedience to the voice of GOD over a rebel visitor. The situation eventually presents itself where GOD asks one of the men to defy GOD's word.
This is the man's response to GOD:
"The caretaker, a man of deep faith, looked up to heaven and replied, 'If you want me to remain faithful to you, my God, then I can do nothing but refuse your advice. For you have already demanded that I look after this man. You have written that I must protect him at all costs. Your words of love have been spelled out by the lines of this man's face, your text is found in the texture of his flesh. And so, my God, I defy you precisely so as to remain faithful to you.' "
"With this God smiled and quietly withdrew, confident that the matter had finally been settled." (p. 3)
This parable brings to my mind the story of Abraham sacrificing Isaac. Why didn't Abraham question GOD about killing his own son and take a stand to question and defy GOD speaking double-talk?
INTRODUCTION:
Here Pete explains where his title was inspired: the "What Would Jesus Do" phenomenon that the abbreviated form, "WWJD" that was, "...etched onto countless bracelets as a way of reminding the bearer that they held Jesus as the ultimate authority in moral, political, and religious matters." (p. 5) I never got into this "CRAZE" of the CONSUMERISM OF CHRISTIANITY!!! Although, i have, in the long past, my own encounters with Christian Cosumerism. Ickkkkk!!!!
Then Pete came up with the question, "What Would JUDAS Do?" as a way of asking what would Jesus do if confronted with Christianity today. "Rather, by asking whether Jesus would betray Christianity as Judas betrayed Christ, I am asking if Jesus would plot the downfall of Christianity in every form that it takes. Or rather, to be more precise, I am asking whether Christianity, in its most sublime and revolutionary state, always demands an act of betrayal from the Faithful. In short, is Christianity, at its most radical, always marked by a kiss, forever forsaking itself, eternally at war with its own manifestation." (p.6)
The crux of the book is broken up into three parts:
Part 1 explores what we mean by the idea of the Word of God.
Part 2 interrogates the Being of God.
Part 3 introduces the reader to the centrality of the Event of God.
"As this structure is gradually revealed, I argue that the consequences are twofold: First, we are led to embrace the idea of Christianity as a religion without religion, that is, as a tradition that is always prepared to wrestle with itself, disagree with itself, and betray itself. Second, this requires a way of structuring religious collectives that operate at a deeper level than the mere affirmation of shared doctrines, creeds, and convictions. It involves the formation of dynamic, life-affirming collectives that operate, quite literally, beyond belief." (p. 7)
THANK YOU, Pete, for what looks like another incredible, insightful, soul-stirring, and challenging book. ALL THE BEST with its success!
