Health and Wealth at Whose Expense?

Moving forward from my reflections on Ignatius of Antioch, and the early church attitudes towards suffering and martyrdom, I would like to reflect a bit on the Imperial Church, and specifically on some of the theology that arose during the time of Constantine. What strikes me most from this time was how the new Christian theology was shaped by the circumstances surrounding Constantine’s rule, and in some regards to how drastically it abandoned some of the early church’s traditional themes.

There are a few main examples that I would like to briefly mention in order to illustrate the manner in which theology was shaped by the new circumstances during this period of history in the church.

In the New Testament as well as in the early church we see that the Gospel was first of all good news to the poor, and that the rich had particular difficulty in hearing and receiving it. This theological position was so firmly believed that some early Christians even went so far as to question and wonder how it was possible for a rich person to be saved. However, with Constantine came a time in which riches and extravagant living were seen as signs of divine favor. One of the leading theologians during this time was Eusebius of Caesarea. He was at the forefront in the guiding and teaching of the theology that was shaping (or was being shaped by) the church during this period. It seems fairly obvious that he was quite heavily influenced along these lines of wealth and riches being a sign of divine favor. However, some scholars have said that Eusebius was possibly not really aware of the radical change that was taking place, as the persecuted church became the church of the powerful.

One of the main problems I see that arose from this was the development of a clerical aristocracy that was very similar to the imperial aristocracy, who were undoubtedly very far from the common people, as were the great officers of the Empire. During this time the church began to imitate the Empire in its liturgy as well as in its social structure.

In my opinion, this was probably the birth of the theology that surrounds and supports the prosperity gospel that has continued to this day in several Evangelical Christian circles and denominations. In many ways the monastic movement that really began to gain momentum and popularity around this time as well, was in part a protest against this accommodating understanding of the Christian life.

Another radical theological change that took place during this time that Eusibius helped develop was the setting aside of a fundamental theme of early Christian preaching: the coming Kingdom of God. In many of Eusibius’ works we get the impression that with Constantine and his successors the plan of God was fulfilled. A theme taught by Eusibius was that all Christians were to hope for, beyond the present political order, was their own transference into the heavenly kingdom. Since the time of Constantine, there has been a tendency to set aside or to postpone the hope of the early church, that its Lord would return in the clouds to establish a Kingdom of peace and justice.

I do not mean to say that all of these theological changes were solely due to the teaching of Eusibius, for in actuality he was simply expressing the common feeling among the vast majority of Christians during this period of history.

In reflection, I believe we see a few dangerous fundamental changes from the theological orientation of the early church that have continued to the present day. The first being the drastic change in the theological position that the Gospel is first of all good news to the poor. Since the time of Constantine until our present day we have seen continued growth and adherence to the message of the prosperity gospel, while often times ignoring the cries of the poor. Not only do we see all of the television evangelists who preach and teach the message of a prosperity gospel, but we now have very large and popular mainstream churches springing up in the western world (one such church was birthed in Australia and has since gained a large following in America and Western Europe) that adhere to this theological orientation. In adherence to this theology we are saying that the Gospel is no longer first of all good news to the poor. In my opinion, holding a belief in this theological position is a self-centered way of living, making things all about ourselves. Jesus clearly lived out a radically different lifestyle.

The second outcome from these theological changes was the shift from a more heavenly orientation, and a hope and longing for the coming return of our Lord Jesus Christ, and the establishment of His Kingdom that will bring peace and justice to the world. We should always be looking heavenward, longing and hoping for the return of our Lord Jesus Christ!

The Gospel that Jesus taught was never one that said riches and wealth and power and prestige were signs of divine favor. Jesus preached and taught quite the opposite.

“Blessed are the poor in spirit, For theirs is the kingdom of heaven. Blessed are those who mourn, For they shall be comforted. Blessed are the meek, For they shall inherit the earth. Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, For the shall be filled. Blessed are the merciful, For they shall obtain mercy. Blessed are the pure in heart, For they shall see God. Blessed are the peacemakers, For they shall be called sons of God. Blessed are those who are persecuted for righteousness’ sake, For theirs is the kingdom of heaven.” Matthew 5:3-10

Peace friends,

Matthew Pascal

Sandwich Diversity

I had lunch with a friend yesterday at this cool little cafe type of place and ate a portabella sandwich. I had never heard of a portabella sandwich before, and was trying to figure out what kind of meat would be on a portabella sandwich without having to look stupid and ask, but couldn't figure it out. So I really didn't know what a portabella sandwich was when I ordered it, but the girl I was with suggested it and she's a pretty healthy eater and I'm probably not so I figured I would give it a try. I'm not sure if I ordered it to try and have this girl think that I'm healthy and eat portabella sandwiches on a regular basis or if it was because I have this secret longing to be more healthy or if it was the adventurous side in me coming out and wanting to try something new, but whatever was going on deep down inside of my psyche, there was a force that led me to order the portabella sandwich.

Well, when the portabella sandwich came out it didn't have any meat on it at all; no slabs of beef, or ham, or pork, or chicken, or turkey, or spam, or even a few slices of bacon. Really, believe me, I'm being serious here; there was no meat at all on the entire sandwich. Apparently a portabella sandwiches main ingredient is portabella mushrooms. Quite a fascinating concept.

So I got a bottle of hot sauce and poured some on my mushroom sandwich and sat across the table from my friend (she had a salad and a bowl of chili) and tried to eat it without looking like a slob and spilling mushroom and hot sauce mix all over myself. I did a pretty good job I think, because when I woke up this morning I decided to put the same clothes back on that I was wearing yesterday which means that there wasn't any noticeable amount of portabella mushroom and hot sauce mix on them.

It's pretty cool though; I actually liked the mushroom sandwich quite a bit. It was definitely my first experience in eating a meatless sandwich, but it was pretty good. While I was sitting there eating this meatless sandwich, I got to thinking about how different people are, and how that really is a wonderful thing that we should encourage and embrace in one another. Diversity can be such a beautiful thing.

For instance I have some Christian friends who think that the war in Iraq is a wonderful God-ordained thing that is bringing freedom and liberation not only to the Iraqi people but to an entire region of people for the first time ever since Adam and Eve were running around without any clothes on and not feeling ashamed that their privates were showing. And these people are extremely beautiful, loving and caring people in so many ways.

Then I have some Christian friends who are so far on the other side of the spectrum that they would never even take the life of a severely injured butterfly that smashed against the windshield of their car and was obviously in a lot of pain and might be better off dead so there is no way that these people are supportive of the war in Iraq, or any war for that matter. And these people are extremely beautiful, loving and caring people in so many ways.

Then I have some Christian friends who admit that they are just confused and don't know what to think and believe about war because they know that any type of war and violence is awful and ugly but that sometimes it might be necessary to kill 100,000 people in order to save the lives of 1,000,000 people. And these people are extremely beautiful, loving and caring people in so many ways.

I learn so much from all three groups, and I really do love them all. So I'm glad that for whatever reason it was that led me to order a portabella sandwich without any meat on it, that I did. It reminded me once again about the importance of and the beauty that is found in diversity.

Peace friends.

Matthew Pascal

Tapered Jeans, Pink Shirts and Jesus

I had this girlfriend once, but we ended up breaking up. It was probably a good move for her because she's a lot cooler than me. For example she wears really cool clothes and understands style, but me, well I suppose I don't have a great sense of style. I remember how a few months after we had been dating she mentioned to me that she didn't like tapered jeans. I agreed with her, not because I dislike tapered jeans, but because I figured it would make me sound more cool if I agreed. Then she kind of nonchalantly asked me if I owned any tapered jeans. I knew at that point I had been busted, and that she wasn't really asking me that as a question because she already knew the answer, but I still tried to play it off. I told her that of course I didn't own any tapered jeans, because only dorks would wear those kinds of things, and that I wasn't a dork. But then she reminded me that one of the first times we ever hung out I was wearing tapered jeans. I was a little bit surprised that she had even noticed, but then again I guess this goes to show that she really is a lot cooler then me. So I'd say that her next boyfriend will probably wear really cool clothes, and not tapered jeans.

She also really liked pink shirts. I didn't. But she would always talk about how guys look "hot" when they wear pink shirts. I had never owned a pink shirt before, but then I went out one day and bought two at the same time. I was hoping I would look "hot" when I wore them, and that I would be more cool. I tried to say that the reason I bought them was because I knew that she liked them and I wanted to do something nice or special or whatever you want to call it for her. But I don't think this is completely true. I think I probably bought them because I wanted to look more cool. But then I tried to wear one of these pink shirts with my tapered jeans and I don't think that it went so well. Maybe pink shirts just aren't my thing.

So I don't wear the pink shirts very often anymore. I don't wear the tapered jeans either - well not as often as I used to. I went to a store and pondered the idea of buying some new jeans, but I noticed that all of the new jeans were already faded and torn up with a bunch of holes in them. Apparently that's how cool people buy their jeans nowadays; pre-faded and pre-torn with a bunch of holes already in them. So when they buy them they are not really new; but they are cool. I have a few pairs of pants that I've been wearing for four or five years now and they are a bit faded and torn up but they don't look like the new jeans that the cool people buy from the store with the holes already in them.

I wonder what kinds of clothes Jesus would wear if he was walking the streets of America today. I don't think that he would wear pink shirts and trendy jeans that you buy already faded and torn up with a bunch of holes in them. I think that Jesus would probably be more of a bargain shopper and when He bought new jeans, they wouldn't come with a bunch of holes already in them because the ones that are all faded and torn up with all of the holes in them are so much more expensive then the ones without all of the holes - like the tapered ones.

But maybe buying new jeans from the store that are already faded and torn up with a bunch of holes in them is kind of like what Jesus does with us.

He accepts, and even chooses us, when we are all messed up. He doesn't ask us to come to Him only after we are fixed and perfect. He takes us just like we are - faded and torn up with holes all over the place.

So maybe Jesus choosing and accepting us in our worn out and messed up state is like the cool guys who buy the new jeans that are already faded and torn up with a bunch of holes in them. It kind of makes sense because I think that Jesus is pretty cool.

Peace to you.

M. Pascal