Incarnational Coding
I got an anonymous ref to a Chronicle article on the Da Vinci Code and Gnosticism. The Chron runs an ongoing series on spirituality that is quite good and I enjoy it.
Why me?
I figure because the person knew I would write about it. Smart.
Oh hell...okay. Sigh...
But I'm gonna make it quick.
I enjoyed the interview with the Sophian Gnostic HERE
It's a very good and honest accounting of much of Gnosticism from past to present. The one ding I'll give is saying "original Christians" when who he is talking about are people three to four hundred years after the fact. That is like calling Mario Cuomo's great great grandson as a candidate in 2104 an original "Founding Father."
Sorry. Do the math.
Gnosticism is like the loyal opposition to biblical faith. It's far nobler and a better foil than Legalism which is turgid and stupid. As you might expect, there is nothing stupid about Gnosticism (root word means "knowledge").
On the positive side it plays to the best in people. The Interview-ee noted the issue of original sin. It's not that big a deal as we seem to do fine all on our own in fucking things up. So maybe you are born pure...it goes downhill after that. Six of one...
But they talk of the "divine spark" and this is also in line with Christian faith. In fact, the Bible talks about reflected glory and actual participation in and with God. That's not a spark, it's a fire as is the Holy Spirit.
The attraction to Gnosticsm has always fed off of Christianity's tendency to drift back into a deadly and faith-denying Legalism. Who doesn't want knowledge and divine light when the alternative is a bunch of judgmental assholes who pick at the Bible like carrions on dead flesh?
I'd go that way given the two choices. Better conversations and better parties.
But I don't have to. And neither do you.
In both cases: Legalism and Gnosticism, you end up pulling yourself upward by your own bootstraps either morally or intellectually to try and please God. Both are fine things to do on some practical level, but get real.
Incarnation is the opposite movement. It moves down and becomes flesh...God becomes flesh. It's a rescue and you are the object of rescue. This God also embodies..physically and in all ways, both the Law and also all Knowledge (though thats a bit tricky). Moreover...this God changes the agenda once incarnate. It is no longer about correct knowledge or correct morality - neither of which we have the least possible chance of attaining. It's about LOVE.
Faith, Hope and Love. These three "abide" and that is what our hard-hearted Legalist friends do not understand, and it is what our warm-headed Gnostics do not get because they want it on their terms. They want to control it and God and that's lunacy.
Does that make sense? Do you really think you can be good enough or smart enough?
I'm neither.
It's not in my DNA and that's the real coding and the real mystery.
posted by Obi-Mac BakDon @ 9:29 AM
Comments: 3
