My Moltmann Reflections, Pt. 2
Trinity by Andrei Rublev, 1425-1427
Earlier this week I posted the first part of my reflections from the 2009 Emergent Theological Conversation with Jürgen Moltmann in Libertyville, IL. Here’s the second part:
On Doing Theology:
1. “Truth is found in unhindered dialogue.”
According to Moltmann, Karl Barth wasn’t good at dialogue with people who didn’t share his presuppositions. The professor saw this as a weakness in Barth’s theology. Instead, Moltmann tried to develop his theology through dialogue with people on the outside. We are not just doing theology for Christians, we are doing theology for everyone, he told us (I’m paraphrasing). I wonder, how open I am to “unhindered” dialogue as a pastor? Where are my theological conversations taking place? Who am I in dialogue with right now? Am I always talking to people who think like me?
2. “Which statement is closest to Jesus Christ?”
When we get to statements in Scripture that seem contradictory, such as Paul talking about women remaining silent in worship, vs. there is no longer male or female, we are all one in Christ (Gal. 3:28). Moltmann says, I ask “which statement is closer to Jesus Christ?” I wonder if this hermeneutic could open up a new way of dealing with these challenges, even when it may seem to some of us that Scripture is clear, e.g. ordaining women or homosexuality? I am just wondering …
On the Trinity:
1. “Christian community is an icon of the Trinity.”
Unlike most western theologians, eastern theologians spent more time developing the relationship of the trinity, often illustrated as a family seated around a table (see Andrei Rublev’s 15th century painting). Moltmann calls this a social doctrine of the Trinity, and really a theology of Trinitarian love. The church is called to live this social doctrine as one heart, one body, one soul, a living witness to the Trinity. This is the essence of being the church, yet a daunting challenge. I’m thinking here of Bonhoeffer’s ideas in Life Together, true Christian community being the place where people I really don’t like seem to always show up.
2. “We believe in the Trinity, but we also live in the Trinity.”
It’s probably one of my favorite statements from the professor during the conversation. He was talking about the early Christians using the Abba prayer, referring to God as “Daddy” like Jesus does in the Gospels. Moltmann claims this eventually changed to “our Father.” However it looses the sense of intimacy we have with the Trinity. The Abba prayer moves us directly into the Trinity. He described them as three rooms—each giving room to the other. When we except other people we offer them room, we offer them space. That will preach!
In my next post I’ll share some reflections on Jürgen Moltmann and God’s pathos, God’s self-limitations, and eschatology. If you’d like to check out some other reflections from people at the Moltmann conversation, check out these blogs:
Ryan Bell who blogs over at Intersections has a good synopsis of the conversation for the Spectrum blog. There’s reflections by Julie Clawson, Blake Huggins, and Joe Bumbulis on their blogs. Matt Kelley also has a good list of people blogging reflections at The Truth the Best I know It.
Themocracy
Your review of our time with Moltmann is much better than mine. Thanks for sharing these thoughts. Very good!