11/20 lectionary notes: When did we see you?

Lectionary Texts for November 20, Christ the King Sunday

This Gospel text is an interesting passage to come after our last adult Sunday school discussion at St. John's. I think it was said a couple of times in a couple of different ways that we shouldn't be generous to benefit ourselves, but to benefit others. But can't we take this a step further? We shouldn't be giving to benefit ourselves, or even--ultimately--others, but in the service of God who is revealed to us in Jesus Christ. Because, as Paul said in last week's passage and as Jesus reveals in this week's, what we do for others in need we do for Christ.

A question that arises in my mind then is, given the surprise of the "sheep" at being told they served Christ by serving others, can a person serve Christ without realizing it? Is someone who has rejected the Church for whatever reason still serving Christ when he or she sacrifices self to serve others? It seems to me that there are only two distinct categories in this story--those who served others and those who didn't--while popular theology and eschatology seems to assume four categories: those who

1. know Christ and serve others,
2. know Christ and don't serve others,
3. don't know Christ and serve others and
4. don't know Christ and don't serve others.

Are those in category #1 the only ones who will sit at the right hand of God or is the story saying that, no, there are only two categories, that it doesn't matter if you name Christ--you serve him practically through service to others?

This question has broad implications for our approach to interfaith dialogue and efforts and the ways in which we identify our "faith" community. Eberhard Arnold, founder of the Bruderhof Communities, wrote in the early 20th century, "When someone is driven by love in any way, he or she is driven by Christ. Whoever has love, has the love of God, even if he or she does not confess Christ in words. There is a hidden Christ; he is much too great to be confined by human thought." A later writing by Bruderhof senior pastor Johann Christoph Arnold inspired the following related questions and thoughts by an unnamed author:

Is [Christ], as some theologians say, the western face of God, or is he, as others say, truly God incarnate? I believe the latter, and it seems Arnold does too. But then where does that leave the Muslim?

My thinking about Islam over the years has shifted from mere curiosity to hostility to acceptance. I now tend to feel that Muslims are Christians who simply don't know it yet—in other words, my brothers, for whom Christ also died.

Read the full article, "Is the Muslim my brother?"

These questions and thoughts are perhaps a bit different from what the focus will be in the context of our current fall stewardship campaign, but I also think they have relevance for our attitude toward serving in solidarity with people of other beliefs and faiths. The emphasis in this passage is not on right theology, but on the faithful response that occurs out of the overflow of the heart. Perhaps the brother who says he will not be obedient, but then it obedient anyway will be looked upon with more favor than the one who says he will be obedient, but then is not. Serving God in practice is a faith response that some people commit to in spite of their inability to accept the name of Christ.

With the "unnamed" author of the article cited above, I am probably in danger of being called a heretic for proposing these ideas. But what is the alternative to believing that all acts of genuine love proceed from God?

Here are the lectionary notes from Sojourner's for November, if they're of any interest to anyone.