Richard Rohr: Turning toward Participation
It constantly recognizes that we are a part of something, more than we are observing something or “believing” in something.
.. Today each autonomous individual is on his or her own, especially progressive academic types, making for a very neurotic world.
.. The Bible documented the salvation of history itself, which is why we have to endure all those “unholy” historical books. Both the loving and the accusatory language in the Bible is not addressed primarily to individuals, but to Israel as a whole. Yahweh’s concern is first of all societal; the covenant is with the people of Israel, much more than with individual personalities. It is amazing that we have forgotten or ignored this, making salvation all about private persons going to heaven or hell, which is surely a regression from the historical and even cosmic notion of salvation.
.. This allowed Jesus to speak of true union at all levels: with oneself, with the neighbor, with the outsider, with the enemy, with nature, and–through all of these–with the Divine. The net and sweep of participation was total. Given this, it is so sad and strange that we created a Christian religion with many separate denominations–often known for elitism, boundary keeping, and exclusion.