Audacity of Man

One day, I plan on writing a book on this subject, but for now a post will have to do.

Recently, I have noticed a troubling trend within Christianity and Christian theology. Often, people try to shape G-d in such a way that affirms themselves. In this way, Man tries to create G-d in his image, instead of acknowledging that G-d created Man in His image.

One can find this in the very names of leading theologies of our times. Gay theology, black theology, liberation theology, feminist theology: they all leave out what should be the point of a theological system... G-d. In these cases, it appears that there is an attempt at trying to see G-d as affirming who we are and what we do. This is a very appealing thing to do, as it is uncomfortable and difficult to face the idea that G-d is unhappy with us, disapproves of something we are doing, or is incompatible with who we are.

I honestly think, too, that if confronted with the fact that who we are or what we do is incompatible with G-d, many of us would choose to abandon G-d that to begin to tear away that which is not G-d-like. This is a foundation of Christianity, though! That who we are is not Christ-like, and that we are to tear away at that which in incompatible with G-d, we are to shed our former selves until we become so Christ-like that we experience theosis. This theosis is not, in Christian theology, a becoming G-d, but it is about attaining a likeness to or union with G-d.

This really points to the importance of baptism in Catholic theology, where we are infused with G-d's grace. After baptism, it is not about taking on the aspects of Christ or taking on the attributes of G-d; instead, baptism allows us to cut away at our former selves to try and get at that infused grace. But we don't seem to want to! We want G-d to conform to us, instead of us conforming to G-d. Confronted with such verses as Romans 1:26–27, 1 Corinthians 6:9–10, and 1 Timothy 1:8–11, we look at G-d and say "you accept us". We make G-d take on the qualities, attitudes, and beliefs that we want Him to.

Here is the audacity! We the created, powerless, human creatures dare to challenge G-d; we say "I do not want to conform, I do not want to change", and so either G-d accepts our ideas, beliefs, and way of life or not at all. He must change His schedule to fit into ours: we say we can pray while sitting, or lie in bed, or while we play video games. Should we not get on our knees to approach G-d when possible? Is not the Savior who suffered for us worthy of us pausing our game?

This is not to be taken to an extreme. After all, we can pray while we drive, or as we fall asleep. The concept remains the same, though: we often suppress the greatness and importance of G-d. We must approach G-d, and everything involved with G-d, in the proper manner. He is G-d, a loving G-d sure, but nevertheless G-d. We must approach G-d prepared to shed our old selves. If we are not ready to change who we are and what we do, then we are not really approaching G-d in any meaningful, communicative way.