One
of the prevalent notions in Christendom is that what all Christians share in
common is the term Christianity. This notion is nothing but nominalism in
Christendom and it is an aberration. Nominalism simply stated is the belief
that only particular things exist, and that universals are not entities but
only names and do not exist outside the mind. Employing such position in the
term Christianity implies that the individual Christian exists on his/her own
and has no relationship/obligation to the other members of the Christendom. It
is against this notion that this article is based. To repudiate such conception
for it is nothing but an aberration to Christianity, for the term Christianity
is meaningless unless it is involved in actual human relationships based on
virtuous living.
Christianity
as held in some quarters is not just a religious terminology used to designate
those who believe in the historical Christ rather Christianity is a practical
living, a conviction based on charity, shared interest, people on the same
journey though in varying degrees, interdependence on one another, ‘people made
one by the Spirit’, and bound together in sacrifice. It is an insistence on the
cooperation in executing those actions that enhance the beingness of one
another and in fighting against those actions that adversely affect the being
of the other.
Christianity
is not a zero sum game in which one wins and another loses. It is a living in
which everyone is connected to everyone and each person plays a necessary role
in the cause of building up the body of Christ. No Christian exists or functions
in isolation, but instead is an active contributor to the enhancement of the
beingness of other people. And so any undue advantage/exploitation of the other
person based on the fact that he/she is in dire need of such help amounts to
contradiction to the Christian tenets. Some people under the auspices of
christenhood have sworn internally and externally that people will not be above
them and so engage in all kinds of pull him/her syndrome. The question to be
asked such people is this: What have you achieved that you should stop others
from excelling or be a barrier to someone else’s progress? What an aberration
to Christianity! A tragedy in Christianity!
The
world as made by its creator is saturated by His love and so no man can fill
his lung much more that it won’t reach his neighbour. All we are and all we
have are the products of God’s love and so no one has the right to stop anyone
from tapping incessantly from the magnificent love of the creator. If for
anything, Christianity is supposed to be a means of helping one another
especially the less privileged among us to enjoy the innumerable benefits of
love given to us by the creator. And so according to the degree and manner for
which one expresses love, he partakes of Christianity; and conversely according
to the degree and manner for which one is a Christian, he/she expresses love.
This is because it is only when the individual Christian transforms him/herself
into a living Christ who is love, that Christianity becomes existential. Little
less wonder St. Paul exalted love above all other Christian qualities. (cf.
1cor.13)
Another
tendency resulting from nominalism in Christendom is the notion of being a
‘quasi christian’ preferring to stand on the fence and offer a fraction of
whatever you are or have in case tomorrow the Christian world becomes an
illusion, then you have nothing to lose. This notion or attitude is wrong in
capital letters for it is either you are a Christian in the true sense of the
term or you are not. Christianity instead is a generous gift from God given and
accepted in faith. It is a call to see amidst your own difficulties and
challenges, people suffering the same, and share with them your everything,
your time, your wealth, your care and concern in love and for love sake.
If
you claim to be a Christian and you don’t love God by concretizing this love in
improvement and defence of human life, then you’re an impostor. There should be
a correlation between the name one bears and his actions and inactions, for as
the saying goes, ‘credibility and behaviour are Siamese twin’. This truth
matches with Bonhoeffer assertion in the Nazi days that ‘only he who cries out
in defense of the Jews dare permit himself to chant the Gregorian’, in the same
manner I say, ‘only those who manifest God’s love to the other human person by
doing what the Word commands dare call himself a Christian.
Understanding
Christianity in a non-nominalist light will help to refine our lives as individual
Christians and deepen the depth and vigour to ones selfless service of God and
neighbour and feelings of sensitivity and responsibility to his fellow men,
Christians and non Christians alike. May we always treasure our Christian
calling to love and so perfect our earthly city in charity, mercy, justice and
peace in view of the heavenly city. Amen
Sirpeter
Aloh (and his evangelical admonitions, 2017)
penlord
No comments:
Post a Comment