Tuesday 5 January 2009

Michael Battle continues to engage the Christian theology of Ubuntu with Desmond Tutu as his primary teacher.

A person's identity manifests more clearly in encounter with both the deeper mystery of the unknowable God and the God known in Christ. If only one truly participates in the claim of being made known in the image of God, then a transformation occurs in which an individual becomes a person of personality. Such a transformation results in a more profound understanding of self and community than racial classification. Personhood is now understood in the context of both the unknowable mystery of God and what is known in Christ. This is the terrifying process of losing one's identity in order to emerge in redeemed, interdependent patterns of self-understanding with regard to God, each other, and other selves. Tutu concludes, "What extraordinary creatures we are. Almost the ultimate paradox, but not quite. Here we are utterly finite and limited but made for the infinite. St. Augustine put it well when he said, "Thou (God) has made us for thyself and our hearts are restless until they find their rest in thee."

Again, it is our participation that is beyond ourselves that makes us the person who is in the image of God. For once we move out from our own world and encounter others and the vision of our God, we receive the gift of life that comes through our encounters with others. It really does mean that we lose our identity - as separate and individual - and gain a whole new perspective on life. I suppose, in some ways, the journey we take out into the life of a community with the understanding that God's image is among us, does expand our vision and how we will go about our lives. This may well be what it means to be redeemed or liberated for life abundant within God's Reign. The doors are thrown wide open and we begin to experience the unknown as a place of profound rest that allows us to play with what it means to be children of God.

Connection: Losing oneself is always an odd expression. It is also the source of some anxiety. Then again, when we are drawn into the image of God, we find life can be new and full of comfort and rest.

Lord of the Day, lead us out again into all that is your Reign. Even as we face the existing powers of the day that like to play with us, keep us open to the life that is just beyond what already is. Amen.