paradoxum

I am in love with Bernard Cornwell. If you have never read a book by Bernard Cornwell (and your a man), then you're cheating yourself out of a wonderful treasure/pleasure, etc. He is an exquisite writer of historical fiction. I recently read three books in his Saxon series - The Last Kingdom, The Pale Horseman, and Lords of the North - and I can't wait to read the next installment!

In the last book, there was a quote where Uhtred (a Saxon who still clings to the pagan religion of Thor) is describing the gods of his religion and comparing them with the God of the Christian religion. Here is what he says:

"I am no Christian. These days it does no good to confess that, for the bishops and abbots have too much influence and it is easier to pretend to a faith than to fight angry ideas. I was raised a Christian, but at ten...I discovered the old Saxon gods...and their worship has always made more sense to me than bowing down to a god who belongs to a country so far away that I have met no one who has ever been there.

Thor and Odin walked our hills, slept in our valley, loved our women and drank from our streams, and that makes them seem like neighbors. The other thing I like about our Gods is that they are not obsessed with us. They have their own squabbles and love affairs and seem to ignore us much of the time, but the Christian god has nothing better to do than to make rules for us. He makes rules, more rules, prohibitions and commandments, and he needs hundreds of black-robed priests and monks to make sure we obey those laws. He strikes me as a very grumpy god, that one, even though his priests are forever claiming that he loves us. I have never been so stupid as to think that Thor or Odin or Hoder loved me, though I hope at times they have thought me worthy of them."

I find this quote absolutely fascinating. First, there is Uhtred's desire for the gods incarnation. Uhtred wants his gods to know his land, and be familiar with its ways, but yet, he doesn't seem to want his gods to really know HIM. He is repulsed by the idea that a god would be obsessed with us, and for him, that means a god cannot "love" a mere mortal. Yet, Uhtred does desire "at times" to be counted "worthy" of the gods. And, of course, I think his description of the Christian God with his rules and priests is pretty good, even though I think it's a misrepresentation of the one, true God.

All in all, this whole thing appeals to me. I want a God who knows what it's like "down here". I want a God who understands us, but yet, I also find it unreasonable to believe that God could hardly know I existed...except, perhaps, in those few moments when I am "noticeable" because of what I have done. Basically, I want God to notice that I am worthy of his companionship...even if only for brief periods of time. And, if I am worthy of his companionship for brief periods of time, then perhaps in the afterlife I will find that he has deemed me worthy of being a god...or a friend of the gods.

This, I suggest, is the anti-gospel. It is a gospel of pride and of achievement, and ultimately, it is anything but good news. Interestingly enough, there is enough good news mixed in with this way of thinking to make it appealing, and enough pride to make it desirable.

The Gospel destroys our pride while giving us a clear picture of humanity. It totally reshapes our view of God. It presents us, not with a weak God, but with a just God who hates sin and demands that our sin be punished. It presents us with a God who fully understands what it's like "down here". It presents us with a God who is NOT obsessed with us, but is jealous for his glory. It presents us with a God who loves us so much that he makes the ultimate sacrifice - he bears the punishment of his own infinite justice. And yet, this love does not spring from weakness, but from strength...from a love for His own glory.

The Gospel is the story of a strong and powerful God who, for His own glory, loves us and pulls off the greatest raid in history to save us from a horrid enemy. It is a God to whom Uhtred would bow the knee...and a God who would crown Uhtred with glory and honor beyond his wildest dreams.