Floating

Today I came across a "post-charismatic" movement/conversation/thing. I'm tired of "post-." It's meant to take into account the "pre" and then allow for movement beyond it, but it doesn't. Post-modernism is supposed to take those tenants that have stood the test of time and affirm them while rejecting the elements that have been found false. Instead its proponents dismiss all forms of certainty and don't see themselves as puppets of consumerism.

I feel like I'm floating. Frustrated with Evangelical cliche's that have been given godly precedence and frustrated with suspicion. Today a friend from church said, "Gays, yah, I mean I don't want to kill 'em or anything." That is a Jesus response to him. He loves God and I refuse to deny him that. Then the Emergent Conversation talks about the evils of creeds and faith statements. Meanwhile they yield commentary after commentary of how the rest are getting it wrong. And somehow I have this sense that there should be a pure, perfect response to Christianity that rises above this. Hence, I float.

It would be nice to pretend that floating were the answer. But there is no life in floating. Today I went to a wake for a friend whose sister died young of cancer. I could suspend frustration on our preoccupation with homosexuality as a sin and looking the other way in gossip and false prophesy; I could suspend frustration on silly attempts at rejecting the summarization of faith even though those who reject it do it most; but I have to land on this. You can't float and obey. You can't float and grieve with those who grieve. You can't float and be involved in incarnational life changes and quantum restoration. You can't float and love...