Storing Up True Riches -- A Sermon

1 Timothy 6:6-19

The Beatles said it best – “Money can’t buy me love.” That’s right –

Say you don't need no diamond ring

And I'll be satisfied

Tell me that you want those kind of things

that money just can't buy

For I don't care too much for money

For money can't buy me love

Now, I realize that diamond rings are helpful when it comes to love. After all, I’ve bought a few in my time for the one I love, but no matter how costly these trinkets may maybe, they can’t buy lasting love. And, despite what the Pharaohs, who built great pyramids in Egypt, thought, you can’t take it with you either! No, their bodies remained a moldering in the grave, while grave robbers and archaeologists took all those goods. Sometimes we forget this fact of life, but even as we didn’t bring anything into the world, we can’t take anything out of it either.

So, if “money can’t buy me love” or even happiness in the next life, can’t it at least buy me a little happiness in this life? I realize that it takes at least some money to live in this world, but how much is enough? Paris Hilton, Tiger Woods, and Lindsay Lohan, all have millions of dollars at their disposal, but are they happy? Bernie Madoff made a lot of money, but in the end he found himself in prison, and he also made a lot of other people unhappy by stealing their money. Madoff’s antics seem to prove the point of a famous statement that first appeared in this letter. Yes, the author of this letter said quite boldly that money is the root of all manner of evil. Therefore, he said – beware of the temptation to make the pursuit of riches your goal in life. It will only bring evil upon you. Of course, the fact that the author mentions the possibility that the pursuit of riches might have a negative effect on the spiritual life of the wealthy, suggests that there were at least a few wealthy people in the church, and that they were being tempted to abandon their faith.

1. Futility of Chasing the Money

We read this passage of scripture at a time of economic crisis. The gap between the richest and the poorest members of our society is as great as it has ever been in our history. The middle class, which is the backbone of modern society, is shrinking and is in danger of disappearing. Many in our society wonder if the American Dream is still possible. The other day I heard an economist say that not only is the gap between the wealthiest and the poorest greater today than at any time since 1929, but the most recent economic expansion was built largely on the use of credit cards and borrowing from the equity of homes. Now that the housing bubble has burst, there isn’t much left to stimulate the economy. We simply don’t have enough money to make the kinds of purchases that would spur job growth, and so the American Dream is in danger of extinction.

It’s in this context that we hear this word of warning written by an experienced pastor to a younger one. The author suggests that happiness will be found in contentment rather than in the pursuit of riches. After all, “the love of money is the root of all kinds of evil” (1 Tim. 6:10).

I realize that in the grand scheme of things, I’m pretty well off. I may not be wealthy by worldly standards, but when compared with much of the rest of the world, I’m pretty rich. So, maybe I ought to be grateful for these blessings that come my way.

Now, the love of money may be the root of many kinds of evil, but having no money can be just as destructive to the soul as having too much. Speaking in the 19th century, before the end of slavery, Frederick Douglass declared that "the want of money is the root of all evil to the colored people." As Ralph Wood writes of Douglass’ observation:

He saw that humiliating, hopeless poverty reduces human beings to bestial creatures. Even black freedmen, he declared, "were shut out from all lucrative employments and compelled to be merely barbers, waiters, coachmen and the like, at wages so low that they could lay up little or nothing. Their poverty has kept them ignorant and their ignorance kept them degraded." ("A Passion for Lesser Things," Ralph Wood, The Christian Century, 1995).

Although this text was part of last week’s lectionary reading, it’s appropriate for consideration on Reconciliation Sunday, because it reminds us that there are all kinds of barriers and walls that separate us from each other. Some of these barriers are ethnically and culturally imposed, but others are economic in nature.

As I reflected on this text and the day upon which we read it, I thought of the invisible wall that runs along 8 Mile Road. There’s an invisible barrier that separates one of the poorest cities in the country from one of the richest counties in the nation. That wall has been in place for at least a generation, but isn’t it time for it to come down?

2. Seeking True Riches

If money can keep neighbors apart, is it possible that the love of money can be a barrier to discipleship? As we observe both Reconciliation Sunday and World Communion Sunday, where does a message of contentment fit? Should we all hear the message in the same way?

Consider for a moment the way in which this passage may have been heard in an earlier day, such as the Middle Ages. Back then people believed in what was called the “Great Chain of Being,” where everyone’s place in society was predetermined. If you were nobility, then that’s who you were, so you might as well enjoy the benefits. If you don’t, know one else will! But, if you were born a serf, then that’s what you were called to be. You couldn’t change your status, because God had already predetermined your fate. So, in that setting, the message was, be content with your lot in life, because you can’t change it. That’s just the way things are. Or, is it?

Maybe the point isn’t being content with one’s lot in life, but instead to recognize the spiritual dangers of pursuing worldly wealth. Verses 6-10 and 17-19 contain a word of warning about the impermanence of wealth. It is also a meditation on the spiritual dimension of the way in which humans try to accumulate and use wealth. The danger is that in pursuing riches, our hearts can grow cold toward God and toward our neighbors.

Now, this passage isn’t all that radical. Unlike Jesus, this early Christian leader doesn’t tell us to give away everything we have to the poor in order to be disciples of Christ. Instead, he warns us about being held captive by its attractiveness. Despite its lack of radicalness, the message is powerful, because our culture continually tells us that we should want more and seek more, in part because if we don’t the economy will collapse. So, even if money can’t buy me love, a trip to the jeweler will considerably enhance my relationships and maybe even aid the economy!

3. Fighting the Good Fight

Standing in between verses 10 and 17 is a call to “fight the good fight of the faith.” You can skip verses 11 through 16 and not miss a beat. But, what this middle section does is refocus our attention on the things that really are important. These verses lift up the true riches in life – righteousness, faith, love, endurance, gentleness. These are the things that really matter to God. By attending to these values we will find happiness and contentment in life. These traits enable us to build what Martin Marty calls “cultures of trust.”

In order to build cultures of trust, we need to find ways of counting on each other. It means recognizing that we’re not in this alone, but we must be willing to risk our lives into the hands of God and our neighbors. That calling is undermined when we pursue our own agendas at the expense of others. This is, I think were our Disciples identity statement fits in. According to this statement, we are called to be “a movement for wholeness in a fragmented world.” We have been called to join together in creating true community, to pursue justice, and to develop a deeply-rooted spirituality. Another way of putting this is that we have been called to attend to the common good, and this commitment to the common good is rooted in the gospel of Jesus Christ, which we’ve been called upon to live out and proclaim.

So how can we pursue true riches and make a difference in this world, which God loves so much that God sent his son into the world? Well, we can start by contributing some of our wealth to the Reconciliation Offering, so that the walls that divide us can be removed. This offering is used to promote our Church’s commitment to being an “Anti-racist, Pro-reconciliation” movement through education and by funding development opportunities. As Sharon Watkins reminded us at the Pastor’s Conference, this is our calling as a church. But, even though this offering is a first step in the right direction, it’s not the last step.

We can live out this calling every day when we consider the words we use to describe others or when we reflect on the barriers that divide us and then work to remove them. Those of us who participated in the revival at Northwestern Christian Church had an opportunity to do this very thing when we shared in worship with this Black Disciple church in Detroit. Our participation in Motown Mission is another way we can break down the walls that separate communities from each other. And in a couple of weeks Heidi Michael will share with the congregation the fruit of her time in Washington, D.C. In that presentation, Heidi will share ways in which we can build bridges and tear down walls. I know that she is very excited about having this opportunity to share what she learned while in the Nation’s capital.

The message of the Gospel is one of salvation, but salvation isn’t simply about what happens in the next life. Salvation includes the life lived now, because salvation is about reconciliation. And, the message of reconciliation affects the way we live with God and with our neighbors. In Christ the old attitudes and stereotypes have been washed away, and now we have the opportunity to look at the world through new eyes. And although money can’t make you whole, if we’re willing to part with some of it in our Reconciliation Offering, we can participate in making the world whole, which is the point of World Communion Sunday!

Preached by:
Dr. Robert D. Cornwall
Pastor, Central Woodward Christian Church (Disciples of Christ)
Troy, Michigan
World Communion Sunday
October 3, 2010

Choosing the Better Part -- A Lectionary Reflection

Amos 8:1-12

Colossians 1:15-28

Luke 10:38-42

Choosing the Better Part

At one level the three lectionary texts for this week have little in common. Amos is a strongly worded statement of judgment and call to justice. Colossians presents a hymn of praise to the Christ, the one who bears the image of the invisible God and is the first born of creation, through whom we have reconciliation with God – and if Christ’s efforts aren’t enough, the author (named here as Paul) will fill in the gaps with his own suffering on behalf of the letter’s recipients. Finally, you have the famed story of Mary and Martha, in which Martha becomes just a bit peeved with Jesus for not telling Mary to get back in the kitchen. And yet, perhaps there is a thread, mostly invisible that ties these texts together. They are a call to embrace the better part, it is a reminder that we should listen for the voice of God and not get so distracted with the business of life that we miss what is important – whether is justice for the poor, praise of the one who has reconciled us, or just resting and listening quietly. What do you hear as you contemplate each of these statements?

Consider the message Yahweh presents to Amos, the prophet of God residing in the northern kingdom of Israel. You hear in this passage God’s frustration with the people. He’s given up, because they won’t listen. They’re too busy making a buck off the poor and the needy. They can’t wait until the holy days and the Sabbath are so they can get back to work scamming the unsuspecting. And so there is judgment to be heard. It is time for mourning and sackcloth. God’s blessings will be removed and so famine and death will be in the land. The people "shall run to and fro, seeking the word of the Lord, but they will not find it" (Amos 8:12). It is too late. They go looking for this word from God, but they’re not willing to listen. The word is already present and they ignored it, as they bought off the poor with silver and the needy with a pair of sandals. Yes, there will be a famine, not only in terms of food, but also in the presence of God’s word.

From Amos, and his word of judgment, we turn to the Colossian letter with its glorious celebration of God’s revelation of God’s self in the in the one who bears God’s image, is the first born of creation, in whom all things were created and in whom all things hold together. What a glorious sight this is, so different from the gloom of Amos’s word. For the author of Colossians Christ is the head of the body (church), the first born of the dead – that is the pioneer of resurrection, in whom God dwells fully. It is he, through whom God reconciles all things, bringing an end to the judgment that stands upon the land. Those who were estranged are now reconciled. The natural outcome of this revelation is to become a servant of God, making known God’s word – yes that elusive word that Amos’ audience couldn’t seem to locate, it is now there for the taking. The mysteries of God that had been hidden, they’re now revealed. The reason, so that they might present everyone to God as mature in Christ.

Finally we arrive at the home of Martha, a home that is shared with a younger sister named Mary. Unlike in John’s gospel the sisters don’t seem to have a brother. It’s just the two of them, and they are blessed to host Jesus in their home. Martha, ever the good host, does what she can to make him comfortable and moves on to preparing a meal. All of this is quite appropriate. Hospitality is expected in that culture. I’m not sure whether Martha is pulling out all the stops, but she is concerned about making a good impression. Unfortunately, her sister has other interests and ideas, and she’s not present in the kitchen. Instead, she is sitting at the feet of the teacher. She’s listening, learning, hearing that revelation of the mysteries of God, that the author of Colossians reveled in.

Are we ready and able to choose the better part – the way of justice, the way of reconciliation, the way of God’s word – or are we too busy to care?

Also posted at the [D]mergent Blog.

Invictus -- Video Review

It is hard to believe that has been twenty years since Nelson Mandela was released from his long imprisonment on Robben Island, an event that would transform the nation of South Africa.  Not too long afterward, Mandela was elected President of the nation and faced the difficulty of uniting a very divided nation.  Whites feared retribution and loss of property and businesses that had been established during the long years of government directed Apartheid policies.  Blacks were angry at being denied their rights for so long, angry at having been imprisoned for their efforts to free themselves from bondage to a white minority government.

Clint Eastwood's movie, now out on DVD, Invictus, tells the story of Mandela's decision to use a rugby team's participation in a South Africa hosted World Cup Championship to unite the nation.  The movie, which stars Morgan Freeman as Mandela and Matt Damon as Springbok captain Francois Pienaar, portrays Mandela as being intent on bringing together a nation, understanding that the national rugby team, the Springboks were beloved by the Afrikaners, but hated by Blacks who saw them as poster children of apartheid.  It's revealed in the movie that Mandela, while on Robben Island, would root for whoever was playing against the Springboks, because this got under the skin of his guards.  More broadly, black South Africans as a whole rooted for whoever played against the Springboks as a sign of their protest against apartheid. 

According to the movie, Mandela believed that if the Afrikaners understood that they wouldn't lose their beloved team and that Blacks could embrace it, then there would be the first step toward reconciliation.  Pienaar, at least as portrayed in the movie, came from a middle-class Afrikaner family that detested the new president, in large part out of fear of what might happen.  Pienaar has his view of the world changed when the President invites him to tea.  They talk briefly about rugby, but the focus is on leadership.  After the meeting Pienaar realizes that Mandela not only wants the team to win the World Cup, but that he has been charged with helping lead a nation toward unity.

I realize that with any movie such as this there is artistic license and created dialog.  We don't know what exactly went through the minds of the primary actors, but we're helped to understand the process by which reconciliation was attempted, and that a rugby game, which was described in the movie as "a hooligans game played by gentlemen" could be the vehicle.

Freeman is masterful as Mandela, while Damon plays Pienaar with an understated dignity.  Both deserve their accolades.  But what struck me, besides this interplay between sports captain and president, was the interplay within Mandela's body guards.  Mandela brought with him the body guards that had protected him prior to his election, but now that he is president, the head of this unit realizes that he needs more staff, and receives that help in the form of several white police officers, men who had protected the previous president.  These officers represented all that the men in this unity hated about apartheid, but as the movie progresses these men come together and not only form a solid unit, but actually begin to develop a friendship.

The title of the movie, Invictus, stems from a Victorian poem written by William Henley, which according to the movie, sustained Mandela while in prison.  Shortly before the final championship match, Mandela gives Pienaar a hand written copy of the poem as an inspiration.  The last stanza of the poem is key:

It matters not how strait the gait, 

How charged with punishments the scroll,

I am the master of my fate:

I am the captain of my soul.

Pienaar hears this as a call to be the master of his own fate, even as Mandela had been of his.

As for the movie itself, it is well acted, well written, and tells an important story that many of us have let creep into the recesses of our minds.  What the movie does for us is provide an excellent opportunity to consider the question of reconciliation and forgiveness when the alienation is at its greatest.  We're reminded that this is not easy, nor that it comes quickly.  And, sometimes you need symbolic opportunities to come together to build relationships, such as a rugby match.   It is, a message whose time has come!  

Turning Back the Clock -- A Pentecost Sermon

Acts 2:1-21 and  Genesis 11:1-9


The story of the Tower of Babel is a rather odd one, and yet it sets the stage for the Pentecost story. In the Genesis story a group of people discovers how to make bricks, and they use them to build a city with a tower that reaches to the clouds. This discovery offers them the means to control their own destiny. Now, they can build walls to protect themselves from outsiders and ramparts that allow them to climb into the heavens and touch God.

We understand the need to protect ourselves from outsiders and the need to reach for the stars; both are part of human nature. What may seem odd to us is God viewing all of this as a threat. Apparently, as the story gets told, the Creator of the Universe is worried that if humanity gets the right tools and abilities, they might storm the very gates of heaven and take over. To keep them at bay, God decides to confuse their languages and scatter them across the land. This may all seem rather petty, but there is a message here about hubris, alienation, and reconciliation. When we read the story of Babel with that of Pentecost, we discover that what was confused is now redeemed.


1. THE PATH TO ALIENATION

Although we might struggle with the way Genesis describes God’s response to the Tower of Babel, this story reveals a distinctly human problem – that is, hubris. Hubris is the arrogant belief that there are no limits or boundaries, and we can do whatever we please, whenever we please, with no consequences. This includes controlling all of our relationships, including our relationship with God.

In the Wednesday Bible Studies, we’ve been talking about God’s will and sovereignty. There are some among us who struggle with this question, which isn’t surprising for Disciples. Our theological fore bearers resisted the Calvinist understanding of sovereignty and stressed human free will. Although it’s understandable that we would resist overly rigid ideas about divine sovereignty, we must be careful about pushing the pendulum the other way. If there are no limits and no rules, then we face the danger of falling into anarchy and confusion.

Examples of hubris are many. They range from the innocent showboating of a football player who allows himself to be caught just short of the goal line to the forces at work in the financial sector that led to the recent global financial meltdown. Then there’s the Gulf oil spill, which lead to the death of eleven workers will cause billions of dollars of damage to the environment and the industries that depend upon the Gulf – all because the ones drilling for the oil failed to observe the limits to their equipment.

This path to alienation is symbolized by the Babel story, but the problem starts much earlier in the Genesis story. Indeed, it starts when the Serpent suggests that by eating the forbidden fruit humanity would share in divine knowledge. There are dangers stemming from the desire to control our own destiny, and the destinies of others. The biggest danger is that it leads to alienation from God and from our neighbors. You see, if we think we’re in control, it’s likely that our desires will collide with those of our neighbors, and alienation sets in.



2. THE PATH OF RECONCILIATION

The path out of this dangerous situation, which is symbolized by the Babel story, leads us to the Pentecost story. In this story, which has become very familiar to church people, the people of God gather in an upstairs room for prayer, and as they pray the Spirit falls, and things change. From the mouths of this new people of God flow words of grace and healing in a multitude of languages. As a result, everyone in the neighborhood, no matter where they hailed from, understood the good news, and their confusion turned into understanding, and the alienation that separates one from God and neighbor began to dissipate. The Spirit becomes for them and for us a sort of universal translator – to borrow an image from Star Trek.

Pentecost is a natural response to Babel, but God began sorting things out and setting things right from the beginning of these times of trouble. He does this first of all by calling on Abraham and Sarah to be the means of blessing to the nations. Through his seed, we’re told, the nations of the world will be blessed. As Christians, we believe that this seed, through which the world will be blessed, is Jesus. Pentecost carries this message of reconciliation into the future, for with the birth of the church and the coming of the Spirit, the process of reconciliation is set in motion. That which was lost in the confusion of Babel, is now restored in Pentecost’s gift of languages.

We all know what happens when we’re confused and when communication falters. To overcome this disability, we seek ways of communicating.

There’s an episode of Star Trek: The Next Generation that illustrates how confusion can be overcome through the telling of stories. In an episode, called Darmok, Captain Picard finds himself alone on a deserted planet with the captain of an alien ship. The two captains face the dangers present on this planet, along with the possibility that their two ships could end up in battle. Although the universal translator allows for them to hear the words spoken, they still can’t communicate. You see the Tamarians use stories and metaphors to communicate, and in order to bridge the gap, Picard must find analogies and metaphors that carry the same meaning in his own language. Dathon continually speaks of "Darmok and Jalad at Tanagra," a story about two heroes joining forces to defeat an enemy. Picard isn’t able to understand the meaning of this reference, until he remembers an ancient Babylonian story, the Gilgamesh Epic. It is in this story that he finds the key that breaks down the language barrier. What we learn from this episode, is that if we’re willing to learn each other’s stories, we’ll find a bridge that leads to healing and hope. (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Darmok)

I don’t need to tell you that we face a world that’s full of confusion and even chaos. The world seems to be getting smaller because of air travel and communication devices, but we still find it difficult to understand and communicate with each other. We still struggle to find the words, the stories, and even the language that will help us bridge the gaps that lead to suspicion and anger.

While the Babel story speaks of confusion, the Pentecost story offers a way of reconciliation. With the coming of the Spirit, the barriers that divide human beings from each other begin to disappear. And as we allow the Spirit to work in our lives, then we become agents of reconciliation (2 Cor. 5:19-20). The Spirit provides the language so that we can build the bridge that will bring us together and allow us to work together – not so we can storm heaven and take over, but so we can experience the reign of God on earth as it is experienced in heaven.


3. BUILDING THE BRIDGE THAT CROSSES THE DIVIDE

The story of Babel is about people trying to find a way to touch God, but in a way that God deems inappropriate. Perhaps they weren’t ready or their motives were wrong. Whatever is the case, God put a stop to it. But with Pentecost God provides a bridge so that we can come as one people into God’s presence. Where reckless ambition once led to confusion, now trust in God brings reconciliation.

There’s something else interesting about the story of Babel. In building a city they would have built walls, and we build walls out of fear. In life fear results from a lack of knowledge, and a lack of knowledge begins with a failure to communicate. It’s fear that keeps us apart and leads to misunderstanding and misrepresentation.

Pentecost, on the other hand, celebrates the coming of the Spirit, who empowers the church to carry the message of God’s reconciling grace to the world. It’s a message that builds bridges across gender, ethnic, language, socio-economic, religious, and political divides. It allows us to listen to the voices of the other, and it does so because the Spirit of God is there to translate the many voices present in our world.

Babel is about arrogance, but hearing God’s voice in the stories of others requires humility. It takes humility to recognize that we don’t have all the answers to life’s questions, and that God might choose to speak in ways we don’t expect, and which we can’t control. But if we trust in God, and let the Spirit move in our midst then we’ll begin to hear God speaking to us, and maybe God will speak to others through us. And the means by which this happens is the stories that we tell about God’s reconciling love and presence in our lives. May we truly hear these stories of grace and love and take them to heart, so that we might experience reconciliation and healing.


Preached by:
Dr. Robert D. Cornwall
Pastor, Central Woodward Christian Church (Disciples of Christ)
Troy, Michigan
Pentecost Sunday
May 23, 2010

The Galilean Secret -- Review

 THE GALILEAN SECRET: A Novel. By Evan Drake Howard. New York: Guideposts Books, 2010. 444 pages.

What would happen if someone found an authentic letter written by Jesus of Nazareth? What would it say? And how would impact our lives? That is essentially the question raised in this novel written by an American Baptist pastor and first time novelist. The book carries strong advance praise by such luminaries as Harvey Cox, Richard Rohr, and Joseph Girzone, persons who find in it a message of hope. And, indeed, that is the intent of the book – it is a message that seeks to bring together those who are estranged, including Jew, Christian and Muslim.

Drake seeks to emulate some of the mystery of Dan Brown’s The Da Vinci Code, without Brown’s skepticism. Like The Da Vinci Code part of the plot centers around Jesus’ relationship with Mary Magdalene, though in this novel the two are neither married nor sexually intimate. And yet there is a special relationship envisioned, one that gives occasion for this most priceless of letters.

In laying out the book, Howard alternates a first century narrative with a modern day narrative. In the ancient narrative, we see the gospel stories expanded. In this part of the story, Jesus has deep feelings for Mary, but decides that his mission necessitates celibacy. As he wrestles with his own feelings, he comes to an understanding of humanity that would revolutionize human existence. But Jesus and Mary aren’t the only characters in this plot line. Besides them there is Nicodemus the wise follower from within the Jewish power structure. There are the disciples, but they play a rather muted role. There are Zealots, led by Barabbas, and there is Judas. Somewhat like Jesus Christ Superstar, Judas plays a significant role.

In this telling of the story, Judas is a scoundrel who hangs with the Zealots. At one point he becomes attracted to the message of Jesus, or at least sees Jesus as a means to an end. Judas is money hungry – as often portrayed in the gospels and extra-biblical literature. But, in this novel, he’s also a bit of a lusty fellow. First he takes a shine to Judith – a significant fictional character in the novel – but she rejects his advances. She is, after all, the wife of another of the Zealots. Later, as he comes into contact with Jesus, he takes a shine to Mary. In fact, he even has a rather intimate encounter with Mary, who is feeling rejected by Jesus. You see, everyone has read the letter of Jesus to Mary, except Mary. But ultimately, she rejects Judas. In the end, Judas will betray Jesus, in large part because of jealousy of Jesus. But, then guilt gets the better of him and he commits suicide, but not before hiding a note explaining his betrayal in a cave in Gethsemane.

Jesus doesn’t really play a major role in the novel – except as the author of the letter. Howard intersperses Jesus’ sayings throughout the novel, borrowing from all of the gospels, but with a special focus on John’s gospel. The important piece, the one that will revolutionize everything is this secret letter, a letter that will later get hidden in a cave at Qumran.

This ancient plot line is accompanied by a modern one that includes a Muslim student named Karim, a Jewish peace activist named Rachel (along with brother Ezra, a Commander in the Israeli Defense Force), Brother Gregory, an expert in Aramaic, and a rather nasty archaeologist. This plot line starts with Karim, running away from his father’s Palestinian Militia and stumbling upon a scroll, that turns out to be a letter from Jesus to Mary. Spotted by the archaeologist, who tries to kill him in order to get the manuscript, which he believes belongs to him, he flees and gets caught up in a Palestinian protest, where he his wounded by IDF bullets, but is rescued by Rachel. The rescue leads to more chases and a new love story – a forbidden love story. This part of the story is full of chases, intrigue, and attempts to understand the revolutionary nature of this letter, which offers hope of peace among all peoples. I’ll leave the rest of the story for the reader to discover.

And what is this revolutionary message? Well, it seems that Jesus discovered that the key to happiness and peace is reconciling the feminine with the masculine within us. Yes, Jesus discovers his feminine side, and by bringing it to the fore his life is transformed – including his feelings for Mary. We can have the same sense of peace, if we too will affirm the feminine within us, and bring the masculine and the feminine into alignment.

As you can tell from the way I’ve laid this out, I’ve got problems with this line of thinking. It’s not that I have an issue with reconciling the feminine with the masculine, I just can’t find any strains of this in Jesus’ own thought. Howard seems to want to bring modern psychological theory into the teaching of Jesus, which just doesn’t seem to fit. Why one might ask, if this is such a revolutionary idea do we not see any hint of it in the gospel accounts? I’m not sure how this secret message found in a letter to Mary will bring Jew, Christian, and Muslim together in peace? The book is hopeful and calls for our attention to the message of Jesus. I’m just not sure that the message of the fictional letter either accomplishes the mission, nor does it sound all that like Jesus. It has gnostic elements to it, though Howard makes it clear that he’s neither a gnostic nor does he want to present a gnostic message. He’s trying to offer a middle ground.

As I conclude the review I must confess that I’m not much a reader of novels, so that may color my take. I found the book much too long and the plot lines too complicated. There are too many characters being developed so you find it difficult to follow the train of thought. The second confession is that my historian sensibilities kicked in, and so I wanted his Jesus to fit with my conception of Jesus as derived from the gospels. I don’t mind the speculations on whether Jesus had feelings for Mary, but I’m not sure I tracked well with his interpretations.

But, any one willing to offer hope of reconciliation between Muslim, Jew, and Christian deserves some attention.   So check this out.