http://www.faithfulphillyforum.org/2006/10/07/19/ Walking the Talk in Philadelphia: A Ministry of the Christian Association at the University of Pennsylvania Thu, 20 Nov 2008 14:02:28 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.3 http://www.faithfulphillyforum.org/2006/10/07/19/#comment-10 Jeff Draine Thu, 12 Oct 2006 05:46:26 +0000 http://www.faithfulphillyforum.org/2006/10/07/19/#comment-10 I've always thought the way we sometimes talk about "that of God" that there is a twinge of heresy about it. No, I'm not talking about it being time to stoke the fires at the stake for Elizabeth here--but rather an opportunity to be aware of how an attractive idea may lead us into thinking we are little gods--when the intent may be otherwise. There is that of God--but also a big hunk of us still in there. How do we discern which is driving the way we see things, particularly the way we see others (as is pointed out here)? So, more to the point--when do we see that of God in Kim Jong Il? Osama bin Laden? A milkman in Lancaster? George W. Bush? What really brings me to the point where that may be possible (and I do say may be... I can't be certain) is not the idea of God as acting as a part of me--but that I continue to wrestle with the fact that I depend on God to see me with grace--the same God that looks upon my most personal enemy with grace. Even when I can't see that of God in another--I have to come to God with the humility that I may never know what that of God looks like in the other. So when we act in violence, do we kill God in the other? Or is it more imporant to think that we deny that of God in ourselves? I’ve always thought the way we sometimes talk about “that of God” that there is a twinge of heresy about it. No, I’m not talking about it being time to stoke the fires at the stake for Elizabeth here–but rather an opportunity to be aware of how an attractive idea may lead us into thinking we are little gods–when the intent may be otherwise. There is that of God–but also a big hunk of us still in there. How do we discern which is driving the way we see things, particularly the way we see others (as is pointed out here)? So, more to the point–when do we see that of God in Kim Jong Il? Osama bin Laden? A milkman in Lancaster? George W. Bush? What really brings me to the point where that may be possible (and I do say may be… I can’t be certain) is not the idea of God as acting as a part of me–but that I continue to wrestle with the fact that I depend on God to see me with grace–the same God that looks upon my most personal enemy with grace. Even when I can’t see that of God in another–I have to come to God with the humility that I may never know what that of God looks like in the other. So when we act in violence, do we kill God in the other? Or is it more imporant to think that we deny that of God in ourselves?

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