Why?
It's a rare, but in my mind a kick a** position.
You see most Christian progressives (or liberals if you will) have what is called a "high anthropology" meaning that they think quite highly of human beings and what we are capable of all on our own. In other words, those with a high anthropology will perhaps say things like "all the truth you need to know is inside of yourself" or "we aren't bad sinful creatures, but are co-creators with God" to which I find myself thinking "what the hell planet are you from?, because here on Earth people just aren't that frickin' good...just read the paper or watch pretty much anything on the WB....we're NOT GOD...clearly.
As a good Lutheran I have what is called a "low anthropology". In other words I think that we are sinful depraved people in need of God's grace. Why do I believe this? Several reasons.
1) I know myself...pretty well
2) I take in the news
3) I have children. I didn't actually believe in original sin until I had kids, and I'm still not convinced, but now am sure that if humans are left unguided and undisciplined let me tell you...it ain't pretty.
4) I know other people
5) Did I mention that I know myself?...thoughts, words and deeds, what I have done and what I have left undone? Yeah, that's the best evidence. Slam dunk really.
Ok, so does that mean that I do evil shit all the time? No. Does it mean that I am some sort of demon child? Not most days. What it does mean is that the good in me and the good that I am able to do is as a result of God's always radical choice to use the broken and unlikely to do God's work in the world and not as a result of my own shiny soul. There is no true altruism, at least for me. I can't do a pure fucking thing to save my life. This is actually very hopeful. It means that there is a source from which I came and from which I draw and that source, unlike me, is endless. If my ability to "be good" is reliant only on my own goodness then I'm screwed. There is so much freedom in the fact that God and not myself is my source. However, to be a bit circular in my logic, I am still a broken person who inevitably will try and rely on self and not on God and will once again screw things up and be in need of God's grace which in always and already, just sittin' there waiting for me to realize it.
Still, I believe that we are made in the image of God and are Children of the Most High, but like all children we seldom know what's best for us and we need discipline.
As Luther said- we're a bit like snow covered dung - we look good but still smell like sh*t.
.
Re: #3 -- my mother says the same thing...
Posted by: towanda | July 21, 2007 at 03:17 PM
As a humanist I tend to believe, not that humans are basically good, but that humans are capable of being good. It is because of the fact that we turn our back on this capability that we need Christ's intervention in our history.
Posted by: MadPriest | July 21, 2007 at 11:59 PM
Once again, you hit the nail on the head - thank you. Wonder what Luther would say about all the angels that are in all these toilet paper ads?
Posted by: becky garrison | July 22, 2007 at 10:32 AM
Yes, yes, yes. Exactly. Thanks.
Posted by: lj | July 23, 2007 at 06:22 PM
Outstanding Post! Absolutely Outstanding!!!!!!
Posted by: Jason Emerson | July 25, 2007 at 06:14 AM
I am totally depraved.
Posted by: Matt Rees | July 28, 2007 at 02:53 AM
I just found your blog, but I love it!
If humanism really worked, don't you think that a few thousand years would be enough to "get it right?" If humanism worked, so would communism, and we have seen how well that works!
Thanks for your refreshing insights.
P.S. Where did you go to seminary?
Posted by: Benton | August 01, 2007 at 07:02 AM
So I really wanna talk more wih you about low anthropology and progressive theology and how I can make some semblance of sense out of the two, cos I think I'm with you Nadia I really do. And when the UU's find out, they're gonna be pissed. But I've been playing around with the idea of grace SO MUCH these days . . .and really I fucking love it. I wrote a piece for my friend Dylan's zine ("Please Forgive Me for Judging You") and though I didn't expect it to, it totally turned into some wrestling with these concepts. Its on the blog, along with a piece I wrote about religion and my dad. I'm including both in he forthcoming paper zine. I miss you even though I never see you when you are in Denver. Rock the midwest!
Posted by: Andie | August 08, 2007 at 09:22 AM
Great thoughts, thank you from al fellow Lutheran who enjoys occasional sarcasm. My favourite scripture about this is Jeremiah 17:9. For years I thought this was too negative. Now I know myself better.
Posted by: Peter | August 09, 2007 at 06:17 AM
Great post!
Posted by: Rich/Luthsem | August 16, 2007 at 07:21 PM
I just found your blog, and it immediately became one of my new favorites. Thank you so much for your insightful posts...
Posted by: jennifer | August 19, 2007 at 08:53 PM
welcome jennifer!
Posted by: Nadia | August 20, 2007 at 03:59 AM