beloved-of-john

[beloved-of-john]

The Parable of the Mustard Seed (icon)

“Jesus put before them another parable: "The kingdom of heaven is like a mustard seed that someone took and sowed in his field; it is the smallest of seeds, but when it has grown it is the greatest of shrubs and becomes a tree, so that the birds of the air come and rest in its branches." -Matthew 13:31-32

Recent icon of this passage by Kelly Latimore:

+++

Commenary by Kelly Latimore:

Jesus' parables are one of the ways Jesus trains his disciples. The parables, like the sermon on the mount, have always been crucial for the church to imagine the kind of community it is called to be. We discover again and again that Jesus' parables significance points to everyday life. The parables are meant to be lived.

The original audience may have been perplexed by this story. They would have known that no-one would intentionally plant a mustard shrub. In fact, the Jewish Mishnah forbade the growing of mustard seeds in the garden because they were 'useless annoying weeds'. In the Hebrew Scriptures the "birds of the air" can be a reference to Gentiles/Non-Jews, the foreigner.

This parable suggests that the kingdom of heaven is available to everyone. Even those who may be considered outsiders or not "Worthy". Jesus is calling us to see the significance in the insignificant. The parables of the kingdom of heaven make clear that the kingdom of heaven is not "up there". Through the parables Jesus is teaching us to "be for the world the material reality of the kingdom of heaven brought down to earth." As Jesus is himself the parable of the father so the church is meant to be the parable of Christ. A people in space and time welcoming the outcast, the foreigner, and the stranger. These kind of communities will look like unwanted weeds to the world, or even to other christians. However, this may be exactly the church Jesus is asking us to embody. Prints, Digital Downloads, and Calendars available All of the birds in this icon are native to the Holy Land. Birds in the icon: Palestine Sunbird, Scrub Warbler, Common Rosefinch, Laughing dove, Barn Swallow, House Sparrow, Fire-Fronted Serin, Red- Rumped Swallow, Rufous-tailed Scrub Robin, Woodchat Shrike, European Greenfinch, Tree Pipit, Nubian Nightjar, Northern Wheatear, Green Bee Eater, Eurasian Golden Oriole, European Roller, Eurasian Jay, Great Tit, Hooded Crow, Eurasian Blackbird, Common Chiffchaff, Rock Bunting, Crested Lark, and White Spectacled Bulbul.  https://www.facebook.com/photo/?fbid=1006593093924270&set=a.437194030864182 https://www.facebook.com/kellylatimoreicons

#iconography #christianity #progressive christianity #parables #parables of jesus #parable of the mustard seed #christian art

[beloved-of-john]

"A glance at the index to the Summa Theologica will show that everything, not only in [St. Thomas Aquinas's] theology, but his philosophy too, is centered in God. Spinoza's philosophy has a similar orientation, and so must every complete system of doctrine, for in God is to be found the ultimate explanation of the whole of knowledge.

All our ideas begin & end with God. All explanation is by universal principles, and ultimately by the First Principle. He who does not see as far as God is shortsighted, however far he may see, and he who does not view things from as far away as God is too near to see them fully.

To refer things to God is the only way to put them in true perspective and thereby to understand t hem aright. We cannot determine the essence, limits, or proportions of anything without this reference to the Supreme Being."

-A. G. Sertillanges, OP, Thomas Aquinas - Scholar, Poet, Mystic, Saint

#religion #christainity #aquinas #thomas aquinas #sertillanges #theology #christian theology #theism #god

[beloved-of-john]

does your url come from the Sufjan Stevens song or is that wishful thinking on my part bc I love his music lol

It is in fact from the Sufjan Stevens song! :)

#sufjan stevens #john my beloved #carrie and lowell #queer christian #christianity #jesus

[beloved-of-john]

How do I be cool like Jesus Christ

Be kind

#wolfy religious tedtalks #christianity #jesus christ

[beloved-of-john]

person from the Christian family question, thank you so much

No problem at all, God bless you ❤️

[beloved-of-john]

I’ve just been outed to my very unsupportive Christian family. Do you have any advice?

Hi there, as my immediate family aren't Christian, I'm afraid I don't have any advice to give from personal experience.

I did find this resource page from the Queer Theology podcast on how to deal with unaffirming friends and families. The Queer Theology podcast is quite well known and highly rated among LGBTQ Christians. There are some articles, podcast episodes, videos and other resources on that page on how to deal with unsupportive families. I hope some of them help you!

#christianity #queer christian #gay christian #trans christian #queer christianity #lgbtq christian #progressive christianity #being outed #queer theology podcast #queer theology #unsupportive family

[beloved-of-john]

God took the woman from Adams side

but not side like rib

side like the side of a mountain

God split the first human in half

perhaps one side larger than the other

but of equal flesh

and told them not to eat the fruit in the center of the garden

and then the snake came

he said "you can be like God"

making it literally the oldest trick in the book

"you can be beautiful" says the makeup company

implying that you are not already

but you see when the human was alone they were lonely

and lesser beings could not satiate that longing

and the human was made in God's image

you were made in God's image

and God had such a desire too, in the beginning

but not after the human

God is content with you

with your companionship

"you can be like God"

says the serpent

and the true fall

was that you ever believed

that was not

already

the case

#liberation theology #queer theology #theology #christian theology #christianity #garden of eden #genesis #genesis 1

[beloved-of-john]

today’s verse ✨

“And the peace of God, which passeth all understanding, shall keep your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus.”

‭‭Philippians‬ ‭4‬:‭7‬ ‭KJV‬‬

#christianity #scripture #bible #bible verse #biblical scripture #kjv

[beloved-of-john]

Hi! :)

Since you're a progressive christian, I wanted to ask you what you think about eternal damnation (or Hell) as a concept? Is believing in Hell a part of your faith personally? if it is, how does it work (who goes there and why people go there)? As a fellow spiritual & God-believing person (not a christian though, I lean towards religious pluralism), I'd love to hear your thoughts.

Hi! Thank you for asking :) It's a complicated question, and my view on the question of Hell is also complicated. I'm still figuring out what exactly I believe about it, and of course I'm only one person and one with no theological training so I may be wrong on any number of counts, so I'm afraid my answer may not be very satisfying. But I'll try my best!

(Bear in mind of course that these are only my beliefs and ideas)

Firstly, I think the Bible is fairly clear that the segregation of souls' location based on virtue does not occur until Judgement Day and the Second Coming of Christ. A place called Sheol, or its Greek name Hades, is present throughout the Bible, and is less a place like Hell and more simply the realm of the dead. Sheol is also referred to as the depths or the bowels of the Earth. I assume this is where we go while awaiting Judgement Day, although I don't know whether to interpret it as a literal spiritual realm or rather bodies returning to the earth (though I tend to lean towards the latter personally). I think our bodies return to the earth, "dust to dust". What happens to our souls during this time I'm not sure, although I think maybe they rest with Christ until Judgement in a kind of dormant state.

Then after an unknowable time Christ raises the dead and all humans are judged. At this point I do believe in some form of Hell, but I think a person would have to be unquestionably evil to be sent there. Those that commit murder, torture, r*pe, and things of that severity. I do believe in damnation, but not an eternal one.

I'm quite inspired by Saint Julian of Norwich and I believe that her divine revelation was true. I believe all things will one day be reconciled to God. All living things are of God and I don't believe any living being can remain separated from Him forever. I personally think that a person's soul that has been marred by true evil will be wiped clean before being returned to God.

So those are my thoughts! I personally believe that judgement and damnation are necessary, but ultimately, "all shall be well".

#christianity #progressive christianity #christian theology #judgement #judgement day #damnation #hell #julian of norwich #theology #progressive christian #queer christian #christian faith #religion #afterlife #faith

[beloved-of-john]

Death abolished

#christianity #jesus christ #crucifixion #resurrection #christian art

[beloved-of-john]

Cover detail of a book about John the Baptist with the illustration by Jan Henryk Rosen, 1934.

#john the baptist #st john the baptist #christianity #biblical figures #biblical art #bible #biblical scripture

[beloved-of-john]

Happy Saint George's Day!

Today we celebrate the feast of Saint George, which is significant for many reasons, not least because he is the patron saint of my country. Happy birthday England? 🏴󠁧󠁢󠁥󠁮󠁧󠁿

However, it's important when we turn to him as an inspiration and patron, that we aspire to the values he really represents. St. George has often been co-opted as a military figure, but it's worth remembering that he was put to death by the Roman army for criticising the cruelty of the emperor and for refusing to give up his faith and beliefs. He gave all his money to the poor before being sent to be tortured.

Even the legend of St. George and the dragon was not about seeing violence in itself as virtuous, but rather about fighting to save a town suffering drought and a woman facing violence, fighting for the health and freedom of others.

Saint George was indeed a soldier, but he was a soldier of Christ. Let us honour him for his devotion to the way of Christ and pray for a little of that great courage in our own lives.

A prayer for Saint George (taken from bookofheaven.dom)

St. George, Heroic Catholic soldier and defender of your Faith, you dared to criticize a tyrannical Emperor and were subjected to horrible torture.

You could have occupied a high military position but you preferred to die for your Lord.

Obtain for us the great grace of heroic Christian courage that should mark soldiers of Christ.

Amen.

#christianity #st george #st george's day #saint george #Saint George's Day #christian saints #christian faith #martyrs #christian martyrs #saints days #patron saint

[beloved-of-john]

When I feed the hungry, they call me a saint. When I ask why people are hungry, they call me a Communist.

- Hélder Câmara, Brazilian archbishop and Servant of God, as quoted in Peace Behind Bars: A Peacemaking Priest's Journal from Jail (1995) by John Dear.

#christianity #catholicism #true christianity #christian charity #1234 eat the rich feed the poor #hélder câmara

[beloved-of-john]

Moses & Pharaoh Rameses

I love the relationship between them. Their strong will and delicate feelings are beautiful.

#prince of egypt #the prince of egypt #moses #ramses ii #biblical figures #christianity #old testament

[beloved-of-john]

The Ateshgah Fire Temple in Azerbaijan, a Zoroastrian holy site for hundreds of years

#non Christian post #zoroastrianism #ahura mazda #places of worship #i love zoroastrianism

[beloved-of-john]

Make no mistake: if he rose at all It was as His body; If the cell’s dissolution did not reverse, the molecule reknit, The amino acids rekindle, The Church will fall.

It was not as the flowers, Each soft spring recurrent; It was not as His Spirit in the mouths and fuddled eyes of the Eleven apostles; It was as His flesh; ours.

The same hinged thumbs and toes The same valved heart That—pierced—died, withered, paused, and then regathered Out of enduring Might New strength to enclose.

Let us not mock God with metaphor, Analogy, sidestepping, transcendence, Making of the event a parable, a sign painted in the faded Credulity of earlier ages: Let us walk through the door.

The stone is rolled back, not papier-mache, Not a stone in a story, But the vast rock of materiality that in the slow grinding of Time will eclipse for each of us The wide light of day.

And if we have an angel at the tomb, Make it a real angel, Weighty with Max Planck’s quanta, vivid with hair, opaque in The dawn light, robed in real linen Spun on a definite loom.

Let us not seek to make it less monstrous, For our own convenience, our own sense of beauty, Lest, awakened in one unthinkable hour, we are embarrassed By the miracle, And crushed by remonstrance.

John Updike, Seven Stanzas at Easter

#christianity #jesus christ #resurrection #christian theology

[beloved-of-john]

Every time I have ever found God it has been from a group of outsiders.

Every picture of God that has ever looks like him has been made by people who never saw a Jesus that looked like themselves

I have never felt more at home than when listening to a gay person talk about God. I have never understood someone better than the lesbian Catholics who love to veil, or the transgender episcoples who see their transition as an opportunity to share in God's creation, or anyone who found God and then carved their own way to him.

When I sit in chapel, and the worship music feels like noise, I know there is a hymn being sung with a shaking voice that sounds just like Christ calling out for his father. When I see lessons written in script, I know there are sheets of construction paper printed in stock fonts on a family's kitchen table sent home from Sunday school teaching the same. When I get a hand out with Bible verses bought from Amazon, I know that someone has written the same verse in craft glue and collage and their blood.

I think God is present the most when the process of finding him is distinctly human; because I think he knows us, and makes the way he finds us human.

#yes yes yes #god is a god of outcasts #christianity #queer christian #trans christian #queer christianity #christian faith #faith