A Curious Thing to Ask

A friend of mine is the pastor at All Souls Bethlehem Congregation in Brooklyn, New York. His congregation is a mix of the UUA, UCC, and Disciples of Christ. In a sermon he recently preached, he recounts the question of a recent visit to a church member. My friend recounted the question this way in a sermon he put online:

"I can’t write, but if I could, I would write a book asking the question: ‘What kind of religion would you have if Jesus wasn’t killed?’" What a courageous thing for a parishioner to say to his minister!

Now this IS a courageous thing indeed to not only ask a minister, but to ask in general. I have actually thought of several witty responses (witty as I understand witty, that is); it is a good question to ask, especially during the Lenten season (when this question was recounted to my friend's congregation).

The more I think about what this parishioner asks, the more I ask the same question and then begin asking other questions. What kind of religion would we have if Jesus wasn't killed? How would our concept of God change is we look at his death as the result of his living rather than the fulfillment of something else entirely?

Asking questions is good for the soul, for it challenges us to think and rethink our claims, whether spiritual or theological in nature, it is also a good exercise of our faith. I will have to keep this question for the next Lenten season.