Hell, Worship, and Not Being in Love

Several items with a HT to Bill Kinnon at Achievable Ends. First is a quote that is on the masthead at Boar's Head Tavern. I have to admit that the last two sentences are far more interesting than they may first appear.

“The gates of Hell will not prevail against you.” As an adolescent, I understood that to mean that the demons and fiery darts of the devil will not hit us. But lately I’ve done a little more thinking and praying, and I have a bit more insight on the idea of “gates.” Gates are not offensive weapons. Gates are defensive—walls and fences we build to keep people out. God is not saying the gates of hell will not prevail as they come at us. God is saying that we are in the business of storming the gates of hell, and the gates will not prevail as we crash through them with grace.
--Shane Claiborne at Boar's Head Tavern

Yes, what a concept. Gates are defensive. They are there to keep people out, as around a mansion, or in, as at a jail or hell. Hell is what we as followers of Jesus are pushing against. The gates of hell were broken by Jesus not to get in, but to get others out. It reminds me of the quote from Winston Churchill, "If you find yourself going through hell, just keep going!" Such is the power Jesus promises when grace is at work.

Somehow or another this connected with the following two quotes dealing with worship. First was one from Professor Stackhouse that challenged the sugary-sweet Jesus and me theology of so much contemporary Christian singing.

First, I’m not in love with Jesus. The locution “in love with” is one I reserve for one person only: my wife. I love my sons, I love my siblings and parents, I love my friends, I love my country, I love my brothers and sisters in Christ, and I love God. But I’m not “in love” with any of them. And I daresay most of the rest of us use this phrase in exactly the same, highly-restrictive way. --Professor John Stackhouse

He goes on to take the idea of being in love with Jesus apart, theological limb by theological limb. I don't agree with everything he says or some of the places he takes it, but this part of the idea is solid. We aren't talking about that kind of relationship. Yes, I know the mystics use that language a lot. Yes, I am familiar with the Song of Solomon. But there is a huge chasm between what they say about the intimacy of life with God in Christ and some molasses-based chorus. Theresa of Avila and Solomon's bride and groom images are downright scary because they expect a closeness and a commitment and a power that I am afraid to give.

But then came this quote:

"One reason why we Christians argue so much about which hymn to sing, which liturgy to follow, which way to worship is that the commandments teach us to believe that bad liturgy eventually leads to bad ethics. You begin by singing some sappy, sentimental hymn, then you pray some pointless prayer, and the next thing you know you have murdered your best friend."
--Stanley Hauerwas quoted by Bill Kinnon

Wow. Hauerwas, as usual, can put it to you.

Note: One of the things in Professor Stackhouse's post was his reaction to speak of being in love with another man as giving him "the homoerotic creeps."another man. Voyageur at (e)Mergent Voyageurs had a good reponse to it, challenging Professor Stackhouse's use of that phrase. I have to agree. But I think it points out one of the problems that we may have had with men relating to Jesus. That homophobia is deep and sadly pervasive. What a shame.