Teaching religion in our local pub!

I studied religious studies and art in school.

Someone asked me yesterday, “you study religion and art, what is the essence of christianity in three words”.

“Union with Jesus.” were my best summation in three words. Nice challenge. To the degree christians are “in Christ” they are useful and fulfilling their faith, and are useful to the world, bearing the fruits of His Spirit. Otherwise, people get stuck in their own cultural expression or reaction to “the christian tradition”, which is not necessarily the actual Life of Christ, but is often counterfeit christianity (religious spirit).

True Christians have daily encounters with Jesus, so start to act as He did while on earth, and continues to.

 I appreciate when people want to crystallize things. Compared to most religions, Christianity is less about complex practices-following many laws- and more about union and intimacy with it’s Source-it’s a relational religion. It’s a religion of close proximity and intimacy with Jesus. It’s also a religion of constant confession into thanks into praise. One in which you are constantly reminded of your own brokenness and potential excellence. “We are simultaneously very ugly and extremely beautiful”, as one saint put it.

 The actual spirituality of christianity is about daily union with Jesus and what He is up to, not just in us, but in the world. People do this through prayer, study and fellowship. But basically what separates cultural christianity (or mere religion) from His True Friends, is about those who actually know and love Him, hang out with Him. and are allowing themselves to be transformed by and into His Nature.

Everything is fundamentally focused on being “in Him”. It’s primary practices (praxis) are prayer, study and fellowship with others growing in Jesus, and serving those in need.

Jesus own spirituality was prayer, study, fellowship with His Father and then service to others from that communion.

They also asked me, what is the most important practice in Christianity? What was Jesus’ personal spirituality in one word? “Prayer” was my one word answer. He only did what He saw the father doing because He prayed often. Then study, fellowship and serving others. Nice to be challenged on the essences.

 They went on, if He had one sermon, what was it? “Love God, love others”, in that order. I love having to compress a whole religions into three to four word answers. I appreciated my friend’s challenge. It’s like the question, “what is art?” thankfully he didn’t ask me that, as my answer is far too long for one afternoon.

 I love it when you are sitting at a cafe, and people come and ask deep questions suddenly, and you have to be on. Life is cool, it does come at you! When i think about compressing an entire religion into three words, for some reason it makes me happy to try! Fun talking religion at my local pub anyway!

If you take religious practice and immerse it in—doing only what Jesus is doing. We are the ones who take on His spirituality. We don’t really have our own spiritual practices, we have His. Basically true Christians are engulfed and borrowing Jesus’ spirituality. It’s a religion of union. It’s a religion which exist between The Son and the Father. We are caught up in their communion.