I was scrolling down the list of blogs that I read regularly, and I stopped on a post by Peter Rollins. He’s a Jesus follower, writer and teacher. Imagine my surprise to read the following:

Without equivocation or hesitation I fully and completely admit that I deny the resurrection of Christ.

Then I continued to read:

I deny the resurrection of Christ every time I do not serve at the feet of the oppressed, each day that I turn my back on the poor; I deny the resurrection of Christ when I close my ears to the cries of the downtrodden and lend my support to an unjust and corrupt system.

However there are moments when I affirm that resurrection, few and far between as they are. I affirm it when I stand up for those who are forced to live on their knees, when I speak for those who have had their tongues torn out, when I cry for those who have no more tears left to shed.

I love his honesty as he cuts right to the substance of “belief.” I confess: me, too. I am often led about by fears or preoccupied with myself, because I either don’t believe in the resurrection or just don’t get it.

My intention is not to set off any reader’s guilt reflex. I don’t think much lasting good has ever been accomplished on the basis of guilt and obligation. But I’m convinced that if we accept Love and Resurrection (not merely cognitively or accepting the words, but if we experience these as realities we can base our lives on), then we will be transformed from deep within. We will no longer lead lives of fear and quiet desperation, but we will have the freedom to express our truest selves.

(Note: I updated this post with the full quote and these reflections. Then I edited what I wrote, so sorry if it seems to keep changing. I’ll leave it alone now, and I’d love to continue a discussion in the comments.)

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