by Rev. Pressley Sutherland

When I was in seminary, one of my professors said that when we think of early Christianity, it is more accurate to think of early Christianities. I wonder what would happen if we thought in these terms today----a world full of Christianities.

Jesus set in motion a great human/God experiment. In his body, life, teaching, deeds, death and resurrection, he set a course for us to find a life-giving relationship with our Creator. Extraordinary principles of grace and visions of an egalitarian realm were left for us to flesh out in our own times. Jesus did not write a new holiness code or purity code, detailed dos and don’ts of daily life and practice. Instead, he said (to paraphrase,) “There will be a Spirit which will know what is right for you and your times. Listen to Her, even though you can’t predict when She will come and where She will go.” Christ anointed us as friends, launching us into the flow of faith with trust in us to experiment with the Way, the Truth and the Life that He embodies. When we think of the great freedom and honour we have been given to undertake this human/God experiment, the concept of Christianities becomes a term of exciting possibilities.

The flow of life from our Creator is likened to a river, to living water, in scripture. Imagine, if you will, a great waterfall like Mosi-oa-Tunya (the Smoke that Thunders)/Victoria Falls on the Zambezi River. Imagine it falling with bands of colour as distinct as a rainbow. As the river continues on its way, side-by-side the different colour-streams flow, swirl and diverge around boulders, fallen trees, and islands according to the geography through which the river flows. Sometimes certain colours will get caught up in whirlpool patterns or nearly stop moving in the depths of a bend. Other times, certain colour-currents will become powerful rapids with the force to alter stones. One river, very different courses for each portion of it. 

It is my experience that people and groups take on certain colours as part of recognisable currents within the river of the God/human relationship initiated in Christ. Sometimes we stay within one colour stream or group all of our lives, other times we seem to be drawn into another part of the flow by the Spirit. I am not sure if Christ ever meant for us to live one type of Christianity. If we define Christianity as a designed current of faith inspired by Jesus of Nazareth, the idea that there have been and will be many Christianities may take the pressure off us to see our differing ideas and practices in competition. The understanding of “one body, one faith, one baptism”, becomes a principle of unitive origin, flow, and interdependence which does not advocate for a singular current of practice, intellectual development, or colour of expression.  The word “one” is as easily defined as encompassing the breadth of wholeness as it is a singular number set apart from other multiples. 

How refreshing and liberating it could be to find that the orthodox histories we are usually taught are not at all reflective of the wildly differing ways people have understood and lived out the gospel of Christ. How humbling and empowering to learn that this great God/human experiment is not always easy, is sometimes disorientating, and as marked by our misguided attempts as it is the magnificent moments when we seem be as wide, deep and spectacular as the flow of Life and Love itself.

Perhaps it would be a good meditative practice this week to ask for the Spirit to show you what colour of the flow you might be living these days if you are open to her possibilities. Take the time to listen and see with all of your self without trying to influence what you may receive. When you begin to sense it, pay attention to the feelings it brings up in your body, your heart, and any images, names or people you may see in your mind’s eye. Would you name your colour as peaceful, healing, righteously angry, forgiving, happy, lovely, sad, wise, quiet, etc…? When you begin to name the Spirit’s impressions, mine the riches of your knowing, your community and your Christ origins with your impressions in mind. Experiment with incorporating whatever resonates from these sources creatively in your daily life as guiding principles and practices. Do something original if need be, unlike anyone else’s ‘Christian’ practice. No one else needs to know (unless you are bursting with enthusiasm to share a good thing you’ve found!) Have courage, don’t be afraid to sing a new song or to be honest that an old one still needs singing! Trust as Jesus asked us to trust. The Spirit will chart our courses well, especially when we jump out into the flow with faith and the willingness to experiment.