The Offense
The funny thing about creating this post highlighting Kierkegaard’s piece called “The Offense” is that I had a very hard time thinking of an example of Christianity – in the sense of humble obedience to Jesus – being offensive in the world today. Christianity – in the sense of stuff church people do and protest and stand for – was easy, but not obedience to Jesus. Even the way Christians talk about, protect, and serve the poor has gotten way sideways – but that’s for another time.
From Soren Kierkegaard
The Offense
When Christianity came into the world, it did not need to call attention (even though it did so) to the fact that it was contrary to human nature and human understanding, for the world discovered that easily enough. But now that we are on intimate terms with Christianity, we must awaken the collision. The possibility of offense must again be preached to life. Only the possibility of offense (the antidote to the apologists’ sleeping potion) is able to waken those who have fallen asleep, is able to break the spell so that Christianity is itself again.
Woe to him, therefore, who preaches Christianity without the possibility of offense. Woe to the person who smoothly, flirtatiously, commendingly, convincingly preaches some soft, sweet something which is supposed to be Christianity! Woe to the person who makes miracles reasonable. Woe to the person who betrays and breaks the mystery of faith, distorts it into public wisdom, because he takes away the possibility of offense! Woe to the person who speaks of the mystery of the Atonement without detecting in it anything of the possibility of offense. Woe again to him who things God and Christianity are something for study and discussion. Woe to every unfaithful steward who sits down and writes false proofs, winning friends for themselves and for Christianity by writing off the possibility of offense. Oh, the learning and acumen tragically wasted. Oh, the time wasted in this enormous work of making Christianity so reasonable, and in trying to make it so relevant!
Only when Christianity rises up again, powerful in the possibility of offense, only then will it need no artful defenders. The more skillful, the more articulate, the more excellent the defense, however, the more Christianity is disfigured, abolished, exhausted like an emasculated man. Christianity ought not to be defended, at least not on the world’s terms. It is we who should see whether we can justify ourselves. It is we who must choose: either to be offended or to accept Christianity.
Therefore, take away from Christianity the possibility of offense of take away from the forgiveness of sin the battle of an anguished conscience. Then lock the churches, the sooner the better, or turn them into places of amusement which stand open all day long!
A similar thought comes from Herman Melville’s character Father Mapple in Moby Dick:
Woe to him whom this world charms from Gospel duty. Woe to him who seeks to pour oil upon the waters when God has brewed them into a gale. Woe to him who seeks to please rather than to appal. Woe to him whose good name is more to him than goodness. Woe to him who, in this world, courts not dishonor! Woe to him who would not be true, even though to be false were salvation. Yea, woe to him who, as the great Pilot Paul has it, while preaching to others is himself a castaway.
“It is an easy thing to triumph in the summer’s sun
And in the vintage & to sing on the waggon loaded with with corn
It is an easy thing to talk of patience to the afflicted,
To speak of prudence to the homeless wanderer, to listen to the hungry raven’s cry in wintry season
When the red blood is filled with wine & with the marrow of lambs.
…
Then the groan & the dolor are quite forgotton, & the slave grinding at the mill,
And the captive in chains, & the poor in prison, & the soldier in the field
When the shatter’d bone hath laid him groaning among the happier dead
It is an easy thing to rejoice in the tents of prosperity:
Thus could I sing & thus rejoice: but it is not so with me.”
Blake, “The Four Zoas”
Or more simply:
“If you wish to be perfect, go, sell your possessions, and give the money to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven;
then come, follow me.”
Matthew 19: 21
Just for fun, let’s posit that, these are not rhetorical flourishes. They are literal statements. What if Jesus meant what he said.? What would the consequences be?
If you want to offend the world, refuse to follow the world’s rules. As I read the gospels, humble obedience to Jesus is UNHEARD OF.
by Will Grannan
on 26. Jul, 2009
As a street musician who sing gospel songs in front of a food store in a city that’s in the heart of ” the Bible Belt “…I am often met with looks of disapproval from christians who stop by that store on their way home from worship service on Sunday.
When I play in public, I make it a point to dress in a way that I would not be mistaken as a homeless person…simply because I have been homeless at one point in my life and I’m aware that some would not take my message serious if I was precieved as homeless. Yet, Jesus was homeless…and He preached in public places. It is sad that some christians are offended by my methods…..But what would Jesus do ?
by Daniel Rassum
on 26. Jul, 2009
I think that there is an offense to the world. The very declaration that Jesus is Messiah is offensive to many. Still others are offended at our confession that God exists and is who He says He is. Some believe that God exists, but are offended that God, in His righteousness, could send a person to damnation. Yes, there are many offenses to those who do not believe. Jesus told us to expect this.
by A. Wall
on 29. Jul, 2009
I think offense is a tool, and one that Jesus used on occasion. Take, for instance, the incident on the Temple steps when Jesus unloaded the seven woes upon the Pharisees or the cleansing of the Temple with a whip. For sure, Jesus was not opposed to using offense, but it was a weapon he used wisely.
Few of us use offense with prudence.
I don’t believe that believers are to be actively offensive. Many devout Christians feel they have to be, however, due to bad teaching and bad teachers. God called us to uplift and help, to put a bandage on the wound, not strike wounds and tear down. There is the occasion where what we say to unbelievers may be offensive, but that is unavoidable. The truth is often offensive and difficult to swallow, and as God’s people, we are to speak the truth.
I think where we got off track is when we feel the need to convict people. We see a sinner or a brother doing something wrong and decide it is our responsibility to say something. It the calling of the Holy Spirit to convict and draw the heart of man to God, not ours. It is proper to call a brother out, sometimes. We must do so with the mindset that we struggle with our flesh as well. We are children of grace just as much as the next fellow. More often than not, it is better to let a men handle his shortcomings with God in the privacy of his heart rather than poke at his wounds with a hot iron.
by Joey Cottle
on 29. Jul, 2009