For many years, I’ve been thinking about the history of “salvation” teachings in the Church,
beginning amongst the first Christians.
My salvation inquiry got a boost on patrol in Vietnam as a 19 yr old Marine.
We entered a village where not much had changed in thousands of years. No electricity. No refrigeration, radios, television nor phones. I saw an elderly man clapping his hands, holding them reverently, and bowing. Before him was an altar box. Children attentively observed. Inside the altar were objects and old pictures of people. Ancestors? I saw a cup with fish tails sticking out. Sacrifice? The altar box sides held incense sticks, smoldering and presenting pleasant odors amongst the poignant Water Buffalo manure air. Inside were broken pieces of mirror, and pieces of paper with writings. Tiny cloth bags, tied with ribbons. I approached to his left about ten feet away. He looked at me for a few seconds. He and I smiled. He went back to spiritual activities. I then got a tad closer to look at the objects inside the altar box. Beside the cup with the fishtails protruding, was a small artist picture of Jesus, praying in the garden of Gethsemane!
In later talks with our Chaplain, I learned this was a village where “Christians” lived. They added Jesus unto their ancient theologies and spiritual practices. Hmmmmm….
A Vietnamese teenager who also professed Christianity, gave us some advice; She said; “Not everyone thinks with your brain.” Hmmmmmmm….
What I can do is briefly review a history of “salvation” notions and controversies, from ancient to present.
Do you know? That many early Christians believed Jesus was only a ghost? That many early Christians believed they had to punish themselves with pain in order to be saved? That some taught salvation was gained only by via secret knowledge? That Saint Nicholas (Santa Claus) punched a fellow over divergent salvation notions when the Nicene Creed was written, and received a death sentence from the Emperor? (Not accomplished.)
That “Christmas” worship to welcome Jesus was banned, against law, during part of American Colonial times? That Luther taught we cannot “decide” our way to heaven and that our salvation is totally a gracious gift from God? That the ELCA and some other churches offer “Open Holy Communion” and why some others don’t? Why many Christians waited until their death bed to be Baptized? Why Luther taught; “Think of the Bible as the manger in which Christ is presented to the world.”
These and many more insights are before us in these essays. Let’s have fun and learn, while we celebrate this life, saved now, in faithful anticipation of the next.
Here we go….. Interim Pastor Jeff Swanson
