The book Who Needs Theology? written by Stanley J. Grenz and Roger E. Olso starts with the theme -- “Everyone is a Theologian.”
The authors mean that every believer is an excellent theologian. Obviously, they don’t want us to overly admire theologians, but rather put our energies and attention on God and the growth in our own spiritual lives. Unless you are a muddle-headed Christian, you will think about the message regarding God and Jesus you have received. When you think, you are a theologian.
This reminds us that we have many misconceptions of theologians and diverged from the teachings of Jesus.
The reason why we believe in God and follow Jesus is that Jesus’ teachings offer us a better chance of knowing ourselves. So we don’t drift from the way of God, we reflect on his teachings and ourselves in the moment.
Whose responsibility is it when we follow false theologians from the past and who is in charge of our theology if not ourselves? So the right way is to think by ourselves because we are theologians.
The shift can be also applied to the gospel. The gospel was regarded as the good news, a necessary approach to salvation. In this way, evangelism was a lesson we must complete then we had no option but to move forward, like a mule trained with a bridle. We reduced the gospel into a simple and convenient formula, making evangelism a must-do and turned the joy of making others believers into a job for a living. The gospel became what Jesus said about,“You travel over land and sea to win a single convert, and when you have succeeded, you make them twice as much a child of hell as you are.”(Matthew 23:15)
The gospel is good news, but we only focus on the “good”, believing the gospel must bring people advantages. We changed the gospel into witnesses and evangelism into flaunting the rewards from God. The gospel became the idol we worshiped and a cheap thing which we critically lacked but freely received. We were unable to think when confronting this type of gospel.
Similar to that we fail to recognize that we are theologians, we don’t realize that we are evangelists who are fulfilling the commandment Jesus assigned.
We often forget what is the gospel. The gospel is the realistic and current hope as well as a hope that leads us to the future. Jesus says,“Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy and my burden is light.” (Matt 11:28-30)
Weary and burdened people get rest as soon as they come to Jesus. Those burdens are the burdens of daily life and religion, such as physical pain, life difficulties, the law and taboos of legalism, and suppression by the clergy. The group who belong to Jesus can help him carry his burdens. Namely, the church will help the weary person to fulfill Jesus’ promise of giving them rest.
Jesus also gives rest to those who live in the “rage”and “terror” of God under the control of the law given by the clergy. The God whom Jesus reveals is not a god who desires being pleased, but a god of silence, of meekness and humility, and slow to anger. He won’t let people live in fear and trembling. He looks at people’s efforts of obeying the law he has made as every reward or punishment has been established in his rules of nature and society. There is no need to be afraid of him or please him. Hence, men or women can walk with their religious burdens and live confidently in the world.
That is the light burden of Jesus. It can come true as long as people come to Jesus.
However, the new burden is not only at present, but also lasts. It points to the future hope and promise that there will be peace forever in the world. The burden will no longer be heavy.
The gospel includes the freedom at the moment and the beautiful promise in the future. The gospel cannot be summarized through some formulas, gospel tracts, or sermons, prayers, testimonies in the church.
The COVID-19 pandemic offers everyone a sense of realism that we live in the world, at the moment. No matter how the church claims the end time is near as evils grow more, it cannot erase reality. As a result, the church and doctrines were both silent when the pandemic broke out. The church should have shared people’s burdens, showed the power of the gospel, and been meek and humble, but it kept silent in face of the pandemic.
Except facing the unseen heaven and spiritual practices with fervor, the church remains silent in the current world.
The church does not walk the way which Jesus took. The gospel after the pandemic needs to return to Jesus, his teachings, and promises.
The gospel is more than a message and the “good.” The gospel relates to the church, individuals, the world, and the future. The gospel makes the world a better place. Beauty needs the involvement of everyone and every church.
So the best way to change a Christianity that has been marginalized lies in reconstructing the gospel of Jesus.
- Translated by Karen Luo
史丹·格兰兹尼和罗杰·奥逊合著的《谁需要神学》中，开篇主题就是“人人都是神学家”。作者这里人人的意思是指每个普通的信徒，都是一位出色的神学家。当然有很多专业的神学家，他们与我们普通信徒的区别，是他们思考的更加深入和系统。
作者在这里所要表达的意思，显然是让我们减少对神学家的崇拜，而把精力和注意力回到上帝，回到自己的信仰建造。除非你是一个糊里糊涂的信徒，否则你会思考你接受的关于上帝和耶稣的信息，那么当你思考的时候，你就是一个神学家了。
这提醒我们，我们过去对神学专属于神学家的概念存在很多的误解，也偏离了耶稣教导的主题。
为什么要信仰上帝，跟随耶稣，那是因为耶稣的教导给我们更好的认识自己的机会，我们对照耶稣的教导，反思当下的自己，让自己不偏离上帝的正道。
过去依赖于神学家，把神学归于神学家而把自己归于听众的角色，这是违背信仰法则的，那么如果我们跟随的神学家错误怎么办，谁来负责。因此，正确的做法是自己要学会思考，因为自己就是一个神学家。
这种转向我们依然可以用在福音上。过去我们把福音看成好消息，把传福音看成是得救的必然途径。如此以来，传福音就成为我们的必须完成的功课，我们就如套上扼的骡子，不得不往前走。于是，我们把福音变成简短和方便的公式，把传福音的使命变成了不得不完成的任务，把信福音的快乐变成换口饭吃的打工。
这种传福音变成耶稣说的，“你们走遍洋海陆地，勾引一个人入教，既入了教，却使他作地狱之子，比你们还加倍。”(马太福音 23:15)
福音是好消息，但我们却只关注了“好”，认为信福音是必然得着好处的“好”。因此，我们把福音变成了见证，把传福音变成了上帝赏赐的炫耀。
福音，成了我们崇拜的偶像，成了自己奇缺却白白得到的便宜。在这样的福音中，我们不会思考。正如我们不会意识到自己就是一个神学家一样，我们也不会意识到我们是福音的传播者，履行着耶稣所给予的使命。
我们对神学的误解正发生在我们对福音的误解之上，有时候我们甚至把神学代替了福音。我们把神学的思辨发挥在了福音的争辩之上，把神学的傲慢变成福音的冠冕。
什么是福音，我们常常忘记。
福音是现实的、当下的，也是指向未来的盼望。
耶稣说“凡劳苦担重担的人可以到我这里来，我就使你们得安息。我心里柔和谦卑，你们当负我的轭，学我的样式；这样，你们心里就必得享安息。因为我的轭是容易的，我的担子是轻省的。”(马太福音 11:28-30)
劳苦重担的人到耶稣那里，不是过了很久才得安息，也不是要经过层层考察，符合标准才得安息，更不是经过最后的大审判才得安息，而是只要到耶稣那里来，就必得安息，这是没有条件的，没有时间延迟的。
这些重担是什么？是生活的重担，也是宗教的重担。身体的病痛，生活的苦难，宗教的律法，宗教的禁忌，宗教祭司阶层的压迫等都是重担，都能让人内心沉重，匍匐于地，痛苦不堪的担子。那么面对这种重担，他就是一个需要安慰的人，需要帮助担担子的人。那么谁来帮他担担子，让他的担子轻省一些，显然是那些耶稣的天国，是一个团体。当然这种帮助不是逃避当下世界，而是营造一种更美好的世界。福音具有强烈的当下指向性。
具体到今天的情景，那就是教会，他要救济这位劳苦重担者，通过教会彰显上帝的作为，彰显耶稣“必得安息”的许诺。
那些受制于宗教祭司律法的人，时时生活在神的暴怒恐惧中的人，耶稣同样让他们得到安息。耶稣的上帝不是一位需要讨好的上帝，耶稣的上帝是一位沉默的上帝，也是温柔谦卑的上帝，不随意发怒，不让人生活在恐惧战兢中。祂看人在祂制定规则中的努力，一切的赏罚本已经在祂的自然社会法则中确立，人无需恐惧和讨好祂。如此，人也就从宗教重担中走出，自信地活在当下的世界。
这就是耶稣说的轻省的担子。这些轻省，是可以立刻当下实现的，是不需要什么额外的附加条件的，只要到耶稣那里，就可以实现担子的轻省。
但这担子不仅是当下的，还是未来的。他指向未来的盼望，指向未来美好的期许，这期许不是凭空的精神寄托，也不是彼岸的宗教救赎，更不是与一位家长神的讨好交易，而是一种实在的和实际的，在生活中可以盼望的世界美好。不仅当下的劳苦重担在耶稣那里能安息，那么将来这担子也不会再沉重起来。
这就是福音，既有落实在当下的世界，也有未来的美好预期。
那么这种福音就不是几句公式、几张单张所能传递的，也不是在教会听道，在教会祷告和见证就能包涵的。
疫情为当下的每个人提供了世界的现实感，我们生活在世界中，生活在当下，不论我们的教会怎么说末日的临近，和世界的邪恶，都无法抹除我们在当下世界的事实。因此，当疫情来临的时候，教会和教义都沉默了。本来应该承担起分担人们担子的教会、本来应该承担福音大能的教会、本来应该承担保护个体的教会、本来应该谦卑柔和的教会，却在疫情面前沉默了。除了面对不能看见的彼岸天堂和属灵修炼的激情之外，在当下的世界，教会沉默了，只能在教堂偶尔听到宗教的激情。
当下教会与耶稣走的并不是一条路。
疫情之后的福音，更需要的是回到耶稣、回到耶稣的教导、回到耶稣的许诺上来。为每个到耶稣这里来的人，承担起分担他重担的角色和责任，以谦卑和柔和的态度，让我们体验耶稣的轻省。
福音不仅仅是个消息，也不仅仅是“好”。福音与教会有关，也与个人有关，与世界有关，也与未来有关，福音让世界变得美好，这美好需要每个人参与，每个教会参与，在当下的世界中，不断努力。
福音是处于危机、劳苦、重担里的人的好消息，也是世界的好消息，不是关于宗教拯救和彼岸天堂的好消息。
所以，疫情之后，基督教不断边缘化的危机中，回到耶稣，重新建造一种耶稣的福音，才是改变基督教的最好方式。
观察与思考丨疫情之后的福音该如何建造？
The book Who Needs Theology? written by Stanley J. Grenz and Roger E. Olso starts with the theme -- “Everyone is a Theologian.”
The authors mean that every believer is an excellent theologian. Obviously, they don’t want us to overly admire theologians, but rather put our energies and attention on God and the growth in our own spiritual lives. Unless you are a muddle-headed Christian, you will think about the message regarding God and Jesus you have received. When you think, you are a theologian.
This reminds us that we have many misconceptions of theologians and diverged from the teachings of Jesus.
The reason why we believe in God and follow Jesus is that Jesus’ teachings offer us a better chance of knowing ourselves. So we don’t drift from the way of God, we reflect on his teachings and ourselves in the moment.
Whose responsibility is it when we follow false theologians from the past and who is in charge of our theology if not ourselves? So the right way is to think by ourselves because we are theologians.
The shift can be also applied to the gospel. The gospel was regarded as the good news, a necessary approach to salvation. In this way, evangelism was a lesson we must complete then we had no option but to move forward, like a mule trained with a bridle. We reduced the gospel into a simple and convenient formula, making evangelism a must-do and turned the joy of making others believers into a job for a living. The gospel became what Jesus said about,“You travel over land and sea to win a single convert, and when you have succeeded, you make them twice as much a child of hell as you are.”(Matthew 23:15)
The gospel is good news, but we only focus on the “good”, believing the gospel must bring people advantages. We changed the gospel into witnesses and evangelism into flaunting the rewards from God. The gospel became the idol we worshiped and a cheap thing which we critically lacked but freely received. We were unable to think when confronting this type of gospel.
Similar to that we fail to recognize that we are theologians, we don’t realize that we are evangelists who are fulfilling the commandment Jesus assigned.
We often forget what is the gospel. The gospel is the realistic and current hope as well as a hope that leads us to the future. Jesus says,“Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy and my burden is light.” (Matt 11:28-30)
Weary and burdened people get rest as soon as they come to Jesus. Those burdens are the burdens of daily life and religion, such as physical pain, life difficulties, the law and taboos of legalism, and suppression by the clergy. The group who belong to Jesus can help him carry his burdens. Namely, the church will help the weary person to fulfill Jesus’ promise of giving them rest.
Jesus also gives rest to those who live in the “rage”and “terror” of God under the control of the law given by the clergy. The God whom Jesus reveals is not a god who desires being pleased, but a god of silence, of meekness and humility, and slow to anger. He won’t let people live in fear and trembling. He looks at people’s efforts of obeying the law he has made as every reward or punishment has been established in his rules of nature and society. There is no need to be afraid of him or please him. Hence, men or women can walk with their religious burdens and live confidently in the world.
That is the light burden of Jesus. It can come true as long as people come to Jesus.
However, the new burden is not only at present, but also lasts. It points to the future hope and promise that there will be peace forever in the world. The burden will no longer be heavy.
The gospel includes the freedom at the moment and the beautiful promise in the future. The gospel cannot be summarized through some formulas, gospel tracts, or sermons, prayers, testimonies in the church.
The COVID-19 pandemic offers everyone a sense of realism that we live in the world, at the moment. No matter how the church claims the end time is near as evils grow more, it cannot erase reality. As a result, the church and doctrines were both silent when the pandemic broke out. The church should have shared people’s burdens, showed the power of the gospel, and been meek and humble, but it kept silent in face of the pandemic.
Except facing the unseen heaven and spiritual practices with fervor, the church remains silent in the current world.
The church does not walk the way which Jesus took. The gospel after the pandemic needs to return to Jesus, his teachings, and promises.
The gospel is more than a message and the “good.” The gospel relates to the church, individuals, the world, and the future. The gospel makes the world a better place. Beauty needs the involvement of everyone and every church.
So the best way to change a Christianity that has been marginalized lies in reconstructing the gospel of Jesus.
- Translated by Karen Luo
How Should We Construct the Gospel after Pandemic?
