Professor John Stackhouse makes some interesting points about worship songs declaring that we are “in love” with Jesus.
I have mixed emotions on the subject, as he presents it. Mostly, I think it’s word games. To be honest, I’m not sure it’s that important of a conversation for most of us to have.
That is unless you are the type of Christian whose main connection with God is the corporate and personal worship times where you are singing such songs. I would think for that type of person you would certainly do well to take a look at this issue…
First, I’m not in love with Jesus. The locution “in love with” is one I reserve for one person only: my wife. I love my sons, I love my siblings and parents, I love my friends, I love my country, I love my brothers and sisters in Christ, and I love God. But I’m not “in love” with any of them. And I daresay most of the rest of us use this phrase in exactly the same, highly-restrictive way.
Second, it gives me the homoerotic creeps to declare that I am “in love with” another man. And I don’t apologize for saying so. A gender lens is interesting here, for a lot of men feel as I do (many have told me so), while many (not all) women seem to love telling Jesus that they are in love with him. I saw them, swaying with closed eyes and waving hands in the air this morning, singing exactly that. Maybe, indeed, they are in love with Jesus. But they shouldn’t be.
For the third point to make is a theological one. Jesus is not your boyfriend, not your fiancé, and not your eventual husband.
Uhm…isn’t he our eventual/present (depending on your eschatology) husband? Collectively? Holy gender-benders Batman, but it might be true!
Mike Morrell
September 25th, 2007
I agree with Professor Stackhouse and I’m glad someone finally had the guts to say it.
I’m not “in love” with Jesus either. And the whole husband image (metaphor) doesn’t work for me either. Saviour- cool. Big Brother- cool. Teacher/Master- cool. Husband- NOT.
Peace,
Brian
Brian
September 26th, 2007
That reminds me of my favorite south park episode.
http://youtube.com/watch?v=kY8q86a9Dw8
Progression of Faith
September 26th, 2007
The church is the bride of Christ. Whether or not you like the Husband/Bride it there and there is some way in which we as the church both men and women are the bride of christ Collectively. Homophobia is not an excuse to skim over major passages and changing our theology. It’s one thing to delinate the difference between being in love with some one and the higher kind of love that describes one’s relationship with God. but quite another than to change one’s theology.
jared
September 26th, 2007
I think it’s worth asking the question whether the Church collectively being the “bride” means we should articulate and exercise human feelings of romantic love individually towards Jesus.
If “in love” just signifies intensity of love, then I’m all for being “in love” with Jesus, my Lord and Savior. However, when I think of how I – and most of us, probably – would use “in love” with regards to other persons, it differs significantly from the love I feel for Jesus.
I don’t feel that just because one metaphor for the Church is the bride that we should automatically assume romantic terms should describe our relationship with the Creator of all things.
Alan
September 27th, 2007
I was slightly amused by this added perspective on being in love with jesus.
I have been in love with many men in my life, but i think you have really burgered up your idea on what LOVE really is.
I woudl suggest to you that you read the FOUR LOVES by c.s.Lewis and familiarise yourself with what LOVE really means. Or maybe the section on LOVE by Kent Nerburn in his book “letters to my son”
EROS love is obviously the sexual Love and unless you are with someone the eros doesn;t come into it.
PHILIA is friendship love in Greek. Unless you are a ragign tart you are not going to be having sex with your friends.
AGAPE is the all encompasing total commitment and self sacraficing love to anyone, It is unconditional.
STORGE love is an affectionate love, but that affection can be for anyone as well, if you have a giving nature or prepared to look after someone. Storge can even be the term used when you give a homeless person a couple of dollars.
Now saying all that I find the church needs to exercise more agape love towards those who are the children of God because I am a man who lives daily with cancer and HIV, and I also work in the field of HIV research and development. becuase of this I can not walk into a church here in Melbourne because they have already Pre Judged me. I have had to discover my own love for Jesus and I believe that no matter what happens and no matter what hypocitical morons in the church say, i am going to be right up there with God when the time comes and they will have to stand beside me.
Jason
October 2nd, 2007
wow. well i just wanted to say i am so in love with jesus christ. he is amazing. i had gone through a tramatic situation in my life and god saved me and just this weekend i fell so inlove with jesus b/c he healed me from my pain. jesus is a part of my everyday life now. he talks to me n loves on me. the things i looked at with a cold heart b4 i now see nothing but beauty in everything i see. he has changed my whole perspective on life. he is amazing. being inlove with my savior is the most amazing and wonderful thing. i only wish u knew. i will pray that god will show u his love and i promice once u know how much god loves u there is no way u couldnt be inlove with him. jesus said his number 1comandment was just to love thats it just love b/c he is love. he is so inlove with u! no matter what u say or do god is so inlove with u.
sarah
March 25th, 2009