So I was reading for class today, and came across a quotation that bothered me. It is from The Theologia Germanica. Much of what the author says in this book makes lots of sense, but this section on page 66 in Chapter six needs more thought. It reads:
“The person in whom the eternal Good most clearly shines, glows, works, in known and loved, is also the best.
And a person in whom the least of this is found is the least good.
Therefore, when in your dealings and relationships with other persons you apply knowledge of such differences, the best creature turns out to be the most dear to you. You should hold to those persons and choose their company, especially the ones whose ways one attributes to God, namely that they belong to God, are God’s, in goodness, truth, love of peace, righteousness, and the like.
In this manner we can order our outward man and reject and flee from that which wars against the ways of God.”
Well! At first read, one may be apt to agree with this statement pretty quickly. Of course we would want to be around those of us who do good deeds in the world; these people are uplifting and inspire us to do good as well. We may quickly agree that those of us who make themselves a vessel of the eternal Good are the best of the best, simply because they have given their life to doing God’s work rather than running away from it like many others have done. We should seek them out in order to stay in contact with God’s love. It also follows, then, that we should refuse to be in company with those who do not act in God’s loving ways, since they can “bring us down” in spirit.
But wait! Aren’t there some downsides to this thinking? I argue yes! I would even argue there are four main problems with this line of thinking:
1) This type of thinking can breed an intolerance of others that do not follow one’s specific way of thinking about God. By seeking out those who are in contact with the eternal Good, we are also pushing away those people who may be working with the eternal Good in their hearts as well, but in a different way than we are used to. By ignoring others that are deemed “less good,” we are losing the chance to expose ourselves to the many other ways in which God can work in others. Just because someone is not doing God’s work the way we think is correct does not necessarily mean that they are doing evil. The concept of eternal Good can be different for everyone.
2) This way of thinking breeds a superiority complex. If we are constantly seeking out those who attempt to do good in the world like us, and are therefore “the best,” then it follows that there must be those who are “the least” and are of less worth than people like us. How many times have I heard Christians claim that they are better than non-Christians just because they “do the work of Christ?” We Christians are no better than anyone else; we just think and act in a different way because of our faith.
3) This type of thinking has the ability to do away with the opportunities for evangelism altogether. If we are constantly seeking the company only with those who shine with the light of God, how are we to share this light with others who may not have it yet? This, of course, does not mean that we should do the complete opposite of what the author writes and go seek out only those who do not know God; neither extreme is good. There should be an open dialogue between both those who know God and those who don’t. Thus, if we only seek the company of those filled with God, then we are leaving the God-less without God indefinitely. (I should also mention that I am in no way urging people to go and convert everyone to their view of God. People should be allowed to have their own views, thank you very much.)
4) Not everyone who seems to be “shining, glowing, and working” in the name of God actually is. Many people (clergy included) who say and seem like they are doing good in the world for God may actually be doing it for their own benefit. We must always be conscious of the need for discernment when choosing the company of those around us.
In conclusion, neither extreme is good. We should seek the company of people filled with God as well as those who may long to be so filled, and may not know it yet. The author's intentions when writing this statement were well-meaning, but when this statement is followed it can (and has been in the past) become extremely problematic.
“The person in whom the eternal Good most clearly shines, glows, works, in known and loved, is also the best.
And a person in whom the least of this is found is the least good.
Therefore, when in your dealings and relationships with other persons you apply knowledge of such differences, the best creature turns out to be the most dear to you. You should hold to those persons and choose their company, especially the ones whose ways one attributes to God, namely that they belong to God, are God’s, in goodness, truth, love of peace, righteousness, and the like.
In this manner we can order our outward man and reject and flee from that which wars against the ways of God.”
Well! At first read, one may be apt to agree with this statement pretty quickly. Of course we would want to be around those of us who do good deeds in the world; these people are uplifting and inspire us to do good as well. We may quickly agree that those of us who make themselves a vessel of the eternal Good are the best of the best, simply because they have given their life to doing God’s work rather than running away from it like many others have done. We should seek them out in order to stay in contact with God’s love. It also follows, then, that we should refuse to be in company with those who do not act in God’s loving ways, since they can “bring us down” in spirit.
But wait! Aren’t there some downsides to this thinking? I argue yes! I would even argue there are four main problems with this line of thinking:
1) This type of thinking can breed an intolerance of others that do not follow one’s specific way of thinking about God. By seeking out those who are in contact with the eternal Good, we are also pushing away those people who may be working with the eternal Good in their hearts as well, but in a different way than we are used to. By ignoring others that are deemed “less good,” we are losing the chance to expose ourselves to the many other ways in which God can work in others. Just because someone is not doing God’s work the way we think is correct does not necessarily mean that they are doing evil. The concept of eternal Good can be different for everyone.
2) This way of thinking breeds a superiority complex. If we are constantly seeking out those who attempt to do good in the world like us, and are therefore “the best,” then it follows that there must be those who are “the least” and are of less worth than people like us. How many times have I heard Christians claim that they are better than non-Christians just because they “do the work of Christ?” We Christians are no better than anyone else; we just think and act in a different way because of our faith.
3) This type of thinking has the ability to do away with the opportunities for evangelism altogether. If we are constantly seeking the company only with those who shine with the light of God, how are we to share this light with others who may not have it yet? This, of course, does not mean that we should do the complete opposite of what the author writes and go seek out only those who do not know God; neither extreme is good. There should be an open dialogue between both those who know God and those who don’t. Thus, if we only seek the company of those filled with God, then we are leaving the God-less without God indefinitely. (I should also mention that I am in no way urging people to go and convert everyone to their view of God. People should be allowed to have their own views, thank you very much.)
4) Not everyone who seems to be “shining, glowing, and working” in the name of God actually is. Many people (clergy included) who say and seem like they are doing good in the world for God may actually be doing it for their own benefit. We must always be conscious of the need for discernment when choosing the company of those around us.
In conclusion, neither extreme is good. We should seek the company of people filled with God as well as those who may long to be so filled, and may not know it yet. The author's intentions when writing this statement were well-meaning, but when this statement is followed it can (and has been in the past) become extremely problematic.
posted by Living Life With Exclamation Points! at
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