Friday, Dec. 29 pm

Vinoth Ramachandra

What follows is a summary of Vinoth Ramachandra's talk from this evening's session:

In the first century, crucifixion was considered so horrendous that it was not even spoken about in Roman homes. Crucifixion was meant to be the most painful and humiliating form of death; it was meant to be a "way of wiping out not only the victim but also his memory." As such, the cross invites mockery. So what can we think of a religion that centers itself on the cross? Vinoth Ramachandra calls the cross " a public relations disaster." Who could have invented such a foolish-sounding religion?

To the Jews and the pagans of the first century the story of the cross was offensive; it was sheer madness. It subverted all accepted ideas about spirituality, about religion. It subverted all the Roman world's idea about politics. If salvation truly came through Jesus, who died on a Roman cross, then Rome's salvation would come from a victim of the Roman political system. It is no wonder that the early Christians seemed like fools to the people of their time. The cross is so foolish that no one can claim that its story came about through pious invention. The cross subverts and defies all known concepts of what piety is.

The cross is as subversive today as it was in the days of the early church. "It subverts the systems of salvation that we find in the religions of Asia." Buddhism, Hinduism and new age religions all offer us deliverance. They offer us the opportunity to break free from our individuality and proclaim that this is the way to the divine. They teach that "it is our humanness that gets in the way of transcendence." In contrast, "the cross speaks of a God who is entangled in our world," not a master, but a servant. Christ was both God and human, and "he draws our humanity into his own divine life." The closer we get to God the more human we become. "Our salvation lies not in an escape from this world, but in a transformation of this world." It is through the cross that hope opens up. The gospel is unique. "No faith holds up the promise of salvation of the world the way the gospel does."

The gospel is subversive. "It subverts the stories of self-making, progress and human perfectibility that have dominated the West since the European 'Enlightenment.'" Capitalism, Marxism, and unlimited faith in science and technology typify Western society, but the fact of human sin "gets in the way of such dreams." We worship human creation and turn these things into idols. Yet at the foot of the cross we are given a different vision. The cross is unique in that it both "affirms our humanity and exposes and judges our sin."

The cross is subversive. "It subverts the fragmented tribalisms & relativisms of the postmodern world." The term "postmodern" has come to mean many different things, but it always includes "a suspicion of all overarching frameworks and meanings." In a postmodern society we no longer believe in a "Story" but only in "stories." As a result of our fragmented individualized ideas of reality, "we have no shared language to make communication with others possible." With no common root, we are left to our own devices. Many use consumerism as a way to develop a sense of identity. Others rely on therapy, promiscuous sexuality, new age religions, or the Internet. We relish our differences but gravitate toward others who are like ourselves. We cannot communicate with those who are truly different from us.

The cross, on the other hand, takes us as we are; we do not have try to develop our own identities or change who we are. Yet "even though God accepts us as we are, he doesn't leave us as we are." He grows us; he changes us. The "cross brings us all down to the same level and raises us up to be children of God." In Christ is created "a new community where barriers are broken down while diversity is honored. "

The cross is unique. But how can we communicate the message of the cross to our world? First of all, we must demonstrate unity. This will convince others that something new is taking place. Christ creates "a new community." The "unity of the church is central to the gospel itself… Mission grows out of a community of reconciled men and women. Mission is a matter of proclaiming in word and action the offer of new life. That mission begins today on your college campuses."

We also need to communicate the unique salvation message of the cross by being a community that is willing to suffer and to alleviate the suffering of others. While "walking in the footsteps of [our] master, [we] must be prepared to be buried… If the gospel message is foolishness, it can only be conveyed by those who can die to the American Dream and become fools to the world… The truth of God has come amongst us as a humble lowly servant. This truth can only be proclaimed by people who themselves love their enemies and embrace the suffering of the world." We must not strive for power or try to convince others through power. Instead, we must identify ourselves with the powerless in the world.

Christ's crucifixion is a crossroads where two differing realities meet. In the Pharisees, in Herod, in the crowds, we see the evil of humanity. In Jesus we witness "radical surrender and a joyful dependence" that led him to lay down his life according to the will of his Father. In the resurrection we see "the unique Sonship of Jesus but also the love he embodies."

"The gospel is not only true; it is powerful, and it is beautiful. There's a strange beauty in the cross. The world needs to see that strange beauty which brings a new way of being human. "

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