When the ancient mariner’s ship was becalmed, nothing stirred. It was a painted ship upon a painted ocean. Wild and extravagant as the story is, it starts with the dependence of a sailing ship upon the wind. No wind, No motive power, no motive power, no movement.
Coleridge makes us think in this strange poem – about life and its meaning. It is no simple matter. Resort to symbolism takes us to otherwise inaccessible areas. Water was everywhere but it wasn’t drinking water. What strength and stay was there?
A problematic daily routine gives new force to this question. Some find the answer in the Golden Rule (Matthew 7.12). Some readers of this blog will have by heart the quaint translation: ‘Do as you would be done by.’ Whatever the translation, the sense is clear: this is the voice of true religion.
Some are content to go no further. This is a practical rule to live by. Why get tangled in metaphysical speculation? Those who take this position deserve credit. It is difficult, however, to stop at that point. The person who uttered the Golden Rule also said a great many more things that we can hardly ignore. His was a far-reaching manifesto.
Christianity is a message before it is an institution. The Church may undergo stress and toil and succumb to pressure but so long as we have the New Testament documents the message will remain. Justification by faith will continue to be the measure by which a church stands or falls. The simple answer ‘Be nice. Jesus loves you,’ was not enough for Luther, nor for Hans Kung, rather later.
‘Nothing will come of nothing,’ said Lear to his true heart Cordelia. Perhaps there had been too many bland spokesmen at his court. Those looking into the claims of the Christian Gospel have a right to expect a succinct comment about its worth. Luther provided it.
Justification is the mark of a standing or falling church: this was Luther’s position. We do well to ask ourselves how often we have heard that one-liner in recent days.
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