Pastor E

A Christian Koan?

In my way of thinking A Christian Koan (kōan) is a 'riddle' which defies human logic, but not the divine.

[Japanese kōan : kō, public (from Middle Chinese kəwŋ) + an, matter.]

Mark 10:27 ¶ But Jesus looked at them and said, “With men it is impossible, but not with God; for with God all things are possible.”

Mark 4:11 And He said to them, “To you it has been given to know the mystery of the kingdom of God; but to those who are outside, all things come in parables,
Mark 4:12 so that
“Seeing they may see and not perceive,
And hearing they may hear and not understand;
Lest they should turn,
And their sins be forgiven them.’ ”

Mark 4:13 ¶ And He said to them, “Do you not understand this parable? How then will you understand all the parables?

In Buddhism a KOAN is a puzzling, often paradoxical statement or story, used as an aid to meditation and a means of gaining spiritual awakening. (1)

A well-known koan is: “What is the sound of one hand clapping?”

I am not a Buddhist and not suggesting it for you, however meditation is a Christian practice.

Try sitting in a quite place and meditate on this passage:

Luke 18:18 Now a certain ruler asked Him, saying, “Good Teacher, what shall I do to inherit eternal life?”
Luke 18:19 ¶ So Jesus said to him, “Why do you call Me good? No one is good but One, that is, God.

Let me know how it goes!

"E"

"To posit or to think of God at all we must be thinking of something that necessarily exists: ...
Anselm's argument is not primarily a philosophical exercise, but a trick (a 'Christian koan' like the koans of the Zen masters) to make us think of God. He is not – or at least not consistently – concerned with the process of thinking about thinking about God, but rather about the process of thinking about God.

The Five Ways (by St Thomas Aquinas): God as the bedrock of reality

Each of the 'ways' is like a signpost:

1. From observed motion/change: God as the Prime Mover

2. From the need of causation: God as the First Cause

3. From the contingency of things: God as the one Necessary Reality

4. From observed degrees of perfection: God as the Most Perfect

5. From apparent purposefulness and design: God as the Final Cause and End

According to Aquinas, the First Being or Principle differs from all else by the fact that its nature is simply 'to be' (esse). The nature of anything else is to be something in particular. In other words, the existence of each created thing is limited to this or that particular set of (positive) attributes or qualities that reflect some aspect of the divine infinity. From the infinite 'fulness' of Being (esse) derive the Divine Attributes or 'Names' such as Unity, Simplicity, Perfection, Goodness, Beauty, Wisdom, Eternity... "(2)

(1) Dictionary definition of koan
The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fourth Edition Copyright © 2004, 2000 by Houghton Mifflin Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Company. All rights reserved. More from Dictionary

(2) Summa Theologica
Thomas Aquinas, Saint (1225?-1274), Rights:Public DomainLC Call no:BX1749 .T5

Matthew 5:42-44 (The Message) Love Your Enemies

As you have the light, believe in the light. Then the light will be within you, and shining through your lives.

John 12:34-36 (The Message)

34Voices from the crowd answered, "We heard from God's Law that the Messiah lasts forever. How can it be necessary, as you put it, that the Son of Man 'be lifted up'? Who is this 'Son of Man'?"

35-36Jesus said, "For a brief time still, the light is among you. Walk by the light you have so darkness doesn't destroy you. If you walk in darkness, you don't know where you're going. As you have the light, believe in the light. Then the light will be within you, and shining through your lives. You'll be children of light."

Their Eyes Are Blinded

36-40Jesus said all this, and then went into hiding. All these God-signs he had given them and they still didn't get it, still wouldn't trust him. This proved that the prophet Isaiah was right:
God, who believed what we preached?

Who recognized God's arm, outstretched and ready to act?
First they wouldn't believe, then they couldn't—again, just as Isaiah said:

Their eyes are blinded,
their hearts are hardened,
So that they wouldn't see with their eyes
and perceive with their hearts,
And turn to me, God,
so I could heal them.

The Message (MSG)
Copyright © 1993, 1994, 1995, 1996, 2000, 2001, 2002 by Eugene H. Peterson

The Message (MSG)
Copyright © 1993, 1994, 1995, 1996, 2000, 2001, 2002 by Eugene H. Peterson

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