I've just read two books which, while very different, are essentially making the same point - at least some of the time! That converging point is that living in light of the Resurrection is not about debating an historical event but participating as co-creators of resurrection in every area of life now.
Pete Rollins does this in a deliberately "incendiary" way. Listen to his own short introduction to his book Insurrection: to believe is human; to doubt, divine.
I found this book very challenging - and thought provoking. I'm still mulling over whether I'd go as far as he did on some points but I plan to read more of his writing.
Richard Rohr's book Immortal Diamond: the search for our true self is written for a different purpose but returns many times to the theme that resurrection life (life lived from the "true self") is a life of participation. "Some of the most exciting and fruitful theology today is being described as the turn towards participation. ...It constantly recognizes that we are part of something more than we are observing something. The turn towards participation now sees that most of religious and church history has been largely preoccupied with religious ideas, about which you could be wrong or right. When it is all about ideas, you did not have to be part of 'it'; you just needed to talk correctly about 'it'. You never had to dive in and illustrate that spiritual proof is only in the pudding. You never had to go to Russia; you just needed a correct map of Russia and the willingness to say, "My map is better than your map," or more commonly, "Mine is the only true map," without offering any corroborating evidence that your map has in fact gotten you there." p108f (italics in original)Rohr takes the reader more gently on a journey from familiar territory to challenging places that in many ways are similar to where Rollins arrives. With Rohr's book it may feel more like being coaxed out of an old confining chrysalis than Rollins' radical burning of the bridges you've just walked over! I'd love to hear an interview between Rohr and Rollins. I think they would agree on a great deal - but I'm not sure it would be everything.
Both books are well worth reading - but there's a "right time" for everything!
