When talk of heaven results in devaluing life on earth, there’s a problem. Christian faith is an expectant faith, but not an other-worldly one. We believe God in Jesus Christ became intimately involved in this-worldly realities. Therefore, it’s appropriate that our hope be grounded in life in this world.
I get the desire to focus on the present. As a cancer patient who’s also a theologian, I see a need for more theological work on how to talk about “living like we’re dying” in the here and now. Indeed, the gospel’s main attraction – Jesus – spent most of his time not just talking about God’s future but in siding with the outcasts and healing the sick. We need to talk more about how temporary incarnations of the body of Christ side with those with cancer and participate in the possibilities of healing in the here and now.
This message is excerpted from “Living with Dying” by Deanna K. Thompson in the March 2015 Gather magazine.
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