God loves?
It's been said by a few theologians over the years that the essential, miraculous, seemingly incredulous claim by Christian faith is not that God exists, but that God loves. The idea that God loves is powerful, and is also more difficult than the simple idea that God exists.
That what exists is created, and that the creating force is other than what the force creates, is interesting. But that idea can be kept at a distance, as an intuition or a conclusion, as an inference or a wish. One can posit that and go about one's business, merely intrigued. But let's say that the creating force is a Creator (a singularity, in a way known only to itself). And let's then say that the Creator we imagine has intention, is inclined, somehow knows its (his/her/their) creation. And let's then say that the Creator's inclination continues through time. And let's then say that the Creator's continuing inclination is for good (as the Creator knows 'good' to be) for its creation. And then let's say that that good-inclined Creator relates to and for its creation--not just as one big creation, but to and for particular things that are created. And then (!), let's say that just as there's a correlation and connection among all created things, there is a correlation and connection possible between created things and their Creator - particular to the things created. Enter now the question of conscious humans knowing, in some measure, that Creator (our Creator) - and knowing our Creator's inclination toward (and desire for) our good. Ah . . . there's the idea that God loves.
"That's all well and good," you say, "but as nice as that might be, that's a long chain of reasoning to get there and a long chain of ideas could break down at any point." Yes, it could. The central affirmation of faith (as understood in Biblical tradition, and particularly as we ponder the stories of Jesus) is fragile. But there is also a long line of witness to it, unbroken and not fragile - not deluded, but clear and careful and courageous, and impacted by the Love it points to.
I experience what I call love from many places at many times. But I also sense a Love beyond - inclined toward good, though all things. And I'm not alone in that. I sense that Love in personal experience, in careful words of trustworthy others, in super-human displays of sacrifice for good that seem transparent to a bit of power from beyond them, in scripture and music and prayer and sermon and church, in reason and art and thought and more. And did I say prayer?
This possibility is the basic miracle claimed by faith. We're not alone, and the One to whom and with whom we have traces of relations - loves.
Ok, then. Now Jesus begins to make sense.
