Russellings of the Spirit

In yesterday’s installment (which you can read here if you so desire), I talked about a Q&A session I had with a Turkish imam on a recent tour.

If you read that post, you will also remember that I talked about the (at least) three hurdles of translation that must be surmounted in any conversation between two people who speak different languages. 

Sometimes we clear those hurdles. Sometimes we don’t. 

In my case, I felt I didn’t.

But there was another question I really wanted to ask Imam Ramadan. However, since there were 26 of us trying to quiz him, I held my tongue and let others have a chance.

I really wish now I had been a little more selfish.

The other question I wanted to ask the Imam had to do with his understanding of the nature of God’s revelation. As you probably know, one established pillar of the Islamic faith is that the words of the Quran are a direct, spoken revelation from God to the prophet Muhammed. They were revealed incrementally to the prophet over a period of 23 years, beginning in the month of Ramadan, concluding in the year 632, the year of the prophet’s death.

According to Wikipedia: The Quran is thought by Muslims to be not simply divinely inspired, but the literal word of God. Muhammad did not write it as he did not know how to write. According to tradition, several of Muhammad’s companions served as scribes, recording the revelations. Shortly after the prophet’s death, the Quran was compiled by the companions, who had written down or memorized parts of it.

So… the question I really, really wanted to ask the imam was: Do you believe God is still revealing elements of God’s identity and God’s will to humans? Or do you believe that all divine revelation began and ended with those 23 years God spent talking to the prophet Muhammed?

As I sat and tried to formulate this question in my mind, I wanted to be sure I didn’t ask it in a way that sounded as if it were a test. As in, “You know, imam, there is a right answer here and a wrong answer, so I hope you are sharp enough to answer correctly.”

Of course, I have my own thoughts on the subject. My feet are firmly planted in the “God is CONTINUOUSLY revealing new facets of God’s reality and will for the world” school of thought. 

From where I stand, God’s revelation never stops. Sure, the attention span of flawed, limited humans doesfade away, causing our eyes and hearts to glaze over and our minds to wander. But that’s on us. Not on God. 

I am right there with the apostle Paul when he said, “Ever since the creation of the world God’s eternal power and divine nature, invisible though they are, have been seen and understood through the things God has made.” (Romans 1:20, NRSVU).

I do believe, however, there is a way for a devout Muslim to say, “Yes, I believe in God’s unique revelation to the prophet Muhammed, but I also believe God speaks to each of us in every moment of every day.” But I would have loved to hear an Islamic religious leader voice that position. 

The trouble, of course, comes when we try to figure out WHO can communicate what they heard through God’s revelation. 

Can only SOME people do that? Or do ALL people possess that authority? 

And if we say this ability only belongs only to CERTAIN people, which people are those? And who decides?

As we know all too clearly, some of the greatest atrocities in history have followed closely behind the phrase, “God told me to ____________.”

From where I stand – here in my limited, skewed corner of the world – it comes down to what we consider to be God’s essential nature. I mean, if God’s essential nature is in fact LOVE… unconditional, justice-and-mercy-seeking, sacrificial, and all-empowering LOVE… then God would be absolutely RELENTLESS and CREATIVE in trying to connect with you and me. 

This God would never quit peeking out from around corners, popping up out of kitchen cabinets, or closet doors… not to mention the more obvious places like sunsets and mountain streams… saying, “Hey, Russell (or insert your name here)! Here I am! I love you and I want you to find me and connect with me and have a vivacious, living relationship with me!” 

The God my brain best relates to is not a God who stands off in the distance… aloof and mysterious… waiting for the right people with the right credentials to make their cowed, humble approach. 

But alas… I never did get to ask Imam Ramadan this question.

I bet if I had though, he and I would probably be a lot closer in our views than either of us might imagine.

Abundant blessings;