Reviewed Book: Donders, Joseph G. Liberation, the Jesus Mode: Reflections on the Gospels for the B-Cycle. Maryknoll, NY: Orbis Books, 1987

Riegert, Eduard R.

English

Scholars Commons

Consensus
Volume 13
Issue 2 Canadian Lutheranism, Yesterday and
Tomorrow
Article 16
11-1-1987
Liberation, the Jesus Mode: Reflections on the
Gospels for the B-Cycle
Eduard R. Riegert
Follow this and additional works at: http://scholars.wlu.ca/consensus
This Book Reviews is brought to you for free and open access by Scholars Commons @ Laurier. It has been accepted for inclusion in Consensus by an
authorized editor of Scholars Commons @ Laurier. For more information, please contact scholarscommons@wlu.ca.
Recommended Citation
Riegert, Eduard R. (1987) "Liberation, the Jesus Mode: Reflections on the Gospels for the B-Cycle," Consensus: Vol. 13 : Iss. 2 , Article
16.
Available at: http://scholars.wlu.ca/consensus/vol13/iss2/16
102 Consensus
sometimes do very bad things as a testimony to the absolute. They act as
protectors of the absolute. The one absolute is that no one’s understanding
of the truth is the whole truth. The Demon is not willing to acknowledge
that it is possible to know truth without calling into question the possibility
that someone else may know it differently.
Every religion is both a way of the masses and a way of discipleship.
The way of discipleship generally leads to transformed living that avoids
violence. But the way of the masses is also essential because no people can
exist outside a world of ultimate order and meaning.
Discovering the power of the Christian story may lead the disciple into
the way of the transformed mind, wherein the disciple becomes involved in
making things whole. Hence the disciple overcomes the natural inclination
to do violence. Many bad things may be done in the name of religion even
though the pilgrim is not a violent person. Gautama does not do bad things
in the name of religion (he is a pilgrim), but some Buddhists do. Jesus does
not do bad things in the name of religion, but some Christians do. Only the
pilgrim knows what Martin Luther proclaimed, that we are simultaneously
saints and sinners.
Wentz maintains that the way of the disciple is the way out of violence.
As a pilgrim I become a person who has been touched by the truth of my
own story, and am drawn to search for a more complete vision of that truth.
As preachers we need to help people to see the significance of everyday
events as part of the need to find order and meaning. If this does not happen
it will do little good to recite words about salvation and reconciliation. Then
people will be content with the order and meaning that their culture already
shares with them, the way of the masses. The possibility of discipleship is
opened up for those who, in coming to terms with their own stories, begin
to see the relevance of the stories which are called religions.
Paul Eriksson
Lutheran Theological Seminary
Liberation, The Jesus Mode: Reflections on the
Gospels for the B-Cycle
Joseph G. Bonders
Maryknoll, New York: Orbis Books, 1987
275 + xi pp., n.p.
These “reflections on Gospels” flow from the heart of a Catholic priest
(ordained 1957) who was and remains a missionary. A member of the So-
ciety of Missionaries of Africa, he was for 15 years Professor in Philosophy
Book Reviews 103
at the University of Nairobi and chaplain to the St. Paul’s Catholic Stu-
dents Community there. In 1984 he became the first director of the African
Faith and Justice Network of the U.S. Catholic Mission Association, Wash-
ington. D.C. These biographical data help to explain both the compelling
affirmative claim these meditations (for they are more meditations than
‘Teflections”) make upon one a.s well as the dominant presentation of Je-
sus as liberator. (Bonders has also written Non-Bourgeois Theology: An
African Experience of Jesus.)
Whereas Protestant theology has characteristically stressed that the
cross-resurrection is the liberating or redeeming event, appropriated by
faith, Bonders sets us into the presence of the earthly Jesus so that we
walk, watch, argue, and are surprised by him, and in his liberated presence
become liberated. Meditation number 51, on Mark 10:35-45, reminds us that
in meditating on “he gave his life in ransom for many” we should “not think
only of his death” but “should think of him all during his life”: Jesus’ birth,
baptism, prayers, fasting, miracles, contacts with people, arrest, passion,
and crucifixion—all of it “was because he wanted to show us, who we human
beings really are, full of possibilities, full of potentialities, good and divine,
helpful and glorious, loving and sustaining, full of the glory of God, great
and mighty, open, and relating to all. It was because he wanted to show us
that we aren’t nobodies, but somebodies—able to break through ourselves
caring for all” (247f.). Or on Mark 6:7-13: “Prophets bring people to
themselves [ie as in self realization], they liberate, they make people see.
That is what Jesus did, that light in our darkness, when he showed us by
his life what a human being—equipped with the Spirit of God—can do, and
he said, ‘You will be able to do even greater things than I did!’ ” (178).
This liberating perspective of seeing in Jesus what we can be and do
opens up intriguing interpretations of the Gospels. What saves this per-
spective from degenerating into a mush of “positive thinking” and “good
stroke pop psychology” is not the cross itself as we might expect—for Je-
sus throughout is the one who liberates us by being and acting as a liber-
ated person (authentic love and care, breaking through legalisms, prophetic
truthfulness, inclusive vision, etc.) at w'hatever cost (and it is costly)—but
a firm hold on the divinity of Jesus and the great framework of the King-
dom. In our service we should not lose “sight of our mission to take care
that this whole world is going to change, changing in the kingdom he came
to bring, a kingdom of justice and peace, an honorable place for all” (67).
That, in fact, is what Jesus learned to do too: he came to do more than
heal toothaches and stomachaches, “he came to change the whole world,
he came to introduce the kingdom of God, and that is more than healing
a sickness or two” (61). And so Bonders, while being intensely personal,
keeps pushing back our boundaries and enlarging our world with its huge
problems and needs and opportunities. For the resurrected Jesus says, “I
came to Jerusalem. . . died. . . rose. . . to start a movement. . . that should reach
the whole of the earth... touch the whole of humanity... spiritually in the
deepest of depths” (112f.).
104 Consensus
Donders writes in an oral format that turns his “reflections” into a kind
of poetry. And he has the observant eye of the prophet-poet. Jesus means
different things in different ercis. I believe Donders is right in holding up
Jesus as liberator in our era. We can learn much of what that means from
these Gospel interpretations.
One hermeneutical question occurs: Bonders’ portrait of Jesus seems
more appropriate to Luke (ie C-cycle) than to Mark, for in Luke Jesus is
the prophet-herald of the New Age who dies the prophet’s death, to be
vindicated by God in the resurrection.
Eduard R. Riegert
Waterloo Lutheran Seminary
Meditating on the Word
Dietrich Bonhoeffer
Edited and translated by David McI. Gracie
Cambridge, MA: Cowley Publications, 1986
154 pp.,$9.50 paperback.
Ways of Imperfection: An Exploration of Christian
Spirituality
Simon Tugwell, O.P.
Springfield, IL: Templegate Publishers, 1985
232 pp. plus index, $12.95 U.S.
If for no other reason, David Gracie is to be thanked for adding to
the writings of Bonhoeffer available in English. Meditating on the Word
is a collection of eleven occasional writings on meditation and the place
of Scripture in the Christian life, the longest of which is the beginning
of a meditation on Psalm 119 written in 1939 and 1940. None has been
previously translated into English.
As with so much of Bonhoeffer’s work, these meditations and sermons
tend to raise more questions than they answer. This is partially because of
the unfinished nature of so much that we have from Bonhoeffer and partly
because he was attempting to find his way theologically and ethically in the
midst of continuous crisis. While there is little sense of ambiguity in any
particular writing—Why does Bonhoeffer always seem so sure of himself?
—
the sense of ambiguity in the entire corpus is almost overwhelming.
If Bonhoeffer the spiritual writer has some value for us today it is
primarily to link us to the positive Pietist tradition within Lutheranism


Liberation, the Jesus Mode: Reflections on the Gospels for the B-Cycle

Wilfrid Laurier University

ConsensusVolume 13Issue 2 Canadian Lutheranism, Yesterday andTomorrowArticle 1611-1-1987Liberation, the Jesus Mode: Reflections on theGospels for the B-CycleEduard R. RiegertFollow this and additional works at: http://scholars.wlu.ca/consensusThis Book Reviews is brought to you for free and open access by Scholars Commons @ Laurier. It has been accepted for inclusion in Consensus by anauthorized editor of Scholars Commons @ Laurier. For more information, please contact scholarscommons@wlu.ca.Recommended CitationRiegert, Eduard R. (1987) "Liberation, the Jesus Mode: Reflections on the Gospels for the B-Cycle," Consensus: Vol. 13 : Iss. 2 , Article16.Available at: http://scholars.wlu.ca/consensus/vol13/iss2/16102 Consensussometimes do very bad things as a testimony to the absolute. They act asprotectors of the absolute. The one absolute is that no one’s understandingof the truth is the whole truth. The Demon is not willing to acknowledgethat it is possible to know truth without calling into question the possibilitythat someone else may know it differently.Every religion is both a way of the masses and a way of discipleship.The way of discipleship generally leads to transformed living that avoidsviolence. But the way of the masses is also essential because no people canexist outside a world of ultimate order and meaning.Discovering the power of the Christian story may lead the disciple intothe way of the transformed mind, wherein the disciple becomes involved inmaking things whole. Hence the disciple overcomes the natural inclinationto do violence. Many bad things may be done in the name of religion eventhough the pilgrim is not a violent person. Gautama does not do bad thingsin the name of religion (he is a pilgrim), but some Buddhists do. Jesus doesnot do bad things in the name of religion, but some Christians do. Only thepilgrim knows what Martin Luther proclaimed, that we are simultaneouslysaints and sinners.Wentz maintains that the way of the disciple is the way out of violence.As a pilgrim I become a person who has been touched by the truth of myown story, and am drawn to search for a more complete vision of that truth.As preachers we need to help people to see the significance of everydayevents as part of the need to find order and meaning. If this does not happenit will do little good to recite words about salvation and reconciliation. Thenpeople will be content with the order and meaning that their culture alreadyshares with them, the way of the masses. The possibility of discipleship isopened up for those who, in coming to terms with their own stories, beginto see the relevance of the stories which are called religions.Paul ErikssonLutheran Theological SeminaryLiberation, The Jesus Mode: Reflections on theGospels for the B-CycleJoseph G. BondersMaryknoll, New York: Orbis Books, 1987275 + xi pp., n.p.These “reflections on Gospels” flow from the heart of a Catholic priest(ordained 1957) who was and remains a missionary. A member of the So-ciety of Missionaries of Africa, he was for 15 years Professor in PhilosophyBook Reviews 103at the University of Nairobi and chaplain to the St. Paul’s Catholic Stu-dents Community there. In 1984 he became the first director of the AfricanFaith and Justice Network of the U.S. Catholic Mission Association, Wash-ington. D.C. These biographical data help to explain both the compellingaffirmative claim these meditations (for they are more meditations than‘Teflections”) make upon one a.s well as the dominant presentation of Je-sus as liberator. (Bonders has also written Non-Bourgeois Theology: AnAfrican Experience of Jesus.)Whereas Protestant theology has characteristically stressed that thecross-resurrection is the liberating or redeeming event, appropriated byfaith, Bonders sets us into the presence of the earthly Jesus so that wewalk, watch, argue, and are surprised by him, and in his liberated presencebecome liberated. Meditation number 51, on Mark 10:35-45, reminds us thatin meditating on “he gave his life in ransom for many” we should “not thinkonly of his death” but “should think of him all during his life”: Jesus’ birth,baptism, prayers, fasting, miracles, contacts with people, arrest, passion,and crucifixion—all of it “was because he wanted to show us, who we humanbeings really are, full of possibilities, full of potentialities, good and divine,helpful and glorious, loving and sustaining, full of the glory of God, greatand mighty, open, and relating to all. It was because he wanted to show usthat we aren’t nobodies, but somebodies—able to break through ourselvescaring for all” (247f.). Or on Mark 6:7-13: “Prophets bring people tothemselves [ie as in self realization], they liberate, they make people see.That is what Jesus did, that light in our darkness, when he showed us byhis life what a human being—equipped with the Spirit of God—can do, andhe said, ‘You will be able to do even greater things than I did!’ ” (178).This liberating perspective of seeing in Jesus what we can be and doopens up intriguing interpretations of the Gospels. What saves this per-spective from degenerating into a mush of “positive thinking” and “goodstroke pop psychology” is not the cross itself as we might expect—for Je-sus throughout is the one who liberates us by being and acting as a liber-ated person (authentic love and care, breaking through legalisms, prophetictruthfulness, inclusive vision, etc.) at w'hatever cost (and it is costly)—buta firm hold on the divinity of Jesus and the great framework of the King-dom. In our service we should not lose “sight of our mission to take carethat this whole world is going to change, changing in the kingdom he cameto bring, a kingdom of justice and peace, an honorable place for all” (67).That, in fact, is what Jesus learned to do too: he came to do more thanheal toothaches and stomachaches, “he came to change the whole world,he came to introduce the kingdom of God, and that is more than healinga sickness or two” (61). And so Bonders, while being intensely personal,keeps pushing back our boundaries and enlarging our world with its hugeproblems and needs and opportunities. For the resurrected Jesus says, “Icame to Jerusalem. . . died. . . rose. . . to start a movement. . . that should reachthe whole of the earth... touch the whole of humanity... spiritually in thedeepest of depths” (112f.).104 ConsensusDonders writes in an oral format that turns his “reflections” into a kindof poetry. And he has the observant eye of the prophet-poet. Jesus meansdifferent things in different ercis. I believe Donders is right in holding upJesus as liberator in our era. We can learn much of what that means fromthese Gospel interpretations.One hermeneutical question occurs: Bonders’ portrait of Jesus seemsmore appropriate to Luke (ie C-cycle) than to Mark, for in Luke Jesus isthe prophet-herald of the New Age who dies the prophet’s death, to bevindicated by God in the resurrection.Eduard R. RiegertWaterloo Lutheran SeminaryMeditating on the WordDietrich BonhoefferEdited and translated by David McI. GracieCambridge, MA: Cowley Publications, 1986154 pp.,$9.50 paperback.Ways of Imperfection: An Exploration of ChristianSpiritualitySimon Tugwell, O.P.Springfield, IL: Templegate Publishers, 1985232 pp. plus index, $12.95 U.S.If for no other reason, David Gracie is to be thanked for adding tothe writings of Bonhoeffer available in English. Meditating on the Wordis a collection of eleven occasional writings on meditation and the placeof Scripture in the Christian life, the longest of which is the beginningof a meditation on Psalm 119 written in 1939 and 1940. None has beenpreviously translated into English.As with so much of Bonhoeffer’s work, these meditations and sermonstend to raise more questions than they answer. This is partially because ofthe unfinished nature of so much that we have from Bonhoeffer and partlybecause he was attempting to find his way theologically and ethically in themidst of continuous crisis. While there is little sense of ambiguity in anyparticular writing—Why does Bonhoeffer always seem so sure of himself?—the sense of ambiguity in the entire corpus is almost overwhelming.If Bonhoeffer the spiritual writer has some value for us today it isprimarily to link us to the positive Pietist tradition within Lutheranism

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Liberation, the Jesus Mode: Reflections on the Gospels for the B-Cycle

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