#mark russ

[theinwardlight]

This is why Jesus said love of God is shown through love of neighbour and enemy. Loving our ideal of the intangible God is not a substitute for our loving the real, messy person in front of us. I want a faith that is wary of romanticism and confronts material reality.

Mark Russ, "Dirty Religion"

19th century icon of Christ washing the disciples' feet

[theinwardlight]

Is our Christmas apocalyptic, or an act of self-deception? Are we making the connection between the refugee family at the heart of the Christmas story, and the refugees and displaced people of today? Are we seeking the Kingdom in our celebrations? Are we able to hear and live out the whole Christmas story – the good, the fallen and the reconciled? In a world full of jealous, murderous Herods, God is tearing back the sky – heaven and earth colliding in an intimate embrace of shalom. Let’s train ourselves to see it.

Mark Russ, Quaker writer

[theinwardlight]

Mary offers a model of Quaker discipleship – faithful, prayerful and open to the leadings of God. She captures the best of the Quaker tradition: She demonstrates the non-coercive workings of the Divine; in a patriarchal world she is a strong, prophetic women, a champion of the poor and downtrodden whilst herself a refugee. Like [early Quaker] James Nayler, she knows that a life with God is not a life without grief, that bearing God leads to pain as well as glory. [...] I believe the God that is Love invites us to be God-bearers, to enflesh the Word in the world. Can we say with Mary: ‘Here am I, the servant of the Lord; let it be with me according to your word’?

From Mark Russ, "Be a God-Bearer"

Icon of Mary as God-Bearer, by Marza

[theinwardlight]

In my tradition Jesus is the guiding star, the foundation stone for understanding what right belief and right action look like. The Spirit of Christ is available to us as a truthful guide (John 16:13), leading us into salvation, which according to Jesus is abundant life (John 10:9). This life is found in the raising up of 'the least of these' (Matthew 25:31-46), the hungry and thirsty, the stranger, the poor, the sick and the imprisoned.

Mark Russ, Quaker Shaped Christianity

Resurrection icon by Ivanka Demchuk 

[theinwardlight]

From Mark Russ, Quaker Shaped Christianity

[theinwardlight]

The plain nature of Quaker worship is not a restriction of what the Spirit can do. Rather, it's a recognition that the Spirit can't be contained... The spiritual renewal associated with the waters of baptism can happen without those waters. Communion with God can occur wherever God chooses and people are open to that communion... God is free to meet us, love us and gather us together at whatever time God chooses.

Mark Russ, Quaker Shaped Christianity

[theinwardlight]

I now see Jesus as the key to my experience: the Jesus story makes sense of my life, and I see the world through the Jesus story. Christian writer G. K. Chesterton said that when a key fits a complicated lock, you know it's the right key. For him, the complexity of Christianity matches and makes sense of the complexity of the world. This metaphor resonates with me. The Jesus story makes sense of my experience both emotionally and intellectually. It gives me answers to my questions. It has a depth and breadth that seems to contain everything, whilst never feeling restrictive. It's a story that contains hope, justice, love and freedom, history, politics and spirituality, and addresses the very worst and the very best in us.

Mark Russ, Quaker Shaped Christianity

Transfiguration icon by Liviu Dumitrescu 

[theinwardlight]

This sense of 'arrival' is part of Jesus' ministry, particularly his teaching on the Kingdom of God. Quaker-shaped Christianity is a faith of desire for a Christ-shaped future, a desire that energizes us to work for a better world. We can taste the Kingdom in the present moment, but the full feast is still to come.

Mark Russ, Quaker Shaped Christianity