wfn.org | Kathleen Norris Holds Worshippers in Thrall

[PCUSA.NEWS@pcusa.org]

19-June-1997 
GA97090 
 
                KATHLEEN NORRIS HOLDS WORSHIPERS IN THRALL 
 
                            by Nancy Rodman 
 
 
SYRACUSE--Acknowledging her "terminal optimism", Presbyterian lay preacher 
and writer Kathleen Norris told Assembly participants at worship Thursday 
morning that "our intense discussion of the issue, our shouting and weeping 
and praying, is, in the long run a good thing.  It's what we do as a 
church.  It's part of being a Christian, to seek and struggle for the 
truth." 
 
    Preaching on the Fourth Great End of the Church, The Preservation of 
the Truth, Norris cautioned that words such as truth, when used as 
abstractions can be truly deadly, making it easier for us to hide behind 
lies.  We need to look to the gospel of Jesus Christ when we ponder truth. 
Jesus says that he is "the way, the truth, and the life", and this is our 
starting point when we consider truth in the context of church. 
 
    "The way, the truth, and the life says to me," Norris said, "that the 
Incarnation is not about abstraction; but about life itself, about plowing, 
struggling, doubting, exploring, and simply living our way into Christ's 
truth." 
 
    She continued, "The whole point of our religion, our being church, is 
to allow Christ to shine through in the way we live out his love, all in 
the hope that in wild and wondrously various, even contradictory ways, we 
people of diverse backgrounds experience, and beliefs, might come to 
incarnate Christ in our world." 
 
    Norris lifted up two ancient forms of Christian community, 
congregations and monasteries as  models for Presbyterians today, noting 
that both institutions still exist, still partake of the mystery of 
Christian unity, though they have little uniformity.  "That," Norris said, 
"just may be where we can find Christian truth." 
 
    Jesus gave us the essential commandment, Norris continued, the center 
point of the church - to love God, neighbor, and self.  The example of 
Jesus's words and actions reveals who we must be as church.  "We share in 
the very being of God by moving along the way, even though we do not know 
where we are going, except to the cross.  And there God will find us, and 
remain with us, as `the way, the truth, and the life.'  That seems like 
truth to me, in plain English," Norris concluded.   

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