Take Time and Smell the Coffee
- Posted by on June 4th, 2017 filed in Uncategorized
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Ask anyone–I will take any opportunity that I can to talk about coffee, so here it goes… but first, let’s talk about theology. Better yet, let’s talk about both.
As students from a variety of religious backgrounds, we have all experienced different upbringings. Thus, we have all come into theology discussions carrying our different perspectives. Let’s call these perspectives our Cafe Americanos–our watered-down cups of espresso, our classic go-to orders when we are in a new place.
About a week ago, I (Makayla) was feeling adventurous and decided to order my first cup of Greek coffee at a lovely little creperie in Lindos, Rhodes. Truthfully, I forgot that Greek coffee was made different, so my first sip of dirt water–I mean Greek coffee, was quite a surprise! It was semi-tolerable for a few sips and then I tasted the silt-like inch of coffee grounds that made the coffee different than I was used to. Perhaps not at first, but after some reflection I began to ponder how we encounter theological concepts that contradict our own beliefs.
Lindos, Rhodes during sunrise
Greek coffee in its cultural context is meant to be drank slowly in the midst of a conversation; it’s a social tradition. In America, we mobile-order our coffee and consume it on our way to work or class. When we encounter differences in theological beliefs (like we have been exploring during lectures on the trip), we often disagree with and challenge them without attempting to understand the background of the person that we converse with. We want to believe that our “coffeehouse culture” is the only valid way. It is not until we challenge our own beliefs and meet the perspectives of others with a mindset of curiosity that we will begin to just barely touch the surface of discovering who God is.
Coffee and crepes in Rhodes
This afternoon, I (Charlotte) had my first cup of Greek coffee at a cafe table by the street in Thessaloniki. I was told that Greek coffee is stronger than what I was used to, but I was excited–I love strong coffee! The first few sips weren’t bad. Then, I discovered that most of the flavor came from a thick sludge of fine grounds at the bottom of my cup. What had seemed to be an innocent cup of coffee on the surface proved to be full of muck when I actually imbibed it.
A major street in Thessaloniki at night
Many times, our theological beliefs are like that cup of coffee. We’re excited by the idea of something new and different, and wooed by the promises of a stronger faith brew than we are used to. It’s only when we imbibe more that we find the sludge that’s hiding at the bottom.
In the last couple of days, we’ve been talking about theological theories a lot, as a group. Specifically, we’ve been talking about theories of atonement–why Christ needed to come to earth and die on the cross, when exactly our salvation was gained, and how Jesus gained our freedom with His sacrifice.
As we were speaking about the theories, I realized that I’d mainly heard about how Jesus defeated Satan, or paid for our debts with His sacrifice, which was potentially problematic, because it implies that Satan had so much power over us (or worse, God!) that Jesus had to die to restore the balance. As I was pondering the idea that perhaps Jesus didn’t die to pay a debt, but to teach us about forgiveness, love, and our need for His grace, the Moral Example theory was introduced.
The Moral Example theory essentially states that Jesus died for the same reason He came–to teach us how to love, and show us how to live. But although this theory seemed like a perfect solution to me in the moment, as I walked with my friends on the beach that night, I discovered the muck that lay underneath the surface. This explanation of Jesus’ sacrifice, at its core, relies on the idea that God would send an innocent man to die for no real reason, which seems to go against God’s non-violent nature. Just like the Greek coffee, what seemed strong and palatable at first, turned out to be full of gunk.
All in all, we’re not saying to drink a certain type of coffee, or subscribe to a certain theological belief; it might take tasting many ideas to hit upon the one that resonates with you. While we may find the new Greek coffee to be unpleasant, we must also consider the cultural context in which it exists and not limit ourselves to drinking what we always have.
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