Praxis

16 Comments 12 December 2004

Patrick and I were talking about the Greek word praxis today. Don’t we sound deep?

Praxis basically means the working out of a theology or belief. It is about doing; it’s characterized by a mode of acting. Here’s where our conversation headed. We were discussing why so many Christians were anemic, seemingly devoid of power and growth. (Before I go on, let me assure you I have often slid into this category). Growth in the Christian life, I said, has more to do with what we do with our belief than merely our statement of it.

In practical terms, this means that a new Christian can grow feet to our inches simply because he’s acting out his newfound belief in God. I’ve seen Christians who have walked with Christ for years who experience less and less growth. Why? Because without action, there is atrophy.

Do I really believe God is big enough to take care of me? Truly? Then, why haven’t I stepped out into the unknown, where He beckons me? If I continually walk away from His directives and gentle encouragements, I will soon become deaf to His whispers. And I will quit growing spiritually. That means I can stretch and grow in knowledge, but if that does not result in praxis, a practical walking out of an inner belief, then I will stagnate. I may sound smart, profound even, but if I don’t put the belief to the pavement of this world, my walk with Jesus will seldom progress beyond today’s spirituality.

Then, the conversation turned when Patrick said, “It has to be both head and feet. We must think correctly about God, and then obey.”

Tozer said, “What comes into our minds when we think about God is the most important thing about us.” Before we can put walking shoes to our faith, we must think rightly about God. So many of us (me included) construct God in our own fallible and meager minds. We, because of our finiteness and propensity for sin, cannot conceive adequately of a God so big, so holy.

We are small-minded believers in a manageable God. We are guilty of reversal–we are calling the shots, He obeys. Perhaps praxis flows out of a titanic theology of God–that He is big and we are not. That He is all things wise and we are needy of that wisdom. That He is beyond our comprehension, yet stoops to come to our aid. He is God. I am not.

So, if I believe God is big, that He is beyond my comprehension, how now shall I live? How will my high theology meet the low roads of everyday life?

Step by blessed step.

I want to grow, tall and strong. I want to reach my arms to the heavens and shout HALLELUIA! I want my life to emanate Christ in every way, in every relationship, in every decision. In order to do that, I need to know God’s ability as He stoops to meet my inability. In my frailty, I am strong. In my small willingness to walk the paths He has for me, He meets me there, enabling me to live in praxis, as a disciple who thinks right thoughts about God and who walks out those beliefs here on terra firma.

The questions are:

What prevents us from having a high view of God?
Why is it so hard to put shoes to those high views?

I don’t have a complete picture yet. I see in a mirror dimly. But, I am curious what you think.

relevantgirl

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Bob

Really wonderful post. You’ve got me thinking. Plus I quoted you today in my own blog! Blessings!
Bob

Really wonderful post. You’ve got me thinking. Plus I quoted you today in my own blog! Blessings!
relevantgirl

Thanks, Bob. I haven’t met you yet, but I enjoyed taking a gander at your blog. Nice site. For those of you interested in a compelling read, go tohttp://misterstandfast.blogspot.com/

Warmly,
relevantgirl
relevantgirl

Thanks, Bob. I haven’t met you yet, but I enjoyed taking a gander at your blog. Nice site. For those of you interested in a compelling read, go tohttp://misterstandfast.blogspot.com/Warmly,relevantgirl
jdkeever

Mary,

Awesome Post! You are so right…this issue has radically changed my life and it is the passion which drives my ministry. Thanks for the insight!

As far as your questions go:

1. What prevents us from a “higher” view/understanding of God? Wow! What a question. I recommend Os Guiness’ “Fit Bodies, Fat Minds”. He does an amazing job of “bashing” the Christian culture for their dumbing down of Evangelical Christianity over the past 200 years. He disects some areas in which we must change if we are to recover a view of God which was held by so many who have gone before us.

2. How to “put shoes” on it? I like to call it our Operational Theology (obviously not as creative as you)when what we do does not match what we say/believe. In one sense, we will never master this one because of our bent toward sin (see Romans 7). However, I truly believe that if we focus on question #1, then #2 becomes more and more evident in our lives. (See quote from Tozer and Packer above for validation)….

Thanks again for your ministry! Press On!
jdkeever

Mary, Awesome Post! You are so right…this issue has radically changed my life and it is the passion which drives my ministry. Thanks for the insight!As far as your questions go:1. What prevents us from a “higher” view/understanding of God? Wow! What a question. I recommend Os Guiness’ “Fit Bodies, Fat Minds”. He does an amazing job of “bashing” the Christian culture for their dumbing down of Evangelical Christianity over the past 200 years. He disects some areas in which we must change if we are to recover a view of God which was held by so many who have gone before us.2. How to “put shoes” on it? I like to call it our Operational Theology (obviously not as creative as you)when what we do does not match what we say/believe. In one sense, we will never master this one because of our bent toward sin (see Romans 7). However, I truly believe that if we focus on question #1, then #2 becomes more and more evident in our lives. (See quote from Tozer and Packer above for validation)….Thanks again for your ministry! Press On!
relevantgirl

Yeah, Jeremy, I like to think in terms of aspirational praxis and operational praxis. We may aspire to be loving, but it’s another thing to actually be loving.

I loved what you said about if we elevate our view of God, our walk follows closely after. What are some ways we can think rightly about God? Study? Contemplation? Stepping out into the unknown where faith is tested? I’m curious.
relevantgirl

Yeah, Jeremy, I like to think in terms of aspirational praxis and operational praxis. We may aspire to be loving, but it’s another thing to actually be loving.I loved what you said about if we elevate our view of God, our walk follows closely after. What are some ways we can think rightly about God? Study? Contemplation? Stepping out into the unknown where faith is tested? I’m curious.
J. Mark Bertrand

The relationship between orthodoxy and orthopraxy seems to be a complicated one. You can start with the principle that actions flow from belief and therefore right actions should flow from right beliefs — or, you can take the opposite approach and say that if we “just do it,” then the faith will follow. Both viewpoints have been suggested to me, and at various points I’ve passed them along to others. But the whole thing is much more complicated.

In this instance, I think a lot depends on what “power” and “growth” are, since these are the measuring sticks. The fact that a person can feel that he has grown when he hasn’t, or grow and feel that he has not grown, makes these subjective yardsticks, I suppose.

More and more, I’m coming to think that, whatever their connections may be, orthodoxy and orthopraxy need to be pursued separately — or at least, they both need to be pursued. Investing in one will not “take care of” the other. Perhaps the reason many evangelicals feel that they do not grow is that they have been told to focus on believing the right things, and the practice will follow. Only it doesn’t. (Perhaps it is also that we have conceived of “right action” as a set of personal disciplines instead of good done in the context of the community.)
J. Mark Bertrand

The relationship between orthodoxy and orthopraxy seems to be a complicated one. You can start with the principle that actions flow from belief and therefore right actions should flow from right beliefs — or, you can take the opposite approach and say that if we “just do it,” then the faith will follow. Both viewpoints have been suggested to me, and at various points I’ve passed them along to others. But the whole thing is much more complicated.In this instance, I think a lot depends on what “power” and “growth” are, since these are the measuring sticks. The fact that a person can feel that he has grown when he hasn’t, or grow and feel that he has not grown, makes these subjective yardsticks, I suppose. More and more, I’m coming to think that, whatever their connections may be, orthodoxy and orthopraxy need to be pursued separately — or at least, they both need to be pursued. Investing in one will not “take care of” the other. Perhaps the reason many evangelicals feel that they do not grow is that they have been told to focus on believing the right things, and the practice will follow. Only it doesn’t. (Perhaps it is also that we have conceived of “right action” as a set of personal disciplines instead of good done in the context of the community.)
relevantgirl

Great point, Professor Bertrand! (When I see your picture, I think of you that way!). I think what you write illustrates the tension believers face: pursuing knowledge and/or pursuing faith. Perhaps I can be simplistic and say, all we need to do is pursue Jesus Christ. But, in that pursuit there is both a knowing and a following. A loving and a leaping.
relevantgirl

Great point, Professor Bertrand! (When I see your picture, I think of you that way!). I think what you write illustrates the tension believers face: pursuing knowledge and/or pursuing faith. Perhaps I can be simplistic and say, all we need to do is pursue Jesus Christ. But, in that pursuit there is both a knowing and a following. A loving and a leaping.
Doug

Sometimes my view of God is downright rediculous – considering how much I worry about little stuff or ask for selfish things. But just catching a glimpse of God in the scriptures, or in my wife, or in a good blog (thank you relavantgirl!), can have a life-changing effect. I love the promise of John 3:2, “…we shall be like him, for we shall see Him as He is.” At least some of that should be able to happen now. The better we understand who God is, the crazier is seems to stay the way we are.
Doug

Sometimes my view of God is downright rediculous – considering how much I worry about little stuff or ask for selfish things. But just catching a glimpse of God in the scriptures, or in my wife, or in a good blog (thank you relavantgirl!), can have a life-changing effect. I love the promise of John 3:2, “…we shall be like him, for we shall see Him as He is.” At least some of that should be able to happen now. The better we understand who God is, the crazier is seems to stay the way we are.
Doug

oops, meant “ridiculous”
Doug

oops, meant “ridiculous”