Chaitanya Jyothi Museum Opening, 2000

RAMANAM
In the Name of The Father, and of The Son and of The Holy Spirit, Amen.

Countrymen,

ORBIS NON SUFFICIT
SOLUS DEUS SUFFICIT

Bonhoeffer’s famous phrase, religionless Christianity (religionsloses Christentum), can be taken in one or perhaps both of two ways.  It can mean Christianity without religion.  It can mean Christianity beyond religion.  Here is Bonhoeffer’s musing on the subject, in English translation.  Read it and see which way — or both — he means the phrase.

Is the question even worthwhile now?  Who gives a damn any more?

Well, I think God does.  In fact, I know He does.  So give it a try.

While you are at it, consider Tillich’s phrases religion beyond religion and The Religion of Concrete Spirit.

We are in the realm here of incarnation theology, are we not?  Somehow, the media have not picked it up.

Are we not looking at anything BUT incarnation of divinity when we see through the media?  Of course we are.

So Bonhoeffer and Tillich are idiots, dreamers, fantasizers?  Maybe the media are.

Sure as shootin’ this is true: practically everyone, including the media, is behaving as if they really do want an incarnation of divinity.  At least something spectacularly good, to happen to them.

Maybe practically everyone just wants a deus ex machina to get them out of messes in which they feel trapped and unable to extricate themselves.  That would not be wanting an incarnation of divinity.

Bonhoeffer, in those musings, considers the deus ex machina crowd.

Perhaps that describes the religious-political-moral situation today.  Most want a deus ex machina.  Some want an Incarnationem divinitatis.  None wants a religion.  God without religion.  God is not dead, religion is.  Thank God!

The interior is exterior.  Love is embodied.  This always is the case, but maybe we see it now, even BECAUSE OF the media.  Love is new being at the center of affairs.  The Christ is the center of history without religion.  He is the center of an individual beyond religion.  He is new being where there is being.

AUM NAMAH SHIVAYA