Advent with Friends: Rethinking Heavenly Peace (with Andy Crouch)
Dec 7, 2024
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This week, Andy Crouch, a renowned author and Good Faith contributor, joins Curtis Chang to delve into the meaning of peace during Advent. They challenge superficial views of holiday tranquility, urging listeners to recognize peace as a confrontational force against injustice. The discussion incorporates personal and global reflections, highlights Bethlehem's complex narratives, and emphasizes empathy amid conflict. They also explore transformative storytelling and the essence of embracing peace amidst suffering, offering profound insights for the holiday season.
Advent originally signifies a powerful proclamation of Christ's arrival that disrupts existing order, contrasting with its modern trivialization to festive decorations.
True Advent peace encompasses the acknowledgment of suffering and conflict, emerging from confronting unfinished business rather than escaping discomfort.
Storytelling about personal journeys during Advent can enrich community connections by embracing struggles and triumphs, rather than projecting curated images of perfection.
Deep dives
Understanding Advent's Original Meaning
Advent, originating from the Latin 'adventus' meaning 'coming' or 'arrival', was initially intended to announce the arrival of a new king, a concept rooted deeply in Greco-Roman culture. This term, also referred to as 'parousia' in Greek, signified not a festive occasion but rather a powerful proclamation that disrupted existing kingdoms and marked the beginning of a new order. In modern interpretation, however, Advent has been diminished to candle lighting and holiday cheer, losing its original potent significance. The podcast seeks to recapture this challenge by examining how the traditional virtues associated with Advent—hope, peace, joy, and love—can be redefined within this context of Christ's disruptive arrival.
Revisiting the Concept of Peace
The discussion emphasizes that peace in the context of Advent should not be a mere absence of conflict or discomfort but rather a deeper, transformative experience. It challenges the notion of peace being soothing or pacifying, likening contemporary feelings of peace to a calming soundtrack playing in a mall. Historically, peace embodied by Jesus signifies the righting of wrongs and confronting unfinished business in humanity, which can involve significant turmoil. This understanding requires acknowledging that true peace may include conflict, as it emerges from a process of facing and resolving deeper issues, rather than escaping them.
Challenging Traditional Christmas Hymns
The podcast critically examines traditional Christmas hymns, such as 'O Little Town of Bethlehem' and 'Silent Night', suggesting they may propagate a superficial peace that glosses over the real struggles represented in their narratives. For instance, while 'Silent Night' invokes a serene and idyllic image, it neglects the challenging context of Jesus' birth, which was marked by violence and conflict. The discussion reveals that these beloved hymns often ignore historical struggles and realities, leading to a diluted understanding of peace as designed by Jesus. Therefore, the podcast invites listeners to reflect on the hymns’ messages and consider the complexities and challenges of the peace that Jesus represents.
Pilgrimage versus Tourism
In the dialogue surrounding Advent, pilgrimage is suggested as a more meaningful framework than tourism, as it emphasizes journeying toward deeper understanding rather than escape from reality. Pilgrimage entails an honest reckoning with suffering and challenges rather than portraying an idealized vacation experience. The narrative shared includes a woman's blistered feet from a pilgrimage that required reliance on others, underscoring themes of vulnerability and community. This approach calls for participants to engage in storytelling about their journeys through pain and conflict, which can lead to true encounters with God and the hope that lies beyond those struggles.
The Importance of Narratives
The podcast advocates for the telling of stories as a crucial way to express the true experiences of life during the Advent season. Instead of relying on curated images that suggest a perfect life, participants are encouraged to share narratives that encompass the challenges they face and the growth they encounter. Christmas letters, often reduced to images, can be revitalized by including thoughtful reflections on personal journeys, enabling a richer understanding of peace that includes struggles and triumphs. This narrative approach allows individuals to embrace the complexities of their experiences, fostering a deeper connection with both themselves and others in the community.
What is Advent peace? Does it mean inner peace, world peace, or maybe peace with God and others?
In this second episode of the Good Faith Advent series, Curtis Chang is joined by Good Faith contributor Andy Crouch to explore the true meaning of the peace promised by the coming of Jesus. Together, they challenge common assumptions about peace, using the historical context of Jesus' birth to scrutinize familiar Christmas messages. Curtis and Andy invite listeners to consider an Advent peace that acknowledges suffering and speaks into the hard realities of the holiday season—and everyday life.
