"Born again"?

I'm going into Christian mode here. You're warned. ;-)

What is it about the words “born again” that causes Christians to instantly feel simpatico with one another, and yet can cause people of other or no faith to react with rolled eyes, humour, or even fear? There is no question that “born again” is an important part of the Christian lexicon, and yet only a few inside or outside the faith truly understand the words in their entire nuance.

The phrase refers to a discussion Jesus has with Nicodemus, a member of the Jerusalem temple elite. Jesus tells him that believers must be born again. Unable to understand the figurative language, Nicodemus asks how a fully grown man can reemerge from the womb – perhaps he is worrying Jesus is referring to reincarnation, a serious heresy even in first century Judaism?

Jesus replies with what is, if you will, the soteriological creed of Christianity: “Very truly, I tell you, no one can enter the kingdom of God without being born of water and Spirit.”

As with all religions, however, this pivotal statement finds itself understood in all kinds of ways. The oldest way is perhaps the sacramental understanding that persists in Catholic, Orthodox, and Anglican churches: grace comes from membership in the church and membership in the church comes from baptism (water), and confirmation/chrismation (spirit.)

“Born again” in evangelical churches often has another meaning. Though there’s no water or spirit in it, St. Paul quoting scripture, “And Abraham believed God, and it was reckoned to him as righteousness" (Romans 4:3) tells the story as they would see it. “Born again” is thought of as the moment belief appears, the start of a new tale concerning a new person.

There’s certainly something I take away from both approaches. I like the humility of the sacramental view of things: there are some things God does of his own power; we don’t earn it, we didn’t help kick-start this power, and membership in the church makes you only a small part of this journey – the baptized are many, and the personal saviour is clearly a communal saviour, as interested in the next man, woman, and child as in you.

But what about the renewed person? There’s some merit in craving more than a formal renewal via sacraments, although there is also reason to credit cynics with a point. There are many “born again” people who are not that different in their “born again” iteration than they were in previous forms. It isn’t an all new car when you fill the tank with gas. Just a car that can hopefully now do better than stalling when it pulls out into traffic. The driver hasn’t changed, nor the wear and tear on the vehicle – just the ability to get fuel to the carburetor.

I like better the idea of everyday renewal. Even every hour renewal. Every moment is an opportunity to make it better than before. I fill up the tank and renew my commitment to God, my family, and my friends as often as I think to; because I know the tank runs empty a lot.

It is a powerful idea, this notion that grace is a free gift, an idea Catholics share with Protestants, though they differ on the mechanisms. Grace is like gasoline, line an oil change, to overuse my bad metaphor some more – but it costs nothing (unlike real oil.) And it costs everything. (Like real oil!)

Though I must say it is a lot better for the environment! ;-)