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Introductory notes for readers of this thesis - Theses - Flinders ...

Introductory notes for readers of this thesis - Theses - Flinders ...

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This experience is life’s true essence: the <strong>for</strong>ms, structures, sacraments and ideas <strong>of</strong> theChristian faith invite believers to launch into an experience <strong>of</strong> God and point themtowards God rather than their own self-constructed concepts <strong>of</strong> divinity. The trueknowledge <strong>of</strong> faith is the actual encounter with divine love. Human words are like‘middle-men’ saying something about experience but never actually being theexperience; the abiding presence <strong>of</strong> God is the true Word that endures eternally. Words <strong>of</strong>revelation expressed in human language fail to ‘still the yearning <strong>of</strong> my heart’ 44 .Believers are saved not just because they hear that Jesus is God’s word <strong>of</strong> love andinvitation; they also participate in the encounter. God is always present to believers in thedeepest most personal way: ‘You are the inmost centre <strong>of</strong> my heart, closer to me than Iam to myself’ 45 . Prayer, the act <strong>of</strong> conversation with divinity, isultimately just a patient waiting <strong>for</strong> You, a silent standing by until You, who are46ever present in the inmost centre <strong>of</strong> my being, open the gate to me from within’ .The Christian message, expressed as a holistic ministry <strong>of</strong> the entire body <strong>of</strong> Christ, helpsbelievers to find the courage, direction and resources to enter deeply into the God who bygrace has become already the true centre <strong>of</strong> their existence. Humans would never havecome up with <strong>this</strong> idea themselves—humans get lost in their own spirit-seeking. Theresources and community <strong>of</strong> the Christian faith guide believers to their true interiority inGod.The historical Jesus and the continuation <strong>of</strong> his embodiment through his Spiritempoweredchurch help Christians to overcome their instinctual fear <strong>of</strong> the infinite realm,and to experience the eternal nature <strong>of</strong> God in love. In <strong>this</strong> way, human experience <strong>of</strong> thefinite and temporal is trans<strong>for</strong>med: it finds its place, context and true life within theframework <strong>of</strong> eternal love as power, destination and meaning.44 Ibid, 33.45 Ibid, 9.46 Ibid, 24.66

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