Dr. Marcus Borg
"Religion and Idolatry"
January 11, 2007
Dr. Courtney Campbell introduced Dr. Borg, but first he explained a little about how this particular theme for the series, "Does Religion Matter," was chosen. First of all, it was chosen because Dr. Borg is retiring this year, and in commemoration of his excellent teaching and research career, the department wanted to honor him by choosing this theme. Today, the issues of public place and religious space are significant - they matter in a public way. Speakers were invited to address this issue in an academic way or in personal narrative.
Dr. Borg began his talk by asking three questions:
How many here are students? How many are faculty and staff? How many here are presently involved with life in a religious community? He then went on to say that this is his last community lecture in Corvallis - although, it may not be, but right now - he is approaching this talk as if it were. Also, he said he was hired in 1979 - he has been teaching at OSU for 30 years. Dr. Warren Hovland (who was in the audience) was the one responsible for bringing Dr. Borg to Oregon. Dr. Hovland had noticed that Dr. Borg's resume was not in the pile chosen by the others to consider. He had insisted it be added and "by such random matters life is decided," concluded Dr. Borg.
"Does religion matter?" asked Dr. Borg. "Yes," he said and stated four reasons why:
1. Central figures of religion have shaped human history.
2. History of western culture: can we understand the history of art without religion? Of music? Of architecture?
3. Our western cultural ethos - our way of life, can we understand any of this without religion?
4. Can we understand the conflicts in the world today without religion?
"Religion matters enormously - the study of religion is essential to understanding the world today. It's a scandal that the study of religion is not part of education, and those most against this approach are the religious people themselves who feel that an education in world religion will somehow diminish their own," said Dr. Borg.
Dr. Borg then outlined his talk as follows:
I. "My love of religion & the study of it."
II. The ambiguity of religion.
III. Religion and idolatry.
IV. The truth of religion as I see it.
I. "Why I treasure religion": "enduring" religions are a triad of truth, beauty and goodness.
a. "Truth." Wisdom - religions and philosophy ask the greatest questions, two of which are:
What is real? What is reality? And, how then shall we live?
b. "Beauty." Think of the role of music in religion, art, architecture and language. Imagine oneself as a peasant in the middle ages - the only visual images you would ever see would be in the church.
c. "Goodness." The lives of the saints, lives lived in compassion, courage and mercy. Saints inhabit all enduring traditions of the world.
Religion is a means of ultimate transformation; it is also a practical means of transformation. "The paths of transformation, personally and universally, are why I love religion."
II. The ambiguity of religion.
Religion is pervasively ambiguous; it also has a checkered and brutal past. Christianity and Islam, for examples. "Two largest religions with greatest geological spread; (they) have the most to be ashamed of." - Charles Kimball, When Religion Becomes Evil.
Christianity and Islam produce most human misery because of their alliances with power. This wedding with power distorts religion.
Christianity, for example. Christianity and warfare: European wars were fought between Christian nations - and remember, there was the Crusades. So for Christians to imply that Islam is a violent religion is to be "woefully ignorant of Christian history." For instance, hanging was an acceptable punishment for petty thievery (and "petty" thieving was done by the poor, usually for reasons of survival). The history of women in Christian history is one of subordination, terrorism (witches) and exclusion. Suicides, in Christian history, were excluded from burial rites and graves within the sanctuary. Slavery was condoned in Christian history as was the persecution and exclusion of gay and lesbian people.
Religion is a profoundly ambiguous phenomenon. It can be the greatest source of human goodness (think Mother Theresa) and the greatest source of human misery (see Christian history notes above).
III: Religions are ambiguous because they are subject to idolatry. Conventional definitions of "idolatry" are not very insightful, such as "worship of statues (like the Catholics down the street)," and " 'idolatry' is what other religions do."
A warranted definition both Biblically and thoughtfully is: "idolatry is the absolutization of anything finite," or, "it is the giving of absolute status or value to anything finite," or "giving absolute loyalty to something finite."
A large category opens up with this definition: the "I," one's family, one's nation, one's religion - all finites are open to idolatry.
An idolatry of thought: this occurs when one's own way of seeing things is absolutized.
We grow into idolatry; to grow up is to be provincial. However, sustained exposure to other ways of seeing, knowing, etc. combats idolatry.
Atheism can be idolatrized. And many people have multiple absolutes. "Instead of speaking so much of polytheism, perhaps we should discuss poly-idolatries more often."
Religions become idolatrous when they become absolutized; in fact, anything you can put into words becomes finite. Protestants can make the Bible an idol. "The Bible is just a book for God's sake!" Catholics, by claiming to be the 'one true religion' makes an idol of their religion.
Religions are culturally specific responses to the sacred. When religions become idolatrous, they become insensitive, brutal and judgmental.
An alternative to idolatry: recognition of the word "God" transcends any finite expression. God is more than any human word can get around. To put God into words is idolatry.
Monotheism - "the one," transcends every cultural tradition of "the one." The sacred can only be expressed in a variety of ways - not only in one way.
God is beyond all human divisions.
IV: CONCLUSION
Is religion true? In any one religion "the truth?" Are religions in their central claims, true?
Yes, they are, because religions have two central claims at their core:
1. Is there "a more," as asked by William James. Is there "a wondrous, stupendous "more?" Best moments in life is a glimmer of "more." Is there any level, dimension of reality beyond this one as in "God," "the sacred," or "the reality that is the ground of everything which is more real than we are."
2. We are transformed by being more deeply grounded in "the more."
These most central claims are true. Religions at their best address the deepest yearnings of human beings: fuller connection to what is, and the world functioning at its best with compassion, mercy, justice and love.
Dr. Borg ended with this quote from Corinthians, "But we hold this treasure in earthen vessels, that the surpassing power may be of God and not from us."