When Symbols Collide: Last Supper or Dionysian Feast?
The Musings of Augustus Merriweather
🏛️ When Athens Meets Jerusalem: The Olympic Spectacle 🏛️
My dear friends and cherished readers,
Several days have passed since the controversial opening ceremony of the 2024 Olympic Games in Paris. I purposefully took this time to let cooler hearts and heads prevail, and to think deeply and prayerfully about my response. It was also an opportunity to sift through the pile of explanations and look for any gold in the gravel. As I sit here in my study, the warm breeze of a Palmetto Cove summer evening wafting through the open window, I find myself grappling with a matter that has set tongues wagging from our local coffee shop to the hallowed halls of theological seminaries.
🎭 The Scene: A Dinner Table or Something More? 🍷
The opening ceremony, typically a celebration of human achievement and cultural diversity, has this year become a Rorschach test of sorts. What some saw as a harmless artistic expression, others perceived as a mockery of one of Christianity’s most sacred moments - the Last Supper. After almost a week it now seems many are admitting what most folk saw with their own eyes.
Now, I’m no stranger to the occasional misunderstanding. Why, just last week, I wore my favorite paisley bow tie to a funeral, mistaking it for a joyous celebration of life. But this, my friends, is a matter of a different magnitude entirely.
🤔 The Dilemma: To Judge or Not to Judge? 🧠
As a deeply committed Christian and a man of some influence in our community, I find myself in a precarious position. On one hand, we are called to be “wise as serpents and innocent as doves” (Matthew 10:16). On the other, we must “test everything; hold fast what is good” (1 Thessalonians 5:21).
C.S. Lewis, in his book Mere Christianity, wrote, “I am trying here to prevent anyone saying the really foolish thing that people often say about Him: I’m ready to accept Jesus as a great moral teacher, but I don’t accept his claim to be God. That is the one thing we must not say.” This controversy, it seems, is testing the very lens through which we view the world and our responsibility to stand firm in our faith.
🌉 Bridging the Gap: Faith in a Secular World 🌎
Now, I’m not one to cry “persecution” at every perceived slight. After all, as my dear grandmother used to say, “Augustus, not every closed door is locked.” But neither can we ignore the signs of a cultural shift that seems increasingly at odds with our Christian worldview.
The philosopher Alvin Plantinga once observed, “The problem is not that there isn’t enough evidence; the problem is that the evidence is interpreted differently.” Perhaps this Olympic controversy is less about intentional mockery and more about a fundamental misunderstanding between secular and sacred worldviews. Or maybe not. I’ve never been a fan of separating the sacred and the secular since God created it all and gave Christ authority over every sphere of it. But I am trying to be charitable - or at least hopeful.
🕯️ Lighting the Way: A Christian Response 🕯️
So, how ought we to respond? Allow me to suggest a few principles that might guide our thoughts and actions:
1. Seek Understanding: Before we rush to judgment, let’s strive to understand the intent behind the actions. As Proverbs 18:13 reminds us, “If one gives an answer before he hears, it is his folly and shame.”
2. Speak Truth in Love: If we believe a wrong has been committed, let us address it with grace and kindness. Ephesians 4:15 encourages us to “speak the truth in love.” However, gentle reader, this does not preclude a firm or even stern rebuke when necessary. Our Lord himself did not shy away from harsh words when confronting the Pharisees (Matthew 23).
3. Be a Light: Rather than merely decrying the darkness, let us focus on being the light. As Jesus said in Matthew 5:16, “Let your light shine before others, so that they may see your good works and give glory to your Father who is in heaven.”
4. Pray for Discernment: In times of cultural confusion, we need divine wisdom more than ever. James 1:5 assures us, “If any of you lacks wisdom, let him ask God, who gives generously to all without reproach, and it will be given him.”
5. Engage in Respectful Dialogue: Use this as an opportunity to have meaningful conversations about our faith and the wider culture with those who may see things differently.
6. Stand Firm in the Faith: We must remember our responsibility to “contend for the faith that was once for all delivered to the saints” (Jude 1:3). This includes addressing and correcting false teaching, even if/when it’s unintentional.
7.Pray for Those Who Misunderstand: Let us not forget to pray for those who may have a distorted view of Christ. As our Lord taught us, “Love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you” (Matthew 5:44). We must earnestly pray for God’s grace to fill their lives, that they might come to a true understanding of his love and sacrifice.
🎩 A Final Thought: Grace in the Face of Misunderstanding 🕊️
My friends, as we navigate these turbulent cultural waters, let us remember that our ultimate allegiance is not to any earthly kingdom or cultural narrative, but to the Kingdom of God. As Augustine of Hippo (no relation, I assure you) once said, “The City of God remains eternally established in stability and strengthened in eternity.”
Whether the Olympic ceremony was a deliberate mockery, a cultural misunderstanding, or something in between, our response as Christians should be marked by grace, truth, and love. We must stand firm in our convictions, ready to correct error and defend the faith, yet always with the goal of redemption and reconciliation. After all, it is not by our indignation that the world will know we are Christians, but by our love - a love that does not shy away from truth, but presents it with grace and compassion.
As we reflect on these matters, let us strive to be like the men of Issachar, “who had understanding of the times, to know what Israel ought to do” (1 Chronicles 12:32). May we be wise in our discernment, gracious in our speech, and steadfast in our faith.
Until our paths cross again, may your faith be as firm as a Southern oak and your grace as sweet as Palmetto honey.
Yours in contemplation and tweed,
Augustus B. Merriweather III
P.S. Remember, dear readers, in the grand Olympic event of life, it’s not about winning gold, but about running the race with endurance and faith. So let's keep our eyes on the prize and our hearts full of grace. After all, we’re in this for the long haul, not just a short sprint! 🏃♂️🏅🙏