A Sermon – Rev. Whitney Bruno – May 26, 2024 – LCUCPC – Psalm 29, John 3: 1-17
“ Perichoresis: God is Dance”
Travel with me!
It is 1550. Poland, Lithuanian, or Transylvania. Here we are in a tavern. Luca over there in the corner is a new arrival from Italy. He is three drinks deep in complaining about the church and how the Inquisition burned 9 people last year for their reformist beliefs. “On and on and on,” he says, “Only in Latin. Only through the church. Never question anything! And we’re all worms of the Earth! And they never let us study or read scripture ourselves!”
Maria, at the counter, nods. She says, “Did you know organized, imperial religion invented the idea of original sin to keep women down? Sin didn’t come to humans through Eve and is passed by women. Sin is deeds we do as knowing adults. No baby is born sinful and damned to hell just because it isn’t baptized!”
Daniel wipes down a table with a rag. He asks, “Did you hear about that preacher, Ferenc David? He says we need to restore Christianity to its primitive state, from before all these corruptions set in. Where in scripture do you see God as a trinity? That’s a human idea!” He quotes the Shema, (Deut. 6:4) “Hear O Israel! The LORD your God is one LORD.” Then adds, “How do you get 3 from clearly 1?”
He gets nods around the tavern. He continues, “David is starting a primitive Christian church without all that baggage. A church you’re supposed to use your brain. A church you’re supposed to do your own research. It’s call Unitarian. Not Trinitarian. Unitarian Christians.”
Now, this tavern scene happens again. Again and again. People come to scripture, see no evidence of a Trinity, and found a new Unitarian denomination. It happens in the 1800s in London.
But it isn’t new. Oh no. Over a thousand years prior, in the city of Nicaea – which today is in Turkeye – people gathered in their taverns and at the wells to gossip. What interesting times we live in! Last year, the Eastern and Western Roman empire was taken over by Constantine. Before him, it was fairly illegal to be Christian. But he’s legalized Christianity. But is bothered that Bishop Alexander and Bishop Arius are at odds. So the Emperor has demanded Christians come together and speak with one voice on their faith. Never in all the history of our religion has this happened – we literally have four different gospels (or more!) with different voices.
So here we are in Nicaea. And our city is full of visiting dignitaries! Emperor Constantine himself invited all 1,800 bishops of his empire to come to our town. And with them each were invited to bring two deacons and a priest. Our town is bursting with people from Syria, Phoenicia, Persia, Mesopotamia, Alexandria in Egypt, and Antioch in Greece. It feels like Pentecost is happening all over again! The officials have lost count of exactly how many people have responded to the invitation. Not all 1,800 have come – but those who have come have brought a lot more of their congregation that 3 or 4.
For two months now they’ve been confessing their faith to one another, and debating. This is the first ecumenical, multi-denomination gathering of Christians – ever.
One large camp are Arians. They believe God the Father is unique, and greater, than the Son. The Son was only ‘god’ as much as God, his Father, permitted. The Son is God’s first and most perfect creation. But created – not preexisting God. Through the created, begotten, Son, God-the-Father made the world. Jesus says this in John 14:28: “the Father is greater than I.” And in Colossians 1:15 we read, the Son is “the firstborn of all creation.” As a creation, Jesus had free will. He could have chosen to do wrong and chosen to do good. He chose to follow God’s will. We, too, have free will. We can choose to do good and do wrong. We, too, are created. We can be like Jesus and become children of God.
The other large camp are Arius’ former teacher, Alexander. His followers upheld John 10:30 – “I and the Father are One,” and John 1:1, “The Word was God,” The Son was always a son – never created and always begotten, at all moments. The Father was always a father – never not a father, eternally before time and after time and at all times Father. Co-eternal. Existing simultaneously. Jesus is not less than God – Jesus is God! No human could save humanity – it takes God, God’s self—so Jesus had to be God. If he wasn’t, then we haven’t been saved because humanity has not been taken on and made clean.
Now, did you hear about yesterday’s debate? It ended when Nicholas took his shoe to another bishop and they all got in a shoe-fight? Do you really think they’ll ever come to one voice?
Aside – they do not. The Arians are declared heretics and kicked out. And Arianism persists today.
But Nicaea wasn’t the start of this debate either! Nor was it the end. The Holy Spirit wasn’t addressed at all at Nicaea! That would be another council. No, even when Jesus walked the Earth… people couldn’t agree on who or what he was.
Recall, Jesus asked: “Who do you say that I am?” Not them. Not they. Not those over there. You. Who do YOU say that I am?
The question if God is One, or Three-in-One is less a question about God, and more a question about Jesus.
Is Jesus God?
Is Jesus God in a human body?
Is Jesus God and human like a demi-god? A hybrid?
Is Jesus God and human like a spirit riding in a body?
Is Jesus God and human, both wholly, not combined?
Is Jesus human, with God’s mind?
Is Jesus human, adopted by God?
Is Jesus human, inspired by God?
Jesus is literally standing with his disciples and they can’t speak with one mind on this. Jesus is killed in part because some have said he is God. Jesus himself – what does he say?
He is coy. His answers are Rabbi answers – answers that turn the question back to you. Who do you say that I am?
I am the good shepherd.
I am the vine and you are the branches.
I am the bread of life.
I am the way, the truth, and the life.
I am the light of the world.
I am the resurrection and the life.
Who are these things to you? That I am.
In that tavern, at the Nicaean well, in the dark of night for Nicodemus, in the British 1800s streets and in this room right now – Jesus asks: who do YOU say that I am?
And we say different things.
Some say Jesus is the adopted human child of God; or the amazing Rabbi role model; or a lesser god; or an important prophet; or the anointed human messiah…
And others say Jesus is divine, with the same will and substance as God-who-creates. Equal to the Father. Co-eternal, co-existing with the Spirit and Parent. God-Incarnate. God-in-a-human-body…
What do you say? Who do you say Jesus is?
I, myself, like to draw forth a solution some of our ancient faith mothers and fathers came to. It is this wonderful word: peri-cho-res-is. Perichoresis. Circle dance. God is dance.
Picture three people in a circle dance. Each of them a dancer. God is not the dancers. God is the dance itself. Jesus is a dancer – but Jesus is also the dance. The Spirit is a dancer, but the Spirit is also the dance. Parent is a dancer, but Parent is also the dance.
Round and round they go, and the dance is possible because they work together. It wouldn’t be a circle dance if only one did it. It wouldn’t be a circle dance if they held still. It is the movement, the action, the verb, of parts moving together. Of persons. It is relationship.
When we say God is love, we mean relationships – love – a verb – action. Love is something felt and done. Love can’t be bottled up. Love isn’t a noun like a table or chair. God is the same – something, someone, some verb or action that is only known in the experience. Love, lover, beloved.
We are the dancers. God is the dance.
We are the branches. Jesus is the vine. Creator is the gardener. The Spirit is the life force. God is the entire act of gardening – branches, vines, gardener, life. And also the rain and sun and roots and soil. All of it.
God is dance – and we’re invited to join the dance. Jesus teaches us the moves. The Spirit takes our hand and pulls us along. Creator creates our bodies and lives for the movement. The dance itself is God.
We are literally in God, a partaking of God!
It still isn’t perfect. God is more. It still risks this or that heresy. And heresy just means not the majority’s view. But it works for me. And maybe it does for you, too.
Praise God, our Great Mystery! Praise God who can’t be continued by human thoughts and words and explanations. Praise God for being God – Amen!
Pastor Whitney Bruno Sermons 