excerpt from week 5 (the cultural mandate)

In the beginning…

God created us in his image and likeness -
a little bit lower than the angels, and a little bit higher than the hares.
He told us to be fruitful and multiply -
to rule the earth and to subdue it.

We were a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, a holy people.

But we could not content ourselves with so little.
He made us his shadow,
but we wanted the light for ourselves.
We could not stand that God was Most High
and so we were always somewhat less.

He gave us dominion.
We began our domination.

Domination required instruments…
So we made weapons and went to war.

Domination required settlement…
So we took many women as slaves and there was much rape.

Domination required industry…
So we made buildings, and then we made temples, and then we made idols.

Domination required society…
So we built cities and then we made our Empire

Domination required communication…
So we constructed our propaganda.

Domination required finance…
So we sold our souls.

And then,
Sickened by what we’d become,
God repented in his heart that he’d ever made us.

And so he took it all back.

He took us back to one family
In a boat with the animals
That sailed for more than a month
on a swimmer’s sadness.

And now,
We get to start over.

There is a new beginning for us now.
There is a new creation.
There is now, therefore, no more condemnation
for those who are alive in the Word.

In this new beginning is the Word
and the Word is with God,
and the Word is God.

We are, with God, beginning.