Did Jesus Start a "Religion" ?

A few years ago there was a fella who made a video in which he rapped (or something) about how much he loves Jesus and hates “religion”.   Recently a student approached me saying a friend recommended the guy’s book to her.  The chapters have titles like:

• Religion Points to a Dim Future / Jesus Points to a Bright Future
• Religion Makes Enemies / Jesus Makes Friends
• Religion Says “God will love you if…” / Jesus says, “God so loved…”
• Fundies, Fakes, and Other So-Called Christians...

The first thing that strikes me is that if you want to make friends and not enemies... perhaps it best not to call people "fakes" and use derogatory terms like "fundies".  Either way, my student wanted to know how we might respond to the fella’s assertions.  That’s what I wanted to look at today. 

What is a “religion” … and did Jesus start one?

Define Your Terms, Bro:

For most people the word “religion” means something like: 

“A set of beliefs regarding ultimate truths, the nature of mankind, and how human beings relate to the divine – and the way those beliefs get put into practice.”

With that in mind, a person who believes in Jesus’ divinity yet claims to not have a “religion”… just comes off as having a comic lack of self-awareness.

Of course, that isn’t the definition such people are operating from.  What the [Jesus > Religion] folks really have in mind is something far more sinister, manipulative, and empty.  I would break it down into five components:

1. Church: A distinct, visible community of people who share the same beliefs, meet regularly to worship together, and support one another through various ministries.

2. Hierarchy: Certain people among that community who stand in a position of religious authority and can define doctrine. 

3. Dogmas: Beliefs which are defined by the hierarchy and are mandatory for membership in the church community.

4. Rituals: Religious ceremonies which are done regularly and are believed to have some sort of effect.

5. Rules:  Codes of behavior and morality, and other disciplinary codes which are expected of members of the church community.

This is all put together to form a dreary picture.  One imagines joyless, judgmental, and power-hungry clerics enforcing their strict rules, empty rituals, and unquestionable dogmas over the throng of captive people.  It is a system which exists to conceal the true saving and liberating message of Jesus. 

Didn’t He come to get rid of all that nonsense?


What Did Jesus Do?

Now let’s open up the Scriptures and see what Jesus did.

Church:   

Did Jesus intend to start a single, visible communion of believers who regularly gather to pray and worship? 

We can start answering by referring to something Jesus said at the Last Supper:

"I pray not only for them, but also for those who will believe in me through their word, so that they may all be one, as you, Father, are in me and I in you, that they also may be in us, that the world may believe that you sent me.” - John 17:20-21

So Jesus did intend for a single, unified society of believers.  Note that the type of unity which Jesus desired is one which would be a visible testament of the Gospel’s power to unite humanity.  That means there must be visible unity.  In other words, people gathered together professing the same thing.

In addition, the letter to the Hebrews specifically chastises people who think they have no need for communal worship.  The text states:

“Let us hold unwaveringly to our confession that gives us hope, for he who made the promise is trustworthy. We must consider how to rouse one another to love and good works.  We should not stay away from our assembly, as is the custom of some, but encourage one another, and this all the more as you see the day drawing near.” – Hebrews 10:23-25

Hierarchy: 

  

This is probably where the real controversy starts.  Did Jesus intend for certain people among His community to be authoritative leaders and teachers?

Well… yes!  For instance, Jesus designated the twelve Apostles as the original authorized pastors of the Church.  He said to them:

"Truly, I say to you, in the new world, when the Son of man shall sit on his glorious throne, you who have followed me will also sit on twelve thrones, judging the twelve tribes of Israel." - Matthew 19:28

Those Apostles went on to ordain other men who would lead and teach in their communities.  Those men would in turn ordain other men to take their places.  And on and on.  We see this in passages like Titus 1:5:

“This is why I left you in Crete, that you might amend what was defective, and appoint elders in every town as I directed you…” – Titus 1:5

Lastly, the letter to the Hebrews specifically exhorts people into submission to their religious authorities:

“Obey your leaders and submit to them; for they are keeping watch over your souls, as men who will have to give account. Let them do this joyfully, and not sadly, for that would be of no advantage to you.” - Hebrews 13:17

Dogmas: 

The word “dogma” is commonly taken to mean:  “Shut up!  We’ll tell you what to believe!”

In more neutral terms, the word “dogma” refers to a belief which the Church proposes as essential to the Christian faith.  It means there are real, non-negotiable truths which we profess together.  

So did Jesus establish a Church which would have dogmas?  A couple of examples come to mind.

One of the earliest heresies the Church had to address was whether keeping the Mosaic Law was incumbent upon Christians.  Paul’s letter to the Galatians is largely focused on this issue.   He upbraids members of the Galatian community for accepting the Judaizing heresy saying:

"As we have said before, so now I say again, if anyone is preaching to you a gospel contrary to that which you received, let him be accursed." - Galatians 1:9

This means a person was not permitted to hold a contrary view on whether the Mosaic Law had been fulfilled.  And if he did not agree, he could be shown the door.

The Apostle John likewise dealt with two other heresies in his letters.  There were people denying that Jesus was a real man with an actual fleshy body.  Others were denying Jesus was the divine Son of God.  John wrote in response:

“Who is the liar? Whoever denies that Jesus is the Christ. Whoever denies the Father and the Son, this is the antichrist.”  - 1 John 2:21-23

“Many deceivers have gone out into the world, those who do not acknowledge Jesus Christ as coming in the flesh; such is the deceitful one and the antichrist.” – 2 John 1:7

Now we have two more dogmas: The incarnation and the consubstantial divinity of Jesus and the Father.  (Naturally there are others)

If you think about it, we need to have dogmas.  There must be non-negotiable doctrines.  Without them, every part of the Christian faith is up for grabs.  The Christian faith becomes… whatever you want it to be.

Rituals: 

The [Jesus  > Religion] folks will often complain that “religion” bogs down the Christian faith with “empty rituals”. That is to say, motions the faithful go through rather than having a true relationship with Jesus.  Surely He would not have intended for Christians to have rituals, right?

Well… no.  Jesus did establish rituals for His people to perform.

First, He left us a ritual for inducting people into the Christian faith, namely baptism:

"Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you; and lo, I am with you always, to the close of the age.” - Matthew 28:19-20

Jesus also left us a ritual means of honoring, commemorating, and worshipping Him in the form of the Lord’s Supper:

"And he took bread, and when he had given thanks he broke it and gave it to them, saying, 'This is my body which is given for you. Do this in remembrance of me.'” - Luke 22:19

So there are two rituals which are at the heart of Christian life.

Rules:
 
Lastly, what about rules?  “Religion” is perceived as following about rules and regulations.  It teaches people to engage in book-keeping, finger-waving, and constantly trying to be good enough for God. 

On the other hand, the concept of a “rule” just means there are some behaviors which are acceptable and others which are not.  For instance, I’d bet the [Jesus > Religion] folks would be fine with rules against defrauding from the poor.

Saint Paul likewise lists some rules Christians are expected to follow:

“The acts of the flesh are obvious: sexual immorality, impurity and debauchery; idolatry and witchcraft; hatred, discord, jealousy, fits of rage, selfish ambition, dissensions, factions and envy; drunkenness, orgies, and the like. I warn you, as I did before, that those who live like this will not inherit the kingdom of God.” - Galatians 5:19-21

Now, one might object that those are rules concerning the moral law.  Of course we’re going to have rules against murder and theft.  What the [Jesus >  Religion] folks object to are manmade rules. Those had no place in Christianity.

Well, you can find those in the New Testament too.  For instance, the Council of Jerusalem actually established a dietary discipline for the recipients of their letter.  They even claimed this rule was endorsed by the Holy Spirit:

“For it has seemed good to the Holy Spirit and to us to lay upon you no greater burden than these necessary things:  that you abstain from what has been sacrificed to idols and from blood and from what is strangled and from unchastity. If you keep yourselves from these, you will do well. Farewell.” – Acts 15:28-29

Further, Saint Paul spoke to the Corinthians of a dress code which he said was the practice throughout the whole Church:

“Any man who prays or prophesies with his head covered dishonors his head, but any woman who prays or prophesies with her head unveiled dishonors her head—it is the same as if her head were shaven.  For if a woman will not veil herself, then she should cut off her hair; but if it is disgraceful for a woman to be shorn or shaven, let her wear a veil.”   […] "If anyone is disposed to be contentious, we recognize no other practice, nor do the churches of God." - 1 Corinthians 11:4-6, 16

So yeah… rules for morality, dress codes, and diets.  All in the original Christian church.

Critical Thinking  > Slogans

Did Jesus start a religion?  Well, Jesus started a thing in which had regular communal worship, authoritative leaders, mandatory dogmas, rituals, and rules.  That sure sounds like a religion.

Now, Jesus’ religion will always be staffed by imperfect, sinful, fallible human beings.  There will always be a temptation for people to lose their inner fire and begin “going through the motions”.  And then there is the opposite temptation to become strict, unloving, and judgmental.   These are both perrenial problems.

The true Christian religion calls us to be passionately observant, yet also merciful and loving.  The dogmas, rituals, and rules are meant to propel us down our path of discipleship.  When people fail in this regard, it is not a problem with the “religion”.  It is a problem with humanity. 

One does not become immune to this problem by discarding the elements of religion which Jesus gave us.  Nor does one become more like Christ by throwing stones at the people who have lost their way. 

In the end, a man can be a judgmental Pharisee just as easily while claiming to be a “true Christian” who rejects “religion”.