A reader writes about the theologically backwards message of some original Haugen lyrics:
After reading your last post, I thought of the most theologically abhorrent hymn I knew. Went and checked, and sure enough, it’s Marty Haugen’s work. I hate “Gather Us In” because of this verse:
Not in the dark of buildings confining
Not in some heaven, light years away,
But here in this place the new light is shining,
Now is the kingdom, now is the day.
Not in “some” heaven? This sounds like the anthem of an atheist – we’ll make heaven here, now, don’t need some god to do it for us. That’s the definition of humanism, isn’t it? I know that’s not what he’s really trying to say, but that’s how it comes out, and apparently no one cares.
I disagree. As with all good exegesis you must look at more than two words to make a judgement. The sentence those words are in helps you understand what the author ist rying to say.
“Not in some heaven light years away”
The statement is not one of an atheist, but a Christian that believes that Christ’s message is not concerned with the Kingdom in the ‘pie in the sky’ mentality, but in the here and now. God’s Kingdom coming to earth is what Jesus is on about.
God is not waiting in the ether until we die. God has come to earth, has lived in out diry existence, and died horrbily in it. The light of God’s Kingdom is here right now!!! Working among us.