Good morning!
I'm connected on social media with a comedian named James. James is known in the standup circuit for being "unbookable." But we share some of the same interests, including spirituality.
James messaged me this story, which I've edited a little.
I was at a party once talking to this guy about religion. He said he'd been going to church all his life and been a believer since he was like five years old. Prays and reads the Bible every day et cetera et cetera.
I was telling him I study all the world religions and also read a lot about the history of the early church. Somewhere in the conversation, responding to something he said, I mentioned, "I'd compare that to the Kingdom of God is within."
Right away he says, "No it's not." He sounded really adamant about it, so I said, "Well, it does say in the Gospels the Kingdom of God is within."
And he says, "No it doesn't." I say, "Jesus does literally say the Kingdom of God is within. I'm pretty certain it's in Luke. Something like Luke 17:21. Tolstoy wrote a book called The Kingdom of God is Within You. I used to have a copy of it." He says, "I've never read that and it's not in the Gospels."
So I say, "Ok, when you go home tonight pull out your Bible and go to Luke 17:20-21 and I'll guarantee you it's in there".
But then after that conversation, James did remember thinking it might be because of the translation the young man grew up on, since other translations say, "the kingdom of God is 'among you' or 'in your midst'' James said, "That one subtle change makes a huge difference."
The King James Version that was first published in 1611, and other English versions up to the 1950s say "the kingdom of God is within you." So for 340 years "the kingdom of God is within you" was taught to virtually all Protestant Christians of the English-speaking world. The founders of Unity, Charles and Myrtle Fillmore, would have had translations saying that and they certainly took it to heart.
Leo Tolstoy, a Russian, wouldn't have been raised reading an English Bible, but his understanding was also that the kingdom of God is "within" you and that was foundational to his radical faith that preached non-violence and inspired Gandhi.
Beginning with the Revised Standard Version of 1952, however, most new versions say the Kingdom of God "in the midst of you" or "among you."
Why the switch? Well, the translators who made it would have to tell you about that. And we are told that the King James Version often got the translation wrong. But we must remember that the translators are not merely unbiased experts. One Bible teacher put it this way:
All the main translations are making a sincere attempt to present the original text and meaning in English. But a few of them think the original "must have meant" whatever their own theology is.
It seems to me that the translators of "the kingdom of God is in the midst of you," or "among you," are making a theological point that Jesus, the King, was physically present, right there in their midst. Or that the kingdom of God is the Church, the body of believers in Jesus.
But whatever the scholars may say, I believe the King James version got it right. Not because it's the King James Version, but because it's true: The Kingdom of God is within you.
Now, churches can do, and have done great things. They've healed the sick, sheltered the homeless, fed the hungry. But can the church make you love your neighbor?
Can you love your neighbor just because Jesus said so and you don't want to make Jesus angry? That's not how love works. Love comes from within you, it is a feeling that can't be forced.
Churches can and do host meals, concerts, and parties. But can a church make you joyful? You might be having a great time at a potluck, but somebody there might be thinking of the stressful work situation she has to return to the next day. You can't force joy on her. That's not how joy works. It is a feeling that can't be forced.
Churches can pray for peace. Churches can teach unity; that in Christ, there is no male or female, Jew or Greek, native-born or immigrant, white or black. Churches can facilitate negotiations and reconciliations. But can the church make you let go of anger, resentment, and fear? Can the church force you to have peace? That's not how peace works. Peace is a feeling that comes from within.
Love, joy, and peace are not of this world, this material world of the five senses. Only YOU can feel them, and they can be expressed in the material world only through you. The Kingdom of God is within you. The Kingdom of God can be "among us" or "in the midst of us" only if it is within us first.
In this advent season we celebrate the story of the birth of Jesus who prompted the angels to sing: "Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace, goodwill toward men."
According to the Gospels, this Jesus would grow up to say things like:
"Blessed are the peacemakers."
And
"Peace I leave with you; my peace I give to you. Not as the world gives do I give to you. Let not your hearts be troubled, neither let them be afraid"
The prayer Jesus taught, known as the Lord's Prayer, calls for the forgiveness of debts, or trespasses, or sins, again, depending on the translation you use. But what is forgiveness, but bringing peace, love, and understanding to the situation?
Despite all the theological chaos of all the Bible translations, and despite all the seeming contradictions and confusing parts of the Bible, and despite all the crimes committed by institutionalized churches and their leaders throughout history, Jesus remains popular.
I think he's popular because love, peace, and forgiveness are popular. Jesus is an archetype of higher consciousness.
Here is one person's encounter with Jesus. A lot of this comes from Wikipedia.
In the mid-1960s a Columbia University psychology professor named Helen Shucman and her department head Bill Thetford talked about how their weekly office meetings had become so contentious that they both dreaded them. Bill suggested to Helen that "[t]here must be another way". That evening, an "inner voice" told Helen: "This is a Course in Miracles, please take notes." Schucman said that the writing made her very uncomfortable, though it never seriously occurred to her to stop. The next day, she explained the events of her "note-taking" to Bill. To her surprise, Bill encouraged her to continue the process. He also offered to assist her in typing out her notes as she read them to him. The process continued the next day and repeated itself for many years. In 1972, the writing of the three main sections of A Course in Miracles was completed.
A Course in Miracles is really a course in forgiveness, a course in changing one's consciousness. Helen Schuman was not religious at all, and did not grow up in the Christian faith. But she believed that the "inner voice" dictating to her was Jesus. But it didn't mean she thought she was anything special; the Foundation for Inner Peace was created to publish A Course in Miracles in the mid-1970s without a named author, and it wasn't revealed that Helen was the source until after her passing in 1981.
Who knows whether Helen actually received messages from the same person or spirit known as Jesus in the Gospels. We do know that it came from somewhere in her consciousness, that she encountered Jesus there and not in the outside world. Helen identified Jesus as the messenger of peace and forgiveness.
Many have claimed that A Course in Miracles doesn't conform to traditional Christian doctrines. But personally, I do know that the first time I encountered the Course, I was blown away. The Gospels started to make a lot more sense to me than previously. But my point is that Helen's message of peace and forgiveness came from within.
I'll close with a story: In 1974 the singer Johnny Cash, who some of you may remember, was spending Christmas with the evangelist Billy Graham. They were on a walk and Billy said, "When we get back to the house, why don't we call Richard Nixon and wish him a merry Christmas?"
Earlier that year, Richard Nixon, who some of you might remember, was President of the United States and had resigned in disgrace because of the Watergate scandal. He was not a popular guy and Johnny Cash was definitely NOT a fan, but Nixon was a friend of Billy's. So what could Johnny say?
They get back to the house and Billy Graham calls Nixon and they talk a little bit and then Billy says, "Johnny Cash is here with me." Johnny tries to protest but Billy gives him the phone." So Johnny Cash politely wished Richard Nixon a merry Christmas and they had a brief but cordial conversation. Then afterward Johnny saw that his animosity toward Nixon was gone.
Helen Shucman and Billy Graham couldn't have been more different, and I couldn't be more different from them. But when they thought of peace and forgiveness, they thought of Jesus, and when they thought of Jesus, they thought of peace and forgiveness.
This is why we celebrate Jesus. This is why we celebrate Christmas.
Peace be with you, and within you.
And Merry Christmas!