If you spend any amount of time with “religious” people the topic of salvation is bound to come up, with either a positive or negative connotation. In a negative connotation, the reference may have something to do with those who claim to be “saved” but who may not manifest that change in the way they live their lives. In a positive connotation, it may have to do with something that has been accomplished, like being baptized. This is sometimes called being “washed in the blood.” It also refers to Jesus dying on the cross for us.
In the early years of ministry I served a Baptist church. As candidates came to the waters of baptism they were asked the question, “Do you accept Jesus Christ as your personal Lord and Savior and do you promise to be his faithful disciple all the days of your life?” I’m not sure I fully understood what that meant, I’m pretty sure the 12 and 13 year olds I was baptizing didn’t either.
Since the radical religious right is claiming a corner on the market on all things God, I decided to revisit the topic. In conservative/fundamental religious traditions salvation is something personal between the individual and God. It is true for us too, but it involves more. And it involves more for conservatives, too.
I’m all for having one’s heart filled with the Holy Spirit and having a vital faith. I’m not so much for the mindset that is about only me, my relationship with God, and winning as many souls for Jesus as possible. While it fits the individualistic tendencies of our culture, I’m not as convinced it has much to do with what Jesus called his first disciples to as he was beginning his ministry.
A better word for me than “saved” is “whole” or “liberated.” These words suggest what is closer to the truth for many people. Our movement toward God in a life-giving way is a process. It is about growing in our relationship with God, but also with each other and the created order. Being liberated suggests that we need to be freed from our captivity to the world’s bells and whistles. There are lots of shiny and beautiful things that distract us from what is truly life-giving. Competing priorities and the ever-present need of the ego to be stoked with affirmation and self-building praise, keep us from seeing a clear vision of what wholeness looks like. Seeking a life of wholeness and freedom keeps us grounded on a life-giving path. It is firmly rooted in love for others, care for creation, justice for all people and embodied mercy in our daily living.
It’s easier to ask if one is “saved” than it is to ask if one is “whole” or “liberated.” When written in the same sentence, it is easy to see how being saved is an event while being whole or liberated is a process. It is much less intimate to ask someone if they are “saved” than it is to ask how they are doing in their human and spiritual development in a life-giving relationship with God. I think, however, there is value in asking the intimate question and having a conversation about one’s faith formation.
A common conservative connotation of salvation is an event, the focus remains on personal sin and our wretchedness in the sight of God that can only be healed by the blood of Jesus. Salvation occurs when one accepts Jesus as their personal Lord and Savior. Later it is symbolized in baptism, usually by immersion, when one dies with Christ and is raised with Christ. In truth, there are as many understandings of salvation and baptism as there are religious traditions.
In my tradition salvation is viewed as an ongoing process. Baptism is understood as a symbol of radical inclusion. We are recognized as God’s beloved creation from the moment of our birth. It is an event celebrated by the entire church, which takes its rightful place in offering nurture to the child and family. It is a cause for celebration in the entire church and not just for the family who’s loved one is being baptized. Baptism is the quintessential symbol of being claimed for God’s purpose and welcomed into the church. Salvation happens again and again as we grow in our relationship with God.
It may not seem like a big deal, but I believe language matters and words have power. How we name something says volumes about how we understand it. I understand the life of faith to be a lifetime walk toward wholeness and liberation, and that is what it means to me to be saved.
The Irreverent Reverend 