Radical Christianity?

I find the argument about whether Christian has to be “radical” in order to be genuine is an interesting conversation. If we look at the etymology of the term Christian, its very roots define such a person “as following and belonging to the anointed one;” a pretty radical calling, if you ask me.   

The Greek word Χριστιανός (Christianos) [meaning "follower of Christ"] comes from Χριστός (Christos) [meaning "anointed one"] with an adjectival ending borrowed from Latin to denote adhering to, or even belonging to, as in slave ownership.^[1}

That being the case, having been bought with the price of Christ’s blood, we are no longer our own, but His. We can do nothing of our own accord, only act as His bond slave – or steward. I suppose the conversation may then shift to the issue of if one is actually following the desires of the Owner or one’s own desires . . . removing themselves from bondage to Christ.

 

As this “bondage” is a voluntary submission—not mandatory—the follower is free to act in the Owner’s interest or their own. It seems to me that such a powerful realization of salvation through Christ’s sacrifice would render a person as fully and forever awestruck of his own need and the fullness of joy in their submission to Him – such as is rendered by C.S.Lewis in his autobiography Surprised by Joy: The Shape of My Early Life (1955).

 

My own realization recalls the scene in the film “The Miracle Worker” when young, defiant Helen Keller receives her “sight” and is overcome by joy; her life is changed forever, and spends the rest of her life bringing sight to others. ^[2]

My sight was realized in July of 1976 during vespers at Sequoia National Park, where I worked for the summer. In response to a phase of sincerely seeking His grace and forgiveness, I came to a fuller knowledge of my salvation and committed myself to follow Christ . . . unknowing then what form or manner that path of service would take. I would hope that others observing my life since would say its been somewhat radical.

Having been so surprised by joy, I can’t fathom it anything else . . . He is mine and I am His. And I want others to realize that radical joy as well. 

Notes: 

1.     Bickerman, 1949 p. 147, All these Greek terms, formed with the Latin suffix -ianus, exactly as the Latin words of the same derivation, express the idea that the men or things referred to, belong to the person to whose name the suffix is added. p. 145, In Latin this suffix produced proper names of the type Marcianus and, on the other hand, derivatives from the name of a person, which referred to his belongings, like fundus Narcissianus, or, by extension, to his adherents, Ciceroniani. (underline mine)

2.     http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Miracle_Worker_(1962_film)