Aspiration Quote by Samir Selmanovic
“The emerging church movement has come to believe that the ultimate context of the spiritual aspirations of a follower of Jesus Christ is not Christianity but rather the kingdom of God. ... to believe that God is limited to it would be an attempt to manage God. If one holds that Christ is confined to Christianity, one has chosen a god that is not sovereign. Soren Kierkegaard argued that the moment one decides to become a Christian, one is liable to idolatry.”
About This Quote
The emerging church movement argues that the ultimate context for Christian spirituality is the kingdom of God, not Christianity itself; confining Christ to Christianity is idolatry and limits God's sovereignty.
In simple terms: God's kingdom transcends religious boundaries; don't limit God.
Key Takeaway
Prioritize God's kingdom over religious labels.
Themes
religion
spirituality
idolatry
sovereignty
kingdom of God
theology
Mood
contemplative
challenging
Type
theological
philosophical
When to use this quote
- interfaith dialogue
- theological discussion
- personal faith reflection
- church reform
Key Concepts
religious exclusivism
transcendence
idolatry
Questions to Reflect On
- How does this view affect your faith practice?
- Can one be Christian without prioritizing Christianity?
A Different Perspective
May undermine the unique role of Christ in Christianity for some believers.
![“There are any number of reasons to want novels to survive. The way [Jonathan] Franzen thinks about it is that books can do things, socially useful things, that other media can't. He cites -- as one does -- the philosopher Soren Kierkegaard and his idea of busyness: that state of constant…” quote by Lev Grossman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/img-quotes/57c/lev-grossman-747_books_there-are-any-number-of-reasons-to-want_1029930.jpg)
![“One of the great crimes of the Bloomberg/Klein administration [in New York City] is that they've removed themselves from communities, as if communities have nothing to say about what their needs and aspirations are for themselves and for their children.” quote by Bill Ayers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/img-quotes/cfb/bill-ayers-1848_administration_one-of-the-great-crimes-of-the-bloomberg_36172.jpg)
