Insanity's Hope

i'm going to start posting occasional entries from the books i'm writing (or at least that i was writing before getting a full-time ministry position). this is the preface (or atleast the beginning of the preface) for a book entitled, "of the world and not in it: the historical separatistic syncretism of the church."


Trekking hotly across a dry desert, the drops of sea water on weary feet must have birthed a slight sigh of relief as he stood on the edge of death. Just as the pounding waves, however, his thought eroded the momentary rest. An army pressed in on him with nothing but water for escape. Surely, throwing the children into the bulging sea would be more humane than waiting for destruction at the hand of an enraged slave master. Truth whispered what seemed insanity. The haggard prince turned slave turned shepherd turned leader in a fit of either frustration or obedience – only he knows – thrust a shepherd’s scepter into the air and bellowed. Truth swirled and whispered again – to the sea. One could almost depict hands reaching from the sky down to the sea and gently pulling it back like a majestic curtain. The soggy ground dried as though watching water spill in reverse and the people swarmed the newly-made passage way. Running from one side to the other, the people knew no difference had been made. Their wearied feet could never out speed the pounding of the horses’ feet behind them. Death would meet them on the other side of the path. Some even prayed for the sea to swallow them with peaceful drowning.

Safely on the other shore, fears became fact. The army followed them and death was one step closer. Again, Truth whispered insanity – which surely seemed more and more sane with every moment. The shepherd again hoisted his staff and bellowed. The sea responded, closing in and devouring the slave masters and their steeds. Truth somehow, broke through desperation with insanity and won.

Some of you know this story and wonder what my point might be. In the pages to follow, you will encounter utter desperation. You should despair – Truth is nearly lost. However, hope is not. Truth’s habit is to whisper insanity in the final moment of fear and frustration only to lead to regal victory. Through all of the fact mixed with opinion, sarcasm, cynicism, and deep fear that I will share over the next many pages, never lose hope. We have read the end of the book and know that no army of modernity, post-modernity, syncretism, sin, slave-master or of any kind will overcome. Truth will win. In truth, Truth is poised for a victorious march and is only biding time before, once again, insanity is uttered and triumph birthed.

Many of my peers say we cannot know Truth. I agree. Still, to doubt our ability to know something is one issue. Questioning the ability of Truth to meet us speaks more cynically of Truth than it does of us. Truth can, is determined to, and will be know. That said, my hope remains to depress and shock you leaving only insanity’s hope.