Ok, I know that heaven is a debated topic – eternal “floaty” place or New Creation or blah, blah, blah. This post really isn’t about the theological place, but more of longing and musing. I was simply thinking about Christian people I have respected from history I would love to meet, to have a coffee or pint with and chat.
Ok, here is my list (drum roll please):
1) C.S. Lewis (29 November 1898 – 22 November 1963)
Special Question for Clive: How did you like how Anthony Hopkins portrayed you in Shadowlands? Seriously, I have a hard time thinking of Lewis now without connecting him to Hopkins. Weird, huh?
2) Martin Luther King (January 15, 1929 – April 4, 1968)
Special Question: Did you realize the colossal proportion of what was going on around you, or was it just; I am doing the next thing I can do?
3) Mother Teresa (August 26, 1910 – 5 September 5, 1997)
Special Question: What sustained you when you recognized that even though you were helping scores of incredibly needy people, you were barely denting the need?
4) Dietrich Bonhoeffer (February 4, 1906 – April 9, 1945)
Special Question for DB: How did you coalesce the needed courage to act in the middle of one of the greatest tragedies in human history?
5) Author of the “So Called Letter to Diognetus” (2nd Century)
Special Question for our mystery guest: Who are you? Many presumed that the person who penned this letter was Justin Martyr, but…anyway. Here is a short excerpt from the letter. Take a read – you’ll love it!
Honorable mentions (any of these could’ve easily made it into the top five): Lessile Newbigin, William Wilberforce, Soren Kierkegaard, David Bosch, Jim Elliot, Karl Barth, Athanasius, Aelred of Rievaulx, and Francis of Assisi.
I know, history often portrays folks in a certain light and in reality, each of these people might not be the most enjoyable to hang out with (probably because of their intensity), but it’s just for fun. Questions I wonder about would be like, did they like sports, did they ever struggle with depression, how did they experience God, did they struggle with cynicism…stuff like that.
Who would you like to chat with from the past?
What would you want to ask them?
Bruce, I almost put T S Eliot on my list. There were so many. Oh, and Jesus…that is for you Ro!
I’m with you on MLK and Bonhoeffer.
I’d add T S Eliot, and ask him of the ramifications of his conversion at the peak of his career in a social circle that couldn’t comprehend the change.
Eternity. Community.
Ok, why don’t you and mother Theresa sit over there and have your chat, while I sit here with Jesus and ask him a few thousand questions… 🙂