How We Got Here or Principles of Modern Thought: Authenticity

This is the fourth post in series on Stephen Clark's five principles of modern thought. The list is below along with links to the previous posts.

The Principle of Equality
The Principle of Freedom
The Principle of Developing Full Potential 
The Principle of Authenticity
The Principle of Being a "Full-Person"

Here is what Clark says about the principle of authenticity:

The Principle of Authenticity-"It states that each individual should express his or her true feelings and preferences at all times so that one's 'authentic' personality might develop and be seen. Closely related to the principle of authenticity is the notion that each person should express his or her unique personality and gifts as fully as possible. The ideals of authenticity and uniqueness lead to a dislike for the type of social structure taught in scripture. To accept a role which does not fit one's feelings or preferences would be inauthentic. 

While scriptural teaching allows for individual differences it does not idealize them, since sin finds authentic and unique expression in the lives of most people." 

Authenticity has been mocked more and more lately, which is a good thing. Yet the central idea holds on with vehemence in our culture. Dress, sexual identity, job choice, education, spouses, are all often chosen based on what makes a person feel authentic, whatever that means. The key, as with the other three principles is that of individualism. We have a right to express ourselves in "authentic" ways. No one can fence us in or put us in a box. There is a real "me" that must come out and you cannot stop it. I have a right to be me.

Biblical structure, order, submission, and obedience reject the absoluteness of this idea. You may have dreams, desires, personality traits, giftings, that cannot be developed without breaking God's commands. Or that are outside of God's providence for you. The idea of women preaching and having authority is, in part, rooted in this idea of authenticity. A woman has the gift of teaching. Why shouldn't she be allowed to express that gifting? Often authenticity is just an excuse for selfishness and a refusal to submit to God's Word. Authenticity does not equal righteousness. For a Christian the question is not, "Am I expressing the true me?"  Rather it is, "Am I conforming to Christ and His revealed Word?"

For the Life of the World

Alexander Schmemann was a Russian Orthodox theologian and scholar. I just got done reading his book For the Life of the World. A really good book, though I do not agree with all he said. The book pulls us out of an overly rational approach to Church and mission by using the liturgy/order of service in the Orthodox Church as a guide to how we should think about life. Very fascinating read and difficult. I will probably read it again soon to try and get a handle on all of what he is saying. In the meantime, I thought I would post some quotes to give you a taste of his thinking.

"Man must eat in order to live; he must take the world into his body and transform it into himself, into flesh and blood. He is indeed that which he eats, and the whole world is presented as one all-embracing banquet table for man. And this image of the banquet remains, throughout the whole Bible, the central image of life." (p. 11)

"The first, the basic definition of man is that he is the priest. He stands in the center of the world and unifies it in his act of blessing God, of both receiving the world from God and offering it to God." (p. 15)

"Christianity often appears, however, to preach that if men will try hard enough to live Christian lives, the crucifixion can somehow be reversed. This is because Christianity has forgotten itself, forgotten that always it must first of all stand at the cross." (p. 23)