The Garden of the Heart Ep. 3
This week we discuss both the glories and the dangers of storgē—or the familial affections—ending with Jesus’ odd teaching that we must “hate” our family if we would be one of his disciples.
“So people called by Jesus learn that they had lived an illusion in their relationship to the world. The illusion is immediacy. It has blocked faith and obedience. Now they know that there can be no unmediated relationships, even in the most intimate ties of their lives, in the blood ties to father and mother, to children, brothers and sisters in marital love, in historical responsibilities. Ever since Jesus called, there are no longer natural, historical, or experiential unmediated relationships for his disciples. Christ the mediator stands between son and father, between husband and wife, between individual and nation, whether they can recognize him or not. There is no way from us to others than the path through Christ, his word, and our following him. Immediacy is a delusion…any time a [relationship] lays claim to immediacy, it must be hated for Christ’s sake.”
(Dietrich Bonhoeffer, Discipleship, p. 94–95)
Here are the diagrams we used in class to see the difference between “immediate” relationships with our families (what Jesus calls us to hate) and those same relationships mediated by Christ.
Diagram 1: Immediate Relationships (to be hated for Christ’s sake)
Diagram 2: Relationships Mediated by Christ
