I'm obsessed with this post. I'm not being hyperbolic when I say it's one of my favorite things I've read this year.
I've seen Les Mis live a handful of times (both "good" and "bad" productions), and each time I start crying at the Bishop's line, "You forgot I gave these also would you leave the best behind?" I'm usually still crying for bows.
On Parole/The Bishop is the movement where the Bishop saves Valjean. It starts with Valjean reminding himself never to forget the years and waste of prison. He says, "nor forgive them what they've done. They are the guilty, everyone."
And you know what, I agree. 19 years a slave to the law for stealing bread, when the oppression of France caused the starvation? In my book, he has every right to go scorched earth. That's what I'm usually ranting about when I find myself in a modern Valjean/Javert argument.
But Valjean receives a grace so big it even covers Javert, even though, in the end, Javert cannot accept it.
I also, at your behest, read Sinners in the Hands of a Loving God. I knew I didn't believe in "capital H, fire and brimstone" Hell, but I didn't know where to begin figuring out what I DID believe. I don't think Brian Zahnd had great answers, but he inspired great questions.
The one I keep coming back to - What do we get out of the hell we create? The ones for ourselves and the ones for other people? What does a century of believers gain from eternal conscious torment? Our understanding of empire demands oppression, and I think for some, "Jesus is on the throne" means somebody's in hell. For the oppressor, a validation of their worldview. For the oppressed, justice, finally, for those who were truly guilty, everyone.
Both Javert and Jean Valjean sing "I am reaching, but I fall." Me too, fellas. Me too.
I still remember a friend of ours from high school saying, "I only cried once... for two hours".
Yes, in some way, hell speaks to both the oppressor and the oppressed. But then I remember the man on the cross who asks for forgiveness for the people who are actively oppressing him and I think that can't be the way.
Adam, your lucid writing reminds me of the unnamed female sinner (somewhere in Luke's gospel) who washed the feet of Jesus in the home of Simon the Pharisee. She was like Jean Valjean; Simon was like Javert. Maybe not totally - I get that - but enough to mention I think.
There's definitely a parallel there. When we focus on our perceived righteousness over Jesus' true righteousness, we miss out on the beauty God has to offer us.
Les Mis is probably my favorite variation of the prodigal son story. Some older sons aren't able to allow themselves to come join the party once they find out how diverse and complicated their father's family really is.
Thanks for sharing this and giving some extra tension to my next listen to the soundtrack, which is long overdue.
Shannon! Great points. The father freely offers the older son and the younger son seats at the table, based on nothing but his ability to make the offer. But the older son isn't locked out for good. I like to think the party becomes too good to resist.
1) 10 years ago I discovered I had food poisoning 15 minutes into watching the Hugh Jackman/Russell Crow version of this movie...truly Hellish
2) You should read the Great Divorce by Lewis if you haven't already...totally sings with the contrasts between the grace received as gift by Jean Valjean and the grace rejected as curse by Javert.
I'm obsessed with this post. I'm not being hyperbolic when I say it's one of my favorite things I've read this year.
I've seen Les Mis live a handful of times (both "good" and "bad" productions), and each time I start crying at the Bishop's line, "You forgot I gave these also would you leave the best behind?" I'm usually still crying for bows.
On Parole/The Bishop is the movement where the Bishop saves Valjean. It starts with Valjean reminding himself never to forget the years and waste of prison. He says, "nor forgive them what they've done. They are the guilty, everyone."
And you know what, I agree. 19 years a slave to the law for stealing bread, when the oppression of France caused the starvation? In my book, he has every right to go scorched earth. That's what I'm usually ranting about when I find myself in a modern Valjean/Javert argument.
But Valjean receives a grace so big it even covers Javert, even though, in the end, Javert cannot accept it.
I also, at your behest, read Sinners in the Hands of a Loving God. I knew I didn't believe in "capital H, fire and brimstone" Hell, but I didn't know where to begin figuring out what I DID believe. I don't think Brian Zahnd had great answers, but he inspired great questions.
The one I keep coming back to - What do we get out of the hell we create? The ones for ourselves and the ones for other people? What does a century of believers gain from eternal conscious torment? Our understanding of empire demands oppression, and I think for some, "Jesus is on the throne" means somebody's in hell. For the oppressor, a validation of their worldview. For the oppressed, justice, finally, for those who were truly guilty, everyone.
Both Javert and Jean Valjean sing "I am reaching, but I fall." Me too, fellas. Me too.
I still remember a friend of ours from high school saying, "I only cried once... for two hours".
Yes, in some way, hell speaks to both the oppressor and the oppressed. But then I remember the man on the cross who asks for forgiveness for the people who are actively oppressing him and I think that can't be the way.
Adam, your lucid writing reminds me of the unnamed female sinner (somewhere in Luke's gospel) who washed the feet of Jesus in the home of Simon the Pharisee. She was like Jean Valjean; Simon was like Javert. Maybe not totally - I get that - but enough to mention I think.
There's definitely a parallel there. When we focus on our perceived righteousness over Jesus' true righteousness, we miss out on the beauty God has to offer us.
Les Mis is probably my favorite variation of the prodigal son story. Some older sons aren't able to allow themselves to come join the party once they find out how diverse and complicated their father's family really is.
Thanks for sharing this and giving some extra tension to my next listen to the soundtrack, which is long overdue.
Shannon! Great points. The father freely offers the older son and the younger son seats at the table, based on nothing but his ability to make the offer. But the older son isn't locked out for good. I like to think the party becomes too good to resist.
Queue up the 10th Anniversary recording ASAP.
Two things
1) 10 years ago I discovered I had food poisoning 15 minutes into watching the Hugh Jackman/Russell Crow version of this movie...truly Hellish
2) You should read the Great Divorce by Lewis if you haven't already...totally sings with the contrasts between the grace received as gift by Jean Valjean and the grace rejected as curse by Javert.
JK i'm getting old, it was 14 years ago...dang
Yeah there's definitely some echos of this in the "hell is locked from the inside" idea.
Wish your grandpa could have read your writing. You two would have had some good conversations.
Me too. Even though I think I would have gotten a couple lectures by this point ;) Love you
And... we had many good conversations over the years. I think of him often, Grandma.