Catherine Seeks God

This past week the Evangelical Broadcasting Organization (EO) broadcast a program series under the title “Catherine Seeks God.” The well-known presenter Catherine Keyl visited a number of more or less prominent Christians, with the aim of finding out what faith means to them. Since Catherine herself is not a Christian, but combines a naïve openness with the courage to ask critical questions, this sometimes makes for quite interesting television. In each broadcast she comments on the guest in her program and also draws her (provisional) conclusions regarding the Christian faith.

About the beauty of faith she said in an interview:

“…I have not yet discovered that beauty. People should be able to explain in plain Dutch what their life of faith entails.”

A justified demand, isn’t it? In one of the broadcasts she said that she believes in God but, on the other hand, has little to do with Jesus. Honestly, I can understand that. God is there for everyone. But “the Jesus of the EO” is so exclusive. Whoever does not choose for Him—too bad, but they don’t belong. Of course, it mustn’t be “sold” that way (ssst…), but such a person burns—literally or not—forever in hell.

No matter how much one tries to mask this, the urge to convert others to Jesus is driven above all by fear. Is it illogical that Catherine cannot discover the beauty in that? In common tongue, it is impossible to explain. In vain do exalted images of mass rallies or other fragments with a high emotional content attempt to conceal this fact.

Several EO members responded to Catherine’s remark about Jesus along the lines of: oh well, Christ is after all a “stone of stumbling.” But this “Canaanite jargon” seems to me totally misplaced here! Paul indeed called Christ a “stone of stumbling.” But for whom? For people who rely on their own religious works. On something they have achieved. They have “chosen for Jesus.” This also comes out in these broadcasts. If Catherine chooses for Jesus, He becomes her Savior—so goes the message.

Directly opposed to this stands the Gospel that Paul made known: Christ Jesus is her Lord and Savior! Just as He is of everyone! Unconditionally and excluding no one! But how could Catherine possibly believe this if she does not first hear it?

Read: the dynamite of the Gospel

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