Why Anagnorisis? - 7 Apr 2014

So...why Anagnorisis?

Wisdom would normally suggest that when naming something you want people to engage with, use a word they recognise, and if you can’t think of one of those, at least use a word that people can pronounce.

Wisdom and common sense...

For this series of Lent Podcasts, we used neither. 

And so, against wisdom, common sense and the explicit advice of a professional psychologist, ‘The Anagnorisis Series’ was born.

Why? Because as soon as we stumbled onto it we realised that it described the heart of the series in one perfect, confusing, wonderful word: Anagnorisis.

the moment at which a character makes a critical discovery regarding their identity and true nature

The gospels are full of broken people; prostitutes, tax collectors, cowards, drunkards, thieves and murderers - all meeting Jesus and being transformed. Broken people wrote the Bible and broken people read it.

We see ourselves in these stories. We relate to Peter’s faltering; we empathise with the woman at the well who feels outcast; we struggle with overwhelming guilt like the woman caught in adultery and we long to be brave and go against the crowd in extravagant worship like Mary. 

And Jesus meets us in all those failings. As we meet him we are longer so concerned with ourselves. In the words of the great hymn:

    “turn your eyes upon Jesus and the things of this world will grow strangely dim in the light of his glory and grace”

The Anagnorisis series was designed to help us to daily ‘turn our eyes upon Jesus’ and as we see him, we finally see ourselves. 

Forgiven, beautiful, beloved. 

He sees the courage behind our fear, the strength beneath our despair. He sees us not as our insecurities and concerns suggest but as included and loved. He sees the real us, and helps us to see it too. Because who are we to disagree with Jesus?

It is the great anagnorisis moment that we long for.

We hope you have enjoyed the series.