Two Reasons We Don’t Believe What We Say We Believe About Feetwashing

(Trust me, this is all about Emerging Church themes. I believe that we have to deconstruct and discard the Reformation image of Jesus. And, that we need to construct a more biblically accurate vision of Jesus as we proclaim Him to the emerging world. In the CGGC, we have access to that new proclamation of Jesus through our ordinance of Feetwashing. But, we’ll have to get our act together.)


Here’s what we say we believe (from We Believe itself):

“We believe in the ordinance of feetwashing as a celebration of the incarnation.”


Here’s the first reason I seriously doubt that we really believe that:

If we really believed that feetwashing is a celebration of the incarnation, we’d ALL be chomping at the bit to celebrate and attach great meaning to this ordinance during the Advent season. If we really believed it, our Christmas Eve services would, of necessity, include a time when people have the opportunity to observe the ordinance that represents God’s love for the world in sending His Son to make His dwelling among us.

As far as I know, no CGGC congregation does that. Perhaps I’m wrong. I hope I’m wrong. But, I’ve asked around. No one I’ve asked is aware of even one of our congregations that actually celebrates feetwashing as a sign of the incarnation specifically during Advent.


Here’s a second reason I have my doubts.

We don’t actually symbolize the incarnation when we do observe feetwashing.

If we really believed this incarnation stuff, we’d find a way to incorporate John 13:4, “…he got up from the meal, took off his outer clothing, and wrapped a towel around his waist,” into our observance. We would not just do John 13:5 . (Verse 5 says, “After that, he poured water into a basin and began to wash his disciples’ feet, drying them with the towel that was wrapped around him.”)

We do the servant part. But, we don’t do the incarnation part of feetwashing. In the incarnation, Jesus “made himself nothing.” He gave up heaven and put on humanity. And, when Jesus stripped to His underwear, He really was symbolizing the incarnation.

Forney argued that feetwashing points to Christ's 'humiliation' (incarnation), not His humility. Talk about ‘humiliation!” Make no mistake: Jesus didn’t have to take off His outer garments. He chose to do it. That’s an essential part of the ordinance. That’s what symbolizes the incarnation.

And, we don’t do that.

I’m not sure how to suggest that we actully do it. It would be embarrassing to actually strip to our undies. But, then, my friends, that was precisely the point when Jesus washed feet. The way He chose to do it was embarrassing. The utter humiliation of Jesus kneeling in front of His disciples in his underwear was extremely uncomfortable for everyone there. It’s part and parcel of Peter’s vociferous response to Jesus.

Please understand. I'm not suggesting that we actually wash feet in our underwear. What I am suggesting, is that we need to find a way to symbolize the incarnation, if we believe feetwashing symbolizes the incarnation.

I, for one, actually believe that it was the incarnation that Jesus had in mind when He washed the disciples’ feet. And, I believe it is the Jesus who washed feet as John describes in chapter 13 who is a more real Jesus than the one preached by the Reformers. And, more important than that, I believe that it is that Jesus who will be meaningful to people with the emerging worldview.

I just want to see us begin to walk our talk.