Patrick Derdall - I Hate Myself in Order to Love Myself - May 3rd, 2015

Patrick Derdall tackles one of the more confusing and controversial teachings of Jesus: "Whoever comes to me and does not hate father and mother, wife and children, brothers and sisters, yes, and even life itself, cannot be my disciple." This sermon includes feedback, questions, and stories from the community that came up in the midst. 

Patrick Derdall is a long time member of the Root and Branch community and student at the University of Chicago Divinity School.

Full bible passage from Luke 14: 25-33

Now large crowds were traveling with him; and he turned and said to them, ‘Whoever comes to me and does not hate father and mother, wife and children, brothers and sisters, yes, and even life itself, cannot be my disciple. Whoever does not carry the cross and follow me cannot be my disciple. For which of you, intending to build a tower, does not first sit down and estimate the cost, to see whether he has enough to complete it? Otherwise, when he has laid a foundation and is not able to finish, all who see it will begin to ridicule him, saying, “This fellow began to build and was not able to finish.” Or what king, going out to wage war against another king, will not sit down first and consider whether he is able with ten thousand to oppose the one who comes against him with twenty thousand? If he cannot, then, while the other is still far away, he sends a delegation and asks for the terms of peace. So therefore, none of you can become my disciple if you do not give up all your possessions.

The other two readings, from the philosophers Martin Heidegger and Charles S. Pierce are not in the recording, nor do we have the correct excerpts to put up at this time. Just imagine that they were somewhat interesting in a philosophical sort of way.