Experts tell us that someone that suffers from bipolar disorder demonstrates cycles of energetic elation followed by bouts of profound depression and despair. The disorder can wreak havoc on both the sufferer and their loved ones as they all try to navigate through these cycles of high and low episodes.
According to Jurgens this diagnosis helps to explain the confusing and contradictory aspects of the cosmos that have baffled philosophers, theologians, and other students of the human condition for years. Jurgens says that evidence of God's bipolar tendencies can be found throughout the universe but humanity's greatest exposure to God's affliction comes primarily through His confusing propensity to alternately reward and punish His creations with little rhyme or reason.
I have to say; I wish this diagnosis were true, because it would really explain to me all the mysteries of the world. How much more I would understand about the universe if I knew it was simply the creation of a bipolar God…. that is if in reality he is a deity not fully in control of his mood swings and delusions. However, more than that, think about all of the “why” questions that seem unanswerable that would fall into place. Just consider some of them. Why do good people die while bad people prosper? Why do people suffer terrible illness while others live decadent lifestyles and are never sick a day in their lives? Why do wars rage while millions march and pray for peace? Why are drunken people allowed to get into cars and destroy the lives of innocent families? Why do some people find jobs while others suffer financial ruin? A bipolar God really does explain all of this very neatly.
But no matter how neatly packaged the answers may seem it doesn’t change the reality. Any explanation that attempts to wrap God into a neat package like a bipolar diagnosis is certainly not an explanation of God at all. In fact, any neat and tidy explanations of God or how he works in the world is the furthest thing from who and what he truly is…. and any person, any church or theology that communicates anything different has missed a key element about God.
Theologian Karl Rahner described it well when he wrote, "I must confess to you in all honesty that for me God is and has always been absolute mystery. I do not understand what God is; no one can. We have intimations, inklings; we make faltering, inadequate attempts to put mystery into words. But there is no word for it, no sentence for it."
That phrase, “we make faltering, inadequate attempts to put mystery into words,” struck me. The closest one can come to knowing God is to begin to be comfortable in the inadequate ….to be at peace saying, "I don't know" ….to be at home in tension ….to find comfort in the appearance of contradiction ….to be able to fully embrace the mystery. It is only in the unknown that God can be known.
It is this mysterious unknown that creates the greatest challenge and biggest difficulty for most. Mysteries have to be solved. The unknown has to be discovered. However following that path when it comes to knowing God leads only to aimless wandering. The only peace that can be found is when we can find joy in mystery. It’s also called trust.
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