What is a "Personal Relationship with Jesus"?

The central focus of many Christians today seems to be "A Personal Relationship with Jesus". This idea is a fairly recent development of the last 50 years and appears to be concentrated in the Evangelical branch of the Faith. It has been promoted in others and has led to a great deal of confusion and even pain. Pope Francis has even called the idea "dangerous".

I don't think that this "personal" approach is a bad thing on its own, but I think that we need to look at it from all sides. It seems to spring up from a uniquely American brand of individualism. We have moved from the frontier value of "rugged individualism" to a modern "radical individualism", from self-reliance to contempt for others (particularly those who are of no benefit to us). At the same time, we hold onto the idea (bias?) that religious people are "better" than unreligious people. So then, we need to describe a version of Christianity that is independent of "others". Let's go for a "personal relationship with Jesus".

I don't believe that most people come into this view as cynically as I just described. These sorts of ideas need to be learned slowly and in small doses. They frequently are taught in the family setting as well as in Sunday School. They are also fortified by the "born again" approach that teaches the permanence of salvation. (A "born again" Christian doesn't or can't sin since that would mean you weren't really "born again"). This all can be a very comfortable religious lifestyle, especially if it is reinforced by living in a tight-knit community of fellow believers. 

So much for the origins of this thinking. Now, where can this lead? The isolated nature of this kind of "personal" faith can allow the compartmentalization of many behaviors. As long as I feel warm and cozy in my relationship with Jesus, my feelings toward others can range from mild sympathy all the way to harsh contempt. 

Please consider this bit of Gospel: John 13:34. I generally don't consider "proof text" as a valid argument, but this commandment of Jesus' is in line with so much of his teaching, from the Sermon on the Mount through many of His parables. Matthew 25:31-46 really highlights this. You certainly CAN have a personal relationship with Jesus. There really is no other kind. What I am saying is that you cannot have that relationship in isolation. Jesus is with you in the face of every neighbor you encounter, and you are the face of Jesus to them. (For a definition of "neighbor", see Luke 10:25-37). It doesn't get more personal than that.