I heard the last few minutes of an interview with Ken Burns on NPR this morning as I drove to church. Apparently, he has a documentary on Prohibition which starts tonight. Burns created a sensation with his wonderful history of baseball and since then is well respected for the work he does. Obviously, history is complex and no one perspective can do justice to all the twists and turns, but I am sure he will provide insight into the world of American some one hundred years ago.
One statement which he made took me back. He said that there was concern, based on extenisive alcohol consumption (some seven times more than today) that we were becoming a nation of drunkards. What was more upsetting, were anecdotes about the Temperance Movement. Dominated by women, he told of cases where the ladies were hosed down in the winter, as they stood outside of taverns praying. It caught my attention because it is not the sort of thing which we talk much about. It is a reminder that history is so much more than data points from the past. It is the rich, lived experience of countless souls on their own life journeys.
Burns said that when Temperance blossomed into Prohibition, one of the exceptions was houses of worship. Sacramentl usage was legal. He said that synagogues boomed, many led by rabbis with Irish names. I am not sure how widespread the phenomenon was, but no doubt it occurred with enough frequency to register as a statistical trend.
We have such a distorted view of things. We live in a time of incredible blessings. We are ignorant of life in the past. It is hard to believe that not that long ago, the New York Yankees sometimes slept in the park because it was too hot in their hotel rooms. Babe Ruth, on a mattress in the park. It was not that long ago that the flu killed twenty million people. That people were crippled for life by polio. That babies perished for lack of medical care. That people with cancer just died. It was not so long ago that fresh fruits and vegetables were available only part of the year and the term 'out of season' was in common use. School was a luxury for many, and it was not uncommon to know people who quit school in fourth or fifth grade.
History is called boring by many so they learn little or nothing about it. Unfortunately, you are allowed to have an opinoin and voice it without knowledge. I wish I knew more. Too often I am swept up in the assumption that things were 'so much better' in the past. In fact, we probably live in a much better time, for all its problems, than we can imagine. Yes, things could be better, much better, but they have been worse, much worse. Struggles and problems started in the Garden and have continued to our own day. It is good to learn a bit more about the way we were, especially if you are upset with the way we are...
Showing posts with label Changing World. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Changing World. Show all posts
Sunday, October 2, 2011
Thursday, August 25, 2011
New Racism
I was watching The View on Monday, my day off. I was feeding the baby and complying with the TV viewing patterns of the house. In fairness, I do find it interesting to watch such shows because they seem to be popular with women. It gives me a window into their interests and values.
The special guest was "The Mayflower Madam" and she was that day's "Where are they now?" person of interest. Apparently each day some famous sex scandal person made an appearance. A few things hit me watching the show. One was the response she received, which seemed very positive. This is, after all, a woman who ran an escort service. Even the token "conservative" woman seemed to give her a ride. The first question Whoopie Goldberg asked was even more stunning, "Is it true you did not use Black and Hispanic women?" A real 'gotchya' moment.The Madam seemed taken aback, and denied the charges. She even mentioned by name a couple of women. Whoopie seemed very relieved. Really? Advocating for Minority representation to be a prostitute?
The night before there was a news story about a legislator trying to pass a law which would outlaw sagging pants. The story explained the origination of the practice and showed several young men, pants at mid thigh, underwear showing. There was also a young woman imitating the boys from her neighborhood and describing how distracting it was. The shock moment, though, was an elderly Black man decrying the legislation as racist. He was concerned that a clothing style was being criminalized. I thought at that moment about Martin Luther King's dream...
Racism is one of the results of fallen humanity. Conservative White people rarely face the race issue squarely. We have a tendency to ignore aspects of the debate. I have worked in numerous education and mental health facilities with integrated populations. For many years I had numerous co-workers who were different races. [One of the biggest jokes about the Progressive Episcopal Church, which talks incessantly about being a diverse church, is that I am surrounded by White people here. It is the least integrated place I have ever worked.] The years of interaction with Blacks helped give me insight into their needs and concerns. I came to understand their frustration with racism. I also got insight into my own.
That said, the Black leadership often times confuses me. The obsession with racism leads to some silly statements. Advocating for Black prostitutes and pants hanging down to the knees seems to be foolish. It would seem to give 'racism' a good name. I do not know what Dr. King would say about these two stories. I am not sure how he would respond to the challenges which impact the Black community today. Certainly there is a need in the White community to continue to help raise up brothers and sisters of all races. But the nonsense that I see among those who push for equality makes me think that there is need for some soul searching there as well.
The special guest was "The Mayflower Madam" and she was that day's "Where are they now?" person of interest. Apparently each day some famous sex scandal person made an appearance. A few things hit me watching the show. One was the response she received, which seemed very positive. This is, after all, a woman who ran an escort service. Even the token "conservative" woman seemed to give her a ride. The first question Whoopie Goldberg asked was even more stunning, "Is it true you did not use Black and Hispanic women?" A real 'gotchya' moment.The Madam seemed taken aback, and denied the charges. She even mentioned by name a couple of women. Whoopie seemed very relieved. Really? Advocating for Minority representation to be a prostitute?
The night before there was a news story about a legislator trying to pass a law which would outlaw sagging pants. The story explained the origination of the practice and showed several young men, pants at mid thigh, underwear showing. There was also a young woman imitating the boys from her neighborhood and describing how distracting it was. The shock moment, though, was an elderly Black man decrying the legislation as racist. He was concerned that a clothing style was being criminalized. I thought at that moment about Martin Luther King's dream...
Racism is one of the results of fallen humanity. Conservative White people rarely face the race issue squarely. We have a tendency to ignore aspects of the debate. I have worked in numerous education and mental health facilities with integrated populations. For many years I had numerous co-workers who were different races. [One of the biggest jokes about the Progressive Episcopal Church, which talks incessantly about being a diverse church, is that I am surrounded by White people here. It is the least integrated place I have ever worked.] The years of interaction with Blacks helped give me insight into their needs and concerns. I came to understand their frustration with racism. I also got insight into my own.
That said, the Black leadership often times confuses me. The obsession with racism leads to some silly statements. Advocating for Black prostitutes and pants hanging down to the knees seems to be foolish. It would seem to give 'racism' a good name. I do not know what Dr. King would say about these two stories. I am not sure how he would respond to the challenges which impact the Black community today. Certainly there is a need in the White community to continue to help raise up brothers and sisters of all races. But the nonsense that I see among those who push for equality makes me think that there is need for some soul searching there as well.
Monday, August 8, 2011
First Day of School
Yesterday my daughter said to me, "Summer is over."
"No," I reminded her, "It will still be 100 degrees. Summer is not over, vacation is."
Endings and Beginnings. Most adults can remember back to the first days of school. I recall being so excited that I couldn't fall asleep. My mind raced with questions. Would there be someone gone or someone knew? Who was my teacher going to be? What classes were we going to have? What adventures were to take place?
Tne unknnown. Anticipation. Excitement. The joy of wonder.
Too often our adult lives are spent trudging through each day. We lose the ability fo anticpate or be excited. It seems that this is a natural process. As much as being young at heart sounds great, there is also something wrong with adults who never grow up. Peter Pan, at age 45, is rather creepy. However, we want more than simply to be a hollowed out, beat down shell of the person we were.
Jesus said we are to be like children in the Kingdom. In His time, children were hardly idealized. I think, therefore, that His point is more important. Be children. Probably, what it means, is to live in anticipation. Anticipation of the Kingdom. Hungry and thirsty for God. Looking forward to all that will be. Trusting and Hoping and Living on the edge, the edge of a new adventure. An adventure with God.
"No," I reminded her, "It will still be 100 degrees. Summer is not over, vacation is."
Endings and Beginnings. Most adults can remember back to the first days of school. I recall being so excited that I couldn't fall asleep. My mind raced with questions. Would there be someone gone or someone knew? Who was my teacher going to be? What classes were we going to have? What adventures were to take place?
Tne unknnown. Anticipation. Excitement. The joy of wonder.
Too often our adult lives are spent trudging through each day. We lose the ability fo anticpate or be excited. It seems that this is a natural process. As much as being young at heart sounds great, there is also something wrong with adults who never grow up. Peter Pan, at age 45, is rather creepy. However, we want more than simply to be a hollowed out, beat down shell of the person we were.
Jesus said we are to be like children in the Kingdom. In His time, children were hardly idealized. I think, therefore, that His point is more important. Be children. Probably, what it means, is to live in anticipation. Anticipation of the Kingdom. Hungry and thirsty for God. Looking forward to all that will be. Trusting and Hoping and Living on the edge, the edge of a new adventure. An adventure with God.
Friday, August 5, 2011
The Dangerous Duo: Oprah and Shirley Maclaine
I was making dinner the other day. There is a TV in our kitchen which is expanded by a connected bonus room. The normal TV watching schedule was in place, i.e., the one which does not factor me in (because I am usually at work at this time). So Oprah was on.
For much of the time I was focused on peppers, potatos and sausage. Even so, I could take in much of what Oprah and her guest, Shirley Maclaine, were discussing. It seems that Shirley, the celebrity front woman of the new age thinkers, wrote a book that changed Oprah's life. Oprah took God "out of the box" and expanded her understanding of spirituality. Spirituality, Oprah explained repeatedly, means "an openness" to reality and, she gently reminded her audience, was in no way against anyone's religion.
Shirley then proceeded to espouse basic pantheism, to the apparent delight of the studio audience. I would have preferred that the two ladies were more argumentative. I would have preferred that Oprah attacked Christian faith or Shirley had mocked the Lord Jesus. I would have preferred that everyone knew exactly what these two media giants were actually saying.
Instead, we heard about meditation and the value of non-violence. We heard about reincarnation and the 'reality' that no one dies. The soul lives on. We heard that the problem with people today is no one teaches 'spirituality' in the schools so people grow up ignorant of the (panthesistic) truth. And, of course, we were assured that none of this was intended to undermine "your religion whatever it is." Even as the two of them dissembled the Christian faith and denied not only its central tenants but its core: Jesus.
On the surface, and even a bit below, the conversation was pleasant. It is a lovely picture they painted of life. No one dies, our souls go on and on, learning and loving. There was a non-violent component (war/killing is bad). There was also no morality baggage. Like some versions of the Gospel of Grace I have heard, human activity was pretty much free of the troubling struggles of becoming holy. We just are, so enjoy it.
One striking feature was Shirley Maclaine's memories of past lovers. It appears she has had many, quite a few of which were not very good, she humorously quipped to the delight of the women in the audience. She admitted to having had three different men in one day. More startled delight from Oprah and her followers! Ms. Maclaine was on the campaign trail and, she shared, everyone else was doing it... Oprah, the wise, explained "you didn't want to be left out?!" "Yes!" Shirley admitted. We then learned that three different men were chosen. Oprah asked about the process. The audienced laughed and clapped. It wasn't very good, we were told, Shirley prefers some level of emotional bonding first. No life lessons here. Apparently spirituality of this sort is promiscuous (if you want it to be).
I have lived too long to be shocked or disgusted by all this. I have heard too much over the years. It is all too familiar. My innoncence is gone. I wish I could be surprised. I wish I could be shocked. I think Oprah is incredibly dangerous to the Christian faith. Not because she is evil, but because she is silly. Silly, and incredibly powerful. Woman are influenced by her. I can only wonder how many other woman are now "freed" by the "Maclaine (pseudo) gospel." I wonder how many are sitting in church pews. Like I said, I prefer an actual frontal assault on the faith. And a genuine discussion of the repurcussions of the beliefs being espoused. We live in an age of paganization. It is sad and scary. It is the work of spirit, but not THE Holy Spirit. It comes packaged in Hollywood glamor and our 'BFF" Oprah's gracious style. It is seductive. It is deadly. And it is hard to combat because, after all, who wants to say something mean about Oprah when there is so much evil in the world? And so a seductive, more photogenic, dangerous belief system continues to permeate our culture.
For much of the time I was focused on peppers, potatos and sausage. Even so, I could take in much of what Oprah and her guest, Shirley Maclaine, were discussing. It seems that Shirley, the celebrity front woman of the new age thinkers, wrote a book that changed Oprah's life. Oprah took God "out of the box" and expanded her understanding of spirituality. Spirituality, Oprah explained repeatedly, means "an openness" to reality and, she gently reminded her audience, was in no way against anyone's religion.
Shirley then proceeded to espouse basic pantheism, to the apparent delight of the studio audience. I would have preferred that the two ladies were more argumentative. I would have preferred that Oprah attacked Christian faith or Shirley had mocked the Lord Jesus. I would have preferred that everyone knew exactly what these two media giants were actually saying.
Instead, we heard about meditation and the value of non-violence. We heard about reincarnation and the 'reality' that no one dies. The soul lives on. We heard that the problem with people today is no one teaches 'spirituality' in the schools so people grow up ignorant of the (panthesistic) truth. And, of course, we were assured that none of this was intended to undermine "your religion whatever it is." Even as the two of them dissembled the Christian faith and denied not only its central tenants but its core: Jesus.
On the surface, and even a bit below, the conversation was pleasant. It is a lovely picture they painted of life. No one dies, our souls go on and on, learning and loving. There was a non-violent component (war/killing is bad). There was also no morality baggage. Like some versions of the Gospel of Grace I have heard, human activity was pretty much free of the troubling struggles of becoming holy. We just are, so enjoy it.
One striking feature was Shirley Maclaine's memories of past lovers. It appears she has had many, quite a few of which were not very good, she humorously quipped to the delight of the women in the audience. She admitted to having had three different men in one day. More startled delight from Oprah and her followers! Ms. Maclaine was on the campaign trail and, she shared, everyone else was doing it... Oprah, the wise, explained "you didn't want to be left out?!" "Yes!" Shirley admitted. We then learned that three different men were chosen. Oprah asked about the process. The audienced laughed and clapped. It wasn't very good, we were told, Shirley prefers some level of emotional bonding first. No life lessons here. Apparently spirituality of this sort is promiscuous (if you want it to be).
I have lived too long to be shocked or disgusted by all this. I have heard too much over the years. It is all too familiar. My innoncence is gone. I wish I could be surprised. I wish I could be shocked. I think Oprah is incredibly dangerous to the Christian faith. Not because she is evil, but because she is silly. Silly, and incredibly powerful. Woman are influenced by her. I can only wonder how many other woman are now "freed" by the "Maclaine (pseudo) gospel." I wonder how many are sitting in church pews. Like I said, I prefer an actual frontal assault on the faith. And a genuine discussion of the repurcussions of the beliefs being espoused. We live in an age of paganization. It is sad and scary. It is the work of spirit, but not THE Holy Spirit. It comes packaged in Hollywood glamor and our 'BFF" Oprah's gracious style. It is seductive. It is deadly. And it is hard to combat because, after all, who wants to say something mean about Oprah when there is so much evil in the world? And so a seductive, more photogenic, dangerous belief system continues to permeate our culture.
Wednesday, August 3, 2011
More on Babies and Fiscal Issues
I want to make clear, following up on my "Breeders vs. Baby Haters" post a couple of days ago, that I do not advocate children being in every place. I understand the desire to have a "scream free zone." I think it is a parent's responsibility to exercise some critcal thinking. I also know there is a wide range of opinion as regards what is acceptable. My concern is more with the term "Breeders" and the wide-spread distaste for children in some quarters. It is hard to know exactly what is going on in a nation of hundreds of millions of people. I do think that there is an anti-life bent that is coming through from certain quarters.
I am also troubled by the idea that fiscal conservatives are terrorists. Now quotes have a funny way of being edited, and I myself have seen my own words snatched out of context and used to put me in a bad light. But the idea that someone who is dedicated to not increasing an already ridiculous amount of indebtedness is engaging in terrorist behavior is beyond silly. It is, to me, evil. I long ago grew weary with the use of the term "hater" which was pinned on anyone who believes in tradtional marriage. Really? Such language is a result of laziness. It is also a desire to demonize. The misuse of 'terrorist' as applied to debate opponents is equally unwelcome.
My vacation is drawing to a close. We have done little more than household chores. Largely, this is due to childcare responsibilities. Caring for a two month old (we crossed that mark Monday) is pretty much an around the clock thing. It is very time consuming and rules out most other options. It is hard work and there is little positive feedback at the time. The greatest value is it affords one the chance to actually engage in true love. It is an act of self gift and sacrifice. It is not, mind you, heroic. It is not, mind you, unique. It is not, mind you, a reason to think more highly of myself. It is, however, the way things are.
There is much uncertainty hanging over our heads regarding this little guy. We feed, change diapers and care for him. We pray, alot. We recognize how much we have to do and, paradoxically, how little we can do for him. As my other son said some time ago, "Why do they call babies a bundle of joy, they seem to be a bundle of worries."
I want him to grow up in a society which is not bankrupt, morally or financially. I want him to live in a place where he feels valued and where he has reason to believe that if he works hard he can make a good life for himself. I am less secure in trusting the future will be like that for him. However, I have a deeper, further ranging hope as well: God's Kingdom. Perhaps, paradoxically, growing up in a 'worse' world he will help his values and beliefs sharpen. Perhaps he will be more Christian than those of us whose faith has been filtered through the opulence characteristic of middle class life the last couple of decades. It is a mystery to ponder on this hot, hot Wednesday in August.
I am also troubled by the idea that fiscal conservatives are terrorists. Now quotes have a funny way of being edited, and I myself have seen my own words snatched out of context and used to put me in a bad light. But the idea that someone who is dedicated to not increasing an already ridiculous amount of indebtedness is engaging in terrorist behavior is beyond silly. It is, to me, evil. I long ago grew weary with the use of the term "hater" which was pinned on anyone who believes in tradtional marriage. Really? Such language is a result of laziness. It is also a desire to demonize. The misuse of 'terrorist' as applied to debate opponents is equally unwelcome.
My vacation is drawing to a close. We have done little more than household chores. Largely, this is due to childcare responsibilities. Caring for a two month old (we crossed that mark Monday) is pretty much an around the clock thing. It is very time consuming and rules out most other options. It is hard work and there is little positive feedback at the time. The greatest value is it affords one the chance to actually engage in true love. It is an act of self gift and sacrifice. It is not, mind you, heroic. It is not, mind you, unique. It is not, mind you, a reason to think more highly of myself. It is, however, the way things are.
There is much uncertainty hanging over our heads regarding this little guy. We feed, change diapers and care for him. We pray, alot. We recognize how much we have to do and, paradoxically, how little we can do for him. As my other son said some time ago, "Why do they call babies a bundle of joy, they seem to be a bundle of worries."
I want him to grow up in a society which is not bankrupt, morally or financially. I want him to live in a place where he feels valued and where he has reason to believe that if he works hard he can make a good life for himself. I am less secure in trusting the future will be like that for him. However, I have a deeper, further ranging hope as well: God's Kingdom. Perhaps, paradoxically, growing up in a 'worse' world he will help his values and beliefs sharpen. Perhaps he will be more Christian than those of us whose faith has been filtered through the opulence characteristic of middle class life the last couple of decades. It is a mystery to ponder on this hot, hot Wednesday in August.
Monday, August 1, 2011
Breeders vs. Baby Haters
At a clergy gathering in the Spring one of the Progressives said to me that his gay friends call people with children "breeders." I have run across this a few times in articles, generally written by more progressive types. I think it is clever and no doubt funny in a way. I am probably sensitive enough to the culture war issues that I do not find it "laugh out loud" comical. I also believe it is reflective of a bit of disdain for traditional marriage. Just a bit, mind you, but a bit nonetheless.
I do not give much thought to that phrase usually. I am pretty tied up with the three kids, especially the baby, and I have disengaged from the culture war battles in our church since we lost the 'war'. Around these parts, everyone knows what I think and why I think it. They really do not care.
What raises the issue today is at the Y this morning I saw another news story on restaurants barring children under six. I understand the impulse and no one wants to hearing a screaming baby. I swear I have had my fill. Even so, is there something else afoot? What is the general mood of a society that it says that children are not welcome. One theme of the report was that even people with kids wanted to eat in peace and were for the idea. Another theme was that parents are just not good at controlling their kids. But one commentator pointed out the large number of couples who have decided not to have children. These two-income couples are not wanting to see or hear children, apparently. Or at least enough of them to make this issue rather worrisome to me.
The demographic trends in the West are clear. People are not having children at replacement levels. In the decades ahead many nations will be populated by older adults with few young people. It is cultural suicide. It is also divine wrath. Choose life or choose death, God commands in Deuteronomy. Viewing married couples with children as 'breeders' may be one symptom. Refusing admittance of children to restaurants may be another. And then there is the abortion rate.
We need more data to know for sure what is going on. But one thing is clear. At least among certain classes in our society, anti-child is okay. My Lord Jesus said, "Let the children come to me." I hope the church will welcome them in His Name. I think this trend may be a bad thing. What do you think?
I do not give much thought to that phrase usually. I am pretty tied up with the three kids, especially the baby, and I have disengaged from the culture war battles in our church since we lost the 'war'. Around these parts, everyone knows what I think and why I think it. They really do not care.
What raises the issue today is at the Y this morning I saw another news story on restaurants barring children under six. I understand the impulse and no one wants to hearing a screaming baby. I swear I have had my fill. Even so, is there something else afoot? What is the general mood of a society that it says that children are not welcome. One theme of the report was that even people with kids wanted to eat in peace and were for the idea. Another theme was that parents are just not good at controlling their kids. But one commentator pointed out the large number of couples who have decided not to have children. These two-income couples are not wanting to see or hear children, apparently. Or at least enough of them to make this issue rather worrisome to me.
The demographic trends in the West are clear. People are not having children at replacement levels. In the decades ahead many nations will be populated by older adults with few young people. It is cultural suicide. It is also divine wrath. Choose life or choose death, God commands in Deuteronomy. Viewing married couples with children as 'breeders' may be one symptom. Refusing admittance of children to restaurants may be another. And then there is the abortion rate.
We need more data to know for sure what is going on. But one thing is clear. At least among certain classes in our society, anti-child is okay. My Lord Jesus said, "Let the children come to me." I hope the church will welcome them in His Name. I think this trend may be a bad thing. What do you think?
Friday, July 29, 2011
US Debt Crisis
Having spent many years reading history, I am familiar with the rise and fall of nation states. Studying Biblical history, one comes across great empires which literally have ceased to exist. The awareness that all things are passing is one of a historian's gifts. It allows one to remember that there is nothing permanent on this earth. No ruler. No nation. No state of affairs.
Watching our leadership flounder with addressing the issue of debt ceilings (using their typical blame-game antics) has the stench of decay to me. We are falling apart as 'The' world power and literally within a very short while our status in the world may be changing. As an American that bothers me. As a Christian I have a broader horizon.
It is pretty popular to blame "Washington" and surely the politcal hacks and power brokers have a big part of the blame. But in reality, these people do not drop out of another dimension. Truth be told, they grow up among us and are elected by us. The sum total of our desires and wishes, at some point, get translated, at least some of the time, into their decisions. We are a people who love to live now and pay later. We do not like to delay gratification. Is there any wonder that people who are in debt would produce a government that survives on debt? Today I watched a Saturday Night Live review of the 1990's. At one point they had Dana Carvey doing his Ross Perot. I was laughing away until Carvey/Perot spoke about the budget deficit of 500 million dollars. Like a bucket of cold water! How we long for the good old days when debt was measured in hundreds of millions!
We have long known that we are spending more than we take in. In a country where half the people do not pay taxes and an almost equal percent receive checks it is hard to conceive that it is only the rich getting a free ride. On the other hand, those with money and power do usually find a way to make ends meet.
Whatever the other points of the debate, one question looms large in my mind. How long will the unraveling of America go on before someone rises up and does something? And when they do, how pleasant/unpleasant will it be? I, for one, am not optimistic. But I am hopeful. I look to Jesus.
Watching our leadership flounder with addressing the issue of debt ceilings (using their typical blame-game antics) has the stench of decay to me. We are falling apart as 'The' world power and literally within a very short while our status in the world may be changing. As an American that bothers me. As a Christian I have a broader horizon.
It is pretty popular to blame "Washington" and surely the politcal hacks and power brokers have a big part of the blame. But in reality, these people do not drop out of another dimension. Truth be told, they grow up among us and are elected by us. The sum total of our desires and wishes, at some point, get translated, at least some of the time, into their decisions. We are a people who love to live now and pay later. We do not like to delay gratification. Is there any wonder that people who are in debt would produce a government that survives on debt? Today I watched a Saturday Night Live review of the 1990's. At one point they had Dana Carvey doing his Ross Perot. I was laughing away until Carvey/Perot spoke about the budget deficit of 500 million dollars. Like a bucket of cold water! How we long for the good old days when debt was measured in hundreds of millions!
We have long known that we are spending more than we take in. In a country where half the people do not pay taxes and an almost equal percent receive checks it is hard to conceive that it is only the rich getting a free ride. On the other hand, those with money and power do usually find a way to make ends meet.
Whatever the other points of the debate, one question looms large in my mind. How long will the unraveling of America go on before someone rises up and does something? And when they do, how pleasant/unpleasant will it be? I, for one, am not optimistic. But I am hopeful. I look to Jesus.
Wednesday, July 27, 2011
Left Behind
Living in a different world lately. Each day is filled with a particular project. Said project is to be completed on the day it is begun. Today is day three, so far, not so good.
We have been dealing with a tv and cable issue for three days. The new TV has been a constant reminder that I am "totally out of it." There are a series of letters which convey meaning to people who have some idea about all the new stuff. The directions are little help because they refer to things about which I have little understanding. Progress has left me behind. Perhaps I need to write my own "Left Behind" series!
We finally figured out we had the wrong cable, and now my wife is going to buy that one while I watch the baby one grunt and groan and chew on his hand. At some point today, hopefully within an hour, we will have a functioning tv set hooked up to cable (yesterday's goal) and I can get back to cleaning the garage (today's goal). The garage is harder work physically, but more easy for me to understand. I hope tonight to look back on all this and smile.
Being out of it is a sign of my age. I guess things will continue to change and I will fall farther behind. I still read actual books, many of them written by people from hundreds, even thousands of years ago. My interest in such things continues unabated. I find there is great wisdom in these people. The newer advances are not about wisdom. They are technological. Mind you, that is not a complaint. Soon we will be able to skype (spelling?) friends out of town. (We will talk to each other and see each other.) That is a wonderful thing. The TV has a much clearer picture and a capacity to hook up to computers which means my kids will be doing amazing things with them. That is also great. I can talk on a phone almost anywhere, that is amazing. Life is so much easier for us and richer in a variety of ways.
But wisdom is another thing. My baby will live in a world of amazing technology. As to wisdom? One can only hope.
We have been dealing with a tv and cable issue for three days. The new TV has been a constant reminder that I am "totally out of it." There are a series of letters which convey meaning to people who have some idea about all the new stuff. The directions are little help because they refer to things about which I have little understanding. Progress has left me behind. Perhaps I need to write my own "Left Behind" series!
We finally figured out we had the wrong cable, and now my wife is going to buy that one while I watch the baby one grunt and groan and chew on his hand. At some point today, hopefully within an hour, we will have a functioning tv set hooked up to cable (yesterday's goal) and I can get back to cleaning the garage (today's goal). The garage is harder work physically, but more easy for me to understand. I hope tonight to look back on all this and smile.
Being out of it is a sign of my age. I guess things will continue to change and I will fall farther behind. I still read actual books, many of them written by people from hundreds, even thousands of years ago. My interest in such things continues unabated. I find there is great wisdom in these people. The newer advances are not about wisdom. They are technological. Mind you, that is not a complaint. Soon we will be able to skype (spelling?) friends out of town. (We will talk to each other and see each other.) That is a wonderful thing. The TV has a much clearer picture and a capacity to hook up to computers which means my kids will be doing amazing things with them. That is also great. I can talk on a phone almost anywhere, that is amazing. Life is so much easier for us and richer in a variety of ways.
But wisdom is another thing. My baby will live in a world of amazing technology. As to wisdom? One can only hope.
Friday, May 27, 2011
Transition into Summer (and new life)
Yesterday my son graduated from 8th grade. There were some four hundred kids in his class. The ceremony was very nice and we were spared the indignities of people blowing horns and screaming out names. It is nice on occassion to see good manners. I understand the whole "isn't it funny to yell" thing, but at some point it stops being funny and becomes irritating.
From 6:00pm to 10:00pm they had a party, with about 100 kids present. I was one of the paretn chapreones. I watched them wandering around in the spacious yard. There is an awkward grace in thirteen/fourteen year olds. They are blooming into adults and have an innocent beauty about them. They are also infinitely frustrating, seemingly incapable of conversation much of the time. It is, therefore, good to speak to other parents of teenagers and know that they all experience the same thing. Most of us old timers were also able to recall that we were similar when we were that age. There is something to developmental theory. It is important to let them be kids.
The night before I read the book Peace in a Mad Dog World which I mentioned in my last blog. The author had done a reading recently so I heard some of the highlights then. I also have had several friends rave about it. Warner Davis shared his youth in Beligan Congo. Stories of snakes, killer insects and wars were part of his childhood memories. I look at my own son, who has gone to school, lived in middle America and played baseball. He has had his own share of adventure. Once in second grade his mother called me on the last day of school at 4:30. He was being taken to the emergency room. I looked at my watch and said, "He has only been home for ten mintutes, what could he have done in such a short time?" He had been hit in the head with a baseball bat, opening a gash above his eye. I was amazed by his quiet courage as they cleaned him up and sewed him up in the ER. He has had the struggles with friends and self all children have, but for the most part, not many lions or pythons in his experience.
We live in a Mad Dog world. Things can go haywire fast. I got an e-mail today from a minister who wants me to know that many people have received visions that the Memphis area is about to be hit by a killer earthquake. Dozens of people, it seems, have seen a vision of a huge explosion in the Gulf of Mexico which will trigger a devastating earthquake. Well, we have seen actual tornados wipe out communities to our east and west the last couple of months. As earthquake is not unimaginable here, we live on a major fault line and there have been expectations of "the big one" for decades. I hope the visions are not based on actual events soon to unfold in West Tennessee. I hope the earth stays quiet.
Graduations are emotional for me. I reflect on all that has been and I ponder all that can be. Some of those youngsters will end in tragedy, others will achieve amazing things, most will live lives of mild interest. All are capable of relationship with God. Some will walk with Him, others walk away, most will walk around Him, weaving back and forth as the situation warrants. Perhaps we will have a pleasant future, or maybe the visions will come to pass and our life here will be more similar to the chaos of the Belgian Congo. I do not know. I do know that Jesus is Lord in either case. Preparing for the birth of our second son next week, I am very much pondering transitions. I submit all of our lives to Jesus. I try not to fear all that could go wrong. I try to enjoy the moments given in each day, especially the awkward grace. Summer is here, today, for us in Collierville, TN. School is out. Possible adventures lurk ahead. Some dangers as well. I pray for the Lord to guard, guide and grow us.
Life in constant transitions....
From 6:00pm to 10:00pm they had a party, with about 100 kids present. I was one of the paretn chapreones. I watched them wandering around in the spacious yard. There is an awkward grace in thirteen/fourteen year olds. They are blooming into adults and have an innocent beauty about them. They are also infinitely frustrating, seemingly incapable of conversation much of the time. It is, therefore, good to speak to other parents of teenagers and know that they all experience the same thing. Most of us old timers were also able to recall that we were similar when we were that age. There is something to developmental theory. It is important to let them be kids.
The night before I read the book Peace in a Mad Dog World which I mentioned in my last blog. The author had done a reading recently so I heard some of the highlights then. I also have had several friends rave about it. Warner Davis shared his youth in Beligan Congo. Stories of snakes, killer insects and wars were part of his childhood memories. I look at my own son, who has gone to school, lived in middle America and played baseball. He has had his own share of adventure. Once in second grade his mother called me on the last day of school at 4:30. He was being taken to the emergency room. I looked at my watch and said, "He has only been home for ten mintutes, what could he have done in such a short time?" He had been hit in the head with a baseball bat, opening a gash above his eye. I was amazed by his quiet courage as they cleaned him up and sewed him up in the ER. He has had the struggles with friends and self all children have, but for the most part, not many lions or pythons in his experience.
We live in a Mad Dog world. Things can go haywire fast. I got an e-mail today from a minister who wants me to know that many people have received visions that the Memphis area is about to be hit by a killer earthquake. Dozens of people, it seems, have seen a vision of a huge explosion in the Gulf of Mexico which will trigger a devastating earthquake. Well, we have seen actual tornados wipe out communities to our east and west the last couple of months. As earthquake is not unimaginable here, we live on a major fault line and there have been expectations of "the big one" for decades. I hope the visions are not based on actual events soon to unfold in West Tennessee. I hope the earth stays quiet.
Graduations are emotional for me. I reflect on all that has been and I ponder all that can be. Some of those youngsters will end in tragedy, others will achieve amazing things, most will live lives of mild interest. All are capable of relationship with God. Some will walk with Him, others walk away, most will walk around Him, weaving back and forth as the situation warrants. Perhaps we will have a pleasant future, or maybe the visions will come to pass and our life here will be more similar to the chaos of the Belgian Congo. I do not know. I do know that Jesus is Lord in either case. Preparing for the birth of our second son next week, I am very much pondering transitions. I submit all of our lives to Jesus. I try not to fear all that could go wrong. I try to enjoy the moments given in each day, especially the awkward grace. Summer is here, today, for us in Collierville, TN. School is out. Possible adventures lurk ahead. Some dangers as well. I pray for the Lord to guard, guide and grow us.
Life in constant transitions....
Wednesday, May 25, 2011
Presbyterian Problems
My good friend Warner Davis came by to see me yesterday. Warner is the pastor of a local Presbyterian Church. A tall, distinguished man, we met soon after I arrived at St. Andrews. (We were two of the three white people at the local Martin Luther King, Jr. memorial.) Since then we have had many great times together at Rotary and in shared experiences with our churches. Mainly, he has been one of my best friends and supports in the ministry. He is a man of deep faith and gentle spirit. He has written a book (Peace in a Mad Dog World) about his experiences as the son of a missionary in the Belgian Congo which I highly recommend. It would make a riveting movie. Lots of close calls and action and a touching to story of faith.
http://www.amazon.com/Warner-Francis-Davis/e/B0042L04XQ
Warner met with me because the Presbyterian Church has just okayed the ordination of active homosexuals. As I know well, the decisions made at a national level impact the local church. People will leave his church, even as many left my parish. There will be hurt feelings as people with a variety of opinions express them strongly (and many people who would rather not engage in conflict see it emerge all around them). There will be no lack of people who know exactly what needs to be done. Many of them, on opposite sides of the arguments, will prop up their position with a hodge-podge of Scripture quotes and emotion.
My advice to him is point across the street to my parish. For eight years St. Andrews has lived as a minority presence in the Episcopal Church. We have not thrived under the "new thing" but we have been a good church. I told him that the local parish church can continue to do its ministry. As long as we exist the Progressives have to deal with an alternative (Traditional Christian) narrative. As long as we exist, there is a chance to voice a counter opinion. [We can also be challenged in areas where we are wrong.] I have come to greater peace in the last two years. I have friendships with people who believe differently, but love Jesus. I have listened to them and grown as a man and as a Christian. We still disagree on things, but the benefits of staying outweigh the costs. If we left, there would be no ground for discussion. I think that if missionaries to the Belgian Congo can suffer so much to proclaim the faith then I can certainly live in middle class luxury and preach Jesus in this situation. It is not always pleasant, but it isn't supposed to be....
So I pray for the Presbyterian Church. Like us, they are in rapid decline. They are disappearing as a denomination in the USA. I also know that the 'new thing' which their Progressives are pushing will not fill their churches up. The conflicts will only hasten their demise. What I also know is Church history is filled with such stories. Sinners tend to sin, and the church is 100% sinners. No way around it. They sin. We sin. I sin. If we aren't battling over this, it will be that. There is no place to hide, in America, from forces set against the Christian faith. The people outside the church are much more aggressive about it than they are inside.
So my advice to Presbyterians: trust God and be trustworthy, pray, read your Bible, proclaim Jesus, serve the needy, love one another, be greatful, repent. In other words, do what you are supposed to do. God rules. He will take care of everything.
http://www.amazon.com/Warner-Francis-Davis/e/B0042L04XQ
Warner met with me because the Presbyterian Church has just okayed the ordination of active homosexuals. As I know well, the decisions made at a national level impact the local church. People will leave his church, even as many left my parish. There will be hurt feelings as people with a variety of opinions express them strongly (and many people who would rather not engage in conflict see it emerge all around them). There will be no lack of people who know exactly what needs to be done. Many of them, on opposite sides of the arguments, will prop up their position with a hodge-podge of Scripture quotes and emotion.
My advice to him is point across the street to my parish. For eight years St. Andrews has lived as a minority presence in the Episcopal Church. We have not thrived under the "new thing" but we have been a good church. I told him that the local parish church can continue to do its ministry. As long as we exist the Progressives have to deal with an alternative (Traditional Christian) narrative. As long as we exist, there is a chance to voice a counter opinion. [We can also be challenged in areas where we are wrong.] I have come to greater peace in the last two years. I have friendships with people who believe differently, but love Jesus. I have listened to them and grown as a man and as a Christian. We still disagree on things, but the benefits of staying outweigh the costs. If we left, there would be no ground for discussion. I think that if missionaries to the Belgian Congo can suffer so much to proclaim the faith then I can certainly live in middle class luxury and preach Jesus in this situation. It is not always pleasant, but it isn't supposed to be....
So I pray for the Presbyterian Church. Like us, they are in rapid decline. They are disappearing as a denomination in the USA. I also know that the 'new thing' which their Progressives are pushing will not fill their churches up. The conflicts will only hasten their demise. What I also know is Church history is filled with such stories. Sinners tend to sin, and the church is 100% sinners. No way around it. They sin. We sin. I sin. If we aren't battling over this, it will be that. There is no place to hide, in America, from forces set against the Christian faith. The people outside the church are much more aggressive about it than they are inside.
So my advice to Presbyterians: trust God and be trustworthy, pray, read your Bible, proclaim Jesus, serve the needy, love one another, be greatful, repent. In other words, do what you are supposed to do. God rules. He will take care of everything.
Tuesday, May 24, 2011
Barry O'Bama and PLO
I am not a political writer. Don't intend to be. I was touched by the election of Barak Obama in part because as a black man he represented something to Black Americans which deeply resonated. There has been great pain in the Black community and their history has not been easy. I live in Memphis TN so the pain of Black Americans is part of the fabric of our city. The other thing about his election which was powerful was his name. Barak Obama is certainly not a name which one would expect to hear in the USA, especially in light of the global conflicts in which we are engaged. There are a large number of people who think he is Muslim, undercover in the most powerful position in the world. I am not one of those. In fact, based on extensive dealings with Liberal Christians I am pretty sure that the President is exactly what he claims to be a Liberal Christian. (I set aside the heresy debate for now)
I am a priest in the Episcopal church, so I have regular contact with liberal Christianity. I atttended the National Convention where Gene Robinson was confirmed. I saw the number of people advocating for Palestinians at our convention. There were several resolutions drafted. I was amazed by many things at convention. The attitude toward the Israel question was one of the most shocking and disturbing. I cannot fathom the affection Episcopalian Progressives harbor for the Palestinians.
A priest of our diocese once did some public speaking on the Middle East. When asked what I thought I responded, "If you do not have a PhD in Middle Eastern studies you are better off keeping your mouth shut." I still think that is true. But we live in a world where we have to make decisions based on partial understanding all the time. So I am going to open my mouth, with some trepidation.
The last week we have learned our President is Irish. Not much had been made of that prior to his recent trip. It is a bit jarring to have the public narrative suddenly shift. What was more jarring to me was the 'Irish' President's declaration (earlier that week) that Israel needed to give back land to the Palestinians so there can be peace. A return to the 1967 borders, he indicated, was the starting place. Israel's response: those borders are indefensible. I do not see anything in recent history to question that assessment. I think the President is wrong and has put Israel in an even more precarious situation.
My daughter made a statement at dinner last night when this came up. "We will kill America." Her point is theological. What we (US) do to Israel will impact how God treats us. I have heard much debate around that premise. I happen to agree with her. My degree of certitude, however, is moderate. I do not cling to this the way I cling to the resurrection, for example. So, I am disturbed by what is taking place right now. I think Israel is in a very difficult position and I think the President has made it more difficult. I am not as clear what God thinks about all this. Like I said, there are easily a dozen different positions on the question. Christians can, and do, disagree. But it is still an important question.
The theological question, voiced by my daughter, is the one which captures my mind. Is it true that the covenant with Abraham means that the US should support the existance of Israel as a nation? Is it true that Israel the present nation is connected to the Biblical promises to Israel the ancient people? Have the Middle Eastern nations intentionally kept the Palestinians in dire circumstance so that they are an 'excuse' to hate Israel? Is the political unrest in the Middle East a turn toward greater hostility to the Jewish people and the state of Israel? My reading of the Biblical narrative leads me to a pro-Israel position. My limited understanding of the Middle East makes me worry about the future of the tiny state of Israel. We live in a changing world. Nation states rise and fall, appear and disappear. I wonder if Israel will last as a nation.
I am a priest in the Episcopal church, so I have regular contact with liberal Christianity. I atttended the National Convention where Gene Robinson was confirmed. I saw the number of people advocating for Palestinians at our convention. There were several resolutions drafted. I was amazed by many things at convention. The attitude toward the Israel question was one of the most shocking and disturbing. I cannot fathom the affection Episcopalian Progressives harbor for the Palestinians.
A priest of our diocese once did some public speaking on the Middle East. When asked what I thought I responded, "If you do not have a PhD in Middle Eastern studies you are better off keeping your mouth shut." I still think that is true. But we live in a world where we have to make decisions based on partial understanding all the time. So I am going to open my mouth, with some trepidation.
The last week we have learned our President is Irish. Not much had been made of that prior to his recent trip. It is a bit jarring to have the public narrative suddenly shift. What was more jarring to me was the 'Irish' President's declaration (earlier that week) that Israel needed to give back land to the Palestinians so there can be peace. A return to the 1967 borders, he indicated, was the starting place. Israel's response: those borders are indefensible. I do not see anything in recent history to question that assessment. I think the President is wrong and has put Israel in an even more precarious situation.
My daughter made a statement at dinner last night when this came up. "We will kill America." Her point is theological. What we (US) do to Israel will impact how God treats us. I have heard much debate around that premise. I happen to agree with her. My degree of certitude, however, is moderate. I do not cling to this the way I cling to the resurrection, for example. So, I am disturbed by what is taking place right now. I think Israel is in a very difficult position and I think the President has made it more difficult. I am not as clear what God thinks about all this. Like I said, there are easily a dozen different positions on the question. Christians can, and do, disagree. But it is still an important question.
The theological question, voiced by my daughter, is the one which captures my mind. Is it true that the covenant with Abraham means that the US should support the existance of Israel as a nation? Is it true that Israel the present nation is connected to the Biblical promises to Israel the ancient people? Have the Middle Eastern nations intentionally kept the Palestinians in dire circumstance so that they are an 'excuse' to hate Israel? Is the political unrest in the Middle East a turn toward greater hostility to the Jewish people and the state of Israel? My reading of the Biblical narrative leads me to a pro-Israel position. My limited understanding of the Middle East makes me worry about the future of the tiny state of Israel. We live in a changing world. Nation states rise and fall, appear and disappear. I wonder if Israel will last as a nation.
Sunday, May 22, 2011
Real World and Perception
[As some people know, my wife and I are expecting a son on June 5. He is large and the doctor wants to induce a bit early. We are tentatively looking at June 1. My other son is graduating from eighth grade this Thursday. All that to say, life is pretty full right now and it will obviously impact the blogging life at some point. I am not quitting, but I am may less regular in the coming month. I am deeply greatful that anyone cares about my thoughts.]
Last Thursday a screw came loose from the automatic door return on the woman's bathroom door. The heavy mechanism began to pry loose and I had remove it. So now, the door is much easier to open, but it no longer closes on its own. A parishioner came up to me this morning and asked what had happened to the door. "Usually you have to pull it so hard," she explained, "that when I opened it this morning I almost hit myself in the face."
I think this illustrates one of the problems of life. The real world we live in is not the same as the world we "think" we are in. This young lady thought that her world included a heavy bathroom door. It no longer does. The gap between our "belief" (or expectation, or assumption, or whatever term best describes it) and reality is the cause of all number of situations; some pleasant, some unpleasant, all surprises. The world and God are bigger than our minds can fathom.
Last night at prayer group we began to discuss the role of God in healing. There are apparently "natural" spiritual connections to health. Discussions about mind-body are not limited to Christianity. Imagination work impacts physical health. People's expectations impact efficacy (hence the placebo effect). The world is more complex than the simplistic world of the Athiestic Materialist. But Christian faith teaches that the world is more complex than Christians understand, too.
I know that I know a great deal. I also know that the great deal I know is dwarfed by all that I do not know (or understand). I know that I am accurate, or "right" about very much. The problem is there is so much I am "wrong" about. I just do not know what I am wrong about sometimes, so I remain in error.
God has made a world where truth and error co-exist. Error is the result of demonic and human choice. We were given power and abused the power to mess things up. Some day, we are told, He will come to reign. At that point all will be well. Because this promise is sure, we can live in joy and hope today, knowing that SOME DAY it will happen. But we cannot afford to forget that, in the meantime, we must live with humility. We are learning and discovering now. It is helpful to remember that we do not have all the answers. It keeps us on our toes and prepares us for life's surprises.
Last Thursday a screw came loose from the automatic door return on the woman's bathroom door. The heavy mechanism began to pry loose and I had remove it. So now, the door is much easier to open, but it no longer closes on its own. A parishioner came up to me this morning and asked what had happened to the door. "Usually you have to pull it so hard," she explained, "that when I opened it this morning I almost hit myself in the face."
I think this illustrates one of the problems of life. The real world we live in is not the same as the world we "think" we are in. This young lady thought that her world included a heavy bathroom door. It no longer does. The gap between our "belief" (or expectation, or assumption, or whatever term best describes it) and reality is the cause of all number of situations; some pleasant, some unpleasant, all surprises. The world and God are bigger than our minds can fathom.
Last night at prayer group we began to discuss the role of God in healing. There are apparently "natural" spiritual connections to health. Discussions about mind-body are not limited to Christianity. Imagination work impacts physical health. People's expectations impact efficacy (hence the placebo effect). The world is more complex than the simplistic world of the Athiestic Materialist. But Christian faith teaches that the world is more complex than Christians understand, too.
I know that I know a great deal. I also know that the great deal I know is dwarfed by all that I do not know (or understand). I know that I am accurate, or "right" about very much. The problem is there is so much I am "wrong" about. I just do not know what I am wrong about sometimes, so I remain in error.
God has made a world where truth and error co-exist. Error is the result of demonic and human choice. We were given power and abused the power to mess things up. Some day, we are told, He will come to reign. At that point all will be well. Because this promise is sure, we can live in joy and hope today, knowing that SOME DAY it will happen. But we cannot afford to forget that, in the meantime, we must live with humility. We are learning and discovering now. It is helpful to remember that we do not have all the answers. It keeps us on our toes and prepares us for life's surprises.
Friday, April 15, 2011
Eggstravaganza
We are so close...Tomorrow evening at 5:00 we will gather in our parish hall to read the Gospel story. Jesus will tell the disciples to prepare the room for dinner and get a donkey for Him to ride on. We will begin Holy Week, eight days culminating in a remembrance and celebration of the resurrection of Jesus.
We read the passion account this weekend, but there will be a special liturgy on Good Friday, as well. Then we also read the passion account. We will meditate on the sufferings and death of Jesus. We will pray for the church and the world. We will reverence the cross. We will leave in silence.
Well, not all of us. You see, Good Friday is the annual downtown Easter egg hunt. That is right, what better way to spend your Friday than an eggstravaganza? Children will gather with their parents for the festivities. There will be games and music and, oh so much fun! Last year it was such a popular event that parishioners had difficulty finding parking spaces for church. The air was filled with happy sounds. No need to be somber about that nasty old cross, let's look for some eggs and eat some candy!
How does this happen? It is a combination of Evangelicals who do not celebrate liturgical seasons and secularists who agree with them. Most people in these parts just have no idea about Good Friday. It is not a special day for them. Combined with that is practicality of scheduling. We Americans are big fans of getting things started, we are not real patient, nor do we delay gratification. Why hunt Easter eggs on Easter when you can do it two days early? I think there is also some hope that the local economy will benefit. The ads for the event include an exhortation to stick around and eat at one of the nearby restuarants.
Meanwhile, other Epsicopal churches will be deep in meditation. They will ponder CO2 and the beauty of recycling. They will reflect on Mother Earth and her wounds. They will preach about salvation through green energy. It is earth day, after all, and that is too important to pass by.
So at St. Andrews Church in Collierville, we will be out of step. We will not celebrate the Eggstravaganza. We will fast and pray instead. We will not worship Gaia nor practice any other ecological liturgical celebrations. We will focus on Jesus and the cost of salvation. What we will do will not make much sense to a world full of different kinds of Christians, secularists and pagans. It will be a clear demonstraton that we do not belong. Yet, there is something appropriate about it. My guess is the crucifixion of Jesus was no big thing to most people of His day. Only a few mourned His passing. Only a few pondered Him, beaten and bloody, stumbling along under the heavy cross. Most were business as usual, many had no idea it was even taking place.
Perhaps the real question is will those of us who do celebrate the Feast of the Self Offering on the Cross open our minds, hearts and souls to the depth of the mystery? Will we listen to the story and hear it? Will we meditate on His death and increase our own imitation of His life? Will we read words and prayers or worship in spirit and truth? As awful as Eggstravaganza is, as horrible as earth worship replacing Jesus worship is, the most awful thing possible next Friday is that we who know better may not do better.
We read the passion account this weekend, but there will be a special liturgy on Good Friday, as well. Then we also read the passion account. We will meditate on the sufferings and death of Jesus. We will pray for the church and the world. We will reverence the cross. We will leave in silence.
Well, not all of us. You see, Good Friday is the annual downtown Easter egg hunt. That is right, what better way to spend your Friday than an eggstravaganza? Children will gather with their parents for the festivities. There will be games and music and, oh so much fun! Last year it was such a popular event that parishioners had difficulty finding parking spaces for church. The air was filled with happy sounds. No need to be somber about that nasty old cross, let's look for some eggs and eat some candy!
How does this happen? It is a combination of Evangelicals who do not celebrate liturgical seasons and secularists who agree with them. Most people in these parts just have no idea about Good Friday. It is not a special day for them. Combined with that is practicality of scheduling. We Americans are big fans of getting things started, we are not real patient, nor do we delay gratification. Why hunt Easter eggs on Easter when you can do it two days early? I think there is also some hope that the local economy will benefit. The ads for the event include an exhortation to stick around and eat at one of the nearby restuarants.
Meanwhile, other Epsicopal churches will be deep in meditation. They will ponder CO2 and the beauty of recycling. They will reflect on Mother Earth and her wounds. They will preach about salvation through green energy. It is earth day, after all, and that is too important to pass by.
So at St. Andrews Church in Collierville, we will be out of step. We will not celebrate the Eggstravaganza. We will fast and pray instead. We will not worship Gaia nor practice any other ecological liturgical celebrations. We will focus on Jesus and the cost of salvation. What we will do will not make much sense to a world full of different kinds of Christians, secularists and pagans. It will be a clear demonstraton that we do not belong. Yet, there is something appropriate about it. My guess is the crucifixion of Jesus was no big thing to most people of His day. Only a few mourned His passing. Only a few pondered Him, beaten and bloody, stumbling along under the heavy cross. Most were business as usual, many had no idea it was even taking place.
Perhaps the real question is will those of us who do celebrate the Feast of the Self Offering on the Cross open our minds, hearts and souls to the depth of the mystery? Will we listen to the story and hear it? Will we meditate on His death and increase our own imitation of His life? Will we read words and prayers or worship in spirit and truth? As awful as Eggstravaganza is, as horrible as earth worship replacing Jesus worship is, the most awful thing possible next Friday is that we who know better may not do better.
Sunday, April 10, 2011
A Good Church?
I was in a spiritual direction meeting Friday with a man who is very committed to the Lord and serious about his discipleship. We got on the issue of church and his journey of faith in multiple settings. What he said resonated with me in light of my last post on "a church guide for agnostics and atheists." He spoke about authentic faith and genuinely seeking to be holy, but the center point had to do with God's goodness and mercy. This led me to some pondering and reflecting in the tdays that followed.
If someone is unsure God exists, or doesn't believe at all, what would motivate them to be active in a church? One possibility is that the church could deny its identity and become so secular that it blends into the culture. We can do things like make Good Friday about Earth Day. The problem is, the contemporary church which does that chases after "contemporary" but is no longer a church. No, being less about faith and draining away the offense of Jesus Christ is not a real option.
I would suggest, that a church which is in touch with Mystery can make inroads with those who have little or no faith. If the worship radiates a sense of awe and wonder that can touch people's hearts. If the people truly gather to focus on God, to glorify Him and thank Him, to listen to Him and be open to Him, then there will be hope for the 'outsider' to be drawn in. Too often, we make worship an "experience" and it takes on the form of entertainment. (I am GUILTY!) Our 'me-focused' style of approaching God is not shallow, it is just not deep enough to draw others in. It points in the wrong direction, toward us.
When we truly look to God, and others turn their eyes in the same direction, even though we have few explanations about the mystery, the fact of pointing toward the mystery has the power to silence our minds. Which leads to another element. Apologetics is a wonderful exercise and needed to address the arguments and misreadings of our faith. But, at times there is an arrogance to some Christian witness. Whereas Jesus spoke in mystical stories about God, we are tempted to construct theologies which require a special vocabulary. Even those Christians who shun theolgy as "man's word" and use only Scripture to present the faith lose touch of the mystery. The act of choosing certain verses is an act of editing God's word. It also tends toward a Rationalist approach and squeezes Sripture into the solution to our needs, instead of a life transforming encounter with the HOLY, HOLY, HOLY.
I think 'non-believers' are not moved by our arguments because they have different assumptions and a different vocabulary. [The progressives in our church seem, at least, to be aware of that fact. The problem with their approach is to drain the faith of any meaningful Christian truth.] However, a church which encounters the stories of Jesus and the stories of Israel, a church which encounters the Mystery of God by humbly listening for His voice in narrative (in the context of a developed and articulated faith) can be a place where those who question can also encounter the Lord. I believe the faith struggles of the church leader are a connecting bridge to the heart, mind and spirit of those people. In the end, faith is a gift of self: God has given Himself to us and requires that we give ourselves to Him. Our failure to do this has many causes, sin being the first and most important, but also our wounds and brokeness, also our fears and ignorance, and certainly the bad example of Christ followers who seem nothing of the sort.
This is why the church must not only have true worship and humility before the Mystery of God, but also a firm sense of service to the world's needs. Outreach in love, flowing from a community of people who care about one another, is demanded. It is demanded by God in both testaments. It is the constant behavior of faithful Christians in every age and in every manner of church. As Jesus heals, feeds and cares for the needs of the broken, so must the local church. Each gathering must point (in worship) to the (in a sense) Unknowable God. Each gathering must focus to the (in a sense) Knowable Mission. To proclaim Jesus in word, but even better, in action. A church which makes an impact on the broken and wounded will have appeal to those uncertain about God's existence. It is a back door through which they can enter relationship with the invisible and often silent God. It is in seeing the Love of Christ manifest, that cold hearts can be warmed.
It is a challenge to do this. Yet, the power of God in us makes it possible to hope. As we become less defensive defenders of the faith, more faithful articulators of the faith, more gentle, kind and holy in our boldness, we will see the impact. It is God's work so we rely on Him, but we are His tools: our words, our deeds, our lives, especially our lives together.
If someone is unsure God exists, or doesn't believe at all, what would motivate them to be active in a church? One possibility is that the church could deny its identity and become so secular that it blends into the culture. We can do things like make Good Friday about Earth Day. The problem is, the contemporary church which does that chases after "contemporary" but is no longer a church. No, being less about faith and draining away the offense of Jesus Christ is not a real option.
I would suggest, that a church which is in touch with Mystery can make inroads with those who have little or no faith. If the worship radiates a sense of awe and wonder that can touch people's hearts. If the people truly gather to focus on God, to glorify Him and thank Him, to listen to Him and be open to Him, then there will be hope for the 'outsider' to be drawn in. Too often, we make worship an "experience" and it takes on the form of entertainment. (I am GUILTY!) Our 'me-focused' style of approaching God is not shallow, it is just not deep enough to draw others in. It points in the wrong direction, toward us.
When we truly look to God, and others turn their eyes in the same direction, even though we have few explanations about the mystery, the fact of pointing toward the mystery has the power to silence our minds. Which leads to another element. Apologetics is a wonderful exercise and needed to address the arguments and misreadings of our faith. But, at times there is an arrogance to some Christian witness. Whereas Jesus spoke in mystical stories about God, we are tempted to construct theologies which require a special vocabulary. Even those Christians who shun theolgy as "man's word" and use only Scripture to present the faith lose touch of the mystery. The act of choosing certain verses is an act of editing God's word. It also tends toward a Rationalist approach and squeezes Sripture into the solution to our needs, instead of a life transforming encounter with the HOLY, HOLY, HOLY.
I think 'non-believers' are not moved by our arguments because they have different assumptions and a different vocabulary. [The progressives in our church seem, at least, to be aware of that fact. The problem with their approach is to drain the faith of any meaningful Christian truth.] However, a church which encounters the stories of Jesus and the stories of Israel, a church which encounters the Mystery of God by humbly listening for His voice in narrative (in the context of a developed and articulated faith) can be a place where those who question can also encounter the Lord. I believe the faith struggles of the church leader are a connecting bridge to the heart, mind and spirit of those people. In the end, faith is a gift of self: God has given Himself to us and requires that we give ourselves to Him. Our failure to do this has many causes, sin being the first and most important, but also our wounds and brokeness, also our fears and ignorance, and certainly the bad example of Christ followers who seem nothing of the sort.
This is why the church must not only have true worship and humility before the Mystery of God, but also a firm sense of service to the world's needs. Outreach in love, flowing from a community of people who care about one another, is demanded. It is demanded by God in both testaments. It is the constant behavior of faithful Christians in every age and in every manner of church. As Jesus heals, feeds and cares for the needs of the broken, so must the local church. Each gathering must point (in worship) to the (in a sense) Unknowable God. Each gathering must focus to the (in a sense) Knowable Mission. To proclaim Jesus in word, but even better, in action. A church which makes an impact on the broken and wounded will have appeal to those uncertain about God's existence. It is a back door through which they can enter relationship with the invisible and often silent God. It is in seeing the Love of Christ manifest, that cold hearts can be warmed.
It is a challenge to do this. Yet, the power of God in us makes it possible to hope. As we become less defensive defenders of the faith, more faithful articulators of the faith, more gentle, kind and holy in our boldness, we will see the impact. It is God's work so we rely on Him, but we are His tools: our words, our deeds, our lives, especially our lives together.
Friday, April 8, 2011
Church Guide for Agnostics/Atheists
Yesterday I wrote about our pending clergy gathering for renewal of vows. I was struck by several things at the renewal and what followed. I had written yesterday about the cross, our bishop preached on the cross in his sermon. He made a clear connection between ordained ministry and the cross. (And I made a clear connection between my written words and his spoken words.) A smaller thing, yet big in its own way, was a simple act of kindness. I came in three minutes late and came to my seat (we gathered in the cathedral choir). The priest sitting behind me went and got a copy of the service for me so that I would know the readings and music. It felt like that cup of water Jesus mentioned in the Gospel. Lastly, I went to say hello to a priest whom I have known for many years. During our conversation she shared things I had told her years ago when I was the associate at her parish (long before she went to seminary). I was amazed when she told me that I had had a big impact on her.
So what does this have to do with atheists and agnostics? How is this a church guide? I have been involved actively in a church for almost my entire life. It has sometimes been an uneasy association. My biggest conflict with the church mirrors my greatest struggles with myself: I have a hard time accepting imperfection. I have a long list of moments that I thought would/should be the turning point. Being confirmed, going on Cursillo and coming to a deeper faith, going to seminary, going on retreats, leading retreats, getting ordained, becoming a pastor, etc. Each time I thought, now I will finally be holy, each time I have failed. The church is full of people just like me, people who end up saying and doing things that they should not say and do. This tendency, for sinful and broken people to populate churches, causes endless problems in local (and national) churches. It is a leading cause of "unbelief." So many people have been hurt, so many people are angry, so many people have quit believing because people like me are acting like me in the church.
I am a traditional believer in a very untraditional church. For years I have been sad because of this. It is a gnawing pain of disillusionment and confusion. Yet as different as I am, I still can experience genuine moments of connection with others. I can hear genuine declarations of faith in and love of Jesus. In fellowship with 'the other', I encounter the challenge of living in community and loving the other. One of the great temptations is to avoid it all. It is appealing to collapse into myself and do my thing. There is a push and a pull to disengage. I feel it deep within. There is also a strong impulse to justify myself in doing it. To say to myself, that I am better because I am not involved in the hypocricy and endless wrangling of the church. There is a real temptation to just walk away and consider myself superior in my self-contained world. Or to quit battling and give up on God and church.
Yesterday was a reminder that God is bigger than me and my ideas. God is communitarian. The idea of Trinity says that the foundation and source of creation is Love. Love and trust, the relationship of a Father and a Son, the mystery of God's own Spirit. I think unbelievers need to confront their own brokenness. I think unbelievers need to stop disengaging from real life. We are all messed up and the church is messed up. The Good News is God not only knows we are messed up, but He has promised to save us from that. He is doing something about it right now. The church is a big part of that "something" God is doing. Jesus created the church for a reason!
Communities of imperfect people trying to worship and serve the Lord exist. The people are flawed, they can do hurtful things, but there is also a possibility for so much good. There is a chance to experience kindnesses and support, a place to grow in knowledge and understanding. There are people to share the journey with, people who can ask questions and share answers. There are many churches like that. Jesus is at work in all of them. People who are not sure about God are welcome, too. Truth be told, most people in the church are not sure about many things. That is why faith is so important. We trust God, even as we struggle together, in the journey to the final answers!
So what does this have to do with atheists and agnostics? How is this a church guide? I have been involved actively in a church for almost my entire life. It has sometimes been an uneasy association. My biggest conflict with the church mirrors my greatest struggles with myself: I have a hard time accepting imperfection. I have a long list of moments that I thought would/should be the turning point. Being confirmed, going on Cursillo and coming to a deeper faith, going to seminary, going on retreats, leading retreats, getting ordained, becoming a pastor, etc. Each time I thought, now I will finally be holy, each time I have failed. The church is full of people just like me, people who end up saying and doing things that they should not say and do. This tendency, for sinful and broken people to populate churches, causes endless problems in local (and national) churches. It is a leading cause of "unbelief." So many people have been hurt, so many people are angry, so many people have quit believing because people like me are acting like me in the church.
I am a traditional believer in a very untraditional church. For years I have been sad because of this. It is a gnawing pain of disillusionment and confusion. Yet as different as I am, I still can experience genuine moments of connection with others. I can hear genuine declarations of faith in and love of Jesus. In fellowship with 'the other', I encounter the challenge of living in community and loving the other. One of the great temptations is to avoid it all. It is appealing to collapse into myself and do my thing. There is a push and a pull to disengage. I feel it deep within. There is also a strong impulse to justify myself in doing it. To say to myself, that I am better because I am not involved in the hypocricy and endless wrangling of the church. There is a real temptation to just walk away and consider myself superior in my self-contained world. Or to quit battling and give up on God and church.
Yesterday was a reminder that God is bigger than me and my ideas. God is communitarian. The idea of Trinity says that the foundation and source of creation is Love. Love and trust, the relationship of a Father and a Son, the mystery of God's own Spirit. I think unbelievers need to confront their own brokenness. I think unbelievers need to stop disengaging from real life. We are all messed up and the church is messed up. The Good News is God not only knows we are messed up, but He has promised to save us from that. He is doing something about it right now. The church is a big part of that "something" God is doing. Jesus created the church for a reason!
Communities of imperfect people trying to worship and serve the Lord exist. The people are flawed, they can do hurtful things, but there is also a possibility for so much good. There is a chance to experience kindnesses and support, a place to grow in knowledge and understanding. There are people to share the journey with, people who can ask questions and share answers. There are many churches like that. Jesus is at work in all of them. People who are not sure about God are welcome, too. Truth be told, most people in the church are not sure about many things. That is why faith is so important. We trust God, even as we struggle together, in the journey to the final answers!
Thursday, April 7, 2011
Trying to be faithful in a "contemporary" church
Today the priests and deacons of our diocese will gather to renew our promises and vows. In earlier times, this was a joyful day for me filled with a sense of renewed commitment of sacred vows. As I shared some days ago, in light of a major failure, I am keenly aware of how important it is to keep my vows. I have promised God and His people, after all. The promise is both gift and burden.
In recent years, this diocese has been a less hostile environment for a traditional priest. Even as the national church barrels on with its agenda, closer to home there has been a lull in conflict. My most common experience lately is that others are kind and respectful. I am less attuned to the innovations of the national church, so the conflict is not 'felt' as intensely. I am focused on my tasks at hand. Still, trying to be faithful in this broader environment is challenging. I think the biggest problem is that with each redefinition of "the new normal" the meaning of everythng is also redefined.
A couple of years ago, I watched a clever video on line. Basically, the creator had taken a popular movie, Sleepless in Seattle (a romantic comedy), and made a movie advertisement as if the movie were a horror film. The "tense music" and accompanying voice over coupled with snippets of the actual film were done in such a way that it looked like a horror movie. Having seen the film, it was very funny to see how easily placing scenes in a "new context" gave them a different feel. New contexts can make everything different.
Serving in a church where there is an ever changing context is equally amazing, but much less entertaining. The word schizophrenic seems like an excellent descriptor. An example, six years ago in our local convention we were heatedly debating the issue of marriage. At a legislative hearing I read the following: "Christian marriage is a solemn and public covenant between a man and a woman in the presence of God." One of the women who was serving on the committee said to me, "anyone can twist scripture to say what they want." When I tried to respond I was told I had already had my say. I guess I was rude, but I continued to speak. I said, "that was from the prayer book, page 422." I agree people can twist scripture and I assume I have done just that many times. However, in this case, I think the only twisting going on is by those who are innovating. The prayer book describes marriage in the same way as I advocate. Discussion ended, right? Not really, see, eventually they will change the prayer book. Change the definition, change the meaning, suddenly the people who have an "outdated and hateful" understanding can be accused of not upholding the prayer book. At that moment, when they have changed it all, the enforcement of compliance to the Prayer Book will begin. (Once it is changed to agree with them, it becomes binding!)
Today we (and I) will promise many things: to be diligent in reading and study of Holy Scripture, to minister word and sacrament, to be a faithful pastor, to serve as a wholesome example and to persevere in prayer. None of these is difficult for me to commmit to and for the most part I am able to say I have done a decent job of living out my commitments. I do pray and study, I do preach and teach, I do pastor. My typical day is spent being a faithful priest, even if there is vast room for improvement and even if, regularly, I fail in one aspect or another. But "the doctrine, discipline and worship as this Church has received them" is another question. Likethat fake movie ad above, the context is ever changing. A romantic comedy is becoming a nightmare. Words are being redefined. It is all very, very confusing.
Young children like to play "Opposite Day." On opposite day when a child says, "I hate you" it really means "I love you." It probably serves some psychological release. It allows kids to say mean things under cover of "what I say doesn't mean what I say." I am sure it also has elements of divine-like power. After all, what is the opposite of "I hate you"? Is it "I love you" or "you love me"? Each child gets to decide. However living in a world where the meaning of words is in constant, serious flux, (a real life "opposite day") makes every promise and commitment a fragile thing.
What after all, is a "wholesome example" now? What is "faithful" in pastoring? In rejecting the historic faith and redefining what it means to be a Christian, our church, ever trying to be contemporary, is in a position similar to Alice in Wonderland where "words mean whatever I say they mean" and what I say they mean is an ever changing thing.
So we will gather and we will commit. I will look to the invisible God and cry out to Him. I will speak the words and confirm my commitment. I will do it in a church where a large number of people would say that I am not even Christian (according to the newest Epsicopal definition). I will do it in a wider context of others who criticize "how can you stay in that church? Leave. Join us!" I will do it because I am a priest here, in this challenging, sometimes crazy (and crazy making) ecclesial world. I do it because I am clear on what the commmitment is and what it means. I do it here, because the wider world is the Episcopal situation writ large, and there is no excaping that. I will do it today because Holy week is coming and that is when we ordained folks recall the 'birth' of our ministry at the Last Supper.
Even so there is a temporary feel to this permanent commitment. I know things are changing. I know the "Queen" is ever providing new definitions to words. I know the struggle is going to become increasingly difficult. I also know that it looks like 'the cross' and that means I am probably on the right track. After all, being faithful means to share in a death like His. Jesus has given the example. Today I will again try to follow Him. Even if it sometimes feels very crazy trying to be faithful in a contemporary church!
In recent years, this diocese has been a less hostile environment for a traditional priest. Even as the national church barrels on with its agenda, closer to home there has been a lull in conflict. My most common experience lately is that others are kind and respectful. I am less attuned to the innovations of the national church, so the conflict is not 'felt' as intensely. I am focused on my tasks at hand. Still, trying to be faithful in this broader environment is challenging. I think the biggest problem is that with each redefinition of "the new normal" the meaning of everythng is also redefined.
A couple of years ago, I watched a clever video on line. Basically, the creator had taken a popular movie, Sleepless in Seattle (a romantic comedy), and made a movie advertisement as if the movie were a horror film. The "tense music" and accompanying voice over coupled with snippets of the actual film were done in such a way that it looked like a horror movie. Having seen the film, it was very funny to see how easily placing scenes in a "new context" gave them a different feel. New contexts can make everything different.
Serving in a church where there is an ever changing context is equally amazing, but much less entertaining. The word schizophrenic seems like an excellent descriptor. An example, six years ago in our local convention we were heatedly debating the issue of marriage. At a legislative hearing I read the following: "Christian marriage is a solemn and public covenant between a man and a woman in the presence of God." One of the women who was serving on the committee said to me, "anyone can twist scripture to say what they want." When I tried to respond I was told I had already had my say. I guess I was rude, but I continued to speak. I said, "that was from the prayer book, page 422." I agree people can twist scripture and I assume I have done just that many times. However, in this case, I think the only twisting going on is by those who are innovating. The prayer book describes marriage in the same way as I advocate. Discussion ended, right? Not really, see, eventually they will change the prayer book. Change the definition, change the meaning, suddenly the people who have an "outdated and hateful" understanding can be accused of not upholding the prayer book. At that moment, when they have changed it all, the enforcement of compliance to the Prayer Book will begin. (Once it is changed to agree with them, it becomes binding!)
Today we (and I) will promise many things: to be diligent in reading and study of Holy Scripture, to minister word and sacrament, to be a faithful pastor, to serve as a wholesome example and to persevere in prayer. None of these is difficult for me to commmit to and for the most part I am able to say I have done a decent job of living out my commitments. I do pray and study, I do preach and teach, I do pastor. My typical day is spent being a faithful priest, even if there is vast room for improvement and even if, regularly, I fail in one aspect or another. But "the doctrine, discipline and worship as this Church has received them" is another question. Likethat fake movie ad above, the context is ever changing. A romantic comedy is becoming a nightmare. Words are being redefined. It is all very, very confusing.
Young children like to play "Opposite Day." On opposite day when a child says, "I hate you" it really means "I love you." It probably serves some psychological release. It allows kids to say mean things under cover of "what I say doesn't mean what I say." I am sure it also has elements of divine-like power. After all, what is the opposite of "I hate you"? Is it "I love you" or "you love me"? Each child gets to decide. However living in a world where the meaning of words is in constant, serious flux, (a real life "opposite day") makes every promise and commitment a fragile thing.
What after all, is a "wholesome example" now? What is "faithful" in pastoring? In rejecting the historic faith and redefining what it means to be a Christian, our church, ever trying to be contemporary, is in a position similar to Alice in Wonderland where "words mean whatever I say they mean" and what I say they mean is an ever changing thing.
So we will gather and we will commit. I will look to the invisible God and cry out to Him. I will speak the words and confirm my commitment. I will do it in a church where a large number of people would say that I am not even Christian (according to the newest Epsicopal definition). I will do it in a wider context of others who criticize "how can you stay in that church? Leave. Join us!" I will do it because I am a priest here, in this challenging, sometimes crazy (and crazy making) ecclesial world. I do it because I am clear on what the commmitment is and what it means. I do it here, because the wider world is the Episcopal situation writ large, and there is no excaping that. I will do it today because Holy week is coming and that is when we ordained folks recall the 'birth' of our ministry at the Last Supper.
Even so there is a temporary feel to this permanent commitment. I know things are changing. I know the "Queen" is ever providing new definitions to words. I know the struggle is going to become increasingly difficult. I also know that it looks like 'the cross' and that means I am probably on the right track. After all, being faithful means to share in a death like His. Jesus has given the example. Today I will again try to follow Him. Even if it sometimes feels very crazy trying to be faithful in a contemporary church!
Sunday, April 3, 2011
Biggest Problem with Contemporary Church
On Fridays in Lent we have an hour and a half "mini-retreat." Following Morning Prayer a group of us gather in the parish hall to pray over and reflect upon the daily readings. This past Friday I left afterward to grab some lunch and pick up my briefcase (and CALENDAR!) which I had left at home that morning. I came out to find Mike and Lisa working on the Dogwood tree. It is in bloom so the dead branches are most noticable. Mike was trimming and cutting and sawing.
Two hours later as I was going through my e-mails (what did priests do before e-mail!?!) I noticed one from Juli, our resident photographer. She had taken a photo of the church with the headline: A new picture of the church with the Dogwood in bloom. As is typical, her photo was lovely. It was also out of date. You see she took a picture around 10:00 that morning. By the time her photo arrived in the e-mail Mike had already done his work. The picture she took was of a tree which now looks different.
That, in a nut shell, is the problem with the contemporary church. It is always going out of date. Just as it announces to the world that it is cutting edge and up to date, someone comes along with the next new thing and the church finds itself having to reconfigure everything. The shelf life of "popular" is pretty short. Today's hot new style is tomorrow's "oh, so out of it" fashion faux pas. We live in a time where we are so much speedier and still we cannot keep up.
When I was a boy in the 70's when you took a picture, you had to wait for the whole roll to be shot before you could take it in to be developed. Then to distribute it to all your friends would take days, or weeks. And it would be costly, as each photo, each envelope, each stamp added up. Today, Juli can in a few minutes and at no extra cost shoot and send and in seconds deliver to dozens (or hundreds of friends) with her computer.
Instantaneous!
But with all that speed, she still could not send out a photo that was truly up to date and contemporary.
What church Fathers called the apostolic faith was not intended to be cutting edge or 'new-and-improved.' The early preachers certainly thought that in Jesus God was doing a new thing, but the new thing was grounded in the old thing that God had been doing, over and again, since Adam and Eve. We encounter the truth of the Triune God in the words recorded in Scripture, and the tradition and teaching of the church provides commentary on that Word. Our security is in ancient Revelation. Our reflections today allow us to understand and apply that message of hope in our own times. But it is our times which must be conformed to the message and not the message to the times.
I was at our national convention where the Epsicopal Church made a public declaration that it was breaking with traditional morality and the teaching of Scripture. Numerous speakers proclaimed that the spirit was doing a new thing. Countless delegates told me privately (and all of us publicly) that the Episcopal Church was now up to date. Young people, we were told, want a church which shares their value system. They hunger for a church which expresses the message that God is relevant. I heard, again and again, that in the days ahead a huge throng of these young people would flow into the Episcopal church because it was contemporary! I will not bore you with details, I will simply say that these (false) prophets of the coming golden age of contemporary bliss have proven to be wrong. Total attendance is down well over 10% since then and shows no sign of improvement.
But we continue on that road! The last few years we have rallied around the UN Millenial goals. We were given alternative stations of the cross. Why reflect on Jesus' passion when we have so many contemporary issues to meditate upon. The current new thing is "Green" and we have begun to proclaim the Judgment of Global Warning (oooppppss! I mean Climate change, gotta keep up). The good news is recycling is the way and renewable solar energy will be our salvation. The earth is our mother (not the church) and ecology is our theology. I am a proponent of aiding the poor of our world (our church budget allocates half our income toward aiding others) and our parish tries to practice good stewardship of resources and we do recycle. The problem is, in trying to be "with it" we are forgetting about Jesus and focusing on other things instead of Him.
And the problem is, by the time the "marketing department" figures out the next new thing, and then gets the word out to the bishops, and the bishops gather to meet, and then the bishops bring it home, and then the local leaders are trained and brought up to date and sent out to bring the parishes and missions on board, well, by the time all that has taken place it is no longer the "new thing" at all.
The problem with the contemporary church is it is trying to be up to date with "this" world (and not anything ancient). The problem is "this world" is passing away. The world is always old, even when contemporary. Jesus and His word is forever. As a citizen and life-long occupant of this world, I am drawn into the 'contemporary' and seduced by the 'relevant". The struggle is to find the TRUTH, not the new. The battle is to submit to the authority of the Lord and His Spirit, not to follow the present age and its spirit. The newest and most contemporary falsehoods are still a lie. The contemporary church, full of its own sense of "being cool," has never seen that the new thing is a very old thing. A very old, sick and destructive thing, which dressing in a diaper and being declared contemporary does not change or improve.
Two hours later as I was going through my e-mails (what did priests do before e-mail!?!) I noticed one from Juli, our resident photographer. She had taken a photo of the church with the headline: A new picture of the church with the Dogwood in bloom. As is typical, her photo was lovely. It was also out of date. You see she took a picture around 10:00 that morning. By the time her photo arrived in the e-mail Mike had already done his work. The picture she took was of a tree which now looks different.
That, in a nut shell, is the problem with the contemporary church. It is always going out of date. Just as it announces to the world that it is cutting edge and up to date, someone comes along with the next new thing and the church finds itself having to reconfigure everything. The shelf life of "popular" is pretty short. Today's hot new style is tomorrow's "oh, so out of it" fashion faux pas. We live in a time where we are so much speedier and still we cannot keep up.
When I was a boy in the 70's when you took a picture, you had to wait for the whole roll to be shot before you could take it in to be developed. Then to distribute it to all your friends would take days, or weeks. And it would be costly, as each photo, each envelope, each stamp added up. Today, Juli can in a few minutes and at no extra cost shoot and send and in seconds deliver to dozens (or hundreds of friends) with her computer.
Instantaneous!
But with all that speed, she still could not send out a photo that was truly up to date and contemporary.
What church Fathers called the apostolic faith was not intended to be cutting edge or 'new-and-improved.' The early preachers certainly thought that in Jesus God was doing a new thing, but the new thing was grounded in the old thing that God had been doing, over and again, since Adam and Eve. We encounter the truth of the Triune God in the words recorded in Scripture, and the tradition and teaching of the church provides commentary on that Word. Our security is in ancient Revelation. Our reflections today allow us to understand and apply that message of hope in our own times. But it is our times which must be conformed to the message and not the message to the times.
I was at our national convention where the Epsicopal Church made a public declaration that it was breaking with traditional morality and the teaching of Scripture. Numerous speakers proclaimed that the spirit was doing a new thing. Countless delegates told me privately (and all of us publicly) that the Episcopal Church was now up to date. Young people, we were told, want a church which shares their value system. They hunger for a church which expresses the message that God is relevant. I heard, again and again, that in the days ahead a huge throng of these young people would flow into the Episcopal church because it was contemporary! I will not bore you with details, I will simply say that these (false) prophets of the coming golden age of contemporary bliss have proven to be wrong. Total attendance is down well over 10% since then and shows no sign of improvement.
But we continue on that road! The last few years we have rallied around the UN Millenial goals. We were given alternative stations of the cross. Why reflect on Jesus' passion when we have so many contemporary issues to meditate upon. The current new thing is "Green" and we have begun to proclaim the Judgment of Global Warning (oooppppss! I mean Climate change, gotta keep up). The good news is recycling is the way and renewable solar energy will be our salvation. The earth is our mother (not the church) and ecology is our theology. I am a proponent of aiding the poor of our world (our church budget allocates half our income toward aiding others) and our parish tries to practice good stewardship of resources and we do recycle. The problem is, in trying to be "with it" we are forgetting about Jesus and focusing on other things instead of Him.
And the problem is, by the time the "marketing department" figures out the next new thing, and then gets the word out to the bishops, and the bishops gather to meet, and then the bishops bring it home, and then the local leaders are trained and brought up to date and sent out to bring the parishes and missions on board, well, by the time all that has taken place it is no longer the "new thing" at all.
The problem with the contemporary church is it is trying to be up to date with "this" world (and not anything ancient). The problem is "this world" is passing away. The world is always old, even when contemporary. Jesus and His word is forever. As a citizen and life-long occupant of this world, I am drawn into the 'contemporary' and seduced by the 'relevant". The struggle is to find the TRUTH, not the new. The battle is to submit to the authority of the Lord and His Spirit, not to follow the present age and its spirit. The newest and most contemporary falsehoods are still a lie. The contemporary church, full of its own sense of "being cool," has never seen that the new thing is a very old thing. A very old, sick and destructive thing, which dressing in a diaper and being declared contemporary does not change or improve.
Wednesday, March 23, 2011
Scared: where to draw the line?
The other day a parishioner came up to me before eucharist and said, "I saw a TV show last night where they said that Jesus did not rise. That really scared me." He talked about the importance of the resurrection and reaffirmed his belief that Jesus had risen. But he had clearly had a brush up with a terrifying idea. On Thursday, one of the people connected with the Jesus Seminar addressed our diocesan clergy. He is a leader in proposing an alternative, more "sceptical" view of Jesus. I did not attend. I teach a bible study on Thursdays. I also do not need to hear him. I have heard enough of that stuff. I have been taught and read about the scarey idea that Jesus died and that was it. It is in my head and it won't go away. Ideas that are like verbal atom bombs, threatening to wipe out our foundation in life.
Some words are hard to forget, especially bad words. Some images are hard to wash out of our head, especially bad ones. It is one reason why the church of my youth emphasized "avoiding the near occassion of sin." There was a list of forbidden books and a list of condemned movies in those days. Unfortunately, like the forbidden fruit of the garden, being on the forbidden list seemed to make it more alluring and increased the temptation. A book needed an imprimatur, a bishop's approval that it should be printed. Such an idea is so offensive to us in our culture that it no longer occurs. We Christians (the majority) read most anything and watch most anything. Efforts to do anything about it are called the work of "thought police" and are viewed negatively.
Now I am not advocating a return to the 1950's. It truly had its own problems. Still, I also know that the doubts that plague me are the result of a culture which portrays Christian faith in negative light. There are lots of "atom bombs" which are placed in our memories. We are bombarded with thoughts, ideas, images which will destroy the fouundations of faith and morality. I used to think that it was an act of courage to wrestle with doubt. As a younger man I viewed it as my duty to engage such things in order to understand why so many of my contemproraies rejected the faith. I thought it was my duty as an apologist. Doubt and faith, I thought, were partners.
Then I read John Chrysostom. He was a great preacher and bishop who lived over fifteen hundred years ago. Turns out John thinks doubt is a bad thing. He advocates feeding faith and starving doubt. I think that is good advice.
To grow as Christians we need to stretch and challenge ourselves. On the other hand, we need to feed the faith and not starve our souls. Where to draw the line on what to read, what to watch, who to listen to? Not sure. That is the struggle. But watch for the fruits in your life. And do not kid yourself, some ideas are like worms eating away at your soul.
Some words are hard to forget, especially bad words. Some images are hard to wash out of our head, especially bad ones. It is one reason why the church of my youth emphasized "avoiding the near occassion of sin." There was a list of forbidden books and a list of condemned movies in those days. Unfortunately, like the forbidden fruit of the garden, being on the forbidden list seemed to make it more alluring and increased the temptation. A book needed an imprimatur, a bishop's approval that it should be printed. Such an idea is so offensive to us in our culture that it no longer occurs. We Christians (the majority) read most anything and watch most anything. Efforts to do anything about it are called the work of "thought police" and are viewed negatively.
Now I am not advocating a return to the 1950's. It truly had its own problems. Still, I also know that the doubts that plague me are the result of a culture which portrays Christian faith in negative light. There are lots of "atom bombs" which are placed in our memories. We are bombarded with thoughts, ideas, images which will destroy the fouundations of faith and morality. I used to think that it was an act of courage to wrestle with doubt. As a younger man I viewed it as my duty to engage such things in order to understand why so many of my contemproraies rejected the faith. I thought it was my duty as an apologist. Doubt and faith, I thought, were partners.
Then I read John Chrysostom. He was a great preacher and bishop who lived over fifteen hundred years ago. Turns out John thinks doubt is a bad thing. He advocates feeding faith and starving doubt. I think that is good advice.
To grow as Christians we need to stretch and challenge ourselves. On the other hand, we need to feed the faith and not starve our souls. Where to draw the line on what to read, what to watch, who to listen to? Not sure. That is the struggle. But watch for the fruits in your life. And do not kid yourself, some ideas are like worms eating away at your soul.
Thursday, March 17, 2011
Drawing the Line: Bible 1
I believe the Bible is the Word of God. I proclaim this belief out loud, almost every day, and I have professed this belief a myriad of times and in a wide variety of places. I am not embarassed by this and do not consider it to be simple-minded or deluded.
I live in (metro) Memphis. I came here in ninth grade. I was a Catholic boy in a Protestant ocean populated by lots of Baptists. There were also Methodists, Lutherans and Presbyterians and countless others. I was taught that Jesus died to save me. I was also taught to live right or I would end up in Hell. I was taught to pray every day and do good things for others. I was taught to go to church every Sunday and Holy Day. I was taught to obey the commandments. For the most part I bought into all of it and I tried relatively hard to do what I was supposed to do. Fortunately, I had confession available when I fell short. So there was hope.
In January, 1976, I made Cursillo. It was my "born again" experience. I went to a deeper level with Jesus and intensified my commitment to Him. I pondered faith more. I also began reading the Bible. The first book I ever read was James. I read Matthew alot. There was no bible study at my church. The typical Catholic church back then did not really do that. So I started a bible study with some friends. A bunch of nineteen year olds need guidance, which we did not have. Unfortunately we ended up in the law. I remember reading about men fighting, a woman reaching out and touching a man in his private place and the punishment. Needless to say, we all began giggling and laughing. (teen aged boys have limits!). We got clear real quick that we needed a guide. Our next effort was to listen to tapes on the bible. We got one on Revelation. It was a "Late, Great Planet Earth" reading of the Apocalypse and it was scarey and interesting. It helped me be clear that I did not want to be left behind with Anti-Christ.
For the next two years I read my bible and went to church. One day an old high school friend came by. He had been saved and wanted me to be saved, too. I was sort of happy to see him, but as we talked some of what he said confused me. I asked him where Baptists came from and he told me "John the Baptist." I asked him where Catholics came from and he said, "some drunk guy." (teen aged boys have limits!) This was not the first time I had heard anti-catholic sentiments, but it was the strongest expression of it I had ever encountered.
Over the years, my love affair with Scripture and my ecumenical nature ("can't we all get along?") have reshaped my Catholicism. I am considered quite Evangelical for a Catholic. I am told I preach like a Baptist. (I preached once at a funeral at Bellevue Baptist, a super big church in Memphis. Adrian Rogers, their pastor, was present. After the service he told me, "You are very bold.") On the other hand, in seminary, my Master's thesis was "A Catholic Response to Fundamentalism." I am not a literalist or a fundamentalist as many people use the term. My understanding of Scripture is more nuanced (and CONFUSING!).
When people read the bible today, they often read it like a modern work. I am not sure that is a good way to read the bible. My assumption is that the best way to read the bible is under the teaching authority of the church. Many of my friends believe that it is their role to interpret the scriptures for themselves. They reject any authority other than the bible and the Holy Spirit. There is an appeal to this latter view point, but as I have seen in our Episcopal church debates about issues like marriage, it seems that when a group of people sit down with the bible there is a wide diversity of "readings." One of my beloved parishioners who is left of center used to complain that I preached too much on obedience. I countered that obedience is a major theme of the bible. She did not buy that. One day I told her to read Titus and Timothy. She did. "Well," I said, smiling and assured that she now understood that true doctrine and obedience were part of the deal, "what did you read?" "Love," she replied, "all I saw was love." You will not be surprised that some time later she wrote me a note saying that I made her sick and she was going to a church where they preached love.
This is a long introduction to the next area upon which I want to reflect. Where do we draw the line on our different readings of the bible? What about authority? What about interpretation? How do we determine issues of literal vs. figurative? When we say "do what the bible says" are we really all that clear on what the bible says? If we are so clear, why are there so many debates and arguments and endless denominations? In the post-Christian world these are vital questions. Many have wandered from the faith and not all of them are progressives and Catholics. There is a crisis of faith in the church.
I live in (metro) Memphis. I came here in ninth grade. I was a Catholic boy in a Protestant ocean populated by lots of Baptists. There were also Methodists, Lutherans and Presbyterians and countless others. I was taught that Jesus died to save me. I was also taught to live right or I would end up in Hell. I was taught to pray every day and do good things for others. I was taught to go to church every Sunday and Holy Day. I was taught to obey the commandments. For the most part I bought into all of it and I tried relatively hard to do what I was supposed to do. Fortunately, I had confession available when I fell short. So there was hope.
In January, 1976, I made Cursillo. It was my "born again" experience. I went to a deeper level with Jesus and intensified my commitment to Him. I pondered faith more. I also began reading the Bible. The first book I ever read was James. I read Matthew alot. There was no bible study at my church. The typical Catholic church back then did not really do that. So I started a bible study with some friends. A bunch of nineteen year olds need guidance, which we did not have. Unfortunately we ended up in the law. I remember reading about men fighting, a woman reaching out and touching a man in his private place and the punishment. Needless to say, we all began giggling and laughing. (teen aged boys have limits!). We got clear real quick that we needed a guide. Our next effort was to listen to tapes on the bible. We got one on Revelation. It was a "Late, Great Planet Earth" reading of the Apocalypse and it was scarey and interesting. It helped me be clear that I did not want to be left behind with Anti-Christ.
For the next two years I read my bible and went to church. One day an old high school friend came by. He had been saved and wanted me to be saved, too. I was sort of happy to see him, but as we talked some of what he said confused me. I asked him where Baptists came from and he told me "John the Baptist." I asked him where Catholics came from and he said, "some drunk guy." (teen aged boys have limits!) This was not the first time I had heard anti-catholic sentiments, but it was the strongest expression of it I had ever encountered.
Over the years, my love affair with Scripture and my ecumenical nature ("can't we all get along?") have reshaped my Catholicism. I am considered quite Evangelical for a Catholic. I am told I preach like a Baptist. (I preached once at a funeral at Bellevue Baptist, a super big church in Memphis. Adrian Rogers, their pastor, was present. After the service he told me, "You are very bold.") On the other hand, in seminary, my Master's thesis was "A Catholic Response to Fundamentalism." I am not a literalist or a fundamentalist as many people use the term. My understanding of Scripture is more nuanced (and CONFUSING!).
When people read the bible today, they often read it like a modern work. I am not sure that is a good way to read the bible. My assumption is that the best way to read the bible is under the teaching authority of the church. Many of my friends believe that it is their role to interpret the scriptures for themselves. They reject any authority other than the bible and the Holy Spirit. There is an appeal to this latter view point, but as I have seen in our Episcopal church debates about issues like marriage, it seems that when a group of people sit down with the bible there is a wide diversity of "readings." One of my beloved parishioners who is left of center used to complain that I preached too much on obedience. I countered that obedience is a major theme of the bible. She did not buy that. One day I told her to read Titus and Timothy. She did. "Well," I said, smiling and assured that she now understood that true doctrine and obedience were part of the deal, "what did you read?" "Love," she replied, "all I saw was love." You will not be surprised that some time later she wrote me a note saying that I made her sick and she was going to a church where they preached love.
This is a long introduction to the next area upon which I want to reflect. Where do we draw the line on our different readings of the bible? What about authority? What about interpretation? How do we determine issues of literal vs. figurative? When we say "do what the bible says" are we really all that clear on what the bible says? If we are so clear, why are there so many debates and arguments and endless denominations? In the post-Christian world these are vital questions. Many have wandered from the faith and not all of them are progressives and Catholics. There is a crisis of faith in the church.
Tuesday, March 15, 2011
Drawing the Line: Marriage 1
Okay, I will start with the most volatile and explosvie topic first. I have no control over you, dear reader, but I would appreciate you actually reading what I say before you respond. Peace on us all from Jesus.
When asked, "Do you believe homosexuals should be allowed to marry?," my response has always been, "yes, I thought they were not interested in marriage." What does that mean?
Marriage is a covenant between a man and a woman before God. By definition, homosexuals are not interested in this sort of covenant with someone of the opposite sex. Therefore, they are not interested in marriage. I do not say this out of judgment or hate. It is a definition of terms. The word marriage has a meaning content. Man and woman together are the content.
What then of blessing same sex unions? My response is I am not authorized (by God) to do such a thing. What is the basis for saying this? The Scriptures are pretty clear. Some argue that the Scriptures are not clear at all (Church teaching is not all confused in this reading of scripture). Some argue the Scriptures are outdated or in error (which leaves authoritybeing the contemporary world view which is clearly not inerrant, and up to date changes every six months?). Some say that God is love and so could never be disappointed when people are in love (which raises all sorts of problems: start with the concept of fornication, move to adultery, then consider incest).
In many churches today, the discussions about this question has led to the formulation of new liturgies. It is a done deal. People advocating them sometimes sound very humble, but in the end they are implementing the services. Right now we are told that they are optional. The church powers will put up with those of us not willing to go along. They say our church in "a big tent" and we can "include" different opinions. At some point, the plan is to force it. So it is tempting to get angry and fight. It is tempting to name call and project any number of negative thoughts on those with whom I disagree. I have succombed to the temptation on many occassions. It is hard to be nice and respectful in emotionally charged fights. It is difficult to go into combat yet love your neighbor as yourself.
On the other hand, I have had a history which makes this theological issue a challenge for me personally. In my high school work I have counseled with young people who thought they were homosexual. I have seen several who have self-identified as such. These are people who are precious to me. In addition, some high school friends have reappeared in my life (Facebook). Some of them are also self identified in this way. This is a personal issue. My nature is to "live and let live" so I wonder, can't we just let this one slide? There was a time when I intervened to stop a "gay bashing" incidents at school. I did it because it is wrong to harm someone because they are different. I have intervened with a parent to love his gay son, because it is his son. There are other memories which I shall not share, but they are all real events and real people.
At our diocese's recent convention a lesbian shared her journey with us. I was impressed by her courage. I think it was really hard for her. I sent her a message to express that to her. My reputation in the GLBT community of our church is probably not positive. I think people were shocked that I could be so "gracious." Yet, part of the reason I could see her unease was because I felt my own. I am terribly uncomfortable with the direction our local church is going. I know that in the days ahead it will get worse. I know that failing to support "gay marriage" is equated with the Taliban in the minds of many Progressives. Being kind to this woman does not change any of that.
So where to draw the line? Do I simply say she is going to hell, when I cannot simply believe that? On the other hand, do I deserve to be under threat because I would not be willing to bless her relationship? Is having compassion for another human being what Jesus called us to? Can I share the truth with others and yet be in relationship with them when we disagree? Enough for today. I think these are hard questions. Tomorrow I want to wrap up this issue and move on.
When asked, "Do you believe homosexuals should be allowed to marry?," my response has always been, "yes, I thought they were not interested in marriage." What does that mean?
Marriage is a covenant between a man and a woman before God. By definition, homosexuals are not interested in this sort of covenant with someone of the opposite sex. Therefore, they are not interested in marriage. I do not say this out of judgment or hate. It is a definition of terms. The word marriage has a meaning content. Man and woman together are the content.
What then of blessing same sex unions? My response is I am not authorized (by God) to do such a thing. What is the basis for saying this? The Scriptures are pretty clear. Some argue that the Scriptures are not clear at all (Church teaching is not all confused in this reading of scripture). Some argue the Scriptures are outdated or in error (which leaves authoritybeing the contemporary world view which is clearly not inerrant, and up to date changes every six months?). Some say that God is love and so could never be disappointed when people are in love (which raises all sorts of problems: start with the concept of fornication, move to adultery, then consider incest).
In many churches today, the discussions about this question has led to the formulation of new liturgies. It is a done deal. People advocating them sometimes sound very humble, but in the end they are implementing the services. Right now we are told that they are optional. The church powers will put up with those of us not willing to go along. They say our church in "a big tent" and we can "include" different opinions. At some point, the plan is to force it. So it is tempting to get angry and fight. It is tempting to name call and project any number of negative thoughts on those with whom I disagree. I have succombed to the temptation on many occassions. It is hard to be nice and respectful in emotionally charged fights. It is difficult to go into combat yet love your neighbor as yourself.
On the other hand, I have had a history which makes this theological issue a challenge for me personally. In my high school work I have counseled with young people who thought they were homosexual. I have seen several who have self-identified as such. These are people who are precious to me. In addition, some high school friends have reappeared in my life (Facebook). Some of them are also self identified in this way. This is a personal issue. My nature is to "live and let live" so I wonder, can't we just let this one slide? There was a time when I intervened to stop a "gay bashing" incidents at school. I did it because it is wrong to harm someone because they are different. I have intervened with a parent to love his gay son, because it is his son. There are other memories which I shall not share, but they are all real events and real people.
At our diocese's recent convention a lesbian shared her journey with us. I was impressed by her courage. I think it was really hard for her. I sent her a message to express that to her. My reputation in the GLBT community of our church is probably not positive. I think people were shocked that I could be so "gracious." Yet, part of the reason I could see her unease was because I felt my own. I am terribly uncomfortable with the direction our local church is going. I know that in the days ahead it will get worse. I know that failing to support "gay marriage" is equated with the Taliban in the minds of many Progressives. Being kind to this woman does not change any of that.
So where to draw the line? Do I simply say she is going to hell, when I cannot simply believe that? On the other hand, do I deserve to be under threat because I would not be willing to bless her relationship? Is having compassion for another human being what Jesus called us to? Can I share the truth with others and yet be in relationship with them when we disagree? Enough for today. I think these are hard questions. Tomorrow I want to wrap up this issue and move on.
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