Paradosis

Jennifer's Sermon

2011-07-29T18:34:00.000-05:00

My wife, Jennifer, has served our church as pastoral associate for nearly a year. One of the potential responsibilities of a PA is that they are occasionally asked to fill in the pulpit when our pastor is away. This past week was such a time, and Jennifer was asked to preach the sermon.

The lectionary text that Jenn settled on was the Genesis 29 account of Jacob marrying Leah and Rachel. This story has special significance to us for a couple of reasons. First, it is the centerpiece behind one of our favorite songs by Rich Mullins (Jacob and 2 Women). Second, Jenn's dad wrote and sang us a song for our wedding, in which he compared us to Rachel and Jacob. As soon as I looked at the lectionary texts for that particular week, I knew which one Jenn would select.

As one might imagine, there are a number of sermons available on the internet on this passage. It's a juicy story, filled with drama, love, and even a plot twist. The vast majority of sermons focus on Laban's trick, when he switches brides on the wedding night. "The Trickster is Tricked" can be found in many sermon titles. Jenn decided to go in a different direction, and I think this demonstrates some of the gifts that she has to offer. She looked at the unfolding narrative from Leah's perspective, and then asked us to consider how we as children of God would minister to Leah. It's a profound reflection that left many in our church telling Jenn that they would consider her sermon for some time to come.

Here is the link to the DaySpring Baptist Church web site, and to Jenn's sermon (July 24, 2011):

http://ourdayspring.org/sermon-texts.php

Arts and Faith #37: Chariots of Fire

2011-06-26T20:42:00.001-05:00

Scott's introductory comments about the Arts and Faith top 100 Films list
Chariots of Fire (1981)
Director: Hugh Hudson
Arts and Faith top 100: #37

"I believe that God made me for a purpose. But He also made me fast, and when I run, I feel His pleasure." These are the words that reveal the inner motivation of Eric Liddell, a Presbyterian Scot who is one of the two main characters in Chariots of Fire. The film tells the story of Liddell and Harold Abrahams, two British runners who excelled at the 1924 Olympics in Paris. Liddell made headlines around the world by refusing to run in an Olympic heat on a Sunday, because it was the Sabbath.

Abrahams, a Cambridge University student, faced prejudice because of his Jewish heritage. His need to prove himself fueled his internal self, and motivated him to excel in running. After losing a race to Liddell, he was despondent. It led him to seek out Sam Mussabini, a coach who promised to help Abrahams drop a couple of seconds from his time.

The movie was billed as a story about two runners who had conflicting religious convictions. But in the film, the religious convictions did not lead to conflict; they were rivals simply by being the two best runners in Great Britain. What makes their story interesting is the focus on purpose and motivation. These are themes not simply about running, or generally speaking, about sports. These are themes about human-ness. What moves us to act as we do? What is our purpose in life?

The ancient Hebrews believed that all humans were created with a purpose. The idea was embedded in their Scriptures. "Then God said, 'let us make man in our image, after our likeness (Gen. 1:26)." The theological anthropology of imago dei was shared by both Abrahams and Liddell in Chariots of Fire. We are not random accidents. We are God's handcrafted creations, made in His image.

Christians and Jews also share the common belief that they are chosen of God. Abrahams' eponymous ancestor was called by God to become the father of a great nation. The Hebrew Scriptures continue to be both the story of the children of Abraham, and the source of faith for the Jewish people even today. The story of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob is also the story of Harold Abrahams. His need to prove himself to a world that rejects his faith and heritage is a narrative found throughout Scripture.

Liddell's conflict was twofold. First, he struggled with his calling as a missionary. His sister wondered why he pursued running when God had called him to witness to the people in China. Second, he struggled with his nationality. Even the prince of Wales asked Liddell to run on the Sabbath, and against his religious convictions...all for king and country. His faith that God had given him the gift of athletic ability moved him with purpose, and guided Liddell in his refusal to run on a Sunday.

Both Abrahams and Liddell shared the same basic convictions that God chose them, and gifted them, to be Olympic athletes. Faith is a recognition of these gifts, and a perseverance to use them in service of something greater than ourselves.

Arts and Faith #29: Wild Strawberries

2011-06-22T18:42:00.000-05:00

Scott's introductory comments about the Arts and Faith top 100 films list
Wild Strawberries (1957)
Director: Ingmar Bergman
Arts and Faith top 100: #29

There are certain milestones in life that evoke memories of the past. My 20th high school reunion was held earlier this month; and while I did not attend, it did lead me to reminisce about former classmates and friendships. Family reunions and funerals are other times when we reflect deeply upon our relationships with others. Pride, regret, and remorse are feelings that become stirred in our consciousness at these memories, which reveal our human successes and frailties.

In the 1957 film Wild Strawberries, Isak Borg is one such person who has reached a milestone. A professor of medicine, Isak is scheduled to receive an award to commemorate his many years of teaching excellence. He embarks on a road trip, accompanied by his daughter-in-law (Marianne). Along the way they stop at locations that evoke powerful memories of his youth. At one stop Isak visits the summer home where he spent many years in the prime of his life. He recalls a time when his fiancee leaves him for his brother. We begin to discover that Isak is, and always has been, a cold and isolated person.

During the road trip, Isak and Marianne encounter a number of fellow travelers, each of whom seem to remind Isak of his past. Sara, Anders, and Viktor are twenty-something hitchhikers who come along for much of the film. Sara is enamored with both of the men, despite their significant differences. One of the men wants to become a minister, while the other is an atheist and science student. Their argument leads them into a fistfight that Sara has to break up. She reminds Isak of his former fiancee, whose name was also Sara.

Wild Strawberries is a subtle film. Bergman holds his cards close to the vest, leaving the audience to wonder exactly what message he wants to convey about the human condition. Isak dreams about death, and reflects upon his past at a time when he is being honored for his former work. He has, at best, a distant relationship with his one son, Evald. Evald has grown into the mirror image of his father. He, too, is distant from his nearest relatives. And when Marianne announces her pregnancy, Evald wants nothing to do with bringing another life into this world. Near the end of the film, Isak attempts to offer Evald advice about his marriage. But the son brushes off the father, in what may be the saddest moment of the entire movie filled with sad moments. In this sense, Wild Strawberries is A Christmas Carol, if Dickens had stopped writing after the visit from the Ghost of Christmas Past. Memory and reflection can be helpful aids in moving us towards maturity and the health of the soul. But if we wait until our final moments to engage in such work, then we will have missed out on the gifts of God.

Arts and Faith #18: The Searchers

2011-06-19T18:23:00.000-05:00

Scott's introductory comments about the Arts and Faith top 100 films list
The Searchers (1956)
Director: John Ford
Arts and Faith top 100: #18

For a number of years, the Alamo Drafthouse theater in Austin has been touring the country during the summer to show movies at unique locations. For example, they screened Close Encounters of the Third Kind at Devil's Tower in Wyoming. This summer, the Drafthouse has been screening movies throughout the state of Texas. The story of The Searchers was inspired by an 1836 event at Fort Parker, and so the Drafthouse screened the film at the eponymous state park, which is located about 50 miles east of Waco. Jennifer and I joined some friends for a weekend that included the movie itself, and some camping. Serendipitously, the film is on the Arts and Faith list, and now I get to review it after having seen it on a big screen, at a location uniquely suited to its history.

At first glance, The Searchers does not appear to be an archetypal film about faith. There is no tale of martyrdom, a la The Passion of Joan of Arc, or any dance with death, a la The Seventh Seal. The only character who is overtly "religious" is the local reverend, who does double duty as a captain of the Texas Rangers. The protagonist of the story is a former Civil War soldier (Ethan Edwards, played by John Wayne) who is driven as much by hate as by love, and seeks revenge more than redemption.

So why is The Searchers on a list that highlights the best of art and faith? One possibility is that the title points to a crucial aspect of faith. From an existential perspective, we are all searchers for something: God, faith, happiness, etc. In this particular story, Ethan Edwards is on a search for his nieces Debbie and Lucy, who has been kidnapped by Comanches. Martin Pawley, an adopted family member, and Brad Jorgensen, Lucy's fiancee, join Ethan on a journey that lasts for years, and spans much of North America.

While the search to recover abducted family members, and by analogy our human search for meaning, is an important theme of The Searchers, I am not convinced that it is the sole reason why the film placed at the #18 position on the top 100 list. The film is as much about race as it is the search itself. The audience is alerted to Ethan's bigotry during a dinner conversation early in the film. We are informed that Martin is 1/8th Indian, which makes him a "half-breed" in Ethan's mind. As their journey draws them nearer to the Comanche's location, Martin discovers in horror that Ethan's motivation is no longer to rescue the girls, but to kill them, since they have been with the tribe so long that they are no longer "white." Ethan, the protagonist of the film, has a darkened heart. He is as motivated to find Debbie by hate as he is by love.

The early Christians noted that the gospel of Jesus Christ was available for all of humanity. The love of God was not limited to Jews OR Gentiles, men OR women...the kingdom of heaven was available to Jews AND Gentiles, men AND women. In the era of classical antiquity, this was a radical message. Romans and Greeks worshiped the gods of their ancestors, without any concept of freedom of religion or conversion. The apostles spoke of the Christian Church as a new race or ethnicity, but one that crossed all ethnic boundaries. When one comes to Christ, racial distinctives are abolished. In the coming kingdom, humanity will be united as one, without prejudice or bias.

The Searchers is one of the classic Westerns of American cinema. It serves not only as a metaphor of the human journey, but also of our existential divisions. In the City of Man we are divided by race and nationality. But in the City of God all humanity will be united in love.

Lectionary Reflection: The Fourth Sunday of Easter

2011-05-16T22:05:00.001-05:00

Acts 2:42-47

2:42 They devoted themselves to the apostles' teaching and fellowship, to the breaking of bread and the prayers.

2:43 Awe came upon everyone, because many wonders and signs were being done by the apostles.

2:44 All who believed were together and had all things in common;

2:45 they would sell their possessions and goods and distribute the proceeds to all, as any had need.

2:46 Day by day, as they spent much time together in the temple, they broke bread at home and ate their food with glad and generous hearts,

2:47 praising God and having the goodwill of all the people. And day by day the Lord added to their number those who were being saved.

^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^

Last Sunday, I preached this sermon at the Ridgecrest Nursing Home in Waco, TX.

You may not know this about me, but recently I have been doing some genealogical research into my family history. I was surprised at how far back I could trace my family’s ancestors … in fact, I traced my family ancestry all the way back to first century Israel. I discovered that I had a great – great – great – to the 23rd power – grandfather, and his name was Scotticus. But even more exciting than finding out that I had an ancient relative named Scotticus was finding out that he passed down in writing a story about an event he witnessed way back in the first century. In my research, I was able to find and translate this old papyrus scroll, and here now I present to you for the first time: the story of Scotticus.

“And verily it came to pass (despite living in the first century, Scotticus appears to have spoken good King James English) that I, Scotticus, was traveling to Jerusalem when I heard this commotion near the temple. There were these men who called themselves the apostles of Jesus, and they were preaching this strange message – and how exciting, I even heard one of them preach to me in my native English tongue! Anyway, they claimed that this Jesus rose from the dead, and that they were witnesses of this resurrection. Even more astounding, they claimed that God has made this Jesus Lord and Christ over creation. Well, you can imagine my surprise at this news. God raised a man from the dead, and took him up to heaven? Whoever heard of such a thing?

“After hearing this sermon, I began to mingle with these apostle fellows, watching to see what they would do. If this Jesus person really did rise from the grave, how would his followers live? What would they do after that? Would this make a difference in their lives? I discovered that the answer was yes, they did some curious things that made me want to learn more about Jesus.

“I noticed that these apostles gathered together all the new Christian believers that had come into the Church. They taught these new believers how to follow Jesus. They were always fellowshipping with each other, and that meant that they seemed to share meals all the time. In fact, they loved eating food with one another. They would also do this one interesting practice of eating bread and drinking wine, and they called it communion. They said that we needed to remember that Christ was crucified so that our sins would be forgiven. And after they ate, they would pray together. In fact, they were always praying it seemed. I noticed that these new Christians – that is what I called them, since they were disciples of Christ – were cheerful and glad to be in each other’s company. They enjoyed each other so much that many of them sold all of their possessions, and distributed them to the poor and needy. How remarkable!

Still, even after seeing all of this, I was not quite convinced about this Jesus fellow. But his followers were acting all kinds of peculiar, and that attracted me to want to learn more. So I went to talk with Peter, the leader of the apostles, and ask him about this man that he called Lord and Christ. Here is what Peter said:

“Scotticus, we are so blessed to have you join us and watch how we live as disciples of the Christ. Let me tell you about this man Jesus. He began his public ministry three years ago, and his first action was to call us to become his disciples. He could have chosen to sit on a mountaintop and become a guru who dispenses wisdom to anyone who was willing to climb the mountain. But instead, he gathered together a group of disciples and taught us how to become like him. He explained that God is Love, and that we are to love others because God first loved us. In response, we are to love one another. Surprisingly to us, we learned that God does not love only the Jews, but He also loves the Samaritans and the Gentiles. Who has ever heard of such a thing? Since when do Jews love Gentiles, or Gentiles love Jews? That is almost as strange as Baylor fans loving Texas Aggies! (Apparently Peter was speaking in prophecy here.) This idea that God loves all of humanity, its revolutionary talk, wouldn’t you agree Scotticus? (Scotticus appears to have included a note in the margins of the scroll, in which he agrees with Peter.)

Peter continued…

“Not only did Jesus teach us that God is love, and that this love is manifested in community, but he put this teaching into action. We witnessed the most incredible acts of charity. Jesus would attend these dinner parties, that were hosted by sinners and tax collectors! Who ever heard of a Jewish rabbi eating with such people? But Jesus explained that since God loves all of his creatures, we must love even those who are the most difficult to love. And who is more difficult to love than a tax collector? But hear this – one tax collector by the name of Matthew actually left his lucrative business and became one of Jesus’ disciples. I call that both a sign and a wonder that God was at work through us.

“Scotticus then replied to Peter … ‘Peter, its one thing to love and share in community with sinners and tax collectors. But what about the sick? Did Jesus abandon the sick, who are cast out of the towns and villages to live amongst themselves?’

“Peter was quick to respond to Scotticus on this point. ‘No, Scotticus, Jesus loved even the sick and the lepers. On one occasion a leper approached Jesus, and we tried to keep him away from our Lord. But Jesus not only dismissed us, but he touched the leper! Again, who ever heard of such a thing? But Jesus touched him, and cleansed him of his disease. So now, we teach that disciples of the Christ are to go out into the world, and lay hands on the sick and dying, and show them the love that He showed to the leper and the paralyzed and the dying.’

“At this point in our conversation, Peter let me know that he needed to go into the Temple, for it was now the hour of prayer. His final words were these: ‘let me encourage you to follow Jesus’ example. Love all of the children of God. Love even your enemies, and those who persecute you. For this is the essence of community. Jesus washed the feet of his disciples, only moments before he was betrayed, and only moments before we all scattered and denied him. Serve one another and pray for one another. Share your deepest hopes and fears with fellow believers, knowing that where two or more are gathered in His name, then He is with you. Continue to devote yourselves to Jesus’ teachings, and to fellowship with one another, and you will be his disciple. Christian discipleship is not practiced in isolation. Christian discipleship is practiced in community.’” Amen.

Arts and Faith #2: Andrei Rublev

2011-05-08T22:42:00.000-05:00

Scott's introductory comments on the Arts and Faith Top 100 Films List
Andrei Rublev (1966)
Director: Andrey Tarkovsky
Arts and Faith top 100: #2

There are any number of ways that I could review Andrei Rublev. Here is a critically acclaimed movie that is widely considered one of the greatest films ever made. As a cinephile who is seeking out movies that intentionally fuse art and faith, Andrei Rublev should appeal to me. I am the target audience. And yet, my first viewing was more an act of suffering than enthusiasm.

The film consists of seven episodes (plus a prologue and epilogue) that chart the lifespan of the Russian icon painter Andrei Rublev (1360? - 1430?). This is an appropriate time to recommend that any potential viewers of this film do some homework before pushing the 'play' button on their dvd player. I urge you to become familiar with Rublev's story, and also the directing style of Tarkovsky, before immersing yourself into this 205 minute epic journey. In my first effort at watching Andrei Rublev, I was lost in trying to figure out a) who are the primary characters of this story, and b) how the episodes fit together in that story. I discovered that the episodes tell separate stories, and that there is not one unifying plot that ties them all together, save perhaps for the person of Rublev himself. Having said that, even Rublev is not in the prologue, and my reading about the film on the internet has still not resolved my confusion about how the prologue relates to the rest of the film.

Future viewers should also beware that Andrei Rublev is one of the slowest paced films that I have ever seen. For those who appreciate pacing that allows for depth of character development and storytelling, this may be a breath of fresh air. For those who need a quicker pace and dramatic action scenes, a three hour epic drama may be difficult to endure. Having come into this movie without any warning or prior knowledge of what was in store, I persevered through it with no small amount of psychosomatic suffering. The seven episodes are clearly demarcated by the director, and I paused the dvd at each interval to allow myself to digest what had come to pass. I also took those moments to look up film reviews to ascertain what happened. Appropriately enough, Tarkovsky approaches filmmaking like an iconographer approaches an icon -- everything in the art form is not spelled out for the viewer. Instead, one must dig deeply to find the treasures prepared for the ones who are willing to do some work.

After watching Ostrov (The Island) and Andrei Rublev in the past two weeks, I find it curious that these two Russian films share the theme of suffering. Andrei Rublev was filmed during the Cold War, while Ostrov told a story about a monk who lived in Russia during that period. Both of the main characters (Andrei Rublev/Father Anatoly) experience the suffering of great evils that are done to them, and they both must atone for sins of great evil that they perpetuate onto the world. When I consider these stories in the light of Dostoevsky's The Brother Karamozov, I am reminded that the Russian Orthodox tradition places a great premium on God's redemption of suffering as part of His plan for salvation.

My timing in watching these two films is also curious when juxtaposed with the death of Osama bin Laden this week. Immediately after the announcement of the U.S. military action, I witnessed a division of sentiments on the social networks. Some expressed joy and celebration at the 'justice' that was served by his killing, while others cautioned against the perpetuation of violence in the struggle against evil. Ostrov and Andrei Rublev remind us that even actions that can be justified as violence in the name of self-defense are acts that require penance rather than jubilation. Violence taken against someone in self-defense is still injurious to the human soul, and is mourned by God. The loss of life, and the perpetuation of evil, can never be regarded lightly, even if those acts prevent further demonstrations of depravity.

Andrei Rublev is a thought-provoking film that is widely acclaimed as a cinematic masterpiece. I suspect that it requires multiple viewings to be more fully appreciated, since I struggled to understand even the basic plot on my first viewing. Furthermore, it was an act of perseverance for me to endure to the end. In defense of Andrei Rublev, however, I did not enjoy Citizen Kane on my first viewing either -- but with some help from Roger Ebert's commentary, it became a new experience for me on subsequent viewings. I will give Andrei Rublev the benefit of the doubt and offer the possibility that its images may continue to stir my thinking in the days to come. Even though I stop short of claiming to have "enjoyed" it on my first try, this review is evidence that it has already provoked within me reflection on a number of difficult theological topics.

Prayer for my Students

2011-05-06T21:56:00.000-05:00

Father God,

Thank you for providing me with the responsibility to teach this group of students this semester. It has been a joy to instruct them in the history of Your Church. My hope has ever been that they may see light in the darkness, and find illumination in their journey. May Your grace and love be poured out upon them for the rest of their days, as they continue to search for purpose in life. Guide them along the path of their various pilgrimages. Aid them when they need help, and pick them up when they fall. It has been my pleasure to be their instructor this spring. Thank You for entrusting them to my care. Amen.

Arts and Faith #77: Ostrov (The Island)

2011-04-29T21:00:00.106-05:00

Scott's introductory comments on the Arts and Faith Top 100 Films List
Ostrov (The Island)
Director: Pavel Lungin
Arts and Faith Top 100: #77

The Island is a sublime example of why the Arts and Faith top 100 list is so valuable. The film tells a story about Father Anatoly, a monk in communist Russia who baffles his fellow ascetics with his pranks and nonsensical speech, but attracts visitors from far away who seek healings and exorcisms for their loved ones.

The film opens in 1942, as we watch a German destroyer crew find a couple of Russian soldiers in hiding. Rather than just kill the both of them, one of the Russians is forced to fire his weapon on the other one. The surviving Russian becomes Father Anatoly, a monk, and the story picks up with him in 1976, living as a hermit in a small Orthodox community.

Anatoly becomes the holy fool, e.g. Zosima in Dostoevsky's The Brothers Karamazov. He pulls pranks on his fellow monks, speaks in riddles, and harasses the visitors who come to him. His exploits have apparently become famous, such that he frequently receives visitors who bring family members suffering from physical and mental maladies. Perhaps against his wishes, Anatony does in fact have a healing hand.

The sin of Anatoly's from his warrior days leaves him in deep need for forgiveness. Here is where the film can impact even the most casual viewer who knows little or nothing about the history of monasticism and Russian Orthodoxy. How do we live with ourselves after we commit grievous sins? Most of us do not have the physical act of murder on our conscience, but we all carry around regrets and remorse for acts we have committed that have harmed others. When there is no opportunity to extend the olive branch of remorse to the hurt party, how do we receive the sacrament of forgiveness? Anatoly continues to live with the weight of that act on his conscience.

To what extent should we struggle with remorse over our sins? Martin Luther struggled with his iniquities, to the point that he hated to read about God's righteousness in the epistle of Romans. Luther's anxiety and despair led him to a new (renewed?) interpretation of God's grace in Paul's writings. Lutheranism was born out of this struggle with human nature. However, several generations later we have the writings of Dietrich Bonhoeffer, a Lutheran who complained about the "cheap grace" of easily forgiven sins, such that he witnessed believers no longer struggling at all with their transgressions.

The Island does not attempt to answer the question that it prompted in my mind. Anatoly is a reminder that we are mortal, flawed creatures who worship a holy God. We both fall victim to "cheap grace", and yet we also carry around transgressions and guilt that will plague us for the rest of our lives. That is part of the complication of human nature. The Island is a reminder that forgiveness is possible, even in this life. Without the phenomenon of forgiveness, all of us is an "island" unto ourselves. But with forgiveness comes the community that shows us the love of God that we crave and need. Even a hermit like Anatoly finds himself in need of the love that only comes from community.

Arts and Faith #8: Le Fils (The Son)

2011-04-25T20:00:00.034-05:00

Scott's introductory comments on the Arts and Faith Top 100 Films List
Le Fils (The Son) (2002)
Director: Jean-Pierre And Luc Dardenne.
Arts and Faith ranking: 8

Having just seen this movie, and read Roger Ebert's review, I am reminded why he has ascended to the position of America's favorite film critic. He demonstrates his love for this film without giving away the central mystery of the movie. Meanwhile, he expressed the exact same thoughts/expectations that I did at certain pivotal moments in the story.

The Son follows the account of a man (Olivier, played by Olivier Gourmet) who works as a carpentry teacher in a vocational shop. He initially declines to take on a new student, but then changes his mind. Speaking on behalf of myself as the audience, I wondered (along with Ebert) what kind of movie this was. I worried that this was going to be a violent film when there was an emergency with the power saw. Then I worried that this was a movie about deviant behaviors when Olivier tracks down the young boy in the shower.

Like Ebert, I decline to reveal more about the plot after this point in the story. I spoke with my pastor about the plot of The Son, and went ahead to reveal the narrative to him as a platform for sharing some of my theological reflections. Afterwards, I felt remorse, having stolen from him the same wonder that I experienced as the movie slowly unravels to reveal the central mystery of the relationship between Olivier and the student.

The Son is a movie about a lot of things that directly relate to a life of faith: suffering, discipleship, life and death...The film is a character study of a man who is broken, and appears to make decisions that he himself does not understand.

And yet, for a film that is minimalist in its dialogue, the audience can occasionally anticipate what the characters will say next. I fear that many of my friends will avoid the film, or dislike it, because of several factors: its a foreign film (read: subtitles), there is no musical track, no action scenes, and its filmed in documentary style. As Jeffrey Overstreet says, "It is, rather, a story that unfolds without instructions about how to feel or think about what we're seeing, and with no exposition to acquaint us with the characters or the context. In other words, watching this film takes patience and contemplation." The Son is a film that is worth such patience and contemplation.

Easter Sunday: He is Risen

2011-04-24T07:00:00.001-05:00

Today is the day of salvation for the world ... Christ is risen from the dead: arise with him. Christ returns to himself: you also must return to him. Christ has come forth from the tomb: free yourselves from the fetters of evil. The gates of hell are open and the power of death is destroyed. The old Adam is superseded, the new perfected. In Christ a new creation is coming to birth: renew yourselves.

Gregory Nazianzen, Oration 45 1.1

Holy Saturday

2011-04-23T09:00:00.001-05:00

"Did the Father want Jesus to be crucified? And, if so, why? The answer as I see it is again: No. The mission of Jesus from the Father is not the mission to be crucified; what the Father wished is that Jesus should be human. Any minimally intelligent people who are proposing to become parents know that their children will have lives of suffering and disappointment and perhaps tragedy, but this is not what they wish for them; what they want is that they should be alive, be human. And this is what Jesus sees as a command laid on him by his Father in heaven; the obedience of Jesus to his Father is to be totally, completely human. This is his obedience, an expression of his love for the Father; the fact that to be human means to be crucified is not something that the Father has directly planned but what we have arranged. We have made a world in which there is no way of being human that does not involve suffering."

Herbert McCabe, God Matters (p.93)

Good Friday

2011-04-22T09:54:00.000-05:00

He who suspended the earth is suspended,
He who fastened the heavens is fastened,
He who fixed the universe is fixed on the wood,
God has been murdered...

God has clothed himself in humanity,
For me a sufferer he has suffered;
For one condemned he has been judged;
For one buried he has been buried;
But he is risen from the dead
And he cries:
Who will plead against me? I have delivered the one who was condemned,
I have given back life to him who was dead,
I have raised up one who was buried.
Who will dispute my cause? I have abolished death,
I have crushed hell,
I have raised humanity to the highest heavens,
Yes I, the Christ...

I am your forgiveness,
I am the Passover of salvation,
I am your light,
I am your resurrection.

Melito of Sardis, Easter Homily

Lectionary Reflection: Palm Sunday

2011-04-16T10:23:00.000-05:00

Matthew 21:1-11

21:1 When they had come near Jerusalem and had reached Bethphage, at the Mount of Olives, Jesus sent two disciples,

21:2 saying to them, "Go into the village ahead of you, and immediately you will find a donkey tied, and a colt with her; untie them and bring them to me.

21:3 If anyone says anything to you, just say this, 'The Lord needs them.' And he will send them immediately."

21:4 This took place to fulfill what had been spoken through the prophet, saying,

21:5 "Tell the daughter of Zion, Look, your king is coming to you, humble, and mounted on a donkey, and on a colt, the foal of a donkey."

21:6 The disciples went and did as Jesus had directed them;

21:7 they brought the donkey and the colt, and put their cloaks on them, and he sat on them.

21:8 A very large crowd spread their cloaks on the road, and others cut branches from the trees and spread them on the road.

21:9 The crowds that went ahead of him and that followed were shouting, "Hosanna to the Son of David! Blessed is the one who comes in the name of the Lord! Hosanna in the highest heaven!"

21:10 When he entered Jerusalem, the whole city was in turmoil, asking, "Who is this?"

21:11 The crowds were saying, "This is the prophet Jesus from Nazareth in Galilee."

^^^^^^^^^^^^

G.K. Chesterton (1874–1936)

The Donkey

When fishes flew and forests walked
And figs grew upon thorn,
Some moment when the moon was blood
Then surely I was born;

With monstrous head and sickening cry
And ears like errant wings,
The devil's walking parody
On all four-footed things.

The tattered outlaw of the earth,
Of ancient crooked will;
Starve, scourge, deride me: I am dumb,
I keep my secret still.

Fools! For I also had my hour;
One far fierce hour and sweet:
There was a shout about my ears,
And palms before my feet.

Chesterton captures Palm Sunday from the perspective of the donkey that Jesus rode.

Arts and Faith #13: The Seventh Seal

2011-04-13T19:49:00.000-05:00

Scott's introductory comments on the Arts and Faith Top 100 Films List
The Seventh Seal (1957)
Director: Ingmar Bergman (Sweden)
Arts and Faith top 100: #13

How is this for a plot synopsis: A medieval knight returns to Europe from the Crusades, only to be met by Death. The crusader challenges Death to a chess match. The stakes of this game have never been higher. Victory in chess means victory over Death.

Throughout history, persons of faith have struggled with the inevitability of death. The Apostle Paul told the church in Corinth that the last enemy to be defeated is death. More recently, J.K. Rowling remembered this verse (1 Corinthians 15:26) and made it a central claim in Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows. Some of the great texts of Western literature, e.g. Dante's Divine Comedy, Tokien's The Lord of the Rings, and Augustine's Confessions, have all struggled with the mystery that is death. The Christian tradition teaches that at the end of all things, Death will be defeated. However, that is a truth that is seen only be faith, not by sight. In the here and now, we all face the existential reality of death.

The title of the movie comes from Revelation 8:1: "When the Lamb broke the seventh seal, there was silence in heaven for about half an hour." How many of us have prayed to God for an answer about this mystery, only to receive a response of silence? How many of us have wanted to say something comforting to a grieving friend, only to find our words empty of meaning?

The Seventh Seal does not offer answers as to how to defeat death. We may play games with the Grim Reaper, but Death does not play favorites. Death comes for us all. Even the Son of God was crucified, died, and was buried. Christians worship a God who took on human nature, and experienced suffering and death.

Jesus did not remain in the tomb. The tomb was emptied. The hope that we have in Christ leads to the claim that Death will not have the final victory. Christ's resurrection is a sign for the rest of humanity that we will follow Him in Life. The Book of Revelation does not end in Death's victory. Death will be swallowed up, and Eternal Life will prevail.

Prayer for the week of March 28

2011-03-28T16:45:00.000-05:00

The LORD is my shepherd, I shall not want.
He makes me lie down in green pastures; he leads me beside still waters;
he restores my soul. He leads me in right paths for his name's sake.
Even though I walk through the darkest valley, I fear no evil; for you are with me; your rod and your staff-- they comfort me.
You prepare a table before me in the presence of my enemies; you anoint my head with oil; my cup overflows.
Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life, and I shall dwell in the house of the LORD my whole life long.

-- Psalm 23

Lectionary Reflection: Third Sunday in Lent

2011-03-27T21:58:00.000-05:00

John 4:5-42
4:5 So he came to a Samaritan city called Sychar, near the plot of ground that Jacob had given to his son Joseph.

4:6 Jacob's well was there, and Jesus, tired out by his journey, was sitting by the well. It was about noon.

4:7 A Samaritan woman came to draw water, and Jesus said to her, "Give me a drink."

4:8 (His disciples had gone to the city to buy food.)

4:9 The Samaritan woman said to him, "How is it that you, a Jew, ask a drink of me, a woman of Samaria?" (Jews do not share things in common with Samaritans.)

4:10 Jesus answered her, "If you knew the gift of God, and who it is that is saying to you, 'Give me a drink,' you would have asked him, and he would have given you living water."

4:11 The woman said to him, "Sir, you have no bucket, and the well is deep. Where do you get that living water?

4:12 Are you greater than our ancestor Jacob, who gave us the well, and with his sons and his flocks drank from it?"

4:13 Jesus said to her, "Everyone who drinks of this water will be thirsty again,

4:14 but those who drink of the water that I will give them will never be thirsty. The water that I will give will become in them a spring of water gushing up to eternal life."

^^^^^^^^^^^^

The lectionary text for this week is the story of Jesus' encounter with the woman at the well. I was not consciously motivated to watch The Passion of Joan of Arc on the same day that this story was read in church, but they do compliment each other well. In both accounts a woman is an outsider in a man's world. But notice the stark differences in the way each woman is addressed.

According to the cultural standards of the day, a Samaritan woman would never have entered into conversation with a Jewish man in the public square. For Jesus to even acknowledge her breaks a cultural taboo. He extends to her simple human dignity, before embarking on a teaching moment about quenching the thirst that exists in our souls.

Meanwhile, Joan is taken captive and put on trial by men who claim to represent Jesus in this world. She has no human dignity in their eyes. They angrily demand that she recant her faith, causing Joan no measure of suffering before finally excommunicating and executing her. They extend no measure of compassion to her.

James instructed the Jerusalem church of the first century to care for her widows and orphans. It was a defining characteristic of the early church that they cared for one another, and without such compassion the faith would have never experienced its phenomenal growth. They took to heart Jesus' teaching to the Samaritan woman that He was the living water which would quench thirsty souls. Drinking from the well of Jesus transformed the soul by cleansing it of its sinful impurities. The legacy of the first century Jerusalem church is one that must continue to be taught in the twenty-first century if the body of Christ is to be faithful to her Lord.

Arts & Faith #1: The Passion of Joan of Arc

2011-03-27T18:03:00.000-05:00

Scott's introductory comments on the Arts and Faith Top 100 Films List
The Passion of Joan of Arc (1928)
Arts and Faith Top 100: #1

The Passion of Joan of Arc is a 1928 French silent film, and it ranks as the top film in the Arts and Faith list. The story recounts the historical events surrounding the heresy trial and execution of Joan of Arc during the 15th century Hundred Years War. The movie opens immediately to the trial. There is no prologue of Joan leading an army into battle, or any private wrestling with her visions from God. Even more startling are the numerous close-up shots of Joan wrestling, not with God, but with the jurists who make angry demands of her to recant. At one point she is even taken into the torture room and given a glimpse into what lies in store for her if she does not give in to her interrogators.

The Passion is a courtroom drama that demonstrates the great faith shown by Joan. Faith in God is hard enough. But how difficult would faith be when ecclesiastical leaders are claiming to your face that your visions are from the devil? Despite the fact that the Church leaders question Joan's faith in God, she resists the temptation to give in.

Joan of Arc's story mirrors that of Jesus in many ways. Just as Jesus endured a trial by the religious leaders of his day, so does Joan. Jesus' trial ended in his execution, and so does Joan's. These parallels may help account for her enduring popularity as a saint and martyr. The confessors of the early church believed that there was no higher calling from God than to endure the same suffering and death that Jesus countenanced.

This movie challenges its audience to imagine itself in Joan's place. Would we endure in the face of excommunication and death? Could we continue to claim divine inspiration for our visions when the religious leaders are convincing us otherwise? And then there is the gender issue: How hard is it to be a woman experiencing persecution in a man's world? It was obvious that Joan's interrogators were offended that a woman was acting like a man. They even shaved her head so that she would look male. I was reminded of how Jesus had a crown of thorns placed on his head, to mock his claim to represent God's kingdom.

The Passion of Joan of Arc is an intense drama about faith in the face of persecution. It's about being an outsider in the world of the insiders. But most of all, it's a film about suffering. How do we act when we undergo suffering? Do we wither and fade -- or do we abide in Christ? Joan of Arc chose to abide in Christ, and she received the martyr's crown for her faith.

Arts & Faith #7: The Gospel According to St Matthew

2011-03-26T02:07:00.002-05:00

Scott's introductory comments on the Arts and Faith Top 100 Films List
The Gospel According to St. Matthew (1964)
Arts and Faith Top 100: #7

The Gospel According to St. Matthew was released in 1964. It's an Italian film, directed by Pier Paolo Pasolini. According to Roger Ebert's review, Pasolini was a Marxist and an Atheist who was inspired to film the gospel narrative word-for-word after reading from a Bible in his hotel room. Consequently, some have criticized him for portraying a proto-Marxist Jesus.

Of further interest was the fact that all of the dialogue in the film was lifted directly from the gospel text itself. Pasolini did not need a script. He simply directed the action of the scene, while actors quoted Matthew's text. For that reason alone this is a remarkable cinematic achievement. How does one judge this film on Adapted Screenplay?

My own interest in the film was sparked by Philip Yancey's mention of it in his book The Jesus I Never Knew. Yancey recalls that it had a revolutionary effect on college kids in the 1970s, whose image of a blue-eyed American suburban Jesus was shattered. The Jesus in Matthew is not a passive, nice guy who simply talks in prophetic platitudes. He is confrontational with the religious leaders of his day. He flashes anger in the Temple with those who sell religious goods. And he teaches by way of stories and parables whose meanings are unclear. In other words, following this Jesus leads one onto a hard journey that provokes more questions than answers.

It is a fascinating fact that The Gospel According to Matthew was directed by an atheist, and yet it challenges believers and non-believers alike to see the gospel account through a fresh lens. If you are of the opinion that Christianity's distinguishing feature was that it made nicer people of its followers than other religions, this movie will challenge that assumption. However, if you are of the opinion that Christianity's distinguishing feature is that Jesus came to save us sinners, this movie will also challenge that assumption. And maybe that is why Pasolini was accused of creating a Marxist Jesus: for most of the movie, he is more interested in demonstrating compassion for the poor and downtrodden, while confronting the religious leaders, than in anything else. But even if that is one of the main lessons of the film, is that such a bad thing?

The Arts & Faith Top 100 Films

2011-03-25T22:49:00.016-05:00

Earlier this week, my friend Marc Nicholas posted a link on Facebook to the 2011 Arts and Faith Top 100 Films. He was impressed with the list enough to want to begin watching the films that he hadn't encountered before. Likewise, I am going to ~~steal~~ borrow Marc's idea. I have some experience with this strategy, having worked my way through the AFI top 100 films list in 1997 and again in 2007.

The differences between these two lists are striking. The AFI simply seeks to rank the best movies that have ever been made by American film studios. No foreign films are included in their survey. The Arts and Faith is presented by Image, a journal that focuses on literature and art. The banner of the Image website provides a glimpse into their modus operandi: art, faith, mystery. As with all lists, the rankings are subjective and open to criticism. What I find interesting about this particular list is the interpretation of faith in the arts. To quote Steven D. Greydanus, "the Top 100 is an expression of this community’s ongoing discussions about how mystery and meaning can be discerned in works of art." He goes on to observe that some films on the list are explicitly religious, e.g. The Gospel According to Matthew, while others are valued for provoking thought on the nature of the human condition, e.g. The Searchers. In addition, the list is open to any movie, domestic or "foreign," independent or studio.

For each movie that I watch, the forum that is this blog will be employed as a place to provide a brief review. I intend to specifically ask how each particular film is judged on the triad of "art, faith, mystery." Also, I will update this particular page with links to each of my reviews, and the link to this page will be posted on the main page of the blog itself. With all of that having now been said, let's get to the movies.

1: The Passion of Joan of Arc (1928)
2: Andrei Rublev (1966)
7: The Gospel According to St Matthew (1964)
8: Le Fils (The Son) (2002)
13: The Seventh Seal (1957)
18: The Searchers (1956)
29: Wild Strawberries (1957)
37: Chariots of Fire (1981)
77: Ostrov (The Island) (2006)

Prayer for the Week of March 21

2011-03-21T08:19:00.000-05:00

Lord God,

May we come to You this morning with a song in our heart, for You are the rock of our salvation! We come into Your presence with thanksgiving, and with songs of praise. For You are a great God, a great king above all gods. In Your hands are the depths of the earth, the heights of the mountains, the sea, and the dry land. We come before You to worship, we kneel before the Lord our maker. We are the people of Your pasture, who desire to hear Your voice. May we not harden our hearts this week. We seek to worship You in spirit and in truth. In the name of the Son we pray. Amen.

Lectionary Reflection: Second Sunday in Lent

2011-03-20T16:53:00.000-05:00

John 3:1-17
3:1 Now there was a Pharisee named Nicodemus, a leader of the Jews.

3:2 He came to Jesus by night and said to him, "Rabbi, we know that you are a teacher who has come from God; for no one can do these signs that you do apart from the presence of God."

3:3 Jesus answered him, "Very truly, I tell you, no one can see the kingdom of God without being born from above."

3:4 Nicodemus said to him, "How can anyone be born after having grown old? Can one enter a second time into the mother's womb and be born?"

3:5 Jesus answered, "Very truly, I tell you, no one can enter the kingdom of God without being born of water and Spirit.

3:6 What is born of the flesh is flesh, and what is born of the Spirit is spirit.

3:7 Do not be astonished that I said to you, 'You must be born from above.'

3:8 The wind blows where it chooses, and you hear the sound of it, but you do not know where it comes from or where it goes. So it is with everyone who is born of the Spirit."

3:9 Nicodemus said to him, "How can these things be?"

3:10 Jesus answered him, "Are you a teacher of Israel, and yet you do not understand these things?

3:11 "Very truly, I tell you, we speak of what we know and testify to what we have seen; yet you do not receive our testimony.

3:12 If I have told you about earthly things and you do not believe, how can you believe if I tell you about heavenly things?

3:13 No one has ascended into heaven except the one who descended from heaven, the Son of Man.

3:14 And just as Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness, so must the Son of Man be lifted up,

3:15 that whoever believes in him may have eternal life.

3:16 "For God so loved the world that he gave his only Son, so that everyone who believes in him may not perish but may have eternal life.

3:17 "Indeed, God did not send the Son into the world to condemn the world, but in order that the world might be saved through him.

^^^^^^^^^^^^

As I meditated on the lectionary texts selected for this week, it seemed odd that John 3:16 falls in the Lent cycle. This is the time of year that we confess our sins and recall our mortality. I expect to read more texts such as Psalm 51, which we read on Ash Wednesday.

But as I listened to today's sermon, it occurred to me how appropriate it is to read this text at this point in the lectionary cycle. Lent is also a time for the preparation of our hearts for Easter. Both the cross and resurrection are still yet to come in this narrative of biblical texts. Once Lent ends, we will celebrate the risen Lord, who signals our own future resurrection. We will be born again into spiritual, glorified bodies.

In the meantime, we wait with anticipation the final resurrection by living as transformed persons. Christ calls us to be born again in the here and now. What a radical call! The literalist Nicodemus asks what many of us wondered upon hearing those words for the first time: how can one be born again? It is not a physical rebirth that happens in our journey to the cross, but a spiritual adoption into God's kingdom. We are asked to die to self, and live as Spirit filled persons. Rather than live according to our own needs, we are asked to live selflessly in service to our neighbors. We have been gathered into the community of Christ as His Church. If we want to be born again as new creations in Christ, we must be willing to be crucified with Him.

Becoming a writer

2011-03-18T10:45:00.000-05:00

James K.A. Smith, professor of philosophy at Calvin College, has recently offered some suggestions for those who desire to become writers. Since I am working on the craft of writing, in the form of a dissertation, this is directly relevant to me. The fourth of his four suggestions is taken from Malcolm Gladwell's book Outliers: one becomes a "genius" after spending 10,000 hours honing a single craft. Smith's reference is the second or third time in the past few weeks that Gladwell's thesis has come to my attention. The lesson here is the same one that was suggested to me during Baylor's orientation to the doctoral program:

Write.
Write every day.
When you do not feel like it, continue to write.

Ash Wednesday

2011-03-09T09:30:00.000-06:00

Joel 2:12-13

2:12 Yet even now, says the LORD, return to me with all your heart, with fasting, with weeping, and with mourning;

2:13 rend your hearts and not your clothing. Return to the LORD, your God, for he is gracious and merciful, slow to anger, and abounding in steadfast love, and relents from punishing.

^^^^^^^^^^^^

Remember that you are dust, and to dust you shall return.

Prayer for the Week of March 7

2011-03-07T08:16:00.000-06:00

Lord God,

As Ash Wednesday approaches, we remember our sin and mortality. Through Adam's sin, death and judgment entered the world. All is as it should not be. Suffering surrounds us. In silence we groan our need for deliverance from this world.

Thank You for the free gift that is not like the effect of Adam's sin. Abundance of grace and the free gift of righteousness are exercised in the life of Jesus Christ. We thank You that through His obedience, many will be made righteous! Blessed are those whose transgressions are forgiven. We acknowledge our sins before You, and they are forgiven. Blessed are those who abide in Christ!

Amen.

Lectionary Reflection: Transfiguration Sunday

2011-03-05T21:02:00.000-06:00

Matthew 17:1-9

17:1 Six days later, Jesus took with him Peter and James and his brother John and led them up a high mountain, by themselves.
17:2 And he was transfigured before them, and his face shone like the sun, and his clothes became dazzling white.
17:3 Suddenly there appeared to them Moses and Elijah, talking with him
17:4 Then Peter said to Jesus, "Lord, it is good for us to be here; if you wish, I will make three dwellings here, one for you, one for Moses, and one for Elijah."
17:5 While he was still speaking, suddenly a bright cloud overshadowed them, and from the cloud a voice said, "This is my Son, the Beloved; with him I am well pleased; listen to him!"
17:6 When the disciples heard this, they fell to the ground and were overcome by fear.
17:7 But Jesus came and touched them, saying, "Get up and do not be afraid."
17:8 And when they looked up, they saw no one except Jesus himself alone.
17:9 As they were coming down the mountain, Jesus ordered them, "Tell no one about the vision until after the Son of Man has been raised from the dead."

^^^^^^^^^^^^

For those churches that follow the Revised Common Lectionary, the last Sunday of the Epiphany season -- also the last Sunday before Lent -- is Transfiguration Sunday. On Epiphany we recalled Jesus' manifestation to the Gentiles through the gifts of the wise men. On Transfiguration Sunday, we will recall Jesus' revelation of himself as the Son of God on the mountaintop. According to the story, Moses and Elijah witness to this manifestation of Jesus, and we also hear the voice of God. Meanwhile, the disciples appear as confused as the rest of us upon witnessing the miraclous disclosure of the Son.

Origen read the transfiguration story as a spiritual account of the our journey towards God. In other words, when we read the story, we participate in it alongside the disciples. As was consistent among the Fathers, the mountain serves as a metaphor for the spiritual journey. Each of us beholds God according to the knowledge we have attained at that point in our journey. We are all at different points in the journey. Origen points out that those who did not go to the top of the Transfiguration mountain were able to behold Jesus' words and works. But they did not see His manifestation of His true self. Those who do make the journey are shown that manifestation as a gift, even if we do not comprehend it perfectly.

Prayer for the Week of February 28

2011-02-28T08:00:00.000-06:00

Lord God,

You are king, and You are exalted over all peoples. May your creation praise Your great and awesome name. Holy are You! You are a lover of justice; You have established equity; You have executed justice and righteousness.
This week we recall the Transfiguration of Your Son, and your claim: "This is my Son, the beloved; with Him I am well pleased." We thank You for the prophetic message that was confirmed in Jesus. It is a lamp shining in the dark places of our soul. We are grateful for the morning star that dawns in our hearts. May we be beacons of the light of Your Son this week. Amen.

Lectionary Reflection: 8th Sunday after Epiphany

2011-02-27T08:40:00.000-06:00

Matthew 6:24-34
6:24 "No one can serve two masters; for a slave will either hate the one and love the other, or be devoted to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve God and wealth.

6:25 "Therefore I tell you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat or what you will drink, or about your body, what you will wear. Is not life more than food, and the body more than clothing?

6:26 Look at the birds of the air; they neither sow nor reap nor gather into barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not of more value than they?

6:27 And can any of you by worrying add a single hour to your span of life?

6:28 And why do you worry about clothing? Consider the lilies of the field, how they grow; they neither toil nor spin,

6:29 yet I tell you, even Solomon in all his glory was not clothed like one of these.

6:30 But if God so clothes the grass of the field, which is alive today and tomorrow is thrown into the oven, will he not much more clothe you--you of little faith?

6:31 Therefore do not worry, saying, 'What will we eat?' or 'What will we drink?' or 'What will we wear?'

6:32 For it is the Gentiles who strive for all these things; and indeed your heavenly Father knows that you need all these things.

6:33 But strive first for the kingdom of God and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well.

6:34 So do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will bring worries of its own. Today's trouble is enough for today."

************

Of all the bishops in the early church, John Chrysostom spoke most forcefully about the economic issues of his day. In his church at Constantinople, he witnessed a tremendous disparity between the poorest of the poor and the richest of the rich. As the capitol of the Byzantine empire, Constantinople was home to some of the wealthiest persons in the world, and it also attracted the poorest. So naturally we should not be surprised that he had some strong comments to offer on this passage.

Chrysostom's first task in his homily on this passage is to reassure those who had wealth that merely possessing riches does not condemn one. He notes that many of the Old Testament patriarchs were wealthy, but were not accused of making their wealth their master. Abraham and Job, in particular, ruled over their wealth, rather than being ruled by it.

Thus it is vitally important that we conduct ourselves with an awareness of our soul's condition in regard to money. He exhorts us against coveting, and to give what we have. Such practices aid us in relying upon the providence of God to provide for our needs. Only by relying upon God to provide for our needs will we serve God as our master, rather than our money.

Prayer for the Week of February 21

2011-02-21T07:49:00.000-06:00

Father God,

During a week when we are surrounded by noise and activities and to-do lists, we ask for You to calm and quiet our souls. Help us to remember that You provide for all our needs. You know the number of hairs on our head, and You clothe the grass in the field. Remind us to strive for the kingdom of God and Your righteousness, even while we go about our daily work. Aid us in choosing integrity and the common good in our relationships with others, rather than using them to achieve our own ends. In Christ we pray. Amen.

Lectionary Reflection: 7th Sunday after Epiphany

2011-02-18T11:24:00.000-06:00

Matthew 5:38-48

5:38 "You have heard that it was said, 'An eye for an eye and a tooth for a tooth.'

5:39 But I say to you, Do not resist an evildoer. But if anyone strikes you on the right cheek, turn the other also;

5:40 and if anyone wants to sue you and take your coat, give your cloak as well;

5:41 and if anyone forces you to go one mile, go also the second mile.

5:42 Give to everyone who begs from you, and do not refuse anyone who wants to borrow from you.

5:43 "You have heard that it was said, 'You shall love your neighbor and hate your enemy.'

5:44 But I say to you, Love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you,

5:45 so that you may be children of your Father in heaven; for he makes his sun rise on the evil and on the good, and sends rain on the righteous and on the unrighteous.

5:46 For if you love those who love you, what reward do you have? Do not even the tax collectors do the same?

5:47 And if you greet only your brothers and sisters, what more are you doing than others? Do not even the Gentiles do the same?

5:48 Be perfect, therefore, as your heavenly Father is perfect.

************

Too often I make the mistake of reading verse 48 as if it is disconnected from its context. I read the command to "be perfect, therefore, as your heavenly Father is perfect," and question the impossible demand that is made of me. How can I be perfect when I am so flawed? Can this text be read any way other than eschatologically? Certainly I am not being held to that standard in this lifetime!

Hilary of Poitiers frames verse 48 in its proper context by reading Jesus' command in the light of the previous statement about loving one's enemy. The call to love one's enemies is no easier of a charge to live. Hilary believes that only in faith can we cherish our enemies. It is human nature to love only one's friends, and those who love us.

Christ is our model for striving to live this principle. Even while suffering on the cross he prayed forgiveness to those who were causing his pain and agony. During his trial, Jesus chose to remain silent rather than condemn those who were falsely accusing him.

In the presence of God, we all stand as one humanity. We are all in need of a Savior, and we have all been called to be heirs of God's kingdom. In Christ there is no friend or enemy, no Greek nor Jew, no male nor female.

Christ's command to be perfect is a call to love one another, and to renounce division and strife. Jesus does not deny that we will have enemies. Instead, he calls us to love them, and see ourselves with a contemplative mind that recognizes we are all children of God. Before the cross, we were all enemies of God, but now we have been reconciled to Him through the blood of Christ and baptized into His kingdom (Romans 5:10).

The War Against Christians

2011-01-17T18:12:00.000-06:00

Clifford May has observed in a recent article that Christians in the Muslim world have suffered a renewed series of attacks in recent months.

The Christian churches in America must pray for our brothers and sisters in Christ around the world.

Lord have mercy. Christ have mercy. Lord have mercy.

If I am going to highlight the violent actions against Christians in Muslim countries, I feel compelled to also bring attention to the peaceful actions as well.

The Goal of Baptist-Catholic Dialogue

2010-12-22T13:11:00.000-06:00

The Associated Baptist Press published an essay written by Steven Harmon. Harmon recently returned from Regent's Park College, where he participated in the BWA Commission on Doctrine and Christian Unity. This forum encourages dialogue between Baptists and Catholics.

http://www.abpnews.com/content/view/5983/9/

I encourage readers to listen to Harmon. I share his reading of Jesus' prayer for unity in John 17. It is important that Baptists continue to pursue conversations with Catholics in a spirit of prayer and worship.

Prayer for the Fourth Sunday of Advent

2010-12-20T14:31:00.000-06:00

Purify our conscience, Almighty God, by your daily visitation, that your Son Jesus Christ, at his coming,may find in us a mansion prepared for himself; who lives and reigns with you, in the unity of the Holy Spirit, one God, now and for ever. Amen.

taken from the Book of Common Prayer

Lectionary Reflection: 4th Sunday of Advent

2010-12-17T13:54:00.000-06:00

Matthew 1:18-25

1:18 Now the birth of Jesus the Messiah took place in this way. When his mother Mary had been engaged to Joseph, but before they lived together, she was found to be with child from the Holy Spirit.

1:19 Her husband Joseph, being a righteous man and unwilling to expose her to public disgrace, planned to dismiss her quietly.

1:20 But just when he had resolved to do this, an angel of the Lord appeared to him in a dream and said, "Joseph, son of David, do not be afraid to take Mary as your wife, for the child conceived in her is from the Holy Spirit.

1:21 She will bear a son, and you are to name him Jesus, for he will save his people from their sins."

1:22 All this took place to fulfill what had been spoken by the Lord through the prophet:

1:23 "Look, the virgin shall conceive and bear a son, and they shall name him Emmanuel," which means, "God is with us."

1:24 When Joseph awoke from sleep, he did as the angel of the Lord commanded him; he took her as his wife,

1:25 but had no marital relations with her until she had borne a son; and he named him Jesus.

************

As a teenager, I remember hearing this passage read during a Christmas pageant and puzzling over the mention of the name "Emmanuel." If the prophet said his name would be Emmanuel, then why did Mary name her son Jesus? Was there some etymological connection between Emmanuel and Jesus of which I was not aware?

This same question must have been asked of John Chrysostom, because he addresses it in one of his homilies on the gospel of Matthew. The fourth century bishop observes from the text that the son will not be called Emmanuel, but that he will be named Emmanuel. The distinction here is that one only receives the name of Emmanuel once the multitude of events comes to pass that will lead people to say that God was with us. In other words, "to say 'they shall name him Emmanuel' means nothing else than that they shall see God among us."

-- John Chrysostom, The Gospel of Matthew homily 5.2-3

Prayer of Thomas Merton

2010-12-13T10:08:00.000-06:00

O Lord God,
I have no idea where I am going,
I do not see the road ahead of me,
I cannot know for certain where it will end.

Nor do I really know myself,
And that fact that I think
I am following Your will
Does not mean that I am actually doing so.

But I believe
That the desire to please You
Does in fact please You.
And I hope I have that desire
In all that I am doing.

I hope that I will never do anything
Apart from that desire to please You.
And I know that if I do this
You will lead me by the right road,
Though I may know nothing about it.

Therefore I will trust You always
Though I may seem to be lost
And in the shadow of death.
I will not fear,
For You are ever with me,
And You will never leave me
To make my journey alone.

Source: Thomas Merton, Pax Christi

Lectionary Reflection: 3rd Sunday of Advent

2010-12-10T16:20:00.000-06:00

Luke 1:46b-55

1:46b My soul magnifies the Lord,

1:47 and my spirit rejoices in God my Savior,

1:48 for he has looked with favor on the lowliness of his servant. Surely, from now on all generations will call me blessed;

1:49 for the Mighty One has done great things for me, and holy is his name.
1:50 His mercy is for those who fear him from generation to generation.

1:51 He has shown strength with his arm; he has scattered the proud in the thoughts of their hearts.

1:52 He has brought down the powerful from their thrones, and lifted up the lowly;

1:53 he has filled the hungry with good things, and sent the rich away empty.

1:54 He has helped his servant Israel, in remembrance of his mercy,

1:55 according to the promise he made to our ancestors, to Abraham and to his descendants forever."

************
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kPbV_HTpyx0

Weinandy on Love and Compassion in God

2010-11-30T10:21:00.000-06:00

"Not only are joy, kindness, and generosity truly contained within the fully actualized love of God, but also compassion, mercy, grief, and even anger are also truly subsumed within his perfect love. ... While some facets of love within human beings entail suffering, such as compassion and grief, they are subsumed and contained within the perfectly actualized love of God, but now devoid of the suffering which would render his love less than perfectly actualized. While compassion is defined as 'suffering with,' the heart of compassion is the love expressed within the suffering and not the suffering itself. Thus God is perfectly compassionate not because he 'suffers with' those who suffer, but because his love fully and freely embraces those who suffer. What human beings cry out for in their suffering is not a God who suffers, but a God who loves wholly and completely, something a suffering God could not do."

Thomas Weinandy, Does God Suffer?, p.164

Lectionary Reflection: Christ the King Sunday

2010-11-21T17:04:00.000-06:00

Luke 23:33-43

23:33 When they came to the place that is called The Skull, they crucified Jesus there with the criminals, one on his right and one on his left.

23:34 Then Jesus said, "Father, forgive them; for they do not know what they are doing." And they cast lots to divide his clothing.

23:35 And the people stood by, watching; but the leaders scoffed at him, saying, "He saved others; let him save himself if he is the Messiah of God, his chosen one!"

23:36 The soldiers also mocked him, coming up and offering him sour wine,

23:37 and saying, "If you are the King of the Jews, save yourself!"

23:38 There was also an inscription over him, "This is the King of the Jews."

23:39 One of the criminals who were hanged there kept deriding him and saying, "Are you not the Messiah? Save yourself and us!"

23:40 But the other rebuked him, saying, "Do you not fear God, since you are under the same sentence of condemnation?

23:41 And we indeed have been condemned justly, for we are getting what we deserve for our deeds, but this man has done nothing wrong."

23:42 Then he said, "Jesus, remember me when you come into your kingdom."

23:43 He replied, "Truly I tell you, today you will be with me in Paradise."

************

This week we recognize Christ the King Sunday … the last Sunday of the liturgical year. It seems important to me that we remember how Christ came to be called King.

Jesus was not born to an earthly lord or Caesar.

He did not live in a palace.

He did not lead an army.

He did not conquer any nations.

He did not rule over any vast stretches of land.

He did not have any subjects.

Rather, we worship a King who was born of a carpenter.

He had no home to call his own.

He walked everywhere he went.

The local politicians and religious leaders criticized his every move.

He was tried for sedition and blasphemy.

Finally, he was crucified. And on his cross, the soldiers mockingly posted a sign reading “Jesus Christ King of the Jews.”

This is the man that the Church proclaims to be King. Cyril of Alexandria once said in a sermon that “Christ has dominion over all creatures, a dominion not seized by violence nor usurped, but by his essence and by his nature.”

He did not become king by conquering opposing armies and leaders.

He became King by sacrificing himself in death.

The mark of his Kingdom is not violence, but Peace.

He rules not by fear, but by Love.

Today in our worship, let us recognize God’s rule over creation…but let us remember that Christ’s reign does not come through force or domination … but through sacrificial love.

*This reflection was also read as the Welcome message for DaySpring Baptist Church, November 21, 2010

Henri Nouwen on Resentment and Gratitude

2010-11-21T08:11:00.000-06:00

"Resentment is exactly the complaint that life does not unfold the way we planned; that our many goals and projects are constantly interrupted by the events of the hour, the day, and the year; and that there is no choice other than to become the passive victim of random incidents and happenstance. The movement to gratitude involves the discovery that God is the God of history and that things are quietly and slowly unfolding as they should. My spiritual task is to learn to listen to all that is going on and trust that God's hand is guiding me. Then life is no longer a series of interruptions to my schedule and plans, but rather the patient and purposeful way by which God forms and leads me day by day."

Henri Nouwen, Spiritual Formation, p.65-66

Lectionary Reflection: 24th Sunday after Pentecost

2010-11-05T15:40:00.000-05:00

2 Thessalonians 2:1-5, 13-17

2:1 As to the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ and our being gathered together to him, we beg you, brothers and sisters,

2:2 not to be quickly shaken in mind or alarmed, either by spirit or by word or by letter, as though from us, to the effect that the day of the Lord is already here.

2:3 Let no one deceive you in any way; for that day will not come unless the rebellion comes first and the lawless one is revealed, the one destined for destruction.

2:4 He opposes and exalts himself above every so-called god or object of worship, so that he takes his seat in the temple of God, declaring himself to be God.

2:5 Do you not remember that I told you these things when I was still with you?

2:13 But we must always give thanks to God for you, brothers and sisters beloved by the Lord, because God chose you as the first fruits for salvation through sanctification by the Spirit and through belief in the truth.

2:14 For this purpose he called you through our proclamation of the good news, so that you may obtain the glory of our Lord Jesus Christ.

2:15 So then, brothers and sisters, stand firm and hold fast to the traditions that you were taught by us, either by word of mouth or by our letter.

2:16 Now may our Lord Jesus Christ himself and God our Father, who loved us and through grace gave us eternal comfort and good hope,

2:17 comfort your hearts and strengthen them in every good work and word.

************

Christians are inherently a genealogical people. Everything that we hold to be true about God, creation, and redemption was passed down to us from our faithful ancestors. Yes, we have the Scriptures, and they proclaim the Word of God in written form. But all of us, at some point in our development towards maturity, were taught how to read the Bible, and how to interpret it. Those who taught us were taught by their faithful Christian ancestors, and so on backwards in history all the way to the apostles.

In his letter to the Thessalonians, Paul exhorts the church in Thessalonica to "stand firm and hold to the traditions" which they were taught, "either by word of mouth or by letter" (2:15). The early Christians believed that the doctrines of the Church were supported by Scripture, and that Scripture was the foundation for the doctrines of the Church. In other words, new believers in Christ could trust the authority of both their teachers in the Church, and the writings of the prophets and apostles in Scripture.

Cyril of Jerusalem* explained to his catechumens that since most of them were illiterate, they could learn the basics of the Christian faith by memorizing short creedal statements, which were summaries of Scripture, and were explicated by ecclesiastical teachers. The ancient creeds, e.g. the Apostles Creed, were not designed to coerce faith by unwilling participants. Rather, they were aids in learning the truths of Scripture in an easily digestible form. Cyril believed that by passing on the creeds to new believers, he was faithfully obeying Paul's exhortation to the Thessalonians to hold fast to the traditions, by word of mouth and by letter.

*Cyril of Jerusalem, Catechetical Lectures 5.12

All Saints Day

2010-11-01T12:34:00.000-05:00

Ephesians 1:11-23

1:11 In Christ we have also obtained an inheritance, having been destined according to the purpose of him who accomplishes all things according to his counsel and will,

1:12 so that we, who were the first to set our hope on Christ, might live for the praise of his glory.

1:13 In him you also, when you had heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation, and had believed in him, were marked with the seal of the promised Holy Spirit;

1:14 this is the pledge of our inheritance toward redemption as God's own people, to the praise of his glory.

1:15 I have heard of your faith in the Lord Jesus and your love toward all the saints, and for this reason

1:16 I do not cease to give thanks for you as I remember you in my prayers.

1:17 I pray that the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of glory, may give you a spirit of wisdom and revelation as you come to know him,

1:18 so that, with the eyes of your heart enlightened, you may know what is the hope to which he has called you, what are the riches of his glorious inheritance among the saints,

1:19 and what is the immeasurable greatness of his power for us who believe, according to the working of his great power.

1:20 God put this power to work in Christ when he raised him from the dead and seated him at his right hand in the heavenly places,

1:21 far above all rule and authority and power and dominion, and above every name that is named, not only in this age but also in the age to come.

1:22 And he has put all things under his feet and has made him the head over all things for the church,

1:23 which is his body, the fullness of him who fills all in all.

************

In the liturgical calendar of Western churches, today is All Saints Day. This is the day that we remember those Christian saints who have preceded us in death, and have attained the beatific vision. The Apostles Creed states that

I believe in the Holy Spirit,
the holy catholic church,
the communion of saints,
the forgiveness of sins,
the resurrection of the body,
and the life everlasting. Amen

On All Saints Day we remember the communion of the saints. We are surrounded by a great cloud of witnesses (Heb 12:1) who join with us in glorifying God, who is our Creator and our Redeemer. These witnesses are alive in Christ, and we all wait together in the hope of the final resurrection. Jesus was the first human to be resurrected, and in his resurrection is the promise that the members of the Body of Christ will follow in the Last Days.

Anglican Collect for All Saints

Almighty God,
who hast knit together thine elect
in one communion and fellowship
in the mystical body of Your Son, Christ our Lord:
Give us grace so to follow Your blessed saints
in all virtuous and godly living,
that we may come
to those ineffable joys
that thou hast prepared for those
who unfeignedly love thee;
through the same Jesus Christ our Lord,
who with thee and the Holy Spirit liveth and reigneth,
one God, in glory everlasting. Amen
Book of Common Prayer, 1979

Lectionary Reflection: 23rd Sunday after Pentecost

2010-10-31T10:11:00.001-05:00

Luke 19:1-10

19:1 He entered Jericho and was passing through it.

19:2 A man was there named Zacchaeus; he was a chief tax collector and was rich.

19:3 He was trying to see who Jesus was, but on account of the crowd he could not, because he was short in stature.

19:4 So he ran ahead and climbed a sycamore tree to see him, because he was going to pass that way.

19:5 When Jesus came to the place, he looked up and said to him, "Zacchaeus, hurry and come down; for I must stay at your house today."

19:6 So he hurried down and was happy to welcome him.

19:7 All who saw it began to grumble and said, "He has gone to be the guest of one who is a sinner."

19:8 Zacchaeus stood there and said to the Lord, "Look, half of my possessions, Lord, I will give to the poor; and if I have defrauded anyone of anything, I will pay back four times as much."

19:9 Then Jesus said to him, "Today salvation has come to this house, because he too is a son of Abraham.

19:10 For the Son of Man came to seek out and to save the lost.

************

In their sermons on this passage, both Cyril of Alexandria and Augustine emphasize the humility that is required for us to see God in the world. Cyril offers an allegorical interpretation of Zacchaeus’ short stature. He observes that Zacchaeus was not only physically small, but also spiritually short of stature. Only by being raised up could he see Christ, and he needed to make himself foolish to raise himself up. Climbing up the sycamore tree was just such an act of foolishness. This act of humility demonstrated to Christ that the tax collector was ready for spiritual growth.

Augustine also targets this aspect of the text. He writes that people laugh at the lowly. As an example, he points to a person who does not insist on getting back at their enemies, choosing instead to leave the wrongs suffered in God’s hands. The hoi polloi laugh at such weakness. Augustine also sees an allegorical interpretation in the crowd who blocks Zacchaeus’ view of Jesus. The crowd of people blocks the sight of the one who wants to see the crucified God. But to his credit, Zacchaeus ignored the crowd and climbed a tree. The reason some people do not see Jesus is because they are ashamed to climb a sycamore tree. Zacchaeus was not ashamed. In his humility, he climbed up to see Jesus, and he was rewarded with the gift of Christ’s presence in his house.

Baptists and Creeds

2010-10-19T08:32:00.000-05:00

Earlier this week I posted some reflections about my own congregation and our use of the Apostles Creed in worship. Steve Harmon, professor of theology at Gardner-Webb School of Divinity, wrote his own theological reflection on why some Baptists eschew the recitation of creeds in worship, and on why he affirms the practice.

Why is Marriage Hard?

2010-10-18T17:00:00.001-05:00

This weekend Jennifer and I attended a wedding. Like many weddings, this union of husband and wife swelled with the promises of love, expectations, and new life. Like many weddings, the homily referenced 1 Corinthians 13, aka the "Love chapter."

To be honest, I have heard so many readings of this chapter at weddings, that my head numbs at the repeated mention of those words. Our minds become experts at wandering far afield whenever we are made to listen to the same thing ad nauseam.

This week I listened to the reading of the Love Chapter with new ears. Why this time? I give credit to the minister, whose homily was not filled with the usual promises of sunshine and butterflies. Instead, she proclaimed a realistic address about how hard a couple must work to make a good marriage. After 16 years, I can testify to the truthfulness of this message.

Why is marriage hard? That was the question on my mind when the Love Chapter was recited. But this time when the passage was read, I substituted the word "love" with my name.

Scott is patient, Scott is kind. Scott does not envy, he does not boast, he is not proud. Scott is not rude, he is not self-seeking, he is not easily angered, he keeps no record of wrongs. Scott does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth. Scott always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres.

As I scan through the list, a sense of dread nearly overcomes me. Would my wife affirm that I am patient? Would she affirm that I eschew envy or boasting? What about pride? If Augustine is right, pride is at the root of all sins. If Love is not proud, does that mean we all fail the most basic definition of love?

Can I honestly admit to myself that I am not self-seeking? I am a graduate student who is in the middle of writing a dissertation. Is there a married grad student alive who is not self-seeking? I could not possibly count all of the times that I have chosen to sacrifice time and attention with Jenn for the dissertation. And ironically, I am probably self-seeking by writing this blog post.

Would my wife agree that I keep no record of wrongs? It is human nature to remember the perceived wrongs that have been done to us. And in marriage, it is easier to keep a record of wrongs than a record of sacrificial actions. I have found this definition of love to be the most difficult. I want to keep a mental list, to use as ammunition if my spouse has her own list to use against me. Otherwise, I am left defenseless in an argument. But here is what I have learned: this is the very definition of sacrifice. Yes, Love does indeed ask me to sacrifice my need to defend myself. Yes, Love asks me to be vulnerable. Yes, Love asks me to be defenseless. And without a doubt, this is hard work. I was not born with an innate desire to sacrifice my ego. Innately, I want to protect my ego.

Do I always protect, always trust, always hope, always persevere? Yet again, I often fail. I do not always protect. I do not always trust my wife. I do not always hope. I do not always persevere. Perhaps this call from Love is unrealistic. Can anyone always protect, trust, hope, persevere? But that is what Love requires from me.

I have long assumed that I was doing OK in fulfilling the definition of Love, specifically as it related to my marriage. But upon closer inspection, I have much work to do. Of course marriage is hard, because it requires us to battle against our flesh/ego/false self. And that is hard work even outside of marriage. Combine that battle with a spouse who is battling the same flesh/ego/false self problems, and it is remarkable that anyone succeeds in this thing called marriage. Fortunately for us, Love is strong enough to overcome our insecurities. Love took on flesh and demonstrated how we are to love one another: by following the example set by Christ.

"This is how we know what love is: Jesus Christ laid down his life for us. And we ought to lay down our lives for our brothers." - 1 John 3:16

"This is how God showed his love among us: He sent his one and only Son into the world that we might live through him. This is love: not that we loved God, but that he loved us and sent his Son as an atoning sacrifice for our sins. Dear friends, since God so loved us, we also ought to love one another. No one has ever seen God; but if we love one another, God lives in us and his love is made complete in us." - 1 John 4:9-12

Covenant Day

2010-10-14T21:41:00.001-05:00

Each year, the second Sunday in October marks the anniversary of DaySpring Baptist Church (Waco, TX). This year we celebrated our 17th year in existence.

I believe in God, the Father Almighty, Creator of heaven and earth.

Many Baptist churches celebrate an annual homecoming, and invite members past and present to come together one Sunday per year to remember the history of that congregation.

I believe in Jesus Christ, His only Son, our Lord. He was conceived by the power of the Holy Spirit and born of the Virgin Mary. He suffered under Pontius Pilate, was crucified, dead, and was buried. He descended to the dead. On the third day He rose again. He ascended into heaven, and is seated at the right hand of the Father. He will come again to judge the living and the dead.

In the early days of our congregation, the founders of DaySpring chose to recognize her founding with a Covenant Day celebration. Like other churches do with homecoming, we identify those traits that make us unique as a congregation. Ironically, one of those traits that makes us unique as a Baptist church is that on Covenant Day, we recognize that we are united with the catholic church. On this Sunday we recited the Apostles Creed after the baptism of two of our young people. With the Body of Christ we affirm faith in God, our Creator. With the Body of Christ we affirm faith in Jesus Christ, who was raised from the dead.

I believe in the Holy Spirit, the holy catholic Church, the communion of saints, the forgiveness of saints, and the resurrection of the body, and the life everlasting. Amen.

Saints and Virtue

2010-10-13T10:46:00.000-05:00

"The lives of the saints do not present us with a new theory of virtue, but a new way of teaching virtue, a new strategy that builds on the tradition of examples, but enriches it by displaying a pattern of holiness over the course of a lifetime.

Precepts are now put in the mouths of familiar persons, and examples are enhanced by seeing them as deeds of specific individuals. The hagiographers, for the first time in Christian history, turn to living persons, or those who have recently died, as models of the virtuous life. There is a great boldness here, to choose people from one's midst, to hold up to view peasants and farmers and jugglers and sailors, even bishops, presenting them as models for their neighbors, fellow citizens, and friends. By displaying men and women from their own time, and often from their own communities, their lives proclaim: holiness is possible, virtue is attainable, perfection is within your grasp."

Robert L. Wilken, Remembering the Christian Past, p.144

Lectionary Reflection: 20th Sunday after Pentecost

2010-10-08T14:03:00.000-05:00

Jeremiah 29:1, 4-7

29:1 These are the words of the letter that the prophet Jeremiah sent from Jerusalem to the remaining elders among the exiles, and to the priests, the prophets, and all the people, whom Nebuchadnezzar had taken into exile from Jerusalem to Babylon.

29:4 Thus says the LORD of hosts, the God of Israel, to all the exiles whom I have sent into exile from Jerusalem to Babylon:

29:5 Build houses and live in them; plant gardens and eat what they produce.

29:6 Take wives and have sons and daughters; take wives for your sons, and give your daughters in marriage, that they may bear sons and daughters; multiply there, and do not decrease.

29:7 But seek the welfare of the city where I have sent you into exile, and pray to the LORD on its behalf, for in its welfare you will find your welfare.

************

In the 6th century BCE, the Babylonian army destroyed Jerusalem, including the Temple where the Israelites worshiped the LORD God. The leading Israelite families were taken into exile, forced to leave their homeland and live in Babylon. In last week's reflection, we read a psalm written by one of those Israelites, who detailed the suffering that they had endured.

The overwhelming number of prophets who remained in Israel told the exiles that they would be returning soon, because God would not allow them to remain in captivity for long. Jeremiah, however, had a different message for the exiles. He wrote a letter exhorting them to build houses, plant gardens, marry and have children. In other words, they should prepare to remain in Babylon for a long time. During this time of exile, they should seek to make peace where God has planted them, and pray for the well-being of their new city.

Jeremiah's letter was fundamentally a message of hope. Later in the letter he wrote the following:

For I know the plans I have for you, declares the Lord, plans for welfare and not for evil, to give you a future and a hope. Then you will call upon me and come and pray to me, and I will hear you. You will seek me and find me, when you seek me with all your heart. I will be found by you, declares the Lord, and I will restore your fortunes and gather you from all the nations and all the places where I have driven you, declares the Lord, and I will bring you back to the place from which I sent you into exile.

The message of hope is based on two premises. First, the LORD will be faithful to the covenant that was established with the ancestors of the people of Israel. Second, the people will seek the LORD with their whole heart. The prophets explained ad infinitum that the LORD desires obedience rather than sacrifice in the worship of His people. Elsewhere in Jeremiah, the LORD promised that a renewed covenant will come, in which the Law would be written in the hearts of the people rather than on stone tablets. As we practice the spiritual disciplines, e.g. prayer, worship, and fasting, then our hearts are being transformed in conformity with Christ. The Spirit gathers together those who seek the Father with their whole heart into one body, i.e the Church. In the unity of the Church with the Triune God we abide in the assurance of Jeremiah's message of hope.

Obedience in Solitude

2010-10-06T17:57:00.000-05:00

One of the interesting paradoxes in the Life of Antony is that even a desert hermit struggles with the spiritual discipline of obedience. One might think that a man who lives in solitude in the remote Egyptian wilderness would not have issues with obedience. Who would he obey?

Athanasius, the bishop of Alexandria and author of his biography, makes it clear that Antony did not choose the monastic vocation out of a selfish desire to withdraw from ecclesiastical supervision. His initial calling was born out of a desire to faithfully answer the demands of the gospel. Jesus told the rich young ruler to sell all that he had and give it to the poor. Immediately upon hearing that text read in worship, Antony immediately went and "did likewise." Since Jesus and the apostles did not own possessions, neither would Antony. Jesus and the apostles prayed and fasted. Antony prayed and fasted. Jesus withdrew into the desert and battled Satan. Antony withdrew into the desert and battled Satan.

Antony's decision to live as an ascetic in the remote desert is often derided as egocentric and/or narcissistic. But according to his biography, Antony was selfless and obedient. He was a witness to the church that Christians could perfectly emulate Jesus without compromise. And even in his desert abode, Antony became a teacher to monks who now emulated him.

Antony did not withdraw from society in order to "find" himself, or to seek religious enlightenment. As a young man he sought out the local village holy man, and emulated his ascetic conduct. He located other holy men in the area and watched how they prayed and fasted, and ceaselessly pursued virtue. Antony learned the spiritual disciplines by watching carefully the actions of faithful men who had gone before him. Only then did he withdraw completely from the village. And even then, through his prayers, he fought in the cosmic struggle against Satan and the demons on behalf of the Church. Antony taught so many men and women how to "do likewise" that Athanasius depicted the Egyptian desert as a city because of all the monks who sought to emulate the great hermit. By imitating Antony, the bishop believed that they were imitating Jesus.

Nouwen: How do we see people?

2010-10-03T09:00:00.003-05:00

"When in contemplation we come to see all of life as a gift, we then recognize the people in our lives as the greatest gifts of God. No longer characters, they have become persons with whom we can form community and through whom God can speak. When we become persons for each other, we transcend the limitations of our individual characters and realize a greater purpose as the people of God. As persons uniquely created by God, we are called to be transparent to each other, to point far beyond our character to the One who has given us true love, truth, and beauty."

Henri Nouwen, Spiritual Formation

Lectionary Reflection: 19th Sunday after Pentecost

2010-10-02T12:33:00.000-05:00

Psalm 137

137:1 By the rivers of Babylon-- there we sat down and there we wept when we remembered Zion.

137:2 On the willows there we hung up our harps. 137:3 For there our captors asked us for songs, and our tormentors asked for mirth, saying, "Sing us one of the songs of Zion!"

137:4 How could we sing the Lord's song in a foreign land?

137:5 If I forget you, O Jerusalem, let my right hand wither!

137:6 Let my tongue cling to the roof of my mouth, if I do not remember you, if I do not set Jerusalem above my highest joy.

137:7 Remember, O LORD, against the Edomites the day of Jerusalem's fall, how they said, "Tear it down! Tear it down! Down to its foundations!"

137:8 O daughter Babylon, you devastator! Happy shall they be who pay you back what you have done to us!

137:9 Happy shall they be who take your little ones and dash them against the rock!
************

Psalm 137 is one of the most difficult passages in all of the Bible. The writer of this psalm is located in Babylon, where the Hebrews have been taken to live in exile from their homeland. Jerusalem has been destroyed. One of the Babylonians asked the writer of the psalm to play a song. How can the Hebrews sing joyously when they have been forcibly removed from their homes and transplanted to a foreign land?

The difficulty in reading this passage comes at the very end, when the psalmist suggests that a blessing will come upon anyone who harms a Babylonian child by dashing them against a rock. Many modern exegetes interpret this passage as the description of an angry Hebrew writer who is expressing an imprecatory wish. In other words, this passage is not a prescription to do harm, but a description of justified anger.

Many of the Church Fathers read passages such as this in an allegorical manner. The narrative of Jesus Christ as Savior is a thread that was read back into many difficult Old Testament passages. Augustine was one such patristic theologian who read this text allegorically, and also contemplatively. Jerusalem represented the City of God, where followers of Christ are united in joy and sing the songs of Zion. Babylon represented the City of Man, where people desired not the will of God, but the lusts of the flesh.

Augustine reads the "little ones" of Babylon as the fruit that is produced by pursuing the City of Man with her lusts and vices. Blessings come upon the one who dashes those evil habits against the rock. Throughout Scripture, the "rock" is an allegory for Christ. Christ is a rock because He is strong and steadfast and does not change. When you take those evil desires that are implanted within you, and you "dash" them against the rock, that is Christ, then you will be free to sing the songs of Zion. You will be free from the lusts that move us and control us, and free to worship God in spirit and in truth.

This interpretation of Psalm 137 would never be allowed by modern hermeneutical standards. Historical-critical scholars observe that the ancient Hebrew who penned this psalm could never have imagined Christ as the center of this poem. Of course, Augustine did not read Scripture according to historical-critical methodology. He read Scripture as the Word of God, with Christ at its center. All of Scripture points to the salvation-history narrative of Jesus Christ. As such, Augustine is able to see Christ in the midst of difficult passages such as this one. Augustine could never have imagined such suffering without Christ at the center.

The Quest for Christian Community: Bapto-Catholicism and the Cooperative Baptist Fellowship of North Carolina

2010-09-24T16:11:00.000-05:00

A conversation that I have only witnessed in the classroom and in conference seminars has now emerged into the public forum.

The Cooperative Baptist Fellowship of North Carolina is proposing an updated foundational statement, and the proposed statement has received some significant criticism from a number of Baptists. Criticism has been directed towards some Baptist theologians, who have been labeled "Bapto-Catholic." The "Bapto-Catholics" who framed the foundational statement currently under fire are being reprimanded for downplaying (or worse, redefining) some cherished Baptist distinctives, such as priesthood of the believer and soul competency.

For those who are interested in reading a fascinating dialogue about this conversation, which includes Curtis Freeman, Steve Harmon, and Ralph Wood, let me direct you to Bruce Gorley's blog.

Steve Harmon offers his own response and reflection upon the conversation.

The CBFNC has organized several listening sessions over the next couple of months. North Carolina baptists will have an opportunity to come to these sessions and speak out with their thoughts on the proposed statement. Those of us who are far away from North Carolina are watching with great interest the progression of their conversation.

Lectionary Reflection: 18th Sunday after Pentecost

2010-09-24T09:39:00.000-05:00

Luke 16:19-31

16:19 "There was a rich man who was dressed in purple and fine linen and who feasted sumptuously every day.

16:20 And at his gate lay a poor man named Lazarus, covered with sores,

16:21 who longed to satisfy his hunger with what fell from the rich man's table; even the dogs would come and lick his sores.

16:22 The poor man died and was carried away by the angels to be with Abraham. The rich man also died and was buried.

16:23 In Hades, where he was being tormented, he looked up and saw Abraham far away with Lazarus by his side.

16:24 He called out, 'Father Abraham, have mercy on me, and send Lazarus to dip the tip of his finger in water and cool my tongue; for I am in agony in these flames.'

16:25 But Abraham said, 'Child, remember that during your lifetime you received your good things, and Lazarus in like manner evil things; but now he is comforted here, and you are in agony.

16:26 Besides all this, between you and us a great chasm has been fixed, so that those who might want to pass from here to you cannot do so, and no one can cross from there to us.'

16:27 He said, 'Then, father, I beg you to send him to my father's house--

16:28 for I have five brothers--that he may warn them, so that they will not also come into this place of torment.'

16:29 Abraham replied, 'They have Moses and the prophets; they should listen to them.'

16:30 He said, 'No, father Abraham; but if someone goes to them from the dead, they will repent.'

16:31 He said to him, 'If they do not listen to Moses and the prophets, neither will they be convinced even if someone rises from the dead.'"

************

Many of the parables of Jesus found in the gospel of Luke focus on money, and the use of money. This parable of the Rich Man and Lazarus is the culmination of several chapters of teachings from Jesus on money. And quite the culmination it is, for this is without a doubt the hardest, and most frightening, lesson of the series. The Rich Man is tormented in the afterlife for his refusal to care for the poor man, Lazarus, who sat at his gate in suffering. Lazarus is rewarded for his misery on earth by receiving care from Abraham. In his eternal torment, the Rich Man begs Abraham to warn his family of the coming misery. Abraham's response is prescient of Jesus' own future: if they will not listen to the prophets, then they would not even listen if a man came back from the dead.

In a sermon on this passage, Augustine of Hippo imagines that the Rich Man and his siblings were very familiar with the prophets and their teachings. And in a Jewish household of the first century, it is easy to imagine that the family would have heard the books of the prophets read in the synagogue. The prophets consistently and often taught the Hebrews that God desires justice and mercy from the religious and political leaders. In numerous passages we find the prophets exhorting the people to care for the poor and the sick.

Augustine emphasizes Jesus' teaching that our moral actions in this life continue to have consequences -- both for our descendents who remain after us, and for us in the afterlife. And as Christians, the prophecy at the end of this parable has come to pass. Jesus did rise from the dead, and yet we refuse to repent of the injustice that we sow. If we continue to refuse the path of justice and care for the Lazarus's of this world, then our fate will be no better than the Rich Man -- and our witness to the world will be for naught.

Why My Dissertation Matters, part 3

2010-09-23T14:27:00.000-05:00

Why My Dissertation Matters, part 3: Irenaeus

Why My Dissertation Matters, introduction

Why My Dissertation Matters, part 1

Why My Dissertation Matters, part 2

In part 1 of my series on why my dissertation matters, I observed that “tradition” is not a four letter word, i.e., even my Baptist heritage has traditions that have been passed down from generation to generation. In part 2, I explained that the word “tradition” is actually biblical, and that the Apostle Paul encouraged Timothy and others to pass down the Tradition that they had received from him.

In this installment, I explore the content of the Tradition that Paul exhorted Timothy to pass down. One of the earliest surviving (extant) texts that provides us a glimpse into the role of tradition in the ancient church is Against Heresies by Irenaeus, the bishop of Lyon (in the Roman province of Gaul). In this text, Irenaeus warns his fellow Christians of heretical sects that distort the gospel of Christ. Gnostic Christians, such as the followers of Valentinus, believed that matter was evil, salvation required secret knowledge, and that God had emanated into multiple aeons. Irenaeus could not simply point to Scripture as an authority to demonstrate the error of the Valentinians, because they too used Scripture as a defense of their teachings.

When opposing Christian denominations (I’m using the generic definition of this word) point to the same Scriptures for proof-texts, by what means does one determine the original preaching (kerygma) of the apostles? Irenaeus explains that the tradition of the apostles was passed down in 3 ways: Scripture, the rule of faith, and succession of bishops. Let’s let at these in turn:

*Scripture: The apostles left a testimony of their teachings in the written gospels and epistles. Those texts record the gospel of Christ, just as the Old Testament books point forward to the coming of Christ.

* Rule of Faith: The Latin word “rule” (regula) means a standard by which other things are measured. In this case, Irenaeus meant that the rule is a summary of the Christian gospel. It was the lens through which Scripture is interpreted. Here was the Rule of Faith in Lyon:

One God, Father Almighty, who made heaven, earth, seas and their contents.
One Christ Jesus, Son of God, who was made flesh for our salvation.
Holy Spirit, who through the prophets announced the dispensations and the advents and the birth from a virgin and the passion and the rising from the dead and the assumption of the Beloved, Christ Jesus our Lord, in flesh, into the heavens, and his appearance from the heavens in the glory of the Father to sum up all things, and to raise all flesh of all humanity in order that every knee should bow … to Christ Jesus our Lord … and that he should exercise righteous judgment overall, and send evil angels and wicked men into eternal fire and give life and glory to the righteous and holy.

Episcopal success: If there still remained any question about the teaching of the apostles, then the next recourse would be to speak to their successors. The apostles planted churches throughout the Roman empire, and the bishops of the churches in the second century could trace their lineage back to the apostles. In Irenaeus’ case, he was taught the truths of the Christian faith by Polycarp of Smyrna. Polycarp was instructed by the apostle John. In Rome, there had been 12 bishops since Peter and Paul. Each bishop passed on their knowledge to the next. The Valentinians could not trace their heritage to the apostles. They could only trace their heritage to Valentinus.

For Irenaeus, the apostle tradition was comprised of Scripture, the rule of faith, and episcopal succession. The true gospel of Jesus Christ had been preserved, and was accessible to all Christians in the catholic churches.

Lectionary Reflection: 17th Sunday after Pentecost

2010-09-18T09:00:00.000-05:00

1 Timothy 2:1-7

2:1 First of all, then, I urge that supplications, prayers, intercessions, and thanksgivings be made for everyone,

2:2 for kings and all who are in high positions, so that we may lead a quiet and peaceable life in all godliness and dignity.

2:3 This is right and is acceptable in the sight of God our Savior,

2:4 who desires everyone to be saved and to come to the knowledge of the truth.

2:5 For there is one God; there is also one mediator between God and humankind, Christ Jesus, himself human,

2:6 who gave himself a ransom for all--this was attested at the right time.

2:7 For this I was appointed a herald and an apostle (I am telling the truth, I am not lying), a teacher of the Gentiles in faith and truth.

************

In the late second century, a Greek philosopher named Celsus wrote an attack against the Christian Church, entitled The True Word. While no copies of his treatise survive today, we do have excerpts of his text. The third century Christian teacher Origen wrote a refutation of Celsus' work, which is entitled Against Celsus. In his polemic against Celsus, Origen quoted the philosopher directly before responding with his own defense of the Christian faith.

One of Celsus' arguments against Christianity was that Christians were not good citizens of the Roman Empire because they did not serve in the army. The correlation of this argument was that Christians did not help maintain justice. Do Christians not want justice?

Origen countered Celsus with the above passage from Paul's letter to Timothy. Christians were actually more helpful to the emperor through their prayers than they ever could be on the battlefield. Origen observed that the Romans did not ask their pagan priests to fight in the army, but instead to serve the empire through their prayers and sacrifices to the gods. The prayers of the priests were considered to be effective because they kept their hands clean from the blood of battle.

Thus, if all Christians are priests of the one true God, then are they not better servants of the emperor by remaining pure from the blood that comes from battle? Christians pray to God for the health and peace of the emperor and his empire. The emperor should not seek for them to serve in the army, but instead to continue their work in the prayer closet! Justice is better served by prayer than by battle.

Origen summarized his comments: "And none fight better for the king than we do. We do not indeed fight under him, although he require it; but we fight on his behalf, forming a special army -- an army of piety -- by offering our prayers to God."

Origen, Against Celsus 8.73

Lectionary Reflection: 16th Sunday after Pentecost

2010-09-11T16:51:00.005-05:00

Luke 15:1-10

15:1 Now all the tax collectors and sinners were coming near to listen to him.

15:2 And the Pharisees and the scribes were grumbling and saying, "This fellow welcomes sinners and eats with them."

15:3 So he told them this parable:

15:4 "Which one of you, having a hundred sheep and losing one of them, does not leave the ninety-nine in the wilderness and go after the one that is lost until he finds it?

15:5 When he has found it, he lays it on his shoulders and rejoices.

15:6 And when he comes home, he calls together his friends and neighbors, saying to them, 'Rejoice with me, for I have found my sheep that was lost.'

15:7 Just so, I tell you, there will be more joy in heaven over one sinner who repents than over ninety-nine righteous persons who need no repentance.

15:8 "Or what woman having ten silver coins, if she loses one of them, does not light a lamp, sweep the house, and search carefully until she finds it?

15:9 When she has found it, she calls together her friends and neighbors, saying, 'Rejoice with me, for I have found the coin that I had lost.'

15:10 Just so, I tell you, there is joy in the presence of the angels of God over one sinner who repents."

************

The Church Fathers are not known for having produced much in the way of the arts. The great exception to this is Prudentius, a Roman poet who was born in Spain in the mid 350s. He wrote poems that reflected the Christian life of the time. Prudentius' poems were written on topics such as martyrdom, the Trinity, the cardinal virtues, etc. Here is a poem he wrote about the parable of the lost sheep:

When one ailing sheep lags behind the others
And loses itself in the sylvan mazes,
Tearing its white fleece on the thorns and briers,
Sharp in the brambles.
Unwearied the Shepherd, that lost one seeking,
Drives away the wolves and on his strong shoulders
Brings it home again to the fold's safekeeping,
Healed and unsullied.
He brings it back to the green fields and meadows,
Where no thorn bush waves with its cruel prickles,
Where no shaggy thistle arms trembling branches
With its tough briars.
But where palm trees grow in the open woodland,
Where the lush grass bends its green leaves and laurels
Shade the glassy streamlet of living water
Ceaselessly flowing.

Lectionary Reflection: 14th Sunday after Pentecost

2010-08-28T11:00:00.000-05:00

Luke 14:1, 7-14

14:1 On one occasion when Jesus was going to the house of a leader of the Pharisees to eat a meal on the sabbath, they were watching him closely.

14:7 When he noticed how the guests chose the places of honor, he told them a parable.

14:8 "When you are invited by someone to a wedding banquet, do not sit down at the place of honor, in case someone more distinguished than you has been invited by your host;

14:9 and the host who invited both of you may come and say to you, 'Give this person your place,' and then in disgrace you would start to take the lowest place.

14:10 But when you are invited, go and sit down at the lowest place, so that when your host comes, he may say to you, 'Friend, move up higher'; then you will be honored in the presence of all who sit at the table with you.

14:11 For all who exalt themselves will be humbled, and those who humble themselves will be exalted."

14:12 He said also to the one who had invited him, "When you give a luncheon or a dinner, do not invite your friends or your brothers or your relatives or rich neighbors, in case they may invite you in return, and you would be repaid.

14:13 But when you give a banquet, invite the poor, the crippled, the lame, and the blind.

14:14 And you will be blessed, because they cannot repay you, for you will be repaid at the resurrection of the righteous."

************

In the 6th century, Benedict of Nursia founded a monastery in Italy. He wrote the Rule of Benedict, which served as a set of guidelines for how the monks of that community should live in harmony with one another.

One of the most important virtues that Benedict emphasized was humility. The monks were encouraged to be humble towards one another, and also to be humble before God. Benedict opened his chapter on humility (chapter 7) by quoting Jesus: For all who exalt themselves will be humbled, and those who humble themselves will be exalted.

As i think about humility, and aspects of my life where I need to work on my own personal growth and maturity, driving comes to mind. When I am face to face with another person, I do not struggle too much. For example, if I arrive at the end of the line for tickets at the movie theater at the exact same time as a stranger, its not too much of a conflict for me to offer the other person to go first.

Somehow, when it comes to driving, that same humility and selflessness goes out the window. How many of us get angry when someone cuts us off on the interstate? If you get to the last parking spot available at the same time as a stranger, do you give way? Or do you accelerate to win that spot? How many of us allow our anger to overtake us when another driver does not show us deference? It's called "road rage" for a reason. Somehow, when we get behind the wheel of a car, the rules we apply to face-to-face contact evaporate.

Benedict offers some suggestions on how to grow in the virtue of humility. Here are a handful of them:

+Be mindful of God's commandments
+Our actions are always visible to God's eyes
+Pray that God's will be done within us
+Guard against evil desires
+Submit yourself to the authority of others -- whether it be a pastor, a spouse, or a parent

Maybe if we become more mindful of the divine reality around us, we might mature in humility and avoid such road rage the next time another driver fails to show us the proper respect we think we deserve.

(No, Benedict never applied his Rule to automobile driving. Maybe he would have found humility to be more challenging if he had ever driven a car!)

Lectionary Reflection: 13th Sunday after Pentecost

2010-08-21T11:00:00.005-05:00

Jeremiah 1:4-10

1:4 Now the word of the LORD came to me saying,

1:5 "Before I formed you in the womb I knew you, and before you were born I consecrated you; I appointed you a prophet to the nations."

1:6 Then I said, "Ah, Lord GOD! Truly I do not know how to speak, for I am only a boy."

1:7 But the LORD said to me, "Do not say, 'I am only a boy'; for you shall go to all to whom I send you, and you shall speak whatever I command you,

1:8 Do not be afraid of them, for I am with you to deliver you, says the LORD."

1:9 Then the LORD put out his hand and touched my mouth; and the LORD said to me, "Now I have put my words in your mouth.

1:10 See, today I appoint you over nations and over kingdoms, to pluck up and to pull down, to destroy and to overthrow, to build and to plant."

************

In his book The Rise of Christianity, Rodney Stark includes a letter (p.97) from a pagan man named Hilarion, written to his pregnant wife Alis:

Know that I am still in Alexandria. I ask and beg you to take good care of our baby son. If you are delivered of a child [before I come home] if it is a boy keep it, if a girl discard it. You have sent me word, 'Don't forget me.' How can I forget you? I beg you not to worry.'

The callousness of Hilarion to a modern audience is striking. Written around the time of Jesus' birth, the letter is an example that infanticide in pagan society was legal, morally permissible, and widely practiced.

Stark goes on to point out that the status of women in the Christian churches was an improvement over that of pagan society. He bases this on the fact that the churches did not condone infanticide, which disproportionately affected female babies. Also, the churches condemned divorce, incest, marital infidelity, and polygamy, all of which were more favorable positions towards women.

The early church experienced exponential growth in Late Antiquity, and much of it can be credited to the love and care shown by Christian communities to widows, orphans, women, and the unborn. Passages such as the above selection from Jeremiah were read by the early Christians as divine warnings against the practice of abortion. Churches attracted high percentages of pagan women to become part of their community because their stance against abortion was favorable towards women. (Contrast this with the contemporary political debate about abortion, in which pro-abortion policy is perceived to be favorable towards women because it allows them to retain rights over their bodies.)

Tertullian, a lawyer and theologian in 2nd century Carthage, wrote the treatise de anima (On the Soul). In chapter 25 he provides an explicit description of the abortion process, before explaining the Christian doctrine that life begins in the womb. "Now we allow that life begins with conception, because we contend that the soul also begins from conception." The witness of the Fathers was that Scripture affirmed the beginning of life to be at conception. When conservative Catholics and Protestants take that same position today, it is not because they want to limit the rights of women. Churches continue to nurture the belief that life begins at conception, because that has been the witness of both Scripture and Tradition from the very beginning.

Contemplative Prayer

2010-08-20T09:27:00.004-05:00

Chris Armstrong, a professor of Church History at Bethel Seminary, blogged recently on the question of whether or not contemplative prayer is a legitimate Christian practice.

Of interest to me is the fact that Armstrong does not really address that particular question. The topic was raised on the message boards at Internet Monk, a popular web site for Evangelicals. (I have been a casual observer on IM for many years. It is one of the better Evangelical web sites out there.)

Anyway, instead of answering the question of the legitimacy of contemplative prayer, Armstrong responds to a critique about "man-made traditions." He steals my thunder, in a sense, from what I will be writing about in upcoming posts about Why My Dissertation Matters. It is also noteworthy that he quotes my adviser in his post.

The conversation is that this book generates is interesting to me, because of my own personal interests in contemplative prayer, as well as the subject of Tradition and traditions. I encourage others who are interested in this subject to read Armstrong's response.

Lectionary Reflection: 12th Sunday after Pentecost

2010-08-14T11:00:00.004-05:00

Luke 12:49-56

^12:49 "I came to cast fire on the earth, and would that it were already kindled!

^12:50 I have a baptism to be baptized with, and how great is my distress until it is accomplished! ^12:51 Do you think that I have come to give peace on earth? No, I tell you, but rather division.

^12:52For from now on in one house there will be five divided, three against two and two against three.

^12:53They will be divided, father against son and son against father, mother against daughter and daughter against mother, mother-in-law against her daughter-in-law and daughter-in-law against mother-in-law."^12:54 He also said to the crowds, "When you see a cloud rising in the west, you say at once, 'A shower is coming.' And so it happens. ^12:55 And when you see the south wind blowing, you say, 'There will be scorching heat,' and it happens. ^12:56You hypocrites! You know how to interpret the appearance of earth and sky, but why do you not know how to interpret the present time."

************

As a Boy Scout, I learned the sailor adage of "red sky at night = sailor's delight; red sky at morn = sailor's be warned." We were taught that by looking at the sky at certain times of the day, we could more or less accurately predict the weather. This was helpful on camping trips back in the 1980's, when none of us had cell phones with gps signals that could provide a radar image.

Augustine of Hippo was one of the most influential bishops of the early 5th century. In fact, it would be difficult to overestimate his importance on the development of Western Christianity. His spiritual autobiography, Confessions, remains one of the classics of ancient literature.

In his sermon 59 (NPNF 1:6), Augustine speaks on Jesus' reprove of people who were able to accurately read the coming weather by looking towards the sky, but could not accurately read themselves. We can more or less tell if a storm is coming or not, but yet we cannot speak with any accuracy about our coming mortality.

Jesus came preaching the message "repent, for the kingdom of heaven is at hand." Only God knows when the end of the age is coming. But even if the end is not coming immediately, we still do not know the time appointed for our own death. Death can come to us at any moment. We are mortal creatures. We do not need someone to predict our eventual demise to know that we are mortal men and mortal women.

Augustine urges us to take this season of mercy in which we have been given, and become people of faith. Set aside whatever sin is slowing down your journey. Do not make an adversary of God, but seek the kingdom of heaven instead. And by so doing we make the most of the time that we have been given.

Eulogy for Reagan (1996-2009): One Year Later

2010-08-10T09:00:00.014-05:00

Earlier this week I read a tweet from Donald Miller's twitter account that his dog, Lucy, had not eaten in four days. Miller was taking her to the vet and asked his followers to pray for her, if they were ones who didn't mind praying for pets. (ed: Lucy was diagnosed with salmon poisoning. She is expected to recover fully.)

Miller, whose books I have enjoyed reading over the past few years, reminded me through this twitter note that the one year anniversary of Reagan's death is coming up. Reagan was our beloved pet for 13 years, and she died due to liver disease on August 10, 2009.

At the time I had intended on writing a eulogy for her, but found that to be an unbelievably difficult task. I could not even write the FaceBook status update announcing her death without crying. A year later, I am hoping that time will allow me to write a better organized eulogy than I would have while still in the midst of that grief.

Adoption

As of October 1996, we had no intention of adopting a pet. Jennifer and I were the caretakers of an 88 year old woman, so it was obvious that we were in a temporary situation. But I was about to turn 24 years old, and the signs of age (read: expanding waistline) were already starting to show themselves. Somehow I got the notion in my head that if we adopted a dog, then I would HAVE to exercise daily. If nothing else, this hypothetical dog would need to be walked, since we did not have a fenced-in backyard. This thought popped out of my mouth one evening, since I had only been married for two years and not yet learned to put a filter on my thoughts. (16 years later, I still haven't installed said filter. I'm a slow learner.)

The next morning Jenn called me at work. She had already dropped by the Humane Shelter (on the other side of town from me) and found the cutest, most adorable dog in the world. Would I be interested in visiting the shelter on my lunch break? Having no concept of saying "No" to my dear wife, I agreed. That afternoon I drove to the shelter and met the most timid dog the world has ever seen. She was curled up in the back of her cage, afraid of any human contact. When we took her on a short walk around the complex, she seemed friendly enough, but still very much afraid of us. We found out that her previous "owners", if you could call them that, never named her. The story was that when she was rescued, they had tied her to a tree with a rope and not provided any care. The shelter named her Tinker, but we were free to rename her if we pleased.

So that day we adopted this timid little border collie and renamed her Reagan. The first day that Reagan came home with us, we expected to immediately teach her to fetch and catch frisbees and whatever other games that masters do with their pets. Reagan had other ideas. She hid under the piano in the living room, refusing to come out and show us any attention. We got down on the floor and tried to coax her out, but no dice. She was scared, and she wasn't moving for us or anyone else.

A couple of days later we took her to the vet to be spayed, because we listened to Bob Barker. Ms. Daisy, the elderly woman who we were caring for, had told us a story about owning a cat who tried to climb the stairs after surgery, and the stitches tore open. She and her husband had to run to the emergency clinic with the pet, trying to hold its "innards" inside. So we had this in mind when we arrived back at home, where our bedroom was on the second floor, at the top of very steep stairs. That first night we lost track of Reagan for a moment, and the next thing I know she was bounding up the stairs to be with us. I cannot adequately express how thankful we were that those stitches did not tear open!

Travel

Some of our most indelible memories of Reagan involve our own travels. While we lived in Nashville, Jennifer's parents and siblings moved to Pensacola. From Nashville this involved a 7 hour drive. Because her family had golden retrievers, we felt comfortable taking Reagan with us rather than kenneling her. During our very first drive down to Florida, we didn't know exactly how Reagan would behave. What we eventually discovered was that she would be very excited for the first 15-20 minutes, and then she would settle in and nap most of the trip. But on her first trip, nerves got the best of Reagan's stomach. About 20 miles into the trip she began whining. This was followed by nervous pacing. And finally, she launched herself into the front seat. We quickly realized why she wanted up front with us so badly, since a certain smell followed her into the front seat. Fortunately, Jenn had put down a blanket in the back seat to help Reagan be more comfortable. We pulled over to the side of the road, let Reagan finish her "business", and moved the soiled blanket to the trunk until we could wash it.

We were not able to take Reagan on every trip. One Christmas we traveled to Miami to be with my family for a week. We kenneled Reagan with our vet, and went on our merry way. This particular trip was probably the longest we had kenneled her to date. Going away for a weekend was one thing; going away for a full week was quite another. About 3 or 4 days into the trip the vet called us to a) tell us Reagan had not eaten, and b) ask for suggestions on how to make her eat. How ironic is this, the vet asking us for suggestions on anything? We suggested that the vet feed her the canned food, as she really likes that. We mostly fed her dry food, because she would have a certain unpleasant reaction to the canned stuff. (I forgot how many of our Reagan stories involve her bowel movements.) When we did not get a follow-up phone call, we inferred that this treatment did in fact work. Upon coming to pick her up, the vet informed us that Reagan was so pleasant and good natured that they let her out of the kennel cage and sit in the vet's office.

We did not always kennel Reagan for our weekend getaways. Occasionally our friend Geoff would come over and watch her while we lived at Ms. Daisy's. On one occasion we came home to find the radio on, and turned to a jazz station. Next to the radio was a note that read "Reagan loves jazz." That is one of the marks of a special dog. Our friends always seemed to enjoy Reagan's company. She loved everyone who was willing to scratch behind her ears or simply pet her fur. Even my brother, who is allergic to dogs, could not resist petting her long fluffy fur during his visits with us.

Aging

The first time I realized that Reagan was no longer a young pup came after moving to Waco in 2004. Our apartment complex was home to a number of dog owners, many of whom walked their pets around 5 or 6 o'clock in the evening. There was a recreational area between a couple of the buildings, perfect for letting the dogs off their leashes to play. Reagan was the elder dog of the complex, and she acted as if she knew this fact. The puppies would all rough house with one another, playing like dogs do. Reagan was above that. She would watch the others plan, and then walk away to sniff a bush or sit in the shade. The dog owners would sit at picnic tables, talking about the news of the day, and often Reagan would just come sit at my feet and ignore the puppies. In her younger years, I am convinced that Reagan would have been right there in the middle of the scrum. But as she started aging, she experienced some mild hip dysplasia and arthritis that prevented her from being quite as agile.

Without a doubt Reagan's favorite times of the day were her morning and afternoon walks. The mere suggestion of a walk elicited joy and happiness. She would dance around in a circle as I pulled out the leash, such was her excitement at getting to go outside. Because Reagan was a working dog, and we were apartment dwellers, I tried to give her the necessary exercise by walking her for at least 30-60 minutes per day. Some days it seemed like she would sniff every single blade of grass along our route. Other days she seemed to relax and enjoy the breezes that would roll across the fur on her back. When any of the smaller dogs, such as terriers, would bark and jump on her, Reagan would usually ignore them. When a bigger dog approached, she would lay down as if to submit to a rival. But when the dog came in sniffing distance, Reagan would jump up and move in for "introduction." If nothing else, Reagan was predictable.

Health Problems

In the spring of 2009, we got some bad news. Reagan had diabetes. We were told at the time that as long as we treated her, she could still live a long and productive life. Fortunately for us, she didn't seem to mind her shots, which were given twice daily. Both Jenn and I administered the doggie insulin and got the hang of it pretty quickly.

Last summer, Reagan suddenly stopped eating. This was peculiar. Like most dogs, Reagan looked forward to her meals with delicious anticipation. But one day, she just ignored her bowl. After a couple of days of not eating, we took her to our vet. The lab results never did turn up positively as liver disease. Reagan stayed overnight to be monitored and get fluids through an iv. After 13 years, we knew that she would not live forever. But before her diabetes episode in the spring, she had never had any real health problems. The hip dysplasia was nothing more than a minor inconvenience. She was still moving around well and enjoyed her daily walks. But once the liver disease set in, there was nothing we could do. She refused to eat anything, and we tried everything we could think of to appease her appetite.

Jenn went online and found recipes for making your own dog food in hopes of getting Reagan's attention. Even boiling down chicken and mixing in rice didn't seem to pique her interest. Slowly, we were coming to the realization that whatever was going on with her was serious and she wouldn't be getting better.

Thankfully, though we couldn't see it at the time...her quick demise was a blessing. We both had hoped she would die in her sleep so neither one of us would have to make *that* difficult decision. Watching her suffer had become exhausting and painful. She was having trouble walking and even finding the strength to get up and go outside.

That Sunday afternoon, Jenn picked Reagan up and took her outside to the grassy green space beside our apartment. She took a bowl of water and her brush...and spend several hours just brushing her fur and letting her lay there in sun, enjoying the gift of time in an unusual August breeze. By the evening, Reagan couldn't walk on her own.

We chose to sleep downstairs on the floor next to her for what we knew was surely her last night with us. Jenn made a palate next to the sofa and snuggled up next to our faithful friend. Our sleep was restless, peppered with the sounds of labored breathing. By 8am, we had called the vet and had made arrangements to arrive in the next hour or two.

{I feel like I need to give a special thanks to our vet and their staff at Hewitt Animal Hospital. These folks bent over backwards to accommodate us while trying to figure out how to deal with the logistics of being poor grad students and grieving "parents". Jenn spoke with Dr Dodson on her personal cell phone--after business hours--multiple times in the week leading up to all of this moment. Truly compassionate folks...}

Jenn insisted that we be present to Dr Dodson administering the shot that would end Reagan's suffering. It was a very emotional and sacred thing to witness. We cried together and sat with her for a while afterward. When the time seemed right, we left. The techs who were up front all made eye contact with us and offered their condolences.

The whole thing was surreal. When we got home...and for weeks, even months later certain sounds would prick our ears and cause us to look around for her. Even Merton seemed confused by her absence.

So, here we are. One year later. We miss her terribly. Throughout the vast majority of our marriage, Reagan was a very real member of our family. As we reflect on it, we do find it extraordinary how we allow these creatures not only into our homes...but into our hearts.

Having now trained for and run both a half and full marathon, I don't know that I need getting another dog as an excuse to get out and exercise...but perhaps adding to our family might be the right motivation for it this time around. And heaven knows, Merton isn't too keen on donning a collar or a leash...

Lectionary Reflection: 11th Sunday after Pentecost

2010-08-07T11:00:00.000-05:00

Hebrews 11:1-3, 8-16

11:1 Now faith is the assurance of things hoped for, the conviction of things not seen.

11:2 Indeed, by faith our ancestors received approval.

11:3 By faith we understand that the worlds were prepared by the word of God, so that what is seen was made from things that are not visible.

11:8 By faith Abraham obeyed when he was called to set out for a place that he was to receive as an inheritance; and he set out, not knowing where he was going.

11:9 By faith he stayed for a time in the land he had been promised, as in a foreign land, living in tents, as did Isaac and Jacob, who were heirs with him of the same promise.

11:10 For he looked forward to the city that has foundations, whose architect and builder is God.

11:11 By faith he received power of procreation, even though he was too old--and Sarah herself was barren--because he considered him faithful who had promised.

11:12 Therefore from one person, and this one as good as dead, descendants were born, "as many as the stars of heaven and as the innumerable grains of sand by the seashore."

11:13 All of these died in faith without having received the promises, but from a distance they saw and greeted them. They confessed that they were strangers and foreigners on the earth,

11:14 for people who speak in this way make it clear that they are seeking a homeland.

11:15 If they had been thinking of the land that they had left behind, they would have had opportunity to return.

11:16 But as it is, they desire a better country, that is, a heavenly one. Therefore God is not ashamed to be called their God; indeed, he has prepared a city for them.

************

Hebrews 11 is often called Faith’s Hall of Fame. The author lists a number of Old Testament saints, explaining that each of them walked by faith in choosing to believe God’s promises. The lectionary text this week highlights Abraham, who chose to believe God’s promise that he and Sarah would produce a son, even though they were both well past the age of child bearing. This week’s selection concludes with the exhortation to desire a “better country, that is, a heavenly one.”

The ancient Church had its own roll call of faith. Many Christians in the early centuries suffered martyrdom as the Church was persecuted by both local and imperial government officials. Writings of the accounts of these martyr acts began to be circulated by churches, and they were even read in worship. Just as the author of Hebrews honors the Old Testament patriarchs for their faith in believing what they did not see, so the early churches honored their saints for believing even to the point of death. The martyrs saw themselves as pilgrims in a foreign land who were returning home to live eternally.

The early Christians perceived that they were living in continuity with the prophets and apostles. God's faithfulness to God's people continued in a straight line from the patriarchs to the apostles, and finally to today. And just as God has always been faithful to Israel and to the Church, so have there always been Christians who walked by faith and believed God's promises. The readings of the acts of the Christian martyrs, e.g. Polycarp and Perpetua, exhorted them (and us) to also act faithfully in whatever cultural setting we find ourselves. We are also pilgrims in a foreign land, and we share in the assurance that Abraham hoped for, that God will continue to provide for his (and our) descendants as we seek the Promised Land.

Happy Anniversary

2010-08-06T08:45:00.003-05:00

Jennifer and I are celebrating our 16th wedding anniversary today.

Let me take this moment to wish my lovely bride a happy anniversary!

These past sixteen years
have offered me a small glimpse
to your wondrous soul

Laughing, smiling, and
Giving now mark you as a
most selfless person

May the Lord bless you
and keep you for all our days
we enjoy as one

Donald Fairbairn: Life in the Trinity

2010-08-03T11:11:00.002-05:00

Life in the Trinity: An Introduction to Theology with the Help of the Church Fathers
By Donald Fairbairn

During my first semester of doctoral course work, I read Matthew Levering’s Scripture and Metaphysics: Aquinas and the Renewal of Trinitarian Theology. Here was a book that explored both practical and theoretical implications of Trinitarian theology, using the work of Thomas Aquinas, but also modern theologians, e.g. Rahner and Balthasar. I came to realize that Catholics were carrying on dialogues about the importance of the Trinity to Christian theology in a way that Protestants were not. My experience as an Evangelical has been that we ardently defend the Trinity, but have no real idea how it relates to other doctrines, or the life of the community.

Fairbairn apparently perceived of a similar gap in Protestant theology texts, and has offered a book aimed towards Evangelicals, primarily those who are seminary students, or maybe upper level undergraduates. In the introduction Fairbairn is up front about the fact that he did not attempt to write a comprehensive systematic textbook. It would be best used as a supplementary text to introduce the theology of the Church Fathers.

But even the most succinct introduction to the Church Fathers could be so broad as to be effectively useless, so Fairbairn chooses to focus primarily on Trinitarian thought in the Fathers. He notes that the Fathers did not artificially divorce doctrine and practice as the modern Church too often does. (I have attended churches where fellow Evangelicals told me that they had no need to learn doctrines. They just needed to know Jesus.)

Fairbairn recovers a patristic emphasis that has been lost among Evangelicals. The Church Fathers taught the importance of theosis, which is the process by which human beings are made divine. The English translation of theosis is deification, which sounds heretical to Evangelicals. Fairbairn articulately explains that we are not made divine by substance – that would be impossible. Instead, we are made divine through participation in Christ by grace. Many Evangelicals would be surprised to find out that this doctrine was based in Scripture. (Psalm 82:6-7; 2 Peter 1:3-4).

Focusing on the writings of four patristic theologians – Irenaeus, Athanasius, Cyril of Alexandria, and Augustine – Fairbairn explicates the “scarlet thread” that runs throughout Scripture. This “thread” is Christ, who is the Son of God come to earth in human flesh (the incarnation). “Christ’s life demonstrates what perfect love looks like: he participates in the loving fellowship of the Trinity both as God and now also as man (157).” Theosis is our sharing in the Son’s relationship to the Father, as we are adopted as sons of God. The Spirit brings us into that relationship, and fills us with the same love that exists between the persons of the Trinity.

While Life in the Trinity stays true to this “thread,” there are also chapters that summarize early teachings on the Fall, the imago dei, atonement theory, and the sacraments of baptism and eucharist. Fairbairn has written a book that is true to his intentions, and would make an excellent addition to an Evangelical seminary theology course.

Lectionary Reflection: 10th Sunday after Pentecost

2010-07-31T11:00:00.003-05:00

Colossians 3:1-11

3:1 So if you have been raised with Christ, seek the things that are above, where Christ is, seated at the right hand of God.

3:2 Set your minds on things that are above, not on things that are on earth,

3:3 for you have died, and your life is hidden with Christ in God.

3:4 When Christ who is your life is revealed, then you also will be revealed with him in glory.

3:5 Put to death, therefore, whatever in you is earthly: fornication, impurity, passion, evil desire, and greed (which is idolatry).

3:6 On account of these the wrath of God is coming on those who are disobedient.

3:7 These are the ways you also once followed, when you were living that life.

3:8 But now you must get rid of all such things--anger, wrath, malice, slander, and abusive language from your mouth.

3:9 Do not lie to one another, seeing that you have stripped off the old self with its practices

3:10 and have clothed yourselves with the new self, which is being renewed in knowledge according to the image of its creator.

3:11 In that renewal there is no longer Greek and Jew, circumcised and uncircumcised, barbarian, Scythian, slave and free; but Christ is all and in all!

************

John Chrysostom was the bishop of Constantinople at the end of the 4th century. Chrysostom literally means "golden mouth" and he was given that nickname because of his oratorical skills. He was well known throughout the Roman world for giving impressive sermons, many of which called out the rich to provide for the poor. Constantinople, the capitol of the empire at that time, was populated by an enormous amount of indigents. Chrysostom called on the church to aid the homeless, and many of his sermons focused on the economics of his day.

In his Homily 8 on Colossians, Chrysostom focused primarily on v. 5: "Put to death, therefore, whatever in you is earthly: fornication, impurity, passion, evil desire, and greed (which is idolatry)." While historians speak of the 4th century as the time when the Roman empire was "Christianized", the majority of the population continued to worship the pagan gods and idols. While modern day American preachers call out Christians for practicing "idolatry", it is usually meant in the abstract sense. We are urged to worship God rather than the idols of "money," "fame," "personal ambition," etc.

But in this homily, Chrysostom urges his parishioners to avoid idolatry by not giving into the vices of fornication, impurity, passion, evil desires, and greed. (By passion Chrysostom means something akin to the emotions of envy and anger.) By putting to death these vices, and replacing them with the virtues of faith, hope, and love, Christians no longer walk in disobedience, but walk in obedience.

Chrysostom suggests a number of scenarios when believers are tempted to turn to idolatry. Examples include a mother who has a sick child, or a widow who desires her spouse to be raised from the dead. One who has not put to death the passions will turn to idols for help in times of suffering. And the idols are themselves the way to death for the soul. Idolatry preys on the passions of coveting, greed, and evil desires. But for the one who has put to death the passions, then the soul will be prepared to overcome during times of suffering.

The economic impact of this homily would have induced anger in the marketplace. Chrysostom urged Christians to offer themselves as godly sacrifices, willing to give the deceased child or spouse to God. If the parishioners did make such a sacrifice to God, then they would choose not to purchase an idol or amulet, which would be used as a sacrifice to the gods for the health or revitalization of that same loved one. Chrysostom was more interested in the health of the souls of his flock rather than the financial health of the marketplace vendors.

Lectionary Reading: 9th Sunday after Pentecost

2010-07-24T11:00:00.003-05:00

Luke 11:1-13

11:1 He was praying in a certain place, and after he had finished, one of his disciples said to him, "Lord, teach us to pray, as John taught his disciples."

11:2 He said to them, "When you pray, say: Father, hallowed be your name. Your kingdom come.

11:3 Give us each day our daily bread.

11:4 And forgive us our sins, for we ourselves forgive everyone indebted to us. And do not bring us to the time of trial."

11:5 And he said to them, "Suppose one of you has a friend, and you go to him at midnight and say to him, 'Friend, lend me three loaves of bread;

11:6 for a friend of mine has arrived, and I have nothing to set before him.'

11:7 And he answers from within, 'Do not bother me; the door has already been locked, and my children are with me in bed; I cannot get up and give you anything.'

11:8 I tell you, even though he will not get up and give him anything because he is his friend, at least because of his persistence he will get up and give him whatever he needs.

11:9 "So I say to you, Ask, and it will be given you; search, and you will find; knock, and the door will be opened for you.

11:10 For everyone who asks receives, and everyone who searches finds, and for everyone who knocks, the door will be opened.

11:11 Is there anyone among you who, if your child asks for a fish, will give a snake instead of a fish?

11:12 Or if the child asks for an egg, will give a scorpion?

11:13 If you then, who are evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will the heavenly Father give the Holy Spirit to those who ask him!"

************

Last week I wrote about Origen, a third century teacher in the city of Alexandria, Egypt. This week we will return to Alexandria. Cyril, a bishop of Alexandria in the fifth century, wrote a commentary on the gospel of Luke. He reminds us what a privilege it is to call God "Our Father."

God granted to humanity in grace what we could not accomplish on our own. By being joined to Jesus Christ in baptism, we have been elevated to the rank of sons of God. We were slaves, and have been raised "to the dignity of freedom."

Now that we have been given this honor, to call God "Father," we are entrusted with the responsibility of leading holy and blameless lives. As we say in the Lord's prayer, hallowed be thy name. The person who prays to the Father does not add any holiness to God. Instead, such a person asks that he or she "may possess such a mind and faith to feel that his name is honorable and holy. The act is the source of life and the cause of every blessing." Therefore, we want to please our Father, and live lives worthy of the freedom that "has been bestowed upon us."

Why My Dissertation Matters, part 2

2010-07-21T16:00:00.002-05:00

Why My Dissertation Matters, Introduction
Part 1: Tradition is Not a Four Letter Word

Part 2: Tradition in the Bible

The Christians of the first century did not have a Bible in the sense that we think of our sacred texts. Many of the earliest Christians still worshiped at the local synagogue, which could be expected to have a copy of the Torah, the Prophets, and the Psalms. There were no individual copies of these texts available for the common layperson. As for the New Testament, it was still being written during the first century. There is evidence from 2 Peter that by the end of the century, Paul's letters were already being copied and passed around to various churches, but even then they would have been read to the congregation, not copied for individual usage. Writing was very expensive, and only a fraction of the population was literate.

Pastors and teachers needed to pass on the content of the faith in a way that could be remembered by their flock. A phrase as simple as "Jesus is Lord" became important for teaching the simple basics of Christian faith. The kenosis hymn in Philippians 2 (6-11) was likely an early song that Paul repeats to the church in Philippi, both because of its important content about Christ, and its familiarity. A tune could be easily memorized, recalled, and repeated.

One of the most important of these confessional statements of faith is found in 1 Corinthians 15: "For what I received I passed on to you as of first importance: that Christ died for our sins according to the Scriptures, that he was buried, that he was raised on the third day according to the Scriptures, and that he appeared to Peter, and then to the Twelve." The Corinthians likely memorized confessions such as this one, as a short reminder of the content of their faith, which was being preached by the apostles and pastors.

In one of his letters to the Thessalonians, Paul even speaks about the importance of tradition. "So then, brothers and sisters, stand firm and hold fast to the traditions that you were taught by us, either by word of mouth or by letter." The word "tradition" is a translation of the Greek word paradoseis. This word referred to the transmission of the church's preaching (kerygma), which was handed down from teacher to catechumen (a name for the new converts to Christianity).

The first century Christians had no notion of sola scriptura, which I mentioned in my previous post. In other words, if you asked Christians in the first century what it is they believed, and how it is that they know it to be true, the answer would not have been an appeal to the Bible. Rather, they would have appealed to the tradition, which was passed down in the form of confessional statements. These statements would have been recited in worship, because it was vital to the church that it handed down the apostles teaching exactly as they had received it.

N.T. Wright: Surprised by Hope

2010-07-19T09:44:00.003-05:00

Surprised by Hope: Rethinking Heaven, the Resurrection, and the Mission of the Church
N.T. Wright

One of my Divinity School courses was devoted to a study of Christology in patristic theology. We read Against Heresies by Irenaeus of Lyons, who pastured a church in Gaul in the late second century. One discussion that I can remember is about his eschatology. We dissected his vision of the New Jerusalem coming down to earth, so that eternity took place not in a distant Heaven, but here. Dr. Burns asked us to consider what Irenaeus was reacting against in this eschatological denouement. I was not sure what he was reacting against, just that it sounded like he was recalling the end of Revelation. What was so unusual about that? Dr. Burns wondered if Irenaeus was reacting against a Gnostic theology that calls the material creation evil, and places a premium on the spiritual nature rather than physical nature.

I recalled this dialogue while reading N.T. Wright’s Surprised by Hope. Like Irenaeus, Wright also is reacting against a theological vision that is misguided in its eschatological conception. Wright critiques the cultural notion that after death the disembodied souls of Christians go to a distant Heaven, and spend eternity at that ultimate destination, far away (both in time and space) from an earth that has been destroyed in a final Armageddon.

In Part I, Wright articulates all of the confusion that exists about life after death. He observes that the witness of the New Testament says very little about Heaven, but very much about the resurrection of bodies. Heaven is merely a “temporary stage on the way to the eventual resurrection of the body” (41). Wright does not address Irenaeus directly, but I think he would say that the 2nd century bishop got this right: that our ultimate destination is not some distant Paradise. It is actually right here, when Heaven and Earth become one. Jesus is the firstborn of the new creation. After death our bodies will be resurrected, and we will have new transformed, incorruptible bodies.

The problem with thinking that our disembodied souls go to a distant Heaven after death is that Evangelicals have become so “heavenly minded that we become no earthly good.” I.e., we have become disinterested in improving our present world, whether that be helping the poor, or the environment, etc. The Christian hope is not that we dismiss this planet because it will ultimately be destroyed. Instead, our hope is that Jesus’ resurrection is a witness to the final resurrection of the human race, and that we will live in the presence of God as the New Jerusalem, the Kingdom of Heaven, joins with Earth. Heaven and Earth become one. Just as the divine and human natures are joined together in Jesus, so does Heaven and Earth become married as Jesus and the Church come together.

I recommend this book to anyone whose thoughts about the resurrection, Heaven, the rapture, and/or the Second Coming have become confused or unclear. Wright articulately addresses the current state of confusion within Christian churches, before then turning to the New Testament to arrange in systematic fashion what it has to say about life after life after death. Also addressed are topics such as judgment, the ascension, hell, and the church’s mission.

Lectionary Reading: 8th Sunday after Pentecost

2010-07-17T11:00:00.006-05:00

Genesis 18:1-10a

18:1 The LORD appeared to Abraham by the oaks of Mamre, as he sat at the entrance of his tent in the heat of the day.

18:2 He looked up and saw three men standing near him. When he saw them, he ran from the tent entrance to meet them, and bowed down to the ground.

18:3 He said, "My lord, if I find favor with you, do not pass by your servant.

18:4 Let a little water be brought, and wash your feet, and rest yourselves under the tree.

18:5 Let me bring a little bread, that you may refresh yourselves, and after that you may pass on--since you have come to your servant." So they said, "Do as you have said."

18:6 And Abraham hastened into the tent to Sarah, and said, "Make ready quickly three measures of choice flour, knead it, and make cakes."

18:7 Abraham ran to the herd, and took a calf, tender and good, and gave it to the servant, who hastened to prepare it.

18:8 Then he took curds and milk and the calf that he had prepared, and set it before them; and he stood by them under the tree while they ate.

18:9 They said to him, "Where is your wife Sarah?" And he said, "There, in the tent."

18:10a Then one said, "I will surely return to you in due season, and your wife Sarah shall have a son."

************

Origen was a third century teacher in the city of Alexandria, Egypt. In one of his sermons on Genesis, Origen observed that Abraham was a model of hospitality in this story. He was "energetic and eager in his duties." The patriarch ran to meet his guests and urgently prepared a meal for them. And it wasn't just any meal. Rather than taking any random calf from the herd, Abraham chose a good and tender one. While the meal was being prepared, the servants washed the feet of the guests.

Origen takes this moment to point out that Jesus washed the feet of his disciples after the Lord's Supper. In the ancient world, foot washing was the work that servants did immediately upon receiving a guest in the home. The people of that time walked from place to place, wearing sandals on dusty roads. Washing someone's feet was the epitome of hospitality and kindness to a dirty and tired traveler. It also symbolized humble service to one's neighbor, which prompted Peter to refuse Jesus' act.

When we demonstrate hospitality to our neighbor, we follow in Jesus' footsteps. In the incarnation, the Son became flesh and walked among us. By taking on human flesh, Jesus became the ultimate enfleshment of hospitality. The Spirit now moves through the Church to be Jesus' hands and feet to a suffering world, who desperately need similar works of hospitality. We have been gifted to serve this world, to wash the feet of those dirty and tired travelers who are also walking a long and often lonely dusty road. That road leads to the cross, but we can encourage them that on the other side is resurrection and life.

Why My Dissertation Matters, part 1

2010-07-14T11:00:00.003-05:00

Why My Dissertation Matters: Introduction

Part 1: Tradition is not a four letter word

When I entered into the Body of Christ through Merton Avenue Baptist Church as a naive 16 year old teenager, the word "tradition" did not become part of my nascent Christian vocabulary. I soon discovered why: Traditions were something "man made." Jesus dressed down the Pharisees for their man made traditions that circumvented the Law. Therefore, traditions were to be avoided.

I quickly learned from Sunday School that Protestants claimed the Bible alone is the authority for faith. The Latins had a phrase for this: sola scriptura. If it wasn't in the Bible, we did not want anything to do with it. Baptists took this to heart. Why do Baptists practice adult baptism, and not infant baptism? Because Jesus was baptized as an adult, and the disciples baptized adults. Why did Baptists break from Catholicism? Catholics prayed to saints and worshiped Mary. (Or so I was told.) Thus, Baptist faith is founded on the Bible and the Bible alone.

The irony of all this is that Baptists have their man made traditions, just as Catholics do. Some examples:

1. Quarterly Communion. We took the Lord's Supper once every quarter, and then only during the Sunday evening service -- despite the fact that Acts 2:42 says that the first century Christians took communion every time they met together. Was there any biblical significance to the quarterly practice? Absolutely none.

2. Baby Dedications. I missed the letter from Paul where he advised a local church to dedicate their babies to the Lord in lieu of baptism. Hannah dedicated Samuel to the Lord -- as part of a Nazarite vow. The last time we had a baby dedication at church, I do not recall any promises about eschewing haircuts. (There may have been a promise about avoiding alcohol, but that is an entirely different issue altogether.)

3. Committees. The apostles did appoint elders and deacons. But there is no mention of committees, standing committees, or committees on committees in Scripture. And yes, I have read the entire thing. Trust me on this one. Better yet, look it up yourself. Find the concordance in the back and look up the word "committee." Try to hold back your surprise when you discover there is no such word in all of Scripture.

3. Walking the aisle. It did not take too many Sunday mornings before I realized how sacred "walking the aisle" was in a Baptist church. Any important decision required a person to walk the aisle from the pew to the pastor during the final hymn after the sermon. Want to become a Christian? Walk the aisle and tell the pastor. Want to join the church? Walk the aisle to the pastor and fill out a decision card.

4. Revivals and Re-dedications. "Walking the aisle" and annual revivals were not biblical practices that Protestants incorporated to their calendar. Rather, they are the results of the frontier religion practices of American Christians in the late 17th and early 18th centuries. The idea of re-dedicating oneself to the Lord falls into this rubric also. Nowhere does Jesus commend his disciples to re-dedicate themselves to God. The apostles do speak of repenting from sin. I am not sure why we softened the language from repentance to re-dedication, but sometime in the 20th century that came about.

5. Vacation Bible School. Or Sunday School, for that matter. These are 19th century American Evangelical Christian inventions.

Do I say all of this to criticize Merton Avenue Baptist Church? Or all Protestants? Heavens no! I am more grateful for my former church family than they will ever know. I have nothing but love in my heart for each and every one of them. I point these traditions out to state the obvious: every denomination, and every local church body, has its own traditions. And these traditions are absolutely and vitally necessary to the life of the congregation. I could never enumerate how much I learned about my faith from Sunday School. And many life changing decisions were made by well intentioned people who walked the aisle after a particularly moving sermon. I point to these examples in the hopes that we will not immediately dismiss the importance of man-made traditions in the practice of our faith.

Next week: What is the Apostolic Tradition? Subtitle: Is there a difference between tradition(s) and Tradition?

Lectionary Reading: 7th Sunday after Pentecost

2010-07-10T23:00:00.000-05:00

Amos 7:7-17

7:7 This is what he showed me: the Lord was standing beside a wall built with a plumb line, with a plumb line in his hand.

7:8 And the LORD said to me, "Amos, what do you see?" And I said, "A plumb line." Then the Lord said, "See, I am setting a plumb line in the midst of my people Israel; I will never again pass them by;

7:9 the high places of Isaac shall be made desolate, and the sanctuaries of Israel shall be laid waste, and I will rise against the house of Jeroboam with the sword."

7:10 Then Amaziah, the priest of Bethel, sent to King Jeroboam of Israel, saying, "Amos has conspired against you in the very center of the house of Israel; the land is not able to bear all his words.

7:11 For thus Amos has said, 'Jeroboam shall die by the sword, and Israel must go into exile away from his land.'"

7:12 And Amaziah said to Amos, "O seer, go, flee away to the land of Judah, earn your bread there, and prophesy there;

7:13 but never again prophesy at Bethel, for it is the king's sanctuary, and it is a temple of the kingdom."

7:14 Then Amos answered Amaziah, "I am no prophet, nor a prophet's son; but I am a herdsman, and a dresser of sycamore trees,

7:15 and the LORD took me from following the flock, and the LORD said to me, 'Go, prophesy to my people Israel.'

7:16 "Now therefore hear the word of the LORD. You say, 'Do not prophesy against Israel, and do not preach against the house of Isaac."

7:17 Therefore thus says the LORD: 'Your wife shall become a prostitute in the city, and your sons and your daughters shall fall by the sword, and your land shall be parceled out by line; you yourself shall die in an unclean land, and Israel shall surely go into exile away from its land.'"

************

In this week's OT text, Amos has a vision of the Lord using a plumb line to make a visual demonstration. A plumb line is a tool used by engineers or carpenters to determine if something is perfectly vertical. It is created by attaching a metal weight to the end of a string. In this visual demonstration, the Lord shows how a plumb line was used to build a wall. Amos is using the plumb line as a metaphor, so that the Israelites are the wall, and the wall needs to be knocked down and rebuilt because it is no longer straight. A crooked wall cannot be fixed. The carpenter needs to start over. The Lord tells Amos that Israel will be destroyed, and the people must go into exile.

The early Christians used a tool similar to a plumb line. The ancient church formed the 'rule of faith', which was a statement of what the church believes, and how the church reads Scripture. The Greek word for rule is canon, which means "reed". (The English word "rule" comes from the Latin word regula. Regula = canon.) A reed was a straight stick against which something would be compared to determine if it was in fact straight, and not twisted. In other words, both a plumb line and a canon were used as standards of measure. The word "canon" would later be used to describe the books that came to be bound into the Old Testament and New Testament. This is why we speak of the Old Testment and New Testament books as being "canonical."

But before it was used in that context, the canon (or rule) of faith helped guide the earliest Christians in how to read the biblical texts, and to live as disciples of Christ. By following the rule of faith, Christians seek to live the straight and narrow path, rather than a twisted and windy path. Peter called Christ the cornerstone of the Church. Just as Amos saw a vision of a wall that represented Israel, Peter saw a building that represents the Church. As long as the church stays true to the canon of faith, she will stay true to her Lord.

Ian Morgan Cron: Chasing Francis

2010-07-06T11:15:00.001-05:00

Chasing Francis
by Ian Morgan Cron

This Fourth of July weekend I put down my theology books and picked up a novel instead. Chasing Francis rewarded me with a story that reminded me of my own journey that has taken place over the past decade. It also challenged me to continue that journey, even as I come nearer to the life change that will surely come with the completion of the dissertation.

I found a recommendation of Chasing Francis on a blog last week, and the synopsis immediately intrigued me. When I called around to local bookstores in an attempt to procure a copy of it, one bookseller asked me if it was in the genre of "Christian fiction." I paused. Yes, I suppose it is. I thought back to the last time I had read a book that counted as "Christian fiction." As far as I can recall, I had not read a book in that genre since the early 90s, when Frank Peretti was penning the This Present Darkness series, which made a titanic impact upon the evangelical subculture at that time.

To be brutally honest, I have grown weary of the evangelical subculture. In my search for the Christian Tradition, I became suspicious of the "McDonaldization" of Christianity, where faith was pre-packaged in a box. The Church was just one more consumer item in the marketplace. Discipleship was reduced to a morning quiet time, and using one's WWJD bracelet to open doors of evangelization with others.

In the novel, Chase Falson, a 39 year-old pastor of an evangelical church in New England, finds himself in a crisis of faith due to a conglomeration of several things. He also has grown tired of the evangelical subculture. Chase has discovered that many of the apologetic answers he has relied upon for several decades no longer satisfy him. Mix in the death of a young girl to one of his new converts, and you have a recipe for such a crisis of faith.

Falson's personal crisis is unmasked in a sermon, when he goes off script and reveals himself to his congregation. The elders of the church (founded by Falson) force him to take a leave of absence. In his depression, Chase contacts the only person he can think of who can possibly help: his uncle Kenny, a Franciscan friar living in Italy. Kenny convinces Chase to come to Italy, and undergo a pilgrimage. Unbeknownst to him, Chase's pilgrimage follows the life of Francis of Assisi, a 13th century monk who revolutionized the Church. The subtitle of the book is "Postmodern Insights from a Premodern Saint." Chase is tasked with writing a journey of his travels, and we follow him on his pilgrimage as he comes to learn all about Francis, and what the saint has to offer to 21st century Christians.

Having taught read and taught Francis myself, I was able to anticipate many of the themes that would come. But the book still managed to surprise me with some of the places that he traveled on his journey. I was pleasantly surprised that Beauty, Art, and Peace were prominent themes that were articulated by people who Chase encountered. And his journal provides insights into personal and communal applications of these topics.

Chasing Francis is an easy summer read, in the sense that the story moves quickly despite its occasional garrulity. I highly recommend the novel to anyone who has come to identify him/herself as "Post-Evangelical," or has been walking into the past to discover what the ancient Tradition has to offer to 21st century Christian faith. In my own discipleship I began to ask the question, "Is this all there is to it?" The answer, thankfully, is yes, there is more. Francis of Assisi is not himself the answer, and at no time does the novel pretend that he serves that role. But his pilgrimage can be the light to a path that will help guide us to Christ, whom Francis served.

Why My Dissertation Matters

2010-06-23T18:35:00.004-05:00

When I respond to the question of "What is your dissertation topic" with the answer, "The Apostolic Tradition in the Ecclesiastical Histories of Socrates, Sozomen, and Theodoret," I can actually see the immediate disinterest in people's eyes. And let's be honest -- dissertations are not supposed to be interesting. They are long, grueling projects designed to prove to other scholars that you now belong in their club. Dissertations are written by academics, to academics.

That having been said, I would like to believe that because my specialty is theology, my dissertation actually does matter. Theology falls in this weird liminal space between the ivory tower and the church. Theologians want to speak to both groups. In essence, we want to have our cake and eat it too. We think that the academy should respect us, and that the church should listen to us. But I would prefer not to explicate that story right now. For the purposes of this blog series, I am going to assume that the academy does respect us (otherwise my project is worthless), but also that the Church should listen to us (which is why I became a teacher in the first place).

In the following days, weeks, and probably months, I will try to explain (in layperson's terms) what is the apostolic tradition, and what is an ecclesiastical history, and who were Socrates, Sozomen, and Theodoret. My real audience here is my family, none of whom have any degrees in religion, but all of whom are intelligent people who would enjoy reading a short primer on what it is that makes me tick. Actually, let me qualify that last statement. My wife, Jennifer, was a religion major. But even she falls asleep if I pontificate too long (5 or 10 minutes, max) on my thesis.

Along the way, I invite readers to ask questions. I may assume things or skip over material that needs further explanation, so feel free to comment on the blog or e-mail me directly. My hope here is that I will get to explain my project to my family (and friends) who are interested, and also that I get the practice of teaching to a curious and interested audience. Your feedback helps me to gauge how well I am doing in achieving my stated goals.

Twitter

2010-06-23T07:44:00.005-05:00

I have launched my own Twitter account. You can find me at http://twitter.com/thescottrushing.

Why Twitter? Initially I subscribed simply to be able to read the tweets of a handful of my friends who were now tweeting.

But then I have discovered the joy of sharing my own thoughts via the Twitter format. I feel the freedom there to post whatever I am thinking, however often I want to share those thoughts. Could I do that with my blog? Certainly. However, Twitter offers a platform for conversation that is not so easily accomplished at Blogger. Also, I have limited myself at this blog to posting about my dissertation journey. Thus, posting about the World Cup or my reflections on Clash of the Titans falls outside that boundary.

Also, I thought about Mark Osler at the time of my Twitter opening. Professor Osler, a Baylor Law School faculty member, started blogging as a means of communication between himself and his students. For the past four years he has revealed his thoughts on a variety of matters, ranging from legal opinions to Waco cuisine. His students have come to know him, and have commented freely on these blog posts. Similarly, I hope to begin a long teaching career now that my days as a graduate student are winding down. If a Twitter account and blog help me overcome that gulf that exists between faculty and student, then so be it. Teaching is what led me to this vocation, so why not open the channels of communication as much as possible?

Happy Father's Day

2010-06-20T09:20:00.004-05:00

Happy Father's Day to my Dad. Looking forward to seeing you next month!

Scott

"A father is a guy who has snapshots in his wallet where his money used to be." -- Unknown

College Theology Society/NABPR

2010-06-18T16:20:00.009-05:00

Less than a week after returning home from the NAPS conference in Chicago, I boarded a plane for Portland, OR for the College Theology Society/NABPR annual meeting. This is a unique conference, because CTS is a Catholic group that meets annually to dialogue about Catholic theology. Meeting alongside the Catholics is NABPR -- National Association of Baptist Professors of Religion. This might sound like an odd pairing. This particular group of Baptist theologians gathers together to read papers on ecumenical issues related to whatever themes CTS has selected for that particular year. For example, this year CTS chose as its theme "Religion, Economics, and Culture in Conflict and Conversation." NABPR adopted that same theme, asking how Baptists are affected by economics and culture, and how Baptists and Catholics think and converse alike and differently about such conflicts.

My dissertation does not directly address such questions of economy and culture. However, NABPR often adds a couple of additional suggestions in its call for papers, asking for presentations with various catholic themes. One of the suggestions this year was for papers on saints and hagiography, and how Baptists think about this subject. Since the fourth chapter of my dissertation is on the apostolicity of the Desert Fathers, I was able to contribute something to that conversation.

I found it curious that all of the other NABPR papers addressed contemporary cultural and ecumenical concerns, except one -- the President's address. Adam English's presentation was about St. Nicholas of Myra, more popularly known as Santa Claus. Adam used the example of St. Nicholas to wonder what a Baptist hagiography might look like. Baptists have always rejected prayers to the saints. But in throwing out the baby with the bathwater, Baptists have gone on to reject just about everything related to the saints out of a fear of being "too Catholic."

In retrospect, I would have liked to have shortened my own historical arguments (read: not contemporary) about the apostolic function of the Desert Fathers in favor of a conclusion that challenged Baptists to think about contemporary issues of monasticism. I will not address that issue in chapter four, but it would have been an interesting question to raise for this audience. A growing number of Protestants have engaged in a movement now being labeled as "New Monasticism." Should we endorse and support such projects? At the very least, I myself have been attracted to such radicals means of living out the gospel in the world. And there are a number of Christians in my generation that are likewise attracted to this definition of community and discipleship.

At this meeting of CTS and NABPR I found a number of like-minded Baptist theologians and graduate students. I am convinced that in future years Baptists and Catholics (and other Protestants) will continue to pursue ecumenical dialogue. We share far more commonalities than differences. I would like to be a part of these conversations in future years.

North American Patristics Society

2010-06-11T15:58:00.002-05:00

This year I presented a paper for the first time to the North American Patristics Society annual conference in Chicago. My presentation was titled "In Defense of Theodoret: Nicaea in the Historia Ecclesiastica." Riveting title, no? The paper was an excerpt from chapter 3. I am pleased to say that it was well received, although there was one detail that needs some attention. T.D. Barnes, who is one of the leading scholars in the history of Late Antiquity, pointed out to me that my citation for the death of Alexander of Byzantium did not include the most recent scholarship. But in our conversation following my presentation, Barnes also admitted to me that he thinks my thesis was exactly right. So let me say with full conviction that I will gladly receive a correction on that minor detail in exchange for an endorsement of the thesis.

One of the highlights of this year's conference was that three graduate students from Baylor presented papers. My colleagues Rick Brumback and Jangho Jo read some of their work, and were well received. Our advisor, Dr. Williams, also read a paper from a project he is working on regarding the development of Christianity in the ancient East. It is our hope that Baylor will continue to bring a strong representation to the annual conference, and that we will continue to return to NAPS even after we each move on to faculty positions at other universities.

Baylor out of the Big 12?

2010-06-10T00:36:00.003-05:00

With Nebraska set to announce its intentions to leave the Big 12 and join the Big 10 (the New Improved Big 12?), Baylor appears to be facing a dire situation. Reports from all of the media outlets claim that the Pac-10 will follow behind the Big 10's expansion by inviting all of the Big 12 South Division teams -- except Baylor -- to form the Pac-16. This would probably mean the demise of the Big 12, as the only teams remaining would be Baylor, Iowa St., Kansas, Kansas St., and Missouri. All of the media "experts" seem to believe this will portend the complete demise of the Big 12, and that the leftover teams will be forced to join either the Mountain West conference, or Conference USA.

Looking at the Mountain West conference, Baylor might continue to be a viable school in major college athletics. I say that because the Mountain West conference would probably be elevated to BCS conference status. IN fact, it has nearly achieved that status already. Of the existing conferences, this would be the best option for the Bears. Such a pairing would match Baylor up with an old rival, TCU. While Baylor would still suffer from the loss of Texas, Texas A&M, and Texas Tech on its schedule, the Bears might be more competitive on the field against Air Force and New Mexico. But beware: the MWC is no slouch in football. BYU has won a national championship in my lifetime (more than current Big 12 South schools Texas A&M, Texas Tech, and Oklahoma St. combined). Also, Utah has two undefeated seasons in the past decade. And last year TCU demonstrated how fine of a program it is built.

But let's be honest: I do not know how excited Baylor students can get about playing Wyoming and San Diego St. every year. So here's a possibility that I have not heard anyone suggest: what if the old Southwest Conference were to be resurrected? No, I am not suggesting that Texas and Arkansas return to the SWC. But what if the following schools joined forces out of geographical and competitive similarities:

North Division
Kansas
Kansas St.
Missouri
New Mexico
Tulane
Tulsa

Texas Division
Baylor
Houston
Rice
SMU
TCU
UTEP

I do not know if this is a viable suggestion or not. But I do know that the population of our country is slowly but surely shifting towards the South, and long-term this makes more sense than it does in the short term. But I like the idea of Baylor participating in a conference with a division full of state rivals. If the Bears get shut out of the Pac-16, then this schedule would create more excitement on Saturday afternoons than games against teams from the Mountain West Conference. While that the MWC is probably the best short-term idea, in terms of generating income for the athletic department, I think that long term the resurrection of the SWC could work. Or it could be packaged as a new Big 12 conference, and choose to keep that name. And in that case, Iowa St. would probably remain, and replace Tulane.

It is difficult for me to believe that Nebraska's likely defection can cause this much chaos in college football. As a Baylor fan, I will be sad to see the demise of the Big 12, and sad to see the Bears lose rivalries against Texas, Texas A&M, and Texas Tech.

Chapter 3

2010-04-30T16:49:00.003-05:00

I promised my advisor that he would see a draft of chapter 3 by the end of the semester. The current draft is at an awkward stage. I am confident that my thesis is strong. I am also confident that my outline is well constructed, and defends that thesis well. Where I lack confidence is not in the argument, but in my presentation. Can I step up my game, to use the uniquitous athletic cliche, from a seminar-level writing style to the demands of dissertation-level writing? I am anxious to discover the answer to that question.

The Best Christian He Knew

2010-03-19T17:48:00.002-05:00

"Jay Kesler, president of Taylor University, told me about his own brush with legalism. Shortly after deciding to follow Christ as a teenager, he felt overwhelmed by all the new rules imposed on him. Confused, Jay walked around his backyard in Indiana and noticed his faithful collie Laddy, merrily gnawing on a bone while stretched out in the glistening wet grass. It struck Jay that Laddy was possibly the best Christian he knew. Laddy did not smoke, drink, go to movies, dance, or carry protest signs. He was harmless, docile, and inactive. At once Jay saw how far he had strayed from the life of freedom and passion to which Jesus had called him.

At first glance legalism seems hard, but actually freedom in Christ is the harder way. It is relatively easy not to murder, hard to reach out in love; easy to avoid a neighbor's bed, hard to keep a marriage alive; easy to pay taxes, hard to serve the poor. When living in freedom, I must remain open to the Spirit for guidance. I am more aware of what I have neglected than what I have achieved. I cannot hide behind a mask of behavior, like the hypocrites, nor can I hide behind facile comparisons with other Christians.

Jesus proclaimed unmistakably that God's law is so perfect and absolute that no one can achieve righteousness. Yet God's grace is so great that we do not have to. By striving to prove how much they deserve God's love, legalists miss the whole point of the gospel, that it is a gift from God to people who don't deserve it. The solution to sin is not to impose an ever-stricter code of behavior. It is to know God." - Philip Yancey, What's So Amazing About Grace?, p. 209-210

Pappas Patristic Institute reflections

2010-03-16T09:34:00.007-05:00

This past weekend I attended the Pappas Patristic Institute annual graduate student conference at the Holy Cross Greek Orthodox School of Theology in Brookline, Massachusetts. Approximately 40-45 graduate students attended the proceedings, with most of them presenting papers on a wide range of topics related to the history and theology of the Christian Church between the years 150 - 900 A.D.

I presented a section from chapter 3 of my dissertation, and was tremendously pleased with the feedback -- and not just because it was positive. Several of the graduate students offered comments that helped me to think through some of the implications of my thesis, and offered some connections that I had not yet considered.

I have attended more than a dozen conferences in the past five years. Of those conferences, this is the only one that brought all of the attendees together in worship. Considering that most of the academic conferences I have attended focus on religion and theology, one might find this strange. However, the study of Religion has become an academic discipline similar to all of the other Humanities. The confession of faith has been nearly completely excluded from academic conference proceedings. (This isn't all that different from the classroom. Even during my time in Divinity School, confessional work was frowned upon.)

I witnessed this weekend that the Greek Orthodox tradition does not divorce the academic discipline of theology from worship. I heard several papers at the conference that included confessional statements from the presenters. And as I mentioned, we all worshiped together each morning (matins) and evening (vespers) during the conference. From the Orthodox perspective, right belief and right worship are inseparable. Their fundamental approach to religion is liturgical. This perspective has been lost in Western academia, much to our detriment.

Ben Linus and the Prodigal Son

2010-03-10T10:01:00.008-06:00

Warning: This blog post contains information about last night's episode of Lost.

The gospel reading from this week's lectionary is the story of the prodigal son. A father had two sons. The younger son asked for his inheritance up front, and then squandered all of it. He came to the place of feeding pigs as a servant. One day while wallowing in his hunger, the younger son came to his senses by realizing that his father had supplied his every need. Humbled, the son went back to his father, expecting to be treated as another of the hired hands. But imagine his surprise when the father came running out to the younger son. The father invited all of their friends and family to a party in honor of the younger son, who had come home.

Throughout its six year run there has been a number of connections between Lost and Lent. This is not a surprise. The very name of the show, Lost, has from its inception had dual meanings. Not only are the survivors of a plane crashed lost on an island, but also their souls are lost, in need of redemption. Lent is a period of time on the Christian calendar in which lost souls are invited to ponder their own mortality and sin.

Last night's episode was another story that invited us to see with eyes of faith. If there was ever a man who was in need of redemption, it was Benjamin Linus. Here is a man who not only has committed one of the worst crimes possible, patricide, but has apparently gone even further and committed some form of deicide. True, he was manipulated into murdering Jacob, but he killed the shadowy figure nonetheless -- and after Jacob offered him another path.

What struck me about last night's episode was that Jacob managed to demonstrate grace to Ben even after death, and despite his horrible crimes. According to Miles, Jacob's final thought was a hope that he was wrong about Ben. In other words, Ben was wrong -- Jacob did care. When Ben cried to Ilana that Locke/Man in Black/Smoke Monster was the only one who would have him, Ilana (who said earlier that Jacob was like a father to her) replied that she would have him. No doubt that Miles' revelation about Jacob's final thought was sitting at the front of his mind as Ilana said this. And for a man who cannot forgive himself, Ilana's display of grace must have felt like a oasis of water in the arid desert.

The prodigal son's story is really the story of each one of us. According to the gospel, we are all in need of grace of redemption. Ben's crimes might be horrifying to us, but we are all fallen and corrupt creatures. In season six, Lost has become the mirror that reflects our need of grace and redemption back towards us. But do we have the humility to admit our hunger, put aside our pride, and return to the Father?

Pappas Patristic Institute

2010-03-09T09:07:00.002-06:00

I am attending the Pappas Patristic Institute this weekend at the Holy Cross Greek Orthodox School of Theology. The conference program can be found here.

I am pleased to be the first presenter on the first day of presentations. All of my nervous energy can be immediately released, and I will be able to enjoy the rest of the weekend.

The conference schedule is packed, but having never been to Boston before, I am hoping that at some point there will be time to do some limited sight seeing. The sight that I most want to see, Fenway Park, is open for tours during the late morning and early afternoon hours. Looking at the schedule, I do not see available time to make that tour possible. Besides, I want to actually attend a game, and a tour of the park would just be the next best thing. Maybe I should wait on Fenway for a time when we can visit during the baseball season?

Spurgeon on Technology

2010-03-08T18:05:00.004-06:00

In the midst of a sermon on the gospel, Charles Spurgeon made the point that his parishioners ought not to "disbelieve" the gospel because it is surprising. He goes on to say:

"Let us remember, dear friends, that many things which we know to be true would not have been believed by our fathers if they had been revealed to them. I feel morally certain that there were many generations of Englishmen who, if they could have been informed that men would travel at forty or fifty miles an hour over the surface of the earth, drawn without horses by a steam engine, would have shaken their heads, and laughed such a prediction to scorn. Even a little time ago, if some one had prophesied that we should be able to speak across the Atlantic in a single instant, and speedily obtain a reply, by a cable that should be laid along the ocean's bottom, we ourselves could not have conceived it to be possible. How could it be? And yet these things are common every-day facts with us now. Do let us, therefore, expect that when we come to deal with what is more wonderful than creation, and far more wonderful than any of the inventions of man, we should meet with things which will be hard to be believed. Let us willingly give up our heart and soul to receive the impress of the truth, and constantly exercise a simple faith in what God reveals."

C.H. Spurgeon, "The New Fashion" preached in 1875 in London

In past semesters, I have remarked to my students that despite our proximity of age, much has changed since I attended college in the early 90s. For example, we did not have the internet or cell phones to help us communicate with one another. I found books and articles in the Belmont library via card catalog.

I wonder what Spurgeon would have said if someone had prognosticated that travel to the moon would be possible in less than a century from the time he spoke these words? No doubt he would have replied that the inventions of man are indeed wonderful -- but no matter how great they are, they do not compare with the greatness of the gospel.

Charles Freeman: A.D. 381

2010-03-03T13:08:00.002-06:00

A.D. 381: Heretics, Pagans and the Dawn of the Monotheistic State
Charles Freeman

A.D. 381: Heretics, Pagans and the Dawn of the Monotheistic State may be the first academic book I have read that included a statement from the author of religious conviction. In the preface, Freeman addresses the criticism he received from his previous book, The Closing of the Western Mind. Freeman’s critics charged him as an author who “opposed Christianity.” I have not read that book, but it seems likely that he will receive similar criticism for A.D. 381.

Freeman’s thesis in A.D. 381 is that Theodosius I, emperor of the Roman Empire, issued an edict in the year 381 that gave imperial support to “orthodox” Christianity. Orthodox (or Nicene) Christianity was to be defined by belief in the Trinity: Father, Son, and Holy Spirit, so that the three persons of the Trinity were of one essence.

While Freeman does delve into some of the theological nuances of this debate that had continued for about 60 years, his focus is really into the historical implications of that edict. He argues that Theodosius’ edict suppressed freedom of thought, such that religious toleration would not return to Europe until the 17th century.

While the title of Freeman’s project targets a specific year, his historical research covers a span of about a thousand years. He provides a historical narrative of Theodosius' rise to imperial power, and then explores the relationship between the Church and State from Constantine’s Edict of Milan (313) to the Council of Constantinople (381). This is a time of deeply complex philosophical and theological debates, and for a historian, Freeman manages to successfully condense these difficult ideas to his audience. In the closing chapters Freeman traces what he believes to be the historical consequences of Theodosius’ edict in Europe all the way up to the beginning of the modern era.

However much applause Freeman deserves for his historical research and knack for digesting difficult concepts into readable narratives, I ultimately reject his thesis. He claims that Theodoret’s edict put an end to religious discourse after 381. “Throughout the empire, debate that had been lively until 380 now withered and within Christian communities respect for authority was now placed above intellectual freedom. (130)” This is patently false, for two reasons.

First, Theodosius’ edict was just one in a long line of imperial incursions in the Christian church. One of the unforeseen consequences of Constantine’s toleration of Christianity was that Emperors began interfering in ecclesiastical affairs on a regular basis. The council of Nicaea met in 325 because Constantine called for the bishops of the Christian churches to settle a dispute. And when a handful of bishops refused to agree to the creed established at the council, Constantine exiled them from their respective cities. Over the course of the next four decades, Athanasius, bishop of the churches in Alexandria, was exiled by Roman emperors from his home on five different occasions. As the debate between Eusebians and Nicenes and Homoians and Anomians continued throughout the fourth century, all of the emperors took sides and favored one party over the others. That Theodosius would do the same was not surprising, nor was it a permanent action whose consequences lasted for over a millennium.

Second, even after Theodosius issued the edict and the Council of Constantinople endorsed Nicene theology, religious debates did not cease. “Catholics” and “Arians” continued to debate Trinitarian ideas for decades to come. And I know of no theologian who has concluded that the Nicene theology eventually became catholic dogma simply because of imperial pressure. (This was another of Freeman’s arguments. He claims that the Church would never have come to a consensus on the Trinitarian controversy without Theodosius’ involvement.) In addition, paganism did not simply cease to exist after 381, nor did political suppression bring it to an unceremonious death soon afterwards. Pagans were still populated in many areas well into the sixth and seventh centuries.

Freeman is not completely off course with this book. If he offered some nuance, rather than these extreme arguments, then his book could come nearer to historical accuracy. For example, most historians would agree that by the medieval period, we do find religious intolerance. But you cannot attach a specific date (such as 381 A.D.) and claim that religious persecution begins then. If Freeman wanted to say that the influence of imperial laws on religious beliefs in the fourth century was a significant movement towards the religious persecution that we find in medieval Europe, then I would be on board. But I cannot agree Theodosius’ edict shut down religious debate, nor that it sparked an age of intolerance.

The End of a Writing Session

2010-02-26T12:51:00.004-06:00

Over the Christmas break, I subscribed to an e-mail listserv that was organized by a Columbia professor. The listserv specifically targeted graduate students. I received more than a dozen e-mails, all of which provided motivation to work on dissertation projects during the holidays.

One of the suggestions offered by this listserv helped me this morning. Professional writers suggest that at the end of a writing session, it is helpful to make a list of reminders for the next day. (And of course, the most emphasized suggestion by professional writers is to write every day.) I have been guilty far too many times of finishing a paragraph and shutting down the computer without knowing what comes next. Then, when I pick up the books and computer the next day, I have forgotten what I needed to work on next.

The net result is not just that I need more time to start over in the middle of a section/paragraph. The problem is that I begin the day feeling paralyzed about starting work from scratch.

Last night I followed through on this advice to make a list of reminders. I stopped working just before I finished a section. Next to my computer I left open the book that I was reading. I shut down the document, but knew exactly where I needed to pick up this morning. And voila! this morning I sat down, and picked up exactly where I left off, and finished that section. Doing this got my morning off to a good start, and I am already feeling more productive about the rest of this day. (I realize the irony of stopping work to write this down in a blog.)

I know this sounds simple and elementary. But sometimes just the smallest things get forgotten in the middle of such a labyrinthine project as a dissertation chapter.

Spurgeon on silence

2010-02-24T23:25:00.003-06:00

Baptists are not known for their theology of silence, but Spurgeon preached an entire sermon on it.

"This is a noisy age, and the Church of Christ herself is too noisy. We have very little silent worship, I fear. I do not so much regret the absence of silence from the public assembly as from our private devotions, where it has a sacred hallowing influence, unspeakably valuable. ... Keep silence and consider. I would suggest to every Christian that he sit a while before God when he reaches his home, and worship with the silence of awe, with the silence of shame, and then with the silence of careful thought concerning these things." -- Charles Spurgeon, "Solemn Pleadings for Revival". A sermon delivered on January 3, 1875 at the Metropolitan Tabernacle.

Robert Louis Wilken: The Spirit of Early Christian Thought

2010-02-23T10:13:00.008-06:00

I finished reading Robert Louis Wilken's The Spirit of Early Christian Thought (2003) today. Here are seven reflections:

1. This is a good text for a) an upperclass religion major or b) a seminary student or c) anyone wanting an introduction to patristic thought. Initially I was surprised at Wilken's choice of audience, since this book is something of a capstone at the end of his long and distinguished career. (He is now professor emeritus at the University of Virginia.) But once I realized that Wilken's goal was to try and capture the "whole" of Christian thinking in the church's formative years, I settled in and enjoyed the book for what it was. For professors who teach introductory courses to patristic theology or the history of the early Church, The Spirit of Early Christian Thought would make an excellent textbook.

2. Wilken is superb at explaining how the Fathers ground all of their doctrines in Scripture. For patristic neophytes, it is not at all obvious that the Fathers find all of their teachings in the Bible. They are often as adept at quoting Plato or Cicero as they are Jesus or Paul. The first time I read Origen's cosmology, it was difficult to see how it squared with the Genesis account -- despite how often he would quote from the Old Testament, his exegesis was alien to me. Wilken seems to understand this as he patiently explains the biblical foundation of various patristic ideas.

3. As mentioned above, the Fathers are also quick to quote from their inherited Greek and Latin traditions. On a number of occasions Wilken explained which philosophical school gave birth to certain ideas that became patristic dogma. For those students who do not have a strong background in ancient philosophy, Wilken's brief introductions to classical thought are chronically helpful.

4. Chapter 11, "Likeness to God," is a section that I will return to upon the commencement of my next dissertation chapter. Wilken explores the vast writings that emerged in the third and fourth centuries on the lives of holy men and women. The fourth chapter in my dissertation will focus on the accounts of the desert monks in the ecclesiastical histories. Wilken provided good introductory material about the classical emphasis on imitation and virtue, concluding with its' metamorphosis into Christian stories.

5. Beginning students of patristic theology are often surprised by some of the complex doctrines that developed in the early church. Wilken is helpful in summarizing these complex ideas in simple language.

6. I do have one negative critique of The Spirit of Early Christian Thought. For young students who read it as an introductory text, they can easily perceive the illusion that all church Fathers thought monolithically about many of their teachings. Wilken does not try to demonstrate doctrinal development, and only occasionally does he show the Fathers in disagreement with each other (i.e. Augustine and Pelagius; Athanasius and Arius). Of course, Wilken was intentional about not trying to write a book about doctrinal development, and he sought the audience of the general reader. So in a way, this is an unfair criticism. Still, I looked for some form of comment to the general reader about such development, and did not find one.

7. The final chapter emphasizes that the Fathers sought intellectual excellence not out of some academic achievement, nor did they seek knowledge for knowledge's sake. Rather, the "Christian intellectual tradition is an exercise in thinking about the God who is known and seeking the One who is loved." In a post-modern world where Augustine and Origen are more likely to be read in the classroom instead of the church, this is a significant reminder. And it is a note that I think is proper for the conclusion of a book about the theology of the Church Fathers.

Tertullian on patience

2010-02-22T21:17:00.004-06:00

During my teenage years, I remember owning a button that read: "God give me patience...but hurry!" I also remember being warned that if one prays for patience, be prepared (read: anxious) for God to put you into situations that require it. Looking back now, that is a fearful way to think about cultivating a virtue.

"For Tertullian the singular mark of patience is not endurance or fortitude but hope. To be impatient, says Tertullian, is to live without hope. Patience is grounded in the Resurrection. It is life oriented toward a future that is God's doing, and its sign is longing, not so much to be released from the ills of the present, but in anticipation of the good to come. Hence patience becomes the key to the other virtues, including love, which can never be learned, he says, 'without the exercise of patience.'" -- Robert Louis Wilken, The Spirit of Early Christian Thought, p. 284

A Holy Discontent

2010-02-20T15:57:00.002-06:00

Ben Witherington wrote an excellent article today for Beliefnet. I wanted to highlight it for two reasons:

1) He leads off the article with a picture of Nicaea. I am currently writing a dissertation chapter on the Council of Nicaea (325). He gives no reason for including this picture in this particular article, so that is kind of odd.

2) His topic of "holy discontent" articulates an issue with which I have been struggling for some number of months now. On the one hand, I want and need to be content with where God has brought me and who I am as a disciple of Christ. But on the other hand, I resist the temptation to be content with myself. We all need to strive to be more faithful, more obedient. We are not perfect yet, as Christ has called us to be (Matthew 5). I sense, in talking with others, that many of us struggle with this very thing.

Mutual Fellowship with God

2010-02-20T15:32:00.002-06:00

"This peace for which the city of God yearns is a 'perfectly ordered and harmonious fellowship in the enjoyment of God,' a peace of 'enjoying one another in God.' Notice that Augustine's language is social, not individualistic. He does not say 'fellowship with God,' but enjoying one another in God or, as one translator has it, a 'mutual fellowship in God.' Augustine's controlling metaphor for the new life that God creates is not, for example, being born again, but becoming part of a city and entering into its communal life. When the Scriptures speak of peace they do not have in mind simply a relation between an individual believer and God; in the Bible peace is a gift that human beings share in communion with God. In a hymn to the church in an early writing Augustine said, 'You unite together citizens to citizens, nations to nations, indeed the whole human race ... so that all are joined together not simply as a social organization but as a family.'"

-- Robert Wilken, The Spirit of Early Christian Thought, p. 195

My First Marathon, Part II: Monasticism

2010-02-18T18:20:00.007-06:00

“Therefore, since we have so great a cloud of witnesses surrounding us, let us also lay aside every encumbrance and the sin which so easily entangles us, and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us, fixing our eyes on Jesus, the author and perfecter of faith, who for the joy set before Him endured the cross, despising the shame, and has sat down at the right hand of the throne of God.” – Hebrews 12:1-2

In part I, I made reference to Antony the Great. Antony went into the desert to live as a hermit, so that he could train himself to walk the Christian journey in complete obedience to his Lord. In time, thousands of other believers went into the desert to follow him. Most discovered that living in complete solitude, without any trace of community, was too difficult. Indeed, I think that is true. Jesus did not call us to live in solitude. Christians were called to live in community. The Church is the locus of the Christian life. God called us to life together. You may not be able to run the race for me, nor I for you, but we are all called to run the same race. And we can encourage one another, support one another, and lift each other up when the race gets too difficult. Or, to use another of Paul’s metaphors, the Church is one body – not multiple bodies.

The early Christian hermits came to understand this truth. They formed themselves into communities, which later came to be called monasteries. They organized themselves under rules, which were not meant to be legalistic restrictions. (Remember, according to Paul, we are no longer slaves to the Law.) Instead, these “rules” provided instructions for how to discipline oneself to live together in community, so that the community lived in obedience to Christ. In other words, by living according to the rule, the monks found the freedom to walk in obedience.

By living together in community, we find the strength to exercise, and to discipline ourselves, so that we can together grow towards maturity. When I am weak in the faith, you are there to help me up and carry me when it becomes too difficult to walk. When you are weak in the faith, I am there to help you up and carry you when it becomes too difficult to walk.

**********

As much as I trained to run the Austin marathon, I needed a community of friends to help me complete the race.

First and foremost, I want to credit Jennifer. She was my biggest cheerleader in all the months of training. She probably read more of the Jeff Galloway “bible” than I did. She encouraged me to do all the training runs. We talked about my preparation for months and months ahead of the race. After some of my longer training runs she massaged my leg muscles and even my feet (there is no bigger sacrifice than that!!!).

Weeks before the race, Jennifer began recruiting friends to come down to Austin and cheer me on. Josh Ward was the first to commit – and he not only committed to come down on race day, but he volunteered to drive us down there the day before the race, accompany Jennifer to the various stops to cheer for me, and then drive us home. If you look up the definition of “giving” in the dictionary, you would find a picture of Josh.

Josh’s wife, Maureen, came down the morning of the race with our friend Will Telfer. They made a sign that read “We (heart) Scott” on one side, and “Scott is freakin’ awesome” on the other side. I often pride myself in being independent – never wanting to draw attention to myself. But I must admit that on race day – when the finish line is 26 miles away – I wanted people to cheer me on by name. That kind of individual attention can push one further a few more yards….or in my case, a few more miles.

Wes Eades also drove down on race day. I probably relied on Wes’ marathon experience and expertise more than anyone else on the weeks leading up to the race.

I also need to send a shout out to Rick Brumback and his family. They put us up in their house the night before the race. In addition, they entertained us with a John Pinette video that provided some words of encouragement during my run. I can’t tell you how many times I repeated the mantra of “ravioli’s and a nap” over the course of 26 miles.

The morning of the race was cool, but not cold (low 40s), with an overcast sky. It was nearly ideal weather conditions for a long distance run. Josh and Jenn dropped me off on Congress Ave, about 3 or 4 blocks south of the river that divides downtown from South Austin. It was as close as they could get me to the starting line before the streets were closed off. From there I walked up the street to the starting line, where I arrived about 5 minutes before 7:00. At that point all I had to do was fight my way through 14,000 runners to get from the front of the line, where the elite runners start, to the back of the line, where the 12 minute milers were stationed.

The race started a couple of minutes after 7:00. From there the mass of humanity had to walk several blocks just to get to the start line. From where I was standing, it took me nearly 8 minutes just to get to the starting line. Even after I crossed the start line, we were all shoulder to shoulder, marching forward like cattle. It’s quite a sight to behold, but its also quite a sight to experience.

For me to run according to plan, i.e. the modified Galloway method, I was supposed to take a short walk break approximately every 5 minutes of the race. But I discovered that it is psychologically impossible to make yourself cease the running form when I was surrounded by thousands of other runners, all of whom are running at a fairly brisk pace in that first two miles. So I ran for about 20 minutes, getting well past the first mile marker, before disciplining myself to stop and take a walk break.

Once I got into my routine of running and walking, the training kicked into place. I found other runners who were near my pace, and kept pace with them so as not to start off too fast. That was one of the most important lessons that Josh drilled into me during our drive down the day before. The temptation is to run at the pace of everyone around you, and they are all going to drop out after 5 miles from exhaustion. Run at the pace you trained at, and you will be ok. I must have taken this lesson to heart, because at the end of the race Wes coyly suggested that I may have reserved too much energy at the beginning. 

The first 3 miles are a slight uphill climb from Congress Ave. to Ben White Blvd. This is the most exciting portion of the race, because you are surrounded by people on all sides, and some of the largest numbers of spectators are along this route. Also, there were approximately 30 musicians/bands along the entire route, and the ones along the first 5 miles are the freshest and most excited in those early minutes/hours. In fact, there was one praise band that played in front of a church around mile 11, and they quit before I reached them – because their church service had begun. I’m not sure if that was supposed to be motivation to run faster? At another point in the race I ran in front of a house that was guarded by a 5 or 6 year old boy playing his drum set. Another house had stereo speakers in the front yard and blared out rock music to everyone running by them. So I enjoyed the musicians who played during the first half of the marathon, but those musicians either grew sparser during the second half, or just quit playing altogether. Not that I blame them – who wants to play for 6 consecutive hours?

At Ben White Blvd the runners took a right turn, and after a block came back up 1st Ave towards downtown. So that slight uphill run we had endured now became a slight downhill run for the next 3 miles. It was around mile 6, just before crossing the river again, that I found Josh and Jennifer for the first time. By this time the weather had warmed up enough that I handed them my long sleeve shirt, and just ran with a short sleeve shirt and shorts. I probably got my first smile on my face at this point, because I was starting to worry that they lost me or gave up on me. ;)

I later found out that they were worried that they had missed me. Unlike many of the other runners, I didn’t keep my cell phone with me. (Seriously – I lost count of how many runners were carrying on conversations. “Hey, just wanted to let you know we’re at mile 6. Feelin’ great!”) The only things I carried were an ipod and ibuprofen.

Coming back across the river there were even more spectators, which is always encouraging. To anyone who has volunteered at one of these races: you cannot know how encouraging and motivating it is to hear complete strangers cheer you on as if you are the most important person in the world at that very moment. I trained for 11 months without hearing one single cheer. Suddenly I’m running 26 miles and there are people cheering me along at every step of the way. It’s tremendously uplifting. It almost felt like someone put wings under my shoes.

After crossing the river we started moving west along Cesar Chavez and then Lake Austin Blvd. This is where the course started to find some real hills. Admission: I forgot to train for hills. I know that sounds hard to believe, but it is true. In the final months leading up to the marathon I made a mental note to run some miles through Cameron Park. But in my haste to get in some long runs, I forgot to include any hill training. I don’t know if my high school cross country training came back to me or not, but I actually found strength in myself at this point of the race. I took the hills as a challenge. It also didn’t hurt that at the bottom of one hill the soundtrack from Rocky started playing on my ipod, and I pictured myself climbing that hill just as Rocky had climbed the Philadelphia courthouse stairs. It was truly an inspired moment.

After mile 11 the marathon course separated from the half-marathon course, and that is where Josh, Jenn, and now Wes found me. Here is also where they fed me a banana and a power bar, which I dearly needed. I am still surprised at how little food the marathon provides for the runners. Yes, they provide plenty of water and powerade. (There was an average of one water station per mile.)

But I didn’t find a single water station that provided any food or gel packs. There was one lady, who was not a race volunteer, who held a sign proclaiming “Stranger with Candy”. I laughed and then took a packet of skittles from her. And there was another lady, again unassociated with the race itself, who handed out Hershey’s kisses. But the race organizers themselves made no provisions for food. I still find that odd. But let me give credit to the people manning the water stations. They were great. Many of them called me out by name. Most of them had smiles on their faces as they held out the water cups. Race volunteers are the heart of any marathon, and they deserve far more credit than they receive.

Josh ran with me for about a half mile at the 11 mile mark. At one point we were on a bridge crossing the interstate, and he pointed me towards the capitol building. “Look, you ran all this way.” That capitol building looked like it was half of the state of Texas in distance away from me. Somehow I was encouraged by having run that far. And strangely, it didn’t occur to me to be discouraged by the fact that I had to run that far to get back to the capitol building, where the race ended. I must have been suffering from a mental breakdown.

It was around miles 15 and 16 that the race gets the most depressing. There was one lengthy stretch along Great Northern Blvd that felt like the Great Nowhere. On one side of the street was a lonely stretch of houses, and along the other side of the street was a railroad track, bordered by Mopac. For what felt like miles and miles the race just got boring. And here I was, thinking that as great as I had done to get to mile 16, I still had 10 more miles to go. To quote Charlie Brown, “aaaarrrrrggggghhhhhhhh”. It was like the marathon organizers were Lucy, pulling the football out from under my foot at the last second.

Fortunately for me, it was at mile 17 that my cheering section found me yet again. I’m sure my heart grew 3 times its normal size at the sight of them, as I needed to hear their encouragement at the loneliest point along the route. They walked beside me for what might have been an entire mile, while I ate a power bar, drank more water, and listened to them tell me stories about other runners, and how they found me along the route. Wes and Josh also told me that once I made it to mile 23, they were going to jump into the race and run alongside me to the finish.

I do not recall much of anything from the time they left me until they caught up with me at mile 23. The route went through a number of neighborhoods, with more Austin residents sitting in their front yard cheering us on. Good to their word, Josh and Wes jumped into the race and ran alongside me. They pushed me to keep running when all I wanted to do was just walk a little further. Josh decided to play a game of counting how many runners we passed in the final 3 miles – I do not recall the final count, but it was more than I would have passed by myself. They were excited that we passed the guy who carried the American flag for the entire race. Apparently I had fallen well behind him in the middle of the race (by 4 or 5 minutes), but caught up with him at mile 24. This was considered a success by Josh and Wes.

We ran through the University of Texas campus, and the route took us right to the front step of the capitol building. Josh had one final encouragement – don’t take a walk break during that last half mile. Finish the race strong. And I did just that. Fortunately, the final half mile was downhill from the capitol building to the finish line. That might have helped a bit. But the truth is that I needed and wanted Josh and Wes to run those final miles with me. Running with them was better than running alone.

I finished with a time of 5 hours, 55 minutes. And as I write this, four days later, I made it 26.2 miles without injury. And my soreness is mostly gone, although I still feel my thighs hurt a bit when I walk down stairs.

Was it worth it? I can say “yes” without any reservations. I kept a promise to myself that was more than twenty years old. I found out that I can indeed set myself an impossible goal, and meet it. And along the way, I discovered that I have some pretty darn good friends – and that my wife is, indeed, my best cheerleader.

My First Marathon, Part I: Asceticism

2010-02-18T18:15:00.005-06:00

“Do you not know that those who run in a race all run, but only one receives the prize? Run in such a way that you may win.” – 1 Corinthians 9:24

The Apostle Paul applied the metaphor of a race to the Christian journey in one of his letters to the church in Corinth. His point was that running requires discipline. Each one of us must discipline our bodies if we are to run in a race. Imagine going out to run a marathon without doing any training. The pain would be excruciating. Also, it goes without saying that you would not win the race. Only those who have disciplined their bodies through exercise and training have given themselves any chance to win the race.

How does this translate to the Christian journey? Christians are called to exercise self-control, both in body and soul. It is interesting that Paul’s use of the running metaphor comes at the end of his discussion of liberty. We are free; we are no longer a slave to the Law. And yet, with this freedom Paul urges the Corinthian believers to discipline themselves to resist immorality and idolatry. We have been freed from the yoke of the law, so that we can run the race without such burdens holding us back.

There is one other truth that is more subtle. You cannot run the race for me, nor can I run the race for you. I can only run my own race, and you can only run your race. I cannot exercise on your behalf, nor can you exercise on my behalf. Even if I train far beyond what I need to do in order to win the race, I cannot take that extra training and apply it to your body. We are each responsible for our own journey.

The early Christian ascetics understood that the path of discipleship required training the entire person. They did not divide the body and the soul as we Westerners do today. The Christian person (according to the ancients) is made up of body, soul, and nous. Monks such as Antony the Great moved into the desert to train himself as a Christian disciple. His training was rigorous. He prayed every day, all day long. He fasted continually. He lived by himself in an abandoned fort for twenty years, disciplining himself to be completely obedient to his Lord. After twenty years he emerged, and the story goes that his face glowed like Moses did after his encounter with God on Mount Sinai.

**********

My marathon story begins twenty years ago. Or you could say that it begins twenty months ago. Both answers are right.

As a teenager in Memphis during the 1980s, I ran for AAU, and completed more 5k road races than I can remember. I lettered in track for my junior high team. I even trained to run cross country for my high school team one fall, before discovering a conflict with Knowledge Bowl practices. But like millions of teenagers, once I turned sixteen and discovered the freedom of driving, that spelled the end of my running career.

However, I made myself a promise before I turned sixteen – and subsequently turned my back on exercise and good health. My family volunteered to serve water to the runners of the Memphis marathon. While I had run distances up to the 10k, I could not even fathom the possibility of running 26.2 miles. But as I watched runner after runner take water from my hand, I made myself a promise that one day I would complete a marathon.

Fast forward to twenty months ago. I wrote a recap of the half marathon that Jennifer and I completed in December 2008 in Dallas here. The short story is that Jenn and I agreed to run a half marathon, partially as a means of sharing the experience with friends, and partially as an activity that we could do together. We did this despite knowing that our bodies were twenty years older, and neither one of us had run more than 1 mile since our introduction to physical education course during the freshman year of college.

But once I discovered that I could run 13.1 miles, it only whetted my appetite to follow through and run 26.2. The promise I made internally as a teenager was not to complete a half marathon – I promised myself that I would run a full marathon. When would I get a better opportunity to complete that goal than right now?

I started training in March, according to the Jeff Galloway method. One fact about my half marathon training was immediately apparent – it would not suffice for finishing a full marathon. In preparation for the half marathon, my base training run was 2.4 miles. (Why 2.4 miles? That is the distance of the Bear Trail, which circles the campus of Baylor.) I figured that if I was preparing to run twice that distance, I needed to double the base training run. So I ran 4.8 miles, at least 3 days per week, from March until February – with only a couple of exceptions due to injury.

Interestingly enough, I had 2 injuries that stopped me from running during the 11 months of training. And neither of those injuries was actually incurred from running.

My first injury was in late July. I attended a church fellowship that followed on the heels of Expressions, which is DaySpring’s version of vacation bible school. I mention this because the kids had laid down a tarp on a hill and turned it into a water slide. Sounds like fun, right? It was, even after I went down the water slide chest first and injured a rib. I immediately knew something was wrong, because my chest felt very tender. And when I tried to run that next day, I couldn’t take two steps before my lungs felt like a hot poker was stabbing them.

So I took off 5 weeks from running after that little incident. That caused me to push back my goal from running the San Antonio marathon in November to the Austin marathon in February. So my training increased from 8 months to 11 months.

My second injury occurred in the middle of October. And this one is even more embarrassing. Jenn and I went to a friend’s house to play Settlers of Catan (the greatest board game ever). While I didn’t realize it at the time, I somehow sat at the table in an awkward position, such that I didn’t move my legs for the 3 hours that we played. My calf muscle tightened up so much that I couldn’t run on it for nearly a week afterwards. I look back on this as further proof that my body is getting old. Sigh.

As the weather got colder, my weekly distance runs grew longer. In the final months I went through one stretch where I ran half-marathons in 3 consecutive weeks. My longest distance run was 20 miles, which convinced me that I wasn’t ready yet. The first 15 miles of that 20 mile run went smoothly enough, but I wasn’t sure I was going to finish. I could barely walk afterwards. And then the following week I ran an additional 15 miles. My body must have wondered why I was punishing it so.

Ash Wednesday

2010-02-17T19:45:00.002-06:00

Remember that you are dust, and to dust you shall return.

Psalm 51:1-17
1:1 Have mercy on me, O God, according to your steadfast love; according to your abundant mercy blot out my transgressions.

1:2 Wash me thoroughly from my iniquity, and cleanse me from my sin.

1:3 For I know my transgressions, and my sin is ever before me.

1:4 Against you, you alone, have I sinned, and done what is evil in your sight, so that you are justified in your sentence and blameless when you pass judgment.

1:5 Indeed, I was born guilty, a sinner when my mother conceived me.

1:6 You desire truth in the inward being; therefore teach me wisdom in my secret heart.

1:7 Purge me with hyssop, and I shall be clean; wash me, and I shall be whiter than snow.

1:8 Let me hear joy and gladness; let the bones that you have crushed rejoice.

1:9 Hide your face from my sins, and blot out all my iniquities.

1:10 Create in me a clean heart, O God, and put a new and right spirit within me.

1:11 Do not cast me away from your presence, and do not take your holy spirit from me.

1:12 Restore to me the joy of your salvation, and sustain in me a willing spirit.

Marathon completed!

2010-02-14T18:53:00.000-06:00

I am working on a review of the race now. Details forthcoming...

Reason #42 why I love Baylor

2010-02-11T14:11:00.004-06:00

Reason #42 why I love being a graduate student at Baylor:

One of my colleagues in the Graduate Program of Religion just advised me of an open faculty position at a local college. He is applying for the job -- and still suggested that I apply for the same job, despite the fact that I would be his competition.

This is one of the things I love about being at Baylor rather than some other place. Graduate students are notorious for being "cutthroat" with their colleagues when it comes to faculty placements. After all, we are competing against one another for the same jobs. But at Baylor, the atmosphere is far more congenial. My classmates have been encouraging and supportive throughout the entire process.

The faculty in the graduate program have managed to recruit students who see each other as community rather than competition. Let's hope that spirit remains long after I finally do get a faculty appointment.

Conference Update

2010-02-01T21:37:00.002-06:00

In the past week I have received final confirmation that my papers were accepted to be read for the Pappas Patristic Institute conference in Boston (March) and the National Association of Patristics Studies in Chicago (May).

Here is my upcoming conference itinerary:

Pappas Patristic Institute -- Brookline, MA -- March 11-13
National Association of Patristics Studies -- Chicago, IL -- May 27-29
College Theology Society -- Portland, OR -- June 3-6

Donald Miller: A Million Miles in a Thousand Years

2010-01-18T22:27:00.009-06:00

Donald Miller: A Million Miles in a Thousand Years

In the past decade, Donald Miller has written three of my favorite books. Blue Like Jazz has already become a beloved book by many Christians. Searching for God Knows What was an even more mature book, even though it did not capture quite the same size of audience. And now comes A Million Miles in a Thousand Years, which returns to some of the same themes as Blue Like Jazz.

Miller began writing his newest work when he received an offer to adapt Blue Like Jazz into a movie. I recall hearing about this adaptation, and wondering how it was possible. BLJ is a collection of stories and spiritual reflections. How does that translate to the big screen? Miller discovers that the screenwriters need to work with him about creating such a story. And this process of writing a screenplay about his (virtual) life gets him thinking about, well, his (real) life. In a way, one could say that A Million Miles in a Thousand Years his Donald Miller’s answer to Monty Python’s immortal question: what is the meaning of life?

What Miller discovers through the process of adapting his life to a screenplay is that everyone’s life tells a story. The working definition that he and his roommate find for “story” is this: A story is a character who wants something and overcomes conflict to get it. If you check out the Table of Contents, he tells you this up front. And the sections of the book are adumbrated by that definition.

I read this book nearly a month ago, and have been pondering its implications since then. Many of Miller’s reflections and stories have stayed with me as I have wondered about my own life. What kind of story am I telling with my life? What kind of character am I in my own story? Why do we do some of the things that we do with our life? Or is my life just a random series of unrelated events with no meaning?

There are currently two events that are competing for the majority of my time: 1. My doctoral dissertation. 2. Marathon training. In each case, I am the main character of those stories. The dissertation only gets written if I write it. The marathon only gets run if I run it. No one else can complete those projects for me. In both cases, I am having to overcome conflict to get them. With the marathon, the conflict is my own physical and mental stamina. 20 months ago, I couldn’t even run 1 mile. Now I am on the verge of running 26.2. With the dissertation, I have never written a paper longer than 30 pages. Now I am on the verge of writing a 200 page book. In both cases, I have to overcome fears and doubts about my capability of finishing such long term projects. I have never written a dissertation, nor have I ever run a marathon. Am I capable of completing either or both projects?

A Million Miles in a Thousand Years did not only ask me to think of myself as the main character in a story about my life. It also required me to think about the other characters in that story. Life doesn’t happen individually – it happens together. Some of my favorite stories from Miller’s include those in which other people impacted him in ways that changed Miller forever. One of those stories includes a man named Bob. Bob and his kids were bored one New Year’s Day when they decided to do something that would alleviate the boredom. The kids came up with the idea of hosting a parade on their street. They even decided to invite their neighbors. But the catch was that no one was allowed to watch the parade. Everyone was required to participate in the parade. The point of the story, for Miller, was that a good storyteller does not just tell a good story. A good storyteller invites other people into the story, and that makes a better story (p. 236).

That last point has stuck with me since reading this book nearly a month ago. How do I go about inviting other people into the stories that I am writing? It seems to me that Miller would appreciate the fact that I am still pondering this question, and that it is the question that I was left with as I finished reading his book.

Upcoming Semester

2010-01-12T11:39:00.005-06:00

I am writing a new blog post today for two reasons:

1) I have not written anything of substance in weeks;
2) I am procrastinating from writing anything of (dissertation) substance today. ;)

In December I commented that my proposal for the North American Patristic Studies conference in Chicago (May 2010) was submitted. Since then I have submitted proposals for two more conferences this spring. First, I have submitted a proposal to the Pappas Patristic Institute at Holy Cross college in Massachusetts in March. Second, I have submitted (and already received notice of acceptance!) a proposal to the College Theology Society conference that is meeting in Portland, Oregon in June.

I have never been to either Massachusetts or Oregon. While I did not submit proposals to these conferences merely to mark off two more states from my I-Have-Visited-There-List, I may have been dually motivated to present my dissertation research at these particular venues. Oregon, in particular, is sure to be more pleasant in June than Texas. Additionally, I have already suggested to Jennifer that this trip might make a good summer vacation. On the table at the moment is the possibility that we will rent a car and drive up to Seattle for a couple of days before flying back home. I have never been to the Pacific Northwest, so this seems like a particularly opportune time. Jennifer lived there for four years in her childhood, so she can our own personal tour guide.

While there may or may not be opportune times to visit Massachusetts, I am disappointed to be potentially visiting New England outside of baseball season. One of my bucket list items is to attend a game at Fenway Park. What else is there to do in New England? (That last comment is intentionally sarcastic -- I am a history buff, there are more historical sites to visit than I could possibly do in one or two days.)

While the Portland conference is confirmed, I await word from Chicago and Boston. One motivating factor about the Holy Cross conference is that a final draft of that paper is due March 1. Since I have submitted a paper proposal that is taken out of chapter 3, that gives me great incentive to finish this chapter in the coming month. It feels like I have been working on this chapter forever. Time to move on.

In addition, the paper I submitted to Portland in June will be the core of chapter 4. So my goal this semester is to finish chapters 3 and 4, and present them at these conferences. This is shaping up to be an exciting season of research and writing!

Cormac McCarthy: The Road

2010-01-10T14:31:00.007-06:00

" A father and his son walk alone through burned America. Nothing moves in the ravaged landscape save the ash on the wind. ... The sky is dark. Their destination is the coast, although they don't know what, if anything, awaits them there. They have nothing; just a pistol to defend themselves against the lawless bands that stalk the road, the clothes they are wearing, a cart of scavenged food -- and each other."

At the beginning of the Christmas break, I solicited suggestions for reading material. I do not read for pleasure often enough, and I was determined to do just that this holiday season. I received nearly two dozen novel suggestions. The book I selected was Cormac McCarthy's The Road. I chose this particular novel for two reasons. First, a movie adaptation was released in November, and it was receiving critical acclaim. Second, the book itself was a Pulitzer Prize award winner.

As one might expect from the description, I expected the novel to be somewhat dark and grim. But I really had no idea to what extent it would fulfill my expectations. To give you some idea of the measure of depression, the two main characters of the story are a father and his young son. They are never named throughout the story. In fact, no one in the novel is ever named. What use are names in this world?

The Road is not just dark, it is frightening. If this story does not scare you about the potential aftermath of a post-apocalyptic future, none will. Cities are devoid of people. Birds are extinct. Farming is no longer sustainable. Cannibalism is a common practice. The sun cannot be seen in an eternal winter. Think The Matrix or Terminator but without the machines. It is as bleak a picture as one can imagine.

Why would someone torture himself/herself by reading such a depressing story? The Road is a narrative of survival. The man and son have to trust each other to survive each and every day. McCarthy has written an interesting dynamic between the father and son. The father has become hardened by the world he has witnessed, as it devolved into self-destruction. He no longer trusts anyone they pass on the road, and with good reason. The most helpless person can become an enemy in the blink of an eye. But the son has somehow managed to retain some level of hope. Not only do they believe themselves to be the "good guys," but the son holds hope that there are other "good guys." But how will one ever find out if a stranger is a "good" guy? If you distrust everyone, you can never become vulnerable enough to find out if there is any goodness left in the other.

While there are some interesting themes that come to light in such a dark tale, I would only recommend The Road to a very select audience. There has to be some prior interest in post-apocalyptic narrative to even begin the book. Notice that I have not mentioned any other characters beside the father and son. There are long stretches of the story where they encounter no one but their own shadows and fears. And finding other traveling strangers on the road is not always good news.

Austin 2010

2009-12-29T11:37:00.002-06:00

I am now registered for the 2010 Austin marathon.

The race is on Valentine's Day.

Training is about to get intense. Less than 50 days to go...

NAPS proposal submitted

2009-12-15T16:00:00.001-06:00

Today was the deadline to submit a proposal to NAPS. My proposal has been submitted. Now I cross my fingers...

I have not updated recently, partially because of Thanksgiving break, and partially because there has not been much to update. I am working on a section of a chapter that has really slowed me down. I need to push through it and get it done. Now that the end of the semester is here, maybe I can put aside some things and get it completed.