Some New Heresy

My paper from last years educational ministries class entitled "Playing with Educational Ministry"

It seems paradoxical to think of playing with education. But that is the point! Without play of concepts and knowledge, can there ever be wisdom? For our current education model, we need a ‘call and response’ in order to operate. Play is restricted to gym class and recess. This duelist approach works great in theory, but only if it exists in a vacuum. Vacuums hold no wisdom. I propose that in education, we cannot afford to operate in a vacuum. We are dealing with real people who will respond to our theories in real ways. Real people tend bring things into or to step out of bounds in areas where vacuums can’t operate. We must find a way to educate can hold together in the real world. If we must keep the vacuum, let us then us a quantum vacuum. According to quantum mechanics, the vacuum state is not truly empty but instead contains fleeting electromagnetic waves and particles that pop into and out of existence (“Vacuum State”).

Wisdom then is noticing when waves and particles pop in and out of existence. Wisdom is noticing how the play of light in the floating dust of a room evokes feelings of home. Wisdom is hearing a song on the radio you haven’t heard in a decade and remembering with vivid clarity events forgotten. Wisdom happens when things you know blend into things you experience.

The problem with wisdom is that it is fleeting (Melchert and Profitt). The problem is that wisdom is incredibly hard to test. To compensate for this our education system has concetrated on testable knowledge. Indeed wrote memorization is important, but wisdom occurs in the face of incomplete facts. We may not have all the facts, but that shouldn’t keep us from moving forward. That shouldn’t keep us from trying to gather the facts and look for the interplay between subjects that we know. The education system has negletcted this. We have tilted too far into the realm of utilitarianism.

We are seeing the effects of this in our lagging performance in the world community. The US is producing far less highly techincal professionals (engineers, programmers, etc). and U.S. students do not lead in any assessment (Strauss). We see the same problem in our churches as well. We have many people running around claiming to be Christian and doing very unchristian things. The generations that include late teens to early 30-somethings believe Christians are judgmental, antihomosexual, hypocritical, too political and sheltered (Kinnaman and Lyons). Rather than simply try to do a PR face-lift, we need to develop a way to teach a faith that focuses on holiness but also loves, accepts and works to understand the world around it
This problem is not new. The Danish Philosopher Søren Kierkegaard commented on the state of Christianity when he said, people claim to be “Christian’ without knowing what it means to be Christian. It is also detrimental to the religion itself since it reduces Christianity to a mere fashionable tradition adhered to by unbelieving "believers", a "herd mentality" of the population, so to speak.”

I pains my soul to hear such things. But how do we fix it? I would take a post-modern, post-colonial, deconstructionist approach. What does this mean? It means I know a whole bunch of “university words” that sound impressive. What I’m actually saying in my “de-post” language is that I’m taking a stand to choose. The word for “choose” in Greek is “heresy.”People think heresy is a bad thing. I would argue it’s not. Why is it wrong to choose?! Mainly because the church has declared it so, as they have God nicely boxed and packaged, no need for thought. It’s all figured out. That view, is simply no fun.

Eastern religions and even our parent religion of Judaism has an immense sense of play built right in. Non-orthodox followers of these faiths do not accept things "just because." They must have room for debate. Jews wrestle at the core, in fact the name "Israel" means "to wrestle with God" (El being the word for God). Why wrestle? Well if you've every seen a Greco-Roman wrestling match, you'll note that wrestling is an intimate event. One must know how the opponent's body is positioned and what strategy that person is trying to use to get out of or put the other into a hold. Aside from sex, this is about as intimate as you're going to get.
There is no vacuum in wrestling. The world is sand, in constant flux. The Jewish tradition seems to get that. Plus how they look at the Bible is at a much more complex level than what I’m used to looking at. With this approach, the sense of awe returns. Within that awe, there is a willingness to live within the possibility of each word. The Rabbi's also have developed the midrash, which are collections of stories to help explain the Bible. This sounds like heresy to most Christians, as we tend just to think of what the Bible says but ignore what the Bible does not say. Midrash stories fill in the blanks in the bible. This sense of play and daily application make the stories much more meaningful and the Bible and faith more livable and flexible to the non-static world in which we live.

So the question then becomes how to instill wisdom into a system, which diametrically opposes wisdom. Task learning is a great step forward to recognizing that we live in a quantum vacuum. I certainly will use it within my future ministry. How do we go beyond my future congregation and into the U.S. education? I don’t have the answer for that. But one day, we will.

Works Cited
Kierkegaard, Søren. Concluding Unscientific Postscript to Philosophical Fragments, Princeton University Press, 1992,

Kinnaman, David and Gabe Lyons. “UnChristian; What a New Generation Really Thinks about Christianity… and Why it Matters. Baker Books, 2007.

Melchert, Charles and Anabel Proffitt. “Playing in the Presence of God.”

Schramm, David, "The Big Bang Creation of the Universe", in Quarks, Quasars and Quandries, Ed. Gordon Aubrecht, Amer. Assoc of Physics Teachers, 1987. http://hyperphysics.phy-astr.gsu.edu/Hbase/Astro/hydhel.html

Strauss, Valerie, A Snapshot of the State of U.S. Education. Tuesday, November 21, 2006 The Washington Post. 4 Apr 2008

"Vacuum state." Wikipedia, The Free Encyclopedia. 8 Mar 2008, 05:52 UTC. Wikimedia Foundation, Inc. 4 Apr 2008 .

Wicked Tenants

Given at Trinity Reformed Mountville, October 5, 2008 based on Isaiah 5:1-7 and Matt 21:33-46

We gather today, this Sunday which is World Communion Sunday. The sacrament of the Lord’s Supper is the oldest and I’d say greatest symbol of the Christian church. It reflects our call to commune with the whole world, not just by breaking bread with our fellow Christian, but with the whole world. We are Christians in our neighborhood, our country, and our world. So it is ironic that the parable of the Wicked Tenants falls on this Sunday. I can’t think of a less-communal parable than this one.

I’m going to come right out and say it, I don’t like this parable. I don’t think Jesus said this, I think the early church did.


Now I think the bible is a collection of the most amazing, beautiful, deep, inspired, engaging, and DIFFICULT writings ever. If I didn’t, I wouldn’t be wasting all this time in seminary studying it. The ancient rabbis said that the scriptures are like a 70-sided gem, and each time you turn the gem, the light refracts differently, giving you a reflection you haven’t seen before. And we keep turning the text again and again because we keep seeing things we missed the time before. What a beautiful metaphor.

However, when I hear people say “the bible says…” I am immediately suspicious. The bible doesn’t say ANYTHING! It sits there. It’s up to our interpretation of what it means. The great theologian Karl Barth said that "when we read the bible we aren’t reading the word of God, we’re reading FOR the word of God.”

We’re reading FOR the word of God. In that light, I can read this parable and be challenged by it and yet still recognize that God’s word is still somewhere in this story. And I really don’t have a problem with this story so much, as I do with the interpretation of this story.

So when I hear some people interpret the bible, I just want to throw up. Can I say that? Church is the place for confessing, so I guess I can. Some interpretations are dangerous to humanity.

This story is interpreted to be an allegory, which is a story with two meanings, a literal meaning and a symbolic meaning. The parable of the wicked tenant farmers has long been interpreted as an allegory describing the murderous lengths to which Jews would go to resist God. Murdering the SON allegorized to be Jesus was the last straw. As a result, God abandoned Israel. For the crucifixion, the Jews were to endure extreme punishment: the calling of the gentiles and the casting out of the Jews.

This parable is found in Mark (12:1-12), Luke (20:9-19, and Gospel of Thomas (65-66). Difference between these is that Thomas has the shortest version and the vineyard is not given to “others” as in Matthew but “to a people that produces the fruits of the kingdom.” I’ll repeat that as well, the vineyard is give to “people that produce fruits of the kingdom.”

The parable is set up like a typical share-cropper arrangement. The tenant or renter supplied all the labor in running that vineyard for the year, & then at harvest time the tenant or renter got two-thirds of the harvest, & the owner received one-third! That's the kind of deal that this parable is all about, a simple rental agreement between the tenants & the owner of the vineyard, on a share basis! But trouble began to develop when this group of tenants decided to take more than their fair share! They wanted all of the harvest for themselves, & were even willing to kill for it!
The idea that God has taken the blessing away from the Jews and put it on the Christians has lead to anti-Semitism. This is Christian triumphalism at its worst. Christian triumphalism is like bad sportsmanship. It means we’re rubbing the fact that we won the game, namely God loves US and NOT the Jews. The Jews on the other hand didn’t realize they were playing a game in the first place and have no idea what we’re talking about. How can this claim that WE WIN! GOD LOVES US MORE! NA-NA-NA-Boo-Boo, be advanced by the same people who will, in the same breath, say that God does not change? This is a pretty big change here!

Why do I not like this parable? Actually, I do like it, it does have some positive things in it, I just don’t like how some people interpret it. The idea of the vineyard was a traditional metaphor for Israel as we heard in Isaiah. God has high hopes for Israel, his vineyard, and then it utterly disappointed at Israel’s sins and the future destruction of the vineyard. Wicked Tenants is best read as a criticism about US! NOT a criticism of THE JEWS. It should be read in the light of God’s unfathomable grace and ongoing faithfulness and mercy to all people.

That’s what this parable does; it sets up an “US vs. THEM” mentality. What we need to realize is that there is no THEM! There is only US! We are the wicked tenants. We become that when we think we own something that isn’t ours… namely God’s truth as revealed through Jesus Christ. I’ll testify that I don’t have the market cornered on Jesus. Neither does the UCC, the MCC church down the street, the Methodist church, LCBC, no one. The moment we think we have THE TRUTH we become the wicked tenants. God is still speaking. We are in the process of figuring out the truth, we are living in it. We are looking for God’s revealed word and helping others to do the same.

When Christians announced the way of Jesus as “Good news” they announced it to everyone, Jew and Gentile. However, announcing this caused them to be kicked out of the Jewish community and uninvited to the synagogue. How traumatic that must have been. That is where this parable comes from. So in this parable we see the early Church’s struggle with God’s will. Where you and I can get into trouble is when we think that this excludes any particular person or group from God’s love.

The message of Jesus invites everyone into communion. The sinners and the prostitutes, even the scribes and priests! Here is the most important thing to remember, I can be in communion and still have questions and doubts and room for improvement. No one has it all figured out.

What we need to do is not become the wicked tenants who resist God’s urging. We can learn so much from our Jewish brothers and sisters and we are called to love them! God can speak through rabbis just as easily as through seminary interns and catholic priests and ordained UCC ministers and laypeople—you! So when we think that we have it down, when we think that OUR opinions are the right ones (and we all do, because if we didn’t we’d get new ones) God sends prophets to remind us that we don’t have it all figured out. God sends people to remind us that we must continue to turn the gem of scripture and see how the light refracts.

Jesus talks about this “in and out” in a lot of his teachings. He keeps insisting that the people who assume they are in may not be in and the ones who everyone thinks are out for whatever reason may in fact be in. So let’s not assume that we’re IN and THEY! (whoever THEY are) are out. There’s room in heaven enough for us all if we produce the fruits of the kingdom.

The worst thing we could possibly do is use this parable to hurt our Jewish brothers and sisters. When we do this, we become the wicked tenants. We Christians have been tending our corner of the vineyard for two millennia and our record is spotty at best; shameful and horrible at worst.

Today is world communion Sunday meaning that Christian churches all over the world are celebrating communion. What does communion mean? It’s more than just breaking bread, its breaking bread in remembrance of Jesus and a symbol to all Christians that we are connected through our faith. We are connected to each other and we are called to love our neighbor. If our neighbor is Jewish, we are called to be in communion with them. If our neighbor is Muslim, the same applies. If our neighbor is Black, Asian, homosexual, voting for Obama, McCain or other. This is what it means to be in communion with one another. We are Christians, communion is what we are called to do!

So in the end I say to you, Coexist! Love your neighbors as yourself. The rest is commentary. They’ll know we are Christians by our love. Amen.

Works Cited
Karl Barth, Dogmatics in Outline. Harper Torchbooks 1970.
Origen was the first to talk about the literal and spiritual meanings in his On First Principles around 240 CE.
Rob Bell, Velvet Elvis, Repainting the Christian Faith. Zondervan Publishing 2005.
Julie Galambush, The Reluctant Parting, How the New Testaments’ Jewish Writers Created a Christian Book. HarperCollins, 2005
The "rest is commentary" quote comes from Rabbi Hillel, found in the book Alfred J Kolatch The Second Jewish Book of Why. Jonathan David Publishers, Inc.; Middle Village, New York, 1985

On Conservatives and Liberals

Our professor of Theology here at LTS gave a great theological discussion on both candidate's platforms. He states that Obama is a social gospel theology of help the poor, orphan and widow. McCain is a mix of Purtian and Augustine theology meaning the U.S. is the New Jerusalem and every human needs to live for a higher power. He was very fair, balanced, and one could not tell who he was voting for.

I immediately pegged McCain's theology as false because Augustine of course meant God and Catholic Church as the higher power, but there is where McCain's idolatry enters into the pic. Cody on McCain's Nationalism as Idolatry

It's gotten to the point that when i see a McCain/Palin signs i immediately judge them as "not smart" and dellusional. this not helpful as it counters my idea of inclusion, "we-need-everyone" egalitarianism. Why am i thinking like this?

This video helps, watch and learn! Yay for social science! Thanks to Joel and Angela for the find!



I can't wait until this election is over! I like politics and I'm with Obama 100% but I don't like the division that it creates. Thank God BUSH is out of office now let's all work together and start cleaning this place up! A better American now makes a great America tomorrow!

I'm all about the change within parameters. We'll need our conservative brothers and sisters along to help bring those other three channels into play (just as they'll need us liberals to keep from stagnation). So now when I hear someone is voting for McCain, I'm not at a murderous rage, just mildly annoyed. And that's fine, i own that. It's the first step to trying to be in communion with my fellow republican or libertarian or martian sectarian.

Kate brought to my attention this article in the Washington Post about how 33 Pastors endorsing a candidate FROM THE PULPIT! I think this is awful. As UCC's Rev. Eric Williams put it "The role of the church -- of congregation, synagogue, temple and mosque -- and of its religious leaders is to stand apart from government, to prophetically speak truth to power, and to encourage a national dialogue that transcends the divisiveness of electoral politics and preserves for every citizen our 'first liberty.' "

Where do you stand on this issue? Should churches endorse candidates corporately?

Homecoming 08

Proof that you can go home again! This time was very different as our partners in crime Karen and Nick were busy having Elijah Jack! Here's a picture of the young man and his favorite stuffed animal (there's absolutely NO pressure for him to go to OU ;-))

This also means that Karen's brother and sis-n-law Brian and Katie were busy setting stuff up and welcoming E.J. home. We're looking forward to seeing the happy family this October.

This homecoming felt quite different for many reasons, the biggest being that our running crew wasn't there, but it's still great to get back to Athens and catch up and remember. There's something about Athens in the autumn, the Marching 110 and Bobcat's football! 51-31 over VMI, it was a great game.

You can view all the lovely photos at EAG's site here.

Some other goings on are: the recently-married Rasmus, our Georgetown friend, was in town and we discussed Carpark North's newest cd. Also Justin is engaged! that's a huge deal! Justin is marrying the woman who is solely responsible for bringing Ultimate not only to OSU but also to LTS! We caught up with some more awesome people and weren't able to see everyone we wanted too, due to such an abreviated stay.

C.J. introduced us to my new favorite musical of all time, Dr. Horrible's Sing-A-Long Blog. It's got Neil Patrich Harris in it and is written by the ever-awesome Joss Whedon!

Kate and I are already looking forward to next year!


Rule of Three:
Reading: Too much for class! Origen, Justin Martyr, Worshp Across Cultures and Homosexuality and Civilization to name a few

Listening: Interesting theological overtones in Carpark's new CD Grateful (Thanks again Rasmus!)


Watching: Dr. Horrible! IT'S SO GOOD!

Forming/Transforming

Toothface has been transformed. Check out the new look!

Also added some new gadgets here at the home of DA RAWK! Instead of just a list of friends blogs, here's a tool that shows the title of the last post and when they posted it. Pretty slick stuff there.

Also added is the "Follower" gadget where you can follow this here blog. I'm uncomfortable with the word "follower" for y'all as i know you aren't buying everything i'm spouting. I chose "Fans of da RAWK!" (as that seems to be my catch-phrase) because it shows we can have disagreements and discussions here.

First week of classes down, lots of reading to do, so I'm back on it. OU Homecoming this weekend as well, looking forward to checking out Athens again and seeing our OU friends!

Benediction from Jesus is Punk Rock

Two critiques of Punk music is that it all sounds the same and each song has the same three chords. I contend that Jesus had three chords, namely, love of God, neighbor and self. How many different ways can you play those? Does every church sound the same?

Go forth and make your own tune in the name of God our creator and record producer, Jesus our inspiration and model, and the Holy Spirit who guides our fingers to the right notes. AMEN

++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
CHALLENGE!

SVS stated " Jesus seems like a throwback to old time rock n roll - retro - a call to the innocence and creativity of the genre when it first began (to borrow from your allegory)."


I've posted three songs that work for me that I'd call RADIO JESUS. I want to hear what y'all would post! Post a song in the comments where you sense the divine! What song sings to your heart? What song calls you to be a better person? Where do you meet God/Jesus/the Spirit in music (secular or otherwise)? I'm interested to know what that sounds like!

In otherwords, LET'S RAWK!

Jesus is Punk Rock

Sermon given at Trinity Reformed UCC September 21, 2008

Mark 4:30–32

I came up with this idea that “Jesus is punk rock” on a recent trip to the Upper Peninsula of Michigan.

Kate and I recently went on vacation with her parents. It was her father's 45th high school reunion and we wanted to see where he grew up in the lonely but beautiful section of the country known as the Upper Peninsula of Michigan. By the way he holds a grudge that your Philadelphia Eagles, beat Vince Lombardi’s Green Bay Packers in the NFL championship game of 1960. On the ride up we listened to the songs of the class of 1963, Doo-Wop, Folk, and, what Bob Seger called that old time rock and roll. As I was listening I wondered how rock music of that era could ever be considered subversive. It seemed so lame.

Growing up, I was always puzzled at the music documentaries that showed how rock was hated and feared by the majority of Americans when it first came out. People at the time thought “How could anyone think that ‘You ain’t nothing but a Hound Dog’ was music compared to big band music from the Glen Miller Orchestra? And with those offensive and suggestive hip gyrations!” But from my perspective, I wondered how could Elvis or Buddy Holly be bad when I was listening to AC DC and Black Sabbath?! I recognize now that I'm puzzled because rock and roll is common place. When you turn on the radio today, nearly every station is rock and even our country music is starting to sound like twangy- rock. Then I realized that the same thing happened to Jesus’ teachings--what was once subversive and dangerous has become common place and no one gives it a second thought. This is what happens when the revolution becomes the new established order. We are largely blind to the revolution that is Jesus of Nazareth.

Now when I say Jesus is punk rock I’m speaking from my perspective. The majority of the music on the radio stations that I listen to is rock and punk is rarely played. For you, this sermon could be called “Jesus is flower power compared to Doo-Wop”. Or he could be a "Boogie Woogie Bugle Boy" compared to Frank Sinatra. Or Jesus is Praise music compared to traditional hymns, or hymns compared to Latin chants. Whatever the radio corporations are playing at the time, Jesus is making his own music that is in direct opposition!

So let’s go back to that old empire sound playing on all the stations in first century Judea. Welcome to Rome Radio! It only plays songs that say that the Kingdom of Caesar is saving the world through Piety, War and Victory… Peace through Superior Firepower and Economic Stability . Not everyone wanted to listen to Radio Rome though, and groups rose up in violent opposition.

One of these groups was the Zealots. Their songs were all about fighting and killing the Roman occupiers and their theology was “you’re not the boss of me now!” You may have heard of a few artists from the Zealots, Judas Iscariot was one as his last name is the name of the knife the zealots carried. Saul, later known as Paul, was one as well.

aside: here's what I think Radio Zealot would sound like in todays world, Watch and Listen Here.

Paul says he was killing Christians because he was a zealot. But the Zealots failed against Rome because Rome is better funded and has a ruthless and vast army. So that Rome Sound continued as the violent opposition was brutally suppressed and killed off. So was there a way to rebel against Rome without getting killed?

The next new sound in radio came from the wilderness. I think John the Baptist was the first anti-Roman hippy. His music centered on the idea that Israelites were being over-run by this evil empire because they had sinned. John's plan was a reverse exodus. The Israelites will come to the Jordan River, be baptized, and return to the Promised Land washed clean of their sins. And since the Israelites would then be sinless, God HAS to kick out the Romans. This music is nonviolent, so Rome won’t mind as it’s not as disruptive as the Zealots’ music. And it worked for a while; Rome didn’t kill John… right away. Lots of people thought that this would work; even Jesus thought so as he was baptized by John. But Radio Rome does not tolerate dissent and John was killed and there ended his movement.

Here's what I think Radio John the Baptist would sort of sound like, watch and listen here.

Then… Jesus. He took the message of Radio Rome, namely that the Kingdom of Caesar is saving the world through Piety, War, Victory, and Peace through Superior Firepower and Economic Stability and completely reversed it nonviolently. Jesus said, “No, no, the Kingdom of God is better as it saves the world through Compassionate Covenant, nonviolence, justice, and peace through love of God, neighbor and self.”
Radio Jesus was very similar to John’s movement, but Jesus had learned something. The problem with John is that he had a monopoly. He was THE Baptist. He was easy to find, thus easy to arrest. So when John was beheaded, there ended his movement. Jesus started a franchise. We see this in the great commission in Matthew and Luke and when Jesus says, “These things I can do, you can do and greater than these." He makes people part of the movement so they have ownership and the movement will continue no matter who is killed.

So how then is a parable of the mustard seed subversive and anti-Roman? The traditional idea is that it's about faith--start with a little and it'll grow. That's one interpretation. I think of it in different terms. It would be obvious to state that the Kingdom of God is like the mighty Lebanon cedar which also starts from a small seed, but instead Jesus says it's like the mustard seed. Here’s what Jewish historian Pliny the Elder, who lived during Radio Rome, had to say about the mustard plant:

“It grows entirely wild, though it is improved by being transplanted. Once it has been sown it is scarcely possible to get the place free of it, as the see when it falls germinates at once. (5) ”

In first century Mediterranean culture, mustard is a weed. What Jesus is saying is that the establishments of the day are trying to weed out God's kingdom, but it’s not working. Mustard is like multi-flora rose, those big thorny shrubs that house groundhogs and other vermin, that drive today's farmers nuts. What's with the birds in the parable? The people of Judea made money through farming and name one farmer who wants birds on his or her land?! So those who are getting shelter from the kingdom of God will not be the Romans or the temple authorities, it will be those unwanted, marginalized people like the lepers, sinners, prostitutes, tax collectors, and those other “punks”.

So the kingdom gets out of control quickly and tends to attract people who are not particularly desired… No wonder Radio Rome and its sponsors at the Temple were so afraid of Jesus’ message. Radio Rome’s message said piety was the best and that usually depended, to some extent, on birth. If you weren’t Roman at least you were a merchant, if not a merchant than maybe an Israelite priest, if not a priest than maybe a lawyer or scribe… The worst thing you could be was poor as that was the sign that God or the gods didn’t hold you in favor. Jesus was counter to what they were saying. Money and piety aren’t as important as compassion and justice and God’s purposes are directed to those who were always left behind.

Jesus constantly reminds us that salvation will not come from Radio Rome or anything in this world. Salvation comes straight from God. And salvation isn’t coming to us, it’s already here. Rome and the temple say that they have the market cornered on holy but Jesus is saying that we’re walking on holy ground ALL the Time! Like Jacob’s words, “God was in this place and I wasn’t aware of it.” Like Jesus’ words to Zacchaeus when he wakes up and realizes how his actions are affecting others, “Today salvation has come to this house!”

So what station are you tuned to, Radio Rome or Radio Jesus? Some ways to tune in Radio Jesus loud and clear are helping your community, donating to Goodwill, learning more about others, visiting someone in a hospital or nursing home, sending a card, doing the small things that mean so much to others… I’m sure you can think of a million ways.

Thank God we have Radio Jesus still broadcasting that God loves everyone, especially those who don't fit in. Those unwanted people. Like you and me. What a wonderful God we have to offer punks like us grace and forgiveness.

Rock on!

Here's three examples of what I think the diversity of Radio Jesus sounds like: Radio Jesus RISE, compared to Radio Jesus ONE and the more political Radio Jesus Sleep now in the Fire.

Bibliography
1. Crossan, John Dominic. “History and Jesus; What is the Content of your Faith?” Living the Questions DVD, 2008.

2. Galatians 1:14

3. Borg, Marcus. The Heart of Christianity and Jesus: Uncovering the Life, Teachings, and Relevance of a Religious Revolutionary. Harper One, San Francisco CA, 2004.

4. John 14: 12

5. Crossan, John Dominic “The historical Jesus, The life of a Mediterranean Jewish Peasant.” Harper San Francisco 1991 page 278.

6. Genesis 28:18

7. Luke 19: 1-10

WHAT DOES THE BIBLE SAY ABOUT POLITICS?

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That's the subject of a day-long event at the Lancaster Theological Seminary on Saturday, September 27 from 9:30am to 3:30pm. The event is free, including lunch, and is open to the public. The purpose of the event is "to gather pastors, scholars, and laypersons to study and reflect on the Bible and its use in person's professional, congregational, and intellectual lives".

Various speakers, including Julia O'Brien from Lancaster Theological Seminary and others from seminaries throughout the country, will address such questions as:

How were the Bible writers responding to the politics of their times?

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What does biblical theology tell us about political engagement?

Please register in advance by contacting Rikki Jones at rjones@lancasterseminary.edu

Every Word I Say is a Sneak Attack

we had a great intensive week here. before school officially starts for the fall term, the 1st and 2nd year classes have 'intensives'. Last year we visited churches and discovered the theological worlds.

this year we talked about family systems theory and how we deal with our emotions. facinating stuff! despite all appearences, i LOVE systems. i love looking at them, making them better, and especially critiquing them. systems can be helpful frameworks in finding connections and order in our chaotic world. Family systems theory states that "all this has happened before and will happen again" and your family is to blame for how you react and cope with anxiety. we had to do genograms (family trees with emotional symbology attached) and it was enriching and eye opening.

the only crap part of it is that we theologians can debate anything to death. the first day we had to break up into three groups and the profs wanted to watch how we did it. we went around the circle and each said our peace. it came down to either pulling names out of a hat or counting off by threes. when people couldn't decided where to start counting, everyone save 3 people voted for names out of a hat.

simple right?

nope! we then debated over how ethical our choice was, whether it was "right", was anyone left out or voice not heard?

caring souls, each of my friends here at seminary. even minor tasks take on great implications. it really came into light that there are some people who are task oriented (let's get this goal accomplished) and others who are process driven (that goal isn't as important as the HOW). Which do you see yourself?

Friends

Friends laugh at you when you think you're being clever.

These past two weeks we've met some new ones and reconnected with old ones. Some new ones are the Edens who live next door. They have three adorable daughters, a dog named Jack, and a healthy love of movies. Plus Mrs. Eden thinks i look like Edward Norton! I immediately liked her.

Mr. Eden is awesome and has helped me more fully envision Dinosaur theology. Dinosaurs believed the Picture Bible is the inspired word of God. Since dinosaurs can't read, these "Optic Gospels" would have been the only means to spread the Good News. That Mr. Eden is gonna go far here ;-)

Read The Eden's blog here and check out the shout out in this post!

Friends RAWK. That's all i have to say about that.

A Quick Prayer

Deliver us from the cowardice that dare not face new truth,
From the laziness that is contented with half truth,
From the arrogance that thinks it knows all truth.

Amen.

The Bible Is NOT A Clobbering Tool

The Bible is not a clobbering tool... even though it has been used as such. the Bible is not a guiness book of world records or an indexed compedium, nor is it ammo! The Bible is a book of mysteries. Jesus wrote nothing. Biblical authority can't be understood nor is it at the heart of the dispute. The main argument is what the readers are bringing to the texts. what are people putting onto the Bible?

For one the whole idea of how the Bible is against homosexuality or that Jews and Christians should regard it as a sin is something people PUT ONTO the Bible. The Bible doesn't say this, people CLAIM it does. They are bringing to the text their understanding of sexual preference. Ancient people had no idea of preference, nor did people really think about it until Freud started thinking about it. The actual term HOMOSEXUAL is only 100 years old. Invented in 1892 by Charles Gilbert Chaddock and heterosexuality wasn't coined until 8 years later. Prior to that was the term "sexual inversion" which referred to not just same gender relations, but also to any nonconformity to gender roles I.E. political aspirations in women or men who like cats.

So what? Well for one there is no term that is a direct equivalent in ancient Hebrew or Greek... so not only does the Bible not address the issue, IT CAN'T. it simply doesn't have the language. but there are some passages that refer to same gender sexual ACTS (not homosexuality in the modern sense). The Greek term arsenokoites is as close as one can get but it is rare and of uncertain meaning.

Mark Jordan argues that we're missing the point anyway! here we're not argue'n about homosexuality, we're actually argue'n about what the Bible says.. the argument is over how to interpret the Bible.

I would argue that Jesus did infact give us some guidelines here. Take for example the parable in the mustard seed in Mt 13:31-32. traditionally interpreted this parable is about we have the same "seed" of the kingdom, the Word of God which starts small then all the birds roost in this big tree's branches. that's such a nice poetic parable. but how would a first century jew interpret this story? In stating that this man planted a mustard seed in his garden, the hearers are alerted to the fact that he was doing something illegal. Mustard was considered a weed!! An unclean image thus becomes the starting point for Jesus' vision of the kingdom of God in this parable. what Jesus was saying is that people are always trying to weed out the kingdom of God and this kingdom will keep popping up in unexepected places.

So we need to bring this into our lives as Christians. Find divinity where it isn't supposed to be; in humor, in secular, and in our LGBT brothers and sisters. We are to form lives and see Jesus in others. Worship is a theatre of lived possibility.. and guess what? Sexual desire is in the kingdom of God! We must work to deliver the gift of erotic back to the church. The church doesn't have a homosexual problem.. it has a sexual one. We must strive to be ethical in our sexuality, whichever MODERN definition we fall under.

Post Trackbacks: For the Bible Tells Me So

Duality in 4 Sentences

1.We are either using the bible as a mirror or a portal.

2.The mirror reflects our own prejudices back on us and we act accordingly.

3.If we use it as a portal we are called to transform and leave our comfort-zone.

4.Using the Matrix: we are either Agent Smith (hates humans and is destroyed by his
hate) or we are Neo (who sees how far the rabbit whole goes.)



Futher Reading:
De-Conversion on "Myth of Bible-based Family Values"

SocietyVS on "Keeping the Faith by Losing It"

Faith Journeys: The Harsh Words in the Bible

OUR Image of Jesus

An adapted sermon from Leadership NOW (Thanks to Zoe!) and from the Iona Community given at the Trinity Picnic on 9-7-08.

Nancy: It is of supreme importance --

Luke: that we get our image of Jesus --

BOTH: RIGHT!

NANCY: There are too many blithering idiots -

LUKE: Well meaning people!

NANCY: Religious nuts!

LUKE: Church leaders – denominational and institutional hierarchies!

NANCY: Conservatives & Literalists!

LUKE: Bleeding Heart Liberals and Socialists

NANCY: Political Elitists

LUKE: Wacko revolutionaries!

ALL: Who are leading people ASTRAY!!

NANCY: So listen carefully – JESUS

ALL: As we ALL know

LUKE: Came from a model family --

NANCY: What?! His mother was pregnant when she got married!

LUKE: And lived in a secure and loving home.

NANCY: They were refugees – his parents had an arranged marriage!

LUKE: He had a wondrous childhood…

NANCY: About which we know nothing!

LUKE: He was mild and obedient – a holy child!

NANCY: He ran away when he was 12… was gone for 3 days – and didn’t feel much remorse!

LUKE: He spoke with love and compassion to all.

NANCY: He was rude to his mother more than once – and said “You’re not my father” to his step-father.

LUKE: Jesus was the model working man.

NANCY: Doing what? He was impoverished, never held a job that we know of. Ran around with the wrong crowd and kept company with sinners and criminals!

LUKE: He was a model capitalist and encouraged entrepreneurship in others.
NANCY: He told Peter, Andrew, James, John and Matthew to give up their jobs and leave their families.

LUKE: He kept good company

NANCY: I think we’ve been around this bend!

LUKE: He had a good word for everybody.

NANCY: If you think “vipers, blind guides and “hypocrites” are compliments!

LUKE: His conversation was deep and centered on the finer things in life,

NANCY: bread and dough, sheep, pig farming, prostitutes for dinner, tax collectors for lunch.

LUKE: He never dabbled with controversy.

NANCY: He just claimed to be the Son of God – and urged people not to support their government or obey their parents or their religious leaders!

LUKE: Jesus never upset anyone!

NANCY: with the simple exception of priests, Pharisees, pigeon sellers, the wealthy, the religious, the Roman government, and anyone who suggested that they might know how to live a pious life!

LUKE: He was respected in religious circles

NANCY: Which must be why they plotted to have him arrested and killed!

LUKE: Jesus was a man among men

NANCY: And women!

LUKE: He was a man of God.

NANCY: He was a man who called himself the Son of Humanity!

LUKE: In his majesty we see God at work

NANCY: In his humility we see God in person!

LUKE: That’s why he was worshipped and adored!

NANCY: That’s why he was tortured and crucified!

LUKE: Jesus isn’t here now

NANCY: He rose on the third day.

LUKE: So we have to wait until he comes again.

NANCY: But he sent his example to guide us.

LUKE: He will bring the Kingdom of God with him.

NANCY: We have to celebrate his love and acceptance!

LUKE: We have to save souls and tell people where they are sinning!

NANCY: We need to look at our own lives and find the path to good and grace.

LUKE: We need to be religious leaders!

NANCY: We need to be faithful followers!

LUKE: We need to stand up and be counted!

NANCY: Humbly!

LUKE: Onward – Christian soldiers!

NANCY: Onward – Peaceful servants!

LUKE: We are a mighty army!

NANCY: We are the Body of Christ!

LUKE: It is of supreme importance --

NANCY: That we get our image of Jesus –

ALL: RIGHT

Bradford's Son

Uncle Glenn passed away yesterday. He has been in ill health for a while, so this is a welcome rest. He's now able to play baseball the way he used to with Ted Williams and all the greats.

We love you and miss you Uncle Glenn. We will always remember!

It's Been a Summer

Wow has this summer flown by! Now it's into my fav. time of year, fall! And fall means FOOTBALL! YAY!

So this summer has proved to be quite a busy and fun one. My internship at Trinity Reformed as been going great and I get to give three more sermons before the year is out. Those dates are Sept 21 (sermon title: Jesus is Punk Rock), Nov. 9, and Nov. 30. Exciting times! I've learned a lot so far on the state of the healthcare system in the U.S., how theology can impact and potentially ruin lives, and how warm and loving people can be.

Classes are starting up here in two weeks, so i'm working on the sermons and stuff through advent to get ahead before i'm overwhelmed by my class schedule. I'm taking worship, Paul and the early church, history of Christianity, and a class to prepare us to go to Egypt in January! Lots of crazy stuff coming up.

The coolest thing net-wise is getting to know some kindred spirits here and reconnecting with some that we left behind in Maryland. Dividing by Zero has kept close contact since we've left and that's a huge blessing. John T. and Society VS provide a skewed view of the world that is both helpful and innovative. Confessions of Seminarians and De-Conversion have taught me how to talk with people I might not always agree with, with respect and dignity.

Summer out! Bring on the football and the colorful leaves!

Church as Social Articulation

SVS had a great post last month about why he left the church. This caused me to reflect on why I value the church and have stuck with it, instead of leaving it behind.

here’s my idea of a church: community. like, a real one.

not a surface level “how are you alice, how are the kids?” but more of a fully-realized group idenity. here it’s not a “you must believe ABC to be in our group” as monolithic indenity is a myth.

the church should be a place of articulation: a place that enables us to think how ideologies empowers people, enabling them to make some intelligibility of their socio-economic, class location, social position and cultural influence. namely, the church exists to show you the water in which you swim and offer a non-duelistic way of thinking and compromising with one another.

this would mean that this linkage is not altogether necessary, determinded, absolute or essential for all time… in fact, once this full community is established the church would cease to be as it would become the community at large.

i may be showing my Jungian and Congregationalist bias here, but that’s where i’m at on this issue.

Character Introduction

Here's a good character introduction. I shouldn't deviate too much from this pattern and character attributes. These characters are based on people I know here at seminary and most already know which character they are. The robot is no one person but a character of a pure fundie. The Unidactyl doesn't use words, so Uni couldn't introduce herself. But she's my symbol for the unknown and mystical forces. Other characters will come and go, but these will be the core.

The outer characters so far include:
"Bottles" a close friend
The Leviathan, another close friend and prophet.
The Marshmallow Zombie, pure evil.

Thoughts on Biblical Masculinity

Confessions had a few posts on Bibilical Masculinity and Why Men Aren't in Church that pretty much confused me.

Despite their well-intended post, I can't get over the fact that they continue to reinforce out-moded gender roles. Their ideas that men are protectors and the supposed "head of the house" and women have feminized the church to irrelevence I can't handle. It's this Men are from Mars, Women are from Venus crap that we really need to transcend.

So what do i have to offer to this besides criticism? Well two things, Carl Jung and Tao philosophies.

Jung states that the process of socialization has distorted all of us into incomplete beings. He claims all psychological maladies are in some form or another related to this distortion. He argues that men are socialized to suppress those dimensions of their humanity that our culture assigns to women (and vice versa).

The ancient Tao philosophy of Ying and Yang adds to this. Yin is akin to the feminine traits and Yang are masculine. We can achieve holistic health when yin and yang are in perfect balance with each other.

Tony Campolo uses these Jungian gender theory and Yin/Yang philosophy to illustrate Perfect Balance Illustration in John 8:1-11: The Pharisees drag out an adulterus woman before Jesus and remind him that Moses' law would have the woman stoned to death for her sins. The Pharisees were testing Jesus to see how literal he took the scriptures or if compassion would win out.

Jesus stoops down and writes something in the dirt and says "Let one who is without sin throw the first stone." We have no idea what he could have written, but many scholars have suggested that it could be the names of those in the crowd who were guilty of the same sin (Campolo, Anderson, Trible). The group disperses and Jesus tells the stunned woman "Go and sin no more."

In this story Jesus perfectly balances the masculine yang concern of "Theology and abstract thinking" with the feminine yin concern of "social justice and defending the downtrodden."

So this scraps the idea of men at the head of the household in terms of a more democractic team. If I told my wife that I was the head, she'd laugh and then she'd prolly let me try to prove it and we'd be in debt in a month (love you babe! no need to prove it!).

Where in scripture can i support this since 1 Tim. 2:11-12 says for women to shut up and submit to men. First I'd throw out the standard Gal. 3:28 passages saying that "there is neither Jew nor Greek, neither slave nor free, neither male nor female as all are one in Christ Jesus." Then i would state that in Acts 2, the Holy Spirit came down on all and that 1 Tim was written to a group of women that were drunk with their new found power to speak to a group and they were prolly airing dirty laundry about their husbands. Paul wants to remind them that ALL learners must remain silent in the ancient Jewish world and this rule still applies.

Tony states in his book "Speaking my Mind" states that those who want to lead are to be the servants (Mark 9:35) and Eph. 5:22-25 makes the ideal Christian marriage then looks like this: Wife to Husband, "Honey, my dreams and aspirations are not as important as yours. I'm willing to sacrifice all that I am to help you live out your dreams and full-fill God's calling in your life."

Husband to Wife, "Oh, no! It's the other way around!"

Thus they have their first fight. Wouldn't that be lovely? Tony rules! Get the book and balance your yin and yang!

Why is Satan Evil?

I don't beleive in Satan... I believe in evil, but that evil is NOT Satan.

There WAS no satan in Hebrew cosmology until the PERSIANS came (as they have a good god/evil god thing going on, the Jews had ONE God from whom both good and evil came from: Job 2:9-10, Isaiah 45:7). however, satan isn’t bad…

i don’t see a belief relavent in jewish tradition to warrent such a poor reading of Ha Satan, the Accuser and tester of Mankind (in Job). God sends HA Satan in jewish tradition to test the faithfullness of man and help God judge accordingly. God is merciful and satan is like the prosecutor in a court room. this doesn’t make Satan inherently evil.

There is no biblical record of the “fall of Satan” in oral or written tradition. it took the Christian church 200 years to come about a doctrine of ‘Satan the devil.' Unless there's a apocryphal book that i'm unaware of, I'd say that this story is completely non-biblical.

There are a few references in the gospels, “I saw Satan fall like lightning from heaven.” from Luke 10:17. I think what Jesus is saying here is people with a strong faith in God cannot fail and satan falls. however, there is no tradition or hebrew understanding as Satan being evil until this line. It’s like saying “that guy is an einstien” (title). then saying “no, really, that guy is Einstien!” (name). THEN saying “i saw Einstien falling like lighting” which makes no sense.

The other famous ones from Jesus' 40 days in the desert and telling Peter to "get behind him" all deal with temptation and that's in line with the current Jewish thought about ha-satan.

Believing in Satan as evil is rather unfounded. I just don’t support for it until the gospels, and even that scholars have been scratching their heads about the purpose and lead up for this… I think it’s just another example of a duelistic doctrine no one wants to question because it’s easy and convenient.

Rule of Three:

Book: Velvet Elvis by Rob Bell
Music: Walking on Air by Kerli
Movie: Wall*E by far the most christian movie you'll ever see this year (or ever!). Inherent laziness of humans, love conquers all, and salvation by the societal misfits. It RAWKS!

Is McCain Another Bush?

Thanks to the wife for the find and for the rallying cry of "Can I get a President that is smarter than me?!"

Read the FULL ARTICLE here, but for those of you who won't click it, here's a highlight:

John McCain graduated 894th in a class of 899 at the Naval Academy at Annapolis. His father and grandfather were four star admirals in the Navy. Some have suggested that might have played a role in McCain being admitted. His academic record was awful. And it shows over and over again whenever McCain is called upon to think on his feet.

After listening to Obama twice live, once at the engineering school here in Lancaster and once at the train station for the whistle stop, he's my man. It's not even a comparasion! Barack thinks on his feet and doesn't use teleprompters because he's speaking what he believes, not some ideological crap written by Karl Rove. America deserves better and the fact that McCain is even close to Obama in the polls is disturbing.

People say they're not voting for Obama because he's too popular or isn't ready to lead. The same thing was said of Lincoln and Kennedy by their older opponents. Age-ism works both ways. Older doesn't mean better as this NY Times article proves the sad state of McCain's leadership. Obama is not the Messiah, but he may cast out some demons in November.

Unidactyl Creates the Marshmallow

I really despise magical thinking. I'm all into MYSTICAL thinking, but not magical. What is the difference?

I have no idea how the marshmallow was created. Not one idea. So when we, as humans, come to something where we don't know how it was created, what do we do? we make up a story about it! Just like the creation story in Genesis or the creation myths in every culture on this planet. We are a story-telling species that are unique to this planet and perhaps the universe as no other animal tells stories.

So I looked it up on Wiki how Marshmallows are created, and now I know that this story is not the literal truth. I have the facts... so what does this mean for those who have to have a literal bible?

In short, their wrong... As James McGrath put it in this post

In short, they deny that the Bible is what it is. To claim that the Bible is simple when it is complex, to claim that it is clear when it is not, to claim that it is uniform when it is diverse, to claim that it is monolithic when it is pluriform, to claim that it is flawless when it is characterized throughout by the limitations and failings of its human authors - what could possibly be more unbiblical than this?

Now if i persist in my claims that the Unidactyl ACTUALLY created marshmallows despite all the evidence to the contary, this is magical thinking. If i instead say, this is NOT the literal, factual truth, but an excellent symbol that still holds truth to how marshmallows are created (which is still a stretch), then that is mystical thinking. Now comes the most important question, and one i ask as often as possible, does this make any sense?

45th Class Reunion

This past week Kate, the in-laws and I journeyed up to Menominee Michigan for my father-in-law's 45th reunion. It was great to get to know my father-in-law more. Hard to associate him with this remote U.P. town as I've only known him in the context of North Canton Ohio. Really neat town filled with nice people, good, cheap food, and a TON of packer fans. (Take that SVS and John T! PACK PACK PACK!)

My father-in-law is remembered as nice, smart, and funny in his own way. That's a great legacy to leave to your fellow classmates... one i hope to have coming up on my 10 year h.s. reunion.

We visited the town and local area, including Kitch-iti-kipi Springs, my FIL's old family home, and Alice. Alice is 92 and has lived 2 doors down from my FIL's old house. She's been there for a long time, her husband built the Frank Lloyd Wright inspired house and did all the work himself. Pretty cool

Talking to her was great. She's 92 and doesn't look a day over 65. She attributes this to the fact that she's Swedish and the Swedes age extremely well and have excellent skin. I'll take her word for it. She said (when she learn i am in seminary), "I have family members who are every type of Christian. We Swedes came in has Lutherans but became Methodists, Presyb., Catholics, J. Witnesses and Mormons! We have all types here and I'm 92 and I don't think it really matters what you believe, just that you believe." Wise Words.

She spoke of her biggest fear. Her fear isn't that we'll run out of oil, or elect the wrong person, or how to pay her bills. Her biggest fear is being forgotten.

So dear reader... will you remember the well-preserved Swedish woman from the U.P.?

I hope so.

Her fear is my fear. Her fear is the fear we all keep but do not speak of.

Remember.

Remember God.

Remember your neighbor.

They will in turn, remember you.

Who will you remember?

Recovering Catholics: Modern Implications Part IV

A Full Recovery?

My sister left a comment on the myspace version of this blog that she remembers

the craziest thing that happened in Mass one day that started my rebellious catapult out of religion all together.... remember when Fr. Engle said that people who got divorced were going straight to Hell? That was when you and I walked out of Mass. I was in 4th grade, so you would've been in 7th. I think I still get cold chills when I think about that...

The thing that surprised me is that I DON'T REMEMBER THIS! At least, not in detail nor without some prompting. I guess it could be that I was already starting to drift from the church, after all, my initial drift can be dated circa 5th grade. So this got me to thinking, have I made a full recovery?

You see, when I first heard the term “Recovering Catholic” seems a clever title for those who believed they had been scarred in some psychological, physical, or worse, some sexual way by nuns and/or priests. Or one could have just been really annoyed by the precepts of a restrictive dogma and/or structured society. The label was an allusion to the Twelve-Step movements whose adherents are committed to live free of destructive addictions one day at a time.

But the Catholic way of life is not a destructive addiction, well, not for me at least.

The term now strikes me as sort of smug, self-pitying kind of whine that arises from our society's current canonization of self-proclaimed victims. Too many of us too often blame a range of factors, including substances, parents, and/or institutions (in this case the Catholic Church), for our own bad behavior, irresponsibility, and dissatisfaction with life.

Perhaps it's time to declare a moratorium on the excuse of self-anointed victimhood and get on with life, as there is nothing more dangerous than a self-made victim. Let's leave that for those who deserve it. I am not a victim, I made myself one. My soul wasn't crushed, just restricted in unnatural ways; I was constantly reminded that no matter how hard i tried, i never fit perfectly into the Catholic box or the structured society. I was not welcomed, just tolerated. I'm free of this now and transcended my old annoyances and i'm starting to be able to enjoy the highlights of my old faith.

As we’ve seen here, that Catholics are just ONE way of doing things, and we have our own. And in the process, let's withhold judgment of the genuine faith of others, whether such faith is to our own liking or not.

So let us again be the full body of Christ and live out our “c”atholic faith and our UCC motto “That they all may be one”.

Recovering Catholics: Modern Implications Part III

Trinity’s Liturgy Compared with the Maryknoll Missal

The Call to Worship (from http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Invocation)
This practice is actually a mix of Jewish and Pagan ritual. In Jewish theology, God dwelled only in the Holy of Holies in the temple and must be called out from the Holy of Holies or down from the Cosmos. This is called “Classic Theism” where there is a separation of the Sacred and the Profane. Invocation in Paganism is similar, but has varying aspects, the one we are modeled after is called the Supplication Prayer, when a person calls upon a god or goddess to ask for something (protection, a favor, his/her spiritual presence in a ceremony, etc.) or simply for worship, this can be done in a pre-established form or with the invoker's own words or actions. An example of a pre-established text for an invocation is the Lord's Prayer.

Other Invocations that are Pagan in origin yet Christians use include: Form of Possession (asking a spirit to possess and use you ala pentacostals), Command or conjuration (saying that Lord you MUST do this style of prayer), Self-identification with certain spirits (praying to the Saints).

The Confessional and The Assurance of Pardon (from the Maryknoll Missal)
Sin separates man from God, confession reunites man with God.: “The alter stands for Christ, the priest represents all mankind and begs pardon before the whole court of heaven and the jury of the earth. Everyone is confessing and begging pardon from God. Men and women of the Church Militant, battling against sin, ask the Church Suffering in Purgatory and the Church Triumphant in heaven to intercede from them. Taken alone, each person is helpless to overcome the world, the flesh, and the devil. ONLY UNITED to Christ and each other in the Mass and the Eucharist can do all things.”

The Gloria (from the Maryknoll Missal)
Thanksgiving for forgiveness. In it we also adore God in His sovereign Lordship and imply our nothingness before him.

Greeting (from the Maryknoll Missal)
Called THE LORD BE WITH YOU, courteous greeting throughout the Mass as an invitation to enter earnestly into action.

Reading and Sermon (from the Maryknoll Missal)
Doctrinal instructions related to the Gospel or the Feast of the Day. The Catholic church follows the Lectionary with no deviation as there must be a mass held at every hour throughout the world. From Wiki: Typically, a lectionary will go through the scriptures in a logical pattern, and also include selections which were chosen by the religious community for their appropriateness to particular occasions.
The use of pre-assigned, scheduled readings from the scriptures can be traced back to the early church. Not all of the Christian Church used the same lectionary, and throughout history, many varying lectionaries have been used in different parts of the Christian world. Trinity is NOT a lecationary church nor are we limited to just talking about Doctrine (which we don't have) Gospel or feast day.

Pastoral Prayer (From Wiki)
The Liturgy of the Word concludes with the General Intercessions or "Prayers of the Faithful." The priest speaks a general introduction, then a deacon or lay person addresses the congregation, presenting some intentions for prayer, to which the congregation responds with a short response such as: "Lord hear our prayer". The priest may conclude with a supplication; which is pagan in origin. A person asks a supernatural deity to provide something, either for the person who is praying or for someone else on whose behalf a prayer of supplication is being made.).

Communion (from the Maryknoll Missal and Wiki)
The Eucharistic Prayer, "the center and summit of the entire celebration" aka the WHOLE reason for this she-bang! Why do you go to church? I go cause I'm a sucker for a good sermon... One of the congregants says she goes for the music while another said he goes for the camaraderie. Why do you go to church or synagoge? Or, why don't you? i'm interested in all!

Recovering Catholics: Modern Implications Part II

The liturgy of the many denominations ultimately derives from that of the western Catholic church, however most "post-Protestant" denominations (e.g. evangelicals, nondenominational, etc.) claim to have no need for liturgy, or else insist that their manner of worship is a full return to the days of the apostles. These claims have not been (or cannot be) substantiated by biblical or historical evidence.

What we do know about the worship of the early church were that the celebration of the eucharist, the rites of the sacraments, prayer in common, and the liturgical sermon (preaching on a biblical story). These are based on the example of Jesus, as Jesus did not originate these liturgical acts (save for the Last Supper), but took them over from the practice of late Judaism. If you go to a synagogue today, you would be quite comfortable and understand what’s going on. The original church considered themselves Jewish, so the liturgical customs were fashioned as such. Borrowings were later made from the practices of the Greco-Roman world.

I do miss the sacraments.. when I was little and I looked at the 7 sacraments, i saw my whole life. From birth (baptism) to death (last rites), my whole life was laid out and i was going to collect all 7. then i realized that you couldn't... a priest cannot be married AND ordained and I thought this was stupid (and still do). So protestants really need to see the sacraments for what they are, step-stones for life. I would like to see a return to the 7 sacrament system, what do you think? Which would you keep and which would you throw out?

Recovering Catholics: Modern Implications Part I

The last class was very heavy.. so i've split it up into four days... so please check back Wednesday, Thursday AND Friday! Enjoy and let me know what you think!

A book called "Jacob the Baker" by Noah benShea really put ritual into perspective... here's a paraphrase of a chapter:

"Prayer is the path where there is none." said Jacob.

"Do you always pray the same way, Jacob?"

Jacob spoke slowly, "Ritual gives form to pasion. Passion without form consumes itself."

"But you said prayer is a path where there is none...?"

Jacob's eyes drew back their last curtain, "Yes, prayer is a path where there is none, and ritual is prayer's vehicle."

So what does the Church do? We do the LITURGY. The word comes from the Classical Greek word λειτουργία (leitourgia) meaning "public work".

Liturgy can be defined as the customary public worship done by a specific religious group, according to their particular traditions. liturgy is a communal response to the sacred through activity reflecting praise, thanksgiving, supplication, or repentance. Ritualization may be associated with life events such as birth, coming of age, marriage, and death. It thus forms the basis for establishing a relationship with a divine agency, as well as with other participants in the liturgy.

Methods of dress, preparation of food, application of cosmetics or other hygienic practices are all considered liturgical activities. Repetitive formal rites, in some ways similar to liturgies, are natural and common in all human activities such as organized sports venues.

Baseball has a liturgy.. think about it.. the national anthem, throwing out the game ball, the ump yell'n play ball, the homefield advantage, the 7th inning stretch and singing "Take Me Out To The Ball Game" etc. etc.

How the T-Rex Arms Shrunk

a TOOTHFACE original

MORAL: Don't mess with the UNIDACTYL!

In the tradition of the Naked Pastor, I will be doing poorly drawn cartoons, let me know what you think of this crap!

On an unrelated note: how do you eat your food? I think this article sums up most of my snack-attacks (I eat raptor style, mainly because I I just want the screaming to stop).

Also we'll be heading out on vacation to the great state of Michigan. This means that my Myspace readers will have to check the main site for the conclusion of the Recovering Catholics Series.

Spot the Irony

This was too good to stick at the end of a long post... figured it needed it's own post!

Here's a sign we saw on the way to Rehoboth Beach. Can you spot the irony?

Recovering Catholics: PROTEST!

Part 3 in the series RECOVERING CATHOLICS at Trinity Reformed UCC.

Systems
What we will be talking about today are systems. So when we critique a system, we’re not saying “Their God is wrong.” We’re comparing their frame of viewing God to our own. I LOVE systems, however, systems can be just as easily dehumanizing as they can be helpful and efficient. Systems that require prerequisites in terms of gender, sexual orientation, or race are flawed. Those type of systems show that ultimately we fit in NO boxes completely as there are always exceptions. Some respond to this by cutting off those limbs that stick outside the box, or lying, or making concessions, or realizing that there is no box. The box is constructed by us for us to keep us safe from the CHAOS of the natural world. Those of us to see order in the natural world are less in need of boxes.

History
On October 31, 1517, in Saxony (in what is now Germany), Martin Luther nailed his Ninety-Five Theses to the door of the Wittenberg Castle Church, which served as a notice board for university-related announcements. These were points for debate that criticized the Church and the Pope. Luther's spiritual predecessors were men such as John Wycliffe and Jan Hus. Other radicals, such as Ulrich Zwingli and John Calvin, soon followed Luther's lead. Church beliefs and practices under attack by Protestant reformers included Purgatory, particular judgment, devotion to Mary (Mariology), the intercession of and devotion to the saints, most of the sacraments, the mandatory celibacy requirement of its clergy (including monasticism), and the authority of the Pope.
(From http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Protestant_Reformation)

The Theses sparked a theological debate that would result in the Reformation and the birth of the Lutheran, Reformed, and Anabaptist traditions within Christianity. Today we shall compare and contrast the theological views between Catholic and Trinity's ancestor, the Reformed Tradition. This is a historical overview and in no way represents the current belief system at Trinity Reformed now.

Roman Catholic (RC) View of God: God is not limited by time or space... holds the following ideals: the infinity, unity or unicity, and simplicity of God, as well as the personality of God. More can be found in this Catholic Encyclopedia Article

Reformed (R'ed) View of God: God is sovereign, perfect, and holds all righteousness and power. Created all things and sustains them. Not limited by creation.

RC Revelation: Bible, including the Apocrypha, is authoritative source of revelation as well as tradition and church teaching. The pope when speaking ex cathedra (From the chair) and is immune from error. Church is the mother, guardian, and interpreter of the canon.

R'ed Revelation: Sola Sciptura (scripture alone). Bible is God's word and remains without error in every aspect and guides all of church life and teaching.

RC Salvation: Saving grace is found through the sacraments, the highest being Communion. Church administers sacraments, ergo there is NO salvation outside the church. This is an internal catholic struggle as recent teaching has recognized that grace can be received outside the church.

R'ed Salvation: Christ saves the chosen. The elect can never resist the work of the Spirit or fall after receiving salvation. Salvation is found in the 5 points of Calvinism: Total Depravity, Unconditional Election, Limited Atonement, Irresistible Grace, and Perseverance of the Saints.

RC Church: The apex of the church is the Pope and the qualities of a true church are unity, holiness, catholicity, and apostolicity.

R'ed Church: Church is composed of God's elect who have recieved salvation. Hold only sacraments as Baptism (that symbolizes entry to the body of church and can be renounced) and Communion (which the Holy Spirit works with them to make them spiritual participants in the original supper). Elders are elected to teach and oversee the local church body. Unity of church must be grounded in doctrinal agreement.

What are your thoughts? What are your views concerning God, Revelation (how God is or isn't revealed in today's world), Salvation (what saves someone from sin, or is there even a need for it?), and the Church? If you had to pick one or the other, which would you pick?

The Leviathan Speaks

My personal Leviathan spoke today in a facebook note, which led me to draw this cartoon. Have you had that experience where you just ask a simple question and your friend just blows your mind? I get that a lot here at seminary... here's what M3 had to say:

I say I am Mary, and you wonder if I am the virgin or the whore...
I say I am neither—I’m a composite, conflation, combination that the past has melted into one person…from the many of yesterday…if I’m Magdalene, I’m a whore, if I’m Mother I’m a virgin. What if I’m neither? What if I’m both? What of Mary of Bethany—sister of Martha and Lazarus? Of Mary Salome? The nameless sinful woman Luke portrays? One of the authors of the Gospel of Mary? My voice is the chorus of many; my melody is a harmony of multitudes. I have become the preaching and teaching woman in the early church. The only woman given voice of proclamation in all four gospels—“I have seen the Lord” (John 20:18).

But there were many of us…women teachers and preachers. You can hear our whispers through the stories in the Gospels and the letters of Paul. Our words echo through the Apocryphal Gospel. I speak of an empty tomb and announce the miracle of the resurrection to Peter and the other twelve.

Can’t you see that I am a disciple of Jesus? Don’t you know that it is I who stood at the foot of the cross; it is I who cleansed and anointed his body; it is I who first saw the resurrected Savior? That I am the one to proclaim of his return to Peter and the others—where were the men when Jesus died on the cross? Where were they to help anoint his body? What has become Peter’s proclamation was mine. Did you know there’s a gospel written in my name? The women’s stories and voices continued after me, and I have heard them through the centuries in the book written not by me but about me. In fragments you uncovered the remnants of a tradition, of a story…a story of the resurrected Christ. A story that affirms the value of all people and the temporal nature of gender. It shows that he knew me, loved me, valued me…listened to my voice and taught me to teach and to preach.

In the story, I am the teacher, the preacher, the healer. When the others are distressed, I assure them…I remind them not to “weep and be distressed nor let their hearts be irresolute. For his grace will be with you all and will shelter you.” In this story, I hold teachings from the Savior…teachings about the soul and spiritual maturity. Stories of death and resurrection. Stories of sin and redemption. But Peter rebukes me and disputes my teachings. “Did he then speak with a woman in private without our know it? Are we to turn around and listen to her? Did he chose her over us.” In the tale, Levi speaks in my defense and reminds all that “we should clothe ourselves with the perfect Human, acquire it for ourselves as he commanded us, and announce the good news, not laying down any other rule or law that differs from what the Savior said.”

But your art, your music, your literature, your poetry have bent and soldered me into the rigid lines of your patriarchal institution…I am branded with many labels…whore, penitent, weeper, hermit, preacher, midwife, miracle worker. I have become a paradox that you’ve wrapped in issues of sexuality and sin. A Jezebel who only claims to be a disciple—the apostle to the apostles and nothing more.

What if I chose singlehood and celibacy and never knew a man? If I embraced the power of having freedom over my body? They suspected any of us who claimed that right. Said that we were defying the empire, not fulfilling our duty. If we married, we were merely property—objects to be used or abused at will. Is it any wonder we would choose celibacy? Through chastity we could transcend our flesh and loose the reigns of gender. For this choice we are remembered as whores. For this and our prophecy, our voices were lost to what you call the Greco-Roman society.

To prophecy is to break the unwritten law of culture, the code the expectation. We cannot preach as we were seen as the ones who brought sin into the world, who broke the divine order. For these reasons, we were to deny adornment and were hidden away. Our place was in doors…our place was of the home. Dare you venture to speak in public to preach and teach, you became Jezebel, a woman who “claimed to be prophetesses, who by her teaching lures my servants into fornication and into eating food sacrificed to idols. I have given her time to repent, but she refuses to repent of her fornication” (Revelation 2:20-22). Seen as whore merely for preaching the Gospel, for believing in the Spirit, for desiring to baptize and break bread. Our heritage bought and sold for the price of the state. You label me the prostitute. But who did the selling?

Yes, I kept company with Jesus. And my sisters offered lodging to Paul. Did you miss the names of Prisca, Lydia, Rhoda, Phoebe, Junia? The lineage of our leading is long and harkens to mothers of the synagogue. Are you not convinced that I am the voice of many…that your memory of me is an amalgam of more? Though they not be Mary of Magdalene, did they not speak?

What others have to say about gender from the Blogroll:
Confesssions of a Seminarian: Men, Few in the Pews

DeConversion: I found out what is wrong with Christianity: It’s been Feminized!

Which Sparrow is "HIS" Eye On?

I know which one mine is...

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Rule of Three:

Reading: Sandman Mystery Theatre, thanks to the Shu for the find! Great pulp comic!

Watching:: Ironman, great movie, one of the better superhero movies I've seen.. can't wait to see Batman! Also catching up on heros with Cathi and Rachel, great series! Also Jesus of Montreal is a MUST SEE! Wonderful film that has the "historical Jesus" in it... WONDERFUL! RENT IT NOW!

Listening:

Recovering Catholics: Papal Problems

Second in the series, Recovering Catholics.

The Church Set Up:


Biblical Support?
The dogmas and traditions of the Roman Catholic Church teach that the institution of the papacy was first mandated by Biblical passages:
Matt.16:18-19: "And I also say to you that you are Peter, and upon this rock I will build my church, and the gates of the netherworld will not prevail against it. I will give you the keys of the kingdom of heaven; whatever you bind on earth will be bound in heaven, and whatever you loose on earth will be loosed in heaven."

Isaiah 22:20-22: "On that day I will summon my servant Eliakim, son of Hilkiah; I will clothe him with your robe, and gird him with your sash, and give over to him your authority. He shall be a father to the inhabitants of Jerusalem, and to the house of Judah. I will place the key of the House of David on his shoulder; when he opens, no one shall shut, when he shuts, no one shall open." (shows a parallel to Matthew 16:18-20)

John 21:15-17: "..Jesus said to Simon Peter, "Simon, son of John, do you love me more than these?" He said to him, "Yes, Lord, you know that I love you." He said to him, "Feed my lambs." He then said to him a second time, "Simon, son of John, do you love me?" He said to him, "Yes, Lord, you know that I love you." He said to him, "Tend my sheep." He said to him the third time, "Simon, son of John, do you love me?" Peter was distressed that he had said to him a third time, "Do you love me?" and he said to him, "Lord, you know everything; you know that I love you." (Jesus) said to him, "Feed my sheep."

Luke 12:41: "Then Peter said, "Lord, is this parable meant for us or for everyone?" And the Lord replied, "Who, then, is the faithful and prudent steward whom the master will put in charge of his servants to distribute (the) food allowance at the proper time?" (Feeding theme appears again here)

Luke 22:31-32: "Simon, Simon, behold Satan has demanded to sift all of you like wheat, but I have prayed that your own faith may not fail; and once you have turned back, you must strengthen your brothers."

However, none of these explicitly point to Rome. The Coptic Gospel of Thomas (a non-Biblical source) points to Jerusalem: The disciples said to Jesus, "We know that you are going to leave us. Who will be our leader?" Jesus said to them, "No matter where you are you are to go to James the Just, for whose sake heaven and earth came into being."

Lots of arguments over this, and continuing since The Great Schism.

Great Schism
The Roman capital became recognized as a Christian center of exceptional importance; but there are only a few references of that time to recognition of the authoritative primacy of the Pope outside of Rome. The “Bishop of Rome” was considered first among equals in the early church capitals. There were five important centers in the early church: Jerusalem, Antioch, Alexandria, Rome, and Constantinople. The bishops in these cities were known as Patriarchs, and their specific ecclesiastical territory, as a patriarchate.

The title of Pope was from the early third century an honorific designation used for any bishop in the West. In the East it was used only for the Bishop of Alexandria. From the 6th century, the imperial chancery of Constantinople normally reserved it for the Bishop of Rome.

Eventually, the attempt of one patriarch (the Bishop of Rome) to assume the position of Head (or Pope) of the Universal Church, gave rise to the great division or schism of the Church. The Western Church recognized the sole leadership of the Pope in Rome; the Eastern Churches continued to recognize the historic leadership of their particular patriarchs in the East. This became known as the Great Schism. Relations between East and West had long been embittered by political and ecclesiastical differences and theological disputes. Pope Leo IX and Michael Cerularius, Patriarch of Constantinople, heightened the conflict by suppressing Greek and Latin in their respective domains.

This lead to a disagreement on which was the original church. Here's a good way of thinking about it:


Which one is right?

Fantasy Football '08

Who's ready, who's in? Who wants to take on the:

Play'n Yahoo league, random draft, and only open to a few select peeps, so comment and leave your email addy and i'll send you the info.

Thoughts Behind Recovering Catholics

I'm really bothered by the first comment I received on the last post...I guess I didn't set up the Recovering Catholic post that well... Let's try this... "In Roman Catholicism, a lapsed Catholic is a Catholic who has ceased practicing the Catholic religion. Such a person is said to have lapsed from the faith."

SO even if you were once Catholic (like me) or never were but are protestant, or if you a completely nonreligious person, we are all recovering Catholics (granted i'm speaking to the Christians in our midst, although one can make the case for Jews and Muslims as well, but for simplicity's sake, we'll stick in the Christian framework).

Why? Well if you're protestant, you then are PROTESTING the Roman Catholic church (note the ROMAN, this is CATHOLIC with a big "C" not the body of Christ "catholic=universal" with the small "c". Your ancestors were living in response to the Roman Catholics and the denomination your in has some baggage left over from the 'ye ol' reformation' times.

If you're a nonreligious person, odds are you're reacting to litergy or the "tradition." By tradition I mean lives of saints, the idea that all "heroes" in the bible are inherently good people, or something in the church structure. Depending on what that particular item of trouble is for you, odds are it comes from the Roman Catholic tradition. you don't think so? well, let's talk about it! if you have a complaint against Christianity, i'd love to hear it and see if it can be tied back to Catholicism... i'd like to know if you're a recovering catholic as well!

Now i may come off cross or too tongue-in-cheek and may offend some catholic readers out there (like i did in the Part 1:Our Stories post) but that is to be expected from a jilted lover... when one is dissed from the very thing one loves, one will be a tad jaded. so all appologies if i offend, please tell me about it, and i'd love to hear your story on why you're still with the Roman Catholic Church