conjectural navel gazing; jesus in lint form

we are away!

We leave for New York tomorrow morning. I'm looking forward to our time away. Trish and I have not been on a vacation together since our honeymoon. We are way overdue.

I'm packed. The house is cleaner by the minute. The cat sitter is ready. All is well.

I don't know if I'll take the time to blog while we're away or not. Trish wants to take the computer, so there might be a post or two. See you all on the east coast!

it is done

Preaching is effective as long as the preacher expects something to happen-not because of the sermon, not even because of the preacher, but because of God.
John E. Hines

It is done. I have preached the sermon...to the enjoyment of some and the consternation of others. I pulled from Jewish and Islamic sources. It was, all in all, a great deal of fun. For what it's worth, I don't preach thinking that everyone will agree with me. Nope. But a rousing conversation afterward is a good thing. I'll also admit that I wish from time to time that everyone would agree with me, but that would get dull very quickly.

For those who may be interested, here is a link or two about Abraham and Isaac.

The Aquedah
On the Contrary
Judaism 101

focus, grasshopper

The word "submission" in Arabic is seleme. It is both the root for the word "submission" as in Islam...which means "submission to God"...and the root for the word that means "peace"...salam.
- this sermon from three years ago

So it appears that I am having a morning. I have too many sermons in my brain...too many ideas...too many notions that I am passionate about and I am having trouble sifting through them to find what God is asking me to share. I mean, that's what sermon preparation is all about...responding to what God is doing/saying/proclaiming/screaming. The voices in my own mind are getting in the way. There's a sermon in here...I just know it. And it's not a shy and retiring one. But I am afraid that it is so buried in my own crap this week that it may not come out.

I guess I need to pray about this. And if you read this before 10:30 in the morning Chicago time, I would appreciate a prayer or two in my general direction.

The sermon has a title, In Whose Name, but now I am not sure I like it. There is even a hymn of response,Goodness is Stronger Than Evil. That's a great little tune and I am not sure it bears any connection to the sermon that might come out when all is said and done.

I've spent plenty of time on this sermon this week. There have been distractions to be sure. No doubt. But I have had time to sit, ruminate, pray, and research on the Binding/Sacrifice of Isaac. Heck, I have a half dozen apocryphal stories or midrash running through my head. And I am pretty sure that this story is about obedience...obedience to God and the fear of losing God and ourselves in the process of being obedient. You know, these are often connected notions. We don't want to be obedient spiritually. It can be too rigorous for some of us, too austere and demanding. But this passage shows us something peculiar about true obedience...it is always Godly, bringing peace and renewal into the world. Goodness, says obedience, is always stronger than evil.

My process is killing me.

Help me, God.

the monologue

Once again I am throwing myself at the mercy of Shakespeare and his actors. Susan and Jeffrey. Last time it was Bishop Carlisle. This time it is Claudius from Hamlet. You remember? He's Hamlet's uncle/father. Oh, it gets sticky right quick in this play. In this scene, Claudius, who is the King after murdering his brother and marrying his sister-in-law, realizes that Hamlet knows of his evil deed. Things have come home to roost.

Oh my offence is ranke, it smels to heauen,
It hath the primall eldest curse vpon't,
A Brothers murther. Pray can I not,
Though inclination be as sharpe as will:
My stronger guilt, defeats my strong intent,
And like a man to double businesse bound,
I stand in pause where I shall first begin,
And both neglect, what if this curséd hand
Were thicker then it selfe with Brothers blood?
Is there not Raine enough in the sweet Heauens
To wash it white as Snow? Whereto serues Mercy,
But to confront the visage of Offence?
And what's in Prayer, but this two-fold force,
To be fore-stalléd ere we come to fall,
Or pardon'd being downe? Then Ile looke vp.
My fault is past. But oh, what forme of Prayer
Can serue my turne? Forgiue me my foule Murther?
That cannot be, since I am still possest
Of those effects for which I did the Murther:
My Crowne, mine owne Ambition, and my Queene.
May one be pardon'd, and retaine th' offence?
In the corrupted currants of this world,
Offences gilded hand may shoue by Iustice,
And oft 'tis seene, the wicked prize it selfe
Buyes out the Law; but 'tis not so aboue,
There is no shuffling, there the Action lyes
In his true Nature, and we our selues compell'd
Euen to the teeth and forehead of our faults,
To giue in euidence. What then? What rests?
Try what Repentance can. What can it not?
Yet what can it, when one cannot repent?
Oh wretched state! Oh bosome, blacke as death!
Oh liméd soule, that strugling to be free,
Art more ingag'd: Helpe Angels, make assay:
Bow stubborne knees, and heart with strings of Steele,
Be soft as sinewes of the new-borne Babe.
All may be well.

It's just a bit of fluff for the summer. I found the last class so helpful in regards to Biblical text study (and spending time with my wife as she takes these classes as well) that I thought I would take another one.

obedience and peace: more sermon mumblings

This is true obedience...to obey even when there is no certainty that God will provide an escape.
- Allan Boesak
South African minister

As sometimes happens, there was a "honey do" list waiting for me at church this morning. But the sermon preparation continues anon. I am thinking about obedience...that ever-unpopular notion. I think that the story of the binding/sacrifice of Isaac is about obedience on one level. It is also about how and what we sacrifice and for what reasons on another level. Fun stuff.

Here are two distractions for you...

First, there is this conversation about music and worship. Some of the comments are interesting. This one caught my attention:

Clearly The Worship Wars are alive and well.

The thing is, though, that worship is not about meeting our own personal needs or taste requirements. Worship is for God, and here's the question to ask the two camps:

Would you be willing to give up your favorite music to bring new people into God's family? (Remember The Great Commission?)

Worship is not about us, our style preferences, our comfort. Yes, we want to be fed spiritually, but the congregation that believes that worship is "for them" is a dying congregation.

Ouch!

Second...um...I don't know if this is a good thing...

104 As a 1930s husband, I am Very Superior Take the test!

sermon recap and suchlike

Courage is resistance to fear, mastery of fear - not absence of fear.

- Mark Twain

I am sitting outside on the parsonage patio. The sky is threatening rain. The breeze blowing through the trees is humid...if breezes can be humid. Birds chirp. Rabbits nibble. And my iced tea is perfect. Trish uses mint from our little garden.

Last night's service was lovely. There were only twenty of total...including the choir. The Coalition is still trying to get these services on the radar for folk. So, there were more of us than them, but that's okay with me. We brought people down front and got a little casual. One older woman apologized for wearing jeans. I know it happens but I'll never understand it. It baffles me.

The sermon was (mostly) without notes. I needed another day with it. It turned out fine...Thanks to Jorge's comment, I was able to speak to the witness of the LBGT community to us. Redemptive suffering...it's crucifixion suffering, not hit by a bus suffering. That's what I wanted to get to in my last post and some of my notes preparing yesterday. But it didn't really come together until the last minute. And though that works, it is not my preferred mode of sermon preparation.

Today I will work on Sunday's sermon. I have an outline, an old sermon idea that I need to rework for this Sunday. The passage suggested from the lectionary is the Sacrifice of Isaac. Oy, but that's a sticky wicket to preach. But it is essential to do so. Other than the Passion and the Exodus from Egypt, I am not so sure there is a more important, formative, self-descriptive tale in the Bible. It stumps preachers, however. I'm thinking that I cannot preach the tale as history, but as parable instead.

Okay, I'm off to get some grub. Have a good day, friends.

tribalism and sermon mumblings

This is what the books tell us. Gen-X is “all about relationship.” Gen-X is all about community. Right? Well … Yes and no. I believe “yes” in the sense that Gen-X really does want to have a heightened sense of community in their lives. I do believe that Gen-X wants community. However, I would also say “no” in the sense that Gen-X doesn’t really seem to want community outside of Gen-X’ers. It certainly doesn’t want it with Boomers. Gen-X wants community with itself and that’s not community. That’s tribalism.

- Greg Quiring

Tonight I am preaching at a service hosted by Community Church and the Chicago Coalition of Welcoming Churches. The Chicago Pride parade is coming up this weekend and the coalition prepares by worshiping together at a variety of congregations. I think that this is a great thing and I'm looking forward to preaching. I was hoping to be "off book" for this one, but now I am not so sure that is going to happen. Preaching without a manuscript always takes more preparation than preaching with one. And with two sermons to prepare this week plus getting ready to be away from the church for a week...well, my time is booked!

This evening's service is about baptism. It's a theme of sorts. I want to talk about how Christianity is deep water. It's important to remember that the deeper one goes, the more pressure there is. The analogy eventually fails, but it's a good start. Church life is often pressure-filled. God asks much of us. Jesus is a tough act to follow. And when the church is divided upon itself as it is around human sexuality that pressure is even more real. So, why would anyone ever join? Why would anyone wish to belong to a community so divided?

Yet, here we are.

I have been reading through some Gen X stuff lately trying to understand a modicum of generation theory. It's something we spend time with in seminary as part of the "systems theory" mess. It's useful knowledge. How do various generations of people (These have names like Boomers etc, but are likely more shaped by events than they are shaped by themselves.) encounter community? How do they encounter the Church specifically? Each generation exhibits trends and habits. Individuals in those generations will reflect these trends to a greater or lesser degree.

In thinking about church, it's important to deal with both the macro and the micro. The quotation in the sidebox is an interesting critique from a self-proclaimed X'er. Again, as with all generational theory, it's a bit wide-sweeping. Still, I think that the author is trying to address tendencies within Gen X...Call it tribalism, or cliquishness, or the simple result of being a generation compelled to form communities of age peers from birth as a social survival tool (Some sociologists say that Gen X is the first generation where the majority were raised outside multi-generational environments.). It's an issue that pastors should know a little about.

Carol Howard Merritt has written a book entitled Tribal Church. She takes the notion of Tribe that Quiring sees as problematic and runs with it, turning it into something positive.

Using the metaphor of a tribe to describe the close bonds that form when people of all ages decide to walk together on their spiritual journeys, Merritt casts a vision of the church that embraces the gifts of all members while reaching out to those who might otherwise feel unwelcome or unneeded. Mainline churches have much to offer young adults, as well as much to learn from them. By breaking down artificial age barriers and building up intentional relationships, congregations can provide a space for all people to connect with God, each other, and the world.

Tribes are multi-generational. It's a simple notion and, when congregations function at their best, congregations can demonstrate this leading young adults out of singular age cliques into ways of valuing and being valued at all stages of life. But it also may mean that church communities have to learn to be somewhat flexible in managing how different generations (X'ers, Boomers, Y's) engage multi-generational communities specifically churches. What works for one generation may not work for another...and churched as multi-generational communities are not raising a single person through all stages of life. People come and go. The values and spiritual center of a church shifts with each addition and subtraction. Winner reports:

Often, says Humphries, "a seeker from my generation will go to a church expecting it to be a Christian church, and the first thing they get is the PR message: ‘Oh, well, we’re Christian, but it’s not all that important.’ That was a marketing strategy that got Boomers into the church, but it’s counter to what Xers want."

So, if one is hoping to craft a multi-generational community of people at different stages of life, then one will have to maintain the "PR" of the Boomers at the same time that one develops a clear Christian message for the X'ers while at the same time (yes, there's more) preparing for whatever the next wave of people bring to the table.

Okay...this is what we're baptized into. Welcome.

Right. I need to work.

dance then, wherever you may be...

Where the Hell is Matt? (2008) from Matthew Harding on Vimeo.

That's my summer anthem this year. Matt is my hero.

old but interesting...gen x stuff

Here is an article that I think I have read before. But I wanted to share it again. Given: all generational theory is generalizing...That being said:

As Nathan Humphries says, churches that have catered to sociologists’ accounts of what Boomers want (comfort) and what they don’t want (doctrine) won’t ever get Xers into the pews. "The churches have said, ‘We’ll just water ourselves down until the other person feels comfortable says Humphries. "That’s the boomer idea of hospitality. But that’s not hospitality. It says that people are ashamed of what they are. An Xer sees that and says, ‘You’re watering it down. I guess you’re ashamed."’

Wow. That's some interesting stuff...and something that I wonder about as the "new young families" in my suburban 'hood are comprised of X'ers. The thing is, of course, that the Gen Y folk will show up on the heels of Gen X and churches will reel again as a huge generation of folk accept and reject churches. Fun.

Here's another if you are interested. It's a bit heavy-handed.

monday videoblog: live from kopi

And here is George Carlin for you. May he rest in peace. This is his take on the ten commandments. Um...He's George. He uses profanity. If that bugs you, or if his religious critiques bother you, don't watch this video. I think he was a genius.

friday musings: heart/head or head/heart

In the Talmud we are told that God requires the heart (Sanhedrin 106b). To offer a heart in prayer is to open oneself, peeling off the rugged armor with which we shield our souls in a hostile world. It means abandoning our need for certainty in interaction: and allowing ourselves to be swept up in a dialogue as ancient as it is powerful. Learning, in short, how to speak with God.

- David Wolpe, "Offering a Soul to God", from My Jewish Learning

When I was living at Richmond Hill I had a conversation with one of the other residents about prayer. I was working on a project for Seminary (BTSR and not SWTS). In this conversation, I asked her (Sr. Marie Goldstein was a nun in the order of the Sacred Heart of Mary and had been in Israel as a peace worker.) for a summary statement about faith. She said "God requires the heart." I did not know where she got that pithy little line, but there you go. It hit me where I lived and I've clung to it ever since. Anyway...

My History of Christian Spirituality professor, E. Glenn Hinson, had asked his students to keep a spiritual journal each day to reflect on the readings and assignments. This proved to be an excellent project for me because it forced me to ask questions beyond my usual historical curiosity about All Things Religious. Now, the eventual result was my leaving the seminary, but that is another story. The assignment helped to give me language for what I was dealing with inside. It helped me get out of my head and into my heart. I had always thought about faith and God, but seldom if ever allowed the truth of God enter my heart.

I had always struggled with faith. I wasn't really raised in a church. I was baptized as an infant, but as a family, church was seldom attended. I never resented this. It afforded me the opportunity to try some other spiritual paths without some of the baggage I've seen other people schlep around. And it meant that I was free of certain taboos I still think are bunk. I tried the New Age crystal hoohaa. I tinkered with some chemicals. I read a lot of Thoreau. I studied ancient dead and living world religions. I even looked into a little H.P. Lovecraft for some answers (Note: not the best source.). But I never looked into my heart for an encounter with God.

Now, there were hints and intuitions. My intellectual curiosity had been peaked by something more than a passing interest in old stuff. I just didn't know where to find it. Sr. Marie's proclamation somehow freed me. The project from school somehow freed me. I needed to look inside, in my heart, my gut, my feelings if I were going to find God.

Since I was living in a praying community, my prayer became a way to explore that side of myself. And I read. It's not like I abandoned my head. I read constantly about prayer and Judeo-Christian notions about spirituality. I stepped outside of theology for a moment.

Of course, what I learned later on was that theology is intellectual language for experiences of the heart. Theology describes the mystical. Sometimes we turn the mystical or spiritual or emotive (all related) into a catalogue, a taxonomy. That's not a bad thing to do, but it's goal is not enlightenment as much as it is preservation of knowledge. But ever since then I have come to religious problems, theological questions, from a different place than my head.

In the comments of yesterday's post Megan pointed out that I was answering a question with what I felt about our subject and not what I thought. I did not even realize I was doing so. Thus, I have been thinking about feeling and wondering where it came from. "God requires the heart." Everyone is different, of course. We're wired differently. "Love the Lord with all your heart, soul, mind, and body." is a freeing statement. It allows us many ways to love God. It also may ask for some balance.

I'm going to continue to muse on thinking and feeling one's way into faith. I'll say it again, I am biased. I have never been able to think my way into faith. I've only felt my way there. My intellect has only helped me after the fact. So, I may never be all that helpful for those who must think their way into faith. Fortunately I am not the only person out there talking about God. Still, it was a good thing to recognize.

So, how do you approach God? Head? Heart? Both?

proclamation

Bailey's sermon was titled "When You Pass Through the Water," a reference to a passage from the book of Isaiah. She wanted her church members to know that even in hard times, God is there to lend guidance.

- Ryan Trares, "Beacon of hope" from the Franklin Daily Journal

Amy Bailey is a friend of mine. She ministers in Franklin, Indiana. The quotation is from an article written about a worship service at her church following the floods in her area. Her's is one of the many towns struggling with these recent disasters. She shared the link with me this morning and it occurred to me that this is a great example of proclamation.

"The last week has been described by some as the worst natural disaster ever to strike Franklin, Indiana," she said. "Still, God has been at work to create stable and friendly spaces."

The Gospel reading referenced the tale of Jesus walking on the water. As his disciples were fighting a storm on the sea, Jesus walked out to them.

They were frightened at first, thinking he was a ghost. But he soon comforted them and led them from harm.

"Can you imagine the relief they feel when they hear the voice of Christ?" Bailey asked.

All of that segued into the final part of her sermon. Bailey said she had witnessed God in action during the past week, as neighbors who barely knew each other banded together to help victims recover.

There was the Franklin Community High School football team, which banded together to help clean a victim's house, she said.

In her own neighborhood, the damage was not extensive. Still, water was encroaching some low-lying homes.

Bailey relayed the story of a woman and her son who stationed themselves next to the nearest drain. As corn stalks became clogged in the drain and prevented it from removing water, these two people stayed up all night clearing it of debris.

She made it clear that the disaster this community has weathered was not sent as punishment or vengeance. God was there to help his people, not hurt them.

In his book, Choosing the Kingdom, John Dally suggests that preachers consider moving away from "exegesis/illustration/application" sermons and move toward "proclamation/implication/invitation." This, he says, is not a formula with blanks to fill in or even a suggested order. When we look at Jesus' sermons, however, and how Jesus asks his followers to preach we see this second model of preaching. Parables, tales, and interpretation are instances when Jesus preaches in such a way.

The word "proclamation" in scripture is a common translation of the Greek word keryssein (the root for our word "crisis"). Other translations include "announce," cry out," or "preach." Amy, in her sermon, was proclaiming the Kingdom, announcing where it is, pointing out where God is in her community, underscoring the implications and inviting people to participate.

So, that's what I meant by proclaim. Does this muddy or clarify things?

wow...

Last night Trish and I went to the Chicago Theater to see/hear The Swell Season. You might know them. They are the band that are the stars of the film "Once." It was perhaps the most amazing show I have ever seen. I'd love to give you a play by play, but I need to go to work. It's been a busy week and won't slow down until Friday afternoon when Trish and I drive to Michigan to escape for 48 hours. Well, I'll still drive back to participate in worship on Sunday, but it's worth it to be away for a bit.

The church's golf ministry begins today.

A Voice Crying in the Wilderness: A Golfer's Ministry

If you have ever played golf, you know that it's a spiritual journey fraught with temptation, demons, and moments of abject misery. It's all about the Wilderness, people.

So, sometime soon I'll post something substantial. I've just been busy doing other things. How odd.

just because...

So, I am Spider Man. Fine. But does it have to mess with the font settings on the whole blog? Odd.

sunday morning...

The words I am looking for are "supremely tired." Yeah. I think that's it. Last night was good. I think there were about 40 in attendance...and only a few of those were from my church. So, that's great. Most were from other churches in the city and in the North Shore suburbs. I would do it again. Though, I have some thoughts about this kind of amplified music in such a space as community church.

First, I think amplified music in church is fine. I have no problems with its "appropriateness" and the like. And Isaac and his band can be very sensitive in their delivery and song choice. The drummer, Miles, was very sensitive to the fact that he was in a lively acoustic and did not need to play hard to create the same effect as he might in a larger venue. Good stuff.

Most of the people who came enjoyed themselves...and shared that the music and the silence moved them. It was nice to see them lose themselves in the moment, close their eyes and listen, or to come forward and kneel before the icon and pray. I think overall the service was a "success." I wish there were a different word.

So, this morning I awoke tired. I expected as much. The sermon is done. I am preaching without notes again. I am enjoying this process. Something about NOT writing allows me to be more intuitive than I might otherwise be. I am sure that there are other habits/traits/quirks I am revealing to the congregation that I don't see yet. But that will come in its own time.

I have decided to leave the rearranged space as is for this morning's service. Strangers were in our church. I want people to see what that means...If I can remember to do so, I'll take a picture to share with you guys.

Have a great day.

on prayer

A quotation...

"Prayer is beautiful, and its works are fair; prayer is accepted when it provides alleviation, prayer is heard when forgiveness is to be found in it, prayer is beloved when it is pure of every guile, prayer is powerful when the power of God is made effective in it."

Check it out.

the great to do list

I am totally terrified that I will be the only one at tonight's vespers service. Oy. Heh. It's true...unrealistic, but true. There will likely be 20 or so people. I would love for there to be more, but these services are always hit and miss. Saturday night. Infrequent. Perhaps unusual/novel to some. Then there are all those psalms...

So, what do I need to do today?

1. feed cats and make the coffee
2. tinker in the garden
3. double check sound system at the church
4. meeting at 2pm
5. move furniture in sanctuary
6. at six the band arrives
7. at seven I have a nervous breakdown
8. at eight we pray

That's the day. Somewhere in there I'll eat and work on the sermon some more. The sermon title is The Stranger Gives. The old testament scripture is the story when the three visitors come to Abraham and Sarah and announce that she will have a child. She laughs. It's a good story. The visitors are angels...messengers from God. Abraham was hospitable to God's angels. The new testament passage is from Matthew...when he sends people out two by two to proclaim the Kingdom...to be strangers in the land. It is an unsafe venture to say the least...sheep to the wolves. Such is the ministry and gift of the stranger...They bring salvation (the Gospel, good news, the fulfillment of God's promises) into a place where there may very well be wolves. They are looking for hospitality. Nothing more. It's a good story...

This is a description of how a church grows...We are sent out into the world as strangers...looking for hospitality. And God sends the stranger to the church, to bring the Good News of the Gospel. We are to offer hospitality and be willing to be changed.

too busy

Sorry to have been away lately. I've had a lot going on at church. Tomorrow evening we have a special worship service with music provided by Isaac Everett and his band. It should be a great time.

In other news, I ran into this post at one of the websites I haunt. It actually relates to our conversations about original sin and the afterlife/hell. Pelagianism may be a theological "progressiveism." I am not sure it needs to be the only way to progressiveism, but it makes for an interesting post. Though it does not make for a good movie.

Later day Pelagians can be seen in many present day progressive Christian churches. For example, Universalist commonly believe God is too good to condemn humans and Unitarians believe man is too good to be condenmed. New Thought Christian churches such as Unity and Religious Science believe that man has the ability to heal, as Jesus once did, thus the doctrine of free will lives and thrives in their minds and hearts. While the numbers of these believers may be small in contrast to so called mainstream Christianity, their impact has been well out of proportion to their numbers. For example, several American presidents have been Unitarians.

Moreover the doctrine of free will and the belief in the basic goodness of God and of man, underlies the whole definition of the progressive movement, motivates people like ourselves to seek social equality and justice.

How free will connects to inherent goodness is unclear to me. I tend to shy away from the Pelagian. I think people are born "mixed." We are not born wholly sinful or wholly good. We are people, always a mixture of both wheat and chaff. And somehow this does not keep me from being a progressive. But check out the post. The three comments that follow are lengthy, but interesting.

hope to see you all there

back at it...

Trish's show closed on Sunday. So, she took Monday (my regular day off) and Tuesday off. It was great to catch up after her show. I'll be able to get back to the blog conversations today.

I hope all are well!

monday videoblog: the summer reading list

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without a manuscript

I am preaching without a manuscript again. I've been doing more of that lately. Other than the reality that I was taught to preach that way, I am not sure why I have finally started to do it. Maybe it's just a glitch, a hiccup in what is usually a written expression for me. Who knows. But there it is.

I do have an outline of sorts available to me when I do this. You can follow the extended link to see what that's all about.

Have a great day.

"Follow the Change"

I. Change is in the air
- Presidential election
- Change! What kind of change?
- Who will lead such a change?

II. Matthew's Gospel is about change (9:9-26)
A. Wine skins
- How does the community navigate the change of the fallen Temple?
- "both are preserved" (9:17)
B. Who leads such a change
- a leader of the synagogue
- a young daughter
- a woman hemorrhaging for twelve years
The needy lead the change.
Jesus always follows the needy.
He leads by following. His is a ministry of following.
C. Change is led by the needs of Others
- this is often about companionship and not treatment (9:10)
- agency is in the faith of the needy (9:22)

III. What is our place then?
A. Ordination sermon "the anointing marks where the nails will go" - John Dally
B. We are to follow as Christ followed. God desires mercy and not sacrifice. The change we are called to will be led by the needy.

a common distraction

There are days when I think that the doctrine of Hell and the humanist fixation (see: Calvin) upon frightening people into heaven as one big distraction set before the church by the Devil himself. Yep. There it is. I said it. I feel better now. Thanks. No other doctrine has led more people astray from God than the doctrine of Hell.

Don't get me wrong. Some interesting movies have been made, and there are some great poems (some epics!) out there. Wondrous stuff. The kind of time spent trying to count the circles of hell, and draw the demons, and to wonder how many people fit in the place, and to figure out if we can make yet another movie with Keanu Reeves in the fight for his own immortal soul is simply one big ass distraction. Pardon my language there. Shitte.

Okay...So, if one is to speak of salvation as I tend to do, can you even begin to talk about it without talking about Hell? Nope. If for no other reason than it's on everyone's mind, one has to give it a little time when you talk about Salvation.

So, let me say this. In the comments from the post on original sin, Larry mentioned something about communion with God. He mentioned other things as well that are worth a post or two, but I'll focus on communion. I dig what he's saying.

One could say that Full Communion with God is Heaven. Then Total Absence of Communion with God is Hell. From there I am not sure the specifics really matter. Are they places like Houston is a place? Perhaps there is a Satan. Perhaps he looks like Tim Curry in Legend. Who can say? And maybe God looks like George Burns after all. Does it matter? Does it actually "serve the common good" to speculate on these matters? Does it change lives? I mean for the better. I just don't know.

So, when I talk about salvation, I wrestle with these idols as well. I have images from many different stories and tales in my mind. I imagine we all do. I also find it difficult to separate them out from my thinking on salvation. But I know that I need to. Why? They are a distraction from actual salvation. That's why.

Matthew 19:21 reads...

Jesus said to him, ‘If you wish to be perfect, go, sell your possessions, and give the money to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven; then come, follow me.’

These were Jesus' words to the rich young man. I think our salvation hinges on such words as these. I think that communion with God (or the encounter with Christ) can lead us to such radical shifts in our relationships with one another. Perhaps this specific act will not be duplicated, but such radical giving in other ways may.

Thus we commune with God and with one another. In such a response, we give witness to the salvation that is present in our lives, the grace that is given to us by God. Communion with God leads to such giving. God gives to us. God gives everything to us in Jesus' death on a cross. It is utter sacrifice.

Salvation is the result of giving (God's and our own), radical and sacrificial giving. It is mystical and practical. It is mysterious and commonplace. It is simple and supremely difficult. It is the putting away of our ego to allow for more of God to enter our hearts. It is making way for other people to love us and for us to love them. It is loving our enemies and giving what we have to the poor.

This is salvation. Gift. It has nothing to do with Tim Curry. That's just a distraction.

Or something like that.

sermon mumblings

I went to a local coffee shop to sit with the scripture passage for this Sunday. I am focusing on Matthew. I like this Gospel a great deal. I don't know if it is my favorite, but I dig it. Anyway, Matthew's passage speaks of change and Jesus' ministry. How we hold on to or renew the old while moving into the future with Christ is a worthwhile line of thought. It's about change.

That caused me to think of Obama and some of his rhetoric. "CHANGE" is such a powerful notion to many. And I think that Obama is brilliantly unspecific about many of the changes thus allowing his fans/supporters to define change for themselves. Then I remembered this critical piece about Obama's recent decision to leave Trinity UCC. Beth Newman is the author.

What we need to remember is that the gospel is offensive. Aside from whether the antics of certain preachers upset the world, the message of the gospel will upset many when faithfully preached. The wisdom of the Cross is foolishness to the world. If this cruciform folly is not embraced, “the Cross of Christ [will] be emptied of its power” (I Corinthians 1:17).

Sen. Obama says that he and his wife will choose a new church after the election. In other words, after the real work has been done. Such a decision makes quite clear where his hope for the future lies.

It's pretty harsh, but I am not sure she's off the mark. Interesting stuff...

on sin, the original kind

Father, bless me for I have sinned, I did an original sin… I poked a badger with a spoon.”

-- Eddie Izzard, comedian and action transvestite

For those of you who have been paying attention, I have been asked on numerous occasions to talk about how I understand salvation. It's a perfectly reasonable expectation that I would be able to define a word I use so frequently. Salvation. Salvation. Salvation. Salvation.

So, what the heck is it? And what are we saved from? And does Jesus (as that is my faith tradition) have anything to do with it? And (I paraphrase here) does this have anything to do with original sin? "Aha!" I said to myself. "I shall begin with the original kind of sin and see about this salvation stuff tomorrow."

So, here we go with original sin.

Two ideas are in orbit around something that I have always understood intuitively. Yes, there is original sin. As Genesis is a lovely (and long) metaphor for the beginnings of humanity (perhaps only human civilization and not our biological beginnings) I tend to get lost in the intuitive. I don't read Genesis as a historical claim, but a spiritual and poetic one. So, let's try to tread away from that morass...Anyway...two ideas and my intuitive faith claim...

Idea One: Ben Campbell speaks of original sin by suggesting that we are all born into imperfect families and communities. The communities and families are burdened with pasts, mistakes, difficulties etc. We inherit them at our conception. We are, in that way, born into sin. It's not that we are born evil. No. It's not that our families are evil. It's that we are born into an imperfect world as imperfect people into imperfect families and communities. One can call that "original sin." Adam and Eve do a great job of demonstrating what that looks like on the epic scale. Their kids inherited their struggles, if you recall.

Idea Two: Donald Miller talks about our "sin nature." I blogged about it here. Miller says that we are born flawed. And these flaws manifest themselves in the decisions we make, our free will. We are created with the ability to choose. Sometimes even in spite of ourselves and for no reason we can explain we choose what hurts ourselves and others. This too could be called "original sin."

My Understanding: I like both of these ways of understanding original sin. You see, since I don't read Genesis as scientific history but as story rife with metaphor (There are two creation narratives, not one.), I really cannot say accurately that Eve committed the first sin (a popular and often misogynist claim), or that Adam committed the first sin (the Apostle Paul's claim), with any historical weight. All I can say is that the writers of Genesis struggled with the same questions that we do.

Why do good people do bad things? Why do I do things, make choices, that embarrass me or hurt my loved ones? I don't mean to hurt you, but I do. Why would I choose such a thing? How can I stop choosing such things? Why are people so cruel? The list of questions can go on ad nauseum. We try to explain the existence of suffering and evil. We always have. The writers of Genesis are no different.

So, Paul says that Jesus is like a "new Adam." What Adam did to mess everything up for creation, Jesus undoes through his life, crucifixion, and resurrection. That's how powerful Jesus' love for the world is...that it undoes that original sin. If we wish to follow Jesus we can cut ourselves free from that original sin. It is in this spirit that we receive a baptism in water and the Holy Spirit.

Some psychologize this and call it "breaking cycles." I think that can be a good description, though I think it goes more deeply than that. If original sin is as Ben Campbell suggests, then learning that we can choose actions and reactions that undo the unhealthy cycles that may have been given to us by our families and communities is helpful. Cycles of addiction or abuse, fear, neglect, poor penmanship, and everything in between can be broken. We can choose to undo them, to not participate in them. This takes some work on our part. Perhaps prayer. Perhaps therapy. But self-actualization must come. Spiritual renewal must come.

I understand my tradition to mean all the above and then some when we say "born again." We must accept Jesus as our Saviour (this is a Christian faith claim) and be Baptized. This is salvation from original sin. This is seeking perfection.

Salvation is the process and the moment of undoing what binds us spiritually, emotionally, and psychologically. Salvation encompasses this entire process, all its levels, and all of its effects. Salvation is an act of free will and a gift from God. "I have decided to follow Jesus." says the old hymn. In that decision we open ourselves up to an alternative to that we were born into. We are saved by grace through faith, says Paul. In the end, it is not we who save ourselves. God saves us.

I'll stop for now. More tomorrow. Questions? Comments?

insomniac chronicles

I sense that a new spirituality is being born in the church today, flowing from the wounded hearts of the weak and broken who are crying out for friendship. This friendship is also a source of healing for those who answer their cry.

--Jean Vanier

Why am I awake? No caffeine. No more sugar than usual. And yet...*heavy sigh*

So, I checked the church e-mail account and responded to one or two things. There's a bad late night movie on the television. I am hoping that my brain gives way here shortly and I can get some sleep. I have a meeting at 8:30 in the village. So, a few hours of sleep wold be nice. And then there is the church Council meeting tonight. Oy. So, um, yeah...a few winks would be a kindness.

Jean Vanier is an interesting person. He's the founder of the L'Arche community. He has his finger on the pulse of an important reality in community in general and Christian community specifically. Celtic spirituality speaks about "holy friendship." Essentially God is mediated through our relationships. God is not limited to such mediation, but God works through friendship. When these relationships take on an intentional focus such as in the L'Arche community or in the relationships some Celtic saints are said to have had with worldly and other worldly "friends," things change. The intended purpose of these friendships is the mutual sanctification of the friends.

We are brought together so that God might be born in our lives, our brokenness healed, and our souls cared for. Perhaps this is salvation.

monday videoblog: finally a little summer

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