Seminary in a Can

The Myth of the Majority

2011-08-02T14:38:00.000-07:00

I have decided to to a critical series on the polity of my church. This is partly therapeutic as I need a place to express my distaste for some of it.

The first think I take issue with is the myth that the majority is always being lead by the spirit and therefore we should govern our church through the approval of the majority. One of the stories they like to use is that of the elders of Israel taking on the duties for Moses. The community was involved in determining the will of God. However, that did not work out well for Israel as the majority of the people decided to make and worship a golden calf while Moses was away.http://www.blogger.com/img/blank.gif

Secondly, we do not truly believe in the idea that the spirit will reveal its will to the majority. History is filled with examples that run contrary to this. The early church went against the understanding of the Jewish temple cast, the roman church went against the the eastern church. The protestant church broke away from the catholic church, and even today we only look to within the walls of our own denomination to determine what is normative. For example, the issue with homosexuality in the church. If we looked to the majority of christian discernment across the world they would be overwhelmingly shut down. I appreciate the thoughts given by the ecumenical affiliate at last years general assembly. I will leave you with video of that day. I think he says it better than I can.

Presbyterian Polity Blues

2011-08-02T14:21:00.000-07:00

I am in class for the next two weeks. I am learning about Presbyterian polity. Well, I am learning what used to be Presbyterian polity.

Polity refers to how the church governs itself. Each denomination has a different way that they govern themselves. For example, the Catholics have a pope. Their decisions are top down from greater authorities while the baptists have a system where the source of power comes from the local congregation.

Presbyterians have put a lot of thought into this. However, when I signed up for the class we had one book we followed. In between signing up for the class and actually taking the class we have changed books. We have a new Form of Government (nFog). But we are still learning the old one because they did not take the time to learn how to teach the new one. I am slightly discouraged. It is like learning how to navigate Windows Vista two days after Windows 7 came out. it's like buying an iPhone 4 two weeks after the iPhone 5 comes out.

Study Break!

2011-05-23T17:58:00.000-07:00

I am all cramped up in the library getting ready for finals. And my blog has gotten all intelligent as of late. So I thought I would take a little break and share one of my favorite muppet skits.

The Red Sun and the Last Night: C.S. Lewis on the End of the World (Part 4)

2011-05-22T08:45:00.000-07:00

In Last Night Lewis does an excellent job making an apologetic for the Christian apocalypse in the matrix of a Christian world view. It proves that this view is more pleasant then the materialist alternative. It proves that this views is consistent with orthodox Christian teachings. However, it does not show that the likelihood of one is greater than the other. The best he can hope to lay out is that the Christian world view of the end is more consistent with the hope those who believe in it invest than those who place their faith in the materialist utopia.

The impact of these world views were more pronounced in Lewis’ time. Lewis thought he was living at the dawn of what could be earth’s red sun. Having served in World War I and lived through World War II he saw the rise of fascism, the Soviet Union, and the atomic bomb. It is no wonder at the end of The Magician’s Nephew Aslan issues a warning, “That world [Charn] is ended as if it never had been. Let the race of Adam and Eve take warning… soon, very soon, before you are an old man and an old woman, great nations in your world will be ruled by tyrants who care no more for joy and justice and mercy than the Empress Jadis. Let your world beware.” (164). His message was to point out the folly of materialism and social evolution. Utopianism found in communist and fascist countries through out the developed world is still popular but not in the same way as the early 20^th century. Postmodernism has seen a rise of a new spirituality we are less concerned with what is measurable and more invested in what is felt.

Today Lewis’ views are still relevant. There is not much difference between hell and what awaits us at the end of the materialist journey. In Charn we find the last queen running a mock around an empty city. Charn is reminiscent of the description of hell in Lewis’ The Great Divorce as an empty yet ever increasing city. The implication of such a fate on my future ministry is a warning to avoid spiritual reconstructionism.

My ethics professor once told me that his wife reminds him that has enough degrees to his name that he can justify just about any ethical position he pleases and he has the authority to back it up. This reminds him that his job is to seek out, with the utmost humility, what is a God-fearing ethic for life and not reconstruct his ethics to fit his own needs. When we abandon the Tao for materialism we seek to remake the world in our image. There is a temptation in the field of pasturing to claim a certain level of spiritual authority. Questionable matters of integrity may follow. The Witch Queen and the Alcasan serve as reminders that power corrupts and no matter what position I am in I am still subjected to natural law. We can never seek to master the soul.

Progressive materialism brings no hope to those who have faith it will someday come. However, we as Christians are not called to such a land. Ours is one of a final night and then a glorious sunrise. “When the judgment comes happy are those whom it finds laboring in their vocations… [no matter if you finished your job]… you were at your post when the inspection came.” We will not drift into the soft lull of old age and each endeavor will not ultimately reach its climax. But Christ will return again and put an end to many things prematurely.

Judgment is the most important part of the end of Narnia and our own world. Unlike Charn which was collectively left to rot and die Narnia has a judge. We know that we will be judged. On that day Lewis says, “We shall not only believe, we shall know, know beyond doubt in every fiber of our appalled or delighted being, that as the judge has said, so we are; neither less nor more.” In light of this fact my ministry needs to be placed in the context of Lewis’ question, “What if this evening is the world’s last night?” I must live as one who will be held accountable and not go quietly into the silence of a red sun.

The Red Sun and the Last Night: C.S. Lewis on the End of the World (Part 3)

2011-05-22T08:42:00.000-07:00

The theology behind The Last Battle can be found in his essay entitled The World’s Last Night. Here he discusses his view on the end of the actual world. There are three points of note brought up by him in this essay concerning the end of time. Firstly, it shall be violent. Secondly, it shall be abrupt. Lastly, there shall be a judgment.

As for violence, in The Last Battle Lewis begins the end with death. The souls of the trees come and ask for aid as they are being torn down and sold to the Telemarines. Death and war continue to its climax as the children who come from England to Narnia do so upon their death. Lewis describes the end in The World’s Last Night as, “a brick flung at a gramophone.” Lewis’ opinion of the nature of the end is clear. It will hurt. It will be classified by its level of pain. Its fragrance will be death.

The timing of the end is very important to Lewis. In The Last Night he wisely avoids the temptation of making grand pronouncements about its time and place. Instead, he stresses the timing of the end is unknown. As Jesus declares that no person, not even Jesus, knows the time it will come. This is reflected in the beginning of The Last Battle Lewis opens with the period of peace in Narnia. The last king of Narnia is not found preparing for war. Instead, he is found eating fruit underneath a tree on a lazy summer day. Knowing there is a judgment and that we can not know the time forces us to always live in such away that we are ready for it. In a sense knowledge of the end brings us closer to the Tao because at the heart of the Tao is the will of God.

Also, the timing of the end is premature. He says, “The difference is that whereas scientists expect only a slow decay from within, we reckon with sudden interruption from without – at any moment.” Humanity will never have time to breed themselves out of the influence of the Tao. Lewis believes long before the sun grows cold Jesus will return to put an end to this world. The graphic descriptions of Charn as a place abandoned and rotting will never be true of Narnia. The abrupt end to our world, as in Narnia, shows that there is a creator who is intimately connected to that narrative of each worlds life and death.

Lastly, there will be a judgment. This is the most important part of Lewis’ theology of the end time. This is because it puts into place all actions and their intended consequences. In Last Night he views this judgment less like a sentence or punishment and more like a verdict. It will be a perfect critique that will be passed on each person. Even if the fruits of their intentions are never achieved each will be judged by the manner in which they pursued them. In The Last Battle Narnia is judged as it goes through the final gate. Each talking animal found to be in love with Aslan is given reign over the real Narnia. Each talking beast that looks upon Aslan with anger or displeasure relinquishes the right to be a sentient being.

Does Lewis do justice to these two views in his work? In the materialist view we see a dark end to all worlds. There are a few assumptions in Lewis’s work on the materialist end of time where I believe he falls short. First, he is writing from the early 20^th century which was the height of modern thought. He assumes for the sake of argument that this progressive philosophy will continue. But we see that western culture is moving away from materialism and rediscovering it values in the form of postmodernism. Secondly, there is an assumption that in the end order triumphs over chaos. In order for his final vision to take place we require a world that is progressing toward The Abolition. But in truth most of the world looks less like the progressive post-war England in which Lewis lived and more like the streets of the third world. We are in a world not marching toward order and triumph over nature but one dancing in circles around bedlam. Finally, he overestimates the ability for of propaganda and genetics to defeat the Tao. I do not fear humanity ever losing the Tao because in every culture it shines through. However, the fact that materialism has not withstood the test of time and that Lewis has to make such allowances as a world without God progressing toward order only shows how weak the foundation is of the material he is trying to discredit.

The Red Sun and the Last Night: C.S. Lewis on the End of the World (Part 2)

2011-05-22T08:41:00.000-07:00

The witch of course has her story of great wars and underhanded dealings. But The Land of the Red Sun is a theme that repeats itself in Lewis’ work. The theological back ground for the destruction of Charn and all places like it is outlined in The Abolition of Man. This book is a defense of universal value and natural law. In it Lewis argues that humanity is subject to a moral influence outside of there control called the Tao. While each culture can misinterpret the Tao it is still the Tao that guides them. Materialism is a philosophy that seeks to dismiss the Tao and create a new set of rules to guide humanities values. In educating our children in the Tao “Old birds teach young birds how to fly,” in the materialism mindset we treat them like a butcher treats poultry manipulating them into the type of thing we want them to be. Lewis says, “We reduce things to mere Nature in order that we may `conquer' them. We are always conquering Nature, because `Nature' is the name for what we have, to some extent, conquered. The price of conquest is to treat a thing as mere Nature… The stars do not become Nature till we can weigh and measure them: the soul does not become Nature till we can psychoanalyse her.” In other words, in the conquest to understand nature we ultimate objectify humanity. Those individuals, no longer being bound to the Tao are in turn conquered by their basest desires. This outcome of which Lewis says, “the being who stood to gain and the being who has been sacrificed are one and the same.” Elsewhere he says ultimately, “if man chooses to treat himself as raw material, raw material he will be.” He says, “We give up our souls and get power in return.” In other words, humanity will be without ethics but fully in control of its destiny. This is what happened to Charn.

The Witch Queen discovered by the children is the only person left. She was the sole individual that conquered. She had all power at a terrible price. She describes to the children what happened as she spoke the “deplorable word” and killed everything on the planet in order to claim victory over her ‘wicked’ sister. The children are shocked and ask how she could sacrifice the lives of thousands of innocent people. But with a cool detachment the witch replies, “Don’t’ you understand? … I was the Queen. They were all my people. What else were they there for but to do my will?” (61). The Witch Queen treated her subjects as raw material, a means to an end. She did not morn when they died because she was not living within the Tao. Nothing was telling her that life was to be valued for its own sake. She is the uber-man Lewis warns about in The Abolition.

We can see this concept of the progression toward an uber-man outlined once again in That Hideous Strength. This book has been described as a parable of “The degeneration of man which inevitably follows a gross and slavish scientific materialism which excludes all idealistic, ethical and religious values.”[1] One of the main characters, Mark Studdock, engages with a group called the National Institute of Coordinated Experiments (N.I.C.E) this group involves “sterilization of the unfit, liquidation or backward races, selective breeding, pre-natal education, vivisection, biochemical conditioning of the brain and eventually the elimination of organic life altogether.”[2] In short, they seek to achieve that which was warned about in The Abolition; to take control of humanity through replacing the Tao with the goals of N.I.C.E. In a grim turn of events Mark discovers that the head of nice is the head of Alcasan which is being kept alive through blood infusions. This is a possible literal representation of Lewis’ first part of The Abolition entitled Men without Chests where he says without the Tao we will become people with brains but not hearts. Meaning the initial affects of materialism is intellect in the absence of virtue.

Overall Lewis is generous to the world of That Hideous Strength. While the goals of N.I.C.E. were apocalyptic in nature the disaster is averted. He did not however spare Narnia. A This brings us to his alternative to The Red Sun which is The Last Night. The Last Night is a phrase Lewis used as an essay title revolving around coming end of the earthly world. It also echoes the fourteenth chapter of The Last Battle entitled Night Falls on Narnia. From these two titles it is easy to imagine that Lewis views the end of time as a final evening.

When we look at The Last Battle (TLB) we see the unraveling of Lewis’ precious world of Narnia. Lewis heartily contends that The Chronicles are not allegorical to this world. This however is not always true and we can see glimpses of his actual world view and faith in TLB. It starts with the religious confusion brought about by a power grab made by the anti-christ-like donkey, a foolish animal named Puzzle, in the woods accompanied with the false prophet, an ape named Riddle. It is followed by wars and rumors of wars. There is abominable worship of those claiming to be Aslan. Eventually, all that is good in the world slowly falls by the wayside. But no one expects that this is the end of Narnia. It is only when all the smoke has cleared and Aslan comes to judge do these signs finally make sense.

[1] 240 A companion and Guide

[2] Ibd 237

The Red Sun and the Last Night: C.S. Lewis on the End of the World (Part 1)

2011-05-22T08:34:00.000-07:00

What follows is a paper I wrote for my C.S. Lewis theology class. I thought it fitting seeing as we just dodged a bullet yesterday with that whole non rapture thing. People like Lewis and I think they want to hear what he says about the end of the world.

Ralph Waldo Emerson once said, "Life is a journey, not a destination." This is often taken to mean that the importance of life is not found in where one is going but how one arrives. C.S. Lewis would disagree with this understanding of Emerson. In some sense he was a medieval soul trapped at the birth of modernity. He has a certain distain for progress for progress sake. He dismissed the social evolution of humanity as a myth.[1] While Lewis was admittedly not a theologian he was a consummate apologist and thinker. He could not help but ask, “Where will materialism lead to in the end?" In his corpus C.S. Lewis creates two endings for humanity in order to demonstrate the differences and ultimate superiority of the world of Christianity over the modern progressive world. The heavens play a large role in the works of Lewis. They are found prominent in his descriptions of creation and destruction and they are found in many of his works including Narnia and his science fiction novels. It seems fitting that his works on the end of time be considered in a similar manner. First, we will look at what I will call Lewis’ Land of the Red Sun to define his view of progressivism’s endgame. Second, we will look at The Last Night to establish his view on the second coming of Christ. Then we shall put the two side by side and weigh the value of each. Finally, we will discuss the ramifications these two world views had on in the zeitgeist of Lewis’ era and then the impact they have on today’s ministry field.

Before we go further it would be useful to briefly discuss what this paper is not. Often when people hear about C.S. Lewis and the end of time they automatically make an association with heaven and hell. While Lewis wrote extensively on the matter of the afterlife this paper sets out not to explore its nature but to take a step back and look closely about humanities final act on earth.

The red sun is a symbol of the last days of a planet. Scientifically speaking as stars grow old and die they turn from orange to red and finally in a bright flash they explode and are gone forever. In Lewis’ The Magician’s Nephew the red sun can be found in the realm of Charn. Two children venture into another world by means of magical rings. As they explore they come across the kingdom of Charn. No doubt Charn was once a great world, “As far as the eye could reach, there spread a vast city in which there was no living thing to be seen. And all the temples, towers, palaces, pyramids, and bridges cast long, disastrous-looking shadows in the light of that withered sun”(pg 59). The children come in well after the last act of some great tragedy. It is a world that has reached its end. They find only one person remaining. The Witch Queen had frozen herself in time in order to rule over those who might come and awaken her from her slumber, an act in which one of the children fool hardily execute.

How did Charn end up as a place of desolation?

[1] The Souls Last night

Everything I Care to Know about the Rapture

2011-05-21T22:42:00.000-07:00

When I was a college student I had a class in astronomy. I can still remember discussing the life cycles of starts in class. My professor told me that billions of years from now our sun will grow old and cold. It would expand to engulf the earth and several planets in our solar system. Earth would be consumed although all life on the planet will have died millions of years before as the planet would no longer be able to support life. I like to start talking about the end of the world with this image. I think it is very sad. The earth would be alone dying being consumed by the very force that sustained its life for billions of years. Humanity was a distant flicker lasting no more than a spark in the night. It would be the end but no one around to mourn its loss. I mention it not just because it is sad but also because it shows that both secular and spiritual people believe the world will end. As we sit and scoff that some think it will happen sooner rather than later all we are doing is arguing over is the time frame and purpose.

To a secular mind the end of the world is without purpose. We are just fortunate enough to live far enough away from it that we do not have to come to terms with its meaninglessness. However, Christians believe that the end of the world, much like the beginning, has a course charted out for it. There is a holy narrative about creation. In the beginning God created people in His image. God chose to engage with us on relational levels. He made a covenant with people to participate in the narratives of our personal lives, of our community lives, and civilization scoping every time and place. In the end God will bring justice to the world. Evil will be abolished. Death will be overcome. The end of the Christian world is the beginning a new world filled with peace and life. However, things will get darkest right before this metamorphosis. Evil will have a time to run the world. Some Christians believe that in this grim hour God will have mercy on those who are devout. Much like Enoch in Genesis 5, these people think that God will remove them and take them to heaven having never tasted death and avoiding the reign of terror and sin that will define the world’s last days. This is the rapture. There is very little the bible has to offer on the subject. Most of it is cryptic. It is easy to be reckless in interpreting these passages because what seems to be implied is so fanciful. Jesus says that in the end that one will be taken and another left behind. But he says nothing about people disappearing. If anything Jesus’ comments in Luke 17: 34-37 allude to the phrase “taken” as a euphemism for dying. Jesus is describing a time when every other person will not survive. This verse is often coupled with another completely unrelated verse in 1 Thessolonians 4:17 where the writer says “[When Jesus returns] we who are still alive and are left will be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air. And so we will be with the Lord forever.” This verse sounds straight forward in favor of the rapture. But it is such an odd verse. Outside this passage the scriptures do not talk about it much at all. Furthermore, the early church did not take this to mean a great disappearance at the end of the world. They did not mention the idea of the rapture either. If the early church did not teach it and the bible only mentions it in passing I do not think that knowing when or where or any other detail about it is important.

There are things that are important. We are to love God with all our heart, soul, strength and mind. We are to love our neighbor even when that person is an a**hole. We are to honor God by caring for the poor and looking out for the fatherless. We are to know God and enjoy him fully. These are things that please God. These are expressions of faith and ways in which we reflect the character of God. The rapture is a very small part in the larger epic that is humanity. It has little to do with the core values of the faith. It is tagged on to the end of the world because it is considered by some to be the tip off to the big game that is the end of the world.

When I was a kid the idea of God coming back and judging the world was a scary proposition. I did not want things to end. But today I think of the land of the cold red sun. The end that awaits us if there is no great return of Christ. The cruel forgotten finale to a beautiful world once filled with life. The promise of God is that in the end he will make all things new. That in death, even the death of the world itself, is not the end. As sure as Jesus rose from the grave so too will this world find everlasting life. I am not saying that it is positive for everyone but at least this is not without hope.

[Point of personal privilege: What irks me about Harold Camping and his failed prediction is that he says that the bible clearly states that this will happen. But when you look at his rational it is steeped in numerology and is basically no better than Christian tarot card reading given by a man who has zero hours of academic biblical education. If an atheist has a charge against Christianity I would prefer it to be over something of substance. But Camping and his group provide low hanging fruit for criticism. They also reinforce a negative Christian stereotype of anti-intellectualism. In short he comes off looking like a fool and he drags us all down a notch with him.]

Also, if you want to watch a movie that will depress you to no end about how humanity might end up without God’s intervention towards the last days go rent The Road with Vigo Mortenson.

Homosexuality and the PCUSA: Love Well (Part IV)

2011-05-14T12:38:00.000-07:00

Some people seek out gay friends as a badge of social honor. It says they are inclusive, progressive, and hip. I had a friend recently who finally found her two gay friends. She was hoping that she could take them shopping and talk about shoes. It turns out they were really into Settlers of Catan and other nerdy board games. It makes me smile because those guys sound like people I would spend a lot of time with. Sometimes people like to trot out their relationships with others to pad the blow to a hurtful statement. I do not have any gay friends at least any that have come out to me. I wouldn't be opposed to it. It just isn't happening right now. I used to have one. He was a good guy. We would play Dungeons and Dragons together and tivo our favorite show to watch it together. I liked him very much. He even made me a birthday cake once. Then Proposition 8 happened. In 2008 a proposition banning gay marriage passed in the state of California. I never told him how I voted but he knew I was a Christian and took an educated guess. I got an email saying that I thought gay people were less than human because I didn’t agree with his view on the matter. That was the last I heard of him.

I mention this because without talking about it, without considering my behavior and friendship we had for a handful of years, I was now a bigot. I was a homophobe. I was a supporter of hate and an opponent of civil rights. The rhetoric is so elevated these days when it comes to the issue of homosexuality. Each camp has their battle lines established and their swords drawn. The polarizing nature of this issue makes it hard for people who would otherwise be friends to be in the same room with each other. I see this on both sides in the church too. Conservatives accuse liberals of not believing the bible or having an immature faith. Liberals think conservatives are ignoring the teachings of Jesus by denying love and inclusivity in our congregations. We have to get over this name calling if we are going to make any progress in loving and reconciling with each other. Being called a homophobe is hurtful. It is probably as hurtful as a gay person being called a sinner. When we engage in this rhetoric we only succeed in pulling each other down. One reason I think we can stay together as a denomination is because I think both stereotypes are inaccurate. I think the caricatures that we make of each other are designed to make us feel better about our own positions.

For some people homosexuality is an all or nothing issue in the church. That is the battle. But we are not bound together by our opinions on sex. We are not a church that has sexuality as the cornerstone of our faith. Sex did not die for us. Sex did not restore us to God. Both sides are confident in the restoration of people to God through Christ. It is the spirit of God that dwells in us and unites us. We are divided on what God wants in this arena but when has the church not had an issue that has caused controversy? In other times we were divided on the nature of communion, our relationship to the state, and the use of icons in worship. We have even fought and divided over the word “and” in the Nicene Creed. Division is natural but we are called to love each other even when we disagree.

I will leave you with one final story. In preparation for this blog I came across the story of a group of Amish people who had survived a school shooting. A gunman took the lives of their children right before taking his own. In response the community gathered around the family of the gunman forgave them and mourned collectively for their loss. Because of their faith in Jesus Christ they acted with grace in a way the world could neither expect nor fully understand. My charge to us today is this, in seeking to honor God in this matter let us act with such grace the world can neither expect nor understand.

Gays and the PCUSA: Jesus Friend of Sinners (Part III)

2011-05-13T13:18:00.000-07:00

We have a problem. Regardless of if we decide to stay in the denomination or not we need to settle the issue of how to treat homosexuality in the church. Nine million Americans identify themselves as homosexual. Some argue that this lifestyle is a choice, but among individuals seeking to make the choice to move from homosexual to heterosexual lifestyles less than 10% are able to maintain this decision for over two years and it is often marked with periods of deep depression and suicide. Gay and lesbian people are not going away and some of them crave a relationship with their creator. Regardless of our denominational ties how are we to respond to these people?

We like to say, “Hate the sin, love the sinner.” But this falls on deaf ears. Homosexuality is more than an action. It is a culture. “The sin” is part of the identity of “the sinner” in ways that transcend the act. This slogan simply insults the individual and the support system they have that allow for a livable life. And what love do we have to offer homosexuals? Jesus is a friend of sinners. That is what we say anyway. I know in my past I have said that but really meant, “Jesus is a friend of sinners who get their act together and actively engage in becoming less sinful.” Our love often stops at some “tough love” approach by telling them that God wants them to be celibate for the rest of their lives. What else can we be doing to love them? If they are to not be our leaders than where is there place in our congregation? We cannot stick them in the roll of “seeker” until they decide to repent. This post is not to answer the question but to simply point out the flaw. There is no place for homosexuals in conservative evangelical churches and there should be.

I am not arguing that homosexuality is not sinful. Having looked at the biblical evidence I see only negative comments about the practice. An argument for it is either from silence or “the rule of love” which is nebulous at best. But we treat lots of other sins with much more grace. 51% of men and 54% of male pastors have watched porn in the last 12 months. It is just a fact. Walk into a church count every other male and there you have it. A church filled with sexually destructive behavior. Yet we make these men elders, Sunday school teachers, and even pastors without ever bringing up this issue. We ordain people who have been divorced without blaming them or feeling compelled to tell them that their lifestyle makes them a sinner. Furthermore, the church marches on. We go on mission trips, host vacation bible schools, support local food pantries. The gospel goes forth despite the fact that we are such broken people. Somehow homosexuality has become the sin of all sins and therefore we are suspicious of those who practice it. But we need to find out better ways on how to love “the sinner” because right now they are feeling like we don’t love them. In fact they think we “h8” them.

Gay Ordination: Fears and Realities ( Part II )

2011-05-12T09:42:00.000-07:00

Fears

When Presbyterians started to ordain women there was an issue with a candidate for ordination named Kenyon. In his ordination he said that he would work side by side with women in ministry but he would not partake in the actual ordination process. You can read more about that here. He was ordained and then he lost his ordination in a protest by other members of the presbytery. Now, no one who had an issue with women being ordained and every church was required to have female representation on their church session. I think something like this happening now is one of the big fears of conservatives in the process of allowing room for homosexuals to become ordained. It is true that we grieve the loss of biblical authority and we can see this as our church seeking to be culturally normative instead of biblically motivated. But most of all we care what is happening our church, with our pastor, and our leadership. We fear the church forcing us to accept pastors that we do not theologically agree with and revoking ordination from the ones that we do.

This is not going to happen. No one on either side is looking to start punishing others. Churches that are having a crisis of conscious on the issue will not have to participate.

We also fear that by another church in our denomination ordaining a homosexual pastor we are somehow responsible for their actions. In some ways this is a valid issue. We are in fellowship with each other and we are to keep each other accountable. But the wording of this change is designed so that the power lies at the local level. This means now more than ever we have an opportunity for keeping our church accountable through active participation in the presbytery. By becoming elders and joining committees like The Committee for the Preparation of Ministry, we influence the shape and values of our presbytery. It’s true this means a deflation of power at the national level but that type of oversight actually runs contrary to where the church has traditionally kept its power (which is on the local level).

Realities

I do not want to sound like this is not an issue. The reality is that there is a divide in our church and it is slowly growing us apart. This is going to be hardest on the theological minorities in the presbytery. A liberal church wanting a gay leader in a conservative presbytery is going to still have a hard time getting that passed just as a conservative church in a liberal presbytery will have trouble blocking it. But I believe we are stronger when we are together. Liberals need conservative to remind them of values of evangelism and personal holiness but we also need the liberal parts of the just to remind us about justice and mercy. What each side lacks right now is the humility to express this need. I truly believe that what binds us together is still stronger than what divides us. Our love for God, our desire to make him known, our shared history, scripture, and confessions. Let us reject the notion that those who disagree with us do not love God or lack understanding. Our worst fears will not come to pass and our realities need us to work together in love.

Homosexuality and the PCUSA: A Conservative Seminarian's Response (Part I)

2011-05-11T14:05:00.000-07:00

My denomination, Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.), has recently decided to change the ordination standards for their pastors and elders to include language that is considered to all as welcoming of homosexual sexually active people in positions as pastors and elders. One camp is claiming victory of “sexual justice” in the church while the other is morning the loss of biblical authority. It is a flash point issue. I will admit even I am tempted to leave the denomination. But I do not think that is the right course of action. Wherever we go this issue will follow us. Furthermore, this is still our denomination. It was the one that raised me and still supports me in the calling of God in my life. So I figure it is best now that we face it head on.

It is tempting to react strongly to this news and the fact that the mainstream news outlets herald this as a civil rights issue only deepens the divide between the two sides. At first I was going to write a single post about this issue. But I realize now that it is too vast a topic to cover in one post. And let’s be honest after about 500 words people stop reading anything on the internet.

Therefore, this is the first in a several post series about the decision. It is dedicated to my conservative evangelical friends in the denomination that are feeling hurt and betrayed right now. Before you go any farther know this: This is NOT the end of the world. We CAN stay together as a denomination. Even in this dark place there is hope but we have to hold on tight and if you find this series helpful forward it along.

What just Happened?

In order to know what just happened we need to look at what has been happening for awhile in our church. There is a lot more to this. But this history is a thumb nail sketch designed to get to some of what I consider the important parts. Presbyterians spend hundreds of years existing without doubting the importance of straight or celibate pastors. There was no written ruling against it but it was understood that a pastor should be morally upright and part of that was sex expressed inside of marriage alone. In the 1960-70s this norm was questioned and in response they explicitly put in a part of the ordination standards that ordained persons should be celibate in singleness and faithful in marriage (G – 6.0106b). Now what the denomination had was a ordination standard that picked out one area of sins as the “really bad one” so bad that they had to express their objection to it explicitly. Child abuse, human trafficking, and idolatry all remained unspoken rules but sexuality took the limelight.

What just happened was that this line that elevated sexual sins above all others was removed. In its place is a verse that I think we can all agree with. “We are to joyfully submit to God in all aspects of life.” If I had to pick one to be the harder task I would say it is the new language. If I had to pick a line that I would want my life to look like I would have to choose the second because while vague the implications of the second include the vision of the first. To joyfully submit in all aspects of life is to joyfully submit in the arena of sexuality. Because of this I think the new language is spiritually healthy and we evangelicals have a reason to be proud of it. But it is not so much what the new language says as what it doesn’t say. Some will argue that since it does not explicitly rebuke the practice of homosexuality it therefore must implicitly condone it. This is the part that the media is hooking on to. This is the part that bothers people. But honestly it is not in the text. Furthermore, we still have other areas in the confessions and certainly the bible that continue to guide us in our sexual ethics in defining what “joyful submission” must be. For example in the Confession of 1967 it reads, “The relationship between man and woman exemplifies in a basic way God’s ordering of the interpersonal life for which he created mankind.” Jesus himself said, “'For this reason a man will leave his father and mother and be united to his wife, and the two will become one flesh'?”

Up Next: How Will This Vote Impact Your Church?

Half Way

2011-01-31T14:04:00.000-08:00

This week is the half way mark in my masters program. I am officially at the peak and can see the other side. My passage in this season of my life is going quicker than I would have imagined. On the other hand all this higher learning is taking its toll in a way. Last quarter I had a Hebrew intensive that was one of the most rigorous academic experiences of my life. before that over the summer I took a full work load of two intensives and an online class. All that to say, I am a little tired of school.

My classes this year are okay. But I am not putting much effort into them. When I started I was really keen on getting straight As. But when I realized there was no extra grant money rewarding good students and when I put together that in my pursuit for good grades my friendships were being sacrificed I decided that Bs are just fine and they are much easier to get.

Truth be told I think the field of my mind has been tilled, grown, and harvested. I think I need to take a little break. I am looking forward to this summer. Hopefully, I will be in Chaplain Candidate school. But if I don't I might just goof off, work with my dad, and spend a lot of time working at church.

The Love of God

2011-01-11T12:11:00.000-08:00

I know of a couple in orange county that puts on a great Christmas light show every year. It costs them thousands of dollars to place and power the lights every night. But they give it to each other as a present. As a result the whole neighborhood comes by and enjoys the fruit of the couples love for each other. They even put out hot chocolate to keep the passers by warm.

I was doing some reading for my creeds class when I came across the topic of the nature of God. The author of the book was discussing how God's love exists outside of creation. God is love. His love is expressed fully within the trinity. Much like the light show that everyone gets to enjoy. God's love for us is a result of the out pouring of that perfect love found between the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit.

I think this secures God's love for us in a way previously unimagined. The basis of this love is no longer rooted on how people interact with God but it is bound by the perfect love that God maintains within the trinity.

On The Shelf

2010-12-22T13:26:00.000-08:00

My dad made me a new book case over the winter break. It is surprising to me how the books stack up in a masters program. I am not even half way through and my room is completely surrounded by books. Some of them are "fun" books. But I warn you what is fun for a seminarian is not exactly fun for everyone.

The lion's share of the rest are reference books. They are dictionaries of Greek and Hebrew. They are encyclopedias of church history. They are commentaries on books of the bible. And then at the end is a shimmer of pop-culture as my dog eared copy of W orld War Z looks down at me as I study.

It makes me think about theologians in the middle ages. The largest of libraries of Europe only had 80-100 books. Some of those books I have on my shelf.

P.S. I can only hope that my library get to looking this awesome. It is truely a dream of mine.

What It Takes to be a PCUSA Military Chaplain

2010-12-22T12:49:00.000-08:00

One of the reasons that I am in seminary is that I have a desire to be an Air Force chaplain. There are a ton of good reasons for it. It mixes my love of airplane, military, and ministry. It is also a great ordained call because they are in demand and the military has a great benefit package that most churches can not match.

The down side is that it is very hard to get the ball rolling. I have been trying to crack this nut for about a year and i am not much farther than when I first started. The problem is that there are three bureaucracies that I have to deal with. The first is the denomination. I have to get a series of committees to check off on me. These groups only meet once a month and they are usually backlogged. So getting to one meeting might take months. The second group is called The Presbyterian Council (TPC). The council is a group that acts as an intermediary between the military and the denomination while being independent of both. They have a two essays and 10 pages of forms I need to fill out. Then they have to check denominational and seminary references. (Which might involve denominational committees mentioned earlier.) TPC then wants to meet with me for an interview. Which I think might involve having to fly to Washington DC. This leg of the race will take 3-6 months. Once TPC checks off on me the military wants to do its own background check. This can take 6 months and I do not know much of what they do other than I need to loose about 12 pounds to be in military weight range. After all that is done they will let me go to Afghanistan. I am surprised their aren't more people wanting to do it! :)

The upside to all this paperwork and background checking is that most of this is rubber stamp stuff. There is a very small probability of washing out. As it stands right now I am just trying to get TPC all their required paperwork.

Ho Ho Ho

2010-12-15T08:57:00.000-08:00

Winter break is finally here. It is much needed too. I haven't really slowed down and relaxed for some time now. I will be taking this time to do some fun reading, catch up on my favorite TV shows, and to hang out with old friends. Oh, also probably going to blog more too.

Winter Break

2010-12-14T14:30:00.001-08:00

Last week my church celebrated it's 70th anniversary. Several of the old pastors wrote letters reminiscing on their tenure at my church. One managed to make it to the celebration. He was 92 years old. He served as the pastor from 1966-1980. He and I got to talking as I was the youngest pastoral person their and he was the oldest. He told me about all the problems he had with the denomination during his time as a pastor.

I am Presbyterian. I am also a Fuller student. These two facts often make my life difficult. The denomination has historically felt that the seminary is stealing people from their denominational seminaries. Futhermore, Fuller has historically drawn in students who are more conservative than the denomination would like. Some seminarians prefer Fuller over places like San Fransisco Theological Seminary or Princeton because these seminaries have a tradition outside the typical evangelical circles of American Christianity. In fact sometimes these seminaries can be down right hostile to evangelicals.

So I was intrigued when this old pastor started telling me about his life. He was an English professor at BIOLA. When the denomination heard of it they held a counsel where they sat him down in the middle of a circle while robbed figures interrogated him about his position at the "fundementalist" university. They asked him, "Is your position at the university worth your ordination?"

"Yes," he replied. He went on to say, "This university you have decided to black ball has 16 Presbyterian ministers serving as professors. With such a large representation of our denomination present how can you pronounce it unsavory?"

This did not phase them. He was told to leave his position immediately. Which he did.

It reminds me how lucky I am to be living and seeking ordination today. While I have some difficulty here and there, the denominationalism of the past is gone. Most people don't care one way or the other if their pastor when to Princeton, Fuller, or Talbot.

What It Is Like Learning Hebrew

2010-10-21T15:47:00.000-07:00

Fall is in full swing. I took some time off from blogging because the work load over the summer was unprecedented. Now that the leaves are falling and the rain is pouring I have a little bit of time to allow for some creative musings.

I am taking the Hebrew intensive this quarter. It's two quarters worth of study rolled into one. I have been complaining about it on facebook for some time so I thought I would expand briefly what it is like learning Hebrew.

At first it is like going out for a "casual jog" with your Friend who is the triathlete. At first you think, this is not going to be that bad. But ten miles in you are sweating and cursing and you wonder if you pushed through a mini-heart attack on mile five. Meanwhile your "friend" trots in place as he waits for you and describes what it was like last time he ran the Boston Marathon.

If you survive the first onslaught of despair and you are comfortable feeling abused Hebrew then takes you to the woodshed and just beats the heck out of you. You curse and beg God for it all to end until finally you realize how much pain this 8,000+ year old language has to dispense.

Finally, you sit down and stair at each other. Like two gorillas vying for dominance you pound your chest as Hebrew charges and howls. If you don't back down then you have a shot.

Because finally after staring at the dead snakes and lightning bolts that make up its alphabet Hebrew finally calms down. By the time the test rolls around you feel like a character out of Fight Club. Battered. Bruised. Superior.

If you can get to there. Then you have nothing to worry about.

No and I'm Sorry

2010-07-26T16:48:00.001-07:00

I am taking three classes this summer. It is a work load that I would not suggest. For the most part these back to back intensive classes have turned me into a scholastic robot. I feel as though my memory is full. Although the of seminary is at an all time low I have no doubt that once I get back on a sensible schedule after a month of rest I will be ready to get back into the action with joy.

But what I have found is that this summer I am learning more at church than in school. This summer I am learning the importance of the phrases "No" and "I am sorry."

I am sorry: In ministry there are always people who have high expectations. They expect their needs will be met. They expect their ideas to be appreciated. They expect that the church take special care of their children. These are all expectations I think are valid but it is impossible, even in a small church such as mine, to meet everyone's expectations. Ministry can often be like spinning plates eventually one will fall. When they do fall, if they be big plates or small, it is important to apologize and move on.

Apologies can be hard for me. This is not because I am too proud to give them. It is often the opposite. I can be self critical and often do not know when an apology is enough. I have trouble with the moving on part. But I am realizing that sometimes, often times, a heart felt apology is enough. I have managed to step on a few peoples toes this summer too. This is not a failure to meet expectations. I was genuinely, yet accidentally, a jerk. I found that an apology was enough to turn a potential enemy into a friend.

No: No is a tough one. Saying "no" means to intentionally fail to meet someones expectations in ministry. A congregant might say, "What do you mean no? You work for us!" I had a situation where some members of the church love the youth department (plus). They love it so much they have decided we should be doing 10 million activities through our partnerships (minus). If I did everything requested of me I would never leave church. It would be unhealthy for me. So I had to decline some of her plans and they put up a fight. They went above me and tried to force the hands of my superiors in order for them to dictate the schedule of the youth ministry. In short saying no could have got me into a lot of trouble. But in the long run saying no will keep me sane and able to do the essential parts of the ministry long after I would have burned out from the running around I would be doing if I said yes to everything.

No and Sorry walk hand in hand because even though I know that I am making wise calls I often have to apologize. Knowing this and being okay with apologizing for doing what I think to be right are the major take home lessons for the summer of ministry.

Gloss

2010-07-19T08:16:00.000-07:00

Gloss is any part of a text that was added later by an editor to clarify or alter the meaning of the original document.

There is a famous passage from Josephus that illustrates this point well. When speaking in passing about Jesus he says:

Now there was about this time Jesus, a wise man, if it be lawful to call him a man; for he was a doer of wonderful works, a teacher of such men as receive the truth with pleasure. He drew over to him both many of the Jews and many of the Gentiles. He was [the] Christ. And when Pilate, at the suggestion of the principal men amongst us, had condemned him to the cross, those that loved him at the first did not forsake him; for he appeared to them alive again the third day; as the divine prophets had foretold these and ten thousand other wonderful things concerning him. And the tribe of Christians, so named from him, are not extinct at this day.

Josephus was absolutely not a Christian and it is assumed that while the passage was originally penned by him. However, the parts that are in bold are considered to be gloss added by a christian editor later on. Even without the confessional parts of this passage it is clear Jesus lived and was crucified and his followers live on.

Gloss is not that big of a deal for historians. It complicates things but trying to figure out what is gloss and what is fact is just another part of the puzzle. The issue comes when looking for gloss in the bible. The tension for me is between growing up believing in the inerrancy of scripture and the seemingly undeniable fact that there are textual variations within the earliest texts. Then gloss in the bible becomes an intensely personal problem for those who base their faith on these texts.

In addressing gloss I am reminded of a quote from Martin Luther that roughly goes something like "No sooner than one starts to judge scripture than it will start judging you." I think that while there may be additions in the text ultimately the over all message has been protected. I do not think the gloss changes the story or any of the tenants of the faith. we are better served allowing the message of the gospel change us than trying to determine what passages we can reasonable exclude from the canon.

Below is a video of my professor (Evans) in a debate with Bart Ehrman on this very subject.

Developmentally Appropriate Discipleship

2010-07-13T10:15:00.000-07:00

Last week our church had its annual Vacation Bible School This is a time where the children of the church and surrounding community come and essentially have a Christian day camp. There are crafts, games, snacks, and a bible story. Afterward, I was talking to a close friend and Sunday school teacher about the week. They told me that it was a lot of fun but some of the crafts were not developmentally appropriate for the smaller children.

“Developmentally Appropriate” is a word I hear a lot while working with children. It basically means that the child has the mental maturity to appreciate the activity and the physical motor skills to execute it. What is a good craft for a toddler is not for an elementary school student. As I was reflecting on this week I could not help but wonder if this is the manner in which discipleship in the church should be approached.
What I pose is that just as our physical lives have life stages so too do our spiritual lives go through life stages. Hebrews 5 talks about spiritual maturity.

We have much to say about this, but it is hard to explain because you are slow to learn. In fact, though by this time you ought to be teachers, you need someone to teach you the elementary truths of God's word all over again. You need milk, not solid food! Anyone who lives on milk, being still an infant, is not acquainted with the teaching about righteousness. But solid food is for the mature, who by constant use have trained themselves to distinguish good from evil.

This and passages like this have often taken to mean spiritual maturity has to do with knowledge or adherence righteous living. While I do not have it all charted out yet I see a life cycle in the realm of faith. I see young converts zealous for evangelism with black and white reasoning. I see a spiritual adolescences thinking they have it all figured out. This is followed by disillusionment and a crisis of faith as they come into spiritual young adulthood and realize how little they actually know. I see a lull of middle age where believers lack motivation and are content with the status quo. This spiritual growth is independent of a person’s actual age but may interact.

When it comes to ministry in the church I think that it is important to take these life cycles into consideration. We should seek to create a space that is developmentally appropriate for believers. A new Christian might not need to know about discrepancies within the scripture. It might confuse them more than help them. However, at a certain point black and white answers to complicated questions, such as women in ministry or the problem of pain, become insufficient.

The question take away from this thought is: How am I being developmentally appropriate in my youth ministry?

Reason and Fairness

2010-06-23T11:26:00.000-07:00

I have been reflecting further on my class in medieval theology I took over the winter. The scholastics were so preoccupied with making God make sense. They spent a lot of their time extrapolating from the scriptures with the assumption that God would be logical and rational and therefore they could use their logic and ration in order to understand God in a fuller way. The problem with this is that their reasoning was flawed and they often attributed to God cultural norms of their day because it was “fitting” of a rational creature. I am reminded of Ambrose and his attempt to categorize the number of angels in heaven based on the assumption of perfect numbers.

It is easy to gawk at the scholastics. But I see that in our culture fairness has replaced the errors of scholastic reason. It does not seem fair that God would give to some eternal live and with hold it from others. It does not seem fair that God would bless one country with an abundance of resources and let others starve and rot. We like to hold God to our standard of fairness instead of his standard of righteousness.

I am reminded of the book The Great Divorce by C.S. Lewis. It is a work of theological fantasy where citizens on the farthest tip of hell are allowed to take a vacation on the farthest outreaches of heaven. When they arrive they are greeted by their friends and family from their lives on earth who have been living in heaven. Each citizen of heaven implores their friends to stay instead of returning to hell but each citizen of hell, with a few exceptions, chooses to return to the place where they are allowed to continue on in their sin.

In this story one man comes to the gates of heaven asking for only what he deserves. He believes that he has lived a good life. He believes that he has worked hard. However his friend tells him he does not deserve heaven. Outraged the man of hell says that he was good and that he wants what is due him. His heavenly friend tells him that this is a delusion. While he may have never killed anyone he spent many days wrapped in murderous thought. He was not a good man. But heaven is a gift far beyond what he deserves.

We spend so much time trying to apply the burden of fairness to God. We can become just like the ancient scholastics in this pursuit by taking our assumptions and imposing them on the scripture. The truth is that God is more than fair to us. God is merciful. We receive more than we deserve. It is a hard life and it may not always feel like this is true. But as Psalm 8 says,

3 When I consider your heavens,
the work of your fingers,
the moon and the stars,
which you have set in place,
4 what is man that you are mindful of him,
the son of man that you care for him?

In the context of the whole of creation how blessed are we that God is involved intimately in our existence? How wonderful is it that when life’s difficulties arise we have a creator that we can even dare to come before and raise our complaints? God is mindful of us. He cares for us.

The final and biggest implication of this post is this:

If the scholastics were wrong in their imposition of rational to God and if we are wrong in our theology of fairness, what other unchristian philosophies in life do we accept at a cultural level as good and apply to God?

Obstacles and the Will of God

2010-06-07T17:00:00.000-07:00

We have all heard a variation of this conversation before...

Christian One: How did the job interview go?

Christian Two: Not great. It was exactly what I wanted but they decided to go with someone else.

Christian One: Maybe this is God trying to tell you he wants you doing something else.

I find it interesting that as Christians we believe in a God who repeatedly overcomes great odds and promises to continue to do so. Yet in the church I find people so quick to dismiss failure as something outside of God's plan.

Hi Class!

2010-06-02T17:15:00.001-07:00

Hi C.S. Lewis class! If you are interested in reading the rest of my story scroll down to "Part Two" That is about where I left off in class.

C.S. Lewis Final Project: Part Four (The End)

2010-05-24T09:48:00.001-07:00

Sometime later the witch took center stage. It had worked. All the eyes of Britain, great and small, had fallen upon the young witch. She pressed the horn to her lips and took a breath. But she did not blow. Instead there was a scream and a thud. Like a blur of lightning Nine Tails had charged the witch and pinned her to the ground. The horn sliding under the stage. She spoke a word of power and Nine Tails life drained from his face he stood there solid as stone. Tash-ji drew his mighty scimitar and advanced. With a flick of her wrist the courageous soldier of Telemar was pinned to the ceiling. Amelia stood toe to toe with witch. Her face turned white as the evil queen before her. She knew any moment she would be a pillar of stone like Nine Tails. But then Amelia from Inverness smiled. She could see something the witch could not. Right behind the witch stood Ebenezer with horn in hand.

Ebenezer blew on it and a sound came from deep inside him. He knew that help was not far away. He had hoped it would be a lion. But none appeared. Everyone in the room seemed shocked but the witch most of all. Nothing happened. There was no lion. There was no legion of talking animals to come to their aid. The witch laughed, “Fool. We are beyond the lion’s grasp.” Then the witch reached out to Ebenezer with her hand, “Come to me.” But unlike the earlier at the chip shop where he had no choice to obey his feet did not move. The witch repeated, “I am the queen, come to me!” There was nothing. Everyone around her started to snicker and then laugh, soon there was a roar of the crowd as the powerless little girl ran around making demands such as sit, kneel, and grovel without a response. Even the toad-man could see that his queen had become nothing more than the temperamental adolescent.

Ebenezer looked around to see if Amelia, Tash-ji, and Nine Tails were enjoying this as much as he was he could not find him. They had disappeared. The police arrived sometime later to arrest the young witch for trespassing. She never made it back to her world. She never even cast another spell. Ebenezer went on to become a great father. His children would often ask about the horn seated on the mantle. And he would smile and tell them the story. Some years later he thought he saw the witch serving at pub in the city center. When he noticed her last he thought, “She is a most unremarkable woman.”

C.S. Lewis Final Project: Part Three

2010-05-23T15:12:00.001-07:00

The world was still asleep when the witch’s double-decker chariot reached the gates of Britain’s Broadcasting Corporation. The watchman at the gate too was asleep but stood at attention when the witch came toward him.

“Let me pass” The witch told the guard dismissively.

“I am sorry. I cannot let you in without a pass.”

“Do you know who I am?”

At this point the guard was getting rather annoyed, “Sorry, love, no identification no entry.”

“I am the queen.”

The guard new very well what the queen of England looked like and that the young adolescent in front of him was not nearly the right height or age to be the queen. Her nose was all wrong and her eyes were an entirely different color. But then she said it again slow and deep as if each word had power. “I am the queen.” This time it vibrated in the old man’s chest and before he could gather himself she repeated a third time and a fourth. Suddenly it no longer mattered what she looked like. He knew it to be true. Before him was the queen and a very apologetic guard opened the gate.

The studio was buzzing with people who never slept. These important men spend their nights drinking coffee and making up stories for the early morning news. The witch would not have even stood out in the circus that was the BBC if it was not for a dusty old guard running before her yelling, “Make room for Her Royal Highness!” And with each of his words the spell grew larger. Soon the whole studio was whispering to each other, “Did you hear? Her Majesty is visiting.” By a half past the hour the witch’s entourage had grown as people with clipboards and make-up and hairspray all gathered around to prepare her for her debut as she grasped in her hand the little white horn.

As the spectacle continued, no one noticed the boy dressed like a sultan, the princess, not even the shop boy dressed in his heart covered pajamas. One man even came up and asked if he could pet their dog. He said he had never seen a breed like it.

C.S. Lewis Final Project: Part Two

2010-05-22T12:40:00.000-07:00

The witch was terrified, "Not today! I still have much to do." The toad grabbed her by the waist and she threw her hands in the air. With a flash of deepest darkness the two villains had disappeared.

A minute passed before Ebenezer felt like it was safe to move out from the pile of discarded cloths he was hiding under. Then before him a young woman dressed like out of a fairytale appeared. "It's alright, you can come out now," she said in a thick Scottish brogue," She gone we scared her off."

But it was no longer her that Ebenezer was concerned about. "Where is the lion?" He asked.

"There is no lion. At least not here anyway. I had some help." And out from the darkness came a boy dressed in a turban and curly pointed shoes. And in the same tenor and tone as the lion he had heard earlier the son of Arabia spoke, "I have been working on my great lion voice for some time now."

"But, I saw his shadow. He was here."

The young maiden replied, "We do have one more member of our team. You can come out now."

Out came a fox the size of a Great Dane with a main made of rags strapped around his neck. "We had to act quickly before the young witch could play you her song. Otherwise you would have been hers."

"Dressing up like Aslan wasn't our first choice but it did the trick. At least for now." Exclaimed the young man.

"Who is Aslan?" Ebenezer asked.

The young woman knelt down to his side and helped him out of the pile of cloths. "My friend is Tash-ji. He is a Telemairne but a noble soul none-the-less. That beast over there is my beloved guardian, Nine Tails. I am Amelia, from Inverness, Princess of Narnia."

"And Aslan?"

Amelia spoke, "We come from a place far away. It is a place of deep magic. Aslan is our leader and creator. He has sent us here to stop the young witch."

"Magic? Witches? Is this some type of joke? Am I on the tele?"

Tash-ji spoke up, "This is useless. There is no way he will believe us. Let us be on our way!"

Nine Tails turned to Ebenezer and said, "I am neither a joke nor an illusion. Touch me, feel my fur. I am as real as you." Ebenezer had seen talking beasts in movies before by this was different. Nine tails was not to be mocked. He did not dare touch the creature before him. He knew he was witnessing something rare, something set apart. There was no need for further proof.

"I believe." As he spoke those words it dawned on him that he had always believed them. Even from before they met, before the witch and the cherry blossoms, he knew. There was something more to this world and he had finally uncovered it. Now that he had identified the truth that had always been before him a rush of emotions flooded his mind. It was a mixture of joy and love and fear. But more than all it was a longing. He wanted more. He was a part of something bigger now. It must have been written all over his face because Amelia's smile grew larger, Nine Tails started to purr, and Tash-ji grabbed him by the neck and forearm in Telemarine fashion.

"You can feel it now. Can't you?" Tash-ji asked. "You are part of the song."

"The song?"

"Aslan's song. It was sung at the beginning of creation and it echoes in the hearts of all he has chosen."

"It means you have a part to play in catching the witch." Said the queen.

"Why is the witch here?"

"Narnia has a relic. It's thousands of years old to us. It is a horn given to a Daughter of Eve. It is said to bring aid whenever one is in trouble. The witch has it now. She believes she can use it to rewrite the Aslan's song for herself. But Narnia was too powerful for her. The Aslan's song is too well known. Here there is so much noise the song of creation can barely be heard in a whisper. She can compose something new here. She can take the joy and devotion of this world and re-center it on her."

"No one here has ever heard of Aslan how can she rewrite a song no one knows?"

"The song of creation motivates everything we say and do. It is the reason young men fall in love. It is the reason we care for the sick. Everyone longs to sing the song. And imagine if a witch could harness that desire for her will."

"She would be a god." Ebenezer exclaimed.

"But where could she play a song for everyone to hear? You have a big world." asked Amelia.

Then Ebenezer had the first really clever thought of his life, "The BBC! If she could get on television everyone would be able to see her all at once."

Is it summer yet?

2010-05-22T12:33:00.000-07:00

I have been finding it very hard to concentrate no just about anything lately. I am ready for the summer to be here and this set of classes to be done.

Losing the Plot

2010-05-13T08:25:00.000-07:00

In school, much as in life, it is often simple to lose the plot. Lately I have found myself cutting corners. If I know a professor to be an easy grader I put a little less effort into his papers. If I know a lecture will not be covered on the final I might skip it all together. But I was reminded yesterday about why I am at school. All these shortcuts might not impact my grade but they do compromise the value of my education. I am going to school not to just get my degree. I am going to prepare myself for a lifetime of ministry. Cutting corners hinders my ability to be the best pastor I can be.

C.S. Lewis Final Project: Part One

2010-05-12T10:42:00.000-07:00

Construct a 6-8 page story, allegory, dialogue, letter or ministry resource, for adults or children, that embodies one of Lewis’s central ideas.

Ebenezer Fount came from a long line of remarkable men. His grandfather was an Oxford professor. His father was a Royal Air Force pilot. However, he wasn’t smart like his grandfather or courageous like his father. Ebenezer, in every sense of the word, was average. Ebenezer worked at a chip shop across the road from the underground station. It was not hard work. This however never bothered him much. Every morning he would sleep in and report to work at half past ten. Each evening he would stay up late and spend time at the pub. This ritual repeated every day, even on Sundays. This is not to say that he did not have plans. In 38 years he would retire from the chip shop at which point he would sleep in until noon and go meet his mates at the pub even earlier.

This would have been the entirety of his story if Ebenezer Fount was good at his job. But he was not. For if he was good at his job he would have remembered one snowy evening to double lock the back door. But he did not. Instead hours later he received an angry phone call from Mr. McCrevy, the chip shop owner, telling him the back door was wide open and “If he fancied to have a job the next morning he best return and lock up properly.” He rolled out of bed and did not bother to change out of his one piece pajamas. He fumbled with his jacket as he stumbled down the silent street.

Mr. McCrevy was right. The door was wide open. The snow was sweeping into the back room. Looking down at the supply closet floor he saw cherry blossoms covering the ground. It was a most peculiar sight in the December moonlight. Then from the front room he heard a soft voice, “It was spring just a moment ago, what happened?”

Another spoke like the earth itself, “The ancient texts spoke of how time is different here in the world beyond. But we were not prepared for the weather.”

“No matter,” a woman’s voice replied, “We are outside of the lion’s grasp and we have his horn.”

Ebenezer was drawn to the sirens voice. Since when did lions have horns? Looking through the old keyhole he peered into the front room. She was all legs and arms, gaunt and pale, beautiful and terrifying. She could not have been older than sixteen. If Ebenezer had not known better he would have sworn that her companion was half toad. He had a chin twice as large as the face that carried it. His pot belly was only magnified by the woman’s slender figure that stretched toward the sky.

“You there. Behind the door.” With a flick of her wrist the door opened by itself. Ebenezer’s heart sunk, “Son of Adam, where can we acquire winter clothing?”

He tried to remain silent but it felt like metal belts wrapped around his lungs and squeezed out the words.

“There is a Marks and Spencer not far from here. But it will not open until morning.”

“Take us there.” She commanded.

The trio marched out to curb side. The morning bus drove by and the toad-like man walked in front of it causing the driver to screech to a halt. Before the driver could utter a word the young woman again waved her hands and the driver had turned into a mouse. They entered the bus and the doors closed by themselves.

"Mark and Spencers!" the woman shrilled and the bus drove itself to down the road.

When they reached the store doors unlocked and opened before her. It was as if the woman had a staff of invisible servants. There was a torrent of cloths swirling around her each one dismissed with a comment like "Too Green," or "No, no, no, I do not like buttons."

The toad-man turned to Ebenezer and said, "You belong to her now. She is your master. Welcome."

Ebenezer could not think of a worse fate then this. She was s horrible woman he could feel it like the cold in his bones. But try as he may to escape he could not move, bound by some unseen force.

Then something wonderful happened. The lights of the store began to flicker and he heard a lion's roar. All the cloths fell to the ground and the witch stood motionless. A voice filled the air, "I believe you have something of mine." For a moment Ebenezer thought he could see the witch's hand tremble.

"You?! This is not your realm!" She cried out.

"All realms are mine." The voice proclaimed with a shout. "I see all I have created." Smoke started to fill the room as each monitor on the wall now showed the image of the young woman. Now Ebenezer could feel it. She was afraid. She was losing her grip on him. No sooner had he been able to slip away from the chaos and confusion then he saw the image of a shadow on the wall. The witch saw it too. It was the silhouette of a massive lion. "I have come for you," The shadowy figure said.

Lewis

2010-05-04T15:15:00.001-07:00

In class today we are talking about Narnia. An interesting tid bit that came up was Narnia was that for a mythical world with a Christ-like Lion there is no church like structure.

A Psalm of Thanksgiving

2010-05-03T18:37:00.000-07:00

For homework in my Old Testament class, of which we have much, I had to write a psalm, of thanksgiving. I was pretty happy with it so I thought I would share.

Come and worship God for He is good,
Kneel down before his feet for he brings eternal life.
I was lost in the prime of my life,
I had no direction or hope, and an evil darkness surrounded me
I was in total despair. Each day blended into the next. Each one lacked meaning or purpose. My friends turned away from me. They told me to keep silent. They shut their ears to my broken heart
Then I cried out to God and God heard me
The darkness could not comprehend The Lord
God lifted me up, set my feet on a righteous path, He healed my battered soul
He restored my mind and filed it with sound thoughts
Give praise the God of healing, give thanks to the Lord of Life,
With His left hand he sweeps away fear and depression, with his right he ushers forth a new dawn!
The Lord’s purposes are sure, God does not forget those whom he loves.
Even in the darkness with out a compass or the stars God brings those he cares for into safe harbors.
His praises will echo forth into eternity.

Morning Prayer

2010-04-28T11:11:00.000-07:00

This was my prayer this morning, I find it unfortunately too clever to keep between myself and God.

Lord, tune my heart toward good, my hands toward work, and my ear toward Greek.

Old testament Day One

2010-03-29T17:56:00.001-07:00

Today is the first day of the spring quarter. After having one Greek class I am already lost. In about a half an hour I will have my next class; Old Testament. I think I am going to really like it. The professor is from Birmingham, UK. The part of England in which I spent my time immediately following college (You can read up on that adventure here http://derus.livejournal.com/ it even spilled a little into my time up in Northern California either way you can see that blogging and I go way back). The other thing that I think is pretty great about this professor is his syllabus. It is long. But there is a page biography on him. His story with his wife just about made me cry. Below is the text word for word:

My Vita

1942 – born in Birmingham, England. My father was a printing machine minder, my mother a dressmaker. They didn’t go to church, but they had me baptized.

1953 – went on a scholarship to a prep school in Birmingham, learned Latin and Greek, discovered music (listening and singing), and got drawn to God.

1961 – felt called to the ministry, went to Oxford to study Theology, discovered the Old Testament, and met Ann at a Christian students retreat, when she was a medical student.

1964 – went to Bristol to seminary. Took Ann to hear the Beatles. Ann had multiple sclerosis diagnosed.

1966 – met David Hubbard. Was ordained into the Church of England ministry. Served in a parish in London. Married Ann and we had Steven. Discovered Leonard Cohen.

1970 – joined the faculty at St John’s Theological College (seminary) in Nottingham. We had Mark. Studied for a PhD while teaching. Ann trained as a psychiatrist. Served as associate pastor. Didn’t go to concerts because we were preoccupied with children.

1981 – Fuller asked me if I was interested in a job. Wrote some books.

1984 – took Ann and our sons to hear Eric Clapton and Dire Straits. Ann’s multiple sclerosis started being more of a difficulty. Took Ann to hear John Wimber.

1988 – made principal of the seminary. Ann retired from psychiatry because of her ill-health. Fuller asked me if I was interested in a job. Took Ann to hear Van Morrison.

1993 – read Paulo Freire and stopped doing so much straight lecturing. Declined to write “The Old Testament for Everyone.”

1996 – Fuller asked me if I was interested in a job. Discovered where Fuller was. Our son Steven married Sue (they live in St Albans, near London, now with Daniel and Emma; Steven works for GM, Sue is a teacher). Took Ann to hear Bonnie Raitt.

1997 – Ann became wheelchair-bound. Our son Mark married Sarah (they then went to college in Devon). Came to Fuller. Went hang gliding. Took Ann to hear Sheryl Crow.

1999 – Ann lost the ability to speak or swallow. Family came to celebrate the millennium. Took Ann to hear Alison Krauss. Didn’t take her to hear Oasis. Went roller-blading.

2002 – became associate pastor at St Barnabas, Fair Oaks Avenue, Pasadena. Family came to celebrate my 60th birthday. Took Ann to hear Bob Dylan and Coldplay.

2006 – got into the habit of going to Malibu for lunch. Took Ann to hear the Rolling Stones. Agreed to write “The Old Testament for Everyone.”

2009 – Ann died of pneumonia. Shame for us, nice for her as she can sleep till resurrection day. Went to hear U2. Stopped going to Malibu. Started taking my bike to the boardwalk.

Size Matters

2010-03-15T14:18:00.000-07:00

Every once and again seminary gives me some practical advice that I can apply directly to my current ministry. This week yielded one of those moments and I would like to pass it on to you.

One of the practical applications in my evangelism class was the discussion of how to host a small group. The idea being a bunch of people could get together and talk about spiritual things and that hopefully some would be lead into a deeper understanding of God. But the discussion also included group dynamics. Including such sensible advice as, in a group discussion everyone should be able to see each others' eyes. He also recommended that when constructing a small group we meet in a room that is slightly too small for the group. This will help with energy levels.

Okay, now taking a step away from my wonderful ivory tower and into my side role as a youth minister at a small church. We have just launched a Jr./Sr. High Ministry which has spun off from a k-12 ministry. the first month or so we met in the fellowship hall. which was designed to fit up to about 70 people. We have been bleeding students and after two months our numbers have dropped from 10ish to 4ish.

Well one of the big problems is we were low on energy. So this week I cut our meeting time and placed us in a small room. The results were great. Energy levels stayed up the whole time and the kids didn't feel nearly as uncomfortable as they did in the last few months.

The moral of the story is, size matters.

Reformation Essay #3: Defend The Justice of Predestination

2010-03-11T11:45:00.000-08:00

Here is the rough draft for a paper I had to write for Reformation Theology. The charge was to defend Calvin's doctrine on predestination. The page numbers sighted are from the Hillerbrand book mentioned in the side panel.

Introduction

By asserting that human beings are to be held accountable before God for matters that are outside of their control, and in fact take their beginnings in the will of God, Calvin’s view on predestination seems unjust. If this unjust manner is that which God has chosen to interact with humanity then it follows that God himself is unjust. Which forces the question posed by Professor Thompson, “Indeed, if God is unjust, how can God be God?” However, Calvin has foreseen such arguments and duly addresses them. According to Calvin predestination is just because he sees with in framework of scripture that it is with in the liberties of God to do with his creation as he pleases. This may appear to be unjust to humanity but as creation we are in no place to critique the righteousness of God. What humanity does know is that God’s character is righteous. We know this because he revealed it to us through scripture. Through the same scripture humanity is shown, in part, that God has graciously chosen election as the means of salvation. This evokes questions about the nature of this election. However, many of the questions asked are not covered with in the scripture and it would be perilous to speculate on the divine and hidden will of God.

Framing the Discussion

Before the discussion of how predestination works we must begin by discussing how Calvin believes one can come to know anything about the subject. Concerning the will of God he says, “…the secrets of God are not to be scrutinized, and that those which he has revealed are not to be overlooked, lest we are, on one hand, charged with curiosity and, on the other, with ingratitude” (219). For Calvin there are two aspects to the will of God; that which is secret and that which is revealed. The first, secret or hidden will of God, is an arena where he tries hard to avoid speculation. There is an unsearchable depth to the mind of God in which an unfettered mind, armed with only logic or reason, will quickly become lost in an “immense abyss” (3.24.1). He feels it is best to avoid this realm and allow God to be Lord of that which Calvin can not understand.

The second aspect to the will of God is that which he has revealed to humanity through scripture. Even this is limited to that which “he knew would be conducive to our interest and welfare” (216). This means that human beings are not given the answer to every mystery of God. Instead, we are on a need to know basis. However, if God has seen it fit to reveal any part of him to us we would be remise to ignore that which is in our best interest.

Therefore, in the conversation about predestination Calvin feels compelled to engage with it because it is found in the scripture. But he is limited in his understanding of the mechanics of the teaching because the scripture does not put all the pieces together and when God stops speaking inquiring minds should stop persisting (218).

How Predestination Works

Predestination is the eternal decree of God by which he determines whatever he wishes to happen with regard to every human. All are not created equal but some people are preordained to eternal death and others to eternal life, which is the reason for their creation (220). Those who are elect receive the full expression of God’s mercy freely with out any regard to their merit. Those who are reprobates are doomed to destruction are done so because of the judgment of God in order that he may express his justice (223). The great mystery of predestination lies in who is selected and why. The selection of the elect and those marked for damnation is under the realm of the secret counsel of God and is therefore unknowable (222). The will of God is not only unknowable but has nothing beyond it worth knowing. However, to be sure only by this counsel God determined those whom God wishes to admit into salvation and those whom God wishes to bring to destruction (223).

This election first applies in general to nations and bloodlines. God chose Abraham and the nation of Israel while rejecting other nations based entirely on God’s free love. However, not everyone who was a decedent of Abraham received the adoption. Decedents such as Ishmael and Esau failed to be faithful to the covenant of God and were there for cut out (220-221).

Secondly, and more importantly to Calvin, there is that of individuals into salvation. The special election is within the person of Christ who binds the elect together. This is a greater display of grace than that of the nations because through Christ the elect will not fall fail to obtain salvation as did the fallen decedents of Abraham (222).

Election is different than the foreknowledge of merits. For Calvin, God shows himself as one with out regard to our worth either in the past or in the future (225). Instead, an elected life should not produce laziness or sin but causes the elect to aspire to a life of holiness (244). On the other hand, the reprobate life is vitiated by sin and thus these souls are given over to hatred of God (233). This is to say that all souls play their parts well and ultimately give themselves over to their predestination.

Is This Verdict Fair and Just?

Is predestination fair? If fair is to mean equal then the answer is no. But Calvin does not argue that God sets out to treat everyone equally. On the contrary there is an implicit inequality of grace (214). However, if by just we mean that God has not dealt dubiously with humanity and in fact brings forth something praise worthy (240) then Calvin sees four reasons why predestination undoubtedly just.

First, this verdict is just because God is free. Some may say that if God has power to graciously forgive whomever he pleases but does not extend this justification to all equally God is unjust. However, “The arrangement of all things is in the hand of God, since to him belongs the disposal of life and death” (237). This means, since creation belongs to God it is within God’s freedom to make of it as God wishes. God shows no regard for a person’s worth and is therefore not obligated to do anything for humanity (225). It is completely by God’s pleasure that any one obtains salvation. Nothing is rightly owed to humanity and therefore nothing can be unjustly denied.

Secondly, this verdict is just because it is clear that God is righteous. God’s will is the supreme rule of righteousness (232). God has hidden parts of the divine will from humanity. Therefore, God’s will may not look just to one on the outside. But from the same scripture that gives us the idea that God should be just we receive the teachings that God predestines.

Thirdly, this verdict is just because humanity is deserving of damnation. Some may contest that since God is the source of sin then it is unjust to doom those whom had no choice in the matter. “But if all whom the Lord predestines to death are naturally liable to be sentenced to death, of what injustice do they complain?” (233). The evident cause of our condemnation, Adam’s revolt against God, is enough to damn the reprobate we need not look at the hidden causes of God to see that this verdict is just (240).

Ultimately, whatever deserves praise must be just. God’s glory is placed on display by the redemption and justice that is brought forth through predestination (240). We see an expression of his mercy in the elect and an equal expression of his justice through the judgments of the reprobate.

Christ

The centrality of Christ in the Calvin’s doctrine of predestination is that he alone is where the certainty of election is found. It can not be found in ourselves or even in God the Father. God the Father preordains those whom he pleases but it is through the body of Christ that we are accepted. For the elect were given to Christ by God the Father. Christ is the only one that the Father can love and since we are now his God accepts us. The good news is that we are elected in Christ. In this we have clear proof that we are justified before God (3.24.5, 3.24.6).

Conclusion

Calvin does not say that predestination will make sense. Much of it is hidden behind the unknowable will of God. But the scriptures show that God is righteous and just. It also shows that there are those who are elected for salvation in Christ and there are those who are made to express the justice of God. In this the soul should find humility that it may never be acceptable to God on its own. It should also find gratitude towards God for who he is and what he is doing. Finally, it should take heart because there is freedom from fear because no matter what happens it can see that the righteous will of God is always in control.

The Cave

2010-03-09T08:28:00.000-08:00

I have been taking a class with a notoriously difficult professor. He is the kind of guy that while your GPA suffers from just being around him you learn more than you would in three classes. Unfortunately keeping up with him and my other classes has forced me into a siege mentality. I finished a paper for him on Thursday and that weekend I felt like I had just come out of a coma.

I am finding seminary to be very hot and cold. I am either spending 16 hours a day working on papers and such or taking the day off and going to the beach. I could get rid of the beach stuff but it wouldn't relieve any of the work parts. In fact if I don't take the time off the work bits become harder to do and take more time.

I tell people that when I am in study mode that I have to go into my cave for a few days. Which I think is very fitting. Today I go back in to the cave until next week after finals.

Calvin's Spiritual Laws

2010-02-16T11:33:00.001-08:00

This pamphlet was shown to us in evangelism class. I thought it was pretty good presby humor.

Directed Essay #2: Luther and Freedom

2010-02-12T13:01:00.000-08:00

Freedom has many faces. It can be hard to understand what Martin Luther meant when he spoke of freedom. For Luther Christian freedom is unique. It is not rooted in politics, religious work, or human rights. Freedom is found in the word of God and one receives it by faith. This freedom leads one who possesses it to live a life of worshiping God in its purest form, which is to ascribe to God all things that belong to one who is trusted.

Luther rejected many versions of freedom found in the secular and religious worlds. There was a revolt by certain peasants that had co-opted the language of the reformation in the publication of their articles in 1525. In the third article of The Twelve Articles of the Swabian Peasants the revolt states, “It is consistent with Scripture that we should be free and we wish to be so” (pg. 95). In other words, they thought that scripture teaches they should be free of the temporal rulers that have been oppressing them. Luther responds with the Friendly Admonition to Peace by saying this makes Christian freedom “an utterly carnal thing” (pg. 117). In his Commentary on Galatians Luther responds to the scholastics who view “Christian righteousness” as something that might be obtained through the observance of the traditions of the church and the pope (pg. 124). He had always been concerned that people will get the wrong idea about salvation. Instead of pursuing righteousness, and thus freedom, through faith they looked to the works of the church to give them merit before God (pg. 64). Their error is in thinking that the gospel is about material rights or ceremonial righteousness instead of finding freedom within faith in Christ.

In order to understand how a Christian is free it is important to first understand to what a Christian is initially bound. Luther says, “The commandments show us what we ought to do but do not give us the power to do it” (pg. 37). In other words, the law in the Old Testament shows people that they are unable to do what is good. But Luther thinks this law must be fulfilled, “otherwise man will be condemned without hope” (pg. 38). Humanity is both bound to the law, the commandments of God, and unable to satisfy it. Instead the soul is filled with “sins, death, and damnation” (pg. 41). To this too humanity is bound because they cannot do anything but follow actions that lead to this dark triad.

It is in this context that Luther lays the ground work for what Christian freedom means with a paradox.

A Christian is perfectly free lord of all, subject to none

A Christian is perfectly dutiful servant of all, subject to all. (pg. 33)

In this apparent conflict is the heart of Luther’s concept of Christian freedom. Humanity is both being saved from something and for something. They are free from the law but they now seek only to please God (pg. 48). To put it another way, Christians are free lords of all and subject to none in the sense that sin and the law no longer dictates their actions. However, “Love by it’s very nature is ready to serve and be subject to him who is loved” (pg. 33). This means, Christians are perfectly dutiful servants and subjects of all because the freedom they partake in seeks to please God and God is pleased when they subject themselves to each other for the sake of love.

Faith has multiple powers. It is the agent that causes the works of the law to be unnecessary. It also imputes righteousness to the believer. Luther describes this imputation in the imagery of a marriage. “Christ and the soul become one flesh” (pg. 40) and if they become one flesh than they hold everything in common. “By the wedding ring of faith He shares in the sin death and pains of hell which are his brides” (pg. 41). But since Christ’s righteousness is far superior to the sins that he has been bound to in Christ when the soul and Christ become one he swallows them all. This righteousness is not imparted to the soul because the sin is not annihilated. Instead it is imputed to the soul because while the sins remain Christ’s righteousness has totally eclipsed them all. We share with him his merit and dignity before God.

Faith is passive. He states explicitly, “But righteousness is heavenly and passive. We do not perform it; we accept it by faith, through which we ascend beyond all laws and works (pg. 92, 1968 edition). He uses the metaphor of the earth and the rains to describe the relationship between faith and righteousness. The earth does nothing to obtain the rain but the rain pours down on the fields and causes them to grow. Just as it is the earth’s duty is to receive this rain it is the souls duty to receive righteousness through faith. But this receiving is not a merit on the Christian’s behalf. Luther shows that faith is not a merit that we can conjure to impress God it is a gift from God (pg. 126).

It is tempting to imply that the cause of freedom is faith. But this is an error. The cause of freedom for Luther is the word of God. The only thing necessary is the word of God (35). “For by His word God has revealed to us that He wants to be our merciful father to us. Without our merit… He wants to give us forgiveness of sins, righteousness, and eternal life for the sake of Christ” (135). However, he also makes it very clear that it is by faith in the word that one receives and can cherish the word. Therefore faith plays an important and unique role in Christian freedom.

There are many other good things outside of faith but there is a reason why faith is unique. This is because all other options for pleasing God are scant. Those who are “slaves of vice” often have more than enough food and drink, money and health. Those who are godly are also subjected to terrible illness and poverty. Therefore, no outer circumstance may profit the soul before God. Similarly, all that the soul does ends up being short of honoring God. All kinds of noble works that the soul can do, including meditation and contemplation do not help. Only faith is uniquely qualified to address the word of God because it involves trust (pg. 33-34). In faith the soul believes that Christ is as Christ says, “The Resurrection and the life” and also that “…man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that proceeds from the mouth of God” (p. 34).

The final power of faith is the ability for the soul to fully trust God. “So when the soul would firmly trusts God’s promises, it regards Him as truthful and righteous, nothing more excellent than this can be ascribed to God. The very highest worship of God is this, that we ascribe to Him truthfulness, righteousness, and whatever else should be ascribed to one who is trusted” (pg. 39). The Christian life that follows is a life guided by faith directed toward trusting God. This trust spills over into various areas of life.

This faith produces works in the life of the Christian. Luther says, “Good works do not make a person, but a good person does good works” (pg.47). He uses the imagery of a tree. A tree exists before it produces fruit. The fruit are an outpouring of the nature of the tree. In the same manner, the good person produces good works as fruit (pg. 48). He is reacting to “ceremonial righteousness” in his definition of works which viewed the ordinances of the church as “chained to faith” (pg. 63). The soul is free to do works not because it is looking to find merit within them but because by its very nature desires to do so. This is not a “historical faith” that does nothing

This faith affects the way we view temporal life. Luther says that a free man will say, “I will do this and that as men command, not because it is necessary to my righteousness or salvation; but that I may show due respect to the pope, the bishop, the community, a magistrate, or my neighbor” (pg.53). This is why he rebukes the peasant rebellion. They confused the freedom of Christ with a freedom from the rule of kings. They made it a carnal freedom which is the opposite of what Luther taught. Instead he teaches that the Christian should “serve the governing authorities not because he needs it but for the sake of others” (pg.76). The Christian is not bound to such laws but “love constrains you to do as matter of necessity that which would otherwise be optional” (79). Freedom calls the soul to love the neighbor through submission to the government. Since it allows for temporal peace and the restraint of wickedness.

In a similar manner, this faith unites the soul with suffering. In that the Christian is lord of all and subject to none he should be ready to trust God in the face of suffering and bear every evil and injustice. However, a Christian life is subject to all and there fore should do everything they can to achieve “vengeance, justice, protection, and help” for others (pg. 81).

In conclusion, freedom for Luther means to be free from the authority of the Law and sin but also freed to trust in God. This happens by faith, not by works of the law or any other merit. While this faith is passive it is not a “historical faith” which is one of accepting knowledge without interaction. From this freedom comes a Christian life that is guided into service and submission filled with the fruit of good works. Therefore, a free soul chooses to subject itself to temporal trials and authorities because it is conscious of God.

5

Gluten Free Communion

2010-02-03T16:21:00.001-08:00

Today I went to the all seminary chapel for the first time. Over all it was a service with very little to set itself apart. There was one exception however. Right after the words of institution the pastor made the announcement, “If there is anyone who would like to receive gluten free bread please come to the station on my left.”

This was the first time I had ever seen a gluten free body of Christ. I can tell that my medieval theology class is getting to me because I started to think about how the Scholastics might view such a choice. Actually, the whole process of communion today made me think about the long history of the sacrament; One kind or two, wine or juice, Abrose or Augustine, Radbertus or Ratramnus. It never ceases to surprise me how much thought the church has put into eating a slice of bread and a shot of wine. Equally, it never ceases to amaze me how God took such a simple act and poured so much meaning into it.

I think I am actually sort of excited of the gluten free option. While it does seem a little hyper sensitive at the same time I know a lot of people who have trouble with wheat and I never thought about how that could make communion burdensome to them.

God and the Devil, Resurrection and Death

2010-02-02T11:45:00.000-08:00

This quarter in Medieval Theology we have been talking about the three classic views of the atonement. It’s causing me to think about what I believe about how we are justified. I was reviewing the lecture on christus victo r this morning and I could not help but reflect on the nature of the devil in the divine plan. It seems to me that this view promotes the devil beyond his role. In my church experience I have noticed both congregants and pastors tend to make the Devil into the “Big Bad Evil Guy” as though sin would not exist without him. But what I see in the atonement is how God deals with things beyond the devil. I am reminded of 1 Cor 15:26 where Paul says, “The last enemy to be destroyed is death.”It makes me think of the devil himself as a servant to death. Which sheds more light to me on the importance of the resurrection since Jesus in a very tangible send overcame death.

This is an unfinished thought, a seed. I was wondering how you view the atonement in light of the classical theories.

Urban Youth Ministry

2010-02-02T11:22:00.000-08:00

As some of you might know, I have moved to a small PCUSA church with youth group that is largely Latino kids from working class families. It is a totally new experience for me and while I have been working with youth for some time now it had largely been in a suburban middle-class white churches. I was wondering if anyone had any reading recommendations to help me become a more effective minister in this context.

Catechumenate: The Christian Padawan

2010-01-27T10:15:00.000-08:00

I am reading the book The Logic of Evangelism by William J. Abraham for my Evangelism class. While is has been a slow read there have also been some interesting points that he has brought up in his academic survey of the issue.

Late in the book he describes a need for catechumenate. Which to the best of my understanding is a way of saying there needs to be an in between time for many who are embracing Christianity. He says there needs to be a “specific, official public institution that will ensure that the various dimensions of initiation [ ] are encountered by those who enter in to the rule of God” (p174-175).

I liked this idea. The geek in me automatically started to drift towards Star Wars. Each elder Jedi looks over the development of their padawan until the time when their initiation is complete. I think I see this too in the process of ordination in the PCUSA. It is very easy to start the process of becoming a pastor but as time progresses the demands of the program become more rigorous. The introspection and questioning of the group of elders helps to shed light on the validity of the call of God.

This makes me wonder, why do we not have an officially recognized place in the church for the Christian “padawan”? Looking back at my history I see as a young Christian I thought it was so important to get people to say a prayer. I had a very simplistic view of the faith in this way. I still see many Christians view the faith as something you are either in or out. The kingdom of God is at hand but does that mean it needs to be rushed?

I can recall stories about converts in Muslim countries having to wait long periods of time before they are even allowed to go to church. The reason for this being is that the church goers are worried that new converts are simply extremist Muslim spies trying to find Christians in order to arrest them.

I cannot help but think that the original intention for memberships within denominations was similar to this padawan concept. But now we are in a culture that shys away from such memberships. They are viewed as unimportant. I have friends who have been “regular attendees” at a church for over a dozen years. They never felt the need to become members.

So my question is what should we do with those in transition into the kingdom of God? Is there room for a formal padawan situation in the 21st century western church? What should that look like?

Haiti and the Question of Suffering

2010-01-25T10:32:00.000-08:00

I went to PCUSA chapel this morning at Fuller as I try to do every Monday morning. The theme of reflection was the earthquake in Haiti. The variation was entering in a time of questioning God.

It might be that the PCUSA can be touchy-feely at times. It might also be that I feel very detached from the tragedy. But I am just not in the place where I feel like I need to question the goodness of God. I keep hearing that seminary is supposed to break down a lot of your presuppositions about God so that it can build it back stronger. But when it comes to theodicy I am at peace. I don't question why bad things happen in a universe created by a good God.

In the spirit of the age my response is, "It is what it is." Natural disasters happen. That is not an evil of God. On the contrary, I see God's goodness in the hearts of all those who are drawn to help and donate, even those who do not realize it is God compelling them to do so.

The kingdom of heaven is found in the response to the disaster not in the event. It was decades of the actions of wicked hearts of men that lead to the poor infrastructure, corrupt government, and economic colonial oppression that made Haiti so devastatingly poor not God.

I left early.

Jim Wallis on The Daily Show

2010-01-23T09:56:00.000-08:00

I enjoyed Jim's interview on The Daily Show this week. I think it speaks for itself. I liked it with the exception of him talking about native American philosophy. Come on Jim, stay with in your faith tradition. There is enough there. I like the idea of giving bank bonuses to Haiti. But there is an ethical dilemma there.

Disillusionment

2010-01-21T11:50:00.000-08:00

I am in lecture right now. We are talking pre-christian positions on faith. One of the more interesting illustrations about those who are disillusioned, which is sort of a post-christian view.

The illustration was interesting enough to note that I wanted to share it with you.

The professor spoke of a relative of his. This relative once worked for a christian non-profit organization that helped young women at a drug rehabilitation center. Until they found out that the head of the organization was actually pimping out his young women as prostitutes to local politicians.

Now, I am seldom shocked by the shenanigans that Christians. It is nothing new to me to hear about a pastor sleeping with a secretary, an elder skimming from the church building fund, or a youth leader getting high with his friends on Friday night. But to abuse this position of authority in such an egregious manner caused me to pause.

The professors relative faith did not survive this confrontation as he tried to bring this sin to light. At one point the Director's wife told him, "It would be wise for you to leave this alone. You are not the first person to try to uncover this and it did not turn out well for them." I cannot say mine would either.

To the christian I say, as we uncover evil with in our mists we should bring them to light. As we talk with people who have an aversion to church it is important to note that there are terrible things that still go on in the church and instead of trying to defend it. It is probably best to just apologize.

With that, to the disillusioned and non-christian I say, sorry. We really are a sick little band of believers. It makes me most sad that this reflects not poorly on me and the church, but on peoples view of God.

Review of Conversion in the New Testament

2010-01-21T11:47:00.000-08:00

The over arching thesis of Conversion in the New Testament: Paul and the Twelve By Richard Peace is that by looking at the models of conversion in the New Testament we can establish numerous patterns that can help us evaluate the churches current methods of evangelism. The text focuses primarily on the conversion experiences of Paul in the book of Acts and the conversions of the apostles within the book of Mark. At the end Peace brings the two together in order to reveal how these conclusions reflect the 20th century Christian.

Peace starts with the Pauline experience because it is often considered the standard model for modern conversion. This focuses on three stages one goes through during the conversion process. The first is insight. This is where the individual gains some new understanding of both who he is and to the nature of God. For Paul it had to do with his persecution of the church (pg. 38). His underlining assumption was that he was righteous before God in this persecution since Jesus was a false messiah. His insight about God was that Jesus was not a false messiah but the real one. (pg. 52) The second is turning. This is, “turning based on insight that has been gained into one’s relationship to God… [not] simply turning away from the old. It is turning to a Jesus.” (pg. 67). Finally, a person on the road to conversion experiences transformation. Transformation implies that the insight and act of turning require an “immediate response” (pg. 89). We can see this in Paul as he joined the Christian community as he has his needs met and is taught by Ananias (pg. 91).

In explaining the conversion process of Paul and “the twelve” the author often goes through apologetic detours to support his positions. Mostly, I appreciated these rebuttals. They often disarmed many of the disagreements I originally had with the text. It was interesting to hear commentary disputing issues such as Paul’s call being a false construction by Luke in order to create a spiritual equivalent to the ancient prophets (pg. 94).

But should Paul’s experience be considered normative for the church? His sudden change of heart and his mystic vision are inspiring but is there another paradigm for conversion? Peace’s answer is yes. The largest portion of the book is dedicated to the conversion experiences of the apostles and the nature of the Gospel of Mark. Peace argues, “…whatever change took place in their lives happened over time…. In fact, Jesus spent an extended length of time with the disciples, patiently teaching them by word and deed , the repeatedly failed to grasp what he was trying to communicate” (pg 106). In other words, unlike Paul, these individuals did not have a sudden conversion but a gradual one. In the structure of the Gospel of Mark the author argues for a structure that revolves around this process. Each section of the book shows how the followers of Jesus understood him in a new way; as a teacher, a prophet, the Messiah, the Son of Man, the Son of David, and the Son of God. Similarly to the Pauline form of conversion (insight, turning, and transformation), the apostles experience conversion defined by response, faith, and repentance. The main difference is their process is gradual instead of instant.

As a scholar with a history with Intervarsity Christian Fellowship, I understand why Peace spent so much time with inductive exogenesis of Mark. This is a practice drilled into every college freshman within their program. However, in this case I think Peace spends too much time establishing the structure and nature of Mark pericope by pericope. He provides an incredibly detailed commentary of the gospel but his major thesis is often lost in the process of constructing it.

My main issue with the way in which conversion is described by peace is his selection of individuals within the New Testament to follow. While I agree that Paul is considered by many as having the classic conversion experience I do not believe that either he or the other apostles have a spiritual experience that is reflective of what happens with in the church body over the ages. This is due to the specific role that these men played in the foundation of the church. These conversion experiences are too special to generalize. There is no equivalent of being alongside Jesus for the entirety of his ministry. The church talks about knowing Jesus but in the figurative sense. The apostles knew Jesus in the literal sense. They knew every detail about him right down to what type of fish he liked to eat. This all access pass to Jesus spoils the replication their conversion experience. Similarly, Paul had a mystic vision and a call to be a fundamental pillar of the church. God knew that his theological choices would dictate the direction of the church until Christ’s return. Therefore, his mystic experience and specific spiritual mission from God make his conversion process too special to replicate in modern evangelism.

Only in the broadest metaphorical sense can these events translate to the experiences of the church over the centuries. This is good because that is where Richard Peace argues from. His views of insight, turning, and transformation are broad enough to derive insight for today. Although, while reading the question I was drawn to was based on the average convert in the New Testament. Instead of focusing on what are considered the spiritual paragons of the New Testament I think more information about conversion can be found in the stories of those who formed the structural basis of the early church whose experience better mirrors that of our own. What brought conversion experiences to the unnamed masses that come to those who were added daily to the early church?

The final section of the book shifts its focus from the act of conversion and asks, “What are the implications for the work of evangelism that arise from understanding that there are two paradigms in the New Testament for conversion?” (pg 285). His thesis in this area of thought is that “How we conceive of conversion determines how we do evangelism” (pg 286). The modern perception of conversion as sudden and somewhat Pauline is defined as “Encounter Evangelism.” The process personified in the other apostles was defined as “Process Evangelism.” Peace offers a critique that while we should be figuring out how to best engage with those who are ready to have a Paul-like experience we should also understand that conversion is often a long process. The focus should be “helping people become disciples of Jesus and not simply be content with making converts” (pg. 297).

I agree with his assessment of modern evangelism. Peace argues that we have come to understand evangelism as a form of spiritual commerce (pg. 301). When we treat evangelism like a business and converts are consumers we establish a form of discipleship based on consumerism. I grew up in an era where Christian youth were told to be Christian is to buy Christian music, t-shirts, and bracelets. I think that is reflective of the view of conversion my church culture had which ultimately led to buyer’s remorse.

Furthermore, his assessments of the strengths and weaknesses of modern evangelism from encounter based mass evangelism to process based worship evangelism are completely correct. There is a danger of spiritual inoculation and mass misrepresentation. I have always thought the best evangelism is that of the personal relationships but Peace makes a valid critique that many Christians live their lives within strong Christian social circles while questioning the ethics of going out to make friends simply for the purpose of sharing your faith.

Over all, I liked what the book but the general issue is that it is incredibly nuanced. While the definitions of conversion are insightful and while Peace is through in defending his work from criticism his outline of Mark text can be dry at times with a lot of detail which could not be covered in a short reflections paper.s

Agape

2010-01-20T12:50:00.000-08:00

We had to do a word study in our Greek class about the words Agape, philia, and eros.

Common church wisdom states that agape is godly self sacrificing love. Like Jesus. Philia, is a brotherly type of love, and eros is erotic love.

Turns out that sermon that we have all heard before on the types of love is totally bunk. The word agape and philia are use interchangeably in the Gospel of John.

This sermon is based on old scholarship that considered Agape a christian invented term. Since the first time this sermon was preached until now we have uncovered other non-christian sources that use agape.

But don't worry. I am sure your pastors will still teach it. Because frankly that sermon sells. ;)

The Tragic Tale of the Millennials: Part Two

2010-01-19T10:52:00.000-08:00

In my last post I discussed how the Millennials seemed to have a great change of heart when it came to the gospel in their twenties. I argued that it was the message that they received that eventually lead to their unraveling as the most religious generation in some time. But I do not think all is lost. As my professor said, "We are only at the beginning of their story."

The church may have lost a large portion of the Millenials in the last decade but a significant amount remain. This group has been drawn to emergent faith communities and alternative services. While rejecting the gospel of their youth, mentioned in the previous post, in many ways they have found a new expression of clinging to the way of Jesus.

The person that gives me the most amount of hope for this generation is an evangelical turned neo-monastic named Shane Claiborne. He was one of the church kids of the 90's. A man set on becoming healthy and wealthy. But through what I would call a second conversion his heart was drawn to loving the poor. He now lives in a faith community in north Philadelphia not just ministering to the poor and outcast but becoming one and loving them. His story speaks to the heart of a generation that is looking for leaders whose actions and words are in line with each other. His compassion is selfless and apolitical. I think as the church reflects more of the compassion expressed by people like Shane and as they move away from the political consumerism that defined much of the late 20th century church we will see the millennials return.

It is actually an amazing opportunity. We lost a generation of people that embraced the gospel because we were not personifying God’s true message. As we embrace it, so to will this generation return.

The Tragic Tale of the Millennials Part 1

2010-01-08T14:56:00.000-08:00

This week in my evangelism class we discussed the history of the millennial generation, those who came of age after the year 2000. At 27 I consider myself and elder in this group. The reason this generation is such a tragic tale in light of the community of the church is because when we were younger we were one of the most religiously minded generations America had seen in a long time. But since we travelled off to college and into the 'real world' the opposite has become true. Over the past ten years there has been a vast migration away from the church. The question is why?

We simply received the wrong gospel.

Our gospel was political. The truth is that everything was political in the 2000s. It was hard to avoid hearing arguments or driving through protests. I remember my freshman year of college at UCLA the students had formed a protest against the war in Iraq. As I sit in my seat diligently taking notes in my biology lecture dozens of students filed out behind me calling those of us who stayed “Pussys” and “Traders.” The evangelical based was in strong support of President George W. Bush. I know I often defended him among his critics. But his critics were really the winners of that decade. The wars became ugly. The president became an idiot. And as much as I defended him he did a lot of stuff wrong. But many Christians let their spiritual identity become inseparable from their political one. And when that happened many Millennials chose to discard both.

Our political gospel also had its roots in the moral agenda of the church, specifically the handling of homosexuals. Over the past ten years the political arguments for and against homosexuality have changed from a matter of morality to a matter of civil rights. The church still argues about homosexuality on a level of morality while Millennials view it as a form of prejudice. This may have something to do with the fact that the church as a whole has over reacted to the issue of homosexuality. As a youth director I have had many high school students come to me in private and talk about having sex with their boy or girlfriends. It’s a common issue when dealing with people who have been saturated in hormonal urges. There was counseling that needed to be done there for sure, especially in the case of pregnancies. But no sexual stigma could compare to that felt by those students who quietly hid their homosexual urges. Heterosexual transgressions would get a child a slap on the wrist. Homosexual urges could get a child sent to “straight camp.” It was and continues to be one the modern scarlet letter. Instead of walking along side of those who are confused and maybe hurt by the emergence of homosexual urges we turned our backs on them. That was wrong and the Millennials know it.

Our gospel was easy. It required nothing of us. To be a Christian was to go to youth group and play games. Once or twice a year we would go to a concert or a ski trip. It was fun. We were encouraged to bring friends. They had fun and became Christians and invited more friends. Initial discipleship of Christian youth revolved around hype and not substance. We had flashy rock music, messy games, and emotionally charged messages. I think a lot of the problems that my generation has seen in church could have been overlooked if it was not for that fact that it was so easy. It did not ask to become a member of a faith community but a member of a youth group.

This brings me to the final chapter of our gospel. It was self centered. We were catered to. We had our own services because the music made the old people uncomfortable. We had our own events, our own rooms, even our own pastors. It was all about us. This made the transition to college rough. We were taught that church is about us and therefore when we did look for churches we looked for things with fun college things to do. We never grasped the responsibility of being a member of a larger community. We never understood that the church is an intergeneration, interracial, global community. We had become consumer Christians looking for churches that wanted to market to us. I would say that this is still valid of remaining Millennial Christians. But it was not just churches marketing ministries. It was the Christian market place. We had Christian equivalents of everything; music festivals, cartoons, and even breath mints. We were made Christians to purchase CDs. To this day I can not go see a Christian band play without getting a chill down my spine.

Our gospel was further self centered in that it was based on emotion. When I first came to faith it was at a winter camp. The preacher had told a story about a spirit filled girl that mystically took on the illness of one of her beloved friends through prayer and died from it. The preacher wanted to know if we wanted faith like that. I said, “Sign me up.” I heard a lot of alter calls like that growing up. I would always feel so righteous in choosing to be a part of that cause. To stand up was to symbolize that I am willing to lay down my life. But then something changed. Alter calls started to be about making other choices. One would have you make an alter call to choose to be abstinent, another would ask you to take a stand to not do drugs. The most humorous of them was at Spirit West Coast, a big Christian festival, where the preacher said take a stand if you want to be a man. (I had not realized being a man was that easy.)

The truth is nothing in life is that easy. These emotional appeals never offered what they promised. But a generation of people grew up taking stands and thinking that makes them followers of Jesus. Many of my peers believe they experienced all Christ has to offer through the games they played growing up, through the pledges that they failed to keep, and through the times they cried at camp as they wrapped arms with friends and sang church songs.

The truth is that being a Christian is hard. It involves being hurt by your church and the people in it. It involves doubting and sometimes even being taken advantage of. We are only in our twenties now. The story of our generation is not finished. What can be done to redeem this tragedy?

The Bureaucracy

2010-01-06T12:54:00.000-08:00

Congruent with my studies at Fuller I have been interested in pursuing a course toward military chaplaincy. This is proving to be harder then previously expected. Sometimes I forget how much of a bureaucracy working in the church can be. This fact is magnified by being a presbyterian, who are notorious for their "death by committee" style of governance, and wanting to minister in the structure of the federal government.

Today I have been battling paperwork and church policy trying to navigate the long list of interviews, essays, and exams I will need to take to get to my final goal as Air Force Chaplain. Until today I thought that I was going to get my physical in January and finish my application by June and be in boot camp by July. Now it is looking like it will be lucky if I will be able to get into uniform by 2012.

Maybe I should just start my own cult. It would be cheaper and quicker. (j/k)

The Heart of Finals

2009-12-08T14:15:00.000-08:00

I took two finals last night and I will take one tomorrow. That is why there has been little posting lately. I've locked myself in my room and I'm not coming out until I understand Koine Greek.

I also have a paper titled Sex Ethics for Christian Singles that needs to be revised. I'll be posting that after it is turned in. On a side note I think it would be funny to sexually charge the language of this paper. I'm going to se how much quasi-erotic language I can fit into to it. Things like "This passage touched me." or "The main thrust of this author is.." Because deep down inside I am still a ten year old boy.

Paul and First Century letter Writing

2009-11-29T19:12:00.000-08:00

Here is my first seminary paper./ Read it and enjoy. But don't steal it. Otherwise I will have to cut you. (And really, if you want to cheat in seminary you might first want to reconsider the occupation you have chosen.)
In the first century the church at Corinth was divided. It had a history of infighting and sectarianism that started after the Apostle Paul’s time establishing it on one of his missionary journeys. Paul kept an extensive correspondence with them via letters, visits, and envoys. [1] It was the divisions and infighting within the church that lead to the epistle of 1 Corinthians. One such issue the church was facing was the proper order of worship and specifically from whom and when words of prophecy can be spoken. In the heart of these passages outlining orders of worship there are two verses that have created tension in the church regarding women. “Women should be silent in the churches. For they are not permitted to speak, but should be subordinate, as the law also says. If there is anything they desire to know, let them ask their husbands at home. For it is shameful for a woman to speak in church” (1 Cor 14:34-35). What are the roles of women in the church? On the surface these verses seem to greatly limit them. If Paul wrote these verses it could be argued that he advocated that women must be quiet and submissive to men. Others contest that he did not write these passages at all, they say that these verses were added later. These arguments fail in to take into account the context of the church of Corinth at the time. When these are taken into consideration it becomes clear that the command is from Paul and it addresses a specific situation within the congregation of Corinth.

The first interpretation of this passage is that Paul is commanding that women should remain silent in all the congregations. As Paul leads his discussion about women’s roles in v. 33 he states “As in all the congregations of the saints …” Carleton A. Toppe argues that this establishes a normative practice of female roles in all churches. [2] He further argues that in the narrative of the first three chapters of Genesis a law of subordination to men is established that women must follow through out the ages.[3] This subordination includes silence with in the churches.

However, this surface level reading runs into problems immediately. When taken into the context of the whole epistle we see that in chapter eleven Paul gives a command that is counter to the silence of women. It specifically states that women should cover their head while praying and prophesying. If they are to remain silent why address what rituals they should follow in the act of prophesying? Secondly, there is a difference between subordination and silence. Although there is evidence to suggest of an old rabbinic teach that women should not read from the Torah for the sake of honoring their community[4] nowhere in the Old Testament is there a law saying women should always remain silent.[5] There is no reason for Paul to cite a law that does not exist.

This view also goes against the history of the early church. There are a number of women cited by Paul as fellow-workers. Phoebe was a deacon of the church in Corinth and Euodia and Syntyche are called workers who struggle with Paul for the cause of the gospel. The verbiage used in Rom 16 to describe these women shows that their functions included preaching and teaching.[6] It is irrational to argue that God would grant certain people spiritual gifts and then command them not to use it. In the larger spectrum of Paul’s letters this also seems to go against his explicit views of egalitarianism with in the church. In Galatians he argues that all are one in Christ and there is neither male nor female.[7] If there is no divide among genders it would be hard to argue that Paul is advocating a division in the church services of Corinth.[8]

If this passage is so antithetical to the history of the church, the writings of the New Testament in general and specifically counter to Paul’s other claims with in the same epistle it is reasonable to argue that Paul did not write it. Richard A. Horsely argues that after Paul the church’s view on roles of women in leadership changed. In its increasingly “conservative” attitude he finds it easy to assume a later church author came in and added this passage.[9] Conzelmann too argues that the linguistic usage and apparent contradictions lead him to believe this is a work of interpolation.[10]

Interpolation is when a passage has words added by later authors and is usually used to clarify tricky passages. It would account for many of the discrepancies mentioned above. However, this interpretation has problems of its own. L. Ann Jervis argues that this passage does not fit the standard in which other interpolations have been debated. There is no precedent in Paul’s works for interpolation intended to contradict directly Paul’s own view.[11] Also, this verse appears in every manuscript. If this injection came in so early that it affected all copies of the epistle that remain it would run counter to the argument posed by Horsely that a later less egalitarian branch of the church added the verse. Furthermore the placement of the verse is in the context of orders of worship and in particular instruction about prophecy. This would suggest that even if the verse were added later the placement was meant to call attention to women speaking in relationship to prophecy being given and not as general instruction on how women are meant to behave.[12]

There is sounder way to interpret these passages. Rather than accepting the irrational interpretation of Paul teaching women not to speak or dismissing Paul as the author the some scholars argue that this verse speaks directly to specific issues with in the Corinthian church. Therefore, they should not be taken to be normative practices. As mentioned earlier, the Corinthian church had serious issues. There was sectarianism. Earlier in the epistle Paul addresses the divisions in Corinth. Members of the church were claiming their spiritual pedigrees by boasting about the different disciples they followed. There was a perceived hierarchy of spiritualism. In 1 Cor 11 through 13 we see Paul appealing to this elitism through addressing the “weaker” and “stronger” members. These were those who were willing to eat food sacrificed to idols and those not. These two issues are the background to the final issue mentioned in 1 Corinthians; order of worship. 1 Cor 14 focuses mostly on how to deal with the receiving prophecy. It is not until the end of the chapter that Paul seems to abruptly change topics and focus on women. But some strongly argue that this is not a change of topic at all. In a church marked by contention some argue that Paul was addressing women who were making a scene in the churches. Christianity offered them a freedom and equality they had not previously experienced. They had taken this liberty too far and started to disrupt the services.[13] Even to the point of speaking when the prophecies were being spoken.[14] It would indeed be shameful for a anyone to stand up and disrupt the order of worship in such away.

As mentioned earlier, a major issue with this interpretation is the verses preceding 1 Cor 14:34. It starts by saying “As in all the congregations of the saints.” This implies that the command which is to follow is not a specific command but a general one. This would push the feminist argument back to a view of interpolation. However, it is possible that this sentence fragment is connected originally to the rest of v. 33. [15] In older texts of the New Testament, including the King James Version, a new paragraph starts at v. 34. It was not until 1881 that v. 33 was spilt in two, thus attributing generality to the message of silence over the uniformity of worship. In some Greek manuscripts v. 34-35 are placed after v. 40. If that is the case it takes the passage away from the commandment of the Lord and de-emphasizing its male dominating tone even further.[16]

This passage is important to the modern church because how it is interpreted affects the roles available to women in ministry. It is also a hot button issue. Toppe calls any interpretation other than his own a “vain dishonest manipulation of the word of God.” (Toppe 137) If the church is to be faithful to the words of God it has to find a way to govern itself where passages as Gal 3:23 are viewed with equal importance as 1 Cor 14:33-34. The argument posed in this paper does just that.

By looking at the contributions of women in the early church it is clear that it would be out of character for this passage to regulate women from positions of authority. Women are given the gift of prophecy by God to use to build up the church. They are considered fellow workers in the gospel, thus suggesting roles of teaching and preaching. Paul himself proclaims that all are one in Christ and there is neither male nor female. (This is a passage often ignored when arguing for women to be subordinate to men.) There are many other options for interpreting this verse. It can be written off as the work of some later scribe. It could be used to argue that women should remain silent in church. But one nagging question remains. If women have all these responsibilities in the church what is so special about public meetings that they are forbidden from opening their mouths? This line of thought is not consistent and therefore must be discarded. If God has given women all the skills and gifts to lead the church why would he request them never to use it? Only with arguing that this passage is specifically address to disruptive women of the church of Corinth does this passage make sense.

What is happening at Corinth is an issue of church order and specific branch of the church. Current thoughts that limit the roles of women through this passage need to step aside. This is not a broad decree to limit their roles but correction on church orders of service. Where one could go from here is to explore the conflict of sectarianism in the church at Corinth and the disturbance that the women were causing. It would be interesting to explore the possibility of the women at Corinth who were not blessed with the gift of prophecy banding together out of jealousy to disrupt the service of those who were. Perhaps the women were another sect, like those “of Paul” and those ‘of Apollo,” jockeying for a position of power and honor in the congregation.

[1] DeSilva, David Arthur. An introduction to the New Testament: contexts, methods & ministry formation. Downers Grove; Leicester: InterVarsity Press; Apollos, 2004. pg 585

[2] Toppe, Carlton A. People’s Bible Commentary: 1 Corinthians. Saint Louis: Concordia Publishing House. 1992 136

[3] Toppe, People’s Bible Commentary, 136.

[4] Harrisville, Roy A. 1 Corinthians. (Minneapolis: Augsburg Pub House, 1987), 242.

[5] Jervis, L Ann. 1 Corinthians 14:34-3 : A Reconsideration of Paul's Limitation of the Free Speech of Some Corinthian Women. Journal for the Study of the New Testament no. 58 (June 1995): 58.

[6] Rowe, Arthur. Silence and the Christian Women of Corinth : An examination of 1 Corinthians 14:33b-36. Communio viatorum 33, no. 1-2 (Spr-Sum 1990 1990): 43.

[7] Gal 3:28

[8] Jervis, A Reconsideration of Paul, 56

[9] Horsely, Richard A., 1 Corinthians. (Nashville: Abingdon Press. 1998), 187.

[10] Conzelmann, Hans. 1 Corinthians. (Philadelphia: Fortress Press, 1975), 246.

[11] Jervis, A Reconsideration of Paul, 53

[12] Jervis, A Reconsideration of Paul, 54

[13] Harrisville, 1 Corinthians, 243

[14] "1 Corinthians 14:33b-38 and 1 Timothy 2:11-14 Permit the Ordination of Women." Lutheran Theological Journal 32, no. 1 (May 2005): 74.

[15] Harrisville, 1 Corinthians, 243

[16] Ibid.

Revelation

2009-11-25T07:21:00.000-08:00

For my New Testament class we have finally gotten to the book of Revelation. I remember as a teenager growing up this was one of my favorites. I liked it because there are angels and dragons and battles. To a 16 year old that is all cool stuff. I was also really into the Left Behind book series. This was a Christian fiction series that took a group of freedom fighters through the last seven years on earth. They fought the anti-christ, flew around in jets, and saved souls. They were totally bad ass.

That was a dozen years ago. I've grown up a lot since then. In my reading of the text this time I am seeing a different side to the book. Desilva argues that the book is more like a political cartoon of the time. While possibly prophetic it is not about the distant future but about the lives surrounding the original readers. These Christians were getting kicked out of soicety because they refused to worship idols. Which may sound easily avoidable these days but in the Roman world you couldn't go out to eat with out having someone sacrifice something to an idol. It was a big part of the culture and the Christians refused to part take. They lost friends, business clients, and wealth all because they did not worship Roma the goddess of Rome and the emperor of Rome. Eventually this turned in to persecution and the Christians were killed for being outsiders by the government.

Chap Clark told me this week that the purpose of Revelation is not about the end of the world but about worship. Reading it through this time I see that for every weird story or disastrous plague that is in the book it is paired with a description of God's goodness an holiness. So next time you read that rather odd book put aside trying to decipher who is the beast and what is his mark. Instead explore the beautiful and profound ways in which God is worshiped. You can always go back to figuring out when the rapture will happen of if we are living in a pre-millenial world.

On Love

2009-11-24T16:47:00.000-08:00

In Kingdom Ethics I came across this passage about the nature of love that I really liked so I thought I would share.

"The major new Testament word for love [agape] is sacrificial love. Such love is purely unselfish, spontaneous and unmotivated by any value or benefit the other might have for us. It is not created by any value it sees in others but instead it creates value in them. We love regardless of the attractiveness of the one we love, in an uncalculating, unlimited and unconditional way. This is not something we do or are able to do; instead God initiates it as a pure gift, and we merely reflect the love that shines from God through us towards others" (Nygren, Agape and Eros, 75-81, 91, 94, 118).

Too bad Kingdom Ethics takes a whole chapter to rip this view apart. Stassen gives five critiques:

1. To idealistic not enough to actually do
2. It allows for no self concern or boundaries
3. It divorces love from justice
4. It has been used to keep oppressed people "In there place"
5. It can cause one to have a martyr complex and make others mere dependents on what I paternalistically know to be best.

I guess that just goes to show just because something sounds good doesn't mean that everyone agrees.

There is no catching up

2009-11-23T15:58:00.000-08:00

It's already week nine of a ten week quarter. I am kicking myself for not starting a blog earlier about my new found life as a grad student. There is simply no catching up the long series of firsts that have happened in the past two months.

Where am I today? This week there is only one class I have to go to. But that does not mean I have nothing to do. Outside of trying to juggle my personal life, the work at my church, and my physical health I am staring down the barrel of a twelve page paper and nearly 1000 more pages to read before the holiday season.

This week in ethics we are talking about the hot button issue of homosexuality in the church. It's unfortunate that this is the week I have this topic thrust upon me. I was hoping that I would have some time to get settled into a blog before taking on a topic like that. I'm not going to get into a long description but in lecture there was an interesting point that was raised that I want to share.

According to the lecture, a pastor and scholar by the name of Ragnhild Schanke recently wrote piece talking about how homosexuality as we know it could have been expressed in those reffered to in antiquity are "eunuchs" and "court officials." I'm not saying she is write or wrong but if she is right than there are lots of passages in the bible discussing how eunuchs should be received into the temple and in the church. It's a game changer.

But that being said the over all discussion about homosexuality revolved around how we as a church have sinned in either demonizing them and thus showing none of God's grace and love, or we have sinned by simply ignoring what scripture has to say on the matter.

Personally, all I could think about were my friends whom felt my judgments on the situation over the years. I've got a lot of apologizing to do.

Seminary in a Can

2009-11-23T14:43:00.000-08:00

Last October I started a journey into the world of graduate level religious work. I am a student at Fuller Theological Seminary. Coming from a generation that has an implicit distrust of religion and growing up in a city like Los Angeles I consider myself an odd outcome.

This blog is started because I wanted a place where I could explore the issues that I am learning about. Even after only a few weeks here I can see my views on God and life changing. I want a written record of the internal processing that is happening. Hopefully, by sharing this those who are religious might be able to engage in the same hard questions I am wrestling with. For those who are not I hope that this place will be an honest look at what it means to be a Christian and a pastor in training. I hope I can put a human face to an occupation best know for its failures.