Straw men

Today (Oct 31) is the Eve of All Hallows (All Saints). On this day in 1517 a young priest, Father Luther, tacked a long piece of paper onto the church door in Wittenburg. On that paper he had written 95 statements for debate. He disagreed with some of the practices of the Church headquartered in Rome. The authorities took notice. Debates did take place. Luther was urged to take back his statements, but he refused. He was excommunicated from the Church of Rome. Many people sided with Father Luther and began to follow his understanding of the Bible. These people became known as "Lutherans." Other people were following preachers named Farrell and Beza and Zwingli and Calvin. They became the "Reformed" Church (later also known as Presbyterians). Others followed the so-called Anabaptists. During this period Henry VIII broke with Rome, and the Anglican Church was born (today's Episcopalians in the U.S.).

When I was in the 6th grade my teacher, knowing that I was very involved in my church, gave me a book about Martin Luther to read. I was such a staunch 11-year-old Baptist that I refused to read anything about Luther. Seven years later in college I took a course on The History of Christianity, and my eyes were opened to the great diversity of the Church through the centuries. I came to love Martin Luther and his courageous preaching.

Over the years God has led me down an ever-broadening theological path. I have learned to appreciate the strengths of many diverse Christian and non-Christian traditions. Lutherans have their theological strengths; so do Episcopalians and Baptists and Catholics and Pentecostals and Methodists and Presbyterians; and other religions have wisdom to teach us--Hindus, Buddhists, Muslims, Jews...

Christ has become more real to me during my spiritual journey. He has also become bigger. Martin Luther helped the Church move away from the 'angry God' who is 'out to get us' to the merciful Abba we come to know through Jesus. (I'm not talking about an Old Testament God vs. a New Testament God; there is only one God.) Luther was able to recover the genius of the gospel that sees into the gracious heart of God.

Jesus is the Way to the Father. Not a doctrine about Jesus; not a theory about the inspiration of Scripture; but Jesus himself. He is bigger than our doctrines. He is more inclusive than our dogmas. He is more merciful than our theories of atonement. Jesus saves. There is no one else to save. But I believe that he saves those who don't fit our puny schemes of soteriological requirements. It's funny how some Christians don't want Jesus to save everyone unless they believe like them. I believe Jesus is more merciful than our theology is.

Martin Luther found freedom in Christ alone, by grace alone, through faith alone. Thanks be to God.


[photo by me]

planted

"They are like a tree planted by streams of water..." (Ps. 1.3, TNIV)

(Prayer based on Psalm 1:)
O Lord, I want to be happy. I do not wish to pal around with cynics or those who are up to no good. Plant me solidly in the moving stream of your truth. Make my life flourish with goodness and gentleness. Give my life substantially so that I am not blown away by theological fads or empty promises of success. Watch over me. Please do not let my ministry wither away. O God, let me drink deep from your spring of grace.

[prayer and photo by me]

observe it

Today I took a Sabbath.
I did nothing.


[photo by me at Cox Arboretum]

Equality

I was reading a passage from Paul where he is encouraging the Christians in Corinth to 'step up to the plate' in their giving of an offering for the poor in Jerusalem. Paul spent a lot of his time traveling around collecting money for the church.

He says to the Corinthians: "not that others should have relief while you are burdened, but that as a matter of equality your surplus at the present time should supply their needs [the churches of Macedonia], so that their surplus may also supply your needs, that there may be equality. " (2 Cor. 8.13-14, NAB).

The NRSV uses different terminology: "I do not mean that there should be relief for others and pressure on you, but it is a question of a fair balance between your present abundance and their need, so that their abundance may be for your need, in order that there may be a fair balance."

The Greek word for 'equality' (isotes) is the one used in Philippians two where Paul says that Jesus gave up equality with God when he came to earth. It's also the word used in Acts 11.17 where Peter says that God has given the non-Jews the "same gift" [equal gift] that God gave to the Jewish Christians. So, soteriologically speaking, the races are equal. We could say the 'gift' is eternal life. Which is correct. But the next verse (Acts 11.18) designates the 'gift' as the gift of repentance. "God has granted repentance unto life" even to non-Jews. We in the Reformed theological tradition have always believed that 'repentance' -- the ability to turn to God and be saved -- is a 'gift,' not a human accomplishment. It is a 'grant.'

Back to where I began: this week is Pledge Sunday in our church. Paul advises "balance, fairness, equality" when it comes to giving to the church. (2 Corinthians, chapter 8). This equality has to do with one's ability to give -- with one's present circumstances. Some are more able to give than others -- or able to give more than others. Paul urges them to "give according to what you have" (2 Cor. 8.11). He goes on to say, "It doesn't mater how much you have. What matters is how much you are willing to give from what you have." (v. 12) We all have a 'will.' The questions is: Will we be willing to use our will for God's cause?

My salary is going up, and I'm planning to increase my pledge to our congregation.

Perhaps our prayer ought to be not so much, 'Lord, give me more'; but, 'Lord, give my more willingness to give.'


[photo taken by me: Xenia Courthouse]

pierced themselves

I'm feeling better. Some time off and a chance to gain a better perspective clears the mind. I think I had become 'enmeshed' in the congregation (to use a Family Therapy term). I had been giving up self-differentiation. Setting my expectations too high: trying to change people--when the only person I can change is myself.

Why are some of us so hard on ourselves? I keep going back to what I believe to be true--namely, that first-born and those who are 'only children' are driven to accomplish and achieve in such a way that 'being successful' at what you do can become an unhealthy drive. And part of normal depression is making mountains out of mole hills. And of course there is all that stuff about synapses that don't connect correctly; that's what some of the medicine does--bridges the gap of the brain synapses so that they 'fire' effectively. Medicine for depression is like medicine for diabetes in this sense--that it supplies something to the body that is missing in the correct amount.

**

Another subject:
A recent study by the Baylor University's Institute for Studies of Religion found out that 55% of Americans say "I was protected from harm by a guardian angel." I wonder if all those angels ever run into each other. They must be all over the place. And I wonder why some people's guardian angels don't protect them from harm. Do some guardian angels go to sleep on the job? Can you ask for a replacement if your angel isn't working out so good?

**

The Evangelical church historian Mark Noll writes that in the year 1776 only 17% of Americans were religiously observant. By 1850 the percentage had risen to 34%. From 1980--2000 Americans practicing religion stayed around 62%. I guess this means we Americans keep getting more and more religious. Or maybe we're just going through the motions. Statistics are correct only 73% of the time.

**

I led a wedding rehearsal last Friday night. Directing a wedding rehearsal is an art. There are so many mother-in-laws who want to run the show. (Never seen a father-in-law who wanted to.) The bride is always nervous. The groom is trying to be manly with all his groomsmen. Several bridesmaids have already been in weddings and they have their ideas of how things should go. Everyone is hungry--wanting to get to the rehearsal dinner. The first thing I do at a rehearsal is gather everyone at the front of the sanctuary and have a prayer. Almost always at the rehearsal--when we practice saying the vows--the bride and groom get the giggles. The next day--at the real thing--one or both usually shed tears. I see the tears up close. I watch to see if anyone is about to faint. I smile a lot--trying to reassure everyone that everything is under control.
The wedding last Saturday was nice. Decorations not overdone. No country music during the ceremony. I pronounced them.

**

I had Sunday morning off. But I sent 6 hours at the church for two meetings in the afternoon and evening. I slept in on Sunday morning. Ah--to sleep during church! Now I know why they do it.

**

This Sunday is Pledge Sunday. Don't tell anyone--they may not come.
We are so touchy about money. People don't want anyone else to know how much they give to the church. If we all had a large faith we would all put our tax returns out on a table for all our brothers and sisters in Christ to see. But somehow we tie our personal 'worth' to money. Even more than sex--money is a hush-hush topic. Paul writes that "the love of money is the root of all evil." (1 Timothy 6.10) I think the TNIV renders it more accurately in terms of Paul's intent: "For the love of money is a root of all kinds of evil."
For most of us it's all about security, isn't it? We want to be 'secure.' Having money is part of the equation of security in this world. There are necessities. Bills to be paid. Mortgages. Health costs. Nursing homes. Vacations. Cruises. Cottages. Things. Stuff. Material goods. College. Children. Grandchildren. Jewelry. Books. Cars. Entertainment centers. Big houses. Lawn care. Insurance. Hairdos. Shoes. Oh yeah--Church. God.

**

"Some people, eager for money, have wandered from the faith and pierced themselves with many griefs." (1 Timothy 6.11)

"For we brought nothing into the world, and we can take nothing out of it." (1 Tim. 6.7)

"Each of you should give what you have decided in your heart to give, not reluctantly or under compulsion, for God loves a hilarious giver." (literal translation)


[photo taken at Cox Arboretum]

Moth

I'm hanging in there...sucking all the nectar I can out of vacation days. I went downtown yesterday and voted. Yep, all over with. No long lines for me.

Trimmed ivy and raked leaves today. (The Fall of Leaves is not as serious as the Fall of Man.)

I've been reading essays on the Biblical and theological framework of Melville's great novel, Moby Dick. And I've re-read large sections of Augustine's Confessions--both in Maria Boulding's translation (1998) and the newer one by Garry Wills (2006).

We have friends coming over tonight. Tomorrow I start back to work: Jack's surgery in the morning -- wedding rehearsal in the evening... Esther's surgery Saturday morning...Wedding Saturday afternoon... Vacation Sunday morning, but a meeting at the church in the afternoon; then a supper/stewardship meeting in the evening. Monday morning is Personnel staff reviews. Tuesday is Committee on Ministry meeting and Session meeting.

[I took the photo at Cox Arboretum]

The Bride

Life gets out of focus sometimes. Occasionally we have to stop and ask ourselves, "What's the hurry?"

I've spent several hours scraping, cleaning, priming and painting our garage doors the last couple of days. They are bright white again. I always have a satisfying feeling when I can make something clean. Maybe it is just a feeling of personal accomplishment; or maybe there is a deeper sense of participation with the Son who washes the world.

To back off from responsibilities for awhile and regain a perspective on life is a cleansing experience. To listen to the birds and pay attention to the plants...to touch the earth... As the poet Mary Oliver says, one can live life as "a bride married to amazement." But if we lose the wonder of life by thinking we are indispensable, our perceptions of ourselves and others become cloudy and we never get to the wedding.

[photo made at Cox Arboretum]