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Are you reading aloud the gospels, yet? Are you reading aloud the gospels?
I can hear you. I hear the same words.
Are you reading the gospels?
I am reading the same words.
Are you following Jesus? I am right beside you.
Are you following Jesus? Have you followed Him to the cross yet? See him there!
I am standing right next to you.
The centurion sees the suffering of Jesus, he hears the anguish, and he smells the stench of death.
Are you standing at the foot of the cross? I am standing right next to you. In the suffering of Jesus, in Jesus Himself the centurion saw the Son of God. Do you see Him? I am looking at the same One.
We may have our “big tents” or our “small tents”. While all of our differences are interesting and even necessary, while we understand all the problems with the different ideas, dogmas, world-views, and perspectives, while we may not even like each other at times, I invite you all to my “big tent”. In my big tent, in essence, Christianity is not some eternal idea, or dogma, or world-view. In my big tent, Christianity is a message and way of salvation, the all-determining significance of a historical figure, Jesus the Christ.
Do you not want to join me in my big tent? That is alright. I am still standing. Still seeing. Still hearing. Still smelling. At the foot of the cross.
At the foot of the cross there is no tents, no fences, no circles, no boundaries. I am here…..are you? I am at the foot of the cross? Are you?
I can see you at the foot of the cross and there in the suffering face of Christ, I see God. I look over and there you are and again I see the face of God.
Friday, April 23, 2010
Thursday, April 22, 2010
What is a Christian?
A Christian is one who experiences God through Jesus Christ as the ultimate value. Jesus is the one, historical, Jesus of Nazareth as presented in the four gospel accounts. A Christian’s experience of God results in a faith that is characterized by devotion and commitment to, love and fear of, and joy in God. A Christian’s faith is expressed through private and social symbolic rites. A Christian’s faith responds to life and God’s Spirit with intentional acts on behalf of the well being of all.
Friday, April 2, 2010
What Is Religion?
Religion is man's total experience of that which is considered the most important in all of life, is characterized by devotion and commitment to, love and fear of, and joy over this ultimate value, is expressed through private and/or social, symbolic rites, and provides a way of responding to and of understanding the whole of life. - John R King, Jr. January 1978
Friday, March 19, 2010
JUST A DREAM!
"Would it really be just a dream at the point of transition from modernity to postmodernity to envisage the overcoming of conflicts between science and religion --- which often have ideological coloring --- by a new sharing, even though there are so many different perspectives on the evolution of the cosmos and human beings?" Hans Kung in his introduction to "The Beginning of All Things: Science and Religion"
Monday, March 15, 2010
Diversity versus Common Ground
Diversity. We are all different, something to be celebrated indeed. However, I doubt that I could use the word “we” in the previous sentence without having something in common with my fellow human beings. Christian diversity. One source of it is in the New Testament itself. Another source is in the very different, specific situations that all persons and communities find themselves and the choices they make. However, we have indeed reached a sad place when any Christian can say that “we do not believe in the same Jesus”. It is because of this sadness that I am interested in what Christians share in common. Not for the purpose of preserving any particular old orthodoxy or for convincing anyone of a new orthodoxy, but for the sake of love and community.
While I do not think that a fundamentalist perspective lacks the ability to communicate the gospel to some people, I find that its lack of openness to the world and its resistance to new understandings causes this perspective to fail many people, including myself. I find myself willing to explore any possibility. I think that puts me firmly on the progressive side. However, I do not view myself as a progressive Christian. I view myself as a Christian. But, my openness causes some to put me on the “outside” of the faith. That is sad. This sadness motivates me to search for some common ground. While I do not come from a Catholic tradition, I think the Hans Kung has some interesting things to say about our common Christian faith. Because of his influence, when I use an adjective to modify my Christianity, I use “ecumenical”.
1 Thessalonians is probably the first surviving text of the Christian faith. Paul starts his letter by describing the church of the Thessalonians as “in God and the Lord Jesus Christ”. I must admit that I have not made much progress, that is satisfying, toward a common ground. However, for me, the very fact of the New Testament writings themselves is one common ground on which we can stand. No matter how much more a Christian may want to say about the New Testament, I would hope that we could all agree that it is the permanent starting point for our common identity. Dare I say more?
While I do not think that a fundamentalist perspective lacks the ability to communicate the gospel to some people, I find that its lack of openness to the world and its resistance to new understandings causes this perspective to fail many people, including myself. I find myself willing to explore any possibility. I think that puts me firmly on the progressive side. However, I do not view myself as a progressive Christian. I view myself as a Christian. But, my openness causes some to put me on the “outside” of the faith. That is sad. This sadness motivates me to search for some common ground. While I do not come from a Catholic tradition, I think the Hans Kung has some interesting things to say about our common Christian faith. Because of his influence, when I use an adjective to modify my Christianity, I use “ecumenical”.
1 Thessalonians is probably the first surviving text of the Christian faith. Paul starts his letter by describing the church of the Thessalonians as “in God and the Lord Jesus Christ”. I must admit that I have not made much progress, that is satisfying, toward a common ground. However, for me, the very fact of the New Testament writings themselves is one common ground on which we can stand. No matter how much more a Christian may want to say about the New Testament, I would hope that we could all agree that it is the permanent starting point for our common identity. Dare I say more?
Sunday, March 14, 2010
Christianity, Technology and Beyond.
I think that most Christians would agree that technology should be used in the spread of the good news of Jesus Christ. I am not sure that the Christian communities can yet discern all of the ways that technology could be used, the ways that should be used, or the consequences of using technology.
One advantage of technology is that our message can be communicated faster, less expensively, and to more people where they are at any given time. As a result, more people can participate in the process of thinking about our faith. This freedom to participate could lead to more passion, commitment, and creativity. Additionally, some technologies put the expression of faith into a public space open to direct challenge and debate, possibly strengthening our own perspectives.
However, there could be some disadvantages. As more people can express themselves, the diversity of viewpoints can multiply. Those concerned with issues of orthodoxy versus heresy may find the diversity of interpretations overwhelming. Even today, if one ventures an expression of faith in any online venue, one will find many differences of opinion. Some of them are informed, but many are poorly informed. It is difficult to weigh these many opinions. It could lead to confusion. With the large fissures between Roman Catholicism, the Orthodox, and Protestantism along with the tremendous fractionalization within Protestantism itself, Christianity may already have completed a very tall tower of Babel. Technology may make it worse before it gets better, if it does ever get better. Also, as our message enters further into the public square, Christians may lose the debate. The use of technology may also lead to de-personalization and a further emphasis on the individuality of our faith. While certain technologies may help us overcome these issues, (at the risk of sounding sappy), sometimes there is no substitute for a shoulder to cry on, a helping hand when we fall, or a community of love to accept us as we are.
Beyond these issues of technology, I see three major inter-related challenges. First, Christians need a clear, simple, straightforward, understandable expression of our faith that does not needlessly put us at odds with our worldviews nor make us appear delusional. At the same time, our expression of faith, while informed by our increasing knowledge, cannot abandon core truths of Christianity. I keep listening! Quite a challenge. Second, Christianity needs men and women who have experienced the power of God in Jesus Christ in their lives, experiences that will drive a passion and commitment that overcomes the call of comfort, power, recognition, or wealth. A passion and commitment that opens the hearts and lives of other people. Finally, Christians need to build communities of faith, acceptance, equality, freedom, justice, and love in which the kingdom of God draws near.
One advantage of technology is that our message can be communicated faster, less expensively, and to more people where they are at any given time. As a result, more people can participate in the process of thinking about our faith. This freedom to participate could lead to more passion, commitment, and creativity. Additionally, some technologies put the expression of faith into a public space open to direct challenge and debate, possibly strengthening our own perspectives.
However, there could be some disadvantages. As more people can express themselves, the diversity of viewpoints can multiply. Those concerned with issues of orthodoxy versus heresy may find the diversity of interpretations overwhelming. Even today, if one ventures an expression of faith in any online venue, one will find many differences of opinion. Some of them are informed, but many are poorly informed. It is difficult to weigh these many opinions. It could lead to confusion. With the large fissures between Roman Catholicism, the Orthodox, and Protestantism along with the tremendous fractionalization within Protestantism itself, Christianity may already have completed a very tall tower of Babel. Technology may make it worse before it gets better, if it does ever get better. Also, as our message enters further into the public square, Christians may lose the debate. The use of technology may also lead to de-personalization and a further emphasis on the individuality of our faith. While certain technologies may help us overcome these issues, (at the risk of sounding sappy), sometimes there is no substitute for a shoulder to cry on, a helping hand when we fall, or a community of love to accept us as we are.
Beyond these issues of technology, I see three major inter-related challenges. First, Christians need a clear, simple, straightforward, understandable expression of our faith that does not needlessly put us at odds with our worldviews nor make us appear delusional. At the same time, our expression of faith, while informed by our increasing knowledge, cannot abandon core truths of Christianity. I keep listening! Quite a challenge. Second, Christianity needs men and women who have experienced the power of God in Jesus Christ in their lives, experiences that will drive a passion and commitment that overcomes the call of comfort, power, recognition, or wealth. A passion and commitment that opens the hearts and lives of other people. Finally, Christians need to build communities of faith, acceptance, equality, freedom, justice, and love in which the kingdom of God draws near.
Tuesday, February 2, 2010
Faith, Science, and Transforming Christian Theology - A BRAVE CHURCH INDEED!
In my recent comments about "Transforming Christian Theology" by Philip Clayton, I remarked that it would take a "brave" church to begin conversations about theology as Mr. Clayton suggests. Well, it turns out that there are such brave churches, at least one.
In a recent article at Associated Baptist Press (http://www.abpnews.com/) entitled "Seminar equips clergy, laypeople to talk about faith, science", a story about First Baptist Church of Austin, Texas describes a seminar regarding the relationship of faith and science.
This kind of development is GREAT! I have long contended that the Church cannot deny or ignore science, nor can it fail to engage our current scientific worldview.
One quote in the article was "There are a lot of Baptist churches for which the subject would be too controversial." I think that this is the understatement of the century. Just look at the comments posted at the ABP website related to this article. Unfortunately, if one were to judge just from the comments at the ABP website on many topics, ABP's following seems to be made up of people who are AGAINST every opinion that ABP's writers express.
Does the topic of science and religion bother you? Does it interest you? Rather than deny or hide, I suggest some reading. I would suggest the following authors:
Rodney D. Holder
John Polkinghorne
Ernan McMullin
Graeme Finlay
Colin Russell
Alister McGrath
Robert S White
John Bryant
Michael Poole
Sir John Houghton
Denis R. Alexander
Roger Trigg
R. J. Berry
Ernest Lucas
Ian Barbour
There is one specific book that I would especially recommend to the commentator to the ABP article who wrote, "Rather they (several scientists that the commentator makes reference to in his comments) are saying that these processes are intrinsically random. Such understandings are, in principle, at odds with teleological metaphysical accounts that see everything as intrinsically purposive."
I would suggest to this commentator and to anyone one else interested in "randomness" and "chance" in the natural world and the actions of God to read "God, Chance and Purpose" by David J. Bartholomew. I must warn you that this book can be quite challenging, especially if you do not have any background in statistics or mathematics. However, the book is well worth the read if you can take some time to read carefully, thoughtfully, and with an open mind.
I affirm that God created the world, his creation is good, and as one of his creations what we learn about his creation only glorifies him. God is faithful. He is not a trickster. We can have confidence in what our senses tell use about our natural world. What we learn is always provisional and changing and growing; but, we do not need to be afraid. Trust in God.
In a recent article at Associated Baptist Press (http://www.abpnews.com/) entitled "Seminar equips clergy, laypeople to talk about faith, science", a story about First Baptist Church of Austin, Texas describes a seminar regarding the relationship of faith and science.
This kind of development is GREAT! I have long contended that the Church cannot deny or ignore science, nor can it fail to engage our current scientific worldview.
One quote in the article was "There are a lot of Baptist churches for which the subject would be too controversial." I think that this is the understatement of the century. Just look at the comments posted at the ABP website related to this article. Unfortunately, if one were to judge just from the comments at the ABP website on many topics, ABP's following seems to be made up of people who are AGAINST every opinion that ABP's writers express.
Does the topic of science and religion bother you? Does it interest you? Rather than deny or hide, I suggest some reading. I would suggest the following authors:
Rodney D. Holder
John Polkinghorne
Ernan McMullin
Graeme Finlay
Colin Russell
Alister McGrath
Robert S White
John Bryant
Michael Poole
Sir John Houghton
Denis R. Alexander
Roger Trigg
R. J. Berry
Ernest Lucas
Ian Barbour
There is one specific book that I would especially recommend to the commentator to the ABP article who wrote, "Rather they (several scientists that the commentator makes reference to in his comments) are saying that these processes are intrinsically random. Such understandings are, in principle, at odds with teleological metaphysical accounts that see everything as intrinsically purposive."
I would suggest to this commentator and to anyone one else interested in "randomness" and "chance" in the natural world and the actions of God to read "God, Chance and Purpose" by David J. Bartholomew. I must warn you that this book can be quite challenging, especially if you do not have any background in statistics or mathematics. However, the book is well worth the read if you can take some time to read carefully, thoughtfully, and with an open mind.
I affirm that God created the world, his creation is good, and as one of his creations what we learn about his creation only glorifies him. God is faithful. He is not a trickster. We can have confidence in what our senses tell use about our natural world. What we learn is always provisional and changing and growing; but, we do not need to be afraid. Trust in God.
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