Kierkegaard on “Christian Scholarship”

Challenging words from Soren Kierkegaard–and an important perspective for us seminarians to have…

“The matter is quite simple. The Bible is very easy to understand. But we Christians are a bunch of scheming swindlers. We pretend to be unable to understand it because we know very well that the minute we understand, we are obliged to act accordingly. Take any words in the New Testament and forget everything except pledging yourself to act accordingly. “My God,” you will say, “if I do that my whole life will be ruined. How would I ever get on in the world?” Herein lies the real place of Christian scholarship. Christian scholarship is the Church’s prodigious invention to defend itself against the Bible, to ensure that we can continue to be good Christians without the Bible coming too close. Oh, priceless scholarship, what would we do without you? Dreadful it is to fall into the hands of the living God. Yes, it is even dreadful to be alone with the New Testament.”

(HT: Shane Claiborne)

For those who write creeds

“The council’s affirmation was never intended to explain a mystery but rather to preserve it.” (From Beholding The Glory  — ed. Jeremy Begbie)

…May that sentence be etched in the minds of all those who write creeds and statements of faith.

Annunciation

The Annunciation – by John Collier

We talked about a few different artist’s depictions of The Annunciation in our class today. This one struck me more than any of the others–partly because of the ordinary nature of the setting. We see Mary not as the holy Mother, transcendent and resolved, but as an ordinary girl in all of her frightened, adolescent humanity…

 

First Steps on a Shared Journey

For my spiritual formation class in the Fall, our final paper was to create a rule of life for ourselves. Common among monastic communities (see The Rule of St. Benedict, et al), a rule of life defines the spiritual practices that guide one’s life. I wrote mine thinking about the type of church community I want to foster and be a part of. It is a rough draft—a first word into the conversation that I hope to have with those I shape a church community with.

I have many questions about the idea of “church membership.” It seems to be a rather recent (and, perhaps, uniquely western?) category for the church. Isn’t baptism the distinguishing mark of entrance into the Jesus community?  Does baptism not make membership superfluous—divisive even—to the Creed’s assent to one holy catholic (universal) church? Maybe. Maybe not. The point I want to make here is that the way membership seems so often to be determined is as a litmus test of orthodoxy. Obviously, to say that belief is important is an understatement. But orthodoxy that is devoid of orthopraxy—right belief devoid of right practice—robs a believing community of the gospel’s incarnate power. Our beliefs must become flesh and blood and express themselves in real life. As Eugene Peterson paraphrases: The word became flesh and moved into the neighborhood.

The “Rule of Life” exercise gave me a new way to think about the possibilities of church membership (though I’m clearly not convinced of the helpfulness of “membership” terminology). What if membership (or adherence to a rule of life) helps shape the practices of the community instead of simply defining the parameters of belief?

These dreams and questions feel like the first steps of journey I hope to take with others. I envision the rule will become more specific as others add their voices to the process. What would you add/take away/expand/etc…?

Drumroll please…

First Steps on a Shared Journey

There is an African proverb that says, “If you want to go fast, go alone. If you want to go far, go with others.” Though it is possible for a rule of life to be a set of personal and private disciplines, living a shared Rule in community offers the support and encouragement that is necessary to sustain thriving spiritual practices.  For example, the Northumbria Community are not necessarily connected geographically but are connected “because [they] live close to [their] chosen way of living.” Martin Luther King Jr. developed a Rule specifically for the civil rights protesters in Birmingham. For the scattered followers of the Northumbria Rule as well as the Birmingham protestors marching arm-in-arm, the solidarity that community creates is what makes their spiritual disciplines sustainable.

Though the “Rule of Life” terminology is new to me, the idea I have actually been dwelling on for some time.  As I have dreamt about the church community I hope to be a part of shepherding, I realize now that I have been, in essence, working out a Rule of Life for a church.  I want to be part of a community that sees “the church” not as a building or a religious organization, but as a community, the ecclesia—the “called out ones.” And so in that spirit, this Rule of Life bears in mind its communal livability.

For this reason, my Rule of Life that I offer here is a work in progress, not only because it will require me to test it and live it out, but also because I want it to be further shaped and molded within my community.  I want others to join me in practicing communal spirituality, and so I need their voices and their presence in the working out of this Rule.

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I offer the following Rule Of Life as set of commitments for my community and myself:

Commitment to love of God. This is the first and greatest command. The Rule of Life is primarily concerned with what it means to love God with heart, soul, mind, and strength. As my affections, my very being, my thoughts, and my actions are constantly submitted to the work of the Spirit, I grow in my capacity to love God and fulfill the great commandment.

Commitment to love of neighbor. This is a wide reaching command. It concerns our literal neighbor as well as the entire human race—especially our “enemy” and the vulnerable and needy (as Jesus’ teaching explains in the parable of the Good Samaritan, Luke 10). Being a good neighbor means sacrificially loving my family, being present with my literal neighbors, and working for peace globally.

Commitment to Scripture. “Your word, Lord, is eternal; it stands firm in the heavens.” (Psalm 119:89)  My Rule of Life seeks to embody a commitment to Scripture as it is taught and meditated on daily.  Personal mediation on Scripture, reading the Bible with my family, and scripture reading in the larger church community are to be regular rhythms.

Commitment to Prayer. Prayer professes allegiance to a kingdom that is not of this world. Prayer announces my dependence upon God. I commit to listening and speaking continually with God in prayer and embodying prayer beyond words as my community, my family, and I press into the presence of the Holy One.

Commitment to the Eucharist. The Rule of Life envisions a sacramental community—observing the Eucharist in remembrance of the Lord, proclaiming Jesus’ death until he comes, examining our hearts as God builds up his body, the church.  The Eucharist is to be observed regularly and reverently.

Commitment to Ecumenical Unity.  “Be completely humble and gentle; be patient, bearing with one another in love.  Make every effort to keep the unity of the spirit through the bond of peace.” (Ephesians 4:2-3) The Rule celebrates the diverse streams and the many rich traditions within the Christian faith.  Instead of viewing other denominations with suspicion or judgments of apostasy, let us approach the church’s diversity with curiosity and humility—celebrating the best that each expression has to offer and working to find unity as we submit to “one God and Father of all, who is over all and through all and in all.” (Ephesians 4:6)

Commitment to the Church Calendar. The Rule of Life adheres to the celebration of the lectionary and Church Calendar. The Calendar is itself a kind of rule of life—grounding the church in telling the story of God. It creates regular rhythms of fasting and feasting—waiting and celebrating. It binds the church horizontally with Christian communities across the world and historically with church practice throughout the ages. In many ways, the calendar sets the foundation for the expression of all the other Commitments in this Rule.

Commitment to the Creative Task. Part of being a bearer of the imago dei is being a co-creator with God. We are to practice and celebrate creativity as an act of worship of the creator. I find some of my deepest connection with God in the devotional practice of writing worship music. Composing, performing, displaying, and celebrating music and other art forms will be an integral part of a healthy Rule of Life for me and for my community.

Commitment to Sabbath Rest. We live in a busy, anxious, and noisy world. Sabbath rest calls us away to hear the still, small voice of God. Sabbath rest reminds us that our worth is not determined by how much we produce. The Rule of Life invites my community into the Sabbath rhythm of six and one, taking steps to create space in which we find rest for our souls.

Commitment to Spiritual Practices. Orthopraxy, in relationship with orthodoxy, is to be the mark of spiritual health.  Belief without practice—faith without works—is dead, and so disciplines such as generous giving, fasting, feasting, lectio, contemplation, pilgrimage/retreat, as well as the other explicit practices listed in this Rule will help provide life-giving paths for our spiritual walk.

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This Rule of Life is intended to offer an easy yoke and a light burden. It requires discipline, but it also must not be legalistic. This rule of life is not a new law but a road map—a way—that we follow in the hopes of seeing glimpses of the kingdom of God.  The Rule is not our salvation, but may it help me and others work out our salvation with fear and trembling.

I offer this Rule of Life with great hope for myself and for my faith community. May it be the first step on a shared journey into God’s grace and kingdom.  In the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit. Amen.

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So, what am I missing? What would you add/take away/etc…?  

Psalm 51 revisited

Over the past couple of semesters, I have been looking more closely at some of the less glamorous psalms.  I wrote a research paper for my Old Testament class about how we find good news in Psalm 137:9: “Blessed is the one who seizes your infants and dashes them against the rocks.” Yikes, right?  It was actually a very redemptive paper for me to wrestle with.  But that is a post for another day.

In my spiritual formation class, our assignment this week was to write our own psalm.  The psalms are some of the most honest and visceral expressions of prayer that we have.  It was interesting during this exercise to realize that though I write all of my own worship songs as a reflection on scripture, I have usually not based them from the psalms—they are mostly from the Gospels and epistles. This was a good reminder of the inspiration available from my songwriting forerunners.

What I ultimately created for class was an adaptation of Psalm 51—David’s confessional following his adultery with Bathsheba.  Modern songs of confession and repentance are not easy to find.  In worship, we would much rather look outward to God than honestly look inward at our own souls.

One of my professors has emphasized that we do not ever enter into the presence of God, but like Jacob, we awake from our slumber and proclaim, “Surely the Lord is in this place, and I was not aware of it.” (Gen 28:10)  I believe that similarly, when we worship, we have the opportunity to not only become aware of the presence of God, but the presence of ourselves.  How often do I stop and bring stillness to my soul?  How often do I hear God’s still small voice?

Here is my loose adaptation of Psalm 51:

O Lord, your love is greater than my contempt and your light overcomes the darkness within me.

You alone can forgive my sin and wake my soul from the depths of its weariness.

 Risen Savior, let your healing blood flow through my veins. Then my burning heart will beat as you walk beside me along the road.

 My yoke is painful and my burden is heavy. I have smeared my iniquities over the doorways of my house.

 I have forgotten that I am your dwelling place and have left you to shiver in the cold.

 All your judgments against me are true. How could I stand before the Holy One, the maker of heaven and earth?

 My lips are unclean. My hands are covered with blood. Has a day ever past that my palms were held open with gratitude?

 Yet even as a child your words were my deepest longing. Your still small voice spoke wisdom over me.

 Baptize me beneath the waters of your cleansing mercy. Plunge me down to the ocean’s depths that I may be raised to eternal life.

May my heart sing a new song of praise as the sun rises in the east.

May even my broken bones rejoice with hope as the sun sets in the west.

O Loving Creator, form a new heart within me. Let your holy wind blow into my lungs and revive me with new life.

Lord, cause me to remember all the things you save me from that I may rejoice in your goodness.

Then I will tell the world of the great things you have done. Then the world will hear and rejoice in the salvation of our God.

Deliver me from my own self-condemnation, for you, the only righteous judge, do not condemn me.

In the freedom of your forgiveness, my heart will sing; your name will ever be upon my tongue.

O Lord, let my voice be your instrument of praise.

You desire my heart, not my sacrifice.

You desire my love, not my feigned words.

In my contrition, may I find your forgiveness;

in my humility, may I find you exalted;

 and, in my lowliness,  may I find hope in the glory of the One who was and is and is to come.

 Come, Lord Jesus. Amen.

tom wright on beauty

“But the shoulder-shrugging functionalism of postwar architecture, coupled with the passivity born of decades of television, has meant that for many people the world appears to offer little but bleak urban landscapes, on the one hand, and tawdry entertainment on the other. And when people cease to be surrounded by beauty, they cease to hope.”

-NT Wright, Surprised By Hope

 

a curious definition

lent-

[past tense of lend]

5. to furnish or impart.

7. to give help; aid.

“Who knows? He may turn and relent and leave behind a blessing…”

(Joel the Prophet)