Gathering for Feb. 11, 2007

Muhammad says, "As sala'amu alaikum." (I couldn't think of it last week, you'd respond saying, "walaikum as sala'am.") Abraham says, "Shalom aleichem." Jesus says, Matthew 24: 36, "peace be with you." Who offered the best greeting? This question may seem odd since they all said the same thing but, as we continue to assume a posture of openness, respect, and appreciation for other faiths this question is important. In the postmodern age there is a great trend towards syncretism. Put more simply, people tend to become "lumpers." We lump faiths together forming one blended-faith, a sort of spiritual-salad-bar-effect. The notion that "all paths lead to the same God" or "all religions are basically the same" is disrespectful to most world faiths. Islam would agree Jesus was a messenger of God and a great man, but would not recognize him as the son of God, much less the Messiah. Judaism is still waiting on the Messiah, but the early Christianity was inherently Jewish (e.g., Jesus was Jewish, his disciples were Jewish, etc.) There are similarities, but we must avoid the temptation to assume that those similarities in themselves are enough to "lump" without causing offense. If we're not lumping there is a tendency towards extremism and intolerance. Being known as Christian Supremacists is no more desirable than being a "lumper." Both are morally and intellectually lazy! It is a matter of our respecting and claiming our faith, while recognizing similar truths exist in other faiths, that other faiths can offer perspective on our own faith, all while seeking to love our neighbors.

Discussion Questions for this Sunday or to blog about:
-How would you describe your current posture towards other faiths?

-What do you know about other religions?

-Have you had any experiences with other faiths?

-How do you or others prove the validity of your faith?

-Consider the similarities and differences between the various world faiths.

Gathering for Sunday Feb. 4, 2007

Over the next several months we're going to be discussing other World Faiths and I want our discussions to be driven by asking better questions so that we arrive at better responses. (Note: I didn't say "answers.") Are we studying other faiths so we can offer an argument as to why our's is better? Start with this question and very quickly our response is a debate, not a dialogue. My hope is that we can create a dialogue. To start our dialogue the word Creed comes from Credo meaning "I believe." How would you describe your faith to a believer of another tradition?

Discussion Questions:

• How might apologetics be an unfaithful response to other world faith adherents? (Hint)
• Every person worships something, be it capitalism, culture, or Christ. Is there then such a being as a nonbeliever?
• Why is it necessary for us to recognize that people are the best and the worst representatives for any faith? Think of some examples.
• What is postmodernity? How might learning about other faiths help us relate to postmodern people?

Gathering for Sept. 10

Other than Albert Einstein, Neils Bohr is probably the best known physicist of the twentieth century (check the wikipedia link, he has awesome quotes). There is this story of a friend entering Bohr's office one day to notice there was a horseshoe hung above the door. The friend said, "what's this?" Bohr replied, "A lucky horseshoe." The friend said, "You are a physicist; surely you're not a superstitious person." Bohr said, "I'm not superstitious. However, I am led to believe that this horseshoe works whether you believe in it or not." Wow, that is like the best example of faith...even the faith that it takes to believe in something as radical as the Christmas or Easter. Faith acts independent of us, faith invites us in...invites us to believe and then sustains us to believe. I wanted to share this thought to add to last week's discussion...now on to this week's talk.

This Sunday we are continuing to discuss the resurrection. In a sense, if there is no resurrection there is no faith (both that which we believe and the power that enables us to believe it...the word faith can be understood in those two ways). Yet this Sunday I want us to consider something Christ resurrection is soon followed by his ascension. (do more later)

Gathering for August 27th

Coach Mike Krzyzewski... Yes, I realize that by opening with a reference to Coach K I just caused most of you to cruise to other blogs. Hear me out! Part of the Duke mentality that Coach K instills in his players is that they are part of something greater than themselves. I wonder if the same mentality rests in the heart of our faith. James Howell points out that in all the gospels' accounts of the resurrection it is never about us, but about something greater than us. In other words, the sentimental beliefs that the resurrection is just about you and I living forever or us being reunited with some lost loved ones both focuses too much on the self...it makes the resurrection about you and I...and not God. Howell asks us to consider what Coach K asks his players to consider, what if this thing, for our purposes the resurrection, is bigger than me? Seriously, what if the resurrection is God's way of saying, "I am God," "Jesus really is my son," or "in the end...I always win." This week, we'll talk begin to talk about the wonderful mystery that is the resurrection and what this event means.

He Descended into Hell

There is a gray area that exists between popular myth and Biblical fact when we come to the subject of Hell. Most of our images/understanding of Hell comes from Dante (for those of you who didn't have to enjoy/endure him in High School, the link offers a Cliff Notes-like version of his vision of Hell...I found it interesting). Personally, my understanding of Hell is influenced by Scripture and C.S. Lewis' The Great Divorce. Still, popular myths aside, what are your thoughts on Hell? What is it? Where is it? Who is there? I want to spend some time this Sunday digging into what the Bible has to say about Hell.

Now, I want to turn my attention to the line in the Creed "he descended into Hell." Some of you may be wondering, "But, we don't say that line on Sundays!" You're correct, but some traditions do say it and it is in the earlier versions of the Apostles' Creed...so we're going to talk about it. Did you ever wonder what happens to those who die having never heard about Jesus or those who die having never met a Christian whose witness might have convinced them that there is a God? I think that this part of the Creed may give us a response to this and other similar questions. To get us into the topic for Sunday consider the following lines: "I have come seeking my wife. Love has led me here. I implore you, I beg you. Unite again the thread of her life. She will eventually be yours, but until then grant her back to me. But even if you deny me this request, know that I will not return without her. You shall have to triumph over both of us." Orpheus spoke these words to Pluto, god of the underworld, when he went to the depths of the Earth to reclaim his love, his wife Eurydice. Even the bonds of death could not stop his love. These long forgotten lines from Greek Mythology will serve nicely as we too venture into the underworld this week and discuss "he descended into hell." Is it possible that the bonds of death (ours) could not stop Christ's redemptive love? We'll talk about this Sunday...

Gathering for August 13

During my time at the Gothic Rockpile my understanding of theology was greatly shaped by the Black Church tradition. Within that tradition there is an interpretation of Triduum (Maundy Thursday evening, Good Friday and Holy Saturday combined) that has offered me much counsel, especially while I was serving in Great Britain. Summer and I lived in a predominantly Muslim neighborhood in the racially-tense city of Oldham. We were there on Sept. 11, 2001. It was a day when I understood all to well what Good Friday must have felt like...a day when unreal horror was all to real. It was a day when I felt I might know something about how the disciples felt when they stared at the Son of God on the cross. Both days were days marked by horror, disbelief, and uncertainty. Days marked by the constant question of "how could this happen?" leading to the question "what happens next?" My churches called to offer prayers. The local press called to ask for a statement. Great, I get to speak for all Americans! The reporter asked, "what do you have to say about this as an American?" First, I dismissed the adjective "American," I said that I preferred to respond as an individual since I couldn't possibly speak for all of America and that if I had to speak as part of a group I'd choose "Christ before Country." I then drew on the depth of the Black Church tradition's interpretation of Triduum. "At this point we come to a moment that can only be described as Good Friday. A day marked by disbelief and doubt. A day marked by horror and shock. A day marked by humanity's failure to be anything but humane. At this time, I, like much of the world, must endure this day for as long as it will last. I know worse is yet to come, for we will have to endure a time of uncertainty as we, as a world, endure Holy Saturday. Yet, for every Good Friday and Holy Saturday there will be a new dawn, another day, a day of resurrection and new life because following every Good Friday and Holy Saturday there is an Easter Sunday." I ended my comments at that point and hung up the phone. I was shocked when the openly anti-faith newspaper actually published my comment. I have offered that interpretation of Triduum to many a person when they were enduring a Good Friday and Holy Saturday time in their life. This week, oh yeah here's the link to our reading for this week, I want us to share our Good Friday and Holy Saturday times...those moments of darkness. I want us to share these times, anticipating the time when we speak about "and on the third day he rose again." I want us to share so that when we say that part of the Creed we might pause, even if only briefly, holding all those dark moments in our minds to then surrender them to the light of Easter. So post a story, a phrase, an image...whatever. I am really looking for this Sunday to be more of a time of worship as well as a discussion.

Gathering for July 30

"Greetings True Believers," to quote Stan Lee, I'm back from a blogging hiatus (read: a combination of business and much needed laziness). This Sunday's lesson presents two areas for conversation: faith's relationship to politics & the necessity of suffering. Here is this week's reading.

Faith and Politics: For all of our talk today about the seperation of Church and state or religion and politics, here we find Jesus dying at the hands of a politician (not even a powerful one!) and for political reasons (crucifixion was a death reserved only for enemies of the state, Rome). For some reason nowadays people wrongly make faith a private matter and politics a public one. Why do we have a privatized faith, a faith that is all about my relationship with the Lord (nothing wrong with this), but rarely speaks truth (meaning, speaks out against or challenges) to power?

Faith and Suffering: "You know what really grinds my gears," to quote that Family Guy Peter Griffin, is the current popularity of the Prosperity Gospel. What is the Posperity Gospel? Well, watch nearly any (insert your favorite popular preacher here) of (insert your favorite mega-church here) on your TV. These preachers usually present Christianity as a sound business proposition, "come to Jesus and you'll be richly rewarded..." Personal Rant: If wealth is a blessing then does this mean God curses or hates 2/3 of the world's population? Wow, in all my readings of the New Testament the only thing Jesus promises us is a cross! I am not surprised that such preachers are in front of mega-sized congregations. Who wants to hear about suffering for what you believe? No one! Yet, a faith that suffers nothing is also worth nothing! So consider the comforts we enjoy each day and the suffering we avoid. Consider also that the world is so interconnected that my comfort may cause others to suffer. To do this try this thought exercise: Add up the cost of all the clothes you have on while you're reading this blog. Take that sum and then visit any grocery store webpage that allows for online shopping (Lowe's Food offers this service) and see how much food you can buy for that sum and then consider how many people with no clothes on their back that could feed.

Gathering for May 28

There was a flood...no, a hurricane...no, a swarm of locusts, or was it just another class that needed a teacher? OK, it was the latter, so please accept my apologies for combining our class with the Faith & Friendship class on such short notice (short notice meaning the last-minute-sticky-note on the door of our class). To spark some discussion this week visit National Public Radio's "Speaking of Faith" website for a conversation on creeds called Need for Creeds. Download it as a podcast! Listen to it online! It talks about why we have creeds. Last week I mentioned the Nicene Creed, of recent Da Vinci Code fame, and "Need for Creeds" talks about this creed (as well as offering some notes on the Apostles' Creed). One of the interesting points that comes out of the discussion (at least for me) is the fact that there are so few creeds in Judaism (the Shema, "Hear, O Israel, the Lord your God is one God") and Islam (There is no deity worthy of worship other than God [Allah] and Muhammad is the messenger of God [Allah]."), but that there are so many in Christianity. Why is this? Furthermore, the majority of lines in most of our creeds are devoted to detailing the identity of Jesus. Why is this? Oh yeah, here is a link to this week's reading. The image posted with this week's entry is an illuminated version of the Nicene Creed (this one is in Latin, but you can read it in English any Sunday in our Hymnal...it is #880)

Gathering on May 21

A panda walks into a café. He orders a sandwich, eats it, then draws a gun and fires two shots in the air. "Why?" asks the confused waiter, as the panda makes towards the exit. The panda produces a badly punctuated wildlife manual and tosses it over his shoulder. "I'm a panda," he says at the door. "Look it up." The waiter turns to the relevant entry and, sure enough, finds an explanation. "Panda. Large black-and-white bear-like mammal, native to China. Eats, shoots and leaves." So punctuation really does matter, even if it is only occasionally a matter of life and death. (This story is from Lynne Truss' book Eats, Shoots & Leaves: The Zero Tolerance Approach to Punctuation.)

The wrong turn of a phrase may seem like nothing to get upset over. Yet, with theology it can be a matter of life or death. Especially, when we are talking about our understanding of Jesus. The Nicene Creed (THE Early Church's expression of belief) states this about Jesus, "We believe in one Lord, Jesus Christ, the only Son of God, eternally begotten of the Father, God from God, Light from Light, true God from true God, begotten, not made, of one Being with the Father. Through him all things were made. For us and for our salvation he came down from heaven: by the power of the Holy Spirit he became incarnate from the Virgin Mary, and was made man." Two things jump out. One, Jesus is fully God. Two, Jesus is fully human. How can this be? I don't know. However, remember that theology is our embracing a mystery! Why all this concern that we get it straight in our heads that Jesus was fully human and fully God? To think otherwise would be a heresy, and most of the Church's heresies are connected to a misunderstanding of Christ's nature.

If Jesus is not begotten meaning he was made or created then there was a time when Jesus was not. He cannot be God because God is without beginning or ending. If he is not God then he cannot save us! Even if we lived without sin, that would be us only doing our duty to God. What could we do to repay the offense of sinning in the first place? Only God could go beyond the call of duty. However, God didn't owe the debt, humanity did...so humanity had to repay it! Ah-ha, what we need is a God-Man! Jesus. If he was not human he could not save us! (The Church didn't just invent this God-Man notion, it is in the Scriptures.) For an even more detailed explanation, click here.

Thoughts for Sunday May 14

Shame on you if you're reading this and thinking, "oh man, thats this Sunday!" Well...it is...this Sunday is Mother's day. It is Tuesday...you've got four shopping days left! Get to it or otherwise you'll hear, "and to think I was in labor with you for [insert ridiculous number of hours here]!" OK with reminders given it is time to turn our attention to Sunday's Gathering and Discussion. Last Sunday we got wonderfully off-topic. (It is amazing how, to loosely quote Robert Burns, "the best laid plans of mice and men often [get scuttled by the Holy Spirit].) We discussed in detail debunking the Da Vinci Code. (You'll see a blog entry with a few links you can hit and draw your own conclusions.) This week, start by looking at the entry for May 7. We are discussing "...and in Jesus Christ." For this week's reading, click HERE.

Thoughts/Questions for Discussion:

• Though Jesus never wrote a word (that we are aware of) you could fill a library with books about him. Why is he so controversial? Why is he one of the most discussed and debated figures in human history?
• Why could it be said that Jesus is the "scandal of scripture?" Well, it is because we say that we believe that he was both completely "human" and "divine." Why can't Jesus just be one or the other? Why can't he be half and half? By the way, most all heresies are over this issue of Jesus being both man and God. (Here is a hint for approaching this question.)
• OK, if you looked at last week's blog entry, why didn't God just send "Super Jesus?"

Da Vinci Debunked!

Da Vinci Code Debunked!

...of course, I'm a Pastor...so...I guess that makes me part of the conspiracy?

• This link is to a review and some thoughts by Dr. James Howell, he authored the book we are using in our Sunday gatherings.
• This link is to a debate between Dr. Bart Ehrman (of recent Gospel of Judas fame) and Dr. Richard Hays held at Duke University.

Thoughts for Sunday May 7

The most profound theological questions always seem to come from children. I suspect it is because they, unlike most adults, search for answers without ever thinking "is it O.K. for me to even ask this?" For example, a child in one of my former churches asked me, "why didn't Jesus just come down here...and be all like, 'you all best believe in my Dad, or I'll break out some karate moves...'" The kid then proceded to go all "Chuck Norris" around me before adding, "Jesus could have been like all big and bad (at this point I am thinking that this kid must have seen the same 900 Foot Jesus that Oral Roberts claimed to see), he could have shot laser beams out of his eyes..." The kid went on for sometime, all the while making Jesus sound more like something out of a Wachowski Brothers film than the Messiah of Scripture.

Super Jesus seems to make sense upon first thought. Yet, Jesus came into the world the same way you and I did. Yet, Jesus ate with outcasts, sided with sinners, and paired himself with the poor. Yet, Jesus had no army, just a few followers. Yet, Jesus led no revolt, but died as an enemy of the State. Yet, 2000 plus years later I am blogging about the Beloved. Why? This is the main question I want us to consider for Sunday. The miracles detailed in the Bible aside, why didn't God just send us a Super Jesus?

Thoughts for Sunday April 30

Thomas Aquinas, one of the most prolific theological minds of any age, once said that Theology was the Queen of the Sciences. Last week I asked what is or what should be the relationship between Science and Faith. A few weeks ago on National Public Radio's Speaking of Faith there was a discussion with John Polkinghorne, "Quarks & Creation", that sheds considerable light on what that realationship might look like. Polkinghorne is both a Theologian and a Physicist. In his conversation with NPR he handles the doctrine of Creation as both a faithful Christian and a responsible Scientist. Not only does he touch on the relationship between Science and Faith, he also addresses the question, the "why," that is being answered in Gensis 1.

On to this week, where we are all about praise. The Westminster Shorter Catechesim asks "What is the chief end of man?" and answers, "...to glorify God, and to enjoy him forever." In otherwords, we were created for worship and praise. The David Crowder Band on their new album, "A Collision," has this song You Are My Joy (Track 15). I found it to be a wonderful expression of what we might say when we find ourselves in "slack-jawed" awe of the Creator of Heaven and Earth. Praise is losing yourself in the greatness of God. Again, this week we are all about praise, we are all about losing ouselves in God. Here is this week's reading.

Thoughts/Questions for this Week:
1.) What are some moments or experiences where you found yourself to be in "slack-jawed" awe of God?
2.) Theology must find expression in our actions, so what would our lives (i.e., our actions, priorities, thinking, etc.) look like if we took seriously that all we have is a gift from God?
3.) What is heaven? Is it just a reward for a life well lived? Is it a destination or a journey? If heaven is the Kingdom of God then are we it's subjects, and if so how should a proper subject behave?

Thoughts for Sunday April 23

"God sat down on the side of a hill where he could think. God thought and he thought until he thought, "I'll make me a man." Up from the bed of the river God scooped the clay, and by the bank of the river God kneeled him down and there the great God Almighty who lit the sun and fixed it in the sky, who flung the stars to the most far corner of the night, who rounded the earth in the middle of his hand, this great God like a mammy bending over her baby kneeled down in the dust, toiling over a lump of clay till he shaped it in his own image. Then into it he blew the breath of life and the man became a living sould." (from the poem The Creation by
James Weldon Johnson) Art offers us the best language with which to depict God. Maybe, art is the language of God the Creator. Johnson's poem happens to be one of my favorite narrations of the Creation story and offers an image of God that is the perfect marriage of God's parental nature, almighty attributes, and position as creator in one vivid poem. (Before I forget, here is a link to this week's reading.)

Thoughts & Questions to Consider/Comment on:

• I believe that asking better questions leads to gaining a more faithful understanding of any subject, God included. So, what question is Genesis 1 (and following) seeking to answer (Who, what, when, where, why, and/or how)?
• Thomas Aquinas stated that theology was the Queen of the Sciences. What is and what should be the relationship between science and faith? How does "science" impact "faith?"
• Why did God create us? What is our role in creation? What makes us special (or are we)?

Thoughts for Sunday April 16

To paraphrase Jean Jacques Maritain in his work "Art and Scholasticism", "We are created in the image of God; God is a God of creation. Thus, when we create we are imitating God. Art is therefore the highest thing we can do as humans because we are imitating our Creator." (This week's paraphrasing brought to you by the number 7, the letter Q, and, mainly, Alan Combs.) As we continue discussing God "the Father Almighty" and as we look to next week's discussion of God as Creator, it occurs to me that in our trying to understand and embrace the mystery that is God, art is the best language we can use when describing God. This week I challenge us to post links to examples of art (e.g., lyrics to a song, lines from a poem, scenes in a play, paintings, photos, sculpture...any medium is acceptable) that expresses something of the nature and identity of God. To start us off, the picture on the left is by Rembrandt and is discussed in this week's reading. (Oh yeah, here is a link to this week's Reading.) The painting is Rembrandt trying to capture the scene between the Prodigal Son and his Father.

Thoughts for Sunday April 9

"I believe in God the Father Almighty..." I am not sure which description of the nature of God troubles me more, the Father or the Almighty. For many people, knowing God as father evokes pleasant memories of Dear Old Dad. Yet, for some people if God is a father then God might be understood to be distant, harsh, or even neglectful. I realize that we must distinguish between our earthly fathers and our Heavenly Father, but one's experience of their earthly father could influence their understanding of their Heavenly Father. The second description of God is that God is almighty. For me, the word "almighty" seems to chase away any notions of intimacy. I mean can you really embrace something that is all-mighty?

Questions/Thoughts for this Sunday's Reading:

1.) How are we to understand the "Almighty" nature of God while still enjoying intimacy and closeness with God?

2.) How does our knowing God as Father and as Almighty allow God to be all-powerful while maintaining the intimacy and closeness a child would enjoy with his/her father?

3.) What is lost if we do not know God as "All-Mighty?" If God wasn't "All-Mighty" would that entity still be God? Would that entity still be worthy of our worship?

4.) If God is "All-Mighty" then why is there so much suffering and evil in this world? (We will return to this subject later, but you can start posting some questions/thoughts.)

5.) Do you have issues with God being called father due to your experiences with an earthly father?

6.) What is gained by understanding God as "mother?" What is sacrificed when we only understand God in masculine terms? Or is the whole discussion of mascuilne and femmine images for God unnecessary or unimportant since God is beyond gender?

Links on the Left

A quick note gang...the links on the left, literally, have a new addition. It is a link to American Public Radio (don't snooze on this one) to their "Speaking of Faith" program. The website has a wealth of info. on thinkers and thoughts from our Christian faith as well as from other world religions.

Thoughts for Sunday April 2nd

Kelly, Ruben, Fantasia...the American Idols. I can't say that I am a huge "idol" fan, though I do like watching the early rounds where every other "hopeful" resembles a "patient on a day pass" more than a "pop star!" American Idols? Who or what are America's greatest idols? (As Americans, what is your greatest idol?) This week we are discussing the first line of the Creed, "I believe in God." The first question I think of when I say that line is who is God? Don't overlook this question. It is important! Martin Luther once said that what our heart most wants to cling to is our god. John Calvin went one step further saying that the human heart is a factory for idols...a factory for gods. Click here for this week's reading.Thoughts & Questions for this week's gathering/online discussion: (Comment or add further questions to those I posted below)

• God is a "We." In other words, we will start to talk about the Trinity (God the Father, God the Son, God the Holy Spirit).
• Who/what are our gods, our idols?
• When you say the word "God," what do you think about? What images come to mind?
• How do we know about God?
• What are some ways we can convince others of the presence of God?

Thoughts for Sunday March 26th

A Thought Exercise: Imagine you're docking a boat. You cast a rope to tie your boat to the dock. Success, you now begin to pull the boat to the shore. Now, ask yourself, are you pulling the boat closer to the shore (i.e., the dock) or are you moving the entire shore closer to the boat? Obviously, the boat is the one moving, not the shore. Faith works the same way! As we pray we find ourselves moving closer to God, God stays God. In other words, God does not become the sum total of all our opinions. God remains God and we draw ourselves closer to God and God's will. C.S. Lewis, when praying for his wife who was dying of cancer, discovered that when he first started to pray for his wife he was praying as if to change God's will. Later, he discovered that in prayer it was not God's will that was being changed so much as his. This exercise brings us into Howell's Lesson for this week, how faith is both personal and communal.

• In what ways can the Creed be (or become) impersonal and in what ways is it deeply personal (i.e., it expresses my beliefs, it expresses my relationship with God)?
• Is there a danger in making faith (what we say we believe when reciting the Creed) too personal? In other words, can you have too personal a relationship with Jesus?
• Howell argues that we live in a culture that is suspicious of truth, I would add especially absolute truths, is this a fair assessment? If it is, then how might the Creed be received by our current culture, how might faith be received? Does our believing in absolute truths make us somewhat counter-culture as Christians? If it does, what are some examples?
• What is the role of the Church (the community of believers) in helping us to believe?

Closing Thought: Remember the Creeds came to be through debate, discussion, prayer and thought. Remember that the Creeds were first recited and professed under penalty of death. Though we may be tempted to think of them as just something we say each Sunday, the first people who said them would have said them with greater passion and conviction. Just think if in this class we can rediscover something of the passion and conviction of our spiritual-forebearers.

Thoughts for Sunday March 19th

This week's lesson is "A Summary of the Bible Story." Howell makes the argument that the Creed is a short-hand, a condensed version, "Cliff Notes," if you will, for the Bible. (The Bible is some 1,189 chapters and 31,000-plus verses...thank goodness for Cliff Notes, thank goodness for the Creed.) My question to you all this week is do you agree with his argument that the Creed functions as a sort of "Cliff Notes?" If not, then what parts of Scripture fall outside the scope of the Creed? What are the benefits of this "Cliff Notes" function of the Creed? What are the dangers in just reading the "Cliff Notes," in just reading the Creed?