nothing is yet in its true form

Compline…

2011-10-06T21:11:00.001-07:00

“Be present, O merciful God, and protect us through the hours of this night, so that we who are wearied by the changes and chances of this life may rest in your eternal changelessness; through Jesus Christ out Lord. Amen”

from The Book of Common Prayer

Jonah and the Gospel of Enemy Love

2011-06-26T11:16:00.001-07:00

And the LORD said, "You pity the plant, for which you did not labor, nor did you make it grow, which came into being in a night and perished in a night. And should not I pity Nineveh, that great city, in which there are more than 120,000 persons who do not know their right hand from their left, and also much cattle?"
- Jonah 4:10-11

We all know the story of Jonah and the Big Fish, but as I have been meditating on the book recently it seems that this narrative is incredibly rich and relevant. We begin with God calling Jonah to deliver his message to the evil city of Nineveh, in present times this is a bit like asking an American to go preach to Al Qaeda. Nineveh, being a city of the Assyrian empire, represented the downfall of Israel and so it should come as no surprise to us that Jonah does not want to accept this calling.

As we know, God is relentless in his pursuit of Jonah, and after a great squall and some time spent in the belly of a fish, Jonah arrives in Nineveh to preach repentance to his enemies. Whenever I discuss biblical ideas of peace and nonviolence with people, many are quick to point to books such as Joshua where we see violence done under the direction of God on a large scale (which I will admit is troubling and difficult to understand). Here though in Jonah, God extends his call for repentance to an enemy land.

Jonah is understandably perturbed by God's acceptance of the city, these people who conquered God's people deserve the Lord's vengeance, right? After the city repents in sackcloth and ashes, Jonah is greatly distressed and we begin to see his true motives. Jonah did not run from God to avoid a difficult task, he ran because he was afraid God would spare the city. If he ran away from his calling, he could thwart God's plan to send a messenger and disaster would come upon Nineveh.

Jonah goes out from the city to a place where he can wait and watch to see if God will destroy the city. While there God has a plant grow up over Jonah to give him some shade, but then the next morning sends a worm to kill the plant. Jonah becomes angry over the loss of comfort, and God uses this moment to show him how crazy he is being.

God cares greatly for the city of Nineveh (and apparently for the animals there too). The story is not centered on God trying to convert the Ninevites, but on God attempting to convert Jonah to the Gospel of Enemy Love. The scene reminds me of Genesis 18 where Abraham is interceding for Sodom. Abraham manages to haggle with God down to 10 righteous people (and some commentators have questioned whether Abraham could have asked God to spare the city even if none righteous were found). In Jonah however, God is trying to convince Jonah to spare the city of Nineveh in his heart.

God states that the people of Nineveh "do not know their right hand from their left" in a way that makes it rather unclear how accountable God is holding the city for its excessive evil. What does seem to be assured is that God cares for the city desires it would be saved. While this is not explicitly declare it seems that Jonah is the one who actually needs to repent and so do we.

Holy God who desires that none would perish, teach us how to love our enemies and pray for those who persecute us. Raise up your prophets to preach the Gospel that your enemies would repent and your children would seek peace. Amen.

Responding to the Death of Osama bin Laden

2011-05-03T05:38:00.001-07:00

"You have heard that it was said, 'You shall love your neighbor and hate your enemy.' But I say to you, Love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you, so that you may be sons of your Father who is in heaven. For he makes his sun rise on the evil and on the good, and sends rain on the just and on the unjust.
(Matthew 5:43-45)

For if you forgive others their trespasses, your heavenly Father will also forgive you, but if you do not forgive others their trespasses, neither will your Father forgive your trespasses.
(Matthew 6:14-15)

Bless those who persecute you; bless and do not curse them. Rejoice with those who rejoice, weep with those who weep. Live in harmony with one another. Do not be haughty, but associate with the lowly. Never be wise in your own sight. Repay no one evil for evil, but give thought to do what is honorable in the sight of all. If possible, so far as it depends on you, live peaceably with all. Beloved, never avenge yourselves, but leave it to the wrath of God, for it is written, "Vengeance is mine, I will repay, says the Lord." To the contrary, "if your enemy is hungry, feed him; if he is thirsty, give him something to drink; for by so doing you will heap burning coals on his head." Do not be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good.
(Romans 12:14-21)

Enemy love is at the center of the Gospel. Anyone who says otherwise is making excuses to defend their own non-biblical perspective.

Jesus’ Passion and Power

2011-04-20T06:33:00.001-07:00

But Jesus remained silent. And the high priest said to him, "I adjure you by the living God, tell us if you are the Christ, the Son of God." Jesus said to him, "You have said so. But I tell you, from now on you will see the Son of Man seated at the right hand of Power and coming on the clouds of heaven."
(Matthew 26:63-64)

Every time I read the accounts of Jesus’ arrest, trial and crucifixion, I always seem to make new connections. Christians have always, and should always, emphasize the point that Christ did not fight back with violence against his oppressors, but I think we do him an injustice if we forget his striking statements during his trial. At his baptism, God’s voice declares “This is my beloved Son, with whom I am well pleased.” Immediately after Satan tempts him saying, “If you are the Son of God.” And now Caiaphas invokes God’s name asking Jesus if he the Son of God. I think we often confuse these accusations as statements of status, either Jesus is God’s son or he is not. However, the way Caiaphas and Satan are wording their questions shows that they are doubting Jesus’ job description not his pedigree.

The Son of Man from Daniel 7 is imbued with dominion and glory and a kingdom. If Jesus is God’s son, where is the might that makes right? Kings do not enter into cities on a donkey, they come in on war horses and chariots. We want Jesus to call down legions of angels and start defeating Roman centurions, but as we shall see on Good Friday, it will be a Roman Centurion – a man who knows both power and violence – who will identify God’s Son.

How frustrated must Caiaphas have been? Jesus who is captured and on his way to his death has the gall to say “you will see the Son of Man seated at the right hand of Power and coming on the clouds of heaven.” At Gethsemane, Jesus was most certainly anxious, but now it seems like he has a vision of “the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is seated at the right hand of the throne of God” (Hebrews 12:2). Jesus is unwilling to accept the power of the world because he knows the true power he is to take up. This stands in stark contrast to the chief priests who will later bow before Rome saying, “We have no king but Caesar” (John 19:15).

Lord, help us to worship only true power. Help us take up our cross that we may follow it.

Oscar Romero to his enemies…

2011-03-04T08:30:00.001-08:00

And so, brothers and sisters,

I repeat again what I have said here so often,

addressing by radio those who perhaps have caused

so many injustices and acts of violence,

those who have brought tears to so many homes,

those who have stained themselves

with the blood of so many murders,

those who have hands soiled with tortures,

who are unmoved

to see under their boots a person abased,

suffering,

perhaps ready to die.

To all of them I say:

No matter your crimes.

They are ugly and horrible,

and you have abased the highest dignity

of a human person,

but God calls you

and forgives you.

And here perhaps arises the aversion of those

who feel they are laborers from the first hour.

How can I be in heaven with those criminals?

Brothers and sisters, in heaven

there are no criminals.

The greatest criminal, once repented of his sins,

is now a child of God.

- Oscar Romero. September 24, 1978 from The Violence of Love.

States of Confusion: Or Why I Am an Anglican Anabaptist Reformed Liberation Mystic

2011-03-01T13:38:00.001-08:00

I would say that over the past few years I’ve dealt with some serious things in my life. However, be them spiritual, psychological, emotional and or physical issues I would never say that I have experienced a “crisis of faith.” Recently during my exodus from Arizona to my home state of Virginia, I’ve had many people inquire as to whether I still believe the same things I once professed. For lack of a better explanation, I have always answered yes because I still believe the Apostles’ Creed and the Nicene Creed (although I will admit it doesn’t matter all that much to me whether the Spirit proceeds from the Father or the Son). At the same time though, I find myself bouncing off the walls of theological and spiritual inquiry.

For at least the last four years, I have heavily identified with Reformed (read Calvinist) theology. I’ve taught classes at churches on theology, church history, comparative religion, and Postmodernism largely without encountering any cognitive dissonance in regards to what I believe. I’ve always been open minded when it comes to theology because I usually just gravitate towards what seems to make the most sense. That said, most of the people around me have not afforded themselves such luxury. My uber-Reformed friends make a point to Tweet about every little thing they hear that bolsters neo-Calvinism and puts down “weak” theology (weak=feminine, abstract, or liberal). Meanwhile I’m reading anything I can get my hands on and trying my best to take it all in. My recent reading list has included, but is not limited too:

The New Testament and the People of God by N.T. Wright
The Politics of Jesus by John Howard Yoder
A Theology of Liberation by Gustavo Gutiérrez
Anarchy and Christianity by Jacques Ellul
The Peaceable Kingdom by Stanley Hauerwas
Strength to Love by Martin Luther King, Jr.
Various books by Henri Nouwen
The Violence of Love by Oscar Romero
Ethics by Dietrich Bonhoeffer
The Kingdom of God is Within You by Leo Tolstoy

I will fully admit that this list is probably not as diverse as it could be, but it does not comprise every book on theology I have ever read, just those I’ve read recently.

So what am I to do with what I’ve learned? My first thought was to use my learning to educate those around me and strive for unity and discussion among believers (and I haven’t necessarily abandoned this initial thought completely). But recently everywhere I turn I find people striving for exactly the opposite. Don’t believe me? Go on Twitter and search for Rob Bell. Just the release of the title of his new book has made some people lose their minds! Now I’ve been a rather outspoken critic of Mr. Bell in the past, but really people? At least I waited until I had a chance to read his book before I disagreed with him. The Bell controversy is an obvious one. Next, Google “N.T. Wright and John Piper.” Read a few blogs and you will see that Piper seems to be pitting himself against Wright over what some would argue is a semantic argument. Some crazies have almost asserted some sort of Matthew 16:19 argument insisting that Wright’s different view of justification threatens to release all Christians from assurance of salvation.

I do not write this post to contribute anything to the discussion other than this. The more I know, the more I know how much I do not know. I plan on expounding upon this further, but I’d love some initial feedback.

Behind the Christian Cliché: "In the world, but not of it."

2010-05-16T12:52:00.000-07:00

I have given them your word, and the world has hated them because they are not of the world, just as I am not of the world. I do not ask that you take them out of the world, but that you keep them from the evil one. They are not of the world, just as I am not of the world. Sanctify them in the truth; your word is truth. As you sent me into the world, so I have sent them into the world. And for their sake I consecrate myself, that they also may be sanctified in truth. "I do not ask for these only, but also for those who will believe in me through their word, that they may all be one, just as you, Father, are in me, and I in you, that they also may be in us, so that the world may believe that you have sent me.
(John 17:14-21)

In the Christian circles I run in, the buzz words I hear all the time are missional, evangelical, and relevant. While I do not think that these terms are harmful, I am unsure of their effectiveness in relaying the message of the Christian lifestyle to the pew sitter. I think 21st century Christianity (at least in the United States) works like this:

The Pastor decides what he wants to talk about.
The Pastor then waters down his topic enough to make himself comfortable with it.
The Pastor additionally waters down his topic enough to not offend his Congregation (maintain job security).
The Pastor preaches to the Congregation
The Congregation hears and understands about 50% of the sermon, mostly the funny parts.
The Congregation then waters down the message so they don't have to change their lifestyle.
Christianity continues to look more and more like the surrounding secular culture.

While this is a sweeping generalization of Christian churches, I am afraid it is not too far off. Christians do however, maintain some clichés that help us to feel like we are really God's people living in a fallen world. One of these clichés is the idea that Christians should be "in the world, but not of it." When people say this, what they mean is that Christians are supposed to live in the midst of the world, but not live in the same way as the world. You can be a Christian and a businessman, because you can be in the business world, but not of it.

I worry that the we have watered down this concept so far as to make it unrecognizable. We have turned "in the world, but not of it" into a dualism between Christianity and so-called "everyday life." Here's an example: We think to ourselves, I can be rich, live in a big house, drive expensive cars, buy my wife expensive jewelry, and give my kids expensive playthings as long as I have the right set of beliefs (a la the Trinity and salvation by grace through faith). Here's another example: I can promote patriotism and nationalism, as long as I remember that we are "One nation under God." My last example: It's okay that I only associate with people exactly like me, as long as I remember that everyone is made in the image of God. These examples make me sick to my stomach, mostly because I can see myself in each of them.

Christians must stop ascribing to what the world considers normal. I have been challenged by people who say, "Why resist the way things are going? If we live differently it won't change anything." I think this is exactly the wrong attitude and such a perspective comes from Satan. We do not follow Jesus because it is a means to an end (i.e. the Christianization of the United States). We are to follow Christ because he offers the only true way. In Luke 12, Jesus is telling his followers to not worry about food, clothing or storing up goods and then he says:

For all the nations of the world seek after these things, and your Father knows that you need them. Instead, seek his kingdom, and these things will be added to you. "Fear not, little flock, for it is your Father's good pleasure to give you the kingdom. Sell your possessions, and give to the needy. Provide yourselves with moneybags that do not grow old, with a treasure in the heavens that does not fail, where no thief approaches and no moth destroys.
(Luke 12:30-33)

I believe that Christians don't live the way Jesus called us to live because they have a nagging doubt in the back of their mind that the Kingdom Jesus speaks of isn't real. It is much easier to ascribe to the ongoing systems in this world that we can see operating everyday. I believe this is the major calling of the Gospel that we have forgotten: Follow Jesus and believe that what he said is true, even if it seems contrary to the way things appear. It is easy to put our hope in Capitalism, political parties, or lifestyles of the rich and famous because we can see them happening everyday. As followers of Jesus we have a higher calling to be members of a better Kingdom. We do not have to be afraid to sell our possessions and give to the needy, or to turn the other cheek and pray for those who persecute us. Jesus says that is our Father's good pleasure to give us that Kingdom, because that is taking "hold of that which is truly life" (1 Timothy 6:19).

In C.S. Lewis' masterful work The Silver Chair, the story climaxes with the characters being trapped in the underworld of an evil witch. Her plan is to trap them in the underworld by convincing them that their world is not real. One of the characters answers her with this statement:

One word. All you've been saying is quite right, I shouldn't wonder. I'm a chap who always liked to know the worst and then put the best face I can on it. So I won't deny any of what you said. But there's one thing more to be said, even so. Suppose we have only dreamed, or made up, all those things - trees and grass and sun and moon and stars and Aslan himself. Suppose we have. Then all I can say is that, in that case, the made-up things seem a good deal more important than the real ones. Suppose this black pit of a kingdom of yours is the only world. Well, it strikes me as a pretty poor one. And that's a funny thing, when you come to think of it. We're just babies making up a game, if you're right. But four babies playing a game can make a playworld which licks your real world hollow. That's why I'm going to stand by the play-world. I'm on Aslan's side even if there isn't any Aslan to lead it. I'm going to live as like a Narnian as I can even if there isn't any Narnia.

This is what it means to be in the world, but not of it. Satan is trying to deceive us into believing that this world, this kingdom is all there is. We are to trust Jesus' call to live in the Kingdom of God. We do not need to hold onto the worldly status quo (politics, economics, materialism, greed, apathy, violence, etc..), we need simply to live as though the Gospel is True.

Why pluralism is a good thing...

2010-04-27T22:37:00.000-07:00

If you know me well, or have ever spent more than four minutes with me, you probably understand that I have opinions. I have strong opinions on theology, music, books, sports, regions of the United States, and various other subject areas. More than that, I love sharing my opinions; and when I say sharing my opinions, I really mean trying to convince you that my opinions are in fact, correct.

As a lover of music, books, sports, the southeastern United States, and a multitude of other frivolities, I am fully alright with the fact that people with disagree with me. Not everyone has my taste in everything, and while I may still try to convert you love the books of Kurt Vonnegut, I am still able to sleep at night knowing that some do not. However, when it comes to religion, I am far more apprehensive about saying that I am right and you are right. Some of my more conservative friends would indeed say that it is a critical point of the Christian faith that Jesus is "the way, the truth and the life" and the sole path to God. While I do not disagree with that fact, I am constantly trying to understand how such a reality is properly lived out in the world.

For instance, you have your classic evangelical apologist who insists that the only logical stance is to believe in God. "Look at the trees and the mountains and the stars: they all prove the existence of a creator," they say. On the other hand, you have your militant evolutionary biology touting atheist. "God is a delusion and to believe otherwise is to spit in the face of all that science has taught us," they exclaim with much the same insistence as a revival preacher. I am confused by both of these people. I believe God exists and I believe that science explains much of how the world came to be. It is not the scientific debate that concerns me, it is the foundation behind the argument.

I hear Christians quoting Psalm 14: "The fool says in his heart, 'There is no God.'" I believe in scripture, but I am not sure that all the atheists in the world are simply not smart enough to assent to some theological assertions. Does not Jeremiah 17:9 say, "The heart is deceitful above all things, and desperately sick; who can understand it?" I want people to know and love God, but anyone will be convinced to follow Jesus by theological propositions. Furthermore, I think most Christians understand more theological facts than they do existential realities of following Jesus. More "believers" can tell you that God is omnipotent, omniscient and omnipresent than can tell you the names of the widows or impoverished in their church (if there even are any).

I have spent much of my time trying to know as much as I can about Christianity: the Bible, church history, Hebrew, systematic theology, hermeneutics, apologetics, and the works of C.S. Lewis. Often times, everything I know leaves me feeling cold, confused and further from God than I want to be. This is not a confession of doubt in God, but rather a deep doubt in what we are able to know. I am certain about my faith, but I am uncertain about life. Pluralism is a good thing because it reminds me that I am not the only person that does not know everything. I think some of my beliefs are more correct than those of others (sometimes much more and sometimes not so much).

As a Religious Studies major, I often see my colleagues becoming interested in or involved in the Interfaith movement. I am not so interested in this movement. My experience has been that many in the Interfaith movement want to tell me why even though I am a Christian, I am also a Jew, Buddhist, and Hindu. I grow very frustrated with these people because I do not understand why I would want to be all of those things. Such a life would seem to me to be riddled with contradictions. Can I eat pork or beef? Am I only to eat vegetables? Are there many gods who are a manifestation of one or is there only one god, or none? No, I definitely cannot and do not want to be a member of multiple religions. The "all paths lead to the same place idea" is nonsensical to me.

However, pluralism in its cultural sense is fantastic because it allows us to live together. That's a start, I think.

Grieving the Holy Spirit (Part 1)

2010-03-23T08:41:00.000-07:00

And do not grieve the Holy Spirit of God, by whom you were sealed for the day of redemption.

(Ephesians 4:30)

Lately, I have spent much time meditating and reflecting on the enormous gravity of my sin. While this is not the most entertaining and lighthearted pastime, it has been one of the most eye-opening experiences of my life. When we think of sin, we tend to think of specific actions such as lying, stealing, adultery, murder, and other deplorable deeds. The problem with such a view of sin is that we usually fail to bring the conviction we need. We Christians are usually far too easy on ourselves when it comes to the places where sin is present in our lives.

I have this theory that there has been a shift in evangelical Christianity over the past 100 or so years. The discussion of sin has moved from the sins of the congregations to the sins of the pagans. The major moral issues that evangelicalism has taken on have been twofold: Homosexuality and abortion. The problem with this very narrow-minded moral view is that it requires nothing from the churchgoer. The preacher tells his congregation, "Do not be a homosexual!" And they respond, "Thank you Jesus for not making me a homosexual!" The preacher says, "Do not have abortions!" The men respond, "Well there's nothing I can do about that." The women respond, "I haven't had an abortion, so I must be perfect." Meanwhile, the sin that the church is not addressing is running rampant in the congregation.

I just recently finished a fairly in-depth study of the book of Isaiah and there is one passage that I continue to think about again and again:

Like a pregnant woman who writhes and cries out in her pangs when she is near to giving birth, so were we because of you, O LORD; we were pregnant, we writhed, but we have given birth to wind. We have accomplished no deliverance in the earth, and the inhabitants of the world have not fallen.
(Isaiah 26:17-18)

This passage resonates in my heart in such a profound way it is almost breathtaking. I look back at my life as a Christian -- my purportedly "new life" -- and I see how much God has done. I recollect about the times when I have been brought to tears by the beauty of Christ's death and resurrection. I remember missions trips, specific instances of intercessory prayer, and every great sermon I have ever heard. I see all the ways in which I have been moved by the Holy Spirit, but still allow sin to have its way with me. I think about Paul's words to the Ephesians where he says, "we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand, that we should walk in them" (Ephesians 2:10), but I feel more like I am grieving the Holy Spirit (Ephesians 4:30).

I am convinced that I cannot continue living my life this way. I recently read a fascinating quote from Jacques Cousteau (who actually is paraphrasing Gandhi):

“If we go on the way we have, the fault is our greed [and] if we are not willing [to change], we will disappear from the face of the globe, to be replaced by the insect.”

As a Christian, I have long thought that my sin was a personal issue between God and myself. When I am angry, I owe God an apology for not being loving. When I am greedy, I ought to ask God for forgiveness for my lack of generosity. While I still think that sin is between us and God, I think that Satan has fed us lies that our sins does not have an effect outside of ourselves. Obviously, if I murdered someone this would effect the person I murdered, that person's family, and probably other people as well. But we don't tend to think about other sins in this way. When I am being greedy, I am preventing myself from being generous. Therefore, I am sinning against those in need around me. When I am angry, I am not loving my neighbor, so I probably need to ask for forgiveness from whoever my neighbor happens to be at the time.

Sin prevents us from living as a fruitful citizens of the Kingdom. The message of the Gospel is not only (or even primarily) about what we receive from Jesus, but rather what Jesus enables us to give back (see 2 Corinthians 5:14-15). Christians are not called to become rulers, but servants. Maybe when Paul tells us not to grieve the Holy Spirit, he is reminding us that our sin inhibits the Holy Spirit from working in us "to will and to work for his good pleasure" (Philippians 2:13). For the rest of this "Grieving the Holy Spirit" series, I am going to talk about some sins I think are prevalent among the church (because I know they are in my own heart) and what good works they are keeping us from.

It's Not Easy Being A Pharaoh

2010-02-22T09:24:00.000-08:00

For the Scripture says to Pharaoh, "For this very purpose I have raised you up, that I might show my power in you, and that my name might be proclaimed in all the earth."

(Romans 9:17)

This morning I was meditating on the story of the Exodus. Obviously, this is a well known story for Jews and Christians alike, but I have been thinking about it in a new light recently. There are some basics of the story that I find to be devastating when I apply them to my own life. For instance:

God's people are slaves in a foreign land
God uses an exile (from two groups of people) to free His people
God's speech to the powerful goes ignored
9 plagues aren't enough to get Pharaoh's attention
It takes the death of the Pharaoh's firstborn to break him

As much as I wish that I could write about how I can relate to the oppression and yearning for freedom of the Hebrews, I have more in common with another character in the story. Unfortunately, that character is the Pharaoh. Pharaoh believes that he has power over the world, and his own nation's religion tells him that he is the most important. Pharaoh has a very clear message spoken to him by God's appointed messenger, but his response is very much like my own. I make excuses, I justify myself, and then I refuse to listen. Pharaoh's whole existence is built around preserving the status quo, if he can just keep going about his normal business and just ignore God's voice, everything will be fine.

Unfortunately, this is not the reality God has in mind. God's plan is to turn the status quo upside down. Things cannot continue as normal because only God is allowed to dictate what is normal. We would prefer for God to comfort us and love us for "who we are," but that is not the message of the Bible. Instead we hear:

Seek the Lord while he may be found; call upon him while he is near; let the wicked forsake his way, and the unrighteous man his thoughts; let him return to the Lord, that he may have compassion on him, and to our God, for he will abundantly pardon. For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways, declares the Lord. For as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways and my thoughts than your thought.
(Isaiah 55:6-9)

People like reading the second part of this passage as encouragement that God has a plan for their life and it will all work out well. While this may in fact be the case, they need heed the first part. We are called to forsake our wicked thoughts and ways. Just because we are forgiven by God does not mean we may continue living in open rebellion to him. If our sin is a sword of destruction, we must begin beating it into a plowshare of obedience (Isaiah 2:4).

When Jesus says, "Whoever finds his life will lose it, and whoever loses his life for my sake will find it" (Matthew 10:39), he is not being poetic. God made demands of Pharaoh and unfortunately Pharaoh refused to comply. I do not want to live like Pharaoh refusing to listen to God's clear commands on my life. Jesus, save me from the plagues of disobedience to your will.

The Gospel of Inactivity

2010-02-08T08:30:00.000-08:00

"Like a pregnant woman

who writhes and cries out in her pangs

when she is near to giving birth,

so we were because of you, O Lord;

we were pregnant, we writhed,

but we have given birth to wind.

We have accomplished no deliverance in the earth,

and the inhabitants of the world have not fallen."

- Isaiah 26:17-18

I have been reflecting on Isaiah recently, and these verses really stuck out to me. Isaiah is lamenting over Israel, God's agents of deliverance in the world, who are a people who cry out for God, but accomplish nothing. Israel as a people sought God when they were in distress and God continued to deliver. This however, made no change in the way God's people lived.

What is so striking to me personally about Isaiah's bemoaning is what actually is to saddening him. Most of the time when people are mourning, they are mourning the loss of a person, a possession, or maybe a place. Isaiah is clearly mourning over his nation's sins. He wishes that his people had done more to change the world acting as God's emissaries. His last line there is convicting, "We have accomplished no deliverance in the earth, and the inhabitants of the world have not fallen."

I believe the church needs to consider Isaiah's words. Sometimes I fear that Stephen's words to the Sanhedrin are coming to true for Jesus' church:

"You stiff-necked people, uncircumcised in heart and ears, you always resist the Holy Spirit. As your fathers did, so do you. Which of the prophets did your fathers not persecute? And they killed those who announced beforehand the coming of the Righteous One, whom you have now betrayed and murdered, you who received the law as delivered by angels and did not keep it."
(Acts 7:51-53)

We Christians claim that the ultimate miracle of miracles happened in the form of the incarnation: God came to earth. Jesus' ministry on earth was not neither ambiguous nor deceiving. He taught, he healed, and he made it possible that people would come into a right relationship with God. If it weren't enough to have God on earth, Jesus called apostles to preach and teach the word for years after his ascension to heaven. There has never been an absence of God's word to the world, there has only been an absence of hearing.

Nowadays the church (particularly in the United States), spends it's time largely ignoring Jesus. We relegate him to Lord of Heaven and Earth, but not of our houses, businesses, families, political parties or lifestyles. Jesus is a means to an end, namely salvation. He is a tool in the divine toolbox of our comfort. This ethos of passivity that I too am so guilty of cannot stand in light of the true Jesus. Christ does not speak words of comfort and rest to us. He says, "Even now the axe is laid to the root of the trees. Every tree therefore that does not bear good fruit is cut down and thrown into the fire" (Matthew 3:10).

I need to have the same spirit of Isaiah, one that compels him to action and sacrifice. I do not want to look back at my life and mourn over my failures for the world. I want to celebrate the beautiful ways God has worked in my life to further the Kingdom. When I look at the world around me I see people striving after some ounce of power or control in their life. I think this lust for power is actually a good sign. As Thomas Traherne puts it:

The noble inclination whereby man thirsteth after riches and dominion, is his highest virtue, when rightly guided; and carries him as in a triumphant chariot, to his sovereign happiness. Men are made miserable only by abusing it. Taking a false way to satisfy it, they pursue the wind: nay, labour in the very fire, and after all reap but vanity.

All of our life's desires for power, control and authority are but misguided aspirations for our life's true calling. I hear many people say that they do not want their lives to be boring or meaningless. People who have no relationship with Jesus pursue philanthropy because they want to connect with some greater purpose. The Body of Christ needs to preach and live the fact that following Christ is neither boring nor idle. True salvation as Stanley Hauerwas puts it is coming into the middle of God's story. A story that "began without us, as a story of the peculiar way God is redeeming the world, a story that invites us to come forth and be saved by sharing in the work of a new people who God has created in Israel and Jesus."

Things I need and other things...

2010-02-06T08:18:00.000-08:00

Things I Don't Need:

10 pairs of shoes
multiple jackets and sweaters (it isn't even cold in Phoenix)
the box of random electronics that sits idle in my closet
four tennis racquets...i'm not as Roger Federer as I think I am

Things I Think I Need, But I Really Don't Need:

my giant book collection
my car...walking+bicycle+bus+light rail= getting to 99% of the places I need to go
my snow skis and boots...they get used once or twice a year at this point
two longboards (skateboards not surfboards)...anyone want a free longboard?
In'N'Out Burger, Chipotle or Hungry Howie's pizza at least once a week

Things I Need:

enough clothes to get me through about a week and a half in a couple seasons
my bicycle
my Bible...I think I have too many of these in fact
my guitar...as much as I talking about wanting a new one, I just need this one
simplicity in lifestyle and in mind
to meet the people and remember the names of the people in my apartment complex
to find ways to serve the poor around me
to eat healthy, but not too healthy
the church
to figure out what I really need and what I really don't
to follow Jesus as closely as possible...i see this as the only viable option

A burr under their saddles...

2010-01-05T20:55:00.000-08:00

On more than a few occasions, I've read or heard people say something to the effect of, "We need a new kind of Christianity." The saying has always irked me largely because I see it as being incredibly arrogant. As I've studied church history, I often feel like we are not in need of a new Christianity, but rather an old one. That aside, when people declare a desire for new Christianities, I generally become very skeptical. However, if you're like me than I think we can all agree that there is something wrong with the church at large.

Without hitting too many specific issues, I'd like to voice my opinion that the church is losing its voice in society, but not for the reasons we think. Evangelicals have made claims that the world is losing respect for Christians because they have a low view the Bible, morals, traditional families, or all of the above. It would be convenient for us to claim that the world has turned on us because we are different, but I am not so sure that is the case. Right wing, ultra-conservative Christians have tried to claim that there is a war against Christians (and Christmas for that matter), but I think this may be a major overstatement.

I would offer that the reason Christians are losing their voice is because far from being different than the world, we have become all too similar. Our families look more or less the same as non-Christian families, our spending habits and business practices are almost no different from our secular counterparts, our views on most moral issues (except abortion and gay rights obviously) are no different than the general populations. We drive the same cars, live in the same neighborhoods, go to the same gyms and watch the same movies.

Now some of those similarities are innocuous enough (heaven forbid if all Christians all move into one neighborhood together), but we are a far cry from what I believe Jesus calls us to. In Matthew 5:16, Christ calls us to "let your light shine before others, so that they may see your good works and give glory to your Father who is in heaven." Furthermore, the Apostle Paul exhorts the Philippians saying,

Do all things without grumbling or questioning, that you may be blameless and innocent, children of God without blemish in the midst of a crooked and twisted generation, among whom you shine as lights in the world (Philippians 2:14-15)

I would offer that there is a major problem when Christ's ambassadors to the world appear just like the "crooked and twisted generation"? If such a unique and supernatural thing as conversion has occurred in the lives of believers, than why does nothing appear different? I think if we examine the context of Paul's letter to the Philippians, we might find some help.

We must remember that Paul is writing this epistle during the time of Roman Imperialism. Rome has occupied nearly all of the Mediterranean world, and thus the church at Philippi would have well known the distinction between a Roman citizen and a native person living in a territory conquered by Rome. These citizens had certain privileges and rights that were endowed to them by the government. Though he himself was a Roman citizen, Paul writes:

Only let your manner of life be worthy of the gospel of Christ, so that whether I come and see you or am absent, I may hear of you that you are standing firm in one spirit, with one mind striving side by side for the faith of the gospel (Philippians 1:27)

Translators have never been able to capture the full meaning of the phrase they translate as "manner of life." The Greek word used here is politeuomai (πολιτεύομαι), which means to behave as a citizen. I think this beautifully captures a truth that Christians then needed to understand, and we today are in need of reminding.

I think Paul is great a turning his readers' worlds upside down. For instance here, he is no doubt reminding people that among them are Roman citizens. They are endowed certain rights by Rome (whether by birth or by purchase), and these rights accord to them luxuries and esteem. But for Christians, Paul says, your citizenship is not of any nation or country, but of a kingdom not of this world (John 18:36). Unlike Roman citizens, this citizenship doesn't afford us luxuries, but calls us to a new life. Christ calls us not become his followers who will serve and not be served. Or as Paul puts it in 2 Corinthians 9:8, "And God is able to make all grace abound to you, so that having all sufficiency in all things at all times, you may abound in every good work."

If you're an American you need to understand that your first pledge is to him who says, "To me every knee shall bow, every tongue shall swear allegiance" (Isaiah 45:23). If you're British your primary service is not to the Crown, but to him who "is crowned with glory and honor because of the suffering of death, so that by the grace of God he might taste death for everyone" (Hebrews 2:9).

We have assimilated our souls to cultures that do not value the things of God. We have become so immersed in these dark places that we forget just how much Jesus stands in opposition to the ways of this world. We've traded the Fruit of the Spirit for consumerism, materialism, greed, violence, egotism and indifference. We fail to remember that Paul writes:

But God chose what is foolish in the world to shame the wise; God chose what is weak in the world to shame the strong; (1 Corinthians 1:27).

As Christians, our lives should be such that we confound the ways of this world. When Christians heed the words of Christ and begin loving their enemies, our war torn world will come to us to learn about peace. When followers of Jesus denounce their treasures on earth in favor of their heavenly treasures, the world will come to us to learn generosity. Christians should be a burr under the saddles of the world, so irritating and extraordinary that their only response would be "give glory to [our] Father who is in heaven." Christians need to stop masquerading as citizens of this world with redeemed Sunday mornings. I pray that God would not judge us too harshly for the ways we have forgotten our first love.

Blog inspired by the crying baby behind me on the airplane...

2009-12-21T13:30:00.000-08:00

A crying baby on my flight? That is so cliché. Luckily, my flight is not particularly lengthy, but it allows me just enough time remind myself that this baby's audible weeping is merely a small fraction of what our whole world is feeling at any given moment. For this baby, crying is one of his or her (I can't see it from my seat) two modes: sleeping or crying. But in a very real way, our world is in a constant state of suffering. The Apostle Paul, in one of my favorite passages of scripture, puts it this way:

For we know that the whole creation has been groaning together in the pains of childbirth until now. And not only the creation, but we ourselves, who have the firstfruits of the Spirit, groan inwardly as we wait eagerly for adoption as sons, the redemption of our bodies. (Romans 8:22-23)

I sometimes wonder how we manage to insulate ourselves from this pain which was so evident to Paul. In in the United States, we have built a system that promotes comfort. The trajectory of science, technology and all our institutions is towards whatever is easier, less painful, and less time consuming. Occasionally we get a glimpse of what is ailing us, sometimes in the form a the death of a loved one or an economic collapse. We see things that most agree, “Should not be this way,” and we decide that all our resources should be allocated to preventing this catastrophe from ever happening again. This pain management system we've developed is more laughable than laudable.

I sometimes wonder what our society would look like if we embraced the hurting world around us. Would we have reality television shows where contestants must be homeless for an alloted period of time? Would we have shows where contestants must actually survive in Third World conditions? Could we ever get to the point where war, disease, or oppression ever become subjects for our entertainment? The answer is probably not, but we have done a great job at removing these eyesores from our everyday life. Whenever you go to the grocery store, what are all the tabloids talking about? Celebrity relationships or infidelities, government coverups and which American Idol contestant has a secret life we don't know about What if our tabloids and some of our less refined magazines only reported on the terrible things going on in the world? What if some story about a “balloon boy” failed to capture the attention of the news networks because they were reporting on malaria deaths, genocides, tribal wars and starving children?

I am sick to my stomach sometimes because all I ever do is complain about the ignorance or insolence of Americans, but I myself fail to hear the groaning of the world around me. Even more than that, I fail to respond to the the groaning when I do hear it. I must confess that I am scared to death when I read the words of Jesus:

"But woe to you who are rich, for you have received your consolation. "Woe to you who are full now, for you shall be hungry. "Woe to you who laugh now, for you shall mourn and weep.” (Luke 6:24-25)

Knowing what I know, perhaps I should be joining the baby in tears.

The Need For Contemplation

2009-09-06T20:06:00.000-07:00

And rising very early in the morning, while it was still dark, he departed and went out to a desolate place, and there he prayed.

Mark 1:35

Recently, in my own personal study and conversations with friends, I have been finding some constant themes.

People are not pleased with their lives, and widely report to have no "inner peace."
People are looking to alternative forms of spirituality.
People think of Christianity as a moralistic, but not particularly spiritual path.
Christians do not understand their relationship to the Holy Spirit.

While I do not think any of these facts are good in and of themselves, I find an amazing hope in the way they relate. I will take a look at these ideas individually and then talk about what they mean together.

People are not pleased with their lives, and widely report to have no "inner-peace." This should come as a surprise to no one. We in the United States live in a culture that is finding less and less satisfaction in life. We live in an information age, where we are never more than a Facebook poke or Twitter tweet away from other people, but we reportedly still feel alone. Obviously we are in a time of economic struggle, but is there any proof to say that we will feel better when we come out of it? I've harped on this issue before, but I must maintain that we are slowly killing our souls with materialism. Whether you like him or not, Jimmy Carter was prophetic when he observed:

"Too many of us now tend to worship self-indulgence and consumption. Human identity is no longer defined by what one does, but by what one owns. But we've discovered that owning things and consuming things does not satisfy our longing for meaning. We've learned that piling up material goods cannot fill the emptiness of lives which have no confidence or purpose."

People are taking many different outlets to fulfill their emptiness. Family, friends, sports, money, sex, drugs, alcohol, pets (so many lonely people only experiencing love from the Golden Retrievers), and everything else under the sun are becoming outlets to fulfill our deepest needs. Which brings me to my next point...

People are looking to alternative forms of spirituality. From the Hindu Vedas and Upanishads to Kabbalah, from Oprah and her gurus to Scientology, people are dying to believe in something. Obviously I believe their aims are way off, but I still see this as a good thing. Bad thinking Christians tend to be up in arms about the oncoming atheistic apocalypse, but the empirical evidence is not reinforcing such fears. I think our biggest fear as Christians shouldn't be that people like Richard Dawkins are going to argue Christianity away. We should be more afraid of not offering people what they need to the point that they will turn to empty religions in order to satisfy it.

People think of Christianity as a moralistic, but not particularly spiritual path. When I consider this prevalent idea, I cannot decide if I am more saddened or angered by the notion. As I understand it the church is supposed to be the Body of Christ in the world. If the world wants to see Jesus they should be able to look at the church. If this is the case people might think that Jesus...

hates all homosexuals and cares more about them not getting married than he does about feeding the poor.
thinks Barack Obama is a socialist and might be the Antichrist.
has a "pick yourself up by your bootstraps" attitude about salvation.
is mean spirited.
is antagonistic towards the world.

I don't really want to go into all those misrepresentations of Jesus because I will just get angry, but needless to say we have not done very well as Christ's representatives.

Furthermore, even aside from our ugly face we've shown, we haven't done a great job inside the Body of Christ either. Christianity has become an overly pragmatic religion. We have done a really good job at systematizing the Christian life and a really bad job of communicating the Good News. We teach people what we perceive as the necessary hows without teaching them the whys. Often have I heard sermons on "God's 12 Step Plan to Save Your Marriage," or "the Bible's Money Management System." I am not saying that God is not interested in those areas. Clearly He is. But I think we are going about it entirely wrong. (I'll finish this thought later.)

Christians do not understand their relationship to the Holy Spirit.I actually think that the Holy Spirit is sort of an outcast in many churches. Every good Bible student knows that Christians receive the Holy Spirit, but most Christians seem oblivious to His role in their lives. Just recently I was teaching a class where we were looking at how Jesus' life was Spirit led. Not surprisingly it prompted the question, "How do you live by the Spirit?" I think this is a question many Christians are asking, even if they can't verbalize it.

Now that I've made it through the preliminary ideas, I think it boils down to this: Christians need to learn the contemplative spiritual disciplines. Prayer, meditation, silence, and solitude are what I really have in mind. I think it would be extremely hard to make a universal order for the Christian life (many have tried), but if I had to guess it might look something like this:

People hear the Gospel, they believe and repent and are saved.
People join the body of Christ, they experience God through worship, fellowship, and the sacraments (essentially the Eucharist and Baptism).
People are taught about who God is and how we can know him.
People are taught how to spend time with God: prayer, meditation, silence, solitude.
People are transformed (not immediately or ever on a fixed scale) more into the image of Jesus.

Obviously I do not think it would or will always work nicely and neatly in that order. But I think that makes more theological sense than this:

People hear the Gospel, hopefully they believe and repent and are saved.
People join the body of Christ, they learn that singing is worship.
They are taught "how to be a Christian."
They never spend time with God.
They get really frustrated when nothing in their lives reflect Jesus.

I know that I may be exaggerated the process a bit, but not by too much. We have an American approach to Christianity: if you work hard at it, you will succeed. This is not the "faith that was once for all delivered to the saints" (Jude 1:3). I believe in a God of transformation. I believe that when we experience and draw close to God we cannot leave the same. I love the way Paul describes it in 2 Corinthians 3:17-18:

Now the Lord is the Spirit, and where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is freedom. And we all, with unveiled face, beholding the glory of the Lord, are being transformed into the same image from one degree of glory to another. For this comes from the Lord who is the Spirit.

What should your church teach? Teach people to draw close to God. Teach people how to live in the Spirit. Teach people the Spiritual Disciplines. If we are helping the body of Christ to behold "the glory of the Lord" we will never have to teach another dating seminar, marriage saving lesson, or business ethics class ever again. I am hopeful because people all over the world are seeking inner peace and satisfaction in their lives and the only fulfillment they will ever receive will be through the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit.

Further Reading:

A Celebration of Discipline and Prayer: Finding the Heart's True Home by Richard Foster

The Life of the Spirit and the Life of Today by Evelyn Underhill

The Lord's Prayer and The Beatitudes by Gregory of Nyssa

The endeavor of postmodernism (pt. 1)

2009-05-22T00:28:00.000-07:00

"A proud man is always looking down on things and people; and, of course, as long as you're looking down, you can't see something that's above you." - C.S. Lewis

I am well aware that "Pride goeth before a fall," but lately I have thinking about what causes pride to be such a powerful vice. I have long held to C.S. Lewis' idea that "evil is only spoiled goodness." That is to say that evil does not exist on it's own, but is only a corruption of things that were made to be good. I believe that this idea is both logical and biblical, and it leads me to consider: "What is the pure fulfillment of my corrupted desire which cause me to sin?"

The case of pride is an extremely complicated sin to consider because it is so pervasive in our society. Everything in our society preaches that at the end of the day the number one priority is you. Pop psychology teaches that the most important thing is to love yourself. Popular culture teaches that the person with the most toys wins. The brilliant Garrison Keillor refers to popular websites MySpace and Facebook as "exercises in narcissism." Even philanthropic exhibitions such as Oprah's Big Give completely ignore Christ's teaching, "But when you give to the needy, do not let your left hand know what your right hand is doing, so that your giving may be in secret. And your Father who sees in secret will reward you" (Matthew 6:3-4). Even charity has become further opportunity for ego inflation.

This complete obsession with the self is also moving into churches as sermons move from having Jesus as the main character to having people as the main character. I recently heard a very influential pastor teaching on Jesus' walking on the water saying:

I always assumed that Peter doubts Jesus. But Jesus isn't sinking. Who does Peter doubt? He doubts himself. He loses faith in himself that he can actually be like his rabbi. Jesus wouldn't have called him if he didn't think he could be like him.

I'm sorry, but short of talking about flying spaghetti monsters, I don't think there is a worse interpretation of this story from Matthew 14. This story is not about Peter's faith in Peter, it's about Peter's faith in Jesus. In fact, I don't think that the placement of this story is a coincidence. In Matthew's gospel, this story comes only one chapter after Jesus' parable of the "Sower and the Soils." Peter began to sink as "he saw the wind" and "was afraid" (Matthew 14:30). I think in this instance Peter might be a parallel to the seed that fell in the rocky soil which Jesus explains, "yet he has no root in himself, but endures for a while, and when tribulation or persecution arises on account of the word, immediately he falls away" (Matthew 13:21).

I say all of this only to show that people are completely and utterly focused on themselves. But I do not consider this to be a sign of hopelessness. Thomas Traherne once wrote that, "The noble inclination whereby man thirsteth after riches and dominion, is his highest virtue." This may seem counter intuitive. It seems like the selfish focus of seeking money and power should be a vice which should be abhorred. But Traherne makes it more clear with the whole quote:

The noble inclination whereby man thirsteth after riches and dominion, is his highest virtue, when rightly guided; and carries him as in a triumphant chariot, to his sovereign happiness. Men are made miserable only by abusing it. Taking a false way to satisfy it, they pursue the wind.

I think what Traherne is getting at is the fact that the part of every person which makes us want money and power, is the same part of every person which makes them desire God. Riches and dominion were never meant to fulfill the deepest desires of our heart. We think being seen, recognized and envied by all people will ultimately make us happy, and in thinking so way we have never been so wrong and never been so right. Being in famous in front of people will never make us happy, and in the case of many celebrities, might make us go insane. However, it is about being known, by the one who knows us better than we know ourselves...God.

About this intimacy with God the Apostle Paul writes, "For now we see in a mirror dimly, but then face to face. Now I know in part; then I shall know fully, even as I have been fully known" (1 Corinthians 13:12). For Paul, a large part about being in a relationship with God is being known by him. Jesus says much the same when he states:

On that day many will say to me, 'Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in your name, and cast out demons in your name, and do many mighty works in your name?' And then will I declare to them, 'I never knew you; depart from me, you workers of lawlessness.'

(Matthew 7:22-23)

Apparently it is actually of the utmost importance to be known by God. I think this is why the gospel stands in such stark opposition to self-centeredness. If the focus is on our own comfort, we will never know true contentment. If the focus is on our own appearance, we can never recognize the true beauty of God. If the focus of our worship is on the created and not the creator, we are idolaters and pagans (Romans 1:25). If I am too busy worrying about my own glory, Jesus will ask us, "How can you believe, when you receive glory from one another and do not seek the glory that comes from the only God" (John 5:44)?

So what is the answer to this self-centeredness? The gospel. The gospel of a king of came to serve. The gospel of the sinless who became sin. The gospel of the Creator suffering at the hands of the created. The gospel which "opposes the proud, but gives grace to the humble" (James 4:6). C.S. Lewis once wrote, "'Nothing, not even what is lowest and most bestial, will not be raised again if it submits to death.'" This is the gospel. Losing our lives that we may be found in Him. Only then will we find any significance.

I Am Significant

2009-04-24T20:22:00.000-07:00

"A proud man is always looking down on things and people; and, of course, as long as you're looking down, you can't see something that's above you." - C.S. Lewis

I always assumed that Peter doubts Jesus. But Jesus isn't sinking. Who does Peter doubt? He doubts himself. He loses faith in himself that he can actually be like his rabbi. Jesus wouldn't have called him if he didn't think he could be like him.

On that day many will say to me, 'Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in your name, and cast out demons in your name, and do many mighty works in your name?' And then will I declare to them, 'I never knew you; depart from me, you workers of lawlessness.' (Matthew 7:22-23)