Showing posts with label Second Audience. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Second Audience. Show all posts
Sunday, March 01, 2009
Collect for March 1, 2009
God of humble, unfailing love: After we sinned against you in the garden, you lovingly sought us out in our shame, and provided clothing for us. Search us out today, Father, and restore us. Provide for us a wedding garment that we may be found spotless at the wedding supper of the Lamb, and in no way be ashamed. Through Jesus Christ our Lord, who is alive and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, forever and ever. Amen.
Wednesday, February 25, 2009
Ash Wednesday Homilies
Homily on Joel 2:1-2, 12-17
The land of Israel had been invaded by a plague of locusts that devoured all their food, and this seemed to be God’s punishment for Israel’s sins. God had withheld his blessing because of Israel’s failure to obey, but he promised he would restore them as long as they would mourn their sins and return to him.
“Even now,” declares the Lord, “return to me with all your heart,
with fasting and weeping and mourning.
It’s no small thing to mourn our sins. In fact, it can be rather difficult sometimes. We become accustomed to our own reasons for behaving the way we do, accustomed to justifying ourselves in our own minds, accustomed to our own point of view. And we take no account for how God sees things. To catch the light of God’s perspective on sin, righteousness and judgment, that is the convicting work of the Holy Spirit, and that is real repentance. The Greek word for repentance is metanoia, and signifies primarily a change of mind and heart. It means that we have changed our mind about our actions, changed our mind about what the world really revolves around, and changed our mind about the meaning of life.
Earlier we talked about the Greek word for repentance. Perhaps you have noticed that this is an Old Testament reading, which was originally written in Hebrew. Before we go asking ourselves what repentance means in Hebrew, we ought to ask ourselves who does the repenting in this passage – God does! In verse 13, it says that God relents from sending calamity. In the Old Testament, the same word that is translated ‘repent’ for humans, is commonly translated ‘relent’ when referring to God. Here this verb most likely means “to be sorry, be moved to pity, to have compassion.” The word is also in verse 14 translated as “have pity.”
We may ask what would lead God to relent from sending calamity. In verses 12 and 13, God asks his people to turn back to him with fasting, weeping and mourning. In verse 14, he says that he himself will then turn back and have pity. The word used in verse 13 for the people’s turning back, is the same word used in verse 14 for God’s turning to have pity on them. So we find that the answer is that we must sincerely mourn our sins and turn back to God. At such an action, God himself will repent and not judge us.
The Lord’s brother James gave the same exhortation to a people who had become a little too friendly with the ways of the world, and despised God:
“Submit yourselves, then, to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you. Come near to God and he will come near to you. Wash your hands, you sinners, and purify your hearts, you double-minded. Grieve, mourn and wail. Change your laughter to mourning and your joy to gloom. Humble yourselves before the Lord, and he will lift you up” (James 4:7-10).
One more thing: this returning to God cannot be half-hearted. No. “Return to me with all your heart,” says the Lord. We cannot leave some part of our lives behind, or hold back part of our hearts from God. We must give ourselves completely to him. We must offer ourselves, and all our mess, to God, and ask him to transform us.
The season of Lent is here. Lent is typically a season of repentance and self-denial. It is an opportunity to return to God with all our hearts, and to repent of those sins which we may have allowed into our lives either willfully, thoughtlessly, or through neglect. Many people fast during the season of Lent. But it was the teaching of St. John Chrysostom that it is more important to fast from sin than from foods. I want to encourage you during this season of Lent, to keep a record of the sins you may commit habitually or occasionally, be they willful sins or sins of infirmity. If you only want to focus on one, that’s fine too. Let’s take a few moments to mourn our sins in the light of God’s presence. Let’s invite the Holy Spirit to convict our hearts; pray with me: “Search me O God, and know my heart; test me and know my anxious thoughts. See if there is any offensive way in me, and lead me in the way everlasting” (Ps. 139:23-24).
Hear the word of God to all who truly turn to him through Jesus Christ:
“Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest.”
“God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in Him shall not perish but have eternal life.”
“This is a true saying, and worthy to be received by all, that Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners.”
“If anyone sins, we have an advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the righteous, and he is the perfect sacrifice for our sins, and not for ours only, but also for the sins of the whole world.”
Almighty God, our heavenly Father, who of his great mercy has promised forgiveness of sins to all who truly turn to him, have mercy upon us, pardon and deliver us from all our sins, strengthen us in all goodness, and by the power of the Holy Spirit keep us in eternal life. Through Christ our Lord, amen.
I’m going to ask you, when you go home, when you have time, to write down the sins in your life you want to cease from. Keep this list with you, and pray over it daily, asking God to give you continual progress and victory over these sins. These coming 40 days of Lent mirror Jesus’ 40 days in the desert, when he took up fasting as a weapon against the evil one, and trusted in the word of God instead. Hear what confidence we have in Christ:
“Christ had to be made like his brothers in every way, in order that he might become a merciful and faithful high priest in service to God, and that he might make atonement for the sins of the people. Because he himself suffered when he was tempted, he is able to help those who are being tempted” (Hebrews 2:17-18).
“No temptation has seized you except what is common to man. And God is faithful; he will not let you be tempted beyond what you can bear. But when you are tempted, he will also provide a way out so that you can stand up under it” (1 Cor. 10:13).
“Since we have a great high priest who has gone through the heavens, Jesus the Son of God, let us hold firmly to the faith we profess. For we do not have a high priest who is unable to sympathize with our weaknesses, but we have one who has been tempted in every way, just as we are—yet was without sin. Let us then approach the throne of grace with confidence, so that we may receive mercy and find grace to help us in our time of need” (Hebrews 4:14-16).
When you are tempted, call upon the Lord Jesus, and you will be saved.
Homily on Matthew 6:1-21
Now we heard from the prophet Joel that God invites his people to return to him with all their heart, with fasting and weeping and mourning. We have just mourned our sins, and perhaps we will mourn them again during Lent. But we have not yet fasted, and to return to God with all the heart must of necessity include private prayer. Jesus has something to say to us today concerning the practice of whole-hearted devotion.
As I said before, it was the teaching of the church fathers that Jesus took up fasting as a weapon against the temptation of Satan. And in our passage from the prophet Joel, the Lord commended fasting as a sign of repentance and returning to God. The three traditional Lenten disciplines according to the church, are fasting, prayer and almsgiving. It is universally commended to all the faithful that during this season in particular, we increase our participation in these three practices. And it is no accident, for these are the very three practices of devotion that Jesus comments on in his Sermon on the Mount. We may view these practices as the fruit of our repentance. We will find that Jesus recommends to us a particular manner of devotion, that has itself wholly focused on God, and avoids the notice of others.
Some biblical scholars believe that the Pharisees actually put dirt or ashes on their faces when they fasted, and that that is what Jesus was referring to when he used the words “they disfigure their faces.” Whatever implications this may have for how long we leave our ashes on our head tonight, we can be certain that the intent of the hypocrites was to show other people that they were fasting. They wanted to be seen as pious. But Jesus recommends we wash our face, get all cleaned up, nice and shiny, so that our fasting will not be obvious. The Orthodox call Lent the ‘fast of brightness’ because we are not to look somber, but put on a smile because we are returning to the LORD and embracing his forgiveness by forgiving others. So when you fast this Lent, whatever you choose to abstain from, don’t be sad about it, or go about moaning that you have to fast from this or that, but be joyous and don’t tell anyone that you are fasting or what you are fasting from. I think it can be very easy to justify telling others that we are fasting under the mask of “accountability,” when really we just want other people to know the sorrow that we shouldn’t have in the first place. When you fast in secret, unto God himself alone, he will reward you.
Prayer is the sister of fasting. It is said by the church fathers that fasting without prayer, without forgiveness, and without mutual love, is the fast of demons. For the demons do not eat, but neither do they pray, forgive or love. Listen: it would be better to pray more and not to fast, than to fast and not pray.
While I doubt many of us are tempted to pray on the street corner to look pious, we may still need the exhortation of Jesus: “When you pray, go into your room, close the door and pray to you Father who is unseen.” How much time do we take for private prayer? Do we have any inkling of a sense that we could benefit from more of it, or desperately need more of it for the good of our soul? If so, let us increase the time we spend in our prayer closet.
A close friend of mine reminded me that there is a spiritual interpretation of this verse, in which our closet is our heart, and our body is the door. We are not always able to go to our prayer closet. So, when you pray in public places, try to disguise the fact that you are praying, if at all possible. For this kind of secrecy pleases God. For you only have his interest in mind.
And let us be absolutely sure we are forgiving others because of the forgiveness we have received from God. For Jesus says that if we do not forgive other people their sins, God will not forgive ours! Lent is not only a time for us to return to God for forgiveness, but a time to return the favor of God to those who have wronged us.
Finally, let us increase our giving to the poor – the giving of our time, money, resources, and selves. Let almsgiving include works of mercy, Matthew 25 type stuff. But once again, don’t go around telling everybody what you’re doing, because then you will lose your reward from God. The poor need our help because they are our equals. They are humans just like we are, and they deserve to be treated as such, with dignity. To care for them is to remind them that they still matter to us as members of the human family, and that they do not deserve to be forgotten and left to suffer alone. Remember, Proverbs 19:17 says, “He who is kind to the poor lends to the LORD, and he will reward him for what he has done.”
Jesus said of the hypocrites, “These people honor me with their lips, but their hearts are far from me” (Mark 7:6). And so Jesus has provided for us a guard against such an error. He has instructed us to be devoted to him secretly, to make sure that we do not seek the honor of humans, but only the glory of God.
The prophet Joel exhorted God’s people:
“Even now,” declares the LORD, “return to me with all your heart,
with fasting and weeping and mourning” (Joel 2:12).
Tuesday, February 24, 2009
Fasting this Lent
Ash Wednesday (Feb. 25, 2009) begins the season of Lent. The word lent comes from an old English word for spring, since this period of the church calendar comes during that season. In the early church, it was the practice to baptize new converts at Easter, and to prepare for that baptism with fasting and repentance. Later on, it was common for people who had committed serious sins to return to communion with the church by demonstrating their repentance. So Lent has always been a time to prepare for the mystery of the resurrection by turning from our sin to God, through prayer, fasting and almsgiving.
The season of Lent is primarily a season of spiritual discipline, in which we deny ourselves and our own desires in favor of God and his desires for us. As I have said, it is also a time for repentance, when we confess any sins (habitual or occasional) that we may have in our lives, and ask for God’s help to put these sins to death in us. As we begin to deny ourselves in the little things, such as food, we will have the courage and strength to deny ourselves in the bigger things, such as sin.
To fast is to abstain, or keep oneself from anything good or evil, especially for the purpose of devoting oneself to God. We do not fast to earn God’s favor; instead, fasting is a step of faith we take, remembering that “humankind does not live on bread alone, but by every word that comes from the mouth of God.”
The season of Lent lasts 40 days, from Ash Wednesday until Easter, not counting the Sundays in between. These Sundays are feast days celebrating Christ’s resurrection. It will be up to you to decide whether to keep your fast on Sunday. But these 40 days mirror Christ’s forty day fast in the desert while he was being tempted by Satan. While we attempt to cease from sin, we take up fasting as a weapon against the temptations to sin we will most likely face.
There are many ways to fast. We may fast from meat; we may eat only 2 meals per day instead of three; we may choose to fast from breakfast and lunch one day of the week. Many people decide to “give up” something for Lent – options include: dessert, coffee, soda pop, television, video games, make-up, shopping, gum-chewing, unnecessary talk, vain thoughts, distractions, email or internet, unnecessary waste, excessive sleep, sex, alcoholic beverages, meat, cheese, or any excessive or unnecessary habit.
Sunday, February 22, 2009
Collect for February 22, 2009
God of all the nations of the earth: Remember the multitudes who have been created in your image but have not known the redeeming work of our Savior Jesus Christ; and grant that, by the prayers and labors of your holy church, they may be brought to know and worship you as you have been revealed in your Son; who is alive and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, forever and ever. Amen.
Saturday, February 14, 2009
Teaching Moment: "AMEN"
Occasionally I am going to offer a moment of teaching on worship before or during Sunday’s service. Today is our first teaching moment.
There are two Hebrew words which Christians have carried over into nearly every language without translating them. Do you know what they are? If you do, shout them out.
They are ‘alleluia’ and ‘amen.’ These words were so common and so meaningful to the earliest Christians that they did not translate them. ‘Alleluia,’ of course, means “praise the LORD,” while ‘amen’ means “let it be so” or “so be it.” It is not merely a way of ending a prayer. Rather, it is a word affirming one’s assent and agreement with the words that have just been prayed. It was the practice of the early church, and still is the practice in many churches for the whole congregation to end a prayer with ‘amen,’ after the prayer has been spoken by the leader. Saying ‘amen’ is a way for the congregation to say together, and to God, “We affirm and ask for what was just prayed. We add our prayers to the prayer of the leader.”
And so, it is my earnest desire that we begin saying ‘amen’ together, as a whole congregation. It is not so hard to tell when a prayer has ended, when it is time for everyone to say ‘amen.’ Prayers often end with something like this: “In Jesus’ name” or “through Jesus Christ our Lord” or some prayers have a Trinitarian ending, such as “through Jesus Christ our Lord, who is alive and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, forever and ever.” After each of these types of endings, it is fully appropriate for the congregation give their agreement by saying, ‘amen.’ However, you may want to wait for a brief moment to make sure that the prayer is really over before you say ‘amen.’
So before the service today, I want us to get in some practice. Get ready to say ‘amen’ after each of these prayer endings. Ready? Here we go.
“In Jesus name,” amen.
“through Christ our Lord,” amen.
“through Jesus Christ our Lord, who is alive and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, forever and ever.” Amen.
Okay? That’s all the practice we get. From now on, let’s be ready to give a whole-hearted ‘amen’ all together as a congregation in affirmation of the prayers that are prayed in our midst. You will have plenty of opportunities today to become accustomed to this practice.
One more thing: you may either say ‘ah-men’ or ‘ay-men.’ Pronounce it as you like.
Collect for Lord's Day, Feb. 15th
Monday, February 02, 2009
Collect for February 1, at Trinity U.M.C., Hartford City IN
A collect is a short prayer usually said before the scripture readings in the western church liturgy.
"God of all creation, through your beloved Son Jesus Christ you have called all people to yourself. Grant that we may follow the example of Christ and his apostles by opening our arms, offering ourselves, and proclaiming the truth to our neighbors, and by carrying your good news across social borders, so that your salvation may be known among all peoples. All this we ask through Jesus Christ your Son, our Lord, who is alive and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, forever and ever. Amen."
"God of all creation, through your beloved Son Jesus Christ you have called all people to yourself. Grant that we may follow the example of Christ and his apostles by opening our arms, offering ourselves, and proclaiming the truth to our neighbors, and by carrying your good news across social borders, so that your salvation may be known among all peoples. All this we ask through Jesus Christ your Son, our Lord, who is alive and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, forever and ever. Amen."
Thursday, August 23, 2007
American Liberty
The following is a "letter to the editor" of sorts that I hope to send in to a local newspaper after some more editing. This particular newspaper prints the same Bible verse between the paper's title and the front page headline every day. The paper says they prefer letters of 200 words or less, but I doubt I can shorten this much more. I am already saying less than I want to.
_________________
If there is any ideal American value, it is liberty. We declared this from the British in 1776, listing it among the “certain unalienable Rights” of all humans. Patrick Henry sounded, “…give me liberty, or give me death.” Our Constitution’s bill of rights preserves our liberties from tyranny. Americans count it their duty to be ever vigilant for the cause of liberty.
So should it surprise us that the front page of every copy of [this newspaper] bears a Bible verse sanctioning our national sentiments: “Where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is Liberty” (2 Corinthians 3:17)?
I do not know why this verse stands beneath [the paper's] title, but I am confident that because ‘Liberty’ is capitalized, an American would most likely read the verse to mean: “The presence of the Lord’s Spirit is the cause of our national Liberty.”
But the verse absolutely cannot mean this.
First, the verse stolen from its original context is already doomed for wrongful interpretation. In his letter “to the church of God in Corinth,” the apostle Paul is engaged in a complex contrast between the fading glory of the old covenant, which Moses veiled from the frightened Israelites when his face shone like an angel’s, and the lasting glory of the new covenant in the church, where that veil is taken away. This is where Paul says, “Now the Lord is the Spirit, and where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is freedom.”
From what? Well, perhaps freedom from fear of the Lord’s glory; or from ignorance; or from condemnation and death, which Paul considered characteristic of the old covenant. Elsewhere Paul speaks of humans being enslaved to sin; so perhaps he means freedom from sin.
But whatever Paul meant, he cannot be talking about the ‘Liberty’ Americans won from the British in revolutionary war, or the kind of ‘freedoms’ outlined for us in the Bill of Rights. In 2 Corinthians 3:17 Paul is talking about a liberty belonging explicitly to the church, for that is where the Spirit of the Lord is.
The concept of citizens’ individual liberties won through bloody revolution and protected by the state is foreign to the New Testament. Much less should a single verse therefrom be employed as an endorsement by “the Spirit of the Lord” for such a state of affairs.
I do not prefer ‘tyrrany’ to ‘democracy;’ nor do I despise our national freedoms. But the Lord who was brought to trial by his nation’s rulers for his peace-loving proclamation of God’s reign, and having made no defense was crucified (like an insurrectionist) by the Romans occupying his homeland – that Lord was innocent of violent agendas interested in national ‘Liberty.’ To implicate his Spirit in anything of the sort now is nothing less than utter blasphemy.
_________________
This letter started out near 700 words, and now runs beneath 500. This is hardly enough space to explain, much less defend, my argument. That's why I've decided I never want to be a journalist.
While a part of me would like to believe that the freedoms we enjoy in America are blessings from God, and a result of the Christian church's salt and light in the world, in many ways such a position is hard to defend. It is true that governments are ordered by God for the reprobation of wrong and the promotion of the good (Romans 13). But the concepts upon which our nation was established - upon which we declared independence - had their source in John Locke and other political phiolosophers, not in the Christian religion. If they believed "that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty, and the pursuit of Happiness" (elsewhere 'happiness' is 'property' - go figure looking at 'the American dream'), they also believed these rights were secured by governments instituted by the consent of the governed. You will not find this language in the New Testament.
It must be pointed out that our American rights were and still are secured by means of the sword.
Contrast this to Jesus' gospel teaching:
"Do not resist an evil person. If someone strikes you on the right cheek, turn to him the other also. And if someone wants to sue you and take your tunic, let him have your cloak as well. If someone forces you to go one mile, go with him two miles. Give to the one who asks you, and do not turn away from the one who wants to borrow from you" (Matthew 5:39-42).
[What? but it's mine! I have the right to decide who can borrow my property!]
And, ". . . if anyone takes what belongs to you, do not demand it back. . . . And if you lend to those from whom you expect repayment, what credit is that to you? Even sinners lend to sinners, expecting to be repaid in full. But love your enemies, do good to them, and lend to them without expecting to get anything back. Then your reward will be great, and you will be children of the Most High, because he is kind to the ungrateful and wicked. Be merciful, just as your Father is merciful" (Luke 6:30b, 34-36).
[What?! Borrow means it's on loan, not for keeps! It's mine! My life, my liberty, my property! My American dream!]
By now it should be clear that 2 Corinthians 3:17 cannot be interpreted as "the presence of the Lord's Spirit is the cause of our national Liberty." Nor does Christianity sponsor or condone the actions of any state, or any sword. God calls the church to be an explicitly different, holy kind of assembly (organization, polity), in which the least are the greatest and the greatest are the least; in which leaders serve instead of 'lording it over their subjects'; in which peace and unity are maintained at all costs, excepting any use of force or coercion.
What do you think?
How is the church different from the world and the state?
Do you agree or disagree with my critique of this newspaper's prominent Bible verse?
In what ways do Christians sometimes blindly support, sanction or condone the state's agenda instead of preaching and living the truth of Jesus' gospel of love and peace?
_________________
If there is any ideal American value, it is liberty. We declared this from the British in 1776, listing it among the “certain unalienable Rights” of all humans. Patrick Henry sounded, “…give me liberty, or give me death.” Our Constitution’s bill of rights preserves our liberties from tyranny. Americans count it their duty to be ever vigilant for the cause of liberty.
So should it surprise us that the front page of every copy of [this newspaper] bears a Bible verse sanctioning our national sentiments: “Where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is Liberty” (2 Corinthians 3:17)?
I do not know why this verse stands beneath [the paper's] title, but I am confident that because ‘Liberty’ is capitalized, an American would most likely read the verse to mean: “The presence of the Lord’s Spirit is the cause of our national Liberty.”
But the verse absolutely cannot mean this.
First, the verse stolen from its original context is already doomed for wrongful interpretation. In his letter “to the church of God in Corinth,” the apostle Paul is engaged in a complex contrast between the fading glory of the old covenant, which Moses veiled from the frightened Israelites when his face shone like an angel’s, and the lasting glory of the new covenant in the church, where that veil is taken away. This is where Paul says, “Now the Lord is the Spirit, and where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is freedom.”
From what? Well, perhaps freedom from fear of the Lord’s glory; or from ignorance; or from condemnation and death, which Paul considered characteristic of the old covenant. Elsewhere Paul speaks of humans being enslaved to sin; so perhaps he means freedom from sin.
But whatever Paul meant, he cannot be talking about the ‘Liberty’ Americans won from the British in revolutionary war, or the kind of ‘freedoms’ outlined for us in the Bill of Rights. In 2 Corinthians 3:17 Paul is talking about a liberty belonging explicitly to the church, for that is where the Spirit of the Lord is.
The concept of citizens’ individual liberties won through bloody revolution and protected by the state is foreign to the New Testament. Much less should a single verse therefrom be employed as an endorsement by “the Spirit of the Lord” for such a state of affairs.
I do not prefer ‘tyrrany’ to ‘democracy;’ nor do I despise our national freedoms. But the Lord who was brought to trial by his nation’s rulers for his peace-loving proclamation of God’s reign, and having made no defense was crucified (like an insurrectionist) by the Romans occupying his homeland – that Lord was innocent of violent agendas interested in national ‘Liberty.’ To implicate his Spirit in anything of the sort now is nothing less than utter blasphemy.
_________________
This letter started out near 700 words, and now runs beneath 500. This is hardly enough space to explain, much less defend, my argument. That's why I've decided I never want to be a journalist.
While a part of me would like to believe that the freedoms we enjoy in America are blessings from God, and a result of the Christian church's salt and light in the world, in many ways such a position is hard to defend. It is true that governments are ordered by God for the reprobation of wrong and the promotion of the good (Romans 13). But the concepts upon which our nation was established - upon which we declared independence - had their source in John Locke and other political phiolosophers, not in the Christian religion. If they believed "that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty, and the pursuit of Happiness" (elsewhere 'happiness' is 'property' - go figure looking at 'the American dream'), they also believed these rights were secured by governments instituted by the consent of the governed. You will not find this language in the New Testament.
It must be pointed out that our American rights were and still are secured by means of the sword.
Contrast this to Jesus' gospel teaching:
"Do not resist an evil person. If someone strikes you on the right cheek, turn to him the other also. And if someone wants to sue you and take your tunic, let him have your cloak as well. If someone forces you to go one mile, go with him two miles. Give to the one who asks you, and do not turn away from the one who wants to borrow from you" (Matthew 5:39-42).
[What? but it's mine! I have the right to decide who can borrow my property!]
And, ". . . if anyone takes what belongs to you, do not demand it back. . . . And if you lend to those from whom you expect repayment, what credit is that to you? Even sinners lend to sinners, expecting to be repaid in full. But love your enemies, do good to them, and lend to them without expecting to get anything back. Then your reward will be great, and you will be children of the Most High, because he is kind to the ungrateful and wicked. Be merciful, just as your Father is merciful" (Luke 6:30b, 34-36).
[What?! Borrow means it's on loan, not for keeps! It's mine! My life, my liberty, my property! My American dream!]
By now it should be clear that 2 Corinthians 3:17 cannot be interpreted as "the presence of the Lord's Spirit is the cause of our national Liberty." Nor does Christianity sponsor or condone the actions of any state, or any sword. God calls the church to be an explicitly different, holy kind of assembly (organization, polity), in which the least are the greatest and the greatest are the least; in which leaders serve instead of 'lording it over their subjects'; in which peace and unity are maintained at all costs, excepting any use of force or coercion.
What do you think?
How is the church different from the world and the state?
Do you agree or disagree with my critique of this newspaper's prominent Bible verse?
In what ways do Christians sometimes blindly support, sanction or condone the state's agenda instead of preaching and living the truth of Jesus' gospel of love and peace?
Tuesday, July 10, 2007
Song Reflections for Lord's Day July 8, 2007
For some while I've had the idea to publish reflections on the songs we sing in church, especially when I myself have chosen those songs and led singing.
This last Sunday at Lighthouse Community Church (Kalamazoo, MI) we sang:
"Sing to the King" - words and music by Billy James Foote, adapting first verse and theme from "Sing We The King" by Charles Silvester Horne, 1910 [Copyright 2003 EMI CMG].
"How Great Is Our God" - words and music by Christ Tomlin, Jesse Reeves and Ed Cash [Copyright 2004 EMI CMG].
"Above All" - words and music by Lenny LeBlanc and Paul Baloche [Copyright 1999 Integrity's Hosanna! Music/LenSongs Publishing].
All of the songs we sang this Lord's day acclaimed God as our King of all. Our service began with an informal greeting and an invitation to hear God's word. Our reading from Revelation 22:1-5 follows the destruction of Babylon, the doom of Satan, the general resurrection and final judgment. Chapter 21 of the Revelation tells of the new heavens and new earth, and the New Jerusalem, which is also called the bride of the Lamb. This would give us reason to believe that the author is describing the church, and not only a city with walls of defense and buildings like Babel. In contrast, God makes his dwelling with humans. He is their king. After chapter 21, 22:1-5 describes the "River of Life" which flows through the center of the city, with the tree of life growing on both sides of the river, bearing fruit all-year-round for eternal life, for the healing of nations. I particularly chose to read this passage because it mentions the healing of nations in the reign of the Lamb (after the doom of Satan and right before a word from Jesus, "See, I am coming soon" Rev. 22:7). These are themes celebrated in our first song:
"Sing to the King who is coming to reign. Glory to Jesus, the Lamb that was slain. Life and salvation his empire shall bring, And Joy to the nations when Jesus is King. Come, let us sing a song . . . declaring that we belong to Jesus - he is all we need."
The song in its second verse says we will be vigilant in prayer for the coming of our Lord Jesus, after which Satan will be vanquished. It may be a sore spot in many of our spiritual lives that we do not anticipate, prepare and pray for the coming of Jesus enough. In the New Testament, the resurrection and exaltation of Christ are directly related to his return to earth. (For example, in the book of Acts, after Jesus is taken up into heaven, two men dressed in white as the disciples why they are staring at the sky, and remind them that Jesus will return in the exact same way the disciples saw him leave earth.) Any faith in the crucified and risen Jesus must be accompanied by faith in his coming soon to judge the earth, defeat his enemies and reign with those who loved and obeyed him. We Christians bear the testimony that Jesus the crucified has risen and been raised to earth, is Lord of all and is reconciling the world to the Father. We proclaim that God is wanting all people to turn from their wicked ways to receive forgiveness through Jesus' death and life through his resurrection. Therefore, we should heed the warnings of Jesus in the gospels: let us not be found with our lamps empty of oil, without faith as unfaithful servants. Rather, let us be ready for the coming of our master, with faith, reverence and the fear of God.
"How Great Is Our God" celebrates, with the other two songs, the supreme rule of God the LORD (YHWH) over every nation, over all the earth. This was the faith of the Old Testament, and was supposed to be the faith of Israel. God consistently proved to Israel and their enemies that he was sovereign over all the earth (since he created it), and could move kings and armies to do his will. One of the most frequent titles for God in the Old Testament is YHWH of armies (hosts); this is sometimes translated 'the LORD almighty.' In this song the authors urge us (in a most biblical fashion) to sing, see and proclaim "how great is our God."
The greatest irony is, of course, shown us in Revelation 5:12: "Worthy is the Lamb that was slaughtered to receive power and wealth and wisdom and strength and honor and glory and praise!" "Above All" worships Jesus, who was revealed to us after his resurrection and exaltation above all (powers, kings, nature, creatures, wisdom, human ways, kingdoms, thrones, wonders, wealth, treasures) to have existed before all these things as well. We believe him to be the divine Word and Son of the Father. But we would not have known this except that he lived among us, was crucified, died and was buried, and on the third day was raised to life by the Father, and exalted to God's right hand. Not only did the King of the earth die a criminal's death; more, it is the crucified, the rejected, the slaughtered lamb who did not open his mouth, the humiliated, the scorned, the one who did not seize the kingdom: he is the one who will receive the kingdom, the worship and subjection of all at the end.
He who existed before all things, and was "Above all . . ." was "Crucified, laid behind the stone . . . lived to die rejected and alone, like a rose trampled on the ground. You took the fall, and thought of me above all."
This last Sunday at Lighthouse Community Church (Kalamazoo, MI) we sang:
"Sing to the King" - words and music by Billy James Foote, adapting first verse and theme from "Sing We The King" by Charles Silvester Horne, 1910 [Copyright 2003 EMI CMG].
"How Great Is Our God" - words and music by Christ Tomlin, Jesse Reeves and Ed Cash [Copyright 2004 EMI CMG].
"Above All" - words and music by Lenny LeBlanc and Paul Baloche [Copyright 1999 Integrity's Hosanna! Music/LenSongs Publishing].
All of the songs we sang this Lord's day acclaimed God as our King of all. Our service began with an informal greeting and an invitation to hear God's word. Our reading from Revelation 22:1-5 follows the destruction of Babylon, the doom of Satan, the general resurrection and final judgment. Chapter 21 of the Revelation tells of the new heavens and new earth, and the New Jerusalem, which is also called the bride of the Lamb. This would give us reason to believe that the author is describing the church, and not only a city with walls of defense and buildings like Babel. In contrast, God makes his dwelling with humans. He is their king. After chapter 21, 22:1-5 describes the "River of Life" which flows through the center of the city, with the tree of life growing on both sides of the river, bearing fruit all-year-round for eternal life, for the healing of nations. I particularly chose to read this passage because it mentions the healing of nations in the reign of the Lamb (after the doom of Satan and right before a word from Jesus, "See, I am coming soon" Rev. 22:7). These are themes celebrated in our first song:
"Sing to the King who is coming to reign. Glory to Jesus, the Lamb that was slain. Life and salvation his empire shall bring, And Joy to the nations when Jesus is King. Come, let us sing a song . . . declaring that we belong to Jesus - he is all we need."
The song in its second verse says we will be vigilant in prayer for the coming of our Lord Jesus, after which Satan will be vanquished. It may be a sore spot in many of our spiritual lives that we do not anticipate, prepare and pray for the coming of Jesus enough. In the New Testament, the resurrection and exaltation of Christ are directly related to his return to earth. (For example, in the book of Acts, after Jesus is taken up into heaven, two men dressed in white as the disciples why they are staring at the sky, and remind them that Jesus will return in the exact same way the disciples saw him leave earth.) Any faith in the crucified and risen Jesus must be accompanied by faith in his coming soon to judge the earth, defeat his enemies and reign with those who loved and obeyed him. We Christians bear the testimony that Jesus the crucified has risen and been raised to earth, is Lord of all and is reconciling the world to the Father. We proclaim that God is wanting all people to turn from their wicked ways to receive forgiveness through Jesus' death and life through his resurrection. Therefore, we should heed the warnings of Jesus in the gospels: let us not be found with our lamps empty of oil, without faith as unfaithful servants. Rather, let us be ready for the coming of our master, with faith, reverence and the fear of God.
"How Great Is Our God" celebrates, with the other two songs, the supreme rule of God the LORD (YHWH) over every nation, over all the earth. This was the faith of the Old Testament, and was supposed to be the faith of Israel. God consistently proved to Israel and their enemies that he was sovereign over all the earth (since he created it), and could move kings and armies to do his will. One of the most frequent titles for God in the Old Testament is YHWH of armies (hosts); this is sometimes translated 'the LORD almighty.' In this song the authors urge us (in a most biblical fashion) to sing, see and proclaim "how great is our God."
The greatest irony is, of course, shown us in Revelation 5:12: "Worthy is the Lamb that was slaughtered to receive power and wealth and wisdom and strength and honor and glory and praise!" "Above All" worships Jesus, who was revealed to us after his resurrection and exaltation above all (powers, kings, nature, creatures, wisdom, human ways, kingdoms, thrones, wonders, wealth, treasures) to have existed before all these things as well. We believe him to be the divine Word and Son of the Father. But we would not have known this except that he lived among us, was crucified, died and was buried, and on the third day was raised to life by the Father, and exalted to God's right hand. Not only did the King of the earth die a criminal's death; more, it is the crucified, the rejected, the slaughtered lamb who did not open his mouth, the humiliated, the scorned, the one who did not seize the kingdom: he is the one who will receive the kingdom, the worship and subjection of all at the end.
He who existed before all things, and was "Above all . . ." was "Crucified, laid behind the stone . . . lived to die rejected and alone, like a rose trampled on the ground. You took the fall, and thought of me above all."
Sunday, November 20, 2005
Tradition
[This short entry on Tradition was a brief devotional piece I gave at church this Sunday night, and therefore the original audience was a congregation of protestant Christians. This was by no means an attempt at a substantial exposition on my understanding of the church's tradition, nor even a well-thought-out essay, but merely a comment given to a group of believers about my appreciation for Christian tradition in a time when many of my peers shy away from such a notion.]
Tradition. What comes to your mind when you hear that word? Does it remind you of all the things you ought to do because you were told to? Do you think of a time-honored practice or principle? Do you think of the way religion should be and how things are changing too fast? For some of you does it evoke an emotion of scorn and contempt for things people have told you must be done “for the sake of tradition?” Do you think of those things your parents love about church that you don’t understand? While tradition can refer to customs and habits, or an inherited pattern of thought or action, I would like to paint for you a healthy picture of Christian tradition.
My most basic understanding of the word tradition comes from its Latin root, tradere, which can mean: to hand over, surrender, deliver; to hand down, bequeath, transmit, pass on; to relate, recount; to teach. Now, of course, that Latin word does not mean all those things in every context, but it can help us understand what Christian tradition is: the principles and practices of our faith that have been delivered, handed down, or passed on to us; the very gospel that we must relate, recount, and teach to people new to the Christian faith.
Throughout the life of the ancient church, before there were any major divisions, the holy fathers of the church gathered in ecumenical, or universal, councils to deliberate and affirm matters of the Christian faith. In the year of our Lord 381, in Constantinople, the holy fathers gathered with such a purpose. There, and at every ecumenical council thereafter the following creed was confirmed. We should not think that this creed was written at the councils, but rather it was already in usage in the churches, and was merely affirmed by the fathers to be the true faith handed down from the Apostles and the fathers of the faith. It is known today as the Nicene Creed, and is the Christian doctrine most agreed upon by churches East and West, Roman Catholic, Eastern Orthodox, and most Protestant denominations, including ourselves. This has meaning to me, since it is the gospel that we share, the creed that unites all of Christendom, despite our divisions. This is the creed:
We believe in one God, the Father Almighty, maker of heaven and earth and of all things visible and invisible. And in one Lord Jesus Christ, the only begotten Son of God, begotten of the Father before all worlds, Light of Light, true God of true God, begotten not made, being of one substance with the Father, by whom all things were made. Who for us men and for our salvation came down from heaven and was incarnate by the Holy Ghost and of the Virgin Mary, and was made man, and was crucified also for us under Pontius Pilate. He suffered and was buried, and the third day he rose again according to the Scriptures, and ascended into heaven, and sits at the Right Hand of the Father. And he shall come again with glory to judge both the living and the dead. Whose kingdom shall have no end.
And we believe in the Holy Ghost, the Lord and Giver-of-Life, who proceeds from the Father, who with the Father and the Son together is worshipped and glorified, who spoke by the prophets. And in one, holy, Catholic and Apostolic Church. We acknowledge one Baptism for the remission of sins, and we look for the resurrection of the dead and the life of the world to come. Amen.
What has been handed down, or passed on to us? Isn’t it more than just all the things our parents told us to do in church? Isn’t it even more than any creed we have said? Having heard and believed the gospel of Christ, have we not been instructed in true piety and devotion, whose essence consists of: holistic, loving obedience and service to God; love and service to others; submission and obedience to those in authority over us; and the proclamation of the good news? And have we not learned that these ends may be accomplished by means of prayer, attention to the Holy Scriptures, continuing in the sacramental life of the church, and full reliance on God—so that we may be enabled by his Spirit to exhibit the divine virtues of love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, meekness and self control?
This is the whole gospel—my tradition, and I hope yours as well: We have heard the good news, and, having turned from the Devil and sin, we believe in Christ’s words, life, death, and resurrection. These have been preserved in the writings of Scripture and the teachings of his Apostles. Let us obey what we have heard, imitating Christ and continuing in him, that we may participate in the Divine life of God, and hope for his eternal kingdom.
Let us be thankful for this gospel tradition, and let us hand it down, deliver it, pass it on to our families, to our friends, to our enemies, and to all who have ears to hear.
Tradition. What comes to your mind when you hear that word? Does it remind you of all the things you ought to do because you were told to? Do you think of a time-honored practice or principle? Do you think of the way religion should be and how things are changing too fast? For some of you does it evoke an emotion of scorn and contempt for things people have told you must be done “for the sake of tradition?” Do you think of those things your parents love about church that you don’t understand? While tradition can refer to customs and habits, or an inherited pattern of thought or action, I would like to paint for you a healthy picture of Christian tradition.
My most basic understanding of the word tradition comes from its Latin root, tradere, which can mean: to hand over, surrender, deliver; to hand down, bequeath, transmit, pass on; to relate, recount; to teach. Now, of course, that Latin word does not mean all those things in every context, but it can help us understand what Christian tradition is: the principles and practices of our faith that have been delivered, handed down, or passed on to us; the very gospel that we must relate, recount, and teach to people new to the Christian faith.
Throughout the life of the ancient church, before there were any major divisions, the holy fathers of the church gathered in ecumenical, or universal, councils to deliberate and affirm matters of the Christian faith. In the year of our Lord 381, in Constantinople, the holy fathers gathered with such a purpose. There, and at every ecumenical council thereafter the following creed was confirmed. We should not think that this creed was written at the councils, but rather it was already in usage in the churches, and was merely affirmed by the fathers to be the true faith handed down from the Apostles and the fathers of the faith. It is known today as the Nicene Creed, and is the Christian doctrine most agreed upon by churches East and West, Roman Catholic, Eastern Orthodox, and most Protestant denominations, including ourselves. This has meaning to me, since it is the gospel that we share, the creed that unites all of Christendom, despite our divisions. This is the creed:
We believe in one God, the Father Almighty, maker of heaven and earth and of all things visible and invisible. And in one Lord Jesus Christ, the only begotten Son of God, begotten of the Father before all worlds, Light of Light, true God of true God, begotten not made, being of one substance with the Father, by whom all things were made. Who for us men and for our salvation came down from heaven and was incarnate by the Holy Ghost and of the Virgin Mary, and was made man, and was crucified also for us under Pontius Pilate. He suffered and was buried, and the third day he rose again according to the Scriptures, and ascended into heaven, and sits at the Right Hand of the Father. And he shall come again with glory to judge both the living and the dead. Whose kingdom shall have no end.
And we believe in the Holy Ghost, the Lord and Giver-of-Life, who proceeds from the Father, who with the Father and the Son together is worshipped and glorified, who spoke by the prophets. And in one, holy, Catholic and Apostolic Church. We acknowledge one Baptism for the remission of sins, and we look for the resurrection of the dead and the life of the world to come. Amen.
What has been handed down, or passed on to us? Isn’t it more than just all the things our parents told us to do in church? Isn’t it even more than any creed we have said? Having heard and believed the gospel of Christ, have we not been instructed in true piety and devotion, whose essence consists of: holistic, loving obedience and service to God; love and service to others; submission and obedience to those in authority over us; and the proclamation of the good news? And have we not learned that these ends may be accomplished by means of prayer, attention to the Holy Scriptures, continuing in the sacramental life of the church, and full reliance on God—so that we may be enabled by his Spirit to exhibit the divine virtues of love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, meekness and self control?
This is the whole gospel—my tradition, and I hope yours as well: We have heard the good news, and, having turned from the Devil and sin, we believe in Christ’s words, life, death, and resurrection. These have been preserved in the writings of Scripture and the teachings of his Apostles. Let us obey what we have heard, imitating Christ and continuing in him, that we may participate in the Divine life of God, and hope for his eternal kingdom.
Let us be thankful for this gospel tradition, and let us hand it down, deliver it, pass it on to our families, to our friends, to our enemies, and to all who have ears to hear.
Saturday, November 19, 2005
Merry Xmas
The other day I was sitting with my friend Jeff Brady in the Christian Ministries building on the IWU campus, and he was reading the Chronicle-Tribune, the premier newspaper of Marion, IN. He read aloud a letter to the editor, and afterwards I decided to write my own letter to the editor in response. Below I have posted both the original letter and my response.
No 'Merry Christmas?' Humbug!
An old issue is about to raise its ugly head again. The un-willingness of many stores to even acknowledge the coming holiday with a "Merry Christmas" displayed on their private business.
Someone somewhere might be offended.
Let me state now: I am a Christian, and I am offended. I am offended, of course, by the term "Merry Xmas" as anyone of intelligence should be.
I am nearly equally offended by silly attempts to avoid the seemingly harmless word "Christmas" and replace it with the generic "Happy holidays" or the confusing "Season's greetings."
I have a simple proposal for all people tired of the annoying and confusing word games. This year, if you believe in Christmas, do your Christmas gift shopping only at stores that have the words "Merry Christmas" displayed unashamedly on their store fronts.
Why spend your Christmas money in a place that does not support the holiday you are celebrating? And have a Merry Christmas.
[I have removed the author’s name from the end of the letter. He resides in Marion, IN.]
Originally published November 18, 2005
This is the letter I have written in response:
Dear Chronicle-Tribune and Grant County readership,
In response to the previous letter to the editor “No ‘Merry Christmas?’ Humbug!” published Nov. 18, 2005:
While we ought not to judge the motives of businesses who post signs using the allegedly blasphemous “Xmas,” we may become a little more tolerant of such practices with the help of some history.
In Greek, the letter X (chi), is the first letter of the word christos (anointed), from which we get the appropriate title of the Lord Jesus—‘Christ.’ This was the Greek translation of the Hebrew word Messiah. When Jesus asked his disciples about his identity, we are told in the Gospel of Matthew that Simon Peter said to Jesus, “You are the Christ [Messiah], the Son of the Living God” (Matt. 16:16, NRSV).
For Jesus’ first followers and also for the earliest Christians, who gave Jesus of Nazareth the title Christ, they were calling him anointed, Messiah, king; declaring him to be the savior of God’s people.
The two Greek letters XP (chi-rho) were the first two letters of christos, and became a monogram of Christ. It was one of the earliest Christian symbols for the faithful under persecution.
Later on in the church’s history, many writers, for the sake of saving space in manuscripts, would abbreviate the Lord’s name with many different monograms, including: XP, XC, X, IC, IX, and IXC.
So X has been a symbol of ‘Christ’ for a very long time. Abbreviations other than Xmas (for Christmas) include Xian and Xianity (for Christian and Christianity). As a good example of orthodox modern usage by Christians, Duke Divinity School lists its Christian theology courses under the abbreviation XTIANTHE.
Thus regardless of business motives, Xmas is not a debasing of Christ by replacing his name with an X, but rather an historical abbreviation of his name fully acceptable by orthodoxy.
And is there really anything that terrible about “Season’s Greetings,” or “Happy Holidays?” Have we not become more sensitive to people of other faiths, as we should, recognizing that not all celebrate Christmas? By all means, let us use “Merry Christmas” as we please, but let us not scorn those who do not.
Besides, albeit sad to some, we can no longer presume that when most people think of Christmas, they think of the coming of God’s Son in the flesh for our salvation.
Peace to you this Christmas and Holiday Season,
Scott David Hendricks
No 'Merry Christmas?' Humbug!
An old issue is about to raise its ugly head again. The un-willingness of many stores to even acknowledge the coming holiday with a "Merry Christmas" displayed on their private business.
Someone somewhere might be offended.
Let me state now: I am a Christian, and I am offended. I am offended, of course, by the term "Merry Xmas" as anyone of intelligence should be.
I am nearly equally offended by silly attempts to avoid the seemingly harmless word "Christmas" and replace it with the generic "Happy holidays" or the confusing "Season's greetings."
I have a simple proposal for all people tired of the annoying and confusing word games. This year, if you believe in Christmas, do your Christmas gift shopping only at stores that have the words "Merry Christmas" displayed unashamedly on their store fronts.
Why spend your Christmas money in a place that does not support the holiday you are celebrating? And have a Merry Christmas.
[I have removed the author’s name from the end of the letter. He resides in Marion, IN.]
Originally published November 18, 2005
This is the letter I have written in response:
Dear Chronicle-Tribune and Grant County readership,
In response to the previous letter to the editor “No ‘Merry Christmas?’ Humbug!” published Nov. 18, 2005:
While we ought not to judge the motives of businesses who post signs using the allegedly blasphemous “Xmas,” we may become a little more tolerant of such practices with the help of some history.
In Greek, the letter X (chi), is the first letter of the word christos (anointed), from which we get the appropriate title of the Lord Jesus—‘Christ.’ This was the Greek translation of the Hebrew word Messiah. When Jesus asked his disciples about his identity, we are told in the Gospel of Matthew that Simon Peter said to Jesus, “You are the Christ [Messiah], the Son of the Living God” (Matt. 16:16, NRSV).
For Jesus’ first followers and also for the earliest Christians, who gave Jesus of Nazareth the title Christ, they were calling him anointed, Messiah, king; declaring him to be the savior of God’s people.
The two Greek letters XP (chi-rho) were the first two letters of christos, and became a monogram of Christ. It was one of the earliest Christian symbols for the faithful under persecution.
Later on in the church’s history, many writers, for the sake of saving space in manuscripts, would abbreviate the Lord’s name with many different monograms, including: XP, XC, X, IC, IX, and IXC.
So X has been a symbol of ‘Christ’ for a very long time. Abbreviations other than Xmas (for Christmas) include Xian and Xianity (for Christian and Christianity). As a good example of orthodox modern usage by Christians, Duke Divinity School lists its Christian theology courses under the abbreviation XTIANTHE.
Thus regardless of business motives, Xmas is not a debasing of Christ by replacing his name with an X, but rather an historical abbreviation of his name fully acceptable by orthodoxy.
And is there really anything that terrible about “Season’s Greetings,” or “Happy Holidays?” Have we not become more sensitive to people of other faiths, as we should, recognizing that not all celebrate Christmas? By all means, let us use “Merry Christmas” as we please, but let us not scorn those who do not.
Besides, albeit sad to some, we can no longer presume that when most people think of Christmas, they think of the coming of God’s Son in the flesh for our salvation.
Peace to you this Christmas and Holiday Season,
Scott David Hendricks
Wednesday, November 16, 2005
Emily Dickinson Writing Assignment
This is a writing assignment I did for my World Literature class. We had to choose an Emily Dickinson poem and write a reflection on it:
1768.
Lad of Athens, faithful be
To Thyself,
And Mystery—
All the rest is Perjury—
Part 1
As I was browsing the online database of Emily Dickinson’s poetry, I saw only the first line to this poem, and clicked on the link to it—because I consider myself a student; not just someone who goes to school, but someone who is eager to learn (the meaning of the Latin root of the word student, studere, means “to be eager for”). I took “Lad of Athens . . .” to refer to the student, as historically Athens was known as a center of learning and philosophy. Indeed it is the place whence “Western civilization” has its origin. It is probably also worth mention that the name Athens (Gk Athenai, Lat. Athenae) was named after Athena, goddess of war and, especially pertinent here, wisdom. We also recall the famous quote of the church father Tertullian, “What hath Athens to do with Jerusalem?” He was emphasizing the irrelevance of the pagan Academy (which had its origins in Athens) to the Church.
I chose this poem not only because I am a student, but also because it speaks of the virtue of honesty, which is a large issue for any who studies—to set aside one’s bias for the sake of truth. This is especially a crucial issue for the Christian academic, as we must avoid the compartmentalization of truth into separate cubicles of “our faith” and “general truth.”
This poem’s major theme is the student’s constant duty to be honest—with himself and with mystery. This faithfulness to mystery could mean many things. It may refer to the learner’s responsibility to seek knowledge of the unknown. On the other hand, it may refer to the necessity of humility—the student’s duty to recognize the limitations of his human capacity; that there will always be more to know; that we can never stop learning. The reader may also interpret ‘Mystery’ to refer to God, but to me that seems a desperate attempt for the poem to be spiritual, forsaking the immediate context of ‘Athens.’
Here is my reading: Student, be honest with yourself. Earnestly seek to understand that which you do not, while simultaneously realizing that there is no pinnacle to be attained; be humbled by the notion that much will remain unknown to you. Outside of these you lie to yourself. Do not turn a blind eye to truth that hurts, or that you do not understand. Examine everything to receive what is true, but never let your knowledge be frozen, for what is to be known is infinite and you are not.
Part 2
Lately I have been in discussion with friends and professors, and am also considering writing a book on the place of truth in the Christian’s faith. I have come to a realization over the past year that the world is not as black and white as I thought it was, and as for those “moral relativists,” well—I have become one of them (with good scriptural defense; Paul was one, see discussions on eating meat sacrificed to idols in Romans or 1 Corinthians). After my first year of college there remains not so much that is universal.
And so, for the Christian scholar, it can be frightful to study the origins of one’s faith, examining outside influences and inconsistencies, while still trying to remain faithful to what we think to be our religion. For example, my friend Dusty is taking Religions of the World right now, and is very interested in the development of the doctrine of hell. If it was not a part of Jewish thought until after the exile, when it was integrated by the Jews from a foreign religion, then how do we still believe in its legitimacy? These are the kinds of things that make this faith of ours into a frayed rope, Dusty says, and we have many loose ends. It seems that people either hang on to that frayed rope so tightly that it cuts their hands, or they coat it with rubber so that it’s easier to hold onto, ignoring the frayed ends. We have a problem. If we really believe that our faith is true, then we must believe it is so. We cannot divide truth into boxes of “Christian truth” and “secular truth” if the facts found in both boxes happen to be so.
From the wisdom of many professors who have dealt with this very issue, I have gleaned the one thing that I can be sure of even if the Scriptures were proved to be false—the creeds. I can say, if all else fails, that Christ was born, Christ was crucified, dead, buried; Christ is risen, Christ will come again. These are the main tenets of my faith, and to them I can cling no matter what.
So the academic virtue of honesty, and thus avoidance of denial, has become very real to me over the past few months. I may come across things in my studies that do not fit well with all I have been brought up to believe. However, if I deny these things, or even worse ignore them all together and choose not to deal with them at all, I become a liar to those outside my faith; one who is not willing to be honest, one who commits perjury.
1768.
Lad of Athens, faithful be
To Thyself,
And Mystery—
All the rest is Perjury—
Part 1
As I was browsing the online database of Emily Dickinson’s poetry, I saw only the first line to this poem, and clicked on the link to it—because I consider myself a student; not just someone who goes to school, but someone who is eager to learn (the meaning of the Latin root of the word student, studere, means “to be eager for”). I took “Lad of Athens . . .” to refer to the student, as historically Athens was known as a center of learning and philosophy. Indeed it is the place whence “Western civilization” has its origin. It is probably also worth mention that the name Athens (Gk Athenai, Lat. Athenae) was named after Athena, goddess of war and, especially pertinent here, wisdom. We also recall the famous quote of the church father Tertullian, “What hath Athens to do with Jerusalem?” He was emphasizing the irrelevance of the pagan Academy (which had its origins in Athens) to the Church.
I chose this poem not only because I am a student, but also because it speaks of the virtue of honesty, which is a large issue for any who studies—to set aside one’s bias for the sake of truth. This is especially a crucial issue for the Christian academic, as we must avoid the compartmentalization of truth into separate cubicles of “our faith” and “general truth.”
This poem’s major theme is the student’s constant duty to be honest—with himself and with mystery. This faithfulness to mystery could mean many things. It may refer to the learner’s responsibility to seek knowledge of the unknown. On the other hand, it may refer to the necessity of humility—the student’s duty to recognize the limitations of his human capacity; that there will always be more to know; that we can never stop learning. The reader may also interpret ‘Mystery’ to refer to God, but to me that seems a desperate attempt for the poem to be spiritual, forsaking the immediate context of ‘Athens.’
Here is my reading: Student, be honest with yourself. Earnestly seek to understand that which you do not, while simultaneously realizing that there is no pinnacle to be attained; be humbled by the notion that much will remain unknown to you. Outside of these you lie to yourself. Do not turn a blind eye to truth that hurts, or that you do not understand. Examine everything to receive what is true, but never let your knowledge be frozen, for what is to be known is infinite and you are not.
Part 2
Lately I have been in discussion with friends and professors, and am also considering writing a book on the place of truth in the Christian’s faith. I have come to a realization over the past year that the world is not as black and white as I thought it was, and as for those “moral relativists,” well—I have become one of them (with good scriptural defense; Paul was one, see discussions on eating meat sacrificed to idols in Romans or 1 Corinthians). After my first year of college there remains not so much that is universal.
And so, for the Christian scholar, it can be frightful to study the origins of one’s faith, examining outside influences and inconsistencies, while still trying to remain faithful to what we think to be our religion. For example, my friend Dusty is taking Religions of the World right now, and is very interested in the development of the doctrine of hell. If it was not a part of Jewish thought until after the exile, when it was integrated by the Jews from a foreign religion, then how do we still believe in its legitimacy? These are the kinds of things that make this faith of ours into a frayed rope, Dusty says, and we have many loose ends. It seems that people either hang on to that frayed rope so tightly that it cuts their hands, or they coat it with rubber so that it’s easier to hold onto, ignoring the frayed ends. We have a problem. If we really believe that our faith is true, then we must believe it is so. We cannot divide truth into boxes of “Christian truth” and “secular truth” if the facts found in both boxes happen to be so.
From the wisdom of many professors who have dealt with this very issue, I have gleaned the one thing that I can be sure of even if the Scriptures were proved to be false—the creeds. I can say, if all else fails, that Christ was born, Christ was crucified, dead, buried; Christ is risen, Christ will come again. These are the main tenets of my faith, and to them I can cling no matter what.
So the academic virtue of honesty, and thus avoidance of denial, has become very real to me over the past few months. I may come across things in my studies that do not fit well with all I have been brought up to believe. However, if I deny these things, or even worse ignore them all together and choose not to deal with them at all, I become a liar to those outside my faith; one who is not willing to be honest, one who commits perjury.
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