I know that many of my readers are faithful and consistent prayers - in fact I consider many of you role models in an area that I, quite frankly, struggle in. Therefore, I use this short blog for an update and a prayer request.
Marquette has an exam that all incoming PhD students have to take. It is a "pre-boards" of sort testing students on the knowledge that they have, or should have, acquired from their masters program. There are six different areas: Old Testament, New Testament, History 1 (early church to the medieval period), History 2 (late medieval period to modern), Theology and Ethics (Catholic Social Teaching). They offer such a daunting exam in order to make sure that all of their students are in the same place as they begin the PhD program. A seemingly adequate reason, however, it doesn't make it any easier for us rubes who never had Catholic Social Teaching (and I know of no other school who requires such an exam). But hey, I've never been one to complain.
I spent my entire summer studying for the exam (except for the two weeks we moved). Those in my family will remember the numerous boatrides that I missed to stay at the house reading obscure figures like Rahner and Tavard. Then, to add a little salt in the exposed wound, I had to take the blessed thing (an all day exam) on my second wedding anniversary.
The good news is that I passed five out of the six sections, failing only in history 2 (a bit problematic since I am emphasizing in historical theology). This means that I have to retake the part I failed (which was only one question), and that retake is Wednesday. I started studying fairly hard for it yesterday and will do so all day today and tomorrow (except for short breaks to attend classes). I'm feeling fairly good about it, as I remember much of what I studied this summer and I've acquired more notes in my short time here. Wednesday morning I will answer one question and be done with it. If I pass, no more will be said of it. If I fail, I will have to take a masters level class in the area, which will be quite expensive and will slow my program down a bit.
Hence the post. Please pray for me! Pray that I might remember this stuff and that I might be able to think clearly and (more importantly) write clearly on Wednesday morning - I had to retype a few questions the first time around. Pray also for my handwriting teacher who apparently didn't teach me a lick about good penmenship. That is all.
Monday, October 30, 2006
Thursday, October 26, 2006
This is My Story
Julie, my wife, will celebrate her birthday this Saturday. The other day I was at a card shop looking for that perfect card, which would express my love to her. I came upon a "Wedding" card that had these words written in it: "We live two lives, the second one starts when we are married." Nice sentimentality to be sure - in fact, I almost bought it. But as I reflected on it, I realized that it is profoundly mistaken. The truth is that we live two lives, and the second one starts when you are baptized, or in the words of my favorite theologian, when you "catch up to your baptism." That is, your second life truly begins when you come to saving faith in Christ.
When Julie and I were married, we both were walking with God; therefore, our marriage did not begin a new life, but rather was a glorious continuation (and one of the finest expressions) of our life with God. This truth was our reasoning for choosing Fanny Crosby's hymn "Blessed Assurance" for Julie to walk down the aisle. An odd choice in the eyes of many, but the words beautifully expressed our sentiments that day:
"This is my story, this is my song. Praising my savior all the day long."
We felt our marriage was part of God's greater story, not only in our lives, but in the Kingdom of God. We felt that God would continue and multiply the good works he had started in each of our lives as we joined together. We wanted the day to be about him, and only about us in so far as our marriage was an expression of his faithfulness. And that is how we have tried to live as a married couple, failing often, but keeping that as our goal.
"This my story, this is my song. Praising my savior all the day long."
As people, our lives change often. We are taken to new places, we start new jobs, we are children, we have children, and the list goes on. But if you are baptized into the community of faith, then these events are all seen as merely parts of the continuous story of God's work in his kingdom. And the story will reach its climax when we depart from this world and are, together with all the saints, married to the lamb. This is why I want "Blessed Assurance" played at my funeral. But this time I will be walking down the aisle, with my wife and others beside me, as we approach Christ, our blessed bridegroom.
When Julie and I were married, we both were walking with God; therefore, our marriage did not begin a new life, but rather was a glorious continuation (and one of the finest expressions) of our life with God. This truth was our reasoning for choosing Fanny Crosby's hymn "Blessed Assurance" for Julie to walk down the aisle. An odd choice in the eyes of many, but the words beautifully expressed our sentiments that day:
"This is my story, this is my song. Praising my savior all the day long."
We felt our marriage was part of God's greater story, not only in our lives, but in the Kingdom of God. We felt that God would continue and multiply the good works he had started in each of our lives as we joined together. We wanted the day to be about him, and only about us in so far as our marriage was an expression of his faithfulness. And that is how we have tried to live as a married couple, failing often, but keeping that as our goal.
"This my story, this is my song. Praising my savior all the day long."
As people, our lives change often. We are taken to new places, we start new jobs, we are children, we have children, and the list goes on. But if you are baptized into the community of faith, then these events are all seen as merely parts of the continuous story of God's work in his kingdom. And the story will reach its climax when we depart from this world and are, together with all the saints, married to the lamb. This is why I want "Blessed Assurance" played at my funeral. But this time I will be walking down the aisle, with my wife and others beside me, as we approach Christ, our blessed bridegroom.
Monday, October 23, 2006
Parents and Friends
Please pardon my brief absence from these pages, and thanks to those who were kind enough to remind me of said absence by email (Randy ;)). My excuse is not so much busyness in my studies, though I cannot say I haven't been busy, as it is that my parents (known affectionately here as MMK and Jackie) were in town this weekend for a visit. If you will further pardon a bit of self indulgence, I'd like to relay the wonderful weekend we enjoyed together.
Lots of sight seeing (they saw Marquette's campus and Julie's hospital) in beautiful rainy Milwaukee. They also experienced winter a bit earlier than even they are used to in Iowa. My mother made the interesting comment one chilly night that she wouldn't think there would be many homeless people in Milwaukee in the winter. "Wouldn't you think," she pondered, "that they would make there way to some place warmer . . . like Kansas?" A good obervation Mom, though Kansas might not be the optium locale either, what with the wind storms and Kansas State sports. We also shared a lovely dinner at a fancy seafood restaraunt right on the river. (I promise Dad, we did not know the ridiculous prices before choosing the place.) I relate these anecdotes to share what occurred to me more than ever before this weekend, namely that one's relationship with one's parents changes over time.
When you are a baby, you depend on your parents for everything. Without their constant care, the fact is that you would die of any number of things, including starvation for food or love. When you get a little older, you depend on them less, but though you don't always like to admit it, the truth remains that without them, you would still be in trouble to care for yourself. Many children start distancing themselves in high school, spending less and less time at home and more and more time with friends. This prepares you for college when you truly are on your own, for the first time. But let's be honest, how many college kids can make it through those first few years without frequent visits and phone calls, advances on money, and the occassional load of laundry brought home? The truth is that it is not until you have graduated and are out in the real world that you can say you no longer fully depend on your parents.
I believe I am truly fortunate that I have two parents whom I never wanted to rebel against, with whom I didn't mind spending weekends in high school (though an occassional date would have been nice), and whom I loved to have visit me in college. My dad used to stop by my house every Wednesday and take me to Fazolis. He's the first one I told about my calling to ministry. My mom used to take me out to coffee every Thursday, where we would talk long and hard about how I had no clue what I wanted to do. After I graduated, I worked as a youth pastor at my local church and lived at home for six months. Though I feigned that it was "to save money," the truth is that I enjoyed it (and the occassional date would have still been nice).
It wasn't until I lit off for Kentucky that I felt that I was truly on my own. Not that they did not continue to support me with many phone calls, visits, money and prayers, but the fact was that I could no longer see them on a regular basis - and that was very hard. What I noticed then when I would go home for breaks, and what I realize now more than ever, is that the nature of our relationship had changed. But this was not a bad thing.
Instead of being the kid who slept in and who was taken care of all the time, I now interact with them as adults. This weekend, as always, we had the best conversations about life, theology, family, old friends, etc. My parents told me old stories about their lives that they never would have told me as a child. I notice my parents now looking to me for advice. I notice my parents allowing me to pay for dinner (occassionally). I notice my parents being our guests in our home (my dad even slept in). And it makes me proud that for all they have done for me, I can do small things for them.
It is true that it is hard to grow up (or as my dad once said: "It's old to get hard!"). You miss being a kid, having no responsibilities and having no worries, knowing that no matter what, your parents will be there to bail you out (in some cases literally). But it is so rewarding to experience an adult relationship with the people who raised you. To call them, not just your dad and mom, but your friends. My parents are my best friends, and I have truly enjoyed every stage of life we've been through together. I might even say that the current stage is the best - and maybe they all continue to get better.
But it remains true that, even with the changed relationship and the increased responsibilities, I know my parents will always be there to take care of me, and, if necessary, to bail me out. The only difference is that now I can be the same for them (and judging from some of their old stories, I might be called upon to do just that). And I would be more than willing to because, after all, they are my parents. And they are my friends.
Dad, next time the crab's on me!
Lots of sight seeing (they saw Marquette's campus and Julie's hospital) in beautiful rainy Milwaukee. They also experienced winter a bit earlier than even they are used to in Iowa. My mother made the interesting comment one chilly night that she wouldn't think there would be many homeless people in Milwaukee in the winter. "Wouldn't you think," she pondered, "that they would make there way to some place warmer . . . like Kansas?" A good obervation Mom, though Kansas might not be the optium locale either, what with the wind storms and Kansas State sports. We also shared a lovely dinner at a fancy seafood restaraunt right on the river. (I promise Dad, we did not know the ridiculous prices before choosing the place.) I relate these anecdotes to share what occurred to me more than ever before this weekend, namely that one's relationship with one's parents changes over time.
When you are a baby, you depend on your parents for everything. Without their constant care, the fact is that you would die of any number of things, including starvation for food or love. When you get a little older, you depend on them less, but though you don't always like to admit it, the truth remains that without them, you would still be in trouble to care for yourself. Many children start distancing themselves in high school, spending less and less time at home and more and more time with friends. This prepares you for college when you truly are on your own, for the first time. But let's be honest, how many college kids can make it through those first few years without frequent visits and phone calls, advances on money, and the occassional load of laundry brought home? The truth is that it is not until you have graduated and are out in the real world that you can say you no longer fully depend on your parents.
I believe I am truly fortunate that I have two parents whom I never wanted to rebel against, with whom I didn't mind spending weekends in high school (though an occassional date would have been nice), and whom I loved to have visit me in college. My dad used to stop by my house every Wednesday and take me to Fazolis. He's the first one I told about my calling to ministry. My mom used to take me out to coffee every Thursday, where we would talk long and hard about how I had no clue what I wanted to do. After I graduated, I worked as a youth pastor at my local church and lived at home for six months. Though I feigned that it was "to save money," the truth is that I enjoyed it (and the occassional date would have still been nice).
It wasn't until I lit off for Kentucky that I felt that I was truly on my own. Not that they did not continue to support me with many phone calls, visits, money and prayers, but the fact was that I could no longer see them on a regular basis - and that was very hard. What I noticed then when I would go home for breaks, and what I realize now more than ever, is that the nature of our relationship had changed. But this was not a bad thing.
Instead of being the kid who slept in and who was taken care of all the time, I now interact with them as adults. This weekend, as always, we had the best conversations about life, theology, family, old friends, etc. My parents told me old stories about their lives that they never would have told me as a child. I notice my parents now looking to me for advice. I notice my parents allowing me to pay for dinner (occassionally). I notice my parents being our guests in our home (my dad even slept in). And it makes me proud that for all they have done for me, I can do small things for them.
It is true that it is hard to grow up (or as my dad once said: "It's old to get hard!"). You miss being a kid, having no responsibilities and having no worries, knowing that no matter what, your parents will be there to bail you out (in some cases literally). But it is so rewarding to experience an adult relationship with the people who raised you. To call them, not just your dad and mom, but your friends. My parents are my best friends, and I have truly enjoyed every stage of life we've been through together. I might even say that the current stage is the best - and maybe they all continue to get better.
But it remains true that, even with the changed relationship and the increased responsibilities, I know my parents will always be there to take care of me, and, if necessary, to bail me out. The only difference is that now I can be the same for them (and judging from some of their old stories, I might be called upon to do just that). And I would be more than willing to because, after all, they are my parents. And they are my friends.
Dad, next time the crab's on me!
Sunday, October 15, 2006
A 50 Cent Gem
You can find an amazing wealth of materials in church library book sales. This is rather unfortunate in one sense because the sale of 'old, unread books' is likely occurring to make room for the newest fads and trends of the Christian living genre. In my opinion, these new trends don't hold a candle to the classics - the Henri Nouwens and the Thomas Mertons of the world. What was it someone once said: "If its right, its not new; if its new, its not right." It is fortunate, however because for those who are willing to take the time to wade through the piles, you can find some gems.
Our church was having one of these sales today so Julie and I stopped in after service. We found 9 books for the grand total of $4.50! One that I am especially excited about is called: Meditations with Meister Eckhart. Meister Eckhart was a thirteenth century mystic and theologian who wrote profound mediatations on creation, its fall and its redemption. I plan to read it with my quiet times, so this blog might feature a Meister Eckhart quotation from time to time. You have been forewarned. I'll leave you with one today:
"All hiding places reveal God. If you want to escape God, He runs into your lap. For, God is at home. It is we who have gone out for a walk."
Our church was having one of these sales today so Julie and I stopped in after service. We found 9 books for the grand total of $4.50! One that I am especially excited about is called: Meditations with Meister Eckhart. Meister Eckhart was a thirteenth century mystic and theologian who wrote profound mediatations on creation, its fall and its redemption. I plan to read it with my quiet times, so this blog might feature a Meister Eckhart quotation from time to time. You have been forewarned. I'll leave you with one today:
"All hiding places reveal God. If you want to escape God, He runs into your lap. For, God is at home. It is we who have gone out for a walk."
Friday, October 13, 2006
The True Image of God
Much is made these days, in both Christian and theist (those who believe in a higher being but not necessarily the Christian God) circles about human beings created in the image of God. I think that what is normally meant by people who say this is that we are created with a soul or perhaps intelligence, thus distinguishing us from animals or other parts of creation. However, as I read the Fathers of the church, and particularly a group of fourth century Fathers known as the Cappadocians, it is becoming clear that the early Christians had a different definition of the image of God, one that was rooted in the question of what it means to be a person. (What follows is a bit theological and philosophical, but I will try to put it into understandable terms for both my readers and myself.)
The Greek philosophers did not have a clearly defined notion of a person. The closest they came was a "unique collection of properties." Thus, I am a person - the specific person Jackson Lashier - because I am a male, white, have freckles, have a right leg that is a bit shorter than the left, and the like. Though there may be other white males with freckles, there is no one else who has the exact same set of properties or characteristics that I do. While Christians incorporated this definition into their work, they expanded upon it, developing, as it were, a new vocabulary and a new definition of person.
So, the divine persons can also be defined as unique collections of properties. The Father is the Father because he is uncreated, he is the creator, etc. The Son is the Son because he is the one through whom all is created and he is the one who came to earth. The Spirit is the Spirit because he proceeds from the Father and he gives spiritual gifts etc. Thus, they are distinguished one from another, just as I am distinguished from my wife because, among other things, I am a male and she is a female.
But here is where it gets good. The Fathers believed that these unique sets of properties, though adequate for distinguishing the different members of the Trinity, were inadequate for making them persons. They took another step. What makes the Father, Son and Holy Spirit persons is that they exist in eternal communion with one another. To quote a Father: "There is apprehended among these three a certain ineffable and inconceivable communion." This communion is what moves them from the abstract notion of a "unique set of properties" to a person, and what distinguishes a Christian from a non Christian view of person.
What this means, I think, for the truth that we are created in the image of God is that we too are created to be in communion with others! The image of God in us is not simply our mind or soul, because people with minds and souls can be profoundly isolated. It means that we are created for relationship, the same kind that the Trinity has experienced for eternity. This is not to say that if someone is isolated that they are therefore not a person, but it is to say that, apart from vital communion, the fullness of our personhood and the image of God in us is not fully realized. This isolated person is in need of salvation. This is why the church is so important, and why the Christian life can never be simply "just God and me." The church puts us in communion with others and with the Trinity. Therefore, a crucial part of the salvation process is not simply "asking Jesus into one's heart," it's getting truly connected with others (Is it any wonder that the central act of the church is communion?)
This is the profound truth embedded in the words of Genesis 1:26, the key image of God text, which reads: "The God said, 'Let US make man in OUR image, according to OUR likeness.'" And when he creates, what does he create, but a communion: "male and female He created them" (Gen 1:27).
I hope that I have somewhat articulated the profound truth that I am currently working through. If you want a much better discussion of the same idea, check out Dennis Kinlaw's book, Let's Start With Jesus. Besides being profound, it is extremely readable and accessible. I believe chapter 3 targets this issue.
The Greek philosophers did not have a clearly defined notion of a person. The closest they came was a "unique collection of properties." Thus, I am a person - the specific person Jackson Lashier - because I am a male, white, have freckles, have a right leg that is a bit shorter than the left, and the like. Though there may be other white males with freckles, there is no one else who has the exact same set of properties or characteristics that I do. While Christians incorporated this definition into their work, they expanded upon it, developing, as it were, a new vocabulary and a new definition of person.
So, the divine persons can also be defined as unique collections of properties. The Father is the Father because he is uncreated, he is the creator, etc. The Son is the Son because he is the one through whom all is created and he is the one who came to earth. The Spirit is the Spirit because he proceeds from the Father and he gives spiritual gifts etc. Thus, they are distinguished one from another, just as I am distinguished from my wife because, among other things, I am a male and she is a female.
But here is where it gets good. The Fathers believed that these unique sets of properties, though adequate for distinguishing the different members of the Trinity, were inadequate for making them persons. They took another step. What makes the Father, Son and Holy Spirit persons is that they exist in eternal communion with one another. To quote a Father: "There is apprehended among these three a certain ineffable and inconceivable communion." This communion is what moves them from the abstract notion of a "unique set of properties" to a person, and what distinguishes a Christian from a non Christian view of person.
What this means, I think, for the truth that we are created in the image of God is that we too are created to be in communion with others! The image of God in us is not simply our mind or soul, because people with minds and souls can be profoundly isolated. It means that we are created for relationship, the same kind that the Trinity has experienced for eternity. This is not to say that if someone is isolated that they are therefore not a person, but it is to say that, apart from vital communion, the fullness of our personhood and the image of God in us is not fully realized. This isolated person is in need of salvation. This is why the church is so important, and why the Christian life can never be simply "just God and me." The church puts us in communion with others and with the Trinity. Therefore, a crucial part of the salvation process is not simply "asking Jesus into one's heart," it's getting truly connected with others (Is it any wonder that the central act of the church is communion?)
This is the profound truth embedded in the words of Genesis 1:26, the key image of God text, which reads: "The God said, 'Let US make man in OUR image, according to OUR likeness.'" And when he creates, what does he create, but a communion: "male and female He created them" (Gen 1:27).
I hope that I have somewhat articulated the profound truth that I am currently working through. If you want a much better discussion of the same idea, check out Dennis Kinlaw's book, Let's Start With Jesus. Besides being profound, it is extremely readable and accessible. I believe chapter 3 targets this issue.
Wednesday, October 11, 2006
Insights on Psalm 51
In the previous post, I discussed the positives and potential negatives of Scripture memorization. I received some excellent comments on each side of the issue, particularly from those indicating what incredible insights can come from Scripture memorization. As I have started memorizing Psalm 51, I have experienced some of these new insights of which many of you spoke, and I thought I would share them.
1. Psalm 51:1: "Be gracious to me, O God, according to your lovingkindness." This word lovingkindness is very prominent in the Old Testament and it is used to translate the Hebrew word which indicated God's covenant faithfulness. And if we see anything from the story of Israel, we see that God is faithful to his covenant even when his people are not. We call on God, here, to be gracious to us, not according to the good we have done, but according to HIS faithfulness. I don't deserve it, but I know that God will be gracious to me because he is faithful despite what I do.
2. Psalm 51:5-6: "Behold I was brought forth in iniquity and in sin my mother conceived me. Behold you desire truth in the innermost being and in the hidden part you will make me know wisdom." This verse indicates the predicament that we are all in, that we have been born into original sin, that we are sinners from birth. Many times, and I speak for myself here, I like to hide behind this. To justify my sin, in other words, because I can't help it. But notice how the Psalmist David does not stop at the truth of original sin, but continues on to where God is wanting to bring us - into truth and wisdom. Sin is our problem but it doesn't have to be our reality, for God desires us to know truth and to know wisdom. What is interesting about this "wisdom" is that the Fathers universally saw Wisdom as a name for Christ. So John's Gospel starts: "In the beginning was the Word." This Word (logos) is actually the Greek masculine form of sophia (the word translated from the Greek Psalm 51 as wisdom). Psalm 51 is saying that God desires us to know Christ in the innermost part. Wow!
3. Psalm 51:14: "Restore to me the joy of your salvation." I believe that as I read this Psalm in the past, I always thought or assumed that the "your" in this verse was actually "my" - restore to me the joy of my salvation. There might even be a praise chorus of this song which uses my. What is interesting to me is that David is asking God to give him joy of the Lord's salvation. The emphasis, in other words, is not on David's salvation, but on the Lord's salvation of all of creation, and David is a part of that. How often we reduce things to individual truths (God and me), when the biblical perspective is communal truths (God and us).
These are just a few of the insights that have come to me while memorizing this Psalm. It has been quite an exercise and what I like most about it is that I find Scripture reverberating in my head as I walk around, instead of the normal Seinfeld, baseball, One Crazy Summer junk that is often not productive. My prayer is that the development of this discipline in my life will be used by God to help me to know Wisdom in the hidden part.
1. Psalm 51:1: "Be gracious to me, O God, according to your lovingkindness." This word lovingkindness is very prominent in the Old Testament and it is used to translate the Hebrew word which indicated God's covenant faithfulness. And if we see anything from the story of Israel, we see that God is faithful to his covenant even when his people are not. We call on God, here, to be gracious to us, not according to the good we have done, but according to HIS faithfulness. I don't deserve it, but I know that God will be gracious to me because he is faithful despite what I do.
2. Psalm 51:5-6: "Behold I was brought forth in iniquity and in sin my mother conceived me. Behold you desire truth in the innermost being and in the hidden part you will make me know wisdom." This verse indicates the predicament that we are all in, that we have been born into original sin, that we are sinners from birth. Many times, and I speak for myself here, I like to hide behind this. To justify my sin, in other words, because I can't help it. But notice how the Psalmist David does not stop at the truth of original sin, but continues on to where God is wanting to bring us - into truth and wisdom. Sin is our problem but it doesn't have to be our reality, for God desires us to know truth and to know wisdom. What is interesting about this "wisdom" is that the Fathers universally saw Wisdom as a name for Christ. So John's Gospel starts: "In the beginning was the Word." This Word (logos) is actually the Greek masculine form of sophia (the word translated from the Greek Psalm 51 as wisdom). Psalm 51 is saying that God desires us to know Christ in the innermost part. Wow!
3. Psalm 51:14: "Restore to me the joy of your salvation." I believe that as I read this Psalm in the past, I always thought or assumed that the "your" in this verse was actually "my" - restore to me the joy of my salvation. There might even be a praise chorus of this song which uses my. What is interesting to me is that David is asking God to give him joy of the Lord's salvation. The emphasis, in other words, is not on David's salvation, but on the Lord's salvation of all of creation, and David is a part of that. How often we reduce things to individual truths (God and me), when the biblical perspective is communal truths (God and us).
These are just a few of the insights that have come to me while memorizing this Psalm. It has been quite an exercise and what I like most about it is that I find Scripture reverberating in my head as I walk around, instead of the normal Seinfeld, baseball, One Crazy Summer junk that is often not productive. My prayer is that the development of this discipline in my life will be used by God to help me to know Wisdom in the hidden part.
Thursday, October 05, 2006
An Overlooked Discipline
I have a confession to make. I've never been a big fan of Scripture memorization. I've done my fair share of it - though, truth be told, I've likely forgotten about as much as I've 'memorized' - but something always seemed wrong about it to me. I've heard the case for it, Scripture says to "hide the Word in your heart" and such, but to me, memorizing one verse out of Deuteronomy did not equate to hiding the Word in your heart.
When I got to Seminary, I found a concept for my anxst. It's called "prooftexting." Simply defined, this is the process of yanking one verse out of Scripture to back up some argument. More often than not, however, the verse is pulled out of context and used to defend something that has nothing to do with the actual verse. Prooftexting is fairly rampant among Christians these days, lay people and clergy alike. You hear people using "the Bible says" as a trump card for anything they like. I heard it all the time in my classroom at Lexington Christian Academy - often it was the boys quoting a verse out of 1 Timothy or Ephesians to tell a girl to be quiet. I've heard preachers quote verses to argue a point that is actually the exact opposite of what the verse is saying in its context. I'm almost convinced that if we tried hard enough, we could use the Bible to prove that Rumsfeld was in fact the second shooter on the grassy knoll. Such practices cheapen the richness of the Word, make it a punchline for jokes, and usually enforce some of the Christian stereotypes that I have spent the past few years trying to dispell.
For several years, I felt that the practice of memorizing Scripture actually encouraged this sort of flippant use of Scripture. After all, no one ever memorizes an entire book, and frequently, those who memorize small verses actually have no clue of where that verse falls in the larger story. I grew so skeptical of it that, last year at LCA, I downgraded Scripture memorization from crucial part of the grade to extra credit (that is until I was politely informed of the policies).
At the same time that my disgust was high, I continued to have great admiration for people who prayed or spoke in Scripture; people who would not use Scripture as a licence to hurt or a trump card, but who knew Scripture so well that their speech was literally peppered with it. JD Walt, my pastor at Asbury, was one of these people. In our visits, he would frequently recite a Psalm in answer to a question or dilemna I was having. And I was always comforted by the words. This was one person who truly had hidden the Word in his heart and it showed in his life.
I have been ruminating on this question for some time now and have decided that Scripture memorization can be a wonderful discipline and an excellent way to grow in holiness, so long as the dangers of "prooftexting" are avoided. I have decided that the way to avoid prooftexting, in my own developing discipline of memorization, is to focus on the Psalms. The Psalms are short, relatively easy to memorize in whole, and they were written for any situation. The fact is that you don't have to worry about placing Psalms in context because they all revolve around praise - and praise can and should be done in any situation.
I've started with Psalm 51 because it is one that I already know fairly well. Julie is starting with me and it has led to some poignant moments of reciting Scripture out loud together. I'm excited to see where this journey of "hiding the Word in our hearts" will take us. More details to come. I'd also be interested in hearing any of my reader's thoughts or stories on this discipline.
When I got to Seminary, I found a concept for my anxst. It's called "prooftexting." Simply defined, this is the process of yanking one verse out of Scripture to back up some argument. More often than not, however, the verse is pulled out of context and used to defend something that has nothing to do with the actual verse. Prooftexting is fairly rampant among Christians these days, lay people and clergy alike. You hear people using "the Bible says" as a trump card for anything they like. I heard it all the time in my classroom at Lexington Christian Academy - often it was the boys quoting a verse out of 1 Timothy or Ephesians to tell a girl to be quiet. I've heard preachers quote verses to argue a point that is actually the exact opposite of what the verse is saying in its context. I'm almost convinced that if we tried hard enough, we could use the Bible to prove that Rumsfeld was in fact the second shooter on the grassy knoll. Such practices cheapen the richness of the Word, make it a punchline for jokes, and usually enforce some of the Christian stereotypes that I have spent the past few years trying to dispell.
For several years, I felt that the practice of memorizing Scripture actually encouraged this sort of flippant use of Scripture. After all, no one ever memorizes an entire book, and frequently, those who memorize small verses actually have no clue of where that verse falls in the larger story. I grew so skeptical of it that, last year at LCA, I downgraded Scripture memorization from crucial part of the grade to extra credit (that is until I was politely informed of the policies).
At the same time that my disgust was high, I continued to have great admiration for people who prayed or spoke in Scripture; people who would not use Scripture as a licence to hurt or a trump card, but who knew Scripture so well that their speech was literally peppered with it. JD Walt, my pastor at Asbury, was one of these people. In our visits, he would frequently recite a Psalm in answer to a question or dilemna I was having. And I was always comforted by the words. This was one person who truly had hidden the Word in his heart and it showed in his life.
I have been ruminating on this question for some time now and have decided that Scripture memorization can be a wonderful discipline and an excellent way to grow in holiness, so long as the dangers of "prooftexting" are avoided. I have decided that the way to avoid prooftexting, in my own developing discipline of memorization, is to focus on the Psalms. The Psalms are short, relatively easy to memorize in whole, and they were written for any situation. The fact is that you don't have to worry about placing Psalms in context because they all revolve around praise - and praise can and should be done in any situation.
I've started with Psalm 51 because it is one that I already know fairly well. Julie is starting with me and it has led to some poignant moments of reciting Scripture out loud together. I'm excited to see where this journey of "hiding the Word in our hearts" will take us. More details to come. I'd also be interested in hearing any of my reader's thoughts or stories on this discipline.
Tuesday, October 03, 2006
The Holy Heretics
One of the curious details of church history is how surprisingly nasty some of our Fathers got in arguing against and denouncing those who later came to be known as "heretics" (those whose theological beliefs are inconsistent with Scripture and Tradition). A short example, the fifth century Father Cyril of Alexandria arguing against his nemesis Nestorius says of him: "What a servile mentality from a crazed brain that knows how to do nothing else but gabble." The scholarly euphemism for this style of writing is "polemics." Most of us might just say, "well that's pretty rude."
Of course the outcome of these "polemics" for the heretic is the dreaded "anathema," which means "let them be cursed." In other words, if you don't believe what we believe, you are cursed. A surprising amount of anathemas find there way into our creeds. We don't speak them on Sunday mornings, but historically they are there.
I am a firm believer that the Holy Spirit was present in the shaping of tradition, and the forming of the creeds, and that the Spirit indeed led the church into the right beliefs. I do believe, for example, that Cyril got it right and Nestorius got it wrong. The problem I am having is that, as I read some of these "heretics," I realize that they seem to have achieved a level of holiness that, at this point in my life, I could only hope for some distant day. Take the following quote from our old friend Jacob of Serug - denounced by the church as a heretic in the fifth century:
"O! hidden Word, which came down to the earth openly, give me of your wealth, that I may impart it amongst the poor. Lord most high, my mouth is insufficient for your praise: make a new mouth for me that it may proclaim your songs."
And this is just a sample . . . yet, the church has lost these writings because he has officially been declared "anathema." So the question is, what happened to Jacob? Because he got one thing wrong, was he malformed? Can you be mistaken in belief and yet still be formed after the character of Christ? Do you have to get every detail right to have the blood of Jesus cover you? And if you say no, where do we draw the line? Do those who don't believe Jesus is divine, for example, pass?
These are just thoughts that I am pondering as I am introduced to those outside the official walls of orthodoxy who seem to have figured out holiness in a way I - being on the inside of those walls - have not yet.
Of course the outcome of these "polemics" for the heretic is the dreaded "anathema," which means "let them be cursed." In other words, if you don't believe what we believe, you are cursed. A surprising amount of anathemas find there way into our creeds. We don't speak them on Sunday mornings, but historically they are there.
I am a firm believer that the Holy Spirit was present in the shaping of tradition, and the forming of the creeds, and that the Spirit indeed led the church into the right beliefs. I do believe, for example, that Cyril got it right and Nestorius got it wrong. The problem I am having is that, as I read some of these "heretics," I realize that they seem to have achieved a level of holiness that, at this point in my life, I could only hope for some distant day. Take the following quote from our old friend Jacob of Serug - denounced by the church as a heretic in the fifth century:
"O! hidden Word, which came down to the earth openly, give me of your wealth, that I may impart it amongst the poor. Lord most high, my mouth is insufficient for your praise: make a new mouth for me that it may proclaim your songs."
And this is just a sample . . . yet, the church has lost these writings because he has officially been declared "anathema." So the question is, what happened to Jacob? Because he got one thing wrong, was he malformed? Can you be mistaken in belief and yet still be formed after the character of Christ? Do you have to get every detail right to have the blood of Jesus cover you? And if you say no, where do we draw the line? Do those who don't believe Jesus is divine, for example, pass?
These are just thoughts that I am pondering as I am introduced to those outside the official walls of orthodoxy who seem to have figured out holiness in a way I - being on the inside of those walls - have not yet.
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