Monday, September 27, 2010
"Short History of Nearly Everything"
I just created a new page (above) consisting of the entire introduction to Bill Bryson's recent book, "A Short History of Nearly Everything." What is faith? Science, pursued with wonder and curiosity can be the fertile ground where mustard seeds of faith take root. Enjoy, Will
Sept. 27 - Oct 3, 2010 "What is Faith?"
Monday September 27, 2010
Someone asked me a while back, what is faith? That may seem like a such a basic question, but it is a good one. Is it the same as belief? Is it the opposite of doubt? Is it trust? If I have faith in God, what do I do when doubt creeps in? And where does it come from, how do you get it? Surely you’ve heard of people losing it. What then? All of the scriptures for Sunday touch on it. Let’s take a look.
Background on this weeks readings:
Psalm 137- “By the waters of Babylon...”
You have surely heard the song, “By the waters of Babylon...” Well here’s where it comes from. This is a lament set in the time after the devastating experience of 587BCE. In that year the Babylonian army swept into Jerusalem, destroyed the city, the temple and everything that the Hebrew people held dear, and took all the leaders, skilled labourers and others into exile in Babylon. They were a people in exile, serving their conquerors. They were devastated. Had they been abandoned by God? The centre had not held. “How could we sing the Lord’s song in a strange land?” And in the last few lines of the psalm, their lament turns to revenge. Anyone ever felt that rise within? Anyone ever seen it in the world? Have they lost their faith?
2 Timothy 1:1-14 “Faith lies within us. How does it get there?”
http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=2 Timothy+1&version=MSG
You might try reading this from “The Message” (above second url) paraphrased by Eugene Peterson. Here the writer writing in the name of Paul writes to Timothy urging him to hold fast to the faith he has been given, and has shown in his life and vocation. This is a tender appeal rooted in both a love of Timothy and a deep respect for the way faith has been planted and grown in him. This reading offers a respect for the way faith comes to us, settles in us, emerges in our lives. Our mothers and fathers in faith are part of that, and there is some greater mystery at work.
Luke 17:5-10
So, here’s the thing. This gospel reading contains two parts. In the first part Jesus responds to the disciple’s plea to “increase our faith,” as if faith were some kind of commodity and more is better. Jesus responds with the assurance that they have a tiny but powerful grain of faith (a mustard seed), and as grandma used to say, “a little dabb’ll do ya.” Then he moves to the image of slaves and a master. Here he seems to be addressing the disciples expectation that faith has external rewards, that acting in faith will get them something. But as any parent will tell you, at a certain point maturity requires that the choices we make have internal rewards, that the rightness of them be enough, that living in faith is the very thing that makes living in faith rewarding.
Some thoughts
What is faith? In a chapter in his book “The Heart of Christianity,” Marcus Borg talks about several ways of conceiving of faith. These include faith as assent to beliefs and doctrines, faith as engaging in religious practises, and faith as trusting in a relationship. The mustard seed faith that Jesus identifies in the disciples seems to be the trust kind. Trust is such a critical element in any relationship, and faith conceived as trust means everything to a Christian life. We know this in our families, in our marriages, in our vocational work, when trust is shaken, everything gets shaken, and when trust is gone, it is hard to get it back. Faith in a God who is somehow with us- faith in a world that God inhabits, that trust is at the core of the Christian Way.
But as the psalm writer shows, and Paul alludes to, “holding fast”, is not always easy. Despair creeps in during hard times. Trusting in the essential goodness of life does not protect us from suffering, even devastation.
So why trust when there are no guarantees? And the evangelical atheists of today would say, why trust a God for whom science has no empirical evidence, and why follow a religious system which, when pushed, so often turns violent (Psalm 137)? Our response to these questions goes to the very heart of our faith. How would you respond?
Starter questions:
1. Who are the people who have demonstrated faith to you? What difference did it make in their lives? Who are your “mothers and grandmothers” (2Timothy) in the faith?
2. In Psalm 137 the lament is deep and soul wrenching. How has your faith fared in soul wrenching times?
3. How do you live well without guarantees in life? Does trusting in God, in a “more” as Borg would say, make a difference to the quality of character you bring to life? How?
4. Some would discredit a pursuit of faith with science or by pointing at violent parts of the bible or violent practitioners of faith? How do you respond?
Further Exploring:
I am going to try to post the introduction to Bill Bryson’s recent book, A Short History of Nearly Everything. Great book. Buy it. Read it. Wonder at how deeper scientific knowledge can instil wonder and faith.
Wednesday, September 22, 2010
Sept 20-26, 2010
Wednesday September 22, 2010
Apologies for my late post this week. I will get the posts out sooner. In this busy time as fall program in church, school and community begins, the scriptures are very rich for reflection. Jeremiah offers hope for restoration, the Psalm assures us that, though peril may surround, God is very close, bearing us up, and the gospel reading jostles us with the story of the rich man and Lazarus.
Background on this weeks readings:
Jeremiah 32: 1-3(a), 6-15
I love this story. It is such a window into the time and the place of Jeremiah. Here we have Jeremiah under arrest for agitating against the King. (Read the excluded verses 3(b)-5 for the details) The Babylonian army is on the doorstep and Jeremiah believes that unless the powers, ie. King and Temple, change their ways, God will not protect them from the power to the north. The king has had enough of his agitating, and is trying to silence him. But even in silence, Jeremiah finds a way to bring hope by demonstrating his commitment to the covenant. He buys a field from his cousin just north of Jerusalem at Anathoth. This is right on the path that the Babylonians would take to destroy Jerusalem. He is staking a claim, literally, on the faithfulness of God. He is saying, even if the King will not listen, even if the Babylonian army invades, even if disaster strikes, God will always be with us. Someday God will restore the people to the land, and “houses and fields and vineyards will be bought in this land.”
Psalm 91
God is our protector! That is the assertion of Psalm 91. “God is my refuge and my fortress.” These are strong images of protection in the midst of mortal threat.
I am of two minds on Psalm 91. I worry about a theology that says, if I am faithful to God, nothing bad will happen to me (it will not come near to you even if it comes near to others vs.7). There is real danger here because disaster does come, and when it does, by this theology we are left with two possible conclusions: either we have not been faithful, or God is mean. As well, it leads to a reverse theology that judges victims as somehow deserving of what happened to them. These are my reservations about the theology of Psalm 91.
However, as a song of the faith, sung in adversity, it is a plea for God to remain close, and asserts that, ultimately, God will be faithful and “raise us up.” It has functioned as great comfort to the afflicted, and I can sing it from that place with a whole heart.
Luke 16:19-31
Further to the theme of bad things happening to good people, we have the story of the rich man and Lazarus. Before anybody gets too literal about this story, remember, IT’S A STORY! Scene 1, set on earth, has a rich man ignoring the poor Lazarus suffering at his gate. Scene 2, set in the afterlife, has a huge reversal of fortunes with the rich man suffering in Hades while Lazarus goes to be with Abraham and all the faithful. And even when a plea is made to the great ancestor Abraham, there is no mercy to all who “Have Abraham and the prophets but won’t listen to them.” Is there no mercy?
Now it needs to be said, this is not a debate about what happens after you die. This is a debate that Jesus is engaging with the Pharisees and others who believe that if you are doing well in this life, that is an indication that you are in God’s favour. It is classic prosperity theology and Jesus is opposed. Material wealth and privilege is no indication of divine favour or judgement. Rather we are challenged to bridge the gap and be compassionate kin irrespective of the gaps of wealth, race, or any other characteristic that threatens to separate us one from another
Some thoughts
Here at Northwood we frequently have people sleeping under the eaves, behind the house, or sheltered in some other way on the property. It is tempting to cast this reality as a security issue, and we do need to be careful about needles and other dangers. I would rather cast it as a homelessness issue, but I am challenged by it. After all, it is not an issue at all, but an experience of people, real people who are cold, wet, struggling with a dazzling mix of life circumstances.
The challenge is clear. On this Christian path we are called to bridge the gap between us and every other human being, and that is not a mental, physical and emotional gap, but a financial one. We of the North and the West have so much in common with the rich man and feel the gap with from that angle.
Starter questions:
1. Where do you see yourself in this reading? Do you have experiences like those of Lazarus, or the rich man?
2. Jeremiah claims there is hope even when the evidence is pointing to hopelessness. He stakes a claim on it. That takes faith and courage. Any examples you can think of? Any times you’ve found yourself stepping out on a limb?
3. The rich man is told that his family doesn’t need a messenger because they already have the prophets who carry the same message of compassion. Do we have prophets? Are we listening to them?
Further Exploring:
Tuesday, September 14, 2010
Sept. 13-19
Tuesday September 14, 2010
Background on this weeks readings:
Jeremiah 8:18-9:1 Jeremiah’s Lament
Here we have the prophet pouring his heart out in lament over the suffering of the people. Writing as he was after the fall of the northern kingdom of Israel, but before the fall of the southern kingdom of Judah in 586BCE, he is calling the nation back to faithful devotion to God and asserting that their future survival depends on it. Clearly, his heart is broken for the state of the nation and the people.
1 Timothy 2:1-7 Pray for your leaders
Here we have a snippet from the writer of 1 Timothy using language similar to that of Paul, but sounding more blunt and less nuanced than I believe Paul would ever sound. Biblical Scholar John D Crossan would say that of the three voices of Paul found in the work attributed to him, the radical Paul, the Conservative Paul and the reactionary Paul, this would be the reactionary Paul. The first section of this reading calls for prayer for the Kings and other leaders. As kind as this may be, I get the sense that this sentiment replaces a more radical sentiment that would have the early Christians opposing the secular authorities on behalf of the gospel. Thus opens a whole can of worms.
Luke 16:1-13 The Parable of the dishonest manager
Finally, the gospel reading offers us one of the most troublesome parables of Jesus. A manager gets caught skimming and squandering, is given notice to clear off his desk and be gone. Thinking ahead, before he leaves, he goes around and curries favours from all the clients, hoping to take care of his suddenly shaky future. According to verse 8-12, the moral of the story is, our future is kind of shaky, so be shrewd in this life to gain favours for the next one. Interestingly though, in verse 13 and following, though not directly addressing the earlier point, may actually lead us to a more central point. What about serving two masters? How many of us are “lovers of money?” (vs 14) Here I think we are getting to the main point. The one who appears to be the scoundrel in his use of money may be no more a scoundrel that the rest of us respectable folk who, when push comes to shove, are serving two masters and have no more clear motives than the scoundrel in the parable. Our very discomfort with the parable may well reveal how important money is to us.
Some thoughts
I plan to focus on the Jeremiah and the Luke readings this week. The outpouring of Jeremiah’s heart is hard to resist. His question: “Is there a Balm in Gilead?” moves me. Is there no cure for the deep malaise of the people? How many situations give rise to such lament within our hearts: oil gushes into the Gulf of Mexico, we remember 9-11 while a pastor from the south calls for the burning of the Qur’an, thousands struggle in Pakistan.
Then, I turn to the gospel reading and the tangles we humans get ourselves into over money. Is there a balm, a healing salve for the brokenness of materialism? Does the Christian Way offer anything that might cure our love of money?
Starter questions:
1. As your read Jeremiah’s lament, what situations come to you that bring forth similar lamentation? If you were to offer a prayer, naming the brokenness that most speaks to your heart in our day, what would that prayer include?
2. What is your initial reaction to the gospel reading? How do you feel about these words and this story coming out of Jesus’ mouth?
3. The gospel reading is really calling us to focus on our loyalty. The love of money is the problem. Expecting money to save us is the problem. To what degree have you placed your trust in the monetary system, RRSPs, investments, the stock market, to sustain your life? What else do you place your trust in?
Further Exploring:
1. From Christian Century: “Shrewd investment” by Jennifer Copeland http://www.religion-online.org/showarticle.asp?title=3120
2. “Watermelon Rugby with the Shrewd Manager” by Alyce McKenzie http://www.patheos.com/community/mainlineportal/2010/09/12/watermelon-rugby-with-the-shrewd-manager-lectionary-reflection-on-luke-161-13-september-192010/
Thursday, September 9, 2010
Sept. 6-12, 2010
Thursday September 9, 2010
This Sunday marks the beginning of a new season in the life of Northwood. Fall activities are starting up, school is back in session, and many people are back from summer holidays. Welcome back folks.
Although the lectionary includes four scriptures for this Sunday, we will be focussing on only one of them, the gospel reading.
Luke 15:1-10 “The parables of the lost sheep and the lost coin”
Our reading opens in controversy. Tax collectors and sinners (a great catch-all category that then referred to all those outside the religious and cultural community) were attracted to Jesus and the powers that be were not impressed. Looks like a teachable moment to Jesus. So he offers two parables: the lost sheep and the lost coin.
Although it is not included in today’s reading, this reading is part of a larger section which includes a third parable, the prodigal son. Taken together these reading are all about being lost, being found, about the gracious and unrestrained commitment God has to us as we wander away, and the uncontainable joy at the heart of God when we return.
Jesus begins with a question: “which of you…” does not abandon the majority in search of the one who is lost (lost sheep, lost coin, lost child). Well sadly the answer in our culture, more often than not is, not me! Why would I risk the ninety nine for the sake of the one? Why would I risk nine coins for the sake of finding one? Cut your losses. Don’t throw good money after bad. These stories challenge us to look at how much we hold on to what we have out of fear of losing it, and how reticent we are to risk for the sake of those who are lost.
In God’s great economy, every single one is valuable.
Starter questions:
1. Where do you see yourself in this reading? Have you ever been the one lost? Are you one willing to risk it all for the sake of a lost one?
2. Where do you see a “cut your losses” approach operating in your world/ your life?
3. What is Jesus trying to say about the way the heart of God works?
This Sunday marks the beginning of a new season in the life of Northwood. Fall activities are starting up, school is back in session, and many people are back from summer holidays. Welcome back folks.
Although the lectionary includes four scriptures for this Sunday, we will be focussing on only one of them, the gospel reading.
Luke 15:1-10 “The parables of the lost sheep and the lost coin”
Our reading opens in controversy. Tax collectors and sinners (a great catch-all category that then referred to all those outside the religious and cultural community) were attracted to Jesus and the powers that be were not impressed. Looks like a teachable moment to Jesus. So he offers two parables: the lost sheep and the lost coin.
Although it is not included in today’s reading, this reading is part of a larger section which includes a third parable, the prodigal son. Taken together these reading are all about being lost, being found, about the gracious and unrestrained commitment God has to us as we wander away, and the uncontainable joy at the heart of God when we return.
Jesus begins with a question: “which of you…” does not abandon the majority in search of the one who is lost (lost sheep, lost coin, lost child). Well sadly the answer in our culture, more often than not is, not me! Why would I risk the ninety nine for the sake of the one? Why would I risk nine coins for the sake of finding one? Cut your losses. Don’t throw good money after bad. These stories challenge us to look at how much we hold on to what we have out of fear of losing it, and how reticent we are to risk for the sake of those who are lost.
In God’s great economy, every single one is valuable.
Starter questions:
1. Where do you see yourself in this reading? Have you ever been the one lost? Are you one willing to risk it all for the sake of a lost one?
2. Where do you see a “cut your losses” approach operating in your world/ your life?
3. What is Jesus trying to say about the way the heart of God works?
Welcome
Welcome to “A Word in the World” I am so glad you are here.
It has long been a dream of mine to engage in conversation locally and globally using the scriptures as a basis for discussion. Well friends, here is an opportunity for that dream to become a reality! This is a grand experiment and you are invited to be part of it.
The scriptures for Sunday are our starting place, and from there, God only knows where the discussion will go. I commit to posting the readings and some background on Monday for the upcoming week. From there, it is up to you. All I ask is that discussion be rooted in a deep respect for the presence of the Holy yourself, in all who join in the discussion, and in those who hold these texts dear.
If you live in the Surrey, Langley area, you are also invited to come to Northwood United Church on Thursday morning at 10:30am and join in a face to face discussion of these same scriptures, or to gather at Northwood on Thursday evening at 6:00pm over a light potluck supper for further face to face conversation.
If you are from another part of the world, please let us know where you are from. Interpretation of these texts is utterly contextual. Where we are from makes all the difference. One of the gifts of doing this online is the opportunity to see these sacred texts as others see them in other contexts in the world.
So welcome to the conversation. May it be filled with Spirit and Life.
Grace and Peace, Will
It has long been a dream of mine to engage in conversation locally and globally using the scriptures as a basis for discussion. Well friends, here is an opportunity for that dream to become a reality! This is a grand experiment and you are invited to be part of it.
The scriptures for Sunday are our starting place, and from there, God only knows where the discussion will go. I commit to posting the readings and some background on Monday for the upcoming week. From there, it is up to you. All I ask is that discussion be rooted in a deep respect for the presence of the Holy yourself, in all who join in the discussion, and in those who hold these texts dear.
If you live in the Surrey, Langley area, you are also invited to come to Northwood United Church on Thursday morning at 10:30am and join in a face to face discussion of these same scriptures, or to gather at Northwood on Thursday evening at 6:00pm over a light potluck supper for further face to face conversation.
If you are from another part of the world, please let us know where you are from. Interpretation of these texts is utterly contextual. Where we are from makes all the difference. One of the gifts of doing this online is the opportunity to see these sacred texts as others see them in other contexts in the world.
So welcome to the conversation. May it be filled with Spirit and Life.
Grace and Peace, Will
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