A history of God, Karen Armstrong

A few thoughts...

 

I'm reminded more and more when ever I read about the construction of the doctrine of the Trinity, especially about poor Arius (pg 127-128): how fickle language is, that much of the trinity is built around metaphors. Reading "A History of God", brought home to me that Christianity had no real doctrine if anything up to 300AD it was rather laissez fair. Yes scripture was important but the way it fitted together, the systemisation was not there.

The teaching of Allan Hirsch during my time at Forge. Hirschy stated that Christianity's greatest growth was during the that time of persecution. I wonder if also the un-systemisation of scripture also had an influence? I suspect so.

 

Weekend away with Solace

 

This weekend we have been away to Solace church camp at Sorrento. Its a community which Christina and I certainly identify with. The last few days confirmed why. The whole idea of accepting people be it with health issues, sexual orientation, or unorthodox beliefs. It is a safe community where the centre set model of which I loved talking about in the Vineyard Church actually exists!

We finished up the weekend with 'Clean up Australia' day down on the Serreneto foreshore. The environment and God is certainly high on my agenda as a Christian.

After the Vineyard there was for us a bit of a feeling that we had left home, through moving in a different direction. Now traveling with Solace for well over a year I think we have found a new home.

 

 

Mumford and Sons, lyrics and a shared history

Listening to Mumford and Sons has been a reflective time for me. The lyrics and the music get me every-time.

There are a few websites out there that reflect on the lyrics; there seems to be a concensus that the lyrics come from classic liturature, with a constant theme of loss. Be it drugs, alcohol, a love; or somthing Spiritual. It all comes down to the interpretation and background of the listener.

I go for the Spiritual interpretation. For Marcus the lead singer again this is open to interpretation but for him growing up in the Vineyard church, and his parents been the equivelent of 'bishops' in England; we have some overlap. In the some way we were in the same 'The family'.

I suspect been born in California he would have visited and even been a member with his parents at Vineyard churches in the States. He probably went to the big churches in Anaheim and Lancaster. While there sung songs by Kevin Prosch (I see a lot in common with Kevin), Andy Hunter, Cindy Rethmeier. He may have sung in the 'Tongues of angels', raising his hands and putting on the equivalent face.

I suspect that Marcus was in a 'Worship band' growing up. He probably learnt the trade of musician ship, moving a crowd in this environment.

Maybe leaders would have gathered his family together, the likes of John Wimber, Carl Tuttle would have said prophetic words and healing over them.

The lyrics appear to make sense when I reflect on his probable past. His stardom now and the equivalent life.

I suppose I see what has been rejected, I can empathize with it. I can also empathize with the lyrics that there is hope; faith is still there but to find it you need a blank canvas and the real possibility that you will never go back to 'The family'. But in the process you may find something even more real.

 

Guns swimming and church

Guns have been a bit of a discussion in swimming and olympic circles the last couple of days as D'arcy and Monk were snapped in some 'Chopper' like poses.

Australians should remember that America has a strong gun culture.

It reminds me of a few stories in America when I went over there doing missionary training. The first was after church a few of the guys went back to someones farm to 'Shoot of a few rounds' on a shooting range. What really shocked me was one guy pulled out an Ooze sub-machine gun. That thing made some noice!

The other was lunch with a pastor in Boise who proudly served up venison which he 'Shot'. He had a cold room under his house which he told me which supplied his whole family a year of meat. He would go out and hunt once or twice a year.

 

Another era

One of the things which I like about nursing is conversations with the elderly. There is often a nostalgic touch to their conversation. A converstaion of what was; and an utter confussion at the way progress is taking us.

A conversation which I stated was about the recent Grace Kelly exhibition held in Bendigo. The posters of her around the city reveal a beautiful glamorous woman. The person who I was talking too agreeded and then lamented that modern movie stars had often a shadey smutty look... I couldn't help thinking they were right.

It is also interesting when they talk about the Church. Another nostalgic notion for most.

When Sunday was the pinnacle of community life. Which now has dissappeared. It is a conversation which seems to be avoided in our Church. (In which we are the youngest appart from our children.) I wonder if there is an ache when they do not see there own children and grandchildren picking up the roles which nobody can fill; such as been on the Church council, setting up for the church market, the prayers roster, the cuppa roster etc etc. Watching it all continue I often feel is a worthless stoicism. I often feel guilty for not putting up my hand and jumping on board, yet I feel like to volunteer would just delay the inevitable; which is in some ways worse.

I'm happy to lament the decline the Church with those who sit in the pews. Yet the reason; well you can't sit in the past; you need to engage with what is going on around you. A conversation which is almost imposible for those who see the golden age as long past.

 

Baptists coming out

Simon Holt who is a minister at Collins Street Baptist has come out in support of gay equality in marriage. He has also spoken up in defence of some of his colleagues who are in the minority on this view. Its brave supporting marriage equality and coming out.

My opinion is that it is just a matter of time before more ministers start been honest. I think that there are a number of baptist ministers who have the same opinion as Simon yet coming out would make there position untenable within there current congregation.

Marriage equality for gays will happen, the younger generation has a much higher tollerance on the issue. As this generation gets stonger within the Church, the issue will crumble. It will happen but when...we are starting to see the time.

The Flock

In my time pastoring, a small amount of my time was spent wondering where members stood in our Church. If I had a new idea would they support it or not. If things went pear shaped would they still be there.

We were incredibly blessed at our time; The majority of people there were for us and the style of ministry we brought.

I think there are three types of people in a congregation.

:: Those who are stuck blind by the wisdom you ooze. They follow like blind robots. I didn't have any of these type of people. Though If you are in a cultish Church I'd expect this to be the norm.

::Those who trust you. Maybe not your judgement 100% of the time. But they are gracious enough to watch you fall and still be at your side. I think in our old Church the majority were like this.

:: People who are at your Church, but don't don't want you to be; they stir and agitate. They don't agree with you and let others know. I've had friends in ministry where this was the type of people they were up against constantly. It was a tireless battle.

We had people who came, stayed for a while, got to know us then moved on. Reflectively it was for the best. We weren't there flavor.

Mainstream thoughts

 

One of the biggest read posts on this blog is 'Todd Hunter' Anglicans not for me'. In some ways I'm a bit embarrassed that it gets so many hits, and perplexed why it does. Nevertheless, it is a reflection of what I was thinking while I was still in ministry during my time at the Vineyard. While I do agree with most of my thoughts ( I still don't get the need for vestments) I have some what softened.

Coming from a small and pokey denomination the Vineyard in Australia, there is much that the mainstream has to offer.

• If you are on the fringes of theology, the mainstream will more likely than not have a safe place for you. For example Episcopal's in the USA have quite a broad acceptance of different Christian theologies. I think I'd fit as some of my theologians of the moment eg Phyllis Tickle and Marcus Borg attend Episcopal Churches.
• Really good accountability and practices are across denominations. These practices are enshrined in constitutions, from independent audits, to double counting the tithe. Mind you there are always bad people who are always going to swindle others in any denomination. Its just that main stream procedures make it harder for it to happen and protect people if they follow correct protocol.
• External procedures for complaints grievances and harassment. Which are mandatory to be followed up.
• Social justice without the need/compulsion to convert

So yes there are some real bonuses of mainstream Churches. I would find it very difficult to go to any other independent or small denomination because of this.

 

It what I'd almost call denominational character as opposed to anointing.

 

Solace

One of this years resolutions for us is monthly heading to Melbourne to go to a Church called Solace. For a few reasons, the girls to know that there are other children who go to Church, for ourselves to continue to engage with Churches which are a bit out there. Also for all of us, a filling up Spiritually. (I like the Uniting Church, but we are definitely the youngest, and this in itself is problematic in many ways)

Yesterday there was a bit of a write up in The Age on Solace. It seemed a pretty reasonable article. I liked Olivia's comment that the Church is based on 'Jesus Centered Spirituality'; which can have a lot of meanings. I like the ambiguity. Not the typical 'We believe'.

The article did leave me with some questions, Why did they leave the Anglican Church. Or maybe they didn't leave...

 

 

Death, Nursing and God's presence.

If you were to ask me out of the two professions which I have studied and worked, which gave me a greater feeling of God's presence? I would say for sure during my time as a nurse in palliative care. 

I read somewhere (and for the life of me I cannot find out where), that during the middle ages when a person was extremely close to death; there would be a multitude of people wanting to be near the dying person at the moment of life's extinction. The reason was that there was a belief that you could catch a glimpse of heaven as the person died and went to heaven. This was a phenomenon which people longed for; a look, even for an instant of heaven. 

While I have not have seen a wink of heaven. I have felt at times a presence, the supernatural; God. More times during nursing I have felt God through his people (in a univeral sence). In their extremes of incredible pain, conflct, turmoil. For me there is a presence, which helps me to be centred; even if the other participants in the events do not know it.

The studying of Scripture or the participation in worship I never had these expereinces of the presence of God. Scripture did help me focus, to reflect on God. Worship through liturgy would do the same. Charismatic worship would come close but there was to much manipulation to be real, for me. You can get the same buzz from a rock concert...

It is the God of the everyday which I wish to engage with. Nursing is good at that. The God of real life. Admittedly church helps me to focus and relflect on God, a reminder, of his characteristics. But as a replacement, to God of the everyday. No I actually think this is wrong. To seek God's face is an everyday experience. Not to be compentmentalised on a Sunday morning.

Looking back...

During my time in the Vineyard I often felt like the denomination had an over reliance on its founder, John Wimber. I can confidently say that the national conferences which I attended would always taken up with a fond reminiscing of the how 'John' would have done things.


I was particularly taken with this quote from Bloomberg business week about advice Tim Cook received from Steve Job in regards to leading Apple

“Among his last advice he had for me, and for all of you, was to never ask what he would do. ‘Just do what's right,'” Cook said. Jobs wanted Apple to avoid the trap that Walt Disney Co. fell into after the death of its iconic founder, Cook said, where “everyone spent all their time thinking and talking about what Walt would do.”

Not that I don't think what John Wimber did things not worth remembering;  Maybe the 'thing that are right' have to revealed, first and foremost. The rest will just fall into place.
Mind you, I think Tim Cook will always be in the shadow of Steve Job. The comparison will be hard for him  to avoid "What would Steve do..."

Crystal Catherdral bankrupt

Image via Wikipedia

I've been to this church in the very early '90's when I visited the states. It was a spectacular building and I liked Schuller Sr's message at the time.

From Christianity Today::

Crystal Cathedral Ministries, which owes about $7.5 million to unsecured creditors, filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy this morning, according to the Orange County Register.
Earlier this year, the megachurch founded by television evangelist Robert H. Schuller slashed several programs and laid off 50 employees to cut $4.9 million from its $20 million annual operating budget. The Register reports that Senior Pastor Sheila Schuller Coleman said the bankruptcy filing was a necessity because of lawsuits.

Its makes me wonder how many of these massive mega church structures are empty in the United States. Is this just the beginning?

Ann Rice and what most Christians want to do.

I've never read any books by Ann Rice but recently on her facebook page she put up the following:

For those who care, and I understand if you don't: Today I quit being a Christian. I'm out. I remain committed to Christ as always but not to being "Christian" or to being part of Christianity. It's simply impossible for me to "belong" to this quarrelsome, hostile, disputatious, and deservedly infamous group. For ten years, I've tried. I've failed. I'm an outsider. My conscience will allow nothing else.

My faith in Christ is central to my life. My conversion from a pessimistic atheist lost in a world I didn't understand, to an optimistic believer in a universe created and sustained by a loving God is crucial to me. But following Christ does not mean following His followers. Christ is infinitely more important than Christianity and always will be, no matter what Christianity is, has been, or might become.

Its something that a lot of Christians would like to do. Walk away from the dogma and just follow Christ.

I don't think you can do it. You need to be sharpened and cared for, share stories. The only place I know is the Church, and within some home group/cell/house church.

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Nazis and homosexuality.

 

After reading Himmler by Peter Padfield, it got me thinking about the issue of homosexuality.

The cause of homosexuality is usually explained down to two factors. environmental or genetic.

Coming from a Evangelical-Pentecostal background I've come to the conclusion that for the Church it is easier to explain the issue as environmental.  This means that in the end it is really about ability to choose sexuality. The reason I write that it is easier, is that the theology dosn't need to be examined and changed as much if it was genetic.

What I found interesting was for the Nazis there core understanding that homosexuality was genetic. That if homsexuals where killed and there genes where eliminated from the gene pool homosexuality would be eliminated from the German race and there would be 'racial purity'.
In many ways this was used as an excuse to kill opposition to Hitler and his regime. As well as to kill those who where different.

This is a completely different understanding to the 'Church'.

Personally I think there is a combination of the two, environmental and genetic. What ever the case the Church needs to re-think its theology. Especially if it is genetic and God has made man. 

Phillip Island RSL, 'The Pint'

http://twitpic.com/goz45

Just finnished a meal at the Phillip Island RSL. There were a couple of strange experiences. The first was when I wanted a beer.
I walked up noticing there was a good selection of beers on tap, I procced to order a 'pint', of coppers pale ale. The women went on to pour me a 'pot'. I said to her I wanted a 'pint'. In which she said
"you can only get that in guinness" I replied then
"I'll have that then" and she proceded to tip the coppers pale ale down the drain. When I told her it was stupid I couldn't have a pint of coppers. She went on to tell me it was for 'nutritional' reasons. Bah.
The other thing which happened was at 6pm all the lights went out except for the lights of the play stations from the kids room, and the poker machines. Then a bloke went on to talk about lost diggers and stuff like that. Inspirational! Better than church. It brought back memorys of storys my grandfather told me of getting bombed by the Japs in Darwin.
I thought they should have turned off the poker machines, much better to have played the 'last post' than the crappy sound of coin from poker machines.



-- Post From My iPhone

National Tree Planting day 2009

We went off on Sunday and planted trees in Olinda for National Tree Planting Day. The kids helped so we didn't get all that many planted, but we got a few!

One of the things that Christina and I want to do is participate with our community in the things that really matter for us. Hopefully our care for the environment will reflect God's heart to those around us.

The other thing is starting early with Jemima and Jo. Having an involvement with care for the earth we can teach them how God created the earth and we have a responsibility in looking after it.

So much more practical than sitting in a Church listening about it! (Well depends on the type of church you go to....)