Mystics, A history of God, Karen Armstrong

I'm still plodding my way through 'A history of God', I'm reading the chapter on mystics. It's interesting that all three monotheistic religions have 'mystics' who are content with the mystery or unknown element of God, whilst also having a very experiential element to their faith.

One part that caught my eye was how Jewish mystics would prefer not to have a spoken dialog with God rather just to dwell and experience his overwhelming holiness.

It was reminiscent for me, of "ministry". Especially in the Vineyard denomination, at the end of a service, when people were prayed for. I'd heard a number of times pastors saying just to sit in Gods Holiness or his Presence.

It's made me wonder is Pentecostalism at times just a contemporary form of mysticism? It would seem to me that instead of trying to explain away evidence of the Spirit using Evangelical theology maybe it would be worthwhile looking at the Eastern Church and its mystics to explain the Unknown...

 

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.

 

 

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.

 

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..."

Spiritual Home

A Spiritual home I think is something that sneaks up on you. You walk in and you feel that Ahhh, I can relax feeling. It fits a few spots. For me you can be who you are, specifically believe conscientiously without switching off your brain; a place with the grace to explore. We dropped in Solace on Sunday that was the experience for me. We did the labyrinth, it was a time to sit still and reflect. No hype, slogans; ahhh.

I've had that 'home' feeling only once before, my late teens, late eighties early nineties. The Vineyard presence was just beginning to make itself know in Bendigo through the renewal of a Charismatic Anglican Church. It felt like God was in it for me. It fitted a place for me socially and I didn't experience God. Yet I kept on looking for the same experience for the next 10-15 years of my life. Trying to manufacture that moment again and again. It became tiring after a while. At times hollow.

The photo is some cracks I took in the middle of the labyrinth at Solace. I couldn't help looking at them. They possessed a strange beauty. Fractured.

Reimargining Church, Frank Viola

 

At last I've finished the book. I did set out to summarize each chapter but....

The end of the book Viola makes an important statement::

If you have understood and accepted the message of this book, then you have drawn two significant conclusion:

1. The institutional church as we know it today does not reflect the church that God originally intended.
2. The church that Scripture envisions is organic in its nature and expression, and the Lord desires to recover it today.

Agreeing or disagreeing with this statement is a good way of summarizing this book.

There are a number of responses to this statement.

If you an evangelical who takes the majority of scripture as literally then I think you have to agree with the statement. Churches as we know it are not scriptural but have been shaped by humans.

If on the other hand you are a Christian of a "progressive" or "liberal" bent. Then Viola's forceful argument does not sit as well. The traditions and sacrements in the Church in themselves have value and significant Spiritual significance.

Personally I think the small group is a better way in which community develops. I also like the idea of the 'priest-hood of believers'. I also find meaning in a lot of the traditions and sacraments within the church

One last comment on the last Chapter, which I don't think was neccessary in the book. Viola has a go at most of the main large grouping of evangelicals. He has a go at the 'Vineyard', through the 'Third wave, restoration' label. (Who would know what 'third wave' meant why not just say who the churches are....).

....most third-wave-restoration churches have put the cart before the horse. Namely, they have sought to possess the power of the Spirit before they have gone under the flesh-severing knife of the cross.

I'm not sure what he is trying to get at. There are plenty of examples of the Spirit coming along doing stuff prior to any knowlege of the cross eg pentescost. Anyway what anoys me is 'I've got friends in this movement, blah blah blah. I think he should have just left the chapter out instead of grand genralisations.

Otherwise its a great book if you are in the evangelical camp.

If you want to see my chapter summaries they are here