I had the opportunity to preach in Cambridge on Sunday, Kevin was ill for the Sunday. It is one of the favorite things I get to do as Chair: visit societies, preach and visit with people who come together in worship. I love the devoted leaders and members of that church.
It was great. Being in that space and being among all of the saints who have come before and been in that place, preaching the gospel, coming to worship... And still, that experience, that power, the message of our church and its ability to make whole and heal, to make sense of the world, and bring meaning and depth to our lives deserves more.
We so must share this. We must share this message. We must share this church. We must be willing to embarrass, proclaim, put ourselves on the line in uncomfortable ways to share God's love to offer this message to the world. The message is too big and the world so desperately needs it.
Tuesday, March 4, 2008
Thursday, February 28, 2008
No Country for Anyone
I went to see No Country for Old Men, the latest Oscar winner.
I did not like it. It was the model of a Postmodern story about a Postmodern world. A world with moral relativism, a world where disturbing evil has the the same validity as noble service. A world where the light is dying and departing for distant shores and all that rules our world is a semi psychotic darkness over lain by a veneer of complacency.
Much has been said about the postmodern shift. The case being made that, whether we like it or not, it is happening and here to stay. The idea that we are in a Post Christian period of thought (depending on what that means) I have accepted for a while. There are profound changes taking place in the world which are undeniable.
The pomo critiques of Spong and Crossan seek to tear down the elements of 'simple' faith in favor of facts over meaning. I think they are irresponsible scholars, as I think many in the postmodern world are. The tearing down of these scholars and those of the post modern thinkers Derrida, Foucault and the lot are irresponsible because anyone can tear down with logic, anyone can deconstruct, anyone can tear apart. The unwillingness to apply the same effort and faculty to offer the world a construct, a belief system, an understanding of what then their postulate or theorem is...
is like demolishing an old power plant that may seem rickety but is still supplying power and then simply leaving an empty lot without committing resources or care to building a new source of energy.
I believe the worlds changes are not as a result of the dismantling of structuralism and moralism, many of our deontological goods stand just find in the face of a post modern critique. But they are a dismantling of the facades of structure to reveal the true bones behind the mask.
Every thing I find in the postmodern conversation speaks to one true and real experience, it is that of authenticity. It is my belief as God is working in the world that the world is being led into greater freedom and that freedom is allowing for the very best of us to be better than ever and the very worst of us to be as bad as we could imagine and all of that is happening more and more in the full light of day. The structural gloves are off, no one will make us stay in marriage, no one will make us help our neighbor, or go to church. The structural pressures for such things the facades of them are gone.
The mistake though, like that in No Country for Old Men, is because we are able to express who we really are more than we have ever been able to, that each experience and moral decision of each person is sometimes mistaken as equal in value and validity. And it is not. We can be angels in this world, or we can be demons. There is a difference in the world we create in the very invitation we extend or do not extend to bring down heaven or hell itself.
Desiring and doing harm to others is not as valid a moral stance as desiring and doing kindness. Deconstructing arguments, words, and facts about the nature of God and existence is not as valid as offering a construct of how to understand the Universe and makes sense of our living in it.
They are not the same things, and no amount of saying it will make it so.
I did not like it. It was the model of a Postmodern story about a Postmodern world. A world with moral relativism, a world where disturbing evil has the the same validity as noble service. A world where the light is dying and departing for distant shores and all that rules our world is a semi psychotic darkness over lain by a veneer of complacency.
Much has been said about the postmodern shift. The case being made that, whether we like it or not, it is happening and here to stay. The idea that we are in a Post Christian period of thought (depending on what that means) I have accepted for a while. There are profound changes taking place in the world which are undeniable.
The pomo critiques of Spong and Crossan seek to tear down the elements of 'simple' faith in favor of facts over meaning. I think they are irresponsible scholars, as I think many in the postmodern world are. The tearing down of these scholars and those of the post modern thinkers Derrida, Foucault and the lot are irresponsible because anyone can tear down with logic, anyone can deconstruct, anyone can tear apart. The unwillingness to apply the same effort and faculty to offer the world a construct, a belief system, an understanding of what then their postulate or theorem is...
is like demolishing an old power plant that may seem rickety but is still supplying power and then simply leaving an empty lot without committing resources or care to building a new source of energy.
I believe the worlds changes are not as a result of the dismantling of structuralism and moralism, many of our deontological goods stand just find in the face of a post modern critique. But they are a dismantling of the facades of structure to reveal the true bones behind the mask.
Every thing I find in the postmodern conversation speaks to one true and real experience, it is that of authenticity. It is my belief as God is working in the world that the world is being led into greater freedom and that freedom is allowing for the very best of us to be better than ever and the very worst of us to be as bad as we could imagine and all of that is happening more and more in the full light of day. The structural gloves are off, no one will make us stay in marriage, no one will make us help our neighbor, or go to church. The structural pressures for such things the facades of them are gone.
The mistake though, like that in No Country for Old Men, is because we are able to express who we really are more than we have ever been able to, that each experience and moral decision of each person is sometimes mistaken as equal in value and validity. And it is not. We can be angels in this world, or we can be demons. There is a difference in the world we create in the very invitation we extend or do not extend to bring down heaven or hell itself.
Desiring and doing harm to others is not as valid a moral stance as desiring and doing kindness. Deconstructing arguments, words, and facts about the nature of God and existence is not as valid as offering a construct of how to understand the Universe and makes sense of our living in it.
They are not the same things, and no amount of saying it will make it so.
Wednesday, February 27, 2008
Where we fit
I am just reading the new Pew Religious Survey. It has a lot of very interesting stuff, and I think there are some lessons we could take from it.
First, as Swedenborgians we always have to ask where we fit in the survey; what is our affiliation? And there are two factors, where do others place us? and (I think most importantly) Where do we place ourselves? As you may have guessed there is not a Swedenborgian category. Historically we have been placed by the world in the categories - Other Christian - Metaphysical - or -Other Metaphysical, it is how we got the name Swedenborgian, it was never the name we gave ourselves (our fore bearers tended to go by Church of the New Jerusalem or New Church), but the name that others gave to us.
I tend to think of myself and our tradition actually in the category - Mainline Protestant Churches - Other. We have mirrored in every way the Mainline Protestant experience. Our theological beliefs and how we have conducted ourselves over the long haul have brought us much more into alignment with the Mainline experience than any other out there. Like it or not, I think it is our place, at least right now.
And to be honest, I don't think I like it. There is so much in the Mainline we have co-opted to fit in, taking the very worst in ways from our Anglican heritage and not keeping the wonders our deep rooting in the history of Christianity AND in the nature of continuing revelation in the world that we so value.
This leads me to the second point, 44% of Americans have changed religious affiliations in their lives. In the pattern of the Holy City coming into the world the loosening of tribal affiliations in favor of where one finds God calling them (or not if they so choose), is borne out in that nearly half of all Americans are choosing who or what they call themselves religiously.
It is wonderfully American, and I think speaks to the call that God has for our church and in the way we are being called to minister to God's people. We are called to be who we are in this world. We are not called to dress it up in the trappings of tradition or faith. We are not called to soft sell the very things that we are actually passionate about and make us different that we might not 'scare' people. We are called in the words of Whitman, 'to yell our barbaric yop from the rooftops of the world.'
A few days ago, I sat in my hotel room in Vegas and asked God what it was I needed to remember about our call as a church. I opened the Bible randomly as I sometimes will do to see what God has to say and I landed on the last chapter and verses of Matthew, 'Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you and lo; I am with you to the end of the age.'
First, as Swedenborgians we always have to ask where we fit in the survey; what is our affiliation? And there are two factors, where do others place us? and (I think most importantly) Where do we place ourselves? As you may have guessed there is not a Swedenborgian category. Historically we have been placed by the world in the categories - Other Christian - Metaphysical - or -Other Metaphysical, it is how we got the name Swedenborgian, it was never the name we gave ourselves (our fore bearers tended to go by Church of the New Jerusalem or New Church), but the name that others gave to us.
I tend to think of myself and our tradition actually in the category - Mainline Protestant Churches - Other. We have mirrored in every way the Mainline Protestant experience. Our theological beliefs and how we have conducted ourselves over the long haul have brought us much more into alignment with the Mainline experience than any other out there. Like it or not, I think it is our place, at least right now.
And to be honest, I don't think I like it. There is so much in the Mainline we have co-opted to fit in, taking the very worst in ways from our Anglican heritage and not keeping the wonders our deep rooting in the history of Christianity AND in the nature of continuing revelation in the world that we so value.
This leads me to the second point, 44% of Americans have changed religious affiliations in their lives. In the pattern of the Holy City coming into the world the loosening of tribal affiliations in favor of where one finds God calling them (or not if they so choose), is borne out in that nearly half of all Americans are choosing who or what they call themselves religiously.
It is wonderfully American, and I think speaks to the call that God has for our church and in the way we are being called to minister to God's people. We are called to be who we are in this world. We are not called to dress it up in the trappings of tradition or faith. We are not called to soft sell the very things that we are actually passionate about and make us different that we might not 'scare' people. We are called in the words of Whitman, 'to yell our barbaric yop from the rooftops of the world.'
A few days ago, I sat in my hotel room in Vegas and asked God what it was I needed to remember about our call as a church. I opened the Bible randomly as I sometimes will do to see what God has to say and I landed on the last chapter and verses of Matthew, 'Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you and lo; I am with you to the end of the age.'
Tuesday, February 26, 2008
Home Again
After too much drama in too many airports I am back on my couch in Maine. Praise be to God. As I have had time to think about what came out of the meeting this last weekend one of the more interesting thing that came out was an article by Rick Warren titled Streamline your Organizational Structure.
As you know Rick Warren is probably the most successful pastor in America. We can debate it, but hey its my blog. In this article he talks about his church, Saddleback, and how it is organized. It touches I believe on what we do most poorly within our churches.
Ever see this story? A church-goer shows up excited about our Swedenborgian Christianity or the community or the preaching and God's Providence is leading them to turn their heart and mind toward God. They want to contribute to the ministry of the church in some way... we put them on a building committee where they are asked to go to boring meetings. They become burned out and leave. They cannot see God in what they are doing.
What we do in church, everything from taking out the garbage to the cleaning of the sanctuary MUST be seen in the light of the theological implications of what we are doing. If it isn't we as church are failing. Failing people and failing God. Might seem harsh but I believe it is true.
Whether you believe in Warren's model or not this is what he is pointing toward: that people need to know that everything they are doing in church is ministry and about God's work. Read the article and you'll see how Warren solves the issue.
Meanwhile I'm going to bring in some wood, another snow storm is on and the likelihood of losing power on the horizon.
As you know Rick Warren is probably the most successful pastor in America. We can debate it, but hey its my blog. In this article he talks about his church, Saddleback, and how it is organized. It touches I believe on what we do most poorly within our churches.
Ever see this story? A church-goer shows up excited about our Swedenborgian Christianity or the community or the preaching and God's Providence is leading them to turn their heart and mind toward God. They want to contribute to the ministry of the church in some way... we put them on a building committee where they are asked to go to boring meetings. They become burned out and leave. They cannot see God in what they are doing.
What we do in church, everything from taking out the garbage to the cleaning of the sanctuary MUST be seen in the light of the theological implications of what we are doing. If it isn't we as church are failing. Failing people and failing God. Might seem harsh but I believe it is true.
Whether you believe in Warren's model or not this is what he is pointing toward: that people need to know that everything they are doing in church is ministry and about God's work. Read the article and you'll see how Warren solves the issue.
Meanwhile I'm going to bring in some wood, another snow storm is on and the likelihood of losing power on the horizon.
Saturday, February 23, 2008
Howdy Ho Neighbor!
Hey Everyone,
So here it is the beginning of our conversation.
I am glad you are here and a part. There is a lot going on in our little council of ministers and many of them we'll be talking about in the days ahead. I hope you get and read A Failure of Nerve it is a book that has changed the way I look at leadership and the world in someways. I'll have a lot more to say about it in the future but if its arrival on your door step is what brought you here, Enjoy! If you don't know, most everyone on the council of ministers has received a copy of the book or has access to one. If you're not a minister I encourage you to go get it if you are at all interested in leadership in our world. I'll have more to say about this in the future.
I am sitting here in Las Vegas, an auspicious place to start this chat, but I sit here with most of the General Council of the church. This meeting came out of the feedback from convention about what the delegates want and need out from their denomination and they've decided it is high time we respond, and I couldn't agree more. The work is very fledgling but will look at some radical ways of organizing to get those needs met. I like it. I like it a lot.
We have to begin re-visioning this thing we call church. We have to begin to respond to the world in which we live and love. I know we want to, I know we are trying, I know it is what God is calling us toward in this world. It is auspicious to begin this blog on this day, because this blog is in large part meant to encourage you; encouraging you to revision your ministries whether you're an ordained minister or not, encouraging you in the world to bring heaven and to bring God with you where you go wherever that place may be.
OK I got a lot more to say and I hope YOU have a lot more to say, give me a post, let me know how you are, link me to some place nice, and may God's Blessing be with you.
So here it is the beginning of our conversation.
I am glad you are here and a part. There is a lot going on in our little council of ministers and many of them we'll be talking about in the days ahead. I hope you get and read A Failure of Nerve it is a book that has changed the way I look at leadership and the world in someways. I'll have a lot more to say about it in the future but if its arrival on your door step is what brought you here, Enjoy! If you don't know, most everyone on the council of ministers has received a copy of the book or has access to one. If you're not a minister I encourage you to go get it if you are at all interested in leadership in our world. I'll have more to say about this in the future.
I am sitting here in Las Vegas, an auspicious place to start this chat, but I sit here with most of the General Council of the church. This meeting came out of the feedback from convention about what the delegates want and need out from their denomination and they've decided it is high time we respond, and I couldn't agree more. The work is very fledgling but will look at some radical ways of organizing to get those needs met. I like it. I like it a lot.
We have to begin re-visioning this thing we call church. We have to begin to respond to the world in which we live and love. I know we want to, I know we are trying, I know it is what God is calling us toward in this world. It is auspicious to begin this blog on this day, because this blog is in large part meant to encourage you; encouraging you to revision your ministries whether you're an ordained minister or not, encouraging you in the world to bring heaven and to bring God with you where you go wherever that place may be.
OK I got a lot more to say and I hope YOU have a lot more to say, give me a post, let me know how you are, link me to some place nice, and may God's Blessing be with you.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)