What have I been doing? I was on vacation at Historical Colonial Williamsburg with the family. Vacation is good, but getting back into the routine on return is difficult. To many piles of papers on my desk and to much work to try to catch up on. With all of that said, I don’t have a lot to write right now, but I wanted all of my loyal readers, the masses and masses of people, to know that I am still around and kicking.
Theological-ish thought – do we communicate our deep meanings of our culture with words/language or with images?
Tuesday, April 27, 2010
Tuesday, April 13, 2010
And They'll Know We Are Christians...by the way we Fight, Criticize, and are not Like Others
This past Sunday I did something in my sermon that I normally try to avoid – I directly criticized another group of Christians. Now I have taken my shots at the Fundis and the closed minded bigots, but seldom if never at one specific group. Yesterday I directly criticized Catholicism. The criticism was in reaction to the most recent brew-ha-ha about sexual abuse, cover-up, and denial. I criticized the hierarchy, the idea that the priest is above everyone else, and the all boys club that the hierarchy has become. Some of this criticism came out of a recent Newsweek article, “A Woman’s Place is in the Church” by Lisa Miller. Miller argues that the leadership in Catholicism needs the views and sensitivities of women to keep them honest. So, in talking about the authorities of the church, and how Christianity is often forced and contrived I took a pot-shot at Catholicism.
I did not expect the reaction from the congregation; all positive. Some of it was, I think, from many of the ex-Catholics, and some of it was from the birth-Baptists who were affirming their identity. The point was made, we have freedom in the Baptist movement, and I hope the point was received.
Part of me wishes I could have made that point without criticizing another group of Christians. Protestant America (and Christianity in general) have identified themselves by saying who they are not, and how they are not like those other people. It seems so often that we have an identity of rejection rather than an identity of affirmation. It may be that this is human nature (I think Durkheim said something about this), and this may be a reality that we have to live with. I guess as long as we all agree to hate each other equally, and walk hand in hand towards Christ with an equal amount of criticism launched at each other, then it will be ok (what is the best font to convey sarcasm?).
I did not expect the reaction from the congregation; all positive. Some of it was, I think, from many of the ex-Catholics, and some of it was from the birth-Baptists who were affirming their identity. The point was made, we have freedom in the Baptist movement, and I hope the point was received.
Part of me wishes I could have made that point without criticizing another group of Christians. Protestant America (and Christianity in general) have identified themselves by saying who they are not, and how they are not like those other people. It seems so often that we have an identity of rejection rather than an identity of affirmation. It may be that this is human nature (I think Durkheim said something about this), and this may be a reality that we have to live with. I guess as long as we all agree to hate each other equally, and walk hand in hand towards Christ with an equal amount of criticism launched at each other, then it will be ok (what is the best font to convey sarcasm?).
Saturday, April 10, 2010
Be Sad and then Convert… But Don’t Force It
I’m working my way through James’ The Varieties of Religious Experience, and am currently on the chapter(s) about conversion. James has already described the “Healthy Mind” – or the sickening optimist, and the Sick Soul, or the depressed teenager. With conversion, James makes an interesting point quoting Dr. Starbuck... conversion is,
“a process of struggling away from sin rather than of striving towards righteousness.”
He further writes (not quoting Starbuck):
“When the new centre of personal energy has been subconsciously incubated so long as to be just ready to open into flower, ‘hands off’ is the only word for us, it must burst forth unaided!”
These are interesting points about conversion. First, one who is complacent, happy, and satisfied will most likely not convert. Second, conversion is something we cannot force, but we must let happen. Now it is a standard trick of Christianity (especially the evangelical ilk) to convince people why they are sad and why they need Jesus, but the passive waiting for conversion to truly happen is not a gift of most Christians. We preach a sad and sappy sermon about Jesus, then we sing “Just As I Am,” or “Softly and Tenderly,” or some new praisey kind of song again and again until people start coming forward, crying and weeping and ready to give their lives to Jesus (some for the third or fourth time). What James seems to be suggesting is that we cannot force conversion. We have to let it happen in its own time.
If this is the case, then perhaps the best way to convert someone is to convince them that they are sad, and then just invite them into the community to live, and pray, and work with everyone else. If the convictions of the community are true then in time the individual may convert. Can we be that patient with saving souls?
“a process of struggling away from sin rather than of striving towards righteousness.”
He further writes (not quoting Starbuck):
“When the new centre of personal energy has been subconsciously incubated so long as to be just ready to open into flower, ‘hands off’ is the only word for us, it must burst forth unaided!”
These are interesting points about conversion. First, one who is complacent, happy, and satisfied will most likely not convert. Second, conversion is something we cannot force, but we must let happen. Now it is a standard trick of Christianity (especially the evangelical ilk) to convince people why they are sad and why they need Jesus, but the passive waiting for conversion to truly happen is not a gift of most Christians. We preach a sad and sappy sermon about Jesus, then we sing “Just As I Am,” or “Softly and Tenderly,” or some new praisey kind of song again and again until people start coming forward, crying and weeping and ready to give their lives to Jesus (some for the third or fourth time). What James seems to be suggesting is that we cannot force conversion. We have to let it happen in its own time.
If this is the case, then perhaps the best way to convert someone is to convince them that they are sad, and then just invite them into the community to live, and pray, and work with everyone else. If the convictions of the community are true then in time the individual may convert. Can we be that patient with saving souls?
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