Preachability February 4, 2010
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Another week or so has slipped by without a post…not a good sign of my sanity 
I have been thinking the last couple of days that something I am really gaining (surprisingly!) from my time at Loyola so far is what I would call a new appreciation for the “preachability” of the Bible and the NT especially. When studying it from an academic standpoint, we often look at the form and substance in light of what it would mean for the early church (as a window for a historical glimpse at the early Jesus movement), but in the process, we continually move back to the fact that it is the product of faith and the circumstances of preaching. While I do not need to adopt all of the principles of higher criticism (nor do I need to dive into these issues from the pulpit!), this study is helping me see how to preach the text that is there and that is the continuing message of the Christian faith–less creativity in discerning the message and more creativity (if that is the right word) in extending and applying this message. And let you think that the development of the development of forms, etc. brings into question the inspiration/authority of the text, this need not be a question to my faith if I believe that the “holy Spirit has brought these things to remembrance” (maybe James D. G. Dunn is onto something with the idea of “Jesus Remembered”) from John 14-16 and the idea of the NT writers as the new prophets through whom God has delievered his Word-through human means and the Spirit working together (2 Peter 1). So, I am still a firm believer in my faith, while also seeing the fact that what makes the Bible different is…..well….preachability
Unlearning my Cynicism in Prayer January 23, 2010
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Our church has been working through A Praying Life by Paul E. Miller (as well as sermons and discussions on prayer) and it has been very refreshing and encouraging for my soul–I really recommend the book; it is not a “Quick and Easy Guide to Prayer” as much as helping you think through how you approach prayer. One thing about which I really have been convicted in the way that I think about prayer. The easiest way to describe this is “cynical.” I mean, I do pray and make requests, but I feel like I don’t really expect it to be answered. And when it is answered, I say something to the effect (at least to myself), that it “would have happened anyway.” The book has challenged me to EXPECT it to be answered and to LOOK for the ways that God is moving. That does not mean that I simply see prayer as a “way of getting stuff” or expect all of it to be answered in the way that I want it to happen. But it means to have the expectation and belief that it works. Yes, it is a bit of circluar reasoning; if you think that prayer doesn’t work, you will explain that it doesn’t work (like I often do), and if you think it does work, you will see how it happens. It truly is by faith that we pray; only faith keeps us praying. May my faith move me to prayer.
Mottos for a fallen world January 15, 2010
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Beth and I have been trying to figure out how to be the best stewards of the world, our money, and our bodies, i.e. do we spend more money on an item that would seem to be better for our health and the environment, or should we give that money to things like Haiti, ministry, etc.? (note: this is not saying that we have a lot of money…enough to be thankful and not needing to hatch a plot ala Brian Regan’s bit on Russell Crowe). No matter what you choose, it would seem to have a negative consequence somewhere and on someone else (or yourself). The motto I am adopting in light of my wife’s work in the medical field is “Everything has side effects.” I like this better than the other one I thought about (“Pick your poison”) because, well, you can’t pick your side effects. That is, a side effect might affect you but not someone. You have to weigh the side effects and go forward knowing what the consequences are (similar to the economic idea of opportunity cost). Sometimes, you will only figure out the side effects much later and cannot know every side effect. No decision seems to benefit everyone; you seek to do what is best. If the two things that humans were meant to do (be fruitful and subdue the earth) now are filled with pain and toil (see Genesis 3), then my guess is that all things will work this way. I need to accept it and look forward to how God is currently redeeming the world (I hope I am not being too much a pessimistic, perhaps there are some choices that can benefit all right now, but I am not so sure; perhaps it is that there are less consequences for some choices).
The other motto: “Its all trial and error.” As I have learned that doctors are really just doing trial and error (as well as scientists), I realize that this gives me room to make mistakes; the greater sin is when I know there are bad consequences and do not care and still go forward with the choice. If I am doing my best, I think God honors that. Or the constant fear that I am not doing what is best; I should think about that but I need to rest as well.
Perhaps the laws of cleanness in the OT are reminders of these same ideas; we are constantly making choices that make us “unclean” but God knows this and offers cleanness again.
“God’s Problem” January 13, 2010
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I haven’t been blogging much lately, which is a sign that things have been hectic and I have not gathered time to collect my thoughts (something I need to do for my health). I recently read through “God’s Problem,” a book by Bart Ehrman. If Joel Osteen is my pastoral nemesis, then Ehrman is my scholarly nemesis. This book is Ehrman’s discussion of the biblical answers to the problem of evil, which he argues are many as opposed to a single answer. In plain English,he says that the Bible does not give an answer to the problem of evil and suffering. Instead, it gives multiple answers that do not reconcile and correlate into one answer. The prophets speak of suffering as a punishment from God and the things that humans do to each other. Ecclesiastes and elements of Job seem to say that suffering happens, accept it without really giving an answer; while another strand of Job looks at suffering as part of the cosmic contest between God and Satan. The apocalyptic worldview is similiar in that evil happens through Satan, demons, and the fallen world, with suffering being eliminated at the end time. Christians continue to adopt these, without recognizing that the Bible does not give a complete perspective; all of these solutions fail at some point. This lack of an answer is really what has led Ehrman to become an agnostic (as opposed to the fact that there are “errors” in the Bible and it is a very human document, as he writes about elsewhere).
I agree with much of Ehrman’s analysis about the perspectives of the different books (though I do not think that we need to see Job as having two separate answers and different compositions); the problem of evil is not directly answered by the Bible. Ironically, I read much of this sitting in the hospital room with Beth’s grandpa, as his cancer continues to eat away his body. As I read this book, I wanted to ask myself, “What answer WOULD satisfy Ehrman?” He finds these all failing and inconsistent, but I find the solution that the Bible gives to be something that fits my experience–and satisfies me (to a certain point). First of all, evil is a very complex thing–I wouldn’t expect an easy or simple answer, and definitely not one that I can understand. I see natural disaters, cancers, and abuse in the world each and every day–do they all have the same cause or might a multiplicty of factors be involved? And most of all, is there hope for the evil that we see in the world? I do not remember Ehrman speaking much about the confrontation of evil in the cross of Christ; how evil has happened to God (and remeber, all evil is a biggest pain to God than it is to us!) and will end. While he is not satisfied, I think that the biblical perspective on the problem of evil fits the world.
As we have been in Ohio spending some time with family in light of this health situation, I have begin to rethink a bit of how I conceive of hell and what “eternal punishment” might look like. Perhaps there is more continuity to this life than we think (as opposed to the flames that bad Christian art depicts). Maybe the image of disease is the best way to consider hell; the fact that a person is trapped in their body, fully knowing what they are capable of but no longer capable of doing it. I see and hear the mental toll this can take on people and I see a correlation.
Sorry for the depressing post…maybe next time I will have something more uplifting
Relaxing…. January 7, 2010
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As I expected, my break has not necessarily been what you might call “relaxing” in the fullest extent. From meetings with old friends to a trip to Iowa to a sudden trip to Ohio to New Years activities to a wedding to preaching on Sunday to trying to get some papers revised and written for my assistantship, I feel like I have been busier in some ways these days then I was during the semester. All that being said, that is not a bad thing; I need to learn to relax in the midst of the everyday life–to have a “Sabbath” time each day as well as to remember that I will never get all that I want to get done (particularly with languages and with primary source readings). This means a “relaxed,” not rushed time of prayer (I started reading A Praying Life by Paul Miller in anticipation of our church’s focus on prayer in January), a warm, not an intellectual, time of Bible reading, and “decompression” time each day. Instead of wasting time on wikipedia getting trivial knowledge, I can read books that I find fun or encouraging or even challenging. So I checked a few out books from the library as well as looked at my shelves to find some to plow through.
I guess I am learning to relax in life…again…and creating patterns for the upcomnig. Maybe that is my “resolution,” to relax a little each day.
Reflecting on School–Part 3 December 23, 2009
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My final class was on John the Baptist (believe it or not, a whole class devoted to him). It was an interesting class, having a tough time really describing what I did that would not a) be boring or b) be purely academic. If you are wondering, John could not only survive on locusts and wild honey/tree sap because he would get scurvy (someone has researched that).
What I learned that I never really had considered before was how John appears in all the gospels but in many different ways; the evangelists all describe him in light of the way that they want to present Jesus. For example, in Matthew, Jesus and John say the same things and stand together, which (I argue) connects Jesus to the OT and shows that he is the one who brings forth the true teaching of the OT. In Mark, John is suffering Elijah. In Luke, Jesus has more similarities to Elijah, but John is portrayed in some ways as the first believer (he leaps for joy in the womb). In John, he is the one who testifies to Jesus and serves to witness to him. In these ways, we see that John is a very important figure in the origins of Christianity that we can often overlook or merely regard as some crazy lunatic splashing arround the Jordan river.
Something I like about him is the fact that he seems to testify to Jesus from his place in history; he proclaims one who is coming, seems to think that it is Jesus, but then has doubts (see Matthew 11). Jesus affirms John’s place, but also points to the fact that there is a greater knowledge to come through him. Maybe that serves as a great reminder to us that no matter where we stand in the biblical knowledge or “strength of faith,” we can testify to Jesus–in a variety of ways depending on the “story” that we are seeking to tell others about Jesus’ identity.
His baptism of Jesus (for “us” to fulfill righteousness if you read Matthew…which is clearly I spent the most time) is also interesting, in that Jesus’ ministry came through the actions of John. While I totally believe in the soverignty of God (I would be a card-carrying Presbyterian….if we had cards), I also see how God’s plan moves in and through us–we get to participate though we are all too human. Maybe not what the evangelists were trying to say with John but a good point to me.
So, two questions to ask John in the future: 1) What was it like to be such a key figure in the drama of redemption? 2) What goes well with locusts and wild honey?
Reflecting on School–Part 2 December 20, 2009
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My second class this semester was on the Parables and Wisdom Sayings of Jesus. I must admit, I was a bit skeptical of this class at the beginning of the semester; I took a Parables class (via Distance Ed) at TEDS, so I had experience looking at the parables. In addition, it was built upon a source critical view (2 Source Hypothesis) that I was not so sure of (as I had done some work reading its critics this past year–still an issue with which I am wrestling) and was designed as a masters class (as opposed to a doctoral seminar like one of my classes, I take 4-5 masters classes in my program) so some of the content would be “review”-ish. After meeting with the professor before the term began, though, I realized that I could learn some different methodology and approach to the parables. My previous course was more of a “harmonization” and “structural” approach to parables, noting the semi-allegorical nature of them (as argued by Craig Blomberg). This course engaged the parables in light of their different redactions by the evangelists (and Q–which I understand better now); I have a better understanding of the themes of the unique parables and placement of each. Blomberg also taught more in line with comparison to rabbinic parables, while this class focused on them in Hellenistic background, with Greco-Roman imagery and parallels highlighted; I began to use some of these sources in my own work. This course emphasized the image of the parable independently of its placement, commenting words, etc. in the parable. While I am not so sure of the distinction between “Jesus’ parable” and “the evangelist’s parable” at times, it served to potentially rethink some of the parables or consider multiple ways of viewing them. Above all, this class has given me another tool in my belt to understand the parables, as well as some of the “wisdom sayings” (short sayings) of Jesus. Our discussion on the Historical Jesus made me realize how the title “Distinctive Jesus” would be a better way of clarifying the true intention of this movement (but that might be another post, more in line with next semester).
Now, how did it impact my soul? Still thinking through that one, I guess. I have realized that much scholarship on Jesus is based upon certain assumption and presuppositions of the interpreter, which was somewhat reaffirming. My professor said that the parables are “bridges to discipleship” and that has been one element that stuck with me; as I teach the parables (and teach IN parables), I need to make sure that I am making it a bridge to help people follow Jesus better. It is not about abstract, theoretical and theological truths but about helping people follow and walk with Jesus better. Now that I think about it, that would seem to be the take away from my exposure to Jesus’ teaching through this academic class.
Reflecting on the Term–Part 1 December 17, 2009
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Well, I made it through finals and it looks like they will ask me back to Loyola next semester, so now I can relax a little and think about how my semester is shaping my soul and my future ministry. One class I took was ”Scripture, Tradition, and the Theologian” (Beth loved that title–she thought it sounded so exciting…..not!). It was an “integrative” seminar with Masters students and PhD students in Bible, Constructive Theology, and Ethics. We talked about how to use and interpret the Bible for theology; i.e. what role(s) it should play in theology in light of tradition–reading various attempts to use it and explain its significance in church history–from Orgien to Augustine to Aquinas to Luther to Kant to Schleiermacher to Barth to Ricoeur (even Kevin J. Vanhoozer!). The approach of many of my colleagues is that you need to discuss the Bible in theology but need not agree with it (Paul may be wrong, but it is the elephant in the room that must be addressed). In addition, the apporach to he authority of the Bible is found in its use as Scripture to norm the Christian life and, thus, it is functional, not doctrinal, in authority. This goal is to eliminate evil and promote the good (see David Kelsey) by imagining the world portrayed by the text (see Ricoeur). Implied in this discussion is that there is a difference between the Bible and Scripture (the Bible is a collection of literature while Scripture refers to its role in the Christian church). Part of the goal of the class was to have us think through what our task as Bible scholars is and also our approach to the text; I resonated with much of the discussion, though modified through my theological beliefs. Here are my conclusions:
There is a different between my role as Bible scholar and Christian preacher/pastor. As a Bible scholar, I am trying to find out what the discourse of the author says. What does Matthew mean? That is an objective endeavor, which is why I dialogue with Christians and non-Christians alike in this process (it is public and academic). In some ways, though, I think the Bible scholar must also be a Biblical theologian; what sort of world is the author trying to convey to us. My job is to find out the testimony of Scripture; to what are they witnessing? I see the Bible scholar less as a historian (as scholars often talk about themselves) and more as a literary critic; the job of the Bible scholar is not to say “did the virgin birth happen? did Christ really rise” but “what does the author say about the meaning and significance of this event?” As a preacher, I engage the meaning of this testimony for today; as a Protestant, Presbyterian, and evangelical preacher, I take the discourse to be authoritative in the ideas that it is conveying; they testify to the truth. This is not a literalistic, fundamentalistic sort of approach, though, more of a redemptive-historical/drama of doctrine approach, diving deeper into both the realities expressed and how these work out in the world today. I still fall into the Hirsch-ian idea of meaning of the text and significance, with the original discourse of the author’s intent (in speech-act theory) being the meaning and the significance being the idea conveyed from the “re-authoring” of the text as part of the canon of the church; how does it interact with other authors? How does it speak to us today? I think this helps clarify my approach to study and preaching. Sorry if that is too technical
How’s another thing I thought about; while Bible’s authority is more than functional, we can’t overlook the function of it and consider what the goal of the Christian life is when we read and then preach from it. The goal is to lead us into participating in the Redemption of God in light of the reality of Christ entering into human history (I like you right now Karl Barth!), which is promoting the good and eliminating the evil as defined by God (this is my way of expressing Westminster’s idea of glorifying God by enjoying him forever). In this way, I follow some of the ideas found in Dr. Vanhoozer’s reading (for those who do not know, he was my theology 101 prof at Trinity and influenced me at that formative stage). I guess I still am a KJV reader and follower–though maybe not KJV only
Questions, comments, cries of outrage? And for the record, I think my views still align with the overall teachings of the Reformed understanding of the Christian faith…so don’t worry about me! However, hopefully now I have a more well thought out and articulated vision of what I believe.
The Risk December 6, 2009
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Something that one of my professors highlighted in terms of the task of biblical interpretation is that offering an interpretation is making a risk. You decide to focus on certain things as opposed to others things; you might even apply it in one direction as opposed to another. It inevitably requires a risk. I really liked this thought, as I have realized more and more that life is about risk. I am not a risk-taker; I like to play conservative. I am the coach who decides to punt it on fouth and short, to go into overtime as opposed to risking an interception late in the game. However, my chosen fields of labor–biblical scholarship and ministry–require that I take risks. To say I stand for this as opposed to that, making a risk of being wrong. It is only thought taking risks that I can be shown to be wrong and move the interpretative conversation forward. May I apply this to other elements of my life–taking a risk and seeing what happens. Who would think that a theology professor at a Jesuit school would offer such a good insight into so many elements of my life
How I (Think but Do Not Say That I) Am Better Than You December 2, 2009
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Something I have particularly noticed since I got married is that I have a tendency to think that I am better than other people because I do things like tell other people what to do, speak out on how dumb/bad/etc. people are and the like. Having someone to share my deepest thoughts makes it so I will say what is on my mind, which are these things. Which a) means that I do say them (and lose that element of self-righteousness) and b) thought that I was better because I did not say them while forgetting that thinking them is sin as well (didn’t Jesus say something like that…..).
My prayer/goal is to become the type of person who does not think these things…it is not enough not to say them, but not even to think them…which only happens through the work of the Spirit transforming and moving in my life. May that happen today…and each day until the day when I don’t do this–which will probably be the day I die !
