Perspective from Israel April 29, 2009
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Today we had a guest speaker in my Qumran (Dead Sea Scrolls) class who is a Jewish Christian; he grew up in Israel and Iran and then came to America, became a Christian, returned to Israel and served high up in the Israeli army, and now is a seminary-trained pastor, writer, and leader, focusing a lot of translating theological works into Hebrew. It was exciting to hear his story of faith as he discussed see the connections between the NT and the OT; as he read John he saw all promises and themes from the OT being fulfilled (and he only kept the Bible because he could not throw something away that had the OT in it!–good thing they didn’t give him a NT). In addition, he just published a translation of Heidelberg Catechism in Hebrew. Why is that so interesting–because it shows that he sees Reformational theology to be still in the milieu of Christianity as the outgrowth and fulfillment of the Jewish faith! Basically, his perspective helped to confirm in my mind that the way I have been learning and reading Scripture seems to be in accordance with its roots; Christianity and Reformed theology does not only make sense to people entrenched in Platonic and Greek thought, it makes sense in the OT mindest. Jesus’ teachings as preserved in the gospels are not later developments but these fit within the Palestine environment. The truth of the gospel and the power of God emerge from his comments. Praise God!
Looking Ahead to Loyola April 26, 2009
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Thursday I had a chance to go downtown to get acclimated on campus at Loyola, where I will start my PhD program this Fall (actually, German in the summer but coursework begins this Fall). While it is a hike to get down there (metra then walk to CTA), I didn’t mind the commute, as I got some reading down and could also just relax and think a little, listen to some sermons, etc. The campus is beautiful, right there on the Lake. Literally, you can read while overlooking the lake in the library. I got my ID, a tour of campus and where I need to go, all the paperwork finished for my assistanship, met with a couple of the faculty as well as a couple of the students and was introduced to a number of other faculty and students, and got my courses selected. I am real excited for this opportunity, to work with some new and different faculty and to interact with students from a variety of backgrounds and beliefs. I think it will be stretching and good for me. But truth be told…I am too ready for it, as I am having trouble finishing up my work right now at TEDS. I just can’t get the wheels churning on one assignment, I have a week to do it but still, it just seems like its not working for me. I guess I am looking too much forward and not enough right now. Although I am excited for some of my last projects at church and have no problem working on them. I guess it is selective excitement…perhaps excited for what has no grade involved and bummed about what does have a grade involved. However, I want to stop thinking in terms of grades and think in terms of quality and doing work for myself. That’s my goal for this next project and all the work I do in the future–it is for God and for me, not for a grade!
The Gospel of Thinking? April 22, 2009
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Something with which I struggle as a student and a teacher of the Bible is how much knowledge and thinking is required sometimes to undertand and study it. Does this mean that Christianity is only for those who are really smart and have opportunities to study? Doesn’t this mean it is elitist, or at least only will attract those who are really academically minded. What about those who think that they are “just not that smart.” There is something to be said for how the church has often been tied to increase in educational levels. In fact, my professor today said, “The death of thought is the death of the church.” What he meant was the opposition to thinking (the anti-intellectualism of our day) attacks the gospel. It is not that the gospel is intellectual, but that it requires thought. When we do not think…we will not truly come to faith or live out our faith.
What’s the requirement to be a “thinker”? Well, you have to have a mind. And if you can read this (not if, but can), then you have the capabilities. Sadly, however, both Christians and non-Christians often do not think; when Christians do not think, that is where we get dangerous theology and/or bad representations of the gospel. When non-Christians don. That being said, you can think yourself out of becoming a Christian as well; it is not that Christianity is the only way to think. However, it requires thinking. We live in a world where people do not like to think…and when that happens, the gospel is opposed. Not thinking stops the gospel.
Therefore, should we just be concerned about “Bible trivia?” By no means!
Surprisingly, this supports my contention that we should not care about “Bible Trivia,” as knowledge is not the end goal. There is some knowledge that we need to build our thoughts upon and to move forward; but just as in any other dimension of life, it is not about knowing trivial things. For example, knowing that there is a bolt that keeps the PT Cruiser car battery in is not important in itself; it is important in knowing how to change the battery. In a similar way, knowledge of the books of the Bible is not important; knowledge of how God works in time and space, of what He coammnds, of background issues surrounding the words…those things are important because it relates to how we “change the battery” in real life.
Busy Week…so only a few thoughts about Rick Warren and Joel Osteen April 17, 2009
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It has been a busy week, handing a paper in and then dealing with all the fun of getting a contract on a condo. And then there is Beth’s car battery dying this morning and the fiacso that having my dad and I trying to change it out….it should be easy but 1) PT Cruisers are strange and 2) the battery was in pretty bad shape which complicated it. Thanks to our neighbor, we got it done.
Now there was something I was going to mention a days ago but forgot about Rick Warren. While I am not a huge fan of some of his methodology and how he can spin his material, I think he might be a good picture to the world of what it means to be tolerant, especially in regards to the controversy with his relationship with Obama. He makes it clear that he disagrees with Obama on issues like abortion and homosexuality, but he still has a relationship with him. He respectfully disagrees. That is tolerance, allowing someone to disagree with you, telling them that you disagree with them…and then hugging it out afterwards. This is not exactly a strength for most on the left or on the right (we like to have name calling) but is something that both sides need to rediscover.
However, my opinion on Joel Osteen will not change. I was reading an article today asking if his message was “recession proof.” While his message of happyness might not sound good when you have been laid off, it also has a stronger appeal in that God will make things go good for you. Man….I was hoping this might be the end of him! The article (not from a theological magazine) said that his message is a cross between Norm Vincent Peale’s “Power of Positive Thinking” and “My Name is Earl” which is really karma (if you do good…good things will happen). Interestingly, one of my favorite preachers (Stuart Latimer of Grace North Shore in Winnetka) preached on the idea that we either believe in karma or we believe in the gospel of grace. Follow the logic here….
Decline of Christian America…but not the Gospel! April 11, 2009
Posted by bdennert in Media, Politics, Spirituality.1 comment so far
As usual, a big magazine ran an article about faith right around Easter, with Newsweek’s “The Decline of Christian America (http://www.newsweek.com/id/192583). It is on the heels of the research showing that people with no religious affliation are increasing. The contention is that America is a post-Christian nation. What’s my take on it, as a person of faith and a leader in the church? First of all, they are right in some ways, that the idea of a Christian America is over. However, one might argue that it was really a “Christian” America. That is, the civil religion was Judeo-Christian ethics, but that does not mean that the gospel was believed by the whole country…in fact, the “cultural” Christianity might be one of the biggest obstacles to Christianity (as it assumes as oppose to experiences the gospel). That being said, Christians might need to realize that their political agenda might never really move forward. (Note: Christian America might be different than Muslim nations in the Middle East, but some might perceive what Christians would do as being the same thing).
Christian America…or “Christian” America might be over. However, the church is not. I believe it was Time Magazine a few weeks ago that said “The New Calvinism” is one of the ideas that is shaping and sweeping the nation. While less people claim to be Christian, many churches are growing…both mega-churches but also those those that are small and missional. That is, perhaps more Americans are truly understanding the gospel and committing their lives to follow it. While I am a Reformed guy, perhaps what Calvin and many Reformers and their followers got wrong was the expectation that a state church would be what is best…maybe the Anabaptists were right in that we should have religious liberty. When there are ideas out there that are anti- or non-Christian, you get to truly see what the gospel is and what the gospel calls us to do. The Decline of Christian America might be the thing that the church needs. One wonders if the church has ever truly grown when it is the “majority” culture. So, that’s my thought. I am not afraid….I am excited! And I am confident that the gates of hell will never overcome the CHURCH, maybe the country, but not the CHURCH. Why? Because Jesus lives!
What scares me and what does not scare me…. April 6, 2009
Posted by bdennert in Spirituality.2 comments
I got married a year ago. People kept on asking us if we were nervous, scared, etc.–as this was a decision that is valid for the rest of our lives, something that we are truly “signing our life away” to do. I speak for myself and I can say I was not scared. Maybe I am young and naive and in love, but I felt like I understood the commitment…and was more scared of not moving forward in life than of making a bad choice. Part of it is my perspective that love is more than a feeling, it s a verb and choice! That is, no matter what, I have some control in what is happening; I can control my response (people don’t fall out of love, they choose not to love each other sort of mentality). Maybe I should have been, but I wasn’t. I knew that God was moving and that I was not being dumb, but using my mind (had a job, a direction, and a person who was moving with me and wanted to join in that direction). I had confidence in our hearts and in the will of God.
However, the prospect of buying a home is scaring the willies out of me. I wonder if it is because so much is not in my control–what if we lose our jobs or income, what if we go to sell it and we can’t; what if it turns out to be a money pit and we can’t just call maintenance, etc. Then I remembered that in fact, marriage is not something that is totally in my control. Things can happen that I cannot control, whether it is with my spouse or with the world. Perhaps it was false confidence before…and a reminder now that God is in control. God will take care of us. This is not a naive sense of “he will always works things out” as much as “if I am faithfully trying to follow him and do my due diligence…and things do not work out…there is a reason, it might suck for a time, but there is a reason.” While “God helps those who help themselves” is not biblical (and a little anti-biblical, he saves those who can’t save themselves), there is an element I like to think that through when it comes to big choices; God honors those who do their homework and rely on Him. We are seeking to make a good, wise decision (using what God has given us). Perhaps the idea should be, God honors those who seek to live a life of wisdom, which is biblical. But as we learn in the wisdom books, even wisdom can go astray at times! So, may my fear of buying a place cause me to fear the Lord. Because when I fear God, things will go right…which is all for His glory, not my own comfort 
