A Poem - How Have I Judged You

Pat Clark shared with us this poem that she wrote. Thank you so much, Pat, for being willing to be so vulnerable and for sharing this part of your journey with us.

How Have I Judged You?

 Let Me Count the Ways:

I saw your sin but not the person within.

I saw your shame and said you were to blame.

I saw the pain in your face but didn’t take

      the time to listen or embrace.

I saw your joy but felt my envy instead.

I listened to the gossip but didn’t’ go to the source.

I heard of your need but held onto my greed.

I used the literal word of God to keep you

       in your place instead of offering

         God’s mercy and His grace.

But worst of all I saw only your difference,

      made many assumptions and

          failed to get to know YOU!

Will you and God please forgive me?


Pat Clark, October 23, 2013


James 2:13 (ESV)
13 For judgment is without mercy to one who has shown no mercy. Mercy triumphs over judgment.

On accepting grace for ourselves

Not to make this blog all about me, but this morning's discussion about how we fail to accept grace for ourselves reminded me of a blog post from my own personal blog. I wanted to share these thoughts with all of you. I wrote this last year between Rosh Hashanah and Yom Kippur.

Rosh Hashanah. A new year. Also sometimes called the Feast of Trumpets or Yom Teruah. A time to make a joyful noise. This is the time when the Rabbis believe that the world was created. It is a celebration of God as King and Creator. We are reminded that God brought the world into being and continues to uphold the world, a continual outpouring of life and creativity.
These days between Rosh Hashanah and Yom Kippur are days of Teshuvah, repentance. A time to reflect on our mistakes and make the conscious choice to turn toward the only one who can offer unconditional grace and forgiveness, toward the King and Creator, toward the only one who can heal our brokenness.

These words from John Parsons at Hebrew4Christians spoke to me today,

"God is both infinitely loving and infinitely just, and both of these "attributes" are inseparably a part of who he is. God is One. Nonetheless, the cross of Yeshua proves that "love is stronger than death, passion fiercer than the grave; its flashes are flashes of fire, a raging flame, the very flame of the Lord" (Song. 8:6). It is at the cross that "love and truth have met, righteousness and peace have kissed" (Psalm 85:10). This implies that we must drop our defenses – even those supposed objections and pretenses voiced by our shame – and "accept that we are accepted." It is God's great love for you that leads you to repent and to turn to him. Allow yourself to be embraced by his "everlasting arms."

It truly is a time of celebration. We, so often, wallow in our mistakes, grovel in our repentance. We view repentance as a time to hate ourselves. I think of self-flagellation and penance...something church history has taught us. This isn't it at all, though. Repentance is confession and turning away. It is starting fresh. It is acknowledging that we are loved enough to be forgiven.
I read in the book To Forgive is Human that people don't admit mistakes or ask forgiveness unless there is some possibility that they will be forgiven. This is the basis upon which relationships are built. You cannot be honest and truthful in your relationship, admitting mistakes & moving on to be a better person unless you can reasonably expect some grace.
The King and Creator offers us this kind of acceptance, love and grace. Repentance is impossible without this grand acceptance.  And self-hatred isn't necessary. In fact, it's contradictory. Possibly, it's even a defense mechanism. If we hate ourselves, we don't actually have to believe that we can change, be different, be loved, be forgiven. If we drop the defense of self-hatred, we can repent, turn, start fresh, walk new...right into a sweet new year. This is joyous, indeed!
Shanah Tovah!

The Cyrophoenician Woman

This week we are looking at some of the difficult passages of scripture:

There are so many passages in the Bible that are troubling...that can lead to a somewhat difficult relationship with the Bible, including this passage from the gospels: Mark 7:25-30. How can we understand this scripture in light of all the things we've learned in this series? In light of the message of grace and love offered by Jay Bakker in session 7? How about Deuteronomy 20:1-20?

 I thought I'd offer links to a few different discussions of the Mark 7 passage.

In Desperate Need is a somewhat traditional interpretation of the passage hosted on the Intervarsity Christian Fellowship Website.

Jesus Was Not Colorblind is an article posted on the Patheos website by David R. Henson. Patheos hosts the bio pages for the Animate: Bible presenters and a blog featuring articles by leaders of the progressive Christian community.

Preparing for Discussion - Grace: Love is the Bottom Line

Next Wednesday we will be discussing session 7 of Animate: Bible, Grace: Love is the Bottom Line , presented by Jay Bakker.

 The following are some scriptures and questions from the journal and facilitator guide to get us started:

We talked already this week about some of the things that keep people from the church, from scripture, and from God. Bakker experienced a much more public crisis of faith than most of us, but the fact remains that most of us have been tripped up by one thing or another in our faith journey. The journal book lists some things that might create hurdles and challenges in staying connected to the church and the Bible - science, shame, guilt, and bad theology... Are there things that have pushed you away from the church at different points in your life? How did you come back?

Turn to Galatians 3:26-29. How does this passage "help us reconsider the social, political, and theological boundaries" of our current culture?

How might we help ourselves and others heal from the the misuse of the scriptures? Bakker has been especially active in homosexual communities trying to bring healing from the wounds that have been inflicted by the use of scripture as a weapon. I have mentioned before that some of the places where I have seen the most wounding is in the treatment of women and children.

Are there other times when you have seen scripture used as a weapon? ....or as a fortune cookie? ...or a fairy tale? The journal book suggests looking at these scriptures in reference to those misuses of scripture:

Leviticus 19:28
Proverbs 10:10
Matthew 10:34

There are so many passages in the Bible that are troubling...that can lead to a somewhat difficult relationship with the Bible, including this passage from the gospels: Mark 7:25-30. How can we understand this scripture in light of all the things we've learned in this series? In light of the message of grace and love offered by Jay Bakker in session 7? How about Deuteronomy 20:1-20?

How can we see these difficult passages in the light of the message of love throughout the Bible? In light of 1 Corinthians 13?

Are there things that keep you from reading the Bible? Fears about what the Bible really says or of misunderstanding the Bible? Has your relationship with scripture changed over the course of this study? Are you more inclined to look away or to dig deeper?

I want to say that I think both responses - to look away for a time or to dig deeper - are equally valid. There is a time and a place for hanging on to what you DO know and leaving the rest alone. There have been many times in my life when I've clung blindly to a faith and a God I just can't even come close to understanding. The minute I claim to understand God, I've made it clear that I don't really understand.  I think the key is to hang on to the things you know to be true. God created you. God knows you. God is a God of love and grace.

Peace!

Who is Jay Bakker?

Jay Bakker is the presenter of the 7th and final session of Animate: Bible, Grace: Love is the Bottom Line.

Jay came into the public eye early, when his parents built and lost a Christian television network and entertainment complex. As a result, Jay dropped out of school and church, spending his teenage years rebelling against just about everything.

When he found his way to sobriety and back to faith, he founded a church called Revolution, which has branches in Phoenix, Atlanta, New York City, and Minneapolis. He’s written several books, his most recent is Faith, Doubt, and Other Lines I’ve Crossed: Walking with the Unknown God.

Five fast facts

1. Lives with his wife and their cat in Minnesota
2. Is a comic book aficionado, and he builds superhero dioramas
3. Known to consume massive quantities of Diet Coke
4. Won an award from GLAAD for his advocacy for gays and lesbians in the church
5. The podcast of his sermons is heard by thousands every week

(bio from:  http://wearesparkhouse.org/adults/animate/bible/voices/jay/)

Read more on Jay Bakker's website: http://jaybakker.com/

It appears that Bakker is, indeed, here in Minneapolis, though his website still lists him as living in Brooklyn and pastoring Revolution Church NYC. Several recent podcasts are listed as happening at Bryant Lake Bowl in Minneapolis. A letter on his blog also references his move to Minneapolis.

Letting the Bible Speak

Last week, after I posted some of the discussion questions for this week's study, Shanna posted this comment:

I have to admit that I was a little discouraged when the speaker implied that "letting the bible speak to you" was ridiculous. No everyone has a source of spiritual support to help them navigate the bible in an intellectual manner. I remember being 14 and desperately seeking God with no one around me to act as a Shepard. I prayed about what I was about to read in the bible, asking God to guide me, and the passage I read turned my life around. This a situation where "letting the Bible speak to you" is far from ridiculous.

 (see here: Preparing For Discussion - Interpretation: Scripture Reads Us)

On Sunday, Pat sent me an email with a story that begins in this way:

A cab driver in the Philippines became radically saved. He was taught that he now had the power of God in his life to transform his community. Because he had not had any prior religious training to the contrary, he took a literal approach to believing what the Bible says about prayer and miracles.

Read the rest of the story here: Prime Time With God: Transforming A Workplace)

I am beginning to ask myself if it isn't so much "letting the Bible speak" that can be a problem sometimes, as putting our own interpretations on the Bible in the absence of relationship with and surrender to God. If we earnestly seek God while we are reading scripture, I believe that God will speak...BUT we have to be open to the possibility that what God will say with not fit within our current understanding of the world or even within our current understanding of God.

This always leaves me with such a feeling of responsibility, maybe even vulnerability. It's my responsibility to tend my relationship with God in such a way that I can hear the still, small voice amidst the clamoring of my experiences, the world around me, and my own misgivings and intellectual scruples.  I have to silence the clamor and be still. And trust. I have to trust that God will speak, that I won't have to chase God down the rabbit holes of scriptural interpretation, that God is right there with me while I chase after truth.

The Parable of the Workers in the Vineyard

One of the passages we have been asked to consider this week is the parable of the workers in the vineyard from Matthew 20:1-16. I thought I would find some possible interpretations of this passage:

Fairly "standard" interpretation from Bible.org: Workers in the Vineyard

Strongly social justice oriented reading from the National Catholic Reporter: What the Parable of the Vineyard Workers Really Says

Sermon by Nadia Bolz-Weber including commentary on the Vineyard parable: Sermon from Sierra Pacific Synod Service

Rather radical interpretation by Boyd Collins in his blog, Jesus Radicals: The Power That Springs From Weakness

From the blog of Wycliffe Bible Translators missionaries, Mark & Laura Woodward: A Missional Reading of Matthew 20:1-16

If there are others you have found, feel free to post them in the comments!!

Preparing for Discussion - Interpretation: Scripture Reads Us

Next Wednesday we will be discussing session 6 of Animate: Bible, Interpretation: Scripture Reads Us, presented by Will Willimon.

The following are some scriptures and questions from the journal and facilitator guide to get us started:

Read the 10 Commandments (Deuteronomy 5:4-21), keeping in mind that scripture is all about God. How does it change your thinking to view scripture this way, rather than being all about us?

Read Colossians 3:18-4:1, remembering that this is a letter to the Colossians. What information might be helpful to put these words in context? Is it possible to make meaning of this passage without some sort of scholarly interpretation?

Read Matthew 20:1-16, and think about how you, personally, understand or interpret this passage. Have you heard other interpretations?

Check out:
Psalm 1
Isaiah 53:1-9
Matthew 9:11-13

How do we interpret the above passages in light of what we know of Jesus? Our context changes how we understand scripture that pre-dated Jesus.

How does this week's topic relate to earlier discussions about how the Bible has been made available to more and more people over the years...with translations into the language of the people, the invention of the printing press, and the development of the internet? Is it "dangerous" for the Bible to be in the hands of people, who have no knowledge of the cultural context of the Bible, no information about genres or history?

Will Willimon talks about people reading the Bible and "just letting it speak." Are there times when this is a good thing? Willimon seems to, first, be saying that it's not a good thing, that we always need to be aware of the context of the Bible and to be informed about where the text is coming from. But then he tells the story of the young man who said, "Did it ever occur to you to just do it?" That seems like a case of just letting the text speak.

Have there been times in your life when just the simple reading of the Bible has been important to your faith journey? Are there times when the simple reading has been detrimental? Can you think of examples of times when you've seen either of these things happen in the lives of others or the church as a whole?

Have the tools of  "community, context and prayer" ever changed your understanding of the Bible?  What do we do with the fact that there are divisions between communities of believers (think denominations) in the interpretation of scripture?

What does it mean to say that the Bible is "a book of imagination?" Are you comfortable or uncomfortable with that thought? Why?

How do we hold on to a childlike faith in the midst of such complex questions?


There are SO MANY questions to consider and so few definitive answers! I am so proud to know all of you and to see such honest wrestling with the questions! Thank you for being my community!

Who is Will Willimon?

The 6th presenter in the Animate: Bible study is Will Willimon. His topic is Interpretation: Scripture Reads Us.

Will is the professor of the practice of Christian ministry at Duke Divinity School. He is a former dean of the chapel at Duke and is regarded as one of America’s foremost preachers. He’s also a retired bishop in the United Methodist Church, formerly serving North Alabama.

He has written many books on preaching and the church, and he recently penned a novel, Incorporation, about a pastor in a small, struggling mainline congregation. His preaching is known for being humorous, insightful, and often having an unexpected hook.

Five fast facts

1. Lives with his wife in North Carolina
2. Has two grown children
3. Was named one of the 12 Best Preachers in the World by Baylor University
4. He doesn’t tweet, but someone runs a Twitter account with wise statements Will has said
5. Has degrees from Wofford College, Yale Divinity School, and Emory University 

(bio from: http://wearesparkhouse.org/adults/animate/bible/voices/will/)

Read more from Will Willimon's blog here: http://willwillimon.wordpress.com/

Visual Depictions - Genres of Scripture

From Credo House Ministries:

The book of Jonah...

I found this straightforward article in the Jewish Heritage Online Magazine: Jonah the Reluctant Prophet. The article highlights the fact that the story of Jonah has traditionally been understood as parable or allegory, as midrash in the Jewish tradition. The understanding of this book as allegory, rather than history, has not in any way diminished it's meaning. In fact, this book is such a poignant parable that it is recited as part of the services for Yom Kippur (the Day of Atonement), the most holy day of the Jewish year.

From the article:

The underlying theology in the book of Jonah is two-fold:
1. God’s compassion extends to all nations of the earth; and
2. Israel is under responsibility to be the vehicle by which that compassion is made known.

The sages consciously chose this book to be read in the afternoon service, as the Sabbath of Sabbaths, the Day of Atonement, draws to an end. As we pray for forgiveness and for a year of life, we recall that God is the God of all mankind, of all the Ninevehs of the world, and man, created in God’s image, is obligated to embrace and extend that compassion.

I have begun to wonder if sometimes we resist the idea that a story from the Bible may not be literal and historical because we think that somehow diminishes the value of the story; that it is somehow less true. Is it possible that the story is still true but not literal and historical?

Preparing for Discussion - Genre: Rhythm of the Text

On Wednesday this week, we will be discussing session 5 of Animate: Bible, Genre: Rhythm of the Text, presented by José Morales.

First, I want to say that I anticipate that this will be a bit of an intense topic. I appreciate how willing this group has been to dig into the harder topics and work through what these things mean for ourselves and our lives in community together as Christian people. You are all so amazing!!

Here are some scriptures and questions to get our brains in motion for this week's discussion:

* What is your initial reaction to Morales' proposition that the book of Jonah ought to be read as an allegory?

* Read the story of the Tower of Babel from Genesis 11. Consider what difference it makes to your reading of the story if you think of it as history or as allegory. 

* Consider the the following passages and how genre informs your reading:

• 1 Kings 6:2-10 (history)
• Psalms 71:14-18 (poetry)
• Amos 7:1-9 (prophecy)
• Revelation 5:1-5 (apocalyptic)

* Are there scriptures you hear quoted often in conversations and arguments that could be understood differently if genre was considered?    What comes to mind most readily for me is Paul's letters, including mandates for how women should behave in church. These are letters, written within a cultural framework, most likely in response to questions that were culturally embedded.

* Is there a particular genre of scripture that you most drawn to? Are there those that you avoid? Why do you think that is? Does this match up with the type of reading you like to do in general?

Nadia Bolz-Weber interview, blog & sermon links

I found the interview of Nadia Bolz-Weber on Krista Tippett's show On Being here: podcast, video or transcript. THANK you so much, Beth, for mentioning this in your comments! I listened to the podcast on my drive to Rochester yesterday, AND I listened to it again with my husband last night.It was that good.

Intro from the transcript:

Ms. Tippett: The church Nadia Bolz-Weber founded is called the House for All Sinners and Saints. At six feet tall with spiky hair and a body covered in tattoos, she is an original voice in a loosely defined movement called the emerging church.   ...  She spent years as an addict and a stand-up comic before being surprised by what felt like a call to be a minister to people on the underside of life.   ...   These days, convicted felons and elected officials join teenagers with pink hair at this church and others like it redefining what church is and with a deep reverence for tradition.

I would recommend listening to the podcast, rather than reading the transcript, if you have the time. There is so much life and character in Nadia's voice that you miss a lot only reading her words.

A few gems from the interview:

Ms. Nadia Bolz-Weber: I really feel strongly that you have to be deeply rooted in tradition in order to innovate with integrity. So, for example, we celebrate the Easter vigil, where you start with a new fire and you light it and you have this paschal candle and you parade in chanting, and we have these baptisms and we have the Eucharist and it's like amazing.

And...

Ms. Nadia Bolz-Weber: I feel like the Christian life is a life of continual death and resurrection. Also, I think some sectors of Christianity think, well, you're saved and then you're good, right? And then you just lead a really nice life and you're a good person and you're redeemed and you sort of climbed this spiritual ladder so that you're close to God. And that's just not been my experience.

My experience is of that disruption, over and over again, of going along and tripping upon something that I think I know or that I think I'm certain about, and realizing I'm wrong. Or maybe fighting to think I'm right about something over and over and over again until I experience what I call the sort of divine heart transplant.

Also, Tesha mentioned that Nadia's blog seems like it has not been updated recently. I found more recent blog posts and links to sermons (both audio & transcript) here: Patheos.

Who is José Morales?

The 5th session of Animate: Bible, Genre: Rhythm of the Text, is presented by José Morales.

José grew up in Chicago, where his parents were pastors of a Hispanic Pentecostal Church. He attended Judson College and McCormick Theological Seminary before becoming a minister in the Disciples of Christ denomination.

He’s currently the regional minister in the Central Rocky Mountain Region of the Disciples and travels the region to support pastors and churches. He also speaks and preaches regularly, and serves as an adjunct professor at McCormick. Prior to this work, he was a pastor at Iglesia del Pueblo Church in Hammond, Indiana.

Five fast facts

1. Lives with his wife in Denver
2. Is a DJ and can be found working late into Saturday night at a club
3. Still gets up early on Sunday to preach at church
4. Was born in Caguas, Puerto Rico
5. Wishes he could speed-read

(bio from:http://wearesparkhouse.org/adults/animate/bible/voices/jose/)

The Gospel of Q

The journal notes for session 4 make brief mention of an additional gospel called Q, which is considered by many scholars to have been a source for pieces of the synoptic gospels Matthew & Luke. If you're interested in reading more about Q, this article is one of the best I've found. It's lengthy and dense, but readable:

What is the Q Gospel?

Preparing for Discussion - Gospels: Unexpected Good News

On Wednesday this week, we'll be discussing session four of Animate: Bible, entitled:  "Gospels: Unexpected Good News." The DVD presentation for session four is by Nadia Bolz-Weber.

I suggest going through the journal questions backward this week, in an effort to get to the scripture-based discussion questions before running out of time.

* Take a look at the opening lines of the gospels of Matthew and John. Think about how these introductions differ and how they fit together. How do they complement each other?

* The gospels give us both stories and descriptions of what Jesus SAID and what he DID. Do you tend to put more weight on one than the other? These scriptures may help guide your thinking:

• Matthew 5
• Mark 1:40-42
• Luke 9:12-17
• John 8:1-11

* Nadia Bolz-Weber talks about how Jesus kept company with the wrong crowds of people (John 4:4-26 & Luke 19:1-10). Have you ever experience of finding the Good News in unexpected places or people?

* How about John the Baptist? What do you think about the description of John the Baptist from the DVD, and what do you think it says about Jesus that this is really the beginning of the gospel story?  He was, most likely, not what people expected for a preamble to the appearance of the Messiah. 

* If you have a couple of Bibles around your house, see if you can find one that has some footnotes about Mark 16 and bring that Bible with you to Morning Blend on Wednesday. What thoughts do these notes bring up for you? Is it unsettling that there are some different possibilities for the ending of Mark?

* And following from that question, how do you make sense of the differences between the 4 gospels, Matthew, Mark, Luke and John? Which stories about Jesus are really essential to your faith, and does it change how you feel about a story if it is included in more than one gospel?

* From the facilitator guide: "Nadia talks about the word "gospel" as a proclamation that demands a response. Does our faith feel like a response to the good news? In what ways does it succeed and in what ways does it fail?"

* What was your response to Nadia's story of the conversation with her friend, who said that she didn't really need anything outside herself to have a sense of hope and life? How do we see that same conversation playing out in the world around us? Does it seem to you that more and more people think they don't really need God or even religion or spirituality to have hope and life? Do you think that people can really and truly feel that way? Or are they covering up their true fears and longings?

* In what ways do you see the gospel still unfolding around you?

Peace!

Understanding Old Testament Stories

I know it's late to get this in for this morning's discussion of the Testaments, but I wanted to post the following links anyway for those of you who want to go back and read some more.

This is an article by Crystal Lutton, mother, pastor and author of Grace-Based Living and Biblical Parenting. Her response to the difficulties we find with the Old Testament Bible stories attempts to shed light on the cultural and spiritual context of those stories:

Atrocity in the OT
 
Ms. Lutton wrote her article as part of a continuing online discussion of the blog article by Rachel Held-Evans:

The Scandal of the Evangelical Heart