The Church In Emerging Culture

Sweet, Leonard (ed.) 2003, The Church in Emerging Culture: Five Perspectives (Grand Rapids, Zondervan)

As the title suggested, this is a book about five different perspectives as viewed by five different people on the Church in emerging culture. These five contributors are Andy Crouch (editor of Regeneration Quarterly, author and a “specialist on spirituality and campus life”), Michael Holton (editor of Modern Reformation and associate professor of apologetics and historical theology at Westminster Theological Seminary in California), Frederica Mathewes-Green (author, from episcopalism who became an Orthodox), Brian McLaren and Erwin Raphael McManus (self proclaimed “cultural revolutionary” which lead a tribe of “spiritual warrior” called mosaic, centered in Los Angeles). Leonard Sweet is the editor of this interesting mix of people.

The book is set forth as a conversation. Each contributor was given a chapter but in the chapter, comments from other contributors were printed so within the limitations of a printed book, a sort of conversation was going on.

Leonard Sweet gave a good introduction to the book in which he laid the background for the discussion- how should the Church respond in a post modern world. He started with H. Richard Niebuhr’s book, Christ and Culture (1951) which was described as one of the most influential book of the twentieth century. Niebuhr delineates five areas in which the Church respond to culture: “Christ against culture; Christ of (or within culture; Christ above culture; Christ transforming culture and Christ and culture in paradox.” Leonard felt that while it was true when the book was written more than 50 years ago, it may be time to review Niebuhr’s concepts of Christ and culture which were based on modernism.

He suggested that we move beyond Niebuhr to another area where we can examine the post modern church response to change in the message/context/substance and in method/form/style. To this there are four possibilities (low change in method, high change in message; low change in method, low change in message, high change method, low change in message and high change in method, high change in message). Leonard gave an excellent metaphor in describing these areas by likening it in agricultural terms: glen (low change in method, high change in message); garden (low change in method, low change in message), park (high change method, low change in message) and meadow (high change in method, high change in message).

read my comments

The Church In Emerging Culture

Sweet, Leonard (ed.) 2003, The Church in Emerging Culture: Five Perspectives (Grand Rapids, Zondervan)

As the title suggested, this is a book about five different perspectives as viewed by five different people on the Church in emerging culture. These five contributors are Andy Crouch (editor of Regeneration Quarterly, author and a “specialist on spirituality and campus life”), Michael Holton (editor of Modern Reformation and associate professor of apologetics and historical theology at Westminster Theological Seminary in California), Frederica Mathewes-Green (author, from episcopalism who became an Orthodox), Brian McLaren and Erwin Raphael McManus (self proclaimed “cultural revolutionary” which lead a tribe of “spiritual warrior” called mosaic, centered in Los Angeles). Leonard Sweet is the editor of this interesting mix of people.

The book is set forth as a conversation. Each contributor was given a chapter but in the chapter, comments from other contributors were printed so within the limitations of a printed book, a sort of conversation was going on.

Leonard Sweet gave a good introduction to the book in which he laid the background for the discussion- how should the Church respond in a post modern world. He started with H. Richard Niebuhr’s book, Christ and Culture (1951) which was described as one of the most influential book of the twentieth century. Niebuhr delineates five areas in which the Church respond to culture: “Christ against culture; Christ of (or within culture; Christ above culture; Christ transforming culture and Christ and culture in paradox.” Leonard felt that while it was true when the book was written more than 50 years ago, it may be time to review Niebuhr’s concepts of Christ and culture which were based on modernism.

He suggested that we move beyond Niebuhr to another area where we can examine the post modern church response to change in the message/context/substance and in method/form/style. To this there are four possibilities (low change in method, high change in message; low change in method, low change in message, high change method, low change in message and high change in method, high change in message). Leonard gave an excellent metaphor in describing these areas by likening it in agricultural terms: glen (low change in method, high change in message); garden (low change in method, low change in message), park (high change method, low change in message) and meadow (high change in method, high change in message).

read my comments

A Life of Faith

Craig Dykstra,2005 Growing in the Life of Faith 2ed.(Louisville, KN: Westminster John Knox Press)




Craig Dykstra, Vice President for Religion at Lilly Endowment, Inc describes the "life of faith" as
_______________________________________________

The “life of faith” is the way of living that is organized by faith and that flows out of faith. In the life of faith, we come more and more to participate in the new reality God is opening to us. We live it ever more fully and let it do its work in every aspect of our lives, as all our beliefs and understandings, feelings and emotions, values and meanings, commitment and actions become increasingly shaped by and conform to it. Above all, the life of faith involves rejoicing in the love and grace of God, giving thanks to God secure in the knowledge that all God’s promises are sure, and sharing that love and grace in the life of the world.
________________________________________________

Living a “life of faith” has the following dimensions:

(1) We are loved by God, not because of what we do but because of who we are and more importantly, because of whom God is.
(2) We are free from “all powers that enslave, dominate, corrupt and corrode.”
(3) We have the freedom to choose life.
(4) We shall see reality as God intends it to be.
(5) We shall see evil that has distorted reality and deluded the world into a false reality (sin) and we also see the sinful natures in ourselves.
(6) We shall be involved “individually and corporately in lifelong struggle against communal and political powers of sin and earth, deceit and alienation, injustice and oppression-in the church and in the larger world.”
(7) We shall be taking part in Christ’s work of redemption.
(8) We shall live a life of obedience to Christ through the Holy Spirit who indwells us and empowers us to do what we ourselves will never be able to do.
(9) We shall live a life of love

Such a “life of faith” requires that we persevere. “The life of faith must, therefore, be patterned, structured, kept in place and on course over the long haul through the development of disciplines and habits, both personal and corporate.”

Soli deo gloria

A Life of Faith

Craig Dykstra,2005 Growing in the Life of Faith 2ed.(Louisville, KN: Westminster John Knox Press)




Craig Dykstra, Vice President for Religion at Lilly Endowment, Inc describes the "life of faith" as
_______________________________________________

The “life of faith” is the way of living that is organized by faith and that flows out of faith. In the life of faith, we come more and more to participate in the new reality God is opening to us. We live it ever more fully and let it do its work in every aspect of our lives, as all our beliefs and understandings, feelings and emotions, values and meanings, commitment and actions become increasingly shaped by and conform to it. Above all, the life of faith involves rejoicing in the love and grace of God, giving thanks to God secure in the knowledge that all God’s promises are sure, and sharing that love and grace in the life of the world.
________________________________________________

Living a “life of faith” has the following dimensions:

(1) We are loved by God, not because of what we do but because of who we are and more importantly, because of whom God is.
(2) We are free from “all powers that enslave, dominate, corrupt and corrode.”
(3) We have the freedom to choose life.
(4) We shall see reality as God intends it to be.
(5) We shall see evil that has distorted reality and deluded the world into a false reality (sin) and we also see the sinful natures in ourselves.
(6) We shall be involved “individually and corporately in lifelong struggle against communal and political powers of sin and earth, deceit and alienation, injustice and oppression-in the church and in the larger world.”
(7) We shall be taking part in Christ’s work of redemption.
(8) We shall live a life of obedience to Christ through the Holy Spirit who indwells us and empowers us to do what we ourselves will never be able to do.
(9) We shall live a life of love

Such a “life of faith” requires that we persevere. “The life of faith must, therefore, be patterned, structured, kept in place and on course over the long haul through the development of disciplines and habits, both personal and corporate.”

Soli deo gloria

Just Do It

I have always been fascinated by the Desert Fathers and Mothers who lived from the early to the mid-fourth century. These men and women left behind everything they had to live in the hostile deserts of Egypt and later Syria and Palestine. The desert is a deadly unforgiving environment. In the daytime the sun bakes the land mercilessly and the nights are freezing cold. Yet these people left behind comfortable, secure lives and loved ones to live out their lives alone in the desert. They moved there to fight the demons in the desert and the demons within themselves. Like Jesus’ temptations were in the desert, these elders seek the purifying furnace of the desert to encounter God. Though we are separated by 1,500 years, cultural, social and linguistic differences, yet the teachings and sayings of these elders have much to teach us.

A brother said to Abba Poemen: “If I give my brother a little bread or something else, what happens when the demons spoil these gifts by telling me that it was only done in order to please people?” The old man said to him: “Even if it is done to please people, we are still obliged to offer what we can.” He told him the following parable.

“Two farmers lived in the same town. One of them sowed and reaped only a small and poor crop, while the other did not even trouble to sow and reaped absolutely nothing. If a famine comes upon them, which of the two will find something to live on?” The brother replied: “The one who reaped the small poor crop.” The old man said to him: “So it is with us: we sow a little poor grain, so that we will not die of hunger.”

Abba Poemen gave us two important lessons on serving or ministry. First is that, no matter what we do, it will always come out of impure motives because of our fallen nature. There is no such thing as pure altruism. Everything we do will be tainted by our sinful nature. Somehow pride, desire for power, glory and affirmation will dog our every action. Does this mean we do not do anything? Abba Poemen said even if our motives are impure, we still need to serve others. This reminded me of the disciples who complained to Jesus that some people are baptizing people in His Name. Jesus’ answer is illuminating - so what, they are also doing God’s work! (paraphrased Mk 9:38-39)

The second lesson is that we have to sow even if the harvest will be meager. In the parable, Abba Poemen did not elaborate on the soil condition in the town. The soil must have been so infertile that the second farmer did not even bother to sow. Yet the elder said, “So it is with us: we sow a little poor grain, so that we will not die of hunger.” There are times when our service seems to be on such hard ground. For all that we put into our labours, the outcome is so discouraging. We became discouraged because we do not see the fruits of our efforts. Those whom we serve do not appreciate us. Our loved ones misunderstood our calling. We burn ourselves up in an effort to generate “results”. As we look at our own service or ministry situations, we may be tempted to give up like the second farmer. Jeremiah, often known as the “weeping prophet” never did see the fruits of his labour. In spite of his preaching his people refused to repent and he saw the destruction of his beloved country. Yet Jeremiah persisted until the end. Explorer and missionary, Dr. David Livingston made one convert in all his years of hard work in darkest Africa. Yet his explorations opened the way for others to follow and in the years after his death saw the opening of Africa to see the Light.

Abba Poemen’s message is simple: just serve the Lord as faithfully as you can. Sometimes we can be so hung up on the whys and wherefores that we lost sight of our calling. We are called to be faithful servants.

Soli Deo Gloria

Just Do It

I have always been fascinated by the Desert Fathers and Mothers who lived from the early to the mid-fourth century. These men and women left behind everything they had to live in the hostile deserts of Egypt and later Syria and Palestine. The desert is a deadly unforgiving environment. In the daytime the sun bakes the land mercilessly and the nights are freezing cold. Yet these people left behind comfortable, secure lives and loved ones to live out their lives alone in the desert. They moved there to fight the demons in the desert and the demons within themselves. Like Jesus’ temptations were in the desert, these elders seek the purifying furnace of the desert to encounter God. Though we are separated by 1,500 years, cultural, social and linguistic differences, yet the teachings and sayings of these elders have much to teach us.

A brother said to Abba Poemen: “If I give my brother a little bread or something else, what happens when the demons spoil these gifts by telling me that it was only done in order to please people?” The old man said to him: “Even if it is done to please people, we are still obliged to offer what we can.” He told him the following parable.

“Two farmers lived in the same town. One of them sowed and reaped only a small and poor crop, while the other did not even trouble to sow and reaped absolutely nothing. If a famine comes upon them, which of the two will find something to live on?” The brother replied: “The one who reaped the small poor crop.” The old man said to him: “So it is with us: we sow a little poor grain, so that we will not die of hunger.”

Abba Poemen gave us two important lessons on serving or ministry. First is that, no matter what we do, it will always come out of impure motives because of our fallen nature. There is no such thing as pure altruism. Everything we do will be tainted by our sinful nature. Somehow pride, desire for power, glory and affirmation will dog our every action. Does this mean we do not do anything? Abba Poemen said even if our motives are impure, we still need to serve others. This reminded me of the disciples who complained to Jesus that some people are baptizing people in His Name. Jesus’ answer is illuminating - so what, they are also doing God’s work! (paraphrased Mk 9:38-39)

The second lesson is that we have to sow even if the harvest will be meager. In the parable, Abba Poemen did not elaborate on the soil condition in the town. The soil must have been so infertile that the second farmer did not even bother to sow. Yet the elder said, “So it is with us: we sow a little poor grain, so that we will not die of hunger.” There are times when our service seems to be on such hard ground. For all that we put into our labours, the outcome is so discouraging. We became discouraged because we do not see the fruits of our efforts. Those whom we serve do not appreciate us. Our loved ones misunderstood our calling. We burn ourselves up in an effort to generate “results”. As we look at our own service or ministry situations, we may be tempted to give up like the second farmer. Jeremiah, often known as the “weeping prophet” never did see the fruits of his labour. In spite of his preaching his people refused to repent and he saw the destruction of his beloved country. Yet Jeremiah persisted until the end. Explorer and missionary, Dr. David Livingston made one convert in all his years of hard work in darkest Africa. Yet his explorations opened the way for others to follow and in the years after his death saw the opening of Africa to see the Light.

Abba Poemen’s message is simple: just serve the Lord as faithfully as you can. Sometimes we can be so hung up on the whys and wherefores that we lost sight of our calling. We are called to be faithful servants.

Soli Deo Gloria

Simon and Garfunkel: I Am A Rock

A winter's day
In a deep and dark December;
I am alone,
Gazing from my window to the streets below
On a freshly fallen silent shroud of snow.
I am a rock,
I am an island.

I've built walls,
A fortress deep and mighty,
That none may penetrate.
I have no need of friendship; friendship causes pain.
It's laughter and it's loving I disdain.
I am a rock,
I am an island.

Don't talk of love,
But I've heard the words before;
It's sleeping in my memory.
I won't disturb the slumber of feelings that have died.
If I never loved I never would have cried.
I am a rock,
I am an island.

I have my books
And my poetry to protect me;
I am shielded in my armor,
Hiding in my room, safe within my womb.
I touch no one and no one touches me.
I am a rock,
I am an island.

And a rock feels no pain;
And an island never cries.

.

Simon and Garfunkel: I Am A Rock

A winter's day
In a deep and dark December;
I am alone,
Gazing from my window to the streets below
On a freshly fallen silent shroud of snow.
I am a rock,
I am an island.

I've built walls,
A fortress deep and mighty,
That none may penetrate.
I have no need of friendship; friendship causes pain.
It's laughter and it's loving I disdain.
I am a rock,
I am an island.

Don't talk of love,
But I've heard the words before;
It's sleeping in my memory.
I won't disturb the slumber of feelings that have died.
If I never loved I never would have cried.
I am a rock,
I am an island.

I have my books
And my poetry to protect me;
I am shielded in my armor,
Hiding in my room, safe within my womb.
I touch no one and no one touches me.
I am a rock,
I am an island.

And a rock feels no pain;
And an island never cries.

.

A Paediatrician's Prayer

LORD, You called me to care for your children when they are sick. Help me to do it gladly and joyfully. When I get discouraged, remind me of the value of what I do, and help me to do it to the best of my abilities. Help me to see You in each of my patients, their families and my co-workers. Help me to understand that I serve as the instrument by which You heal and bring comfort to Your children.

Give me a smile and a gentle sense of humour and help me to lighten the trying times. I thank You for the many blessings You have given me, not only my medical understanding and skills, but also the opportunity to help others, as You have taught us to do.

May I always remember that the giving of myself to others does not require that I totally deny my own needs or those of my family. Help me to continually strive for an appropriate balance between my vocation and my family. Help me to make my time with my family the highest in quality, especially when it is limited in quantity.

LORD, please give me a heart that listens carefully and patiently to others, especially my patients, their families, my own family, my co-workers, and to myself. Help me to recognise the needs of each and give me the willingness, the strength, the courage and the resources to meet these needs, according to Your will.

May I learn something new each day, not getting lost in my daily routine, and help me to persist in my commitment to help others.

Amen

A Paediatrician's Prayer

LORD, You called me to care for your children when they are sick. Help me to do it gladly and joyfully. When I get discouraged, remind me of the value of what I do, and help me to do it to the best of my abilities. Help me to see You in each of my patients, their families and my co-workers. Help me to understand that I serve as the instrument by which You heal and bring comfort to Your children.

Give me a smile and a gentle sense of humour and help me to lighten the trying times. I thank You for the many blessings You have given me, not only my medical understanding and skills, but also the opportunity to help others, as You have taught us to do.

May I always remember that the giving of myself to others does not require that I totally deny my own needs or those of my family. Help me to continually strive for an appropriate balance between my vocation and my family. Help me to make my time with my family the highest in quality, especially when it is limited in quantity.

LORD, please give me a heart that listens carefully and patiently to others, especially my patients, their families, my own family, my co-workers, and to myself. Help me to recognise the needs of each and give me the willingness, the strength, the courage and the resources to meet these needs, according to Your will.

May I learn something new each day, not getting lost in my daily routine, and help me to persist in my commitment to help others.

Amen

Lectio Divina (Spiritual Reading)

Lectio divina (pronounced lex-ee-oh di-vee-nuh) has been used for over 1,500 years. Literally, it means “divine reading’, ‘spiritual reading’ or ‘sacred reading’. The primary source of what is read in lectio is the Bible. It is gaining popularity as more and more people are finding it a powerful way to nurture their spiritual lives.

As evangelicals, we have concentrated on the study of the Bible. We have come to know a lot about the Bible. But we have not been very good at applying the Bible, much less hearing God through the Bible. Lectio divina is an approach that builds on serious Bible study but moves to new depths as we open ourselves to God through the Bible.

The early monks and nuns approached the Bible by means of lectio divina. In the daily routine of the monasteries and convent, there is specific time set aside for study, prayer and work.

One of the leaders to commend lectio divina as a spiritual exercise was Benedict, an Italian monk who lived in the fifth and sixth centuries (about 480-550).

During the time set aside for study, a monk (or a nun) would go to a quiet place and begin to repeat aloud a passage from the Bible. Often this is taken from the Psalms or Gospels. The monk would speak the passage out loud until a particular word or phrase strikes him. Then he would stop and ponder this word or phrase, understanding it to be a word from God for him.

In lectio divina, the practitioner looks for direct message from God. This meditation (which is what he is doing) will lead naturally into prayer as the monk seeks to communicate with the Lord. As he moved further and further into prayer, he will come to a place where he rested in the presence of the Lord. This is the state of contemplation.

The process of Lectio Divina
In the twelfth century, Guigo II, a French Carthusian monk developed lectio into a four step exercise:

Reading/Listening (lectio)
Read out a short passage of Scripture. When we read aloud, we become both proclaimer and hearer of the Word of God. As you read, listen for the word or phrase that speaks to you. What is the Spirit drawing your attention to?

Meditating (meditatio)
Repeat aloud the word or phrase that attracts you. Make connections between it and your life. What is God saying to you by means of this word or phrase?

Praying (oratio)
Now, take these thoughts and offer them back to God in prayer, giving thanks, asking for guidance, asking for forgiveness, and resting in God’s love. What is God leading you to pray?

Contemplating (contemplatio)
Move from the activity of prayer to the stillness of contemplation. Simply rest in God’s presence. Stay open to God. Listen to God. Remain in peace and silence before God. How is God revealing Himself to you?

Lectio Divina (Spiritual Reading)

Lectio divina (pronounced lex-ee-oh di-vee-nuh) has been used for over 1,500 years. Literally, it means “divine reading’, ‘spiritual reading’ or ‘sacred reading’. The primary source of what is read in lectio is the Bible. It is gaining popularity as more and more people are finding it a powerful way to nurture their spiritual lives.

As evangelicals, we have concentrated on the study of the Bible. We have come to know a lot about the Bible. But we have not been very good at applying the Bible, much less hearing God through the Bible. Lectio divina is an approach that builds on serious Bible study but moves to new depths as we open ourselves to God through the Bible.

The early monks and nuns approached the Bible by means of lectio divina. In the daily routine of the monasteries and convent, there is specific time set aside for study, prayer and work.

One of the leaders to commend lectio divina as a spiritual exercise was Benedict, an Italian monk who lived in the fifth and sixth centuries (about 480-550).

During the time set aside for study, a monk (or a nun) would go to a quiet place and begin to repeat aloud a passage from the Bible. Often this is taken from the Psalms or Gospels. The monk would speak the passage out loud until a particular word or phrase strikes him. Then he would stop and ponder this word or phrase, understanding it to be a word from God for him.

In lectio divina, the practitioner looks for direct message from God. This meditation (which is what he is doing) will lead naturally into prayer as the monk seeks to communicate with the Lord. As he moved further and further into prayer, he will come to a place where he rested in the presence of the Lord. This is the state of contemplation.

The process of Lectio Divina
In the twelfth century, Guigo II, a French Carthusian monk developed lectio into a four step exercise:

Reading/Listening (lectio)
Read out a short passage of Scripture. When we read aloud, we become both proclaimer and hearer of the Word of God. As you read, listen for the word or phrase that speaks to you. What is the Spirit drawing your attention to?

Meditating (meditatio)
Repeat aloud the word or phrase that attracts you. Make connections between it and your life. What is God saying to you by means of this word or phrase?

Praying (oratio)
Now, take these thoughts and offer them back to God in prayer, giving thanks, asking for guidance, asking for forgiveness, and resting in God’s love. What is God leading you to pray?

Contemplating (contemplatio)
Move from the activity of prayer to the stillness of contemplation. Simply rest in God’s presence. Stay open to God. Listen to God. Remain in peace and silence before God. How is God revealing Himself to you?

Thomas Merton on Life

Be good, keep your feet dry, your eyes open, your heart at peace and your soul in the joy of Christ.

Thomas Merton

A New Year Reminder

Ben Patterson, Leadership Journal's contributing editor, gave me a strong wake-up call by his article, Leader's Insight: Our Chief Work.





Patterson wrote :
_____________________________________________________

I read an article that created a great deal of anxiety in me. It was entitled "If You Are 35, You Have 500 Days to Live." Subtract the time you will spend sleeping, working, and tending to personal matters such as hygiene, odd chores, eating, and traveling. In the next 36 years you have 500 days of leisure. If this world is all there is, then none of us should waste our time praying. We should literally be grabbing for all the gusto we can get.

We see precisely that all around us. Yet, as leisure time increases, so do the problems of emptiness, boredom, and restlessness. We have, as a culture, a frantic
determination to relax, unwind, and have fun. Where an earlier generation may
have been compulsive about work, we are compulsive about what we do with our
leisure time. Martha has become the patron saint of American recreational
life.

Of course, this affects the church. Activists that we are, we all feel there is so much to do and so little time to do it. A sign of our times, religiously, is the fact that Hans Küng's otherwise brilliant theological work On Being a Christian did not have a chapter in it on prayer. When asked about its absence, he apologized and admitted it was a serious oversight. But, he explained, at the time of writing he was so harassed by the Vatican and busy trying to meet his publisher's deadline that he simply forgot. That is my point exactly. Prayer is always the first thing to go when we get caught up in the world's pace. And only prayer can deliver us from that pace

________________________________________________________

An important reminder for a New Year.

A New Year Reminder

Ben Patterson, Leadership Journal's contributing editor, gave me a strong wake-up call by his article, Leader's Insight: Our Chief Work.





Patterson wrote :
_____________________________________________________

I read an article that created a great deal of anxiety in me. It was entitled "If You Are 35, You Have 500 Days to Live." Subtract the time you will spend sleeping, working, and tending to personal matters such as hygiene, odd chores, eating, and traveling. In the next 36 years you have 500 days of leisure. If this world is all there is, then none of us should waste our time praying. We should literally be grabbing for all the gusto we can get.

We see precisely that all around us. Yet, as leisure time increases, so do the problems of emptiness, boredom, and restlessness. We have, as a culture, a frantic
determination to relax, unwind, and have fun. Where an earlier generation may
have been compulsive about work, we are compulsive about what we do with our
leisure time. Martha has become the patron saint of American recreational
life.

Of course, this affects the church. Activists that we are, we all feel there is so much to do and so little time to do it. A sign of our times, religiously, is the fact that Hans Küng's otherwise brilliant theological work On Being a Christian did not have a chapter in it on prayer. When asked about its absence, he apologized and admitted it was a serious oversight. But, he explained, at the time of writing he was so harassed by the Vatican and busy trying to meet his publisher's deadline that he simply forgot. That is my point exactly. Prayer is always the first thing to go when we get caught up in the world's pace. And only prayer can deliver us from that pace

________________________________________________________

An important reminder for a New Year.