Tuesday, April 16, 2013
Science and Faith...
Deep theological/philosophical question of the day...
A scientist, studying the causes, progressions, cures for disease (or anything other kind of scientist, frankly) deals with mystery. Perhaps the cause is mystery. Perhaps the cure. Perhaps the function of cells or proteins are a mystery. But you assume that what you don't know is real, has something to teach, something to explore. You also, unless you are psycho, accept that you usually work on a small piece of the whole picture. No one person, no one experiment enables an understanding of the whole picture. Sometimes, breakthroughs happen science achieves a quantum leap in understanding (think mapping the human genome or the discovery of the polio vaccine), but typically, the work of science is slogging through daily details, working and studying for the promise of enlightenment at some level.
Why, then, assume that the journey of faith, the relationship with God is different. Why the beginning assumption (by many) that God/isn't real because God can't immediately be seen, because humans understand this faith thing in small pieces. Occasionally, we get a quantum leap. I think Moses bringing the Hebrew people out of Egypt and into the identity of a "people of God" was one. I think Jesus was one. Spending a week learning that homeless people are people first was one for me. Mostly, though, the faith journey is daily details, working and studying for the promise of understanding, the way to make our world better for all people. It is never about the individual. God's work and understanding is always for the whole world.
I, for one, would like to stand up for a celebrated life of faith, living in a mystery greater and more powerful than any science. We don't always get the practice right. But attempting to understand and serve as God works to bring reconciliation and wholeness to all people is a choice worth making.
Wednesday, April 3, 2013
It's Not a Secret...
Occasionally, there occur these moments during the worship of God that are so amazing we really should just say Amen! and go home. We don't usually, of course, but perhaps we should.
All the children came up for the Easter children's sermon, a wiggling mass of small humanity eager to see what wisdom their adult has on this particular day. The adult, knowing he really doesn't possess the magical wisdom expected, begins to sweat as he faces the crowd.
So, the adult announces he has a story to tell...and though he tells lots of stories...this one is "really true." He saw the women coming from the tomb. They said Jesus was not there..."He is risen!" The women were right...Jesus was risen! This was such big news, he says, that it changed the world...and changed all the people who know Jesus was risen. So they begin to greet each other with the phrase...He is Risen! It was kind of like a "secret handshake." If the person they greeted was also a follower of Jesus, they would reply "He is Risen, Indeed!" Let's try it out, says the adult...secret handshake...here we go...
Walks up to the first child, sticks out hand, says "The Lord is Risen!" Coaches the child to respond, "He is Risen, Indeed!" Great says the adult...let's try it again. Done. Third time he says "secret handshake"... third kid replies with great exasperation..."It's not a secret any more."
So what can you say? Absolutely true...it's not a secret any more! This kid was a theological genius, speaking what we so often forget. It's not a secret any more!
We still often act like it is...we don't talk about our faith. We don't give credit for resurrection/rebirth/ reconciliation where credit is due...preferring to recognize our own ability when things go well, and reserving the right to blame God when things go poorly. I've often wondered what happened in the first century when the greeting was extended, but not returned by the other person. Did they get "huh?" or "crazy Christians" or some other even less enthusiastic response...like "I'm reporting you to the authorities!"
The bottom line is it really doesn't matter what the response is. The phrase "The Lord is Risen" is way more than a secret handshake, way more than a greeting between two Christians. It is a fundamental reshaping of the whole world...whether the world is ready or willing or not. It shakes the very foundations of our existence, those that say money is power, power is ours, we are the most important, look out for number one, might makes right...and on and on. "The Lord is Risen" means God wins...that all other powers and principalities are put on notice that God's will will be accomplished, that their days of assumed control are numbered.
The Lord is Risen. It is a dangerous phrase. Use it carefully. It changes the world, beginning with the person who voices it.
The Lord is Risen...He is Risen Indeed.
All the children came up for the Easter children's sermon, a wiggling mass of small humanity eager to see what wisdom their adult has on this particular day. The adult, knowing he really doesn't possess the magical wisdom expected, begins to sweat as he faces the crowd.
So, the adult announces he has a story to tell...and though he tells lots of stories...this one is "really true." He saw the women coming from the tomb. They said Jesus was not there..."He is risen!" The women were right...Jesus was risen! This was such big news, he says, that it changed the world...and changed all the people who know Jesus was risen. So they begin to greet each other with the phrase...He is Risen! It was kind of like a "secret handshake." If the person they greeted was also a follower of Jesus, they would reply "He is Risen, Indeed!" Let's try it out, says the adult...secret handshake...here we go...
Walks up to the first child, sticks out hand, says "The Lord is Risen!" Coaches the child to respond, "He is Risen, Indeed!" Great says the adult...let's try it again. Done. Third time he says "secret handshake"... third kid replies with great exasperation..."It's not a secret any more."
So what can you say? Absolutely true...it's not a secret any more! This kid was a theological genius, speaking what we so often forget. It's not a secret any more!
We still often act like it is...we don't talk about our faith. We don't give credit for resurrection/rebirth/ reconciliation where credit is due...preferring to recognize our own ability when things go well, and reserving the right to blame God when things go poorly. I've often wondered what happened in the first century when the greeting was extended, but not returned by the other person. Did they get "huh?" or "crazy Christians" or some other even less enthusiastic response...like "I'm reporting you to the authorities!"
The bottom line is it really doesn't matter what the response is. The phrase "The Lord is Risen" is way more than a secret handshake, way more than a greeting between two Christians. It is a fundamental reshaping of the whole world...whether the world is ready or willing or not. It shakes the very foundations of our existence, those that say money is power, power is ours, we are the most important, look out for number one, might makes right...and on and on. "The Lord is Risen" means God wins...that all other powers and principalities are put on notice that God's will will be accomplished, that their days of assumed control are numbered.
The Lord is Risen. It is a dangerous phrase. Use it carefully. It changes the world, beginning with the person who voices it.
The Lord is Risen...He is Risen Indeed.
Monday, April 1, 2013
Easter...
Darkness
descends
into
solitude.
A silver kiss.
Inescapable evil...
Thieving companions
Crossing to death.
Love
ripping through law
light behind stone
emptiness fulfilling
Promise of Easter!
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