Tradition vs Traditionalism

Great quote found in Living Justification by Jonathan Huggins.  The quote comes from Jaroslav Pelikan (how can the quote not be good with a name like that!) and goes like this:

"Tradition is the living faith of the dead; traditionalism is the dead faith of the living.  Tradition lives in conversation with the past, while remembering where we are and when we are and that is we who have to decide.  Traditionalism supposes that nothing should ever be done for the first time, so all that is needed to solve any problem is to arrive at the supposedly unanimous testimony of this homogenized tradition."

Not bad I reckon.  What do you think?  I feel that there must be a third option out on the other side of tradition from traditionalism  that is called something like anti-tradition.  Anti-tradition supposes that nothing should ever be done again, that new is the only good thing, that the past holds us back and that we have nothing to learn from it.

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Beginning to think about Christians at work

I've got a series coming up at church in April/May where we'll be spending time thinking about how a Christian should work.

I'm currently doing some reading and research and I was struck by this great quote by Dorothy Sayers in Tim Keller's book Every Good Endeavor (which is a truly great endeavor, and a splendid book!).  Anyhow here is the quote:

"The church's approach to an intelligent carpenter is usually confined to exhorting him to not be drunk and disorderly in his leisure hours and to come to church on Sundays.  What the church should be telling him is this: the very first demand that his religion makes upon him is that he should make good tables."

There's something more positive and compelling about the second charge than the first right?

Anyway, much of what I've heard in relation to Christians and work is simply, there is gospel work (working for the church, reading the bible with people, evangelism) and there is other implied, lesser work (i.e. everything else that the majority of the world does). Suffice to say, that's never really cut it for me.  Well this book is giving great voice to a larger view of work, of how it is integral to every person, and how we were created by a working God to work.

I've got more books to read, more thinking to do, but I'm really looking forward to what God will do through this series!  Please pray for me and for our church, that this will not only change our thinking, but it will enable us to be God's people in our places of work.

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Choosing a Bible Translation

We hear it often in church that one of the best things we can do for our personal spiritual life is spend more time in God’s word.  And this is true.  In Hebrews 4:12 we read that, “the word of God is alive and active. Sharper than any double-edged sword, it penetrates even to dividing soul and spirit, joints and marrow; it judges the thoughts and attitudes of the heart.”  But when you walk into Koorong and look at the wall of bibles you will notice there are a range of choices of bibles.  This is because the Bible was not originally written in English and so there are a number of different translations to choose from.  So how should you decide which one to choose from?  How can you know if the Bible you were given when you became a Christian is a good translation?

Well the theory that informs the translators is for another post and if you want more information about that you begin by reading Gordon Fee and Douglas Stuart’s excellent book How to Read the Bible for all its Worth.  However, a good translation will have used the best copies of the original Greek manuscripts available to us today and will be honest about where there is uncertainty over certain translation issues (this will usually be shown by having an alternative translation in the footnotes).

With this basic understanding there are two translations that you should not use for personal or corporate bible study.  The KJV/NKJV and The Message.  See what Fee and Stuart say about the KJV/NKJV

‘The KJV for a long time was the most widely used translation in the world; it is also a classic expression of the English language.  Indeed it coined phrases that will be forever embedded in our language (“coals of fire”, “the skin of my teeth”, “tongues of fire”).  However, for the New Testament, the only Greek text available to the 1611 translators was based on late manuscripts, which had accumulated the mistakes of over a thousand years of copying.  Few of these mistakes – and we must note that there are many of them – make any difference to us doctrinally, but they often do make a difference in the meaning of certain specific texts.  Recognizing that the English of the KJV was no longer a living language – and thoroughly dissatisfied with its modern revision (RSV/NRSV) – it was decided by some to update the KJV by ridding it of its “archaic” way of speaking.  But in so doing, the NKJV revisers eliminated the best feature of the KJV (its marvelous expression of the English language) and kept the worst (its flawed text).  This is why you should use almost any modern translation rather than the KJV or the NKJV.’  (How to Read the Bible for All its Worth – Gordon D. Fee and Douglas Stuart: 2003: p40)

The KJV deserves a special place in the history of the western world and is one of the great achievements of the Reformation in making God’s word accessible to the people.  But some 400 years later it simply no longer stands up to scrutiny.  With The Message the issues are of a different nature.  Eugene Peterson wrote The Message to help make the bible more accessible.  He said he wrote it for, “those who hadn't read the Bible because it seemed too distant and irrelevant and those who had read the Bible so much that it had become 'old hat’” (The Message Version Information: http://www.biblegateway.com/versions/Message-MSG-Bible/).  And to that end The Message can be great to read from time to time to give us fresh insight into what God is saying through His word.  However whilst The Message has great usefulness in helping us look at a passage of scripture with fresh eyes, The Message often goes beyond the bounds of simple translation and steps into the world of commentary or interpretation, but without stating as such or making the reader aware of other translation or interpretation options.  Thus Fee and Stuart say that ‘particularly eye-catching moments’ in The Message need to be checked with other translations or with a commentary before they are relied on to form something of our beliefs about God.

So what translations to use for personal or corporate bible study?  At Wellspring we use the NIV and we suggest that this is one of the best translations.  It is translated by a committee of leading Evangelical scholars and thinkers and is both faithful to the original text whilst being written in relatively simple and easy to understand English.  So next time you go into Koorong to update your bible hopefully you’ll be able to make a more informed decision that will help you delve deeply into God’s word.

How to Read the Bible For All Its Worth is available from Koorong or Book Depository.

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Study makes you say smart stuff

"Our view of heaven is shaped by everyone attaining to the goal of fully functioning autonomous individualism free from the shackles of collective community engagement"

That's what I said the other day in my Theology study group.  I could totally write a book!

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Engaging with the Same Sex Marriage Debate

I read something from a a guy who was in favour of same-sex marriage but opposed to the current legislation being debated in Tasmania a while back.  He argued that all views opposed to same sex marriage where ipso-facto homophobic.  I disagreed.  I was hoping that he and I would be able to dialogue over the issue, but sadly I haven't received a response.  Below is a copy of the email I sent.  I offer it as my current thoughts on how to engage people in conversation over the issue.  What did I say well?  What could I have said better?

Hey Person X!

First of all thanks for putting your views out there for people like me to engage with.  I suppose it's difficult for two people who don't know each other to engage in debate and discussion, particularly via emails but we'll give it a shot and hopefully we can both come to an understanding of each others point of view.  I also apologise if I offend you in anyway.  I have no idea of your history, your wounds, your life story which no doubt informs the way all of us think about everything even in our best attempts to be completely rationale.

Let me state a few things up front.  I'm a Christian and so I have a worldview that is completely different to yours (this is a major assumption and I'm sorry if I have misread your or inferred in error here) and so my approach to life, morality, law etc. will be different.  Let me also say that I find much of the Christian rhetoric around the whole 'same-sex marriage' debate to be lacking a little.  The problem I think in the debate between Christians and others in this area of same sex marriage is that we are actually having a world-view discussion which is far bigger than should we let gay people get married.  I think Christians need to admit this more.  What I think Christians do, understandably, is attempt to argue their case on the terms of say the secular atheist and lose.  So we end up saying things like marriage is all about children and studies apparently show children need a mum and a dad etc.  However, far more compelling to my mind is painting the story that shapes all humanity.  We are God's created and special people whom God has redeemed through Jesus to live life in a new way.  In his way.  This is the best way to live, because it's the way we were created to live.  We are nervous about gay marriage because we see that our government is legalising a way of living contrary to how we should live.  The conversation we then need to have is not about same sex marriage or when the right time to have sex with your partner is or if you should have an abortion, rather it is a larger question of how you look at the world.  How you make sense of all the good and the bad things  that happen.  How you make sense of your life and its purpose etc.

Let me also say that I probably agree with you on one level.  If I adopted a secular, atheistic world view, I would agree there seems to be no rational argument against same sex marriage.  Though in my mind, following that logic through I think there should be nothing wrong with other forms of marriage either (eg. polygamy).  If it's an arrangement that consenting adults enter into (whether they be male, female, or multiple or whatever) then it should be legal.

However as I alluded to on Facebook I do take serious concern that those who disagree with you are homophobes.  I think that is simply an oversimplification.  I have worked with two homosexual men in the past.  We got along well, I love and respected them as people and think no less of them for their choices, even though I disagree with them.  But as a Christian I disagree with people's choices all the time.  I know people who've being greedy, who've lied, who've had sex before marriage.  Heck I've even done some of those things.  I don't hate myself, I don't hate those people.  The world is full of people (including every single Christian who has ever lived and who will ever live) who make wrong choices according to the Christian world-view.  But the Christian world-view is one that in a large part is built around dealing with all the wrong/bad/evil choices people have made.  As Christians we should be like God, who though he disagrees with many of our choices, choses to loves us and help us make new choices.

So do I think homosexuality is wrong?  Yes I do.  But I also think that people are more than their sexuality.  I also think that much of my own hetrosexuality is wrong and broken and in need of God's help in fixing.  My worldview tells me that every single person regardless of race, colour, religion or sexuality is a beautiful person, made in the image of God.  But my world view also tells me that every person is a broken person in need of the redemption of God.  It is far more complex than hatred of homosexuals.  Something which I would happily stand next to you and condem as would the God I believe in.

I look forward to continuing the discussion.

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Theological Question?

I'm currently working on an essay for Evangelical Church history on the topic, 'Is it defensible to argue that Jonathan Edwards invented youth ministry?'

I have no idea what I think about that yet, but one of the themes that has come up in some of my very early reasoning is the idea that the Puritans had that they were a kind of 'New-Israel' and so it was important that they, and their children, lived holy lives otherwise God might punish them just as he had once punished sinful Israel.

Ok, now here's my question, that is totally unrelated to the topic, but one that's been bouncing round my head for a while.  Now that we are living in the New Covenant... Now that we are under Grace... In what sense would God act towards his people like that?  In what sense is it possible for his people to fall away in such a manner?

Answer my questions super smart blog readers and put my mind at easy so I can get back to this essay question!

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Thankfulness is the antidote

We had a great encouragement in our chapel service at Ridley today from Peter Brain, former Bishop of Armidale and author of the book Going the Distance, about how we need to be thankful in order to be joyful which is both the way to live the Christian life, and the antidote to the pessimism and much of the depression (situational rather than clinical I suspect) that can cloud around us in ministry or simply in life in general.

I was convicted of my lack of thankfulness recently so thought I would list just some of the things I am personally thankful to God for (these are in no particular order, nor is it a complete list!):

• I am thankful to God for the provision of a Godly wife who spurs me on to greater Godliness and lovingly helps me be a better follower of Jesus, a better husband, and an all round better person.
• I'm thankful to God for the way she works hard to support my theological study and is willing to make sacrifices personally so we can work and be part of what God is doing in His world.
• I'm thankful for the great privilege it is to be able to spend a year studying full-time at Theological College without the distractions of work or other things.
• I'm thankful for all that I've learnt about myself in the last few years that have made me a wiser, slightly less sinful Christ follower.
• I'm thankful for the chance to worship God with His people at our new church home Plentylife and for the friendships we've made there
• I'm thankful that each day God gives me the grace of a new day, with new experiences, new challenges, and new adventures.
• I'm thankful that God is in control of my future and he will always look after me and my family
• I'm thankful for good relationships with my family and in-laws.

There is so much to be thankful about!  I live in a world that wants me to complain and to criticise.  But God want's me to live a counter-cultural life.  If we chose to take off the glasses that make us see everything as negative or neutral and instead chose to put on the glasess of thankfulness, then not only do we become happier, more content people... we also become more obedient gospel people who will shine like lights.

So what are you thankful for?

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Theology of Youth Ministry Conference Day 1

Well, the next few days have me attending the Ridley College Theology of Youth Ministry Conference.  It's gonna be a good couple of days to think and talk youth ministry with others who are passionate about it.  Recapture some of that youth ministry love.

Today was a fairly low key day with a main session given by Ken Moser and an elective.  More on the elective later but first to the main session.  Moser spoke to his article which in fairness I haven't read.  The basic idea as I understood it was youth ministry is driven far too much by pragmatics (thanks to our North American friends) and we instead need to be motivated by being Christian.  He used the analogy of a Chess club or Hockey club and said they attract people by doing chess things or hockey things so why shouldn't we as Christians attract people by doing Christian things.  Now this sounds like brilliance.  Of course.  But something about this analogy doesn't quite sit right with me.  The analogy gets pushed further by saying, the great thing about this model is we rely and trust in the power of the gospel.

So here's what I think is wrong.  First youth groups are not Christian clubs.  A Christian is about more than Youth Group.  It's about life.  A Christian does everything different.  A chess player plays chess at his chess club and lives the rest of his life doing other things, like getting a real job.  Moser said we needed to be like the chess club, which does chess things to gain new members, so the Christian youth club needs to do only Christian things.  My problem.  Everything is a Christian thing.  I get that studying the bible is a Christian thing, and praying is a Christian thing, and singing etc.  But so is being joyful, so is fun, so is music, so is being the fully embodied person God created you to be.  I don't believe there are a set of 'christian things' that our clubs can or can't do.  Likewise, there are a whole range of reasons a person might join a chess club or hockey club.  For example to get to know people, to pass the time, to get fit (more a hockey thing!), to pass time.  They're happy to play chess or hockey because it gives them access to other things (like social capital) or freedom from boredom.

So why couldn't a Christian group have random fun?  It draws people in, it helps people get to know each other.  It's fun.  It builds community.  It enables us to get to know each other better which in turn enables us to build deeper relationships, gives shared history to talk about.  We can have fun and we can do it all in the name of Jesus.  Perhaps I'm missing something?

We also had a discussion at my table about whether or not I was doubting the power of the gospel if I thought youth groups might need  to do more than just study the bible or pray or sing.  I provocatively answered that I did.  I do doubt the power of a lazy presentation of the gospel that makes sense in our Christian world to have a powerful impact in a foreign culture.  To me, it's like saying I doubt that someone who only understands Japanese will convert to the gospel if I walk up and tell it to them in English.  I doubt this will happen.  Oh well you say, I must doubt the power of the gospel.  That's just stupid.  And I think so it is with teenagers.  They live in a culture.  You speak a language they understand but convey ideas and concepts they can't connect to their reality then you might as well speak another language.  The gospel has power if it is understood.  God gives understand and asks us to work hard at making it understandable.

So they're some of my thoughts.  If you were there, please help me to understand why I'm wrong?  If you weren't, but know what Moser thinks about all this, let me know! :)

It was a good day.  Looking forward to tomorrow!

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Getting published

Sadly this is not the announcement of my publishing and speaking deal, but rather that I wrote a letter to the editor of the Hobart Metropolitan paper The Mercury.  It was a response to this article about how we should get rid of faith from our morality debates.  They titlted my response 'Mob Rule without Jesus' which I thought was pretty cool.

Sadly The Mercury doesn't publish this part of the paper on line, so I have no way of knowing if anyone responds.

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I believe in a big gospel

Ok, so part of me feels horribly nervous about this post.  Especially given I'm still in the early stages of germinating thought over this.  But over the last two weeks I've had a number of things in my life and learning come together which has made me decide that I believe in a big gospel.

What do I mean by a big gospel?  I mean that the good news that Jesus died on a cross to save me is not the sum total of the gospel.  Rather, the gospel is the good news of God's kingdom which brings salvation to me and you through the death and resurrection of Christ.  But it is also the good news of God's kingdom breaking into this world through the life of kingdom people, through the transformation of lives, through the feeding of the sick and helping of the needy, through the worship of the King of Kings... That is it think what is often called the 'fruit' of the gospel is actually part of the gospel itself.  A bit like how the fruit of a tree is part of the tree itself.

Let me explain some of the practical things that have pushed me in this direction:
1. A Testimony - This was actually the last thing that happened but it was stunning given my previous week.  Anyway, I listened to the most beautiful and amazing testimony of some Muslim friends.  Their story is nothing but miraculous.  The fascinating thing about it was, being Muslims their conversion moment happened when they realised Jesus was God.  That was the big deal thing for them.  That was the thing they struggled to accept.  That was the thing that God worked powerfully to convince them of.  It was only months later as they passionately worshipped and served in their church that they realised not only was Jesus God, but he had died for their sin too.  Now they had already surrendered their life to Jesus when they decided he was God.  But on a narrow view of the gospel, were they saved yet?  It is clear in their story that they were saved before realised Jesus died to forgive them.  Knowing that Jesus was God was the high point.  That was the moment.  It was as they recounted that moment where they cried and we cried as we listened to this testimony of the power of God.  A narrow 'mechanics of salvation' view of the gospel doesn't allow for this sort of story.  Though they were equally amazed when they discovered why Jesus had to die and what it meant.  But it wasn't their conversion moment.  I can't reconcile that story on a 'narrow' or 'mechanics of salvation' gospel.

2. Church Planting... In my church planting class we discussed how do you contextualise the gospel to your receptor culture (the people you're trying to reach).  How do you communicate in a meaningful way the problem of sin and it's solution.  It's difficult to do this in a way that connects with people if you have a narrow view 'mechanics of salvation' view.

3. Christian Worship... Sometimes I find church services horribly one dimensional.  Often I can't understand why people get upset when we sing a song like 'Our God' by Chris Tomlin and insist that the only biblical songs are 'Consider Christ' or 'Servants of the Gospel'.  I get frustrated when people push that everything must relate to the sermon.  Is not our experience of God bigger and broader than what we hear in sermon?  Can not other things be impressed upon us?  Perhaps these differences come down to a narrow vs. big view of the gospel?

I need to do more work on the theology.  That's granted.  But I've read some work by Scott McKnight and I find him compelling.  He has a new book I plan to read soon.  The gospel is the good news of the kingdom.

Some people say it's dangerous to mix the gospel (Jesus died for my salvation) with the 'fruit of the gospel'.  I'm unsure where the term 'fruit' of the gospel comes from biblically (granted it may be there), but I don't see how this is dangerous.  What is dangerous is not telling the full story.  Which of course includes leaving out the great news that Jesus died for our salvation!  I'm not suggesting I want to walk away from that at all!

In fact, let me finish the post by saying that the greatest day in my life was when I realised that Jesus had dealt with my sin on the cross.  That he paid the price.  That I had the chance to live for him because of what he did.  That my relationship with God is restored because of that death.  I'm moved by this.  I cry at the beauty of this when no one is looking.  But as I live my new life in God I can't help but see how it is the Gospel the big story of God (the great news that God who created the world, who is redeeming a people for himself, who is bringing peace, justifying sinners, making lives new, transforming relationships, sent his son to live, die rise and ascend) that is infecting every part of my being and life.

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The Articles of our Faith. Shaping Us Then and Now 2 of 2

The brief for one of our subjects this semester was to take a couple of the 39 Articles and turn them into something we might put in a monthly or weekly pew sheet.  I was given number 13 and 14.  This is number 14.  Enjoy and comment.  (See part 1 here)

The Articles of our Faith.  Shaping Us Then and Now

We are continuing our monthly series on the foundation documents of our church.  This month it’s Article 14.  How did it shape our church then and how does it shape us now?  (For a full list of the articles see here)

Article XIV (14)

Of Works of Supererogation

Voluntary Works besides, over, and above, God’s Commandments, which they call Works of Supererogation, cannot be taught without arrogancy and impiety: for by them men do declare, that they do not only render unto God as much as they are bound to do, but that they do more for his sake, than of bounden duty is required: whereas Christ saith plainly, When ye have done all that are commanded to you, say, We are unprofitable servants.

What if I told you that you had to dress like a monkey and dance like a chicken in order to be sure of your salvation?  What if I told you that if you didn’t want to dress like a monkey or dance like a chicken that once I’d done it enough for me, that I could do it for you? You’d probably tell me that I’m crazy and leave.  The church would get smaller one by one.  Meanwhile, every Sunday those who remained would perfect the chicken dance and afterwards we’d feel assured that God was pleased with us because of our amazing moves and monkey suits.  We’d also be making up for the lost revenue in tithes by convincing any poor sucker to pay us to do the dress up and dance on their behalf.

Clearly the above idea is ridiculous, but it gets to the heart of a mistake many of us can make, and it gets to the heart of a really big mistake that was made prior to the articles being written some 500 years ago.   Basically the official line of the Roman church was that a Christian could do more than was really demanded by God and if he had done more he could transfer the extra credit to another person.  But as we’ve already seen in this series, it is only by faith in the work of Jesus on the cross, through his death and resurrection that someone can be saved.  It is by faith not works that someone is saved.  A Christian will naturally do good works, but his works do not save him, nor do they earn him extra credit before God.

So how does this shape us and our church life today?  Well, it can be easy for us to add rules to our salvation (like chicken dancing and monkey suit wearing, or more seriously, traditions or cultural baggage).  Often we are well meaning.  But this article reminds us that we must not add rules, or works to the Christian faith over and above what God commands us.  We must not add extra rules and regulations to Christianity that stop people from receiving the grace God wants to give them.

It can be hard to avoid this rule-making tendency.  However, this article ends with a quote from the bible (Luke 17:10), and so too the bible is our authority for what is required of a Christian.  So as Christians we remember that we are saved by the free gift of God, not by our works, but by faith in the work of Jesus on the cross.  And we respond to that by living holy lives as set forth in the bible.

Further thinking and reading

If you would like to go more in-depth we recommend the following books

The Principles of Theology by W.H Griffith Thomas

On the 39 Articles: A conversation with Turdor Christianity by Oliver O’Donovan

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The Articles of our Faith. Shaping Us Then and Now 1 of 2

The brief for one of our subjects this semester was to take a couple of the 39 Articles and turn them into something we might put in a monthly or weekly pew sheet.  I was given number 13 and 14.  This is number 13.  Enjoy and comment. (See part 2 here)

The Articles of our Faith.  Shaping Us Then and Now

We are continuing our monthly series on the foundation documents of our church.  This month it’s Article 13.  How did it shape our church then and how does it shape us now? (For a full list of the articles see here)

Article XIII (13)

Of Works before Justification

Works done before the grace of Christ, and the Inspiration of his Spirit, are not pleasant to God, forasmuch as they spring not of faith in Jesus Christ, neither do they make men meet to receive grace, or (as the School-authors say) deserve grace of congruity: yea, rather, for that they are not done as God hath willed and commanded them to be done, we doubt not but they have the nature of sin.

Everyone likes to be rewarded for what they do.  If we work hard, we like to see the fruit of our labour.  If we do something nice for our friends, we like them to say thank you, or perhaps even to pay us back sometime when we are in need.  Nobody enjoys the thought that their good deeds don’t earn them some sort of favour.

But perhaps one of the most scandalous tenants of the Christian faith is that, without a relationship with God, available only through faith in Jesus, our works cannot please God, they cannot win his favour, they cannot make Him be gracious towards us.  The starting point for us as Christians is to admit we don’t deserve God’s forgiveness but by his grace he gives it to those who trust Him.

Way back in the day (1500s) when the articles were first prepared, people thought that if a person did good things, then that person could start the process of returning themselves to God; That by doing good works they would be able to earn or ‘merit’ their salvation.  This article was written against such a view.

So how does this article shape us and our church life today?  Well, when I was in high school I used to look at my friends and those who didn’t seem to get drunk at parties that much, or who came from good homes, or who worked hard in class, and think to myself, these guys might be getting close to Jesus, to trusting Jesus.  I thought that they were ready to receive grace.  But this article reminds us of the scandalous truth of our faith.  That no one deserves grace, but that God gives it freely to those whom He choses.  Our job is not to work out who is ready, but to simply step out in prayer and faith and tell everyone the good news that has so captured our heart and life.  Jesus saves!

And secondly, we must remember that the start of our walk with God is repentance, turning away from our old life towards Jesus.  For before we put our faith in Jesus we have no good works for which God owes us a favour.  All our ‘good works’ (like walking the old lady across the street, or mowing the neighbours nature strip) if done outside, or prior to, our relationship with Jesus cannot win us favour before God.  If they are done for that purpose, then they are attempts at self-righteousness and must also be repented of.  When we come to God, we repent of our whole life that was lived for ourselves, putting ourselves in the place of God.  Whether we did good or bad in our eyes, or the eyes of this world, before meeting Jesus, we must repent of it all.

We are justified through faith in Christ alone, not by our good works.  This good news frees us from fear of failing God and enables us to take our message to the lowest of the low.  Jesus saves.

Further thinking and reading

If you would like to go more in-depth we recommend the following books

The Principles of Theology by W.H Griffith Thomas

On the 39 Articles: A conversation with Turdor Christianity by Oliver O’Donovan

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The Power of Community

I think agree with Lesslie Newbigin... Do you?

‘How is it possible that the gospel should be credible, that people should come to believe that the power which has the last word in human affairs is represented by a man hanging on a cross?  I am suggesting that the only answer, the only hermeneutic of the gospel, is a congregation of men and women who believe it and live by it.  I am not… denying the importance of the many activities by which we seek to challenge public life with the gospel… But I am saying that these are all secondary, and that they have power to accomplish their purpose only as they are rooted in and lead back to a believing community.’

(Cited in Multiplying Churches Ed. Stephen Timmis)

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What are words?

Ok.  So here is a developing thought that I've been playing with for a while now and it has to do with the nature of words and I suppose language and the way we use and interpret the Bible.

This is probably nothing new, and is most likely well researched by linguists and the like so i'd appreciate anyone who can point me in a direction of something to read.  I think my thinking is somewhat shaped by my sociology degree.

So let me try and outline it, this is my first attempt so don't shoot me!  The bible uses words (in the New Testament it uses Koine Greek words).  These words don't actually mean anything in and of themselves but their context, culture, and the idea behind them give them meaning.  So when we argue about what a particular word means we are arguing about what big idea in the stream of consciousness of the day was trying to be conveyed by the uses of that word.  Often we can figure that out by the surrounding sentence or sentences or book or books.

Now, we read an English bible.  It also uses words.  It uses words that in our context and culture portray the same meaning to our stream of consciousness.  So we have words like gospel or worship or church or marriage or grace that are used in the bible to convey particular meaning.

Now, there are some who get pretty revved up about correct use of words.  So we can have big long conversations about the word 'worship' or 'gospel' or 'church'.  Or some will prefer not to sing songs that use words like 'lovely' or 'fully sick' or something to describe God because the bible doesn't use those words.  On one hand I get where they are coming from.

But I think I'm starting to think that perhaps we just need to become as good at reading our culture and interpreting it (cultural exegesis if you like) as we are at doing biblical exegesis.  Perhaps we need to be less hung up on words and more hung up on ideas.  Words change, meaning changes, contexts change.  If we are hung up on defining everything in the exact same way as a word is used in the bible (or with different words that are not explicitly used in the bible, but might fit the big idea) then perhaps we are missing something of the richness and deepness that is life with Jesus and we are missing opportunities to take the good news about life with Jesus into our contexts.

After all english words in the Bible are just someones attempt to communicate an idea from a different context (1st Century Greek speaking Paul for example).  And Paul was using greek words to communicate an idea that was in some sense beyond the words he used.

Just thinking philosophically.  I still believe in Jesus' real life and death for my sins and reading the Bible as the primary way to know about Jesus.  I'm just trying to work out how language works or something.

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Don't be a jerk

A prophetic comic for evangelicals?

From Josh Harris

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Reading the Bible

NT Wright has done a series of fascinating little videos over on the Alter Video Magazine site.  I particularly enjoyed this one where he gives advice on how to read the bible.  He talks compares the bible to a symphony.  Taking little chunks here or there doesn't give you the whole feel for what's really going on.  A good analogy I think.

Anyway, over the last few months Ellisa and I have been using a bible reading method which does a bit better at giving us a broader picture of the whole of scripture.  I found it over on Communicate Jesus a while back.  In this plan you read 10 chapters from different parts of the Bible each day.  It sounds big, but it's actually not that bad. Takes me about 30-40mins to read.  The greatest thing is there is never a dull moment.  I always found with other bible reading plans that sometimes I would get bogged down in lots of 'boring' bits and therefore give up.  This plan ensures I'm always reading something from the epistles or gospels or pslams or proverbs or acts, meaning if I'm getting bogged down in some confusing OT prophets or seemingly drawn out descriptions of who got what land in Joshua then I don't feel defeated.

It's a well worth a try if you're struggling to read the bible or want to try something different.  There's also a facebook group you can join if you want tips or support.

(Note: If you're going to start doing this, I recommend downloading and printing out this list to help you keep track of where you are up to.)

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More on Joshua

Many people are familiar with the story of Rahab the prostitute in Joshua (if not you can read about it here).  My potted retelling of the story goes something along the lines of this.  God's people are preparing for battle after many years of waiting in the wilderness.  Finally the time has come and Joshua (the bloke) sends two spies (I'm presuming reasonably young blokes) to go find out about the land they are about to invade and attack.  Now who knows what they get up to but the story tells us straight away they went and entered into a prostitutes house...  Now this seems highly unexpected to me?  Two young blokes go spy out the land and end up at a prostitutes house... Now I'm not saying they went there to have some naughty 'fun' while they were away from home but it certainly seems slightly suspicious to me.  Certainly if they came back home and I was Joshua I would have been asking questions.

Now I haven't done a whole heap of hard work on this passage, and I have no doubt there are many more exegetically relevant points the passage seeks to answer but the passage got me thinking about the idea of being beyond reproach.  The idea that we need to behave in ways that will mean people can't accuse us of things we haven't done.  An example might be Ricky Nixon (for those not in Australia or Melbourne see here).  Whatever Nixon did or didn't do with the 17 year old girl, the fact was he wasn't beyond reproach.  It looked bad.  Now I'm not suggesting that we go and seek out bad situations which make us look bad.  Of course not.  But I am wondering if sometimes we let this idea drive us away from doing things that are good but which might scare us, or make us feel like the price we pay is too high, because it's not behaviour that is, 'beyond reproach'.

Again, give me your thoughts either about the Rahab story or my 'beyond reproach' thinking.  Iron sharpens Iron.

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Joshua and the Holy Spirit

Ok so the book of Joshua and the Holy Spirit are not two things that usually go together.  But I've been reading through Joshua a few times lately and I was really struck by something which suggests to me the difference the Holy Spirit makes to us as New Covenant, Holy Spirit empowered believers.

See in the book of Joshua God's people carry out to it's full force (though not completely) God's command to destroy the other nations.  They commit what looks like mass genocide.  Wiping out completely from the face of the earth these other nations.  Now putting aside our modern day difficulty with such a passage and such a command, the truth of the matter is that for God's people to remain holy and faithful to God they were required to wipe out the other nations so that they wouldn't be tempted to worship their idols.

Fast forward to the New Testament, post the coming of the Holy Spirit on the believers at Pentecost (Acts 2) and we have God's people being told in 1 Corinthians 9:19f to be like the other nations (those not following Jesus) in order that they might win some to the cause of Christ.  This seems like a radical change.  In fact it is a radical change, and I was wondering how is it that God's people move from being told to separate themselves off from the other nations to being told (within reason obviously) to be like the other nations.

And this is where the book of Joshua and the Holy Spirit come together in my thinking.  It seems to me that the only reason why as Christians today in 2011 that we're not supposed to go round killing the infidels, is that God is now dwelling within us.  That God has given us the power not to fall prey to the things that the world offers us.  I take it that's why we're told we're never tempted beyond what we can get out of (1 Cor 10:13).  God's Spirit is at work within us and will help us, there is hope that we will rise above the world around us now.  There wasn't in the book of Joshua.  God's people couldn't deal with temptation then and so they need harsh separation.

So that's my thinking.  Do you think we should be encouraged by these thoughts or that you should write a blog post accusing me of a Rob Bell sized heresy?

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Optimistic Faith

So I’ve been trying to think recently about how optimistic the Christian faith is.  Why does this matter you say?  Well, I sort of tend to be a fairly critical kinda guy.  But I don’t really want to be.  In fact I often have big dreams and plans.  The problem is I also tend to see the downside of things, the barriers and reasons why my ideas might never come to fruition.  Perhaps that’s a skill but it’s one that I need to learn to harness.  Anyway, if I can, I like to be around optimists to remind me not to get stuck in a critical rut.

Placing this to one side the reason I was thinking about all this is because I was wondering what the general mindset of a Christian should be?  Optimistic or realistic or pessimistic or none of the above?  On the one hand the Christian faith is really very optimistic.  That this world with all it’s horrible floods, famines, cyclones, earthquakes, human tragedy, oppression, rape, murder etc. is going to be all put right.  That we (Christians) are going to share in God’s glory one day and be with Him forever.  But on the other hand it has some pessimistic type tones too.  That we are humans who are affected by sin, who can never be perfect, who sin and ignore God.  But then of course there is the good (perhaps optimistic) news that Jesus came to deal with those very problems.

Perhaps optimism and pessimism are not the right categories for what I’m talking about here but I reckon that sometimes we Evangelicals can get a bit overly critical and then that makes everything feel a bit down, a bit stuck, a bit pessimistic.  For example when we get obsessed with being right or focus exclusively on the atonement as the sum total of any experience of God (it is important).  Or when we focus on our reality before trusting Jesus as sinners worthy of God’s wrath, rather than on our new reality in Christ, as God’s children, holy and dearly loved.  I guess I think the Christian faith is one that should be characterised by hope and joy and love but sometimes it ends up being about fear, pride, and rules.

We have an optimistic faith and I think we should generally be more optimistic and excited by God and what he is doing or could do.  I admire this in my Pentecostal brothers and sisters in Christ.

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Bono on Grace

An interesting post which quotes Bono on Grace.

Worth a read.  Especially if like me you've always heard Bono was a Christian but never had any idea of what he actually thought.

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