Advent is coming to a close, and the Christmas season is upon us. I'm pretty stoked about this year because most of my siblings if not all of them will be in Jerseyville for Christmas. In my lifetime I can only remember this happening once before, and it was because my Grandfather was having a surgery he was not expected to survive. It would be awesome to have everyone together for a happy occasion. Of course, if memory serves me right, last time all the sibs were home we undertook a construction project of replacing the waterline that leads into my parent's house. It was interesting and dirty. This time around I don't think there will be any construction projects to start.
We are still not sure if all of the siblings will make it, though. My brother Sean may not be able to make it. I hope he does because it has been a long time since last I saw him. He was always my favorite brother growing up. He was the one that sent me my first tape as a present, Bon Jovi, New Jersey. Although I'm not a huge fan of Bon Jovi today, it was definitely my favorite album for a long time. Sean was the one who I was always really excited about coming home. I remember once he made it home when I was in first grade and was hit by a car. He made it home and played GI Joes with me in the hospital. It was just what I needed during that time. Our relationship has never been strong, but now I realize that neither of us make the effort to connect with the other.
I'm hoping that in just two days I will see him and we can reconnect and build a new adult relationship. Really that is what Christmas is about. God became flesh to reconnect with humanity, establishing a new relationship with us. God wanted to know us more intimately, and we needed this intimacy with God. This is what Christmas is about, Charlie Brown. It is about establishing, re-establishing, and strengthening relationships with each other and with God. It is about knowing people more intimately and growing to know each other more completely! It is about becoming incarnate, in the flesh, letting people in on the good and bad of life. It is about being real with each other so that we can all truly grow in honest and real relationships that are meaningful for all.
This Christmas, I hope you can connect, reconnect, and strengthen your relationships with those around you, and with God, who became human and experienced the best and worst of what that means out of love for you. Can you become human for those around you, or are you going to show a front of perfection this Christmas season?
Peace,
mark
Wednesday, December 23, 2009
Monday, November 09, 2009
"No Man is an Island"
I first came to know this term through the movie, About a Boy, which is a movie that I love with music that I also adore (the entire soundtrack is by Badly Drawn Boy). In this movie there is a man who is doing everything he can to not be connected with other people. He believes himself to be an island. Everything in his life is self-absorbed and shallow, until of course a troubled adolescent comes to his rescue. The movie aside, I find the quote to be really interesting. No man is an Island was originally written in the 1600's by a man named John Donne, who was a poet and a clergyman in England.
The term originally came from a meditation he had, and became a poem entitled "For Whom the Bell Tolls." You might recognize this as a Hemingway novel. The poem is a reflection on how each person is somehow connected to each other person. Donne uses the imagery of the continent, and how every clod that is washed away effects the continent--makes it smaller, less of a continent. In the same way every person's death "diminishes me because I am involved in" humanity. (Donne's words, I believe).
Each person is connected to each other person. There is no way around it. Sometimes the connections are really strong, like with your family or friends. Sometimes the connection has a negative impact on you. Sometimes the connection is unnoticed completely, but it is there. We are all connected with one another. The Buddhist call this the "not two doctrine" because they don't want to say we are one, but we're not two either. In Christian terms, we are all connect through the love God has for us which was expressed in creation, in the life death and resurrection of Jesus Christ and in the guidance of the Holy Spirit. We are all connected in God, "in whom we live and move and have our being" (Acts 17:28). The Divine life is present all around us and connects us all one to each other. These connection in Christ through the Holy Spirit can become more intentional through actions such as communion, and recognizing this communion with others even who are not present at the table during your worship service. This can become more intentional by reach out to others and coming to share in life that is lived in Christ. And recognizing that every time you break connection or use that connection inappropriately it doesn't just harm that person, but it hurts all of us. We are all connected for better or worse, and sometimes we are really good at the for worse part. Do what you can to make it better?
Peace,
mark
I found the poem here: http://www.poetry-online.org/donne_for_whom_the_bell_tolls.htm
The term originally came from a meditation he had, and became a poem entitled "For Whom the Bell Tolls." You might recognize this as a Hemingway novel. The poem is a reflection on how each person is somehow connected to each other person. Donne uses the imagery of the continent, and how every clod that is washed away effects the continent--makes it smaller, less of a continent. In the same way every person's death "diminishes me because I am involved in" humanity. (Donne's words, I believe).
Each person is connected to each other person. There is no way around it. Sometimes the connections are really strong, like with your family or friends. Sometimes the connection has a negative impact on you. Sometimes the connection is unnoticed completely, but it is there. We are all connected with one another. The Buddhist call this the "not two doctrine" because they don't want to say we are one, but we're not two either. In Christian terms, we are all connect through the love God has for us which was expressed in creation, in the life death and resurrection of Jesus Christ and in the guidance of the Holy Spirit. We are all connected in God, "in whom we live and move and have our being" (Acts 17:28). The Divine life is present all around us and connects us all one to each other. These connection in Christ through the Holy Spirit can become more intentional through actions such as communion, and recognizing this communion with others even who are not present at the table during your worship service. This can become more intentional by reach out to others and coming to share in life that is lived in Christ. And recognizing that every time you break connection or use that connection inappropriately it doesn't just harm that person, but it hurts all of us. We are all connected for better or worse, and sometimes we are really good at the for worse part. Do what you can to make it better?
Peace,
mark
I found the poem here: http://www.poetry-online.org/donne_for_whom_the_bell_tolls.htm
Monday, November 02, 2009
Hat tip to a girl from my first youth group (you know who you are...maybe)
One of the first youth groups I lead was in a tiny church, and I only really did things with 3-5 students at most. I have found some of these students on Facebook, and one said student had a really interesting quote on her about me box. She wrote, "Faith is not belief. Belief is passive. Faith is active." I know that I tried to teach her this, but don't worry I'm not taking credit.
It was awesome to see how an 8th grade girl has grown up into a mature thoughtful Christian adult. The quote is very insightful, so let's ponder it for a second. Believing in something is a very passive thing. All it takes is consent to the existence of an idea. I can believe in anything without really doing anything about it. I believed in Santa Claus, the Easter Bunny, New Coke (that was a mistake), and the tooth fairy, but I didn't have to do anything other than acknowledge the idea of these things. Belief is not enough.
But once you put your belief into action, then you have faith. Faith is something the should permeate your entire being. Faith requires you to have those belief but then act on them. Sometimes these belief may need to modified along the way, but you don't know that unless you put them to the test through acting. Faith becomes the way you live your life.
Here is a silly example. "It's the Great Pumpkin, Charlie Brown" features Linus who believes in the Great Pumpkin. Linus does something with this belief though. He actually goes out into a pumpkin patch to wait for the raise of the Great Pumpkin. Although the Great Pumpkin doesn't make an appearance, Linus still had faith in him. Linus didn't passively consent to the existence of the Great Pumpkin, but actively lived out his belief by sitting all night in the pumpkin patch.
Are you willing to have true faith? Are you willing to take your beliefs and put them into practice? Do your beliefs permeate your being and inform the way you live? Have active faith, not passive beliefs. Don't just consent, but act!
Peace,
mark
I would like to thank Allison and Charles Schultz for the inspiration for this post.
It was awesome to see how an 8th grade girl has grown up into a mature thoughtful Christian adult. The quote is very insightful, so let's ponder it for a second. Believing in something is a very passive thing. All it takes is consent to the existence of an idea. I can believe in anything without really doing anything about it. I believed in Santa Claus, the Easter Bunny, New Coke (that was a mistake), and the tooth fairy, but I didn't have to do anything other than acknowledge the idea of these things. Belief is not enough.
But once you put your belief into action, then you have faith. Faith is something the should permeate your entire being. Faith requires you to have those belief but then act on them. Sometimes these belief may need to modified along the way, but you don't know that unless you put them to the test through acting. Faith becomes the way you live your life.
Here is a silly example. "It's the Great Pumpkin, Charlie Brown" features Linus who believes in the Great Pumpkin. Linus does something with this belief though. He actually goes out into a pumpkin patch to wait for the raise of the Great Pumpkin. Although the Great Pumpkin doesn't make an appearance, Linus still had faith in him. Linus didn't passively consent to the existence of the Great Pumpkin, but actively lived out his belief by sitting all night in the pumpkin patch.
Are you willing to have true faith? Are you willing to take your beliefs and put them into practice? Do your beliefs permeate your being and inform the way you live? Have active faith, not passive beliefs. Don't just consent, but act!
Peace,
mark
I would like to thank Allison and Charles Schultz for the inspiration for this post.
Monday, October 05, 2009
Worship
Imagine with me a man in large black robe standing in front of a crowd of people. He holds up a child and presents it to the crowd, then holds the child heavenward presenting this child to God. Then, he takes the child to the altar where there is a basin filled with water. He takes the child and symbolically drowns the child with water, sacrificing this child. Then, after the ritual sacrifice and the prayers said over the child, the child is sacred. Which of course is what sacrifice really means, to be made sacred. Thus, this child is holy and acceptable to God. Is this worship?
Yes of course it is, but is this all that can be considered worship. Baptism is definitely a form of worship. It is nearly an undisputed sacrament of the church. But we only do baptism once, so what do we make of the rest of our worship experiences. The ritual of Baptism points toward the old sacrificial system. First the sacrifice is presented to God through the priest, then the sacrifice is made through killing. Then, the people are made holy and acceptable in the sight of the Lord. This is a way that worship has been ritualized since Moses. In Romans 12:1, we see this very concept. "I appeal to you therefore, brothers and sisters, by the mercies of God, to present your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and acceptable to God, which is your spiritual worship." (NRSV) Here is the pattern for your "Spiritual" or "Reasonable" worship (the Greek word there logikos can also be translated reasonable): you present your bodies as a sacrifice which makes you holy and acceptable to God. The catch is that now we are living sacrifices. Life is what God's about, so how do we worship with this kind of pattern without always re-enacting baptism.
Let's look at the other nearly undisputed sacrament, Holy Communion. In this sacrament we have the sacrifice of Jesus saying "this is my body" which is presented, sacrificed (broken), and thus is Holy and acceptable. In the Eucharist we receive the body of the living Christ into our bodies making us one with Christ and one with one another through the Holy Spirit. So here is another example of worship following this theme. We have presentation, sacrifice which leads to holiness and acceptance in God. Because of the power of the Resurrection we see again not death but life as what is spiritual/reasonable worship. We through symbolically taking Christ into our bodies are then to present our entire lives to God as holy and acceptable. There again we have the old sacrificial system as the model for worship.
Do we do this in our worship service? When there isn't a baptism or it's not the first Sunday of the month in the UM church then do we really do this? Do we do this in our daily lives? Are we presenting our bodies (all of our being) to God as living Sacrifice that is holy and acceptable to God? Do you give of yourself in such a way that you become the sacrifice that someone else needs to participate in? Do you give of yourself to such an extent that you are a living sacrifice which brings about holiness and acceptance in Christ through the Holy Spirit?
This is your Spiritual and Reasonable worship! To offer your entire self to God in all parts of your life so that you can both be holy and acceptable, and bring about holiness and acceptance in those you meet.
Sacrificially yours,
mark
Yes of course it is, but is this all that can be considered worship. Baptism is definitely a form of worship. It is nearly an undisputed sacrament of the church. But we only do baptism once, so what do we make of the rest of our worship experiences. The ritual of Baptism points toward the old sacrificial system. First the sacrifice is presented to God through the priest, then the sacrifice is made through killing. Then, the people are made holy and acceptable in the sight of the Lord. This is a way that worship has been ritualized since Moses. In Romans 12:1, we see this very concept. "I appeal to you therefore, brothers and sisters, by the mercies of God, to present your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and acceptable to God, which is your spiritual worship." (NRSV) Here is the pattern for your "Spiritual" or "Reasonable" worship (the Greek word there logikos can also be translated reasonable): you present your bodies as a sacrifice which makes you holy and acceptable to God. The catch is that now we are living sacrifices. Life is what God's about, so how do we worship with this kind of pattern without always re-enacting baptism.
Let's look at the other nearly undisputed sacrament, Holy Communion. In this sacrament we have the sacrifice of Jesus saying "this is my body" which is presented, sacrificed (broken), and thus is Holy and acceptable. In the Eucharist we receive the body of the living Christ into our bodies making us one with Christ and one with one another through the Holy Spirit. So here is another example of worship following this theme. We have presentation, sacrifice which leads to holiness and acceptance in God. Because of the power of the Resurrection we see again not death but life as what is spiritual/reasonable worship. We through symbolically taking Christ into our bodies are then to present our entire lives to God as holy and acceptable. There again we have the old sacrificial system as the model for worship.
Do we do this in our worship service? When there isn't a baptism or it's not the first Sunday of the month in the UM church then do we really do this? Do we do this in our daily lives? Are we presenting our bodies (all of our being) to God as living Sacrifice that is holy and acceptable to God? Do you give of yourself in such a way that you become the sacrifice that someone else needs to participate in? Do you give of yourself to such an extent that you are a living sacrifice which brings about holiness and acceptance in Christ through the Holy Spirit?
This is your Spiritual and Reasonable worship! To offer your entire self to God in all parts of your life so that you can both be holy and acceptable, and bring about holiness and acceptance in those you meet.
Sacrificially yours,
mark
Tuesday, August 11, 2009
New Life
So a lot has happened to me since my last post. I have started a new job as the pastor of student ministries at Lee's Summit United Methodist Church. I have moved to Lee's Summit, a town with an apostrophe in its name, which is kind of awesome. And I got a new puppy, a miniature dachshund named Zephyr. He is awesome! It has been kind of a whirl wind. So this is life after school, I was wondering if it really existed.
There is so much new going on in my life that it makes me stop to think about other times that newness strikes in people's lives. Sometimes life seems new and different because of a change in location. Sometimes it seems different because of meeting someone new, falling in love, etc. Sometimes life seems different and new because we lose someone close to us. There of course are those times that newness strikes in the form of realizing God's call on your life, and the new life that comes with intentionally baptizing yourself deeper into the divine being. This is the richest and most beautiful scenario for new life. Life that is deeply entwined with the divine becomes richer, more beautiful and becomes more what life is supposed to be. God is always in front of us calling us into a future that is more in tuned to God and God's love, beauty, and truth.
I pray today that each of you can become more deeply immersed in the divine life, so that you can find the joy, truth, and beauty that comes with knowing God's love and will for your life. Spend some time being washed over by God's love and Grace, so that you can have life as it was meant to be lived, in communion with your creator.
Peace,
mark
There is so much new going on in my life that it makes me stop to think about other times that newness strikes in people's lives. Sometimes life seems new and different because of a change in location. Sometimes it seems different because of meeting someone new, falling in love, etc. Sometimes life seems different and new because we lose someone close to us. There of course are those times that newness strikes in the form of realizing God's call on your life, and the new life that comes with intentionally baptizing yourself deeper into the divine being. This is the richest and most beautiful scenario for new life. Life that is deeply entwined with the divine becomes richer, more beautiful and becomes more what life is supposed to be. God is always in front of us calling us into a future that is more in tuned to God and God's love, beauty, and truth.
I pray today that each of you can become more deeply immersed in the divine life, so that you can find the joy, truth, and beauty that comes with knowing God's love and will for your life. Spend some time being washed over by God's love and Grace, so that you can have life as it was meant to be lived, in communion with your creator.
Peace,
mark
Friday, July 03, 2009
"If the Fates allow..."
In high school, I remember having "The Great Fate Debate" after reading Romeo and Juliet in class. I remember having little to no opinion as a sophomore in high school. Now, I can think about it a little more than I did back then. I have often thought about this in a couple of different ways since that strange day.
Being Wesleyan, I had to say that not everything was fated, but I came down as a "gray fater" at the time. The only thing I could say at the time was that I believed in Free Will which means that everything cannot be fated. I still feel that way, but I think about things differently now. One thing I think about is whether something is fated to happened as divinely ordained by a higher power, i.e. God, or whether everything that is about to happen is determined by the actions of everything else in the past. Although the latter is hardly fate, it does say that we have little choice in life. Everything is predetermined by the events of the past. Of course, the beginning of the events had to come about by acts of freedom, or free choice. Thus, free choice is something that is outdated. It's so last year!
I also cannot really get on board with the idea that God, or any other higher power, ordains everything, which I believe is a misunderstanding of Calvin's doctrine of predestination. The ability to choose what you have for breakfast is not what Calvin at all had in mind. He really only meant who is going to receive salvation and all it's rewards, and who is not. The rest of life is pretty much up to you.
Alright, so back to Romeo and Juliet, which by the way is probably the most overrated play ever! But is sparks a conversation about star crossed lovers! I can't really believe that everyone has one true "soul mate" out there. This doesn't really make sense to me. Romantic love is not something that is ordained by the stars. This kind of love is a choice and it is hard work. I have met many people in my life that I thought was totally hot, and when I first talked to them I thought they were awesome. But that doesn't mean that I think I should spend the rest of my life with one of these people. The relationship that I am in and the love that I share with my wife is not star crossed (Sorry Shakespeare), but is a result of spending time together and sharing life as completely as we can with one another. This isn't something that God decided, although God doesn't disapprove either as far as I know, but our relationship comes through sharing experiences with each other.
This doesn't mean that I don't believe that there is some fate, or destiny in our lives. I feel that this destiny though does not come at the expense of our free choice, but is much bigger and more universal than that. I believe in new heaven and new earth, and I have great hope that all of creation will be brought into a right relationship with God in Christ through the Holy Spirit. I believe in a hope that comes through God's love made known in Jesus the Christ through Holy Spirit. A hope of a life that will be lived in perfect communion with God and neighbor. This is what I can see as being destined, but I can't seem to let go of some kind of choice we have in all of this. Destiny is universal and does not have complete control of individual choice.
I don't know why I wrote this other than I felt like writing, and this popped into my mind.
Peace,
mark
Being Wesleyan, I had to say that not everything was fated, but I came down as a "gray fater" at the time. The only thing I could say at the time was that I believed in Free Will which means that everything cannot be fated. I still feel that way, but I think about things differently now. One thing I think about is whether something is fated to happened as divinely ordained by a higher power, i.e. God, or whether everything that is about to happen is determined by the actions of everything else in the past. Although the latter is hardly fate, it does say that we have little choice in life. Everything is predetermined by the events of the past. Of course, the beginning of the events had to come about by acts of freedom, or free choice. Thus, free choice is something that is outdated. It's so last year!
I also cannot really get on board with the idea that God, or any other higher power, ordains everything, which I believe is a misunderstanding of Calvin's doctrine of predestination. The ability to choose what you have for breakfast is not what Calvin at all had in mind. He really only meant who is going to receive salvation and all it's rewards, and who is not. The rest of life is pretty much up to you.
Alright, so back to Romeo and Juliet, which by the way is probably the most overrated play ever! But is sparks a conversation about star crossed lovers! I can't really believe that everyone has one true "soul mate" out there. This doesn't really make sense to me. Romantic love is not something that is ordained by the stars. This kind of love is a choice and it is hard work. I have met many people in my life that I thought was totally hot, and when I first talked to them I thought they were awesome. But that doesn't mean that I think I should spend the rest of my life with one of these people. The relationship that I am in and the love that I share with my wife is not star crossed (Sorry Shakespeare), but is a result of spending time together and sharing life as completely as we can with one another. This isn't something that God decided, although God doesn't disapprove either as far as I know, but our relationship comes through sharing experiences with each other.
This doesn't mean that I don't believe that there is some fate, or destiny in our lives. I feel that this destiny though does not come at the expense of our free choice, but is much bigger and more universal than that. I believe in new heaven and new earth, and I have great hope that all of creation will be brought into a right relationship with God in Christ through the Holy Spirit. I believe in a hope that comes through God's love made known in Jesus the Christ through Holy Spirit. A hope of a life that will be lived in perfect communion with God and neighbor. This is what I can see as being destined, but I can't seem to let go of some kind of choice we have in all of this. Destiny is universal and does not have complete control of individual choice.
I don't know why I wrote this other than I felt like writing, and this popped into my mind.
Peace,
mark
Monday, June 29, 2009
Summer and Transitions
A lot has happened since last time I posted on here. I have graduated from Seminary with a Master of Divinity. I crashed my car. One of my best friends moved to Washington. I have gone on a summer mission trip to Southeastern Kansas with my youth group. I have accepted a full time job as a youth director. And now I am in the process of saying goodbye to one congregation while saying hello to a new one. It's been eventful and has truly been an amazing time.
I just realized today that I have never had a full time job before. I have always worked part time while going to school. My attention has always been divided between school, work, family, and whatever else comes about. This is truly going to be a new phase in my life, and I'm excited by it. I am ready for a break from school and I'm ready to show the world what I can do in ministry. I still have the idea of going back to school and getting a Ph.D someday. I would love to teach theology and how to apply to those who are interested, but first I must do it before I teach it.
All I really have to say to everyone out there who actually reads this thing is this: I am in a transition period in my life and I am grateful for the experiences of the past and hopeful for those yet to come. Newness promotes growth in any system, so I'm looking forward to growing personally and professionally while being part of the growth of others in the new congregation with which I will be working.
Peace my friends,
mark
I just realized today that I have never had a full time job before. I have always worked part time while going to school. My attention has always been divided between school, work, family, and whatever else comes about. This is truly going to be a new phase in my life, and I'm excited by it. I am ready for a break from school and I'm ready to show the world what I can do in ministry. I still have the idea of going back to school and getting a Ph.D someday. I would love to teach theology and how to apply to those who are interested, but first I must do it before I teach it.
All I really have to say to everyone out there who actually reads this thing is this: I am in a transition period in my life and I am grateful for the experiences of the past and hopeful for those yet to come. Newness promotes growth in any system, so I'm looking forward to growing personally and professionally while being part of the growth of others in the new congregation with which I will be working.
Peace my friends,
mark
Saturday, March 07, 2009
"You should post more."
This week I was talking with some friends, and the topic of our little blogging community came up. Then, Katie turns to me and says, "You should post more." I don't know if that means that she likes what I write, or if it was just to encourage a greater participation in the blogging community. So this post is for Katie (she is one of the links on the side).
There has been all kinds of things going through my mind lately. I have this whole question of sin and evil going on because of a novel I read and helping friends with their commissioning questions. I also have all kinds of Trinitarian things going on in my head because of Dr. Chun and Dr. Martin. I also have been thinking about what it means to live a Eucharistic life, which I believed I posted about before, also due to Dr. Martin. All of these things are jumbled in my head and I can't seem to come up with anything coherent thought, which doesn't usually stop me, to write here.
On top of all of this that I've been thinking about, I have to start really looking for a job for after I graduate. I like the idea of graduating and not having to go to school for a while, but I don't really know where I'm going to end up. Sometimes I envy my pastor friends because they don't really have to go through the whole job search thing. But I don't feel called to that kind of ministry, and I do not envy my pastor friends for not knowing where in the conference they are going to end up. That can be a source of great stress.
I want to work with the church, side by side with the church not in it. I want to live Eucharistically not preside over the Eucharist. I want to help people live into their Baptisms, not actually perform the ritual. I want to work in a way that will bring the meaning of these rituals into the daily lives of the people with whom I come into contact. I want to help church to happen outside the walls of a church building and aid pastors in leading the congregation in living out its call to communion. This is the vision I have for ministry. I think this is a lot like what deacons are supposed to be, but I want to do it outside of denominations. I want to work side by side, not from within. I love the church and I want to make it more real in everyday life through experiences that are not "church."
What do you guys think? Should this be in my cover letter?
mark
There has been all kinds of things going through my mind lately. I have this whole question of sin and evil going on because of a novel I read and helping friends with their commissioning questions. I also have all kinds of Trinitarian things going on in my head because of Dr. Chun and Dr. Martin. I also have been thinking about what it means to live a Eucharistic life, which I believed I posted about before, also due to Dr. Martin. All of these things are jumbled in my head and I can't seem to come up with anything coherent thought, which doesn't usually stop me, to write here.
On top of all of this that I've been thinking about, I have to start really looking for a job for after I graduate. I like the idea of graduating and not having to go to school for a while, but I don't really know where I'm going to end up. Sometimes I envy my pastor friends because they don't really have to go through the whole job search thing. But I don't feel called to that kind of ministry, and I do not envy my pastor friends for not knowing where in the conference they are going to end up. That can be a source of great stress.
I want to work with the church, side by side with the church not in it. I want to live Eucharistically not preside over the Eucharist. I want to help people live into their Baptisms, not actually perform the ritual. I want to work in a way that will bring the meaning of these rituals into the daily lives of the people with whom I come into contact. I want to help church to happen outside the walls of a church building and aid pastors in leading the congregation in living out its call to communion. This is the vision I have for ministry. I think this is a lot like what deacons are supposed to be, but I want to do it outside of denominations. I want to work side by side, not from within. I love the church and I want to make it more real in everyday life through experiences that are not "church."
What do you guys think? Should this be in my cover letter?
mark
Thursday, February 19, 2009
Nestor O. Miguez
Yesterday, I went to a lecture by Nestor Miguez called, Doing Theology in a non revolutionary situation. Miguez from what I gleaned from Dr. Couture's introduction is the son of theologian, José Míguez Bonino, who wrote a book called Doing Theology in a Revolutionary Situation. To be honest, I had never heard of that book before, nor had I heard of either theologian. I went to the lecture because I didn't want to miss out on seeing someone who is a great thinker; and this lecture did not disappoint.
Dr. Miguez helped me to rethink things in our culture and reclaim some things that I used to think about quite a lot. Being a Liberation Theologian from Argentina, he spoke a lot about the struggles and the injustices that are going on in the world. Most of these struggles have less to do with government, although that can still be a problem, but more to do with the Market.
I realize that the market is kind of an easy target these days, and that everyone is struggling because of the market situation. Most of what is going on I don't really understand. I don't know economics that well, but I do realize that our entire economy is based on faith. Therefore, we must trust the dollar's worth and then it will be worth something. There is very little product to back our economy. I guess with this in mind it is little wonder that our economy is struggling right now.
Part of what Dr. Miguez did was to try to rethink our corrupt human nature that has turned greed into a virtue. Our system does not have grace in it at all. What would it look like if we took the call to be united with Christ seriously? Would we try to build a new economic system that doesn't have the corruption of greed? How could we be grace-filled in today's world, and how can we truly live out our call to the least and lost?
Our economic system has caused us to think about relationships in terms of usefulness. We are only friends with someone if we can get something out of it. I do realize that this is vastly overstated and that not everyone does this, but what does friendship mean in Christian terms? Relationality has to be rethought according to aspects of grace and I think the Trinity could help in this as well. God is fully God in the mystery of the Holy Trinity. God is three and one in a cosmic union of distinct persons. The relationship makes God "one in diversity" (Karkkainen, An Introduction to Ecclesiology). Humanity being made in the image of God then must reflect that community. Thus, humans are only fully human or are made whole by and through true communion. We must carry others within us, realizing the ontological link between us, and making meaning only in relation to the other. We must carry the diversity of peoples in our hearts while at the same time becoming one with others through communion. It is through the Eucharistic life that we can become truly one with God and one with each other. A way to help you live a Eucharist life comes from Philippians 2:3-4:
Do nothing out of selfish ambition or vain conceit. Rather, in humility value others above yourselves, not looking to your own interests but each of you to the interests of the others.Live in humility, holding other's needs in your heart, and becoming one the other in Christ, through the Holy Spirit.
Friday, February 06, 2009
Writing and Reading
I know that most of seminary life is writing and reading (not necessarily in that order), but I feel that I need to do a lot more of both of these things. I do read quite a lot and I think I'm way better at that than I am writing. But I need to start reading differently. This doesn't me reading faster or anything like that. I need to start reading and taking notes. I should keep a record of what I have read, and what the main ideas and points of these things are. This means that I have to get way more organized and I have to get way more serious about my reading. So with this being said, I would love for you all to suggest some sources for me, although it might take awhile for me to get to it. I would love suggestion of novels, philosophy, theology, or anything else that is particularly striking.
Now to the writing. I know how to make my letters and I most of the time I can figure out how to spell. This is not what I mean by writing. Instead, I need to spend more time writing down my thoughts. I might start keeping a journal, but I'm not sure that is the kind of writing I want to do. I want to take the thoughts in my head and formulate them into words on paper. I would like people to be able to read what I write and understand it. I want my readers to feel the urgency and passion, or to feel the overall tone of the work. I don't just mean that I want to write theological treatise, but I also want to write poetry and fiction. I want to communicate struggles and joys in life through various genre of writing. So with that being said, one of the things that will help me is to just write more. Thus, I'm hoping to write more often here. I know I say that all the time and it might not happen, but it is my goal.
I want to be able to read and write well because my goal and calling that has been reaffirmed over and over again lately is to teach. I feel called to be a professor. I'm very comfortable with the idea of teaching. I'm not as comfortable about doing the research and writing involved in obtaining my goal. Therefore, I would love it if you, my friends, helped to encourage and challenge me in this endeavor. Ask me to explain things and encourage me to take notes when I read. Maybe even ask to see something that I have written lately, although I'm not a big fan of showing people what I write. I'm sure this comes from a lack of confidence, so doing it more may help. I also need critiques and corrections, both in terms of content and syntax. Thanks.
Peace,
mark
Now to the writing. I know how to make my letters and I most of the time I can figure out how to spell. This is not what I mean by writing. Instead, I need to spend more time writing down my thoughts. I might start keeping a journal, but I'm not sure that is the kind of writing I want to do. I want to take the thoughts in my head and formulate them into words on paper. I would like people to be able to read what I write and understand it. I want my readers to feel the urgency and passion, or to feel the overall tone of the work. I don't just mean that I want to write theological treatise, but I also want to write poetry and fiction. I want to communicate struggles and joys in life through various genre of writing. So with that being said, one of the things that will help me is to just write more. Thus, I'm hoping to write more often here. I know I say that all the time and it might not happen, but it is my goal.
I want to be able to read and write well because my goal and calling that has been reaffirmed over and over again lately is to teach. I feel called to be a professor. I'm very comfortable with the idea of teaching. I'm not as comfortable about doing the research and writing involved in obtaining my goal. Therefore, I would love it if you, my friends, helped to encourage and challenge me in this endeavor. Ask me to explain things and encourage me to take notes when I read. Maybe even ask to see something that I have written lately, although I'm not a big fan of showing people what I write. I'm sure this comes from a lack of confidence, so doing it more may help. I also need critiques and corrections, both in terms of content and syntax. Thanks.
Peace,
mark
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