Very interesting message this past week from the Rt. Rev. C. Andrew Doyle, Bishop of Texas (Episcopal). Now, having participated (on the losing side) in some minor ways in the recent wars of the Episcopal Church, I am not automatically receptive to most bishops, including my own. But here I think Bp Doyle got it exactly right:
He was preaching from John 20:19-26, The post-resurrection appearance of Jesus to the disciples in the upper room. Continue reading
Paul Zahl wrote once that the Holy Spirit interacting with mortal man is very analogous to the interaction between living magma and the environment at the surface.
Magma, (Lava when it gets to the surface of the Earth) is about as close to an irresistible force as can be found in nature as humans experience it; it devours or melts all in its path. The only thing that can contain it is the interaction itself. The same interaction inevitably cools the lava, so that it becomes as the other rock, and even a dam or plug against a fresh outpouring.
The Temple was to be the place where man could look to God. Continue reading
Filed under Bible, Christianity, Church, Gospel According to John, Theology
I’ve got to take care of a little unwelcome personal business.
As you may have picked up through these scattered threads lying about here are a number that try to make some connection between the themes of Christianity, of Christian theology, and the way the world seems to actually work in observation. Sometimes, as in “Simul Justes et Peccator” that connection is revealed by failure. Failure to act in accordance with what one knows to be true involves, if not a willful blindness, a willful “dimming of the eye,” a choosing not to see, a choosing to not know what one knows. Continue reading
Filed under ALL, Christianity, Heaven and hell, Marriage, Theology
As my life has taken on many changes, I have found myself talking with other people whose experience of this Christmas is less than idyllic. No Hallmark Card photographs here.
In those conversations, I have thought about a piece I wrote for a Christian coffeehouse back in 1984, and the advanced age of 29.
There are some cultural references that some may not catch today, and there are some things I would like to edit, or re-write entirely, but I think not. Because at the distance of 26 years, I am not speaking to you; the “Eric” of 1984 is now speaking to me as well. I think editing would be presumptuous of me! Continue reading
Filed under ALL, Christianity, preaching, Theology, Uncategorized
Again, I am going to cross-post from Tough Questions Answered I thoroughly encourage you to visit Bill Pratt’s site, and interact a bit, it is the best in its class that I know.
I was asked point-blank why I believe the Christian account is true, by a lapsed Christian calling himself “Willy G.” I think my explanation should be on this blog. Continue reading
Filed under ALL, Christianity, Heaven and hell, Theology, Uncategorized
There is a particular fact about the known life forms in this universe that I find very distressing in view of my assertion that there is a creator God, who is Good. I don’t know if it is currently in fashion in atheist circles or not, but it has always appeared to me a pretty strong point for their side. That point may be summarized thusly:
If creation is at heart “good” why is it that all animal life, and even some plant life, lives only by the destruction of other life? Continue reading
Filed under ALL, Christianity, Theology
In my reading this week, I came across the story of the sacrifice of Isaac by his father Abraham in Genesis. In my margin, I found a note I had scribbled sometime before:
Do I trust in the promises of God,
Or do I trust God Himself?
Isaac represented all God had promised to Abraham about the future; Abraham had been clearly told that Isaac was the child of the promise, and was to be his heir. And now, Abraham was being asked to give all that up. In addition to all the purely human issue of a father sacrificing a child, Abraham was faced with a splitting of ways. He could deny the instruction, and hold on to the “promissory note” that Isaac was “the child of the promise” and trust that the promise could be trusted and relied on. Or he could take that promissory note, take all the promises God had made to him, take Isaac, and lay it all on the altar, and give it up as an act of worship and obedience.
He chose to trust God Himself, to value God even more than he valued the promises of God.
When I went to Grandma’s house, she gave me good things. Did I value Grandma because I got the good things, or were the things especially good because they came from Grandma?
May I too value Him who delights to give all things far above any of the good things He gives.
Amen
Filed under ALL, Christianity, Theology, Uncategorized
Browsing through the blogs, I found a very interesting blog from “St. Disillusion” on “Christianity is a Travesty”, with a post here:
I am so taken with the blog and the good saints comments, even more his questions, that I posted a rather extensive response to his remarks about the purpose of life. Since I have been mulling these ideas over for a post here, I decided to break protocol and cross post my own response, although I very much encourage you to go visit with Saint D. I expect to return often.
For the record, I thing God is greatly pleased when we ask such questions in the same spirit with which a child, having been wounded or undone by the actions of a parent, never less comes to that parent in faith to make his complaint. Think the book of Job.
Below is my response, which I hope to flesh out almost as a theme to these pages.
Filed under ALL, Christianity, Marriage, Theology
As I have mentioned before, as a funeral director, I attend a lot of funerals, and probably spend more time than most people thinking about death. For the past few weeks, I’ve had a theme in mind that seems of some use, and yesterday, I finally said it at the conclusion of a service for an elderly lady. There were many children, grandchildren and great grandchildren gathered, and many stories from their early years. This is what I had to say.
As I’ve listened to the stories from your years with your mother, your grandmother, and the great grandmother of these little ones, I’ve been thinking of how God has been preparing us for this day since we were just babies. From the first time we played “Peek-a-boo” with our mother, we learned that when we could not see her face, she was still there. You can still see it in the face of your children, the anxiety when your face is hidden, and the delight when you reappear. We learn that what we see does not define the whole of reality, that there is more to reality than what we see.
And then we have our first sleepover away from home. That can be scary, but we learn that even though we are away from home, we still have a home. Separation does not mean forever.
As we grow, we continue these lessons, through going to camp, going away to school, even leaving home and starting our adult lives. We learn them as we teach them to our own children as we enjoy playing “peek-a-boo” …
God has been teaching us these lessons all our lives. And now as we say goodbye to (Mrs. Jones), He reminds us of what He has taught, of what we have learned: That when I can’t see someone, it doesn’t mean that they are gone; there is more to reality than what we see; and that separation does not mean forever.
Filed under ALL, Christianity, Funeral, Heaven and hell
More on the idea of universal salvation and personal choice Discussion on the nature of the Holy Trinity: Why only 3? This post prompted me to reply with what I intend to be a draft of a fuller post Starting with Anthroposophy, a very interesting discussion ranging from stained glass and mirrors and the invocation of Saints, to Jung and speculations about the existance of evil.
Random Musings 