Karen Armstrong and the new charter

http://www.cnn.com/video/data/2.0/video/living/2009/11/09/ted.karen.armstrong2.ted.html

I was watching this video in which Karen Armstrong says that we are in a terrible state of affairs in terms of religion. Often a proponent of the view that the major religions say the same thing in roughly the same way, she proposed a charter of compassion in which Muslims, Christians, and Jews can join together and understand and appreciate each other globally rather than focus on their differences. Not a bad idea I suppose. But I cannot help but remember what I read in a few books on the end of days, end times; whatever you want to call it (and yes, these books were more than just the heavily criticised Left Behind series). In these, there is a firm belief that there will be a one world religion in ‘those days’, whenever they may be. This will also include a world currency and  President of a gathering of Nations similar to the current EU.

I dont claim to know anything about when that day will be. I cannot know for I am human. Yet what the Bible says clearly is that that day will come in the generation which sees Israel reestablished as a nation……

With countries calling for Israel to be wiped off the face of the planet, the current plans for a President of the EU, the current global finanical crisis, and the recent upsurge in recent years of religious interest (something Karen points out as rising everywhere but in Western Europe which is the only place to hold on to secularisation) I simply wonder what is to come. The world is so consumed with modernisation and materialisation and I cannot see them do anything but want to avoid more finanical troubles. Would a world currency allow stability? With so much antagonism in religion, would a world religion allowing tolerance among all not be a huge relief? (apart for those who passionately follow the cause of Christ) I watch the news with great anticipation.

Church or Club?

I was watching part of a sermon by John Piper. No surprises there. It was on supporting people through financial problems. He asked the question, although not directly, are we a Church or a club? That stuck out to me. When i studied sociology, many of the theorists tried to explain the Church as an institution. Why do people go? What does it offer? Why are some more dedicated than others? It is actually quite interesting. Some would suggest that Church attendance can be based on economic principles; cost/benefit ratios. People will become more involved in churches where the cost is lower and the benefit is higher. That way, they dont have to get too involved or sacrifice much of themselves in order to reap the rewards that others, more dedicated will produce. Takento its logical conclusion, there are those who arrive at a church and feed off the efforts of others while themselves never willing to submit to rules, regulations, or many of the expectations of the congregations. These are called free riders.

Of course there are other theories. One is based on status and capital. Essentially, people involved in churches enjoy a certain status based on their involvement. The uninvolved laity have very little. People who read have a bit more status, people in the choir or music have a bit more, worship leaders a bit more, and the minister/priest has the most. As they partake they reaffirm and develop their status within the congregation, rising above others. they enjoy it and, the theorists suggest, will be drawn to churches who have similar outlooks and similar opportunities to develop and enjoy.

I didnt agree with a lot of what I read. I am a Christian firstly and a sociologist maybe fourthly or fifthly in my life. to try and explain the change that happens in someones life when they become a Christian isn’t the job for social scientific academia. At least not in its current form. A subject that rest on the assumption that all religious activity is society based and socially explained does not hold much for a believing heart. But it does pose some interesting questions. Why do we go to Church?

Do we come out of believing hearts or the academic approach? Do we come to Church where we are willing to submit ourselves to a higher power, changing those aspects of ourselves which need changing. Realising first and foremost that we are not perfect and never will be?

Or do we come to Church with a view to increase capital, enjoyment and status? Do we rebel against those things we dont like because they will cause us to sacrifice something or change who we are?

Do we seek fellowship or fame? do we come willing to submit ourselves to being part of the body of Christ or do we simply tag along until we find a fault?

Do we come to Church or to a club?

 

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mbS6XsY85dI

“Desiring God” blog 1.

today begins a short series. following the example of supersimbo, ranting reggie and myself will be blogging about the book that we are currently reading. i appreciate this opportunity because it is firstly a good chance to read with discipline. we will each take a chapter a day and then share our thoughts. secondly, by making the comments public i have to make sure that i know whats going on so that i can relate them as i understand. too often when reading privately i can skim through and just look for the jist of the page. that isnt what i want to achieve here. thirdly, and probably the most visible benefit, is that it will be a two sided discussion on a single text from two different standpoints. for myself, i have come to assume the label of ‘new calvinist’. i do this willingly and actively for i find that the theology and belief about God contained in that view is simply awesome; God at the centre, not me. the starting point is always, and must always be, God. i  must always be secondary in considerations of theology. my good should never be paramount, but rather God’s glory. so, if i find myself struggling with a view or with an issue, God must come first. i am a created being, He is not. He comes first.

so that is why i look forward to engaging with reggie. for, as yet, he does not share fully the same worldview as me. whereas i look to men like John Piper and Mark Driscoll to teach from the Bible, reggie will often look to Rob Bell and Driscoll. i am a calvinist, reggie is not. we differ on many issues but one thing we hold together; that it must all be about God. so this is an opportunity for us to learn together and from each other, to share our opinions, to get to grips with what we each believe in a deeper manner as we wrestle with the books we come across, and to communicate.

so why start with Desiring God by John Piper? is that not a bit one sided? well, no. i will admit that i have not read it yet. i know that as i read this i will find things in there that i did expect, and some that i did not. perhaps i will find that i have assumed his position on an issue was one thing, when in fact it may be revealed to be another. it is a chance to explore. and here begins the journey!

Update on writings.

Hi guys, i have succesfully edited and rewritten my piece on 1Kings and Adonijah but unortunately its really too big to put on here so cant actually do it! but il try and think of a way to make it available soon.

In others news, i have begun writing on other smaller bits of 1 Kings and they are coming along well. A bit of a different approach to the latest one. so many issues to tease out!!!

One more, this time on 1 Peter.

I had this done a while ago and came across it today.

1 Peter 3:15

To clearly see a glory unseen
To outwardly display the inwardly known.

Unfolding wings loosed out of bondage.
Rejoicing in sorrow for weakness brings strength.
Settling the dispute before it begins.

We die before we live
We die again to continue
We rest in a will not our own.

We wage daily battle in a war already won.
Shedding tears for our enemies,
We desire their happiness.

Living above all rational thought-
We are the object of ridicule as we speak plainly.

We will be carried home on the wind.

The shout of hope in the chaos,
The glimpse of light overlooking a metropolis.

We are called to be.

We groan as we wait.

We trust ourselves to One.

UPDATED. Another Kings writing. On Omri and how ‘he did evil in the sight of the LORD.’

I added a stanza to this just now, about an hour after original post. If you read it before then please read it again. Again, just done today. I wonder if people will look at our current leaders and what opinion they will have of them. Omri is recorded mainly for doing evil in the sight of the LORD.

1Kings 16:25.

Beneath highest sun and heavy sand
Lie city ruins of ancient times.
A catalogue of personal progress
To seal their historic memory.

Reach through the sands of deepest time;
Open the annals to discover each,
And how they lived their lives
Bestowed with an office of highest rank.

How to weigh eternally, the greatness
Of a man? When battles cease and blood
Congeals, to block up the holes in a reign,
What of Him remains to prove your timeless worth?

To advance the greatness of modern man
And extend ourselves through enquisitive minds.
Or play our own lord on a stage of our choosing,
Wage unholy war against the holiest of all.

Did you kill and burn to fight an enemy
Who was instructed to you as your neighbour?
Or did sweetened speech seek to hide
The flicker of your serpent’s tongue?

History is His unending story.
Present days, His rule to follow.

What lessons learned in 3,000 years?

Open the annals and discover each,
Of how they lived their lives.
Are these tales of ancient days or
Will they be tales of now?

Another writing. 1 Kings this time.

 1 Kings 1:9-10

Iv taken this down for the minute. Just got a fresh idea of how to reinterpret the passage so its undergoing a major rewrite.

Stay tuned! It will be up when its ready!

Latest writing on John 8.

Ok guys, here’s a first draft of my poem on john 8. Please let me know what you think.

The sun peaks over mountain top;
Tall, towering, and terrific.
Morning air stirs to awaken,
Flies scurry and dust flashes gold in the light.

Footsteps rush in union, their destination
United. Through street and corridor,
Sounds of voices raised and emotions stirred.
They seek out their hiding prey.

Passers by stand with looks of fear,
Fingers point as subtle signs to the accused,
A dwelling framed with dust and mud-
No professional to defend the case.

In the council file, one by one;
Tall, towering, and terrific. Judges and jury.
No heed to a whimpering soul
Cowering in dark shadow.

Hands grab and ropes tie,
These sheep lead to the slaughter
Their perpetrator, now destined by
Holy Court to pay in full for her sin.

Truth cannot hide in her face;
Remorse and sorrow flow in silent tears,
Reflecting the human condition;
The fallen legacy of Eve

Proves the serpent’s caress again
Too much to resist. A Judas kiss
Wrought by the Deceiver on
The totality of the human race.

With now captured sacrifice,
See the flock’s triumphant march,
With a call for all of sound, like mind
To prove their measure of godliness.

The reach the place where sentence,
Already passed, will find its execution.
Thrown against the dusty floor
Their victim cries in remorseful wail.

Muscles tense and sinews stiffen,
Leaning to grip with tightened hands,
Rock and stone, the full stops
Of the letter of the Law.

Rage and bitterness find their voice;
Calls for blood curdle the air
In all but One who stands in silence,
Caught in her eyes which scream fear.

The sheep present their prize to this
Unmarked Lamb, one not part of this flock.
Young and outcast, the sheep set their trap,
“Join our flock, confirm our judgement”.

The noonday sun rises to its highest office,
It’s rays illuminate disillusionment.
With no place to hide, shadows
Are laid to waste by the Light of the world.

He who wrote the universal Law,
Now writes in finest grain,
Not swayed by human insistence
To bend Himself to their will.

The Lamb whispers in thundering voice-
A Lion roars in Judah.
The voice which birthed planets,
Now speaks to fragile ears.

His words dance and surge on the wind
Surrounding the hostile audience.
Pride cannot withstand His counsel,
For each is stripped of self-belief.

So cuts and pierces His tongue,
A sword to rip wool from their backs
And the hoofs from their feet.
Their hearts are laid open, black and bare.

This is no flock. Coarse hair and claws
Lie underneath their woollen costume.
Teeth are bared and fangs drip
Lusting for blood and punishment.

No longer can a measure of godliness be found.
Their thrones crumble and their sentences
No longer carry. Each finds a reflection
Of their victim within.

At once each inner state
Becomes a shining light for
All to around to see, each mind
Bends to imagine their own need of pardon.

One by one, rocks drop and pebbles plummet
To the soft sand; their castle’s foundation.
Grains dance as accusations fall,
Staining the carrier.

The sick cannot judge the sick.

While He has righteous anger against
Her crime, He does not display
His holy wrath, choosing instead
To forgive and restore.

The Lamb bleats in gentle tones,
Soothing the rescued prey.
The pack flee from their standard bearer,
Their crowns left in the sand.

Pride and self worth are no longer a fortress
From which to launch venomous attack.
“Go from this place, turn remorse to repentance,
And be a living sacrifice to the Lamb.

My righteousness becomes yours”.

Writing

So im not sure about what to write about.

Reggie has mentioned it before, that we are going to try and do a writing project together. The topics have changed a few times and it is hard to settle on one.

Discussions ranging from a study of specific chapters to a topic based approach are the main dilemas. Something like Mars Hill (Driscoll’s Mars Hill) appraoch of Religion Saves + 9 other misconceptions is very appealing.

But we were sitting discussing it today after Reggie’s successful exposition of substitutionary penal atonement this afternoon. One thing led to another and then we ended up back at mine going over Predestination, Genesis and all the other delightful ideas that flow from that. Thing is, these are the things that have the depth and breadth that stir debate and cause people to come to terms with what they believe; to realise what they believe in many cases.

Theres still a good bit to do but its good that, as R pointed out, we overlap in the main issues of the Christian faith, which both of us being on opposite ends on certain things. He being more Rob Bell and myself more John Piper. We meet with Mark Driscoll. lol.

Its been good to meet somebody with the same type of divine restlessness that I have felt so many times. I dont think there’s a coincidence in it. But before then I have a pile of 22 books to read!!!! Aw man.

Well here we are!!

So im just getting into the whole blogging thing so might take a while to get it going to begin with.

But here we are, all systems go!