I started this post some time ago and am just now finishing it. For whatever reason blogger post these things in order of draft and not post.
So...the title is inspired by a situation with a friend. Part of our conversation addressed moral gray areas I thought my friend and I were on the same page with, but it turns out we aren't. That got me thinking...
Disappointment has to be one of the worst feelings. I was disappointed in a friend, but I cannot imagine being disappointed by a spouse or worse - a child. How would a parent deal with that? Is it so hard because we paint an unreaslitic picture of these loved ones in our minds - or something else?
EDIT - I found the post date and time function. All is well in the world!
Wednesday, April 23, 2008
Thursday, April 17, 2008
Synthesis
At the risk of sounding like a broken record, I am going to do a recap of some thinking I have been doing lately. There is no way to say clearly where I am going with this thing, just that it will combine some thoughts on values, postmodernity, psychology and spirituality of personality, to name a few threads I will try to tie together in some meaningful way.
Much of what we think about God and the church is affected by the way we view the world God has created. Of these three the most important is our view of God. If we think we cannot possibly know God in our limited, human state (agnostic) the way we treat the world, the church - really, our whole lives will be affected. If we believe in an apersonal, set-the-world-in-motion-and-let-it-be, anti-miraculous sort of God (deism) we will necessarily react in certain ways to the idea of God, our families and cultures familiar and foreign.
In much the same way our personalities are large factors when it comes to how we behave as spiritual beings. Spiritual giants such as Thomas a Kempis such as Evelyn Underhill have been talking about the role of Spiritual Direction in the life of mentees Modern Psycho-social research on personality suggests that within the first few years of life we have already adopted a paradigmatic way of relating to the world. Myers-Briggs researchers identify four main avenues: feeling, thinking, sensing and intuition. It is observed that over the next few stages of life we learn to use the other three modes. I think (along with several personality and spirituality experts) that the person God created you to be will a large factor in how you relate to God. Thinkers will tend to think about God, just as they will do to every other relational situation. I think you get the idea.
In much the same way I believe communities tend to share similar approaches to God. Certain things can be said of the faith of the Amish, Methodists, Anglicans, Catholics and Charismatics. The way people view God's imminence, transcendence, the role of the Spirit, etc.
Thinking still larger, people across certain periods in history (within the same culture) can be said to think in similar ways. Nowadays Americans, Western Europeans, Australians and a few others could be said to have similar world views. We share similar cultures, cultural origins and economic conditions. One of the reasons institutions like Asbury Theological Seminary are blessed is because of the Beeson International Center which brings Christian leaders from all over the world to our campus. We are blessed to study and worship together - to share life.
People from other parts of the globe have a very different way of looking at the world. Their frames of reference are totally different than ours. This differing world view has repercussions with regard to the way these guests of ours relate to God.
Now we have come full circle to the modern - postmodern thing. Beginning with art critics and historians a movement has arisen to describe a shift of paradigms going on in our culture. Unlike any other period in history we are trying to describe the shift while it is happening and even forecast where we may be headed. These are educated people to be sure. They are, however, in among this shift as we all are. Some people claim the future can be forecasted to some degree by following trends in Europe, Australia and New Zealand which have tended to be anywhere from 20 to 50 years ahead of the US in similar shifts. These and other techniques can only be so helpful, however, since the period we are in can only truly be considered once we are out of it.
So here is a twist to our normal conversation: To what degree does talking about the direction our society is taking actually determine where its course?
Much of what we think about God and the church is affected by the way we view the world God has created. Of these three the most important is our view of God. If we think we cannot possibly know God in our limited, human state (agnostic) the way we treat the world, the church - really, our whole lives will be affected. If we believe in an apersonal, set-the-world-in-motion-and-let-it-be, anti-miraculous sort of God (deism) we will necessarily react in certain ways to the idea of God, our families and cultures familiar and foreign.
In much the same way our personalities are large factors when it comes to how we behave as spiritual beings. Spiritual giants such as Thomas a Kempis such as Evelyn Underhill have been talking about the role of Spiritual Direction in the life of mentees Modern Psycho-social research on personality suggests that within the first few years of life we have already adopted a paradigmatic way of relating to the world. Myers-Briggs researchers identify four main avenues: feeling, thinking, sensing and intuition. It is observed that over the next few stages of life we learn to use the other three modes. I think (along with several personality and spirituality experts) that the person God created you to be will a large factor in how you relate to God. Thinkers will tend to think about God, just as they will do to every other relational situation. I think you get the idea.
In much the same way I believe communities tend to share similar approaches to God. Certain things can be said of the faith of the Amish, Methodists, Anglicans, Catholics and Charismatics. The way people view God's imminence, transcendence, the role of the Spirit, etc.
Thinking still larger, people across certain periods in history (within the same culture) can be said to think in similar ways. Nowadays Americans, Western Europeans, Australians and a few others could be said to have similar world views. We share similar cultures, cultural origins and economic conditions. One of the reasons institutions like Asbury Theological Seminary are blessed is because of the Beeson International Center which brings Christian leaders from all over the world to our campus. We are blessed to study and worship together - to share life.
People from other parts of the globe have a very different way of looking at the world. Their frames of reference are totally different than ours. This differing world view has repercussions with regard to the way these guests of ours relate to God.
Now we have come full circle to the modern - postmodern thing. Beginning with art critics and historians a movement has arisen to describe a shift of paradigms going on in our culture. Unlike any other period in history we are trying to describe the shift while it is happening and even forecast where we may be headed. These are educated people to be sure. They are, however, in among this shift as we all are. Some people claim the future can be forecasted to some degree by following trends in Europe, Australia and New Zealand which have tended to be anywhere from 20 to 50 years ahead of the US in similar shifts. These and other techniques can only be so helpful, however, since the period we are in can only truly be considered once we are out of it.
So here is a twist to our normal conversation: To what degree does talking about the direction our society is taking actually determine where its course?
Tuesday, April 15, 2008
On Balance and Christianity
Many late night conversations with the roommate turn out to be blog-worthy chats. The problem is that these exchanges occur in the wee hours of the morning once I have arrived home from work. This post is one such conversation from my point of view. It draws heavily on what I have come to understand is an Eastern concept of balance and the writings of Richard Foster and Marjorie Thompson on spiritual disciplines.
Like many of our conversations this started with drinking. A friend of Ted's is heading up a singles ministry that involves twenty-somethings from a few area churches. One gathering announcement on facebook or somewhere talked about an upcoming event and had a strangely awkward sentence at the end talking about drinking. "Remember, we are being watched and must put forth the best witness we can. Therefore, we will not be drinking at our event."
Many of my readers can likely tell where I might be going with this. I am part of the Wesleyan Church, a Wesleyan-Arminian Church in the Holiness movement. We are a "dry" Church, meaning that we, as a people of like faith, have seen that alcohol in many respects has been an agent for evil and victimized children, wives and families. At the same time I have many family members, friends who were Wesleyans or friends who went to Houghton with me (a Wesleyan school) who do drink from time to time. Certainly I cannot say that each of these are responsible adults, but I respect these people and the integrity of their faith. I have come to believe that people of faith and good conscience can fall on both sides of this fence.
That brought my thoughts to a chapter of Marjorie Thompson's book Soul Feast discussing the importance of fasting. She sees two main reasons for fasting in the Bible. Primarily, fasting is seen as a personal or corporate means of repentance "and humble supplication before God in the face of imminent destruction or calamity (See Joel 2, Jonah 3 and Esther 4). The second purpose of a fast was to prepare oneself inwardly for receiving the necessary strength and grace to complete a mission of faithful service in God's name." (Thompson, 76)
Thompson goes on to explore fasting from the perspective of the Church's Lenten season. Founded on the idea of Israel's 40 years of wandering in the wilderness and Jesus' own 40 days of wilderness temptations, the Christian Church has long observed a period of fasting for 40 days prior to the Easter feast. She describes the entire Church calendar as "rhythms of feasting and fasting." (Thompson, 78)
Further back we can find foundations of this practice in the garden. "In Eden, God gave Adam and Eve every fruit of the garden but one. That one fruit, out of a world of variety, indicated a limit to human freedom. Accepting that limit was the single abstinence required by God. It was a way of recognizing that human beings are dependent on God for life. But Adam and Eve allowed themselves to be seduced by the serpent (a figure of God's enemy, Satan). The serpent's question inverts the reality of the situation, 'Did God say, "You shall not eat of any tree of the garden?" (Gen. 3.1, emphasis added). Instead of a prohibition against one fruit, God's warning is presented as a prohibition against all fruit. The temptation, it seems, is to see a single boundary as so restrictive that it negates the good of all other freedoms. Adam and Eve took the bait. Metapohorically, they "broke the fast," transgressing the one limit required of them. In refusing to accept the natural bounds of their creaturehood, they reached for the very place of God. They wanted it all." (Thompson, 79) We are, then, returning to the garden in our 40 days of Lent to remember that God is God and we are not. God is the source and sustenance of creation, including humanity.
This is a beautiful picture of fasting on a personal level - even the whole of the spiritual disciplines. We seek to place God back at the center of life, and in the case of fasting and other disciplines of restriction, we do this by voluntarily limiting our own freedoms. Could not the same be said of communities? Mennonites and Holiness communities and denominations (among others) are by their example seeking to create "fasts" to offset the "feasts" the rest of the world seems to be bingeing on.
The question is this, I suppose. Has God asked you to exercise freedom in Christ - and in that freedom display restraint - or has God asked you to participate in the self-giving of fasting for the sake of humanity?
Like many of our conversations this started with drinking. A friend of Ted's is heading up a singles ministry that involves twenty-somethings from a few area churches. One gathering announcement on facebook or somewhere talked about an upcoming event and had a strangely awkward sentence at the end talking about drinking. "Remember, we are being watched and must put forth the best witness we can. Therefore, we will not be drinking at our event."
Many of my readers can likely tell where I might be going with this. I am part of the Wesleyan Church, a Wesleyan-Arminian Church in the Holiness movement. We are a "dry" Church, meaning that we, as a people of like faith, have seen that alcohol in many respects has been an agent for evil and victimized children, wives and families. At the same time I have many family members, friends who were Wesleyans or friends who went to Houghton with me (a Wesleyan school) who do drink from time to time. Certainly I cannot say that each of these are responsible adults, but I respect these people and the integrity of their faith. I have come to believe that people of faith and good conscience can fall on both sides of this fence.
That brought my thoughts to a chapter of Marjorie Thompson's book Soul Feast discussing the importance of fasting. She sees two main reasons for fasting in the Bible. Primarily, fasting is seen as a personal or corporate means of repentance "and humble supplication before God in the face of imminent destruction or calamity (See Joel 2, Jonah 3 and Esther 4). The second purpose of a fast was to prepare oneself inwardly for receiving the necessary strength and grace to complete a mission of faithful service in God's name." (Thompson, 76)
Thompson goes on to explore fasting from the perspective of the Church's Lenten season. Founded on the idea of Israel's 40 years of wandering in the wilderness and Jesus' own 40 days of wilderness temptations, the Christian Church has long observed a period of fasting for 40 days prior to the Easter feast. She describes the entire Church calendar as "rhythms of feasting and fasting." (Thompson, 78)
Further back we can find foundations of this practice in the garden. "In Eden, God gave Adam and Eve every fruit of the garden but one. That one fruit, out of a world of variety, indicated a limit to human freedom. Accepting that limit was the single abstinence required by God. It was a way of recognizing that human beings are dependent on God for life. But Adam and Eve allowed themselves to be seduced by the serpent (a figure of God's enemy, Satan). The serpent's question inverts the reality of the situation, 'Did God say, "You shall not eat of any tree of the garden?" (Gen. 3.1, emphasis added). Instead of a prohibition against one fruit, God's warning is presented as a prohibition against all fruit. The temptation, it seems, is to see a single boundary as so restrictive that it negates the good of all other freedoms. Adam and Eve took the bait. Metapohorically, they "broke the fast," transgressing the one limit required of them. In refusing to accept the natural bounds of their creaturehood, they reached for the very place of God. They wanted it all." (Thompson, 79) We are, then, returning to the garden in our 40 days of Lent to remember that God is God and we are not. God is the source and sustenance of creation, including humanity.
This is a beautiful picture of fasting on a personal level - even the whole of the spiritual disciplines. We seek to place God back at the center of life, and in the case of fasting and other disciplines of restriction, we do this by voluntarily limiting our own freedoms. Could not the same be said of communities? Mennonites and Holiness communities and denominations (among others) are by their example seeking to create "fasts" to offset the "feasts" the rest of the world seems to be bingeing on.
The question is this, I suppose. Has God asked you to exercise freedom in Christ - and in that freedom display restraint - or has God asked you to participate in the self-giving of fasting for the sake of humanity?
Thursday, April 10, 2008
Sabbatical
Blogging and journaling have been closely related in my experience. Content traditionally reserved for one medium has often found its way onto the other. This season has changed that to some degree. In Spiritual Formation we talked about praying through Scripture as a spiritual exercise, especially the Psalms.
The Psalms? Really? The Psalms have been an enigma to me for as long as I can remember. After all, what enemies have I that are at my feet? I am an emotional person (no matter how well that is normally held back) but the Psalms? They are totally removed from the story of my life. Then I tried journaling with the sort of abandon David and his contemporaries needed to be expressing these raw feelings to God. Now the Psalms, though distant still, have been given new life in my reading.
So, lately I am bearing my soul to God in a new way and a different forum reducing my blog load. (I had some good comments on a few recent posts - yes, I will respond! The Beauty post was part of a Postmodern fan-hitting in the groups in which I travel so I had to take a step back from the conversation/argument to collect my thoughts.)
How about you? Have you allowed yourself journal - or even pray - to God without using "thees" and "thous"? Have you exposed your innermost feelings to him? Have you yet discovered the intimacy that comes from not only knowing God knows all about your thought life, but have determined to take God on a guided-tour through your innermost secrets? You would be amazed at what new ways God is given permission to renovate your life if you take him in further - not stopping at just those prayers that really match a life more holy than the one you are living.
There is a push at school for a sort of bloggers convention - to gather together and promote this "craft." Me? I will be taking a sabbatical with God and my journal.
The Psalms? Really? The Psalms have been an enigma to me for as long as I can remember. After all, what enemies have I that are at my feet? I am an emotional person (no matter how well that is normally held back) but the Psalms? They are totally removed from the story of my life. Then I tried journaling with the sort of abandon David and his contemporaries needed to be expressing these raw feelings to God. Now the Psalms, though distant still, have been given new life in my reading.
So, lately I am bearing my soul to God in a new way and a different forum reducing my blog load. (I had some good comments on a few recent posts - yes, I will respond! The Beauty post was part of a Postmodern fan-hitting in the groups in which I travel so I had to take a step back from the conversation/argument to collect my thoughts.)
How about you? Have you allowed yourself journal - or even pray - to God without using "thees" and "thous"? Have you exposed your innermost feelings to him? Have you yet discovered the intimacy that comes from not only knowing God knows all about your thought life, but have determined to take God on a guided-tour through your innermost secrets? You would be amazed at what new ways God is given permission to renovate your life if you take him in further - not stopping at just those prayers that really match a life more holy than the one you are living.
There is a push at school for a sort of bloggers convention - to gather together and promote this "craft." Me? I will be taking a sabbatical with God and my journal.
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