The newest edition of the Arlington UMC podcast is live!
This weeks' message is called "Asking for Wisdom", and it's based on 1 Kings 3:5-12.
You can listen on Arlington's webpage, on the media player below, listen to/download the file from sermon.net/arlington, and you can subscribe in iTunes.
If you are on iTunes, please rate us and write a review so they'll promote our podcast!
As always, feedback is gratefully appreciated.
Sunday, July 31, 2011
Saturday, July 30, 2011
Romans Series- slight tweak and reading schedule
After reflecting some more, I think the sermon series title "Jesus is for Everybody" might be misleading and suggest some kind of Christian exclusivism. Jesus did not come for his own sake, and I don't think Jesus is as preoccupied with his own glory (nor is God, despite what some suggest), so while Jesus is a huge part of what Paul is talking about in Romans, Jesus is not the ultimate point. The radically inclusive, barrier-breaking nature of God's grace is.
So we're going to call this series "Grace is for Everybody".
Also, as promised, here is the schedule of scriptures and tentative sermon titles for Arlington's two months reading through Romans together. On Monday, I'll post some initial thoughts and questions regarding the passage for the following week. Your input here will be part of my sermon preparation.
In the absence of a physical sermon discussion group the way I did at Bethlehem (and I hope to do at Arlington), we'll go virtual for this one.
August 7- Romans 1:18-23; 2:1-6 (I’m a sinner, You’re a sinner)
August 14- Romans 3:21-31 (Righteousness by Faith)
August 21 Romans 6:1-4, 15-23 (Law and Grace)
August 28- Romans 7:15-20; 8:31-39 (Nothing can Separate Us)
September 4- Romans 11:1-2a, 13-24 (Branches Grafted on to the Tree)
September 11- Romans 12:9-21 (Marks of the Renewed Creation)
September 18- Romans 14:1-8 (People with Different Needs)
September 25- Romans 15:14-22 (What We’ve Learned)
The following Monday we'll be posting the podcast of the final product, so those of you who aren't able to worship with us in person at Arlington (if you're in Nashville and not currently part of any church, come check us out!) can see how your input affected the sermon.
Tune in Monday as we begin talking about the first two chapters of Romans.
So we're going to call this series "Grace is for Everybody".
Also, as promised, here is the schedule of scriptures and tentative sermon titles for Arlington's two months reading through Romans together. On Monday, I'll post some initial thoughts and questions regarding the passage for the following week. Your input here will be part of my sermon preparation.
In the absence of a physical sermon discussion group the way I did at Bethlehem (and I hope to do at Arlington), we'll go virtual for this one.
August 7- Romans 1:18-23; 2:1-6 (I’m a sinner, You’re a sinner)
August 14- Romans 3:21-31 (Righteousness by Faith)
August 21 Romans 6:1-4, 15-23 (Law and Grace)
August 28- Romans 7:15-20; 8:31-39 (Nothing can Separate Us)
September 4- Romans 11:1-2a, 13-24 (Branches Grafted on to the Tree)
September 11- Romans 12:9-21 (Marks of the Renewed Creation)
September 18- Romans 14:1-8 (People with Different Needs)
September 25- Romans 15:14-22 (What We’ve Learned)
The following Monday we'll be posting the podcast of the final product, so those of you who aren't able to worship with us in person at Arlington (if you're in Nashville and not currently part of any church, come check us out!) can see how your input affected the sermon.
Tune in Monday as we begin talking about the first two chapters of Romans.
Thursday, July 28, 2011
The Theme of Romans Is...
not quite that easy to pin down.
As I've reflected more on what I want to be an overarching theme for a sermon series, it's occurred to me that the concept of there being a thesis around which Romans is wrapped is a very modern one.
Paul's epistle is not a work of systematic theology, so we can't read it like we do Aquinas or Barth. In fact, I suspect that if Paul was a Divinity School student, Romans would not get a very good grade.
Instead, Paul is writing very much stream of consciousness, addressing the problems in the Roman Christian community as he understands them. So while the question of a central thesis is one that I don't really think Romans is trying to answer, I do think there are some ideas that keep coming up in Paul's writings that reflect what he thought was most important about being a follower of Jesus.
As the "apostle to the Gentiles", Paul spent a lot of time thinking and arguing with others about just what new thing God was doing in Jesus. Paul did not cease to be Jewish, and thus probably didn't see Christianity as a separate religion the way we do today, but neither did he believe that one had to go through all the steps of conversion to Judaism, such as circumcision, to be part of this new thing God was doing. So as hyper-critical as Paul can be of others whose ideas or practices he disagrees with, Paul's vision of what God is doing is radically inclusive for his time.
So, all that being said, the theme for Arlington's upcoming two months exploring the Book of Romans is
"Jesus is for everybody"
thoughts?
As I've reflected more on what I want to be an overarching theme for a sermon series, it's occurred to me that the concept of there being a thesis around which Romans is wrapped is a very modern one.
Paul's epistle is not a work of systematic theology, so we can't read it like we do Aquinas or Barth. In fact, I suspect that if Paul was a Divinity School student, Romans would not get a very good grade.
Instead, Paul is writing very much stream of consciousness, addressing the problems in the Roman Christian community as he understands them. So while the question of a central thesis is one that I don't really think Romans is trying to answer, I do think there are some ideas that keep coming up in Paul's writings that reflect what he thought was most important about being a follower of Jesus.
As the "apostle to the Gentiles", Paul spent a lot of time thinking and arguing with others about just what new thing God was doing in Jesus. Paul did not cease to be Jewish, and thus probably didn't see Christianity as a separate religion the way we do today, but neither did he believe that one had to go through all the steps of conversion to Judaism, such as circumcision, to be part of this new thing God was doing. So as hyper-critical as Paul can be of others whose ideas or practices he disagrees with, Paul's vision of what God is doing is radically inclusive for his time.
So, all that being said, the theme for Arlington's upcoming two months exploring the Book of Romans is
"Jesus is for everybody"
thoughts?
Monday, July 25, 2011
Shameless Self Promotion- Christmas in July Edition
It's Christmas in July week over at Ministry Matters, and I've contributed an article about presenting the Nativity story using first person monologues. The article covers both the process of collaboratively producing the dramas, as well as some examples that I've used in worship services before.
There are lots of other great Christmas in July articles being posted all week, especially one by Mike Slaughter- "Santa Claus Jesus". Keep checking back during the week for more great stuff!
As always, feedback is always appreciated, either on Ministry Matters or here.
There are lots of other great Christmas in July articles being posted all week, especially one by Mike Slaughter- "Santa Claus Jesus". Keep checking back during the week for more great stuff!
As always, feedback is always appreciated, either on Ministry Matters or here.
New Podcast
The newest edition of the Arlington UMC podcast is live!
This weeks' message is called "Wrestling With God", and it's based on Genesis 32:22-31.
You can listen on Arlington's webpage, on the media player below, listen to/download the file from sermon.net/arlington, and you can subscribe in iTunes.
If you are on iTunes, please rate us and write a review so they'll promote our podcast!
As always, feedback is gratefully appreciated.
This weeks' message is called "Wrestling With God", and it's based on Genesis 32:22-31.
You can listen on Arlington's webpage, on the media player below, listen to/download the file from sermon.net/arlington, and you can subscribe in iTunes.
If you are on iTunes, please rate us and write a review so they'll promote our podcast!
As always, feedback is gratefully appreciated.
Saturday, July 23, 2011
Response to Romans Question
Wow, I'm amazed at how much traction my simple question from yesterday's post has gotten. My little corner of the intranets usually goes unnoticed by most people, so this is kind of fun.
There have been several very thoughtful comments left on this blog, and a number on James McGrath's blog, who put the question out there as well. Tim Gombis (a NT scholar whose work I am now just discovering), blogged his own response.
One of the reasons I put the question out there is that there are some folks at Arlington who like to make altar displays and other visuals to enhance the sermon theme, and they are thinking of making one big display for the whole Romans series, so I'm hoping to state the overarching theme in a way that could be visually represented.
While we're on the subject of visuals, if you're in Nashville, come worship with us at Arlington UMC tomorrow, where you'll see a cool altar display (and hopefully hear a decent sermon) about Jacob wrestling with God.
But back to the question at hand. What do you see as the overarching theme of Paul's Epistle to the Romans?
There have been several very thoughtful comments left on this blog, and a number on James McGrath's blog, who put the question out there as well. Tim Gombis (a NT scholar whose work I am now just discovering), blogged his own response.
One of the reasons I put the question out there is that there are some folks at Arlington who like to make altar displays and other visuals to enhance the sermon theme, and they are thinking of making one big display for the whole Romans series, so I'm hoping to state the overarching theme in a way that could be visually represented.
While we're on the subject of visuals, if you're in Nashville, come worship with us at Arlington UMC tomorrow, where you'll see a cool altar display (and hopefully hear a decent sermon) about Jacob wrestling with God.
But back to the question at hand. What do you see as the overarching theme of Paul's Epistle to the Romans?
Friday, July 22, 2011
Help for an upcoming Romans Sermon Series
Paul's epistle to the Romans occupies much of the lectionary this summer, so I'm going to be preaching on Romans for eight weeks, through August and September. Since I know that at least one colleague is going to be doing the same thing, and since I haven't yet started some kind of sermon roundtable at Arlington (it will be forthcoming, though), I'm going to use this blog for some collaboration.
I'll be covering roughly two chapters a week, although we won't be reading the entire text aloud in worship. I'll post a schedule as soon as I have it finalized, but I'm wondering if I should have some kind of overarching theme.
So my question for you all today is whether there is an overarching theme in Romans. Any and all ideas are welcome, but please be more creative than the old "Romans Road". That's just shallow proof-texting, and we're going to be diving deeper than that.
Discuss!
I'll be covering roughly two chapters a week, although we won't be reading the entire text aloud in worship. I'll post a schedule as soon as I have it finalized, but I'm wondering if I should have some kind of overarching theme.
So my question for you all today is whether there is an overarching theme in Romans. Any and all ideas are welcome, but please be more creative than the old "Romans Road". That's just shallow proof-texting, and we're going to be diving deeper than that.
Discuss!
Sunday, July 17, 2011
New Podcast- The Long and Winding Road
The newest edition of the Arlington UMC podcast is live!
This weeks' message is called "The Long and Winding Road" (please don't sue me, Paul McCartney), and it's based on Genesis 28:10-22.
You can listen on Arlington's webpage, on the media player below, listen to/download the file from sermon.net/arlington, and you can subscribe in iTunes.
If you are on iTunes, please rate us and write a review so they'll promote our podcast!
As always, feedback is gratefully appreciated.
This weeks' message is called "The Long and Winding Road" (please don't sue me, Paul McCartney), and it's based on Genesis 28:10-22.
You can listen on Arlington's webpage, on the media player below, listen to/download the file from sermon.net/arlington, and you can subscribe in iTunes.
If you are on iTunes, please rate us and write a review so they'll promote our podcast!
As always, feedback is gratefully appreciated.
Friday, July 15, 2011
A Prejudice I Didn't I Know I Had
I haven't been blogging much lately because I've been adjusting to my new congregation and trying to figure out how to structure my day and my week. It's a work in progress, but I'm determined to keep posting for my dozen-ish loyal readers (hi, Mom!)
I have prejudices. We all do. Unlike Stephen Colbert, we see things like race, gender, clothing, body size/type, etc, and we automatically make assumptions about people based on our previous experiences of people with similar characteristics. Sometimes these snap judgments are correct, sometimes they're not, but we all make them. I've come to believe the key to not letting these things control us is to acknowledge they're there so we can get to know a person, and perhaps have those snap judgments proven wrong. Prejudices are only dangerous when we don't realize that they're there.
So I was surprised recently to discover that I had a prejudice I didn't even know was there. One of the things that I love about Arlington is that we have a food pantry that is open every weekday. When I'm in the office, I try very hard to go out and talk with the folks that are coming for food assistance, and I've found myself being very surprised at who is coming.
Some of the folks coming to the food pantry have the "homeless look" (a very bad stereotype we need to purge from our culture)- shabby clothes, haven't showered in a while, etc. But a surprising number of folks coming for assistance don't look like they're homeless or even poor. They're not someone that you'd pass on the street and think that they didn't have enough to eat.
Thankfully, I've been smart/lucky enough to keep my mouth shut and not say something stupid about them not looking like they need help or question the sincerity of their needs. I've seen the statistics about how many people in our country don't have enough to eat, but I think I understand them now in a different way. We pass people every day who don't have the basic necessities of life, and most of the time we don't bother to notice that someone is suffering right before our eyes.
I was reminded of this again not long after when I was driving home and saw a vendor selling The Contributor at an intersection. (for non-Nashvillians, The Contributor is a newspaper sold by homeless people who are trained and assigned a "zone" where they can sell the paper as a way to make money other than begging)
I have friends who are very involved with The Contributor and other homeless ministries here, and I've heard them complain when people won't buy a paper from a vendor because they don't "look homeless". The reason they don't have the "look" is because selling the paper has enabled them to have enough money to get a place to stay and begin to build a life off the streets. The reason many of the vendors don't "look homeless" is because The Contributor is succeeding at getting people off the streets!
All of this reminded me that we don't know what is going on with somebody by their outward appearance. Someone who doesn't appear poor or homeless might still be in need of assistance. Someone who looks like they have their whole life figured out might falling apart inside, just waiting for you or I to ask how it is with their soul. Poverty, be it economic, emotional, or spiritual, is all around us, even if we don't see it on the surface.
I'm grateful to my new church and my city for helping me see a prejudice I didn't even know I had.
I have prejudices. We all do. Unlike Stephen Colbert, we see things like race, gender, clothing, body size/type, etc, and we automatically make assumptions about people based on our previous experiences of people with similar characteristics. Sometimes these snap judgments are correct, sometimes they're not, but we all make them. I've come to believe the key to not letting these things control us is to acknowledge they're there so we can get to know a person, and perhaps have those snap judgments proven wrong. Prejudices are only dangerous when we don't realize that they're there.
So I was surprised recently to discover that I had a prejudice I didn't even know was there. One of the things that I love about Arlington is that we have a food pantry that is open every weekday. When I'm in the office, I try very hard to go out and talk with the folks that are coming for food assistance, and I've found myself being very surprised at who is coming.
Some of the folks coming to the food pantry have the "homeless look" (a very bad stereotype we need to purge from our culture)- shabby clothes, haven't showered in a while, etc. But a surprising number of folks coming for assistance don't look like they're homeless or even poor. They're not someone that you'd pass on the street and think that they didn't have enough to eat.
Thankfully, I've been smart/lucky enough to keep my mouth shut and not say something stupid about them not looking like they need help or question the sincerity of their needs. I've seen the statistics about how many people in our country don't have enough to eat, but I think I understand them now in a different way. We pass people every day who don't have the basic necessities of life, and most of the time we don't bother to notice that someone is suffering right before our eyes.
I was reminded of this again not long after when I was driving home and saw a vendor selling The Contributor at an intersection. (for non-Nashvillians, The Contributor is a newspaper sold by homeless people who are trained and assigned a "zone" where they can sell the paper as a way to make money other than begging)
I have friends who are very involved with The Contributor and other homeless ministries here, and I've heard them complain when people won't buy a paper from a vendor because they don't "look homeless". The reason they don't have the "look" is because selling the paper has enabled them to have enough money to get a place to stay and begin to build a life off the streets. The reason many of the vendors don't "look homeless" is because The Contributor is succeeding at getting people off the streets!
All of this reminded me that we don't know what is going on with somebody by their outward appearance. Someone who doesn't appear poor or homeless might still be in need of assistance. Someone who looks like they have their whole life figured out might falling apart inside, just waiting for you or I to ask how it is with their soul. Poverty, be it economic, emotional, or spiritual, is all around us, even if we don't see it on the surface.
I'm grateful to my new church and my city for helping me see a prejudice I didn't even know I had.
Monday, July 11, 2011
New Podcast
The latest Arlington UMC sermon podcast is live!
This week's message is called "A Story of Seeds and Soil" and is based on Matthew 13:1-9- 18-23.
You can listen on Arlington's webpage, listen on and/or download the file from sermon.net/arlington, and you can subscribe on iTunes.
If you are on iTunes, please rate us and write a review so they'll promote our podcast!
As always, feedback is gratefully appreciated.
This week's message is called "A Story of Seeds and Soil" and is based on Matthew 13:1-9- 18-23.
You can listen on Arlington's webpage, listen on and/or download the file from sermon.net/arlington, and you can subscribe on iTunes.
If you are on iTunes, please rate us and write a review so they'll promote our podcast!
As always, feedback is gratefully appreciated.
Monday, July 04, 2011
Arlington UMC Podcast
The inaugural episode of the Arlington United Methodist Church sermon podcast is live on the web. Each Monday (probably some weeks it will be Tuesday) we'll be bringing you the audio of the sermons from Arlington's 10am worship service.
This week's message is called "A Church Like That", and is based on Ephesians 2:19-22.
You can listen on Arlington's web page, listen on and/or download the file from sermon.net/arlington.
Sermon Network is kind enough to host our podcast and those of thousands of other ministries, and has a very user friendly database for sermons on all kinds of scriptures, topics, etc.. Big thanks to Rev. Jill M. Howard for directing my attention to this site.
You can also subscribe to our podcast on iTunes.
This week's message is called "A Church Like That", and is based on Ephesians 2:19-22.
You can listen on Arlington's web page, listen on and/or download the file from sermon.net/arlington.
Sermon Network is kind enough to host our podcast and those of thousands of other ministries, and has a very user friendly database for sermons on all kinds of scriptures, topics, etc.. Big thanks to Rev. Jill M. Howard for directing my attention to this site.
You can also subscribe to our podcast on iTunes.
Jesstravaganza
Wednesday, June 29, 2011
Shameless Self Promotion- Independence Day Edition
I have a new article up on Ministry Matters, "Praising America More Than God", discussing the place of patriotism in the church in light of the July 4 holiday (Independence Day, not Jessica's birthday). A sermon referenced in the article is attached.
Comments are always appreciated!
Comments are always appreciated!
Wednesday, June 22, 2011
Julian of Norwich- Eighth Showing
This post is part of my meditative reading of Julian of Norwich's Revelation of Divine Love
during my renewal leave.
Julian’s eighth showing is an extended meditation on the suffering and death of Jesus that includes a lot of very specific (some might say graphic) detail and the effect it has on the one who contemplates this image. My knee-jerk reaction was not positive, mostly because of the negative associations I’ve had in the past with those who talk endlessly about the suffering of Jesus (as a friend of mine likes to say, “swimming in the blood”) and never talking about the Resurrection. I think that negative reaction deserves its own post.
My experience of this showing began to change, however, when I quit reading the text like I would a work of systematic theology and tried instead to slow down and hear it in my head as if Julian was speaking these words out loud. Imagining the tone of her voice made these words sound very different in my head. Instead of laboring the point of Jesus’ suffering to make the reader feel guilty and get them to pray a magic prayer, Julian is meditating on this ugly, horrifying image and finding incredible beauty in it.
I am particularly struck when she talks about feeling Mary’s pain and how her suffering was worse than that of any of the disciples. As a parent, causing me physical pain would be infinitely preferable to seeing my child in pain for even one second.
Just when the reader begins to imagine Julian inhabiting some other plain of existence where masochistic love of pain and suffering is totally normal, she says several times how she regrets asking to experience the pain and suffering of Christ because she didn’t know what she was asking for. At this point, perhaps she’s thinking there would have been an easier way to get such insight into the mind of God.
Many people I know who take their faith very seriously and have made major life decisions based on their best understanding of God’s will for their life have said that they are glad they didn’t know what they were in for when the signed up for this, because they probably would have said no!
Since Julian has a strong sense of God orchestrating all these things ahead of time, perhaps she’d say God keeps us from knowing what we’re asking for for our own good.
during my renewal leave.Julian’s eighth showing is an extended meditation on the suffering and death of Jesus that includes a lot of very specific (some might say graphic) detail and the effect it has on the one who contemplates this image. My knee-jerk reaction was not positive, mostly because of the negative associations I’ve had in the past with those who talk endlessly about the suffering of Jesus (as a friend of mine likes to say, “swimming in the blood”) and never talking about the Resurrection. I think that negative reaction deserves its own post.
My experience of this showing began to change, however, when I quit reading the text like I would a work of systematic theology and tried instead to slow down and hear it in my head as if Julian was speaking these words out loud. Imagining the tone of her voice made these words sound very different in my head. Instead of laboring the point of Jesus’ suffering to make the reader feel guilty and get them to pray a magic prayer, Julian is meditating on this ugly, horrifying image and finding incredible beauty in it.
I am particularly struck when she talks about feeling Mary’s pain and how her suffering was worse than that of any of the disciples. As a parent, causing me physical pain would be infinitely preferable to seeing my child in pain for even one second.
Just when the reader begins to imagine Julian inhabiting some other plain of existence where masochistic love of pain and suffering is totally normal, she says several times how she regrets asking to experience the pain and suffering of Christ because she didn’t know what she was asking for. At this point, perhaps she’s thinking there would have been an easier way to get such insight into the mind of God.
Many people I know who take their faith very seriously and have made major life decisions based on their best understanding of God’s will for their life have said that they are glad they didn’t know what they were in for when the signed up for this, because they probably would have said no!
Since Julian has a strong sense of God orchestrating all these things ahead of time, perhaps she’d say God keeps us from knowing what we’re asking for for our own good.
Wild Goose, etc.
Yes, I know I'm doing a ton of posting today, so I'm sorry if this is clogging your Google Reader, FB blog page, or whatever else you use to read my musings. I'm mostly trying to catch up on my reflections on Dame Julian's text, which I'll likely still be working on after my renewal leave ends next week.
I also have a post I've been working on since I got back from the Holy Land, and I've been inspired to finish and post it because I've been reading about the experience a group of university students is having there thanks to J Street. Hopefully that will be up tonight.
Tomorrow through Sunday, Jessica and I will be at the inaugural Wild Goose Festival in North Carolina. I know of some folks who are going, and I'm looking forward to sharing the muddy, humid weekend with friends old and new. If you're going, please tweet at me (@matthewlkelley) so I can be sure to catch up with you. I especially want to hang out if we haven't met in person yet!
I also have a post I've been working on since I got back from the Holy Land, and I've been inspired to finish and post it because I've been reading about the experience a group of university students is having there thanks to J Street. Hopefully that will be up tonight.
Tomorrow through Sunday, Jessica and I will be at the inaugural Wild Goose Festival in North Carolina. I know of some folks who are going, and I'm looking forward to sharing the muddy, humid weekend with friends old and new. If you're going, please tweet at me (@matthewlkelley) so I can be sure to catch up with you. I especially want to hang out if we haven't met in person yet!
Julian of Norwich- Seventh Showing
This post (my 350th!) is part of my meditative reading of Julian of Norwich's Revelation of Divine Love during my renewal leave.
In the seventh showing, Julian experiences an emotional roller coaster that one might today see as symptoms of manic depression or bipolar disorder. In her depression, Julian acknowledges that while the comfort of God’s promises was there, it wasn’t terribly helpful when she found herself in so dark a mood. That might be another way of saying she knew those things in her head, but at the time her heart just couldn’t get on board with it.
Julian’s depression doesn’t last long, however, as she finds herself on a spiritual high of total certainty in God’s protection. She concludes that “it is profitable for some souls to experience these alternations of mood” so that they can know how God sees them through everything they experience, even when that experience seems like separation from God.
As someone who suffers bouts of very bleak depression, I can identify with Julian’s feelings of hopelessness and her conclusion that God walks with us through those dark places. I differ with her, though, in her belief that God causes such emotional states so that we can learn something about the nature of God. Suffering is an unfortunate fact of living in a fallen world, and it is not God’s desire that we go through it. God works to make the best out of even the worst situations, but that doesn’t mean God wanted it to happen in the first place. Still, Julian’s conclusion that coming out on the other side increases one’s gratitude for God’s sustaining grace is right on.
during my renewal leave.In the seventh showing, Julian experiences an emotional roller coaster that one might today see as symptoms of manic depression or bipolar disorder. In her depression, Julian acknowledges that while the comfort of God’s promises was there, it wasn’t terribly helpful when she found herself in so dark a mood. That might be another way of saying she knew those things in her head, but at the time her heart just couldn’t get on board with it.
Julian’s depression doesn’t last long, however, as she finds herself on a spiritual high of total certainty in God’s protection. She concludes that “it is profitable for some souls to experience these alternations of mood” so that they can know how God sees them through everything they experience, even when that experience seems like separation from God.
As someone who suffers bouts of very bleak depression, I can identify with Julian’s feelings of hopelessness and her conclusion that God walks with us through those dark places. I differ with her, though, in her belief that God causes such emotional states so that we can learn something about the nature of God. Suffering is an unfortunate fact of living in a fallen world, and it is not God’s desire that we go through it. God works to make the best out of even the worst situations, but that doesn’t mean God wanted it to happen in the first place. Still, Julian’s conclusion that coming out on the other side increases one’s gratitude for God’s sustaining grace is right on.
Julian of Norwich- Sixth Showing
This post is part of my meditative reading of Julian of Norwich's Revelation of Divine Love during my renewal leave.
In the sixth showing, Julian sees “three degrees of bliss” that await God’s servants in heaven. The first is being delivered from pain as part of God’s gratitude for being God’s servant in life. The second is the “glorious thanking” where God makes known all the servant’s good deeds while on earth. The third is the joy of knowing that this state free of pain and full of glory will last forever.
The “second degree of bliss” really intrigues me, because the idea of having to make an account for all one’s deeds after life is over is usually used as a scare tactic and to convince people that they’re awful sinners. The idea that one’s good deeds are also noticed and remembered (as Jesus promises in the Sermon on the Mount) is a very comforting counter-point to such scare tactics.
It hadn’t occurred to me until meditating on this showing that for all Julian’s talk about human sinfulness, she doesn’t say it with any scorn or condescension, as if she’s better than anyone else. She sees us all as in the same boat, all equally in need of grace.
during my renewal leave.In the sixth showing, Julian sees “three degrees of bliss” that await God’s servants in heaven. The first is being delivered from pain as part of God’s gratitude for being God’s servant in life. The second is the “glorious thanking” where God makes known all the servant’s good deeds while on earth. The third is the joy of knowing that this state free of pain and full of glory will last forever.
The “second degree of bliss” really intrigues me, because the idea of having to make an account for all one’s deeds after life is over is usually used as a scare tactic and to convince people that they’re awful sinners. The idea that one’s good deeds are also noticed and remembered (as Jesus promises in the Sermon on the Mount) is a very comforting counter-point to such scare tactics.
It hadn’t occurred to me until meditating on this showing that for all Julian’s talk about human sinfulness, she doesn’t say it with any scorn or condescension, as if she’s better than anyone else. She sees us all as in the same boat, all equally in need of grace.
Tuesday, June 21, 2011
Julian of Norwich- Fifth Showing
This post is part of my meditative reading through Julian of Norwich's Revelation of Divine Love during my renewal leave.
This showing begins with Julian looking at God for a “measurable period of time”. She says nothing of God’s appearance, but notes this because there are no words at first. After a while, the very act of beholding God tells her what she is meant to know. This builds nicely on the meditation on divine self-giving from the previous showing.
What Julian realizes here is that God and the devil (whom she clearly believes to be a conscious entity rather than a projection of human brokenness and sinfulness) are fundamentally different. She says that the devil is full of malice and contempt- things that lead one to try to defeat their enemy through violence. But God doesn’t overcome evil through force, but through loving self-sacrifice. In fact, Julian says, “there can be no wrath in God”. God does not fight fire with fire, as it were.
The way for us to live out the Kingdom of God in the world is to realize that it operates by a fundamentally different set of rules than human kingdoms. It doesn’t simply play the game better than they do, it changes the game entirely. God doesn’t conquer human kingdoms or human hearts through coercion or violence, but through self-giving love.
during my renewal leave.This showing begins with Julian looking at God for a “measurable period of time”. She says nothing of God’s appearance, but notes this because there are no words at first. After a while, the very act of beholding God tells her what she is meant to know. This builds nicely on the meditation on divine self-giving from the previous showing.
What Julian realizes here is that God and the devil (whom she clearly believes to be a conscious entity rather than a projection of human brokenness and sinfulness) are fundamentally different. She says that the devil is full of malice and contempt- things that lead one to try to defeat their enemy through violence. But God doesn’t overcome evil through force, but through loving self-sacrifice. In fact, Julian says, “there can be no wrath in God”. God does not fight fire with fire, as it were.
The way for us to live out the Kingdom of God in the world is to realize that it operates by a fundamentally different set of rules than human kingdoms. It doesn’t simply play the game better than they do, it changes the game entirely. God doesn’t conquer human kingdoms or human hearts through coercion or violence, but through self-giving love.
Monday, June 20, 2011
Julian of Norwich- Fourth Showing
This post is part of my meditative reading through Julian of Norwich's Revelation of Divine Love during my renewal leave.
In the fourth showing Julian briefly explains how God showed her that God chooses to wash us clean with blood rather than with water. At first this sounded a bit macabre to me, but after meditating on this passage for a while I saw a different side.
Julian talks about how God created water for many purposes out of love for us, but that his blood is simultaneously more precious and more plentiful than water.
As I thought more about this, it struck me that water is a created thing, just as we are. So of course God could use created things to redeem other created things, but in the Incarnation we see God inserting God's self into the created order. Jesus is God's ultimate act of self-giving.
Perhaps this is because as a created thing, I can possess and give all kinds of other created things and maintain the illusion that I am somehow in control. One of the reasons that religious institutions get so twisted and toxic is that we begin to believe that we are in control, and we leave God out of the process. But when God gives God's self, there can be no mistaking who is doing the giving, hence there is no mistaking who is in control.
Although Julian doesn't mention this, God choosing to redeem us through self-giving as opposed to through a created thing calls to mind the sacrament of Holy Communion. Celebrating Communion (both as celebrant and congregant) has always been very meaningful to me, because recalling the story of the Last Supper and proclaiming the elements to be infused with the real presence of Christ helps me temporarily forget the limitations of finite people and things and see everything as interconnected and animated by the living presence of God.
Until meditating on this showing, I wasn't sure I was going to be able to find the beauty that Merton and others found in her text, but I may be beginning to see what they see.
during my renewal leave.In the fourth showing Julian briefly explains how God showed her that God chooses to wash us clean with blood rather than with water. At first this sounded a bit macabre to me, but after meditating on this passage for a while I saw a different side.
Julian talks about how God created water for many purposes out of love for us, but that his blood is simultaneously more precious and more plentiful than water.
As I thought more about this, it struck me that water is a created thing, just as we are. So of course God could use created things to redeem other created things, but in the Incarnation we see God inserting God's self into the created order. Jesus is God's ultimate act of self-giving.
Perhaps this is because as a created thing, I can possess and give all kinds of other created things and maintain the illusion that I am somehow in control. One of the reasons that religious institutions get so twisted and toxic is that we begin to believe that we are in control, and we leave God out of the process. But when God gives God's self, there can be no mistaking who is doing the giving, hence there is no mistaking who is in control.
Although Julian doesn't mention this, God choosing to redeem us through self-giving as opposed to through a created thing calls to mind the sacrament of Holy Communion. Celebrating Communion (both as celebrant and congregant) has always been very meaningful to me, because recalling the story of the Last Supper and proclaiming the elements to be infused with the real presence of Christ helps me temporarily forget the limitations of finite people and things and see everything as interconnected and animated by the living presence of God.
Until meditating on this showing, I wasn't sure I was going to be able to find the beauty that Merton and others found in her text, but I may be beginning to see what they see.
Julian of Norwich- Third Showing
This post is part of my meditative reading through Julian of Norwich's Revelation of Divine Love during my renewal leave.
In the third showing, Julian is shown a concept directly instead of arriving at it through a particular image God is showing her. This showing concerns God's omnipotence, and she claims that God is the first cause of all things and that nothing happens outside of God's will. Julian says that anything that seems to us to be an accident or outside of God's will only seems so because "our blindness and lack of foreseeing".
I can't get on board with this particular assertion, as beautiful a description of God's infinite power and goodness as it is. Perhaps it was easier for Julian to avoid the plethora of questions this assertion raises about God's character because she was cloistered in a cell beside a church for much of her life.
I wonder, though, if the priest of that parish would be able to say such a thing so easily, having sat with the sick and the dying, consoling parents whose children died senselessly, and trying to reconcile the goodness of God with a world full of suffering. Then again, maybe the priest would have said the exact same thing. I don't really know how the common fourteenth century priest handled questions of theodicy. Any scholars of medieval theology care to enlighten me? (I know theodicy didn't exist as a theological category at the time, but the question still has to have occurred to people)
In the introduction, del Mastro said that each showing built upon the previous one, so I'm trying to make sense of how this relates to the first two showings of Jesus' passion. Perhaps this is her way of working out why God would will such pain and suffering to happen to his own son in the larger context of suffering and evil in the world. Or perhaps it will make more sense in the next showings.
during my renewal leave.In the third showing, Julian is shown a concept directly instead of arriving at it through a particular image God is showing her. This showing concerns God's omnipotence, and she claims that God is the first cause of all things and that nothing happens outside of God's will. Julian says that anything that seems to us to be an accident or outside of God's will only seems so because "our blindness and lack of foreseeing".
I can't get on board with this particular assertion, as beautiful a description of God's infinite power and goodness as it is. Perhaps it was easier for Julian to avoid the plethora of questions this assertion raises about God's character because she was cloistered in a cell beside a church for much of her life.
I wonder, though, if the priest of that parish would be able to say such a thing so easily, having sat with the sick and the dying, consoling parents whose children died senselessly, and trying to reconcile the goodness of God with a world full of suffering. Then again, maybe the priest would have said the exact same thing. I don't really know how the common fourteenth century priest handled questions of theodicy. Any scholars of medieval theology care to enlighten me? (I know theodicy didn't exist as a theological category at the time, but the question still has to have occurred to people)
In the introduction, del Mastro said that each showing built upon the previous one, so I'm trying to make sense of how this relates to the first two showings of Jesus' passion. Perhaps this is her way of working out why God would will such pain and suffering to happen to his own son in the larger context of suffering and evil in the world. Or perhaps it will make more sense in the next showings.
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