Recommended: St. Olaf Choir

Last night, we attended another special event, this one unrelated to Super Bowl week. Seventeen of us from our choir traveled to the north side of Indy to St. Luke’s Methodist Church to hear the St. Olaf Choir from St. Olaf College in Northfield, Minnesota.

Choral music is one of the greatest helps to meditation in my life, and we had a wonderful evening of hearing profound texts presented in beautiful music. The choir is on its 2012 Centennial Tour, and will be singing in various cities across the country through February 13.

And here is a sample of their wonderful sound, from an earlier choir season.

O Light Everlasting
O Love never failing
Illumine our darkness
And draw us to Thee
May we from Thy spirit
Receive inspiration
As children together
Thy wisdom may see
Make known to all nations
Thy peace and salvation
And help us O Father
Thy temple to be.

by Olaf Christiansen

Another Look: It’s Holy Week in America

Originally published January, 2010. In this re-posting, I did not change references to the times or events happening at that time.

Scot McKnight discussed this over at Jesus Creed as well. I encourage you to check out his perspective and those of his readers.

• • •

MY SPORTING LIFE
I grew up fully immersed in sports. Sports were a part of almost everything I did, every friendship, most activities. I became a jock. I got pretty good at basketball, and played competitively through my junior year in high school, capping off my career with a team that won the first regional championship in school history.

But I was especially focused on baseball. At the time of my conversion, as a senior in high school near Baltimore, I played for a school with a storied tradition. That year we again had a talented team that won our conference, beating out our rival, the school that would produce Cal Ripken, Jr. a few years later. I was honored as County Player of the Year, and there was little I loved more than baseball.

That was also the spring I met Jesus.

Continue reading “Another Look: It’s Holy Week in America”

Super Bowl Week on Internet Monk

Since it is probably a once-in-a-lifetime experience to have the Super Bowl in the town where I live, I thought we’d give some time to the subject this week, along with reflections on sports in American culture and their relationship to faith and practice.

Right now, after spending most of the weekend downtown, I confess I’m too tired to do much reflecting. So I’ll just post a few pictures today from the Super Bowl Village. Downtown Indianapolis has been transformed, and the crowds filled the streets and convention center today. We were right there with them, bumping into our fellow football pilgrims and spending money at every turn.

We had a great time, though, and I’m more convinced than ever that American football is our true religion here in the U.S.

SB Graphics on JW Marriott Hotel
Giant Super Bowl Numbers on Monument Circle
Crowds Entering the Super Bowl Village
Zip Line on Capitol Street
Super Bowl Numbers at Night

Kindness Is Next to Holiness

A Moment with Frederick Buechner
“Kindness is next to holiness”

Children that we are, even you and I, who have given up so little, know in our hearts not only that it is more blessed to give than to receive, but it is also more fun. The kind of holy fun that wells up like tears in the eyes of saints, the kind of blessed fun in which we lost ourselves and at the same time begin to find ourselves to grow up into the selves we were created to become.

When the American novelist, Henry James, was saying goodbye once to his young nephew Billy, his brother William’s son, he said something that the boy never forgot. Of all the things he might have said, what the old novelist did say was this, “There are three things that are important in human life — the first, is to be kind; the second, is to be kind; the third, is to be kind.”

Be kind, because though kindness isn’t the same thing as holiness, kindness is next to holiness. It is the door that holiness often enters the world through, enters us through. Not just gently kind, but sometimes fiercely kind. Be kind enough to yourselves, not just to play it safe with your life for your own sakes, but to spend at least part of your lives like drunken sailors, for God’s sake, if you believe in God — or, for the world’s sake, if you believe in the world. And that’s to come alive truly. Be kind enough to others, to listen beneath the words they speak for that usually unspoken hunger for holiness that I think is part of all of us, because by listening to it and cherishing it, maybe we can help bring it to birth, both in mammon and ourselves.

“What It Means to Grow Up”
Frederick Buechner, 1985

We’re Not Out to Make a Name for Ourselves

A Letter for the Church Today (3)
A Study of 2 Corinthians 10-13


No, we shall not make any wild claims, but simply judge ourselves by that line of duty which God has marked out for us, and that line includes our work on your behalf. We do not exceed our duty when we embrace your interests, for it was our preaching of the Gospel which brought us into contact with you. Our pride is not in matters beyond our proper sphere nor in the labours of other men. No, our hope is that your growing faith will mean the expansion of our sphere of action, so that before long we shall be preaching the Gospel in districts beyond you, instead of being proud of work that has already been done in someone else’s province.

• 2Cor 10:13-16 , Phillips

“Some Christian workers are like the woodpecker who was pecking on the trunk of a dead tree one day when lightning struck the tree and splintered it. Not realizing what had happened, the proud bird exclaimed, ‘Look what I did!'” (Linda Beville, 2 Corinthians – IVP NT Commentary)

• • •

Paul was in a pickle. He had founded the church in Corinth and was “spiritual father” to its members (Acts 18:1-11). Some time later, other so-called “apostles” had moved into his territory, claiming credit for his work, challenging his apostolic credentials and authority, and encouraging the Corinthian church to follow them rather than him. For a fee, of course.

They had come to town to make a name for themselves. They set themselves up as “God’s men,” those who could do “great things for God” in Corinth. Want proof? They could provide impeccable credentials and speak of what God had shown them in sensational visions and experiences. They had presentation firepower too. They were renowned for their eloquent rhetoric and persuasive speech. They were strong “leaders” who looked down on servants like Paul as “losers.” Paul didn’t have the right stuff like they did. The Corinthians would never develop into a “great church” under a man like that, they claimed.

The true professionals had come to town.

Continue reading “We’re Not Out to Make a Name for Ourselves”

iMonk Classic: Talk Hard II — Defending Dissent

Classic iMonk Post 
by Michael Spencer
From February 2009

NOTE FROM CM: I regularly direct people to Michael Spencer’s classic essay, The Original Talk Hard: Defending the Role of the Critic in Christianity. I do this when we get criticism that we are being unloving and judgmental. I’m sure we fall into that trap sometimes, but the point is — there is a place for healthy, robust public critique, disputation, and debate within the Body of Christ. This lies at the heart of the prophetic tradition, and was exemplified by Jesus and the apostles. We need to be careful, yes. We should not jump to conclusions about motives. We try to publicly critique only those who put themselves forward publicly. We remain open to critique from others. Etc.

Today, we present a follow-up piece that Michael wrote to his original essay, which focuses on the place of dissent and individual conviction within a common culture.

• • •

Recently, I received an email from someone who has been a longtime reader of this blog, giving his reasons for being a regular reader and generous supporter.

This particular reader appreciated the writing I’ve done on the subjects of mental illness, psychiatric medication and emotional health. As this person is a professional in those fields and far beyond me in understanding, I was understandably happy to read that email.

I have received many thousands of emails in the last 8 years of Internet Monk. A sizable portion express appreciation for something that deserves a moment’s consideration: that this blog is one of the few places some folks have found where certain points of view can be discussed with relative civility.

I won’t attempt a listing, but any regular readers will know that I’ve made it part of the mission of this blog to be present an alternative view of any number of issues within evangelicalism in particular. I do so with provocative writing if possible, and with active moderation of the discussion. I’ve done this without expectation of finding there would be thousands of people reading and thinking: “O I’m not the only person who feels this way.” In fact, I’ve expected considerably more hostility and objection than I’ve received.

Continue reading “iMonk Classic: Talk Hard II — Defending Dissent”

Saturday Ramblings 1.28.12

Your Rambler is in a better mood today. Oh, the Synonymous Rambler and I have been going round and round again, and yes, it was all my fault again (I think), but otherwise it has been a better week. Spring is in the air here in Tulsa (along with mold and polen), which means baseball can’t be far behind. And with baseball on the horizon, how can I be in a bad mood? So let’s let bygones be bygones and get to rambling, shall we?

Maine’s own JoanieD pointed out this interesting introduction to Process Theology. Following the rules of our monastery here, you may comment on the article and what the author says. You may not make comments on this author’s denomination. Comprende?

Hey! Good news! Belief in God is increasing! You won’t believe where.  Of course, if you plan to fly there, you may not want to take Alaskan Airlines. They are no longer handing out Scripture verses on flights. Peanuts, yes. Scriptures, no.

Continue reading “Saturday Ramblings 1.28.12”

Listening Report: Kathleen Edwards

From the land of Mike Bell and other friends north of the border comes another great Canadian singer-songwriter. I’ve been enjoying Kathleen Edwards’ new album Voyageur lately, and thought you might like to hear some of her poignant, introspective music too.

Here is the first cut from the album, “Empty Threat,” recorded at a live CBC radio performance. You can read a good review of Voyageur at Slant, where Jonathan Keefe says of the album’s moody thematic textures, it “may not be the most uplifting album, but it’s acutely self-aware and revealing.”

I don’t know. I usually find such self-awareness refreshing.

Enjoy.

Thoughts on Church Discipline and Relational Wisdom

I haven’t been able to get this “church discipline” discussion off my mind.

First of all, thank you to all of you who have made this a vibrant and thoughtful conversation. As I said in my original post, I am agreement with most of you that the disciplinary process as described was inappropriate at best.

As for Mark Driscoll and Mars Hill Church, I guarantee that stories like this are not going to win them a lot of fans. Articles like this thoughtful one, written by frequent iMonk commenter Wenatchee the Hatchet (who left MHC a few years ago), suggest that practices of church discipline and accountability at MHC have long been of concern to observers. The web has been buzzing about Matthew Paul Turner’s articles, and more blogs have sprung up in their wake for those who feel they’ve been abused in authoritarian church settings.

Second, the more I’ve thought about this matter, however, the more I’m thinking that the shame of this story is that the “church discipline” aspect of this whole matter was unnecessary. That makes the rest of the story even sadder.

Why do I say “unnecessary”? Because this story provides a clear case study of the lack of relational wisdom that plagues many church communities. And that’s what I’d like us to consider today.

For purposes of discussion, once more, we will accept the story at face value. As I understand it, here is what happened.

  • One night, Andrew acted inappropriately with a woman other than his fiancee. (They did not have sexual intercourse.)
  • The next day, he felt guilty about what he had done and determined to tell his fiancee.
  • That night they went to their community group together.
  • After community group, they walked to his car and they had a hard conversation, during which Andrew confessed what had happened.
  • His fiancee understandably became upset and went back into the house.

Before the church ever got involved, Andrew set himself up for problems. What happened next led even further in the wrong direction, until the whole situation blew up in his face.

Continue reading “Thoughts on Church Discipline and Relational Wisdom”

Right Hand and Left Hand: Meeting both Material and Spiritual Needs

This is the last of a three-part series Martha began this morning looking at the relationship between justice and charity and mercy, and how our actions in these ways affect our salvation. So far she has been challenging and encouraging as only Martha can be. Let’s read together and see how she concludes this topic.

And so finally we get near to approaching a point.  Up to now, I’ve talked about the corporal works of mercy, but the spiritual works are equally important. It’s a balance, and you can’t have one without the other.  Right hand and left hand, or two eyes, or two lungs.  The spiritual needs of poverty must be addressed as well as the material needs, and indeed, one may be spiritually poor while materially well-off, and never realise one’s poverty.  It is a dangerous imbalance to concentrate on just one component and neglect the other; this leads to the error on the one hand of the misappropriation of social justice teaching, where it is hijacked to mean trendy causes such as the Millennium Development Goals; which, while admirable in themselves, are not the whole of the Law and the Prophets; in 2006, the General Convention of The Episcopal Church declared the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) to be the top mission priority of the Episcopal Church.  Top mission priority?  Really?  Above preaching the Gospel?

Or the creation of “Environmental Stations of the Cross”; I wish I was joking about that last one, but no: apparently Gaia, not Christ, is being scourged and crucified.

Or the excesses of Liberation Theology, where the “theology” is minimized and the “liberation” is emphasized so that the ensuing politicization led to admonishment by the Vatican’s Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith (CDF) in 1984 and 1986 for the inclusion of “Marxist concepts.”  Again, the concept is not wrong or erroneous, but the excessive emphasis on ‘this world’ concerns above all else and consequent skewing towards radical political action and the importance of the State tipped certain proponents into error.

The blunder on the other hand leads to what the late Michael Spencer characterized as “wretched urgency,” where souls are treated as notches on the (Bible) belt and salvation becomes a matter of shoehorning the question of “are you saved?” into every possible human interaction, having neatly-encapsulated points and killer verses to use in order to browbeat an admission of sinfulness out of the potential convert, a slick recital of a “Sinner’s Prayer” with or without “walking the aisle” and perhaps a dunking, before you move on to the next victim.

Or the attitude described in the Epistle of James: “If a brother or sister is poorly clothed and lacking in daily food, and one of you says to them, “Go in peace, be warmed and filled,” without giving them the things needed for the body, what good is that?”  If your fear of “works righteousness” holds you back, then you are lacking.

Continue reading “Right Hand and Left Hand: Meeting both Material and Spiritual Needs”