Losers Who Win

8 That night there were shepherds staying in the fields nearby, guarding their flocks of sheep. 9 Suddenly, an angel of the Lord appeared among them, and the radiance of the Lord’s glory surrounded them. They were terrified, 10 but the angel reassured them. “Don’t be afraid!” he said. “I bring you good news that will bring great joy to all people. 11The Savior—yes, the Messiah, the Lord—has been born today in Bethlehem, the city of David! 12 And you will recognize him by this sign: You will find a baby wrapped snugly in strips of cloth, lying in a manger.”

13 Suddenly, the angel was joined by a vast host of others—the armies of heaven—praising God and saying,

14 “Glory to God in highest heaven,
and peace on earth to those with whom God is pleased.”

15 When the angels had returned to heaven, the shepherds said to each other, “Let’s go to Bethlehem! Let’s see this thing that has happened, which the Lord has told us about.”

16 They hurried to the village and found Mary and Joseph. And there was the baby, lying in the manger. 17 After seeing him, the shepherds told everyone what had happened and what the angel had said to them about this child. 18 All who heard the shepherds’ story were astonished, 19 but Mary kept all these things in her heart and thought about them often. 20 The shepherds went back to their flocks, glorifying and praising God for all they had heard and seen. It was just as the angel had told them. (Luke 2: 8-20 NLT)

If I were to be in a Christmas play, I would want to play a shepherd. I mean, they get to wear cool robes and carry a stick. I like carrying sticks. I want a black thorn Irish walking stick in the worst way. I could use it once a year playing a shepherd in a Christmas play, and poke people with it the rest of the year. Sounds like a perfect gift.

We romanticize the role of the shepherds at Christmas. We make them handsome and rugged and virtuous. Obviously they must be godly, because the angel gave them the birth announcement of Jesus. Plus, they get prime spots in the creche—so they have to be righteous, right?

Wrong.

Continue reading “Losers Who Win”

A Bible You’d Never Find at the Christian Bookstore

God as Creator, Luther Bible

By Chaplain Mike

Let’s say you walk into your local bookstore looking for a Bible. You scan the shelves and examine various translations and editions. Many contain 66 books: 39 in the OT and 27 in the NT. In some Bibles there is a section between the OT and NT with additional books called, “Apocrypha” or “Deuterocanonical Books.” When you peruse a “Catholic” Bible you see those “extra” books mixed in with the rest of the OT. On the off chance that you find an Orthodox Bible, you see that these books are called, “Anagignoskomena.”

So far, so good. You have a basic understanding of the differences between Catholics, Orthodox, and Protestant Christians. You realize that Catholic and Orthodox Christians accept additional books into their canon of Scripture while Protestants limit the canon to 66 books. That doesn’t bother you too much. The boundaries between those worlds are so well established in your mind and accepted that you don’t give much thought to the fact that their Bibles differ a little bit.

However, let’s say you find another Bible on the shelf. At first glance, it looks like a Protestant Bible, but upon closer inspection you notice something different. As you come near the end of the NT, there is a break before the last four books and a word of explanation:

Up to this point we have had to do with the true and certain chief books of the New Testament. The four which follow have from ancient times had a different reputation.

After this introductory word, you find the books of Hebrews, James, Jude, and Revelation at the end of the NT, separated from the rest of the books.Continue reading “A Bible You’d Never Find at the Christian Bookstore”

The Contexts of Faith

By the Rivers of Babylon, Tov

Much Christian piety and spirituality is romantic and unreal in its positiveness. As children of the Enlightenment, we have censored and selected around the voice of darkness and disorientation, seeking to go from strength to strength, from victory to victory. But such a way not only ignores the Psalms; it is a lie in terms of our experience. Brevard S. Childs is no doubt right in seeing that the Psalms as a canonical book is finally an act of hope. But the hope is rooted precisely in the midst of loss and darkness, where God is surprisingly present. The Jewish reality of exile, the Christian confession of crucifixion and cross, the honest recognition that there is an untamed darkness in our life that must be embraced — all of that is fundamental to the gift of new life.

– Walter Brueggemann, Spirituality of the Psalms, p. xii

In his work on the Psalms, Walter Brueggemann has identified a pattern that groups the psalms roughly into three kinds: psalms of orientation, disorientation, and new orientation. This scheme has personal and pastoral as well as analytical value, for as the scholar says, “the flow of human life characteristically is located either in the experience of one of these settings or is in movement from one to the other.”Continue reading “The Contexts of Faith”

The God of Second Chances

In the early 90s, when I was a fairly young seminary student, I was working on a paper for one of my New Testament Greek courses. I had gathered up all the commentaries and journal articles that I could find on the topic, and was starting to write my paper. While reading one journal article, I said to myself, “Here is a great quote, I should put it in my paper.” Much to my surprise, the quote was already in my paper! The author of the journal article had taken an older commentary by another author, had reproduced it almost word for word, and then had it published in a prestigious journal. In doing so, he gave no credit to the original author, with no references, quotations, or footnotes. This was plagiarism at its worst and it was committed by a published academic.

Not being sure of what to do, I talked to my professor. He said that one of my other professors knew a friend of the author of the journal article. Word was passed up the chain, and I heard back that the author of the journal article had a deadline for the journal, and couldn’t complete the work in time. He panicked and copied the work from the older journal, thinking/hoping that no one would ever notice.

Fast forward to the present day, almost 20 years later. I wondered whatever had become of author of the journal article. Much to my surprise I found out several interesting facts about him. He is now a high ranking academic within a Christian college, and had been very successful in his position. He continues to write at a prolific rate. Most interestingly, was that after being appointed to the academic post, he had written a book that covered much of the same ground as the journal article. Had he plagiarized the book as well? I ordered both the original commentary and the newer book from Amazon. They arrived recently.

To my disappointment he had used the commentary in his new book. I had hoped that he would have completely started anew, with his own material. To his credit, he did put the older material into his own words this time, and his did credit the original author in an footnote at the end of the chapter (though his footnote did not mention the name of the original work, or its page number).

You will have noticed that I have been deliberately vague with my details. It is not my attention to destroy anybody’s career. Many iMonk readers would know both the academics involved, so to give any more details would likely lead to the names becoming public.

Has the author of the journal article learned his lesson? His failure to again give proper credit, and his continued prolific output makes me wonder about the integrity of all that he has written.

But I also know that if a microscope was held up to my life, that I would fall short in a lot of different areas too. Yet, God hasn’t given up on me, and is able to use me in many different ways despite my shortcomings. I can tell from what the author in question has accomplished in other areas that God has used him in other ways as well.

My God is a God of second chances. I am thankful that although I sin, Jesus’ sacrifice has paid for my punishment. God has given me a second chance, and a third, and a fourth…

Can I do anything else but the same?

Nouwen on Waiting

By Chaplain Mike

For your contemplation today during this season of Advent, here are some words of profound insight from Henri Nouwen.

Advent is the time when we practice the discipline of waiting. We focus our attention on the hope to come. We set our hearts on God’s not-yet-seen promises rather than our unfulfilling circumstances in the present. We join the saints who even now are crying “How long?” before God’s throne (Rev 6:10), longing for the world to be put to rights. We take the long view, keep our eyes on the big picture, and walk on.

Nouwen points out that waiting is not doing nothing, twiddling our thumbs, taking the “couch potato” position, opting out of the game. Waiting is a vital, engaged, active stance we take in the life of faith. It’s a matter of responding to God in the present—right here and now, in the wilderness—hearing and obeying the Word that is spoken so often throughout Scripture—“Wait for the LORD; be strong, and let your heart take courage; wait for the LORD!” (Ps 27:14)

In fact, one of the key passages in the Bible on faith tells us that waiting on the Lord is very close to the heart of what trusting God involves:

For there is still a vision for the appointed time;
it speaks of the end, and does not lie.
If it seems to tarry, wait for it;
it will surely come, it will not delay.
Look at the proud!
Their spirit is not right in them,
but the righteous live by their faith. (Habakkuk 2:3-4)

Henri Nouwen’s words drive this home. He describes waiting as “nurturing the moment.”

A waiting person is a patient person. The word “patience” means the willingness to stay where we are and live the situation out to the full in the belief that something hidden there will manifest itself to us. Impatient people are always expecting the real thing to happen somewhere else and therefore want to go elsewhere. The moment is empty. But patient people dare to stay where they are. Patient living means to live actively in the present and wait there. Waiting, then, is not passive. It involves nurturing the moment, as a mother nurtures the child that is growing in her womb.

• Henri Nouwen, Eternal Seasons, p. 38

Another Look At Voyage Of The Dawn Treader

Editor’s Note: I posted my review of Voyage Of The Dawn Treader Saturday evening. I did not care for the movie in the least. The set was cheap. The effects were boring. Character development, outside of Eustace, was non-existant. But my biggest complaints were how the story was twisted, and the author’s intent was turned upside-down. “Stick with the book” was my suggestion.

iMonk contributor Adam Palmer, who has worked in the film industry on a closer basis than I have, and has a much deeper knowledge base of filmmaking, saw the movie yesterday with his family and has a different take on it. Here are his thoughts, followed by a few more of mine.

Well, Jeff Dunn mentioned my name so many times in his review of the cinematic iteration of The Voyage of the Dawn Treader that I am compelled to offer my thoughts both on the film itself and on his thoughts on the film. And let’s hope that’s the most confusing sentence you’ll read today.

Continue reading “Another Look At Voyage Of The Dawn Treader”

A Favorite Children’s Advent/Christmas Book

By Chaplain Mike

My entry for a recommended Christmas book is one we read for our children when they were young. It was written by one of my favorite authors, a woman renowned in children’s literature: Madeleine L’Engle. Her award-winning book, A Wrinkle in Time, is a classic that still captures my imagination.

L’Engle’s Christmas book, The Twenty-four Days Before Christmas, is simpler and homelier, a lovely “Christmas card” of a story.

Seven-year-old Vicky Austin loves the Christmas season. Each December, her family does one special thing every day for twenty-four days to prepare for the celebration of the Christ-child’s birth. From opening the doors on the Advent Calendar, to making cookies, to fashioning a homemade Christmas mobile, to getting out the Christmas mugs for dinner, each day in December provided something the children enjoyed with the family.

This year is extra special because Vicky has been chosen to play the angel in the Christmas pageant. At first she is gawky, but through her mother’s help she gains confidence and coordination, and soon people are saying she may be one of the best angels the pageant has ever seen.

Speaking of mother, she is expecting a baby of her own, and it looks like the baby might be born close to Christmas. If it comes at the wrong time, Vicky fears, it will spoil the holiday. Mother will have to be in the hospital; and she won’t be able to attend the pageant, cook the Christmas dinner, and be with the family for all the special activities they enjoy. How could they possibly have Christmas without mother?

I have to admit, I still enjoying reading this simple look at Christmas through a child’s eyes each year. It gives a wonderful sense of what Advent is all about — an uncertain future, hard-won hope, and practices that prepare our hearts for Christ’s coming.

Read it with your kids or grandkids this year. Or just enjoy it yourself.

The Imagination of Faith

Cherry Trees in Winter, Kelsey

By Chaplain Mike

What part does imagination play in faith? Can “truth” be communicated through legend, folk tales, poetry, and music?

Many Christmas songs have little to do with describing detailed historical facts. Instead, they evoke images from nature, the Biblical narratives, and the cultures from which they arise to help us not only understand but also feel the meaning and significance of the Incarnation.

One of my favorites is “The Cherry Tree Carol.”

Joseph was an old man,
And an old man was he,
When he wedded Virgin Mary
In the land of Galilee.

Joseph and Mary walk’d
Through an orchard green,
Where were berries and cherries
As thick as might be seen.

Then bespoke Mary,
In voice so meek and mild,
‘Pluck me one cherry, Joseph,
For I am with child.’

O then bespoke Joseph
In a voice most unkind,
‘Let him pluck thee a cherry
That brought thee with child.’

O then bespoke the babe
Within his mother’s womb,
‘Bow down then the tallest tree
That my mother may have some.’

Then bow’d down the tallest tree
Unto his mother’s hand:
She said, ‘See, Joseph,
I have cherries at command!’

Continue reading “The Imagination of Faith”

Advent III: Gaudete!

By Chaplain Mike

As we light the third Advent candle, we thank God for his gift of joy.

This is Gaudete (Rejoicing) Sunday. In the midst of Advent’s long journey, our worship on this day calls us to lift up our eyes, focus anew on our destination, and find renewed strength and refreshment from realizing that“our redemption draws near.” To mark this day, the liturgical colors are changed from deep purple or blue to rose-pink. That is why the third candle is different than the others on the Advent Wreath.

Today’s text from Isaiah graphically pictures the joy of the new creation and how this message of hope can bring rejoicing to our hearts even now:

Even the wilderness and desert will be glad in those days.
The wasteland will rejoice and blossom with spring crocuses.
Yes, there will be an abundance of flowers
and singing and joy!
The deserts will become as green as the mountains of Lebanon,
as lovely as Mount Carmel or the plain of Sharon.
There the Lord will display his glory,
the splendor of our God.
With this news, strengthen those who have tired hands,
and encourage those who have weak knees.
Say to those with fearful hearts,
“Be strong, and do not fear,
for your God is coming to destroy your enemies.
He is coming to save you.”

Joy is best expressed through singing! Here is the group Libera, singing the 16th century Latin carol, “Gaudete.” The repeated refrain proclaims: “Rejoice! Rejoice! Christ is born of the Virgin Mary! Rejoice!” The verses proclaim that the time of grace has come, God has become man, the world has been renewed, the light has been born, and salvation has been found because of Christ’s coming. Gaudete!