So… How do I look at the scriptures that clearly state I should do something that I don’t do, or that I
shouldn’t do something that I am?
I think this is a great jumping off point for a larger discussion about the specifics of how we approach some of the commands of the Old Testament.
If you recall from the last topic of whether we can/should take the scriptures literally, the first issue that must be worked through deals with who the information was first intended for and what they would have understood it to mean. Every culture is rich in nuance and shading, shared experiences and history that they automatically draw on when communicating. That sharedness obviously effects both what we say and how we hear what others say.
This, in many ways, is part of what can make understanding some of the Old Testament a bit harder than simply reading what is on the page and then doing it. A.J. Jacobs, in his book The Year of Living Biblically, attempted to sidestep this process. In his very interesting book, he stated his goal was, “to live the ultimate biblical life. To follow every single rule in the Bible – as literally as possible.”
What makes for a very interesting read does not always make for a solid understanding of what the scriptures are actually calling upon us to do. Please hear this, I am neither saying that we shouldn’t try to follow what the Old Testament teaches, nor that it is impossible to arrive at what it is saying. It isn’t even always difficult. I am simply saying that in some of the more tricky passages, a larger understanding to the environment surrounding the text is helpful. David Barr, the author of The New Testament Story says it like this…
“…there are three obstacles that stand in the way of correctly interpreting the biblical writings: We speak a different language, we live approximately two millennia later, and we bring different expectations to the text.”
So, what might be some of the issues that God was looking at when he guided the writer of the Pentateuch to originally give these commands to the Jews, and then to later have them be written down for us? Just so we are clear, here are some of those tricky commands that we don’t always know what to do with…
10 “But all creatures in the seas or streams that do not have fins and scales–whether among all the swarming things or among all the other living creatures in the water–you are to detest. 11 And since you are to detest them, you must not eat their meat and you must detest their carcasses. 12 Anything living in the water that does not have fins and scales is to be detestable to you.” Lev 11.10-12 NIV
‘Do not plant your field with two kinds of seed. ” ‘Do not wear clothing woven of two kinds of material.” Lev 19.19 NIV
“Do not cut the hair at the sides of your head or clip off the edges of your beard.” Lev 19:27
And then, one of my favorites, Deut 14.21… “Do not boil a young goat in its mother’s milk.”
So, these are just some of them. What do we make of this? I personally love our local Cajun restaurant’s jambalaya, complete with boiled crayfish on the top. We have even taken our new members out for that very jambalaya because we are so awesome. Those are certainly out, aren’t they?
The first question we should ask, perhaps after “What the ….?!” is, “What is God trying to do here?”
I think it is important to look at that question. What is God trying to do? And maybe another question would help it out a bit, that one would be, who is God trying to be?
Stay tuned… more in a couple of days…
Peace, Jim
I have respected the ‘s focus on polling the public in areas of spirituality, media, parenting, and various other cultural markers. I found this from Nov 29, 2010 very helpful and hope you do as well.
Peace, Jim
I have shared before that I am a fan of the orthogonal approach, especially in debates that can get intense, that trigger strong emotion and call on deeply held beliefs. For those who aren’t familiar with that term, it applies best to issues where there can be a strong “you versus me” mentaility. I win or you do. It becomes about voicing your opinion more effectively than someone else might be able to. If you do, you win. If you don’t, they win.
The orthogonal approach would suggest that instead of letting it go that route, a tug of war if you will, you put a right angle in there
somewhere and take the discussion a new direction. Approach the interaction differently.
This approach doesn’t mean that both sides give up what they believe, that isn’t the case at all. It just means we seek to reframe the discussion in a way that gives it some hope of avoiding the typical roadblocks. This approach also isn’t new. We are reminded in scripture to be quick to listen, slow to speak and slow to become angry. This isn’t suggesting we don’t share truth, not at all. It is more how we approach the interaction. We are told that we can be absolutely right, but if we don’t communicate our views with love and respect, we drastically reduce the impact we can have. So, this isn’t new.
As I have sought to apply this approach in the myriad of discussions about intense issues I find myself in I have learned a critical step in navigating them. Not only should I seek to understand before I am understood, but I should take the additional step to reflect carefully on what about my life and my experiences would make it harder for me to truly understand where the other person is coming from. I try to look at my filters and see if they are making things more difficult.
Hear me again, just because I look at my filters and reflect on them, doesn’t mean I drop them. Our filters are born out of who we are; our beliefs and experiences, the aspects of our world that we understand, the things we have learned. So, we don’t drop them, we simply ackowlege them and look to see if they impact the discussion we are in.
So… [nlcf] has been involved in a series called . The idea is that most people in our culture today, if asked, would say some semblance of this statement: I would be closer to God/Jesus but… this keeps me away. Whether the issue of God’s reality or presence is a central one in their life, or a very distant one,research shows most would have some version of this phrase somewhere in their mind.
On October 17th, [nlcf] dealt with this but… I would be closer to God but… He allows far to much suffering.
When we asked the members of [nlcf] and others to contribute their ideas for what we should cover (and over 250 people did) the issue of suffering was one of the highest requests on the list. And it was one of the most intensely emotional categories as well.
So, how does the orthogonal approach impact the issue of suffering that God allows?
It would cause us to take a step back and look at our filters. Honestly there are many, but let’s start with this one.
Ready?
We expect those with great power to use it to help those in need. (more…)
, a part of the Pew Research Center, has come out with another interesting survey. The Research Center is a nonpartisan and nonadvocacy group that was started in 2001 and “seeks to promote a deeper understanding of issues at the intersection of religion and public life.” It provides a neutral venue for discussions on these issues and many others.
In this most recent poll, 3412 people were given a 32 question survey (you can take a sample to see how you fare) to distill their ambient knowledge of religious facts.
Here is a bit of the Executive Summary. You can find the whole thing .
Atheists and agnostics, Jews and Mormons are among the highest-scoring groups on a new survey of religious knowledge, outperforming evangelical Protestants, mainline Protestants and Catholics on questions about the core teachings, history and leading figures of major world religions.
On average, Americans correctly answer 16 of the 32 religious knowledge questions on the survey by the Pew Research Center’s Forum on Religion & Public Life. Atheists and agnostics average 20.9 correct answers. Jews and Mormons do about as well, averaging 20.5 and 20.3 correct answers, respectively. Protestants as a whole average 16 correct answers; Catholics as a whole, 14.7.
Go ahead and take the quiz and let me know how you did. I got 14 out of the 15 sample questions right. But hey, I am in the biz right? 
Peace, Jim
A couple of days ago I posted on the new at Northern Seminary in the Chicago area.
So, I wanted to take a look at why this new program is not just exciting in its own right, but is a good move forward for the missional church. So, in no particular order, here are a few reasons I am amped about this new D. Min and a bit envious of those who get to take advantage of it…
1) , , and . These guys have an intriguing blend of theological backgrounds and present perspectives on the scriptures and practices within the church. They have written some quite compelling books over the last few years, on missiology, the church and how we seek to follow Christ in our post-Christian world. More than that though, they are strong thinkers. They are able to take the trajectory the Church has been on over the centuries and carry it forward into our world today. In my experience, that is rare to walk in a healthy balance. They are certainly not the only ones to do so, but they are doing it.
2) The program blends theology and practice (as they always should be) in a local church expression arc. Dave Fitch(who I know the best of the three) is deeply committed to the church and to remaining involved in its leadership. In fact, he remains a co-pastor at . Theology, like many pursuits, needs to remain deeply rooted to its most basic expression. The farther you get away from the nuts and bolts world of leading people and being led by them, of revealing your soul to others and receiving their revelation, of extending grace and receiving grace; the more disconnected it becomes from its purpose.
3) It accomodates those who, like me, are unable to engage the standard seminary experience. Being based out of week long intensives, it provides the immersive experience that living and breathing these issues can bring. You develop with a cohort of others who are asking similar questions, reflecting on similar things. But, you don’t have to live in the area to be a part and you don’t have to have all your days free. This is nice. It also uses technology well for what technology can deliver.
4) The missional movement within the evangelical church is in need of, and seeking to, define what it believes. It is in the process of understanding and describing its theological scope, in a good way. Not as a means of exluding, but as a means of mobilizing churches and ministries to live out the gospel in their context. This is an important time and task. Fitch, Roxburgh and Van Gelder will be involved in that process.
5) It is affordable! Honestly, I was excited when I saw the cost, and there are, from what I understand, scholarships available.
6) Out of all the seminaries out there, they got the best URL: seminary.edu! How is it that no one took that?!
If you would like to take a look at the way that Northern would describe Northern, feel free to do so .
It can truly be said that not all seminaries are created equal, this one is a good one.
Peace, Jim
Alright, perhaps my post title was a bit misleading. Or really misleading.
What is offering is a new (read Doctorate of Ministry) program. And while I am overall very un-excited about demons, I mean.. look at that thing…I am very excited about this new offering.
I often get the question of why I haven’t pursued a graduate degree in some aspect of ministry. I have been in vocational ministry for almost 15 years, have been on a panel that has been able to speak into the development of a Masters program at a seminary, and highly value the intellectual component of my pursuit of God. So, it seems strange that I have yet to get my Masters. When I first came on staff I had three reasons and now I have a different three. I’ll let you in on those and then tell you why they make me so excited about Northern’s program.
Reasons I didn’t initially pursue a graduate degree…
Go Hokies! Okay, I just wrote that because I bet that very few outside of my mom (Hi Mom) will read this section. Honestly I am not sure that I would. But I do think I had some valid and not so valid reasons for my decision.
1. We were super-poor, no way we could afford it. The first few years of Tracy and I being in ministry were financially very tight. Once she sat on her $5 sunglasses, and we couldn’t afford replacements for a several weeks. The cost of a graduate degree was simply out of our reach.
2. Hubris. Plain and simple. I didn’t value graduate education in ministry. I thought it was primarily an institution that was funded by very wealthy churches that were out of step with where our culture is today. That seminaries were preparing ministers for a world that didn’t exist any longer. Just for the record, I still feel that can often be the case. My hubris came in with my pre-judging all programs based on my awareness of a few. I thought too highly of myself.
3. I wasn’t yet sure enough of what I believed to find a program that would challenge and push me toward what I sensed God was pushing me to become. Honestly, I am glad I didn’t go early in ministry for this reason.
Here is why I haven’t gone recently…
1. Time. It would appear that while finances can still be tight, the most tight comodity I have in my life is my time. With the churches, congregations and non-profits that [nlcf] has launched and my roles in many of those, added to my roles in other organizations, my roles within [nlcf], my family, time spent with the writing and launch of my book, the plans for another… Yikes. Things get busy very fast.
2. Lack of a program that I am really excited about, that I can meaningfully engage remotely. Yes there are programs around me, but none that truly generate that level of excitement in me.
3. Lack of a direct need to have one. The reality is that I ask my friends who are attending seminary to share their reading lists with me and I read many of those books. I have several groups around me where I can share my reflections and have those reflections challenged. I feel intellectually invigorated and am growing. I enjoy these times greatly.
But I sense that God might be moving in me to take the plunge. Tomorrow, the reasons why Northern’s approach is key in that. If you have found yourself in a similar situation to what I was in or where I am now, you will want to hear about Northern’s program and heart behind it.
See you tomorrow!
Over the past couple of years, my good friend and co-worker Matt has been putting a great deal of effort into reflecting on his homosexuality, among other parts of his life.
He has been reading widely, flying around the country to talk with people he feels like can help him during this season. And just about every Thursday night we have hung out on his back porch talking about where he is in this process. Processing what we are both thinking, and reading. Sometimes the discussions have been low-key and fun, and other conversations have been more intense.
I have been blessed by not only Matt’s friendship and his walk with Christ; but also by his honesty and willingness to allow me to walk beside him on this path. I am very fortunate.
Today, Matt passed along a letter written in 2005 by The Very Rev. Dr. Peter Short, Moderator of the United Church of Canada. The United Church of Canada was responding to Canada’s passage of Bill C-38 which allowed civil marriage for same-sex couples. The United Church had churches within it that both were celebrating this passage and churches that were against its passage. Dr. Short speaks wise words to our neighbors to the north.
As the issue of same-sex unions and the definition of marriage come more and more into our cultural and political dialogue, we that are followers of Jesus (regardless of our perspective on those issues) would do very well to carefully reflect on his challenge to give primacy to what deserves primacy. Certainly vigorous debate is ahead of us, and should be. But as Paul reminds us in 1 Cor. 13, how we speak is as important as what we say. So, let me allow The Very Rev. Dr. Peter Short to take it from here…
THE VERY REV. DR. PETER SHORT
Pastoral Letter Following the Passage of Same-Sex Marriage LegislationJune 29, 2005
Sisters and Brothers in The United Church of Canada,
Greetings in Christ!
Yesterday the Parliament of Canada passed legislation granting gay and lesbian couples legal access to civil marriage. This legislation comes as no surprise. The question has been debated and contested in a very public manner. The United Church of Canada has been an active participant in this issue in the 18 months since the 38th General Council asked the government to include same-sex marriage in the marriage legislation. During this time, United Church congregations have been encouraged to assess and determine their marriage policies with respect to same-gender couples.
This legislation is no surprise to anyone who has been in touch with current events in church and society. Nonetheless, it represents a profound change in civil society’s definition of marriage-an institution that stands at the heart of Canadian family life. It may not be a surprise to the mind that has been tracking the trajectory of the legislation, but the heart is deeply surprised as the legislation makes the passage from theoretical debate to law of the land. (more…)
At the start of October, is going to start a new series called, “Show Us Your Buts – our reasons for not getting closer to God.”
Part of the intent of this series is to look at the issues that can hold us back from following Jesus more closely, trusting him more.
I am thrilled that we are doing this series. It has been one we have been talking about for about a year now, and it strikes very close to my heart. So many of my conversations are peppered with the whys of faith. Why is it so hard? Why does it work out this way? Why can’t it be more clear? Why does the bible say this? Why doesn’t it say this? These questions are central to my story with God as well. So, I love ‘em. Can’t always answer them as much as I, or the asker may like, but they are so important to so many of us.
A couple of weeks ago I asked you to let us know what your buts are. There have been a smattering of replies on Facebook and here on jimpace.org. I have received many more responses via text or to my email account. Here is how the suggestions are going thus far. I have broken them down into three categories: Intellectual Questions, Current Events, and Personal Life Questions. These are all general categories and most of the questions or comments I have received fall into more than one. It is just a way to break them up a bit. (more…)
Some of you very, very clever people out there noticed that “buts” is misspelled.
Others of you who are very, very, very clever already know why. For the rest of you very, very clever people, allow me to explain.
Starting in three weeks, [nlcf] is going to start a series called, “Show Us Your Buts.” Think of it like this. I have coversations with people all the time about issues regarding their walks with Jesus, what they allow God to guide and speak into, where they trust him, and where they don’t. In coffee shops, at 130 Jackson, before an [nlcf] gathering, after, at the gym, in my front yard, in stores. You get the idea. It comes up all the time. And I am certainly not the only one that has conversations like this.
Many times in those conversations the following phrase is either stated or implied. ”I would be closer to God/ trust Jesus more… but this keeps me away / but this makes it tough / but I cannot figure this out.”
So, this is your chance to show us your but. I guess more technically it would be comment with your but, tell us your but, text us your but. But those just sound too confusing. Hence, Show Us Your Buts.
So… it’s pretty simple. Comment back with what you and God stuggle with. What you don’t understand. What you would like to have covered. What confuses you. It might be a question of how to take something that is in the bible, it might be an experience you have had. Then we will navigate through the responses and pick ones to deal with. We will overall try to pick the ones that get the most votes, but we will see how it goes.
If you aren’t comfortable commenting back, then email or text me. You do not have to go to [nlcf] to comment in and vote! You don’t even have to follow Jesus. You just have to have a but. I will try to let everyone know if we pick your “but” and you can also feel free to follow the series on our website. Also, and I am very excited about this, we are going to try to make sure we have time to take questions during each gathering that deal with the issue we covered that day.
This has all the earmarks of something awesome. So, now the ball is in your court.
We all have our questions, our doubts, or concerns.
What’s yours?
As promised, the second post to walk us through the process of truly choosing to walk in covenant with God. It is the best deal we could ever be offered. If you are in the New River Valley area this weekend (and aren’t a member of another church ) you won’t want to miss this week as we look at how we can specifically overcome common obstacles that we can encounter as we try to walk closer with God. If you would like to listen in to the series so far,
