The Loins of Luther

I was just chatting with a good friend who had just taken part in an online pastors chat forum. Someone had asked whether there is a need to draw near to God since we are joined to Him spiritually, 2 Pet 1:4; and if we can and should do this (which I think is very important, not to mention the array of scriptures about prayer), then, how is this possible? Of course, the depths and the mind of God are such that we shall spend eternity exploring Him, and this has begun for those in Christ! Notwithstanding, the poor images of heaven that we seem to have been given. (John Eldridge does a great job of describing heaven in his books).

One thing underlying this question, provided you accept the interpretation of that passage from Peter, is that there is a famine of historical perspective in so many areas of Protestantism and Evangelicalism. This sorry state of affairs is another part of the ignorance of our common Christian heritage, and not just a few misconceptions that are left behind as vestiges of a wider collective memory. Compounding the situation is a smoldering anti-Catholicism, which some don’t even realize is present. Yet there is a massive corpus of writing on Christian Spirituality, which can be tapped. It is as though the Church (the "True Church", not the Roman one, or rather, the 26,000 that are part of this True Church!) had sprung from the loins of Martin Luther. Please don’t think that I am underestimating his importance, or the need for reform, then as now.

Protestants lack of historical perspective is a great handicap when it comes to dealing with all sorts of questions. We can overlook this tremendous wealth of spirituality and theology all too easily. In fact, we, or they, may be guilty of trying to re-invent the wheel, when in reality, life and ministry are not coming out of a vacuum - with the very text of the bible in hand, with us as its best interpreters! Certainly, we have to be cautious in taking on-board any opinions from the past, as well as the present, but there is at least a need to acknowledge, and even more so, to draw from, what is actually available to us (2000 years worth, not merely 500), which will certainly help to anchor and inform our questioning.

There is no such thing as a new heresy; the same old ones crop up again and again, and the Councils and the Church Universal have provided ample evidence and correctives to help us avoid such a great source of cruelty. Only today, my wife was telling me about a small local Church that is mired in the most awful legalism and resulting bondage, and family carnage to its adherents. Lies always tie us up and leave is for dead, under a cloud of demonic shame and confusion. It is so sad that so many little groups spring up, declaring loudly their purity and commitment to the Gospel, when in actual fact, they have gone off half-cocked, with little or no practical accountability, and profound ignorance with respect to the wisdom of the ages that might have forestalled such mayhem. Certainly, Western individualism and hubris does not help much either!

Some of us, with no sense of superiority, have started to search out our ecclesiastical birth parents, so to speak, as so many real adoptees feel compelled to do. We have a great legacy of Doctors of the Church, Mystics, and other Godly people with which to discourse. We might come to some differing opinions on things, but surely there are choice pearls of wisdom to be had – as Luther might also encourage us to do himself.

See, he writes, though not without criticism later on:

“I will not presume to criticize too closely the writings of the Fathers, seeing they are received at the church, and have great applause, for then I should be held an apostate;”

and again he writes,

“We must read the Fathers cautiously, and lay them in the gold balance,”

The Table Talk of Martin Luther,
http://www.reformed.org/documents/Table_talk/table_talk_4.html#Heading24

May we take advantage of just such a Gold Balance. As Jesus said, "Therefore every scribe instructed concerning the kingdom of heaven is like a householder who brings out of his treasure things new and old."” Matt 13:52; NKJV

More resources here: http://www.ccel.org/fathers2/

http://www.iclnet.org/pub/resources/christian-history.html

God in New Orleans.

"When Abba Anthony thought about the depth of the judgments of God,
he asked, 'Lord, how is it that some die when they are young, while others
drag on to extreme old age? Why are there those who are poor and those
who are rich? Why do wicked men prosper and why are the just in need?'
He heard a voice answering him, 'Anthony, keep your attention on
yourself. These things are according to the judgment of God, and it is
not to your advantage to know anything about them.'"

From the Apophthegmata Patrum -- the Sayings of the Desert Fathers.
This version was translated by Sr. Benedicta Ward.

I am tired of the finger pointing. The facts will come out in time, and the agenda’s of certain people. It does appear that the local authorities made some bad choices and dithered too much. Let’s all do what we can to alleviate the situation.

I believe this disaster is both a sign of judgment and an opportunity for blessing. Such is often the case.

I’m so glad to hear of the amazing responses on the ground of many American’s helping out others, and of thousands of families being housed by Churches all over the country.

One wonderful example comes from some friends of mine at a “biker” Church – I created and manage their website. Follow the next link to read how they helped one family in a big way. God Bless these folks!

http://www.godsrollingthunder.com/katrina.html

Christianity Today has a page of helps and articles at:

http://www.christianitytoday.com/ctmag/special/katrina.html


To give online try:

http://www.operationblessing.com/

http://www.worldvision.org/

http://www.samaritanspurse.org/

Here is a prayer too:

"O blessed Lord; you ministered to all who came to you: Look with compassion upon all who have been displaced and sent into exile by this tragic natural disaster. Enable them to know your presence, the warmth of your embrace and the fullness of your love. Restore to them assurance of your unfailing mercy; remove from them the fears, anxiety and loneliness that beset them; strengthen them in spirit, hope and faith; and to those who care and provide for them,
give patience, compassion, strength, care and love. Amen."
[adapted from The Book of Common Prayer]

What is the Church for?

A recent post on a blog that I read, Monday Morning Insight (for pastors), just asked this question: "What is the Church to be?"

Monday Morning Insight

Quite simply, it is the place where we meet with God, together with others. I don't mean meeting God, as in, hanging out with your buddy; although God is the best friend of all, but in the sense that we are able to lose ourselves in worshipping Him, and can approach the mystery of who He is to some degree.

Some will say that the Church is really a school, a hospital, an army, or even a place of entertainment and empowerment (though the words used in these cases are probably more acceptable), but all of these things are benefits or aspects of the one true goal - of exploring and growing in our relationship with God. Meeting with our Creator so as to taint our clothes with the smoke of the eternal fire of His presence, thus empowering and healing us in many ways, and ultimately, becoming better disciples in the process. Certainly, we have a mission, as some might protest - after all, the Church is the sacrament of Christ Himself. However, we must not highjack the ultimate purpose of God as we set about our various missions and ministries.

I love what Robert Webber writes in his books regarding "Blended Worship", and "Evangelicals on the Canterbury Trail" - highlighting the need and necessity for people to meet with and worship God. Many of us Christians in the Evangelical and Charismatic streams are beginning to search for deeper worship that we have known - more than mental, emotional and functional “services”, and are becoming increasingly disillusioned with utilitarian and modernist reductions of the faith. We are hungry to worship God as the Early Church worshipped Him and prospered as a result. To encounter His majesty and mystery in the midst of our hardscrabble, daily grind, and overfed, Western World. To be nourished by His very presence - and paradoxically, His presence in His absence. Not mere knowledge and facts, (though, the mind is His gift too) but life and love - deeply grounded in an authentic encounter with the living God. Hearing from God and sensing His person, rather than just hearing about Him. We do not want to find ourselves in the quandary of trying to present the Gospel to others, yet to be found proffering a Gospel about a God whom we don't really know.

Evangelists, teachers Pastors, and others, will all have preferences or differences in emphasis in their opinions and objectives for this important question, regarding the purpose of the Church, but I submit, that we will greatly impoverish ourselves and others if we do not clearly understand, not just with the mind, but also feel deeply, that the Church is an organism that exists primarily to foster relationship with God; which will then spill into every other area of life. To do otherwise, is to go down a road that we don't want to end up on. Filthy rags of self-righteousness can also comprise filthy rags of, heap upon heap of dead works and dry information. He is the Truth. He is the Life as well. Just think of Job, left gabbling and stammering after his confrontation with the reality of God Himself.

I'm talking about passion for God; the true God who transcends our various concerns and yet, deigns to fellowship with us through the gentle unfurling of the wings of His Holy Spirit, manifested to us in ways that we cannot conjure up, or perhaps, even withstand.

We are to be Christ's followers and worshippers, not just his workers, or He, our boss. No! He is our almighty Lord, and we bow before Him. He is great, ineffable, and worthy of all praise. Now, that is something to be for.

Cheers!