I was simply disappointed with this book. I was hoping for a coherent and plausible worldview to be explained and advocated; an argument for gnosticism, or an explanation of why it is a plausible worldview, or even an explanation of historical gnosticism. I would have settled for an intelligent polemic against orthodox Christianity. What I read was largely a statement about contemporary gnostic beliefs, with a veneer of historical and scholarly language laminated over the top of it...
Pagels certainly references history, historical personages, and historical documents. She is herself a scholar, and she does reference scholarly opinion. But nothing she says actually links her contemporary gnostic worldview with either historical gnosticism, or the life of Jesus himself. She simply doesn't seem to care where her views come from. But of course, this is exactly what she is advocating: a spirituality unmoored from statements of truth about the world around us, a worldview that has no need to answer clunky questions about science or history.
The book progresses from a brief survey of literature about Jesus from the first three Centuries, to a bald assertion that there was virtually no consensus about the historical Jesus, and finally to another bald assertion that orthodoxy is the result of political pressures from the 4th Century. She uses this to conclude that Christians today should ignore Christianity (and more specifically, orthodox pictures of the life, work, and teachings of Jesus) and instead decide for themselves whatever they want to think, believe, value, and trust. It is as though she feels no need to connect the worldview she advocates with either the historical Jesus, or any particular historical gnostic community or document.
Instead of a book dealing with history and historical texts (which is what the subtitle of the book, and the constant references to history and scholarship suggests) we have a statement about Elaine Pagels personal spirituality, which is unmoored from any larger reality than Pagels' own personal navel gazing.
In my next post I will look at some of the historical claims she makes, and the overall historical framework she assumes. After that we will look at the spirituality she is advocating and compare that to what we do know of the historical Jesus and the spiritual life He offers us. Finally, we will look at some possible lessons the church can learn from Pagels' ideas.
12.28.2010
12.27.2010
NT on Art
While I liked all of this video, I was particularly intrigued by his comments on the role of artists in communicating truth...
Zion & Babylon
Oh great mammon of form and function
Careless consumerist consumption
Dangerous dysfunction
Described as expensive taste
I’m a people disgraced
By what I claim I need
And what I want to waste
I take no account for nothing
If it’s not mine
It’s a misappropriation of funds
Protect my ninety percent with my guns
Whose side am I on?
Well who’s winning?
My kingdom’s built with the blood of slaves
Orphans, widows, and homeless graves
I sold their souls just to build my private mansion
Some people say that my time is coming
Kingdom come is the justice running
Down, down, down on me
I’m a poor child, I’m a lost son
I refuse to give my love to anyone,
Fight for the truth,
Or help the weaker ones
Because I love my Babylon
I am a slave, I was never free
I betrayed you for blood money
Oh I bought the world, all is vanity
Oh my Lord I’m your enemy
Come to me, and find your life
Children sing, Zion’s in sight
I said don’t trade your name for a serial number
Priceless lives were born from under graves
Where I found you
Say, my name ain’t yours and yours is not mine
Mine is the Lord, and yours is my child
That’s how it’s always been
Time to make a change
Leave your home
Give to the poor all that you own
Lose your life, so that you could find it
First will be last when the true world comes
Livin’ like a humble fool to overcome
The upside-down wisdom
Of a dying world
Zion’s not built with hands
And in this place God will dwell with man
Sick be healed and cripples stand
Sing Allelu
My kingdom’s built with the blood of my son
Selfless sacrifice for everyone
Faith, hope, love, and harmony
I said let this world know me by your love
By your love
Oh my child, daughters and sons
I made you in love to overcome
Free as a bird, my flowers in the sun
On your way to Mount Zion
All you slaves, be set free
Come on out child and come on home to me
We will dance, we will rejoice
If you can hear me then follow my voice
12.25.2010
Review: Beyond Belief pt I
I will address some of her specific points in later posts, but thought it best to start with some generalizations:
Pagels portrays orthodox Christianity as largely concerned with static doctrinal purity. Conversely, gnosticism, as she describes it, is entirely concerned with a perpetual quest for meaning. Pagels claims that the orthodox understanding of truth is largely in terms of propositional statements, and in the conviction that those propositional truth claims are absolute. Gnosticism, however, is open to other, intuitive and emotive, ways of knowing. Pagels implies often throughout the book that the orthodox position, far from holding to truth, actually prevents people from pursuing truth; we are more concerned with political correctness than with truth. I must confess, Pagels description here of the Church, while painful, is generally accurate.
This was, however, the only strength of the book in my opinion.
We have often set aside the pursuit of God, and the seeking of truth, for the sake of a sense of assuredness. We want to 'know the truth' but when we discover that the truth is complicated or even, at times, ineffable we settle for 'knowing doctrine.'
====================
...a friend wants to know God more deeply, he is a Christian and a member of a local church, but the leaders of the church simply parrot creeds and doctrines at him. He doesn't know what questions to ask, but there is a sense of dissatisfaction with the answers they give him. They are frustrated that he won't just 'get with the program' but he simply wants to know the truth. (I thought that was the program!)
====================
We have become more concerned with correctly pronouncing our theological shibboleth's while ignoring the content of our theology and our lives. How someone answers the question of Christology, or homosexuality, or ____________, is more important to us that whether someone prays regularly, loves deeply, lives intimately, or obeys readily. We are unwilling to question, or to allow (much less encourage) others to question, out of fear. I know of Christian pastor's and professors who have explicitly stated, "I don't want my students to learn to think critically, I just want them to believe the correct statements of fact and doctrine."
Gnosticism, of course, runs to the other end of the spectrum here! There is no real concern for truth, as such. Rather, whatever I discover within myself is truth. This is Pagel's real agenda behind her scholarship; yet another ringing endorsement of the Enlightenment agenda, the unshackling of individualism and hedonism.
The contemporary gnostic says, 'Look deep within yourself, and then be true to whatever you find there.'
As one who has looked deep within myself and been horrified, I find these sentiments naive at best, evil at worst, and obviously spoken by someone who has no intention of looking 'deep within' in any honest sense of those words...
Pagels portrays orthodox Christianity as largely concerned with static doctrinal purity. Conversely, gnosticism, as she describes it, is entirely concerned with a perpetual quest for meaning. Pagels claims that the orthodox understanding of truth is largely in terms of propositional statements, and in the conviction that those propositional truth claims are absolute. Gnosticism, however, is open to other, intuitive and emotive, ways of knowing. Pagels implies often throughout the book that the orthodox position, far from holding to truth, actually prevents people from pursuing truth; we are more concerned with political correctness than with truth. I must confess, Pagels description here of the Church, while painful, is generally accurate.
This was, however, the only strength of the book in my opinion.
We have often set aside the pursuit of God, and the seeking of truth, for the sake of a sense of assuredness. We want to 'know the truth' but when we discover that the truth is complicated or even, at times, ineffable we settle for 'knowing doctrine.'
====================
...a friend wants to know God more deeply, he is a Christian and a member of a local church, but the leaders of the church simply parrot creeds and doctrines at him. He doesn't know what questions to ask, but there is a sense of dissatisfaction with the answers they give him. They are frustrated that he won't just 'get with the program' but he simply wants to know the truth. (I thought that was the program!)
====================
We have become more concerned with correctly pronouncing our theological shibboleth's while ignoring the content of our theology and our lives. How someone answers the question of Christology, or homosexuality, or ____________, is more important to us that whether someone prays regularly, loves deeply, lives intimately, or obeys readily. We are unwilling to question, or to allow (much less encourage) others to question, out of fear. I know of Christian pastor's and professors who have explicitly stated, "I don't want my students to learn to think critically, I just want them to believe the correct statements of fact and doctrine."
Gnosticism, of course, runs to the other end of the spectrum here! There is no real concern for truth, as such. Rather, whatever I discover within myself is truth. This is Pagel's real agenda behind her scholarship; yet another ringing endorsement of the Enlightenment agenda, the unshackling of individualism and hedonism.
The contemporary gnostic says, 'Look deep within yourself, and then be true to whatever you find there.'
As one who has looked deep within myself and been horrified, I find these sentiments naive at best, evil at worst, and obviously spoken by someone who has no intention of looking 'deep within' in any honest sense of those words...
12.21.2010
12.18.2010
12.17.2010
Rewriting History, or Correcting It?
"During the time of persecution of Christians, the church fathers constructed the canon, creed and hierarchy, suppressing many of its spiritual resources in the process, in order to avoid conflict with Roman law and religion."
Here is the link to where the quote came from.
It is a review of the Elaine Pagels book I am currently reading, Beyond Belief. I will have some thoughts and a review of sorts posted here shortly...
Fascinating stuff that makes me grateful for my intellectual superiors who have done their homework before me, and allowed me to look over their shoulders all the while!
Here is the link to where the quote came from.
It is a review of the Elaine Pagels book I am currently reading, Beyond Belief. I will have some thoughts and a review of sorts posted here shortly...
Fascinating stuff that makes me grateful for my intellectual superiors who have done their homework before me, and allowed me to look over their shoulders all the while!
Society of Vineyard Scholars: Second Annual Convention
Introducing Society of Vineyard Scholars from societyofvineyardscholars on Vimeo.
So it's off to Seattle.
In another month and a half I get to head across the states for the second round of SVS. Last year was a blast (although I felt a little like the emperor with no clothes, waiting at every turn for someone to ask about my 'scholarly' credentials!), and I look forward to this year.
Last year was my first time attending a scholarly conference, and my first time presenting a paper in such a setting. This year have a little more knowledge of what to expect!
Let me know if you wanna join me!
12.14.2010
Like A Seed and Like Yeast
Isaiah 9:7 speaking prophetically about the Messiah, tells us that 'the rule of God is ever increasing in scope, in fact the increase will never end.' Its not just the government that has no end, the increase will never end...
Jesus likens the government of God to a seed and to yeast. (Matthew 13:31-33)
A small seed that is insignificant when planted, that is unseen during germination, and breaks the ground with a tremulous shoot, but soon enough grows into something significant and fruitful.
A small bit of yeast that is kneaded into the dough, but soon begins to take on a life of its own, spreading throughout the whole, causing it to take on entirely new properties, flavors, and smells...
===============
Our first moment of faith is the faintest submission to the rule of God, perhaps only in word.
...but the seed is in the ground!
...the yeast is in the dough!
And now comes God's part!
of the increase of His kingdom, there will be no end!
Perhaps we only acknowledged we believe, but had no intention of obeying, or perhaps we only became willing to obey out of desperation; it matters not to God, He will work with any soil, or any dough. The Holy Spirit continues to haunt us, and soon the faintest acknowledgement of the Lordship of Christ has grown to include more of our lives, fostered by fellowship and word, service and worship, the seed is germinating, sprouting, growing, and producing fruit... fruit that contains seed to be planted in other soils...
=====================
"Of the increase of his government and peace there will be no end."
12.13.2010
Grace is God's Favor on the Broken
Here is the link to the video and lyrics to Michael Guglielmucci's now infamous song 'Healer.'
The story behind the song is a sad one, yet it is a contemporary parable about human brokenness and God's illimitable grace.
=========================
Michael is the son of a pastor.
He is also a pastor.
He writes songs glorifying God. Wonderful, powerful songs, sung by masses of devoted Christians; blessing the Church and blessing God with his songwriting.
Michael was diagnosed with cancer.
He wrote the song 'Healer' as an anthem testifying to God's power to heal, and His strength in troublesome times. He would perform the song on stage sitting down, with the oxygen tubes hooking him to the supply that his weak body desperately needed...
It was a powerful reminder that God's grace is available in the midst of human brokenness.
=========================
It was, of course, a huge deception; Michael was lying about the cancer.
He had never been diagnosed with cancer, and was in fact perfectly physically healthy. There was, however, something desperately wrong with Michael.
He had been telling people he had cancer to cover the fact that he had been compulsively looking at pornography for 16 years. He was ashamed and afraid; he was defeated.
Upon this revelation, many of us in the wider Christian community were appalled at this hypocrisy. The world of course, was overjoyed at the opportunity to point to yet another disgraced figure on the stage of global Christianity. I have heard many Christians talk about how the song has been ruined for them, now that they have heard the whole story. The situation was, in all respects, a colossal failure...
...or perhaps not.
Perhaps Michael's hypocrisy is a contemporary parable. Perhaps we can learn from the ugliness and the deception. Perhaps by digging into the open wound, painful though it might be, we can root out the cause of the of the injury...
In short, that image of Michael on the stage, lying to everyone about his own holiness, singing of God's goodness while deceiving the worldwide church, a sinner hiding in plain sight, is not a reason to throw away Michael, or the song he wrote, rather it is a powerful reminder that God's grace is available in the midst of human brokenness.
It is for this reason that I continue to be blessed by this powerful song. The story behind it far from detracts from the power of the song, rather it increases its potency as a reminder of God's glory. It speaks to me of God's glorious grace, that I am never so far away, that He cannot reach me...
The story behind the song is a sad one, yet it is a contemporary parable about human brokenness and God's illimitable grace.
=========================
Michael is the son of a pastor.
He is also a pastor.
He writes songs glorifying God. Wonderful, powerful songs, sung by masses of devoted Christians; blessing the Church and blessing God with his songwriting.
Michael was diagnosed with cancer.
He wrote the song 'Healer' as an anthem testifying to God's power to heal, and His strength in troublesome times. He would perform the song on stage sitting down, with the oxygen tubes hooking him to the supply that his weak body desperately needed...
It was a powerful reminder that God's grace is available in the midst of human brokenness.
=========================
It was, of course, a huge deception; Michael was lying about the cancer.
He had never been diagnosed with cancer, and was in fact perfectly physically healthy. There was, however, something desperately wrong with Michael.
He had been telling people he had cancer to cover the fact that he had been compulsively looking at pornography for 16 years. He was ashamed and afraid; he was defeated.
Upon this revelation, many of us in the wider Christian community were appalled at this hypocrisy. The world of course, was overjoyed at the opportunity to point to yet another disgraced figure on the stage of global Christianity. I have heard many Christians talk about how the song has been ruined for them, now that they have heard the whole story. The situation was, in all respects, a colossal failure...
...or perhaps not.
Perhaps Michael's hypocrisy is a contemporary parable. Perhaps we can learn from the ugliness and the deception. Perhaps by digging into the open wound, painful though it might be, we can root out the cause of the of the injury...
In short, that image of Michael on the stage, lying to everyone about his own holiness, singing of God's goodness while deceiving the worldwide church, a sinner hiding in plain sight, is not a reason to throw away Michael, or the song he wrote, rather it is a powerful reminder that God's grace is available in the midst of human brokenness.
It is for this reason that I continue to be blessed by this powerful song. The story behind it far from detracts from the power of the song, rather it increases its potency as a reminder of God's glory. It speaks to me of God's glorious grace, that I am never so far away, that He cannot reach me...
12.10.2010
One Small Candle...
"One small candle, may light thousands of others..."
Governor Bradford
"A bruised reed he will not break, and a smoldering wick he will not snuff out..."
Matthew 12
God can use even the simplest, smallest, and most abused of us as a vessel for His power, glory, and majesty in the lives of multitudes.
Governor Bradford
"A bruised reed he will not break, and a smoldering wick he will not snuff out..."
Matthew 12
God can use even the simplest, smallest, and most abused of us as a vessel for His power, glory, and majesty in the lives of multitudes.
12.06.2010
A Recipe from my Neighbor Laila
I have absolutely no intention of baking these cookies! However, she wanted me to give it to someone who would make them, so here is to you! Make some cookies, let me know how they taste!
Fig Cookies
Filling: (Make 2-3 days ahead)
1 ½ lbs. figs
½ lb. raisings
½ lb. dates
1 orange
2 oz. whiskey
1 tsp. salt
2 tsp. cinnamon
1 tsp. black pepper
½ lb. brown sugar
6 oz. bottle maraschino cherries
Boil figs and raisins with brown sugar and add 2 cups of water for 10 minutes (save water). Grind figs, dates, and raisins with whole orange. Add cinnamon, pepper, and whiskey, salt and cut up cherries. Add liquid from fruit into the filling.
Dough:
12 cups flour
3 Tbsp. baking powder
1 ½ tbsp. vanilla
9 eggs
1 lb. lard melted
1 lb. sugar (2 cups)
1 or 2 grated orange rinds
¼ cup orange juice
Mix all dry ingredients. Add melted lard and beaten eggs and orange rind. Mix in. Roll out dough, not too thin. Cut long strips, about 1 ½ to 2 inches wide with a knife. Put filling down center of strip of dough in a long line. Fold both sides of the dough over filling. Slice small pieces diagonally with a knife. Place individual cookies on cookie sheet and bake at 375 degrees. About 25 minutes. Time varies. Bottom should be lightly browned. Cool and frost.
Frosting:
Combine 1 ¼ boxes powder sugar and orange juice and milk. Frost cookies and dip upside down into sprinkles or decorations.
12.05.2010
Worship Changes Us
St. Paul writes the following in the twelfth chapter of his epistle to the Roman Church:
1Therefore, I urge you, brothers and sisters, in view of God’s mercy, to offer your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and pleasing to God—this is your true and proper worship. 2Do not conform to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God’s will is—his good, pleasing and perfect will.
Here Paul is instructing us that true worship involves our total humanity. A living sacrifice that continually presents itself, not merely in song, but in its physical entirety. Our thoughts, emotions, actions, and lifestyle are included in our worship, not merely words.
In worshipping God in this way we are honoring Him according to His proper worth; we are giving Him something. We are also, however, giving God access to us; He is giving us something in return. By acknowledging God for who He truly is, and by doing so whole-heartedly, we are receiving a renewed self. A self that begins to look more and more like Him. Our whole being is being conformed to His as we worship Him.
We are made in His image, designed to reflect His glory into the world around us. Like a mirror turning towards the source of light, in order to reflect it; we turn towards God in worship to do the same. In proclaiming the majesty, beauty, and power of the Creator through worship, our reflection of Him becomes cleaner, clearer, and brighter. It is then that we are able to truly understand, discern, and perform His will.
In my own life this has been true. Decisions I had made for evil, destructive patterns of thought I had settled into, bitterness I had held onto, lies I had believed; all melted away in moments of worship. Almost without notice these things came to pass; there was no conscious renouncing of these evils but only an embracing of God. After such an embrace, I discovered that those evils had been let go of almost against my will, they had been crowded out of my soul. As if there was not room for bitterness or envy within a soul filled with thoughts of God.
In idolatry our humanity is perverted and our godliness polluted. In worship of our Creator, we become more fully human and more godly as well...
Rough Draft Pt IX
Students of a Heavenly Kingdom not a Consumer One
Discipleship in the 21st Century necessitates a commitment to a deep intimacy between women and men of all cultures. A disciple must embrace community, but even more a community of diverse people. Where that diversity, or community is not present a disciple must work to create it. Discipleship in the 21st Century must produce disciples who tirelessly confront the powers of injustice at work in the world around us, and who abandon themselves to life among the world’s marginalized. Discipleship in the 21st Century requires a resolute rejection of materialism, consumerism, and individualism; in short, we must reject the Church Growth movement, and the toxic way it has infected our Kingdom imagination by playing to consumer desires.
The Vineyard’s relationship to Evangelicalism is a point for much conversation. However, for our purposes here it is not necessary to clarify the degree to which we should be differentiated from other Evangelical streams. When it comes to a theological commitment to the Church Growth paradigm, the Vineyard has historically given unquestioned assent. Much of our material for church planters is focused primarily around gathering crowds; John Wimber himself was heavily influenced (and was in fact an influencer!) by the Church Growth mindset. Leaving aside questions of decades past, Church leaders today must constantly assess their own sense of worth in the unholy tension between meeting consumer demands and faithfulness to the King. What in the past may have been good, or simply unintentionally bad, is now unquestionably bad. We must turn from it.
My prayer is that we turn to the City. The wondrous diversity of cultures and classes is enough to woo any missionary. The inherent community is enough to endear anyone who loves people. The brokenness will induce compassion for people, and the systemic nature of it induce defiance in the face of the powers, in any Spirit-filled disciple. The sheer ingenuity of immigrants and the unique economic realities of urban markets should excite any creative businesspeople. The urban centers of America are filled with opportunity for the Church to rediscover Herself. Here we can seek again to set our face towards a Kingdom dream, and invite others to join us as we labor under Jesus to forward that dream.
We must be clear, this is not a critique of suburban missions, but rather those who end up there for the wrong reasons. Those lonely, isolated souls in the suburbs are crying out to be liberated from bondage to material wealth and fulfilled consumer desires by Kingdom agents sent there with power from on high; just as the poor, broken, disadvantaged, and oppressed of the cities must be liberated. This is not a call to abandon one mission field for another, but rather a refocusing on the goals of the mission in both fields; we must rethink our commitment to suburbia only because it so often results from a commitment to Church Growth. Our calling must be to reject the powers and kingdoms of this earth, and conform instead to that heavenly Kingdom that will one day replace these others. No longer can we acquiesce to a culture that enshrines unrestrained desire and comfort. As St Paul says:
Philippians 3:18-21
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