Gold more danger than fire

From John Wesley’s sermon “The Mystery of Iniquity“:

Persecution never did, never could, give any lasting wound to genuine Christianity. But the greatest it ever received, the grand blow which was struck at the very root of that humble, gentle, patient love, which is the fulfilling of the Christian law, the who essence of true religion, was struck in the fourth century by Constantine the Great, when he called himself a Christian, and poured in a flood of riches, honours, and power upon the Christians; more especially upon the Clergy.

Paying $9 million to walk away

Menlo Park Presbyterian Church, better known as John Ortberg’s church, voted to leave the Presbyterian Church USA even though it will have to pay nearly $9 million to do so.

In a letter explaining the decision cited several issues including doctrine, discipline, and governance.

The church will pay $8.89 million to it former denomination under terms of a dismissal agreement.

I wonder what would happen if the United Methodist Church developed procedures to allow congregations to buy their way out of the UMC.

Lectionary blogging: Battle begins

Then Jesus was led by the Spirit into the wilderness to be tempted by the devil. After fasting forty days and forty nights, he was hungry. The tempter came to him and said, “If you are the Son of God, tell these stones to become bread.” (Matthew 4:1-3, NIV)

I’ve been reading Gustaf Aulén’s classic book Christus Victor this week. I was not reading it to guide my study of this week’s gospel lectionary text, but it sure has set off some interesting resonances.

Aulén argued in his book that there are three broad types of atonement theories. The objective model, represented by Anselm and subsequent satisfaction and substitution theories, describes the primary focus of the atonement upward toward the Father. The cross is the place where the debt created by humanity’s sin is paid off.

The subjective model, first articulated by Abelard and widely influential in the West since the 19th century, describes the primary focus of the atonement downward to those of us at the feet of Jesus. The cross creates a change in us.

Against both of these models, Aulén argues for what he calls the “classic” theory, which he says goes back to the apostles. This theory views the atonement as an act in an unfolding dramatic conflict between God and the devil. We might think of it as a horizontal focus of atonement. The atonement defeats the devil.

I thought of the book while reading the story of Jesus’ temptation in the wilderness.

By Aulén’s thinking, the temptation is really just the opening skirmish in a contest that will be carried forward all the way to the cross and the empty tomb. The testing in the desert is not merely about teaching us some responses to difficult life challenges. It is not merely validation of Jesus’ status as the unblemished one who can reset the scales of divine justice by his death. It is the start of a battle that will be fought, not with guns and bombs, but with weapons of the Spirit.

This is a reading of the text that passes through the cross, which therefore means it is shaped by our understanding of atonement. Whether that is a useful way to read and preach the text this week, I’m not certain. I’ll let the Spirit guide on that one.

The power of why

One simple question can reveal a great deal. The key is to keep asking it.

The question: Why?

When talking about what we do as the church, we too often to not ask the question “Why?”

Why do we do the things we do?

Asking the “why” question once is helpful. It is even better if we keep on asking it until our answers get down to facts that can be examined and questioned.

Here’s a hypothetical example. The church worship committee is discussing the purchase of new hymnals.

Q: Why do we need new hymnals?

A: Because our old ones were issued in 1956.

Q: Why do we care how old the books are?

A: Because a lot of newer hymns might appeal to younger people.

Q: Why do you believe that is true?

A: Ummm … (and here we might go looking for evidence to answer that question)

Or maybe it would develop this way.

Q: Why do we need new hymnals?

A: Because the old hymnal is not approved by our denomination.

Q: Why do we need to use a hymnal the denomination approves?

A: Because … well … (Here we are prompted to consider more deeply what we do in worship and why we do it.)

This kind of thing is not easy, and it is not, of course, ever this clean and simple. But it does force us to think why we have to explain the why behind the who, what, when, where, and how.

What kinds of “why” questions would help your congregation the most?

No little cute hearts for Hauerwas

Stanley Hauerwas from an essay titled “Why Did Jesus Have to Die?”

There is no question that love between the persons of the Trinity is at the very heart of the Christian faith, but I think nothing is more destructive to the Christian faith the current identification of Christianity with love. If God wants us to be more loving, why do you need Jesus to tell you that?