It saddened me today to discover that Ray S. Anderson (Author and professor at Fuller Theological Seminary) passed away this Father's Day.
While I never had the opportunity to study under him in person, many of his works (Ministry on the Firing Line, The Shape of Practical Theology, and many more) have made me an advid student of his for the better part of a decade.
You can read more about Ray's life and ministry here, at Ben Myers blog entilted Faith and Theology.
Although we never met in person, his lectures, his books, and the legacy of ministry have shaped me and will continue to shape me...and for this I give thanks to our God!
Blessings and prayers to Ray's family and friends during this time.
Showing posts with label Theology. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Theology. Show all posts
Tuesday, June 23, 2009
Tuesday, April 7, 2009
Serve God Save The Planet - Revisited
I was perusing my email today when I came across a notification that a new comment had been posted on submission to the blog I had made a few weeks ago. I appreciate the graciousness of the author of the comment and the opportunity to continue the dialog regarding Matthew Sleeth's book Serve God Save the Planet. So, I thought that I would post the comment here and respond and invite you to join Nick and I in this conversation.
Here is Nick's comment:
Russel-
Im a student at Mid America Nazerine University. I wanted to hear your thoughts on somthing in the book. I felt that throughout the book, Sleeth tried to state that the reason for so many problems(depression,family and marriage problems, ect.), were due to the fact that those people were not turning directly to saving the envirement. I wrote a book report on this book, and many of my class mates shared the same opinion.
Do you think it is that, or do u think those people are having those problems because they simply lack a true relationship with God??
-Nick
To answer the question first, I would have to say that a lot of the problems are predominately attributed to what you have called a 'true relationship with God'. And if I have heard and read Dr. Sleeth correctly, he would be on the same page. I would point readers to page 61 of the book where Dr. Sleeth states, "Perhaps many of our problems, including those of depression and anxiety, are warning signals that we are living a lifestyle that God does not sanction or want us to lead. The response to mental pain and discomfort should be to seek restoring connection with God. In seeking quiet moments, green pastures, and still waters, we may find just what our soul needs."
Coming from a theological perspective, it involves an understanding of our relationship with God, with each other, and with the rest of the created order. As I read the scriptures I notice that our fall or separation from God distorted all of the relationships we were created for. Sin separates us from God. Sin can distort and destroy our relationships with one another. Sins involving selfishness and self-centeredness distort and destroy our relationship with the rest of the created order. It is only through the act of grace through Christ Jesus that we are brought back into right relationship in all areas of our relatedness. Just as sin has affected (and still does) both humanity and the created order; the reconciliation in Christ Jesus affects both humanity and the created order. Those who have stepped into that life giving relationship with Jesus are being transformed from the inside out. As Colossians 3:9-10 states, "...seeing that you have stripped off the old self with its practices and have clothed yourselves with the new self, which is being renewed in knowledge according to the image of its creator...", we are reminded that we are being restored to the goodness that God originally intended for us.
Dr. Sleeth utilizes Christ's dialog about the greatest of the commandments (loving God first and then others as ourselves) as part of his scriptural and theological framework throughout the course of the book to say essentially the same thing. He claims that in order to love God, we must love what God has created and called good (ie. creation). He is also quite explicit in saying that loving others includes changing our understanding of stewardship. Are we really loving others if we are using more than we need and others are going without? Are we really loving our family if our drive for more (gadgets, filled schedules, etc) causes us to have no time to invest in those relationships? Are we really loving God, the created order, and others if we are adding exorbitantly to the pollution levels (which in turn harms all areas of our relatedness)? For Dr. Sleeth, it appears that living out the greatest of commandments, thereby living out our faith in Jesus Christ, requires that we change not only our views, but also our practices when it comes to creation care. It is not simply going green for going green's sake. It is an explicit part of our call as followers of Christ.
I invite you to join in the conversation. Have I read Serve God Save the Planet accurately? Do you agree with my assessment of Dr. Sleeth's position? Is creation care an imperative of our faith? Let us know what you think!
Here is Nick's comment:
Russel-
Im a student at Mid America Nazerine University. I wanted to hear your thoughts on somthing in the book. I felt that throughout the book, Sleeth tried to state that the reason for so many problems(depression,family and marriage problems, ect.), were due to the fact that those people were not turning directly to saving the envirement. I wrote a book report on this book, and many of my class mates shared the same opinion.
Do you think it is that, or do u think those people are having those problems because they simply lack a true relationship with God??
-Nick
To answer the question first, I would have to say that a lot of the problems are predominately attributed to what you have called a 'true relationship with God'. And if I have heard and read Dr. Sleeth correctly, he would be on the same page. I would point readers to page 61 of the book where Dr. Sleeth states, "Perhaps many of our problems, including those of depression and anxiety, are warning signals that we are living a lifestyle that God does not sanction or want us to lead. The response to mental pain and discomfort should be to seek restoring connection with God. In seeking quiet moments, green pastures, and still waters, we may find just what our soul needs."
Coming from a theological perspective, it involves an understanding of our relationship with God, with each other, and with the rest of the created order. As I read the scriptures I notice that our fall or separation from God distorted all of the relationships we were created for. Sin separates us from God. Sin can distort and destroy our relationships with one another. Sins involving selfishness and self-centeredness distort and destroy our relationship with the rest of the created order. It is only through the act of grace through Christ Jesus that we are brought back into right relationship in all areas of our relatedness. Just as sin has affected (and still does) both humanity and the created order; the reconciliation in Christ Jesus affects both humanity and the created order. Those who have stepped into that life giving relationship with Jesus are being transformed from the inside out. As Colossians 3:9-10 states, "...seeing that you have stripped off the old self with its practices and have clothed yourselves with the new self, which is being renewed in knowledge according to the image of its creator...", we are reminded that we are being restored to the goodness that God originally intended for us.
Dr. Sleeth utilizes Christ's dialog about the greatest of the commandments (loving God first and then others as ourselves) as part of his scriptural and theological framework throughout the course of the book to say essentially the same thing. He claims that in order to love God, we must love what God has created and called good (ie. creation). He is also quite explicit in saying that loving others includes changing our understanding of stewardship. Are we really loving others if we are using more than we need and others are going without? Are we really loving our family if our drive for more (gadgets, filled schedules, etc) causes us to have no time to invest in those relationships? Are we really loving God, the created order, and others if we are adding exorbitantly to the pollution levels (which in turn harms all areas of our relatedness)? For Dr. Sleeth, it appears that living out the greatest of commandments, thereby living out our faith in Jesus Christ, requires that we change not only our views, but also our practices when it comes to creation care. It is not simply going green for going green's sake. It is an explicit part of our call as followers of Christ.
I invite you to join in the conversation. Have I read Serve God Save the Planet accurately? Do you agree with my assessment of Dr. Sleeth's position? Is creation care an imperative of our faith? Let us know what you think!
Thursday, March 26, 2009
Faith and Speech
I have been pondering the relationship between our speech, our actions and our faith. While I have often looked at these passages out of James separately, it is just recently that I have been pondering them together. Here's the passages:
James 2:14-26
What good is it, my brothers and sisters, if you say you have faith but do not have works? Can faith save you? If a brother or sister is naked and lacks daily food, and one of you says to them, "Go in peace; keep warm and eat your fill," and yet you do not supply their bodily needs, what is the good of that? So faith by itself, if it has no works, is dead. But someone will say, "You have faith and I have works." Show me your faith apart from your works, and I by my works will show you my faith. You believe that God is one; you do well. Even the demons believe-- and shudder. Do you want to be shown, you senseless person, that faith apart from works is barren? Was not our ancestor Abraham justified by works when he offered his son Isaac on the altar? You see that faith was active along with his works, and faith was brought to completion by the works. Thus the scripture was fulfilled that says, "Abraham believed God, and it was reckoned to him as righteousness," and he was called the friend of God. You see that a person is justified by works and not by faith alone. Likewise, was not Rahab the prostitute also justified by works when she welcomed the messengers and sent them out by another road? For just as the body without the spirit is dead, so faith without works is also dead.
James 3:2-10
For all of us make many mistakes. Anyone who makes no mistakes in speaking is perfect, able to keep the whole body in check with a bridle. If we put bits into the mouths of horses to make them obey us, we guide their whole bodies. Or look at ships: though they are so large that it takes strong winds to drive them, yet they are guided by a very small rudder wherever the will of the pilot directs. So also the tongue is a small member, yet it boasts of great exploits. How great a forest is set ablaze by a small fire! And the tongue is a fire. The tongue is placed among our members as a world of iniquity; it stains the whole body, sets on fire the cycle of nature, and is itself set on fire by hell. For every species of beast and bird, of reptile and sea creature, can be tamed and has been tamed by the human species, but no one can tame the tongue-- a restless evil, full of deadly poison. With it we bless the Lord and Father, and with it we curse those who are made in the likeness of God. From the same mouth come blessing and cursing. My brothers and sisters, this ought not to be so.
At the moment, it seems clear to me. Our faith ought to bear fruit (the works I believe that James is talking about it). Faith is transformative...faith ought to call forth recognition and love of the other in our midst to the point that we might actually feed the hungry rather than just bless them and send them on their way.
It is also clear that our mouths can get us in trouble.
But taking these passages together, it seems as though our tongues can even be the undoing of the works that faith has called forth. Whether it is by proclaiming the differences between us and others (thereby impeding the works of faith) or reversing our works of faith by allowing our tongues to get away from us.
It seems as though speech (God honoring speech) can be a catalyst for our faith and works while speech that is not God honoring can be an impediment. It seems that our actions (the works of our faith) can be an affirmation of our words or (the lack thereof) can be a negation. And it seems to me that this can be as true for an individual as it is for a group (the body of Christ in any sized expression).
What do you think?
James 2:14-26
What good is it, my brothers and sisters, if you say you have faith but do not have works? Can faith save you? If a brother or sister is naked and lacks daily food, and one of you says to them, "Go in peace; keep warm and eat your fill," and yet you do not supply their bodily needs, what is the good of that? So faith by itself, if it has no works, is dead. But someone will say, "You have faith and I have works." Show me your faith apart from your works, and I by my works will show you my faith. You believe that God is one; you do well. Even the demons believe-- and shudder. Do you want to be shown, you senseless person, that faith apart from works is barren? Was not our ancestor Abraham justified by works when he offered his son Isaac on the altar? You see that faith was active along with his works, and faith was brought to completion by the works. Thus the scripture was fulfilled that says, "Abraham believed God, and it was reckoned to him as righteousness," and he was called the friend of God. You see that a person is justified by works and not by faith alone. Likewise, was not Rahab the prostitute also justified by works when she welcomed the messengers and sent them out by another road? For just as the body without the spirit is dead, so faith without works is also dead.
James 3:2-10
For all of us make many mistakes. Anyone who makes no mistakes in speaking is perfect, able to keep the whole body in check with a bridle. If we put bits into the mouths of horses to make them obey us, we guide their whole bodies. Or look at ships: though they are so large that it takes strong winds to drive them, yet they are guided by a very small rudder wherever the will of the pilot directs. So also the tongue is a small member, yet it boasts of great exploits. How great a forest is set ablaze by a small fire! And the tongue is a fire. The tongue is placed among our members as a world of iniquity; it stains the whole body, sets on fire the cycle of nature, and is itself set on fire by hell. For every species of beast and bird, of reptile and sea creature, can be tamed and has been tamed by the human species, but no one can tame the tongue-- a restless evil, full of deadly poison. With it we bless the Lord and Father, and with it we curse those who are made in the likeness of God. From the same mouth come blessing and cursing. My brothers and sisters, this ought not to be so.
At the moment, it seems clear to me. Our faith ought to bear fruit (the works I believe that James is talking about it). Faith is transformative...faith ought to call forth recognition and love of the other in our midst to the point that we might actually feed the hungry rather than just bless them and send them on their way.
It is also clear that our mouths can get us in trouble.
But taking these passages together, it seems as though our tongues can even be the undoing of the works that faith has called forth. Whether it is by proclaiming the differences between us and others (thereby impeding the works of faith) or reversing our works of faith by allowing our tongues to get away from us.
It seems as though speech (God honoring speech) can be a catalyst for our faith and works while speech that is not God honoring can be an impediment. It seems that our actions (the works of our faith) can be an affirmation of our words or (the lack thereof) can be a negation. And it seems to me that this can be as true for an individual as it is for a group (the body of Christ in any sized expression).
What do you think?
Sunday, March 15, 2009
Asking Different Questions
A buddy and I have been having a long distance theological discussion...one that I thought I would share a little bit about with you all here on Radically Altered.
There is a question that comes up quite frequently in the circles that I run in. The basis of the question regards what God's will is for each of our lives. It comes to me in many different forms from what am I supposed to be doing with my life to what if I get it wrong. These questions often revolve around what we are (or are doing), where we are at or going, when we are supposed to this or that, or why this or that is or is not occurring in our lives.
It seems to me that we get wrapped up in determining and micromanaging the details and outcomes before we even give ourselves an opportunity to take the journey. I propose that the solution to this is to ask different questions. Instead of asking the what, when, where, and why type of questions that seem to permeate the pull ourselves up by the boot straps/do it ourselves mentality, perhaps we should begin by asking the who and the how questions first.
The who questions are all about who we are. It is not about the fact that I am a male in my late 30's of anglo descent. It is not about being an American or a Texan or anything else. At the heart of the who question is the realization that I am God's. It involves a regrounding of my identity not in worldly or cultural things, but rather it involves a firm grounding of my identity in God (the one who created me). The who I am questions can only be authentically answered in a community of sojourners seeking to understand, receive, and reflect the grace of God that forms their very identity (and we must remember that God is a member of that sojourning community). Deeply understanding who we are as sons and daughters, co-heirs of the kingdom of God (co-laborers too), brothers and sisters, a royal priesthood, a body, etc will radically alter the way that we perceive ourselves and others...and if we allow it to, it can dramatically open us to the person that God has called us to be. In this sacred space our priorities can be reordered and our wills can be brought into line with God's will.
The how questions have to do with the very core of our being. Having discovered who we are (our identities in Christ), how we are speaks to our spiritual fitness. These are the questions that ask about our relationship with God and with each other. They are tough questions. They are the places in my experience where the Holy Spirit shines a light and says, "Russell, let's take a look over here." They are places of work and transformation. These are the places where God has promised to meet us, but they are also the places that God refuses to leave us.
Another aspect of both of these lines of questions, a fruit from endeavoring down these paths, is that while these questions are about us, they are about us in relation to God and to others. As such, a journey down these paths requires that we develop skills of listening that are often under developed. If you are like me, then perhaps you have approached God and said in some way that this is who I am and this is how I see things and this is what I would like to do. It is so easy for us to think that we know ourselves and what's best for us and to just ask God to bless our efforts. It is much more difficult to travel the roads that these questions may take us down, to actually listen for and to God, and to move where God is moving in our lives rather than where we think we should be moving.
Additionally, to attempt to discern answers to the other questions (where, what, why, when) without first having answered these questions is kind of like putting the cart before the horse. When we realize that we are God's and our relationships with God and with others have been transformed, we begin to find that as long as these are maintained, the rest is relative and seems to have less of a choke hold on our lives. Does it matter if I am a teacher or a waiter? Does it matter if I make a lot of money or a little? Does it matter if I am known by many or by a few? I think that if we get these two lines of questioning right, then the rest is of little consequence. If we fully understand whose we are and how we are to be with one another and God, then we can be who we are and how we are supposed to be in any context.
This last thought does something dramatic...it takes God out of the either/or box. So many times we think that God either wants us to do one thing or the other. It is like God has placed his will for our lives in one hand and left the other hand empty. If we pick the correct hand, then we are living in God's will. This seems to limit God to an either/or entity. Really, I believe that with God, there are many times (but not all) when God is more likely both/and (otherwise, what's the point of free will---ah, but that's another post). We can be who we are and how we are called to be in any career (teacher, factory worker, accountant, public official, etc), any economic context, any situation whatsoever. At the end of our time here, I believe God is going to be more interested in who we were and how we were. If we live lives that reflect who we are called to be and how we are called to be, the choices we make about the what, when, where, and why will reflect our identities and our heart, no matter what those choices were. So in the end the what, when, where, why are of lesser significance than the who and the how.
When seeking God's will, it seems to me that Scripture makes some valuable statements about what the will of God might entail. Micah reminds us that "He has told you, O mortal, what is good; and what does the LORD require of you but to do justice, and to love kindness, and to walk humbly with your God? (6:8)." When asked about the greatest commandment Jesus says, "'You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, and with all your soul, and with all your mind.' This is the greatest and first commandment. And a second is like it: 'You shall love your neighbor as yourself.' On these two commandments hang all the law and the prophets. (Matt 22:37-40)" In the end, who we are and how we are shapes what we do, when we do it, where we do it and why we do it. To attempt to answer these latter questions without the foundation of who and how we are called to be, seems to risk making choices and acting in ways that are inconsistent with the will of God.
So in the end, I think it is about asking different questions in our journey towards God. If we are capable of asking better questions, perhaps we will be able to better discern what God wills for our lives.
I think that this covers one of our conversations in a nutshell (all be it a rather large nut shell!). I would be interested in continuing this dialog with you...please leave a comment and let us know your thoughts about aligning our wills with the will of God.
There is a question that comes up quite frequently in the circles that I run in. The basis of the question regards what God's will is for each of our lives. It comes to me in many different forms from what am I supposed to be doing with my life to what if I get it wrong. These questions often revolve around what we are (or are doing), where we are at or going, when we are supposed to this or that, or why this or that is or is not occurring in our lives.
It seems to me that we get wrapped up in determining and micromanaging the details and outcomes before we even give ourselves an opportunity to take the journey. I propose that the solution to this is to ask different questions. Instead of asking the what, when, where, and why type of questions that seem to permeate the pull ourselves up by the boot straps/do it ourselves mentality, perhaps we should begin by asking the who and the how questions first.
The who questions are all about who we are. It is not about the fact that I am a male in my late 30's of anglo descent. It is not about being an American or a Texan or anything else. At the heart of the who question is the realization that I am God's. It involves a regrounding of my identity not in worldly or cultural things, but rather it involves a firm grounding of my identity in God (the one who created me). The who I am questions can only be authentically answered in a community of sojourners seeking to understand, receive, and reflect the grace of God that forms their very identity (and we must remember that God is a member of that sojourning community). Deeply understanding who we are as sons and daughters, co-heirs of the kingdom of God (co-laborers too), brothers and sisters, a royal priesthood, a body, etc will radically alter the way that we perceive ourselves and others...and if we allow it to, it can dramatically open us to the person that God has called us to be. In this sacred space our priorities can be reordered and our wills can be brought into line with God's will.
The how questions have to do with the very core of our being. Having discovered who we are (our identities in Christ), how we are speaks to our spiritual fitness. These are the questions that ask about our relationship with God and with each other. They are tough questions. They are the places in my experience where the Holy Spirit shines a light and says, "Russell, let's take a look over here." They are places of work and transformation. These are the places where God has promised to meet us, but they are also the places that God refuses to leave us.
Another aspect of both of these lines of questions, a fruit from endeavoring down these paths, is that while these questions are about us, they are about us in relation to God and to others. As such, a journey down these paths requires that we develop skills of listening that are often under developed. If you are like me, then perhaps you have approached God and said in some way that this is who I am and this is how I see things and this is what I would like to do. It is so easy for us to think that we know ourselves and what's best for us and to just ask God to bless our efforts. It is much more difficult to travel the roads that these questions may take us down, to actually listen for and to God, and to move where God is moving in our lives rather than where we think we should be moving.
Additionally, to attempt to discern answers to the other questions (where, what, why, when) without first having answered these questions is kind of like putting the cart before the horse. When we realize that we are God's and our relationships with God and with others have been transformed, we begin to find that as long as these are maintained, the rest is relative and seems to have less of a choke hold on our lives. Does it matter if I am a teacher or a waiter? Does it matter if I make a lot of money or a little? Does it matter if I am known by many or by a few? I think that if we get these two lines of questioning right, then the rest is of little consequence. If we fully understand whose we are and how we are to be with one another and God, then we can be who we are and how we are supposed to be in any context.
This last thought does something dramatic...it takes God out of the either/or box. So many times we think that God either wants us to do one thing or the other. It is like God has placed his will for our lives in one hand and left the other hand empty. If we pick the correct hand, then we are living in God's will. This seems to limit God to an either/or entity. Really, I believe that with God, there are many times (but not all) when God is more likely both/and (otherwise, what's the point of free will---ah, but that's another post). We can be who we are and how we are called to be in any career (teacher, factory worker, accountant, public official, etc), any economic context, any situation whatsoever. At the end of our time here, I believe God is going to be more interested in who we were and how we were. If we live lives that reflect who we are called to be and how we are called to be, the choices we make about the what, when, where, and why will reflect our identities and our heart, no matter what those choices were. So in the end the what, when, where, why are of lesser significance than the who and the how.
When seeking God's will, it seems to me that Scripture makes some valuable statements about what the will of God might entail. Micah reminds us that "He has told you, O mortal, what is good; and what does the LORD require of you but to do justice, and to love kindness, and to walk humbly with your God? (6:8)." When asked about the greatest commandment Jesus says, "'You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, and with all your soul, and with all your mind.' This is the greatest and first commandment. And a second is like it: 'You shall love your neighbor as yourself.' On these two commandments hang all the law and the prophets. (Matt 22:37-40)" In the end, who we are and how we are shapes what we do, when we do it, where we do it and why we do it. To attempt to answer these latter questions without the foundation of who and how we are called to be, seems to risk making choices and acting in ways that are inconsistent with the will of God.
So in the end, I think it is about asking different questions in our journey towards God. If we are capable of asking better questions, perhaps we will be able to better discern what God wills for our lives.
I think that this covers one of our conversations in a nutshell (all be it a rather large nut shell!). I would be interested in continuing this dialog with you...please leave a comment and let us know your thoughts about aligning our wills with the will of God.
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