Clarion: Journal of Spirituality and Justice

Heaven on Earth? The future of spiritual interpretation (Regent College, Sept. 16-17)

Heaven on Earth? (click here for conference details)

Theological interpretation of Scripture is becoming a common practice, both among Catholics and evangelicals. For some, this may seem like the arrival of heaven on earth. Others, however, have critiqued the recent trend toward theological interpretation for being too theologically or heavenly minded and for not doing justice to the historical, earthly realities of which the text speaks.

What is 'spiritual interpretation?'

According to Regent scholar, Hans Boersma, "Theological reading is a reading of Scripture that goes beyond merely looking for the historical meaning of the text. This kind of reading maintains that our Christian beliefs shape the way in which we read Scripture. In the Middle Ages, this led to the notion that there were four levels of meaning: the historical, the allegorical (referring to Christ and the church), the tropological or moral (teaching us how to live), and the anagogical (referring to the eschaton).  Among Catholics, Henri de Lubac has been a pioneer of reintroducing such a 'spiritual' reading of the text, while among Protestants, Karl Barth is often regarded as recognizing the limits of historical critical exegesis and advancing more theological approaches.

Matthew 16:21-28 Lose a Self, Find a Self -- Sermon by Irene Gifford-Cole

Exodus 3:1-15, Romans 12:9-21, Matthew 16:21-28                                                           

Our Gospel reading today is extremely difficult, at least for me, and I have wrestled hard with it, especially with verses 24 to 26. What on earth does Jesus mean when he says that if we want to come after him, we will have to deny ourselves, take up our cross and follow him? And what does he mean when he says that whoever wants to save his life will lose it, and whoever loses his life for him (for Jesus) will find it? It might be helpful to follow along in your Bible as we explore these things.

First of all, the Greek word which is translated “life” in verse 25 is psyche, the word from which we get our English word “psychology”, meaning the study of the human soul, or personality. The word psyche in Greek can mean either the centre of the human self, that is the heart or the soul, or it can mean human life. In verse 25, psyche is translated “life”. In verse 26, however, the same word, psyche, is translated “soul”, in the NIV. “What good will it do a person if he gains the whole world yet forfeits his soul? Or what can a person give in exchange for his soul?”

Some thoughts on the Wrath of Man -- by Fr. Michael Gillis

“The wrath of God came against them, and slew the stoutest of them, and struck down the choice men of Israel” (Psalm 78:31).

“For the wrath of man does not produce the righteousness of God” (James 1:20).

I think we have an anger problem.  The problem I’m talking about is not related to self control, but to understanding. Why does human wrath never produce the righteousness of God while God’s wrath seems to be ubiquitous in Scripture?  What’s the difference?  Why is God’s wrath righteous and human wrath never?

Many of the fathers of the church talk about two central feelings or urges from which all others derive. 

Thomas Merton's, The Behavior of Titans -- 50 Year Review by Ron Dart

Thomas Merton, The Behavior of Titans (New York: A New Directions Book, 1961).

St. Justin Martyr refers to Herakleitos, along with Socrates, as a “Saint” of pre-Christian paganism…the logos of Herakleitos seems to have much in common with the Tao of Lao-tse as well as with the Word of St. John.  (Thomas Merton)                             

Fools, when they do hear, are like the deaf: of them does the saying bear witness that they are absent when present. (Herakleitos)

He that is awake lights up from sleeping. (Herakleitos)     

There is a kind of self-fulfillment that fulfills nothing but your illusory self. (Br. Steindl-Rast)             

I have recently been rereading the rather informed and amusing The Way it Wasn’t: From the Files of James Laughlin (2006). Laughlin was the energy and inspiration behind A New Directions Book Press, and he published many of Thomas Merton’s books. Laughlin has a few tantalizing tidbits about Merton in The Way it Wasn’t.  It was Laughlin that published Merton’s The Behavior of Titans in 1961, and to this Perennial relevant and compact missive (50 years later) we now turn.

Jack Layton's final words (1950-2011)

"My friends, love is better than anger, hope is better than fear. Optimism is better than despair. So let us be loving, hopeful and optimistic, and we will change the world."

—Jack Layton (1950-2011)

To read Jack Layton's entire farewell letter, click below:

Just as you are -- with Jean Vanier

Thomas Merton and Personhood -- Ron Dart & Archbishop Lazar Puhalo

They Died in Vain; Deal with it - by Ray McGovern

Ray McGovern works with Tell the Word, the publishing arm of the ecumenical Church of the Saviour in Washington, DC. During his career as a CIA analyst, he prepared and briefed the President's Daily Brief and chaired National Intelligence Estimates. He is a member of the Steering Group of Veteran Intelligence Professionals for Sanity (VIPS).

August 08, 2011 "Information Clearing House" -- Many of those preaching at American church services Sunday extolled as “heroes” the 30 American and 8 Afghan troops killed Saturday west of Kabul, when a helicopter on a night mission crashed, apparently after taking fire from Taliban forces. This week, the Fawning Corporate Media (FCM) can be expected to beat a steady drumbeat of “they shall not have died in vain.”

But they did. I know it is a hard truth, but they did die in vain.

As in the past, churches across the country will keep praising the fallen troops for protecting “our way of life,” and few can demur, given the tragic circumstances.

But, sadly, such accolades are, at best, misguided — at worst, dishonest.  Most preachers do not have a clue as to what U.S. forces are doing in Afghanistan and why.  Many prefer not to think about it.  There are some who do know better, but virtually all in that category eventually opt to punt.

Should we fault the preachers as they reach for words designed to give comfort to those in their congregations mourning the deaths of so many young troops?  As hard as it might seem, I believe we can do no other than fault — and confront — them.  However well meaning their intentions, their negligence and timidity in confronting basic war issues merely help to perpetuate unnecessary killing.  It is high time to hold preachers accountable.

God is Like Jesus by Brian Zahnd

God is like Jesus.
God has always been like Jesus.
There has never been a time when God was not like Jesus.
We have not always known what God is like—
But now we do.

Consider these two foundational truths of Christian theology:

1. God is immutable. i.e. God does not change and is not subject to change.

2. God is perfectly revealed in Jesus. i.e. Jesus does notchange God, Jesus reveals God.

(see John 1:1, 14-18; 5:19-21; 7:28-29; 8:19; 10:28-30; 12:44-46; 14:7-9)

Understanding that God is immutable and that God like Jesus is essential to our understanding of salvation. We must not think that salvation comes about because Jesus placates God (thus changing God) or that God is obligated to satisfy retributive justice in order to forgive sin (thus making God subordinate to a higher justice). Salvation comes about because Jesus reveals the Father and does the Father’s work. Jesus tells us that the great work of the Father is to give life to the dead (see John 5 and 11). Thus the primary problem the Gospel addresses is not personal guilt (though this is included), but human subjugation to death. If we think judicial guilt is the primary problem of sin, instead of death (and then falsely imagine that God killed Jesus instead of sinful humanity!), we greatly misrepresent the nature of salvation and concoct a distorted gospel where Jesus is saving us from God. No! Jesus reveals the Father, does the work of the Father, and saves us from the dominion of sin and death.

The Apostle Paul tells us that God was in Christ reconciling the world to himself…not reconciling himself to the world. The cross doesn’t change God (God is immutable). The cross shames the principalities and powers (exposing their claim to wisdom and justice as a naked bid for power) and changes us!

To hear my full sermon on this topic, the podcast is available here.

BZ

 

Simone Weil on 'Forgive us our debts' - trans. Brad Jersak

‘And remit us our debts, in the same way that we also have remitted our debtors.’

In the moment that we say these words, we must already have remitted all debts. This includes not only letting go of the reparation of any offences we think we have suffered; but also any recognition and gratitude for the good we think we have done. And in a completely general way, anything that we expect from people or things, everything we believe is our due, the absence of which has made us feel frustrated.

Forgiveness is letting go of every right we believe is ours in the past or in the future. First, this includes the right to a certain permanence. When we have enjoyed something for a long time, we believe it is ours, and that fate must allow us to keep enjoying it. Second, we let go of the right to compensation for all of our efforts, regardless of the nature of our effort, work, suffering or desire.

John Stott: Evangelical Abba (April 1921-July 2011) by Ron Dart

The death of John Stott will be mourned by countless Christians around the world.

(Archbishop Rowan Williams)

I was young and keen to learn much about the Christian faith in the late 1960s-early 1970s, and high on my reading list were books by F.F. Bruce, C.S. Lewis and John Stott. I appreciated Bruce’s breadth and depth, Lewis is an ocean I’m still swimming about in, and Stott had a mild and gentle approach, as an evangelical, that was quite winsome and winning. Five Evangelical Leaders (1984), by Christopher Catherwood, listed John Stott, Martyn Lloyd-Jones, Francis Schaeffer, James Packer and Billy Graham as dominant leaders in the Evangelical ethos. If I had to choose one of the five as my guide, Stott would be my choice.  

Time Magazine in 2005 listed Stott as one of the hundred most influential people in the world, and the ripple effect of Stott’s life has gone in many directions. I lived with Francis/Edith Schaeffer and the L’Abri community in Switzerland from 1973-1974, and in 1974 The International Congress on World Evangelization was held in Lausanne, Switzerland. John Stott was a mature Abba for the Evangelical tribe at the large Congress. In fact, there was moderate and discerning wisdom to Stott’s leadership that charted a solid and sane path for the evangelical family. If more had rightly heeded Stott’s gentle insights, the evangelical clan would have more credibility today.

Weapons surrendered to those guided by the Bible

"We knew that we had created a new means of warfare and the question as to what nation, to what victorious nation we were willing to entrust this brainchild of ours was a moral decision more than anything else. We wanted to see the world spared another conflict such as Germany had just been through and we felt that only by surrendering such a weapon to people who are guided by the Bible could such an assurance to the world be best secured."

Wernher Von Braun, Nazi scientist

The weapons he refers to are the V-2 missiles that terrorized London during World War II.

Love Wins -- An Orthodox View by Steve Robinson