Anthropologists tell us that the earliest human societies were organized and led by women, and that they worshipped goddesses. That is not surprising as men were off hunting and women and children gathered foods near their settlement. The people would have perceived in the Divine the very good feminine qualities attributed to their goddess -- nurturing, relationship, reconciliation, devotion. As agriculture kicked in men and women functioned side by side, and the divine patheons came to be populated by both male and female deities. As populations became more dense and human social organization grew more complex, male deities began to predominate. For example, in early Hebrew religion, the great Canaanite god El became the sole divine partner in covenant, and El's wife Ashterah was fired. In the Jewish Bible, we discover that Ashterah continued to be popular with Jewish women and, so, worship of her had to be suppressed.
Patriarchal Judaism naturally began to attribute to God masculine qualities. Unfortunately, in this exercise of men making God in their own image, God came to have both positive traits, like leadership, counsel, and protectiveness, but also the negative traits like being capricious, angry, jealous, bloodthirsty, and in favour of violence, war, and conquest, as well as cruel and unusual punishments for misbehaviour.
It is only natural to anthropomorphize God, as it is easier to imagine and relate to a deity we do identify with a gender. But it can also be dangerous when it is used to justify injustice, genocide, oppression, and cruelty. Fortunately that old tribal view of God is gone -- at least from those of us practising liberal Christianity. God has not changed or "evolved," our understanding has improved.
Today, on Father's Day we want to lift up the best aspects of manhood. The good father loves and values the child, forms and models for the child, knowing that ultimately our efforts are in God's hands, so to speak. The Prophet Samuel is an example of someone who apparently did all that he could do for his two sons, and they turned out to be corrupt and incompetent. So much so that he had to replace them as judge-executives with their first king, and that king was a loser. In our reading today, Samuel tries again, and this time lands David, who for all his sinfulness, will become Israel's paradigmatic monarch, eventually to be touted as an ancestor of Jesus.
Jesus tells us that even the smallest amount of faith, "like a mustard seed," can empower us to move mountains -- to do things we never thought we could do. Paul, in our epistle reading [II Cor. 5: 6 et seq.], reminds us that we walk by faith but will be judged by our actions. James, step-brother of our Lord, said faith and works are inseparable. There seems to be no room for the nonsense that we simply sign some statement of opinion about Jesus, thereby "get saved," and can be raptured to a replacement planet after death. Clearly we are being called to build the Kingdom and to be judged accordingly. We sow the seed of the Gospel through faith-impelled action, and God will bring in God's harvest in God's good time. A harvest of love, justice, and peace on earth.
Sunday, June 17, 2018
Sunday, June 10, 2018
Pentecost III: Jesus the Artist
My wife and I attended Chautauqua in Tulsa on each of the last five nights. The annual, free, themed program under a big tent at the Historical Society features world-renowned scholars who come to portray a famous person and then answer questions. This year's theme was the World War I era and we got to "meet" General John BlackJack Pershing, Gertrude Vanderbilt Whitney, Native American artist Acee Blue Eagle, Josephine Baker, and Ernest Hemingway. Throughout the presentations one realizes how artistic personages struggle against misunderstanding and other challenges to succeed.
Let me suggest that, among other identifications, Jesus was an artist. An artist of lovely theological rhetoric. Consider the majesty of his "lilies of the field" discourse, the simple power in his parabolic teachings, and the majesty of his "high priestly prayer" in the John gospel which ranks among best farewell addresses of all time. Yet Jesus was quite misunderstood. In our pericope [Mk 3:20-35] of today, there is a double whammy. First, his own family conclude that he is "out of his mind." To be mentally ill, like all other maladies, was believed at the time to result from demonic possession. In turn, Jesus' professional detractors claim that an evil spirit has made Jesus an agent of "Satan," i.e. agent of evil.
Jesus' reply is powerful. First, he rightly points out that, as he is driving out evil and bringing fresh life and hope to people, the accusation means that the power of evil is driving out evil, which makes no sense, of course. In fact, Jesus decries people calling any work of God evil or calling an emissary of God "Satan." To do that is to call light darkness, to definitively reject the Kingdom of God. That, Jesus says, is blasphemy against the Holy Spirit and unforgivable!
When Mary and his step-siblings come round, Jesus says that whoever actualizes God's will is his family! The obvious takeaway is that the relationship among faithful people is the primary tie, that bonds among disciples are to be stronger than the bonds of blood relationship! The one who comes into the Church through baptism is added to a second family that takes priority based on real love lived out in the community and beyond.
Our pre-scientific Bible treats Evil as an independent force, expressed as a personality of Satan and minions. That calls for warfare. We must fight the battle in every venue -- home, church, school, in the streets, and in legislative halls. We may not always agree on method (that's very Anglican), but there is no excuse for inaction. We fight evil by living out the Christian message of love and service every day. Including love and service of those we perceive as enemies and persecutors. That is so because everyone, every human being, is a child of God. Everyone counts. Everyone is in need of redemption from ever being less than the person God has in mind.
Let me suggest that, among other identifications, Jesus was an artist. An artist of lovely theological rhetoric. Consider the majesty of his "lilies of the field" discourse, the simple power in his parabolic teachings, and the majesty of his "high priestly prayer" in the John gospel which ranks among best farewell addresses of all time. Yet Jesus was quite misunderstood. In our pericope [Mk 3:20-35] of today, there is a double whammy. First, his own family conclude that he is "out of his mind." To be mentally ill, like all other maladies, was believed at the time to result from demonic possession. In turn, Jesus' professional detractors claim that an evil spirit has made Jesus an agent of "Satan," i.e. agent of evil.
Jesus' reply is powerful. First, he rightly points out that, as he is driving out evil and bringing fresh life and hope to people, the accusation means that the power of evil is driving out evil, which makes no sense, of course. In fact, Jesus decries people calling any work of God evil or calling an emissary of God "Satan." To do that is to call light darkness, to definitively reject the Kingdom of God. That, Jesus says, is blasphemy against the Holy Spirit and unforgivable!
When Mary and his step-siblings come round, Jesus says that whoever actualizes God's will is his family! The obvious takeaway is that the relationship among faithful people is the primary tie, that bonds among disciples are to be stronger than the bonds of blood relationship! The one who comes into the Church through baptism is added to a second family that takes priority based on real love lived out in the community and beyond.
Our pre-scientific Bible treats Evil as an independent force, expressed as a personality of Satan and minions. That calls for warfare. We must fight the battle in every venue -- home, church, school, in the streets, and in legislative halls. We may not always agree on method (that's very Anglican), but there is no excuse for inaction. We fight evil by living out the Christian message of love and service every day. Including love and service of those we perceive as enemies and persecutors. That is so because everyone, every human being, is a child of God. Everyone counts. Everyone is in need of redemption from ever being less than the person God has in mind.
Saturday, June 9, 2018
St. Boniface
Named one of the "Makers of Europe," Saint Boniface was born in Devonshire in southwestern England in 675, educated at Exeter, and at Winchester (county town of Hampshire) he as professed as a monk and ordained a priest. He discerned a call to do mission work and went to the Netherlands where he bombed.
With understandable disappointment, he left and went to Rome to ask for the Pope's advice, and the Holy Father sent him to Germany where he flourished. There he organized churches, built monasteries, and created three dioceses. In 722 he was ordained a bishop, in 732 appointed an archbishop, and in 743 was given a see, namely Mainz, the beer capital of Germany. :-)
The Frankish Church called him to preside of reforming councils and Bonfiace anointed Pepin king. (Pepin's son was Charlemagne who united Christian dominion in the West.)
In 753, with a terrific track record, he decided to take another shot at mission work amongst the Dutch. Back in Frisia and waiting for a group of converts coming to receive the Sacrament of Confirmation, he and his companions were murdered by indigenous non-Christains at Dokkwor. Felicitously, his body was buried at Fulda Monastery which he founded near Mainz.
Lessons? Well, besides the fact that he is a model of persistence and devotion, we may also learn that getting a second opinion in the process of discernment can be a blessing.
With understandable disappointment, he left and went to Rome to ask for the Pope's advice, and the Holy Father sent him to Germany where he flourished. There he organized churches, built monasteries, and created three dioceses. In 722 he was ordained a bishop, in 732 appointed an archbishop, and in 743 was given a see, namely Mainz, the beer capital of Germany. :-)
The Frankish Church called him to preside of reforming councils and Bonfiace anointed Pepin king. (Pepin's son was Charlemagne who united Christian dominion in the West.)
In 753, with a terrific track record, he decided to take another shot at mission work amongst the Dutch. Back in Frisia and waiting for a group of converts coming to receive the Sacrament of Confirmation, he and his companions were murdered by indigenous non-Christains at Dokkwor. Felicitously, his body was buried at Fulda Monastery which he founded near Mainz.
Lessons? Well, besides the fact that he is a model of persistence and devotion, we may also learn that getting a second opinion in the process of discernment can be a blessing.
Sunday, June 3, 2018
Corpus Christi Sunday: The Basics
There are three kinds of references to the Eucharist in the New Testament. The earliest reference is from Saint Paul [I Cor. 11: 23-29] in the early Fifties, where he passes on the tradition he received about the Last Supper and clearly articulates belief in the Real Presence of Christ in the Eucharist. Next come the narratives, which appear in three of the gospels -- Mark, Matthew, and Luke -- and agree as to the Saviour's actions in the story: namely, that Jesus took bread, declared it to be His Body, gave it out; then took wine, declared it His Blood, and gave it out; and then authorized his apostolic followers to repeat the rite "as a memorial of me." Thus the Last Supper was the First Mass.
The third reference is today's gospel vignette [John 6: 47-58] in which Jesus propounds Church teaching: "My flesh is real food, my blood is real drink." The Greek word for 'real' is 'alitheis," meaning true, genuine, actual. The meaning is unquestionable. No doubt mirroring John's own community's dispute with mainstream Jews, "the Jews" present at Jesus' sermon dispute among themselves about the doctrine of Real Presence and most abandon the Christian Movement. Our Lord certainly does not say, "My flesh is a real symbol, my blood is a real symbol." No, but later heretical Christians would teach that anyway. The Quakers went so far as to abolish the Sacrament altogether...solved that dilemma!
The Last Supper text is central to worship on Maundy Thursday (the day before Good Friday) but that falls at a sad time of the liturgical year, so people later began to ask for a day on which these readings could be the focus in a Mass with more upbeat, celebratory tone. . The result: the Feast of Corpus Christi ("Body of Christ"), which falls on the Thursday following Trinity Sunday, although often observed on the following Sunday.
Anglicans do not impose a "scientific" definition of Real Presence. For centuries, the Universal Church spoke of transubstantiation, in which the essence of the elements is changed forever into Christ, but the accidents -- the observable qualities of matter -- remain as before. Later, Luther invented consubstantiation, identical except that the sacred Presence disappears at the end of the Eucharist, leaving some plain bread and wine (so they cannot reserve the Sacrament). Recently, investigations into quantum physics have led to a revival of acceptance of transubstantiation. It probably is still the best way to articulate what is, after all, not a mystery to be solved but truly a spiritual reality to be celebrated and lived into.
In our opening hymn, we praised "this blessed sacrament of unity." In the Roman Communion, the Sacrament is open to those who swear loyalty to the Pope as infallible, absolute ruler. The Eastern Orthodox Communion admits to the Sacrament those of their members who fully accept the Greek takes on doctrine based on the ecumenical councils. In our Anglican Communion, we admit to the Table all baptised Christians. At the font, God's "water broke" over each of us. We had a symbolic rebirth into a new life in a second family, life personally activated later through the sacrament of Confirmation by a bishop in the apostolic succession.
Holy Communion provides us with the divine 'fuel' to go out and attempt to be replicas of Jesus, living lives of pure outpouring of love and service to others. Hence, the real sense of our policy on admission to communion. If we can't even bring the three great branches of the Catholic Church together at the Holy Table, how will we ever begin to unite the "catholic church" of all believers on the earth?
The third reference is today's gospel vignette [John 6: 47-58] in which Jesus propounds Church teaching: "My flesh is real food, my blood is real drink." The Greek word for 'real' is 'alitheis," meaning true, genuine, actual. The meaning is unquestionable. No doubt mirroring John's own community's dispute with mainstream Jews, "the Jews" present at Jesus' sermon dispute among themselves about the doctrine of Real Presence and most abandon the Christian Movement. Our Lord certainly does not say, "My flesh is a real symbol, my blood is a real symbol." No, but later heretical Christians would teach that anyway. The Quakers went so far as to abolish the Sacrament altogether...solved that dilemma!
The Last Supper text is central to worship on Maundy Thursday (the day before Good Friday) but that falls at a sad time of the liturgical year, so people later began to ask for a day on which these readings could be the focus in a Mass with more upbeat, celebratory tone. . The result: the Feast of Corpus Christi ("Body of Christ"), which falls on the Thursday following Trinity Sunday, although often observed on the following Sunday.
Anglicans do not impose a "scientific" definition of Real Presence. For centuries, the Universal Church spoke of transubstantiation, in which the essence of the elements is changed forever into Christ, but the accidents -- the observable qualities of matter -- remain as before. Later, Luther invented consubstantiation, identical except that the sacred Presence disappears at the end of the Eucharist, leaving some plain bread and wine (so they cannot reserve the Sacrament). Recently, investigations into quantum physics have led to a revival of acceptance of transubstantiation. It probably is still the best way to articulate what is, after all, not a mystery to be solved but truly a spiritual reality to be celebrated and lived into.
In our opening hymn, we praised "this blessed sacrament of unity." In the Roman Communion, the Sacrament is open to those who swear loyalty to the Pope as infallible, absolute ruler. The Eastern Orthodox Communion admits to the Sacrament those of their members who fully accept the Greek takes on doctrine based on the ecumenical councils. In our Anglican Communion, we admit to the Table all baptised Christians. At the font, God's "water broke" over each of us. We had a symbolic rebirth into a new life in a second family, life personally activated later through the sacrament of Confirmation by a bishop in the apostolic succession.
Holy Communion provides us with the divine 'fuel' to go out and attempt to be replicas of Jesus, living lives of pure outpouring of love and service to others. Hence, the real sense of our policy on admission to communion. If we can't even bring the three great branches of the Catholic Church together at the Holy Table, how will we ever begin to unite the "catholic church" of all believers on the earth?
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