Karl Barth: Psalm 23 and the New Year

Barth: Into the New Year with the Twenty-Third Psalm

This is an exert taken from one of Karl Barth's early sermons from the book "The Early Preaching of Karl Barth with commentary by William H Willimon".  This powerful little book includes fourteen sermon preached by Barth between 1917 and 1920 while he was a pastor in Safenwil Switzerland.  This is just an exert taken from a longer sermon, but it still speak in Barthian style and applicable as we face a new year.  

Yes, as I go into the New Year, I too am burdened with serious cares and concerns. I do not see the world through rose-colored glasses. I do not think people are better than they are. I know that for all guilt the penalty must be paid. I exempt from this guilt neither myself, nor my family, nor my country. I anticipate difficult, serious, and confused times to come for me and my children. I no longer rely on my small amount of money, nor on what is now called law and order, nor on my good intentions, nor on the goodwill of those around me. I know that we live in a time when everything is unstable; churches, states the crowns of kings. Even less stable is the small frame of my rights and duties that has until now held and protected me.

But in all this I perceive the hand of God and certainly God's hand of judgment, which perhaps touches a great deal that is dear to me, and yet it is God's hand and not the hand of the devil. Whatever may fall under God's judgment must fall under it, and it will involve me as it must; but God is dearer to me than all else that is dear to me. In good times I forgot God long enough; I do not intend to lose God anew in evil times. I understand God, and I want to understand God. I see God pronounce judgement, because God will reveal God's grace on earth. I see God destroy because God wills to build. I hear God say “No,” in order that God's great “Yes” can be heard again in the middle of the storm. I look forward to and await God's light and therefore all the darkness of the present can have no power over me. “The Lord is my shepherd, I shall not want. He makes me lie down in green pastures; he leads me besides still waters; he restores my soul.” Yes, we can sign and yet still be blessed.

In the tumult of this world I am alone and almost always perplexed. It is a bitter experience that I find only few persons around me with whom I can reach an understanding about what must be said and done. There are so few with whom one can seriously work and pray, so few that are a real help and in whom one can find good counsel. I myself am full of error and sin; I stumble like one who is not old enough to realize what he is doing. I almost never know what to do and how to go about it, so that I might oppose something really new and better to the suffering heart of the world. All the dams that I erect against the flood rip apart like the dams everyone else builds. Ever again I choose the wrong means; I do poor work; I do not hear God's word; I disrupt God's friendly intention; and along with the world, I make myself guilty again and again.

But there is one thing that does not let me go: God speaks to me. There is a wisdom in me– not my own wisdom nor a wisdom of other persons, but something of the wisdom of God. I have a feeling for what is right, and although I am often untrue to it, it is never untrue to me. It is a light within me, and when I have followed it, I have never wished I had not. From it I receive very definite directions: “Now left! Now right! Now straight forward!” And when I obey them, there is light in the tumult of the world and ground under my feet, so that something new does happen, something valuable, something that proves itself. Often I have the impression that I am only an instrument in what I do and say, so that I have the impression that I am under an inner compulsion! And this is a consolation for me, something that no one can take from me. I see something similar here and there in another person, as ships in the night see the light of other passing ships. It is as if I were traveling somewhere and many others, perhaps very many were going with me, but I could not see them. I am glad when I occasionally greet one of these fellow pilgrims. So I am not alone, not abandoned. “He leads me in right paths for his name's sake. Even though I walk through the darkest valley, I fear no evil; for you are with me; your rod and your staff–they comfort me.”

On this path I am tempted on all sides. I too am earnestly a child of this dark and guilty time, this dark and guilty world. Others are rightly offended at my failures and at all the things I have neglected. I have more than one weak side. And beyond this, I must suffer because I am right, because I am the mouthpiece and instrument of God, because of my task. This is no child's play; the task given by God is vulnerable in this world. Much can be held against a person who has only one argument, only one proof, only one triumph; the quiet and peaceful divine truth. Much can be done to one who depends only on God. I stand there like a defenseless child in the middle of a battleground. I cannot refute them or hit them back or kill them, even if I wanted to.

But in all of this, the experience has never left me, and never will, that I am protected and that those who are against me cannot win out over me. Bad things can happen to me, but I will not be overcome. I can become the object of mocking and laughter, but I am the one who can first laugh to the point of tears. All of that is true because my life is not mine, and my task is not mine. For me to be completely overcome, God would have to no longer be God; but that cannot happen. One can frighten and harass me, but what can it accomplish, when there is something in me that is not me? God is not afraid. God in heaven laughs at them (Ps 2:4). Do what you can to me, try your best; in all of what you may do, I hope and I know that something in me will remain calm and will not fall to temptation. “You prepare a table before me in the presence of my enemies; you anoint my head with oil; my cup overflows.”

I also know that I am human and have a short life, that one day I must die, and perhaps very soon. What then am I? Will I enjoy success before my death? Will I see a ray of light from the dawn of the coming kingdom of God? Will I in dying be able to be clearly right about something over against those who just flow with the stream? Will I ever have the joy of finally being recognized as right? Very probably not; no, emphatically not. I know that I must be ready to do without success. And I know that it is the highest possible honor to be included among those in the book of life, about whom it is said in hebrews 11:39 that “all these, though commended for their faith, did not receive what was promised.” If it pleases my cleverer children, may they write sardonically on my gravestone; Here lies one who dreamed and deceived himself!

And yet over and above all of this, I know that my small life is not in vain. I say this again for the reason that it is no longer my life; it is taken captive and sold to God. What belongs to God is not in vain. God builds God's eternal kingdom out of many such combative pilgrim lives. They are the instruments of the grace that breaks through the darkness of judgment. The other too, including those who unthinkingly flow with the stream, live now, already, from these instruments of grace. If there were not such persons, such instruments of grace, life would be intolerable. It is enough for me to be thankful for that highest possible undeserved honor of being included among those whose names are written in the book of life. It is enough that God uses me for God's purposes and that many, without knowing it, are nourished through me. It is enough that, even though it is inconceivable, I may be a little salt in the world. The salt may disappear, but its penetrating effect remains. Whether I live or die, in the hand of God I do not die, for God is not a God of the dead [Mark 12:27]. “Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life, and I shall dwell in the house of the Lord my whole life long.” I will live into the dark and unknown future as one consoled, courageous and full of hope.

"The Early Preaching of Karl Barth with commentary by William H Willimon".
Published by Westminster John Knox Press, and available on Amazon and other booksellers

Meditation on Christmas Day

On this Holy Day, celebrating the birth of Christ, we should stop and reflect on the meaning of the season.  This video published by Arts and Faith (Loyal Press) provides such an opportunity.  I hope you will stop and listen during this holy season and may it be a blessing to your life.

On the Incarnation

Painting By John August Swanson; link to art studio below

Only the humble believe him and rejoice that God is so free and so marvelous that he does wonders where people despair, that he takes what is little and lowly and makes it marvelous. And that is the wonder of all wonders, that God loves the lowly…. God is not ashamed of the lowliness of human beings. God marches right in. He chooses people as his instruments and performs his wonders where one would least expect them. God is near to lowliness; he loves the lost, the neglected, the unseemly, the excluded, the weak and broken.

― Dietrich Bonhoeffer


Poem by Clayton Libolt, reflections on the incarnation: 

When Mary held you close

in Bethlehem that night

and loving you buried

her face into your flesh,

while animal sounds and smells

filled your natal stall,

did she then from fresh skin

sense the faint fragrance of heaven?

Or did she hear

in your whimpering cries,

faint echoes of

another world?

Or touching you

for a moment touch eternity?

Or in a shepherd’s torch catch a facing glimpse

of glory of a king?

Did she that night in the sweetness of a kiss

taste what no mother had

before or ever after

tasted?

Or was it then,

as now it is,

faith that made her see,

hope she touched and smelled,

and love that she

in your newborn smile

knew to be

the meaning of her child?

—Clayton Libolt

is pastor at River Terrace Christian Reformed Church, Lansing, Michigan, more info is available on his web site at Reformed Worship:


Reformed Worship Magazine Link

Link to Art of John August Swanson

Journey through Your Grief Resource

Stephen Ministries is an independent not-for-profit group based in the United States that was organized in oder to supplement pastoral care in congregations.  Curriculum and training is available for congregations to equip people to ministry to those that are grieving.  One of the resources available is a set of booklets entitled "Journeying Through Grief", these books are designed to be sent to someone that has had a death or loss in four stages, (3 months, 3 months, 6 months, and 11 months).  The books are available for order from their web site.  The links below will access the Stephen ministry web site and order information for the books.  I recommend them for congregations to use for people that are going through grief.

Link to Stephen Ministry

Advent Devotions for 2nd and 3rd Sunday in Advent

During the season of Advent, we are encouraged to prepare our hearts for the coming of Christ and the celebration of Christmas.   Advent is a time of reflection.  The two video's below provide a meditation for the 2nd-4th Sunday in Advent and on Christmas Day.   May this be a help in your spiritual journey.

3rd Sunday in Advent

4th Sunday in Advent

1st Sunday in Advent from Arts and Faith

As we prepare our hearts for Christmas, this video meditation from Michelangelo's Sistine chapel fresco featuring images from Isaiah the prophet and the story of Noah draw our attention to the lectionary readings which do the same.  It encourages us to think of the message that these two great prophets declared in times past and for us today.

This altar piece presents a mystical depiction of one of Advents key symbols.  This mediation is one produced by Arts and Faith in 2013 for the Year A cycle focusing on the royal lineage of Jesus.  Jesus is a strange symbol of royalty, not of power but of dependence and humility.  Our perceptions are tested as to what is true power, glory and success.  

Post Election Prayer

God of all nations, 
Father of the human family, 

we give you thanks for the freedom we exercise 
and the many blessings of democracy we enjoy
in these United States of America. 

We ask for your protection and guidance

for all who devote themselves to the common good,
working for justice and peace at home and around the world.

We lift up all our duly elected leaders and public servants, 

those who will serve us as president, as legislators and judges,
those in the military and law enforcement.

Heal us from our differences and unite us, O Lord,
with a common purpose, dedication, and commitment to achieve liberty and justice
in the years ahead for all people,
and especially those who are most vulnerable in our midst.

Amen.

Matt 25: 31-46 The Rule for Discerning God's Justice in Society, Church, and our Lives

The Sheep and the Goats

31-33 “When he finally arrives, blazing in beauty and all his angels with him, the Son of Man will take his place on his glorious throne. Then all the nations will be arranged before him and he will sort the people out, much as a shepherd sorts out sheep and goats, putting sheep to his right and goats to his left.

34-36 “Then the King will say to those on his right, ‘Enter, you who are blessed by my Father! Take what’s coming to you in this kingdom. It’s been ready for you since the world’s foundation. And here’s why:

I was hungry and you fed me,
I was thirsty and you gave me a drink,
I was homeless and you gave me a room,
I was shivering and you gave me clothes,
I was sick and you stopped to visit,
I was in prison and you came to me.’

37-40 “Then those ‘sheep’ are going to say, ‘Master, what are you talking about? When did we ever see you hungry and feed you, thirsty and give you a drink? And when did we ever see you sick or in prison and come to you?’ Then the King will say, ‘I’m telling the solemn truth: Whenever you did one of these things to someone overlooked or ignored, that was me—you did it to me.’

41-43 “Then he will turn to the ‘goats,’ the ones on his left, and say, ‘Get out, worthless goats! You’re good for nothing but the fires of hell. And why? Because—

I was hungry and you gave me no meal,
I was thirsty and you gave me no drink,
I was homeless and you gave me no bed,
I was shivering and you gave me no clothes,
Sick and in prison, and you never visited.’

44 “Then those ‘goats’ are going to say, ‘Master, what are you talking about? When did we ever see you hungry or thirsty or homeless or shivering or sick or in prison and didn’t help?’

45 “He will answer them, ‘I’m telling the solemn truth: Whenever you failed to do one of these things to someone who was being overlooked or ignored, that was me—you failed to do it to me.’

46 “Then those ‘goats’ will be herded to their eternal doom, but the ‘sheep’ to their eternal reward.”

A Franciscan Benediction

May God bless you with discomfort

At easy answers, half-truths, and superficial relationships,

So that we may live deep within your heart.

May God bless you with anger

At injustice, oppression, and exploitation of people,
So that you may work for justice, freedom and peace.

May God bless you with tears

To shed for those who suffer pain, rejection, hunger and war,
So that you may reach out your hand to comfort them and to turn their pain to joy.

And may God bless you with enough foolishness

To believe that you can make a difference in this world,
So that you can do what others claim cannot be done,
To bring justice and kindness to all our children and the poor.

Amen.

A Creed

 

Art in the Christian Tradition *used by permission

• I believe in one God, Father, Son and Holy Spirit, a God of grace, mercy and love.  By the power of the Holy Spirit, the Divine Creator made the universe, and the earth teeming with life and beauty as a sign of grace to all.  God created humanity to delight in God's glory, to live in harmony with the natural world and with each other in community.  Yet humanity fell into sin, setting up systems of oppression, enslavement and bondage.  Taking God's gracious gifts, we selfishly destroy God's good creation and ourselves with it.  Allowing sin to reign, we became separated from our Divine Source of Life. 

  So God demonstrated the ultimate act of love and friendship coming into our world in the person of Jesus Christ, as promised in the covenants. Baptized into our humanity, Jesus came in the power of the Holy Spirit, healing the sick, preaching the good news to the poor, proclaiming Jubilee, lifting the powerless and the downtrodden, and setting the prisoner free. Jesus came with the liberating power of God's love. Yet, Rejecting God's sovereign love, humanity crucified Jesus, showing its own corruption, cruelty, and inhumanity. Jesus was buried, but on the third day, he was vindicated by God and rose bodily, triumphing over sin, death, and evil. Jesus' resurrection brought about a new humanity and a new creation. Christ opened up the path back to the Divine Source of all Life. 

  This covenant community declares the good news of Jesus Christ that once again reconciles God, humanity and the world.  United by grace through faith, we are united again with the Divine Source of Life.  Defined by a radical welcome, the church is called to be a house of prayer for all people, breaking down every barrier that divides humanity and uniting us regardless of race, culture, human distinction, gender identity or sexual orientation. The church as the community of the faithful, continues Christ's work in the power of the Holy Spirit. Baptizing into God's new covenant, through the waters of baptism, and nourished by the Eucharist, the Spirit lifts our hearts to feast with the risen Christ, empowering us to live into the new creation, bearing spiritual fruit both today and in the world to come. 

  By Rev Omar R Gonzalez

Benjamin Zander and the Art of Possibility

Choosing Your World

Benjamin Zander is the director of the Boston Philharmonic Orchestra, he is also known for his charisma, his energy, and his interpretation of music and musicians.  He also has spoken on finding possibility in hopeless situations, or how by seeing something in a different light can yeild exciting possibilities.  This video clip is a bit long at about 26 min, however, it will give a good introduction to the basic premise of his ideas.  In order to get the full understanding of what he is saying it is important to watch to the very end, paying specially attention to the two variations of the Moonlight Sonata.

The point of connection with a blog like this one on catechism may not be immediately obvious.  It is not unusual when working with churches to find a kind of downward spiral thinking that comes from years and years of baggage as a congregation has aged or moved through different stages in life.  This offers some insights into new ways of thinking.

Ben Zander on Ted Talks

Boston Philharmonic web page

Imani Milele Children's choir and home

Imani Milele is an organization taking care of orphaned children in Uganda, over 3000 children have been helped through the organization that provides education and opportunities.  This includes healthcare, hygiene, education, school supplies, and meals.  Check them out below, their U.S. office is located in Sebastian Florida.   "Imani Milele" means "always believe" and the song below is a song of thanksgiving. 

Imani Milele link

Reformation Anniversary 500

On Oct 31, 2017, we will be coming to the 500th anniversary of the Protestant Reformation.  This is one of those events in history that began in the church and continues to have a profound impact on the history of the world.  To understand our own religious and political landscape today it is essential to understand the Protestant Reformation.  What began with one monk, Martin Luther, would give way to a revolution that shook the foundation of Europe.  The Reformation has both its positive and negative aspects, creating a period of new theological activity, translating and making the Bible available in a common spoken language, bringing needed reform to the church, but also fueling wars, revolution, and a permanent division in the church that has spawned thousands of Christian denominations.  

Since then, much has changed and is changing.  On Oct 13th, Pope Francis speaking to a group of Lutheran pilgrims acknowledged that while there are still some theological differences, both Lutherans and Catholics can "walk together" working on social issues like helping the poor, migrants and refugees and assisting persecuted Christians around the world.  The Pope has called Martin Luther, a "great reformer."  Issues still remain, including the ordination of women which is allowed in the Protestant church but not the Catholic church, and the question of papal primacy.  In other Protestant circles, a movement towards unity is also happening.  For the first time the Scottish Presbyterian Church founded by John Knox, and the Anglican church have moved closer to full communion.  While examples of unity abound, the essential problem of the reformation, that we exchanged one pope in Rome for a million pope's in the pew, remains unsolved.  Yet, this is a significant event, and so it is essential that Christians take time during this year to learn, engage, and reflect on this event, both how it changed the landscape of Christianity, the challenges it presents, and how the church should move forward today.  So, lets get started with a basic primer on the Reformation.  The video below provided by a "crash course"is a great introduction. 

Link to Pope Homily on 500 anniversary of Reformation

Joint Declaration signed at Lund

“Abide in me as I abide in you. Just as the branch cannot bear fruit by itself unless it abides in the vine, neither can you unless you abide in me” (John 15:4).

With thankful hearts

With this Joint Statement, we express joyful gratitude to God for this moment of common prayer in the Cathedral of Lund, as we begin the year commemorating the five hundredth anniversary of the Reformation. Fifty years of sustained and fruitful ecumenical dialogue between Catholics and Lutherans have helped us to overcome many differences, and have deepened our mutual understanding  and trust. At the same time, we have drawn closer to one another through joint service to our neighbours – often in circumstances of suffering and persecution. Through dialogue and shared witness we are no longer strangers. Rather, we have learned that what unites us is greater than what divides us.

Moving from conflict to communion

While we are profoundly thankful for the spiritual and theological gifts received through the Reformation, we also confess and lament before Christ that Lutherans and Catholics have wounded the visible unity of the Church. Theological differences were accompanied by prejudice and conflicts, and religion was instrumentalized for political ends. Our common faith in Jesus Christ and our baptism demand of us a daily conversion, by which we cast off the historical disagreements and conflicts that impede the ministry of reconciliation. While the past cannot be changed, what is remembered and how it is remembered can be transformed. We pray for the healing of our wounds and of the memories that cloud our view of one another. We emphatically reject all hatred and violence, past and present, especially that expressed in the name of religion. Today, we hear God’s command to set aside all conflict. We recognize that we are freed by grace to move towards the communion to which God continually calls us.

Our commitment to common witness

As we move beyond those episodes in history that burden us, we pledge to witness together to God’s merciful grace, made visible in the crucified and risen Christ. Aware that the way we relate to one another shapes our witness to the Gospel, we commit ourselves to further growth in communion rooted in Baptism, as we seek to remove the remaining obstacles that hinder us from attaining full unity. Christ desires that we be one, so that the world may believe (cf. John 17:21).

Many members of our communities yearn to receive the Eucharist at one table, as the concrete expression of full unity. We experience the pain of those who share their whole lives, but cannot share God’s redeeming presence at the Eucharistic table. We acknowledge our joint pastoral responsibility to respond to the spiritual thirst and hunger of our people to be one in Christ. We long for this wound in the Body of Christ to be healed. This is the goal of our ecumenical endeavours, which we wish to advance, also by renewing our commitment to theological dialogue.

We pray to God that Catholics and Lutherans will be able to witness together to the Gospel of Jesus Christ, inviting humanity to hear and receive the good news of God’s redeeming action. We pray to God for inspiration, encouragement and strength so that we may stand together in service, upholding human dignity and rights, especially for the poor, working for justice, and rejecting all forms of violence. God summons us to be close to all those who yearn for dignity, justice, peace and reconciliation. Today in particular, we raise our voices for an end to the violence and extremism which affect so many countries and communities, and countless sisters and brothers in Christ. We urge Lutherans and Catholics to work together to welcome the stranger, to come to the aid of those forced to flee because of war and persecution, and to defend the rights of refugees and those who seek asylum.

More than ever before, we realize that our joint service in this world must extend to God’s creation, which suffers exploitation and the effects of insatiable greed. We recognize the right of future generations to enjoy God’s world in all its potential and beauty. We pray for a change of hearts and minds that leads to a loving and responsible way to care for creation.

One in Christ

On this auspicious occasion, we express our gratitude to our brothers and sisters representing the various Christian World Communions and Fellowships who are present and join us in prayer. As we recommit ourselves to move from conflict to communion, we do so as part of the one Body of Christ, into which we are incorporated through Baptism. We invite our ecumenical partners to remind  us of our commitments and to encourage us. We ask them to continue to pray for us, to walk with us, to support us in living out the prayerful commitments we express today.

Calling upon Catholics and Lutherans worldwide

We call upon all Lutheran and Catholic parishes and communities to be bold and creative, joyful and hopeful in their commitment to continue the great journey ahead of us. Rather than conflicts of the past, God’s gift of unity among us shall guide cooperation and deepen our solidarity. By drawing close in faith to Christ, by praying together, by listening to one another, by living Christ’s love in our relationships, we, Catholics and Lutherans, open ourselves to the power of the Triune God. Rooted in Christ and witnessing to him, we renew our determination to be faithful heralds of God’s boundless love for all humanity.

Tools for Christian Bible Study in the Electronic Age

Recently, a friend send me an amazing quote from NT Wright's commentary on Paul.  It stated, that for a Christian to "sustain a worldview", it required a "participation in the kingdom of God", it is a necessity for the Christian to study and think theologically, and not just as "an intellectual luxury for long winter evenings" and that this is something that is not reserved for the intellectual in an ivory tower, but offered to the "slave as well as the shopkeeper".  The transformation of the mind encouraged in Rom 12 requires this kind of dedicated thinking and exploring.

I agree completely with this statement, yet today, it is difficult for many Christians to find the time, energy or motivation to engage in a deep study of scripture.  We are so easily satisfied today that we neglect to see the critical nature of this endeavor.

Part of the effort of this blog is to encourage a deeper Christian thought and ultimately living in the study and reflection of historic Christianity.  Books are essential because it is a way in which the church of the past and leaders and teachers in the present can communicate to us.  While I may not be able to have N T Wright in my study to ask questions, I can have the next best think, a commentary.  Accordance is one tool that I highly recommend for anyone wanting to engage in a more thoughtful Bible study life.  This is a powerful tool, it cannot replace dedication, but it can give users what they need to study the Bible.  I strongly recommend this powerful interface for anyone who wants to dig deeper into Bible study.

Furthermore, Accordance truly is unique in its speed, elegance, extensive collection, and price.


ACCORDANCE BIBLE SOFTWARE:  ACCORDANCE 11: 

ACCORDANCE COLLECTIONS AND PRICES:

ACCORDANCE WEBSITE

Accordance Bible Software

Baptismal Theology of "God's Own Child I Gladly Say It"

God's Own Child I Gladly Say It

Erdmann Neumeister (1671-1756)

Stanza 1
God's own child, I gladly say it:
I am baptized into Christ!
He, because I could not pay it,
Gave my full redemption price.
Do I need earth's treasures many?
I have one worth more than any
That brought me salvation free
Lasting to eternity!

Stanza 2
Sin, disturb my soul no longer:
I am baptized into Christ!
I have comfort even stronger:
Jesus' cleansing sacrifice.
Should a guilty conscience seize me
Since my Baptism did release me
In a dear forgiving flood,
Sprinkling me with Jesus' blood!

Stanza 3
Satan, hear this proclamation:
I am baptized into Christ!
Drop your ugly accusation,
I am not so soon enticed.
Now that to the font I've traveled,
All your might has come unraveled,
And, against your tyranny,
God, my Lord, unites with me!

Stanza 4
Death, you cannot end my gladness:
I am baptized into Christ!
When I die, I leave all sadness
To inherit paradise!
Though I lie in dust and ashes
Faith's assurance brightly flashes:
Baptism has the strength divine
To make life immortal mine.

Stanza 5
There is nothing worth comparing
To this lifelong comfort sure!
Open-eyed my grave is staring:
Even there I'll sleep secure.
Though my flesh awaits its raising,
Still my soul continues praising:
I am baptized into Christ;
I'm a child of paradise!

Composer: Johann Caspar Bachofen, 1695-1755

Call to Prayer in Wake of a Hurricane

God of our life, whose presence sustains us in every circumstance, in the aftermath of storm and distress, we welcome the restoring power of your love and compassion.

We open our hearts in sorrow, gratitude, and hope:

that those who have been spared nature’s fury
as well as those whose lives are changed forever by ravages of wind and water
may find solace, sustenance, and strength in the days of recovery and reflection that come.

We are thankful for the generous grace of days of preparation;

for the wise counsel of experts and the generous collaboration of so many communities,
that in the face of the storm kept many out of harm’s way, and lessened the effects of wind and water on others. 

We are grateful that dire predictions did not result in the worst case scenario for all,

yet still served to support our best efforts at preparation and immediate relief.  

At the same time, we open ourselves to the stories of those for whom the Hurricane was not a near miss:

communities deeply affected, whose livelihood, homes and stability has been destroyed. 

We pray in grief, remembering the lives that have been lost.

We lift our voices in sorrow and compassion for families who have lost loved ones, homes, or livelihood.

We ask for sustaining courage for those who are suffering;

wisdom and diligence among agencies and individuals assessing damage and directing relief efforts;
and for generosity to flow as powerfully as rivers and streams,
as we, your people, respond to the deep human needs beginning to emerge in the wake of the storm.

In these days of relief, assessment and response,

open our eyes, our hearts, and our hands to the needs of your children and the movements of your Spirit,

who flows in us like the river whose streams makes glad the city of God,

and the hearts of all who dwell in it, and in You.

In the name of Christ the Healer we pray, Amen.

Prayer written by the Rev. Dr. Laurie Ann Kraus, Pastor, Riviera Presbyterian Church, Miami, Florida; Member, National Response Team of Presbyterian Disaster Assistance 
This prayer was originally written in response to Hurricane Irene that struck August 30, 2011.  

Presbyterian Disaster Assistance

PCUSA

En-Gedi Scroll Deciphered

A team of researchers have unlocked an early Hebrew scroll from Leviticus by the use of an incredible new technology.  An excavation found a burned lump of animal skin scrolls in a jar, but a new technology enabled scientists to uncover the writing of the book, revealing the earliest copy of Leviticus found.  Only a few lines were recovered, but this technology enabled an almost impossibly burnt scroll to come back to life.  See video below for the scientific imaging technique.

The portion of Leviticus Lev 1:1-9, and Leviticus 2:2-11 covers three important voluntary offerings that Israelites brought in worship.  The first, the full burnt offering, is covered in verses 1: 1-9, the second is the grain offering, 2: 2-11, and the third is the peace offering, 3:1-7.  There are two important words to focus on, "offering" and "sacrifice."  "Offering" comes from the root word which means "to draw near."  The word "sacrifice" denotes something that is set apart for the Lord, sanctified, or made holy.  The purpose of the offering  was to draw near to God in order to bring reconciliation or peace between God and the offerer.  It was the role of the priest alone to bring the blood and sprinkle it on the sides of the altar (1:5), without this blood there would be no atonement for sin.  The grain offering, unlike the burnt offering, did not require death, it came as an offering from the produce of the soil and was mixed with olive oil a symbol of God's Spirit.  This offering symbolized the dedication to God of one's life, especially our labor and resources.  The third, is the peace offering or the "well-being" offering.  This offering included a sacrificial meal, parts of the offering were given to the priest (7:30-34) and the rest was eaten by the offerer, and their family and friends. This offering could be made as a thanksgiving offering as well.

Offerings were brought voluntarily, and come from a heart of gratitude and from a covenant relationship with God.  We know that as humans we constantly struggle with faults and defects that result in our hurting God and others.  We are not perfect, nor will we ever be, and we are often blinded by our own destructive behaviors, completely oblivious as to how it affects those around us.  Too often, Christians believe that once they come to faith, sin is a thing of the past, that Christians are "new creatures" and so therefore should no longer display any of the old past behaviors and sin.  The Levitical system of offerings and sacrifices demonstrates that on the contrary, God instructed Israel to have in place a vehicle by which reconciliation to God and others is possible.  By offering ourselves to God, and by recognizing and confessing our daily sin, we are able to be forgiven, and in turn to forgive others.  If so great a debt is forgiven to us by God, how can we not turn and forgive those around us of the things they have done to hurt us?  Refusing to forgive our sisters and brothers who sin against us is the same as turning away from the grace and mercy that God gives to us.

Today, our offerings are part of our worship to God.  Christians recognize that Jesus, in the mystery of the atonement, gave his own life, freely and voluntarily as an offering to God for the salvation of humanity, we also recognize that our response of giving of ourselves in grateful thanksgiving.  Jesus made it possible for us to be reconciled and forgiven by God and in turn to forgive others.  Our Christian lives should be marked by the grateful giving of ourselves to God and others. We bring offerings, monetary, or of our talents and time, we bring bread and wine to the table, in an act of thanksgiving for the salvation given to us in Jesus Christ.   Most importantly, we bring of ourselves as a gift to God humbly submitting to God's gracious rule in our lives.  Many churches are entering the season where stewardship receives some additional focus.  As we do, let us recall the significance of the "offerings" in the Old Testament and refocus on the meaning of our own offerings to God today.

Column I: Leviticus 1:1–9
1 1וי̊ק[ראאלמשהוי]̇דב̊ריהוהא̇ל̇יומ̊א[הל] 2 מוע[דלאמר2ד]בראלבניישראלוא̊מ[רת] 3 א̇ל̇ה[םאדם]כייקריבמכםקרבןליהו̊ה[מן] 4 הבהמה ̇מ̇ן ̇הבקר [ו]מן הצאן תקריבו ̊א ̇ת 5 קרבנכם 3אם עלה קרבנו מן הבקר זכ ̇ר 6 תמיםיקריבנואלפתחאהלמועדי̇קריב 7 א̇תולרצנולפנייהוה4ו̇ס̊מךידועלראש 8 ה̇ע[ל]הונרצהלולכפר[עליו5ושח]טאתבן 9 ̇ה̊ב̇ק̇רלפנייהוהו̇ה̊קר[יבובני]אהרן 10 [הכ]̊הניםאת̊ה̇דםו[ז]ר̇ק[ואתהדם]עלהמזבח 11 [סבי]ב אשר פ ̇תח אהל ̊מ[ועד 6והפשי]ט את 12 [העל]̊הונ̇ת[ח]אתהלנתח[יה7ונתנובני]אהרן 13 [הכה]̊ן אש על ̇המזבח ̇ו[ערכו עצים על ]האש 14 8[וערכ]ו ̇ב ̇ני ̊א ̇הרן הכה[נים את הנתחי] ̇ם את (see source below) 

En-Gedi scroll translation Journal Texts

Journal Textus : translation of En-Gedi scroll

Sic-News Report on Scroll

Archeology

Biblical Archeology Review

Catholics and Orthodox Sign Agreement

Roman Catholic theologians and Orthodox theologians have signed a historic agreement on synodality and primacy.  The document "Synodality and Primacy in the First Millennium" is an important step in relations between Catholics and Orthodox Christians.  The plenary sessions were held in Italy from Sept 15-22.  The schism goes back thousands of years to the year 1054, in a breach between the Christian East and West.  Some Orthodox remain staunchly opposed to dialogue with Rome, while others realize there is still a long road before any kind of unity can be achieved, but see this as an important step.  The Ravenna document in 2007 was a prior document that addresses the unity and authority of the church.  While full communion is still a long way off, these important steps can help Christians work towards reconciliation and communion, and not just for Catholic and Orthodox but for all Christians world wide.

Angelus News

Vatican Radio

Catholic Herald

Ravenna Document: Ecclesial Communion, Conciliarity and Authority

Catholic Conference of Bishop on Ravenna

On Faith, Science and Evolution

The Bible, Science and Evolution:

The culture wars between creationism and science comes from the emergence of Fundamentalism in the nineteenth century.  Fundamentalism held that there were new "essentials" of the faith.  Rather than reverting to the historic Christian creeds, these new "fundamentals" stressed a literal interpretation of scripture and ultimately creationism as a logical step.  They developed as a reaction to secularism and new understandings in science that were emerging.  This has led to the unfortunate belief among many Christians that creation "science" is a doctrinal essential for "bible believing" Christians.  Nothing could be further from the truth.

Although this topic is a large one, and the integration of faith and science has many avenues that need to be explored, I would like to just highlight a few very basic but important ideas for Christians to consider in this debate.  First, this is an area of Christian freedom of conscience.  Although I believe that a literal twenty-four hour creationism or "young earth" view is extraordinarily misguided, Christians hold multiple views on the relationship between the creation accounts in Genesis and modern views of evolution.  Paul admonished his audience to allow freedom of conscience in non essential matters of faith (1 Cor 10:29, Rom 14:1-4).  This is one of them.  To insist, however, on a literal view of Genesis as a marker of fidelity to scripture is a doctrinal error that causes division and unnecessary disunity in the body of Christ.  Multiple interpretations of the book of Genesis exist and have existed throughout the history of the church.  The early church fathers often accepted an interpretation of scripture and Genesis that was allegorical in nature (see "Beginnings: Ancient Christian Readings of the Bible Creation Narratives Peter C Bouteneff; professor of theology at St. Vladimir Orthodox Theological Seminary).

Second, Evolution is not a threat to either the authority of scripture or the idea that God is the Creator of all that exists.  Evolution does not automatically equal atheism.  Many Christian denominations hold something similar to this statement from the Presbyterian church, "neither Scripture, our Confessions of Faith, nor our Catechism, teach the Creation of man by the direct and immediate act of God so as to exclude the possibility of evolution as scientific theory." (PCUS 1969).  The PCUSA catechism states that "natural science has much to teach us about the particular mechanisms and process of nature, but it is not in a position to answer these questions about ultimate reality, which points to mysteries that science as such is not equipped to explore.  Nothing basic to the Christian faith contradicts the findings of modern science nor does anything essential to modern science contradict the Christian faith." (PCUSA catechism).  I have provided links at the end of this article to numerous Christian denominations stance on science and faith. 

Favoring a view more compatible with Science

Third, there are very good reasons to hold views that are more compatible with what we now about the natural world through science as a methodology.  A typical definition of evolution describes the phenomena as a natural process by which the emergence of complex life forms developed through genetic mutation, natural selection, breeding, environmental stimulus, and cell division.  It is possible to see this as an act of God, as creator and sustainer of the universe, through the eyes of faith.   When Christians understand that what we learn from science does not contradict our belief in a living Creator, we provide a way forward in which people do not have to choose between science or their faith.  Too often people have been forced to either reject their faith and embrace science or else embrace their faith and reject science.  This is a false dichotomy.  We can learn about the natural world through science and still believe in God as creator.  

Last of all, our view of scripture has to be one that recognizes the culture and history in which God's revelation comes.  Scripture always comes to us in a specific time and place, for example, Abraham was a nomadic herder who lived during the bronze age.  The people we meet in scripture would have naturally held the cosmology of their day, we cannot expect them to see the world in the same way that we see it.  In a sense, communicating truth through myth, poetry, story, or saga, as is characteristic of the early part of the book of Genesis, is perhaps one of the best vehicles of communicating timeless truth through different cultures and worldviews across the world.  Everyone understands story, whether someone is living in modern European countries or in traditional tribal cultures that still exist around the world (creation, fall, redemption, new creation).  Both Augustine and John Calvin held favorable views of the science of their day, and those instances where the church was threatened by science, such as in the case of Galileo stand as cautionary tales of the church ending up on the wrong side of history, (or the wrong side of truth).

Much of this issue revolves around the ways in which Christians interpret the book of Genesis.  It is possible to be faithful to the truth of scripture and interpret the early part of Genesis in a vehicle that communicates truth, but does not do so as a document recounting the creation of the earth in a 144 hour period.   In other words, hippopotami, elephants, dinosaurs, simply pop into existence, and Adam materializes into existences as a fully formed adult male.  Christians should hold the scriptures as the authoritative word of God, but this also requires the task of faithfully interpreting scripture, including its literary genre, structure, and ultimately the truth that it communicates.  There is room for our understanding of the processes of the natural world.  

When we become sidetracked by trying to prove certain elements in Genesis could have been historic realities, we begin to miss the larger picture and theological message of the book.  In some Bible commentators obsession to prove for example, that Jonah was really swallowed by a large fish, feverishly examining early American whaleboats encounters for historical accounts of whalers who were eaten by a whale and found alive, to prove the story "true." Yet, they miss the critical part of the Jonah story, God's message of mercy towards the non-Jewish Nineties.  Even in portions of scripture that are clearly historical documents, we must still look for the deeper theological message of the book.  

As Christians who are people of truth, it is critical that we allow science to be science.  By its very nature, science produces hypothesis that have to be tested, experiments that use empirical data to qualify results and draw conclusions.  There is no way that a belief in God as a creator, or even the belief that everything miraculously appeared in the universe fully formed in a 144 hours period fits any scientific category.  Therefore, in the science classroom it has to be rejected.   This is why many Christian educators and clergy as well as others from different religious backgrounds have gone on the record endorsing the teaching of science and evolution in the classroom and rejecting religious notions such as intelligent design or creationism.  

The Clergy Letter Project is a statement that has signatories from numerous Christian and other religions, that affirms and supports the teaching of evolution in the classrooms.  This is essential in helping students not just remain competitive around the world, but understand the many ways that science (as a method of uncovering truth), has helped us to see our world.  As Christians, we are people of truth.  We know that God it truth, and therefore all truth is God's truth.  As Christians we should not have to fear the truth.  We should be people of truth.  As such it is important that we remain open to those areas where we have much to learn about our world from science.  As Neil deGrass Tyson often quotes, "the bible tells us how to go to heaven, not how the heavens go."

The Clergy Letter Project Statement from Christian Clergy:

Within the community of Christian believers there are areas of dispute and disagreement, including the proper way to interpret Holy Scripture. While virtually all Christians take the Bible seriously and hold it to be authoritative in matters of faith and practice, the overwhelming majority do not read the Bible literally, as they would a science textbook. Many of the beloved stories found in the Bible – the Creation, Adam and Eve, Noah and the ark – convey timeless truths about God, human beings, and the proper relationship between Creator and creation expressed in the only form capable of transmitting these truths from generation to generation. Religious truth is of a different order from scientific truth. Its purpose is not to convey scientific information but to transform hearts. 

We the undersigned, Christian clergy from many different traditions, believe that the timeless truths of the Bible and the discoveries of modern science may comfortably coexist. We believe that the theory of evolution is a foundational scientific truth, one that has stood up to rigorous scrutiny and upon which much of human knowledge and achievement rests. To reject this truth or to treat it as “one theory among others” is to deliberately embrace scientific ignorance and transmit such ignorance to our children. We believe that among God’s good gifts are human minds capable of critical thought and that the failure to fully employ this gift is a rejection of the will of our Creator. To argue that God’s loving plan of salvation for humanity precludes the full employment of the God-given faculty of reason is to attempt to limit God, an act of hubris. We urge school board members to preserve the integrity of the science curriculum by affirming the teaching of the theory of evolution as a core component of human knowledge. We ask that science remain science and that religion remain religion, two very different, but complementary, forms of truth.

Clergy Letter Project

Roman Catholic Statement to the Members of the Pontifical Academy of Sciences

Roman Catholic Encyclical "Humani Generis"

National Catholic Reporter

ELCA "Ask a Scientist"

Episcopal Church "A Catechism of Creation"

PCUSA approves Clergy Letter Project 2016

United Methodist Links on Evolution and Science

United Church of Christ

Judaism

Islam