A great deal has taken place since my last entry. I was ill for quite a while, but now I am back and hopefully with the LORD's aid and blessing I can post far more frequently.
One of the more disturbing events that has come to pass has been the revelations concerning the pastor of Barack Obama, the Rev. Jeremiah Wright. I find his statements to be reprehensible and racist. I am disturbed that Senator Obama has such a close relationship with this man. I certainly hope and pray that Senator Obama does not share the Rev. Wright's theological views, for that is precisely the problem here, and it is a problem most "news" outlets are missing.
For instance, many, if not most of the commentators on both television and radio seem focused on the idea that this was a predominantly "black" church. I have seen television news pieces centered in on the question "What really goes on in black churches in America?", and I have heard radio program hosts asking whether or not this is 'typical' of "black" churches. It seems to me that asking the question itself at least hints at a latent racist attitude. It certainly betrays gross ignorance to ask those kind of questions for it assumes that all so-called "black" churches follow the same teaching. Granted there is similarities in many churches characterized as "black," but I would submit that these similarities are predominantly manifested in style rather than substance.
I must at this point give the qualifier that I am a white pastor. I am conservative and evangelical in my theology, with a strong belief in the inerrancy of the Scriptures as originally given. I have, however, both attended "black" churches and been privileged to preach at "black" churches as well. In every case, the experience was a strongly positive one. Yes, the style of music and preaching and worship was different than what I was mostly familiar with, but the theology was solidly conservative and I would not hesitate to endorse those churches.
The problem with the church Senator Obama has been a member of has never been a racial one. It has always been a theological one. It begins with the belief, preaching and application of "Black Liberation Theology" that Rev. Wright espouses. This is not a theology that Rev. Wright invented, simply one that he adheres to. In seminary, I read some of this theology as written by perhaps its leading champion, James Cone. In a nutshell, this theology is overtly racist in both tone and substance. One way to describe it would be as a slightly christianized version of the Nation of Islam's philosophy. I won't go into detail in this post, but in several future posts I will.
Giving credit where credit is due, I have found one TV program that seems to understand the problem of theology as important here. The Glenn Beck show on CNN is doing a series this week on Black Liberation Theology. I will try to watch and see if they really do "get it."
IJHN,
LEE
Monday, March 31, 2008
Monday, February 4, 2008
"Wait 'till next year"
The Super Bowl happened yesterday evening. Just a little more than 24 hours ago, an event that was endlessly promoted, an event that cost advertisers more money in 30 seconds than the GDP of many nations in this world was conducted. It was pulled off and was a grand success by the standards of the world. More people watched this event on TV than any other Super Bowl before, some estimated 97 million viewers. It is an incredible feat when one thinks about the sheer enormity of the task. I was one of the 97 million that watched, and it was indeed a spectacular game.
However, (you knew that was coming didn't you!) at least a small part of me wonders if much of the event was nothing more than a colossal waste of time. At least for myself, I wonder if my time could have been better spent doing many other things. My spiritual and intellectual growth certainly need attending to. I sure could have used some of the time for prayer. I am somewhat limited at the moment physically because of an injury, but there are many other things I could perhaps have done. But, I didn't do any of those things. Instead, after the game I searched for some redeeming value by searching out places where the big game was invested with spiritual significance through players who are Christian witnesses, church events and the like. I wish I had done more of that before the game, and perhaps I would have been able to better redeem the time for the Lord. Well, as the losing team and its fans say, "Wait till next year!"
IJHN
LEE
However, (you knew that was coming didn't you!) at least a small part of me wonders if much of the event was nothing more than a colossal waste of time. At least for myself, I wonder if my time could have been better spent doing many other things. My spiritual and intellectual growth certainly need attending to. I sure could have used some of the time for prayer. I am somewhat limited at the moment physically because of an injury, but there are many other things I could perhaps have done. But, I didn't do any of those things. Instead, after the game I searched for some redeeming value by searching out places where the big game was invested with spiritual significance through players who are Christian witnesses, church events and the like. I wish I had done more of that before the game, and perhaps I would have been able to better redeem the time for the Lord. Well, as the losing team and its fans say, "Wait till next year!"
IJHN
LEE
Tuesday, January 22, 2008
A Broken World
Yesterday was designated as Martin Luther King Jr. Day in the United States. This day comes with a mixture of hope and sorrow as I contemplate the life and impact of Dr. King.
I first heard of Dr. King through the media when I was a young boy and through into my early adolescent years. I remember his stirring oratory and how it moved my heart even then. He was able to make me feel somewhat of his people's pain, though I was not one of those who endured it. I remember admiring his courage in the face of horrible bigotry and the very real harm such hatred engendered. And even today, I garner hope in the fact that we as a nation were able to move significantly toward the fulfillment of his grand and good vision of racial equality.
However, I sorrow at the cost. The cost of lives battered and lost was great. In this case, like any great endeavor for righteousness, there is always a cost to be counted. Most of all, I remember the cost of 1968, when the life of someone who had already come to be a hero in my young heart was snatched away. Like most of the nation, I was stunned by the news of Dr. King's assassination. I think that it was then I first thought there must be something wrong with the world. Of course I knew there were bad people in the world and that evil things happened because of them. But I don't think it was until that particular point when I somehow felt the world was broken in some way.
Since that time I have learned what Dr. King already knew many years before his passing. I have learned that yes, the world is broken, and we all broke it. We all continue to break the world with our selfishness and greed and pride and lust and hatred. In the words of one author, "There is a problem with the world, and it is me." I have learned that this problem has but one solution, one provided by the author of life. It is to embrace wholeheartedly the sacrifice of Christ on our behalf, and live, really live, by faith in Him. Dr. King reached the promised land because of such faith and the actions he took in response to his faith in Jesus. I hope and pray my actions in life can serve my Lord is half the measure that his did.
IJHN,
LEE
I first heard of Dr. King through the media when I was a young boy and through into my early adolescent years. I remember his stirring oratory and how it moved my heart even then. He was able to make me feel somewhat of his people's pain, though I was not one of those who endured it. I remember admiring his courage in the face of horrible bigotry and the very real harm such hatred engendered. And even today, I garner hope in the fact that we as a nation were able to move significantly toward the fulfillment of his grand and good vision of racial equality.
However, I sorrow at the cost. The cost of lives battered and lost was great. In this case, like any great endeavor for righteousness, there is always a cost to be counted. Most of all, I remember the cost of 1968, when the life of someone who had already come to be a hero in my young heart was snatched away. Like most of the nation, I was stunned by the news of Dr. King's assassination. I think that it was then I first thought there must be something wrong with the world. Of course I knew there were bad people in the world and that evil things happened because of them. But I don't think it was until that particular point when I somehow felt the world was broken in some way.
Since that time I have learned what Dr. King already knew many years before his passing. I have learned that yes, the world is broken, and we all broke it. We all continue to break the world with our selfishness and greed and pride and lust and hatred. In the words of one author, "There is a problem with the world, and it is me." I have learned that this problem has but one solution, one provided by the author of life. It is to embrace wholeheartedly the sacrifice of Christ on our behalf, and live, really live, by faith in Him. Dr. King reached the promised land because of such faith and the actions he took in response to his faith in Jesus. I hope and pray my actions in life can serve my Lord is half the measure that his did.
IJHN,
LEE
Tuesday, January 15, 2008
Is Peace Possible?
I once had a dream about peace in the world. In the dream, I am discussing the concept of whether or not true peace is even possible in the world with two other men. In the course of the discussion, we conclude that true peace has never been experienced or sustained in our world, and for that matter, sustained within any one family that we know of. Conflict is an ever-present companion to all societies. The natural question that occurs among us is that most difficult and persistent of all questions, "Why?"
After further discussion, our small group of three boiled the possible answers down to two possibilities. We have not achieved peace because either, We do not truly desire peace, or We are simply incapable of achieving peace.
One of our group advocated the first possible answer as the correct one. The second of our group could not decide and so served as a mediator of sorts. I proposed the answer was that the human race was simply incapable of achieving peace.
Advocate one for proposition one stated his reasoning as follows. The failure to accomplish peace means that humanity does not really desire peace. We may declare that we do desire it, but we are just fooling ourselves. He suggests the fact that we do not have a universal definition of peace is evidence that we do not desire it. If we did desire peace truly, we would strive much harder to find a definition for peace that all could agree upon. Examples of such inconsistent definitions include those who believe that peace is only possible with submission to their group's authority versus those who believe that peace is simply the absence of physical conflict. Others would more radically define peace as the absence of all physical and even psychological conflict. If humanity would come together and define peace clearly and consistently, then we could achieve it. The hypothesis is that we just do not want peace bad enough to work at it with all we've got.
My conclusion was that the failure to accomplish peace is because we are incapable of doing so. No matter how differently the concept may be defined among various groups, it seems evident that most people do desire peace. In addition, the fact that humanity has continued to attempt to reach peace despite our history of war, is evidence that the desire for peace is present within us. A prime example is the present stalled peace talks that the president is in Israel to try to revive. These parties have been at war in one fashion or another for thousands of years. If these two did not desire peace, there would seem no motivation to keep talking. This has been the case throughout history with every people group on earth, and no matter the heartfelt desire for peace, it is as ephemeral as ever. The very fact that we have not given peace a universally agreed upon definition, at least to how we can or should achieve it, after millennia of trying seems to me to support the conclusion that we are incapable of doing so. Furthermore it seems to bolster the conclusion that we will never be capable of doing so.
Of course, since it was my dream, I won the debate. However, a further question is raised in light of my conclusion, assuming it is indeed correct. The question is, "Is there therefore any hope of peace in the world whatsoever?" The answer is both no, and yes. No, there is no hope of peace in the world as we now know it. Yes, there is hope for peace but it must come from some other source than humanity. The source of peace is the only true giver of peace, God Almighty. Only when we turn to Him, through Christ, is peace available on a personal level, and future peace for all who trust Him will come to pass. It is my hope and prayer that each of you will truly find peace through Jesus by turning your heart over to Him.
IJHN
LEE
After further discussion, our small group of three boiled the possible answers down to two possibilities. We have not achieved peace because either, We do not truly desire peace, or We are simply incapable of achieving peace.
One of our group advocated the first possible answer as the correct one. The second of our group could not decide and so served as a mediator of sorts. I proposed the answer was that the human race was simply incapable of achieving peace.
Advocate one for proposition one stated his reasoning as follows. The failure to accomplish peace means that humanity does not really desire peace. We may declare that we do desire it, but we are just fooling ourselves. He suggests the fact that we do not have a universal definition of peace is evidence that we do not desire it. If we did desire peace truly, we would strive much harder to find a definition for peace that all could agree upon. Examples of such inconsistent definitions include those who believe that peace is only possible with submission to their group's authority versus those who believe that peace is simply the absence of physical conflict. Others would more radically define peace as the absence of all physical and even psychological conflict. If humanity would come together and define peace clearly and consistently, then we could achieve it. The hypothesis is that we just do not want peace bad enough to work at it with all we've got.
My conclusion was that the failure to accomplish peace is because we are incapable of doing so. No matter how differently the concept may be defined among various groups, it seems evident that most people do desire peace. In addition, the fact that humanity has continued to attempt to reach peace despite our history of war, is evidence that the desire for peace is present within us. A prime example is the present stalled peace talks that the president is in Israel to try to revive. These parties have been at war in one fashion or another for thousands of years. If these two did not desire peace, there would seem no motivation to keep talking. This has been the case throughout history with every people group on earth, and no matter the heartfelt desire for peace, it is as ephemeral as ever. The very fact that we have not given peace a universally agreed upon definition, at least to how we can or should achieve it, after millennia of trying seems to me to support the conclusion that we are incapable of doing so. Furthermore it seems to bolster the conclusion that we will never be capable of doing so.
Of course, since it was my dream, I won the debate. However, a further question is raised in light of my conclusion, assuming it is indeed correct. The question is, "Is there therefore any hope of peace in the world whatsoever?" The answer is both no, and yes. No, there is no hope of peace in the world as we now know it. Yes, there is hope for peace but it must come from some other source than humanity. The source of peace is the only true giver of peace, God Almighty. Only when we turn to Him, through Christ, is peace available on a personal level, and future peace for all who trust Him will come to pass. It is my hope and prayer that each of you will truly find peace through Jesus by turning your heart over to Him.
IJHN
LEE
Tuesday, January 8, 2008
TMI and election reflection
Its a brand new year and I'm sure that many of you, along with me, have made and perhaps already broken a few resolutions. One of mine that I made after New Year's Day was to get busy and start posting more often on this blog! So, with that in mind, here goes.
This year is an election year, and along with that comes a political and media circus which only seems to serve to turn more and more people off. More often than not I hear disillusionment among those who could and should be involved in the process of selecting our governmental leadership. In truth, I can't say that I blame many of them. At the very least, I can relate to their feelings.
One of the problems that has recently come to the fore is the 'TMI' syndrome. TMI stands for 'Too Much Information." In the information age, we are immersed in a glut of information which tends to overload our circuits, so to speak, and makes it more difficult, rather than easier, to support worthy candidates for office.
All that being the case, I must state that we still have a responsibility to participate in the political process. Each of us must make the effort to learn the candidates and their positions. Each of us must also make the effort to learn about the character of the candidates as well. For no matter the positions that a particular candidate espouses, if he or she is of questionable character we cannot trust that those positions on the issues will be carried out while the candidate is in office.
Will it be difficult to do? Yes, indeed it will. There will be a sacrifice of time and effort. You may not be able to do all of the things you would like to do when you would like to do them in order to be a part of choosing our nation's leadership. However, the consequences of failing to participate would be far worse than an inconvenience to our time and freedom. There is an old saying which goes, "The only thing necessary for evil to triumph is for good men to do nothing." If we aren't careful, the outcome of our apathy will result in evil triumphing at the helm of our land.
IJHN,
LEE
This year is an election year, and along with that comes a political and media circus which only seems to serve to turn more and more people off. More often than not I hear disillusionment among those who could and should be involved in the process of selecting our governmental leadership. In truth, I can't say that I blame many of them. At the very least, I can relate to their feelings.
One of the problems that has recently come to the fore is the 'TMI' syndrome. TMI stands for 'Too Much Information." In the information age, we are immersed in a glut of information which tends to overload our circuits, so to speak, and makes it more difficult, rather than easier, to support worthy candidates for office.
All that being the case, I must state that we still have a responsibility to participate in the political process. Each of us must make the effort to learn the candidates and their positions. Each of us must also make the effort to learn about the character of the candidates as well. For no matter the positions that a particular candidate espouses, if he or she is of questionable character we cannot trust that those positions on the issues will be carried out while the candidate is in office.
Will it be difficult to do? Yes, indeed it will. There will be a sacrifice of time and effort. You may not be able to do all of the things you would like to do when you would like to do them in order to be a part of choosing our nation's leadership. However, the consequences of failing to participate would be far worse than an inconvenience to our time and freedom. There is an old saying which goes, "The only thing necessary for evil to triumph is for good men to do nothing." If we aren't careful, the outcome of our apathy will result in evil triumphing at the helm of our land.
IJHN,
LEE
Sunday, December 2, 2007
Truly Beautiful
She was beautiful. Her name was Nancy, and she was beautiful. She had dark hair that didn't always lay straight, and she was beautiful. Her eyes were wider apart than normal, and she had heavy bags under each of them. Here ears were large and strangely shaped. And, she was beautiful. Her mouth hung open virtually all of the time, which also meant that you could see that she had only a partially complete set of teeth. Her nose was bent and crooked, and her skin sagged and hung loosely around and under her mouth. And, she was beautiful. She was small and walked with a shuffle. Her fingers were not formed correctly with the result being that she only had three fingers and a thumb on each hand. Her mental ability was what is politely called "slow." Her speech was halting and many times difficult to understand because of her various physical and mental impairments. And, she was beautiful.
Obviously, she was not beautiful in appearance. Nor was her life what many would call the "beautiful" life. Nor was she beautiful in her intelligence, or in any other way that we usually assign meaning to the concept of beauty. No, Nancy was beautiful because of who she was. She was a woman who smiled and waved at almost everybody she saw, and almost always had a happy greeting to share in the morning. She was beautiful because in some way beyond "normal" reckoning, Nancy radiated joy-waves all about her. It was impossible for one to have even a passing encounter with her and not be affected by those joy-waves. In Nancy, one could truly glimpse what is so often missed in our social encounters and even our friendships and relationships with one another. In Nancy, one could catch a glimpse of the image of God imprinted upon the soul.
A few weeks ago, Nancy went to be with God, and a bit of beauty was transfered from earth to heaven. I pray that we will all see the good, right, sure and true beauty of the LORD one day, and maybe even recognize someone who was known on earth as Nancy. Then we will all surely see that she was beautiful then, and will only grow more beautiful forever.
IHHN
LEE
Obviously, she was not beautiful in appearance. Nor was her life what many would call the "beautiful" life. Nor was she beautiful in her intelligence, or in any other way that we usually assign meaning to the concept of beauty. No, Nancy was beautiful because of who she was. She was a woman who smiled and waved at almost everybody she saw, and almost always had a happy greeting to share in the morning. She was beautiful because in some way beyond "normal" reckoning, Nancy radiated joy-waves all about her. It was impossible for one to have even a passing encounter with her and not be affected by those joy-waves. In Nancy, one could truly glimpse what is so often missed in our social encounters and even our friendships and relationships with one another. In Nancy, one could catch a glimpse of the image of God imprinted upon the soul.
A few weeks ago, Nancy went to be with God, and a bit of beauty was transfered from earth to heaven. I pray that we will all see the good, right, sure and true beauty of the LORD one day, and maybe even recognize someone who was known on earth as Nancy. Then we will all surely see that she was beautiful then, and will only grow more beautiful forever.
IHHN
LEE
Sunday, November 25, 2007
Thanksgiving "Week" Reflections
I have just reached the end of the Thanksgiving "week" and it has been busier than any week I can remember in a long time. I began the week with a phone call from a former parishioner asking me to do the funeral services for her mother. This was to be an unusual funeral in that her mother died a violent death as the victim of a shooting. I finished the week officiating at a wonderful event, the wedding of a former parishioner. In between, we celebrated a fine Thanksgiving with a dinner with our children and some very good friends. The range of activities, from mourning a loss to celebrating the beginning of life together, causes me to pause this season and reflect on what Thanksgiving should mean.
Thanksgiving is undergoing many challenges in our culture, primarily because of its supposed historical connection with the slaughter of the American Indians by European "invaders." In reality, the story of Thanksgiving has nothing to do with any battle between settlers and Indians. In fact, it has to do with the opposite, an incident of peaceful cooperation between the two peoples which resulted in a celebration of Thanksgiving to God. What is good, right, sure and true is that Thanksgiving should be celebrated as an example of what diverse human communities can peacefully be when God is lifted up and His ways are followed.
This Thanksgiving, I hope that you found some real reasons to give thanks to God. I know that I have. God's grace has abundantly flowed to me and my family. I have friends that are precious beyond reckoning. I have a job that helps provide, along with my wife's job, a good home for us. This year we were able to become a larger family with the taking on of guardianship of a young lady who has become our daughter. I am part of a wonderful church family as well, one that takes the Word of God as just that, the Word of God Himself, and one that gives His love to others in abundance. If I had half as much as I do, I would still have an amazing amount to be thankful for. The reason I can say that is because I know that I do not deserve to have anything! If God judged me according to my sinful heart, I would already be dead and suffering. But thanks be to God! He has granted me mercy according to His grace. Jesus came and suffered the punishment I deserved by His death on the cross. He paid the penalty and I don't have to because of Him! He brought to realize this and believe in Christ some 32 years ago, in May of 1975, and thus I am thankful to Him for it all! I hope you can say the same, for life eternal depends on it!
Thanksgiving is undergoing many challenges in our culture, primarily because of its supposed historical connection with the slaughter of the American Indians by European "invaders." In reality, the story of Thanksgiving has nothing to do with any battle between settlers and Indians. In fact, it has to do with the opposite, an incident of peaceful cooperation between the two peoples which resulted in a celebration of Thanksgiving to God. What is good, right, sure and true is that Thanksgiving should be celebrated as an example of what diverse human communities can peacefully be when God is lifted up and His ways are followed.
This Thanksgiving, I hope that you found some real reasons to give thanks to God. I know that I have. God's grace has abundantly flowed to me and my family. I have friends that are precious beyond reckoning. I have a job that helps provide, along with my wife's job, a good home for us. This year we were able to become a larger family with the taking on of guardianship of a young lady who has become our daughter. I am part of a wonderful church family as well, one that takes the Word of God as just that, the Word of God Himself, and one that gives His love to others in abundance. If I had half as much as I do, I would still have an amazing amount to be thankful for. The reason I can say that is because I know that I do not deserve to have anything! If God judged me according to my sinful heart, I would already be dead and suffering. But thanks be to God! He has granted me mercy according to His grace. Jesus came and suffered the punishment I deserved by His death on the cross. He paid the penalty and I don't have to because of Him! He brought to realize this and believe in Christ some 32 years ago, in May of 1975, and thus I am thankful to Him for it all! I hope you can say the same, for life eternal depends on it!
Subscribe to:
Comments (Atom)