In tonight's theology class, we talked about Christian hope, or the lack of it in the chuch. Ever wonder why we lack confidence in the message of hope we have? Here are some thoughts:
* Individualism - faith used to be communal, or at least it encouraged community-building. Not anymore .. it's all about me now. After all .. being communal implies I have to make myself vulnerable & we wouldn't want that now would we....
* Control - that's right .. it's all about control, thanks to Francis Bacon and his "inductive" method of science.
* Rationalism - science substitutes mystery.
* Reason - liberal theology throws out the mysterious, while conservatives embrace "evidentialism".
* Factualism - we all want "objective factual truth". Where can we get it? According to Renee Decartes, the only starting place of knowledge is .. guess who: me (see individualism).
* Rejection of tradition - the future is always better than the present, and definitely better than the past. The result? A rootless faith. Maybe sola scriptura (Scripture alone) wasn't such a good idea after all..
* Practical atheism - it's tempting to live as though God doesn't exist. This is because we treat God as the "absentee landlord" who created the world and then sat back to watch it unfold, and besides, we seem to be doing fine with our own ideals of freedom, equality, and fraternity. Or are we..?
Yep .. modernism sure has a stranglehold on our beloved church. Solution? I have some thoughts (we talked about that too) .. but that'll be for another day. For starters though, we'll say that something along the lines of what Walter Brueggemann calls hope from the Nullpunkt (Ground Zero) is needed. God is not the victim of unforseen circumstances. Israel always reached out to God in her worst time of crisis, and this is exactly when prophets were raised, uttering words of hope (and warnings). I wonder if God will rescue the church at a time when she has no one left to turn to but him.
I hope the church in the West reaches this place soon .. very soon.
2 comments:
Some thoughts, hopefully to encourage...
> ...we talked about Christian
> hope, or the lack of it in the
> chuch.
A Christian's hope ought to be looking towards the return of the Bridegroom for His bride. We spend far too much time looking for gems in the wrong places. Our hope is not in this world, it is in the imminent return of Christ.
> Ever wonder why we lack
> confidence in the message of
> hope we have?...
Because we've taken our eyes off the Lord.
> * Individualism - faith used to
> be communal...encouraged
> community-building...it's
> all about me now...communal
> implies I have to make
> myself vulnerable & we
> wouldn't want that now would
> we....
Vulnerability and accountability - some of the best friendship and relationship building blocks there are. The church is made of true and living stones. I think that in these days, there's too much space between us stones.
> * Control - that's right ..
> it's all about control, thanks
> to Francis Bacon and his
> "inductive" method of science.
Without Scripture as our guide, someone always feels they must take the reins in order that something...happens. Would to God that we could trust His leading more.
> * Rationalism - science
> substitutes mystery.
God is light, and God is love. Rationalism would infer then that light is God, and love is God, and while we're at it, light = love.
Now that would be a twisted philosophy, and it would try to make the Bible says something it doesn't.
When Science replaces Scripture (the basis for our faith) we will be on slippery ground indeed.
> * Reason - liberal theology
> throws out the mysterious,
> while conservatives embrace
> "evidentialism".
Here, we are to subject all human reasoning to the wisdom of God. Both camps have proven themselves wrong, if this is the case. If I've got to see it to believe it, then it's not faith. Faith is the substance of things hoped for; of things not yet seen!
And for Christians who immerse themselves in Scripture, I think that the Christian's Hope is nothing more than a "deferred certainty." Has He said it, and will He not do it? Of course! And whether He comes in private to take His bride, or whether He comes with ten thousand of His angels - He will return, for He has said it.
> * Factualism - we all want
> "objective factual truth".
> Where can we get it? According
> to Renee Decartes, the only
> starting place of knowledge
> is .. guess who: me (see
> individualism).
I talk about Objectivity and Subjectivity in my blog. Obviously, with what I've written here, you can understand that ultimate objectivity is to perceive things as God perceives them!
> * Rejection of tradition - the
> future is always better than
> the present, and definitely
> better than the past. The
> result? A rootless faith.
> Maybe sola scriptura (Scripture
> alone) wasn't such a good idea
> after all..
The tradition handed down from the foundation of the church in the first century. Our traditions are bound up in the new testament epistles. And thank God that they are, or we'd be without a guide - the blind leading the blind.
> * Practical atheism - it's
> tempting to live as though
> God doesn't exist. This is
> because we treat God as the
> "absentee landlord" who
> created the world and then
> sat back to watch it unfold,
> and besides, we seem to be
> doing fine with our own ideals
> of freedom, equality, and
> fraternity. Or are we..?
But that land owner did return finally and punish the wicked servants. May we be found not in their company, but trimming our wicks, with oil in our lamps. And so much more so, as ye see the day approaching. We know not when the bridegroom will call for us - the night is far spent and the day is at hand. Let us therefore cast off the works of darkness, and put on the armour of light!
> ...modernism...a stranglehold
> on our beloved church.
Don't fear. The true church, unknown to many, exists all around us wherever there is a soul that has sold out to God, and keeps himself from the pollutions of this world. (And it's not "monkish ascetecism" I'm speaking of here.)
> Solution?...Walter Brueggemann
> calls hope from the Nullpunkt
> (Ground Zero) is needed...
> I wonder if God will rescue
> the church at a time when
> she has no one left to turn
> to but him.
And that is the only place she can turn. Always remember that He said, "I will build My Church, and the gates of Hell shall not prevail against it."
This building is still going on, or else He is/was lying - which is a bad street to go down! His church does presently exist, though for now, not all the members know each other.
> I hope the church in the
> West reaches this place soon
> .. very soon.
Amen. I heartily agree with you. But it will not come without great cost. On our knees is where we ought to be - whether driven there by strong forces, or drawn there by a seeking, living faith.
greetings of shalom emphatico. thx for your valuable insights. indeed .. the Lord WILL build his church, and he will perfect her upon his return. what a day that will be. so we need not fear .. but we lament her unfaithfulness and pray for grace and strength in building her up, for she is a "glimpse" of his kingdom.
peace to you.
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