Theology in Transition

Jesus Christ is the same, yesterday, today, and tomorrow.^[1] The Bible, although not always viewed this way, is a fixed canon that does not change.^[2] The Church endures through all the ages.^[3] Jesus Christ died once for all so that all might live.^[4] Therefore, it may sound like a bold statement to say that Christian theology changes; but it does. We could find several more examples, and I am only seeking to highlight some of the less controversial, but here are a few ways in which our theology has changed in the short 2000-year existence of the Church of Jesus Christ.

     1. The early Christians believed that the return of Christ would occur within their lifetime,
2.    Early Christians also thought that they should not eat meat that had not been drained of blood. I hardly think anyone has been thrown out of the church for eating blood sausage in the last several hundred years,
3.    Stipulations about hair length that were thought to be blatantly evident within “the very nature of things” are now disregarded. Christians are now comfortable with all fashions of hair on men and women,
4.    It was once thought that the sun travelled in the sky relative to the earth and this was verified by statements in the Bible such as that in Joshua 10 where “the sun stood still in the sky,”
5.    Those who got divorced were once barred from membership in the Church,
6.    Before the Reformation, people required a priest to mediate between them and God,
7.    And women were once required to wear head-coverings when they attended church or prayed.

The point is, the Bible doesn’t change, but our understanding, or theology, of the Bible does change.

We now live in a time when many of our cherished understandings of the Bible are being challenged by the science of the day. Luke J. Janssen, in an article in Perspectives on Science and Christian Faith,^[5] says,

The scientific data now at hand pertaining to human evolution conflict with any theological worldview that is dependent upon the following:
(1)  a “young earth,” or a timeline of less than ten thousand years….
(2)  there being a primal pair.... [from whom all people have descended]
(3)  the human species receiving a discrete command regarding what God expects, and all humans having broken that command.
Instead, we should account for hard evidence, such as
(1)  Homo sapiens appearing a couple hundred thousand years ago;
(2)  Humans being nearly genetically identical to other hominids who can be tied together on an evolutionary tree of life extending back millions of years;
(3)  Interbreeding between humans and other species (Neanderthals and Denisovans);
(4)  The evolution of religious thinking and practices long predating the biblical texts; and
(5)  A gradual evolution of morality and awareness of God.

With all of this scientific evidence to deal with, is it not time that we set our theologians to the task of once again re-thinking how we understand our biblical texts? Some, such as Scott McKnight^[6] and N.T. Wright have indeed become friends of Biologos^[7] and have begun to seek to understand the Bible in light of the current scientific and genetic revolution. We need not fear such theological processes. If science is truth, and theology is truth, and indeed, if all truth is God’s truth, then such thoughtful processes can only lead to a greater understanding of that truth and greater understanding of our God. Those of us who love God and follow Jesus must not find ourselves in a battle with the science of the day. For the sake of our faith, we must embrace all of God’s truth.

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[1]Hebrews 13:8

[2]See, for example, “The Canon of the Old Testament,” at Catholic Faith and Reason, http://www.catholicfaithandreason.org/the-canon-of-the-old-testament.html

[3]Ephesians 3:21; Psalm 145:12-14

[4]2 Corinthians 5:14-16

[5]‘“Fallen” and “Broken” Reinterpreted in the Light of Evolutionary Theory,’ Perspectives on Science and Christian Faith, Volume 70, Number 1, March 2018, p. 44.

[6]See Adam and the Genome, by Venema and McKnight, Brazos Press, 2017.

[7]https://biologos.org/

A Song for Aubrey Claire

You’ve got the world wrapped around your finger

And yes, you can change the world

I see you changing my world now

As your hand round my finger curls

You can already steal my heart

You will always inspire my thoughts

From your tiny birth, you start

Beginning to tie the knots

And, you will change the world little one

You will be a revolution

Go ahead and change this world

We wait for your contribution

This world is in need of much change

Too much poverty, war, mistrust

People looking for those who can

Be the change, lead the rest of us

Can one really change the planet?

Those words are hope and a trust

Little one, if anyone can

It’s your generation that must

You will change the world little one

You can be a revolution

Go ahead and change this world

We wait for your contribution

Think about it, make a case

Work it out, and use some laughter

Make this world a better place

For those who follow after

You will change the world little one

You can be the revolution

Go ahead and change this world

We await your work’s fruition

Even if you must change me!

Change

Change is the law of life. And those who look only to the past or present are certain to miss the future. John F. Kennedy

Kennedy, or JFK, said these words in the middle of the 20^th century when significant change was in the air. The rate at which things change in our current time would be mind-boggling to this former president. We must learn to deal with change and perhaps an ever accelerating pace of change at least for the near future as we stand nearly 16 and a half years into the 21^st century.

Change can of course be good or bad, thrilling or challenging, life enhancing or so difficult we might wonder if we will survive the change. In a culture of change it is only the organizations and companies that are agile and themselves able to change quickly that will survive and thrive. To see the truth of such a statement one has only to look to energy companies in Calgary as they have reacted to a change in world oil prices.

What does this mean when we think of churches? We live in a world where we are all electronically connected and relationally disconnected; a world where people can travel across the city or across the world with ever greater ease; a world where leaders rise and fall on the whim of a local, national, or international following; and a world in which technology and media drive our monetary choices. The implications of these changes are vast, and yet most of our churches continue to function much as they did when JFK uttered his words regarding change. Churches do not tend to change rapidly. They are founded on ancient words that hold principles for all time. There is a tendency toward nostalgia and history. Few other disciplines (perhaps philosophy is another) hold such high regard for old words as opposed to new words on a subject. Certainly the Bible must be used as the founding document and the bedrock for the function of churches today; yet, why should the words of Augustine (354-430 CE) hold more sway than the words of Dallas Willard (1935-2013 CE)?

Are churches in North America (my only frame of reference) ready to embrace change for the sake of the ancient message? Can methodologies and practices change while the ancient work goes on? What new courses need to be charted? What experiments are necessary? What kinds of intentional community need to be fashioned so that the mission of the church survives in a world of change?

“Change will not come if we wait for some other person, or if we wait for some other time. We are the ones we've been waiting for. We are the change that we seek.” 
― Barack Obama

“For what it’s worth: it’s never too late or, in my case, too early to be whoever you want to be. There’s no time limit, stop whenever you want. You can change or stay the same, there are no rules to this thing. We can make the best or the worst of it. I hope you make the best of it. And I hope you see things that startle you. I hope you feel things you never felt before. I hope you meet people with a different point of view. I hope you live a life you’re proud of. If you find that you’re not, I hope you have the courage to start all over again.” 
― Eric Roth, The Curious Case of Benjamin Button, Screenplay

Small Steps

Resolutions or irresolution; we hear many opinions. You may also hear many statistics telling us that only about 7% will have kept their resolutions by the second week in January. You don’t even want to read a blog about resolutions! Neither do I. So instead I would like to advocate for small, feeble, steps throughout the entire year.

“God is waiting eagerly to respond with new strength to each little act of self-control, small disciplines of prayer, feeble searching after him. And his children shall be filled if they will only hunger and thirst after what he offers.”

Those are the words of the former Bishop of Edinburgh of the Scottish Episcopal Church, Richard Holloway. He is a controversial theologian; but I find this to be an inspiring statement.

To these words I would add that this means that God is waiting for every feeble step toward Jesus; for, our trajectory is everything. Moving toward Jesus may mean small steps in the direction of self-control, prayer, and searching. It may also mean small steps toward helping the poor, the oppressed, the sick, the widow, the orphan, and the spiritually lost. Small steps - that is all I can take. Small improvements to this world I have been given - by God's grace, that is all I can hope to achieve. Yes, I will be filled. I will be filled if I hunger and thirst. I will be filled if I hunger and thirst for these small steps toward a redeemed world.

I Just Want To Know

Regardless of where you are in your spiritual journey, I pray that you might be always drawing closer to God. As I went for a run this morning a prayer written by Steve Taylor came to mind and I prayed as I ran.

In all of the activity of life: teaching, mentoring, preaching, planning, and writing, "I just want to know am I pulling people closer; I just want to be pulling them to You. I just want to stay angry at the evil. I just want to be hungry for the true. . . . Oh, search me Father and know my heart, try me and know my mind. And if there be any wicked way in me, pull me to the rock that is higher than than I." May you always be drawing closer to God.

I Just Want To Know

(Words and Music by Steve Taylor) (Listen as you read the lyrics.)

Life's too short for small talk
So don't be talking trivia now
Excess baggage fills this plane
There's more than we should ever allow
There's engines stalling and good men falling
But I ain't crawling away

I just wanna know
Am I pulling people closer?
I just wanna be pulling them to you
I just wanna stay angry at the evil
I just wanna be hungry for the true

Folks play follow the leader
But who's the leader gonna obey?
Will his head get big when the toes get tapping?
I just wanna know are they catching what I say?
I'm a little too young to introspect
And I surely haven't paid all my dues
But there's bear traps lying in those woods
Most of them already been used

I just wanna know
Am I pulling people closer?
I just wanna be pulling them to you
I just wanna stay angry at the evil
I just wanna be hungry for the true

Search me, Father, and know my heart
Try me and know my mind
And if there be any wicked way in me
Pull me to the rock that is higher than I

I just wanna know
Am I pulling people closer?
I just wanna be pulling them to you
I just wanna stay angry at the evil
I just wanna be hungry for the true

Grace Changes Us

Another quote from Flannery O'Conner is instructive in her understanding of life.

There is a question whether faith can or is supposed to be emotionally satisfying. I must say that the thought of everyone lolling about in an emotionally satisfying faith is repugnant to me. I believe that we are ultimately directed Godward but that this journey is often impeded by emotion.1

O'Conner knew of suffering; she was diagnosed with Lupus when she was 26 years old and died from complications of the disease at 39 years of age. Her novels tell stories of people who are changed by difficult circumstances in life.

However grotesque the setting, she tried to portray her characters as they might be touched by divine grace. This ruled out a sentimental understanding of the stories' violence, as of her own illness. O'Connor wrote: "Grace changes us and change is painful."2

1 Flannery O'Conner in a letter to Betty Hester, September 6, 1955. http://theamericanreader.com/6-september-1955-flannery-oconnor/
2 http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Flannery_O'Connor

Waiting On the World to Change

I wanted to use the lyrics of the song "Waiting On the World to Change" in a sermon I was giving. I felt like these words expressed well the response I was seeking to get from my audience. I felt that too many of us are sitting around waiting for the world to change and not seeking to be active, constructive, participants in the needed change. Before I used the words I felt I should ask a younger generation what they thought the words meant. At face value, there is not much challenge in the words of this song. Rather, the words seem to say, "We can't change the world and so we are waiting for it to change." John Mayer is a different generation than I am (he is 34 and I am 51) and he is much closer to the age of my own daughters (27, 25, and 22). So, I sent my daughters an email to ask them about the meaning of the song and they contributed their thoughts to this blog post.

Twila had this to say.

My question for this song has always been, "why is he just waiting? Why isn't he doing something to change the world?" If one day our generation is going to "rule the population" then why don't we try to work toward a better future now? I have been thinking a lot lately about [how] . . . what I do today will impact my future. Then I also have a new perspective, and that is that I'm bringing a child into this world, and I want it to be a good place for my child to grow up! I have to raise this baby the best way I know, and not allow it to just sit and wait for change, but to make change happen! . . . It makes me really think about the gift I've been given in this child I'm carrying. I want so much to change the world I'm in so that my baby will learn from my example.

Lauren added.

I guess I have similar views as Twila in that you can't sit around and wait for the world to change. However, the way I always heard that song is that we need to come together to change the world; whether as two people or one million. I think there is power in numbers not only in the deeds, but the support. . . . PS I do love the sound of the song and singing along to it.

On the phone Lauren told me that she had seen John Mayer perform this song in concert and his introduction before the song proved that he wanted the song to challenge others to stop "waiting" and get busy "changing" the world.

With this encouragement I was able to press forward and challenge those who listened to my sermon. I spoke of how the words of this song are similar to how Jesus spoke to a man beside the pool called Bethesda (John 5:1-15). He challenged the man to stop sinning by waiting around for things to happen. Jesus calls on all people "to proclaim good news to the poor, . . . to proclaim freedom for the prisoners, and recovery of sight for the blind, to set the oppressed free. . ." (Luke 4:18). Yet, all too often we are waiting for the world to change. We say that we are just putting it off until it is our generation's turn, or until our kids are older, or until our kids are launched, or until our career is established, or until our business is stable, or until we retire, or until we win the lottery, or . . . . The reality is we have not yet lifted a finger to care for the poor, the prisoner, the blind, or the oppressed. Are we "waiting on" or are we an "agent for" change?

Waiting On The World to Change
(Listen while you read the lyrics)
(John Mayer - 2006 album, Continuum)

Me and all my friends
We're all misunderstood
They say we stand for nothing and
There's no way we ever could

Now we see everything that's going wrong
With the world and those who lead it
We just feel like we don't have the means
To rise above and beat it

So we keep waiting
Waiting on the world to change
We keep on waiting
Waiting on the world to change

It's hard to beat the system
When we're standing at a distance
So we keep waiting
Waiting on the world to change

Now if we had the power
To bring our neighbors home from war
They would have never missed a Christmas
No more ribbons on their door

And when you trust your television
What you get is what you got
Cause when they own the information, oh
They can bend it all they want

That's why we're waiting
Waiting on the world to change
We keep on waiting
Waiting on the world to change

It's not that we don't care,
We just know that the fight ain't fair

So we keep on waiting
Waiting on the world to change
And we're still waiting
Waiting on the world to change
We keep on waiting waiting on the world to change

One day our generation
Is gonna rule the population
So we keep on waiting
Waiting on the world to change

We keep on waiting
Waiting on the world to change.