Valley Lenten Teaching and Reading

I'm currently preaching a teaching series I'm calling "The Jesus Way." While we're in this series, I'm encouraging Valley people to read Scot McKnight's book, 40 Days Living the Jesus Creed.

The book will compliment much of what I'll be preaching about. It also serves as a wonderful plan for daily devotions during the season of Lent. For a complete outline of the teaching series with a suggested Lenten schedule for reading the book, CLICK HERE.

Meaningful Differences

Yesterday I posted a link to a "conversation" between Christopher Hitchens and Marilyn Sewell that appeared in the Portland Monthly. It stirred up quite a few comments on Facebook, which, as usual, went a lot of different directions.

My main point of observation was a simple one. I agree with Hitchens that if one is to call one's self a Christian and expect that to mean anything, the word Christian must have some meaningful definition. If one refers to one's self as a "person of faith," there must be some defined object of belief.

You can't just take hold of a label--any label: atheist, republican, socialist, fundamentalist, optimist--and divorce yourself from the commonly understood definition of that label. I understand that labels are frequently misunderstood and very often need clarification and nuance. However, if you tell me you're a bicylist, but have no real interest or experience in riding bicycles, you will understand my bewildered annoyance.

Beyond the whole "I'm a liberal Christian" assertion made by Sewell, I found it equally amusing that her assertions to be in agreement with Hitchens failed similarly. She flattered and agreed and admired, but he would have nothing of it. I'd caricature much of their conversation as:

Sewell: "You're a brilliant guy, and we agree on so many things."
Hitchens: "You're a nice person, but you simply have no idea how many light years we are apart from each other. Please stop confusing yourself to be someone who agrees with me or with Christians."

If you're a christianish, atheistish sort of "person of faith," you will have to get used to neither Christians or atheists mistaking you as one of their own. You should not be surprised at their chagrin when you hijack their name.

In contrast to the Hitchens/Sewell conversation, you might want to check out Christopher Hitchens' relationship and dialogue with Douglas Wilson. These two guys know that their perspectives are in direct opposition to each other, and they both deeply appreciate the other's ability to recognize and confront their collision of ideas in honest argument.


A 'Collision' Of Beliefs: Atheist Vs. Theologian
NPR: All Things Considered - October 25, 2009

COLLISION: Christopher Hitchens vs. Douglas Wilson (DVD)

Hitchens on Christianity

In addition to debating the credibility and value of Christianity, outspoken and well-known atheist Christopher Hitchens apparently finds himself in situations where he has to explain Christianity to people who call themselves Christians.

The Portland Monthly recently invited Hitchens to participate a conversation with "a liberal believer"—the recently retired minister of the First Unitarian Church of Portland, Marilyn Sewell. Formerly a psychotherapist and teacher, Sewell has also authored a number of books.

In this exchange, Hitchens, the atheist, demonstrates a clearer understanding of orthodox Christianity than Sewell, the person who claims to be a Christian. Ouch!

Sewell: The religion you cite in your book is generally the fundamentalist faith of various kinds. I’m a liberal Christian, and I don’t take the stories from the scripture literally. I don’t believe in the doctrine of atonement (that Jesus died for our sins, for example). Do you make and distinction between fundamentalist faith and liberal religion?

Hitchens: I would say that if you don’t believe that Jesus of Nazareth was the Christ and Messiah, and that he rose again from the dead and by his sacrifice our sins are forgiven, you’re really not in any meaningful sense a Christian.

Sewell: Let me go someplace else. When I was in seminary I was particularly drawn to the work of theologian Paul Tillich. He shocked people by describing the traditional God—as you might as a matter of fact—as, “an invincible tyrant.” For Tillich, God is “the ground of being.” It’s his response to, say, Freud’s belief that religion is mere wish fulfillment and comes from the humans’ fear of death. What do you think of Tillich’s concept of God?”

Hitchens: I would classify that under the heading of “statements that have no meaning—at all.”

Jean Dominique - The Agronomist

The Agronomist
In the aftermath of the recent earthquake, we're hearing a lot about Haiti these days. It's unbelievable and sad that I know so little about the people, the struggles, and history (even recent history) of this nearby country.

This 2003 film, directed by Jonathan Demme, was an eye-opening experience for me. It documents the life and work of Haitian radio journalist and human rights activist Jean Leopold Dominique and his wife, journalist Michele Montas. Dominique, who was assassinated in 2003, was a huge personality with an unstoppable drive to help the common people of Haiti. He ran Radio Haiti and was a populist voice against the powers of corruption, poverty, and dehumanization that enslaved his country.

Dominique was a colorful and passionate person who dedicated his life toward making a real difference in the world. I'm glad to have finally learned a little about him through this fine documentary.

Two More Books from 2009

The Business of Heaven: Daily Readings by C. S. Lewis
My brother, Joel, gave me this book as a Christmas present in 2008. It's an anthology of excerpts from Lewis' books, letters, and essays arranged as 365 daily readings. End notes provide bibliographic information for each selection.

A little Lewis everyday in 2009 was a good thing! I was inspired and encouraged many times. I was reminded of how brilliant Lewis was, and how fun he is to read. Finally, I was delighted to discover some new Lewis books that really need to find their way into my library. 2009.12.31



True Story: A Christianity Worth Believing In by James Choung
I preached a sermon series called "Trust Worthy: Is Our Christianity Worth Believing?" in the Fall of 2009. During the time I was preaching those sermons, I ran across this book by James Choung at the Intervarsity Press website. The title was so close to that of my series, that I snatched it up to see if there was anything in the book that might be useful to me.

Most of the book is a fictional story of people struggling to understand and share their faith in ways the are meaningful and credible. The story is a vehicle for introducing a new method for talking about the Gospel. In other words, the book is an illustrative narrative that demonstrates Choung's suggestions for how to share the Gospel in our contemporary, western, post-modern society.

In the last section of the book, Choung explains his goals in developing his new method. First, it needed to capture the big picture of the kingdom of God and make it relevant for everyday life. Second, it needed to be framed in the context of the whole of Scripture (Genesis - Revelation). Third, it needed to be simple to understand and short enough to draw out on a napkin. Last, it needed to be presented in a way that truly sounds like good news.

I found Choung's critique of typical evangelical approaches to presenting the Gospel to be right on. His narrative approach effectively and believably illustrated the difficulties of talking about faith and Christianity. I believe his new approach to evangelistic conversation is very useful and have already found it to be helpful in my conversations with others. 2009.10.09

Stravinsky Concert - January 24th

The Minnesota Orchestra and
The Saint Paul Chamber Orchestra
January 24, 2010 - Benson Great Hall
Conductor: Osmo Vänskä



Program:
The Star Spangled Banner (arranged by Igor Stravinsky)
Jeu de Cartes (The Card Game)
Danses Concertantes for Chamber Orchestra
Le Sacre du Printemps (The Rite of Spring)

A superb afternoon of music. I'm very glad to be a SPCO season ticket holder. Some random thoughts about the concert:
• I learned that I like early Stravinsky (pre-1915) better than his later works.
• While the usual SPCO concerts are just perfect for Benson Great Hall, this event was too big for the venue. The orchestra barely fit and the room seemed small for the combined orchestra pieces. Parking was also an atrocious problem.
• Listening to some Stravinsky pieces (re form) is a bit like listening to a very long run-on sentence or "stream of consciousness" story.
• I like the first movement of Rite of Spring. The second movement? Not so much.

Two Cross Cultural Movies

In recent weeks my wife and I have been able to enjoy a few interesting and obscure films. I thought it might be worth posting something in case others would like to check them out.

Ushpuzin
Starring: Shuli Rand, Michal Bat-Sheva Rand
Director: Giddi Dar

Ushpuzin is the story of a orthodox husband and wife living in a very religiously conservative neighborhood in modern Jerusalem. The poor and struggling couple find themselves hosts of unexpected guests (escaped convicts) during Succoth, the Feast of Tabernacles. "Ushpizin" is the word for guests who stay too long. These guests test the patience and faith of their hosts.

I was struck with the passion and grace and mercy of these people, the wisdom of their rabbi, and the immediacy of their prayer life. I found the acting to be quite good, and the story was both moving and believable.

The Story of the Weeping Camel
Starring: Janchiv Ayurzana, Chimed Ohin
Director: Luigi Falorni, Byambasuren Davaa

This film is a documentary that gives a glimpse into the lives of Mongolian camel herdsmen near the Gobi Desert of southern Mongolia. One of their camels gives birth to a rare white colt, but immediately rejects it and refuses to nurse it. What can they do to save the colt?

The film shows the life, relationships, rituals, routines, and holistic practices of these remarkable people. It's amazing how other-worldly their world seems, and yet how much of the human experience transcends culture and geography.

Overdue Book Reports 2009

The Prodigal God by Timothy Keller
A wonderful little book with a great big message. This inspired me to preach my "The Prodigal Church" sermon series. 2009.02.12

New and Selected Poems, Vol. 1 by Mary Oliver
I just love the poems of Mary Oliver. Her powers of observation, sense of wonder, precision of words, and nurturing tone are nurturing and inspiring to me. 2009.03.01

The Last Word and the Word after That by Brian McLaren
I finally got to the last of the books in McLaren's New Kind of Christian trilogy. I thought his writing style got better with each new book. I appreciate the fictional narrative approach to provoking conversation and awareness about a myriad of relevant and difficult topics (theological, doctrinal, ecclesiological) facing Christians today. 2009.03.11

Between Two Worlds by John Stott
I finally got to this classic book about preaching written by one of the finest preachers I have ever had the privilege to hear. The book included biblical, historical, practical, and personal insights on the craft of preaching. 2009.03.15

Jesus for President by Shane Claiborne & Chris Haw
I thought reading this book would give me a good idea of Claiborne's views on politics and social justice. I was right. Lot's of great stuff here, and every page is illustrated in full color. 2009.04.15

Prayer Coach by James L. Nicodem
I heard about this book through Scot McKnight's Jesus Creed blog. It's a very practical "how-to" sort of book for anyone looking for some ideas to be intentional about the practice of prayer. While there is some good basic coaching here, there is also a pretty substantial amount of cheerleading. 2009.04.30

Culture Making by Andy Crouch
There was a lot of buzz about this book. I enjoyed it and thought it was well written. I got the most out of the first half of the book. 2009.04.24

New and Selected Poems, Vol. 2 by Mary Oliver
"I tell you this To break your heart, / by which I mean only / that it break open and never close again / to the rest of the world." (From "Lead" p. 54) 2009.05.07

Local Wonders by Ted Koozer
Deceptively simple essays and short prose pieces filled with all kinds of profound insights. The book is arranged in sections that correspond to seasons of the year. I read the book out of order, but in sync with the actual seasons I was experiencing. Took me back to lots of Nebraska memories.

"If you can awaken / inside the familiar / and discover it new / you need never leave home." (p. 94) 2009.05.13

The Myth of a Christian Nation by Gregory A. Boyd
This is a book I read at the same time as one of my high school students from church. The goal was to discuss Christian perspectives on politics. This book is a thought-provoking corrective needed in this time when so many let their faith be confused with and co-opted by a political agenda. It's a good reminder that the Lordship of Christ stands above and apart from your country and your political partisanship. 2009.05.17

God's Rivals by Gerald R. McDermott
Yet another book I read with a high school student from our church as part of the special Leadership U group I was leading. Rather than simply seeing other religions as nothing more than rivals to Christianity, McDermott explores possible reasons for why they exist and the potential purposes they may serve. 2009.06.01

Creation by Alister McGrath
One of the short and beautifully illustrated books in the Truth and the Christian Imagination series by McGrath. In this book he explains important Christian theological perspectives relating to creation. The commentary is accompanied by seven masterpiece paintings from the history of art. 2009.06.15

Dinner with a Perfect Stranger by David Gregory
Read through this little book as part of my prep for the Dinner with Jesus sermon series I preached last summer. I wondered if it might be something worth putting in our church resource center. I didn't find it to be too good. Typical evangelical "pat answer" approaches to questions unbelievers have. 2009.06.25

The Useful Sinner by J. David Hawkins
Heard about this confessional memoir through the Mockingbird website. It's out of print, but they had a few copies for people who were interested. I read it on vacation up on the North Shore. 2009.06.26

Sitting at the Feet of Rabbi Jesus
by Ann Spangler and Lois Tverberg
Just something I ran across on an Amazon.com search. It had a few good insights, but was written in almost too much of an evangelical vernacular. 2009.06.27

Consider the Oyster by MFK Fisher
I read this little book at my son Tyler's suggestion. He had heard about it on NPR. Didn't really ring my bell. Maybe I'm not enough of a foodie to really truly enjoy it. 2009.07.05

Living Things by Anne Porter
I discovered Anne Porter's poetry through Garrison Keillor's The Writer's Almanac on Minnesota Public Radio. Her depth, perceptiveness, warmth, and faith come through everything she writes. I hope to read everything she has written. 2009.07.20

At Table with Jesus by John O. Gooch
A nifty little study book I used as a reference while preaching my Dinner with Jesus sermon Series. 2009.08.31

Christianity in Crisis by Hank Hanegraaff
I read this because one of the high school students in my church was reading it. He was very interested in reading a critique of the "prosperity," "word of faith," "spiritual warfare" preachers like Hagin, Copeland, Hinn. I wish there were some other books on this topic. 2009.09.02

Resistance - Dr. Richard Beck

Here is a fantastic sermon from Dr. Richard Beck. It's a challenging and articulate call to follow Jesus in the resistance of the things that dehumanize.

Dr. Beck teaches psychology at Abilene Christian University, and writes the thought-provoking Experimental Theology blog.

Why Do Pastors Have So Many Books?

The Blue Parakeet
by Scot McKnight

If reading, understanding, and applying the Bible were an easy thing to do, pastors would have a lot fewer books. Those who love the Scriptures and want to be guided by them in life will need to wrestle with the texts themselves and the long Christian tradition of interpretation.

For a long time now, I've found Scot McKnight's books and blog to be very helpful. His latest book, The Blue Parakeet: Rethinking How You Read the Bible, is another fine offering. Here are two short quotes from the book that I've chosen to pique your curiosity:

"...Christians and churches do operate with a pattern of discernment, but it is rarely openly admitted and even more rarely clarified. Discernment, I am arguing, is how we have always read the Bible; in fact, it is how the biblical authors themselves read the Bible they had! I want to begin a conversation among Bible readers about this very topic: What pattern of discernment is at work among us?" (p.144)

"Culturally shaped readings of the Bible and culturally shaped expressions of the gospel are exactly what Paul did and wanted. That's exactly with Peter and Hebrews and John and James and others were doing. Culturally shaped readings and expressions of the gospel are the way it has been, is, and always will be. In fact, I believe that gospel adaptation for every culture, for every church, and for every Christian is precisely why God gave us the Bible." (p.206)

Here is a two-part review of the book that appeared on Christianity Today's "Out of Ur" blog:

Review: The Blue Parakeet, Part 1
McKnight Rethinks How we Read the Bible

Review: The Blue Parakeet, Part 2
McKnight Offers Great Insights into Bible Reading

There is also a two page article by Skye Jethani (managing editor of Leadership magazine) in the April 2009 issue of Christianity Today. The piece, titled "How Not to Read the Bible," summarizes (from McKnight's Parakeet) five flawed approaches to Bible interpretation. Sorry, but I couldn't find a link to the article anywhere online.

A Beautiful Poem from Anne Porter

Music

When I was a child
I once sat sobbing on the floor
Beside my mother's piano
As she played and sang
For there was in her singing
A shy yet solemn glory
My smallness could not hold

And when I was asked
Why I was crying
I had no words for it
I only shook my head
And went on crying

Why is it that music
At its most beautiful
Opens a wound in us
An ache a desolation
Deep as a homesickness
For some far-off
And half-forgotten country

I've never understood
Why this is so

Bur there's an ancient legend
From the other side of the world
That gives away the secret
Of this mysterious sorrow

For centuries on centuries
We have been wandering
But we were made for Paradise
As deer for the forest

And when music comes to us
With its heavenly beauty
It brings us desolation
For when we hear it
We half remember
That lost native country

We dimly remember the fields
Their fragrant windswept clover
The birdsongs in the orchards
The wild white violets in the moss
By the transparent streams

And shining at the heart of it
Is the longed-for beauty
Of the One who waits for us
Who will always wait for us
In those radiant meadows

Yet also came to live with us
And wanders where we wander.

"Music" by Anne Porter from Living Things: Collected Poems.
© Steerforth Press, 2006.

Buy the Book

Got Doubts?

Faith and Doubt
by John Ortberg (Zondervan)

Like all of John's books, Faith and Doubt is pastoral in tone and easy to read. The overarching point of the book is that faith and doubt go together. "And" is the most important word in the book's title.

The book will be especially helpful to Christians who fear that having doubts somehow contradicts their faith. The book might also be helpful to people who think that becoming a Christian means they can no longer be honest about their doubts, or that they must pretend to have settled every question.

"There is a part of me that, after I die, if it all turns out to be true--the angels are singing, death is defeated, the roll is called up yonder and there I am--there is a part of me that will be surprised. What do you know? It's all true after all. I had my doubts." (from the introduction, p. 9)

"Disciples are not people who never doubt. They doubt and worship. They doubt and serve. They doubt and help each other with their doubts. They doubt and practice faithfulness. They doubt and wait for their doubt one day to be turned to knowing." (p.176)

The book is also available as an audio book.

Becoming Prodigal

The Prodigal God
by Timothy Keller (Dutton)

I remember many years ago when a grumpy old woman at the church I attended grumbled that if she heard one more sermon about the prodigal son, she would throw up. She may have had a point. Maybe she wasn't tired of the story, just tired of hearing the same old sermons about the story. Sadly, I think it's more likely that she was one of the people (people like me) who most need to see themselves in the story to understand what it means for them.

Tim Keller's new book, The Prodigal God, does just that. It's a beautiful meditation on the famous story Jesus told about a father and his two sons (Luke 15). The insights Keller brings out of this old story are so profound and helpful that I felt like I was hearing it for the first time.

I'm planning to use the book as a springboard for a teaching series I'm calling "The Prodigal Church." I'll begin this series two weeks after Easter and continue it through June.

prod-i-gal (adjective)
1. recklessly extravagant
2. having spent everything

"The solution to stinginess is a reorientation to the generosity of Christ in the gospel, where he poured out his wealth for you." (p. 118)

I Finally Got to the Shack

The Shack
by William P. Young
(Windblown Media)

I bought a copy of William Young's popular book about a year ago, but just never got around to reading it. Well, the buzz finally got so loud I thought it was becoming my pastoral duty to read it. The book has clearly stirred up a lot of interest and questions, and since as a pastor many of the questions were starting to come my way, I thought I'd better check it out for myself.

Overall I found it to be interesting and thought provoking. A little too much dialogue along the way, but a pretty good story--The Pilgrim's Progress meets The Matrix.

Some criticism of the book could probably have been avoided if the cover had included two words: A Novel. It's fiction, not documentary. It's a novel, not a theological treatise. The author is playing with his readers. He wants you to wonder if it's a true story. He even gives a fictitious forward and afterward to reinforce the ambiguity.

You have to read "The Story behind The Shack" appendix to finally learn (does everyone read that far?) that the whole thing is a fictional story the writer hopes will one day be a movie. It would make a pretty good movie, if you had the right people making it. Then again, it could go the other way. Be careful, Mr. Young.

As far as the theology goes, I'd say the book is good simply because it's getting people to talk and think about theology--two things I've always associated with good theology. One day last week, a waitress in a restaurant saw my copy of the book on the table next to me. She exclaimed that she had just devoured the book in two days and loved it! If she hadn't been working, I bet she would have sat down right there and then and struck up a good conversation with me.

As you might expect, there are already books coming out to argue the merits and dangers of the book, and to help people sort out the doctrinal issues. Maybe these spin-off books will be helpful. I hope so. For my part, I'm just thankful for any book that makes everyday people interested in discussing doctrine and theology in ways that are meaningful to them.

Finding God in the Shack: Seeking Truth in a Story of Evil and Redemption
by Roger Olson (IVP)

Finding God in the Shack: Conversations on an Unforgettable Weekend
by Randal Rauser