This is a follow up to an earlier post. I thought the information might be helpful. It's something to think about as we try to understand the teachings of Jesus.
Aramaic was the common spoken language throughout the Middle East at the time of Jesus and was the tongue in which he expressed his teachings. Unlike Greek, Aramaic does not draw sharp lines between means and ends or between an inner quality and and outer action. Both are always present.
For example, when Jesus refers to the "kingdom of heaven," this kingdom is always both within and among us. Likewise, "neighbor" is both inside and outside of us as is the "self" that we are to love to the same degree as our "neighbor."
Unlike Greek, Aramaic presents a fluid and holistic view of the cosmos, The arbitrary borders found in Greek between "body," "mind," and "spirit" fall away. Furthermore, like its sister languages Hebrew and Arabic, Aramaic can express at least three layers of meaning:
1. Intellectual - the face value of the words in question. The "literal" meaning in modern terms.
2. Metaphorical - how the story presents a metaphor for our lives or the life of a community. Here we must awaken our poetic sensibility.
3. Universal - the universal truth of the text. The wordless experience to which the text points.
To a Middle Eastern teacher like Jesus, none of these viewpoints excludes the others. We should consider all the possible meanings of key sacred phrases and prayers and let them work inside.
The tragedy of biblical translation has been that teachings which were meant to resonate on many different levels of meaning have been whittled down or restricted. The beauty of the language which Jesus spoke is that it gives us permission to let his holy wisdom speak to us in many different ways and on many different levels. It is living and dynamic, not static and fixed.
Thursday, September 30, 2010
Thursday, September 23, 2010
Who Is the Real Heretic?
Here's a quote from J. Neil Alexander, a bishop in the Episcopal Church. It's from his insightful book entitled "This Far By Grace: A Bishop's Journey Through Questions About Homosexuality," Cowley Publications:
"In the broad sweep of church history, the heretic was often the voice that had no tolerance for ambiguity, the one who believed that the truth of God had been cornered in clear and irrefutable terms. It was not that the heretic's opinion was necessarily wrong or theologically untenable, but rather that the heretic had become something of a johnny-one-note. The heretic was unwilling to allow the truth as he envisioned it to stand alongside the truth as others were discovering it, thereby making it impossible for the community to find the still deeper truth for which all were searching. The heretic was the one who could not live in the tension between, for example, works and grace, and found it necessary to pick one and reject the other. Orthodoxy expelled the heretic, not necessarily because he was wrong, but because of his unwillingness to seek the truth as a shared experience of faith within the community of Christ. The heretic operates from a position of fear. Orthodoxy operates from a position of confidence, truth, and the ultimate truth of God in Jesus Christ."
"In the broad sweep of church history, the heretic was often the voice that had no tolerance for ambiguity, the one who believed that the truth of God had been cornered in clear and irrefutable terms. It was not that the heretic's opinion was necessarily wrong or theologically untenable, but rather that the heretic had become something of a johnny-one-note. The heretic was unwilling to allow the truth as he envisioned it to stand alongside the truth as others were discovering it, thereby making it impossible for the community to find the still deeper truth for which all were searching. The heretic was the one who could not live in the tension between, for example, works and grace, and found it necessary to pick one and reject the other. Orthodoxy expelled the heretic, not necessarily because he was wrong, but because of his unwillingness to seek the truth as a shared experience of faith within the community of Christ. The heretic operates from a position of fear. Orthodoxy operates from a position of confidence, truth, and the ultimate truth of God in Jesus Christ."
Wednesday, September 22, 2010
Interpreting Scripture, Part 2
When we seek to interpret any passage of Scripture, we must always remember that for the devout and scholarly Jew, and especially for the rabbis, scripture had more than one meaning; and, it is true to say, that the literal meaning was often regarded as the least important. For the Jewish rabbis of Jesus' day any passage of scripture had four meanings:
1. PESHAT, which was the simple or literal meaning.
2. REMAZ, which is the suggested meaning.
3. DERUSH, which is the meaning evolved and deduced by investigation.
4. SOD, which was the allegorical meaning.
The first letters of these four words -- P R D S - are the consonants of the word "Paradise." When a rabbi had succeeded in penetrating into these four different meanings he reached the joy of paradise! It therefore often happened that the rabbis would take a simple bit of historical narrative form the Old Testament and would read into it inner meanings, which often appear to us fantastic, but which were very convincing to the people of their day.
Furthermore, Jesus spoke Aramaic which was the common spoken language throughout the Middle East. Like its sister languages Hebrew and Arabic, Aramaic can express at least three layers of meaning:
1. INTELLECTUAL - the face value of the words in question. The "literal" meaning in modern terms.
2. METAPHORICAL - how the story presents a metaphor for our lives or the life of a community. Here we must awaken our poetic sensibility
3. UNIVERSAL - the universal truth of the text; the wordless experience to which the text points
To a Middle Eastern teacher like Jesus, none of these viewpoints excludes the others. We should consider all the possible meanings of key sacred phrases and prayers and let them work inside. The tragedy of biblical translation and interpretation has been that teachings which were meant to resonate on many different levels of meaning have been whittled down or restricted when this is completely foreign to the rabbis and wisdom teachers of Jesus day.
Hmmm...makes you think, doesn't it?
1. PESHAT, which was the simple or literal meaning.
2. REMAZ, which is the suggested meaning.
3. DERUSH, which is the meaning evolved and deduced by investigation.
4. SOD, which was the allegorical meaning.
The first letters of these four words -- P R D S - are the consonants of the word "Paradise." When a rabbi had succeeded in penetrating into these four different meanings he reached the joy of paradise! It therefore often happened that the rabbis would take a simple bit of historical narrative form the Old Testament and would read into it inner meanings, which often appear to us fantastic, but which were very convincing to the people of their day.
Furthermore, Jesus spoke Aramaic which was the common spoken language throughout the Middle East. Like its sister languages Hebrew and Arabic, Aramaic can express at least three layers of meaning:
1. INTELLECTUAL - the face value of the words in question. The "literal" meaning in modern terms.
2. METAPHORICAL - how the story presents a metaphor for our lives or the life of a community. Here we must awaken our poetic sensibility
3. UNIVERSAL - the universal truth of the text; the wordless experience to which the text points
To a Middle Eastern teacher like Jesus, none of these viewpoints excludes the others. We should consider all the possible meanings of key sacred phrases and prayers and let them work inside. The tragedy of biblical translation and interpretation has been that teachings which were meant to resonate on many different levels of meaning have been whittled down or restricted when this is completely foreign to the rabbis and wisdom teachers of Jesus day.
Hmmm...makes you think, doesn't it?
Tuesday, September 21, 2010
Interpreting Scripture: Lectio Divina
"I go to the scriptures as a hunter goes to the woods. I go out alone, I sit quietly, I listen, and I wait for something to move." --John Chrysostom (4th Century)
One ancient method for interpreting Scripture is called Lectio Divina, which is Latin for "divine/holy reading." It was developed around the year 220 AD by Origen and have been used in monasteries for centuries. [Just Google the phrase "Lectio Divina" for more information on the subject.] The group version includes three readings of the text which are followed by a period of silence.
During the first silence, worshippers are asked to reflection on the question "What word or phrase speaks to me?" Then these words or phrases are shared with the group.
During the second silence, we reflect on the question "Where does the content of this reading touch my life today?" Then people share with the group how this reading spoke to them.
Finally, during the third silence, we reflect on the phrase "I believe God wants me to.....this week." Then there is an opportunity to share with the group how God is calling each person to put this text into action.
I enjoy the process because the text seems to speak to people in so many different and creative ways. There is not simply one answer for how the Scripture is to be understood. This living, dynamic word moves people in many different and surprising ways.
What a sharp contrast this is to the way many fundamentalists approach the Scriptures. They seem to believe that each text has a fixed meaning that is unchangeable and indisputable. I truly feel sorry for those who approach God's Word in this way because they are trying to put God in a box. They are trying to dictate and control the way the Holy Spirit moves and speaks to us. It has been my experience that God cannot be contained by us, nor can we control the Holy Spirit which, at least according to Acts 2, is a whirlwind of activity that spreads like a wildfire.
Perhaps, if we opened ourselves up a bit and relaxed our death-grip on the sacred story, the Scriptures would speak to us again anew and challenge us in ways we never imagined. More in this tomorrow!
One ancient method for interpreting Scripture is called Lectio Divina, which is Latin for "divine/holy reading." It was developed around the year 220 AD by Origen and have been used in monasteries for centuries. [Just Google the phrase "Lectio Divina" for more information on the subject.] The group version includes three readings of the text which are followed by a period of silence.
During the first silence, worshippers are asked to reflection on the question "What word or phrase speaks to me?" Then these words or phrases are shared with the group.
During the second silence, we reflect on the question "Where does the content of this reading touch my life today?" Then people share with the group how this reading spoke to them.
Finally, during the third silence, we reflect on the phrase "I believe God wants me to.....this week." Then there is an opportunity to share with the group how God is calling each person to put this text into action.
I enjoy the process because the text seems to speak to people in so many different and creative ways. There is not simply one answer for how the Scripture is to be understood. This living, dynamic word moves people in many different and surprising ways.
What a sharp contrast this is to the way many fundamentalists approach the Scriptures. They seem to believe that each text has a fixed meaning that is unchangeable and indisputable. I truly feel sorry for those who approach God's Word in this way because they are trying to put God in a box. They are trying to dictate and control the way the Holy Spirit moves and speaks to us. It has been my experience that God cannot be contained by us, nor can we control the Holy Spirit which, at least according to Acts 2, is a whirlwind of activity that spreads like a wildfire.
Perhaps, if we opened ourselves up a bit and relaxed our death-grip on the sacred story, the Scriptures would speak to us again anew and challenge us in ways we never imagined. More in this tomorrow!
Monday, September 20, 2010
Jesus and Nicodemus
Jesus said, "Do not be astonished that I said to you, you must be born from above. The wind blows where it chooses, and you hear the sound of it, but you do not know where it comes from or where it goes. So it is with everyone who is born of the Spirit." John 3:7-8
Each year I participate in I a faith and arts retreat which focuses on how our faith influences the art we create and vice versa. One of the Bible passages we studied over the weekend was the story of Nicodemus and Jesus which is found in John 3. I'd like us to look at this story in a slightly different way than we may have done so before. Nicodemus comes to Jesus with a statement "We know that you are..." He wants to put Jesus in a box. He wants to categorize him and put him in a place that is safe and comfortable.
Jesus, on the other hand, tells Nicodemus that he doesn't know anything. The Spirit of God cannot be put in a box and is, in fact, as hard to pin down as the wind. It blows all over the place in any direction it likes. It is wild and unpredictable.
This seems to drive Nicodemus crazy, and we see him struggling with this concept as he dialogues back and forth with Jesus. In the end, we don't really know if Nicodemus understood what Jesus way saying. The story is left open ended.
One of the insights we gain from this story is that we cannot put Jesus or the Holy Spirit inside a box. Both of them move in mysterious and surprising ways. Some Christians would like us to think that someone cannot be gay and be Christian as if the two are polar opposites. Experience has shown me, as well as many other people of faith, that God's Spirit wind is blowing mightily in the lives of LGBT people in amazing and creative ways. Jesus, as well as the Holy Spirit, cannot and will not be contained by doctrines, creeds or orthodox teaching. This presents some believers with a theological conundrum, just like Nicodemus. The question which remains to be answered is will they fight in vain to keep Jesus in a box or will they acknowledge that this is a futile and foolish effort.
Each year I participate in I a faith and arts retreat which focuses on how our faith influences the art we create and vice versa. One of the Bible passages we studied over the weekend was the story of Nicodemus and Jesus which is found in John 3. I'd like us to look at this story in a slightly different way than we may have done so before. Nicodemus comes to Jesus with a statement "We know that you are..." He wants to put Jesus in a box. He wants to categorize him and put him in a place that is safe and comfortable.
Jesus, on the other hand, tells Nicodemus that he doesn't know anything. The Spirit of God cannot be put in a box and is, in fact, as hard to pin down as the wind. It blows all over the place in any direction it likes. It is wild and unpredictable.
This seems to drive Nicodemus crazy, and we see him struggling with this concept as he dialogues back and forth with Jesus. In the end, we don't really know if Nicodemus understood what Jesus way saying. The story is left open ended.
One of the insights we gain from this story is that we cannot put Jesus or the Holy Spirit inside a box. Both of them move in mysterious and surprising ways. Some Christians would like us to think that someone cannot be gay and be Christian as if the two are polar opposites. Experience has shown me, as well as many other people of faith, that God's Spirit wind is blowing mightily in the lives of LGBT people in amazing and creative ways. Jesus, as well as the Holy Spirit, cannot and will not be contained by doctrines, creeds or orthodox teaching. This presents some believers with a theological conundrum, just like Nicodemus. The question which remains to be answered is will they fight in vain to keep Jesus in a box or will they acknowledge that this is a futile and foolish effort.
Friday, September 17, 2010
Thursday, September 16, 2010
Interpreting Scripture: Seriously, Not Literally
While I was away on church business, I heard the same tired, old argument that gays and lesbians cannot be pastors because homosexuality is a sin and, therefore, precludes LGBT from being pastors. This came from a Lutheran who believes this with all of his misguided heart. Following his logic, women should not be pastors either, neither should clergy who have been married more than once since their remarriage is considered to be adultery by Biblical standards. I'm sure we could eliminate others as well but I think you get the point.
Why is it that people of faith cling to certain passages of Scripture with the fervor of a crazed fundamentalist, while using a reasonable method of interpretation with others? The answer to this question is that homosexuality is an emotional issue for some people. They simply "feel" it is wrong and, therefore, any attempt at a reasonable and rational conversation on the subject is a waste of time. They may use the historical critical method and literary criticism on other passages of Scripture but when it comes to homosexuality the Bible suddenly becomes rigid and carved in stone with no possible wiggle room.
My challenge to the Body of Christ is to take the scriptures seriously, but not literally. We need to have a consistent method of interpretation that we apply to the whole Bible. One basic approach that a number of people use is as follows:
1. JESUS IS THE STANDARD. All other books of the Bible are to be understood and interpreted in light of the teachings of Jesus in the gospels.
2. LOOK AT THE CONTEXT OF THE PASSAGE. Always ask "Why did the author put these passages together? What connection did the author see between them?"
3. LET SCRIPTURE INTERPRET SCRIPTURE. The "spirit of the law" is far more important than the "letter of the law."
4. IS IT GOOD NEWS OR CULTURAL BIAS? Does the message of the text support the good news of what God has done in Jesus or is it simply a product of it's culture and time and has little relevancy for the Church in our day and age?
There are many other interpretive methods that can be used when studying the Bible. I've never met a true literalist so let's be honest and consistent in the way we unpack the Bible.
Why is it that people of faith cling to certain passages of Scripture with the fervor of a crazed fundamentalist, while using a reasonable method of interpretation with others? The answer to this question is that homosexuality is an emotional issue for some people. They simply "feel" it is wrong and, therefore, any attempt at a reasonable and rational conversation on the subject is a waste of time. They may use the historical critical method and literary criticism on other passages of Scripture but when it comes to homosexuality the Bible suddenly becomes rigid and carved in stone with no possible wiggle room.
My challenge to the Body of Christ is to take the scriptures seriously, but not literally. We need to have a consistent method of interpretation that we apply to the whole Bible. One basic approach that a number of people use is as follows:
1. JESUS IS THE STANDARD. All other books of the Bible are to be understood and interpreted in light of the teachings of Jesus in the gospels.
2. LOOK AT THE CONTEXT OF THE PASSAGE. Always ask "Why did the author put these passages together? What connection did the author see between them?"
3. LET SCRIPTURE INTERPRET SCRIPTURE. The "spirit of the law" is far more important than the "letter of the law."
4. IS IT GOOD NEWS OR CULTURAL BIAS? Does the message of the text support the good news of what God has done in Jesus or is it simply a product of it's culture and time and has little relevancy for the Church in our day and age?
There are many other interpretive methods that can be used when studying the Bible. I've never met a true literalist so let's be honest and consistent in the way we unpack the Bible.
Wednesday, September 15, 2010
Baptismal Glue
A number of years ago my husband and I were vacationing in Athens and made the 3 1/2 hour bus trip to the ancient city of Delphi. The bus swayed and swerved the narrow mountain roads until I thought I was going to hurl. When we finally reached Delphi I wanted to kiss the ground but got distracted by the breathtaking view. Delphi sits high in the mountains and has a stone amphitheater which looks out over the countryside. It also contains a market place, temples and, if you hike all the way to the top, there is a huge athletic stadium. To construct such a place with modern equipment would be quite a feat. It boggles the mind to imagine how the ancient Greeks built this magnificent city.
Toward the top of the hill there is also a stream that flows out of the hillside. Our tour guide said that it is one of the oldest and purest water sources in the world. It was a hot day so no one had to ask me twice to take a drink. As the cool, refreshing water quenched my thirst I though about the countless people that must have stood at this very spot and drank just like I was doing. Folks like the Apostle Paul, early Christians, etc. It was a powerful moment to say the least. It made me feel like I was connected to something far greater than myself.
When we take this story and place it in the context of baptism [Last Sunday liturgical churches celebrated the Baptism of Jesus] it reminds us that the waters of baptism also connect us to something far greater than ourselves. It connects us to the "saints of every time and every place." Baptism is the glue that holds the Christian community together.
The most challenging part of this connection is that it bonds us to ALL of our brothers and sisters in Christ: those we like and those we don't like; those whose viewpoints are similar to ours and those who see the world in ways that leave us shaking our heads. As a gay man this challenges me to watch the way I treat those who would persecute me. Conservative Christians drive me crazy sometimes. That's no big surprise. However, I recognize that they are as much a part of the Body of Christ as I am. The question remains as to how I will treat those whom I am connected to whether I like them or not. They are challenged to do the same.
Hmmm...we sure have a lot of work to do if our baptismal glue is going to hold us all together!
Toward the top of the hill there is also a stream that flows out of the hillside. Our tour guide said that it is one of the oldest and purest water sources in the world. It was a hot day so no one had to ask me twice to take a drink. As the cool, refreshing water quenched my thirst I though about the countless people that must have stood at this very spot and drank just like I was doing. Folks like the Apostle Paul, early Christians, etc. It was a powerful moment to say the least. It made me feel like I was connected to something far greater than myself.
When we take this story and place it in the context of baptism [Last Sunday liturgical churches celebrated the Baptism of Jesus] it reminds us that the waters of baptism also connect us to something far greater than ourselves. It connects us to the "saints of every time and every place." Baptism is the glue that holds the Christian community together.
The most challenging part of this connection is that it bonds us to ALL of our brothers and sisters in Christ: those we like and those we don't like; those whose viewpoints are similar to ours and those who see the world in ways that leave us shaking our heads. As a gay man this challenges me to watch the way I treat those who would persecute me. Conservative Christians drive me crazy sometimes. That's no big surprise. However, I recognize that they are as much a part of the Body of Christ as I am. The question remains as to how I will treat those whom I am connected to whether I like them or not. They are challenged to do the same.
Hmmm...we sure have a lot of work to do if our baptismal glue is going to hold us all together!
Tuesday, September 14, 2010
Trans-tastic!
"The chief imperative in cases like mine was to show no doubt as to the gender of the child in question. You did not tell the parents of a newborn, "Your baby is a hermaphrodite." Instead, you said, "Your daughter was born with a clitoris that is a little larger than a normal girl's. We'll need to do surgery to make it the right size." [Dr.] Luce felt that parents weren't able to cope with an ambiguous gender assignment. You had to tell them if they had a boy or a girl. Which meant that, before you said anything, you had to be sure what the prevailing gender was." from the novel "Middlesex" by Jeffery Eugenides
We human beings like things to be well-sorted. We are not comfortable with ambiguity and prefer things to be black and white. Perhaps this is why the trans and gender-queer community makes quite a number of heteros and homos shake in their boots [present company not included].
The T in LGBT reminds us that sexuality is a bit messy. It isn't easily categorized. I think this is a good thing. If God created nature with such diversity and variety then why do we assume that our sexuality does not follow suit? I believe the trans community is a great gift to all of us. I hope we will listen to what they have to teach us. I still have a great deal to learn on this subject...so if there are any trans people out there who are reading my blog...please consider writing a short article. I'd be honored to publish it.
We human beings like things to be well-sorted. We are not comfortable with ambiguity and prefer things to be black and white. Perhaps this is why the trans and gender-queer community makes quite a number of heteros and homos shake in their boots [present company not included].
The T in LGBT reminds us that sexuality is a bit messy. It isn't easily categorized. I think this is a good thing. If God created nature with such diversity and variety then why do we assume that our sexuality does not follow suit? I believe the trans community is a great gift to all of us. I hope we will listen to what they have to teach us. I still have a great deal to learn on this subject...so if there are any trans people out there who are reading my blog...please consider writing a short article. I'd be honored to publish it.
Monday, September 13, 2010
Just a Laugh
Believe it or not an 80 year old woman sent me this card for my birthday! The verse cited inside the card is "God has brought me laughter" [Genesis 21:6 NIV]. I share it with you because, every once in a while, we simply need to laugh and enjoy the beauty of the day. Hope you are having a good one!
Friday, September 10, 2010
In God's Time
Let it be so now; for it is proper for us in this way to fulfill all righteousness. [Matthew 3:15, NRSV]
Do it. God's work, putting things right all these centuries, is coming together right now in this baptism. [Matt 3:15, The Message]
In the gospel of Matthew, the first words Jesus spoke occur in chapter three during Jesus' baptism. Jesus goes to the Jordan river to be baptized by John. John protests, saying, "I need to be baptized by you, and do you come to me?" For John the order is all wrong. Jesus should be the one dunking him. Jesus' reply in verse 15 seems to indicate that John needs to trust God's timing in this matter, even though he has his doubts.
It's hard to trust God's timing. I'm definitely a "take charge" kind of guy who sometimes goes forward like a bull in a china shop when what I really should do is "be still" and wait for God's green light. This is especially true in my advocacy work on behalf of the LGBT community. I want things to move faster than they do, however, several of my gay elders have reminded me that we've made amazing strides with regards to LGBT equality. Patience is required as we do our justice work as well as the ability to trust God's timing in all things.
Speaking of time, while I was in seminary one of my professor's told me there are two kinds of time in the Bible. KRONOS is chronological time which is marked by days, weeks and years. KAIROS is the fullness of time, the perfect moment. Going back to Matthew 3, it appears that John is concerned about KRONOS while Jesus is all about KAIROS. Perhaps there's a valuable lesson there for all of us to learn. God's timing is perfect and as we make our way through the minutes, hours and day, let us keep our eyes out for those KAIROS moments when God's timing sets things into motion that will astonish and amaze us.
Do it. God's work, putting things right all these centuries, is coming together right now in this baptism. [Matt 3:15, The Message]
In the gospel of Matthew, the first words Jesus spoke occur in chapter three during Jesus' baptism. Jesus goes to the Jordan river to be baptized by John. John protests, saying, "I need to be baptized by you, and do you come to me?" For John the order is all wrong. Jesus should be the one dunking him. Jesus' reply in verse 15 seems to indicate that John needs to trust God's timing in this matter, even though he has his doubts.
It's hard to trust God's timing. I'm definitely a "take charge" kind of guy who sometimes goes forward like a bull in a china shop when what I really should do is "be still" and wait for God's green light. This is especially true in my advocacy work on behalf of the LGBT community. I want things to move faster than they do, however, several of my gay elders have reminded me that we've made amazing strides with regards to LGBT equality. Patience is required as we do our justice work as well as the ability to trust God's timing in all things.
Speaking of time, while I was in seminary one of my professor's told me there are two kinds of time in the Bible. KRONOS is chronological time which is marked by days, weeks and years. KAIROS is the fullness of time, the perfect moment. Going back to Matthew 3, it appears that John is concerned about KRONOS while Jesus is all about KAIROS. Perhaps there's a valuable lesson there for all of us to learn. God's timing is perfect and as we make our way through the minutes, hours and day, let us keep our eyes out for those KAIROS moments when God's timing sets things into motion that will astonish and amaze us.
Thursday, September 09, 2010
CSI: God
Search me, O God, and know my heart; test me and know my thoughts. See if there is any hurtful way in me, and lead me in the way everlasting. [Psalm 139:23-24, NRSV]
There is an interesting Hebrew word contained in this familiar verse from the Psalms. It is OTSEB which is translated here as "hurtful." The KJV renders this word as "wicked" but this does not convey the complete sense of the word. OTSEB can be rendered as "an idol," "bodily or mental pain" or "sorrow."
When we ask God to search us and know our hearts, we are asking God to look into the deepest, darkest corners of our souls and bring to light the things that prevent us from living a more joyful life. The Message cleverly translates the first part of this verse as "Investigate my life, O God; find out everything about me." It's almost as if God were a character on the popular TV series CSI and is able to find the tiniest traces of pain and sorrow and extract them from our lives.
May this powerful Psalm be our daily prayer: Investigate my life, O God. Remove anything from my life that I have come to worship more than You. Extract the hurts and pains that have scarred my soul. Find the deepest sorrows that dwell in me that are buried so deep that I don't even know about them on a conscious level.
This prayer is a must for the LGBT community because many of us have done quite a bit of deep soul work in order for us to make peace with ourselves and with God. Just about the time I think I have completed this work, God pulls something else out of my soul closet that needs my attention. I guess it's a lifetime process but it is also a process that is necessary if we are to be the shining lights God desires us to be in this scary world.
There is an interesting Hebrew word contained in this familiar verse from the Psalms. It is OTSEB which is translated here as "hurtful." The KJV renders this word as "wicked" but this does not convey the complete sense of the word. OTSEB can be rendered as "an idol," "bodily or mental pain" or "sorrow."
When we ask God to search us and know our hearts, we are asking God to look into the deepest, darkest corners of our souls and bring to light the things that prevent us from living a more joyful life. The Message cleverly translates the first part of this verse as "Investigate my life, O God; find out everything about me." It's almost as if God were a character on the popular TV series CSI and is able to find the tiniest traces of pain and sorrow and extract them from our lives.
May this powerful Psalm be our daily prayer: Investigate my life, O God. Remove anything from my life that I have come to worship more than You. Extract the hurts and pains that have scarred my soul. Find the deepest sorrows that dwell in me that are buried so deep that I don't even know about them on a conscious level.
This prayer is a must for the LGBT community because many of us have done quite a bit of deep soul work in order for us to make peace with ourselves and with God. Just about the time I think I have completed this work, God pulls something else out of my soul closet that needs my attention. I guess it's a lifetime process but it is also a process that is necessary if we are to be the shining lights God desires us to be in this scary world.
Wednesday, September 08, 2010
Judgment or Mercy: You Decide
"A man had a fig tree planted in his vineyard; and he came looking for fruit on it and found none. So he said to the gardener, 'See here! For three years I have come looking for fruit on this fig tree, and still I find none. Cut it down! Why should it be wasting the soil?' He replied, 'Sir, let it alone for one more year, until I dig around it and put manure on it. If it bears fruit next year, well and good; but if not, you can cut it down.' [Luke 13:6-9, NRSV]
As we listen this parable we must be careful not to equate God with the man who had a fig tree and Jesus as the gardner. Instead, we need to think of this parable as debate between judgment and mercy. The easy path to walk in this story would be to simply cut the tree down. Likewise, in life, we are tempted to walk away from tasks and people whom we find difficult. Judgment is always an easy thing to do. It takes very little effort on our par
The harder path to walk is to care for the tree. This means we will have to work hard. We will have to endure a little manure under our fingernails and wait in hopeful expectation for fruit that may or may not come. Mercy is like that. It is a much more difficult thing to do than we could ever anticipate. It take lots of sweat and toil with no guarantee of success or reward.
Consider for a few minutes the trees God has planted in your life. They may be people or places. They may be dreams or projects. Which ones have been giving you a hard time lately? Which ones have you been tempted to chop down and walk away from? Perhaps with a little more tender care, these barren trees just might produce some fruit. The questions is, are we willing to be patient enough for this to happen?
As we listen this parable we must be careful not to equate God with the man who had a fig tree and Jesus as the gardner. Instead, we need to think of this parable as debate between judgment and mercy. The easy path to walk in this story would be to simply cut the tree down. Likewise, in life, we are tempted to walk away from tasks and people whom we find difficult. Judgment is always an easy thing to do. It takes very little effort on our par
The harder path to walk is to care for the tree. This means we will have to work hard. We will have to endure a little manure under our fingernails and wait in hopeful expectation for fruit that may or may not come. Mercy is like that. It is a much more difficult thing to do than we could ever anticipate. It take lots of sweat and toil with no guarantee of success or reward.
Consider for a few minutes the trees God has planted in your life. They may be people or places. They may be dreams or projects. Which ones have been giving you a hard time lately? Which ones have you been tempted to chop down and walk away from? Perhaps with a little more tender care, these barren trees just might produce some fruit. The questions is, are we willing to be patient enough for this to happen?
Monday, September 06, 2010
Justice, I Am
"Therefore the LORD waits to be gracious to you; therefore he will rise up to show mercy to you. For the LORD is a God of justice; blessed are all those who wait for him." [Isaiah 30:18, NRSV]
To know God is to do justice; to believe you can approach God without drawing nearer in compassion to suffering humanity is to fool yourself. There can be no genuine personal religious conversion without a change in social attitude. --William Sloan Coffin
From the prophet Isaiah to William Sloan Coffin, saints throughout the ages have often made the connection between the activity of God and justice-making. Growing a heart for justice-making takes time. I must admit that for many years of my young adult life I did very little justice work. As I reflect on the reason for this, I realize that I first had to summon the courage to stand for myself before I could stand for others. I had to rip the door off my gay closet first before I could help to rip the doors off the closets of oppression around me. Does that make sense?
I guess what I'm trying to say is that justice work has to start with us. We, as LGBT people of faith, need to come to the place in our lives where we think we're worth fighting for before we'll ever have the courage to fight for others. We need to claim our place as beloved children of God, before we can claim that place for others.
Let us all open ourselves up to our loving and gracious God who desires to sow a heart of compassion and justice-making in all of us.
To know God is to do justice; to believe you can approach God without drawing nearer in compassion to suffering humanity is to fool yourself. There can be no genuine personal religious conversion without a change in social attitude. --William Sloan Coffin
From the prophet Isaiah to William Sloan Coffin, saints throughout the ages have often made the connection between the activity of God and justice-making. Growing a heart for justice-making takes time. I must admit that for many years of my young adult life I did very little justice work. As I reflect on the reason for this, I realize that I first had to summon the courage to stand for myself before I could stand for others. I had to rip the door off my gay closet first before I could help to rip the doors off the closets of oppression around me. Does that make sense?
I guess what I'm trying to say is that justice work has to start with us. We, as LGBT people of faith, need to come to the place in our lives where we think we're worth fighting for before we'll ever have the courage to fight for others. We need to claim our place as beloved children of God, before we can claim that place for others.
Let us all open ourselves up to our loving and gracious God who desires to sow a heart of compassion and justice-making in all of us.
Saturday, September 04, 2010
I Want to Break Free
A friend of mine wrote this post on his blog about Freddy Mercury on the theme of breaking free. I thought it was quite good. Check it our HERE.
Seeing the Holy in Everyone
A priest is a priest, no matter where she happens to be. Her job is to recognize the holiness in things and hold them up to God. Her job is to speak in ways that help other people recognize the holiness in things, too. --Barbara Brown Taylor, "Leaving Church: a Memoir of Faith"
I recently finished reading Barbara Brown Taylor's insightful and personal memoir entitled "Leaving Church." Barbara is an Episcopal priest who decided to leave parish ministry and take a teaching job as a religion professor at a local college. It is a powerful story about faith, burnout and recovery that will resonate with many people. You don't have to be a priest or pastor to appreciate her story. In fact, my Mom read the book first and really enjoyed it.
Today's quote from the book is not just a great description of what a priest or pastor should be. It is a great job description for all people of faith. What if all followers of Jesus acted this way? What if we spent our time recognizing the holiness in all people instead of putting them down and tearing them apart?
I have been a parish pastor for nineteen years now. I've seen enough division and mean-spiritedness in the church to last me the rest of my life. I long for the Body of Christ to get it's head out of it's posterior end and truly strive to live the servant life Jesus wants us to live. To spend our time identifying and lifting up the holiness in all people is a wonderful way to live our lives and is a powerful gift to others. It can heal many wounds and sows the seeds for transformation in other people's lives. People do not draw closer to God through scare tactics and guilt, they draw closer to God because they have encountered love, mercy and compassion from God and from God's people.
I know it's hard to be a "holiness hunter" especially when we encounter those who think we are the devil. However, I believe in my heart that this is the kind of work Jesus did and calls us to do as well.
I recently finished reading Barbara Brown Taylor's insightful and personal memoir entitled "Leaving Church." Barbara is an Episcopal priest who decided to leave parish ministry and take a teaching job as a religion professor at a local college. It is a powerful story about faith, burnout and recovery that will resonate with many people. You don't have to be a priest or pastor to appreciate her story. In fact, my Mom read the book first and really enjoyed it.
Today's quote from the book is not just a great description of what a priest or pastor should be. It is a great job description for all people of faith. What if all followers of Jesus acted this way? What if we spent our time recognizing the holiness in all people instead of putting them down and tearing them apart?
I have been a parish pastor for nineteen years now. I've seen enough division and mean-spiritedness in the church to last me the rest of my life. I long for the Body of Christ to get it's head out of it's posterior end and truly strive to live the servant life Jesus wants us to live. To spend our time identifying and lifting up the holiness in all people is a wonderful way to live our lives and is a powerful gift to others. It can heal many wounds and sows the seeds for transformation in other people's lives. People do not draw closer to God through scare tactics and guilt, they draw closer to God because they have encountered love, mercy and compassion from God and from God's people.
I know it's hard to be a "holiness hunter" especially when we encounter those who think we are the devil. However, I believe in my heart that this is the kind of work Jesus did and calls us to do as well.
Thursday, September 02, 2010
Courtney Act
Courtney Act made a name for herself in 2003, when after trying out and failing to get on Australian Idol as Shane Jenek, she returned for the next day’s audition as Courtney Act. Courtney’s explosive, energetic performing style, coupled with her joyous personality, sent audiences wild in the first series of ‘Australian Idol’. With performances of songs like “You Don’t Own Me”, “W.O.M.A.N.” and “You Shook Me All Night Long”, the country was mesmerized and Australia had a new, slightly less conventional, sweetheart.
In addition to being the first drag contestant on “Idol”, Courtney Act was the franchises’ first out contestant. No other contestant on any Idol show throughout the world has ever been out during production. Still, Courtney doesn’t credit the dress for her success.
“I was judged on my entertainment value and talent, two essential qualities for any pop artist,” she says. “I know the fact that I was in drag added to the entertainment value, but I think the whole package is what got me through.”
The appearance led to many new opportunities, including a make-up contract as one of the TV faces of Sheer Cover Make-up, a role in the Australian company of the musical RENT, and numerous TV show appearances including Australia’s Next Top Model. In 2007, she was selected by FHM Magazine readers as one of FHM’s Top 100 Sexiest Women in the World.
You go, boygirl!
Wednesday, September 01, 2010
Coming Out Christian
I spent the past two week on the Celebrity Equinox on an Atlantis cruise with several thousand gay men traveling all over the Mediterranean. This is Gary and my fourth cruise with Atlantis and I love traveling with them. There is something powerful about traveling with your tribe. We met gays from al over the world and, not surprisingly, our stories are all the same. There is something about the coming out experience that seems to transcend culture and race. We have the same hopes and fears which I find very comforting and affirming.
However, I did find myself having to come out on the boat as a Christian and a pastor which definitely evoked some interesting reactions. I'm glad to report that most people seemed pleased that I was there. In fact, I had several in depth conversations with folks about their own spiritual journeys and the path toward healing the wounds that well-intentioned Christians have inflicted on them.
It just served to remind me how important it is for those of us who are LGBT and Christian to be visible in our community. People need to know we're out there and that Christianity is not a hopeless cause. So, you may be out as a gay man or lesbian woman BUT are out also out as a Christian? Don't be afraid to let your light shine. There's someone out there who really needs to see it.
However, I did find myself having to come out on the boat as a Christian and a pastor which definitely evoked some interesting reactions. I'm glad to report that most people seemed pleased that I was there. In fact, I had several in depth conversations with folks about their own spiritual journeys and the path toward healing the wounds that well-intentioned Christians have inflicted on them.
It just served to remind me how important it is for those of us who are LGBT and Christian to be visible in our community. People need to know we're out there and that Christianity is not a hopeless cause. So, you may be out as a gay man or lesbian woman BUT are out also out as a Christian? Don't be afraid to let your light shine. There's someone out there who really needs to see it.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)