Blog Archives
Doubting and Faith
Scott McKnight talks about doubt and faith by reviewing Alistair McGraths book Doubting. How do we deal with it when it comes and how might we avoid it? Scotts main points are:
(1) Know your faith: … The most powerful defense then is education. Read the scripture daily; read solid scholarly Christian literature (this blog is a good source of suggestions); read books that stimulate you to think about the content of the faith. A more reasoned faith with deep roots can be defended and shared. A “Sunday School” sophistication is not enough…
(2) Keep it in perspective: Nothing in the Christian story suggests that the Christian life is easy. … Jesus calls us to take up our cross and follow.
(3) Appreciate the importance of support: in isolation we waver and fall all too often. Go to church, worship and study in community. Search out community and be persistent… Be a church that makes support a priority.
(4) Develop spiritual discipline and make it a priority. Read books that stimulate thought about prayer, worship, devotion (Thomas a Kempis, Brother Lawrence, Dallas Willard, …). Pray and worship without fail, from the head and the heart — and from the head even when it is hard to make it from the heart.
(5) Face questions and concerns head on, with study and, if possible, in the support of community.
(6) Don’t be afraid of change – your faith should change and grow as it matures in understanding and depth in the great traditions of orthodox Christianity.
John McCain’s faith
I watched segments of the interviews that Rick Warren of Saddleback church held with John McCain and Barack Obama. They were asked what their faith was like and how it helped them in their lives.
This is a wonderful touching story, and I’m sure it meant a lot to him. But it is a story that describes someone else’s faith – the faith of his prison guard. (Time magazine makes this same point in this article – “surely McCain must have an example of his own faith from the past 40 years.”) Albeit, it is one that we can gain a lot of strength by hearing an example of Christian solidarity.
Well, it seems that he does. In this article a fellow prisoner of McCain’s at the Hanoi Hilton prisoner of war camp describes McCain leading services for the prisoners.
“He was a very good preacher, much to my surprise,” said Day, now 83, a retired Air Force colonel who works as a lawyer for veterans in Fort Walton Beach, Fla. “He could remember all of the liturgy from the Episcopal services … word for word.”
He also apparently prayed ‘regularly and fervently’, and since release uses a well worn prayer book every day.
However, on his own youtube stream he describes his faith less satisfactorily.
Talk of a ‘higher being’ rather than God, and ‘Judeo-Christian tradition’ rather than following Jesus.
Now I am aware that McCain is a politian and is trying to canvas for votes from all quarters and that may explain his language. From what I’ve read, I also have no reason to doubt that his faith is heartfelt, sincere, and that God has been a genuine support to him throughout his life. But it does raise questions about how each of us talks about our faith. Are we speaking in ways that communicate our genuine reliance on God? Does is sound sincere – can listeners tell it makes a difference to us? Are we communicating a faith that makes a difference or simply portaying it as an optional extra add-on for life?
Weekly Roundup – faith, words, and motorbikes
Stuff that I have found interesting this week:
First of all, Father Stephen has written two wonderful posts. A few weeks ago I wrote a post on George W Bush regretting some of the words he has spoken. Father Stephen speaks also about choosing words carefully, but in a different context.
He has also written about what a full faith might consist of.
The Chicago Tribune has an article on a very cool looking prototype of a single axle motorbike – similar to a segway personal transporter thing.
There was a good discussion going on at asbo Jesus blog about the language used in church – it is open to all, particularity, is it more feminine. Here, Matt Redman talks briefly about some of the language that he has used in his own songs
The onion follow up the american tradition amongst evangelicals to home-school their children, with a funny article on home-churching.
Chase the Mystery
More great stuff from Doug Walker. Take away eternity and all you have is regulation. Go to Doug Walker Music on myspace or markcguitar on youtube for more.
Grace
I like this little video on grace, it clearly demonstrates the legal transaction of the punishment for sin that went on at the cross. Jesus dealt with our sin and the sin of the world, that is, the consequences of individual and worldwide corruption, but, through grace, has taken that punishment and offers a clean start with God for all who want to accept it. It misses out all the other things that Jesus achieved, such as reconciliation with God, overcoming death, redeeming us from slavery to sin and ultimately paving the way for all of creation to be restored to God. But on grace, it’s good.
I’m not sure that this is the place to start for everyone however. It only adequately illustrates grace if there is an awareness of sin first.
‘Fellowship’ or ‘relationship’ with God
For some time I’ve had concerns about the evangelical use of the phrases ‘personal relationship’ or ‘fellowship’ with Jesus or God. Not that I disagree that this is a good thing to aspire to, it’s just – What does it mean? Day to day – how do I do it? It is a phrase trotted out to describe something a intangible and as a consequence is quite hard to define.
Often Christians speak of God using the same terminology that they would of a personal friend or neighbour. But God is clearly not like our neighbour. In many ways He is harder to see, and in many ways He is more present. Can we use the word ‘relationship’ in the same manner with God as we can with other people? What sort of activity can be classed as knowing God?
I guess, in many ways the way to continue in our relationship with God is to do all the things that you would with a good human relationship: talk together, spend time listening, make time for, try to understand, aim to please each other, forgive, love etc. This helps – but it is the wrong way round. Good human relationships should echo the relationship that God has with us. He is our model for relationships, not us, his.
Father Stephen has just posted an excellent article on the subject. He focusses on the words fellowship and communion, rather than relationship, as these are two ways of translating the greek word koinonia. His point is clear. I’d recommend reading the whole article, but here is just a taste.
The entire concept of Church as a fellowship of believers, meaning a free association of like-minded Christians, is simply not a Scriptural notion, unless your Bible happens to be one of the many that has bowdlerized the clear Orthodox meaning of Scripture. We are saved by union with Christ, by participation in His life. We are Baptized into his death and raised in His resurrection. We eat His Body and drink His Blood. We have participation in the life of one another such that we cannot say to one another, “I have no need of you.” Such examples can be multiplied from every page of the New Testament and not one of them will support the weak image of an associational fellowship. This sad translation of a powerful word has helped support a notion of the individual believer with a relationship with Christ (what sort of a relationship is fellowship?) and his Bible. This is not the language or imagery of Scripture nor the doctrine of the Church.
Is fellowship with God possible? I’m not certain how to answer the question. I’d rather have communion.
Young people’s challenge to the church
In her new book, Visualising Hope, Dr Sarah Dunlop explored the values and spirituality of students in Central and Eastern European countries. She wants to know what makes them tick, what their hopes are, and if the church is meeting them. In a very creative way, by getting students to respond to and take photographs of things that are significant to them over a period of time, Dr Dunlop gets underneath the pat answers and stereotypes to discover their real motivations.
The top values and concerns, she discovers, are to do with self-expression and creativity, freedom – from institutional rules and to be able to think for themselves, quality relationships, and fun.
Given that, she writes:
“The students perceive the church as a place where they would be expected to conform to a set of rules and unthinkingly forced to subscribe to outdated beliefs. Therefore, it is no surprise that the students reject the church on the basis of their values: self-expression, freedom, fun and relationships. We believe that if church leaders take time to engage with young people’s values, they may find that young people become a part of their community, and their contribution to the worship of the church will be vibrant and full of life.”
It’s a good point. There is nothing wrong with values of freedom, self-expression, relationships, and fun. In fact, Christianity is supposed to make us more free. The Holy Spirit helps us to understand ourselves and apply our gifts in a way that is tailored to us – we are made uniquely – isn’t that the ultimate statement of self-expression. Relationship and community is at the heart of the faith – the early church was a congregation that welcomed, loved and supported each other. These values are not the sum total of the faith, but they are definitely there.
When did these positive values get lost from congregational worship? When did it become dry, unwelcoming, and irrelevant? It is true that there are many in the fresh expressions network and emergent church that are beginning to counter this stereotype.
This book is a wake-up call to the church, leaders and congregations, to find out which essential Christian values they are not meeting, and to life them out in ways that are accessible and welcoming.
It is available on Amazon.com in the USA and in the UK.
More on John Terry’s penalty miss
Following on from my post a couple of days ago, I found some more quotes by John Terry who missed the penalty that (he thinks) lost the Champions League final for Chelsea. The quotes are from the BBC news website.
“I am so sorry for missing the penalty and denying the fans, my team-mates, family and friends the chance to be European champions,” he said.
“I have relived that moment every minute since it happened.
“I walked forward to take it knowing that it was there to be won and it was all down to me. What happened next will haunt me for the rest of my life.”
“I feel I have let everybody down and this hurts me more than anything.
“I am not ashamed about crying. This is a trophy I have tried so hard to win year after year and it was just an uncontrollable reaction. I wear my heart on my sleeve and everyone knows that.”
John Terry does not need to be ashamed about crying, and he doesn’t need to apologise for what he did – the team tried hard but just came up short by the smallest of margins. He does need to forgive himself though, and know that his self-esteem and identity need not be linked to his success or failure on the football pitch.
