Paradoxology

A "Purer" Communion?

Some time ago, while listening to a pastor lead a group of believers in Holy Communion, something the man said just didn't sit well with me. Despite scripture's clear description that "wine" was used in that first Eucharistic meal, this pastor confidently explained to those present that at his church they do not use wine (though he acknowledged that some Christian groups do), but that they partake of a "purer" communion by using the "pure" juice of grapes without any fermentation or alcohol involved.

Ah, come on!  For goodness sake.  I respect those who prefer grape juice over wine in their celebration of the Lord's Supper (we still use grape juice in my own denomination), but to claim that doing so constitutes a "purer" observance of communion seems so... well... elitist and holier-than-thou.

Weigh in on this one.  I look forward to hearing your thoughts.

.

Image credit: © iStockPhoto

I Rise This Day

A simple prayer to start the day...

.

I rise this day,

in the love of the Father,

I rise this day,

with the mind of Christ,

I rise this day,

in the Spirit's power,

I rise this day,

in the blessings of God.

.

Book Review - Celtic Treasures

Sometimes in life we "stumble" across amazing things -- people, places, facts, and experiences...as well as books!  And that's exactly what happened to me recently when, thanks to a Facebook connection, I met Liz Babbs - speaker, author, poet, and spiritual director.  Liz's newest book, Celtic Treasure: Unearthing the Riches of Celtic Spirituality, has just been released in the U.S.  Here's the quick review I posted about the book at Amazon.com:

Author Liz Babbs' new book, Celtic Treasure, is a strikingly beautiful introduction to the history and riches of ancient Celtic Christianity. Printed on marvelous coated stock, it is a delightful experience to even thumb through this little gift book. Despite it's smaller size and low price, Celtic Treasure is not only packed with a brief historical overview of Celtic Christian spirituality and how unique it is in contrast to most the modern Western world, but it is also packed with a devotional and contemplative richness that is deep and satisfying.

It seems obvious that this is not material the author simply researched and wrote about, rather it flows from who she is personally. Babbs has long immersed herself in Celtic Christianity, and drawn on her talents as writer, poet, and spiritual director to compose this book.

Whether it is you who is interested in knowing more about the uniqueness and richness of Celtic Christian spirituality, or know people who might benefit from a beautiful and delightful introduction of the same, this little book wins hands down.

Readers of Paradoxology will certainly enjoy the blog interview I'm in the process of completing with Liz and which should post here by week's end -- so don't forget to check back!  In the meantime, check out the radio interview that Facebook friend, Keltic Ken, recently completed with Liz:

http://www.gcast.com/u/KelticKen/www_lizbabbs_com

Reclaiming the Ancient Practice of Catechesis, part 1

In the early centuries of the Church, people were not primarily attracted to Christianity by attending worship services, because they generally were not allowed within such.  Rather, the primary attraction to the Christian faith came through their associations with Christians in the culture at large.  Whether it be through the marketplace, a community’s civic life, or one’s neighborhood, people encountered followers of Jesus who lived life differently than other folk.  The way they looked after the poor, engaged in acts of mercy, and cared for one another set them apart from everyone else. 

Becoming a Christian involved much, much than the making of a sentimental “decision” – it was a choice to become completely immersed in the life of Christ.  Disciples have always been made, not born, yet the conversion/initiation “journey” is one that evangelicals continue to resist and/or struggle with. 

Among evangelicals, salvation is commonly viewed more as an event than as a process, and baptism as merely an “outward sign” of an inner conviction.  This is a travesty – a point of view that contributes to the hollowness that has only recently been called into question by a new generation of evangelicals.  More than ever, we live in an age and in a Church that desperately needs to return to the ancient moorings of catechesis, and to the “journey” which is baptism – a journey that precedes faith and continues long after the actual rite of baptism has been performed. 

Interview with Anne Graham Lotz

Hey. Check out an interview than friend, Keltic Ken, conducted with Anne Graham Lotz today:  click here 

The interview was prompted by Ann's new book: The Magnificent Obsession.

Although some of the conversation -- coming from the daughter of Billy Graham -- was strongly evangelical and a bit predictable, she had some good things to share and Ken did an excellent job handling the interview.

Dachau

(August 4, 2009)

.

And so our day began...

Walking where so many weary had once ridden - through miles of tree-lined footpaths instead of rails and boxcars, overflowing with forsaken humanity amidst the scent of wildflowers beneath a canopy of birch and pine trying to draw us away from those ancient smells of sweat and fear and death.

Where our journey-path ended, the never-forgotten nightmare once began.  Past river and fence and ditch and barbed wire, we entered the place of sorrows -- a city within a city, yet unlike any city ever known -- a city once filled with the souls of the doomed: degraded, used and abused.

Hope was stripped here. Dignity was stolen here. The breath of life was extinguished here.  So many died in pain and suffering and agony here.

This is Dachau.

*The pictures and text were a recent entry in my travel journal while in Germany-- Chris

I am a SINNER...or am I?

The widely-known and practiced "Jesus Prayer" has been central to the prayers of Christians for at least 1500 years:

"Lord Jesus Christ, Son of God, have mercy on me, a sinner."

Although this ancient prayer has deeply enriched my own faith and practice, there are believers who  consider it theologically inaccurate and therefore discourage its use.  This is certainly a topic deserving of investigation and dialog, and so I invite you to weigh in with any thoughts or perspectives on the use of The Jesus Prayer.

How Comfortable Are You With Theological Tensions?

• Salvation as both an event and a journey.

• Faith as both a private as well as a communal endeavor.

• Apocalyptic literature as both eschatological and political in nature.

• The promise of prosperity and the discipline of simplicity.

• Freedom and responsibility.

These are just a few of the many theological tensions espoused in the ancient scriptures.  Paradoxical? Yes.  Enigmatic? Yes. Contradictory? Definitely not.  And yet, I wonder...how comfortable are people really with such tensions?  Is life somehow easier in a world where everything is good-bad,either-or, yes-no?

Are you comfortable with theological tensions? If not, why?  If so, then share any thoughts or insights you might have as to what role these tensions play in your life and faith.

Thinking With Me About Convergence Worship

Many people (if not most) have never even heard the word "convergence" used in relation to worship before, and yet convergence worship continues to be one of the most fascinating phenomenons within the realm of worship renewal.

A starting point might be to understand convergence worship as part of the Convergence Movement:

The Convergence Movement refers to a move among evangelical and charismatic churches in the United States to blend charismatic worship with liturgies from the Book of Common Prayer and other liturgical sources. The Movement was inspired by the spiritual pilgrimages of modern Evangelical writers like Thomas Howard, Robert E. Webber, Peter E. Gillquist and the ancient Christian writers and their communities. These men, along with theologians, scripture scholars, and pastors in a number of traditions, were calling Christians back to their roots in the primitive church (cited from: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Convergence_Movement).

In Appendix 1 of his Signs of Wonder, Robert E. Webber posits the following principles as "The Be-Attitudes of Convergence" (restated):

1. Be exposed to traditions of worship other than your own.
2. Be open to the active presence of the supernatural.
3. Be focused upon the celebration of an event.
4. Be sure to set aside time exclusively for worship.
5. Be participatory in order to experience worship.
6. Be aware that the rule of prayer is the rule of faith (faith comes by doing worship).
7. Be careful to include the opportunity to experience divine action and human response within the four-fold order (gathering, ministry of the word, Eucharist, sending).
8. Be aware of the role your style plays in relation to the contribution of other sytles.
9. Be insistent to use the arts as a vehicle for worship.
10. Be aware that space communicates.
11. Be inclusive of many musical styles.
12. Be aware of the power of drama.
13. Be free enough to use the body in worship.
14. Be committed to the evangelical possibilities that lie within the Christian Year.
15. Be convinced of the power of sign and symbol.
16. Be attentive to the symbolism of baptism.
17. Be hungry to recover the presence and power of Christ through the symbols of bread and wine at the table.
18. Be in a spirit of celebration and thanksgiving when participating in the Eucharist.
19. Be open to the recovery of the practice of laying on of hands for healing.
20. Be sensitive to the way in which authentic worship relates to all areas of the church's ministry.

Although Webber's understanding of convergence worship developed from a uniquely evangelical perspective, I would appreciate hearing your thoughts and dialoging with you regarding any of above-stated principles whether or not your faith and practice has been influenced by modern evangelicalism.




Image credit: © John Cave, istockphoto.com

Rejecting Ancient Ways

“Thus says the Lord: Stand at the crossroads, and look, and ask for the ancient paths, where the good way lies; and walk in it, and find rest for your souls. But they said, “We will not walk in it.””
(Jeremiah 6:16 NRSV)

Why refuse? Why say no? What are the underlying reasons or factors behind why people want nothing to do with "the ancient paths?"  Is it the modernist belief that humanity is always advancing itself, always improving itself, and that returning to ancient mindsets and ways would constitute regression rather than progression?  Or is it simply the overvaluing of the "new" -- leading to a sort of "been-there-done-that" attitude? Then again, maybe the reason for rejecting any notion of re-embracing the ancient is rooted in much deeper matters: pride and fear.

Image Credit: source unknown