Throwaway Religion

In spite of overflowing landfills and a growing emphasis on the need to recycle, we still tend to live in a disposable, throwaway culture. If something no longer works, we do not fix it. We throw it away and buy a new one. In fact, it is often less expensive to replace a broken item than to pay the cost of repairing it. Even worse is when something still performs the function for which it was designed, but when a newer version offers upgrades and features the older model did not have, we buy the latest model and toss out the old one, even though the old one worked perfectly fine.

Are faith, religion and spirituality any different? Do we invest in repairing what is broken or simply toss it out and start over? Do we throw away what seems old and outdated so that we can replace it with the latest fashion trends in faith traditions?

I realize I am ruminating of existential things, ethereal ideas and concepts rather than physical consumer items, but ponder I must. Recently seeing a faded and dusty framed copy of DaVinci’s Last Supper thrown out with the trash is what has ignited my brooding. The sight caused me to reflect upon the disposable nature of our contemporary religious convictions, or lack of. While there is certainly nothing sacrilegious about throwing away something like a reproduction of DaVinci’s Last Supper, the sight of this framed print next to trashcan on the street seemed like a metaphor of contemporary devotion, or lack of, to mystery.

I wondered if the former owner of this DaVinci print grew tired of the faith it represented and dumped it along with their beliefs. On the other hand, perhaps they disposed of it and replaced it with a print of Dali’s Last Supper, or a framed photo of the Dali Lama or Mecca. Maybe they simply moved out of the apartment, left the print behind, and the property owner was the one to trash the print when the cleaned up the mess left behind. There is a story behind that print that I do not know and will never know. There are also stories associated with aging, declining, decaying, dying, churches that begging to be told and to teach us their lessons.

Random Reflections on the Trinity

Even many non-Christians are probably familiar with the basics of the Christian Doctrine of the Trinity, the Doctrine that talks about God the Father, God the Son, and God the Holy Spirit. But even many devout Christians would probably confess that they do not fully understand the Trinity. For me, the Trinity is a mystery we must ponder.

This coming Sunday many Christian Churches will be observing Trinity Sunday, the Sunday after Pentecost and a Sunday to celebrate, reflect upon, and scratch heads about the Trinity. Here are some  random reflections that might get you to scratch your head.

One of the Professors in my D.Min. program at Pittsburgh Theological Seminary argued in our Reformed Theology Seminar that the Doctrine of the Trinity is not biblical but it is essential. I think what he meant was that nowhere in the Scriptures does the word “Trinity” appear and while Scripture in places talks about God in terms of Father, Son, and Holy Spirit, there is no fully developed Doctrine of the Trinity. The Doctrine of the Trinity is a creation of human reason as we have sought to make sense of, understand, and somewhat systematize Scripture.

I have recently been thinking about the Doctrine of the Trinity in terms similar to the Heisenberg Uncertainty Principle. The Heisenberg Uncertainty principle states that one cannot determine the mass and the velocity of an electron at the same time. If one determines it mass, there is no velocity. If one determines the velocity, there is no mass. Similarly, if we focus on any one “person” of the Trinity then we can no longer see the Triune God. But if we focus on the “Triune God” then we can longer see any of the individual “persons” of the Trinity.

Another analogy I find helpful is that of determining whether light is a wave or a particle. If God is at all like light (Jesus is, after all, proclaimed to be the light of the world) then perhaps our understanding of light can serve as a metaphor for our understanding of God. Sometimes light seems to behave like a wave. Sometimes light seems to behave like a particle. Neither understanding, even combined, fully explains the nature of light and in a sense light is still a mystery.

While the Doctrine of the Trinity can (sometimes) help us make sense of the way God behaves in Scripture, I am becoming increasingly convinced that it does not give us a complete picture of or fully explains the nature of God. The Doctrine of the Trinity helps us to conceptualize and understand the mystery of God, yet God still remains a mystery we must ponder, a mystery that invites us to marvel at God with the same childlike wonder of the Psalmist in Psalm 8:3-5, only more so.

In his book The Journey to Truth, George F. Garlick, Ph.D., discussing the work of Dr. Michio Kaku, writes “the best way to understand the mystery of light is to admit that light is not a part of this world, but instead has its source in the fifth dimension. Kaku concludes, ‘This alternative theory gave the simplest explanation of light; that it was really a vibration of the fifth dimension.’” (p. 108) Just as physicists are beginning to understand light in new ways, maybe it is also time theologians begin to understand God in new ways beyond the Doctrine of the Trinity.

It has been a while since I last read Carl Jung, but I think he argued that the Doctrine of the Trinity was not psychologically complete, that what humans need psychologically is not a Trinity of Father – Son – Spirit but a Quarternity of Father – Son – Spirit – Wisdom/Mary, and that for Roman Catholics the Doctrine of the Assumption of Mary comes close to fulfilling this function. While this is a somewhat esoteric argument, here is a link to an equally esoteric article about Jung’s theory of the Quartentity.

The Rev. Cynthia Bourgeault, Ph.D., offers a thoughtful analysis and some words of caution about Jung’s Quarternity and the possible inclusion of the feminine within the Trinity and the Quartentity in her article THE SHAPE OF GOD: Deepening the Mystery of the Trinity.

I generally believe that the questions we ask are often more important than any answers we might find, that we often find more grace in our search for understanding than we do in adopting a posture of dogmatic certainty. Therefore I posit the above reflections as questions, discussion starters, and head scratching conundrums to help us think about, reflect upon, ponder, and ask questions about the Triune God and the Doctrine of the Trinity. And I have not even mentioned perichoresis!

Preachers Answer "Who Is Jesus?" Question

At the workshop on Delivering the Gospel in which I recently participated, I preached a four minute segment of a sermon I had earlier preached at North Church Queens in which I asked “Who is Jesus?” The workshop participants answered the question just like those in attendance at North Church. Here are the answers offered by seminary educated and experienced preachers. I asked them to limit their responses to ten words or less.

The very presence of almighty God
God’s living and glorious Word made saving flesh
Jesus was a Palestinian! (Jesus was a Jew!) Karl Barth
Faithful friend who ups life in and around me
Jesus is God’s son our salvation
Jesus is the anointed one for the world, all that is
Jesus: (One with) Heart the size of God
The one wholly in communion with the Holy
Jesus – is my friend. He is God’s Son and my Savior.
Jesus is what moves through the leaves

And your answer in ten words or less?

Who is Jesus?

In Mark’s Gospel there is a story about Jesus asking his disciples who people said he was. You can find the narrative in chapter 8 verses 27 through 30. The disciples told him that some were saying he was John the Baptist, others Elijah, and still others one of the Prophets. Jesus then asked the disciples point blank “But who do you say that I am?” Peter answered “You are the Messiah.”

There is a similar account in Luke chapter 9 verses 18 through 20 where Peter responds "The Messiah of God." In a parallell account in Matthew chapter 16 verses 13 through 16 Peter replies “You are the Messiah, the Son of the living God.”

This morning I asked a couple younger worshippers at North Church Queens who Jesus was. The youngest responded “The baby of God.” Another answered “The Son of God.” Before returning to the pews, the younger worshippers assisted me by handing out 3x5 index cards to all the other worshippers at North Church Queens as I asked worshippers to anonymously write on the index cards their answer the question, in ten words or less, “Who is Jesus?” After a few moments the younger worshippers collected the cards and returned them to me. Here, in no particular order, are some of the answers that were returned.

“The Messiah, our greatest Teacher, and God’s Earthly Reflection”
“The Son of God”
“Jesus is the Messiah, Son of God, who came and died for us to save us (world) of our sins.”
“The son of God, our Savior on this earth”
“The Son of God, our Savior”
“Son of God & Holy Spirit & Son of Man”
“Our Savior, Son of God, way to Eternal life”
“God, as he came to walk the earth as a man.”
“The Son of God, our Redeemer, our Savior”
“Jesus is our Savior & the Creator of Heaven & Earth”
“God, Father, Son, Redeemer, Holy Ghost, Giver of life”
“Jesus is our Savior; the Son of God.”
“Son of God, our Savior, Teacher of the Holy Word, Preacher”
“Jesus is the Son of the Father and the Son of Man, our Savior”
“Jesus is our Savior, Redeemer, and friend”

This is how some of the worshippers at North Church Queens answered the question “Who is Jesus?” But who do you say that he is?

Searching for a Retreat Center

What do you look for when searching for a location for a private, quiet, spiritual retreat? If you have already found what you are looking for, what is it like and where is it?

I live in New York City, in many respects an urban paradise. A person can find almost anything they might want in New York City. Even though there are numerous religious institutions and spiritual organizations throughout the city, I have yet to find a retreat center where I can spend a few quiet days at minimal cost.

I am not looking for five star amenities. I desire a simple but clean room with a single bed (I am even willing to bring my own linens), a writing desk, comfortable chair, a good reading light, a window with some natural light, and preferably a comfortable reading chair. I do not need or want a television, a clock radio, or internet access. With access to a small kitchen I am willing to fix my own meals. A small garden or courtyard with plants and a statue or two would be a plus.

Access to a small library of biblical and spiritual writings would also be nice, as would a small meditation area with perhaps candles, an icon or two, and stained glass.

Oh, I also want to be able to get there via public transportation such as subway, train or bus. I do not want to have to drive or take a cab. I would not mind walking up to a mile from the closest station or stop.

Internet searches have returned numerous Buddhist and other eastern spiritual centers but I am a Christian. Several years ago I spent a full day meditating at The Bhāvanā Society. The hospitality was outstanding. The vegetarian food was tasty and fulfilling. The spiritual energy was discernable. I missed observable Christian symbolism, however. There were no crosses, icons, or biblical scenes anywhere.

At present I am considering Kirkridge but wonder how I can take with me all my food for a few days while still using public transportation. This is not an insurmountable problem especially if I eat simply and take nonperishable food.

In my profile I say that “My dream job is to manage and provide spiritual direction at a retreat center with easy access to water for kayaking and rock for climbing. A small progressive worshipping community or church associated with the retreat center would be a plus.” Maybe access to rock for climbing and water for kayaking is too much to ask for. Perhaps a small community of progressives worshipping together is a reach. Right now I would settle for a few single rooms set aside for people on retreat, a small library, courtyard or garden, prayer chapel, and easy access to public transportation. Any suggestions? Any offers?

Can a Prince Reclaim His Throne?

I was introduced to Neo-Orthodoxy in college in the late seventies. That introduction included helpings of Barth and the Niebuhr brothers along with side servings of Buber and Bonheoffer. My immersion in Barthian Neo-Orthodoxy continued at Princeton Seminary where by choice I also consumed heaping portions of Calvin and Tillich. Half of one of my Pittsburg Seminary Doctor of Ministry seminars was devoted to Calvin and I read in Barth’s Dogmatics while I was working on my D. Min. project and paper. Thus I have numerous volumes written by these theologians on my book shelf, but only one book by Schleiermacher, his Speeches to its Cultured Despisers.

While I have been exposed to other theological viewpoints throughout my education and have previously read a little Schleiermacher, I have recently rediscovered him. While on the campus of UnionPSCE for the last Colloquy on Prayer, I wandered into the Cokesbury Campus Bookstore and picked up a 75% off the retail price Wipf and Stock reprint of B.A. Gerrish’s A Prince of the Church: Schleiermacher and the Beginning’s of Modern Theology. It has been by far the most concise and clear overview of Schleiermacher that I have read. It has even prompted me to begin thinking of myself as a “Liberal Evangelical” and to think that it is about time that Progressive (i.e. Liberal) Christians re-claim the “Evangelical” label co-opted and held captive by conservatives.

It can be argued that Barth and neo-orthodoxy pounded the last nail in the coffin of Schleiermacher and 19th century Liberal Theology. But it can now also be argued that neo-orthodoxy no longer enjoys the theological monopoly it once did. Various Liberation Theologies, Process Theology, and other theologies have chipped away at the neo-orthodox consensus to the point where neo-orthodoxy is just one theology among many. With the end of the neo-orthodox consensus perhaps it is time to dust off the throne, remove the nails from Schleiermacher’s coffin, and see if there is still some theological life left in this one time prince of the church. Resurrections, after all, have been claimed to happen.

The Decline and Fall of Christian America?

I am not a subscriber or usual reader of Newsweek, but when I heard a blurb on NPR about the April 13, 2009 cover story, I popped into Barnes & Noble and bought a copy. “The Decline and Fall of Christian America”? So what’s new? Oh, that’s right. This is the Newsweek issue hitting the newsstands just before Easter. It is the one of two issues of Newsweek a year with a cover story about religion, the other issue being the one just before Christmas. Does that mean Newsweek shares a profile with “C&E” Christians? You know, the ones that show up for worship only at Christmas and Easter.

“The End of Christian America” by Jon Meacham quotes E. Albert Mohler Jr.—president of the Southern Baptist Theological Seminary—as writing in response to the news that “the Northeast emerged in 2008 as the new stronghold of the religiously unidentified” “The so called Judeo-Christian consensus of the last millennium has given way to a post-modern, post-Christian, post-Western cultural crisis which threatens the very heart of our culture.”

Mainline Christians have been aware for years of the trends cited. We have been bantering about the terms “post-modern, post-Christian” and “post-Western” for awhile now. Some of us even think that the end of the Constantinian era and end of Christian empire is a good thing for the faith. After all, Jesus was a counter-cultural, in your face, speaking truth to power sort of guy rather than an establishment type.

Consider this, however. George Bush, the born-again conservative and the religious right activists that put him into office probably did more with their policies to hasten the decline of Christianity in the West than any Scientist, Philosopher or decision by the Supreme Court. On the other hand, even before he was elected, the campaign of Barack Obama had people once again talking about, and seriously re-considering and rediscovering the theology of H. Richard Niebuhr and talking about ethics.

Maybe Christian America is not as Christian as it once was. Then again, maybe America was never as Christian as we have been led to believe. Maybe America is growing up, embracing a more critical faith posture and asking questions about things ultimate that a church grown fat and lazy from its baby-boom growth spurt is unprepared and unwilling to address and answer.