A Week of Castles & Churches!

Hard to believe how fast a vacation can really go, but that's how I spent my last week - Traveling through the country side of Great Britain. In so many ways I now understand why they call it 'the Old Country'. Beyond the relaxation and site seeing I was a little over whelmed with number of churches and castles we saw.

What do castles and churches have in common in the land of history? Well both are generally big! Most have taken many years to build! Most are old (anywhere from the younger ones at 300 years to the ancient bricks of 1,000 plus years)! Most attract thousands of tourists! And the sad reality is that neither of them are actually fulfilling the purpose of why they were created in the first place.

Now the fact that the castles no longer stand as protection and security against opposing enemies is no doubt a good thing. Few are lived in and have become yet another tourist 'trap' - although a very pretty site, they are but a piece of history, crumbling away at their foundations. On a side note, I found a potential and quite lucrative career while there (if I ever need to move on) In just about every town and city we were in there is one business that seems repression proof: Scaffolding! That's right 'the rental of scaffolding' is booming as it seems just about every old building has some high point of restoration needing repair. My conclusion: Castles have become architectural items of beauty, history and decay in need of much repair!

As I viewed the hundreds of churches we traveled by and through I also realized most of them just might fall into the same category as the castle - beauty, historical and decaying as very few of them actually function to their original intent. Now we know 'the church' has really nothing to do with a building, a tradition or a country, yet these mass buildings were erected to live out the call of Christ to 'build my church'. Today beyond a special choir presentation, a celebration of Christmas and the occasional historical town event these large, beautiful buildings have become like castles - drawing the masses (tourists) to take a look as they travel through (and often leave a pretty healthy fee along the way - someones got to pay for the repair work) with very little to say of why they were built in the first place.

Is there a lesson in all of this? I guess as I share my passion for the church and do consider it as the 'hope of the world' I'm reminded once again the church is and must be about people. Not programs, not buildings and with a healthy respect for the past, not about traditions that like these ancient buildings that no longer serve the purpose in which they have been created for! They are but a reminder that the church is also in need of repair!

I Don’t Believe in Atheists - Me Neither!

It was just over a year ago when throughout the land of Books, specifically ‘Best Sellers’ that the top five within the Religious Section were all written by atheists (thankfully ‘The Shack’ was released to move into top spot). Interesting dynamic – Top five best sellers in religion don’t have anything good to say about the subject – They don’t even believe in God – How could they? It was that phenomena that lead me to read this book: ‘I Don’t Believe in Atheists’.

Author Chris Hedges opens a door to a post 911 world where he fears the potential of the fundamentalist not just from the world of Islam, but from the heritage of his own nation, the world of Christianity in the USA. Hedges is not writing from a personal Christian or Muslim experience, but (if possible) a subjective observation highlighting the dangers of both, as well as any other extreme position found in religion. In a statement about the book, Hedges states “the book was motivated by debates he had with atheist authors Sam Harris and Christopher Hitchens who overly demonized religion, particularly Islam, in ways that Hedges believed were eerily similar to the thinking of Christian fundamentalists”.

His work at times rises through humour with brilliance, but sadly much is lost in the plethora of philosophy. It was somewhat like the college reading ancient philosophers once again; a lot to say, but people spend a lifetime trying to figure it out! He no doubt comes with a wealth of knowledge and experience in this subject (English Literature Degree from Colgate University and a Master of Divinity from Harvard Divinity School) however his views are limited to observation without participation in any formal religious belief. The son of a Presbyterian minister, it would seem from the last chapter of the book he no longer embraces a faith.

If I may suggest the ‘good’ of the book it comes in challenging once again a believer’s faith! Hedges is a ‘thinker’ and those who read him will have no choice but to respond in the same manner. He pushes the envelope through science and reason. He challenges the very essences of human relationships through the dangers of extreme‘ism.’ He addresses the ‘right-wing’ of US Politics in his chapter: ‘The New Fundamentalism.’ His conclusion is probably best summed up in two thoughts: His chapter titled ‘Self-Delusion’ and his quoting the Biblical scripture of Ecclesiastes (although poorly contextualized) – all is vanity!

The book is not formally a ‘new age’ release with a self-proclamation of deity but there are threads throughout his work that fringe on much of Gnostic beliefs where all is one, equal and eternal. What may make this a conflict with new age philosophy is that Hedges highlights ‘The Myth of Moral Progress.’ He is convinced we are not moving in a good direction as human beings. May I suggest, a good read for some – challenging for a few and a difficulty for many! Thumbs Out!

Draw Close to the Fire – Terry Wardle - A Book of Drawing Close to God and Restoring the Broken

Given to me as a gift with the encouragement as a ‘must read’ I began to work my way through ‘Draw Close to the Fire’. The reality is that once started, I had trouble putting it down! Yet, I knew I had to reflect and process the depth of such carefully spoken words if I was to grow from it. His wounds, his thoughts and understanding as it relates to brokenness – a subject any human being who is being honest with themselves can relate to at some point (perhaps many points) in life.

Terry speaks a fresh to the subject of failure, hurt and pain with a heart for Jesus in a way that resonates with many in dealing with their emptiness and brokenness. He capture well the Biblical understanding of our humanity (in all is weakness) and blends it extremely well with recent philosophy and counseling. In the end, it is the Holy Spirit that actually does the healing within our lives only as one surrenders to him. Beyond a simple recognition of Christ within a believer’s life, he quick to underscore the real key lies in ‘intimacy’ – “Know about the Lord and serving Him faithfully are not enough to sustain people through a season of darkness. You and I must grow to know Him intimately” (page 34).

The book is really not a self-help book on overcoming hurt and brokenness (in what Wardle borrows from ‘St. John of the Cross’ - “the dark night if the soul”) but a writing that calls the follower of Christ to complete surrender – “Not just His words and works – you need Jesus himself. You need to be consumed in Him, the hope of glory” (page 44). Remaining faithful to a host of scriptural text, he suggest the work of the Holy Spirit within the believer’s life is taking one to that place where they may really ‘know’ Jesus –"Opening yourself to the instruction of the Holy Spirit will reshape your life. He will teach you that intimacy, not ministry, is to be the consuming passion of the believer" (page 64).

One of the most challenging parts of helping others is found in ‘working through ones past’ in relation to other people (i.e. family, friends, and enemies). This of course is only possible as it is reveal or recalled. Methods are not always agreed upon among counselors in bringing forth the past, however most realize the benefit it provides. Without writing a complete text book on the subject (not the intend of this work) he has highlighted the need to move beyond at some point, only after it has been adequately dealt with – “Too often we fail to resolve our conflicts, moving on in life without adequate reconciliation and in some cases restoration. Sometimes our solution is simply to avoid those people and move into the future. When we do, however, the unresolved issues become obstacles to our spiritual growth and a seedbed for the enemy’s work” (page 107).

If there is any thought of self-help (although only in surrender does one really find God’s complete healing), Wardle writes a chapter on ‘Spiritual Disciplines Move You Toward Christlikeness’. It’s not so much about ‘doing’ but in ‘being’ you grow in intimacy with the Godhead and are able to process the pain brokenness along the way. Drawing from the writings of Robert Mulholland, he suggests the correct term for this process is ‘Spiritual Formation’ – “a process of being conformed to the image of Jesus Christ for the sake of others” (page 217).

Through the book Wardle is relentless in drawing the reader back to both the words and nature of God – Words that remind one of their value in Christ, the eternal hope found in Christ, the need for forgiveness, restoration and grace, and that the real battle is spiritual, not simply emotional or physical. Building on the words of the apostle Paul in Ephesians six, we’re reminded just how valued the armour of God is when life doesn’t always work the way in which we would like.

I can only express my joy in reading the book as one who from time-to-time finds my world very fragile and occasionally broken! First, it is somewhat reassuring the battle I face are pretty much common ground among us all. Secondly, to be reminded of the love and acceptance we find in Christ provides an amazing amount of hope and healing for the journey. Third, although I certainly would recommend this book to one who at this moment finds themselves ‘in the dark night,’ I would also encourage anyone to invest in this as a resource to build upon no matter where in life they are at.

Thumbs Up!

The Challenge of Jesus: Rediscovering Who Jesus Was and Is

A fan of the author N. T. Wright, I found myself once again captivate by Wrights insight and unique expression on such an ancient subject: Jesus. Although Jesus is neither irrelevant nor ancient there is certainly no shortage of material written about him. Often, I like many have sought to define both the "who" and "why" of God in this eternal person with the hopes and expectation of understanding my existence, purpose and plans for the future.

Perhaps a key word within the title expresses it best for me: "Rediscovering". Is Jesus, new? Has he changed? No! Yet like all human beings, I am on a journey . . . a journey that accepts newness and seems to be always confronted with change (although I'm not sure I like or even embrace the second as much as I do the first). And so I expect this eternal, non-changing Christ to impact my world in the midst of new discoveries and changes often beyond my control.

In reading the book over the past few months, I found myself wrestling through a Message Series (which I would eventually call‘Sacred Encounters’) in dealing with the confusion and partial truths of the ‘New Age’. Wright presents the beliefs and historical setting in which Jesus lived and during which period of time the Christian Gospels were written. The last four chapters are practical applications with cultural relevancy to the ideas presented earlier. Wright offers precise historical evidence for the prevailing viewpoints held by the religious authorities and political leaders of Jesus' time and what the overarching purpose and mission of Jesus were.

Wright’s premise, although historical in nature moves the reader to deal with the current realities as in conflict critiquing the information of the Jesus Seminar and John Dominic Crossan (as well as others) in their published works about their respective studies of Jesus. Wright, however, proposes that many of the battles being fought today are out of step with the reality of our present world. Theological wars, arguments over whether or not Jesus was divine or human, whether or not the Gospels are reliable and a host of other subjects simply have been moved into a different sphere by the study of first-century Judaism and Christianity in particular. "There are new battles not totally different, of course, from the old ones but with significant new elements."

As he draws his thoughts to a close in the chapter entitled ‘The Light of the World’ he articulates the work and the power of the death and resurrection of Christ, suggesting many have missed the point. Wright’s conviction of a ‘new life’ in Christ moves us from simply enduring this life (awaiting the next) to a passion to begin living in eternity ‘now’ – He writes “From now on we are living in the new age, the already-begun new world. The light is now shinning in the darkness. Do not put all the eschatological weight in that which is still to come. The whole point of New Testament Christianity is that the End came forward into the present in Jesus the Messiah” (page 178).

N.T. Wright no doubt writes, speaks and lives in the world of academia, yet with an openness for insight and growth ‘The Challenge of Jesus’ will challenge you, no matter what your educational level or your spiritual maturity. Thumbs up!

The Shack - William Paul Young - Is it really that good?

I guess I may as well start off by stating ‘The Shack’ has been one of the most enjoyable and exciting books I have read in a long time as it relates to the nature of God. It is really that good! I know within seconds there will be those who applaud and those who will stop reading anything I’m about to say! Although, if you’ve made it this far on The Sanctuary’s web-site, I think you may line up in option A.

I will admit ‘The Shack’ has some tension and is far from the level of literature often achieved in such a writings (i.e. C.S. Lewis, John Bunyan and the likes of others in which the book has been compared to), but a careful read opens up the door to some pretty incredible understandings of the nature of God, the trinity, the work and power of Christ through the cross, the nature of fallen humanity and the redemptive plan of God towards his creation.

In relation to the success of the book one can’t help but see the instant connection to the reader – ‘The Great Sadness’ – This is part of our human journey. It’s here C. S. Lewis states: “God whispers to us in our pleasures, speaks to us in our conscience, but shouts in our pains: It is His megaphone to rouse a deaf world”. No doubt the main character, Mack was awakened to a reality of God he would have never known if not for the loss and pain of an abduction. Of course he asks the universal question in the midst of suffering; “How could this have happened? God, how could this happen?” (page 53)

Brilliantly portrayed author William P. Young uses the story to highlight the nature of God as it relates to not only the tragedy, but the role and nature of God through it and of course the process of healing, including forgiveness.

Beyond the story itself there are some tensions that arise for many in relation to the trinity, the ‘look’ of God and some of the quotes Young creates and places in the story as reference to God, Jesus and the Holy Spirit.

There are of course theological differences rooted deep within people that may frustrate some readers (free will vs. predestination page 164; the nature of the Trinity – “Circle of Love” – “Chain of command” pages 122, 145, 222; God’s judgment on sin – “It’s not my [God] purpose to punish it; it’s my joy to cure it” Page 120), yet I would suggest remaining open to each of these as even within mature Christians these debates and differences have been fought for hundreds of years and will continue, yet in my opinion Young never crosses a line of misrepresenting the truth of scripture and the nature of God.

After leading a three week course on Exploring the Shack, I would only encourage anyone to read the book and then openly discuss it. My closing thought on what one does with it:

Great topic for conversation

Great discussion starter with friends

Re-evaluate your own beliefs about God (using scripture to support and help reveal a deeper understanding of God within your life)

Grow in deeper intimacy with God as you re-read The Shack.

Awesome read (and re-read), Thumbs up!