Reformation Day

It is the 490th anniversary of Reformation Day.
Let the doors of the Castle Church in Wittenburg, Germany be opened!



When will the next reformation begin? Who will be the unlikely leader? Martin Luther stood against the abuse he saw in the Catholic church, he was deemed a heretic by the Catholic church. What are the abuses that the church today is guilty of and who are they calling heretic? What is the purpose of the church?

Luther wanted the power of the church to be shifted away from clergy to the masses. He wanted a priesthood of all believers where people would have access to the Bible, the Word of God, for themselves. He wanted them to know God as loving and kind, a God of compassion. Martin Luther never intended to start a new denomination, he never intended to be schismatic, he just wanted to correct the injustice he saw. He argued against relics, they led to worshipping something other than God. He argued against indulgences, paying for grace that is God's gift to us.

What are the relics we worship today? How do we deal in indulgences in this day and age? What do we worship that isn't God and why do we ignore the grace we are given? When will the next reformation start?

Part 2....more sin

I decided that I needed to do some reading so I read Barbara Brown Taylor’s Speaking of Sin and reread part of Migliore on humanity and sin. Here is how sin was defined in the readings.

Barbara Brown Taylor – “Sin is the existential state of distance from God. Sins are willful human choices that maintain that distance.”

Migliore (157) “Sin is basically a refusal to live in right relationship with God and others, the denial of God’s grace and the refusal to live in just and peaceful community that participates in and reflects God’s own life in communion.”

Sin is our choice to live with broken relationship to God and others. We deny the grace that God has extended to us and (as stated in the Confession of 1967) “we claim mastery of our own lives and turn against God. It becomes idolatry of self or others. Something else is put first, something that is not God. I think this is a willful choice, either by ourselves or by others as their choices affect us too. This is where the corporate nature of sin comes into play. The choices we make affect the lives of others, both positively and negatively. It is only by grace that I can make any turn, any realization that I have placed something in the place of God. Only by grace through Jesus Christ can I hope to be restored in relationship with God or with others.

So now my question as this related to the church is do we place false standards on people, make requirements of them to be in relationship with us. I am drawn to the parable of the Prodigal Father. The youngest son is welcomed back with open arms after he comes to himself (I love that phrase), it is his moment of realization that he has distanced himself from his father. He plans his confession, the prepared speech he will make upon seeing his father and his offer for repentance, to live as one of the hired servants. And when he returns, because he has made his confession and repentance, he is given the restoration.

I see the church as the older brother. We are jealous when the father welcomes our brother home. We have been there all along, but have we truly been in relationship with the father (yes I know, I am using exclusive language)? Sometimes the greatest distance is where it seems to be least likely, is that the case now? Are those of us who claim to be Christians really in right relationship with one another or with God?

What would happen if we were to have the type of community that Bonhoffer writes about in Life Together? What would happen if we truly sought confession, pardon and repentance with one another that our relationships might be fully restored. What road blocks to we put up that keep us from being in right relationship? What standards do feel people have to meet before we will accept them?

BTW - If you haven't read John Shelby Spong's "The Sins of Scripture" I would recommend it. Interesting whether you agree with him or not.

On the topic of SIN

I have been attending a Sunday school class at my home church. It is taught by our parish associate and his wife. He is a retired pastor and she is a retired University professor of Religious Studies. They are teaching a class on the history of Christian doctrines. Today we were discussing Atonement theories. What was interesting today was at the end of class. We had a few minutes so Ray launched into a brief discussion of sin.

He asked if anyone had every knowingly and willingly done something to harm God. His contention is that sin is an act that is willingly done against God, and that we don’t try to harm God or neighbor generally. Sin requires a willful intent. To go with this he talked about how big is the god who you can sin against? He further contends that the concept of sin is something the church has put in place to create fear and guilt and to promote a wrathful God.

So what is sin? How does it affect your view of God? How does your understanding of God affect the understanding of sin? I’m still chewing on this one.

A gift from a friend

I had lunch with a pastor friend of mine who is the pastor of a 5 point parish. She has been in ministry for 29 years and has endured much that has paved the way for me and other women entering the ministry. She gave me a great phrase and outlook on my situation.

I am God's servant in waiting. That is what the servant does, waits for the master to call and the right servant is called for the task at hand. So I will wait. I will wait for the master to summon me for the task that I have the gifts to do.

The Search Starts Over

I have now been turned down by Boise, ID. I kinda knew it was a long shot since I didn't have the experience they were looking for and on some of these, the gender issue may still be lurking. So, I start over, sending PIFs to some new churches I have found online and hope to hear from some that I have been referred to. As I have gone through this process I think I am starting to have a clearer picture of what I am looking for in a church....finally!

I am disappointed and frustrated, but trying to patiently wait on God. I know that this is on God's time not mine, but it doesn't make the day to day of it any easier.

DeColores!!!!

I have spent the last 5 days at Canyon Camp near Hinton, Oklahoma. I went to Oklahoma Presbyterian Cursillo #38. Cursillo is a 72 hour spiritual retreat. A chance to get away from the busyness of life and to bask in the glory of God. A chance to be surrounded by Christian hospitality and love and to hear from laity and clergy what is means to live into Christ. As a staff member you are the givers of hospitality which a blessing in itself.

This time I was on staff not as a musician, but as a spiritual advisor. The weekend is run by lay people but there are 3 clergy who lead morning chapel, celebrate communion (the one ordained pastor on our staff did that), are available for individual intercessory prayer, and give some of the talks, This year, there were 2 of us who were on staff as spiritual advisors who have not yet been ordained. It was a great joy to serve as a spiritual advisor. It offered me a chance to preach in a new setting and within a short time. To work to bring in elements of what others have said into what I am saying. I also had the chance to do something I have never done, to preach in my pajamas.

The participants are told to "come as you are" so as the staff, we all model that too. The participants are given robes of righteousness, as was I. It is like wearing a bedspread. :) Good thing it was about Jesus telling us to come as we are.

If you have the chance I would recommend you pray about going.