How great a salvation…

Recently I heard the T. Scott Daniels, pastor of Pasadena First Church of the Nazarene, preach at the graduation exercises for Nazarene Theological Seminary. The sermon looked at the fourth chapter of Jonah. I'm borrowing some of my post today from him, but I want to go in a slightly different direction.

Let me give you a quick recap of the story to refresh your memory. Jonah has already fled, been swallowed (I've always hoped it was a shark rather than a whale!), and vomited back up onto the beach. He has gone to Nineveh and after an extremely seeker sensitive message of "Forty Days more, and Nineveh shall be overthrown!" (Jonah 3.4 NRSV) We then arrive at Chapter 4, which I don't remember them teaching me about in Sunday School.

Jonah becomes very angry and tells God how displeased he is that God has blessed Jonah's ministry and that Nineveh has repented. Jonah goes to the east of the city, sets up some shade and seems to be hoping for God to smite Nineveh even though it has repented. The story ends with an object lesson of the bush that grows over Jonah's head and Jonah's great disappointment when the bush dies. The story ends with God's statement in verses 10 and 11:

"Then the LORD said, 'You are concerned about the bush, for which you did not labor and which you did not grow; it came into being in a night and perished in a night. And should I not be concerned about Nineveh, that great city, in which there are more than a hundred and twenty thousand persons who do not know their right hand from their left, and also many animals?'" (Jonah 4.10-11 NRSV)

I'm not sure who the author of the book of Jonah is, but I'm guessing it wasn't Jonah. If it was, he didn't portray himself very well. I would have written the story so that I looked better. Now, we could begin an argument at this point. What is the most important point of the story? Is it what kind of fish swallowed Jonah? Is it related to the exact geography of that region? The obvious answer is, "No!" Though those questions may be important, the author of the book ends with an important theological point.

God's love reaches outside the people of Israel even to those who they see as their enemies. God's love shows no favoritism (Romans 2.11). When we say that the Bible teaches us, "inerrantly revealing the will of God concerning us in all things necessary to our salvation" (Article IV, The Manual) this is the kind of thing we have in mind.

The point of the Bible is theological. That isn't to say that we cannot learn about history by reading the Scriptures. We certainly do learn about that, but again, the purpose of the Scriptures isn't to teach us history, it isn't to teach us geography or anything other than the story of a God whose love for us knows no limits. Once we start arguing about the historical veracity of the stories we've already begun to miss the point. The point is God's love.

Our problem, at least as I see it in the Church of the Nazarene, is not that our view of Scripture is too low. It isn't that we haven't espoused a fundamentalist view of Scripture:

"Scripture, being found as eternally inerrent and inspired of God, is veracious and authoritative concerning every aspect of physical and spiritual existence. The Bible has been provided as our only completely truthful standard of theology, ethics, science, history, and every other realm into which its limitless grasp extends ."
http://nazarenepsalm113.wordpress.com/2009/05/13/the-authority-of-scripture-2/

The problem is that our Biblical illiteracy keeps us from seeing and understanding the love of God that unfolds through the Biblical narrative.

Prayer:
God of all truth, we fight so hard about your Scriptures. We argue about small points and miss the big picture. We end up being like Jonah who griped about the bush that died. If someone doesn't agree with us completely, we wish your mercy would leave them untouched. Forgive us. We admit that we can be as petty and stupid as Jonah. At the same time, you are the same God whose property it is to always have mercy. We praise you! Thank you for having mercy on all of us arguing, petty, and vindictive people. Teach us through the example of your Son, our Lord Jesus Christ, to open our arms and through the power of your Holy Spirit embrace the hurting world. Amen

Why are we saved? What is the point?

Let me ask what may seem to be an absurd question at first glance. “Why are you saved?” I’m not asking a question about “How are you saved?” I’m also not asking, “What is salvation?” I’m asking, “What does our salvation mean?”

If we focus exclusively on the “how” or “what” of our salvation without asking about the “why” we will undoubtedly miss the greatness of God’s good news. Let me be explicit. When we focus on “how we are saved” or “what salvation is” we might be tempted to come up with definitions that are exhaustive. We attempt to do our best to explain in detail what has to happen for our salvation and what our part is in that situation. We may even pervert the dynamic work of the Holy Spirit to bring us to new life into a dead transaction where we perform an action (believe or accept) and God issues us our “Get out of Hell Free” card.

“He said to him, ‘You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, and with all your soul, and with all your mind.’ This is the greatest and first commandment. And the Second is like it: ‘You shall love your neighbor as yourself.’ On these two commandments hang all the law and the prophets.”
Matthew 22.37-40 (NRSV)

These two commandments beautifully summarize “why” we were created. At the same time, these two commandments, apart from the work of the Holy Spirit in our life, are impossible for us to fulfill. As the little lumps of self-centeredness we are before God gets a hold of us, we cannot do what we were created to do.

We are saved to be what God created us to be. We are saved to free us from slavery to ourselves. We are saved from the desire to have the kind of pride that demands our own way. We are saved from the pride that might come from experiencing God’s grace. We are saved from the desire to Lord over other people. We are saved from all of that which is not God’s love operating in our lives.

I think our brother John Wesley Summarizes it best when he says:

“It were well you should be thoroughly sensible of this,--‘ the heaven of heavens is love.’ There is nothing higher in religion; there is, in effect, nothing else; if you look for anything but more love, you are looking wide of the mark, you are getting out of the royal way. And when you are asking others, ‘Have you received this or that blessing?’ If you mean anything but more love, you mean wrong; you are leading them out of the way, and putting them on a false scent. Settle it in your heart from the moment God has saved you from all sin, you are to aim at nothing more, but more of that love described in the thirteenth chapter of Corinthians. You can go no higher than this, till you are carried into Abraham’s bosom.”
John Wesley, A Plain Account of Christian Perfection available online at: http://wesley.nnu.edu/john_wesley/plain_account/

I suppose that God’s mercy is wide enough for to save me as one who will never, this side of eternity, understand the Trinity or other mysteries of the faith perfectly. In fact, that is the good news of the Gospel. While we were far away from God, God never gave up on us. God’s love never fails. God’s grace never stops calling all people, in all places, at all times to God’s own self.

Prayer:
Almighty God, please, please help us. We focus on our salvation like it is a thing. We rob it of power. We kill your joy. We argue and whine and complain. Shut us up long enough to listen to what you say about love. Annihilate the pride we use to club each other. Help us to aim at love and by the power of your Holy Spirit to hit the mark. Help us to urge each other on to more love instead of giving each other grief. Remind us that love is not rude. In the name of your Son, our Lord, Jesus Christ. Amen.

An invitation to eat

Brenda Brockman Diefenbacher wrote

A major component of the emergent church is what they call "conversation".

The "conversation" wants to, and does, take 2 opposing views and attempts to develop a 3rd outcome. This is why truth statements are met with such disdain.

Another name for this is SYNCRETISM. Syncretism is a social group method used to take 2 opposing views and introduce a new 3rd view, (the 3rd view is already pre-determined) to foster a 'new' way of thinking, and to usher in change to large social groups.

This is why we don't welcome "conversations" or debates. We already know what we believe and stand for and we do not welcome any attempts at compromise. Again, this is called unloving by those who oppose.

The Bible doesn't support syncretism, or a broad path to God, or any works-based worship methods, or man made methods measured by man's feelings and experiences. God has clearly laid out in His Word how we are to understand Him and approach Him in prayer and worship.

From: Facebook Concerned Nazarenes Group

In my previous post, I thought I had detailed what seemed to be the main reasons one would want to avoid debate or discussion of an issue. Over the weekend, I ran into this expression that I wanted to explore a bit more before moving on to another topic. I think this issue is one of the fundamental problems we face. The main problem is not the difference in views of scripture or which metaphor we use to explain the atonement. It isn't that what songs we sing or what we think needs to change in the church. The most basic problem will be that we seem to be unable to talk.

Some (as evidenced by the quote above) seem to assume that talking together is a subversive way to undercut positions and change what they see to be the immutable truth to which they adhere. Perhaps what we need to consider is the desire to discuss the full breath of Scripture without flattening the diversity of voices inside the Bible. Consider the commands given to Israel to offer sacrifices. In Leviticus 1.17 these sacrifices are described as an offering which is "pleasing odor to the LORD." If we look in Hosea 6.6 we see a different picture, "For I desire steadfast love and not sacrifice, the knowledge of God rather than burnt offerings." (NRSV)

Religious syncretism takes one faith and combines it with another. An obvious example of this kind of activity is Solomon as depicted in chapter 11 of 1 Kings. Here we see that because of all of the foreign women he loves turns his heart after other gods. Solomon builds a high place for Chemosh and for Molech. This kind of activity is the essence of "syncretism."

On a more generic basis, "syncretism" might take the form of merging two or forms of belief; however, this kind of merging is different from what might occur from dialogue. Depending on the context, the goal of a conversation is not always to convert one person to another person's way of thinking. The goal may not even be to find a way to move forward. As frustrating as it may be, the goal may simply be to understand where the other person is coming from in the situation. Sometimes, the goal of a conversation is for us to understand the positions or attitudes we hold ourselves.

Let's look at another example. When we think of marriage relationships, we understand that communication is important to the relationship. In the communication related to my marriage, I understand that no matter what I try to do, there is no way I'll ever convince my wife to think like a man (thank God!). At the same time, she will never be able to make me think like a woman. Because I think there are genuine differences in the way persons from different genders think (and feel), the goal is not to make some new way of thinking that combines the two (so neither of us are comfortable), but simply to understand from where the other person is coming. In this way, we are able to faithfully follow the charge given in the homily at our wedding. My Grandfather, who preached that homily stated, "God did not create Eve from Adam's foot that he should rule over her. Neither did he create Eve from Adam's skull that she should rule over him. Rather, God created Eve from Adam's rib that they might walk side by side as partners."

Though it may be stretching the metaphor a bit to apply this to the situation this blog addresses, I have to wonder if there was a way for us to sit down together around a table (I am, after all a southerner, and we tend to do this kind of hard work over a meal.) and have a regular discussion. I'd assume the Brian McClaren couldn't be there because of his busy schedule, but perhaps a few of us could sit down and eat together and talk about what we are passionate about. We could talk about how God is working in our lives. We could talk about what God's Holy Spirit is teaching us and we could explore what it might mean for us to love each other. It seems that despite what are genuine differences, the command for us to love our neighbor as ourselves applies to folks in the church in the same way it applies to husbands and wives in marriage. Otherwise, how will they know we are Christians by our love?

Prayer:

Father, forgive me for the way my own understanding is limited and for the ways my thinking about you is too small. Forgive me for the times I find genuine differences as an excuse to stop loving others. Forgive me for the times I see sisters and brothers in the church as my enemies. Forgive me for the times where I try to force people to adopt my views. Grant that our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ, who you sent to bring to us new life and to conquer sin and death, may, as our brother, teach us how to relate to our siblings in you. Grant us the discipline to be queit and still long enough to listen to you and listen to my sisters and brothers. May your Holy Spirit provide a unity in focus for ministry that transcends differences on issues and may your Holy Spirit guide us into all Truth. Amen.

I cannot talk to you--you drank the kool-aid.

"This website will not be a place of debate for those who have fallen for the Emergent deception.

There will be no Emergent conversation here, since a very large part of the Emergent/Emerging movement is a return not to ancient Christian practices but ancient and present Catholic practices as well as Gnostic practice.

Those who are interested in Emergent dialog can do it on their own blogs or websites."
Concerned Nazarenes

Why can't we talk? Why shouldn't we be able to discuss these matters? Why don't they allow comments on their blogs?

Obviously, There is no way one can know why they are truly afraid of dialogue. I can be afraid of dialogue as well. I generally dislike dialogue in a few situations. First, I dislike dialogue if it becomes one sided. Of course at that point it isn't dialogue, it is a monologue with an unhappy audience. Second, I dislike having to listen to people speak as if they have authority on a particular situation when they don't understand what it is they are talking about. Finally, I dislike it when people begin to threaten those who dare to hold a different opinion.

Given these options for why people hate dialogue, I begin to wonder why dialogue isn't permitted on these sites. Why no dialogue on the Concerned Nazarenes website? Why no dialogue on the Psalm 11:3 blog linked with the site? Is the Truth unable to stand up to the scrutiny of questions? Is the God of our faith so small that we cannot ask questions? Am I so far from God's grace that I cannot even be spoken to except as though I were a small child or a heretic condemned to burn in hell?

In one place the stated reason is "we do not wish to engage in debate or conversation about topics that have already been settled in scripture." (Tim Wirth - Facebook Group - Concerned Nazarenes) I struggle with this turn of phrase "settled in Scripture." How or when is something completely settled? I have no trouble in saying that the canon of the Scripture is settled. That being said, I believe that the Holy Spirit is continuing to teach all of us what is contained in those Scriptures. I believe, given our fallenness and frailties that it takes a lifetime of the Holy Spirit's instruction to understand what is going on in the Scriptures.

"But the Advocate, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in my name, will teach you everything, and remind you of all that I have said to you. Peace I leave with you; my peace I give to you. I do not give to you as the world gives. Do not let your hearts be troubled, and do not let them be afraid."
Jn 14:26-27.(NRSV)

I think the base reason we shut off dialogue in the church is because we are afraid. We are afraid of so many things. We are afraid of being led astray. We are afraid of the "Roman Catholics" or the Calvinists. We are afraid of that which we cannot understand. When we are afraid, our peace is gone, we shut people out and we shut them up. Returning to the passage from John, who is the you in verse 26? Is it the spiritually elect who understand better than everyone else? Or does that promise extend to all believers who earnestly seek after God? Does God give up on those whose understanding is incomplete?

The obvious answer to that question is no. God does not give up on us. God never gives up. Look at the disciples as they are depicted in the Gospel of Mark. They seem to be a bunch of dummies who never understand what Jesus' ministry means. Before we get to high or mighty, we must remember the times when we haven't understood that ministry.

If perfect love drives out all fear, what does theology look like when we aren't afraid? I think at the very least it trusts that God keeps his promises and that the Holy Spirit is guiding us into Truth (cf. John 14.26). God's truth isn't my Truth and I don't have to defend it. I'm only called to be a witness to the good that God is already doing. When we live into that promise, we have access to God's peace which allows us to ask questions and reason together. In fact, we cannot help but ask questions as the structure of our faith is to seek after understanding (fides quarens intellectum). As our faith seeks understanding, I am thankful for those who walk with me. I am thankful when they challenge me and expose the weaknesses of my own thinking. I am thankful for a God who is bigger than any set of propositions I might use to try to contain our wildly creative God.

Finally, perhaps this is a selfish notion, but I like to talk to those with whom I eat. If we believe that at our Lord's Table we are one body, what do we do when we cannot come to the table together? Should we be reconciled before we go to the altar to receive the Christ's body and blood?

Prayer:
Almighty Father, you sent your Son that we might have peace and so that he might drive out all fear from those who call on your name. Help us to trust in your promise that the Holy Spirit is guiding the us into your Truth. Forgive us for the times we despair of our own situation and give up hope. Give us the courage to talk to each other and the grace to avoid killing each other. Help us to remember that an open hand is stronger than a fist. Amen.

The Church and excommunication

"Rev. Turner is greatly concerned about the Emergent Church heresy as being promoted in our Nazarene Theological Seminary; our universities and 'Barefoot Ministries' for the youth. Because of her concern and love for her denomination to whom she is indebted, she has been compelled to join me in informing fellow Nazarenes of the heresy and apostacy that has taken place. She believes, 'Nazarene's must act together somehow/someway to clean house of the subverters (wolves in sheep's clothing) that have infiltrated Nazarene universities, seminaries and the Publishing House. The souls of young people are at stake. The church that was called out to preach salvation and holiness is in grave danger of extinction if this heresy is permitted to continue.'"

From: Concerned Nazarenes

What does it mean to clean house? How does one clean house inside the church? How does one define or decide if another person is "wolves in sheep's clothing?

What I would like to do in this first response is define a few of the parameters around which I will be working and establish the tone of this blog. First, the name "unconcernednazares" might have several meanings. It could obviously indicate a lack of concern for the denomination. That is not the way it is being used here. I care deeply about the church and have strong ties to the church that has cared for me since birth.

Let me be specific about what I do mean. Much of what takes place on the site "Concerned Nazarenes" is fear mongering, accusation and is not constructive. My purpose in this blog will the opposite of those things. In that way, this site is the "un" version of the Concerned Nazarenes site. I hope there is dialogue; I hope that there room for us to recognize that what unites us is greater than what divides us.


Let me return to the questions I posed above. What does it mean to clean house? Does it mean that any who disagree with the opinions expressed on the "Concerned Nazarenes" site should be excommunicated and removed from the denomination? Let's look at how and why we get rid of people:

1. They leave: People can leave in any of the following three ways. First, if a minister or layperson joins another church, then they are no longer considered a member. Second, If a layperson hasn't attended services in over two years, they may be considered inactive and removed. Third, they can asked to be removed from church membership at any time. (The Manual, Church of the Nazarene, Paragraphs 112, 112.1, 112.2, 112.3)


2. They violate the code of Covenant of Christian Character or the Covenant of Christian Conduct: If they violate these covenants, laypersons may be removed from membership by a local board of discipline. (The Manual, Church of the Nazarene, Paragraph 504.2) If a minister violates these covenants, they may be removed from membership and the ministry if by a local board of discipline (The Manual, Church of the Nazarene, Paragraph 505.5)

Finally, the stated objective of "cleaning house" is outside of the goals of the judicial practice of the church. The stated goal is:

"The objectives of church discipline are to sustain the integrity of the church, to protect the innocent from harm, to protect the effectiveness of the witness of the church, to warn and correct the careless, to bring the guilty to salvation, to rehabilitate the guilty, to restore to effective service those who are rehabilitated, and to protect the reputation and resources of the church. Members of the church who do violence to the Covenant of Christian Character or the Covenant of Christian Conduct, or who willfully and continuously violate their membership vows, should be dealt with kindly yet faithfully, according to the grievousness of their offenses. Holiness of heart and life being the New Testament standard, the Church of the Nazarene insists upon a clean ministry and requires that those who bear its credentials as clergy be orthodox in doctrine and holy in life. Thus the purpose of the discipline is not punitive or retributive but is to accomplish these objectives. Determination of standing and continued relationship to the church is also a function of the disciplinary process."
(The Manual, Church of the Nazarene, Paragraph 500)

We will visit the question of orthodoxy later. Let me conclude. While my purpose is not to defend the Manual, if we are Nazarenes, we submit to this document as the way we relate to each other.

If that is the case, any disagreements between those who submit to the authority of the church should follow the manual. The stated goal of "cleaning house" as stated by the Concerned Nazarenes is outside of the scope of the goal of the judicial practice of the Church. "Cleaning house" is "punitive or retributive" and as such is out of line with denomination. I should acknowledge that the quote in question is not from the author of the Concerned Nazarenes website. At the same time, it is quoted approvingly in a way to indicate that the author of that site shares the opinion expressed therein.

Prayer:
"Father of all light, who did send his Son that we might have peace with you and with one another. Grant that we who are members of your own flock may, through the power of your Holy Spirit find unity with you and with one another. Where there is discord, let us find in you the resources to love each other. As you have promised, guide us into all Truth, for you are Truth. Amen."