Apostle Paul reinterprets OT scripture?

Posted on January 23, 2005 by blgriffith

Here is something interesting to consider in relation to scriptural interpretation adapting scripture over time. It comes from the HB/HD Listserv.

I wonder if a quote from Ephesians 6:2-3, from the readings at Morning
Prayer today, might have considerable significance concerning
biblical interpretation. It appears to me that Paul himself had adapted a
scriptural passage to fit his contemporary world.
“Honor your father and mother”-this is the first commandment with a
promise: “so that it may be well with you and you may live long
on the earth.” (Eph. 6:2-3)
The last word in that quote is the same in NRSV, REB and KJV (translating
the Greek word “ge”), however the Exodus 20:12 quote
reads:
“Honor your father and your mother, so that your days may be long in the
land that the LORD your God is giving you.”
I have to believe that Paul knew that the original commandment referred to
the “Promised Land” – Canaan. However, Paul was a part
of the Jewish Diaspora, a native of Tarsus, which was far from Canaan.
Paul took a specific quote from scripture and deliberately expanded it to
fit his contemporary world. I believe he did this to
affirm a wider view of God’s love than the original text intended. I
believe that he was right. I believe that his expanded quote
fits perfectly with Jesus’ habit of saying, “You have heard…, but I
say…” I believe that we are expected to, and have biblical
mandates to, expand our understanding of biblical truths to fit our
expanding knowledge of the creation and our expanding experience
of the unlimited love of God for all.
Bill Fleener, Sr.
Priest of the Diocese of Western Michigan, retired

White stuff

Posted on January 22, 2005 by blgriffith

It is snowing. Lots of snow. The city can be very beautiful when it snows – slow, quite, peacefull. This is more of storm, and it is quite cold.
There is a beautiful song playing on the website of The Church of the Apostles in Daphne.
The performers are Eastmountainsouth.

Cast me gently into morning

Posted on January 21, 2005 by blgriffith

If it takes a whole life I won’t break I won’t bend
It’ll all be worth it worth it in the end
‘Cause I can only tell you what I know
That I need you in my life
And when the stars have all burned out
You’ll still be burning so bright
Cast me gently into morning for the night has been unkind
– Sarah McLachlan, Answer, Afterglow

Gay Marriage: Broken or Blessed? Two Evangelical Views

Posted on January 21, 2005 by blgriffith

Okay, here is another interesting piece. On the American Public Media radio program “Speaking of Faith,” there was a resent episode entitled “Gay Marriage: Broken or Blessed? Two Evangelical Views.” Richard Mouw (President of Fuller Theological Seminary) and Virginia Mollenkott (author of “Is the Homosexual My Neighbor?”) give their perspectives.
It is well done. If only we could deal with this whole issue in the manner that these two do, we would be far better off. Listen to the episode is you can.

Size matters?

Posted on January 20, 2005 by blgriffith

Growing up in Pentecostalism, I remember talk of the “faithful remnant” God always preserved even during the most apostate times. Of course, we liked to think we were part of the faithful remnant that God was preserving. Why? Because we loved God and desired to do His will, which meant that of course we were right and part of the remnant. Looking back, I see how the criteria for judgment were our earnestness and desire – very subjective indeed. I thought I got past all that when I came to Anglicanism. I thought wrong.
Some on the more conservative Episcopalians keep proclaiming evidence of the Episcopal Church’s error by posting drops in attendence or membership. Since when does size make right or good? Growth is certainly desirable and CAN be an indication of right and good. If we use this criteria, however, we have to admit that the Mormons, the Pentecostals, and the like are the MORE right and good than we are, conservative or liberal. Therefore, if numbers as indicators of who is doing the right thing and whose theology is more correct are this important, we need to become Mormons or Pentecostals.

“A person who never travels always praises his own mother’s cooking.”

Posted on January 20, 2005 by blgriffith

The above quote comes from an this essay I came aross today by The Rev. Dr. Philip Turner entitled, “ECUSA’S GOD A Descriptive Comment on the ‘Working Theology’ of the Episcopal Church U.S.A.”
I think he says some things that we all need to consider. Turner suggests that a primary problem in the Episcopal Church is not so much moral, but theological.
http://www.anglicancommunioninstitute.org/articles/ECUSA_God.htm

Continue reading →

Taking some time to engage

Posted on January 19, 2005 by blgriffith

Classes begin again in a week. Over the past few weeks I have taken some time, in the midst of finishing a paper on Christology, to be engaged in the debates that our Church is going through right now. I do not presume or pretend that I have anything useful or important to say, but engaging in the debate certainly helps me clarify my own understanding and sharpen my ability to verbalize what I actually believe in the midst of challenge. This is taking place primarily through Kendall Harmon’s website: titusonenine.
Here are links to the specific posts of Kendall’s that I have make comments:
Don Browning reviews Bradford Wilcoxç—´ Good Christian men: How faith shapes fathers

INTEGRITY RESPONDS TO COMMUNIQUï¾‰ FROM HOUSE OF BISHOPS MEETING

The Anglican Decision

I know I need to shorten what I write. I suspect that will come in time when I am not so much attempting to just get stuff out of my mind and onto “paper.”

ignite

Posted on January 17, 2005 by blgriffith

ignite sounds like a very interesting idea. What is it? From its website: “Ignite is the Short Film Festival which brings out Big Truths through Short Films.” Australia is its home.
It seems that there is no specific theological bent that has to be adhered to, just as long as one stays within the theme and relies upon a biblical passage for inspiration. I suspect that if something like this were held in the U.S. and if sponsored by Religious Right organizations, all films would have to pass by censors for “right belief” and theological “purity.”
It would be terrible if one of the shorts came out against the war in Iraq, or supported claims of global warming, socialism, the poor, or God forbid the equal treatment under the law of gay people. IçŸ¥ being cynical, of course, but I do wonder whether a film festival like this could be presented in the U.S. as purely a celebration of film and art using themes drawn from the Bible, or whether there would have to be a conservative social or an evangelistic agenda behind them all.

Reality is coming up from behind

Posted on January 16, 2005 by blgriffith

Peter Cullen, the rector of my field placement parish, gave a sermon today. I cannot do it justice, but he talked about when he was a teenager and his mother always suggested that he go to the school dances so that maybe he might meet a wonderful girl and live happily ever after. This led him to always think that some day, maybe, sometime in the future that would all happen. He still thinks that way – in the future, maybe, someday, sometime, he will find that something that is supposed to make his life complete. Of course, it was a situation experienced way back when as a kid that set his disposition towards always thinking that in the future… in the future what is supposed to be will be, rather than seeing that right now…
He talked of how this has carried over into his spiritual life. Sometime in the future is when he is supposed to experience all this stuff of God. He waits, looks for that thing to approach him from somewhere ahead of him and say, “He I am.” He realizes, now, that it is likely to come from behind.
This infects us all, I believe. But, just maybe, maybe right now that which is supposed to be has sneaked up on us from behind and tapped us on the shoulder and said, “I’m here.” We don’t expect such things from behind, but maybe when we always strain to look ahead to realize life we continually miss it, because it is coming up behind us.
It really got me thinking, especially as one who always expected things to “work out right” sometime in the future when God would heal, or fix, or make things the way they are supposed to be. Things have rarely worked out as I expected them to. My expectations are too low and too limited.
I have always been future oriented – I always expect things to be “right” in the future – faith is things hoped for, yet not seen, right? Maybe, just maybe, God has been tapping me on the shoulder from behind saying, “Here I am.” Maybe, just maybe, I have not been able to feel the tap or see the reality of God, of God’s truth, of God’s grace and mercy, of His fulfillment. Maybe the reality of life, real life, has been beside me all along. Maybe I need to simply stop always looking forward to expectations that should be realized right now, from behind. Isn’t that just like God, to do things in a way that is unexpected so that we can realize far more than we could ever hope for or conceive of in our very limited forward looking.
Just stop. Just stop. Keep still for but a moment, and maybe I will see and know. Maybe if I can just stand still I will realize what has been with me all along. Be still, and know that I am God. Tap, tap, tap. “I am here.” Wait just a moment, please. A still small voice that is too easy to miss when I am in such a rush – a blur, a flash… what?, did I hear something?
We live in a hyperactive world moving somewhere at full force. All engines go. Just do it. What if true life, reality, is to stop and allow the rush of this world to go on without me, to be a blur, unfocused, moving towards who knows what, and I just stand still. Ah, I can hear it. Can I hear it? Peace. Joy. Freedom. Finally, maybe finally, from behind, I am enabled to love the Lord my God with my whole heart and finally, unexpectedly because it isn’t approaching from ahead of me, I can love my neighbor as myself. Maybe, finally, I can experience that life hoped for but yet unrealized because Iè‡´e been wrongly looking forward. Be still. Stop. Turn my head. There it is.

The Power and Dignity of the Priesthood

Posted on January 14, 2005 by blgriffith

Okay, here is another piece by Father Harding from his weblog. I have to say, he has a way with words and identifying issues. I wonder if anything has really changed in ten years? I do think so, except that younger people seem to have a higher view of the priesthood.
The Power and Dignity of the Priesthood
This was published in an edition of the Sewanee Theological Review devoted to ministry. It touches on the discussion on this site about the priesthood. A Talk given at the Annual Meeting of The Society for the Increase of the Ministry at Trinity College, Hartford, Connecticut, November I, 1995, By the Rev. Leander S. Harding, Ph.D.
Copyright ï½© 1994
Much has been written about the perception of a crisis in the priesthood. The Cornerstone Project was developed by the Episcopal Church Foundation in order to help strengthen ordained leadership at a time when clergy are reporting themselves to be discouraged, confused and highly stressed. One of the most recent findings of the Cornerstone Project is that the parish priests in the project had difficulty articulating a theology of priesthood. The staff found that the priests in the project could discuss theological readings with competence but that when they spoke about their parish ministries they did not tend to speak in theological categories. I was one of a group of clergy, theologians and Cornerstone staff who attended a conference at the College of Preachers in June of 1995 to attempt to understand the meaning of this finding and to suggest a course of action. The thoughts that I am going to share with you tonight represent my contribution to that discussion.