What would Jesus think...

Of our economic system?



I did a short theological study of capitalism with a group of my fellow seminarians this semester. While we approached the subject from the point of view that we live in a capitalist society and that, in and of itself, capitalism is not evil, we definitely concluded that there is much that is evil which the system perpetuates by rewarding. I'll be discussing this in a bit more detail throughout this week, but what do you think?

Also, U2 has a great cover of this song as well.

Choices

I have been on a bit of a Gandhi kick lately. I just re-read a biography about him and watched the movie. It reminded me that we all have the ability to choose the right path, the path that stands against injustice... even if that means suffering injustice in the process.

That path can never include utilizing the same practices of the oppressors. As Gandhi said, "An eye for an eye leaves a blind world." Or, as George Carlin so eloquently put it, "Trying to achieve peace through war is like trying to gain virginity by f**king." The only way to change a system is to act in the exact opposite way of the system.

There is a great Seinfeld episode where George realizes that his natural inclinations always lead to ruin. So, he decides to figure out what his natural response would be, and to do the exact opposite. That is how we should react to an unjust structure. If it's natural response is A, then we should do B.

We all have a choice. There are two songs that I think demonstrate this choice superbly. First, the Flobots song Handlebars.

The Flobots - New Music - More Music Videos

Second, The Yeah Yeah Yeah Song by the Flaming Lips (I love me some Flaming Lips!).

The Flaming Lips - New Music - More Music Videos

Why is it that humanity talks about peace and justice (heck, we use the term "humane" to define such things) yet we continue to try to use war and resource control to achieve them? This is what we've done our entire existence. Isn't a definition of insanity continuing in the same course of action yet expecting different results? Are we insane? Sometimes I think so, but people like Jesus, Gandhi, Dorothy Day, MLK Jr., Mother Teresa, and thousands of others have inspired us to greater heights. We must, must, must remember their examples whenever we come to the place where we are offered the choice to be humane or be cruel. Daily we are faced with two roads. Let this be said of us:

Two roads diverged in a wood, and I--
I took the one less traveled by,
And that has made all the difference.

The path of peace and justice has historically been less traveled. Let us be a generation that tramples down the weeds which have become overgrown on that trail.

Who is my neighbor?

I remember my first long road trip. My family didn't take vacations when I was growing up, so it wasn't until I was 20 or so that a friend of mine invited me to ride with him out to Colorado to pick up another friend. We were going to take two weeks for the whole trip, including driving through Las Vegas, the Grand Canyon, and the world's biggest ball of twine. Just kidding about the last one.

One of the roads we eventually spent some time on was US-50. At first, I didn't think much of it, but then I realized that Columbia Parkway and Wooster Pike in Cincinnati, my hometown, was US-50. I had lived in an apartment on Wooster Pike when I was growing up. That's when it hit me... the houses we were passing (over a thousand miles away) has sort of been my neighbors. I mean, we lived on the same street so didn't that make us neighbors? I was little tempted to stop and ask for a cup of sugar.

My world got a little smaller that day. I thought about the parable of the Good Samaritan. Jesus affirms that to inherit eternal life, we must love the Lord our God with all our heart, and with all our soul, and with all our strength, and with all our mind; and your neighbor as ourselves. But then the million dollar question comes... who is my neighbor? That road trip forced me to realize that anyone with whom I share space is my neighbor. Now, I can choose to limit the space to my home, my street, my community, my city, etc. However, being on that road and acknowledging that people a thousand miles away could be my neighbor challenged me to consider anyone and everyone my neighbor.

I believe that every human being is created in the Imago Dei, the image of God. Every single one of us has the fingerprint of the Eternal in our fragile bodies. If we can respond to each other with this in mind, we can truly begin to see God's "kingdom come and will be done on earth as it is in heaven." It may sound sappy, but it will work.

But what to do when we treat others this way, but they do not? Does that give us permission to deny the presence of God in them? No, it does not. Even when the Imago Dei in me is trampled upon, I must still respect, and even love, the reflection of the Almighty in my neighbor. Perhaps that willingness to love, even in the face of injustice, will win over the enemy.

This does not mean we love injustice! But we must love those who perpetrate such things. Gandhi loved his British oppressors. He knew, or rather believed with all his heart, that they would eventually see the error of their ways and grant self-government to India. He further knew that when that day came, it would be better for him and the movement he inspired to have dealt kindly, despite the fact that they were rarely afforded the same kindness, with their oppressors; for, one day they would have to deal with each other as equals, and Gandhi was building a future partnership and friendship with those he once might have seen as enemies.

It's amazing to me to consider having that type of hope for people I tend to deem as enemies. To think that they one day could be friends, and to choose to treat them as such even before they stop their cruelty, is a true mark of faith.

I Believe

Please understand that this statement of faith is a work in progress. I am open to any suggestions and appreciate any push-back.

I give my heart to and allow my actions to pour out of my conviction that there has always existed, continues to exist, and will forever exist one God who is manifest in three distinct persons yet still a singular entity. This has traditionally been called the Trinity. It is both mysterious and revealed in my experience of this Lord, Master, and Lover of all. God has intermittently and dramatically intervened in human history and at the same time has allowed human choice to affect events past, present and future.

I commit myself to the first, but not premier, person of the Trinity, historically called the Father by name yet the gender-neutral Parent of all humanity and the Creator and Organizer of the universe in function. God has intermittently and dramatically intervened in human history and at the same time has allowed human choice to affect events past, present and future.

The most unique and sensational intercession by God was the incarnation of the second yet equal person of the Trinity in the entirely human and wholly divine person of Jesus of Nazareth, also called the Christ. Jesus is the Word and Wisdom of God enfleshed, the ramifications of which are that in him God enjoyed the complete human experience. He was born of a woman, a virgin at the time of his birth to demonstrate the remarkable and singular nature of the event, and matured into adulthood. Because of his ministry to the marginalized and outcast, inherently calling into question the unjust systems of the world, he acquired both devout disciples and avid enemies. He was eventually arrested by those with power, underwent a trial by the Roman authority, Pontius Pilate, and was sentenced to death.

The manner of his torture and execution – being whipped without mercy and nailed to a cross until he suffocated and died – caused him to suffer tremendously, allowing him to thoroughly empathize with an afflicted humanity. After a few days, by the power of the third, though living in cooperative and mutual interdependence with the other two, person of the Trinity, known as the Holy Spirit by name and acting as our divine comforter and companion in function, Jesus was raised from the dead. This event, called the resurrection, occurred in time and space. After 40 days, he ascended into heaven where he sits in harmonious relationship with the other two persons of the Trinity. His resurrection gives his followers hope for the future and his eventual return when his vision of a perfectly just Kingdom of God will come to fruition.

Jesus’ birth, life, death, and resurrection served to reconcile humanity with God, each other, and creation as a whole. Human beings from the beginning of time have chosen to wallow in their perceived freedom only to discover that they have actually refused the gifts of God. However, through the work of Jesus, every person has the opportunity to experience redemption, allowing them to live in unity with God, one another, and all of creation. Though humans will never be perfect in this life, they are at once both sinners and saints. As they choose to permit God to work in them and through them, they will serve to bring about the coming Kingdom of God, and I so choose to trust in the work and victory of Jesus so that God may use me, and I may be in proper relation to my fellow human being.

God works in and through humanity by means of the Holy Spirit. Though the third person of the Trinity is the most difficult to comprehend, I fully acknowledge the Spirit’s presence and influence on my life. I also affirm that the Spirit desires believers to be in relationship with each other. This has historically been called the catholic, meaning one, church, and it consists of all believers throughout all time, whether still on Earth or awaiting their own resurrection.

I submit that there are many marks of a believer and true member of the church. They have been initiated through the sacrament of Baptism, they actively seek community with fellow believers by frequently meeting and participating in the sacrament of the Eucharist together, and they desire to live out the moral commands of God, expressed in both the Hebrew Scriptures as well as the New Testament. Together, these two testaments comprise an unequaled authority within Christianity, though it is imperative that these scriptures be interpreted within the community of believers so as to not corrupt their meaning or neglect the individual experiences of fellow followers of Christ.

Lastly, I commit myself to the hope of the goodness of God which will once again envelope all of creation. I may not see it happen in my lifetime, but I am convinced of its imminent arrival, which inspires me to live as though it is already here and to work for its realization.

Amen

Faith

I am working on a Statement of Faith for one of my classes. It is fun and difficult at the same time. I enjoy articulating my theological positions on issues, but it is hard to craft a document like this. It can only be a certain length (and I can be a tad verbose when discussing things I am passionate about). Plus, this is for a grade so creativity and style are important. I cannot simply hand in a list of bullet points. I have to craft this document. Eventually, this will be how I am judged by churches where I will be seeking a call. Of course, I know that this document will be revised in the coming years, but it is still me taking a stand. I take that seriously. I want to be firm yet compassionate to the fact that there are those who will disagree with me... many of whom are much smarter than I am and have just as strong of an argument for their position as I do. I want to apply my theological statements, which stem from historic beliefs within Christianity, to our modern day concerns and attempt to clean up seemingly archaic language. In all, I want this to be both practical and poetic.

I will post my rough draft later today.

Oscar Romero, John Stewart, Stupidity, and Health Care

I am frustrated about Health Care Reform. However, it is not in a "tea party" sense, but rather I am annoyed that the reform did not go far enough. I am a bit angry that instead of truly making health care available to all, our government has simply given insurance companies more customers. Granted, many more will be able to get insurance and the corporations will be limited in their ability to deny coverage, but there has been no true regulation nor competition enacted.

Needless to say, I am a single-payer kind of guy. I understand many disagree with me, and that is fine. I can appreciate the validity of the other side's argument. I simply see this situation differently than they do. I believe that free and universally available health care is fundamental to a stable society. When we have such disparity in the quality of medical care based on things such as income, race, geographical location, etc., enormous segments of society become disenfranchised. This will eventually lead to protests and uprisings. However, in the short run it has already led to many "working the system" and passing the costs onto others. I believe that a society has the inherent quality of looking out for the well-being of each other. If we don't do that, especially on something as fundamental as whether someone lives or dies, then we are simply a bunch of individuals who happen to share space. We can be better than that, and universal health care is a significant step in that direction.

Unfortunately, that is not what happened, and I have been frustrated.

But a quote from Oscar Romero reminded me that though we may not see the desired end result, steps in the right direction are good as well. Here is the quote:

It helps, now and then, to step back and take a long view.

The kingdom is not only beyond our efforts,
it is even beyond our vision.

We accomplish in our lifetime only a tiny fraction
of the magnificent enterprise that is God's work.
Nothing we do is complete, which is a way of saying
that the kingdom always lies beyond us.
No statement says all that could be said.
No prayer fully expresses our faith.
No confession brings perfection.
No pastoral visit brings wholeness.
No program accomplishes the church's mission.
No set of goals and objectives includes everything.

This is what we are about.
We plant the seeds that one day will grow.
We water seeds already planted,
knowing that they hold future promise.

We lay foundations that will need further development.
We provide yeast that produces far beyond our capabilities.

We cannot do everything, and there is a sense of liberation
in realizing that. This enables us to do something,
and to do it very well. It may be incomplete,
but it is a beginning, a step along the way,
an opportunity for the Lord's grace to enter and do the rest.

We may never see the end results, but that is the difference
between the master builder and the worker.

We are workers, not master builders; ministers, not messiahs.
We are prophets of a future not our own.
Amen.

If you aren't familiar with Romero, you should be. To our society's detriment, this is what many people think of the Archbishop's worth:

The Daily Show With Jon Stewart	Mon - Thurs 11p / 10c
Don't Mess With Textbooks
www.thedailyshow.com
Daily Show Full Episodes Political Humor Health Care Reform

It is amazing how stupid some people can be, and it saddens me that often, stupid people seek power while intelligent people do not. I don't know why that is. Maybe stupid people are insecure and political office (or simply being on any committee that has influence over people) helps them feel better about themselves. Not sure. But, I do know that, based on this story, the Texas Board of Education is full of idiots.

Romero reminds me that fighting for what's right means that I will be constantly frustrated. This is why small steps in the right direction must be celebrated. So, even though I wish health care reform had gone much further, I celebrate the fact that 30million of my fellow members of society will have access to affordable heath insurance, thus providing them with the basic care that we all deserve.

Can't Sleep

I had a roommate once who thought that if he could just simply stop sleeping that his productivity would skyrocket. Soon, he moved to sleeping very little, and eventually he went back to a normal routine, but not before becoming somewhat cranky and a little paranoid for a while.

We need sleep. I need sleep. However, right now, I just can't do it. I know that part of it is that the medication level that I usually take has gotten out of whack, and so I am simply trying to embrace the no-sleep (or better termed the "sleep at extremely irregular and inconvenient times") by doing a bit of blogging and doing a lot of homework.

Kristy, for some reason, does not sleep well when I am not in the bed. I get like that a little bit as well but only when she is not in bed because she is out of town or something. But for her, having me in bed has become such a part of her sleep ritual that she has to take Tylenol PM whenever I pull an all-nighter. It's nice to know she misses me, and it forces me to have as few of those late-nights as possible.

This is a bit of a rambling post, but it is 3am (please, no Matchbox 20 references).

Wish I Was There

It's been a little over 6 months since my wife and I moved from Jacksonville, Florida to Chicago. We moved so that I could attend seminary and in hopes that Kristy might have more employment opportunities here. So far, we have enjoyed living in the city. Public transportation is fantastic - though sometimes it can be a little dicey - and there is always something to do.

However... damn I miss the weather in Florida! I don't think I can stress how much I am hating the cold here. I always knew that I preferred heat to cold. Don't get me wrong, there are some miserable hot days in Florida, but they don't last for six months! The heat can be extremely uncomfortable, but the cold actually hurts.

This morning, I took the dog to the dog beach and, by the time we left, I think I was experiencing the beginning stages of hypothermia. I have been home for almost three hours now and I still can't seem to get warm. Everyone tells me that Chicago is the greatest place to live once it warms up. Hopefully that will be enough to get me through the next couple of months of this misery.

Long Day

This week is the start of my second semester of seminary. I am taking 4 classes... which is the same number that I did last semester. However, all 4 take place within a 27 hour period - beginning at 9am on Tuesday and ending at noon on Wednesday. I am not going to lie, this first week was rough. By the time the third class on Tuesday began, I had a pounding headache and zero attention-span.

Thank God for Adderall!

Don't worry, it is prescription. I was diagnosed pretty heavily A.D.D. and without the Adderall, there is no possible way I could get through a single 3-hour class let alone a schedule like this.

That makes me think about all the people who suffer from some sort of mental/chemical imbalance. Just because one isn't sniffling, sneezing, coughing, aching or have a stuffy head or fever, it doesn't mean their body has no need for medication. (wow... how many negatives were in that sentence??)

I have personally seen, and heard numerous stories about, people who are bipolar or manic-depressive or suffer from crippling anxiety simply think that by trying harder, they will get by. As someone who live like that for years, I can tell those people that they can't. If something is wrong with our bodies, we should take the steps necessary to fix the problem. I remember when I first started on my medications. It was like a whole new world opened up to me. I asked my pastor, Kevin, "Is this how most people feel all the time?" He said, "Yes. Amazing isn't it?"

Amazing indeed. Because I was finally diagnosed and submitted to treatment, I have been able to continue my education... something I had, at one time, become convinced I would never be able to do.

So, Tuesdays... bring it on.

Giving Up

The Season of Lent begins today. So, many people will be foregoing chocolate, alcohol, cussing, etc. for the next 40 days. I have given up things throughout the years; however, I am always a little suspect when it comes to my motives. I remember one year I decided to give up fast food. This included pizza. Did I mention I was delivering pizzas roughly 30 hours a week? It was rough. I made it though, and that pizza on Easter evening was one of the best I've ever had. Unfortunately, I am pretty sure I did it because I had been gaining weight and was really just looking to improve my eating habits. It was in no way, shape or form a spiritual exercise.

Other years, I have really tried to treat whatever I was giving up as a fast. When I began to crave said item, I would try to pray and remember the One who gave up everything (I could probably say "ones" since there have been many in my life who have sacrificed themselves, in one way or another, for me... but this is a time to focus on Jesus). There are people who put pebbles in their shoes so that every time they take an uncomfortable step they can recall Christ. That is what this fast should be I think. That's why I should look to give up something that will truly "hurt"... not in a self-flagellation sort of way but something that I will sincerely miss.

Well, I am giving up something this year, but I'll keep it between God and me for the time being. However, I also want to "give up" slacking on this blog. I know I've said that a few times, but I am committing to posting something every day except Tuesdays (since I am in class from 9am - 9pm on that day) during Lent. This one has selfish motives. I am hoping that it will instill the habit in me again of posting regularly. It is not a fast per se, but it will be a little challenging.

My prayer is that I can give my fast to God. This is not for me or so that others can be impressed. This is something I can give to the Almighty. Of course, we always benefit from a fast that is entered into with a broken and contrite heart, and I do look forward to the spiritual reward, but I pray that I will focus my attention on God - Father, Son, Holy Spirt... Creator, Redeemer, Sustainer - and contemplate the significance of the season.

When pigs fly

... or cows fall. Of course, pigs flying would be more appropriate since I am going to quickly mention the 4-1 Cincinnati Bengals.

So, I have been a Bengals fan my entire life. I grew up in Cincinnati, and I was in middle school when Boomer Esiason (I will spill the beans on a VERY awkward meeting I had with him at a later date... let's just say, he might rightly have a restraining order against me, or at least have been extremely creeped out) led them to the Super Bowl. Unfortunately, I had to watch them lose on a (admittedly) spectacular 84 second drive - the length of the field - orchestrated by the great Joe Montana. However, they were, are, and always will be my team.

But, because they were the losingest (not sure that's a word) franchise in the '90s and not much hotter in the early '00s, they have brought a lot of pain in my life. I remember dreading Sundays because I knew I would get my hopes up only to see them dashed upon the rocks... or the shoulder pads of some better managed team.

Hold the phone! Now, I can wear my Palmer jersey proud. I can wear my old Bengal's t-shirt with honor (that way people know that I am not just jumping on the bandwagon, well at this point it is probably more of a bandscooter). My Bengals are 4-1 and in 1st place in the AFC North. I just wish I could actually see them on television.

Sell-Out

My wife has been looking for a job in Chicago for a few months now, and she is frustrated. The job market (especially in her field) is bleak. She put her resumé in for a part-time position recently, and the guy hiring told her that he received 80 resumés in less than a week for a job for which he was expecting to hire a student. The search sucks.

However, I think the hardest part about trying to find employment is the concept of "selling" yourself. How do you do that without sounding like an arrogant ass? You are supposed to accentuate (exaggerate?) your strengths, ignore your weaknesses, and basically show them why they would be idiots not to hire you. However, you don't want to sound like you are over-confident or incapable of working with a team or taking instruction from a boss. You are supposed to be a "self-starter" who can follow directions... seems like an oxymoron.

My wife struggled with this for a while, but I think she found a great way to allow her resumé to build her up while still showing humility. Instead of singing her own praises, she gathered quotes from former co-workers, colleagues, and supervisors and placed them in the margins. Not only was it a creative use of a part of the paper that goes unused, but it shows that those she has worked with/for valued what she brought to the table. It's like sneaking in extra references while enhancing the visual presentation of the resumé. Smart.

Still, it is a tough balance to market yourself as indispensable while not sounding egotistical.

Guilty Pleasure

I am fairly certain that I wrote about this before, but I felt compelled to confess once more...

Two years ago (well, more like a year and a half) I was sitting on the couch reading for a class. My wife came in, picked up the remote control - which is unlike her since she usually doesn't watch much television - and proceeded to put it on the CW. I asked her what she was watching and if I should go to the other room. She skated around what she was going to watch and said that I might want to adjourn to the spare room and my desk. I pressed the issue. Finally, after some cajoling and the opening montage of the show, I found out that my lovely wife was a Gossip Girl junkie.

I began to totally make fun of her for watching that sort of trash. Now, don't get me wrong. When the original 90210 came out, I was in Junior High and definitely watched eagerly. I watched every Real World from season 1 (wow, I am dating myself here) through season 5 when people actually "stopped being polite," but instead of starting "to get real," they just hooked up... a lot... in the mandatory hot tub... on the first night. All this to say, I have watched some trash. But I hadn't been addicted to a high school soap opera since before my voice dropped and I got armpit hair (which, incidentally, the voice dropped when I was 13, but the hair didn't come until I was 17... late bloomer I guess). Now, my 20-something (soon to be 30-something... a former primetime soap opera about yuppies) was enthralled with over-privileged, borderline juvenile delinquents who manage to avoid consequences because of their parents' astounding wealth and social power.

So, I decided to continue reading on the couch in order to be able to point out my wife's ridiculousness. Mistake.

I asked my wife who the characters were, and she began to relate the story line. I asked a few more questions. Then, Chuck Bass, the conniving ladies man with a fantastic wardrobe (which I could never pull off... I mean, who wears lavender??) said the line, "There's something wrong with that level of perfection, it needs to be violated." A VILLIAN!! I instantly liked this guy. Not because I found him honorable, but because he almost epitomized decadence and everything that's wrong in the world, and I wanted to see if he ever "got his" in the end. I was hooked.

All this to say, last night my wife was able to leave work early, and we were able to catch up on the last two episodes of Gossip Girl. It is our guilty pleasure. Usually it involves wine or champagne (technically it's sparkling white wine since champagne only comes from the Champagne Region in France, but that's just semantics), and we sit back and watch the mayhem unfold. It's fun, in a sick and twisted - not to mention voyeuristic sort of way - and we enjoy being together doing this.

I have come to the conclusion that everyone has these guilty pleasures. I don't think they are wrong (unless of course they involve physical or emotional damage to you or others... like adultery or something to that effect). Rather, they are a way to blow off some steam, and perhaps they can serve to bring two people - or more - who share the same guilty pleasure together a little more.

So, what's your guilty pleasure?

Status Update

Dave is ready to get back in the groove.

Wow, it's been a while. Crazy schedule the past couple of months, but I am back. I am getting back into a rhythm. This pattern, the one I've found to be healthiest for me, consists of working out regularly, not sleeping in too late, not staying up too late (though that has some wiggle room depending on deadlines), doing the chores around the apartment, and blogging regularly. I won't promise everyday since life can get in the way and I want to avoid frustration by not getting caught up in the legalism of maintaining a schedule. Rather, I will promise myself that I will get back in shape: mentally, physically, and spiritually. Thus, my update is that, at the moment, I am fat, disorganized, and lazy, but with hope.

Obligation?

Kristy and I have been trying to sell a house for over 3 years. We loved the house in Pennsylvania.
So many amazing things took place there. We will never forget the two weeks that ten people and one dog shared the two bedroom/one bathroom home. Kristy and I slept in our room, four girls slept in the spare room, and four guys slept in the garage (we sort of converted it to a room). We shared food, stayed up late playing cards, and laughed. What an amazing two weeks.

The house allowed us to learn a ton about hospitality and living with open doors.

But we have been forced to try a Short Sale, which is when the house sells for less than what is owed, but the bank agrees to basically forgive the outstanding amount. It hurts your credit but no to the extent that a foreclosure does. Well, the realtor found a buyer. Our contract stated that the realtor would get 6% for their part... pretty standard. However, the contract also stated that all aspects of the contract are subject to the approval of the lender, and they only agreed to pay 4%.

Well, our realtor is coming after us for the other 2%. We have another realtor who has been representing us with the lender and communicating with the realtor in PA, and she has assured me that we don't owe the money. I tried to appeal to our realtor (the person who is supposed to represent our interests in this deal) to waive the 2% since the reason we are doing a Short Sale is because we are in a bit of financial distress. Kristy has been unemployed since February and we are in the process of moving to Chicago for me to go to school. We don't have any income at this moment. Unfortunately, the realtor basically said no.

So, now I have played the contract card. I told him that it was clear in the contract that whatever the loan holder agreed to is what is expected. Since they only agreed to 4%, that is all the realtor gets.

My fear is that the realtor backs out and we are forced to take them to court. I have a big problem with the idea of suing someone. I feel we should try to work things out as best we can without relying on the court system. I have never had to sue anyone in the past and don't want to ever have to do it. This whole situation makes me sick to my stomach. This realtor is coming after us for less than $400 (he is making over $3,000 on the sale already). If I had it, I would give it to him. But coming after us for money at this point is like trying to squeeze blood from a turnip.

Hoops

I hate busy work. Partially because I am so A.D.D. that it is excruciatingly painful for me to concentrate from beginning to end of a task that ultimately has zero importance. The other reason is that I am unbelievably prideful and hate kowtowing to the demands of someone else.

I just finished a bit of (what I believe) pointless busy work. I will be starting seminary in the fall, and McCormick apparently requires its incoming Juniors (that's what a Freshman is called at seminary... weird I know) to submit a writing sample. Now, mind you, most graduate schools and seminaries require a writing sample during the application process. All the other places I applied to asked me to submit a paper that I had written during my undergraduate education. McCormick did not require one.

However, after I had been accepted, given a scholarship, and sent my intent to enroll I was informed that I had to write a 750 word response to a small article. Everyone was given the same article and guidelines. After typing, I had to print it out, sign and date it (to insure that I did it all by myself), and send it to be analyzed as to whether I would need help with writing while in seminary. I fully understand that some people are coming in after being out of college for quite sometime. I also am aware that some do have difficulty with writing on a scholarly level. But, I think it a bit ridiculous not to just have us submit something that we had already written (if available).

Further, shouldn't we trust each other? I have two ways this idea of trust was dismissed in this process. First, if you don't trust me to complete an assignment on my own when you ask me to, why did you let me into seminary? Second, if someone needs help with their writing, shouldn't, at this level, we expect them to seek it out on their own?

I didn't really mind doing this writing. It was not particularly difficult and the topic was sort of interesting. It is more the principle. Okay, I'm done ranting now.

Waiting is the hardest part

Kristy and I have been in Colorado for a month. We are staying with her parents. Their house sits high on the slope of a small mountain, looking over a reservoir, and the views are spectacular. Every night there are millions of stars, while every morning the sun sparkles on the water down below. A family of deer live in the thicket right outside the house. In all, it is beautiful.

However, we get no cell phone service at the house (a tough thing when you are trying to sell a house, a car, get everything organized for when you get to your final destination, etc.). Civilization is a half an hour away... and it's not a lot of civilization. I have come to realize that I enjoy visiting the outdoors and wilderness, but I am a city boy at heart and could never live out here. None of this is to say that we don't love being here. In fact, we are having a great time, but we are excited to get going.

We are about to enter a new chapter in our life together. Another move, but one that will provide us with a little more financial freedom. Not a lot of freedom, but the fact that rent is paid for the next three years is pretty cool for people who have been paying a mortgage on a house we haven't lived in for over three years. Also, the opportunities available for us in Chicago are vast. I get to be trained for a job I am excited about. I also will have the opportunity for stellar education. Kristy's job prospects are great, and if she wants to go back to school she can.

Basically, we are enjoying ourselves at the moment... trying to take advantage of this time with her parents as well as just the rest we are able to get right now. Yet, we want to get going... we want to get settled... we are ready for the next stage... and, to quote Tom Petty, waiting is the hardest part.

Inclusion

Yesterday, the bishops of the Episcopal Church (the American branch of the Anglican Church) voted to allow gays and lesbians full participation in any ordained ministry (see NY Times full article). This move was not made sans controversy. There is a strong contingent within the Episcopal Church that opposes the full participation of active homosexuals in the life of the church, both in the U.S. and in Africa which has a very vocal branch of the Anglican Church as well. Here, there have already been four dioceses that have split to form a new denomination.

There are many theological arguments on both sides of this issue. Despite what one thinks is right, I get extremely frustrated when someone suggests that those on the other side either don't "know what the Bible says" or simply don't care. The issue of someone psychologically wired (perhaps even genetically though that has yet to be conclusively shown) for same sex attraction entering into a committed, monogamous relationship with another person pre-disposed for same sex attraction is never discussed in the Bible. Homosexual physical acts are, but they seem to always be in the context of the acts being unnatural for those who are participating in them. Of course it is unnatural and wrong for someone who is not pre-disposed for same sex attraction to simply engage in such acts for mere pleasure... just like it is wrong for anyone to ever use another person as a sexual object without being in a committed, monogamous (and I would argue covenental) relationship. My point is, though the Bible does unequivocally condemn unnatural, same sex activity, it never mentions natural same sex activity. My conclusion, this seems to be an issue that can go either way biblically.

That is why I have trouble with people on either side condemning the other. Each side must make their argument AND be willing to be convinced by the other side if that argument rings true. If I have learned anything so far, it is that when I think I know, without a doubt, what the Bible says, I am soon challenged by the same Bible with passages that seem to contradict what I had thought was 100% truth.

People must follow their God-given consciences. If that leads some to sever denominational relations then so be it. I love the phrase fiat justitia, ruat caelum or let justice be done, though the heavens fall (or do justice even if the sky falls down). If you think something is right, do it. I think the only stipulation is that it is never right to do something wrong in the name of doing something right. Take the murder of George Tiller as an example of how NOT to apply this Latin phrase. It is impossible to be "pro-life" and commit a murder.

My own denomination is wrestling with this issue. I have very close friends and mentors on polar opposites of this issue. Both love God, and both love others. Both believe the Bible. What do you do with that?? It comes down to how you read the Bible. One might say they take everything literally... but they most likely don't. Another might say only certain passages are authoritative... but, that is tantamount to saying that only they (the person) are authoritative since they are deciding what passages are useful. The appropriate, in my view, response is to simply acknowledge that the entire Bible has something important to say to those who call themselves Christian. However, all of us... every single one... picks and chooses which verses we think have bigger things to say than others. A professor friend of mine, a student and friend of Walter Brueggemann's, told me that Brueggemann would come into his classes and challenge everyone that each person bases their theology on 40 verses. He would then assign his students to figure out which 40 verses they use. Brueggemann himself has stated:

Martin Luther King, Jr., famously said that the arc of history is bent toward justice. And the parallel statement that I want to make is that the arc of the Gospel is bent toward inclusiveness. And I think that’s a kind of elemental conviction through which I then read the text. I suspect a lot of people who share this approach simply sort out the parts of the text that are in the service of inclusion and kind of put aside the parts of the text that move in the other direction.

Asked what he does with the rest of the verses, he says we must take them seriously, but that it is impossible to take every verse equally... no one does that.

This issue of homosexuality will continue to be divisive. People must follow their conscience and their interpretations of scripture, but they must also respect that those who disagree with them are simply doing the same thing. There is room for all within Christianity. Christ commanded us to love one another... we must seek to do that first. If that is our attitude, positive debate is possible, and the ability to agree to disagree won't lead to further splits.

Happy Birthday

So today is John Calvin's (or Jean Cauvin) 500th birthday. Granted, he died a while ago, but many of his ideas lived on and continue to influence western society to this day.

There is much to criticize about Calvin. His Geneva became as oppressive and violent as the Inquisition. His intellect and desire to win a debate allowed him to be trapped in a debate regarding pre-destination that has overshadowed much of his other work in the eyes of the average person. He viewed his own theology as 100% correct, to the point he ordered the suppression and execution of dissenters... an attitude that contradicted the premise of the Reformation.

However, Calvin did make an enormous contribution to the Reformation, Western Civilization and the World, and today is a day to celebrate that without covering up his faults and abuses.

My personal favorite idea of Calvin is the sacredness of the mundane. Granted, this was not an entirely new concept. Many monks had discovered the spiritual benefits of not only prayer and study, but of work as well. Calvin was simply able to transport this idea out of the monasteries and into the minds of everyday people. Every job was important and should be done with an attitude of worship, as if doing it unto God. This concept set the stage for the eventual breakdown of the Three Orders (oratores: those who pray, bellatores: those who fight, laboratores: those who work... these are listed in the order of importance according to the minds of Calvin's day and up until the Enlightenment in France) and allowed those previously thought beneath clergy and royalty to directly please God through their own labor and contribution to society.

Calvin, in a sense, created what is known as the Protestant Work Ethic and had a profound impact on the development of the eventual United States. Now, I do believe that it has been twisted somewhat. Today, many believe that if you work hard, you will succeed. Unfortunately, there are many who work hard and do not succeed. To those people it is often assumed that they are guilty of some sort of sin that is preventing their hard work from paying off. This is not always (if ever) the case. Calvin stood solidly with the poor and would denounce the idea that the community is not to help those less fortunate. However, he would agree with 2 Thessalonians 3:10 which says: "Anyone unwilling to work should not eat." But, he understood also that what the writer of 2 Thessalonians was decrying was an abandoning of participation in the world and simply waiting idly by until the return of Christ. Calvin wanted, as did the writers of the New Testament, the followers of Christ to be active in the redemption of this world by interacting with it in the ways shown by Jesus. Calvin saw work and integral in one's ability to influence their surroundings as well as something deeply holy.

So, happy birthday John Calvin.

Vacation?

Does it really count as a vacation if you fill out a change of address form for the place you are staying? This summer, my wife and I are moving to Chicago so that I can attend seminary. We chose Chicago because I was offered a full scholarship (which covers housing as well) for the three years we are there. Furthermore, it puts us close to my parents, friends who live in the city, and has plenty of opportunities for my wife as well as for me to pursue a PhD. after seminary.

However, we had to be out of our apartment in Jacksonville by June 15th and can't move into our place in Chicago until August 3rd. So, we are homeless for the next few weeks. Kristy's parents live outside Durango, Colorado and we decided to stay with them for that time. We have no home of our own... so one could argue we moved in with my in-laws. From the outside, this looks like a really long vacation, but in reality it is simply a blessing to have family that can help you out when you need it.

Really, the church should be a family like that. When I have something that someone else needs, I should jump at the opportunity to provide for that person. I know I have been on the receiving end pretty often in my life. No matter whether I am giving or receiving, I feel blessed to be a part of the process of God working through community.

From what I hear, community is a big part of the seminary experience. I am looking forward to living across the hall from the same people I will attend class with, debate with, get frustrated with, laugh with, cry with, and provide for as well as depend on for the next few years. While I was with Young Life in Northern Kentucky, we experienced a level of community that I want to strive for even today. The sharing of meals, housing, cars, money, and lives hearkened back to the Acts 2 example. It was amazing, and it has profoundly shaped me.

This time in Colorado has been great so far. I have started on my studies so that I can hit the ground running in Chicago. I have also taken some time to read a few books that I wanted read as opposed to them being assigned.

Anne Lamott is an author that I adore. I don't always agree with her, but she is brutally honest and vulnerable and her ability to craft words is top notch. I also read Desire of the Everlasting Hills by Thomas Cahill. Another one I would highly recommend. Overall, this homelessness/vacation has been reinvigorating and I will be ready to get going come August.