Chapter 1…

I have been really bad about reviewing each chapter of the books I am reading. I told myself I would so that it might help me remember what I have read a bit better. So here I go.

The Emergence of the Catholic Tradition has been really great so far – very heavy, but great. Simply put, Pelikan is giving an historical context of why the Christian Tradition took shape the way it did – particularly in the way of orthodoxy.

Chapter 1: Preparatio Evangelica

The foundation for Christianity, as religion, was certainly Judaism. However, the immediate de-Judaization of Christianity had to occur. Christianity was instigated by a couple handfuls of orthodox Jews and it needed to unidentify itself with Judaism. The Christian understanding of God was triune, not monotheistic. The Christian understanding of sacrifice was completed in the crucifixion, not in temples with animals. Yet, many of the doctrines from the Hebrew tradition, remained in the Christian tradition. Take for instance the emphasis on the Old Testament (a Christian category) scripture to aid in understanding faith and theology proper. At the same time, some of the doctrines from Judaism that remained should not have remained for they often originated in the first Christian heresies such as Simonian Gnosticism. Others were simply modified such as Justin Martyr’s understanding of the priesthood.

Of further note, Christianity also had a foundation of ancient philosophy to aid its beginnings. Many church theologians and apologists actually adopted or adapted “pagan” philosophical ideas to help develop their understanding of certain things like: the Trinity, the resurrection, eternality, the immortality of the soul (if such a thing existed – the question was up for debate at the time), etc. Of particular note, Clement of Alexandria was one who especially was fond of Platonic and Socratic thought. His doctrine of creation was owed more thanks to Plato than to Moses. So as in Judaism, some doctrines in philosophy were modified to fit the Christian understanding. Plato understood there to be a demiurge of the world that fashioned the “chaotic matter that was preexistent into the world as we know it.” Clement adapted that and said that God is the preexistent demiurge of the world and the chaotic matter. Boethius’ Consolation of Philosophy is the perfect example of how a church theologian was able to find the relationship between truth found in philosophy and truth found in faith and the Scriptures. (By the way, I highly recommend Consolation of Philosophy to anyone who is interested in philosophy of religion.)

It seemed that the “seed of reason” – or the preexistent Logos – was embedded in man and allowed these philosophers to learn truth though they knew not nor had faith in the eternal God.

Chapters 2 and 3 to follow.

His mode…

As I have been reading the gospels, it seems Jesus was so unconcerned with many of the things with which men like to concern themselves. It was no concern of his that he did not keep the religious traditions of the day. It was no concern of his that the religious leaders questioned his theology. Nor was it a concern that his religious practices and behavior were called into question.

His concern was always the Father’s love displayed through himself via compassion and service to the hurting, the needy, and the lonesome in the world. When religious leaders wanted to cast stones, Jesus drew pictures in the sand and said let the sinless cast the first. When the entire Jewish community shunned an adulterous half-breed woman, Jesus shared a bucket of water with her. When the whole town despised the short and pesky tax collector, Jesus said, “I’d like to have dinner with you.”

Love was always his mode.

Received what?…

For a few days now, I have been mulling over Matthew 10:7-8.

 And as you go, preach, saying, ‘The kingdom of heaven is at hand.’  Heal the sick, raise the dead, cleanse the lepers, cast out demons.  Freely you received, freely give.

As I read that a couple mornings ago, a question hit me: What did they receive, that they might give?  I think in years past, I have always taken it to mean salvation.  “Freely you received salvation, so freely give it out.”  But, I am no longer coming to that conclusion.

This passage immediately follows the first formal introduction of the disciples we have in Matthew.  It is also the first time any of the disciples have been commissioned to go out on mission.  And, the Spirit has not been given yet (see John 20).  As far as we know, none of the disciples had been the recipient of a miracle – no cleansings, healings, or exorcisms.  So, what have they received at this point?

Well, I think it has something to do with verse 7 – the kingdom of heaven.  Authors and thinkers such as Ladd and Willard (and many more I am sure) speak wonderfully about the kingdom and what it is and when it came.  At the coming of Christ in flesh on the earth, God’s kingdom – the kingdom of the heavens – became present on the earth.  The kingdom is the presence of God.  When God came, the kingdom came.  When Christ was present, the kingdom was present.  And surely, where the kingdom is present, miracles happen.

Jesus told the disciples that the kingdom was at hand – it was within reach.  It was present.  They did not have to search for it; it simply was there for their taking.  Freely received, that it might be freely given.

The miracles that they were commissioned to go out and demonstrate, are all simply a testimony of the presence of the kingdom of heaven in the lives of the disciples because of the presence of Christ with the disciples.

Its official…

I am a really bad blogger.  My last post was on May 1st.  It is now May 23rd.  That is 3 weeks without a post.  See, this is why I never started a blog to begin with.  I knew I couldn’t keep up with the obligatory posts.

So here I am – posting something, really nothing.

Check out the new page…

I have edited (actually written some text) in my Seeking What… page. It is not much, but if you are curious where I might be headed with this blog, it is a good place to start. I will definitely be publishing on that page often as I continue to roll out what I mean by Simplicity in Faith, Community, and Life.

The conference…

The conference that we attended last week was quite good. We had a wonderful time seeing some old friends and meeting some new friends. We almost blew away in our tent (it was very windy), and I got a bit sunburned, but all-in-all, it was a nice time.

It was good to be reminded about the state of the world around us, and how much help we all need. We heard story after story about how Father is using people all over the world to touch his creation and how he wants to do the same through us. Literally stories that sounded as if they should come straight from the New Testament gospels.

We also were encouraged to sit with some older folks and share our burdens and our cares with them and to hear them say that we’re going to be OK and that we are still normal. Sometimes I don’t feel as though I am.

I was very excited to come away with a bibliography from a few of the speakers. A couple of the books I can remember off the top of my head: The Sacred Way by Tony Jones, Invitation to a Journey and The Deeper Journey by Robert Mulholland, and lastly Slaves, Women, and Homosexuals: Exploring the Hermeneutics of Cultural Analysis by William Webb. What will probably happen (because it always does) is that I will buy these and two years later I will actually pick them up to read them. I always seem to be a bit behind.

Which reminds me, I intend on writing a summary after each chapter (or appropriate sub-section) of the books that I am reading. Primarily this is going to be for me so that I can remember what I am reading (I tend to read a few books all at the same time). The summary for “Prepartio Evangelica” should be coming soon from The Emergence of the Catholic Tradition.