by Elizabeth | May 13, 2010 | Learning Story
In researching story and Gospel-centric worldview, I discovered a blog I love — I even love the title: Eucatastrophe. Here is an excerpt from a post by Dan Cruver, author of Eucatastrophe. Be sure to read the rest.
“I’m having my Principles of Bible Study class study Romans 1:1-4 over the weekend. For years I saw verse one as merely an introductory verse. Its true significance had sadly escaped me. In an age where believers are tempted to locate their identity in all the wrong places, verse one speaks volumes of gospel-transforming truth.
Paul, a servant of Christ Jesus, called to be an apostle, set apart for the gospel of God, [2] which he promised beforehand through his prophets in the holy Scriptures, [3] concerning his Son, who was descended from David according to the flesh [4] and was declared to be the Son of God in power according to the Spirit of holiness by his resurrection from the dead, Jesus Christ our Lord (Romans 1:1-4).
At first look, it appears that Paul is primarily concerned with introducing himself in verse one. But at a closer second look, we’ll notice that Paul is not so much concerned with introducing himself to the Romans, though he is introducing himself, as he is concerned with introducing a radically different, counter-cultural view of the world, a gospel-centered view of the world—of its history, its present, and its future. Paul begins his epistle to the Romans by looking at the world through the transforming lens of the gospel.”
by Elizabeth | May 11, 2010 | Learning Story
For the next few days, I’ll post some of the “cut outs” from my worldview and story research. I’ll post the link to that article when it’s up.
“There have been many times in New York City that I have seen people make professions of faith that seemed quite heart-felt, but when faced with serious consequences if they maintained their identification with Christ (e.g. missing the opportunity for a new sexual partner or some major professional setback) they bailed on their Christian commitment. The probable reason was that they had not undergone deeper ‘world-view change’. They had fitted Christ to their individualistic world-view rather than fitting their world-view to Christ. They professed faith simply because Christianity worked for them, and not because they grasped it as true whether it is ‘working’ for them this year or not! They had not experienced a ‘power-encounter’ between the gospel and their individualistic world-view. I think apologetics does need to be ‘post-modern.’ It does need to adapt to post-modern sensibilities. But it must challenge those sensibilities too. There do need to be ‘arguments.’ Christianity must be perceived to be true, even though less rationalistic cultures will not demand watertight proofs like the older high-modern western society did.” Tim Keller, Redeemer article, http://www.redeemer2.com/themovement/issues/2004/oct/deconstructing.html
by Elizabeth | May 9, 2010 | Learning Story
Coming later this week… a new article on worldview and story I wrote for The Worldview Church site (http://worldviewchurch.org/). In the meantime, I’ll share some of the research I did on worldview and story. These from N.T. Wright, from a cool website called The Ordinand.
’Worldviews are the basic stuff of human existence, the lens through which the world is seen, the blueprint for how one should live in it, and above all the sense of identity and place which enables human beings to be what they are. To ignore worldviews, either our own or those of the culture we are studying, would result in extraordinary shallowness.’
‘Worldviews, as I said earlier, are like the foundations of a house: vital, but invisible. They are that through which, not at which, a society or an individual normally looks; they form the grid according to which humans organise reality, not bits of reality that offer themselves for organisation
”Worldview are the lenses through which a society looks at the world, the grid upon which are plotted the multiple experiences of life.”
Worldviews may be studied in terms of four features; characteristic stories, fundamental symbols; habitual praxis; and a set of questions and answers.
http://ordinand.wordpress.com/
by Elizabeth | May 7, 2010 | Learning Story
More from Romans 13: The law we must obey; the debt we should accumulate: LOVE.
“Don’t run up debts, except for the huge debt of love you owe each other. When you love others, you complete what the law has been after all along. The law code—don’t sleep with another person’s spouse, don’t take someone’s life, don’t take what isn’t yours, don’t always be wanting what you don’t have, and any other “don’t” you can think of—finally adds up to this: Love other people as well as you do yourself. You can’t go wrong when you love others. When you add up everything in the law code, the sum total is love.” Romans 13:8-10, The Message
Love is the word for a relationship between people. Christian love is the kid of love in which I am concerned for others and do what needs to be done to make their lives complete. The GReek word for this is agape. It is giving-love. It’s this love that the Bible is concerned with when it tells us to ‘love others’ (Matthew 22:39). This is the love Paul uses as the key to making our ethical decisions. If we put this love in the driver’s seat, we’ll be able to make decisions that will produce a Christian life that’s pleasing to God. We see this new love in Jesus. By looking at him, we can find out just how love shapes ethical decisions. Jesus, it would seem, was oblivious to rules and regulations in his decision making. His question was always, “How can I act so that this person becomes the person God wants him to be?” Eugene Peterson, Conversations: The Message Bible and Its Translator
by Elizabeth | May 6, 2010 | Learning Story
Today is the National Day of Prayer. As I wrote yesterday, I don’t need to spend too much emotional and intellectual energy in the political arguments cropping up around this day. Instead, I need to pray. Here are some prayers from the Book of Common Prayer if you would like to join me. May the King of Kings humble us and preserve us.
Prayers for National Life
18. For our Country
Almighty God, who hast given us this good land for our heritage: We humbly beseech thee that we may always prove ourselves a people mindful of thy favor and glad to do thy will. Bless our land with honorable industry, sound learning, and pure manners. Save us from violence, discord, and confusion; from pride and arrogance, and from every evil way. Defend our liberties, and fashion into one united people the multitudes brought hither out of many kindreds and tongues. Endue with the spirit of wisdom those to whom in thy Name we entrust the authority of government, that there may be justice and peace at home, and that, through obedience to thy law, we may show forth thy praise among the nations of the earth In the time of prosperity, fill our hearts with thankfulness, and in the day of trouble, suffer not our trust in thee to fail; all which we ask through Jesus Christ our Lord.Amen.
19. For the President of the United States and all in Civil Authority
O Lord our Governor, whose glory is in all the world: We commend this nation to thy merciful care, that, being guided by thy Providence, we may dwell secure in thy peace. Grant to the President of the United States, the Governor of this State (or Commonwealth), and to all in authority, wisdom and strength to know and to do thy will. Fill them with the love of truth and righteousness, and make them ever mindful of their calling to serve this people in thy fear; through Jesus Christ our Lord, wholiveth and reigneth with thee and the Holy Spirit, one God, world without end. Amen.
20. For Congress or a State Legislature
O God, the fountain of wisdom, whose will is good and gracious, and whose law is truth: We beseech thee so to guide and bless our Senators and Representatives in Congress assembled, that they may enact such laws as shall please thee, to the glory of thy Name and the welfare of this people; through Jesus Christ our Lord.Amen.21. For Courts of Justice Almighty God, who sittest in the throne judging right: We humbly beseech thee to bless the courts of justice and the magistrates in all this land; and give unto them the spirit of wisdom and understanding, that they may discern the truth, and impartially administer the law in the fear of thee alone; through him who shall come to be our Judge, thy Son our Savior Jesus Christ. Amen.
22. For Sound Government
O Lord our Governor, bless the leaders of our land, that we may be a people at peace among ourselves and a blessing to other nations of the earth.
Lord, keep this nation under your care.
To the President and members of the Cabinet, to Governors of States, Mayors of Cities, and to all in administrative authority, grant wisdom and grace in the exercise of their duties.
Give grace to your servants, O Lord.
by Elizabeth | May 5, 2010 | Learning Story
I confess, I can be so politically oblivious at times. That is why as I launched into Romans 13 this morning I sort of ho-hummed and thought, “Yes, I know, we’re supposed to be subject to the authorities and obey the law.” Not much to say about this passage. It is relevant but marginal. Little did I know how relevant it was until I opened my Igoogle on my way to posting this blog. In the NPR news, I found an article explaining why some people want to put an end to the governmentally proclaimed National Day of Prayer. They have some reasonable objections regarding freedoms, though they seem a little extreme to me. As a Christian, though, I must think about what my belief system tells me about my relationship to the government. From Romans 13 and other places, I learn at least a few things:
“Be subject to the governing authorities.” “Be a good citizen.” (Two different translations of Romans 13:1). Now what that means becomes a little tricky, especially when we look at the second part of the verse:
“All governments are under God. Insofar as there is peace and order, it is God’s peace and order.” Remember that God really is the Sovereign King of the Cosmos, and all plans and politics are ultimately under his rule, even when it appears He may be missing something.
So live responsibly as a citizen.” This last part of the verse, as it is translated by Eugene Peterson gives room for the law of love of God and neighbor to supersede governmental laws when they do harm to God’s creation. Consider Martin Luther King or Nelson Mandela as examples of citizens living responsibly while fighting the law of the land.
Moving beyond this verse into the larger context of Scripture:
Respect governmental authorities. Tim Keller has a wonderful section in Counterfeit Gods describing how and why we have a tendency to “demonize” political opponents. I have to swallow hard when I hear Romans 13 telling me to be “subject” to authority…at the very least it means to have a humble attitude and to respect them.
Pray for governments and elected officials. Every day. I don’t know whether it’s constitutional to have a National Day of Prayer or not. This I do know, especially considering the powerlessness we feel over some of the decisions made by our elected officials, we must develop a discipline of praying for them — EVERY DAY. Pray for wisdom, insight, humility, love, health, family, among other things. Don’t just pray that they will adopt your agenda. Do pray that they will bow before the King of all governments.
Okay, I’m out of time. I’m sure I’m leaving out a lot, so please comment on what you think our responsibility as Christians toward the government should be. Here’s the link to the NPR article: http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=126424076&ft=1&f=1001
