How we should speak of God

Let me be honest here, although I love theology I sometime hate talking about it.......

To often we talk about what we know about God and we forget about what we do not know. We forget that our theology needs to leave room for mystery.

I also have a firm belief that all theology is flawed. Paul says that, We only know in part. (1 Cor 13:12) We have only a portion of what we will know of God in heaven. We should speak humbly about what we are so firmly convinced of.

This is not to say that we shouldn't vigorously defend our theological positions, but we should do it with respect for others. Remembering that we could be just as wrong as they are. 

What Does Social Justice Mean to You? Part 1 or Plant a Garden

A couple of years ago the question, "What does Social Justice mean to you?", was asked in a group of friends. We all gave our own quick 5 minute synopsis and moved on. But this question has always stuck with me. So I have deiced to turn it into a series of blog posts. As a note; I am not theologian, I have never been to seminary or bible college. I like theology but get tired of it quickly when it's all fine sounding arguments and no action. That being said please read on.....

When I think about Social Justice, I don't think about Jesus or the Prophets of the Bible. Instead I think back to Genius. There is something about that first story that intrigues me. What was here before we were? One interpretation of Genius would suggest chaos was here first. Nothingness swirling around in a cosmic void with no order, pattern, or purpose.

In the first few versus, God simply speaks and things start happening. There is light. There is water and land, ect. As he creates these things he also fills them. The light comes from the sun. The water is filled with fish. The land is inhabited with animals. And after creating the first people he gives them jobs. They are to tend to the garden, seemingly to keep chaos from creeping back into Gods creation.

A group of my neighbors are planting vegetable gardens this spring. To me, there is something Justice related about this action. Taming a wild and abandoned section of the city. Where there once was chaos there will soon be a harvest. Where there was there once was neglect will be now be sustenance.

This sounds a bit like Justice to me.

I am the God who brings life to the dead and calls things that aren't as thought they were. Romans 4:17b

Photo Credit: Robertg6n1 (Click)

Dispatches From The Revolution

-Gods Kingdom is all around us
-It is just as visceral as it is spiritual
-God wants us to act so he can reveal his kingdom



For more on Revolution Cafe check out my friends blog.

Religious Smorgasbord

How do you choose a religion? David Plotz has some great incite about evangelism from the book of Ruth.

Naomi is heading back to Bethlehem, but before she leaves she gently tells her widowed daughters-in-law, Orpah and Ruth, to return to their Moabite homes and remarry. Naomi isn't trying to ditch them for selfish reasons. On the contrary, Naomi knows that she herself is too old to remarry, and she doesn't want to be a burden to the young women. They insist on going with her anyway. Naomi orders them not to follow her. Orpah finally leaves, but Ruth sticks to her like glue and delivers one of the most moving speeches in the Bible: "For wherever you go, I will go; wherever you lodge, I will lodge; your people shall be my people, and your God my God. Where you die, I will die, and there I will be buried." This speech is incredible in many ways but perhaps most because of its insight into how people choose a religion. Ruth does not come to the Lord because He is the Lord. She comes because she loves Naomi. If Naomi worshipped Baal, Ruth probably would have become a Baalite. Sometimes the theologians forget that religion is not a calculation: Almost always we come to God or Allah or the Buddha not because we have carefully analyzed the relevant laws, texts, and miracles but because someone we love and admire leads us to them. Relationships, not theories, make religions grow.

Blogging the Bible

David Plotz from the slate has been blogging the bible for some time now. He has worked his way up to Proverbs now. You should check it out.

This one's for the Dog's

I read a disturbing passage today. Matthew 16 :21-28

21Leaving that place, Jesus withdrew to the region of Tyre and Sidon. 22A Canaanite woman from that vicinity came to him, crying out, "Lord, Son of David, have mercy on me! My daughter is suffering terribly from demon-possession." 23Jesus did not answer a word. So his disciples came to him and urged him, "Send her away, for she keeps crying out after us." 24He answered, "I was sent only to the lost sheep of Israel." 25The woman came and knelt before him. "Lord, help me!" she said. 26He replied, "It is not right to take the children's bread and toss it to their dogs." 27"Yes, Lord," she said, "but even the dogs eat the crumbs that fall from their masters' table." 28Then Jesus answered, "Woman, you have great faith! Your request is granted." And her daughter was healed from that very hour.

What disturbs me is that Jesus is using an odd term to describe a group of people. He calls Canaanite's Dogs! From what I know about the history of the time the Jews didn't like that Canaanites, so it would have been common for them to use a term like this. But we're talking about Jesus here. Peace & Love, respect your fellow man? What's going on here. Why would he use a term like that?

Any thoughts?