Recently within a sermon that I was present for hearing on the Baptism of the Lord, it came to light that the age of the 'Happy' theologician with his/her (as the case may be) 'smile' theology is upon us. It is a certain type of theology that appears to make room for emotion, so long as it is good and happy, devoid of judgment and repentance, in which if we all smile and we notice other people smiling then all must be well.
'Smile' theology as such, and in the context of the sermon came about as follows:
"When you get done (reference to baptism) then all is well from that point on... You could really tell that the Holy Spirit had descended on Jesus at his baptism in the Jordan because I am sure that as he came out of the Jordan there was huge smile on his face, as there was at my baptism and when I was present for my grand daughter's baptism." - and the sermon continued on in similar vain for some time with God standing next to the pulpit wondering when He would be able to get a word in edge wise.
If the 'Happy' theologicians with their 'Smile' rhetoric are indeed correct - then there is an even worse problem within our world than I had previously believed with regards to the presence of God and the work of the Holy Spirit, for everywhere I go I see not smiles on peoples faces but wearied and tired expressions of joylessness.
Or, as I likely suspect is the case, the 'Happy' theologicians with their one hand in the gospel and their other in a magic book are forgetting that without declaring the whole counsel of God, both mercy and judgment it is not the whole message of God's love for us, it is merely a watered down version where sins are permitted because you 'got done' and God 'smiles' on you for it.
Wednesday, January 28, 2009
Tuesday, January 27, 2009
Confes(fus)sion of Faith
The Creed – The whole congregation together before proceeding with the liturgy declares publicly and together the confession of their faith in either the words of the Nicene Creed or the Apostles’ Creed. Can we really expect people to adhere to these antiquated responses of belief? In a world that thrives on and consumes the 'new and improved' in an attempt to cling on to the myth of progress is it not our responsibility to provide a confession of faith that is relevant?
Perhaps more realistically a Confes(fus)sion of Faith would look like:
I believe in the non-gender specific deity of my choosing;
the Great Acquaintance,
likely and probable creator of all that I have seen
and may one day see.
I believe in myself, the one who engenders all that is,
and ever will be with regards to the Great Acquaintance.
Who was conceived by the power of my Sub-conscience
and born of my Conscience.
Who suffered under the scrutiny of this world.
I believe in the power of Science,
the American Medical Association,
the communion of scientists,
the progress of choice,
the resuscitation of my body,
and the perpetuation of my life.
Amen.
Perhaps more realistically a Confes(fus)sion of Faith would look like:
I believe in the non-gender specific deity of my choosing;
the Great Acquaintance,
likely and probable creator of all that I have seen
and may one day see.
I believe in myself, the one who engenders all that is,
and ever will be with regards to the Great Acquaintance.
Who was conceived by the power of my Sub-conscience
and born of my Conscience.
Who suffered under the scrutiny of this world.
I believe in the power of Science,
the American Medical Association,
the communion of scientists,
the progress of choice,
the resuscitation of my body,
and the perpetuation of my life.
Amen.
Tuesday, January 20, 2009
Articles of Religiosity - Pt. 1
The Thirty-Nine Articles of Religion were established in 1563, and are the defining statements of Anglican doctrine in relation to the controversies of the English Reformation; especially in the relation of Calvinist doctrine and Roman Catholic practices to the emerging Anglican doctrine of the evolving English Church.
While they stay unread in the back of books rarely used in the Anglican Church one wonders if it is not time to dust off those books and make the Anglican Church more accessible to people by engaging in a re-working of said doctrinal statements such that the faith and ultimately God are more easily accessible and consumed by the populous of unbelievers.
As time permits I will endeavour to make such bold translations such that even those of no faith might come to reconcile themselves to the Great Acquaintance.
1. Of Faith in the Holy Trinity - Of Rationality in the Power of Three
THERE is likely, yea probably, but one living and true non-specific deity of your choice, everlasting, without body, parts, or passions; of limitless power, braininess, and goodness; the factory worker of all factory workers and CEO of all CEO's thus making and preserving all things seen and unseen. And in the unity of this non-specific deity of your choosing there be the power of three persons, such that all mathematic reasoning is to be put aside in order that three may be one and one may be three to be given titles willy nilly and without discretion to their true nature; Father, Son, and Holy Ghost.
While they stay unread in the back of books rarely used in the Anglican Church one wonders if it is not time to dust off those books and make the Anglican Church more accessible to people by engaging in a re-working of said doctrinal statements such that the faith and ultimately God are more easily accessible and consumed by the populous of unbelievers.
As time permits I will endeavour to make such bold translations such that even those of no faith might come to reconcile themselves to the Great Acquaintance.
1. Of Faith in the Holy Trinity - Of Rationality in the Power of Three
THERE is likely, yea probably, but one living and true non-specific deity of your choice, everlasting, without body, parts, or passions; of limitless power, braininess, and goodness; the factory worker of all factory workers and CEO of all CEO's thus making and preserving all things seen and unseen. And in the unity of this non-specific deity of your choosing there be the power of three persons, such that all mathematic reasoning is to be put aside in order that three may be one and one may be three to be given titles willy nilly and without discretion to their true nature; Father, Son, and Holy Ghost.
Sunday, January 18, 2009
Highly Suggestible
The 10 Commandments are found in the Bible's Old Testament at Exodus, Chapter 20. They were given directly by God to the people of Israel at Mount Sinai after He had delivered them from slavery in Egypt; but why don't we all get serious, that was then and this is now.
If God were to come and give 10 Suggestions - cuz we wouldn't want to infringe on another's individual choices - they would likely come to us in the shopping mall, brought to us on an etch-a-sketch and looking something like this:
"And God spoke all these words, saying: 'I am the Great Acquaintance, if you'll have me, your God...
1. You are gods, and clearly come before me always.
2. Make for yourself any idol, any likeness of anything that is in heaven above, or that is on the pavement beneath, or that is in your bottled water will do.
3. I am in need of constant validation, use my name in any manner you see fit.
4. Take at least one day a week and keep it to yourself.
5. At all times honor thyself before others.
6. Murder may be permissible so long as its done legally and for the right reasons.
7. Adultery is fun, divorce is easy.
8. Stealing is wrong, if you get caught.
9. There is a good chance you do not know your neighbour anyways, so no one's likely to know if you're bearing false witness.
10. Covetous keeps the economy going, you're not a communist are you?
If God were to come and give 10 Suggestions - cuz we wouldn't want to infringe on another's individual choices - they would likely come to us in the shopping mall, brought to us on an etch-a-sketch and looking something like this:
"And God spoke all these words, saying: 'I am the Great Acquaintance, if you'll have me, your God...
1. You are gods, and clearly come before me always.
2. Make for yourself any idol, any likeness of anything that is in heaven above, or that is on the pavement beneath, or that is in your bottled water will do.
3. I am in need of constant validation, use my name in any manner you see fit.
4. Take at least one day a week and keep it to yourself.
5. At all times honor thyself before others.
6. Murder may be permissible so long as its done legally and for the right reasons.
7. Adultery is fun, divorce is easy.
8. Stealing is wrong, if you get caught.
9. There is a good chance you do not know your neighbour anyways, so no one's likely to know if you're bearing false witness.
10. Covetous keeps the economy going, you're not a communist are you?
At The Precipice
So here I am standing at the edge wondering which way the church will go. A step forward leads to an endless fall where theology goes to die, a step back is a move towards a clergy and seminary student populus that still believes that discipleship has a cost and isn't simple.
If you find yourself in a similar state of mind, come along for a journey and stay tuned to a blog that will - hopefully - contain theological and religious wit, humour and satire.
A look to the Parousia or things to come:
- Cranmer in Perspective
- 'Smile' Theology
If you find yourself in a similar state of mind, come along for a journey and stay tuned to a blog that will - hopefully - contain theological and religious wit, humour and satire.
A look to the Parousia or things to come:
- Cranmer in Perspective
- 'Smile' Theology
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