Over the past few days, several things related to Jesus and/or faith have caught my attention. One of my oft-repeated prayers is that the Spirit would open my eyes, mind, and heart to God's presence throughout the day. Sometimes that happens without me having to look at all - it's just there. Here those things that have caught my eye, engaged my mind, and warmed or challenged my heart over the past week:
- Stephen Colbert's excellent segment titled "Jesus is a Liberal Democrat". The last sentence is a sermon in itself. I was going to list O'Reilly's op-ed, but Colbert eviscerates it enough without me giving it a shot. O'Reilly ought to sit with Philippians 2:5-11 for a while. Here's O'Reilly's op-ed: "Keep Christ in Unemployment"
- There's an article by Judson Phillips (a Tea Party figure) making the rounds among my Methodist Facebook friends. Here's the blog post: "My Dream: No More Methodist Church" There is plenty of stuff in that blog post to unpack, dismantle, and obliterate. Perhaps at another time.
- Today, I was out and about looking for a cd of instrumental Christmas music for our drop-in communion on Christmas Eve. As I was walking out of the Lifeway Store, I saw a license tag that read: "Favor Ain't Fair". Like the aforementioned blog post by Mr. Phillips, that statement raises a few issues for me.
But here's what I was thinking today as I was driving around. Faith in Jesus is deeply contested territory. And this is not a novel idea to me, I just don't think about it that often. People envision and present Jesus in innumerable ways, some I find to be Biblically appropriate, some are completely powerless and incapable of offering heart/mind/life transformation, and some are downright wrong or offensive. As a preacher, one of my tasks is to present or express an understanding or vision of Jesus that is effective and that might offer the congregation an invitation to salvation. This is one of the most important reasons that I believe firmly in theological training. When I preach on Sunday mornings, I am not playing games. When we speak of God and claim authority in doing so (an authority that belongs to all who are called to witness - meaning, every Christian - see 2 Corinthians 5:20), it is serious business. I think some things are necessary when speaking about Jesus or faith in Jesus in a very public way (with a glance at Messrs. O'Reilly and Phillips):
1. As a fallible person, prone to mistakes and sin, my posture is one of humility. As evangelist D.T. Niles put it, "Evangelism is a beggar showing another beggar where to find food." There is a sickness at the heart of American Christianity that is a potent mix of entitlement ("Favor Ain't Fair"), nationalistic hubris and exceptionalism, and a take-no-prisoners approach that brooks no compromise or disagreement. Contrast this not-even-close-to-exhaustive list (and the above articles) with the actual ministry and teaching of Jesus. Prayerful humility keeps us focused on Jesus and continually takes the focus off of ourselves and our own theological, philosophical, political, or ideological axes to grind.
2. Faith in Jesus requires a ever-deepening prayer life. This only leads to greater humility. And not simply praying for God's favor for your own life, but learning what it means to have a life of prayer. Learning the art of prayer. This takes much time and practice. As for me, I'm only beginning and I am often pretty terrible at it. But God's working with me. Seeking a serious prayer life means that you believe that Jesus is alive, that the Spirit of God is at work, and that God hears and speaks in prayer. It also indicates a willingness to be changed in any area of your life.
3. Reading, knowing, and living God's Word. One thing I noticed while reading Mr. O'Reilly's op-ed and Mr. Phillips' blog post is that neither quoted Scripture. It's awfully hard to make definitive statements about the Christian faith and a major Christian denomination without referencing Scripture, at least once. A good starting place for both gentlemen would be John 3:16, followed by Romans 12 (all of it), I Corinthians 12 (all of it), Mark 8:34-38, Acts 2:43-47, I could go on...and I didn't even mention the Sermon on the Mount, the woman at the well, the woman caught in adultery....
4. For too long, we Americans have battled over a representation of God (Father, Son, and Holy Spirit) that is more defined by our own political or social agendas than by the witness of Scripture or the Church. If the Church in America is to not only survive but thrive, we must move beyond a left/right or liberal/conservative divide and understand that God is the God of all people, not just people I agree with. That might sound overly-idealistic or simplistic, but so often people assume that if they have a deeply held conviction, then Jesus obviously sides with them. See point 1...
5. I am encouraged by the explosive growth of Christianity in Africa, South America, and Asia. Perhaps this will help us to see God's activity, the movement of the Spirit, and the person of Jesus Christ in new and challenging ways, ways not warped by conspicuous consumption, hubristic nationalism, empty cultural relevance, or any number of ways that we limit and cheapen the Gospel of our Savior. Not that these other cultural perspectives are in some way inherently superior to our own, but simply being exposed to differing points of view allows us to challenge our lazy assumptions and self-righteous tendencies. See point 1 (again).
Closing thought, related to the "Favor Ain't Fair" license plate (I've said this at least 5 or 6 times from the pulpit): Jesus was not born, did not teach and minister, did not die and rise again so that you could be happy. He did this so you could be made holy.
Peace and Grace to all of you...have a blessed and merry Christmas!
Tuesday, December 21, 2010
Monday, November 29, 2010
Some Thoughts Early in the Advent Season
Yesterday was the first Sunday in Advent. This season is becoming more important to me for several reasons. In years past, I have been more attuned to Lent and the focus on repentance and the spiritual disciplines. However, the longer that I am in pastoral ministry, the more I come to see the importance and necessity of what Advent has to offer. Both Advent and Lent have difficult words for those of us who identify as "American Christians". And both of these messages are typically missed, by many in the church and by the world at large. In the case of Advent, the "Christmas" noise drowns out the voice of prophets and the miracle of God's presence with us in Jesus Christ. In the case of Lent, many folks aren't even aware that's going on, even within the church - Easter is not nearly as culturally celebrated as Christmas. Anyway, I'm beginning to learn more about Advent as it relates to my own faith simply because, as the preacher, I have to have something to say about it on Sunday morning.
1) Advent goes against the flow of the culture. The season of Advent is about waiting on the promise of God to be fulfilled. As a Christian, I believe that God's promise has been ultimately fulfilled in Jesus Christ. However, the Kingdom that Jesus has inaugurated has not yet been fulfilled. We are living in that extended moment of expectation, between the already and the not yet, still waiting for God to complete the work of reconciliation. Paul lists patience as a fruit of the Spirit and we are told by Isaiah that "those who wait upon the Lord shall renew their strength". Surely that is a word of challenge for us in a world when "instant" is the expectation. Many of us have simply forgotten how to wait on anything. I especially see this in how children are no longer allowed to simply be bored and wait for something. I remember riding to the beach (4 hours from where I grew up - and 4 hours is FOREVER for a kid) and having three options: (1) listening to and trying to enjoy whatever my dad wanted to listen to on the radio (Elton John or Loggins & Messina, not very exciting to a 10-year-old, or maybe a NASCAR race which was excruciating); (2) sleeping; or (3) looking out the window and daydreaming, which is what I usually did. In short, I was bored. Now it seems that every other van or SUV that I pass has a DVD player. We don't have one in our van, but for any trip over three hours, we plug in the laptop and let the kids watch movies - so I'm not carping on this too much. Sitting, waiting, being bored - these are increasingly becoming intolerable in our culture, especially for kids. And Advent asks us to sit and wait. Expect. Be on the lookout. Be watchful. Wait. Yes, even slow down. Or maybe stop. And how realistic is it for us to stop in this season? Again, it's going against the flow of the culture.
2) Advent asks us to take the Incarnation seriously. Thankfully, the hue and cry about the so-called "War on Christmas" has died down somewhat over the past couple of years, but you still see people getting hyper-focused on the assumed erosion of the "real meaning" of Christmas. I'm not sure what all the fuss is about - the "real" meaning of Christmas has never figured prominently in our culture. I'm guessing that most in our culture would say that the meaning of Christmas is about: spending time with our family, peace on earth, giving and receiving presents, or something along those lines. Those things are wonderful, but that's not the meaning of Christmas. The meaning of Christmas is best expressed in John 1:14 - "The Word became flesh and dwelt among us." That's Christmas - God put on human flesh and became one of us. And the Christmas story itself is full of danger, discomfort, fear, and, yes, glory, praise, and wonder. Christmas is about how the world received God in the person of Jesus - as an outsider, a threat, unwelcome. This is how the "world" still receives God (using the term "world" is a bit tricky - maybe I'll write about that later). Advent is a time when the church should do some soul-searching about how we receive God ourselves and how we offer our God to the world. Perhaps especially that last bit - how is the Church "putting on Jesus Christ" (to paraphrase Paul)? How does the world experience or understand God through the witness and work of the church?
3) Advent is about a God Who is active in the world. The God we find in Scripture, the God we find in the manger, is a God at work in the world and in our lives. No watchmaker God for us Christians. For me, the most exciting thing about being a Christian is the joy of awakening to what God is doing in the world around me and joining in that work. Advent calls us to that awakening and that work. As Paul says in yesterday's Scripture from Romans 13: "you know what time it is, how it is now the moment for you to wake from sleep." In Advent, if we allow ourselves to wait and to watch, pull back even a little from maddening rush of what this time of year has become for so many of us, we will be amazed at how God is at work in our world.
4) Finally, another thing I love about Advent is the willingness of so many of us, Christian or not, to embrace joy. I think in many ways, God's peace and joy shine through even the often meager efforts we undertake. And as Christians, we should be at the vanguard of God's peace and joy movement. For too long, the church has been perceived as joyless, heartless, judgmental, and harsh. What better time than Advent to make that negative perception obsolete!
I'm thankful for this time of the year and am looking forward to what God might teach us as we wait and watch. I'm thankful for the opportunities throughout this season of Advent and Christmas to fellowship with my church family, reach out to the needy in our community, spend time with family, and focus on how God is at work in my own life. I'm mostly thankful for God's gift of Jesus Christ to this broken world and to me, a sinner. God be praised!
1) Advent goes against the flow of the culture. The season of Advent is about waiting on the promise of God to be fulfilled. As a Christian, I believe that God's promise has been ultimately fulfilled in Jesus Christ. However, the Kingdom that Jesus has inaugurated has not yet been fulfilled. We are living in that extended moment of expectation, between the already and the not yet, still waiting for God to complete the work of reconciliation. Paul lists patience as a fruit of the Spirit and we are told by Isaiah that "those who wait upon the Lord shall renew their strength". Surely that is a word of challenge for us in a world when "instant" is the expectation. Many of us have simply forgotten how to wait on anything. I especially see this in how children are no longer allowed to simply be bored and wait for something. I remember riding to the beach (4 hours from where I grew up - and 4 hours is FOREVER for a kid) and having three options: (1) listening to and trying to enjoy whatever my dad wanted to listen to on the radio (Elton John or Loggins & Messina, not very exciting to a 10-year-old, or maybe a NASCAR race which was excruciating); (2) sleeping; or (3) looking out the window and daydreaming, which is what I usually did. In short, I was bored. Now it seems that every other van or SUV that I pass has a DVD player. We don't have one in our van, but for any trip over three hours, we plug in the laptop and let the kids watch movies - so I'm not carping on this too much. Sitting, waiting, being bored - these are increasingly becoming intolerable in our culture, especially for kids. And Advent asks us to sit and wait. Expect. Be on the lookout. Be watchful. Wait. Yes, even slow down. Or maybe stop. And how realistic is it for us to stop in this season? Again, it's going against the flow of the culture.
2) Advent asks us to take the Incarnation seriously. Thankfully, the hue and cry about the so-called "War on Christmas" has died down somewhat over the past couple of years, but you still see people getting hyper-focused on the assumed erosion of the "real meaning" of Christmas. I'm not sure what all the fuss is about - the "real" meaning of Christmas has never figured prominently in our culture. I'm guessing that most in our culture would say that the meaning of Christmas is about: spending time with our family, peace on earth, giving and receiving presents, or something along those lines. Those things are wonderful, but that's not the meaning of Christmas. The meaning of Christmas is best expressed in John 1:14 - "The Word became flesh and dwelt among us." That's Christmas - God put on human flesh and became one of us. And the Christmas story itself is full of danger, discomfort, fear, and, yes, glory, praise, and wonder. Christmas is about how the world received God in the person of Jesus - as an outsider, a threat, unwelcome. This is how the "world" still receives God (using the term "world" is a bit tricky - maybe I'll write about that later). Advent is a time when the church should do some soul-searching about how we receive God ourselves and how we offer our God to the world. Perhaps especially that last bit - how is the Church "putting on Jesus Christ" (to paraphrase Paul)? How does the world experience or understand God through the witness and work of the church?
3) Advent is about a God Who is active in the world. The God we find in Scripture, the God we find in the manger, is a God at work in the world and in our lives. No watchmaker God for us Christians. For me, the most exciting thing about being a Christian is the joy of awakening to what God is doing in the world around me and joining in that work. Advent calls us to that awakening and that work. As Paul says in yesterday's Scripture from Romans 13: "you know what time it is, how it is now the moment for you to wake from sleep." In Advent, if we allow ourselves to wait and to watch, pull back even a little from maddening rush of what this time of year has become for so many of us, we will be amazed at how God is at work in our world.
4) Finally, another thing I love about Advent is the willingness of so many of us, Christian or not, to embrace joy. I think in many ways, God's peace and joy shine through even the often meager efforts we undertake. And as Christians, we should be at the vanguard of God's peace and joy movement. For too long, the church has been perceived as joyless, heartless, judgmental, and harsh. What better time than Advent to make that negative perception obsolete!
I'm thankful for this time of the year and am looking forward to what God might teach us as we wait and watch. I'm thankful for the opportunities throughout this season of Advent and Christmas to fellowship with my church family, reach out to the needy in our community, spend time with family, and focus on how God is at work in my own life. I'm mostly thankful for God's gift of Jesus Christ to this broken world and to me, a sinner. God be praised!
Wednesday, November 17, 2010
It's Not Time Yet...Be Patient!
I posted the following as my facebook status update the other day: "why don't we just go ahead and listen to Christmas music in September...geez, people, it's not even Thanksgiving yet!" I got a number of responses. Some agreed, some playfully disagreed, and some folks seemed downright offended. As I was thinking about how many people responded and how quickly, I began to ponder the way American culture marks the Christmas holiday and how that shapes how Christians mark this holiday.
Disclaimer: I love Christmas. It is my favorite time of the year. I love the decorations, time with family, giving and receiving gifts, the food, the movies (especially It's a Wonderful Life), the music, the peacefulness of Christmas Eve - all of it!
1) We should know the roots of our Christmas celebration. The holiday of Christmas was not celebrated until late in the 4th century (the year 336 is the earliest mention of the date of Dec. 25th that we have. The early Church Father Clement of Alexandria suggested May 20th as the date for Christ's birth). The Christian celebration of Christ's birth replaced the earlier Roman celebration of Saturnalia, which was marked by feasts, gatherings, and goofy parties. The typical greeting on Saturnalia was "Lo, Saturnalia!" which was pronounced "e-o", a Latin interjection (kind of like "hey!") and was related to "Ho!" And it's a small step to "Ho Ho Ho!" (Just an interesting little bit of info). Early Christians were very skilled at co-opting Roman and Greek traditions, slogans, and titles for the sake of the Christian faith. Christmas is no exception.
2) My thoughts about this, as it relates to American culture, are not about individuals - it's about culture. Some folks who responded seemed personally offended and seemed to think I was trying to take away their Christmas joy. If people want to sing Christmas carols all year long, put up their decorations before Halloween, wear a Santa hat during the week of the 4th - go ahead, have a blast! My concern is with the culture of consumerism and consumption that has grown up around Christmas. For our culture, Christmas is not about Jesus, or even family. It's about money, commerce, profit. And Christmas makes tons of money. So, is it any accident that, in the midst of a bad economy, the Christmas push is getting cranked up a good bit earlier this year? From a business standpoint, this makes perfect sense. People in this country love Christmas, so if they see Christmas stuff on the shelves, they'll buy it. Why wouldn't stores stock it, if it sells?
3) As a Christian, my responsibility is to serve Jesus Christ year-round. Since I've been a pastor, I've become more aware of the movement of the Christian year and the importance of marking the seasons. The season of Advent is about waiting, preparation, quiet. If you only paid attention to Advent and not to the Christmas blitz, Advent feels a little bit like holding your breath. And when Christmas does come, you've prepared, you've prayed, you've studied Isaiah, heard about John the Baptist, Elizabeth, Zechariah. And the Christmas celebration is powerful when approached this way. However, if you go all in for the blitz starting on November 1st (which is when I first saw Christmas stuff on the shelves at CVS), by the time Christmas gets here, you haven't waited and likely you're exhausted and you just want it to be over with. Historically, Christmas began on the 25th and continued for 12 days until Epiphany (hence the "Twelve Days of Christmas"). Advent was about making preparations, spiritually and otherwise, for the celebration of the Christmas season.
4) Additionally, Christmas is not even the most important Christian holiday. That would be Easter. Of course, historically, Christmas is considered the second most important "high holy day", but Easter is the major, big deal, huge Christian celebration. Why? The resurrection. Why, then, is our cultural celebration of Christmas more prominent and wide-spread than Easter? Well (at least the way I see it), Christmas is a more easily accepted message in our culture. Christmas has transcended the original meaning of the holiday (which is the incarnation, God coming to us in the person of Jesus of Nazareth) and in our culture is more associated with spending time with family, exchanging presents, decorating the house/yard, and getting into the "Christmas spirit".
5) And what do we mean by the "Christmas spirit"? Here's my take - close to Christmas time, many people make the effort to be a little nicer, to smile a little more, to try and think about others a little more, especially those who are going without. That last one has been more noticeable in recent years and I consider it a wonderful development. However, if you're a Christian, shouldn't you be this way all the time (or at least try)? There's a name for this "spirit"…joy! And that shouldn't just be the "Christmas spirit" - it's a fruit of the Holy Spirit. Perhaps we need to take some of that joy and kindness and attention to the less fortunate into January and February and beyond. Maybe one goal of observing Advent and the themes of hope, peace, joy, and love is to teach us to incorporate them into our lives year-round. What a concept!
May the peace of Jesus Christ be upon and within all of you!
Disclaimer: I love Christmas. It is my favorite time of the year. I love the decorations, time with family, giving and receiving gifts, the food, the movies (especially It's a Wonderful Life), the music, the peacefulness of Christmas Eve - all of it!
1) We should know the roots of our Christmas celebration. The holiday of Christmas was not celebrated until late in the 4th century (the year 336 is the earliest mention of the date of Dec. 25th that we have. The early Church Father Clement of Alexandria suggested May 20th as the date for Christ's birth). The Christian celebration of Christ's birth replaced the earlier Roman celebration of Saturnalia, which was marked by feasts, gatherings, and goofy parties. The typical greeting on Saturnalia was "Lo, Saturnalia!" which was pronounced "e-o", a Latin interjection (kind of like "hey!") and was related to "Ho!" And it's a small step to "Ho Ho Ho!" (Just an interesting little bit of info). Early Christians were very skilled at co-opting Roman and Greek traditions, slogans, and titles for the sake of the Christian faith. Christmas is no exception.
2) My thoughts about this, as it relates to American culture, are not about individuals - it's about culture. Some folks who responded seemed personally offended and seemed to think I was trying to take away their Christmas joy. If people want to sing Christmas carols all year long, put up their decorations before Halloween, wear a Santa hat during the week of the 4th - go ahead, have a blast! My concern is with the culture of consumerism and consumption that has grown up around Christmas. For our culture, Christmas is not about Jesus, or even family. It's about money, commerce, profit. And Christmas makes tons of money. So, is it any accident that, in the midst of a bad economy, the Christmas push is getting cranked up a good bit earlier this year? From a business standpoint, this makes perfect sense. People in this country love Christmas, so if they see Christmas stuff on the shelves, they'll buy it. Why wouldn't stores stock it, if it sells?
3) As a Christian, my responsibility is to serve Jesus Christ year-round. Since I've been a pastor, I've become more aware of the movement of the Christian year and the importance of marking the seasons. The season of Advent is about waiting, preparation, quiet. If you only paid attention to Advent and not to the Christmas blitz, Advent feels a little bit like holding your breath. And when Christmas does come, you've prepared, you've prayed, you've studied Isaiah, heard about John the Baptist, Elizabeth, Zechariah. And the Christmas celebration is powerful when approached this way. However, if you go all in for the blitz starting on November 1st (which is when I first saw Christmas stuff on the shelves at CVS), by the time Christmas gets here, you haven't waited and likely you're exhausted and you just want it to be over with. Historically, Christmas began on the 25th and continued for 12 days until Epiphany (hence the "Twelve Days of Christmas"). Advent was about making preparations, spiritually and otherwise, for the celebration of the Christmas season.
4) Additionally, Christmas is not even the most important Christian holiday. That would be Easter. Of course, historically, Christmas is considered the second most important "high holy day", but Easter is the major, big deal, huge Christian celebration. Why? The resurrection. Why, then, is our cultural celebration of Christmas more prominent and wide-spread than Easter? Well (at least the way I see it), Christmas is a more easily accepted message in our culture. Christmas has transcended the original meaning of the holiday (which is the incarnation, God coming to us in the person of Jesus of Nazareth) and in our culture is more associated with spending time with family, exchanging presents, decorating the house/yard, and getting into the "Christmas spirit".
5) And what do we mean by the "Christmas spirit"? Here's my take - close to Christmas time, many people make the effort to be a little nicer, to smile a little more, to try and think about others a little more, especially those who are going without. That last one has been more noticeable in recent years and I consider it a wonderful development. However, if you're a Christian, shouldn't you be this way all the time (or at least try)? There's a name for this "spirit"…joy! And that shouldn't just be the "Christmas spirit" - it's a fruit of the Holy Spirit. Perhaps we need to take some of that joy and kindness and attention to the less fortunate into January and February and beyond. Maybe one goal of observing Advent and the themes of hope, peace, joy, and love is to teach us to incorporate them into our lives year-round. What a concept!
May the peace of Jesus Christ be upon and within all of you!
Monday, October 25, 2010
Revelation Chapter One
This is my fourth time teaching this book and each time I've taught it, it almost seems to be a different book. I am enjoying this go-round perhaps more than I did last time. I think my growing familiarity with the outline and tone of the book is allowing me to reflect a little more on the theological themes of the book and on the ways in which Revelation might provide some spiritual insight. I'm also getting a much better sense of the rhythm of the text, which is making the reading even more enjoyable.
The book opens a typical greeting, but it is pretty noticeable that John includes the phrase "who is and who was and who is to come" twice in the first 8 verses. This is not accidental. This is a direct reference to Exodus 3:13-14 - "But Moses said to God, 'If I come to the Israelites and say to them, 'The God of your ancestors has sent me to you,' what shall I say to them?' God said to Moses, " I AM WHO I AM." In Hebrew, the Name God gives is 'ehyeh asher 'ehyeh. 'ehyeh means "I am, I was, I will be", basically. Asher means "who, that, which, what", basically. So, God is basically saying here "I am Who I was Who I will be" - that's a reflection of the infinity of God and the consistency of God's nature and identity. In Revelation, it's also about scope - God is greater than anything on this earth. In Rev. 1:8, God says that God is the "Alpha and the Omega". God is all-encompassing.
In the context of Revelation, this is a statement about political power as well. If God is indeed the Lord and Christians proclaim God as such, this is full frontal assault on the power that Caesar claims for himself. This is a persistent theme in Revelation - to whom or to what do we owe our allegiance? This might raise some, if not controversial, then uncomfortable questions for those of us who are immersed in American culture. Revelation pushes to ask questions about how power is realized and wielded in our own culture and country. If an apocalypse is a pulling back of the curtain to reveal the realities behind the appearances, what systems of power are operating behind the curtain in American culture? I'm not talking about goofy conspiracy theories - I'm more interested in those "rulers", "authorities", and "powers" that Paul talks about in Ephesians 6:12. How does American consumerism and materialism square with the Gospel of Jesus Christ? How does traditional American militarism fit in with the proclamation of Jesus Christ? Is our culture of celebrity worship and "humans as commodities" congruent with Christian discipleship? These are uncomfortable questions and there are literally dozens more questions that we could be asking (and will ask over the course of the book).
A major point of Revelation, taken as a whole, is that God's vision for humanity and for human flourishing is vastly different from the visions of human life offered by the powers of this world. Right from the start, the book makes the claim that it is in fact God Who is in charge of creation. As you move through the book, however, the destructive power of sin and death is plainly evident. This glimpse behind the curtain of life in our world shows the holiness and loving kindness of God and the complete brutality and deadliness of sin, both personal sin and systemic sin.
Again, these are just scattered thoughts about what I'm reading...more to come later...
The book opens a typical greeting, but it is pretty noticeable that John includes the phrase "who is and who was and who is to come" twice in the first 8 verses. This is not accidental. This is a direct reference to Exodus 3:13-14 - "But Moses said to God, 'If I come to the Israelites and say to them, 'The God of your ancestors has sent me to you,' what shall I say to them?' God said to Moses, " I AM WHO I AM." In Hebrew, the Name God gives is 'ehyeh asher 'ehyeh. 'ehyeh means "I am, I was, I will be", basically. Asher means "who, that, which, what", basically. So, God is basically saying here "I am Who I was Who I will be" - that's a reflection of the infinity of God and the consistency of God's nature and identity. In Revelation, it's also about scope - God is greater than anything on this earth. In Rev. 1:8, God says that God is the "Alpha and the Omega". God is all-encompassing.
In the context of Revelation, this is a statement about political power as well. If God is indeed the Lord and Christians proclaim God as such, this is full frontal assault on the power that Caesar claims for himself. This is a persistent theme in Revelation - to whom or to what do we owe our allegiance? This might raise some, if not controversial, then uncomfortable questions for those of us who are immersed in American culture. Revelation pushes to ask questions about how power is realized and wielded in our own culture and country. If an apocalypse is a pulling back of the curtain to reveal the realities behind the appearances, what systems of power are operating behind the curtain in American culture? I'm not talking about goofy conspiracy theories - I'm more interested in those "rulers", "authorities", and "powers" that Paul talks about in Ephesians 6:12. How does American consumerism and materialism square with the Gospel of Jesus Christ? How does traditional American militarism fit in with the proclamation of Jesus Christ? Is our culture of celebrity worship and "humans as commodities" congruent with Christian discipleship? These are uncomfortable questions and there are literally dozens more questions that we could be asking (and will ask over the course of the book).
A major point of Revelation, taken as a whole, is that God's vision for humanity and for human flourishing is vastly different from the visions of human life offered by the powers of this world. Right from the start, the book makes the claim that it is in fact God Who is in charge of creation. As you move through the book, however, the destructive power of sin and death is plainly evident. This glimpse behind the curtain of life in our world shows the holiness and loving kindness of God and the complete brutality and deadliness of sin, both personal sin and systemic sin.
Again, these are just scattered thoughts about what I'm reading...more to come later...
Wednesday, October 20, 2010
Some Scattered Thoughts About Satan/The Devil
As a new youth pastor, fresh out of seminary, one of my favorite things to do was to lob "grenades" at my high school youth during my lessons. These were questions that were specifically designed to shake them up, unsettle them, make them think hard about their faith. Sometimes, this was a good idea and had the intended effect. In retrospect, I think that early on, I did this too often and it became more of a gimmick than anything. As I grew as a teacher and speaker, I no longer felt the need to lob those rhetorical grenades in the middle of a Sunday School lesson.
One of the times I did this and probably shouldn't have was in reference to Satan. At that point in my faith journey, I was not very keen on the idea of Satan/the Devil/Lucifer, what have you. I thought (and still think) that the Satan that most Christians picture is more a creation of Milton and Dante than of Scripture. Anyways, I was trying to get my youth to think outside the box, or whatever, and I said, "Do you have to believe in Satan in order to believe in the Gospel?" For a theologian or Biblical scholar, that's a fair question and one worth discussing. For high schoolers, probably not very helpful. However, this did start a good debate about the devil and "his" role in our lives (or lack thereof, according to some). Later that week, I was talking to my senior pastor about the question and subsequent conversation and he said (and this has stuck with me ever since): "If believing in a devil keeps those kids from using drugs or from getting in the back seat of a parked car, I'll talk about the devil as much as I need to." What I learned from that is that my theological ponderings/questions are not necessarily helpful for the practice of ministry. I still believe that Christians, especially young Christians, need to learn how to think and read critically (especially Scripture), but this doesn't mean pulling the rug out from under them.
I am still grappling with the nature and existence of Satan. Scripture speaks clearly and regularly about Satan, though the difference in presentation between, say, Job and the New Testament is pretty stark. Here are some things that I'm currently thinking in this regard:
1) Satan is real.
A story found in J. Louis Martyn's book "Theological Issues in the Letters of Paul" is helpful here. Here's what he says:
"Here we can be reminded of the Swiss theologian Emil Brunner, lecturing at Wellesley College not long after the Second World War, not long, that is, after the horrors of the Holocaust. In the course of his lecture, Brunner referred several times to the Devil. One was not surprised, then, that in the question period a student asked him why he, a modern human being, should have mentioned the Devil. It was a polite question, behind which lay the recognition that we live in the scientific age. Brunner's response: 'I have referred to the Devil for two reasons. First, I find that he plays a very important role in Scripture. And second, I have seen him.'"
I'm not sure I can add anything to this, except to say that I've too often played the role of "polite, sincere, modern human being", quietly smirking at the supernatural aspects of faith while being completely confident of my own intellectual understanding and ability. Thank God I'm growing out of that smug, arrogant confidence in my own understanding.
2) The Devil may be real, but the Devil is not a cartoon character.
I do believe in non-embodied, non-human, spiritual 'forces' that are in opposition to the Gospel of Jesus Christ. These might be ideas, philosophies, addictions, certain 'attitudes' that seem to take over a person (lust, rage, despair). In some cases, I would call these things demonic or satanic, especially when it comes to abusive rage or life-depleting addictions. In Job, what we translate in English as Satan is in Hebrew known as ha-satan, which is a title and not necessarily a name. This can be roughly translated as "The Accuser". Just from that little piece of interpretative information, my pastoral insight might be that we all carry around with us a satanic mentality of accusation, about ourselves or about other people. Many of us constantly berate ourselves for being stupid, ugly, worthless, etc. This is an accusatory, even satanic way of thinking about ourselves. And we do this to other people, ascribing motives to people because we don't like them ("why does so-and-so hate me? They're trying to ruin my life!") This, too, is a satanic way of thinking, at least in terms of how the ha-satan is presented in Job.
In the New Testament, the Devil (in the Greek, "diabolos", which means "slanderer"; this is consistent with the ha-satan found in Job) is presented as a tempter, a liar, a killer, and an enemy of God. However, and this is especially true of Paul, Satan is not the primary enemy. The enemies of God are sin and death. Additionally, in terms of the Bible, Satan is not the primary enemy at all. That would be idolatry. The worship of false gods is prominent throughout Scripture. But that doesn't translate into cartoonish caricatures as easily as the Devil.
3) The Devil is defeated.
A few years ago, I figured out why I don't give much thought to the devil and what is known as the "demonic" - if they exist (and I'm increasingly convinced they do, though again not as personifications), they are already defeated. I have nothing to fear from them. The enemies of God and of human flourishing - sin, death, Satan, demonic forces - have been defeated by the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ. I can live my life free from fear and free to serve Jesus Christ. James says it best: "Resist the devil and he will flee." Paul also says: "Make no room for the devil." So, I don't constantly feel threatened by spiritual attack nor do I see the purposes of Satan around every corner. They are defeated and God is at work reconciling the world to Himself through Jesus.
4) Satan is not a competing god.
Part of what the problem is that we are, generally speaking, very dualistic in our thinking. This makes the world easy to define: good/bad; light/dark; God/devil. Many Christians tend to think that Satan is simply the "evil version" of God. This is not the case. If anything competes for that position as "rival", it would be the various idols that we worship in our culture: fame, self, money, comfort, etc. And the truth of the matter is, God has no competition. The Lord reigns. That is my proclamation and I fear no threat from any spiritual force. Now, with that said, we still must contend with the spirits of conflict, despair, apathy, anger, addiction - all of these may properly be called satanic, in the sense that they will continue to accuse. The "spirit" of satan is the spirit of accusation and slander. The accusations are many and they do lead Christians into difficulty and sin. "God is not real." "You are not loved." "You are not worthy." "This person or that person is not worthy."
A real temptation here is to assume that anything that we disagree with indicates the presence of satan. For example, if I push my congregation to examine where their allegiance to their country might be at odds with their faith in Jesus, they may not like that. But that doesn't make it satanic. Or if I tell my congregation about the deficiencies I see in our life together as the church, I might be accused of introducing conflict, of bringing dissent into the church, which might be construed as "satanic". Not every word of challenge or conviction is satanic. Any word that denigrates your worth as a child of God is satanic. Any word that seeks to diminish the love of Jesus and the power of God for salvation is satanic, in the sense of being opposed to the will of God.
Here's where I'm winding up nowadays. In Mark 8, Jesus tells the disciples that he must suffer and be killed. Peter pulls Jesus aside and tells him that this can't happen. Jesus says, "get behind me satan! For you are setting your mind not on divine things but on human things." When Jesus calls Peter "satan", I don't think that Jesus actually means that Peter is the Devil or that he is possessed. I believe that what Jesus is saying is that Peter is playing the role of "opposer", standing in the way of Jesus fulfilling God's will for his life. When we stand in the way of God's will, we too are being satanic. When Jesus is calling us to live a certain way or to do a certain thing and we oppose Him, we too, are being satanic. When we accuse our neighbors of being less than beloved children of God, we are being satanic.
May God give us the gift of discernment and the gift of faith as we seek to live in line with His will
Grace and Peace to all of you!
One of the times I did this and probably shouldn't have was in reference to Satan. At that point in my faith journey, I was not very keen on the idea of Satan/the Devil/Lucifer, what have you. I thought (and still think) that the Satan that most Christians picture is more a creation of Milton and Dante than of Scripture. Anyways, I was trying to get my youth to think outside the box, or whatever, and I said, "Do you have to believe in Satan in order to believe in the Gospel?" For a theologian or Biblical scholar, that's a fair question and one worth discussing. For high schoolers, probably not very helpful. However, this did start a good debate about the devil and "his" role in our lives (or lack thereof, according to some). Later that week, I was talking to my senior pastor about the question and subsequent conversation and he said (and this has stuck with me ever since): "If believing in a devil keeps those kids from using drugs or from getting in the back seat of a parked car, I'll talk about the devil as much as I need to." What I learned from that is that my theological ponderings/questions are not necessarily helpful for the practice of ministry. I still believe that Christians, especially young Christians, need to learn how to think and read critically (especially Scripture), but this doesn't mean pulling the rug out from under them.
I am still grappling with the nature and existence of Satan. Scripture speaks clearly and regularly about Satan, though the difference in presentation between, say, Job and the New Testament is pretty stark. Here are some things that I'm currently thinking in this regard:
1) Satan is real.
A story found in J. Louis Martyn's book "Theological Issues in the Letters of Paul" is helpful here. Here's what he says:
"Here we can be reminded of the Swiss theologian Emil Brunner, lecturing at Wellesley College not long after the Second World War, not long, that is, after the horrors of the Holocaust. In the course of his lecture, Brunner referred several times to the Devil. One was not surprised, then, that in the question period a student asked him why he, a modern human being, should have mentioned the Devil. It was a polite question, behind which lay the recognition that we live in the scientific age. Brunner's response: 'I have referred to the Devil for two reasons. First, I find that he plays a very important role in Scripture. And second, I have seen him.'"
I'm not sure I can add anything to this, except to say that I've too often played the role of "polite, sincere, modern human being", quietly smirking at the supernatural aspects of faith while being completely confident of my own intellectual understanding and ability. Thank God I'm growing out of that smug, arrogant confidence in my own understanding.
2) The Devil may be real, but the Devil is not a cartoon character.
I do believe in non-embodied, non-human, spiritual 'forces' that are in opposition to the Gospel of Jesus Christ. These might be ideas, philosophies, addictions, certain 'attitudes' that seem to take over a person (lust, rage, despair). In some cases, I would call these things demonic or satanic, especially when it comes to abusive rage or life-depleting addictions. In Job, what we translate in English as Satan is in Hebrew known as ha-satan, which is a title and not necessarily a name. This can be roughly translated as "The Accuser". Just from that little piece of interpretative information, my pastoral insight might be that we all carry around with us a satanic mentality of accusation, about ourselves or about other people. Many of us constantly berate ourselves for being stupid, ugly, worthless, etc. This is an accusatory, even satanic way of thinking about ourselves. And we do this to other people, ascribing motives to people because we don't like them ("why does so-and-so hate me? They're trying to ruin my life!") This, too, is a satanic way of thinking, at least in terms of how the ha-satan is presented in Job.
In the New Testament, the Devil (in the Greek, "diabolos", which means "slanderer"; this is consistent with the ha-satan found in Job) is presented as a tempter, a liar, a killer, and an enemy of God. However, and this is especially true of Paul, Satan is not the primary enemy. The enemies of God are sin and death. Additionally, in terms of the Bible, Satan is not the primary enemy at all. That would be idolatry. The worship of false gods is prominent throughout Scripture. But that doesn't translate into cartoonish caricatures as easily as the Devil.
3) The Devil is defeated.
A few years ago, I figured out why I don't give much thought to the devil and what is known as the "demonic" - if they exist (and I'm increasingly convinced they do, though again not as personifications), they are already defeated. I have nothing to fear from them. The enemies of God and of human flourishing - sin, death, Satan, demonic forces - have been defeated by the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ. I can live my life free from fear and free to serve Jesus Christ. James says it best: "Resist the devil and he will flee." Paul also says: "Make no room for the devil." So, I don't constantly feel threatened by spiritual attack nor do I see the purposes of Satan around every corner. They are defeated and God is at work reconciling the world to Himself through Jesus.
4) Satan is not a competing god.
Part of what the problem is that we are, generally speaking, very dualistic in our thinking. This makes the world easy to define: good/bad; light/dark; God/devil. Many Christians tend to think that Satan is simply the "evil version" of God. This is not the case. If anything competes for that position as "rival", it would be the various idols that we worship in our culture: fame, self, money, comfort, etc. And the truth of the matter is, God has no competition. The Lord reigns. That is my proclamation and I fear no threat from any spiritual force. Now, with that said, we still must contend with the spirits of conflict, despair, apathy, anger, addiction - all of these may properly be called satanic, in the sense that they will continue to accuse. The "spirit" of satan is the spirit of accusation and slander. The accusations are many and they do lead Christians into difficulty and sin. "God is not real." "You are not loved." "You are not worthy." "This person or that person is not worthy."
A real temptation here is to assume that anything that we disagree with indicates the presence of satan. For example, if I push my congregation to examine where their allegiance to their country might be at odds with their faith in Jesus, they may not like that. But that doesn't make it satanic. Or if I tell my congregation about the deficiencies I see in our life together as the church, I might be accused of introducing conflict, of bringing dissent into the church, which might be construed as "satanic". Not every word of challenge or conviction is satanic. Any word that denigrates your worth as a child of God is satanic. Any word that seeks to diminish the love of Jesus and the power of God for salvation is satanic, in the sense of being opposed to the will of God.
Here's where I'm winding up nowadays. In Mark 8, Jesus tells the disciples that he must suffer and be killed. Peter pulls Jesus aside and tells him that this can't happen. Jesus says, "get behind me satan! For you are setting your mind not on divine things but on human things." When Jesus calls Peter "satan", I don't think that Jesus actually means that Peter is the Devil or that he is possessed. I believe that what Jesus is saying is that Peter is playing the role of "opposer", standing in the way of Jesus fulfilling God's will for his life. When we stand in the way of God's will, we too are being satanic. When Jesus is calling us to live a certain way or to do a certain thing and we oppose Him, we too, are being satanic. When we accuse our neighbors of being less than beloved children of God, we are being satanic.
May God give us the gift of discernment and the gift of faith as we seek to live in line with His will
Grace and Peace to all of you!
Wednesday, October 6, 2010
Revelation Introduction, part III
Haven't blogged in a few weeks, for several good reasons. My son had what turned out to be minor surgery a couple of weeks ago - he's fine and basically fully recovered. I've also had a lot of stuff going on at the church, so my posting has been non-existent. I hope that I'll be able to get back on track. Anyways, I want to continue my look at Revelation as I teach through the book over the next few months. I've been thinking about how I want to engage Revelation on the blog as I'm teaching and I don't think I want it to simply be a repetition of what I teach. I'm think that on the blog, I'll write about my own reflections on the text in terms of theology and in terms of what the book might have to teach us related to spiritual growth.
I have given some thought about how I might discuss the interpretation of Revelation as it relates to the recent Left Behind phenomenon. This series represents the system of interpretation known as Darbyism, named after John Nelson Darby. Darby was a disaffected Anglican priest who left the church, joined the Plymouth Brethren and spent years devising the "system" that would come to be known as premillenial Dispensationalism. This is the system spelled out in narrative form in the Left Behind series, and it includes a belief in the Rapture, a 7 year period of tribulation, the Antichrist, and a final climactic battle between the Antichrist and Christ. There are a great number of details in this system that I'm not going to elaborate on - I don't have the time or interest in doing so. Suffice it to say that (a) I'm not a Darbyist; (b) I don't subscribe to a belief in the Rapture; (c) I have a lot of trouble with the interpretative methods used by the Darbyists; and (d) I have even more trouble with the theological exclusivism of many Darbyists ("If you don't believe in the Rapture, then you're not a Christian.") Maybe at some point I'll spell out in detail my thoughts about this, just not presently. I know that I said that this posting would be about Darbyism, but I'm not sure that I'm up to it at the moment...
So, some might ask, how does one interpret Revelation, or think about the "end times" apart from Darbyism? Here are some thoughts about that:
1) I do believe that Jesus Christ will return. Every time we Methodists recite the communion liturgy, we say: "Christ has died, Christ has risen, Christ will come again." I believe this. And not in some fuzzy, ambiguous, "Jesus has come back in all of our hearts" kind of way. I think he's coming back. And I'm going to listen to Jesus on this - one, we don't know when; two, we will be surprised.
2) The return of Jesus Christ in no way, shape, or form diminishes my responsibilities and obligations as a Christian person in the present. Again, I'm going to listen to Jesus and what he says in Matthew 6:34 - "So do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will bring worries of its own. Today's trouble is enough for today." I also like what Luther had to say about the return of Christ. When asked how he would respond if Christ was returning tomorrow, Luther said (basically) "I would plant a tree today." (Lutheran friends, correct me if I'm wrong). Even if he didn't say it, I like the sentiment. We are stewards of God's good gift today and what tomorrow holds does not change that.
3) Revelation is not a road map for the future - it has happened, it is happening, and it will happen. Revelation, in my understanding, is about what happens when the "curtain is pulled back" and we see the conflict between God/life and sin/death. The empires/powers of this world must ultimately fall under God's judgment, but they're taking a lot of people down with them. This is the way of human power and sin.
4) John of Patmos was writing, in large part, about the power of Roman Empire (and about the power behind the power). An interesting question that I've been grappling with the last 2 times that I have taught Revelation is "if John were writing this letter today, who would the Beast be?"
5) Revelation is ultimately inspiring book. If you read and study the book with patience and with one eye on the big picture, it can be immensely helpful in regards to discipleship. Far too many Christians view the book as something to be feared.
Later this week, I'll write my thoughts about chapter 1…peace and grace to you all!
I have given some thought about how I might discuss the interpretation of Revelation as it relates to the recent Left Behind phenomenon. This series represents the system of interpretation known as Darbyism, named after John Nelson Darby. Darby was a disaffected Anglican priest who left the church, joined the Plymouth Brethren and spent years devising the "system" that would come to be known as premillenial Dispensationalism. This is the system spelled out in narrative form in the Left Behind series, and it includes a belief in the Rapture, a 7 year period of tribulation, the Antichrist, and a final climactic battle between the Antichrist and Christ. There are a great number of details in this system that I'm not going to elaborate on - I don't have the time or interest in doing so. Suffice it to say that (a) I'm not a Darbyist; (b) I don't subscribe to a belief in the Rapture; (c) I have a lot of trouble with the interpretative methods used by the Darbyists; and (d) I have even more trouble with the theological exclusivism of many Darbyists ("If you don't believe in the Rapture, then you're not a Christian.") Maybe at some point I'll spell out in detail my thoughts about this, just not presently. I know that I said that this posting would be about Darbyism, but I'm not sure that I'm up to it at the moment...
So, some might ask, how does one interpret Revelation, or think about the "end times" apart from Darbyism? Here are some thoughts about that:
1) I do believe that Jesus Christ will return. Every time we Methodists recite the communion liturgy, we say: "Christ has died, Christ has risen, Christ will come again." I believe this. And not in some fuzzy, ambiguous, "Jesus has come back in all of our hearts" kind of way. I think he's coming back. And I'm going to listen to Jesus on this - one, we don't know when; two, we will be surprised.
2) The return of Jesus Christ in no way, shape, or form diminishes my responsibilities and obligations as a Christian person in the present. Again, I'm going to listen to Jesus and what he says in Matthew 6:34 - "So do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will bring worries of its own. Today's trouble is enough for today." I also like what Luther had to say about the return of Christ. When asked how he would respond if Christ was returning tomorrow, Luther said (basically) "I would plant a tree today." (Lutheran friends, correct me if I'm wrong). Even if he didn't say it, I like the sentiment. We are stewards of God's good gift today and what tomorrow holds does not change that.
3) Revelation is not a road map for the future - it has happened, it is happening, and it will happen. Revelation, in my understanding, is about what happens when the "curtain is pulled back" and we see the conflict between God/life and sin/death. The empires/powers of this world must ultimately fall under God's judgment, but they're taking a lot of people down with them. This is the way of human power and sin.
4) John of Patmos was writing, in large part, about the power of Roman Empire (and about the power behind the power). An interesting question that I've been grappling with the last 2 times that I have taught Revelation is "if John were writing this letter today, who would the Beast be?"
5) Revelation is ultimately inspiring book. If you read and study the book with patience and with one eye on the big picture, it can be immensely helpful in regards to discipleship. Far too many Christians view the book as something to be feared.
Later this week, I'll write my thoughts about chapter 1…peace and grace to you all!
Tuesday, September 14, 2010
Revelation Introduction, part 2 - Millennialism
Millennialism – three different understandings of what John is talking about in Revelation 20
1) Pre-Millennialism – this is an interpretation of Revelation 20:4-6 that posits that the Parousia (return of Jesus to earth) will occur before a literal thousand year reign of Christ. This is the position of those in the Darbyist tradition (I'll explain Darbyism a little later), which includes the Rapture, the Great Tribulation, the battle of Armageddon and that all of these things will happen before the 1,000 year reign of Christ. Here's how this plays out in the world: there is no hope for humanity as it relates to moral improvement - the world is not going to get better (in fact, John Nelson Darby believed that the established Church was a failure and was complicit in the moral degradation of humanity); concern for the environment is pointless - if God is simply going to destroy the world in the "end times", there is no need for caring for the earth. That may be a slightly unfair caricature, but if you truly believe that the world is fundamentally evil and that God will soon destroy it, where is the motivation for the care of the earth? For the pre-mil Darbyist, the Christian's chief concerns are: (1) not being left behind when the Rapture comes; (2) preaching salvation to the lost before it's too late; (3) leaving this evil world behind; (4) discerning the "signs of the times" - meaning, understanding how current events might be interpreted through the lens of "Biblical prophecy". There are all kinds of problems with this as it relates to appropriate Biblical interpretation and how we understand the nature of apocalypse and prophecy.
2) Post-Millennialism – this is an interpretation of Rev. 20:4-6 that posits that the Parousia and the last judgment will occur after a thousand year reign of Christ through the Church. Post-mils believe in a gradual movement towards social holiness/perfection. There are many post-mils that teach that Christians must rise to the heights of political and social power to ensure progress towards the millennium. How this plays out in the real world: from a conservative point of view, post-millennianalism is most clearly expressed in what is called "Dominionism", which holds that the job of the Church is to establish theocratic systems of government that might precipitate the millennium; from a more 'liberal' point of view, we find an expression of post-mil thought in what has been termed the "Social Gospel" and the idea that the Church might bring about the Kingdom of God through social action. These are the most blatant examples - expressions of post-millennialism are not necessarily as stark as choosing between Dominionism and the Social Gospel. However, in both cases, political involvement by Christians for the purpose of making real the reign of Christ and the bringing about of His Kingdom on earth by his followers is assumed. It should be noted that this has been the predominant position of Christians for much of the history of the faith. It should also be noted that post-mils don't believe in the Darbyist system, which includes the Rapture, the Great Tribulation, the Antichrist, etc. A good summation by Stanley Grenz: "…postmillennialists view the millennium as a long era of universal peace and righteousness that comes as the result of the preaching of the gospel, the saving work of the Holy Spirit in the hearts of individuals and the Christianization of the world."
3) Amillennialism – this is an interpretation of Rev. 20:4-6 that posits that there will be no literal 1,000 year reign of Christ. Like the post-mil position, a-mils believe that there will be no rapture, no tribulation, no Armageddon, but unlike post-mils, a-mils believe that there will be no 1,000 year reign of Christ. The millennium spoken of in Revelation 20 is symbolic of Christ's reign on earth (or his advancing Kingdom) in the Church. The position here is that Jesus is presently reigning at the right hand of God and is with the church as he said at his ascension. The return of Christ to earth will be sudden and unexpected. The return of Christ, the resurrection of the dead, and the judgment will be (basically) a singular event. How this plays out in the real world: many in the a-mil camp (or in denominations that are predominantly a-mil) are not as aware of or knowledgeable about eschatology - this perhaps led many Christians in historically amillennial traditions to get caught up (as it were) in the Left Behind phenomenon a few years back. Many Christians in amillennial traditions don't hear much teaching about eschatology or those Scriptures that are eschatological in focus (the 2nd half of Daniel, the Olivet discourse in Matthew, Revelation, etc.).
Several things should be noted:
- These are merely thumbnail sketches of some very complex theological systems of thought. I have most likely not done justice to the depth of thought that has gone into these "systems". Quite frankly, I distrust any "system" that claims to have a full understanding or accounting of God's purposes for the world and for the future of the world. I also feel that endless debates or fixed certainty about what God will do or must do distracts from the church's call to be at work in the world on behalf of the poor, the suffering, and the lost.
- Many Christians are probably a mix of the above, in some ways. I think it's perfectly fine to be a Christian and not be able to know precisely how you interpret Revelation 20:4-6. I'm not swayed by passionate end-times obsessives who (a) demand that Christians know exactly what they believe about this topic, and (b) further demand that Christians agree with their positions.
For the record, I'm an amillennialist. I figure that God's in control and He knows what He's doing. Besides, Jesus tells me not to worry about tomorrow - today's got enough worries of its own.
1) Pre-Millennialism – this is an interpretation of Revelation 20:4-6 that posits that the Parousia (return of Jesus to earth) will occur before a literal thousand year reign of Christ. This is the position of those in the Darbyist tradition (I'll explain Darbyism a little later), which includes the Rapture, the Great Tribulation, the battle of Armageddon and that all of these things will happen before the 1,000 year reign of Christ. Here's how this plays out in the world: there is no hope for humanity as it relates to moral improvement - the world is not going to get better (in fact, John Nelson Darby believed that the established Church was a failure and was complicit in the moral degradation of humanity); concern for the environment is pointless - if God is simply going to destroy the world in the "end times", there is no need for caring for the earth. That may be a slightly unfair caricature, but if you truly believe that the world is fundamentally evil and that God will soon destroy it, where is the motivation for the care of the earth? For the pre-mil Darbyist, the Christian's chief concerns are: (1) not being left behind when the Rapture comes; (2) preaching salvation to the lost before it's too late; (3) leaving this evil world behind; (4) discerning the "signs of the times" - meaning, understanding how current events might be interpreted through the lens of "Biblical prophecy". There are all kinds of problems with this as it relates to appropriate Biblical interpretation and how we understand the nature of apocalypse and prophecy.
2) Post-Millennialism – this is an interpretation of Rev. 20:4-6 that posits that the Parousia and the last judgment will occur after a thousand year reign of Christ through the Church. Post-mils believe in a gradual movement towards social holiness/perfection. There are many post-mils that teach that Christians must rise to the heights of political and social power to ensure progress towards the millennium. How this plays out in the real world: from a conservative point of view, post-millennianalism is most clearly expressed in what is called "Dominionism", which holds that the job of the Church is to establish theocratic systems of government that might precipitate the millennium; from a more 'liberal' point of view, we find an expression of post-mil thought in what has been termed the "Social Gospel" and the idea that the Church might bring about the Kingdom of God through social action. These are the most blatant examples - expressions of post-millennialism are not necessarily as stark as choosing between Dominionism and the Social Gospel. However, in both cases, political involvement by Christians for the purpose of making real the reign of Christ and the bringing about of His Kingdom on earth by his followers is assumed. It should be noted that this has been the predominant position of Christians for much of the history of the faith. It should also be noted that post-mils don't believe in the Darbyist system, which includes the Rapture, the Great Tribulation, the Antichrist, etc. A good summation by Stanley Grenz: "…postmillennialists view the millennium as a long era of universal peace and righteousness that comes as the result of the preaching of the gospel, the saving work of the Holy Spirit in the hearts of individuals and the Christianization of the world."
3) Amillennialism – this is an interpretation of Rev. 20:4-6 that posits that there will be no literal 1,000 year reign of Christ. Like the post-mil position, a-mils believe that there will be no rapture, no tribulation, no Armageddon, but unlike post-mils, a-mils believe that there will be no 1,000 year reign of Christ. The millennium spoken of in Revelation 20 is symbolic of Christ's reign on earth (or his advancing Kingdom) in the Church. The position here is that Jesus is presently reigning at the right hand of God and is with the church as he said at his ascension. The return of Christ to earth will be sudden and unexpected. The return of Christ, the resurrection of the dead, and the judgment will be (basically) a singular event. How this plays out in the real world: many in the a-mil camp (or in denominations that are predominantly a-mil) are not as aware of or knowledgeable about eschatology - this perhaps led many Christians in historically amillennial traditions to get caught up (as it were) in the Left Behind phenomenon a few years back. Many Christians in amillennial traditions don't hear much teaching about eschatology or those Scriptures that are eschatological in focus (the 2nd half of Daniel, the Olivet discourse in Matthew, Revelation, etc.).
Several things should be noted:
- These are merely thumbnail sketches of some very complex theological systems of thought. I have most likely not done justice to the depth of thought that has gone into these "systems". Quite frankly, I distrust any "system" that claims to have a full understanding or accounting of God's purposes for the world and for the future of the world. I also feel that endless debates or fixed certainty about what God will do or must do distracts from the church's call to be at work in the world on behalf of the poor, the suffering, and the lost.
- Many Christians are probably a mix of the above, in some ways. I think it's perfectly fine to be a Christian and not be able to know precisely how you interpret Revelation 20:4-6. I'm not swayed by passionate end-times obsessives who (a) demand that Christians know exactly what they believe about this topic, and (b) further demand that Christians agree with their positions.
For the record, I'm an amillennialist. I figure that God's in control and He knows what He's doing. Besides, Jesus tells me not to worry about tomorrow - today's got enough worries of its own.
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