Category Archives: Theology

Discipleship, Film & Theology, Popular Culture, Questions, Theology

A Christian Responds to The Golden Compass 1

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The only thing Christians need to fear about The Golden Compass is that by ignoring it they might miss a great opportunity to share their faith.

Until a month ago the only thing I knew about the movie The Golden Compass was that it was based on a series of children’s book and that it starred James Bond and the guy from Lonesome Dove. Then I received a handful of emails that warned me to stay away from the movie because the author, Philip Pulman, was a devoted atheist who wrote the books in order to “kill God.” I did my research on the books, the author, and the upcoming film and came to only one conclusion: I needed to see this movie.

I have now seen the film and I walked away from it with 3 talking points that Christians can use to discuss their faith with others who have seen the film. As I spoke about yesterday, people get much of their theology from movies. Movies can only point toward a truth. If we, as Christians, are ignorant about the half-truths the culture is hearing and believing then we can never connect them with the source of real truth, Jesus. I completely understand that some refuse to buy a ticket to a movie they disagree with because the act of buying a ticket monetarily supports the filmmakers and their agendas. However, you should not ignore something that is a potential conversation starter about the faith you hold so dear. Being in the world means that we must engage the world. Ignorance is not an option.

Before we discuss these 3 talking points I want you to have at least a working knowledge of the story and of the controversy. On Sunday I will post the first talking point. Until then, you’ve got some reading to do.

Updated: Links now work
Plot summery of the book from Wikipedia
Synopsis of “Compass” controversy from Snopes
Feature Cover Story from Entertainment Weekly

Discipleship, Ethos, Religion, Stories, Theology

the gods aren’t angry tour

On November 16, Rob Bell’s the gods aren’t angry tour passed through Dallas. The event was awesome to say the least. If the the tour is coming anywhere near where you live (and it isn’t sold out already) by a ticket now!

I was a little hesitant because I had no clue what he would be speaking on. It was the first time my wife heard him live and we had brought two teens from church with us. I have heard him a half dozen times and I was hoping that tonight’s message would connect with them. I was not disappointed.

Notes from “the gods aren’t angry”:

Bell started the evening by walking out on to the stage and diving right into the story. No announcements, no welcome, no intro.

At the dawn of time cave-woman and cave-husband recognized that the world was sustained through patterns of life and nature through some unseen force(s) and that they were some how connected and dependant upon this/these unseen force(s). They were dependant on plants and the plants were dependant on drops of water from the sky and the ball of fire. Cycles in the moon corespend with the cycles of cave-woman’s body. Stars, sun, moon, weather… men and women then began to put names to these forces and to worship them. These gods, while having the temperment of humans, where far removed from humans. They were above. We were below.

When things went right- new birth, large crop, healthy family- you made sacrifices of thanksgiving to the gods. To ensure that the gods would smile on you, you would sacrifice more to the god to receive more favor.

If things went poorly for you and your family- sickness, failed crops, death- then it was assumed that the gods were angry with you. You hadn’t sacrificed enough to the gods and were being punished.

The hitch is that you never knew where you stood with the gods- were you doing enough, should you do more?

“We are at the mercy of these forces. We need to get these forces on our side.” So a system began to take shape.

The Altar– higher, off the ground, offer up
The Priests– the experts, “Here are the steps you must follow to get the gods to smile upon you.”
The Offering– what is most sacred to you. Began with crops/animals but evolved as time went by

Over time man developed a primal anxiety towards these forces- “If this sacrifce isn’t working then I must do more to appease the gods!” Things quickly spirald out of control.

The fertity goddess Cybele required that men take on female characteristics and so men dressed as women and (as Bell said) “offered their maleness” upon the altar .

Capacocha– the sacrificing of children in order to find favor with the gods.

Molec- offer your first born to the fire

The gods demanded what was most sacred from you. They desired what was most precious to you. Year in and year out this cycle continues.

Then comes Abram. The stoy of Abram wasn’t written in a vaccum devoid of this cuture. It comes in the midst of this culture of god and goddesses that demand so much yet our standing before them is so unknown.

Genesis 12 tells of a new god who doesn’t demand from man. He blesses man. This revolutionary god has conversations with man. He is intimately involved in what they do. He invites Abram to follow him into a new destiny and to leave his “father’s household”- his father’s old system of gods and goddesses.

Then comes Genesis 22– At first glance this is yet another instance of a god requiring the blood of the first born-what Abraham holds most dear. Abraham doesn’t bat an eye when asked to sacrifice Isaac because this is nothing new to him- gods demand. Business as usual. Instead this new god provides a ram. This god doesn’t take. He provides.

This god is different. he says, “I AM not like these other gods. They demand. I bless. I provide.”

To be continued…

Church History, Religion, Theology

Reformation Day

Did you know that today is Reformation Day? Until a few weeks ago I didn’t either.

martin_luther_by_cranach.jpg

If you’re like me you spent most of your life hearing about the Restoration and then getting confused when you heard about the Reformation.

Somebody: Luther started the Reformation.
Me: I think you mean the Restoration.
Somebody: Um, no. I said it correctly. The RE-FOR-MA-TION. Get with the program.
Me: But… nevermind.

Anyway, back to today. It’s Reformation Day.

Today is the day that in 1517 Martin Luthur walked up to the door of Whittenberg Church in Germany and nailed his 95 thesis there for the world to see.

Well, more than likely he sent a letter to Archbishop Albrecht with the thesis and then posted the letter on the door of the church. Maybe. (One book I have said that Luther sent a “polite letter”)

Regardless, that one act of defiance and passion has had a lasting effect on Christianity as we know it.

I love One Person stories. You know what I’m talking about. Stories where one person, despite all the odds, in spite of the people who threaten, regardless of the danger and mounting opposition stand up for what they believe in and in so doing change the course of history.

Unless I am convinced by the testimony of the Scriptures, or by evident reason (for I put my faith neither in popes nor councils alone, since it is established that they have erred again and again and contradicted one another), I am bound by the scriptural evidence adduced by me, and my conscience is captive to the Word of God. I cannot, I will not recant anything, for it is neither safe nor right to act against one’s conscience. God help me. Amen.– Luther, 17 April 1521

Regardless of how you come down on the Reformation or on Luther himself, take a little time today and celebrate that the seemingly small acts of one man made it so that you can read your own Bible, attend the church of your choosing, and pray to God on your own.

So eat a big fat burger (Papal Bull) and pass out some gummi worms (Diet of Worms) to trick or treaters tonight* in celebration of Reformation Day.

*Reformation Day celebration ideas via Tony at The Shepherd’s Scrapbook

Discipleship, Ministry, Religion, Theology

Are You Illiterate?

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Religiously Illiterate that is.

This week I have been reading Stephen Prothero’s masterwork Religious Literacy: What Every American Needs to Know- And Doesn’t. Prothero’s “radical” idea that religion should be taught in public schools got a little play earlier this year when his ideas were featured in the April 2nd issue of TIME. In the article The Case for Teaching the Bible author David Van Biema quotes some staggering statistics from Prothero’s book.

According to Religious Literacy, polls show that nearly two-thirds of Americans believe the Bible holds the answers to “all or most of life’s basic questions,” but pollster George Gallup has dubbed us “a nation of biblical illiterates.” Only half of U.S. adults know the title of even one Gospel. Most can’t name the Bible’s first book. The trend extends even to Evangelicals, only 44% of whose teens could identify a particular quote as coming from the Sermon on the Mount.

As a minister I know that these statistics are sadly the rules and not the exceptions. I get frustrated very quickly when I find that I cannot lead a Bible class or a religious discussion very far or deep because students (and adults) have a very, very limited working knowledge of Scripture.

At the outset of the book, Prothero provides the reader with a copy of a Religious Literacy Quiz that he gave to his university students in the Spring of 2006.

I took Prothero’s quiz and scored a 45 out of 50.

Are you interested in how you would fare in this basic exam? Many of you that read this blog grew up in a conservative background where you were at church if the doors were open and many of you were leaders in youth group and at school and you have continued to lead in the workplace. I know that you take your faith seriously. I think that many of you can pass this quiz with flying colors.

I have provided the quiz below and I will post the answers in the comment section. I am interested in how well you fared taking the quiz so leave a comment with your score or with comments on what you think about the quiz or teaching religion in schools. Good luck.

Religious Literacy Quiz
1) Name the four Gospels. List as many as you can.
2) Name a sacred text of Hinduism.
3) What is the name of the holy book of Islam?
4) Where according to the Bible was Jesus born?
5) Pres. George W. Bush spoke in his first inaugural address of the Jericho road. What Bible story was he invoking?
6) What are the first five books of the Hebrew Bible or the Christian Old Testament?
7) What is the Golden Rule?
8) “God helps those who help themselves”: Is this in the Bible? If so, where?
9) “Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of God”: Does this appear in the Bible? If so, where?
10) Name the Ten Commandments. List as many as you can.
11) Name the four Noble Truths of Buddhism.
12) What are the seven sacraments of Catholicism? List as many as you can.
13) The First Amendment says two things about religion, each with its own “clause.” What are the two religion clauses of the First Amendment?
14) What is Ramadan? In what religion is it celebrated?
15) Match the Bible characters with the stories in which they appear. Some characters may be matched with more than one story or vise versa.

1. Adam and Eve
2. Paul
3. Moses
4. Noah
5. Jesus
6. Abraham
7. Serpent

a. Exodus
b. Binding of Isaac
c. Olive Branch
d. Garden of Eden
e. Parting of the Red Sea
f. Road to Damascus
g. Garden of Gethsemane

Ministry, The Word, Theology

Pastoral Reminder

Hebrews 10:11-14 TNIV
Day after day every priest stands and performs his religious duties; again and again he offers the same sacrifices, which can never take away sins. But when this priest had offered for all time one sacrifice for sins, he sat down at the right hand of God, and since that time he waits for his enemies to be made his footstool. For by one sacrifice he has made perfect forever those who are being made holy.

What an awesome reminder that it isn’t us who save people. Yes, we can introduce people to God. We can focus people on Jesus Christ. We point beyond this world and peer into the kingdom with the help of the Holy Spirit.

But make no mistake- Salvation belongs to our God. May we never forget that.

General, Theology

Compare and Contrast

“A few days later, when Jesus again entered Capernaum, the people heard that he had come home. They gathered in such large numbers that there was no room left, not even outside the door, and he preached the word to them. Some men came, bringing to him a paralyzed man, carried by four of them. Since they could not get him to Jesus because of the crowd, they made an opening in the roof above Jesus by digging through it and then lowered the mat the man was lying on.” (Mark 2:1-4 TNIV)

Sometimes I feel like one of the crowd. I bet you do too. We are so intent and so focused on packing the house in order to hear a word for Jesus that we forget about people on the outside.

In Mark 2 we see a man with a real, physical problem. His body has betrayed him and left him helpless. He needs Jesus- both physically and spiritually. Only, the crowd is making it difficult to come to healing. Imagine the picture of what that paralytic saw. The non-verbal cues that the crowd was giving him.

Backs turned. Blinders on. “We’re in.” “You’re out.” Tough luck buddy. No time for you. Maybe next time.

Recently I read Dan Kimball’s newest book titled They Like Jesus but Not the Church. Ever since I have found myself looking critically at how others might see the church and, more importantly, how we in the church treat those who are outside of the house.

Earlier this week I sang We’re Marching to Zion with a group of college students in their chapel service. I’ll admit that I’m a sucker for the “ye olde hymns” but I found myself struggling with the second verse:

Let those refuse to sing
who never knew our God;
but children of the heavenly King,
but children of the heavenly King
may speak their joys abroad,
may speak their joys abroad.

Do we really mean that? Are we really a people who rejoice and act as though we are the only ones who can and should sing praises to the Father of Creation? I’d imagine that if a stranger wandered into our worship services and stood in the back of our auditoriums observing us as we sang this he would see what the paralytic saw.

Backs turned. Blinders on. “We’re in.” “You’re out.” Tough luck buddy. No time for you. Maybe next time.

As I read the old hymn on the screen immediately I was struck by the words in another song. The last few lines of U2’s City of Blinding Lights transformed this gorgeous rock song into a psalm of remembrance. From a ballad about a city to a modern-day hymn that challenges the way I think about who God truly is.

The more you know the less you feel
Some pray for, others steal
Blessings are not just for the ones who kneel
Luckily

Maybe I’m being hyper-sensitive. Maybe not. Maybe I just want to be one of the four friends. A friend to the helpless or spiritually dead and dying who is willing to tear open a hole in our clubhouses in order to bring people to Jesus.

We forget that at one time we too were on the outside. There was a time that we desperately needed to get to the Savior. There was a time that we didn’t, couldn’t, or wouldn’t kneel before God. And yet…

God blessed us anyway. His sun shines on the irreligious and the faithful alike. Luckily. Thankfully.

Do you live like you believe? If you really believe that God cares for everyone than quit turning you back on the ones who need Him the most. Don’t hinder those who need to come by making it difficult for them to see Jesus. Let everyone experience the joy of lifting their hearts in praise. Not just the ones who kneel.

Discipleship, Ethos, Ministry, Theology

Life is Meant to Be Lived in Connection

There are two over arching themes that keep popping up in and around everything I am watching, reading, listening to, and talking about. You could chalk it all up to coincidence but I believe that it is God whispering something important to me.

He’s saying, “Don’t miss this! If you didn’t see it there, watch this! If you couldn’t hear me there, how about this! Check this out. Did you see it?” God wants me to know something and he doesn’t want me to miss it.

The first whisper that I’m hearing is that Life is Meant to Be Lived in Connection.

In What I’ve Been Watching
The entire third season of Grey’s Anatomy has revolved around connections.

George’s father died and his need for connection sent him and Callie running to Las Vegas for a weekend wedding. Izzie is still reeling from losing Denny and struggled with losing the only connection she had left with him: an 8.7 million dollar check. Burke and Christina spent the first half of the season in an intense secret that kept their relationship intact but their pride has kept them from reconnecting since their secret was revealed. Merideth and Derek’s relationship has grown over the last few weeks but death threatened to take that precious connection away. And in the latest episode Merideth and her mother were finially able to connect if only for the last time. And these are just the main story archs.

Heroes has proven that the world hinges on our ability to connect with one another.

Even the producers of Lost have come to this realization and have tried to reconnect with their audience. When Lost returned this February, the producers were featured in a “here’s-where-we’ve-been-please-don’t-quit-watching-we-can-catch-you-up” special. It seems to have done the trick.

We are all connected. We are called to connect.

In What I’ve Been Reading
Andy Stanley has done it again with his book Creating Community. The book has me rethinking what I’ve traditionally called community.

We are all connected. We are called to connect.

In What I’m Listening To
I’ve been listening to Pink Floyd’s Is There Anybody Out There?. This live album is the audio chronicle of one of the wildest musical concepts in rock ‘n roll. During the concert, a wall was constructed that seperated the band form the audience. Talk about losing connection.

We are all connected. We are called to connect.

Books, Discipleship, Faith in Action, Leadership, Ministry, Questions, Resources, Theology, Youth Ministry

Providing Answers AND Questions

Part of my job as a youth minister is to create an enviroment where teens can feel free to ask questions and a place that helps them answer their questions. While reading Youth Ministry Mutiny by Greg Stier, the protagonist provided 30 questions that his youth ministry centered all of their teaching around. The minister said that, “Every teen and adult should know, live, and own the answers to these questions as a result of our ministry in their lives.”

Here they are:

  • Who is God and what is He like?
  • What is the Trinity?
  • Who is Jesus?
  • Why did he die on the cross?
  • How do I know he really rose from the dead?
  • Who is the HS and what does He do?
  • How do I get plugged into the power of the HS?
  • Is the Bible really God’s Word and how does it apply to my life?
  • What is truth and can I know it with certainty?
  • What is sin and how does it impact my life and my relationships with others?
  • Why does God allow evil in this world?
  • What is a Christian and how does a person become one?
  • If Jesus is the only way to Heaven, are all other religions wrong?
  • What about people who have never heard about the Gospel?
  • What is the Great Commission and how does it relate to me?
  • Is the really a heaven and a hell and what are they like?
  • Is there a judgement day and what difference should it make in my life?
  • Can I really be forgiven for all my sins, even the really bad ones?
  • Will God ever leave me or forsake me?
  • Who are Satan and his demons?
  • How do I engage in spiritual warfare?
  • What is Church and why should I be involved?
  • What are spiritual gifts and how do I discover mine?
  • How should the return of Christ impact my life?
  • What is prayer and how do I do it?
  • Why should I study my Bible and how do I do it?
  • How do I defend my faith?
  • Who am I, where did I come from, and what is my purpose?
  • Which is true creation or evolution, and why does it matter?
  • How can I worship God in everything I do?

As I looked over these 30 questions I felt like they covered just about everything I’ve tried to pass along to my students. Of course this list isn’t/shouldn’t be exhaustive but they gave me a great jumping off point. What do you think? Anything you’d add? Anything you’d take away?

Music, Theology

God Will

It’s outrageous to line your pockets off the misery of the poor.
Outrageous the crime some human beings must endure.
It’s a blessing to wash your face in the summer solstice rain
It’s outrageous that a man like me stand here and complain.

But I’m tired, 900 sit-ups a day.
I’m painting my hair the colour of mud, mud, OK?
I’m tired, tired, anybody care what I say? NO!
Painting my hair the colour of mud.

Who’s gonna love you when your looks are gone?
Tell me, who’s gonna love you when your looks are gone?
Ah, who’s gonna love you when your looks are gone?
Who’s gonna love you when your looks are gone?
Who’s gonna love you when your looks are gone?
Who’s gonna love you when your looks are gone?
Who’s gonna love you when your looks are gone?

It’s outrageous the food they try to serve in the public school.
Outrageous the way they talk to you like some kind of clinical fool
It’s a blessing to rest my head in the circle of your love.
It’s outrageous, I can’t stop thinking about the things I’m thinking of.

But I’m tired, 900 sit-ups a day.
I’m painting my hair the colour of mud, mud, OK?
I’m tired, tired, anybody care what I say? NO!
Painting my hair the colour of mud.

Who’s gonna love you when your looks are gone?
Tell me, who’s gonna love you when your looks are gone?
Ah, who’s gonna love you when your looks are gone?
Who’s gonna love you when your looks are gone?
Who’s gonna love you when your looks are gone?
Who’s gonna love you when your looks are gone?
Who’s gonna love you when your looks are gone?
Tell me, who’s gonna love you when your looks are gone?

God will, like he waters the flowers on the window sill.
Take me, I’m an ordinary player in the key of C,
And my will was broken by my pride and my vanity

Who’s gonna love you when your looks are gone?
God will, like he waters the flowers on the window sill.
Who’s gonna love you when your looks are gone?

Outrageous
Paul Simon

Discipleship, Ethos, Faith in Action, Leadership, Ministry, Religion, Theology

Great Reminder From a Great Man

“The church must be reminded that it is not the master or the servant of the state, but rather the conscience of the state. It must be the guide and the critic of the state, and never its tool. If the church does not recapture its prophetic zeal, it will become an irrelevant social club without moral or spiritual authority. If the church does not participate actively in the struggle for peace and for economic and racial justice, it will forfeit the loyalty of millions and cause men everywhere to say that it has atrophied its will. But if the church will free itself from the shackles of a deadening status quo, and, recovering its great historic mission, will speak and act fearlessly and insistently in terms of justice and peace, it will enkindle the imagination of mankind and fire the souls of men, imbuing them with a glowing and ardent love for truth, justice, and peace. Men far and near will know the church as a great fellowship of love that provides light and bread for lonely travellers at midnight.”

-Dr. Martin Juthur King, Jr.