A Reminder from Gandalf

I just started reading The Hobbit last night. It's great of course. What was great was how God used it to remind me of something last night.

"That's right," said Gandalf. "Let's have no more argument. I have chosen Mr. Baggins and that ought to be enough for all of you. If I say he is a Burglar, a Burglar he is, or will be when the time comes. There's a lot more in him than you guess, and a deal more than he has any idea of himself."

It reminds me of God's conversation with Moses at the burning bush (Exodus 3), or of God's conversation with Jeremiah (Jeremiah 1). Moses wasn't a speaker. Jeremiah was too young. And God said, in essence, "you don't know what you're talking about. If I say your a deliverer or prophet, the a deliverer or prophet you are, or will be when the time comes. Theres more in you than you know - my power, my words, my very presence."

I reminds me of struggles I've had. God has called me a shepherd/pastor, and I doubt. He's called me an evangelist, and I doubt. He's called me to be a father and a husband, and I doubt. He calls me his child and I doubt. I argue with him. When I see myself, I can't see these things. But it is God who defines me, not me. I resist his vision for my life because I can't see those things in me, but it is there because he's put it there. His power, his truth, his Spirit.

I've spoken to many people who struggle with this - with allowing God to define them rather than the mirror or their parents or their failures or their past. At it's core, its a struggle of faith (I think all things are). I wonder if God frowns on us and sticks out his bushy eyebrows, wondering when we'll get it.

I don't know when I'll get it, but I'm more hopeful. The vision of what God has for me is burning in me - I long to be wholly submitted and free of inhibitions. I long to know deeply who I am in Christ and know it in my bones and soul, not just my head. I know the struggle will continue till I die, or Christ returns, but I feel like I'm coming out of a valley. I can't remember ever being so excited about my life in Christ (while at the same time so anxious about so many other things).

I can't wait to share the excitement.

What defines what?

"What would it mean if, instead of trying to explain the gospel in terms of our modern scientific culture, we tried to explain our culture in terms of the gospel?"

- Leslie Newbigin, Foolishness to the Greeks, the Gospel and Western Culture

Getting the most out of seminary

I was so thankful that I met a man named John Erickson during my second semester. He became a mentor to me during the next five semester and into today. One piece of advice he gave me during the early weeks of our relationship changed how I approached seminary and I am grateful for it today.

In seminary, maybe more than any other graduate program (though I don't have much to compare it to), there is a ton of reading. I mean a ton. The average student will probably read 2000-3000 pages per class, not counting time reading Scripture (which is not suprisingly important in seminary - if you go to a good one). Again, that's per class. John's advice was in the form of a decision: either you'll plow through all the reading in a mechanical way or you'll read it devotionally, allowing it to sink in and transform. I chose the later, which wasn't an easy choice. In essence, it meant I didn't always get all the reading done. But I wouldn't trade the A- for A's if it meant I didn't get anything other than a grade from it.

I am not a fast reader. I plow through slowly, reading paragraphs twice, underlining, commenting. It took time, but I grew in an appreciation for God's word and in awe of God and all he has done for his people and his church.

This choice goes to the very heart of why someone goes to seminary. It's not just to get your ticket punched. It's to be prepared for ministry, whether in a church or parachurch or in an academic setting. This preparation is as much, or more, spiritual and heart focused as it is academic and intellectual.

Don't misunderstand. I didn't use my 'devotional' approach as an excuse to be lazy. I worked hard and got good grades. It was about a mindset, and it's a mindset I would adopt again.

Modern 'respect' for religion is really disrespecful

I don't keep up with too much TV, unless its sports. I've seen three or four episodes of Lost, only two episodes of the Office. I even missed the whole Seinfeld craze. Just wasn't into it. But Friends, I watched that religiously back in the day. I was reading a book about religious pluralism and a scene from Friends popped into my mind. Rachel's got a crush on a guy names Joey. Ross doesn't like it. Joey teaches him how to be insulting and dismissive without showing that he doesn't like the fact that Rachel is dating someone else.

Rachel laughs to herself
Phoebe: (About Rachel laughing) What? What?
Rachel: Well, it was just something Josh said about v-necks, but you had to be there.
Ross: Yeah, how does Jason look in a v-neck?
Rachel: It’s Joshua.
Ross: Oh, whatever.

Whatever. I doesn't matter. It's all the same. Dismissive and insulting.
Imagine a child being given directions from their parent.

Parent: gather up all your toys and put them in the toy box. its time for bed.
Child: whatever mom.
Parent: what did you say to me. Say it again and I'll rip your lips off.

Completely imaginary conversation, but 'whatever' isn't respectful, it's dismissive and insulting. And yet, that's exactly how the claims of the great religious leaders not only of our day but from the ages are treated.

Paul: Jesus is the Messiah, the Son of the Living God
Jewish Teacher of the Law: Jesus was a blaspheming heretic.
Muhammad: Jesus was the Messiah, a great prophet, but not the Son of God (Christians blaspheme in claiming God has progeny)
Postmodern Pluralist: Whatever. It's all the same.

Vedas: the soul is eternal
Siddhartha Gautama: no it's not, everything is in flux and nothing is eternal
Pomo Pluralist: whatever, its all the same.

I find the modern/postmodern understanding of religion, which aims to respect all religions, ends up disrespecting them all by taking none of their claims seriously.

I believe we should respect people of other religions and the traditions they represent. There is much to commend in them - and plenty to disagree about. But can't disagreement be a respectful. I'm not asking 'can't we disagree in a disrespectful way'. Yes we can, and we should (I should probably confess that I have often sunk into sarcasm and harsh criticism of other beliefs, even other Christian beliefs with which I disagree. I resolve to be more respectful, casting other's beliefs in the best possible light, engaging with them at that level, not constructing strawmen to blow down).

But that's not the point here. What I an asking is 'can't disagreement be a way of showing respect'. It says 'I take your claims very seriously. They are indeed different then mine. In fact, they are contradictory. I know you're a logical person who can't abide flagrant contradictions, so we disagree. I might be wrong, you might be wrong, we both might be wrong, but we can't both be right. Lets talk'.

That's dialogue, respectful, honest dialogue. When we dismiss our difference with a 'whatever, it's all the same', dialogue is impossible. All that can be done is patting each other on the tooshy and stroking each others egos. That's just not as fun as real dialogue - nor is it as honest or respectful. It is not all the same. The God of Islam is not the God of Christianity, neither is the God of Judaism. The worldview of Hinduism and Buddhism differ fundamentally with the worldviews of Christianity and Judaism. They are not the same. Lets stop pretending they are and talk.

Who should go to seminary, part 2?

Read the second part of Dr. Clark's response to the question 'who should go to seminary?'. May I suggest that you carefully pay attention to point two in his response - don't go if you're just doing it to jump through a hoop, get your ticket punched or if you're only interested in 'practical ministry' stuff. I completely echo Dr. Clarks comments about seminary being the beginning of the process of learning, not the terminus. I learned how to think biblically in seminary, not just what to think.

I think I'll post later this week on how to get the most out of your seminary experience. I think it will apply to your classes at IU as well.