becoming

Oct 24, 20120

The Israeli-Palestinian Conflict

Every Christian should really watch the following 2-part interview with Gary Burge on the Israeli-Palestinian Conflict.

Oct 23, 20120

Jesus and Community (2)

Lohfink continues in the preface:

Not long ago there was a report in the newspapers that church agencies in Berlin had established a mobile unit, an automobile equipped with short-wave radio, in which a priest, a physician and a psychologist could be summoned immediately at any hour of the day or night. That sounds very up to date: the church, in a sense, at the front, modern technology in service of the reign of God. But in reality this ecclesiastical mobile unit is a highly questionable symnol of what the church has largely become in our society: a church which takes care of the individual, an institution which offers its wares to a group of individuals.

This conception corresponds exactly to the situation of our consumer society, which Gisbert Greshake recently compared to a large supermarket. Everyone moves around with a cart and picks out what he likes and needs. In the giant “Supermarket West Germany” there is among many other things a section which offers religious products to individuals. Responsibility for this section lies with the churches. Society is very anxious that this corner remain occupied; the stock should be complete It seems to me that the mobile religious unit in Berlin is a perfect symbol of this supermarket-church, which takes care of individuals, provides for them, and leaves them in their anonymity.

Of course Lohfink was describing the German Catholic church in the early 80’s. It is rather interesting to recall how the late 19th century liberal theology had reduced church and salvation into individualistic and profoundly spiritualized/internalized forms. In such sense, a striking resemblance can be found easily among many Chinese churches today (yet their theologies are anything but liberal!). The supermarket analogy is simply dead on in today’s church. Hence it begs the question — if contradicting theologies can produce similar phenomenon, what’s the real driving force behind it?

Oct 23, 20120

Jesus and Community (1)

I decided to re-read Lohfink’s book Jesus and Community. Here are some of the quotes from his book and at times, I will write down some questions and/or comments.

Preface:

It is not much of an exaggeration to say that Jesus could not have founded a church since there had long been one — God’s people, Israel. Jesus directed his efforts to Israel. He sought to gather it in view of the coming reign of God and to make it into the true people of God. What we now call church is nothing other than the community of those ready to live in the people of God, gathered by Jesus and sanctified by his death. From this perspective, it is foolish to look to the historical Jesus for a formal act of founding the church. But it is very meaningful to ask how Jesus gathered Israel and how he envisioned the community of the true Israel, because right here we reach the ultimately decisive question of what the church should look like today. (p. xi)

A question I have always been asking: if Jesus’ work is “merely” about the gathering of (the true) Israel, what makes his death and resurrection unique then? Any prophets (like John the baptist) can call God’s people to repent and return, why Jesus? How can we stress the continuation of Israel-Church, without undermining the work of the Messiah?

Oct 23, 20120

Comments Preachers Hate Most

John Ortberg helps preachers dealing with post-sermon remarks.

How many of them have you heard and/or said?

Preaching is a mysterious business, and in some ways it’s more mysterious to me now than when I started out. Sometimes the message you wish you could put in the discard pile will be the one God uses to change someone’s life. Giving a bad message can bring just the humility you need to remember that preaching—and the kingdom in general—is never subject to human management or control.

What should we aim to hear when we’re done preaching? After Jesus’ first sermon, people were cut to the heart, and they asked what they needed to do to be saved. That’s not a bad response to pray for. It sure beats Ruga Ruga Ruga.

Read the whole thing here.

[link: leadership journal]

Oct 20, 20120