To Honor Saint Augustine

In honor of his feast day, I offer this famous quote from one of our church fathers, known to some as the "Doctor of Grace." He is the forerunner of all who have had dramatic conversions from a pagan lifestyle.


"For behold, you were within me, and I outside; and I sought you outside and in my unloveliness fell upon those lovely things that you had made. You were with me, and I was not with you. I was kept from you by those things, yet had they not been in you, they would not have been at all. You called and tried to break open my deafness: and you sent forth your beams and shone upon me and chased away my blindness: you breathed fragrance upon me, and I drew in my breath and I do now pant for you: I taste you, and now hunger and thirst for you: you touched me, and I have burned for your peace."

From Bernard of Clairvaux

Someone else had a reference on their blog to Bernard, so I thought I'd add this hymn. Is it just the old-fashioned translation, or do these older songs and poems just seem more intense than much of what we get today?

O sacred Head, now wounded, with grief and shame weighed down,
Now scornfully surrounded with thorns, Thine only crown;
How pale Thou art with anguish, with sore abuse and scorn!
How does that visage languish, which once was bright as morn!

What Thou, my Lord, hast suffered, was all for sinners’ gain;
Mine, mine was the transgression, but Thine the deadly pain.
Lo, here I fall, my Savior! ’Tis I deserve Thy place;
Look on me with Thy favor, vouchsafe to me Thy grace.

What language shall I borrow to thank Thee, dearest friend,
For this Thy dying sorrow, Thy pity without end?
O make me Thine forever, and should I fainting be,
Lord, let me never, never outlive my love to Thee.

Book Review

Jesus of Nazareth, by Pope Benedict XVI.

This book is aimed at the educated masses, with enough academic credibility to be respected in that world, while maintaining a nice level of readability. Certainly not a light read, or an easy read, but an interesting read.

This first volume of the Pope’s study on the life of Christ covers the period from the baptism to the transfiguration. This is nice symmetry, as these are two times where the Father speaks audibly to and about His Son. This slice of Jesus’ life covers much familiar territory, including the Sermon on the Mount and the Lord’s Prayer, two events that are covered phrase by phrase. Very interesting coverage of familiar passages. There is also a nice section of the Prodigal Son, which the Pope prefers to title the Parable of the Two Sons.

If you are a non-Catholic who can look past the couple places where the analysis is specifically Catholic (it’s the Pope, after all), I recommend this.

As a matter of fact, if you are a non-Catholic who can’t look past the specifically Catholic passages, you should probably be the first to read it.

Neat prayer

This is in a devotion/prayer book I am reading through. It is credited as coming from the Church of the Province of the West Indies.

Since without you we can do no good thing:
May your Spirit make us wise;
May your Spirit guide us;
May your Spirit renew us;
May your Spirit strengthen us;

So that we will be:
Strong in faith,
Discerning in proclamation,
Courageous in witness,
Persistent in good deeds.

lo-fi living in a hi-fi world

It’s been about 6 weeks since I returned from Cornerstone, and what has stayed with me is an interest in the “suburban monastic” – perhaps an answer to some who like me were discouraged by the books Death by Suburb and The Suburban Christian.

Two organizations that I ran across at the fest were the Anchor Fellowship and Monk Rock. These guys are trying to live out the monastic virtues (charity, humility, solitude) while not retreating from the world. The Monk Rock guys call it “lo-fi living in a hi-fi world.” This mix of modern and ancient intrigues me.

I don’t know quite how to work it into my life just yet, but it intrigues me.

God and suffering

From Dietrich Bonhoeffer:

"It’s good to learn early enough that suffering and God are not a contradiction but rather a unity, for the idea the God himself is suffering is one that has always been of the most convincing teachings of Christianity. I think God is nearer to suffering than to happiness, and to find God in this way gives peace and rest and a strong a courageous heart."

amen and amen

The Church in 2050

Sociologist Philip Jenkins has written two books on the changing worldwide face of the Church -- his main thesis is that the nexus of church vitality has moved from the global north (Europe and North America) to the global south (South America, southern Africa, and south Asia). At Cornerstone, Professor Jon Case taught on challenges the church faces in light of this.

a) Although the spiritual vitality is in the south, the resources (money being the most important one) are in the north. Will we be able to support these growing works financially without the paternalism that so often comes with money -- growing churches in the global south don't need our programs, leadership, or ideas. They just need our money!

b) God's movements in the south challenge established denominations in the north. For one thing, these churches tend to be much more theologically conservative than established churches in Europe and North America. This will continue to strain denominations that have adopted moderate/liberal theology. Case reported that some individual Episcopal churches in the US have removed themselves from under American authority and placed themselves under (more conservative) Nigerian bishops.

c) The north will become a mission field -- how will American and European Christians respond when they see this happening?

d) Growth in the global south is largely a charismatic phenomen, including movements within traditionally non-charismatic denominations. Relationships between charismatics and non-charismatics (both individuals and churches) must become more loving and accepting for the southern church to reach its potential. As Case said, "It's a hundred-year-old debate. At this point, both sides need to get over themselves!"

Back from Cornerstone!

I spent last week at the grand-daddy of Christian festivals, Cornerstone, in Western Illinois. And boy did I have fun!

I have been to more than a dozen festivals before (Alive, Creation, Atlanta, Fishnet, and others), and have enjoyed them. But there are a few ways in which Cornerstone is different from the others, and why I finally wanted to make it out there.

Cornerstone is visually artsy. I am not artsy myself in that way, but can appreciate the high value the fest places on visual expression. Much of the evangelical church is skeptical of the visual arts, so enjoyed being in a place that puts such a high value on that type of expression.

Cornerstone is an eclectic community. It's where the hippies meet the punks meet the goths meet ...... me!

Cornerstone is not just music. Before it was a fest, it was a magazine of ideas, and this spirit is alive and well in the seminars. I expect to share some of the notes I took, on such topics as the theology of NT Wright, the globalized gospel, and the emergent church.

One stream that I found running through some of the teaching and expression was "the ancient modern," the church recovering worship modes and teaching from ancient Christians. This includes the Celtic monastics, who I started paying attention to more than a decade ago, and have become "in" in the last few years in some circles.

And the music, too. I dug that, needless to say.

Movie Review

The Eyes of Tammy Faye

This 1999 documentary traces the life of Tammy Faye (Bakker) (Messner), from growing up in an Assembly of God family in Minnesota, to meeting Jim Bakker, to starting 2 television ministries from which they were later pushed out (the 700 Club and TBN), to founding PTL, to Heritage USA, to Jessica Hahn, to her painkiller addiction, to the trials, to the divorce, etc .... and shows what her life was like at that point in time.

This is a surprisingly sympathetic portrait of a woman who got in way over her head, and then just lost control of her life as the waves swept everything away from her. I confess I never liked or respected the Bakkers, and was never a fan of Tammy Faye, but have mellowed out towards her over the years, and this film made me view her in a different light. I found it a disconcerting film, and I am still digesting it.

A great old hymn

I have been reading through a devotional book that includes a range of old prayers and hymns. Not having been raised in the church, I am unfamiliar with many of these. Here is a hymn that is part of an evening devotion that struck me as especially comforting.

Night is Drawing Nigh
by The Reverend Sabine Baring-Gould (1834-1924)

Now the day is over, night is drawing nigh,
Shadows of the evening steal across the sky.

Jesus, give the weary calm and sweet repose;
With your tenderest blessing may our eyelids close.

Grant to little children visions bright of thee.
Guard the sailors tossing on the sea.

Comfort every sufferer watching late in pain;
Those who plan some evil from their sin restrain.

Through the long night watches may your angels spread
Their wings above me, watching round me bed.

When the morning wakens then I may arise
Pure and fresh and sinless in your holy eyes.