Category Archives: Writings

“The Incarnation” is translated from the Spanish by Kieran Kavenaugh and Otilio Rodriguez.  It was published in the book Divine Inspirations assembled and edited by R. Atwan, G. Dardess, P. Rosenthal, Oxford University Press, 1998.

The Incarnation

Now that the time had come
when it would be good
to ransom the bride
serving under the hard yoke
of that law
which Moses had given her,
the Father, with tender love,
spoke in this way:
“Now you see, Son, that your bride
was made in your image,
and so far as she is like you
she will suit you well;
yet she is different, in her flesh,
which your simple being does not have.
In perfect love
this law holds:
that the lover become
like the one he loves;
for the greater their likeness
the greater their delight.
Surely your bride’s delight
would greatly increase
were she to see you like her,
in her own flesh.”
“My will is yours,”
the Son replied,
“and my glory is
that your will be mine.
This is fitting, Father,
what you the Most High, say;
for in this way
your goodness will be more evident,
your great power will be seen
and your justice and wisdom.
I will go and tell the world,
spreading the word
of your beauty and sweetness
and of your sovereignty.
I will go and seek my bride
and take upon myself
her weariness and labors
in which she suffers so;
and that she may have life,
I will die for her,
and lifting her out of that deep,
I will restore her to you.”

BIBLICAL INERRANCY
This was written in response to a heated debate on seven magazine over Biblical inerrancy. I never published it because I didn’t have the time or energy for the arguments that would follow. It’s not academically watertight, and the kind of people who obsess over Biblical inerrancy like to pick holes in things.

God has always chosen to use human authors, and does not override their humanity or individuality, their cultural circumstances or points of view. In fact, the Bible shows how creatively God uses those particularities to make works both historically specific and everlastingly applicable – one thinks of Hosea’s failed marriage, or Jonah’s unwillingness to forgive Nineveh.

It is quite possible that occasional errors and inconsistencies bother God not at all. To my knowledge none of the disputed passages contain anything by which Christianity stands or falls. The resurrection is not in doubt, but the number of angels in the tomb is. Really, who cares? One could be forgiven for not counting correctly at the time.

What I find curious, and revealing, is the inerrantists’ belief that any error demolishes the whole work – that if one thing is wrong then everything might be wrong, nothing can be trusted, and our faith is shipwrecked. This isn’t an approach one ordinarily uses with regard to books, let alone spoken accounts. We do not abandon a book as worthless because of a few factual errors. We do not dismiss a story [or a sermon] as a pack of lies because the teller gets something wrong or the data out of order. Obviously there is a level of inaccuracy beyond which the tale, and the teller, are no longer trustworthy – but I’d contend that we’re a long way short of that in the Bible.

God probably expects us to take a broad view of the trustworthiness of his authors. After all he trusted them himself, and I suggest was not willing to crush their humanity in order to satisfy our demand for trivial facts. Our wish for inerrancy is a sign that we do not trust, that our faith is fragile and based on a book rather than a relationship with the One to whom that book points. It’s sad that many churches have doctrinal statements which begin with ‘we believe in the inerrancy of the Bible’, rather than ‘we believe in God’. God comes in second on the list. Such statements have more to do with the intra-church doctrinal battles of a century ago than the explanation of Christian belief to outsiders in today’s society.

To speak personally, I had a committed relationship with God before I knew much about the Bible. And that relationship is real enough for me not to be too shaken by revelations about this or that part of the Bible. If the Bible were proved to be entirely false I could only say that there’s something funny been going on around here. The Bible interprets the experience, but the experience happens beyond the book. The Bible has informed and shaped my relationship with God, and with the world. It’s proved to be endlessly relevant, challenging, and even entertaining. That it is inspired I doubt not at all. But what that has to do with inerrancy I don’t know. I’ve heard sermons that were inspired, but with errors. Inspiration means efficacy of communication, contact, God to me, a voice heard. Sometimes it comes through all the stronger for cracked containers, as St Paul might concur. So if the Bible itself is a cracked container for the voices of God, that would seem in tune with the divine economy.

So many of our most contentious disputes hinge on genre. For instance, creationism stands or falls by what kind of document early Genesis is – whether it’s factual description or something else. To assume – demand – that all narratives be factual is asking for trouble. I’m unhappy with a view of the Bible that will not allow to God the full range of methods available to human authors. I don’t see why it should be a problem, that parts of the Bible might be fiction. Fiction can tell a truth as well as fact – maybe better. No-one would take Jesus’ parables as anecdotes, as factual accounts of real situations. They are fictions. And yet no-one would deny their power, and no-one would call Jesus a liar or dismiss his teaching as impossible to believe for using fiction as a carrier. So why not other parts of the Bible?

Let’s retain a sense of proportion. Suggesting that parts of the Bible might be fictional is not saying that it all is. But we can’t treat the Bible as a single book, in a single literary genre, with a single standard of authenticity, and a single framework for interpretation. We are dealing with 66 documents – note that even in calling them ‘books’ we are bringing certain expectations about how they are to be read – documents written over a period of some 3000 years by many different authors with very different circumstances and intentions. The Bible is what you get when you say, J. Edgar Hoover style, “Bring me the file on God.” It is, frankly, miraculous that this disparate collection should hold together at all, let alone display such rich internal cross-linkages across gulfs of time and space.

The argument that a book inspired by God has to be word-perfect and consistent is itself working to an idea of ‘perfection’ that may not be God’s. In the end all we can say is that we meet God in these documents. They are the stories – the story – of God. That is why they were chosen to be the canon. And all the mistakes – well they’re very interesting, but they don’t stop the voice of God. Never have done.

 “I think we often forget we are called to be loving, not right. We are called to live as Christ lived, not to know what Christ knew. ”  From a blog entry by Andrew at The Road to Daejeon.  He was talking about certainty and whether it is that important.

 “To have the humility to admit that I could be wrong, not neccessarily about the larger things, but even about the smaller intricacies of my Christian faith, creates problems. “

” So can we be to certain? can certainty get in the way? I think so. To much certainty denies we are human, fallible and fallen. To much certainty denies the process of growth in knowledge and wisdom.

I think we often forget we are called to be loving, not right. We are called to live as Christ lived, not to know what Christ knew. “

Phil,

I can appreciate your reasons for not liking that word.  And since I know how offended you are by it, I won’t be using it if I can help it in your presence.  

But I will take exception to something that you wrote “I’d like to make it clear that my biggest problem with the word isn’t that new Christians and seekers use it, but that church leaders are using it.”  I think we have to be very careful in implying that there are certain standards of behaviour to be adhered to by Christians.  When we set up rules for behaviour we quickly become legalistic.  Using this word, worse (more profane) words, depends so much on the upbringing and culture of the speaker.  No matter where we are coming from the words we use, nice as they may be are not the mark of a Christian.

 “I think we often forget we are called to be loving, not right. We are called to live as Christ lived, not to know what Christ knew. ”  From a blog entry by Andrew at The Road to Daejeon.  He was talking about certainty and whether it is that important.

 “To have the humility to admit that I could be wrong, not neccessarily about the larger things, but even about the smaller intricacies of my Christian faith, creates problems. “

” So can we be to certain? can certainty get in the way? I think so. To much certainty denies we are human, fallible and fallen. To much certainty denies the process of growth in knowledge and wisdom.

I think we often forget we are called to be loving, not right. We are called to live as Christ lived, not to know what Christ knew. “

It was interesting to page through The Covenant Companion, our denominations publication, when I picked up today’s mail.  In this issue is an article on communion by the Dean of North Park Theological Seminary, John Phelan JR.  The article is entitled “Should we fence the table?”  Unfortunately, this particular article is not online.

In it he talks about “open communion” and what that means.  I liked the way he uses the term “Jesus’ table fellowship” and talks about how Jesus both extended and accepted being at table with a variety of people.  And he says, “If Jesus refused to keep sinners from the table and did not fear the corruption of his holiness by their presence, why should we?”

I guess I have always liked the words of the invitation to the table that are used in the Covenant service of Communion and Phelan quotes these in his article as well.
     “Come to this sacred table… not because you are strong, but because you are weak;
      not because you have any claim on the grace of God, but because in your frailty and
      sin you stand in constant need of God’s mercy and help”

I guess serving communion to children on Sunday; children that really did not grasp the significance of the meal they were sharing in, made me think.  None of us grasp fully the significance of the meal we share at Christ’s table.  Yet Jesus gathered little children to his knee and told the adults around to become like them.  So Jesus makes room for all of us; the old and the young; the silly and the serious; the wise and the imprudent.  We come in all shapes and sizes and colours. There is always room for one more at this table where together we remember what he has provided.  This table – unfenced and welcoming.  I like his table!

Koop

The chapter on Koop in Yancy’s book Soul Survivor was probably one of the most applicable to my own situation.  This is due both to my being part of the “medical” community by profession as well as being married to a physician who by virtue of his place within the medical ranks as a Public Health doctor, Family Physician and Addictionist, has opportunity to come out with statements of his own about many of the same issues. 

We have attempted to live our lives, like Koop, with integrity.  We have tried to be people who could be trusted to be who we appear to be – not being Christians only when we travel in Christian circles.  Maybe, in reality, it has been easier to openly live out our Christianity more easily among our non-Christian friends than to be honest about our weaknesses in front of our Christian friends.

Non-Christians, once they become aware of our faith, seem to be relatively comfortable with it.  They may not agree with or understand our stand on issues, but they do not think we are immoral because of them.  They respect our right to have different opinions than they do.  Christians, on the other hand, can get very nasty when faced with opinions that differ from what they have been taught to believe, even if the issue at hand is not critical to faith.

Yancy quotes one person as saying, “I’ve noticed that Christians tend to get very angry toward others who sin differently than they do.”  He goes on to say: “The only hope for any of us, regardless of our particular sins, lies in a ruthless trust in a God who inexplicably loves sinners, including those who sin differently than we do.”

Acknowledging that we ourselves have sinned and are totally dependent on the grace of God is, I believe, a necessary requirement for receiving the forgiveness for those sins.  No sin is “better” than another.  They all cost God the sacrifice of his blameless son.  And we need to remember that if we think of ourselves more highly than others who happen to be caught in their sin, we are, right there, caught in the act of sinning ourselves.  I am amazed that we dare to be so critical of each other.

It reminds me of the story Jesus told about the debtor who was forgiven the millions he could never repay and then as he goes out encounters the person who owes him a few dollars.  This man, who has just been freed from his own debt, can’t extend the same grace to another.  And the result?  He loses the pardon that was extended to him.  Shouldn’t this parable tell us something about what God expects of us?

We think nothing of our children trucking off into the woods; building forts with their friends.  Maybe it is part of the North American genetic code, following in the footsteps of our pioneer ancestors.

My children raised in the Congo also had this inclination – from the oldest to the youngest of our biological children.  Our Congolese children seem to have a different pattern – more relationship builders than fort builders. 

Randall’s response to a comment on his photo of dawn breaking, reminded me of an incident involving fort building and my children.

Our oldest son had a strong fort building instinct.  There were a variety of structures; some in trees; some at ground level; some close to home and some far off in locations secret  from me.  Fort building materials were everywhere – grass and sticks and vines and sometimes odd pieces of cast off lumber, screen and nails. 

Our children’s school year was arranged in eight to ten week blocks of time so that in the two week breaks between terms children could travel home to visit parents.  Our children had no where to go – they were at home, but now they were free.  A thirteen year old boy has to make his own entertainment in the Congo so, during the school breaks, life consisted of soccer, hunting and fishing, and sometimes building places to hang out with his two inseparable friends – Massa and Yaunde.  Dad’s motorcycle gave him an additional measure of freedom.

On one of these two week breaks in the year that he was thirteen,  our oldest son provoked a major criminal investigation. 

He was off with his friends, back and forth between home and Zulu for fishing, soccer and who knows what all.  He was safe.  He would let us know where he was going and then he would be gone.  We had our own busy work schedules to keep up with.  This particular vacation he and his friends worked on building a fort in one of the large mango trees in our front yard.  They also spent time hanging out in another fort that they were building up at the far end of the airstrip, on the road to Zulu.

Around this time, there were a string of deaths among elderly women of the area.  People were uptight not knowing why these women had died.  In that culture, there are no accidental deaths or deaths from “natural” causes.  They could have been murders – in any case everyone looked on them as highly unusual.  The police began to investigate.

By the time school was back in full swing, rumors began to fly.  One of the grass fires had burned the area around the airstrip and someone had stumbled on “the murderers lair”.  A large defunct termite hill had been dug out with steps and a ledge to sit around the edge.  Steps led up to the top of the mound.  Sardine cans were scattered around.  The investigators were sure that this was a hideout; the steps to the top of the mound being a lookout over the airfield. 

Eric’s friends were very aware of all the hullabaloo going on.  They were terrified.  This murder’s hideout was none other than their fort.  They came in fear to Eric and in turn to us.  We were sort of amused but aware of the possibility for wild rumors to become out of control.  We knew something had to be done before the whole thing got out of hand – and it was doing that rapidly.

There was some official function coming up and when Leo went to it the military lieutenant in charge of the investigation was present.  Leo felt he had better inform this fellow of the real story behind the existence of the fort.  The lieutenant was upset at first that Leo was discussing this “top secret” military matter till Leo explained it all to him.  Leo and the boys had to go down to the local military headquarters and make statements.  If you can imagine the efficiency of that!  Leo supplied the paper for the clerk to use to take the statements.  Several pages of one fingered peck and find typing later, the boys were free to go. 

The lieutenant was somehow amazed at the  kids “military” knowledge.  He was never convinced that all little kids in North America are inclined to build forts given a stand of trees and some available stuff to build with.  A contingent of several officers came up to our yard to gaze with amazement at the tree house in the mango tree. 

The murderer?  If there ever was one – was never caught.

The God I am encountering is so much bigger than he was a while ago – than I ever knew.  He is God – the I AM.  Every time I turn around, I learn new things about him.  He is both far and near, huge and intimate, lover and judge.  His claims on me get tighter.  I guess in Christianese you could say I am growing spiritually. 

God is moving me steadily out of my comfort zone to where people are.  Now to me, helping people who to all appearances need help and to start with are weaker or needier than me is not so hard.  I am a compassionate person.  When I see people in need I want to help. 

The people I find hardest to “reach” out to are the people who are comfortable already – at least with material things.  The ones who are hard on the outside but inside are hurting.  The ones who are trying but failing as examples of Christ’s way.  And the ones who live styles of life that are going to hurt them in the long run.  Because these are the ones I work with and live with everyday – not the great hurting masses who are out there somewhere – too far away to see how poorly I respond to Christ’s commands.  These are the ones that will see how I live, the ones I have been given now to be a light to.

Arid
Is the seat of my soul.
Beyond dryness,
Beyond needing a little rain,
Parched,
With the surface cracking
‘To crust and fissure.

Who am I
To come to you, God,
Seeking
Solace.  Drip
Drops of water on
My parched heart
So it will beat again.

Lead me
To the edge of your river.
Urge me to drink.
In your abundance
Bathe me, till
Even my outer crust is soft
With love for you.

Listen to Me God!                                             Linea Lanoie

Listen to me God!

I guess a woman hardly has the right

To address the Almighty

Like one of her children.

But I would just like to know

Why, when I ask for

The grace to treat others

As if You were the one

Delivering the goods,

I come so far short of doing it!

Do You watch me

With amusement or sadness in Your eyes

As I try to emulate Your ways

Like a bird with clipped wings to fly?

I just can’t imagine why,

When I try so hard in all sincerity,

I make such a mess of

Trying to follow You,

Like a child with legs too short

Stumbling in Your steps.

Forgive my boldness

But I really would like to achieve

That level of godliness

Reflecting You

That some of Your saints attain.

But the harder it gets as I try.

Is it that the path gets steeper

As I near the top ?

My weary heart asks

Am I close at all?

So hold me up Lord

I am tired from the climb

And my spirit thirsts

For answers from You.

There is nowhere else to turn.

And if the answers that You whisper in my ear

Are not clear for now

Help me to believe and follow

So that all my stumbling steps

Stay on Your path for me.