FAITH LESS?

Over the past few weeks I have found myself wondering if we have too much 'religion' in this world. I know, these are not the thoughts a pastor should query, but I suppose I'm not the first.

Just yesterday it came out that Atheist know more about religion than Protestants and Catholics. In fact of all the major groups queried, Protestants and Catholics were at the bottom of the survey. Over 50% of Protestants didn't even know who Martin Luther was...hmmmm. Maybe we who claim to be religious aren't as religious as we think.

Unfortunately, I find that far too many people who have too little understanding of religious beliefs are convinced that they are the righteous ambassadors of certain fundamental truths. Whether it be Glenn Beck preaching to the Tea Party or Mahmoud Ahmadinejad, President of Iran, spewing forth hatred in the name of Islam, I am appalled that it can be so easy to distort not only orthodox theological traditions but reinterpret history as well.

Now don't get me wrong, everyone is entitled to their opinion, and we are wise to listen with humility to those with whom we have judged to be wrong-headed. Nonetheless, it seems that all one needs to do is stamp something as a 'religious belief' and that in itself justifies whatever comes out of their mouth. I personally believe religious beliefs are as worthy of being questioned as are political platforms. Indeed, if we do not question our beliefs we expose ourselves to the possibility of becoming idol worshippers (and I am not speaking of American Idol).

All too often religion has become a divisive issue around the world and in the U.S.A. as well. So rather than allowing ourselves to wrap a particular biblical passage around our pet peeve, can we as followers of Christ simply submit to the commands that Jesus gave us? Interpreting the 10 commandments, Jesus said there are two: Love God & Love Neighbor (the second being the same as the first!). Then to his disciples he said, Love one another as I have first loved you.

Rather than worrying if people believe the right things, can we agree to act with love for those who are different from us because God is revealed in them? Rather than getting people to agree about what we believe, can we show compassion as God showed compassion to us in Christ?Rather than arguing over what God may consider trivial, could we start crafting bridges connecting the essentials?

Yes there will always be people who wish to maintain the purity of their 'religion,' but I'm reminded of Luther who uttered, 'He who desires a perfect church desires no church at all.'

Lutherans at 500

500 years is a long time. 500 years since the beginnings of the Reformation could weaken the 'branding' of any organization, but especially a church dependent upon the 'priesthood of all believers.'

Some are saying that we Lutherans are 'dying out.' That we don't get the current culture, and that we are not adept at the language/needs of people today. Our numbers are in decline, the average age of our 'membership' is ready for retirement, and we are more concerned about our property than we are about our neighbors.

The statistics don't lie; Lutherans are in decline, and the rate of numerical depreciation is accelerating. Yet, God uses a different form of math. God used one to turn life inside out. God used 12 to turn the world upside down. God used the weak to shame the powerful, and the foolish to shame the wise.

Now I'm not saying, 'Let's simply sit on our laurels and remember the good old days.' What I am saying is that we Lutherans have something to offer to this world, no matter our current 'numbers.' We need to stop whinning and start thinking seriously about how we get this message of Good News out to a people who are hurting. We live in a pluralistic world of paradoxes.

This is comfort food to us Lutherans. We are a people who are comfortable living in the midst of difficult questions and unwilling to settle for simple answers. This stuff will preach in Peoria and NYC and Seattle and... well you name it! We just have to make sure that we stop giving our congregations milk toast when we've got pot roast simmering on the stove. We cannot let the 'babblers' control the conversation when we have real meat to offer. We need to get serious about who we are and what we have to offer; and take a few risks along the way as we toss it out into the market place of thought. This is a faith for those who want to wrestle with God, and it's 'time to rumble!'

So, come on all you Lutherans. Just because you cannot speak intelligibly about the tribulation theories of the rapture, doesn't mean you need to hide your head in the cone of shame. Those theories aren't worth the breath it takes to utter them. We've got real work to do as we bring the grace revealed in Jesus into the equation of a world suffering under the works of the law. Bring me your tired, worn, and heavy laden, and we will give you rest from the tyranny of tired religion. We will invite you into a powerful relationship with the God of the universe who promises that life will be wild (not easy) and full of wonder (but not necessarily wonderful).

Let's not forget that Luther himself was a rabble-rouser. So toss the Jello into the trash, down a pint of beer in honor of the old guy, and let's start talking about salvation history! Let's just see how that gives a new perspective to how we view CNN & FOX and the rest of the world we do not see on the nightly news.

Forget the pity party Lutherans, let's party like its 1999 (or 1517)!

The Alban Institute - 2010-09-20 Seeing Ourselves in the Other

The Alban Institute - 2010-09-20 Seeing Ourselves in the Other

HATE & Heaven

When did hate become a part of God's heavenly plan?

Over the past few weeks we have had to witness a 'pastor' promote his agenda of hate in the name of Christ. He has held the world hostage, much like any two-bit criminal seeking his moment of glory. I for one will be glad when his 15 minutes of fame have run their course.

Now, most people get it - the man is frequently identified in the press and by people in general as being on the 'fringe.' Unfortunately, it seems as if the people on the fringe, whether it be politics or religion or you name the subject, that seem to be controlling the debate these days. Why is it that drug lords in Mexico are able to silence a majority of the population? Why is it that a few neo-conservatives were able to 'cook the books' so that we jumped into a war in Iraq? Why is it that the good work of God's people, feeding the hungry, caring for the sick goes unnoticed while this 'lunatic' continues to preach hatred on international media?

If we allow our fears to remain at the center of the debate, the 'crazies' will continue to rule. If, however, we move beyond fear to faith, trusting in God and trusting more in one another, then we can get back to a rational discussion about how best to move forward. Fear causes us to either fight or fly, but hope causes us to hang in there believing in an unseen future. Which will guide your heart?

God, Stephen Hawking, & an Evolving Humanity

The big news today (in my world) is Stephen Hawking's theory of spontaneous existence. He theorizes that the big bang existed outside of time and therefore didn't need someone/deity to light the match. Not being a brilliant astro-physicist I'll take his word on this. Being a theologian (not brilliant) my response to this big news is well a great big cosmic yawn.

In other news, evolutionary theorist have been asking how it is that humans around the world in different cultures came to have this common belief in gods/God? The hypothesis is that for a complex social structure to exist there needed to be someone/thing outside the system who could keep us in line respecting the good of all. In other words, the clans that believed in a god were able to advance evolutionary because they had a leg up on social order due to this moral policeman in the sky. This sounds interesting, and makes me wonder if the lack of belief in a god who makes any judgment on our choices will lead therefore to moral decline?

So what? Stephen Hawking argues for an amoral cosmos whose existence is the result of spontaneous action of matter (and since there is no constraint of time therefore there is no need to determine a prior action to define this action?). The evolutionary anthropologist on the other hand argue for a morality or order that comes from...where? It seems the physicist believes all is random, and the anthropologists believe that we in some way determine a morality of right and wrong. Hmmm... In one sense we are very small, and in the other we play a very large role.

Now I'm out of my league I know, but I've always believed that God exists outside the dimensions that define us, including time. As I read scripture the message is less about the origins of the universe, but the why of the universe, and the reality that God continues to invest in the creative work in our midst. As for how we come to believe in God, scripture suggest that there is this mystery, this Holy Spirit, that is defined by what it causes within us. Could this Holy Spirit create within us a desire for a more orderly society that acknowledges a hunger for righteousness?

Like I say, I'm not that smart, but I don't see in these reports the demise of God. Do you?