To make it fun: try posting something in 111 words or less. The Apostles Creed contains exactly 111 words. It is the essential statement of the Christian belief that goes back to the origins of Christianity.
Invite your friends, believing or non-believing. Let's have fun and learn from listening to each other, whether you attach your name to your post or do it anonymously.
From Amazon.com: Have you ever doubted your faith? Have you ever, deep down in your heart, doubted that God was really present in your life? Or wondered whether everything you believed in as a Christian was false? / Call it existential doubt. Call it “the dark night of the soul,” as one Christian saint famously did. Whatever you call it, it’s real. It is personal, it is painful, it is distressing, and it can last for years — maybe even a lifetime. / You are not alone. Such crises of the soul have come upon saints throughout Christian history — from John of the Cross in the sixteenth century to Mother Teresa in our own time. In fact, there may be something of this God-doubting in all of us. At some point in our Christian walk, most of us have traveled — or will travel — this dark path. / In Faith at the Edge Robert Wennberg draws from his own experience with doubt to address such troubling issues. But he also calls upon the wisdom and insight of such figures as Blaise Pascal, G. K. Chesterton, Simone Weil, C. S. Lewis, and Martin Marty. Laying out a theologically insightful account of what happens during doubt, Wennberg helps us understand how we can cope with these dark episodes and even profit from them spiritually.
I had my first chat with someone today in the vein of my upcoming series on "Core Doubts." Here's a list of issues I jotted down from just one 1/2 hour with the person I was reconnecting with:
How can the Bible be considered "true" and "authoritatively accurate" if it was passed on for so many centuries? Isn't it like the telephone analogy where the message ends up totally different than when it started? How can it be trusted?
Isn't the Bible full of contradictions? Why aren't Christians protesting the eating of shellfish?
Two words: "Prop Eight"
Doesn't the version of God most Christians have portray him as a selfish brat? "Do all this for ME otherwise you'll be damned forever?" Aren't most parents more loving & accepting of their kids than that?
Is it really helpful to live out a "sinful from birth" theology? Isn't this damaging to self-esteem? If great things happen in our life, it's got to be more than just "glory to God"....isn't it more of a joint effort?
Isn't there great hypocrisy in a lot of Christian stances? Like the protester who believes that if he dies he goes right to heaven, but he's holding up a sign that promotes letting someone live in a miserable vegetative state rather than letting them "be with God" by pulling the plug?
Well, now that's a wealth of issues! This couldn't be off to a better start!
For those of you just joining the blog, I'm preaching a series in January on Core Doubts, which will be directly related to all the issues that I hear people talking about between now and then. comment on the blog if you have your own stuff to chime in on. My rule of thumb on this stuff is to be in "listening-mode"on all these issues until January comes. So, sorry to any of you who are wishing I'd respond to all of them. More reason to set aside Sunday mornings in January & February!
I really like this article. John Ross is a guy I've met, but I really don't know him well. He has a unique comic approach with his stand-up that I think is incredibly funny. What I like about this article is that Becca Costello lets John's distancing himself from Christianity to be mainly told through John's own words--and his words allow for the ambiguity of his journey. I could be reading it wrong, and I'm sensitive to how articles rarely quote people accurately, but that's my take.
Also, and perhaps more of a discussion starter, is that the things John Ross seems to be distancing himself from in terms of the Christian religion are not the kinds of things I've ever found prominent in the Christian communities I've been a part of. He references constant guilt, a culture of sweeping problems under the rug with the idea that "I'm healed," and also, importantly, not being able to poke fun of your own religion. Those definitely seem to me to be more in the category of sub-cultural baggage of the American religious version of Christianity. I hope I'm not reading too far into things...all I have to go on is what the article says. Regardless, I find it an intriguing thing to ponder & discuss. What do you think?
I love the closing quote:
“My prayer is, ‘Hey, God. Hey, universe. If you want to say something to me, say it in a way that I understand it. I’m open to it, but I’m kind of done figuring out what language you speak.’”
Ross stretched out his arms and raised his eyes to the ceiling. “What?” he asked the heavens. “What?”
We hope to successfully record them all for our 8-week series on the Bible entitled "The Book that Understands You." Also, if interested, short-term groups are forming if you want to have some people to walk along with during this particular series. Let me know.
I don't know how many of you are also doing this bible-in-a-year thing. I'm struggling to fit it into my daily rhythm, hoping it somehow becomes a habit.
As if any of us have extra time, here are two links to interesting podcasts related to the Bible. I love "the god pod"... it's very intelligent, humorous, and always enlightening on difficult theological/philosophical questions.
Reading the daily readings is interesting. I'd love to have more time to explore & discuss things that are coming up. Such as: Day 1: Connections between the beginning of creation ("the first humans" and the announcement (Matthew 1) of the ultimate human. It is so mind-boggling, especially after watching a child born last week, to consider God taking such a real earthy/messy step into the created world. Jesus' face was certainly all scrunched up with his eyes tightly closed as he wailed his first cries to clear out his lungs.... right? Day 2 I saw connections between the fall of the first humans, with all the curses on aspects of creation, and then with Herod & his paranoid behavior as he feared the threat of the "king of the Jews." Day 3 Lisa summed it up well: "the wise men were very spiritual!" I agree. The fact that they hold a prominent place in the Matthew birth story, while being portrayed neither as connected to Israel, or to "the church of Jesus," is something to reflect upon. It connects very well with my philosophy that Jesus has all kinds of people from all sorts of backgrounds on a path towards knowing him better--even if they wouldn't describe it that way.
That's all for now. check out those Godpod links! -marc
The One Year Bible I referred to this morning at City Life is available at the following website, and on facebook (& supposedly twitter, but I haven't checked that out yet). You can do this completely online, or with your own bible at home.
Suggested translation to select? I'm doing the NASB, But there are many good translations, including the NRSV, RSV, and TNIV.
Also: You can buy the actual hardcopy "One Year Bible" at a bookstore or amazon. or you can download the reading schedule from the website. OR you can get weekly emails telling you the readings for the week.
She was born Wednesday, 9-9-09, in the morning. She's been home for a day--as pleasant & beautiful as can be. Lisa amazed the nurses again with her 3rd natural birth. She and Mabel are both doing fine.
What are the unanswered questions, doubts, or discrediting factors for you about the Christian faith?
I plan on doing a series of sermons in January entitled "Core Doubts." I believe it was reformation theologian John Calvin who insisted that one's faith is surrounded by doubt. I agree. I would go as far as to say that it often feels like doubt is the very platform on which faith finds its legs.
I'm looking forward to this series, and you can help by calling or emailing me about your doubts. I'm hoping to meet with a lot of people individually before then to listen to them on this very issue--mostly people who might not be regular church attenders. If that's you--shoot me an email and the coffee's on me. marc@sacramentocitylife.com
Monday, August 24, 2009
Hi friends,
The first little Holland girl appears to be stubborn (I have no idea where this comes from!)--just fine to wait for the due date or later to show herself. Which means, of course: PRAY FOR LISA! She's putting on a strong front, but I know this is going to be a long week if that baby doesn't come.
Okay, I'm hanging out for a bit today at Tupelo in East Sac, today, and have a couple of blog-worthy pieces of information:
A GREAT article on being Single & Christian at the same time, appropriately entitled: "Singled Out By God for Good," by Paige Benton. I have to admit that, because I've been married for 10 years, I don't ponder the dilemma of undesired singlehood nearly enough (mainly only when hearing the horror stories of dating from my single friends). But Paige has me thinking deeply about it now, with her funny, deeply meaningful perspective on being single. Helpful no matter where you are at in life.
City Life has a square at CHALK IT UP! and the amazing artist: Erick Veil. Please come out to this FREE event & see all the mind-boggling works of chalk art. This is one of Sacramento's coolest & most unique summer traditions. Fremont Park, 15 & Q, Friday-Sunday September 5-7. (Hint: The artwork gets progressively finished as Saturday progresses, and it's especially fun to go twice in the weekend to see the before/after, and then to return a week later & see the cool effect of the art slowing wearing away.)
Erick's square last year for the center for contemporary arts... it's mind-boggling that someone can do this with chalk!
August 28, Friday 6:30pm --Race for the Arts, W. Land Park. Anyone want to head up a group to run or walk together? It's the Race for the Arts.... "a nonprofit organization that raises funds and awareness for California nonprofit performing, cultural, and visual arts organizations and for school music, drama, and art programs." http://www.raceforthearts.com/about.html The run/walk location is William Land Park. Run/Walk and Children's Fun Runs 6:00 P.M. - Kids' 1/2 mile (8 and under) 6:15 P.M. - Kids' 1 mile (ages 9-12) 6:30 P.M. - 5 km Run/Walk Start (3.1 miles) Apply now online or register the day of. $30/person.... benefits local arts programs.
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September 5-7--Chalk it Up! Fremont Park, Downtown. http://www.chalkitup.org/festival.html -- Come check out awesome chalk art. Interested in being a chalk artist to help with a City Life square? Let me know ASAP. Regardless, it's a must-see yearly midtown event. Free to visit. And...benefits local arts programs.
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September 26 -- Eat Your Art Out, Downtown Crawl for the Arts. This is one of those rare events where your money goes directly to the local arts programs, restaurants benefit from extra visibility, and you get the huge bonus of a great afternoon sampling the city's best foods with cool people on your "crawl team". I'm tentatively signing up as a Crawl Captain. Contact me directly if interested. Also, the website:http://crawltix.com/ It's $35/ticket, but remember: think of it like a donation (because it is) that you get a huge reward for (because you do... it's really fun & yummy).
Look, I'll be honest: I'm not a fan of blogs or blogging. But the time has come. It's not for reasons of self-absorption. I do not want to "blogligate you" (Credit for that great term to my friend Scot Sherman).
No, No. This blog is for you. You, who are connected in some way to City Life Church, I create this blog for you. I am entering into a couple of months of going (somewhat) underground, and I want you to stay connected to my vision for the City Life Community. I also want you to come out knowing me better. My 3rd baby (girl!) is on the way any day now, and I won't be up front as much at City Life on Sundays or at events. Things will go fine--we've got great help--but I thought: what a perfect opportunity to let you into my (perhaps bizarre) brain a little bit. Perhaps you'll feel even more connected to me & the vision of City Life than you normally do. That'd be great.
So, expect me to highlight local events, service opportunities, ways to further connect with the City Life community, and other goodies like links, great quotes, random facts about me & spiritual growth resources.
