Prayer, Love and wasting time

"...For real absolute waste of time you have to go to prayer. I reckon that more than 80 percent of our reluctance to pray consists precisely in our dim recognition of this and our neurotic fear of wasting time, of spending part of our life in something that in the end gets you nowhere, something that is not merely non-productive, non-money-making, but is even non-creative, it doesn't even have the justification of art and poetry. It is an absolute waste of time, it is a sharing into the waste of time which is the interior life of the Godhead. God is not in himself productive or creative. Sure he takes time to throw off a creation, to make something, to achieve something, but the real interior life of the Godhead is not in creation, it is in the life of love which is in the Trinity, the procession of Son from Father and of the Spirit from this exchange. God is not first of all our creator or any kind of maker, he is love, and his life is not like the life of the worker or artist but of lovers wasting time with each other uselessly. It is into this worthless activity that we enter in prayer. This, in the end, is what makes sense of it..."

God Still Matters, by Herbert McCabe OP, p. 75.

H/T Prodigal Kiwi

Woolworths, the screw your neighbourhood people

Don't be fooled by the smiley faces and puny community grants. woolworths does not care about your community
Woolworths are one of the largest owners of pokies in Australia.
this week an Anglican bishop called on shareowners to dump their shares.
Shareholders have voiced their concerns before, but the dollar won.

But what about the rest of us, what can we do to protest?
Should we stop shopping at woolies? But we likke shopping!
There is a much more fun alternative. Next time you go to Woolworths, fill a trolley, then, just dont cash it in. Leave it. Walk away if enough people did it it would
a) cost woolies, and therefore the message would get through
and b) create more jobs for shelf stackers.

Lets go shopping!

Jack Black and Ephesians

I was reading Ephesians Again today and was struck by the overflowing repetition of Paul about God's gracious grace and glorious awesomenss.

It reminded me of Jack Black in Kung Fu Panda

"Legend tells of a legendary warrior whose kung fu skills were the stuff of legend"

I can just see Paul saying of Jesus
"he was so awesome, in fact, his enemies would go blind from over-exposure to sheer awesomeness!"

I would like Jack Black to do a reading of Ephesians

The Coffee Party

it seems there may be some hope for the political process in the USA
in the face of rich people trying to weaken government by tying to get dumb people elected (the Tea Party), some clever people have formed the Coffee Party.
The coffee party supports stong government and civil discussion and engagement.Wake up and smell the coffee.

If Byron is right about the prospect of societal collapse, we are going to have to get a lot better at encouraging discussion if we are to avoid craziness

Patience

'Patience with others is love, patience with self is hope, patience with God is faith'

Ben Myers at Faith and Theology has an interesting review of what looks like an interesting book. It argues the difference between christians and atheists is patience.

Take a look

wayne grudem: is this really someone you want to associate with?

i'm trying to come to grips with american conservative evangelicalism.

See, for example, Wayne Grudem's assesment of George Bush's presidency, six years in. He presneted it at the Evangelical Theology Society What planet does this guy live on? ...well, planet America. I find it hard to understand how he is revered by some evangelicals here.

Or look at his stuff on Christians and self defense. It is like his script is written by the NRA. On the basis of a massive misreading of one passage in Luke, he concludes that it is right and good for christians to not only own a gun but to use it on someone who threatens them. There is absolutley no discussion of Jesus, his mission or his kingdom. Can we really still call him a theologian?
Not only that, but in both discussions he promotes statistics and concepts that are at best, ill informed. (banning guns does not reduce gun crime? Really?!)


no wonder americans look at me strangely when I say I am an evangelical.
Thank God for the brits

licking up art

Growing up outside of Sydney gives you a different perspective on the arts.
I recently found out that Australias most respected and revered ceramic artist lived lived in my hometown. His pots are found in the national and state galleries and in collections around the world. His work has commanded the highest prices of any australian ceramic artist.
He somehow came up in a conversation with my Dad.
'oh Peter, yeah he lives out on shipley, he likes the japanese stuff. He gave us one of his bowls once...do you remember the dogs old food bowl?'

At first this might sound like a devaluing, or at least ignorance of art.
I can just see the aghast faces of some eastern suburbs socialite, as our mutt's tongue eagerly licks chum off priceless glaze.
So I looked the guy up, and as I read the wanky gallery brochures, turns out this artist was important in a movement called 'mingei', which saught beauty in everyday objects, that even thought they weren't perfected until well used.
I like the thought that my dog enjoyed this artwork more than the collectors viewing them in sterile white rooms.

Turns out the use of the bowl was the artists suggestion.

I wonder, if artists didn't need the money, whether they would choose for it to be shown the way it currently is.

licking up art

Growing up outside of Sydney gives you a different perspective on the arts.
I recently found out that Australia's most respected and revered ceramic artist lived in my hometown. His pots are found in the national and state galleries and in collections around the world. His work has commanded the highest prices of any australian ceramic artist.
He somehow came up in a conversation with my Dad.
'oh Peter, yeah he lives out on shipley, he likes the japanese stuff. He gave us one of his bowls once...do you remember the dog's old food bowl?'

At first this might sound like a devaluing, or at least ignorance of art.
I can just see the aghast face of some eastern suburbs socialite, as our mutt's tongue eagerly licks chum off priceless glaze.
So I looked the guy up, and as I read the wanky gallery brochures, turns out this artist was important in a movement called 'mingei', which sought beauty in everyday objects, that even thought they weren't perfected until well used.
I like the thought that my dog enjoyed this artwork more than the collectors viewing them in sterile white rooms.

Turns out the use of the bowl was the artists suggestion.

I wonder, if artists didn't need the money, whether they would choose for it to be shown the way it currently is.

Want to become humble?

Jack Bernard’s book How to Become a Saint is quite a treasure as far as books on the Christian life go. His thoughts on humility are particularly helpful:

The downfall of attempts to become humble is that they are usually driven by the desire to become superior. . . . If you set out to get rid of pride or to develop humility you are going to fall flat on your face. If you are fortunate, you will fail at it in such a way that you can see not only that you have failed, but that you have within yourself no potential to do otherwise! The key word here is “potential.” The standard trick of pride is to protect oneself from facing reality by always claiming unrealized potential. We say to ourselves, “I could do it if only . . .” Therefore actual failures at spiritual achievement are not accepted as a true reflection of self. Before we can actually live in reality and advance in the spiritual life, we must rid ourselves of the notion that we have potential. We do not. We are spiritually bankrupt. Only deliverance from outside of ourselves will keep us out of the pit. (p. 38, 39)


Halden summarises for us

Long story short: if you find yourself desiring to become humble, there’s a good chance you’re on the wrong track. What we should desire is simply the truth. Humility is simply recognizing and living in a manner that is consistent with what is true about us. Desiring to become humble in itself is usually a sign that we are still trying to shield ourselves from truth.

A call to worship from KIm Fabricious

A call to worship

by Kim on August 29, 2010

Why are we here?

We are not here to “do a bunk” from the world.
We are not here to “get in touch with our ‘inner selves’”.
We are not here to “recharge our batteries”.
And God help us if we are here to “make a deal” with God:
“Lord, if you do this for me, then I’ll do that for you.”

Why are we here?

We are here because the world is not right,
because we are not right,
and because we are angry about injustice,
sad about suffering,
and ashamed of ourselves.

Why are we here?

We are here because God so loves the world
that he is making it right,
turning it into a new creation;
and because God so loves us
that he is making us right.
turning us into a new people,
making us like Jesus:
faithful, truthful, peaceful, hopeful.
Paul writes: “For those who are in Christ, the whole universe is new”
(II Corinthians 5:17).

We are here because God, in his grace, has called us here.
What else could we do but come?
With gratitude and joy, in the Holy Spirit, let us worship God!

http://theconnexion.net/wp/?p=8293

A call to worship

by Kim on August 29, 2010

Why are we here?

We are not here to “do a bunk” from the world.
We are not here to “get in touch with our ‘inner selves’”.
We are not here to “recharge our batteries”.
And God help us if we are here to “make a deal” with God:
“Lord, if you do this for me, then I’ll do that for you.”

Why are we here?

We are here because the world is not right,
because we are not right,
and because we are angry about injustice,
sad about suffering,
and ashamed of ourselves.

Why are we here?

We are here because God so loves the world
that he is making it right,
turning it into a new creation;
and because God so loves us
that he is making us right.
turning us into a new people,
making us like Jesus:
faithful, truthful, peaceful, hopeful.
Paul writes: “For those who are in Christ, the whole universe is new”
(II Corinthians 5:17).

We are here because God, in his grace, has called us here.
What else could we do but come?
With gratitude and joy, in the Holy Spirit, let us worship God!

Free world class resources for the local church

Craig Blomberg, Bill Mounce, John Piper, Thielman

Free, degree(ish) level teaching for the building up of the faith of the church

Yes, free

here

Sickness and Christian ministry

How much do our discussions of christian leadership assume that our leaders will be constantly healthy, young and energetic for their entire working life?
Is this realistic?
And if it isn't, what place is there for the ill minister?

I've heard tales from both sides. Some where an ill minister has been a burden on the church, or at least a missing rudder. But in other cases an ill minister can be good for a church, letting him focus on the few important things, having to learn to deal with weakness.

Perhaps this is part of a wider discussion about capacity. But I feel like it is a particular issue in Sydney, which doesn't have a strong theology of 'calling'

Grace Communion interviews

Some of you Moore College students may have heard Archie mention the World wide Church of God as a denomination that quickly became evangelical. You might like to check out their history and their story.
Before being known as the WWG, they were known as the Radio Church of God. They have invested many years in using media to spread their message.

Now as an evangelical denomination 'Grace Communion Inrenational' , that deeply knows the value of orthodox, trinitarian theology, they continue to use that expertise, not least by providing excellent interviews with top scholars, which you can find here .

Interviewees include
Doug Campbell
Paul Molnar
George Husinger
Alan Torrance
Gordon Fee
Paul Metzger

Lying is ok if you a)do it as a group and b) can make a buck

We now live in a culture where corporate lying is seen as normal.

When a company attempts to manipulate it's public image, by say, spending a small amount on environmental projects, when the majority of it's business has extreme negative effects, they are lying.
McDonalds does not make health foods, nor promote healthy lifestyles for young people. They are liars.
BP is not a green lovin' company. They are liars.


I know we want to call it spin, good marketing, careful presentation. But it isn't any of these things, it is a public deception.
Now it may be that we have accepted that business, to work, must be done by deception and lying. That's fine. Just don't call yourself a christian.
As christians, we have to call this stuff what it is, and call people and corporations to account and to repentance.
If you work for a company that can't be honest about itself and it's practices, you need to call them to account. You need to call them liars and ask them to stop.

And for those of us who work for chuches. Well, at the very least can we stop saying that we need to work on our public image, to make people think we care about them. Just care about them