broken eikon

So I was reading the Presbyterian book of confessions today. I came across the confession of 1967, and I have to say… I was blown away. In 1967, the Presbos adopted this confession of faith as a response to “racial discrimination, nationalistic arrogance, and family and class conflict”.  It was very responsive to biblical scholarship and  asks the church to read scripture with literary and historical context in mind. There are many really really cool parts, but this really stuck out to me is line 9.45, containing the following words…, “this search (for reconciliation and peace) requires that the nations pursue fresh and responsible relations across every line of conflict, even at risk to national security, to reduce areas of strife and to broaden international understanding… Although nations may serve God’s purposes in history, the church which identifies the sovereignty of any one nation or any one way of life with the cause of God denies the lordship of Christ and betrays his calling”.

“Even at risk to national security”?

Can anyone find me another statement of faith that states that nations should pursue reconciliation even at their own risk? That sounds too much like Christ for me…

And that last part about identifying any one nation or way of life with God’s will means denying the Lordship of Christ. Dang.

love it…

I know, I know. I need to listen to more music. But to be honest, I haven’t exhausted the bands I like yet. So I suppose Fiver Iron Frenzy, Sixpence, Zeppelin, and BNL will continue to get lyric time on my blog.

I love this song.

Despite our selfish selves
Despite all loss of hope
Despite our lack of faith
Despite our stony hearts
Despite the waning moon
Despite the ebbing tide
Of how we think this world should be

Praise God from whom all blessings flow
Praise Him all creatures here below
Praise Him above ye Heavenly host
Praise Father, Son, and Holy Ghost

Last semester, a friend and I decided to embrace a more honest approach to theology. The first step is to admit the places we are coming from, so that others (and ourselves) can wiegh those presuppositions (or biases) against whatever theology we are espousing. Then it is up to the hearer to make a judgment on how those biases influence (or don’t) what we say. For example, I grew up getting beat up by green martians, then go on to propose a theology that God hates green martians. I was likely influenced in my theology by green martians. NO ONE has a pure theological stance. EVERYONE has biases. If we can admit them upfront, our theology will not have to be judged so harshly by others if we have already judges ourselves. It’s called authenticity. The next blog is my attempt at it.

Been thinking about an Eikon Catechism. I know for a lot of folks that is intimidating, but I think it could be really cool, along with being highly beneficial. i was doing a bit of research and on the Vatican’s website, there is a table of contents here describing their catechism. That might be a little much for us. I am seriously thinking about something like a 12-week interactive deal, that would act as a form of pre-baptism initiation into the faith. Service projects? The story of God? Bible? Prayer? Spiritual practices? life? Which docterines, if any? God, naturally, Christology? Attitude? What would it look like to have an initiation about how to practically love your neighbor? worship? God and science? Church? Kingdom? Our purpose?

Also, what age would be most helpful? I think that around 16-17 would be the best time for children to make any commitments they might make. Any earlier than that, they are still at the whim of parents and don’t have the freedom afforded to them by cars. Getting your liscence is really the new American Bar Mitzveh. Not that I dissaprove of children making commitments earlier, I hope they do. However, I have been toying around with putting off any kind of confirmation until they have the most freedom with which to make that decision. Thoughts?

However, I would love to make a really fun meeting time for all ages of kids. Kids in ancient Hebrew schools learned appropriate parts of the Bible as they matured. Psalms and proverbs were very helpful for them as learners, age 5-8, getting their foundations formed.  The prophets didn’t come till later. Is there something to this?

I would love any input you have that might be helpful. Also any thoughts from parents who had/have kids having gone through a baptism/confirmation class, ritual, etc…. Thanks.

This will pick up steam in a few seasons, but for now, just some quotes for reflection:

“New opinions often appear first as jokes and fancies, then as blasphemies and treason, then as questions open to discussion, and finally as established truths.” – George Bernard Shaw

“Treason doth never prosper: what’s the reason? For if it prosper, none dare call it treason” – John Harington

“The unsuccessful strugglers against tyranny have been the chief martyrs of treason laws in all countries” – Thomas Jefferson

“All men should have a drop of treason in their veins, if nations are not to go soft like so many sleepy pears.” – Rebecca West

“America’s state religion, [is] patriotism, a phenomenon which has convinced many of the citizenry that “treason” is morally worse than murder or rape.” – William Blum

“Treason is like diamonds; there is nothing to be made by the small trader” – Douglas Jerrold

“Treason is an excuse made by the winners to hang the losers” – unknown

“Please to remember the fifth of November gunpowder treason and plot
I see of no reason why gunpowder treason Should ever be forgot
Guy Fawkes, Guy Fawkes, ’twas his intent
To blow up the King and the Parliament.
Three score barrels of powder below
Poor old England to overthrow…” – Unknown folk lyric regarding Guy Fawkes

“I’m engaged in high-treason with all means available to me. Can I count you in?” – Colonel Claus von Stauffenberg in “Valkyrie”

This one will cook your noodle…

There was a guy named Philo, who lived at the same time as Jesus (20BC – 50AD) and he is known for streamlining Judaism and Hellenistic philosophy. Check out some of what he had written that was in circulation long before John wrote his gospel.

Philo talks about Wisdom (which he refers to as the LOGOS) as the eikon of God.

Philo says wisdom is the creative force that God used to create the universe

He also refers to wisdom as the firstborn son of God

He refers to wisdom as light

He also states that Wisdom (remeber, this is his LOGOS) is an attribute of God, but the chief authority above God’s other powers.

Any of this sound familiar? Is John in John 1, taking equal parts from Genesis and Philo to make a point that Jesus is the embodiment of one of God’s atributes?

And really awesome? Wisdom is refered to as a woman in proverbs! So if Jesus was pre-existant, he was a woman before he was a man! Holy Sex-change, Batman!