Newsletter: The Forgotten Spiritual Discipline

The market for books of spirituality has grown considerably in the last two decades. Now almost every bookstore has a growing section devoted to books on prayer, fasting and meditation. The plethora of Christian titles suggests a real spiritual hunger. People want to tune into something beyond themselves. People desire to put their faith into action. Prayer, fasting, the study of Scripture, and worship are all ways in which we respond to the grace God has given us in Jesus Christ.

However, there is another spiritual discipline which is rarely discussed. In Matthew 6, Jesus adds the giving of alms to the more familiar disciplines of prayer and fasting. The giving of our money, our time, and our talents are spiritual disciplines. Our checkbooks may unfortunately speak more about our spiritual lives than our prayer journals. We must recognize that stewardship is not something that occurs once a year. Instead, stewardship is a life in which we recognize that Christ is Lord of everything…including our hard-earned resources. In this season, I urge all of us to consider the discipline of giving--to the church, to our neighbors, and to the least among us. Likewise, we should prayerfully consider how we can get involved, in the church and in our communities. Let us together take up the discipline of giving.

Grace & Peace,
James

Presbyterianism: A Restatement

While digging around the office of the Waynesburg church, I discovered some old confirmation materials. Among the documents included, Presbyterianism: A Restatement in Question and Answer Form by Carl G. Howie, published in 1975. Although the PC(USA) did not publish or endorse the pamphlet, apparently Dr. Howie is or was a pastor in my denomination. After reading A Restatement, I understand some of the struggles we face. Dr. Howie appeared afraid to embrace many of the traditional teachings of the church.

In the sectioned entitled "What it is All About," there are questions about Jesus such as...

HOW DID JESUS BEGIN HIS MINISTRY?
HOW DID HE COME INTO CONFLICT WITH
RELIGIOUS AUTHORITIES?
HOW LONG WAS JESUS ON THE CROSS AND WHERE?

Then Dr. Howie writes...

WHAT ABOUT ACCOUNTS OF RESURRECTION?
There are several accounts which emphasize that he was seen and known to be alive in rooms where Christians lived and on roads where they walked after his death. He was the living Lord.

Why the reluctance to simply say with the Apostles' Creed, "...on the third day, he rose from the dead"? Why not proclaim, "He is the living Lord." Following Dr. Howie's example, could we not also proclaim, "There are several accounts of Elvis which emphasize that he was seen and known to be alive."

ARE THERE NOT SEVERAL THEORIES ABOUT THE CROSS?
Yes, there certainly are. Among them there is the idea that God ransomed believers from enslavement by Satan with the price of Christ's death. Another widely held view is the substitutionary idea that Christ took man's place and suffered what was due to others. Some say his was a courageous act that has a great moral influence upon those who see him there on a cross...

Here Dr. Howie speaks of the atonement. He never uses the word. Granted, it is a messy theological word which requires definition. Nonetheless, the word is how the church has discussed Christ's work and our relationship to God. Dr. Howie discusses some traditional, biblical ideas about the atonement. Then, he speaks of Jesus' death as an act of moral courage. Althought that statement is true, it does not belong here. How are we reconciled to God? Dr. Howie seems to suggest that people saw Jesus hanging on a cross and were encouraged. No wonder the author runs away from word, "atonement."

WHAT DO PRESBYTERIANS INTERPRET THE RESURRECTION TO MEAN?
First it means that Jesus lives among us as the Lord of life. His was not a short visit to earth that ended in a quick death. He has risen from the dead and is present to the church and in the world.

After reading this, I wanted to proclaim with Thomas, "Unless I see the nail marks in his hands and put my hand into his side, I will not believe it" (John 20:25). Granted, I admit that I'm strange, but for me, the Christian faith hinges on more than Jesus' memory lives after him.

IN WHAT SENSE THEN IS JESUS SAVIOR FROM SIN AND DEATH?
...Moreover, he takes away the terrible fear of death by teaching us that life is not given as a time to be spent in getting ready to die, but is rather out time for living life to the full. By showing that death is only an incident in life, he saves us from wasting our days being "scared to death." So he saves from sin and death.

Dr. Howie suggests that death is merely an incident in life. Jesus is our Savior in that he takes away our anxiety about death. How disappointing! For Dr. Howie, Jesus is as much a savior as some pychoactive drugs. All praise Pfizer and Eli Lilly. Gives new meaning to Marx's "opiate of the masses."

WHAT DO PRESBYTERIANS BELIEVE ABOUT ETERNAL LIFE?
For those who put their trust in Christ, eternal life has already begun. It is a new deathless quality of life. As life itself was a gift, so eternal quality of life is also God's gift.

Eternal life isn't actually eternal life, but Dr. Howie suggests an eternal quality of life. Maybe, but will I ever see Grandma again? What the heck anyway is a "deathless quality of life." Frankly, I'm more concerned about the "lifeless quality of death."

DO PRESBYTERIANS BELIEVE IN HEAVEN?
Without question most do.

(Well, that's reasurring.)

We are, however, reluctant to go into theories about the details of that situation toward which life is now tending.

Does this mean that life is tending toward heaven? I affirm that the evidence suggests otherwise. Did this guy miss out on World War I, II, the Holocaust, and Vietnam?

WHAT ABOUT PRESBYTERIANS AND HELL?
Yes, there will be Presbyterians in hell.

Okay, okay, the real response was too long-winded and wimpy to be worthy of comment.

HAVE WE NEGLECTED OR FORGOTTEN THE DEVIL?
...Presbyterians believe that light overcomes darkness, so we do neglect the devil as we think Christians should.

Perhaps if we ignore him, he will go away.

--------------
Dear Wormwood,

I am pleased to hear of your recent promotion within the denomination. The writing of curriculum will certainly benefit our cause.

Sincerely,
Uncle Screwtape

From the 214th General Assembly

The 214th General Assembly is now over. Its work has been both satisfying and frustrating. The GA has affirmed both that Jesus is the only way to salvation and that women have a right to suck out the brains of children who could survive outside the womb.

Actually, upon further reflection it was a General Assembly which affirmed the status quo in the PC(USA). We are a mainline denomination refusing to recant the historic positions of the church, yet we are unclear what these doctrines actually mean.

In all seriousness, holding onto the traditional teachings while winking and nodding is still an accomplishment. I grew up on wimpy denominational curriculum. I heard plenty of sermons which dwelled on metaphor. Nonetheless, even as a pre-Christian I knew enough to be offended by the campus pastor at University of Houston who denied the resurrection.

Of course, that doesn't mean that things will be great for the mainline American church on judgment day. But God will even use our inertia to His glory. Amen.

Hope?

From the 214th General Assembly of the PresbyterianChurch USA...

At a breakfast meeting of "Voices of Sophia" on June18, Jane Spahr, a self-proclaimed "lesbian evangelist," stated...

"I am stunned by a Presbyterian church so wrapped up now in the lordship of Jesus Christ that we forget how many ways, traditions and cultures God comes to us."

There are those who believe that we have outgrown our creeds and confessions like a snake needing to shed its skin. They are perpetually offended at our unwillingness to part with perceived childishness. As troubling as it is to hear these voices, I am heartened to hear that they believe the Presbyterian church has wrapped itself in the lordship of Jesus Christ.

Gee, maybe there is hope for the PC(USA).