Waving or Drowning?

Angels of Mercy

Most people don't know there are angels whose only job is to make sure you don't get too comfortable & fall asleep & miss your life.
(Brian Andreas, Storypeople.com)

The Subversion of The Rebel Jesus

A couple days ago I commented that reading Jacques Ellul while listening to Jackson Browne sing The Rebel Jesus was a real mind blower. With yesterday's post of a quote from Ellul's The Subversion of Christianity I wanted to close that loop and let you experience the same thing.

I've posted the lyrics to The Rebel Jesus here, but below is a video which includes the lyrics, more or less:

And for those interested, Jackson Browne performs The Rebel Jesus with The Chieftains on their 1991 Christmas album, The Bells of Dubin. Beautiful.

Jacques Didn't Like the C-Word Either

OK I admit it - Jacques Ellul is blowing my mind this week.

I've just finished reading Perspectives on Our Age: Jacques Ellul Speaks on His Life and Work. This book is essentially a translation of a series of radio interviews Ellul did for the CBC back in 1982 I believe, and as such it was a great place to start. Now I've just opened The Subversion of Christianity, and it starts with a bang.

"[T]he "ism" aspect of Christianity is not peculiar to it. Similar results occur in many other cases. Nevertheless, the perversion or subversion here is much more vast and aberrant and incomprehensible than any of the others.

For Christians this poses an unanswerable question. We have here more than a simple sociological movement. If we tried to abolish the word Christianity, what would we have to say? First, the revelation and work of God accomplished in Jesus Christ, second, the being of the church as the body of Christ, and third, the faith and life of Christians in truth and love. Since we cannot keep repeating this long triple formula, we shall now use X to denote these three aspects. We need to keep the word Christianity only for the ideological and sociological movement which is its perversion." (p. 11)

As I liberated these two books recently from my Dad's library, they both came pre-marked-up. (Now I know where I get the habit from.) I also found a copy of this web page from The Words project taped to the inside of the back cover; there's some good information and links there. Finally, I found a blog post from Greg Boyd who summarizes the book, and identifies some of Ellul's stranger views. (It looks like Greg was on his own "Ellul-kick" early last year.)

It seems to me that Ellul was a man ahead of his time, but I can't understand why he isn't getting more airplay these days. I'm going to keep reading.

Anyone Know Any Good Financial Advisors?

(Just kidding. Probably.)

Originally, our friend Robert had a few of my photos adorning his new office walls. Then, he started buying our friend David's stuff, and mine was moved to the office kitchenette. Now, he's really moving up and is investing in our friend Erin's work. I suspect my stuff is now hung proudly in the office coat closet.

Ladies & Gentlemen: Erin Wilson

We are delighted to announce the acquisition of our latest work, a photo taken in the Ladakh region of India, by good friend Erin Wilson.

Those of you familiar with our office know we have proudly featured the work of a couple of Humanitarian photographers, some of whom have achieved significant success in the world of photography; some, not so much but we love them anyway.

In any case, we are delighted to say we have an "Erin" gracing our walls.

Sadly, the posted photo does not do the print justice so please feel free to drop in to have a look in person. You will be impressed. 

If you'd like to learn more about the artist, please visit her blog here but suffice it to say, her talent is as big as her heart. Thank you, Erin.

Seriously, great work Erin.

Am I a Pessimist?

This quote from Ellul says it all for me this morning:

"So, am I a pessimist? Not at all. I am not pessimistic because I am convinced that the history of the human race, no matter how tragic, will ultimately lead to the Kingdom of God. I am convinced that all the works of humankind will be reintegrated in the work of God... [T]he situation may be historically dreadful; but it is never desperate on any level. Consequently, I can take the reality we live in very seriously, but see it in relation to salvation and God's love, which leaves no room for pessimism."
(Jacques Ellul Speaks On His Life And Work, p. 104)

My Heart Showed up, But Where's My Ass?

"There's tremendous power in putting your ass where your heart wants to be. Being there is just the first step. You must stay for more than a few minutes or one 140-character post."

(Stephen Pressfield, from his micro-essay Tough-Mindedness in Seth Godin's new free ebook, What Matters Now)

The Rebel Jesus

After being prompted by some kind soul in my Google Reader stream this morning (I can't find you now, but thanks) I've been listening to this Christmas carol this morning:

The Rebel Jesus
Jackson Browne

All the streets are filled with laughter and light
And the music of the season
And the merchants' windows are all bright
With the faces of the children
And the families hurrying to their homes
While the sky darkens and freezes
Will be gathering around the hearths and tables
Giving thanks for God's graces
And the birth of the rebel Jesus

Well they call him by 'the Prince of Peace'
And they call him by 'the Savior'
And they pray to him upon the seas
And in every bold endeavor
And they fill his churches with their pride and gold
As their faith in him increases
But they've turned the nature that I worship in
From a temple to a robber's den
In the words of the rebel Jesus

Well we guard our world with locks and guns
And we guard our fine possessions
And once a year when Christmas comes
We give to our relations
And perhaps we give a little to the poor
If the generosity should seize us
But if any one of us should interfere
In the business of why there are poor
They get the same as the rebel Jesus

Now pardon me if I have seemed
To take the tone of judgement
For I've no wish to come between
This day and your enjoyment
In a life of hardship and of earthly toil
There's a need for anything that frees us
So I bid you pleasure
And I bid you cheer
From a heathen and a pagan
On the side of the rebel Jesus

What Matters Now From Seth Godin and Friends

A fantastic (and free) ebook from Seth Godin and over seventy of his friends.

Here are more than seventy big thinkers, each sharing an idea for you to think about as we head into the new year. From bestselling author Elizabeth Gilbert to brilliant tech thinker Kevin Kelly, from publisher Tim O'Reilly to radio host Dave Ramsey, there are some important people riffing about important ideas here. The ebook includes Tom Peters, Jackie Huba and Jason Fried, along with Gina Trapani, Bill Taylor and Alan Webber.

You'll want to grab this one.

An Effective Climate Deal? Klein Says Not a Hopenhagen

A hard-hitting, honest interview with activist Naomi Klein. The talk of the convergence of movements at about the 3:00 mark is particularly interesting. Where is the Jesus movement? (h/t to climatevoice)

Surely to Goodness, Or...

My Bible is Missing a Page

After a brief break (I left my journal and the book in the back seat when I was dropped at the airport in Toronto last week) I’m back to reading friend Will Samson’s latest, Enough: Contentment in an Age of Excess. It’s brilliant. Will has included a contemporary paraphrase of Amos 5:18-27 that alone is worth the price of the book.

As I read late last night I had this thought:

I’m flipping through my Bible trying to find a specific passage. Where in the Gospels does Jesus say:

“It’s OK for you to have more than you need, to have the latest and greatest of everything, to consume more than you should, to create more than your share of the mess, while others, who are also made in the image of God, who are also my Father’s children, go hungry and die from a lack of the very things you take for granted.”

Where does he say that?

It must be in here somewhere. So many of us live like that, and surely we wouldn’t risk it unless we were absolutely certain Jesus approved.

The comments are open. Let's talk about it.

A Magical Moment... The Moment Of Surrender

Brian Eno talks about the creation and recording of (seems they were one and the same) of what was instantly my favorite song on No Line On The Horizon, Moment Of Surrender.
(Click the image below for the video.)

And here's some extra credit for those of you who scrolled down this far. U2.com is streaming an excerpt of the song Winter, from Jim Sheridan's movie "Brothers". Enjoy

Interview Project

Not convinced that there's something sacred in story, something of the divine in everyone's story? You need to spend a little time over at Interview Project.

The first three I picked--Dale, Diana, and Barry--moved me. Beautiful.

Movement to Institution

"Once a movement becomes an institution, it is lost."

Jacques Ellul Speaks on His Life and Work (p. 24)

Shiny Happy People

File under: Just because. (h/t to primpinainteasy.com)

Christmas Kingdoms

Another outstanding short from the good folks at The Work Of The People. TWOTP friend and pastor Aaron Edwards talks about kingdoms and his community's upside down Christmas tree. (Click the image to go to the video.)

How Then Shall We Live? A Look at The Didache (Updated)

A look at The Teaching of the Twelve: Believing and Practicing the Primitive Christianity of the Ancient Didache Community, by Tony Jones. This post is part of the The Teaching of the Twelve blog tour, and is a mashup of my thoughts on Tony's book, the Didache itself, and "sidebar" issues that came up for me as I read through both.

Background

As Tony Jones puts it, the Didache (pronounced DID-ah-kay; Greek for teaching) is possibly the most important book you’ve never heard of.

It was written by an unknown early Christian community, and seems to be a guide for living as a Follower of Jesus. The date of the original work is uncertain: Some scholars put it at AD 110 to 130, and others place it between AD 50 to 70. Regardless, this manual for Christian living was written around the same time as the Gospels, by people who may have been familiar with most of the gospel stories, but certainly had no access to the New Testament as we know it today. This is exciting! The book is not concerned with complex theological issues, but with how to live out life in this new faith.

[Sidebar One: I’ve made no secret of my belief that the Gospel of Jesus has gone dramatically off the rails, from very early on. For that reason, a work of the age of the Didache is priceless as a corrective in how to actually live—not think, not believe, but live—as Followers of Jesus.]

The Didache is a practical guide, and its intended audience were those starting out in their faith. If that was the case, then the primary users of this guide were Hellenized Jews and converted pagans. As such, they would have been familiar with Greek philosophy and Jewish theology, but “Christian" theology was non-existent at this stage. This point is important to remember as we read. Context is critical, and we must do our best to place ourselves in the Roman world, “pre-church” in a sense, prior to a complete New Testament, Constantine, Nicene Creed, or much of anything else that we would consider part of orthodox Christianity as it is known today. As I said, this is exciting!

In The Teaching of the Twelve, Tony dives in and unpacks this ancient work for us and juxtaposes it alongside a modern-day community endeavoring to live out an ancient faith. Simply put, you must read this book if you consider a Christian ethic to be the guiding principle of your life.

My task in this blog tour is to look specifically at Chapter 5. (Chris Monroe at Paradoxology is looking at the same chapter today, so be sure to visit him and get his perspective on the same portion of this important book.)

Chapter 5: Sex, Money, and Other Means of Getting Along

At the risk of being wildly misunderstood, let me say that given my previous life as an investment/financial guy, I’m more interested in the money part than the sex part. Go ahead and laugh, I’ll wait. Finished? OK, let’s carry on. Despite what I’ve just stated, I’ll try to do justice to both aspects of this chapter.

Keep in mind my earlier comment about context. Despite our concerns with sexuality and morality today, life in the time of the Didache was much more sexually explicit.

“Pompeii was also rife with erotic art, so much so that the eighteenth century archaeologists who excavated the site were shocked at the sexual libertinism of the ancient world.” (p. 80)

[Sidebar Two: It’s interesting how we often tend to ignore context in Scripture—After all, it’s “inerrant”, it’s “Spirit breathed”, and as such it doesn’t require context for interpretation—but we are more willing to factor it into the non-Canonical writings from the same era. I'm just saying.]

What was a Christian to do? In the Gospels Jesus did tighten the Jewish restrictions on divorce, but otherwise he didn’t deal much with the subjects of sex and marriage. In contrast, the Apostle Paul had much to say about these issues in his letters to the different churches under his care. So there were very broad, loose social and cultural norms when it came to sexual issues, in opposition to a much more cautious Christian view. As Tony puts it, “we can see how the Didache community might have been caught in this clash of civilizations.” (p. 82).

“My child, don’t be lustful, for lust leads to illicit sex. Don’t be a filthy talker or allow your eyes a free reign, for these lead to adultery.” (Didache, 3:3)

Again, the Didache is practical in that it doesn’t spend much time on the theology of the Christian view. Instead, it warns against activities which, while normative within the broader society, would lead to behaviour considered sinful. Given that it was likely written for new converts, the Didache is mainly concerned with how the follower is to negotiate this new life in a culture that considered none of these activities wrong.

[Sidebar three: A faith born in such a sexually explicit era would naturally focus on sex, on what was not acceptable despite cultural norms. I wonder what happened as that cautious tone was interpreted through the lens of a more “prudish” culture, i.e., the Puritanical and Victorian roots of much of our modern western Christianity. Maybe nothing; I’m just wondering.]

The places in the Didache where money is mentioned make for fascinating reading, and we don’t need to read very far before the subject comes up:

“Give to everyone who asks you, and don’t ask for it back. The Father wants his blessings shared. Happy is the giver who lives according to this rule, for that one is guiltless. (Didache, 1:5).

Later in 4:7 the same point is reinforced. “Do not hesitate to give, and do not complain about it.” Obviously giving was to be a way of life in this community.

Of particular interest is Tony’s inclusion of the practice of one contemporary faith community. They do not take an offering and have no budget, but instead collect money as needs arise. It seems to me that the Didache community was just that—a community, endeavoring to live out together a life that stood against the status quote, as opposed to being an organization or institution to be maintained. Remember, the Didache could be considered a “pre-church” document.

[Sidebar four: In an era—i.e., today—of church operating budgets which often far outweigh the “missions” budget, this last point could be a show-stopper.]

There is another very interesting reference to money that deserves some consideration. In 4:6 we read, “If you have anything, by your hands you should give ransom for your sins.”

Tony points out that for Jews coming from a background of Temple sacrifice, the idea of giving something to compensate for sinful behaviour was part of their thinking. Pagan converts, on the other hand, would not have the benefit of that tradition. Introducing the idea here then would simplify the act of giving for them, and perhaps make it more purposeful. Presumably this would also assist in developing the habit of giving. This is interesting in that it shows the Jewish influence, but again, notice the practicality of the instruction! The Didache is clearly focused on the developing a way of life.

In general, the discussion of money within the Didache seems to centre around how and when, and not why. There seems to be a built-in assumption of generosity and open-handedness that we contemporary Christians would do well to meditate on.

Tony wisely uses this chapter to emphasize the “horizonality” of the Didache. He points out that much of the New testament, while also concerned with life together, spends more time on humanity’s relationship with God, which is vertical in nature.

“But the Didache is concerned exclusively with the horizontal, with relationships between human beings, It lacks any overt theologizing about the nature of God or humanity or sin or righteousness—these seem to be understood as explicit.” (p. 86)

For instance, there is no mention of evangelism, at least in our modern meaning of the word. For me, this emphasis on the horizontal is the greatest value of the Didache to the contemporary church. In many ways our Christianity today is more verbal than lifestyle-oriented. Could it be that one of the reasons we feel the need to focus on the verbalization of the Gospel is because our lifestyles do not reflect it? To simply assent verbally to the Gospel allows us to remain comfortably entrenched in the status quo. Conversely to live out our lives in accordance with this Gospel would require us to live as an alternative to that status quo. It seems to me these two stances are antithetical.

I am yearning for more on how to live as a Follower of Jesus. As the Body of Christ we will not effect change in the world until and unless we live according to Christ's teachings. Access to a guide written while the memory of Jesus was still fresh is invaluable in this regard, and Tony's book has brought this priceless document back into the light and made it accessible.

UPDATE: Tony's response is here.

I am a Mass of Contradictions

We must be willing to admit to the contradictions inside of us, and still let God love us in that partial state. Once we agree to see our own shadow side, our own foolishness, and our own sin and still know that God has not abandoned us, we become a living paradox that reveals the goodness of God. This is what the tax collectors and prostitutes had to do, and this is what changed them.

Once we know that God lives inside our contradictions, and God’s love is not dependent on our perfection, then other peoples’ contradictions don’t scandalize us or surprise us anymore.

I am a mass of contradictions and yet I am also a saint. I am a very good person, and I am also a sinful person. I get it and yet I oppose it too. Are both of these true? Yes, both are always true and forever true; for some wonderful reason that is what God loves.

Richard Rohr, Adapted from Preparing For Christmas, pp. 41-42

A World Aids Day Message From Stephen Lewis

Back in 2005, at the G8 Summit, all countries agreed unanimously to achieve “Universal Access” for AIDS treatment, prevention and care by the year 2010.

It’s not going to happen.

Stephen Lewis is the the most powerful western voice speaking into the HIV/AIDS issue today. His quiet, articulate rage will not let us forget, and will not let us rest on our laurels, real or imagined. Read the rest of his message here, and as I pointed out the other day, Aeroplan members can donate their miles to the Foundation here, and get their donation matched by Aeroplan -  today only.

An Open Letter to President Obama from Michael Moore...

...And I would happily sign it too.

Dear President Obama,

Do you really want to be the new "war president"? If you go to West Point tomorrow night (Tuesday, 8pm) and announce that you are increasing, rather than withdrawing, the troops in Afghanistan, you are the new war president. Pure and simple. And with that you will do the worst possible thing you could do -- destroy the hopes and dreams so many millions have placed in you. With just one speech tomorrow night you will turn a multitude of young people who were the backbone of your campaign into disillusioned cynics. You will teach them what they've always heard is true -- that all politicians are alike. I simply can't believe you're about to do what they say you are going to do. Please say it isn't so.

It is not your job to do what the generals tell you to do. We are a civilian-run government. WE tell the Joint Chiefs what to do, not the other way around. That's the way General Washington insisted it must be. That's what President Truman told General MacArthur when MacArthur wanted to invade China. "You're fired!," said Truman, and that was that. And you should have fired Gen. McChrystal when he went to the press to preempt you, telling the press what YOU had to do. Let me be blunt: We love our kids in the armed services, but we f*#&in' hate these generals, from Westmoreland in Vietnam to, yes, even Colin Powell for lying to the UN with his made-up drawings of WMD (he has since sought redemption).

So now you feel backed into a corner. 30 years ago this past Thursday (Thanksgiving) the Soviet generals had a cool idea -- "Let's invade Afghanistan!" Well, that turned out to be the final nail in the USSR coffin.

There's a reason they don't call Afghanistan the "Garden State" (though they probably should, seeing how the corrupt President Karzai, whom we back, has his brother in the heroin trade raising poppies). Afghanistan's nickname is the "Graveyard of Empires." If you don't believe it, give the British a call. I'd have you call Genghis Khan but I lost his number. I do have Gorbachev's number though. It's + 41 22 789 1662. I'm sure he could give you an earful about the historic blunder you're about to commit.

With our economic collapse still in full swing and our precious young men and women being sacrificed on the altar of arrogance and greed, the breakdown of this great civilization we call America will head, full throttle, into oblivion if you become the "war president." Empires never think the end is near, until the end is here. Empires think that more evil will force the heathens to toe the line -- and yet it never works. The heathens usually tear them to shreds.

Choose carefully, President Obama. You of all people know that it doesn't have to be this way. You still have a few hours to listen to your heart, and your own clear thinking. You know that nothing good can come from sending more troops halfway around the world to a place neither you nor they understand, to achieve an objective that neither you nor they understand, in a country that does not want us there. You can feel it in your bones.

Read the rest here.

Advent Preparation

This feels right, on the first Sunday in Advent...

“Come Lord Jesus,” the Advent mantra, means that all of Christian history has to live out of a kind of deliberate emptiness, a kind of chosen non-fulfillment. Perfect fullness is always to come and we do not need to demand it now. This keeps the field of life wide open and especially open to grace and to a future created by God rather than by ourselves. This is exactly what it means to be “awake,” as the Gospel urges us!

Advent means to be aware!
Advent means to be alive!
Advent means to be attentive!
Advent means to be alert!
Advent means to be awake!

Advent is, above all else, a call to full consciousness and a forewarning about the high price of consciousness.
(Richard Rohr, Adapted from Preparing For Christmas, p. 4)

And if you would like a soundtrack for this meditation:

I still haven't found what I'm looking for.
(U2)