Digest #3
Day 1
1.
“Obedience isn’t legalism, it’s a symptom of salvation”
C.S. Lewis
I find this a constant hard line to walk. It seems pretty clear in the Biblical letters that coming to Christ should cause us to look different, live different, think different (read 1st John, it’s a doozy!), that there is an ethic, a way of living that Christians should exhibit. But rules doesn’t seem to be the reason why Christ came. In fact the Bible critiques those who follow the law by offering sacrifices without also offering a repentant heart.
And this is the line I find myself trying to walk. A change of life not because I found a set of rules, but a change of life because I found the source of life and knowing him changes me.
2. THE BIBLE & WESTERN CHRISTIANS - DECONSTRUCTIONIST’S PODCAST
Tim Mackie was interviewed in this episode of the podcast on what the Bible is, and some presuppositions that western Christians often bring with them into the reading of this ancient texts. As always, I found Tim Mackie thoughtful in his responses, and the way he views the Bible and God is just so beautiful that it makes me want to see more like him.
Some notes:
Humans wrote the Bible under the orchestration of the Spirit and the Bible, because of this, is exactly what he wanted his people to hear.
A narrative of what God’s doing in history to save and redeem people, and an invitation by God into covenant. To live under his rule and exist as a contrast community to other nations and live as new and different humans
A divine and human story about humans becoming more human by entering into a covenant with God.
My worldview and my faith is not built on my ability to find coherence. It’s based on my trust in Jesus and what he did for me and on my behalf, and not in my ability to always figure it out.
The Bible was not created to be easily understandable to anyone on the planet at first blush. That itself is a preconception of what it means for the Bible to be God’s word. That any person should be able to read it in a translation and just get it all the first time, and that’s just not true to what these texts are. They come assuming that you are immersed in the whole story.
Day 2
1. LUKE 14:27-33
I had so much to say about this that I put it in its own separate post. You can find that here.
2. THE POWER AND THE GLORY - INTERVIEW WITH HISTORIAN TOM HOLLAND
I began hearing about Tom Holland around a year ago with the release of his book - Dominion: How The Christian Revolution Remade The World. In this book Tom tracks how a large portion of the beliefs we hold as “universal” in the west find their roots in the rise of Christianity after the death of Christ. Concepts such as human rights and inherent value/dignity, hospitals, education, science. . . . he argues that these all find their grounding historically in the world view established by the Christian Bible.
Beyond being a historian and author, Tom is also an interesting Twitter follow, with tweets of random statues with captions rooted in history that I don’t understand, passionate pleas against the Stonehenge tunnel, and things like this - an epic sandcastle adventure.
All of that to say that since discovering his book, and his Twitter, I’ve really enjoyed listening and reading interviews with him. One of the most interesting things to me is that Tom warns that the dismantling of the Christian religion may also leave us in a society that also dismantles some of the truths we believe to be foundational, and yet he is not a Christian himself.
Especially near the end of this interview - he had some really great things to say.
Day 3
1. FRACTIONED HEART BY GABLE PRICE AND FRIENDS
My friend, Tristan, recently shared Ten Percent - a song off this album - with me, and instantly I was struck. It was delightful, and nostalgic, and thoughtful and instantly I fell in love.
Now, almost a week later, I have finally sat down to listen through the album, and I have been struck with awe.
You know when you find music that feels so deeply of home,
That puts words and notes to the longings
When it feels like somehow you’re connected with something other worldly.
God.
Like somehow my soul is vibrating at the same frequency of the universe?
Yeah.
That’s what listening to this album was like.
I reached Underdressed, and had to sit and listen to it on repeat.
The course is my heart.
Search me and prune me
I know Your words are true
Vindicate me, consecrate me
Make me one with You
Vindicate me, consecrate me
Make me one with You
As I finally listened to the album I sent Tristan a text, “Holy. So good. Everything has like a nostalgic 80s feel, and the lyrics are so thoughtful. They remind me of Jon Foreman's writing, but obviously less alt rock or whatever they are.”
And then Midway Drive hits, as the perfect road trip song that somehow is also a worship song. . . .
Please, just do me a favour and listen to this album, then please send me a message or leave a comment with your thoughts and your favourite song. I just want to share the experience that this album is with literally everyone I know . . . and everyone I don’t know.
I can’t get enough.
2. ASK N.T. WRIGHT ANYTHING PODCAST EPISODE #40: DO I HAVE TO AGREE WITH ST. PAUL?
Recently I’ve talked to a few people who believe, or have questions about a progressive interpretation, or a trajectory interpretation of the New Testament, and specifically Paul’s letters. Basically the question is, does Paul’s teachings in these letters apply to Christians today, OR were the teachings a product of their time? Or some combination of both?
In this episode of Ask N.T. Wright Anything, he gets asked this question exactly, and I believe his answer is quite helpful. So, if this is a question you’ve asked yourself, please take a listen to what he says.
Day 4
1. THIS TWITTER THREAD ON ‘DECONSTRUCTION’
I found this thread interesting in that it is directly speaking more to the political side of life. The break down of certain ideas and constructs that, I believe he’s looking at America in specific, society is founded on. We see this in ideas about what the word “racism” means, or in the conversation happening around gender and law, and like all things, some changes are good and necessary, but is the deconstruction ideology we’re using to cause that change beneficial?
Politics is not really an interest for me, except where it interacts with other things such as identity, theology and world views. But this concept is one I see playing out within Christianity.
This thread makes the point that ‘deconstruction’ aims at undermining meaning. Often causing the meaning of words to be squishy, or left up to the interpretation of whoever is using it. I recently saw this play out in this interview with Lisa Gungor. Lisa says she is a Christian, but when asked who Jesus is in her worldview she states that he is the son of God, just as we all are, and that we all are the very bones of God. That the resurrection is not intrinsic to the Christian faith, and that all religions are inside God, there is no exclusionary aspect to Christianity. When asked what Jesus meant when he said that he was the only way to the Father, she said she didn’t know why Jesus would say such a thing. All of these beliefs go against what the word ‘Christian’ has meant for thousands of years.
Anyway, not really trying to make a point or sum anything up here. Just found this all fascinating. (Also people, please choose and use your words with intention and thought, and ask for clarification when others use words in a squishy kind of way. The best way to have meaningful conversation is to truly take the time to understand what the other person is saying - sometimes you’ll find you’re agreeing where you thought you were not. Other times you’ll find that you’ve been using the same word but meaning very different ideas by it.)
2. HONOR-SHAME CULTURE AND THE GOSPEL - THE BIBLE PROJECT
The Bible Project is currently in the middle of a series on how to read the New Testament letters. This episode talks about how the letters were written into an honour-shame culture, and how understanding this will enable us to understand some of the ways the apostles write.
In this episode, for me, it got interesting right around the 24 minute mark when they talk about the culture the apostles would have existed in, and some of the differences with western “American” culture.
And right following this when they speak about the meaning of the Greek word that we commonly interpret as “glory”.