Formational Reading

"When we read a book [or a blog post], three intrinsic ... rules govern our study. The intrinsic rules may, in the beginning, necessitate three separate reading but in time can be done concurrently. The first reading involves understanding the book: what is the author saying? The second reading involves interpreting the book: what does the author mean? The third reading involves evaluating the book: is the author right or wrong? Most of us tend to do the third reading right away and often never do the first and second readings at all. We give a critical analysis of a book before we understand what it says. We judge a book to be right or wrong before we interpret its meaning. The wise writer of Ecclesiastes says that there is a time for every matter under heaven, and the time for critical analysis of a book comes after careful understanding and interpretation."

-Richard J Foster,
Celebration of Discipline
Chapter 5: The Discipline of Study

Elaine is a blog superstar

Elaine's blog is the 99th fastest growing wordpress blog in existence! Way to go honey, you rock.

hellfire and blogstone

Recently Elaine has gotten some hate mail, (or in Christian circles should it be judgment mail, or you're-going-to-hell mail). I got one of those earlier in the month. I guess we have both arrived as bloggers now.

I have found it difficult to practice the principle of not resisting evil. When I was dealing with a guy who misinterpreted my intentions and beliefs and assumed he knew me, I refrained from engaging him, but I secretly relished the posts that came to my defense.

When Elaine is told she is going to hell for being a minister, something God has called her to do, I was restless until I put some thoughts down in the form of a comment. (Literally restless. I was trying to take a nap - no go.)

I said:

I am afraid not, you have done what is required by the Koran, not the Bible. The Koran declares that we are so responsible for our brothers that we must censure them for their incorrect beliefs and behavior, this can range from reproof to insult, to the radical islamist’s suicide bomb. The New Testament gives quite a different requirement. The law of love.
Jesus commanded us not to judge, for we are then in danger of being judged with the same measure. He also says that we cannot try to remove a speck from our brother’s eye and ignore the plank hanging out of our own eye. I am afraid that sjonss has allowed a black and white fundamentalism to become a 2X4 hanging from her eye. She’s become blind to the law of love and decided to take the roll of the Holy Spirit upon herself.
It is the Holy Spirit who has the responsibility to convict of sin. We are forbidden to take his job from him. And there’s good reason. God’s ways are higher than ours, his thoughts are greater. As much as it comforts fundamentalists to think they understand God and his ways, they cannot. For man sees the outside of a man, but God judges the thoughts and attitudes of the heart.

Her detractor replied,

Chris,
wait! If I cannot judge, then neither can you! I’m judging redhead, but you are judging me. Are you being a hypocrite? Yes, I think you are.

Ok fair enough. With the measure I judged, I have been judged. Am I a hypocrite? Sometimes. Am I a sinner? Yup, saved by a pretty powerful grace.

It is so hard to sit back and let evil attack, especially when it is in the name of the God I adore. These arguments with black-and-white fundamentalists make me sick. I don't know why I get drawn into them. Is it pride? Is it a sense of trying to correct those who would correct me?

Lord, lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil. Amen

Transparency and vulnerability

What discipline is required for the future leader to overcome the temptation of individual heroism? I would like to propose the discipline of confession and forgiveness. Just as the future leaders must be mystics deeply steeped in contemplative prayer, so also they must be persons always willing to confess their own brokenness and ask for forgiveness from those to whom they minister.

Vulnerability and transparency can help keep me from the temptation to be spectacular. I need to take my journaling in the form of this blog more seriously. It is a discipline that puts myself out there for comment. That isn't always easy but it is humbling.