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Wednesday, June 28, 2017

Basics of Faith 2 - The Bible

 The Bible

Basics of Faith 2 – June 27, 2017
 A Sermon by Rev. M. Gayle MacDonald

Lessons read on June 27:  Psalm 78, Part 1 (Voices United #792);
2 Timothy 1:1-7; Matthew 12:1-13

There was a time when the Bible, though a key document in the teachings of the Christian church – as the Hebrew Scriptures (or Old Testament) was/is in the Jewish faith - there was a time when the Bile was not readily available to read and pray over and interpret.  Only people who could read had direct access to the scriptures and those people were priests, scribes, and sometimes teachers and very wealthy people who may have had tutors to teach them to read and to count, as well as the rudiments of whatever was considered a suitable education for their role in the world.
For a long time, ordinary folk were not encouraged to read the scripture because it was considered too deep for the ordinary mind to understand without interpretation.  Two events changed that very rapidly.  One was the Reformation movement of the 16th century of which Martin Luther was a key figure.  There were others, but he is the main one we look to since the United Church is among what we call the reformed denominations.  The other was the invention of the printing press in the same era, so that the Bible could then be mass produced, instead of having to be painstakingly copied by hand. 
On October 31, 1517, Martin Luther nailed his 95 theses to the Wittenberg door in Germany.  Though there were other scholars and clergy who were to reform the Roman Church from within and without; this act of Martin Luther pushed the Reformation into the public consciousness.   
While the Bible played a central role in Martin Luther’s attempts to reform the Roman Church at the turn of the sixteenth century; as it did for various other reformation movements taking place; it was the excesses in material wealth of the papacy at that time, and the practice of indulgences that Martin Luther criticized and he did it on October 31, the eve of All Saints, because that was the day that some clergy would extract payment from people to “buy” salvation for their dead loved ones.   These indulgences, as they were called were the main point of criticism, but only part of the 95 points or theses that got him excommunicated from the Roman Church. 
Martin Luther had friends in high places and, in fear for his life, he was hidden for a number of years.  During this time, he translated the Bible into everyday German, sometimes disguising himself and going to the market to find the vernacular words to make the Bible easy to read and accessible to Germans.
Since the printing press was invented in Germany about 50 years earlier, multiple copies Martin Luther’s translation could be printed in German as could his later books of theology.  He was widely read.   In our terms, he became a bestselling author.  His books were printed and sold in the hundreds of thousands in his life-time and are still sold today as important books of theology in the context of Christian History.
Luther continued to study and write and teach.  He was recognized as clergy; though he no longer was within the realm of the Roman Church.  The Bible was central in the formation of Martin Luther’s faith and influencing the direction of the Protestant Reformation
So the Bible!
Bible – from the Latin “biblia, but ultimately from Koine Greek τ βιβλίαta biblia "the books", a word which itself is derived from the Greek word for paper or scrolls.
Koine Greek is the langue in which most of the New Testament was written – that and Aramaic.  The Old Testament or Hebrew Scripture was written in Hebrew.
The Bible is not one book, but a collection of books covering a historical period of approximately 6000 years, ending about 130 years after the estimated birth date of Jesus.  The earliest written manuscript of the Hebrew Scripture dates to only 2000 years ago. 
The Bible was written by different authors at different times, in different communities and in different styles, and much of it was edited by other people before it was accepted in its present form.
I know someone who some years ago decided they would read the Bible from start to finish, a discipline I have not managed myself.  When they had finished the very last chapter, after only a couple of weeks, they said, “the Bible is full of contradictions”. 
Surprise!!!  Why shouldn’t it be so considering the history of its making?  Would we expect the writing of one author to agree completely with the writing of another author?  Not likely.  And how boring if we all held the same perspective!
Each book has its own purpose.  There are books of law and instruction, of history, actual letters, books of prophecy and books of wisdom.  The wisdom books contain poetry, proverbs, and stories with a moral or teaching purpose.
We sometimes say that parts of the Bible have a mythic dimension, and that requires explanation.  A myth is really a story meant to illustrate a truth which is beyond words.   To say something is a myth is not to say it is untrue – it is to say it has an elevated meaning which is expressed as story.
The people of the ancient middle east would have understood this and would have felt no need to quarrel with the author about literal details, unlike my friend who read the Bible in one go, from beginning to end, expecting to hear a coherent story. 
The Bible, as we call this collection of sacred or holy books, has been used to justify wars, to justify slavery, to outlaw homosexuality and too often, to keep women in their place.   As the church has struggled with these issues it has also had to struggle with the Bible and its place in the history of our faith as well as its use, and too often, its abuse within the teachings of the church.   
The United Church of Canada has taken the stand that is iterated in second Timothy, Chapter 3: 
16 All scripture is inspired by God and is useful for teaching, for reproof, for correction, and for training in righteousness.  
We acknowledge the importance of the Gospels as a record of Jesus who is “the word made flesh”.  We continue to teach that the Bible was inspired by God who is infallible, but written by people who are fallible; but, as we seek understanding, we also acknowledge the importance of Jesus, of the church community, of prayer and of our own acquired knowledge.
The advent of Jesus began a new chapter in Biblical history.  When John says that Jesus is the Word made flesh, he means that the word of God that the people seek by listening to prophets and scribes on how to be God’s people is both visible and realized in the life of Jesus.  If the written word is confusing, seek out the living word made flesh in the life of Jesus.   
When we become confused in debates of what is right or wrong according to Biblical writing, we are really debating what learned men at a specific time in history felt God was instructing.  Our fall back is to look to the Gospels.  When we look to the life and teachings of Jesus for a final say, there is silence on many of the questions for which we seek answers.
          That does not mean there isn’t instruction, for the instruction which Jesus gives is to love God with all our heart, soul, mind and strength and to love our neighbor as ourselves as the intent of what was written down before him.  This simple, yet complex sum of the teachings of our faith is the light we shine of the rest of the writings in the Bible and on our own lives. 
Do we then reject the parts of the Bible that no longer seem to us to be just; or that seem unusually cruel?  Yes, and no.  This is the past, the stories and the history which carried us on our journey thus far.  There is no need to re-write the stories, or throw them out.
These are stories of people struggling with right and wrong in their time and place.  The story of the people of faith is a never-ending story.  Some things taken on their own and out of context make no sense, but put in their time and place they begin make some sense. Put within a story which shows a progression towards a more just and compassionate way of living, despite living in a harsh and unpredictable world, we unravel the journey and the struggles of a people trying to live faithfully.   The people of God of several thousand years ago were no more perfect or complete in their understanding than we are today, and vice versa.  They struggled with the truth and wrote down what they understood, and we struggle with the truth for our day.
One of the problems with this progression towards justice and compassion, towards God, is that the books of the Bible which we recognize as our most sacred Christian writing was closed and made Canon by the end of the fourth century, but we have continued as a species to grow and change, I hope, in our journey towards wisdom and understanding, in the journey of love.
The Bible is only one of the ways we come to understand God and the people of God.  We also have at our disposal, the community that meets and prays and learns together; we have prayer and reflection; and we have the knowledge of our own education and experience.  These are the tools by which we come to see and hear and understand God.
The Bible remains a the key document of our faith, and it should.  It retains its power to inspire and instruct.  The Bible is best read prayerfully, and not discarding what you already know of truth and justice and compassion, but with a willingness to remain open and to struggle with the text and with our own conscience.
This library of inspiration and information is not literal fact the way we understand the word “literal”, and yet is contains truth.  It is the sacred story of people who were inspired to set down the truth as they understood it for their time and place for the benefit of generations to come – and, therefore, the words contained in here are true for them and, and as such, become a place of learning and inspiration for us.
16 All scripture is inspired by God and is useful for teaching, for reproof, for correction, and for training in righteousness, 17 so that everyone who belongs to God may be proficient, equipped for every good work. ~ 2 Timothy 3



United Church of Canada Statements and Creeds on the Nature of God

1925 - Basis of Union:
2.3.2 Article II . Of Revelation. We believe that God has revealed Himself in nature, in history, and in the heart of man; that He has been graciously pleased to make clearer revelation of Himself to men of God who spoke as they were moved by the Holy Spirit; and that in the fullness of time He has perfectly revealed Himself in Jesus Christ, the Word made flesh, who is the brightness of the Father’s glory and the express image of His person . We receive the Holy Scriptures of the Old and New Testaments, given by inspiration of God, as containing the only infallible rule of faith and life, a faithful record of God’s gracious revelations, and as the sure witness of Christ .
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1940 – Statement of Faith, 1940
2.4.9 IX. The Holy Scriptures We believe that the great moments of God’s revelation and communication of Himself to men are recorded and interpreted in the Scriptures of the Old and New Testament . We believe that, while God uttered His Word to man in many portions progressively, the whole is sufficient to declare His mind and will for our salvation . To Israel He made Himself known as a holy and righteous God and a Savior; the fullness of truth and grace came by Jesus Christ . The writings were collected and preserved by the Church . We believe that the theme of all Holy Scripture is the redemptive purpose and working of God, and that herein lies its unity . We believe that in Holy Scripture God claims the complete allegiance of our mind and heart; that the full persuasion of the truth and authority of the Word of God contained in the Scripture is the work of the Holy Spirit in our hearts; that, using Holy Scripture, the Spirit takes of the things of Christ and shows them unto us for our spiritual nourishment and growth in grace . So we acknowledge in Holy Scripture the true witness to God’s Word and the sure guide to Christian faith and conduct .
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1968            (v. 1980, 1995) - .A New Creed - (Scripture not mentioned)
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2013 – A Song of Faith
Scripture is our song for the journey, the living word
  passed on from generation to generation
  to guide and inspire,
  that we might wrestle a holy revelation for our time and place
  from the human experiences
     and cultural assumptions of another era.
God calls us to be doers of the word and not hearers only.

The Spirit breathes revelatory power into scripture,
  bestowing upon it a unique and normative place
  in the life of the community.
The Spirit judges us critically when we abuse scripture
  by interpreting it narrow-mindedly,
  using it as a tool of oppression, exclusion, or hatred.

The wholeness of scripture testifies
   to the oneness and faithfulness of God.
The multiplicity of scripture testifies to its depth:
   two testaments, four gospels,
   contrasting points of view held in tension—
all a faithful witness to the One and Triune God,
the Holy Mystery that is Wholly Love.



Sunday, June 25, 2017

Basics of Faith Sermon 1 - God

God

Basics of Faith 1 – June 19, 2017
A Sermon by Rev. M. Gayle MacDonald

Exodus 3:13-15; Ephesians 4:7-8; Matthew 5:1-12

The descriptions of God and the metaphors used to describe God in Scripture are many.  Among the favourites are Father, Shepherd and King; but God is also described and/or compared to as a she-bear, an eagle, as a jealous God. 

Today's readings give you more images of God – God as simply "I AM"; God is love.  If you look in the Voices United Hymnbook, there is a section entitled “The Nature of God” and it runs from Hymn #258 to Hymn #292.  If you read the most recent statement from the United Church of Canada on what this denomination, as a faith community, say about God (i.e., excerpt from A Song of Faith) found at the beginning of this week’s bulletin and also printed below), you will find even more images – some of them more abstract than others.  And at the very end of the printed bulletin (and at the end of this document), you will find excerpts from the United Church of Canada's statements or creeds through the years.  All of this is food for thought.

            I found it difficult to begin this sermon, whose purpose is to get all of us thinking about God and what God means to us for two reasons:
1.      First, because the word “God” causes a reaction in me; and that reaction is that I just want to sit in a quiet place and think about God or better yet “commune” with God.  This reaction is the result of years of practice of doing just that.  And yet, 20 plus years ago if someone said to me that they wanted to commune with God, I would have placed a large question mark over their head;  so if you place a large question mark over mine, that’s o.k.
2.     And the second reason I found it difficult is because I realize that it is almost impossible to talk objectively about God.  While I will strive to present a variety of descriptors, I have to say this up front that my own thoughts on God necessarily plays a hand in my choosing.  I hope that I will give you enough substance to provide you with something to think; and at the same time, I hope that I have left enough space in my thinking for you to find your own sense of God. 
            So let us now move into this complex topic – God - with the beginning words of the United Church’s latest faith statement, A Song of Faith:
“God is Holy Mystery,
beyond complete knowledge,
above perfect description.”

            “Yet,
            in love,
            the one eternal God seeks relationship.”

So God creates the universe
   and with it the possibility of being and relating.”

Here we are presented a description of the nature of God as accepted  by the General Council of the United Church of Canada in 2013:
·        God is beyond our knowledge;
·        God is loving and seeks relationship;
·        God is creator of the universe.

Let us imagine for a moment that I am new to this congregation, new even to the United Church of Canada. . . maybe even new to Christianity . . . but I feel this pull, this curiosity about this idea of God?  Is God real or not real?   I come in to the United Church to explore this ‘God’ thing and this ‘faith’ thing.  I pick up this Song of Faith and begin to read.

 And what if, when I get to that 7th line “So God creates the universe”, I stop for a minute . . . I keep on reading, but come back to it, because I am stumped.   Such a big idea …. and I don't know how to fit it in with what I have been taught about the beginnings of the universe.  I learned all kinds of scientific things about how the universe began, because I am interested – but this idea that some entity created the universe wasn’t one of them.  Does that mean everything I every learned about the universe it wrong?  Or that I can't be part of this community because I find this statement to be, well, quite frankly, nonsensical.  What if I say this to the Minister, what will she say back to me. 

Let me switch hats, and go back to being the Minister so I can tell you how I would answer that question.  I would say that the United Church of Canada is not a confessional church – i.e., you don't have to confess to a doctrine of belief to be welcomed as one of us and to worship with us.  That the understanding of God as Creator is pretty loose, and understood differently by different people – yet it is there; not as a stumbling block, but as a way to begin thinking about God; that we encourage questions and deep thinking; that faith is something we grow into; and that God is beyond knowing. 
On the other hand, we do ask some pretty direct questions on faith if you should want to become what we call “in full membership”, one of them being about God. 

Here are the 3 optional wordings of the question as provided in our Service Book – Celebrate God’s Presence:

Do you believe in one God:  Father, Son, and Holy Spirit?
Don't like that one?, How about this?

Do you believe in God, who has created and is creating,
who has come in Jesus, the Word made flesh, to reconcile and make new,
and who works in us and others by the Spirit?
Still uncomfortable with these words from The New Creed?  Then are you able to answer "I do, by the Grace of God" to this one?

Do you believe in God, Source of love; in Jesus Christ, love incarnate; and in the Holy Spirit, love’s power. 

You can choose which one resonates the most with you.  The answer we ask you to give only if you can honestly so:
I do, by the grace of God
            Not simply “I do”, but “I do, by the grace of God” for to be able to answer positively is not taken as being an easy thing, but as a place we grow to – and to get there is both gift and grace.

As for our statements of faith, they are not doctrines that you must say you believe every word of in order to belong.  And, because of recent remits to Presbytery, after the next Manual is printed, probably in 2019, it will not longer be a requirement to be a “full” member to vote on spiritual matters.  So, if you like the United Church congregation you are in and want to be able to vote on the work of the Congregeation, all that is required is for those who are "full" members to pass a  motion to give voting privileges on all matters (spiritual and otherwise) to regular attenders; and that usually happens at our meetings.   
As for our various creeds and statements of faith, they are a starting point to help us in own relationship with God; they are a distillation of the collective wisdom of the larger community of the United Church of Canada at different points in our journey toward God.   They say this is our understanding at this point in time, but we are still working on it, . . . nonetheless, this is what we believe on this date. 

It should be obvious by now that the United Church of Canada does believe in God – and even in God as Creator – and most certainly a relational God. 

Perhaps that is why, when Gretta Vosper (author of With or Without God and Prayer Beyond Belief) – when Gretta spoke at Spring Park United Church while I was there, I was somewhat taken aback in her talk as kept she pointing out the fact that she and I attended the same Theological College and began including me in some of her statements about what the Divinity School at Queens taught.  While she was making some very good points about the things taught there, she somehow came out in a very different place in relation to God than I did.

After that event at Spring Park, I spent a long time mulling over Gretta's decision to omit comments on omitting the word “God” from her Sunday Services, and the admission that she is support person for atheist Minister’s.  I wonder, and wondering why it has taken the United Church so long to bring her order of ministry status under review.  My own feeling is that it is Partly it is the inclusive nature of the United Church, and partly the complicated structure of church courts . . .  where the review is now, I am not quite sure.  How she got to declaring herself an atheist minister, while I got to a place where I consider a growing relationship with God the strength of our faith, I don't know.  For my part, when life in general baffled me – when I found it hard to feel the presence of God in what was happening around me – I sought out help from people experienced in the journeying with the Divine.  First, it was the Spiritual Directors of the Sisters at Providence House, a Roman Catholic Retreat Centre near Queen's University, and my journey continued from there. 

From the Spiritual Director with whom I worked, I learned to trust in the presence of God; more importantly to trust in the LOVING presence of God, in all circumstances.  I learned to look for God everywhere, and I learned to pay attention to those moments of indescribable connection with what I can only refer to as a divine energy or a loving presence.  The more I learned and trusted, the more I trusted and learned.

The universe does not have to be created in the manner described in the Bible for it to have been created with intelligence; nor do we have to understand God as ultimate Creator in order to find Divine Presence within the universe.

Another United Church Minister, Bruce Sanguin in his book Darwin, Divinity and the Dance of the Cosmos connects the awesome discoveries of science as evidence in favour of a Divine Presence.  For instance, he points to the great “Flaring Forth” aka “The Big Bang Theory” as a miracle in and of itself.  The heat at the first moment of creation was immense.  If the expansion that became the universe had happened one trillionth of a second slower or one trillionth of a second faster, we would not be here.  Bruce does not take this as happenstance, but as evidence of the wonder of that divine creative nature we call God.   He does not argue with science or with the reality of God, but looks with wonder at creation and praises God.

The purpose of the community of faith such as ours is not to tell you what to believe, but to help you in your own journey of discovery.   As our Introit (#283 in Voices United) states, “God is the one whom we seek together”.  We start with the possibility of God and grow to uncover God's possibilities for us. 

Images of God are helpful in getting us to come to some sense of the Divine Presence that permeates our living; but images can also restrict our understanding if we hold them too closely, for none of our images can completely describe God.

In an article on the changing images of God in an American Catholic online newsletter called “Update Your Faith”, Pat McCloskey, O.F.M. notes: 
Childhood images of God reflect a childhood faith. Fair enough; we all have to start somewhere. An adult faith, however, requires more adult images of God, that is, new mental pictures which can help adults better understand a God never fully captured in human language. . .   Childhood images of God may need to grow if we are to have a vibrant, adult faith.
As part of my early journey at Queen's Theological College, I was invited to participate in a small extra-curricular group of spiritual seekers who met weekly.  It was led by a lay catholic counselor who was studying at Queen's Theological College.  It members consisted of a classmate of mine, a young doctor who had just returned from South America, two sisters from Providence House, myself and a couple of more people whose occupations or inclinations I can't remember. 

One evening as we sat on chairs or the floor in a circle around a small table with an object on it, we were asked to describe the object.  The descriptions included a small vase with a painting of flowers, a large mug with no flowers, a pottery drinking vessel – the responses included differences in the colour or pattern depending upon our angle or perspective.  The ones who saw a mug were able to see the handle, others could not.  The point:  paradoxically though it seemed each of us saw a different object on the table in the middle of the room, we were all seeing the same object – but from our own unique vantage point. 

And so it is with God.  We may each of us catch of glimpse of the
God is [who is] Holy Mystery,
beyond complete knowledge,
above perfect description

but our descriptions will depend a lot on who are and our own experience.

            There really is no need to argue the existence of God – since for or against the existence of the great “I Am” cannot be argued satisfactorily anyway.  It is more profitable to put together our glimpses and to seek to deepen our own relationship with the Divine Presence that permeates all of our living. 

            And so we gather in community, in faith and in hope; and so we act individually or as community, remembering God as love.    God is the one whom we seek together, by the grace of God.  Amen.



United Church of Canada Statements and Creeds on the Nature of God

1925 - Basis of Union:
2.3.1 Article I . Of God. We believe in the one only living and true God, a Spirit, infinite, eternal, and unchangeable, in His being and perfections; the Lord Almighty, who is love, most just in all His ways, most glorious in holiness, unsearchable in wisdom, plenteous in mercy, full of compassion, and abundant in goodness and truth . We worship Him in the unity of the Godhead and the mystery of the Holy Trinity, the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit, three persons of the same substance, equal in power and glory .
2.3.2 Article II . Of Revelation. We believe that God has revealed Himself in nature, in history, and in the heart of man; that He has been graciously pleased to make clearer revelation of Himself to men of God who spoke as they were moved by the Holy Spirit; and that in the fullness of time He has perfectly revealed Himself in Jesus Christ, the Word made flesh, who is the brightness of the Father’s glory and the express image of His person . We receive the Holy Scriptures of the Old and New Testaments, given by inspiration of God, as containing the only infallible rule of faith and life, a faithful record of God’s gracious revelations, and as the sure witness of Christ .
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1940 – Statement of Faith, 1940
2.4.1 I. God We believe in God, the eternal personal Spirit, Creator and Upholder of all things . We believe that God, as sovereign Lord exalted above the world, orders and overrules all things in it to the accomplishment of His holy, wise, and good purposes . We believe that God made man to love and serve Him; that He cares for him as a righteous and compassionate Father; and that nothing can either quench His love or finally defeat His gracious purpose for man . So we acknowledge God as Creator, Upholder, and Sovereign Lord of all things, and the righteous and loving Father of men .
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1968 (rev. 1980, 1995) - .A New Creed
2.5 We are not alone,  we live in God’s world . We believe in God:  who has created and is creating,  who has come in Jesus,   the Word made flesh,   to reconcile and make new,  who works in us and others   by the Spirit . We trust in God . . . . . . In life, in death, in life beyond death,  God is with us . We are not alone .  Thanks be to God .
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2013 – A Song of Faith
God is Holy Mystery,
beyond complete knowledge,
above perfect description.

Yet,
in love,
the one eternal God seeks relationship.

So God creates the universe
    and with it the possibility of being and relating.
God tends the universe,
    mending the broken and reconciling the estranged.
God enlivens the universe,
    guiding all things toward harmony with their Source.

Grateful for God’s loving action,
We cannot keep from singing.

With the Church through the ages,
we speak of God as one and triune:
Father, Son, and Holy Spirit.
We also speak of God as
    Creator, Redeemer, and Sustainer
    God, Christ, and Spirit
    Mother, Friend, and Comforter
    Source of Life, Living Word, and Bond of Love,
    and in other ways that speak faithfully of
the One on whom our hearts rely,
the fully shared life at the heart of the universe.

We witness to Holy Mystery that is Wholly Love.
God is creative and self-giving,
    generously moving
    in all the near and distant corners of the universe.
Nothing exists that does not find its source in God.
Our first response to God’s providence is gratitude.
We sing thanksgiving.

Finding ourselves in a world of beauty and mystery,
    of living things, diverse and interdependent,
    of complex patterns of growth and evolution,
    of subatomic particles and cosmic swirls,
we sing of God the Creator,
the Maker and Source of all that is.

Each part of creation reveals unique aspects of God the Creator,
    who is both in creation and beyond it.
All parts of creation, animate and inanimate, are related.
All creation is good.
We sing of the Creator,
    who made humans to live and move

    and have their being in God.

Basics of Faith 9 - Live Love

Live Love Basics of Faith 9 – August 27, 2017  A Sermon by Rev. M. Gayle MacDonald Texts read on August 27 :  The Tough Love ~ Pa...