Did Paul blow it?

For instance, Paul gave the Christian position regarding the structure of a Christian society thus: “In it there is no room for Greek and Jew [social distinction]; circumcised and uncircumcised [religious rite distinction], barbarian, Scythian [cultural distinction], slave, or free man [social, economic distinction]; Christ is everything and everywhere” (Col. 3:11, Moffatt). And in Gal 3:28 he adds: “There is no room for male and female [sex distinction]; you are all one in Christ Jesus.” That is the Christian position—clear, positive, sweeping. And in Peter’s speech at Pentecost he said: “Your sons and daughters shall prophesy”—note “and daughters”—(Acts·2:17, Moffatt).

But in 1 Cor. 14: 34 (Moffatt) Paul enjoins something else: “Women must keep quiet at gatherings of the church. They are not allowed to speak; … as the Law enjoins.” Note that he appeals to “the Law” for authority. Is he falling into the very thing he told the Galatians they were doing? It seems so. Every time Paul tried to put woman in a subordinate position, he appealed to the Old Testament, not to Jesus. Note: “but woman represents the supremacy of man. (Man was not made from woman, woman was made from man; and man was not created for woman, but woman for man.)” (1 Cor. 11:7–9, Moffatt); Here he turns back to the first creation for corroboration for his position—the first creation, not to the new creation in Jesus where “there is no room for male or female.” Again in 1 Tim. 2:12-14 (Moffatt) he says: “I allow no woman to teach or dictate to men, she must keep quiet. For Adam was created first, then Eve; and Adam was not deceived, it was Eve.” Here he turned to the first Adam for the sustaining of his position—the first Adam, not the Second Adam, Christ. His Christianity slipped a cog. And that slipping back to the pre-Christian has caused much confusion. Paul says that sometimes he was not inspired-he was speaking on his own. This was one of the times. And the ages have suffered because of it.—E. Stanley Jones, Growing Spiritually, 307

<idle musing>
You can not accuse E. Stanley Jones of being a progressive! Yet, he sees something wrong here and isn't afraid to say it: Paul blew it! Paul spoke out of himself and not at the leading of the Spirit!

Just an
</idle musing>

A sense of mission? Not so much…

Many Christians know little or nothing about personal guidance from God. They go from event to event and live a kind of hand-to-mouth spiritual existence—a spiritual and moral opportunism. They have no sense of working out a plan of life under God’s guidance. They have little or no sense of destiny, of mission.

This is true of the nation as well as the individual. When a nation loses its sense of mission, it is beginning to disintegrate. Someone asked President Eisenhower, before he was nominated for the Presidency, what was the greatest need of America, and he replied: “A sense of mission.” A very wise and penetrating reply. Personally I believe this sense of mission for America is to be true to the last line of the pledge of allegiance to the flag: “One nation, indivisible, with liberty and justice for all.” This is the thing we have been raised up to do: to give “liberty and justice for all,” at home and abroad. This rules out all imperialisms—economic, social, political, military. We have been the proving ground of an idea—an economy of liberty and justice for all, apart from race and birth and religion and color and sex. We have been brought up to make the word “all” operative in all relationships at home and abroad. This is the mission of America. We must work it out—or perish. And if we don't work it out, we ought to perish—we will be a useless, amorphic mass of selfish people struggling for personal advantage. If we as a nation go out to dominate anyone economically, socially, politically, militarily, then our “name is mud.” “Ichabod”—“God has departed”—will be written on our banners, and angels will weep. For we who began by breaking with imperialism would end in setting up one of our own—the saddest ending to the greatest beginning in human history. One of our greatest needs is a call for a national day of prayer in which we will humbly bow our knees to get back as a nation “a sense of mission”—a sense that we are working out a divine destiny in the world.—E. Stanley Jones, Growing Spiritually, 274

<idle musing>
He wrote this in 1953. His fears have definitely been realized, haven't they?
</idle musing>

The greatest danger

I'm reading Abraham Joshua Heschel's great work, The Prophets. Came across this yesterday and it seems appropriate for our time, when outrageous evils are happening every day:

There is an evil which most of us condone and are even guilty of: indifference to evil. We remain neutral, impartial, and not easily moved by the wrongs done unto other people. Indifference to evil is more insidious than evil itself; it is more universal, more contagious, more dangerous. A silent justification, it makes possible an evil erupting as an exception becoming the rule and being in turn accepted.—Abraham Joshua Heschel, The Prophets, 2:64

Technological Progress…

Let us labor under no illusions. There are no easy solutions for problems that are at the same time intensely personal and universal, urgent and eternal. Technological progress creates more problems than it solves. Efficiency experts or social engineering will not redeem humanity. Important as their contributions may be, they do not reach the heart of the problem. Religion, therefore, with its demands and visions, is not a luxury but a matter of life and death. True, its message is often diluted and distorted by pedantry, externalization, ceremonialism, and superstition. But this precisely is our task: to recall the urgencies, the perpetual emergencies of human existence, the rare cravings of the spirit, the eternal voice of God, to which the demands of religion are an answer.—Abraham Joshua Heschel, God in Search of Man, 372

<idle musing>
Mind you, he wrote this in 1951! How true it has proven to be : (
</idle musing>

The Nazi myth recycled … as a MAGA myth!

I read Karen Armstrong's A Short History of Myth over the weekend. On the whole it's just a rehash of Eliade and Joseph Campbell, but with a good dose of Walter Burkert thrown in to make it more interesting. But, the final chapter had this tantalizing paragraph:

We are myth-making creatures and, during the twentieth century we saw some very destructive modern myths which have ended in massacre and genocide.… These destructive mythologies have been narrowly racial, ethnic, denominational and egotistic, an attempt to exalt the self by demonising the other. Any such myth has failed modernity…

Sound familiar? But she doesn't stop there. She suggests that

We cannot counter these bad myths with reason alone, because undiluted logos cannot deal with such deep-rooted, unexorcised fears, desires and neuroses. That is the role of an ethically and spiritually informed mythology. We need myths that will help us to identify with all our fellow-beings, not simply those who belong to our ethnic, national or ideological tribe. We need myths that help us to realize the importance of compassion, which is not always regarded as sufficiently productive or efficient in our pragmatic, rational world. We need myths that help us to create a spiritual attitude, to see beyond our immediate requirements, and enable us to experience a transcendent value that challenges our solipsistic selfishness. We need myths that help us to venerate the earth as sacred once again, instead of merely using it as a ‘resource’. This is crucial, because unless there is some kind of spiritual revolution that is able to keep abreast of our technological genius, we will not save our planet.—Karen Armstrong, A Short History of Myth, 136–37

The road goes ever on… but this blog won't

I've been blogging now for twenty years (today is the twentieth anniversary). Some years I've blogged more than others, but I've been pretty consistent. I've seen lots of blogs come—and go. Some just disappear without a trace—witness the dead links on some of my earlier posts.

Over the years, I've made a lot of friends through the blog, many of whom I've later met in person at a conference. I've probably made a few enemies as well, but that's ok. I've always tried to be honest and not put on a different face. When I review books—even ones I'm supposed to be selling—I try to show the good and bad points.

In short, I've tried to conduct this blog as I try to live my life: with integrity.

But, as they say, all good things come to an end. So, after twenty years, I've decided to call it a day. It's rather ironic, in a way. For a few years now, my stats have been abysmal, but in the last two months they've been more in line with the early days of blogging. Nevertheless, I'm no longer going to be posting here—outside of (maybe) a copyediting note here and there. Those are mostly for my own personal reference anyway.

So, after twenty years, I wish all my readers a future full of shalom, in its fullest meaning.
James

The social net and the gospel

I say we cannot preach it [the gospel] honestly, not because people might look at lack of community in our own lives and say, “You aren’t practicing what you are preaching,” but because, when we cannot offer community to people, we put them into a position where, by hearing the Gospel, they find themselves in an intolerable but hopeless situation. The Gospel challenges them to leave one life behind but does not offer a concrete road to a new life.—Ronald Rolheiser, Forgotten among the Lilies: Learning to Love beyond the Fears, 300

<idle musing>
That's the final snippet from this book. I hope you enjoyed the book and were challenged by it. I know I was. Stay tuned (as they used to say) for what is next on this blog.
</idle musing>

The real tragedy is…

Psychologist John Powell submits that there are only two potential tragedies in life, and dying young is not one of them.

These are the two potential tragedies: if we go through life and we do not love fully, and if we go through life and do not tell those we love that we love them.—Ronald Rolheiser, Forgotten among the Lilies: Learning to Love beyond the Fears, 290

<idle musing>
Amen and amen! This truth should be emblazened on every parent's (especially) heart. Tell your kids you love them! And then live that love out. Tell your spouse you love them! And then live that love out.
</idle musing>

Mummify that beauty!

Like the ancient Egyptians, we attempt to mummify our youth and sexual attractiveness through contemporary forms of “embalming”: cosmetics, dyes, face lifts, pretense and lies about our age.

When we are fifty, sixty, seventy—or forty—and trying to be twenty, someone must challenge us: “Let go, for God’s sake! Be your age, it will be better then than it is now!”

Old age is hell for those who cling and want to be young at all costs. It can be peaceful and full of joys, if we are willing to receive its spirit.—Ronald Rolheiser, Forgotten among the Lilies: Learning to Love beyond the Fears, 191

<idle musing>
As I near seventy, this is good advice. I've never been one to be overly concerned about physical appearance, but I confess that I have been a bit obsessed with staying in good physical condition. But, as I get older, my body doesn't recover as quickly as it used to. That's taken a bit of getting used to, but I'm learning to embrace it.

Those who know me, know that I've never been known for going slowly through life. But, I'm learning…
</idle musing>

The final post from Crucifixion

The greater part of the discussion in these pages has focused upon the communal, corporate, and cosmic significance of the cross of Jesus Christ. However, let no reader think that the apocalyptic and universal dimensions of the message leave no place for the faith and confidence of the individual believer. Several times in this book the reader has encountered an intimately personal testimony by the apostle Paul in his letter to the church in Galatia. For writer and readers alike, these words can be our heart’s comfort and joy, for now and for all the days to come, whatever befalls: “I have been crucified with Christ; it is no longer I who live, but Christ who lives in me; and the life I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me” (Gal. 2:20).—Fleming Rutledge, The Crucifixion, 611

<idle musing>
That's the final snippet from this book. Next up is a book I recently picked up at a thrift store: Michael Aeschliman, The Restitution of Man: C. S. Lewis and the Case against Scientism. It's out of print, so the link is to Worldcat, if you want to check it out of a library. That link also has a link to Google Books, in case you want to preview it.
</idle musing>

A prayer? Or a patriotic song?

695 My Country 'Tis of Thee

1 My country, 'tis of thee,
   Sweet land of liberty,
   Of thee I sing;
   Land where my fathers died,
   Land of the pilgrims' pride,
   From ev'ry mountainside
   Let freedom ring!

2 My native country, thee,
   Land of the noble free,
   Thy name I love;
   I love thy rocks and rills,
   Thy woods and templed hills;
   My heart with rapture thrills,
   Like that above.

3 Let music swell the breeze,
   And ring from all the trees
   Sweet freedom's song;
   Let mortal tongues awake;
   Let all that breathe partake;
   Let rocks their silence break,
   The sound prolong.

4 Our fathers' God, to thee,
   Author of liberty,
   To thee we sing;
   Long may our land be bright
   With freedom's holy light;
   Protect us by thy might,
   Great God, our King.
                         Samuel F. Smith
                         Hymns for the Family of God

<idle musing>
OK, some sing this as a patriotic song of victory, but if you look at the words, it's really a prayer—especially after verse 1. Of course, most people don't know any verse except the first one, so I guess it makes sense to see it as a country-praising call to arms. I'll take it as a prayer, though. And we certainly need it to be answered in today's world!

That's the final hymn in this hymnbook. And this is the final hymnbook currently in my collection (I've owned many more in the past), so any future hymns I post will be ones I come across in other books. I hope you've enjoyed the three-plus years as I've wandered through three Methodist hymnals and one generic evangelical one.
</idle musing>

Pay taxes?

691 The Social Obligations of a Christian

The Bible teaches that the Christian should be law-abiding. The Bible also teaches loyalty to country. A loyalty and love of country does not mean that we cannot criticize certain unjust laws that may discriminate against special groups. The Bible says that God is no respecter of persons. All should have equal opportunities. The government of God is to be our model.

The Bible also teaches that we are to co-operate with the government. Jesus was asked, “Is it lawful to give tribute?” Jesus set the example forever by paying taxes. It takes money to run a government and to maintain law and order. The tax dodger is a civic parasite and an actual thief. No true Christian will be a tax dodger. Jesus said, we are to “render to Caesar the things that are Caesar’s. ” We ought to be more than taxpayers. To be simply law-abiding is not enough. We ought to seek and work for the good of our country. Sometimes we may be called upon to die for it. We are to do it gladly—as unto God. We are to be conscientious in our work as good citizens.
Billy Graham
Hymns for the Family of God

<idle musing>
OK, I'll agree with him up to the point about fighting on behalf of it (that's what he means by dying for it). Violence is never an option for the Christian.
</idle musing>

A (belated) prayer for an election

689 Before an Election

Lord Jesus, we ask Thee to guide the people of this nation as they exercise their dearly bought privilege of franchise. May it neither be ignored unthinkingly nor undertaken lightyly. As citizens all over this land go to the ballot boxes, give them a sense of high privilege and joyous responsibility.

Help those who are about to be elected to public office to come to understand the real source of their mandate—a mandate given by no party machine, received at no polling booth, but given by God; a mandate to represent God and truth at the heart of the nation; a mandate to do good in the name of Him under whom this country was established.

We ask Thee to lead our country in the paths where Thou wouldst have her walk, to do the tasks which Thou hast laid before her. So may we together seek happiness for all our citizens in the name of Him who created us all equal in His sight, and therefore brothers. Amen.
Peter Marshall
Hymns for the Family of God

<idle musing>
Sure, there's some questionable stuff in there, but I'll agree w/his prayer for doing good and seeking the happiness of all the people! We could use some of that right about now…

Just an
</idle musing>

Where Cross the Crowded Ways of Life

665 Where Cross the Crowded Ways of Life

1 Where cross the crowded ways of life,
   Where sound the cries of race and clan,
   Above the noise of selfish strife,
   We hear Thy voice, O Son of man!

2 In haunts of wretchedness and need,
   On shadowed thresholds dark with fears,
   From paths where hide the lures of greed,
   We catch the vision of Thy tears.

3 The cup of water given for Thee
   Still holds the freshness of Thy grace;
   Yet long these multitudes to see
   The sweet compassion of Thy face.

4 O Master, from the mountainside,
   Make haste to heal these hearts of pain;
   Among these restless throngs abide,
   O tread the city's streets again,

5 Till sons of men shall learn Thy love
   And follow where Thy feet have trod;
   Till, glorious from Thy heaven above,
   Shall come the city of our God!
                         Frank M. North
                         Hymns for the Family of God

<idle musing>
Definitely a social gospel hymn! Take a minute to read the biography at the link above. Seems he was a pretty important person in his day. Hymnary.org inserts a sixth verse:

3 From tender childhood's helplessness,
   from human grief and burdened toil,
   from famished souls, from sorrow's stress,
   your heart has never known recoil.

</idle musing>

He Lifted Me

653 He Lifted Me

1 In loving kindness Jesus came,
   my soul in mercy to reclaim,
   and from the depths of sin and shame,
   through grace He lifted me.

Refrain:
   From sinking sand He lifted me,
   with tender hand He lifted me,
   from shades of night to plains of light,
   O praise His name, He lifted me!

2 He called me long before I heard,
   before my sinful heart was stirred,
   but when I took Him at His word,
   forgiv'n He lifted me. [Refrain]

3 His brow was pierced with crown of thorn,
   His hands by cruel nails were torn,
   when from my guilt and grief, forlorn,
   in love He lifted me. [Refrain]

4 Now on a higher plane I dwell,
   and with my soul I know ’tis well;
   Yet how or why, I cannot tell,
   He should have lifted me. [Refrain]
                         Charles H. Gabriel
                         Hymns for the Family of God

<idle musing>
Seems the author had quite a few pen names, but that's about all we know about him...
</idle musing>

I'd Rather Have Jesus

650 I'd Rather Have Jesus

1 I'd rather have Jesus than silver or gold;
   I'd rather be His than have riches untold;
   I'd rather have Jesus than houses or lands.
   I'd rather be led by His nail-pierced hand Refrain:
   Than to be the king of a vast domain
   or be held in sin's dread sway.
   I'd rather have Jesus than anything
   this world affords today.

2 I'd rather have Jesus than men's applause;
   I'd rather be faithful to His dear cause;
   I'd rather have Jesus than world-wide fame.
   I'd rather be true to His holy name [Refrain]

3 He's fairer than lilies of rarest bloom'
   He's sweeter than honey from out the comb;
   He's all that my hungering spirit needs.
   I'd rather have Jesus and let Him lead [Refrain]
                         Rhea F. Miller
                         Hymns for the Family of God

<idle musing>
I wonder how many Christians today would stand by this? When power and wealth and status are worshiped by so many, do we really believe that Jesus is preferable?

By the way, take a look at the biography of the hymnwriter, which includes the story of how the tune was written—by George Beverly Shea!
</idle musing>

Since Jesus Came into My Heart

639 Since Jesus Came into My Heart

1 What a wonderful change in my life has been wrought
   Since Jesus came into my heart!
   I have light in my soul for which long I have sought,
   Since Jesus came into my heart!

Refrain:
   Since Jesus came into my heart,
   Since Jesus came into my heart,
   Floods of joy o'er my soul like the sea billows roll,
   Since Jesus came into my heart.

2 I have ceased from my wand'ring and going astray,
   Since Jesus came into my heart!
   And my sins which were many are all washed away,
   Since Jesus came into my heart! [Refrain]

3 I shall go there to dwell in that city, I know,
   Since Jesus came into my heart!
   And I'm happy, so happy, as onward I go,
   Since Jesus came into my heart! [Refrain]
                         Rufus H. McDaniel
                         Hymns for the Family of God

<idle musing>
Hymnary.org inserts a pair of verses:

3 I’m possessed of a hope that is steadfast and sure,
   Since Jesus came into my heart!
   And no dark clouds of doubt now my pathway obscure,
   Since Jesus came into my heart! [Refrain]

4 There's a light in the valley of death now for me,
   Since Jesus came into my heart!
   And the gates of the City beyond I can see,
   Since Jesus came into my heart! [Refrain]

</idle musing>

Now I Belong to Jesus

637 Now I Belong to Jesus

1 Jesus my Lord will love me forever,
   From him no pow'r of evil can sever;
   He gave his life to ransom my soul-
   Now I belong to him!

Refrain:
   Now I belong to Jesus,
   Jesus belongs to me-
   Not for the years of time alone,
   But for eternity.

2 Once I was lost in sin's degradation,
   Jesus came down to bring me salvation,
   Lifted me up from sorrow and shame-
   Now I belong to him! [Refrain]

3 Joy floods my soul, for Jesus has saved me,
   Freed me from sin that long had enslaved me;
   His precious blood he gave to redeem-
   Now I belong to him! [Refrain]
                         Norman J. Clayton
                         Hymns for the Family of God

<idle musing>
I mused about Clayton in this post. As for this hymn, there is a nice devotional on it here.
</idle musing>

The Light of the World Is Jesus

636 The Light of the World Is Jesus

1 The whole world was lost in the darkness of sin;
   The Light of the world is Jesus.
   Like sunshine at noonday His glory shone in;
   The Light of the world is Jesus.

Refrain:
   Come to the Light; ’tis shining for thee.
   Sweetly the Light has dawned upon me.
   Once I was blind, but now I can see.
   The Light of the world is Jesus.

2 No darkness have we who in Jesus abide;
   The Light of the world is Jesus.
   We walk in the light when we follow our Guide;
   The Light of the world is Jesus. [Refrain]

4 No need of the sunlight in heaven, we’re told;
   The Light of the world is Jesus.
   The Lamb is the Light in the city of gold;
   The Light of the world is Jesus. [Refrain]
                         Philip P. Bliss
                         Hymns for the Family of God

<idle musing>
I don't recall ever hearing or singing this Philip Bliss song. It isn't one of his better know ones, only occurring in about 180 hymnals. Hymnary.org inserts a verse:

3 Ye dwellers in darkness with sin-blinded eyes:
   The Light of the world is Jesus.
   Go, wash at His bidding, and light will arise;
   The Light of the world is Jesus. [Refrain]

</idle musing>

O, How I Love Jesus

634 O, How I Love Jesus

1 There is a name I love to hear,
   I love to sing its worth;
   It sounds like music in my ear,
   The sweetest name on earth.

Refrain:
   O how I love Jesus,
   O how I love Jesus,
   O how I love Jesus,
   Because He first loved me!

2 It tells me of a Savior's love,
   Who died to set me free;
   It tells me of His precious blood,
   The sinner's perfect plea. [Refrain]

3 It tells of One whose loving heart
   Can feel my deepest woe,
   Who in each sorrow bears a part,
   That none can bear below. [Refrain]
                         Frederick Whitfield
                         Hymns for the Family of God

<idle musing>
Hymnary.org inserts a verse:

3 It tells me what my Father has
   In store for ev'ry day,
   And though I tread a gloomy path,
   The sinner's all the way. [Refrain]

</idle musing>