Blah Guy

Tonight was unbelievable. While on our trip through Boston, we were caught unawares with our friend Russ Schlect, who has started at church at Harvard, in a conversation on the fact that N.T. Wright would be speaking at Harvard this very eve. Quinn and I shored up our plans and went.

Overall, it was absolutely unbelievable! In classic Wrightian…he turned ‘end times’ theology on its head with his Kingdom theology for the here/now as a central point for hope-centered social action. Other than being inspiring, it was deep and thoughtful for those in the room who weren’t ‘Christians’.

Putting my pride behind, I had Quinn take a picture of the two of us.

You may not be able to tell, but I am blushing.

I thought I would add another picture I just found of another ‘theology’ hero of mine, Professor Jurgen Moltmann from Tubingen. This was from Duke last year. I blushed in that picture as well. Thanks to my friend Sam Andress for this picture off his blog.

Being around these people, was, well, probably similar to the Beatles coming to Shea stadium. I didn’t pass out, but I did wet my pants one of them

Recently, reading a book about the Holy Spirit, a fabulous work by Veli-Matti Karkainnen entitled Pneumatology, I discovered a wonderful idea picked up on by a man named Eduard Schweizer. In discovering the excitment and ever-present power of the Spirit he writes:

‘Long before the Holy Spirit was a theme of doctrine (as it is largely ignored in many tribes), he was a reality of community’

A friend of mine recently googled the word Pneumatology (a fairly academic word for the study of the Holy Spirit) and discovered a funny picture…of me! While I have at times considered myself somewhat deified, at least in my weaker moments, and at others no doubt considered myself somewhat evil. Its an ever changing perspective. And of course, the chances are that google thinks I am God in some way is unlikely, the intereting find comes from the fact that I taught a class on the Holy Spirit once, and somehow, someway, my picture became synonomous with the study of the Holy Spirit.

Aside from me, this picture came up as well, thankfully:

A dove. A little gray concrete dove. So when you google the Holy Spirit, either I come up, or this little dove.

Our little community that we live in, the Onyx House, is institutionally and relationally connected with a Pentecostal church in town called Eugene Faith Center. What makes it all exciting is how few “Pentecostals” live in our house. Conversation is never boring.

But what does get boring is when we fail to recognize the power of the Spirit among us regardless of denominational ties. What I think Schweizer was saying, if he said it today is…

‘Community is the epicenter of the Spirit. Regardless of view, he is there when you all are there.’

And while most of our views of the Holy Spirit are short-sighted, mostly from the fact that the Bible doesn’t give us a systematic theology fo the Holy Spirit, we must submit to his presence among us, regardless of theological view.

And while some see the Holy Spirit as dove, or fire, or wind, all these metaphors point to something greater…a power

I did an experiment once.

I went bowling by myself just to see what it was like. It was horrible.

Everyone looked at me as though I was just released from a mental institution. I mean no one bowls alone. Really. I had a strike, and got to high-five some air. Not as fun as real high-fives. Only having yourself on the scoreboard really makes you feel important. Bowling is never made for just me.

I have been living an experiment.

It isn’t working.

This is it. I try and read my bible alone. Interesting is that this is a relatively new phenomenon. History has never done this until now; the bible was written by communities for communities to build communities. To read my bible alone is like playing ping pong all by my lonesome self. It don’t work. It never can.

Should I be devoted to reading the bible. Yes! Should I at times have times by myself that I encounter the word? Yes! Should I never read the bible by myself? No, of course not!

But…

When we read the bible in the marination of community, with others and for others, for ourselves, we read the bible as we should. In community.

Try that experiment and you will find a God who speaks not just in mono but surround sound.

Try that experiment and you will not see a linear God, but a God who speaks in curve and circle.l

Try that…and it will change you.

Ever noticed homeless people always include “God” on their signs?

“God bless this”

“God bless that”

Why? I think they know God is real and are willing to throw him out there just so we can wake up for just a second.

Just a thought.

Wake up

There is small talk that “the office” may spin-off a show for Dwight. Read the article. Every believer in the world should pray that this doesn’t happen!

This week I was the guest of a local radio program. It is the most liberal radio station in Eugene. I loved it.

Born and raised a conservative who is learning to rid all labels and political subscriptions from his profile; I found the experience absolutely enlightening. They as well I am sure were expecting something quite different. They knew I am a pastor at a large (mega large) church in town that tends to lean quite right. With their expectations most likely hover somewhere between low to nothing, it was awesome to witness to Jesus without having to fight for a political party.

I am learning this as well. The people I am learning to love who happen to lean left in their own political fettish tend to be very good at listening. While this is of course not the case for every bobble head radio commentator around today, it is for the people I am beginning to know.

Jesus is teaching me to look past labels. It’s my mind that loves to find and obey them.

The great thing about truth is it doesn’t come by association. You don’t have to know the right people to know truth, although it can help. Truth is God’s. He owns it. He also gives it to people who hate him. Satan is smart.

The most dangerous (good dangerous) Christian is he who is willing to be obedient to truth wherever they find it, whether at a Christian bookstore or not. I would argue that the Christian tradition has a large corpus of truth, it does not have a monopoly on it.

My point?

I am done seeing truth as something we have. Rather, I see truth as something we all have. I just have to shut up and listen.