Life and Death

Sometimes the lectionary passages are hard to think about. Today’s story is the beheading of John the Baptiser in the Gospel of Mark (6). It is hardly an uplifting story.

Yesterday, it felt really incongruous to be reading it. It was a lovely, warm summer’s day in upstate New York. It was too hot to take the pugs out so Andy and I went for a walk alone starting in Stewart Park. It was a good opportunity, as dogs are not permitted there. All around us were signs of new life. We saw ducklings and goslings being protected by their various parents. Before we left for the park I had walked around our back garden. I saw the fawn and her mother. I discovered that our bat house had a Robin’s nest on top with three babies sticking their heads out. The two baby groundhogs were around. All around us were signs of new life. Then I read the lectionary and it was about death. It seemed so extreme. All around me, I was seeing signs of new life (birth) and yet I was reading about death. Life and death, two transitions into something new and different.

I admit I was tempted to move on from the reading. Perhaps, I could use a different, more uplifting passage to talk about rather than someone being beheaded. However, I decided to remain with it. I would follow Phyllis Trible’s directive to shake a text until it yields a blessing. I would shake this text and see what it revealed.

I wanted to look at John beyond the words of this passage. So here is John from the brief Biblical mentions he gets. His birth had been miraculous. The story is often told as we move into Christmas. The baby, named John a gift from God.  He was Jesus’ cousin. We know very little about his life except that he was sent to the desert (probably to learn and study with the monks). Then he reappeared to announce the beginning of Jesus’ ministry. This is where the author of Mark starts his story. The gospel starts with just a few short verses about John’s ministry ending with the words, “Now after John was arrested, Jesus came to Galilee.” (1:14) John is not mentioned again in the Gospel of Mark until the beginning of the chapter from which today’s reading is taken. Herod hears the stories about Jesus. He starts wondering if Jesus is John the Baptiser resurrected. Then the author of Mark tells the story, really in parenthesis, of how John lost his life.

The first thing that I noticed as I pondered this story was how young John was. I have three children. They are all older, or perhaps the youngest is the same age, as John would have been. I realise that the life expectancy was lower in those days, but nevertheless, he was just a young man. This passage tells of the end of his life. But as I glanced at the story of John in the various gospels I became aware of how John was born for a purpose. His purpose was to announce the messiah, the Christ. He fulfilled his purpose. In today’s society many people feel aimless. They see no purpose to their lives. What a wonderful thing to know what your destiny is. To feel your purpose for being alive is being, or has been, fulfilled. In that I can find both a real challenge and a blessing.

The second thing I noticed was in Herod’s story. He was tricked by his wife into killing John, which he didn’t want to do. She requested the head of John on a platter. The text tells us, “The king was deeply grieved; yet out of regard for his oaths and for the guests, he did not want to refuse her.” (6:24) I think there is a lesson for us here. Sometimes we have to go against the flow, stand up for what we believe is right even if it is hard. Herod didn’t! We can learn from his mistake.

I have read various accounts of this passage which say that Herod had no choice. I don’t believe that. There is always a choice, even though one of the choices may be hard and cause loss of friends and status.  I think many in our Lindisfarne community have been really good at standing for what is right, supporting the marginalized. Two weeks ago, I, like many others, changed my Facebook profile photograph rainbow in support of the Supreme Court judgment.  I was immediately blocked from an online group where I had previously enjoyed many conversations. It didn’t matter, there is a blessing in doing what one believes is right. I wish Herod could have found that.

So, as I have shaken today’s lectionary passage I have found two blessings. The blessing of living a fulfilled life and the blessing of standing for what one believes is right. I hope you, too, can find a blessing in this text.

Oh, and in case you are wondering, the pugs did get a walk in the cooler night air when we were treated to an amazing dance by the fireflies.

Celebrating Love

What a momentous week! I think we are living in exciting times. This week saw more cracks in the foundation of racism as more and more people stood in solidarity with their Black brothers and sisters.

Then when I opened my Facebook page on Friday it was awash with a sea of colour. On June 26^th the Supreme Court decided that Gay Marriage was legal in all states. I, along with many others, put a rainbow filter over my Facebook profile photograph to show my solidarity with the decision. The whole weekend has been a time of rejoicing amongst many American people. The slogan “Love Wins” is appearing everywhere. It is a time for celebrating love.

In this week’s lectionary psalm (30), the psalmist says, “Weeping may linger for the night, but joy comes with the morning” and “You have turned my mourning into dancing.”

When I read that, it summed up the feeling of many of the comments I had seen. It is the morning . . . people are rejoicing! From commercial advertisements to government buildings the colours of the rainbow are displayed as joy and approval of the Supreme Court decision is lauded. These photographs certainly add to the celebratory atmosphere.

Friday was the day when we no longer have to talk about “gay marriage”. That phrase can be gone forever. It can be expunged from our collective vocabulary. Now, there is only marriage, a celebration of love and commitment between two people.

I have been a little saddened, or maybe, I should say a lot saddened, to read a few posts from people who are against the Supreme Court decision. Often these have been from people purported to be Christians, yet so full of hatred, condemnation and punishment.

The same thing happened in 1967 when the Supreme Court pulled down the anti- miscegenation laws. Prior to that mixed race marriages were not allowed.

“Almighty God created the races white, black, yellow, malay and red, and he placed them on separate continents. And but for the interference with his arrangement there would be no cause for such marriages. The fact that he separated the races show that he did not intend for the races to mix."

Judge Bazile 1963

(http://www.religioustolerance.org/hom_mar14.htm)

It was another momentous day when on June 12, 1967 the Supreme Court legalized interracial marriage in the USA.

“There can be no doubt that restricting the freedom to marry solely because of racial classifications violates the central meaning of the Equal Protection Clause."

Text from the U.S. Supreme Court

(http://www.religioustolerance.org/hom_mar14.htm)

Many people rejoiced and celebrated that love indeed did win. An interview which ABC did with the couple who sparked the Supreme Court case can be viewed at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FaHhZ4IbVYY

Again sadly, some did not rejoice

“One letter I received from a white Christian man went like this:

 ‘As individuals, they are precious souls for whom Christ died and whom we are to love and seek to win. As a race, however, they are unique and different and have their own culture. . . . I would never marry a black. Why? Because I believe God made the races, separated them and set the bounds of their habitation, Deuteronomy 32:8; Acts 17:26. He made them uniquely different and intended that these distinctions remain. God never intended the human race to become a mixed or mongrel race.’”

(http://www.desiringgod.org/sermons/racial-harmony-and-interracial-marriage)

That Supreme Court decision was 48 years ago. I doubt that many people would have the same strong feelings in 2015. My hope and expectation is that in a few years time Friday’s decision will be viewed the same way. It will be an important piece of history. Yet, people will look back and wonder why it was such a big deal. Why could people not marry whosoever they wanted to?

However, for today I am glad that I can rejoice and celebrate another victory towards equality for all.

Of course, all this is about love and modern marriage. Actually, none of it reflects a marriage from Biblical times. The phrase Biblical marriage has been used. But what does that mean? In the times when the Bible was written all the marriages were arranged. They were legal transactions where money and property exchanged hands. Unfaithfulness was punishable by death (Deut. 22:23-24). I think we can say that none of us in the West have Biblical marriages!

And the concept of marriage did not change quickly. In the ensuing years “through most of Western civilization, marriage has been more a matter of money, power and survival than of delicate sentiments.” Read the article (cited below) it gives a good insight (although brief and superficial) to changing ideas on marriage. It was only in the twentieth century that “we worship the couple. Intimacy shrinks to encompass just two, and love becomes the only reason for marriage.”

(https://www.psychologytoday.com/articles/200505/marriage-history)

Sometimes I am amazed by how relevant the lectionary readings are in spite of how old they are. This week the Old Testament reading was about David and Jonathan.  My blog is usually about the gospel reading.  However, today, how could I ignore a passage that talks about the love between two men. The text is 2 Samuel: 1-27. David has just been brought the news that Jonathan is dead. He laments, “Greatly beloved were you to me; your love to me was wonderful passing the love of women.”

The Old Testament tells us that the soul of David was bound to the soul of Jonathan (1 Samuel 18:1). Elsewhere the scripture says that they loved each other as they loved themselves. Jonathan gave David gifts of his clothing and his armour. Another verse tells us that Jonathan took great delight in David.

“Now, imagine if this story had been about Jonathan and a woman. Suppose the author had written that “Jonathan’s soul was bound to Mirriam, and Jonathan loved her as his own soul.” And suppose that upon meeting Mirriam for the first time, Jonathan immediately gave her all his most precious possessions . . .If 1 Samuel 18:1-4 were about Jonathan’s first encounter with a woman, theologians everywhere would be writing about this as one of the greatest love stories of all time.” (The Children are Free: Reexamining the Biblical Evidence on Same Sex Relationships, Jeff Miner and John Tyler Connoley)

I’m not doing an in depth study on David and Jonathan and their relationship. Others have done a great job of doing that.  Today, it suffices to repeat that David declared that Jonathan’s love for him was “wonderful passing the love of women.”

I am glad the lectionary highlighted this relationship today. It is apt to remember this story in this time of rejoicing. Today, I join with those all around America who are celebrating love.

Celtic Rhythm for Life.

What a wonderful weekend we have had. Twenty five of us gathered together at a retreat centre on beautiful Owasco Lake. It was quite eventful! We arrived in the aftermath of a storm which had brought down power lines. Hence there was no electricity. For our Friday evening session we sat in darkness, except for the odd beams of light from mobile phones (oh, the wonders of technology). Power finally came back on in the early hours of Saturday morning startling us from sleep as our bedrooms sprung into brightness.

Our theme for the weekend was a “Celtic Rhythm for Life.” We talked about developing a life practice that allows us to live a balanced life full of appreciation for all we see and hear. Nature has its own rhythm. I awaken to birdsong every morning. Last thing at night I watch the bats darting in and out of our trees.

In the introduction to the weekend +Andy said, “Life is shaped by the sun and moon and stars, in daily and monthly rhythms, and by the yearly cycles of nature in its seasons and changes.”

Today the gospel reading reflects part of this rhythm seen in nature. The text is two of a series of parables in the gospel of Mark (4: 26-34) which talk about what the Realm of God is like.

The first parable reads that the Realm of God is as if  “someone has scattered seed on the ground and would sleep and rise, night and day.”

Can you hear the rhythm? “Sleep and rise, night and day.” “Sleep and rise, night and day.” It is the basic rhythm of all of our lives, sleeping and getting up. It is the basic rhythm of nature, night and day. It is within this rhythm that grow takes place.

The second parable in today’s reading is that of the mustard seed which grows into a tree. Again we can see the same rhythm. The seed is sown and with the passing of time and seasons it grows into a tree.

When we went camping in France one of the wonderful sights to behold was the mustard fields. You can see miles and miles of fields of bright yellow mustard flowers stretching as far as the eye can see. Truly magnificent! However, I don’t think that is the mustard seed mentioned in the text. I think this parable is referring to the mustard tree (Salvadora persica.) This tree originated in Persia which now is Iran. It grows commonly in the Middle East and Africa. It is not technically a tree but an evergreen bush, a shrub which grows to twenty feet high. It has yellow-green flowers. The edible fruit is purple with pink or purple seeds

I have blogged in the past about the mustard tree so don’t intend to repeat the details but this tree is known for many properties. It is used for food, for healing, for cleansing, for shelter and for protection. In both the parables, the stories tell of something that grows from a seed. It is not a fast growth. It is a growth that happens in the rhythm of day and night, sun and rain, winter and summer.

That is how we envision the community.  It grows in the rhythm of life. Many years ago the seeds were planted. We were content, and still are content, to just keep to the rhythm and let the community grow slowly. It is enough just to be. We have always likened the way we grow to the old monastic tradition. We would just be around, a presence largely hidden and if someone discovers the community, likes what they see and hear and want to join, they come and, metaphorically, knock at the door.  And keep knocking, and then keep hanging round, maybe after a few months or a year they would decide to join us. We were delighted to welcome Tony and Thomas as novices in the community this year.

Yet, growth isn’t just about growth of the community. It is about our personal growth (and not just growth from eating the abundance of food Casowasco have provided us with!). Growth and maturity are important. How do we grow? How do we mature? It is by developing our own life practice, by finding, and keeping to our rhythm. We have talked a lot this weekend about finding or recognizing rhythm. We became more aware of the rhythms in all the busyness of own daily lives. We have practiced the rhythm of meditation and silence. We have talked about the rhythm of the church’s calendar. We have experienced the rhythm of the daily office, interspersing our day with times of prayer and reflection. We have opened our eyes to see the rhythm reflected in the natural world with the seasons, spring, summer, autumn and winter. We recognized the importance of the rhythm of rest and re-creation.

It is in the finding and keeping to the rhythm of our own life practice that we experience growth. In the parables, ultimately, the result of growth is harvest or fruit. The harvest provides food. It is the harvest that gives us strength and nourishment and it is the harvest that is shared to feed others.

It always happens when we get together, various people share about their lives, and I am amazed how many are in ministries that care for those who are hurting and in need of healing and protection. The sharing of lives in this way is the result of the rhythm of the life practice, it is the abundance of the harvest.

However, harvest is not an end in itself.  It is not a linear process with a start and a finish. It is the cyclical nature of the rhythm of our lives that is important. Remember, the harvest also produces the seed and the circle continues and repeats. It is the rhythm of our lives.

Two blokes and a bird!

Today is Trinity Sunday. It is a day when traditionally the triune nature of God is considered and celebrated. In the Christian tradition the Trinity is a mystery. There is no adequate explanation although many attempts to understand it have been made. They may be helpful, but Trinity still remains a mystery. I am content to let it be so.

All language about God is metaphor. Human language is inadequate to explain fully the mystery of God. By using metaphor we are saying, “God is a bit like this”. God will always remain more than we can ever think or say.

Traditional language has expressed the Trinity as Father, Son and Holy Spirit. Years ago, we realised that the patriarchal nature of this was unsatisfactory. Even when one considers the Spirit as feminine, it still leaves an unbalanced Godhead with a male majority. In the catholic tradition the high profile given to Mary, although not as part of the Trinity, does at least bring more feminine balance when considering the mystery of God.

Augustine suggested Lover, Beloved and the Love that is between them as a picture of the Trinity. Although another good attempt at a metaphor to help bring understanding to the Trinity it too has patriarchal overtones. One being a giver (a provider) while the other is the recipient. 

St Patrick used the three-leafed clover or shamrock as a metaphor to try and explain the Trinity. There is a great clip as the “Irish Twins” together with St. Patrick attempt to explain the mystery of the Trinity. Well worth a watch.

In the prayer book of our community, Way of Living, the language used is Father/Mother, Child and Holy Spirit. This too is inadequate. It was a best attempt to try and reflect a more egalitarian view of the trinity. We considered using parent, but decided that Father/Mother was more intimate, more reflecting of relationship.

In these times, family structures and roles are changing. Traditionally Fathers were seen as more distant, providing for the family and protecting the family while mothers were seen as the heart of family, nurturing and caring for the family. That no longer holds true. I know many women who provide for their family and many men who are nurturing and caring. If using a double epitaph, maybe for some families it would be mother/mother or father/father. Worth pondering how the changing nature of family informs our view of Trinity

Sometimes we are so ingrained with the Father/Son/Spirit language that we forget it is metaphor. We forget that the writers of the New Testament were trying to find culturally relevant ways of expressing relationship with God. Many years ago I read a challenge which I want to issue today. I can’t give credit to the author as I can’t remember the source. (I suspect it was somewhere in FIorenza’s writings). It was to call exclusively God “Mother” for at least a three month period. The rationale being that only when one is as comfortable with calling God, Mother as one is with using Father can the fullness of God start to be perceived.

Today’s gospel passage is John, chapter 3. It is a passage that is associated with the Trinity. (Perhaps worth mentioning here that the word Trinity is never used in the New Testament, it is a later theological term which originated mainly in defense of heresies).  John 3 talks about new birth. Giving birth is feminine imagery. So right here, in this text, which mentions all parts of the Godhead is a predominantly Feminine image.

In the story, Nicodemus came to visit Jesus in the night. Nicodemus said that he recognised that Jesus was from God. Jesus told him that he knew this glimpse of the realm of God was only possible because he was “born from above”. There follows a discourse on the dynamics of new birth.

Reading this passage anew I wondered if we have got it all wrong about being “born again”. It has often been talked about as an experience not to be repeated, a one-time event, a start of a religious journey, an entrance into a life which may exclude others who haven’t been “born again”.

As I read the passage I realized that Nicodemus was born again as he recognised something was from God. It wasn’t something he actively sought. He came to Jesus because of what he had seen not because he wanted to receive something. He was drawn through inner revelation.  Maybe, as we journey through life, every time we see something of God reflected we experience this divine feminine process of being born anew. What a wonderful thought. A spark of the divine in every human being which reacts to people, sights and experiences resulting in us being born anew.

This morning, our garden is clothed in mist. The trees are in bloom. The birds are chirping. Everything looks bright and clean. God is reflected there. Perhaps as I marvel at it something in me is born again.

Being born anew is part the mystery of the trinity . . . I am content to let it remain so.

Moments of Joy

This week, in the set of the lectionary readings, one phrase stood out to me.

 “So that they may have my joy made complete in themselves” (John 17:13)

I spent a few hours mulling it over, particularly the word “joy”. I got four definitions from various dictionaries.

1.  Joy – a feeling of great pleasure

2.  Joy – a feeling of great happiness

3. Joy – an emotion in response to a pleasant observation or remembrance thereof.

4. Joy – the emotion of great delight or happiness caused by something exceptionally good or satisfying: Keen pleasure: Elation.

I even checked up the Greek to see if there was any alternate translation for the word Charan. There isn’t really. Charan is a feminine noun which is consistently translated “Joy.” Strong’s concordance reliably tells me that there are 59 occurrences in the New Testament.

So how do we deal with the concept of “joy”.  The prayer of Jesus was that we would have joy complete in us. Joy is a feeling and an emotion. We clearly do not have it all the time. This is even recognized in other parts of the scriptures.  Romans 12:15 instructs the readers to rejoice with those who rejoice and to mourn with those who mourn.

This week has not been joy filled. Our school community has been devastated by some awful events. It has been a week of mourning with those who mourn. Perhaps, comforting to know that on occasion even Jesus wept.

 Jesus prayed this prayer just before his final journey to the cross. Later Jesus reportedly said, “let this cup pass from me.” (Luke 22; Matthew 26)

That doesn’t sound very joyful at all. If we wanted to, we could talk maybe about obedience or even about submission. But we would be hard pressed to say it was a joyful experience.

Before I go to sleep I often read a novel, – a little lightness at the end of very busy days – it takes a while as I usually read one page and zonk out! Last night I read the following passage.  It made me think as I was still pondering joy.  The character in the book was enjoying the scenery at the seaside after her swim. The author describes her mind as “empty of everything save the physical perfection of now.”

The character went on to say, that she had decided  “one of the good things about being 58 was the fact that one took time to appreciate the really marvellous moments that still came one’s way. They weren’t happiness exactly. Years ago happiness had ceased to pounce unawares with the reasonless ecstasy of youth. This was something better” (Rosamunde Pilcher, Voices in Summer)

I pondered, perhaps that is complete joy. An ability to appreciate and take delight in what is around us. Not big exciting events but everyday small scenes and happenings. Maybe it can be found in bird song, a pretty scene, a fragrant flower, a kind word, a generous act or a smile.

So I don’t think “joy completed in us” is that we are always to have joyful, elated or happy feelings as the various definitions explain it to us. To experience the emotion of joy continually, would make us far from human. Maybe it would be impossible to recognize and name joy without the conflicting emotions of sadness and fear. Perhaps when Jesus prayed this it was as a blessing. It was a prayer wanting the very best for his friends.

Maybe, for us, joy is complete in us when we have the ability to recognize the moments of joy in small everyday things in the midst of the busyness, sadness and fears that make us human

"The First Baptized Gay Christian"

One of the stories in the lectionary readings today is the tale of Philip and the Ethiopian eunuch. As I read the passage it gripped me. Not so much the story and the detail but the opening sentence, actually in the reading not even a full sentence but a phrase. I just kept mulling it over and over.

“the road that goes from Jerusalem to Gaza (this is a wilderness road).”

It was on this road, a road linking Jerusalem and Gaza that Philip, a Jew, met a eunuch from Africa. Wow, myriads of thoughts went through my mind. I went to sleep thinking about this phrase and woke up thinking of this phrase.

There is so much contained therein. My thoughts were of unrest, fighting, killing, race, religion and sexuality.  The events in Middle East and Baltimore with the accounts and photos coming from those areas also figured. I will leave you to pause and consider all these different strands as there are too many events and they are too overwhelming to be considered in this one short blog.

In the last blog I wrote I talked of how patriarchy is alive and well. Today, I want to expand that thought. I actually prefer the term coined by Elisabeth Schussler Fiorenza in 1992 (But She Said: Feminist Practices of Biblical Interpretation), Kyriarchy.  Patriarchy is just a small part of Kyriarchy.  This word is derived from the Greek , kyrios (Lord) and archo (rule). Fiorenza used it to describe any system of domination and submission. It encompasses racism, sexism, homophobia, economic injustice and any other oppressive system.

It was to kyriarchy my mind went as I read the phrase in today’s reading. There are underlying references to race, sexuality, religion and economic systems. Today, I just want to consider one strand.

The story of the eunuch is an interesting one.  He was from the court of Queen Candace in Ethiopia. We are told he was returning home from Jerusalem where he had been to worship, but we are not told which of the many religions he was part of. Obviously, he had some interest in Judaism, as he was reading but not understanding the Jewish scriptures. The story continues that the “Holy Spirit sent Philip to join him”. I think that is also important to remember. This was a God-ordained meeting.

 Eunuchs were considered outcasts in the law (Deut. 23:1).  Although, it should be noted that attempts at integration, with conditions, were mentioned in the book of Isaiah (56).  The eunuch was reading the book of Isaiah. Sadly, like many other marginalized characters in the bible the eunuch remains unnamed. But, I think, here, in this story, is the seed of something happening which will take centuries to come to fruition. Jack Rogers says,

“Over the years, “ Black theology” has brought profound new insights about race to our understanding of the biblical texts. “Feminist theology” opened our eyes to the prominent role of women in the Bible. “Liberation theology” focused our attention and on the Bible’s liberating gospel for the poor and oppressed. Today, “Queer theology” is illuminating our understanding of the role of sexual minorities in the biblical text. In each case the theological insights of formally marginalize groups have enriched the whole church’s understanding of Scripture … Once we remove heterosexist assumptions from our reading of the biblical text a whole new world of depth and meaning emerges.” (Jesus, The Bible, and Homosexuality, 136)

The story of the eunuch continues with Philip explaining the scriptures, and the eunuch ultimately asking if anything “prevents” him being baptized. Philip saw nothing to prevent him, neither his race, nor his sexuality were a barrier.

John J. McNeill comments, “I like to think of this eunuch as the first baptized gay Christian” (Freedom, Glorious Freedom, 186)

Of course, this Bible story is not just about a person being converted to Christianity. It is about so much more. It is about God-ordained radical inclusiveness, where nothing prevents a person entering into God’s realm.

A final word from Jack Rogers,

The fact that the first Gentile convert to Christianity is from a sexual minority and a different race, ethnicity and nationality together form a clarion call for inclusiveness radical grace and Christian welcome to all. (Jesus, The Bible, and Homosexuality, 135.)

Patriarchy is Alive and Well!

Yesterday, I drove a young teenage boy to the YMCA. As we neared the building he turned to me and said,

“Jane, women can’t go in the army and I know why.”

I replied that actually women could go in the armed forces.

“No” he argued, “They can’t, it is because of gender, they are defective. You know, it is like they are disabled.”

I was flabbergasted!

I just had time to tell him that to say things like that was sexist and akin to racism and other prejudices before we reached our destination.

Yet I had to wonder where had he got those ideas. He has some learning difficulties and words like “gender” and “defective” would not be part of his normal vocabulary. He was obviously repeating something he had heard.

The whole exchange left me frustrated and saddened. Here we are in 2015 and patriarchy is still alive and well. And not just remnants in an older generation but a new generation who still believe that to be male, is to be superior and to be female is–well, as we just heard– defective.

Then I read the lectionary readings for today, Luke 24:13-49. The beginning of the text is the story of two disciples on the road to Emmaus. The story tells that Jesus joined them on the road, conversed with them and, ultimately, they invited Jesus into their home to spend the night.

A popular story, and one which shows how we have read the scriptures through patriarchal eyes. There are lots of major art works that illustrate this story. I looked at some of the pictures.

To name just a few . . .

Duccio (1308)

Caravaggio (1601)

Rembrandt (1648)

Zund (1887)

De Maistre (1958)

They are all very beautiful. One thing they have in common is they all depict the two disciples on the road as two males.

I have to question why it has been assumed, through the centuries, that these two disciples were men. Of course, the story tells us that one of them was a man. He was even named, Cleopas. Yet, the other remains unnamed. It is often the women in the Bible who remain unnamed and invisible.

A little bit of study shows us that Cleopas had a wife, Mary (John 19:25). Note that Clopas and Cleopas are variations of the same name. The early church father, Eusebius, believed that Cleopas/Clopas was the brother of Joseph, the legal parent of Jesus.

So, we are told that Cleopas’ wife, Mary was in Jerusalem. She was named in the gospel of John as one of the women who remained at the foot of the cross. Therefore, it would seem easier to assume that the couple of disciples walking towards Emmaus were Cleopas and Mary, rather than two men. One of whom had left his wife behind in Jerusalem! Therefore, it was a married couple who urged Jesus to spend the night at their home.

This story is well worth thinking about in the light of patriarchy. It can serve as a model of how we approach the scriptures. There is a need to recognize that the patriarchy of that time is reflected in the Bible. A patriarchy which has often been picked up whenever the scripture is read. Hence two disciples = two men. If we approach the readings with that in mind there are lots of hidden gems showing the presence and participation of the women of the time.

Lindisfarne is an inclusive community. Being aware of patriarchy in our lives, workplace and ministry is a small part of that inclusivism. How we approach and read the scriptures is a key component. It is important that we acknowledge the place of women in our spiritual tradition. As Anne Thurston said, twenty years ago,

“I have struggled with the attempt to integrate the insights from feminism with the Christian tradition. This struggle continues but with greater assurance that integration is not only possible but necessary for the transformation of the whole church. I believe, however inadequately it has been realised, that Jesus established a radically inclusive community . . . It is not simply a matter of including the voices of women but of creating inclusive community symbolised by an inclusive ministry. The centre is transformed as the context of women’s lives becomes part of the text of revelation.” (Anne Thurston, Because of her Testimony, p.4-5)

Of course, I may have it all wrong. Maybe it simply was a same-sex couple on the road to Emmaus who invited Jesus to stay at their home!

Terror and Amazement

Easter Sunday Broadkill Beach DE

Christ is Risen

Christ is Risen Indeed.

I hope you all have a wonderful Easter. I am sitting writing this early on Easter Sunday morning overlooking the ocean at Prime Hook Bay, Delaware. The sun has just risen casting a wonderful reflection over the water. It is all very peaceful.

Yet, that first Easter morning would have been anything but peaceful. After the events of the previous few days, lives would have been disturbed and a feeling that of turmoil would have persisted.

When Andy and I read the lectionary passages for Maundy Thursday and Good Friday a couple of days ago we, too, were disturbed. It didn’t feel right to read about a God who was going to destroy a whole people group, a whole nation (Egypt). It caused a lot of heart searching. We still have no answers. But today, we are not thinking of death but of life.

The lectionary offers us two alternate gospel readings, John 20: 1-18 and Mark 16: 1-8. They are two different accounts of the same event. Yet, there are similarities. A wonderful example of what James Dunn calls in his book of the same name, “Unity and Diversity in the New Testament”

 In the Gospel of Mark three of the women went to the tomb to anoint Jesus. In the tomb they found a young man who told them Jesus had risen. He instructed them to go and tell the other disciples. In the Gospel of John, Mary Magdalene came alone to the tomb. After she found the stone moved, she went and found two of the other disciples. They saw the empty tomb but returned home while Mary remained to grieve. Ultimately she had a conversation with an unrecognized man, who was revealed as Jesus, and she returned to tell the disciples that Christ was risen.

As always with the Easter stories I love talk about the verses which show the women in such prominent positions. The women (three in Mark and one in John) were the apostles to the disciples. They were the first sent ones to bring news of the resurrection to the others. The dialogue between the risen Christ and Mary contains a real message of inclusion. Women were equally valued, they can be witnesses, they can be trusted.

Yet, the words that drew me today were those in the last verse of the Gospel of Mark. The women fled from the tomb, “terror and amazement seized them”, they were afraid. This seemed such an honest reaction.

 I’m sure my reaction would have been the same, if I had discovered an empty grave of someone I loved, especially if that loved one was a persecuted minority. There would be a first reaction of terror and amazement.

Actually, as I thought more about the two words, terror and amazement, I realized that the two go together quite often. These emotions can be present in any event. Think of the arrival of a baby (either by birth or adoption). There is amazement at the gift of the little person, yet fear about whether one is adequately able to parent the baby in a good and healthy way she deserves. Or think of any new responsibility, perhaps a new job, marriage or other significant event, again the mixed emotions of terror and amazement are often felt.

I try to imagine the thoughts of Mary, Salome and Mary. Their terror; has the body been stolen? What will this mean for us? Have we really got to go and tell the others what that man said? Will they think we are crazy?

But also their amazement would reflect their great hope. Could it be true? Could we have seen an angel? Could we be the ones who are going to tell this great news? Will we be able to convince the others?

Perhaps, that is the message of Easter for us today. Great hope!

I always love that nature reflects this for us in the Northern hemisphere.  The flowers starting to bloom (or push through the snow if you live in upstate New York), the trees are budding and the birds are singing and nesting. The atmosphere is pulsating with new life. They bring us great hope of the future things to come.

Of course, if, like my cousins, we lived in the Southern hemisphere we would now be preparing for winter so nature would be reflecting things preparing for hidden life as energy is stored.

But wherever you live, enjoy your Easter day.  May it be bursting with life and with great hope for that which is to come.

In the name of religion?

The cyclical approach to the lectionary certainly marks the passing of time. I blogged on this passage three years ago, and I remember it as if it was yesterday. At that time, I used the passage to talk about biblical interpretation and offered three possible interpretations to be pondered.

Today, as I read the gospel passage the thought that I paused with is, how much wrong is done in in the name of religion. It was a serious problem in Jesus’ time. It is a serious problem today.

I also paused and pondered the Old Testament passage in Exodus. My mind forged a link. The passage is giving some guidelines to live by, the rules which are often called the Ten Commandments. Today, as I am thinking about injustice, the reading of them is problematic because they are not given to a whole community of people, a whole nation. They are given to the privileged few.

Women weren’t included, there is no instruction for them. Slaves, male and female, weren’t included. The rules are only given to the free men. Sadly, it reflects a society which one could use the term “kyriarchy” to describe. Kyriarchy is a word coined by Elisabeth Schussler Fiorenza which is a joining of two Greek words kryrios (lords or masters) and archo (to lead, govern or rule).

Perhaps, at the best, one could use a redemptive-movement hermeneutic to interpret them.  William Webb first introduced the redemptive-movement hermeneutic, it says that there is always movement until (if ever) one reaches an ultimate ethical position. So to apply this hermeneutic in this passage one would have to see the Ten Commandments as an attempt to redeem and better the practices of the group to whom they were addressed. So this passage is not seen as something static but something that is a start towards a better society. This journey is continued when Jesus reaffirms that these rules are superseded by the commandment to love one’s neighbour (Matt 22, Mark 12,).

In the gospel passage (John 2) Jesus faces a situation where it seems great injustice is being done. He walks into the temple and sees the people selling animals for sacrifice. This was a necessary service to enable those who had come a distance to purchase an animal. But, apparently, the practice had become corrupt. In the synoptic gospels Jesus is documented as calling the place a “den of thieves”. People were being swindled in the changing of their money.  The “money changers” were getting rich. In modern terms, they had no competition and they were charging what the market would bear. We see this all the time. I recently looked at airfares for Easter to possibly go and visit our son. It was ridiculous $1,300 each. A ticket which at some other times of the year would be available for about $400. Big business!

Jesus was angry. Religion was being used to exploit people. This brings me back to my original thought about how much wrong is done in the name of religion and what should our reaction be.

I can think of many things that are (or have been) justified because of a misuse of the Bible and religion – sexism, racism, slavery, patriarchy, homophobia, ownership of women, beating children, etc, etc, etc.

Our reaction to these things may well mirror that of Jesus. We may be angry. Yet, I am not recommending “making a whip of cords” to drive these things out of our society. There are many better ways to bring about change than violence. However, we do need to be aware of these things being done in the name of religion and refuse to be part of it in our own lives.

That is what I like about the redemptive-movement hermeneutic, it doesn’t stop when the Bible ends. The movement continues. Perhaps we could say the rules given in Exodus were a start to move society towards a better way of being. Jesus showed he was intolerant of the abuses of people and animals. But there is still a lot of movement to happen before an ultimate ethical position is reached. Perhaps, we should strive to be part of that movement, we can be committed to helping move society towards the goal of “loving one’s neighbour” in our own small sphere.

Into the Wilderness?

Today is the first Sunday of Lent. The lectionary reading is the account of Jesus meeting with John the baptizer. Afterwards, we are told, “the spirit drove him out into the wilderness”.

It has become common parlance for people to talk about “the wilderness experience”.  Yet I wonder what does that really mean? It has become another catch phrase . . . a sort of Christian-speak for any perceived bad time.

At this point I have to admit that I dislike “Christian-speak”. In certain circles it can become like a secret language, like a sign that a person is in the “Christian” club. Even then, there are many shades to the “club” that can be recognized through a particular phrase or turn of speech. Always there are insiders and outsiders. That is such a horrible concept, yet it is so easy to fall into. It is always something to watch oneself for, to guard against.

This week I was on vacation from school. Yet, it has not been a fun vacation time to do nice holiday-type things and relax. I have had to work every day in a fairly disciplined fashion at writing. This week has been all about hermeneutics (the art of interpretation). I have been consumed by thinking about and writing about how the Bible is (has been) understood and how that effects contemporary practice, not in a general sense, but in my tiny area of study, corporal punishment of children. One of the things it has been quite exciting to discover is how practices claimed as Biblical simply are not. Depending on one’s viewpoint they may be good or bad practices but they simply can’t be claimed as Biblical and, therefore, guiding one’s life.

I wondered if that is what we have in this phrase “the wilderness experience” which is derived mainly from Jesus’ experience in the desert for 40 days (although a glance is sometimes cast at the Israelites wandering in the desert for 40 years). In fact, one has to wonder if the authors of the synoptic gospels used 40 days to mimic the 40 years . . . but that’s not a thought I want to pursue today.

There are a multitude of books written about the wilderness experience. Many claim it is a Biblical experience, thus having an authority in their lives. Yet, I wonder if this is really Biblical or does it owe more to popular thinking.

The “desert experience” is generally deemed to be a time when one withdraws to a place to be alone. It is a time to seek God and a spiritual experience. There is absolutely nothing wrong with taking time alone. Many people (and not just those who identify as Christian) recognize the necessity of time alone to recharge one’s batteries. It often is a very spiritual experience however one understands that term.

I randomly looked at a few articles on “The Desert Experience”. I quote from three which offer very different perspectives on how they interpret the concept.

The first article I read said that the desert was “a place inhabited by monsters and demonic forces; a scary place; a place of chaos . . .”,  (Dr. D. W. Ekstrand)

The second said, “You may be just surviving from day to day financially or materially. You may be waiting for your healing to manifest. It is all totally unpleasant for your flesh. Instead of prosperity there will be trials and pressure. Your peace will be assaulted by all kinds of negative emotions and thoughts, which you will need to resist” (Michael Fackerell)

The third described the experience as “[People] feel alone, spiritually isolated, and they don’t have too many Christian friends that they are experiencing a rich and full fellowship in Christ with.” (Frank Viola)

I don’t want to say any of the people writing these quotes are wrong or what they say is necessarily bad. Some people will disagree with them whilst others will agree. I merely want to point out that there is nothing to say that these experiences are Biblical!

Personally, I don’t think that being ill, or being financially challenged or being lonely or facing a crisis can be attributed to the passage today. They are indeed situations which many of us will have experienced. However, if we equate such things to this so-called “desert experience” then we would have to say that all the poor, all the chronically sick people, all the people who have been lonely for years are spending their whole lives the desert.  People experiencing this sort of hardship may feel they are struggling constantly, but it cannot necessarily be claimed as a Biblical, God-ordained spiritual experience.

So back to the text . . . what we have is Jesus on the brink of a change of career. He is about to start of ministry and feels compelled to take some time to prepare.  It was a few days of time to be alone. It is so often the negative aspects of this passage and this season that are focused on. Yet, the texts in the various gospels tell us that Jesus was tended by angels, and by non-human friends. In the past, I have talked about the possibility that when the gospel tell us that John the Baptizer came from the wilderness he had been being educated by the Essene community there. Maybe an Essene community looked after Jesus when he was in the wilderness. But that, too, is supposition. Regardless, when we read about Jesus in the wilderness the richness of the experience often passes us by.

Last week at the support group for foster and adoptive parents in our county we talked about the necessity of taking time alone for ourselves. The task is a hard one, the children have suffered the trauma of being removed from home to say nothing of the possible traumas caused by the reasons they had to leave their homes. To do the task well, it is necessary to take time to prepare oneself.

Jesus time in the desert was just that, he was cared for and tended to as he prepared for the next phase of his life. I think it would be good to remain with that thought and ponder all the positives of time alone being ministered to by others this week.

Dr. D. W. Eckstrand, “The Wilderness Experience”.

MichaelFackerell, “The Wilderness Experience”

Frank Viola, “Are You in the Wilderness?”