To the Faithful Few...

I've finally done it: I'm moving. I like the options and ease of formatting of Wordpress, so this blog will exist there from now on. This will stay here for those of who you don't check the other one, or for those who just generally don't like switching bookmarks. So, to all you who actually visit, thank you, and hopefully you'll keep reading. http://mauveavenger21.wordpress.com

Vacation, Part 2: Bunk Houses and Boston

Another great couple days of Shank Family Vacation '08 (SFV08, henceforth). Rainy and cloudy, but great. We started out driving up to Booth Bay Harbor, a quaint little town up the coast a ways from Portland. There were a few shops and stores, but the real appeal was the delicious lobster we had for lunch. With good sweet corn and melted butter. MMMmmmmm. Heavenly. We drove back down to Portland and caught a ferry across the harbor to Peaks Island (pretty much the only way to get there). Another very cool experience, especially in the foggy/misty weather.

Peaks Island had some artillery guns posted on it during World War II, probably something during World War I, and definitely a regiment station for the Civil War. The headquarters for the 8th of Maine is where we stayed last night. The host was a trip. A piece of American history himself, he told us all about the history of the island, why prostitutes are commonly referred to as 'hookers,' and plenty of other random things. He used to train horses and was a professor at Penn State for a while. Probably 16 or 23 other things in his life, too. Anyhow, we ate dinner on the island and found out that the population of the island drops from 4,000 during the summer to 800 in the winter. I guess it gets cold or something.

After spending the night and catching a quick breakfast, we caught the ferry back to Portland. We hung out in the port area of Portland, checking out the shops and various local attractions. It was pretty cool, but some of the shops I wanted to go to were closed until later in the day, and we had things to do. Namely, getting to Boston.

We got here around 1:30, set up camp at our B&B, and headed into downtown. We ate a late lunch at some Italian place, walked around a bunch, rode some elevators up very tall buildings, saw some sights, and eventually ended up in Chinatown. After dinner, mom and dad did their own thing and the boys took the T (Boston's subway) out to Harvard. We walked around the campus, did some more aping of public statues and memorials (something we're making a habit of this time), drank some coffee, and listened to a guy play guitar and harmonica in the street. He was pretty darn good.

Tomorrow we're doing touristy stuff, but as always, trying not to look touristy. Dad and I are going to hit the Sam Adams Brewery, Mom is going to try and find an art museum or something, and I don't know what Daniel and Jared will do. Clam chowder is on the docket, as well as the Freedom Trail. Hopefully tomorrow will be a little sunnier, but it doesn't look good. I do know that tomorrow night we're going to try and see the Blue Man Group. OAR is playing, but the concert is about 40 minutes out of town and we don't have the transportation. Oh well. I guess we'll just have to settle for Blue Man. I love vacation.

Vacation, Part 1: Barber Shops and Christian Science

Yay for family vacation! Seriously, I love our vacations. Two years ago we went whitewater rafting on the Chatooga River with a little backpacking, last year we did a little more backpacking and spent a few days up at a very nice cabin in the mountains near Boone, and this year, it's even better. Let me give you a little jealousy-inspiring taste of our day.

We got up at the awful hour of 5 this morning (don't be jealous yet) and drove to the airport in Raleigh. From there, we flew to La Guardia, and after a very short layover, on up to Manchester, New Hampshire. The second flight was on this tiny little dual-propeller plane. It was awesome. A little nerve-wracking, considering that the blades were going at 2500 rpm (rough guess) and were about 3 feet from the side of the airplane, but cool nonetheless.

After renting a car, we moseyed on over to Portsmouth, New Hampshire, one of the coolest places I have ever been. I'm not even kidding. Coffee shops, breweries, used book stores, public art, and all right on the coast. And the weather! After two months of air conditionless South Carolina sticky heat, the cool ocean breeze of New England was a thing out of a dream. We had lunch at The Portsmouth Brewery, and it was delicious. I had a pulled pork sandwich (very tender, and very good) and a Black Cat Stout that complemented the sandwich marvelously.

After hanging out in downtown for about an hour, we drove on up the coast, passing through small towns, stopping to take a picture or two of the Bush's coastal estate (not the picture featured to the left), and finally ending up at The Morrill Mansion. Me and the brothers are in the Morrill Suite. Oh yes. Be jealous.

After getting settled here, me and the brothers went for a walk down Congress St. Nothing spectacular (lots of things were closed by the time we got there), but we're looking forward to hanging out closer to the port tomorrow. The city seems like Maine's Asheville. There's even a local brewery that we might get to take a tour of.... We got to our restaurant (I can't remember the name) and had trouble deciding what to order since everything sounded wonderful. And we were not disappointed. My cod/sausage/potatoes/clams/peppers were delightful, and everything else I sampled was just as good. Oh, and the Nut Brown Ale I had with the meal was another terrific match.

We got out of there about an hour ago, then pretty much came back here. With such an early start to our day, we're all pretty beat. Daniel is taking a bath using the complimentary herbal bath salts (what a girl), and Jared is watching Liar Liar. Needless to say, we're all having a wonderful time on our first day of vacation, and are looking forward to a fantastic week. Tomorrow we'll hit the coast a little more, and tomorrow night take a ferry out to one of the nearby islands to camp for a night. Thankfully, I brought my pipe.

Sunday Hymn - When I Survey the Wondrous Cross

Well, camp is over, working for Dad is over, and family vacation is about to begin. The book I'm taking along to read on the plane, in the car, and through whatever other means of transportation we may employ, is John Stott's The Cross of Christ. With that in mind, I thought it fitting that this Sunday's hymn be one that focuses on the cross.

When I survey the wondrous cross
On which the Prince of glory died,
My richest gain I count but loss,
And pour contempt on all my pride.

Forbid it, Lord, that I should boast,
Save in the death of Christ my God;
All the vain things that charm me most,
I sacrifice them to His blood.

See from His head, His hands, His feet,
Sorrow and love flow mingled down;
Did e'er such love and sorrow meet,
Or thorns compose so rich a crown?

Were the whole realm of nature mine,
That were a present far too small:
Love so amazing, so divine,
Demands my soul, my life, my all.

Sunday Hymn - Rock of Ages

This was sung in church this morning, and it was a great pre-year preparation for me as I go back to the 'real' world.

Rock of Ages, cleft for me,
Let me hide myself in Thee;
Let the water and the blood,
From Thy riven side which flowed,
Be of sin the double cure;
Save from wrath and make me pure.

Not the labour of my hands
Can fulfill Thy law's demands;
Could my zeal no respite know,
Could my tears forever flow,
All for sin could not atone;
Thou must save, and Thou alone.

Nothing in my hand I bring,
Simply to the cross I cling;
Naked, come to Thee for dress;
Helpless, come to Thee for grace;
Foul, I to the fountain fly;
Wash me, Saviour, else I die.

While I draw this fleeting breath,
When my eyelids close in death,
When I soar to worlds unknown,
See Thee on Thy judgement throne,
Rock of Ages, cleft for me,
Let me hide myself in Thee.

Sunday Hymn - Praise to the Lord, the Almighty

This morning, I have the privilege of attending a Sunday morning worship service put on by Camp Hope's two-weekers. Two week is a session of camp for campers that thrive in the camp atmosphere, or those that have been coming forever, and they stay for (you guessed it) two weeks. The upshot of that is that they are all there Sunday morning, an occurrence that doesn't happen the rest of the summer. So, they do a church service.

I was going to do All Creatures of Our God and King this morning, as a reminder that no matter what your mental capacity, everyone is called to worship God: it's our purpose. And honestly, I know of no men of more tender heart than those Hope campers. Their capacity for love is deeply convicting. But, because that song was up here three weeks ago (give or take), here's a similar one.

Praise to the Lord,
The Almighty, the King of creation!
O my soul, praise Him,
For He is thy health and salvation!
All ye who hear,
Now to His temple draw near;
Praise Him in glad adoration.

Praise to the Lord,
Who over all things so wondrously reigneth,
Shelters thee under His wings,
Yea, so gently sustaineth!
Hast thou not see
How all your longings have been
Granted in what He ordaineth?

Praise to the Lord,
Who doth prosper thy work and defend thee;
Surely His goodness
And mercy here daily attend thee.
Ponder anew
What the Almighty can do,
If with His love He befriend thee.

Praise to the Lord,
O let all that is in me adore Him!
All that hath life and breath,
Come now with praises before Him.
Let the Amen
Sound from His people again,
Gladly for aye we adore Him.

Sunday Hymn - O Love That Will Not Let Me Go

This Saturday was the hardest Saturday of the summer for me. I had one kid this week (because of unknown issues, I can't post his name or picture) that was just... hard to let go. Because of his home situation, he has been in children's home after children's home for the past 5 years. Even though he sees his mother and brothers from time to time, because of the family history, he hasn't been able to live with them. Maybe it's for the better, maybe it's not, but the point is, he doesn't really have a home.

When he left today, we took a long walk from the play area to his car, and he just began to weep. "I don't want to go. I don't want to go." he repeated. He hugged each of us (his counselors) fiercely. I told him that "no matter what, that here he is loved and here he has a home." Weeping, he got into the car. And, weeping, we waved him off. I love every one of my campers, but when you get one who you know is going back into a poisonous situation, it makes the parting all the harder. But even though we can't keep them, I'm comforted knowing that there is a God who loves them, no matter what.

O Love that will not let me go,
I rest my weary soul in thee;
I give thee back the life I owe,
That in thine ocean depths its flow
May richer, fuller be.

O Light that followest all my way,
I yield my flickering torch to thee;
My heart restores its borrowed ray,
That in thy sunshine's blaze its day
May brighter, fairer be.

O Joy that seekest me through pain,
I cannot close my heart to thee;
I trace the rainbow through the rain,
And feel the promise is not vain,
That morn shall tearless be.

O Cross that liftest up my head,
I dare not ask to fly from thee;
I lay in dust life's glory dead,
And from the ground there blossoms red
Life that shall endless be.

Sunday Hymn - Laden With Guilt and Full of Fear

So, my computer almost got murdered this week. Thankfully, I'm pretty handy with a screwdriver and was able to disassemble, clean, and reassemble it. Definitely killed a TO, and my backspace and enter keys don't work, but it's better than having your laptop shuffle off this mortal court unceremoniously and without means to replace it. Anyway, the point is, it frustrated me more than I expected something like that would have. It reminded me just how hard of a time I have treasuring Christ above all things. This song came to mind, mainly because of the way it focuses on the treasure of Christ and His word, something I definitely need help with.

Laden with guilt and full of fears,
I fly to Thee, my Lord,
And not a glimpse of hope appears,
But in Thy written Word
Th volumes of my Father's grace
Does all my griefs assuage
Here I behold my Savior's face
In every page.

This is the field where, hidden, lies
The pearl of price unknown
That merchant is divinely wise
Who makes the pearl his own
Here consecrated water flows
To quench my thirst of sin
Here the fair tree of knowledge grows,
No danger dwells within.

This is the judge that ends the strife,
Where wit and reason fail
My guide to everlasting life
Through all this gloomy vale
Oh may Thy counsels, mighty God,
My roving feet command,
Nor I forsake the happy road
That leads to Thy right hand.

Happy Birthday, Jared! (Camp Style)

HA-ppy Birthday to you!
HA-ppy Birthday to you!
HA-ppy Birthday dear Jared!
HA-ppy Birthday to you!

Jared, it'll be awesome to have all the Shank boys together at camp.

Sunday Hymn - Isaiah 43

This song is up here for two reasons. One, this week was really, really difficult. There was one camper in particular that I really struggled to love. Also, because I felt like I had to keep such an eye on him, I couldn't love the other 7 campers like I really wanted to. But the other reason that this song is here this week is because the camper that made it all worth it (and that brought tears to my eyes with his fierce hug Friday night) is named Isaiah. Hopefully I'll have more of a chance to talk about him this next week, but we'll see. As for now, enjoy the hymn.

When you pass through the waters,
I will be with you,
And the waves will not
Overcome you.
Do not fear,
For I have redeemed you,
I have called you by name,
You are mine.

For I am the Lord your God
I am the Lord your God
I am the Holy One of Israel,
Your Saviour.
For I am the Lord your God
I am the Lord your God
I am the Holy One of Israel,
Your Saviour.
I am the Lord (Do not fear.)
I am the Lord (Do not fear.)
I am the Lord (Do not fear.)
I am the Lord (Do not fear.)

When you walk through the fire
You'll not be burned,
And the flames will not
Consume you.
Do not fear,
For I have redeemed you,
I have called you by name,
You are mine.

For I am the Lord your God
I am the Lord your God
I am the Holy One of Israel,
Your Saviour.
For I am the Lord your God
I am the Lord your God
I am the Holy One of Israel,
Your Saviour.
I am the Lord (Do not fear.)
I am the Lord (Do not fear.)
I am the Lord (Do not fear.)
I am the Lord (Do not fear.)

Sunday Hymn - All Creatures of Our God and King

As you come down camp road (about a mile), you often see different forms of wildlife. Birds, deer, beavers, and (I'm not kidding) wild turkeys. This morning, I saw something a little different. I walked out of my cabin toward the staff lounge, and saw at least 15 squirrels lining the side of camp road, all fanned out in formation, searching through the grass. As I walked passed, they all turned their heads and looked at me, probably to see if I was a threat, but it felt like something out of an Alfred Hitchcock movie. Very bizzare.

Anyway, it reminded me of all the other wildlife I've seen here at camp. And that reminds me of the beautiful sunset we saw on campout last week, and that reminds me of beautiful afternoons on the lake, and on and on and on. And that reminded me of this song.

All creatures of our God and King,
Lift up your voice and with us sing.
Alleluia! Alleluia!
Thou burning sun with golden beam,
Thou silver moon with softer gleam,

O praise Him! O praise Him!
Alleluia! Alleluia! Alleluia!

Thou rushing wind that art so strong,
Ye clouds that sail in Heaven along,
O praise Him! Alleluia!
Thou rising morn in praise rejoice,
Ye lights of evening find a voice,

O praise Him! O praise Him!
Alleluia! Alleluia! Alleluia!

Thou flowing water pure and clear,
Make music for Thy Lord to hear,
Alleluia! Alleluia!
Thou fire so masterful and bright,
That givest man both warmth and light,

O praise Him! O praise Him!
Alleluia! Alleluia! Alleluia!

And all ye men of tender heart,
Forgiving others, take your part,
O sing ye! Alleluia!
Ye who long pain and sorrow bear,
Praise God and on Him cast your care,

O praise Him! O praise Him!
Alleluia! Alleluia! Alleluia!

Let all things their creator bless,
And worship Him in humbleness,
O praise Him! Alleluia!
Praise, praise the Father, praise the Son,
And praise the Spirit, Three in One,

O praise Him! O praise Him!
Alleluia! Alleluia! Alleluia!

Happy Father's Day!

Last summer I got to be a 'dad' for 48 campers. It really put into perspective the challenges and responsibility of fatherhood, as well as a clear understanding of the joys and hurts that can come along with it. Punishing a kid is not fun, but it's for their own good: that's a tough balance to strike. Telling a kid that they can't do the one thing they really want to do because it isn't safe for them is hard.

And as good of a counselor as I may have been, I must say that it's got to be because I tried to follow the example of fatherhood that my dad showed me. He wrestled with me, played with me, punished me, cared for me, made up stories for me, and invested in me. He loved and loves me.

Dad, thanks for being a great father. You have pointed me toward Christ, showed me how to serve, and made it a joy to be able to call myself your son. I praise God that He has "given me the heritage of those who fear His name (Psalm 61:5)."

Sunday Hymn - Beneath the Cross of Jesus

It seems like I say this every week, but this is one of my favorite hymns. There's this way of singing it with a sort of echo/harmony on the men's part that is fantastic. More than that, the words are so profound. I especially like the simplicity of life portrayed in the last line. I long so much for a love for God that makes my sin the most despicable thing to me and the cross of Christ the best news in the world.

Beneath the cross of Jesus I fain would take my stand,
The shadow of a mighty rock within a weary land;
A home within the wilderness, a rest upon the way,
From the burning of the noontide heat, and the burden of the day.

Upon the cross of Jesus, my eyes at times can see
The very dying form of One Who suffered there for me;
And from my stricken heart, with tears, two wonders I confess:
The wonders of redeeming love and my unworthiness.

I take, O cross, thy shadow for my abiding place:
I ask no other sunshine than the sunshine of His face;
Content to let the world go by, to know no gain nor loss,
My sinful self, my only shame, my glory, all the cross.

Sunday Hymn - Abide With Me

This is just a great song. It expresses so well the longing that Christians are to have for Christ to "abide with me."

"Abide in me, and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit by itself, unless it abides in the vine, neither can you, unless you abide in me. I am the vine; you are the branches. Whoever abides in me and I in him, he it is that bears much fruit, for apart from me you can do nothing. If anyone does not abide in me he is thrown away like a branch and withers; and the branches are gathered, thrown into the fire, and burned. If you abide in me, and my words abide in you, ask whatever you wish, and it will be done for you. By this my Father is glorified, that you bear much fruit and so prove to be my disciples. As the Father has loved me, so have I loved you. Abide in my love. If you keep my commandments, you will abide in my love, just as I have kept my Father's commandments and abide in his love. These things I have spoken to you, that my joy may be in you, and that your joy may be full." John 15:4-11

Abide with me; falls the eventide;
The darkness deepens; Lord with me abide.
When other helpers, fail and comforts flee,
Help of the helpless, abide with me.

Thou on my head, in early youth didst smile;
And, though rebellious, and perverse meanwhile,
Thou hast not left me, oft as I left Thee,
On to the close Lord, abide with me.

I need Thy presence, every passing hour.
What but Thy grace, can foil the tempter's power?
Who, like Thyself, my guide and stay can be?
Through cloud and sunshine, abide with me.

I fear no foe, with Thee at hand to bless
Ills have no weight, tears lose their bitterness
Where is thy sting death? Where grave thy victory?
I triumph still, abide with me.

Hold Thou Thy cross before my closing eyes;
Shine through the gloom, and point me to the skies.
Heaven's morning breaks, and earth's vain shadows flee;
In life, in death, Lord, abide with me.

Searching for Propositions of Truth

Lots of reading this week. Maybe not the best thing, since I leave for camp tomorrow and haven't started packing yet... but oh well. It'll all get done one way or another. I got a shipment of books that I got with birthday money (thanks Aunt Betty!) when we got back from the lake, and I'm already done with one of them. The other three are The Christian Life, by Sinclair B. Ferguson, The Cross of Christ, by John Stott, and a study book based on the Westminster Shorter Catechism. But this isn't about that.

This is about Why We're Not Emergent (by Two Guys Who Should Be), Kevin DeYoung and Ted Kluck. It's 250 pages, and I read it in four days. Needless to say, I really liked this book. Not only was it intellectually challenging (mainly the chapters by Kevin DeYoung, a reformed pastor), but it was also emotionally stirring (especially the chapters by Ted Kluck). Above all, it was written with a posture of love for others. This does not mean blanket acceptance or tip-toeing hopes. Both authors, out of love, call emergents to account for their words, their actions, and their theology (or conspicuous lack thereof). Emergents will be offended if they pick up this book, just as I was from reading The God Delusion. But there is a profound difference here. I was offended and outraged because Dawkins misrepresented and misread the Bible, and above all, his attitude was one of arrogance: faith in anything (does that include scientific theories?) is incompatible with reason. But with this book, the authors' attitude is one of love, encouraging them to continue in the good things they embrace while seriously thinking about the things they are so quick to reject.

Maybe before I go any farther I should try and describe the emergent/ing church (apparently there is some difference, but I can't figure out what it is). I say try because this, as the authors say, is harder than "nailing jello to a wall." They reject modernism, yet thoroughly use modern techniques of argument (bulleted lists, from/to's !?). They are all about truth and salvation as journeys (searching), not as events. The phrase "searching for Jesus is cool: finding Him isn't." definitely applies. They're big on universal acceptance and tolerance... except for those who argue for concrete moral limits and conditions for church membership. Frustratingly, they're largely opposed to statements of faith or any concrete doctrine, preferring to deal with "proposition" instead. Most of all, anything they produce somehow gets linked back to a "conversation." Books (the ones on the right side are by emergent authors), blogs, discussion-based sermons, retreats, coffee shops, anything. I think the idea is great (how can we communicate what we believe if we're not in conversation with them?) but it gets old pretty quick. So, not feeling like I've done a very good job, that's the emergent church in a nutshell. They're mostly twenty-somethings (which I am), like indie music (which I love), love coffee and guiness (which I'm crazy about), and love Jesus (obviously, me too).

The books scope is those facets of emergent thought (it's a little bold to call it theology) that throw up red flags in the rest of Christendom, whether reformed, evangelical, fundamentalist, or any combination of those. As a result, aspects of emergent thought that the authors agree with go largely undiscussed (but not unmentioned). Social justice, care for the poor and widows, love as a worthy pursuit, and authenticity in worship are all pieces that I'm crazy about. But they aren't the main points.

In my opinion, the emergent church suffers from an overly "fuzzy" view of Jesus. They are of the "great moral teacher" persuasion, but also with elements of some sort of cosmic therapist mixed in. Sort of a Ghandi meets Dr. Phil. One upshot of this view is that emergents believe that people are inherently good. Jesus came because he wanted to make good people even better. (This might be wrong. I'm not emergent, so I can't speak with any authority about this. Besides, they don't really recognize any central or unifying authority on their beliefs, so technically, I'm just as qualified to speak for them as anyone else.) One aspect of popular thought that I cannot get over is the belief, whether emergent, secular humanist, or anything else under the sun, that people are inherently good. I see people ruined by wealth, seduced by lust, and indifferent to the poor. I see myself struggling with arrogance, getting angry at others for menial things, and indifferent to the poor. I see the state of the world around me. I see the ugliness of my sin. And if I didn't know Christ and the free grace He offers, I wouldn't know what to do with myself.

This grace is something that you rarely, if ever, hear about in the emergent church. Their argument is that "the meat of the gospel has to do with justice, compassion, and transformation (186)." Yes those things are there, but that's not the meat of the gospel. The week leading up to and the events following after Jesus' crucifixion are the meat of the gospel. If a call to justice, compassion, and transformation are given without the means of effecting those calls provided, there is no good news at all. Christ came atone for sin and reconcile His people to His Father. Yes, Christ's example is one we should follow, but there is so much more.

Probably my favorite part of this book was DeYoung's epilogue. He issues calls to both emergents and the church in general from the book of Revelation, specifically the letters to the churches. There are seven churches addressed, symbolizing the universal church (the number seven symbolizes completeness). "In other words, the problems in these seven churches are the root problems in all churches. Their strengths are our strengths and their weaknesses are our weaknesses (239)." He encourages the non-emergent church to let their light shine: many congregations believe all the right things, but they make no effort to live a life of love for neighbors. He pleads with the emergent church to not be prey to false teachings. Furthermore, that they understand the difference between love and tolerance. When we ignore someone's sin because we think it is for their own good, that isn't love: it's unfaithfulness. Yes, accept them, welcome them, love them. But the best way to love someone is to remind them of the gospel, whether they are a Christian or not.

In your sin, you are worse off than you could ever imagine. Christ loves you more than you could ever hope. When we trust in the atoning power of His blood, through faith, His blessings are more than we could ever have asked for.

So Close...

I set up a blog for camp yesterday. I'll be posting on it every once in a while, but hopefully other counselors will take the time to submit posts or pictures as well. The link (which I can't believe was available) is www.yaycamp.blogspot.com.

As for this blog for the rest of the summer, here's what I think is going to go down. Camp stories and pics will obviously go on the other website. But non-campy musings, book updates, and movie reviews will continue here. And hopefully I'll find sometime in the week to do a weekly hymn, even if it's not on Sunday. So there you go.

We leave Friday afternoon, and training starts Sunday. And the next Sunday, campers!

Mowing the Yard

I've been reading a book by Jerry Bridges called The Discipline of Grace. I'm leading a book study on it next semester, and am trying to get through it and the study guide before the craziness of camp starts (we leave Friday!). I hit it pretty hard this weekend, reading a lot at the cabin and in the car. There have been lots of good things in there, points that get my mind going or that stir my heart in ways other books don't. But I'm still kinda stuck on the title.

In my mind, discipline and grace are two contradictory things. Discipline and grace seem to occupy two completely different spheres of life, and sometimes I think that they are incompatible. I mean, if it's God's grace that is the basis for our justification, the source of our sanctification, and our hope in glorification, where does discipline fit in? The cool thing is that the more I understand the Gospel, the more I "preach it to myself," the less I struggle with this conflict. I am convinced that legalism and over-license both have their source in a misunderstanding of the Gospel.

Legalism says "be good, for that's what God requires." It suggests, some seriously, some unconsciously, that God will not look upon us with favor if we do not earn his love. If we slack off in our quiet times, or our mind wanders during prayer, or anything, then God will look less favorably on us. He will not bless us. And this view is profoundly flawed. It completely ignores the fact that even on our best days, we are still desperately in need of God's grace. Furthermore, it downplays the work of Christ. Legalism, like the doctrine of purgatory, cheapens and reduces Christ's death on the cross to less than complete in redeeming us to the Father.

Over-license, on the other hand, says that "Christ died for sins, so why not live it up?" This too, misunderstands the Gospel. Christ did not just cover our sins. He credited to us His righteousness. He gave us hearts of flesh instead of hearts of stone. He commits to growing us, sanctifying us. United with Christ, we are to die to sin. As Paul says, "How can we who died to sin live in it?" We are to be transformed.

For example, take alcohol. A legalistic view might say "Don't drink, because you might get drunk, and drunkenness is forbidden in scripture." Over-license, on the other hand, would dive right in and enjoy the "blessing" no matter what the outcome. The Gospel says to think about it. Is your drinking going to cause others around you to stumble? (Consider others.) If you're prone to alcoholism, is drinking a good choice for you? (Considering your limitation.) In any case, are you drinking in a self-controlled manner? (Considering our calling.)

So how do we reconcile grace and discipline? Today I mowed the yard (at my parent's house). And, especially after an 8-hour day, I hate mowing the yard. Yet, it was easy for me to do, and I wasn't asked. Honestly, I got about half-way through before I remembered that I genuinely hate mowing. At that point, I got to thinking about why I was doing it, why it was so easy. I was grateful for the mini-vacation this past weekend, eating out sometimes, a place to sleep every night, that sort of thing, but I've been grateful for that for a long time, and it has never motivated me to mow the yard. There is no doubt in my mind that my parents love me. Mowing the yard was not in an effort to earn their love (I know I already have it). Rather, it was an expression of gratitude for that love, and more specifically, for how their love for me is manifested. (It's one thing to have an attitude of love. It's another to do something about it.)

As I kept thinking about it, I asked myself why I didn't do that sort of thing in summers past. It's not that my parents didn't love me, it's that I hadn't grown as a person. This past year I grew a lot in the area of self-discipline (this came with a corresponding struggle with self-righteousness, but that's another issue for another post). As such, I am more ready and free to please my parents AND AT THE SAME TIME HAVE IT BE A JOY TO ME. That is the relationship between discipline and grace. Grace is God's evidence of His love for His children. All of our discipline, all of our quiet times and praying and scripture memorization and mortifying of sin should lead us to find joy in pleasing God. Pursuing spiritual disciplines frees us to give God glory! They aren't restraining: they're liberating.

Praise be to God, who acted, in love, on behalf of His own. Glory to God who has ordained that our greatest purpose should also be our greatest joy. Hallelujah, what a Savior!

Sunday Hymn - I Sought the Lord

This is a new one to me. We were up in Virginia this weekend for a cousin's graduation, and this hymn was sung at the Baccalaureate service last night. I think it needs new music, but the words were fantastic. Maybe a new melody for these lyrics will be a mini-project for me.

I sought the Lord, and afterward I knew
He moved my soul to seek Him, seeking me.
It was not I that found, O Savior true;
No, I was found of Thee.

Thou didst reach forth Thy hand and mine enfold;
I walked and sank not on the storm vexed sea.
'Twas not so much that I on Thee took hold,
As Thou, dear Lord, on me.

I find, I walk, I love, but oh, the whole
Of love is but my answer, Lord, to Thee!
For Thou were long beforehand with my soul,
Always Thou lovest me.

Aslan ex Machina

I saw Prince Caspian last weekend as a cap to my birthday evening celebration extravaganza. It was fun, but not that big of a deal because 1) I only turned 22, and 2) it wasn't even on my birthday, and 3) it was just with my family. Not that I don't love my family and everything (I do), but because my birthday falls in those couple weeks between when school ends and summer jobs (only 11 days until camp starts!) start, it's been a long time since I got to celebrate my birthday with friends. Oh well, one of these days.

Oh yeah, minor spoiler alert. Read at your own risk. Unless, of course, you've already seen the movie.

Anyway.... The movie was great. I thought it was a lot better than the first one. Some say that it lacked that 'charm of originality' that all first movies of good series have (Star Wars: A New Hope, The Fellowship of the Ring, The Matrix, you get the picture), but I disagree. The world is different enough to keep that feeling of exploration fresh. Even though the characters are the same, the world is much older: Aslan's How is a major landmark, there is major industrialization due to the presence of the Telmarines, and everything isn't covered in snow. In addition, there are plenty of new characters to keep things fresh (Reepicheep was awesome).

I especially appreciated the way that the writers included spiritual allegories (keeping true to Lewis) but didn't beat the viewer over the head with them. When Lucy first sees Aslan, no one else can. Peter asks why he didn't see the lion, and Lucy's wise reply is, "Maybe you weren't looking for him." And through the rest of the movie, this theme is played out. Peter and Caspian both try to rely on their own strength to overcome Miraz and the other men, and thus, they aren't looking for Aslan or his help. They want the glory for themselves. It is only in their desperation, trapped in the How, that they send Lucy for him.

Once they finally get their act together and look to Aslan (who equals Jesus, by the way) to help, all goes well. When we let Christ fight our battles for us, the victory is sure. Yes the battle is hard, but we have confidence and hope that the victory will be ours. I love the scene in The Return of the King, when Gandalf is looking over the Fields of Pellenor, seeing the terror of Mordor, and he begins to laugh. Yes he is worried about the battle to come, yes he longs for peace, but he also knows the outcome. And that gives him joy. Knowing that Christ has already conquered sin should give us the utmost joy if we trust in Him.

The trees on the battlefield and the Poseidon-like water god at the end were a little 'deus ex machina' for me as far as movies go, but the spiritual parallel makes it more than worth it. Oh, and the Regina Spektor song that rolled during the credits was sweet.

Sunday Hymn - All Must Be Well

The verses of this song move beautifully from hope for the future to the reality of the present. All will be well, all is well, all must be well.

Through the love of God our Savior,
All will be well.
Free and changeless is His favor,
All is well.
Precious is the blood that healed us,
Perfect is the grace that sealed us,
Strong the hand stretched forth to shield us,
All must be well.

Though we pass through tribulation,
All will be well.
Ours is such a full salvation,
All is well.
Happy still in God confiding,
Fruitful if in Christ abiding,
Steadfast through the Spirit's guiding,
All must be well.

We expect a bright tomorrow,
All will be well.
Faith can sing through days of sorrow,
All is well.
On our Father's love relying,
Jesus every need supplying,
Yes in living or in dying,
All must be well.

Culture: Good, Bad, or Ugly?

The theme of the conference I went to last week was glorification (check back a couple posts to see what I'm talking about), but one of the most recurrent motifs that I heard throughout the large group meetings and in each of my seminars was the fact that we need to see things as they are meant to be seen. In our sanctification, we need to see our sin for the rebellion that it really is, and as our sense of our sin grows, our sense of grace will grow with it until we see grace as it is meant to be seen. In our glorification, we are to see all of creation as yearning for its renewal, not its destruction. And in pop culture... well, that's what the rest of this post is about.

One of the seminars that I went to was about pop culture. It really just sought to answer the question "How should a Christian engage culture?" I think this is a very relevant question, and one that every Christian must wrestle with at one point or another. The first day we just talked about the most common ways that Christians usually engage with culture. They're pretty straightforward.

The first is absolute and total rejection. Bunker mentality. Bob Jones university comes to mind, as well as gated communities, black sharpie sensors, and honestly, boredom. It is the position that culture has nothing good to offer, and therefore, must be avoided at all costs. Often, it even goes so far as to shun or judge others that do associate with culture. A great example of this attitude is found in Luke 7:36-50, especially in verse 39. Jesus is dining with a highly respected religious leader, and while there, a woman who is a sinner (probably a prostitute) comes in to wash Jesus' feet with her hair. Simon not only is upset about the sinful woman being in his house, he begins to judge Jesus for letting her wash His feet. Furthermore, it is my conviction that this approach leads inexorably to self-righteousness. (Admittedly, it's difficult for me not to be self-righteous because I think that I think the right things, and am therefore a better Christian than others. Or something like that.)

A more common approach, or at least one that we're all more familiar with, is assimilation. Ark mentality, as this great article calls it. It recognizes that culture has things to offer, but is still wary of the influence it can have. So, it copies it. Instead of John Grisham and Michael Crichton, they have Frank Peretti. Instead of Weezer, Reliant K. Instead of Punk'd, Prank 3:16. Instead of Ninja Turtles (are they still around?), Bibleman. You get the picture. A copy of genre, musical style, whatever, so that Christians can safely enjoy all the products of pop culture. What's so bad about that? Three things come to mind for me.

First, if we're to love other people (Christians and non-Christians), we must have some ground to relate to them on. This pretty effectively kills that chance. Second, most of the time the copies are unsatisfying compared to the original. It's like looking at a picture of the Mona Lisa instead of the masterpiece itself (I haven't actually seen the Mona Lisa, I'm just guessing). The music lacks heart, or Christian elements seem forced in. The message seems to come across, ultimately, as "Come be a Christian! We party just as hard as anyone else! But for Jesus!" And I'm sorry, that just sounds corny. Finally, the biggest problem I see with this approach is that it takes self-denial out of the 'Christian job description' completely. Jesus plainly states that "If anyone would come after me, let him deny himself and take up his cross daily and follow me. (Luke 9:23)" How are we to do that if all of our desires can be safely indulged?

The last strategy that Christians fall into is immersion. It sets no boundaries. Like assimilation, it recognizes that culture does have good things to give us, but unlike it, it doesn't seek to filter it. And again, self-denial is removed from the equation. Another problem with this method is that the Christian life begins to be completely separated from the secular. The two worlds cannot be justified. Drunkenness is incompatible with temperance and self-control. As much as I don't like to admit it, there are songs out there that I don't need to listen to because they don't build anyone up. This is a problem because Christ seeks to restore and renew us. To make us whole.

So how are we supposed to see things? How is a Christian supposed to rightly interact with pop culture? I think it involves seeing ourselves and the world as they were meant to be seen. Without Christ, we're on the same page before God as our non-Christian neighbors. Without Christ, the world has no hope of redemption. That means that there is nothing on this world that is perfectly good. The problem of sin is pervasive, and the hope for restoration is universal. Creation yearns to be restored.

With that in mind, I think it is possible and beneficial to engage culture (again, keeping an eye out for those things that are not beneficial or uplifting). We learn things about others, and about ourselves. We see elements of truth in the Qu'ran, the Bhagavad Gita, Harry Potter, Star Wars, music, movies, literature, everything! Not perfect Truth, but certainly not useless. For example, I've been listening to Radiohead's Creep pretty much on repeat as I've been writing this. And truthfully, I think it's a more honest, more heartfelt expression of our human predicament than any pop Christian song I've heard. "I wish I was special." "I'm a creep." "What am I doing here? I don't belong here." This song gives credit to Augustine's confession to God that "Thou hast formed us for Thyself, and our hearts are restless till they find rest in Thee."

Thankfully, God has not just given us culture. Through Christ, He gives us Himself. We can learn about our neighbors, we can enjoy different expressions of truth that we see all over the world, but ultimately we must return to the Word to nourish and refresh us. We must seek communion with Christ who can satisfy the deepest longings of our heart. And if we really love those around us, culture can be a meeting ground, a medium through which to invite them to do the same.

Why, Duncan, Titus

Well, I'm sick. That's unfortunate, because it means that I can't work today (since until camp starts, I'm working as a contractor's assistant), which means that I'm not earning any money. One good thing about it, though, is that it gives me a chance to catch up on a few things: do some desk work, start preparing for the Bible Study I'm leading next semester, and toss a post or two up here. And, on the bright side, at least I wasn't sick on my birthday (yesterday) and hopefully this gets my 'summer cold' out of the way before camp. All the same, though, stuffy noses and itchy eyes are no walk in the park.

I finished The River Why last week. The book is in my lap in that picture (and no, I'm not the 'long-haired, freaky people:' that's my campus minister). One thing is for sure, that I missed a lot of references, allusions, etc, when I read this my senior year of high school. References to the Tao Te Ching, the Mahabharata, the Qu'ran, and more all flew over my head then, but this time through I was able to pick them out. One of the character's names is Arjuna, for pete's sake! (Granted, he is a slingshot-wielding kid instead of a half-god archer.)

Another thing that stood out to me, especially after reading a lot of David James Duncan's other books, is the fact that I think Titus is, to a large extent, based off of himself. His 'universalist mysticism' (I might have just made that up) and his knowledge of wisdom literature and cultural epics from all over the place are the biggest indicators to me, but also I think the love of fishing, and maybe even the semi-sentience of animals are part of him as well. With that observation, though, I was a little surprised by one of Titus's conversations with Gus.

Gus has just been on this devastating emotional roller coaster, and Titus invites him back to Portland to philosophize for consolation (and enjoy some adult beverages as well). They get to talking and thinking, Titus quoting wisdom literature that Gus is sure to not have known, and eventually they get to this thing called a 'soul pole.' I won't talk about exactly what it is, since I think you ought to read the book for yourself, but for those who have, this'll help them know where to look. Anyway, Gus wants to 'find his soul pole.' So Titus, being the guru he is, leads Gus in what I can describe only as 'the sinner's prayer' for mystics.

You know what I mean: at rallies and conventions, a speaker gives the gospel message and then invites whoever feels God working in their hearts to say a prayer with them. It's a 'repeat after me' kinda thing. Now I'm not saying that people can't be saved through that, but I think that more often than not, people don't really understand the gospel when they say that prayer. Either because they've only heard one side of it and therefore aren't really sure of what it means for them (and they feel pressured to say it), or because this is their 17th time saying it, and they don't understand that Christ payed once for our sins, and once we are washed clean in His blood, we are justified. It doesn't take multiple washings. It doesn't take us 'rededicating our rededications.' It takes Christ.

The reason I think this is strange, is because David James Duncan is passionately against the whole right-wing, evangelical, institutionalized way of religion, yet he uses one of their central techniques at a pivotal moment in his protagonist's life. I don't know, maybe I'm making mountains out of mole-hills, but I think that's a big deal. This book was written something like 25 years ago, so maybe he hadn't fully fleshed out what he thought about mega-churches by then. Or maybe, in spite of all the problems he sees with them, he thinks the guiding hand of a sincere mentor in a sincere disciple's life can turn even that into a positive thing. I don't know. What do you think?

Sunday Hymn - Ten Thousand Times Ten Thousand

The theme of the conference that I was at last week was 'glorification.' It is the completion of sanctification, the redemption of the world. It is the end of the struggle over sin. It is God making His dwelling place with His people. It is marked by constant praise, restored relationships, and all of creation finally fulfilling that purpose for which it was made: the glorification of God. This hymn expresses all that beautifully, and at the close, aids the worshiper in expressing the longing for that rest.

Ten thousand times ten thousand
In sparkling raiment bright,
The armies of the ransomed saints throng
Up the steeps of light.
'Tis finished, all is finished,
Their fight with death and sin;
Fling open wide the golden gates,
And let the victors in.

What rush of alleluias
Fills all the earth and sky!
What ringing of a thousand harps
Bespeaks the triumph nigh!
O day, for which creation
And all its tribes were made;
O joy, for all its former woes
A thousandfold repaid.

O then what raptured greetings
On Canaan's happy shore;
What knitting severed friendships
Up where partings are no more!
Then eyes with joy shall sparkle,
That brimmed with tears of late;
Orphans no longer fatherless,
Nor widows desolate.

Bring near Thy great salvation,
Thou Lamb for sinners slain;
Fill up the roll of thine elect,
Then take Thy power, and reign;
Appear, Desire of Nations,
Thine exiles long for home;
Shoe in the Heaven Thy promised sign;
Thou Prince and Savior, come.

Happy Birthday Momma!

Happy Birthday to you!
Happy Birthday to you!
Happy Birthday dear Mooommmmmmm!
Happy Birthday to you!

RUF SC '08

I leave early tomorrow morning for Panama City, Florida, for a week at the beach with some of the coolest people in the world. No, it's not the Deleteheads, nor the annual meeting of the International Society of Nutella Lovers. It's Reform University Fellowship's Summer Conference 2008, better known as RUF SC '08. My guess is that, with speakers and seminars and the beach and friends and volleyball tournaments and sandcastle building competitions and more, that I won't find the time to post anything up here. But I would imagine that I'll have plenty of good food for thought when I get back.

Sunday Hymn - Pensive, Doubting, Fearful Heart

Happy Mother's Day! To all you moms out there, from all us kids who turned out better than you thought we could (what with our nose-picking, food-smearing, diaper-wrecking, brother-hitting, lamp-breaking, general ruckus-making past), thanks for putting up with us for 18 years. Obviously cards and flowers and presents and breakfast in bed are a far cry from the amount that you've given us, but with a debt we couldn't hope to repay, we're just trying to say thanks, and we love you.

On a different note, this Mother's Day, we're having a little family song in church tonight. My mom will be singing (her voice is beautiful), my youngest brother, Jared, will be on djimbe, and I will be pickin' and grinnin' on the mandolin. If only Daniel had some talent.... Oh well. This is the song we'll be playing/singing. It's unusual in the sense that it's from God's viewpoint, singing to His children, but the words are utterly fantastic.

Pensive, doubting, fearful heart,
Hear what Christ the Savior says;
Every word should joy impart,
Change thy mourning into praise.
Yes, He speaks and speaks to thee,
May He help thee to believe;
Then thou presently will see,
Thou has little cause to grieve.

Fear thou not, nor be ashamed;
All thy sorrows soon shall end,
I, who heaven and earth have framed,
Am thy Husband and thy Friend;
I, the High and Holy One,
Israel's God, by all adored,
As thy Savior will be known,
Thy Redeemer and thy Lord.

For a moment I withdrew,
And thy heart was filled with pain;
But my mercies I'll renew;
Thou shall soon rejoice again;
Though I seem to hide my face,
Very soon my wrath shall cease;
'Tis but for a moment's space,
Ending in eternal peace.

Though afflicted, tempest tossed,
Comfortless awhile thou art,
Do not think thou can be lost,
Thou art graven on my heart;
All thy wastes I will repair;
Thou shalt be rebuilt anew;
And in thee it shall appear
What the God of love can do.

Obsession

Well, school has been done for almost a week. More, if you consider that my last final was ridiculously easy. I'm at home for another couple days, and then it's off to Florida for RUF Summer Conference. And then back home for a few days, then off to Austin for a wedding. Then back home for a few days, then off to Virginia for a weekend at the lake. Then back home for a few days, then camp! But in spite of all the summer preparations, packing up and moving from Raleigh, and working for Dad the past three days, I have been able to get some reading done.

David James Duncan is definitely in my top five of favorite authors. God Laughs and Plays, a collection of his essays, articles, and speeches (maybe?) was wonderful. Lots of good quotes, lots of good thoughts. And most importantly, even though it is clear that he is passionate about what he believes, he doesn't cram it down your throat or become overly preachy. He is well-versed in the art of rhetoric.

River Teeth was highly enjoyable. I still remember the beach trip where I read the whole thing on the way, and then went back and reread my favorite short stories over the course of the week. In fact, just the other day I was having coffee with a friend, and somehow conversation turned to children's books, and I made the comment that Are You My Mother? always reminds me of the first story in that collection (I can't remember what it's called, but it's about that childhood experience we all have of grabbing the wrong 'mom's' hand or mistaking a stranger for Daddy). Coincidentally, she's the one that recommended The Master and Margarita, and out of gratitude for me actually reading it, she's supposed to be working on The Brothers K this summer.

The Brothers K was ... fantastic. Outstanding. Phenomenal. (Great segue, huh?) Baseball, Russian Literature, Hindu metaphysics, Vietnam, draft-dodgers, and so much more. I highly recommend it. (It's fiction, by the way.)

But I digress. The book I'm currently working on is The River Why. It's 'about' fishing. But not really. It's about Augustine 'Gus' Orviston, the son of a father who is a fly-fishing legend and a mother who is a staunch, unwavering, 'plunker': a bait fisher...woman. He is highly accomplished at both. His little brother, Bill-Bob (his mother names him that mainly to irk his father), in stark contrast to the rest of the family, doesn't care for fishing at all. So fishing is the medium through which Gus evaluates his relationship with his father and mother, their relationship with each other, and most importantly (I think) the medium he must shed and leave behind in order to relate to and love his brother.

One of the things that's struck me on this reading (I read it 4 years ago, my senior year of high school) is what obsession does to a person. With Gus, it's fishing. It starts out as a passion, but quickly turns against him. He hears water even when he's sleeping. He talks to, and weeps over, his pet fish. But most importantly, he looses the ability to talk to people about anything but fishing. That's what obsession does to people: it makes them so preoccupied with one thing that anything else (even good things) loose their flavor.

Darwin complained about this late in his life. As a younger man, he enjoyed the arts, especially good literature. But as he looked back, after much of his research on natural selection, he realized that he had lost all love for Shakespeare. Poetry became dry and boring. And, I would guess, in all of his conversations with others, natural selection, if not the topic, was at the front of his mind. I think to some extent, this can happen with anyone. Hyper-Calvinists, environmentalists, overly-politically minded people, people that get drawn into sports or their jobs, anyone.

The worst kind of obsession, I think, is self-obsession. Pride. I know that you've met someone who wants to talk about nothing but themselves. It gets old fast. Not only is it annoying, I firmly believe that it is idolatry. It's putting yourself before God.

But for most faults, there is a positive side. If we're obsessed with the right things, if our preoccupations are in the right place, they can be for the benefit of others. If service for others is at the front of our minds, even if it's not the center of our conversation, it will flavor our interactions. As always, love for God and love for others should take first place. If it does, our obsession turns to infatuation. What better place to be?

The Devil Went Down to Moscow

I finished a book Saturday! Just in time for me to start a new one for the summer. Just for you curious readers out there, the books I have on my list for the summer are The River Why by David James Duncan, One Hundred Years of Solitude by Gabriel Garcia Marquez, The Grapes of Wrath by John Steinbeck, and maybe some short stories by Graham Greene in between. And that's just the fiction!

Anyway, the book I've been reading for the past couple months was... interesting. I'm sure I'm missing something about it: some social context, some other literary allusion, or something. All the same, I enjoyed it. Mikhail Bulgakov's The Master and Margarita is set in Moscow during Stalin's reign. How it was able to be published (mid 1960's) without heavy censure is a mystery to me.

I don't want to spoil it, but I can say a few things about it. Basically, it's about the chaos that ensues when Satan and a few demons come to Moscow. They set-up shop in a recently deceased author's apartment, and proceed to haunt, terrorize, confuse, and disorient... Moscow. Their focus is on the literary community, and it's because of this that I think Satan and his retinue must represent the communist regime of the early 1900's.

The other plot of the book is the events surrounding Christ's crucifixion. Special detail is given to Pontius Pilate and his Inquisition of Christ before the crucifixion, a conversation with Matthew Levi about the book he is writing (presumably our Gospel of Matthew), and his involvement in the murder of Judas. This narrative is written by one of the authors that get sent to a mental institution after their interaction with Moscow's visitors.

The two story lines are mixed together with little apparent overlap. However, there is one parallel I see between the two stories. In the whole book, Caesar and Stalin are conspicuously absent. Their presence is undeniable: in Moscow, there is a general fear of the political machine that controls the country. In the same way, the strong hand of Caesar seems to always be on Pilate's mind. Their goals of cultural unity and civil peace at the cost of individuality and freedom seem to go hand in hand.

Again, I highly enjoyed this book. It was at times profound, hilarious, confusing, and absurd. But, as I said, I feel like I'm missing something. Maybe this one just takes a little time to sink in.

Sunday Hymn - Before the Throne of God Above

It's been a great week. I had some exams, some homework, but mostly just some relaxing and good bonding time with people I won't see over the summer. We hung out on the front porch the last two nights (the weather has been beautiful this week), had a fire in the backyard earlier this week, and have really enjoyed the 'exam week chill.' I've had good times of reading and contemplation, conversation and fellowship. Again, it's been a great week.
This song is, for me, a great culmination to a great week. As good as my week has been, the good news of the Gospel makes it even better. Christ is risen: this is not just a happy ending to the Easter story, but a radical new beginning.

Before the throne of God above,
I have a strong, a perfect plea,
A great High Priest whose name is "Love,"
Who ever lives and pleads for me.
My name is graven on His hands,
My name is written on His heart;
I know that while in heav'n He stands
No tongue can bid me thence depart.
No tongue can bid me thence depart.

When Satan tempts me to despair,
And tells me of the guilt within,
Upward I look and see Him there
Who made an end to all my sin.
Because the sinless Savior died,
My sinful soul is counted free;
For God, the Just, is satisfied
To look on Him and pardon me.
To look on Him and pardon me.

Behold Him there! the risen Lamb,
My perfect, spotless Righteousness,
The great, unchangeable I AM,
The King of glory and of grace!
One with Himself I cannot die,
My soul is purchased by His blood;
My life is hid with Christ on high,
With Christ, my Savior and my God.
With Christ, my Savior and my God.

Sunday Hymn - Come, Ye Sinners

Two of the most common accusations I hear against Christianity are that it is a religion of guilt and that it is an exclusive religion. This song, I think, addressed both of those points. "Come, ye sinners" is not an accusation of those outside the church: it is an invitation to the world. Christianity recognizes that "all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God." All who are saved are saved by grace alone, and therefore, because no one contributes to their salvation, all are on equal footing. Admittedly, this is frustrating for me. I confess that I want, more than almost anything in the world, to be able to contribute to the work of Christ. My pride gets in the way and it takes all of my effort (and I'd suspect more than a little bit of grace) to humble myself, throw my hands up and fall on my knees in worship, and praise God that the work is His.

As to the accusation of the fact that Christianity is a religion of guilt, you kinda have to hear the song. The tone is joyful, not mourning. This great salvation is free! "Without money, without money, come to Jesus Christ and buy" is the call. Our sins are a reality, but when we participate in Christ's death, we are a new creation, no longer enslaved to sin. Finally, even us sinners, are free to pursue righteousness. We become slaves of God.

Come, ye sinners, poor and wretched,
Weak and wounded, sick and sore;
Jesus, ready, stands to save you,
Full of pity, joined with power.
He is able, He is able;
He is willing; doubt no more.

Come, ye needy, come, and welcome,
God's free bounty glorify;
True belief and true repentance,
Every grace that brings you nigh.
Without money, without money,
Come to Jesus Christ and buy.

Come, ye weary, heavy laden,
Bruised and broken by the fall;
If you tarry 'til you're better,
You will never come at all.
Not the righteous, not the righteous,
Sinners Jesus came to call.

Let not conscience make you linger,
Nor of fitness fondly dream;
All the fitness He requires
Is to feel your need of Him.
This He gives you, this He gives you,
'Tis the Spirit's rising beam.

Lo! The Incarnate God ascended;
Pleads the merit of His blood.
Venture on Him; venture wholly,
Let no other trust intrude.
None but Jesus, none but Jesus,
Can do helpless sinners good.

The God Delusion, Part 5: Survey

As promised, here's a quick overview of The God Delusion with basic chapter descriptions and some basic opinions of mine that result. I'm done with the book, by the way. Maybe there will be another post, but I kinda doubt it. The last few chapters don't really rub me the wrong way like some of the others did. As I said for the first post about this book, I'd much rather talk to people individually about this, rather than send these posts out to everybody (and consequently, nobody). Tim Keller's The Reason for God is next on my list. It should be a refreshing read after this one.

Chapter 1: A Deeply Religious Non-Believer
The t-shirt issue/topic was in this chapter. Basically, it's just his introduction to the book. He points out some of his observations that go into the book (irrationality of treating religion and more 'gingerly' than other topics) and defines some terms that he uses throughout the book. Nothing too controversial here.

Chapter 2: The God Hypothesis
This chapter starts out as a laundry list of basic world-views: Polytheism, Monotheism, and Agnosticism. He points out basic characteristics of each, and some initial impressions that he has of them. He talks about the religious views of America's founding fathers, as well as other notable scientists. Probably most relevant to me, is that this chapter started me realizing that this book wasn't quite written in opposition to my beliefs. Overall, this chapter is a little scattered.

Chapter 3: Arguments for God's Existence
This is a meaty chapter, and a good one to read if you're interested in seeing what others offer as proof for God's existence. He doesn't pull the 'straw man' tactic too much (setting up an argument in such a way that it is easy to dispute, often by simply misrepresenting what it claims), and does a good job of surveying the teleological argument, ontological argument, argument from scripture, as well as other proofs that are offered. One point I appreciated from this chapter was the fact that we must distinguish between what we'd like to be true and what is true (hence, the title of the book). Obviously I disagree with him in the implications of this statement. To me, it means that we must take a serious look at scripture before we claim divine approval of our actions. In addition, it means that we take seriously the things is prescribes (I'm thinking of Sabbath rest: the present we don't want).

Chapter 4: Why There Almost Certainly is No God
This is Dawkins's forte: evolution and natural selection. Most frustrating for me through this chapter was his repeated frustration with people who misrepresent the theory (ie, claiming randomness, statistical impossibility, etc), followed by his own misrepresentation of Biblically sound beliefs. Most often, it's the suggestion that if we're having difficulty scientifically explaining something, that we throw up our hands, chalk it up to God's mystery, and move on. Rather, it is my conviction that we are to use all of our intellectual powers to investigate and appreciate creation so that we might, with an increasingly great sense of awe, worship God.

Chapter 5: The Roots of Religion
Here, Dawkins tries to explain why we have religion using evolutionary theory. I think that it's a pretty weak argument, not to mention disappointing in the way it treats human creativity. Whether you view humanity as made in the image of God or the way that secular humanists do, this view of religion negates the imagination that is inherent to humanity.

Chapter 6: The Roots of Morality: Why Are We Good?
This chapter tried to explain why we are 'good' in evolutionary terms. It works to some extent, but there are some pretty big gaps. He talks about Kant a little, as well as some Bentham and Mill, but trying to explain ethics has always been a difficult pursuit (whether you include God or not) and I don't see this argument holding too much weight with philosophers in the future.

Chapter 7: The 'Good' Book and the Changing Moral Zeitgeist
This is the chapter that angered me the most, and is easily the most densely 'margin noted' section of the book. I already put up one post about it, and could put up many more explaining why I don't agree with this chapter at all. In addition to his misunderstanding of Biblical history and morality, Dawkins offers an argument for why Hitler and Stalin are not proof that Atheism leads to immorality. I'd agree with that, as well as his comments about the tragedy of the fact that religion leads some people to commit heinous crimes in the name of God (bombing abortion clinics, segregation, etc).

Chapter 8: What's Wrong With Religion? Why Be So Hostile?
Homosexuality and abortion are in his sights here, and as usual, he only deals with them to the extent that mainstream evangelical Christianity deals with them. The biggest disagreement I have here is his claim that Christians teach that faith in inherently good, and the more illogical the belief, the more admirable the faith is. I firmly believe that we are to employ both reason and faith in pursuit of truth (and that everyone does it to varying degrees of success).

Chapter 9: Childhood, Abuse, and the Escape From Religion
In this chapter, Dawkins bemoans the practice of labeling children as members of a particular religion. He says that they should be taught how to think, not what to think. Educated, not indoctrinated. I agree that children should be taught how to think, but I'm still undecided on the whole 'Christian children' thing. I need to put more thought into that, specifically in understanding God's covenant promises as applying to 'you and your children.'

Chapter 10: A Much Needed Gap?
I really liked this chapter. Dawkins details how we are creatures of Middle World: there are things too small or too vast for us to comprehend. There are sounds too low or too high for us to hear. There are waves too long or to narrow for us to view. But. With advances in science, the window through which we view the world has been thrown open wider and wider. His conclusion is that we toss the unnecessary, limiting belief in God out the window in light of our own achievements. Mine is that we fall on our knees and worship God for the beauty and majesty and mystery of His creation.

Total Randomness

Thankfully, this week has been much more relaxed than last week. Instead of three tests, normal reading and homework levels, and a major project (our final report was 50 pages long), all I've had this week is a short group presentation and three canceled classes. Needless to say, I'm in a much better mood. Exams are next week (and a little the week after), but I exempt one, some are papers, and others are non-comprehensive, so I'm not stressing too much.

As I was paging back through my blog, I realized that people may have completely the wrong impression of me. Hymns and The God Delusion are not the only two things I think about or spend time on. There is so much more to this blogger than what is involved here on these posts. So, to give you a little taste, a little window into the complex labyrinth that is Andrew Shank, here are some of my other pursuits.

My favorite website of all time is the hilarious, ridiculous, classic, and infamous (?) HomeStar Runner. Specifically, the Strong Bad e-mails slay me. Some of the best are Virus, Kids' Book, and from way way back, Guitar. Marzipan's answering machine is worth checking out, as well as the numerous toons, shorts, and music videos. So much of my humor comes from this website. Seriously (sewiouswy), if you're planning on spending any length of time in my presence, familiarize yourself with this glorious website.

I play the guitar. Much of the time I spend playing is spent in worship (leading at RUF, back-up at church, and privately in my room), but I do enjoy finger-picking every once and again. Iron and Wine is one of my new favorite bands, and quite a few of their songs are very playable. Check out some of their music: it's on the chill side, and great for falling asleep to on a warm Spring afternoon. Not that it's boring. It just puts you in that kind of mood. I play a Takamine G10, and it sounds just as beautiful as it looks.

The house that we started over Spring Break (check this out, if you need a refresher) is coming along quite nicely. (I told you this would be random.) There have been lots of teams working on it, and it's looking great. Fuller progress is on Lagniappe's website (check-out the side bar for a link), but here's a update all the same. Also, one of the graduating RUFers is going to be interning there this summer. Yay Allison! Good luck, and drink plenty of water.

In addition to my philosophizing, harmonizing, and time-wasting on HSR, I am also a nerd. I am well versed in both Middle-Earth and Star Wars lore. I am a fan of 'dorky board games' such as Risk, Go, and the less-well-known, Settlers of Catan and A Game of Thrones (the last is also a book series I thoroughly enjoy). Real-time strategy games (RTS for short) are awesome, my favorite being Starcraft. Along those lines, I have been very excited about the pending release of Starcraft II: I've waited for almost 10 years, and it's finally come.

I feel like that's enough for now. I did do some good reading in The God Delusion this week (lots of free time, remember?), so there might be an update on that in the next couple days. There is one thing in this post that, to many of you, will be conspicuous by its absence: Camp. That's right, with a capital 'C'. I'm missing it and looking forward to it, but I know that plenty of my posts this summer will deal with days and people at camp, so I'll save that topic for a time when I can do it more justice.