The Church and the Virus

In his Peter Toon Memorial Lecture (19 May 2021), The Church and the Virus, given at Pusey House in Oxford, The Archdeacon of Hastings, The Venerable Dr Edward Dowler, invites us to reconsider five themes in the light of the Corona virus:

(1) The importance of the face

(2) The song of the church

(3) The moral and theological virtues providing a renewed Christian psychology which drives away fear and excessive risk aversion 

(4) The physical proximity of Christians and the sacramental life of the church 

(5) The Christian hope of eternal life beyond death 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=v-fljF7QxL8

Iain McGilchrist - Some Themes for Theologians

 I can't help thinking that some of the themes in Dr Iain McGilchrist's work might have interesting connections with the Trinity and Christology because he is very concerned with problems of the One and the Many, how do we account for the particular and the general. And how can we speak of a unity without confusion and a distinction without separation. 

Maybe there could also be a dialogue with sacramental theology and the philosophy of language because there are themes here of being and representation, attention and presence, the thing and the thing signified. In a way, the word (the language category) might be said to bring things into being, to create the reality for people to receive. 

Theologians may also be interested in his chapter on paradox in the forthcoming The Matter with Things. 

McGilchrist's case that matter (things, stuff, persons as machines) is not all that matters is if course pertinent to Christians. 

Other interesting things in McGilchrist's work include the importance of relations as well as things in themselves. 

And the interconnected nature of all things, which of course makes sense if God is the creator and sustained of all things. As John Muir wrote: "When we try to pick out anything by itself, we find it hitched to everything else in the Universe." For the Christian, anything leads ultimately back to its Maker. 

The moral theologian might be interested in themes of acting whilst remaining open, how we need to decide but also live with uncertainty. 

McGilchrist will likely have useful things to say about epistemology as he discusses science and reason (and their limits) as well as intuition and imagination. 

McGilchrist calls for humility and awe, a sense of the sacred. He pays attention to truth, goodness and beauty and wants to address consciousness, meaning, purpose and value as things given in the cosmos. 

Is Christianity an ideology?

I have been reading about and listening to some discussion of Jordan Peterson's critique of ideology e.g. here. 

Could the Christian faith be called an ideology, a kind of totalising theory that dominates?

It is a danger worth considering. Have we made an ideology and an idol of our dogmatics?

A few things might help to deliver Bible believing Christians from this trap. 

First, we insist that God is incomprehensible and mysterious. We have true and certain knowledge of him, but our knowledge is always incomplete and provisional. We are clear about the limits of our speaking and systems and ready to admit our ignorance. 

Our stress on the fallenness of human thinking and systems should be a safeguard to us against excessive certainty or over-bearing constraints. Our faith might be true, but if we are true to it, we know that we are liable to abuse it. In our sinful hands, The Truth can easily be a tool to power. 

God himself stands outside our ideology. We distinguish God himself from our talk about God. Seductive as theology as theory and system can be, we have to do in the end with a Person. The goal is ultimate goal is not only to speak about God but to God. Theology is for doxology, for prayer and worship. 

In the end, the deal not with ideas or with an ideology but with Jesus the Lord, The Truth, The Word. Our preaching is not primarily so that people might embrace a set of ideas but a Person. 

The Spirit no doubt has yet more light to break forth from the Word. Our understanding is always partial and provisional. 

Ecclesia semper reformanda est.

A readiness to repent and an intellectual humility ought, then, to flow naturally from Christian faith. 

May God deliver us from ideology. 

1 John 4 and 5 notes

 For anyone who would like to recap on last week's midweek meeting or have a look ahead to Wednesday's: 

Homegroup Leaders Notes: 1 John 4:1-21

 

You might like to read and deal with vv1-6 separately first.

 

Why do these verses suggest Christians need to be discerning? Why is it necessary to “test the spirits”? (v1)

Because there are many false prophets / teachers. (v1)

 

How do these suggest that we should “test the spirits” / recognise true and false teaching / the Spirit of truth and the spirit of falsehood?

John gives us a doctrinal test: do they acknowledge that Jesus Christ has come in the flesh (vv2-3). Of course true prophets / teachers / spirits will always acknowledge this, but John probably fixes on this here as it is something the false teachers are denying.

V6: the “us” is probably the Apostles cf. 1:1-4, 19. Those who are from God accept the Apostle’s teaching. This is preserved for us in the New Testament. (What is said in the verse would still be true if we included all the apostolic churches in the “us” of v6. All those who are from God receive true teaching).

 

What comfort does verse 4 give us in the face of false teaching?

God is greater than the spirit of the antichrist.

 

Can you think of ways in which we might be tempted to accommodate our teaching to the “viewpoint of the world” so that people might listen to us (v5)?

Maybe saying that all religions are ways to God, downplaying sin and judgement, assigning the same roles to men and women, affirming practicing homosexuality, prosperity gospel promises of health and wealth etc.

 

Why should we love one another?

V7 because love comes from God and we have been born of God. Similarly, v16b.

V11. Because of God’s love for us we ought to love one another. Similarly, v19.

God has commanded it (v21).

 

(If you didn’t use the “what do people in our culture think love is” etc. question last time, you could use it here in contrast to vv9&10)

 

How should we love one another? What should our love be like?

Our love should be like God’s love for us, supremely demonstrated in Jesus (v9-10). God’s love is costly (he gave his Son) and undeserved (“not that we loved God”, v10).

 

Since God is unseen (v12), how can we know he loves us?

We have seen (v14) that he sent his Son to be the Saviour of the world. See also vv9-10.

 

How can we know that we are Christians? Vv13-16.

Because he has given us the Spirit (v13). Notice that all believers have the Spirit. If we acknowledge that Jesus is the Son of God, God lives in us (v15)

 

Why can the Christian be without fear? What does the Christian not fear? (vv17-18)

We have confidence on the day of judgement (v17). Perfect love drives out fear of punishment (v18), though of course we fear God in the sense of being in awe of him, showing reverence, respect and honour for him.

 

Why do verses 20 and 21 suggest it’s incredible to say we love God if we do not love fellow Christians?

Love of God and love of fellow Christians go together. God has commanded us to love fellow Christians and if we love him we’ll obey his commands (5:3). In some ways it is easier to love a Christian we have seen than God whom we cannot see – easier to show our love in practice. Our love for the unseen God is seen in our love for his family, the church. Loving fellow Christians is a way of expressing our love for God.

 

You could encourage members to re-read the whole letter in time for next week’s study and think about: What does John say about why he’s written? (2:1, 16; 5:13) How has what we’ve read helped to fulfil those aims? What has struck you from the letter / would you like to hold on to from it? And use some time next week to review and consolidate.

 

Summary points / applications / for prayer & praise:

Pray for true teachers and teaching in the church and that we might recognise and reject false teachers and teaching, not seeking to accommodate our teaching to what people want to hear.

Give thanks for God’s love for us and the confidence it gives us.

Pray for God’s help to love fellow Christians – especially any you find difficult.

 

 

Homegroup Leaders Notes (7) 1 John 5:1-21

 

What characteristics of the children of God does verse 1 give us?

 

What does it mean / look like in practice to love God? (vv2-3)

 

What encouragements do verses 3-5 give us?

 

From 2:15-17 and the context here, what might it mean to “overcome the world”?

 

See also 4:4

 

There are various theories about what John means by “the water and the blood” (v6). Some see it as a reference to John 19:34-35, where water and blood flow from Jesus’ side. According to John Stott, it is most satisfactory to take “water as referring to the baptism of Jesus, at which He was declared the Son and commissioned and empowered for his work, and blood to His death, in which His work was finished.” (Tyndale Commentary, IVP, p178). The false teachers may have held that Jesus was an ordinary man on whom the “Christ” descended at his baptism and departed before the cross.

 

What reasons does John give us for believing (vv7-10) that Jesus is the Son of God (v5)?

 

Cf. Dt 19:15 which gives a legal rule that for a conviction “a matter must be established by the testimony of two or three witnesses.”

 

What confidence do we have in prayer? Vv14-15.

 

What condition does verse 14 give for God hearing our prayers? What does that mean?

 

Cf. also Mk 14:36; The Lord’s Prayer; 3:21-22.

 

How should we react if we see a Christian fall into sin? v16

 

The “sin that leads to death” is probably continued rejection of Christ. The false teachers are committing such apostasy (2:18-19; Cf. Heb 6:4-6; 10:26-29; Mk 3:29). John has already told us that if we are trusting in Jesus all sins are forgiven (1:9).

 

What does John say that “we know” in vv18-20?

 

How should this knowledge affect our lives?

 

How does John describe the purpose of his letter in verse 13?

How has his letter served that purpose? How has the letter helped you to know that as a believer you have eternal life?

John has given us a number of ways to recognise true believers: they believe in Jesus

 

Especially relevant verses include: 4:15; 5:1; 2:10; 3:10, 14, 18-19; 2:3-6; 3:24; 4:13; 1:9; 2:1-2; 4:9-10; 5:14-15

 

What have we learnt / been reminded of by 1 John?

(see summary points from previous studies for some examples)

 

Summary points / for prayer & praise:

Pray that we would love God and his children and obey his commandments.

Give thanks to God for the victory over the world that he gives to all who trust in Jesus.

Give thanks for the assurance and confidence that we can have because of God’s testimony.

Give thanks that God hears our prayers.

Pray (perhaps on your own at home?) for any Christians you know who have fallen into sin.

Give thanks for all that we’ve learnt from 1 John and pray that we’d live in the light of it.

 

From The Rectory

 My item for the much anticipated projected return of the print parish magazine in June. 

From The Rectory

 

It’s a real pleasure to be able to introduce this first printed edition of the parish magazine for some time. I know many of you have missed it. Here’s one small step among many back towards some kind of normality, we hope.

 

As ever we remain grateful to Simon, our esteemed editor, and all who work so hard on advertising, content and distribution. Thank you! It’s great to keep in touch in this and other ways, and we would love to hear from anyone who would like to subscribe, advertise or contribute.

 

We’ve been busy planning how all sorts of things can resume safely, details of some of which you’ll find later in the magazine. There’s still some uncertainty as to what will be allowed when. We’ll give more details on the Warbleton Church website (where you can find our weekly notice sheet) and on our church Facebook and Twitter accounts when we can.

 

The whole Covid pandemic and the lockdowns have been so grim that they will call for long and profound reflection. Some of us have had cause to count our blessings as we’ve observed with sorrow the suffering of others. There is much over which to grieve and lament, as well as wonderful acts of self-sacrificial service to celebrate. We have been thinking as churches about how we could help to mark our losses (for example, with memorial services for families who had to have very restricted funerals). And we are looking forward to the time when congregational hymn singing will be allowed indoors again. We have so missed being able to meet together at times, and we feel for those who have been particularly isolated or fearful. We want to be cautious and respect the concerns of others, but I for one will be delighted when we get to a point where masks are no longer necessary and we don’t have to worry about how far two metres is!

 

At the risk of sounding trite, I want to use the remaining space to offer one or two reflections as we look back and plan ahead.

 

Covid 19 has shown us afresh the fragility and uncertainty of life. We ought to have known these things, but some of us might previously have been tempted to feel secure and invulnerable. Maybe the stripped down, pared back regime of lockdown has given us time and space to ask what really matters. It would be a shame to rush on too hastily from such questions.

 

Jesus once told a parable of wise and foolish builders (Matthew 7:24-29). Both face a storm. The Christian is not immune from the challenges of life. Times of testing are inevitable. Some of us might be feeling battered. And all of us one day must face the flood of death. Jesus askes us to examine the foundations of our lives. What have we been depending on? If we’re wise, Jesus says, we will hear his words and put them into practice. Real security comes only from building our lives on the Rock which is Christ. As the hymn puts it, “On Christ the solid rock I stand. All other ground is sinking sand”; “My hope is built on nothing less than Jesus’ blood and righteousness.”

 

As we tick off the roadmap dates of 17^th May and look tentatively towards 21^st June, we have all sorts of hopes and plans. You may even have dared to book a holiday! Virtually nothing in life is certain. Jesus would tell us that our ultimate hope, our only real security, should be in him alone. Christian hope can be sure and steadfast because it depends not on our performance, resilience or strength but on what Jesus has done for us out of sheer grace. We don’t know what life will bring. And Christian faith is no insurance policy against all kinds of loss and the most tragic disasters. But Jesus promises to be our shield and defence in the storms of life. Whatever we face he is with us, even if we walk through the valley of the shadow of death, as we all must. At last, he will bring us to God’s house for ever (Psalm 23), to the Eternal City with lasting foundations, which God has prepared for all who will put their trust in him. We don’t have all the answers, but we have a solid unshakeable hope. May God bless and deliver us as we look to the months ahead.

 

The Revd Marc Lloyd

Eugene Peterson, Working the Angles

 

Eugene H. Peterson, Working the Angles: The Shape of Pastoral Integrity (Eerdmans, 1987)

 

I’ve long been aware of Eugene Peterson’s book for pastors, but I’ve only read it in the last few days. Sometimes the American evangelical scene of 1987 seemed rather distant from my context. And you may not find everything in this book totally convincing. But I think there’s lots worth reflecting on here.

 

Peterson is surely right to highlight his three “angles” of prayer, scripture and spiritual direction as core to the pastoral calling, and easily neglected for the sake of managing the church, catering to people’s expectations or chasing the latest fad. In particular, the pastor must resist “religious shopkeeping” (p2). As Flannery O’Connor once put it, there is a temptation to become one part minister and three part masseuse (p11, citing The Habit of Being, p81). The pastor must guard against a thinning out whereby his ministry becomes mostly impersonation (p15) and performance. Much that is most essential to ministry is unseen and it may be easy enough to put on a decent show much of the time whilst neglecting what really matters.

 

The metaphor of working these three angles (of prayer, Bible and pastoral conversation) is that these three things will give the ministerial life its shape. They are respectively acts of attention to the soul, God’s revelation and another person. The visible lines of preaching, teaching and administration may be of different lengths and proportions but they flow from the angles of prayer, Scripture and spiritual direction. The hard, unglamourous work of faithfulness in ministry requires a life-long persistence to the correct technology or means: “trained attentiveness to God in the soul, in Israel and the church, and in the neighbour” (p17).

 

A neglected way of thinking of the pastoral vocation is as preparing people for a good death. An awareness of mortality “teaches wisdom: how to live as a human, not as a god” (p31). We must learn to number our days (Psalm 90:12). As Luther cried out, “Lord! That we all might be such skilled arithmeticians!” (p31, citing Luther, Works, 13:128).

 

Peterson focuses on prayer as “answering speech” in response to God’s word (p47). In particular he draws on the Psalms, which Calvin called an “anatomy of all the parts of the soul.” (p56f, citing Calvin, Commentary on Psalms). Ambrose said the Psalms are “a sort of gymnasium for the use of all souls, a sort of stadium of virtue, where different sorts of exercise are set out before him, from which he can choose the best suited to train him to win his crown.” (p58, citing Ambrose, Discourses on the Psalms).

 

Peterson also stresses the importance of sabbath for pastors for praying and playing.

 

He advocates “contemplative exegesis” particularly urging the hearing rather than the reading of the Word, remembering its original spoken nature, its orality, and its character as personal address rather than merely something to be analysed. The story of Dr Cuticle’s surgery from Melville’s White Jacket serves as a warning to the exegete and preacher: Cuticle so delighted in the operation and in commenting on it that he failed to notice his patient had died (p107).  

 

John 15vv1-17 Notes

 

How to be a Fruitful Christian (John 15:1-17)

 

Healthy / fruitful / effective / productive Christian life

 

Jesus said: “I AM the True Vine”

Jesus = God Himself, Yahweh, the I AM (Ex 3)

Israel as a vine

Jesus as the New / True Israel

The new / true people of God in Jesus

 

The essential, indispensible key to fruitfulness:

remain in Jesus the vine

Entirely dependant on Jesus

 

What does it mean to remain in Jesus?

(How do we remain in Jesus? What will that look like?)

Faith in Jesus / believe in him

Painful pruning

Shaped by his word

Obedience to his commands

Love (loving obedience, obedient love)

Joy

Prayer

Living as Jesus’ friends, knowing his business

Not must try harder / 7 steps but life in Christ!

 

A warning against lifeless unfruitfulness (Judas)

 

What is the fruit we will produce?

Everything that flows from our life in Christ

Love, obedience to Jesus commands, evangelism, all to God’s glory