Faith | MINISTRY FROM TWO POLES

Posts Tagged ‘Faith

Feb

The Gift that Gives and Gives …

Categories: Uncategorized
Tags: Church, Faith, PC(USA), remembrance, Theology

… and gives, and gives, and …

I have posted this message on every blog because it just too important to keep a secret.

On Tuesday morning I checked my emails as usual, only to find the most unusual message:

To Kathy Jensen, A DONATION OF SACRED CHORAL MUSIC (gratis):

(Courtesy of the Pastor) Dear Kathy, Please accept, as a donation towards the work of the choirs there, the attached PDF files of some of my unpublished choral music. Feel free to download and make copies of any items that you’d like to perform…with my compliments.
With best wishes, Colin Brumby, DMus

While Kathy Jensen is an accomplished musician, I am a very pedestrian appreciater of music. I am no judge of fine music by looking at notes on a page, so when I opened the seventeen attachments I was clueless about the nature of the melodies. I know words and theology, however, and when I read the lyrics I saw hymns at least as beautiful, expressive and meaningful as any of the best hymns in our hymnals.

I wept. Such a gift to a tiny congregation striving to leave a faith legacy to its community is priceless. To be able to sing original works that were donated to them because the composer was touched by their efforts, to be able to use these hymns to minister to each other and their neighbors is just – well, breathtaking.

When I spoke to Kathy yesterday and told her of the gift, she was almost speechless. She had yet to read the music or words but, I am supposing, as she understands the creative process of writing choral music, she was amazed at the depth and breadth of the heart that would share this gift with her church. If I know Kathy, by now she has played each and every one of these hymns, probably not just once. I can’t wait to talk to her when we reach a decent hour this morning.

To Colin. I do not know how you feel about having your gift publicly acknowledged, but I hope (with your permission) to replace your initials with your name to more fully recognize you as one of the saints of our church.

May God continue to bless you and keep you, my dear brother in Christ,

Andy.

Feb

The Storm of the Century

By Rev Andy Little Leave a Comment

Categories: Personal Stories
Tags: Church, Ethics, Faith, God, history, Holy Spirit, Liberation theology, memories, oppression, Progressive, reflections, remembrance, Theology, writing

-or- The Idiot of Pensacola Beach

By mid-March 1993, the storms occurring all over the Eastern half of the US lined up perfectly with those occurring in my body, mind and soul. It was a time when every part of my being was railing against the abuse I was inflicting upon it, just as the winds, ice and snow battered communities already preparing for a change of season. I had undertaken the impossible four years earlier, and had poured all of myself into creating a miracle for which I, in my own mind, would be solely responsible. The storms were relentless, however, and my body and mind were beginning to snap like the heavily ice laden power lines in the coastal south. Continue reading ‘The Storm of the Century’

Feb

Towards a More Robust Community

By Rev Andy Little Leave a Comment

Categories: Economic Theology and Ethics
Tags: Christian, Church, Economy, Equity, Ethics, Faith, PC(USA), Progressive, society, Theology

… building a better place for all.

What is community?

The first, and most important, ingredient of community is people. A community is a group of people who share a common sense of belonging to something. That commonality is most likely a place like a neighborhood or village. Sometimes there are micro-communities that form into a community – smaller groups of people with common interests who cooperate with other groups to achieve broader goals. This is actually the most common definition of a healthy community. Continue reading ‘Towards a More Robust Community’

Feb

Marriage Denied

By Rev Andy Little 4 Comments

Categories: GLBT & Queer Theology and Marriage & Sexuality
Tags: bias, Christian, Church, Equity, Ethics, Faith, GLBT issues, homophobia, inclusive, marriage equality, society

I would like to point you in the direction of a brief article that takes a different tack on the marriage issue.

It is brilliant in it’s simplicity, and makes a cogent point easy to understand.

It can be found at http://www.religiondispatches.org/blog/sexandgender/755/.

Enjoy the chuckle, but give serious thought to the implications.

Jan

Luke’s Jesus

By Rev Andy Little Leave a Comment

Categories: Justice & Mercy, Liberation theology and Sermons & Studies
Tags: biblical authority, Christ, Christian, Church, Faith, Jesus, Liberation theology, oppression, PC(USA), reflections, Theology

Several year’s ago, after finally giving my heart to Christ, I asked several people the question, “Okay, now what?” I had no idea what it meant to be a Christian, and little background from my early childhood from which to cull an answer. Almost everyone, including several clergy, suggested I read the Gospel of John, followed by Matthew, Mark and then Acts. What was it about Luke’s Gospel that prompted people to omit it from a new Christian’s reading list? Historically, Luke hasn’t been a favorite Gospel, which, for me at least, prompts the question, “What does it say that might be uncomfortable to the church hierarchy?” Luke’s Jesus, it seems, was an advocate of social justice, a vehement critic of religious authorities and a harsh judge of the people who rejected God’s “true” ministry. Continue reading ‘Luke’s Jesus’

Jan

Reflection on Being Like a Child – Matthew 18:1-6

By Rev Andy Little 2 Comments

Categories: Sermons & Studies
Tags: biblical authority, Christ, Christian, Church, Faith, God, Holy Spirit, Kingdom of God, PC(USA), reflections, Theology, writing

Author Howard Friend, in his book Recovering the Sacred Center, recommends the exercise of describing the church as persons – complete with identities, stories and histories. When I was reflecting on that some time back, this scripture and poem came to mind.

Matthew 18:1-6

At that time the disciples came to Jesus and asked, “Who is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven?” Jesus called a child, whom he put among them, and said, “Truly I tell you, unless you change and become like children, you will never enter the kingdom of heaven. Whoever becomes humble like this child is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven. Whoever welcomes one such child in my name welcomes me. If any of you put a stumbling block before one of these little ones who believe in me, it would be better for you if a great millstone …” Continue reading ‘Reflection on Being Like a Child – Matthew 18:1-6’

Jan

God as Mother – Innocence Lost (Part 5)

By Rev Andy Little Leave a Comment

Categories: Ethics, Feminist theology, Liberation theology and Sermons & Studies
Tags: bias, biblical authority, Christ, Christian, Church, conflict resolution, Ethics, Faith, Feminist theology, God, IMAGE OF GOD, inclusive, Jesus, Kingdom of God, Liberation theology, oppression, PC(USA), Progressive, Theology

Continued from Part 4, or go to the beginning and view the Table of Contents.

I will resist the urge to recap the arguments so far. They are here, after all, to find and read in the first four parts. In this section I want to speak of why this topic is important in the first place. Nothing like waiting until the end to do that, is there? Ultimately, what I have to say on this will be based on two central beliefs.

(i) As long as it falls short of idolatry, the image that each of us has of God can serve be valuable for our faith lives. It is one thing to say, “I find an affinity with a male or female image of God that informs my personal spiritual journey,” and a whole different thing to say, “God is male – to say otherwise is blashemy, a sin or whatever.” We have a right to envision God in the way that is most comfortable to us, as long as we remain cognizant of the fact that it is just an image.

(ii) When it comes to public worship or study, however, our personal image of God needs to be left at the door. In this situation, we may be responsible not just for our own spirituality, but that of others as well. To formalize or otherwise restrict public worship and theology to that of our own is to reach the point of idolizing our own rationality, or irrationality as the case may be. Continue reading ‘God as Mother – Innocence Lost (Part 5)’

Jan

God as Mother – Masculinity Lost? (Part 4)

By Rev Andy Little Leave a Comment

Categories: Ethics, Feminist theology, Liberation theology and Sermons & Studies
Tags: bias, biblical authority, Christ, Christian, Church, Equity, Ethics, Faith, Feminist theology, Genesis, Holy Spirit, IMAGE OF GOD, inclusive, Kingdom of God, oppression, PC(USA), Progressive, Theology

Continued from Part 3, or go to beginning at Part 1.

EMASCULATION OR UN-MASCULINIZATION OF GOD

Opponents of inclusive imagery and language about God often claim it is bordering on blasphemy, with a significant number of those making the case being women. Proponents cite myriad reasons for its legitimacy. For now, let’s begin by looking at the arguments for the masculine image of God, so we can determine what’s at stake in changing our approach.

Except for Mormons, many who believe there is a God-mother beside the God-father, and some non-trinitarian sects, most adherents of Christians sects believe that the totality of God is wrapped up in the trinitarian formula, “Father, Son and Holy Ghost (Spirit).” To change that formulation, many think, is to attack the very nature of God and to lead people away from the “true” God. Besides the fact that God does not need protecting, on which I hope we would all agree, then what is in need of protection is a tenet of faith – a dogma – a way of understanding God. The way in which we speak of God does not change who and what God is. The tenacity with which people hold onto specific images prompts us to ask, “What is really at stake?” Continue reading ‘God as Mother – Masculinity Lost? (Part 4)’

Jan

God as Mother – Imagery lost (Part 3)

By Rev Andy Little Leave a Comment

Categories: Ethics, Feminist theology, Liberation theology and Sermons & Studies
Tags: bias, biblical authority, Christ, Christian, Church, Ethics, Faith, Feminist theology, God, history, IMAGE OF GOD, inclusive, Jesus, Kingdom of God, Liberation theology, Progressive, Theology

Continued from Part 2. Or go to Table of Contents

Feminine images of God still abound in scripture, as discussed in Part 1. Those images, however, are simply those that have survived the expurgation by 3rd and 4th century “masculinizers” of the text. I know, that’s not technically a word – at least it wasn’t, but it is now. Examples could be used from the texts that were omitted, like the Odes of Solomon, but they are not part of the canon and so would be open to ridicule. Examples of passages still in the Bible have already been covered. To make the point on how images have been expunged, I will simply examine the instance of El Shaddai – Almight God – as the case in point. Continue reading ‘God as Mother – Imagery lost (Part 3)’

Jan

Liberation Theology and Globalization – Part 4

By Rev Andy Little 1 Comment

Categories: Ethics and Liberation theology
Tags: bias, Capital, Christian, conflict resolution, Economy, Equity, Ethics, Faith, history, Liberation theology, oppression, society, Theology

Continued from here or go to Table of Contents.

THE UNDEVELOPMENT OF THE DEVELOPED WORLD

The dominant U.S. theology of entitlement seems to conflict with not only liberation theologies, but most theologies that include political and social action as essential tenets. Such European notables in political theology as Jurgen Moltmann, Johannes Baptist Metz, and Dietrich Bonhoeffer were joined by Reinhold Niebuhr and John Howard Yoder of the U.S. In his 1972 book The Politics of Jesus, Yoder detailed the biblical evidence which justified his belief, “Jesus is, according to the biblical witness, a model of radical political action …”[1] Disturbed by theological thought that separated Jesus from the political sphere, he attempted to prove that faithful Christian disciples should adopt Jesus’ political approach. Continue reading ‘Liberation Theology and Globalization – Part 4’

Jan

Albany Presbytery Votes Pro-GLBT

By Rev Andy Little Leave a Comment

Categories: GLBT & Queer Theology
Tags: bias, Christian, Church, conflict resolution, Equity, Ethics, Faith, Feminist theology, GLBT issues, homophobia, IMAGE OF GOD, inclusive, Kingdom of God, oppression, PC(USA), Progressive, Theology

On Saturday, January 24 2009, the Albany Presbytery voted to approve the constitutional amendment to three sections of the Constitution of the Presbyterian Church (USA). The primary change was to section G-6.0106b, the wording of which technically denied ordination to LGBT people seeking positions as deacons, elders or ministers. Before examining the potential effects on each ecclesiastical level of the church, you might want to check out the old and new wording. To do so, click here.

In some respects, this vote has the potential to have a major effect on the Presbyterian Church (USA), if it approved by 81 more presbyteries. It quite possibly will also be somewhat significant for the local presbytery. But, for the local church, little will change except that leaders will not be able to name a third-party as the reason it chooses not to ordain LGBT elders. The primary impact of this amendment is that it puts responsibility for determining the suitability of candidates for deacon, elder or minister squarely on the church body that approves the ordination – session for church officers and presbytery for ministers. Continue reading ‘Albany Presbytery Votes Pro-GLBT’

Jan

Gillibrand to be New York Senator

By Rev Andy Little 1 Comment

Categories: Uncategorized
Tags: bias, Capital, Christian, conflict resolution, Economy, Equity, Ethics, Faith, GLBT issues, inclusive, marriage equality, society

Today, I received an e-mail communication from New York Pride Agenda announcing Governor Paterson’s appointment to fill the seat left open by Hillary Clinton. The announcement read: Continue reading ‘Gillibrand to be New York Senator’

Jan

God as Mother – lost in later tradition (Pt 2)

By Rev Andy Little 4 Comments

Categories: Ethics, Feminist theology and Sermons & Studies
Tags: bias, biblical authority, Christ, Christian, Church, Equity, Faith, Feminist theology, group dynamics, history, IMAGE OF GOD, inclusive, Jesus, Liberation theology, oppression, society

Continued from: God as Mother – more traditional than you might think. Or go to Table of Contents

WHAT DID JESUS DO?

The most common reason given for calling God “God the Father”, “Father God” or “Father” is that Jesus did, and told us to do so as well. That is true, of course, only when you read a translation of the New Testament in something other than Greek. Greek had some interesting abnormalities that affect translation – unusual facets that were easy to miss, or to ignore, depending on your perspectives or intentions. Continue reading ‘God as Mother – lost in later tradition (Pt 2)’

Jan

God is in Gaza and Israel

By Rev Andy Little Leave a Comment

Categories: Uncategorized
Tags: Christian, conflict resolution, Faith, God, Kingdom of God, oppression, society, Theology

On another forum site on which I participate, a thread was started entitled “The Victimization of Hamas.” Basically, the premise of the original poster was that Hamas was getting what it deserved, and the civilians being killed, maimed and hurt were somehow complicit by the very presence in the Hamas-run Gaza Strip. Shockingly, to me at least since this is generally a socially, politically and theologically progressive forum, many agreed. This was my latest response:

Continue reading ‘God is in Gaza and Israel’

Jan

G-6.0106b Commentary

By Rev Andy Little Leave a Comment

Categories: Uncategorized
Tags: bias, conflict resolution, Faith, group dynamics, oppression, PC(USA)

In an article questioning whether now is the time to consider replacing G-6.0106b, Barbara G. Wheeler wrote:

I still think that G-6.0106b must be removed. It is a blot on the Constitution. It was tortuously worded to create the appearance of fairness — the same standard for gay and straight officers — as cover for its discriminatory intent, the exclusion of gays and lesbians. It promotes misuse of the church’s great confessions of faith as catalogs of sins. Continue reading ‘G-6.0106b Commentary’

... or, preaching from both ends

Rev Andy Little

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That's too bad - I'm so sorry. Oh, well, just try to make the best of it. What you'll find here is a variety of essays and ramblings to do with things theological, social, whimsical and, sometimes, all three. I don't write to get famous - trust me, I've been told how futile that would be - but to express myself. I love to communicate and browbeat - ummm, I mean dialogue - about the things I find intriguing. Since you're here, and the door's locked, why don't you stay a while. There's a page bar under the header with links to information about us - I mean me. Don't forget to tell me what you think - in a nice way, I mean.