God | MINISTRY FROM TWO POLES

Posts Tagged ‘God

Feb

The Nature of God and Salvation in Mormon Tradition

Categories: Sermons & Studies
Tags: biblical authority, Christ, Christian, Church, Faith, GLBT issues, God, history, Holy Spirit, IMAGE OF GOD, Jesus, Kingdom of God, marriage equality, Theology

With the LDS church being under some fire for their role in California’s Prop 8, I thought it might be useful to examine some of the theology behind LDS. I am now curious as to how evangelical Christians and Catholics reconcile the theological differences to form an alliance of the kind it took to wage the war. See what you think.

OVERARCHING QUESTION

“The questions that arose for me are hardly easy ones to ask or to address. The Mormons’ concept of the nature of God seems problematic, as does the relationship between God and humanity. Ultimately, however, the question that repeatedly surfaced was whether the Fall of humankind was integral to God’s plan of salvation – in the Mormon understanding, did God intentionally engineer and/or participate in the Fall and the sacrifice of Jesus Christ? If so, what does this say about the nature of God?”

Continue reading ‘The Nature of God and Salvation in Mormon Tradition’

Feb

Two Poles are Better than One

By Rev Andy Little 2 Comments

In response to some inquiries that have been made about my rather cryptic title for this blog, I am going to unveil at least some of my thoughts behind the choice, and ponder further on the possibilities.

Gestalt – The obvious and, of course, most pedestrian assumption would be that it is based purely and simply on the fact that I am Bipolar. While, admittedly, that gave some impetous to choosing the moniker “Ministry From Two Poles”, it does not explain the rest of the name, “… or Preaching From Both Ends”, or the choice of header art. Continue reading ‘Two Poles are Better than One’

Feb

The Baby in the Bath Water

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In colonial America, as in other places where water was fetched and heated only with great effort, ablutions were a family process. One by one, beginning with the father, then the mother and continuing through the youngest child, all would bath in the same tub of water. Both parents, as well all the oldest kids, worked the fields and tended the livestock. Of course, children also played outside. Saturday, in order to be clean for Sunday church service, was the proverbial bath night. The old German proverb, “Don’t throw the baby out with the bathwater” had a very real meaning for early American settlers. Admittedly, even though the water was so tepid and dirty by the time the youngest of perhaps a dozen or more children were finished bathing that it would have been easy, it would have been ridiculously rare, if it ever happened at all, to loose a child in the muck. Rather than literal, the saying came to represent a frontier dweller’s value for resources similar to that expressed in the adage, “one person’s trash is another person’s treasure.” Continue reading ‘The Baby in the Bath Water’

Feb

Wisdom Distilled from the Daily – a study guide

By Rev Andy Little Leave a Comment

Categories: Sermons & Studies
Tags: Christian, Church, Faith, God, Holy Spirit, IMAGE OF GOD, inclusive, Kingdom of God, reflections, Theology, writing

Benedictine Spirituality

Small Group Study Based on

Wisdom Distilled from the Daily

By Joan Chittister, OSB

Statement of Purpose:

This small group is to help those curious about Christian spirituality come to a more personal understanding of God, Jesus Christ and the Holy Spirit, and how God works in our everyday lives. We will use the Rule of St. Benedict, a guide to spirituality used since the sixth century, to find ways to “fill up the emptiness and heal the brokenness in which most of us live in ways that are sensible, humane, whole, and accessible to an overworked, overstimulated, overscheduled human race”.[1] Continue reading ‘Wisdom Distilled from the Daily – a study guide’

Feb

Testing the Waters on a Virtual Church

By Rev Andy Little Leave a Comment

Categories: Uncategorized
Tags: biblical authority, Christ, Christian, Church, conflict resolution, Ethics, Faith, Feminist theology, GLBT issues, God, group dynamics, Holy Spirit, IMAGE OF GOD, inclusive, Jesus, Kingdom of God, Liberation theology, PC(USA), Progressive, Theology

In another post, I described my ongoing interest in a virtual church – not simply a digital reporduction of a physical church or a place to pick and choose prayers and sermons, but a real and actual church meeting at predetermined (oops, there’s that Presbyterian word) time.

I envision a church gathering in cyberspace for communal worship and praise, as well as having a physical presence in each of the towns, cities and countries in which the “members” live. A church that enlivens mission, both individually and collectively, and promotes the notion of the “priesthood of all believers” actively engaged in the physical world as well as the cyber-sphere. It would be a church which has the same range of theological perspectives as any “real-world” church, but would have a space in which, unlike most churches today, those differences can be discussed respectfully and reverently. Continue reading ‘Testing the Waters on a Virtual Church’

Feb

Growing Beyond Numbers – a continuing project

By Rev Andy Little Leave a Comment

Categories: Economic Theology, Ethics, Feminist theology and Liberation theology
Tags: bias, biblical authority, Christ, Christian, Church, conflict resolution, Equity, Ethics, Faith, God, group dynamics, history, Holy Spirit, IMAGE OF GOD, inclusive, Jesus, Kingdom of God, Liberation theology, oppression, Progressive, reconciliation, Theology

This is a project I was involved with several years ago, while in seminary. I have threatened numerous times to revisit this and continue to work at the basic premise. It was good, just not complete. If you feel inclined to help, I would appreciate any suggestions. I will no doubt make sure that the revisions can be seen apart from the original, which is owned collectively by all the authors. Each gave their permission years ago to work with this, as long as attribution was given.

Be prepared: This is a small book. It is, at least I think, interesting and challenging – especially for churches in flux and those trying to redefine their identity – but it is not a quick read.

Continue reading ‘Growing Beyond Numbers – a continuing project’

Feb

DOING THEOLOGY – A Series on Practical Theology

By Rev Andy Little Leave a Comment

Categories: Ethics, Feminist theology and Liberation theology
Tags: biblical authority, Christ, Christian, Church, Ethics, Faith, God, Holy Spirit, IMAGE OF GOD, inclusive, Kingdom of God, PC(USA), Progressive, reconciliation, reflections, Theology

A 7-part series about praxis – the way we treat theology as an active word, rather than just something we think about if we have to.

Excerpts:

“Theology is a word that seems to bring terror to some people’s hearts, cause others to roll their eyes back in their head and, at the very least, make some folks think of a deranged, reclusive, scholarly pastor sitting amid a room full of books reading under candlelight. … Theology as something we think can be important, but theology as something we do – well, now, that’s just plain powerful. ”

“What I hoped to show is that developing theology is based on a process – a continuous process, at that – in which we actually have to contend with what we believe, and consider how the consequences play out in our reality (”our” meaning human reality, as opposed to God’s reality). Un unexamined theology risks becoming an idolatry, with that which is idolized being our own rigid dogma.”

Continue reading ‘DOING THEOLOGY – A Series on Practical Theology’

Feb

Can the Church Reconcile with its Own Victims? (Part 3)

By Rev Andy Little 2 Comments

Categories: Ethics
Tags: biblical authority, Christian, Church, conflict resolution, Equity, Ethics, Faith, Feminist theology, God, history, inclusive, Liberation theology, oppression, PC(USA), Progressive, reconciliation, society, Theology

Continued from Part 2

From this point forward, this paper follows a fairly radical ethical line – one based on Mat 16:25-26,

“For those who want to save their life will lose it, and those who lose their life for my sake will find it. For what will it profit them if they gain the whole world but forfeit their life? Or what will they give in return for their life?” (NRSV)

The church has based much of its behavior, since becoming an institution, on maintaining its status, solvency, relevance and political clout in the world. That behavior, as stated above, has included the historical marginalization or oppression of significant groups, many of who are still found within its doors. When this conduct is measured against what is perhaps the most significant Christian ethic, the “greatest commandment” of Mat 22:37-39[1], it fails miserably. The antidote for this ethos is none other than to embrace the message of the greatest commandment even if it leads to the church’s own material demise. The life of the church is founded on the concept of being the light of Christ to the world and, however divine the calling may be, is a temporal and, therefore, quite possibly a temporary presence in society. To maintain its existence at the expense of any of its neighbors, which includes any part of God’s creation inside or outside its walls, is to seek life over its mission. Continue reading ‘Can the Church Reconcile with its Own Victims? (Part 3)’

Feb

Can the Church Reconcile with it’s Own Victims? (Part 2)

By Rev Andy Little Leave a Comment

Categories: Ethics
Tags: bias, Christian, Church, conflict resolution, Equity, Ethics, Faith, Feminist theology, God, IMAGE OF GOD, inclusive, Kingdom of God, Liberation theology, oppression, PC(USA), Progressive, reconciliation, society, Theology

Continued from Part 1

Reform movements have been associated with the church since its earliest days, generally when it was considered too focused on earthly or material matters. John Chrysostom, in the late fourth century, wrote of the political intrigue, power struggles and scandalous excesses being enjoyed by priests and laity of the church. He restructured the finances of the church in Constantinople, selling many of the acquired luxuries of the clergy to feed and cloth the poor,^[1] thereby enraging many of the priests. One thousand years later, the Brethren of the Common Life, an order started by Gerard Groote, railed against many of the same problems, including the secularization of the church.^[2] Between these two examples and their respective timeframes, history tells of myriad other reform movements that sought to correct very similar patterns of behavior, resulting in a list of dissidents within which almost all Protestant denominations can find their roots – Erasmus, Luther, Zwingli, Calvin and Wesley to name but a few. Continue reading ‘Can the Church Reconcile with it’s Own Victims? (Part 2)’

Feb

Land Ethic – A Model for Environmentalists?

By Rev Andy Little 2 Comments

Categories: Economic Theology and Ethics
Tags: biblical authority, Christian, Economy, Equity, Ethics, Faith, Genesis, God, history, IMAGE OF GOD, inclusive, Kingdom of God, Liberation theology, PC(USA), Progressive, reflections, society, Theology

Catching up on some old reading, I came across an article, “The Land Ethic” by J. Baird Callicott, that stirred my juices for discussing some aspects of environmental ethics. I do this from time to time, it’s part of my ‘illness’ to engage in something for sheer geekfest value. If this interests you – hmmm, well, I wouldn’t want to criticize. Continue reading ‘Land Ethic – A Model for Environmentalists?’

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’

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 – 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 3)

By Rev Andy Little Leave a Comment

Categories: Ethics and Liberation theology
Tags: bias, Capital, Christian, Church, conflict resolution, Economy, Ethics, God, Liberation theology, oppression, Progressive, society, Theology

Continued from here or go to Table of Contents.

USING THEOLOGY TO PROSPER

As in the U.S. women’s battle for the vote, the fall of the Berlin Wall and the ‘end’ of apartheid in South Africa, to name a few momentous occasions in recent social history, change of this magnitude requires partners. In each of these instances of striving for justice, significant numbers of allies within the dominant Western cultures had to be enlisted. Men voted to recognize (not give) women’s right to vote; pressure on East Germany and South Africa from other countries seem to have played a substantial role in changes experienced in those areas. Allies, from within the U.S. and European cultures, are likely to be needed, in the long run, to aid in the battle against widespread impoverishment. Continue reading ‘Liberation Theology and Globalization (Part 3)’

... or, preaching from both ends

Rev Andy Little

WELL, HELLO! YOU’RE HERE.

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.