Interpreting Ancient Texts in the Face of New Discoveries

When reading our Bibles and entering into conversations with God's people of the past, it is important to ask some hard questions. Here are a few of the questions I ask of my Bible and my brothers and sisters who have gone before me:

 "What did this biblical text (this Sacred text) mean to them THEN- within their cultural context? What did they discern was God's 'Faith Message' to them THEN?" Our "THEN" questions must make allowances for these facts: -Saints of old possessed  limited knowledge of the world they lived in.    

We possess much more knowledge of the natural world then they ever could have imagined. Their specific questions and concerns were not necessarily our specific questions and concerns.
-Saints of old lived, thought, and believed within the constraints of a given culture and language (just as we do); this is the case with Old Testament saints who lived at a given time in the progression of God's unfolding revelation.    

Ancient theological reflections, conversations, and interpretations of sacred texts often give evidence on pressing issues and concerns that may or may not be exactly the issues and concerns of our life context. This is be expected. The world and culture change as History unfolds and more and more mysteries are uncovered. This implies that each new generation must engage in a meaningful conversation with God's sacred texts, saints who have gone before them, and the world they  inhabit. Often there is no need to start completely over, but to simply keep the conversation going. However, in same cases, there are no past paths to consider (specific thoughts on medical ethics might be an example). Each succeeding generation must do fresh theological work for their generation- for their NOW. )

I tweeted this last evening: "They were THEN; We are NOW. They can't tell us everything for living NOW. But God can. Look to God."

SIDE BAR: We must never lose sight of the fact that those who pre-date Jesus could not possibly have seen the fullness of what was coming of God's revelation through the incarnation. The incarnation (followed by Jesus' death upon the cross, his resurrection, and his sending of the Spirit together) represents a major 'game-changer' for the conversations of God's people. This is now a 'New Creation World'.  The beginning of God's Story as well as its entire future must be thoroughly informed by the singular reality of that Jesus has come. Additionally, we must never overlook the role of Jesus' Spirit in both mining and applying the Sacred texts to our life settings and concerns. Jesus himself said the Holy Spirit was given in part to guide God's people "into all truth." Thank God he is here to stay because every generation needs this Guide. He said,  "And I will be 'with you' until the end of the ages." We are told to look to the Spirit for the help we need in going forward- not simply those to who looked to him in past days.

If you are still with me- and I admit this is a bit of a 'brain dump'...

In the light of what we uncover from the questions above, we need to ask:
"What is God's Faith Message- embedded as it is in these sacred texts and this unique life setting- saying to us NOW- in our Time?"   

Remember, we do not rely upon human reason alone in our efforts to converse with scripture. We are to take in all of the resources God has given us in our time- the Holy Spirit's abiding presence to guide us and shape us (as said above); conversations with God's people from the past [N.T. Wright correctly emphasizes that we are wise to read scripture 'with tradition', but avoid reading scripture 'through' tradition]; conversations with our faith community today; the equipping work of God's gifted teachers; and, new truth wherever it is found- including the natural sciences, linguistics, history, etc.)

These are some the critical questions I think we must be asking as we occupy this little space and this short time in God's continuing story.  One person recently asked me: "Are we are not called to be 'guardians of the faith once for all delivered to the saints'?"  My response is an emphatic "Yes."

As a matter of fact, it is the desire to be "faithful" to the 'once for all delivered Faith' that leads one to consider questions like these in the first place. To be guardians of the Faith in no way compels one to embrace all the past interpretations of our Sacred texts. We are also called to carry forward this Faith to future followers of Jesus. Being a 'guardian of past interpretations' could have the effect of cutting off future conversations faithful followers might otherwise have with generation to come. Should we sacrifice future faith in order to endorse the weaknesses of past beloved saints? (Scot McKnight's Blue Parakeet has much more to say on this subject).

We can learn by observing bias at work in saints of old. Our biases are potentially just as influential. Though we lay claim to many matters we believe to be true and meaningful, we ought to remain humble and open to all new avenues of learning about ourselves, God's Word and God's World. We ought to routinely ask God (and one another) whether we are seeing as clearly as is possible for us- knowing "we see now through a glass dimly."

A final thought: As people of God, our "faith" must be secure in the person of Jesus Christ who is the revelation of God. We must remain free to ask hard questions of God's texts and God's people. We must be wholly willing to live with a measure of mystery and ever walk in humility about all things we hold dear.

Public Communication for Jesus-lovers

Relationships, emotions, time management and heart intentions can get quite messy by the way we handle our Internet communications. It is amazing what otherwise loving people will say through a keyboard. Hurling bullet points through cyberspace- commenting, posting, opining- we soon forget who we are and end up where we don't want to be.

Like Homer's Jason tied to his ship's mast, Jesus-lovers need to be ready for the Internet's siren songs. If we are not careful, we can easily be pulled off course or bring shame to the name of the one we love most.

If Paul had access to cyberspace, I wonder if he might have written a few scriptures differently...

Philippians 4:8 (NIV)- "Finally, brothers and sisters, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable; if anything is excellent or praiseworthy; [think, talk, email, text, comment, blog, Facebook] about  such things."

I Corinthians 14:3 (NIV)- "But everyone who [prophesies, talks, emails, texts, comments, blogs, writes on Facebook] speaks to others for their strengthening, encouragement and comfort."

Titus 3:8-9 (NIV)- "I want you to stress these things, so that those who have trusted in God may be careful to devote themselves to doing what is good. These things are excellent and profitable for everyone. But avoid foolish controversies and genealogies and arguments and quarrels [on the Internet] because these are unprofitable and useless."

Outbursts in Worship Can Be Nothing More Than Masks

Reprinted from John Bradshaw’s Healing the Shame that Binds You:

“The religious system in general has not given human emotions much press. There are denominations and sects that are highly emotional. And from time to time charismatic renewal groups spontaneously arise to bring vitality and new vigor into the life of a church group. But in general, there’s not a lot of permission to show emotions.

“I see two basic types of religious structures- one I call the Apollonian and the other the Dionysian. Neither really permits a true and healthy expression of emotion.

“The Apollonian type of religion is very rigid, stoic and severe. It can also be very intellectual. In either case, outpourings of emotions are not acceptable.

“The Dionysian is the charismatic or cultic type of enthusiastic worship. These types of worship seem to favor free emotional expression, but, in reality, only certain types of emotions can be shown. There are emotional outbursts, but they have no true connection with feelings. The outburst type of religiosity is often a way to get the emotions over with. They are poured out, but the subject does not experience them for long. Honest emotions, especially anger, are not permitted anywhere.”

I’d like to add to Bradshaw’s observations about what he calls “the Dionysian religious structure”- i.e. charismatic structures:

It is my observation that there’s definitely a ‘sub-culture’ formed within every charismatic group (maybe not in the early days, but certainly one solidifies as time progresses). This sub-culture forms an emotional language all its own- i.e. customary ways of showing outwardly the ‘heart feelings’ that lie within the worshipper.

The showing forth of these sub-cultural signs and the actual heart feelings themselves are not necessarily one in the same. Charismatic worship customs (the hand-raisings; kneelings; shouts; groans; loudness of voice; verbalized religious clichés; all nuanced by the peculiar makeup of any given group) easily become avenues for people within the group to gain the acceptance and or approval of the collective group- or to enter the spirit of the group and feel 'at one' with others- if only just for a moment- and shallowly at that. (Feeling 'at one' with a group may be what many interpret as 'being in the Spirit'. But is this really the case?)

Questions abound by worship magistrates: “Why is Johnny so quiet today?  Isn’t he feeling it?  Can’t Johnny sense God’s presence?” 

We must allow for the possibility that Johnny actually IS sensing God’s presence and that that is why he IS so silent. Maybe Johnny just hasn’t “caught on” to the Dionysian sub-culture formed among us. Perhaps Johnny isn’t "feeling it." Will ‘acting as if’ bring it on? And what would this mean? Is this the emotional dump Bradshaw highlights above- emotional outbursts divorced from reality? What good is emotional dumping when these emotions are far from the heart of the matter?

Let's face it straight on: customary expressions/ responses can easily serve to reinforce or diminish one’s status in the group. We must therefore acknowledge that many may be insincerely giving a supposed “heart-felt feeling offering” while not actually worshipping at all. Add to this the element of mood altering music and we have a very complex, uniquely human brew. Are affections and outward expressions in worship the only signs of genuine worship? Are there not right and good moments to be a bit Apollonian?

In my experience with the Dionysians, worship leaders can be forever looking for these customary signs of feeling. They often rate the quality worship (something uniquely experienced at the heart level of worshipers- and uniquely known to God) on how intense these signs are manifested in their meetings. The immature worship leader gets all excited when he or she sees what they interpret to be ‘emotional vulnerability’ and openness in the church body as a whole; they become discouraged when they cannot see the signs they routinely look for. Who are we emoting for, anyway?

What people often do not realize is that these signs can be nothing more than masks of the worshiper’s true heart-feelings and condition. This is why Dionysian worshipers can so easily “turn it on” and then walk away believing God is not to be found anywhere else in their lives except in corporate, enthusiastic gatherings by powerful worship leaders.

Ah... we may now be approaching the subject of religious addiction- not true worship.

Worship leaders: "Loosen up! Get real!"

Build A Boat

"Many of us need to jump off the train and build a boat. Trains are constrained to rigid tracks set out for them to follow. A train's momentum and tracks make it almost impossible to steer. A boat is a very different thing altogether. Boats set sail into the unknown subject only to wind, and wave, and weather. Boats can be lifeboats preserving wisdom and understanding while the storm rages overhead. Boats can be arks- safeguarding the life of the world as the floodwaters rise. And boats can carry us away into adventure- away from the shores of the current paradigm into those unseen shores of a future not yet written. Get off the train and build a boat."   ~ From www.whatawaytogomovie.com

"One does not discover new lands

without consenting to lose sight of the shore for a very long time."

~ Andre Gide (Nobel Prize in literature 1947)

Mercenary of Love's War

What will be our solution to the problem of war when the cost in human life and suffering has outpaced our desire to make the world after our own image? 

There may be a solution that allows us to have our wars and save our own skin as well, at least that’s what the military contractors want us to believe. They will be happy to sell us their newest solutions. The military has been testing several interesting war innovations throughout these last two wars. The most fierce and impressive war tool has been the addition of "predator drones" (Unmanned Aerial Vehicles). 

In days past, kings and political leaders routinely hired mercenaries to fight wars when their people were not willing to shed their own blood. Mercenaries had no opinion of the hostility engaged in- the bottom-line was personal gain- i.e. “It’s just a job” (a job they were very good at). When you stop paying a mercenary, the mercenary goes elsewhere. If your enemy can pay him better, he switches sides in the conflict.

Drones are the modern equivalent of ancient mercenaries. For an investment of a few million dollars, drones will do your killing for you. Of course, in the arms race, if your enemy can afford drones, these disinterested robots will gladly serve them as well. The Dr. Frankensteins who build these new monsters are happy to write up a contract (or to direct their war machinery through some other friendly nation when their own neighbors show concern).

Wouldn’t it be better if we would come to a place in history where we question war altogether? I love this quote: “Any intelligent fool can make bigger things, more complex things, and more violent things. It takes a touch of genius- and a lot of courage- to move in the opposite direction” (E.F. Schumacher).

Perhaps there’s just too much money to be made in the bigger, complex, and more violent things. Perhaps there’s just too much fear circulating about to try another way. Perhaps there’s too much pride in earthly power and preeminence to have it any other way.

With a touch of spiritual genius and courageousness that cost his very life, Jesus dreamed of a better world: “Love your enemies. Do good to them.” It’s not a flashy war motto, that’s for sure. There are no medals given in love’s war. It’s a battle few enlist in and fewer value enough to lay down their lives to win. Frankly, embracing such a posture may lead to a personal cost that is just too high a price to pay for earthly kings and kingmakers.

As Kingdom people, loving our enemies and doing the hard work of peacemaking not only honors the King of Kings, it also underscores the value of human life and dignity everywhere. I want to be a mercenary of Christ's love. I want to be the kind of person who offers practical love and works for peace with all sides in every human conflict. I want to work for the kind of world Jesus dreamed of. Jesus asks that I might not live according to the principles of this world but according to that love which keeps its eyes fixed on the world to come.

What do I gain by enlisting as a mercenary of Christ's love? I gain Christ and the his coming world.

This picture is a caricature of those christians who seem to embrace violence as a solution to our world's problems. The atheist blogger mockingly depicts what many people believe about christians in America
 (From- www.loljesus.com- "Dedicated to Damnation")

Interesting Links:

A story on Lockheed's Truck Drone 

-One would think that kids who now spend their youth playing video games will be the future military recruits. Instead of sitting in front of a television or computer playing “Call of Duty,” they can actually sign up for duty and play a real war game.

President and General Dwight Eisenhower's comments about the "military industrial complex"

Eisenhower's Presidential Farewell and Warning

Thoughts on Sermons and Messages

My Assumption: "Public communicators must continually remain students of the art and science of public speaking."

On The Power of the Spoken Word:

Something can be learned by spending time on www.TED.com and watching its major presentations. Each presenter is given exactly 19 minutes for a presentation of the most innovative and world-changing ideas of the Day. If these innovators and communicators can limit their presentations, one wonders why more pastors have not learned to give their messages in a shorter, disciplined time frame.

Insights I've Gleaned Over the Years:

"Better to have people leave wanting more than to have them leave overwhelmed and over-stuffed. They will remember more and are likely to come back for more."

"Repetition can be good. However, too much repetition makes the listerner feel that the speaker is not ready to say what he or she is presently saying (i.e. The cake is not ready to serve"). The listen can feel like the speaker feels he or she is an uneducated fool (or worse, a mere child)."

"Everything that is interesting to me as a speaker is not necessarily interesting to others."

"Restraint in speaking often demonstrates humility." It says, "My words are not the complete answer to your need."

Ecclesiastes says, "When words are many... It is meaningless."

The Sarah Palin Effect: "If I just keep talking, they'll eventually forget their question." Unfortunately, they will also feel I have something to avoid or realize I don't know what I'm talking about.

Our Cultural Assumption (which is unlike many cultures in Africa and Central America): "Timeliness conveys respect for the other person."

"An economy of words can show that a matter is well-understood and that words themselves have value to the speaker. The more you speak, the less you deliver." Words can be like romantic kisses- if we give them away too freely to anyone, eventually they come mean nothing to our beloved.

"More lives are changed by a private word lovingly placed, than a public word."

Dr. Haddon Robinson- The  Key Question for Every Preacher: "What's the 'Big Idea' here? How can I articulate what I am aiming to say in one powerful, memorable sentence?"

On Human Physical Realities:

"The mind can only absord what the butt can take." This is truth is highly cultural. The educated are busier people and are often less forgiving because they are not seeing you as a crowd attraction and the day's novelty to break the routine of boredom. They are thinking: "Ok. Let's see what you have to say. You have twenty minutes of my full attention unless I feel this is irrelevant to my life or you are dull." Remember, Jesus was never dull, wordy or irrelevant. He always read his audience as a Master Communicator and delivered his message to their needs.


For more:


http://www.internetmonk.com/archive/whats-wrong-with-the-sermon-its-too-long

The Mechanics of Planning Your Preaching

Talking Heads

Rhetoric is the art and study of the use of language with persuasive effect.  I had to study the subject as a young college student and later as a graduate in theology. 

If I may confess, there was a time when I was much too bedazzled by the spoken word.  As I page through many of my old sermon notes from younger days, they seem like the rants and ruminations of a sophomore- the fool who thinks himself wise. 

Some of us tend to enjoy hearing our thoughts articulated audibly in fine-sounding ways- even when some of these are half-baked, untried, untrue, plagiarized, premature, or… for God alone.

As I get older, I’m placing less confidence in spoken words and much more confidence in lived words.  Another admission: I am better at speaking than living.  It comes easier for me.  Yet, without adding skin and bone to words, words are empty water pitchers.

Paul said, “Without love, I am a clanging cymbal.”  I think he meant to say something like this: “Love-less, content-less speech is nothing but rhetoric.”

Today I will try to live what’s real to me and speak only if I must. Today, I will remember: “The Word became incarnate.” Yes, even God’s words in the Bible would be nothing but empty promises had God not put skin and bone on those words.

"The End is Near!" Or is it?

Harold Camping is at it once again- prophesying the end of the world. Camping says, "Judgment Day will be on May 21, 2011 when the true followers of Jesus are 'raptured'." Steve Gill interviews Harold Camping

Unfortunately, the advocates of John Darby's Dispensationalism are very tenacious. Though their foolish end times theology is based on highly questionable rules of Biblical interpretation, Dispensationalists keep reworking their fear-inducing messages. More about John Darby.

Dispensationalists are the same people who gave us the film many in my generation were forced to watch in youth group meeting back in the 1970s- "A Thief in the Night" ("A Thief in the Night"). Dispensationalists gave the best sellers "The Late Great Planet Earth" (by Hal Lindsey) and the "Left Behind" series of Bible prophecy novels (selling untold millions of copies and making Tim LaHaye very rich).

It does not matter that Camping formerly prophesied Christ's return in 1994. Camping has built up a whole new set of followers who have paid for forty warning billboards around Nashville and eight other US cities. Camping also broadcasts his crazy ideas all over China and in many other developing nations. He apparently knows what Jesus said "no man knows" (namely, the day and the hour of the Son of Man's coming).

Sadly, men like Camping often do more harm than good for the cause of Christ. They lead many sincere people down detours of disappointment and distraction. They also cause many would be seekers to scoff at the credibility of the Biblical text.

I plan to be around on May 22nd. How about you? I'm not expecting a future 'rapture' in the sense that many use the word ('parousia'- see link below). I'm looking for the coming of Christ to be immediately followed by the new heaven and new earth.

My best guess is that I will not be alive when Jesus returns. However, as long as I am alive, I plan to use better motivations than fear and guilt- based upon poor biblical exegesis- when introducing my friends and students to Jesus.

For more on a healthy reading of the Book of Revelation- Gordon Fee.

So what is the Parousia (Rapture)? N.T. Wright

Reason I Believe in the Resurrection of Jesus

Paul says that everything we believe as followers of Jesus hangs on the fact of his physical resurrection following his crucifixion (1 Corinthians 15:1-8, 17-19). What evidences can be advanced to support this claim?

Four Strong Evidences For The Resurrection Claim:

•  #1: The Empty Tomb

•  #2: The Eyewitnesses Accounts

•  #3: The Easter Prophecies

•  #4: The Enduring Church

#1: The Empty Tomb

There is a missing body. What happened to it? If the emptiness of the tomb had not been established as a fact for all concerned, the claim that Jesus was raised from the dead could not have been maintained in Jerusalem for even a single day. So what happened to the body?

Three Popular Theories:

•  Someone Removed It

•  Wrong Tomb

•  Jesus Didn’t Really Die

“Someone removed it.” If so, who did it?

•  Robbers?  – But the most valuable thing- the burial shroud- was left behind

•  The Disciples?  – But the tomb was under Roman guard (Matthew 28:11-15)

•  The Romans?  – They really didn’t care what happened in this matter

•  The Jews? – Why wouldn’t they have produced the body if they were responsible for removing it?

Did The Women Go Back to the Wrong Tomb?

•  Mark says they saw where he’d been laid (Mark 15:27)

•  This was a well-known family tomb of a rich man, Joseph of Arimathea

•  If this were a geographical mistake, we’d expect the Jewish authorities to waste no time finding the correct tomb

Maybe Jesus Didn’t Really Die!

•  John Crossan of the Jesus Seminar says: wild dogs probably ate Jesus’ body

•  The traditional Islamic view is: Jesus was caught up into heaven and Judas Iscariot died in his place

•  Schonfeld’s famous “Swoon Theory” (first proposed earlier by Venturini) says: Jesus was crucified but he did not die; he only 'appeared' dead after a great loss of blood but he later resuscitated while in the tomb

A Reasonable Response: Could Jesus be a sickly 'Lord of Life'? 

“It is impossible that a being who had stolen half-dead out of the sepulcher, who crept about weak and ill, wanting medical treatment, who required bandaging, strengthening and indulgence, and who still at last yielded to his sufferings, could have given to the disciples the impression that he was a conqueror over death & the grave, the prince of life, an impression which lay at the bottom of their future ministry.”      

~ Skeptic David Friedrich Strauss

John Records Postmortem Evidence of Jesus Death: Both blood and water flow from the side of Jesus (see John 19:34):

“Clearly, the weight of the historical evidence indicates that Jesus was dead before the wound to his side was inflicted…  Accordingly, interpretations based on the assumption that Jesus was dead before the wound to his side was inflicted… Accordingly, interpretations based on the assumption that Jesus did not die on the cross appear to be at odds with modern medical knowledge.”

~ William D. Edwards, MD. The Journal of the American Medical Association- March 21, 1986

#2: The Eyewitnesses

•  Women

•  Multiple Appearances

•  The Disciples

The Testimony of Women

  “Women were on a very low rung of the social ladder in first-century Palestine.  There are old rabbinical sayings that said, ‘Let the words of the Law be burned rather than delivered to women’ and ‘blessed is he whose children are male, but woe to him whose children are female.’  Women’s testimonies were regarded as so worthless that they weren’t allowed to serve as legal witnesses in a Jewish court of law.”  ~ William Lane Craig, PhD

This is some strange marketing strategy! Who would fabricate a story knowing that the star witnesses would be viewed as having nothing credible to say to those being targeted with the very message? Not only does the Biblical record say that the first eyewitnesses were women but one of these women was either a former prostitute or a woman of questionable character (allegedly filled with demons).

Multiple Eyewitness Appearances

•  There are 10-recorded appearances

– Involving over 500 people

– Paul’s readers are encouraged to personally speak to these eyewitnesses (1 Corinthians 15:6)

Were all of these simply hallucinations? If so, how do we explain away an event involving 500 witnesses at the same time? Also, recall that doubting Thomas and others had to be convinced that Jesus was alive (Luke 24:36-43; John 20:14-21)

Consider the Disciples Themselves: What caused these men to go everywhere telling people the message of the risen Christ?

Examine the Personality Transformations

•  Simon Peter  – From “Shifty Clay” to “The Rock”

•  Thomas  – From “Doubter” to one who cries “My Lord & my God” (John 20:28)

• James, the Brother of Jesus  – From believing Jesus to be mad to calling himself “James, a servant of the Lord Jesus Christ” (Mark 3:21; James 1:1)

• Saul Becomes Paul  – From Zealous Persecutor to Passionate Preacher

Look At Their Self-Deprecating Style

•  The disciples do not hesitate to present themselves as wishy-washy, weak-kneed losers denying Jesus at the most critical of moments 

•  Don’t people who make up stories (who lie) generally present themselves in the best possible light?

The Ability of the Early Church to Forgive Saul

•  Paul, formerly Saul, murdered Stephen and many of the family members of the earliest followers of Jesus

•  Without the belief in the resurrection, how can we account for the willingness of the early church to forgive Saul except that they truly believed he had experienced an encounter with the risen Lord?

The Powerful Evidence of the Martyr’s Blood

•  Peter- Crucified up-side-down

•  Andrew, James son of Alphaeus, Phillip, Simon and Thaddeus- Crucified

•  James, Jesus’ half-brother- Stoned to death

•  Matthew and James brother of John- Killed by the sword

•  Thomas- Pierced by a spear

•  Paul- Beheaded

Was This Simply Religious Fanaticism? What about the September 11th hijackers and the Palestinian suicide bombers? Weren’t they willing to die for what they believed in? Does this validate the belief system upon which they based their actions?

Response: The 19 hijackers were placing their confidence in the claims of another.  The Disciples were motivated by what they personally claim to have seen with their own eyes. What might they have gained by making up a lie? What explanation is there to account for their behavior?

#3: The Easter Prophecies

Over 600 years before Jesus walked the earth (in some cases over 1000 years), Old Testament prophecies foretold many of the details of Jesus’ life, death and resurrection with amazing accuracy. Many examples can be provided. Here are a few:

 

•His Death Was Prophesied: Isaiah 53:3-5, 9; Psalm 22:1, 14-18

•His Resurrection Was Prophesied: Isaiah 53:10-11 (Dead Sea Scrolls contain this text pre-dating Jesus’ birth)

#4: The Enduring Church

•  Day Of Worship Changed From 7th to 1st

•  The Continued Existence, Durability & Vitality of the Church

•  Over 2000 Years of Testimonies of New Life Found in Jesus

Christ

CONCLUSION:

If Jesus has been raised, then our faith is not in vain!

•  We really do matter to God and there is real purpose and value to life

•  Jesus is the Way, the Truth and the Life; and salvation is found in His name

•  We can know for certain that Jesus does have power over sin, death and Hell

•  We can be sure that Jesus will…

– Return to earth as He promised

– Give His Holy Spirit to those who ask

– Provide a future for us with His Father

Deep-Time Eyes

Many Jesus followers operate on the assumption that the human project as we know it is coming to a close- i.e. "The End is Near!" But is this actually true? Is our little boat approaching the horizon of human history (about to fall off the edge of time) or have we only just started on this amazing journey? Is it as angels allegedly sang, "Late in time behold Him come"; or, was Karen Carpenter correct, "We've Only Just Begun"? 

If human history were to continue to march forward for another 100 years,10,000 years, or 100,000 years, what might this mean for Christ's church? The thoughts that follow, written by Gil Bailie, have got me thinking about these things.

“It was not those closest to the historical Jesus who first gave the gospel its geographical breadth and theological depth. It was Paul, who had never known him. In addition to that, impressive achievements in biblical scholarship have, in many ways, brought our era closer to the constituent events of the Christian movement than were, say, the Gentile Christians of the second century. If the life and death of Jesus is historically central, then people living a hundred thousand years from now will be in a better position to appreciate that than we are. Furthermore, when they look back they will surely think of us as “early Christians” living as we do a scant two millennia from the mysterious events in question. They will be right, for the Christian movement today is still in the elementary stages of working out for itself and for the world the implications of the gospel. There isn’t the slightest doubt that the greatest and boldest creedal assertions are in the future, not the past. It may be only at rare moments that this flawed and unlikely thing we call the “church” even remotely resembles something worthy of its calling, but it is nonetheless embarked on a great Christological adventure. Even against its own institutional resistances, it is continually finding deeper and more profound implications to the Jesus-event.” 

~Gil Bailie, Literary Critic/ Historian/ Lay Theologian