Bosch: Creation, Fall, Hell -- a New York City view

Well, even on a short vacation, I am doing "Church-y" things. Last weekend Sylvia and I went to New York City to visit her best friend. Beautiful views were seen and a wonderful time was had. On Friday night we attended an off-Broadway play, "The Garden of Earthly Delights," based on the painting of the same name by Hieronymous Bosch about 1500.
In this triptych, Bosch gives the viewer a sense of the Creation, Fall, and Hell, though some critics argue about the middle theme. Anyway, the play attempted to deal with the themes on stage -- a brave undertaking. I was impressed by the staging, but am still wondering about the message. I felt like the director or perhaps playwright were trying to do this without God! Is this the modern theater? On the other hand, interestingly, hell was depicted eerily parallel to the chaos that preceded the creation of Adam and Eve. That is truly worth pondering -- is "hell" not merely the repository of Satan and evil or even separation from God, but in fact, separation from the creative intention of God??? I will chew on that.

Lutheran Comic Book Heroes! ? ! ? !

Thanks to my brother and sister-in-law for passing on this extremely helpful site, if one wants to know the religious affiliation of your favorite comic book character -- http://www.adherents.com/lit/comics/comic_book_religion.html .
I am torn about the Lutherans: Superman's Jimmy Olsen seems to be the only faithful one! The others are mixed -- a Danish Lutheran -Atlantean? and a couple of probably lapsed guys. Maybe we Lutherans should advocate for more inclusion. Martin Luther himself was depicted as a superhero almost 500 years ago (see Luther as Hercules, courtesy of Holbein in 1523). For those readers and viewers centuries ago, the mythic stories were personalized in the struggles of Luther and those viewers/readers identified with Luther's frustration with the status quo, his "outsider" character, his challenge to the powers and the way things are just accepted. Right there is a great comic book copy AND the foundation of a great religious insight set!

Gotcha! Right between the eyes.

Ash Wednesday continues to flood through the Lenten Season. I shared a bit of my Ash Wednesday meditation when our area pastors convened on Tuesday. I latched on to that old-time shoot 'em term for real death -- "I got them right between the eyes." That is exactly where God gets us on Ash Wednesday and throughout Lent! That sign of the cross (right between the eyes!) which we might celebrate at a new Christian's Baptism is the same cross that marks our death -- the cross that is marked on the coffin as it is prepared for burial. That cross is both for life and death and ........ new life! So, I will embrace my cross for Lent and pray the Lord who marked me with the cross will embrace me for that new life.

Juror No. 2283 -- Released!

Yesterday, I answered the summons to jury duty from Dallas County. At this point in life, I go when called because I am fairly certain I will not be selected from the jury pool. I want to do my civic duty, but generally I hope I will not get placed. Perhaps, I am just protective of my personal time. But I also think I am a bit uncertain about Christians sitting in judgment over others. It is wrapped in the encouragement of the Two Kingdoms idea of Luther as well as a corollary of the "in the world but not of the world" from the New Testament. Christians can live responsibly as citizens but act carefully as well. The temptation to decide according to my prejudices can sway the desire to decide justly. Despite my fretting, I was not chosen as I suspected. But that sitting in judgment over others remains a temptation even outside the courtroom.

And the Winner Is ...

Monday evening a local theater, the Magnolia, hosted a pre-Oscar event with a panel of three syndicated movie critics, plus drawings for movie-related goodies, and a tasty chocolate Oscar-shaped candy. I did not win a prize, but I do not think that colored my evaluation of the evening. I will comment on Oscar picks after the Sunday evening event. (Check the Oscar nominees here.) For now, I keeping thinking of the comment by all the critics as they shared their opinions of which nominees should win versus which would win. They shared the political, friendship, and monetary influences on the selection of winners. I do wonder how the world would be different if the should-win did win, instead of settling for the influenced picks -- not just for the Oscars but at work, in relationships, and community decisions. I know, sin is in the world, but we could at least hope for and work for incremental changes. Therefore, I want everyone to push for my favorite movie picks, so they will announce: "And the winner is ...."

Happy 100th Birthday,
Millicent Dahlsten Johnston!
On Saturday, I was privileged to join a large crowd celebrating the 100th Birthday of Millicent Johnston, our congregation's oldest member. She beat the anticipation of the Psalmist: "The days of our years are threescore years and ten; and if by reason of strength they be fourscore years, yet is their strength labour and sorrow; for it is soon cut off, and we fly away." (Psalm 90:10) And she has seen changes. In 1909, her parents paid perhaps $3 for her baby bed, her first dress probably cost about 0.50, three condensed milk tins went for 0.25, and her parents could split a sirloin steak for 0.16 a pound. Things have changed indeed. But Millicent supposedly has not changed from her flapper days until now -- sweet, loyal, kind, and a faithful Christian. On Tuesday (her actual birthday), I brought Holy Communion to her, and she joyfully invited a neighbor as well, thanking God for the privilege of life and the gift of faith. Thanks, Millicent, for your witness!

To fly

In the College Assembly (Chapel) time at Paul Quinn College, the speaker was Rev. Frederick Haynes III. He is the dynamic leader of a congregation of over 8000 in South Dallas. He is an amazing speaker, captivating the attention of the students in attendance. Towards the end of his sermon, he developed a kind of rhythmic highpoint -- "Rosa Parks sat, so Martin Luther King, Jr. could march, so Jessie Jackson could run, so that Barack Obama could win," and then he addressed the students directly: "so you could fly!" What a wonderful message for the students, many of whom are the first in their family to attend college. Yet, Pr. Haynes also tried to point out parallels in the Christian life. Christ came, served, healed, taught, died, and rose, so that we could .... May people of faith find the motivation indeed to fly with the Gospel.

Dallas Theater Center "In the Beginning"

Late last week I attended the Dallas Theater Center's production of "In the Beginning," a rather experimental look at the first ten chapters of Genesis. (Basically they covered creation, the temptation/fall, Cain/Abel, and Noah.) It was an interesting staging (particularly good use of the movable floor at the DTC). At the end, the cast interviews a "professional" Bible/theology-type person and takes questions/responses from the audiences. I had gone to watch, not interact, so I was not prepared to participate that night. But I have thought since a bit about it, and am sharing with this Blog.
1) Go see the play! (It runs through February 15.)
2) The actors focused on what the ten chapters tell us about God. Certainly there is much to that. However, I think they missed the greater point. I think of those chapters being "family stories" for the family of faith. That is they tell us about the human condition and human response to God. And like "family stories" they do not tell us everything, but they tell us past experiences to tell us about our present. So, all that is to say, I wished they had said more about the human desire to be a god (temptation/fall), the human desire to let competition ruin "brotherly" relationships (Cain/Abel), and answering the call of God, even when it seems disconnected from experience (Noah). By the way, a young person in the audience really did a nice job on pointing out the competition aspect of Cain and Abel. Bravo!
3) As I said above, go see it. I would love to know your response!

John Updike - Longing for Lutheranism?

A great American Novelist died yesterday, John Updike. I have enjoyed many of his works, particularly the "Rabbit" series. The protagonist is "Rabbit" Angstrom. OK, so Updike does kind of hit you over the head with the character's unimportance. The pastor of his youth was the German Pastor Kruppenbach. And how do you resolve the military Germany (Krupp) with the artistic (Bach)? Anyway, aside from the names, I followed "Rabbit"'s angst (Quit it!) through the subsequent novels. I was struck by the longing of Rabbit for the certainty of the Pennsylvania Lutheran faith of his youth. For Updike, it seems, the modern person abandons faith as prerequisite for realism, but then longs for something, for the assurance and hope that has also been abandoned. In "Rabbit Is Rich" (I think.), Rabbit listens to the church bells on Sunday, and you can almost feel his desire to go across the street and reenter that childhood faith. I think Updike was on to something there. How many people share that longing for something outside their pursuit of success, wealth, personal fulfillment? How can they cross the street and reenter the world of the holy?

Messy Wax Build-up!

I have been rearranging office furniture as part of my settling in process. I decided to move the massive office desk closer to another wall, only to discover it did not want to move. Yes, it is heavy, but mostly the desk was stuck, embedded in floor wax build-up that almost glued it in place. I shoved and shoved, and finally the desk broke free. But after it was moved, I discovered a perfect outline of the desk still on the floor. After my diligent razor blade work removed much of the ancient wax, I left the balance to the office clean-up crew. And then I covered up what they left with a rug.
I have to admit, my pastor mind wondered how many things in my life are like that stuck desk. I have important things in place that get stuck because they have not been moved around, thought about, or reevaluated. I may not get rid of the desk, but I dare not just leave it in place because it has been that way so long. Here early in the new year it is a good time to reevaluate where things are in my life and perhaps shove them around a bit for fresher, renewed use.