HIP HOP HEIDELBERG

There is a movement among black Christians to affirm the truths of the insights of the Reformers and offer an alternative to the "prosperity gospel" that is a dominant theme in many African American churches; indeed, this other gospel is a popular strain within evangelical Protestantism in general.

St. Paul, the apostle to the Gentiles, understood the necessity to know the culture in order to see how the gospel may address the deepest needs of a people. Hip Hop is a lens through which two generations view the world. Thus, today's ambassadors of Christ must understand, speak, and respond to Hip Hop Culture.

Curt "Voice" Allen is a part of this new Reformation.

What is God?

For over sixteen years, I have cohosted a weekly talk radio interview programme on a KBOO.FM, a community radio station in Portland, OR. KBOO is one of the oldest community radio stations in the US, and continues to offer an alternative perspective to what is heard on commercial and public radio stations.

Recently, my cohost and I interviewed religious scholar and philosopher Jacob Needleman about his new book, "What Is God?" In the book Needleman traces his evolution from an atheistic Ivy-educated student of philosophy to a Zen Buddhist seeker, and finally to a believer with a newfound respect for the religious texts he once rejected. Jacob Needleman, author of "The American Soul" and "Money and the Meaning of Life," is Professor of Philosophy at San Francisco State University.

The interview can be heard here: http://kboo.fm/node/19207

Dormition of the Theotokos

First, AgnusDay's reflection on this Sunday's gospel reading:






"Hail Mary, full of grace, the Lord is with thee. Blessed art thou among women, and blessed is the fruit of thy womb, Jesus. Holy Mary, Mother of God, pray for us sinners now, and at the hour of our death."



Certainly few mainline or evangelical Protestants will celebrate this Feast Day, observed in the Roman Catholic tradition as the Assumption of the Virgin and in the Eastern tradition as the Dormition of the Theotokos. While Pope Pius XII defined the Assumption as dogma in 1950, the Dormition has been commemorated in the Orthodox Church as a Great Feast, although it has never been formally declared as doctrine by the Orthodox Church. The belief that God took the Virgin Mary to heaven bodily has been celebrated in the church since the fifth century.

It is a feast that affirms the doctrine of the resurrection of the body and Mary's special role in the redemption. Christians in other traditions who affirm these beliefs should consider joining their sisters and brothers throughout time in celebration this important Feast day.

My recent reflections and meditations about this Feast day has led me to ponder that Mary's devotion to her son, and our Lord's devotion to his mother, serve as models for intimate human relationships. Her Assumption testify that the human body is a divine gift and though tainted by sin(or if you prefer human imperfections), will be glorified.

From the Orthodox tradition:

Kontakion (Second Tone)
"Neither the grave nor death could contain the Theotokos, the unshakable hope, ever vigilant in intercession and protection. As Mother of life, He who dwelt in the ever-virginal womb transposed her to life."

Lectionary Humour

It is the first of August. The last 10 days have been very, very hot (over 90 degrees each day, with three days in a row of 100+ degrees). A compassionate friend gave my mother and me a three night stay at a local air conditioned hotel. Now that the weather is cooler (the high today will be in the low nineties), I return home and to the computer.

Many Christian churches share a common weekly scripture reading in worship on Sundays (known as the common lectionary). There is also a daily lectionary. Many Christian denominations publish the weekly texts on their websites. The United Church of Christ publishes "Weekly Seeds", a reflection on their weekly focus scripture. Vanderbilt Divinity Library provides the lections and texts on their website. Although separated by distance, theology, and heritage, the common lectionary allow the diverse body of Christ to reflect together on the holy texts.

The lectionary texts for Proper 13(18), August 2, 2009 are:
2 Samuel 11:26 - 12:13a or Exodus 16:2-4, 9-15 * Psalm 51:1-12 or Psalm 78:23-29 * Ephesians 4:1-16 * John 6:24-35

I came across a lectionary base weekly comic from agnusday.org. (God is still speaking and God is still laughing)!

I will post the comic weekly on this blog. This week's comic focus on the Gospel reading: John 6.24-35.

This week's comic:

OCC in the UCC?

When I sign my name, I add the letters "OCC" after my family name. Often I have been asked, what does it mean? The letter refers to my religious order, the Order of Corpus Christi.

That explanation leads to many other queries. Is it possible for a Protestant to be a member of a religious order? Is making perpetual vows to the Order an initiation into some secret society or cult? Are religious orders a repudiation of the insights of the Reformation and an attempt to return to Rome? Why would a pastor in good standing in a liberal Christian denomination submit to a rule that is rooted in the ancient practices of the Church?

The impulse for a disciplined spiritual communal life resonate with people within and outside of the church. It is not limited to one tradition, but finds expressions in many traditions-even in the United Church of Christ. The online UCC community has a forum discussion entitled " Monastic Community in the UCC".

The Order of Corpus Christi is one community in the United Church of Christ whose historical foundations include the Mercersburg Theology of the nineteenth century. This theological movement was an American ecumenical and liturgical movement which was a corrective balance to the popular religious revivalism of the era.

The Foundation Document of the Order of Corpus Christi states:

" Corpus Christi calls us to a life of common prayer and contemplation which
produces concrete action in the life of the Church and the world. At the heart of Corpus Christi we encounter the living Christ in Word and Sacrament in the community of the Church which nurtures us in the life of faith and in mission and ministry. Daily prayer, silence, and contemplation also inform the life of Corpus Christi. All these are not ends unto themselves. They are, rather, means of God’s grace through which the balance is maintained and life, growth, and development in the Christian life and mission are given.
The practices in which the members and communities of Corpus Christi engage are intended to express commonality of faith, worship and service. In the midst of diversity there is unity and commonality in Christ!
The common practices of Corpus Christ serve as a witness and a sign. They
witness to our oneness in Christ, and they are a sign of our communion with others in Christ through one Baptism, one Bread, and the call to discipleship."

This is my community, through which I seek to live out the calling to pray and work for the unity of Christ's Body.

Soli Deo Gloria.

Happy 500 birthday, John Calvin!

Today is the five hundredth anniversary of the birth of John Calvin. I posted the comment on my Facebook page, a Quaker friend remarked that Calvinism is so toxic.
Perhaps we need to move beyond the stereotypes. The fact that many people with different ideological and theological perspectives claim Calvin as influential should be caused for us to stop and look anew, or look for the very first time.
I recommend reading the Institutes of the Christian Religion. An appropriate way to enter into the world of John Calvin.

The World Alliance of Reformed Churches issued a statement commemorating Calvin that acknowledges the continuing relevance of Calvin in the twenty first century. The president of my alma mater Union Theological Seminary, Dr, Serene Jones wrote a paper that takes as it's title the reformed motto, Ecclesia Reformata, Semper Reformanda, the church reformed, always reforming.

Soli Deo Gloria.