Atheism and Theism: Unbridgeable?

I read an interesting book review in the "Book World" section of the 9/28/08 Washington Post with the title, "What's Your Blick? God or Science?" The reviewer, Jacques Berlinerblau, self-described Jewish atheist, gives Roman Catholic philosopher Michael Novak's recently released book, No One Sees God: The Dark Night of Atheists and Believers, a positive review.

I haven't read Novak's book, but I thought the tone of the review was respectful and interesting. In fact, it was a pleasant surprise to find a review in the atheism vs. theism debate by an atheist that wasn't dismissive or disrespectful. Blick (originally spelled "blik") by the way, is a word coined by R. M. Hare, a British philosopher, which "refers to a mental filter through which people sift information, admitting some things as facts and rejecting others." According t0 the reviewer, the book "suggests that the central dilemma confronting us today is not whether god exits but how those who disagree about God's existence can live together."

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Thought for the Day

I know nothing, except what everyone knows--if there when Grace dances, I should dance.
--W. H. Auden

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Parable of the Friend at Midnight

This Sunday's sermon will focus on the parable of the Friend at Midnight, Luke 11:5-8. But to get the context of the parable I have included verses 1-4 as well as 9-13. I discovered that this parable has been particularly troublesome for scholars to interpret, the difficulty centering around verse 8 that is translated in the majority of translations as "persistence," but which a few translations translate as "shameless." This is the only place in the Greek New Testament where this word occurs and is always translated as a negative word, "shameless," outside of the New Testament. So this week I will include in addition to the normal NRSV, NIV, and The Message translations, the New English Bible which translates the word "shameless." In each passage I have made bold the word translators used to translate the difficult Greek word. How does the translation of this word as "persistence," "bold," or "shameless" affect the meaning of the parable?

NRSV
He was praying in a certain place, and after he had finished, one of his disciples said to him, ‘Lord, teach us to pray, as John taught his disciples.’ 2He said to them, ‘When you pray, say:
Father, hallowed be your name.
Your kingdom come.
3 Give us each day our daily bread.
4 And forgive us our sins,
for we ourselves forgive everyone indebted to us.
And do not bring us to the time of trial.’
Perseverance in Prayer
5 And he said to them, ‘Suppose one of you has a friend, and you go to him at midnight and say to him, “Friend, lend me three loaves of bread; 6for a friend of mine has arrived, and I have nothing to set before him.” 7And he answers from within, “Do not bother me; the door has already been locked, and my children are with me in bed; I cannot get up and give you anything.” 8I tell you, even though he will not get up and give him anything because he is his friend, at least because of his persistence he will get up and give him whatever he needs.
9 ‘So I say to you, Ask, and it will be given to you; search, and you will find; knock, and the door will be opened for you. 10For everyone who asks receives, and everyone who searches finds, and for everyone who knocks, the door will be opened. 11Is there anyone among you who, if your child asks for* a fish, will give a snake instead of a fish? 12Or if the child asks for an egg, will give a scorpion? 13If you then, who are evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will the heavenly Father give the Holy Spirit* to those who ask him!’

NIV
1One day Jesus was praying in a certain place. When he finished, one of his disciples said to him, "Lord, teach us to pray, just as John taught his disciples." 2He said to them, "When you pray, say:
" 'Father,
hallowed be your name,
your kingdom come.
3Give us each day our daily bread.
4Forgive us our sins,
for we also forgive everyone who sins against us.
And lead us not into temptation.' "
5Then he said to them, "Suppose one of you has a friend, and he goes to him at midnight and says, 'Friend, lend me three loaves of bread, 6because a friend of mine on a journey has come to me, and I have nothing to set before him.'
7"Then the one inside answers, 'Don't bother me. The door is already locked, and my children are with me in bed. I can't get up and give you anything.' 8I tell you, though he will not get up and give him the bread because he is his friend, yet because of the man's boldness he will get up and give him as much as he needs.
9"So I say to you: Ask and it will be given to you; seek and you will find; knock and the door will be opened to you. 10For everyone who asks receives; he who seeks finds; and to him who knocks, the door will be opened.
11"Which of you fathers, if your son asks for a fish, will give him a snake instead? 12Or if he asks for an egg, will give him a scorpion? 13If you then, though you are evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father in heaven give the Holy Spirit to those who ask him!"

The Message
1 One day he was praying in a certain place. When he finished, one of his disciples said, "Master, teach us to pray just as John taught his disciples." 2-4So he said, "When you pray, say,
Father,
Reveal who you are.
Set the world right.
Keep us alive with three square meals.
Keep us forgiven with you and forgiving others.
Keep us safe from ourselves and the Devil."
5-6Then he said, "Imagine what would happen if you went to a friend in the middle of the night and said, 'Friend, lend me three loaves of bread. An old friend traveling through just showed up, and I don't have a thing on hand.'
7"The friend answers from his bed, 'Don't bother me. The door's locked; my children are all down for the night; I can't get up to give you anything.'
8"But let me tell you, even if he won't get up because he's a friend, if you stand your ground, knocking and waking all the neighbors, he'll finally get up and get you whatever you need.
9"Here's what I'm saying:

Ask and you'll get;
Seek and you'll find;
Knock and the door will open.

10-13"Don't bargain with God. Be direct. Ask for what you need. This is not a cat-and-mouse, hide-and-seek game we're in. If your little boy asks for a serving of fish, do you scare him with a live snake on his plate? If your little girl asks for an egg, do you trick her with a spider? As bad as you are, you wouldn't think of such a thing—you're at least decent to your own children. And don't you think the Father who conceived you in love will give the Holy Spirit when you ask him?"

New English Bible [I’m only including verses 5-8 here]
5 Then he said to them, “Suppose one of you has a friend who comes to him in the middle of the night and says, 6 ‘My friend, lend me three loaves, for a friend of mine on a journey has turned up at my house, and I have nothing to offer him’; 7 and he replies from inside, ‘Do not bother me. The door is shut for the night; my children and I have gone to bed; and I cannot get up and give you what you want.” 8 I tell you that even if he will not provide for him out of friendship, the very shamelessness of the request will make him get up and give him all he needs.

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Thought for the Day

He who cannot forgive another breaks the bridge over which he must pass himself.
--George Herbert

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Sunday's Prayer

Our Father, here I am, at your disposal, your child,
to use me to continue your loving the world,
by giving Jesus to me and through me,
to each other and to the world.
Let us pray for each other that we allow Jesus to love in us
and through us with the love with which his Father loves us.
--Mother Teresa

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Thought for the Day

It is not as a child that I believe and confess Jesus Christ. My hosanna is born of a furnace of doubt.
--Fyodor Dostoevski

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Thought for the Day

Now, with God's help, I shall become myself.
--Soren Kierkegaard

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Thought for the Day

Conviction, were it never so excellent, is worthless till it convert itself into Conduct.
--Thomas Carlyle

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Thought for the Day

Music is the Lost Chord that has strayed hither form heaven.
--P. A. Sheehan

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Thought for the Day

Waiting is the hardest work of hope.
--Lewis Smedes

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Parable of the Feast

The sermon on September 28th will focus on the Parable of the Feast found in Luke 14:15-24 found below.

NRSV
One of the dinner guests, on hearing this, said to him, ‘Blessed is anyone who will eat bread in the kingdom of God!’ 16Then Jesus said to him, ‘Someone gave a great dinner and invited many. 17At the time for the dinner he sent his slave to say to those who had been invited, “Come; for everything is ready now.” 18But they all alike began to make excuses. The first said to him, “I have bought a piece of land, and I must go out and see it; please accept my apologies.” 19Another said, “I have bought five yoke of oxen, and I am going to try them out; please accept my apologies.” 20Another said, “I have just been married, and therefore I cannot come.” 21So the slave returned and reported this to his master. Then the owner of the house became angry and said to his slave, “Go out at once into the streets and lanes of the town and bring in the poor, the crippled, the blind, and the lame.” 22And the slave said, “Sir, what you ordered has been done, and there is still room.” 23Then the master said to the slave, “Go out into the roads and lanes, and compel people to come in, so that my house may be filled. 24For I tell you, none of those who were invited will taste my dinner.” ’

NIV
15When one of those at the table with him heard this, he said to Jesus, "Blessed is the man who will eat at the feast in the kingdom of God." 16Jesus replied: "A certain man was preparing a great banquet and invited many guests. 17At the time of the banquet he sent his servant to tell those who had been invited, 'Come, for everything is now ready.' 18"But they all alike began to make excuses. The first said, 'I have just bought a field, and I must go and see it. Please excuse me.' 19"Another said, 'I have just bought five yoke of oxen, and I'm on my way to try them out. Please excuse me.' 20"Still another said, 'I just got married, so I can't come.' 21"The servant came back and reported this to his master. Then the owner of the house became angry and ordered his servant, 'Go out quickly into the streets and alleys of the town and bring in the poor, the crippled, the blind and the lame.' 22" 'Sir,' the servant said, 'what you ordered has been done, but there is still room.' 23"Then the master told his servant, 'Go out to the roads and country lanes and make them come in, so that my house will be full. 24I tell you, not one of those men who were invited will get a taste of my banquet.' "

The Message
15That triggered a response from one of the guests: "How fortunate the one who gets to eat dinner in God's kingdom!" 16-17Jesus followed up. "Yes. For there was once a man who threw a great dinner party and invited many. When it was time for dinner, he sent out his servant to the invited guests, saying, 'Come on in; the food's on the table.' 18"Then they all began to beg off, one after another making excuses. The first said, 'I bought a piece of property and need to look it over. Send my regrets.' 19"Another said, 'I just bought five teams of oxen, and I really need to check them out. Send my regrets.' 20"And yet another said, 'I just got married and need to get home to my wife.' 21"The servant went back and told the master what had happened. He was outraged and told the servant, 'Quickly, get out into the city streets and alleys. Collect all who look like they need a square meal, all the misfits and homeless and wretched you can lay your hands on, and bring them here.' 22"The servant reported back, 'Master, I did what you commanded— and there's still room.' 23-24"The master said, 'Then go to the country roads. Whoever you find, drag them in. I want my house full! Let me tell you, not one of those originally invited is going to get so much as a bite at my dinner party.'"

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Thought for the Day

We were born to unite with our fellowmen, and to join in community with the human race.
--Cicero

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Sunday's Prayer

O Lord my God,
teach my heart where and how to seek you,
where and how to find you.
Lord, if you are not here but absent,
where shall I seek you?
But you are everywhere, so you must be here,
why then do I not seek you?...
Lord, I am not trying to make my way to your height,
for my understanding is in no way equal to that,
but I do desire to understand a little of your truth
which my heart already believes and loves.
I do not seek to understand so that I may believe,
but I believe so that I may understand;
and what is more,
I believe that unless I do believe I shall not understand.
--St. Anselm

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Thought for the Day

To live in fear and falsehood is worse than death.
--Zend-Avesta (6th century B.C.)

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Thought for the Day

Humility is a gateway to greater understanding and open[s] the doors to progress.
--Sir John Templeton

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Thought for the Day

Would to God that all party names and unscriptural phrases and forms which have divided the Christian world were forgot and that we might all agree to sit down together as humble loving disciples, and at the feet of our common master to hear his word, to abide in his spirit and to transcribe his life in our own.
--John Wesley

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Thought for the Day

There are only two kinds of people in the end: those who say to God, "Thy will be done," and those to whom God says, in the end, "Thy will be done."
--C. S. Lewis

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Thought for the Day

Now the trumpet summons us again--not as a call to bear arms, though arms we need; not as a call to battle, though embattled we are--but a call to bear the burden of long twilight struggles, year in and year out, "rejoicing in hope, patient in tribulation"--a struggle against the common enemies of man: tyranny, poverty, disease, and war itself...With a good conscience our only sure reward, with history the final judge of our deeds, let us go forth to lead the land we love, asking His blessing and His help, but knowing that here on earth God's work must truly be our own.
--John F. Kennedy, First Inaugural Address

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Thought for the Day

Only God and certain madmen have no doubts!
--Martin Luther

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Parable of the Lost Sheep

The sermon on 9/21/08 will focus the parable of the lost sheep which is found in Luke 15:1-7 and in Matthew 18:10-14. I would recommend reading all of Luke 15 because it includes three parables of "lostness." I have included Luke 15:1-7 and Matthew 18:10-14 in the NRSV, NIV, and The Message below.

Luke 15:1-7
NRSV
Now all the tax-collectors and sinners were coming near to listen to him. 2And the Pharisees and the scribes were grumbling and saying, ‘This fellow welcomes sinners and eats with them.’
3 So he told them this parable: 4‘Which one of you, having a hundred sheep and losing one of them, does not leave the ninety-nine in the wilderness and go after the one that is lost until he finds it? 5When he has found it, he lays it on his shoulders and rejoices. 6And when he comes home, he calls together his friends and neighbours, saying to them, “Rejoice with me, for I have found my sheep that was lost.” 7Just so, I tell you, there will be more joy in heaven over one sinner who repents than over ninety-nine righteous people who need no repentance.

NIV
1Now the tax collectors and "sinners" were all gathering around to hear him. 2But the Pharisees and the teachers of the law muttered, "This man welcomes sinners and eats with them."
3Then Jesus told them this parable: 4"Suppose one of you has a hundred sheep and loses one of them. Does he not leave the ninety-nine in the open country and go after the lost sheep until he finds it? 5And when he finds it, he joyfully puts it on his shoulders 6and goes home. Then he calls his friends and neighbors together and says, 'Rejoice with me; I have found my lost sheep.' 7I tell you that in the same way there will be more rejoicing in heaven over one sinner who repents than over ninety-nine righteous persons who do not need to repent.

The Message
1-3By this time a lot of men and women of doubtful reputation were hanging around Jesus, listening intently. The Pharisees and religion scholars were not pleased, not at all pleased. They growled, "He takes in sinners and eats meals with them, treating them like old friends." Their grumbling triggered this story.
4-7"Suppose one of you had a hundred sheep and lost one. Wouldn't you leave the ninety-nine in the wilderness and go after the lost one until you found it? When found, you can be sure you would put it across your shoulders, rejoicing, and when you got home call in your friends and neighbors, saying, 'Celebrate with me! I've found my lost sheep!' Count on it—there's more joy in heaven over one sinner's rescued life than over ninety-nine good people in no need of rescue.

Matthew 18:10-14
NRSV
‘Take care that you do not despise one of these little ones; for, I tell you, in heaven their angels continually see the face of my Father in heaven.* 12What do you think? If a shepherd has a hundred sheep, and one of them has gone astray, does he not leave the ninety-nine on the mountains and go in search of the one that went astray? 13And if he finds it, truly I tell you, he rejoices over it more than over the ninety-nine that never went astray. 14So it is not the will of your* Father in heaven that one of these little ones should be lost.

NIV
10"See that you do not look down on one of these little ones. For I tell you that their angels in heaven always see the face of my Father in heaven.[a]
12"What do you think? If a man owns a hundred sheep, and one of them wanders away, will he not leave the ninety-nine on the hills and go to look for the one that wandered off? 13And if he finds it, I tell you the truth, he is happier about that one sheep than about the ninety-nine that did not wander off. 14In the same way your Father in heaven is not willing that any of these little ones should be lost.

The Message
10"Watch that you don't treat a single one of these childlike believers arrogantly. You realize, don't you, that their personal angels are constantly in touch with my Father in heaven?
12-14"Look at it this way. If someone has a hundred sheep and one of them wanders off, doesn't he leave the ninety-nine and go after the one? And if he finds it, doesn't he make far more over it than over the ninety-nine who stay put? Your Father in heaven feels the same way. He doesn't want to lose even one of these simple believers.

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Sunday's Prayer

God, of your goodness, give me yourself,
for you are sufficient for me.
I may not correctly ask for anything less,
to be worthy of you.
If I were to ask anything less
I should always be in need,
for in you alone do I have all.
--Julian of Norwich

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Thought for the Day

It ain't those parts of the Bible that I can't understand that bother me, it is the parts that I do understand.
--Mark Twain

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Thought for the Day

The division of the world into "liberal" and "conservative" . . . is one of the really restricting developments that has ever happened to us. . . It has to be , we are told, either this way or that. Such a view makes things very simple, I suppose. But it also reduces our minds to utter fuzziness. We are required to define everything as either liberal or conservative even when the two allowable terms of definition are not adequate to explain the reality that they are intended to describe.
--Fr. James V. Schall, S.J.

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Thought for the Day

The easiest thing of all is to die; the difficult thing is to live.
--Soren Kierkegaard

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Thought for the Day

If the creator had a purpose in equipping us with a neck, he surely meant for us to stick it out.
--Arthur Koestler

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Thought for the Day

Man's action is enclosed in God's action, but it is still real action.
--Martin Buber

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Thought for the Day

The kingdom of God comes with limitless grace in the midst of an evil world, but it comes with limitless demand.
--Klyne R. Snodgrass

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The Parable of the Unforgiving Servant

The 9/14/08 sermon will focus on the Parable of the Unforgiving Servant found in Matthew 18:21-35. Below I have posted the parable from three translations: NRSV, NIV, and The Message.

NRSV
Then Peter came and said to him, ‘Lord, if another member of the church* sins against me, how often should I forgive? As many as seven times?’ 22Jesus said to him, ‘Not seven times, but, I tell you, seventy-seven times.
23 ‘For this reason the kingdom of heaven may be compared to a king who wished to settle accounts with his slaves. 24When he began the reckoning, one who owed him ten thousand talents was brought to him; 25and, as he could not pay, his lord ordered him to be sold, together with his wife and children and all his possessions, and payment to be made. 26 So the slave fell on his knees before him, saying, “Have patience with me, and I will pay you everything.” 27And out of pity for him, the lord of that slave released him and forgave him the debt. 28But that same slave, as he went out, came upon one of his fellow-slaves who owed him a hundred denarii; and seizing him by the throat, he said, “Pay what you owe.” 29Then his fellow-slave fell down and pleaded with him, “Have patience with me, and I will pay you.” 30But he refused; then he went and threw him into prison until he should pay the debt. 31When his fellow-slaves saw what had happened, they were greatly distressed, and they went and reported to their lord all that had taken place. 32Then his lord summoned him and said to him, “You wicked slave! I forgave you all that debt because you pleaded with me. 33Should you not have had mercy on your fellow-slave, as I had mercy on you?” 34And in anger his lord handed him over to be tortured until he should pay his entire debt. 35So my heavenly Father will also do to every one of you, if you do not forgive your brother or sister from your heart.’

NIV
21Then Peter came to Jesus and asked, "Lord, how many times shall I forgive my brother when he sins against me? Up to seven times?"
22Jesus answered, "I tell you, not seven times, but seventy-seven times.[a]
23"Therefore, the kingdom of heaven is like a king who wanted to settle accounts with his servants. 24As he began the settlement, a man who owed him ten thousand talents[b] was brought to him. 25Since he was not able to pay, the master ordered that he and his wife and his children and all that he had be sold to repay the debt.
26"The servant fell on his knees before him. 'Be patient with me,' he begged, 'and I will pay back everything.' 27The servant's master took pity on him, canceled the debt and let him go.
28"But when that servant went out, he found one of his fellow servants who owed him a hundred denarii.[c] He grabbed him and began to choke him. 'Pay back what you owe me!' he demanded.
29"His fellow servant fell to his knees and begged him, 'Be patient with me, and I will pay you back.'
30"But he refused. Instead, he went off and had the man thrown into prison until he could pay the debt. 31When the other servants saw what had happened, they were greatly distressed and went and told their master everything that had happened.
32"Then the master called the servant in. 'You wicked servant,' he said, 'I canceled all that debt of yours because you begged me to. 33Shouldn't you have had mercy on your fellow servant just as I had on you?' 34In anger his master turned him over to the jailers to be tortured, until he should pay back all he owed.
35"This is how my heavenly Father will treat each of you unless you forgive your brother from your heart."

The Message
21At that point Peter got up the nerve to ask, "Master, how many times do I forgive a brother or sister who hurts me? Seven?"
22Jesus replied, "Seven! Hardly. Try seventy times seven.
23-25"The kingdom of God is like a king who decided to square accounts with his servants. As he got under way, one servant was brought before him who had run up a debt of a hundred thousand dollars. He couldn't pay up, so the king ordered the man, along with his wife, children, and goods, to be auctioned off at the slave market.
26-27"The poor wretch threw himself at the king's feet and begged, 'Give me a chance and I'll pay it all back.' Touched by his plea, the king let him off, erasing the debt.
28"The servant was no sooner out of the room when he came upon one of his fellow servants who owed him ten dollars. He seized him by the throat and demanded, 'Pay up. Now!'
29-31"The poor wretch threw himself down and begged, 'Give me a chance and I'll pay it all back.' But he wouldn't do it. He had him arrested and put in jail until the debt was paid. When the other servants saw this going on, they were outraged and brought a detailed report to the king.
32-35"The king summoned the man and said, 'You evil servant! I forgave your entire debt when you begged me for mercy. Shouldn't you be compelled to be merciful to your fellow servant who asked for mercy?' The king was furious and put the screws to the man until he paid back his entire debt. And that's exactly what my Father in heaven is going to do to each one of you who doesn't forgive unconditionally anyone who asks for mercy."

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Sunday's Prayer

Grant us, O Lord, to trust in you with all our hearts; for, as you always resist the proud who confide in their own strength, so you never forsake those who make their boast of your mercy; through Jesus Christ our Lord, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and for ever. Amen.

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Thought for the Day

Violence can only be concealed by a lie, and the lie can only be maintained by violence. Any man who has once proclaimed violence as his method is inevitably forced to take the lie as his principle.
--Alexander Solzhenitzyn

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Gearing Up

The first week in September is always a crazy one for the staff as we try to prepare for Homecoming Sunday and begin Bible studies, and reignite many of the ministries that have been on autopilot for the last couple of months.

Here is a picture [of some] of the members of the Sounding Board at their first meeting.

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Thought for the Day

It is a prejudice to believe that knowledge is always rational,that there is no such thing as irrational knowledge. Actually, we apprehend a great deal more through feeling than by intellection.
--Nicholas Berdyaev

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Thought for the Day

Tell all the Truth but tell it slant--
Success in Cirrcuit lies
Too bright for our infirm Delight
The Truth's superb surprise
As Lightening to the Children eased
With explanation kind,
The Truth must dazzle gradually
Or every man be blind--
--Emily Dickinson

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Thought for the Day

If you love a person you love him o her in their stark reality, and refuse to shut your eyes to their defects and errors.
--John Macmurray

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Thought for the Day

True contentment is a real, even an active virtue--not only affirmative but creative. It is the power of getting out of any situation all there is in it.
--G. K. Chesterton

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Gustav

Our prayers go out to those who live and work in the path of Hurricane Gustav.

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Thought for the Day

Pray that your loneliness may spur you into finding something to live for, great enough to die for.
--Dag Hammarskjold

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