More on the realized kingdom

Here's a tangent that didn't make the cut for my theology paper on the kingdom fully realized. I took this part out because it was a different direction than I ended up going, but might be worth holding on to. Anyway, this is some of what my paper is about. See my previuos post as well for some of my brainstorming around the question of realized eschatology.

How can we live in this world and simply pray for Christ to come near, when what we should be demanding is that he come right now to end this period of violent hunger for destruction of whatever gets in our way of our own power and dominance? Amidst ever increasing terrorism, war, mass murder, anxiety, depression, illness and poverty, God should be stepping in to end it all, to wipe the tears from our eyes, and love us so completely that we have no choice but to turn to God and live eternally in peace. This is what the writer of Revelation expected, but sadly was proven wrong when human suffering only continued. It is no wonder that the leaps of scientific, artistic and humanitarian progress during and after the western Enlightenment seemed to be signs of this city coming ever closer. But then the First World War haunted the earth. All of Europe and America were thrown into economic and theological crisis so tragically that Liberalism and its companion postmillennialism lost the vision of a swiftly arriving new world.

The result of worldwide violence was the loss of faith in Christ's return by those who assumed, because of how well the world seemed to going just prior to World War I, he would come at any moment. What these postmillennialists failed to see was not Christ's delay, but Christ's presence already among them. When suffering came, they believed that meant that Jesus had not come. A more radical faith would say that Christ was already there. Where men killed and were killed, where children starved, where powers and empires oppressed, the same Jesus Christ who lived, died and was resurrected two thousand years ago was present among the suffering. Where enemies ceased to hate the other, where the hungry were fed and the oppressed set free, people saw the kingdom of God on earth. What happened to the kingdom after these events? Did it no longer exist? Not at all. Rather, it continued to live in the hearts of those who witnessed it. If suffering returned, the kingdom did not leave, but only could not be seen. For the city of God to truly be of God, it cannot not leave us. It is only our vision that fails us.

The kingdom is already here

After I preached a sermon on the kingdom of God being here now, a friend asked me, “If the kingdom is already here, why did Jesus have to die? And what does that imply for the kingdom?” and “If the kingdom is already here, why do we have to go find it?” Here is my beginning of a (theopoetic?) response to these challenging questions:

Jesus believed that the kingdom of God was already present; perhaps now-but-not-yet, but present nonetheless. He died because he believed so completely in God's reign on earth in his time that it threatened the first century Jewish power structure, from the synagogue all the way to the temple. His death was the result of powers that blind humanity to God's radical presence. Those who executed him could not see this kingdom among them because they did not want to; it was a threat to their own positions and privileges that oppressed others for their selfish gain. His resurrection was demonstrative of the power of this kingdom come to earth. It is more powerful than our own grasps at godliness, and wholly different. Like the kingdom of the mustard seed and yeast, the resurrection is life beyond the powers of death that would quell the reign of God. Jesus' death implies for the kingdom an example to be imitated. We are to see the kingdom as fully as Jesus did, and live in it so completely that it makes the dominions of humanity second guess themselves, even to the point of our death. But even our death does not end the kingdom, for it lives as long as others walk the earth who have eyes to see it. And even if no seeing human walks the earth, Christ who is human and divine and therefore sees the kingdom most fully, walks the earth today and forever in his eternal body, making the kingdom present now and forever.

Theopoetics

Yesterday in preaching class I was told that my sermons are theopoetic. I told one of the professors who teaches the most about theopoetics that I still don't know what that means. The students who have studied it more in depth also said that I do theopoetics. I had to go back and skim an article we read for class about the subject. Here's what I found:

Theopoetics is a style of writing or a theological stance, an artful way of working with language and worldview. The theo-poet uses the occasion of the poem to creatively suggest, ambiguously hint, generously intimate in ways that create space for the reader or the public to face the unknown, engage Mystery, to dream and be transformed.

...Theopoetics stands in contrast to many styles of theological and literary practice which might be loosely categorized as "onto-theo-logic" (in the language of Heidegger and Hopper). Onto-theo-logic, in which logic and rational "truth" rises above the search for wisdom, asserts that we must accept or reject an asserted reality, at which point the writer's (preacher's, activist's) task is over. There is no invitation, mystery, or ambiguity of meaning, no point of entry or connection. Many poems-and many so-called prophetic statements or spiritual proclamations-are similar.

...A theopoetic sensibility strives to move from sentiment and nostalgia to a renewal of the power of language, in order to engage again and again the imagination and the spirit. Theopoetic work supports the reader to engage, reflect and even pray in the reading of it. It offers a kind of openness in the language, describing events in which the reader may participate and interact through the creation of a plenitude of responses, feelings, reactions. "Similar to a joke, it ends with an ambush that springs on the reader through the unexpected effect of the conclusion."

From "Theopoetics: that the dead may become gardeners again" Cross Currents, Spring, 2006 by Matt Guynn.

Read the rest of the article at FindArticles.

Bush quotes about Va Tech were out of context

As the reports trickled out of Virginia Tech that a gunman had killed dozens of students yesterday morning, news agencies were searching for anything of substance to say about the situation. They ended up quoting President Bush as saying "Our nation is shocked and saddened." He went on:

Today our nation grieves with those who have lost loved ones at Virginia Tech. We hold the victims in our hearts. We lift them up in our prayers and we ask a loving God to comfort those who are suffering today."

Another quote that was circulating in the news was "the President believes that there is a right for people to bear arms, but that all laws must be followed." What the news didn't give was the context for this statement. It came from a White House press conference at which the following statement was read by spokeswoman Dana Perino:

The President was made aware of the Virginia Tech shootings. He was horrified and his immediate reaction was one of deep concern for the families of the victims, the victims, themselves, the students, the professors and all the people of Virginia who have dealt with this shocking incident. And his thoughts and prayers are with them; we are monitoring the situation. And while state and local authorities are in the lead right now -- I think that will remain the case, but federal assets are available should they be needed, if Virginia were to request them.

As the press conference went on, a journalist asked a question about what the President thought about possible policy changes:

Q Dana, going back to Virginia Tech, what more does this White House think needs to be done as it relates to gun issues? The President says current laws need to be strengthened, anything beyond that -- you had a conference on school violence with guns -- what more needs to be done?

MS. PERINO: I would point you back to the fact that President, along with Secretary Spellings, hosted last October -- October 10, 2006 -- a conference on school gun violence after the Amish school shooting and the other shootings that had happened, because the tragedies are the ones that just collectively break America's heart and are ones that we deeply feel, because all of us can imagine what it would be like to have been at your own school, your own college, and to have something happen. And those of us who are parents, or brothers or sisters of people at the schools have to take that into consideration.

As far as policy, the President believes that there is a right for people to bear arms, but that all laws must be followed. And certainly bringing a gun into a school dormitory and shooting -- I don't want to say numbers because I know that they're still trying to figure out many people were wounded and possibly killed, but obviously that would be against the law and something that someone should be held accountable for.

Q Columbine, Amish school shooting, now this, and a whole host of other gun issues brought into schools -- that's not including guns on the streets and in many urban areas and rural areas. Does there need to be some more restrictions? Does there need to be gun control in this country?

MS. PERINO: The President -- as I said, April, if there are changes to the President's policy we will let you know. But we've had a consistent policy of ensuring that the Justice Department is enforcing all of the gun laws that we have on the books and making sure that they're prosecuted to the fullest extent of the law.

Q Lastly, in Texas, if I'm correct, he passed legislation, no age restriction on possession of weapons, if I'm correct. Should there be some kind of federal age limit, as far as the President is concerned, raising the age for gun possession in this country?

MS. PERINO: Unfortunately, I'm going to have to go back and look at what the record was in Texas.

When the news read the two quotes: "schocked and saddened" and "there is a right for people to bear arms, but that all laws must be followed" without their contexts, it confused the matter. The White House didn't bring up the policy issue. Rather, it was the media that was covering the incident.

Schwarzenegger kicking global warming's butt

An article from the San Fransisco Chronicle made me wonder what "An Inconvenient Truth" would be like if Schwarzenegger made the film instead of Gore. California's governor might say things like this:

"For too long the environmental movement has been powered by guilt...You know the kind of guilt I'm talking about: Smokestacks belching pollution and powering our Jacuzzis and our big-screen TVs and, in my case, powering my private airplanes. It's too bad for us that we can't live the lives of Buddhist monks in Tibet, but you know something, it doesn't happen."

...The former actor and bodybuilder also is using the attention he's getting to push what could be called Arnold-style environmentalism, which doesn't require the major changes in lifestyles that some conservationists say are needed to curb energy use and fight global warming.

..."I was followed around by environmental protesters with signs. They didn't like my humvees and Hummers and my SUVs or anything that I did, so even when I promised I would improve the environment when I became governor, they didn't believe I would," he said. "Here we are now, 3 1/2 years later, and I'm on the cover of Newsweek as one of the big environmentalists. Only in America."

..."We don't have to go and take away the muscle cars. We don't have to take away Hummers or SUVs or anything like this, because that's a formula for failure," he said. "Instead we have to make those cars more environmentally muscular."

..."Like bodybuilders, the environmentalists were thought of as kind of weird fanatics also. You know the kind of serious tree huggers. Environmentalists were no fun. They were like prohibitionists at the fraternity party."

..."The tipping point will be occurring when the environment is no longer seen as a nag, but as a positive force in people's lives."

via HuffPo

Just Disobey

Some of my favorite people singing at the E. Ross Adair Federal Building in Fort Wayne, IN to protest our country's continued involvement in war. The song is Just Disobey sung to the tune of Trust and Obey. Words by John H. Sammis, music by Daniel B. Towner.

Get well, Joe

A friend set up a blog for updates on Joe Augustin, getwelljoe.com.

Joe, friend to many, attacked in Richmond

Read the local paper's article about Joe here.

When I read the email from Earlham Safety & Security that a male student was attacked on the west bridge on 40, I was horrified. Two days before that a woman, also an Earlham student, was grabbed from behind on the same road by campus. She screamed and her assailant ran. While the woman was sexually assulted, the man was beaten and robbed. Which violation was worse? It's hard to judge. But I eventually learned that I know the guy, Joe Augustin, and my heart went out to him. I don't know him as well as many others, but according to one of my very good friends, Joe is the gentleist, most generous person she knows. She said today, "When I think of going the extra mile, or giving someone the shirt off your back, that's Joe completely." She also said that he has done so much to bridge the gap between Earlham and Richmond through the arts, particularly poetry and music. He seems like a guy I could get along with, and I wish I could know him more than I do.

I met him when we were playing games at my friend's apartment, and kept bumping into him on campus. We would say hi, and after a few times of that, we would stop and have conversations about poetry, Richmond, religion, and unfilfilled plans to hang out. He's only an acquaintance, a friend of a friend, but he feels like a kindred spirit, and I am really bothered by the fact that someone would bash a rock against his head and rob him.

Earlham students are understandably scared. I get nervous whenever I walk around campus after dark now. Earlham is having a Take Back the Night this Thursday, but I don't know if I can make it. The bar where he plays often is also having a benefit concert on Saturday. It would be good if I could make it to one of those.

I pray that Joe gets better quick. I had a friend several years ago who got struck by a car while riding his bike in DC and fractured hs hip, leaving him bedridden and in lots of pain for at least a month or two. But he recovered quickly, since he was young and healthy. May Joe's future be as bright. Here's to you, Joe.

Two weeks at Iona, May 2008

One of my professors just announced today a May Intensive for May 2008. Two weeks studying Celtic worship at Iona Community in Scottland! Righ away I told her, "sign me up." If it turns out that I'll be able to go, it will be a perfect lead in to what I plan to do for my Ministry Formation internship later that summer--writing worship resources somewhere on the east coast (exact location to be announced later, when it's more certain).

Forget poetry slam, this is poetry spam!

I never read my spam, but this one got through my filter and I was feeling generous wasteful with my email reading time.

Between the high and the low, in this night.
Yes. The obvious
Again awaken from your being gone to find
VII. Hudson and His Strait; Baffin and His Bay
watching calisthenics from the grandstands.
To listen, by the sputtering, smoking fire,
Blurring the terrain,
wonders if she'd ever be brave enough
Against which we have been projected? What . . .
So, startled, quivering,
Away, my songs, must we go
To watch me watch drowned snow lift from the lake.
Dismal, endless plain—
Deep in the fog that quenches every ray,
My only thought is for what has
The line between the outside and this room
Columbuses or Gamas, ever pass,
References
will be penciled on the coffeeshop menus.

It might be a secret message from cyberspace--or outerspace, or..., because if you Google each line in quotes, there are around 100 search results for each phrase. Any clues as to what this is, besides really cool spam?

My favorite part:

So, startled, quivering,
Away, my songs, must we go
To watch me watch drowned snow lift from the lake.