N.T. Wright, and Unity
Lately Forrest and I have been reading some books by N.T. Wright and they are really great. I don't think I'd heard of him until R&R got together...but he's an Anglican bishop and he has some wonderful things to say. Challenging, moving--he gets you really thinking about the Gospel, and what it's all about. His little book The Meal Jesus Gave Us is a wonderful introduction to the what, why, and how of Holy Communion. The Millenium Myth is a good book, in my opinion, for those of all millenial views. Partly, he talks about the biblical "thousand years" that Satan is bound, and partly about the (then) upcoming year 2000 (published in '99). He doesn't focus so much on which millenial view is right, or which is wrong, but on biblical language, the Jewish/biblical way of thinking, and most importantly, practical application in the real world. For All God's Worth is one Forrest has been reading in family devotions, and every chapter is just so moving. It's on worship and the true calling of the church. I can't tell you much about it yet, since we just started it fairly recently.
And what I've been thinking about lately, is along the lines of: What really does matter in life? How do I live my everyday life so that my children, my neighbors, the people at the grocery store, and whoever else I come in contact with, see Christ through me? Hear of my Lord and Saviour? And with my brothers in Christ: how do I need to change how I treat them, and how I feel about them, seeing they are not just family members in Christ, but actually members of the SAME BODY? I mean, how ridiculous would it be if your thumb felt superior to your ring finger, and your elbow had a grudge against your shoulder?
I think that for one thing, continual prayer for brothers and sisters who either you disagree with, or who disagree with you, or with whom you have mutual grudges, or whatever, is going to change us. But also worshipping together with them.
Back to Bishop Wright... I have a hunch that the reason several of his insights are so fresh is that I've been in reformed circles, influenced somewhat by fundamentalism, all my life, and Wright is coming from an Anglican background (? I'm guessing?). We the church need to become more catholic. If you prefer, ecumenical. I'm not saying that we need to compromise truths for unity. But we have too long compromised unity of the one body, one church, for our own petty ideals.
And what I've been thinking about lately, is along the lines of: What really does matter in life? How do I live my everyday life so that my children, my neighbors, the people at the grocery store, and whoever else I come in contact with, see Christ through me? Hear of my Lord and Saviour? And with my brothers in Christ: how do I need to change how I treat them, and how I feel about them, seeing they are not just family members in Christ, but actually members of the SAME BODY? I mean, how ridiculous would it be if your thumb felt superior to your ring finger, and your elbow had a grudge against your shoulder?
I think that for one thing, continual prayer for brothers and sisters who either you disagree with, or who disagree with you, or with whom you have mutual grudges, or whatever, is going to change us. But also worshipping together with them.
Back to Bishop Wright... I have a hunch that the reason several of his insights are so fresh is that I've been in reformed circles, influenced somewhat by fundamentalism, all my life, and Wright is coming from an Anglican background (? I'm guessing?). We the church need to become more catholic. If you prefer, ecumenical. I'm not saying that we need to compromise truths for unity. But we have too long compromised unity of the one body, one church, for our own petty ideals.
posted by Rebekah | 3:44 PM
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