"I thank him who has given me strength"

THE SOURCE OF OUR ABILITY: 1 Timothy 1:12

I thank him who has given me strength, Christ Jesus our Lord, because he judged me faithful, appointing me to his service. (1 Tm 1:12)


Just this morning I had the opportunity to attend a most wonderful worship service, at a small country parish in northern Calvert County. St. Edmond's Church has it going on: I was greeted very warmly from the time I stepped up to the door, was helped to participate in the service by my neighbors in the pews, and was uplifted by spirited worship and a great sermon that touched my heart. I Pastor Joan Jones to be a friend as well as a colleague, yet it was the first time I had heard the privilege of hearing her preach. Wow.

Part of the heart of the message -- which was on joy, a spiritual category as opposed to mere happiness (which may have to do with external circumstances), focused on gratitude for having been able to get up this morning, and to dress oneself, and drive oneself to church. If God can accomplish all that, what else will He bring out of the day? It was marvelously delivered, and inspiring.

Paul would have concurred. In life, it is God who gives us strength. When God appoints us to His service, there will be challenges and sacrifices, hurdles and hardships -- often, just because they are the stuff of human life. Yet God gives us the strength to endure and prevail, the more so since we are appointed to fulfill His mission in the world.

As for St. Edmond's, by the way, the church presumably derives its name from the saint who was king of East Anglia in the IX. century, and who died a martyr after capture by hostile pagan forces rather than deny the faith. Our local St. Edmond's is clearly a place to find faith and perseverance under fire, as well.


Prince Frederick, Maryland (Providence)

TWO ON LAY PASTORAL CARE

BOOK REVIEW: Stone, The Caring Church and Farabaugh, Lay Pastoral Care Giving

Recently, as background for writing a proposal for a local church's efforts at launching a new lay pastoral care ministry, I was offered these two books to read. They are both helpful, in different ways, though not evenly so.

Howard W. Stone's 1991 book is apparently a bit of a classic; and while it is dated in its approach to communicating (for instance) and lacks an awareness of some of the modern pitfalls of caring ministry, such as navigating in the waters currently infested with the sharks of fears of litigation and the shadow of various kinds of misconduct.

Stone offers a general, and fairly comprehensive, approach to a simple yet potentially robust ministry. His method can be adapted to various circumstances and needs; yet, like all such guides, stresses the imperatives of solid training and supervision, and support by pastoral leadership that is moreover willing to give more than mere lip service to standing aside enough, or delegating enough, to permit the laity to exercise ministry as called and spiritually equipped by God. There are some helpful and well-presented case studies, as well as topically-arranged discussions of relationships, listening skills, hospital visitation, and grief. Stone's approach leaves lots of latitude for local variations.

Especially nice in this work was the emphasis on spiritual gifts -- too often missing from considerations of lay ministry of all kinds. The commissioning service is also good: simple in design, not too long, but lifting the appropriate themes before the congregation.

Farabaugh's book is titled "Lay Pastoral Care Giving", but should be titled "Lay Pastoral Care Giving for Seniors (Mostly)". The author's expertise is clearly and explicitly with the elder set; however, it seems that almost every chapter and topic continually comes back around to this demographic, and in the end to the neglect of some other key considerations (issues of youth and families, to name two -- though there is some attention given to children, almost parenthetically). The book is also badly edited, embarrassingly so. On the other hand, the chart on pages 63 ff. is helpful in its laying out of developmental issues and needs, as is the discussion of stages of grief -- though there lacks sufficient development of context for this information to be truly useful to the average reader.

One of the most disappointing parts of the book is the dialogue on pp. 85-86, which is extremely unhelpful: the model shows only the caregiver's concerns and agenda being important in the conversation!

Both of these works can provide information that will be useful to those setting up training and execution of a lay pastoral care ministry. However, the Farabaugh book requires some serious adaptation and rounding out (not to mention tolerance for all the usage errors), while the Stone book merely needs some updating for more contemporary concerns and issues.

(With thanks to Cal Colvin and Rev. David Graves for making the works available for my review.)

Stone, Howard W. The Caring Church: A Guide for Lay Pastoral Care. Minneapolis: Fortress, 1991. 128 pp.

Farabaugh, Timothy M. Lay Pastoral Care Giving. Nashville: Discipleship Resources, 2009. 154 pp.


Prince Frederick, Maryland (Providence)

HOME FROM HOGWARTS

REFLECTIONS ON THE HARRY POTTER SERIES

Well, I finally finished them. Sometime last month, I at long last fulfilled my determination to read to the end of the last book of the Harry Potter series by J.K. Rowling. Some of it was on paper, some on CD -- I think one of the early ones was even on cassette (back in the day!). But finally, I got done. Now, having stopped watching the flicks after The Prisoner of Azkaban because it was hard to read the novels after ... I can see the rest of the movies. And look forward to it!

When H.P. first became popular, everyone was atwitter. Teachers were excited because kids wanted to read (and lo and behold, Scholastic landed the publication rights!). I remember seeing a picture in U.S. News and World Report after the first book hit the shelves, showing a group of children all with Harry Potter glasses on. It was the craze. But there were naysayers, too, as there always are -- sadly, predictably, tiresome-ly, especially among the more religious folks, who were obsessing about all this talk of witchcraft and attendant things. (Never mind that they celebrate Christmas at that school for wizards.) Alas. But it really didn't dampen the enthusiasm of most (including some Christian kids from very conservative families I knew, who were devouring the books almost under cover, doing everything but putting them in a brown wrapper) ... nor should it have.

So now that I've read the whole series, what do I think?

Well, they are good in almost every way.

1. They deal with the reality of good and evil in everyday life. The sheer weighty banality of evil, especially in its organizational and bureaucratic guise, was an almost constant backdrop in the books. (C.S. Lewis would have approved.) The reality of evil, both personal and in its consequential, transpersonal form -- but of the possibility of setting things right, albeit with the lingering effects of consequences from misdoings ... all of this is good. There is a price to pay to see the good; there is a price to pay for choosing the bad. Prices are unavoidable in life -- what do you want to pay them for, that's the question.

2. Who you are matters. Each person has as role to play: not only Harry, Hermoine, Ron, Dumbledore, etc., but also the Malfoys, Snape, and their lot. There is redemption (Perry Weasley), betrayal (Severus Snape), opportunities missed (Tom Riddle) and won (Draco Malfoy). No one is perfect -- not even Dumbledore, who is the closest thing to a divine figure, but has his flaws; no one, not even Voldemort, has to be irredeemable. Decisions matter, as with Dumbledore's to eschew the temptations of power in the Ministry of Magic, Harry's to embrace his destiny, or Hermione's to remain the faithful friend and companion, come what may.

3. Appearances versus substance. One of the current expressions I despise the most is: "Perception is reality." No, perception is perception and reality is reality. This is one of the more important life-lessons driven home time and again in this series. Bravo. While perceptions -- really, misperceptions, can cause people to do things they shouldn't and therefore fudge things up, in the end it's the substance which matters.

4. The importance of friendship. Golden, this is. I'm not sure, for this reason among others, that these books could have been written by an American, because of our rather superficial and debased everyday conception of friendship. There is a profundity here which bears meditating upon, in the price -- the sustained, durable price -- these friends are willing to pay for one another, and the patience with which they bear with one another and accept one another.

5. Choices determine life-trajectories. Decisions matter. You can sometimes fix things -- they are, often, in the series -- but never redo them. The moving finger writes ....

6. The unexplained, random, and unknown. There is a sense of mystery in the series. Yes, there is magic -- but there is always more and a deeper magic than is known. Some control is possible, but not total control. There are limits to power and influence. There is that which is larger than oneself.

7. Sometimes, the noblest expression of power is to turn away from power. This is what Voldemort never understood, but Dumbledore and Harry, in different ways, did. We often think that things would be better if we could just control events better. That's a mirage, not only because it's impossible, but because it's often not true.

A great series. Up there with Narnia, the Rings, and a few others that all kids should have the opportunity to read.

Now, to catch up on the flicks! I can't wait ....


Prince Frederick, Maryland (Providence)

"In accordance with the gospel"

THE ENTRUSTED WORD: 1 Timothy 1:11

... in accordance with the gospel of the glory of the blessed God with which I have been entrusted.

This verse closes out the first major section of chapter 1. The emphasis here is on being entrusted; this is not some "word" or teaching that Paul has cooked up, nor is the good news some product of his overheated wishful thinking, a dream he is trying to force into reality. Rather, it reflects a sacred charge. But to what end?

Safekeeping. In the ritual for ordination in The United Methodist Church, the ordinand is charged and pledges to proclaim the doctrine of the Church "and no other". Part of the role of the Christian teacher is to safeguard the treasure "old and new" of the message of salvation, and its attendant messages of God's righteousness, human sin and the wrath of God, and the eternal intention and purpose of God to redeem the fallen humanity whom He loves. Our message must be rooted securely in the word received -- as it is, not as we would want or amend it to be -- unchanging but interpreted afresh and given vitality in our own time, in every time that is "now", "today".

Proclaiming. This is a treasure, yes, this Gospel -- but it is one which is by name and design that is to be shared. As the holiness of God both tell us that God is perfectly righteous, yet is used by God to bring us into a relationship of righteousness before Him -- to make us righteous -- so also the Gospel is meant to define the people of God called the Church, but in such a way as to draw "all men unto" the Lord of the Church. God's judgment is intended to bring us to mercy. Our defining the bounds of the Church and her message must be in order to drawing others within those bounds, not for the purpose of holding them out.

Paul is therefore responsible: to the message, and to the Lord of the message. It is an awesome charge, in the true sense of that overused word. The word "entrusted" (episteuthen) comes from the verb pisteuo, the same verb as "to believe", "to trust". Paul is called to keep faith, so that others might have faith. And it all rests, so to speak, on Christ's faith in Paul, to whom He has entrusted the message. With what has Christ entrusted you and me? How do we keep faith?

And it is awesome in another way: Paul mentions "glory" (doxa), a reference to the same attribute of God's holiness which filled the tabernacle and the temple with His Presence, and which is the destiny of the children of God. Contrary to the parodies of this world, seen in entertainment and media and held by many, God does not call us to death, bondage, boredom, or hopelessness, but to glory, joy, and abundant life. "Satan's glory glitters; God's glory shines."


Prince Frederick, Maryland (Providence)

A CONTINENT'S CALAMITY

BOOK REVIEW: Peter Wilson, The Thirty Years War: Europe's Tragedy (Cambridge, Massachusetts: Belknap-Harvard, 2009). xxii + 997 pp.

I have been reading this book a long time. That is not only because of its length though, at over 850 pages of core text, it is substantial in terms of heft. It is rather because I started it a couple of years ago with a reading buddy, then life intervened ... and finally I was just determined to finish it up. And I'm glad that I did, all things considered, because it has added to my understanding of European history, in particular that swath bounded by Luther's 95 Theses (1517) on the one hand, and the dawn of the Enlightenment on the other. There is of course also the relevance for church history of this conflict, defined as it was -- at least in its public relations -- as a war between Protestants and Roman Catholics, though of course it was not that simple. Yet it was probably more purely an expression of religious conflict in military terms than were even the Crusades (given Saladin's predilection for alliances of convenience with European nobles, and the Crusaders' own squabbles and attacks against the Greek Orthodox and against Jews in what was ostensibly a fight against Islam).

That said, this book is rather a tough read, and not because the subject is especially difficult -- though a war with the span of a generation and a half is bound to be somewhat confusing to relate.

Wilson's account is very comprehensive in what it does. It is in the main a military-political history, with the emphasis on the former. However, any wider interpretive framework is rather minimal, though he relates some good stories and concludes with a chapter which purports to make some larger sense out of the whole epoch. On the other hand, it is not really a reference work. Even the maps, sprinkled throughout the text to give a sense of major engagements, give a sense of little more than general geographic position and topography, and the aggregate movements of the armies.

There were several insights to be gained, at least for me, from reading the book.

One, the role of Sweden as a spoiler on the continent. The muscle-flexing of the Swedes in this conflict really set the stage for their engagements with Peter the Great's Russia not a century later, which brought about the beginning of the end of Swedish hegemony in northern European affairs. At the same time, the importance of ties between Sweden and some of the German states -- also Lutheran Protestants -- begins to become clearer ... ties which will be important through Sweden's trade assistance to the German's economic militarism in both world wars.

Speaking of the Swedes, Gustavus' daughter and heir, Queen Christiana, emerges as a truly remarkable and underrated personage in Europe's modern history. From Wilson's telling, one begins to wonder whether there might have been some gender ambiguity with her (more so than with other "mannish" female monarchs, such as Russia's Tsarina Anna Petrovna).

Two, the financial ruin which the war brought upon most of the participating states. A cautionary tale which bears retelling with each generation.

Third, the role, not only of the Roman Church (i.e., the Pope), but of key ecclesiastics in positions of power and influence, such as Richelieu and Mazarin in France.

Fourth, the political, moral, and cultural catastrophe which is war. Spain's heavy and calamatous investment in the conflict proved to be a major contributor to her undoing as a European power ... even as France's insertion into the U.S. War for Independence provoked the crisis which brought down the Bourbon dynasty. The strong European allergy to religiously-delineated conflict, meanwhile, continues today: in Germany and the Netherlands through the legal and social expectation of mutual tolerance; in France, under the guise of secularism. Meanwhile, regions less touched by the heat of conflict -- at least, directly -- have been historically able to give in to their particular brand of chauvinism: Austria, Poland, Spain, Russia, to name four.

Wilson's tome is expert in its detailed accounts of the battles and metatrends. He is not especially interested in the history of ideas; but there are clues to this for the serious researcher who wishes to follow up for more. There's not a lot on personalities beyond monarchs and key military leaders -- this also would have made the book more useful, interesting, and less one-dimensional. More on everyday life would have been helpful as well.

I certainly learned a bit from this book; what was largely a shadowy period in my mind now has some definition and some gaps in my understanding of the flow of European history during the period between the Reformation and the Enlightenment have been filled in. Still, with the lacking cohesive narrative I could not recommend this as a useful book for the average student, which is a shame because otherwise it is a good resource.


Prince Frederick, Maryland (Providence)

"Whatever else is contrary to sound doctrine"

THE UNLOVING AND UNLOVELY: 1 Timothy 1:10

The Apostle continues his list of those who are the proper subjects of the Law by listing those persons who, in their unloving actions, show themselves to be outside God’s purposes for humankind. In verse 9, he cites those who show contempt for their parents (or elders) and for life. Now he moves on to other categories of offenders:

“The sexually immoral.” This is Greek pornois, a general term for those who practice sexual immorality. (A related noun, the feminine pornê, means “prostitute”; compare our word pornography.) As Paul points out elsewhere, sexual sin is a sin against one’s own body, and of course another’s; and it tears at the covenant bonds of community and fellowship.

“Men who practice homosexuality.” The Greek is arsenokoitai, a word which has become much-disputed, but basically is a compound meaning “those who copulate with men (males)”. This practice was contrary to the moral and holiness codes of the Old Testament, and the prohibition carries over into the Church.

“Enslavers.” Andrapodistais means “those who make off with (i.e., steal) people”, so the reference is to human trafficking, as we call it. This continues to be a plague in our time, and not just in semi-feudal societies: the roll call of offending nations includes western democracies. Anyone who wonders how there could have been any debate over the Scriptural disdain for the slave trade in the fifteenth through nineteenth centuries and thereby exercise a little chronological chauvinism, should bear in mind the current discussions about the first two terms, above. In each age, the residents of that epoch must come to terms with its own struggles and sins in the light of Scripture, or else dismiss the Bible as irrelevant.

“Liars.” The Greek is pseustais, a general term for active dishonesty. The Decalogue prohibited false witness, though the tenor of the Old Testament is clear that lying is disapproved by God as well (with some notable caveats). This is a more comprehensive proscription.

“Perjurers.” Perjury is false testimony that goes beyond a simple lie in its impact, which is to cheat or defraud another. The Greek word epiorkois, also refers to those who break oaths. This latter reading is perhaps to be preferred here in translation to draw out the meaning of the Greek original, since perjury is also presumably included in the previous term.

“Whatever else is contrary to sound doctrine.” What is striking about this expression is that it implicitly equates sound teaching with right practice. As Wesley once said, in a quote I see whenever I visit Wesley Seminary’s main campus in Washington: “Unite the two so long disjoin’d: knowledge and vital piety.” Paul also makes the point that the Bible is not an exhaustive field-manual of legal prescriptions and proscriptions. W.C. Fields is famous for having drawled, when caught reading the Bible: “I’m looking for the loopholes.” Not only do they not exist, but the standard of God’s holiness cannot be limited by any human framework of regulation, even an inspired one. On the other hand, there is much in the world which is “contrary to” (lit., “set against” or “standing in opposition to”) “sound doctrine” – the word “sound” here carrying also the overtone of “healthy”.

When I was in high school, my French class took a field trip to a restaurant as a cultural-enrichment experience. The restaurant was located off the Capitol Beltway several exits north of the school. In those days, it was possible to travel in private cars with students as drivers, something which would never be permitted now. We went in about three vehicles, had a lovely time at the restaurant, and left to come back with my teacher’s admonition, “Go straight back to school” ringing in our ears. And we did. Only ... we went the long way around the Beltway, in what would be forever enshrined in our retelling the tale as “The Grand Prix”. It was a wonder that none of us was killed, given the speeds at which we were tooling around the Beltway and the expansion project which was at that time going full-bore on the Virginia side, with concrete barriers and lane shifts. Technically, we complied, but not really. When we got back to campus, it was just in time to go home ... and to say hello to one very relieved teacher who laughed at our prank but must have been frantic with worry by that point.

Often we humans play such games with God, going through a pretense of obedience or a formal semblance of it, while heading off the exact opposite direction in our hearts, our affections, our practical service. We also take a great risk when we do this; and while we may return at length to the loving embrace of our heavenly Father, we expose ourselves and others needlessly to real hurt and pain, and rob ourselves of the joys of steady discipleship.

“In accordance with the gospel.” The Christian message is meant for life, to be life-bringing and life-enhancing. As Jesus said, “I came that you might have life, and have it abundantly.”


Washington, D.C. (North Capitol Street)