justice and mercy...

I am afraid that we've become Republicans and Democrats and we've given up on biblical justice and mercy. Either it's too hard to really think through or we don't care. Or we think we're right because we believe that we are justified to completely fit within one of the political fortresses.

I hope I am wrong, but I believe we've bought into the idea that one side has it mostly right, and the other side has it mostly wrong. Once we buy the goods of whatever political party we end up with, then we can hear how hard 'our side' really works for justice and mercy.

It is justice and mercy for which they strive, but it's not from the perspective of the gospel. I want to see our hearts break for injustices; I want us to strive for the things of Jesus. I want us to care so deeply for life that abortion seems out of place for life within the kingdom and capital punishment and wars for the sake of nation building are also equally out of place.

... and it doesn't become simply a matter of finding new 'rights and wrongs' independent of the two dominant political parties. That wasn't Jesus point when he pointed out sins and brokenness. He also treated people, regardless of their sins, with great gentleness and respect.

Call these liberal ideas; call them conservative. Call them what you want. It's my belief that Jesus called the people who followed 'disciples.'

Ratzinger Quote:

"The church must renounce worldly principles and standards in order to accept the truth, and the way it must go will always lead to some form of martyrdom. It is important for us to realize that we cannot bring about unity by diplomatic maneuvers. The result would be a diplomatic structure based on human principles. Instead, we must open ourselves more and more to God. The unity that he brings about is the only true unity. Anything else is a political construction, and it will be as transitory as all such constructions are. This is the more difficult way, for in political maneuvering, people themselves are active and believe they can achieve something. But we must wait on God, and we must go to meet him by cleansing our hearts."

- Cardinal Joseph Ratzinger: spoken in 1995 to Johann Christoph Arnold author of Sex, God, & Marriage

Scripture Gets Left Behind Again

Watching NBC's latest biblical fumble might be offensive if it wasn't so pitiful. There are likely some people out there, maybe quite a few, who think NBC has an agenda against the church. I think that the truth might be that they are just ignorant when it comes to the Bible. They are trying their hand at producing 'Christian' religious programming but just can't seem to 'get it.' The problem is that they don't seem too concerned to ask for help.

Looking back at NBC's offerings of Noah's Ark and the latest 'Revelations' (one might also include ABC's 'Judas' in this genre of 'biblically illiterate made-for-TV-movies') suggests to me that there is not a malevolent agenda, but a failure to try to learn what the stories and messages of the scriptures are actually saying. I seem to remember that Lot showed up in the Noah's Ark movie. Did they even read Genesis?

One thing I want to say to NBC is that the last book of the Christian scripture is 'Revelation' (singular), not 'Revelations' (plural). When you screw up the title, you can't expect much from the rest of the project.

The next thing I noticed involves the promotion of the series. The tagline was, "The greatest story ever told...has a final chapter." Apparently NBC never made it there. Now, I'm one who thinks that the Left Behind movies (and books) are nonsense--sorry folks, but the interpretation of scripture Jenkins and LaHaye use is just not good interpretation at all (ask any reputable New Testament scholar)--but at least they tried their hand at interpreting the text. NBC's 'Revelations' doesn't seem to be trying to use the text at all--aside from their transitional (mis)quotes of various texts, whose contexts are completely and astonishingly disregarded. I want to laugh. I want to cry.

Not only is this series ignoring the actual text is it supposed to be portraying, it is not even attempting good writing--at least what I've seen so far. Wouldn't a good writer be interested, in this kind of story, in the source material? If this story is an attmept to court evangelical viewers (honestly, if that is what you are attempting NBC, you're doing about as good as George Bush is at 'winning hearts and minds' in Iraq), at least respect the material.

I know NBC is capable of finding great writers. I've seen it in some episodes of West Wing, Homocide:Life on the Street, and even ER. So why can't NBC, who seems so interested in getting ratings from among the 'newly discovered evangelical Christians' in America, get their best writers and producers together with some actual Old and New Testament scholars and theologians like Walter Bruggemann, N.T. Wright, Stan Hauerwas, and Rowan Williams--heck, they'd be doing great to talk with Bob Lowery, John Castelein, and Gary Hall in little Lincoln, Illinois!--and put together some really good art?

Maybe that's too much to expect.

I hope our understanding of the kingdom of God is bigger than this...

I think 'LiveStrong' is at least equally biblical as 'DieSaved' and probably a bit more compelling too.

Kylie Joy Schelhaas! -- the most recent addition to the water's edge family (born 3/29)

Smelling spring...

From somebody who grew up with his crib in the greenhouses, I have always loved spring. Flowers blooming in March & April always made us anxious for flowers to be blooming outdoors as well. We were always a bit spoiled with the sunshine pushing the temperature above 80 on regular occasions during those early months of spring. Of course, greenhouse temperatures took several months to make their way outdoors.

I'm smelling spring. I'm no longer in the greenhouses, but sugar peas got planted in the garden last week with the help of my two growing blessings (aka kids). A campfire last night felt like we're on the way to bathwater lakes and humid nights. Several friends are doing pretty well in their fights with cancer... and lots of life changes are facing the people of water's edge.

We have people considering career changes, and others well on their way in this process. We have new furniture in our space that is making things look and feel quite different when we gather, and... we continue to sense the leading of the Spirit.

Reflecting on Mark 5 and our conversation last night:
~ What a great conversation. Kathy and I came home knowing that God blessed our time together!
~ It is my prayer that you have the faith to believe that the Spirit is moving in your life this week! The Spirit moves when we have faith - experience a week of God's presence. Believe!

the death of Pope John Paul II - from a protestant's view

It's all to easy to see the mourning and disregard it. Today I sense the morning, and I am deeply touched by the Spirit.

I sense the morning of a new day. Spring is fully alive in Michigan, and new life and renewed life is on the fast track. Less than a week after Easter, and John Paul II is experiencing a new morning. The fullness of the kingdom of God is upon him! Even with my two most beautiful kids playing almost at my feet, I am a bit envious. Karol Wojtyla now knows the presence of God in ways that I still hope and dream. And yet...

And yet, I sense the goodness of God now! I have a son that is saying, "Look daddy." He's finished a new puzzle for his first time, and at two this is quite a feat. My daughter is full of life as spring break from school has her running in the sun. And yet...

And yet, I also weep for my fellow brothers and sisters who are part of the Roman Catholic church. Their leader has died. Honestly, I don't get the entire papal thing. It doesn't make much sense to most protestant minds as we've understood the apostolic thing quite differently that them. And yet...

And yet, they have a tradition. An amazing tradition that has elected a leader for the church since the time of Peter the disciple of Christ. They've looked toward one person as the leader of the church. Amazing.

I've been picturing through TIME magazine this day. The issue is dedicated to Pope John Paul II. I've been alive 38 years, and I remember his election back when I was in 7th or 8th grade. I remember sensing significance was happening at that time.

This man of God helped shape the world. While he was traditional on things that I wish he would have changed, he cared deeply for world peace, for the plight of the poor, for justice, for mercy, for goodness and for kindness. There is really very little that we (or catholics) could have asked of him beyond what he gave. He gave us much.

REGARDLESS of my thoughts about the papacy, he was an INCREDIBLE MAN OF GOD! That may sound like shouting, but I am in awe! I hurt for my catholic brothers and sisters, and I commit myself to holding them in my prayers as they move forward.

Christ prayed that we would be one, that we would seek unity within his bride. Let us comet together as the twelve scatterd tribes. Let us mourn. Let us pray. And let us dance and celebrate the life and resurrection of Karol Wojtyla!