Beauty and Truth

μενων

2008-06-11T07:56:00.000-07:00

"Anyone who goes too far and does not abide in the teaching of Christ, does not have God; the one who abides in the teaching, he has both the Father and the Son." 2 John 1:9

In this warning to the members of the church about taking in teachers who teach theology contrary to the Scripture, I was struck by the use of the word "abide" to describe the correct way of relating to Christ's teachings. Abide (meno - μενων) means to continue, dwell, endure, be present, remain, stand, tarry (for), thine own. Our relationship to the teachings of Christ is to be extreme, encompassing, and eternal - not a casual and regulated. In these teachings we are to live, and move and have our being, they are to be and shape all that we are and do. A fairly high standard but we can expect nothing less for the result we are told comes from this - having God. We often try to add the Word of Truth onto our lives, to the place we already live when it should be the other way around. Where we live should first be defined and structured on the teachings of Christ, and we interact with the world from that position.

Thoughts on Wendell Berry's "Do Not Be Ashamed"

2008-06-09T12:34:00.000-07:00

After attending the L'Abri lecture on current American Christianity I was reminded of how culturally captive the modern church has become and the huge implicaitons this has for how the church judges itself. It brought to mind this poem by Berry about realization of non-conformity, and a fear I have that the modern church has such a desire for cultural conformity that they are like the line in the poem "They (non-transformed culture) will no longer need to pursue you(the church). You will pursue them, begging forgiveness." - AW

Do Not Be Ashamed - by Wendell Berry

"You will be walking some night in the comfortable dark of your yard and suddenly a great light will shine round about you, and behind you will be a wall you never saw before. It will be clear to you suddenly that you were about to escape, and that you are guilty: you misread the complex instructions, you are not a member, you lost your card or never had one. And you will know that they have been there all along, their eyes on your letters and books, their hands in your pockets, their ears wired to your bed. Though you have done nothing shameful, they will want you to be ashamed. They will want you to kneel and weep and say you should have been like them. And once you say you are ashamed, reading the page they hold out to you, then such light as you have made in your history will leave you. They will no longer need to pursue you. You will pursue them, begging forgiveness. They will not forgive you. There is no power against them. It is only candor that is aloof from them, only an inward clarity, unashamed, that they cannot reach. Be ready. When their light has picked you out and their questions are asked, say to them: "I am not ashamed." A sure horizon will come around you. The heron will begin his evening flight from the hilltop.

If you came over to my house —

2008-06-09T11:48:00.000-07:00

You would see: a whole crowd of teenagers since the whole neighborhood gathers in our pool after school
I’d probably feed you: red pepper hummus - it goes with everything!
And offer you this to drink: a raw milk latte - the perfect combination of virtue (locally grown organic milk) and vice (coffee!)
I’d undoubtedly ask if you’d read: John Owen's Mortification of Sin, it has had such an impact on my life since reading it this winter. I'd also be interested in hearing about Paradigms in Conflict since my study group will be starting this soon
I’d want to play this music for you: the latest piano composition by my student and and Iron & Wine I could find
I’d want to tell you the latest about: the L'Abri lectures I have been attending and how they have challenged and intrigued me, and the updates from India in how God is blessing the ministry there
I’d probably suggest a game of: Apples to Apples
I might show off: Victoria Station, the local coffee house where it is impossible not to bump into someone you know, and Baldwin Brook Farm which is the most picturesque little farm you'll ever see
I might get on the computer and show you: the new Bless India website blessindia.com, it's terrific!
If it was a long enough visit, I might watch: blue herons fly overhead as we kayak down the river