The Lutheran Zephyr

Looking Ahead to '08

It's New Year's Eve - the ball will drop in just less than 20 minutes - and time again to make resolutions and dream big about the coming year.  Here's some of what I'm looking forward to in 2008.

• Ordination: Though my internship runs through August, I already have my seminary degree (I graduated LTSP in 2002 - my path is a long story, one worthy of an eventual blogpost).  In May I will seek Approval for Ordination from my home synod's Candidacy Committee.  If Approved and Called by a congregation, I could be ordained as a pastor in the Lutheran Church by the end of the year.  Of course, there are many variables in this process (as I've learned in my 12 years in and out of Candidacy) and the timing is far from certain.  I'll keep you posted.
  
• Health: My wife, my brother, my best friend, and my pastor are all giving me heck about my weight and health.  Once again I begin a New Year with hopes and aspirations for a healthier me, yet once again with doubts and questions about how to make the changes to my life necessary to lose weight and improve my overall health and fitness.
• Income: My wife begins a new career as a seminary professor in January and, God willing, I will begin a career in pastoral ministry before the end of the year.  If this happens, it will be the first time in our marriage that both of us would be earning full-time paychecks at the same time. For the first five years of our marriage one of us has always been a student, stipended intern, or temporarily unemployed.  It will be nice to earn a fuller, combined income, even at the modest clergy/professor levels.
• Daily Prayer: Ever since our third child was born in mid-November, setting off quite a change in the Zephyr household - we now have a four year-old, a one year-old, and an infant - I have been negligent of my Daily Prayer routine. For so many reasons I would like to find the time and space to get back into that routine and, both intellectually and spiritually, explore in ever deeper ways what a life of faith looks like.
  
• Health: Did I mention that I want to get healthier?
• The Kids: I look forward to watching my children continue to grow - I'm not one of those parents who wishes time would stand still so that I could capture forever the precious moments of toddlerhood.  Particularly, I am anxious to watch Cana - our 1 year-old - begin speaking and putting her feisty personality to words; to watch Naaman - our infant - develop a personality and begin moving around; and to watch Tali - our 4 year-old - continue to grow into a complex young girl who loves playing with Barbies and Thomas Trains, who already shows glimpses of a teenager's swagger, and whose cautious yet observant manner will serve her well when she enters kindergarten in September.
   

So properly speaking I have two New Year's Resolutions: Get Healthier and Pray Daily.  If I can get a handle on those two tasks, I think I'll enjoy the other items on my list that much more.

A Happy and Blessed New Year to All!

Daily Prayer, December 27 thru January 2

The Daily Prayer page has been updated to include prayers and readings for the days leading to and following from the First Sunday After Christmas.  Festivals of John, Apostle and Evangelist; Holy Innocents, Martyrs; and Name of Jesus are included.

Let us pray.

Von Himmel Hoch

Von Himmel Hoch is my favorite Christmas hymn (and the only hymn I refer to by tune name, for some reason).  I was in the church choir growing up - I was the bass section for three years - and we sang this hymn on Christmas Eve, variously alternating verses between soloist, choir a capella, and congregation.  Silent Night eat your heart out - this hymn was the high point of my Christmas Eve.

Here it is - Von Himmel Hoch in all its fourteen verse glory.  A blessed Christmas to all.

From Heaven Above

From heav'n above to earth I come
to bear good news to ev'ry home!
Glad tidings of great joy I bring
to all the world, and gladly sing:

To you this night is born a child
of Mary, chosen virgin mild;
this newborn child of lowly birth
shall be the joy of all the earth.

This is the Christ, God's Son most high,
who hears your sad and bitter cry,
who will himself your Savior be
and from all sin will set you free.

The blessing that the Father planned
the Son holds in his infant hand,
that in his kingdom, bright and fair,
you may with us his glory share.

These are the signs that you will see
to let you know that it is he:
in manger-bed, in swaddling clothes
the child who all the earth upholds.

Now let us all with joyful cheer
go with the shepherds and draw near
to see this wondrous gift of God,
the blessed child to us bestowed.

Look, look, dear friends, look over there!
What lies within that manger bare?
Who is that lovely little one?
The  baby Jesus, God's dear Son.

Welcome to earth, O noble Guest,
through whom this sinful world is blest!
You turned not from our needs away;
how can our thanks such love repay?

O Lord, you have created all!
Wow did you come to be so small,
to sweetly sleep in manger-bed
where lowing cattle lately fed?

Were earth a thousand times as fair
and set with gold and jewels rare,
still such a cradle would not do
to rock a prince so great as you.

For velvets soft and silken stuff
you have but hay and straw so rough
on which as king so rich and great
to be enthroned in humble state.

Ah, dearest Jesus, holy child,
prepare a bed, soft, undefiled,
a quiet chamber in my heart,
that you and I may never part.

My heart for very joy now leaps;
my voice no longer silence keeps;
I too must sing with joyful tongue
the sweetest ancient cradle-song:

Glory to God in highest heav'n,
who unto us the Son has giv'n.
With angels sing in pious mirth
a glad new year to all the earth!

-----

Text: Martin Luther, 1483-1546; tr. Lutheran Book of Worship
Text © 1978 Lutheran Book of Worship, admin. Augsburg Fortress.

O Little Allegory of Bethlehem?

[In this post I wonder out loud about some basic fundamentals of the nature of our belief.  Two weeks ago I wrote Praying and Practicing the Faith, in which I questioned what I really believe about the power and purpose of prayer.  Not quite a year ago I wrote Believing in Something Real, in which I explored prayer and the radical reality of God in whom I profess to have faith.]

Saturday's Washington Post carried an Associated Press article entitled Seeking a Star in the East. It tells of the research of Notre Dame astronomer Grant Mathews who posits that the star described in the Gospel of Matthew was actually an alignment of planets in the constellation Aires.  Mathews believes (quoting the article)

the wise men were Zoroastrian astrologers who would have recognized the planetary alignment in Aries as a sign that a powerful leader was born.

"In fact, it would have even meant that [the leader was] destined to die at an appointed time, which of course would have been significant for the Christ child and may have been why they brought myrrh, which was an embalming fluid," Mathews said.

This is interesting, and makes for some intriguing speculation.  And we've heard scientific explanations before in relation to the flood, Sodom and Gomorrah, Jesus' walk on water, and more.  But does it matter?

The article lacked any comment from religious leaders on the relevance of attempts by researchers to scientifically verify stories of faith.  For me, science neither proves nor disproves religion.  I think there is much shared by religion and science, and there is much in science to which we people of faith should pay our attention.  But I couldn't give a rat's rear end what scientists say about Biblical stories.  If Biblical stories are somehow proved, does that give more credence to our faith?  If Biblical stories are somehow disproved, does that detract from my faith?  The scientific explanation of Biblical stories is, at best, an interesting parlor game and nothing else.  So, what do I believe about that star?

In liberal protestantism it is fashionable to talk of the Christian "myths" and be more interested in the meaning of a story rather than to be concerned with its literal veracity.  We don't care if the star of Bethlehem was a real star as much as we care about the light of Christ to which it points.  We don't care if Creation actually took place in six days, and on the seventh day God rested.  Rather, we ask what that story tells us about our relationship with God.  And I generally go along with this allegorical interpretation of Scripture, for surely our holy book was not written with attention to modern notions of scientific or historical accuracy, but rather to tell a story of a people's encounter with God.

But if we interpret our holy book as a series of stories of a people's encounter with God, when does allegory end and reality begin? Is the whole darn book just a series of allegories?  Do we really believe that Jesus raised Jairus' daughter from the dead, or is that an allegory?  Do we really believe that Jesus multiplied the loaves and fishes?  And what about the Big Enchilada, the resurrection itself?  Is Jesus' death, resurrection and ascension another allegory, a la the six-day Creation story, or do we really believe that the God-with-us suffered and died, was buried, and rose from the dead a few days later?  Where do we draw the line between allegory and reality?

I've been inclined to profess ignorance about the historical or scientific veracity of most of the Biblical stories, choosing to focus on the allegorical value of those stories rather than argue for their literal interpretation.  And truly I continue to read Scripture that way.  But I'm concerned about a slippery slope that turns miracles into allegories and power into parables.  Does this not turn us away from belief in an incarnated God who truly came and continues to come to be with us, a God who is really and radically present in the person of Christ?  We profess to believe in an incredibly tangible God, an incredibly real God who is Emmanuel, God with us, a God who comes to us in Word and Sacrament, and who promises to show up in the least expected of places of our lives and world. 

Stories and allegories are good, really good.  But at some point, our God and our faith ain't allegory any more.  It's reality.  In this season of the Incarnation I'll be pondering anew the radical and real experiences of the witnesses to the Incarnation: Mary, Joseph, the shepherds . . . saints of all ages . . . and me.  In what ways have I witnessed the Incarnated God in my life?  This is the season to ask such a question.

A Smelly Sermon posted

My Fourth Sunday in Advent homily, Do you smell what I smell? has been posted over on my sermons page.  Take a wiff, if you wish.

What do you mean "we," Hillary?

I'm a Bill Richardson fan, but since he has no chance of winning anything in the Democrat race for the Presidential nomination I've begun seriously looking at the so-called "top three" candidates.  And though I have lots of respect for her, you can cross Senator Hillary Clinton off my list.  She is not the best candidate to represent the Democrat party in November's general election.

First, the GOP would make it their life goal to sink her candidacy.  Nothing could energize the GOP base more than . . . a Hillary Clinton candidacy.  Their candidates are underwhelming and unimpressive, which would otherwise lead to a low GOP turnout in fundraising and at the polls.  But if Hillary Clinton is atop the Democratic ticket, it doesn't matter who the GOP nominates.  They could nominate Gomer Pyle and the GOP will still be out in force to defeat Hillary Clinton.  None of the other Democrats in the race has that impact on the GOP.

Second, for all of her talk about experience - experience is at the core of her message - Senator Clinton has run in and won exactly two races for elected office in her life.  That is fewer than any candidate in the Democrat race, except for John Edwards (he ran for office twice and won once, I believe).  Barack Obama?  Eight years in the Illinois State Senate, and three years in the US Senate.  Bill Richardson?  US House of Representatives, Secretary of Energy, US Ambassador to the United Nations, two-term governor of a border state, and negotiator with all kinds of international bad guys.  Senators Dodd and Biden?  They've been in Congress long before Hillary Clinton's White House "experience" of the 1990s.

Which gets me to the title of this post: What do you mean "we," Hillary?  Today's Washington Post features an article highlighting Senator Clinton's claim to her husband's legacy (Hillary Clinton Embraces Her Husband's Legacy).  Some highlights:

Both Clintons are making the case that theirs was a co-presidency -- an echo of Bill Clinton's controversial statement during the 1992 campaign that voters would get "two for the price of one" if they elected him. . . .

And the main basis for her assertion [of being the experienced candidate] is the time she spent as first lady. Bill Clinton is hitting the theme hard as the voting in Iowa and New Hampshire draws closer, pointing back to the 1990s, citing his record as his wife's, referring to the work "we" did in office and, for the most part, brushing past or ignoring the tumult of those years. . . .

Campaigning [in New Hampshire] on Friday, Hillary Clinton recalled that voters complained back then about lacking health care, fearing unemployment and facing home foreclosures. "And we listened and we acted and we had the best economy that our country has seen in a generation."

Hillary's use of the first person plural and taking credit for Bill Clinton's success as President - we listened and we acted - would be like me taking credit for my wife's doctoral dissertation.  There's lots that I see and hear and contribute to in the writing of my wife's dissertation, but I would never claim her accomplishments as proof of my experience.  So too with Senator Clinton.  Surely in her capacity as the First Lady she was a first hand witness to the work of the President, and surely she had some important experiences and contributions - including some work in policy - but I still find her "experience" in the White House to be less compelling than Senator Barack Obama's experience as an elected state senator in Illinois, less compelling than Bill Richardson's long resume of public service experience, less compelling than Chris Dodd's or Joe Biden's years of congressional experience.  And "experience" is the cornerstone of her message?

Unless my man Bill Richardson makes huge gains in the coming month, I'll be voting for Barack Obama in Virginia's Tuesday, February 12 primary.  Of course, by then more than half of the states will have held primaries and the race will be over.  And in November I'll most likely be voting for whomever the Democrats nominate.  But between now and February, I'm hoping that Senator Obama surges to the top and becomes the Democrats' candidate in November.

"Stir up, O Lord" . . . and bake at 350

Have you noticed that each Prayer of the Day during Advent begins with the words, "Stir up"?

• 1 Advent: "Stir up your power, Lord Christ, and come . . ."
• 2 Advent: "Stir up our hearts, Lord God, to prepare the way . . ."
• 3 Advent: "Stir up the wills of all who look to you, Lord God, and strengthen our faith . . ."
• 4 Advent: "Stir up your power, Lord Christ, and come . . ."

Each time I offer these prayers, I imagine God with a mammoth wooden spoon, stirring things up in a huge cauldron (perhaps that cauldron is "the deep" from Genesis 1?).  In all the church year the words "stir up" appear only in the prayers of Advent.  Why, there is no stirring up in any other time of the church year, not even Pentecost!  But there's lots of stirring up in Advent!  Why is that?  What is it about Advent and stirring?  Perhaps there's a connection between Advent prayers and baking Christmas cookies . . .

We also ask God to do some stirring in the Affirmation of Baptism liturgy (pg 236, ELW pew edition):

Stir up in _____ the gift of your Holy Spirit . . .
    or
Father in heaven, for Jesus' sake stir up in _____ the gift of your Holy Spirit . . .

"Stir up" also appears in a prayer for lay professional leaders, though in this prayer we ask that the work of lay leaders might "stir up each of us to a life of fruitful service" (pg 74, ELW pew edition).  God is not doing any stirring in this instance.  Apron off.

"Stir up" doesn't move me - doesn't stir me, so to speak.  I find it almost hokey.  Can anybody give me some background on this lingo?  Perhaps I just need to see this recipe language in a new light to appreciate it better.

Daily Prayer, Fourth Sunday in Advent & Christmas

The Daily Prayer page has been updated for the next seven days, taking us through the Fourth Sunday of Advent and into our Christmas Festival and season. 

This week's highlights include:

• the commemoration of Katharina von Bora Luther, Renewer of the Church, on December 20
• daily lectionary readings for the Monday after the Fourth Sunday in Advent, to be used prior to sunset on December 24
• readings and prayers for Christmas Eve and Christmas Day
• daily lectionary readings for December 26, based on the Christmas season
• readings and prayers for the Festival of Stephen, Deacon and Martyr, December 26
  • (Occasions such as this challenge me.  I love the Revised Common Daily Lectionary and its orientation toward the major festivals of the church.  Should we, in these days following Christmas, read and pray according to the propers of the season of Christmas, a major festival, or according to the propers of the "lesser festivals" that fall within the season?  In the midst of the season of Pentecost or Epiphany the choice seems easy to me - follow the lesser festival - but in this season of Christmas I am inclined to follow the propers for the season.  Of course, if I were to pray twice per day I could do both . . .)

Let us pray.

Carbon Offsets: Good Stewardship or Grand Scam?

Our Lutheran Church's advocacy offices have purchased carbon offset credits "to mitigate their carbon emissions accumulated through air travel" (full ELCA News release here).  The purchase of carbon offsets is rooted in good intentions, for sure, but are carbon offsets a legitimate way to mitigate the negative environmental impacts of our energy consumption?  I'm not so sure.

At the least, the whole science of carbon offsets is quite complicated and not entirely clear.  An article over at The Economist's website - A Tale of Two Markets - argues that carbon offsets "probably do reduce one's carbon footprint, but by nowhere near the one-for-one ration that seems to be implied by the extraordinarily low price of carbon offsets."  A Google search using the terms "carbon offset scam" produces quite a few interesting articles, not all of which are written by nasty pollution-loving big-business Republicans.

And of course, if we purchase carbon offsets in large part to assuage our guilt for polluting God's creation, our guilt is no longer a motivating  factor for us to reduce our carbon footprint in real ways - such as driving less, consuming less, and reusing and recycling more.  We can just buy our way out of the problem!  Carbon offsets are just one more thing we can consume, contributing to - rather than changing - the consumerist cycle that causes climate change in the first place.

I'm on Facebook

I just got a Facebook account, and I'm loving it.  I confess that Facebook - along with three crazy kids - is one of the reasons I haven't been blogging much in recent days.  But in just a few days I've made over 60 friends - some of whom are close friends or family I've kept in touch with for years, but others of whom are folks I haven't seen or heard from in a long, long time.  It might not be a high school reunion or family Thanksgiving Dinner, but it nonetheless connects people far and wide in an engaging, entertaining format.  My favorite feature is something called "SuperPoke" which allows me to, among other things, "use the force" on my friends.  How cool is that?

I was trying to come up with a really insightful post about the distinct emotional, social and identity issues involved in blogging vs. social networking - they're very different phenomena - but that was late last night and I was getting pretty weary. 

So, if you're on Facebook come and make me a friend.  If you're not on Facebook, sign up.  It's fun. 

G'night.