Archive for the ‘Idolatry’ Tag
Above: Icon of Amos
Image in the Public Domain
Idolatry and Apostasy
OCTOBER 13, 2024
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According to the Inter-Lutheran Commission on Worship (ILCW) Lectionary (1973), as contained in the Lutheran Book of Worship (1978) and Lutheran Worship (1982)
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Amos 5:6-7, 10-15
Psalm 90:12-17 (LBW) or Psalm 119:73-80 (LW)
Hebrews 3:1-6
Mark 10:17-27 (28-30)
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Almighty God, source of every blessing,
your generous goodness comes to us anew every day.
By the work of your Spirit,
lead us to acknowledge your goodness,
give thanks for your benefits,
and serve you in willing obedience;
through your Son, Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.
—Lutheran Book of Worship (1978), 28
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Enlighten our minds, we pray, O God,
by the Spirit who proceeds from you,
that, as your Son has promised,
we may be led into all truth;
through Jesus Christ, your Son, our Lord,
who lives and reigns and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit,
one God, now and forever. Amen.
—Lutheran Worship (1982), 85
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The prophet Amos channeled the Law of Moses when he condemned economic injustice. The cheating of people and the exploitation of the poor and vulnerable stirred up the prophet’s righteous anger. The original context was the northern Kingdom of Israel about half a century prior to its demise in 722 B.C.E. Sadly, Amos 5:6-15 has never ceased to apply somewhere, at least in spirit.
If Amos were alive today, many people–including many conventionally pious folk–would dismiss him as a “Social Justice Warrior” and as “woke.” So be it. Cynics and defenders of social injustice are always present, as is the divine judgment upon them.
The selections from the Book of Psalms attest to dedication to living so as to obey and honor God. This attitude is a good start–a better start than disregard for those purposes. Yet a good start does not always result in a good conclusion. As the lection from Mark 10 indicates, wealth can stand in the way by blinding one to total dependence on God. Wealth is, by itself, morally and spiritually neutral. And a review of Christ’s spiritual counsel in the reveals that he tailored advice to fit its recipients, in their circumstances. Regarding wealth, as we read elsewhere in the New Testament, the love of money is the root of all evil–the delusion that we can and must rely on ourselves, not God.
The most succinct summary of the Epistle to the Hebrews I have heard is:
There is x, then there is Jesus.
In Hebrews 3:1-6, for example, we read that Jesus is greater than Moses. God is the builder of the household of God, Moses was a faithful member of that household, Christ is faithful as a son over his household, and the people of God are the household of God. There is a caveat, though:
…And we are his household, as long as we maintain his boldness and the boast of hope.
–Hebrews 3:6, The Revised New Jerusalem Bible
In other words, we are the household of God as long as we do not drop out of it. Apostasy is a theme in the Epistle to the Hebrews, set against the backdrop of persecution.
What distracts us from God? What are our idols? For some, wealth is an idol. Yet money and property are not idols for all wealthy people. Fear of persecution is another popular idol. Insensitivity to human suffering is yet another frequent idol. The list is long.
May God reveal our idols to us. Then may we repent and follow God, to the benefit of others and ourselves, as well as to the glory of God, regardless of the cost to us.
KENNETH RANDOLPH TAYLOR
APRIL 28, 2023 COMMON ERA
THE TWENTIETH DAY OF EASTER
THE FEAST OF JAROSLAV VAJDA, U.S. LUTHERAN MINISTER, HYMN TRANSLATOR, AND HYMN WRITER
THE FEAST OF SAINT JOZEF CEBULA, ROMAN CATHOLIC PRIEST AND MARTYR, 1941
THE FEAST OF SAINT LOUIS DE MONTFORT, FOUNDER OF THE COMPANY OF MARY (THE MONTFORT MISSIONARIES) AND CO-FOUNDER OF THE DAUGHTERS OF WISDOM; AND SAINT MARIE-LOUISE TRICHET, CO-FOUNDER OF THE DAUGHTERS OF WISDOM
THE FEAST OF SAINT PAMPHILIUS OF SULMONA, ROMAN CATHOLIC BISHOP AND ALMSGIVER
THE FEAST OF SAINT PETER CHANEL, PROTOMARTYR OF OCEANIA, 1841
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Link to the corresponding post at BLOGA THEOLOGICA
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Above: A Container of Salt, April 21, 2023
Photographer = Kenneth Randolph Taylor
Mutuality in God
SEPTEMBER 29, 2024
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According to the Inter-Lutheran Commission on Worship (ILCW) Lectionary (1973), as contained in the Lutheran Book of Worship (1978) and Lutheran Worship (1982)
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Numbers 11:4-6, 10-16, 24-29
Psalm 135:1-7, 13-14
James 4:7-12 (13-5:6)
Mark 9:38-50
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God of love, you know our frailties and failings.
Give us your grace to overcome them;
keep us from those things that harm us;
and guide us in the way of salvation;
through your Son, Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.
—Lutheran Book of Worship (1978), 28
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O God, the Strength of all who put their trust in you;
mercifully accept our prayer,
and because through the weakness of our mortal nature
we can do no good thing without your aid,
grant us the help of your grace that,
keeping your commandments,
we may please you in both will and deed;
through Jesus Christ, your Son, our Lord,
who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit,
one God, now and forever. Amen.
—Lutheran Worship (1982), 83
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The Epistle of James properly condemns the idol of self-reliance. This is one of the more popular idols in my culture, committed to the lie of rugged individualism and suspicious of many collectivist tendencies. Yet the Bible repeatedly teaches mutuality, in which we depend entirely on God, and, in that that context, upon each other. We also have responsibilities to each other in community. Interdependency within mutuality is the human, tangible side of total dependence on God. We read in Numbers 11 that Moses, who understood that he relied upon God, learned that he needed to share his responsibilities with seventy elders.
Recognizing complete dependence upon God and affirming mutuality can liberate one. Assuming more responsibility than one–or a group–can shoulder and perform well is unnecessary and unrealistic. Doing so constitutes choosing an unduly heavy burden–one which God does not impose. The opposite error is rejecting one’s proper role within mutuality–being a slacker. Also, understanding one’s role within community in mutuality may prove difficult, of course. Yet sometimes members of the community reveal that role as it changes over time.
In my experience, the following statements have been true:
- I have perceived that I should assume a responsibility in my parish, sought that responsibility, received it, and performed it ably.
- I have received other responsibilities within my parish via conscription. Then I have performed them well.
- Admitting that I have moral responsibilities to others has not necessarily entailed understanding what those responsibilities are, in concrete terms, and how to fulfill them.
May we, with the help of God, perceive the divine call on our collective and individual lives, and faithfully play our parts and fulfill our responsibilities.
KENNETH RANDOLPH TAYLOR
APRIL 26, 2023 COMMON ERA
THE EIGHTEENTH DAY OF EASTER
THE FEAST OF WILLIAM COWPER, ANGLICAN HYMN WRITER
THE FEAST OF SAINT ABELARD OF CORBIE, FRANKISH ROMAN CATHOLIC MONK AND ABBOT; AND HIS PROTÉGÉ, SAINT PASCHASIUS RADBERTUS, FRANKISH ROMAN CATHOLIC MONK, ABBOT, AND THEOLOGIAN
THE FEAST OF ROBERT HUNT, FIRST ANGLICAN CHAPLAIN AT JAMESTOWN, VIRGINIA
THE FEAST OF RUTH BYLLESBY, EPISCOPAL DEACONESS IN GEORGIA
THE FEAST OF SAINT STANISLAW KUBISTA, POLISH ROMAN CATHOLIC PRIEST AND MARTYR, 1940; AND SAINT WLADISLAW GORAL, POLISH ROMAN CATHOLIC BISHOP AND MARTYR, 1945
THE FEAST OF WILLIAM STRINGFELLOW, EPISCOPAL ATTORNEY, THEOLOGIAN, AND SOCIAL ACTIVIST
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Link to the corresponding post at BLOGA THEOLOGICA
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Above: Marriage Cross
Image in the Public Domain
Being Subject to One Another
AUGUST 25, 2024
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According to the Inter-Lutheran Commission on Worship (ILCW) Lectionary (1973), as contained in the Lutheran Book of Worship (1978) and Lutheran Worship (1982)
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Joshua 24:1-2, 14-18
Psalm 34:15-22
Ephesians 5:21-31
John 6:60-69
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God of all creation,
you reach out to call people of all nations to your kingdom.
As you gather disciples from near and far,
count us also among those
who boldly confess your Son Jesus Christ as Lord. Amen.
—Lutheran Book of Worship (1978), 27
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O almighty God, whom to know is everlasting life,
grant us without doubt to know your Son Jesus Christ
to be the Way, the Truth, and the Life
that, following his steps,
we may steadfastly walk in the say that leads to eternal life;
through Jesus Christ, our Lord,
who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit,
one God, now and forever. Amen.
—Lutheran Worship (1982), 77
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Cultural context is crucial. Consider that assertion, O reader, as we ponder Ephesians 5:21-31.
- Patriarchy was ubiquitous. The text did not question it. We may justly question patriarchy, though.
- A household was like a small fortress with bolted outer gates and inner doors. These security measures were necessary because the society lacked domestic police forces.
- Wives were frequently much younger than their husbands.
- So, the theme of reciprocal service and protection within marriage was relatively progressive. The husband had the duty to sacrifice himself to protect his wife, if necessary.
David Bentley Hart translates 5:21 to read:
Being stationed under one another in reverence for the Anointed, ….
The Revised New Jerusalem Bible offers a variation on the standard English-language translation:
Be subject to one another out of reverence for Christ.
J. B. Phillips‘s final translation (1972) of the New Testament provides a different and thought-provoking version of this verse:
And “fit in with” each other, because of your common reverence for Christ.
Clarence Jordan‘s version of this epistle, the Letter to the Christians in Birmingham, renders this verse as follows:
Put yourselves under one another with Christ-like respect.
I, without justifying ancient social norms I find objectionable, do try to understand them in context. I also recognize that a text says what it says, not what (a) I wish it ways, and (b) what it may superficially seem to say. So, within the context of ancient Roman society, we have a text about reciprocal service and protection within marriage. The text makes clear that there is no room for exploitation in marriage. The model for the husband is Jesus, who laid down his life.
Speaking of Jesus, he lost some followers in John 6:66. Yet may we say with St. Simon Peter:
Lord, to whom shall we go? You have the words of eternal life, and we know that you are the Holy One of God.
—The Revised New Jerusalem Bible
The theme of the importance of following God exists in Joshua 24, a book edited together from various sources after the Babylonian Exile. The Book of Joshua benefits from centuries of hindsight. Other portions of the Hebrew Bible tell us which choice–polytheism–adherents of the Hebrew folk religion made for centuries. Yet the authorial voice in the sources of the Hebrew Bible is that of the priestly religion. This is appropriate.
Serve God and God alone, that authorial voice repeats. Avoid idolatry and practical atheism, it tells us again and again. This is a message for the community first and the individual second. Western rugged individualism is alien to the Bible.
If we apply the advice to be subject to one another/fit in with each other/be stationed under one another/put ourselves under one another out of reverence for Christ–or God, if you, O reader, prefer–to our communities, congregations, and mature (as opposed to casual or immature) relationships, we will have stronger communities, congregations, and mature relationships. To value other people because of who they are–not what they can do for us–is to orientate relationships in a mutually healthy direction. Everyone benefits, regardless of the cultural context, with its societal norms. This approach, if it becomes normative, will transform those societal norms for the common good.
KENNETH RANDOLPH TAYLOR
APRIL 14, 2023 COMMON ERA
THE SIXTH DAY OF EASTER
THE FEAST OF EDWARD THOMAS DEMBY AND HENRY BEARD DELANY, EPISCOPAL SUFFRAGAN BISHIPS FOR COLORED WORK
THE FEAST OF SAINTS ANTHONY, JOHN, AND EUSTATHIUS OF VILNIUS, MARTYRS IN LITHUANIA, 1347
THE FEAST OF GEORGE FREDERICK HANDEL, COMPOSER
THE FEAST OF SAINT LUCIEN BOTOVASOA, MALAGASY ROMAN CATHOLIC MARTYR, 1947
THE FEAST OF SAINT WANDREGISILUS OF NORMANDY, ROMAN CATHOLIC ABBOT; AND SAINT LAMBERT OF LYONS, ROMAN CATHOLIC ABBOT AND BISHOP
THE FEAST OF SAINT ZENAIDA OF TARSUS AND HER SISTER, SAINT PHILONELLA OF TARSUS; AND SAINT HERMIONE OF EPHESUS; UNMERCENARY PHYSICIANS
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Link to the corresponding post at BLOGA THEOLOGICA
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Above: Elijah in the Wilderness, by Washington Allston
Image in the Public Domain
Eternal Life and Communal Life
AUGUST 11, 2024
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According to the Inter-Lutheran Commission on Worship (ILCW) Lectionary (1973), as contained in the Lutheran Book of Worship (1978) and Lutheran Worship (1982)
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1 Kings 19:4-8
Psalm 34:1-8
Ephesians 4:30-5:2
John 6:41-51
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Almighty and everlasting God,
you are always more ready to hear than we are to pray,
and to give us more than we either desire or deserve.
Pour upon us the abundance of your mercy,
forgiving us those things of which our conscience is afraid,
and giving us those good things for which we are not worthy to ask,
except through the merit of your Son,
Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.
—Lutheran Book of Worship (1978), 26
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Almighty and everlasting God,
always more ready to hear than we to pray
and always ready to give more than we either desire or deserve,
pour down upon us the abundance of your mercy,
forgiving us the good things we are not worthy to ask
but through the merits and mediation
of Jesus Christ, your Son, our Lord,
who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit,
one God, now and forever. Amen.
—Lutheran Worship (1982), 74
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Just as the Kingdom of God is simultaneously present and future in the Synoptic Gospels, eternal life is present for those who follow Jesus. “Eternal” carries a range of meanings in the Bible, depending upon the author one reads. In the Johannine tradition, it means “of God,” and eternal life is knowing God via Jesus. This definition differs from the Pauline tradition of eternal life–a blessed afterlife. Yet consider, O reader, that the present tense of eternal life in the Gospel of John is consistent with the Realized Eschatology of the Johannine Gospel.
Amen, Amen, I say to you,
one who believes has eternal life.
I am the bread of life.
–John 6:47-48, The Revised New Jerusalem Bible
Ephesians 5:1 tells us–collectively, in context–to “become imitators of God.” The textual context, flowing from chapter 4, is mutuality under the guidance of the Holy Spirit. Forgiveness is a key feature of this model of communal life (4:32). This is bold living. In the historical context of the Epistle to the Ephesians, this is bold living amid a hostile culture. So, amid hostility and persecution, the faith community could pray, in the words of Psalm 34:3:
In the LORD do I glory.
Let the lowly hear and rejoice.
–Robert Alter
Boldness had defined Elijah’s actions as recently as 1 Kings 18. Yet, not surprisingly, Elijah’s massacre of the prophets of Baal Peor had displeased Queen Jezebel of Israel. So, Elijah had abandoned all boldness, started hiding out in the wilderness, and commenced a pity party. The prophet forgot about the one hundred prophets of YHWH safely hidden and supplied with food and drink in two caves (1 Kings 18:4). If Queen Jezebel had succeeded in having Elijah killed, one hundred prophets of YHWH would have carried on his work.
Fear and ego may blind us to a key fact: Although each of us has work from God, that work will continue via other people (agents of God) if we move away, chicken out, et cetera. God’s work does not depend solely on you, O reader, or on me. Nevertheless, you and I have an obligation to God to fulfill faithfully the work God has assigned us.
I lived in Athens, Georgia, for sixteen years and two months. While there, I became so active in St. Gregory the Great Episcopal Church that I became part of the woodwork, so to speak. Immediately before I left, I had been teaching a lectionary discussion class, serving as the parish librarian, and scheduling the lectors and the money counters for a few years. The COVID-19 pandemic had abruptly terminated the sixth year of my parish movie series in March 2020. The film series had not resumed when I left Athens in October 2021. Before I left, more than one person asked me how the work I did in the parish would continue. I reassured them that the work would continue. After I left, four people replaced me within short order. Then a fifth person started a new movie series.
God is central. Also, in faith community, each person is important, yet nobody is irreplaceable. God grants spiritual gifts as necessary. So, lest we forget this, we may need to get over ourselves. Eternal life is her; may we–as faith communities and as individuals–frolic in it and in so doing, become imitators of God, like beloved children. May we not grieve the Holy Spirit.
KENNETH RANDOLPH TAYLOR
APRIL 12, 2023 COMMON ERA
THE FOURTH DAY OF EASTER
THE FEAST OF HENRY SLOANE COFFIN, U.S. PRESBYTERIAN MINISTER, THEOLOGIAN, AND HYMN TRANSLATOR; AND HIS NEPHEW, WILLIAM SLOANE COFFIN, U.S. PRESBYTERIAN MINISTER AND SOCIAL ACTIVIST
THE FEAST OF CARL F. PRICE, U.S. METHODIST HYMNOLOGIST AND COMPOSER
THE FEAST OF SAINT DAVID URIBE-VELASCO, MEXICAN ROMAN CATHOLIC PRIEST AND MARTYR, 1927
THE FEAST OF SAINT JULIUS I, BISHOP OF ROME
THE FEAST OF SAINT TERESA OF JESUS OF THE ANDES, CHILEAN ROMAN CATHOLIC NUN
THE FEAST OF SAINT ZENO OF VERONA, BISHOP
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Link to the corresponding post at BLOGA THEOLOGICA
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Above: Woodland Stream, by Alexander Demetrius Goltz
Image in the Public Domain
Holiness
NOVEMBER 5, 2023
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According to the Inter-Lutheran Commission on Worship (ILCW) Lectionary (1973), as contained in the Lutheran Book of Worship (1978) and Lutheran Worship (1982)
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Leviticus 19:1-2, 15-18
Psalm 1
1 Thessalonians 1:5b-10
Matthew 22:34-40 (41-46)
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Almighty and everlasting God,
increase in us the gifts of faith, hope, and charity;
and, that we may obtain what your promise,
make us love what you command;
through your Son, Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.
—Lutheran Book of Worship (1978), 29
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Almighty God, we pray,
show your humble servants your mercy,
that we, who put no trust in our own merits,
may be dealt with not according to the severity of your judgment
but according to your mercy;
through Jesus Christ, your Son, our Lord,
who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit,
one God, now and forever. Amen.
—Lutheran Worship (1982), 87
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Holiness, in the Bible, pertains to separation from the profane/common (Leviticus 10:10; 1 Samuel 21:5-6; Ezekiel 22:26; 44:23; etc.). Holiness is about complete devotion to God. Holiness, however, is not about legalism, self-righteousness, and serial contrariness. No, holiness is more about what it favors than what it opposes.
Holiness–in its proper sense–manifests itself in life:
- The Holiness code, as in Leviticus 19:1-37, includes honoring parents; keeping the sabbath; refraining from idolatry; offering a sacrifice of well-being properly; feeding the poor; dealing honestly with people; defrauding no one and stealing from nobody; not insulting the deaf; not placing a stumbling block before the blind; rendering impartial justice; loving one’s kinsman as oneself; not mixing different types of cattle, seeds, and cloth; refraining from sexual relations with a slave woman meant for another man; reserving the fruit of the food tree for God for the first three years; eating nothing with blood; avoiding divination and soothsaying; avoiding extreme expressions of grief and mourning; not forcing one’s daughter into harlotry; and eschewing necromancy. Most of the items on this list are absent from the assigned portion of Leviticus 19. Cultural contexts define them.
- “The man” (literal from the Hebrew text) is a student of the Torah. He finds his stability in God, in contrast to the unstable scoffers. When the scoffers find stability, they do not find it in God.
- Holiness is contagious in 1 Thessalonians 1:5-10.
- Jesus knew the influence of Rabbi Hillel (Matthew 22:34-40). Holiness manifests in how we treat each other.
In a dog-eat-dog world, more spiritually toxic since the advent of social media and internet comments sections one does well not to read, loving God fully and loving one’s neighbor as one loves oneself (assuming that one loves oneself, of course) does separate one from the profane/common. Holiness is love, not legalism. Many particulars of holiness vary according to context, but the timeless principles remain constant.
KENNETH RANDOLPH TAYLOR
AUGUST 22, 2022 COMMON ERA
THE FEAST OF JACK LAYTON, CANADIAN ACTIVIST AND FEDERAL LEADER OF THE NEW DEMOCRATIC PARTY
THE FEAST OF JOHN DAVID CHAMBERS, ANGLICAN HYMN WRITER AND TRANSLATOR
THE FEAST OF SAINTS HRYBORII KHOMYSHYN, SYMEON LUKACH, AND IVAN SLEZYUK, UKRAINIAN GREEK CATHOLIC BISHOPS AND MARTYRS, 1947, 1964, AND 1973
THE FEAST OF SAINTS JOHN KEMBLE AND JOHN WALL, ENGLISH ROMAN CATHOLIC PRIEST AND MARTYRS, 1679
THE FEAST OF SAINTS THOMAS PERCY, RICHARD KIRKMAN, AND WILLIAM LACEY, ENGLISH ROMAN CATHOLIC MARTYRS, 1572 AND 1582
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Link to the corresponding post at BLOGA THEOLOGICA
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Above: Figs
Image in the Public Domain
Mutuality in God
JUNE 11, 2023
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According to the Inter-Lutheran Commission on Worship (ILCW) Lectionary (1973), as contained in the Lutheran Book of Worship (1978) and Lutheran Worship (1982)
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Deuteronomy 11:18-21, 26-28
Psalm 31:1-5 (6-18), 19-24 (LBW) or Psalm 4 (LW)
Romans 3:21-25a, 27-28
Matthew 7:(15-20) 21-29
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Lord God of all nations,
you have revealed your will to your people
and promised your help to us all.
Help us to hear and to do what you command,
that the darkness may be overcome by the power of your light;
through your Son, Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.
—Lutheran Book of Worship (1978), 24
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O God,
whose never-failing providence sets in order all things
both in heaven and on earth,
put away from us, we entreat you, all hurtful things;
and give us those things that are profitable for us;
through Jesus Christ, our Lord,
who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit,
one God, now and forever. Amen.
—Lutheran Worship (1982), 62
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Jewish Covenantal Nomism, present in Deuteronomy 11 and in the background of Romans 3, establishes the tone for this post. Salvation for Jews comes by grace; they are the Chosen People. Keeping the moral mandates of the Law of Moses habitually is essential to retaining that salvation.
Love, therefore, the LORD your God, and always keep His charge. His laws, His rules, and His commandments.
–Deuteronomy 11:1, TANAKH: The Holy Scriptures (1985,1999)
Perfection in these matters is impossible, of course. Therefore, repentance is crucial daily. In broader Biblical context, God knows that we mere mortals are “but dust.” Do we?
Grace is free, not cheap. Nobody can earn or purchase it, but grace does require much of its recipients. Thin, too, O reader, how much it cost Jesus.
Both options for the Psalm this Sunday contain the combination of trust in God and pleading with God. I know this feeling. Maybe you do, too, O reader.
St. Paul the Apostle’s critique of Judaism was simply that it was not Christianity. As E. P. Sanders wrote:
In short, this is what Paul finds wrong in Judaism: it is not Christianity.
—Paul and Palestinian Judaism: A Comparison of Patterns of Religion (1977), 552
For St. Paul, the crucifixion and resurrection of Jesus changed everything.
I, as a Christian, agree. However, I also affirm the continuation of the Jewish covenant. I trust that God is faithful to all Jews and Gentiles who fulfill their ends of the covenant and mourns those who drop out. Many of those who have dropped out may not know that they have done so.
The good fruit of God, boiled down to its essence and one word, is love. Recall the First Letter of John, O reader: Be in Christ. Walk in the way Jesus walked.
By this we know that we love the children of God, when we love God and obey his commandments. For this is the love of God, that we keep his commandments.
–1 John 5:2-3a, Revised Standard Version–Second Catholic Edition (2002), 203
And how could we forget 1 John 4:7-8?
Beloved, let us love one another, for love is of God, and he who loves is born of God and knows God. He who does not love does not know God; God is love.
—Revised Standard Version–Second Catholic Edition (2002)
This point brings me back to Psalm 31. In verse 6 or 7 (depending on versification), either God or the Psalmist hates or detests idolators. Translations disagree on who hates or detests the idolators. In context, the voice of Psalm 31 is that of a devout Jews falsely accused of idolatry; he protests against this charge and defends his piety and innocence. Human beings are capable of hating and detesting, of course. I reject the argument that God hates or detests anyone, though.
Salvation comes via grace. Damnation comes via works, however. God sends nobody to Hell. As C. S. Lewis wrote, the doors to Hell are locked from the inside.
The Right Reverend Robert C. Wright, the Episcopal Bishop of Atlanta, says to love like Jesus. Consider, O reader, that Christ’s love is self-sacrificial and unconditional. It beckons people to love in the same way. This divine love, flowing through mere mortals, can turn upside-down societies, systems, and institutions right side up.
However, anger, grudges, and hatred are alluring idols. Much of social media feeds off a steady diet of outrage. To be fair, some outrage is morally justifiable. If, for example, human trafficking does not outrage you, O reader, I do not want to know you. But too much outrage is spiritually and socially toxic. To borrow a line from Network (1976):
I’m mad as hell and I’m not going to take it anymore!
That kind of rage is a key ingredient in a recipe for a dysfunctional society.
We human beings all belong to God and each other. We are responsible to and for each other. May we think and act accordingly, by grace and for the common good. God commands it.
KENNETH RANDOLPH TAYLOR
MAY 1, 2022 COMMON ERA
THE THIRD SUNDAY OF EASTER, YEAR C
THE FEAST OF SAINTS PHILIP AND JAMES, APOSTLES AND MARTYRS
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Link to the corresponding post at BLOGA THEOLOGICA
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Above: Cooks Union United Methodist Church, Miller County, Georgia
Image Source = Google Earth
Hard of Hearing
OCTOBER 30, 2022
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Blessed Lord, who caused all holy Scriptures to be written for our learning:
Grant us so to hear them, read, mark, learn, and inwardly digest them,
that we may embrace and ever hold fast the blessed hope of life,
which you have given us in our Savior Jesus Christ, who lives and reigns
with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and ever. Amen.
—The Book of Common Prayer (1979), page 236
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Genesis 21:1-19 or Zechariah 7:4-14
Psalm 144:1-4, 9-15
Revelation 21:1-8
John 15:18-25
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My father served as the pastor of Cooks Union United Methodist Church, outside Colquitt, Georgia, from June 1985 to June 1986. One of the parishioners was Don, an elderly man. Don was hard of hearing. He frequently missed much of the contents of my father’s sermons and misheard other parts of those sermons. Don also missed much context, so, when we correctly heard what my father said, Don often misunderstood the meaning. Don frequently became upset with my father, accusing my father of having said X when my father had said Y. This was unfair, of course; my father had done nothing wrong.
Many people have been hard of hearing in matters pertaining to morality. Many still are. Morals need not be abstract. How do we treat one another? How do governments treat vulnerable people? What kinds of policies do politicians support? Living according to the Golden Rule is one way to earn the world’s enmity.
God is kinder to the vulnerable than many people and governments are. The divine preference for the poor recurs throughout the Bible. And economic injustice and judicial corruption frequently occur on lists of collective and individual sins, alongside idolatry, that God judges harshly. Yet, to hear many ministers speak, one would know that the Biblical authors spilled more ink condemning economic injustice and judicial corruption than various sexual practices.
May we, by grace, not be hard of hearing in matters of the Golden Rule.
KENNETH RANDOLPH TAYLOR
JANUARY 30, 2021 COMMON ERA
THE FEAST OF LESSLIE NEWBIGIN, ENGLISH REFORMED MISSIONARY AND THEOLOGIAN
THE FEAST OF SAINT BATHILDAS, QUEEN OF FRANCE
THE FEAST OF FREDERICK OAKELEY, ANGLICAN THEN ROMAN CATHOLIC PRIEST
THE FEAST OF SAINTS GENESIUS I OF CLERMONT AND PRAEJECTUS OF CLERMONT, ROMAN CATHOLIC BISHOPS; AND SAINT AMARIN, ROMAN CATHOLIC ABBOT
THE FEAST OF SAINT JACQUES BUNOL, FRENCH ROMAN CATHOLIC PRIEST AND MARTYR, 1945
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https://blogatheologica.wordpress.com/2021/01/30/hard-of-hearing/
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Above: The Logo of the Moravian Church
Scan by Kenneth Randolph Taylor
The Victory of Suffering Love
AUGUST 28, 2022
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Blessed Lord, who caused all holy Scriptures to be written for our learning:
Grant us so to hear them, read, mark, learn, and inwardly digest them,
that we may embrace and ever hold fast the blessed hope of life,
which you have given us in our Savior Jesus Christ, who lives and reigns
with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and ever. Amen.
—The Book of Common Prayer (1979), page 236
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Genesis 8:13-22; 9:12-17 or Acts 28:1-10
Psalm 134
Revelation 5:1-14
John 8:48-59
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Revelation 5:1-14 provides the keynote for this blog post. This scriptural text is one I cannot read without hearing the finale of Handel’s Messiah thundering inside my cranium.
Worthy is the Lamb that was slain, and hath redeemed us to God by his blood, to receive power, and riches, and wisdom, and strength, and honour, and glory, and blessing.
Ernest Lee Stoffel, writing in The Dragon Bound: The Revelation Speaks to Our Time (1981), summarized verses 6-14 with five words:
THE VICTORY OF SUFFERING LOVE.
Stoffel elaborated:
What is this really saying? I believe it is saying the suffering love of God is the key that will help us live with our suffering and ourselves. There is something in the universe that has not been defeated by pain and evil and sin. That something is the crucified love of the Creator. I have to believe that love is the key to the world’s destiny, and that it will triumph over my pain and sin. I believe I can give my pain and sin to that love, which is also wisdom….
–43-44
I go off the Humes lectionary briefly to bring in a germane text:
“I have told you all this
so that you may find peace in me.
In the world you will have hardship,
but be courageous:
I have conquered the world.”
–John 16:33, The New Jerusalem Bible (1985)
Divine, suffering love has triumphed and conquered. This love figuratively hung up its bow of war in the beautiful mythology of Genesis 9:12-17. This divine love called and accompanied St. Paul the Apostle. This love has long inspired people to bless the Lord.
What should a person or a faith community do with the “victory of suffering love” in the context of heartbreaking, preventable human suffering? I write this post during the COVID-19 pandemic. The news is mostly grim. The temptation to curse God, fate, or whatever, then to curl up in a ball of despair is great. Yes, vaccines are available, to an extent. Yes, more vaccines are in the process of gaining official approval. And yes, people continue to die needlessly, before they can receive a vaccination. We, as a species, will spend a long time digging our way out of the wreckage of this pandemic. Furthermore, many people will never recover from the economic carnage. Many people will always have health-related effects of COVID-19. And the dead will remain deceased. None of this had to happen.
Do we trust that the crucified love of the Creator has remained unconquered? Do we trust that Jesus has conquered the world? Depending on the time of day, I may or may not so trust. Yet I know that I must take my fears and doubts to the foot of the cross of Christ and deposit them there. Having faith is not living free of doubts. No, having faith entails wrestling with them and even with God. Having faith entails never giving up the idol of false certainly and resisting the allure of easy answers to difficult questions.
God is faithful. God is faithful when we neglect to be faithful. God is faithful when we strive unsuccessfully to be faithful. God is faithful when we are faithful. May we stand, sit, or assume any posture we can in the presence of God wherever we are. And may we bless the Lord, the maker of heaven and earth, whose love remains unconquered. May we cooperate with that love. May it conquer our despair and grief. May it heal the world.
KENNETH RANDOLPH TAYLOR
JANUARY 22, 2021 COMMON ERA
THE FEAST OF JOHN JULIAN, ANGLICAN PRIEST, HYMN WRITER, AND HYMNOLOGIST
THE FEAST OF ALEXANDER MEN, RUSSIAN ORTHODOX PRIEST AND MARTYR, 1990
THE FEAST OF SAINT LADISLAO BATTHÁNY-STRATTMANN, AUSTRO-HUNGARIAN ROMAN CATHOLIC PHYSICIAN AND PHILANTHROPIST
THE FEAST OF LOUISE CECILIA FLEMING, AFRICAN-AMERICAN BAPTIST MISSIONARY AND PHYSICIAN
THE FEAST OF SAINT VINCENT PALLOTTI, FOUNDER OF THE SOCIETY FOR THE CATHOLIC APOSTALATE, THE UNION OF CATHOLIC APOSTOLATE, AND THE SISTERS OF THE CATHOLIC APOSTOLATE
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https://blogatheologica.wordpress.com/2021/01/22/the-victory-of-suffering-love/
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Above: Ancient City of Laodicea
Image Source = Google Earth
Wealth as an Idol
AUGUST 21, 2022
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Blessed Lord, who caused all holy Scriptures to be written for our learning:
Grant us so to hear them, read, mark, learn, and inwardly digest them,
that we may embrace and ever hold fast the blessed hope of life,
which you have given us in our Savior Jesus Christ, who lives and reigns
with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and ever. Amen.
—The Book of Common Prayer (1979), page 236
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Genesis 8:1-13 or Acts 26:1, 9-23, 27-29, 31-32
Psalm 132:1-5, 11-18
Revelation 3:14-22
John 8:31-47
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Laodicea was a wealthy city, a center of the refining of gold, the manufacture of garments, and the manufacture of a popular salve for eyes. The church in that city was also wealthy, not on Christ. Jesus said to keep his commandments. St. Paul the Apostle relied on Christ.
As I have written many times, deeds reveal creeds. To quote Proverbs, as a man thinks, he is. And as one thinks, one does. God is like what God had done and does, in Jewish theology. Likewise, we are like what we have done and do.
Are we like the Laodicean congregation? Are we lukewarm? Are we comfortable, resting on our own laurels and means? Do we have the luxury of being that way? (FYI: “We” can refer either to congregations or to individuals.)
Wealth is not the problem. No, wealth is morally neutral. Relationships to wealth are not morally neutral. To the extent that a person or a congregation may rely on wealth, not God, one makes wealth an idol.
There was once a man who owned a large tract of land. He enjoyed boasting about how much land he owned. One day, the landowner was bragging to another man:
I can get in my truck early in the morning and start driving around the edge of my property. Late in the day, I haven’t gotten home yet.
The other man replied,
I used to have a truck like that, too.
The Bible burst the proverbial balloons of those who trust in their wealth, not in God. Aside from Revelation 3:14-22, one may think readily of the Gospel of Luke and various Hebrew prophets, for example. One may also quote 1 Timothy 6:10 (The Jerusalem Bible, 1966):
The love of money is the root of all evils and there are some who, pursuing it, have wandered away from the faith, and so given their souls to any number of fatal wounds.
One may also quote Luke 6, in which the poor are blessed (verse 20), but the rich are having their consolation now (verse 24).
Wealth is morally neutral. Relationships to it are not. May we always trust in God and acknowledge our duties to one another, in mutuality, under God.
KENNETH RANDOLPH TAYLOR
JANUARY 21, 2021 COMMON ERA
THE FEAST OF SAINTS MIROCLES OF MILAN AND EPIPHANIUS OF PAVIA, ROMAN CATHOLIC BISHOPS
THE FEAST OF SAINTS ALBAN ROE AND THOMAS REYNOLDS, ROMAN CATHOLIC PRIESTS AND MARTYRS, 1642
THE FEAST OF EDGAR J. GOODSPEED, U.S. BAPTIST BIBLICAL SCHOLAR AND TRANSLATOR
THE FEAST OF SAINT JOHN YI YON-ON, ROMAN CATHOLIC CATECHIST AND MARTYR IN KOREA, 1867
THE FEAST OF W. SIBLEY TOWNER, U.S. PRESBYTERIAN MINISTER AND BIBLICAL SCHOLAR
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https://blogatheologica.wordpress.com/2021/01/21/wealth-as-an-idol/
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This is post #1000 of ORDINARY TIME DEVOTIONS.
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Above: Stamps of Saint Teresa of Calcutta
Image in the Public Domain
The Idol of Success
AUGUST 14, 2022
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Blessed Lord, who caused all holy Scriptures to be written for our learning:
Grant us so to hear them, read, mark, learn, and inwardly digest them,
that we may embrace and ever hold fast the blessed hope of life,
which you have given us in our Savior Jesus Christ, who lives and reigns
with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and ever. Amen.
—The Book of Common Prayer (1979), page 236
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Genesis 7:11-24 or Acts 24:1, 10-23, 27
Psalm 131
Revelation 3:7-13
John 8:12-30
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We Gentiles need to be very careful to push back against any Anti-Semitic interpretations of our assigned readings from Revelation 3, John 8, and Acts 24. We may need someone to remind us that the struggle within the Gospel of John was intra-Jewish. So was the conflict between the Jewish Christian community that produced it and the Jews around them. We may need a reminder that St. Paul the Apostle was Jewish, too.
The church at Philadelphia was Gentile. It was also small, poor, and at odds with many local Jews. Conflict produced invective.
Being small may or may not be beautiful. What is beautiful is being faithful. And Christ promises to honor that faithfulness.
–Ernest Lee Stoffel, The Dragon Bound: The Revelation Speaks to Our Time (1981), 34
If we stop thinking about importance in human terms, we will do well spiritually. Large does not equal important, in the eyes of God. Neither does wealthy. Neither does successful. Neither does being free. Neither does being popular.
St. Teresa of Calcutta said that God calls us to be faithful, not successful. Many people have worshiped at the altar of success, long a popular idol. The heresy of Prosperity Theology has appealed to many people for a very long time. Yet the prophet Jeremiah, by human standards, was a failure. So was Jesus.
Does anyone reading this post want to argue that Jeremiah and Jesus were failures? Not I.
KENNETH RANDOLPH TAYLOR
JANUARY 20, 2021 COMMON ERA
THE FEAST OF SAINT FABIAN, BISHOP OF ROME, AND MARTYR, 250
THE FEAST OF SAINTS EUTHYMIUS THE GREAT AND THEOCRISTUS, ROMAN CATHOLIC ABBOTS
THE FEAST OF GREVILLE PHILLIMORE, ENGLISH POET, HYMN WRITER, AND HYMN TRANSLATOR
THE FEAST OF HARRIET AUBER, ANGLICAN HYMN WRITER
THE FEAST OF RICHARD ROLLE, ENGLISH ROMAN CATHOLIC SPIRITUAL WRITER
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https://blogatheologica.wordpress.com/2021/01/20/the-idol-of-success/
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ORDINARY TIME DEVOTIONS 
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