Folks -
I have been wretched at maintaining my blog here at blogspot for reasons that I am too bored to cite. I am switching over to Wordpress. If you are even remotely interested, please transfer your RSS to malottsthoughts.wordpress.com.
Ciao.
Gavin and I arrived at the office this morning at 7:30. One of the first things I do is to say hi to my boss, making some lame crack about something trivial and then walking down to grab my mail. This morning, as with most mornings, I am greeted by 10 bajillion (that's a lot of jillions) marketing pieces regarding different church supplies, conferences, curriculums that will cause our church to grow and all manner of Christ Capitalism. Normally I am nonchalant about tossing it all in the trash and moving on to the next piece of busy work. But today as I'm reading in the paper about economic colapse in our country, I had to wonder, why the heck is the Church spending so much money on marketing literature for the purpose of getting the Church to spend more money. I mean these pieces of literature are special size, full gloss, full color, multi-page pieces. I know that they cost a lot because I've worked with them myself.
Shouldn't we (the Church) be an example to others of how to survive this collapse. Perhaps, we could even show the country that this collapse could be a good thing, forcing us to simplify and remember the things that really matter. but instead, to my chagrin, I see us following the lead of the U.S. government in its capitalistic principles - you have to spend money to make money. While this philosophy has led to the rise of the American Empire, it certainly has also contributed to the demoralization of the American soul. It has been the times when our country was in crisis that we came together and remembered the things that really mattered, our faith, our families, community, and honor. After the gluttony of the Roaring Twenties, the Depression brought on a renewed sense of caring for others, of taking care of the whole community and therefore we saw the invention of Welfare. The 1980's were also marked by lavish excesses by the filthy rich and the soulless banquet if narcissism. Yet in 1987 with the next market crash, there followed a time of global concern again, stripping away the glitter and bringing earthy concern for the poor and needy.
Now, we are at a new juncture both in the country and in the church where we have an opportunity to change the ethos of the people. Article after article continues to be written about the culture shifting toward cheaper being trendier, even amongst youth. The Restaurant market has decreased 17% this year while Groceries have increased by 4%.
How will the church respond to this culture shift? Will we keep killing trees in order to market more people into the church in order to solve our financial crisis? Or perhaps we might understand that we have an opportunity to strip church down, do what we are supposed to do without the distractions because people no longer care about those things. Now we can do Gospel at discount and therefore make ever more costly.d
Brian just sent me this link to an interview with N.T. Wright, which has some great insight into his thoughts on his new book, Surprised by Hope. However, there is also some commentary, of course, on the New Perspective and the criticisms leveled at him by John Piper. I appreciate the level of maturity seen here in this interview by Wright and referred to Piper. Wright claims,
The trouble is, this is not a fight that I wanted to get into because Piper is a good, beloved brother in Christ, doing a good job, building people up in the faith, teaching them how to live. I would prefer that he exegete Paul differently, of course, but the people I really want to fight are (like for Paul) the pagans out on the street who are reordering society in ways that are deeply dehumanizing. The gospel is for the pagans. It’s the reflex of the gospel to have the in-house fight with the Judaizers as it were."
I appreciate seeing the "Old Timers" who no longer need to flex their theological muscles in the mirror, primarily because they and everyone else knows that they are ripped.
Until that time lets flex on. Perspectives?
Recently I have been reading N.T. Wright's latest homerun, Surprised by Hope: Rethinking Heaven, the Resurrection, and the Mission of the Church. While I do not always agree with everything Wright says (this does not happen often), I very much appreciate his level of analysis of very complicated matters without making them pat or trite, while also being able to relate to non-academic audiences. He is currently the Bishop of Durham, one in a long series of very important posts. Previously, he was also in the academic world serving as a heavy hitter amongst the exegetical world of heavy hitters. He is known for saying he left the academic world because he got more"buzz" from being with clergy in the trenches more than students wanting to just finish their tutorials (see Christianity Today, June 2004).
Sometimes we find an academic who at least hopes that his work will trickle down to the masses and won't get lodged in the ivory tower of the academy - that it will be of some earthly good. Yet, being both an academic and a pastor (I'm not speaking of myself) lends itself to criticisms on both accounts. From the church, you hear complaints about not being relevant enough to the people or perhaps a snobby academic. From the academy, you hear that you are washed up, not publishing enough, too biased by the practical to be a good scholar of the texts. C.S. Lewis was criticized by his fellow academics for his children's books and his writings on Christianity because they were not serious scholarship. Yet, here we stand a half-century later, a changed people because of his direct influence upon the people.
Lewis himself said, "The problem when I became a believer in England was that you were left with either the hysterical rantings of the fanatics, or the intellectual elite of the clergy.... Had theologians been doing their work, I would have been unnecessary."
We, the evangelical church have become a wreckless mass of fanatical lunacy for the shallow experience and showy worship that dominates the scene of churches today. We have lost touch of the depth and richness of God and of the words of those who have gone before us. The academics are so far removed from the masses, that usually even pastors no longer read works of theology, but have traded them in for church growth how-to manuals.
The academics are the lost ancients to the church and must be found again. The academics must learn again to be vital in the lives of the people and of the life of the church. Perhaps, we need to retrain Christian scholarship so that from beginning to end, theology is grounded in the life of the church. The people are thirsty for depth, hungry for the meat of the Word and for the profoundness of the plethora of the wisdom and knowledge of God.
But how do we bridge this gap so that the masses are no longer receiving trickles but the full flow of the depth and His knowledge and grace?
Recently, the writer's strike ended and with that we have recovered many of our glorious television shows. In the absence of these shows, the networks filled the void with many trite and empty-headed amusements. I, of course, watched many of them being awake at all hours of the night with a newborn. We'll call it cultural research (yikes!).
One such show that recently came out during this time and has continued is the show, "Moment of Truth". The premise of the show is based upon a person previously taking a lie-detector test with a series of questions at varying levels of embarrassment regarding the person's life. Then they put them on stage in front of their families and friends and ask them the questions. If the person is truthful then they accumulate more money. As the dollar amount increases the more shady the questions get.
Inevitably as the questions get more personal the family members who are there find out things that are hurtful, damaging.
And we are there to watch it all unfold as families are torn apart, friendships shattered, all in the name of Truth.
Does it shock anyone else that we are entertained by the destruction of people's lives? It actually reminds me of the time of the Roman Empire when people very much enjoyed the death and torture of humans and animals. It was then also classified as "entertainment".
How far will we go as a society in allowing entertainment like this to not only exist but to fill mainstream network television? Shall we demand something better, more true, more beautiful or should we just go back to reading books?
Now that's an idea.
As I write this, I must place a warning. Please do not assume this to be a finished work. These are the ramblings of a man who has many, many questions. I write this, not as an answer, but as a process in seeking the answer. With that said, on to the process.
Lately, I have been deliberating with others regarding the desperate situation of the culture and more importantly the church within. Recently, I have become largely concerned with the state of intellectual activity. Let me explain.
America was founded on good principles. Principles that came as the result of much philosophical inquiry - assessment of various government types and decades of debate. America is the result of a thoughtful reaction to monarchical government with the majority of power centralized in one man and in one church. They believed that power was too much for one individual to handle and that the people should be able to designate who deserved the power over others. The founders of this country did not believe that a complete democracy was the solution, but rather a republic of a few who have been granted power by the many. It was a country that believed in the idea that all people are created equal and thereby have an equal investment in the power that they grant.
As time moved on, the people proved that this system works as men and women of integrity, honor, and skill were elected to their posts of power.
Yet, America has seen a shift. There is a marked increase of individualism (and not the good kind). Individualism, the belief that there is value in each individual and a power to enhance one's situation in life, is at the core of the American spirit. But, America has become lazy. Now this American individualism has degenerated into something that resembles Plato's myth of the cave. Americans are chained up watching shadows on the wall without any realization of how much better they can be.
Our leaders are now things of mockery, people that received their posts through political savvy rather than through courage, intellect, and integrity. To what do people look but a brouhaha of broken promises and a legacy of leaders who are no better than we who granted power?
I believe that we have been so afraid of elitism (perhaps as a response to economic elitism) that we have forgotten how to strive for that which is better than we are. As popular culture dominates the scene with the shallow and base we are left to wonder, who are our leaders - who are our heroes?
We mock those who read, who are intellectually capable, as snobs. We are so afraid of people being better than us that we strip them of their dignity, their credentials in order to equalize the playing field. Because we believe that everyone must go to college, we lower our academic standards in order to accomodate many who are happy to enjoy a trade. The distance between the philosopher and the culture widens, not because the philosopher has become too removed but because the culture no longer is concerned with what she has to say.
Am I the only one that tears his hair out at hearing about the latest escapades of the celebrities of our society? They have shown themselves completely unworthy of our respect and certainly our attention and yet they dominate our lives. This is not to say that deserved respect is not being shown in some cases (i.e. Mother Teresa). But the shift has happened - the majority of our society is no longer concerned with higher things (excepting expensive things, of course).
The concert halls shrink in attendance, libraries struggle to maintain justified financing, vocabularies become smaller.
We are dumbing ourselves down because we want to be equal more than true, good, or beautiful.
Here, I must make a qualification: I am not saying that we are not all of equal value under God. I am saying that we must begin to accept that some are worthy of more respect, more power than others. Rather than equalize all to the lowest common denominator, we should find ways of bringing people up. I appreciate organizations who bring art and high culture to people who because of their socioeconomic status would otherwise be unable to engage. Our kids desperately need depth much more than an XBox.
And then there is the evangelical church. What happened to us folks? We used to be so gung-ho about our involvement in the world. We were going to engage the culture. Instead, somewhere along the lines we became afraid and have built walls. We shun education and artistic advancement. Our bookstores have fewer books than trite and artless knick-knacks. We should encourage education and art, as God is the creator of the human mind and of all that is good, truthful and beautiful. When did we put down our Jonathan Edwards and start picking up our Christian self-help garbage? I am almost embarrassed to classify myself with evangelicals because many of us have ceased to have answers and contributions.
Now, the Christian leaders that I see in the media are flashy, handsome, well-spoken, and have very little depth and even less to contribute to meaningful dialogue with non-Christians.
Here, I must give a plug for Fuller Seminary. Fuller is a different type of evangelical organization - one devoted to maintaining its dialogue with the world. It doesn't shy away from the intellectual, the artistic because it may be risky. It seeks to contribute and provide answers. While, Fuller has its faults, in this area I think it surpasses most seminaries.
Perhaps you disagree (most likely you disagree). I believe that a form of elitism is good - the form that believes that good leaders are to be revered, that true art is worthy, that the human mind is meant to expand and be used. Whether or not you believe that the world is going to burn anyway, God wants us to become better than we are with his help.
Go read a book.
Now that's a rambling rant.
Lately, I have been deliberating with others regarding the desperate situation of the culture and more importantly the church within. Recently, I have become largely concerned with the state of intellectual activity. Let me explain.
America was founded on good principles. Principles that came as the result of much philosophical inquiry - assessment of various government types and decades of debate. America is the result of a thoughtful reaction to monarchical government with the majority of power centralized in one man and in one church. They believed that power was too much for one individual to handle and that the people should be able to designate who deserved the power over others. The founders of this country did not believe that a complete democracy was the solution, but rather a republic of a few who have been granted power by the many. It was a country that believed in the idea that all people are created equal and thereby have an equal investment in the power that they grant.
As time moved on, the people proved that this system works as men and women of integrity, honor, and skill were elected to their posts of power.
Yet, America has seen a shift. There is a marked increase of individualism (and not the good kind). Individualism, the belief that there is value in each individual and a power to enhance one's situation in life, is at the core of the American spirit. But, America has become lazy. Now this American individualism has degenerated into something that resembles Plato's myth of the cave. Americans are chained up watching shadows on the wall without any realization of how much better they can be.
Our leaders are now things of mockery, people that received their posts through political savvy rather than through courage, intellect, and integrity. To what do people look but a brouhaha of broken promises and a legacy of leaders who are no better than we who granted power?
I believe that we have been so afraid of elitism (perhaps as a response to economic elitism) that we have forgotten how to strive for that which is better than we are. As popular culture dominates the scene with the shallow and base we are left to wonder, who are our leaders - who are our heroes?
We mock those who read, who are intellectually capable, as snobs. We are so afraid of people being better than us that we strip them of their dignity, their credentials in order to equalize the playing field. Because we believe that everyone must go to college, we lower our academic standards in order to accomodate many who are happy to enjoy a trade. The distance between the philosopher and the culture widens, not because the philosopher has become too removed but because the culture no longer is concerned with what she has to say.
Am I the only one that tears his hair out at hearing about the latest escapades of the celebrities of our society? They have shown themselves completely unworthy of our respect and certainly our attention and yet they dominate our lives. This is not to say that deserved respect is not being shown in some cases (i.e. Mother Teresa). But the shift has happened - the majority of our society is no longer concerned with higher things (excepting expensive things, of course).
The concert halls shrink in attendance, libraries struggle to maintain justified financing, vocabularies become smaller.
We are dumbing ourselves down because we want to be equal more than true, good, or beautiful.
Here, I must make a qualification: I am not saying that we are not all of equal value under God. I am saying that we must begin to accept that some are worthy of more respect, more power than others. Rather than equalize all to the lowest common denominator, we should find ways of bringing people up. I appreciate organizations who bring art and high culture to people who because of their socioeconomic status would otherwise be unable to engage. Our kids desperately need depth much more than an XBox.
And then there is the evangelical church. What happened to us folks? We used to be so gung-ho about our involvement in the world. We were going to engage the culture. Instead, somewhere along the lines we became afraid and have built walls. We shun education and artistic advancement. Our bookstores have fewer books than trite and artless knick-knacks. We should encourage education and art, as God is the creator of the human mind and of all that is good, truthful and beautiful. When did we put down our Jonathan Edwards and start picking up our Christian self-help garbage? I am almost embarrassed to classify myself with evangelicals because many of us have ceased to have answers and contributions.
Now, the Christian leaders that I see in the media are flashy, handsome, well-spoken, and have very little depth and even less to contribute to meaningful dialogue with non-Christians.
Here, I must give a plug for Fuller Seminary. Fuller is a different type of evangelical organization - one devoted to maintaining its dialogue with the world. It doesn't shy away from the intellectual, the artistic because it may be risky. It seeks to contribute and provide answers. While, Fuller has its faults, in this area I think it surpasses most seminaries.
Perhaps you disagree (most likely you disagree). I believe that a form of elitism is good - the form that believes that good leaders are to be revered, that true art is worthy, that the human mind is meant to expand and be used. Whether or not you believe that the world is going to burn anyway, God wants us to become better than we are with his help.
Go read a book.
Now that's a rambling rant.
As I look at where the Church (universal, not local) has gone and where the culture has gone, I must sit in awe of how quickly both have turned out so abysmally. The Church, as an organization, used to be the place people would go for answers and for culture. In the Middle Ages in the Western European world, it was a rarity for a person to receive an education outside of the church. It was where music was written, art was supported (and with the nobles), and the people came for salvation and answers. Granted, the truth that the Church was promoting was quite self-interested and political, but it was at least valued. Today, the Church is the last place people go for answers and culture.
I believe there are two reasons for this. Originally, people rebelled against the hypocritical meta-narrative that the Church was proposing. They claimed to have the answers and yet when the Reformation came around, what version of the Truth were the masses to believe? The second reason for this antipathy toward the "Church's wisdom" is that the Church now believes that the best way for us to get people to listen to us again is to copy their methodology and wisdom. Is it any reason that we look like fools to the world when we are more concerned with marketing than in the product that is marketed.
The answer to the question of how to be relevant has been answered by attempting to replicate what is manufactured by the popular culture. Have we asked the question enough, "Is the popular culture worth replicating?" In the sixties, the response was that we would create a sub-pop-culture that had the tag, "Christian" on everything that we would deem as Christian. This way Christians could do their music, and eventually their movies, television, radio as parallel to what the pop-culture was doing.
This is one way to respond - to create our own culture by replicating the norms of pop-culture but just transplanting in our content. The problem is that perhaps the art of the pop-culture also is mindless. It's been dumbed down after so many years as we strive to market to the lowest-common denominator rather than shoot for artistic excellence. In the 1940's, a movie usually made money according to how great of a movie it was. Now, that is usually far from the truth. Production comanies don't pick up the critically acclaimed movies. They pick up Superbad, a mindless, soulless piece of trivial excrement as ever there was to be had. Who cares if it also morally debased. Movies like it rarely have any appeal to that which is truthful, good, or beautiful. In fact, generally all of pop-culture can fit into this category.
However, there are some that have turned this stereotype on its head. When pop-culture produces something that presents artistic prowess we must stand and take notice of the message it presents. I am not presenting that we separate from the culture or just replicate it. Both options are unbiblical and have proven that they do not further our mission on this earth.
First, we must acknowedge that anything that is truthful, good, and beautiful is the Lord's. All truth is God's truth as he is the author of all that is true, good, and beautiful. This can apply to anything that is in the culture today whether it is sold in a Christian bookstore or not. Second, we as a Church need to learn who we are meant to be and do that well. Third, we need to again use our minds, reject the base and vile in pop-culture. We need to learn how to read again, how to view art, and as Dick Staub says, to get away from being "consumers rather than creators." We must stop being the thrift store of culture, taking whatever it throws at us, rewrapping it and selling it back to the culture in a Christian package. We must create again - be a source for truth, goodness, and beauty. Lastly, we must relearn what it means to be relevant. Why would the culture want God if all he is to them is a moral version of the rest of pop-culture? The Church must be relevant in the way it acts out the love of God. Alongside our message of the world's need to be reconciled to God, we must be acting out the compassion of God to the world.
First, we must acknowedge that anything that is truthful, good, and beautiful is the Lord's. All truth is God's truth as he is the author of all that is true, good, and beautiful. This can apply to anything that is in the culture today whether it is sold in a Christian bookstore or not. Second, we as a Church need to learn who we are meant to be and do that well. Third, we need to again use our minds, reject the base and vile in pop-culture. We need to learn how to read again, how to view art, and as Dick Staub says, to get away from being "consumers rather than creators." We must stop being the thrift store of culture, taking whatever it throws at us, rewrapping it and selling it back to the culture in a Christian package. We must create again - be a source for truth, goodness, and beauty. Lastly, we must relearn what it means to be relevant. Why would the culture want God if all he is to them is a moral version of the rest of pop-culture? The Church must be relevant in the way it acts out the love of God. Alongside our message of the world's need to be reconciled to God, we must be acting out the compassion of God to the world.
to be cont.
