Today in church we looked at some difficult texts from the Bible including the end of the fifth chapter and beginning of the sixth in Ephesians and the stories in both books of Samuel about the relationship between David and Jonathan. These texts are challenging to many of us in varied ways.
I'd be interested in hearing from you regarding any passages in the Bible you find particularly difficult to deal with.....Maybe it contains something that doesn't connect with something you've understood about your faith ( Ephesian's 'slaves, obey your masters' is a complex one for me!) or maybe it's just one about which you have many questions.
This wrestling with Scripture could become an important feature of this BLOG...............I write about it more in the entry below...
Feel free to comment..
PB
Sunday, September 27, 2009
FOR THE BIBLE TELLS ME SO.............
At church, I am right in the middle of a sermon series on FAMILY VALUES. In today's message, I alluded to many passages from the Bible, some that members of the congregation said they had never heard read in church. It struck me again, as it always does, that the Bible is an amazing and complex collection of 66 books containing texts which have the power to change our lives and to express the inner longings of our hearts and souls.
As a Pastor, I am constantly reminded of the continued need for good and thorough Bible study as well as study of the essentials and fundamentals of both our own and other religious faiths. I have commented before on how deeply I have valued the writing RELIGIOUS LITERACY by Stephen Prothero. Such literacy is needed more than ever, I think, both within our churches and within our world.
THANKS to those who attended today's Education program and who commented on today's message. May we continue to grow in our knowledge.....and our faith-
PB
As a Pastor, I am constantly reminded of the continued need for good and thorough Bible study as well as study of the essentials and fundamentals of both our own and other religious faiths. I have commented before on how deeply I have valued the writing RELIGIOUS LITERACY by Stephen Prothero. Such literacy is needed more than ever, I think, both within our churches and within our world.
THANKS to those who attended today's Education program and who commented on today's message. May we continue to grow in our knowledge.....and our faith-
PB
Friday, September 25, 2009
The Local Church
With the start of a new program year in local churches, it is important that we take time to once again recognize the value and importance of our nation's churches. I got to thinking about this as I read Susan Campbell's column in the Hartford Courant about the soon to be released study of churches done through Hartford Seminary. This study details concerns about declining church enrollments and the challenges in maintaining and building upon church vitality.
I'd be interested in your thoughts and comments about the place of the local church in your life.......It's something I thought about a lot as I wrote my doctoral thesis years ago .....and it's important to come back to thinking about it over and over...
PB
I'd be interested in your thoughts and comments about the place of the local church in your life.......It's something I thought about a lot as I wrote my doctoral thesis years ago .....and it's important to come back to thinking about it over and over...
PB
Monday, September 21, 2009
GREAT HOPE!
Yesterday was one of those days at church that offers such great HOPE....a new church school year with lots of children present, a feeling of warmth and welcoming, a visit from a distinguished scholar of Hannah Moore, Union native, and the exciting possibility of getting a group of young people together for exciting Youth Ministry ventures......
There's a lot of spirit in small church life.....and we are sure feeling it in Union!
What a joy!
PB
There's a lot of spirit in small church life.....and we are sure feeling it in Union!
What a joy!
PB
Friday, September 18, 2009
UNASKED QUESTIONS.....
I read a column this week by James Carroll of the Boston Globe in which he raised some questions that don't seem to be asked all that much. He called into question our escalation of the war in Afghanistan saying in effect that this war has the potential to become President Obama's Vietnam. Carroll always writes with remarkable insight and is wonderful at asking the right questions.
As John XXIII did so well in his groundbreaking letter PACEM IN TERRIS, written as he prepared himself for his death, one must always question the assumptions that support war so that one can support paths of action that are moral and right. It is important that voices such as Carroll's be raised so that society can move more deeply into responsible use of its resources, both human and financial. These financial questions become real human questions, especially as we consider where we as a society should be spending our money.
As I said from different pulpits during Desert Storm, our attacks on Afghanistan and our efforts in Iraq, we need to have some serious moral reflection on what might ever constitute a 'just war' in light of all of the realities of the current age., an age which happens to be a NUCLEAR ONE!
In light of much of the craziness and name calling going on out there, it's important that serious conversations about serious matters take place-----be they about health care, race or matters of war and peace....
On a real positive note.....
KUDOS to the Connecticut Conference, United Church of Christ, for such outstanding efforts as devoting Fall Annual Meeting time to ongoing DIALOGUE on the subject of RACE....
We need opportunities like this!!
PB
As John XXIII did so well in his groundbreaking letter PACEM IN TERRIS, written as he prepared himself for his death, one must always question the assumptions that support war so that one can support paths of action that are moral and right. It is important that voices such as Carroll's be raised so that society can move more deeply into responsible use of its resources, both human and financial. These financial questions become real human questions, especially as we consider where we as a society should be spending our money.
As I said from different pulpits during Desert Storm, our attacks on Afghanistan and our efforts in Iraq, we need to have some serious moral reflection on what might ever constitute a 'just war' in light of all of the realities of the current age., an age which happens to be a NUCLEAR ONE!
In light of much of the craziness and name calling going on out there, it's important that serious conversations about serious matters take place-----be they about health care, race or matters of war and peace....
On a real positive note.....
KUDOS to the Connecticut Conference, United Church of Christ, for such outstanding efforts as devoting Fall Annual Meeting time to ongoing DIALOGUE on the subject of RACE....
We need opportunities like this!!
PB
LESSONS FROM A CONVERSATION
I will start this entry with my point lest it be lost within the story:
It is important that we who claim to follow Jesus embrace the message He offered as He drew near the end of His life:
' I pray....THAT THEY MAY ALL BE ONE....'( paraphrased from John 17)
And now the story.................
I'm going to let you in on a dialogue I had this week with a couple of other people, originally labeled PERSON ONE and PERSON TWO. Here goes:
PERSON ONE: Yeah, my husband has started coming to church with me. He calls himself a recovering Catholic
ME: I'm a recovering Catholic too. No, not really. I'm an ex Catholic
PERSON TWO: Is it possible to ever be an ex Catholic?
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Someday, as a former Catholic, if I am given the gift of time and a willing publisher, I want to write a book or at least an article entitled THE CATHOLIC GIFT TO PROTESTANTISM. I also happen to think a companion volume could be written called THE PROTESTANT GIFT TO CATHOLICISM. Those of us in the Christian community have a richness from which to draw in the Catholic, Protestant and Orthodox traditions. I'm thinking of this now as I research and prepare for our Fall Education series.
It's funny: That dialogue I repeat above is one that I have had OVER AND OVER in my adult life. I have had to think a lot about those phrases: RECOVERING Catholic, EX Catholic. I like to see Catholicism as having deeply influenced my Christian spirituality. I see my freely chosen Protestantism as containing many gifts which can and has influenced the universal church.
In being a part of conversations such as these, I'm reminded of how important it is to be PASSIONATE about the spiritual unity of which Jesus spoke and how vital it is to dialogue with one another and to recognize each other's gifts.
I look forward to the direction of this discussion...
PB
It is important that we who claim to follow Jesus embrace the message He offered as He drew near the end of His life:
' I pray....THAT THEY MAY ALL BE ONE....'( paraphrased from John 17)
And now the story.................
I'm going to let you in on a dialogue I had this week with a couple of other people, originally labeled PERSON ONE and PERSON TWO. Here goes:
PERSON ONE: Yeah, my husband has started coming to church with me. He calls himself a recovering Catholic
ME: I'm a recovering Catholic too. No, not really. I'm an ex Catholic
PERSON TWO: Is it possible to ever be an ex Catholic?
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Someday, as a former Catholic, if I am given the gift of time and a willing publisher, I want to write a book or at least an article entitled THE CATHOLIC GIFT TO PROTESTANTISM. I also happen to think a companion volume could be written called THE PROTESTANT GIFT TO CATHOLICISM. Those of us in the Christian community have a richness from which to draw in the Catholic, Protestant and Orthodox traditions. I'm thinking of this now as I research and prepare for our Fall Education series.
It's funny: That dialogue I repeat above is one that I have had OVER AND OVER in my adult life. I have had to think a lot about those phrases: RECOVERING Catholic, EX Catholic. I like to see Catholicism as having deeply influenced my Christian spirituality. I see my freely chosen Protestantism as containing many gifts which can and has influenced the universal church.
In being a part of conversations such as these, I'm reminded of how important it is to be PASSIONATE about the spiritual unity of which Jesus spoke and how vital it is to dialogue with one another and to recognize each other's gifts.
I look forward to the direction of this discussion...
PB
Monday, September 14, 2009
PICKING AND CHOOSING....
In a recent discussion at church, we were talking about the literal way Amish Christians deal with the teachings of Jesus. In the ensuing conversation, a participant remarked that most Christians are not as literal and rather 'pick and choose' the Scriptures with which they are most comfortable.
I got to thinking.....
The idea that one could read Scripture and be inspired by the Holy Spirit without interpretation from church authority was one of the most noteworthy changes in mindset to emerge from the Reformation. Protestantism has been marked by the belief that each person is capable of hearing God's Word in the Bible without the intervention of ecclesiastical authority to explain what God's really saying...
HOWEVER.......
There is a danger in 'pick and choose'......i.e. the danger that I SELECT what i want God to be saying, that I LOOK for Biblical arguments that fortify my own. In so doing, it is easy to cease to be open to what God is saying in and through Scripture.
WHAT IS NEEDED.....
Protestant churches continue to need GOOD BIBLICAL STUDY so that the principle enunciated in Reformation times of ' Scripture interpreting Scripture' make sense in the contemporary context. It is NOT AUTHORITARIAN to recognize that there are factual matters in Biblical writing that are simply not open to interpretation in the way many use that term. The statement of FACT need not be seen as authoritarian.
FINAL NOTE.....
All religious groups are culpable in the matter of 'pick and choose'....
May our common quest be to do God's Will-
PB
I got to thinking.....
The idea that one could read Scripture and be inspired by the Holy Spirit without interpretation from church authority was one of the most noteworthy changes in mindset to emerge from the Reformation. Protestantism has been marked by the belief that each person is capable of hearing God's Word in the Bible without the intervention of ecclesiastical authority to explain what God's really saying...
HOWEVER.......
There is a danger in 'pick and choose'......i.e. the danger that I SELECT what i want God to be saying, that I LOOK for Biblical arguments that fortify my own. In so doing, it is easy to cease to be open to what God is saying in and through Scripture.
WHAT IS NEEDED.....
Protestant churches continue to need GOOD BIBLICAL STUDY so that the principle enunciated in Reformation times of ' Scripture interpreting Scripture' make sense in the contemporary context. It is NOT AUTHORITARIAN to recognize that there are factual matters in Biblical writing that are simply not open to interpretation in the way many use that term. The statement of FACT need not be seen as authoritarian.
FINAL NOTE.....
All religious groups are culpable in the matter of 'pick and choose'....
May our common quest be to do God's Will-
PB
Saturday, September 12, 2009
GREAT MUSIC!
I had the opportunity to attend a great concert last night. We heard a performance by the distinguished musician MARTYN JOSEPH from Wales. Music is so important and it struck me that as wonderful as many 'big name' performers are, there are so many 'lesser known' artists who do incredible work and are well known to people who are exposed to such quality artistry and performance.
Martyn is appearing in New Haven today and while this is late notice and you may not be able to attend, consider checking him out at www.martynjoseph.com
Look for the FREE DOWNLOAD of a beautiful song FIVE SISTERS, inspired by the bombings in the Mideast this past winter.....
Music and poetry are so important to the spiritual quest that is life.....and it's so wonderful to have eyes opened through the work of someone so gifted!
PB
Martyn is appearing in New Haven today and while this is late notice and you may not be able to attend, consider checking him out at www.martynjoseph.com
Look for the FREE DOWNLOAD of a beautiful song FIVE SISTERS, inspired by the bombings in the Mideast this past winter.....
Music and poetry are so important to the spiritual quest that is life.....and it's so wonderful to have eyes opened through the work of someone so gifted!
PB
Friday, September 11, 2009
9/11
9/11....
Those numbers alone evoke memories and emotion. September 11, 2001 has become a day so unlike all of the ordinary days of our lives, so different from most of the days which constitute that which we call history. It is important that we pause today to remember those innocents so unjustly taken away, to give thanks for heroic deeds done by heroic people, to acknowledge the pain of those who continue to suffer such grievous loss, to consider the ways in which this world can find a way to live the way God intended us to....
The very first chapter of the Bible's very first book reminds us that:
' God saw what God made.....and it was good'
Years after this awful tragedy, God's world goes on and God's people seek a world built on the promise of God's original blessing....
As we recall the events of a day we must never forget, may Tennyson's words hold true:
' Come, my friends, 'tis not too late to seek a newer world'
Pastor Bob
Those numbers alone evoke memories and emotion. September 11, 2001 has become a day so unlike all of the ordinary days of our lives, so different from most of the days which constitute that which we call history. It is important that we pause today to remember those innocents so unjustly taken away, to give thanks for heroic deeds done by heroic people, to acknowledge the pain of those who continue to suffer such grievous loss, to consider the ways in which this world can find a way to live the way God intended us to....
The very first chapter of the Bible's very first book reminds us that:
' God saw what God made.....and it was good'
Years after this awful tragedy, God's world goes on and God's people seek a world built on the promise of God's original blessing....
As we recall the events of a day we must never forget, may Tennyson's words hold true:
' Come, my friends, 'tis not too late to seek a newer world'
Pastor Bob
Monday, September 7, 2009
IN FAIRNESS TO PUBLIC SCHOOLS
The recent controversy over the President's speech to schoolchildren indicates once again that public schools have become lightning rods for many people and a target for criticism and attack. There is a good number of individuals who very sincerely link public schools to the breakdown of this society and with creating a culture that is secular and antireligious.
As someone who has worked in public education for 21 years, I look at this differently! Many of my colleagues are committed believers and active participants in their places of worship. Actually, some of the most devout folks I know work in public schools and my experience has been that those who do not participate in religious activities are most respectful of those who do.
However, there IS a limit to what public schools can do and parameters in which they must operate. The First Amendment of our Bill of Rights prohibits anything resembling the establishment of a particular religion. Public schools must insure that the rights of ALL students and teachers are protected and public school leaders must always be cognizant of the fact that the schools they run are different from the churches, synagogues or mosques they may attend. Of necessity, their goals must be different!
One area in which public schools generally need to shore up however is in the academic study of religion. Religious illiteracy really hurts the study of history, culture and litearture and many schools don't offer educational opportunities for students to understand what religions really stand for and how understanding their particular history and doctrines can be valuable in our awareness of the world!
As we have seen with the outcry over President Obama's speech, public schools have a daunting task. It's important to take a serious look at our history and thus understand the inherent limitations under which they must operate.
PB
As someone who has worked in public education for 21 years, I look at this differently! Many of my colleagues are committed believers and active participants in their places of worship. Actually, some of the most devout folks I know work in public schools and my experience has been that those who do not participate in religious activities are most respectful of those who do.
However, there IS a limit to what public schools can do and parameters in which they must operate. The First Amendment of our Bill of Rights prohibits anything resembling the establishment of a particular religion. Public schools must insure that the rights of ALL students and teachers are protected and public school leaders must always be cognizant of the fact that the schools they run are different from the churches, synagogues or mosques they may attend. Of necessity, their goals must be different!
One area in which public schools generally need to shore up however is in the academic study of religion. Religious illiteracy really hurts the study of history, culture and litearture and many schools don't offer educational opportunities for students to understand what religions really stand for and how understanding their particular history and doctrines can be valuable in our awareness of the world!
As we have seen with the outcry over President Obama's speech, public schools have a daunting task. It's important to take a serious look at our history and thus understand the inherent limitations under which they must operate.
PB
Sunday, September 6, 2009
LABOR DAY
As is the case with so many Holidays, ask most people who have the day off why they do and the answers can get quite fuzzy! Unfortunately, this is so often the case with schoolchildren and days off from school! Labor Day is a case in point.
The 'last blast of summer' or 'unofficial end of summer' has its roots in something else indeed. Labor Day, developed by organized labor in the late 19th century in this country, celebrates the dignity of the working man and woman.
As is the case with words like liberty, justice and equality, the phrase 'dignity of the worker' can be a lifeless and sterile one which does not tell the real story of what has so often been a terrible struggle. Allow me to illustrate with a personal example from my family history:
I grew up in a working class mill town with lots of factories. Many towns within a fairly close radius were the same. I had a relative who died of cancer whose death was clearly related to the asbestos he inhaled daily as he worked in the plant. Throughout the course of our nation's history, there have been people who have worked very hard to make all of our lives better: They prepare and pick and package our food, clean our streets and parks, make beds and clean bathrooms at the hotels in which we stay. They clean our schools and make safe our streets. In short, they make possible BOTH what we all too often take for granted AND the wealth of those who benefit financially from the fact they work so hard and who simply could not do what they do without them.
Labor Day is a crucial reminder not only of the importance of WORK but of the fact that THE WORKER has rights and dignity and relevant to this blog and the faith espoused by this writer is a CHILD OF GOD and, as such, endowed by his/her Creator with certain inalienable rights....
As the child of two hard working parents, I suggest we take a moment in the midst of our enjoyment to reflect on the value and dignity of the working person who so often does not reap the benefits of what he or she deserves as others live off the burden of his/her labor...
BUT........in the eyes of God and in the words of GODSPELL( I couldn't resist the commercial!!):
Who is the land for? The sun and the sand for?
You guessed! IT'S ALL FOR THE BEST!
Happy Labor Day!
PB
The 'last blast of summer' or 'unofficial end of summer' has its roots in something else indeed. Labor Day, developed by organized labor in the late 19th century in this country, celebrates the dignity of the working man and woman.
As is the case with words like liberty, justice and equality, the phrase 'dignity of the worker' can be a lifeless and sterile one which does not tell the real story of what has so often been a terrible struggle. Allow me to illustrate with a personal example from my family history:
I grew up in a working class mill town with lots of factories. Many towns within a fairly close radius were the same. I had a relative who died of cancer whose death was clearly related to the asbestos he inhaled daily as he worked in the plant. Throughout the course of our nation's history, there have been people who have worked very hard to make all of our lives better: They prepare and pick and package our food, clean our streets and parks, make beds and clean bathrooms at the hotels in which we stay. They clean our schools and make safe our streets. In short, they make possible BOTH what we all too often take for granted AND the wealth of those who benefit financially from the fact they work so hard and who simply could not do what they do without them.
Labor Day is a crucial reminder not only of the importance of WORK but of the fact that THE WORKER has rights and dignity and relevant to this blog and the faith espoused by this writer is a CHILD OF GOD and, as such, endowed by his/her Creator with certain inalienable rights....
As the child of two hard working parents, I suggest we take a moment in the midst of our enjoyment to reflect on the value and dignity of the working person who so often does not reap the benefits of what he or she deserves as others live off the burden of his/her labor...
BUT........in the eyes of God and in the words of GODSPELL( I couldn't resist the commercial!!):
Who is the land for? The sun and the sand for?
You guessed! IT'S ALL FOR THE BEST!
Happy Labor Day!
PB
A POWERFUL COMMENTARY- IN SEARCH OF EMPATHY
I read this column yesterday and I want to share it with you......
Jim Carroll is a remarkable writer.....
He speaks in defense of EMPATHY........along with CIVILITY ( previously blogged about!) something we need so much.
Please tell me what you think...
You can click on:
http://www.boston.com/bostonglobe/editorial_opinion/oped/articles/2009/08/17/in_search_of_empathy/
Jim Carroll is a remarkable writer.....
He speaks in defense of EMPATHY........along with CIVILITY ( previously blogged about!) something we need so much.
Please tell me what you think...
You can click on:
http://www.boston.com/bostonglobe/editorial_opinion/oped/articles/2009/08/17/in_search_of_empathy/
A WONDERFUL RESOURCE IN HARTFORD
Here in Connecticut, we have an amazing resource in the HARTFORD STAGE COMPANY.
My wife and I had the opportunity last evening to see PART ONE of Horton Foote's THE ORPHANS' HOME CYCLE....
If you are looking for amazing and thought provoking drama dealing with some of life's closest to the heart issues, issues about which religious perspectives make real interpretive differences, this is truly a great production to see...
In uncertain times, in times all too often dominated by 24 hour news cycles and raw emotions, we need this kind of work....to keep us GROUNDED!
Check it out at www.hartfordstage.org
PB
My wife and I had the opportunity last evening to see PART ONE of Horton Foote's THE ORPHANS' HOME CYCLE....
If you are looking for amazing and thought provoking drama dealing with some of life's closest to the heart issues, issues about which religious perspectives make real interpretive differences, this is truly a great production to see...
In uncertain times, in times all too often dominated by 24 hour news cycles and raw emotions, we need this kind of work....to keep us GROUNDED!
Check it out at www.hartfordstage.org
PB
GODSPELL IS COMING!!!! Be part of the excitement!
I am thrilled to be getting the word out about the play GODSPELL, coming to First Congregational, Vernon, in May 2010................
This will be a REGIONAL effort...directed by JOE CONNOLLY...directing this play in his FIFTH DECADE!
SPREAD THE WORD!!!...Joe's looking for performers, ages 10-30....from the Eastern/Central Connecticut region...
REHEARSALS WILL BE ON SUNDAYS!
An ORGANIZATIONAL MEETING will be held at 1 pm on OCTOBER 4 at First Congregational, Vernon
IF YOU DON'T WANT TO ACT OR SING BUT WANT TO HELP......consider coming to the meeting!
PB
This will be a REGIONAL effort...directed by JOE CONNOLLY...directing this play in his FIFTH DECADE!
SPREAD THE WORD!!!...Joe's looking for performers, ages 10-30....from the Eastern/Central Connecticut region...
REHEARSALS WILL BE ON SUNDAYS!
An ORGANIZATIONAL MEETING will be held at 1 pm on OCTOBER 4 at First Congregational, Vernon
IF YOU DON'T WANT TO ACT OR SING BUT WANT TO HELP......consider coming to the meeting!
PB
Saturday, September 5, 2009
SOME BASIC SENSIBLE CIVICS......PLEASE
This is another one of those topics in which making a comment can be readily misunderstood as going on the partisan offensive. I don't mean it that way....I really don't:
Our President wants to speak to our nation's schoolchildren about staying in school and working hard. He wants to encourage them not to drop out. In his life, he has not only talked the education talk. He has walked the education walk. He worked hard. He valued education. He has credibility on the subject.
While there are policy differences in this nation, there are also core American values, one of which is the importance of education. Another has to do with the Presidency.
A long standing tradition in America's public schools has been that the President's picture would be posted in individual classrooms. That act was never intended to promote Republican or Democratic policies. Instead it was to encourage respect for the office of the Presidency.
In my honest view, legitimate differences of opinion on current issues has clouded much of the reaction to the President's speech:
When President George W. Bush addressed the nation on the night of 9/11, he did so in his role as our leader. It was not a night for Democrats to attack his policies. It was a night for this nation to seek unity around common values.
Be we Democrat, Independent or Republican.......education is a value and the freely elected American Presidency is a value.......For such free elections, we declared independence.....
I honestly think that if we don't like a President's policies, well, we vote him or her out of office.......but during his/her term, we need to find common ground...
If governing is nothing more than pure political campaigning.....how can we ever come together as a nation? Seems to me that this really crosses over from a political discussion to an ethical one....
PB
Our President wants to speak to our nation's schoolchildren about staying in school and working hard. He wants to encourage them not to drop out. In his life, he has not only talked the education talk. He has walked the education walk. He worked hard. He valued education. He has credibility on the subject.
While there are policy differences in this nation, there are also core American values, one of which is the importance of education. Another has to do with the Presidency.
A long standing tradition in America's public schools has been that the President's picture would be posted in individual classrooms. That act was never intended to promote Republican or Democratic policies. Instead it was to encourage respect for the office of the Presidency.
In my honest view, legitimate differences of opinion on current issues has clouded much of the reaction to the President's speech:
When President George W. Bush addressed the nation on the night of 9/11, he did so in his role as our leader. It was not a night for Democrats to attack his policies. It was a night for this nation to seek unity around common values.
Be we Democrat, Independent or Republican.......education is a value and the freely elected American Presidency is a value.......For such free elections, we declared independence.....
I honestly think that if we don't like a President's policies, well, we vote him or her out of office.......but during his/her term, we need to find common ground...
If governing is nothing more than pure political campaigning.....how can we ever come together as a nation? Seems to me that this really crosses over from a political discussion to an ethical one....
PB
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