Southern Sojourner

Why I suck and God's problem

I suck at blogging.

Oh, I enjoy it alright, but I am no good. 

Not consistent enough.

Rarely substantive.

My thoughts are not original, and even if they were, I am not eloquent enough to make it engaging. 

I have too many questions and too few answers to titillate or provoke the reader.

My life has been too tame and I like it that way, but I don't have any wild stories to tell.  I have never used my webcam for anything salacious, in fact, I don't know that I have ever used my webcam period. 

I am just a fledgling husband, father, church starter, businessman, and Christ follower.

Case in point,  one of my Lenten vows was to find a lyric for each week of the season. I was going to post that lyric on Fridays for my reader to consider with me.  I missed the first Friday, did it on the second Friday and forgot again on the third.  I suck at Lent. 

Well, I have to go to work, so I don't have time to ruminate on something that no one really cares about.

However, I have been thinking alot about Bart Ehrman recent conversation on Fresh Air last week. Bart, is the distinguished professor of religious studies at University of North Carolina. He is now an agnostic. And the failure of some satisfactory theodicy seems to be the primary culprit.

Ehrman wrote the popular Misquoting Jesus, which asserts that much of the N.T. scripture was a result of editorial licenses or downright error.   While it is easy to see how that could happen, his latest book,  God's Problem: How the Bible Fails to Answer our Most Important Question- Why we Suffer gets to the meat of his problem.  It is not unique, of course, suffering and evil are indeed, perhaps, God's biggest problem, but for Ehrman, it was too big and he left his Christianity.  The interview is excellent, as are all of Terry Gross' interviews. 

So for your Lenten reflection, what do you do with God (if you believe there is one) and the issues of suffering?  Bart's conversation is worth a listen.  It should take you 1/2 an hour or so, but a worthy challenge for the season of discipleship.

Time Keeps on Ticking, Ticking, Ticking

Okay, I admit, I have been in a surreal funk.  My little girl is now a month old and my former life a mere memory that I can hardly recall.  It's all good, as they say, but it is different no doubt.  While things have changed, sleep patterns for one, it has not been the total decimation of all that I used to love.  I have still gotten in a little fishing, was able to pull off my monthly poker game (which I won) and I finished a book before the library due date, a true miracle. 

One thing I have been reminded of is insatiable movement of time.  It simple does not stop. Life moves on and how we participate is based upon our priorities.  There have been several things over the last month that struck my notice and would normally be considered blog worthy, but up until now, I had not the energy or time to sit down and opine on them.  Here are but a few that I will give quick mention.

• Republicans want to talk about being the party of ideas, but as I sat watched the Republican debate tonight, all I saw was the same old fear inciting rhetoric of the past.  They had nothing to say that was helpful.  Just emotional ploys that people cheer on the surface, always failing to think about the true consequences of such policies.  Things such as English should be the official language, terrorism, and a shallow view of being pro-life.  I listened to candidate after candidate say that treasuring life should be the ultimate value of our country, but apparently that life doesn't apply to Afghani children, or Iraqi civilians.  Some attempted to say that life should be championed beyond the womb, I statement I agree with, but I just found the whole thing sad.  Championing the wealthy, businesses over the individual, fear over compassion, and basically protecting white wealth while exploiting Hispanic labor.  Blah, Blah, Blah.  Conservative truly fits the bill, because if you read between the lines you will find that the new Republican stands for nothing but the status quo.  I for one have had enough of the status quo.

• The Sopranos sadly come to an end Sunday night.  I will miss them. I don't know what is going to happen, but if Tony was next to me, I would tell him to keep his enemies close and Paulie Walnuts closer.

• I hear that Loveless Park Baptist is going to lease thirty acres of their land bordering I-459 to the McAdory Youth Leagues for new ballparks.  I love this and commend the church for stepping up and do something for the community, instead of just focusing on their own little flock.  I don't know the terms of the lease, but this paves the way for the new middle school to begin construction early 2008 and of course provides a place for little leagues to continue! Well done LPBC!  Although, I would consider a name change.  We have enough "loveless" churches in the world.

• Eastern Valley Road is going to be closed, partially or completely I am not sure, in the coming days.  They are doing something to the roads.  Of course, the McAshan Road extension is still not complete, even though I was assured by Commissioner Humphrey's it would be done by the end of May.  And we wonder why we don't trust the government.

• I voted today on yet two more amendments to the ridiculous Alabama state constitution.  The Alabama legislature failed again to give the people the right to decide on whether we need a constitutional convention.  Listen, until we have constitutional reform in this state we are never going to go anywhere but remain in the bottom of of most national statistics.  If you don't understand this issue, go get you a free dvd of It's a Thick Book from the good folks at Alabama Citizens for Constitutional Reform. It is the most accessible and entertaining way to understand the importance of this issue. 

• Finally, I end on a sad note.  I heard that a local worship leader and a friend of mine got involved with a "praise" team member.  He has resigned his position.  I haven't heard from him in a while, but it makes me sick to my stomach.  What is it with people?! Keep your pants on folks and think of someone besides yourself and your genitalia.  You don't have to get married!  What has happened to commitment in this world?

That's it.  Time to feed the baby, change the diaper and see if sleep will be as elusive as it has been over that last four blissful weeks.

Oh how I love books

For most of this year, I have had a self imposed book buying ban.  I have rediscovered the library, and I am happy for that, but I do love to buy books.  Reading them is great too, but oh man, I love to buy books.  So this year has been difficult for me.  But today, I got a great gift from a peer group that I participate in, a $100 gift card to Cokesbury bookstore.  Cokesbury is like most Christian bookstores but with better books, it shames the woefully pitiful Family Christian Books and Lifeway stores (I won't even link to them). 

I wasted no time.  Within an hour of receiving the gift card, I found myself with an arm full of books as I scoured the goofy book arrangements.  Finding a book in Cokesbury is a pain, but it was hurting so good.  I passed by a ton of stuff, but I utilized my "clergy" discount and walked out like a child at Christmas.  Here is what I picked up:

An Emergent Theology for Emerging Churches by Ray Anderson-  I wasn't familiar with this book and it was the last one to make the list.  I had to put a few others down due to going over budget.  But I decided to hold on to it, if for no other reason that it had endorsement from McLaren, Jones, Padgitt, Kimball, Franke, and Hunter among others.  I guess that marketing stuff works.  I do like how the chapters are titled, but I will get to this one down the road.

Like Fire in the Bones: Listening for the Prophetic Word in Jeremiah by Walter Bruggemann-  Okay, I picked it up, put it down, picked it up again, found the 25% off sticker, and kept it.  This marketing stuff works.  I was drawn to it for two reasons.  One, I have a general disposition to anything that Walter Bruggemann writes, the guy is wonderfully brilliant, imaginative and provocative.  I love him.  The other reason was that I have had a desire to revisit the book of Jeremiah for a deeper study since preaching from the Jeremiah reading from the Lectionary on the first Sunday of Advent.

The Secret Message of Jesus: Uncovering the Truth that Could Change Everything by Brian McLaren- I suppose I feel obligated for some reason to buy yet another McLaren book.  I just can't help myself.  I am so indebted to him for giving voice to deeply held, but not articulated beliefs and feelings.  His generous spirit is such a refreshing model and I can't seem to find much to dicker with.  I suppose we like to read stuff we agree with mostly and I sure agree with McLaren on a lot of stuff.

Red and Blue God, Black and Blue Church by Becky Garrison

I can't remember where I heard about this book, I think it was at last year's Emergent Conversation, but I am excited to pick this book up.  Garrison is the contributing editor for The Wittenburg Door and I am a sucker for religious satire.  I anticipate some great insight with a good dose of humor thrown in.  That will be  nice to read for a change.

Exiles: Living Missionally in a Post-Christian Culture by Michael Frost- This is a new book that I have had on my wish list as a pre-order.  Frost was one of the authors of Shaping of Things to Come, which I am working through right now.  I love this concept of Exile and certainly resonate with tensions of it.  It is a bigger book that the others, but I expect it to be worth the effort.

Simply Christian: Why Christianity Makes Sense- N.T. Wright- I have had this book checked out from the library and have been referencing it for a sermon series that Mike and I have been doing this Advent.  This is a great book and I realized that it is one worth owning, not just reading and turning back in.  If you have someone who is interested in Christianity, this is a super book to recommend.  Wright is fantastic in most everything and his writing is very accessible.

Leaving Church: A Memoir of Faith by Barbara Brown Taylor- Taylor is a the poster girl for why so many men are threatened by women preachers.  We just can't do it like she can.  She is remarkably profound and beautiful writer.  Since Blue Like Jazz by Donald Miller, there have been that have criticized theology as memoir, but I say punt that.  Miller's book was great and I expect this one to be as well.

And finally,

How (not) to Speak of God by Peter Rollins- It is hard to say, but I may be most excited about this book, just because I have had so many people rave about it.  My friend, Keelan, was apart of the forming of the community that Rollins pastors.  It is only 137 pages long, but I don't plan on rushing through this one.  I hope my expectations haven't gotten too high, but I don't expect to be disappointed.

Finally, I recognize that it is Christmas and several of these books have been on my wish list.  If you have already purchased this book, take solace in knowing that you picked a good one and know that I kept receipt and return one of the duplicates only to pick one of the several that I had to put back on the shelf.  After all, I have a self-imposed ban on buying books this year.