Seventh Saturday after Pentecost
I received the 13th response to the survey today. Many thanks to all who responded. It's good to know that I have at least 13 daily readers. I know of a few more who have not done the survey. The changes in the blog that I outlined yesterday reflect the outcomes of the survey. Almost everyone had Monday Faith Journey as their favorite day and Tuesday Reviews as their least favorite. Several of you affirmed the Acts Bible Study idea. Several of you said you wanted more Bible Study.
I have two requests for you. First, I would love to hear from you more, either in the Comments section of the blog or in emails to me at candmwilson401@att.net Second, if you know anyone whom you think might be interested in the kinds of things we talk about in the blog, tell them about it. The blog address is url is christiansspirituality,blogspot.com For some reason, people using Google Chrome have had difficulty accessing. Other browsers seem to be accessing with no trouble.
Psalm 8
Yes, you will need your Bible, whether in print or off the net. Read the Psalm before you read any further.
I'm particularly interested in vv. 3-5. These verses reflect a very high view of humankind. The Psalmist sets a high view of God, "majestic...in all the earth." The Psalmist then asks the question, "What are human beings that you are mindful of them?" The assumption of the question is that compared to God in all God's greatness, we humans are next to nothing, But then comes the answer, a surprising answer, "You have made them a little lower than God, and crowned then with glory and honor." Think about it. You and I are just a little lower than God. Our very humanness should make us feel good about ourselves.
I wish every Calvinist would write down this Psalm twenty times and read it three times a day from now on. John Calvin's favorite phrase to describe human beings is that we are all "utterly depraved." Calvin believed that all of us were such miserable sinners that we all deserved to burn in everlasting hell, but God in God's infinite grace designated a few, the elect, to be saved. God did this before we were born. Nothing any of the non-elect could ever do could enable them to be saved. This savage theology has been used as a theological underpinning for a lot of evil. In South Africa, the Dutch Reformed white settlers understood themselves to be saved and all black people to be damned.
Psalm 8 addresses all people. Psalm 8 shows God's understanding of all people. John Wesley held this view of humanity. When he was a student at Oxford in the 1720's, he and his brother Charles and their friend George Whitefield formed what they called the Holy Club. The three went on to do preaching missions together. Whitefield was thought to be the best preacher of the three. It is said that his booming voice could be heard at a distance of two miles when he spoke and four miles when he sang. As their mission work proceeded Whitefield became more and more Calvinist. Eventually the Wesley brothers and Whitefield split over this issue. Whitefield drew the crowds but the Wesleys made a movement, a movement which became a denomination.
Today's Calvinists are specifically the Associated Reformed Presbyterian Churches and other churches that have the word Reformed in them. The word "Reformed" or "Reformed Tradition" refers to this branch of Protestantism. Southern Baptists have inherited the mantle of Calvinism, and though most wouldn't admit it, they are the modern day Calvinists.
Enough for now, I didn't get to all of the Psalm. Glenn Pomykal, in his comment this week, was more interested in the later verses of the Psalm. I'll get to them on Theology Day, next Wednesday, when we talk about dominion and responsibility. Dominion is not the same as domination.
Incidentally, John Calvin is not his actual name. It's an Anglicanization. Calvin was from Geneva, in the French speaking part of Switzerland. His actual name is Jean Cauvin. Cristofori Colombo has the same problem. On the other hand, there is a Juan Wesley college in Mexico.
God is good.
Women are good.
Men are good.
The creation is good.
Feel good about yourself,
Faithfully,
Christian
2 comments:
Reading about George Whitefield and the Wesley's made me think of two stories. First, Whitefield owned 50 slaves at his death. He specifically argued in favor of the institution. The Wesley's argued against. The three debated the point. No opinions were changed. Do you think the story is true? Do you think that Whitefield's Calvinist beliefs were a part of his view of slavery?
Second story is about the three and how they argued about theology. Yet they maintained their friendship. Specifically, Charles W and GW met to discuss their differences. After much discussion, they continued to disagree. Perhaps more importantly they agreed to continue their friendship. That is a good lesson for today- even if the story is mere legend.
Well, I was about to question this. The default version that came up on my computer was NIV and then I checked KJV and they both say God made humans a little lower than angels, not a little lower than God. I would still think that means God's work of creation and us is good, but I think there is a difference of magnitude in being a little lower than angels versus a little lower than God. Then I checked the NRSV...which says a little lower than God. So there you go...just gotta' find the version that agrees with you. :-)
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