Two Lies Propagated by Our Modern Culture

Dear Anglican Bloggers:

Below is a quote that a Lutheran pastor friend of mine posted on Facebook.  It goes to the core of a huge concern I have about contemporary rhetoric between modernist/progressive and orthodox/apostolic factions in both the church and society.  Conversations too often include accusations of hate and lacking compassion.  My thanks to Rick Warren, and to you, Pastor Nathan, for this insight... Fr. Rob

The Shift in Our Nation’s “Worldview”

by

The Rev. Rob Hartley

This country was founded under a theistic worldview, more specifically a Christian worldview, but is now navigating into her future according to the new dominant worldview, Secular Humanism?  (A worldview can be defined simply as the way we view the world and understand life.)  There is no question that this shift has occurred, and everyone, Christian and secularist alike, understand ourselves to now be a “post-Christian” society. 

What are we to make of this shift?  What are its consequences?  First of all, this without a doubt will effect (is already effecting) the course of our country (for good and for ill), its destiny, prosperity and blessedness.  Granted, the Constitution and its amendments, which are based on Christian principles and ideals, are still in place, but even those are being interpreted from the perspective of a worldview different from that under which these founding documents were created.  It would be foolish not expect a shift in many areas of our common life  like morality, ethics, economics, American religious life, education, the shape and importance of families, and, of course, politics and governance.

A salient question for us, then, is this shift in worldviews and governing ideals good for us as a nation.  The century-old Progressive Movement in our country argues yes.  Christian Conservatism, while embracing many of the positive reforms championed by Progressivism, laments the shift and say no.  Of course, both cannot be right. 

The first step in knowing the answer is to have an understanding of the worldviews themselves.  Here are three dominant features, albeit far from exhaustive, of each worldview:

The Secular Worldview:

·     A trust in ourselves and our intellect for ordering our individual and common life, with no assumption that there is anything transcendent governing our lives.  We are in control.  Morality and ethics are therefore what our experience, societal norms and personal desires call for.

·     All personal religious considerations should be excluded from moral debate, civil affairs and public education.

Therefore, the improvement of our lives and the well-being of our nation can only be by material means (since that is all there is) and through the inherent goodness that is in each of us.

The Christian Worldview

(Sometimes referred to as a Biblical Worldview)
·     Absolute moral truths exist and have their origin beyond ourselves in our sovereign Creator.

·     These truths are communicated by God to us in both natural ways (observing His creation around us) and supernatural ways (divine revelation of Scripture, the indwelling of God’s Holy Spirit, and God’s ultimate self-revelation of God, Jesus the Christ).

·     We know all too well of our flawed and fallen human nature, but we also know of God’s love, mercy, grace, providence and desire to redeem us from ourselves and bring us into an unencumbered relationship with Him. 

Therefore, the improvement of our lives and the well-being of our nation can only be through conformance with God’s good and perfect will for our lives individually and as a nation.

What, then, does God expect of His Church, given this unsettling shift in worldviews governing the future of our country? 

·     First, God does not expect handwringing.  Instead, He offers us a peace to be found in our unswerving trust and dependence of Him:  “It is the Lord who goes before you.  He will be with you; he will not fail you or forsake you.  Do not fear or be dismayed.”               Deut. 31:8

·     Secondly, God calls us into a steadfast faithfulness: “Choose this day whom you will serve… as for me and my household, we will serve the Lord.”    Joshua 24:15

·     Finally, God calls on His Church to boldly and openly stand as a witness to the Truth of the Christian Worldview and to proclaim the Good News of blessing and salvation to be found in Christ alone:  But you are a chosen race, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, God’s own people, in order that you may proclaim the mighty acts of him who called you out of darkness into his marvelous light.                                           1Peter 2:11

Encouragement

Romans 12:8 speaks of the spiritual Gift of Encouragement (also called the Gift of Exhortation).  The Gift of Encouragement is having a sensitivity and an attraction to those who are discouraged or struggling and involves motivating, encouraging, and consoling others as they move through the issues of this life and mature in their walk with the Lord. 

Barnabas in New Testament Scripture had the Gift of Encorurgaement.  His name actually means ‘Son of Encouragement.’  Barnabas was the encourager of none other than St. Paul (Acts 9:27) and  mentor to St. Mark, the eventual author of the Gospel that bears his name.  Look at what God did with Barnabas’ Gift of Encouragement! 

How about you?  Do you have the Gift of Encouragement?  Are you attracted to those who are stuggling and feel called to walk with them through their difficulties?  Do you know how to patiently and gently push people forward through the challenges life presents to them?  

If this describes you, then you are a Barnabas.  If you do not have this gift but would like to, ask the Lord to give you this powerful and wonderful  Gift of Encouragement.                     

                                                                            

Fr. Rob

A Few Words on Incense

From Fr. Dan+

Like many Christian liturgical practices, the use of incense goes back to the Old Testament where it figured regularly in the worship of God. The books of Exodus and Leviticus establish what might be called the “theology of incense” and give details of the use of  incense at the altar.  In Jewish practice a brazier was located  in the tabernacle for the specific purpose of burning incense and incense was offered  in the morning and in the evening.  On the Day of Atonement  the cloud of incense served as a sign of God’s real yet mysterious presence.  In the Book of Revelation incense 1s a sign of the prayers of God’s people ascending to him, which is why the Early Church continued the practice found in Judaism.  Incense still carries all these meanings when used in the church today and has less to do with “high” or “low” church, than with theology that the worship of the Church maintains continuity with that of Israel.

“There is no liturgical practice more firmly rooted in scripture than the use of incense; the image of fire and smoke is a common one in the Bible, constantly reminding the reader of scripture of the exodus of Israel from Egypt”” (Clayton Morris, in As We Gather to Pray, p.142).

The Rev. Dan Brown is a priest at The Church of the Holy Trinity, North Augusta.

The Gloria, Sanctus and Benedictus

These are three pieces of service music with which we have all become familiar; we use them every Sunday in our worship :

·   The words of the Gloria in Excelsis (Glory in the Highest) came into normal use in the church in the 11^th century, but the words and form of this glorious song of praise have their roots in Jewish Temple worship during and before the time of Christ. 

 

·   The Sanctus is adapted from Isaiah 6:1-3,  “In the year that King Uzziah died, I saw the Lord seated on a throne, high and exalted...and above him were seraphs...calling to one another: Holy, holy, holy is the Lord Almighty; the whole earth is full of his Glory.” It had been part of Jewish morning worship and became a normal part of the Christian Eucharistic liturgy in about the 4^th century. 

 

·   It has also become the custom of the Church to attach to the end of the Sanctus what is known as the Benedictus (Blessed is He) from John 12:13.

A word about the General Confession and where it is located in the liturgy

Those who worship with us at Holy Trinity, North Augusta have probably noticed that our Sunday liturgies place the General Confession in one of two places.  There is significance to each location:

A.      The Confession placed at the very beginning of the service: (Book of Common Prayer 1979 refers to this as the “Penitential Rite”)   Each Sunday in procession we ceremonially move into God’s presence and are called to worship with Opening Acclamations.  This is followed with the Collect for Purity, acknowledging to God “all hearts are open” and from Him “no secrets are hid.”   We ask God to “cleanse our hearts” so that we can indeed approach Him in true worship.    Part of our cleansing is to confess those things “done and left undone” in our lives over the week; therefore, the General Confession becomes very appropriate at this point.  The Priest pronounces that God does indeed forgive us and considers us cleansed.  We move on joyfully and unencumbered into worship with the singing of the Gloria or another Song of Praise.

B.     The Confession placed after the Readings, Sermon and Prayers of the People:  At this point in the liturgy we have heard God speaking to us in the readings, sermon and prayers.  These things often prepare us for true confession and convict us of those things “done and left undone.”  The General Confession, therefore, also serves us very well at this point in the liturgy.  Furthermore, this immediately precedes our expression of reconciliation with our neighbor in the Passing of the Peace and our expression of union with God in Holy Communion, both for which confession is a key component.

A Vision for Vestry Leadership at Holy Trinity?

At our last vestry meeting, this vision was offered for the ministry of the vestry at Holy Trinity:

·         Not just business managers and parish administrators, but spiritual leaders.

·         Focused on letting God shape our church… calling on God … waiting on the Lord.

·         Focused not just on programs and buildings, but on people and growing their relationship, knowledge, obedience and service to the Lord.

o   Calling people to a balanced (Benedictine) spirituality of being, knowing and doing the things of the Kingdom… a balanced and holistic spirituality involving all of life.

o   Promoting God’s purpose for the church (which in the example given by Christ in the Gospels are two things…proclamation and healing [healing being both redemption from the brokenness of this world and transformation into wholeness and holiness]).

·         Fostering an environment in this church family where transformation, health and wholeness can happen.

·         Projecting a parish vision that we are people with a mission and purpose…          

o   That our mission is God’s mission locally and globally and that we exist for that purpose.

o   That we are to be a congregation focused outwardly in both proclamation and service.

o   That our invitation is to “Come and See.”

·         Building on the strengths of this congregation.

·         Delegating ministries and tasks… involving people, raising up new and anointed leaders.

·         Leading by word and example toward sacrificial giving of time, talent and resources for the growing of the Kingdom of God in this place.