Theodidaktos Taught by God Journal for EMC theology and education | Volume 11 Number 1 July 2016

Spiritual Experiences and Discernment CREATIONSWAP

Inside: Poetry and Power: The Language of Spiritual Formation

Responding to Spiritual Experiences

Arianism: The Heresy that Won’t Go Away

Book Review: Benefit of the Doubt: Breaking the Idol of Certainty

When God Fails His People

A publication of the Evangelical Mennonite Conference Editorial Potty Politics

HE POSTMODERN MINDSET And all who oppose this “truth” need to get with the Tespouses a relativistic outlook when it comes times. So truth is not relative after all. to truth. That truth is relative underlies the common John Stackhouse recently wrote a piece on worldview of many in our age. “What is true for you Canadian democracy decrying the current stance of is not necessarily true for me.” Core values of one the government. If, Stackhouse stated, Canada is a true organization or community will find opposition and democracy then the laws that are established today may resistance from other groups. There are no absolutes be amended or repealed in the future by a different when it comes to truth in our generation. Is this not the government. Same-sex marriage may not always be legal philosophy we have come to realize in our generation? in that sense. Stackhouse is correct in his definition In recent news, North Carolina has been vilified of democracy, but he has overlooked one obstacle to by the media for standing against pressure from the democratic process: precedence. In the court system Obama administration to allow transgender persons into lawyers will argue their cases based on precedence, the washrooms of their choice. Texas school districts have preexistence of a case where certain details or evidences also stood up against threats to cut their funding by not were submitted as true and binding. Therefore, even providing transgender bathrooms. Based on their moral though democracy in its purest form should allow a convictions regarding the LGBTQ agenda, these states people to change their laws based on popular opinion, it Darryl G. Klassen are holding on to the archaic principle that their values won’t be that easy. mean something. What stands opposite the church of Jesus Christ Here in Canada, the Liberal government proposes to today is not the absence of truth, but a truth born of pass a law in the same spirit. The Prime Minister wants the world system ruled by the prince of the air. Truth is to insure that transgender persons have the right to use absolute for both sides. Truth will be fluid from a worldly the washroom of their choice. According to reports, perspective because it needs to morph according to anyone who speaks against an individual entering a the will of the one who manipulates it to his purposes. washroom of the opposite gender can face up to two His purpose is destruction of everything that is pure years in prison. The individual who is biologically male and holy. Truth will be and must be hard and fast from but psychologically or emotionally identifies as female a heavenly perspective because if it is not we have no may without fear enter into the washroom they feel most ground to stand on and we might as well give in. comfortable. God’s truth is absolute. His Son, Jesus Christ, declared, “I am the way and the truth and the life” (John 14:6). The Living Truth said, “Haven’t you read that at What stands opposite the church of Jesus the beginning the Creator ‘made them male and female,’ and said, ‘For this reason a man will leave his father Christ today is not the absence of truth, but and mother and be united to his wife, and the two will a truth born of the world system ruled by become one flesh’?” (Matthew 19:4-5), thus affirming the Creator’s plan for marriage and sexuality and bathroom the prince of the air. assignments. Absolute truth versus absolute truth. We are engaged in a civil war, a cosmic war, and a metaphysical war. If citizens of the current generation, living in a God’s servants must remember that the weapon we fight postmodern milieu of relativism, believe that truth is with to tear down opposing walls and weapons of the open to interpretation, how do governments make and evil one is love. Jesus came full of grace and truth, so uphold laws of this nature? For you see, in the Canadian we uphold the truth that we believe to be absolute with context, the Liberal government aims to make a certain grace and compassion for those who do not believe as truth absolute. That “truth” teaches society that same sex the followers of Christ do. marriage is acceptable and that transgender bathroom Who knew the battleground would centre on the issues are so Victorian—this is the 21st century, people! toilet? O

2 Theodidaktos Table of Contents Theodidaktos: Journal for EMC theology Editorial: Potty Politics – Darryl G. Klassen and education 2 is published occasionally and distributed freely under the authority of the Board Poetry and Power: The Language of Spiritual Formation – Gareth Brandt of Church Ministries, Evangelical 3 Mennonite Conference, 440 Main Street, Steinbach, Manitoba R5G 1Z5; 8 Responding to Spiritual Experiences – Kevin Wiebe [email protected]; 204-326-6401; www.emconference.ca. Inquiries and submissions can be sent to Editor, 13 Arianism: The Heresy that Won’t Go Away– Michael Zwaagstra Theodidaktos, Box 129, Kleefeld, MB R0A 0V0; [email protected]; 204-377-4773 Book Review: Benefit of the Doubt: Breaking the Idol of Certainty or [email protected]; 519-437- 17 – Reviewed by Jacob Enns 5428. Writing guidelines are available. Submissions should be accompanied by the writer’s photo and autobiographical 20 Feature Sermon: When God Fails His People – Terry M. Smith information. Editor: Dr. Darryl G. Klassen. Assistant Editor: Rev. Kevin Wiebe. Layout: Rebecca Roman. Staff Adviser/ – Timothy Keller 24 The Final Word Copy Editor: Rev. Terry M. Smith. ISSN 1911-7272 (print) ISSN 1911-7280 (online)

Poetry and Power: The Language of Spiritual Formation

Gareth Brandt

Gareth Brandt teaches practical theology at Columbia Bible College in Abbotsford, B.C. He is married to Cynthia and they have four children, a daughter-in-law, and a granddaughter. He grew up in the EMC and was youth pastor at Mount Salem and Braeside from 1986 to 1994. This essay was adapted from a chapter in his latest book, Spirituality With Clothes On: Examining What Makes Us Who We Are (Wipf & Stock, 2015). Used by permission of Wipf and Stock Publishers. www.wipfandstock.com. He has a Diploma in Biblical Studies (SBC) and BA (Brandon), MTS (Tyndale), and STM (University of Emmanuel College) degrees.

LL PEOPLE HAVE HAD authenticity or validity of a person’s understand each other and validate Aspiritual experiences too deep spiritual experience? each other’s experiences but also to for words and yet we feel a compulsion What kind of language best describes foster ongoing spiritual growth in our to articulate them somehow. How do spiritual experience? How powerful are own lives. Learning a new spiritual we help others—and even ourselves— the words we use to describe spiritual language may be both challenging and understand deep spiritual experiences experience? I believe that articulation refreshing. Although words are limited, we have had? How do we evaluate the is important, not only to help us they are one of the best ways we have

Theodidaktos 3 to communicate and to make sense of grabs for the jugular… Poetry doesn’t so God. Poetry uses metaphors; metaphors inner experience. much tell us something we never knew are about relating one thing to another, as bring into recognition what is latent, a direct comparisons between unlike Words Help forgotten, overlooked, or suppressed.1 objects. Thinking metaphorically means Words, as labels or symbols of a deeper making a comparison between two reality, help us to understand and work Why do I describe spiritual formation dissimilar things, one of which is better with mystery. The word does not set the language as poetry? Poetry, according known than the other, and using the limits of our experience, just as the label to Webster, is “Writing that formulates better known one as a way of speaking on a shirt is not the shirt itself. You can a concentrated imaginative awareness about the lesser known. For example, we rip off the label and it is still a shirt, but of experience in language chosen and could describe a relationship with God as the label does help us identify and take arranged to create a specific emotional “dry” or “fruitful.” Clearly, a relationship care of the shirt. So too is it with words response through meaning, sound, cannot lack humidity or produce apples, about ourselves, our spiritual experiences, and rhythm.” Poetry communicates but because a relationship with God is and how we seek to make meaning of life. experience not information and our hard to describe, we use such common Spiritual experience is something spiritual lives are primarily about what we comparisons to help us out. that is mysterious and hard to put into experience, not what we know. words; we need to acknowledge that all Metaphors Are Needed of our descriptions will fall short, but try Spiritual Theology How else can we describe a spiritual we must. Augustine wisely said, “What Theology is infamous for its big words and experience or process but through can anyone say about you, God? And yet, lofty concepts; I prefer to describe spiritual metaphors? Richard Rohr answers by woe to him who says nothing.” Words theology, or spirituality, as poetic theol- saying, “Metaphors open up the real thing may be inadequate, but without words ogy. Systematic theology is about God; we call God. Symbols bring things from the meaningless looms. “Words are all I spiritual theology is about the human the hidden unconscious to consciousness, have…” sang the BeeGees a few decades experience of God. Most of the writing we where they can be operative.”2 Poetic ago. read every day in the marketplace com- language with its metaphors and symbols What kinds of words are adequate municates information and data which helps us to grasp the depth of spiritual for the task? Poetry is the language of we need information and data in order to experience. “Metaphor uses the language spiritual experience, although I’m not function. However, when we describe our of sense experience to lead us into the talking about rhyming lines or balanced relationship with God or another person, world of the unseen: faith, guilt, mind, couplets. Spiritual formation is about the processes of the heart. Poetry is heart Poetry is the language of spiritual experience, although I’m not language. I love how Eugene talking about rhyming lines or balanced couplets. Spiritual forma- Peterson describes it: tion is about the processes of the heart. Poetry is heart language. Poetry is language used with personal intensity. It is not, as so many suppose, decorative speech… we need the language of experience. Our God. The visible and invisible, put Poets use words to drag us into the relationships are not about hard data, but asunder by sin, are joined by metaphor.”3 depths of reality itself. They do not do it about the poetry of experience. Language, especially language about by reporting on how life is, but by push- Poetry begins with the impulse to God, can become idolatrous. This is pulling us into the middle of it. Poetry relate to the other, to nature, to people, to why I am saying that this language must function as poetic metaphor. “An idol starts with a mystery and fashions it 1 Eugene Peterson, Answering God: The Psalms as Tools for Prayer (San Francisco: into something that can be measured; HarperCollins, 1989), 11–12. a metaphor begins with something 2 Richard Rohr, Immortal Diamond: The Search for Our True Self (San Francisco: Jossey Bass, common and lets it expand into 2013), 75. immeasurable glory.”4 We use words all 3 Peterson, Answering God, 73. the time to describe our experiences with 4 Ibid., 78. God, and consequently, it is important

4 Theodidaktos that we recognize how we are using these words. They are not words used to restrict If you grew up hearing talk our experiences or someone else’s—“this of “accepting Jesus into your is how you are to experience God”—but to open them up to the mysteries of heart,” it is quite likely that as a divine work in our lives. young child you knelt by your Language Shapes Us bed and “prayed the prayer” We have established that language is with your parents close by. metaphorically descriptive of spirituality. Can the language we use actually shape Someone who had never heard us? How? I believe that articulating the words probably never had our experience of faith is in itself an important aspect of spiritual formation. the experience.

This necessitates that we learn a spiritual DESIGNPICS.COM language. Language is very important in coming to faith and growing in faith. In human beings relate to God. The word has one.” Kathleen Norris, in her very some ways language shapes experience “spirituality” has become popular and helpful book where she defines numerous just as much as experience determines the with that has often become very fuzzy Christian words, says that “Faith is best words we use to describe it. and unclear in meaning since everyone thought of as a verb, not a thing that The words that parents, evangelists, seems to be free to define it as they desire. you either have or you don’t.”6 Simply, I pastors and adults used to speak about I usually use the word “spirituality” see faith and spirituality as the human faith when we were growing up have interchangeably with the word “faith” and response to divine initiative. a profound influence on our spiritual use both to refer to the human experience experiences. For example, if you grew of the divine, or the human response Tri-polar Spirituality up with the language of “speaking in to God’s initiative. Spirituality is how I Traditionally, spirituality has been tongues” as a part of everyday experience, express my relationship with God. primarily, and sometimes exclusively, or at least an every Sunday experience, Here are a few definitions that about the human relationship with God. you are probably more likely to speak incorporate some of the different Initially, it is important to understand in tongues. If you grew up hearing talk dimensions of faith and spirituality. Each that biblically it is rather a tri-polar of “accepting Jesus into your heart,” it is definition may not be as tight and clean spirituality: God, self, community. quite likely that as a young child you knelt as we would like but hopefully they give Spiritual formation begins with the by your bed and “prayed the prayer” with us a sense for what we mean when we relationship with the self, is focused on your parents close by. Someone who had talk about “faith” or “spirituality.” Helpful the relationship with God, and ends in never heard the words probably never had synonyms of faith are: allegiance, trust, community. Our relationship with God the experience. Language has the power loyalty, sincerity, fidelity, conviction. The is inwardly directed toward personal to shape our experience. This does not anonymous author of the biblical book of transformation, upwardly compliant in negate the experience; it just helps us to Hebrews says that “faith is the assurance of our experience of divine encounter, and realize the shaping potential of language. things hoped for, the conviction of things outwardly committed to relationships of not seen.”5 My graduate school advisor, solidarity with neighbours.7 Definitions Don Misener, said that, “In contrast to All three of these are deeply To illustrate, let’s examine a few key words religion which can be accepted or rejected, intertwined and inextricably related that are used when talking about how spirituality is like a belly-button; everyone to each other. We often cannot, except theoretically, separate them. They are inseparable and indivisible, although 5 Hebrews 11:1. each of the three define and determine 6 Kathleen Norris, Amazing Grace: A Vocabulary of Faith (New York: Riverhead Books, 1998), the authenticity of the other parts. 169. “Tripolar spirituality is the breakthrough 7 This concept is best articulated in David Augsburger,Dissident Discipleship: A Spirituality of in which: love of God transcends and Self-Surrender, Love of God, and Love of Neighbor (Grand Rapids: Brazos, 2006), 7–22. transforms love of self, love of God and

Theodidaktos 5 love of neighbor become one, love of its historical baggage, the word simply neighbor and love of self become one, and refers to a spiritual change from one submission to God and solidarity with thing to another. The word itself does neighbor are indivisible.”8 not prescribe whether it happens in a moment or over a long period of time. More Synonyms Gordon Smith points out that “most if not There are many other synonyms for all people come to faith in Christ through faith and spirituality. Here are a few a protracted series of events.”11 examples of words that have been used I prefer to use the word “formation” by practitioners in the field of spiritual to highlight the fact that spiritual change formation. Each word choice reflects is a process that takes time, interaction a bit of the theology or strategy of the between various factors (seen in the one stating it. The word “development” above words), and the creativity and is borrowed from the discipline of energy of each one involved. In a sense developmental psychology and seems all of the words above have part of to assume formation is something that the truth. Which words are used most happens naturally or inevitably. predominantly will play a part in shaping “Discipleship” is a favourite word in spiritual experience. All of the words the Anabaptist tradition that seems to together give us a more complete picture imply that formation is something that of the dynamics of spirituality. comes about by the learning of the one being formed or by the instruction of a teacher or mentor. Jesus instructed his followers to “follow me”9 and “learn Unfortunately, I often felt inadequate in my Christian experi- 10 of m e .” The word disciple itself is ence because I could not identify a dramatic or specific ex- translated from the Greek word for student. perience of conversion, and found it difficult to manufacture “Sanctification” is a long religious something genuine! word with a deep history in various traditions. Basically, it is about becoming pure and holy through the intervention of One Wholly Other My Early Experience my own experience was that I grew who does the work of formation. It is My early Christian experience was into faith gradually through positive sometimes seen as a process and other shaped by the language that was used family influences and weekly Christian times as a second experience, depending by my church, my parents, and later discipleship that was both modelled on the tradition. by influential teachers, musicians, and and taught. Unfortunately, I often felt “Conversion” is a popular word authors. Having grown up in conservative inadequate in my Christian experience among evangelicals because it evangelicalism, I was inundated by because I could not identify a dramatic emphasizes the importance of a dramatic dramatic testimonies of conversion or specific experience of conversion, initiatory experience that happens at events that were lifted up as the norm and found it difficult to manufacture a certain time and place. Apart from of Christian initiatory experience, yet something genuine! I grew up in a church that had revival meetings twice a year, usually just before 8 Ibid., 13. seeding time in spring and right after 9 Mark 8:34. harvest in the fall. These meetings were always accompanied with the obligatory 10 Matthew 11:29. altar calls where people would go to the 11 Gordon T. Smith, Beginning Well: Christian Conversion and Authentic Transformation front of the church with great emotion, (Downers Grove, IL: InterVarsity, 2001), 31. usually with tears and sobs of remorse 12 Charlotte Elliot, Invalid’s Hymn Book, 1836.

6 Theodidaktos over sin and the desire to repent. We that I felt spiritual forces keenly and contemporary music with a full band that always knew that the critical moment was so my rebellion was not a turn toward consisted of electric guitars, a synthesizer, coming when we would sing: secularism or atheism, but a selling out and drums; it was pretty close to rock n to the forces of darkness. I do not recall roll! The last song was still “Just as I am,” Just as I am without one plea, praying to Satan to help me do bad but going forward here seemed so much but that Thy blood was shed for me, things, but I was definitely in touch with more interesting than in the midst of the And that thou bidst me come to Thee, spiritual realities, while at the same time voices of unaccompanied farmers. O Lamb of God, I come, I come.12 making a big game out of the whole thing The next day at youth group drama publicly as if it was all a farce. rehearsal, the youth leader shook my We did not sing this song at any other Smoking and swearing were the hand and said, “Welcome aboard.” I felt time; it was saved for the last night of most overt forms of rebellion available I belonged. I was in. I felt a deep sense of revival meetings twice a year when the to us in a rural community at the time, affirmation and passion for the new life altar call was given. The song had at drinking alcohol was added when a few that lay ahead. I did “fall away” numerous least five verses and we would sing them older friends were able to supply us with times in high school, getting drunk with over repeatedly until enough people liquor, and reckless driving was woven in my old friends, but always returning to had finally made it up to the front. I when we got our drivers’ licences. These the commitment I had made. On one do not remember ever doing this, but activities continued for a few years until I occasion I even made a public apology in I do remember feeling great emotion, had a personal conversion experience one front of my school class saying that my sometimes even guilt for not going hot August night, a Friday the thirteenth. behaviour at the dance was not becoming forward and wondering of my faith. The school only contained a if I would suffer in hell minority of “born again type Christians” forever as a result. My experience of conversion was and so there were some snickers even I read a number of clothed by a spiritually sensitive per- from the teacher, but I felt empowered by spiritual biographies my witness. during my early sonality, the practices of my church, My experience of conversion adolescence about the values of my family, and the lan- was clothed by a spiritually sensitive drug addicts and gang personality, the practices of my church, members in New York guage and stories of the books I read. the values of my family, and the language being converted. Oh what and stories of the books I read. Was my wonderful testimonies experience of faith somehow invalid and they had! I was fascinated by their stories A Larger Context inferior as a result? By no means! of dramatic change from murderer to That night included a lot of weeping But as I learned “discipleship” evangelist. Nicky Cruz’s Run Baby Run over all the bad things I had done and language at Bible college, “development” was probably my favourite. He grew up recording my thoughts for posterity. language in a university psychology on the mean streets of New York and I remember waking up thinking that department, and “formation” language became a gang leader with more than a the sun shone somehow brighter that at a mainline seminary and a Roman dozen murders to his debit. morning, and that a huge weight had Catholic Retreat Centre, I gained a new His life was dramatically turned been lifted from my shoulders. I did not perspective as I began to see the larger around when confronted by a charismatic tell anyone of this solitary night-time context of my spiritual formation. preacher from Pennsylvania named experience until much later when I told Learning different words helped me David Wilkerson. Here I was—a plain my parents. to become more open to new experiences Mennonite farm boy living such a boring After this I decided a more public and helped me to understand the life with no access to drugs or weapons or display of my new commitment was experiences of the past in a new way. anything exciting to build a testimony. needed. This happened when our youth Language not only helps us to describe I sometimes wonder whether my group was traveling to a “Lundstrom our spiritual experiences, it also forms, or rebellious years were an unconscious Crusade” in a city half an hour from our at least influences, our experiences. Being attempt to create something from which community. I told one of my friends on the aware of these dynamics can help us to to repent. During my adolescence I way in that I would be going forward at the be more understanding of our own and decided that the church, and its faith, altar call. I got a “Yeah, right!” of sarcastic others’ experience of God. O was a sham. My personality was such disbelief in response. The band played

Theodidaktos 7 Responding to Spiritual Experiences

Kevin Wiebe

Kevin Wiebe is the senior pastor of New Life Christian Fellowship in Stevenson, Ont. He served as a missionary in Alberta for five years before obtaining a BA (Communications and Media) from Providence University College in 2013. He has been serving at NLCF since July 2013. He is married to Emily, and they have three young children.

HEN WE GO sheep who follow his voice. For believers, Extremes of Distance and Wthrough a particular experience, the question is not whether or not God Experience how can we know that it was real? Was exists or still leads us today. That much is One extreme responds to Divine our perception of the event accurate presupposed. The question is, how does encounters by creating distance between and true to reality, or did our emotions one know if they are hearing the voice of themselves and the Lord. We see this or even our worldview distort our the Good Shepherd, or if they are simply exemplified in Exodus 20:18–21, when the perception of reality? Over the past fabricating their own spiritual experience Israelites wanted Moses to talk to God on several centuries, philosophers like René based on subjective personal desires? their behalf because they were afraid of Descartes, Friedrich Nietzsche, and I propose that there is a spectrum the overwhelming power of God. Having Immanuel Kant have all wrestled with of ways that people seek to understand a sense of profound fear is common in such ideas, and pop culture has also the voice of God, with two unhelpful the Scriptures when having a Divine obsessed over such a question in movies extremes that will be explored. On one encounter. When Isaiah encountered the like The Matrix or Inception. end, some create a rigid system of religion Lord, he responded with a sense of dread While a theological paper is not the that is devoid of significant personal over his own sinfulness (Isaiah 6). Angelic place for existential philosophy,1 there encounters with the Divine, while on the proclamations, such as the Annunciation, are theological implications to these other end is a realm filled with subjective are often accompanied by the words “do questions. When one has a spiritual and experience-based ideas, devoid of not be afraid” (Luke 1:30). experience, how do we interpret those objective and reliable truth. Despite But this is not the only fear motivating events? If God is speaking to us, how do having their own internal logic, these this extreme. It is also a fear of being we know it was truly Him? In John 10, extremes are unhelpful in seeking an duped. Francis Chan writes, “I had Jesus figuratively describes his disciples as answer to this question. contempt toward anyone who claimed to have ‘a word from the Lord.’ I felt it was a righteous contempt because I’d seen people 1 For more about a Christian philosophical response to these ideas, check out these articles use the phrase ‘I have a word from the by Dr. Hendrik van der Breggen: http://apologiabyhendrikvanderbreggen.blogspot.ca/search/ Lord’ to manipulate others for personal label/Skepticism gain.”2 One end of the spectrum responds 2 Francis Chan, Forgotten God: Reversing Our Tragic Neglect of the Holy Spirit (Colorado to a Divine encounter by dismissing Springs: David C. Cook, 2009), 55.

One end of the spectrum responds to On the other end of the spectrum we find a Divine encounter by dismissing it, those who revel in experience-based relegating all piety to that which is ideas and claims of supernatural verifiable. forms of Divine communication.

8 Theodidaktos it, relegating all piety to that which is verifiable, missing out on the mysterious While other religions had their talismans and exciting aspects of the Christian life. and objects where their deities were On the other end of the spectrum we find those who revel in experience- thought to be embodied, throughout the based ideas and claims of supernatural pages of the Bible God reveals Himself in visions, dreams and other forms of Divine communication. While often remaining events and in care for His people. open to the more charismatic aspects of faith, this extreme looks strangely similar to what Paul talked about in 2 calling them “whitewashed tombs” because Timothy 4:3–4: “For the time will come they had what appeared to be a beautiful COMMONS WIKIMEDIA when people will not put up with sound religion, but on the inside they were dead doctrine. Instead, to suit their own and full of decrepit uncleanliness (Matt. desires, they will gather around them 23:27). Likewise, there are those who a great number of teachers to say what can see through the veil of such lifeless their itching ears want to hear. They will religion, who desire to move into a life- turn their ears away from the truth and giving and transformative relationship and turn aside to myths.” Without having a experience with the Divine. firm grounding in the Scriptures, they Michael Gungor also addresses this can become like people Paul talks about type of extreme: “A concept makes a in Ephesians 4:14: “tossed back and forth better product than a relationship. My by the waves, and blown here and there wife could never sell my love for her to our faith is essentially worthless. In by every wind of teaching and by the someone else. That’s not how love works. Matthew 7:21–23, Jesus talks about the cunning and craftiness of people in their She could sell some of the engraved future day of judgment where people will deceitful scheming.” Without holding images of my love if she wanted to…. come to him who only appear to be his on to the Bible as a source of truth, She could sell her engagement ring or disciples. His response to these individuals subjectivity abounds and people can be her wedding dress, but never in a million is sobering. He will say, “I never knew easily manipulated. years could she sell my love for her. you. Away from me, you evildoers!” These Idolatry mistakes relational love for God individuals never had a relationship with Legalism and Religion and neighbor with concept and formula, Jesus. He never knew them. It takes more On one end of the spectrum there are and the contemporary church advertises than religion or outward action; it takes a churches obsessed with religion, rules, and sells the concepts and formulas. It relationship with Jesus, which will require and rigidity. Bruxy Cavey addresses such reduces marriage to wedding rings and some sort of personal encounter with the churches: “Although embraced by many friendship to greeting cards.”4 In the Lord. After all, Ephesians 1:13 says that all religious institutions as their founding Scriptures, God’s relationship with his believers are “marked in him with a seal, Scripture, the pages of the Bible reveal an people is repeatedly compared to the the promised Holy Spirit” and Romans 8:9 irreligious agenda…I am convinced that relationship between husband and wife, says, “if anyone does not have the Spirit of the Bible holds clues to a way out of our and any relationship reduced to only Christ, they do not belong to Christ.” slavish addiction to religious systems, concepts and products is not much of a Abraham Joshua Heschel makes this while it simultaneously invites us into a relationship at all. observation: “While the deities of other direct connection with the Divine.”3 In If we only know about God without peoples were associated with place or the Gospels, Jesus spoke of the Pharisees, actually knowing and experiencing God, things, the God of Israel was the God of events: the Redeemer from slavery, the Revealer of the Torah, manifesting Himself 3 Bruxy Cavey, The End of Religion: Encountering the Subversive Spirituality of Jesus (Colorado in events of history rather than in things or Springs: Navpress, 2007), 22. places. Thus, the faith in the unembodied, 4 Michael Gungor, The Crowd, The Critic, and the Muse: A Book For Creators (Denver: in the unimaginable was born.”5 While Woodsley Press, 2012), 120. other religions had their talismans and 5 Abraham Joshua Heschel, The Sabbath (New York: Farrar, Straus and Giroux, 1951), 7-8. objects where their deities were thought to

Theodidaktos 9 be embodied, throughout the pages of the leading: “When are [holy hunches] valid? Bible God reveals Himself in events and in Do they ever conflict with the greater We all have the capacity to care for His people. good of what God is trying to do? How confuse our own imagina- Christianity follows a God who do we discern these intuitive inklings entered history and embraced humanity, as to whether they are really from God tions, emotions, ideas or a God who dwells among us and in or something that is fabricated in our agendas as God’s voice and us instead of being distant, detached own psyche to meet our own emotional and only accessible through the proper needs?…Sometimes our personal we must be aware of this. performance of the right rituals. The experiences need to be tempered by the Christian faith cannot be reduced to larger vision of what God wants to do.”7 simple formulas, but requires ongoing One must be careful with such things, vehicle to attempt to use the Holy Spirit encounters with the living God and his because one can easily mix up the moving to miraculously control the wild animals. promised Holy Spirit. of the Spirit and an individual desire/ He was attacked and had to be taken to personal agenda. Main writes, hospital for emergency surgery. He said, Subjectivity and Spiritual Abuse “I do not know what came over me…I Since there is no device to objectively Sincere, pious, churchgoing people have thought the Lord wanted to use me to measure whether or not someone’s acted on hunches that have brought show his power over animals.”9 Obviously, spiritual encounter with God is authentic, scores of people destruction and ill he misunderstood, which led to a physical how does one know when God is will. Hunches have burned innocent injury; though perhaps his ego may have speaking to them or through them? How people at the stake, sparked crusades, been hurt more than his body. do we know if an experience is genuine, and led to genocide—all justified by or if it is someone seeking to manipulate someone’s interpretation of God’s Confused Imaginations others for nefarious purposes? calling. Misguided hunches have also We all have the capacity to confuse our Bruce Main describes the leading caused people to lose their life savings, own imaginations, emotions, ideas or of the Spirit as “holy hunches” or as a to make harmful career choices, to split agendas as God’s voice and we must be spiritual nudge that people feel when churches, and to ruin relationships. aware of this. If one admits the possibility being led by the Spirit of God. He writes, Acting on misguided hunches can do that we can misunderstand the voice of “I confess that I approach the issue of a a lot of damage to us, our families, our God, then it logically follows that two hunch-inspired life with some trepidation friends, and our communities. Is there people can experience the same thing and and hesitation. Because of the subjectivity any doubt as to why John would write come to drastically different conclusions. of the hunch word and its experiential to his community: Dear friends, do not Where one person understands implications, the potential of harm and believe every spirit, but test the spirits something correctly, someone else might misuse is a strong possibility.”6 There are to see whether they are from God, misunderstand. Put more accurately, the many times where people have claimed, because many false prophets have gone portion and percentage of the message and possibly even believed that they were out into the world [1 Jn. 4:1].8 from God that is misunderstood can vary following the will of God while doing widely from person to person. all manner of things that are contrary to Consider an example in recent world news God’s will as revealed to us in Scripture. of a man who was touring a South African How Do We Understand Our Main writes about some questions he national park with his church group Experiences? had after a negative experience with when they came upon a pride of lions Pierre Gilbert writes, “Much of what we someone who misunderstood God’s feeding on an impala. He got out of the think we know comes from sources that are essentially unverifiable. As much as Christians may profess that the Bible 6 Bruce Main, Holy Hunches: Responding to the Promptings of God (Grand Rapids: Baker is a reliable source of information on Books, 2007), 14. spiritual matters… [too much] is seen 7 Main, Holy Hunches. 122. through a grid that values personal 8 Main, Holy Hunches, 123. experiences and anecdotes over the biblical text. Thus, the age-old question 9 David Ingram, The Daily Buzz: Religious Prophet Attacked by Lions After Trying to Perform Miracle, Yahoo News, March 10, 2016, accessed March 12, 2016, https://ca.news.yahoo.com/ can be asked again: Do we interpret the blogs/daily-buzz/religious-prophet-attacked-by-lions-after-trying-191535286.html. Bible in light of our experience or do we

10 Theodidaktos interpret our experience in light of the more we will recognize it and be familiar however, we may become conduits of Bible?”10 (emphasis added). This is a very with it. Main puts it rather succinctly destruction because we let our own ideas important question to ponder. when he writes, get in the way of God’s. Andrew Wilson offers several practical suggestions for better discerning what Responding to holy hunches is a Consequences is and is not the voice of the Lord. subjective enterprise. There is no In the Biblical narrative there are several To summarize, Wilson says we must exact or detailed formula, pattern, situations that help paint a picture of how check these experiences against the methodology, or program that can severe the consequences can be for not teaching of the Scriptures, against the ensure that our hunches are truly properly understanding God’s leading. character of Jesus as revealed in the Bible. We should also consult with our own spiritual In Numbers 14 the people leaders and church community, and on top of that examine the of Israel sent spies into the fruit of the experience.11 Wilson’s land and, after their re- measures help prevent believers from being entirely subjective, turn, only two of the spies providing some safeguards against believed God could give misinterpreting the voice of the Lord, and discerning if something them the land. The other is not from God. These measures ten could not move beyond also encourage believers to actively COMMONS WIKIMEDIA listen for the voice of God, both in what they could see. The Spies Return from Canaan. Engraving by Gerard Jol- our experiences, church tradition, lain from the 1670 “La Saincte Bible.” and in especially in the Scriptures. While Wilson’s points are excellent holy. That fact is both exciting and In Numbers 14 the people of Israel were reminders, one must not forget that terrifying. Exciting because we have already free from slavery in Egypt, and there is still a degree of mystery to how been given this wonderful opportunity God wanted them to take possession of we come to recognize the voice of God. and freedom to listen to God’s Spirit the land that was promised to them. They Jesus compares his disciples to sheep who and respond to holy promptings with sent spies into the land and, after their “know his voice” (Jn. 10:4). Have you ever faithfulness. It is terrifying because we return, only two of the spies believed God pondered how you came to recognize the are human beings who are subject to could give them the land. The other ten voice of your mother, father, husband, selfishness, petty insecurities, and fear, could not move beyond what they could wife? While there are machines that can and are fully capable of missing God’s see. They did not have faith beyond the quantify tone, pitch and cadence, one intention for our lives. Therefore, we physical obstacles they witnessed; they typically does not consciously examine have the capacity to be agents of healing did not believe in something remarkable those in order to recognize a voice. It is and restoration—or the capacity to be or miraculous. They did not believe that something that simply happens as you agents of hurt and destruction.12 God could give them the land. spend time listening to them. Likewise, Due to this report, most of the sheep come to recognize the voice of their In our response to an encounter with Israelites began to lament their situation, shepherd by listening to it consistently. God, we have the capacity to use our and thus rebelled against the plan of Thus it is logical to posit that the more experiences to become His hands and the Lord. As a result, God sent them we listen to the true voice of God, the feet in the world. If we are not careful, back into the wilderness to wait for that generation to die off before giving the land to the next generation. The parallel 10 Pierre Gilbert, Demons, Lies & Shadows: A Plea For a Return to Text and Reason (Winnipeg: should be clear: there are many who Kindred Productions, 2008), 17. ignore the voice of God in a modern 11 Andrew Wilson, “How Do We Hear God?” The Gospel Coalition, November 5, 2013, context because it goes beyond what they accessed March 10, 2016, http://www.thegospelcoalition.org/article/how-do-we-hear-god. can see, beyond what is physical, tangible, 12 Main, Holy Hunches, 129. or altogether objective. Sometimes

Theodidaktos 11 following the leading of God requires replaces the leading of the Spirit with rules but also be humble, and let every moment faith in that which we do not see. and an obsession with things that can be of your life worship God by responding to On the other hand, it can be dangerous systematized, quantified, and objectified, him as a living sacrifice.O to brazenly declare that we have heard following only what we can understand a message from God. This is not a new and see without eyes of faith. The other phenomenon; it also occurred in ancient substitutes God’s voice with their own, Israel. Jeremiah 23:38–40 addresses false replacing the Spirit’s proclamation with Bibliography prophets when it says, “Although you ideas from their own imagination. Surely claim, ‘This is a message from the Lord,’ both sides must learn to better listen Cavey, Bruxy. The End of Religion: this is what the Lord says: You used the to the voice of the Spirit. After all, as Encountering the Subversive words, ‘This is a message from the Lord,’ John Webster put it, “The end of divine Spirituality of Jesus. Colorado Springs: even though I told you that you must not revelation is not accumulation of notions Navpress, 2007. claim, ‘This is a message from the Lord.’” but conformity to divine truth.”14 This statement is followed by oracles of Chan, Francis. Forgotten God: severe punishment for these false prophets. Moving Forward Reversing Our Tragic Neglect of the Just because one thinks that something So how do we respond to a spiritual Holy Spirit. Colorado Springs: David is from the Lord does not necessarily experience or what seems to be an C. Cook, 2009. make it so. Given the seriousness of God’s encounter with God? As has been demonstrated, ignoring it out Gilbert, Pierre. Demons, Lies & of fear is not a helpful option. Shadows: A Plea For a Return to For some, moving forward might Neither is blindly assuming Text and Reason. Winnipeg: Kindred mean living more humbly; for others, that all such experiences are Productions, 2008. actually from God. We must [it] might mean to live more boldly. live in the tension created by Gungor, Michael. The Crowd, The these two extremes, refusing Critic, and the Muse: A Book For to ignore the authority of the Creators. Denver: Woodsley Press, response to such actions, one would be Scripture on the one hand, and, on the 2012. wise to be careful about how or if we claim other hand, refusing to ignore the voice of something was from God. the Good Shepherd. Heschel, Abraham Joshua. The In reference to 1 Thessalonians 5:19– For some, moving forward might Sabbath. New York: Farrar, Straus and 22, Chan writes, “Some conservatives mean living more humbly, recognizing Giroux, 1951. may quench the Spirit by ignoring His that God’s will is often drastically working, but surely putting unbiblical different from our own and submitting Main, Bruce. Holy Hunches: words into the mouth of God is a form of our experiences to the authority of Responding to the Promptings of God. quenching the Spirit as well.”13 It would Scriptures. For others moving forward Grand Rapids: Baker Books, 2007. seem that both extremes may be guilty of might mean to live more boldly, stepping the same thing, committed in different out in faith when the Holy Spirit leads. Webster, John, The Domain of the ways. While one extreme is quenching For all believers, this means responding Word: Scripture and Theological the Spirit through ignoring His voice and to God’s voice when He calls, being, “a Reason. London: T&T Clark leading, the other extreme does so by living and holy sacrifice—the kind he will International, 2012, accessed March attaching God’s name to things that really find acceptable”15 So listen for the voice 11, 2016, https://books.google.ca/ have nothing to do with God. One side of God, for His “holy hunches.”16 Be bold, books?isbn=0567212947.

Wilson, Andrew, “How Do We 13 Chan, Forgotten God, 56. Hear God?,” The Gospel Coalition, 14 John Webster, The Domain of the Word: Scripture and Theological Reason, (London: November 5, 2013, accessed T&T Clark International, 2012), 63, accessed March 11, 2016, https://books.google.ca/ March 10, 2016, http://www. books?isbn=0567212947. thegospelcoalition.org/article/how- 15 Rom. 12:1b, NLT. do-we-hear-god. 16 Main, Holy Hunches, 129.

12 Theodidaktos Arianism: The Heresy that Won’t Go Away

Michael Zwaagstra

Michael Zwaagstra (EFC Steinbach) is a high school teacher, a Steinbach city councillor, and an adult Sunday School teacher. He holds BEd, PBCE, and MEd degrees (University of Manitoba) and an MA in Theological Studies (Liberty Baptist Theological Seminary).

HROUGHOUT three centuries of church Arianism, the denial of the full divin- TChristian history, there has been history forced the early a significant amount of doctrinal debate Christians to focus more ity of Jesus Christ, is an ancient and and controversy. As the Early Church on a common allegiance to pervasive heresy that has been present continued to grow and develop, it became Christ than on fleshing out important to formulate and clarify key the meaning of particular throughout most of Christian history. doctrines of the faith. Because of the doctrines. Things began to centrality of Jesus Christ to Christianity, change after Constantine it should come as little surprise that much became Roman emperor and accepted not possessing that of himself, but by of the debate has revolved around the Christianity himself. It became important His being with the Father, and not divinity and humanity of Jesus. for church leaders to formulate specific continuing to be God, if we should Some heresies died out quickly, while doctrines so Constantine could unify the think of this, except by remaining others were temporarily defeated only to empire under one common dogma.1 The always in uninterrupted contemplation re-emerge again in the future. Arianism, precise nature of Christ’s humanity and of the depths of the Father.2 the denial of the full divinity of Jesus divinity became a key doctrinal issue that Christ, falls into the latter category. needed resolution. In other words, Origen considered This paper will show that Arianism is Origen, an early and prolific church Jesus to be fully divine, but subservient an ancient and pervasive heresy that father, laid the groundwork for much of to the Father and directly dependent has been present throughout most of Arian thought. In his commentary on the upon him for his continued existence. Christian history and is now more Gospel of John, Origen acknowledged the It should come as little surprise that influential than ever through its modern- divinity of Jesus, but also made it clear some subsequent church leaders carried day manifestation in the religious group that he viewed Jesus as inferior to God Origen’s ideas about the inferiority of known as Jehovah’s Witnesses. the Father: Jesus to their logical conclusion and denied his full divinity. Origins of Arianism But the archetypal image, again, of One of those leaders was Arius, a While there has always been doctrinal all these images is the Word of God, presbyter in charge of the church and debate in the Christian Church, who was in the beginning, and who district of Baucalis in Alexandria.3 In widespread persecution during the first by being with God is at all times God, 318 C.E., Arius publicly challenged the high Christological views of his bishop, Alexander, and proposed instead that 1 Cairns, Earle E., Christianity Through the Centuries, 2nd ed. (Grand Rapids: Zondervan Jesus was a created being.4 According Publishing House, 1981), 131–133. to Arius, Jesus was created by God the 2 Origen, Origen’s Commentary on the Gospel of John 2.2 Father at a distant point in the past: 3 R. P. C. Hanson, The Search for the Christian Doctrine of God, (Edinburgh: T & T Clark, 1988), 3. Foreign from the Son in essence is the 4 Mark Noll, Turning Points, (Grand Rapids: Baker Books, 1997), 49. Father, for He is without beginning.

Theodidaktos 13 Understand that the Monad was; but the begotten rather than made.10 However, advantage of firmly rejecting Arianism, Dyad was not, before it was in existence. despite the decisive rejection of Arianism but it was not fully acceptable to many of It follows at once that though the Son at the Council of Nicaea, it wasn’t long the bishops from the East, most of whom was not, the Father was God. Hence the before this heresy made a comeback. accepted Origen’s view that Jesus was Son, not being (for He existed at the will inferior to God the Father.11 of the Father), is God Only-begotten; Continuation of Arianism After The split between the West and the and He is alien from either.5 Nicaea East on this issue created a window When the Council of Nicaea rejected of opportunity for the resurgence of Arius encountered fierce resistance to his Arianism, it used the Greek word Arianism. Political considerations also views, most notably from his bishop. In a homoousios (of one substance) to describe benefited the Arians since they believed letter to Eusebius, bishop of Nicomedia, the relationship between God the Father that the authority of bishops should Arius complained about the persecu- and God the Son. This word had the be subordinate to the emperor and tion he was experiencing and defended this obviously won them favour with his views as logical and biblically based. the imperial leadership, particularly Arius explained that he could not accept Constantius II who reigned from 337–361 that “the Son has always been” since it was C.E. In contrast, orthodox leaders applied clear that the Father must have created the their belief about the equality between Son at some point in the distant past.6 He God the Father and God the Son to the attracted a significant number of support- imperial realm and argued that church ers, most notably Eusebius of Nicomedia, bishops and the imperial empire should who was an admirer of Origen.7 have equal authority.12 To resolve this issue, Constantine The branch of Arianism that became called the Council of Nicaea, which dominant at this time was known as consisted of approximately 220 bishops.8 Homoian Arianism. It promoted a literal The primary opponent of Arius at approach to biblical interpretation and this council was Athanasius, who held focused on Bible passages that affirmed that Jesus was “coequal, coeternal, and the difference in status between Jesus and consubstantial with the Father.”9 While God the Father. Homoian Arians noted there was vigorous debate among the that Proverbs 8:22 states that God created bishops, the Nicaean council ended Wisdom (i.e., the Logos) and emphasized up condemning the views of Arius the many verses that affirmed that God WIKIMEDIA COMMONS WIKIMEDIA as heretical. Specifically, the council the Father alone is wise, powerful, and confirmed that Jesus was fully God, Constantine burning Arian books. Illustration unchangeable (Rom. 16:25-27; 1 Tim. of one substance with the Father, and from a compendium of canon law (c. 825 C.E.). 6:15; Mal. 3:6).13 The Second Sirmian Creed of 357 C.E. is the earliest clear declaration of Homoian Arianism.14 5 Arius, Extracts from the Thalia of Arius. Prominent defenders of this view, such as 6 Arius, Letter of Arius to Eusebius, Bishop of Nicomedia. Palladius and Maximinus, were quite open about their belief that there were actually 7 Tony Lane, A Concise History of Christian Thought, (Grand Rapids: Baker Academic, 2006), 28. two Gods, Father and Son, and that only the Father was to be worshipped.15 8 Ibid., 29. Obviously, this differed significantly from 9 Earle E. Cairns, Christianity Throughout the Centuries, 134. the orthodox consensus that had been 10 Mark Noll, Turning Points, 57–58. adopted at the Council of Nicaea. 11 Tony Lane, A Concise History of Christian Thought, 30. The resurgence of Arianism was met 12 Mark Noll, Turning Points, 59–62. with fierce resistance from orthodox church leaders. Basil of Caesarea, 13 R. P. C. Hanson, The Search for the Christian Doctrine of God, 559–60. Gregory of Nazianzus, and Gregory of 14 Ibid., 558. Nyssa came from the Roman province 15 Ibid., 569. of Cappadocia and sought to promote a

14 Theodidaktos proper understanding of the Godhead that doctrines based solely on church by affirming both the unity and the tradition did not have any binding Socinus believed that Jesus 16 19 threeness of God. After Theodosius authority on Christians. was not inherently divine, became emperor in 379 C.E., he called a This rejection of papal authority was council of church leaders, which met in a watershed moment in the history of but instead attained divinity Constantinople in 381 C.E. Protestant Christianity, and it didn’t take by virtue of his superior life. Basil, Gregory of Nazianzus, and long before other Reformers began to take Gregory of Nyssa played leading roles at their protest against the Roman Catholic the Council of Constantinople.17 Among Church much further than Luther had Socinus believed that Jesus was not other things, the council affirmed the full ever intended. For example, Ulrich Zwing- inherently divine, but instead attained and total equality between God the Father li rejected any literal presence of Christ’s divinity by virtue of his superior life. The and God the Son and firmly rejected body in the Lord’s Supper and declared modern-day Unitarian church traces its the Arian notion that Jesus had been that the bread and wine used in the cer- roots directly to the Socinians of Poland.24 created at some point in the past.18 Once emony were purely symbolic.20 Anabaptist Many more church denominations again, the Arians had suffered a decisive leaders such as Menno Simons rejected came into existence after the Protestant defeat. However, Arianism may have gone infant baptism and argued that baptism Reformation. Some of these new dormant, but it was not extinguished. should take place only after conversion.21 denominations had leaders who espoused However, some Protestant leaders took Arian ideas. One of these was the Anti-Trinitarianism During their newfound theological freedom to Seventh-day Adventist Church, which the Reformation and Post- an even greater level by rejecting historic was founded in the mid-nineteenth Reformation doctrines that had long been established century. One of its most prominent early The Protestant Reformation ushered in as a key test of orthodoxy. As a case ministers was Uriah Smith, who held key a new era of theological diversity that in point, Michael Servetus denied the leadership positions in the newly formed shattered the doctrinal uniformity of doctrine of the Trinity and argued that denomination. In his classic book, Daniel the Roman Catholic Church. Ironically, Jesus was inferior to God the Father. His and the Revelation, Smith provides the Martin Luther was initially more views were so controversial that John following comment about Revelation interested in reforming the Roman Calvin ordered his execution in 1553 3:14, which describes Christ as the Catholic Church than he was in founding C.E.22 Faustus Socinus was also a strong beginning of the creation: a new branch of Christianity. It was only proponent of Anti-Trinitarian ideas. In after ecclesiastical leaders refused to make 1579 C.E., he moved to Poland where he Others, however, and more properly any concessions to accommodate his founded a college and was able to safely we think, take the word to mean the concerns that Luther formally declared propagate his own version of Arianism.23 “agent” or “efficient cause,” which is one of the definitions of the word, understanding that Christ is the agent 16 Tony Lane, A Concise History of Christian Thought, 36–38. through whom God has created all 17 Ibid., 39–40. things, but the Son came into existence in a different manner, as he is called “the 18 R. P. C. Hanson, The Search for the Christian Doctrine of God, 816. only begotten” of the Father. It would 19 Lars P. Qualben, , 4th ed. (New York: Thomas Nelson and A History of the Christian Church seem utterly inappropriate to apply this Sons, 1942), 242. expression to any being created in the 20 Tony Lane, , 171. A Concise History of Christian Thought ordinary sense of that term.25 21 Ibid., 191–92.

22 Robert A. Baker, A Summary of Christian History, rev. ed. (Nashville: B & H Publishers, This is strikingly similar to Arius’s conten- 1994), 223. tion that there once was a time when the 23 Ibid., 235. Word was not. Fortunately, the Seventh-

24 Earle E. Cairns, Christianity Through the Centuries, 308. day Adventists later expunged this and other Arian statements from subsequent 25 Uriah Smith, Daniel and the Revelation (1897; Nashville: Southern Publishing Association, 1907), 400. editions of Smith’s book and adopted a fully Trinitarian statement of faith.26 26 Malcolm Bull and Keith Lockhart, Seeking a Sanctuary (San Francisco: Harper & Row, 1989), 69. However, while the Seventh-day Advent-

Theodidaktos 15 ists eventually moved to full orthodoxy on the nature of the Godhead, other groups retained their Arian beliefs. It didn’t take Bibliography long before a new religious organization, Arius. Extracts from the Thalia of Arius. In A Origen. Origen’s Commentary on the Gospel the Jehovah’s Witnesses, became the larg- New Eusebius: Documents Illustrative of the of John. In Ante-Nicene Fathers. Vol 9, 1897, est Arian church in the world. History of the Church to A.D. 337. Edited by 297-408. Edited and translated by Allan J. Stevenson, 350–52. 1957. Reprint, London: Menzies. Reprinted, Peabody: Hendrickson Modern-Day Arians: Jehovah’s SPCK, 1983. Publishers, 2004. Witnesses Arius. Letter of Arius to Eusebius, Bishop of In 1870, a young man by the name of Qualben, Lars P. A History of the Christian Nicomedia. In A New Eusebius: Documents Church. Fourth ed. New York: Thomas Charles Taze Russell started up a small Illustrative of the History of the Church to A.D. Nelson and Sons, 1942. Bible study group that quickly grew 337. Edited by J. Stevenson, 344–45. 1957. in popularity. He rejected traditional Reprint, London: SPCK, 1983. Smith, Uriah. Daniel and the Revelation. Christian doctrines such as the Trinity 1897. Reprint, Nashville: Southern Publishing Baker, Robert A. A Summary of Christian His- and suggested that Jesus was resurrected Association, 1907. tory. rev. ed. Nashville: B & H Publishers, 1994. as a spirit creature rather than in the Watch Tower Bible and Tract Society of flesh.27 After Russell’s death, Judge Joseph Bull, Malcolm and Keith Lockhart. Seeking a Pennsylvania, Jehovah’s Witnesses: Organized Rutherford took over leadership of the Sanctuary: Seventh-day Adventism and the to Share the Good News. Brooklyn: Watch fledgling religious group and renamed American Dream. San Francisco: Harper & Tower Bible and Tract Society of New York, them Jehovah’s Witnesses.28 With a strong Row, 1989. 1993. missionary focus and branches around Cairns, Earl E. Christianity Through the Centu- ______. the world, Jehovah’s Witnesses have since ries: A History of the Christian Church. Second Reasoning from the Scriptures. Brooklyn: established themselves as one of the Edition. Grand Rapids: Zondervan, 1981. Watch Tower Bible and Tract Society of New fastest growing religious organizations in Hanson, R. P. C. The Search for the Christian York, 1989. the world.29 The worldwide influence of Doctrine of God: The Arian Controversy ______. Should Jehovah’s Witnesses means that Arianism 318–381. Edinburgh: T & T Clark, 1988. You Believe in the Trinity? Halton Hills: Watch is more widespread than ever before. Lane, Tony. A Concise History of Christian Tower Bible and Tract Society of Canada, While earlier Arians often tried to Thought. Grand Rapids: Baker Academic, 2006. 1989. downplay their belief that Jesus was a created being, Jehovah’s Witnesses are Noll, Mark A. Turning Points: Decisive ______. What Does the Bible Really Teach? Brooklyn: Watch more than willing to proclaim it openly: Moments in the History of Christianity. Grand Rapids: Baker Books, 1997. Tower Bible and Tract Society of New York, 2005. Is the firstborn Son equal to God, as some believe? That is not what the Bible teaches. As we noted in the preceding paragraph, the Son was created. Obvi- (Psalm 90:2). The only-begotten Son According to Jehovah’s Witnesses, Jesus ously, then, he had a beginning, whereas never even considered trying to be equal was created a long time ago by God and Jehovah God has no beginning or end to his Father.30 was originally known as Michael the Archangel. He then became a perfect man who lived and died on Earth. After 27 Watch Tower Bible and Tract Society of Pennsylvania, Jehovah’s Witnesses: Proclaimers of his death, Jesus was transformed into a God’s Kingdom (Brooklyn: Watch Tower Bible and Tract Society of New York, 1993), 42–45. spirit creature who now lives with God 28 Ibid., 152–58. in heaven.31 When making their case that 29 Ibid., 515–20. Jesus was a created being, Jehovah’s Wit- ness arguments are strikingly similarly to 30 Watch Tower Bible and Tract Society of Pennsylvania, What Does the Bible Really Teach?, (Brooklyn: Watch Tower Bible and Tract Society of New York, 2005), 41–42. that of the Homoian Arians who relied extensively on a literal interpretation of 31 Ibid., 42–46. Bible verses that spoke about the inferior- 32 Watch Tower Bible and Tract Society of Pennsylvania, Should You Believe in the Trinity? ity of Jesus compared to God the Father.32 (Halton Hills: Watch Tower Bible and Tract Society of Canada, 1989), 16–20.

16 Theodidaktos Jehovah’s Witnesses also have ready- enquire into this. As the God who is step and officially proclaimed that there made explanations for passages that over all is God with the article, not was a time in the past when Jesus did not appear to affirm Christ’s divinity. For without it, so “the Logos” is the source exist. Even though Arianism was officially example, when dealing with John 1:1, of that reason (Logos) which dwells in rejected at the Council of Nicaea in 325 Jehovah’s Witnesses argue that the lack every reasonable creature.34 C.E., it did not fade away. It came back in of a definite article before the second various forms throughout the centuries, occurrence of the word theos (God) shows In fact, virtually every argument used culminating with its most recent that Jesus may have been godlike, but he by Jehovah’s Witnesses to defend their manifestation in Jehovah’s Witnesses. was not God himself.33 This is strikingly Arian position has been used in the past. The ongoing presence of the Arian similar to what Origen said about this Because few Jehovah’s Witnesses have heresy means that contemporary passage centuries earlier: earned scholarly credentials in fields Christians cannot afford to be complacent such as biblical studies, they are heavily in the area of correct doctrine. While He [John] adds the article to the Logos, dependent on the writings of previous some Christians may think that ancient but to the name of God he adds it Arian theologians. doctrinal disputes have little relevance sometimes only. He uses the article, Unfortunately, the lack of scholarly to modern-day Christian life, the when the name of God refers to the support for their position has not slowed reality is that Christians throughout the uncreated cause of all things, and omits the growth rate of Jehovah’s Witnesses. By centuries fought hard to come to a proper it when the Logos is named God. Does all indications, Jehovah’s Witnesses plan understanding of the nature of Christ. the same difference which we observe to continue promoting their Arian version As 1 Peter 3:15 states, Christians should between God with the article and God of the gospel. This means that the Arian always be prepared to give an answer to without it prevail also between the heresy is likely to spread in the future. anyone who asks them to give a reason Logos with it and without it? We must for the faith that they have. While it is Conclusion unnecessary to memorize precise answers Arianism is one of the oldest and most to every question that could be raised 33 Watch Tower Bible and Tract Society of pervasive heresies in Christian history. by modern-day Arians such as Jehovah’s Pennsylvania, Reasoning from the Scriptures, (Brooklyn: Much of the intellectual groundwork for Witnesses, all Christians should have a Watch Tower Bible and Tract Society of New York, 1985), 212. this heresy was laid by Origen, although basic understanding of why they believe he did not believe Jesus was a created that Jesus Christ is fully equal to God the 34 Origen, 2.2. being himself. Arius then took the next Father. O

Benefit of the Doubt: Breaking the Idol of Certainty, Gregory Boyd (Baker, 2013). $19 CDN. 268 pp. ISBN 9780801014925. Reviewed by Jacob Enns, lead pastor of Leamington EMC. He holds a three-year diploma from Aylmer Bible School and a BA from Steinbach Bible College.

OYD’S FOCUS IN HIS The book is divided into three parts: Bbook is to present a view of faith, False Faith, Truth Faith and Exercising where faith is not the object of certainty, Faith. Boyd goes into great length but where faith is the means through describing his journey to faith, away which he holds on to the one who he is from faith and back again to a different certain about, namely “Jesus Christ and understanding of faith. him crucified” (12). He discovered that Early on he writes about sharing his seeking certainty is risky, and to engage certainty about creation in university with the certainty-seeking journey means his class and professor. It didn’t work and being open to doubt. he was affected negatively. He allowed

Theodidaktos 17 that and similar experiences to shape his Simply because a person’s mind cannot While certainty must not be the focus, spiritual walk away from his faith; his comprehend or grasp a teaching of scrip- one must, however, again recognize that it confidence in certainty was shaken to the ture does not mean it should be modified is the certainty built into the relationship very foundations of his faith, which he to fit one’s understanding and feelings or that gives it strength. Another way to put later concluded were wrong to begin with. popular culture. it is, trust and certainty do go together. Is He later realized how he had allowed Throughout the book Boyd aims at there such a thing as uncertain trust? man-made certainties to override what steering clear of staking certainty on Boyd points out the importance of not he now believes scripture actually does beliefs and the dangers of doing so. He treating the Bible like a legal textbook, teach. He began his journey back to faith. mentions wars and blood baths have but rather treating it as a book pointing to Only now his faith became the vehicle been carried out by people who were a God seeking a covenantal relationship where certainty focused not on faith, “certain” in their religious causes and with his bride, the Church. Boyd writes but on Christ as the object of his faith. beliefs (48–49). He is right in that it that this will likely surprise some of his He describes himself now as being in a happened. But he does not mention how readers, but he asks them to hear him place where he doesn’t have faith in faith numerous dictatorial regimes, having out as he explains himself: “The all- anymore, but in the one to whom his faith been controlled by fear and certainty in important center of the Christian faith is pointed. doubt, were led to acts of bloodshed that not anything we believe; it’s the person of Boyd’s journey away from faith can far exceeded that of any religious group Jesus Christ…Everything began to change be viewed as an act of grace from God, that has ever existed. for me several decades ago when I began through which he was brought away Over the centuries Christians have to realize that I didn’t need to rely on the from an idolatrous worshipping of faith suffered and are still dying for their faith Bible as the inspired word of God in order to practicing a faith that rested on a because of certainty in their beliefs— to enter a relationship with Christ” (159). relationship with Christ. especially the Early Church, and the Really? Boyd does a good job in pointing Reformation period, and now in some of One can only imagine what kind out the fallacy of worshipping ideas and the communist countries. They trusted in license this may eventually provide for tradition instead of the one to whom the certainty of their mandate from Christ any and every type of faith position out the ideas and tradition should point. and have gone, and many still are going, there. Imagine Paul or the other apostles However, having now read this book, to heroic efforts to alleviate poverty and saying that, or any of our Anabaptist his book God of the Possible: a Biblical suffering, and to spread the good news. forebears who staked their very lives Introduction to the Open View of God They are doing more than any other belief on the words of Jesus they considered (Baker, 2000), and having listened to or religious group—all of that because they inspired. I wonder: did Jesus use Scripture some of his preaching online, I have are certain in what and who they believe. the way Boyd uses it? I don’t believe so. concerns. My concern is that in his Boyd rightly points out the Christian denominations are writing he is giving modern schools of importance of recognizing the idolatry increasingly questioning biblical authority thought and culture too much ground of the quest of certainty in one’s life. and making room for culture to have at the expense of biblical truths that the Certainty cannot become the object a voice in what Scripture should mean Church has held for millennia. of focus. And certainty should not be for us today. What Boyd does say to his Human reason is playing a very key worshipped. But I do believe certainty credit, is he believes in “Jesus Christ and role here. Boyd uses feelings as the bench- must exist. him crucified.” That is good. But when mark or reference point from which he He uses the marriage relationship using reason and science as the lenses arrives at some of his conclusions (37–38). analogy to illustrate his position. When with which to dissect and interpret he married his wife Scripture, where does that stop? Did the it was not about the apostles take their theology where Boyd Boyd rightly points out the importance certainty quest, but does his? Were not the apostles “certain” of recognizing the idolatry of the quest the commitment to a of the reality of the teachings of Jesus? relationship (76-68). When different interpretations of of certainty in one’s life. Certainty can- However, we should not Scripture start gaining equal value not become the object of focus. But I do have relationships with and acceptance, the very margins that our beliefs. Rather our allowed for these variations will erode believe certainty must exist. beliefs must support the foundations on which the whole our relationships. belief rests, causing it to disintegrate and

18 Theodidaktos crumble. The histories of the ancient the cross will move from a historic fact (it wrote: “Jesus Christ and Him crucified.” kingdoms of Israel and Judah are good may remain a fact) and will be relegated But we must remember it was to fulfill examples. to just one tradition of many, with no scripture that Jesus went to the cross. Today, cultural relevance and personal significant value over any other faith or Jesus said, “Heaven and earth would pass feelings have, in the name of relevance belief that is out there (uncertainty). In away, but my words will never pass away” and grace, become more important than other words, people will not need to (Matt. 24:35), meaning scripture. That is truth. There is a steady, continuing drift worship Jesus as Lord any more to be certainty. If the words of scripture are not with no end in sight. As much as we all saved. There will be other “Christian” that certain, is perhaps the cross not that enjoy good feelings and just getting along, ways. Slowly Jesus will more and more necessary? feelings and reason cannot be allowed to become one way of many. Reading Benefit of the Doubt, Breaking be the benchmark from where we accept Malcolme Muggeridge, a British the Idol of Certainty by Gregory Boyd was, or deny something as true or certain. journalist, in 1968 attended the World for me, a bumpy ride. I enjoyed much of Our Anabaptist forebears certainly didn’t. Council of Churches in Uppsala, Sweden. it, but in the end come away with a sense When feelings are allowed to override He later wrote: “At Uppsala, as one clearly of uncertainty and concern. Jolting the truth, grace becomes cheap and truth saw, they were able to agree about almost reader was perhaps the author’s intent. becomes shallow. We must believe and anything because they believed almost In some areas of Boyd’s thinking, his trust that Jesus was certain mistrust of certainty in feelings, when he said: “I will build systems, dogmas, resonates with my church and the gates of Reading Benefit of the Doubt, Breaking me, and I agree with him. Idol hell will not prevail against the Idol of Certainty by Gregory Boyd worship in the name of holiness it” (Matt. 16:18). And that has been practiced by many includes all of the audacious was, for me, a bumpy ride. I enjoyed churches over the centuries. claims Jesus made. much of it, but in the end come away It needs to be challenged and But with Boyd’s approach rejected. But in some areas, to Scripture that perhaps with a sense of uncertainty and concern. especially on the certainty of the records don’t have to be scripture, I seriously question inspired, how do we know some of his views about Jesus actually said what the written record nothing.” It seemed that for those who uncertainty. says he did? When using a road map were gathered there, the less certainty It is noteworthy that he is not afraid to find directions, the person believes there was, the better. They had to be to be a singular voice out there. He comes the map is certain, and trusts that map uncertain about much in order to agree across as honest and genuine. I commend regardless of personal feelings or any on anything. him for his courage. But courage by itself other influence. We must retain certainty Imagine an army going to war with is not an indicator of going in the right without it being the focus. that kind of uncertainty! It would be direction. It seems for Boyd, in his early life chaos. On the other hand, imagine our I would suggest this book as a study certainty had become an obsession by forebears during the Reformation dying project for those who are serious about which he measured his own spiritual at the stake for, among other things, wrestling with their faith and the risks security and it kept falling down. He left refusing to baptize babies and believing of trusting in faith rather than the one the faith, but since he has come back he in transubstantiation and holding to their to whom faith points. Even though I has decided to trim down his boundaries pacifist views. It was not their faith in don’t agree with Boyd in some of what of certainty because it does not fit Christ that was the problem (the Roman he writes, I do appreciate his honesty. with reason or science, and some of it Catholic Church believed in Christ too), He has written about his journey, and I with feelings. I wonder as the religious but their certainty in how they practiced have learned from him. My advice to the landscape changes, what will he trim it that got them killed! reader is to read carefully, but keep Christ down next? The landscape of religious certainty and treat Christ’s words as certain. O It is not a very big step from where has changed, and Boyd claims he Boyd is in his book, to where the story of maintains his certainty in what Paul

Theodidaktos 19 Feature Sermon

Psalm 44:1–26, Mark 8:31–38, Romans 8:28–39 When God Fails His People

Terry M. Smith

Terry M. Smith (EFC Steinbach) is an ordained EMC minister. He holds a two-year journalism diploma (SAIT), BRS degrees (SBC and MBBC) and an MA, Christian Studies (PTS). This sermon was presented on Aug. 12, 2012, at Blumenort EMC, in southern Man., during the year of the EMC’s bicentennial.

“Awake, O Lord! Why do you sleep? Rouse I. Salutation/Rehearsal (1-4) Look at wonderful verse 8: “In God we yourself! Do not reject us forever. Why do Psalm 44 starts off nicely. It begins with a make our boast all day long, and we will you hide your face and forget our misery greeting to God. There is a relationship: praise your name forever.” The nation is and oppression? We are brought down to “O God” (1), “my King and my God” openly dependent upon God. the dust; our bodies cling to the ground. (4), “O Lord” (23). Atheists do not write Rise up and help us; redeem us because of Psalms to God, questioning his inaction Creed and Creation your unfailing love” (Psalm 44:23–26). and desiring action. God is God, King, Claus Westermann says that here we have and Lord—the Divine Ruler of the a historical creed. Here is faith rooted ECAUSE THE nation. Yes, Israel has a relationship. It is a in the God of history. When we say we Brevelation of God is first in the covenant people with a history stretching believe the Bible, what do we mean? The Old Testament, we have a Psalm from back many centuries. Bible did not drop down from heaven; it the Hebrew Bible. Because revelation The Psalm moves quickly to remember reveals the actions of God upon the earth. centres in Christ, we have a reading from God’s deeds: “We have heard with our It is an inspired record of God’s actions in the gospels. Finally, because the Church ears, O God; our fathers have told us what history and an inspired reflection on that reflects on Christ, we have a reading from you did in their days, in days long ago” history. It is the written word of God. the Book of Romans. Together these (v. 1). The writer of the psalm, and the Most of us here are Gentiles—non- passages present us with a question: what nation, are from a later generation; they Jews, members of the nations. Why do we shall we do when God fails His people? are not eyewitnesses. Gentiles study ancient Hebrew writings? The deliverance from Egypt is not It is because God intervened in history National Lament mentioned, but the conquest of Canaan, to deliver Israel out of Egypt—that’s the Psalm 44 is a national lament. It is a settlement, and prosperity are: “With your central event in the Old Testament. corporate expression of grief, distress, and hand you drove out the nations and planted How many of us know biblical regret. It represents the cry of a nation, not our fathers; you crushed the peoples and history better than our family history an individual. It is a poem written mostly made our fathers flourish” (v. 2). or Canadian history? Why do we read in “we” language. There is some “I” and The Psalmist is clear to whom goes the translations of ancient Greek writings? “my” language in this Psalm, but there are credit for such blessings: “It was not by It’s because our Lord Jesus Christ was more references to “our” and “us.” their sword that they won the land, nor raised on Easter Sunday. If God had not The proper setting for use of Psalm did their arm bring them victory. It was intervened in history by raising Jesus, 44 is in a public gathering, rather than your right hand, your arm and the light there would be no New Testament. our private devotions. The Psalm is of your face, for you loved them” (v. 3)— Recently our Conference has been a corporate voice, the community of credit is given to God, not military might. discussing creation. Some people might faith speaking to God about how he is In verse 4 you are my King and my say, “Unless I can believe Genesis 1 and 2 responsible for its pain, confusion, and God. In verses 5, 6, and 7 the thought is are to be interpreted in a particular way, disappointment. repeated: God is one who gives victories. I cannot trust any of the Bible.” I gently

20 Theodidaktos As part of the people of God, we are inseparably linked to the history of God’s actions.

suggest that we can trust Genesis 1 and 2 more than our personal interpretation of it. I also suggest that we need to give more attention to how God has acted in history. Jesus is the centre of human history, as Oscar Cullman says. Because of the COMMONS WIKIMEDIA Exodus and the Resurrection, because God The Israelites safely cross the Red Sea, but Pharaoh and his troops are drowned. Artwork by has intervened within history, we are to Bartolo di Fredi (1330–1409). follow Jesus. Then, as we follow Jesus, we are invited to, and dare to, study the edges reproach (13), scorned among the nations time of spiritual crisis. When the nation of time—creation and the future. We start (14). “My disgrace is before me all day was conquered and God’s people taken at the centre in Christ and from him move long, and my face is covered in shame away, Israel’s God was defeated—that’s to the edges of time, not from the edges in. at the taunts of those who reproach and what other nations would claim. What did Paul say was of first revile me” (15–16). The people appeared to be abandoned. importance? That Christ died for our sins Notice, the nation does not confess God’s promise of an eternal throne of according to the Scriptures, that he was its sins; God is being confronted with his David seemed empty. The people of God buried, that he was raised on the third day neglect. As Westermann puts it, the nation were swept away by a nation that did not according to the Scriptures, and that he says it is falsely accused. So what do we honour the God of Israel. The people of appeared (1 Cor. 15:1–6). have here? Does God sometimes neglect God faced the physical trauma of being As part of the people of God, we are his people? Is this entire nation’s situation uprooted, the mental distress of the inseparably linked to the history of God’s similar to that of Job, where the truly in- horrors they had seen, and the spiritual actions, as Psalm 44 reminds us. We nocent suffers? Or do we have a nation that shock of being rejected by God who had treasure this holy, revealing history. claims innocence when it is actually guilty? called their nation into being.

II. Complaints Amid Claims Setting Innocence (5–22) Scholars do not agree on the setting In response to this rejection, Psalm 44 Yet it is precisely because of this history, of this Psalm. Does it reflect the exile has a claim of innocence. We had not these past actions of God, that the nation suffered by the Northern Kingdom of forgotten you or been false (17). Our is puzzled. Because of its trust, it is in Israel, taken to Assyria and elsewhere? hearts and feet were true (18). If we had trouble. Because of its trouble, it brings Or does it reflect when the Southern forgotten, would God not know? (20–21). its complaint to God—a petition with Kingdom of Judah was taken to Babylon? This Psalmist, representing the nation and reasons as Westermann calls it. He says Or is it of a lesser tragedy? speaking to God, claims innocence for the people complain in three ways: you, Verse 11 says, “You have given us God’s people. us, and them. You have mistreated us. We up to be devoured like sheep and have Yet the prophets, speaking for God have not done anything wrong. Yet you scattered us among the nations.” Verse and yet part of the nation, spoke quite allowed them to defeat us and shame us. 20 says you crushed us and made us a differently. As Rabbi Gunther Plaut What troubles do they have? You haunt for jackals and darkness. This fits says, the prophets were the nation’s holy no longer go out with our armies (9). with a national defeat and a scattering of accusers.The prophets said both the You made us retreat and we have been people—an experience of exile. I hold that northern and southern kingdoms went plundered (10). We are as sheep to be it relates to the scattering of the Northern into exile because of unfaithfulness. devoured, scattered among the nations Kingdom of Israel by Assyria and the The people lacked holiness. They had (11). We were sold for a pittance, for psalmist is among those left in the land. worshipped other gods and ignored the no real gain (12). You have made us a What is clear is that the exile was a need for social justice.

Theodidaktos 21 If this is a Psalm written during the Judenstrasse—“Jews’ Street,” where Jews would come after me, he must deny Exile, we have an honest, open, divinely had lived prior to World War Two. City himself and take up his cross and follow preserved record of a hurting, puzzled authorities had erected a small memorial me” (8:34). We are to follow Jesus, people who continues to misjudge itself. to murdered Jews of the city. bringing along the cross—precisely what Is it possible for a nation to misjudge The inscription was from Psalm 44: will be used to cause our death. itself? Yes, any nation that seeks to take “All this has come upon us, though we over the world reaches beyond itself— have not forgotten you, or been false to Here to Do God’s Will as did the ancient Greeks, Romans, your covenant. Because of you we are Jesus reminds us that we are here to do Babylonians, and others. killed all day long, and counted as sheep God’s will; God is not here to do ours. Fol- The modern colonizing powers— for the slaughter” (22). lowing Jesus is to be our ultimate value for England, Spain, Portugal, France among According to Rabbi Emil Fackenheim, which we are prepared to sacrifice all else. them—were misled. Nazi Germany in the law in Germany in the 1930s We begin attending worship services the Second World War misjudged itself. considered a person Jewish if they had a for many reasons. Many of us enter to see Today, the United States of America, grandparent who was Jewish. Fackenheim if we can get what we want from God. We Russia, and China can misunderstand reminds us that one million Jewish properly want what is good for us and for their roles. Can Canada misjudge its role children died in World War Two, not our children. in the world? Yes. because they were unfaithful, but because But with time our reasons get sifted and Please remember that Israel as a their great-grandparents had faithfully shifted. Ultimately, we are here because nation had an actual covenant with God. identified themselves as Jews. God is God and we are not, and it is proper When some nations today claim such a that we follow Him no matter what. relationship, they can be misguided. Bicentennial Jesus said, “What good is it for a The EM Conference is in our Bicentennial man to gain the whole world, yet forfeit Byword year. The KG moved from Russia in 1874– his soul? Or what shall a man give in In verse 14 it says that the people of God 75 and, as Dr. Harvey Plett has written, the exchange for his soul? If any man is have become a byword—a swear word, a move spared the KG from going through ashamed of me and my words in this term of scorn. Paul would say centuries the Russian Revolution. In the Revolution sinful and adulterous nation, the Son of later that because of the unfaithfulness of many Mennonites suffered horribly and Man will be ashamed of him when he Jewish people, Gentiles blasphemed God’s died. For those Mennonites who were sent comes in his Father’s glory with the holy name (Rom. 2:24). to Siberia, it was an exile experience. How angels” (Mark 8:36–38). Today in Canada, because of the did they look on God? What did they Sometimes people will reject us. Even confusion of Christianity and western think about their guilt or innocence? We so, we are called to keep following Jesus. civilization, of colonialism and the are to avoid simple judgments. Paul said, “We must go through many residential school history, many First Earlier, part of Romans 8 was read. hardships to enter the kingdom of God” Nations people are wary of the Church. Verses 28 to 30 speak of God’s plan. Verses (Acts 14:22). What did Jesus say? “All As thoughtful Christians today, we cannot 31 to 34 emphasize how God is for us. men will hate you because of Me, but he go into First Nations communities and Verses 35 to 39 remind us nothing can who stands firm to the end will be saved” proclaim the gospel as if this painful separate us from God’s love: “Who shall (Matt. 10:22). history has not occurred. We are not separate us from the love of Christ? Shall Today in Nigeria Christians still die innocent of what took place. trouble or hardship or persecution or when their church gatherings are attacked. However, some people who use Psalm famine or nakedness or danger or sword?” Christians are leaving the Middle East. 44 are innocent. Rabbi Abraham Heschel, This passage directly relates to Psalm They are vulnerable in Syria. Christians a friend reminded me, applied part of this 44 because Paul quotes from verse 22: died in concentration camps during World Psalm to “the martyrs,” to the six million “For your sake we face death all day War Two. Protestants were martyred in Jewish men, women, and children who long; we are considered as sheep to be the Reformation. Catholics died in 16th- died in the Holocaust during the Second slaughtered.” Paul reminds the Church in and 17th-century Japan. Paul was killed in World War. Rome of the reality of suffering. Do we Rome; Peter was crucified upside down Joel Marcus is a Christian of Jewish need the reminder? outside of it. We are vulnerable, for we descent, a New Testament scholar who In Mark 8, also read earlier, the follow One who was crucified. remains Jewish. In 1987 he was in possibility of suffering as Christians Yet we have comfort. When were you Gottingen, Germany, where he saw a sign: comes out clearly. Jesus said, “If anyone saved? Some people might say: at youth

22 Theodidaktos group, at camp, within our parents’ home. belief. God is precisely the One to Whom prayer continuing to look to God and to When Swiss scholar Karl Barth was asked we, as a community, should come with our believe in his unfailing love. when he was saved, he said it happened questions. Questions placed before God on a hill outside of Jerusalem in about can be a sign of faithfulness. Conclusion A.D. 34. On an ugly hill called Golgotha, Jesus said, “My God, My God, why As a community, what is our response? the Place of the Skull, God in Christ acted have you forsaken Me?” (Matt. 27:46). There’s a story I had thought about quite to save us. This is our comfort. Paul in Yet Jesus was faithful. The martyrs in a while ago when preparing for this Romans 8 reminds us that we are both Revelation 6 ask, “How long, Sovereign message; Joel Marcus also mentioned it. vulnerable and safe as we follow the One Lord, holy and true, until you judge the Elie Wiesel was a teenager when he and who was Crucified and Risen. inhabitants of the earth and avenge our his father were placed in a concentration blood?” (Rev. 6:10). Yet the martyrs were camp at Auschwitz. Only Elie survived. III. A Bold Plea Amid God’s faithful. It is because of the covenant with Wiesel says Jews in Auschwitz decided to Inaction (22–26) God that Jews—and the Church—can put God on trial (Din Torah). Even as we follow, though, we can be petition God. The judges were three Talmudic puzzled by the inaction of God. Yet for We need to allow the community to scholars. Witnesses were called and your sake we are killed all day long, we express its feelings and not try to quickly evidence taken. Finally, God was found are sheep to be slaughtered (22). Awake! move people into how we think they guilty of crimes against creation and Why do you sleep? Rouse yourself! Do ought to feel. When I was a pastor in humankind. There was a time of silence. not reject us forever (23). Why Then the scholars looked at the sky and do you hide your face and forget said, “It’s time for evening prayers.” our misery and oppression? (24). We need to allow the community They prayed to the One whom they Did Mennonites who suffered had just convicted. Jesus said, “Father, under Stalin feel forgotten? to express its feelings and not try into your hands I commit my spirit” Joseph Sebarenzi in 2009 wrote to quickly move people into how (Luke 23:46)—he prayed to the One by a book God Sleeps in Rwanda, whom he had felt forsaken. And we, we where Christians killed each we think they ought to feel. pray to Jesus, the One who was Crucified, other because they were Hutu or the One whom we crucified and yet who Tutsi. That God and his angels is our hope! Jesus, crucified and risen! Let sleep, I suspect, was a common thought northern Sask,, a man shot and killed us pray! O during World Wars One and Two. one young woman; he also wounded and kidnapped her sister. A pastor wisely Joel Marcus decided to hold a community service Key Resources Remember Joel Marcus, the New Testa- and people came. Later, I overheard two ment scholar, a Christian and a Jew? He women talking. One said the service Fackenheim, Emil L. God’s Presence returned to the memorial on Judenstrasse. had not helped her; I suspect it had not in History: Jewish Affirmations and He again read the inscription and began to spoken to her anger. Philosophical Reflections (New York: cry. “How can people just go about their Beyond the questions and strong Harper Torchbooks, 1970). daily business as if nothing had happened emotion of Psalm 44, there is an here?” he thought. “How can life go on expression of confidence: “In God we Marcus, Joel. Jesus and the Holocaust: as normal in a place where the ground is make our boast all day long, and we will Reflections on Suffering and Hope so soaked with blood, where there are so praise your name forever” (8). We see it (Doubleday, 1997). many ghosts of murdered men, women, again in the final two verses. In verse 25 and children floating around? Why doesn’t there is a summary of their hurt: We are Plaut, W. Gunther. The Case for the the earth open its mouth and swallow this brought down to dust. And in verse 26 Chosen People (Garden City, NY: place up?” (110–111). there is the request: Rise up and help us. Doubleday, 1965). There is honesty here, an openness of Then comes the confidence. Redeem relationship. Some of the Psalmist’s words us because of your unfailing love (26)— Westermann, Claus. Psalms: Structure, are surprising bold, even crude. Is it wrong God’s unfailing love. The community’s Content, and Message (Minneapolis, to come to God with questions? No, not petition is placed with God; the lament MN: Augsburg, 1980). when it’s like this: a sign of continued is left in his hands. The nation ends its

Theodidaktos 23 The Final Word

OVE WITHOUT TRUTH IS Lsentimentality; it supports and affirms us but keeps us in denial about our flaws. Truth without love is harshness; it gives us information but in such a way that we cannot really hear it. God’s saving love in Christ, however, is marked by both radical truthfulness about who we are and yet also radical, unconditional commitment to us. The merciful commitment strengthens us to see the truth about ourselves and repent. The conviction and repentance moves us to cling to and rest in God’s mercy and grace. — Timothy Keller

From The Meaning of Marriage: Facing the Complexities of Commitment with the Wisdom of God (Dutton Adult, 2011).

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24 Theodidaktos