Critique #5 - 2003 2 Dialogue Re: Ritual Hen Discussing Ritual [“The Value of the Language and Symbolism of a Culture
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Issue #5 - 2003 A Publication of Ransom Fellowship CritiqueHelping Christians Develop Skill in Discernment In This Issue 04 QuestionsThe Discerning Since 9/11 Life Grappling with questions of war, money, AIDs, Bono, and how our lives have really changed. 05 RecapturingOut of Their the Imagination Minds An excerpt from Michael Card’s Scribbling in the Sand. 12 06 IsThe it Real Darkened or Is it Memorex Room? A review of The Matrix: Reloaded. 09 TheResources Lament of Hope in Grief The death of a loved one can send even the strongest Christian reeling. Reviews of two helpful books: Grieving a Suicide and A Grief Sanctified. 10 MeticulousPaper and Renderings Canvas of Glory Bruce Bezaire. An artist worth knowing. Art worth reflecting upon. And dare we 02 Editor’s Note say it? Art worth owning. 03 Dialogue 14 ATuned Melodious In Cry of Grace A review of 16 Horsepower’s Secret South and Folklore, and David Eugene Edwards’ first solo effort, Woven Hand. Critique Issue #5 - 2003 Editor Denis Haack Managing Editor Marsena Konkle Editor’sNote Contributing Editors Jennifer Disney, Steven Garber, R. Greg Grooms, Donald Neo-pagan sexuality. Guthrie, John Mason Hodges, Preston Jones, David John Seel, Jr., he sex scene in Neo-paganism as a world view involves a Andrew H. Trotter, Jr. The Matrix: reverence for nature, an intimate expression of T Reloaded is our connections with nature and with the divin- Board of Directors lengthy, its impact ity (male and female) which is immanent within Steven Garber increased by the pul- it. Thus neo-pagans desire to be in tune with Lilly Faculty Scholar sating drum score the seasons, the cycles of life and death within at Calvin College which accompanies it. nature. Fertility rites and sacred prostitution Donald Guthrie It was not created to were part of pagan worship in the ancient world Vice President for be missed. Some view- because it was believed that such rituals made Academics at Covenant ers are surprised by it, them one with one another and with nature, Theological Seminary though Larry and which aligned human life with the ongoing Denis and Margie Haack Andy Wachowski’s earlier (1996) film, Bound cycles of the universe and the fertility of the co-founders of Ransom Fellowship should have prepared us for it. It is easy to dis- land. Seen in this light, the orgy in the temple miss it as gratuitous, insignificant to the meaning in Zion shows the human race doing the one Rev. Ed Hague Pastor, Presbyterian Church in America of the film and included merely to pander to the thing that machines can not do, the people tastes of a movie-going adolescent audience. That celebrating as their savior, Neo, is united to his Bonnie Liefer strikes me as dubious, however, since surely the consort. Director of Communications Wachowskis knew the film was so highly antici- As I watched the film, I thought of The for Coalition for Christian pated that it did not need sex to entice people to Wickerman which depicts the conflict between Outreach see it. The scene went on far longer than neces- the paganism of the Druids and Christianity. Henry Tazelaar MD sary (not the only scene with that flaw), and Here too, sexuality plays an important role. Professor of Pathology, though we can’t know for sure until Matrix: I am not suggesting that people who see Mayo Medical School Revolutions, I suggest that perhaps it has signifi- Reloaded will seek to frolic with neo-pagans cance for the message of the films. around bonfires in the woods. I would suggest, Submissions The Matrix films are religiously postmodern, however, that for every neo-pagan we meet, Critique considers unsolicited borrowing elements from Eastern religion, pop many more of our neighbors are increasingly manuscripts only for poetry. spirituality, and Christianity. In The Matrix: seduced by ideas and values that are compatible [email protected] Reloaded, the Wachowskis provide us a glimpse of with a neo-pagan perspective. or mail with SASE to: Zion, the last refuge of the human race in the war The true people of Zion must winsomely Critique Managing Editor 406 Bowman Avenue with the machines. The temple/sex scene is cru- counter the misunderstanding that all we believe Madison, WI 53716 cial because it is not only in the heart of Zion, it about sex is “Thou shalt not.” To do that we will has religious meaning as a final assembly to pre- have to first regain a biblical view of human sex- Correspondence pare for the last desperate battle for survival. And uality and of its mysterious relationship to the All other correspondence notice how it is depicted. The temple gathering believer’s “union with Christ,” a reality which and changes of address: begins with a “prayer” followed by a message of will be consummated when our divine Bride- Denis D. Haack hope from Morpheus. Then what begins like a groom returns. ■ 1150 West Center rock concert slowly becomes orgiastic. The film ~Denis Haack Rochester, MN 55902 cuts back and forth between the massive crowd [email protected] gyrating together and Neo and Trinity’s love-mak- ing off by themselves. This is Zion’s preparation Copyright © 2003 by Ransom Fellowship for war, their ritual of worship and unity. I can’t imagine a more powerfully seductive cinematic http://www.ransomfellowship.org image of neo-paganism. Critique #5 - 2003 2 Dialogue Re: ritual hen discussing ritual [“The Value of the language and symbolism of a culture. As a WRitual,” Critique #3 - 2003], meaning Protestant married to a Roman Catholic, I and culture need their place. The have constant opportunities to compare meaning of a ritual is of primary importance; Christian rituals and find deep meanings. I Note our new Dialogue e-mail: when Jones mentions returning to faith or have been delightfully enriched, but those rit- comfort while dying, it is not ritual but mean- uals would be mere habits without time spent [email protected] ing that brings repentance and hope. When we considering their meaning. To twist a famous forget a ritual’s meaning, we may retain the rit- quote, the unexamined ritual is not worth ual but invent a new meaning that fits current repeating. And parents should consider what belief and culture (hence such Christian “urban their church’s rituals say to their children, not legends” as the catechetical properties of “The just themselves. Please ask! You might be sur- Twelve Days of Christmas”). Ritual powerfully prised why they think you do what you do. reminds us of truth; novel meanings attached to Erik Powers rituals, or subtle shifts of meaning, can emascu- Nunn, CO You are invited to take part in late a ritual or make it dangerous. 19th century Critique’s Dialogue. Address all revivalists used the altar call mentioned to com- reston Jones responds: correspondence to: municate the fact that those who seek God now PThanks to Mr. Powers for writing such a can find salvation instantly. In churches where thoughtful letter. The points he makes Marsena Konkle the same 25 people have gathered for the last are good. He is of course correct when he says Critique Managing Editor 25 years, the altar call can wear away at faith. If that it’s “not ritual but meaning that brings 406 Bowman Avenue the preacher, who has known these congregants repentance and hope,” though I don’t fully Madison, WI 53716 for decades, is still uncertain of their place be- agree that the “unexamined ritual” is necessari- fore God, how can anyone be sure of his own ly “not worth repeating.” It seems to me that or e-mail: standing? Doubt about my own standing before the value of even an unexamined ritual lies in [email protected] God plagued me for years, until someone a person’s suddenly finding meaning in an act pointed out that God can be trusted to keep his that had been rote for so long. I think of Unfortunately, we are unable to promises, and he says those who seek him will Evelyn Waugh’s gorgeous novel Brideshead respond personally to all correspon- find him. This 19th-century meaning of the Revisited, where we see apparently empty ritu- dence received, but each one is altar call was not communicated to me in the als setting down roots in people’s lives and, in greatly appreciated. We reserve the 20th, and I say it was a terrible loss. time, helping to bring them back to faith. right to edit letters for length. Ritual does not communicate truth auto- Another novel I’ve read, Thinks by David matically. It is a difficult matter to discern when Lodge, describes a similar phenomenon. In a culture has changed enough that familiar ritu- any event, I think that Mr. Powers’ letter is als need change to accurately reflect truth—not well worth readers’ consideration. merely to our neighbors but even to ourselves. The language of our culture should be carefully reexamined. Otherwise we run the risk of sub- tly shifting our beliefs over time, and anointing novel theologies as “apostolic” because, after all, don’t our ancient rituals so clearly express those ideas? Ritual is not valuable apart from mean- ing, and meaning is communicated through 3 Critique #5 - 2003 The Discerning Life Questions Since 9/11 fter the attack on the World Trade follow-up questions that are also worth more lively if the group includes both Center, Philip Yancey, a contribu- discussion. pacifists and just war proponents. (Mr. A tor to Christianity Today pub- Our conversation about these issues Yancey’s questions are noted here by quo- lished a column of “20 questions that will be enriched if the group is not limit- tation marks.) ■ nag me after September 11.” He is a ed to those who hold identical political ~Denis Haack thoughtful author so his questions war- convictions and commitments.