World Without End

The Late Great Planet Earth: pt 2

The times are different.  Instead of the world that revolved around religious life, we now face an increasingly secular culture.  This could be today, or it could apply to the time when Lindsey wrote this book.  First published in 1970, it references many articles in popular culture from the early to mid 1960’s.  No one will argue that this was a time of drastic change in American culture.

What Mr. Lindsey really speaks about, is the rise in spiritual fascination that is outside of the traditional Christian view in the mid 20th century.  People were becoming fascinated with various forms of Eastern Mysticism, mediums, and a pagan worldview. 

While he argues that this is a new development, it doesn’t take that much research to see that the mystic movement was extremely popular in high society by the 1920’s (Harry Houdini was known for his fascination with Séances) and I think anyone that grew up in Appalachia, or South Louisiana (like I did) understands the popularity of competing spiritual foundations.  The dark side of American wasn’t a new thing, but had transitioned from the backwoods to the mainstream.  It also wasn’t a derivative of folk religion, but completely distanced from Christian thought.  There was an interest in the future, but an alternate way to both know it and live into it.

What he is right about is recognizing that America was entering a Post-Christian state.  In the end of the chapter, Mr. Lindsey writes that what people are interested in is a view of the future in which mankind matters.  This hasn’t changed at all from today.  The chapter is finished with a short focus on Biblical prophecy, written from the standpoint that prophecy is a foundational part of faith.  The truths of Biblical prophecy give a “secure and yet exciting view of his destiny”.

For the most part, I agree with this chapter and how humanity is interested in the future.  Where I do start to leave, is the idea of Biblical Prophecy being a foundational part of Christianity.  If we read the Patristic creeds, or the Protestant Confessions, prophecy was never understood in this manner among Christians.  Revelation (not the book) is found in it’s supremeness in the person of Jesus Christ.

I wish I had the time and energy to spend more time talking about prophecy in this manner, but the short of it is that Old Testament prophecies centered on God’s people and their relationship with him. The prophet was a leader that served as a witness to YHWH in society.  Understanding the highly allegorical role of OT apocalyptic writings (as a genre, not disregarding as Holy Writ) is a complicated manner, and when this is combined with prophetic writings and the prophetic role, a pretty bad combination can be made.

I think Hal Lindsey had a good grasp on popular culture that exists till today, however anyone who interprets scripture has the holy task of continuing God’s word, not finding a new meaning for a new people inside it.  That is the line of danger that many of us face as we teach, write and preach.

Glory be to the Father, Son and Holy Spirit;
As it was in the beginning, is now and ever shall be

The Late Great Planet Earth: pt 1

Diving into a rather complex theological concept presents itself with many questions.  After thinking about writing on Pre-Millennial Dispensationalism for several months, I decided to tackle it from the popular level.  Many people are familiar with this theological idea through the writings of Tim LaHaye and Jerry Jenkins and their “Left Behind” series.  These books are very fictionalized and a large series, so it would take a long time to walk through them.

I decided a few weeks ago to blog through The Late Great Planet Earth, because it was a monumental book, and heavily influenced late modern Western thought.  It came out at the back end of the Cold War, and America started focusing on the Middle East in several arena’s.  While many younger people today haven’t read it, this book was the primary point of influence for many in Evangelicalism.

So over the next couple of weeks, I want to read, blog, and write through it.  I hope this rises questions and causes us to think about our eschatology in light of the cross, placing the person of Jesus Christ at the center of our belief on and in the End.

Glory be to the Father, Son and Holy Spirit;
As it was in the beginning, is now and ever shall be

Link Post from Ancient Hebrew Poetry

A friend sent me a link to this great post from the Ancient Hebrew Poetry Blog entitled "Why history and eschatology are species of the same genre".  I found it a great read.  I hope you do too.

Forming an Eschatological Community: Holiness

Holiness (and its cousin Righteousness) don't get enough lip service in most church circles.  There was also a time that I wouldn't put the biblical idea of Holiness (especially of קֹּדֶשׁ ) in with most discussions of eschatology.  But there is a first time for everything. 

How does Holiness speak of the eschatological community?  Does it not identify God's people?  Holiness is the marker through the scriptures for the people that have been granted life in the kingdom, and the neglect of holiness also is a marker for those who are outside.  Holiness also speaks about peace, a peace existing in the created order that only makes sense in the domain of God.  It is an Edenic peace, that speaks to the fear that exists outside of Holiness.  So part of God's people, and their Holiness, is an effort towards the economy of God-in which all things are on a different plane than in the "City of Man" (as St. Augustine speaks).

We recognize that we as the Church are on a journey towards God.  This isn't a mind concept speaking of individual spiritual enlightenment, but a worshiping, communal body.  We are God's people, existing in a world that is foreign to our Lord.  The Holy Spirit is the grasping touch of the Father that keeps us strong, through encouragement and comfort.  We are on a path out of a place in which we don't belong.  The ultimate goal is a paradox, a journey in which we will dwell in a newly established kingdom on Earth, a restored creation.

So lets close with this chapter from Isaiah 35 (NLT).

     Even the wilderness and desert will be glad in those days.
         The wasteland will rejoice and blossom with spring crocuses.
    Yes, there will be an abundance of flowers
         and singing and joy!
     The deserts will become as green as the mountains of Lebanon,
         as lovely as Mount Carmel or the plain of Sharon.
     There the LORD will display his glory,
         the splendor of our God.
  With this news, strengthen those who have tired hands,
         and encourage those who have weak knees.
  Say to those with fearful hearts,
         “Be strong, and do not fear,
     for your God is coming to destroy your enemies.
         He is coming to save you.”
    And when he comes, he will open the eyes of the blind
         and unplug the ears of the deaf.
   The lame will leap like a deer,
         and those who cannot speak will sing for joy!
     Springs will gush forth in the wilderness,
         and streams will water the wasteland.
      The parched ground will become a pool,
         and springs of water will satisfy the thirsty land.
     Marsh grass and reeds and rushes will flourish
         where desert jackals once lived.
   And a great road will go through that once deserted land.
         It will be named the Highway of Holiness.
     Evil-minded people will never travel on it.
         It will be only for those who walk in God’s ways;
         fools will never walk there.
 Lions will not lurk along its course,
         nor any other ferocious beasts.
     There will be no other dangers.
         Only the redeemed will walk on it.
   Those who have been ransomed by the LORD will return.
         They will enter Jerusalem singing,
         crowned with everlasting joy.
     Sorrow and mourning will disappear,
         and they will be filled with joy and gladness. 

Glory be to the Father, Son and Holy Spirit;
As it was in the beginning, is now and ever shall be

Look what came in the Mail today!!!

This came in the mail this morning.  I have actually never read The Late Great Planet Earth

It started contemporary America's fascination with Apocalyptic thought that led eventually to the best selling "Left Behind" series. 

I have decided to start reading/blogging through it over the next few weeks (starting next monday).  I don't want to critique it, as much as engage with it.  This does mean some investigation as to how it uses scripture and how it engages with theology.

So head to amazon and pick up a cheap copy of it and get ready to read through it with me.

Glory be to the Father, Son and Holy Spirit;
As it was in the beginning, is now and ever shall be

Forming an Eschatological Community: Taking the Book Back

As a worship designer, I often point folk to the Vanderbilt Lectionary website (an online RCL help), to find scripture to use throughout a service.  This is great even if they are in a thematic service, because it will allow them to have a wide spread of scripture available to them.

You might have noticed that the Easter readings for this year take people through five passages in Revelation. These happen to be five of my favorite parts of the book  This is a great way to jump into Revelation for the first time.

Just last night I was having a conversation with a friend and mentioned that much of my fascination with Revelation is the deep desire to help the church take back this book.  I really think I went for at least 18 years without a sermon or lesson on Revelation.  This is our Book.  The fear that has been given to the book of Revelation can only be eradicated by reading the book.  This verses are a great primer.

The 5 readings give a great overview of the book, and follow redemption’s story.  You get some hymnic passages and the great narrative in 21 that I have preached on before.  You miss chapter 19, but that is my only real complaint.

Take the book back. 

Glory be to the Father, Son and Holy Spirit;
As it was in the beginning, is now and ever shall be

Forming an Eschatological Community: Formation through Text

I know that I said yesterday that today's post would be about Worship, but think of Worship as an overarching rubric for everything that The Church does, so it I didn't want to make it seem like an item on a checklist.  It holds a key place in every piece of how the Church acts and thinks.

 For our situation, worship acts as a key piece of formation.

How often do you, your small group, or your church read passages from Revelation, not in light of impending doom, but devotionally and like any other piece of scripture?

For years, I have been in communities that make intentional changes about the way they view The End in worship and life.  They don't believe in the more drastic Christian interpretations, but they don't believe in anything else.  They just leave that part out.

Learn to read the text......

For most people, I tell them to spend a few days reading Revelation 4.  Think about the images, think about how John interacts with others.  Think about what it must be like to see a vision of the courts of the Father.  Pray verse 11.  

Bring these verses to your churchs and communities.  Learn to read them together, place the glory and holiness of God in front of you in worship.  They key is to learn to make these words your own.

Glory be to the Father, Son and Holy Spirit;
As it was in the beginning, is now and ever shall be

Forming an Eschatological community: Intro

In passing conversation, in emails, and online through comments and twitter I have been having this conversation with people for the last few weeks. 

The theme is popping up in more and more places, and many others are writing about a recovery of an eschatological community.  Reasons of why to do this are many and varied, but most communities are wanting to grow past a fear focused view of the End and actually start forming the community around this reality. 

This isn't a cultic act (and those removed from the discussion have made that comment), but it comes through prayer and spiritual discernment that people are lacking in knowledge and the reality that Christ spoke of a kingdom to come.

So in various situations, there are different ways that worshiping communities can be oriented towards this.  It doesn't change faith, but it puts it in a proper trajectory that was a classic posture of the Church.  We worship a God who reveals himself as the incarnate Son, promising a life that is wrapped up inside the remaking of all things.  So it takes practice to start navigating the conversation of this. 

Tomorrow: Worship

Glory be to the Father, Son and Holy Spirit;
As it was in the beginning, is now and ever shall be