Issue7_art5

)) ! 4HEOLOGICAL .ARRATIVE 2EV ,ARRY "ALLENGER !BSTRACT 2EVEREND "ALLENGER A 0RESBYTERIAN PASTOR DESCRIBES THE EVOLUTION OF

HIS FAITH THE STRUCTURE OF #HRISTIAN BELIEF AS HE HAS EXPERIENCED IT HIS WORK AS A PASTOR AND LEADER OF A PARISH AND HIS DELIGHT IN THE PRACTICE OF DISCIPLINED AND REm ECTIVE READING OF SCRIPTURE (IS ACCOUNT IS EXCERPTED FROM TWO RECORDED INTERVIEWS

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WAS BORN INTO A FAMILY OF CHURCH ATTENDERS -Y l RST MEMORIES ARE OF BEING IN A 0RESBYTERIAN CHURCH BUT MY PARENTS DID NOT FEEL THAT ONE HAS TO BE IN ONE #HRISTIAN DENOMINATION AND NO OTHER 7HEN WE MOVED AFTER THE WAR WE BEGAN TO ATTEND A NONDENOMINATIONAL CHURCH THAT WAS A BIT MORE EVANGELICAL THAN THE ONES WE HAD WORSHIPED IN BEFORE &ULLER 4HEOLOGICAL 3EMINARY HAD JUST BEEN FOUNDED IN 0ASADENA WHICH WAS THE NEXT TOWN AND THEREFORE A LOT OF MY EARLY MEMORIES OF PREACHING WERE OF PROFESSORS FROM &ULLER 3EMINARY WHO WERE SOME OF THE LEADING EVANGELICAL #HRISTIAN THEOLOGIANS OF THEIR DAY #ARL & ( (ENRY %DWARD *OHN #ARROLL

7ILBUR 3MITHˆTHESE WERE MEN WHO WOULD COME TO 0ASADENA TO PREACH )N ADDITION TO THAT MOST OF THE YOUTH WORKERS IN MY CHURCH WERE STUDENTS AT THE SEMINARY 4HE PASTOR WHOM ) REMEMBER WITH GREAT AFFECTION WAS OUR NEIGHBOR AND ) WAS A TYPICAL JUNIOR HIGH PAIN IN THE NECK TOO SMART AND TOO MOUTHY AND THE PASTOR NURTURED ME ) WORKED IN HIS YARD AND CUT HIS GRASS !LL THIS IS TO SAY THAT AS A CHILD AND AS A YOUNG MAN ) LIVED IN THE CONTEXT OF THE #HRISTIAN CHURCH )T S A CONTEXT IN WHICH THERE IS A VERY STRONG EMPHA SIS ON SPIRITUAL CONVERSION /NE IS URGED TO MAKE A COMMITMENT TO #HRIST AND TO BECOME A BELIEVER IN *ESUS 4HERE IS A CLEAR UNDERSTANDING AS IT SAYS IN *OHN S 'OSPEL #HAPTER THAT ONE MUST BE BORN AGAIN 9OU CAN T JUST GROW INTO #HRISTIANITY ) OFTEN HEARD IT SAID THAT BEING BORN IN !MERICA DOESN T MAKE YOU A #HRISTIAN ANY MORE THAN BEING BORN IN A GARAGE MAKES YOU A CAR 3O IN MY TEENAGE YEARS ) MADE A PUBLIC COMMITMENT TO #HRISTˆTHAT WAS MY OWN CONVERSION EXPERIENCE )T WAS A MOMENT IN WHICH ) DECIDED ) WOULD BE SERIOUS IN MY FAITH -Y OWN PASTOR WAS PREACHING IN A 3UNDAY NIGHT SERVICE AND AT THE CONCLUSION OF THE SERVICE AS IS COMMONLY DONE >HHJ: D8ID7:G

2EV ,ARRY "ALLENGER

TO THIS DAY IN EVANGELICAL CHURCHES HE INVITED PEOPLE TO COME FORWARD AND MAKE A COMMITMENT TO #HRIST TO MAKE A PUBLIC DECLARATION !ND AT THAT POINT THE (OLY 3PIRIT THE "IBLE SAYS THAT THE (OLY 3PIRIT DRAWS PEOPLE TO 'OD JUST STIRRED AROUND IN MY HEART AND ) RAISED MY HAND WHICH IS THE COMMON INDICATION THAT ONE WANTS TO HAVE AN ENCOUNTER WITH 'OD ) WAS INVITED BY THE PASTOR TO COME FORWARD WHICH ) DID -Y YOUTH MINISTER WAS THERE WITH ME 7E WENT INTO A SIDE ROOM AND THERE WE TALKED TOGETHER ) PRAYED AND AS WE SAY ) GAVE AS MUCH OF MYSELF AS ) KNEW TO AS MUCH AS ) KNEW OF 'OD ) LOOK UPON THAT AS MY CONVERSION TO #HRISTIANITY ) BECAME VERY INVOLVED IN YOUTH GROUPS AS A HIGH SCHOOL STUDENT AND THEN IN COLLEGE ) BECAME A YOUTH WORKER MYSELF ) ATTENDED 7ESTMONT #OL LEGE IN 3ANTA "ARBARA A SMALL #HRISTIAN LIBERAL ARTS COLLEGE WITH A STRONG "IBLE CURRICULUM 3OME OF MY PROFESSORS WERE AMONG THE l NEST .EW 4ESTAMENT SCHOLARS CERTAINLY IN THE 7EST ) MAJORED IN MUSIC BUT ) WAS VERY MUCH AND VISIBLY COMMITTED TO LIVING AS A #HRISTIAN TAKING THE "IBLE VERY SERIOUSLY AS AN EVANGELICAL ALTHOUGH NOT AS A FUNDAMENTALIST ) NEVER BOUGHT INTO THAT "UT ) CAME UP WITH A STRONG CONVICTION THAT THE "IBLE THE /LD AND .EW 4ESTAMENTS ARE 'OD S 7ORD GIVEN TO HUMAN BEINGS WRITTEN BY HUMAN BE INGS IN THEIR OWN LANGUAGE BUT NEVERTHELESS SPEAKING THE WORDS OF 'OD ) HAD INTENDED TO ATTEND &ULLER 3EMINARY AFTER GRADUATING FROM 7EST MONT BUT ) WAS STRONGLY PRESSURED NOT TO DO THAT BUT INSTEAD TO JOIN THE STAFF OF 9OUTH FOR #HRIST AN EVANGELICAL PARA CHURCH ORGANIZATION THAT HAD EMERGED AFTER THE 3ECOND 7ORLD 7AR 3O MY l RST l FTEEN YEARS AFTER COLLEGE ) SPENT WORKING ON CAMPUSES AND IN HIGH SCHOOLS FOR THIS VERY CONSERVATIVE EVANGELICAL MINISTRY )N COLLEGE ) HAD CONSIDERED MYSELF AN INSTRUMENTALIST IN MUSIC BUT ) FOUND THAT ) WAS MUCH MORE VALUABLE AS A TENOR IN THE CHOIR ) REMEMBER DISCOVERING REALLY DISCOVERING THE ,ORD S 3UPPER AND THE %UCHARIST FROM A PIECE OF MUSIC THAT EXPRESSED THE PASSION OF #HRIST IN A WAY THAT ) REALLY HADN T UNDERSTOOD TO THAT POINT ) HADN T INTERNALIZED IT 9OU UNDERSTAND IN THE EVANGELICAL TRADITION THERE S NOT A WHOLE LOT OF EMPHASIS ON THE CHURCH YEAR &RANKLY NOT THAT MUCH EITHER ON THE 'OSPELS NOR ON SOME OF THE GREAT REm ECTIONS THAT HAVE BEEN WRITTEN ON THE LIFE OF *ESUS !ND THE EVANGELICAL AND FUNDAMENTALIST AND EVEN THE 9OUTH FOR #HRIST MOVEMENTˆ) WANT TO SAY THIS CAREFULLYˆIS PRETTY SHALLOW MUSICALLY 9OU DON T HAVE TO DIG VERY DEEPLY TO DISCOVER THAT 4HAT S WHY IT WAS AN EPIPHANY FOR ME TO DISCOVER THE PASSION OF #HRIST THROUGH MUSICˆ) WAS JUST MOVED EVERY TIME WE WOULD SING IT ) WOULD BE EMOTIONAL ) MEAN THAT ) REALLY UNDERSTOOD WHAT *ESUS EXPERIENCED DURING 0ASSION 7EEK ) HAVE NEVER EXPERIENCED THE ,ORD S 3UPPER IN THE SAME WAY SINCE

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! 4HEOLOGICAL .ARRATIVE

%VEN WHILE ) WAS STILL WORKING FOR 9OUTH FOR #HRIST MY WIFE *UDY

AND ) DISCOVERED THAT WE PREFERRED THE 0RESBYTERIAN #HURCH BECAUSE OF ITS MUSIC ITS MORE MODERATE THEOLOGICAL STANCE AND THE RHYTHM OF THE LITURGY 4HERE IS ALSO A STRONG SCHOLARLY AND EDUCATIONAL ELEMENT IN THE 0RESBYTERIAN #HURCH 7E RE THE INHERITORS OF #ALVIN AND +NOX SO IN SOME RESPECTS WE CAN BE ACCUSED OF BEING A LITTLE SNOOTY "UT THERE S ALWAYS BEEN A STRONG EMPHASIS ON EDUCATIONÂ&#x2C6;THAT THE MINISTERS 3OLA l DE FAITH ALONE SHALL STUDY AND GO TO THEOLOGICAL SEMINARY 4HERE S MUCH MORE OF A WILLINGNESS TO LET THE INDIVIDUAL ENCOUNTER THE SOLA SCRIPTURA

SCRIPTURES SINCE AN IMPORTANT REFORMED PRINCIPAL IS THAT 'OD ALONE IS ,ORD OF THE CONSCIENCE 3OLA l DE FAITH ALONE SCRIPTURE ALONE SOLA SCRIPTURA SCRIPTURE ALONE )T S THE DUTY AND THE PRIVI LEGE OF EACH INDIVIDUAL #HRISTIAN TO DISCOVER WHAT THAT IS AND WHAT THAT MEANS $URING THIS TIME WE ALSO DISCOVERED THAT WE NEEDED TO BE IN A CONGRE GATION TO BE A PART OF A LOCAL BODY OF BELIEVERS )T WAS NOT ENOUGH TO BE IN AN EVANGELISTIC ORGANIZATION 7E NEEDED THE NURTURE OF HAVING PEOPLE WHO ARE YOUNG AND PEOPLE WHO ARE OLD FAMILIES AND ELDERS IN THE CHURCH 7E NEEDED THE TEACHING THAT CAME FROM THEOLOGICALLY TRAINED PASTORS AND TEACHERS AND WE WANTED OUR CHILDREN TO GROW UP IN THAT SAME CONTEXT !ND

FRANKLY FOR *UDY AND ME IT WAS ALWAYS THE MUSIC 7HEN AT THE AGE OF FORTY l VE OR FORTY SIX WE EVENTUALLY FOUND OURSELVES BACK IN 0ASADENA HAVING LIVED IN &RESNO AND )LLINOIS AND A COUPLE OF OTHER PLACES IT SEEMED TO BE TIME TO GO BACK AND GET THAT SEMINARY EDUCATION 4HAT S WHAT ) DID ) WAS ORDAINED IN THE 0RESBYTERIAN #HURCH AFTER THREE YEARS AT &ULLER 3EMINARY !FTER SERVING AS PASTOR IN SEVERAL DIFFERENT CONGREGATIONS

) LANDED IN .ORTHERN #ALIFORNIA FOR MY LAST ASSIGNMENT BEFORE RETIRING ) VE ALWAYS THOUGHT OF MYSELF AS A MOTIVATOR ) VE ALWAYS ERRED ON THE SIDE OF BEING TOO ACTIVE OF STEPPING INTO TOO MUCH 4HAT S NOT A TYPICAL CHARACTERISTIC OF A MINISTER 4HERE S A PERSPECTIVE THAT SUGGESTS THAT ANY RELIGIOUS LEADER OF A PARTICULAR LOCAL BODY HAS THREE RESPONSIBILITIES CHIEF EXECUTIVE OFl CER SHAMAN AND TRIBAL CHIEF )N A RELIGIOUS CONTEXT SOMEONE IS GOING TO BE THOSE THREE THINGS -OST MINISTERS BECOME THE SHAMAN BE CAUSE THAT S WHAT S GIVEN TO THEM 4HEY MAY OR MAY NOT END UP BEING CHIEF EXECUTIVE OFl CER AND MANY MINISTERS NEVER DO BECOME THE TRIBAL CHIEF ) THINK IT S FAIR TO SAY THAT LOTS OF RABBIS ARE THE TRIBAL CHIEFS AND THINK OF THE IMAMS ) HAVE A TENDENCY TO DRIFT TOWARDS #%/ THOUGH ) RELISH AND LOVE THE ROLE OF SHAMAN )N THE YOUTH MINISTRY WE ENCOURAGED STUDENTS TO READ THE "IBLE AND PRAY DURING WHAT WE CALLED A DAILY QUIET TIME AND TO THIS DAY THAT IS MY

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2EV ,ARRY "ALLENGER

OWN PERSONAL DEVOTIONAL PRACTICE -ORE OFTEN THAN NOT IN THE MORNING ) LL READ AND REm ECT ON A COUPLE OF PASSAGES OF 3CRIPTURE PRAY EITHER THE CLASSIC PRAYERS WRITTEN BY THE GREAT SPIRITUAL GIANTS OR MORE LIKELY MY OWN PRAYERS OF INTERCESSION AND PETITION FROM A LIST )T S NOW THE TWENTY l RST CENTURY AND THE LIST OF PEOPLE THAT ) M CONCERNED FOR AND PRAY FOR ARE ON A 0ALM 0ILOT ) ONLY DISCOVERED THE CHURCH YEAR AND THE DAILY OFl CE WELL INTO MY ADULT YEARS AFTER MY 9OUTH FOR #HRIST PERIOD &OR EXAMPLE THERE IS A PARTICULAR 0SALM LITURGICALLY ASSOCIATED WITH EACH PARTICULAR DAY AND SO ) WILL READ THE 0SALM FOR THE DAY ) DISCOVERED THAT MANY OF THE GREAT SPIRITUAL LEADERS HAD A DISCIPLINE OF DAILY READING AND WHEN ) FOUND THAT THOSE READINGS WERE READILY AVAILABLE ) BEGAN TO USE THEM ) MADE MY OWN COMPILATION OF READ INGS FROM BOTH 4ESTAMENTS MY DAILY LECTIONARY BASED ON THE 0RESBYTERIAN WORSHIP BOOK AND KEYED TO EACH DAY IN THE LITURGICAL YEAR 2ECENTLY THE READINGS HAVE BEEN FROM $EUTERONOMY WHICH IS THE l FTH BOOK OF THE 4ORAH $EUTEROO IS THE PREl X MEANING hSECOND v AND NOMY IS Y ,ATIN FOR hLAW v !ND SO THE SECOND LISTING OF THE 4EN #OMMANDMENTS THE $ECALOGUE CAN BE FOUND IN $EUTERONOMY -OSES IS ABOUT TO DIE AND HE S GIVING HIS FAREWELL ADDRESS TO THE PEOPLE ! COUPLE YEARS AGO MY KIDSÂ&#x2C6;MY SON IN LAW IS *EWISHÂ&#x2C6;GAVE ME A COPY OF THE 4ORAH ) FRANKLY HADN T READ IT VERY MUCH BUT WHEN ) STARTED READING $EUTERONOMY ) HAULED THAT THING OFF THE SHELF TO SEE WHAT IT WAS LIKE )T S MARVELOUS &IRST OF ALL THE (EBREW CHARACTERS ARE INCLUDED ) VE STUDIED (EBREW BUT ) CAN T EVEN BEGIN TO READ IT 3O INSTEAD OF READING $EUTERONOMY IN MY OWN "IBLE ) VE BEEN READ ING IT IN MY (EBREW 4ORAH )T S THE SAME TEXT AS IN THE "IBLE A FEW WORDS ARE DIFFERENT BUT THE COMMENTARY EXPLAINS THE DIFFERENCES 7HAT A RICH EXPERIENCE IT HAS BEEN ) VE DECIDED THAT FOR MY QUIET TIME AND MY DAILY LECTIONARY ) M NOT EVEN SHIFTING OVER TO *EREMIAH WHICH IS WHAT ) M SUP POSED TO READ NOW THAT WE RE IN THE SECOND WEEK OF ,ENT ) M JUST GOING TO STAY IN $EUTERONOMY ) WOULD HAVE TO SAY THAT MY OWN FAITH MY OWN PERSONAL WALK MY SPIRITUAL LIFE HAS NOT BEEN HEAVILY INFORMED AND INm UENCED BY FEELING ) HAVE FRIENDS WHO ARE THOROUGHGOING CHARISMATICS THOROUGHGOING 0ENTECOS TALS AND THEY ARE VERY COMFORTABLE WITH THE EMOTIONAL DIMENSION OF THEIR FAITH ) M NOT ) WISH SOMETIMES THAT ) WERE ) VE ALWAYS BELIEVEDÂ&#x2C6;AND IT S PROBABLY TOO MUCH OF AN INTELLECTUAL THINGÂ&#x2C6;THAT MY WALK WITH 'OD IS A MATTER OF DAILY DISCIPLINE )T S A LOT LIKE PHYSICAL EXERCISE IN THAT ONE READS AND PRAYS AND LETS 'OD TAKE CARE OF THE REST .OW HAVING SAID THAT ) BELIEVE THAT THE (OLY 3PIRIT WORKS IN US AND WILL GUIDE US *ESUS TAUGHT HIS DISCIPLES WHEN HE WAS LEAVING THAT THE (OLY 3PIRIT hWILL LEAD YOU TO ALL TRUTH AND WILL TEACH YOU ALL THE THINGS THAT ) HAVE COMMANDED YOU v ) REALLY BELIEVE THAT AND SO ) LL SEE THINGS HAPPEN IN MY

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! 4HEOLOGICAL .ARRATIVE

LIFE OR IN OTHER PEOPLE S LIVES ABOUT WHICH ) M VERY COMFORTABLE SAYING

h4HAT WAS THE WORK OF THE (OLY 3PIRIT v ) UNDERSTAND THAT EVERY #HRISTIAN IS TO BE A TEMPLE A SANCTUARY OF THE (OLY 3PIRIT 7E NEED EACH OTHER S FELLOWSHIP AND STRENGTH 7E NEED TO WORSHIP AS A CORPORATE BODY 9ET WHEN A PERSON IS OUT THERE IN THE WOODS

THE (OLY 3PIRIT IS WITHIN HIM AND HE OR SHE IS INDWELT BY THE (OLY 3PIRIT

WHICH IS THAT ASPECT OF 'OD THAT IS IN THE BELIEVER UNIQUELY IN EVERY #HRIS TIAN BELIEVER FOR DAY TO DAY GUIDANCE STRENGTH AND DIRECTION )T WAS ALSO PRESENT AT THE #REATION AND CONTINUES TO BE PRESENT IN THE WORLD BUT NOT IN A SENSE OF AN ETHEREAL PRESENCE THAT IS EVERYWHERE !ND YES AS YOU ASK

MY DAILY WALK CONNECTS ME TO THE 3PIRIT UNDERSTANDING THOUGH THAT HE S THERE ANYWAY 'OD DOES NOT NEED ME TO VALIDATE THAT 'OD IS THERE 7HO ) UNDERSTAND 'OD TO BE IS NOT ONLY WHAT ) PREACH AND TEACH )T S ALSO WHAT ) BELIEVE IN WHAT ) UNDERSTAND ) HAVE A FOUNDATIONAL ASSUMPTION THAT 'OD IS THE ETERNAL CREATOR WHO HAS CHOSEN TO REVEAL HIMSELF AS &ATHER 3ON AND (OLY 3PIRIT 4HAT S WHO ) UNDERSTAND 'OD TO BE 4HE 'OD OF )SRAEL IS THE 'OD OF CREATION AND THE 'OD OF THE COVENANT (E IS THE CREATOR IN THAT HE WAS IN THE BEGINNING BEFORE ALL THINGS 4HERE WAS NEVER A TIME WHEN 'OD DIDN T EXIST (E IS ETERNAL IMMUTABLE ALL THESE VERY DRAMATIC STATEMENTS WHICH REMIND US THAT HE IS WHOLLY OTHER BUT AT THE SAME TIME HE HAS CHOSEN TO REVEAL HIMSELF AND MAKE HIMSELF ACCESSIBLE TO HIS CREATION 3O l RST OF ALL 'OD IS CREATOR AND SUSTAINER THE ONE WHO %VERY #HRISTIAN IS HOLDS THE WORLD TOGETHER AND HE IS REDEEMER WHO REACHED OUT TO HIS CREATIONÂ&#x2C6;NOT ONLY TO MAN NOT ONLY TO HIS HU TO BE A SANCTUARY OF MAN CREATION BUT TO HIS CREATED WORLD THE NATURAL WORLD OF ANIMALS AND PLANTS AND THE CELESTIAL SPHERES /F COURSE

THE (OLY 3PIRIT ALL OF THIS IS HEAVILY INFORMED BY THE CREATION STORIES THE COVENANT STORIES AND THE 4ORAH THE l RST l VE BOOKS OF THE "IBLE -Y UNDERSTANDING OF 'OD IS ALMOST TOTALLY THAT OF THE (EBREW AND #HRISTIAN SCRIPTURES .OW ALONG THE WAY COMES ONE S PERSONAL CONVERSION EXPERIENCE AND PERSONAL DEVOTIONAL PRACTICES AND SO ) WOULD SAY THAT MY PERSONAL EXPERIENCE HAS VALIDATED MY INTELLECTUAL UNDERSTANDING &OR ME AND ) THINK FOR A GREAT NUMBER OF #HRISTIANS IN THE MAINLINE DENOMINATIONS THE %UCHARIST THE SACRAMENTS PARTICULARLY THE ,ORD S 3UP PER ARE UNIQUELY EMOTIONAL UNIQUELY CENTRAL 4HEY ARE THE CENTER OF OUR FAITH 4HE SIGNIl CANCE OF THE PASSION OF #HRIST IS SOMETHING WHICH ) WOULD NOT HAVE KNOWN IN MY TEENAGE YEARS -ORE THAN HALF OF THE 'OSPELS ARE CONCERNED WITH *ESUS LAST WEEKÂ&#x2C6;THE SUFFERING THE BETRAYAL THE PASSION Â&#x2C6;THE WEEK WHEN *ESUS WENT FROM BEING A TRIUMPHAL KING ON 0ALM 3UN DAY TO A DESPISED CRIMINAL ON 'OOD &RIDAY %VERYTHING IN BETWEEN ALL HIS INTERACTIONS WITH THE DISCIPLES BECAME TREMENDOUSLY IMPORTANT TO ME >HHJ: D8ID7:G

2EV ,ARRY "ALLENGER

BECAUSE OF THE NATURE OF 'OD S SACRIl CE BECAUSE *ESUS WHO IS 'OD HIMSELF TAKING HUMAN FORM MADE THAT SACRIl CE AND WAS WILLING TO DO THAT FOR EACH INDIVIDUAL PERSON WHO EVER LIVED ! RELATED POINT CONCERNS THE QUESTION OF MAN S NATURE ) HAPPEN TO BELIEVE THAT THERE CAN T TO BE PEACE ON %ARTH IN OUR OWN TIME 7E CAN DO OUR BEST AND WE SHOULD WORK FOR OUR BEST BUT ULTIMATELY ) BELIEVE THAT AS LONG AS THERE ARE PEOPLE THE BEST WE CAN HOPE FOR IS UNDERSTANDING AND LISTENING AND PEACE BETWEEN INDIVIDUAL FACTIONS 4HIS IS DUE TO THE REALITY OF SIN THE STRONG *UDEO #HRISTIAN UNDERSTANDING WHICH ) ACCEPT THAT THE HEART OF MAN IS DECEITFUL IN ALL THINGS AND DESPERATELY WICKED !ND WHO CAN KNOW IT 4HOSE ARE *EREMIAH S WORDS AND THEY SEEM TO ME TO HAVE BEEN BORNE OUT TIME AFTER TIME AFTER TIME AFTER TIME AFTER TIME AND ONLY 'OD S l NAL CONSUMMATION CAN MAKE THAT NEW 3O ) BELIEVE THAT HISTORY IS GOING SOMEWHERE AND THAT THERE WILL BE A ,AST $AY 4HE (OLY 3PIRIT AGAIN IS A MANIFESTATION OF 'OD WHO IS NOT ONLY TRANSCENDENT BUT IS EXTENSIVELY IMMANENT WHEREAS AS THE HUMAN *ESUS

'OD LIMITED HIMSELF TO A HUMAN BODY (E WAS NOT OMNIPRESENT FOR THOSE THIRTY THREE YEARS WHEREAS THE (OLY 3PIRIT IS PERVASIVE IS INDWELLING NOT AS A VAPOR IN THE WORLD THAT IS hOUT THEREv FOR US TO GET IN TOUCH WITH BUT RATHER INDWELLING IN #HRISTIAN BELIEVERS ) MYSELF DON T UNDERSTAND A LOT ABOUT OTHER TRADITIONS AND OF COURSE THE LITERATURE AND THE CULTURE TODAY IS REPLETE WITH STORIES OF DIFFERENT KINDS OF SPIRITUALITY AND MEDITATION AND ) REALIZE THAT THE INNER PERSON IS GETTING A WHOLE LOT MORE ATTENTION THAN USED TO BE THE CASE AT LEAST IN OUR 7ESTERN #HRISTIANIZED CULTURE .OW YOU CAN TAKE COURSES ON #HRISTIAN MEDITATION

WHICH OF COURSE HAS BEEN A PART OF THINGS FOREVER ALTHOUGH ) ONLY DISCOV ERED THAT IN VERY RECENT YEARS ) WAS WELL INTO MY l FTIES WHEN ) TOOK ON A #ATHOLIC NUN AS MY SPIRITUAL DIRECTOR AND ATTENDED SEVERAL GUIDED RETREATS AT #ATHOLIC RETREAT CENTERS !S OUR OWN UNDERSTANDING OF HUMANITY AND GENDER AND RELATIONSHIPS HAS BOTH ADVANCED AND IN SOME WAYS ERODED WE VE COME TO BE A BIT MORE CAREFUL CHARY OF THE WORDS WE USE "UT IT S FAIR TO SAY THAT 'OD NEVER SAID YOU HAVE TO SEE ME AS A MALE FATHER /VER CENTURIES WE DRIFTED INTO THAT KIND OF UNDERSTANDING 4ODAY WE ARE EXPLORING THIS HAVING BEEN HELPED AND INFORMED BY THE FEMINIST THEOLOGIANS WHO ARE TRYING TO GET US THROUGH THE PROBLEMS OF PATRIARCHALISM 7E KNOW THAT SINCE 'OD IS WHOLLY OTHER AND WHOLLY TRANSCENDENT AMONG OTHER THINGS HE MUST BE WITHOUT GENDER ) HAVE JUST DONE IT RIGHT THERE USED THE MALE PRONOUN ) SHOULD VE SAID

h'OD IS WITHOUT GENDER v )N ANY CASE ) UNDERSTAND 'OD TO BE A WHOLLY TRANSCENDENT BEING WHO IS THE ONLY 'OD h/ HEAR / )SRAEL THE ,ORD OUR 'OD IS ONEv THE 'OD OF

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! 4HEOLOGICAL .ARRATIVE

THE (EBREWS AND THE 'OD OF )SLAM 3OME OF MY #HRISTIAN FRIENDS PARTICU LARLY IN TODAY S ATMOSPHERE OF TENSION WITH )SLAM ARE VERY ADAMANT THAT 9AHWEH IS NOT !LLAH ) DON T AGREE WITH THAT )T DOESN T MAKE LOGICAL SENSE TO ME .OW HAVING SAID THAT ) DON T EXPECT MY *EWISH FRIENDS FOR EXAMPLE

TO UNDERSTAND 9AHWEH THE WAY ) UNDERSTAND 'ODÂ&#x2C6;THAT HE HAS REVEALED HIMSELF AS &ATHER 3ON AND (OLY 3PIRIT 4HEY DON T "UT THAT DOESN T CHANGE WHATEVER THE REALITY IS OUT THERE )F MY -USLIM FRIENDS DON T UNDERSTAND !LLAH TO HAVE BEEN REVEALED IN THREE PERSONS THAT DOESN T CHANGE THE POSSIBILITY THAT THAT MAY BE THE TRUTH 4HE TRUTH IS OUT THERE ) HAVE SAID MANY TIMES ) MAY GET TO HEAVEN AND DISCOVER THAT YOU GUYS HAD IT WRONG ) BELIEVE THAT ) WILL GET TO HEAVEN THROUGH *ESUS #HRIST MY SAVIOR ALTHOUGH ) ALSO BELIEVE THAT ) DON T KNOW EVERYTHING THERE IS TO KNOW "UT IF WE DIDN T ADHERE TO WHAT WE BELIEVE OUR TRUTHS TO BE WE WOULDN T HAVE FAITH AND WE WOULDN T HAVE RELIGION 7HEN IT COMES TO HUMANISM AND INTERFAITH DIALOGUE IT SEEMS TO ME WE HAVE TO START WITH HUMILITY SAYING

) BELIEVEE THIS TO BE TRUE (ERE S WHERE IT GETS BINDING 7E CAN TALK THIS WAY

BUT YOU NEED TO UNDERSTAND THAT ) MAY BE EAGER OR SEE AS PART OF MY ROLE AS A #HRISTIAN TO HELP YOU SEE THAT *ESUS #HRIST IS IN FACT THE SAVIOR OF THE WORLD 2EV "ALLENGER WRITES ABOUT THE ABOVE 3UPPOSING YOU WERE ASKED TO EXPLAIN #HRISTIANITY TO A PERSON OF A DIFFERENT RELIGION TO EXPLAIN WHAT YOUR FAITH IS AND HOW AND WHY YOU PRACTICE IT 9OU AREN T BEING ASKED FOR A SERMON OR SOME SEMINAR NOTES 9OU HAVE AN OPPORTUNITY TO DIG DOWN INTO YOUR RESERVE OF PERSONAL EXPERIENCE EDUCA TION TRAINING AND MINISTRY EXPERIENCE AND SIMPLY OPEN UP 4HIS WAS MY EXPERIENCE EARLY IN WHEN MY FRIEND $AVID 2OUNDS

RAISED A #HRISTIAN AND NOW A PRACTICING "UDDHIST BEGAN TO DO RESEARCH ON COMPARATIVE SPIRITUAL PRACTICE ) HAD RECENTLY RETIRED FROM THE 0RESBYTE RIAN MINISTRY AND $AVID HAD RECENTLY RETIRED FROM TEACHING 4HE TIME WAS THEREFORE CONDUCIVE FOR OUR CONVERSATIONS .OTE THAT THESE COMMENTS WERE RECORDED IN AN INFORMAL SETTING IN MY HOME 4HE ONLY REFERENCE MATERIALS WERE THOSE AT HAND IN MY PERSONAL READ ING RESOURCES 0ART OF THE NATURE OF THE CONVERSATION WAS A LACK OF PREPARATION OR ADVANCED STUDY -OST SCRIPTURE REFERENCES AND THEOLOGICAL CONCEPTS WERE GIVEN FROM MEMORY OR FROM CUMULATIVE UNDERSTANDING ! FEW TEXTS ARE MIS QUOTED OR IMPROPERLY REFERENCED ) HAVE CHOSEN TO LEAVE THEM UNCORRECTED TO PRESERVE THE INFORMAL NATURE OF THE CONVERSATIONS WHICH WERE LED BY $AVID S DESIRE TO UNDERSTAND MY FAITH )T WAS VERY INSTRUCTIVE TO ME TO LOOK BACK WEEKS LATER AND SEE IF WHAT ) SAID SEEMED ABERRANT OR EVEN HERETICAL >HHJ: D8ID7:G

2EV ,ARRY "ALLENGER

!S ) RE READ OUR CONVERSATIONS ) WAS REMINDED OF THE DEVELOPING UN DERSTANDING OF THE #HURCH &ATHERS OF THE l RST CENTURIES 3OMETIMES THEY NEEDED TO CORRECT EACH OTHER 3OMETIMES THEY HAD INSIGHT INTO PREVIOUSLY CLOUDY CONCEPTS /CCASIONALLY AN ENTIRE CHURCH COUNCIL NEEDED TO CONVENE FOR EXAMPLE AT .ICEA IN # % TO PROTECT THE CHURCH FROM QUESTIONABLE DRIFTS OF DOCTRINE ) LEAVE IT TO THE READER TO DECIDE WHEREIN ) HAVE ERRED OR REMAINED ORTHODOX s

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