As I do history of the spread of Christianity I realize more and more how essential 2 things are that all Christians hold in common. They were so important that Abp. Thomas Cranmer said England had officially reformed as a country when the people had learned these 2 things in English/Vernacular.
The Creed, and the Lord's Prayer
It's interesting to me that Abp Rowan Williams 400 years later has agreed that these are the centerpiece of the Christian faith. I'd like to make them more important in my life.
Showing posts with label Apostle's Creed. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Apostle's Creed. Show all posts
Friday, September 25, 2009
Sunday, November 9, 2008
Jesus - A Message Worth Teaching
I was talking with one of my old Baptist pastors on friday night about my conversion and why I'm becoming Catholic. It was actually ironic because I explained to him the logical arguments and why I felt I was obligated to become Catholic whether I wanted to or not and then I started complaining about the Church and about how no one actually knew Jesus or the gospel in it to the point that he started defending it lol. I found that ironic. Again today in RCIA we spent the time discussing papal infallibility (which is important) and we still haven't even covered the question the bible addresses in every page 'teacher what must I do to inherit eternal life?'
I was reading about my 'hero' Archbishop of Canterbury Dr. Rowan Williams and his views on Jesus and the Apostles Creed. He said he thought "(Jesus)who was conceived by the power of the Holy Spirit and born of the Virgin Mary" was an intentional metaphor...
....
....
This man is in charge of the souls of 70 million worldwide in the Anglican communion and he thinks the gospel is a metaphor... What is the point of liberal theology? It's just vague moral platitudes and empty ritual. (as opposed to clear legalistic morality and meaningful ritual - which is Catholicism j/k). I no longer have any desire to become Anglican, and I have no more respect for the Archbishop.
I was listening to John MacArthur on the radio the other day and he was preaching about Jesus - a topic of his which I prefer to his previous series 'Evolution: Fact or Fiction' in which he claimed all proponents of theistic evolution or old earth creationism were heretics. But Johnny Mac was preaching like Spurgeon on the centrality of Christ. He was talking about how the Christology in Colossians says that Jesus created the Aeons (i hope that's the right greek word) and he explained it as:
Wow. And he didn't mean that metaphorically.
In mass today they read aloud: "For no one can lay any foundation other than the one already laid, which is Jesus Christ." (1 Cor 3:11), and I opened my missal to a hymn in the back and read:
When I survey the wondrous cross
on which the Prince of glory died,
my richest gain I count but loss,
and pour contempt on all my pride.
See, from his head, his hands, his feet
sorrow and love flow mingled down
did e'er such love and sorrow meet,
or thorns compose so rich a crown?
O wonderful cross!
O the wonderful cross
bids me come and die
and find that I may truly live.
O wonderful cross!
O the wonderful cross!
All who gather here by grace
draw near and bless your name.
Were the whole realm of nature mine,
that were an offer far too small;
love so amazing, so divine,
demands my soul, my life, my all.
O wonderful cross!
O the wonderful cross
bids me come and die
and find that I may truly live.
O wonderful cross!
O the wonderful cross!
All who gather here by grace
draw near and bless your name.
O wonderful cross!
O the wonderful cross
bids me come and die
and find that I may truly live.
Jesus. YWHW is Salvation. "and on that cross where Jesus died the wrath of God was satisfied". That is a message worth teaching.
I was reading about my 'hero' Archbishop of Canterbury Dr. Rowan Williams and his views on Jesus and the Apostles Creed. He said he thought "(Jesus)who was conceived by the power of the Holy Spirit and born of the Virgin Mary" was an intentional metaphor...
....
....
This man is in charge of the souls of 70 million worldwide in the Anglican communion and he thinks the gospel is a metaphor... What is the point of liberal theology? It's just vague moral platitudes and empty ritual. (as opposed to clear legalistic morality and meaningful ritual - which is Catholicism j/k). I no longer have any desire to become Anglican, and I have no more respect for the Archbishop.
I was listening to John MacArthur on the radio the other day and he was preaching about Jesus - a topic of his which I prefer to his previous series 'Evolution: Fact or Fiction' in which he claimed all proponents of theistic evolution or old earth creationism were heretics. But Johnny Mac was preaching like Spurgeon on the centrality of Christ. He was talking about how the Christology in Colossians says that Jesus created the Aeons (i hope that's the right greek word) and he explained it as:
'Jesus created every age, and the framework for ontological
existence, every second that the world continues to function it does so by his will and power. I often find it ironic that as Jesus walked the earth he was upholding not only his own existence but that of the entire universe' - John MacArthur (paraphrased by my memory)
Wow. And he didn't mean that metaphorically.
In mass today they read aloud: "For no one can lay any foundation other than the one already laid, which is Jesus Christ." (1 Cor 3:11), and I opened my missal to a hymn in the back and read:
When I survey the wondrous cross
on which the Prince of glory died,
my richest gain I count but loss,
and pour contempt on all my pride.
See, from his head, his hands, his feet
sorrow and love flow mingled down
did e'er such love and sorrow meet,
or thorns compose so rich a crown?
O wonderful cross!
O the wonderful cross
bids me come and die
and find that I may truly live.
O wonderful cross!
O the wonderful cross!
All who gather here by grace
draw near and bless your name.
Were the whole realm of nature mine,
that were an offer far too small;
love so amazing, so divine,
demands my soul, my life, my all.
O wonderful cross!
O the wonderful cross
bids me come and die
and find that I may truly live.
O wonderful cross!
O the wonderful cross!
All who gather here by grace
draw near and bless your name.
O wonderful cross!
O the wonderful cross
bids me come and die
and find that I may truly live.
Jesus. YWHW is Salvation. "and on that cross where Jesus died the wrath of God was satisfied". That is a message worth teaching.
Thursday, May 1, 2008
Death
I had a dream last night and I've been thinking about this issue alot. I know I'm only 20 but I just was realizing the reality of this truth. One day I will die. I will get sick and not get better, there will be a point in my life when my body will be in a piano box somewhere underground. I'm just thinking about how strange death really seems. All the time we joke about killing ourselves, but honestly can you even imagine what death will be like. Like I guess I mean the process. At one moment we will be alive and then that will be it. No job title, no bodily appearance, no loving family, none of that will mean anything. It will just be us and God (if people like me are right) and I mean I guess the theory I hold to is Purgatory and then being with Jesus and glorified forever. I have faith, but that is quite a thought. Like it's fine to theorize about it now, but to think about it as a reality, that's crazy.
I wonder how much dying hurts. What will it be like to be consciously dead. I find we tend to imagine death in a way that is similar to just becoming invisible. Will we see? our soul doesn't have eyes does it? that's our body. Will we hear? Will we have any empirical senses at all. It is almost so incomprehensible that I can't really think about it. I guess that's what lots of people do who are dying, they don't think about it. Maybe that's the only way we get through it.
But I was just thinking if somehow on my way to work tonight or afterwards I just get in a car accident and that's it, how strange it would be. Like one minute I'm thinking about what movie I'll rent next and listening to Vivaldi and bam, game over. It's odd. But it happens to everyone.
St. Paul says that we died to ourselves in Baptism and are raised in the newness of life. My baptism was amazing, so maybe death won't be that bad. I am comforted by the idea in Abraham's story that we go to dwell with our fathers. And if God is our ultimate Father, it still works. Maybe I'll see my grandpa.
The Apostles Creed ends with "I believe in the resurrection of the body, and the life everlasting". I think i'll feel alot more comfortable in a body again on the day of resurrection... but maybe I'll get a better one.
I read the first third of that book "90 minutes in Heaven" by some Baptist pastor who apparently died and went to Heaven and then came back and wrote a book about it. I think people loved it not so much because it was something new, as much as it reaffirmed every stereotype imaginable about Heaven. I think people like to trick themselves into thinking they know exactly what will happen when they die. Well I don't know what will happen for sure, I know none of the details, I don't know if I'll see or sense or have some totally different Operating system, like switching from PC (life) to Mac (death). But I have faith in God, I believe in the grace of Christ, and with any luck I will be with Him in Paradise as he promised the theif on the cross.
I wonder how much dying hurts. What will it be like to be consciously dead. I find we tend to imagine death in a way that is similar to just becoming invisible. Will we see? our soul doesn't have eyes does it? that's our body. Will we hear? Will we have any empirical senses at all. It is almost so incomprehensible that I can't really think about it. I guess that's what lots of people do who are dying, they don't think about it. Maybe that's the only way we get through it.
But I was just thinking if somehow on my way to work tonight or afterwards I just get in a car accident and that's it, how strange it would be. Like one minute I'm thinking about what movie I'll rent next and listening to Vivaldi and bam, game over. It's odd. But it happens to everyone.
St. Paul says that we died to ourselves in Baptism and are raised in the newness of life. My baptism was amazing, so maybe death won't be that bad. I am comforted by the idea in Abraham's story that we go to dwell with our fathers. And if God is our ultimate Father, it still works. Maybe I'll see my grandpa.
The Apostles Creed ends with "I believe in the resurrection of the body, and the life everlasting". I think i'll feel alot more comfortable in a body again on the day of resurrection... but maybe I'll get a better one.
I read the first third of that book "90 minutes in Heaven" by some Baptist pastor who apparently died and went to Heaven and then came back and wrote a book about it. I think people loved it not so much because it was something new, as much as it reaffirmed every stereotype imaginable about Heaven. I think people like to trick themselves into thinking they know exactly what will happen when they die. Well I don't know what will happen for sure, I know none of the details, I don't know if I'll see or sense or have some totally different Operating system, like switching from PC (life) to Mac (death). But I have faith in God, I believe in the grace of Christ, and with any luck I will be with Him in Paradise as he promised the theif on the cross.
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