Thoughts on Catholicism

I recently told some friends that I would be posting some thoughts on Roman Catholicism. I have written some, but for the moment, I am sitting on them...

But I will say the following: as I have thought about these things, one of my professors at Westminster Seminary, Dr. Carl Trueman, has been particularly helpful. He has written two excellent columns on the blog Reformation21. The first talks about common ground between Protestants and Catholics. http://www.reformation21.org/counterpoints/carl-truemanbeyond-the-limitations-of.php The second column addresses the differences: http://www.reformation21.org/counterpoints/carl-truemanbetter-than-chick-lit.php

These are thoughtfully and winsomely written – worth the read and fairly brief. Now, I would also add that a Protestant who desires to understand his roots more fully needs to read Calvin’s letter to Sadoleto: http://people.virginia.edu/~jph8r/texts/CalvinReplyTr.html This is one of the clearest arguments for the validity and necessity of the Reformation. It is forceful and polemic - but very compelling and important from a historical standpoint.

May these be of help to any interested. Grace and Peace

Lemonade and Blogs

A week or two ago, I received a blogging award - the Lemonade award - from my friend Natalie. Thanks a bunch Natalie! The award is for "making life a little sweeter," i.e. "if life gives you lemons, make lemonade."

So the deal is that this award needs to be passed on when you receive it. So I am passing it on to Larissa Wolowec. Although I only really got to know her a little bit before she went off for southern Sudan, she's got a big heart to serve the Lord and love people. She will counseling and doing ministries of mercy in the war torn land. So praise the Lord, Larissa, for your labors in Christ.

In times of transition...

A good reminder passed on to me:
The person who is most invested in your gifts is the one who gave them to you.

For Prayer

The admissions office really didn’t pay me to put these up – this place is just very nice in the snow.

So many times I have walked this road that takes me from the house I have called home for the last years to class and my tiny world of study.

Alot of different thoughts have been upon my mind while walking this road. I will miss the bare strip of grass and shoulder.

Time here soon comes to a close (well, in May), but as journeys through the wilderness go, something new is close upon me. What will it be? At this point I cannot say. I would appreciate prayer. Whether I go to this church or that church, near or far (perhaps very far), if I go with your prayer, then I have tremendous confidence for the months and years to come that they will be fruitful.

Pray mostly for my faith, contentment, humility, and trust.

Samuel Rutherford says many things well. Among them: “Your Rock doth not ebb and flow, but your sea.”

The Master Motion

A good word for those as myself who tend toward the spirit of worry and angst:

It is impossible to be submissive and religiously patient, if ye stay your thoughts down among the confused rollings and wheels of second causes, as "O, the place! O, the time! O, if this had been, this had not followed! O the linking of this accident with this time and place!" Look up to the master motion and the first wheel.
-Samuel Rutherford

A Motivating Fear

There is a text of Scripture which now and then flits through my mind and causes me to fear. In Philippians 2:20, where Paul is speaking of trustworthy Timothy, he says, “For I have no one like him, who will be genuinely concerned for your welfare. They all seek their own interests, not those of Jesus Christ.”

What does my fear consist of? It is certainly not a fear that God is against me. That would be a dark fear indeed. No this is of a different quality. I think Paul is speaking about Christians after all.

This is the sort of fear that wonders if I am missing something marvelous – like passing by the perfect job, the ideal spouse - concerned with something trivial. Except this is even weightier - more awful to miss – a much greater tragedy.

The fear is this: once in a while I will stop and think about how many of my actions are rooted in a genuine concern for the welfare of my brothers and sisters in Christ. Love. Is it there? How much? How much direct intentional thought given to the good of others?

Too little… far too little.

Oh Jesus, is it somewhere said of me, “he seeks his own interests, not those of Jesus Christ”? May it not be! But I cannot deny it. Oh, would that I participated in the interests of my Savior! Would that my life be characterized by labor –work, and words, and motives – built on the foundation of Jesus – so that it lasts and I receive a reward (1 Co 3:14).

I will not ignore this fear or dismiss it as trivial. No, I will allow it to compel me to take hold of the blessing – to strive for that which is better – to live out the cross – because in death is life. In giving one’s self away is gain. In bearing another’s sorrow is joy. In losing the life of self is gaining the life of Christ. Yes – I would know my Savior here – in sharing in his interests.

Jesus, do not let me keep walking past this one…

The Phillies - I finally "get" baseball

In fact, I finally get sports in general. Yes, I confess, I am a very lukewarm sports fan, although I enjoy a Saturday afternoon Penn State game from time to time - if it's with a few good friends - and snacks. However, I have simply never understood the emotional highs and lows that true fans experience as part of the rhythm of their lives, as their team triumphs or suffers defeat.

As the Phillies approached the World Series, this cluelesness truly became apparent as my indifference came into sharp contrast with my housemates' late night, bleary eyed, ecstatic enthusiasm.

If not for my good friend Alasdair Groves (a true Phillies fan), I would yet be without understanding. But he explained a truly profound reality.

It goes like this: there is something very right about a people having champions. In this case, the Phillies are the champion of the people of Philadelphia. They do not only represent the people against the opponent (the foe), they are deeply connected to them. There is identity. The true fan talks in the first person plural: "we won" or "we just couldn't pull it off."

When the champions are victorious, the people join in their victory. It is not nearly as much about the specifics of the game, as it is about this dynamic: identifying with the team - feeling their joy - experiencing the joy of the community of fans - despising the common enemy. Hence, there are many different sports of all sorts which capture the heart of peoples all over the world.

A representative champion; a foe to be defeated; an intimate identification with the champion; rejoicing with the whole heart; and yes, even worship, as the victory parade goes down Broadstreet. This is a little drama reflecting the true story of reality. This is a tiny picture of a far greater Champion, a truly evil foe, a deeper identification, and rightful worship. This reflects something of the gospel.

In this light, I can now understand why the human heart is so drawn to sports. It is a wonderful picture of Jesus Christ, whether you know it or not, and there is something in us wired to respond to such a story. We long for the champion and the drama of the battle. Of course, it can turn into a horrible counterfeit that causes us to forget the real thing, like the spouse who reads cheap romance novels and neglects the marriage.

So I think I understand. I am still not a fan. I realize that takes time: you can't just identify at such a profound level with something unless you invest yourself, and immerse yourself in a community which also is invested in it. But my goodness - if you do take the time, what incredible joy awaits the victors! The euphoria of Philadelphia is simply stunning.

If that is the euphoria that comes when a couple of men beat another couple of men in an arbitrary game, what will the joy be like when the King of Kings, who gave his life for his people - that they might become children of God - tramples death, sin, the wicked, and Satan and ushers in the glories of heaven? What will the rejoicing of the multitudes from every tribe and nation sound like? What tears of joy will flow and deepest affections will burst out in song and rapture. I don't think the broad street celebrations will even hold a match to it.

Let us invest ourselves deeply in our knowing our Savior that our rejoicing will be fitting and honoring on that great day. But wait - the victory is already won. Let us rejoice in the Lord even now.