Sivin Kit's Garden

Live into this: using Scripture as Text

Thanks Pat for a timely post (I'll be getting ready to buy the book!).

"Spiritual theology, using Scripture as text, does not present us with a moral code and tell us, ‘Live up to this”; nor does it set out a system of doctrine and say, “Think like this and you will live well.” The biblical way is to tell a story and in the telling invite: “Live into this - this is what it looks like to be human in this God-made and God-ruled world; this is what is involved in becoming and maturing as a human being.” We do violence to the biblical revelation when we “use” it for what we can get out of it or what we think will provide color and spice to our otherwise bland lives. That always results in a kind of “decorator spirituality” - God as enhancement. Christians are not interested in that; we are after something far bigger. When we submit our lives to what we read in Scripture, we find that we are not being led to see God in our stories but our stories in God’s. God is the larger context and plot in which our stories find themselves." ~ Eugene Peterson, Eat This Book: A Conversation in the Art of Spiritual Reading

Praying for Freedom

From Sacred Space. This is what I need daily.

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This prayer helps us to put ourselves at God's disposal. St Ignatius describes this 'Preparatory prayer' as asking for the grace that all my intentions, actions and operations may be directed purely to the praise and service of the Divine Majesty. (The Spiritual Exercises, no. 46) You might try these words:

Lord, I so wish to prepare well for this time.
I so want to make all of me ready and attentive and available to you.
Please help me to clarify and purify my intentions.
I have so many contradictory desires.
I get preoccupied with things that don't really matter or last.
I know that if I give you my heart
whatever I do will follow my new heart.

In all that I am today, all that I try to do,
all my encounters, reflections - even the frustrations and failings
and especially in this time of prayer,
in all of this may I place my life in your hands.
Lord, I am yours. Make of me what you will. Amen.

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Random Links 88

9MP - What are your hopes?
How will Malaysia move forward? and where is our place in this "movement"? what do we expect as Malaysians? and what is expected of us? One thing for sure, I hope we won't just be defined by the following (I'm usually better with what I don't want to be but we need to work harder on what we do want to be *smile* we got to start somewhere.):

ECONOMIC PROFILE

Population: 26.6 million.

Labour force: 10.5 million (1.3 million in agriculture).

Income: US$5,110 (S$8,280) per capita (Singapore, US$27,300).

GDP growth: 2004: 7.1 per cent; 2005: 5.3 per cent; 2006: forecast 6 per cent.

Poverty:
1995: 8.7 (per cent of population).
1997: 6.1.
1999: 7.5.
2002: 5.1.

Broadband: 8 per cent (Singapore, 52 per cent).

Discovering a positive model for responding to unorthodox theology
VERY good stuff here ... I'm happy to see myself with "open evangelicalism" on this issue ... some gems here:

"... Sometimes, perhaps, a purely defensive reaction is still called for but a much better norm is to assume that there are good and compelling reasons for the case being set out. Those making it may well be wrong, perhaps hopelessly so, but the really critical question is what has happened within Christian "orthodoxy" for them to see it this way? What gap or hole are they exposing? Responding to this question and rising to its challenge is much harder than defensive reaction because it involves being open to there being really crucial things within the Scriptures that we may have missed or neglected. But it can also be the means by which we find these things and are consequently enabled to really grow in our understanding, faith and discipleship.

... The model that suggests itself for evangelicals, therefore, is one of self-critical as well as critical engagement. Rather than assuming that those proposing unorthodox theology are simply misguided, lazy or even plain wicked, a better and more humble approach is to be open to the weaknesses within current "orthodoxy" that they have detected. My increasing opinion is that they will always be on to something. And evangelicalism, at its best, will have the nerve to rise to the challenge of addressing these areas and be prepared to be surprised by the fresh insights thrown up from this engagement. We won't necessarily (or even usually) endorse the suggested reconstruction but we will be prepared to accept, partly because of our theology of the Body of Christ, that a crucial insight has been raised that we need to engage with. Perhaps this is one of the core values of "Open Evangelicalism". Abandoning an instinctive and reactionary defensiveness, we will strive to employ a positive, generous and exciting model for responding to unorthodox theology."

The Formation of Godly Community: Old Testament Hermeneutics in the Presence of the Other
much to chew here ...

"It is imperative that the Church move beyond simplistic formulations of the hermeneutical options. Sweeping reductionist claims are, of course, often intended to be accessible, to welcome neophytes into the richness of God’s Word. But such claims do a drastic disservice to all readers of Scripture, and especially to beginners and non-specialists. Reductionist summaries underplay precisely those complex textual dynamics and issues of reader accountability that we need to acknowledge in our own embodied and particular contexts in order to avoid the unwitting deification of our own loyalties, idolatries, and misunderstandings."

"... Reading in the presence of the Other will radically subordinate foundationalism and reductionism to the passionately embodied claims of difference that fracture and enrich our world. Our theologies may need to be similarly fractured and enriched. Our ecclesiologies may need to suffer in the presence of that which is “Other.” But I believe that we are called by Christ, the living Word of God, to stay present to this suffering and to continue to read together. What a testimony it will give to Christ when we read on together through dissent, through contradictory hermeneutical assumptions, through the pain of responding to readings that destabilize our favorite idolatries and press insistently against our most cherished community boundaries! As Augustine learned centuries ago, the Word of God brings us to our knees. Let us read there together, on our knees before the One whose incarnate Word of love conquers all. For with God, nothing is impossible; and we are more than conquerors through Him who loves us.

Propositional Revelation and Scripture, pt. 1 of 2
Propositional Revelation and Scripture, pt. 2 of 2
More things to digest ... interesting.

Why churches should offer wireless internet
ok let me see ... maybe we can ... :-)

The Christian Theological Research Fellowship Papers
Interesting collection ... imagine this The Church as a Community of (Un)Common Grace: Toward a Postmodern Ecclesiology was already written in 1997!!

Top Ten Reasons Why Men Should Not Be Ordained (via Maggi)
Opps I got ordained ... :-P *grin*

Dissolving the Inerrancy Debate: How Modern Philosophy Shaped the Evangelical View of Scripture
stumbled on this article by accident ...

Random Thoughts before some "Matrix" Therapy

I'm not into "controversies" ... I find it draining. And yet I know perhaps I will still need to face them when they come.

so far, I've only deleted comments that are "spam" and also one or two where someone else was accused of something I don't know anything about. Yesterday, I upon the advice of a friend pressed the delete button for a comment which I didn't really expect.

Now, the thought was brought to me whether this was my way of censorship. I suppose it is. I'm not sure. But when I pressed delete it was mainly because - I'm tired and I don't have energy for controversies over the internet - it's just me at this stage at this time. (as for the latest deleted comment, I managed to have a civil email exchange which I think was helpful and cleared some points)

This doesn't mean that I won't respectfully engage in rigorous discussion, disagreement or even debate. I think I will when I find that I need to. It's just that right now ... i feel I need to focus my energies elsewhere.

I was struck my this passage during one of the LiFE Groups I visited today, from 1 John 4.20-21.(NLT)
"If someone says, "I love God," but hates a Christian brother or sister,[b] that person is a liar; for if we don't love people we can see, how can we love God, whom we have not seen? And God himself has commanded that we must love not only him but our Christian brothers and sisters, too."

I found it interesting when one person said that the application should extend to those who are not Christians because since we believe in one God then he's their creator too. I liked that.

Strange that I find that at times it seems maybe easier to love those who are not Christians because somehow the expectations are different. Perhaps the most unkind and arrogant behaviormay actually come from our Christian brothers and sisters - worse is when it's flavoured with Christian jargon and supposedly a more superior posture. That's when the above verses are really put to the test. Of course, each persons experience of the "other" who is unlike them is always unique. We are all guilty. We are all works in progress. A long way to go ...

On to something more beyond ...

apparently there's lots going on here Vox Populi: Loh Seng Kok vs Umno Youth. These are much bigger issues that my petty ones :-)

again and again I find myself "drawn" into deeper reflection on issues that maybe just floating in my consciousness but now requiring immediate attention because face to face encounters make a big big difference. The urgency is greater.

this is one of the first nights I've come home to find everyone already asleep. They must be tired.

wow! this month a lot has been spent on the little green car I'm driving :-( OUCH!

being religious and looking religious or even sounding religious is not the same with Christ-likeness. This reality is beginning to sink in deeper.

Dwelling on the whole book of Hebrews has been good the last two days. Found this Our Man In Heaven: An exposition of the Epistle to the Hebrews helpful. I'm beginning to get a better understanding of Jesus as our High Priest and how that relates to us.

The last two weeks, this one whole chunk reading of an epistle has been delightful exegetically & theologically and very spiritually uplifting.

Back to journalling a bit more.

Two appointments with two men were fruitful yesterday.

and now for NEO.

Lent 29.1: LIKE FATHER, LIKE SON

John 5:17-30

You : Hi Jesus, it’s me.

Jesus : Hello, how nice to see you again! You seem a bit down…

You : Well, I have a problem, Lord.

Jesus : Yes I know but maybe you’d like to tell me…

You : Well, it’s like this. There’s so many things I want to do for You but I just don’t know what to do or where to start. I read today that You are always working and so is theFather. How did you know what to do?

Jesus : Well, as the Son I can do nothing by Myself, I only do what I see my Father doing. Because He loves me, He shows me what He does.

You : I know You love me but I still don’t know what I should be doing…. Is it ever possible to know?

Jesus : Absolutely! Remember the time when as a child you used to follow what your mother did?

You : Yes, yes… it’s coming back to me now. I,…I used to sit with her and do the same things she did! If she did sewing, I would sew too. If she did some gardening, I’ll try my hand at gardening too! It was so much fun!

Jesus : How did your mother feel when you followed her in her work?

You : It certainly brought a smile to her face. Whenever I did a mistake, she’d show me the right way of doing it.

Jesus : Well, there you have it. Spend more time with me and I will show You what’s on My heart. And when you do them, you’ll certainly bring a smile to My Father’s face.

You : I think I’ve got it… Thank You Lord, I love you.

Jesus : I love you too, My precious one!

Reflection:
“Lord, bring me close to You till the noise of this world fades and Your heart beat can be heard”

(Meditation by Rhema)

Lent 28.1: FELT LIKE GIVING UP LATELY?

John 5:1-16
In today’s reading, we read about an invalid man who was lying down near the pool of Bethesda, known for it’s healing powers when an angel of the Lord would come down to stir up its waters from time to time. The first person to enter the pool when the waters are stirred will be healed. The man reasons with Jesus that he’s unable to get healed because either there’s no one to help him into the pool or someone else always gets ahead of him. I do think that he gave up trying after some time and that’s why he had been in that paralyzed condition for 38 years.
The good news about this passage is this: where we fail and come to the end of ourselves, Jesus is present to revive us. Isn’t it wonderful to know that where we can’t, Jesus can! In fact, in the journey of faith there are moments when we have to come to the end of ourselves before we begin to experience God’s unfailing love. Often times we equate God’s work with our own efforts. When we get discouraged and lose heart, we feel that God has abandoned us and there is no more hope for us. We fail to see that God is much bigger than all our thoughts and emotions. Acknowledging He is God means recognizing His limitless power and love.

Reflection:
“There is no problem too big God cannot solve it; There is no mountain too tall He cannot move it,
There is no storm too dark God cannot calm it; There is no sorrow too deep He cannot soothe it.
If He carried the weight of the world upon His shoulders, I know my brother that He will carry you”

(Meditation by Rhema)

iGod

Click here and have a conversation with iGod *grin*. I found it an interesting experience with a sense of humor :-)

Here's a sample of our conversation:

Me:
Hello
God:
Hello, my child. What is your name?
Me:
Sivin
God:
How are you, Sivin.
Me:
Do you like curry?
God:
What is not to like about it?
Me:
Is the Bible inerrant?
God:
The Bible is a great source of wisdom, but probably not complete by itself.
Me:
What do you mean?
God:
Sivin, I mean exactly what I said.
Me:
ok
God:
Mmm.
Me:
What do you think of Emergent?

(The whole thing got stuck! or hanged! hehehe)

Do you want to be made well?

Here's some "inspiration" for the John 5:1-8 Text reading in Sacred Space, I think it's more of raising questions we need to hear than being very "motivating" - more of helping us to "move on".

"What a strange question Jesus asked: Do you want to be made well? Yet for those who have been sick for years, a cure is a jolting change in their lives, from dependence and care to managing for themselves. Do I really want to be healed of all the physical and spiritual ailments I complain of? Am I ready for a change in my life?"

Lent 27.1: BELIEVE IT OR NOT

John 4:43-54

The story that we read about in the passage never ceases to amaze me. We read about the return of Jesus to Cana in Galilee after staying two days in Samaria. A royal official had heard that Jesus was in town and so came looking for Jesus to beg him to heal his son who was near death. (Now remember, just sometime back the Galileans had witnessed the first miracle of Jesus at a wedding in Cana, where Jesus had turned water into the choicest of wines after the wine being served for guests had run out.) And so in the end we read that the official’s son does get healed. What is really amazing about this story is found in verse 50b. (The man took Jesus at his word and departed.)

Growing up as a kid, I realized that I had always believed what my mom said. I had no reason to doubt her. Weren’t you the same when you were a kid? Children are trusting and tend to take what most adults say as the gospel truth. They take them at their word. However as we reach adolescence, we are no longer innocent and ‘gullible’. We use logic and exercise our own belief systems to discern if something is the truth. Not that it’s entirely bad but unfortunately, this form of discerning is also applied when we relate to God. We can’t seem to take God at His word. If He says He loves us, we have our doubts. We have a problem in accepting what God is saying. No wonder Jesus says in Matthew 18:3, “I tell you the truth, unless you change and become like little children, you will never enter the kingdom of heaven.”

Action:
1. What are some areas in your life where you are unable to take God at His word?
2. Ask God to show you a situation where you can take Him at His Word and take steps of faith.

(Meditation By Rhema Rao)

Lent 26.1: ‘LOST’

The next couple of meditations is written by Rhema who's been traveling Malaysia serving the youth alongside Chris Rao (who happens to be her husband!) I was impressed by the youth devotions I saw her do some years ago so I asked her last minute to join the Lent meditations: Nails and Thorns (pdf) project! ~ Sivin

John 3:14-21
How many of you watch the television serial, ‘Lost’? For those of you who are uninitiated, it’s about a group of people who attempt to survive in a remote island that is beset with strange mysterious happenings after their plane they were traveling in crashed. I guess what attracts millions of viewers to ‘Lost’ is seeing the human spirit’s attempt to make the best out of what seems to be a hopeless situation. As I pondered about the show, I guess their flight was doomed in the first place. It’s purpose was set for death and destruction.

Most Christians if not all know John 3:16 by heart. It is an important verse, no qualms about that, for it is the very basis of our faith. However, if they were to be asked about the immediate verses following that, I doubt that many will know. I used to think that our conversion to Christ was akin to our coming to a crossroad where we either choose the narrow road that leads to life or the wide road that leads to destruction. However, verse 18 tells me otherwise. We were all on the wide road that led to destruction and God in His love for the world sent His only Son, Jesus Christ, to save us from perishing and placed us instead on the narrow road that leads to life. In our efforts to share the gospel, may we be reminded the same. It is not a two option alternative that we give people. On the contrary, we are throwing the ‘life line’ of Jesus to people who are already sinking!

Action:
1. Begin to thank God for the people who were in some way responsible for throwing the ‘life line’ of Jesus to you when you were ‘sinking’ in the raging waters of sin.
2. Who are some of the people that God is placing in Your heart today that need the ‘life line’ of Jesus

Lent 25.1: HEAVEN’S BY-PRODUCT

*One more from Alwyn Lau (sorry for the delay) I'll need to let the mediations catch up ~ Sivin*

Luke 18.9-14
Garfield has a cute way with words. I recall a cartoon in which our friendly fat cat says, “It’s so difficult to be humble - when you’re so great.” I like that.

Jokes aside, I believe it is pretty hard to…err…get humility. Especially in an age of shows like The Apprentice, Fear Factor, Survivor, World Sports, Hollywood celebrities and other I’m-Better-Than-You elements. Oh yah it’s difficult. But not impossible. We just gotta get our thinking right.

You don’t become humble by striving for it. Neither do you do so by meditating or reading or thinking about it. Even if you ask God for it, you can’t just sit around and wait for it to drop on you.

In fact, humility is a by-product of being a servant. Humility is what gradually but surely wraps itself around you the more you wrap yourself with a towel and go to work for those in need. Humility is like the dew in the flowers which ‘rubs off’ you whenever you spend time in the garden of God’s mission. Humility is like the earth which sticks to you each time you bring your head to the ground in confession, in repentance and in rededication.

“For everyone who exalts himself will be humbled, and he who humbles himself will be exalted.”
(Luke 18.14)

And of course, don’t forget. You are the last person to ‘check with’ regarding how humble you are. Let others speak for you. And speak well about others. Watch and learn from those who inspire servanthood and other-centeredness in your heart.

Action : Think of TWO people you consider very humble. Ask yourself how they became that way. What is their daily routine? How do they deal with issues in life? And so on. (I know various people who have renounced television in their homes. Believe it or not, there is NO media-dispensing square box in any of their rooms - gasp! This is undoubtedly a great way to sustain humility in the home).

Does Your Weblog Own You?

37.5 %

My weblog owns 37.5 % of me.
Does your weblog own you?

I did the quiz quickly ...

Random Thoughts after some better sleep

I love Dave Walker's cartoons like the one above. I like the free hand style and the content.

It was wonderful to have my aunty from the USA come and join us for worship yesterday. Because of her, my other aunty Alice and uncle Jack came along as well. Aunty Grace has been a catalyst towards my Grandfather and Mother responding to the Gospel in the 1960's.

I'm looking forward to bring Gareth & Elysia to an informal family meal at my Alice's place. It will be some good family time and awesome food lined up.

Last night, May Chin & I had a simple night out with the kids. With the crazy schedule and events the past weeks it's so refreshing and needed for us to have these "precious moments." I saw a very "nurturing side" of Gareth which I was proud of. And as usual, we bumped into a friend but that seems to always happen ... and it was good.

Listening to 8 short 10-15minutes sermons during the preaching class I was facilitating was very enlightening. One thing is for sure, learning for to communicate God's grace clearly as much as possible is much harder than we expected. The "conditioning" ("colonizing") of our mindset towards a human focus is deep indeed. But there were glimpses of hope ...

I'm happy today is my "off day" and I will learn to embrace this Sabbath ...

Which books shall I read today?

Swim! Swim! and I say again .... SWIM!

The route to "Seek first to understand rather than to be understood" seems more within grasp than ... to "Seek to be understood". Somehow, the dynamics aren't the same.

I heard of a friend who walked out from church after hearing a "strange" (to put it mildly) statement spoken as "truth" at his church. I've heard lots of "strange" proclaimations in my own time and still do here and there from so called "preachers." I think there's place for disagreement on minor points. And variety allows for mutual enrichment (e.g. our various emphasis in relation to baptism or the Lord's supper). so, in short ... I feel we can offer each other a kind of respect that's Christ-like. But based on what I heard was spoken - it was most definately not a GOSPEL proclaimation. It was plain senseless "condemnation" of matters beyond a faithful understanding of the heart of God and the ways of Christ. I wonder what I would have done. I've sat through many situations where I wanted to walk away. I'm glad my friend did. There's judgement, warning, and caution in the scriptures - esp. the prophetic books, and even Jesus himself. But, I don't think we have to tolerate "self-proclaimed" dooms days judges - threatening people from the pulpit. We have accountability structures for our church accounts and finances. Where the kind of accountability structures for theological soundness (without being heresy hunters) in Malaysia?

Today, is a day of rest ... not war. So ...

Lent 24.1: TOUGH LOVE

Mk 12.28-34

Try to do a survey. Ask your friends, whenever they think of Christians, what word comes to mind? I can bet you a Big Mac (or whatever high-sodium horse food you like) that most of them will say one of the following: Truth, Hypocrisy, Old-fashioned, Holy holy, Bible, Christmas and Church. A few of them may even say: Doctrine, Prayer, Jesus or Easter.

Only very few will actually say: Love, Compassion, Warmth, Gentleness.
Like most groups in the world, Christians are often known for second-best reasons. We tend to emphasize the footnotes and miss out the Main Point. And what is the Main Point of this whole ‘Christian’ thingy? Let’s quote a famous person:

“Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind and with all your strength. And to love your neighbour as yourself is more important than all burnt offerings and sacrifices.” (Matthew 12.30-33)

Someone once told me that when a group goes trekking up a hill, it is only as fast as the slowest member. That makes sense. Likewise, I think our love for God, our genuine love for our God, is only as true as the love we have for those we love the least. If we can allow ourselves to HATE another person then – like the unfit team member holding the entire group back – we CANNOT truly love God.

Father, forgive them, for they know not what they’re doing. Jesus said this whilst nails were being driven through his hands and feet. Love doesn’t get more real than that.

(Thanks Alwyn for this meditations)

Random Thoughts while in recovery

I thought the discussion on the KJV Bible tonight at a lay preaching class was interesting.

It's good to feel a little stronger after multiple trips to the toilet Wednesday Night and Thursday.

Reading Robert Farrar Capon again has been good. Who else can churn out stuff like this ... to the question, "Have you found an effective way to present the gospel to a legalist?"

"No (laughter). The reason I say no is because all that you’re going to do is present it and shock them. If you try to do it in a winsome way, which I always do, and try to do it to show them the freedom of it, then you’ve got a chance. A small chance, not a big one, but you’ve got a chance—because, when it happens—people go, "Wow!"

and this gem .. "Pure monotheism is dangerous. The doctrine of the Trinity embraces the paradox of mutuality in God himself without violating the unity of God—because it can only be presented as a paradox and a mystery.

Paradox can take you on trips that religion can’t even buy a ticket for. God is who God is, who he reveals himself to be, not something we can reason out or come up with by some kind of logic. And from before the foundation of the world, God is both Creator and Redeemer. The incarnation of the Word stands under and upholds everything, which means we can pay attention to the restoration that is already a reality for us.."

Witnessed the reality of how one's mind can be "colonized" today ... of course, it makes me aware of my own vulnerabilities. The strange thing is how often we cannot see it ourselves.

Nice to have Gareth greet me so warmly at the door when i came home today. Saw Elysia with some dance moves too.

I think my body is slowly getting back into order ... at times getting sick is the way the body is shouting for rest and healing or recuperation.

Read the whole book of Ephesians again today. Awesome. Some lightbulbs here and there like "Oh, I didn't see this before!" I've always found getting the whole picture of the Biblical book so good to see the flow and glaring themes. Then of course, this process is never static isn't it?

some of us are in the process of doing Easter meditations! I'm encouraged by the response.

Watched a bit of American Idol tonight. I always get a bit soft inside when they do those "play back" scenes.

Tonight ... it dawned on me even more .. that it's ok to be different and we don't have to make a value judgement on that difference. We can embrace each of our journey's because of our context and history and move on from there.

The Hours of Darkness

"The hours of darkness, as I've come to see them, are less for creation than for recreation. Only God works well in the dark, so I no longer pretend to imitate that part of his modus operandi. If God can end his first week's work with a seventh day off, why can't I celebrate a mini-sabbath every evening of the week?"
~ Robert Farrar Capon, Genesis: the Movie, p.xv

Postcolonial Orthodoxy: A Response

>My friend Sherman wrote an excellent post here Postcolonial Orthodoxy I thought I'll use it as a point of contact and stimulation for further conversations in terms of praxis. While distinguishing orthodoxy and orthopraxis might be helpful in terms of conversation or reflection, but in actual day to day reality or ministy personally I think the interaction is much more dynamic. My 2 cents in bold

________________________________________________________________

Postcolonial Orthodoxy

In the context of Asia, evangelicalism very much represents the body of faith propositions that has historically been bequeathed in all its orthodoxy by missionaries who arrived on our local shores during the colonial era. It very much consists of that which has been enunciated by the western community of faith.

To some people being an "evangelical" may mean you are safe or you are REALLY a Christian. Most Christians in the pew as far as I know might not be that aware of the historical-ness of evangelicalism in Asia. This would be the same like if I say I'm a Lutheran. There's no way we can rewind the clock as far as our colonial past is concerned (or as far as how western Christianity has shaped us or still continues to shape us). But I think recognizing the dynamics that led us to where we are now as far as our theological and ministrial models is concerned in some sense critically is a good place to start. And we must start somewhere ....

There is nothing wrong with a body of propositions that has become a time-honoured legacy of Christianity in one's nation. And yet, at some point of maturity, a community begins to question the absence of its own rhetorical constructions of the faith. It finds itself to have inherited much of the language, together with the resulting theological battles, of a community that lies yonder. And it wonders if perhaps it can find a manner of enunciation of its faith that is more resonant with its own cultural realities. Whilst most find greater security in persisting with familiar rhetorics and delineations, an increasing dissonance is seen emerging.

I think space is needed to re-examine the "constructions" or "formulations" (Thanks to Dr. Vinay Samuel for this helpful insight) of the Gospel we have inherited. And for me personally, the journey had begun when I re-examined my "Pentecostal/Charismatic" formulations of the Gospel, and then to some degree the "Evangelical" formulations ... maybe a little bit on "Liberal" formulations (I recognize these "labels" may mean many things to many people but I'll just use them as short hand descriptions of my journey). The immediate gut reaction is .. are we heading into an abyss of uncertianty and cutting off our "foundations" which the past has given us? but perhaps it's more of a desire to move into some kind of maturity where we begin to shed some "formulations" and construct fresh "formulations" while engaged in our contexts. This might mean new language and thought forms and models of ministry or at least it will be a more nuanced understanding of past formulations. The will be some ambiguity in our quest but it's a necessary valley to pass through ... we simply cannot ignore it. This ambiguity forces us to place a greater trust in God, the Spirit's leading and the relevance of the Scripture, the need for an accountability in community. While some may not see the necessity of walking this path, some of us are walking it anyway.

It is for this reason that some of us have now begun speaking of postcolonialism in our theological exercises. I would like to distinctly contribute a new concept to this enterprise: postcolonial orthodoxy. In skimming through much of postcolonial literature, it may appear that much of its ideas constitute replicated articulations of postmodern thought. As a result, this has caused aroused much suspicion within the circle of those more comfortable with familiar classical evangelical rhetorics. In the light of this reality, I am advancing the term postcolonial orthodoxy to emphatically point out two arguments: 1) that postcolonial theology and theological orthodoxy are not mutually exclusive; and 2) that orthodoxy is not a claim that belongs solely to evangelical theology. Furthermore, while the articulation of both postcolonial thought and postmodern thought may seem to employ similar ideas, there exists an undeniable and indelible historical context in which each of these moods arose. We are, inevitably, products of our times.

Taking seriously the critique of postcolonial and postmodern thought is in some ways scary because where does the critique end. Does that mean that there's nothing left for us to hold on to (after the critique of modernity and colonialism)? However, the fact that "we are in the world and not of it". We need not fear allowing some of our "treasured" formulations or rhetoric to fade away or in some cases take a back seat. e.g. just because my formulation on my trust in revelation of God through the Scriptures and how the theology discovered in 66 books of the Bible is not articulated in certain "evangelical rhetoric" like the classi inerrancy debate does not mean that I don't take the Scriptures seriously or I have thrown it away as far as the norm of our faith is concerned. On a personal end, I find myself reading, studying, and meditating more of the Scripture than I had during the "safety" of previous formulations. I've also found myself more enriched by the interaction of the "text" with my current "context" widening my more "spiritualized" reading in the past. But, then seriously here's my confession, I only knew about the "inerrancy" debate while in seminary. So, while I am beginning to understand why this an important discussion at some point, I believe in a variety on how we understand Scripture and it's relationship to our theologizing and ministry outworkings not bound by the boundaries set by the above debate is necessary. My confidence in Scriptural revelation is not affected by this questioning. Of course, I found that putting a strong emphasis on the person of Christ and the ongoing work of the Spiritin community and history keeps my reflection anchored and not going off tangen (at least from my point of view).

Western evangelical theology is by and large the result of the western community's experience of and engagement with the being of God. It is confronted by the sheer self-revelatory nature of God and seeks to speak of this confrontation by means of its cultural rhetorics. We in Asia must seek to do the same. This is essentially even more so when the Asian culture finds within its history a legacy of religious paradigms that speak of following a person rather than a mere body of propositions.

I think in my less organized way, I tried to allude above that I agree fully with Sherman's statement here: "We in Asia must seek to do the same. This is essentially even more so when the Asian culture finds within its history a legacy of religious paradigms that speak of following a person rather than a mere body of propositions." (emphasis mine). In my own preaching, teaching and ministry I found this most liberating from a spirituality level as the "personal" dimension of faith is accented strongly (without denying the body of propositions of course). I think this emphasis is crucial as I see it as a move that causes us not just to be more in touch with our humanity (and it's sinfulness) but more so in touch with the reality of a personal God specifically in Christ. This move also affects how I relate to the people around me as well as the cries of the world. Perhaps it's not so much of denying "content" as far as our following Jesus is concerned, but more of accenting the "relational"-ness more than the "rational-ness". Or better, it's a relational rationality. This helps me when I'm sitting in a Bible study and my young Christian friend is still learning to grasp the riches of the Scripture and see the value of their struggle and trusting in the Spirit's work in this study process. Perhaps it's plain patience and no hurry to have all the answers sorted out too quickly.

This is of course not to say that propositions are redundant. I am also not advancing the claim that western faith propositions are irrelevant for the Asian Christians. The primary concern here is that the western methodology of theological language has often been taken to be universal beyond question. Whilst propositions are gradually inevitable in a community's engagement with the person of God, my concern is that we may have been riding on borrowed propositions as a way of evading the more tedious enterprise of constructing propositions that are more truly consistent with the Asian paradigm of faith. This problem presents the need for us to recover the Asian religious inclinations towards a relational faith so as to enable us to subsequently progress towards an authentically Asian propositional expression of the faith.

As Asians, it's a start in reclaiming our heritage perhaps in terms of our paradigm of faith. Of course, in a global world, I also see my Western friends seeing the inadequacy of their own formulations and they are in some sense engaged in an enterprise of constructing propositions that are more truly consistent with their current context. This is where we as Asians must be careful not to become insular (in reaction to the our past or current influence from the west) and have confidence to engage our brothers and sisters from Africa, Latin America as well as Europe and North America (let's not forget the Aussies and New Zealanders, etc). There's no need to impose any of our formulations on anyone but we can share them as our gift to each other and see what happens.

Perhaps this lingering intimidation within some segments of Asian Christians arises from the fear of pandering to heresy if they were to embark on a creative journey of Asian theological constructions (which are often mistaken as "postmodern" efforts). This fear could perhaps be partially mitigated by the concept of postcolonial orthodoxy, that the almagamation of the two terms need not be perceived as being oxymoronic after all.

I applaud the need to "embark on a creative journey of Asian theological constructions" and I think part and parcel of this journey involves constructions (or even structural and concrete expressions) in terms of church life and engagement with the world because close to my heart at least I see a close relation with postcolonial orthodoxy and postcolonial orthopraxis. To me it's more of I'm aware of how we inherited some of these structures or expressions but I'm also open to change them as I engage in my time and place of ministry more. This is not change for change sake (or some pomo fad!), but a desire to take ownership of how the Christian faith can be rooted and grow in our soil (or better to be claimed by God allowing God to plant us deeper where we are at here and now!).

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Lent 23.1: SAVING PRIVATE HUMANITY

Lk 11.14-23

Barney’s adventures, Barney’s songs, Barney’s dances, Barney’s imaginations, are shown everyday in my house. My son can’t get enough of this skipping, singing, moralizing purple T-rex. In one of the episodes we learn about the Cowboy Way: Always do something nice for somebody everyday, speak softly animals and whatever we do, whether working or playing, always do our best.
And the children in the shows always look so positive, so motivated, so happy. It almost makes me believe that the human heart has not fallen, that there’s nothing wrong with the world, that life is a rosy bed of fun, food and festivities. Barney and his friends almost make me forget that the world is fundamentally at war.

“When a strong man, fully armed, guards his own house, his possessions are safe. But when someone stronger attacks and overpowers him, he takes away the armour in which the man trusted and divides up the spoils. He who is not with me is against me, and he who does not gather with me, scatters.”
(Luke 11.21-23).

Jesus has gate-crashed Satan’s party and messed his place up. It wasn’t easy and Jesus was beaten up badly, even killed and left hanging. But the bad guy’s walls are penetrated. It’s blown to bits. The main defenses are lost.

It is the job of the church to complete the victory. It is our task to take Satan out. Out of the house he’s occupied illegally, out of the hearts he still holds ransom, out of the air which still has his stench. And we do this each time we love and give like Jesus has told us to.

Reflection: How, where and with whom can you plant the victory flag of Jesus each and every day? What strongholds has the church lost in recent times? What new battles have we won? And how often, and why, do we sometimes act like we don’t know whose side we’re on?

(Meditations by Alwyn, I hope Barney and his fans aren't offended *smile*)

Lent 22.1: REMEDIAL CLASSES

Mt 5.17-19

Even in the kingdom of God, there are rankings. Some get As’, others get Es’. Schooling in heaven? Well, sorta. Except we have to remember that heaven happens on earth. Eternal life is about knowing Jesus. Right here, right now.
Schooling in heaven? Yup. Rejoice, though, because Jesus is our teacher. Not just our teacher, He is our text book, our exam question, our examiner, our student counsellor, our certificate. We graduate with Him. At the end of our course, He is our reward.

But, again, this doesn’t mean that everyone gets the same score. Check this out:
“Anyone who breaks one of the least of these commandments and teachers others to do the same will be called least in the kingdom of heaven, but whoever practices and teachers these commands will be called great in the kingdom of heaven.” (Matthew 5.19)

‘Least’ vs. ‘Great’. Yet both are still IN the kingdom of heaven! Just like a family. There can be good children and naughty children, but the father loves them all.
What kind of children are we? What kind of students are we? How have we been performing the school of Christ? Do we need ‘extra classes’ to get in shape for the exams? Oh, by the way, examinations are on a day-to-day basis. Marking is done by the moment. And no cheating is possible.

“What am I being examined on?!” you may ask. Well, go have a chat with your Teacher. Sort out the “important topics” you must work on. Get some feedback on your learning methods. Improve on your previous errors. Think about putting more thought and discipline into your revision, your presentations, your substance.

And now is Lent. The time when the lessons may get a little bit more intensive, a little bit more stressful. Maybe we’ll have to “burn midnight oil”. Indeed, we may. Perhaps we may need extra remedial classes to smoothen out the rough edges in our studies. To get back on track. To avoid failure.

Reflection:
1. If Sunday service is “class”, then what we doing BETWEEN classes? Do we even make a conscious effort to record clearly what we learn “in class”? And if we don’t understand, do we make it a point to ask?
2. In today’s schooling, tuition is pervasive. Almost everyone has to attend tuition. What kind of ‘Christian tuition’ are we taking?

(Meditations by Alwyn)

Lent 21.1: LENT ROCKS

Heb 10.4-10

Lent can be a somewhat dour, sour and gloomy affair at times, don’t you think? It’s like suddenly a few million Christians in the city have sadder demeanours, talk more hush-hush, go out less, and walk with their heads slightly more bowed.
A part of me genuinely ‘prefers’ Christmas. At least during this time, millions of Christians are more cheerful, more inviting, sing more wonderful carols, give gifts, smile more. Even the ‘secular’ shopping malls start playing songs containing the name, Jesus Christ. People are visibly impacted by Christmas, at least a leeeeee-tle bit, right? Christmas rocks the world.
But what about Lent? How can we ‘rock the world’ with Lent?

“(When) Christ came into the world, he said: ‘Sacrifice and offering you did not desire but a body you prepared for me; with burnt offerings and sin offerings you were not pleased.

Then I (i.e. Christ) said: ‘Here I am – it is written about me in the scroll – I have come to do your will, O God.” (Hebrews 10.5-7)

So it’s not so much about how much time we ‘sacrifice’ in church. It’s not about how much money and talent we ‘offer’ to God in our worship services. It’s about how far we’re willing to go to do the will of God.

How about we dedicate Lent towards loving our enemies? How about we dedicate the month of Lent towards repairing ruined relationships, towards showing extraordinary kindness to those we wouldn’t normally be caught dead even smiling at? How about we set aside Holy Week to risk being rejected by our enemies, by making the first move of gentleness, of forgiveness? Like sending them a card, calling them to ask about their welfare, buying them a gift, asking them out for lunch, giving them a hug, saying sorry for our harsh words, sharing an idea, and so on.

Lent is as good a time as any to the one thing our selfish nature HATES to do: Love those who hate us. Lent, and the story that this season reminds us of, is therefore the best time to launch a counter-attack on our selfish habits. To defeat the focus on self with other-focused love.

It all starts with one Christian showing astonishing, hatred-killing care and giving to one who least expects such glorious love. Then a hundred. Then a few thousand. Until Lent has rocked the world so much it will shake with its own tears. Let the Lenten groove begin.

Action:
1. Calm yourself down. Relax. Picture your ‘worst enemy’ in your mind. See this person coming up to you. He/She is getting closer. He/She calls your name in a gentle voice. Then – imagine this! – he/she weeps quietly with shame over the broken relationship, asks for your forgiveness and promises to restore the friendship. Now, picture Jesus embracing the both of you together. What do you think of this picture? How has it made you feel?

2. List down THREE people you know you don’t like. Pray for these people. Put yourself in their shoes, feel their pain, their hurts, their sorrows. Then commit yourself to do ONE ‘extraordinary’ and unexpected act of kindness for them. I promise you your life will change.

(From me: Thanks Alwyn again for the meditations, I've delayed in posting the meditations partly because I was pretty much toilet bound yesterday, Kyrie Eleison)

Carrying my cross ...

From Sacred Space

" You tell me to carry my cross, Lord. You are not telling me to go out looking for the cross, in practices or penances. Rather I find it under my nose. Every encounter that costs me, that rubs off my ego, is part of your plan for me. I start with my own body and heart. The aches and limitations of my limbs, my awkwardness and shyness, are part of my cross. I often wish I was different, but this is me, and I will learn to love me as you do. When I can’t think of anything to say in company, or when I think of the wrong things, I’m carrying my cross.

What consoles me is that you like my company. You can put up with my silences. You accept the grumpy mutterings that at times are the closest I come to conversation. I don’t always feel good about myself. There are moments when, like Groucho Marx, I would not want to belong to any club that was ready to accept me as a member. You not merely accept me, but make me feel I belong, a first-born child in whom you delight."

World Water Day

This is totally new to me.

Random Links 87

Daily Scripture Readings Easter Season, 2006
Living in the light of the future ... perhaps a bunch of us might manage to come out with an Easter Meditation Booklet?

EasyEnglish Bible Commentaries
English is still very much a challenge for many even in my congregation which is supposed to be English speaking --> This is a series of Bible Commentaries for pastors, elders and Bible Study leaders in the developing world or for people who speak English as a second language.

Guardian Unlimited: Interview: Rowan Williams
Brunch for thought: "Leadership is - is, to me, a very, very murky and complicated concept. Often, as I - I think I've said before, what people mean when they say leadership is making - making the right noises, affirming a particular set of views, convictions or even prejudices. It doesn't always have very much to do with how you make a difference. And I think the question I always find myself asking of myself is: will a pronouncement here or a statement there actually move things on, or is it something that makes me feel better and other people feel better, but doesn't necessary contribute very much?"

Caring for the Vulnerable. (Thanks Michael)
Appreciate the summary here .. and especiallys the various roles we can play.

The McPassion
I wonder how many of my Malaysian Christian friends might be offended by this. perhaps I should show it to my friends from other faiths to see what they think.

7 things I learnt from Bono about worship leading
This is interesting ... I'll send it to our Church Worship Catalyst (coordinator)

Why should we study religion?
I close this session with something meaty ...

Random Thoughts before the Big Downpour

I thought this picture above is fun .... I call it "Three Men and a Toilet" (or more precisely - Bathroom?). Up to you what your imagination might spur you to think. It was a humorous moment during a break at our church refocusing day last saturday.

I was thinking about some things I don't say anymore, e.g.
"what we need to something more practical and not theory!"
(This is because nowadays I think praxis and thinking is much more inter-related than we really know) .. I suspect what we REALLY mean is ... "I want something that is thought through as well as enables me to practice it out .. or something like that) I notice there are other sentences I don't use like I use to or at least when i use it I've reflected more on it.

I seldom ask people "Have you accepted Jesus yet?" (partly because I think Christ acceptance of me is more awesome), I tend to say, "tell me about where you are spiritually? or in relation to God or faith?". I never ask people whether they are "baptised in the Holy spirit" anymore .. or "Are you sold out for Jesus? and many slogans that meant more for me at one phase of my Christian walk. I don't mean to say that to some these statements are irrelavant. It just means while I have changes the way I talk, part of the reason is my "walk with Christ" has been enriched by so many different interesting pit-stops, or even turns here and there. perhaps I might need to dig into my old journals to see what was my "lingo" in terms of expressing my faith. I must admit while I don't use the more "charismatic/pentecostal" lingo (I can if I want to), it doesn't mean I deny the work of the Spirit (in fact, I trust the Spirit's work even more , I think) ... perhaps it's more of widening my vocabulary - in forms as well as in substance.

I've been hearing the term "postmodernism" again in Malaysian Christian circles. Interestingly, I seldom talk about it unless asked by someone. I read a lot on it in relation to Christian ministry and theology for some time starting way back in 1999. Hmm .... it's a complicated subject that is often presented in a simplistic way. That's why I tend to respond to questions rather than initiate a talk on it. And I think in our context in Malaysia we need to be aware of the currents globally ... I wouldn't want to be swallowed up by a whirlpool discussion on "postmodernism". I don't ignore it, but I don't think something that demands too much attention. It's just one of the many things we could talk about.

Is there such a thing as "pacifism" when it comes to human conversations, and discourse (as well as debate?)? I was tempted to say something today in an email but I stopped. I'm glad I did.

Interesting exercise to look through some of the old stuff I typed the two or three years ago. Throw more paper away ... but there's still some left behind.

Still not raining yet.

Eavesdropping on other people's sermon online. I'm really shy and perhaps I lack confidence to put up my sermons online. well ... I've got more important things on my mind right now.

I was amused when someone told me that what they are learning in BLC is not mainstream (I wonder what does mainstream look like in Malaysia? *smile*). I found it funny is because since we are a Lutheran church which is considered by older people to be "mainline", But now a mainline church is not mainstream anymore. hehehe ... it was just funny. What is important for me was not so much of the description... (that was more of an educational moment for me), what was more encouraging was that we ere given a chance to help this someone along to draw close to Jesus and learn Christian discipleship afresh.

funny thought exercise ...
Question: What type of pastor are you?
Answer: I'm a non-mainstream-mainline-Lutheran-pastor ... heheh

Lent 20.1: UNFINISHED

Ps 42.2-3, 43.3-4

Any time I think I’m ‘spiritual’ enough, I only need to open the psalms.

“My soul thirsts for God, for the living God. When can I go and meet with God?” (Psalms 42.2)

Aiyoh(!), I can’t compete with the psalmist. He actually asks, “When can I go and meet with God?” Un-believable. The closest kind of thing I normally say is,
“When can we go and see Batman Begins?”

He misses God’s presence; I miss my Web connection when I go out of town. He craves for God’s arms; I long for the arms of a comfortable chair at the end of a working day. He longs to hear God’s voice; I long to listen to my favourite CD.
“My tears have been my food day and night, whilst men say to me all day long, ‘Where is your God’?” (Psalms 42.3)

“Send forth your light and your truth, let them guide me…” (Psalms 43.3)

I am nowhere near the psalmist. The psalmist weeps when people mock God; I just look down or try to change the subject. He asks God for more light and truth; I tell myself my “daily readings” once a day (sometimes less) dah cukup la.

“…let them bring me to your holy mountain, to the place where you dwell” (Psalms 43.3)

See there? Still can’t enough of God’s presence. Gotta be where He is. God is an addiction the psalmist can’t seem to get enough of. Me? I’ve got enough trouble trying to out-smart my egoistic indulgent self and its addictions.

“Then will I go to the altar of God, to God, my joy and my delight. I will praise you with the harp, O God, my God. (Psalms 43.4)

What was the psalmist aiming at? What is his ‘goal in life’? It looks like his whole being is pointed towards praising God – that’s his purpose for getting up every morning, that’s the magnet which pulls him on every day. For me, if it’s not my examinations it’s usually my Nama, my Gaya, my Duit, my Badan, whatever boosts Aku the Great. I’ve got lots to learn. May God teach me well.

If you find you’re more like the psalmist, praise be to God! If you find you’re more like yours truly, then praise Him too. For God loves His unfinished works of love. Just ask Him to keep molding you. Always.
(Meditation above From Alwyn with thorough Malaysian flavoring!)

My response:

For God loves His unfinished works of love this is indeed a piece of Gospel-good-news for me. It's when we see how "unfinished" we are that our hearts are cracked open for his molding and nurturing. There are times when we think "Oh, he's finished doing some stuff in this phase of my life". And very quickly, the next "unfinished" business crops up. When will it end? Perhaps, another question might help, What is God up to? how is all this connecting me to the bigger story of God's story especially glaring at me this Lenten season in the life of Christ. These days, I'm capturing every moment possible to dwell in the presence of the one who said, "It is finished!" That helps me deal with my "unfinishedness" knowing whom I'm holding on to, or better who is holding me.

Posted by sivinkit at 04:05 PM | Comments (0)