The Word of the Lord - really?

Lately it has become apparent to me that using the designated liturgical response for the scripture readings in the newest Lutheran hymnal may actually be causing unnecessary confusion.  In Evangelical Lutheran Worship (ELW © 2006), the first and second lectionary readings are concluded with either “The word of the Lord” or “Word of God, word of life.”  Really?  Is everything we read in the Bible appropriate to refer to as “the word of the Lord” or as a “word of God”?  Such a reference is certainly appropriate for some readings from the Bible - such as when God gives Moses the ten great words, or when an angel delivers a message from God, or even when prophets speak a message from God, and certainly when referring to the words of Jesus.  Passages like these could clearly be called a “word of the Lord.”  But the content of the Bible is far more diverse than solely messages direct from God.

The Bible contains many genres, such as historical writings recounting the story of a people of faith. These passages can be considered words about God acting in history - words of people of faith describing how they understood God to be interacting in their own circumstances, but these are words of people, not a message directly from God.  There is poetry describing the wonders of God, or lamenting to God, prayers both individual and communal, and these could be understood as words directed to God, they are not intended to be understood as words from the Lord. The poems found in the Bible sometimes refer to promises or declarations of God, but for the most part are focused on the words of humans singing praises, or sobbing laments.

Consider the letters found in the New Testament - these are words most definitely from one person to another person or group of people.  Even the Apostle Paul makes a distinction between levels of value in his letters, in one place he writes “Now concerning virgins, I have no command of the Lord, but I give my opinion as one who by the Lord’s mercy is trustworthy.”  (1 Corinthians 7:25 NRSV)  Would it be accurate to call Paul’s opinions “the word of the Lord”?  This is not the only place Paul acknowledges writing that is opinion or advice, see also his second letter to the Corinthians 8:10 and 11:17.  Is Paul giving advice to be considered the same as “the word of God”?  I’m pretty sure Paul would not claim that.

Some might argue that 2 Timothy 3:16 tells us that “all scripture is inspired by God” and thus all scripture is the word of God.  But in my way of understanding, to say something is “inspired by,” and to say something is “direct from,” are two different things. To say “This is the word of God” is different from saying “This word is inspired by God.”  I do not believe that scripture being inspired is the same thing as being dictated.  (Pastor Rebecca Craig has written a good article on A Lutheran View of the Bible to read further on this subject.)  The other problem with quoting this passage is that Paul is only referring to the Hebrew scriptures, as the New Testament at that time had not yet been identified and canonized – so can we even claim that this passage is refers to the very letter that contains this quote?  Once again, I do not think Paul would claim that.

To respond to all scripture readings in worship with the phrase “The word of the Lord” encourages people to understand the Bible in a simplistic manner - to hear all parts of the scriptures as dictated by God, and thus of equal value.  To have the congregation say “Word of God, word of life” after every reading does not make room for distinctions of material, or encourage a more nuanced hearing of various passages.  For these reasons I am not always comfortable using the designated responses to the scripture readings indicated in Evangelical Lutheran Worship.

It was not always this way, the Lutheran Book of Worship (LBW © 1978) simply concluded each scripture passage with “Here ends the reading.”  Prior to that the Service Book and Hymnal (SBH © 1958) similarly had “Here endeth the Lesson.”  It was With One Voice (WOV © 1995) that changed the concluding statement following the first and second readings.  This was carried forward into the ELW.  I think I understand the intention behind this change, it was an attempt to involve the congregation as active listeners, rather than passive receivers.  However if one was to have a response of gratitude after the readings it might give the wrong impression and be the basis of a poor liturgical joke.  To end the scripture reading with the traditional phrase “Here ends the reading” and then have the congregation respond “Thanks be to God!” could be construed as “Thank God that reading is over!”  You can almost see the a couple of bored teenagers listening to, what seems to them, a lengthy and confusing scripture reading, turning to each other, rolling their eyes, and pronouncing with irreverent delight “Thanks be to God!” when it is finished.  That would never do, so a new ending for the scripture readings needed to be used, and thus the new phrases “The word of the Lord” or “Word of God, word of life” were introduced.

Normally I don’t mind changes in the language we use in worship, in fact I often welcome them.  For example, I prefer the wording of the new translation of the Lord’s Prayer, I think the newer version is less confusing. (Does God really lead us into temptation so that we need to pray that for that not to happen?  Far better is the translation “Save us from the time of trial.”)  However, due to the confusion the current responses to the readings can create, this is one time I think it would be better to revert to the earlier wording and simply end the scripture passages with “Here ends the reading.”  That, of course, would eliminate the congregational response if the response was “Thanks be to God.”  But what if a different congregational response could be agreed upon?

I have been trying out different possibilities in my head, and I am not totally satisfied I’ve found an ideal response.  What I do like is the initial phrase I’ve come up with: “Words of faith.”  But somehow that seems incomplete, and it doesn’t express any type of gratitude.  So I have tried many combination of words, here are some examples:

“Words of faith. Words of life!”

“Words of faith. All thanks to God!”

“Words of faith.  Thanks be to God!”

“Words of faith.  Glory to God!”

“For Words of faith we thank you God!”

None of these seem to work really well from my perspective.  I do like the idea of the congregation responding to “Here ends the reading” with the affirmation “Words of faith.”  That simple phrase describes the content of the Bible in all its forms, and isn’t nearly as misleading as always saying “the word of the Lord” or “Word of God.”  Perhaps some of you reading this blog entry will be inspired to suggest other possibilities, if so I’d love to see you leave your suggestions in the comment section below.

In the meantime I have chosen to end the first and second readings from the lectionary with the simple phrase “Here ends the reading.”  Perhaps one day I will have a new response to the scripture readings to introduce to the congregation, but for now I would rather lessen the confusion about how we should understand the content of the Bible.  And with that, here ends this reading.

  

The above picture of a Bible on the lectern in the Abbey on Iona, Scotland

was taken by myself in June 2009.

Reflection #19: The Rediscovery of Celtic Christianity

I had minimal understanding of Celtic Christianity in my early years, I did know a little about one Celtic saint because of the yearly celebration of St. Patrick's Day (I was particularly impressed with the legend that he drove the snakes out of Ireland – that’s my kind of guy!)  Beyond a wee bit of lore surrounding Saint Patrick I knew nothing about the unique version of Christianity that sprung up in Ireland, Scotland, Wales and parts of England.  Such ignorance was transformed into interest through the work of some creative people I encountered in the early 90’s.

As I remember it, my introduction to Celtic Christianity began when I discovered the music of the British progressive rock group called Iona.  I was always on the look out for Christian music with a unique approach, and reading a review about this group prompted me to pick up their first self-titled CD in 1990.  I was not disappointed, I enjoyed their unique blend of traditional Celtic music and progressive rock, complete with Christian lyrics and creative sensibilities.  In 1992 Jeff Johnson, an independent recording artist who I have been a fan of since 1980, released the first of his Albion trilogy, a recording of contemporary Celtic music that he created in conjunction with a book series by Stephen Lawhead.  Both Johnson’s music and Lawhead’s books immersed me Celtic imagination and spirituality.  A few years later, in 1994, at an Association of the Lutheran Church Musicians conference in Calgary, Alberta, I had the good fortune of hearing John Bell speak.  John was from the Iona Community in Scotland, he was (and still is) a delightful, challenging and fascinating presenter.  This was twice I had encountered the name Iona, and both times it was associated with a creative expression of Christianity.

At that conference I picked up some worship materials published by the Iona Community.  These dramatic readings, liturgies and songs seemed both earthy and fresh, they made worship come alive for me.  It wasn’t long before I began to use the Iona worship resources in my work as a pastor.  I wondered why these Scottish Christians were able to create words for worship that were both down-to-earth and in touch with the numinous at the same time.  That curiosity led me to read more and more about Celtic Christianity.
  

I was fortunate to have stumbled on this subject about the same time more and more people were beginning to explore the unique history and approach of Celtic Christianity.  The uniqueness of ancient Celtic Christianity was being revealed to a wider audience through numerous books and articles published in the past two decades.  The more I read the more I became convinced that this early form of Christianity had much to offer the church in our current context.

Ancient Celtic Christianity was significantly different from the church in the rest of Europe in that early era (the 4th through 7th centuries).  Being on the fringe of the continent the Celtic Church was developed on its own with little interference or influence from Rome.  However this eventually changed and the Celtic Church was brought in line with the rest of the Roman Catholic church in Europe. Many aspects of Celtic Christianity never fully disappeared however, and in recent decades more and more people have been exploring and embracing the unique elements of this ancient expression of the Christian faith.

Personally I found myself attracted to Celtic Christianity’s deep love of nature, and their willingness to see God’s presence in all places and activities.  For Celtic Christians there were no boundaries between the sacred and the secular, all of life was the experience and  living out of one’s faith, as evidenced by prayers for everything from rising out of bed, to setting a fire in the hearth, to tending the livestock, and so forth.  I appreciate the less hierarchical way the Celtic Church was structured, with Abbots and Abbesses (leaders of monasteries) the leaders of the church in that region.  Celtic monasteries were multi-functional resource centres: they served as places of prayer, libraries, schools, health centres and, most significantly, they were open to outsiders.  While most Celtic monasticism was grounded in a fierce asceticism, the monks treated others with care and compassion, showing great hospitality and inclusiveness.

Celtic Christianity’s emphasis on learning and the arts was also appealing.  Poetry was valued, visual art was created as expressions of faith, Celtic Christianity encouraged creativity.  Illuminated manuscripts like The Book of Kells are one example of this attribute of the Celtic church.

The more I learned about Celtic Christianity the more I felt called to my own pilgrimage (like many of the Celtic monks), I felt a deep desire to visit the Isle of Iona one day.  I wanted to set foot on Iona not only for the ancient history, and its reputation as being a ‘thin place’, I also wanted to experience the contemporary Celtic community which has produced so much wonderful worship material the past couple of decades.  Three years ago I got my chance when I traveled to Europe with my wife Beth to celebrate our 25th Wedding Anniversary.  (You can read about our pilgrimage to Iona here.)  Visiting Iona only increased my desire to explore Celtic Christianity further, especially when I discovered that the Celtic and Nordic people had a lot of interaction with each other over the centuries (there are Norwegian Kings buried on Iona for example).  Through all this I have sensed within myself a deep connection to the ancient places and saints, practices and prayers of the Celtic Church.     

At this time I continue to utilize elements of Celtic Christianity within my own work as a pastor.  I continue to sings the songs and use the liturgies of the Iona Community.  I believe that the Celtic way of evangelism is more relevant to our current context than much of the American way of evangelism this past century.  In so many ways has this unique version of Christianity shaped who I am and how I minister that it would be hard to identify them all.

There is much from ancient Celtic Christianity that remains relevant today, much we can learn from and incorporate into our current context.  A passage from Timothy Joyce's book "Celtic Christianity: A Sacred Tradition, a Vision of Hope" expresses those aspects of the early Celtic Christian church that I think should be considered a model for the church today:

The Celtic tradition was very communal, expressing a horizontal equality and deemphasizing vertical, hierarchical differences. Men and women tended to be more equal than in the Roman experience. Clergy and laypeople were closer... Together, the Christian community practiced (or aimed at practicing) a holistic spirituality that embraced the mind (respect for learning, preserving the tradition in writing), the heart (nature, poetry, music), and the body (penance and pilgrimage). It was mystical spirituality that avoided later dualisms by seeing the sacred and the secular as one, the grace of God in the ordinary things of everyday life, the image of God the Creator in all of creation. 

This holistic approach to a communal life of faith resonates strongly with me. I am grateful for having discovered the beauty and depth of the Celtic Christian tradition these past years, and I will continue to learn more (and hopefully be shaped more) by this rediscovered expression of faith and life. I conclude this reflection with words to a song I wrote for our Mysterium Worship Gatherings - a song most certainly influenced by Celtic Christianity.

Be the centre of our circle

Be the peace that centres us.

We call to you, the Holy mystery,

The Three-in-One, and One-in-Three.

Be the centre of our circle,

Be the peace that centres us.

Be our peace, be our peace.

Both pictures in this post were taken by myself on the Isle of Iona in June of 2009.  The first is a picture of the ancient Abbey, where worship services still take place, and the second picture is one of the standing high crosses found on the island.

Fire of Passion

“I came to bring fire to the earth, and how I wish it were already kindled! I have a baptism with which to be baptized, and what stress I am under until it is completed!”

(Luke 12:49-50  NRSV)

The picture above was taken last fall at a Luther College Teacher retreat at Camp Lutherland situated in the beautiful Qu'appelle valley in southern Saskatchewan.  The fire pit at that camp is a large steel tube, with some cross designs cut out of it.  This image has the fire and embers framed by one of these cut outs.  I have given this image the name Fire of Passion because I think it suggests the pain and suffering endured by Christ in his final hours before his death.

Below is a picture of the whole fire pit taken the same evening.  These pictures were taken with my new (at the time) Nikon D7000.  Most astounding for me is that these were handheld shots (that would have been impossible with my old Canon AE-1 using slide film.  The combination of higher ISO and the Vibration Reduction technology of the new Nikon lens enabled such a clear shot in spite of being hand held.

Towards Jerusalem

This track comes from the 1990 cassette album Intersecting Circles. By this time my recording setup had expanded a little, I was now using my own TEAC 4-track cassette recorder, synced to my Commodore 64 running a Cakewalk MIDI sequencing program. This allowed me to sync keyboard and drum machine parts with the acoustic instruments for a less degraded sound (rather than having to do what was known as bouncing down the tracks, something I had to do on Eclectic Images). The tracks were recorded in my basement, with blankets strung up to create some sound baffles.  It was not a very professional looking setup, but it did the trick.

Throughout this entire project I was able to work with two great musician friends, Bob Howey on woodwinds, and Akira Murotani on trumpet. (Since that time both of these guys went on to get their Doctor's degree in Music Studies, Dr. Robert Howey is currently an instructor at Grand Prairie Regional College in Alberta, and Dr. Akira Murotani is currently an instructor at Goshen College and a member of the Fort Wayne Philharmonic Orchestra in Indiana.)  They not only played on all the tracks, but they co-composed a number of them (though Towards Jerusalem is my own composition).

The title refers to a passage from the Gospel of Luke, chapter 9, verse 51 "...he set his face to journey towards Jerusalem"  This song is an example of what I call cinematic music - it is based on specific images that would play in my mind as I created the music.  In this case the imagined scenes have Jesus traveling towards Jerusalem and ultimately his crucifixion (listen at the end of the song for my musical reference to that event).  The melody is based on a minor falling motif suggesting sorrow, but the background is filled with a mixture of energy and mystery reflecting the mixed emotions displayed by the disciples during these final days traveling with Jesus.  Such were my thoughts as I put this music together. However, each listener is welcome to their own interpretation.

A couple other things to note about this track: This is one of my first recorded examples of what I call ambient guitar. I'm not much of a guitarist, but I have always been fascinated with creating unusual textural sounds using that instrument.  Also at the beginning of the track Bob plays a bamboo flute that my brother James had recently brought back as a gift for me from his trip to China. The gift from a journey seemed appropriate to use in this song.

On this track:
Dennis Hendricksen: Keyboards, Drum Programming, Percussion, Electric Guitar
Bob Howey: Bamboo Flute, Clarinet
Akira Murotani: Trumpet
Mixed by Dave Fries at Cave Studios, Regina

Murmurs in the Wilderness

As mentioned in my previous post I thought I would occasionally put some recordings from my archives on this blog. I am starting with one that goes way back - to 1985. That year I was living in Saskatoon, newly married and finishing off my Master of Divinity degree at Lutheran Theological Seminary. A fellow student, Bruce Solsten, had a TEAC cassette 4-track machine that he graciously let me use (for an extended period of time). When I wasn't hitting the books I experimented with multi-track recording and would often involve musician friends to fill out my sounds.

This track is called Murmurs in the Wilderness, and I thought it appropriate to post at this time because the Lenten theme our congregation is following this year is Desert Experiences. The title of this song comes from Exodus story when the people of Israel begin murmuring against Moses and God while they wander in the desert (see the 16th chapter of Exodus). In this recording the murmuring really doesn't kick in until after the 4 minute mark, which reflects the initial joy by the released slaves which devolves into complaints after the reality of the desert sets in.

This track began because I connected with a couple of guys who were part of a New Creation Music Team who were in Saskatoon for a couple of days as part of their tour. We got talking about music gear and recording and they were excited to try something - so we set up a quick recording session (at Redeemer Lutheran Church) and laid down the basic tracks that night. A little while later I added the piano and trumpet parts.

On this track:
Dennis Hendricksen: keyboards and piano
David Hunter: trumpet
Lowell Christensen: electric guitar and bass
John Vymazal: drums.

This song was part of the cassette album released in 1985 called Eclectic Images. 

To play the track, click on the orange circle with the arrow symbol.

Reflection Slow Down

Last April I began a series of 25 Reflections on my 25 years of Ordained Ministry.  Today is March 2nd, the anniversary date of my ordination service.  Originally I had hoped to get all 25 reflections written before my 25th year was finished, but I only got to 19, and, truth be told, I think I rushed the last couple (I don't feel they're some of my best writing).  So I've decided to slow down on the reflections, I will still finish all 25, but I have other things I want to write about that don't fit into the Reflection Series.  Over the next months I will be posting both reflections and other items of interest.  I am also thinking of posting some recordings from my archives - things I recorded at some point but would probably never release on an album. However some of you might find these recordings interesting to listen to.

One of the struggles I have in my life is that I have way too many ideas, and not enough time to finish them all.  I have numerous recording projects partially finished, many ideas for blog entries noted,  stained glass projects designed but not put together, and photographs I can envision that I want to try and capture.  Some people wonder what they'll do when they retire, I wonder if even then I will have enough time to finish all the things I've started and ideas I've come up with.  I am determined to finish the Reflection Series however, but those final 7 entries may take a while.

Thanks to everyone who reads my posts, and especially to those who comment.

This pencil sketch was created by Mark Becker, a fellow teacher at Luther College during a staff retreat a couple of years ago (as part of a team building exercise).  It was done quickly and roughly, but I liked what he did and saved it.  Tonight I scanned it and added it to this post.