Economy

How do we begin to understand the current economic crisis? How do we address it as people of faith? If you, like me, are interested in thinking and praying on our economic state, I turn your attention to Religion and Ethics Weekly's contribution this week on economies human and divine. I hope you will find some food for thought!

The Rabbi and the Religulous

Yesterday I posted a review of Rabbi David Wolpe's book, Why Faith Matters, and this morning, while reading my electronic copy of the LA Times, I came across an article by Rabbi Wolpe in beautiful response to the movie, Religulous. The trailer for the movie is immediately below, followed by the LA Times article. I am thinking of going to this movie (for the sake of being informed and NOT because I agree with its premise, obviously) and it would be great to have some company! Anyone care to join me? Just send an email...




Opinion
Maher's mockery misses the point
His movie, 'Religulous,' is one-dimesional, while religion is varied and colorful.
By David Wolpe
October 7, 2008

There are three problems with Bill Maher's new movie mocking faith: It misunderstands religion, misconceives God and gets human nature all wrong.

I have a fantasy of a counter-movie. I would travel around the world and interview every scientist with a crackpot theory or a quack cure. I'd find researchers who were venal, eccentric, foolish or cruel, throwing in a few responsible scientists for credibility. Call it, say, "Scientifictious."

Of course, that would be no more convincing than "Religulous." Religion is not univocal; there are lots of varieties and personalities. There is no shortage of strange beliefs and practices. There is ample opportunity for derision. Think of the movie he could have made about people's eating habits.

What Maher seems not to know, or to understand, is that religion is not a fantasy flung upward but an intuition of something far greater than ourselves. Everyone who lives with open eyes has reason to question. In the search there will be missteps, even cruelties and division, but also sublimity, kindness, beauty, wonder and faith.

Perhaps Maher's greatest misunderstanding of religion is his central indictment: that religion is responsible for the world's violence. It is not. Violence is a product of human nature. Before monotheism, the Assyrians were not kind; the Romans were bloodthirsty beyond the imagination of religious regimes. When religion became less potent in people's lives after the French Revolution, instead of making the world less violent, it became far more violent: World War I and WWII, communism, Nazism -- all shed blood on an unprecedented scale. None were religious regimes or religious wars.

Maher's dislike of religion is not reasoned, however, but visceral. He told Mother Jones magazine about the Jews praying on his plane to Israel: "Even on the plane over, they were, at a certain point, they all stood up in the aisle of the plane davening [praying] ... they just looked like crazy people, always bowing their head. It's disconcerting." No doubt had they worn Armani suits and been tapping at a keyboard, Mr. Maher would have found them rational; but seeking transcendence in coach -- crazy.

If faith is, in part, the summit of our hopes, a guide and an aspiration, then what does Maher's creed leave him with? Again, as he tells Mother Jones: "I'm telling you. I've got nothing." It should not be hard to understand why someone might choose ancient wisdom over modern nihilism. It is not heroic to believe we are accidents of chemistry.

Maher's view of human nature as essentially animalistic (he repeatedly wonders why anyone would curb their sexual appetites) is dispiriting and plain wrong. Animals we are, but we are much more than animals.

Maher misunderstands God as a projection of human need. This is a common atheistic trope -- your belief is based on psychological deficiencies, while mine is reasoned. In truth, the existence of God is not an antidote to fear but a consequence of wonder. God does not come about through faulty reasoning but through a worshipful and humble orientation of the soul.

"Religulous" repeatedly calls faith irrational. True, it is not a product of pure reason, but then what is, apart from mathematics? Reason does not get us out of bed, or move us to love or kindness. Religion is supported by reason, however. The marvel of values, ideas and consciousness -- nonphysical but powerful phenomena -- can reasonably be thought to have an origin in a nonphysical entity: that is, God. Centuries of people emboldened by, and ennobled by, faith can reasonably be thought to have something more than foolish illusions in their minds and hearts. Nevertheless, Maher calls religion a "neurological disorder."

In study after study, religion proves to make people not just happier but more likely to give to charity and have stable marriages, to reduce drug and alcohol dependence and improve mental health. That does not make it true, but it is worthy of thought: Why should something so "irrational," a mere "neurological disorder," be so helpful to society?

Many of us suspect -- or yes, believe -- that there is more to the world than we know, that there is a mystery at its heart. That mystery may evoke some unworthy speculation, attract some charlatans, occasion some cruelties. Faith is also the spur for everything from the poetry of Psalms to the Cathedral at Chartres to relief missions. "Religulous" is one-dimensional. Religion is as varied and colorful as God's blessed world.

David Wolpe is the rabbi of Sinai Temple in Los Angeles and the author of "Why Faith Matters."

Room for all...

You may have seen the news this past week about the Episcopal Diocese of Pittsburgh's decision to leave the Episcopal Church (or click here if you haven't heard and would like to read about it). Pittsburgh is a long way away from us here, but it is still part of our church and it is a sad day when any one of our number decides they can no longer remain in relationship with the rest of the church.

Our Presiding Bishop, the Most Rev. Dr. Katharine Jefferts Schori (KJS), has made a statement about Pittsburgh's decision which you can see in the video below. Also, check out this interview with KJS by Terry Gross of Fresh Air. KJS has a lot to say to put into context what is happening in the church. However, most important is her take on who we are as Anglicans and what it means to be in this communion. Despite the sad news from Pittsburgh, I found her interview and video to be inspiring and hopeful! I hope you will take the time to both watch the video and listen to the interview. Enjoy!

Why Faith Matters

Hot off the press book review from today's Episcopal Life Daily. The author of the book, Rabbi David Wolpe, is a Rabbi at Sinai Temple on Wilshire Blvd in Los Angeles. Click here to see a video of Rabbi Wolpe debating renowned atheist Sam Harris on the existence of God (Sam Harris on the right and David Wolpe on the left).

"Why Faith Matters" from HarperCollins Publishers, by David J, Wolpe, foreword by Rick Warren, 208 pages, hardcover, c. 2008, $24.95

[HarperCollins Publishers] Judging by today's bestseller lists, you'd think that religion is either irrational or extreme. What's missing between the atheists and the fanatics is a genuine debate; someone to point out that religion does have value in the modern world. Why Faith Matters is just such an articulate, nondenominational defense of established religion in America. Rabbi Wolpe presents the case for religion and proposes solutions toward engaging religion in discussions of modernity. By refuting the cold reason of the atheists with a vision of religion informed by faith, love and understanding, Wolpe follows in a literary tradition that stretches from Cardinal Newman to C.S. Lewis to Thomas Merton--all individuals of faith who brought religion and culture together in their own works.

Wolpe takes readers through the origins and the nature of religion; popular misunderstandings of the relationship between religion, violence, and progress; the place of the Bible in modern life; and the compatibility of religion and science. He concludes with a powerful argument against calls for the end of religion.

To order: Episcopal Books and Resources, online at
http://www.episcopalbookstore.org, or call 800-903-5544 -- or visit your
local Episcopal bookseller, http://www.episcopalbooksellers.org

Blessings old and new...

The Lord bless you and keep you;
the Lord make his face to shine upon you, and be gracious to you;
the Lord lift up his countenance upon you, and give you peace.
(Numbers 6.24-26)

As a lover of all things (or nearly all things) ancient, the Priestly Blessing from the book of Numbers is one of my favorite blessings to use at the end of the Sunday liturgy. And ancient it certainly is, dating at least as far back as the First Temple period (that's Solomon's temple). Amulets with the blessing inscribed on them have been found in burial places from that time period, however, it is not unlikely that the blessing itself is quite older. While there are variations in translations, the translation above is fairly common and might even be familiar!

The image above shows the position of the hands for the blessing. If you think it looks a bit Hollywood, you are right! Dr. Spock (Leonard Nimoy) adapted this gesture as the Vulcan greeting on Star Trek.

A few days ago, I came across another, more recently composed blessing. I share it with you below because I think it articulates so well the gospel paradox. Choosing to be followers of Christ does not mean a way of comfort, but it does mean a choice for life, a choice for the peace that passes understanding. Read below and see what you think.

May God bless you with discomfort at easy answers, half-truths, and superficial relationships, so that you may live deep within your heart.
amen.

May God bless you with anger at injustice, oppression, and exploitation, so that you may work for justice, freedom and peace.
amen.

May God bless you with tears to shed for those who suffer from pain, rejection, starvation and war, so that you may reach out your hand to comfort and to turn pain into joy.
amen.

May God bless you with enough foolishness to believe that you can make a difference in this world, so that you may do what others claim cannot be done.
amen.

Hey Rocky! Watch me pull a rabbit out of my hat...

Indeed, I am a fan of Rocky and Bullwinkle. I loved that show as a kid! However, the article you will find below is not about the kind of magic Rocky and Bullwinkle parodied, but rather about a recent archaeological discovery that references, "Christ the Magician." Now, isn't that intriguing! It could be Jesus, or it could not be Jesus, but regardless, it's a great read and will give you a sense of how archaeology and Biblical studies intersect. (You can also read the article on the MSNBC website by clicking here.)

Earliest reference describes Christ as 'magician'

Bowl dated between late 2nd century B.C. and the early 1st century A.D.

By Jennifer Viegas

updated 7:23 a.m. PT, Wed., Oct. 1, 2008

A team of scientists led by renowned French marine archaeologist Franck Goddio recently announced that they have found a bowl, dating to between the late 2nd century B.C. and the early 1st century A.D., that is engraved with what they believe could be the world's first known reference to Christ.

If the word "Christ" refers to the Biblical Jesus Christ, as is speculated, then the discovery may provide evidence that Christianity and paganism at times intertwined in the ancient world.

The full engraving on the bowl reads, "DIA CHRSTOU O GOISTAIS," which has been interpreted by the excavation team to mean either, "by Christ the magician" or, "the magician by Christ."

"It could very well be a reference to Jesus Christ, in that he was once the primary exponent of white magic," Goddio, co-founder of the Oxford Center of Maritime Archaeology, said.

He and his colleagues found the object during an excavation of the underwater ruins of Alexandria's ancient great harbor. The Egyptian site also includes the now submerged island of Antirhodos, where Cleopatra's palace may have been located.

Both Goddio and Egyptologist David Fabre, a member of the European Institute of Submarine Archaeology, think a "magus" could have practiced fortune telling rituals using the bowl. The Book of Matthew refers to "wisemen," or Magi, believed to have been prevalent in the ancient world.

According to Fabre, the bowl is also very similar to one depicted in two early Egyptian earthenware statuettes that are thought to show a soothsaying ritual.

"It has been known in Mesopotamia probably since the 3rd millennium B.C.," Fabre said. "The soothsayer interprets the forms taken by the oil poured into a cup of water in an interpretation guided by manuals."

He added that the individual, or "medium," then goes into a hallucinatory trance when studying the oil in the cup.

"They therefore see the divinities, or supernatural beings appear that they call to answer their questions with regard to the future," he said.

The magus might then have used the engraving on the bowl to legitimize his supernatural powers by invoking the name of Christ, the scientists theorize.

Goddio said, "It is very probable that in Alexandria they were aware of the existence of Jesus" and of his associated legendary miracles, such as transforming water into wine, multiplying loaves of bread, conducting miraculous health cures, and the story of the resurrection itself.

While not discounting the Jesus Christ interpretation, other researchers have offered different possible interpretations for the engraving, which was made on the thin-walled ceramic bowl after it was fired, since slip was removed during the process.

Bert Smith, a professor of classical archaeology and art at Oxford University, suggests the engraving might be a dedication, or present, made by a certain "Chrestos" belonging to a possible religious association called Ogoistais.

Klaus Hallof, director of the Institute of Greek inscriptions at the Berlin-Brandenburg Academy, added that if Smith's interpretation proves valid, the word "Ogoistais" could then be connected to known religious groups that worshipped early Greek and Egyptian gods and goddesses, such as Hermes, Athena and Isis.

Hallof additionally pointed out that historians working at around, or just after, the time of the bowl, such as Strabon and Pausanias, refer to the god "Osogo" or "Ogoa," so a variation of this might be what's on the bowl. It is even possible that the bowl refers to both Jesus Christ and Osogo.

Fabre concluded, "It should be remembered that in Alexandria, paganism, Judaism and Christianity never evolved in isolation. All of these forms of religion (evolved) magical practices that seduced both the humble members of the population and the most well-off classes."

"It was in Alexandria where new religious constructions were made to propose solutions to the problem of man, of God's world," he added. "Cults of Isis, mysteries of Mithra, and early Christianity bear witness to this."

The bowl is currently on public display in the exhibit "Egypt's Sunken Treasures" at the Matadero Cultural Center in Madrid, Spain, until November 15.

Kissing the Leper...

While we are most familiar with St. Francis' love for animals (thus the Blessing of the Animals coming up on October 5, one day after the Feast Day of St. Francis where the church remembers and celebrates his life), St. Francis also took care of the outcast of his time - the poor and the lepers. There is a story of St. Francis kissing a leper he encounters during his travels. Click here to read more. Below is the editorial I mentioned in my sermon last Sunday. It was written by the Rev. Dr. Tim Vivian and published in the early 1990's in the Californian, Bakersfield's local paper.

Kissing the Leper

Last Friday I sat with the lepers and outcasts. Inside St. Paul's Episcopal parish, delegates for diocesan convention were meeting, but we were outside because Bishop Schofield refused to allow us inside. Who were we? Members of Integrity, the national organization supporting gays and lesbians in the Episcopal Church. Bishop Schofield not only refused us entrance to St. Paul's, he has refused to allow Integrity to meet in any parish in the diocese; he has forbidden the clergy of the diocese to celebrate Communion for the people of Integrity.

I wish this fear and hatred of gays by many Christians were an isolated event, a simple example of theological racism, but it isn't. Among some Christians, homophobia is just one symptom; others are fear of women, fear of sexuality, fear of the poor, fear of those not like us, and fear of change.

The reasons for these fears--and the hatred that often accompanies them--are complex, but they are bound together by, and find their common expression in, a profound misunderstanding and misuse of the Bible

With regard to homosexuality, the extreme conservative argument is simple: Homosexuality is evil, a sin, because the Bible says so. Such an argument reduces a complicated human subject to absolutes of good and evil, right or wrong. Those who make this argument conveniently--or blindly--ignore the fact that "the Bible" variously endorses polygyny, slavery, massacre, and the sequestration of women during their periods.

Put more positively, the Bible is a human document (or collection of documents), a human witness to God's being, activity, and presence. As a human witness, it is a fallible one. Since the Bible is a human witness, those who wrote it--however inspired they were--were subject to social, political, ethnic, temporal and religious biases and prejudices, just as we are today.

In ignoring all this, conservative biblicists make a serious mistake; unfortunately, in their use of the Bible they commit a worse one: false use is worse than false understanding. Biblicists mistakenly believe that the Bible is a book of dictates and rules, revealed by God. Once they have this infallible rule book in hand, like a boy scout with his handbook, they selectively decide which issues are most important. Usually for biblicists it is homosexuality or sexuality in general, abortion, and women's subordination. Biblicists are so obsessed with these issues that they usually ignore questions of social justice, poverty, homelessness, or war and peace.

It is a question of priorities, and biblicists have their priorities wrong. While more and more of our people go hungry and homeless, die from drugs and violence, and live lives without meaning, biblicists care more about who is sleeping with whom and what parts of the body are being used to do what.

Those who condemn homosexuality say they are speaking of "biblical" ethics or as a "biblical" Church. But what is this "biblical" belief as it seems to be practiced in this country?

Is it "biblical" to condemn homosexuality while at the same time keeping a patriotic and blasphemous silence (as virtually all of the churches of Kern County did) when the United States slaughtered over 100,000 Iraqis?

Is it "biblical" to oppose abortion while supporting or keeping silent about the death penalty (legalized State murder)?

Is it "biblical" to deny, in the name of scripture and tradition, the full ministry of women in the Church--as the local Episcopal Church does?
No. None of these is biblical. Some who espouse certain "biblical beliefs" are misguided: they naively and simplistically use the Bible to support non-Biblical agendas.

Others, though, who make "biblical" statements--such as certain bishops, priests, and ministers--should by their training know better. Their use of "the Bible" is at best a form of fundamentalism; at worst, it is knowingly mendacious. Such biblicism is not Christian.

Those of us who are not biblicists or fundamentalists, as we listen to their increasingly strident voices, need to remember that--despite their loud shouts--they do not represent the truth of Christianity. Their misuse of the Bible in no way damages its real message: that God is a God of love and compassion, mercy and tenderness; that God became human in order to fully know our humanity; that God loves each of us equally and completely.

The Bible--the true Bible--not only calls us to kiss, like St. Francis, the mouth of the leper. It calls us to claim the leper's mouth as our own.


Dr. Tim Vivian
Assistant Professor of Religious Studies
Department of Philosophy & Religious Studies
California State University Bakersfield

Forgive

As promised in today's sermon, I have included below the link to The Forgiveness Project as well as several other websites to check out on the topic of forgiveness and reconciliation.

The Forgiveness Project is an organization that "...works at a local, national and international level to help build a future free of conflict and violence by healing the wounds of the past.

By collecting and sharing people’s stories, and delivering outreach programmes, The Forgiveness Project encourages and empowers people to explore the nature of forgiveness and alternatives to revenge."

Please take some time to read the stories and see where you end up on the forgiveness question.

Nobel Prize winner Archbishop Desmond Tutu has done some amazing work with reconciliation and forgiveness. You can learn more about what he has done by clicking here. Or, check out the The Desmond Tutu Peace Centre online.

Please, don't hesitate to send your responses!

And please do keep in your prayers all of those who were involved in the Metrolink crash in Chatsworth. Pray for those who have died and their families, the injured and their families, as well as the doctors and nurses who care for them, the rescue workers, and also, importantly, pray for the Metrolink engineer who has become the center of blame for this tragedy.