The Prodigal Son

I recently wrote a Narrative Criticism for my Rhetorical Criticism class based on the Parable of the Prodigal Son.  Check it out and let me know what you think.  I appreciate any feedback, whether it be praise or constructive criticism.

 Reshaping the Definition of Justice and the Meaning of Mercy

A Narrative Analysis of The Parable of the Prodigal Son

Introduction and Background

            Christianity is a religion centered on the gospel of Jesus Christ, and the gospel consists of three main components.  First, God sent his only son, Jesus Christ, to Earth in order to redeem humanity.  The idea of the trinity, that God exists as one being in three forms (Father, Son, and Holy Spirit), was and still is an unprecedented idea.  Jesus needed to fulfill the old covenantal law in its entirety; he had to live a perfect life.  Jesus, being fully God and fully human, gave himself up to a hostile people as a sacrificial offering.  The death curse of humanity and the power of sin was lost when Jesus took his final breath of life, in which at that time all the consequences of human rebellion was placed upon the God-man, Jesus Christ.  The redemptive power of the Savior is evident in the third and final component.  Jesus lived a perfect life in thought and deed, gave himself up for an unworthy people, and then came back to life in order to show the world that he had power over sin and death.  The fact that Jesus rose from the grave solidifies his teachings and parables; without the revival of life over death, his words and lessons are meaningless. 

            Though Christianity might be popular among Western cultures and nations, this brief overview of the religion probably seems completely absurd to many, even to those within the church.  Also, Jesus' teachings, presently found within the New Testament, were counter-cultural.  Jesus lived amongst Jews during a time period in the Middle East that highly valued justice.  Exodus 21: 24 in the Hebrew Bible states, "But if there is serious injury, you are to take life for life, eye for eye, tooth for tooth, hand for hand, foot for foot, burn for burn, wound for wound, bruise for bruise."  However, Jesus brought a completely new idea of mercy and forgiveness to this region and the rest of the world.  The Parable of the Prodigal Son is an important artifact because millions of people all across the world use this teaching daily when dealing with individuals.  Moreover, this parable continues to be a radical idea when compared to other major world religions. 

Research Question and Thesis           

            The research question this article seeks to answer is, "How did this parable reshape the way individuals approached issues of justice and mercy?"  This essay claims that The Parable of the Prodigal Son taught an unprecedented lesson in which people should lend mercy in an occasion where justice should be given. 

Methodology           

            Narrative Criticism will be used in order to analyze this parable.  Sonja Foss states, "By creating stories out of the raw material of our experience, we not only establish coherence for ourselves but create meaningful discursive structures that may be communicated and shared" (Foss 307).  Jesus used his divine experience to present numerous moral lessons on life that could then be shared and spread by others.

           

Parable Summary

            The Parable of the Prodigal Son begins by stating that a man has two sons, and the younger son takes his inheritance early but squanders all of his possessions while away in a far country.  After losing everything, the younger son decides to try to return home because he was in dire need.  Realizing that his father might be extremely upset upon his return, he decides that he will ask for forgiveness.  As the son approaches his old home, the father sees his son far off and runs out excitedly to greet him.  The father states at the end, "It was fitting to be glad, for this brother was dead, and is alive; he was lost, and is found."  Within this statement from the father is the new idea of mercy and forgiveness introduced by Jesus. 

New Values

            The first items of interest are the new values of mercy and forgiveness that are embedded in the narrative.  It has already been stated by scripture that Jewish culture valued the idea of justice.  In this case, many Jewish individuals during this time period would have expressed severe frustration with the son's actions and allowed him to suffer the consequences of wasting away his father's money.  The son also expresses the idea that he should receive punishment for his actions when he states, "I am no longer worthy to be called your son.  Treat me as one of your hired servants" (Luke 15:19).  However, this narrative introduces a new idea to the culture: the father gave mercy when the son should have been given justice for his actions.  Not only does the son receive mercy, but he also receives a celebration hosted by the one man who he betrayed.  If one were to hear this story but not be aware of the son's outcome after he squandered his inheritance, many would probably state that the son deserved to be punished for his actions, directly or indirectly.  Yet here is a man claiming to be God who exhorts his listeners to forgive.

Cultural Resonance           

            The forgiveness offered by the father in the parable created dissonance with the individuals of the contextual culture.  However, by speaking this parable, Jesus revealed an element of morality of a new radical Christian lifestyle.  In a world dominantly ran by justice, Jesus offers a new instruction to forgive those who have wronged you, even in the worst-case scenarios.  There exists no "eye for an eye," and "tooth for a tooth" any longer for the disciples of Christianity.  One must go outside this parable in order to understand the importance of this lesson.  Jesus states that if an individual is indeed a disciple and a follower, then she or he must obey what he commands; Jesus commands mercy and forgiveness.  This lesson creates resonance throughout the world because the culture is based on ideologies, not only geographic location.

Character

            The younger son can represent those who live outside of God's law who desire to come "home."  The story tells the audience that this man squandered his money away on prostitutes, an action that can leave any person feeling extremely guilty.  The beauty of the story lies in the mercy that the father shows his son, and this can resonate with individuals who have experienced sexual promiscuity that want to enter into a Christian life.  Not only will the younger son be forgiven, but also there is no guilt given by the father within the story. 

            The father essentially represents God the Father, and Jesus wants the listener to understand that God acts in the same manner.  The younger son develops a statement to give upon arrival, but his father cuts him short.  The father not only forgives him immediately, but also offers him the best robe.  Jesus wants the people to know that the Father desires for them to come back to him.

           

Parable Construction

            The end of the parable describes a frustrated and bitter older brother who is upset that his father accepted the younger son's apology; this represents what the majority of people would feel. The father is opening new doors for individuals who do not deserve mercy.  By giving the older brother's account, Jesus is showing his culture that this new teaching will be difficult to grasp.

Conclusion

            Lessons on life are easier spoken than learned and acted.  Some lessons exist only to guide a specific individual; perhaps an audience of one will only hear it.  That one must be responsible for his or her actions is a moral code by which most modern humans live.  Christianity has introduced numerous new teachings that continue to challenge societal moralities.  Jesus uses The Parable of the Prodigal Son to show that God values mercy and forgiveness when justice should be served, given that the individual is turning to God.  A new culture arises from these teachings, and the fact that the radical counter-cultural lessons are given by Jesus displays his own divinity.  This analysis contributes to rhetorical theory because it helps show, in part, the radical ideological belief that Christians possess.

Gender Distortions

The Council on Biblical Manhood and Womanhood is a group of Christians who "Proclaims God's Glorious Design for Men and Women," and Steven Tracy writes a solid article concerning distorted gender roles that are "backed" by the Bible.

Check out the article here

Tracy states,

Biblical headship patterned after the Trinity is the most powerful biblical corrective to the abuse of male power. The Father's headship over the Son involves: loving, sharing, and honoring.

Studying Women's Studies in College opened my mind to issues that I did not know existed.  Even if one is not interested in the debate, the issue will not go away and it is important to have some sort of grounded opinion.

Reformation's Issue of Disunity

I read an article by Stanley Hauerwas tonight and it struck me deeply because never before have I approached pondering the Reformation as an issue with the Church Catholic.

Check out the article here, I believe that it will challenge the body of Christ to approach the issues of disunity differently.

We know, after all, that the prophecy of Joel has been fulfilled. The portents of heaven, the blood and fire, the darkness of the sun, the bloody moon have come to pass in the cross of our Savior Jesus Christ. Now all who call on that name will be saved. We believe that we who stand in the Reformation churches are survivors. But to survive we need to recover the unity that God has given us as survivors. So on this Reformation Sunday long for, pray for, our ability to remember the Reformation – not as a celebratory moment, not as a blow for freedom, but as the sin of the church. Pray for God to heal our disunity, not the disunity simply between Protestant and Catholic, but the disunity in our midst between classes, between races, between nations. Pray that on Reformation Sunday we may as tax collectors confess our sin and ask God to make us a new people joined together in one might prayer that the world may be saved from its divisions. 

Marriage Proposal

This is the latest paper I have written for Women's Studies.  In a nutshell, I believe that a separation of church and state on the issue of marriage would be the best bet for the church in general.  This would allow for respectful discourse to be made between the religious and secular, and it would also protect the church from being tainted by secular thought.  Give it a look, I would greatly appreciate it.  I wanted to write a lot more, and word limits are lame.  

The Marriage State: Governance for the Individual, Not the Religion

The trouble with many definitions for any given object or idea is the subjective nature of every individual who performs the defining; each human has a different experience.  Marriage is a suitable example.  An arranged marriage forced by parents can seem like a nightmare to a young girl who has no desire to become attached to a partner for a lifetime.  In many modern Western societies, marriage can be viewed by some individuals as an ultimate goal in the pursuit of happiness and fulfillment.  To turn a blind eye away from the truth that marriage has undergone numerous definitional shifts would hinder the possibility for a progression of marriage and a more egalitarian society.   Constant work has to be done in order to respect contradicting viewpoints.  This essay proposes that religious implications on the institution of marriage should be clearly and definitely detached from secular individuals and politics in order to promote an equal governmental system and respectful discourse.

            First, a brief history of marriage will be given.  The author of Marriage, a History, Stephanie Coontz, is the director of Research and Public Education at the Council on Contemporary Families.  She spends several hundred pages revealing a basic history on marriage while exposing some misleading ideologies.  Prehistorically, Coontz states, “hunting and gathering societies throughout history have emphasized sharing and reciprocity” (39).  Before marriage became a specialized partnership that benefited personal interests, individuals who coupled had a necessary commitment to the group as a whole.  Marriage then shifted to a political tool where governmental ties and international relationships could be established.  However, Christianity brought a new perspective.  Marriage became secondary to preparing oneself for the coming of God.  During the Medieval Ages in Europe, Coontz states, “The importance of marriage in creating a viable household economic unit meant that free peasants…were very anxious to get properly married” (111).  Marriages during this time were primarily for economic purposes, not for love and fulfillment.  The Catholic Church infused marital norms onto the general public, and public scolding happened to anyone who rejected them.  Until the seventeenth century, families were seen as a small-scale monarchy with the husband acting as king.  Next, men were ultimately seen as the breadwinner of the family, and the women were seen as the housekeepers.  Coontz states, “Women who were unable to be full-time wives and mothers were often labeled moral degenerates” (169).  Victorian marriage brought a new radical perspective towards marriage, one that focused on personal satisfaction, romantic love, and obligations.  There was then a shift “from sentimental to sexual marriage,” but too much sex was seen as immoral by society during the early twentieth century (196).  The 1950’s brought a unique perspective where men and women had the opportunity to court their own mates more than ever before.  Coontz declares, “The cultural consensus that everyone should marry and form a male breadwinner was like a steamroller that crushed every alternative view” (229).  This period is from where the term “traditional marriage” modernly originates.  A backlash from women due to suppressive and demeaning ideologies led to the demise of this era.  This current era has been continually trying to collectively find what marriage is and who can enter into a marital relationship.  A high divorce rate has been an issue in modern marriages with a national divorce rate of “9.2 divorces per 1,000 men and 9.7 divorces per 1,000 women” (Samuel 3).

            Moving along, the first feminist perspective will be from Margaret Denike in an article entitled “Religion, Rights and Relationships: The Dream of Relational Equality.”  Denike states, “Conservative rhetoric over the marriage question has given rise to debates that construe a mythic conflict between competing rights…as if individuals’ freedom of conscience collided with others’ entitlement to marry” (73).

The “mythic conflict” Denike mentions is the idea of many conservatives that their right to marry, or the marriage definition, will be compromised if the state extends legality to non-religious groups, especially to homosexuals.  However, equality rights backed by the Constitution will be widely accepted by members of society because it legally outlaws prejudices.

            The second feminist perspective is from an article entitled, “The Unhappy Marriage of Religion and Politics,” written by Shahra Razavi and Anne Jenichen.  The authors state,

“The relationship [between religion and politics] needs to be viewed through the lens of individual rights and needs, rather than assuming that individuals’ interests are simply represented by…religious as well as political leaders and spokespersons” (835).

This quote is tremendously important for the argument of freedom of choice in marriage because it displays the necessary relationship between church and state.  By letting religious individuals be religious and letting the non-religious be secular, respectful discourse can be made without coercing one side to behave in a certain manner. 

            The third and final feminist perspective derives from an article written by Ms. Magazine blogger David Dismore.  Dismore declares,

“The once-radical idea of ‘equal marriage’ between husbands and wives in considered ‘traditional’ because that’s what many assume was always the case.  But it was a feminist idea about equality…that forced this substantial redefinition of marriage” (13).

Dismore stresses the fact that past conflicts for equality usually evolve into the modern societal norms.  “Traditionalists” are holding onto an ideology that builds walls between fellow citizens and prohibits understanding and progression for a civil society.

            Marriage history and accounts given from reputable sources agree with a proposal for a separation between religion and state in regards to marriage laws.  The United States government is not a theocracy, so the laws that are put in place should not reflect one religion exclusively.  A complete separation between the church and state will benefit the society as a whole.  Allowing civil unions between non-religious individuals will not take away freedoms from religious institutions.  Marriage doesn’t have to be completely redefined because a new definition can be added for a different group of citizens. 

            When specific values are forced from one side to the other, disagreements arise and deep harm can be done.  The way to reach respectful dialogue about certain beliefs can be found through an acceptance of a person’s own free will.  Biblical scholar and Anglican bishop N.T. Wright states in an article,

“Jewish, Christian, and Muslim teachers have always insisted that lifelong man-plus-woman marriage is the proper context for sexual intercourse…Paganism ancient and modern has always found this ethic ridiculous and incredible” (5).

Wright realizes that certain requirements held by religious institutions have always been seen as illogical to the rest of the world.  Living a religious lifestyle is difficult enough for individuals who claim the faith, so it is unreasonable to force those requisites to outsiders.  From a religious perspective, a separation from church and state would protect religious institutions from becoming tainted with secular thought.  Holy elements can become quickly perverted when religious requirements and interpretations are implemented into politics, and vice versa. 

            Sexual sin is a blatant sin, one that is obvious to religious individuals.  However, those same individuals can sit behind a curtain of greed and pride while seeking to punish any person that does not abide by their own people-pleasing tactics.  The present “traditional” marriage ideology is not rooted deep in history.  Feminists, scholars, and average citizens view a separation between religion and state as a genuine opportunity for individuals to make personal choices on marriage, which will ultimately lead to greater equality for all.   

The Gospel Project

"Some people see the Bible as a collection of stories with morals for life application. But it is so much more than that."

The Gospel Project exists to take the Bible and expand it into a 3-year study that focuses on the grand narrative of the redemptive story of Jesus.  Ed Stetzer, president of LifeWay research, serves as the general editor of the project.  Adults, teens, and children can all participate in the program.
Stetzer states, "If we raise up theologically sound people who don't do anything we will have failed.  In going deep, you also have to go out."

Vanderbilt's Irony

Spring break helped me put off some blogging for a couple weeks, and I am glad to be back.  

I came across an interesting article this afternoon that deals with the controversy at Vanderbilt concerning religious organizations and its leadership positions.    Religious groups at Vanderbilt University in Tennessee are now being banned from making leadership decisions based on religion.

The outer bounds of “the freedom of expressive association” are disputed, but this much is clear: If a private group is actually engaged in expression and wishes to maintain its distinctive expressive identity, it cannot be forced by government to include in its group persons or messages antithetical to its message.
That is precisely what Vanderbilt has done—for better or for worse. Vanderbilt is a private university engaged in forming its own distinctive expressive identity. As such, it is free to choose from any of a number of possible views. It could choose to embrace specific religious principles and exclude the expression of other ones. (Many religious colleges do this, to different degrees.) It could embrace religious freedom, diversity, and tolerance for different student groups. (Many private colleges and universities, of all different kinds, do this.) Or it could choose to exclude or suppress the expression of religious views of which it disapproves. Vanderbilt has chosen this last course. It has chosen to exclude groups expressing messages with which it disagrees, for its own secular reasons.

What I found interesting is the fact that Vanderbilt is legally allowed to disallow religious organizations from discriminating against individuals who do not hold their specific set of beliefs.  However, their agenda is slightly ironic.

The reason why Vanderbilt may discriminate against religion is precisely the same principle of freedom that Vanderbilt denies to religious groups on its campus—the freedom to form its own expressive identity. Vanderbilt purports to be liberal and tolerant of different views. But its university officials do not appear to understand what this means. They think the university is being open-minded by requiring student groups, including religious groups, to conform to university officials’ view of orthodoxy. This is not so much hypocritical or cynical (though it may be that as well) as simply embarrassingly ignorant. Vanderbilt does not appear even to recognize that its actions are intolerant. It thinks it is protecting its community from improper influences.

One can argue, "What if an organization requires someone who wishes to run for a leadership position to do something illegal or harmful?" I believe ethical considerations can be measured to a certain extent in situations similar to this one, and I personally find it wrong for Vanderbilt leaders to enforce their views on an organization with positive requirements.  In the words of J.P. Freire, "The nondiscrimination policy is a direct contradiction to the school's own words when it insists that students 'are entitled to exercise the rights of citizens.'"

Check out the article here

ALS

I am going to let this article speak for itself.  My girlfriend's father has been living with ALS for quite some time, and Dobson puts living with a disease in perspective.

Check it out

What Afterlife?

Russell D. Moore is dean of the School of Theology at the Southern Baptist Theological Seminary.  He posted an article concerning the "afterlife" that is discussed among Christianity.

CH Spurgeon

While reading Romans 7 today, I came across an extremely challenging text, especially in verses 21-25.  If you have about half an hour to read this sermon, I encourage you to do so.  I have been pretty down recently over the reality of sin and my own sinful nature.  This sermon brought some very encouraging words to me, and I am thankful.

The Fainting Warrior

On to the Next One

This Sunday began a new exploration of a different church, Aletheia Norfolk.  The church is conveniently located in a campus building about a one minute walking distance from my house.  I planned on attending Calvary Revival, a predominantly black church, but waking up extremely tired can change plans pretty quickly. 

Check out their website

A friend named Graham Miller once told me he doesn't care what denomination a church is or what particular theology they are following, but the most important aspect of a church is whether or not it works and works properly.  I truly felt like Aletheia is a church that works, inside and out.  The pastor was honest and humble.  The people were approachable and cordial.  I almost experienced a culture shock, going from the mystic services the week before to the more well-rounded, biblically based community. 

One particular quote Pastor Jamie said struck me deeply.  "Gifts are tools for the ministry, not measures of maturity." I am insecure about my ability to grow and mature, but I am realizing that I feel this way because I am thinking selfishly about how I can benefit myself from my gifts. 

"The eye cannot say to the hand, 'I have no need of you,' nor again the head to the feet, 'I have no need of you.' On the contrary, the parts of the body that seem to be weaker are indispensable, and on those parts of the body that we think less honorable we bestow the greater honor, and our unpresentable parts are treated with greater modesty, which our more presentable parts do no require." 1 Corinthians 12: 21-24

One week I go from hearing about the Holy Spirit as a flaming bowl of water pouring on the campus of CBN and striking down people with "POWER!" to a calm and confident belief that as a Christian we are already opened to all the wonderful gifts of the Spirit.  I'm looking forward to the next month for sure.

Linsanity and Tebow Time

Here is a solid article found on Religion Dispatches.

I agree with Jay that we can't attribute any direct success to an athlete due to their faith.  That idea is absurd, but what we can view as an audience is how these Christian athletes carry themselves on a daily basis.

Catch the Fire?

This weekend turned out to be very challenging and thought-provoking. A good friend of mine invited me to go with him to a conference entitled "Catch the Fire," which was being held at CBN.  Thankfully, my girlfriend Liz tagged along.  Bill Johnson spoke on Friday, and John Arnott was lined up to preach on Saturday.  I had never heard of Mr. Arnott, but I was curious to see what the hype was all about.  I am not that familiar with Bethel Church, but I knew that most people at my church, New Life Providence, are pretty fond of the movements going on there and also at IHOP.
Now, I will be the first to say that I am young and immature in my faith.  I also try my best to allow different personalities respond to the gospel in different ways, and I believe that is something beautiful about our Savior.  I remember reading something by Bonhoeffer stating that he had witnessed something amazing in Black churches in America when he visited due to their energy.
But, there are some things that I remain very, very skeptical towards within our church. To get an idea of what I am talking about, check this video out.

I am a firm believer in the gifts.  I believe speaking in tongues can be useful in the right situations.  I believe prophesy is important encouragement for the body of Christ.  May we be careful not to forget about the more subtle, humble gifts of the spirit.  The gift of fellowship is essential for the Christian survival.  Communion unifies the body and honors our Savior, and it should not be taken lightly.
This Saturday night, I witnessed women and men hysterically laughing, a ram's horn being blown during prayer, people falling on the ground shaking, a man pretending to knight another young man with an invisible sword, and people chaotically screaming during quiet worship times.
At one point, the facilitator began speaking of a vision she had during worship where she saw the roof of CBN on fire, along with a big bowl of fire water above those flames and the bowl was ready to tip over.  She asked the congregation to grab the bowl and pour its fire water out and into their mouths, and just about everyone did just that.
What I could not help thinking about the entire time I was there was how selfish this ideology was.  For an hour and a half, all I heard were people screaming for "More Holy Spirit! Come! We need more! Overtake us! We want healing! We want You! We want your Holy Spirit more! We can't survive without it! etc."
I don't want to make sweeping generalizations for such a complex and difficult subject, but I do want to say one thing: it is not about you.  Worship is about glorifying our God, not about how his Spirit can make you feel.  The Spirit has become some sort of drug that keeps you going, and each service equates to your fix.
The message of the sermon was, "Why doesn't everyone want this?"

I can tell you why, Mr. Arnott.  People have minds, logic, and rationale.  God created mankind with a conscience and a complex mind unlike any other animal, and we have a right to use it.  In these hyper-sensual moments of "spirituality," countless individuals would rather trade in understanding and contentment with the gospel for an emotional high.
Is the forgiveness of sins or even the thought of prayer not spiritual enough for you?  If prayer is true, we are somehow cosmically and supernaturally talking to a God that loves us despite our rebellious nature.
Not everyone wants "that" because some people understand what it means when God says "blessed are those poor in spirit."  Some people understand that God is not a God of disorder or of chaos.  Some people understand that we are to be content in the Lord, and that the Lord is our prize and possession.  God is not our divine miracle-dispenser.  Pray and have hope, but allow to God to will for his good pleasure.  It is just about us, and it is pure hatred to be the king of our own lives.  


Matthew 7
Not everyone who says to me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ will enter the kingdom of heaven, but the one who does the will of my Father who is in heaven. ²²On that day many will say to me, ‘Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in your name, and cast out demons in your name, and do many mighty works in your name?’ ²³ And then will I declare to them, ‘I never knew you; depart from me, you workers of lawlessness.’


Test everything.

Examining John Piper's "Masculine" Christianity

I read a great article by Christian Piatt this morning via RealCealReligion.  Christian examines a few points John Piper made during his "God, Manhood and Ministry: Building Men for the Body of Christ," and he responds with disagreements. 

Not all cultural shifts are bad ones.  The church should be willing to dicuss and re-examine certain issues, especially the issue of women leadership in the church.  Tradition does not always translate to truth, so try to be open to new ideas and beliefs. 

While I was on Real Clear the other day I stumbled upon an article written by a 22 year old Catholic University of America student.

The topic of forced contraceptive funding for Catholics by the government is pretty controversial right now, but I couldn't help but mentally cringe from the ignorance and lack of judgment by the woman in this article.

Being raised Catholic doesn't mean you are a Christian.  If you claim yourself as a Christian, or Catholic, some of the personal "freedoms" need to be reevaluated if you are serious about abiding by biblical doctrine and not by societal or cultural norms.

Feminist Foundations

I finished adding some final touches on my latest Women's Studies paper for Feminist Foundations.  I still chuckle when I remember that I am focusing on Women's Studies in college, and not because I don't know why I doing it or what job I will be able to score, but because I could have never imagined how much this subject would change my life.

If you can and are willing, check it out and please tell me what you think.

Reflection on Foundations pt. 1

     I believe it would be important to state some personal background information so any reader can see where my juxtapositions between denominations derive from.  I did not have a strong religious upbringing.  My parents would take me to church probably once or twice every month, and as a testament to their concern and love, I believe that they wanted to make an effort to instill in me, directly or indirectly, convictions that they did not have.  And I am extremely grateful for them in doing so.  The idea of God never seemed crazy to me, but like any other kid I had better things to worry about, like Starfox 64.  Now that I am trying to revisit my young ideologies, I realize that the reality of God seemed very definite to me, even to the point of me crying out to God angrily because I got killed in Mortal Kombat on the Gameboy.  Weird memory, but I think it helps.  It seems weird to me that nostlagia serves as an important factor in determining ever-changing ideas and beliefs. 
     Anyways.  I bring my best friend, Chad VanNorman, into the picture.  His dad moved here from Michigan to pursue a law degree.  Mr. VanNorman, or Brent, or kitty cat (Kyle Warren), is an ordained pastor and he led a small church in Chesapeake, VA.  There were about 35 people in the church, and Brent helped lead worship most of the week, which was pretty amusing.  Very Amusing.  Chad got his singing skills from his dad: none.  The church was personal and communal, if that makes any sense.  You got to know everyone because it was so small.  This helped me view the church as a place not to simply sit and listen, but to be an active participator.  So often in the church today do we put the pastor on a pedastool when it is clear that every vocation and position in the church serves great importance.  Charisma was nothing crazy at this church, just the simple raising of the hands and the occassional awkward solo from an emotional mother or father.  While the gifts were not suppressed by this particular congregation, it seemed to be a pretty traditional Protestant church.  We attended this church during the middle school years, but in 8th grade we (I speak as if Chad's family was also my family) we checked out a new church, Greenbrier New Life.
     This is where stuff started going down.  People falling out, speaking in tongues, strangers laying hands on me to pray and freaking me out.  As a 9th grade kid in high school, I had no idea what was going on.  It was a much bigger church with about 500 or so members.  The arts were valued highly, so some pretty popular musicians came directly from this church like Adam Cates, Sean Feucht, Jason Upton, and MAE.  Overall, it was just a completely new experience.  It blew my mind.  People danced, jumped, shouted, and occassionally waved banners around.  While all this craziness was happening my life was changing.  My parents, especially my dad, are pretty reserved.  They don't sing in public.  If you visit my house it's a different story.  But what I am saying is that I had no predisposition for this sort of environment.  But it grew on me because people were filled with genuine joy.  This is where my sensitivity towards different personalities grew from.  I am not stating that truth can ever be substituted by strong emotions, but when truth is rooted in deep passion, there was something tangible that flowed from the source.  So that was the beginning of my foundations.  I came from a reserved first baptist background to a charasmatic non-denominational church that celebrated the overtly physical gifts (along with the more internal gifts) and it took a long time to get used to, and it is still something that challenges me.

Baptist pt. 2

     This past Sunday was the second service I attended at Tidewater Baptist.  I apologize if my writing jumps around a bit, but my writing matches my thoughts, it's pretty scattered.  The service began with a prayer by the head pastor Pearson, followed by a traditional hymn titled "Be Thou My Vision."  I've been attending a more modern, charismatic church for so long now I forgot how it feels to hold up a hymnal book while singing.  I actually felt as if I was a part of the choir.  This baptist church had one man lead the worship songs; one hand held the hymnal, the other hand conducting the congregation as if most people actually knew what he was doing.  The pastor also does the announcements.  The head pastor would be considered, by the world's standards, a man's man.  He is masculine, confident, and direct.  He has a deep voice that bellows throughout the room.  One interesting aspect about Tidewater Baptist is how the pastor and the church's congregants would have dialogue in the midst of announcements.  Women and men would raise their hands or voices when something needed to be said in addition to the announcements, and the pastor would respond and reiterate.  The atmosphere is communal with a tight knit group of individuals and families.  

     The sermon was alright.  However, as a disclaimer, it needs to be noted that everything I say is interpreted through a personal lens of experiences that differ from every other individual.  From what I can tell (and know from previous experiences), the pastor holds a reformed theological position.  I don't always respond well to messages from this viewpoint due to its lack of sensitivity in certain aspects of scripture or interpretation.  Next post will be an attempt to expound what is reformed theology.  There were some good ideas presented in his sermon.  He stated early on that giving money to a church or cause does not mean grace has been perfected.  Although this seems obvious, it is surprising to see how many Christians believe that giving will be directly linked to their salvation or prosperity.  A colloquialism that I have been holding close recently is that you can't throw the baby out with the bath water.  Although there are seemingly endless differences within the different denominations, an open mind and a compassionate heart will allow us to see past these non-essentials.

Comment Concerning Hannah's Child

I recently finished a memoir written by Stanley Hauerwas titled Hannah's Child.  A friend, Breanna Jones, recently posted a quote by Marisha Pessl on her blog that exemplifies an ideology that Mr. Hauerwas also holds. Well, at least the first part of the quote. 

I’m learning to tell my own story, and I am also learning to listen and to fall in love with everyone else’s story.
My favorite novel of all time, The Special Topics in Calamity Physics, says it best:

But most critically, sweet, never try to change the narrative structure of someone else’s story, though you will be tempted to, as you watch those poor souls in school, in life, heading unwittingly down dangerous tangents, fatal digressions from which they will unlikely be able to emerge. Resist the temptation. Spend your energies on your story. Reworking it. Making it better. Increasing the scale, the depth of content, the universal themes. And I don’t care what those themes are – they’re yours to uncover and stand behind – so long as, at the very least, there is courage. Guts. Mut, in German. Those around you can have their novellas, sweet, their short stories of cliché and coincidence, occasionally spiced up with tricks of the quirky, the achingly mundane, the grotesque. A few will even cook up a Greek tragedy, those born into misery, destined to die in misery. But you, my bride of quietness, you will craft nothing less than epic with your life. Out of all of them, your story will be the one to last.

I believe Stanley and Marisha understand that all of our lives are intertwined, but there is a necessity of allowing someone else's story to form separately without impressing our own on theirs. 

Baptist Beginning

       Yesterday marked the first day of my yearlong task of finding out for myself (and others) the differences between denominations within Christianity.  I hope any individual who takes the time doesn't mind if I share some personal information along the way.  By writing hopefully I can begin to piece different experiences and aspects of my life together that I had not made connections, for who knows how much floating thoughts can exist in one's mind at one time, especially at my age when I have no idea where I am going or what I am going to do.
       Temple Baptist ended up being the first church that I will be attending for the next month.  I actually didn't know what church or denomination I was going to check out first, but the night before Sunday my girlfriend asked me if I would like to go with her and her family.  I happily jumped on board.  My family used to attend a Norfolk First Baptist Church when I was younger, although we only went every once in a while.  My mom and dad were married in this church and also were members, and I could never figure out why we always parked in the visitor's parking lot.  One sunday morning I remember hearing the pastor pleading with the members of the congregation to park in an annex parking lot so visitor's could get a first class spot upon arriving at the church.  I guess we were just members visiting...we never parked in the annex.  I guess I can begin describing Baptist churches from the vague memories I have.  Seldom did we arrive on time, but the worship was very formal, traditional, and white.  Lots of white people.  Old white people in suits.  My mom used to make me try to look my best, which usually consisted of me putting my head under the faucet for a few seconds to clean up my hair and then putting on my favorite t-shirt.  No one really moved to the music, and the congregation would all stand with their hands folded and held down.  I know Baptist churches differ in this aspect of worship, but my church matched Temple baptist.  The format was as followed:  sing several hymns, sit down and pray, listen to a couple sing a nice emotional worship song, stand back up for one more hymn, then listen to the Word.  However, I could only experience the "adult" service if my mom decided not to take me to the Sunday school class.  As a young kid, I always felt awkward going to Sunday school class because I would see the teachers and kids only once every couple months.  The kids in the class loved to color baby Jesus or the Red Sea, which usually ended up turning into the Orange Sea or Green Sea.  I also never could memorize the weekly Bible verse.  My favorite Sundays were the ones where I could be an "adult" and hang out in the big service.  Mostly because I could draw random things on the back of the offering envelope, and even play my dad in tic-tac-toe when he was feeling up for the challenge.  Baptist pastors love to talk with their hands and walk back and forth on the pulpit.  I think its also a requirement for the pastor to be funny, or at least attempt to be.  I also learned the deed of tithing through my pops, who would hand the check to me to place in the offering basket.  Honestly, there were several occasions when I wondered why I shouldn't grab some of those dollar bills sitting at the bottom of the basket.
       Over the next few weeks, I will hopefully learn a great deal about the Baptist denomination.  I am trying to schedule a meeting with the pastor of Temple Baptist to learn more about the history of the church and the schooling he received in order to lead.  This article is only the ice breaker, and I hope you enjoyed reading.  Happy Monday.

The Search for Unity

Sometimes ideas seem to come to fruition in times when one least expects it.  The first round of brainstorming for a blog idea turned out to be fairly useless, so I choose something personal that would be simple to explore and write about; surfing and snowboarding seemed like it would be an easy subject to discuss.  However, one night as I was driving home from a friend's house, an idea randomly popped into my head.  There has been a great deal of tension within my mind concerning the misunderstandings and differences within the Christian church and its denominations (although Catholicism, by definition, is the universal church).  As I was pondering this problem, I began wondering why I was not actively trying to figure out where these problems were coming from or why they existed.  Here I am, a Christian, living in one of the most diverse countries in the world, yet I have confined myself to attending only a couple different types of churches.  There is just about every type of church imaginable in the Hampton Roads area, and I have a great opportunity to get a glimpse of many differing perspectives.  In conclusion, I have decided to devote the following year to exploring the different denominations within Christianity and try to find out what separates one from the other.  Every month I will choose a different church denomination to attend. I apporach this with a lack of knowledge and understanding, but I believe my ignorance and honesty are what will make this event special for me and hopefully others as well.