Theology Bon Appetit

I have the week off of class this week for Holy Week/Easter. Mother nature is also celebrating Holy Week with an upcoming snow storm in Wisconsin! Hopefully there will be some sunshine for the weekend. Although I do not have a vacation planned for my week off, I have been taking a theological vacation. Instead of my normal theological studies I have been trying my hand a few new activities including cooking. Most of you probably know I'm not a big cook, so this a big step! My husband Chad is quite pleased with my latest dabbling.

I've been trying a new recipe each night. Last night I made a salsa chicken dish. Miraculously, it turned out fabulous! Tonight, I am trying spaghetti with meatballs. Cooking can really be therapeutic when you have the time to enjoy it. Being creative in the kitchen reminds me of how we are co-creators in this world. (Okay so maybe I can't completely take a theological vacation!) We have the freedom to work with God in shaping this world that God created. That's an awesome task!

Although there are pros and cons to commuting to Seminary, I do think it's a benefit to have a separate place to come home to, to do my studies and reflect. It reminds me that theology can never be done in a vacuum of academia. We live in the ordinariness of life and that's where we need to hear God's Word most. If theology ceases to be relatable to people lives.... what is the point? As God's children we need to look to see God's presence in our everyday lives, the ordinary moments, and in each stranger we encounter.

Love Wins and other irreverent musings...

Last night I went with a group of Luther Seminary friends to hear Rob Bell speak at Wayzata Community Church. We had a blast! There were a few really great moments I will share....

Preview to the event: standing in line at the church for over an hour to get in, Eating Chipotle burritos, surrounded by various high school youth groups

Inside the church: one of our group members who shall remain unnamed....."Is it just me, or does that sculpture in the front look suspiciously like a part of the female anatomy?"

Sammy Hagar to Rob Bell after hearing about Rob talk about God and his views of what the church could be...... "That shit could change the world."

Hmmm yeah that Jesus was pretty radical, someone should start a movement or something.

Theological scrutiny of the Seminarians.... the big question..... Is Rob Bell a universalist?

Answer.... well if universalist means really cool Christ follower who loves God and wants to spread the good news to all people and believes that God loves all people..... who cares?!

At the book signing:

Me to Rob: We all go to Seminary together, could we get a picture with you?

Rob to us: Wait...what Seminary is this... the babe Seminary?

(side note.... somewhat sexist but really funny)

Rob to us: This is great, I think we need more women pastors in the church.

Us: Yeah we know.

Ali: You should really think about using imagery of God as Mother.

Kim: yeah like a sexy feminine Mother

Rob: Hmmm..... Sexy God?

(side note.... this is a play on his other book entitled Sex God)

Concluding thoughts.... If Sexy God hits stores.... you know who to thank for it.

Wrestling with God

In Pentateuch we responded to the Genesis 32 story where Jacob wrestles with God. Here's a part of my response:

I would like to think that Jacob knew he was wrestling with God during the match. In this regard, it took great courage to wrestle God and demand a blessing. Jacob continues, even after the God-man has struck his hip (v.25). Somehow Jacob was able to endure the pain in the hope that he would receive God’s blessing.

This rings true in my own experiences. The times of greatest spiritual growth in my life have often been accompanied with struggle and pain in the midst of darkness. Encountering God is quite dangerous and very risky. We leave changed by the experience in unexpected ways. Sometimes holding on for dear life is all that we can do. We hold on and demand that God at least bless us for all of the struggle we have endured.

Alone and in the dark, Jacob wrestled with God. Even before the rising of the sun he is able to proclaim, “For I have seen God face to face, yet my life is preserved.” (v. 30). Jacob recognizes God in this mysterious encounter. Maybe that’s why God choose to bless him. Jacob may have left the wrestling match limping, but with his new name and God's blessing things seem to be looking a lot brighter.

A wandering tribeswoman was my mother

My Pentateuch (first five books of the Bible) professor Terrence Fretheim shared this prayer with us in class last week. It really struck a chord with me so I wanted to share it with you. It can be hard to read through the Genesis stories and see the pain of the women in the text and the violence that was often done to them. Often the silence of the women speaks louder than the stories. This prayer helped me honor those women as my foremothers in faith.

A wandering tribeswoman was my mother.
In Egypt, she bore slaves.
Then she called to the God of our mothers
Sarah, Hagar, Rebecca, Rachel, Leah.
Praise God Who Hears, Forever.

A warrior, judge, and harlot was my mother
God called her from time to time
to save and liberate [God's] people
Miriam, Jael, Deborah, Judith, Tamar
Praise God Who Saves, Forever.

A Galilean Jew was my mother.
She bore a wonderful child
to be persecuted, hated, and executed.
Mary, mother of sorrows, mother of us all.
Praise God Who Gives Strength, Forever.

A witness to Christ's resurrection was my mother.
The apostle to the apostles
Rejected, forgotten, proclaimed a whore.
Mary of Magdala, vanguard of women-church
Praise God Who Lives, Forever.

An apostle, prophet, founder, and teacher was my mother
called to the discipleship of equals.
Empowered by the Sophia-God of Jesus
Martha, Phoebe, Junia, Priscilla, Myrta, Nympha, Thecla
Praise God Who Calls, Forever.

A faithful Christian woman was my mother.
A mystic, witch, martyr, heretic, saint, uppity woman
A native American, a black slave, a poor immigrant,
an old hag, a wise woman
May we, with her, in every generation
Praise God Who Images Us All.

Women's Prayer Services, edited by Iben Gjerding and Katherine Kinnanon (Twenty-Third Publications, 1987).

Quote of the day from Sojourners website

“The church is obliged by its evangelical mission to demand structural changes that favor the reign of God and a more just and comradely way of life. Unjust social structures are the roots of all violence and disturbances. … Those who benefit from obsolete structures react selfishly to any kind of change.” – Archbishop Oscar Romero, November 1979.

Response to Japan

A good article on suffering through through the lens of different world religions. I love how the Christian response speaks about God walking with us through our suffering.

http://religion.blogs.cnn.com/2011/03/20/finding-faith-amid-disaster/

Thoughts on the Small Catechism

It is required for two of my classes this semester to memorize Luther's Small Catechism. The classes are: History of the Church the Reformation period, and Lutheran Confessions. After growing up Catholic, I have officially been Lutheran for about 5 years. I've picked up Lutheran theology in bits and pieces from undergrad religion studies, weekly worship, leading confirmation at Trinity, and various other sources. So as a relatively new Lutheran I did not have any of Luther's Catechism memorized. But it seems that I am not alone even among lifelong Lutherans. Many of my Lutheran friends have confessed to me that they don't remember much of anything from the small catechism, which they haven't studied since they were 12.

(Granted... Luther's catechism is by no means the only available and suitable resource for teaching the basic parts of the Christian faith, however its fairly standard in Lutheran Churches.) So this leads me to the question: Why are we only teaching this stuff to people in middle school and then considering it good? How much do you remember from when you were in middle school? Frankly I remember more about the boys that I liked than what I learned in church or school.

Just some food for thought that I will take with me in my continued studies and hopeful pastoral work. I'll leave you with my favorite part of the catechism's explanation, the third article of the Apostles Creed.

I believe that I cannot by my own understanding or effort believe in Jesus Christ my Lord, or come to Him.

But the Holy Spirit has called me through the Gospel, enlightened me with Her gifts, and sanctified and kept me in true faith.

(Pronoun change is mine, that's for another blog :)