Wow. There is a breathtaking discussion going on over at Shellfish. Cick on the title for the post and make sure you go to the comments section after the actual post. Here are a couple of excerpts from the comments:
The Beloved Disciple: I understand that it may be hard for you to believe that the beloved disciple relationship is sexual. Factually there is no way to prove it either way. If not sexual, it was definitely physical and deeply intimate. Think of the last supper scene in John where the beloved disciple is laying on Jesus’ chest and Jesus shares information with him that he won’t share with the rest of the disciples. Since individuals ate while reclined during that time it would at the very least say that Jesus’ action was of a “man lying with a man.” Which is the literal translation of the act that thought to be what people who are given up by God and left to their own devices do (according to Paul anyway - Romans). Before going to this last supper Jesus told the disciples to find the male water carrier – which is the ancient equivalent of an outcast man who does woman’s work.
But what if the Gospel calls me in a state of sin, should I remain in that? Answer: If you have entered into faith and love, that is, if you are in the call of the Gospel, then sin as much as you please. But how can you sin if you have faith and love? Since God is satisfied with your faith and your neighbor with your love, it is impossible that you should be called and still remain in a state of sin. If, however, you remain in that state, then either you were not called as yet, or you did not comprehend the call. For this call brings you from the state of sin to a state of virtue, making you unable to sin as long as you are in that state. All things are free to you with God through faith; but with men you are the servant of everyman through love.
Like I said...wow.
---Katie
Saturday, April 08, 2006
Wednesday, April 05, 2006
Is He a Four Letter Word?
FYI
Is 'he' a four-letter word?
by Pastor Erma Wolf Brandon - Split Rock Lutheran Parish Brandon, S.D.
By what authority does the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America rewrite Scripture? By what authority is it decided that the Psalms, the Benedictus, and the Magnificat can be "emended" to eliminate all masculine pronouns for God?
The final text of the new Evangelical Lutheran Worship has recently been posted on the ELCA Renewing Worship website.
The word used by the Renewing Worship team is "emended": to improve by critical editing.
Most of the Psalms have been edited. The scriptural canticles, used in morning and evening prayers, have been edited. Two of the lessons in Night Prayer/Compline have been edited.
Various techniques have been used. Sometimes it is the simple substitution of the non-offensive "God" for the offensive pronoun "he." In other instances, third person singular description has been replaced with second person direct address (examples are the 23rd Psalm and the Magnificat).
The final product is skillful, even artful. Some real “clunkers” from earlier drafts have been removed, replaced with theologically astute and poetic language. It is a beautiful job—of censorship.
For that is indeed what it is. The members of the Renewing Worship team, the worship leaders at the churchwide offices and the ELCA Church Council (which voted to approve the entire final product at their November 2005 meeting) have—whether they realized it or not—worked together to censor the sacred Scriptures. The very Scriptures that will be used for worship, prayer and teaching in the new ELCA worship resource, Evangelical Lutheran Worship.
Real Lutherans don't censor Scripture. We don't "emend" the Scriptures to make them say what we want them to say, to make them less offensive to us.
We read, translate, study, pray, contemplate, sing, are puzzled by, argue about, witness to and proclaim the Scriptures. But what we may not do, dare not do, is censor the Scriptures. Even for the very best of reasons. No one in the ELCA has that kind of authority. How can we claim the Scriptures as "the authoritative source and norm" for us in matters of our proclamation, faith and life (ELCA Constitution 2.03) if we "emend" them to fit our modern sensitivities?
Join me in writing to our presiding bishop, Rev. Mark Hanson, and to the director for worship, Rev. Michael Burk. The final stages of preparation of the new worship materials are being done under the Office of the Bishop. Appeal to them to stop the process and restore the language of the Psalms, the Magnificat and the Benedictus in all their offensive, male-oriented language for God. Remind them of the Lutheran heritage of being faithful to the Word of God as revealed in the Scriptures, even, especially, when it makes us most uncomfortable.
If you agree with me, please send this message on to your friends and colleagues. If you are unsure or uninformed, please go to www.renewing worship.org and read the texts of the Psalms and the canticles. In any case, please keep this church body in your prayers, that we may indeed remain faithful to our Lord Jesus Christ, the Word Incarnate and to the Scriptures that bear witness to him.
Grace and peace to you,
Pastor Erma Wolf Brandon - Split Rock Lutheran Parish Brandon, S. D.
---Katie
Is 'he' a four-letter word?
by Pastor Erma Wolf Brandon - Split Rock Lutheran Parish Brandon, S.D.
By what authority does the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America rewrite Scripture? By what authority is it decided that the Psalms, the Benedictus, and the Magnificat can be "emended" to eliminate all masculine pronouns for God?
The final text of the new Evangelical Lutheran Worship has recently been posted on the ELCA Renewing Worship website.
The word used by the Renewing Worship team is "emended": to improve by critical editing.
Most of the Psalms have been edited. The scriptural canticles, used in morning and evening prayers, have been edited. Two of the lessons in Night Prayer/Compline have been edited.
Various techniques have been used. Sometimes it is the simple substitution of the non-offensive "God" for the offensive pronoun "he." In other instances, third person singular description has been replaced with second person direct address (examples are the 23rd Psalm and the Magnificat).
The final product is skillful, even artful. Some real “clunkers” from earlier drafts have been removed, replaced with theologically astute and poetic language. It is a beautiful job—of censorship.
For that is indeed what it is. The members of the Renewing Worship team, the worship leaders at the churchwide offices and the ELCA Church Council (which voted to approve the entire final product at their November 2005 meeting) have—whether they realized it or not—worked together to censor the sacred Scriptures. The very Scriptures that will be used for worship, prayer and teaching in the new ELCA worship resource, Evangelical Lutheran Worship.
Real Lutherans don't censor Scripture. We don't "emend" the Scriptures to make them say what we want them to say, to make them less offensive to us.
We read, translate, study, pray, contemplate, sing, are puzzled by, argue about, witness to and proclaim the Scriptures. But what we may not do, dare not do, is censor the Scriptures. Even for the very best of reasons. No one in the ELCA has that kind of authority. How can we claim the Scriptures as "the authoritative source and norm" for us in matters of our proclamation, faith and life (ELCA Constitution 2.03) if we "emend" them to fit our modern sensitivities?
Join me in writing to our presiding bishop, Rev. Mark Hanson, and to the director for worship, Rev. Michael Burk. The final stages of preparation of the new worship materials are being done under the Office of the Bishop. Appeal to them to stop the process and restore the language of the Psalms, the Magnificat and the Benedictus in all their offensive, male-oriented language for God. Remind them of the Lutheran heritage of being faithful to the Word of God as revealed in the Scriptures, even, especially, when it makes us most uncomfortable.
If you agree with me, please send this message on to your friends and colleagues. If you are unsure or uninformed, please go to www.renewing worship.org and read the texts of the Psalms and the canticles. In any case, please keep this church body in your prayers, that we may indeed remain faithful to our Lord Jesus Christ, the Word Incarnate and to the Scriptures that bear witness to him.
Grace and peace to you,
Pastor Erma Wolf Brandon - Split Rock Lutheran Parish Brandon, S. D.
---Katie
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)