tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-55386772024-03-07T16:42:13.815-06:00ScriptoriumGreg Graham's writings on theology.Greg Grahamhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11290074804358990591noreply@blogger.comBlogger179125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5538677.post-20209100561609353862021-01-16T14:42:00.004-06:002021-01-16T14:42:37.730-06:00Yet another new blog<p>Using Hugo as a blogging platform didn't work out as well as I had hoped, so I have moved to using WordPress on my web site at <a href="http://grahamtx.net">grahamtx.net</a>. The new blog there is called Serpentes et Columbae.</p>Greg Grahamhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11290074804358990591noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5538677.post-17227959095052516962018-11-13T22:06:00.000-06:002018-11-13T22:06:09.489-06:00New Blog - Scriptorium 2I have finally set up a new blog using the <a href="https://gohugo.io/" target="_blank">Hugo</a> static website software. It is called <a href="https://www.scriptorium2.com/" target="_blank">Scriptorium 2</a>, and it will be the successor to this blog. So please go to <a href="https://www.scriptorium2.com/">www.scriptorium2.com</a> and check it out.Greg Grahamhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11290074804358990591noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5538677.post-28226195727611704012017-08-01T08:58:00.000-05:002017-08-01T08:58:17.478-05:00Jealous GodToday is the feast day of Saint Alphonsus Liguori, and the morning prayer for today in Magnificat magazine began with a hymn that he wrote. It is an intense hymn of love and devotion to God, and I was especially struck by the contrast between these two lines:<br />
<blockquote class="tr_bq">
In love no rival canst thou bear,<br />But thou art full of tenderest care;</blockquote>
The first line reflects the theme that is prominent in the Old Testament that God is a "jealous God". Probably the primary sin that Israel struggles with in the Old Testament is idolatry; they were often straying into worship of the gods of the nations that surrounded them. God considered idolatry to be spiritual adultery and would use a combination of enticements and punishments to lure Israel back to pure worship of Him.<br />
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This idea of the jealousy of God seems strange to us because we think of jealousy as a human weakness that sometimes leads to terrible acts of evil. Indeed, there are many people today who think the God of the Old Testament is an evil character because of this jealousy and the punishments that sometimes result. Our mistake, however, is that we are thinking about God in strictly human terms. The idea of God's jealousy is only an analogy to human jealousy. It gives us an idea of the intensity of God's love for us, and that he wants us to exclusively love him, but we must also realize that human loves and emotions are merely a pale reflection of the divine reality.<br />
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God's love for us is a desire for what is best for us, and because God made us, He knows exactly what we need and what is harmful for us. The fact is that God is the source of life and being in the universe. Our existence, our lives, and every other good thing we experience ultimately comes from God. Also, God didn't just give us these things in the beginning, but he constantly provides our existence and life. If God ever stopped loving us, we would cease to exist, and this is true for the whole universe in which we live.<br />
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If all of this is true, then the best way to live is to seek God with our whole hearts so that we live in harmony with our creator and the king of the universe. Setting our love and life direction on any other thing is foolish because it can never live up to God. A new job, a new house, or a new wife might appear to be what we need for happiness, but they can never live up to what we really need, which can only come from God. Therefore, God's jealousy is for our own good. He knows nothing else besides Himself will give us what we need, so God does everything possible to lure us to love Him, while still allowing us the freedom to reject Him because love without freedom is not really love.Greg Grahamhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11290074804358990591noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5538677.post-76495659885291844532017-07-27T10:19:00.000-05:002017-07-27T10:19:23.233-05:00An Atheist's Take on the Sermon on the MountI read <a href="http://www.ncregister.com/blog/darmstrong/atheist-refutes-sermon-on-the-mount-or-does-he" target="_blank">this article</a> on the <a href="http://www.ncregister.com/">National Catholic Register site</a> commenting on a <a href="http://www.patheos.com/blogs/camelswithhammers/2011/09/the-evils-of-the-sermon-on-the-mount-part-1/">post</a> made by atheist philosopher <a href="http://www.patheos.com/blogs/camelswithhammers/author/dfincke/">Daniel Fincke</a> called <a href="http://www.patheos.com/blogs/camelswithhammers/2011/09/the-evils-of-the-sermon-on-the-mount-part-1/">"The Evils of the Sermon on the Mount (Part 1)"</a>. <a href="http://www.ncregister.com/blog/darmstrong" target="_blank">Dave Armstrong</a> does a good job in his <a href="http://www.ncregister.com/blog/darmstrong/atheist-refutes-sermon-on-the-mount-or-does-he" target="_blank">article</a> of showing the flaws in Dr. Fincke's post, but I wanted to add my overall impression of his attempt to critique Jesus. I will do it by analogy, but before I start, I want to stress that I am not attempting to insult Dr. Fincke's intelligence because I think he is clearly a very intelligent and learned philosopher. Instead, I want to show that as someone who has studied the Bible and theology in an attempt to follow Jesus now for over 37 years, I am as unimpressed by Dr. Fincke's analysis as a mathematician would be by what my fictional character Joe thinks about geometry.<br />
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Imagine a young man named Joe, who dropped out of high school after he failed several courses, including geometry. Joe is an intelligent young man with obvious artistic talent, but he considers school to be a waste of his time, so he blew off his school work, and that is why he failed.<br />
<br />
Joe obtained a copy of his geometry textbook and proceeded to transform the various diagrams in the book into dirty pictures. He got together with his buddies who have a similar attitude towards education, and they all had a great laugh at Joe's creations, and they celebrated Joe's emancipation from the stupidity of school. Emboldened by the approval of his peers, Joe sought out his geometry teacher and showed him what he had done, saying, "this is what I think of your stupid, useless class, and all of my friends agree with me."<br />
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Of course, Joe's drawings did nothing to lessen his teacher's love for geometry. Instead, the teacher was saddened for several reasons. Joe completely missed the point of geometry and never saw it's beauty. He defaced a fine textbook for a noble subject and turned it into something vulgar. Although Joe feels liberated right now, he doesn't understand the future hardships he will face due to his lack of education. Finally, Joe is not only hurting himself, but he is dragging down his friends with him by using his talents to ridicule education.<br />
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Dr. Finke uses his intelligence and education to produce a finely crafted critique of the Sermon on the Mount, but he completely misunderstands Jesus. Although it is clear from the comments that his fellow atheists are impressed by his work, he has done nothing to change my view of Jesus. Instead, I am sad that he doesn't get it and that he is dragging others down with him. However, there is one positive thing about Dr. Finke's article. It shows that Jesus is not like the progressives of today who would like to think that Jesus is on their side. No, Jesus is calling his disciples to a supernatural life that goes way beyond progressive niceness. The love of Jesus warmly receives the sinner, but instead of affirming him in his sinfulness, Jesus calls him to holiness.Greg Grahamhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11290074804358990591noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5538677.post-33898700984734759022017-03-07T21:51:00.000-06:002017-03-07T21:57:36.380-06:00The Sad State of Christianity<div dir="ltr">
I read the following beginning of a prayer in the Magnificat magazine's meditation for today by Blessed Margaret Ebner, a 14th century German Dominican nun.</div>
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<div dir="ltr">
By the grace of your presence may we feel no lack of you because of the sad state of Christianity, and on that account may we never harm by evil the pure Truth, which is you yourself, O God, in whom all truth is seen.</div>
</blockquote>
<div dir="ltr">
</div>
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Reading this made me think of those who are worried about various problems in the Church today, not to mention the denominational divisions that have only continued to increase over the centuries. Blessed Margaret lived long before our current situation, but she was well aware of the problems of her day. She wisely desired to not let these things distract her from seeking God's presence and holding onto the truth, despite what those around her were doing and saying.</div>
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This is a good example for us today. We must remember that God is not surprised or daunted by the
problems in the Church. Jesus predicted there would be weeds among the
wheat, and St. Paul warned about wolves among the sheep. Therefore, when we encounter problems and opposition we must not despair, but respond to the challenges with truth and love.</div>
Greg Grahamhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11290074804358990591noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5538677.post-70746045237390231422016-07-08T23:04:00.002-05:002016-07-08T23:04:44.135-05:00How to Conquer Hate: Infinite LoveAs a resident of Dallas County, I'm very aware of the tragedy of last night's shooting. I join with those all over the world who mourn the loss of those who died, but I think that beyond the loss of human life, people are upset because they believe that this is something that should not be happening. Yes, the shooting was an evil act, and I agree that we don't want any evil in the world, but I think many are hurting and angry because they think <i>we should be beyond this by now</i>. In other words, hasn't the human race progressed to the point where this shouldn't happen anymore?<br />
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I think that it is true that in the United States there is less racism than there used to be. I believe I have observed changes for the better during the course of my life, not only in myself, but in those around me. It then becomes easy to think, "if I've learned to know better, why hasn't everyone else?" Well, it's much more complicated than that. We may not be as enlightened as we would like to think.<br />
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Race is just one way that we can divide the human family into groups such that one group feels superior to the other and can blame the other for their problems. While many of us have learned the absurdity of believing one skin color is superior to another, we may feel perfectly justified in believing that other divisions are valid. Here is a test: if you or I believe the world would be a better place if a particular group of people did not exist, or if we put the blame for a bunch of problems on a group, or if we think we are superior in some way to those in another group, we are guilty of group hatred.<br />
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Here is a list of groups or classes that I've heard people recently make the target of blame, exclusion, or elimination: black people, white males, illegal immigrants, Israeli's, Palestinians, Muslims, Sunni, Shia, Christians, atheists, religious people, fundamentalists, liberals, conservatives, iPhone users, Android users, old people, young people, Republicans, Democrats, people of privilege, people on welfare, the top one percent, and the homeless. What I'm not talking about is having disagreements over ideas, but rather when we move beyond debating an issue to vilifying a group.<br />
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A good example to look at are the two political parties in the United States. Although a number of people in the US are relatively independent, I am shocked by the number of people who will defend their party in all things while vilifying everything about the other party. What are the chances that one party will take the correct position on all issues while the other party is wrong about everything? Have these people actually analyzed the platforms of the parties and come to the conclusion that their party is right on everything? I don't think that is the case with most of them. Rather, they have found one group to identify with that they have decided is superior. The opposite group becomes a convenient target for blame, and putting the other group down makes one feel superior.<br />
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Much more could be said about the nature of group hatred, but I want to move on to the solution, which begins by looking at the source of the problem described in Genesis chapter 3. Here we see Eve in the Garden of Eden talking to the snake, while Adam apparently stands by, doing nothing. The snake says that God doesn't want them to eat the fruit of the tree because "God knows that when you eat of it your eyes will be opened, and you will be like God, knowing good and evil" (5). Adam and Eve believed the snake, and so they ate the fruit, choosing the direction of the human race as a race of people trying to achieve godhood. If my goal is achieving godhood, then my goal is to be superior to all others. However, immediately Adam and Eve become aware of the nakedness. They feel exposed and ashamed of how un-godlike they are, so they attempt to cover up with fig leaves. Group identity is a kind of fig leaf we use today. When God asks them about what they've done, Adam blames Eve, and Eve blames the snake. Neither of them take responsibility for having done wrong because wrong doing would be a setback on the road to godhood. In chapter 4, when God accepts Abel's sacrifice, but rejects Cain's, the humiliation is so great that Cain decides the elimination of Abel is the only way Cain can obtain superiority, and thus we have the first murder. I believe these two chapters show patterns of human behavior that include the desire for superiority, the tendency to blame others, and the desire to eliminate those who threaten our standing.<br />
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This is the origin of hate, and because it is so deep within fallen man, it cannot be solved by education or government programs. Such solutions may address one kind of hatred and remove a particular injustice, but the seeds of hatred are still there, and they can manifest in other ways. I'm not saying that social programs do not help, but they will not provide an ultimate solution.<br />
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Jesus provides the answer when he tells us, "Love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you." This is the only answer because even if I am able to avoid the practice of hating another group, I will belong to a group that is hated by others, and thus it is impossible to avoid having enemies. Whether you are a Democrat, Republican, Independent, or non-voter, someone out there thinks you are part of the problem in our country. If you are an atheist, you will be hated by some religious people, and if you are religious, you will be hated by some atheists. If you are an agnostic, you will be hated by some atheists and religious people for not making up your mind. The only way to respond to these enemies that you did not ask for, without falling into hate, is to respond with love.<br />
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Anyone who is honest will know that we don't have it in us to love our enemies. It's hard enough to love those who are good to us, so I don't have anything left for the person who hates me. Besides, if I love my enemy, he will take advantage of my "weakness" and press his advantage against me. I have to protect myself!<br />
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It is Jesus who gives us what we need in order to obey his command. He is the source of infinite love because Jesus is God joined to our human nature, and through that union of God and man, Jesus makes the infinite love of God available to his followers. When we draw on the infinite love of God, we never have to worry about running out. There is plenty of love to meet our own needs, the needs of our loved ones, and the needs of our enemies. Is it possible that our enemies might take advantage of our love and do us harm? Yes, that is certainly what happened to Jesus on the cross, and he loved and prayed for those who tortured and killed him. However, three days later, Jesus rose from the dead, and he promises life from death to those who follow him in love.<br />
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Therefore, I urge people to cease trying to become godlike by putting others down. Instead, let us put our trust in Jesus and let him lift us to eternal life. Receive his love and let it overflow to others. Do not fear what others might do to you because nothing can separate you from the love of God.Greg Grahamhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11290074804358990591noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5538677.post-25536662530920154432016-04-14T21:50:00.003-05:002016-04-14T21:50:48.883-05:00Peter Kreeft Quote #4"And if we do not see ourselves this way, as desperate cases, we are simply not part of the audience Christ came to save. He did not come to give us an aspirin but an operation."<br />
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Peter Kreeft, <i>Christianity for Modern Pagans</i>, p. 185Greg Grahamhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11290074804358990591noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5538677.post-50363819568136863712016-03-28T11:11:00.000-05:002016-03-28T11:11:47.289-05:00Peter Kreeft Quote #3<blockquote class="tr_bq">
<div class="MsoNormal">
The modern mind was born when <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Francis_Bacon" target="_blank">[Francis] Bacon</a> trumpeted "man's conquest of nature" as the new summum bonum [highest good]. Nearly everyone hopped on his bandwagon, but not <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Blaise_Pascal" target="_blank">Pascal</a>. Today nearly everyone can plainly see that Pascal was right and Bacon wrong; that man's conquest of nature by science and technology, despite its spectacular success, has not made us happier, has not made us wiser and has not made us holier. It has not even made us more powerful; the individual feels a far greater sense of impotence today than ever before.<br />
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Peter Kreeft, <i>Christianity for Modern Pagans</i>, p. 126
</div>
</blockquote>
I deal with technology and technology professionals in my work, and my observation is that many people are so enamored with the "spectacular success" of technology that they would not see the problems Kreeft is describing in this quote. To such people, I will just point out that our current problems with the environment spring from this idea of the "conquest of nature".Greg Grahamhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11290074804358990591noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5538677.post-54517503904352473382016-03-27T20:20:00.002-05:002016-03-28T11:13:51.017-05:00Happy Easter!<div class="MsoNormal">
Today we celebrate the resurrection of Jesus. Why is that
important to us? It is because it shows us that Jesus Christ has conquered
death. He has shown us that human life is more than a few decades on this
planet followed by death. God intends for us to live with him eternally, so he
became man in Jesus Christ, conquered death on the cross, and rose again as the
first of a new humanity that lives forever with God.<o:p></o:p></div>
Greg Grahamhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11290074804358990591noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5538677.post-45142569907131675962016-03-26T15:21:00.001-05:002016-03-26T15:21:53.500-05:00Prince Caspian<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:PrinceCaspian(1stEd).jpg" target="_blank"><img alt=" Prince Caspian book cover" border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhU7rqEEgWNScHXjbkraUbxeU613NAiaYDBEkAcb1OBXVzMeHS3bkYBBEkojbOsFV-HmAQZ7Yjw4S7Dj4Yqth2t0ymodBcTPqhxoa4q-ZFHgFPS-hWlDK3WY3-sBZQVyxh8B25a/s320/PrinceCaspian%25281stEd%2529.jpg" width="221" /></a></div>
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<br />
<span style="color: red;"><b>WARNING: SPOILER ALERT!</b></span><br />
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My favorite part of Prince Caspian is Lucy's encounter with Aslan when no one else is able to see him. The four Pevensie children, along with Trumpkin the Dwarf, are journeying through the woods to get to where Prince Caspian and the Old Narnians are besieged by the army of Caspian's uncle Miraz. They come to a river and decide to go downstream when Lucy catches site of Aslan in the opposite direction and knows that he wants them to go that way. No one else sees Aslan, and Lucy can't explain how she knows what he wants them to do. They take a vote on which way to go, and the vote goes against Lucy. However, when they get to the place where that river joins the Great River, they found enemy sentries there and have to turn back and retrace their steps.<br />
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They camp that night in the woods. Lucy wakes in the middle of the night and sees Aslan again. He speaks to her and says that there is work for her to do and much time has been lost that day. Lucy tries to blame the others for not believing her, but Aslan won't let her get away with that. "I couldn't have left the others and come up to you alone, how could I?" she says. "Don't look at me like that... oh well, I suppose I <i>could</i>. Yes, and it wouldn't have been alone, I know, not if I was with you." Lucy then asks Aslan what would have happened if she had followed him.<br />
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"To know what <i>would</i> have happened, child?" said Aslan. "No. Nobody is ever told that... But anyone can find out what <i>will</i> happen. If you go back to the others now, and wake them up; and tell them you have seen me again; and that you must all get up at once and follow me--what will happen? There is only one way of finding out."<br />
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Lucy goes through the difficult task of waking the others and telling them they must leave at once to follow Aslan, but they are still unable to see him so they resist her. She tells them she is going whether anyone else goes with her or not and proceeds to follow Aslan. With lots of grumbling, the rest of them follow her. As they proceed, one by one the rest of the party begin to see Aslan also as he leads them to their destination. They arrive by a path they would have never found by themselves, and they get there just in time to provide critical help.<br />
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Although few of us will have a vision from God like Lucy had, anyone who tries to follow Christ will find themselves in a similar situation where obedience to Christ means doing something no one else understands. Being the only one to follow a certain course can provoke negative reactions, including accusations of being difficult and self-righteous. It is very tempting to give up at that point, and we often do. If we do give up, we never know what we missed, but if we follow, we get to see what God will do. If Peter had never stepped out of the boat, he would have never known he could walk on water.<br />
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As you seek God, do not judge what you learn by the standards of the world. It may be that God is asking you to take a path that others will not understand.</div>
Greg Grahamhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11290074804358990591noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5538677.post-25137147849691053682016-03-24T09:57:00.001-05:002016-03-24T09:58:06.579-05:00Peter Kreeft Quote #2"Science builds skyscrapers, philosophy inspects foundations."<br />
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Peter Kreeft, <i>Christianity for Modern Pagans</i>, p. 42Greg Grahamhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11290074804358990591noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5538677.post-4987955351333536992016-03-24T09:50:00.001-05:002016-03-24T09:52:10.298-05:00Peter Kreeft Quote #1"If we seek the truth without realizing how far we are from it, we will be dogmatists. If we realize how far we are from it but do not seek it, we will be skeptics. If we both seek the truth and realize how far we are from it, we will be wise."<br />
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Peter Kreeft, <i>Christianity for Modern Pagans</i>, p. 63Greg Grahamhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11290074804358990591noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5538677.post-38321722145230876282016-03-19T23:02:00.000-05:002016-03-19T23:07:04.355-05:00The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Darica_Lion_07174.jpg" target="_blank"><img alt=" Darica Lion" border="0" height="320" src="https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/1/13/Darica_Lion_07174.jpg" width="240" /></a></div>
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One of the things I'm doing for Lent is instead of listening to the radio in the car, I'm listening to a <a href="http://www.amazon.com/Chronicles-Narnia-Complete-Box-Unabridged/dp/0694524751/" target="_blank">CD audiobook edition</a> of <i>The Chronicles of Narnia</i> by C. S. Lewis. I was telling an English teacher friend of mine, who actually teaches the books at our school, that I was listening to it, and she asked me which book was my favorite. I had difficulty picking one, so I thought I would write about what I liked about each one.<br />
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<b><span style="color: red;">WARNING: SPOILER ALERT!</span></b><br />
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These posts are intended for those who have already read the books and would like to reflect on them, so I will be discussing key plot points that will likely be spoilers for those who don't know the story.<br />
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I first read <i>The Chronicles</i> when I was in high school. Within the past year, I had converted from atheism to Christianity, and I was eagerly finding out all I could about my new faith. My approach to Christianity had been mostly intellectual, and although I recognized the importance of Jesus as the one who accomplished our salvation, it wasn't until I read about Aslan in the Narnia books that my love for Jesus began to develop.<br />
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I know that many people have trouble understanding the idea of having a "personal relationship" with Jesus. The fact is, Jesus is a person, and he wants us to relate to him as a person. He wants our friendship. He wants us to talk to him and tell him our deepest needs. He also wants us to listen to him. For some people, Narnia may be what they need to grow in their friendship with Christ.<br />
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<i>The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe </i>(<i>LWW</i>) was not only the first Narnia book written, but it is the foundation on which the others are built. It is unfortunate that there are editions of <i>The Chronicles</i> now that put <i>The Magician's Nephew </i>as the first book because although it portrays events that happened earlier, it is clearly meant to provide a background for a story already known. <i>LWW</i> introduces the Pevensie children, around which the seven books revolve, and it has the central act of redemption that not only saves the life of one of the children, Edmund, but also saves Narnia from the reign of the White Witch. This salvation ushers in the "golden age" of Narnia, where the four children reign as kings and queens in the capital, Cair Paravel, until the time comes when they are returned to our world. This salvation from the White Witch and resulting golden age is referred to in all of the other books.<br />
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The central event of <i>LWW</i> is the sacrifice of Aslan at the hands of the White Witch on the stone table, and the resurrection that follows. I think it is a mistake to get too theological about this event. Although it is meant to refer to the crucifixion and resurrection of Jesus, there are aspects of Aslan's story that don't line up quite right with the story of Jesus. Rather, the value of this story is how it can help us to contemplate the love of Jesus when we see the love of Aslan portrayed. It is the power of fiction to take us out of our own world and place us in another setting that helps us see the truths of our world in a different light. I had been numb to the image of Jesus on the cross, but when I saw this powerful lion allowing himself to be bound, shaved, and executed, especially when it is portrayed through the eyes of the children who love him, I got a sense of the sorrow of the crucifixion like never before. Then when the girls later find he has come back to life, the joy and triumph I felt continues to be a part of the joy I now feel when I contemplate Jesus' resurrection.<br />
<br />
The triumph that is felt in Aslan's resurrection is a mood that permeates the latter half of the book as the witch's power fades, and Spring returns to Narnia. I think Lewis wants us to adopt this triumphant mood in our lives. Although many struggles and trials are ahead, the power of evil is failing, and Jesus is the king of kings.Greg Grahamhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11290074804358990591noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5538677.post-63068095998052403282016-03-09T17:16:00.000-06:002016-03-30T06:59:43.553-05:00A Boy and His Walkman<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiTktRxSLLva0zKA3TkPHwcsTfSb4OtKLjEMgOimQ2iezOB2Wz5fApMn9xYJpuVLfl4GwEz7lCCiHBE_G_jYkiFtOFFysq1ea-0AtvbOhGHmG4Rk8WAmB40zZo-MlPIh7K4yhHP/s1600/walkman.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiTktRxSLLva0zKA3TkPHwcsTfSb4OtKLjEMgOimQ2iezOB2Wz5fApMn9xYJpuVLfl4GwEz7lCCiHBE_G_jYkiFtOFFysq1ea-0AtvbOhGHmG4Rk8WAmB40zZo-MlPIh7K4yhHP/s1600/walkman.jpg" width="320"></a></div>
Mike rode the bus to school every day. His mother made him leave the house early, causing him to wait at the bus stop for several minutes each day. There was only one other boy who waited at that stop, but he didn't talk to Mike. The other boy had headphones over his ears connected to a thing called a "Walkman" clipped to his belt. Mike envied the boy because he appeared to have a great time waiting for the bus, while Mike was just bored. The other boy's head swayed back and forth, he tapped his foot, and he often moved his hands as if he were writing in the air. His eyes were closed and he had a smile on his face as if he were in ecstasy.<br>
<br>
Mike got some money for his birthday, so he decided to buy himself a Walkman. The next morning, Mike put on the headphones and plugged them into the Walkman, which he clipped on his belt just like the other boy did. He stood at the bus stop with his Walkman, but he didn't feel anything. He was still bored, the only difference being that he now had the discomfort of the headphones squeezing his ears. Then Mike realized what was wrong, so he closed his eyes, tapped his foot, swayed his head, and slowly moved his hands. Mike tried to force a smile, but it didn't last long because he didn't feel better. In fact, he felt silly. He opened his eyes and looked around to see if anyone saw what he was doing. "This thing doesn't work for me," he thought, so that afternoon he took the Walkman back to the store and got his money back.<br>
<br>
Although it is unlikely that anyone would buy a music player and not put music in it, many people try out Christianity, but are disappointed when they don't get anything out of it. People might try going to church for a while, attending some classes, or reading the Bible and some other books. When that doesn't seem to do anything for them, they might try to imitate what they see other Christians doing, including using a certain vocabulary, dressing a certain way, following certain rules, saying certain prayers, or participating in church social activities. They might work very hard to conform to an image of a Christian that they see, but the only results are a lot of frustration. They come to the conclusion that the whole Christianity thing doesn't work for them, but maybe they are neglecting a key part of the Christian experience; maybe they are missing something that is as essential as a music cassette is for a Walkman.<br>
<br>
The whole point of Christianity is reconciliation with God, leading to an intimate relationship with him. He is our heavenly Father, and we are his children. All of the other aspects of the Christian life should lead towards or flow from this relationship with God. However, entering into this relationship with God is not as easy as popping in a cassette or downloading an mp3 because there is an obstacle that must be overcome before such a relationship can happen. We are members of a race that has declared independence from God and is in rebellion against him. The salvation that God offers through Jesus Christ is to transform us from rebels into friends and to give us the joy and peace that comes from living in harmony with the creator rather than fighting against him. Such a transformation requires that we admit we are rebels, lay down our arms, and let God change our lives.<br>
<br>Greg Grahamhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11290074804358990591noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5538677.post-89842257355084793212016-03-07T11:30:00.000-06:002016-03-10T18:43:08.750-06:00I shall never be shaken<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<a href="https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Co%C3%ABtivy_Master_(Henri_de_Vulcop%3F)_(French,_active_about_1450_-_1485)_-_Philosophy_Consoling_Boethius_and_Fortune_Turning_the_Wheel_-_Google_Art_Project.jpg" target="_blank"><img alt=" Philosophy Consoling Boethius and Fortune Turning the Wheel" border="0" height="320" src="https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/7/74/Co%C3%ABtivy_Master_(Henri_de_Vulcop%3F)_(French,_active_about_1450_-_1485)_-_Philosophy_Consoling_Boethius_and_Fortune_Turning_the_Wheel_-_Google_Art_Project.jpg" width="270" /></a></div>
<br />
<a href="https://www.giamusic.com/sacred_music/RGP/psalmDisplay.cfm?psalm_id=242" target="_blank">Psalm 30</a> begins, like many Psalms, with praise to God for having saved the psalmist from danger, but in the middle is a stanza that caught my attention as especially relevant today.<br />
<blockquote class="tr_bq">
I said to myself in my good fortune:<br />
"I shall never be shaken."<br />
O LORD, your favor had set me like a mountain stronghold.<br />
Then you hid your face, and I was put to confusion.</blockquote>
This stanza struck me as describing a common problem among us middle class American Christians. We work to build a secure and comfortable life with a sound career path, happy family, and retirement plan. Although these are prudent goals to have, they are not the point of life, which is to grow in our love for God until it fills and directs our lives.<br />
<br />
When we find ourselves in "good fortune," we must remember that it is God's favor that placed us there. There may come a time, however, when God decides it is better for us that he hide his face, removing us from that state of good fortune. It may be because we had a false confidence in our circumstances that led us to believe: "I shall never be shaken."<br />
<br />
The financial crash of 2008 caught many people off guard. The American Dream that I grew up with has evaporated for many of us, but was that dream ever the plan of God for his children? I believe that God has blessed this country, but that doesn't mean that the pursuit of material prosperity should be our life plan. Unfortunately, many people have forgotten that and are now willing to follow anyone who appears to be able to restore that American Dream, no matter how shady he is.<br />
<br />
I believe that as a country, we will soon experience hardships that are unprecedented in my lifetime. If that happens, we must follow the example of the psalmist, crying out to the Lord in humility, seeking his ways and his goals for our lives. We must praise him with rejoicing, knowing that he is working all things for the good of those who love him. That is, he is leading those who follow him to eternal life.Greg Grahamhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11290074804358990591noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5538677.post-23395559210656169592016-02-11T21:53:00.000-06:002016-03-10T18:42:24.582-06:00How to deal with climate changeI am all for us trying to reduce carbon emissions and other pollutants, and I try to moderate my consumption and do what I can. Ultimately, there are many aspects of the climate that are beyond our control. I read the following passage from Jeremiah 17 in the morning prayer of my <a href="http://www.magnificat.com/" target="_blank">Magnificat magazine</a> this morning:
<br />
<blockquote class="tr_bq">
Blessed is the man who trusts in the Lord<br />
whose hope is the Lord<br />
He is like a tree planted beside the waters<br />
that stretches out its roots to the stream:<br />
<br />
It fears not the heat when it comes,<br />
its leaves stay green;<br />
In the year of drought it shows no distress,<br />
but still bears fruit.
</blockquote>
A book I'm reading, which I will soon post about, has helped me to focus more on the spiritual reality that really matters. Trusting in God, we need not worry about the climate. God will ultimately take care of us, even beyond physical death. If God is for us, nothing can be against us.
Greg Grahamhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11290074804358990591noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5538677.post-86013272323333689172016-02-11T21:35:00.000-06:002016-03-10T18:38:02.649-06:00I now love Windows 10I thought from the time I installed it that I liked Windows 10 better than Windows 8 or 8.1. However, I was not sure what I thought compared to Windows 7. Version 10 has some nice improvements, but there was the occasional thing that made not sure. However, today I encountered a feature that should have been in Windows 20 years ago, but at least they have it now, and that is an intelligent way to edit the PATH environment variable.<br />
<br />
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<br />Greg Grahamhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11290074804358990591noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5538677.post-9456992896347077182015-03-16T20:09:00.000-05:002016-03-10T18:39:47.508-06:00Motivation for Writing<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<br />Greg Grahamhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11290074804358990591noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5538677.post-6660121591029938912015-03-11T14:39:00.000-05:002016-03-10T18:41:23.136-06:00Apologetics Books Give-awayI first heard Devin Rose on the Catholic Answers radio show on KATH 910 AM. Then I saw him on the Journey Home TV show on EWTN. After that, I started reading his blog and got on his email list. He is a software developer who converted to Catholicism, so we have some things in common. Check out this <a href="http://www.devinrose.heroicvirtuecreations.com/blog/giveaways/win-the-master-catholic-apologetics-book-collection/?lucky=1509" target="_blank">book give-away</a>. Not only might you win, but even if you don't, it's a good list of books to check out.Greg Grahamhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11290074804358990591noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5538677.post-84798255815779670182015-02-28T22:35:00.001-06:002016-03-10T18:45:22.340-06:00Reflections on the Sunday Readings<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgiet_Hf3NszCD2chVOhJTnnNhjj1DUD2s7jJOTIU2QiSxDheIlt6nOY_Nn6Eenpi3zxP6FatbfI-AiZCtPOr0_azGkvU7EfeMuapbqcfhSutkNVCEgHKL-xpMvR9lCqpDXOlf5/s1600/Preobrazhenie.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Preobrazhenie.jpg#mediaviewer/File:Preobrazhenie.jpg" border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgiet_Hf3NszCD2chVOhJTnnNhjj1DUD2s7jJOTIU2QiSxDheIlt6nOY_Nn6Eenpi3zxP6FatbfI-AiZCtPOr0_azGkvU7EfeMuapbqcfhSutkNVCEgHKL-xpMvR9lCqpDXOlf5/s1600/Preobrazhenie.jpg" title="" width="211" /></a></div>
<br />
Here are some reflections on the <a href="http://www.usccb.org/bible/readings/030115.cfm" target="_blank">Sunday readings for this week</a>.<br />
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
Have you ever felt like God was asking you to do more than
was possible, or that he had put you in an impossible situation? In the first
reading for today, God tests Abraham by asking him to sacrifice his only son.
Sacrifice of children was a practice in some of the cultures around Abraham as
a way of showing extreme devotion. Therefore, this command from God is not
something completely strange for Abraham. However, Abraham has followed God for
many years, and he knows that his God is not like the cruel gods to which the
surrounding tribes sacrifice their children. Abraham knows that God is faithful
to his covenant, the same covenant in which he promised that through Isaac,
Abraham would have many descendants.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
We see the faith of Abraham, not only because of his willingness
to obey, but in the answer he gives to Isaac when he asks, “The fire and the
wood are here, but where is the lamb for a burnt offering?” Abraham replies, “God
himself will provide the lamb for a burnt offering, my son” (Gen 22:7-8). The
writer of Hebrews says that Abraham “considered the fact that God is able to
raise someone from the dead” (Heb 11:19), so he was not worried about losing
his son. <o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
God stops Abraham from killing Isaac and provides a ram for
the sacrifice. God indeed provided, as Abraham said he would, but Abraham’s
prediction has a greater fulfillment. St. Paul tells us in the second reading
that God “did not spare his own Son but handed him over for us all.” (Rom
8:32). Therefore, when our Gospel reading shows Jesus on another mountain, we
might wonder if a connection is to be made to the mountain in the first reading.
In today’s Gospel reading, Mark tells us that Jesus conversed with Moses and
Elijah, but in Luke’s version of the same story, he says that Moses and Elijah
spoke to him “about his exodus, which he was to accomplish at Jerusalem.” In
other words, they were speaking to Jesus about his crucifixion. It was on the
cross that God makes the ultimate fulfillment of Abraham’s prophecy. Jesus is
the lamb that God provides to take away the sins of the world.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
On the transfiguration mountain, we do not see a mere man.
His glory shows Peter, James, and John, as well as all of us, that He is more
than an ordinary man. Therefore, when we see Jesus on a cross on the mountain
of Calvary, we need to remember that no ordinary man is hanging there. We
understand that Jesus is the God-man, and this has many implications for his
crucifixion. One is that as God and man, Jesus is able to accomplish the
salvation of the human race there on that cross. Another is that as God and
man, Jesus is not defeated on the cross. The grave will not be able to hold
onto him, and he will rise from the dead.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
As we go through Lent, let us remember the transfiguration.
There is a reality about Jesus that is usually hidden, but in the
transfiguration, we get a glimpse. In the same way, the reality of the Church,
the body of Christ, is ordinarily hidden. The grace that God bestows on us and
the realities of the sacraments, especially Jesus’ presence in the Eucharist, are
all hidden from our senses, but that does not make them any less real. Jesus
showed Peter, James, and John this glimpse of who he really is in order to help
them get through the trials that were ahead of them. We need to remember the
transfiguration, and the other truths of our faith, as we face the trials that
are in our lives, especially in this season of Lent. May we have the faith of
Abraham and know that no matter what the circumstances look like, God will be
true to his promises, and he will always provide what we need in this life,
until he has brought us home with him in heaven.</div>
Greg Grahamhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11290074804358990591noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5538677.post-76879135907393878812015-02-24T20:56:00.000-06:002016-03-10T18:46:24.354-06:00Martyrs and Saints<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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There were two topics that came up on my Twitter feed yesterday that caught my attention. The first was the <a href="http://www.catholicherald.co.uk/news/2015/02/23/coptic-church-recognises-martyrdom-of-21-egyptians-killed-by-isis/" target="_blank">Coptic Church recognized the martyrdom of the 21 Christians killed by ISIS</a>, with several people posting the above icon. The second item was that <a href="http://en.radiovaticana.va/news/2015/02/23/pope_francis_declares_armenian_saint_doctor_of_the_church/1125062" target="_blank">Pope Francis declares Saint Gregory of Narek a Doctor of the Church</a>. This Saint Gregory of Narek was an Armenian priest an monk who lived at the end of the 10th century, and is an important saint in the Armenian Apostolic Church, although he is also recognized as a saint in the Catholic Church. He is known for his poetry, some of which has been compiled in this <a href="http://armenianhouse.org/grigor-narekatsi/narekatsi.html" target="_blank">nice website</a>.<br />
<br />
One thing that ties these two events together is that the Coptic Church and the Armenian Apostolic Church both separated from Rome after the Council of Chalcedon in 451 AD. What I find amazing is how similar these churches are to the Catholic Church, even though this division is so old. I attribute that to the mercy of God, who has maintained a level of unity of faith, even after formal unity was lost. This gives me hope that we will see full unity between our churches soon.<br />
<br />
The other thing that ties these events together is that we are celebrating the Communion of the Saints. Those 21 Coptic martyrs are in heaven now, together with Saint Gregory of Narek and all of the other saints. Their arrival in heaven, however, has not cut them off from us. We may not see them now, but they are aware of us who are still on earth, and they are praying for us.Greg Grahamhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11290074804358990591noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5538677.post-80680042123734828662015-02-10T08:12:00.000-06:002016-03-10T18:47:34.400-06:00Saint Scholastica<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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Today is the feast day of Saint Scholastica, twin sister of Saint Benedict, the father of western monasticism. The Office of Readings for today has a story about the two of them that I have loved ever since I first heard it, so I will post it for you today.<br />
<blockquote class="tr_bq">
<blockquote class="tr_bq">
From the books of Dialogues by Saint Gregory the Great, pope (Lib. 2, 33: PL 66, 194-196)</blockquote>
<blockquote class="tr_bq">
Scholastica, the sister of Saint Benedict, had been consecrated to God from her earliest years. She was accustomed to visiting her brother once a year. He would come down to meet her at a place on the monastery property, not far outside the gate.</blockquote>
<blockquote class="tr_bq">
One day she came as usual and her saintly brother went with some of his disciples; they spent the whole day praising God and talking of sacred things. As night fell they had supper together.</blockquote>
<blockquote class="tr_bq">
Their spiritual conversation went on and the hour grew late. The holy nun said to her brother: “Please do not leave me tonight; let us go on until morning talking about the delights of the spiritual life.” “Sister,” he replied, “what are you saying? I simply cannot stay outside my cell.”</blockquote>
<blockquote class="tr_bq">
When she heard her brother refuse her request, the holy woman joined her hands on the table, laid her head on them and began to pray. As she raised her head from the table, there were such brilliant flashes of lightning, such great peals of thunder and such a heavy downpour of rain that neither Benedict nor his brethren could stir across the threshold of the place where they had been seated. Sadly he began to complain: “May God forgive you, sister. What have you done?” “Well,” she answered, “I asked you and you would not listen; so I asked my God and he did listen. So now go off, if you can, leave me and return to your monastery.”</blockquote>
<blockquote class="tr_bq">
Reluctant as he was to stay of his own will, he remained against his will. So it came about that they stayed awake the whole night, engrossed in their conversation about the spiritual life.</blockquote>
<blockquote class="tr_bq">
It is not surprising that she was more effective than he, since as John says, God is love, it was absolutely right that she could do more, as she loved more.</blockquote>
<blockquote class="tr_bq">
Three days later, Benedict was in his cell. Looking up to the sky, he saw his sister’s soul leave her body in the form of a dove, and fly up to the secret places of heaven. Rejoicing in her great glory, he thanked almighty God with hymns and words of praise. He then sent his brethren to bring her body to the monastery and lay it in the tomb he had prepared for himself.</blockquote>
<blockquote class="tr_bq">
Their minds had always been united in God; their bodies were to share a common grave.</blockquote>
</blockquote>
Greg Grahamhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11290074804358990591noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5538677.post-88241360012961871612015-01-25T19:05:00.000-06:002015-01-25T19:05:40.036-06:00Welcome Readers of Hoc TempusI have closed down a blog I had on WordPress.com called Hoc Tempus, and I left a post for readers of that blog to come over to this one. You will find all of the posts and most of the comments from Hoc Tempus moved over to Scriptorium, and all of my new posts will be here. You will also find posts of mine dating back to the beginning of this blog in 2003.<br />
<br />
This blog started with computer programming material, and then took a theological bent. Hoc Tempus was started as a critique on modernity, but then became more general. Although for now I am keeping the name, Scriptorium, for this blog, I am not restricting it to theological content. I hope to blog about all of my interests, including my work in technology and education.<br />
<br />
So, with that, I welcome all of you who are new to Scriptorium, as well as those who have read it in the past.Greg Grahamhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11290074804358990591noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5538677.post-78450242261934553482014-12-23T12:56:00.000-06:002015-01-25T16:05:15.363-06:00The Incarnation<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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I have great admiration for Fr. Denis Farkasfalvy, O. Cist., the Abbot Emeritus of Our Lady of Dallas, Cistercian Abbey. I took two theology classes from him at the University of Dallas, and now I wish I had taken more. The Abbey puts out a newsletter from time to time, and here is an excerpt from an article Fr. Denis wrote in the latest issue.<br />
<blockquote>
If I want to speak bluntly, Advent celebrates God’s “Love affair” with mankind, which a human being understands only as a weakness when he or she has an irrational experience by falling in love and feels caught by storms of emotional instability. God, however, is the absolute crystal clear intellect and yet declares himself vulnerable to the human response (or lack or response) of love. He goes out of his way in order to lead the human being on a path of conversion, loving response and ultimately finding fulfillment in a mutual embrace with God.<br />
The Incarnation is about God becoming a human being without diminishing his divine identity. Cistercian spirituality, formulated most clearly in Saint Bernard’s writings, makes statements like the following: “the Creator and Lord of the Universe came to Man, for the sake of Man, came as a Man” (<em>Sermon in Advent</em> 3). “Man” is so strongly and explicitly put into the center of this statement that you would think it is a quotation from a Humanist author of the 15th century, the peak of the Renaissance era, and yet, the evidence is clear that this comes from the first half of the 12th century, from that “God-centered” period of the Middle Ages. Is Bernard anticipating some later development of a “Christian Humanism” or rather providing us with a fully concentrated sample of that thinking, which was set in motion much earlier by the Church Fathers (Saint Ambrose, Saint Augustine, Gregory the Great and others) who saw that the Incarnation promotes the human being to a level of unspeakably elevated dignity.<br />
One of Bernard’s favorite ancient sources, Origen of Alexandria from the 3rd century, had already stated this with exceptional force and Bernard did his best to express it in the language of a sweet and ornate prose of the high Middle Ages as the motto of Christmas: “God became man so that man could become God.”</blockquote>
I encountered this quote from Origen years ago as I was discovering the Church Fathers and learning about the Orthodox Church. At first, the phrase "...man should become God" sounded blasphemous to me. Although it's true that such an expression can be understood wrongly, I like it now because it is shocking and causes us to think. If you prefer New Testament language, look at the beginning of 2 Peter, which says that through the power of God we can "become partakers of the divine nature" (2 Peter 1:4). Saint John also says, "Beloved, we are God’s children now; it does not yet appear what we shall be, but we know that when he appears we shall be like him, for we shall see him as he is" (1 John 3:2).<br />
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What all this means is that in the little baby in Bethlehem, God has joined himself to the human race so that humans can be lifted up into fellowship with God. We do not become God by nature; we remain human beings. However, by the grace of God, those of us who choose to follow Jesus will be made like Jesus. We are made his brothers and sisters, inheriting with him the infinite bounty of God. This is why we celebrate the little baby in the manger. I hope you have had a blessed Advent and will have a Merry Christmas!Greg Grahamhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11290074804358990591noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5538677.post-82247845627477351982014-11-30T09:36:00.000-06:002015-01-25T16:06:24.266-06:00Happy Belated Birthday to C. S. Lewis<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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As I caught up on my Twitter feed, I saw that yesterday was the birthday of C. S. Lewis. There were tweets with links to two good timelines of his life, <a href="http://www.cslewis.org/resource/chronocsl/" target="_blank" title="The Life of C. S. Lewis Timeline">one</a> focused on his life in general, and the <a href="https://www.cslewis.com/us/about-cs-lewis" target="_blank" title="About C. S. Lewis">other</a> on his publications. After reading these timelines, I was surprised at the academic honors he achieved. I know that he is admired by devoted Christians as a champion of the Christian faith, but I didn't know he was so admired in the academic world at large.<br />
<br />
Such academic recognition of Lewis indicates his brilliance and academic achievement, but his great popularity is due to more than just his scholarly accomplishments:<br />
<ol>
<li>He has the ability to explain difficult subjects at a level that common people can understand.</li>
<br />
<li>He has a keen understanding of the modern world, and he can step outside of it (due to his training in ancient civilizations and literature) and see its flaws.</li>
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<li>He has an uncanny insight into the human condition. He has the ability to penetrate the human heart such that readers have experienced the sensation while reading him that he has somehow read their minds.</li>
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<li>He has a deep Christian faith, which he shares from his heart.</li>
</ol>
If you have never read anything by C. S. Lewis, I suggest you give him a try. My favorite books are <a href="http://amazon.com/MERE-CHRISTIANITY-Timeless-Wisdom-Collection-ebook/dp/B002BD2UR0/" target="_blank"><em>Mere Christianity</em></a>, <a href="http://amazon.com/Great-Divorce-C-S-Lewis-ebook/dp/B002BD2US4/" target="_blank"><em>The Great Divorce,</em></a> and <a href="http://amazon.com/Chronicles-Narnia-Box-Set-Lewis/dp/0061992887/" target="_blank"><em>The Chronicles of Narnia</em></a>. You might also want to look at the <a href="https://www.cslewis.com/us/" target="_blank" title="C. S. Lewis - The Official Website">official website</a> put up by HarperCollins or his <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/C._S._Lewis" target="_blank" title="Wikipedia - C. S. Lewis">entry</a> on Wikipedia. <a href="http://www.relevantmagazine.com/culture/books/cs-lewis-3-most-controversial-beliefs" target="_blank" title="C. S. Lewis' 3 Most Controversial Beliefs">This article</a> on the <a href="http://www.relevantmagazine.com/" target="_blank" title="Relevant Magazine">Relevant Magazine website</a> is interesting because it shows that although his Christian faith was very traditional, he was not a fundamentalist. His deep, thoughtful search for the truth of the Christian faith caused him to take some positions that don't easily fit in the mold of a particular Christian group. Indeed, although he remained faithful to the Church of England until his death, many Catholics (myself included) find his beliefs very compatible with their own. Finally, in looking for material to recommend, I found <a href="http://online.wsj.com/articles/gregory-cootsona-c-s-lewis-and-the-crises-of-belief-1417123023" target="_blank" title="C. S. Lewis and the Crisis of Belief">this recent article</a> from the Wall Street Journal that has some gems regarding his struggles in his life of faith.Greg Grahamhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11290074804358990591noreply@blogger.com0