It's Alive!

I just finished starting my new blog at WordPress. So join me over yonder, neighbor. I'll know we'll have good time!!

http://iamasonofgod.wordpress.com

A Change Gone Come to the Blog

Hey Everybody, I'll be switching over to Word Press in a couple of days. I'm tired of Blogger because auto text size is messing with me. I hope on the new blog to write some serious thoughts and have ongoing family discussions on issues that really concerned me. I'll let you know when the switch happens so stay tuned. Peace.

Jason

A Great Awakening for Millersville University

Over an hour ago I returned from a leadership summit here at Millersville University. The theme was on "Building Bridges" of multicultural diversity. Our esteemed keynote speaker was Ms. Naomi Tutu, daughter of Archbishop Desmond Tutu. She spoke on acknowledging our differences and similarities in our ongoing conversation and action for cultural appreciation across barriers.

There was also a workshop facilitated by Ms. Eraka Rouzorondu of Ascension Productions. She her presentation was called "Walls Down, Bridges Down". The main focus was to assess the "walls" that hinder the bridge-building necessary for universities to be multicultural. Both presenters were thought provoking and challenging especially Eraka.

All in all, I went home with some thinking to do in this ongoing discussion here at Millersville University.

What I Believe

I had a wonderful conversation with my pastor yesterday during our time discussing what we will preach this Sunday (yes, I preach). After discussing our sermon topic, I disclosed to him some things I have been struggling with in regards to American Christianity, especially evangelicalism and my endeavor to understand the Gospel in it's simplicity. The first Ancient Creeds of the Church are a great summary I what I believe. What I do believe:


"Jesus is Lord", the earliest creed of the Church.

The Apostles Creed

I believe in God the Father Almighty, Maker of heaven and earth.

And in Jesus Christ his only Son our Lord; who was conceived by the Holy Ghost, born of the Virgin Mary, suffered under Pontius Pilate, was crucified, dead, and buried; he descended into hell; the third day he rose again from the dead; he ascended into heaven, and sitteth on the right hand of God the Father Almighty; from thence he shall come to judge the quick and the dead.

I believe in the Holy Ghost; the holy catholic Church; the communion of saints; the forgiveness of sins; the resurrection of the body; and the life everlasting. AMEN.

The Nicene-Constantanopolitan Creed

We believe in one God,
the Father, the Almighty,
maker of heaven and earth,
of all that is, seen and unseen.

We believe in one Lord, Jesus Christ,
the only Son of God,
eternally begotten of the Father,
God from God, light from light,
true God from true God,
begotten, not made,
of one Being with the Father;
through him all things were made.
For us and for our salvation
he came down from heaven,
was incarnate of the Holy Spirit and the Virgin Mary
and became truly human.
For our sake he was crucified under Pontius Pilate;
he suffered death and was buried.
On the third day he rose again
in accordance with the Scriptures;
he ascended into heaven
and is seated at the right hand of the Father.
He will come again in glory to judge the living and the dead,
and his kingdom will have no end.
We believe in the Holy Spirit, the Lord, the giver of life,
who proceeds from the Father [and the Son],
who with the Father and the Son is worshiped and glorified,
who has spoken through the prophets.
We believe in one holy catholic and apostolic Church.
We acknowledge one baptism for the forgiveness of sins.
We look for the resurrection of the dead,
and the life of the world to come. Amen.

What I've come to reject are some Evangelical shibboleths.

The Holy Scriptures:

I believe, without a shadow of doubt, in the authority of the Holy Bible. I do not subscribe to the doctrine of inerrancy as stated in The Chicago Statement on Biblical Inerrancy. I still have trouble with many Protestant confession statements featuring an article on the Holy Scriptures before the articles on the Godhead.

Eschatology:

I do not believe in the Rapture, at least as taught in in the Left Behind Series and dispensationalism. I believe in the Second Coming of Jesus Christ. The idea of Rapture is taken from 1 Thessalonians 4.17, but in the context of this passage this "caught up" experience of the living happening on the Day of Resurrection when the dead in Christ shall rise (v.16). I maybe be wrong but thank God this is secondary non-essential issue in the Church, except in some circles.

Heaven:

I do not believe that the righteous shall go and spend eternity in Heaven. I believe the righteous are resting in Christ until the Day of Resurrection. The righteousness shall spend eternity with their God in the age to come in the new earth and new heaven. All in all, Heaven will descend from Glory and be right on earth, God dwell with renewed humanity. Now, that's heaven.

Creation:

I do not believe that the six-days of creation in Genesis were 24 hours as we understand days to be today.

Politics:
I do not believe that being a evangelical means to vote Republican. I learned that the hard way.

I'm Well


What a crazy night! I was up with two nostrils stuffed like a hunted down buck in a lodge. A friend gave me a nasal decongestant around 3:00a.m. so that helped a lot. Today I'm better, still have to sniffles, my nose is dry, and I feel a bit stronger than yesterday. Thanks for all your prayers. I'll get to posting soon, the Lord willing.

Blessings,

Jason

I'm Sick


Yes, my brothers and sisters, ladies and gentlemen, Brother Jason is down with the rhinovirus. I don't know which one it is and I don't care because it's really tickin' me off to have this cold. I've had it for a week. I missed class last Monday when I had the first preliminary symptoms and the rest of the week I was fine. These symptoms are worse than last weeks. So I'm going to stay in bed. I don't have chicken soup so I got the Campbell's Tomato Soup you heat in the microwave and drink from the can. I'm going to run to the store and buy more Kleenex. Then of the bed. Please pray for a healing. Where's Benny Hinn when you need him? Just Kidding!
Anybody got any home remedies fit for a college man please post them.

Blessings.

Barth on the Authority and Significance of the Bible



"The prophetic-apostolic witness, through which the congregation of Jesus Christ is established, is the single normative form of the Word of God for that congregation. There are many things in the heavens and on earth, but there is only one God. There are many ideas about God, but there is only one true knowledge of this one God, true because derived from God's self-testimony. There are many events, powers, forms, and truths which are important, worthwhile, and indispensable for us men, but there is only one Word of God, only one Jesus Christ, in whom the confrontation of the gracious God with sinful men took place once for all.

And because not all, but only these particular men are the elected, called prophetic and apostolic witnesses to Jesus Christ, there are many hidden forms but only this one visible form of the one Word of the one God. Only in this form is God's Word finally, decisively normative, binding , and authoritative. The Church of Jesus Christ acknowledges this unique Word of the unique God in this uniquely visible and uniquely normative form. In this knowledge, it sets the biblical canon."

Karl Barth, God Here and Now (Routlege Classics, 2006) p.56

Love is in the Air!


Do you know what today is? I'm sure you do. It's that time of the year when the lovelorn (me) generally stay home and do nothing for it, and lovers glee because of it. It's St. Valentine's Day!

What are you doing for that special someone in your life today? Or not.