"The devout student is the best of all students. There are too many who are devout, but not students. They will not accept the discipline of study and of learning, and they even look with suspicion upon the further knowledge which study brings to men. There are equally too many who are students, but not devout. They are interested too much in intellectual knowledge, and too little in the life of prayer and in the life of service of their fellow men. A man would do well to aim at being not only a student, and not only devout, but at being a devout student. "
--William Barclay, 20th century Scottish Theologian
I appreciate Mr. James Petticrew for inserting this quote in his comments to Dr. Ken Schenck's blog "Thanks to God: A quick entry before grading..." (November 25, 2005 www.kenschenck.blogspot.com)
I'll be meditating on this quote for the next few days. Hopefully my thoughts will generate something. More to come.
Tuesday, November 29, 2005
Sunday, November 06, 2005
Thoughts from "Gnostic Gospels"
Should personal conviction and church authority have a checks and balances system?
This weekend I read The Gnostic Gospels by Elaine Pagels, a church historian from Princeton (though she received her degree from Harvard, ironic). I had to write a review on the book, and overall I really enjoyed it.
Pagels received a lot of flack for writing this book because she suggests that the real issue of the Gnostic controversy in the early centuries of the church was not the theological dispute, but rather the challenge that Gnosticism presented to church authority and leadership as a result of differing ideologies.
Basically, she says that the Gnostics questioned the authority of church leaders that claimed their authority rested on the authority of the apostles. This is a result of the difference in interpretation of the resurrection of Christ. Orthodox Christians believe in the bodily resurrection of Christ, who appeared to the apostles. This encounter with the bodily risen Christ becomes the standard for one being an apostle. In the generations following the apostles, leaders in the church claimed their authority as being approved by those whom the apostles approved, the apostles being the ones approved by Christ (this is the same idea to this day about the ordination of ministers). The Gnostics disagreed with the orthodox Christians, claiming that the resurrection was not bodily and only served as a symbol of one's spiritual enlightenment that God provides. Thus, the Gnostics argued that the requirement for authority and leadership in the church is not apostolic succession, but the divine enlightenment that comes from self-knowledge and the search for truth.
Therefore, Pagels argues that since the Gnostics would not accept the authority of the bishops, priests, and deacons (she also explains some other reasons for this, but they do not serve this blog installment), they were ousted from the fellowship of believers because their ideology so contrasted the goals of the church in becoming an institutionalized religion. Pagels says that the survival of Christianity owes much to this "political" decision to make Christianity an instituion. We of course look at this decision as a triumph over heresy in which God preserved true doctrine in order to continue Chrsitianity throughout history. I believe that perhaps both interpretations work together, but this is not the point of this installment.
Also this weekend, Kasey and I watched the hilarious movie Saved! about the quirkiness of the Chrsitian subculture set in a suburban Maryland Christian high school (comically named American Eagle). Among a number of criticism of the Christian subculture this film presents, I noticed the role that personal revelation plays in this film (one girl claims that Jesus told her to have sex with her gay boyfriend to make him straight, while another girl claims Jesus told her to vandalize the school and blame it on the only Jewish girl in the school to get her expelled). And this made me wonder... how often to people claim "divine revelation" as the source of what they do?
Now, I know that these examples are extremes. But what about lesser cases, ones that would go under the radar of spiritual discernment? What if someone felt that God had told them to do something that was so completely irrational that it would seem foolish to do it? What would a church be like if everyone acted out any whimsical thought or deed ostensibly as the divine revelation or commandment?
Here is why I am glad orthodoxy did triumph, among other reasons. Thanks to God, the triumph of orthodoxy allowed for leaders within the church to be entrusted with the calling and equipping of the apostles for the purpose of ordering the congregation (one of the three purpose the church, as I remember from Dr. Bounds's theology class). In addition, I am thankful that God gifts some people with spiritual discernment to counsel others who sense God's calling into any part of life. And there is also the affirmation of the congregation, which I feel is necessary in confirming any calling that God has given someone.
I understand that the authority of the church and its leaders is subject to abuse and corruption. This is in part why there was such a thing as the Reformation. Luther himself was an advocate for personal conviction, as was John Wesley. However, they both also upheld the role and authority of the church (Luther said that if the church's authority was soundly based on the Bible he would submit to it; Wesley's quadrilateral included church tradition with personal experience). Though, I see the possible abuses and corruption that could result in letting people act on what they believe is divine revelation (or what they tell people is divine revelation) without being checked by any authoritative standard. Can you imagine if all we had to check someone's personal conviction was someone else's personal conviction? Though both are dangerous, I am going to side with an orthodox understanding of church leadership and authority. While I might disagree with church leaders from time to time in my life, I will ultimately have to submit as long as their authority is grounded in Scripture, based on sound reason, and affirmed by the congregation. How about you?
This weekend I read The Gnostic Gospels by Elaine Pagels, a church historian from Princeton (though she received her degree from Harvard, ironic). I had to write a review on the book, and overall I really enjoyed it.
Pagels received a lot of flack for writing this book because she suggests that the real issue of the Gnostic controversy in the early centuries of the church was not the theological dispute, but rather the challenge that Gnosticism presented to church authority and leadership as a result of differing ideologies.
Basically, she says that the Gnostics questioned the authority of church leaders that claimed their authority rested on the authority of the apostles. This is a result of the difference in interpretation of the resurrection of Christ. Orthodox Christians believe in the bodily resurrection of Christ, who appeared to the apostles. This encounter with the bodily risen Christ becomes the standard for one being an apostle. In the generations following the apostles, leaders in the church claimed their authority as being approved by those whom the apostles approved, the apostles being the ones approved by Christ (this is the same idea to this day about the ordination of ministers). The Gnostics disagreed with the orthodox Christians, claiming that the resurrection was not bodily and only served as a symbol of one's spiritual enlightenment that God provides. Thus, the Gnostics argued that the requirement for authority and leadership in the church is not apostolic succession, but the divine enlightenment that comes from self-knowledge and the search for truth.
Therefore, Pagels argues that since the Gnostics would not accept the authority of the bishops, priests, and deacons (she also explains some other reasons for this, but they do not serve this blog installment), they were ousted from the fellowship of believers because their ideology so contrasted the goals of the church in becoming an institutionalized religion. Pagels says that the survival of Christianity owes much to this "political" decision to make Christianity an instituion. We of course look at this decision as a triumph over heresy in which God preserved true doctrine in order to continue Chrsitianity throughout history. I believe that perhaps both interpretations work together, but this is not the point of this installment.
Also this weekend, Kasey and I watched the hilarious movie Saved! about the quirkiness of the Chrsitian subculture set in a suburban Maryland Christian high school (comically named American Eagle). Among a number of criticism of the Christian subculture this film presents, I noticed the role that personal revelation plays in this film (one girl claims that Jesus told her to have sex with her gay boyfriend to make him straight, while another girl claims Jesus told her to vandalize the school and blame it on the only Jewish girl in the school to get her expelled). And this made me wonder... how often to people claim "divine revelation" as the source of what they do?
Now, I know that these examples are extremes. But what about lesser cases, ones that would go under the radar of spiritual discernment? What if someone felt that God had told them to do something that was so completely irrational that it would seem foolish to do it? What would a church be like if everyone acted out any whimsical thought or deed ostensibly as the divine revelation or commandment?
Here is why I am glad orthodoxy did triumph, among other reasons. Thanks to God, the triumph of orthodoxy allowed for leaders within the church to be entrusted with the calling and equipping of the apostles for the purpose of ordering the congregation (one of the three purpose the church, as I remember from Dr. Bounds's theology class). In addition, I am thankful that God gifts some people with spiritual discernment to counsel others who sense God's calling into any part of life. And there is also the affirmation of the congregation, which I feel is necessary in confirming any calling that God has given someone.
I understand that the authority of the church and its leaders is subject to abuse and corruption. This is in part why there was such a thing as the Reformation. Luther himself was an advocate for personal conviction, as was John Wesley. However, they both also upheld the role and authority of the church (Luther said that if the church's authority was soundly based on the Bible he would submit to it; Wesley's quadrilateral included church tradition with personal experience). Though, I see the possible abuses and corruption that could result in letting people act on what they believe is divine revelation (or what they tell people is divine revelation) without being checked by any authoritative standard. Can you imagine if all we had to check someone's personal conviction was someone else's personal conviction? Though both are dangerous, I am going to side with an orthodox understanding of church leadership and authority. While I might disagree with church leaders from time to time in my life, I will ultimately have to submit as long as their authority is grounded in Scripture, based on sound reason, and affirmed by the congregation. How about you?
Tuesday, November 01, 2005
A Voice in the Wilderness: Barton Price in Carbondale, IL
Yes, I know some of you are wondering why I would be blogging. Well... because I am avoiding homework, that's why. But seriously, in the past couple weeks I have began to read the insightful and contemplative writings of the esteemed Dr. Kenneth Schenck and insightful, yet often humorous, writings of Rev. John Freed, and in so reading I found that maybe I should also begin posting some of my thoughts as well. I mean, I'm thinking all the time. So, I might as well post, right?
As the title may have given it away, yes I am living in Carbondale, IL where my wife, Kasey, and I are in grad school and working as graduate assistants at Southern Illinois University. I say that I am the voice in the wilderness because in some respects, Carbondale is comparable to the wilderness of John the Baptist (sort of). We do live less than 30 minutes from the Shawnee National Forest, and that's wilderness. Though I am no prophet. However, in this season I can hear faintly something telling me "prepare the way of the Lord." Here I apologize to all those exegesis gear heads like me who cringe at my poor appropriation of Scripture, but please allow me some creative license. I am sure that some of you will be comforted by what I have to say.
I loved being a student at Indiana Wesleyan, to some degree. I know I probably complained too much about some things and did not appreciate other things. But all in all, I loved being a student there, perhaps too much. I chose a major that provided opportunities to engage in some weighty theological and philosophical discussions with my colleagues, only to abandonment of any professional development. Choosing not to pursue a career in pastoral ministry, I graduated with the tools for theory with very little praxis.
Now a college grad, married, and functionally unemployed outside of my job (for which I am truly grateful) that pays for my graduate education, I am considering what truly is my ambition in life. Simply, I want to teach. I want to be the very men I admired everyday I went to class (and still admired in spite of how much they challenged my critical thinking). This is what I am convinced is my calling. As Kasey and I are in this season here at SIU, we are preparing for the way of the Lord, the careers that we are sure He has called us to perform.
No, sadly I do not have it all figured out. But this confirmation is my comfort as I study (and as I neglect the paper I should be writing). Hoping and praying that I survive grad school and hoping and praying all the more that I am marketable when I graduate, I strive on to do better justice to my calling that I think that I did while in college. Please keep us both in your prayers.
More to come on this page. Feel free to respond to my postings. I would love to hear from all of you. Sincerely,
Barton
As the title may have given it away, yes I am living in Carbondale, IL where my wife, Kasey, and I are in grad school and working as graduate assistants at Southern Illinois University. I say that I am the voice in the wilderness because in some respects, Carbondale is comparable to the wilderness of John the Baptist (sort of). We do live less than 30 minutes from the Shawnee National Forest, and that's wilderness. Though I am no prophet. However, in this season I can hear faintly something telling me "prepare the way of the Lord." Here I apologize to all those exegesis gear heads like me who cringe at my poor appropriation of Scripture, but please allow me some creative license. I am sure that some of you will be comforted by what I have to say.
I loved being a student at Indiana Wesleyan, to some degree. I know I probably complained too much about some things and did not appreciate other things. But all in all, I loved being a student there, perhaps too much. I chose a major that provided opportunities to engage in some weighty theological and philosophical discussions with my colleagues, only to abandonment of any professional development. Choosing not to pursue a career in pastoral ministry, I graduated with the tools for theory with very little praxis.
Now a college grad, married, and functionally unemployed outside of my job (for which I am truly grateful) that pays for my graduate education, I am considering what truly is my ambition in life. Simply, I want to teach. I want to be the very men I admired everyday I went to class (and still admired in spite of how much they challenged my critical thinking). This is what I am convinced is my calling. As Kasey and I are in this season here at SIU, we are preparing for the way of the Lord, the careers that we are sure He has called us to perform.
No, sadly I do not have it all figured out. But this confirmation is my comfort as I study (and as I neglect the paper I should be writing). Hoping and praying that I survive grad school and hoping and praying all the more that I am marketable when I graduate, I strive on to do better justice to my calling that I think that I did while in college. Please keep us both in your prayers.
More to come on this page. Feel free to respond to my postings. I would love to hear from all of you. Sincerely,
Barton
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