Did I just hear what I think I heard?

What follows describes what is going on at the seminary this week... to tell the truth, I was one of those who was disturbed by what was said. There are certain words that (i believe) should not be uttered in worship... quoting someone else, or not. A congregation's pastor may take certain liberties--but that is only after establishing certain bonds. Those bonds are important... and they were not established between the speaker and those gathered on Tuesday. I am glad that we will be discussing these things on Wednesday. I am proud of the way this is now being handled. Any thoughts?

Sent: Friday, April 27, 2007 5:23:07 PM
To: #Admin_Faculty_Staff; #Student Email Users
Subject: A message from President Ted Wardlaw
Importance: High
Auto forwarded by a Rule



Dear Friends:



I am writing, here at the end of this week, to address a concern that is troubling many in the Austin Presbyterian Theological Seminary community. On Tuesday of this week, after a sermon preached by Monya Stubbs , Janet Maykus, the celebrant, extemporaneously shared a personal experience of grace and redemption as a reflection on Monya’s image of “going to Galilee” and as a part of her Invitation to the Lord’s Table. This story was confusing to some and disturbing to others, and employed a quotation from her father that included a derogatory word. Serious conversations have taken place across this seminary community since Tuesday, as people have discussed this event in small conversation groups; but now I believe it is time for us to have a community-wide forum about the collection of concerns sparked by these conversations. I am inviting all of you—students, staff and faculty—to come to Stotts Hall next Wednesday afternoon, May 2, at 3:30 p.m. Please come on Wednesday at 3:30 prepared to speak—and to hear—the truth in love.



Faithfully yours,



Ted

Hooray...

I have one paper left to finish. Really...only 4 pages left to write... then all of my work on my Master of Divinity degree will be finished. I am almost done with 4 years of theological education. Can I get an "amen"?

I'd buy that for a dollar!

Last week the seminary library had a book sale. I picked up the Hexapla for $1. It weighs about 10 lbs. I love the book sales... I am going to miss them.

The English "Hexapla" (from the root word "hex" meaning "six", such as a six-sided "hexagon") was printed in 1841 by Samuel Bagster and Sons of London, England. This wonderful resource of textual comparison is something no Christian's library should be without. The English Hexapla Parallel New Testament has been called "a Bible collection in one volume."

It contains the six most important English language translations of the New Testament, all arranged in parallel columns for easy textual comparison of any passage. Each left-hand page shows: The Wycliffe version of 1380 (the first English scripture), The Tyndale version of 1534-1536 (the first English printed scripture), and Cranmer's Great Bible of 1539 (the first Authorized English Bible). Continuing across each right-hand page is: The Geneva “1557” - translation actually completed in 1560, (the Bible of the Protestant Reformation), The Rheims 1582 (the first Roman Catholic English version), and the 1611 King James First Edition... all side-by-side, and also laid out so the passages roughly match-up top-to-bottom as well.

Rule #1: Don't sweat the small stuff

For want of a nail the shoe was lost.
For want of a shoe the horse was lost.
For want of a horse the rider was lost.
For want of a rider the battle was lost.
For want of a battle the kingdom was lost.
And all for the want of a horseshoe nail.

In for an inch, in for a mile.

As I was standing in the street,
As quiet as could be,
A great big ugly man came up,
And tied his horse to me.

Is that a Book of Order in her hands?

Mother, may I go and swim?
Yes, my darling daughter.
Hang your clothes on yonder limb,
But don't go near the water.

The ultimate restraint

Do not move unless it is advantageous.
Do not execute unless it is effective.
Do not challenge unless it is critical.

An intense view is not a reason to launch an opposition.
An angry leader is not a reason to initiate a challenge.

If engagement brings advantage, move.
If not, stop.

Intensity can cycle back to fondness.
Anger can cycle back to satisfaction.
But an extinct organization cannot cycle back to survival.
And those who are destroyed cannot cycle back to life.

Thus a Brilliant Ruler is prudent;
A Good Leader is on guard.

Such is the way of a Stable Organization and a Complete Force.

-The Art of Strategy

Litany to the Holy Spirit

In the hour of my distress,
When temptations me oppress,
And when I my sins confess,
Sweet Spirit, comfort me!

When I lie within my bed,
Sick in heart and sick in head,
And with doubts discomforted,
Sweet Spirit, comfort me!

When the house doth sigh and weep,
And the world is drown'd in sleep,
Yet mine eyes the watch do keep,
Sweet Spirit, comfort me!

When the passing bell doth toll,
And the Furies in a shoal
Come to fright a parting soul,
Sweet Spirit, comfort me!

When the tapers now burn blue,
And the comforters are few,
And that number more than true,
Sweet Spirit, comfort me!

When the priest his last hath pray'd,
And I nod to what is said,
'Cause my speech is now decay'd,
Sweet Spirit, comfort me!

When, God knows, I'm tossed about
Either with despair or doubt;
Yet before the glass be out,
Sweet Spirit, comfort me!

When the tempter me pursu'th
With the sins of all my youth,
And half damns me with untruth,
Sweet Spirit, comfort me!

When the flames and hellish cries
Fright mine ears and fright mine eyes,
And all terrors me surprise,
Sweet Spirit, comfort me!

When the Judgment is reveal'd,
And that open'd which was seal'd,
When to Thee I have appeal'd,
Sweet Spirit, comfort me!

-Robert Herrick

The Shepherd Boy sings in the Valley of Humiliation

He that is down needs fear no fall,
He that is low, no pride;
He that is humble ever shall
Have God to be his guide.

I am content with what I have,
Little be it or much:
And, Lord, contentment still I crave,
Because Thou savest such.

Fullness to such a burden is
That go on pilgrimage:
Here little, and hereafter bliss,
Is best from age to age.

-John Bunyan

Where My Books Go

All the words that I utter,
And all the words that I write,
Must spread out their wings untiring,
And never rest in their flight,
Till they come where your sad, sad heart is,
And sing to you in the night,
Beyond where the waters are moving,
Storm-darken'd or starry night.

-W. B. Yeats

Ouch!

That hurt.

On your mark... ... ...

If all things go well on Monday, it will set into motion a series of events that will enable me to start "officially" looking for a call around the middle of April. Here are the locations of the churches that are currently at the top of our list.

I just needed to get a good visual of where these places are. (If you click on the adjacent image, you will get a clearer picture.)

We have never lived outside of Texas. This may be quite an adventure!

Thanks, Google Earth!

PC(USA) Ordination Exam results will be released on Monday

There is no prayer in the Book of Common Worship that addresses seminary students waiting for Ordination exam results...
but there should be...

Almighty and merciful God,
I confess that I am anxious about Monday's results.
The knot in my stomach continues to grow.
I am afraid of the chaos that "not passing" this final test would create for my family
and I am uncertain how I could have possibly prepared any more than I did.
But I know that you are with me, and that my identity is not tied up in exams.
I know that it is not about me.
Thank you for teaching me humility, patience and perseverance over the past several months.
Thank you for waiting with me, comforting me, and sustaining me.
As the time comes near to recieve the exam results,
I thank you that, in our day, you are still claiming men and women
for special work within your church.
For all of those who wait... give us hope, courage, and renewed faith.
It is in the name of Jesus Christ we ask. Amen.

PC(USA) Candidates Seeking Placement

Please notice the new listing: "Other candidates seeking a call", in the adjacent column. If anyone knows of other institutional listings of this sort, please let me know. Here are the links I have found so far:

• at Austin Presbyterian Theological Seminary
• at Columbia Theological Seminary
• at Louisville Presbyterian Theological Seminary
• at McCormick Theological Seminary
• at Pittsburgh Theological Seminary
• at Princeton Theological Seminary
• at the University of Dubuque Theological Seminary

And here are the ones I am missing:

Johnson C. Smith Theological Seminary

San Francisco Theological Seminary

Union Theological Seminary

Spring Break

I'm still wearing the collar... until March 20th. I will feel liberated when I can "be in the presence of another human being" (our assignment/experiment in the entry into ministry class) without sporting this unique fashion plate. Here is some info on the clerical collar:

A clerical collar is a piece of clerical clothing that that buttons onto a clergy shirt, being fastened by two metal studs, one attached at the front and one at the back to hold the collar to the shirt. The collar closes at the back of the neck, presenting a seamless front. It is almost always white.

The clerical collar is a fairly modern invention (the detachable collar itself is supposed to have been invented in 1827). The practice of Anglican clergy wearing a detachable clerical collar was invented by a Rev Dr Donald McLeod and became more popular through the Oxford Movement.

In the Roman Catholic Church, the clerical collar is worn by all ranks of clergy, thus, bishops, priests, and deacons--normally transitional but occasionally permanent; often by seminarians who have been admitted to candidacy for the priesthood, as is the case in the Diocese of Rome; and by college and graduate level seminarians with their cassock during liturgical celebrations.
Collars are typically worn by clergy members of other Christian Churches such as Anglican and Lutheran Churches. Also many Methodist, Presbyterian, Apostolic, Oneness Pentecostals, Non-denominational, and other Christian ministers wear collars. In some churches or locales this practice is discouraged because collars are assumed to be associated with Roman Catholicism.

In the United Kingdom, clerical collars are sometimes informally called dog collars. The term "Roman collar" refers to a style and does not mean that the wearer is Roman Catholic.

I call "radical middle"

As I have been looking over many "Church Information Forms" (CIFs) recently, it has become exceedingly clear that we, human creatures, do like to choose sides. Some of us will end up choosing "the left", some "the right"...and as far as I can tell, such decisions DO make life easier...like using a template to aid in some work. (Easier doesn't necessarily mean better.)

Now, If I say that I am slightly left, or slightly right--then I become easily categorized, labeled, filed away, and pigeon-holed. But, through baptism (in death and rebirth), I claim option three... drawing on the best of "both" sides.

At the center of our true identity, we find the sacraments...which continually call us to Christ. It is in this invitation to Christ that we crash into God's good news.

Below you will find links to the web pages of several "movements" within the church. I invite you to be familiar with these templates...but know that these feel, to me, to be mirages in the desert.

Senior sermon finished, now the "senioritis" kicks in

I preached my "Senior sermon" on Monday. It went well, but looking at the video makes me realize that I still have a long way to go. This process, sermon writing, reminds me of the time in my life when I relied on a bicycle as my main means of transportation (during college) and was hired to teach swim lessons at an athletic club that was 6 miles away from my apartment. The first time I made that ride...I thought I was going to die. The next week I thought I was going to puke up a lung. Over the next few weeks, I thought I would never be able to walk normal again, my legs were so sore.

But after I had made that 12 mile round trip a few hundred times--the distance no longer took its toll on me. I could ride all day without being sore. I found that the conditioning allowed me to be able to ride 100 miles of rough trail in a day, and I often did. I hope that sermon preparation and delivery is something like that. I think I have hit the "my legs are so sore" stage, but I am also very excited about the next 100 miles. To watch Monday's chapel sermon, click here.

Happy Valentine's Day

Senior Sermon

In two weeks I will be preaching my "senior sermon" in chapel. I have chosen the Luke text which accounts the "temptation" in the desert.


Here are my initial thoughts...

Luke 4:1-13 illustrates three patterns of temptation which constantly threaten to corrupt the Christian life: self-dependence (a failure to trust in God’s provision), misplaced loyalty (the idolatry of putting sacred trust in false gods), and short-sighted faith (remaining true to the letter of God’s word while failing to embrace the spirit in which it is revealed, written, and proclaimed). In this pericope (Selected text), Jesus thwarts the devil’s endeavors to corrupt his faith, obedience, and authority by recalling scripture rooted in Israel’s wilderness journey. Consequently, he reveals what healthy faith is capable of and how we may appropriately respond to God’s grace.


Sermon Outline:

I. Introduction
What do we know about temptation? We often refer to temptation when we speak of that decadent dessert after dinner, the forbidden fruit in the Garden of Eden, or some other guilty pleasure. In doing so, we try to put a great deal of distance between ourselves and those things that tempt us. If we have learned anything from Adam and Eve, it is that temptations open the door to sin. Temptations are not the same thing as sins—just the possibility—just the crack in the door. (Include an example here.)
II. Temptations
A. Making the connection between the text and real life.
Here in Luke we read of Jesus being tempted in the desert. The temptations are real, they are attractive, and they carry seemingly desirable outcomes. What makes them so relevant to us today is that they are common temptations to every man, woman, and child that walks the earth.
I know you are probably thinking “Not me; I haven’t been in the desert. I haven’t run into the devil.” That is what is so deceptive about these temptations—in looking at how Jesus experienced them, we often fail to see their universality.
B. Examining the deeper meanings. (3 parts)
The first one isn’t about turning rocks into bread. Let that sink in. This first temptation is not about using special power over nature in order to have something to eat for lunch. The temptation here is in being too self-dependant. The temptation is about relying so much on human ability, reason, talent—whatever, that we forget our dependence on God. Why were Adam and Eve exiled to the wilderness, except to re-consider their fallen nature and their dependence on God. Why did Moses lead God’s people in the desert for 40 years, except to ensure that there were generations who understood their ultimate dependence in God’s grace and provision. So, when Jesus quotes Deuteronomy, saying “One does not live by bread alone”, he is acknowledging that lesson that took 40 years of wandering the desert, eating the manna that God provided.
Likewise, the second temptation is not just about bowing down before the devil. This temptation also strikes much closer to home than it appears at first glance. It is about worshiping false gods, idolatry, and misplacing priorities. The temptation is so real to Jesus because it consists of all those things a messiah is supposed to have (power, prestige, the nations of the world handed over on a silver platter—only, the ends do not justify the means. Jesus again quotes Deuteronomy—“You shall worship the Lord your God, and him only shall you serve.” Idolatry comes in all shapes and sizes. We teach it to our children, we share it as a culture, we have replaced “house idols” of the past with other possessions—possessions we must be careful not to become enslaved to: a house in the “right” neighborhood, the “right” car, membership to the “right” club, whatever. American Idolatry runs rampant; we too often bow down to whatever neon god is the newest. In refusing the devil’s offer, Jesus gives us hope—and reminds us that we are not to replace our dependence on God with dependence in someone else. As Christians, it is God who defines us—not the things of the world.
Finally, a closer look into the third temptation helps us to understand, in greater detail, the appropriate response to God’s word to us. In this temptation, the devil tries to entice Jesus to test out his status as God’s son. The devil even uses scripture to make his argument. Jesus responds by saying, “Do not put the Lord your God to the test.” Again, this is a quote from Deuteronomy. Jesus recalls that dependence on God is not something that is conditional, it is not a relationship based on bargains, and it does not rely on proofs or signs. Such a temptation addresses the human tendency to have short-sighted faith. When we can not see where God is leading us, we begin to question God’s guidance. At times, we become self destructive because we do not know how the situation will play out. For some, this turns into myopic inspection of God’s word—like scribes that miss the “spirit if the law” in their study of the “letter of the law.” Again, Jesus guides us through this difficult passage by reminding us that God makes the first move and reaches out to save us where we are. To test that grace by trial denies the faith founded in following God’s lead.
III. Jesus Christ as the unfailing example.
A. Strength in vulnerability.
Throughout all of these temptations, we have an example to follow in Jesus. In the end, it is the same solution for all three scenarios—it is our relationship with God (our total dependence in God’s grace) that strengthens us to be the people God intends us to be. Acknowledging our total and utter dependence on God strengthens us to remain true to God’s laws, commandments, and wishes. Here, what the world would call a failure is transformed into a strength. Power is made perfect in weakness.
B. Call to discipleship.
As disciples of Jesus Christ, we are called to remember those Old Testament lessons as well as the new covenant in his name. While none of us have been tempted by the devil in the desert, it is pretty safe to say that all of us have fallen short, at some time, in our attempt to give God our highest priority. Even in our failure, we have been lifted up with Christ—to revel in that relationship with God that is unblemished by such sins. That is the good news for us today. Jesus Christ, aware of the sorted history of God’s people, stood up to the worldly lures that were unfounded in God’s providence—and set the record straight. The repercussion of such an event shakes the “rule of the devil” as far back as the Garden of Eden—as it shakes our world today.
C. Our response to God’s grace.
What is our response to be? We are to follow in his footsteps—as best we can. We are to acknowledge that we can do nothing apart from the will of God. We are to ask ourselves (personally and as a community) where our priorities lie; in love of God and neighbor or in modern idols? And, we are to put our hope, dependence, direction, and faith in God’s hands—unconditionally. By following Jesus in these ways, we too make our way through the desert, guided by the Holy Spirit. We retrace the steps of God’s people, knowing that when we fall, God is always there to catch us in those trials and tribulations that are real and relevant to our everyday lives.
IV. Conclusion
The Christian life is not without challenge; it is most fully realized by living in response to God.

I have posted my résumé

Go ahead, take a look, you know you want to. It is the résumé you have been looking for.

In other news, I have been driving my wife crazy by paging through clergy robe catalogues and contemplating the clerical garb that I will wear for a whole month (starting February 20th). No wonder old Ben Kenobi ended up as a hermit.