John was a bit different

Across Solace and for all Lent, we're all considering the Gospel of John and also looking at the Glenferrie Gospel by our very own Stuart Davey. When I looked at John in preparation, I was most struck by how different it is compared to the other Gospels. If you asked me why look at John, then my answer is 'because John was a bit different'.

John has the whole 'logos' ('word of God') theme, especially in the prologue, which is a real difference to the other gospels. It appears that John was addressing his gospel to Jewish people of the day who were adopting Greek philosophical ideas into the Jewish story. John’s assertion that Jesus was both spirit and man was a really vital part of the theological debate of the time and remains a vital concept today.

John is also different because the gospel is missing most of the stuff the other Gospels talk about. Check out this list at Wikipedia of omissions in John's Gospel. Some big differences for me is the relative absence of 'the Kingdom of God' language, no mention of forgiveness, no mention of loving enemies - important stuff for me. Why wouldn't John have it?

John is a long gospel and full of unique things: Jesus delivers long essay-style speeches in various parts (there are no parables as such); Jesus talks about himself a lot and; Jesus asserts himself as a God a lot more. The emphasis in John is different from the other Gospels; my understadning is that there is more about Jesus as a timeless revelation of the loving creator.

Given that John is so different from the other Gospels, why wouldn’t we simply discard it? After all, John seems to contradict the other Gospel’s reports of what Jesus did and said. I think John is a fantastic addition to the bible because of two things. First, it shows us how the early Christians were doing theology; they were wrestling with the meaning of Jesus and creating rich ideas and stories as part of that. Secondly, John connects the Jesus story to a broader philosophical conversation about meaning and hope, which is still relevant to each of us today.

March at Sunday Stuff

Solace guys,

Feb at Sunday Stuff has been great. We've kicked off at a new venue ('Chalice' Northcote Uniting Church on High St Northcote). We've thought about our own spiritual journeys this year, tried a Quaker style meeting (thanks Gerard), done some loud singing in the wonderful acoustics (thanks Andrea & Naomi), down lots of meditative stuff in different forms and enjoyed thinking and discussing the Gospel of John and the Glenferrie Gospel. Wow!

For March, we'll be journeying through the season of Lent and joining with the rest of Solace in focusing on the Gospel of John, through the contemporary creative work by Stu Davey 'the Glenferrie Gospel'.

Mar 7 - Lent 3
All Ages Prayer with lots of movement prayers
Adults - Prayer stations: prayer for issues, meditation, prayer flags. Short bible study Nicolas and Andy (Nicodemus and Jesus): is Jesus an inconvenient truth for us?

Mar 14 - Lent 4
All Ages Singing
Adults - Labyrinth and music for meditation. Guest speaker: Stu Davey, author of 'Glenferrie Gospel'. Guided creative writing.

Mar 21 - Lent 5
All Ages Jesus Meal
Adults - Music meditation, Lectio Divina on the Lazarus story (Marcus from Glenferrie Gospel)

Mar 28 - Lent 6 (Palm Sunday)
All Ages Story Time
Singing meditation in the Taize tradition
The arrest of Jesus (The taking of Andy from the Glenferrie Gospel)

Sunday Stuff - a gathering to help people engage with Jesus-centred spiritualities - run by Solace at 'Chalice' Northcote Uniting Church.
Solace Sunday Stuff.
Sunday 1:45pm (doors open) for 2pm to 3:30pm. Chalice, 251 High St Northcote
Contact Paul Minty on paulm@solace.emc.org.au or 0418 307 475
http://solaceemc.blogspot.com
http://solace.emc.org.au/SundayStuff.htm
--
Paul Minty
Solace Sunday Stuff Leader
paulm@solace.emc.org.au
0418 307 475
http://solace.emc.org.au

Give a Chicken for Easter at TEAR

TEAR is all organised for Easter, with live chickens! Here's the blurb from their own promotional emails.

Chocolate bunnies have nothing on real, live chickens as an Easter gift.

For only $5, a pair of chickens can provide a family from a poor community in Burma, Cambodia, India or Uganda with a source of eggs to eat and sell. So, they’ll be healthier and on the way to earning a small income.

When you order, you can choose a traditional printed card or an e-card to give to a friend or relative for Easter – or any occasion. You’ll also receive a tax-deductible receipt.

Wrestling with an angry god

i am loving the easter journey this year with the Glenferrie gospel. I mainly work with it at tuesday stuff and then mull it over during the week. so far, with two out of the three readings, at least someone in the group has been offended at Andy's words and actions.

We loved it when Andy fixed the ferris wheel and saved the street festival but we HATED it when he took offense at being manipulated and "owned" and put a chair though a cafe window. (As you have read yourself or perhaps guessed this is similar to the cleansing of the temple in John 2.) Someone said "i just would think he was a loony and have nothing more to do with him." We all agreed, it would be scary, awful, wrong and disturbing. No matter how much good such a character might do, i would think "danger". So can i let myself off the hook by just saying "well Stu got a bit carried away- he wrote a character like Andy but could not quite do Jesus justice on these tricky bits." Hmmmm -i don't think so, nice though that might be.

As we looked at the passage more, Stu showed us that in John Jesus had sat down and made a whip (pre-meditated act, smouldering anger at the injustice done to God and God's world simmering away.) and then cleared out the whole temple like a bushman herding cattle through the dust and the bush....that is correct...the whole temple forecourt. Animals running everywhere, tables overturned, money split and stolen by people rushing out of the way. Businesses ruined, trading halted. An ugly scene, a violent scene -an unreasonable God.

At this point i was feeling a lot of sympathy for the religious leaders of the day. Stu downplayed the scene with only one cafe cleared (he should have cleared the whole street!)

So i have been mulling it over. Glad that Stu has brought Jesus to life in such a vivid way. Struggling and examining myself, the bible, God. I have not got very far and would greatly enjoy your thoughts.

Firstly it seems clear that i am still very influenced by the Greek philosophical view that the highest reality/the great God is devoid of emotional impulses -the classical terms (that are still central in the teaching of academic theology SADLY) are "impassive", and "unchanging". so terribly unhelpful and NOT the key ideas that the bible teaches as it introduces the world to God. (God's name and deep self revelation "I am who i am" and equally in the hebrew "I will be who i will be" -is about open, dynamic freedom, centre-edness and personhood -bloody Greeks -they have not helped us here.) So let me more deeply embrace an EMOTIONAL GOD, who delights in the deep truths of emotion. How could God not be wailing with grief and anger over the terrible deaths, murders, disasters, rapes, persecutions and wars. Equally how could God not be joyfully hovering over sunset and beach, mountain and city, love and friendship, art and food?

Secondly i am a person who struggles with anger (in myself and others.) The more anger that is in the air the higher my anxiety levels get. I move away from it at speed. So that's my problem and whilst perhaps unpleasant no doubt i have some growing to do in order to be present to anger.

but yet! this violent destruction is just unreasonable. i am teaching my kids to use their words, not their fists. Jesus made it VERY CLEAR but is that OK? i am struggling and can't say "yes".

It is all God's stuff - his to destroy, the bible often reminds us of that. James teaches that God is a different being -able to be righteously angry (where as we have little chance of that). But yet...

and yet... still mulling it over, attracted and repelled by Andy, fascinated and aware that I may have rejected "un-sanitised Jesus" had i lived in Palestine.

We live in a "waybuloo" world

my kids love a show called "waybuloo" -and what is not to love- it is full of wonder, beauty and God. I grew up with the modern, fun and useful "sesame st" -still going, but now in a post-modern world "Waybuloo" shares the same time slot. The creatures of the "waybuloo" world levitate whilst they pray, are called to practice "yogo" when the chimes start and are surrounded by mountains and trees. Children come to play and get involved in the "yogo" prayer. At solace we are trying to do both "sesame st" and "waybuloo" (let me just pause for a moment and say how sad it is that none of the Christian media makes it to mainstream TV - mostly because it is not accessible enough.) We have a great time of learning from a bible story and then re-enforce that learning through crafts, games and all that. the kids love it. We also call them to pray and to learn some spiritual exercises - currently praying the Lord's prayer in words and movement, finding God's love and enjoyment in their everyday lives (by recalling favourite things from the week) and contemplative prayer (singing aloud the marantha chant rather than silent prayer.) At each stage we explain why we do it, what they might feel, how to use this exercise during the week and more. the kids love it.

my prayer is for my kids, and all our kids, to experience Jesus and the God he revealed through mind, body and spirit: by engaging head, heart and soul.