Archive - Dec 2009 - Oct 2019 http://colleagueslist.blogspot.ca/ http://colleagueslistii.blogspot.com/
GLOBAL AND ECUMENICAL IN SCOPE CANADIAN IN PERSPECTIVE
Wayne A. Holst, Editor
My E-Mail Address: waholst@telus.net
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*****
Dear Friends:
Welcome to the latest edition of Colleagues List.
It contains background material on "Creation for
Progressive Christians" - a progressive approach
to understanding the biblical accounts of creation,
as well as my normal collection of "Net Notes" and
"Wisdom of the Week" for your edification.
Please enjoy this issue!
Wayne
NOTE A REMINDER - If a link, below seems to be dead,
cut and paste it into the address bar at the top of your
web page and it should work.
***
SPECIAL ITEM
Book Notice -
CREATION -
FOR PROGRESSIVE CHRISTIANS
A Five-Session Study Guide
by Donald Schmidt
Wood Lake Publications
Kelowna, BC. 2020. 74 pages
Paper $12.00 CAD. Kindle $7.50 CAD.
ISBN #978-77343-391-2
Publisher's Promo -
Behind all the creation stories there is a basic assumption
that God was involved; the “how” of it was a secondary
concern to the original writers.The publication of this
study guide is timely given the current conversations
and warnings around the health of creation and climate
change. One can easily find – online, in magazines, or
on television – images of animals that cannot find food;
dry areas that used to be lakes and rivers; floods beyond
belief; and places such as Tuvalu, where palm trees now
grow underwater because the ocean level has risen.
Although it is not a book about climate change but
rather an exploration of five biblical creation stories,
this study can help progressive Christians engage these
questions. Understanding the biblical creation stories
can help us see creation as a delicate balance, and our
role in it as stewards. As people of faith, it is incumbent
on us to understand our relationship with every facet
of divine, which is clearly present in the world and
everything around us. The question behind this book
is this: What did our ancient ancestors want us to
understand about the creation of the universe, the
divine presence in that creation, and how we might
live our lives in response to that?
this study can help progressive Christians engage these
questions. Understanding the biblical creation stories
can help us see creation as a delicate balance, and our
role in it as stewards. As people of faith, it is incumbent
on us to understand our relationship with every facet
of divine, which is clearly present in the world and
everything around us. The question behind this book
is this: What did our ancient ancestors want us to
understand about the creation of the universe, the
divine presence in that creation, and how we might
live our lives in response to that?
--
Author's Words -The publication of this book in 2020 is timely, given
the current conversations and warnings around the
health of creation and climate change...
Clearly, climate change is real and impacting people
around the globe. The question is not "does it exist?"
or "is this thing caused by humans or the natural
cycle of things?" but rather "what do we do to slow
it down and enhance life for all species?"
This study can help progressive Christians engage
these questions, although it is not a book about
climate change per se, but rather an exploration
of several biblical stories.
It is my strong belief that understanding these
stories can help us see creation as a delicate balance,
and our role in it as stewards.
As people of faith, it is incumbent on us to understand
our relationship with every facet of the divine which is
clearly present in the world and everything around us.
The question behind this book is this: what did our
ancient ancestors want us to understand about the
creation of the universe, the divine presence in that
creation, and how we might live our lives in response
to that?
The Scopes trial (1925) in Dayton TN. found John Scopes
guilty of teaching the theory of evolution in a public
school, contravening the state law that permitted
only the teaching of the "biblical" account.
This suggests, amongst other things, that there is
only one definitive account of creation. But, of course,
there is not. There are arguably five distinct creation
stories in the Bible. Each of these stories attempts
to point out different aspects of the creator, the
divine, and the process involved in the acts of creation.
Behind all the stories there is a basic assumption that
God was involved (if not necessarily as the creator).
The "how" of it was a secondary concern to the
original writers.
This study takes a similar approach to the biblical
writers. In truth, all the biblical stories portray God
as involved, but none of them seek to set out the
definitive "how" of it.
Personally, it makes perfect sense to me that the
universe is about 14 billion years old and that it
somehow began as a "something" (perhaps a "flying
torch we have dubbed a "big bang".) Exactly what
happened next is a discussion best left to cosmologists
or physicists. It's a complex matter.
When it comes to life on earth, there is a mountain
of evidence to support evolutionary theory. None of
this evidence excludes the presence of the divine,
however we want to define "the divine."
I like to use God language when I speak of creation
because that is what I grew up with... You may
prefer other language, and that's fine.
Because this is a Bible study, I want to use the
language of the Bible, which is generally a language
about a God...
The Hebrew scriptures contain four unique creation
stories and each week of this study will explore one
of them. I will add a study of John 1, a creation
story with a distinctly Christian flavour.
- based on and interpreted from the Introduction
--
Donald Schmidt -
Author's Bio -
Whenever he can choose what to do, Donald Schmidt likes to spin wool, knit, and weave. In his spare time, he also works in ministry in a variety of settings. He has served parishes in Quebec, New York, Vermont, Washington, and Hawai‘i. He has also worked as an Associate Conference Minister with the United Church of Christ, and is a retired United Methgodist minister. Perhaps his favorite ministry has been as an editor and writer of church resources, for worship, education, and church revitalization. He has published 5 books, and has had a few pieces of music appear in various collections around the world. He also loves to travel, finding that visiting anywhere new and different can open us up to learn new things about others and, in the process, ourselves. He is a grandfather of 8, and father of 3.
--My Thoughts -
I am pleased that Donald Schmidt grounds his study in the
biblical sources, but that here he relates the biblical ways
of viewing creation with the contemporary issue of climate
change.
For me, both aspects are important. The biblical grounding
implies we are people of "the book" and must always
come to terms with that, as well as we are people of "today"
and are struggling to relate classic faith to life in the now.
I know people who make their living based on the teachings
of science and technology (e.g. petroleum engineers) but
at the same time, they hold to a literal reading of the
Genesis creation stories (e.g. a seven day creation.)
Holding these two views equally lacks integrity, to my mind.
Better to engage in a progressive study of the Bible that
takes science seriously, bringing to it a faith perspective.
That is what this book attempts to do, and I encourage
you to consider it personally and in small groups.
Keep in mind that while this book is presented in five
parts to facilitate a Bible study, it can also be read
as a regular book privately. The author helps us to
do both.
--
Buy the book from:
Wood Lake Publishing:
https://tinyurl.com/y9vzkvvk
Amazon.ca: (not yet available)
*****
COLLEAGUE CONTRIBUTIONS
Elfrieda Schroeder,
Winnipeg, MB.
"In Transit" Blog
June 2nd, 2020
"Life is Worth Living"
https://tinyurl.com/ybwue2bs
--
Mark Whittall,
Ottawa, ON.
Sermons and Blog,
May 29th, 2020
"Expansive and Empowering"
https://tinyurl.com/y6wzcsbl
--
Jim Taylor,
Okanagan, BC
Personal Web Log
May 31st, 2020
"Doing Something Worthwhile"
https://tinyurl.com/yc7475r2
--
Ron Rolheiser,
San Antonio, TX
Personal Web Site,
June 1st, 2020
"Some Advice on Prayer from an Old Master"
https://tinyurl.com/y9fs98o3
****
NET NOTES
TRUMP'S BIBLE PHOTO OP SPLITS
WHITE EVANGELICALS INTO TWO CAMPS
Division Results from President's Posturing
(No charge for article, but please register)
The Guardian,
June 4th, 2020
https://tinyurl.com/y7rmzbud
--
TRUMP'S VISIT TO
ST JOHN'S CHURCH OUTRAGED ME
A Statement from the Bishop of the
Episcopal Diocese of Washington DC
New York Times,
June 4th, 2020
https://tinyurl.com/yd5ndj4j
--
"DON'T USE BIBLE AS POLITICAL PROP"
American Bible Society President Speaks
Religion News Service,
June 3rd, 2020
https://tinyurl.com/y9yz3al2
--
RACISM IS THE TEMPTATION THAT
WHITE PEOPLE MUST STILL OVERCOME
Commentary by Joan Chittister
National Catholic Reporter,
June 4th, 2020
https://tinyurl.com/y9uc8ofu
--
TRUDEAU SPEECHLESS ABOUT TRUMP
A Canadian Response that Spoke Loudly
New York Times,
June 2nd, 2020
https://tinyurl.com/y9muxkfw
"The Trudeau Response"
CTV.ca
June 2nd, 2020
https://tinyurl.com/ycwkmkwm
--
DAY EXITS CBC COMMENTARY ROLE
Claimed No Systemic Racism in Canada
CBC.ca
June 3rd, 2020
https://tinyurl.com/y8ow5jmz
--
HOW TO GROW A CHURCH
UCC Churches that are Growing
Broadview,
May 25th, 2020
https://tinyurl.com/ycl8fp4b
--
FIFTH ANNIVERSARY OF TRC REPORT
The Calls to Action Remain Before Us
United Church of Canada,
June 2nd, 2020
https://tinyurl.com/yd7bq5x2
--
WCC POSTPONES ASSEMBLY TO 2022
World Gathering in Karlsruhe, Germany
was to have Taken Place this Year
Ecumenical News, Geneva
June 4th, 2020
https://tinyurl.com/ya7r33qk
"NORMAL" CHURCH-GOING A YEAR AWAY
Could Be Longer -Say Canadian RC Leaders
Canadian Catholic News
June 2nd, 2020
https://tinyurl.com/yc84p429
*****
WISDOM OF THE WEEK
Provided by Sojourners and the Bruderhof online:
If you’re more concerned about the responses of
black rage than you are about a system that justifies
and rewards black death, you don’t love black people —
you just love when they stay in their place.
- Dante Stewart
--
Only the poor can know the riches of poverty.
Only the poor can know the riches of suffering.
And it is because the poor are the only ones to be
able to know such riches that they are able to
stand up against the wretchedness of the world,
against injustice, against the suffering of the innocent.
If Christ chose to be born among the poor, it is because
he wanted the poor to teach the world the good news
of his message, the good news of his love for humankind.
- Dominique Lapierre
--
Always remember that the people are not fighting
for ideas, nor for what is in men’s minds. The people
fight and accept the sacrifices demanded by the
struggle in order to gain material advantages, to
live better and in peace, to benefit from progress,
and for the better future of their children. National
liberation, the struggle against colonialism, the
construction of peace, progress and independence
are hollow words devoid of any significance unless
they can be translated into a real improvement of
living conditions.
- AmÃlcar Cabral
--
The church is never true to itself when it is living
for itself, for if it is chiefly concerned with saving
its own life, it will lose it. The nature of the church
is such that it must always be engaged in finding
new ways by which to transcend itself. Its main
responsibility is always outside its own walls in
the redemption of common life.
That is why we call it a redemptive society. There
are many kinds of religion, but redemptive religion,
from the Christian point of view, is always that in
which we are spent on those areas of existence that
are located beyond ourselves and our own borders.
- Elton Trueblood
--
Peace and war start within one’s own home. If we really
want peace for the world, let us start by loving one another
within our families. Sometimes it is hard for us to smile at
one another. It is often difficult for the husband to smile
at his wife or for the wife to smile at her husband.
In order for love to be genuine, it has to be above all, a love
for our neighbor. We must love those who are nearest to us,
in our own family. From there, love spreads toward whoever
may need us. It is easy to love those who live far away. It is
not always easy to love those who live right next to us. It is
easier to offer a dish of rice to meet the hunger of a needy
person than to comfort the loneliness and the anguish of
someone in our own home who does not feel loved.
- Mother Teresa
--
I was invited to visit a friend who was very sick. ...
When I came to him, he said to me, “Henri, here I am
lying in this bed, and I don’t even know how to think
about being sick. My whole way of thinking about myself
is in terms of action, in terms of doing things for people.
My life is valuable because I’ve been able to do many
things for many people. And suddenly, here I am, passive,
and I can’t do anything anymore.” As we talked I realized
that he and many others were constantly thinking, “How
much can I still do?” Somehow this man had learned to
think about himself as a man who was worth only what
he was doing. And so when he got sick, his hope seemed
to rest on the idea that he might get better and return to
what he had been doing. If the spirit of this man was
dependent on how much he would still be able to do,
what did I have to say to him?
- Henri J. M. Nouwen
--
CLOSING THOUGHT - Malcolm X
You can’t separate peace from freedom because
no one can be at peace unless he has his freedom.
*****
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