WESTMINSTER PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH
November 12th 2006
Stewardship Season
Rev. Mark R. Bradshaw-Miller
“Committed Like the Pig”
Mark 12:38-44
A couple of weeks ago, on the television show Grey’s Anatomy, I was reminded of an old adage about commitment. It goes something like this: “When it comes to a breakfast of ham and eggs, the chicken is involved but the pig is committed.” When it comes to the issue of stewardship, this old saying is quite relevant. Now, I am aware of the problems with this analogy. After all, neither animal has freely chosen to participate in the meal. However, putting that fact aside, I still believe that learning to be followers, disciples, of Jesus, is a process by which we learn to be committed like the pig.
The sort of commitment we are talking about is rather foreign in our culture. Often, we are told to beware of being too involved or attached to anything. After all, to be fully committed to something is just not healthy, or balanced. But, the truth is that faith in Jesus is a call to be more than just interested or involved. Jesus calls disciples to be fully committed in all areas of our lives, at home, church, school, and yes, even at work.
This mornings’ passage is once piece of the larger Jerusalem encounter. Since entering Jerusalem, Jesus has been struggling with the practices of the temple. In fact, our passage is actually the culmination of Jesus’ encounters in the temple. In this final scene we see Jesus unveil a system of exploitation which is supported by the religious leadership.
In this final scene, Jesus offers a complete condemnation of the scribal class. The scribes, in Jerusalem, were the well-to-do religious elite who had built a rather comfortable system through distortions of the law. In Israel, the Law of Moses was clear that widows were to be seen after so that they would not suffer. The scribes, in compliance with the Law, set up a system of trusteeship. When a woman became a widow a scribe would be assigned to oversee their estates since it was believed that women could not take care of such matters. The resulting system became known for its rampant abuses. This system created a world where widows were left in poverty while the religious elite lived rather comfortably.
It is this system and these leaders that Jesus says will receive the greatest condemnation. The scribes know the right religious rituals but seem little interested in the weightier matters of justice. The comfortable life of long robes and automatic respect and deference as well as the opportunity to solidify their power has led them to ignore the poor. The scribes had become accustomed to having others serve them, defer to them and even pander to them. These privileged people were, when it came to their faith, not fully committed. More likely, they were merely involved like the chicken at breakfast.
In spite of all appearances to the contrary, they were not people of deep faith. Their wisdom, work and adherence to the religious practices did not cover the fact that they were getting rich on the backs of the poor. Jesus indictment is clear: “They will receive the greater condemnation.” These are challenging words which hang in the air as this first scene comes to an end.
The second half of our reading begins with Jesus sitting down opposite the treasury. This action; Jesus sitting in this manner alludes to a model of prophetic judgment. In other words, he is not casually observing, he is sitting in judgment of the events taking place. Jesus watches this very public spectacle. Everyone would know what and by whom was given to the treasury. This practice also worked to reinforce the social stratification or divisions. The rich gave large sums and as they did, they would often be praised for their generosity. Almost as if people cheered as they brought their offering forward. Jesus, not only refuses to participate in that practice, but goes one step further. When one poor widow comes and places her offering of less than a penny, Jesus publicly cheers for her. He says that this poor widows’ contribution is greater than all the contributions of the rich who only gave from their abundance.
In essence, Jesus has stolen the thunder of all those sought recognition and given it to the least in society. However, he also reminds the disciples that the widow’s poverty is no accident. Jesus just finished teaching about the scribes who had gotten wealthy by devouring the houses of poor widows. And now, Jesus shames the practices of the whole system by giving recognition and acclaim to the least – the poorest – this widow. Placing these two scenes side-by-side it is undeniable that a comparison is intended. The first scene ends with a condemnation of the scribes who exploit poor widows under the guise of religion. And, the second scene ends with a commendation of the faith of a widow who is in poverty because of these ‘religious’ scribes.
While it is can be easy to miss in our reading, Jesus is angry. During his time in the temple he has seen and challenged the temple-state which has used religion to gain and uphold power. It used religion to keep the people complacent and poor while at the same time enriching religious leadership. This set up makes Jesus so angry that in the chapter immediately following this scene he calls for the destruction of the great symbol of this unjust system. He says: “Do you not see there great buildings? Not one stone will be left here upon another; all will be thrown down.”
If we only focus on the piety of the widow and her mite, we will miss all of this. Jesus does commend the widow and her faithfulness but it is only a part of what is happening in these two scenes. Jesus invites the disciples to recognize the larger systems at work in their lives. It is an invitation to call into question and judgment when any system or structure takes advantage of, intentionally or not, those most vulnerable in society. It is because of the focus on the big picture that I believe this passage works well to complete our intensive stewardship focus.
During a worship service I attended recently, a call for the offering was issued with the following words: “Now we are going to give God some of our earnings.” I was jarred by these words. While I do not know the intention of the speaker it came across something like; ‘we are going to give God a little of our leftovers.’ While I am sure that I am reading more into these simple words, it sounded eerily like the same commitment level of the chicken at breakfast. If we really believe; all we are and all we have is a gift from God, then we cannot be satisfied with “giving a little of our earnings to God.” Stewardship is not about casual commitment but a call to the radical reordering of our lives.
About four years ago I was at a conference on stewardship and fundraising. While there, I met a pastor who shared a story about one couple in her church. This couple asked to meet with the pastor about their stewardship commitment. In the meeting they shared with her how much they had been impacted by the call to be good stewards and more faithful in their discipleship. They had decided to make some drastic changes in their life as a result. He had decided to leave his high profile executive position and take a job which would allow him to spend more time with his family. The family had also decided to sell their large home far away from the church and buy one closer church because they wanted to be more involved in the life of the community which had meant so much to them. As their pastor concluded this story, another pastor cynically piped in: “I bet their financial pledge dropped off drastically.” She quickly responded: “Actually, their stewardship of time, talents and money has never been more faithful.”
I share this story, not because I believe we are all called to do exactly the same thing. I share it as an example of the all encompassing nature of stewardship. Each one of us is going to have to decide through prayer and reflection – how God is calling us to be good stewards. Being good stewards is so much more than simply giving money. It requires, daily, that each of us order our lives in ways that reflect our beliefs. Being good stewards about learning to be committed to our faith like the pig is committed to breakfast. Amen.
Monday, November 13, 2006
Tuesday, November 07, 2006
Sabbath, Creation, and Stewardship
WESTMINSTER PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH
November 12th 2006
Stewardship Season
Rev. Mark R. Bradshaw-Miller
“Sabbath, Creation, and Stewardship”
Deuteronomy 15:1-11
This passage from Deuteronomy is outrageous. The idea of canceling debt every seven years would be disastrous for our economy. In fact, this passage sounds like it could have come from the likes of Karl Marx with all the talk of redistribution of wealth. Fortunately, it does not come from Marx, it comes from God.
Old Testament Professor Walter Brueggemann writes of this passage: “Such a provision is radical, for it shatters the conventional practices of loans, credits, interest, mortgages, and debt management by which any conventional market economy functions.” This leaves me wondering then; what are we, a people wholly attached to free market capitalism, to do with this word from God? After all, not even our fundamentalist brothers and sisters take this passage literally. Should we ignore it as a relic of history lacking any contemporary relevance? Well, before we get to the issue of relevance let us be careful not to miss out on the radical life-giving nature of this passage. Instead of seeking the contemporary “relevance,” let us just examine the text more closely.
At this point in Deuteronomy, the people of God can almost see the Promised Land on the horizon. God has liberated them from the slavery of the Egyptian empire, and is preparing them for a life of freedom. During the forty years in the wilderness God worked to overcome the habits learned and the imaginations stunted by life in the empire. One of the best interpretive lenses for this passage is as an alternative to the practices of empire. It is God’s intent that these former slaves would become living witnesses to their covenantal relationship with God.
Upon entering the land, each one of the families is to receive a parcel of land to call their own. It was a divine mandate for an ancient form of Forty Acers and a Mule. However, even before the land is acquired, God knows that the land will become concentrated into the hands of only a few people. Because God knows that over time some people will incur debt which will cause them to loose their land, a Sabbath Year practice is invoked. Every seven years all debts will be cancelled.
It is important to note that the debt being talked about in this passage is very specific. The debt being spoken about in this passage was the form of debt most often incurred by the poor. For example, it would have included farmers because of crop failure or the city dweller because of unemployment. However, relief from debt did not include such things as: unpaid wages or bills owed to shopkeepers for merchandise. The focus of the debt relief was about freeing up those things which were necessary for one to make a living in the ancient world.
Another important feature of this form of debt was the outcome of unpaid debt. When people came upon hard times and were unable to pay pack the loans they would become bond-servants or slaves until the debt was repaid. The institution of a Sabbath year ensured that the bond-servants or slaves would not become a permanent underclass. A Jewish commentary on this passage explained how this practice was vital to the community because: “Such a condition (the creation of a permanent underclass) would be unfair to human beings, fashioned in God’s image and dangerous to society as a breeding ground for lawlessness and irresponsibility.” As a result, in God’s country or covenant community, loans were investments in a descent, compassionate, and stable society. To maintain this covenant community it was necessary that every seven years, wealth was to be transferred from those who had amassed it to those who had none. In simple terms it is a biblical mandate for the redistribution of wealth and slave emancipation.
The requirement of this Sabbath Year even takes out an obvious loop-hole. For anyone who might decide not to loan money close to the Sabbath year the statue says:
Be careful that you do not entertain a mean thought, thinking, “The seventh year, the year of remission, is near,” and therefore view your needy neighbor with hostility and give nothing; your neighbor might cry to the Lord against you, and you would incur guilt (Deuteronomy 15:9).
From this verse it is clear that God does not seem to trust human beings when it comes to money and our needy neighbors. However, this admonition is thick with meaning. In the verses preceding this one, God warns not to become hard-hearted. And now, in this passage there is a command not to cause your neighbor cry out against you. This is no accident. Both passages are meant to send us back to the Exodus and the ways of Pharaoh. When asked to free the slaves, Pharaoh had a hard heart because the loss of the free labor would put a serious strain on the economy. As a result the slaves cry out for help. This deliberate connection to the past calls the people of God not to imitate the ways of the Empire, particularly when they come into positions of power.
The grounding for this Sabbath year, the forgiveness of debts, comes from the Sinai covenant or Ten Commandments. It begins when God tells Moses to ask Pharaoh to free the slaves so they may worship God. The journey to the Promised Land must begin with worship at the mountain of God. Worship, for the people of God, is about turning from the ways of Empire and reordering the community around life-giving practices. The community is continually called to remember how God has redeemed them and claimed them as a community which becomes the alternative to the Egyptian Empire.
For Christians, we become part of this long history through an often misused passage of scripture. It is in Matthew’s Gospel where Jesus has just been anointed by a woman with some very costly oil. The disciples want to chastise her because the oil could have been sold and the money used on the poor. Jesus stops them by saying: “Why do you trouble the woman? She has performed a good service for me. For you always have the poor with you, but you will not always have me (Matthew 26:10-11). Instead of seeing this passage as an excuse for poverty, we must see it as Jesus tying his followers to this great tradition of Deuteronomy which says: “Since there will never cease to be some need on the earth, I therefore command you, “Open your hand to the poor and needy neighbor in your land” (Deut. 15:11). The call to generosity is undeniably the fabric of our faith.
This powerfully challenging passage cannot be dismissed as a remnant of the past. It can no longer be ignored by the followers of Jesus – conservative or liberal, no matter how much we would like to try. It is a passage which carries a message that is the very fabric of our faith. Even Jesus alludes to its authority. So, if this is true, how are we, as Christians, to respond?
Theologian Robert Linthicum says the book of Deuteronomy has as its vision that worship of God will lead to a political system that establishes justice. Unfortunately, history shows how this has not worked out in practice. And, I am not hopeful that this will change anytime soon. Too often the worship of God has been used as a prop for the very practices used in the Egyptian Empire. However, I believe Robert Bellah points us in a more fruitful direction. Regarding the role and practice of faith communities:
To the extent, however, that real religious communities can retain or recover a sense of being in but not of this world, can live, at least to some extent, in patterns of voluntary simplicity and mutual concern, then they may act as genuine alternatives to the prevailing current… it is more than ever necessary that there be demonstration communities where elementary decencies can be maintained and handed down, humanizing a bad situation as long as it exists, and providing seedbeds for larger amelioration when that becomes possible.
While Robert Bellah’s call or challenge is not grounded in our passage, it does get at the heart of what we modern followers might take from our scripture this morning. Claiming this passage for our modern setting means instead of trying to “Christianize the social order” we are to become a living alternative to any and all practices which dehumanize or which are an insult to the image of God in each person. We may not be able to make major changes in the large systems. However, we can seek to be a living alternative and witness to the God who we know in Jesus Christ, who laid out a very clear plan for a just society.
The challenge before us is no small task. It will require that we, at least in this place, give up some tightly held beliefs. When we join our money together it will no longer be mine or yours or even ours. Instead, we believe and are to give witness, to our belief that it is God’s money, time and talent. Our work then becomes to figure out how to justly distribute it for God’s work in this place. Our challenge is to figure out how we are going to live into the alternative social vision of the God we know in Jesus Christ. So, on this and every day, let us pledge to one another and before God that we will seek to be a witness to the life-giving ways of God with money, time and abilities. Amen.
November 12th 2006
Stewardship Season
Rev. Mark R. Bradshaw-Miller
“Sabbath, Creation, and Stewardship”
Deuteronomy 15:1-11
This passage from Deuteronomy is outrageous. The idea of canceling debt every seven years would be disastrous for our economy. In fact, this passage sounds like it could have come from the likes of Karl Marx with all the talk of redistribution of wealth. Fortunately, it does not come from Marx, it comes from God.
Old Testament Professor Walter Brueggemann writes of this passage: “Such a provision is radical, for it shatters the conventional practices of loans, credits, interest, mortgages, and debt management by which any conventional market economy functions.” This leaves me wondering then; what are we, a people wholly attached to free market capitalism, to do with this word from God? After all, not even our fundamentalist brothers and sisters take this passage literally. Should we ignore it as a relic of history lacking any contemporary relevance? Well, before we get to the issue of relevance let us be careful not to miss out on the radical life-giving nature of this passage. Instead of seeking the contemporary “relevance,” let us just examine the text more closely.
At this point in Deuteronomy, the people of God can almost see the Promised Land on the horizon. God has liberated them from the slavery of the Egyptian empire, and is preparing them for a life of freedom. During the forty years in the wilderness God worked to overcome the habits learned and the imaginations stunted by life in the empire. One of the best interpretive lenses for this passage is as an alternative to the practices of empire. It is God’s intent that these former slaves would become living witnesses to their covenantal relationship with God.
Upon entering the land, each one of the families is to receive a parcel of land to call their own. It was a divine mandate for an ancient form of Forty Acers and a Mule. However, even before the land is acquired, God knows that the land will become concentrated into the hands of only a few people. Because God knows that over time some people will incur debt which will cause them to loose their land, a Sabbath Year practice is invoked. Every seven years all debts will be cancelled.
It is important to note that the debt being talked about in this passage is very specific. The debt being spoken about in this passage was the form of debt most often incurred by the poor. For example, it would have included farmers because of crop failure or the city dweller because of unemployment. However, relief from debt did not include such things as: unpaid wages or bills owed to shopkeepers for merchandise. The focus of the debt relief was about freeing up those things which were necessary for one to make a living in the ancient world.
Another important feature of this form of debt was the outcome of unpaid debt. When people came upon hard times and were unable to pay pack the loans they would become bond-servants or slaves until the debt was repaid. The institution of a Sabbath year ensured that the bond-servants or slaves would not become a permanent underclass. A Jewish commentary on this passage explained how this practice was vital to the community because: “Such a condition (the creation of a permanent underclass) would be unfair to human beings, fashioned in God’s image and dangerous to society as a breeding ground for lawlessness and irresponsibility.” As a result, in God’s country or covenant community, loans were investments in a descent, compassionate, and stable society. To maintain this covenant community it was necessary that every seven years, wealth was to be transferred from those who had amassed it to those who had none. In simple terms it is a biblical mandate for the redistribution of wealth and slave emancipation.
The requirement of this Sabbath Year even takes out an obvious loop-hole. For anyone who might decide not to loan money close to the Sabbath year the statue says:
Be careful that you do not entertain a mean thought, thinking, “The seventh year, the year of remission, is near,” and therefore view your needy neighbor with hostility and give nothing; your neighbor might cry to the Lord against you, and you would incur guilt (Deuteronomy 15:9).
From this verse it is clear that God does not seem to trust human beings when it comes to money and our needy neighbors. However, this admonition is thick with meaning. In the verses preceding this one, God warns not to become hard-hearted. And now, in this passage there is a command not to cause your neighbor cry out against you. This is no accident. Both passages are meant to send us back to the Exodus and the ways of Pharaoh. When asked to free the slaves, Pharaoh had a hard heart because the loss of the free labor would put a serious strain on the economy. As a result the slaves cry out for help. This deliberate connection to the past calls the people of God not to imitate the ways of the Empire, particularly when they come into positions of power.
The grounding for this Sabbath year, the forgiveness of debts, comes from the Sinai covenant or Ten Commandments. It begins when God tells Moses to ask Pharaoh to free the slaves so they may worship God. The journey to the Promised Land must begin with worship at the mountain of God. Worship, for the people of God, is about turning from the ways of Empire and reordering the community around life-giving practices. The community is continually called to remember how God has redeemed them and claimed them as a community which becomes the alternative to the Egyptian Empire.
For Christians, we become part of this long history through an often misused passage of scripture. It is in Matthew’s Gospel where Jesus has just been anointed by a woman with some very costly oil. The disciples want to chastise her because the oil could have been sold and the money used on the poor. Jesus stops them by saying: “Why do you trouble the woman? She has performed a good service for me. For you always have the poor with you, but you will not always have me (Matthew 26:10-11). Instead of seeing this passage as an excuse for poverty, we must see it as Jesus tying his followers to this great tradition of Deuteronomy which says: “Since there will never cease to be some need on the earth, I therefore command you, “Open your hand to the poor and needy neighbor in your land” (Deut. 15:11). The call to generosity is undeniably the fabric of our faith.
This powerfully challenging passage cannot be dismissed as a remnant of the past. It can no longer be ignored by the followers of Jesus – conservative or liberal, no matter how much we would like to try. It is a passage which carries a message that is the very fabric of our faith. Even Jesus alludes to its authority. So, if this is true, how are we, as Christians, to respond?
Theologian Robert Linthicum says the book of Deuteronomy has as its vision that worship of God will lead to a political system that establishes justice. Unfortunately, history shows how this has not worked out in practice. And, I am not hopeful that this will change anytime soon. Too often the worship of God has been used as a prop for the very practices used in the Egyptian Empire. However, I believe Robert Bellah points us in a more fruitful direction. Regarding the role and practice of faith communities:
To the extent, however, that real religious communities can retain or recover a sense of being in but not of this world, can live, at least to some extent, in patterns of voluntary simplicity and mutual concern, then they may act as genuine alternatives to the prevailing current… it is more than ever necessary that there be demonstration communities where elementary decencies can be maintained and handed down, humanizing a bad situation as long as it exists, and providing seedbeds for larger amelioration when that becomes possible.
While Robert Bellah’s call or challenge is not grounded in our passage, it does get at the heart of what we modern followers might take from our scripture this morning. Claiming this passage for our modern setting means instead of trying to “Christianize the social order” we are to become a living alternative to any and all practices which dehumanize or which are an insult to the image of God in each person. We may not be able to make major changes in the large systems. However, we can seek to be a living alternative and witness to the God who we know in Jesus Christ, who laid out a very clear plan for a just society.
The challenge before us is no small task. It will require that we, at least in this place, give up some tightly held beliefs. When we join our money together it will no longer be mine or yours or even ours. Instead, we believe and are to give witness, to our belief that it is God’s money, time and talent. Our work then becomes to figure out how to justly distribute it for God’s work in this place. Our challenge is to figure out how we are going to live into the alternative social vision of the God we know in Jesus Christ. So, on this and every day, let us pledge to one another and before God that we will seek to be a witness to the life-giving ways of God with money, time and abilities. Amen.
Monday, October 30, 2006
Reformed From What?
WESTMINSTER PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH
April 30th 2006
Reformation Sunday / All Saints Day
Rev. Mark R. Bradshaw-Miller
“Reformed From What?”
Jeremiah 31:31-34; Romans 3:19-31
I can only remember once ever worshiping in a church which acknowledged Reformation Sunday. While this does say something about how closely I was paying attention, it also has much to do with a general ambivalence and ignorance about the Reformed tradition. I believe this is a great loss. So, as we celebrate our theological heritage, we will also look to see if this forgotten heritage has anything to offer for us today.
Reformation Day, which is actually Monday, is the day when we celebrate Martin Luther nailing his 95 thesis to the door of the Wittenberg cathedral. It is this event which is celebrated as the inauguration of the Reformation or break from the Catholic Church. Those of us who are Presbyterian are connected to this event through the parallel reformation going on in Geneva Switzerland under the leadership of Ulrich Zwingli. It is through the second generation reformer from Geneva, John Calvin, that John Knox carried the tradition to Scotland – the birthplace of Presbyterians.
The Reformation was fueled by anger over the rampant corruption of the religious leadership, the abuse of wealth and power in the institutional church and even the great ignorance and lax morality of local clergy. The theology developed by these early reformers continues to influence the church today. And while there is agreement about the essential beliefs of the reformation you would be hard pressed to find an exhaustive list. The fear of idolatry – the mark of good reformed theology – keeps us from creating such a list for fear the list could become inflexible or an object of devotion.
It was out of this concern that the reformers challenged the traditions and teachings of the church which contradicted the written word of God – the bible. It was the recognition of how we human beings often elevate our traditions above critical reflection. And, this critical reflection was always to be done through the lens of scripture. The life of faith was always to be judged through the life, death, and resurrection of Jesus Christ as shown in scripture. This concern led the reformers to translate the bible into the common language. In this way, all people would have access to the bible, not just church professionals.
Some of the other major themes of the reformation focused on the way of salvation. The belief is that salvation comes by the grace of God through faith alone. In other words, we cannot earn our salvation. The reformers also changed the number of sacraments from seven to only two: baptism and the Lord’s Supper. However, one of the great contributions was the belief in the priesthood of all believers. With this move, and the translation of the bible into common language, reformed Christianity emphasized the gift and responsibility which each person has for faithful living informed by thoughtful and responsible theology. Unfortunately, time only allows us to scratch the surface of our reformed theological heritage.
As we celebrate and even give thanks for our reformed heritage, it is imperative that we do so with humility and honesty. In other words, we must also take a few moments and look at the underside of the tradition which lays claim up us. The truth is that the history and development of reformed theology has led to some results which most of us would like to forget.
The reformation, while leaving a legacy for which we are thankful, has also given rise to fractionalization, and new forms of the very institutionalism we sought to reform. The reformation also has a bloody heritage. From the Thirty-Years war in Europe, to the English Civil War, the violence of Northern Ireland, to the destruction of the native peoples in the Americas under the cover of the City on a Hill theology and later manifest destiny, people of the reformed faith have played their part. The theological foundation for chattel slavery in this country came from our very own Presbyterian Church, and my own Alma matter Columbia Seminary. And, more recently, the rational for the South African Apartheid was developed by reformed theologians. With this sort of baggage, it has left some people to believe that the reformed tradition is best left for the dustbin of history, or at least asking: “How could this be?”
Part of the problem has been the misunderstanding and even outright abuse of the reformed doctrine that salvation comes through faith alone. This belief was reduced to the idea that as long as one’s intellectual beliefs were correct - or orthodox - you would be assured a place in heaven. In other words, as long as you thought the right things your actions were of little consequence. This narrowing of the tradition has led historian and Presbyterian pastor Ed Loring to call for an end of the reform tradition. It is a challenge to the church which says: if the good news we have offer in Jesus Christ allows people to continue the ways of injustice, oppression and abuse without calling for repentance, then we really have no news worth sharing. However, I, for one, do not believe, despite all the history, that our reformed heritage is worth casting off.
I give thanks for Allen Boesak, a Reformed Black South African theologian, who sees hope and a need for the reformed tradition. In an amazing and blunt essay called: “Black and Reformed – Contradiction or Challenge?” Boesak claims that the reformed tradition is life-giving despite its very close connection to the Apartheid regime. In his final analysis of the Reformed tradition for Black South Africans, he says: “It is my conviction that the Reformed tradition has a future in this country only if Black Reformed Christians are willing to take it up, make it truly their own, and let this tradition once again become what it once was: A champion of the cause of the poor and the oppressed, clinging to the confession of the lordship of Christ and the supremacy of the word of God.”
As we celebrate the reformed heritage, we too must be willing to truly make this heritage our own. Our celebration of the past must lead us to more faithful living and willingness to see where the Spirit is at work in new ways. Anything less would be unfaithful to the tradition and lead to traditionalism or worse, idolatry. While their may be a day when it is time to call for an end to the reformation it is not today. The same issues which gave rise to the reformation are still at work today. However, despite news to the contrary, our struggle is no longer with the Catholic Church. Our greatest struggle is with ourselves. Whenever we turn our backs on the word of God in favor of our little traditions, whenever we place national identity or market ideology before the lordship of Jesus Christ, or when we believe mental assent is the fullness of our faithfulness; it is we who are in need of reformation. So, let us embrace this day and this tradition and claim it as our own ever mindful that God is not finished with us yet. And may we trust that our church, the reformed church is indeed “always being reformed by the Spirit of God.” Amen.
April 30th 2006
Reformation Sunday / All Saints Day
Rev. Mark R. Bradshaw-Miller
“Reformed From What?”
Jeremiah 31:31-34; Romans 3:19-31
I can only remember once ever worshiping in a church which acknowledged Reformation Sunday. While this does say something about how closely I was paying attention, it also has much to do with a general ambivalence and ignorance about the Reformed tradition. I believe this is a great loss. So, as we celebrate our theological heritage, we will also look to see if this forgotten heritage has anything to offer for us today.
Reformation Day, which is actually Monday, is the day when we celebrate Martin Luther nailing his 95 thesis to the door of the Wittenberg cathedral. It is this event which is celebrated as the inauguration of the Reformation or break from the Catholic Church. Those of us who are Presbyterian are connected to this event through the parallel reformation going on in Geneva Switzerland under the leadership of Ulrich Zwingli. It is through the second generation reformer from Geneva, John Calvin, that John Knox carried the tradition to Scotland – the birthplace of Presbyterians.
The Reformation was fueled by anger over the rampant corruption of the religious leadership, the abuse of wealth and power in the institutional church and even the great ignorance and lax morality of local clergy. The theology developed by these early reformers continues to influence the church today. And while there is agreement about the essential beliefs of the reformation you would be hard pressed to find an exhaustive list. The fear of idolatry – the mark of good reformed theology – keeps us from creating such a list for fear the list could become inflexible or an object of devotion.
It was out of this concern that the reformers challenged the traditions and teachings of the church which contradicted the written word of God – the bible. It was the recognition of how we human beings often elevate our traditions above critical reflection. And, this critical reflection was always to be done through the lens of scripture. The life of faith was always to be judged through the life, death, and resurrection of Jesus Christ as shown in scripture. This concern led the reformers to translate the bible into the common language. In this way, all people would have access to the bible, not just church professionals.
Some of the other major themes of the reformation focused on the way of salvation. The belief is that salvation comes by the grace of God through faith alone. In other words, we cannot earn our salvation. The reformers also changed the number of sacraments from seven to only two: baptism and the Lord’s Supper. However, one of the great contributions was the belief in the priesthood of all believers. With this move, and the translation of the bible into common language, reformed Christianity emphasized the gift and responsibility which each person has for faithful living informed by thoughtful and responsible theology. Unfortunately, time only allows us to scratch the surface of our reformed theological heritage.
As we celebrate and even give thanks for our reformed heritage, it is imperative that we do so with humility and honesty. In other words, we must also take a few moments and look at the underside of the tradition which lays claim up us. The truth is that the history and development of reformed theology has led to some results which most of us would like to forget.
The reformation, while leaving a legacy for which we are thankful, has also given rise to fractionalization, and new forms of the very institutionalism we sought to reform. The reformation also has a bloody heritage. From the Thirty-Years war in Europe, to the English Civil War, the violence of Northern Ireland, to the destruction of the native peoples in the Americas under the cover of the City on a Hill theology and later manifest destiny, people of the reformed faith have played their part. The theological foundation for chattel slavery in this country came from our very own Presbyterian Church, and my own Alma matter Columbia Seminary. And, more recently, the rational for the South African Apartheid was developed by reformed theologians. With this sort of baggage, it has left some people to believe that the reformed tradition is best left for the dustbin of history, or at least asking: “How could this be?”
Part of the problem has been the misunderstanding and even outright abuse of the reformed doctrine that salvation comes through faith alone. This belief was reduced to the idea that as long as one’s intellectual beliefs were correct - or orthodox - you would be assured a place in heaven. In other words, as long as you thought the right things your actions were of little consequence. This narrowing of the tradition has led historian and Presbyterian pastor Ed Loring to call for an end of the reform tradition. It is a challenge to the church which says: if the good news we have offer in Jesus Christ allows people to continue the ways of injustice, oppression and abuse without calling for repentance, then we really have no news worth sharing. However, I, for one, do not believe, despite all the history, that our reformed heritage is worth casting off.
I give thanks for Allen Boesak, a Reformed Black South African theologian, who sees hope and a need for the reformed tradition. In an amazing and blunt essay called: “Black and Reformed – Contradiction or Challenge?” Boesak claims that the reformed tradition is life-giving despite its very close connection to the Apartheid regime. In his final analysis of the Reformed tradition for Black South Africans, he says: “It is my conviction that the Reformed tradition has a future in this country only if Black Reformed Christians are willing to take it up, make it truly their own, and let this tradition once again become what it once was: A champion of the cause of the poor and the oppressed, clinging to the confession of the lordship of Christ and the supremacy of the word of God.”
As we celebrate the reformed heritage, we too must be willing to truly make this heritage our own. Our celebration of the past must lead us to more faithful living and willingness to see where the Spirit is at work in new ways. Anything less would be unfaithful to the tradition and lead to traditionalism or worse, idolatry. While their may be a day when it is time to call for an end to the reformation it is not today. The same issues which gave rise to the reformation are still at work today. However, despite news to the contrary, our struggle is no longer with the Catholic Church. Our greatest struggle is with ourselves. Whenever we turn our backs on the word of God in favor of our little traditions, whenever we place national identity or market ideology before the lordship of Jesus Christ, or when we believe mental assent is the fullness of our faithfulness; it is we who are in need of reformation. So, let us embrace this day and this tradition and claim it as our own ever mindful that God is not finished with us yet. And may we trust that our church, the reformed church is indeed “always being reformed by the Spirit of God.” Amen.
Sunday, October 22, 2006
The Trouble with Tithing...
WESTMINSTER PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH
October 22nd 2006
Stewardship Season
“Give Thanks… Sing Praise… Declare God’s Steadfast Love!”
Rev. Mark R. Bradshaw-Miller
“The Trouble with Tithing”
Deuteronomy 14:22-29
Every year about this time, we throw around the word: Stewardship. One of the risks of doing this is that we might begin to believe that Stewardship only has to do with planning our budget for the coming year. This is unfortunate because stewardship is really so much more. In fact, stewardship is the belief that we have and all that we are is a gift from God, and that we are responsible for caring for and using these gifts in ways that give glory to God.
In other words, when we talk about stewardship we must include our entire lives. Now having said that, today we are going to focus on the spiritual practice of tithing.
I think it is safe to assume that when most people hear the word tithe they think of it as a religious word. However, that has not always been the case. For the community of Israel, the word tithe would have been understood as a tax. The tithe-tax was always the first ten percent of the entire yearly harvest which was paid to the ruling elite. So, originally, tithing had nothing to do with religious practice, it was simply a form of taxation.
When God commands the people to pay the yearly tithe-tax, they had yet to enter the Promised Land. At that point, they were still on the journey from the slavery of Egypt. Just as they are heading into the land, for a life free from the heavy hand of the Egyptian empire, God tells them they will face another tax. At first, this could not have seemed like good news. However, God takes this age old practice of taxation and radically redefines it.
Before they even enter the Promised Land, the community of believers is reminded that they did not earn this land. It was a gift from God. As such, they are not free to use this gift in any way they choose, it comes with specific responsibilities and expectations. Written into the fabric of the tithe-tax for God is the overt concern for the public management and equitable distribution of resources.
When God commands that a tithe be paid, it is not to be used to enrich the ruling elite. God commands that the tithe be paid so that there is enough for the most vulnerable in society. Notice that the first thing the community is to do with the tithe is to have a party! “Spend the money for whatever you wish--oxen, sheep, wine, strong drink, or whatever you desire. And you shall eat there in the presence of the LORD your God, you and your household rejoicing together.” God commands the people to celebrate the abundance in grand fashion.
Unlike other societies where the tithe-tax goes to support only those at the top God makes sure that all are included in the celebration. “As for the Levites resident in your towns, do not neglect them, because they have no allotment or inheritance with you.” So God expects that the tithe will still be gathered and that it will be celebrated and shared by everyone in the society. This really turns the tithe-tax on its head. The entire community will share in the abundance of the society including the resident aliens, (immigrants), widows and orphans.
But, beyond the annual celebration, God requires that every three years the tithe is to stay in the community.
Every third year you shall bring out the full tithe of your produce for that year, and store it within your towns; the Levites, because they have no allotment or inheritance with you, as well as the resident aliens, the orphans, and the widows in your towns, may come and eat their fill so that the LORD your God may bless you in all the work that you undertake.
So, the tithe is given back to the community so that those who are most vulnerable in society will be supported. God makes it abundantly clear that a society which withholds this support from the needy will not be blessed by God. It is this practice from which the Christian community looks to, or should, as a guide for its practice of tithing.
While we clearly do not live in the same sort of society as the original hearers of these commands, the practice of tithing still has its place. In our day there are both some very real positives and some very real problems with the practice of tithing. Tithing can be a very healthy spiritual practice which helps to center our life and ground our faith. When it becomes a regular practice it ceases to become something we do only when we feel like it. It is also positive because it done in proportion to the gifts we have received. Presbyterian Pastor Al Winn says that tithing confronts us with this important question: “What proportion can I return for God’s work in order to signify and symbolize and confess before everyone that all I am and all I have come from God?” Tithing can also be a positive practice because it allows us to set God’s work as the priority since it comes off the top instead of from whatever happens to be left over.
With that being said, there are also some problems with tithing which we must acknowledge. As with many practices, tithing can become legalistic and as a result it can be an impediment to spiritual growth. Another fact is that nowhere in the New Testament is the number ten or practice of tithing laid out as requirement. In fact, Jesus only talks about tithing twice and it is not very positive. In both instances, Jesus challenges the self-righteous who use the practice of tithing to lord it over others and who could, and should, give more than the tithe. Whenever Paul appeals to others to give he always makes sure to mention that we give out of freedom and joy, not from requirement. In the New Testament, ten percent giving is never a requirement.
Another problem with the tithe or ten percent as the hard and fast rule is that it is a flat tax. Flat taxes, while looking fair, actually place a higher obligation upon people on the lower end of the economic spectrum. (It is interesting to note however, that studies of giving show that: poor people give more of a percentage of their money than those who are wealthy.) The setting a uniform percentage also does not take into account the reality of things like; children in college, having to care for aging parents, medical expenses or other debts. For some people of faith, ten percent is simply not a reality. However, that being said, there are others who, because of ability and circumstances are able to give twenty or thirty percent. So, if there was a hard and fast rule for tithing it would have to be this: Give as God has gifted you to give whether it is one percent, five, ten, twenty, thirty, or more.
I want to end with a few more words from Al Winn, in a sermon he gave on tithing. In his conclusion he said: “I hope that we raise the budget next year, the General Assemblies budget, the Synods budget, the Presbyteries budget, and the local church budget from which all others come. But that is not a matter of eternal importance.” What is a matter of eternal importance, I believe, is that we, individually and collectively, embrace a posture towards life which says this: God is the source or our lives. All that we have and all that we are is a gift from God and we are thankful. I believe that as we embrace this simple truth, in all areas of our lives, we will be radically transformed. We will be transformed witnesses to God’s abundance, sustenance, and love for all people. We will be people who can truly: Give thanks, Sings praise, and Declare God’s Steadfast! Amen.
October 22nd 2006
Stewardship Season
“Give Thanks… Sing Praise… Declare God’s Steadfast Love!”
Rev. Mark R. Bradshaw-Miller
“The Trouble with Tithing”
Deuteronomy 14:22-29
Every year about this time, we throw around the word: Stewardship. One of the risks of doing this is that we might begin to believe that Stewardship only has to do with planning our budget for the coming year. This is unfortunate because stewardship is really so much more. In fact, stewardship is the belief that we have and all that we are is a gift from God, and that we are responsible for caring for and using these gifts in ways that give glory to God.
In other words, when we talk about stewardship we must include our entire lives. Now having said that, today we are going to focus on the spiritual practice of tithing.
I think it is safe to assume that when most people hear the word tithe they think of it as a religious word. However, that has not always been the case. For the community of Israel, the word tithe would have been understood as a tax. The tithe-tax was always the first ten percent of the entire yearly harvest which was paid to the ruling elite. So, originally, tithing had nothing to do with religious practice, it was simply a form of taxation.
When God commands the people to pay the yearly tithe-tax, they had yet to enter the Promised Land. At that point, they were still on the journey from the slavery of Egypt. Just as they are heading into the land, for a life free from the heavy hand of the Egyptian empire, God tells them they will face another tax. At first, this could not have seemed like good news. However, God takes this age old practice of taxation and radically redefines it.
Before they even enter the Promised Land, the community of believers is reminded that they did not earn this land. It was a gift from God. As such, they are not free to use this gift in any way they choose, it comes with specific responsibilities and expectations. Written into the fabric of the tithe-tax for God is the overt concern for the public management and equitable distribution of resources.
When God commands that a tithe be paid, it is not to be used to enrich the ruling elite. God commands that the tithe be paid so that there is enough for the most vulnerable in society. Notice that the first thing the community is to do with the tithe is to have a party! “Spend the money for whatever you wish--oxen, sheep, wine, strong drink, or whatever you desire. And you shall eat there in the presence of the LORD your God, you and your household rejoicing together.” God commands the people to celebrate the abundance in grand fashion.
Unlike other societies where the tithe-tax goes to support only those at the top God makes sure that all are included in the celebration. “As for the Levites resident in your towns, do not neglect them, because they have no allotment or inheritance with you.” So God expects that the tithe will still be gathered and that it will be celebrated and shared by everyone in the society. This really turns the tithe-tax on its head. The entire community will share in the abundance of the society including the resident aliens, (immigrants), widows and orphans.
But, beyond the annual celebration, God requires that every three years the tithe is to stay in the community.
Every third year you shall bring out the full tithe of your produce for that year, and store it within your towns; the Levites, because they have no allotment or inheritance with you, as well as the resident aliens, the orphans, and the widows in your towns, may come and eat their fill so that the LORD your God may bless you in all the work that you undertake.
So, the tithe is given back to the community so that those who are most vulnerable in society will be supported. God makes it abundantly clear that a society which withholds this support from the needy will not be blessed by God. It is this practice from which the Christian community looks to, or should, as a guide for its practice of tithing.
While we clearly do not live in the same sort of society as the original hearers of these commands, the practice of tithing still has its place. In our day there are both some very real positives and some very real problems with the practice of tithing. Tithing can be a very healthy spiritual practice which helps to center our life and ground our faith. When it becomes a regular practice it ceases to become something we do only when we feel like it. It is also positive because it done in proportion to the gifts we have received. Presbyterian Pastor Al Winn says that tithing confronts us with this important question: “What proportion can I return for God’s work in order to signify and symbolize and confess before everyone that all I am and all I have come from God?” Tithing can also be a positive practice because it allows us to set God’s work as the priority since it comes off the top instead of from whatever happens to be left over.
With that being said, there are also some problems with tithing which we must acknowledge. As with many practices, tithing can become legalistic and as a result it can be an impediment to spiritual growth. Another fact is that nowhere in the New Testament is the number ten or practice of tithing laid out as requirement. In fact, Jesus only talks about tithing twice and it is not very positive. In both instances, Jesus challenges the self-righteous who use the practice of tithing to lord it over others and who could, and should, give more than the tithe. Whenever Paul appeals to others to give he always makes sure to mention that we give out of freedom and joy, not from requirement. In the New Testament, ten percent giving is never a requirement.
Another problem with the tithe or ten percent as the hard and fast rule is that it is a flat tax. Flat taxes, while looking fair, actually place a higher obligation upon people on the lower end of the economic spectrum. (It is interesting to note however, that studies of giving show that: poor people give more of a percentage of their money than those who are wealthy.) The setting a uniform percentage also does not take into account the reality of things like; children in college, having to care for aging parents, medical expenses or other debts. For some people of faith, ten percent is simply not a reality. However, that being said, there are others who, because of ability and circumstances are able to give twenty or thirty percent. So, if there was a hard and fast rule for tithing it would have to be this: Give as God has gifted you to give whether it is one percent, five, ten, twenty, thirty, or more.
I want to end with a few more words from Al Winn, in a sermon he gave on tithing. In his conclusion he said: “I hope that we raise the budget next year, the General Assemblies budget, the Synods budget, the Presbyteries budget, and the local church budget from which all others come. But that is not a matter of eternal importance.” What is a matter of eternal importance, I believe, is that we, individually and collectively, embrace a posture towards life which says this: God is the source or our lives. All that we have and all that we are is a gift from God and we are thankful. I believe that as we embrace this simple truth, in all areas of our lives, we will be radically transformed. We will be transformed witnesses to God’s abundance, sustenance, and love for all people. We will be people who can truly: Give thanks, Sings praise, and Declare God’s Steadfast! Amen.
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