Clarion: Journal of Spirituality and Justice

The Lamb of God by Fiona Calder

I climbed into bed and pulled the blankets over my head. I sure felt embarrassed at my inarticulate comments earlier that evening alongside those of the intellectual giants who’d triggered my thoughts and responses. Yes, I just wanted to hide.

Under the covers I let my imagination take me to the Jordan River. It had been a meeting place for me for a couple of weeks now. The waters were pretty deep and wide, but I felt steady on my feet next to John the Baptist with the water up to my waist. I had relived this scene a few times now. Jesus is walking along the riverbank, approaching us from the right. I follow John’s gaze as we watch Him coming closer. Almost without thinking I whisper to myself ‘behold the Lamb of God’.

Inspiration and Affluence - Poetic Journaling by Ted Hill

Inspiration

Inspiration erases the simplicity of serving.
Energy courses and bumps to repaving the humble road of obedience.
Grabbed by vision and dynamic creative blows
that see through invigorated eyes of hope.

Naivety concludes that I am on the wrong path;
Change must come or I die inside or become the cause of the next “holocaust” by my inaction: If a butterfly’s wings have the power to create a hurricane then I must act.

My mind heaves with adrenal pulses;
My chest rises and falls with self-absorbed excitement;
My eyes are blind with intention;
My ears seek only the word “Go!”

I do not hear a “Go!”
But I slowly focus on the nail pierced hands of Christ
holding out a towel dripping with excited readiness!

2:1 think linear by Al Sergel

“Considering the Bible’s general theological understanding of history, we certainly find in it a linear chronological conception, from the creation account to the covenants of Noah and Moses, to David and the prophets, to Jesus, the era of the Church and finally the eschatology of the end time.

For man…must go through the experience of evil in order to gain enough maturity to lead, eventually, a life “in the flesh” in imitation of Christ and to reach perfection through Eucharist and resurrection. We should note that in this linear conception the reality of sin can be seen as educational means.”
-Hans Urs Von Balthasar “Dare We Hope That All Men Be Saved”

“All words are inherently double-voiced or double-valued: he calls this multi-accentuality.”
-A concept of Mikhail Bakhtin

Corporatism, Commonweal and the Just Society by Archbishop Lazar Puhalo

Is not this the manner of fast that I have commanded: to loose the bonds of repression, to lift the heavy burdens and let the oppressed go free, and that you should break every yoke? Is it not to share your bread with the hungry, and that you shall bring the poor that are cast out to your own home? Is it not that when you see the naked, you shall clothe him; and that you do not hide from your own weaknesses? Then shall your light break forth as the dawn, and your spirit will quickly spring forth: and your righteousness shall go before you and the glory of the Lord will be your recompense. (Isaiah 58:6-8)

Paradise and Hell According to Orthodox Tradition by Protopresbyter George Metallinos

On the Last Sunday of Lent "we commemorate the Second and Incorruptible Coming of our Lord Jesus Christ". The expression "we commemorate" of the Book of Saints confirms that our Church, as the Body of Christ, re-enacts in its worship the Second Coming of Christ as an "event" and not just something that is historically expected. The reason is, that through the Divine Eucharist, we are transported to the celestial kingdom, to meta-history. It is in this orthodox perspective, that the subject of paradise and hell is approached.

The Spiritual Audacity of A. J. Heschel - Audio Interview

This audio is from a recent episode of NPR’s 'Speaking of Faith.' It’s a mix of live recoding’s of Heschel taken from various lectures he gave, along with an indepth interview by Krista Tippet with JTS Chancellor Arnold Eisen. The Chancellor shares stories and anecdotes about Heschel and talks about how Heschel’s message is still relevant today. Many thanks to Al Sergel for passing it along. You can listen by clicking here.

Advent Conpiracy - www.adventconspiracy.org

The Jesus Pledge by Bob Ekblad

The Jesus Pledge: Pledging Allegiance to Jesus and the Kingdom of God
Bob Ekblad
Nov 14, 2008

On November 4, election day here in the USA, I had the privilege of speaking before some 2,000 students and faculty at Messiah College in Pennsylvania. An orchestra played at the beginning while young women students processed in carrying flags of all the nations. The students lifted high their flags, and I kept thinking that these symbols of national identity were taking people’s focus off the human beings carrying them—made in God’s image and likeness. The girls placed all the flags into stands and I was surprised that the American flag was in the second row, somewhat hidden. After the opening prayer though I opened my eyes to find the flag had crept to the front left corner—the most prominent position. I thought of the first commandment:

“I am the Lord your God who brought you out of the land of Egypt, out of the house of bondage. You shall have no other gods before me. You shall not make for yourself a graven image, or any likeness of anything… you shall not bow down to them or serve them” (Exod 20:1-4).

Identity Storm by Eric H Janzen

Part One What's the Point? The Eye of the Storm…

I shudder as I begin writing this and nearly get up from the keyboard and run away. A crisis of identity has recently turned my inward life upside down, and the blame can be squarely put on the shoulders of my beloved pastor Brad Jersak and a well meaning prophetic teacher named Graham Cooke. Now neither of them could have known it, but it was almost like they had conspired against me, which really means that God was up to something. The result of this conspiracy has been some serious reflection on some pretty large questions, which has led to some conclusions. Though I will share them, I respectfully declare that I am on a journey of discovery and offer these thoughts in the hopes it will help others on their journey.

Words of Fear, Words of Hope: (an exercise)

Words of hope, words of fear. An exercise in discernment of spirits... in four parts

Part I: Read James 3:9-18 slowly and out loud. (twice)

Part II: Watch the Will.I.AM video below. (twice) You can view it here:

Part III: Read the Focus on the Family 2012 retrospective letter -- hypothetical prophecy (skim if need be). It is viewable by clicking here.

Part IV: Read the word of rebuke and correction by Jim Wallis of Sojourners. Viewable if you click here.

Ponder.

Editorial: I've been to the Mountain Top by MLK

Did MLK foresee this night? While would-be prophets co-opted by the neo-con right may mourn the evening of Nov. 4, 2008; after their many projections, proclamations and presumptions proved them to be false; and though we ought not expect any retractions from them, one wonders if one of America's last true prophets, Martin Luther King Jr, caught a glimpse of what was coming from afar.

While many who claim to know Christ personally cried with conviction, 'Terrorist! Muslim! Socialist!' and told us that no true Christian could vote for Obama, one wonders if he will not only redefine America, but also, to their chagrin, redefine 'Christian' in America.

On the social and moral problems of youth in the 21st century -- by Archbishop Lazar Puhalo

INVITED PAPER FOR CONFERENCE AT THE UNIVERSITY, MAGNITOGORSK, RUSSIA.

Doubtless several aspects of the social and moral crises among young people will be discussed at this conference, so I will focus on only one aspect of it.

It is difficult to say whether Communism or Consumerism has had the more negative impact upon the aspirations of the natural youthful idealism. Consumerism is, however, the system with the greatest world-wide impact, and its effect on young people needs to be explored.

In general, young people are gifted with a natural tendency toward idealism, but at the same time, they are quite vulnerable to contrary influences. Part of this vulnerability stems from the high level of hormonal activity in their growing bodily systems, and also from the fact that mylenisation in the pre-frontal and frontal lobes of the brain is not completed until the early twenties. These facts, however, only create the possibility of social and moral disorientation. The ethos created by Consumerism (Consumer Capitalism) both takes advantage of, and feeds, all human susceptibilities and vulnerabilities. It is this aspect of the social and moral problems of modern youth that we will briefly examine.

Bob Ekblad's 'A New Christian Manifesto' - Review by Brad Jersak

Bob Ekblad, A New Christian Manifesto: Pledging Allegiance to the Kingdom of God, Louisville, KY: Westminster John Knox Press, 2008.

Review by Brad Jersak

After my first encounters with the theo-praxis of Bob Ekblad, recounted so vividly in his previous work, Reading the Bible with the Damned, I could only wait impatiently for the arrival of his New Christian Manifesto. I was not disappointed.

In this work, Ekblad demonstrates his acumen as a master bridge-builder and integrator. Specifically, he bridges the best of world-class biblical theology and front line pastoral practice. He integrates the social prophetic world of liberation theology with the charismatic prophetic world of the modern renewal movement. Text meets testimony, mind meets heart and authentic prayer finds its way into the world of the poor, the immigrant, the gangster and the prisoner. In short, Bob brings the good news of the Kingdom of God, preaching a decentering word to the powers (a la Brueggemann), and inviting those on the margins to the banqueting table of God.

Religion - according to Heschel

Religion begins with a consciousness that something is asked of us.  Religion consists of God's question and man's answer.  Religion is not what man does with his solitariness.  Religion is what man does with the presence of God.  Irreligion is not opiate but poison.  Our energies are too abundant to live indifferently.  We are in need of an endless purpose to absorb our immense power.  We are either the ministers of the sacred or slaves of evil.

Little does contemporary religion ask of man.  Religion has become institution, dogma, ritual.  It is no longer an event.  It's acceptance involves neither risk or strain.  Religion has achieved respectability by the grace of society.

Beyond Cynicism: the Renewal of Prophetic Purity - by Brad Jersak and Peter Helms

Intro:

As the apostolic / prophetic movement has become increasingly bizarre, many who were told to simply bless everything are now deeply disillusioned. In these days when renewal meetings, alleged outpourings and flamboyant leaders have reached a point of crisis, it is tempting to throw up our hands, become cynical and opt to retreat to a safer, saner spirituality. And yet we know in our hearts that we can't go back to a Christian faith without the presence, power and voice of God. Neither dead orthodoxy nor practical deism can provide a harbour for us. Some are simply walking away from the faith altogether. Is that really our only option? How do we stay open to the Spirit? How do we restore prophetic purity? How can we continue to engage in authentic experiences with God without becoming wacky? What if we were to recalibrate our faith practice and renew prophetic purity?

Eagle River/Anchorage and Thomas Merton: Forty Years After (1968-2008) by Ron Dart

Merton grew and developed over the years, in an interior sense, more deeply than anyone I know, and came to be recognized as the leading mystical writer in the English-speaking world.  Robert Giroux 

I

September 18/Eagle River

Alaska-the Convent of the Precious Blood-surrounded by woods, with a highway (too) near. The woods of Alaska-marvelous-deep in wet grass, fern, rotten fallen trees, big leaved thorn scrub, yellowing birch, stunted fir, aspens. Thick. Humid. Lush. Smelling of life & of rot. Rich Undergrowth, full of mosses, berries-& probably (in other seasons) flowers. The air is now here cool and sharp as late November in the “outside” (ie. “the States”) (“lower 48”).

Thomas Merton (p.10)