Reading Summaries

Reading Summary #1

I read the book Mañana : Christian Theology from the Hispanic Perspective by Justo L. Gonzalez. Although, its central theme concerned eschatology, here are four things that I learned from this reading in regard to Christology. First, in Hispanic Christology - as in all Hispanic spirituality - there is not a fundamental distinction between spirit and matter. In Christological debates of the early Christian era Arians emphasized the humanity of Christ at the expense of his deity and Gnostics took the opposite view. The Greek councils struck a balance. A Hispanic perspective (like the Hebrew) does not have this tension. Both spirit and flesh can be equally good and equally necessary for healthy humanity. Second, there is an emphasis on Christ's immanence, that Jesus is indeed one of us and our friend. Is this why "Jesus" in a common Spanish given name? The suffering of Christ is emphasized. Third, the Christ of many Hispanics is a zealot for justice. He is pictured not holding a lamb as in Protestant churches, but as holding a whip and driving out the merchandisers. The Jesus of "liberation theology" is a helper of the down-trodden and oppressed. Fourth, being Roman Catholic by tradition, there is an emphasis on Mary that begins to warp Christology. How far can one honor Mary before one's Christology degenerates into heresy? "Co-mediatrix" means that Mary is also a mediator between the Father and humanity. Although not official Catholic doctrine, the church is favorable to this view. "Co-redemtrix" means that Mary is our redeemer along with Jesus. There are extreme devotees of Mary who hold this view. Many belong to Guadalupe adoration groups of Latin America. As of now the Catholic church opposes this view. But if ever adopted, would the Catholic church step outside the Apostolic Creed?

Reading Summary #2
A Response to Spiritual Depression,Its Causes and Cures by D.M. Lloyd-Jones

I read the introduction to this book and three chapters that caught my eye. The 21 chapters are a collection of 21 sermons that were preached on successive Sundays by D.M. Lloyd-Jones at Cambridge in 1964. The language of this book does sound a bit antiquated but the concept of "spiritual depression" is a popular topic in contemporary evangelical circles. In the introductory chapter, Lloyd-Jones frames his collection of sermons around Psalm 42:5 "Why are thou cast down, oh my soul?" I was helpful to know that spiritual depression (i.e. a cast down soul) is at least as old as the Psalms. In Chapter 2, the author discusses the true foundation of faith as found in Romans 3:28. He goes on to say that this true faith gives peace. How can we suffer spiritual depression knowing that our sins are blotted out? He says "we have a wonderful salvation for desperate sinners". Indeed, our faith produces hope and hope is the opposite of depression. Chapter 3 was entitled "Men as Trees Walking" based on Mark 8:22,26. The point of this sermon/chapter was to point out that we can see clearly through a Jesus touch. I like this idea and might preach a sermon around it. Our blindness, our sickness, our depression can be healed with a touch from Jesus. Sometimes the healing may not be immediate, but may require a second touch. The third chapter I read (Chapter 8) was entitled "Fear of the Future" build around 2 Timothy 1:7. The author's contention is that many Christians are spiritually depressed because we have nothing to look forward to. He says "live in the present, ready for the future, with one desire, to glorify Him who gave His all to you". The three chapters that I read did feel like sermons, full of exhortation. Each sermon was build around a scripture passage and included illustrations. The author briefly touched on physical and demonic causes for spiritual depression. I think that the author's point is important. We can have all our systematic theology down perfectly, but we can still be depressed spiritually. Lloyd-Jones prescribes 21 ways to overcome this depression.

Reading Summary #3
Who is Jesus? by N.T. Wright

N.T. Wright wrote Who is Jesus? in 1992 as a response the third wave of "Historical Jesus" publications. In his introductory chapter, Wright outlines the 300-year history of the quest for a historical Jesus. His central figure in this history is Albert Schweitzer who comes at the end of the first quest about 100 years ago. Wright disagrees with most of Schweitzer's conclusions and interpretations, but he credits Schweitzer with at least getting the questions right. He has less kind things to say about the current batch of "Jesus questers". He describes the works of several current questers, describing their "portraits" of Jesus as dishonest. He points out in the first chapter that Christians should not fear honest historical research into the life and ministry of Jesus. He says, "History will challenge some forms of Christian faith. Christians are not particularly free from muddle and misconception. But, when all is said and done, Christianity ought to emerge from historical enquiry more solid and robust, not watered down or thinned out (p 18)". In the next three chapter, Wright singles out three authors for an in depth assessment and rebuttal of their Jesus portraits.

In chapter 2, Wright deals with the Jesus portrait of Barbara Thiering. In her book Jesus the Man: A New Interpretation from the Dead Sea Scrolls, she makes the titillating claim that Jesus was married to Mary Magdalene, fathered one daughter and two sons, then divorced Mary and married Lydia. In speaking to Ms. Thiering, Wright relates how adamant she is that these paternity claims are only a minor part of her scholarship. Wright points out that this may be true, but that the author and publisher publicize these parts to market the book. N.T. Wright did a good job in rebutting the crux of this Jesus portrait. No legitimate scholar agrees with Thiering that the Dead Sea scrolls say anything like she is claiming. I found Thiering's reason for claiming that Jesus had two sons after a daughter especially amusing (sad?). She based this claim on the fact that in the book of Acts, the statement is made "and the Word of God increased". The convoluted logic goes, if Jesus is the "word of God", then his family grew by two sons. Is this a book that anyone would take seriously?

In chapter 3, Wright deals with A. N. Wilson whom he describes as a fiction writer who abandoned a earlier Christian belief. Wright shows how Wislson's scholarship is shoddy by citing misquotes and misattributions. The Jesus portrait of Wilson points to a pale Galilean, whose only aim was to make "good Jews into better Jews". Critical to all his research is the Gospel of Thomas. Wilson ignores the four canonical gospels, while twisting this fourth Gnostic gospel into a portrait of Jesus that fits his self-portrait. Wright closes this chapter by saying that this portrait of Jesus is unrecognizable not only by orthodox Christians, but also unrecognizable by serious historians.

In chapter 4, Wright addresses a more scholarly writer named John Selby Spong. Wright states that Spong has a good grasp of scholarly research on the gospels, but that his conclusions are astonishing leaps of logic. Spong centers his book, The Bishop and the Birth, on the idea of a "midrash". He seems to take the term "midrash" and redefine it to mean "all the Jesus stories of the gospels". In this context, he sees the virgin birth of Jesus as just another midrash story concocted by his followers to build up the résumé of their master. Interestingly, Wright agrees with our Systematic Theology class, stating that the doctrine of the virgin birth is not central to Christian faith (although it is a factual event) . Wright points out that Spong does not present the generally held idea of a midrash which is built on a passage of scripture and expounded poetically point by point. Wright concludes this section with a comment that is true of many Jesus questers: "It is a world in which the modern exegete can reconstruct a fantasy world in the name of a current ideology (p 91)".

In his final chapter, Wright returns to Schweitzer. He states that an honest search for the historical Jesus must focus on (1) Jesus with Judaism (2) Jesus within he four gospels and (3) Jesus and Kingdom of God. I enjoyed this short book. Much new Jesus Quest research has been published in the past 11 years since Who was Jesus? first appeared. The shocking and titillating always seem to make the news. Books like this rest in peace.

Reading Summary #4

Extra Credit Reading Summary for missing 3 hours of class on March 27th
Order of service programme for Sunday worship on the theme of Pneumatology

1. Invitation to worship: "We have come into this house of worship to praise our God for the gift of His only Son. As we enter into worship, let us rise to our feet and ask God's Holy Spirit to enter our lives."

2. Congregational Invitation: "Breath on me" Hymn # 238 "Holy Spirit, breathe on me until my heart is clean: Let Sunshine fill its inmost pats with not a cloud between Breathe on me, breathe on me, Holy Spirit, breathe on me Take thou my heart, cleanse every part, Holy Spirit, breathe on me."

3. Hymn of Unity: "We are one in the Spirit" "We are one in the Spirit, we are one in Lord We are one in the Spirit, we are one in Lord and we pray that our unity may one day be restored and they'll know we are Christians by our love, by our love and they'll know we are Christians by our love"

4. Prayer: Father, Son, Spirit; our triune God, we praise you and we thank you. > > > , but more than anything, grant us love, the telltale sign - the mark through two millennia - that we who meet this morning in your name are worthy to be called Christians.

5. Anthem: Holy, Holy, Holy Holy, Holy, Holy, Lord God Almighty. Early in the morning our song shall rise to thee. … Holy, Holy, Holy, merciful and mighty. God in three persons, Blessed Trinity.

6. Responsive Reading: Responsive Reading #691 entitled "God the Holy Spirit". Acts 2:1-4, 14, 17-8, 13 (read responsively)

7. Concerns of the Church and Morning Prayer: >>>>>>> Unite us in your Holy Spirit

8. Anthem: Leaning on the Everlasting Arms

9. Offertory Hymn: Break Thou the Bread of Life # 263 "Bread thou the bread of life, Dear Lord, to me As thou didst break the loves beside the sea; Beyond the sacred page I seek thee, Lord; My Spirit pants for thee, o living word."

10: The Gathering of Tithes and Offerings:

11. Sermon: The Gospel According to the Holy Spirit Based on the scripture reading from 1 Thessalonians 1:5-6 "For our gospel came not unto you in word only, but also in power, and in the Holy Ghost, and in much assurance; as ye know what manner of men we were among you for your sake. 6 And ye became followers of us, and of the Lord, having received the word in much affliction, with joy of the Holy Ghost:"

Without the power and illumination of the Holy Spirit, our Gospel of Christ will remain powerless words on a printed page. Gospel writers were inspired by the Spirit. Gospel readers must be illuminated by the same Spirit. Inspiration without illumination equals misinterpretation.

12. Hymn of Response: Spirit of the Living God # 244 Spirit of the living God, fall afresh on me Spirit of the living God, fall afresh on me Melt me, mould me, fill me Spirit of the living God, fall afresh on me

13. Sharing of Responses: 14. Our Life Together: Announcements. Pray for Dr. Gordon Miller as his wife will shortly join him in America. Etc.

15. Benediction: The grace of the Lord Jesus Christ, and the love of God, and the communion of the Holy Ghost, be with you all. (2 Corinthians 13:14)