63259

Monday_Reflections: New_Is_Better

Amy and I enjoy the show "How I Met Your Mother". (For those not familiar with the show, it's a sort of "Friends" for millennials). One of the main characters is an extreme philanderer named Barney. Barney is prone to outlandish statements and proclamations of ridiculous rules that explain the world from his perspective. One of his favorite sayings is "new is always better." (I try to invoke this rule with my wife when I get tempted to buy some new piece of technology...it doesn't really work). 

A few weeks ago someone was telling me about a situation he was dealing with. Another someone had a brand new "theological" insight regarding a controversial issue within the church.  

As I was listening my intellectual side was tracking with the argument...even though it was new, it kind of made sense, and I could follow the logic (to a degree) that had led to the conclusion.

But something didn't sit well with me.  

I couldn't figure it out for a while, and I felt like the only response I had was "well that's wrong," or "we don't do it that way." The issue came up again recently in a conversation about the passage in Luke on new and old wine skins.

Admittedly, I gravitate towards the new most of the time. I like new ideas, new gadgets, new books, new music, etc. 

But the rhetoric that goes along with new (i.e. progressive) ideas is often one of convenience. As in: how convenient that you found this new idea that justifies your world view, that's awesome! 

But convenience is never the path that Jesus took, and that is ultimately what didn't sit right with me as I listened to my friend. The new idea was cool and interesting and definitely worth a serious conversation.

But it lacked sacrifice. There was no laying down of lives or taking up of crosses. Stories of convenience lack any kind of power. Stories of sacrifice stir the soul and inspire action. 

It wasn't even about whether the issue at hand was right or wrong (at least for me)...the serious point that was being missed was the exchange of sacrifice for convenience. 

There is a part of me that wants to declare "new is always better," but I am learning to weigh the "new" with a lens (a hermeneutic) of sacrifice and cross bearing. Of course, on this point, I can always be accused of spiritual masochism or a joyless theology, so I will acknowledge that danger. But I will always trust "new" ideas that have passed through the crucible of suffering and sacrifice and life-laid-down-experience over a theology of convenience. 

61959

a_post_about_blogs (friday_reflections) 


despite being a frequent blogger for almost 5 years now, i've never really spent a lot of time reading other blogs. to be more specific, i've never spent much time reading "christian" blogs. i read a lot of giants/baseball blogs, a few political blogs if something really interesting is going on, and my friend's blogs, but not much else.

when rob bell's controversial book, love wins, came out i will admit that i got sucked in to a world that i never knew existed (and sometimes wish i still didn't). turns out there is an endless number of christian folks out there with all kinds of blogs. its quite startling. maybe even more startling is the number of people who comment on these blogs. this past week another mars hill lead pastor (mark driscoll, different mars hill) got himself in hot water in the blogosphere for a comment he made on facebook. 

my point here is not to argue in favor of bell or against driscoll (or vice versa) but to say that i think christians use the internet poorly. 

here are a few conclusions i've come to. first, i have nothing against technology and the internet. in my opinion, while there are numerous changes in technology these days none of them are inherently bad...they can all be abused, of course, but i am not an anti-technology advocate. i have a mac, i tweet, i'm on facebook, and i have a blog, so it would be pretty hypocritical to try to present myself otherwise. that said, we might be wise to do some fasting from certain technologies (myself included).

second, i think most christians are doing blogging the wrong way. now, i don't do this for a living, so i understand that the way to make money as a blogger is to get people to your site and the best way to do that is to make strong, critical points. the problem is this: the beauty of our technology (especially blogging) is that we can now share information and life like never before, but most christian blogs are the equivalent of yelling at each other. or worse, just yelling and hoping someone will comment on it.

i love blogging (and all of the blogs on my blogroll) because they are forums for people to share the great stories they are telling with their local communities. there is a big difference between ripping bell for being a liberal (or driscoll for being a homophobe), and  describing how God is at work in your life, community, and ministry.

i do not think the internet is the place to do theological discussion (or pastoral correction for that matter). most of the folks yelling at each are not what i would call theologians (sorry if that is a bit judgmental). theology is done best in local communities of people who are committed to each other and the place they live in. 

so, for those of you who are doing blogging well, please keep it up, you are a breath of fresh air. and for those of you who are yelling, consider the proverb: creation is the best critique.