Wednesday, September 29, 2004
Oral Torah - part 4
I was going to wait to post this, was...
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This is from a rather inspiring article about the Oral Torah and its place for us as followers of Y'shua. I encourage you to read the entire article, here.
Referred to as "Oral Torah" or Mesorah (traditional), it was divinely received by Moshe Rabbeinu who then conveyed it to Y'hushua (Joshua), who then passed it down to the Shoftim (Elders/Judges), who then transmitted it to the Nevi'im (Prophets), who ultimately passed it down to the men who were members of the Great Assembly (i.e., Nechemyah, Ezra). Later, the Mesorah of Y'hudaism was taken up by the Second Temple rabbis and sages and referred to as "Rabbinic authority."
If you are a born "Gentile," take hold of your new "grafted-in" heritage and learn how to walk in Torah beginning with the rulings revealed to you in Acts Chapter 15. If you are Jewish by birth, I encourage you to get reconnected to the Torah, since this is your destiny as a Jew (D'varim 29:14-15).
~fin
(Though there are quite a few excellent reads on the subject at Jerusalem Perspective that I will spare you for now.)
Oral Torah - part 3
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Rabbi Aryeh Kaplan explains in his "Handbook of Jewish Thought" (Moznaim 1979):
The Oral Torah was originally meant to be transmitted by word of mouth. It was transmitted from master to student in such a manner that if the student had any question, he would be able to ask, and thus avoid ambiguity. A written text, on the other hand, no matter how perfect, is always subject to misinterpretation.
Furthermore, the Oral Torah was meant to cover the infinitude of cases which would arise in the course of time. It could never have been written in its entirety. It is thus written (Ecclesiastes 12:12), "Of making many books there is no end." God therefore gave Moses a set of rules through which the Torah could be applied to every possible case.
If the entire Torah would have been given in writing, everyone would be able to interpret it as he desired. This would lead to division and discord among people who followed the Torah in different ways. The Oral Torah, on the other hand, would require a central authority to preserve it, thus assuring the unity of Israel...
link
More later...
Tuesday, September 28, 2004
Oral Torah - part 2
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So what is the Oral Torah? How does one begin to understand it?
God gave Israel two Torahs - one written, laying out the teachings, and one oral, giving instruction on its application. The Mishnah (Oral Torah as now written down) is split into sections, which are in turn divided into tractates. These address and expound, in a topical fashion, how to live out the Torah. Though many Christians run away from the word Torah (teachings, law), with a deeper study of scripture one might find themselves seeing the Torah as grace, a schoolmaster, a place where we define sin, and a place where we learn of the character and face of our God.
If you include all the Rabbinical discussion concerning the Torah, then we would have something like the following method of study:
We begin with study of the both written Torah and Oral Torah (Mishnah), which were always meant to be side by side. Once a person has a good mastery of knowledge in both Torah, it is time to integrate the Tosefta into your studies. The Tosefta is made up of further rulings as well as Rabbinical discussion, the name meaning "things added" or "supplement". It's not what most people are used to for a commentary on scripture. In the Tosefta, many of the esteemed Rabbis through the ages give their understanding of the scripture, and many of them have different view points seemingly due to their differing temperaments. In a large way, it is like having a discussion with thousands of years worth of Rabbis, leaving you to form your own understanding in the end. After a firm footing, the Tosefta would be followed in study by the Baraita (extraneous or outside teachings), which are considered less credible. Lastly, we have the Gamarah, which is Rabbinical discussion on the Oral Torah, in a simple format accompanying the Mishnah.
The Talmud is made up of both the Mishnah (Oral Torah) and the Gamarah. There are two Talmud, both with slightly different Gamara, the Babylonian and the Palestinian/Jerusalem (Talmud Bavli and Talmud Yerushalmi). The Oral Torah was transcribed into the Mishnah during the reworking of Judaism around 200CE, at the same time that the emphasis of Judaism was placed on study - something I will probably expound upon later.
There is much to be learned from "the studies" (Talmud), and I would expect that God never intended the Church to stray so far away from the Jews as they have since the 1st century, especially if they are to properly understand the words and actions of Jesus. He said that he came "not to destroy the Torah, but to fulfill it", which is a Hebrew idiom for not coming to misinterpret Torah, rather coming to properly interpret the Torah, to place it on firmer footing. His entire world, his understanding, his actions, his words, and his upbringing were deeply rooted in Torah, both the written and the Oral. Throwing these studies out has left us open to a false concept of whom Messiah Jesus was and is, as well as a myriad of differing interpretations on how to live out God's teachings. Imagine how much understanding and depth could be gained by adopting these studies back into our walk with God.
More later...
Elizabeth O'Connor
Dale at Theoblogical has been posting about Elizabeth O'Connor and Church of the Savior, here. All of which are well worth reading. In his recent posts, he links to an online version of her book, Servant Leaders, Servant Structures, and he has also posted the entire book by chapter on his blog so that we might comment and trackback. Starting with a post referencing Journey Inward, Journey Outward at subvergence, Dale unfolds the pages of SLSS for us. It is a great read, and also another that I highly recommend, perhaps if only to glean a bit more from her story.
"Become what you are..."
'Become what you are'. Become, consciously and actively, what you already are potentially and secretly, by virtue of your creation according to the divine image... Become what you are: more exactly, return into yourself; discover Him who is yours already, listen to Him who never ceases to speak within you; possess Him who even now possesses you."
-Bishop Kallistos Ware of Diokleia
via severios.com
I've read Avi's site, severios, for some time now. He is a Syrian Orthodox minister who has many incredible things to say.
Monday, September 27, 2004
Journey Inward, Journey Outward
John at Subvergence recently read Journey Inward, Journey Outward by Elizabeth O'Connor. I've quoted it a few times on my blog, and it is probably the one book that I annoy people with the most. Apparently, I tend to recommend it to people in abundance and without reservation. I apologize to those who have fallen victim to my doing this, but at the same time I can guarantee that I will continue to do so until you have read it.
That book, published in 1968, says more to our "Emerging Church" than most other books I have read concerning the same matter. It tells of the inner thoughts and outer mission of The Church of the Savior, Washington D.C. - a Church community that could be seen as the epitome of "missional" in the Western Church setting. In fact, Elizabeth O'Connor has written many books that are incredibly enriching and relevant to the "emerging conversation".
The church which takes the shape of psychiatric clinics and halfway houses and counseling centers and mental health programs will be the church with its spires raised in an age which is fast being born. (pg 60)
John quoted this and many other pieces from the book on his blog, linked here. Head over and take a look. You know you want to.
Oral Torah - part 1
This last weekend our group took a few hours out of the day to study how to use the Mishnah (the now written parts of Oral Torah). It involved quite a bit more than the Mishnah. We learned about the Oral Torah, the lineage of kings and development of rabbinical schools of thought that all led up to the Oral Torah being written down. It opened our eyes to some of the social background to "New Testament" times, and the development of Judaism since then. It was an awesome study, one that I had not done for about 10 years, and one that I think we all gained a lot from.
It's sad that Christianity has gotten so far away from its roots, with a couple of thousand years of anti-Semitism, destroying many of the ways, ordinances, cultural ties, studies, traditions, and understandings that it was based in at the start. After 10 years of study into Ancient Judaism, I am seriously inclined to believe that the apostles expected that all newcomers to the faith would be newcomers to Judaism by their faith in Messiah Jesus. They were, after all, God-fearers, "B'nai Noach" (children of Noah), like many non-Jews who had worshipped the One True God in ages past. The difference was that they had never seen quite so many newcomers before. Acts chapter 15 laid out much of what seems to be a plea to follow the Noachide laws within their culture, which are the 7 teachings of life God implemented for all mankind. It was and is a starting place for entering a rich Jewish culture and the beginnings of a deeper study of Torah.
The separation that Christians have from understanding the Torah and Oral Torah and its place in their lives has given room to very superfluous interpretations of scripture, especially the New Testament. The very backdrop of the words written in the NT was the Torah and Oral Torah. Sadly, Christianity in the height of anti-Semitism deemed the Oral Torah "Satanic", disregarded all things Jewish, and most copies of Mishnah were burned much like the book burnings in Hitler's day. As a result, Christianity "grew up" disconnecting Jesus from Judaism. The parables of Jesus are rarely recognized for their origin in the Oral Torah, and Jesus is often deemed a "rebel" for his actions instead of one who relates his interpretations of Torah to Rabbi Hillel, the prominent Rabbi whose commentary Jesus pointed to many times when explaining his actions. Also, as David Whitaker would describe Christianity's early separation from the Oral Torah, "As a result, churchmen and theologians have developed many differing ideas over the centuries about how to practice the many laws found in the Holy Scriptures, or whether the law should be practiced at all."
More later...
Thursday, September 23, 2004
Part 4 - Church, people, missions and evangelism
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Currently, we have about 8 regulars in our particular group, and 20 more that come and go as they can. We are mostly focused on the artistic community, or more what you would find by doing a google search on "Cultural Creatives". Missions to this group is focused mainly on that culture, providing a resource for spiritual and emotional growth, and helping them realize their full potential, or rather empowering them to become the person that God created them to be. Our other group is about 10-20 strong, and is focused on being the same to missionaries, at home and abroad. They have missionaries that they have become close friends with in Mexico, Venezuela, Guatemala, and our own city's gangs. They're currently taking a sabbatical. And we have another group that all moved to Montana 2 years ago, that have since then gone their separate ways, though we're all still loving friends. Beyond that, we have a couple of hundred people that are involved with us, but each to the degree and area that they are comfortable with. Allowing them to come in only as deep as they can or will, but leaving an open door.
We all meet in homes, as it has proven to be the most comfortable. Though we do have concerts, multi-media contemplative-worship experiences, workshops, and discussion groups in other places. The Library and community centers have been an incredible resource for that. We're currently looking for a more permanent public space for those things, a public living room of sorts, where newcomers would feel more welcome than coming to a private residence yet we would still have the comfort of a living room.
Our "evangelism" is lived out, focused on truly creating friendships with people and helping them, really ministering to them. Their are no agendas except to really be a friend. It's amazing how open people have been, and even eager to further their journey towards finding who God truly is, just because of the trust we win with them by merely wanting to be a friend, resource, and help. I think in this way we have seen many become students ("disciples"), as opposed to just converts. It places salvation and redemption back into their original contexts, that of a starting point and a long journey of growth.
~fin
(for now)
Wednesday, September 22, 2004
some things I've learned about grace
Going through some of my old writings, I found this that I had posted a couple of years ago in the previous message board at Revolution Atlanta:
Grace steps in when we have a heart after God, regardless of how we have "sinned" (missed the mark) against him. What I understand is that it is a matter of the heart when it comes to grace. We fall, we sin, we stumble, but his grace is sufficient for us. I do believe, however, that being unrepentant (not wanting to change when you know you're in the wrong, or rather doing wrong purposefully) is a way of refusing grace. Therein, how do we expect God to be able to give us grace when we refuse to have anything to do with him? Grace is not an excuse to sin, it is a hand that helps to pull you out of sin. As author Jeff VanVonderen points out, how can you give someone a license to sin when their going to sin with or without a license? As you may already know though, it isn't a license to sin, it's the hope that we may have fallen but we can do better the next time around.
Part 3 - Church, finances and elders
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I'm not sure if a lot of people could do things the way we (Nadine and I) did financially. And I definitely don't recommend it unless one feels very called to do so. I had been out on a job injury for a few years, and they decided to stop paying me one day (something that was always a struggle anyway). Nadine is a licensed social worker as well as very schooled in the ins and outs of real estate, and we began looking for her a job. A search that lasted for several months with no avail and a lot of stress. I even began to look for jobs that I could do without being released yet by my doctor. We finally realized how much looking for income was pulling us away from the people who looked to us as pastoral guides. It was like a light went on in my head. God spoke clearly to both of us. For over a year, all of our needs were taken care of. I'm not always sure how, but they were. Some of our group help out with the little they can, and we see the possibilities of what God will use in the future to bring about the money they want us to have. The Center for Expressive Arts, and the grants received for the beginnings of it could provide much in the way of salary, and perhaps other areas of funding on the horizon could bring in some finances as well. Though we're more set on starting several side businesses of our own, a few of which are already up and running in their early stages, and letting that feed and clothe us, while letting the Church community use our pay for more ministerial purposes.
As far as elders and the like, we have several Leaders in our group(s). The lines are a bit fuzzy as to where one group ends and another begins because their are a few people that are in several circles, as well as those abroad who consider themselves part of us in a family sense. It's like a bunch of interconnected circles of people. Each circle or group having someone who naturally is given a leadership role. In some ways, these leaders automatically make up an eldership. We also have others in a more legal sense (usually from the outside), who are one a board of directors, that are set up to help advise us and hold us accountable. Our values in an organizational sense are determined by the group as a whole, and also within the different groups. This is much like you see in Stephen Covey's book, Principle Centered Leadership. When needed or challenged, our value system is revisited and adjusted according to who we are as an organism at the time.
More later...
Tuesday, September 21, 2004
The Collapse of the Church Culture
A recent post by Jordon Cooper led me to this article on Resonate which quotes Reggie McNeal's, The Present Future. I wanted to post it here since it seems relevant to many of the other posts I've mad in the past concerning Church culture.
"The current church culture in North America is on life support. It is living off the work, money and energy of previous generations from a previous world order. The plug will be pulled when either the money runs out (80 percent of money given to congregations comes from people aged fifty-five and over) or when the remaining three-fourths of a generation who are institutional loyalists die off or both...
"The first Reformation was about freeing the church. The new Reformation is about freeing God's people from the chruch (the institution). The original Reformation decentralized the church. The new Reformation decentralizes ministry. The former Reformation occurred when clergy were no longer willing to take marching orders from the Pope. The current Reformation finds church members no longer willing for clergy to script their personal spiritual ministry journey. The last Reformation moved the church closer to home. The new Reformation is moving the church closer to the world. The historic Reformation distinguished Christians one from the other. The current Reformation is distinguishing followers of Jesus from religious people. The European Reformation assumed the church to be a part of the cultural-political order. The Reformation currently underway does not rely on the cultural-political order to prop up the church. The initial Reformation was about church. The new Reformation is about mission."
Reggie McNeal, The Present Future, pp.1 and 43.
Thank you Jordon, and Len as well. It reminds me a lot of my fathers article I made reference to awhile back.
Part 2 - Church, what does it look like?
back to part 1
Recently, in "part 1" above, I wrote some on our group's history and in brief how we came to be The Inner Sanctum. Now I hope to explain some about who we are now, beyond our online descriptive or our worship experiences. You might say that the next few posts will describe how we live it out - our system, our structure. I took the majority of the next few posts from an online conversation that happened some time ago. I've reformatted it a bit, and updated it, for those who have been asking about our Church community's structure. I hope this answers your questions.
When asked, I often point people to Cell Inc's description. Some of their choice of words has raised questions though, so this is a result of such questions.
In our community, they recognize my wife and I as being in a pastoral role. It's not that we have the final say so concerning how we work as a group, but more that they look to us as their pastoral guides. As far as decision making and the like, we're very focused and family-like. When we decide on certain things, it is usually a general consensus. When one person doesn't agree, we talk it out until we all agree.. or we find a way that everyone is agreeable to. Not compromising for anyone, but a third option that everyone likes.
The entire "structure" is circular. Each person has a role within the circle, operating within their gifts, which completes the circle. God is at the center. The vision is at the center. The circle has layers, in that there are inner circles and outer circles. So yes, the leadership may appear to be "fuzzy", but only because it is role-based, not top-down.
For an example of this in a business structure, where we would usually find a linear, top-down structure, try to imagine the company's vision as the center of the circle. Now place each position around it in a circle. No one position is above another, but all have specific roles that are necessary for the company to operate. Be it manager, coordinator, book-keeper, visionary, custodial, secretarian, or whatever is needed. Without all of them in operation around the circle, then the circle would be broken. Each performs their specific role for the sake of the whole. It then becomes a living, breathing organism, instead of a mere organization.
Blame it on my Jewish roots and circular thought patterns if you will. I do however believe that this is very family and community oriented, and thus very much in line with God's intentions for how we are to live together. Some call it liken to communism or communal living. Perhaps it is, but then, is it very different than that we know of the Early Church or the thousands of years of Jewish communities before it?
More later...
Wednesday, September 15, 2004
The sounding of the Shofar (Days of Awe - part 2)
Ninth century Rabbi, Saadiah Gaon, gave us ten reasons the Creator commanded us to blow the ram's horn on Rosh Hashanah.
1. The first is because Rosh Hashanah marks the beginning of Creation, on which the Holy One, be blessed, created the world and reigned over it. Kings do the same, who have trumpets and horns blown to let it be known and heard everywhere when the anniversary of the beginning of their reigns fall. So we, on Rosh Hashanah, accept the kingship of the Creator, be blessed. Thus said David: "With trumpets and sound of cornet [shofar] make a joyful noise before the LORD, the King" (Ps. 98:6)
2. The second reason is that, since Rosh Hashanah is the first of the ten days of Teshuvah, the ram's horn is blown to announce their beginning, as though to warn: Let all who desire to turn in Teshuvah, turn now; and if you do not, you will have no reason to cry injustice. Kings do the same: first they warn the populace in their decree, and whoever violates the decrees after the warning complains unheeded.
3. The third reason is to remind us of our stand at the foot of Mount Sinai, as it is said: And when the voice of the trumpet sounded long, and waxed louder and louder... (Exodus 19:19), in order that we may take upon ourselves that which our forefathers took upon themselves when they said "will we do and be obedient" (Exodus. 24:7).
4. The fourth reason is to remind us of the words of the prophets, which were compared to a ram's horn, as it is said: "Then whosoever heareth the sound of the trumpet, and taketh not warning; if the sword come, and take him away, his blood shall be upon his own head...But he that taketh warning shall deliver his soul" (Ezek. 33:4-5).
5. The fifth reason is to remind us of the destruction of the Temple and the battle alarms of the foe, as it is said: "...because thou hast heard, O my soul, the sound of the trumpet, the alarm of war" (Jer. 4:19). When we hear the sound of the ram's-horn, we beseech God to rebuild the Temple.
6. The sixth reason is to remind us of the binding of Isaac, who offered himself to heaven. So ought we to be ready at all times to offer our lives for the sanctification of His Name. And may our remembrance rise before Him for our benefit.
7. The seventh reason is that when we hear the blowing of the ram's horn, we fear and tremble and bend our wills to the will of the Creator for such is the effect of the ram's horn, which causes shaking and trembling, as it is written (Amos 3:6): "Shall a trumpet be blown in the city, and the people not be afraid"
8. The eighth reason is to remind us of the great Day of Judgment, that we may all fear it, as it is said (Zeph. 1:14-16): "The great day of the Lord is near, it is near and hasteth greatly ... a day of the trumpet and alarm..."
9. The ninth reason is to remind us of the gathering of the dispersed of Israel, that we may passionately long for it, as it is said (Isa. 27:13): "And it shall come to pass in that day, that the great trumpet shall be blown; and they shall come which were ready to perish in the land of Assyria."
10. The tenth reason is to remind us of the revival of the dead, that we may believe in it, as it is said (Isa. 18:3): "All ye inhabitants of the world, and ye dwellers on the earth, see ye, when he lifteth up an ensign on the mountains; and when he bloweth a trumpet, hear ye."
Several years ago, I got to hear the sound of the shofar echo through the streets of downtown Houston. It was majestic. To hear it sounded with skill and reverence was the most beautiful and powerful sound I have ever heard.
Rosh Hashanah (Days of Awe - part 1)
L'shanah tovah tikatevi v'taihatemi
May you be inscribed and sealed for a good year!
Tonight began Rosh Hashanah, Yom Ha-Zikkaron (the day of remembrance), or Yom Teruah (the day of the sounding of the shofar), the new year.
It's the birthday of the Earth! 5765 years ago today (or 15 Billion +, depending on how you look at it) , the Earth was created. Rosh Hashanah also marks the beginning of "The Days of Awe" in which Y'hu, our blessed God, judges the world, inscribing in his 3 books who will live and who will die, who will prosper and who will not this coming year. These books are to be sealed on Yom Kippur (the day of atonement). We are entering a time of introspection, a time to make right those things which were made wrong, a time to examine ourselves and redirect our lives toward God, a time to give charity to those around us. This is a time to celebrate as well, for those of us who know, love, and seek after our God, El Elyon.
"May it be Your will that the sounding of the shofar which we have done will be embroidered in the veil by the appointed angel, as You accepted it by Elijah of blessed memory and by Yeshua, the Prince of the Face (Prince of God's Presence) and the one who sits on God's throne. May You be filled with compassion toward us. Deserving of praise are You, Lord of compassion."
~Birnbaum, Behind The Curtain, p.282 -From an Orthodox Jewish prayer book, to be prayed on Rosh Hashanah.
For those who don't know, this is probably the one time of the year that I actually tend to sound religious.
Sunday, September 12, 2004
the parable of the father and his two lost sons
Better known as The Parable of the Prodigal Son. (Luke 15)
I really like NT Wright's take on this parable. God being the father welcoming in celebration the return of the apostate son. The older brother being paralelled with the religious leaders of Jesus' day, who believed they were the gaurdians of Torah and righteousness. Wright looks at most the parables through the paradigm of being about exile and reconciliation. All three parables in this discourse, the lost sheep, the woman with the coin, and the prodigal son, speak to answer the pharisees and scribe's accusations of Jesus -"This man welcomes sinners and eats with them."
Also noted by Brad Young in his book, The Parables, was that the people hearing the parable would have been appalled by both the audacity of the son basically asking his father to die, and the older son letting it happen via his silence on the matter... and then the elder son speaking out against his father publically. Both sons missing the mark, one in rebellion and one in his outward righteousness but inner resentment. The Father being wrongly expected of as a sort of caretaker instead of being seen by his sons as merely desiring restoration and relationship. This parable is easily paralleled to many Rabbinical parables, noting references to the many scriptures of God pleading with Israel to return to him.
Then there's what got me thinking of the parable again in the first place.. At gracepages, Dave's take on it was as "the parable of the foolish father", which also holds to historical understanding. In a culture where honor was of utmost importance, the father proceeded to make a fool of himself. Out of love for his son, he allowed the family to be shamed. And then he risked it all once again when he ran out to meet the apostate son returning home. The older son responds much like the proud in our faith.
As Dave notes...
God always seems to be doing foolish things like forgiving sinners and welcoming good-for-nothings into the kingdom while the truly deserving are left only to stomp off and pout because their efforts haven't been recognized.
I agree with Dave on his conclusion as well. I'm glad to know such a God that would make a fool of Himself and put everything He is at risk for me. One who is more concerned with reconciliation, restoration, and relationship than with everything being right and proper.
Saturday, September 04, 2004
churchianity
Why are some people still called "Christians" when they bear no resemblance to the one they claim to follow? Or the many who are called "christians" yet seem to ignore the teachings of their Christ? I gave up the term "Christian" because it usually refers to "churchians", which I am not. But it should have been the other way around. People should not be called "Christians" when in fact they are merely "churchians".
It seems much like the same dealings Jesus had with the way people were acting in the name of God back then. As NT Wright put it - quietists, conformists, and zealots, when Jesus was telling them that God's way was in none of those.
