Monday, July 25, 2011

Abraham

Book Review
Feiler, Bruce. Abraham. A journey to the heart of the three faiths. William Morrow. 2002
B.F.-New York Times bestselling author. Journalist.
Comment. Henry.
Bruce has given us an interesting, comparative assessment of the significance of Abraham as the progenitor of three monotheistic faiths, Judaism, Christianity, and Islam. His conclusions would probably be topics of vigorous debate in many circles but his observations are certainly genuine and very informative. Abraham is not only a crucial character of history but is a key to genuine ecumenicalism of our times and the peaceful co-existence of the three faiths attributed to his legacy.
The home of Abraham is claimed as a holy place by Judaism, Christianity, and Islam. It is not a place of peace. According to legend, and there are many legends, Abraham’s origin is mythical. “He has no past. He has no personality.” (18) Abraham’s wanderings began with a specific call, described in all three religions. Jews and Muslims consider the Call important. Christians view it as a defining act of Abraham’s life.
Ishmael is viewed as Abraham’s first born (especially by Muslims). Isaac’s story comes across quite differently in non-Christian literature and interpretations. The binding of Isaac is a significant spiritual act for both Isaac and Abraham in all three faiths.
The codification of Jewish laws was crucial to the preservation of the Jewish faith. The status of Abraham was now established through recorded history. Some rabbis wrote, “Abraham was the reason God created the world”. (125) With codification came interpretation and its challenges. Jewish interpretations were identified as “rabbinic midrash”. (139)
A discussion about Christianity begins with an interview with bishop Theophanes the Head of the Greek Orthodox Church. It focuses on Paul and Abraham the great example of faith. The bishop maintains that Paul “completely reinterprets the Hebrew Bible” creating an Abraham “for his own purposes”. (143)
From its inception Christianity has been considered contentious by those of the Hebrew faith. Abraham is both the source of this contention and also the solution to this rift according to Reverend Ms. Heldt, a German Lutheran minister who heads the Ecumenical Theological Research Fraternity in Jerusalem.
The discussion on Islam comes primarily out of an interview with Sheikh Yusef Abu Seina the imam of El-Aksa Mosque in Jerusalem. “Muslims see the Koran as the unfiltered word of God” (165) written by man. Abraham is also the starting point for Islam. Early on a rift developed between Islam and both Judaism and Christianity over the importance of Allah, Mohammed and Mecca. In the Muslim tradition, Abraham built the Kaba, the geographic centre of Islam.
The legacy of Abraham is profound. It impacts all who are God-fearing who “still need the comfort of something greater than themselves, still hold on to some gleam of humanity, still dream of a moment when they stand alongside one another and pray for their lost father and for a legacy of peace among the nations that was his (Abraham’s) initial mandate from heaven”. (218)
henrydirksen.blogspot.com

Monday, July 18, 2011

Jim & Casper Go To Church.

Book Review.

Henderson, Jim. Casper, Matt. Jim and Casper Go To Church. Frank conversation about faith, churches, and well-meaning Christians. Tyndale. 2007.
Comment. Henry.
This book is the result of Jim Henderson, a pastor with 30 years experience, responding to his frustration about having a church that is really effective and following Christ’s teaching regarding impacting its community and world. How he addressed this frustration is unusual and that gives the book its appeal. An easy, thought-provoking read. This is another tool for leaders who are serious about ongoing evaluation of doing church effectively.
In the 35 pages of introduction Jim explains what motivated the writing of this book. It describes an interesting journey for him as he moves through a very disillusioning experience as a pastor and how he resolved some of his questions about how church should be done and how it should not be done. He actually ‘hired’ Matt Casper, an atheist friend, to accompany him in a project to visit various churches to explore how church was being done.
The first church they visited was Saddleback. Casper’s observations are sincere, serious but not very positive. There was too much focus on believing and not enough on action. At the ‘Dream Center’ Casper was impressed positively by the location of the church and its focus on the needy of the community. Pastor McManus from Mosaic did not impress Casper. He did like the idea of having church in a theatre.
Willow Creek, in Chicago, was too much. Discovering that the church had a significant overseas ministry was helpful in dealing with all the wealth that the church complex represented. During a visit to a Presbyterian Church Casper revealed that he had been a part of such a church during his childhood. Laundale Community Church in downtown Chicago came across as an effective church since it actually had community involvement. Their visit to a house church was a very positive experience for Casper. He had gone there alone. Visiting Image Dei, an emerging church in Portland was an ‘eye-opener’ for Casper. They also visited Mars Hill church in Seattle. Their pastor Mark Driscoll impresses them as somewhat of an anomaly. Back in Portland Casper was taken with the informality of the service at the Bridge, a church that advertises that people should ‘come as they are’.
Visits to churches would not be complete without a visit to Lakewood church in Houston and the Joel Osteen show. The ‘church circuit’ was completed with a visit to Potter’s House, the home of T.D. Jakes.
henrydirksen.blogspot.com