Book Review.
McKnight, Scot. Fasting. The ancient practices series. Thomas Nelson 2009
SM- Anabaptist theologian at North Park University. Chicago.
Comment. Henry
My personal experience with fasting has been very limited so I welcomed the opportunity to read a book on fasting. The author begins with a definition of fasting which gives a very specific focus on the topic. He maintains throughout his discussions that the motive for fasting should not be to get and yet he goes into great detail about the benefits of fasting. This leaves me with a serious tension that I have not resolved in my mind. I have not come away from my read as a ‘turned on’ practitioner of fasting. That may come in time.
There are seven ‘ancient practices’ within Christian tradition. They are: a fixed hour of prayer, Sabbath keeping, following the liturgical year, the making of a pilgrimage, fasting, tithing and the sacred meal. According to Phyllis Tickle, the general editor of Ancient Practices Series, Scot McKnight has taken on the topic of fasting “with deftness and clarity”. (Foreword)
“Fasting is the natural, inevitable response of a person to a grievous, sacred moment in life.” McKnight. It is “body talk”. (11) It is not a ‘tool’ for getting something from God. It does not seem to be part of Western DNA.
Fasting is doing without food and drink. A partial fast may involve abstinence from certain foods and/or pleasures. It is often associated with repentance and is described by the term “body turning”. (24) Israel’s national day of repentance, Yom Kipper, was also a day of fasting.
“Fasting as body pleading for those we love is natural.” (45) It is an instinctive, natural response to “body grief”. (52) The experiences (fasting) of Jonathan and David are examples from the Old Testament. Psalm 77 is called “the Faster’s Prayer”. (55) Fasting is a body discipline and as such was a common practice with monks. There are signs of a renewal of this discipline in our times as a reaction to our hedonistic culture. It is considered part of Christian living.
An example of “fasting as body calendar” (81) is fasting on regular days, e.g. Wednesday and Friday. Some special days of fasting for early Christians were before the Lord’s Supper, before baptism, and during Lent. In Isaiah 58 the prophet describes fasting that is called “body poverty”. (105) This kind of fasting is illustrated when “Moses, Elijah, Daniel, Jesus and Paul – fasted and experienced unusual intimacies with God”. (112) Fasting is a way in which we “embody our hope” (123) of Christ’s return.
Fasting can become a form of legalism. If there is any hypocrisy it is a problem. “Meritorious fasting” (140) is wrong. Extremism is always dangerous. Although there are benefits in fasting that should never be our motive for fasting. (Why not?) God’s presence can become more real during fasting. It can bring freedom from bad habits. Fasting and praying can be beneficial when seeking God’s guidance and protection. “Genuine fasting leads to seeking justice.” (154) There can be health effects although health was never a goal in biblical fasting. Fasting should always be a response to something (a grievous sacred moment) going on in our life.
henrydirksen.blogspot.com
Thursday, June 23, 2011
Friday, June 17, 2011
The God I Don't Understand
Book Review.
Wright, Christopher J.H. The God I Don’t Understand. Reflections on tough questions of faith. Zondervan. 2008.
CJHW- International director of the Langham Partnership International. Chair of Lausanne Committee’s Theology Working Group.
Comment. Henry.
Here is a very helpful book for those who struggle with ‘why’ questions that relate to life and believing, for those who try to make sense of events and difficulties that are beyond their understanding. Faith can become vulnerable to uncertainties and questions. Wright has given us a ‘tool’ to help us through some of these challenges. Grief and pain put severe limitations on our understanding. This resource helps us face up to those limitations.
“For Christians, evil really is a problem at every level.” (27) How can we deal with the apparent paradox of a loving, all-powerful God and the existence of evil? The origin of evil is a mystery that is not explained in the Bible. A distinction is made between “moral evil and natural evil”. (30) We are told about the entry of evil (sin) into world and its destruction of the relationship between God and man. “Evil does not make sense.” (42) Evil in its various forms is something that we may legitimately be offended by. “The Bible allows us to lament, protest, and be angry at the offensiveness of evil (and it is right that we should be angry).” (55) The defeat of evil arises out of three significant biblical truths; “the utter evilness of sin, the utter goodness of God and the utter sovereignty of God”. (57) The story of Joseph demonstrates these truths and at the Cross of Christ these truths converge to confront evil. The book of Revelation is a graphic portrayal of this confrontation.
The author takes on the daunting assignment of attempting to get our head around the Old Testament examples of God’s violent judgment on various individuals and people groups. This image of God seems incompatible with the God of love and mercy. To maintain that there is a fundamental difference between the God of the Old Testament and the God of the New Testament is an acceptable ‘solution’ to the problem. Some would suggest that the Israelites got their marching orders wrong and were too brutal in their conquests. Some suggest that the violence was just an allegory of spiritual warfare. The author declares that the conquest of Canaan was “an act of God”, (90) a punishment for corporate sin. Amid these punishments there are examples of grace, e.g. Rahab, Ruth, the Jebusites, etc.
There are many hard to understand mysteries of the Cross. The Cross was God’s choice but why us and why did he choose to love. We do know that God is love. That love is demonstrated though mercy, redemption, forgiveness, reconciliation, cleansing, etc. The mystery of the “penal substitutionary atonement” (128) is presented. The co-existence of God’s wrath and God’s love is a reality. “God is wrathful because God is love.” Miroslav Volf. The truth of the penal substitutionary atonement begs the question, “Does sin deserve to be punished?” (152)
There are many controversial ‘truths’ held about the “end of the world”. (159) Of one thing there is certainty, Christ will return. That return will be “personal, visible, and glorious”. (175)Scripture is clear in its teaching regarding a reigning, returning and redeeming Christ. Resurrection is a reality however there are many unanswered questions. The Day of Judgment is good news because “God will put things right in the end”. (184) Heaven is not our final home. We anticipate”new heavens and a new earth.” (Isa. 65:17, Rev. 21:1). The first earth is described as a garden; the new earth is described as a city. We not only have a future, we know that future. That truth should impact how we live.
Wright, Christopher J.H. The God I Don’t Understand. Reflections on tough questions of faith. Zondervan. 2008.
CJHW- International director of the Langham Partnership International. Chair of Lausanne Committee’s Theology Working Group.
Comment. Henry.
Here is a very helpful book for those who struggle with ‘why’ questions that relate to life and believing, for those who try to make sense of events and difficulties that are beyond their understanding. Faith can become vulnerable to uncertainties and questions. Wright has given us a ‘tool’ to help us through some of these challenges. Grief and pain put severe limitations on our understanding. This resource helps us face up to those limitations.
“For Christians, evil really is a problem at every level.” (27) How can we deal with the apparent paradox of a loving, all-powerful God and the existence of evil? The origin of evil is a mystery that is not explained in the Bible. A distinction is made between “moral evil and natural evil”. (30) We are told about the entry of evil (sin) into world and its destruction of the relationship between God and man. “Evil does not make sense.” (42) Evil in its various forms is something that we may legitimately be offended by. “The Bible allows us to lament, protest, and be angry at the offensiveness of evil (and it is right that we should be angry).” (55) The defeat of evil arises out of three significant biblical truths; “the utter evilness of sin, the utter goodness of God and the utter sovereignty of God”. (57) The story of Joseph demonstrates these truths and at the Cross of Christ these truths converge to confront evil. The book of Revelation is a graphic portrayal of this confrontation.
The author takes on the daunting assignment of attempting to get our head around the Old Testament examples of God’s violent judgment on various individuals and people groups. This image of God seems incompatible with the God of love and mercy. To maintain that there is a fundamental difference between the God of the Old Testament and the God of the New Testament is an acceptable ‘solution’ to the problem. Some would suggest that the Israelites got their marching orders wrong and were too brutal in their conquests. Some suggest that the violence was just an allegory of spiritual warfare. The author declares that the conquest of Canaan was “an act of God”, (90) a punishment for corporate sin. Amid these punishments there are examples of grace, e.g. Rahab, Ruth, the Jebusites, etc.
There are many hard to understand mysteries of the Cross. The Cross was God’s choice but why us and why did he choose to love. We do know that God is love. That love is demonstrated though mercy, redemption, forgiveness, reconciliation, cleansing, etc. The mystery of the “penal substitutionary atonement” (128) is presented. The co-existence of God’s wrath and God’s love is a reality. “God is wrathful because God is love.” Miroslav Volf. The truth of the penal substitutionary atonement begs the question, “Does sin deserve to be punished?” (152)
There are many controversial ‘truths’ held about the “end of the world”. (159) Of one thing there is certainty, Christ will return. That return will be “personal, visible, and glorious”. (175)Scripture is clear in its teaching regarding a reigning, returning and redeeming Christ. Resurrection is a reality however there are many unanswered questions. The Day of Judgment is good news because “God will put things right in the end”. (184) Heaven is not our final home. We anticipate”new heavens and a new earth.” (Isa. 65:17, Rev. 21:1). The first earth is described as a garden; the new earth is described as a city. We not only have a future, we know that future. That truth should impact how we live.
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