The cross is a scandal for modernism

I am really enjoying reading Miroslav Wolf's book, Exclusion and Embrace.
I particularly like the way the following passage describes modernism and contrasts it to the implications of a world view centred in the Cross of Jesus Christ:

The inner logic of the cross demands acceptance of two interrelated beliefs that are deeply at odds with some basic sentiments of modernity. First, modernity is predicated on the belief that the fissures of the world can be repaired and that the world can be heeled. It expects the creation of paradise at the end of history and denies the expulsion from it at the beginning of history. ... Before the dawn of God's new world, we cannot remove evil so as to dispense with the cross.. None of the grand recipes that promise to mend all the fissures can be trusted. Whatever progress actually does take place, it also "keeps piling wreckage and hurls it in front of the feet" of the angel of history, as Walter Benjamin wrote..

Second, modernity has set its high hopes in the twin strategies of social control and rational thought. "The right design and the final argument can be, must be, and will be found", is modernity's credo (Bauman, 1993)... The "wisdom of the cross", to the contrary, teaches that ultimately salvation does not come either from the "miracle" of the right design or from the "wisdom" of the final argument (cf. 1 Corinthians 1:18-25). We cannot and ought not dispense with "design" and "argument"... But, ...[they] themselves will themselves need to be healed by the "weakness" and "foolishness" of the self-giving love. This "weakness" is "stronger" than social control and this "foolishness" is "wiser" than rational thought.

Collapse of the Tacoma Narrows bridge in 1940 due to a design flaw.

Does the Mars Hill address endorse natural theology?

In Acts 17 there is a famous speech of Paul in Athens where he identifies with the local residents, beginning with their "unknown God" and moves towards proclaiming the Risen Christ. I was recently asked whether this passage provides support for natural theology, particularly because it starts with a "point of contact" with the non-believers. How does this relate to my previous post, promoting Karl Barth's perspective, that one should move from faith in Christ to faith in the Creator, rather than the reverse.

I looked to see what Barth's perspective is on Paul's speech and found the following discussion. I include some of the preceding material because it helps put Barth's position in context. I am not sure I completely follow his argument, but it does seem to emphasize that one cannot separate natural theology from Christology. Furthermore, much is hidden unless the self-revealing God discloses himself.

We cannot conclude this whole discussion, however, without some indication at least of what kind of faith it is that, as faith in Jesus Christ, contains within itself the knowledge of the secret of creation, the Creator and the creature...

...it is the presupposition on which Jesus Christ becomes the known quantity in face of which the reality and relationship of Creator and creature cannot remain hidden from us.....

Faith in Jesus Christ is a life in the presence of the Creator. No matter who or whatever else is there for the believer in Him, there can be no doubt that Jesus Christ is there for him as the Creator: an absolute new beginning brought about by God; an absolute new beginning of his existence; an absolute new beginning of all things; an authority which is posited basically and decisively before all others; a power which has not only illumined and altered and improved his whole reality but completely transformed it....  

...according to Mt. 11²⁵, Jesus addresses God as "Father, Lord of heaven and earth," and praises Him as such, "because thou hast hid these things from the wise and prudent and hast revealed them unto babes. Even so Father: for so it seemed good in thy sight." It is the act of the good-pleasure of the Lord and therefore the Creator of heaven and earth that there is this concealment on the one side and disclosure on the other. 

And reference to the need for a point of contact in natural theology is not enough to explain why, in his speech on Mars' hill, Paul described the God whom the Athenians worshipped but did not know as supremely the One who created the world and all that is therein, and then went on to say that this "the Lord of heaven and earth dwelleth not in temples made with hands; neither is worshipped with men's hands, as though he needed anything, seeing he giveth to all life and breath and all things." An address which is to close ( v. 31) with the proclamation of the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead must obviously begin with the creation, and there is no natural theology either in the one case or the other. In the New Testament to meet the Messiah Jesus is always implicitly or explicitly to meet the secret of God the Creator, and faith in Him always means acceptance of the secret of His presence. If we are not prepared to take account of this relationship it is difficult or impossible to realise either the fact or extent that faith in Him really contains within itself the knowledge of creation.

Karl Barth, Church Dogmatics 3.1: The Doctrine of Creation, pp. 31-34 


So my position would be something like the following. The non-believer observing the world around us should be in awe of its beauty and intricacy. This should lead to a questioning and searching for answers as to the meaning and purpose of it all. This might lead to an investigation to the person of Jesus Christ. But, such an investigation is not logically compelled by observations about the natural world. But, faith in Christ as a Saviour can then lead to an understanding of the natural world as a Creation with a purpose and meaning.


Such an approach is nicely taken in Alister McGrath's little book, Glimpsing the Face of God: The Search for Meaning in the Universe.

Light Echoes From Red Supergiant Star V838 Monocerotis – Hubble Space Telescope - October 2002

Turning a blind eye to oppression and corruption

Thanks to Wikileaks and US diplomatic cables we can read in the New York Times all about the antics and corruption of the sons of "The Leader and Guide of the Revolution in Libya". It is easy to laugh and condemn until we acknowledge where all the money comes from. It comes from sale of oil to the West and "deals" with multi-national corporations such as Coca-Cola. Furthermore, it seems pop singers such as Beyonce and Mariah Carey seem to have been willing to accept very large sums of money to entertain the "dear leaders" offspring... 

Where the Cross leads

I have a joined a reading group at church (initiated by Luke Glanville) that is going to work through Miroslav Volf's book, Exclusion and Embrace: A Theological Exploration of Otherness, Identity, and Reconciliation. This was listed by Christianity Today as one of the 100 most influential Christian books of the twentieth century.
Hopefully, I will post more in the future. Here is just a snippet. With regard to the metaphor of "embrace" Volf states (page 29):

the most basic thought that it seeks to express is important: the will to give ourselves to others and "welcome" them, to readjust our identities to make space for them, is prior to any judgement about others, except that of identifying them in their humanity.

Organised religion par excellence?

1 Chronicles 23-26 describes how King David organised the Levites, the Priests, the Musicians, the Gatekeepers, Treasurers, ... The magnitude and size of the organisation must have been very impressive. This is what many denominations, mega-churches, and Christian organisations aspire too! As some previous posts show I am an enthusiast of policies and procedures particularly with regard to accountability and finances.
But, how the mighty have fallen! Within generations this structure had fallen apart. Moreover, its actually goal, worship of the living God, had been lost. By the time of the boy King Josiah they did not even know there was a book of the Law! The perfect structure does guarantee the purity of our own thoughts and desires.

Even David knew the dangers, exhorting his son Solomon to watch his heart and mind:

⁹"And you, Solomon my son, know the God of your father and serve him with a whole heart and with a willing mind, for the LORD searches all hearts and understands every plan and thought. If you seek him, he will be found by you, but if you forsake him, he will cast you off forever. ¹⁰Be careful now, for the LORD has chosen you to build a house for the sanctuary; be strong and do it."

The minority rules the majority

The majority of Christians in the world are now in the two-thirds world. The majority of missionaries are now from these countries. Yet, almost all books on mission are written by people from the west. What is a two-thirds world perspective on mission? Can anyone recommend such a book? It was recently suggested to me I should start reading the African Bible Commentary to get a different perspective. An extract can be read here.

Blood on his hands

This morning I read the following account in 1 Chronicles 22:

⁷David said to Solomon, "My son, I had it in my heart to build a house to the name of the LORD my God. ⁸But the word of the LORD came to me, saying, 'You have shed much blood and have waged great wars. You shall not build a house to my name, because you have shed so much blood before me on the earth. ⁹Behold, a son shall be born to you who shall be a man of rest. I will give him rest from all his surrounding enemies. For his name shall be Solomon, and I will give peace and quiet to Israel in his days. ¹⁰He shall build a house for my name. He shall be my son, and I will be his father, and I will establish his royal throne in Israel forever.'

The image is of David's charge to Solomon, a woodcut from a book by Martin Luther.

I have often found this somewhat puzzling. What should we make of this? Perhaps the key is not to focus on the negative of David's reign (warfare, bloodshed, and judgement) but rather on the positive of Solomon's (rest and peace). YHWH, the God of Israel, is ultimately to be worshiped as a God of peace, rest, and redemption.

Also, it is one rare case where "peace and quiet" characterises the children rather than the parents!