Philipp Yacob Spener

[This paper was written for my Reformation and Enlightenment class at Capital University, where I am seeking a minor degree in religion.]

Jesse Harmon

RELIG 321

April 10, 2012

Philip Jacob Spener

            This paper will reflect on some of Philip Jacob Spener’s documents.  The first document I will discuss is “Whether Luther Urged Good Works Enough,” which was written in 1688, and “On Tobacco,” in 1691.

            Spener said, “When Luther speaks at various times of faith and works, he appears to raise up the one only and entirely reject the other.”  It does appear to me that Luther tends to talk a lot about how faith is all you need to be saved (even if it is in scripture), and how good works is not enough.  However, I do have to wonder how God views good works.  I’ve always been an advocate for doing the right thing and helping out other people.  As I’ve mentioned in previous papers, my church has a program called Kindness Outreaches, where we do good things for the community to share God’s love to everyone (the program will restart in a couple of weeks actually with handing out free bottles of water to people who have stopped at red lights in Logan, Ohio, where I’m from). 

            The other document, “On Tobacco,” sparked my interest because of a few comments made by Spener.  He mentioned in this documents that sometimes tobacco could be good for one’s health.  I find this humorous considering a fairly large debate going on today.  Recently, a federal judge has blocked a law requiring tobacco companies to put pictures of diseased body parts on their packages in order to show the harmful side effects of smoking and other tobacco related activities.  Some people even say it’s to deter people from smoking all together.  U.S. District Judge Richard J. Leon said, “This case poses a constitutional challenge to a bold new tact (sic) by the Congress, and the FDA, in their obvious and continuing efforts to minimize, if not eradicate, tobacco use in the United States.” 

            Spener says, “I still hear from doctors …that moderate use is beneficial to the health of certain people…for example, those who serve on ships and likewise those in war who cannot get healthy food.  Thus, tobacco has its benefits,” (Spener 76). I had to remind myself that since Spener lived in the 1600s, tobacco products probably were a lot different than they are today.  They probably didn’t have the deadly chemicals that are in today’s cigarettes and cigars.  I do wonder if smoking all natural tobacco could actually be beneficial to one’s health.  I can’t seem to find any credible arguments or studies on this as many Google links turn up advertisements and product pages claiming to do so.

            I’m also reminded of the debate on whether marijuana should be legal after reading Spener’s comment that I wrote above.  I have, am, and always will be a strong advocate for the legalization of marijuana.  I believe that marijuana is beneficial to one’s health.  Cigarettes, alcohol, and even most over-the-counter and prescription medications are much more dangerous than natural marijuana.  According to a study done by the University of Rhode Island, smoking very large amounts of marijuana would put someone to sleep, while drinking very large amounts of alcohol could kill someone (“University of Rhode Island”).  Cancer patients have used marijuana to help increase appetite that has been lost during treatment.  Marijuana, according to some sources, does not cause depression.  Some sources say it causes depression, while others say it can help ease the symptoms of depression (Raison). 

            However, just like anything else in life, moderate use is recommended.  Smoking marijuana every day is probably going to be more harmful than beneficial.  Regular smoking can cause some of the same effects that cigarettes cause such as damaged lungs.  Nor should marijuana be used as a crutch to deal with life’s problems.

            Spener’s comments on tobacco can reflect what is seen here.  Too much tobacco is bad for your health, and the abuse of it is a sin, just like the abuse of anything is a sin.

Works Cited

"Legalizing Marijuana." University of Rhode Island. University of Rhode Island, n.d. Web. 9 Apr 2012. <http://www.uri.edu/personal/atro6990/>.           

Raison, Charles. "How does pot affect depression, bipolar?." CNN Health. Turner             Broadcasting Systems, Inc., 30 Mar 2010. Web. 9 Apr 2012. <http://www.cnn.com/2010/HEALTH/expert.q.a/03/30/pot.depression.bip            olar.raison/index.html>.

Spener, Philip. Whether Luther Urged Works Enough. Columbus: Zip Publishers, 2012. 74-5. Print.

Watkins, Tom. "Judge blocks law on cigarette pack warnings." CNN US. Turner Broadcasting Systems, Inc., 07 Nov 2011. Web

Psalms 50-59

I think we just dealt with Psalm 51 in church last week.


According to my notes, this is a psalm of confession.  Both kinds of sin are documented in this psalm.

1.) Original sin
2.) Act of sin

Psalm 51:3For I know my transgressions, and my sin is always before me.

Sin is always, and always will be, there.

Psalm 51:5Surely I was sinful at birth, sinful from the time my mother conceived me.

This is Original Sin, which is documented in Article II of the Augsburg Confession, which my church adult Sunday School is discussing at this time period.

Psalm 51:10Create in me a pure heart, O God, and renew a steadfast spirit within me.

 This is a song that the Senior Choir at church does every so often.  It's a great one.  I can't seem to find a version of it on YouTube.

Psalm 55:2Listen to my prayer, O God, do not ignore my plea; hear me and answer my.   My thoughts trouble me and I am distraught.

The Death of a Nazarene

[This paper was for my Jesus Through the Ages class at Capital University, where I'm seeking a minor degree in religion.]

Jesse Harmon

RELIG 210

March 19, 2012

The Death of a Nazarene

Crucifixion: the worst and cruelest form of torture according to Cicero, who lived from 106-43 B.C.E.  Notice how he said torture and not death.  This paper will describe two pieces of art.  One is a digital piece, and the other is a sculpture made of metal.

Since this is Year B in the Lutheran lectionary, I have chose the Gospel of St. Mark, the fifteenth chapter, and beginning at the twenty-first verse.  Various verses have been removed.

A certain man from Cyrene, Simon, the father of Alexander and Rufus, was passing by on his way in from the country, and they forced him to carry the cross. They brought Jesus to the place called Golgotha (which means “the place of the skull”)… And they crucified him. Dividing up his clothes, they cast lots to see what each would get. It was nine in the morning when they crucified him. The written notice of the charge against him read: THE KING OF THE JEWS…

I can’t seem to find what the name of this, when it was created, or who created it.  I like this piece because it will show a stark contrast to the statue that is to follow.  This maybe a fairly new picture, either digital art, or pen and ink.   In this picture, Jesus is a very handsome man with a masculine jaw, trimmed beard, toned arms, chest, and legs.  He even has six pack abs.  I think the artist is trying to portray Jesus as a handsome man.  To me, it looks like the artist is trying to make Jesus sexy.  It looks like he’s Jersey Shore’s “Situation” of the early part of the previous millennium. 

            One of the more interesting things about this piece is the beauty of the women.  They are all very young.  Mary Magdalene, assumed to be the woman on the left, looks just as young as Mary, the mother of Jesus, who is probably next to her.  If you notice, Mary, the mother of Jesus, looks just as young, maybe even younger, than Jesus himself. 

Notice also that the pierce wound is on the left side of the body.  Why would the artist put it there?  I’ve noticed that many pictures of Jesus on the cross show the spear wound on the right side of his body.  I wonder if this has any significance.  There is a statue at my church where Jesus has his hands opened toward the altar, with the wounds in his hands and feet, and the spear wound on his right side.  There is also a stained glass window of Jesus on the cross with the spear wound on his right side.  Could this signify the “right hand of God?”

This picture shows the three characteristics of Beauty, Love, and Goodness.  The beauty of this piece is the faces and bodies of each person.  The love is the fact that the women are surrounding Jesus as he dies.  The goodness is the fact that Jesus actually died on the cross to save us from our sins.  The cross itself is also beautiful.  It’s not as rugged as expected.

            I don’t know what I would think of this picture if I wasn’t Christian and I had not heard about the story of Jesus.  It would be difficult for me to imagine someone being held onto a wooden T with nails through his hands and feet.  Why would he do such a thing?  Is this punishment?  Is this an act?  

The following comes from the Gospel of St. Mark, the fifteenth chapter, and beginning at the thirty-third verse.

At noon, darkness came over the whole land until three in the afternoon. And at three in the afternoon Jesus cried out in a loud voice, “Eloi, Eloi, lema sabachthani?” (which means “My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?”). When some of those standing near heard this, they said, “Listen, he’s calling Elijah.” Someone ran, filled a sponge with wine vinegar, put it on a staff, and offered it to Jesus to drink. “Now leave him alone. Let’s see if Elijah comes to take him down,” he said. With a loud cry, Jesus breathed his last.

This image is actually a statue that comes from Saint Joseph Catholic Church in Grand Rapids, Minnesota.  The first thing that you may notice about this statue is that Jesus only has one hand nailed to the cross, (I’ll go in depth on how crucifixion actually was).  Why would the artist do such a thing?  Well, it was probably created to give the sense that people weren’t always crucified in the same way.  I’ve seen many pictures of Jesus with nails in his wrists and heels, and I’ve seen many pictures of Jesus with nails in his hands and through his feet.

This statue is impossible.   If Jesus were really hung from the cross with a single nail through the palm, he would have fallen off.  If you take your finger, and press down in the center of your palm, and bring your finger upward, you’ll notice that there are two bones to the left and to the right of your finger, but your finger is unobstructed as you move toward the area between your fingers.  Now imagine the skin ripping itself apart as you do that.  You can see it wouldn’t be possible for someone to be held up on the cross with a nail in just one hand, let alone both hands.

The nails were most likely driven into his feet, as it would be nearly impossible to drive the nail into the ankle or leg bone of someone, although I saw a documentary once that had a heel fragment of someone with a nail still in the bone.  Although nailing someone’s wrists or forearms to the cross was not uncommon, people were usually hung with ropes around their wrists or forearms. 

Death usually came from suffocation, instead of blood loss.  Imagine you’re doing pull-ups in the Capital Center.  Instead of pulling yourself up, just hang there with your feet off of the ground.  Try breathing normally.  Now imagine what happens to your lungs when you do that.  They will get compressed inward because your ribcage is getting squashed.  This will cause great pain, and restrict the lungs from breathing properly.

This statue seems to be made of maybe aluminum or some sort of softer metal than can easily be hammered or molded into shape.  Jesus doesn’t look healthy at all.  His ribcage may have been exaggerated, but you can still almost feel the pain that he’s in.  His legs are bent at an extreme angle to prevent him from hoisting himself up on his feet, increasing the pain in his hand.  One can probably guess where Jesus is trying to reach his right hand to…I think he’s trying to reach out to God in Heaven to save him.  

In this picture, you can see how big the statue actually is.  From what I can guess it’s about 12 feet tall.  For comparison, if you look on the bottom right of the picture, you can see a man on the ground.  (From what I understand, he’s using a hair dryer to pull up wax off of the ground).  It looks as if the actual metal statue of Jesus is the size of an average man.

This statue, I think, shows evil, ugliness, and lies.  The evilness is the fact that Jesus was crucified.  The ugliness is the actual body of Jesus, being contorted and with a ribcage being shown.  The lies about this statue is the fact that Jesus is being held onto the cross with only one hand. 

This image is also difficult to comprehend if I did not know about the story of Jesus.  I think I would see a man being held onto this wooden T by two nails as punishment instead of execution.  What did he do to deserve this?  Did he murder someone?  Did he steal?  When in history did this happen?  He appears to have a towel around him.  Is this humiliation?

Both images show the same scene, but in very different ways.  The first picture shows Jesus as a sexy man, with three women surrounding him.  The second picture shows Jesus all alone and pleading to be saved.

Remember that Jesus was not only fully God, but he was fully human as well.  He felt emotion and he felt pain.  In fact, he actually prayed that God would spare him the death that was imminent.  The second image, even though it’s incorrect, shows the crucifixion as it actually was.  Jesus was in pain, and he was crying out to his father to save him. 

Works Cited

"Jesus Was Nailed to the Cross." The Jesus Police. The Jesus Police, 10 03 2006. Web. 4 Mar 2012.

Psalms 30-39

Psalm 30 is a psalm of Thanksgiving.

Psalm 30:5...weeping may remain for a night, but rejoicing comes in the morning.

This reminds me of a Cash song.

Psalm 32:7You are my hiding place; you will protect me from trouble and surround me with songs of deliverance.

Psalm 33:2Praise the Lord with the harp; make music to him on the ten-stringled lyre.  Sing to him a new song; play skillfully, and shout for joy.

I have to constantly remind myself that guitars are allowed in church.  I grew up in a traditional church with a pipe organ, piano, and choir.  Although I'm not a fan of contemporary church services, I still need to remind myself that they are another way of worshipping God.  If you read any of my older posts, you can see that my view has changed.  I used to be a die-hard traditionalist, who thought that contemporary worship was of the Devil.  I don't think that way anymore, (at least I don't try to).

Justin Bieber Doesn't Need To Go To Church

I saw this posted on another blog (here).  Apparently, Justin Bieber doesn't feel the need to go to church.  Here's an article on it.

In a coming of age cover story photographed by Inez & Vinoodh, the soon to be 18-year-old pop singer discussed his rising fame, paternity suit controversy, and his views on faith and religion.

Bieber, an unabashed Christian, is known not to shy away from his beliefs in public, seen in his candid declarations of faith in Jesus, whom he believes died for his sins, to his visits to the holy land of Israel.

Most recently, the Canadian star turned heads again with a new tattoo – the face of Jesus Christ adorning the back of his calf.

With more to say about his faith, Bieber, who is currently recording his next album Believe, told V Magazine, according to the New York Post, “A lot of people who are religious, I think they get lost. They go to church just to go to church.”

“I’m not trying to disrespect them ... but for me, I focus more on praying and talking to Him. I don’t have to go to church.”

Responding to his statement, Dan Kimball, pastor of Vintage Faith Church in Santa Cruz, Calif., told The Christian Post that he agreed and disagreed with what Bieber was saying.

“[E]very Christian according to the New Testament is to be in some form of structured local church, whether a house church or large church,” the pastor stated. “We are not meant to be following Jesus without being in a Christian community, where if we are not there part of it, we are missed and noticed.”

“I do agree with him that some Christians can see ‘going to church’ as the basis for their faith, and that then becomes incorrect theology too,” Kimball noted.

Justin has got this all wrong. 

Matthew 18:20“Where two or three are gathered together in My name, there I am in the midst of them”

There's a verse in Hebrews that states,

"And let us consider how to provoke one another to love and good deeds, not neglecting to meet together, as is the habit of some, but encouraging one another, and all the more as you see the Day approaching. "

I have spent about half an hour searching my Pastor's blog that features a sermon he gave to my church just weeks after being installed as pastor back in 2007.  I think I found it.

I hope he doesn't mind I copy and paste this here.

Preparing For Jesus

The Lutheran Liturgy

I have consistently talked to my non-denominational church going friends about the liturgy, or lack thereof in their church.  I consistently explain that the liturgy is scripturally based, and the lack of it, I think, hinders one's relationship to God through worship.

In this blog post I will be explaining, as best as I can, how and where the different sections of a specific liturgy comes from.

I saw this post on The Lutheran.  Here is the link

Liturgy is the ‘what’

Be ready to adapt the ‘what’ for the ‘why’ of worship

Does talk of traditional Lutheran liturgy spark a realization that your congregation falls somewhere outside this box? You aren't alone.

Many ELCA members attend congregations with a less liturgical or even non-liturgical service. If you aren't paging through a cranberry, green, black or red book of worship on Sundays, you may well wonder: How does the Lutheran liturgy relate to my experience? On the other hand, if you deem the formal liturgy a necessity, you may wonder how some — even Lutherans — live without it.

Formal liturgical worship has been part of the Christian church for all its 2,000 years. It is and always will be part of who we are. But it's not the only option. Liturgy, or the "what" of worship (necessary prayers, certain actions or elements), shouldn't cause us to forget the "why" of worship.

So what is and isn't liturgy?

Liturgy is the form, not the purpose, for worship. Ultimately, worship is about God in Christ encountering God's people and sending us out by the power of the Spirit to live like Jesus in the world. The essence of worship isn't liturgical but sacramental.

To borrow from Martin Luther, God takes on flesh in, with and through us. We as the church become Christ's body in the world. While we prize our Lutheran forms of worship, the diversity in the universal church shows us there isn't one set form for worship, only one set purpose.

Adapting our approach 

We know people learn differently and no single learning style (e.g., lecture, interactive, self-guided, visual) works for everyone. The same is true for worship. Every congregation needs to wrestle with this reality.

People experience God in worship differently. When we limit or demand only one style, whether it be traditional or alternative, we risk excluding others from our community. IfELCA congregations are to continue passing the faith from generation to generation, we must commit to first proclaiming the "why" of worship and embrace the "what" as flexible and ever-changing.

We do well to consider that the average age of worshipers at an ELCA congregation is 57 and the average age of an American is 33, according to ELCA Research and Evaluation. Today some of the difference in worship style is generational, as aging baby boomers opt for the comfort of traditional liturgies. Meanwhile, many of their children and grandchildren search for the kind of experiences church futurist Len Sweet calls "EPIC."

EPIC stands for experiential (full integration of all senses rather than just hearing);participatory (away from passive observation); image-rich (sight-oriented with art, film and video); and communal (wanting to be the church rather than go to the church).

The truth is that many of those asking the "why" of worship are leaving or have left — often with the impression that the rest of us aren't willing to listen to their yearnings for God or to share with them in worship.

Yet what are we here for, if not to risk ourselves for the sake of others? We are to risk ourselves for those outside our worshiping communities and for those among us who seek to encounter Jesus as the heart of worship. What a blessing that Luther already gave us in the example of Reformation worship.

Reformation worship embraced and changed the "what" of the Latin mass, recovering the "why" of worship: people encountering God in their own language, in their own music, in good news of word and sacrament.

How can we as congregations risk ourselves today in worship?

• Offer options. If your congregation is large enough to have more than one weekly service, offer at least two choices: traditional liturgical and at least a blended EPIC (alternative style).

• Use technology. Digital technology isn't the enemy but a tool for EPIC worship in any style. Projection of text, music and art can enhance your space for the purpose of worship — not its object.

• Understand tradition. The most innovative alternative services are surprisingly "traditional," emphasizing weekly eucharist, communal prayer and other ancient elements. "Contemporary" doesn't mean abandoning the core of Christian worship but rather casting it in a new language.

• Embrace your context and recognize diversity. If your worshiping community is located in a small-town or rural area with many Sudanese immigrants, your worship music, images and styles will be different from one in a Latino neighborhood in Miami or in the ranch communities of Fresno, Calif.

• Listen openly. Don't reinvent the wheel. Learn from worship at other congregations. Listen to those who seek experiential, participatory, image-rich and communal worship. Listen to those who treasure the richness of traditional liturgy and recognize its value in your congregation.

• Share graciously. The "why" of worship is God revealed in Jesus crucified and risen for us. No single generation or community has an exclusive hold on how worship is done. Everyone must be willing to "lose" in worship so others gain. Look to the cross as both a reminder and a yardstick to measure the "why" and the "what" of Lutheran worship.

• Forgive generously. The "what" of worship will vary and occasionally be misunderstood, cause offense to some or be done poorly. But if we embrace the "evangelical" in our name (Luther's name for those who followed in his footsteps) we model the good news as we risk being vessels for others to experience Jesus in daily life, and not just for an hour on Sunday morning.

• Encourage abundantly. It's easy to complain out of a sense of personal loss or to wear down pastors and leaders about worship changes you don't agree with or understand. Try to put aside complaints and speak well of your worship leaders. This may be your opportunity to risk yourselves for them and those they seek to reach who are unlike you.

The next time you gather for worship, be it in pews surrounded by stained glass or by a stage with a latte, take time to look around. Who do you see? Who do you not see? Your answers shouldn't be cause for despair or self-congratulation.

What you will see is Jesus in the flesh: in, with and through you ... in bread and wine ... in body and blood. As you allow the "why" of worship to become primary, you may be surprised at how God blesses you with the "what" of worship. And that includes both the beautiful, traditional liturgy and its contemporary, less liturgical expressions, moving your congregation beyond its walls, beyond the generations and beyond all differences to become the church, the living body of Christ today and tomorrow.

When we go through the liturgy, we get a sense of what the Bible is telling us.

Since my church still uses the old green Lutheran Book of Worship, I've decided to pull out the old liturgy we use to use.  It started on page 77 and is called Brief Order of Confession and Forgiveness.

In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit.

Amen.Almight God, to whom all hearts are open, all desires known and from whom no secrets are hid.....

The actual confession goes like this.

Most merciful God,
we confess that we are in bondage to sin, and cannot free ourselves.  We have sinned against you in thought, word, and deed, by what we have done, and by what we have left undone.  We have not loved you with our whole heart; we have not loved our neighbor as ourselves.  For the sake of your Son, Jesus Christ, have mercy on us.  Forgive us, renew us, and lead us, so that we may delight in your will and walk in your ways, to the glory of your holy name. Amen.

Let's go through this confession and find it in the Bible together.  

We have not loved you with our whole heart.

The Bible reads in Matthew 22-31-38,

And as for the resurrection of the dead, have you not read what was said to you by God,“I am the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob”? He is God not of the dead, but of the living.’ And when the crowd heard it, they were astounded at his teaching.When the Pharisees heard that he had silenced the Sadducees, they gathered together, and one of them, a lawyer, asked him a question to test him.  ‘Teacher, which commandment in the law is the greatest?’  He said to him, ‘ “You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, and with all your soul, and with all your mind.”  This is the greatest and first commandment.  

The very next part in the confession goes like this.

We have not loved our neighbors as ourselves.

Matthew 22:39 says, 

And a second is like it: “You shall love your neighbour as yourself.”  On these two commandments hang all the law and the prophets.’

There are two Hymns of Praise in the green book.  The first one we use to sing when there was no communion.  The second, when there was communion. 

Lord, God, heavenly Kingalmighty God and Father.We worship you, we give you thanks.We praise you for your glory.Lord, Jesus Christ, only Son of the Father.Lord God, Lamb of God: You take away the sin of the worldHave mercy on us.You are seated at the right hand of the Father; receive our prayer.For you alone are the Holy One,You alone are the Lord,You alone are the Most High,Jesus Christ, with the Holy Spirit,in the glory of God the Father, Amen.

As you can see here, there is a lot of references to the Trinity, (God the Father, God The Son, and God the Holy Spirit).  Even though the Trinity was an idea created by Man, the inspiration was from scripture.  

The second Hymn of Praise was for communion week.

This is the feast of victory for our God. Alleluia.Worthy is Christ, the Lamb who was slain,whose blood set us free to be people of God.Power and riches and wisdom and strength, and honor and blessing and glory are his.
This is the feast of victory for our God.Alleluia.Sing with all the people of Godand join in the hymn of all creation: Blessing and honor and glory and mightbe to God and the Lamb forever. Amen.
This is the feast of victory for our God,for the Lamb who was slainhas begun his reign.Alleluia. Alleluia.

As you can see, this has a lot of references to the Last Supper.  Matthew 22:26-29 states,

While they were eating, Jesus took a loaf of bread, and after blessing it he broke it, gave it to the disciples, and said, ‘Take, eat; this is my body.’  Then he took a cup, and after giving thanks he gave it to them, saying, ‘Drink from it, all of you; for this is my blood of the covenant, which is poured out for many for the forgiveness of sins.  I tell you, I will never again drink of this fruit of the vine until that day when I drink it new with you in my Father’s kingdom.’

The most important part of any service is obviously the Lord's Prayer.

Our Father, who are in heaven,    hallowed be thy name,    they kingdom come,    thy will be done,        on earth as it is in heaven.Give us this day our daily bread;and forgive us our trespasses    as we forgive those         who trespass against us;and lead us not into temptation,    but deliver us from evil.For thine is the kingdom,    and the power, and the glory,    forever and ever. Amen.

Matthew 6:9-13 is a majority of the Lord's Prayer.

This...is how you should pray: "Our father in heaven, hallowed by your name, your kingdom come, your will be done on earth as it is in heaven."  Give us this day our daily bread.  Forgive us our debts, as we also have forgiven our debtors.  And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from the evil one."

The last petition, "for thine is the kingdom, and the power, and the glory, forever and ever. Amen."  confused me.  It's not anywhere in the Bible that I can find.  This doctrine is not found in either Luke or Matthew.  Many Catholics and some Lutherans don't use this part of the Lord's Prayer, since it's not in the Bible, but many Lutherans and other denominations attach it.  According to Wikipedia, a similar phrase can be found in 1 Chronicles 29:11.

 Yours, O Lord, is the greatness and the power and the glory and the majesty and the splendor, for everything in heaven and earth is yours.

 As I was looking through the rest of the green hymnal, I came across an offertory hymn that I don't remember ever singing, except as a choral piece in the Senior Choir.  It goes as follows.

Create in me a clean heart, O God,and renew a right spirit within me.Cast me not away from your presence,and take not your Holy Spirit from me.
Restore to me the joy of your salvation,
and uphold me with your free Spirit.

 This can be found in Psalm 51: 10-12.

Create in me a pure heart, O God,
and renew a steadfast spirit within me.
Do not cast me from your presence
or take away your Holy Spirit from me.
Restore to me the joy of your salvation
and grant me a willing spirit, to sustain me.

I was hoping to find the version of the song we do in Senior Choir at church, but I can't seem to find it on YouTube anywhere. 

________

While reading 1 John for another blog, I came across another part of the Lutheran Liturgy.  

1 John 1:8-9

If we claim to be without sin,  we deceive ourselves and the truth is not in us.  If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just and will forgive us our sings and purify us from all unrighteousness. 

 This is said by the minister before we do the actual confession of sins.

The Thirty-nine Articles (1563)

[This paper was written for the Reformation and Enlightement class at Capital Univeristy, where I'm seeking a minor degree in religion.]

Jesse Harmon

RELIG 321

March 6, 2012

The Thirty-nine Articles (1563)

            In 1563, a revision of Edward’s Forty-two Articles of 1553 was published.  This article is considered to be the defining document of the Church of England.  The articles in this document deal with the Holy Trinity, the Resurrection of Christ, the humanness of Christ, free will, good works, the three creeds, baptism, sacraments, and the traditions of the church.  This paper will discuss some of the articles, and some of my reactions to it.

            Article four discusses the Resurrection of Christ.  The article states that Christ did indeed rise from the dead, was once again human (with flesh and bone), and is indeed sitting at the right hand of the Father (Janz 369).  I like to think with scientific mindset.  Over the years, I’ve tried to come up with a scientific explanation of the Resurrection of Jesus.  I haven’t come up with any theories, except this (which I painfully would like to dismiss):  Jesus didn’t actually die, but was sent into a protective coma.  Sounds like heresy to me.  I don’t believe it.  I guess this is one thing that can’t be explained by science. 

            The seventh article deals with the Old Testament.  This article does states that the Old Testament is not contrary to the New Testament.  It goes on to explain that the purity laws of the Old Testament are no longer needed for the followers of Christ, since they were written specifically for the people of Moses.  However, the article also states that Christians should still follow the morals set by Moses in the Old Testament (Janz 370).  Before reading this, I thought this idea of the purity law was a relatively new concept, since my pastor has talked about it before in church.  He wrote this in a February 9^th blog entry,

“… much of the Old Testament book of Leviticus conveys ritual/sacrificial law no longer valid because Jesus Christ has become the perfect sacrifice for sin ‘once and for all’ or civic law, invalidated because we do not live in a theocracy, as ancient Israel was meant to be. But sections of Leviticus, like the portion of it referred to as ‘the holiness code,’ are merely explanations of the Ten Commandments, the Mosaic Law…” (Daniels). 

However, Pastor Jason Peterson (LCMS) of Burt, Iowa, states that some laws should still be in effect.  He states that the laws concerning sexual ethics are still applicable because they “explain the commandment against adultery,” and laws concerning assault should still be in effect because they “explain the commandment against murder.” (Peterson).

            The Good Works article is the twelfth one.  “Albeit that good works… cannot put away our sins, and endure the severity of God’s judgment…” (Janz 371).  This is very similar to what Martin Luther said about good works.  Martin Luther believed that humans are saved by faith alone in God’s grace.  I have always been one to advocate doing good things, as seen in my blog post from August 14, 2011.  My church, Saint Matthew Lutheran Church, has recently been doing a lot of “Kindness Outreaches” to the community.  Kindness Outreaches is a program based on ideas by Pastor Steve Sjogren.  We had out cold bottles of water to people who have stopped at red lights at the intersection of Zanesville Avenue and Hunter Street in downtown Logan, Ohio.  Here is what I wrote about a memorable experience. 

“One of the most memorable things that happened was when I handed a bottle to a man and his son in a truck.  The son offered to give me his entire allowance from that week, (a dollar), but I declined and said the water was really free.  They both smiled, said thank you, and took the water bottles.  (We don't take money for these kindness outreaches.  We're trying to negate the idea that churches are only looking for people's money),” (Harmon). 

I used to be confused as to what was being said about faith alone in God’s grace.  Then it struck me a few months ago while reading about Martin Luther.  Good works alone cannot save me.  One can do good works, but it’s the faith that brings salvation.  This article reinforces my new thought.  It states that good works please God, and is perfectly acceptable.  This is fantastic!  I love doing good things!  I love going to mission trips to help out families in need.

            Article twenty-eight deals with the Lord’s Supper (Janz 373).  I have always been conflicted with the Lord’s Supper.  I have believed that communion is a symbol of what happened at the table, and I didn’t believe that the body and blood of Jesus were present in the bread and wine (I still have a lot of reservations about this, but that’s just my Devil’s advocate personality).  Being raised Lutheran, I’ve been taught that the bread and wine contain the body and blood of our Lord, Jesus Christ.  I guess the idea of eating human flesh and drinking blood grosses me out.  Given what I just wrote, you can probably guess that I think transubstantiation is a bunch of gobbledygook.

            Finally, I’m going to focus on article thirty-four, which deals with church tradition (Janz 374).  I personally love tradition.  I think it’s a great way for people to know the ways of the church.  Since the liturgy is based on scripture, I think it’s sad that many newer 20-something churches don’t have a liturgy.  I’m going to describe what my church does during services. 

First, we have the typical prelude and announcements.  Then we have the first hymn, which is usually a “welcome to worship” hymn.  Next we have Confession and Forgiveness.  We say, “We confess that we have sinned against You in thought, word, and deed, by what we have done, and by what we have left undone…” The Kyrie is sung next (“Lord, have mercy upon us…”).  Then we have the Hymn of Praise.  The prayer of the day is after that, followed by the scripture readings, the Gospel, and the sermon.  We then sing the next hymn, followed by either the Apostles’ Creed (“I believe…”), or the Nicene Creed during Holy Communion, (“We believe…”).  The Prayers of Intercession are after that, followed by the Sharing of the Peace.  After the offering, the Doxology is sung.  Then Holy Communion, if scheduled on the first and third Sundays of each month, is presented.  Enwrapped by Holy Communion is the Great Thanksgiving (“The Lord be with you.” “And also with you.”), the Sanctus (“Holy…Lord, our God of pow’r and might…”) The Words of Institution follow that (“In the night in which he was betrayed, our Lord Jesus took the bread…”) Then communion is administered.  After that, the Nunc Dimittis is sung (“As you have promised and as we depart…”).  Finally, the Benediction is recited (“The Lord bless and keep you...”).  As you can see, tradition is very important to me.  My church has gone away from the liturgy found in the old green Lutheran Book of Worship hymnal - we probably won’t be getting the new cranberry Evangelical Lutheran Worship hymnals - and toward a newer, self-written liturgy, but at least it’s a liturgy. 

            The article states that all of this is not necessary.  I have to constantly remind myself that worshipping God doesn’t have to be through tradition.  Newer contemporary worship styles are just as important as traditional styles.  I still don’t like it though.  If I want to hear distorted electric guitars and drum sets, I’ll go to the Scarlet and Grey Café on Saturday nights.  I believe in the beauty of the pipe organ, as it’s something very special  (you generally don’t go to a bar on Friday or Saturday nights to hear someone play a pipe organ).

            This was a very fun essay to write because I got to let you see a generalization of my views on Christianity.  I hope you learned something about me and about my faith, as I have been reminded by writing this piece. 

Works Cited

Daniels, Mark. "Yes, Homosexuality is a Sin; But God Wants to Set People Free from It." MarkDaniels.Blogspot.com. Mark Daniels, 09 Feb 2012. Web. 5 Mar. 2012.

Harmon, Jesse. "Kindness Outreaches." A Learning Lutheran. Jesse Harmon, 14 Aug 2011. Web. 5 Mar. 2012.

Janz, Denis R., ed. The Thirty-nine Articles. 2nd. Minneapolis: Fortress Press, 2008. 368-76. Print.

Peterson, Jason P. "Old Testament Laws." Lutheran Reformission. Rev. Jason P. Peterson, 06 May 2010. Web. 5 Mar. 20

Dear 50 Year Old Me

Dear 50 Year-Old Me,

Remember me?  I am you when you were 20.  Think about it.  Only 20 years old.

Look at yourself.  How have you changed?  Have you gotten thinner?  Have you gotten fatter?  Have you gained some muscle?  Have you lost some fat?  Has your voice changed?  Are you bald, or is your hair down to your knees?  Is your hair still brown, or are you grey?  Do you have many wrinkles, or are you baby faced?

Did you graduate from college?  Did you go to graduate school?  If so, what did you get a masters degree in?  Did you get a doctorate?

Are you married?  Are you single?  Are you (God forbid) divorced?  How many children do you have? 1? 2? 3? 10?

Do you still believe in God?  Do you still attend church regularly?  Are you still Lutheran?  Do you still do sound for a church?  Do you even still go to St. Matthew?  Do you even live in Logan anymore?

Just before typing this letter to you, I read the Song of Songs for Jesus Through The Ages class at Capital University.  Remember Dr. Bryant?  I liked it.  It details the love between a man and a woman.  Do you still think homosexual marriage should be legal?  Remember when you did?

Do you still like to learn about the history of the Bible?  Do you still like to learn about the Reformation and Martin Luther?

Do you still have contact with your friends from high school?  How about from college?  Are you or were you in a band with folks from Capital?  Did you go on the road and make it big?

Do you still think about Logan?  Do you still think about working in the yard gardening or trimming trees?  Do you frequently think about the bipolar weather?

Do you still suffer from depression?

Did you survive past 2012?  God, I hope so.


See you in 30 years!
Jess

What's Been Troubling Me

As many of you know, if you read my previous blog called "Doubt," you know that I suffer from clinical depression.  In September of 2007, I attempted suicide after a fight with my father.  I got treatment and new medicine.

Lately, I've been feeling down again.  I don't know why.  Could it be the stress of strenuous college courses?  Could it be the stress of knowing that I'm going to somehow pay off $100,000 debt in the future?  The stress of knowing that I need a new car by the end of the year for my professional internship, (I don't trust my current 1998 Chevy Monte Carlo. I just turned over 190,000 miles this past week).  Where will I live during the internship?  Will I be able to afford to eat healthy?  Will I get enough sleep?

My best friend and I aren't talking right now.  Two weeks or so ago, I posted a funny picture on his Facebook page.  He didn't get a chance to see it until later that night.  When he did, he was furious.  This person, with over 1000 friends on Facebook, unfriended me.  I was heartbroken.  We usually laugh at this kind of thing, but for some reason, he has this idea that he should be seen as perfect in everyone else's eyes.  That's what I don't understand.  Humans aren't perfect.  Am I over reacting by not talking to him?  Was it my fault?  What did I do wrong?  The picture was not offensive at all.  It was one of those pictures you would see on People Of Walmart.

My friend and I still haven't reconciled.  I don't know if I can.  I miss him so much.  He's my best friend.  He was there for me in September of 2007, and he was there for me during the whole liver transplant ordeal with my father.  He's been very supportive of me over the years.



There is still one friend that I know will always love me, no matter what happens.

I have to go to sleep.  I need to get up at six to go work out a little.