I love books. I really do, I love to read them, I like the way they smell, I like the way most of them look, and I like how they fit themselves so well onto my shelves. I got to take my wife to Barnes & Noble yesterday, ostensibly to buy her a new journal. But of course, what should happen, but I discovered the discount books section - and I walked out with two hardcover books (novels) for like, $10. Which is fantastic, as far as I'm concerned.
I have this thing with hardcover books, especially. They're so much more special than paperback, somehow. I like the feel of hardcover because I (and anyone who borrows it) can't break the binding, and I like that the pages stay open better. Which makes me feel kind of guilty, really - I never like lending out paperbacks because I selfishly hope that they won't break the binding (my books are very special to me).
I'm kinda tough like that - I never like lending out anything, so when I do, it's an act of sheer willpower. And yet God calls us to be generous. I think that's the lesson that God's been teaching me lately - how to be generous. I've had so many situations popping up lately where I have to give more money than I'm comfortable (usually more than $0), and where I have to give just a bit more time than I'd like, or just a bit more of resource X that I'm starting to wonder just what's up with it all, anyway.
It turns out that the whole tithing thing seems to apply to more than just your finances too. I tithe - I think it's important, it's scriptural, and the church needs the money more than me (who'd just buy nifty computer gadgets with it - not to mention, as a future pastor, I figure it's important to practice what I'll really want to preach). I'm thinking that it's supposed to apply to every resource - your time, your money, your ... take your pick, especially of what's important to you. Anyway, that's my bit for today. I'm going to read a book.
February 28, 2005
February 23, 2005
The Reformation Mistake
I'm becoming increasingly confused. We've been reading a book called The Voices of Morebath in my Christian History class as a tool to discuss the English reformation. The more we talk about it, the more confused I get - I'm sort of torn between "it was a good reformation that had to happen" and "what dumbass got it in his head to let this happen?"
The views are both valid, and I hate that I'm thinking either of them. To make matters worse, it turns out that England is like, the second most secular country in Europe, right after Sweden (who knew, it's NOT France!). I'm more or less convinced at this point that there was a reformation that HAD to happen, but it didn't, and in it's place, a bastardized reformation that screwed the English people out of church leaders who had backbone or religious stamina.
This is not to say that the Anglicans or Episcopalians (their American counterparts) are terrible or un-Godly people. I'm sure a bunch of them have a spirited heart for God, the same way that lots of Catholics and lots of Protestants have a heart for God. But, I'm pretty sure that, moreso than in Protestantism or even Catholicism, the Anglican church is a place of Sunday Christians. I'm in no way claiming that ANY church is devoid of this problem (the problem of devotion dates back to ... well, Adam and Eve), I'm simply saying that the more I read, the more I worry that the Anglican/Episcopalian churches are founded on the whim of a ruler who couldn't wait to bed a new wife, and eventually (at my last count) had a total of six of them, most of whom ended up dying in some grisly fashion or another.
I'm not sure what to do with this information. Does this mean that I judge the Anglicans in a way that's different from the way I judge a Protestant or a Buddhist or a Jew? No - I'm not supposed to judge anyone - that's God's job, and frankly, He can HAVE it. But man, it's way disappointing to read Christian history - God came all the way down here to help us, and in return, we screw up His church something awful. It's like taking a bonfire and dumping a bucket of water on it, then a hose, and then aww heck, let's just unplug the dam and let the lake put it out.
So I guess the point is to learn from our past mistakes. And man, we've got a LOT of them. Back to the books.
The views are both valid, and I hate that I'm thinking either of them. To make matters worse, it turns out that England is like, the second most secular country in Europe, right after Sweden (who knew, it's NOT France!). I'm more or less convinced at this point that there was a reformation that HAD to happen, but it didn't, and in it's place, a bastardized reformation that screwed the English people out of church leaders who had backbone or religious stamina.
This is not to say that the Anglicans or Episcopalians (their American counterparts) are terrible or un-Godly people. I'm sure a bunch of them have a spirited heart for God, the same way that lots of Catholics and lots of Protestants have a heart for God. But, I'm pretty sure that, moreso than in Protestantism or even Catholicism, the Anglican church is a place of Sunday Christians. I'm in no way claiming that ANY church is devoid of this problem (the problem of devotion dates back to ... well, Adam and Eve), I'm simply saying that the more I read, the more I worry that the Anglican/Episcopalian churches are founded on the whim of a ruler who couldn't wait to bed a new wife, and eventually (at my last count) had a total of six of them, most of whom ended up dying in some grisly fashion or another.
I'm not sure what to do with this information. Does this mean that I judge the Anglicans in a way that's different from the way I judge a Protestant or a Buddhist or a Jew? No - I'm not supposed to judge anyone - that's God's job, and frankly, He can HAVE it. But man, it's way disappointing to read Christian history - God came all the way down here to help us, and in return, we screw up His church something awful. It's like taking a bonfire and dumping a bucket of water on it, then a hose, and then aww heck, let's just unplug the dam and let the lake put it out.
So I guess the point is to learn from our past mistakes. And man, we've got a LOT of them. Back to the books.
Anniversary
Six months of being married, yesterday!
Current Status: Very Yes!
Dude - I highly recommend this marriage thing; way cool. My only regret is having to spend the whole day working (school, coffee shop, etc). But that's ok - life goes on, and we'll do something tonight. :)
Current Status: Very Yes!
Dude - I highly recommend this marriage thing; way cool. My only regret is having to spend the whole day working (school, coffee shop, etc). But that's ok - life goes on, and we'll do something tonight. :)
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)