Child of God Child of Man
Over the weekend, Pastor Art and I went to see the movie “Children of Men”. A harsh portrayal of a world without hope. An appropriate movie to watch as the echoes of the Right to Life - Prolife marches of last week fade away. Latest statistic - 1 out of every 4 pregnancies in the USA end in abortion. And did I also hear that 45% of American woman are battling infertility?
There are so many factors that could bring life as we know it to a grinding halt. From bird flu to terrorism, yet life goes on. As in the days of Noah.
I was thinking about that phrase - As in the days of Noah - which led me to read Luke 17:22-37...and Genesis 6: 5-6...and Genesis 9:1-6
And I saw 2 things I hadn’t noticed before. The passages in Luke are often used by the rapture teachers, about those who will be left behind. I always thought that the disciples asked our LORD the question “When?’ But the question they asked after his discourse was “Where?”. As in, “Where will they be taken?” And his answer was, “Where the body is, there also will the vultures be gathered.” Doesn’t sound like they’ll be taken to heaven, I’d rather not be taken to where the vultures gather. Thanks, really, but I’d rather be the one left behind.
And the other thing, which stood out because I once got into a debate about whether or not we were made in the image and likeness of God. This particular teacher was saying that after the fall, mankind was no longer in the image and likeness of God. It wasn’t until we were saved, and of course our salvation was is a gift from God, as is our faith and the ability to seek and say yes to God. In other words, only those who were predestined to be saved were or could be considered made in the image and likeness of God. But after the flood, after the waters receded, God said these words to Noah - “Whoever sheds man’s blood, by man his blood shall be shed, for in the image of God He made man.” A hint of the cross I think, in those words. Yet still, sin nature or not, Man was and is created in the image of his/her creator.
We are attending the local “Episcopalian” church, which is in deep crisis. I love the liturgy and respect the priest who is grieving so for the sake of his flock and the Church he loves. And again I think of the Roman Catholic Church and the teachings I’ve been listening to. And the letter I have yet to mail. The Episcopalian denomination - actually the Church of England - the Anglicans broke away from the RC because a king wanted to divorce his wife. The Lutherans were only seeking to reform the RC Church, not create a new and improved Church, and if you look into Luther’s life, his writings other than the 31 statements hung on the door, or the famous “I can do no other” speech, are very anti-jew, anti woman, sort of messed up, if you ask me. But what does what I say or believe matter? It’s all a question of authority. And the Church that claims apostolic authority from the time of Peter is the Church that has pretty much stuck to it’s guns when it comes to calling Sin, Sin. All societies of man are in some way corrupt. All Churches and Denominations have skeletons in their closet, dark secrets they rather not admit. And much harm has been done in this world in the name of Christ. But all Christians owe a debt of gratitude and respect to the Roman Catholic Church and her early Church Fathers and Martyrs. I really need to spend some time blogging. I only steal a moment here or there and usually I am so tired I can not think straight, which is probably why I should blog, and visit some of my blog friends. I need to exercise my mind, to stretch it out some. Thanks to all those who still read and comment here, and to those who email their comments. Thanks to the prayers for praying.
4 comments:
I have little experience with the Episcopalian church, although i visited a few in Britain.
I hope you get the time to blog maryellen - I know that it's hard!
Cheers,
Grey Owl
The reason why we went to the Episcopalian Church was that the priest there was a brother in the Lord, a gentle man whose love for Jesus and the Word of God was very obvious. Pastor Art learned a lot about Litergy, the mechanics and purposes of it, in the year that we were worshiping there.I had forgotten the sense of Sacred, didn't realize how much I had been missing it. The services are very "Catholic" in style. And when the priest distributed communion, every week, He called everyone by name, it was beautiful and I will miss it.
"But all Christians owe a debt of gratitude and respect to the Roman Catholic Church and her early Church Fathers and Martyrs."
But only those Christians. I don't think the rest of us feel anything close to debt to that institution. The RC is the very definition of what goes wrong when you put religion in the hands of man.
Wanderer, I actually think the whole modern world, for what it's worth, owes a debt of gratitude to the Roman Catholic Church. It kept the Word of God alive and assessable through the dark ages, it raised the status of women from slave and property to help mate and partner, it did away with child sacrifice, sexual exploitation in the name of worship, and much more. We could substitute the word Christianity for Roman Catholic Church in the above statement, but must remember, for 1500 years it was Christianity. As far as putting religion into the hands of man, God took upon himself, flesh and blood, he had himself human hands, and before assending once more to his throne, he himself handed religion over to humanity.
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