New Years 2011 - Can You Believe This?

Can you believe this?

We are now beginning 2011 - A New Year - and most of our churches are still thinking and doing the "same old things". We keep talking about renewal and growth but unfortunately we seem to keep doing and thinking as we always have for the last ? number of years. I am sure you have heard this definition of insanity by Albert Einstein who said "The definition of insanity is doing the same thing over and over again and expecting different results". Think about this quote for a second and ask yourself, does this quote apply to the way your church functions?

When we consider the amount of change in the last two centuries, especially in America, it should not be difficult for anyone to recognize that change continues to occur. Major events have created amazing change just in the last century and it doesn't seem to be slowing down and, in fact, maybe increasing as time passes. It is also evident that many of these changes are still in progress like, equal rights for women, the complete end of racial prejudice, changing understanding of human sexuality, the end of colonialism, moving toward a global economy, etc. The slowness of these and others only suggest how hard it is for people to make changes as life moves forward. Changes in our religious understanding and status is also in flux. In America and around the world there are many more religious denominations and a significant increase in thousands of individual churches and other independent groups. With the expansion of travel and communication the world has a new awareness of a wide variety and consistent expression of religious thought. In our own Anglican Communion we struggle with certain topics that threaten us with division. Because change happens differently in issue and time for individuals and communities and, with the encroaching global effect in every area of life, we will continue to struggle with change. I am certain that everyone must come to terms with the inevitability of change.

One of my former bishops in the diocese of Newark, The Right Reverend John Shelby Spong, wrote an entire book entitled, "Why Christianity Must Change Or Die". This book was copyrighted in 1998 and, like many of his thoughts, was probably ahead of its time. He discusses that "A new reformation of the church's faith and practice" is essential for survival. Some think that he is famous while others declare him as infamous, but I would not dismiss the title of this book as irrelevant to a truth we must begin to learn. In many ways I consider him to be a prophet in our time and wish that more people could hear his warning to all churches, especially those who simply want to sing that old hymn, "Tell Me the Old, Old Story" - the stories we love to hear. We forget the words of the prophet Isaiah 42:6, 9, "I, the LORD, have called you for the victory of justice, I have grasped you by the hand; I formed you, and set you as a covenant of the people, a light for the nations. See, the earlier things have come to pass, new ones I now foretell; Before they spring into being, I announce them to you." The early church told us, "Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, they are a new creation; the old has gone, the new has come!" - 2 Corinthians 5:17. Clearly our experience of the Spirit must be new everyday!

Recently there are five books that Seabury Books has published and these five books are suggested reading for the continuing life of our Episcopal Church. They are printed in paperback and very reasonable in price so that everyone who sees the handwriting on the wall may purchase them and consider their content so that we may experience a new creation and move from the old to a newer time. They are all titled with the words, "Mission-shaped" in the title. The one about the Church - "church planting and fresh expression of church in a changing context" has a forward by The Archbishop of Canterbury, Dr. Rowan Williams. This, I believe, emphasizes the scope of our interest and the need for a fresh global expression. Here are the titles of the set:

· Starting from Zero with $0 - building mission-shaped ministries on a shoestring - by Becky Garrison

· Mission-shaped Questions - defining issues for today's church - by Steven Croft, editor

· Mission-shaped Spirituality - the tranforming power of mission - by Susan Hope

· Mission-shaped Church - church planting and fresh expressions of church in a changing context - Foreward by Dr. Rowan Williams

· Mission-shaped Parish - traditional church in a changing world - by Paul Bayes, Tim Sledge, John Holbrook, Mark Rylands & Martin Seeley

For the last ten years at least, before my retirement at age 72, I constantly announced to all who would hear me that "money is seldom the problem while people are usually the problem". When you consider that the first book in the mission series suggests that you can begin with 0 dollars and develop outstanding new ministries on a "shoestring", I believe my statement is well proven by the living faith experiences of others. Stephanie Spellers, who has an exciting book on "Radical Welcome", is one of those cited in this particular book regarding her work in Boston, an innovative new work in their Cathedral Church. She is coming in January to the Diocesan Convention of the North Carolina where hopefully her witness will encourage radical new ideas for the leadership gathered at this convention. Bishop Curry has prefaced things well in the December Issue of the "Disciple" with its theme, "Making Room in the Inn", including a booklet inside on "Gospel Based Discipleship". I only hope that ears will hear and spirits will be empowered for new things in North Carolina as we begin 2011.

Perhaps the church will change when each of us is willing to make changes beginning with Welcome and Hospitality. Change begins with each individual in the community of faith but many are reluctant to make changes in their own lives first. In the December issue of "Disciple", on page 10, there is an article called "Season in Bloom" by The Rev. Angela Boatright-Spencer. In this article Angela points out, "If we don't love and accept ourselves fully, just as we are (while acknowledging that we still can grow and improve), then it's hard for us to love and accept anyone else. Other people will always be invaders coming to crowd us out of an already small margin of grace." Welcome begins with God's love fully residing in us so that we can make room for others and genuinely act like All Are Welcome, as many of our signs declare. Welcome is basically hospitality as defined by the Rev. Canon Timothy Boggs of our Washington National Cathedral, “Hospitality is not merely making space for somebody else, it’s about letting people into your hearts and letting them change you."

When we recognize that all people are capable of leadership and ought to be leaders in our congregations, we will have the resources to make our witness become a reality to establish the Realm of God in our time and place. This is what Bishop Curry has presented in the “Disciple” as "Gospel Based Discipleship" that is essential for understanding and executing our mission as the people of God. For over five years I immersed myself in the study of leadership and summarized what I believe is the essense of leadership in an acronym of five points:

· Learning Enthusiastically

· Appreciating Diversity

· Encouraging Relationships

· Sharing Hospitality

· Inspiring People

LEADERSHIP is possible when we are committed to these activities for ourselves and others. On our website there is a series of articles that explains the details of what is necessary in "Learning to Live Well" and contains a summary of much of my learning to train leaders. http://janddhealth.com/LWellPage.html

It is very important to know that money is never the beginning of anything. Without people who are enthusiastically committed to a plan with the will to carry it through, ministry cannot happen. After a plan is presented there is usually some money available to get things started, but no amount of money will do much of anything if there are no people causing and continuing the vision. People are always first and foremost in everything that begins and continues. We need to be entrepreneurs in our growing Global Capitalism by establishing Community Development Corporations within our church corporations to establish ministries that provide the leadership and programs to service needs in our communities. The Polity of ECUSA (The Episcopal Church in the United States of America) is ideal for such corporate opportunities. We are, quite frankly, a well organized "franchise" in the way we function together as a church and provide the backing and solidarity to have the necessary respect in today's economy. Keep in mind that many of the leaders and founders of this country were a part of the Church of England that later was incorporated by many of these leaders as the Protestant Episcopal Church in the United States. It is this not-for-profit corporate structure that will energize and support our efforts to serve others as a Faith-Based community.

Under the first Covenant with the Hebrews, after the Noahide Covenant that applies to the whole of humankind, the prophet Zachariah said to Zerubbabel, "This is the word of the LORD to Zerubbabel: 'Not by might nor by power, but by my Spirit,' says the LORD Almighty." (Zechariah 4:6 NIV) The people of God understood and experienced this Spirit as the enabling force of accomplishment in their lives. It was the same with those who were empowered by the Spirit in the New Covenant mentioned in Colossians (1:27 NIV), "To them God has chosen to make known among the Gentiles the glorious riches of this mystery, which is Christ in you, the hope of glory." It is always people who are energized by that Spirt who foster the Realm of God in their time. The words of an age-old blessing continues to assure us today, "May the caring peace of God that goes beyond human comprehension, declare God’s love for you in your heart and mind as we see it in Jesus Christ; and may the blessing of God, loving Creator, gracious Liberator, and life giving Spirit keep you steadfast now and always. Amen."

Not a Matter of Right or Wrong

Not a matter of right or wrong

This dualist understanding of morality is, more often than not, used to establish moral principles and thereby causes more diversity and division than the order and decency desired.

It might be better to distinguish the realm of moral principles by simply using the word righteousness to define the wholeness of the concept we wish to set forth. The dictionary defines righteousness as, "adhering to moral principles". By using this one word we can speak about all principles regarding morality without the notion of the dividing dualism of the either / or of right and wrong. Principles are not categories but moral concepts that are either adhered to or not so it is more appropriate to say that one is following a life of righteousness or unrighteousness. This enables us to have a holistic way of describing our adherence to our moral principles effectively without causing argument or categorical division. A person is either practicing or not practicing these principles, they are righteous or unrighteous. After all, one is either living by moral principles or one is not living by moral principals, it has little to do with right or wrong.

Religious divisions are commonly caused by assuming that one group is right and the another is wrong. Unfortunately religious definitions of right and wrong are more likely based on doctrinal belief rather than on moral principles. Comparing religions by their moral principles is more likely to show their concepts of common similarities and celebrate their holistic unity. Here are some words that may suggest these common principles.

Love, Grace, Justice, Mercy, what do these words mean?

Love: 1, a strong positive emotion of regard and affection; 2, any object of warm affection or devotion; 3, a beloved person.

Grace: 1, elegance and beauty of movement or expression; 2, a sense of propriety and consideration for others; 3, a disposition to kindness and compassion; benign good will.

Justice: 1, the quality of being just or fair; 2, the administration of law; the act of determining rights and assigning rewards or punishments; "justice deferred is justice denied".

Mercy: 1, leniency and compassion shown toward offenders by a person or agency charged with administering justice; 2, a disposition to be kind and forgiving; 3, the feeling that motivates compassion.

In the writings of the Apostle Paul, the earliest books in the New Testament, we hear these words pointing out that laws cannot necessarily make these principles a reality in our lives. These come from a higher, deeper, and more pervasive and universal truth.

"But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control. Against such things there is no law. Those who belong to Christ Jesus have crucified the sinful nature with its passions and desires. Since we live by the Spirit, let us keep in step with the Spirit. Let us not become conceited, provoking and envying each other." (Verses 22-26) "The entire law is summed up in a single command: "

'Love your neighbor as yourself.' If you keep on biting and devouring each other, watch out or you will be destroyed by each other." (Verses 14-15) (Galatians 5: NIV) Perhaps it was the Hebrew prophet Jeremiah in 31:33 who exposed this beautiful relationship with God when he said, "This is the covenant I will make with the house of Israel after that time," declares the LORD. "I will put my law in their minds and write it on their hearts. I will be their God, and they will be my people.”

Most people are familiar with a "common sense morality", based on norms such as "treat others as you would like to be treated", "keep your promises", "be fair" and "do your best". Along with these common sense guides to behaviour, there are also values that are generally held to be "good": happiness, honesty, justice, charity, courage, integrity, community, love, knowledge and freedom. Most people are familiar with these ideals, which do not depend on any religion, but "common sense" principles of morality may be insufficient when considering complex situations. Philosophers have used these ideals to develop moral theories to help guide behaviour and have postulated ethical standards and principles based on them. The failure of any predominant theory to emerge is because in practice it may be difficult to rely on any one theory in all situations. Some flexibility may be needed in applying different theories at different times or in combination. Rather than specifying a theory and then trying to apply it in all cases, a better alternative may be to attempt to specify a comprehensive set of basic principles, that may universally be regarded as having general moral value.[i]

Resnik has suggested a basic set of eight such principles, together with brief annotations:[ii]

Non-malificence: Do not harm yourself or other people.

Beneficence: Help yourself and other people.

Autonomy: Allow rational individuals to make free and informed choices.

Justice: Treat people fairly: treat equals equally, unequals unequally.

Utility: Maximize the ratio of benefits to harms for all people.

Fidelity: Keep your promises and agreements.

Honesty: Do not lie, defraud, deceive or mislead.

Privacy: Respect personal privacy and confidentiality.

While the meaning of words such as "harm", "benefit", fairness", "rational", and "deception" may be debated, it can be seen from this list that it is indeed possible to postulate a reasonably comprehensive list of principles that may form a useful guide to a general moral system. The list incorporates many principles that are common to all cultures. It may accord in part with certain religiously inspired principles but does not rely on them. The principles are not absolute rules but guidelines to be used in conjunction with each other. There may be conflicts between them. For example it is generally presumed that honesty is good, but there may be circumstances where it is not, for example if honesty would assist a person with known and immediate malevolent intentions. When faced with an ethical dilemma, it is suggested that after gathering information and exploring different options, a balanced decision could then be made by evaluating the options in relation to these principles. This procedure is known as "moral reasoning" leading to a state of "reflective equilibrium", or balanced judgement.

When righteousness becomes encoded into law or doctrine it takes on the character of being 'right'. This written code tends to last forever even though cultural changes and progress may render them pointless. When these laws become out of date, they are not removed but simply ignored. Principles do not grow old because their intent is connected to the very fiber of life and living. This idea is best summarized in a hymn written by an American poet, James Russel Lowell, who writes in the third stanza, "New occasions teach new duties; time makes ancient good uncouth; They must upward still and onward who would keep abreast of truth."[iii] The truth that is spoken of here comes to us in universal principles that time does not change. These principles are common to all people everywhere, in all time, and in all places and can be summarized in one word, righteousness. While laws are helpful they can never be universal forever.

With each culture and religious group encoding principles into laws and doctrines they set righteousness into codes and pronouncements that must be enforced. While universal principles may be behind these laws and doctrines, their delineation into law and doctrine in local cultures and religions can make them appear to be in opposition. Even though we live in a time when communication enables us to see and hear about peoples and cultures around the world, we may not be aware of what life is actually like for them or how these differences may be interpreted in their laws and doctrines. With a significant amount of unity regarding basic universal principles of righteousness, local nuances can distort this uniformity when it comes to local customs and codes of living. This is especially true among the many and various religious expressions in their practice, custom, and doctrine. The variety that exists in what we call marriage may be a good example.

"Through most of Western civilization, marriage has been more a matter of money, power and survival than of delicate sentiments. In medieval Europe, everyone from the lord of the manor to the village locals had a say in deciding who should wed. Love was considered an absurdly flimsy reason for a match. Even during the Enlightenment and Victorian eras, adultery and friendship were often more passionate than marriage. These days, we marry for love—and are rewarded with a blistering divorce rate."[iv] If you believe that marriage is always and only about one man and one woman then you need to read the outline of the history of marriage on this Psychology Today webpage.

Over the centuries, and even today, the practice of polygamy exists. There are basically three forms; "polygamy - where a man has multiple simultaneous wives; polyandry - where a woman has multiple simultaneous husbands; or group marriage - where the family unit consists of multiple husbands and multiple wives. Historically, all three practices have been found, but polygyny is by far the most common."[v]

Then there are various religious views that appear to conflict if we insist that only one of them is right and the others are wrong. It changes when we are willing to concede that it is not a matter of right or wrong but righteousness, ending dualistic thinking for a wholelistic appreciation of adhering to moral principles which all the religions try to understand and practice.

· In Buddhism, marriage is not a sacrament. It is purely a secular affair and the monks do not participate in it. Hence it receives no religious sanction.

· In Hinduism polygamy was practiced in many sections of Hindu society in ancient times.

· In Judaism multiple marriage was considered a realistic alternative in the case of famine, widowhood, or female infertility like in the practice of levirate marriage, wherein a man was required to marry and support his deceased brother's widow, as mandated by Deuteronomy 25:5–10. Despite its prevalence in the Hebrew bible, scholars do not believe that polygamy was commonly practiced in the biblical era because it required a significant amount of wealth. In the modern day, Rabbinic Judaism has essentially outlawed polygamy. Ashkenazi Jews have followed Rabbenu Gershom's ban since the 11th century. Israel has made polygamy illegal,[22][23] but in practice the law is not enforced, primarily so as not to interfere with Bedouin culture, where polygamy is common.

· In Christianity, Saint Augustine saw a conflict with Old Testament polygamy. He refrained from judging the patriarchs, but did not deduce from their practice the ongoing acceptability of polygamy. On the contrary, he showed that polygamy of the Fathers, tolerated by the Creator because of fertility, was a diversion from His original plan for the human marriage.

The New Testament does not specifically address the morality of polygamy. 1 Timothy, however, states that certain Church leaders should have but one wife. Periodically, Christian reform movements that have aimed at rebuilding Christian doctrine based on the Bible alone (sola scriptura) have at least temporarily accepted polygamy as a Biblical practice.

· In Islam, polygamy is allowed, with the specific limitation that they can only have up to four wives at any one time. The Qur'an clearly states that men who choose this route must deal with their wives justly. If the husband fears that he cannot deal with his wives justly, then he should only marry one.

In both our cultural and religious areas of living we have primarily considered ourselves to be a part of separate tribes or groups that individually and collectively identify who we are, what we think, and how we act. Until recently the lack of easy travel and communications limited our knowledge and understanding of the other and allowed us to assume that our tribe or group was better and more advanced. Our identity, our knowledge and understanding, our behavior as a people was not only right but also superior. As methods of travel and communications evolved, and we were more apt to come together in each other's space and time, our awareness was more inclined to see the differences rather than the similarities. Since human nature seems more prone to allow us to see our own worth more than that of another, we may easily judge that we are right and the others are wrong. The lack of uniformity in custom and expression gave easy rise to division and contempt rather than any compromise toward unity and mutural respect. Unfortunately any progress in travel and communication seems to contribute to greater notions of negative judgments toward others instead of encouraging more impetus toward compromise and mutural respect.

As long as we think that uniformity will be achievable and continue to insist that it should become a reality, then we are likely to continue having strife and divisions. As long as we believe that dualism is an appropriate concept that should be engaging us in healthy discussions, we probably will continue struggling with our divisions. As soon as we embrace holism and seek unity, rather than uniformity, and appropriate compromise for solutions in our existential varieties, we have a chance to live together in harmony and tranquility. This does not mean that all struggles and conflicts will end but it does mean that we will more rapidly find the equilibrium necessary toward more peaceful existence. Both birth and death are not without their turmoil, but we need new birth and we cannot avoid death.

As a matter of fact, righteousness is a moral imperative; you are either adhering to moral principles or you are not. The dictionary defines an imperative as, "some duty that is essential and urgent". To be successful in life it is essential and urgent that you are a righteous person and that in body, mind, and spirit you live righteously. Life is an expansive process that grows and develops through change by modification and alteration. Without righteousness, nourishment for the body, renewal of one's mind, and buoyancy of spirit, life cannot continue in health and wellbeing. In the reality and vitality necessary for living well, right and wrong are too simplistic and empty in comparison to comprhensive richness of righteousness. In the Realm, or Kingdom of God, that Jesus announced, preached, and demonstrated, we are shown the righteousness that was sorely lacking in the earthly kingdoms of humankind. This is why his presence and ministry was so offensive to the leaders of his day and why they reacted so violently to what he represented. His witness and lifestyle was far above the simplistic notions of right and wrong. The unrighteousness of the world in Jesus' day was in sharp contrast to what Jesus said God had intended for all people, in every place, for all time.

Christians often speak of one Lord, one Faith, and one Baptism when they aspire to unity. Difficulties develop when their divisions begin because of their doctrinal declarations about Lord, Faith, and Baptism with no room for any variance. It is precisely in those particulars that Christians become divided into literally thousands of separate identities by which they define who is right and wrong. Too often the doctrines developed by a host of individual denominations and communities have little if anything to do with righteousness and keeping moral principles. “Christians came from Europe to American in order to find religious freedom and get away from the persecutions of the established church. Many groups, like the Quakers and Puritans, formed the first 13 colonies on the basis of their religious beliefs. Although the plan was to escape persecution, there was actually some amount of persecution happening in the colonies. As more people came religious diversity grew and the persecution diminished. By the adoption of the Constitution in 1777 the separation of church and state was finalized. Overall, religion was an important aspect in the colonization of America.”[vi]

Even though people came to America for freedom to live and worship, they were rather unkind and uncaring toward the Indians, the indigenous people of this land who continue to be oppressed as a people. It is also true that religious people who wished for freedom did little or nothing to prevent the magnitude of slavery that developed in America. Their interpretation of the Bible, in fact, led credence to this cruelty as allowed by God. Under constitutional government only land owners could vote and, even to this day, the election of our president is not one person one vote but through an electoral college. The religious understand of those who sought freedom continued the belief that woman and children were under the control and authority of men. A woman's right to vote and labor laws, for women and children, did not come until the twentieth century. To this day religious freedom is not so much a fact for each individual person but rather that people can form religious communities that maintain religious practices as they choose and believe as a group.

In America we talk about one nation with liberty and justice for all in the dream that will bring a hospitable government and a wholesome environment for all people in our land. As more and more people immigrate from a variety of ethnic backrounds and cultures we become inundated with even more diversity. They bring with them an understanding and experience of life that is often very different than ours. We, who are born here, may also tend to forget our own progression and development to new ways and ideas as we grow older. There is, however, one common denominator and word that unifies us all, "Righteousness exalts a nation, but sin is a disgrace to any people." (Proberbs 14:34 NIV) It is our unrighteousness that is our common disgrace and scourge and unrighteousness boils down to one other contrasting word, inhospitality.

To put it another way, life is either a yes or a no; moving forward or moving backward, living righteously or not. In chapter 3 of Revelation the Spirit says, 1. “I know your works; you have a name of being alive, but you are dead. 2 Wake up, and strengthen what remains and is on the point of death…” 15 "I know your works; you are neither cold nor hot. I wish that you were either cold or hot. 16 So, because you are lukewarm, and neither cold nor hot, I am about to spit you out of my mouth.” 20 “Listen! I am standing at the door, knocking; if you hear my voice and open the door, I will come in to you and eat with you, and you with me.” One is either adhering to the universal and eternal moral principles or one is not. Life is a choice, like flipping a coin that has two sides – heads or tails as we say while neither side is right or wrong. We are moving forward and making progress or we are moving backward. There is no standing still in life as the scripture indicates, you are hot or cold, in or out, living or dying! We are welcoming or unwelcoming, hospitable or inhospitable, inclusive or limiting and hopefully we choose what is life giving and life enhancing. Those who drive well and move forward in life look through the windshield and not the rear-view-mirror. Backing up may have its place at times, but moving forward is what gets us to our destination.

Dualistic understanding of morality - right or wrong - is, more often than not, used to establish moral laws that cause more diversity and division than the order and decency desired. Moral principles should not be divided into right or wrong because they define righteousness and the only opposing value to righteousness is unrighteousness, simply meaning lacking in righteousness. It is one or the other and not a matter of right and wrong to judge or condemn. Adhering to and practicing universal moral principles will enable us to create and experience the unity and peace for which we all long. We can hope to live in unity and peace when we stop judging one another with right and wrong and inspire and encourage one another to live in righteousness – adhering to moral principles.

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[i] http://home.alphalink.com.au/~jperkins/humoral.htm - ref

[ii] Resnik, David B., "The Ethics of Science: An Introduction". Routledge, New York 1998.

[iii] http://www.thinkinganglicans.org.uk/archives/000645.html

[iv] http://www.psychologytoday.com/articles/200505/marriage-history

[v] http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Polygamy

[vi] http://www.uncp.edu/home/canada/work/allam/16071783/religion.htm

Christ The King - Living the Liturgical Year

The Ending Feast of the Liturgical Year

Christ the King

Introduction:

“Christ the King is a title of Jesus based on several passages of Scripture and, in general, used by all Christians. The Catholic Church and many Protestant denominations, including Anglicans, Presbyterians, Lutherans and Methodists, celebrate, in honour of Christ under this title, the Feast of Christ the King on the last Sunday of the liturgical year, before a new year begins with the First Sunday of Advent (the earliest date of which is 27 November). The Feast of Christ the King is thus on the Sunday that falls between 20 and 26 November, inclusive”.[i] A few examples of scripture are: "Let Christ the King of Israel descend now from the cross, that we may see and believe. And they that were crucified with him reviled him." (Mark 15:32 KJV) "And they began to accuse him, saying , We found this fellow perverting the nation, and forbidding to give tribute to Caesar, saying that he himself is Christ a King." (Luke 23:2 KJV)

To start with we might keep in mind that, in our world today, the title of king is basically symbolic. There are only a few monarchs that are truly sovereign in a few countries that still refer to their head of state as king or queen. When America began, our forbearers came here to discover a new land that would give them new freedoms and opportunities without the tyranny of such rule. The American revolution eventually accomplished this and a new form of government was founded on law under the will of the people.

“In early times there was a belief in the "Divine Right of Kings." It was understood as a "doctrine in defense of monarchical absolutism, which asserted that kings derived their authority from God and could not therefore be held accountable for their actions by any earthly authority such as a parliament. Originating in Europe, the divine-right theory can be traced to the medieval conception of God’s award of temporal power to the political ruler, paralleling the award of spiritual power to the church. By the 16th and 17th centuries, however, the new national monarchs were asserting their authority in matters of both church and state. King James I of England (reigned 1603–25) was the foremost exponent of the divine right of kings, but the doctrine virtually disappeared from English politics after the Glorious Revolution (1688–89). In the late 17th and the 18th centuries, kings such as Louis XIV (1643–1715) of France continued to profit from the divine-right theory, even though many of them no longer had any truly religious belief in it. The American Revolution (1775–83), the French Revolution (1789), and the Napoleonic wars deprived the doctrine of most of its remaining credibility." [ii]

As time progressed this understanding was altered by a question of how this doctrine was administered beginning in medieval times. A controversy developed between the Church and secular rulers as to its origins. "All were agreed that it came ultimately from God who alone held the right over life and death. What was at issue was the route. The papacy held that it came through God's representative, the Church and its ministers. Anti-papalists, such as Dante, maintained that power in secular matters came directly from God to the monarch, whether he be elected or hereditary. The argument was revived in the sixteenth and seventeenth centuries with the rise of absolute monarchs in France and England. In its extreme form, as stated in Basilikon Doron by King James I, it says that: (1) political power comes directly from God to a hereditary monarch; (2) that monarch has absolute power which cannot be in any way restrained; and (3) anyone who opposes the monarch in any way is guilty of treason and liable to death, and, possibly, damnation. Filmer gave divine right a patriarchal base by attempting to ground it on the authority God gave to Adam, as the father of the human race.

The doctrine was opposed by the Jesuits—Bellarmine and Suarez in particular. It was brutally set aside in England by Cromwell and in France by the Republic in 1792-3. In England it was revived by Charles II but died with the Glorious Revolution of 1688. — Cyril Barrett.[iii]

What may this Feast mean today?

What kind of king do we see in Jesus? Was he to be or was he ever a ruler king by Divine right? Apart from a few scriptures that use the title king what do many other words about him and his words and actions suggest to us?

To begin with, let us consider the birth narratives. They all seem to suggest a very modest and humble beginning. Of the four gospels only Matthew and Luke contain stories of the birth of Jesus. Matthew tells us that Mary and Joseph were only betrothed but Joseph is assured, quoting the prophet Isaiah, that the child would be "Emmanuel", meaning God with us and so they named him Jesus. Matthew then tells of the visit of the Magi who, by the leading of a star where they found him in a home in Bethlehem and knelt down to worship him and bring him gifts. He concludes his narrative by reporting the the flight into Egypt, Herod's massacre of the babies, and the return of Joseph and Mary to Egypt. Luke, at greater length and detail, begins with the birth of John the Baptist, including the Annunciation by the Angel to Mary, Mary's visit to John's parents, Zechariah and Elizabeth, and the birth of Jesus in a manger in Bethlem. In this very humble scene he does include the singing of an angelic multitude along with the visit of local shepherds. Their stories pose the idea of a king in their narratives but emphasize the presence of God in the life of the newborn Jesus.

His life was also a testament to simplicity as best we know. The Synoptic Gospels are the primary source of such knowledge and the details of his daily lifestyle are sparse. They speak of no lavish existential possessions or habits that might portray anything but simplicity. "Jesus calls some Jewish men to be his Twelve Apostles. None of them seems to have been a peasant (an agricultural worker). At least four are described as fishermen and another as a tax collector. Jesus speaks of the demands of discipleship, telling a rich man to sell his possessions and give the money to the poor. He states that his message divides family members against each other. Luke places a special emphasis on the women who followed Jesus, such as Mary Magdalene. In the Synoptic Gospels, Jesus speaks primarily about the Kingdom of God (or heaven). In Matthew and Luke, he speaks further about morality and prayer. His moral teachings in Matthew and Luke encourage unconditional self-sacrificing God-like love for God and for all people. During his sermons, he preached about service and humility, the forgiveness of sin, faith, turning the other cheek, love for one's enemies as well as friends, and the need to follow the spirit of the law in addition to the letter." [iv] Except for the large crowds he was said to attract by his preaching, there seems to be nothing to suggest anything but humility and simplicity.

During the final days, when he entered Jerusalem for the last time, we see clearly his humility when he enters on the back of a borrowed donkey. While our religious tradition often refers to this as his "triumphal entry" into the city, during the celebration we begin to see a humble and tragic end. There are many examples during these closing scenes that in no way reflect a king in the traditions of humanity. We begin to see what a king is like in the Realm of God, that kingdom that Jesus told us he was here to proclaim. His preparation is in prayer and communication in the solitude of a garden and away from the crowds. Jesus speaks about the realities and the clear distinctions of God's realm and the brutality of the kingdoms of this world. When he visits the Temple his actions point out the poverty of their worship showing their attention to temporal matters and not on the eternal values that count most for a good life. After this the Gospel of Mark tells us stories about the Fig Tree, the questioning of authority, the parable of the tenants in the vineyard, questions about taxes, and life after death. Before Mark moves toward the final events before the crucifixion, we read about the Great Commandment, Jesus warning the teachers of the Law, the widows offering, the discourse on the destruction of the Temple, and the horror that comes from the neglect of the eternal values that are a part of God's Realm.

During the Passover Meal that Jesus shares with his disciples he makes it clear that living their lives according to God's Realm on earth is no easy task. They will need to be nourished in the table fellowship that only God can provide for their sustenance. They cannot betray eternal principles by the use of physical violence as portrayed by the story of Peter cutting off one of the ears of a guard when they came for Jesus to take him awaway. They will need to stand firm and strong against the human judgements that stand against the peaceful authority of the creator of all that is. While you may be threatened by these temporal judgements with physical death, be aware that they cannot destroy the eternal life you have with all creation. We will be raised and transformed by the authority of the Creator's design like that of energy and matter, which are equal and fused with the speed of light squared, and cannot be destroyed but only transformed. Often, in Scripture, we are told that "God is Light" and in the theories of Science we may be just beginning to understand what all of this might mean?

The Feast of Christ the King, to me, has a whole new and comprehensive meaning as we end this Litirgical Year. As we move into this 21st century let us move forward in our interpretations to reflect our knowledge and understanding of our world today. The doctrine of absolute sovereignty no longer exists in most of our developed nations. Where the title of king or queen is still used almost none of them has absolute power and authority. Most nations are governed by laws that even the leadership is supposed to follow. This is why the dictionary defines a dictator, who attempts to rule sovereignly, as "a ruler who is unconstrained by law or a person who behaves in a tyrannical manner". Even our understanding of God's sovereignty, if that term is still used, is one primarily of love that calls us to respond in love to a righteousness with universal principles. These principles seemed to be shared by almost all faiths, especially those who celebrate and honor that Light that is the integral part of the universal equation of Relativity.

The Feast of Christ the King is a grand celebration and reminder of the wholeness of God's Realm. It brings together the eternal and the temporal as two aspects of the same. Our trend toward dualism has the tendency to separate and divide that which is whole. This celebration is a reminder of the relativity of the eternal and the temporal in the essence of life. The eternal and temporal are as equal as are energy and matter are equal. Christ the King is our Christian symbol and reminder of the mystery of the Light that enables the whole equation to be. The simple and yet profound seen in the vision of the burning bush from which the voice declared, "I Am", the verb to be! Just as the seven days of creation depict the mystery of the origin of a Universe of time and space, so the seven seasons of our liturgical year speak of the mysteries of life in the majesty of the Realm of God. The following are brief paragraphs to review these seven seasons of our Liturgical Year.

In Advent - we are asked to awaken and watch for that which is coming. A new cycle with new beginnings reminicent of the Big Bang, the singularity, that began the creation as we know it. Almost every religious tradition has something like the beginning of our yearly liturgical calendar called Advent. It is a time of renewal to call all of us forth to wake up and smell the coffee as I explain in my article on Advent. [Read the article on Advent]

We are invited again to use all of our senses and human intelligence to continue anew in ways that inspire and bring forth new things. While looking at progress from our past and dreaming about new possibilities for the future we are encouraged to use our productivity in the now to move forward in another year. Learning To Live Well is another series I wrote about such progress for living when anyone realizes these opportunities and awakens to probabilities, possibilities, and productivity in living well year after year. [Read the article on Probabilities]

I believe most agree that the main theme of Christmas is the great love of God for the whole world and how Jesus came to be the living word to announce and demonstrate this greatest of gifts – LOVE. Religious and non-religious people alike seem to talk about love and losing our affections for material things that more often diminish our humanity, especially in these lean economic times. Let us not become jealous because this extravagant love of God belongs to all of us, everywhere, at all times, and in all places. Is this not, my friends, the essence of the story of Christmas? The humble yet dramatic awareness of God’s love for our living together in this world; the wise and the foolish, the prominent and the poor, the people near and far, the angels above and the animals below are never separated from this love of God now and forever. [Read the article on Christmas]

The term epiphany means "to show" or "to make known" or even "to reveal." In Western churches, we recall the coming of the wise men bringing gifts to visit the Christ child, who by so doing "reveal" Jesus to the world as Lord and King. In the season of Epiphany we might try to learn about God and ourselves as the people of God. The Scriptures themselves give us clues of helpful ways to expand acquisition and knowledge. One of the Psalms is rather clear, “The heavens declare the glory of God; the skies proclaim the work of his hands. Day after day they pour forth speech; night after night they display knowledge. There is no speech or language where their voice is not heard.”[iv] How grateful we can be for all of today’s science like Astronomy, Math, Physics, Chemistry, and many more. Religion, especially in the past, has often been very slow and resistant to accept these modern stories, learned from research, as accepted truth. [Read the article on Epiphany]

Just maybe, if we really think about it, Lent is the very tradition we need more than anything else if we are to survive in this 21st Century. Often I have heard leaders tell us, “If you do not come apart – you will come apart”. Everyone is familiar with “R & R” (Rest and Relaxation). It seems that most people work more than one job and take very little, if any, time for themselves. With the present economy we hear that many individuals and families, especially those who are out of work, do not have enough money to take a vacation. Is it surprising that people’s worlds are falling apart? Many people may have to start over or to at least renew whom they are in order to continue and move forward. A season of Lent may be helpful to many. [Read the article on Lent]

Not only do secular myths and practices dilute Easter, "the Feast of Resurrection", like other Christian holidays, but it can also be weakened by a misinterpretation of this illustrious Feast. The popular misconception of this primary announcement is resuscitation, coming back from the dead, rather than resurrection, being raised to a new life. This is a very important distinction if we are to get the full and complete picture of this far-reaching declaration in our personal lives. Easter is more that just a day in the life of Jesus or for an occasion in our lives after we have physically died. Easter is an experience that we can have multiple times throughout all the days of our life on this earth. [Read the article on Easter]

Pentecost can represent a lot of varied ideas and celebrations for religious communities and individuals. Briefly we have seen that it was a sacred time in our Jewish and Apostolic roots. For the Hebrews it was gratitude for the provisions of food and physical nourishment. For the Apostles, it was a unique awareness and coming of the presence of the Spirit of God. In Jewish custom it also became a time to include gratitude for the giving of the Law through Moses and the early church expanded it from one day to a whole season following Easter. In both cases these were primary days of celebration for acknowledging God’s gifts for the people of God. [Read the article on Pentecost]

As we close each Liturgical Year as followers of Jesus with the Feast of Christ the King let us consider how we might live out this celebration in our daily lives. Having considered the style of the kingship of Jesus as a humble and prayerful servant we might remember these words of Jesus in John's Gospel, "Very truly I tell you, whoever believes in me will do the works I have been doing, and they will do even greater things than these, because I am going to the Father." (John 14:12 NIV) In the Christian scriptures of Peter and Paul we also have these words, "But you are a chosen people, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people belonging to God, that you may declare the praises of him who called you out of darkness into his wonderful light." (2 Peter 2:9 NIV) "Now if we are children, then we are heirs--heirs of God and co-heirs with Christ, if indeed we share in his sufferings in order that we may also share in his glory." (Romans 8:17 NIV) In the closing book of the Christian testament of scripture these two verses stand out to suggest our partnership in the Realm of God, "You have made them to be a kingdom and priests to serve our God, and they will reign on the earth." (Revelation 5:10 NIV) - "and has made us to be a kingdom and priests to serve his God and Father--to him be glory and power for ever and ever! Amen." (Revelation 1:6 NIV)

What then are we doing with our lives to bring this Realm of God into our world now? We have come a long way in human history and yet there is so much more to be done. The resources of our earth are abundant, but not everyone shares equally. As a kingdom of priests, so to speak, are we fulfilling our calling appropriately so that the generousity of our earthly realm is properly disbursed? There are so many stories in our cultures and sacred myths that clearly admonish us to care and share. For Christians it is very clear, in the life and teachings of Jesus the Christ, as to the way we must live. Teaching about faithfulness Jesus said, "From everyone who has been given much, much will be demanded; and from the one who has been entrusted with much, much more will be asked." (Luke 12:48 NIV) If the doctrine of the divine right of kings is dead in our understanding today why replace it with another false doctrine regarding the wealthy? Since we acknowledge that we brought nothing into this world and know that we cannot take anything out of this world, why pretend that we are not equal in living? Whether we have been given much or have been entrusted with much - received or aquired it - our mission is clear.

What we need to be doing together in our world is also clear. The Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) are eight international development goals that all 192 United Nations member states and at least 23 international organizations have agreed to achieve by the year 2015. They include eradicating extreme poverty, reducing child mortality rates, fighting disease epidemics such as AIDS, and developing a global partnership for development.[v]

Goal 1: Eradicate extreme poverty and hunger

Goal 2: Achieve universal primary education

Goal 3: Promote gender equality and empower women

Goal 4: Reduce child mortality

Goal 5: Improve maternal health

Goal 6: Combat HIV/AIDS, malaria and other diseases

Goal 7: Ensure environmental sustainability

Goal 8: Develop a Global Partnership for Development

How will all this ever come to pass? None of the above, along with many other hopes and dreams we may have for our future well being, will ever be accomplished without everyone’s cooperation and participation. The majority of our world wants peace and prosperity that will only become possible if we are people of PEACE - People Energizing Alternatives Causing Equality! We the people can bring this vision of God's Realm to a reality as soon as we actively energize our responsibilities and faithfully serve in this world as a "kingdom of priests". Utilizing our time, talent, and treasure we can insure this vision becomes a reality.

May the caring peace of God that goes beyond human comprehension, declare God's love for you in your heart and mind as we see it in Jesus Christ, and may the blessing of God, loving Creator, gracious Liberator, and life giving Spirit keep you steadfast now and always. Amen.

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[i] http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Christ_the_King

[ii] http://m.eb.com/redirect?type=topic&id= Political Dictionary

[iii] http://www.answers.com/topic/divine-right-of-kings

[iv] http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jesus

[v] http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Millennium_Development_Goals