Jesus on Trump?

So life is crazy busy this week, long story and I won't give the short version, save to mention that quakes are part of it. No progress on my "apostolicity" post. But here is a quick post. Reading Luke 19:11-28 the other day, I was struck by resonances in the story with the election of Donald Trump as US president AND the reports coming out of Washington/New York of who is in favour, out of favour, in favour then out of favour (etc) re forming the new government. Oh, and reports of people not wanting Trump as their king president!

Jesus, sort of, knew the story of Trump as a perennial story of royalty, grants of favour, expectations and days of reckoning and revenge. Yes, Jesus made it his story of the kingdom, but today, read it as a story resonating with the crazy reports coming out of the citadels of forthcoming US power ...

"

11 As they were listening to this, he went on to tell a parable, because he was near Jerusalem, and because they supposed that the kingdom of God was to appear immediately. 

12 So he said, "A nobleman went to a distant country to get royal power for himself and then return. 

13 He summoned ten of his slaves, and gave them ten pounds, and said to them, "Do business with these until I come back.' 

14 But the citizens of his country hated him and sent a delegation after him, saying, "We do not want this man to rule over us.' 

15 When he returned, having received royal power, he ordered these slaves, to whom he had given the money, to be summoned so that he might find out what they had gained by trading. 

16 The first came forward and said, "Lord, your pound has made ten more pounds.' 

17 He said to him, "Well done, good slave! Because you have been trustworthy in a very small thing, take charge of ten cities.' 

18 Then the second came, saying, "Lord, your pound has made five pounds.' 

19 He said to him, "And you, rule over five cities.' 

20 Then the other came, saying, "Lord, here is your pound. I wrapped it up in a piece of cloth, 

21 for I was afraid of you, because you are a harsh man; you take what you did not deposit, and reap what you did not sow.' 

22 He said to him, "I will judge you by your own words, you wicked slave! You knew, did you, that I was a harsh man, taking what I did not deposit and reaping what I did not sow? 

23 Why then did you not put my money into the bank? Then when I returned, I could have collected it with interest.' 

24 He said to the bystanders, "Take the pound from him and give it to the one who has ten pounds.'

25 (And they said to him, "Lord, he has ten pounds!') 

26 "I tell you, to all those who have, more will be given; but from those who have nothing, even what they have will be taken away. 

27 But as for these enemies of mine who did not want me to be king over them—bring them here and slaughter them in my presence.' ""

Real earthquakes strike NZ, again

Much political comment around the globe about Trump and Brexit "earthquakes" but last night, 12.03 to 12.06 by my bedside clock, a major quake, 7.5, struck NZ, about 100kms north of Christchurch. Here the quake wasn't violent but it went on for a very long time.

The way the faultlines of our country work, the damage of the quake spread north and north-eastwards from its epicentre, devastating Kaikoura, damaging Wellington and many other places.

And, two people are dead. These are the real earthquakes of life!

Meanwhile, slightly distracted re my next post on apostolicity ...

God has judged America [UPDATED]

Notwithstanding a priest's recent comment that the earthquakes in Italy recently are a judgment of God re The Issue, I think God's judgment on this world is best discerned in the course of human history. The decisions we make have consequences, and the consequences come to pass in the course of time. In Paul's repeated words in Romans 1:24, 26, 28, "God gave them up ..." we find that God does not so much visit us with punitive earthquakes as refuse to rescue us from what we have foolishly chosen to do.

For an America which has given itself over to the debauchery and quackery (reality TV) which passes for Hollywood entertainment, which has rorted the political and financial systems in favour of the 1%, and more recently doubled down its relentless critique of the Christian gospel, God has given them up in this election to the perfect expression of 21st century American culture.

The rest of the world is under this judgment too, the pain of it almost certainly to be felt in economic strife and stress, if not in many more wars or even one big WW3.

Yesterday, NZ time 9 November = US 8 November, our morning office OT reading was Daniel 5:13- the end, the memorable "writing on the wall" story. Within the writing on the wall is the word "MENE" meaning "God has numbered the days of your kingdom and brought it to an end" (5:26). Are we seeing the end of America as a "kingdom"?

Even a secular approach to these matters has some coherence here, in the old political adage that we get the leaders we deserve!

POSTSCRIPT: There are thousands of blogs etc being written about the election and I have read a few of them. The best comes from friends in Uganda, offering a wry observation on all that we can celebrate about Trump's victory!

UPDATE: I have read widely, consulted with rocket scientists, and I suggest the wisdom of the wider world a few days after the election is this: Trump will not be as bad as some people fear and he will not be as good as other people hope. :)

Beatitudes and Best Fielding Ever, what more could one ...

The End is Nigh, or is it? Maureen Dowd sets the two candidates before us with her usual droll insights and sharp reporting.

Good things can come from dialogue. A few weeks back I reported on a story which suggested a banning of IVP from the annual SBL Conference. But now peace and light has broken out.

Moving beyond conflict, Pope Francis has announced six new beatitudes. I like the last one especially.

Then an interesting, thoughtful, non-religious argument for marriage!

Only to be matched by an interesting, thoughtful and, of course, religious argument for celebrating critical theology but not being nostalgic for the days of sceptical theology.

Great news for the All Blacks at the weekend. They received one of their occasional lessons in humility. Enough said. No doubt the best links to this dose of comeuppance are in Gaelic!

But the sporting moment of the weekend might just be the "Best Ever Fielding" ever, when Bavuma ran out Warner at the WACA, with an extraordinary feat of athleticism and accuracy.

Remember, when all else turns to custard in the world at large, there is always Test Cricket :)

Russia's real friends?

This couple?

Transformative teaching

Earlier this year the clergy of the Archdeaconry of South Canterbury requested that the theme of our annual retreat be 'the environment/care of creation' and we agreed that we would shift from a one day retreat to an overnight retreat. For a venue it was suggested that we go to the Eco Lodge at Peel Forest.

That was many months ago. Finally, Tuesday - Wednesday this week we actually had the retreat, at the lodge pictured above, with Paul Heard, a clerical colleague in the Diocese of Christchurch as our retreat leader.

The Eco Lodge is pretty cool - off the grid with solar powered batteries to provide lighting, gas burners and a wood-fired oven. Unless you have a four wheel drive vehicle you have a five minute bush walk in from the carpark.

Anyway, you are not reading here for a travelogue!

All retreats in my experience - no doubt in yours too - offer something, but some offer more than others. This retreat, through Paul's five talks, challenged my thinking about eco-theology, the importance of the environment, and care of creation as one of the five vital marks of mission.

I found myself reflecting on how little I offer about these matters in my own teaching and preaching.

Part of the challenge - arising out of a scriptural focus on God as Creator as well as Redeemer - I found was recognising that disrespect for this world, misusing the gift of creation is a grave sin. We are as much out of sorts with God, I found myself thinking, when we pollute (say) a stream as when we pollute ourselves through (say) sexual immorality.

In Canterbury currently, for instance, we are booming ahead through an agriculturally driven economy, but that economy, which we ALL benefit from, has created terrible pollution in some places. Yes, I am talking about Lake Forsyth and the valleys behind it from which toxic waste pours, and then Lake Ellesmere and the flatlands surrounding it. Colleagues at the retreat mentioned rivers in South Canterbury which once were swimmable but now you daren't let your dog lick the water.

This is WRONG!

However my main point is not to get into the details of dairy farming (and, yes, I know many if not most dairy farmers are trying their hardest to plant trees by waterways, fence their cows off from the same, and generally avoid polluting water tables with nitrates).

Rather, reflecting on what the Bible teaches, on who God is and what God has given us really got my mind thinking new and deeper thoughts about our (my) responsibility as Christians to treat God's gift well. To say nothing of reflecting also on the justice of situations in which our poor treatment of the land often means the poor are being treated unjustly, to say nothing of the heritage we are taking away (i.e. thieving) from our grandchildren.

I shall try to be both a better and a different person, and a provocative and challenging preacher and teacher in new ways.

Update

So, TH is in ordered chaos. Staff are connected to the internet and sit at desks, but our library shelves, due today will come tomorrow. Next week we might get some books reshelved. Etc.

Meantime my week has included a lovely two day retreat at the Eco Lodge at Peel Forest. More on that soon as it was a transformative experience ...