The Musings 20

The Musings 20

Thursday, January31

Read: Joshua 24

                      Indian Christians especially those belonging to church's founded by Apostle Thomas, will always remember the Coonan Cross Oath.  This oath was taken on January 16th, 1653, at Mattanchery and this is considered as a  historic declaration of faith  by the early church believers in Kerala. The way the oath was taken was very unique. The believers came together and they held together a rope tied to a Cross, and declared in unison that they will not be bound nor will submit to the ecclesiastical authority of Rome. This was because a number of faith practices of the Catholic Church was being subtly incorporated into the faith living of early church believers in Kerala. This marked the beginning of the Independent Malankara Church. When the church faced a crisis at that particular time of history, in terms of faith and faith living, the believers came together to affirm and uphold their faith convictions. This week another significant declaration of faith has taken place and this is termed as the "Manhattan Declaration". Manhattan declaration is declaration signed by more than half million people from this country, belonging to Orthodox, Catholic and other Evangelical Christians. These half million Christians have filed a "friend of court" [ amicus]  brief before the Supreme Court of United States, communicating to the court that sanctity of life, dignity of marriage and freedom of religion needs to be upheld.  The context of this declaration is that this year Supreme Court of United States is going to examine two high profile cases that will determine the future on the concept of marriage and family in  this country.  The high profile cases include the Hollingsworth v Perry, which will examine whether gay or lesbians have a fundamental right to marriage, while the second high profile case is that of Windsor v United States, and this is the case that will review the federal law which defines marriage as a union of one man and one woman.  In the background of all these high profile cases being heard by the Supreme Court, the  Christians, who signed the Manhattan Declaration want the Supreme Court to uphold importance of traditional concept of family. Family that is defined as consisting of one father and one mother, a male-female family institution and it is this concept of family and environment that is needed to be affirmed in raising and nurturing of children. The declaration identifies  the societal circumstances that have led to the acceptance of same sex marriage, and which has brought about decline in societal function and also a harsh increase in religious oppression. The declaration also wanted to refute the argument of the advocates of same sex marriage that people who defend traditional understanding of marriage and family are motivated by bigotry and irrational claims. It was on last Monday, January 28, 2013, that John Mauck a Chicago attorney, who  filed the brief in the Supreme Court. Manhattan declaration thus becomes  another significant declaration or affirmation of faith at time when people tend to get very complacent about issues that is affecting the very core of the existence of human life and society.

                            In Joshua 24, we find another declaration of faith. The background of this declaration of faith is a time when the chosen nation and the people have reached the promised land. The people who have reached the promised land is now enjoying the fruits of the labour of faith of their parents and their grandparents. Now with prosperity reigning in the land, Joshua gives a warning to the people of Israel. What he does is that, he assembles all the tribe of Israel, which included the elders, the leaders, the judges and all the officials. It is in such an august audience that he tells them that they need to uphold some basic tenets of faith. What is it that Joshua tell them to uphold?. He tells  them not to forget their past, their roots and how miraculously and faithfully God led them to the promised land. Now with their life becoming comfortable, without any crisis involved, Joshua exhorts that they should take a decision that whatever be the changes that occur in the social and religious life, they will always serve the Lord. What Joshua actually warns the people is that they may feel sometimes to bring on certain religious practices that may not be in conformity with the laws of God. Hence they need to be very careful as to how they order their religious and social life. The need and motto of the nation of Israel is to serve the Lord and follow him at all times and at all circumstances. [ Joshua 24: 14,15]. This was basically because in the life of Israel,  the religious behavior and practices affected the social life of people also . Hence it is important that religious life, the spiritual values and living  should be ordered according to the will of God so that the social life of Israelites  is also lived according to the purpose and will of God. Only when this happens will the society be strengthened. It is for this reason that Joshua assembles elders, leader, the judges and officials. These are people who are responsible in formulating  laws and leaders who give wisdom and counsel to people and hence it was imperative that the law makers in the land, the people who are given authority should first be aware of the true foundation of  a strong society. A society that is strong only when bound by strong moral laws and value ,  authority of God and affirming kingdom values.  This was what Joshua wanted to communicate to every tribe of Israel. I think history is being repeated in this nation. As law makers and other leaders and people in authority are going to review about various laws and cases related to the concept of marriage and family, the Manhattan declaration is another effort to constantly remind the people that even when time, season and times of history changes, certain concepts like the understanding of  family and marriage are very important especially in areas like nurturing of children and future generation. Marriage and family as envisaged by creator God, is what is needed to be affirmed, upheld and preserved at a time when new and new definition and understanding of these institutions are being raised up.

The Musings 19

The Musings 19

Wednesday, January 30

Read: Isaiah 6:1-9

                             Marthoma Church and Chris Tomlin. What is the relationship between Marthoma Church and Chris Tomlin. There is unique relationship between Christ Tomlin and our Church. With praise and worship now becoming an integral part of worship now in almost all the Marthoma church's in this part of the continent, it is Chris Tomlin who has who has now become very synonymous with our worship and the songs used for worship. On any given Sunday, I believe there may be a number of choirs or praise and worship team who would be singing this Christian songwriter and artiste songs. Chris Tomlin is in the news again this new year. Last week he created a record of sorts. His new music album "Burning Lights" is now on the top of Billboard 200 and this is only the fourth time in history that a Christian music album has entered the chart at No. 1 position. More than 72,000 units of Burning Lights have been sold last week itself and with the huge success of this music album, Chris Tomlin is being acclaimed by top national media like The New York Times, USA Today and Billboard among many others.  Last year was also very memorable for Chris Tomlin because he had received his first Grammy Award for the Best Christian or Gospel Album "And If our God Is For Us..".  With his new album Burning Lights becoming a huge hit, Chris Tomlin is launching his nationwide Burning Lights Tour, beginning next month. But  many of the youngsters do not know that some of the songs that they sing during worship, or youth meetings are songs written by Chris Tomlin. Some of the famous Chris Tomlin songs that we sing and some which I personally like are the following. 1. We fall down:. A meaningful song that teaches us that all that we have is a gift of God and hence all we have received needs to be laid down in his feet..2. Give us Clean Hands:. This is another wonderful song, which conveys the message of that only when God transforms us, we become holy and pure. 3. Unchanging [ Great is your Faithfulness]: The faithfulness of God is what the song stresses and the words of the songs are the promises that God gives to each one of us. 4. Your Grace is Enough: This is also a beautiful song which emphasizes that it is God's grace that help us to stand victoriously and live faithful Christian lives. 5. How Great is Our God: I think this is the best song. A wonderful song that reminds us that God is always worth of praise for who He is and for all wonderful work of His hands.  There are also other songs like Indescribable,  Holy is the Lord, Better is One Day, Wonderful Cross and Unfailing love to name some of the other songs that is huge hit among the youngsters today. What is so amazing about Chris Tomlin and his songs is that the words of the songs are very simple, but has very deep and profound meaning in each of the lines of the song which creates a sense of awe, hope and unknowingly pulls us into the mood of worship as we sing those songs. One of the drawbacks that sometimes happens when we come to worship as community of believers in the Marthoma church's  is that sometimes the clergy who leads the worship does not prepare the  congregation to an experience of worship. It is very common to find in most of the parishes where, the achen just come out of the altar at the appointed time and then he announces " We will begin our worship by singing ..........". This is it. The congregation stands and just sings the songs sometimes as casual, as the casual talk that they did with the person sitting next to them in the pews before the beginning of the worship. It is in such a context that song like holy is the Lord, or give us clean hand or how great is our God slowly bring us to the awareness, that we are in the presence of God and that worship is something that we should take seriously. Worship is worship only when it in truth and in submission to the power of the Holy Spirit. I think this is the change that we need to incorporate in our life;  Our attitude and our perception of worship.

                        It is in Isaiah 6 that we find some of the important concepts of what worship should be like. Here from V: 1-9, Isaiah sees a vision of worship. According to the new covenant that God made with his people, God's temple in heaven is the centre of worship [ Revelation 11: 1, 19]. It is in this context and meaning that altar or madhbaha in the Marthoma church's have significance. Here in the passage we find that Isaiah encounters God and he hears his voice of calling and commission. One of the first objective when we gather for worship is to consciously come to a feeling or experience that " I need to encounter God through worship". It is this objective that helps us to adore God just as the seraphs were adoring God in heavenly places by saying, "Holy Holy Holy is the Lord Almighty, the whole earth is full of glory" [ Iss 6: 3]. But when we encounter God through worship what happens to us is that, God convicts us of our sins. In the vision of Isaiah we find the prophet proclaiming that " Woe to me, I am ruined, For I am a man of unclean lips, and my eyes have seen the King, the Lord Almighty"      [ Iss 6: 5]. Conviction of who I am and the changes and the transformation that is needed in our life is what happens when we encounter God, as we adore Him for what He is. One of the changes that we all need to do as we worship is the change and transformation that needs to happen. For many of the believers worship is just another emotional experience, an experience where you feel some emotional happiness as you sing some of praise and worship songs. But Isaiah teaches us that if we are not convicted of our sin through worship, and if  change and transformation does not take place in the life of the believer, then worship loses its true meaning and significance. In the following verse we also see that Isaiah is cleansed of his sin; when the seraph touches his mouth with a tong of live coal stating "Your guilt is taken away and your sin atoned for" [Is 6: 7]. Once Isaiah has been forgiven of his sin, we find Isaiah being commissioned by God to go to his people. I think along with ones conviction of ones sin, what is needed through our corporate worship is also the assurance of the forgiveness of ones sins and then going out into the world as commissioned Christians to live as faithful Christians and also to lead a life of witness in the areas that God set us in the week days. It is these aspects that we need to incorporate as we come for worship rather than converting our worship into just another ritual, or a monotonous recitation of prayers of adoration, confession and commission. Until we are transformed and are ready to be commissioned by God to be a witness in our daily life and living, whatever be the forms of worship, liturgical or free worship, worship degenerates to just another ritual or just some emotional experience for a limited time and in a particular space. Let us move to a more true and comprehensive understanding of  worship even as we sing songs of Chris Tomlin during worship.

The Musings 18

The Musings 18

Tuesday, January 29

Read: Galatians 2: 11-13

                   When does life begin? Is it when a person is born or can we assume that life begins in the womb?. These are questions that are being raised by Jeremy Stodghill to both the Catholic Church and also to Supreme Court of the State of Colorado. A very strange case where a Catholic Health Care Company has argued in the court that an embryo is not a person until it is born alive,  is being reported by the CNN news agency today. This tragic story is about a couple Jeremy Stodghill and Lori Stodghill of Canon City, Colorado.  On new year eve of 2006,  Lori Stodghill was rushed to the emergency room of the St. Thomas More Hospital in Canon City. She was 28 weeks pregnant and as she was rushed to the emergency, she collapsed in the lobby itself due to cardiac arrest. Along with her death, her two unborn twins also died. Jeremy sued the hospital and the Catholic Health Initiatives for the wrongful death of his wife and his two unborn children. The litigation went on for two years and that is when the defense attorneys for the hospital and doctors entered into an argument about conception and inception of life. When does life starts?. Jeremy Stodghill got a shock when he was told that according to state law, an embryo is not a person until it is born alive and thus the twins of Jeremy Stodghill was dead when they were removed from the mother's dead body. The court also agreed on this line of defense and argument  and thus Jeremy Stodghill lost the case along with other cases that he had filed for his wife. That is when more trouble arose for him. The hospital and doctors now sued him for more than $118,000 in terms of legal fees. However, later they decided to compromise with Jeremy with the claim that if he dropped his appeal against the hospital, the defendants will offer to forget the fees. But Jeremy refused to buckle and he filed for bankruptcy so as to avoid having to pay the claim, since he has a nine year old daughter to be raised up. It is at this stage of the case that he has decided to petition the Colorado Supreme Court to hear his case. He also wanted the Catholic Church to respond whether the stand taken by the Catholic Hospital on the inception of life is what the official stand of the Church. The representative of the Church has declined to comment on the legal proceedings but Jeremy Stodghill is hopeful that the both church and State will give him justice not only in his legal case that he is fighting but also in his perception about when life begins.  When looking at this strange incident we do not know the intricate details of this case nor the back door happening but it is pertinent to note that at times to win certain legal cases, the church and other institutions are sometimes forced to compromise the very tenets of faith that need to uphold. This could be true not only in regards to  huge institution like Christian Hospitals or may  be the Institutionalized Church, but this could be the true in our cases also, because sometimes in our desperate need for survival or for some monetary benefits we tend to throw into the winds all the beliefs and commitment and our convictions that we have held on for long. Faith often seen to be used as and when an opportune need arises and when things are not conducive to the exercise and the expression of ones faith, then the best way is to abandon our convictions and our faith.

                            In the early church, this sort of hypocrisy had happened. This is recorded the Paul's epistle to Galatians 2. The context of this passage is the message of freedom given by the Jesus Christ. The Church had taken a decision that when Gentiles join the church, they need not go through the rite of circumcision before getting baptized as was the case of Jewish believers or Jewish Christians. This statement of faith can be found in Acts 15. It was Peter though a Jew who espoused the case for the gentiles through the revelation that he had got through a vision. [ Acts 10]. Thus the church preached about the message of Jesus Christ and the freedom that Jesus Christ gives to each one of us to live our Christian life without being bound by rules that inhibit us to exercise our faith and our Christian life style. But in Galatians 2: 11-13, Paul is very upset with Peter because he tend to be hypocrite. Paul rebukes Peter because of his certain behavioral traits that was not in agreement with the line of thought that he preached. What Peter did was though he argued for the gentiles he would not stand for his beliefs in public especially among the company of his Jewish believers. What Peter used to do was that he would mingle and eat with Gentiles but the moment he saw his fellow Jewish believers he would withdraw himself from the company of Gentile believers,  trying to show and please the  Jewish believers,  that he does not associate very closely with the gentiles as he associates with them. Paul is upset at this hypocrisy of Peter, because some of the Jews felt that this was the right thing to do and they also showed the same behavior leading even Barnabas to a hypocritical way of living. Here is Paul condemning Peter and asking him to stand up for what he preached and be ready to pay a price for the convictions and faith that he dearly stands for. Paul later speaks boldly about his convictions and he tells the believers that everyone is justified by faith in Jesus Christ and not by observing certain laws. I think Paul teaches us a lesson on Christian living. Faith and our convictions are not moulded or changed according to ones circumstances or according to  the type of group that we are in. I remember one of my friend in theological college, who belonged to an independent church. He would be very daring when giving sermon. He would very liberal while preaching in the chapel of the theological college, often criticizing some of the faith practices and faith convictions espoused by his church while on a Sunday,  while preaching from the pulpit of his church he would go back to so called lopsided understanding of the gospel message. When confronted about this stark contradiction my friend smilingly replied, I have to please both my professors during week days and my congregation on Sunday's. I think we are also guilty along these lines. Let us therefore consciously evaluate whether our convictions and our faith changes according to circumstances or whether we are ready to affirm our faith no matter who our audience is and or what circumstances we are in.