Sadness

Erin called me at work today to see if I'd heard that the US has leveled against Ghana.... as I was asking her to explain how they scored she went silent..... then she told me that Ghana had been awarded a PK for no apparent reason... and I knew the US was finished.

When I got home from work guess what was waiting for me? My US Soccer Hat had arrived in the mail! I wore it as I watched the game on our DVR in disbelief..... I thought we were the better side against Italy, and I thought we were the better side against Ghana.... if Reyna doesn't jack his knee... then Dempsey's goal puts us up 1-0. If McBride was standing three feet in any direction, Beasley's goal puts us ahead against Italy....oh well.... I guess all the fair weather fans can go back to feigning an interest in the 768 game-long baseball season. There's still a lot that interests me in this cup..... and I guess I'm back to supporting Italia.....

Erin's first exam is tomorrow... she's been learning about parasites and random neurological disorders.....amongst other things. The other day I came upstairs and she was watching a lecture on various STD's which made me nauseous.

My Mom & Dad went to a family reunion this past weekend in OR for the Umbriaco side of the family. I was quite sad to miss it as I haven't seen many Umbriaco's lately. It's always nice to be around family....even family you've never met.

I've been thinking about this quote a lot lately:

“The gospel always comes to people in cultural robes. There is no such thing as a ‘pure’ gospel, isolated from culture”-- (David J. Bosch. Transforming Mission: Paradigm Shifts in Theology of Mission. 1991:297)

Specifically how this relates to Lord's Day Worship..... and contextualization of the Gospel in the way it's presented in song, Word, and sacrament....

I wonder if that statement is true. I suppose I'd need the full excerpt to really evaluate it but it has me thinking of this paradox: The Gospel is transcendent v the Gospel is imminent; The Gospel transcends culture v the Gospel is received in 'cultural robes.'

Where is the balance in that tension? Is it a cop-out to say that because the Gospel comes to us in cultural robes that there is no transcendent way of communicating it (I'm thinking here of the Lord's Day context)? Is it a cop-out to say that it really does come in cultural robes as though it were an unavoidable conclusion? And therefore the cultural robes limit the audience?

I think to some degree this 'contextualization' discussion (though profitable) has become a shelter for us to run to when we need things to make sense. When pragmatics overwhelms our faith in the Holy Spirit - contextualization becomes our friend. It makes us OK with the fact that we only reach people who look like we do, because our gospel is robed in our culture. It seems to me that Christ crucified means the same thing regardless of the time period in which it's received, and that Abraham believed God's promise concerning the Seed and that it was credited to him as righteousness is still the Gospel.... we all come to faith in the same way. I think the real 'contextualization of the Gospel' happens post conversion as the Spirit provides a context and lense for interpretation. I think there is a transcendent way to speak the Gospel to all mankind regardless of their culture..... and I'm sick of being bound by this 'I can only reach people like me mentality.'

Wasn't it the Christ who said 'Love your neighbor as yourself?' I don't recall any qualifiers in the Holy Writ regarding loving neighbors who you identify with culturally...... nor do I remember reading anything about it being more effective for neighbors of similar cultural identity to love each other. The Kingdom transcends culture. How are we announcing the Kingdom with this 'oh well... I don't identify so perhaps someone else can reach them more effectively' mentality?

Are the answers holy mysteries we're just not meant to grasp? I doubt it........ I think we've just lost sight of the Holy City and all our means of contextualization are referenced to the city that passes away.

Ps. 46
God is our refuge and strength, a very present help in trouble. Therefore we will not fear though the earth gives way, though the mountains be moved into the heart of the sea, though its waters roar and foam, though the mountains tremble at its swelling. Selah

There is a river whose streams make glad the city of God, the holy habitation of the Most High. God is in the midst of her; she shall not be moved; God will help her when morning dawns. The nations rage, the kingdoms totter; he utters his voice, the earth melts. The LORD of hosts is with us; the God of Jacob is our fortress. Selah

Come, behold the works of the LORD, how he has brought desolations on the earth. He makes wars cease to the end of the earth; he breaks the bow and shatters the spear; he burns the chariots with fire. "Be still, and know that I am God. I will be exalted among the nations, I will be exalted in the earth!" The LORD of hosts is with us; the God of Jacob is our fortress. Selah

I'm not sure if this post will make much sense to the readers.... but it's late (12:45 AM) I'm trying to stay up with Erin tonight so she will have energy to study.....

This blog is brought to by the letter 'p.'