Thoughts on Bonhoeffer's Thought

In a letter that Dietrich Bonhoeffer wrote to his mentor and friend, Max Diestel, he had this to say about the state of the American church in the 1930s, "In New York, they preach about virtually everything; only one thing is not addressed, or is addressed so rarely that I have as yet been able to hear it, namely, the gospel of Jesus Christ, the cross, sin, and forgiveness." Bonhoeffer wrote these words after attending many prominent churches in New York city during his time as a fellow at Union.
This statement from Bonhoeffer gets me pondering regarding the current state of the church. In my career in ministry, I rarely get opportunities to hear sermons preached at other churches than my own. I do feel that many churches speak the name of Christ and declare the forgiveness that is ours through His amazing grace. Perhaps in some regard we have moved forward since Bonhoeffer visited the states during The Great Depression.
He did feel that many American sermons sought to comfort man rather than call man toward grace, repentance, and forgiveness. This may have been a product of the times as many people would have been seeking comfort in the midst of The Great Depression. It seems though that this habit of offering greater comfort than challenge still exists in the churches of the United States. I hear many a preacher offer the material blessings of the Gospel and few challenging us toward greater discipleship. A family that used to attend my church no longer attends because the sermons did not offer them their preferred brand of theology. That preferred brand was captured through the viewing of many TV preachers, declaring that God seeks to provide riches and material success. They left our church because they refused to hear the truth that God does not promise material wealth. He promises blessings so much more meaningful and beneficial -- the blessings of reconciliation with our Creator and restoration of God's very image within us.
This western version of Christianity does not compliment the message of Scripture. Paul often found himself in poverty and suffering through imprisonment because of his willingness to stand up to the Gospel. This does not seem to measure with the material blessing gospel that is so prevalent in some corners of western theology. Jesus challenges us to leave mother and father for the gospel. He then also challenges a rich ruler to give up all so that he might experience the kingdom in His own life. This does not sound like a gospel where we benefit from economic surplus and material blessings. Western Christians might need to consider giving up a lot more so that we can follow Christ and experience the fullness of his forgiveness.
I do not know if this is what Bonhoeffer was getting at, but I know his emphasis was on Christ as the center. If material gain and success is the center, how can Christ be the center?

A Treasure in Biblical FIction

"Miriam" offers a great read as well as lessons in Christian spirituality. The prose of this book is well written and invites the reader to experience the lives of Miriam and the other characters. The book engages the mind, the soul, and the heart. Mesu Andrews creates compelling and believable characters in a background that is mostly historically accurate. Many of the non-Biblical characters are taken from the true history of Egypt in this time frame.
Andrews offers a compelling vision of God (Yahweh) and picks up on an interpretation of His revealed name that few pick up on. She points out that Yahweh does not just refer to "I Am," but also refers to "My nature will become evident through my actions." Andrews uses this point in the telling of her story and in the revelation of God to the various characters.
One negative aspect of the book is that we spend way too much time with other characters and not with Miriam. Certainly, these characters are well written, but in spending so much time on them the story of Miriam gets a little muddled. This is only a negative in the fact that the title of the book is therefore a misnomer. If Andrews had written the book from Miriam's first person perspective then perhaps a focus on these other characters would have been acceptable. The book would have been better title something that encompassed the journeys of Miriam, Eleazer, Taliah, and Hoshea rather than just focusing on one character.
Another negative aspect was the infrequent theological/historical mistakes. One such incident occurs when Eleazer's friend Mosi is killed. Mosi, not being a Hebrew would not have been in covenant with Yahweh. Eleazer then asks Miriam if Mosi will experience the afterlife. Miriam assures him that Mosi likely will based on Mosi's stated beliefs. This is a great story and testimony if the story took place in the Christian era when the afterlife and resurrection was a well revealed reality. At the time of the Exodus, most scholars agree, that there was not a developed theology of the afterlife. This is an unfortunate occurrence in a text that seems typically accurate.
Overall, "Miriam" provides a wonderful read of a rich period in the story of God's interaction with His peoples. It challenges and captures the reader.
I received this book as part of the blogging for books program with Multonomah Publishers.

The Cross

In his commentary on 1-2 Corinthians published by Cambridge University press, Dr. Craig S. Keener comments on 2 Corinthians 2 by stating, "The cross speaks death for those for whom the cross reveals nothing beyond itself." This statement is worth exploring in our current post-Christian culture. Many cannot see the cross as anything beyond an object.
In the first century, the cross was known as a device for the death penalty. The Apostle Paul rightly convinced people that for the Christian it is so much more than an object of punishment, torture, and death. Today, the cross might be nice jewelry or an inconsequential symbol for many. The cross is so much more! The cross is the sign that God is involved in our world. The cross is the symbol of God's love for all humanity. The cross is the path to reconciliation between us and the God who created us. The cross is the gift of grace from the One God who overwhelms us with love.
In this season of Lent, we must consider what the cross means for us. Is it just a standard and a cross beam or is it so much more? The cross should mean an abundance of things. Most importantly, it should point us to the overwhelming love of God. It should then lead us to our knees as we worship God for the grace bestowed. Then, it should inform our very lives. It should inform how we treat others, how we approach our families, how we care for the poor in our midst, how we vote, what we choose to do with our time and money, and so many other things. The cross should not be nothing beyond itself. The cross should mean everything to us!