Confirmation

At church this weekend my wife and I (and three friends) celebrated our confirmation. It was a really great service. We have such wonderful leaders in the Diocese of Qu'Applle. Our priest, Fr. Allen Doerksen, has been such a formative influence for my wife and I throughout these past 12 months of exploration. And this area is very fortunate to have the very wise (and hilarious) Bishop Gregory at the helm.

It's interesting that after growing up in free-church traditions, such as Mennonite Brethren and Christian & Missionary Alliance, I've really come to feel at home in an Anglican context. Liturgy has a way of gluing itself to your bones. Once it's in you, it's there to stay.

A few funny moments from the morning:

At our rehearsal before the service, we were up at the front, reading through the confirmation liturgy with the Bishop, and I realized I had accidentally turned to the "Ordination of Bishops" section. Woops! A little ahead of myself... I got that straightened out before "showtime"...

Also, after the service concluded, a sweet old lady came over to me, shook my hand and said, "Welcome to the club!" I love old people! They are an inspiring bunch, those who have remained committed to their faith for almost as many decades as there are seasons of Smallville! What better "club" to be part of than one full of these kinds of folks!

During the Bishop's sermon, he noted that "the Church is always one generation away from extinction." One elderly man told us, "It can be discouraging to imagine what will become of the church in the next generation, but when I see young people like you doing this [becoming confirmed], I'm filled with hope."

I doubt I'll ever sign up for ordained ministry, but I'm definitely in for the lay-person long-haul. I'm excited by the need for leadership in the church today, and the great challenges that are sure to come.

It's a good day to be Anglican!

The Expiry Date of the Universe: Saturday?

Have you heard the news? It looks like in less than 100 hours, we're rocketing off this little troublesome ball while the rest of the world deals with scorpions, plagues, and wrath. So, I guess I won't need to pay the rest of my seminary bill, and pressure's off at work: I won't have to finish coding Briercrest's new website after all! What a relief!

I've been following/enjoying a bit of the "May 21/Judgment Day" stuff online. The eisegesis employed is simultaneously horrifying and downright entertaining. This is the magic of ahistorical interpretation. As I've been reading through eBibleFellowship's carefully crafted bulletin, two questions come to mind: 1) Why does this keep happening? 2) What should we do about it?

The first is easier to answer. These sorts of groups have made these sorts of statements for centuries. But the real problem is improper focus. Jesus said quite clearly in both Mark and Matthew that "about that day or hour no one knows, not even the angels in heaven, nor the Son; only the Father" (Matt 24:36; Mark 13:32). Our time and energy is not best spent upon deciphering when it's all over. (Nor is it best spent arguing over how we got here.) It's simply something we cannot, and will not, figure out. Only the Father decides when he will wrap up history and fulfill the promises he has made throughout time.

It's important to realize that we, as Christ's followers, are an eschatological people. We're supposed to live with our eyes on the horizon, always expecting Jesus' return. However, that constant watching is supposed to inspire our living, not our leaving. The constant frenzy to determine the expiry date on the universe takes our focus from living lives that mirror Jesus' mission, and replace our dreams with those of escapism. There is real work to be done in the world. The Kingdom is here. That should cause us to rejoice, not to look up in the sky and wish the Enterprise could beam us away.

So then, this brings us to the second question. What should we do with people who cling to this sort of interpretation? Well, there are obvious things we can do, like offer solid teaching, and coming along side them as confused, unfortunate people.

But is that all?

I think I have a constructive, effective solution. Those who are committed to this Saturday's Judgment should be allowed to enjoy it. Why not? Furthermore -- this is the meat of it -- since they will likely also assume that they will be leaving the Earth this weekend, they should be allowed to do so.

How?

Well, Endeavor already left, so that won't work...

I was thinking of a more earth-bound solution. I think a good way to discourage this kind of irresponsible eisegesis is to cancel all their earthly identification. Credit cards, driver's licenses, health cards, house deeds, passports, etc... If leaving is what they want, then this method will be quite effective. Truly, they won't be citizens of this world any longer.

Additionally, I think this might also help with rebuilding their lives after the disappointment of May 22 hits. Without ID or homes, they'll be free to move where they please and become whoever they want -- to truly start over, which might be an attractive option, given the embarrassment of returning to work on Monday morning... So really, this is a merciful, redemptive option.

An Epic End to a Super Story

After 10 seasons and 218 episodes, Smallville finally came to a close last night. That's roughly 165 hours total - almost enough to watch 24 hours a day for a week straight.

As sad as I am to see the show wrap up, I'm happy that after 10 years, the producers of Smallville were able to end it so well. Not many shows last a decade; not many shows should. But Smallville's strong plot and well-developed characters enabled a good idea to become not only a great show, but a worthy contribution to the larger legacy of the Superman mythos.

I think Smallville's success can be chalked up to the producers' and writers' motivation in the creation of each week's episode. In an interview promoting season 8 of Smallville, executive producers Brian Peterson and Kelly Souders said they considered their job well done if their viewers were left thinking, "I want to be like Clark Kent."

A show based on the early life of Superman is fun to watch. It's got to be one of the most wholesome, inspiring hero stories around. And, since Smallville inevitably points toward Clark Kent donning the cape, the end is in sight from the beginning; from the very first episode, the conclusion is sure. The fun is in watching all the struggles and triumphs that shape Clark along the way.

I could say more, but I'd rather that you just go and watch it for yourself. It's fun, it's charming, and now it's over.

Challenging Words at the Royal Wedding

I'm a big fan of clergy who assertively speak their minds within our increasingly relativistic culture. Two of the clergy who spoke at the Royal wedding, Rowan Williams (Archbishop of Cantebury) and Richard Chartres (Lord Bishop of London and Dean of Her Majesty's Chapels Royal), made strong statements about marriage and the place God holds in people's lives.

The Most Reverend and Right Honourable 

Dr Rowan Williams, Archbishop of Canterbury, 

Primate of All England and Metropolitan

The Archbishop said this directly before leading the couple through their vows:

"I require and charge you both, as ye will answer at the dreadful day of judgement when the secrets of all hearts shall be disclosed, that if either of you know any impediment, why ye may not be lawfully joined together in matrimony, ye do now confess it. For be ye well assured, that so many as are coupled together otherwise than God's word doth allow are not joined together by God; neither is their matrimony lawful."

The Right Reverend and Right Honourable 

Dr Richard Chartres KCVO, 

Lord Bishop of London and 

Dean of Her Majesty's Chapels Royal

Next, the Lord Bishop of London, who gave the homily, said this about marriage and God's place in the lives of Western people:

"As the reality of God has faded from so many lives in the West, there has been a corresponding inflation of expectations that personal relations alone will supply meaning and happiness in life. This is to load our partner with too great a burden. We're all incomplete. We all need the love which is secure rather than oppressive. We all need mutual forgiveness in order to thrive. But as we move toward our partner in love, following the example of Jesus Christ, the Holy Spirit is quickened within us, and can increasingly fill our lives with light. And this leads on to a family life, which offers the best conditions in which the next generation can receive and exchange those gifts, which can overcome fear and division and incubate the coming world of the Spirit whose fruits are love and joy and peace."

Good and challenging words.

(via http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/uknews/royal-wedding/8479433/Royal-wedding-the-Order-of-Service-in-full.html)