Reflexion, A Spiritual Community

I’m not going to give a Labor Day talk, but that’s where we’ll start

Last year I felt it was important that I read Adam Smith’s The Wealth of Nations
– Smith is sometimes referred to as the Father of Capitalism
• he explored the principles of economics that caused some systems of flourish and others to flounder
– one concern was the ways that governments interfered with industries and com...

The Book of Isaiah begins with God’s frustration over Israel; for instance:

“Children have I reared and brought up,
but they have rebelled against me . . . .
Ah, sinful nation,
a people laden with iniquity,
offspring of evil doers,
children who deal corruptly!
They have forsaken the LORD,
they have despised the Holy One of Israel,
they are utterly estranged” (Isa. 1:2-4)

Then in chapter 6, Is...

Psalm 25

This psalm does not track a central theme

What I mean, is that we cannot say, “This is a psalm of praise,”
- or “Psalm of confession,” or “thanksgiving psalm,” or “supplication psalm”
• this doesn’t mean the structure of the poem is random,
◦ only that it doesn’t tell a story or develop a specific point
• nevertheless, there is a pattern to the psalm,

The last two weeks I’ve been encouraging you to listen for God’s voice

Now, today, using this spectacular episode of Isaiah’s life is neither practical nor fair
– he was chosen by God to be a prophet,
• and the prophet’s calling is in most instances very dramatic
◦ e.g., Moses and the mysterious flames; Ezekiel’s fantastic vision, impossible to imagine
• so if there’s a legitimat...

About six years before my dad died,

For some reason, that I don’t remember,
- I got the idea that it was really important for him to tell his life’s story
• there were already a lot of fictional stories regarding his life,
◦ and how he came to be the founder of a new church movement
• I suppose, that as his son, it was important to me,
◦ that people learned how God worked in his life to make him the man he...

What are we witnessing in this archetypal story?

First, why do I refer to the story as “archetypal”?
– archetypes have to do with basic themes planted in the human mind
• familiar themes are revealed in the heroes, heroines, and villains of fables, myths, and fairytales
◦ these characters represent specific qualities that define human persons and their behavior
◦ including: virtuous, courageous, clever,...

 Romans 14
• A deep story describes a collective, emotionally rooted narrative that individuals and groups use to make sense of their lives and the world, prioritizing feelings and metaphors over cold facts or moral judgments.
• The concept was developed by Arlie Russell Hochschild, a sociologist and we will talk about her more in a bit.
• Today we will be considering how competing "deep stories" lead to conflict and ...

Some time ago, I took a course in speed-reading

We were required to practice every day for at least an hour
- the only drawback–I chose to read books that didn’t interest me, so I wouldn't get distracted by their content
• but going fast, I got nothing at all from them – I wasn’t reading, but just looking at words
- later on I was exposed to a method of slow-reading
• the purpose: to get as much a...

Here we are, after several weeks, at the end of Jude

There’s not another letter in the New Testament exactly like it
- a small bit of 2 Peter incorporates some of the same lines
• but the overall structure and content of Jude are unusual,
◦ and his quotations from two non-biblical books is unique
• but coming to the end, he closes with a familiar prayer
◦ it’s not his exact words that are familiar, but how...

My friend, Clint Freeman, sent me an article this week

It has to do with Artificial Intelligence and I added it to my “weird news” file
Darin White, “Four in ten Gen-Z and millennial adults say spiritual advice from AI is just as trustworthy as advice from a pastor. One-third of teenagers have talked to an AI companion rather than a human being about serious, personal issues. Thirty-nine percent of Gen Z would s...

A couple weeks ago I got a phone call

The number looked familiar, so I answered – “Hello”
- a man’s voice asked, “Is this Charles?”
• at that point it was obvious he didn’t know me
• so I said, “Maybe”
- there are too many scams running in our world for me to take chances
• if you respond to a text or call, a fake offer, a warning,
◦ or a simple “click&rdq...

 I have been reading a book by Bill Elliot, who is a therapist

But it’s not about psychology – it has the unlikely title, Falling Into the Face of God
– it’s an autobiography of sorts
• Bill felt called by God’s Spirit to go to the Judean desert
• and , to spend forty days there like Jesus, only without fasting
– on day 17, he was meditating on Jesus’ temptation in the wilde...