Sunday, May 25, 2014

Mission Possible



A Sermon preached on Easter VI, May 25 at St. Augustine's, Wiesbaden 
Acts 17:22-31, 1 Peter 3:13-22, John 14:15-21, Psalm 66:7-18


Today we are commemorating the feast day of our patron saint, Augustine of Canterbury. Actually it’s tomorrow, May 26, but somehow I don’t expect to see too many of you in church on a Monday! A group of monks led by St. Augustine, their prior, were sent in 596 by Pope Gregory the Great on a mission to England, to the Kingdom of Kent. The Kentish King, Ethelbert, tolerated their presence and allowed them the use of an old church built on the east side of Canterbury, dating from the Roman occupation of Britain. This church of St. Martin is the earliest place of Christian worship in England still in use. 


After four years St. Augustine managed to convert Ethelbert to Christianity, though Ethelbert’s wife Bertha, who was already a Christian, might have helped too! With the king, the kingdom soon became Christian. So the see of Canterbury and its Cathedral Church, and the preeminent position of Archbishop of Canterbury in the Anglican Communion, all owe their establishment to Augustine’s mission. Interestingly Pope Gregory gave Augustine considerable freedom in his mission to adapt to local custom and to use ‘best practices.’ In one letter Gregory writes, “If you have found customs, whether in the Roman, Gallican, or any other Churches that may be more acceptable to God, I wish you to make a careful selection of them, and teach the Church of the English, which is still young in the faith, whatever you can profitably learn from the various Churches.” This is advice today’s Roman church sometimes seems to have forgotten


There are both similarities and differences between St. Augustine’s mission to the English, and St. Paul’s to the Athenians that we heard about this morning. Both were sent to places they had not been to before, though Paul would have felt more at home in the Hellenistic culture of Athens, than Augustine among the Anglo-Saxons. On the other hand unlike Athens and despite the claim sometimes made that St. Augustine converted the English, the British Isles already contained a lot of Christians. In those areas not completely overrun by the illegal immigrants of the day, the Anglo-Saxons, British-Roman Christianity, often also called Celtic, still flourished with different practices that would not be unified for another sixty years. And remember St. Augustine was given the use of a Christian church. So he will have encountered some knowledge of Christianity.


Paul had no such luck. Instead he cleverly uses a shrine dedicated to an unknown god to introduce his, our God as what the Athenians had been worshipping all along as unknown. In fact both he and St. Augustine were very willing to use local customs, poems, traditions, or philosophy to argue their case – Paul quotes a line from Greek poetry to prove a point. They both engaged critically with the culture and religion of their day and they are willing to use elements of it if it helps to get the core message of Good News across.


We have no record of St. Augustine’s preaching. But we can assume it will not have been vastly different from what St. Paul proclaims. And that echoes what Jesus tells his disciples in today’s Gospel. It’s an incredibly encouraging message. “The God who made the world and everything in it” (Acts 17:24) is not the distant and at best uninterested god of Greek philosophy, nor the often vindictive and violent god of Anglo Saxon mythology, but a God who is not far from each of us. Jesus tells his disciples that this same God will send them the “Spirit of truth,” which will abide with them, and be in them. That’s pretty close!


And this is not just about proximity. Paul tells the Athenians that we are God’s offspring. He does not mean this in a physical sense. The Athenians knew all about the exploits of Zeus, the chief god in their pantheon, who seems to have fathered a child somewhere almost on a weekly basis. Being God's offspring is another way of saying that the God Paul proclaims, offers us the intimate and loving relationship of a parent to a child. In Jesus’ words we are offered the chance of becoming part of the existing, loving, mutual relationship between him and the Father: “I am in my Father, and you in me, and I in you.” (John14:20) We will be joined to Jesus and the Father by an unbreakable bond of love. A love demonstrated by God’s gift of his Son, by his Son’s gift of his life and new life for us all, and by the gift of the Spirit as helper, comforter, and advocate.


As I explained earlier, our patron saint was a missionary, which according to one definition is someone “sent by God and by God’s church to bear witness in word and deed to God’s action in Jesus Christ in the power of the Holy Spirit.”[1] I am sure that this church’s founders meant this missionary role of being a witness in word and deed to God and God’s action to be part of our calling, our DNA you might say, and that this church was never just supposed to be a little corner of England in a foreign land. That is something we no longer are, if we ever were. Just look at the variety of languages we will hear in 2 weeks at Pentecost: Greek, Aramaic, French, Italian, German, Danish, Finnish, Afrikaans, Farsi, Swahili … oh and English too. This is also reflected in this church's official mission statement:


Our mission is to fulfil our promises to Jesus Christ through word and deed by proclaiming his love to all. Our ministry is to all people, regardless of their cultural, national, ethnic, or religious background, who seek fellowship in the baptism of Jesus Christ.


As parishioners of St. Augustine’s church we are called to be missionaries to the people surrounding us. 2,000 years after Paul and 1,500 years after Augustine, we have the same core message to proclaim and the same dispensation to adapt to ‘local customs’ to make it understandable and relevant. Like Paul and Augustine, God expects us to engage critically with the surrounding culture and ideology and to offer a radical alternative: that has not changed.


Today’s culture does not have distant gods, but an absent god: We offer the creator God who is never far from us, and whose Spirit is with us forever.

Today’s culture has its own violent, selfish, and jealous gods or idols.  We offer a God of love and a God of relationships and an ideal, if not always the reality, of a selfless community joined to one another and to God by bonds of love.

Today’s culture holds up the ideals of self-realization and self-reliance: it’s up to us! We offer mutual help and support and God’s support through the Spirit that gives us strength, energy, guidance, and life.


“If you love me, you will keep my commandments” Jesus says in today’s passage. In the next chapter of John’s Gospel he defines what he means by this: “This is my commandment, that you love one another as I have loved you.” (John 15:12) You all are the ‘one another’ we are supposed to love as Jesus loved, but it doesn’t stop there. The one another of Jesus’ command includes those outside our doors. Letting them see and hear and experience how we put this commandment into effect is what will make us worthy successors of our patron saint, St. Augustine of Canterbury.

Amen.






[1] Adapted from Going Global with God, T. Pressler, p. 42

Sunday, May 18, 2014

Humble Witness



A Sermon preached on May 18, Easter V, at St. Augustine's, Wiesbaden
Acts 7:55-60, 1 Peter 2:2-10, John 14:1-14, Psalm 31:1-5, 15-16

As I mentioned in my weekly email, the Council of Anglican Episcopal Churches in Germany, to which we belong, agreed at its last meeting that each congregation would set aside a Sunday for remembering persecuted Christians. I've chosen this Sunday as our day of remembrance, because the reading from Acts is about the martyrdom of St. Stephen: the beginning of the post-Resurrection persecutions.

Up until this moment the Book of Acts has sounded like a succession of successes. After Jesus’ Ascension the disciples chose Matthias as Judas’ successor, so they are at full strength again. Then, even if we won’t celebrate this for a couple of weeks, they received the gift of the Holy Spirit at Pentecost. Their preaching, teaching, healing, and example have caused thousands of people to join the Way: “And day by day the Lord added to their number those who were being saved.” (Acts 2:47) In fact they were so successful that they have had to choose additional helpers, the first deacons, to cope with the needs of all the new followers. And one of these ‘deacons’ was Stephen, who was “full of grace and power and did great wonders and signs among the people (Acts 6:8).

But now he has been arrested, questioned, and as we just heard stoned to death: “On that day,” the next chapter tells us, “a severe persecution began against the church in Jerusalem, and all except the apostles were scattered.” (Acts 8:1) So what did they do wrong? Well nothing really, the disciples did as Jesus had commanded them: “They did not cease to teach and proclaim Jesus as the Messiah,” (Acts 5:42) and as Jesus had warned them, this led to their persecution. “They will arrest you and persecute you; they will hand you over to synagogues and prisons, and you will be brought before kings and governors because of my name.”  (Luke 21:12) Just like Jesus himself they were seen as a threat to the powers that be. Fear will also have played a role: how would God react to this group’s apparent blasphemy? And how would the occupying power, Rome, react if the followers of the person they had executed grew so strong? And to be honest, Stephen was also less than diplomatic when questioned. In what are euphemistically called the ‘penitential reproaches’ he calls the Jewish authorities “stiff-necked people, uncircumcised in heart and ears” who had “forever opposed the Holy Spirit,” as well as “betrayers and murderers” of the “Righteous One.” (Acts 7:51-53) This did not calm them down.

Christians continue to be persecuted, that is “systematically mistreated by the inflicting of suffering, harassment, isolation, imprisonment, fear, or pain”[1] around the world today.  Sometimes the persecution is organized by a state like Saudi Arabia or North Korea, because they reject either Christianity or just religion in general, sometimes by religious organizations with the government’s tacit approval as in Pakistan, and sometimes from groups opposed to the government for whom Christians are an easy target or scapegoat, which is the current situation in Egypt. Sadly we still also find Christians of one denomination organizing the persecution of Christians from a different tradition. And more recently Christian groups, including Anglicans, have been responsible for the persecution of a minority that includes Christians: I consider the anti-gay laws of Nigeria or Uganda to be a means of persecution.

Fear is still a big motivator, fear of losing power and privilege, fear of the other, fear of change, and the fear of losing one’s own unique culture and traditions. Often those persecuted were oppressed before they became Christians, because of their minority ethnic or caste status. As I mentioned last week one attraction of Christianity – at its best – has been its inclusiveness: “There is no longer Jew or Greek, there is no longer slave or free, there is no longer male and female; for all of you are one in Christ Jesus.” (Galatians 3:28)

What can we do? A number of things. We can and should pray and you will find a current prayer focus sheet from one of the organizations on the display table at the back of the church. We need to be aware and to make others aware that persecution goes on. Lives can be saved through publicity! All the organizations represented in the display need money for their work and many support the beleaguered communities financially, especially when they have had to flee for their lives. How we behave in our home countries is equally important. If we want other governments and religions to allow Christians to express their faith freely and to live by their faith, then we must ensure that the adherents of the other religions have that freedom in our countries. We must reject any kind of revenge persecution and we have to take an active stance against those parties and organizations that preach hate and fear. I am thinking in particular of all the populist, nationalistic, and islamophobic groups that have become so present in recent months.

And let’s not forget that we are not entirely innocent. Far too often Christianity was privileged by the colonial powers and acted as an instrument of assimilation. We seem to have forgotten that St. Paul incorporated Gentile believers into the body of the faithful without them first having to become Jews and having to adopt Jewish culture and customs. Too often our missionaries insisted that the new Christians abandon key elements of their culture, history and tradition and become not just Christians, but Western Christians. It’s no wonder then that our religion is often still perceived as a threat to other societies.

In the reading from John’s Gospel (14:6) Jesus says, “I am the way, and the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.” Too often these words were used not only to persuade people to follow Jesus, but also to make them give up every aspect of previous life and culture. That was both arrogant and wrong and I know that because of this abuse there are Christians who reject the whole idea of the uniqueness of Christ. Instead Christianity is seen as one of many paths to the divine; one of many paths to enlightenment. But I think that is wrong too, I do not believe that there is some other greater truth behind all religions, I believe that Jesus did reveal the way, the truth, and the life.

However any sign of arrogance or superiority is a denial of the very truth that 
Jesus proclaimed. It is only by following his teaching, the example of his life, and the path of self-sacrifice that he trod that we can come to the Father. Jesus’ model is humility: being willing to act as a servant, washing feet, and sharing meals. I believe that we are sent to proclaim Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior but that this witness to Jesus as Lord must be supported by Christ-like service and humility. One aspect of humility is acknowledging that God’s Spirit also works in the lives and communities of other religions.

Reconciliation is the overall purpose of God’s mission: The reconciliation of people to God and to one another. I think that’s why I like how St. Georges’ Church in Baghdad has reacted to the persecution it has experienced: it has often been the target of terrorist attacks and many parishioners have been killed. They founded the “Foundation for Relief and Reconciliation in the Middle East.” Canon Andrew White, the ‘Vicar of Baghdad,’ chairs Iraq’s High Council of Religious Leaders as part of the foundation’s effort to forge reconciliation, to engage religious leaders in dialogue, and to help them use their influence to promote peace. The Clinic at St George’s Church works to reconcile Iraqis at a grassroots level by employing Sunni, Shia, Christian and Jewish staff and treating anyone and everyone in need in humble service. 

The early Church’s greatest persecutor, Saul, was transformed into the 
Church’s greatest Apostle and witness, Paul. Without wanting to deny or belittle the effect of Paul’s vision on the road to Damascus, I still wonder if the seed of his transformation was not already planted when as a young man he witnessed the stoning of Stephen and heard Stephen say, in a supreme act of forgiveness and reconciliation, ‘Lord, do not hold this sin against them.’ (Acts 7:60)
Amen


[1] http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Persecution

Sunday, May 11, 2014

Real Pasture



A Sermon preached on Sunday, May 11 (Easter IV) at St. Augustine's, Wiesbaden
Acts 2:42-47, 1 Peter 1:19-25, John 10:1-10, Psalm 23

With all the different mentions of sheep and shepherds and even sheepfolds, I am certain you understand why today is also known as ‘Good Shepherd Sunday.’ Our Psalm, Psalm 23 starts with the line: “The Lord is my shepherd.” The Gospel reading from John was full of ovine images (though Jesus’ statement “I am the Good Shepherd” doesn’t come until verse 11). And then the reading from the First Letter of Peter finishes with the words: “For you were going astray like sheep, but now you have returned to the shepherd and guardian of your souls.” But actually that particular passage is a bit problematic and its link to the concept of the Good Shepherd is somewhat tenuous. Putting it positively, it gives us a good opportunity to talk a little about how we read, understand, and apply the Bible. It lets me say something about the need for putting things in context.

The first thing we must do, or that you have the preacher do on your behalf, is to put the reading in the context of the book or the section from which it is taken. Both theological liberals and conservatives have an annoying tendency to take verses or paragraphs out of context, to use them as so-called proof texts, i.e. to prove their point or standpoint. It looks to me as if the lectionary composers were doing that today, or perhaps they just wanted to avoid a difficult discussion. 

You see verse 18, our reading started at verse 19, says: “Slaves, accept the authority of your masters with all deference, not only those who are kind and gentle but also those who are harsh.” So what sounded like a general lesson, about being willing to suffer even unjust punishment for the sake of our faith, is in fact a very specific instruction to slaves to accept their position and the authority of their master, regardless of how they were being treated. This is particularly sad when we remember that many slaves were attracted to Christianity because, as Paul taught “There is no longer slave or free …. for all of you are one in Christ Jesus.” (Galatians 3:28) If we put this passage in its wider context we find it is about Christians trying to fit into society of their day, avoiding trouble, and wanting to be accepted as good citizens. Earlier in this chapter (2:13-14) the author writes: “For the Lord’s sake accept the authority of every human institution, whether of the emperor as supreme, or of governors, as sent by him to punish those who do wrong and to praise those who do right.”  Really? Do we accept that at face value today? I certainly don’t, but I do understand why many early Christians felt that this behavior was necessary was in that time and place.

Another aspect of context is to ask how would a particular passage have been understood at that time? Jesus’ teaching is full of references, both explicit and implicit, to Scripture – to what we now call the Old Testament. And his listeners will have recognized many, if not all, of his references.  So when they heard Jesus talking about sheep and shepherds they will have recalled that these terms are often used as metaphors for Israel and Israel’s political and religious leaders.
In the book of Numbers (27:16-17) for example Moses asks the Lord God to “appoint someone over the congregation …. who shall lead them out and bring them in, so that the congregation of the Lord may not be like sheep without a shepherd.” And the Lord chose Joshua. Jesus’ listeners will also have thought of those passages where Israel’s leaders were criticized for being very bad shepherds. The prophet Ezekiel (34:2-16) is told to prophesy against the shepherds of Israel because they had been feeding themselves, and not their flock, and because they had “not strengthened the weak, healed the sick, bound up the injured, brought back the strayed, not sought the lost.” And they will have remembered that because of this, the Lord God appoints himself as the shepherd of his sheep and promises them good pasture. “I will feed them with justice,” God says.

Another context is the situation of the community for which this particular Gospel was written. The traumatic and painful division between those Jews who had now become Christians and the majority of Jews who did not recognize Jesus as the Messiah was still recent and had culminated with the followers of Jesus having been ejected and banned from the synagogue. So we can imagine how these followers will have applied the image of some sheep being called by name and lead out of the sheepfold to themselves – making their own experience less of a shameful ejection and more like a privileged selection. And they will have identified the thieves and bandits, those who came before Jesus, with the Jewish authorities.

Jesus’ listeners and John’s readers will also have known how sheep were cared for and how shepherds worked in those days. At night most sheep were kept in a shared fold or pen and when their shepherd entered the next day and called them by name, they really would follow him because they knew that he would lead them to food and drink. And as for the gate Jesus compares himself to: At night the shepherd would lie down in the gateway acting as a human barrier – keeping the wild animals out, and the sheep in.

Finally let’s not forget our own context. We hear and read the Bible through the filter of our own society, experience, and expectations. All of us do.

So taking all these contexts into account, what does the Gospel passage have to say to us today? In using the image of sheep and shepherd Jesus was making clear that he was appointed by God. In fact based on what God says to Ezekiel, “I myself will be the shepherd of my sheep,” (Ezekiel 34:15) Jesus was telling his audience that he is acting in God’s place, as God. The passage also tells us that the sign of a good shepherd and a true leader is that his people will follow him out of love and trust. This sort of leader truly cares for the flock and acts selflessly, rather than out of self-interest. Shepherds would lie down in the gate and put their lives between the flock and danger. Jesus lay down his life for us. His sacrifice keeps us safe from the ultimate enemy, death.

But while Jesus is the ultimate Good Shepherd, the role of being a shepherd, or to use the Latin word, a pastor, can be and was delegated. In Matthew (9:36) Jesus delegates his pastoral role to all the disciples, and later in John’s Gospel (21:15-17) specifically to Peter: “Jesus said to Simon Peter, ‘feed my lambs’ … ‘tend my sheep’ … ‘feed my sheep.’” This was in response to Peter affirming his love of Jesus. And that is the main qualification of a Christian leader: to love Jesus, to love God, and to love those made in God’s image and God’s Creation. All the details we find in Ezekiel, feeding the hungry, strengthening the weak, healing the sick, bringing back the lost, feeding with justice, are signs of that love.

I admit that this is a challenge and I’m glad that the role is not restricted just to those who are ‘pastors’ by profession! This is the calling of all the baptized and the very idealized situation described in the reading from Acts (2:44-45), that all “who believed would sell their possessions and distribute the proceeds to all, as any had need,” expresses this idea and ideal of mutual pastoral ministry.

But it’s not just about the physical care of others, about meeting the physical needs of those who cannot do so without our help. It’s also about their spiritual needs. We are called to bring people to Jesus to find real pasture. Jesus is the bread (John 6:35) and the water of life (4:14). Through Jesus, the way, the truth, and the life, (14:6) we gain access to God and it is only that relationship that truly stills our spiritual hunger and quenches our spiritual thirst. When we enable other people to have a relationship with Jesus we let them partake in his invitation to “have life and to have it abundantly.” (10:10) And not only will their lives be full to overflowing, and fulfilled, ours will too! You see, our life in Christ is not just so abundant that it can be shared. Our life in Christ is at its most abundant when it is shared.  
  
Amen