Most of the commentators here come from the stone age branch of traditionalism. They are traditional Christians… believing (and tiving) what has been called the old, strong religion. Now, we have considerable differences, but as we live in a fallen age the practical issues that exist around keeping a family together and holy mean that the Catholic housewife is talking with an Orthodox steel worker… and the reformed. Now, on some things, it does not matter. My congregation uses the lectionary, has candles, and sings modern songs. But the teaching is reformed and quite Scottish: we look at Iona as well as the auld Kirk.But as James MacDonald says, that is no reason for woolly thinking.
Candles and bells, paintings and sculpture, incense and chanting–great! Let’s bring back the best of all those offerings of worship, but let’s not confuse style and substance. According to Jesus it’s still truth that sets you free, not artistic expression. Wearing suits and ties is certainly not necessary and it can be contrived and unnatural, but wearing jeans and sandals is not a means to the revealed presence of Christ. John 14:21 teaches that obedience to the substance of Christ’s teaching brings His “manifest presence,” not forms–old or new. In most of these discussions we are simply inserting an ancient-dead form in place of a modern-dead one
Now this is the second attempt to do this. The hotel ISP destroyed the first draft at around 7 am when I tried to post it in Wellington, it’s now around 10 pm and I’m in Dunedin. What I want to look at a bit is the Hebrews text from today.
11And every priest stands day after day at his service, offering again and again the same sacrifices that can never take away sins. 12But when Christ had offered for all time a single sacrifice for sins, “he sat down at the right hand of God,” 13and since then has been waiting “until his enemies would be made a footstool for his feet.” 14For by a single offering he has perfected for all time those who are sanctified. 15And the Holy Spirit also testifies to us, for after saying,
16“This is the covenant that I will make with them
after those days, says the Lord:
I will put my laws in their hearts,
and I will write them on their minds,”
17he also adds,
“I will remember their sins and their lawless deeds no more.”
18Where there is forgiveness of these, there is no longer any offering for sin.
19Therefore, my friends, since we have confidence to enter the sanctuary by the blood of Jesus, 20by the new and living way that he opened for us through the curtain (that is, through his flesh), 21and since we have a great priest over the house of God, 22let us approach with a true heart in full assurance of faith, with our hearts sprinkled clean from an evil conscience and our bodies washed with pure water. 23Let us hold fast to the confession of our hope without wavering, for he who has promised is faithful. 24And let us consider how to provoke one another to love and good deeds, 25not neglecting to meet together, as is the habit of some, but encouraging one another, and all the more as you see the Day approaching.
It is fairly obvious that there are three points I want to discuss.
Where there is forgiveness of these, there is no longer any offering for sin. My Catholic readers may wonder what the stumbling blocks are for the reformed in their doctrine. If I ignore the fact that I frequently praise God that he is not a canon lawyer, there are two big ones: the immaculate conception of Mary and transubstantiation. Jesus died once. for all. And he is our priest. There is no other, and since in him our sins are ablated there is no need for sacrifice. Now, the reformed do state clearly that communion is a sacrament by which we proclaim the death of Christ and his saving grace… which we do in obedience to him. But we use symbols. Now, although I have not highlighted the text, only Christ has been a perfect human. Mary, his mother, is to be honoured for her courage and her obedience, but she, like us all, sinned.
Let us hold fast to the confession of our hope without wavering. This is what I am afraid the emergents have lost. The gospel is not theatre, it is not technique, but it is the power of God. Here we can learn from the orthodox and catholic… hold onto that which is essential. Hold onto the creeds. The liturgical churches make you read set psalms and bible readings. The reformers did not… but there was a tradition of expository preaching through the bible. And then publishing polished notes as commentaries — that had been tested in real life. We need the bible proclaimed, not a commentary on the latest movie or magazine article.
And let us consider how to provoke one another to love and good deeds, 2not neglecting to meet together… Over the last few months I have blogged the lectionary… and occasionally snarled about other topics. That has led to arguments and discussions. All to the good. We need a Christian blogosphere that critiques not accommodates our society in cyberspace. But I still need to meet in real life, with a real congregation. Even though I hate, hate gathering with people and force myself to do it. Because there is something much more powerful and direct about being confronted by a brother… than a comment here.
In the end, we are supposed to be different; here and in the other aspects of our life.