Waiting in Advent

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Greg M. Johnson

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Dec 8, 2007, 7:40:51 AM12/8/07
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I listened to a recent Faith Matters (podcast of the ELCA) that was all about the concept of waiting in Advent.

Now when the TV commercials do it, we rightly get upset.  They show us four weeks of huge families dressed in elegant red clothes drinking wine at huge banquets. They create the expectation.  When it doesn't happen, America gets clinically depressed for a few weeks afterwards.   I cannot help but feel that we sometimes in the church put folks on the same track of overly high expectations in Advent.  Instead of "presents,"  we get JESUS!

I don't think I have any problem with celebration of Lent through Easter, as maybe it's a promise of temporal hardship and post-death eternal joy.   I don't have any problem with the theology of the Umpteenth Week of Pentecost-- it's a long, term real world kind of thing.

I don't have any problem with the promise of Christ being bound in time, when the timeline is either: after death,  later in today's worship service (at communion), later in life (highs and lows of sanctification journey), etc.  But when there is a promise in the calendar year, I guess I want my results.

Say I were to know someone, a nontheist,  who was on the verge of overcoming doubts or going through a rough time that was deepening their spiritual feelings.  I for one would not encourage them to expect anything special on Christmas Eve. I would much, much rather meet such a person and be witnessing to them on the Umpteenth Sunday of Pentecost.

What do you think-- is this post just wallowing in disbelief, or can advent be turned into its own kind of Gospel of Prosperity ('cept for spiritual rewards with a guaranteed delivery date).




BONUS POSTING:
On a flickr forum, some folks were debating religious tolerance, and then the teaching of creationism in schools.
One person said, "Let's keep all beliefs out of the schools."
Another retorted, "Poets everywhere are coming to egg your house."



--
"Frodo had been in the battle, but he had not drawn sword, and his chief part had been to prevent the hobbits in their wrath at their losses, from slaying those of their enemies who threw down their weapons."  -- RETURN OF THE KING.

Greg M. Johnson
http://pterandon.blogspot.com

Greg M. Johnson

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Dec 22, 2007, 8:46:46 AM12/22/07
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I listened to a second "Faith Matters" podcast (distributed by the ELCA).  The theme continues on "waiting."

In it, the preacher told a story of an elderly couple who were robbed and burglarized many times. How they waited in dread in their home for the next robbery.  They eventually ended up in a retirement home.

When he went on to another example, and I got that this story was supposed to tell us how hard it was to wait, I stopped listening.

I believe that a theology of waiting for December 25th is not spiritually edifying. It's an example of what I don't like when I say "High church".    I don't think it's useful to promise something on December 25th.   Do we "get" Jesus in a way we don't on other days of the calendar?
--
"Too many lifetimes are wasted in an irrational rebellion against the bullies of one's youth."

Mike Bennett

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Dec 22, 2007, 9:11:41 AM12/22/07
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-----Original Message-----
From: "Greg M. Johnson" <pter...@gmail.com>
To: elc...@googlegroups.com
Sent: 12/22/07 7:46 AM
Subject: [ELCA-G] Re: Waiting in Advent

I listened to a second "Faith Matters" podcast (distributed by the ELCA). The theme continues on "waiting."

In it, the preacher told a story of an elderly couple who were robbed and
burglarized many times. How they waited in dread in their home for the next robbery. They eventually ended up in a retirement home.

When he went on to another example, and I got that this story was supposed to tell us how hard it was to wait, I stopped listening.

I believe that a theology of waiting for December 25th is not spiritually
edifying. It's an example of what I don't like when I say "High church".
I don't think it's useful to promise something on December 25th. Do we "get" Jesus in a way we don't on other days of the calendar?

----------------

It sounds like a liturgical calendar discomfort dressed in seasonal Advent clothing because of course it's Advent. The value I derive from the liturgical calendar is to be reminded every year, in a very focused way, of the specific, saving deeds of God. Of course there's nothing magic about a year, but that's the cycle we have that's about the right length. On Christmas, one of the events to which Advent points, I am reminded afresh of God's incarnation to defeat sin, death, and the devil, for my sake! Advent of course finds us preparing for the second coming too, as well as remembering that Jesus comes for us over and over in Word and Sacrament.

I do find all of those helpful in my poor walk, as well as other saving events we remember at other times.

Mike Bennett


Greg M. Johnson

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Dec 23, 2007, 8:40:34 AM12/23/07
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Thanks for the insights, Mike.

I never seem to have problems with Lent.   Nevertheless, I know of a story where a girl, newly adopted into a Christian family, was told in a Lenten service that Jesus had died, and was devastated-- "Just now?!!"   That's part of my point. I'm guessing most Lenten messages aren't so bound to the calendar year.  Lazy preaching in Advent can be.

I like the theology and the emotional resonance of "Oh Come, Oh Come Immanuel," which I just sang last night at another church's Christmas pageant.  Maybe it gives us something to do, to plead for Jesus to come, and I don't think it's one that's bound by the calendar year. At the same time, that pastor's sermon during the pageant used the terms "cross" and "completed salvation for us."

I know you are no liberal protestant, Mike, and are not anti-high-church.  Some other folks I've run into, however,  seem to overdo the high-church formalities to make up for the lacklusterness of liberal theology.   Let me explain.  I know that faith is more than assent to intellectual doctrines, but i think it's MUCH more than an emotional state. In Karen Armstrong's "Battle for God," she says religion was always supposed to be nothing more than psychological comfort. In what I imagine is a high-church-liberal-protestantism, the job of the church is to make up rites to bring us through emotional therapy. Getting to cross in Advent would short circuit the process, would skip one of the Steps.   Personally, I'm more open to having to wrestling with ideas than having my emotions pulled here or there.

(This other pastor's Christmas message was, I know, delivered to a festive and wholly entertaining event which included many un-churched persons, if not outright nonbelievers visiting with friends.  I was glad he told us how it ended. )     

Again, this is not about my own pastor's preaching but a podcast put out by the ELCA.

Merry Christmas to all!

Oh Come, Oh Come, Immanuel!
and
Oh Come, Oh Come, Emmanuel, too!!!




Mike Bennett

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Dec 23, 2007, 2:32:44 PM12/23/07
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My personal view is that "big deal" events with lots of visitors or infrequent worshippers (Christmas, Easter, funerals) are an ideal time to be sure the Gospel is heard. (I mean that to be complementing what you wrote, not to disagree with it).

Mike Bennett

Greg M. Johnson

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Dec 24, 2007, 9:30:10 AM12/24/07
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Not disagreeing with what you wrote,   I'd say every worship service is a time to be sure the Gospel is heard;  stuff you broadcast to the world (podcast, radio) is an even stronger case for it. 

If preaching is to make reference to the church calendar, you don't necessarily need to exclude references to law and gospel.   I guess I was more bothered by the lack of the latter than a reference to the former.

I also learned this week I should pay more attention to my son's musical endeavors. I knew he was going to perform in our (ELCA) congregation's chime choir, but not what song was to be played.   Yesterday, it turned out to be "Oh Come, Oh Come, Emmanuel"  !!. 

peace to all.
--
"Too many lifetimes are wasted in an irrational rebellion against the bullies of one's youth."

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