Texts: Deuteronomy 4:1-2, 6-9; James 1:17-27; Mark 7:1-8, 14-15, 21-23
Theme:
Something about the pros and cons of tradition seem to be at the heart
of our first lesson and the gospel passage.
So “The Old and the New” (or, for traditional Anglicans, “The Ancient
and Modern “) might do. Something a
little edgier might be “When Good Traditions Turn Bad”(or “Go Feral”). On a different track, “Hearing and Doing”
might appeal to those who enjoy James, and would also link in with the other
two readings. I favour “The Tradition of
Doing New Things”.
Introduction. On the verge of entering the
Promised Land the Israelites are largely free of useful man-made traditions,
for they have no experience of living in a land of their own. What they do have is the gift of the Law, and
the calling to so live their life in accordance with it as to be an example to
all other nations of the world. Listen,
learn and do is also a fair summary of James’ message in our second lesson this
week. And the gospel passage shows us
what happens when we listen to our own “wisdom” hallowed by years of practice,
instead of listening to God. Washing our
hands before eating may well be good hygiene, but when it becomes elevated to a
test of our religious commitment we know something has gone seriously askew.
Background.
This weekend Dunedin is celebrating the 150th anniversary of
the election of its first mayor, the mark of its status as a city. The ODT has brought out a special Supplement,
including some wonderful photographs of Dunedin in 1865. Once again I am marvelling at how much the
early settlers achieved within the first few years of any organised intentional
settlements of Pakeha migrants: our first ships tradition begins in 1848. William Meluish’s photographic panorama of
the city in 1865 shows an astonishing number and range of buildings, from small
cramped, decidedly temporary-looking creations to grand three-storey stone
structures. The accompanying text
captures the mood perfectly: Fuelled by
the Otago gold rushes and driven by the acumen , tenacity and aspirations of
its citizens Dunedin rapidly rose.
Nothing
captures this more impressively, perhaps, than the 1865 Dunedin Exhibition
Building, a colossus of a building highly ornamented with towers, turrets,
finials, and goodness knows what else. Other photos remind us that the pace did
not slacken, and two of the most impressive buildings in Dunedin today began
life as private residences; “Fernhill”, built for whaler, businessman and
philanthropist John Jones in 1868 and now the home of the Dunedin Club, and
Larnach’s Castle, built in 1871 for merchant banker and politician William
Larnach, and now one of the gems of the Dunedin tourist industry.
But those
early days, as busy as the people must have been with domestic and commercial
concerns, also saw a large number of churches built around the fast-growing
city and beyond. This year also marks
the 150th anniversary of All Saints Church in Cumberland St and of
St Peter’s Church in Caversham. The first
St Paul’s in the Octagon was already built, and work was going on with the
magnificent building that became First Church (Presbyterian) in Moray Place.
But the item
that caught my eye more than anything else concerns the Dunedin Athenaeum &
Mechanics’ Institute. Dunedin is rightly
renowned for its early (and continuing) commitment to education, at primary,
secondary and tertiary level. We can
point with pride to our university as the first in the country, and many fine
old buildings are still to be found on its campus. Otago Boy’s High School is another must-see
for lovers of architecture and history.
But who among us instantly thinks of The Athenaeum & Mechanics’
Institute when asked about Dunedin’s educational history? Yet its history dates back to 1851 – just 3
years after those first ships made landfall on our shores! First known as The Dunedin Mechanics’
Institute, it became The Dunedin Athenaeum and Mechanics’ Institute in 1859.
What was it
for then? I quote: Membership of the organisation was by subscription and membership
facilitated education of the fledgling Dunedin community – at a time when there
was no other adult education available – by providing a library and classes for
its members. And what is it for
today? I quote again: Evolution from an organisation focused on
education to a place of social gathering, and its current function as a private
subscription library, illustrates the changes in culture and social interest
over the past 160 years. Here is a
perfect example of an institution birthed in a tradition that has nevertheless
evolved over the years, within that same tradition, to meet new circumstances.
What can we
learn from our own story that may help us in our reflections on this week’s
readings? Like the Israelites, these
forbears of ours came to what many had believed would be the Promised
Land. Many of them were escaping, if not
from actual slavery, from social and working conditions that were not much
different. We can understand what pushed
them, rather than what pulled them.
Apart from the missionaries and evangelists, did any of them feel
“called” to this land? What role did
their faith play, if any, in the decision of those boat people to risk
everything in the hope of a better life in a new country? Was it their desire to learn a new way of
life, a new way to live together, to pioneer a society that would be an example
to the other nations of the world? Or
were they simply focused on escaping the harsh realities of life in 19th
century Scotland or England – propelled by desperation rather than inspired by
hope?
Clearly,
they brought with them many traditions from their past, including religious
ones. But this for them was a new land
presenting new challenges. How well did
they learn how to live in THIS place, to learn new tricks, to adapt their
traditions to meet new realities? How
well have we continued that process? Do
we yet know how to live here – in this place – in harmony with one another and
with our environment? The Bible talks of
“living long in the land the Lord our God is giving us”. How long was it before the Israelites forgot
the land on which they now lived was a gift?
How long before they forgot their divine mandate to pioneer a society
that would be an example to the nations of the world? How long before they forgot the Lord their
God and turned to other gods, including the god of their own traditions?
There was a
time when we seemed willing to create a better society for ourselves, and to
show other nations a better way to live. We had a proud tradition of social justice, of
mutual care and co-operation, of pioneering new ways of living together, many
of which did indeed gain the attention of other nations. Has that time passed? Have we abandoned those traditions? And if we direct the same sort of questions
to the Church would the answers be any different?
Deuteronomy 4:1-2, 6-9.
Here we see tradition in the process of being formed. Notice how the passage moves from the land given
to “your ancestors” in verse 1 to the need to remember the story and make it
known “to your children and your children’s children” in verse 9. Verse 2 cautions against adding to, or
subtracting from, the Law as it has been received. (Compare “the tradition of the elders” in the
gospel passage.) Verses 6 -8 underlines
the calling of Israel to be a model society for the rest of the world.
Taking It Personally.
·
In what sense, if any, is New Zealand rightly thought
of as “God’s own country”? How do you
react to that term when applied to New Zealand?
·
Do you think of this country as a gift from God? Why or why not?
·
Are we too bound up in tradition, or too ready to
abandon tradition in the pursuit of “progress”?
·
What are some of the essential truths that we should
ensure we pass on to future generations?
·
What one traditional thing in your local faith
community would you most like to see changed, and what one traditional thing
would you least like to see changed?
Why?
James 1:17-27.
Notice where James begins in this passage: ALL good things are gifts of
God. This includes our birth (baptism)
which he gave “by the word of truth”.
This links with that wonderful expression in verse 21, where we are
exhorted to “welcome the implanted word”.
But simply to receive (or hear) the word is not enough: we must put what
we hear into action. He even goes so far
as to write: “Religion that is pure and undefiled before God the Father is
this: to care for orphans and widows, and to keep oneself unstained by the
world.” We do well to notice the balance
here: some believe that Christianity is all about social service, and have
little interest in deep prayer and worship, while others appear to go to the
opposite extreme. In one sharp sentence
James calls us to both – listen, learn, and act accordingly is really a summary
of his whole letter.
Taking It Personally.
·
If all good things are from above, we need to spend a
lot of time in prayers of thanksgiving?
Do you? Make a list of things you
are grateful to God for at this time.
·
Are you a good listener? Are you quicker to listen than to speak?
·
Are you quick-tempered?
·
Meditate on the expression in verse 21 “the implanted
word”. What do you feel about it?
·
Reflecting on the past month, how have your actions
been influenced by that implanted word?
Mark 7:1-8, 14-15, 21-23.
In a real sense the inauguration of the Kingdom of God calls for a whole
new way of living as dramatic as that facing the Israelites as they prepared to
enter the Promised Land, or that faced by the exiles who found themselves in
Babylon. So what we have in this
passage, and in other similar “debates” is, at one level, a clash of
culture. The old ways – the way we do
things in this society – are being challenged in a radical way and opposition
is only to be expected. At first sight
we might have some sympathy for Jesus’ adversaries here – particularly if we
can remembered being asked (on many occasions!) if we had washed our hands
before coming to the table. Isn’t it a
simple matter of personal hygiene?
(Similarly, it may well be a good practice to wash food recently bought
from an open-air market, and wash the crockery and utensils used for food. But what is a good commonsense practice has
been elevated into a religious requirement, the failure to comply being worthy
of condemnation. Jesus turns the matter
into a discussion about inner cleanliness, about which, he implies, his critics
seem far less concerned. Notice that
both sides accept that this is not a dispute about the Law of God, but the
tradition of the elders.
Taking It Personally.
·
Reflect on verse 15.
Can we not think of things that come to us from outside that can defile
us? Pornography, for instance, or
portrayals of violence? Perhaps Jesus
meant that nothing outside us can defile us unless we allow it to enter in to
us? Does that help?
·
Use verses 21-22 as a guide for a period of
self-examination and reflection.
·
In what sense, if any, do you experience the words of
absolution spoken by a priest as a “certificate of inner cleansing”?
·
What do you understand by the word “folly” in this
list?
I value your comments, however they will need to be approved before publishing :)
No comments:
Post a Comment