Vintage: Theological Horizons Online Reading Group

Exploring this online reading group...

2010-02-07T15:32:00.002-05:00

Welcome to the Vintage online reading group, an offering of Theological Horizons! Vintage continues to meet each week 'on location' at the Bonhoeffer House in Charlottesville, Virginia. We have discontinued the weekly online postings, but invite you to read through and enjoy these archives. If you would like to know more about Vintage and receive email devotional newsletters from Theological Horizons, just drop me an email: karen@theologicalhorizons.org. We'll happily include you.

Grace and Peace,
Karen

Amy Carmichael and the Traffic of the Temple

2009-04-16T12:00:00.002-05:00

This week's reading is found on page 360 of Spiritual Classics.

Amy Carmichael's life bears strong witness to the deep social concern born from a heart transformed by God, as she gave her entire life towards working for just practices for children, specifically within the practice of temple trafficking, in which children were dedicated to temple gods through marriage ceremonies. Born in Northern Ireland, Amy felt a call to missions around the age of 20, and despite physical ailment, she followed this call to India, where she helped found a major healing center and worked in particular with young women who had been forced into prostitution. Her faith in the risen Jesus was rich and her prolific writings have been inspirational to generations following her into the mission field. This week's selection tells the story of a difficult and emotional time experienced by the missionaries as a widower considered the future of his infant daughter in light of her life as a temple child. The power of prayer, and the significance of confidence in that prayer, arise as Amy tells the story.

*How does the movement of God in response to prayer affect you after reading this story? What if God had not 'answered' in the way hope for by the missionaries?

*How does the Christian gospel navigate cultural differences? Is this a difficult space? What experiences have you had in various cultures?

*How do we feel called to places like the one that Amy Carmichael found herself?

**This is our last reading and reflection selection for the academic year!
Check back for updates and have a great summer!!**

Good Friday: Via Dolorosa

2009-04-09T08:31:00.002-05:00

This week, we visit and observe the path of Christ to the Cross in meditation for Lent. The Stations of the Cross prepares the participant in devoted reading of the final hours of Christ.

From the earliest of days, followers of Jesus told the story of his passion, death and resurrection. When pilgrims came to see Jerusalem, they were anxious to see the sites where Jesus was. These sites become important holy connections with Jesus. Eventually, following in the footsteps of the Lord, along the way of the cross, became a part of the pilgrimage visit. The stations, as we know them today, came about when it was no longer easy or even possible to visit the holy sites. In the 1500's, villages all over Europe started creating "replicas" of the way of the cross, with small shrines commemorating the places along the route in Jerusalem. Eventually, these shrines became the set of 14 stations we now know and were placed in almost every Catholic Church in the world. Set aside a piece of your time and follow the links on the College of the Resurrection's site regarding the stations.

As we visit each moment leading up to the death of Jesus, see if you can find yourself more readily part of the Easter story, where we are all taken up to be part of God through the death and resurrection of his son.

**Next week, we will be reading a selection from Amy Carmichael, p 360 in Spiritual Disciplines**

Ignatius Loyola and The Spiritual Exercises

2009-04-01T12:00:00.000-05:00

This week's reading is found on page 291 of Spiritual Classics.

Founder of the religious order known as the Jesuits, Ignatius Loyola is one of Christian history's most direct and disciplined work that has remained a signficant piece into contemporary times. Born in Spain, he was wounded in combat and spent his recovery reading religious texts on the lives of Jesus and various saints. Later, beside the Cardoner River, he had a pivotal experience of God that led him to enter an even more impassioned pursuit of Christ. He was imprisoned for his beliefs, and by 1538, had established a group of spiritual companions who took vows of poverty, chastity, and loyalty to Pope Paul III alongside him. This group birthed the Jesuits. Jesuits, while formal and structured in their lives, were freed from medieval practices and thereby given space to enter the contemporary scene. This week's selection discusses how one can discern the spirits of God versus those of the enemy, with clarity and directness that evidences the long-standing value of Ignatius' contribution.

*When and how have you experienced distress or discomfort that has led you either to or away from God?

*When facing major decision making, how might these questions and rules for discernment become applicable?

*Foster writes in his conclusions that "God draws and encourages, Satan pushes and condemns." How have you experienced either of these?

GK Chesterton and Enjoying Floods and Other Disasters

2009-03-19T12:45:00.003-05:00

This week's reading is found on page 300 of Spiritual Classics.

Often called the "Prince of Paradox", Gilbert Keith Chesterton produced a scope of writing so broad that it included everything from apologetics to detective fiction. Born into a literary family, GK Chesterton studied art and English literature, and began to gain fame as a journalist and illustrator in the early 20th century. He grew to write more critical articles, become a most provocative figure on the literary scene, known for his flamboyant dress and sardonic witt. His use of paradox grouped him with Oscar Wilde and George Bernard Shaw, yet his argument for the Christian faith set him apart from many in the literary scene. His Everlasting Man is cited as influencing the conversion of C.S. Lewis. This week's selection uses humor to call the reader to more child-like faith, describing inconveniences as "joy" and us as "comic creatures."

*How can we best be guided by unusual or exceptional events?

*What does it take to see such events as benevolent?

*How does humor and celebration illuminate the holiness of God?

*How has laughter brought you into God's embrace?

**Next week, we will be reading a selection from Frederick Buechner, p 314 in Spiritual Disciplines**

Gerard Manley Hopkins and God's Grandeur and Pied Beauty

2009-03-05T11:33:00.003-05:00

This week's reading is found on page 265 of Spiritual Classics, Richard Foster, editor.

An ordained priest and poet who suffered with bouts of depression, Gerard Manley Hopkins created new methods of expression within the art of poetry during his at times melancholy life. Influenced by his own father's forays into poetry, Hopkins, the eldest of nine children, began to work with the medium at an early age. Following the example of John Henry Newman, he converted from Anglicanism to Roman Catholicism in 1866 and in 1868 decided to enter the priesthood. Serving in various parishes in England and Scotland, he eventually became professor of Greek literature at University College Dublin, but his English roots, disagreement with Irish politics, and peculiar nature prevented him from earning much success as a teacher. After many years of illness, Hopkins died of typhoid in 1889. Though his despondancy was at times overwhelming, he evidently overcame this, his last words noted as being, "I am so happy. I am so happy." This week's selection, though perhaps challenging, comes to life when one reads it aloud -- don't be afraid to read it to yourself or to a friend or family member.

* 1. How can we make time to consider the beauty of God as expressed in God's creation?

* 2. What has been a time when you have felt despair about the state of the world, and creation has reminded you of God's goodness?

*3. Read Foster's reflection on the Hopkins' poems, and his recollection of St. Augustine's words that the senses are "the messengers of God." What are we to make of what our senses take in when the world around us seems not-so-beautiful? How can we be better stewards of the earth?

*4. Take a moment and mediate on this musical reflection, found at the link below, on the poem "Pied Beauty" by musician Sean O'Leary. What images or feelings come to mind?

http://www.gerardmanleyhopkins.net/demo/song3_56.html

Evelyn Underhill and We Are Called to Worship

2009-02-26T11:25:00.003-05:00

This week's reading is found on page 251 of Spiritual Classics, Richard Foster, editor.

Evelyn Underhill was a prolific writer who contributed over 30 books to spiritual thought. Raised by a family of barristers and judges, she became a Christian as an adult, and after much searching, eventually became a devout Anglican. Her first major writing, Mysticism: A Study in the Nature and Development of Man’s Spiritual Consciousness established her as an expert on the subject and began her down a path of moving into new spaces for women, as she became the first woman to give a series of lectures at Oxford and would later become a fellow of King’s College at Cambridge. Fond of St. Theresa’s saying that to give Our Lord a perfect service Martha and Mary must combine, "She conducted retreats, and emphasized the importance of combining the life of solitude with God and the life of shared community. Throughout her life, her mornings were given to writing and her afternoons to visiting the poor and to the direction of souls.

*What obstacles sometimes hold us back from full assent to the experience of worship?

*How can we enter more freely into the transfigured life as exemplified by Moses, Elijah, and Jesus himself?

*How do worship experiences shape our communion with God and with others?

Adolfo Quezada and Loving Yourself for God's Sake

2009-02-19T12:10:00.003-05:00

This week's reading is found on page. 246 of Spiritual Classics edited by Richard Foster.

A counselor by profession, Adolfo Quezada's work, and his life, has brought him eye to eye with the brokenness present in this world. Hope is found, for Quezada, in the assurance that God's forgiveness offered to us is enough, that God's faith in us is enough, especially when we ourselves are unable to muster up the strength to forgive and believe. In this week's passage, look to see if Quezada's words compel healing in the cracked places in your life -- do you find his approach soothing?

1. Quezada urges us to set our guilt before us, to be specific about the wrongs we have done, and then, after having made restitution as best we can, to let them go. Is this difficult for us? Why or why not?

2. How does Quezada understand the past, and how does he describe the redemption of the past? Do you agree with him?

3. Are there ways that -- after we admit our own faults -- we can relax and let them go?

4. How can we keep from reliving over and over the wrongs that we have done?

**Next week, we will read a passage from Evelyn Underhill, p 253 in Spiritual Disciplines**

Hildegard of Bingen and the Letter to Christian Laypeople

2009-02-12T13:00:00.001-05:00

Our reading this week is taken from the work of Hildegard of Bingen, whose visions of God propelled her to wide influence during the 12^th century. Born in Germany, she began having visions at a young age but was reluctant to share them until, as she would later describe in her work, Scivas, she became physically ill from holding these visions inside. Afraid to put her work into writing, it took the urging of her tutor Volmar, and the influence of such notables as Bernard as Clairvaux, to encourage her to share her gifts. Hildegard would continue on to start convents and embarked on extensive preaching tours. A prolific writer, she also composed three major spiritual books, a medical book, and biographies of two saints.

In the selected passage, she cautions the layperson against the dangers of separating the world into the secular and the sacred. During a time when the religious life appeared reserved for those who resided within the convents and monasteries, Hildegard invites the Christian to participate in the spiritual, not through the same rigorous disciplines expected of the religious community, but rather through obedience to the commandments. Living well becomes a live option for all who wish to seek and find God in their daily experience.

How might we experience or claim these same sacred/secular distinctions that Christians claimed in Hildegard’s time?

Do you find yourself “forgetting” as Hildegard points out to this community of laypeople that they are “forgetting”?

In what ways do you find your community, your church, or your family responding to the standards of the time? How might Hildegard’s answer of “living well” resound in those communities?

**Next week, we'll read Aldofo Quezada, Loving Yourself for God's Sake, pp 246-250, in Spiritual Classics.**

Karl Rahner and the God of My Daily Routine

2009-02-05T12:21:00.000-05:00

Karl Rahner , one of the twentieth century's major Roman Catholic theologians, studied at Freiburg and Innsbruck, and taught at Innsbruck, Munich, and Münster. His work was admired for its excellence and was noted for his efforts to interpret theology in light of modern philosophical thought. Rahner was a peritus , or an official theologian, at the Second Vatican Council (1962-1965), and in 1969 he was one of 30 appointed by Pope Paul VI to evaluate theological developments since the Council. Rahner's vision emphasized the connectedness between God and humankind.

In this passage from his book, Encounters with Silence, notice that the life of connectedness with God does not necessitate grandiousity on the part of the human, but rather, Rahner speaks of the routineness of the individual and the mercy of the God who looks upon Him.

1. Rahner writes of the "hour of my death" being the moment when "all the crates are suddenly swept out of the warehouse"; the moment when all the routine which fills our lives now is suddenly gone; how does this thought strike you?

2. What does Rahner eventually conclude abot routine? Do you agree?

3. If it is true that "I can lose You in everything" and "I can find You in everything", is there a tension that Rahner asks of the human? is this a difficult or confusing concept? What do you think Rahner is communicating?

Next week, we will be reading Hildegard of Bingen's Letter to Christian Laypeople, p229-234 in Spiritual Disciplines.

Dorothy Day on Hospitality to the Poor

2009-01-29T12:00:00.004-05:00

Dorothy Day's life was one of devout incarnational witness, lived among America's forgotten. Though she began her journey as an atheist, she converted to Roman Catholicism following the birth of her daughter and eventually sought to champion the rights of the poor through hospitality and outreach to New York City's most impoverished. With Peter Maurin, she founded the Catholic Worker Movement, and her writings and mission spread throughout the United States.

In this selection from The Long Lonliness, her autobiography, Dorothy Day explores the indwelling of Christ in incarnational service. She writes, in slightly scolding, particularly stirring narrative, that, "going to the people is the purest and best act in Christian tradition and revolutionary tradition and is the beginning of world brotherhood." Consider how Day's biblical mandates speak to our lives.

On page 213, Dorothy Day writes that, "enduring shame is part of our penance." What do you think she means by this? How does this strike you?

She also writes, on the same page, that "we must and will find Christ in each and every man when we look on them as brothers." What does it mean to look on other humans as brothers and sisters? What helps you to do this? What experiences or pieces of your history make it difficult for you to do this?

Are there ways to engage in Christian service that may not fully engage the descriptions that Dorothy Day gives in these passages?

Richard of St. Victor & Song of Sol. 3:1-5

2009-01-22T12:00:00.003-05:00

Richard of St. Victor vividly describes the experience of loving God as a passionate nuptial encounter. His erotic language is startling, particularly coming from a 12th century celibate monk! So where is Richard coming from, across these almost one thousand years?

Richard pursued an immediate, personal communion of the soul with the Infinite God. While scholastics of the Middle Ages sought knowledge of God through natural reason, contemplative mystics like Richard found God primarily through experience--by adoration above logical analysis, with the heart above the intellect, through spiritual feelings beyond the strict demands of logic. It might be simplistic to say that mystics are characterized by the word devotion, scholastics by speculation.

So, turning to the reading, what does Richard have to say to us today? A few questions to begin the discussion:

How can we deal with any embarrassment we may feel about Richard of St. Victor's love language? Or biblical love language?

What spiritual benefits might we discover by thinking of God as a sweetheart or a spouse?

What role does the head play in your spiritual life? What role does the heart play?

How do you think about Richard's images:
the One waiting
the distracting crowd
the progression into intimacy: hearing, seeing, kissing, falling into divine sweetness?

If you would like internet access to this reading, email karen: info@theologicalhorizons.org

next week: Dorothy Day & Matthew 25: 31-46

Martin Luther King, Jr., and On Love and Nonviolence

2009-01-15T12:44:00.002-05:00

This week, we turn to perhaps one of the church's most eloquent and powerful witnesses to the triumph of the Kingdom of God on earth. Martin Luther King, Jr., African American Baptist minister and civil rights leader, was born in Atlanta, GA, as the second child of a Baptist minister. Earning degrees from Morehouse, Crozer Theological Seminar, and Boston University, King was well on his way to a comfortable career as pastor of an affluent African American congregation in Montgomery, Alabama, when the events surrounding the Montgomery Bus Boycott pulled him to the forfront of a church-born, nonviolent struggle that ended in the desegregation of all public transport. He continued on to champion the rights of the persecuted, bringing thousands alongside him to advocate for a non-violent end to racial and economic barriers that stood throughout the nation. King was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize in 1964, making him the youngest to receive this award. Motivated by his understanding of a personal, socially active God, King's theological influences were rich and textured, ranging from the deeply Biblical faith of his upbringing to the more contemporary theological thought of Paul Tillich and Reinhold Neibuhr. Ultimately, however, King pointed towards a living Jesus as the model and motivator for all action.

*King calls this movement a "spiritual movement". What do you think he means?

*If we are called to live as peacemakers, as King explains, what kinds of "radical action" might become not-so-radical? Do you think King understood what he was doing as "radical"?

*King explains "confrontation with love". Have you encountered this on a social or individual level with the Lord? How does hate in our hearts make this difficult?

**Next week, we will be reading Richard of St. Victor, p. 184 in Spiritual Disciplines.**

New Schedule of Readings for Spring 2009!

2009-01-08T12:45:00.001-05:00

Happy New Year and welcome to a new semester of Vintage Online!
We resume our conversation on Thursday, January 15th. Please read along with us as we explore texts from the rich Christian classics. Your comments are most welcome.

January 15: Martin Luther King, Jr. / Matthew 26:47-56/ Spiritual Classics, p.279

January 22: Richard of St. Victor/ Song of Solomon 3:1-5/ Spiritual Classics, p. 184

January 29: Dorothy Day/ Matthew 25:31-46/ Spiritual Classics, p. 211

February 5: Karl Rahner/ Psalm 127:1-2/ Spiritual Classics, p. 217

February 12: Hildegard of Bingen/ Romans 13:11-14/ Spiritual Classics, p. 229

February 16: Adolfo Quezada/ 1 John 3:18-22/ Spiritual Classics, p 246

February 26: Evelyn Underhill/ Mark 9:2-9/ Spiritual Classics, p. 253

March 5: Gerard Manley Hopkins/ Psalm 84/ Spiritual Classics, p. 263

March 12: Thomas R. Kelly/Psalm 23/ Spiritual Classics, p. 176

March 19: Ignatius Loyola/ Psalm 91/ Spiritual Classics, p. 291

March 26: G.K. Chesterton/ Matthew 8:23-27/ Spiritual Classics, p. 300

April 2: Frederick Buechner/ Genesis 17:1-9, 15-22; 18:1-15; 21:1-7/ Spiritual Classics, p. 314

April 9: for Good Friday: The Stations of the Cross

April 16: Amy Carmichael/ Mark 9:33-37/ Spiritual Classics, p 360

The Spring Semester begins on January 15

2009-01-01T14:36:00.003-05:00

It doesn't feel like spring, but here in Charlottesville, January marks the beginning of the Spring 2009 semester. Join us here at the Vintage online reading group as we begin again, as well. I'll be posting the new schedule and our first post around Thursday, January 15. If you drop me an email, I'll let you know when it's posted. My address is karen@theologicalhorizons.org.

Our readings for the spring will continue to come out of Spiritual Classics, edited by Richard Foster. The book is easy to find in stores or online. Or drop me a note and I'll send you a copy.
I look forward to our conversations throughout the spring!

--Karen

Online Reading Group continues in January!

2008-11-22T09:00:00.001-05:00

With the end of the fall semester, the online reading group discussion of Spiritual Classics goes on break, as well. Please join us when we resume in midJanuary 2008 for more reading & discussion. If you would like an email notification when we begin again, drop us a request at info@theologicalhorizons.org.

In the meantime, explore Advent with us! You'll find daily Scripture selections, suggested books for the season and other links at the Theological Horizons website. Weekly readings from the Christian tradition will be posted on the Theological Horizons blog for your reflection and discussion for each Sunday of Advent and through the twelve days of Christmas. See you there!

Anne Morrow Linbergh on Solitude

2008-11-21T09:00:00.001-05:00

Anne Morrow Linbergh wrote her book, The Gift From The Sea, during a month alone on an island. We invite you to respond to this excerpt (Spiritual Classics, page 141) in any way you choose.

What quality of solitude led Lindbergh to write on marriage, relationships & intimacy?
What does the natural setting teach her about relationships? about God?
Do Lindbergh's insights reflect your own personal experiences?
As you've walked through God's creation this week, this autumn, what theological truths have you perceived?
What is the spiritual value of solitude? How can we find a space for it in our lives?

Clare of Assisi on God-centered poverty

2008-11-14T09:00:00.001-05:00

Cofoundress of the Order of Poor Ladies, or Clares, St. Clare of Assisi was, and is, known for her profound humility and dedication to a life of poverty. After coming under the influence of St. Francis of Assisi, she vowed herself to a life of simplicity and chastity and eventually earned her special recognition from Pope Gregory. She was made a saint shortly after her death in 1255. I invite your comments on the reading from Spiritual Classics, page 134.

Do the words of Clare of Assisi offend or encourage us? In what ways?
In the final verse of the selected passage of Scripture from Matthew, Jesus essentially asks his disciple to abandon the burial of his deceased father. How does this exchange strike you?
In what ways might our own material possessions and treasures be connected to our spiritual lives?
Richard Foster writes that we, as Christians, must learn to live in right relationship to the issues of sex, money, and power, though most of us will never live as Clare of Assisi lived. His own personal response to these issues are to live in simplicity, in fidelity, and in service. What might our own lives look like when learning to live in these ways?

next week, Nov. 12, we'll consider the reading by Anne Morrow Linbergh

Martin Luther on Simplicity

2008-11-07T09:00:00.001-05:00

Martin Luther is a giant among Christian theologians, yet here he is instructing us to look to sparrows as our schoolmasters and teachers. What do you discover in this preaching, "Do Not Be Anxious About Your Life"? (The reading is found on page 119 of Spiritual Classics.) A few questions to get started:

What thoughts came to me as I read this passage?
After reading this, what might I say about Luther's personality?
What is the distinction between "the concern of love" and "greedy concern"?
What concrete steps might I take to develop a deeper trust in God?

On Nov. 14: a reading by Clare of Assisi

J.B. Phillips on Serendipities

2008-10-31T09:00:00.001-05:00

As he translated the New Testament into modern English, J.B. Phillips was on a personal as well as a scholastic journey. In this week's reading (Spiritual Classics, pg. 93), Phillips offers three serendipities, "happy and unexpected discoveries", he encountered in the New Testament.

What phrases, sentences, ideas in the J.B. Phillips passage speak deeply to you? (Just quote them or go on to discuss their meaning for you.)
What translation of the Bible do you use? Of what importance is that translation to you?
What are the advantages and disadvantages of reading from a more traditional translation? a contemporary translation?
Of the reading Richard Foster says, "Did you notice that the insights [Phillips] gained came simply by paying attention to the words of Scripture?" How can we "pay attention" to Scripture?

The J. B. Phillips translation is available online

Next week, Nov. 7: a reading by Martin Luther on simplicity.

George MacDonald

2008-10-24T09:00:00.001-05:00

We turn now to the spiritual practice of study. I find it a bit curious that the editors (Spiritual Classics, pg. 79) have chosen this reading on the miraculous feeding of the four thousand, for there is not the mention of a book anywhere! But read the Bible story from Mark and then let the leaven of MacDonald's words work in you--there is indeed much to study here.

As always, questions are offered here simply to begin a conversation. You are welcome to respond in any way and at any length. I, for one, am going to post a good bread recipe...

The title of MacDonald's first passage is "The Cause of Spiritual Stupidity." What is the point of the miracle? What are the disciples failing to understand? What is here for us?

"Those miracles of feeding gave the same lesson to their eyes, their hands, their mouths, that His words gave to their ears..." In what way is our experience a field of study, revealing God's Word to us? Why does Christ come to us in this way?

What do you take from MacDonald's insights on "the morrow"?

"If a man forget a thing, God will see to that: man is not lord of his memory or his intellect. But man is lord of his will, his action....If a man lay himself out to do the immediate duty of the moment, wonderfully little foresight, I suspect, will be found needful." What do you think of MacDonald's ideas in this paragraph?

Next week we will discuss the reading by J.B. Phillips

John Henry Newman on Fasting

2008-10-17T09:00:00.002-05:00

We've explored readings on prayer and meditation and turn now to fasting. Respond to Newman's reading in your own way--or use these questions as a place to start. The reading is found on page 62 of Spiritual Classics.

What has been your understanding of fasting---your general impression of that practice or what you've gained through personal experience or study?
What does John Henry Newman add to your understanding or change about it?
What is the relationship between prayer and fasting for Newman?
Talk about the dynamics of relationship with God we see in the examples of Jacob, David, Moses, Elijah & Daniel.

Next week we discuss George MacDonald.

Simone Weil on the Lord's Prayer

2008-10-10T09:00:00.002-05:00

Simone Weil was known as a political, social writer and mystic. In 1938, on a visit to the Trappist Abbey at Solemnes, she reported that "Christ took hold of" her. She was deeply influenced by the meaning of Jesus' Passion. This week we read her meditation on the Lord's Prayer found on page 48 of Spiritual Classics.

What is your intuitive response to Weil's reflections on the Lord's Prayer? Do her insights echo your understanding of the Lord's Prayer? Why or why not?
Weil lived during a time of great trauma and horror. Do you read any of this history in her perspective on prayer?
What lines or phrases do you find precious? troubling? perplexing? wise?
We pray the Lord's Prayer frequently. How do we keep its meaning alive?

Everyone's comments, whether brief or lengthy, are welcome!
Next week's reading is by John Henry Newman.

Andre Louf: Teach Us To Pray

2008-10-03T09:00:00.002-05:00

"Anyone who prays must set about it the same way. He has a lute and a plectrum at his disposal. The lute is his heart, the strings of which are the inward senses. To get the strings vibrating and the lute playing he needs a plectrum, in this case: the recollection of God, the name of Jesus, the Word."

Which phrases or sentences in the passage by Andre Louf do you want to take with you? (see Spiritual Classics, pg. 31)

Louf's writing is full of imagery. Does any particular image speak meaningfully to you? Why?

What insight or practice can you bring into your life today?

If you were in conversation with Andre Louf, what would you say?

Your responses to any of these questions--as well as any other comments-- are most welcome.

This week's reading by Andre Louf can be found on page 31 of Spiritual Classics.
Next week's reading is by Simone Weil.

Thomas Merton on Contemplation

2008-09-26T09:00:00.003-05:00

This passage from Thomas Merton (Spiritual Classics, pg. 17) is very short but raises many questions. We might be begin by doing a close reading of the text together...I invite you to make a brief comment on any particular question that sparks a response in you.
And a reminder: this online conversation group is offered to all as a forum to question, comment, exclaim, journal, brainstorm. Welcome!

How does Merton answer the question: "Who may desire the gift of contemplation and ask for it?"

What does the practice of contemplation accomplish in us?

What holds us back from intimate union with God?

Why is Psalm 1:1-6 paired with the reading from Merton?

If you need the reading, email me at karen@theologicalhorizons.org
Next week, Oct. 3, we'll read the selection by Andre Louf
When you check back here for others' comments, remember to "refresh" the page on your toolbar!

Joyce Huggett on Learning the Language of Prayer

2008-09-19T09:00:00.002-05:00

Join us as we read the text by Joyce Huggett and the verses from Psalm 119 (in Spiritual Classics, p. 10). The questions are intended to provide a spark for conversation. We invite your comments in any direction!

What was your first response to this reading? What words, phrases or sentences captured you?

Huggett opens with a quote from Anthony Bloom: "Meditation is a piece of straight thinking under God's guidance." In what sense is this true?

What is attractive about taking biblical texts as a starting point for meditation? What benefits might this practice provide?

How could we restate, or explain, Huggett's way of defining meditation and contemplation?
Speak of your own experiences of meditation and contemplation--or lack of experiences! What desire or need might they fulfill for you? How do you--or might you--bring these practices into your life?

[a note for less technical people like me...remember to click on the "refresh" button on your toolbar when you check back for new comments!]

Introduction to Spiritual Classics

2008-09-12T09:00:00.002-05:00

This week we begin a new adventure together. Please know that I'm posting questions only to spark discussion...but take it wherever you would like to go. Here are a few questions to begin the conversation:

1. Foster speaks of "reading with the heart". How do we move from reading with an information-gathering, analytical mindset into a place where we are reading to hear a word from God, reading for spiritual transformation, reading to serve the deeper longings of our hearts?

2. The book, Spiritual Classics, offers readings around twelve spiritual disciplines practiced by Christians over the centuries. The disciplines are:

meditation
prayer
fasting
study
simplicity
solitude
submission
service
confession
worship
guidance
celebration

What is your own understanding of the concept "spiritual discipline"?
What is your emotional response that term?
What role do spiritual disciplines play in your life?
How do you see the relationship between spiritual discipline and spiritual transformation?

Raading for next Friday, Sept 15: Joyce Huggett on Meditation

Schedule of Readings

2008-09-05T14:49:00.000-05:00

FALL 2008

All of the selections are taken from Spiritual Classics, edited by Richard J. Foster and Emilie Griffin. The readings are only several pages long.
Discussion Questions for each reading will be posted on Friday of each week. If you'd like an email notification when new questions are posted, email me at info@theologicalhorizons.org

Sept. 12: Exploring spiritual disciplines, sacred rhythms: Introduction, p. xi
Sept. 19: Joyce Huggett / Ps. 119 / p. 10
Sept. 26: Thomas Merton / Psalm 1 / p. 17
Oct 3: Andre Louf / selected Scriptures / p. 31
Oct. 10 Simon Weil / Luke 11:1-9 / p.48
Oct. 17: John Henry Newman / Genesis 32:24-30 / p. 62
Oct. 24: George MacDonald / Mark 8:1-21 / p.79
Oct. 31: J.B. Phillips / 2 Corinthians 7 / p.93
Nov. 7: Martin Luther / Matthew 6 & 7 / p.119
Nov. 14: Clare of Assisi / Matthew 8:18-22
Nov. 21: Anne Morrow Linbergh / Proverbs 31:10-31 / p. 141

WELCOME TO VINTAGE ONLINE!

2008-09-05T13:00:00.001-05:00

Welcome to the Horizons Online Reading Group.
On Fridays here at the Bonhoeffer House, a bunch of us get together for an hour to talk about brief readings from the Christian classics and the Bible and just get quiet at the end of a crazy week.

If you can't be here to sample the brownies or sit by the fireplace, we hope this online group will make you feel a part of the conversation as we read through the texts together. This Vintage Online is exploring readings from Spiritual Classics edited by Richard Foster. It's available through our friends at Splintered LIght Bookstore or a bookstore near you.

I'll be posting the first questions this Friday, September 12.
I'm just here to get the conversation started, so jump right in! If you have questions, don't hesitate to email me at karen@theologicalhorizons.org

Vintage Online this summer

2008-05-04T21:24:00.003-05:00

The semester here at the University of Virginia has ended---and with it, our weekly Vintage reading and reflection gatherings at the Bonhoeffer House. The online Vintage posting will resume in late August 2008 when we begin again. If you'd like me to contact you when the new Vintage postings go online, please email me at karen@theologicalhorizons.org.

In the meantime, I invite you to look back over the archives here. There are postings on more than sixty readings on this blog and all remain open for your comments!

Here's a question for YOU. What are you reading this summer? Click on "comments" and share your reading list with the group. Thanks!

Kathleen Norris: Finding Faith in the Mundane

2008-04-17T09:09:00.004-05:00

When I first encountered Kathleen Norris's Quotidian Mysteries several years ago, her insights came as a great revelation to me. She really got my attention with this: "I became aware that the demands of laundry might have something to do with God's command that we worship, that we sing praise on a regular basis. But laundry and worship are repetitive activities with a potential for tedium, and I hate to admit it, but laundry often seems like the more useful of the tasks. but both are the work that God has given us to do." I'm not a theologian, but I am an expert on laundry so I love this!

I invite you to read Kathleen Norris on finding the fabric of faith in the mundane, the quotidian, (Devotional Classics, p. 363) and consider what spiritual significance you might discover in your life just now, today. I offer several questions for your free response:

Why does Norris say that the miracle of the manna and incarnation of Jesus Christ are scandals? (section 2)
What do you make of Kathleen Norris's statement, "The Christian perspective...views the human body as our God-given means to salvation, for beyond the cross God has effected resurrection. We want life to have meaning, we want fulfillment, healing and even ecstasy, but the human paradox is that we find these things by starting where we are, not where we wish we were."
What feelings do you have about the repetitive tasks in your own life?
In what way is repetition "the very stuff of ecstasy"? (section 4)
What do you find notable in the passage from Exodus?

This is our final offering of Vintage Online for the academic year 2007/08
I would greatly appreciate any feedback you could offer,
so I may better serve you through this group.
Please email me at karen@theological horizons.org THANK YOU!

Annie Dillard: to see clearly

2008-04-09T21:57:00.005-05:00

Springtime is a wonderful season for this reading by Annie Dillard (Devotional Classics, p.345). Dillard's year living alone on Tinker Creek in Virginia's Roanoke Valley yielded these reflections on the importance of seeing the world around us, unimpeded by our inner distractions.

Today, are you willing to take something mundane and see in it the extraordinary? Annie Dillard makes a good companion on this journey.

What are the 'two ways of seeing'?
Have you ever 'blurred' your eyes and seen a whole new world? What was that like?
Annie Dillard speaks of 'the mind's muddy river'. What is her response to the 'flow of trivia and trash'?
Reflect on the Gospel story told in Mark 8. Can you put yourself in the blind man's place?
What might this reading inspire in you for the rest of this day?

Your comments on any of these questions are welcome. Or add any thoughts you like.

Hear Annie Dillard read from her recent book, The Maytrees
More Dillard links

Next week: Kathleen Norris: Finding Faith in the Mundane / Devotional Classics, p.363
This will be our last reading for the 2007/2008 academic year!

Soren Kierkegaard: To Will One Thing

2008-04-03T19:37:00.003-05:00

In this beautiful selection by Danish thinker Soren Kierkegaard (1813-1855), the philosopher at prayer shows us that tough-minded thinking and tenderhearted reverence are friends, not enemies.

Editor Richard Foster notes, "We have for too long separated the head from the heart, and we are the lesser for it. We love God with the mind and we love God with the heart. In reality, we are descending with the mind into the heart and there standing before God in ceaseless wonder and endless praise. As the mind and the heart work in concert, a kind of 'loving rationality' pervades all we say and do. The brings unity to us and glory to God."

In your own life of faith, what is the relationship between your intellect and your heart?
As you read these prayers by Kierkegaard what line, phrase or concept really moves you? Write it out as a "comment" to this post to share with the group.
Kierkegaard writes of God's unchangeableness (section 1). Why is this changelessness important?
My favorite prayer is in section 2, in which we are reminded that God loved us first and loves us all the time. What does this truth mean for you?

Your comments on these questions--or any reflections on the reading--are most welcome!

Next week we will read Annie Dillard: To See Clearly / Devotional Classics, p.345

Athanasius on Jesus Christ, the Image of God

2008-03-27T09:00:00.002-05:00

One of our greatest theological parents is the African bishop Athanasius of Alexandria (297-373). In the midst of the fiercely argued Arian and Nestorian heresies of the time, Athanasius clarified the essential doctrine of the incarnation: how God became human in the form of Jesus. Editor Richard Foster asserts, "Frankly, without this understanding there simply would be no Christian faith as we know it." The essential teachings on the incarnation by Athanasius are at the heart of our inheritance, the Nicene Creed, which countless Christians repeat each week--and have repeated throughout centuries.

In our passage this week, (p. 339) Athanasius explains why it became necessary for God to take on a physical, human body in Jesus Christ. In these three pages, we encounter truth of incredible power. As you ponder it, I hope you will engage the ideas with your own comments.

According to Athanasius, why is it important to God that we know him?
What are the natural consequences of turning away from God? How have you seen this in your own life or in the lives of others?
What are the three ways God makes himself known to us? How has God made himself known to you in these ways?
Athanasius says there is only one way God can restore humanity. What is it, and how has it been accomplished?

Listen online to a terrific interview
with Jaroslav Pelikan on "The Need for Creeds"

Next week's reading: Soren Kierkegaard: Praying to Will One Thing (a favorite of mine)
Learn more about Theological Horizons

Watchman Nee on Evangelism

2008-03-20T13:08:00.007-05:00

Watchman Nee was a great Chinese Christian leader of the twentieth century who lived a life of abandonment and faith. An influential writer and speaker, Nee was arrested by the Chinese Communist government in 1952 and was imprisoned until his death in 1972.

This week we are reading excerpts in Devotional Classics (p.323) from What Shall This Man Do? I think you will find Watchman Nee's words quite accessible and his ideas engaging. Respond to the following questions--or comment with anything on your mind!

Has God become real to you? How did it happen?
Watchman Nee describes God's threefold provision for every person: the friendship of God, the personal touch of Christ and the convicting work of the Spirit. (section 2) What does God require, in turn, of us?
How would Nee answer the question, "What is salvation"? (section 5)
Nee uses three biblical examples to illustrate what it is to touch God. How does this speak to you?

More on Watchman Nee
The reading for next week: Athanasius on Jesus Christ, the Image of God

Catherine of Siena: Overflowing with Love

2008-03-13T13:44:00.009-05:00

Catherine of Siena committed herself radically to God at the age of seven, even younger than my daughter was when we visited Siena, Italy, last year (in the photo). By the time she died at 33, Catherine had lived a life of spiritual devotion and service to the poor. She was named a "Doctor of Church" renowned for her interior life as well as her engagement in political and civic affairs.

This week's reading by Catherine of Siena (Devotional Classics, p. 264) comes to us from the 14th century, with the voice of a vintage Christian long gone from this life. As you read it, are you able to connect with one image that is vivid to you today?

Describe the three stairs in your own words. In what ways have you experienced any of these?
The cross, for Catherine of Siena, is the bridge between God and humanity. Does Catherine believe that the cross of Jesus is the only way to God? Do you believe that the cross of Jesus is the only way?
In the accompanying Scripture, John 14:1-11, Thomas is confused about the "way" Jesus is going. Talk about how Jesus responds. What might Catherine say to help Thomas understand?
How might this reading from Catherine speak to you during the coming Holy Week and Easter?

next week: Watchman Nee on Evangelism

Francis of Assisi: A Harvest of Souls

2008-02-28T10:27:00.005-05:00

This week's reading, which begins on page 295 of Devotional Classics, sparkles with energy, friendship and faith. As you meet Francis, remember that even across these 800 years, he is your brother in Christ. What does he say to you today?

Your response is most welcome! To begin...

** Placed in "great agony of doubt", what does Francis do? How do you address your own doubts?

** What roles do other people play in Francis's life?

** How does Francis respond when the will of Christ is made known to him? How would you react?

** If Francis were living today, what would be your opinion of him?

Next week is spring break at the university, so we will not meet. Consider looking back over past entries. You can still make comments! On March 13 we will read Catherine of Siena.

Dietrich Bonhoeffer on Christ in Community

2008-02-21T12:55:00.005-05:00

Dietrich Bonhoeffer was born into a comfortable, upper middle class family and he risked it all to join the German Resistance and its plots to assassinate Hitler. Facing the death sentence in prison, he wrote some of the most compelling theology of the 20th century.

In 1930 Dietrich Bonhoeffer, a brilliant young theologian just beginning his career, taught for a year at Union Theological Seminary in New York. On weekends he volunteered to teach at the Abyssinian Baptist Church in Harlem. He became deeply impressed by the gospel of social justice and by the intense worship style of African Americans.

Bonhoeffer returned to Germany as Hitler was rising to power and he quickly saw the connection between Hitler’s treatment of the Jews and the racial discrimination he had seen in America. Ominously, two days after Hitler was installed as Chancellor, as Bonhoeffer delivered a radio address denouncing Hitler, he was cut off the air.

Bonhoeffer story is one of struggle against Nazism and its intimidation of the German Church. His legacy includes a poignant body of work that documents his struggles to determine the will of God and his exemplary calm and concern for others as he faced the prospect of his own death. His insights into the grace of God and the cost of discipleship continue to challenge us today. Posthumously he has become a source of inspiration for people like Desmond Tutu, Vaclav Havel and Martin Luther King, Jr.

The reading in Devotional Classics (p. 271) powerfully speaks to the subject of Christ in community, especially the role of Jesus Christ in the life of the Church.

I invite you to read with us--and add your comments to this posting! Several questions for thought:

What do you hear Bonhoeffer saying at the opening of this passage? (Section 1)
What does Bonhoeffer mean by 'alien righteousness'? (Section 2)
What he communicate through the words alert, hungers, thirsts, desires? (Section 2)
Why do we need another Christians?
Describe a time when God used someone else to speak to you.
Talk about Bonhoeffer's description of "our instruction in divine love" (section 6)
What role does personal preference play in Christian community? (section 7)

Next week we will read Francis of Assisi: A Harvest of Souls

Schedule of readings

Sadhu Sundar Singh on Sharing your Joy

2008-02-13T16:21:00.006-05:00

Sundar Singh (1889-1929?) was raised in a wealthy Sikh family and encouraged to serve God. Educated at a Presbyterian mission school, he rebelled against formal religion. A mystical vision of Jesus changed his life and he was baptized in the Anglican church at age sixteen. His family cut off all ties with him. Thirty-three days later he took on the ascetic lifestyle of a sadhu, or wandering holy man. As German scholar Friedrich Heiler once put it, "He is India's ideal of the disciple of Christ — a barefooted itinerant preacher with burning love in his heart. In him, Christianity and Hinduism meet, and the former stands forth, not as something foreign, but like a flower which blossoms on an Indian stem."

The excerpt from Singh which begins on page 288 of Devotional Classics introduces us to a Vintage Christian who may be unknown to us in the West. I invite you to consider his words and respond to one (or more!) of the questions offered here:

Sadhu Sundar Singh writes that even though our words cannot convey our experiences of God, our actions can. How important are words to you in relation to faith experiences? What role to actions play?

What is your comment on this: "Almost everyone has an inner capacity--some more, some less--to sense spiritual truths without knowing how they have attained them."

Sundar urges us to make the best use of our time. In what area of your life would you like to begin using your time more fruitfully?

If you could ask Sadhu Sundar Singh one question, what would it be?

next week: Dietrich Bonhoeffer on Christ in Community (pg. 271 Devotional Classics)
Vintage Online Schedule

Elizabeth O'Conor on Dealing with Money

2008-02-06T10:46:00.002-05:00

Church of the Saviour was founded in 1947 in Washington, D.C. It is often said that the Church of the Saviour "reinvented what it means to be a church."

From the beginning, church members have sought to embody Christ in intentional and sacrificial ways, welcoming radical diversity and calling all to be ministers through the generous sacrifice of time, energy and resources. Church members' first priority is total commitment to Christian life.

Interpreting the call to discipleship as the integration of two journeys---an inward journey to grow in love of God, self and others and an outward journey to help mend some part of creation through community ministry--- the church requires of each member: silent retreats, two years of study, an hour a day of prayer and meditation, and tithing of at least 10 percent of income.

On page 251 of Devotional Classics we read a letter from Elizabeth O'Connor, one the early members of Church of the Saviour. In this excerpt, she addresses the subject of money. As you consider this reading, I invite your personal response here (click on "comments" below). A few questions you might think about:

Why is giving so important for Elizabeth O'Connor and her church community?

What are some of your 'gut-level' reactions to this teaching about money?

Pastor Gordon Cosby urged his listeners to reclaim 'for ourselves the energy with which we endowed money.' In what ways have you endowed money with energy? What would be gained by reclaiming that energy?

What does O'Connor see as a motivation for increasing one's giving (section 2)?

Why does money come between people? (section 9)

Next week we will read Sadhu Sundar Singh: Share the Joy with Others
Schedule of readings

John Wesley: Loving One Another

2008-01-31T08:00:00.000-05:00

John Wesley (1703-1791), English theologian and evangelist, was a founder of Methodism. This week's reading, which begins on page 258 of Devotional Classics, comes from his work, Christian Perfection. Editor Richard Foster says, "Wesley gives practical advice to those who want to move toward perfection, which for Wesley did not mean a state of sinlessness, but a desire to be fully in love with God with one's whole heart, soul, mind, and strength."

As you reflect on this passage, I invite you to click below this reading where it says "comments" and share what you are thinking. You may sign in as "anonymous" if that is simplest, or use your name or nickname. Respond to a question or two offered here, or make any comment you wish. Join the conversation!

As you read Wesley's words, what counsel of his seems especially relevant to the American Christian church today? to your own congregation? to your own life?

What does John Wesley mean by the word "enthusiasm"? Is that a danger for us in 2008?

Have you ever experienced "schism"? How do you think Wesley would tell you to address that situation?

How is the passage from Corinthians 13 relevant to this reading from John Wesley?

From Richard Foster: "I am always impressed with the balance in Wesley's counsel. He encourages zeal and warns of its excesses. He advocates disciplines of the spiritual life and cautions against legalism....Wesley tells us to beware of wanting God to do things for us that he has ordained we should do for ourselves. Sometimes people hanker after direct relevations about issues that can be fully resolved by an honest study of Scripture. At other times people expect to progress and mature in holiness by 'spiritual highs' when God's ordained means involve regular disciplines of prayer, fasting and solitude. God, you see, wants us to be 'co-laborers' with him as we discover this gracious life of 'righteousness and peace and joy in the Holy Spirit'. "

Your response to Foster's comment?

More from John Wesley
To explore John Wesley's Explanatory Notes on the Bible, click here.
To read John Wesley's Journal, click here.

next week: Elizabeth O'Connor on Dealing with Money (pg. 251)
Vintage Online Schedule

George Fox: Walking in the Power of God

2008-01-24T08:00:00.001-05:00

The words of George Fox come to us all the way from 17th century Puritan England. Fox founded the Society of Friends (Quakers) and was well known for courage and faithfulness. He was one with a passion for "Christ living and present among you."

George Fox has written you a letter in these pages (Devotional Classics, p. 186). What is your response?

A few questions you might think about:

Section 1: In what ways do you see "the living God" giving you "breath, life, and strength"?

Section 2: What are the attitudes and actions that might make possible Fox's Christian community, astonishing the world with their life together?

Section 3: How would your daily life change if you sought to owe no one "anything but love"?

As always, your comments to this post are warmly welcomed! Email me at karen@theologicalhorizons.org if you need any help getting started.

Next week we will read John Wesley on loving one another.
Schedule of readings

Isaac Penington: Waiting for Breathings from His Spirit

2008-01-18T09:00:00.001-05:00

Welcome to a new semester
with VINTAGE! ALL ARE WELCOME to participate.

Isaac Penington (1617-1680) was an early English Quaker so zealous in his faith that he was jailed six times for his convictions and lost all of his property when he refused to take an oath in court, believing that oaths are forbidden by Scripture.

The excerpts in Devotional Classics (pages 207-210) are taken from Isaac Penington's letters. Though these were written more than 300 years ago, I invite you to read Penington's letters as if they were written to you personally. Consider what he offers as spiritual direction for your own life today.

Please respond to any of the reflection questions here if you like--or offer any comments you may have. The questions are intended to spark the conversation, not to limit it in any way. If you are new to the Horizons Online Group and need assistance with posting your comment, simply email me at karen@theologicalhorizons.org.

What particular phrases, sentences or passages spoke clearly to you?
What will you remember about this reading tomorrow?
Isaac Penington counsels us to "wait diligently for the leadings of the Holy Spirit." Describe an experience you've had of being led by the Holy Spirit. Have you sensed any influence or work of the Holy Spirit recently?
From where does "true prayer"come (section 7)? How, according to Penington, can we learn to pray in this manner?
We see images of food and eating in the passages from Penington & in John 6:52-59. In daily life, how does one feed on the life and power of Jesus?

The reading for January 25:
William Temple on the church's impact upon Society
Vintage Online is an offering of Theological Horizons

Thomas Kelly on the heart of religion

2007-11-15T21:45:00.001-05:00

"Did you start the search for Him? He started you on the search for Him, and lovingly, anxiously, tenderly guides you to Himself. You knock on heaven's gate, because He has already been standing at the door and knocking within you, disquieting you and calling you to arise and seek your Father's house. It is as St. Augustine says: He was within, and we mistakenly sought Him without. It isn't a matter of believing in the Inner Light, it is a matter of yielding your lives to Him." --from Thomas Kelly, The Eternal Promise

"Life from the Center is a life of unhurried peace and power. It is simple. It is serene. It is amazing. It is triumphant. It is radiant. It takes no time, but it occupies all our time. And it makes our life programs new and overcoming. We need not get frantic. He is at the helm. And when our little day is done we lie down quietly in peace, for all is well." --Thomas Kelly, from A Testament of Devotion

As you read the passage from A Testament of Devotion in Devotional Classics (pg. 173), what are the concepts that really get your attention and awaken your spirit?

What, for Thomas Kelly, is the heart of religion?

What role do spiritual practices play in your daily life?

If you could ask Thomas Kelly one question, what would it be?

Your comments on these questions, on the Kelly reading, or on the spiritual life in general, are warmly welcomed! Join us again next week for a Thanksgiving meditation...

Catherine of Genoa: Waiting upon God

2007-11-09T09:44:00.002-05:00

Though the Anglican writer William Law was on the schedule for today, the reading from Catherine of Genoa seemed just right. You'll find it on page 180 of Devotional Classics.

Catherine of Genoa lived from 1447-1510. She was born to a prominent religious family, was well educated, and married a wealthy but unfaithful man. Catherine was converted to the contemplative life and after she and her husband lost their fortune, they worked among the poor and the sick. Catherine is best remembered for her acts of charity, matched only by her deep spiritual writings.

Catherine is part of the vibrant strand of mysticism in the Christian tradition. She speaks of "hanging by God's thread of pure love."

I invite your comments on the reading by Catherine of Genoa. Please click on "comment" and share your response!

A few words about the Christian mystical tradition:

"Mysticism is nothing more or less than a love-driven way of knowing God, that is centered in direct, immediate experience of God’s presence –- as contrasted with the efforts of our minds to think through, capture, and describe the object of our belief in clear language, theological subtlety, or scientific precision.

A mystic is a person who has fallen in love with God. We are not afraid of lovers -– no indeed, all the world loves a lover. They attract us by their ardor, their single-mindedness, their yearning to be one with the object of their love.”

Mysticism is a way of living that makes this consciousness of God’s presence the shaping context, the compelling energy of our lives."

John Kirvan, God Hunger

Descriptions of the mystical experience by Vintage Christian writers:

Christ filling the hearing, sight, touch, taste, and every sense
Origen

Seeing through exterior things, and seeing God in them
Thomas Merton

A blind feeling of one’s own being, stretching unto God
The Cloud of Unknowing

The pure, loving gaze that finds God everywhere
Brother Lawrence

The mind’s loving, unmixed, permanent attention to the things of God
Francis de Sales

Finding God in all things
Ignatius of Loyola

A continual condition of prayerful sensitivity to what is really going on
Douglas Steere

Seeing God in everything and everything in God
with completely extraordinary clearness and delicacy
Marie of the Incarnation

The window of the soul cleansed perfectly and made completely transparent by the divine light
John of the Cross

Awareness, absorbed and amazed
Teresa of Avila

The enlightening of the understanding, joined to the joys of God’s love
Walter Hilton

Continual communion through all things by quite simply doing everything in the presence of the Holy Trinity
Elizabeth of the Trinity

The mind, gazing upon the universe of God’s handiwork, rapt by the divine and infinite light
Maximus the Confessor

The mind stolen from itself by the ineffable sweetness of the Word
Bernard of Clairvaux

Divine wakefulness with pure and naked intuition
Gregory of Nyssa

With the flash of one trembling glance, my mind arrived at THAT WHICH IS, but I could not fix my gaze thereon.
Augustine

The alertness which finds everything plain and grasps it clearly with entire comprehension
Hugh of St. Victor

Receiving the clarity of God without any means; a single nakedness that embraces all things
Jan Van Ruysbroek

Right understanding, with true longing, absolute trust, and sweet grace-giving mindfulness
Julian of Norwich

Awakening to the presence of God in the human heart and in the universe which is around us... knowledge by love
Dom Bede Griffiths

The world becoming luminous from within as one plunges breathlessly into human activity
Pierre Teilhard de Chardin

John Calvin on Self Denial

2007-11-01T19:31:00.002-05:00

Can someone help me out here? The selection by John Calvin in Devotional Classics (p.136) has unnerved me. It seems like he's urging a whole lot of work on us, a lot of striving on our part. He tells us to surrender our reason to the Holy Spirit, almost forget ourselves, neglect all selfish aspects, live a well-regulated life, resign ourselves deliver our minds from every snare. I don't see how we are supposed to pull off all of this. I wonder if a larger look at Calvin's work would shed light on my concerns.

Calvin says, "When the virtues of sobriety, righteousness, and godliness are firmly linked together, they will produce absolute perfection." What do you make of this comment?

What are your own emotional and intellectual responses to this reading?

What do you find helpful in the text by Calvin?

Your comments are most welcome! And join us next week as we consider a few pages by 18th century Anglican William Law.

photo: John Calvin's hands

Gregory of Nyssa on Running the Race

2007-10-25T11:13:00.001-05:00

Gregory of Nyssa lived from 331-396. He is one of the great "fathers" of the church and his writings have been enormously influential on the spirituality of the Eastern orthodox tradition. What a treasure it is to have this text of his and to hear his voice speaking to us from a distance of 1,700 years.

The reading for this week begins on page 123 of Devotional Classics. What wisdom does it hold for you? One and all are welcome to simply comment or to respond to these discussion questions:

Gregory of Nyssa compares the spiritual journey to a race. Using that metaphor, what kind of race has your spiritual journey been?
In your race, how have you been exhorted, urged and encouraged by others?
What Bible characters are examples for you? Why?
What are your ideas on perfection?
What does Gregory teach as the goal of a virtuous life? Can we attain it?

Next week: John Calvin on self-denial, Devotional Classics p. 136
This forum is open to anyone! Also visit us at www.theologicalhorizons.org

2007-10-18T20:14:00.001-05:00

Henry Marsh in from of the castle church door, Wittenberg

Martin Luther, one of the great figures in the Christian tradition. Father of the Protestant Reformation, brilliant theologian, man of deep piety. I must confess, for all I know about Luther, I have read embarrassingly little of his writings. I am struck by the clarity of these few pages on prayer (Devotional Classics, p. 115). As Richard Foster observes, "Luther's faith was lively, earthy and practical; his logic was powerful; and his leadership skill unparalleled. As you read the following devotional selection you will be sitting at the feet of one of the most influential men in the history of the church. More importantly, his experience of God was deep and abiding."

What is your response to this reading? A few questions to get you started...

After finishing these few pages, what is your own personal reaction?
What one phrase or insight do you find helpful?
Is there anything here that leaves you questioning what Luther says?
What do you think the churchmen of Luther's time would say about this passage?
Jesus said, "Whatever you ask for in prayer, believe that you have received it and it will be yours." (Mark 11) How does this compare or contrast with what Martin Luther teaches concerning prayer?

One of my favorite quotes from Luther: "The world does not consider labor a blessing, therefore it flees and hates it, but the pious who fear the Lord labor with a ready and cheerful heart, for they know God's command and will, they acknowledge his calling."

next week, Oct 26: Gregory of Nyssa, Devotional Classics, p. 123

Thomas Merton: Ways of Meditation

2007-10-11T20:18:00.002-05:00

photograph by: Thomas Merton

This week we read Thomas Merton (Devotional Classics, pg. 65) alongside Psalm 8, on the topic of meditation. While this practice may not be familiar to many of us, followers of Christ have been using meditative practices for nearly 2,000 years, from the early desert fathers to Thomas Keating and Henri Nouwen.

Meditation or contemplative prayer is one of the deepest forms of prayer. Some view Christ's forty days in the wilderness as a time of meditation. In Matthew 6:5-6, Jesus instructs His followers not to make a show of praying openly, but to “go into your room and shut the door and pray to your Father who is in secret” (RSV). This shutting out of exterior influences to focus one’s attention fully on God is exactly what meditation offers.

Thomas Merton (1915-1968) was a Trappist monk and a great master of meditation. This text has much wisdom for us--from the riches of the vintage Christian tradition. I'd like to offer several questions for your comments, but as always, you are welcome to respond to the reading in any way you like.

Describe any experiences you've had with meditation. How would one begin to explore this practice?
Merton believes we need to cultivate an "attitude" in our life before God. From his point of view, why is attitude more important than method?
Merton says that, "Meditation is sometimes quite difficult." Why is that? How can we respond to these difficulties?
In sections 6 & 7, Merton says that, "We will never be anything else but beginners." What is the importance of this insight for you?

Links on Christian Meditation:

How to Meditate
Contemplative Outreach

More from Merton:

"A life is either all spiritual or not spiritual at all. No one can serve two masters. Your life is shaped by the end you live for. You are made in the image of what you desire."

"It is in the ordinary duties and labors of life that the Christian can and should develop his spiritual union with God."

"The very contradictions in my life are in some ways signs of God's mercy to me."

"We must make the choices that enable us to fulfill the deepest capacities of our real selves."

next week: Martin Luther, Devotional Classics, p. 115

Julian of Norwich: on the Goodness of God

2007-10-04T11:29:00.002-05:00

Julian of Norwich (1343-1413), the first great female writer in English, has influenced countless people in the 600 years since she lived. I recently came across an amazing passage in The Hidden Life (Crenshaw & Snapp, 2006), a book about Betty Skinner, a wise Christian woman who suffered with clinical depression yet found her way to wholeness to tell her story of dependence on God. Betty speaks of her experiences reading Julian in the mountains of North Carolina, at a place she came to call Julian's Rock:

"Julian of Norwich was a 14th century anchoress who lived in England during the Crusades and the Black Plague in Europe. At the age of thirty, she received sixteen revelations from God and then spent the rest of her life getting them down on paper. She lived in a small anchorage attached to the corner of the church. One window of the anchorage opened into the church so she could take the sacraments and the other window opened out into the world, so people could come to her for spiritual direction. In 14th century England, there were no psychologists, so these anchors and anchoresses served that purpose. And so, as I approached Julian's Rock, I would see myself coming to her window to glean her wisdom...

"I was deeply impressed by her simplicity. Julian had such a tender and intimate relationship with the Beloved...While pondering a tiny hazelnut in her hand, she experienced a simple yet profound awareness: God created it, God loved it, and God would care for it. Julian understood with a knowing beyond knowing that He would do no less for her: He created her, He loved her, and He would care for her. I learned from her that every circumstance in my life would work together for good whether it felt good or not. God reassured both of us by saying to her, 'I may make all things well, I can make all things well, I will to make all things well, and I shall make all things well. And you yourself shall see that all manner of things shall be well.'

"...Her revelations taught me to see that everything is the voice of Love, even unspeakable pain. Pain got my attention, brought me to the end of myself, and led me home to God. Without the pain, I would never have been pressed to engage in this spiritual journey that finally led to such joy and gratitude..."

"Julian was very real to me. She was my mentor. She still is." (pgs. 175-6)

As you encounter Julian of Norwich for yourself in the pages of Devotional Classics (pgs. 73-78), I invite you to post your own responses here. As always, you may easily comment as "anonymous".
A few questions to prompt you if you wish:

If you were standing at the window of Julian's anchorage, what would you ask her?
What elements of her medieval insights are relevant to you today?
Julian reflects on God's relationship with the hazelnut. What is that "something small" in your life? What does it look like, from God's perspective?
If, as Julian says, "God's goodness fills all his creatures and all his blessed works full and endlessly overflows in them," what does that tell us about ourselves?

Join us next week (Oct. 11-25) as we explore Thomas Merton, Devotional Classics, p. 65

Complete schedule
You can always comment on past readings!
Questions or need help commenting? email me at karen@theologicalhorizons.org
VINTAGE is an offering of Theological Horizons

Francois Fenelon

2007-09-27T21:05:00.001-05:00

With Francois Fenelon we travel back to the time of Louis XIV, yet his voice rings through to today. One feels Fenelon's strong presence in these words, "God is so good that he only awaits our desire to overwhelm us with this gift which is himself. If we feed ourselves with Jesus Christ and his word, we shall be like a vessel in full sail with a fair wind."

The reading from Fenelon found on page 48 of Devotional Classics demands a response--Fenelon takes an all or nothing approach to the spiritual life. What do you think of what he has to say? Choose a question or two for comment--or just write what's on your mind!

What phrases or sentences in the reading catch your attention?
How would Fenelon answer the question, "What one thing does God demand of me?"
Fenelon says that we may "fear to give ourselves to God," that we fear being too happy. Is that true? Why am I afraid?
What do we stand to gain from full, unreserved commitment to God?
Fenelon writes, "God has little patience with those weak souls who say to themselves, 'I shall go this far and no farther." Describe your "comfort zone". What are the limits of your obedience?

Next week, Oct. 5: an incredible spiritual vision from Julian of Norwich, p. 73

Jonathan Edwards: Engagement of the Heart

2007-09-20T08:20:00.001-05:00

Jonathan Edwards is one of America's greatest "vintage" theologians. A Congregational pastor and key figure in the 18th century "Great Awakening", Edwards produced a theology of Christian spirituality for his age. Edwards' main concern was the question, "How do we distinguish the presence of the Holy Spirit?" He spent his life working out ways in which we define that experience.

In the brief text by Jonathan Edwards in Devotional Classics, we consider the roles that the intellectual life and the passionate life play in our spiritual experience. I invite you to read these four pages and discover what wisdom this vintage Christian has to say to you.

Respond to any or all of these discussion questions with your "comment" following this post. Or simply express your own response!

If a friend asked you, "What is true religion?" what would your own definition be?
What elements of this reading really speak to you?
Does Edwards make any points that you would disagree with?
What part does passion play in your own life of faith? How important is intellect?

"A person who has a knowledge of doctrine and theology only--without religious affection--has never engaged in true religion. Nothing is more apparent than this: our religion takes root within us only as deep as our affections attract it....In a word, there is never any great achievement by the things of religion without a heart deeply affected by those things.,"

Dallas Willard: the Cost of Nondiscipleship

2007-09-13T20:19:00.001-05:00

In this reading from Devotional Classics (p. 13), Dallas Willard observes that the word "disciple" occurs 269 times in the New Testament, while "Christian" is found only three times. He says, "The New Testament is a book about disciples, by disciples, and for disciples of Jesus Christ." What meaning has "disciple" had in your own experience?

Look at the Bible text, Matthew 28:16-20, at the end of the reading. What are the two commands of Christ which our contemporary church has ignored--our "great omissions"?

Dallas Willard writes, "If we intend to become like Christ, that will be obvious to every thoughtful person around us, as well as to ourselves." If you were to focus all of your energies, give up everything, to become like Christ, what would change about your life?

What do you think of Willard's description of "the cost of nondiscipleship"? Does it ring true?

All visitors to this blog are invited to post comments. You can register as "anonymous" and add your response. Answer one question or as many as you like--or just offer your own ideas about the text. Welcome!

Next week, 9/21: Jonathan Edwards, Devotional Classics, p. 19

C.S. Lewis: Giving All to Christ

2007-09-06T20:33:00.001-05:00

We begin the semester with the reading by C.S. Lewis in Devotional Classics (p.7). I invite you to read these four pages and post your responses at any time. I aways offer a few questions to get things started (answer any question/s you like)---but truly, if you want to speak to something else in the passage, feel free! All visitors to this blog are welcome to join.

Lewis asks the question, "How much of myself must I give to Christ?" What is his answer?

Have you ever sought---or experienced---complete surrender to Christ? Describe that.

Do you question or disagree with anything Lewis says here? Why?

When I read these pages, I really respond to section 6, in which Lewis describes how, upon awakening, "All your wishes and hopes for the day rush at you like wild animals. And the first job each morning consists simply in shoving them all back; in listening to that other voice, taking that other point of view, letting that other larger, stronger, quieter life come flowing in. And so on, all day. Standing back from all your natural fussings and frettings; coming in out of the wind." This description of spiritual life seems very true to me.
Which part of the C.S. Lewis reading is meaningful to you?

For Sept. 14: Dallas Willard, p. 13 of Devotional Classics. Complete schedule
Questions or need help commenting? email me at karen@theologicalhorizons.org
VINTAGE is an offering of Theological Horizons

Beginning Fall 2007 Readings!

2007-09-02T15:34:00.000-05:00

Welcome! The Horizons Online Reading Group, in its second year, is now called "Vintage". Together we explore brief readings from the Christian tradition. The voices of vintage Christians who came before us can offer perspective, wisdom and peace--wonderful gifts to us all as we live in the sometimes crazy here and now.

Each weekly discussion begins with a very brief text from Devotional Classics, edited by Richard Foster. [Last year we read from a similar volume called Spiritual Classics. ] The book is widely available at local bookstores, online and through our friends at Splintered Light.

We invite you to read the week's selection and then take part in our online discussions. I'll post a bit of background on the the vintage Christian of the week and then offer a few questions to start the conversation. Look for these on Thursdays, usually. We love to hear from you--with your comments, brief or lengthy, thoughtful or off the cuff, as well as your questions or doubts. Because each week's reading stands on its own, new members to the group are always welcome. If you have a busy week and just can't participate, well, there's always next time!

Vintage is an offering of Theological Horizons, a nonprofit ministry centered at the Bonhoeffer House in Charlottesville, Virginia. Each Friday there's a Vintage group meeting right here at the Bonhoeffer House, so if you are (or have a friend or family member who is) a student at UVa, come for the live conversation and warm cookies! My email address is karen@theologicalhorizons.org. The Vintage Online schedule follows the Vintage group on location---creating a sense of wider community for us all.

We are delighted that you've visited this blog and hope you'll come back again and again, to seek the wisdom of vintage Christians from the past as well as the fresh insights from brothers and sisters in the present!

Grace and Peace,
Karen

Frederick Buechner and Sarah's Laughter

2007-04-18T10:53:00.001-05:00

Born in 1926, Frederick Buechner was the eldest of two children, named for his father, who committed suicide when Buechner was only 10. At the age of 15, while attending boarding school, Buechner decided that he wanted to write professionally, and formed what would become a lifelong friendship with poet James Merrill. He went on to serve two years in the military and then returned to Princeton where he received his Bachelor of Ars degree in 1947. in 1953, he moved to New York City, where he began attending Madison Avenue Presbyterian church and met George Buttrick, at whose urging he attended Union Theological Seminary and studied under Reinhold Neibuhr, Paul Tillich, and others. His extraordinary career has included teaching and lecturing, and extensive publication. This week's selection is taken from the publication Peculiar Treasures: A Biblical Who's Who, in which Buechner walks the reader through the lives of biblical figures, reminding us that in their brokenness, laughter, tears, and celebration, the characters of scripture are very much like us. Specifically, we find Abraham, and his wife, Sarah, who have packed up their dreams of parenthood, only to find that God's plans are exceedingly astonishing, exceedingly fantastic, exceedingly absurd for their comprehension. And in that place of wonder, Sarah laughs. Are we ever prepared to discover what lies beyond our disbelief?

**What risks do we incur when we look beyond what our flesh claims as possible?

**Why do you think Sarah laughed in this moment? When have been times when you have felt such disbelief at God's possibility and later been proven wrong?

**How can our predicaments and painful moments ever become sources of delight and celebration?

***Next week, we will read a selection by Amy Carmichael, p 260 in Spiritual Disciplines***

Thomas Kelly on Holy Obedience

2007-01-18T09:28:00.001-05:00

The selections on pages 177-180 of Spiritual Classics are taken from Thomas Kelly's masterwork, A Testament of Devotion. We invite your reponse to the reading! The questions that follow are simply sparks toward conversation to be used as you wish. Your posting is most welcome; click on "comments" at the end of this entry. Feel free to identify yourself by name or remain anonymous. (Questions? Email Karen at info@theologicalhorizons.org.)

What is your emotional response to the first section of the reading, "The Shepherd in Search of Lost Obedience"?

Kelly says, "The first step to...obedience...is the flaming vision." (p.179) In what way do you find that vision is the core of an obedient "God-intoxicated life"?

What words, phrases or statements of Kelly's do you find provocative? Write them out for the group.

How do you feel about the word "mystical"? Does it put your closer to God or farther away?

What insight does Kelly offer for your life today?

for next week, January 26:
Richard of St. Victor, Spiritual Classics, p. 184