793 24 26018 https://digitalcollections.library.gvsu.edu/files/original/01fb029b393a32def70631e8ec754768.pdf dcd043a21eb12773246220e90eb740d7 PDF Text Text The Religious Quest: Groping for the God in Whom We Live and Move and Have Our Being Richard A. Rhem Lakeshore Interfaith Community, Mother’s Trust Ganges, Michigan September 26, 2010 Prepared text of the sermon On April 29 I e-mailed our gracious host, Tapas, today’s theme. He began very early to harass me for the three themes for the summer series. (I don’t mention that after receiving them he loses them!) This is what I e-mailed him: Good morning, Tapas. ...after sleepless nights, much prayer and fasting, coming to the brink of despair, here is the third installment…(Well that may be a bit overdrawn. One shouldn’t be frivolous about things of ultimate concern!): The Religious Quest: groping for the God in whom we live and move and have our being. What has Athens to say to Jerusalem and vice versa? What has the premodern to say to the modern and vice versa? What has the post-modern to say to the modern and vice versa? A fascinating dimension of human reality is the God question or the religious question or the spiritual quest and question. Perhaps we can come to some clarity about our present as we review and reflect on the way we as humans have evolved in our search for meaning, for a place where our heart can rest and our mind remain open – a place of spiritual peace and intellectual integrity, the consequence of which would be global community marked by compassion. Last month my theme was “Whose Truth Are You Living? By What Authority?” I’m trying to recall what moved me in that direction. I had addressed those questions in sermons in the past, but I think the immediate catalyst was the novel I referred to last month, Herman Hesse’s Siddhartha, the story of a young Brahmin who strikes out on a journey to find the truth. From asceticism to lust and ease to coming finally to his own Truth out of despair and solitude, Siddhartha found his soul. Though he greatly admired the Buddha whom he met, he realized simply following the Buddha’s teaching was not enough, for his breakthrough insight was that experience – the experience of enlightenment – cannot be taught. It must come to one amidst the quest – an epiphany in which one “sees,” one “knows” beyond any rational or dogmatic system. © Grand Valley State University   �Religious Quest: Groping for God Richard A. Rhem Page 2   The reason I wondered about what made me write the paragraph above is because since deciding on that theme I have been introduced and have read the following books: The Language God Talks, Herman Wouk; This Is My God, Herman Wouk; The Fingerprints of God, Barbara Hagerty; How God Changes Your Brain, Andrew Newberg and Mark Waldman; The Case for God, Karen Armstrong. With the exception of Karen Armstrong’s The Case for God, I had never heard of the four books nor did I go looking for them as references for today. What is almost spooky to me is that I wrote the above paragraph, I suppose, because it is and has long been the quest of my whole being, and then am introduced to those five volumes, all of which speak to my announced theme. Had I had the books in my possession, had I read them before I wrote the paragraph, the theme announced today would have reflected those resources to which to turn. But to announce a theme and then stumble on such rich resources is quite remarkable. Serendipity? Providence? Or maybe there is a God who watches over poor preachers on the edge of senility. Actually I go into this because the recent reading I’ve done has raised some fascinating questions about the human mind or soul and the dimension of Mystery that lies beyond our capacity to know through the exercise of our reason, our rational faculties. Is there a “knowing” beyond knowing? In ordinary lives, our space and time world? That is, is there more to reality than can be accessed by the use of human reason? In light of my experience just related, was there something at work in me beyond that of which I was aware when I decided to address the ancient question, “What has Athens to say to Jerusalem?” I am not at all aware of being, nor have I ever claimed to be, clairvoyant. As for mystical experience, my confession has always been I’ve never had a tingle in my pinkie. Yet I confess I am beginning to wonder. It could be pure coincidence that I write a paragraph about what I want to address five months later and then, without making any effort, I am introduced to five books that address my question more fully and poignantly than I could ever imagine. And it is not simply the “coincidence” to which I am pointing but that the respective books moved me in a direction that causes me even to raise this question. In other words, I got more than I bargained for and find myself quite surprised. It has made me go back over the years and reflect on the way I have come. © Grand Valley State University �Religious Quest: Groping for God Richard A. Rhem Page 3   I have spoken of the struggle I had come to after seven years of pastoral ministry. My theology did not fit life as I was experiencing it as a pastor. My European study was an attempt to gain the education I had been too closed to gain while in college and seminary. I quake today as I realize I took my family including three small children to Europe, having arranged for a short-term lease on an apartment in Dordrecht knowing I would not remain there because there was no university there, but not knowing where I would go. A couple months before we left for The Netherlands I met Professor Hendrikus Berkhof at Kennedy airport in New York. Jammed into a shuttle that took him from one terminal to another, we talked about the possibility of studying with him at Leiden. That was my only contact with him. He gave me his telephone number and invited me to call him when I arrived in The Netherlands, which I did. We made an appointment. I relate this because of an experience I had the day I met him in his study which was in his home. As I got up to leave, I noticed a piece of paper pinned on the drape that separated the study from the rest of the house. On the paper was a verse printed on a mimeograph machine – in typical blue ink like I had used in grade school. The lines were from Alfred Lord Tennyson’s hymn “Strong Son of God, Immortal Love:” Our little systems have their day; They have their day and cease to be; They are but broken lights of Thee, And thou, O Lord, art more than they. I get goose bumps relating the incident because that day I knew I had found my teacher and today I can tell you those lines express beautifully and concisely what I experienced over the following four years of graduate study and the subsequent forty years of my theological, philosophical, spiritual quest to the present. Those lines were an illumination for me in a deeply personal, spiritual expression. My freedom to wonder, to probe, to re-imagine came through lines that were a prayer, indeed, a personal address to God. The other evening as the sun was setting in golden glory I was, as usual, sitting on our bluff overlooking Lake Michigan, and I began to sing those beloved lines. I became so aware of the significance of my “chance” reading of those lines on my Professor’s study drape and of this presentation this morning where I would attempt to speak of the God in whom we live and move and have our being. The God in whom we live and move and have our being. That is from St. Paul recorded in Acts 17:28 quoting “some of your own poets”– the intellectuals of Athens gathered on Mars Hill to hear what St. Paul had to say about Jesus and the resurrection. He was preaching the Gospel – “telling the good news about Jesus and the resurrection.” In his commentary on Acts, William Barclay paints the picture: © Grand Valley State University �Religious Quest: Groping for God Richard A. Rhem Page 4   Athens had long since left behind her great days of action but she was still the greatest university town in the world, to which men seeking learning came from all over the world. She was a city of many gods. It was said that there were more statues of the gods in Athens than in all the rest of Greece put together, and that in Athens it was easier to meet a god than a man. In the great city square people met to talk, for in Athens they did little else. The days of action were past and now man talked all day and half the night about the newest idea. So Paul would have no difficulty in getting someone to talk to. The philosophers discovered him. There were the Epicureans. We may sum up their beliefs in this way. (i) They believed that everything happened by chance. (ii) They believed that death was the end of all. (iii) They believed that there were gods but the gods were remote from the world and did not care. (iv) They believed that pleasure was the chief end of man. They did not mean fleshly and worldly and material pleasure; for the highest pleasure was the pleasure that brought no pain to follow. There were the Stoics. We may sum up their beliefs in this way. (i) They believed that literally everything was God. God was fiery spirit. That spirit grew blunt and dull in matter but it was in everything. What gave men life was that a little spark of that spirit dwelt in them and when they died it returned to God. But for the Stoic everything was God. (ii) They believed that everything was fated because everything was the will of God; and therefore whatever happened we must not care. It is God’s will and must be accepted. (iii) They believed that every so many years the world disintegrated in a conflagration and then started all over again on the same story. They took Paul to the Areopagus which is the Greek for Mars’ Hill. It was the name both of the hill and the court that met on it. I selected this story from Acts because one finds set forth there two philosophical schools of thought and, over against those two Greek philosophical schools, the proclamation of the gospel of Jesus Christ, a religious/spiritual expression by St. Paul. Thus philosophical discourse engaging religious claim and vice versa. My intention is not to focus on Paul’s claim nor the philosophical discussions of the Epicureans and Stoics. Rather I use this passage from Acts to indicate the setting and background of the famous question raised by the Early Church Father Tertullian – “What does Athens have to do with Jerusalem?” Tertullian was a lawyer who converted to Christ before the end of the second century C.E. One citation will give a sense of Tertullian’s thinking. For philosophy is the material of the world’s wisdom, the rash interpreter of the nature and dispensation of God. Indeed heresies are themselves instigated by philosophy. What indeed has Athens to do with Jerusalem? What has the Academy to do with the Church? What have heretics to do with Christians? Our instruction comes from the porch of Solomon, who © Grand Valley State University �Religious Quest: Groping for God Richard A. Rhem Page 5   had himself taught that the Lord should be sought in simplicity of heart. Away with all attempts to produce a Stoic, Platonic, and dialectic Christianity! We want no curious disputation after possessing Christ Jesus, no inquisition after receiving the gospel! When we believe, we desire no further belief. For this is our first article of faith, that there is nothing which we ought to believe besides. (Tertullian, Heretics, (Stevenson, 166-167) from Phoenicia.org. There you have it – two thousand years ago, the Jewish/Christian theologian, Paul, in the wake of his experience of the risen, ascended Jesus whom he now believed to be the Christ, the Messiah, engaged with the intellectuals of Athens – the greatest university city in the world – in dialogue/debate/conversation about God – he speaking from the Revelation he had experienced and clung to in faith, and the Athenians, in customary mode, weighing his claims in the context of the long tradition of Greek philosophical inquiry through the exercise of human reason. And a century and a half later the Latin lawyer from Carthage, Tertullian, drew the line sharply – an either/or – human reason expressed in philosophical categories had no place in Gospel given by revelation and embraced by faith. And of course the God question didn’t arise with Paul in Athens two thousand years ago. On Mars Hill he cites the Greeks’ own poets – a tradition stemming back to earlier centuries – the Epicureans claiming the human existence ended in extinction or the Stoics looking to eventual absorption into God. And how long before that was the mark of the human that he or she was groping for God? Perhaps with the dawn of human consciousness, the earliest beginning of selfconsciousness, of awareness, of awe and wonder before the presence of the Mystery of Being. As indicated above, when I wrote the paragraph announcing today’s theme, I had not read Karen Armstrong’s The Case for God. But reading it I found she has addressed precisely my questions following on “What has Athens to say to Jerusalem?”: “What has the pre-modern to say to the modern and vice versa?; “What has the post-modern to say to the modern and vice versa?” And further, she addresses explicitly what I hoped would be the result of our inquiry – to come to some clarity about our present…our search for meaning, for a place where our heart can rest and our mind remain open – a place of spiritual peace and intellectual integrity. That search has marked my whole life since opening up to critical thinking in regard to my religious faith. The “heart” and “mind” issue was articulated most concisely for me in a little work on Christology by Professor John Knox –The Humanity and Divinity of Christ. I refer to it here not because the Christological discussion – a discussion of the pre-existence of Jesus – is relevant to our theme, © Grand Valley State University �Religious Quest: Groping for God Richard A. Rhem Page 6   but because Knox expressed so clearly the human quest for understanding that engages both heart and mind when confronted with a religious claim beyond human reason. If neither the rejection nor the modification of kenosis is a possibility for us, nor yet its acceptance as a plain statement of fact, it is clear that we must receive the story as story and then interpret it as best we can, in rational and empirical terms, knowing all the while that we shall not exhaust in our interpretation what the story says and only the story can say, but also knowing that without the effort at interpretation the story will say precisely nothing at all. For a story like this can speak to us of matters beyond our understanding only if it has also spoken to our understanding – and, within the limits of our powers, been understood. There are two conditions under which a significant symbol loses (or, perhaps better, is shown to have lost) its vitality and power. One of these is when our hearts no longer need it, when all we want to say or need to say (or to have said to us) can be said without it. The other is when our minds, failing to discern in it the coherency of truth, are forced to reject it. For our hearts cannot finally find true what our minds find false. If they could, we should be hopelessly divided and any firm grasp of reality would be impossible. What we mean by ‘the heart’ in this connection is not something alien or counter to the mind, but is the mind itself quickened and extended. The wisdom the heart has found, if it be wisdom and not fantasy, is the same wisdom the mind all the while has been feeling after, if haply it might find it. It is a wisdom which, far from by-passing the understanding, enters through the doors of it, fills and stretches the space of it, and only then breaks through and soars above it. (The Humanity and Divinity of Christ, p. 106f) It was Eastertide, 1992, and my sermon series was “From Proclaimer to the One Proclaimed” and I was struggling with the Christological puzzle. In his little volume Knox charted the early Church’s attempts to express the mystery of Jesus Christ, resurrected, ascended Lord. That was very helpful for me but the real “gift” was his statement, For our hearts cannot finally find true what our minds find false. A similar statement, his or some other’s, states it simply as The heart cannot rest where the mind cannot follow. If John Knox put the matter concisely, Karen Armstrong puts the God question, the whole human spiritual endeavor, in the context of the whole human story in her The Case for God. The persons, schools, movements to which she points and which she discusses have long been familiar to me through long years of © Grand Valley State University �Religious Quest: Groping for God Richard A. Rhem Page 7   theological work. But the picture she paints, the story she tells casts a fresh light on the whole human effort of “groping after God.” The book is divided into two parts. Part I deals with “The Unknown God,” covering the centuries from 30,000 B.C.E. to 1500 C.E. Part II explains “The Modern God” (1500 C.E. to the present). Each part is divided into six chapters and there is an Introduction and Epilogue. There is a richness and fullness in the story she tells and I will in no way give a full analysis of the work. What I do hope to do is lift up what is so striking in her work as it relates to our present theme – the relation of the heart to the mind, faith to reason, religion as a way of life and practice and religion as a rational dogmatic system to be assented to by our reason. With voluminous documentation, Armstrong establishes her major thesis that historically, from the earliest evidence of religious activity until the advent of the modern period, religious practice as ritual found transcendence in myth. She notes that many date the beginning of the modern period with Columbus’ voyage in 1492. While still a solidly Christian nation with Catholic monarchs, Spain was in an age of transition. Armstrong writes, The people of Europe had started their journey to modernity, but the traditional myths of religion still gave meaning to their rational and scientific explorations. (p. 162) But that would change in the Renaissance, the Protestant Reformation, the Catholic Counter-Reformation and the early breakthroughs in the investigations of the natural sciences, for example the work of Copernicus, Kepler and Galileo. Armstrong gives a rich picture of the interplay of reforming religion – Catholic and Protestant and the unlocking of the secrets of the universe. I have moved quickly from the earliest evidence of human religious practice to the beginnings of the modern period, because it was at that point that religious practice changed. And it is the change of religious practice that has brought us to the present unhappy place of aggressive, dogmatic fundamentalism and equally aggressive, militant atheism. Our author sets the stage for this unfortunate religious development in the Introduction with reference to the two ways of thinking, speaking and acquiring knowledge in the premodern cultures: In most premodern cultures, there were two recognized ways of thinking, speaking, and acquiring knowledge. The Greeks called them mythos and logos. Both were essential and neither was considered superior to the other; they were not in conflict but complementary. Each had its own sphere of competence, and it was considered unwise to mix the two. Logos (“reason”) was the pragmatic mode of thought that enabled people to function effectively in the world. It had, therefore, to correspond accurately to external reality. People have always needed logos to make an © Grand Valley State University �Religious Quest: Groping for God Richard A. Rhem Page 8   efficient weapon, organize their societies, or plan an expedition. Logos was forward-looking, continually on the lookout for new ways of controlling the environment, improving old insights, or inventing something fresh. Logos was essential to the survival of our species. But it had its limitations: it could not assuage human grief or find ultimate meaning in life’s struggles. For that people turned to mythos or “myth.” Today we live in a society of scientific logos, and myth has fallen into disrepute. In popular parlance, a “myth” is something that is not true. But in the past, myth was not self-indulgent fantasy; rather, like logos, it helped people to live effectively in our confusing world, though in a different way. Myths may have told stories about the gods, but they were really focused on the more elusive, puzzling, and tragic aspects of the human predicament that lay outside the remit of logos. Myth has been called a primitive form of psychology. When a myth described heroes threading their way through labyrinths, descending into the underworld, or fighting monsters, these were not understood as primarily factual stories. They were designed to help people negotiate the obscure regions of the psyche, which are difficult to access but which profoundly influence our thought and behavior. People had to enter the warren of their own minds and fight their personal demons. When Freud and Jung began to chart their scientific search for the soul, they instinctively turned to these ancient myths. A myth was never intended as an accurate account of a historical event; it was something that had in some sense happened once but that also happens all the time. (p. xi) This is not new information from Karen Armstrong. She gives a full treatment of the role of mythology in her A Short History of Myth (2005). But she brings us to our present situation in regard to theology and institutional religious practice by documenting the place of logos and mythos. She points out that a myth was not something one simply “believed in.” It became effective only as a program of action. “It could put you in the correct spiritual or psychological posture, but it was up to you to take the next step and make the ‘truth’ of the myth a reality in your own life.” (p. xii) But if we failed to apply it to our situation, a myth would remain abstract and incredible. From a very early date, people reenacted their myths in stylized ceremonies that worked aesthetically upon participants and, like any work of art, introduced them to a deeper dimension of existence. Myth and ritual were thus inseparable, so much so that it is often a matter of scholarly debate which came first: the mythical story or the rites attached to it. Without ritual, myths made no sense and would remain as opaque as a musical score, which is impenetrable to most of us until interpreted instrumentally. © Grand Valley State University �Religious Quest: Groping for God Richard A. Rhem Page 9   Religion, therefore, was not primarily something that people thought but something they did. Its truth was acquired by practical action. It is no use imagining that you will be able to drive a car if you simply read the manual or study the rules of the road. You cannot learn to dance, paint, or cook by perusing texts or recipes. (p. xii) It is this perspective Karen Armstrong brings to the whole purview of religious history. The insight, wisdom and comfort of good religions is not the result of believing certain ‘truths” or creedal propositions but disciplined practice. She points to the musician lost in her music or the dancer inseparable from the dance – a satisfaction, she contends, that goes deeper than merely “feeling good.” It can lead to “ekstasis”– a “stepping outside” the norm. Religion is a practical discipline that teaches us to discover new capacities of mind and heart. This will be one of the major themes of this book. It is no use magisterially weighing up the teachings of religion to judge their truth or falsehood before embarking on a religious way of life. You will discover their truth – or lack of it – only if you translate these doctrines into ritual or ethical action. Like any skill, religion requires perseverance, hard work, and discipline. Some people will be better at it than others, some appallingly inept, and some will miss the point entirely. But those who do not apply themselves will get nowhere at all. Religious people find it hard to explain how their rituals and practices work, just as a skater may not be fully conscious of the physical laws that enable her to glide over the ice on a thin blade. (p. xiii) For those who engage in religious practice – meditating, participation in liturgy and ritual-witness to the discovery of a transcendent dimension of life - that has been a fact of human life, but it was impossible to explain what that transcendent dimension was in terms of logos. However, she writes: This imprecision was not frustrating, as a modern Western person might imagine, but brought with it an ekstasis that lifted practitioners beyond the constricting confines of self. Our scientifically oriented knowledge seeks to master reality, explain it, and bring it under the control of reason, but a delight in unknowing has also been part of the human experience. Even today, poets, philosophers, mathematicians, and scientists find that the contemplation of the insoluble is a source of joy, astonishment, and contentment. Armstrong cites the early Daoists who saw religion as a “knack” acquired by constant practice. Speaking of our own situation, she suggests we have not been doing our practice and have lost the “knack” of religion. The origin of our dilemma lies in the modern period. © Grand Valley State University �Religious Quest: Groping for God Richard A. Rhem Page10   During the sixteenth and seventeenth centuries, a time that historians call the early modern period, Western people began to develop an entirely new kind of civilization, governed by scientific rationality and based economically on technology and capital investment. Logos achieved such spectacular results that myth was discredited and the scientific method was thought to be the only reliable means of attaining truth. This would make religion difficult, if not impossible. As theologians began to adopt the criteria of science, the mythos of Christianity were interpreted as empirically, rationally, and historically verifiable and forced into a style of thinking that was alien to them. Philosophers and scientists could no longer see the point of ritual, and religious knowledge became theoretical rather than practical. We lost the art of interpreting the old tales of gods walking the earth, dead men striding out of tombs, or seas parting miraculously. We began to understand concepts such as faith, revelation, myth, mystery, and dogma in a way that would have been very surprising to our ancestors. In particular, the meaning of the word “belief” changed, so that a credulous acceptance of creedal doctrines became the prerequisite of faith, so much so that today we often speak of religious people as “believers,” as though accepting orthodox dogma “on faith” were their most important activity. (p. xv) That paragraph really expresses the heart of Armstrong’s contention as she addresses our contemporary situation with The Case for God. She does a marvelous job of describing the rise of modernity as it emerged from the late medieval period – the early development of the scientific method, the inductive method of empirical research and experimentation. She chronicles with clarity the triumph of logos in the mastering of the natural world, the growing consensus that logos was the sole means of acquiring true knowledge and how, in turn, the theologians sought by means of rational thought to express religious truth. Such a move by the religious scholars to abandon mythical thinking and seek to establish God-talk and spiritual reality by means of the canons of human reason – while understandable given the climate of opinion of modernity, especially the Enlightenment – was a disaster for it is an impossibility. And, further, it has led to the rejection of the spiritual dimension of our human experience and the abandonment of religious practice wherein the human family had found hope, comfort and healing. She describes the consequences of the move in the modern age of religious discourse from myth to reason. This rationalized interpretation of religion has resulted in two distinctively modern phenomena: fundamentalism and atheism. The two are related. The defensive piety popularly known as fundamentalism erupted in almost every major faith during the twentieth century. In their desire to produce a wholly rational, scientific faith that abolished mythos in favor of logos, Christian fundamentalists have interpreted scripture with a literalism that © Grand Valley State University �Religious Quest: Groping for God Richard A. Rhem Page11   is unparalleled in the history of religion. In the United States, protestant fundamentalists have evolved an ideology known as “creation science” that regards the mythoi of the Bible as scientifically accurate. They have, therefore, campaigned against the teaching of evolution in the public schools, because it contradicts the creation story in the first chapter of Genesis. (p.xv) Armstrong points out that atheism is rarely “a blanket denial of the sacred per se” but most often a rejection of some particular conception of the Divine. This can be demonstrated in the rise of classical Western atheism of the nineteenth and early twentieth centuries as well as its present expression. Atheism is therefore parasitically dependent on the form of theism it seeks to eliminate and becomes its reverse mirror image. Classical Western atheism was developed during the nineteenth and early twentieth centuries by Feuerbach, Marx, Nietzsche, and Freud, whose ideology was essentially a response to and dictated by the theological perception of God that had developed in Europe and the United States during the modern period. The more recent atheism of Richard Dawkins, Christopher Hitchens, and Sam Harris is rather different, because it has focused exclusively on the God developed by the fundamentalisms, and all three insist that fundamentalism constitutes the essence and core of all religion. This has weakened their critique, because fundamentalism is in fact a defiantly unorthodox form of faith that frequently misrepresents the tradition it is trying to defend. But the “new atheists” command a wide readership, not only in secular Europe but even in the more conventionally religious United States. The popularity of their books suggests that many people are bewildered and even angered by the God concept they have inherited. (p. xvi) But the whole broad picture of human knowing has undergone and is undergoing a major shift in understanding. Our era has no name except “post-modernity”. Obviously the label points to the contention that we as a human family in the pursuit of truth, knowledge of our world, have moved beyond the assumptions of the modern age with its certainty of logos as the only and final arbiter of truth. She explains: Philosophy, theology, and mythology have always responded to the science of the day, and a philosophical movement has developed since the 1980s that has embraced the indeterminacy of the new cosmology. Postmodern thinking is heir to Hume and Kant in its assumption that what we call reality is constructed by the mind and that all human understanding is therefore interpretation rather than the acquisition of accurate, objective information. From this it follows that no single vision can be sovereign; that our knowledge is relative, subjective, and fallible rather than certain and absolute; and that truth is inherently ambiguous. Received ideas that © Grand Valley State University �Religious Quest: Groping for God Richard A. Rhem Page12   are the products of a particular historical and cultural milieu must, therefore, be stringently deconstructed. But this analysis must not be based on any absolute principle, and there is no assurance that we will ever arrive at – or even approximate – a wholly accurate version of the truth. Fundamental to postmodern thought is the conviction that instead of ideologies mirroring external conditions, the world is profoundly affected by the ideology that human beings impose upon it. We are not forced by sense data to adopt a particular worldview, so we have a choice in what we affirm – as well as an immense responsibility. (p. 311) That is a major shift! Armstrong cites an Italian postmodernist, Vattimo, who has focused on the French thinker Derrida’s later work. Vattimo argues that from the beginning religion had recognized that it was “an essentially interpretive discourse: it had traditionally proceeded by endless deconstructing its sacred texts, so that from the start it had the potential to liberate itself from metaphysical orthodoxy.” ( p. 313) Modernity, Vattimo believes, is over; when we contemplate history, we cannot now see the future as an inevitable and unilinear progression toward emancipation. Freedom no longer lies in the perfect knowledge of and conformity to the necessary structure of reality, but in an appreciation of multiple discourses and the historicity, contingency, and finitude of all religious, ethical, and political values – including our own. (p. 314) Postmodernity, the American philosopher John D. Caputo contends, should be “a more enlightened Enlightenment, that is no longer taken in by the dream of pure objectivity.” Armstrong concludes her chapter on “Death of God?” quoting Caputo: If modern atheism is the rejection of a modern God, then the delimitation of modernity opens up another possibility, less the resuscitation of premodern theism than the chance of something beyond both the theism and the atheism of modernity. (p. 317) Armstrong concludes the section, “…how best can we move beyond premodern theism into a perception of ”God” that truly speaks to all the complex realities and needs of our time?” And she begins her Epilogue with the statement, “Religion was never supposed to provide answers to questions that lay within the reach of human reason.” (p. 318) Underscoring the point made throughout the study, “Religion is a practical discipline, and its insights are not derived from abstract speculation but from spiritual exercises and a dedicated lifestyle.” (p. 318) But she anticipates the question that will inevitably arise – “Are we doomed to the perpetual regression of postmodern thought?” (p. 327) She answers, © Grand Valley State University �Religious Quest: Groping for God Richard A. Rhem Page13   Perhaps the only viable “natural theology” lies in religious experience. By this, of course, I do not mean fervid emotional piety. We have seen that in the past scholars and spiritual directors had little time for this religious positivism. Instead of seeking out exotic raptures, Schleiermacher, Bultmann, Rahner, and Lonergan have all suggested that we should explore the normal workings of our minds and notice how frequently these propel us quite naturally into transcendence. Instead of looking for what we call God “outside ourselves” (foris) in the cosmos, we should, like Augustine, turn within and become aware of the way quite ordinary responses segue into “otherness.” We have seen how the inherent finitude of language was regularly exploited by teachers like Denys to make the faithful aware of the silence we encounter on the other side of speech. It has been well said that music, which, as we saw at the beginning of this book, is a “definitively” rational activity, is itself a “natural theology.” In music the mind experiences a pure, direct emotion that transcends ego and fuses subjectivity and objectivity. As Basil explained, we can never know the ineffable ousia of God but can glimpse only its traces or effects (energeiai) in our time-bound, sensebound world. It is clear that the meditation, yoga, and rituals that work aesthetically on a congregation have, when practiced assiduously over a lifetime, a marked effect on the personality – an effect that is another form of natural theology. There is no dramatic “born-again” conversion but a slow, incremental, and imperceptible transformation. Above all, the habitual practice of compassion and the Golden Rule “all day and every day” demands perpetual kenosis. The constant “stepping outside” of our own preferences, convictions, and prejudices is an ekstasis that is not a glamorous rapture but, as Confucius’s pupil Yan Hui explained, is itself the transcendence we seek. The effect of these practices cannot give us concrete information about God; it is certainly not a scientific “proof.” But something indefinable happens to people who involve themselves in these disciplines with commitment and talent. This “something” remains opaque to those who do not undergo these disciplines, however, just as the Eleusinian “mystery” sounded trivial and absurd to somebody who remained obstinately outside the cult hall and refused to undergo the initiation. ( p. 327f) In these two citations, Armstrong readily acknowledges that these practices give us no “concrete information about God”– no scientific “proof.” Nonetheless she points to the effects of the disciplined practice of religious exercises. That that is in fact the case has been documented. As I began I listed the books that fell serendipitously into my hands. One of them by Andrew Newberg and Mark Waldman is entitled How God Changes Your Brain. It is beyond my purpose to deal with the neurological research set forth in this work. The author’s research gives them no basis for affirming or denying the existence of God. What © Grand Valley State University �Religious Quest: Groping for God Richard A. Rhem Page14   they do do as neural scientists is map the brain registering the physical response in the brains of various persons and groups as they are actually engaged in meditation, contemplation – in some form of spiritual practice. In the opening pages of the book, Newberg gives a concise summary of what he and his colleagues are about. Along with my research staff at the University of Pennsylvania and the Center for Spirituality and the Mind, we are currently studying Sikhs, Sufis, yoga practitioners, and advanced meditators to map the neurochemical changes caused by spiritual and religious practices. Our research has led us to the following conclusions: 1. Each part of the brain constructs a different perception of God. 2. Every human brain assembles its perceptions of God in uniquely different ways, thus giving God different qualities of meaning and value. 3. Spiritual practices, even when stripped of religious beliefs, enhance the neural functioning of the brain in ways that improve physical and emotional health. 4. Intense, long-term contemplation of God and other spiritual values appears to permanently change the structure of those parts of the brain that control our moods, give rise to our conscious notions of self, and shape our sensory perceptions of the world. 5. Contemplative practices strengthen a specific neurological circuit that generates peacefulness, social awareness, and compassion for others. Spiritual practices also can be used to enhance cognition, communication, and creativity, and over time can even change our neurological perception of reality itself. Yet, it is a reality that we cannot objectively confirm. Instead, our research has led us to conclude that three separate realities intermingle to give us a working model of the world: the reality that actually exists outside of our brain, and two internal realities – maps that our brain constructs about the world. One of these maps is subconscious and primarily concerned with survival and the biological maintenance of the body. But this map is not the world itself; it’s just a guide that helps us navigate the terrain. Human beings, however, construct a second internal reality – a map that reflects our conscious awareness of the universe. This consciousness is very different from the subconscious map formed by our sensory and emotional circuits. We know that these two internal maps exist, but we have yet to discover if, and to what degree, these two inner realities communicate with each other. Overall, our consciousness represents a reality that is the farthest removed from the world that actually exists outside of the brain. Thus, if God does © Grand Valley State University �Religious Quest: Groping for God Richard A. Rhem Page15   exist, there would be three separate realities to consider: the God that exists in the world, our subconscious perception of that God, and the conscious images and concepts that we construct in a very small part of our frontal, temporal, and parietal lobes. It has been my goal to show that spiritual practices may help us to bridge the chasm between these inner and outer realities, which would then bring us closer to what actually exists in the world. I still don’t know if it’s possible, but the health benefits associated with meditation and religious ritual cannot be denied. (p. 6) Interestingly, in an Epilogue entitled, “Is God Real?”, Newberg writes more personally about the God question. For those who embark on a spiritual journey, God becomes a metaphor reflecting their personal search for Truth. It is a journey inward toward self-awareness, salvation or enlightenment, and for those who are touched by this mystical experience, life becomes more meaningful and rich. Personally, I believe there has to be an absolute truth about the universe. I don’t know what it is, but I am driven to seek it, using science, philosophy, and spirituality as my guide… …I harbor the hope and feeling that God or some ultimate reality, in whatever form it may take, actually exists. I don’t know if my intuition is true, but I am quite comfortable with my uncertainty. (p. 246) Barbara Bradley Hagerty was not “comfortable with her uncertainty.” She set out on a serious quest to research the God question, engaging with persons who have had experience of another dimension, of God, of being transported into another realm of reality, as well as those pursuing the science of brain research in relation to spiritual experience. She is NPR’s award-winning religion correspondent and was formerly a reporter at the Christian Science Monitor and thus combines a journalist’s research and writing skills. The end product of her intensive research is the book Fingerprints of God (2009). A review in Publishers Weekly expresses the terrain covered by Hagerty concisely. National Public Radio correspondent Hagerty acts as a tour guide through the rocky terrain of scientists who study religious experience. Is there a socalled God gene? Why do some people have mystical experiences while others never see the so-called light? Yet to each interview, whether with a world-renowned neuroscientist or a back-road mystic, [Hagerty] brings a suitably skeptical eye. Along the way, she manages to explain some pretty cutting-edge science – psychoneuroimmunology, anyone? – and unravel some people’s pretty hard-to-comprehend religious experiences without sacrificing depth or complexity. Then, with equal aplomb, she dances off to peyote ceremonies, church service and Alcoholics Anonymous meetings. The real beauty of this book lies in watching Hagerty gracefully balance © Grand Valley State University �Religious Quest: Groping for God Richard A. Rhem Page16   her own trust in faith and science and, in the end, come down with one foot planted firmly in both.” That says it well; this is an exceptional study in my opinion. Seldom has one gone “groping after God” with such passionate engagement combined with intellectual integrity. Barbara Hagerty’s heart would not rest where her mind could not follow. Deep yearning to believe that the experiences of another dimension breaking into our space-time world are indeed the fingerprints of God, has not kept her from asking the tough questions and acknowledging the limits of scientific proof when focused on the question of the existence of God. She finally wrote her book because she couldn’t keep the questions at bay. And yet I could not keep the questions at bay. Is there another reality that occasionally breaks into our world and bends the laws of nature? Is there a being or intelligence who weaves together the living universe, and if so, does He, She, or It fit the description I have been given? I was not worried about losing the old man with a beard – but what about the young man on a cross? Is there a spiritual world every bit as real as the phone ringing in the kitchen or my dog sitting on my foot, a dimension that eludes physical sight and hearing and touch? In the end, my questions boiled down to five words: Is there more than this? (p. 6) Is there more than this? That is the question that drives those who long for some sign of a greater Reality that embraces us, yet insist on living with more than wishful thinking. Barbara Hagerty was raised in a very positive and powerful Christian Science family environment but in her mid-thirties she left the practice of Christian Science, yet holding “to the idea of God, of a creator above and within this messy creation called my life and yours.” Researching a story on the Saddleback Church in California she had a powerful mystical experience – “…I was engulfed by a presence I could feel but not touch…Those few moments, the time it takes to boil water for tea, reoriented my life. The episode left a mark on my psyche that I bear to this day.” (p. 5). And thus her book Fingerprints of God. This book tackles the existence of God, “the reality of the unseen,” as psychologist William James had it. After talking to countless scientists far more knowledgeable and insightful than I, I have concluded that science cannot prove God – but science is entirely consistent with God. It all depends on how you define “God.” If you are trying to locate deity in a thirty-three-year-old carpenter or the unseen divider of the Red Sea, science will offer no help. But if you look for God in the math of the universe, if your perceive God as the Mind that rigged existence to create life, then science can indeed accommodate. If you see God in the breathtaking complexity of our brains, as the architect of our bodies and © Grand Valley State University �Religious Quest: Groping for God Richard A. Rhem Page17   our minds who planted the question Is there more? – well, science has room for that kind of God. (p. 11f) The book deserves a full treatment in its own right but that is beyond the limits of this presentation. I bring in Hagerty’s research and conclusions as a confirmation of all we have learned from Karen Armstrong’s The Case for God. Recounting a great mass of personal experiences she learned of by interviewing persons with spiritual/mystical experiences, Hagerty begins to formulate the conclusions to which she is coming through conversation with a variety of scholars whose focus and research deal with the experiences that break the mold of materialism and its absolute denial of another dimension of reality. From a lecture by Francis Collins, one of the country’s leading geneticists and head of the Human Genome Project, Hagerty writes, “God” may not be, as the atheists have it, a delusion – but perhaps a conclusion driven by the math of the universe. The infinite intelligence that maintains the planets in their orbits and tailors the molecular composition of air to each breath we take – this intelligence is not the figment of a narrow fundamentalist mind but the property of the most rigorous scientific minds. This is a God who makes sense to me, a defensible God, and one who has a starring role in a new batch of scientific experiments. (p. 246) Continuing in this chapter entitled “A New Name for God,” she brings in the ideas of Larry Dossey. Imagine stripping God of all His imagery. Gone is the throne, the beard, the Michelangelo painting of a majestic Being nearly touching Adam’s finger with the spark of life. Gone, too, are the stories of a God who intervened, who favored a certain people, who assumed the physique of a man. This stripped-down version would be the sum of his attributes, which would include infinite information, an omnipresence that fills all space and connects all atoms, a taste for mathematics that keeps the planets in their orbit, and the power to do so. This is a God who might appeal to the concrete thinking of a scientist. I came to think of this as “God 1.0” – God minus the love and the narrative history. Larry Dossey calls this God “non-local mind.” Dossey, a doctor and author, coined the term in his 1989 book Recovering the Soul. It bears more than a smart scientific ring. “Non-locality” is a staple of quantum mechanics, and one of the spookier aspects of physics. For Dossey and others on the edge of science, “non-local mind” refers to a consciousness that defies the bounds of space or time. © Grand Valley State University �Religious Quest: Groping for God Richard A. Rhem Page18   “Perhaps the place to start is to say that non-locality is simply a fancified word for infinitude,” Dossey told me one luminous day in July 2006. “If consciousness is non-local, then it is infinite in space and time. If something is infinite in space, it’s omnipresent. If it’s infinite in time, it’s eternal, or immortal. So you can see that from the get-go there’s theological dynamite that’s hooked up with this idea of non-local mind.” … What he proposes is a revolution in science. If non-local mind were merely the equivalent of the Divine Watchmaker, who created the universe and then let it tick away on its own, the idea would unsettle fewer of his colleagues. But Dossey’s claim is far more galling: he suggests that his non-local mind interacts – has a relationship, even – with a person’s individual, local mind, in the same way that many Christians or Jews believe that God interacts with people. According to Dossey and a growing number of scientists (along with most of the American population), this cosmic consciousness permeates our world and soaks into our human affairs. Think of your “local” mind as your personal computer. You can keep files and write documents that no one else can access. “Non-local” mind is like the Internet: it contains enormous amounts of information, shared by billions of people (potentially by everyone on earth), and is always available for you to access with your individual mind. Dossey theorizes that your consciousness shares qualities with non-local mind, that the local and the infinite are “two sides of the same coin.” This may seem far-fetched until you begin reading the mystics or practicing meditation or listening to anyone who has enjoyed a profoundly spiritual experience. They witness to being “at one” with the universe and God, feeling the boundlessness of the infinite, and experiencing “the divine within.” And if there is a dialogue, so to speak, between your mind and the larger non-local mind, then it follows that your mind could do things that modern science says is impossible, such as impact other minds or know things that you simply should not know. … “One of the things that scientists have had a difficult time doing is to imagine how consciousness might behave non-locally.” Dossey observed. “That it might exert its effects beyond the individual brain and the body, as in the stuff that parapsychology deals with, like ESP, clairvoyance, this sort of thing. And, we must add, intercessory prayer, which has always been a claim of all major religions. So it has been verboten to suggest that this actually happens, that the mind can behave non-locally, because every respectable scientist is dragooned into the notion that, by definition, that can’t happen.” (pp. 246-248) © Grand Valley State University �Religious Quest: Groping for God Richard A. Rhem Page19   Following on her discussion about Dossey, Hagerty relates another fascinating conversation with Dean Radin, a senior scientist at the Institute of Noetic Sciences (IONS). Dean Radin has a hypothesis: We have “entangled minds.” Hagerty quotes Radin. “Early on I was attracted to the notion that there were multiple layers to any story,” he recalled, gazing out his window at the mountains surrounding the IONS compound, a wilderness paradise some forty miles north of San Francisco. “I never forgot that virtually anything that people are presenting to you, even in science, has multiple levels of meaning.” This intuition – that there may be a hidden reality – led Radin to entanglement. The idea of entanglement is this: when you delve down to the subatomic or quantum level, particles remain connected even when they are apparently separated. Albert Einstein called these connections in quantum theory “spooky action at a distance.” When Einstein was alive, entanglement was only an idea that was predicted by mathematics, but it had not yet been demonstrated in the laboratory. That would begin to happen in the 1970s, when researchers first started to explore whether the predicted properties of entanglement could be observed in the laboratory. In a groundbreaking study in the 1980s, French scientist Alain Aspect and his colleagues experimentally caused two photons, or light particles, to become entangled. When a property of light – such as spin, position, or momentum – was measured in one of the particles, the “twin” particle instantly showed the opposite property. What was especially spooky was that distance between particles did not matter. Even though the twins were more than thirty miles apart, they behaved as if they were still connected. They were entangled. Radin is quick to point out that entanglement has been shown only at the subatomic level, and that we human beings are much bigger than that. But since people and things are composed of subatomic particles, Radin argues, entanglement may suggest that everything is interconnected, even people. We are not billiard balls on a pool table that occasionally bump into each other. We are part of a fabric woven so tightly that pulling one thread alters the whole tapestry. Or, try this: Reality is like Jell-O: Poke one side of the bowl and the green stuff on the other side jiggles. According to Dean Radin’s entangled reality, if that “poke” is an event – say, a car accident – information about that event could pop into someone’s head miles away. ( p. 250f) Hagerty tells of attending a conference at Cambridge University in 2005, one of ten seasoned journalists invited by The Templeton Foundation and Cambridge University to observe celebrities in the world of science present their ideas about biology, string theory, and multiverses. The question underlying the © Grand Valley State University �Religious Quest: Groping for God Richard A. Rhem Page20   presentations was: Could God retain a place in the intelligent man’s world? Or, in the scientific age: Has God been reduced to a superstitious belief lacking any rational basis? Hagerty felt after eight days of lectures that God was losing. She writes that she was witnessing a blitzkrieg of scientific materialism overrunning the quaint but untestable claims of God and that irked her. The decks were stacked, the outcome certain. How could it be any different – “The rules of the game – the paradigm of modern science – revolve around certain core beliefs. One of them dictates that scientists can study only what they can measure: The physical world and observable behavior. Try to investigate something that cannot be precisely measured – such as spiritual experience that transforms a person’s life – well, that’s cause for immediate disqualification.” (p. 269) She goes on: Another rule is the mind-brain paradigm: everything we are, see, feel, do, or think is a physical state, the electrical and chemical activity in three pounds of tissue called the brain. Mind, consciousness – forget about the soul – must be reduced to matter. It is a closed loop, excluding any notion of God or a spiritual realm. (p. 269) But then she tells of quite an amazing happening. But on that rainy morning in Cambridge I witnessed something extraordinary, akin to Dorothy spotting the little bald man pulling the levers of the Wizard of Oz. For only a moment, the curtain pulled back and we saw the fight for what it was: two belief systems duking it out. John Barrows, a brilliant Cambridge mathematician, was speed-walking us through the hypothesis of a “fine-tuned” universe that is exquisitely and astonishingly calibrated to allow for life. He explained the concept of “multiverses,” which posits that we live in one of 10,500 universes. Then he said, almost as an aside, “I’m quite happy with a traditional theistic view of the universe.” He might as well have dropped an anvil on Richard Dawkin’s foot. Dawkins is a renowned evolutionary biologist at Oxford University and possibly the world’s most famous atheist, certainly one of the most militant. Two days earlier, Dawkins had delivered a talk that he believed would prove the impossibility of God, and which would later be published as a book called The God Delusion. He had remained in Cambridge to hear the lectures of other researchers, particularly the world-class John Barrow. When Barrow, who turned out to be an Anglican, mentioned his belief in God, Dawkins began roiling with frustration like a teakettle about to blow. “Why on earth do you believe in God? Dawkins blurted. © Grand Valley State University �Religious Quest: Groping for God Richard A. Rhem Page21   All heads turned to Barrow. “If you want to look for divine action, physicists look at the rationality of the universe and the mathematical structure of the world.” “Yes, but why do you want to look for divine action?” Dawkins demanded. “For the same reason that someone might not want to,” Barrow responded with a little smile, as all of us erupted in laughter – except for Dawkins. So there you have it. The paradigm is not a law, it is a choice: a choice to look for – or exclude – the action of a divine intelligence. The paradigm to exclude a divine intelligence, or “Other,” or “God,” to reduce all things to matter, has reigned triumphant for some four hundred years, since the dawn of the Age of Reason. Today, a small yet growing number of scientists are trying to chip away at the paradigm, suspecting that its feet are made of clay. (pp. 269f) After all of her travels, interviews and investigation of mind-brain research, Hagerty came to a place where head and heart could comfortably dwell. This is her witness. I came to define God by His handiwork: a craftsman who builds the hope of eternity into our genes, a master electrician and chemist who outfits our brains to access another dimension, a guru who rewards our spiritual efforts by allowing us to feel united with all things, an intelligence that pervades every atom and every nanosecond, all time and space, in the throes of death or the ecstasy of life. This view of God and spiritual reality offers an alternative to superstition. It allows you to steer through an all-or-nothing attitude – that either there is a God who intervenes, depending on His mood and whether you’ve been naughty or nice; or that “God” is the product of ignorance and we live in a cold, uncaring, random universe. It seems to me that advances in science, and particularly in quantum physics, are offering another description of reality in which all things are guided by and connected to an Infinite Mind. This description, of course, echoes the words of mystics down the ages. (p. 277f) Finally, the originating question, “Is there more than this?” She answers, yes, there is and she believes the new science of spirituality buttresses her instinct that we are crafted with astonishing precision so that we can, on occasion, peer into a spiritual world and know God. This is a place the heart can rest and the mind can follow. And there is more to come! © Grand Valley State University �Religious Quest: Groping for God Richard A. Rhem Page22   References: Karen Armstrong. The Case for God. Thorndike Press, 2009. Barbara Haggerty. Fingerprints of God: The Search for the Science of Spirituality. Riverhead, 2009. Andrew Newberg and Mark Waldman. How God Changes Your Brain: Breakthrough Findings from a Leading Neuroscientist. Ballantine Books, 2009. © Grand Valley State University � Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource Richard A. Rhem Collection Description An account of the resource Text and sound recordings of the sermons, prayers, services, and articles of Richard Rhem, pastor emeritus of Christ Community Church in Spring Lake, Michigan, where he served for 37 years. Starting in the mid 1980's, Rhem began to question some of the traditional Christian dogma that he had been espousing from the pulpit. That questioning was a first step in a long and interesting spiritual journey, one that he openly shared with his congregation. His journey is important, in part because it is reflective of the questioning, the yearnings, and the gradual revision of beliefs that many persons in this part of the century have experienced and continue to experience. It is important also because of the affirming and inclusive way his questioning was done and his thinking evolved. His sermons and other written and spoken materials together document the steps in his journey as it took a turn in 1985, yet continued to revolve around the framework and liturgies of the Christian calendar. Subject The topic of the resource Clergy--Michigan Reformed Church in America Christ Community Church (Spring Lake, Mich.) Religion Interfaith worship Sermons Sound Recordings Creator An entity primarily responsible for making the resource Rhem, Richard A. Source A related resource from which the described resource is derived <a href="https://gvsu.lyrasistechnology.org/repositories/2/resources/514">Richard A. Rhem papers (KII-01)</a> Publisher An entity responsible for making the resource available Grand Valley State University. University Libraries. Special Collections & University Archives. Contributor An entity responsible for making contributions to the resource Kaufman Interfaith Institute Rights Information about rights held in and over the resource <a href="http://rightsstatements.org/page/InC/1.0/?language=en">In Copyright</a> Language A language of the resource English Type The nature or genre of the resource Sound Text Identifier An unambiguous reference to the resource within a given context KII-01 Coverage The spatial or temporal topic of the resource, the spatial applicability of the resource, or the jurisdiction under which the resource is relevant 1981-2014 Format The file format, physical medium, or dimensions of the resource audio/mp3 text/pdf Sound A resource primarily intended to be heard. Examples include a music playback file format, an audio compact disc, and recorded speech or sounds. Event Lakeshore Interfaith Community Series The Religious Quest Location The location of the interview Lakeshore Interfaith Center, Ganges References Karen Armstrong. The Case for God, 2009. Barbara Bradley Hagerty. Fingerprints of God, 2002, Andrew Newberg and Mark Waldman. How God Changes Your Brain: Breakthrough Findings from a Leading Neuroscientist, 2009. Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Identifier An unambiguous reference to the resource within a given context KII-01_RA-0-20100926 Date A point or period of time associated with an event in the lifecycle of the resource 2010-09-26 Title A name given to the resource Groping for the God in Whom We Live and Move and Have Our Being Creator An entity primarily responsible for making the resource Richard A. Rhem Rights Information about rights held in and over the resource <a href="http://rightsstatements.org/page/InC/1.0/?language=en">In Copyright</a> Subject The topic of the resource Clergy--Michigan Reformed Church in America Christ Community Church (Spring Lake, Mich.) Sermons Relation A related resource Richard A. Rhem - An Archive of Sermons, Prayers, Talks and Stories: http://richardrhem.org/ Language A language of the resource eng Type The nature or genre of the resource Text Description An account of the resource A sermon given by Richard A. Rhem (Dick) on September 26, 2010 entitled "Groping for the God in Whom We Live and Move and Have Our Being", as part of the series "The Religious Quest", on the occasion of Lakeshore Interfaith Community, at Lakeshore Interfaith Center, Ganges. Format The file format, physical medium, or dimensions of the resource application/pdf Publisher An entity responsible for making the resource available Grand Valley State University. University Libraries. Lemmen Library and Archives History of Religion https://digitalcollections.library.gvsu.edu/files/original/787671df284084be4e5e6d3607827f62.pdf 3d86fe41e7a056ae445c203e628137a1 PDF Text Text The Human Hunger For God John 23: 1-10; Psalm 2; Acts 17: 22-28 Richard A. Rhem Unity Church Douglas, Michigan October 17, 2010 In his moving spiritual diary Markings, Dag Hammarskjold wrote, God does not die on the day we cease to believe in a personal deity, but we die on the day when our lives cease being illumined by the steady radiance, renewed daily, of a wonder the source of which is beyond all reason. I was reminded of that statement recently as I read Karen Armstrong’s latest work The Case for God. “…a wonder the source of which is beyond all reason.” Karen Armstrong points to the modern period as the time we lost the sense of “being illumined by the steady radiance” as Reason came to dominate the human endeavor. She is clear that human wellbeing depends on reason. It has brought the human family to its present state of accomplishment in arena after arena. She points to ancient cultures where reason, or the Greek word, logos, co-existed with myth or mythos. She writes: In most premodern cultures, there were two recognized ways of thinking, speaking, and acquiring knowledge. The Greeks called them mythos and logos. Both were essential and neither was considered superior to the other; they were not in conflict but complementary. Each had its own sphere of competence, and it was considered unwise to mix the two. Logos (“reason”) was the pragmatic mode of thought that enabled people to function effectively in the world. It had, therefore, to correspond accurately to external reality. People have always needed logos to make an efficient weapon, organize their societies, or plan an expedition. Logos was forward-looking, continually on the lookout for new ways of controlling the environment, improving old insights, or inventing something fresh. Logos was essential to the survival of our species. But it had its limitations: it could not assuage human grief or find ultimate meaning in life’s struggles. For that people turned to mythos or “myth.” Today we live in a society of scientific logos, and myth has fallen into disrepute. In popular parlance, a “myth” is something that is not true. But in the past, myth was not self-indulgent fantasy; rather, like logos, it helped people to live effectively in our confusing world, though in a © 2013 Kaufman Interfaith Institute and Grand Valley State University   �The Human Hunger for God Richard A. Rhem Page 2   different way. Myths may have told stories about the gods, but they were really focused on the more elusive, puzzling, and tragic aspects of the human predicament that lay outside the remit of logos. (p. xi) It was in the modern period with the stunning success of the scientific method, that myth, as the means of accessing the realm of mystery, was threatened and so many lost the experience of being illumined – that steady radiance the source of which is beyond all reason. Armstrong contends, During the sixteenth and seventeenth centuries, a time that historians call the early modern period, Western people began to develop an entirely new kind of civilization, governed by scientific rationality and based economically on technology and capital investment. Logos achieved such spectacular results that myth was discredited and the scientific method was thought to be the only reliable means of attaining truth. This would make religion difficult, if not impossible. As theologians began to adopt the criteria of science, the mythos of Christianity were interpreted as empirically, rationally, and historically verifiable and forced into a style of thinking that was alien to them. Philosophers and scientists could no longer see the point of ritual, and religious knowledge became theoretical rather than practical. We lost the art of interpreting the old tales of gods walking the earth, dead men striding out of tombs, or seas parting miraculously. We began to understand concepts such as faith, revelation, myth, mystery, and dogma in a way that would have been very surprising to our ancestors. In particular, the meaning of the word “belief” changed, so that a credulous acceptance of creedal doctrines became the prerequisite of faith, so much so that today we often speak of religious people as “believers,” as though accepting orthodox dogma “on faith” were their most important activity. (p. xv) As would be expected, religious truth cast in the mold of empirical, rational, historically verifiable truth could not succeed because its “truth” was of another sort, the experience of a reality beyond the limits of reason – in Hammarskjold’s words – “a wonder the source of which is beyond all reason.” Thus rational religion bred modern atheism, Feuerbach, who saw God as a human projection, Marx who saw it as the opiate of the people, Freud who named it an illusion and the end of it, Nietzsche’s nihilism. In the 1960’s there were some American theologians who proclaimed the death of God. Thomas Altizer, William Hamilton, Paul Van Buren among others wrote of the end of God such that the April 10, 1966, issue of Time Magazine appearing during Holy Week came out with a black cover announcing the death of God. Even at present, there is a militant and angry atheism proclaimed by Richard Dawkins, Sam Harris, and Christopher Hitchens. But, while their books sell, God’s obituary is premature. There is a counter movement wherein the © 2013 Kaufman Interfaith Institute and Grand Valley State University �The Human Hunger for God Richard A. Rhem Page 3   experience of God is being experienced not at the end of a reasoned discourse but in the practice of the Presence of God. Again, Karen Armstrong: Religion, therefore, was not primarily something that people thought but something they did. Its truth was acquired by practical action. It is no use imagining that you will be able to drive a car if you simply read the manual or study the rules of the road. You cannot learn to dance, paint, or cook by perusing texts or recipes. (p. xii) It is this perspective Karen Armstrong brings to the whole purview of religious history. The insight, wisdom and comfort of good religions is not the result of believing certain ‘truths’ or creedal propositions but disciplined practice. She points to the musician lost in her music or the dancer inseparable from the dance – a satisfaction, she contends, that goes deeper than merely ‘feeling good.’ It can lead to ‘ekstasis’ – a ‘stepping outside’ the norm. Religion is a practical discipline that teaches us to discover new capacities of mind and heart. This will be one of the major themes of this book. It is no use magisterially weighing up the teachings of religion to judge their truth or falsehood before embarking on a religious way of life. You will discover their truth – or lack of it – only if you translate these doctrines into ritual or ethical action. Like any skill, religion requires perseverance, hard work, and discipline. Some people will be better at it than others, some appallingly inept, and some will miss the point entirely. But those who do not apply themselves will get nowhere at all. Religious people find it hard to explain how their rituals and practices work, just as a skater may not be fully conscious of the physical laws that enable her to glide over the ice on a thin blade. (p. xiii) Deep within us, I do believe, is a hunger for God, a yearning for the experience – again in the words of Hammarskjold, “being illumined by the steady radiance, renewed daily, of a wonder the source of which is beyond all reason.” Sometimes that yearning comes at the crisis moments of our lives. In another “God book” which I highly recommend, Barbara Bradley Hagerty’s Fingerprints of God, she makes that point. She is NPR’s religion correspondent and, in that capacity, but also to come to an understanding of her own religious/spiritual experience, she did an exhaustive research project on human religious experience. In the opening pages she asks, Is there a certain set of circumstances, a certain personality type, a certain cocktail of internal and external stress, that erupts in a spiritual experience? …while an encounter with God can happen anywhere, anytime, my research and my own life story tell me that brokenness is the best predictor of spiritual experience. ( p. 12) © 2013 Kaufman Interfaith Institute and Grand Valley State University �The Human Hunger for God Richard A. Rhem Page 4   I’m not certain that is the case with the majority of those who witness to the experience of God, but there is no doubt that when we are driven to the extremity of life experiences, the ultimate questions seem to emerge – ultimate questions of “why?,” questions of meaning and purpose. Perhaps the classic biblical story reflecting such agonizing questioning is the drama of Job – not a historical person but a poetic drama that brings forth powerfully the question of suffering, suffering in Job’s case of one who lived righteously. The purpose of the story in the context of the Hebrew Scriptures is to refute the conventional thinking that one who suffers has brought it on through his or her sinfulness. Our Scripture reading from Job 23 has that powerful cry, Oh, that I knew where I might find him, that I might come even to his dwelling! Job’s friends, the famous “miserable comforters,” beg him to confess his sin that he may be forgiven and healed but Job will not be intimidated. He has lived righteously. He has lived faithfully. He is suffering terribly and he has not a clue why that should be. Rather he would take his case before God, But that is the problem. God is not at one’s disposal I would lay my case before him, and fill my mouth with arguments. I would learn what he would answer me, and understand what he would say to me. But he remains in the pain of his suffering with no bright flash of revelation. Yet, wrestling with God, he will not give in to hopeless despair. If I go forward, he is not there; or backward, I cannot perceive him; on the left he hides, and I cannot behold him; I turn to the right, but I cannot see him. But then the tenacity of trust breaks through. But he knows the way that I take; when he has tested me, I shall come out like gold. My intention is not to deal with the issue of this biblical writing – the mystery of suffering, suffering of the righteous. Rather I use it as an instance of that piercing cry, “Oh, that I knew where I might find God!” Whatever the particular circumstances, do we not all at some time or other find that longing in our hearts and minds? Sometimes the cry for God comes out of the horror and darkness we create as evidenced in the horrors of history. I know of no darkness so dark as that portrayed by the Jewish Holocaust survivor Elie Wiesel who chronicled his © 2013 Kaufman Interfaith Institute and Grand Valley State University �The Human Hunger for God Richard A. Rhem Page 5   experience in the Nazi concentration camp where he and his family were incarcerated. He titles it simply Night. He watched his mother and sister torn from him to become fuel for the gas ovens. He watched the wispy smoke of the oven stacks curl in the blue sky, knowing it was the residue of his own flesh and blood. He watched his father die slowly over weeks and months. He saw a child hung on a gallows in the concentration camp along with two men. The child had been tortured for a number of weeks in order to force him to reveal the names of those that might have been engaged in some revolt against the camp authority. The child would not mention one name and was therefore condemned to die. And so, as the custom was, the whole camp of prisoners was lined up in front of the gallows and the two men and the child in the middle. The three necks were placed at the same moment into nooses. ‘Long live liberty!’ cried the two adults. But the child was silent. ‘Where is God? Where is He?’ someone behind me asked. At a sign from the head of the camp, the three chairs tipped over. Total silence throughout the camp. On the horizon, the sun was setting. ‘Bare your heads!’ yelled the head of the camp. His voice was raucous. We were weeping. ‘Cover your heads!’ Then the march past began. The two adults were no longer alive, their tongues hung swollen, blue-tinged. But the third rope was still moving; being so light the child was still alive… For more than half an hour he stayed there, struggling between life and death, dying in slow agony under our eyes. And we had to look him full in the face. He was still alive when I passed in front of him. His tongue was still red, his eyes not glazed. Behind me I heard the same man asking: ‘Where is God now?’ And I heard a voice within me answer him: ‘Where is He? Here He is – He is hanging here on this gallows…’ That night the soup tasted like corpses. For the young Wiesel, God died that day. Yet somehow that deeply formed Jewish faith recovered. He has written, “I have not lost faith in God. I have moments of anger and protest. Sometimes I’ve been closer to him for that reason.” And similarly he writes, And I became religious, even more so. The question to me was a double question. How come that I really became religious, more deeply than before? And the second one, how come I didn’t lose my sanity? I never divorced God. I couldn’t. I’m too Jewish…But I said to myself, ‘I do believe in God.’ But I have the right to protest against His ways. I have the right to be angry. And so, I do it a lot, very often, and I wouldn’t change a word of my discourse to God, my appeals to God, against God. Because I came to a © 2013 Kaufman Interfaith Institute and Grand Valley State University �The Human Hunger for God Richard A. Rhem Page 6   certain formulation saying a Jew or a man can be, can be religious or can come from a religious background, with God or against God but not without God. So I cannot live without God. (First Person Singular) Oh, that I knew where I might find God!, the ancient cry; with God or against God but not without God – Wiesel’s summary. A mystery indeed and one that defies our rational faculties to explain. What really can human reason, rational enquiry, do in the face of the horror of the Holocaust or in face of awful human loss as in the Job drama? Through the long human journey in all of the vicissitudes of human experience, faith has been lost, trust broken, anger expressed and protest made. Yet God will not go away; the human hunger will not be denied, the human cry persists: Oh, that I knew where I might find God! It is not always in a situation of awful darkness. Psalm 42 opens with a marvelous image: As a deer longs for flowing streams, so my soul longs for you, O God. It seems the poet may have been in a situation of exile – separated from the faith community, from the temple, from the great festival celebrations and he misses it all terribly. He talks to himself Why are you cast down, O my soul, And why are you disquieted within me? And he tries to rally his spirit Hope in God; for I shall again praise him, My help and my God. One shaped and formed in deep religious experience, the sacred mediated in sacred space, sacred symbol, and faithful telling of the sacred story finds, cut off from that, a very great loss and hunger and a thirst As the deer longs for flowing streams, So my soul longs for you, O God. And it may be, not in an experience of darkness or an experience of lonely exile, but just a question arising out of our human awareness. Whence have we come, whether are we going, and what does it all mean? As Karen Armstrong notes, our rational deliberations are not helpful when we are dealing with the ultimate questions of our human existence. And we must feel our feelings; we cannot think our way around them. When we have exhausted all rational knowledge of our human situation, we realize that there is another dimension of which we are aware but which we cannot penetrate with a reasoned analysis. © 2013 Kaufman Interfaith Institute and Grand Valley State University �The Human Hunger for God Richard A. Rhem Page 7   I read the passage from Acts 17, St Paul in Athens. Passionate new convert that he was, convinced the eternal God had now been finally revealed in the human face of Jesus and that history’s drama would soon be brought to consummation, he was distressed by the multitude of statuaries dedicated to a plethora of gods and goddesses. I find it fascinating that in Athens, the greatest university city in the ancient world, there co-existed a great variety of religious practice. St. Paul even quotes from the ancient Greek poets. The divine intention, Paul declares, regarding the human family, is That they would reach for God and perhaps grope for him and find him – though he is not far from each one of us. For in him we live and move and have our being; as even some of your own poets said, ‘For we too are his offspring.’ As far back as we can probe, from the very beginning of the Human, men and women, tribes and peoples have been groping for God in whom we live and move and have our being. Thank God we have moved beyond the era of Enlightenment, which, for all of its impressive achievements, allowed only that to be true that could pass the test of empirical verification. The recent book Fingerprints of God by the NPR’s religious correspondent, Barbara Bradley Hagerty, to which I referred earlier, is a fascinating study of persons who have had an experience of God, mystical or out of body – some experience of the inbreaking into our space and time world of another dimension. Introducing her research she writes, I had come to suspect that there exists another type of spiritual reality just beyond the grasp of our human senses that occasionally, and often unexpectedly, pierces the veil of our physical world. (p. 2) After exhaustive research, really asking all the tough questions, Hagerty entitles her last chapter “Paradigm Shift.” She relates her experience at Cambridge University at a conference sponsored by the University and the Templeton Foundation. The questions addressed: Could God retain a place in the intelligent man’s world? Or, in this scientific age: Had God been reduced to a superstitious belief lacking any rational bases? (p. 268) I would point out that framing the question in that manner already fell into the Enlightenment Trap: a superstitious belief lacking any rational bases. After eight days of lectures Hagerty notes, God was losing. She writes, I was witnessing a blitzkrieg of scientific materialism overrunning the quaint but untestable claims of God. © 2013 Kaufman Interfaith Institute and Grand Valley State University �The Human Hunger for God Richard A. Rhem Page 8   This irked, me, especially when I realized that God could not win under the rules of twenty-first-century science. This was not Ali versus Frazier. This was the World Wrestling Federation. The decks were stacked, the outcome certain, the smack-down inevitable. The rules of this game – the paradigm of modern science – revolve around certain core beliefs. One of them dictates that scientists can study only what they can measure: the physical world and observable behavior. Try to investigate something that cannot be precisely measured – such as a spiritual experience that transforms a person’s life – well, that’s cause for immediate disqualification. Another rule is the mind-brain paradigm: everything we are, see, feel, do, or think is a physical state, the electrical and chemical activity in three pounds of tissue called the brain. Mind, consciousness – forget about the soul – must be reduced to matter. It is a closed loop, excluding any notion of God or a spiritual realm. But on that rainy morning in Cambridge I witnessed something extraordinary, akin to Dorothy spotting the little bald man pulling the levers of the Wizard of Oz. For only a moment, the curtain pulled back and we saw the fight for what it was: two belief systems duking it out. John Barrow, a brilliant Cambridge mathematician, was speed-walking us through the hypothesis of a “fine-tuned” universe that is exquisitely and astonishingly calibrated to allow for life. He explained the concept of “multiverses,” which posits that we live in one of 10,500 universes. Then he said, almost as an aside, “I’m quite happy with a traditional theistic view of the universe.” He might as well have dropped an anvil on Richard Dawkin’s foot. (p. 269) After her intensive and extensive research, Hagerty asks, “Is there more than this?” She answers, “Yes, I believe there is, and the new science of spirituality buttresses my instinct. Science is showing that you and I are crafted with astonishing precision so that we can, on occasion, peer into a spiritual world and know God.” (p. 289) Her final sentence, “We have all about us the fingerprints of God.” “Oh, that I knew where I might find God!” to the beautiful image of the lonely Psalmist, “As a deer longs for flowing streams, so my soul longs for you, O God,” to Paul groping around Athens where generations left evidence of their groping for God “in whom we live and move and have our being,” there is a continuity of the quest and a continuous witness to the experience of God – a universal hunger, a universal testimony of being touched by grace, even when the encounter was in protest as with Job or Wiesel, or in weeping and waiting as with the Psalmist, or © 2013 Kaufman Interfaith Institute and Grand Valley State University �The Human Hunger for God Richard A. Rhem Page 9   after a revelatory bolt of light as with Paul, or the inbreaking of another dimension to one surprised by grace. Karen Armstrong documents how the dominance of logos during the modern period brought on modern atheism and religious fundamentalism – two radical solutions in opposite directions. Thank God we have moved beyond those two alternatives. She points out repeatedly that religion is not primarily something people thought but something they did. Its truth is acquired in practical action. That is why you gather here on the first day of the week. That is why in our own individual practice we pray, we meditate, we participate in liturgy and sacrament. We open our lives to the dimension beyond our grasp, beyond our capacity to penetrate but which now and again, here or there, illumines us with “the steady radiance, renewed daily, of a wonder the source of which is beyond all reason.” References: Karen Armstrong. The Case for God. Thorndike Press, 2009. Barbar Bradley Hagerty. Fingerprints of God: The Search for the Science of Spirituality. Riverhead, 2009. Elie Wiesel. Night. Hill and Wang; Revised edition, 2006. Elie Wiesel. First Person Singular. PBS DVD Video, 2002. © 2013 Kaufman Interfaith Institute and Grand Valley State University � Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource Richard A. Rhem Collection Description An account of the resource Text and sound recordings of the sermons, prayers, services, and articles of Richard Rhem, pastor emeritus of Christ Community Church in Spring Lake, Michigan, where he served for 37 years. Starting in the mid 1980's, Rhem began to question some of the traditional Christian dogma that he had been espousing from the pulpit. That questioning was a first step in a long and interesting spiritual journey, one that he openly shared with his congregation. His journey is important, in part because it is reflective of the questioning, the yearnings, and the gradual revision of beliefs that many persons in this part of the century have experienced and continue to experience. It is important also because of the affirming and inclusive way his questioning was done and his thinking evolved. His sermons and other written and spoken materials together document the steps in his journey as it took a turn in 1985, yet continued to revolve around the framework and liturgies of the Christian calendar. Subject The topic of the resource Clergy--Michigan Reformed Church in America Christ Community Church (Spring Lake, Mich.) Religion Interfaith worship Sermons Sound Recordings Creator An entity primarily responsible for making the resource Rhem, Richard A. Source A related resource from which the described resource is derived <a href="https://gvsu.lyrasistechnology.org/repositories/2/resources/514">Richard A. Rhem papers (KII-01)</a> Publisher An entity responsible for making the resource available Grand Valley State University. University Libraries. Special Collections & University Archives. Contributor An entity responsible for making contributions to the resource Kaufman Interfaith Institute Rights Information about rights held in and over the resource <a href="http://rightsstatements.org/page/InC/1.0/?language=en">In Copyright</a> Language A language of the resource English Type The nature or genre of the resource Sound Text Identifier An unambiguous reference to the resource within a given context KII-01 Coverage The spatial or temporal topic of the resource, the spatial applicability of the resource, or the jurisdiction under which the resource is relevant 1981-2014 Format The file format, physical medium, or dimensions of the resource audio/mp3 text/pdf Sound A resource primarily intended to be heard. Examples include a music playback file format, an audio compact disc, and recorded speech or sounds. Event Unity Church, Douglas, MI Scripture Text John 23:1-10, Psalm 2, Acts 17:22-28 Location The location of the interview Unity Church, Douglas References Karen Armstrong, The Case for God, 2009. Barbara Bradley Hagerty. Fingerprints of God: The Search for the Science of Spirituality, 2009 Elie Wiesel. Night, 2002, First Person Singular, PBS DVD Video, 2002. Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Identifier An unambiguous reference to the resource within a given context KII-01_RA-0-20101017 Date A point or period of time associated with an event in the lifecycle of the resource 2010-10-17 Title A name given to the resource The Human Hunger for God Creator An entity primarily responsible for making the resource Richard A. Rhem Rights Information about rights held in and over the resource <a href="http://rightsstatements.org/page/InC/1.0/?language=en">In Copyright</a> Subject The topic of the resource Clergy--Michigan Reformed Church in America Christ Community Church (Spring Lake, Mich.) Sermons Relation A related resource Richard A. Rhem - An Archive of Sermons, Prayers, Talks and Stories: http://richardrhem.org/ Language A language of the resource eng Type The nature or genre of the resource Text Description An account of the resource A sermon given by Richard A. Rhem (Dick) on October 17, 2010 entitled "The Human Hunger for God", on the occasion of Unity Church, Douglas, MI, at Unity Church, Douglas. Scripture references: John 23:1-10, Psalm 2, Acts 17:22-28. Format The file format, physical medium, or dimensions of the resource application/pdf Publisher An entity responsible for making the resource available Grand Valley State University. University Libraries. Lemmen Library and Archives Presence of God Spiritual Dimension https://digitalcollections.library.gvsu.edu/files/original/dd65ac2e48e044d45612c9a357f26cf9.pdf 637046f9eef2bdac084bde8fe4c27219 PDF Text Text The Celebration of Life and Death in Community All Saints’ Day Service Ecclesiastes 3: 1-13; Romans 14: 1-9; John 14: 1-3 Richard A. Rhem Above and Beyond Banquet Hall Norton Shores, Michigan October 31, 2010 Prepared text of sermon Bonds of friendship and shared memories of rich experiences of gathering in inspiring worship services continue to beckon us to evenings like this, gatherings, as I playfully suggested this past Spring, might be called “The Church of the Holy Seasons” or “The Community of the Holy Seasons.” Here we are again celebrating a Holy Day in the church’s liturgical calendar – All Saints Day. As I have indicated in a previous All Saints celebration, in my first incarnation as a Dutch Reformed Domine, I would be speaking about the Reformation of the 16th century when the Protestant movement was born, breaking away from the Roman Catholic Church. But I have undergone a major shift in my understanding and you with me – a shift not from the great central Reformation theme of God’s grace in Jesus Christ, but a shift in how the gracious God is celebrated in the Church’s worship. This is “old hat” for you now. Nonetheless I keep gaining a deeper perspective on the change we experienced from the intellectual nature of classic Reformed worship to the sensual aesthetic liturgical drama of Catholic worship which, in large measure, we adopted. As I was musing over this evening’s meditation, for some reason I recalled the book by Hans Küng, Does God Exist? It was published in 1978. Prior to that Küng had published On Being a Christian (1976). It was a blockbuster on the continent – a most unusual occurrence since books of theology were not in great demand in Europe at the time. But Küng touched a nerve in post-Christian Europe. He prefaced his work thus: “This book is written for all those who, for any reason at all, honestly and sincerely want to know what Christianity, what being a Christian, really means. It is written also for those who do not believe, but nevertheless seriously inquire; who did believe, but are not satisfied with their unbelief; who do believe, but feel insecure in their faith; who are at a loss, between belief and unbelief; who are skeptical, both about their convictions and © Grand Valley State University   �Celebration of Life and Death Richard A. Rhem Page 2   about their doubts. It is written then for Christians and atheists, Gnostics and agnostics, pietists and positivists, lukewarm and zealous Catholics, Protestants and Orthodox. Even outside the churches, are there not many people who are not content to spend a whole lifetime approaching the fundamental questions of human existence with mere feelings, personal prejudices and apparently plausible explanations? And are there not today also in all churches, many people who do not want to remain at the childhood stage in their faith, who expect more than a new exposition of the words of the Bible or a new denominational catechism, who can no longer find any final anchorage in infallible formulas of Scripture (Protestants), of Tradition (Orthodox), of the Magisterium (Catholics)? These are all people who will not accept Christianity at a reduced price, who will not adopt outward conformism and a pretense of adoption in place of ecclesiastical traditionalism, but who are seeking a way to the uncurtailed truth of Christianity and Christian existence, unimpressed by ecclesiastical doctrinal constraints on the right or ideological whims on the left. This is not to say that what is offered here is merely a new adaptation of a traditional profession of faith or even a miniature dogmatic theology with the answer to all old or new disputed questions; and it certainly is not an attempt to propagate a new Christianity…. The present work is simply an attempt by someone convinced of the cause of Christianity, without proselytizing zeal or theological lyricism, without stale scholasticism or modern theological Chinese, to produce a relevant and opportune introduction to being a Christian… It is an attempt in the midst of an epoch-making upheaval of the Church’s doctrine, morality and discipline, to discover what is permanent: what is different from other world religions and modern humanisms; and at the same time what is common to the separated Christian churches. The reader will rightly expect us to work out for him in his practice of Christianity, in a way that is both historically exact and yet up to date, in the light of the most recent scholarship and yet intelligibly, what is decisive and distinctive about the Christian program: what this program originally meant, before it was covered with the dust and debris of two thousand years, and what this program, brought to light again, can offer today by way of a meaningful, fulfilled life to each and every one. This is not another gospel, but the same ancient gospel rediscovered for today…” © Grand Valley State University �Celebration of Life and Death Richard A. Rhem Page 3   Reading that preface again, I’m not surprised that it became a best seller. I used the book for a year-long study class. For me it was a marvelous review of my four years of study at Leiden with Professor Berkhof. Amazing scholar that he is, Hans Küng came out two years later with another work, this one not 600 pages as On Being a Christian but rather 700 pages, titled Does God Exist? This text I also used for a year-long study class and it is this work that came to my mind as I was thinking about my meditation for this evening. You will be relieved to know that I’m not going to give you a review of Does God Exist? But it came to mind because of two other books I’ve been dealing with over the summer. If you have attended the Ganges gatherings you are aware that I have spoken about Karen Armstrong’s latest work, The Case for God, and Barbara Bradley Hagerty’s Fingerprints of God. They work well together and complement each other, Karen Armstrong’s book dealing with the God question more academically covering the history of theology, while Barbara Hagerty records her own personal quest giving a review of the latest brain research into spiritual experience and abundant recording of the spiritual experiences of persons who have had mystical experiences or near-death experiences, persons, that is, whose lives have been touched by another dimension beyond our ordinary space-time world. Hagerty’s accounts confirm the major thesis of Karen Armstrong that God cannot be found at the end of a syllogism or complex rational deliberation but only in the practice of the presence of God, that is in the actual engagement in spiritual exercise, in community worship, in liturgy, ritual and sacrament, in personal devotion and meditation. Karen Armstrong contends this was always understood until the modern period beginning in the 17th century with the rise of the natural sciences and the scientific method of empirical research. Previously, human reason had coexisted with mythical thinking – in Greek, logos and mythos – and together enabled humankind to negotiate the human journey. Both had their place; both had their function. She explains, Logos was essential to the survival of our species. But it had its limitations: it could not assuage human grief or find ultimate meaning in life’s struggles. For that people turned to mythos or “myth.” Myths…were really focused on the more elusive, puzzling, and tragic aspects of the human predicament that lay outside the remit of logos. (p. xi) I review this because with Armstrong and Hagerty so much on my mind, the work of Hans Küng flashed in my mind for it is in his Does God Exist? that I was prepared to embrace and affirm the two recent works. As stated above, Armstrong points to the modern period as the time of putting the existence of God in question. Küng documents that claim opening with a section entitled “Reason or Faith” in which he weaves the development of modern atheism. A © Grand Valley State University �Celebration of Life and Death Richard A. Rhem Page 4   section, “The New Understanding of God,” is followed by a section entitled “The Challenge of Atheism.” It is this section that came to mind in my musings. The subdivisions paint a clear path: I. II. III. God – a projection of man? Ludwig Feuerbach God – a consolation serving vested interests? Karl Marx God – an infantile illusion? Sigmund Freud The next division is entitled “Nihilism – Consequence of Atheism.” And there you have it! Küng's road map to Nihilism was burned into my brain and the structure of Küng’s work jumped out at me. In discussing it with a colleague, the image of a capital V came into my mind. Beginning at the top of the left leg, I put Feuerbach because, while he did not initiate the modern discussion of God, he was a major contributor with his idea of God as a human projection – “Consciousness of God is self-consciousness; knowledge of God is selfknowledge.” (L. Feuerbach, Wesen des Christentums, p. 51, English translation, p. 12). There exists no objective counterpart to our thoughts of God; theology has become anthropology. That fundamental move was assumed to be true by those who followed him – Marx and Freud – and the end of that left leg of the V, ending at the vortex is Nietzsche and Nihilism. Nihilism, the term comes from the Latin nihil, nothing. Without dealing with this at any depth, I only point to the general idea associated with nihilism, namely, that life is without objective meaning, purpose or intrinsic value. Nihilism takes various forms – moral nihilism – morality does not exist as something inherent to objective reality; existential nihilism – life has no intrinsic meaning or value, is without purpose or significance. No more need be said as already it is obvious that such pessimism, affirming only emptiness, meaninglessness, and nothingness is the conclusion of the movement of modern atheism. Nietzsche was a towering figure – brilliant and sensitive. He was not pleased where the project of atheism took him. His famous cry, “God is dead” and “we killed him” was not a triumphant acclamation but a despairing realization that now “everything is permissible” because the whole foundation of Western culture had been undermined. Having reached the bottom of the downward movement of modern atheism in Nietzsche’s nihilism, Hans Küng seeks for a way to move up the right leg of the V. How can one move beyond the abyss of atheism’s end in nihilism toward purpose, meaning, value grounded in reality? Küng begins building in a major division, “Yes to Reality – Alternative to Nihilism.” He contends there are fundamental alternatives: © Grand Valley State University �Celebration of Life and Death Richard A. Rhem Page 5   We can say yes or no to uncertain reality. Such a fundamental decision and fundamental approach always involves a risk…Reality itself does not extort a Yes or No, a positive or a negative fundamental attitude…should I, then, surrender myself to what is not obvious, demonstrable, calculable? This is really a matter of trust or mistrust, in which I stake myself without security or guarantee. We may paraphrase the verb “to trust” in a variety of ways: either I believe reality sustains me and I trust it – or not; either I commit myself in principle to reality and rely on it – or not; either I regard reality therefore as trustworthy and reliable – or not; either I express my trust in reality – or not. Whatever way this fundamental decision goes, whatever kind of fundamental attitude is adopted, it is inescapable. Man is free. But he is not free to be free: “You must wager. There is no choice, you are already committed,” said Pascal. Jean Paul Sartre says that man is “condemned” to freedom, while others say that he is “called” to freedom…. in the long run it is impossible to remain undecided in regard to reality…. And not to choose is itself a choice…. In this vote of confidence, abstention means refusal of trust, a vote for mistrust. (p. 438f) It is beyond the purpose of this meditation to develop Küng’s presentation of fundamental trust which he affirms “means that a person, in principle, says Yes to the uncertain reality of himself and the world, making himself open to reality and able to maintain this attitude consistently in practice.” (p. 445) But I set it forth to point out that for Küng this is the pivot point from which he will build the whole structure of trust in Reality, in God, and in his case, the Christian God revealed in Jesus Christ. Why do I stress this starting point for the building of a structure of trust in God? Precisely because this is the only option for us human beings whose whole existence has come under the scope of critical rationality that seeks empirical verification, scientific proof for all claims regarding reality. It is beyond my purpose to show, as does Küng, that there is a “faith dimension,” an “intuitive hunch” and model building even for those engaged in the respective scientific areas of research. It is enough for me to make the point as strongly as I can that Küng’s alternatives point to our human situation: either I express my trust in reality – or not. For me, the critical factor here is Küng’s extensive, intensive examination of “the God Question” which has emerged in the modern period as Karen Armstrong points out in The Case for God. She declares it; Küng documents it. She contends it is only in the practice of the presence of God – in meditation, liturgy, ritual, prayer – that God is revealed to us. And such practice emanates from a fundamental trust, not from a reasoned proof for the existence of God, let alone a God to be trusted, worshiped, and loved. © Grand Valley State University �Celebration of Life and Death Richard A. Rhem Page 6   As I reflect back on my own journey, which was lived out very publicly in your presence, I realize how intensely I struggled to reason as far as reason would take me – no doubt, often to your despair. I remember well the comment someone made not so many years ago – “Why all his questions? At his age shouldn’t he have answers rather than questions?” I was never content to rest on “the tradition teaches,” or “the church teaches,” or, “the Bible says.” And because we never took the faith structure on authority but probed as honestly and diligently as humanly possible, I am ready to own that my whole life project is founded on a wager that carries risk: a fundamental trust in Reality, in God, the God I see revealed in the face of Jesus Christ – not the only revelation of God but my window to the Sacred, the Holy, the Mystery that is God. I know you do not demand such strenuous effort on my part; it is an inner demand to which I respond. But I know I could as well simply declare the biblical word which is our storybook. So often I turn to the poet who penned Ecclesiastes, one of the wisdom writings of the Hebrew Scriptures. The writer is so human in his wonderings, in his questions. For everything there is a season – a time we are born and a time we die, but he wonders – is that all there is? St Paul was sure there was more – for, in dealing with a practical issue regarding differing views of religious practice in the 14th chapter of Romans, he declares what for him was the ultimate truth, the last word as it were – We do not live to ourselves, and we do not die to ourselves. If we live, we live to the Lord, and if we die, we die to the Lord; so then, whether we live or whether we die, we are the Lord’s. For to this end Christ died and lived again, so that he might be the Lord of both the dead and the living. (Romans 14: 7-9) And then again from the Gospel of John, words purportedly from Jesus himself though I doubt that – it matters not. The fact is they found expression because of the impact of Jesus in life and death and presence beyond death made on the early Christian community – …I go to prepare a place for you…and if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again and take you to myself, so that where I am, there you may be also. (John 14:3) That is the biblical message – the wondering of the Hebrew poet, the assured declaration of the convert to Jesus Christ, St. Paul, the comforting assurance of the Gospel. It is in our being shaped by such scriptural affirmations that confidence is built and spiritual formation results in confident living and dying, living and dying marked by fundamental trust. © Grand Valley State University �Celebration of Life and Death Richard A. Rhem Page 7   A recent book to which I have referred of late that has impressed me deeply is entitled Fingerprints of God by Barbara Bradley Hagerty. I am impressed with her work because she does intensive research and asks all the tough questions that a sceptic might raise. Her own witness as to what put her on the trail of research into the God question is, …I could not keep the questions at bay. Is there another reality that occasionally breaks into our world and bends the laws of nature? Is there a being or intelligence who weaves together the living universe…? In the end, my questions boiled down to five words: Is there more than this? (p. 6) And after her long trail of exposure to all kinds of human experience that claimed some brush with the beyond in our midst, Hagerty concludes, I end with the question that launched my journey: Is there more than this? Yes, I believe there is, and the new science of spirituality buttresses my instinct. Science is showing that you and I are crafted with astonishing precision so that we can, on occasion, peer into a spiritual world and know God. The language of our genes, the chemistry of our bodies, and the wiring of our brain – these are the handiwork of One who longs to be known. And rather than dispel the spiritual, science is cracking it open for all to see. (p. 284) Her final sentence: We have all about us the fingerprints of God. (p. 285) A different kind of investigation than the rigorous philosophical theological overview of Hans Küng, but very significant as a contemporary witness to the fact that the God Question does not die away and even the latest science and technology is called in service of the quest. The December 31, 1999, issue of The Economist magazine ended as did every issue with a page marked “Obituary”– each issue taking note of the death of some prominent figure. This particular issue, called “millennium Issue” had as its subject God. A painting on the page, an artist’s rendering of God, had written beneath it in bold letters, “After a lengthy career, the Almighty recently passed into history. Or did he?” A decade later, Barbara Hagerty finds the fingerprints of God everywhere, not only in human experience but even in scientific research. The stories she tells of those who witness to an encounter with another dimension are not insignificant. As I was deciding on my meditation for this All Saints observance, I became aware of a Clint Eastwood movie just released entitled Hereafter. A review in the © Grand Valley State University �Celebration of Life and Death Richard A. Rhem Page 8   October 18, 2010, Newsweek by David Ansen speaks of Eastwood’s “squinting” at the afterlife (p. 50). He writes, Clint Eastwood flirted with the supernatural in his allegorical Western Pale Rider, but nothing in his career prepares us for his haunting and haunted Hereafter, a bold, strange, problematic investigation into the nature of the afterlife. At 80, he continues to throw us curves, abandoning the safety of genre for an unconventionally structured story about mortality, loneliness, and the relationship between the living and the dead. The movie has a triple thread – three personal stories are woven together finally in a very moving affirmation of Hagerty’s conclusion that there is something more. In a portrayal that could well have been one of Hagerty’s stories, in the reviewer’s words: Caught in the tsunami is the first of the three characters whose fates Hereafter follows, a French television host (Cecile De France) who dies in the storm and then miraculously comes back to life. But her glimpse of the beyond makes it impossible for her to reenter her old life as a Parisian celebrity; instead, she becomes obsessed with writing a book about the eerily similar after-death experiences others have endured, a pursuit that costs her credibility in the eyes of her sophisticated friends. As her unhappy publisher notes, it’s a topic more suited to the American market. The second strand is played by Matt Damon who has the gift (he calls it a curse) to communicate with the dead, a gift/curse from which he tries to escape. The third story tells of a young boy whose twin brother is killed in an accident – a loss from which he cannot recover until the medium puts him in touch with his brother who counsels him to move on with his life. This happens in London where the child recognizes him and “knows” too that the medium who purchases the book of the journalist has made a “connection” with her. It is all very quiet, sober and reverent. The reviewer comments, “What keeps us rapt are the mysterious and provocative questions Hereafter raises, questions that Eastwood and Morgan (screenplay author) know can’t be definitively answered. Clearly, at this point in his life, questions of mortality aren’t far from Eastwood’s mind, and you can feel his identification with these characters, whose encounters with death both separate them from the rest of the living and give them a sense of urgent purpose. Damon, with his understated but deeply felt performance, and the wonderfully versatile De France supply the movie’s aching soul. And Eastwood keeps it honest. Hereafter confronts a topic that could have descended into mawkish, mystical hokum, but not in Eastwood’s no-nonsense, uncynical hands. He looks at death, and beyond, with clear, open, inquisitive eyes. © Grand Valley State University �Celebration of Life and Death Richard A. Rhem Page 9   Last evening Nancy and I viewed the film. I realize I take in something like that perhaps differently than most people. I’ve immersed myself in the God Question and “Is this all there is?” “Is there something more?” I think about little else. But I must say I was deeply moved by the movie. Barbara Hagerty’s closing sentence would be a fitting summary of the film as well: “We have all about us the fingerprints of God.” We have become aware recently of the tragedy of the suicide of young persons bullied because of their sexual orientation. In response to such tragedy there has been launched on the Internet a project that addresses the issue and tries to give hope and confidence to young people caught in the despair of alienation and suffering. It is called the “It Gets Better” project. Here we are again, another All Saints Day celebration. We celebrate life and death in community – the hymn “Borning Cry” was deliberately chosen you understand – The Good and Gracious God – there at our borning cry, there the day we were baptized watching our life unfold – childhood, adolescence, intimate relationship, middle age, and when evening gently closes in and we shut our weary eyes, I’ll be there as I have always been with just one more surprise. Not simply because the church teaches or the Bible says, not with arrogant dogmatism that masks insecurity, but with deep fundamental trust, I do believe this is not all there is. There is more to come. In no way do I imply thereby that life here and now is not good, a gift, a grace to be valued and savored. As a community we have come to love and live by Julian of Norwich’s affirmation: “All will be well, all will be well; all manner of things will be well.” The toast I learned from Duncan Littlefair – To the wonder, miracle, glory and joy of life! – is the way I’ve come to live my life. It is very good and, on this All Saints Eve, I suggest - it will get better! References: Karen Armstrong. The Case for God. Thorndike Press, 2009. Barbara Bradley Haggerty. Fingerprints of God: The Search for the Science of Spirituality. Riverhead, 2009. Hereafter. Director, Clint Eastwood; Producer, Steven Spielberg, 2010. Hans Küng. On Being a Christian, 1976; Does God Exist?, 1978. © Grand Valley State University � Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource Richard A. Rhem Collection Description An account of the resource Text and sound recordings of the sermons, prayers, services, and articles of Richard Rhem, pastor emeritus of Christ Community Church in Spring Lake, Michigan, where he served for 37 years. Starting in the mid 1980's, Rhem began to question some of the traditional Christian dogma that he had been espousing from the pulpit. That questioning was a first step in a long and interesting spiritual journey, one that he openly shared with his congregation. His journey is important, in part because it is reflective of the questioning, the yearnings, and the gradual revision of beliefs that many persons in this part of the century have experienced and continue to experience. It is important also because of the affirming and inclusive way his questioning was done and his thinking evolved. His sermons and other written and spoken materials together document the steps in his journey as it took a turn in 1985, yet continued to revolve around the framework and liturgies of the Christian calendar. Subject The topic of the resource Clergy--Michigan Reformed Church in America Christ Community Church (Spring Lake, Mich.) Religion Interfaith worship Sermons Sound Recordings Creator An entity primarily responsible for making the resource Rhem, Richard A. Source A related resource from which the described resource is derived <a href="https://gvsu.lyrasistechnology.org/repositories/2/resources/514">Richard A. Rhem papers (KII-01)</a> Publisher An entity responsible for making the resource available Grand Valley State University. University Libraries. Special Collections & University Archives. Contributor An entity responsible for making contributions to the resource Kaufman Interfaith Institute Rights Information about rights held in and over the resource <a href="http://rightsstatements.org/page/InC/1.0/?language=en">In Copyright</a> Language A language of the resource English Type The nature or genre of the resource Sound Text Identifier An unambiguous reference to the resource within a given context KII-01 Coverage The spatial or temporal topic of the resource, the spatial applicability of the resource, or the jurisdiction under which the resource is relevant 1981-2014 Format The file format, physical medium, or dimensions of the resource audio/mp3 text/pdf Sound A resource primarily intended to be heard. Examples include a music playback file format, an audio compact disc, and recorded speech or sounds. Event All Saints Day Scripture Text Ecclesiastes 3:1-13, Romans 14:1-9, John 14:1-3 Location The location of the interview Above & Beyond Banquet Hall, Norton Shores References Karen Armstrong. The Case for God, 2009. Barbara Bradley Hagerty. Fingerprints of God:The Search for the Science of Spirituality, 2009. Hereafter. Director Clint Eastwood, 2010. Hans K Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Identifier An unambiguous reference to the resource within a given context KII-01_RA-0-20101031 Date A point or period of time associated with an event in the lifecycle of the resource 2010-10-31 Title A name given to the resource The Celebration of Life and Death in Community Creator An entity primarily responsible for making the resource Richard A. Rhem Rights Information about rights held in and over the resource <a href="http://rightsstatements.org/page/InC/1.0/?language=en">In Copyright</a> Subject The topic of the resource Clergy--Michigan Reformed Church in America Christ Community Church (Spring Lake, Mich.) Sermons Relation A related resource Richard A. Rhem - An Archive of Sermons, Prayers, Talks and Stories: http://richardrhem.org/ Language A language of the resource eng Type The nature or genre of the resource Text Description An account of the resource A sermon given by Richard A. Rhem (Dick) on October 31, 2010 entitled "The Celebration of Life and Death in Community", on the occasion of All Saints Day, at Above & Beyond Banquet Hall, Norton Shores. Scripture references: Ecclesiastes 3:1-13, Romans 14:1-9, John 14:1-3. Format The file format, physical medium, or dimensions of the resource application/pdf Publisher An entity responsible for making the resource available Grand Valley State University. University Libraries. Lemmen Library and Archives Meditation Practice of Spiritual Faith Ritual https://digitalcollections.library.gvsu.edu/files/original/012ab717644317b73afe8431452ca678.pdf 1c9304dec1059713f2d5c61812837071 PDF Text Text John and Jesus: A Graceful Parting Evensong Service at Advent Psalm 114-115; Isaiah 5: 1-7; II Peter 3: 11-18; Luke 7: 28-35 Richard A. Rhem St. John’s Episcopal Church Grand Haven, Michigan December 5, 2010 Prepared text of the sermon I have a double reason for being grateful to St. John’s parish and the Rector, Father Jared, for this invitation to bring the meditation this evening. The first reason being that this is a breakthrough for me. It was the Spring of 2004. My retirement from Christ Community was imminent. Our financial counselor from New Jersey made a call. We were looking at how things financial would work out. I could see anxiety on Nancy’s face, obviously wondering if we could survive. At one point I said to her, “Don’t worry, honey. I will be invited to preach often in area churches and that will supplement our retirement funds.” When I related that incident to my people at Christ Community, they laughed out loud. They knew, as did I, that no one would touch me with a ten-foot pole and that has proved to be true. Being new in town and being young and courageous, Father Jared has given me the first such invitation in six and a half years. So you see, this is a breakthrough for me and I’m grateful to him for taking the risk. But, more seriously, there is a second reason I’m grateful for this opportunity; it has forced me to take up again the theme of the Advent Season and experience in depth the beginning of the new church year. I was raised and educated in the Reformed tradition which, for all its positive dimensions, never succeeded in holding on to or recapturing the rich tradition of Catholic, sacramental worship. In fact it was a badge of honor that such rich, liturgical worship with all the symbolism and, of course, the observance of the church year was left behind in favor of “the pure preaching of the Word” as guided by the catechism. Over the years, the observance of the seasons of the church year became more and more meaningful to me personally and, I believe, to the people I served as well. The Christian calendar was the framework within which our existence found meaning, being filled with meaning far beyond the simple marking of the calendar per se. And Advent is the beginning, a new year in which once again we will journey together as a people through the events that mark the story of Jesus, the story of Immanuel – God with us. © Grand Valley State University   �John and Jesus: A Gracious Parting Richard A. Rhem Page 2   That is where we find ourselves this evening; it is Advent once again. The word itself means “coming.” Thus the theme – the One who came will come again. I went back over the themes of my Advent preaching over the years. That confirmed that of which I was aware; I had over the years developed a problem with that proclamation. Earlier in my ministry I had lived by the traditional orthodox Christian story – God was history’s sovereign. God created, God’s providence guided the unfolding creation and God would bring all things to their consummation. Jesus the Savior was born, crucified, raised from the dead, ascended to the throne of God from whence He would come in judgment and grace to judge and to redeem after which He would hand over the Kingdom to the Father and God would be all in all. In various ways and for various reasons that straightforward scheme of things began to unravel for me. I smile as I look over those old Advent sermon themes. For example, Advent, 1984: the confident proclamation – “The King Is Coming”; but a few years later – Advent, 1992, my sermon title for the first Sunday in Advent was “Do You Really Think He Is Going to Come?” My texts were from Acts 3 and Revelation 22. The Acts 3 passage may be the most primitive Christology in the New Testament. Peter addresses the crowd after enabling a lame man to walk and concludes with a call to repentance and faith in Jesus as the Messiah: Repent therefore, and turn to God so that your sins may be wiped out, so the times of refreshing may come from the presence of the Lord, and that he may send the Messiah appointed for you, that is, Jesus, who must remain in heaven until the time of universal restoration that God announced long ago through his holy prophets. (Acts 3: 19-21) Here you have one ancient witness who paints a picture of Jesus, who is presented in the opening of Acts as ascending to the Father, now on the verge of returning to effect a universal restoration – the fulfilled Kingdom of God. One can hardly miss the urgency as well as the sense that this would be a literal return to the earthly scene and a literal effecting of the reign of God. The text from Revelation 22 is entitled in my NRSV “Epilogue and Benediction” and the visionary, John, records the voice that addresses him at the close of the vision. The voice is the ascended Jesus who declares: “See, I am coming soon… (Revelation 22:12). I do believe that was the confident hope of many followers of Jesus who were called Followers of The Way. There has been a serious scholarly discussion on the question of whether or not Jesus believed himself to be the Messiah as well as a sharp disagreement among New Testament scholars as to whether or not Jesus © Grand Valley State University �John and Jesus: A Gracious Parting Richard A. Rhem Page 3   was part of the widespread apocalyptic mood that prevailed in his day. The debate continues and, as is the case with most such questions of the historical Jesus research, probably cannot be definitively answered. But no matter, for it seems clear to me, whether Jesus bought into the apocalyptic mind-set and expectation, his early followers did. And further, for all the symbolism in which that expectation of the end was clothed, I do think there was an expectation of a literal return of the reigning Christ at God’s right hand and an end of history as we know it. That has always been the case with a part of the Christian Church and continues such to our time. It was that literal interpretation of a “second coming” that I was beginning to question. Thus it was that finally I felt I must be honest with my people and acknowledge that such a scenario was no longer compelling for me. I broke the news very carefully. I simply said, “Jesus isn’t coming again.” Well you have to be pretty confident of your people to be that straightforward but that was the way we were. I do remember coming home for Sunday dinner only to be met by Nancy who said to me, “You don’t know everything!” But she did give me dinner. And our financial advisor to whom I referred earlier was listening to a tape of the sermon and reported that he was so shocked he almost ran off the New Jersey Turnpike! Obviously I did not make that announcement and leave it. I went on to relate how, just as we had come to see the early chapters of Genesis as mythical stories of the beginning, just so I was coming to understand the highly symbolic stories and images of the End, not as literal portrayals of what is yet to be but, rather, mythical stories that affirmed that the End would be the triumph of Grace – that the God of the Beginning would be the God of the End – the God who in the present was present with us. This is how I ended that sermon: In the Beginning – God In the End – God In the meantime – God, the God whose heart is laid bare in the life of Jesus. Where is history going? I don’t know. What will happen to planet Earth? I don’t know. I only trust my life and yours, those I’ve loved and lost awhile, my children and my children’s children, are grasped in the grasp of Love that will never fail – here, now and beyond. – That is enough. © Grand Valley State University �John and Jesus: A Gracious Parting Richard A. Rhem Page 4   The theme of hope found expression in a number of Advent sermons in subsequent years. In 1995 the series of sermons for Advent was entitled “Now – But Then.” For Advent III the sermon subject was “Can We Be Truthful and Hopeful?” The sermon ended thus: …To know Emmanuel is to know that God is with us, God is with us here and now; God is with us in the darkness; God is with us in our health and God is with us in our dying. God is with us in our loving and caring. God, here and now! That’s the content of Christian hope…God is in this process of which we are a part, embraces it all and goes through it all with us and gives us that amazing capacity in the darkness to live as though the Light is about to dawn. Hope, hope doesn’t come from experience. Experience shatters hope! Hope comes from God, and it is hope in God and it is the experience of the presence of God, here in the darkness where we dwell in the land of the shadow of death. Advent calls us to think about the end, but not the year 2000 or 3000 or 10,000. It calls us to speak about the end of life, the purpose of life, the meaning of life, which is God with us. God with us. Why do we keep on hoping? That, to me, is an amazing thing. After all these years, we keep on hoping. After all of the wars, after all of the death and disease, after all of the brokenness, we keep on hoping. To me, it is the best sign I know that the hope stems from God, Who says to us there is no darkness so dark, there is no coldness so cold, there is no storm so severe, but what I will be with you, I will keep you, I will never let you go. That is Advent hope. It is the present appropriation of a future consummation. Hope teamed with faith keep us moving toward love, which is at the heart of all things. I believe that, and in that, I hope. And in that hope, the darkness is scattered and the light dawns, because God is with us in the meantime. If we don’t feel for something more, we’ll fall for something less. If we don’t reach for something above us, we’ll fall for something below us. It is in the gift of hope that the present is transformed. And I can say in regard to now and then, all is well. All is well. It is because each recurring Advent brings with it that strong affirmation of hope that it is so invigorating to enter once again into this season and know one is beginning anew the passage through the story of Jesus. In the 1995 sermon referred to above I began with a statement from the Church of England entitled “Christian Believing:” Christian life is an adventure, a voyage of discovery, a journey, sustained by faith and hope toward a final and complete communion with love at the heart of things. That became for me the perspective with which I enter each new Advent Season. © Grand Valley State University �John and Jesus: A Gracious Parting Richard A. Rhem Page 5   But the New Testament readings for this evening add another central Advent theme – the call to prepare for the coming of the Lord. Again, traditionally, this had to do with the conviction that history was nearing its end and the Judge of all the earth would soon appear. This evening’s Epistle lesson from the second letter of Peter follows up on the reading for Advent I – II Peter 3: 1-10. I smile as I read that passage because obviously there were those already when this Epistle was written who doubted that Jesus would return. This, in fact, is the central thrust of II Peter – deny the imminent coming of the Lord to your peril and, further, because He will come in God’s good time, one must be ready – Since all these things are to be dissolved in this way, what sort of persons ought you to be in leading lives of holiness and godliness, waiting for and hastening the coming of the day of God… This call to moral seriousness calls to mind the ministry of John the Baptist who is the subject of the Gospel reading from Luke 7. The birth of John and the prophecies spoken over him are recorded in Luke’s Gospel in connection with the birth of Jesus. Mark’s Gospel introduces John the Baptist with a quote from, he says, Isaiah: See I am sending my messenger ahead of you, Who will prepare your way; The voice of one crying out in the wilderness: Prepare the way of the Lord, make his paths straight. The “messenger” reference is from Malachi, not Isaiah, and the reference there is to the re-appearance of the fiery prophet Elijah. The first three Gospels have shaped the most familiar rendering of the story line – John the Baptist carries on a movement of religious reform in the nature of apocalypticism that was in the air at that time. The End was approaching, God’s judgment was near, John’s call was to repentance with the washing of baptism as the ritual sign. Then Jesus appears and is baptized by John and receives his call to ministry as the heavens open and the Spirit as a dove falls upon him. From thence the Gospels relate the ministry of Jesus, noting John had been thrown in prison for daring to tell King Herod he could not have Herodias, his brother Philip’s wife, as his own. John’s integrity got him imprisoned and ultimately beheaded. If we go to the Gospel of John we learn an interesting piece of data not reported in the first three Gospels. The fourth Gospel is not generally thought of as giving an historically accurate account of Jesus’ ministry but a good case can be made for John’s note that Jesus began a ministry in Judea. In John 4: 1-3 we read, Now when Jesus learned that the Pharisees had heard, ‘Jesus is making and baptizing more disciples than John, – although it was not Jesus © Grand Valley State University �John and Jesus: A Gracious Parting Richard A. Rhem Page 6   himself but his disciples who baptized – he left Judea and started back to Galilee. There is no mention of this in the other Gospels; Matthew and Mark simply say when John was put in prison Jesus left to begin his ministry in Galilee. Luke doesn’t mention John’s imprisonment but, following the narrative of the Temptation in the Wilderness, Luke has Jesus appearing at his hometown synagogue in Nazareth where he was invited to read the Scripture – a passage from Isaiah – When he came to Nazareth, where he had been brought up, he went to the synagogue on the sabbath day, as was his custom. He stood up to read, and the scroll of the prophet Isaiah was given to him. He unrolled the scroll and found the place where it was written: The Spirit of the Lord is upon me, because he has anointed me to bring good news to the poor. He has sent me to proclaim release to the captives and recovery of sight to the blind, to let the oppressed go free, to proclaim the year of the Lord’s favor. And he rolled up the scroll, gave it back to the attendant, and sat down. The eyes of all in the synagogue were fixed on him. Then he began to say to them, ‘Today this scripture has been fulfilled in your hearing.’ All spoke well of him and were amazed at the gracious words that came from his mouth. They said, ‘Is not this Joseph’s son?’ Why do I make note of this? Note how the Isaiah passage is full of good news; it is Gospel! And Jesus, in Luke’s rendering, announces Isaiah’s vision of a day of grace as being fulfilled in his own ministry. And there is a fascinating omission from the Isaiah reading. If one goes to Isaiah 61:1-2 one finds in Luke that either Luke or, if he accurately portrays the scene, Jesus, omits the last line of the citation. In Luke Jesus concludes the reading “to proclaim the year of the Lord’s favor.” If you turn to the Isaiah passage, those words are followed by “and the day of vengeance of our God.” Could that be just an oversight? Maybe, but I suspect that by Jesus or by Luke it is an intentional omission. Why do I claim that? Because I see Luke portraying Jesus as inaugurating a ministry of grace – not a day of vengeance, of fiery judgment as had marked the ministry of John the Baptist. Jesus’ move from Judea to Galilee was not simply a change in geography; it was a change in his whole ministry – its tone, its thrust, its whole proclamation. Jesus had been baptized by John the Baptist. He obviously began his ministry under John’s influence and in the manner of John whose model was the prophet Elijah of Malachi 3: © Grand Valley State University �John and Jesus: A Gracious Parting Richard A. Rhem Page 7   See, I am sending my messenger to prepare the way before me, and the Lord whom you seek will suddenly come to the temple… But who can endure the day of his coming, and who can stand when he appears? (Malachi 3: 1-2) The coming one would bring judgment – a refiner and purifier. Such a ministry found fulfillment in the ministry of John the Baptist and that is where Jesus began. I mentioned above that only John’s Gospel tells of the early Judean ministry of Jesus. John’s Gospel also places Jesus’ cleansing of the temple during that early period rather than during Holy Week as do the other three Gospels. If John’s Gospel is correct in the early placement of that incident it would fit well with the nature of Jesus’ early ministry under the influence of John the Baptist. Then to juxtapose such a scene with his declaration in Nazareth – to proclaim the favorable year of the Lord, omitting the day of vengeance of our God, we can see an entirely new spirit and ministry in Jesus. Meanwhile John the Baptist is in prison. He had the highest hopes for Jesus’ ministry. He saw Jesus as the return of Elijah, the precursor of the End. John so longed for the intervention of God, the day of judgment on the wicked and the salvation of God’s people. John could bear his imprisonment because in Jesus he could feel the approach of the End and the consummation of all the promises of God. But then his followers visiting him in prison brought back stories of Jesus’ Galilean ministry – a ministry of grace not judgment, of healing, of joy, of open table fellowship. And John wondered. He said, “That’s not in the program. That’s not exactly the agenda I had set for Jesus. I thought by now the heavens would have opened and the wrath of God poured out, and all I hear about are blind people seeing and deaf people hearing and people dancing, singing, celebrating the grace of God!” And finally, he couldn’t stand it any more and he sent the followers with this question full of anguish: “Are you the one, or do I have to look for another?” And the translation of that question could be as well, “Or must I look for another kind of Messiah?” In other words, the question that John put to Jesus was, “Did I miss it? Did I get it wrong?” John’s question to Jesus through John’s disciples is what is behind this evening’s Gospel reading. John’s question made Jesus address the dramatic change in his ministry in Galilee as opposed to his early ministry in Judea under John’s influence. Can you imagine the anguish? John was a good man. John was serious. John was passionate. John’s whole life and ministry was at stake, in the answer to that © Grand Valley State University �John and Jesus: A Gracious Parting Richard A. Rhem Page 8   question. John came to the end of his days entertaining the possibility that he might have gotten it wrong. Jesus is never defensive. Did you ever notice that in the Gospels? Jesus is never defensive. He didn’t answer directly, only indirectly. He said to the followers of John, “Look around. See what’s happening? See the good things that are happening? Go tell John what you’re experiencing here.” But, of course, behind that indirect answer was the obvious direct answer. “John, I’m not the one you hoped I would be. John, I can’t paint from Malachi’s palette, for in my own struggle to find my own vision and to gain my own voice, I hears another song. I heard the song of the suffering servant. I heard Isaiah’s record of that one who spoke of one who would not crush the broken reed or snuff out the smoldering wick. John, I can’t do it your way. I have to do it according to the vision that compels me. I’ve got to proclaim a grace that is grander than anything you ever dreamed of. I understand, John, you’ve run out of patience, but the God who has gripped me never runs out of patience. I understand, John, your dis-ease with all that you see about us, but I drink at the fountain of a God who will never abandon us, who’ll stay by creation and walk with us and never let us go.” Jesus affirmed John. He didn’t make a big point of saying John was wrong. In fact, it would seem that Jesus was ready to acknowledge that John had fulfilled the role that he had to fulfill. John was a prophet, the greatest of the prophets, but something new had dawned and Jesus was called to inaugurate a new vision of the Kingdom of God. Jesus is clear: I tell you, among those born of women no one is greater than John; yet the least in the Kingdom of God is greater than he. (Luke 7: 28) I call that a gracious parting. Would that, in the history of the Church, there had been more gracious partings and less brokenness, bitterness and even too often war. John and Jesus – a gracious movement away by Jesus because John’s hope for the end with the fire of judgment on the earth, destroying those beyond the covenant fold was for Jesus a hope too narrow; his vision would not be realized until the arms of God’s love were wrapped around the whole human family. For Jesus there was being inaugurated a Kingdom of Grace to which all God’s children were invited. Advent 2010 and we find ourselves in an emerging cosmic reality neither John nor Jesus could have dreamed of. And, for many of us, this Advent we are not looking for the end of human history at some future date, be it a decade, a century or a millennium. Rather than God “up there,” “out there,” we may sense God as the creative Love at the center of things beckoning us as the cosmos evolves to give human shape to that love, thus living in the communion of Love, trusting, as was true for Jesus, there is a bigger picture than we’ve yet dreamed of, a Grace we can hardly conceive of. In a word, a future beyond our wildest dreams. © Grand Valley State University �John and Jesus: A Gracious Parting Richard A. Rhem Page 9   That being the case, John the Baptist, echoed by the writer of the second Epistle of Peter, might ask – What sort of persons ought we to be? Advent, full of hope, is a time of reflection on our lives to be sure we are walking in love, full of grace and compassion, being and doing what we can to live, already, love’s fullest expression. © Grand Valley State University � Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource Richard A. Rhem Collection Description An account of the resource Text and sound recordings of the sermons, prayers, services, and articles of Richard Rhem, pastor emeritus of Christ Community Church in Spring Lake, Michigan, where he served for 37 years. Starting in the mid 1980's, Rhem began to question some of the traditional Christian dogma that he had been espousing from the pulpit. That questioning was a first step in a long and interesting spiritual journey, one that he openly shared with his congregation. His journey is important, in part because it is reflective of the questioning, the yearnings, and the gradual revision of beliefs that many persons in this part of the century have experienced and continue to experience. It is important also because of the affirming and inclusive way his questioning was done and his thinking evolved. His sermons and other written and spoken materials together document the steps in his journey as it took a turn in 1985, yet continued to revolve around the framework and liturgies of the Christian calendar. Subject The topic of the resource Clergy--Michigan Reformed Church in America Christ Community Church (Spring Lake, Mich.) Religion Interfaith worship Sermons Sound Recordings Creator An entity primarily responsible for making the resource Rhem, Richard A. Source A related resource from which the described resource is derived <a href="https://gvsu.lyrasistechnology.org/repositories/2/resources/514">Richard A. Rhem papers (KII-01)</a> Publisher An entity responsible for making the resource available Grand Valley State University. University Libraries. Special Collections & University Archives. Contributor An entity responsible for making contributions to the resource Kaufman Interfaith Institute Rights Information about rights held in and over the resource <a href="http://rightsstatements.org/page/InC/1.0/?language=en">In Copyright</a> Language A language of the resource English Type The nature or genre of the resource Sound Text Identifier An unambiguous reference to the resource within a given context KII-01 Coverage The spatial or temporal topic of the resource, the spatial applicability of the resource, or the jurisdiction under which the resource is relevant 1981-2014 Format The file format, physical medium, or dimensions of the resource audio/mp3 text/pdf Sound A resource primarily intended to be heard. Examples include a music playback file format, an audio compact disc, and recorded speech or sounds. Event Advent Evensong Scripture Text Psalm 114-115, Isaiah 5: 1-7, II Peter 3: 11-18, Luke 7: 28-35 Location The location of the interview St. John's Episcopal Church, Grand Haven Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Identifier An unambiguous reference to the resource within a given context KII-01_RA-0-20101205 Date A point or period of time associated with an event in the lifecycle of the resource 2010-12-05 Title A name given to the resource John and Jesus, A Graceful Parting Creator An entity primarily responsible for making the resource Richard A. Rhem Rights Information about rights held in and over the resource <a href="http://rightsstatements.org/page/InC/1.0/?language=en">In Copyright</a> Subject The topic of the resource Clergy--Michigan Reformed Church in America Christ Community Church (Spring Lake, Mich.) Sermons Relation A related resource Richard A. Rhem - An Archive of Sermons, Prayers, Talks and Stories: http://richardrhem.org/ Language A language of the resource eng Type The nature or genre of the resource Text Description An account of the resource A sermon given by Richard A. Rhem (Dick) on December 5, 2010 entitled "John and Jesus, A Graceful Parting", on the occasion of Advent Evensong, at St. John's Episcopal Church, Grand Haven. Scripture references: Psalm 114-115, Isaiah 5: 1-7, II Peter 3: 11-18, Luke 7: 28-35. Format The file format, physical medium, or dimensions of the resource application/pdf Publisher An entity responsible for making the resource available Grand Valley State University. University Libraries. Lemmen Library and Archives Jesus' Ministry Nonjudgmental Grace https://digitalcollections.library.gvsu.edu/files/original/44f20a6203da0f1e58ebe5bb07d81352.pdf 0f12c33a8eaf01d8ca13459fdf17b5d8 PDF Text Text The Lure of Love: The Christmas Revelation I John 4: 7-9, 12, 16, 19; Luke 2: 1-14 Richard A. Rhem St. John’s Episcopal Church Grand Haven, Michigan Advent, December 19, 2010 I hardly know how to begin. I’ve pondered long over how to engage you with what I want to say. I think my struggle derives from the fact that what I want to say seems so obvious, so expected, so ordinary at Christmas – that God is love, that love came down at Christmas, that heaven touched earth with love at Christmas, that the Christmas story is love talk. What a story it is! A heavily pregnant teenager, unmarried, who had been visited by an angel, on an arduous journey with the faithful man to whom she was engaged. The story is so familiar – the crowded inn in which there was no room, the onset of labor pain, the cattle shed, the birth, the baby wrapped in swaddling cloths and laid in the manger – the star, the angel chorus, the shepherds, the adoration. A beautiful story; a lovely story that never fails to touch us deeply. And as many years as we have celebrated it in pageant and song and worship, it never loses its power to move us. For a brief season the world becomes a softer place. God is love. The writer of the letter of First John said it just that way. In John’s Gospel the familiar John 3: 16 tells us God so loved the world…, but I John 4:8 states it straight out – God is love. I wonder if that isn’t so familiar that we don’t hear it. Or, perhaps, we think of God loving us, the world, whatever, but how often do we really take in the straightforward statement that God is love. And, I suspect, even more rarely do we contemplate what that means for the world, for creation and history, its process and destiny. Let me state my theme clearly: The Christmas revelation is precisely that God is love. And that I would claim is a radical affirmation. If God is love then the source, ground and goal of reality, of all being, is love and it is the lure of love that moves creation from planets and stars to people and particles in the cosmic dance. Love is the originating fount, the dynamic of the emerging process and the final destiny of being. It would have been quite another revelation if God’s presence had been marked by blinding power, scattering Rome’s legions and establishing a Divine Potentate © Grand Valley State University   �The Lure of Love Richard A. Rhem Page 2   to rule with a rod of iron. As a matter of fact John the Baptist hoped for such a display of God’s power – the power of the righteous Ruler of the universe. In the Gospels as well there are apocalyptic moments which claim to be from Jesus but which scholars now question, seeing them as reflecting the continuing apocalyptic movement in the early Jesus movement. So we must recognize that the New Testament itself is not consistent. Still we have that central core – The Word became flesh and the flesh was the flesh of a child born in deep humility and obscurity, in poverty and peril. Is that the sign of the presence of God? Is this one Immanuel – God with us? Then what is revealed of God? God is love in all the vulnerability and precariousness of love. Is that the way you think of God? Is that the God you worship, to whom you pray? I raise those questions because I have become quite overwhelmed with the disconnect between the Christmas revelation of God whose only mode of operation is the lure of love and our more traditional description of God using the Latin Prefix omni meaning “all”– omnipresent, omniscient, omnipotent – oh, that is one of our favorites isn’t it? Almighty God! Don’t we really want the God on our side to be almighty! In his Gifford Lectures of 1927-28, Alfred North Whitehead, one of the profound thinkers of the 20th century pointed out how the Christian movement, adopted by the Roman Empire, lost “the brief Galilean vision of humility” and, he claims, “the Church gave unto God the attributes which belonged exclusively to Caesar.” (Process and Reality, p. 519). I can’t imagine a more concise statement of how the revelation of God in the birth of a child was turned into its opposite – a God of imperial power ruling with might. And yet we can never feel comfortable with the God of power and might; we have a deep intuition that the Christmas revelation is true and, annually as we make our journey to Bethlehem, we know it is so. We are moved anew; we are touched in the depths of our being. Love is the creative center of Being, of reality, and love is the most potent force in the world – the lure of love beckons us to love and offer our lives to build a world where love prevails. As we survey the human historical record, the brief Galilean vision of the Christmas child become an agent of grace, of healing and compassion, flickers pathetically in light of the brutal power moves of the caesars of this world. And yet that light has never been extinguished and over the long haul the world is moving toward more peaceful existence. If we look simply at the present, there is reason enough to despair and it seems positive movement is so painfully slow. It is tempting to yield to depression and grow bitter with cynicism. But, if we take © Grand Valley State University �The Lure of Love Richard A. Rhem Page 3   the long-range view over aeons of time, surely there is a movement toward the light, toward a more humane world, a world at peace. Oh, perhaps you are thinking, “He has had too much Christmas eggnog.” Perhaps you think I’ve ceased reading the news or watching the evening news. Not so; I am sorely tempted to despair when I see the continuing tragic chess game of the world powers, jockeying for dominance, jockeying for natural resources, jockeying for theaters of control. I’m quite aware that we are at war in situations where our military leadership itself tells us the solution cannot be found militarily. I know we are as a nation in the grip of a military-industrial dominance that is secured in place by special interest; that we are becoming a plutocracy – with government by wealth for wealth; that we are polluting our earth and fouling the air – in a word, I am not unaware of the peril in which we find ourselves presently and I am not naïve to think suddenly one will arise with a magic wand. But this too I know: two thousand years ago much of what we speak of as “the West” was ruled by imperial power and actually a rather advanced governing power – the Roman Empire. We can’t be certain of the details of the Christmas story – perhaps the edict of Caesar Augustus, the journey to Bethlehem were just that – story, to convey the connection of an ancient promise about the birth of one from the tree of Jesse, to be born in Bethlehem, with the birth of Jesus. Nonetheless, a child was born in poverty and obscurity and that child has changed the face of the earth and transformed the human story. The mighty Empire whose edicts moved the masses under its domination eventually crucified that child that was born in Bethlehem. He had grown to maturity at a restless time in that ancient world. Apocalypticism – hopes and fears of the end of the world – was widespread. He came under the influence of a preacher named John who baptized him and he too sensed a call to call his people to repentance and faith in the God of that covenant faith. And then something happened. He sensed God calling him to bring another message – a message of grace and healing. He moved north to Galilee and created in Whitehead’s words that “brief Galilean vision”, a vision of grace and healing and compassion. Returning to Jerusalem for the observance of Passover his popularity preceded him. Empire and Temple conspired together; he was crucified and there was darkness at noon. Ironically we call that Friday “Good”; the darkest day on the human calendar we call “Good”. Perhaps because that darkness was soon dispersed by the light of Easter – the most joyful, triumphal celebration on the Christian calendar follows hard on the heels of the darkest moment on our Christian world calendar. That’s why the Fourth Gospel relates the coming of that one into the world as the dawning of Light – light the world has never nor will ever extinguish. The eternal Word or Intention of God became enfleshed in our world history and there was grace and truth. Oh, a light too bright, a truth too telling and so the powers that © Grand Valley State University �The Lure of Love Richard A. Rhem Page 4   be thought to extinguish the Light by crucifying the one who embodied grace and truth that exposed their schemes of domination and brutal control. But it didn’t work, you see, for we continue to tell the story. Once every year we return to Bethlehem and the world becomes a softer place. Once every year we go to Calvary and feel the darkness and then wait for the dawning of Easter light. You see that Light will never be extinguished; that movement from the death of crucifixion to the triumph of resurrection is the last word. And do you know why that is the case? Is it not what we are celebrating yet again? Is it not because of what we have learned at the Manger – that the presence of God in our history is, as it were, the presence of a child – vulnerable, precarious, defenseless – telling us in the revelation of Christmas that God is love. God is love. Do you sense the radical claim we make thus? How can we get beyond all the sentimental accretions to the word Love? As I began I said, “If God is love then the source, ground and goal of reality, of all being, is love and it is the lure of love that moves creation from planets and stars to people and particles.” What does that mean? Let me suggest a possibility. Might it not mean that the creative source and center of being, of the whole of reality is love and that love keeps on giving, sustaining in existence the whole cosmic drama and will do so until love has overcome all resistance and the Kingdom of God,of love, prevails. When will that be? We don’t know for there is no predestined plan – contrary to my Calvinist forbears. Love does not control; it simply gives and gives again on behalf of the other while it is in the hands of the other to receive and secure the triumph of love or reject and seal love’s tragedy. W. H. Vanstone, an Anglican priest, writes profoundly on this matter in his work, Love’s Endeavor, Love’s Expense (1977): The power which love gives to the other is power to determine the issue of love – its completion or frustration, its triumph or tragedy. This is the vulnerability of authentic love – that it surrenders to the other power over its own issue, power to determine the triumph or the tragedy of love. The vulnerability of God means that the issue of His love as triumph or tragedy depends upon His creation. There is given to the creation the power to determine the love of God as either triumphant or tragic love. This power may be called ‘power of response’: upon the response of the creation the love of God depends for its triumph or its tragedy. ( p. 67) But, in the straightforward words of St. Paul, “Love never ends.” In face of every tragic rejection, love seeks out another way to overcome resistance and alienation. Love never ends. © Grand Valley State University �The Lure of Love Richard A. Rhem Page 5   Do you suspect I am sniffing some happy drug? No, I’m serious. Love will prevail. Think about it; two thousand years ago would anyone have believed a child born in obscurity and poverty would transform the world? One of the great accomplishments by which the Roman Empire kept the empire in hand was the Roman road system. But by land or sea, how long did it take to move from Rome to Jerusalem? And yet the Christmas child of Bethlehem rocked that empire and has forever changed life on earth. What might Jesus have accomplished with a smart phone or a Blackberry! I’m not sure what you think of Julian Assange – well, I bet I do know! Nonetheless, whether he is a serious idealist or a dangerous anarchist, he has the empires of the world as worried as was Rome about Jesus. We are told we need the cover of secrecy to make the world work – no transparency allowed because we really don’t want our scheming and conniving and manipulating exposed to the light of day. The world doesn’t work that way! But it will one day. Because from the creative core of reality love will find a way and it will never quit until there is peace on earth, human wellbeing, global community – until the nations beat their swords into plowshares, and their spears into pruning hooks; until nation shall not lift up sword against nation, and neither shall they learn war any more. Love will not quit until the wolf and the lamb feed together and they shall not hurt or destroy in all God’s holy mountain. Why am I so certain? Is it not because every year as we journey again to Bethlehem we really know it is true? Do we not know deep down that it is true? Love is the ultimate truth, the one cosmic absolute – our hearts tell us so. We have the concrete instance of Jesus. Who would have believed it? Who would have wagered that that one solitary life would have greater impact than all the armies that ever marched, all the navies that ever sailed, all the kings that ever ruled or parliaments that ever sat? It happened because the love of God found a willing envoy. Jeremy Rifkin has written a thick volume entitled The Empathic Civilization in which he traces the course of human development to the present in which he challenges the long-held assumption that human beings are by nature aggressive, materialistic, utilitarian, and self-interested. He opens this large study with the scene on Flander’s Field on Christmas Eve, 1914. Hellish conditions prevailed. German and English troops were dug in in trenches only 30-50 yards from each other. © Grand Valley State University �The Lure of Love Richard A. Rhem Page 6   The trenches were waterlogged. Soldiers shared their quarters with rats and vermin. Lacking adequate latrines, the stench of human excrement was everywhere. The men slept upright to avoid the mud and sludge of their makeshift arrangements. Dead soldiers littered the no-man’s-land between opposing forces, the bodies left to rot and decompose within yards of their still-living comrades who were unable to collect them for burial. As dusk fell over the battlefields, something extraordinary happened. The Germans began lighting candles on the thousands of small Christmas trees that had been sent to the front to lend some comfort to the men. The German soldiers then began to sing Christmas carols – first “Silent Night,” then a stream of other songs followed. The English soldiers were stunned. One soldier, gazing in disbelief at the enemy lines, said the blazed trenches looked “like the footlights of a theater.” The English solders responded with applause, at first tentatively, then with exuberance. They began to sing Christmas carols back to their German foes to equally robust applause. A few men from both sides crawled out of their trenches and began to walk across the no-man’s-land toward each other. Soon hundreds followed. As word spread across the front, thousands of men poured out of their trenches. They shook hands, exchanged cigarettes and cakes and showed photos of their families. They talked about where they hailed from reminisced about Christmases past, and joked about the absurdity of war. The next morning, as the Christmas sun rose over the battlefield of Europe, tens of thousands of men – some estimates put the number as high as 100,000 soldiers – talked quietly with one another. Enemies just twenty-four hours earlier, they found themselves helping each other bury their dead comrades. More than a few pickup soccer matches were reported. Even officers at the front participated, although when the news filtered back to the high command in the rear, the generals took a less enthusiastic view of the affair. Worried that the truce might undermine military morale, the generals quickly took measures to rein in their troops. (pp. 5-6) Fascinating true story. That’s what Christmas does to us because it is true and deep down in our being we know it is true. Fortunately for the old world order of empires there were level-headed generals there who put an end to it before the Christmas truce might undermine military morale. Thus the war went on until November 1918, accounting for 8.5 million military deaths. But it was a sign. © Grand Valley State University �The Lure of Love Richard A. Rhem Page 7   God is love – that is the Christmas revelation and the day is coming when that love signed in the child will prevail – Next year? Next century? Next millennium? No one knows but surely it will come for at the creative core of Being we are being lured by love and love will prevail; God will prevail and All will be well, All will be well, All manner of things will be well. Reference: Jeremy Rifkin. The Empathic Civilization: The Race to Global Consciousnes in a World in Crisis. New York: The Penguin Group, 2009. © Grand Valley State University � Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource Richard A. Rhem Collection Description An account of the resource Text and sound recordings of the sermons, prayers, services, and articles of Richard Rhem, pastor emeritus of Christ Community Church in Spring Lake, Michigan, where he served for 37 years. Starting in the mid 1980's, Rhem began to question some of the traditional Christian dogma that he had been espousing from the pulpit. That questioning was a first step in a long and interesting spiritual journey, one that he openly shared with his congregation. His journey is important, in part because it is reflective of the questioning, the yearnings, and the gradual revision of beliefs that many persons in this part of the century have experienced and continue to experience. It is important also because of the affirming and inclusive way his questioning was done and his thinking evolved. His sermons and other written and spoken materials together document the steps in his journey as it took a turn in 1985, yet continued to revolve around the framework and liturgies of the Christian calendar. Subject The topic of the resource Clergy--Michigan Reformed Church in America Christ Community Church (Spring Lake, Mich.) Religion Interfaith worship Sermons Sound Recordings Creator An entity primarily responsible for making the resource Rhem, Richard A. Source A related resource from which the described resource is derived <a href="https://gvsu.lyrasistechnology.org/repositories/2/resources/514">Richard A. Rhem papers (KII-01)</a> Publisher An entity responsible for making the resource available Grand Valley State University. University Libraries. Special Collections & University Archives. Contributor An entity responsible for making contributions to the resource Kaufman Interfaith Institute Rights Information about rights held in and over the resource <a href="http://rightsstatements.org/page/InC/1.0/?language=en">In Copyright</a> Language A language of the resource English Type The nature or genre of the resource Sound Text Identifier An unambiguous reference to the resource within a given context KII-01 Coverage The spatial or temporal topic of the resource, the spatial applicability of the resource, or the jurisdiction under which the resource is relevant 1981-2014 Format The file format, physical medium, or dimensions of the resource audio/mp3 text/pdf Sound A resource primarily intended to be heard. Examples include a music playback file format, an audio compact disc, and recorded speech or sounds. Event Advent Evensong Scripture Text I John 4:7-9, 12, 16, 19, Luke 2:1-14 Location The location of the interview St. John's Episcopal Church, Grand Haven References Jeremy Rifkin. The Empathic Civilization, 2009. Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Identifier An unambiguous reference to the resource within a given context KII-01_RA-0-20101219 Date A point or period of time associated with an event in the lifecycle of the resource 2010-12-19 Title A name given to the resource The Lure of Love: The Christmas Revelation Creator An entity primarily responsible for making the resource Richard A. Rhem Rights Information about rights held in and over the resource <a href="http://rightsstatements.org/page/InC/1.0/?language=en">In Copyright</a> Subject The topic of the resource Clergy--Michigan Reformed Church in America Christ Community Church (Spring Lake, Mich.) Sermons Relation A related resource Richard A. Rhem - An Archive of Sermons, Prayers, Talks and Stories: http://richardrhem.org/ Language A language of the resource eng Type The nature or genre of the resource Text Description An account of the resource A sermon given by Richard A. Rhem (Dick) on December 19, 2010 entitled "The Lure of Love: The Christmas Revelation", on the occasion of Advent Evensong, at St. John's Episcopal Church, Grand Haven. Scripture references: I John 4:7-9, 12, 16, 19, Luke 2:1-14. Format The file format, physical medium, or dimensions of the resource application/pdf Publisher An entity responsible for making the resource available Grand Valley State University. University Libraries. Lemmen Library and Archives A Humane World God Revealed as Love https://digitalcollections.library.gvsu.edu/files/original/279225bf1f9d8d23182dc06b43f3ab60.pdf 8c7f6a08632c89f5939fd2093a47fd1c PDF Text Text The Way of Jesus: The Road Not Taken Mark 8:31-9:1 Richard A. Rhem St. John’s Episcopal Church Grand Haven, Michigan April 10, 2011 During Lent, 2002, I preached a sermon series entitled “Journeying With Jesus on the Road Less Traveled.” As is the case in this meditation I take the image of the road from Robert Frost’s arresting poem, “The Road Not Taken.” In the 2002 series I was painting the portrait of Jesus as he made his way from Galilee, through Samaria, finally to arrive at Jerusalem, the entry into Jerusalem that we celebrate next Sunday, Palm Sunday. As I went back to the poem again I find I probably missed the poet’s meaning. He opens with : Two roads diverged in a yellow wood, And, sorry I could not travel both And be one traveler,… Contrary to the advice of Yogi Berra, when one comes to a fork in the road one cannot take it! One must choose. If you look a second time at the poem, the poet is playing with us. In stanzas two and three he tells us the paths are equally fair, and neither trodden by passers by. Finally, in the final verse, 4, he writes, Two roads diverged in a wood, and I.. I took the one less traveled by, And that has made all the difference. But by his own description neither road was less traveled. Perhaps he is foreseeing a time when he will seek to explain his life, maybe rationalize a bit and suggest he took a road less traveled, thus explaining his life’s course. But, however one interprets the poem, the poem is not the point except to say that in 2002 I was describing Jesus’ way and thus I think I was legitimate in describing it as a “road less traveled.” But this evening my focus is different and so I use the title of the poem – “The Road Not Taken” because in this meditation it is my claim that the way of Jesus is the way not taken – not taken by the church that bears his name. © Grand Valley State University   �The Way of Jesus Richard A. Rhem Page 2   That is a serious charge but I believe it is tragically true. This 2000 year old institution that looks to Jesus as its Lord and Savior has failed to follow in his way. The evening Gospel – Mark 8:31 – 9:1 is the first of three predictions of Jesus’ imminent passion and resurrection. The Gospels were written decades after Jesus’ life, death and resurrection. I’m quite sure Jesus did not sit his disciples down and inform them as Mark puts it, Then he began to teach them that the Son of Man must undergo great suffering, and be rejected by the elders, the chief priests, and the scribes, and be killed, and after three days rise again. (Mark 8:31) Nonetheless, that Jesus was clear-eyed and fully aware of the road he was traveling and the inevitable consequences cannot be doubted. He lived with intentionality from his baptism. The Gospel of John has its own way of telling Jesus’ story but the Synoptic Gospels, Matthew, Mark and Luke, all move from Jesus’ baptism by John with the affirmation from heaven, the temptations, to the beginning of Jesus’ ministry. The intention is obvious – to indicate that Jesus had a sense of calling, wrestled with how to execute that calling (the Temptation narrative) and inaugurated his ministry of grace and healing in what has been called the Galilean Springtime. The opening chapters of Mark document that healing ministry. Then we come to the transition in the narrative – our lesson this evening. It is preceded by Jesus’ question to the disciples who had witnessed his miraculous ministry of healing, feeding the thousands – “Who do people say that I am?” They respond, “Some say John the Baptist, Elijah, or one of the prophets.” Then the crunch question: But who do you say that I am? On behalf of the disciples, Peter responds, You are the Messiah. This is a very familiar scene but more often we take Matthew’s account (Matthew 16:13-20) which has Jesus commending Peter – in fact, giving him the nickname Petros (Peter), meaning Rock. Mark’s account is briefer and, rather than affirming Peter, Jesus moves immediately to “sternly warn them not to tell anyone about him.” Then follows our lesson, the key verse, 31, pointing to the way of suffering, rejection and death ahead. Peter, once again the spokesperson for the disciples, “rebukes” Jesus – a strong word used by Mark. Peter doesn’t want to hear about the darkness ahead. Matthew quotes him, “God forbid it, Lord! This must never © Grand Valley State University �The Way of Jesus Richard A. Rhem Page 3   happen to you!” Now it is Peter’s turn to be rebuked by Jesus: “Get behind me, Satan! For you are setting your mind not on divine things but on human things.” What is going on here? We must remind ourselves that each Gospel writer was dealing with concrete historical happenings – the life, death and resurrection of Jesus. But each writer was also creating the story, framing the meaning and significance of Jesus. Mark has given a picture of Jesus’ ministry and now is about to create a new section of the Gospel – the journey to Jerusalem which culminated in Jesus’ entry to the city that is celebrated on Palm Sunday, which inaugurates what the church calls Holy Week. A study of Mark’s gospel convinces me that Mark is telling the story of Jesus, in which he reveals the failure of the disciples to understand what Jesus was really all about. In a word, I would contend, according to Mark, the disciples didn’t get it! As I claim above, the respective Gospel writers had their own peculiar slant on the Jesus event. For Mark a prominent theme was the blindness of the disciples and Jesus’ continual attempt to prepare them for his passion. It is no accident that his new section of Mark’s story is bracketed by two healings of blind persons. Jesus gives sight to a blind man at Bethsaida immediately prior to the paragraph in which Jesus asks the disciples who people are saying he is (8:22-26). This section concludes at chapter 10, verse 52, and verses 46-52 recount the giving of sight to Bartimaeus. Sandwiched between the two instances of giving sight to the blind persons is the middle section of Mark which contains the three passion predictions. And in all three cases the disciples didn’t get it. Mark makes this clear by the surrounding actions of the disciples. Following Jesus’ first person prediction, as we have seen, Peter said, “No way!” Again at chapter 9, verse 30f, Jesus tells them of his forthcoming death. Mark writes, But they did not understand what he was saying and were afraid to ask him. Jesus asks them what they were arguing about on the way. But they were silent – the silence of shame – for Mark writes, “But they were silent, for on the way they had argued with one another who was the greatest.” This called forth from Jesus the words, “Whoever wants to be first must be last of all and servant of all.” He then proceeded to place a child before them, saying that to welcome a child in Jesus’ name welcomes him. The third passion prediction is found at Mark 10:32-34. Immediately following Jesus’ words, Mark has James and John coming to Jesus asking that he do whatever they say, to which Jesus responds, “What is it you want me to do for you?” © Grand Valley State University �The Way of Jesus Richard A. Rhem Page 4   Their request? “Grant us to sit, one on your right hand and one on your left, in your glory.” Jesus responded, “You do not know what you are asking.” After telling again what was ahead, Mark tells us the other disciples were angry with James and John for seeking the positions of honor. And this elicited from Jesus these words: You know that among the Gentiles those whom they recognize by their rulers lord it over them, and their great ones are tyrants over them. But it is not so among you; but whoever wishes to be great among you must be your servant… I find Mark’s framing of Jesus’ story fascinating. Could he say any more clearly, “The disciples just didn’t get it!” Hovering over and under these episodes is the implication that the disciples were not at all open to suffering, pain and death. In Jesus they must have sensed they had someone very special and it was their hope that as he ascended in the human drama they would be brushed with his glory. He simply couldn’t get through to them what he had come to realize as the issue of his life and calling. The shadow of the cross was falling on him and they were too dull or intentionally refused to hear him. Their agenda’s goal was glory; Jesus promised suffering and rejection. Portraying the blindness of the disciples, Mark is showing what following Jesus involves, what is the way of discipleship. What the disciples resist Mark makes explicit from the teaching of Jesus. If any want to become my followers, let them deny themselves and take up their cross and follow me. For those who want to save their life will lose it, and those who lose their life for my sake, and for the sake of the gospel, will save it. (Mark 8:32-34) Tough words, Jesus! No wonder the disciples were intentionally dull; no wonder they didn’t get it. Jesus was possessed by his calling. He wrestled with the temptations to use his charisma, his spiritual power to impress, to gain power, whether with ecclesiastical institutions or political establishment. But, as Luke tells the Temptations story, Jesus prevailed, determined to worship and serve God faithfully, fully. And, realizing the implications of the obedience he sensed as his calling, he knew there would be confrontation, conflict, rejection, suffering and, ultimately, death. No wonder he died alone. And thus my claim made at the beginning of this meditation is not surprising: The way of Jesus is the road not taken. © Grand Valley State University �The Way of Jesus Richard A. Rhem Page 5   As I said when I began, this is a serious charge but, I tell you truthfully, I believe it deeply. I can document in my own Christian experience, how I became gripped by the way of Jesus. Without recounting what for me was a long arduous journey that continues to the present, let me just say that I believe the way of Jesus as that to which he called his disciples and which he embodied was swallowed up in the early centuries of the Christian church. In place of the Jesus of history who faced the established powers of Church and State, that early movement by the fourth century had a high Christology that identified Jesus with God, the consequence of the Council of Nicea called by the Roman Emperor Constantine in 325 C.E. Constantine’s edict making the Christian religion the religion of the Empire might seem to be a great triumph. I am convinced it was the co-opting of the church. I’m obviously making huge leaps and controversial claims which will be countered by many, by most interpreters of the Christian story I suppose. Nonetheless what was happening in this evolving story was that Jesus was transformed from the historical figure who with non-violent resistance challenged temple and empire to a savior figure who came to die for the sin of the world. It is one thing to seek forgiveness for one’s sin. It is quite another to follow the way of Jesus. Now the church became an institute of salvation, domesticated from a movement of Jesus people committed to challenge the world’s domination systems through non-violent resistance. In recent decades historical Jesus research has put Jesus in his historical context, a time of Imperial domination by Rome and the Temple authorities trying to survive through collaboration. Jesus challenged all of that – non-violently – and for that he was crucified. Again, the way of Jesus has been for the Church the road not taken. Where that road has been taken it has resulted in peril and, most often, death. What I am trying to say is best understood in stories, in this case the stories of some who have sought to follow the way of Jesus. Yesterday was the sixty-sixth anniversary of the execution of Dietrich Bonhoeffer. It was in the 1960’s as I was studying in Europe that I came on Bonhoeffer’s Letters and Papers from Prison. I was overcome with the faith, the courage, the brilliance, the total commitment to what he understood was the way to which he was being called, to resist the Nazi regime and that evil darkness Hitler was bringing to the German nation and to all of Europe. He was at heart a pacifist believing that was the way to fully follow Jesus. Yet as the horror of Nazi atrocities spread, especially the violence being visited on the Jews, even though © Grand Valley State University �The Way of Jesus Richard A. Rhem Page 6   he would at the beginning not know the full extent of the death camps, Bonhoeffer joined in a conspiracy to assassinate Hitler. He wrestled in his own conscience but finally believed he must act even against his own convictions of non-violence. Just days before the Allied troops liberated the camp at Flossenburg in southern Germany, on the order of Hitler as the war was ending, Bonhoeffer was hung. He met his death calmly, bowing in prayer and meeting his fate at peace. Bonhoeffer has been my companion through many a Lent as I am amazed anew at the heroic obedience of his following the way of Jesus. I recently finished a new biography of Bonhoeffer, once again mesmerized by the life of this modern disciple of Jesus whose last words were, This is the end – for me the beginning of life. During those dark days on the European continent there was playing out another drama which has also been critical in my own understanding of the way of Jesus. It is the story written by a Jewish ethicist and philosopher who had been researching the awful evil of the Nazi terror. He became so depressed by the horror that he searched out the story of a village in the French Alps that became a city of refuge rescuing thousands of refugees from the Nazi terror. Philip Hallie tells the story in a book entitled Lest Innocent Blood Be Shed. The center of the story is a French Huguenot pastor, André Trocmé, but it is a story about a whole village, following his example in following the way of Jesus. Trocmé was born into a rather well-to-do family and had a very privileged childhood. Early on his mother was killed in an auto accident, and he lived in a French Huguenot, French Reformed home in which his father’s spirituality was very quiet. But there was so much feeling in André that he could never really let loose until he joined a youth organization in France in his village, in which he was exposed to a very personal relationship with Jesus Christ, and in that experience came himself to a very personal relationship. As a young man, he began to be shaped by the vision of Jesus. One day, during the First World War, his village being occupied by German soldiers, a German soldier said to him, “Would you like some bread? Are you hungry?” He said, “No, I’m not hungry, and if I were, I wouldn’t take bread from you because you are the enemy.” And the soldier said to him, “No, I’m not the enemy. You don’t understand who I am. I’m a Christian.” And André said to him, “My brother is fighting in the war, and you would kill my brother.” He said, “No, I would not kill your brother.” André said, “But, you’re a soldier.” He said, “Yes, but I don’t carry a gun. They allow me, as a telegraph officer, to do my duty without carrying a gun because Jesus has said that I must not kill.” © Grand Valley State University �The Way of Jesus Richard A. Rhem Page 7   The genuineness of this German soldier so impressed André that he took him to his youth organization where the German soldier shared his witness for Jesus. That witness of that German soldier made such a deep impression on him, the German soldier having come to his conviction because of his relationship to Jesus Christ, that André could never get that out of his mind and it started him on the road to pacifism. This encounter so deeply impacted Trocmé that for the rest of his life he lived by the imperative to do no harm to another. Trocmé eventually studied theology at the University of Paris and became a French Reformed pastor. One evening in a men’s group, Trocmé was discussing a book that claimed Jesus was a myth created by St. Paul. Trocmé refuted the book’s claim but found himself asking the question: If Jesus really walked upon this earth, why do we keep treating him as if he were a disembodied, impossibly idealistic ethical theory? If he was a real man, then the Sermon on the Mount was made for people on this earth; and, if he existed, God has shown us in flesh and blood what goodness is for flesh-and-blood people. ( p. 68) The rest of his life was a living out of the Sermon on the Mount. The events of the village of Le Chambon during the German occupation of France during World War II, the story as told by Hallie, is wonderfully moving and inspiring. I suspect what was so powerful for me was the connection between Trocmé’s total living out of the Sermon on the Mount as the catalyst for the magnificent compassion and love that was embodied in the village as it became a city of refuge. To read the life of Bonhoeffer, to read the story of André Trocmé and the village of Le Chambon moves me. Inwardly I know there is something in those stories that reveals life as God intended it to be lived. And I wonder… Will the world ever be changed without the suffering of those who live by the way of Jesus? Is it only through the death of the non-violent resister of evil that the world is changed? Jesus, Gandhi, Martin Luther King, Bonhoeffer? Is there any hint in the current “Arab Spring” that maybe the lessons of non-violence are being learned even amidst the present chaos? I do not believe we are all called in the same fashion. I do not believe we are all called to seek the place where the battle is raging. Neither do I think the radical obedience of a Bonhoeffer or a Trocmé is something one seeks out. Rather, when faced with such a situation, then one is called to obedience. The issues I raise can be debated endlessly but to no avail. Such a vision of a world where evil is overcome by good, where the nations make war no more and © Grand Valley State University �The Way of Jesus Richard A. Rhem Page 8   the world knows the Shalom of God is a vision that must arise from within one. It cannot be embraced because of the plea of a preacher or call of a statesman. No, I sense it arises from within one as a fruit of the spirit where one has been overwhelmed by the magnificence of Jesus and the road he chose – the road still not taken by most of the church that bears his name, but a road that beckons us again in this Lenten season as we journey with Jesus to Jerusalem. Let George Bernard Shaw have the last word: “The only trouble with Christianity is that it has never been tried.” References: Dietrich Bonhoeffer. Letters and Papers From Prison. First published 1953; Touchstone reprint edition, 1997. Philip Hallie. Lest Innocent Blood Be Shed: The Story of the Village of Le Chambon and How Goodness Happened There. Harper Perennial; Reprint edition, 1994. © Grand Valley State University � Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource Richard A. Rhem Collection Description An account of the resource Text and sound recordings of the sermons, prayers, services, and articles of Richard Rhem, pastor emeritus of Christ Community Church in Spring Lake, Michigan, where he served for 37 years. Starting in the mid 1980's, Rhem began to question some of the traditional Christian dogma that he had been espousing from the pulpit. That questioning was a first step in a long and interesting spiritual journey, one that he openly shared with his congregation. His journey is important, in part because it is reflective of the questioning, the yearnings, and the gradual revision of beliefs that many persons in this part of the century have experienced and continue to experience. It is important also because of the affirming and inclusive way his questioning was done and his thinking evolved. His sermons and other written and spoken materials together document the steps in his journey as it took a turn in 1985, yet continued to revolve around the framework and liturgies of the Christian calendar. Subject The topic of the resource Clergy--Michigan Reformed Church in America Christ Community Church (Spring Lake, Mich.) Religion Interfaith worship Sermons Sound Recordings Creator An entity primarily responsible for making the resource Rhem, Richard A. Source A related resource from which the described resource is derived <a href="https://gvsu.lyrasistechnology.org/repositories/2/resources/514">Richard A. Rhem papers (KII-01)</a> Publisher An entity responsible for making the resource available Grand Valley State University. University Libraries. Special Collections & University Archives. Contributor An entity responsible for making contributions to the resource Kaufman Interfaith Institute Rights Information about rights held in and over the resource <a href="http://rightsstatements.org/page/InC/1.0/?language=en">In Copyright</a> Language A language of the resource English Type The nature or genre of the resource Sound Text Identifier An unambiguous reference to the resource within a given context KII-01 Coverage The spatial or temporal topic of the resource, the spatial applicability of the resource, or the jurisdiction under which the resource is relevant 1981-2014 Format The file format, physical medium, or dimensions of the resource audio/mp3 text/pdf Sound A resource primarily intended to be heard. Examples include a music playback file format, an audio compact disc, and recorded speech or sounds. Event Lent Scripture Text Mark 8:31-9:1 Location The location of the interview St. John's Episcopal Church, Grand Haven References Dietrich Bonhoeffer. Letters and Papers From Prison. Touchstone edition, 1997, Philip Hallie. Lest Innocent Blood Be Shed: The Story of the Village of Le Chambon and How Goodness Happened There. Harper Perennial, Reprint edition, 1994. Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Identifier An unambiguous reference to the resource within a given context KII-01_RA-0-20110410 Date A point or period of time associated with an event in the lifecycle of the resource 2011-04-10 Title A name given to the resource The Way of Jesus: The Road Not Taken Creator An entity primarily responsible for making the resource Richard A. Rhem Rights Information about rights held in and over the resource <a href="http://rightsstatements.org/page/InC/1.0/?language=en">In Copyright</a> Subject The topic of the resource Clergy--Michigan Reformed Church in America Christ Community Church (Spring Lake, Mich.) Sermons Relation A related resource Richard A. Rhem - An Archive of Sermons, Prayers, Talks and Stories: http://richardrhem.org/ Language A language of the resource eng Type The nature or genre of the resource Text Description An account of the resource A sermon given by Richard A. Rhem (Dick) on April 10, 2011 entitled "The Way of Jesus: The Road Not Taken", on the occasion of Lent, at St. John's Episcopal Church, Grand Haven. Scripture references: Mark 8:31-9:1. Format The file format, physical medium, or dimensions of the resource application/pdf Publisher An entity responsible for making the resource available Grand Valley State University. University Libraries. Lemmen Library and Archives Nonviolence Way of Jesus https://digitalcollections.library.gvsu.edu/files/original/4ec6f26d9d07bcc2d2fa2f58132d1307.pdf 14298fb0bce6823f1729c0c3f7a21ac2 PDF Text Text Bread amd Wine: A Sacrament of Dependence and Hope Many Generations of a Family Gathered for Independence Day at their Family Home Psalm 16:5-11; I Corinthians 13:8-13; John 1:14-18 Richard A. Rhem Spring Lake, Michigan July 4, 2011 Some of the best memories of my ministry are of moments experienced here in this place and with this family. Countless gatherings around the kitchen table with coffee, cookies and nutty M&Ms. Visits during Thelma’s illness and eventually as she lay in the hospital bed in the family room with many of you present. The sacrament of baptism celebrated for the rising fourth generation – or in my ministry, the fifth generation for I too had the privilege of being pastor to Gerrit and Jo, Neal and Alice in their respective homes. In these past weeks as I’ve stopped by I have realized, Marvin, that life’s load has become heavy, more difficult to carry. Perhaps I’ve sensed a bit of weariness. Not to your liking, the Life Alert system is installed and the keys of the red Ford truck no longer a part of your daily routine, although dear Joanne does drive you around often, stopping at the drive-in window of Temptations for ice cream (Life still has its little pleasures). The last time I was here you asked when the old Christ Community group would celebrate communion again. I had thought perhaps last month but we were not able to arrange it. Your question made me realize your hunger for the sacrament of the Lord’s Supper – Holy Communion. The bread and wine that over your lifetime has been for you the sign and symbol of our Christian faith – the body and the blood through which we experience our Lord's life and death and are strengthened and refreshed as we follow the way of Jesus. Thus I wanted to satisfy that hunger one more time and what better community in which to celebrate Holy Communion than in the gathering of your loving family – a loving family because you, Marvin, and your beloved Thelma learned love in your respective families and you in turn with your beloved Thelma created a community of love for your six children and their children and their children’s children, all of that arising from the embodiment of the love of God in Jesus – the strong tradition of Christian faith that has marked this family. Yesterday as I was preparing for this family service, I went to my funeral file and took out the service I led for Thelma on June 23, 2001. There was an eloquent © Grand Valley State University   �Bread & Wine: Sacrament of Dependence and Hope Richard A. Rhem Page 2   testimony to the treasure of family. I’m not certain who put together this litany of remembrance, but it captures the richness of a family immersed in love. Our Grandma, Our Guardian We’ll forever remember the child in you… baseball games in the field, thread spool necklaces, making sand castles, playing Husker Du, your animated dreams, and under-dogs that seemed to push us to the sky. We’ll always treasure our outings together… picking berries, ice skating and mini golf, taking us swimming, outings to Russ’, and drives around the Oval with a stop at Miss Lisa’s. We’ll always remember your mindful sayings… “walk and think”, “Lord give me patience and give it to me right now”, “Oh Marv” and countless others. We’ll sorely miss the cook in you… cookies from the icebox, your world-renowned muffins, pork barbecue on Christmas Eve, and enough pies at Thanksgiving to cover the kitchen table. We’ll always remember the gardener in you… potting plants with us, eating vegetables straight out of the garden, and the care that went into every turn of the John Deere. We’ll forever cherish the caregiver in you… the countless times picking us up for school because we missed the bus, protecting us from Grampa’s endless teasing, the old-fashioned home remedies for everything, correcting exaggerated stories, your honest advice and candor to help us see our paths more clearly. We’ll forever admire the homemaker in you… stiff towels right off the clothesline, the butter on the ham sandwiches, cookies and coffee at your kitchen table, the multiple pairs of knitted mittens and slippers, the love that was sewn into each of our quilts, the iron always being warm, the sheet over the davenport, homemade strawberry jam, and the way you provided a warm gathering place. We’ll always carry on the traditions you’ve established… the best Easter egg hunts ever, Christmas stockings for all thirteen of us, the most famous picnic coordinator on the block, decorating Christmas cookies, playing piano for the Bottema Choir on Christmas Eve, five dollar bills in birthday cards, fireworks, sharing old treasures and reliving old stories. For always being an inspiring role model as a mother, wife and devout Christian, we thank you. And as you continue on and become our Guardian Angel, we say to you, “Well done, good and faithful servant!” © Grand Valley State University �Bread & Wine: Sacrament of Dependence and Hope Richard A. Rhem Page 3   To be sure, Marvin, that was written about Thelma, mother, grandmother, great grandmother par excellence. But you have been a vital partner, gramps, in that endeavor. And the fact that the family continues to gather on holidays, on Thanksgiving, Christmas Eve, jammed into a house too small, a room too small, is testimony to the degree to which love and care still mark this family. You are its rock, its compelling center. I went through the wonderful liturgy of that service and found that what I want to say today I’ve said before. The Scripture lessons are the same. The title of my meditation for Thelma was “A Love Shaped Face” – pretty well chosen I would say. And the lessons bear repeating. Psalm 16:8: “I keep the Lord always before my face.” Because he kept the Lord before his face, the Psalmist said, he would not be moved. Constancy, strength, resoluteness – those are the fruits of living before God’s face. Faithfulness, dependability, consistency – those are the marks of this family and I submit to you that is not an accident; it is the fruit of living faithfully before the face of God, in trust, in goodness, in love. Love. John’s Gospel tells the Christmas story in one line: “The Word became flesh and dwelt among us.” And so in the Word become flesh (or human), we see the face of God. In verse 18, he writes: No one has ever seen God. It is God’s only Son…who has made him known. In his familiar and well-loved chapter on love, St. Paul writes a description of love as the highest gift of the Holy Spirit. But then he acknowledges that in our present human experience we see dimly: For now we see in a mirror, dimly, but then face to face. To live in love is the highest human possibility but as long as we are on our human journey we will wonder, struggle, sometimes despair of making sense of it all. But this is not the last word – …now dimly, but then face to face. Now I know in part, but then I will know fully. This is movingly expressed in the funeral folder I have from Thelma’s funeral. I’m not sure who chose it; I suspect it was a family choice. It could not be more appropriate and I think it is appropriate to be reminded of it today as we celebrate Holy Communion on the holiday when we celebrate The Declaration of Independence. I’ve entitled my meditation today “Bread and Wine: A Sacrament of Dependence and Hope.” © Grand Valley State University �Bread & Wine: Sacrament of Dependence and Hope Richard A. Rhem Page 4   It is one thing to celebrate national independence for which we give thanks. But that is not the celebration we are engaged in here. Rather it is the total dependence on the good and gracious God who is our rock, our strong foundation enabling us to be confident that we shall not be moved. It is the celebration of the way of Jesus, the way of love, the way that cost him his life. But in bread broken and wine poured out we remember, we find our hope and we know in our dependence on God we will be kept in love, confident that, though now we see dimly, there is coming a day when we shall see face to face. Thus let me say as clearly as I can to us all and especially to you, Marvin, feeling the infirmities of the flesh – The best is yet to be. Listen to the Parable from Thelma’s funeral folder and know that she is present even now, here and now… A Parable A young Mother set her foot on the path of life. “Is the way long?” she asked. And her guide said: “Yes. And the way is hard. But the end will be better than the beginning.” But the young Mother was happy, and she would not believe that anything could be better than these years. So she played with her children, and gathered flowers for them along the way: and the sun shown on them, and life was good. The young Mother cried, “Nothing will ever be lovelier than this.” The night came and storm, and the path was dark, and the children shook with fear and cold, and the Mother drew them close and covered them with her mantle, and the children said, “Mother, we are not afraid for you are near, and no harm can come.” The Mother said, “This is better than the brightness of day, for I have taught my children courage.” And the morning came, and there was a hill ahead. The children climbed and grew weary, and the Mother was weary, but at all times she said to the children, “A little patience, and we are there.” So the children climbed, and when they reached the top, they said, “We could not have done it without you, Mother.” The Mother, when she lay down that night, looked up at the stars and said, “This is a better day than the last…for my children have learned fortitude in the face of hardness.” © Grand Valley State University �Bread & Wine: Sacrament of Dependence and Hope Richard A. Rhem Page 5   And the next day came strange clouds which darkened the earth – clouds of war and hate and evil, and the children groped and stumbled, and the Mother said, “Look up. Life you eyes to the Light.” And the children looked and saw above the clouds the Everlasting Glory, and it guided them and brought them beyond the darkness. That night the Mother said, “This is the best day of all, for I have shown my children God.” And the days went on, and the weeks and the months and the years, and the Mother grew old, and she was tired and weary. But her Children were tall and strong, and walked with courage. And when the way was hard they helped their Mother and when the way was rough, they lifted and carried her; and at last they came to a hill, and beyond the hill they could see a shining road and golden gates flung wide. And the Mother said, “I have reached the end of my journey. And now I know that the end is better than the beginning, for my children walk alone, and their children after them.” And the children said, “You will always walk with us, Mother, even when you have gone through the gates.” And they stood and watched her as she went on alone, and gates closed after her. They said, “We cannot see her, but she is with us still. A Mother like ours is more than a Memory. She is a living Presence.” © Grand Valley State University �Bread & Wine: Sacrament of Dependence and Hope Richard A. Rhem The Prayer Oh God, whose mercies are new every morning, whose faithfulness is great, and whose grace washes over us in wave upon wave, to You we lift up our hearts, longing for the experience of your Presence which is healing and refreshing. On this beautiful day as the nation is celebrating our independence, as a family we celebrate our dependence – our dependence on your grace that holds us steady in the movement of our days, your grace that has kept us as a family together in love and care. And especially, we give you thanks for the patriarch in our midst, father, grandfather, great grandfather, the one whose steady presence keeps us steady, whose faith has shown us the way, whose welcoming love keeps us coming back and coming together. We are grateful, O God, that once more we can gather here, be together and celebrate the holiday. But even more today, we gather around another table, the table of our Lord. In the presence of the symbols of bread broken and wine poured out we are brought back to the heart of things, to that which really matter, to your love, your grace. Be present to us as we are present to You and one another– touch us deeply, hold us securely, manifest to us that Love that is at the center of all things. Spirit of God, make this bread and wine for us the body and blood of Christ who loved us and gave himself for us as we pray the prayer he taught us, saying, “Our Father, …” © Grand Valley State University Page 6   � Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource Richard A. Rhem Collection Description An account of the resource Text and sound recordings of the sermons, prayers, services, and articles of Richard Rhem, pastor emeritus of Christ Community Church in Spring Lake, Michigan, where he served for 37 years. Starting in the mid 1980's, Rhem began to question some of the traditional Christian dogma that he had been espousing from the pulpit. That questioning was a first step in a long and interesting spiritual journey, one that he openly shared with his congregation. His journey is important, in part because it is reflective of the questioning, the yearnings, and the gradual revision of beliefs that many persons in this part of the century have experienced and continue to experience. It is important also because of the affirming and inclusive way his questioning was done and his thinking evolved. His sermons and other written and spoken materials together document the steps in his journey as it took a turn in 1985, yet continued to revolve around the framework and liturgies of the Christian calendar. Subject The topic of the resource Clergy--Michigan Reformed Church in America Christ Community Church (Spring Lake, Mich.) Religion Interfaith worship Sermons Sound Recordings Creator An entity primarily responsible for making the resource Rhem, Richard A. Source A related resource from which the described resource is derived <a href="https://gvsu.lyrasistechnology.org/repositories/2/resources/514">Richard A. Rhem papers (KII-01)</a> Publisher An entity responsible for making the resource available Grand Valley State University. University Libraries. Special Collections & University Archives. Contributor An entity responsible for making contributions to the resource Kaufman Interfaith Institute Rights Information about rights held in and over the resource <a href="http://rightsstatements.org/page/InC/1.0/?language=en">In Copyright</a> Language A language of the resource English Type The nature or genre of the resource Sound Text Identifier An unambiguous reference to the resource within a given context KII-01 Coverage The spatial or temporal topic of the resource, the spatial applicability of the resource, or the jurisdiction under which the resource is relevant 1981-2014 Format The file format, physical medium, or dimensions of the resource audio/mp3 text/pdf Sound A resource primarily intended to be heard. Examples include a music playback file format, an audio compact disc, and recorded speech or sounds. Event Independence Day Celebration of a Family Scripture Text Psalm 16:5-11, I Corinthians 13:8-13, John 1:14-18 Location The location of the interview A Family Home Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Identifier An unambiguous reference to the resource within a given context KII-01_RA-0-20110704 Date A point or period of time associated with an event in the lifecycle of the resource 2011-07-04 Title A name given to the resource Bread and Wine: A Sacrament of Dependence and Hope Creator An entity primarily responsible for making the resource Richard A. Rhem Rights Information about rights held in and over the resource <a href="http://rightsstatements.org/page/InC/1.0/?language=en">In Copyright</a> Subject The topic of the resource Clergy--Michigan Reformed Church in America Christ Community Church (Spring Lake, Mich.) Sermons Relation A related resource Richard A. Rhem - An Archive of Sermons, Prayers, Talks and Stories: http://richardrhem.org/ Language A language of the resource eng Type The nature or genre of the resource Text Description An account of the resource A sermon given by Richard A. Rhem (Dick) on July 4, 2011 entitled "Bread and Wine: A Sacrament of Dependence and Hope", on the occasion of Independence Day Celebration of a Family, at A Family Home. Scripture references: Psalm 16:5-11, I Corinthians 13:8-13, John 1:14-18. Format The file format, physical medium, or dimensions of the resource application/pdf Publisher An entity responsible for making the resource available Grand Valley State University. University Libraries. Lemmen Library and Archives Holy Communion Independence Day https://digitalcollections.library.gvsu.edu/files/original/e9da8d2281b5ad8ac940326248bcd819.pdf 06bb24733b3f17c56c66a45d3836d9fa PDF Text Text Love at the Core: The Grain of the Universe Matthew 5: 1-14; 38-48; I John 4:7-8; 12, 16b Richard A. Rhem Lakeshore Interfaith Center, Ganges, Michigan July 17, 2011 –––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––– The theme for today’s reflection has been announced as: Love at the Core: The Grain of the Universe The first letter of John affirms, “God is Love.” Pitirim A. Sorokin concluded that, with the birth of the atomic age, humanity needed more than ever a quantum leap both in the scientific understanding of altruistic love and its implementation. By the late 1940s, he was especially interested in discovering how love for others is related to their felt participation in a presence that is higher than our own and that serves as a source of unlimited love across all divisions of tribal, religious, political and ethnic loyalties. Sorokin’s The Ways and Power of Love, published in 1954, is a careful scientific analysis of love with regard to its higher and lower forms, its causes and effects, its human and cosmic significance, and its core features. Combining Biblical insights and Sorokin’s analysis, I will claim love is the core of reality reflected in the grain of the universe. As you can well imagine, it is one thing to stake a claim; it is quite another to establish it. My intention here is to hear Sorokin’s contention and show how it aligns with New Testament teaching and especially the Way of Jesus as it comes to expression in the Sermon on the Mount. My endeavor is not the introduction of material foreign to Sorokin’s research. Indeed, he begins his Preface with a quotation from the Sermon on the Mount and goes on to relate his own personal experience that caused him to embark on his life’s work – the description of and advocacy for altruistic love. Sorokin begins, Blessed are the meek: for they shall inherit the earth. Blessed are the merciful: for they shall obtain mercy. Blessed are the peacemakers: for they shall be called the children of God. In 1918 I was hunted from pillar to post by the Russian Communist Government. At last I was imprisoned and condemned to death. Daily, during six weeks, I expected to be shot, and witnessed the shooting of my friends and fellow prisoners. During the subsequent four years of my stay in Communist Russia I underwent other painful experiences and observed, to the heartbreaking point, endless horrors of human bestiality, death, and destruction. Exactly in these conditions I jotted down in my diary the �Love at the Core: The Grain of the Universe Richard A. Rhem July 17, 2011 following “observations of a cold intellect and plaintive murmurs of a saddened heart”: “Whatever may happen in the future, I know that I have learned three things which will remain forever convictions of my heart as well as my mind. Life, even the hardest life, is the most beautiful, wonderful, and miraculous treasure in the world. Fulfillment of duty is another marvelous thing making life happy. This is my second conviction. And my third is that cruelty, hatred, violence, and injustice never can and never will be able to create a mental, moral, or material millennium. The only way toward it is the royal road of all-giving creative love, not only preached but consistently practiced.” Some thirty-five years have passed since these lines were written. The tragic events of these years, as well as my scientific studies, immeasurably reinforced these beliefs, and led me even to the establishment of the Harvard Research Center in Creative Altruism. Now more than ever before I believe in the following truths, which are fully confirmed by our experimental studies: Hate begets hate, violence engenders violence, hypocrisy is answered by hypocrisy, war generates war, and love creates love. Unselfish love has enormous creative and therapeutic potentialities, far greater than most people think. Love is a life-giving force, necessary for physical, mental, and moral health. Altruistic persons live longer than egoistic individuals. Children deprived of love tend to become vitally, morally, and socially defective. Love is the most powerful antidote against criminal, morbid, and suicidal tendencies; against hate, fear, and psychoneuroses. It is an indispensable condition for deep and lasting happiness. It is goodness and freedom at their loftiest. It is the finest and most powerful force for the ennoblement of humanity. Finally, only the power of unbounded love practiced in regard to all human beings can defeat the forces of interhuman strife, and can prevent the pending extermination of man by man on this planet. Without love, no armament, no war, no diplomatic machinations, no coercive police force, no school education, no economic or political measures, not even hydrogen bombs can prevent the pending catastrophe. Only love can accomplish this miracle, providing, however, we know well the nature of love and the efficient ways of its production, accumulation, and use. But, unfortunately, Sorokin writes, we know less about the energy of love than about light, heat, electricity, and other forms of physical energy. He continues, citing A. H. Maslow: © Grand Valley State University �Love at the Core: The Grain of the Universe Richard A. Rhem July 17, 2011 “It is amazing how little the empirical sciences have to offer on the subject of love,” correctly says A. H. Maslow. “Particularly strange is the silence of the psychologists. Sometimes this is merely sad or irritating, as in the case of the textbooks of psychology and sociology, practically none of which treat the subject… More often the situation becomes completely ludicrous. [As a rule] the word ‘love’ is not even indexed [in psychological and sociological works].” (“Love in Happy People,” in Ashley Montagu, ed., The Meaning of Love, pp. 57-58) It is obvious from the Preface that Sorokin will offer no dry academic treatise on love. Much rather, what he offers is an existential quest to discern the nature of love, its creative source, its characteristics in real life and the fruitful practices by which Love is enacted and embodied. Before outlining the flow of the work, he expresses his sense of urgency about researching love’s nature and his commitment to adding to our understanding and practice of love. At the present juncture of human history an increase in our knowledge of the grace of love has become the paramount need of humanity, and an intensive research in this field should take precedence over almost all other studies and research. This present work, together with its companion volume, Forms and Techniques of Altruistic and Spiritual Growth: A Symposium, is my humble contribution to this great objective. Considering the immensity of the task, the contribution is very modest in comparison with the total sum of the necessary studies. Since, however, the better brains are busy with other problems, including the invention of means of extermination of human beings; since educators are largely engrossed in cultivation of the intellect and tribal patriotism of their pupils, while many a religious leader is absorbed in the intertribal crusades against various enemies – under these conditions somebody, somehow, must devote himself to a study of the miracle of love, no matter how inadequate is his capacity to do the work well. Feci quod potui, faciant meliora potentes. This is my excuse for the innumerable infirmities of this contribution. (xii) The Introduction, “Pitirim Sorokin as Pioneer in the Scientific Study of Unlimited Love,” by Stephen G. Post, gives a portrait of Sorokin’s life which sets his passion and his work in historical context. First, however, he gives a concise summary of Sorokin’s analysis of love. He begins the Introduction with a reference to Sorokin’s life but quickly moves to the summary. A towering figure in twentieth-century sociology, Pitirim A. Sorokin (18891968) was born in Russia, and died near Boston. One might introduce his The Ways and Power of Love with a summary of the author’s life, which would indeed be fascinating. As a young man in Russia, for instance, he © Grand Valley State University �Love at the Core: The Grain of the Universe Richard A. Rhem July 17, 2011 was imprisoned first by the Czarists and then by the Bolsheviks, allowing him to conclude that Czarist prison was the more comfortable of the two. After immigrating to the United States in 1923 to teach at the University of Minnesota, he went on to become the founding chairman of the Department of Sociology at Harvard University in 1931 and later established the Harvard Research Center for Creative Altruism. It is best, however, to reflect on Sorokin’s life only after acquainting the reader with the essential features of his analysis of love. The scope and depth of his analysis, which can only be described as uniquely insightful, will naturally kindle the reader’s curiosity about the man behind these enriching ideas. (p. xv) The Ways and Power of Love was published in 1954 when Sorokin was leading the Harvard Research Center in Creative Altruism. In Mortimer J. Adler’s Concepts of Western Thought Series, the philosopher Robert G. Hazo wrote, Sorokin treats love as a separate subject in a treatise devoted exclusively to it. His elaborate discussion and analysis of love, its causes and effects, its human and universal significance, its higher and lower forms, and its implications for other subjects constitute one of the most extensive treatments to be found in the systematic literature about love. The Ways and Power of Love is an ambitious attempt to subject analytical schemes to a phenomenon that Sorokin claims has both a human and a cosmic dimension. (p. xvf) Post relates the rich background of Sorokin in the nineteenth-century Russian tradition. He was, “a creative and idealistic social thinker devoted to scientific observation but with too wide-ranging an intellect to rest content with a purely technical rationality.” The Russian movement sought “integral knowledge,” and included Feodor Dostoyevsky. A close friend of Dostoyevsky, Vladimir Solovyov, was a special influence on Sorokin. He synthesized philosophy and mysticism in his classic work entitled The Meaning of Love (1894). Solovyov wrote of love and its contrasts: The basic falsehood and evil of egoism lie not in this absolute selfconsciousness and self-evaluation of the subject, but in the fact that, ascribing to himself in all justice an absolute significance, he unjustly refuses to others this same significance. Recognizing himself as a center of life (which as a matter of fact he is), he relegates others to the circumference of his own being and leaves them only an external and relative value. Positively stated, Solovyov described the nature and value of love thus: The meaning and worth of love, as a feeling, is that it really forces us, with all our being to acknowledge for another the same absolute central significance which, because of the power of our egoism, we are conscious © Grand Valley State University �Love at the Core: The Grain of the Universe Richard A. Rhem July 17, 2011 of only in our own selves. Love is important not as one of our feelings, but as the transfer of all our interest in life from ourselves to another, as the shifting of the very center of our personal lives. Solovyov, like Sorokin, understood human love as a partial reflection of, and at its heights a participation in, divine love. (p. xvif) According to the Russian movement that sought “Integral Knowledge,” Sorokin analyzed love under seven aspects – the tenets of integral knowledge, which Post summarizes thus: The religious aspect of love identifies it with a Higher Presence, however variously symbolized in the great spiritual and religious traditions; the ethical aspect of love identifies love with goodness itself; the ontological aspect of love defines it as a “unifying, integrating, harmonizing, creative energy or power” that works in the physical, organic, and psychosocial worlds ( p. 6); the physical aspect of love is shown in “all the physical forces that unite, integrate, and maintain the whole inorganic cosmos in endless unities, beginning with the smallest unity of the atom and ending with the whole physical universe as one unified, orderly cosmos” (pp. 8-9); the biological aspect of love is evident in procreation and parental care. The sixth aspect of love is the psychological, and it is here that Sorokin defines love as follows: “In any genuine psychological experience of love, the ego or I of the loving individual tends to merge with and identify itself with the loved Thee. The greater the love, the greater the identification” (p. 10). He views love as a “life-giving force” because of studies showing that people who are altruists live longer than egoists do, although Sorokin does not elaborate. Love is also defined as “the loftiest form of freedom” (p. 11), for where there is love there is no coercion. Sorokin refers to the writings of St. Paul on this point, and was conversant with his Russian contemporary, the theologian Nicholas Berdyaev, who emphasized that love nailed upon a cross compels no one. On the psychological level, Sorokin also notes that love overcomes fear, as exemplified by the life of Gandhi, whom he much admired as a modern saint: “Love does not fear anything or anybody. It cuts off the very roots of fear” (pp. 11-12). In a manner that brings to mind the various spiritual-ethical writings of the contemporary Dali Lama, Sorokin associates love with “the highest peace of mind and happiness (p. 12).” Seventh is the social aspect of love: “on the social plane love is a meaningful interaction – or relationship – between two or more persons where the aspirations and aims of one person are shared and helped in their realization by other persons (p, 13).” (p. xviif) The depth and breadth of Sorokin’s analysis of love is demonstrated by his careful scientific description of love as lived out in human experience, but is not satisfied © Grand Valley State University �Love at the Core: The Grain of the Universe Richard A. Rhem July 17, 2011 with such a phenomenological approach. Rather he wrote, “Concentrating on these planes, however, we shall always keep in mind the manifoldness of love as a whole because, without its religious, ethical, and ontological aspects, we cannot truly understand a “visible” part of this cosmos, its psychological, empirical aspects” (p. 14), (p. xviii). Post comments, Methodologically committed to new scientific knowledge that can move our understanding of love forward, he was also attentive to a wider cosmic context and to the fullness of human experience and history. (p. xviii). While Sorokin’s analysis of love, its marks, dimensions, practice in varying groups and disciplines, is painfully thorough and expansive, it is not my intention to go into any depth or breadth of his remarkable analysis. That would be beyond the limits of time and beyond my capacity. What struck me about Sorokin is the combining of careful scientific study along with the realization that such love as he was analyzing and calling for, if the human family is to have a future, must be rooted beyond its surface manifestation that was observable. Here was a serious scientist, a truly great scholar, pointing beyond the limits of empirical research. Yet the love he was researching has been lived out from time to time by truly exceptional human beings. Post notes, Of special interest to Sorokin was the love of figures such as Jesus, Al Hallaj, Damien the Leper, and Gandhi. Persecuted and hated, and therefore without any apparent social source of love energy, they nevertheless were able to maintain a love at high levels in all five dimensions. Such love seems to transcend ordinary human limits; it seems to suggest, argued Sorokin, that some human beings do, through various spiritual and religious practices, participate in a love energy that defines God…. Sorokin was convinced that such perfect or unlimited love can best be explained by hypothesizing an inflow of love from some higher source of love energy that far exceeds that of human beings. One might ask why, after all, we human creatures should arrogantly think that our paltry manifestations of love represent love’s highest expression in the universe of being. Sorokin, following the Russian tradition of integral knowledge, was willing to hypothesize the existence of a higher source of love in the universe in which degrees of human participation are possible. He writes quite metaphysically of the exemplars of love at its fullest, many of whom were despised and had no psychosocial inflow of love to sustain them: The most probable hypothesis for them (and in a much slighter degree for a much larger group of smaller altruists and good neighbors) is that an inflow of love comes from an intangible, littlestudied, possibly supraempirical source called “God,” “the Godhead,” © Grand Valley State University �Love at the Core: The Grain of the Universe Richard A. Rhem July 17, 2011 “the Soul of the Universe,” the “heavenly Father,” “Truth,” and so on. (p. xxi). In a section entitled “Creative Personality and the Supraconscious,” Post states that “Sorokin openly asserted a view of human nature that included the supraconscious.” It is at the level of the supraconscious that genuinely creative love resides. Post continues, Of course, Sorokin was running against the grain of the social sciences, with their “materialistic and mechanistic metaphysics” (p. 98), and he therefore felt compelled to “lay down the very minimum of evidence” (p. 98) for the reality of the supraconscious. This evidence, as Sorokin offers it, includes the supraconscious intuition that informs so much of the highest human creativity (and the work of child prodigies) in virtually all fields from mathematics to ethics and religion (ch.6). The perfectly integrated creative genius achieves the highest level of creativity without strenuous effort. In ego-centered love, i.e., love “of low intensity, narrow extensivity, and short duration, impure and inadequate” (p. 125), no supraconscious is involved. However, “quite different seems to be the situation with the supreme forms of creative love – intense, extensive, durable, pure, and adequate. Like supreme creativity in the field of truth or beauty, supreme love can hardly be achieved without a direct participation of the supraconscious and without the ego-transcending techniques of its awakening” (p. 125), italics in original). Sorokin gathers empirical support for this statement from the testimony of “innumerable eminent apostles of love” who, across cultures and generations describe themselves as instruments of the supraconscious: “God, Heaven, Heavenly Father, Tao, the Great Reason, the Oversoul, Brahma, Jen, Chit, the Supre-Essence, the Divine Nothing, the Divine Madness, the Logos, the Sophia, the Supreme Wisdom, the Inner Light” (p. 127). One realizes immediately, reading Sorokin, that this is no ordinary scholarly pursuit; for Sorokin was dealing with the possibility of a human future. Relating something of Sorokin’s life, Post writes, In 1945, anxious over the human condition in the wake of World War II and Hiroshima, he determined to found a program on creative altruism. Here Sorokin’s autobiography, entitled A Long Journey (1963), becomes essential. Sorokin expresses pessimism abut potential political or other attempts to bring abut peace without the “notable altruization of persons, groups, institutions, and culture.” He is hardly sanguine about the role of extrinsic religion, because his own studies indicated that a “purely ideological belief in God or in the credo of any of the great religions” rarely results in more altruistic behavior. He became increasingly interested in investigating “scientifically this unknown or little known energy” of love: “The phenomena of altruistic love were thought to belong to religion and ethics rather than to science. They were considered good topics for © Grand Valley State University �Love at the Core: The Grain of the Universe Richard A. Rhem July 17, 2011 preaching but not for research and teaching.” He thought that research grants on the topic of creative, unselfish love would be uniformly rejected by peer reviewers. In a voice that has since been heard by the now rising positive psychology movement of the 1990s, Sorokin noted the tendency of scientists to focus research on the disease model: While may a modern sociologist and psychologist viewed the phenomena of hatred, crime, war, and mental disorders as legitimate objects for scientific study, they quite illogically stigmatized as theological preaching or non-scientific speculation any investigation of the phenomena of love, friendship, heroic deeds, and creative genius. This patently unscientific position of many of my colleagues is merely a manifestation of the prevalent concentration on the negative, pathological, and subhuman phenomena typical of the disintegrating phase of our sensate culture. (p. xxvi) Sorokin recognizes his concern, his passion, was “the stuff of preaching, of theological discourse,” but he had no confidence in religion in the form of institutions or in credal formulation that often not only unite a group but also divide the human family – “purely ideological belief in God” cannot effect the loving community as broad as humanity and finally anything less than that is inadequate to cast the mantle of creative love over humankind. Post points to Sorokin’s final chapter: The final part of the book, Tragedy and Transcendence of Tribal Altruism, consists of a single chapter 23, entitled From Tribal Egoism to Universal Altruism. This is the last and most pessimistic chapter. Sorokin asserts a general law: If unselfish love does not extend over the whole of mankind, if it is confined within one group – a given family, tribe, nation, race, religious denomination, political party, trade union, caste, social class or any part of humanity – such in-group altruism tends to generate an out-group antagonism. And the more intense and exclusive the ingroup solidarity of its members, the more unavoidable are the clashes between the group and the rest of humanity. Herein lies the tragedy of tribal altruism not extended over the whole of mankind or over everyone and all. An exclusive love of one’s own group makes its members indifferent or even aggressive towards other groups and outsiders (p. 459, italics in original) Sorokin’s concern with in-group insularity pervades his writings, especially in his many passages regarding the extent to which apostles of universal love have clashed with tribalists and been imprisoned, banished, tortured, and killed. But in addition to exemplars of unlimited love for all humanity, innumerable groups have themselves been destroyed by the collective egoism of group loyalty. As Sorokin writes, “Whether in the form © Grand Valley State University �Love at the Core: The Grain of the Universe Richard A. Rhem July 17, 2011 of a cold or a hot war, this intergroup warfare has gone on incessantly in human history, and has filled its annals with the most deadly, most bloody, and most shameful deeds of Homo sapiens” (p. 461). In-group exclusivism has “killed more human beings and destroyed more cities and villages than all the epidemics, hurricanes, storms, floods, earthquakes, and volcanic eruptions taken together. It has brought upon mankind more suffering than any other catastrophe” (p. 461). Religious, ethnic, tribal, caste, and class wars have thus far defined much of human history and experience. What is needed, argues Sorokin, is enhanced extensivity. His recommendation is that the power of hatred be focused on threats to the whole of mankind, such as disease, ignorance, and poverty. He also recommends that competitions be sponsored on the basis of new values: “Unselfish love and humility can successfully be one of the most important competitive values” (p. 468). Indeed, humility was a core value in Sorokin’s approach to a better human future. (pp. xxiiif). Sorokin writes about love but he is not a sentimentalist. He is painfully aware of the violence that has marked the human story. Neither is he naïve. He faces honestly the terrible blood-soaked history of humanity. He writes, “Imperialistic” encroachments of any selfish group are opposed, first of all by all persons whose love behavior extends over other groups and especially over the whole of humanity. They cannot approve aggressive misdeeds of an exclusive tribal loyalty. Their universal or more extensive love cannot help clashing with the narrow, tribal love of the group. Hence the conflict between such persons and the group. Hence the persecution of such individuals by the group. Hence the tragic martyrdom of the apostles of universal love, who have been condemned to death, imprisoned, banished, tortured, and variously persecuted by the partisans of tribal loyalty. Socrates, Jesus, St. Peter, St. Paul, Al Hallaj, Gandhi and some 37 per cent of the saintly Christian altruists are eminent examples of its victims. The total number of the martyrs of tribal patriotism of various political, ethnic, racial, religious, economic, occupational, and other collectivities with exclusive in-group solidarity has been enormous in human history. Jesus well understood this clash between the two types, and the persecution of the universal altruists by the tribal ones, when he said to his disciples: “And ye shall be hated of all men for my name’s sake….” “Think not that I am come to send peace on earth: I came not to send peace, but a sword. For I am come to set a man at variance against his father, and the daughter against her mother.” Almost any universal altruist is bound to become a “subversive enemy” to be persecuted by the “patriotic” tribal altruists. In this sense the eternal tragedy of the agnus Dei qui tollis peccata mundi continues in human history unabated. The tribal patriots of “the Athenian Committee on un-Athenian Activities” condemned to death Socrates; “the Jewish Committee on un-Jewish Activities” crucified Jesus; © Grand Valley State University �Love at the Core: The Grain of the Universe Richard A. Rhem July 17, 2011 “the Muslim Committee on un-Muslim Activities” quartered and burned Al Hallaj; the self-appointed guardians of Hindu Orthodoxy shot Gandhi for his “un-Orthodox” activities. The annals of history are sprinkled with the blood of altruistic “heretics and schismatics” put to death by the tribal “orthodox” religions; indeed, each page of these annals is soaked in the blood of altruistic “subversives” executed by the tribal state governments. Most of the political parties, racial occupational, national, and other groups have been guilty in persecution of their “disloyal” members whose “disloyalty” consisted exactly in extension of their love far beyond the boundaries of the respective organization. And so this drama is continued up to this day when a multitude of “patriotic governments” and “crusading committees” relentlessly persecute many a “disloyal” altruist in the name of Communist, Socialist, Liberal, Conservative, Fascist, Democratic, Capitalist, Labor, Atheist, Religious, and other tribal solidarities and lilliputian in-group patriotisms. And so far, no end of this tragedy is visible. (p. 459f) That was published in 1954 and the half-century since has only been an exclamation point to Sorokin’s sad portrait. But he will not yield to despair and hopelessness. The vast variety of human beings, of such different orientations, cultural differences, traditional formation, religious understanding – in a word, everything that uniquely marks individuals, groups, tribes, nations is not the cause of aggression, violence, warfare and bloodshed. Rather, Sorokin asserts, History exhibits to us thousands of dissimilar families and millions of heterogeneous persons who have at various periods peacefully lived side by side in mutual harmony. If dissimilarity were the cause of interpersonal and intergroup conflicts, such a peaceful coexistence of heterogeneous individuals and collectivities would have been impossible. If it has occurred many times, as it undoubtedly has, then the real cause of the warfare lies not in these differentiations, but in something else – namely, in the poison of tribal selfishness that infiltrated in the differentiated societies and their members. This poison consists exactly of the restricted extensity and exclusiveness of their tribal love or solidarity. If this hypothesis is correct, then the disease can be cured only by extension of solidarity or love to include everyone and all. This extension does not require elimination of all interpersonal and intergroup dissimilarities. It requires only a thorough cleaning of individuals and groups from the poison of exclusive selfishness. (p. 463) Perhaps now the reader will shake her head and write the author off as an impossible dreamer. But Sorokin will not falter before the seeming impossible dream. Rather, he continues, If this diagnosis is correct, can the prescription of the universal love be carried through? Can one indeed love equally every human being, the © Grand Valley State University �Love at the Core: The Grain of the Universe Richard A. Rhem July 17, 2011 strangers and the enemies as much as the members of his family and friends? Is not such love a biological and psychological impossibility? Taken literally, the prescription is impossible for the overwhelming majority of human beings; however, the extension of love over the whole of mankind neither means nor requires an equal distribution of love among all human beings. At its initial stage it means three things: first, that everyone loves the members of his family and the limited circle of his friends and acquaintances as his special part of humanity chosen by and entrusted to him for this purpose. If everyone does so, every member of the human race will find himself loving and loved by the members of his special groups. Under such conditions not a single person in the whole human population remains unloved and not loving. Second, universal love means that everyone must abstain from all actions harmful to any human being. Through this neminem laidere in the whole human race nobody remains hated, harmed, and seriously mistreated by other human beings. Third, it means that everyone, within his capacity, extends his loving hand beyond his special group to everybody who is in need of help and warm sympathy – first of all, in one’s immediate community and second, in the whole human universe. If everybody does so in regard to the persons in his own community, then every human being will find the needed loving help from his community. If each community does the same in regard to other communities in need of help, then the whole human population will be blessed by, at least, the minimum of love and vital help. Under these conditions in the whole mankind there will be found not a single person lonely, forsaken, unloved, or unhelped. This extension of love can be done privately and publicly, in individual and social forms. If now and then it requires sacrifice on the part of the individual and his group, such sacrifice is to be gladly given. If every person and group do so, these sacrifices will be repaid by other individuals and groups when the sacrificing persons and groups are in need of help. Viewed so, the sacrifices are but a form of a mutual insurance of all human beings against possible insecurity and misfortune. Such is the meaning of the universal love at its initial stage. It is easily seen that it does not contain anything utopian or impossible. At this stage it represents but a development of the existing “network of love,” and an increased inhibition of the interhuman aggression. Once established in this initial form, it will in the course of time and practice spontaneously develop into ever richer, nobler, and more perfect universal love. If wisely guided and earnestly executed, the initial phase of universal love can be achieved without serious difficulty and at a much cheaper cost in the terms of death, suffering, and destruction, than the price to be paid in this sort of “money” for continuation of tribal loyalties and tribal warfare. Within the life cycle of one or two generations this phase will bring mankind much closer to the ideal of security, brotherhood, and peace on the earth, than the leaders and followers of tribal patriotisms have been © Grand Valley State University �Love at the Core: The Grain of the Universe Richard A. Rhem July 17, 2011 able to do for millennia or can do in the future. Here are some of the practical prescriptions as to what the first steps of realization of the universal solidarity should consist in, and how they should be carried through, to bring mankind nearer to this objective. (pp. 463-464) Nothing utopian or impossible here, Sorokin claims and he is surely right. We have become so pessimistic, so despairing. So easily we simply throw up our hands and don’t even take seriously such an impossible dream. But might that not be because we are mired in our own present experience of a world at war, of violence and aggression, of the vast treasure spent on armaments, of terrorism and “the war on terror?” But what about the long view, the evolutionary drama that has seen the emergence of the human, of consciousness, of the recognition that at the core of the human is an empathy that is triggered by human suffering, human pathos, human tenderness, human beauty? The summer of 2010 I tackled Jeremy Rifkin’s The Empathic Civilization whose subtitle is “The Race to Global Consciousness in a World in Crisis.” I have been struck by how much Rifkin’s claim that empathy is at the core of the human reflects Sorokin’s belief that love is the core of the human because it is the core of reality – the supraconscious, however named, pouring out love’s energy in limitless supply. (I was also amazed that Sorokin’s name does not appear in the index nor The Ways and Power of Love in the bibliography!) Here is Rifkin: Historians, by and large, write about social conflict and wars, great heroes and evil wrongdoers, technological progress and the exercise of power, economic injustices and the redress of social grievances. When historians touch on philosophy, it is usually in relationship to the disposition of power. Rarely do we hear of the other side of the human experience that speaks to our deeply social nature and the evolution and extension of human affection and its impact on culture and society. The German philosopher Georg Wilhelm Fredrich Hegel once remarked that happiness is “the blank pages of history” because they are “periods of harmony.” Happy people generally live out their existence in the “microworld” of close familial relations and extended social affiliations. History, on the other hand, is more often than not made by the disgruntled and discontented, the angry and rebellious – those interested in exercising authority and exploiting others and their victims, interested in righting wrongs and restoring justice. By this reckoning, much of the history that is written is about the pathology of power. Perhaps that is why, when we come to think about human nature, we have such a bleak analysis. Our collective memory is measured in terms of crises and calamities, harrowing injustices, and terrifying episodes of © Grand Valley State University �Love at the Core: The Grain of the Universe Richard A. Rhem July 17, 2011 brutality inflicted on each other and our fellow creatures. But if these were the defining elements of human experience, we would have perished as a species long ago. All of which raises the question “Why have we come to think of life in such dire terms?” The answer is that tales of misdeeds and woe surprise us. They are unexpected and, therefore, trigger alarm and heighten our interest. That is because such events are novel and not the norm, but they are newsworthy and for that reason they are the stuff of history. Today, our twenty-four hour cable TV news shows become the chroniclers of the accounts of pathological behavior, bombarding us with tales of horror and woe. The everyday world is quite different. Although life as it’s lived on the ground, close to home, is peppered with suffering, stresses, injustices, and foul play, it is, for the most part, lived out in hundreds of small acts of kindness and generosity. Comfort and compassion between people creates goodwill, establishes the bonds of sociality, and gives joy to people’s lives. Much of our daily interaction with our fellow human beings is empathic because that is our core nature. Empathy is the very means by which we create social life and advance civilization. In short, it is the extraordinary evolution of empathic consciousness that is the quintessential underlying story of human history, even if it has not been given the serious attention it deserves by our historians. (The Empathic Civilization, p. 10) Rifkin criticized the historians for focusing on “crises and calamities, harrowing injustices and terrifying episodes of brutality inflicted on each other and our fellow creatures” while Sorokin makes a very similar criticism of the field of psychology. This is what he wrote over half a century ago: MAIN BLUNDERS OF THE PREVALENT THEORIES The ultimate task of these studies is to find out the efficient ways of making persons more creative and altruistic. In order that this purpose may be fruitfully advanced, one has to have an adequate theory of the mental structure of human personality and of the energies generated in and operating through the human organism. The prevalent theories in this field are grossly defective. The first of the blunders consists of merging into the category of the “unconscious” or “subconscious” (E. von Hartmann, P. Janet, S. Freud, and others) two radically different energies of man: the biologically unconscious that lies below the level of the conscious state of mind and the supraconscious (“genius,” “creative élan,” “divine inspiration,” etc.) that lies above the level of any conscious and rational thought or energy. The “depth psychology” of the prevalent theories of personality is in fact quite shallow. It either flattens the mental structure almost exclusively to the level of the unconscious or subconscious, with a sort of epiphenomenal and vague © Grand Valley State University �Love at the Core: The Grain of the Universe Richard A. Rhem July 17, 2011 “ego” and “superego,” or just depicts it as a “two-story building” – the unconscious (subconscious) and the conscious (rational). In harmony with the negativistic character of the disintegrating Sensate culture, the prevalent theories of personality also move mainly in the region of the “social sewers.” They see mainly the lowest form of man’s energies (the unconscious and subconscious) and are blind to man’s highest supraconscious genius. They emphasize man’s animal, sadistic, and masochistic tendencies and pass by man’s sublime, creative, and altruistic properties. They interpret the highest creative élan as a mere biological reflex or drive; the sublimest sacrifice as masochistic tendency; the noblest inspiration as this or that subnormal complex; the genius as an abnormal neurotic; and the saint as a doubtful “deviant.” ( p. 83) Anticipating Rifkin’s claim of empathy at the core of the human, Sorokin declared the power of creative love and took note of the widespread contrary views. In the atmosphere of our Sensate culture we are prone to believe in the power of the struggle for existence, selfish interests, egoistic competition, hate, the fighting instinct, sex drives, the instinct of death and destruction, all-powerful economic factors, rude coercion and other negativistic forces. Yet we are highly skeptical in regard to the power of creative love, disinterested service, unprofitable sacrifice, mutual aid, the call of pure duty and other positive forces. The prevalent theories of evolution and progress, of the dynamic forces of history, of the dominant factors of human behavior, of the “how” and “why” of social processes unanimously stress such negativistic factors as the above. They view them as the main determinants of historical events and of the individual life courses. Marxism and the economic interpretation of history; Freudianism and its libidinal-destructive explanation of human behavior; instinctivist, behaviorist, and physiosomatic theories of personality and culture; Darwinistic and biological theories of the struggle for existence as the main factor of biological, mental, and moral evolution; even the prevalent motto of the chambers of commerce that “rivalry and competition made America great” – these and similar theories dominate contemporary sociology, economics, psychology, psychiatry, biology, anthropology, philosophy of history, political science, and other social and humanistic disciplines. These ideologies have an enormous appeal to the prevalent Sensate mind, are eagerly believed by Sensate man, and are considered by him as “the last word in modern science.” In contrast to that, Sensate minds emphatically disbelieve the power of love, sacrifice, friendship, co-operation, the call of duty, unselfish search for truth, goodness, and beauty. These appear to us as something epiphenomenal and illusory. We call them “rationalizations,” “selfdeceptions,” “derivations,” “beautifying ideologies,” “opiates of the people’s mind,” “smoke screens,” “idealistic bosh,” “unscientific delusion,” © Grand Valley State University �Love at the Core: The Grain of the Universe Richard A. Rhem July 17, 2011 etc. We are biased against all theories that try to prove the power of love…. (p. 47) Rifkin very astutely prefaces his monumental study with a full account of December 24, 1914, on Flanders Field – Christmas Eve, the German and English troops in their trenches thirty to fifty yards from each other. The Germans lighted candles on Christmas trees brought to them and began to sing carols – “Stille Nacht”…from the British trenches arose a response – “Silent Night.” You have heard the story – by morning it is estimated up to 100,000 soldiers came out of their trenches, met in the middle between the lines, sharing Christmas greetings, showing photos of their families, sharing cigarettes and sweets, telling where their home was – a fully human moment. In the morning news of the event filtered back to the command centers, and the soldiers were ordered back to their trenches to take up again the awful conflict. I cannot read that account without a lump in my throat because it is such a beautiful human moment, redolent with the presence of God – on Christmas Eve, the Prince of Peace. Rifkin says it well: Yet what transpired in the battlefields of Flanders on Christmas Eve 1914 between tens of thousands of young men had nothing to do with original sin or productive labor. And the pleasure those men sought in each other’s company bore little resemblance to the superficial rendering of pleasure offered up by nineteenth-century utilitarians and even less to Freud’s rather pathological account of a human race preoccupied by the erotic impulse. The men at Flanders expressed a far deeper human sensibility – one that emanates from the very marrow of human existence and that transcends the portals of time and the exigencies of whatever contemporary orthodoxy happens to rule. We need only ask ourselves why we feel so heartened at what these men did. They chose to be human. And the central human quality they expressed was empathy for one another. Rifkin introduces his startling claim with the incident of Christmas Eve, 1914, because it is a powerful witness to his central thesis. Interestingly, Sorokin, as I have indicated, opens his Preface with three of Jesus’ Beatitudes: Blessed are the meek: for they shall inherit the earth. Blessed are the merciful: for they shall obtain mercy. Blessed are the peacemakers; for they shall be called the children of God. In his discussion of the aspects of love, the final aspect is the social aspect. He defines it and then cites another section of the Sermon on the Mount. Finally, on the social plane love is a meaningful interaction – or relationship – between two or more persons where the aspirations and © Grand Valley State University �Love at the Core: The Grain of the Universe Richard A. Rhem July 17, 2011 aims of one person are shared and helped in their realization by other persons. A loving person not only does not hinder the realization of the wise aims of the loved person but positively helps it. So far as he helps, he does not cause pain or sorrow to the loved person, but increases his happiness. It is the joy of giving and the joy of receiving; it is fulfilling oneself in others and by others. The terms “solidarity,” “mutual aid,” “cooperation,” “unity of good neighbors,” “familistic relationship,” and the like denote various forms of love as social relationship. Its highest forms are magnificently defined in the Sermon on the Mount. Love your enemies, bless them that curse you, do good to them that hate you, and pray for them which despitefully use you and persecute you. Agree with thine adversary quickly. First be reconciled to thy brother, and then come and offer thy gift [to the altar]. Ye have heard that it hath been said, An eye for an eye, and a tooth for a tooth: But I say unto you, That ye resist not evil: but whosoever shall smite thee on thy right cheek, turn to him the other also. And if any man will sue thee at the law, and take away thy coat, let him have thy cloak also. And whosoever shall compel thee to go a mile, go with him twain. Give to him that asketh thee, and from him that would borrow of thee turn not thou away. These norms outline the social relationships of love at their highest and best. (p. 13) Sorokin quotes these verses because he is explaining the social aspect of love. But, to my mind, even more remarkable, indeed the epitome of what both Rifkin and Sorokin are pointing to, is expressed in the paragraph calling us to love for enemies. “You have heard that it was said, ‘You shall love your neighbor and hate your enemy.’ But I say to you, Love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you, so that you may be children of your Father in heaven; for he makes his sun rise on the evil and on the good, and sends rain on the righteous and on the unrighteous. For if you love those who love you, what reward do you have? Do not even the tax collectors do the same? And if you greet only your brothers and sisters, what more are you doing than others? Do not even the Gentiles do the same? Be perfect, therefore, as your heavenly Father is perfect. As we have noted above, this is precisely what Sorokin calls for as the only cure for our human malady – …the disease can be cured only by “the extension of love to include everyone and all.” Jesus calls us to be God-like. Matthew uses the word teleios which is translated “perfect.” That is an accurate translation but I think a bit misleading. Are we not quick to declare, “Nobody’s perfect!” The Greek word © Grand Valley State University �Love at the Core: The Grain of the Universe Richard A. Rhem July 17, 2011 points to fulfilling one’s purpose, realizing one’s end. I prefer the word “mature.” Is that not what so often we fail to be? Our conception of God as perfect, yes, but being mature. Perfection tends to scare us I think; it has an edge. Whereas in the context of the Sermon on the Mount Jesus is saying, “Be mature.” One might even suggest Jesus say, “Grow up!” In Luke’s Gospel, the word oiktirmones is used, translated “compassionate,” which also works well but I prefer Matthew’s choice – be mature because maybe indeed that is what is happening to humankind over the aeons of time. The movement from the hunter tribes of early humans to herders and farmers has been underway for millenia. And we surely are dismayed by the ongoing mayhem we create in the human family. Ongoing militarism, brutal dictators holding their people with iron grip in fear of expressing their longing for freedom and a decent human existence, weapons of mass destruction at the ready, a flourishing arms industry, the perfecting of ever smarter more lethal weapons systems – drones that can kill half a world away. In light of all of that are Rifkin and Sorokin simple idle dreamers? An even more poignant question I would pose for you – was Jesus simply a good person who really didn’t get it? Wrestling with a major work such as Sorokin’s The Ways and Power of Love is no easy task. Trying to follow his intensive analysis of creative love and its application to the human situation is not summer reading lite, fit for a beach chair. But, as I struggled to get my head around his analysis and its implications and applications, there was another presence of which I was aware throughout and that was the presence of Jesus. If you have been with me for some time you have probably heard me confess that I did not know what to do with the Sermon on the Mount; not the Beatitudes, not the turning of the cheek, and certainly not the love of enemies. Rifling my old files I found once I did a series on the passage – probably 35 or 40 years ago. At that time I was locked into orthodox Reformed theology with a heavy dose of pietism. The center of my faith and my preaching was the atonement – Christ’s death in our place whereby our sin is forgiven and heaven’s gate is open. Then the Christian, thus “saved,” was called to a life of righteousness, of goodness and mercy; indeed, one was to love one’s neighbor and, because Jesus said so, love one’s enemy. But the broader context was a world unredeemed that would only be transformed at the coming again of Jesus Christ in glory to judge the world, claiming his own and giving their just reward to those who had not bowed their knee to Him. This was the scheme of world history moving toward the end, the damning of the wicked” and the establishment of God’s eternal kingdom. The Sermon on the Mount was a blueprint for the life of a Christian but we “knew” world history, human development would not emerge as the Kingdom of God about which Jesus spoke. © Grand Valley State University �Love at the Core: The Grain of the Universe Richard A. Rhem July 17, 2011 I will not burden you with the long journey that has brought me to where I am today. I also want to say the faith and piety of my early years produced generations of really good human beings, sincere, faithful, generous, compassionate. In no way do I denigrate the community in which I was shaped, formed and given a deep sense of God’s love and grace that is with me still. Neither will I attempt to portray the whole vision of faith by which I now live and how the old understanding has given way to the new. Only this I will say; moving from an atonement centered theology, I came to see Jesus as dying the way he died because he lived the way he lived. Speaking truth to power, he was killed through the collusion of church and state. I do not understand him calling people into the kingdom that was imminent, forsaking “the world,” awaiting his reappearing to bring history to its consummation. I see him rather calling people to a new way to live in order that the will of God would be done on earth as it is in heaven. In contrast to my questions about the Beatitudes, about turning the other cheek, about loving one’s enemies, I now see Jesus as dead serious. He was calling people to live a life of love, of compassion, of non-violence, of peacemaking – not until God’s last dramatic act to end history with all its darkness and bring in the Kingdom from beyond. This earth, this history, this human family are the subjects of Jesus’ calling to live here and now the life of the Kingdom of God. Jesus was serious; he meant it when he spoke of human behavior, human encounters, human beings under the imperative to love all and everyone. This is what Sorokin affirmed. It is what Rifkin sees emerging. And think of the lives that have been world-transforming – Jesus himself and in his steps the Hindu Gandhi and Martin Luther King, among others. Recently I read a marvelous book portraying the life and business of Warren Buffett. Related there is the time Buffett heard Martin Luther King speak. Finally King strode to the podium, dressed in his preacher’s robes. He had chosen the theme of “Remaining Awake During a Revolution,” and his resonant voice rang out with a quote from poet James Russell Lowell’s “The Present Crisis”, the anthem of the civil-rights movement. The Scaffold Sways the Future Truth forever on the scaffold, Wrong forever on the throne: Yet that scaffold sways the future, And behind the dim unknown, Standeth God within the shadow Keeping watch above His own. © Grand Valley State University �Love at the Core: The Grain of the Universe Richard A. Rhem July 17, 2011 He spoke of the meaning of suffering. Inspired to nonviolent resistance by Gandhi, King invoked the lessons of the Sermon on the Mount. Blessed are the persecuted, it said, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. Blessed are the meek, for they shall inherit the earth. … Buffett had always responded to powerful, charismatic orators. Now he saw King standing before him: moral courage in the flesh, a man who had been beaten and imprisoned, put in shackles and sentenced to hard labor, stabbed and clubbed for his beliefs, a man who had carried a movement on the strength of his ideas for nearly a decade despite enraged opposition, violence, and limited success. King had once described the power of nonviolence, which “has a way of disarming the opponent. It exposes his moral defenses. It weakens his morale and at the same time it works on his conscience…. Even if he tries to kill you, you develop the inner conviction that some things are so precious, that there are some things so dear, some things so eternally worthful, that they are worth dying for. If an individual has not discovered something that he will die for, he isn’t fit to live. When one discovers this, there is power in this method.” (The Snowball, p. 304) Buffett was struck by a statement which King repeated often: “The laws are not to change the heart, but to restrain the heartless.” As I stated above, immersed in Sorokin, I was so conscious of the presence of Jesus, of the spirit of the one whose call to a way of love, nonviolence and peace I failed to grasp in my early ministry and only gradually, haltingly have come to see as the way to life. This is not the stuff of preaching. It is not something I can explain and advocate and you can hear and accept. Too often preaching pleads and people resist or preaching declares and the critical faculties are alerted to question. No, to find the way of Jesus compelling, to determine however poorly to follow, to commit oneself to the way of non-violence and peace – that is the stuff of witness. To that I witness and invite you to wonder about it. Love is at the core of reality, the creative center of the cosmos. The grain of the universe is Love. It is to love we are called everyday in every way to one and all. It is the Way of Jesus for me, a very concrete way to which I am called, which I betray and fail miserably to fulfill. Yet a way I will not deny or rationalize away; a way I will self-consciously cultivate because it compels me. I choose that way and will not give up in spite of falling so far short. Love is the answer to the world’s violence, to humanity’s disease and finally Love will prevail because there can be no doubt, Love wins. This I believe. © Grand Valley State University �Love at the Core: The Grain of the Universe Richard A. Rhem July 17, 2011 References: Jeremy Rifkin. The Empathic Civilization: The Race to Global Consciousness in a World in Crisis. Tarcher, 2009. Pitirim A. Sorokin. The Ways and Power of Love: Types, Factors, and Techniques of Moral Transformation. Originally published in 1954; Reprint: Templeton Foundation Press, 2002. © Grand Valley State University � https://digitalcollections.library.gvsu.edu/files/original/e584f4aa2c22868031d42cf069823306.m4v e90909d44f982b6176b9cbc65603d121 Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource Richard A. Rhem Collection Description An account of the resource Text and sound recordings of the sermons, prayers, services, and articles of Richard Rhem, pastor emeritus of Christ Community Church in Spring Lake, Michigan, where he served for 37 years. Starting in the mid 1980's, Rhem began to question some of the traditional Christian dogma that he had been espousing from the pulpit. That questioning was a first step in a long and interesting spiritual journey, one that he openly shared with his congregation. His journey is important, in part because it is reflective of the questioning, the yearnings, and the gradual revision of beliefs that many persons in this part of the century have experienced and continue to experience. It is important also because of the affirming and inclusive way his questioning was done and his thinking evolved. His sermons and other written and spoken materials together document the steps in his journey as it took a turn in 1985, yet continued to revolve around the framework and liturgies of the Christian calendar. Subject The topic of the resource Clergy--Michigan Reformed Church in America Christ Community Church (Spring Lake, Mich.) Religion Interfaith worship Sermons Sound Recordings Creator An entity primarily responsible for making the resource Rhem, Richard A. Source A related resource from which the described resource is derived <a href="https://gvsu.lyrasistechnology.org/repositories/2/resources/514">Richard A. Rhem papers (KII-01)</a> Publisher An entity responsible for making the resource available Grand Valley State University. University Libraries. Special Collections & University Archives. Contributor An entity responsible for making contributions to the resource Kaufman Interfaith Institute Rights Information about rights held in and over the resource <a href="http://rightsstatements.org/page/InC/1.0/?language=en">In Copyright</a> Language A language of the resource English Type The nature or genre of the resource Sound Text Identifier An unambiguous reference to the resource within a given context KII-01 Coverage The spatial or temporal topic of the resource, the spatial applicability of the resource, or the jurisdiction under which the resource is relevant 1981-2014 Format The file format, physical medium, or dimensions of the resource audio/mp3 text/pdf Sound A resource primarily intended to be heard. Examples include a music playback file format, an audio compact disc, and recorded speech or sounds. Event Lakeshore Interfaith Center Gathering Location The location of the interview Lakeshore Interfaith Center, Ganges References Jeremy Rifkin. The Empathic Civilization. Tarcher, 2009, Pitirim A. Sorokin. The Ways and Power of Love: Types, Factors, and Techniques of Moral Transformation. Orig. published, 1954, Reprint, Templeton Foundation Press, 2002. Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Identifier An unambiguous reference to the resource within a given context KII-01_RA-0-20110717 Date A point or period of time associated with an event in the lifecycle of the resource 2011-07-17 Title A name given to the resource Love At the Core: The Grain of the Universe Creator An entity primarily responsible for making the resource Richard A. Rhem Rights Information about rights held in and over the resource <a href="http://rightsstatements.org/page/InC/1.0/?language=en">In Copyright</a> Subject The topic of the resource Clergy--Michigan Reformed Church in America Christ Community Church (Spring Lake, Mich.) Sermons Relation A related resource Richard A. Rhem - An Archive of Sermons, Prayers, Talks and Stories: http://richardrhem.org/ Language A language of the resource eng Type The nature or genre of the resource Moving Image Text Description An account of the resource A sermon given by Richard A. Rhem (Dick) on July 17, 2011 entitled "Love At the Core: The Grain of the Universe", on the occasion of Lakeshore Interfaith Center Gathering, at Lakeshore Interfaith Center, Ganges. Format The file format, physical medium, or dimensions of the resource video/x-m4v application/pdf Publisher An entity responsible for making the resource available Grand Valley State University. University Libraries. Lemmen Library and Archives Sermon on the Mount Transforming Love https://digitalcollections.library.gvsu.edu/files/original/f6074e32c9417238e4d4fd2739a6cce9.pdf 81c7d4f330aefe1a7166442f4444b1ec PDF Text Text Life’s Deepest Questions Before the Mystery of God Job 23:1-10; Ecclesiastes 3:1-22; John 1:1, 14 and 18; I John 4:7-8, 12 and 16 Richard A. Rhem Lakeshore Interfaith Center at Mother’s Trust Ganges, Michigan August 21, 2011 My proposal for today’s reflection refers to four biblical passages but they are chosen not to be carefully interpreted but rather in the way they speak to my central concern in this presentation – life’s deepest questions as we live before the face of mystery, the mystery to which we point with the word-symbol God. Already you may say the task will be to bring to awareness our deepest questions but, more than that, to seek some understanding of the reality to which our word God points. And you would be right. Before I move into my subject, let me give you an assignment. If you could have an answer to one, deep, ultimate question about reality, about God, about your human future or any other large question that looms before your mind when consciously thinking about it, or when in a semi-conscious, somewhat dreamy state, what would that question be? Maybe you know immediately because you are one of those persons who can’t help yourself but wonder what it means to be human, is there a God, where is your life, the life of humanity, heading, will there be an End, a consummation of some sort, will there be one end for all or will there be a great divide of “sheep and goats”? Perhaps you are simply busy with getting through your days and seldom wonder about such ultimate questions – enough to worry and wonder about the stock market, our broken political system, your health and that of those you love, your children, your grandchildren. You see what I’m saying. Some simply can’t help themselves – the wonderers and worriers, and some stick to life’s practical concerns. I suspect those who wonder may have had rather intensive and extensive exposure to life’s ultimate issues and perhaps those of a more practical bent have not been immersed in a family or community where ultimate issues are daily fare. But even such sometimes lie awake wondering. Sometimes it is triggered by a crisis. Remember the suffering of Job. One of the most pathetic and moving cries ever recorded is found in that profound drama of Job. © 2013 Kaufman Interfaith Institute and Grand Valley State University   �Life’s Deepest Questions Richard A. Rhem Page 2   Job Replies: My Complaint is Bitter Then Job answered: “Today also my complaint is bitter; his hand is heavy despite my groaning. Oh, that I knew where I might find him, that I might come even to his dwelling! I would lay my case before him, and fill my mouth with arguments. I would learn what he would answer me, and understand what he would say to me. Would he contend with me in the greatness of his power? No; but he would give heed to me. There an upright person could reason with him, and I should be acquitted forever by my judge. If I go forward, he is not there; or backward, I cannot perceive him; on the left he hides, and I cannot behold him.; I turn to the right, but I cannot see him. But he knows the way that I take; when he has tested me, I shall come out like gold.” (Job 23:1-10) But there are others – I am one of them – that just can’t help themselves, crisis or smooth sailing, the wondering seldom ceases. The Hebrew poet who authored the Book of Ecclesiastes was such a person. Critical studies of the text assure us that this was not the wise King Solomon though tradition has made him the author. Ecclesiastes is part of the Wisdom section of the Hebrew scriptures and was probably written in the middle of the third century BCE – around 250. The Wisdom literature of the Old Testament is an attempt to gain knowledge of human existence in order that one may know how to live – how to live wisely, how to live well. It’s a special genre of literature. It has a different nuance, a different tone, than so much of the rest of Scripture. It raises those questions about the nature of our experience of being human, seeking to find the meaning and purpose of it all. And it reads that meaning and purpose off from experience itself; it doesn’t go to a priest, it doesn’t go to a sacred text, it doesn’t go to an institution, but rather the sages of the tradition of Israel were careful observers of life, trying to discern meaning and purpose from what was observable and what could be comprehended within the parameters of human knowledge and human understanding. With Ecclesiastes, we come to the farthest extreme of wisdom in the Hebrew scriptures. The author purports to have lived widely, broadly, deeply. He tried everything – pleasure, riches, work, everything that his heart desired he granted to himself. And, in the end of it all, his conclusion was that human life is empty. “Vanity of vanities, all is vanity says the Lord.” Chasing wind. He is a person who, having entered broadly into human experience, concludes that its meaning and its purpose are not discernable by the human mind. Just reading from human experience, he can find no ultimate purpose. He doesn’t deny that God is, he doesn’t deny that God will hold us accountable, but God is largely absent and God © 2013 Kaufman Interfaith Institute and Grand Valley State University �Life’s Deepest Questions Richard A. Rhem Page 3   is inscrutable. The meaning of our human existence is inscrutable. So this is a very pessimistic account of what it means to be human. He simply says over and over and over again…there is nothing new under the sun…whatever has been will be again…it’s an endless cycle…a dead end street. Or, as in the title of the French existentialist Camus’ novel, No Exit. That is his analysis of the human situation from what he sees in human experience. He recognizes that the human person isn’t satisfied with that. He himself isn’t satisfied with it. The familiar third chapter speaks of the full spectrum of human experience – for everything there is a season, and a time for every matter under heaven: A time to be born, and a time to die. After a considerable list of “times” and “seasons” and the full spectrum of human experience, he makes about as positive statement as it is to be found in the whole poem. What gain have the workers from their toil? I have seen the business that God has given to everyone to be busy with. He has made everything suitable for its time; moreover he has put a sense of past and future into their minds, yet they cannot find out what God has done from the beginning to the end. I know that there is nothing better for them than to be happy and enjoy themselves as long as they live; moreover, it is God’s gift that all should eat and drink and take pleasure in all their toil. (Ecclesiastes 3:9-13, NRSV) I came upon a translation of those verses which I like. I’m not enough of a Hebrew linguist to know if the Hebrew text justifies this rendering but I must say it seems to capture cogently what I sense the poet is trying to say in verses 11-13: God has made everything beautiful in its own time and has put an eternal yearning in our hearts even as we live before the Face of Mystery. I know there is nothing better for humankind than to be happy and to enjoy themselves as long as they live – to eat and drink and take pleasure in all their endeavors. I confess “Face of Mystery” is my phrase but it fits and I think is faithful to the writer’s intention – a sense of past and future but no way to figure out what God is up to. Consequently, “eat and drink and take pleasure in all their endeavors.” Let me pause here. Have you identified your ultimate question for which you long for an answer? My babbling on has made that rather impossible unless you live consciously with that question so that immediately you respond, “I wish I knew the answer to…..” © 2013 Kaufman Interfaith Institute and Grand Valley State University �Life’s Deepest Questions Richard A. Rhem Page 4   Well, we can’t go around the room and hear your questions. I hope simply raising the question has perhaps brought to your awareness that, indeed, you do wonder about deep questions of our human existence, the movement of history, the meaning of it all. When I was still preaching regularly, pre-retirement, on Saturday morning I would check out the Religion section of the Grand Rapids Press, hoping to find some essay or article of religious news that would connect with the sermon on which I was working – maybe underscoring the theme or maybe some claim, in my opinion, so incredible it reinforced my claim to the contrary. Well, having announced my theme, “Life’s Deepest Questions Before the Mystery of God,” you can imagine how excited I was to open the latest issue of The New Yorker (August 15 & 22, 2011, p. 87ff) and find an essay entitled “Is That All There Is?”, subtitle “Secularism and its Discontents,” by James Wood, a critic at large. On the opening page against a black background are billowing clouds on which sets a throne; the throne is empty! Obviously the essay will deal with the disappearance of God which, for my purposes would have been interesting but not really my point. The article however aims precisely at my announced theme. The essay begins: I have a friend, an analytic philosopher and convinced atheist, who told me that she sometimes wakes in the middle of the night, anxiously turning over a series of ultimate questions: “How can it be that this world is the result of an accidental big bang? How could there be no design, no metaphysical purpose? Can it be that every life – beginning with my own, my husband’s, my child’s, and spreading outward – is cosmically irrelevant?” In the current intellectual climate, atheists are not supposed to have such thoughts. We are locked into our rival certainties – religiosity on one side, secularism on the other – and to confess to weakness on this order is like a registered Democrat wondering if she is really a Republican, or vice versa. These are theological questions without theological answers, and, if the atheist is not supposed to entertain them, then, for slightly different reasons, neither is the religious believer. Religion assumes that they are not valid questions because it has already answered them; atheism assumes that they are not valid questions because it cannot answer them. But as one gets older, and parents and peers begin to die, and the obituaries in the newspaper are no longer missives from a faraway place but local letters, and one’s own projects seem ever more pointless and ephemeral, such moments of terror and incomprehension seem more frequent and more piercing, and, I find, as likely to arise in the middle of the day as the night. I think of these anxieties as the Virginia Woolf Question, after a passage in that most metaphorical of novels “To the Lighthouse,” when the painter Lily Briscoe is at her easel, mourning her late friend Mrs. Ramsay. Next to her sits the poet, Augustus Carmichael, © 2013 Kaufman Interfaith Institute and Grand Valley State University �Life’s Deepest Questions Richard A. Rhem Page 5   and suddenly Lily imagines that she and Mr. Carmichael might stand up and demand “an explanation” of life: For one moment she felt that if they both got up, here, now on the lawn, and demanded an explanation, why was it so short, why was it so inexplicable, said it with violence, as two fully equipped human beings from whom nothing should be hid might speak, then, beauty would roll itself up; the space would fill; those empty flourishes would form into shape; if they shouted loud enough Mrs. Ramsay would return. “Mrs. Ramsay!: she said aloud, “Mrs. Ramsay!” The tears ran down her face. Why is life so short, why so inexplicable? These are the questions Lily wants answered. More precisely, these are the questions she needs to ask, ironically aware that an answer cannot be had if there is no one to demand it from. The essay is excellent – worth the price of the magazine! I cite it here because it underscores that deep questions of life come to all of us one time or another, whether we are seriously religious or claim to be totally secular, atheist, agnostic, militant or mild. Our cultural history moves in waves. It is senseless to think religious faith and practice will fade completely from the human story with secularism and/or atheism becoming dominant and vice versa. The fact is humans are self-conscious beings who wonder, ask questions, and recognize they live in the face of mystery. As I acknowledged above, my title points to deep questions, but such questions before the face of Mystery, the mystery to which we point when we use the wordsymbol God. As I wondered, read, reflected in the latter years of my ministry I referred more and more to the source and ground of reality as mystery rather than God per se. God is such a loaded term so filled with our preconceptions – loaded with pre-critical traditional content. My dear deceased friend and last mentor, Dr. Duncan Littlefair, in his early years at Fountain Street Church, did not use the word “God” at all because it carried such baggage for most religious folk. In order to say something new in heavily churched, widely traditionally religious Grand Rapids around mid-century, that word-symbol was quite useless. And I suspect that continues to be the case. I’m sure the use of Mystery as a symbol for God in my case, particularly in the early 90’s was the consequence of realizing the Christian tradition’s idea of God was a personal Being outside of our cosmic reality – not really an old man with flowing beard as often caricatured – nonetheless a “superhuman.” The human created in the image of God according to the Genesis stories, God’s Being would be reflected in human being, except God was omniscient, omnipotent and omnipresent, etc. © 2013 Kaufman Interfaith Institute and Grand Valley State University �Life’s Deepest Questions Richard A. Rhem Page 6   It is not my purpose to pursue that further. I mention it because when I was becoming more and more sensitive to what I was coming to see as the wrong signals given off by the word-symbol God, I fled to the designation “Mystery,” and I kept the Mystery – the Mystery had no “contours,” really no content. About this time it was my good fortune to come on a work by Gordon D. Kaufman, a theologian at Harvard Divinity School, who died in July of this year. In a major constructive theological work, In Face of Mystery, Kaufman wrote of God as Mystery in light of our present knowledge of the cosmos, of the human story and the human person. In a following volume, God, Mystery, Diversity, he dealt with “Christian Theology in a Pluralistic World.” It was Kaufman who helped me understand Mystery as applied to ultimate reality rather than a term to enable me to avoid using the word God. Kaufman opens chapter 6 of the latter volume entitled “Mystery, God, and Human Diversity” with a quote from the great Catholic theologian Karl Radner. What is made intelligible is grounded ultimately in the one thing that is self-evident, in mystery. Mystery is something with which we are always familiar, something that we love, even when we are terrified by it or perhaps even annoyed and angered, and want to be done with it….what is more self-evident than the silent question that goes beyond everything which has already been mastered and controlled…? In the ultimate depths of [our] being [we know] nothing more surely than that [our] knowledge, that is, what is called knowledge in everyday parlance, is only a small island in a vast sea that has not been traveled. It is a floating island, and it might be more familiar to us than the sea, but ultimately it is borne by the sea…. Hence the [deepest] question for [us humans] is this. Which [will we] love more, the small island of [our] so-called knowledge or the sea of infinite mystery? Kaufman adds, “This profound mystery – or better the many mysteries – of life provides the ultimate context of our existence as self-conscious beings. Paradoxically, then, it is in terms of that which is beyond our ken that we must, on the last analysis, understand ourselves.” ( p. 96) And he then defines “Mystery” as he employs the term. “Mystery” (as I am using the word here) does not refer to a direct perceptual experience of something, as do words like “darkness” or “dense fog” (when we cannot see anything), or words like “unclear” or “obscure” (when used of some distant object that we cannot discern well enough to identify with confidence). It refers to bafflement of mind more than obscurity of perception. A mystery is something which we cannot think clearly, cannot get our minds around, cannot manage to grasp. If we say that “life confronts us as mystery,” or “whether life has any meaning is a © 2013 Kaufman Interfaith Institute and Grand Valley State University �Life’s Deepest Questions Richard A. Rhem Page 7   mystery, or “why anything at all exists, instead of nothing, is a mystery,” we are speaking about intellectual bafflements. We are indicating that what we are dealing with here seems to be beyond what our minds can handle. Thus when, in theological discourse, we call attention to the mystery of human existence, the mysteries in which we live, we are reminding ourselves that in theology we are dealing with matters at the very limits of our intellectual capacities; we are involved with profound puzzles, conundrums that we cannot solve and that we should not expect to solve. We must be cautious at every point, therefore, about what we take ourselves to be achieving in our reflection. In theology a question mark must be placed behind everything that is said. Sometimes (as in the ancient Greek mystery religions, from whence our modern word comes) “mystery” is thought of as descriptive of some object of arcane theological awareness or knowledge – perhaps God – rather than as prescriptively applying to us, to the limitedness of our knowledge and the questionableness of our attitudes. This way of thinking opens the door to obscure – but often exciting – claims, claims for which no grounds can be offered but which may seem theologically important. Speakers or writers may announce, for example, that they are in a position to “unveil” some particular mystery for us, allowing us to see what we could not otherwise see – like a landscape after the fog has lifted, or a dark room after a light has been turned on. The use of perceptual metaphors in talk of this kind only helps to encourage confusions; for this way of speaking leads us to suppose that we are being given information about realities hidden from others, possibly “secrets known only to God.” However, I want to point out that when we say of something that “it is a mystery,” this does not in fact tell us anything specific about that of which we are speaking, or which we are seeking to understand. Rather, it calls attention to something about ourselves: that we seem to have reached a limit to our powers at this point, and we may, if we are not careful, easily become confused or misled. The word “mystery” in its theological employment, thus, should be taken as a kind of warning that our ordinary ways of speaking and thinking are beginning to fail us and that special rules in our use of language should now be followed: take unusual care; beware of what is being said; the speaker may be misleading you; you may be misleading yourself; attend to what is being said with critical sensitivity to its problematic character. (p. 96f) I found Kaufman’s discussion of mystery so very illuminating. The context of our lives is mystery – not a mystery that will become clear with more penetrating analysis, greater intellectual prowess, deeper piety – no; rather, “it is in terms of that which is beyond our ken that we must, in the last analysis, understand ourselves.” In my field of interest – the theological – I must go in with eyes wide open; what I am dealing with is beyond what our minds can handle. © 2013 Kaufman Interfaith Institute and Grand Valley State University �Life’s Deepest Questions Richard A. Rhem Page 8   Strange calling to which I responded! One’s whole orientation turned to that which is unavailable! And the deep ultimate questions one must face in oneself and in one’s community are questions for which there is no intellectual answer that doesn’t end with a question mark! As Kaufman contends, it is precisely because mystery pervades our search and research that “we must engage in relentless theological criticism of our human faiths, their symbols, and the practices they inspire.” Religions (and theologies) have a critical role to play even if they do not convey absolute dogmatic information about the mystery that is behind our reality. Kaufman claims, …a major function of religions (and of theologies) is to present human beings with visions of the whole of reality. That is, religions (and theologies) provide construals of the ultimate mystery within which human life transpires – construals that are sufficiently meaningful and intelligible to enable us humans to come to some understanding of ourselves in relation to the enigmatic context within which our lives proceed, and which are sufficiently attractive to motivate women and men to live fruitfully and meaningfully within this context. (p. 98) Reflecting on my own wrestle with the mystery and life’s deepest questions, one of the most illuminating and liberating insights Kaufman’s work gave me was the idea of theology as a human imaginative endeavor. I felt a load lifted. I still remember saying to my people, “If you grant me that theology is a human imaginative construct you are on a slippery slope and I will have great freedom to construe the faith.” Kaufman’s statement explains, One of the most important features of the understanding of theology as our own imaginative construction is that it requires us not to confuse our ideas and reflection – especially when we speak of God – with that ultimate mystery with which we are attempting to come to terms. This helps keep us honest in our theological work, on the one hand, and it acknowledges, on the other, the full independence of God from what we may think or say. In reminding ourselves that God is mystery to us, we allow God in God’s concrete actuality to be whatever God is, quite apart from our conceptualizations. In this respect, the concept of mystery, just because of its emptiness and openness, can help us face in a very direct way what it means to take God’s reality seriously, to confess the God that is truly God, the ultimate reality not to be confused with any of our human imaginative constructions. ( p. 99) One can only imagine how many religious wars would have been averted, how many church divisions could have been avoided, how many personal/family wounds would need not have to have been inflicted if the human family had early © 2013 Kaufman Interfaith Institute and Grand Valley State University �Life’s Deepest Questions Richard A. Rhem Page 9   on learned that, in its quest for ultimate truth, it had to do with human imaginative constructs rather than claims of absolute divine revelation. Let me be clear; this is not a cop-out; it is simply the necessary consequence of our human historical situation. We have come to see the long history of the cosmos, the billions of years of cosmic evolution, the emergence of consciousness, of self-consciousness – the human being. All of this has only relatively recently been available in terms of cosmic time. But prior to this exploding “revelation” of the cosmic process, the advent of the Enlightenment, the modern with the emergence of the empirical approach to nature and human critical rationality surveying the long evolutionary process of which we are part, the deep questions of human existence had long engaged the human family. The mythology of ancient peoples, the great religions as they emerged addressed those questions. From our historical perspective it is easy to expose their naivete´ in terms of our knowledge of the evolution of nature, the emergence of the human. God, caricatured as an old superman with flowing beard pulling the strings of the universe, can easily be mocked and a three-story universe with heaven above and hell beneath, assumed by ancient religious conceptuality, becomes laughable. Add to that outmoded cosmology and God-concept all the anguish of religious conflict, violence, war and one doesn’t have to be terribly profound to make a case for the abolition of religion in the cause of human wellbeing. The contemporary militant atheists such as Richard Dawkins, Sam Harris, Christopher Hitchens have fodder enough for their anti-religion campaign. And then there are the softer attacks by New Age types who suggest spirituality as opposed to religion, failing to recognize religion is simply the form one’s spirituality takes and spirituality without practice – prayer, ritual, liturgy – and community is weak pablum. David S. Toolan, S.J., has written insightfully on the subject of New Age spirituality. In CrossCurrents, a journal of The Association for Religious and Intellectual Life, Fall, 1996, he wrote an excellent piece, “Harmonies, Convergences and All That: New Age Spirituality.” Under the heading “Testing Syncretism” Toolan writes, Almost by definition popular movements are out of balance – and this one is. In part, the imbalance is a reaction to an aberration at the heart of organized Christianity, to the fact that for centuries both Catholic and Protestant churches inverted a great Pauline maxim, conveying the impression that where grace abounds, sin doth more abound. For that very reason, both the churched and the unchurched draw a distinction these days between “organized religion” (bad) and “spirituality” (good). The latter has to do with experiential practice – the kind of thing parishes too rarely offer but the local spiritual growth center does in profusion. (p. 376) © 2013 Kaufman Interfaith Institute and Grand Valley State University �Life’s Deepest Questions Richard A. Rhem Page10   There you have it – “a reaction to an aberration” – as the militant atheists rail against an old Theism built on a worldview undone by the progress of scientific knowledge. Toolan concludes his critique of New Age Spirituality thus: Your average New Ager has discovered the interior life and is captivated by the vision of being a responsible global citizen, a one-worlder. But all too often the energy of this vision, unsupported by any institutional means of realization, is drained away by the individualistic habit of turning everything into a consumer item for the exclusive benefit of the omnivorous self. New Age spirituality is not Buddhist enough, not selfnoughting enough. And let me say it outright: it is not Catholic enough, in the sense of a commitment to a church that denies us the luxury of retreating to a private enclave of the like-minded when hell rages on our streets and paradise is indefinitely postponed. One who would face seriously the deep questions of our human existence need not be distressed by the explosion of knowledge of the cosmos, of growing understanding of the history of the human family, the psychological and biological probing of the human person. New knowledge, fresh understanding is to be welcomed. No need to deny scientific development that puts old issues in a new framework. No need to defend old ideas in whatever field – biblical interpretation or credal expression – that obviously reflect understanding now shown to be simply wrong. The reason the advance of human knowledge can be welcomed and theological conceptions and biblical claims need not be defended against that advance is that those credal and biblical claims were simply human beings seeking ways to live and be with life’s deep questions in the framework of their worldview. The ancient religions were affording people of their times ways of being in the presence of mystery – their own best efforts falling short of unveiling the mystery because the mystery cannot be unveiled through intellectual analysis. That is the crucial insight that must be recognized. Once recognized, new knowledge is welcomed, old answers can be discarded, and we can continue to live in the presence of mystery with ancient ritual, communities of faith, realizing that beyond our keenest intellectual pursuit that lays bare the secrets of the universe, there lies a realm/being on which all rests that cannot be penetrated. So what is your one ultimate question to which you would desire an answer? Do you remember the Peggy Lee hit song, “Is That All There Is?” Is That All There Is? I remember when I was a girl Our house caught on fire And I’ll never forget the look on my father’s face As he gathered me in his arms And raced to the burning building out on the pavement © 2013 Kaufman Interfaith Institute and Grand Valley State University �Life’s Deepest Questions Richard A. Rhem And I stood there shivering And watched the whole world go up in flames And when it was all over I said to myself “Is that all there is to a fire?” Is that all there is? And when I was twelve years old My daddy took me to the circus The greatest show on earth And there were clowns And elephants Dancing bears, And a beautiful lady in pink tights flew high above our heads And as I sat there watching I had the feeling that something was missing I don’t know what But when it was all over I said to myself “Is that all there is to the circus?” And then I fell in love With the most wonderful boy in the world We’d take long walks down by the river Or just sit for hours gazing into each other’s eyes We were so very much in love And then one day He went away And I thought I’d die But I didn’t And when I didn’t I said to myself “Is that all there is to love?” I know what you must be saying to yourselves If that’s the way she feels about it Then why doesn’t she just end it all Oh no. not me. I’m not ready for the final disappointment ‘Cause I know just as well as I’m standing here talking to you that when that final moment comes and I’m breathing my last breath I know what I’ll be saying to myself “Is that all there is? © 2013 Kaufman Interfaith Institute and Grand Valley State University Page11   �Life’s Deepest Questions Richard A. Rhem Page12   Is that all there is? If that’s all there is, my friends, then let’s keep dancing Let’s break out the booze and have a ball If that’s all there is Good question; not, in my opinion, a very good response. If we can’t find an intellectual answer to our deep life questions, where do we turn? How about the way of the heart? Pascal famously said, “The heart has reasons the reason knows not of.” The knowing of the brain is not our only way to know, maybe not even our most important when it comes to life’s ultimate issues. What is ultimate reality? Mystery. But is that all we can say? I value the suggestion, the claim of John’s Gospel and the First Letter of John. In the Gospel, chapter one, we read, “No one has seen God.” That is repeated in I John 4:12. So mystery is acknowledged. But in John 1:14 the “Word” (Logos in Greek –the rationality of the universe) becomes “flesh” – human and, according to the Gospel writer, the human is the clue to the mystery of God. And the writer of I. John goes further – God is love and the one who dwells in love dwells in God. I take it what we have acknowledged cannot be known intellectually can be experienced _ the experience of the heart where love dwells. This has been a growing edge for me – Rifkin’s Empathic Civilization argues persuasively that empathy is at the core of the human. Sorokin in The Way and Power of Love argues powerfully that love is at the core of the cosmos, the grain of the universe. Jesus said, be Godlike – love your enemies. Love, compassion, grace – those are the ingredients of a fully human existence. Finally one must choose – the way of intellect which hits a wall or the way of the heart that experiences the heart of the mystery. The two ways are set forth starkly by two great thinkers – the biologist Jacque Monod and the theologian Hans Küng. The alternatives are matters of the posture of the heart. It is a matter of looking at the data, and then trusting or not trusting. Jacque Monod is a world-class biologist, a Nobel prize winner who wrote the book Chance and Necessity. What he describes in these little lines that I will read could very well be the modern description of the human situation to which the writer of Ecclesiastes referred. Monod writes this, “If he [that is, the human person] accepts this negative message, [that is, what he can read from the human situation, the cosmological situation], in its full significance, then one must at least awake out of his millinery dream and discover his total solitude, his fundamental isolation. He must realize that, like a gypsy, he lives on the boundary of an alien world, a world that is deaf to his music, and as indifferent to his hopes as it is to his sufferings or his crimes.” That is honest and hard hitting, and clear eyed. If there is no one home in the universe, then we are alone and the world is deaf to our music. The world is indifferent to our hopes, to our © 2013 Kaufman Interfaith Institute and Grand Valley State University �Life’s Deepest Questions Richard A. Rhem Page13   sufferings, to our crimes. So says Monod, so says the writer of Ecclesiastes. That’s as much as you can decipher. That’s as much as you can discern just from the observation of human experience. An equally intelligent twentieth-century person, Hans Küng, in his book Does God Exist? Wrote this: (This is the other side of the other side of the coin. This is written by one who trusts.) “To trust in an eternal life means, in reasonable trust, in enlightened faith, in tried and tested hope. To rely on the fact that I shall be one day fully understood, freed from guilt, and definitively accepted and can be myself without fear, that my impenetrable and ambivalent existence…” He agrees with Monod, he agrees with the writer to the Ecclesiastes – “my impenetrable and ambivalent existence.” Like the profoundly discordant history of humanity as a whole will finally one day become profoundly transparent, and the question of the meaning of history one day finally be answered. Finally one must choose. In my experience it is the way of the heart that brings peace and wellbeing. Recently I conducted a funeral. There were wonderful tributes offered about the deceased – a fine human being who had done so much good for so many. The family brought his favorite CD, Ronan. It is by an Irish tenor, Ronan Tynan. The number selected was “Going Home” whose two verses were separated by “Amazing Grace.” The music was beautifully rendered. When it was over that whole large gathering sat in quiet peace - it was a beautiful moment. The impact was palpable. Reasoned discourse has its place; no denigration of that. But music is another medium; it moves the heart and suddenly one “knows” what cannot be known – and all is well. Whatever is your deepest question, listen with your heart to the music of the universe – and you will know beyond knowing and all will be well all will be well all manner of things will be well. References: Gordon D. Kaufman. In Face of Mystery: A Constructive Theology. Harvard University Press, 1995. David S. Toolan, S.J., “Harmonies, Convergences and All That: New Age Spirituality,” CrossCurrents, Fall, 1996. © 2013 Kaufman Interfaith Institute and Grand Valley State University � https://digitalcollections.library.gvsu.edu/files/original/5c0538bfe5d6875752229b6db4cc30b4.m4v 1aa0cf824ab629b26d6bcba366b47a1b Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource Richard A. Rhem Collection Description An account of the resource Text and sound recordings of the sermons, prayers, services, and articles of Richard Rhem, pastor emeritus of Christ Community Church in Spring Lake, Michigan, where he served for 37 years. Starting in the mid 1980's, Rhem began to question some of the traditional Christian dogma that he had been espousing from the pulpit. That questioning was a first step in a long and interesting spiritual journey, one that he openly shared with his congregation. His journey is important, in part because it is reflective of the questioning, the yearnings, and the gradual revision of beliefs that many persons in this part of the century have experienced and continue to experience. It is important also because of the affirming and inclusive way his questioning was done and his thinking evolved. His sermons and other written and spoken materials together document the steps in his journey as it took a turn in 1985, yet continued to revolve around the framework and liturgies of the Christian calendar. Subject The topic of the resource Clergy--Michigan Reformed Church in America Christ Community Church (Spring Lake, Mich.) Religion Interfaith worship Sermons Sound Recordings Creator An entity primarily responsible for making the resource Rhem, Richard A. Source A related resource from which the described resource is derived <a href="https://gvsu.lyrasistechnology.org/repositories/2/resources/514">Richard A. Rhem papers (KII-01)</a> Publisher An entity responsible for making the resource available Grand Valley State University. University Libraries. Special Collections & University Archives. Contributor An entity responsible for making contributions to the resource Kaufman Interfaith Institute Rights Information about rights held in and over the resource <a href="http://rightsstatements.org/page/InC/1.0/?language=en">In Copyright</a> Language A language of the resource English Type The nature or genre of the resource Sound Text Identifier An unambiguous reference to the resource within a given context KII-01 Coverage The spatial or temporal topic of the resource, the spatial applicability of the resource, or the jurisdiction under which the resource is relevant 1981-2014 Format The file format, physical medium, or dimensions of the resource audio/mp3 text/pdf Sound A resource primarily intended to be heard. Examples include a music playback file format, an audio compact disc, and recorded speech or sounds. Event Lakeshore Interfaith Center Gathering Scripture Text Job 23:1-10, Ecclesiastes 3:1-22, John 1:1, 14, 18, I John 4:7-8, 12, 16 Location The location of the interview Lakeshore Interfaith Center, Ganges References Gordon D. Kaufman. In Face of Mystery: A Constructive Theology. Harvard University Press, 1995, David S. Toolan, "Harmonies, Convergences an All That: New Age Spirituality," CrossCurrents, Fall, 1996. Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Identifier An unambiguous reference to the resource within a given context KII-01_RA-0-20110821 Date A point or period of time associated with an event in the lifecycle of the resource 2011-08-21 Title A name given to the resource Life's Deepest Questions Before the Mystery of God Creator An entity primarily responsible for making the resource Richard A. Rhem Rights Information about rights held in and over the resource <a href="http://rightsstatements.org/page/InC/1.0/?language=en">In Copyright</a> Subject The topic of the resource Clergy--Michigan Reformed Church in America Christ Community Church (Spring Lake, Mich.) Sermons Relation A related resource Richard A. Rhem - An Archive of Sermons, Prayers, Talks and Stories: http://richardrhem.org/ Language A language of the resource eng Type The nature or genre of the resource Moving Image Text Description An account of the resource A sermon given by Richard A. Rhem (Dick) on August 21, 2011 entitled "Life's Deepest Questions Before the Mystery of God", on the occasion of Lakeshore Interfaith Center Gathering, at Lakeshore Interfaith Center, Ganges. Scripture references: Job 23:1-10, Ecclesiastes 3:1-22, John 1:1, 14, 18, I John 4:7-8, 12, 16. Format The file format, physical medium, or dimensions of the resource video/x-m4v application/pdf Publisher An entity responsible for making the resource available Grand Valley State University. University Libraries. Lemmen Library and Archives God as Mystery Hebrew Scriptures Wisdom Literature https://digitalcollections.library.gvsu.edu/files/original/686ab0302ef1f60719fb47991062bc51.pdf 0756dc0df8c9aecd7035a5deb59c1d96 PDF Text Text Only a Poem Will Do When Gratitude Fills the Heart Psalm 16:5-11; Philippians 4:4-7; Matthew 6: 25-34 Richard A. Rhem St. John’s Episcopal Church Grand Haven, Michigan Thanksgiving Service, November 20, 2011 My good friend Ed Post said to me once, “You would have been really good if you had had time to think!” Whether he was right or not, I’m not sure but this I know: too much time to think can be the paralysis of preaching. Preaching only every once in a while, I have too much time to think about it. Certain ideas emerge and some sense of what I want to say rests off in the fog. Maybe if I take you on a journey with me you will sense what I am wrestling with and then you can figure out, if you are interested, how you would deal with the questions and issues I am thinking about. If I had been smart I would have announced the meditation title “God, Grace and Gratitude”: God, the source, ground and goal of being, of human being; Grace, the mode of God’s action; Gratitude, the spontaneous response of human beings in face of such grace. Three “G’s” offering good movement and who would argue with that as we move toward Thanksgiving Day? That really is what I want to say; that is what I really do believe and experience and attempt to practice. But I’ve been carrying around a question with me as I’ve been pointing to this meditation: Does gratitude need an object? When gratitude is experienced as a feeling or attitude is it gratitude for something or someone or gratitude to an agent or agency that provided that for which one is grateful? Perhaps you say, no need for the to or the for; gratitude is a stand-alone feeling – a general, unfocused feeling of being thankful. I suspect that is true of most of us at one time or another. However, what if we are pressed – for what are you feeling grateful? To whom are you feeling grateful? Would there not be a person or institution or agency that would come into focus as the trigger of your sense of wellbeing causing the feeling of gratitude? © Grand Valley State University   �Only a Poem Will Do Richard A. Rhem Page 2   In his work The Happiness Hypothesis, Jonathan Haidt asks, Why do some people find meaning, purpose, and fulfillment in life, but others do not? (p. xiii) He explains how he pursues this question: I begin with the culturally widespread idea that there is a vertical, spiritual dimension of human existence. Whether it is called nobility, virtue, or divinity, and whether or not God exists, people simply do perceive sacredness, holiness, or some ineffable goodness in others, and in nature. (p. xiii) In sum, Haidt claims there is a human capacity to be “elevated” in face of some extraordinary human deed or some experience of natural beauty. He writes, My claim is that the human mind perceives a third dimension, a specifically moral dimension that I will call “divinity.” Well, I relax and begin to smile. Here is a fine scholar in the relatively new field of positive psychology who sees in the human a dimension he calls “divinity.” But I am quickly let down as he continues, In choosing the label “divinity,” I am not assuming that God exists and is there to be perceived. (I myself am a Jewish atheist.) Rather, my research on the moral emotions has led me to conclude that the human mind simply does perceive divinity and sacredness, whether or not God exists. ( p. 183f) Arriving at this conclusion, Haidt confesses he lost the “smug contempt for religion” he felt in his twenties. He came to recognize “the ancient truth that devoutly religious people grasp, and that secular thinkers often do not: That by our actions and our thoughts, we move up and down on a vertical dimension. (p. 184) But, before I see an opening for God, Haidt clarifies, Even atheists have intimations of sacredness, particularly when in love or in nature. We just don’t infer that God caused those feelings. (p. 193) Does gratitude need an object? – my question as I mull over thoughts for this meditation. Haidt would deny that; something in us elevates in face of natural beauty or human love but gratitude is a stand-alone feeling; it is triggered by natural phenomena but no need to go to the Ground of Being, no need for being in all of its manifestations to have a ground, a source, or meaningful goal. © Grand Valley State University �Only a Poem Will Do Richard A. Rhem Page 3   For one nurtured in and immersed in the biblical tradition, that left me unsatisfied. Does gratitude need an object? My sense, my deepest intuition, is that it does, or, perhaps I could say, it seems natural. We teach our children to say thank you – you. We experience a flaming sunset, we view the raging white water surf or listen to the gentle lapping of the waves on the shore. We gaze on the blackness of the heavens sprinkled with stars as diamonds. We see the beauty and wonder of a child. We feel the rush of love, the experience of care, the expression of tenderness, and for us it is most natural to feel, to express, “Thank God!” In Israel’s tradition the Psalms were the hymnbook expressing that vertical movement of the soul which Haidt describes. Expressions of praise, thanksgiving, and worship, expression of lament and pleading, expressions of joy and celebration. The whole spectrum of human emotion was brought to expression before the God of Israel. The Psalter lesson, Psalm 16:5-11, expresses beautifully the sense of wellbeing and consequent gratitude directed to God as Israel understood and worshiped the Divine. Lord, you have assigned me my portion and my cup; You have made my lot secure. The boundary lines have fallen for me in pleasant places; surely I have a delightful inheritance. (vss. 5-6, NIV) The references in those lines refer to Israel’s settling in “The Promised Land.” The word “portion” is used in the book of Joshua to designate every Israelite’s share in the land (see Joshua 19:9). Thus it represented the possibility of sustenance, life, future. For the Psalmist, God is the source of all these good things….To call God “my cup” suggests the same idea…the word “lot” recalls both the method and the results of apportioning the land in the book of Joshua (18:8,10; 19:51). (The New Interpreter’s Bible, Vol. IV, p. 736) Thus we have in Psalm 16 an expression of good fortune which goes back to a lottery(!), but a lottery overseen by Israel’s God; as Israel understood the process, it was simply the way Divine Providence was executed. The answer to my question – Does gratitude need an object? – The Psalms give eloquent answer: Yes, indeed! “Thanks be to God!” That unquestioned affirmation quite different from the statement I referred to earlier by the Jewish atheist Jonathan Haidt – © Grand Valley State University �Only a Poem Will Do Richard A. Rhem Page 4   Even atheists have intimations of sacredness….We just don’t infer that God caused those feelings.” In the wake of his experience of the risen Lord, the apostle Paul wrote to the Philippian Christians whom he had evangelized that there was available to them a peace beyond human understanding. Do not worry about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving, let your requests be made known to God. And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus. (Philippians 4:6-7) Here again, as with the Psalmist, a deep fundamental trust in God – a God who could be addressed, a God who listened to human requests and granted a peace beyond human understanding – requests brought in the context of thanksgiving. So where are we? A contemporary professor of positive psychology is convinced there is that in the human being that has a capacity to respond to “divinity,” is aware of a sacred dimension whether or not God exists. The biblical tradition from which we stem – the faith of Israel, the Gospel of Jesus as it has come to expression through his disciples and the early Jesus movement – is rooted in the faith understanding of God, creator, redeemer, provident provider and sustainer. On Thursday we will celebrate our annual day of national thanksgiving. How will you express gratitude? Does gratitude need an object? Will it be a prayer of thanksgiving such as the Psalmist or St. Paul would offer? Or might it be simply a quiet awareness that puts you in the presence of the sacred, an awareness that you are blessed, a serenity that arises from a sense of wellbeing? I purchased recently a book by the great scholar of Jesus research, biblical and other ancient texts, James M. Robinson, entitled The Gospel of Jesus. It was published in 2005 as Robinson’s concise summary of the conclusion of all his research. Thus a great scholar condensing the great store of his learning for the benefit of the people who desire to understand the essence of the Good News that came to expression through Jesus’ life and teaching. He states his conclusion already in the introduction: In this Introduction I want to summarize Jesus’ gospel, in as clear language as I can, so that no one can miss his point. The rest of the book will spell it all out in more detail; indeed, the Notes contain the scriptural references, so you can look up as much as you like. But I want to put up © Grand Valley State University �Only a Poem Will Do Richard A. Rhem Page 5   front the outcome of all that, without any cluttering quotations or digressions, so that you do not lose the point. This book is intended less to provide information about Jesus than it is to let you listen to what he had to say back then, so that you can respond to what he may still have to say today. The focus of Jesus’ gospel was God taking the lead in people’s lives, God remaking the world through people who listen to him. Jesus’ favorite idiom for God in action was the “kingdom of God.” A better translation might be the “reign of God” or “God reigning.” This was not a common idiom of his day, to judge by the Jewish texts of his time that have survived, for the idiom is surprisingly rare. Apparently it was Jesus who first made it the central idiom for his message. Since the ideal of God reigning is the main idea Jesus talked about again and again, much of the book focuses on what he meant when he spoke that way. It is an excellent work deserving its own treatment on another occasion, but at the conclusion of his work he addresses both the secularist – those who have “outgrown” the usual church – the standard kind of Christianity – and also the evangelical – those seriously committed to Christianity. It is what he says to the secularist that I find helpful given this discussion of gratitude. Jesus did not point to himself to understand what he was doing or to explain himself to others. He pointed to God so we must listen to his Godtalk if we really want to take him seriously, to understand him. (p. 220) And then to the point I am attempting to make, Robinson states, God-talk is not empty talk. It can be and usually is one way of talking about reality, an important way built into religious cultures. God-talk is like a foreign language – it is just a way of talking about things that is different from the way we are used to. ªp. 220) Robinson points out that we must learn to translate God-talk before we know whether or not it is saying anything of substance. He gives a couple examples of the necessity to understand the language of any particular discourse. The most well known debate from medieval times – How many angels can dance on the point of a needle? Sounds to us so ludicrous but Robinson points out it was a critical discussion about whether some thing can be real without taking up space. It was a profound philosophical debate in the medieval period by some of the best minds. Robinson is simply trying to explain that one must enter the world of any given language – true of philosophical debates; true of God-talk and religious discourse. © Grand Valley State University �Only a Poem Will Do Richard A. Rhem Page 6   These way-out illustrations, oversimplified as they may be, are intended to convince the most secular among you that God-talk is the language in which many substantive issues have been discussed down through the ages. Our rejection of them, indeed at times our ridicule, may be less evidence of our modern superiority than of our superficiality – our inability to understand what is brought to expression in any language other than our own. (p. 224) I find Robinson most helpful. Trying to answer my question, Does gratitude need an object?, by doing empirical research with the language of science by which we lay bare the mysteries of the cosmos will hardly do. In fact, only a poem will do! Thanksgiving is about deep human experience, about feelings, emotions in light of goodness received, love tasted, grace known. It can only be expressed in the language of the heart and our heart “knows” there is a Gracious Source, One in whom we live and move and have our being whose lure of love moves this cosmic drama toward wonders we have not yet dreamed of. No rational dissertation will ever answer the deep question of the heart – only a poem will do! Is it so surprising that the remarkable, gifted, flawed and most amazing human being, Steve Jobs, who died recently looked beyond his family and that circle of love and said, “Oh, wow! Oh, Wow! Oh, Wow! Thanks be to God! References: Jonathan Haidt. The Happiness Hypothesis: Finding Modern Truth in Ancient Wisdom. Perseus Books Group, 2006. James M. Robinson. The Gospel of Jesus: A Historical Search for the Original Good News. HarperOne, 2006. © Grand Valley State University � https://digitalcollections.library.gvsu.edu/files/original/a73c88019fb2a16a1c3a97f887805d22.m4v 6b28d3e981cb486c26dea990263791d2 Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource Richard A. Rhem Collection Description An account of the resource Text and sound recordings of the sermons, prayers, services, and articles of Richard Rhem, pastor emeritus of Christ Community Church in Spring Lake, Michigan, where he served for 37 years. Starting in the mid 1980's, Rhem began to question some of the traditional Christian dogma that he had been espousing from the pulpit. That questioning was a first step in a long and interesting spiritual journey, one that he openly shared with his congregation. His journey is important, in part because it is reflective of the questioning, the yearnings, and the gradual revision of beliefs that many persons in this part of the century have experienced and continue to experience. It is important also because of the affirming and inclusive way his questioning was done and his thinking evolved. His sermons and other written and spoken materials together document the steps in his journey as it took a turn in 1985, yet continued to revolve around the framework and liturgies of the Christian calendar. Subject The topic of the resource Clergy--Michigan Reformed Church in America Christ Community Church (Spring Lake, Mich.) Religion Interfaith worship Sermons Sound Recordings Creator An entity primarily responsible for making the resource Rhem, Richard A. Source A related resource from which the described resource is derived <a href="https://gvsu.lyrasistechnology.org/repositories/2/resources/514">Richard A. Rhem papers (KII-01)</a> Publisher An entity responsible for making the resource available Grand Valley State University. University Libraries. Special Collections & University Archives. Contributor An entity responsible for making contributions to the resource Kaufman Interfaith Institute Rights Information about rights held in and over the resource <a href="http://rightsstatements.org/page/InC/1.0/?language=en">In Copyright</a> Language A language of the resource English Type The nature or genre of the resource Sound Text Identifier An unambiguous reference to the resource within a given context KII-01 Coverage The spatial or temporal topic of the resource, the spatial applicability of the resource, or the jurisdiction under which the resource is relevant 1981-2014 Format The file format, physical medium, or dimensions of the resource audio/mp3 text/pdf Sound A resource primarily intended to be heard. Examples include a music playback file format, an audio compact disc, and recorded speech or sounds. Event Thanksgiving Sunday St. John's Episcopal Church Scripture Text Psalm 16:5-11, Philippians 4:4-7, Matthew 6:23-34 Location The location of the interview St. John's Episcopal Church, Grand Haven References Jonathan Haidt. The Happiness Hypothesis: Finding Modern Truth in Ancient Wisdom, Perseus Books, 2006, James Robinson. The Gospel of Jesus: A Historical Search for the Original Good News. HarperOne, 2006. Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Identifier An unambiguous reference to the resource within a given context KII-01_RA-0-20111120 Date A point or period of time associated with an event in the lifecycle of the resource 2011-11-20 Title A name given to the resource Only a Poem Will Do - When Gratitude Fills the Heart Creator An entity primarily responsible for making the resource Richard A. Rhem Rights Information about rights held in and over the resource <a href="http://rightsstatements.org/page/InC/1.0/?language=en">In Copyright</a> Subject The topic of the resource Clergy--Michigan Reformed Church in America Christ Community Church (Spring Lake, Mich.) Sermons Relation A related resource Richard A. Rhem - An Archive of Sermons, Prayers, Talks and Stories: http://richardrhem.org/ Language A language of the resource eng Type The nature or genre of the resource Moving Image Text Description An account of the resource A sermon given by Richard A. Rhem (Dick) on November 20, 2011 entitled "Only a Poem Will Do - When Gratitude Fills the Heart", on the occasion of Thanksgiving Sunday; St. John's Episcopal Church, at St. John's Episcopal Church, Grand Haven. Scripture references: Psalm 16:5-11, Philippians 4:4-7, Matthew 6:23-34. Format The file format, physical medium, or dimensions of the resource video/x-m4v application/pdf Publisher An entity responsible for making the resource available Grand Valley State University. University Libraries. Lemmen Library and Archives God is Grace Gratitude Thanksgiving https://digitalcollections.library.gvsu.edu/files/original/aeecc18407706389379fff49fc7f1a9e.pdf 56fa8a030d919793a88aa60640caf68a PDF Text Text Love Never Ends Fred Meijer Memorial Service Meditation I Corinthians 13; Luke 10:25-37 Richard A. Rhem Sunshine Community Church Grand Rapids, Michigan November 30, 2011 Let me begin by saying what an honor it is to conduct the funeral of Fred Meijer. That must be obvious; what a man! I’m grateful to the family for inviting me to bring the funeral meditation. As I have been thinking about little else since receiving the call that Fred was stricken and then that he died, Shakespeare’s Julius Caesar came to mind. Caesar has been betrayed by his trusted friend Brutus; he is assassinated, Brutus pointing to Caesar’s ambition and the peril he presented to empire – and then Mark Antony is invited to speak. Remember those lines – “Friends, Romans, countrymen, lend me your ears.” With great irony he says, I come to bury Caesar, not to praise him. The evil that men do lives after them; The good is oft interred with their bones. I smiled as those lines came to my consciousness for I knew at this moment I would be reversing what Mark Antony claimed – I come not to bury Fred Meijer; I come to praise him! In other words, although my roots are Dutch Reformed, this will not be a Calvinist funeral sermon! With Fred, evil was non-existent; the good he has done will live on for generations. Has it not been amazing in the days following Fred’s death how Fred stories have been told, literally by thousands who had the good fortune to be encountered by him and upon whom he bestowed grace, love, compassion and generosity. This was no ordinary human being and I make that claim without fear of contradiction. Where would one begin the list of adjectives by which to describe him? His authenticity, his simplicity, his humility, his generosity, compassion, passion for © 2013 Kaufman Interfaith Institute and Grand Valley State University   �Fred Meijer Memorial Richard A. Rhem Page 2   justice, his brilliance, his courage, his business acumen…but we all know that and we marvel at him – the way he was. But rather than pointing to the amazing human being he was, let me share the dimension of Fred of which I am aware because of experience with him which goes back about a decade. In the 1990’s, serving the congregation of Christ Community in Spring Lake, I stirred up some theological controversy. One of my members was one of Fred’s skiing buddies and Fred would ask him how his preacher was doing. As in the whole spectrum of the human endeavor, so in religion and theology, Fred had an insatiable appetite. He was curious. He had his own very well-honed ideas and insights but he loved thoughtful probing and serious conversation. One day my member suggested lunch and thus began our friendship. What fun it was – he with his brilliant mind and well thought out insights loved to push and prod this preacher as you can imagine. He was delightful, not disrespectful nor rude but acute in pointing to so much in institutional religion and dogma that didn’t fare well before critical thought and common sense. Those were fun conversations and more often than not we were in agreement. A couple of times the lunch included Duncan Littlefair, famed long-time pastor of Fountain Street Church and notorious as the voice of the liberal in the bastion of Dutch Calvinism. I remember the twinkle in Fred’s eyes when he related his first meeting with Duncan. It was at an airport I think. And Fred said to Duncan, “I would come to your church if you weren’t so conservative!” I’m not sure Duncan quite knew how to respond but Fred had his fun. Well those lunches were feasts and I am not referring to the food. Can you imagine the fun and energy and deep probing that occurred! For about a decade I had had lunch every Tuesday with Duncan at Dubas. The whole theological spectrum was present but the communion transcended our differing perspectives and bonded us into a marvelous community. I relate this to you to explain why I am doing Fred’s funeral. In 2004 I conducted Duncan Littlefair’s funeral and Fred was present. We spoke following the service and, as son Hank said to me yesterday, “I think that is when dad decided he would like you to do his funeral.” I suppose he thought if I could get Duncan into heaven maybe I could assist him too. Well, as a matter of fact, I’ve never known anyone of a deeper spiritual life, who followed the Way of Jesus any more than Fred Meijer. I Corinthians 13 is sometimes called Paul’s Hymn of Love. It reads like a description of Fred. Love is patient; love is kind; love is not envious or boastful or arrogant or rude. It does not insist on its own way; it is not irritable or resentful; it © 2013 Kaufman Interfaith Institute and Grand Valley State University �Fred Meijer Memorial Richard A. Rhem Page 3   does not rejoice in wrong doing, but rejoices in the truth. It bears all things, hopes all things, endures all things. Love never ends. Don’t you recognize Fred in that description of love? Jesus didn’t write letters as did St. Paul; he told stories, and finally it is in story that truth shines most brightly. You are not surprised, I’m sure, that for Fred’s funeral meditation I selected Jesus’ story of the Good Samaritan. The religious establishment was greatly threatened by Jesus because the common people heard him gladly and sensed he carried authority in contrast to the religious “authorities.” So they tried to trip him up. A lawyer put him on the spot with a question: “What must I do to inherit eternal life?” Jesus pointed to the law and asked, “What do you read?” The lawyer answered, “Love God, love your neighbor.” Jesus responded, “Do this and you will live.” But the lawyer wasn’t through. He asked, “And who is my neighbor?” It is in response to that question that Jesus tells the story of the Good Samaritan. The man who is robbed, beaten and left to die is passed by by a priest and a Levite. But the Samaritan – one of the despised ethnic groups – ministers to the wounded man, takes him to an inn and pays his way. In a word, he shows compassion. So Mr. Lawyer, which one was the neighbor? Obviously the one who showed mercy. The story is so simple, so clear; the meaning is so obvious: What do I do to inherit eternal life? Love God and your neighbor. Who is my neighbor? The one in need who crosses your path. Fred Meijer has been a Good Samaritan literally to thousands, has he not? I could wax eloquent at this point, taking the part of the lawyer in the story or the serious Calvinist community in which Fred lived and raise all sorts of theological questions and objections, but I won’t. I think you get my point: Paul’s portrait of love is a portrait of Fred; Jesus’ Good Samaritan who embodies the way to eternal life portrays the way Fred has lived his whole life. Fred didn’t bother much about heaven. When you live heaven on earth for nearly 92 years, why should you? Enough is enough! © 2013 Kaufman Interfaith Institute and Grand Valley State University �Fred Meijer Memorial Richard A. Rhem Page 4   But I wonder…I remember at one of our lunches Fred sat on my left. At one point he leaned forward, looked me in the eye with that irrepressible smile and asked, “How would you answer if someone asked you if they were going to heaven?” Well, I suppose I stumbled and stammered until Fred told me of the time when Lena’s mother, of strong Lutheran faith, failing in health, asked Fred if he thought she would go to heaven. Well, not really certain of pearly gates, yet ever kind and sensitive, he said, “Grandma, if anybody is going to heaven, you are!” Wonderful gracious ambiguity! Thinking about Fred, I hear Paul’s words, “Love never ends.” Paul goes on to acknowledge that now, in our present existence, we “see in a mirror dimly – there is so much we do not know, mysteries we’ve not yet probed. But St. Paul writes, Now we see in a mirror dimly But then face to face. Now I know in part; then I will know fully… Recently another most unusual human being died – Steve Jobs – universally recognized as a genius who has changed our world just as Fred changed retailing. Steve, of course, was no Fred Meijer in human relationships. Through much of his life he was a terror to those who worked for him and, in earlier years, very difficult for his family. But he did mellow and had time to contemplate his death. In her Eulogy, his sister told of his last moments. His family was around him. He looked at them and smiled and then looked beyond them as it were and said, “Oh wow! Oh wow! Oh wow! His last words. Paul writes, "Love never ends.” Fred lived the way to eternal life. He lived a Wow! for all his days. Had I been with him at the end and he popped grandma’s question – “Will I go to heaven?”, my response would have been instant: “If you won’t, I don’t want to!” © 2013 Kaufman Interfaith Institute and Grand Valley State University �Fred Meijer Memorial Richard A. Rhem Page 5   Who knows what mysteries lie before us? But this I do believe: love never ends, and our Good Samaritan who lived so fully, so richly – indeed, who lived a Wow! – is simply amazed by Grace beyond his wildest dream. © 2013 Kaufman Interfaith Institute and Grand Valley State University � https://digitalcollections.library.gvsu.edu/files/original/5c248425cc8a896f0d0947bd4e4c1c9c.m4v 1795d3261f933325257d9f3fef4c8930 Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource Richard A. Rhem Collection Description An account of the resource Text and sound recordings of the sermons, prayers, services, and articles of Richard Rhem, pastor emeritus of Christ Community Church in Spring Lake, Michigan, where he served for 37 years. Starting in the mid 1980's, Rhem began to question some of the traditional Christian dogma that he had been espousing from the pulpit. That questioning was a first step in a long and interesting spiritual journey, one that he openly shared with his congregation. His journey is important, in part because it is reflective of the questioning, the yearnings, and the gradual revision of beliefs that many persons in this part of the century have experienced and continue to experience. It is important also because of the affirming and inclusive way his questioning was done and his thinking evolved. His sermons and other written and spoken materials together document the steps in his journey as it took a turn in 1985, yet continued to revolve around the framework and liturgies of the Christian calendar. Subject The topic of the resource Clergy--Michigan Reformed Church in America Christ Community Church (Spring Lake, Mich.) Religion Interfaith worship Sermons Sound Recordings Creator An entity primarily responsible for making the resource Rhem, Richard A. Source A related resource from which the described resource is derived <a href="https://gvsu.lyrasistechnology.org/repositories/2/resources/514">Richard A. Rhem papers (KII-01)</a> Publisher An entity responsible for making the resource available Grand Valley State University. University Libraries. Special Collections & University Archives. Contributor An entity responsible for making contributions to the resource Kaufman Interfaith Institute Rights Information about rights held in and over the resource <a href="http://rightsstatements.org/page/InC/1.0/?language=en">In Copyright</a> Language A language of the resource English Type The nature or genre of the resource Sound Text Identifier An unambiguous reference to the resource within a given context KII-01 Coverage The spatial or temporal topic of the resource, the spatial applicability of the resource, or the jurisdiction under which the resource is relevant 1981-2014 Format The file format, physical medium, or dimensions of the resource audio/mp3 text/pdf Sound A resource primarily intended to be heard. Examples include a music playback file format, an audio compact disc, and recorded speech or sounds. Event Fred Meijer Memorial Service Meditation Scripture Text I Corinthians 13, Luke 10:25-37 Location The location of the interview Sunshine Community Church, Grand Rapids Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Identifier An unambiguous reference to the resource within a given context KII-01_RA-0-20111130 Date A point or period of time associated with an event in the lifecycle of the resource 2011-11-30 Title A name given to the resource Love Never Ends Creator An entity primarily responsible for making the resource Richard A. Rhem Rights Information about rights held in and over the resource <a href="http://rightsstatements.org/page/InC/1.0/?language=en">In Copyright</a> Subject The topic of the resource Clergy--Michigan Reformed Church in America Christ Community Church (Spring Lake, Mich.) Sermons Relation A related resource Richard A. Rhem - An Archive of Sermons, Prayers, Talks and Stories: http://richardrhem.org/ Language A language of the resource eng Type The nature or genre of the resource Moving Image Text Description An account of the resource A sermon given by Richard A. Rhem (Dick) on November 30, 2011 entitled "Love Never Ends", on the occasion of Fred Meijer Memorial Service Meditation, at Sunshine Community Church, Grand Rapids. Scripture references: I Corinthians 13, Luke 10:25-37. Format The file format, physical medium, or dimensions of the resource video/x-m4v application/pdf Publisher An entity responsible for making the resource available Grand Valley State University. University Libraries. Lemmen Library and Archives Community Good Samaritan https://digitalcollections.library.gvsu.edu/files/original/825350f5eb80af66371989503859dd04.pdf 186ce621cf2f895f1c94b4e5a444377b PDF Text Text The Presence of God in the Face of Love John 1:1-5, 14, 18; I John 4: 7-8, 12, 16 Richard A. Rhem Harbor Unitarian Universalist Congregation Muskegon, Michigan April 29, 2012 God is Love. Such a familiar affirmation; who would argue with that? Doesn’t everyone believe God is Love? But so what? What difference does it make? What has that to do with the everyday reality we live? God is love – has it become perhaps a cliché? It is one of those religious claims in the great traditions in one form or another which is seldom questioned but which too often remains a belief that has little real impact on the manner of our living. Hopefully we live in loving relationships in our families and our communities, but the human family remains divided – where would one begin the catalogue of current conflicts around the globe and the toxic atmosphere we live and breathe in our own nation destroys relationships and human community. One would never suspect that for the majority of us it is assumed that God is love. And that may be why it fails to create loving community – it is a belief but too rarely a practice and good religion is not a matter of belief but practice. Perhaps that is obvious in a community like this but it is far from obvious in much of the Christian Church and I understand that from my own experience. Perhaps the simplest way I can explain my own pilgrimage as a Christian and, indeed, a minister of the Gospel is to say I have moved from being a vertical Christian to being a horizontal Christian. Let me explain what I mean. As a vertical Christian I understood myself as a child of God through Jesus Christ and “through Jesus Christ” meant through his death on the cross as an atonement for my sins, gaining thereby for me forgiveness and peace with God. Jesus as the Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world through his death offered as a sacrifice to God puts me in relationship with God. As it has been popularly expressed, Jesus took the rap for me. This is a vertical transaction – I, now with sins forgiven, am in relationship with God. To be fair, the Heidelberg Catechism on which I was nurtured has three sections: 1. How great my sins and miseries are; 2. How I may be delivered from my sin; © Grand Valley State University   �Presence of God in the Face of Love Richard A. Rhem Page 2   and, thirdly, now moving from the vertical issue with God through Jesus’ atoning death, 3. How I ought to live in gratitude for such salvation. The third section deals with the Ten Commandments and The Lord’s Prayer – the redeemed person lives a life of obedience and prayer and thus a Christian expresses in her life gratitude for salvation. Thus there is a horizontal dimension to the old scheme of salvation I’ve described as vertical, but such an understanding is first and foremost a vertical transaction between God and me. I go into this in such detail because we are talking about two radically different understandings of Christian faith. The traditional, orthodox understanding in which I was nurtured, and which in the early part of my ministry I preached, was marked by God, wholly other and beyond us, who was the focus of salvation out of which was to flow a Christian life of obedience and prayer. So what is the conception of Christian faith I’ve called the horizontal Christian understanding? It is an understanding of Christian faith as experiencing the God who is Love in the love of my brothers and sisters. Such an understanding begins with the affirmation – God is Love – and holds that God is experienced in the concrete love of another. Thus, not in a vertical event through Jesus’ death as atonement opening Heaven’s gates, but in the horizontal human relationships as the medium through which God is experienced. Let me be clear; in moving to Scripture I am selective. The biblical case for the vertical conception of salvation and knowing God is strong. But there is another track and it is that track to which I would point you, a track I believe that has the potential to lift the claim “God is Love” to our attention such that we look for the experience of God in the face of our neighbor and trigger a chain reaction of love that has the potential to transform the human adventure. My lessons are John 1: 1-5, 14, 18 and I John 4: 7-8, 12, 16. John 1:1 reminds us of Genesis 1:1 – the creation of the Word (Logos) of God. Now the Gospel writer will tell the story of Jesus but roots that story in Creation, in Israel’s history. So in John 1:1 he says “In the beginning was the Word (logos).” Someone translated that as “in the beginning was The Divine Intention” – the Divine Intention to effect Creation. And then, to tell the story of Jesus, the writer in verse 14 says, “...the Word (logos) became flesh and lived among us.” The Christian Church speaks of this as the Incarnation; it is the Christmas story in a sentence. The Gospel writer roots the Incarnation in the original creation and then declares that the Eternal Word became enfleshed, became human. Now the clue to the Sacred Mystery is in a human being. In the face of Jesus we get a clue to the Being of God. The writer acknowledges, No one has ever seen God. © Grand Valley State University �Presence of God in the Face of Love Richard A. Rhem Page 3   but he declares, It is God the only Son...who has made God known. That is the Good News of the Christmas Gospel – now we have in human form a clue to the Being of God. But it gets better: I read from John’s First Letter because he picks up the theme and marvelously broadens it. He calls us to love one another because “God is love.” He then picks up the Gospel writer’s acknowledgement, repeating it: No one has ever seen God. It is at that point that the Gospel writer points to Jesus, the Word become flesh, in whose face we see God. But now in the First Letter of John, after repeating, “No one has ever seen God,” this writer greatly expands the Gospel’s claim. Now, not just the face of Jesus as the locus of revelation; now he writes, following the acknowledgement, “No one has ever seen God,” that If we love one another, God lives in us, and His love is perfected in us...God is love, and those who abide in love abide in God and God abides in them. (Note: not those who abide in God abide in love. No, rather amazingly, radically even, he says those who live in love live in God.) Thus the title of my message: “The Presence of God in the Face of Love.” In the Face of Love – the horizontal love of human to human – the Presence of God is known and experienced. God is love. God is known, experienced in loving. Perhaps by now you are wondering if I’m going to tell you anything you didn’t know and believe before you came. And maybe that is my point: God is Love. God is experienced as we love across the whole human community. Ho hum.... And the whole human community continues with war, violence, and conflict. Yesterday’s New York Times had a long article about Israel’s Defense Minister Ehud Barak’s nuancing comments by his Defense Chief, General Gantz, who had seemed to suggest Iran’s leadership was rational, thus seeming to strike a less © Grand Valley State University �Presence of God in the Face of Love Richard A. Rhem Page 4   militant tone than has been that of Barak. As I read the piece my mind was full of the call to love and I realized anew the urgency of moving love out of the arena of personal relationships and into the arena of international affairs. If we don’t, we risk ending the human experiment. I’m reminded of James Carroll’s House of War, in which he documents the rise of American Empire and the domination of Pentagon politics. It was in the wake of our use of atomic bombs over Japan in 1945 that Secretary of War Henry Stimson wrote a memorandum to President Truman. Carroll writes, ...less than a month after Japan’s surrender, and just over a month after the detonation of the Nagasaki bomb, Stimson composed an urgent “Memorandum for the President,” which began, “Subject: Proposed Action for Control of Atomic Bombs.” First Stimson told the president what the dawning of the nuclear age meant: If the atomic bomb were merely another though more devastating military weapon to be assimilated into our pattern of international relations, it would be one thing. We could then follow the old custom of secrecy and nationalistic military superiority relying on international caution to prescribe [sic] future use of the weapon as we did with gas. But I think the bomb instead constitutes merely a first step in a new control by man over the forces of nature too revolutionary and dangerous to fit into the old concepts. I think it really caps the climax of the race between man’s growing technical power for destructiveness and his psychological power of self-control and group-control – his moral power. If so, our method of approach to the Russians is a question of the most vital importance in the evolution of human progress...The crux of the problem is Russia. Carroll comments further: “To put the matter concisely,” Stimson wrote, he proposed that the United States take immediate steps to “enter into an arrangement with the Russians, the general purpose of which would be to control and limit the use of the atomic bomb.” He suggested that by bringing the Soviets into our confidence, they would have reason to believe it when Americans said that “we would stop work on any further improvement in, or manufacture of, the bomb as a military weapon, provided the Russians and the British would agree with us that in no event will they or we use a bomb as an instrument of war unless all three governments agree to that use.” Give up the secret. Give up the monopoly. Give up sovereignty over use. Give up control of existing bombs. Stimson, in the cover letter that accompanied this memo, summed up his proposal by using the word “share” twice. (p. 113f) © Grand Valley State University �Presence of God in the Face of Love Richard A. Rhem Page 5   Tragically Stimson’s counsel was not heeded. Strongly against it was Secretary of State James Byrnes who stood adamantly against any attempt to cooperate with Stalin. Byrnes prevailed and the consequence was the long, costly and dangerous Cold War that caused us to live on the brink of disaster, living in terror of mutual assured destruction. And not only the Cold War but still in the present, North Korea’s saber rattling to say nothing of the threat of a strike on Iran and the potential for a nuclear arms race in the Middle East. One might respond regarding the Stimson Byrnes conflict that I’m operating with 20/20 hindsight. Not so! Rather that critical moment of history with its disastrous results was determined by two different mind-sets, two different spirits – a spirit of trust vs. a spirit of fear. Carroll points out that Stimson was fully aware of Byrnes’ opposition to his position regarding nuclear weapons. Carroll writes, Very much against Byrnes, in one of the most remarkable statements ever made by an American statesman, Stimson presumed to assert in his September 11 letter to Truman, “The chief lesson I have learned in a long life is that the only way you can make a man trustworthy is to trust him; and the surest way to make him untrustworthy is to distrust him and show him your distrust. (p. 114) He speaks of trust. I am speaking of love but they are related. One who loves, trusts. In the reading from First John 4 we read in the 18th verse, “There is no fear in love, but perfect love casts out fear...” A heart that loves enables trust and removes fear. We know that is true in our interpersonal relationships but, as the Stimson memo demonstrates, it is just as true in international affairs. It is universally true because God is Love and Love is God. I lunch weekly with a friend, present here, and we speak of our lunches as our Wednesday Liturgy. Peter Hart has put me on the trail of some major works on this morning’s reflection: Pitirim Sorokin’s The Ways and Power of Love which, incidentally, relates his life work on the study of Love stimulated by the emergence of the Atomic Age; and Jeremy Rifkin’s The Empathic Civilization, which claims it belongs to the core of the human to feel empathy for another human being rather than living over against, by nature aggressive, materialistic, utilitarian and self-interested, basing his claim on recent brain science and child development. In the past few months we have engaged in an internet conversation with his philosopher- theologian brother Hendrik, on various subjects but, somehow or other, the nature of God is never far from the discussion, God as Love and the implications for our lives and human wellbeing. In a recent post “Henk” wrote “Reflections on Love and love” which emerged from our “conversations” via the © Grand Valley State University �Presence of God in the Face of Love Richard A. Rhem Page 6   Internet. He introduced his reflection with reference to his loss of both a daughter and his wife as well as his own health: My daughter Esther died of cancer the Tuesday of Easter week 2007. The moon was full. This year the Easter dates will be the same and the moon will again be full. My wife Anita died December 14, 2009, my birthday. In February my own cancer, almost forgotten, re-entered my life with a potential of death. All of this came together in reflections that appeared in letters and then in a brief summary: Reflections on Love and love Hendrik Hart Lent 2012 I have of late given much thought to ... the meaning of love and Love. I think that, at its core, a human life gains immeasurably in depth and scope when it is exposed to giving or receiving love as the primeval energy of all that is. Once we begin to be in the embrace of Love and begin to experience ourselves as vessels of love, we become aware of an irresistible energy that compels us to become centered, in all we do, in that energy; to seek for ourselves and others peace, justice, joy, life, fulfillment, patience, hope, life and much more. Love then begins to guide us in setting our priorities, distributing our energies, choosing our relationships, valuing our involvements and in so doing fills us with a blessed awareness that whenever and wherever we follow this guidance we find that, step by step but irresistibly, darkness recedes and light spreads. We become driven by a Spirit (Ruah, Wind, Breath) that blows where it wills and that without exception harvests light and life wherever it blows. The more we trust the Presence of Love in our life the more we ourselves become a presence of love in that Presence. That expresses what I would affirm in this meditation: Love is at the core of reality, the creative center of the cosmos. The grain of the universe is Love. It is to love we are called every day in every way to one and all. It is the Way of Jesus for me, a very concrete way to which I am called, which I betray and fail miserably to fulfill. Yet a way I will not deny or rationalize away, a way I will self-consciously cultivate because it compels me. I choose that way and will not give up in spite of falling so far short. Love is the answer to the world’s violence, to humanity’s brokenness and finally Love will prevail because there can be no doubt, Love wins and in the face of Love I experience the Presence of God. No one has ever seen God. To dwell in Love is to dwell in God, for God is Love. © Grand Valley State University �Presence of God in the Face of Love Richard A. Rhem References: James Carroll. House of War: The Pentagon and the Disastrous Rise of American Power. Houghton Miflin Harcourt, 2006. © Grand Valley State University Page 7   � https://digitalcollections.library.gvsu.edu/files/original/5749ebdaaa1e9e20fb8141e28a0ac72e.m4v 6fa49fd4cf4b9cbca9cb7b0cf0a2ae0b Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource Richard A. Rhem Collection Description An account of the resource Text and sound recordings of the sermons, prayers, services, and articles of Richard Rhem, pastor emeritus of Christ Community Church in Spring Lake, Michigan, where he served for 37 years. Starting in the mid 1980's, Rhem began to question some of the traditional Christian dogma that he had been espousing from the pulpit. That questioning was a first step in a long and interesting spiritual journey, one that he openly shared with his congregation. His journey is important, in part because it is reflective of the questioning, the yearnings, and the gradual revision of beliefs that many persons in this part of the century have experienced and continue to experience. It is important also because of the affirming and inclusive way his questioning was done and his thinking evolved. His sermons and other written and spoken materials together document the steps in his journey as it took a turn in 1985, yet continued to revolve around the framework and liturgies of the Christian calendar. Subject The topic of the resource Clergy--Michigan Reformed Church in America Christ Community Church (Spring Lake, Mich.) Religion Interfaith worship Sermons Sound Recordings Creator An entity primarily responsible for making the resource Rhem, Richard A. Source A related resource from which the described resource is derived <a href="https://gvsu.lyrasistechnology.org/repositories/2/resources/514">Richard A. Rhem papers (KII-01)</a> Publisher An entity responsible for making the resource available Grand Valley State University. University Libraries. Special Collections & University Archives. Contributor An entity responsible for making contributions to the resource Kaufman Interfaith Institute Rights Information about rights held in and over the resource <a href="http://rightsstatements.org/page/InC/1.0/?language=en">In Copyright</a> Language A language of the resource English Type The nature or genre of the resource Sound Text Identifier An unambiguous reference to the resource within a given context KII-01 Coverage The spatial or temporal topic of the resource, the spatial applicability of the resource, or the jurisdiction under which the resource is relevant 1981-2014 Format The file format, physical medium, or dimensions of the resource audio/mp3 text/pdf Sound A resource primarily intended to be heard. Examples include a music playback file format, an audio compact disc, and recorded speech or sounds. Event Harbour Unitarian Universalist Church Scripture Text John 1:1-5, 14, 18, I John 4:7-8, 12 & 16 Location The location of the interview Harbor Unitarian Universalist, Muskegon References James Carroll. House of War: The Pentagon and the Disastrous Rise of American Power. Houghton Miflin Harcourt, 2006. Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Identifier An unambiguous reference to the resource within a given context KII-01_RA-0-20120429 Date A point or period of time associated with an event in the lifecycle of the resource 2012-04-29 Title A name given to the resource The Presence of God in the Face of Love Creator An entity primarily responsible for making the resource Richard A. Rhem Rights Information about rights held in and over the resource <a href="http://rightsstatements.org/page/InC/1.0/?language=en">In Copyright</a> Subject The topic of the resource Clergy--Michigan Reformed Church in America Christ Community Church (Spring Lake, Mich.) Sermons Relation A related resource Richard A. Rhem - An Archive of Sermons, Prayers, Talks and Stories: http://richardrhem.org/ Language A language of the resource eng Type The nature or genre of the resource Moving Image Text Description An account of the resource A sermon given by Richard A. Rhem (Dick) on April 29, 2012 entitled "The Presence of God in the Face of Love", on the occasion of Harbour Unitarian Universalist Church, at Harbor Unitarian Universalist, Muskegon. Scripture references: John 1:1-5, 14, 18, I John 4:7-8, 12 & 16. Format The file format, physical medium, or dimensions of the resource video/x-m4v application/pdf Publisher An entity responsible for making the resource available Grand Valley State University. University Libraries. Lemmen Library and Archives God as Love Nonviolence https://digitalcollections.library.gvsu.edu/files/original/b9bc5afd621b0c79fc2c609b05bfea28.pdf 91134d9a9b206554975c414eda3ba4d3 PDF Text Text The Trinity: the Heart Has Reasons Trinity Sunday John 1:1-5, 18; 14:1-20; I John 4:7-8, 12 & 16 Richard A. Rhem Lakeshore Interfaith Center, Mother’s Trust Ganges, Michigan June 3, 2012 Prepared text of the sermon Trinity Sunday, 2012. Over so many years we as a worshipping community – Christ Community in Spring Lake – traversed the Christian liturgical calendar. It became more and more meaningful to me – more significant than the secular calendar January to December. Over and over again, the same feasts and festivals, but always evolving with deeper insight and evolving nuance. And every cycle ends where we are today – Trinity Sunday – the Sunday following Pentecost – reflecting, it seems to me, ancient insight and wisdom, for the story of Jesus is, for the Christian church, the story through which we learn of God, the Sacred Mystery, the source, ground and goal of the whole cosmic drama of which we know more and more, yet whose mystery and infinity only deepen with each new breakthrough in understanding. I selected this Sunday to be here because that would ensure that I would focus once again on the deepest mystery, the most meaningful questions of our human existence. I am one of those strange creatures that continues to wonder about the God Question, the classic philosophical question, Why is there something rather than nothing?– questions about our whence and our whither and the meaning of human existence in the meantime. And, while I do it deliberately and consciously, I suspect to be human is now and again to wonder about the ultimate issues of our human situation. When I had decided to take up the God Question one more time, I came on an online announcement of a class that promised to give a “faith lift” by exploring “the difficult idea of God in light-hearted and easy to grasp ways.” Well, I didn’t sign up! While light hearted is fine, I’m not sure we can talk about God in “easy to grasp ways.” I do hope, however, that as our human story unfolds we can catch a glimpse here and there, now and again, of the Sacred Mystery that embraces us. So we begin. © Grand Valley State University   �The Trinity: the Heart Has Reasons Richard A. Rhem Page 2   But before I deal with the meaning of the Trinity in the Christian tradition I want to reflect with you on the danger of dogma. Dogma is such a familiar term in religious parlance that I can probably take for granted that everyone knows the meaning of the term. Yet precisely such familiarity sometimes misses a term’s nuance and depth. I went to the dictionary. Dogma comes from the Greek – “that which one thinks true, an opinion, decree, from dokein, to think, seem.” Meanings listed: 1. a doctrine; tenet; belief (also collectively); 2. a positive, arrogant assertion of opinion; dogmatic utterance; 3. in theology, a doctrine or body of doctrines formally and authoritatively affirmed. Under “dogmatic”– “asserted a priori or without proof; asserting opinion in a positive or arrogant manner.” Checking the synonyms sheds light on the danger of dogma: “imperious, dictatorial, authoritative, arrogant, magisterial, self-opinionated, positive.” One would hardly feel good having such descriptive terms applied to oneself and I suspect the bad name religion has acquired over centuries and generations is because religions of various traditions and expressions have been seen and experienced to be marked by dogma, experienced as dogmatic, imperious, dictatorial, arrogant and self-opinionated. If dogma is used to describe a religious tradition’s teaching, the word is legitimate – all religious traditions and groups have teachings, tenets, beliefs. But is it not interesting how teaching, belief, opinion slide into dogmatism, into arrogance of opinion without possibility of verification. One meaning of dogma not often understood or admitted is “opinion.” The dictionary defines dogmatic as “asserted a priori” and that points out there is no proof to be offered; in a word, being dogmatic is to assert an opinion unfounded in any verification. There is nothing startlingly new here; however, I have become especially aware of late of the lack of awareness of the nature of religious belief. For example, a current discussion – a noted leader in the fundamentalist wing of Christianity was asked if he thought Romney could win over the conservative evangelical voters. His response was that he thought Romney would run into trouble because his Mormon faith was wrong on the deity of Jesus Christ and therefore wrong on the Trinity. Without the deity of Jesus there is no second member of the Godhead and Trinitarian dogma has been the centerpiece of the Christian tradition. Since I was dealing with the Trinity today, my ears perked up and I smiled to myself. This is precisely my point. The evangelical Christian is certain Christianity is the true religion and Christianity rests on the Triune God. There was not a hint of a recognition that the Trinity is a dogma – a belief authoritatively declared as true with no proof possible – it is an opinion, an a priori assertion. © Grand Valley State University �The Trinity: the Heart Has Reasons Richard A. Rhem Page 3   Obviously I bring this up simply as an illustration of what happens everywhere all the time, by almost everyone. This is the case at least until I begin to see that the Christian creed and my particular tribe within the Christian Church has confessional statements that are not grounded in rational proof and capable of verification, but are beliefs, opinions, authoritatively affirmed. I have had my encounter with the dogmatic claims of the Christian Church. I was reminded of that recently in a conversation with a family member. Chase Bank and Jamie Dimon were in the news and I suggested the fiasco at Chase might help put in place some banking regulations like the Volcker Rule. Not agreeing with me, my loved one reminded me that at one time I left the institutional church chafing under its “regulations.” But I corrected him: it was not my choice to leave; I was put out because where my faith vision was growing I was calling in question rather central beliefs of the church’s dogmatic structure. Every institution needs structure and creeds and confessions have their place. The problem arises when they are viewed as sacred dogmatic structures that disallow fresh insight and growing knowledge. I was reminded of a Sunday morning, I think in 1995 or 1996. I preached at Fountain Street Church and did a follow-up discussion in their chapel. It was jammed, standing room only. In response to a question I remember as if it were yesterday, I said for most of my life and my ministry I had been ignorant and arrogant and the marriage of ignorance and arrogance is dangerous and destructive. Fountain Street Church had a great number of refugees from conservative Grand Rapids churches and with the expression of ignorance wedded to arrogance there was an audible umm across the chapel. The danger of dogma – not that it is not legitimate for a community, a confessional group, a religious tradition to have confessional statements, creeds that reflect what the group believes. The problem comes when such dogma becomes a straitjacket, cutting off ongoing thinking, research and new knowledge available from the respective disciplines of inquiry as well as further meditation on the religious claims of a group, local or global. Perhaps I’m belaboring this point but in today’s cultural and social environment there is such a need of epistemological humility. Epistemology is the theory of how we know what we claim to know. And in the dogmatism that marks so much religious conversation (or is it confrontation), there is so much absolutism on issues that have no proof or disproof by means of reason, of critical thinking. I mentioned above that I was asked to leave the Reformed Church unless I denied my emerging vision of Christian faith, but in the news recently was the story of a congregation that left the Reformed Church of America and left their two million plus dollar building because the RCA was becoming lax and liberal on the matter © Grand Valley State University �The Trinity: the Heart Has Reasons Richard A. Rhem Page 4   of homosexuality – being too open to gay/lesbian persons – contrary to the “Word of God.” Again, I point to a specific instance, not to discuss or debate it, but, as in the case of Romney and the deity of Christ, to illustrate how society, religious and other groups can be divided and set over against each other by dogmatic claims that are without warrant of critical, rational thought. And perhaps that is precisely where the problem lies: The Delusion of Dogma Put simply, the delusion of dogma is that dogma is founded on reason and thus can be declared as true based on reason and demonstrated as true by means of rational analysis and proof. Of course, this is precisely what the dictionary tells us about dogma as we have seen above. It is opinion, belief, a priori assertion – not the consequence of rational analysis. Yet that is how statements of faith, doctrinal position, or belief about, for example, human sexuality are treated. The religious institutions in all their various forms and configurations have claimed to have “the truth,” and not just “their truth” but the truth. Consequently we have all the competing truth claims across the spectrum of religious groups from right to left on the spectrum of opinion. If religious belief, religious conviction, is not based on reason, what is it based on? After all, none of us wants to be a babbling fool claiming as true what a reasonably balanced human being would write off as ridiculous. Let me suggest that dogma arises out of experience. The Source of Dogma This is Trinity Sunday as I said when I began and it has taken me a long time to come back to it, having acknowledged dogma’s danger and its delusion. The danger – the absolutist claims for dogmatic formulations which cause division in the human family and in the extreme instances ignite war and terror. The delusion – that dogma is rooted in reason, capable of rational proof. That is a gloomy picture I have painted thus far. However, if we understand how dogma arises we can come to appreciate its place in our lives, individually and in community. Using the dogma of the Trinity, it is my intention to show dogma’s source in experience. The Trinity is, I suggest, the ultimate expression of the mystery of God or ultimate endeavor to bring to expression the Sacred Mystery. And the early followers of Jesus did not sit around a conference table and brainstorm how they could best confuse future followers of the Way. Much rather, they tried to make sense out of their experience. © Grand Valley State University �The Trinity: the Heart Has Reasons Richard A. Rhem Page 5   Remember these were faithful Jews for whom God was one. Strict monotheism marked Israel. But then they met Jesus and in the brief span of his ministry they experienced humanity in him in another way. Following his death they stayed together and they had experiences of his presence with them – his spirit – such that they believed him alive. A week ago the Church celebrated Pentecost. We speak of it as the birthday of the Church – the outpouring of the Holy Spirit. And they felt empowered to live and to preach the Way of Jesus. The Gospels were written decades later. It is not as though on Pentecost everything became crystal clear. The community remained together. With the vision of the risen Christ Paul experienced, the mission to the Gentiles emerged. In the great cities of the Empire gatherings of followers of Jesus lived in expectation of a return of Jesus in glory to bring to consummation the reign of God. But decades passed and the King did not appear. In Ephesus a community gathered around the Apostle John. From that Johannine Circle has come the Fourth Gospel and the three Epistles of John. I am painting this picture because, in the Johannine writings, I think we are given a picture of the early followers of Jesus, followers of the Way who tried to come to an understanding of their experience. The dogma or teaching of the Trinity was a gradual development over those first decades and even centuries as the Jesus Movement tried o articulate what they experienced in their meeting Jesus and what that meant for their understanding of God. The Fourth Gospel is considered the most theologically reflective of the Gospels, the other three grouped as synoptic in that they, with differences, nonetheless read more like biographical story telling. In John we have a community near the end of the first century reflecting on what the “Christ Event” signified. Particularly in the Gospel and the Epistles we have the raw material that entered eventually into Trinitarian deliberation. For example: John 1:1. “In the beginning was the logos (Word)”, bringing our minds back to the creation story – Genesis 1:1. And John 1:14 – The Logos (Word) became flesh – the Incarnation – the event we celebrate at Christmas. And interestingly, in the 18th verse – no one has ever seen God. It is God the only Son...who has made him known.” The intention of this Gospel is clear: to tell the story of Jesus as the revealer of God, as one with God in Creation, as one who became human, as the one who revealed the God no one has ever seen. All of that is in the first 18 verses – the Prologue. Let me move to just one more passage, one of my favorites, John 14: 1-20. We have here Jesus speaking and also a conversation with Thomas and then with Philip. I may be wrong but I see these conversations as created by the writer decades later. Certainly, in an oral © Grand Valley State University �The Trinity: the Heart Has Reasons Richard A. Rhem Page 6   culture stories and sayings were memorized and passed on; that is possible. However it seems more likely to me that such conversations as recorded in John 14 were created to move the story along effecting the writer’s purpose to reveal the way in which Jesus in human flesh was the clue to the eternal, invisible God. In this context Jesus says he will be leaving them and they cannot follow at this time – but don’t be troubled – trust. Then he says he is going on before them to a place they know. But Thomas doesn’t know: “...we do not know where you are going. How can we know the way?” Then follows the familiar words that have caused so much Christian exclusivism: “I am the Way and the Truth and the Life. No one comes to the Father except through me.” Now the writer’s purpose is further clarified. Jesus says, “If you know me, you will know my Father also. From now on you do know Him and have seen Him.” Well, that sets up another instance where a disciple asks the question we would have wanted to ask. Philip says, “Lord, show us the Father, and we will be satisfied.” Obviously, to my mind, that is a set-up question to let Jesus make this amazing claim: Have I been with you all this time, Philip, and you still do not know me? Whoever has seen me has seen the Father. How can you say, ‘Show us the Father?’ Then follows, at least for me, words difficult to understand. The claim is clear but the whole idea of mystical union, mutual indwelling – I admit I find difficult to figure out: Do you not believe that I am in the Father and the Father is in me? Jesus continues, claiming his words and works are the words and works of the Father. As I indicated above I don’t see these interchanges as verbatim records of conversations in the days of Jesus’ brief ministry. It is far more illuminating for me to picture that early Christian community near the end of the first century trying to figure out what had encountered the disciples and those present in the days of his flesh. The Word became flesh – No one has seen God. The enfleshed Word makes God known. Show us the Way. I am the Way. Show us the Father. © Grand Valley State University �The Trinity: the Heart Has Reasons Richard A. Rhem Page 7   If you have seen me you have seen the Father. And then skipping down a few verses: I will ask the Father, and He will give you another Advocate to be with you forever. This is the Spirit... Now from this same early Christian community we have the three letters of John – not necessarily from the writer of the Fourth Gospel but from the same circle. Put these claims from I John together with the above. The First Letter opens: We declare to you what was from the beginning, what we have heard, what we have seen with our eyes, what we have looked at and touched with our hands, concerning the word of life. Concrete encounters to say the least. In the fourth chapter we have the familiar declaration “God is love.” Connecting to the Gospel John 1:18, the words are repeated: No one has ever seen God. And then a fascinating change from the Gospel. That early community living far from Jerusalem and the days of Jesus’ flesh are not directed to Jesus as the place of revelation but rather to each other. No one has ever seen God. If we love one another, God lives in us and His love is perfected in us. And then there is a mention of the Spirit. By this we know that we abide in Him and He in us, because He has given us of His Spirit. Once again it is repeated – God is love, and those who abide in love abide in God, and God abides in them. I have overloaded you with Scripture but I do so with purpose – to ground my claim that the source of dogma is experience. In the wake of Jesus’ life, death and sensed continuing presence in the community through the Holy Spirit, those who encountered him and those who were drawn into the ongoing and growing community tried to understand what they had experienced. That is how I read the Fourth Gospel and the First Letter of John. Telling the story to be sure. Telling the story so a widening circle would believe and find life in Jesus – in the © Grand Valley State University �The Trinity: the Heart Has Reasons Richard A. Rhem Page 8   community of Jesus’ followers. From the beginning there was community, there were Eucharistic meals, baptisms and gatherings to praise God. Prayers, sacraments, symbols, no doubt growing liturgy – the community gathered, remembered, prayed and praised. And, quite naturally I suspect, they tried to understand their experience. The first five centuries saw intensive action, mostly centering in the nature of Jesus. It was a pitched battle at times – excommunications and intense struggle and, of course, once orthodoxy – that is, right opinion/teaching – was achieved, the church had a full-blown philosophical/theological formulation that was far removed from experience. My point is that experience came first. There would have been no arcane philosophical documents and creedal formulas had not something happened in history that transformed persons and created community. However, once the Church, using Greek philosophical formulas, defined theologically the deity of Jesus, and of the Spirit and their inclusion in the Godhead, orthodoxy was established and thus “right belief.” That brings us back to where we began. Now dogma became dangerous because it could be used coercively to shut down further reflection on experience as new knowledge emerged. Further, the orthodox church lived under the delusion that God was defined and understood, all the while still speaking of Mystery. Thank God, once defined, the dogma of the Trinity did not preclude experience, and with religious practice – liturgy, prayers, music, sacramental observance – God still was alive in the lives of God’s people. I have used the dogma of the Trinity on this Trinity Sunday to show the danger and delusion of dogmatic creedal propositions that shut down fresh apprehension of the Mystery of Being. In his In Face of Mystery, Gordon Kaufman tells the story of the evolving, ever emerging cosmic drama, including the emergence and evolution of the human. As he paints the drama of the cosmos evolving and the emergence of the human, he recognizes that we are really the first humans who have the privilege of the backward glance of 13.7 billion years from the Big Bang. In light of all we know at this point of the Big Bang, the expanding universe, Einstein’s Theory of Relativity, the interchangeability of matter and energy and all that is far beyond my capacity to understand or convey, Kaufman, in the next to the last section, Part IV, concludes the section with a chapter entitled, “A Trinitarian God.” In the course of this discussion, Kaufman explains: In this interpretation of Christian faith, the symbol “God” is intended to designate (a) the ultimate reality (mystery) with which we humans have to do, a reality regarded as the creativity which is at work in and through all © Grand Valley State University �The Trinity: the Heart Has Reasons Richard A. Rhem Page 9   things (first motif); that which (b) is thus present and with all realities of our world – all that we can experience, know, or imagine – as that which enables them to be real, their very “reality” so to speak (third motif); and which c) is at work, therefore, within the evolutionary-historical trajectory which has produced our humanness and is moving us toward a more profound humaneness, a trajectory manifest in and paradigmatically identifiable by the Christ-event (second motif). (p. 423) After a marvelous portrayal of the cosmic drama of which we are a part, a theologian concludes with a Trinitarian scheme – a conception he assures us is not the Trinity of St. Augustine, for example: By ‘God’ then, Christian faith and Christian theology (in the interpretation presented here) are far from meaning some mythic being ‘up in heaven’ ruling the world from on high, a being who one day sent ‘his’ son to earth to appease the wrath of the father and thus save humans from everlasting torment. (The early formulations of Trinitarian doctrine already ruled out that sort of mythology as heretical.) In this articulation of the Trinitarian idea, I have attempted to overcome the reifying effects of the traditional Trinitarian metaphors (‘substance,’ ‘persons,’ et cetera), thus freeing us to see ‘trinity’ as a concept that specifies the central motifs of the Christian understanding of God while simultaneously holding them together in indissoluble unity... ª p. 422) Let me try to express Kaufman’s profound representation of the Trinity – the Sacred Mystery or Source; the Spirit enlivening every atom, molecule, human being, indeed every aspect of cosmic reality; and, the Word enfleshed as the clue to the nature of the Sacred Mystery of Being. We speak of God because God reveals God’s self in our human flesh; indeed, God identifies with our humanity. We see, we hear, we touch the Word made flesh. God is mirrored in a human face. That is the Christian claim. Something can be known of the nature and character of the ultimate Mystery of God because it has come to expression in the human. The Christian idea of the Trinity goes one step further; it claims that that ultimate Mystery whose nature and character are expressed in a human life is really the life of all that is – that the whole of reality is in-spirited with God. Nothing exists without the life, the breath of God which animates all that is. All of that is not so difficult; in fact, it is quite obvious. The Ultimate Mystery-God must hold all things in being, must be pervasively present in all things, the source, the energy, the creative center, moving the whole along the emerging, the unfolding of the bio-historical evolutionary process. Thus God’s Spirit – the wind, the breath that is enlivening – is pervasive. And the Ultimate Mystery, if it would be known, must show itself, communicate its nature and intention. Thus, the © Grand Valley State University �The Trinity: the Heart Has Reasons Richard A. Rhem Page10   intention or idea of the Mystery “lands,” so to speak, in history, takes on flesh, shows itself. And so it is the claim of the Christian revelation that the character and nature and intention of God can be read off the face of Jesus Christ – flesh of our flesh and bone of our bone. That is what the Christian religion – that is, Christian theology or doctrine or dogma– claims. It is an attempt to articulate the experience that grounded and founded the Christian movement. We are thinking animals; we want to understand our experience and so we reflect and we do our best to put experience in word and concepts. Those words and concepts are not the experience; they are a step or more removed from the experience. To understand the doctrine of the Trinity is not the same as having the experience of God. Yet, the concept arises out of experience. As fascinating, profound, even moving as the Trinity is in reflection on its meaning, it is not knowledge, not theological acumen that brings us the depth of experience of the Sacred Mystery that is the source, ground and goal of all that is. Finally it is experience, and experience is the result of practice – devotion, worship with liturgy, sacrament and song – in community that forms us and brings us to trust, to rest, to experience the presence of the Sacred Mystery we call God. I received a call from an old friend about ten days ago – old as in a long-time friendship and old as in being even a couple years older than I am. His email name is “Dutch Marine.” That gives you a hint about him – very Dutch and very much a Marine. He moved from Spring Lake a few years ago to the north country but he keeps in touch. Every so often he calls, usually asking how it is with my soul and how I am with Jesus. And then also, “How’s your weight?”! He usually reports on the small local churches in his small village – Methodist, Baptist, whatever. After our usual conversation, he said the previous Sunday he had attended the local Methodist church because they were having a hymn sing. He said, “We sang all the old hymns. I loved it!” But then, he said, two old men got up and sang a duet, “The Old Rugged Cross.” He told me how they sang with such deep emotion, obviously moved by the old hymn and, in their singing, deeply moved my friend. He said to me, I thought of you and I thought, ‘Richard, I know the theology is wrong but that didn’t matter – Those old men believed it and they loved that hymn and I loved it too! It brought tears to my eyes. Wrong theology, I know, but powerful and I loved it!’ After years of preaching and teaching, of shaping and forming a community, an old friend says, “Richard, I know the theology is wrong but it moved me!” And in all honesty I could say, “Good, I understand. The theology is not important.” © Grand Valley State University �The Trinity: the Heart Has Reasons Richard A. Rhem Page11   Could you believe I said that? The theology is not important! Well, I did and I meant it in that context. An old hymn from a person’s childhood and youth, even into middle age – a beloved hymn, familiar words and tune – I suspect many of you could sing it right here and now – On a hill far away stood an old rugged cross, The emblem of suffering and shame; And I love that old cross where the dearest and best For a world of lost sinners was slain. Refrain: So I’ll cherish the old rugged cross, Till my trophies at last I lay down; I will cling to the old rugged cross, And exchange it some day for a crown. O that old rugged cross, so despised by the world, Has a wondrous attraction for me; For the dear Lamb of God left His glory above To bear it to dark Calvary. Refrain In that old rugged cross, stained with blood so divine, A wondrous beauty I see, For ‘twas on that old cross Jesus suffered and died, To pardon and sanctify me. Refrain To the old rugged cross I will ever be true; Its shame and reproach gladly bear; Then He’ll call me some day to my home far away, Where His glory forever I’ll share. That old hymn touches old chords that vibrate once more. It fills mind and heart with sacred moments, old memories, settings, associations and one is moved. Good religion does that because we are finally not rational animals ruled by our head but emotional animals ruled by our heart. With two old men singing an old, beloved hymn it was not the moment to protest that Jesus died because of our sins, not to atone for them. Not the time to insist that it was the way Jesus lived that caused the way he died. There is a time and place for that. There was a time when I came to see that the death of Jesus as an atoning sacrifice for human sin was the heart of a religious exclusivism I could no longer affirm. © Grand Valley State University �The Trinity: the Heart Has Reasons Richard A. Rhem Page12   That growing, evolving understanding on my part which I shared with my people effected new symbols, liturgy, hymns but in no way removed deep emotional attachment to the earlier symbols and liturgical movements which shaped one, nor should that happen because those deep places in the heart remain alive and move us still. A week ago Sunday was Pentecost. It was very warm so the air conditioning kept me in through the afternoon and early evening. But an hour before sunset I went out to our bluff overlooking Lake Michigan. There was a balmy breeze and the setting sun sent a path of gold to our shore. I reflected on Pentecost as celebrated in the Christian liturgical calendar – the breath of God, the Spirit of Jesus poured out on the waiting world. And I thought of today, Trinity Sunday. In that setting all of nature was alive and singing – every blade of dune grass, every fluttering leaf, every foaming wave as it caressed the sandy shore, the golden sun, the balmy breeze, and I was reminded of Barbara Brown Taylor’s description of the cosmos shot through with divinity, with God, in her Physics and Faith: The Luminous Web. She writes, When I am dreaming quantum dreams, the picture I see is more like that web of relationships – an infinite web, flung across the vastness of space like a luminous net. It is made of energy, not thread. As I look, I can see light moving through it like a pulse moving through veins. I know the light is an illusion, since what I am seeing moves faster than light, but what I see out there is no different from what I feel inside. There is a living hum that might be coming from my neurons but might just as well be coming from the furnace of the stars. When I look up at them there is a small commotion in my bones, as the ashes of dead stars that house my marrow rise up like metal filings toward the magnet of their living kin. Where is God in this picture? All over the place. Up there. Inside my skin and out. God is the web, the energy, the space, the light – not captured in them, as if any of those concepts were more real than what unites them, but revealed in that singular, vast net of relationship that animates everything that is. Marvelous imagery! The whole of reality saturated with the Spirit, the breath, that is the energy of the Sacred Mystery we call God, a Sacred Mystery we describe as Love because, at one moment in the luminous web that enlivens all that is, a face appeared – the Logos (Word) became flesh, and God, the X factor, that abstract Ground, Source and Goal of all there is became concrete. Now there was a clue as to the nature of the originating, everything-permeating, infinite Mystery that takes our breath away and gives us breathing room. A deep sense of well being filled me, being one with the whole cosmic wonder resonant with God, and I began to sing... © Grand Valley State University �The Trinity: the Heart Has Reasons Richard A. Rhem Page13   On a hill far away stood an old rugged cross, The emblem of suffering and shame; And I love that old cross where the dearest and best For a world of lost sinners was slain. I had to smile at myself. But I thought of my conversation with my friend who teared up at two old men singing George Bernard’s old hymn and I was acutely aware once again that the heart has reasons and Reason can’t touch them. © Grand Valley State University � https://digitalcollections.library.gvsu.edu/files/original/09861d9a358e1f3cffe3c3950ea9db3f.m4v 33cd092aa5167bf61d136af72f64141e Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource Richard A. Rhem Collection Description An account of the resource Text and sound recordings of the sermons, prayers, services, and articles of Richard Rhem, pastor emeritus of Christ Community Church in Spring Lake, Michigan, where he served for 37 years. Starting in the mid 1980's, Rhem began to question some of the traditional Christian dogma that he had been espousing from the pulpit. That questioning was a first step in a long and interesting spiritual journey, one that he openly shared with his congregation. His journey is important, in part because it is reflective of the questioning, the yearnings, and the gradual revision of beliefs that many persons in this part of the century have experienced and continue to experience. It is important also because of the affirming and inclusive way his questioning was done and his thinking evolved. His sermons and other written and spoken materials together document the steps in his journey as it took a turn in 1985, yet continued to revolve around the framework and liturgies of the Christian calendar. Subject The topic of the resource Clergy--Michigan Reformed Church in America Christ Community Church (Spring Lake, Mich.) Religion Interfaith worship Sermons Sound Recordings Creator An entity primarily responsible for making the resource Rhem, Richard A. Source A related resource from which the described resource is derived <a href="https://gvsu.lyrasistechnology.org/repositories/2/resources/514">Richard A. Rhem papers (KII-01)</a> Publisher An entity responsible for making the resource available Grand Valley State University. University Libraries. Special Collections & University Archives. Contributor An entity responsible for making contributions to the resource Kaufman Interfaith Institute Rights Information about rights held in and over the resource <a href="http://rightsstatements.org/page/InC/1.0/?language=en">In Copyright</a> Language A language of the resource English Type The nature or genre of the resource Sound Text Identifier An unambiguous reference to the resource within a given context KII-01 Coverage The spatial or temporal topic of the resource, the spatial applicability of the resource, or the jurisdiction under which the resource is relevant 1981-2014 Format The file format, physical medium, or dimensions of the resource audio/mp3 text/pdf Sound A resource primarily intended to be heard. Examples include a music playback file format, an audio compact disc, and recorded speech or sounds. Event Lakeshore Interfaith Center Gathering Scripture Text John 1:1-5, 18, 14:1-20, I John 4:7-8, 12, 16, In Location The location of the interview Lakeshore Interfaith Center, Ganges References Gordon Kaufman, The Face of Mystery, Barbara Brown Taylor, Physics and Faith: The Luminous Web Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Identifier An unambiguous reference to the resource within a given context KII-01_RA-0-20120603 Date A point or period of time associated with an event in the lifecycle of the resource 2012-06-03 Title A name given to the resource The Trinity: The Heart Has Reasons Creator An entity primarily responsible for making the resource Richard A. Rhem Rights Information about rights held in and over the resource <a href="http://rightsstatements.org/page/InC/1.0/?language=en">In Copyright</a> Subject The topic of the resource Clergy--Michigan Reformed Church in America Christ Community Church (Spring Lake, Mich.) Sermons Relation A related resource Richard A. Rhem - An Archive of Sermons, Prayers, Talks and Stories: http://richardrhem.org/ Language A language of the resource eng Type The nature or genre of the resource Moving Image Text Description An account of the resource A sermon given by Richard A. Rhem (Dick) on June 3, 2012 entitled "The Trinity: The Heart Has Reasons", on the occasion of Lakeshore Interfaith Center Gathering, at Lakeshore Interfaith Center, Ganges. Scripture references: John 1:1-5, 18, 14:1-20, I John 4:7-8, 12, 16, In . Format The file format, physical medium, or dimensions of the resource video/x-m4v application/pdf Publisher An entity responsible for making the resource available Grand Valley State University. University Libraries. Lemmen Library and Archives Divine Mystery Emergence https://digitalcollections.library.gvsu.edu/files/original/41af5f42cc1b7f0fa0a77ec650482b95.pdf c8fb8316c6d495e66548c573adfec5d3 PDF Text Text The Gift of Love: The Face of God Funeral Service for Louise Zevalkink Exodus 33:17-23; I John 4:7-8, 12, 16; Psalm 16:5-11; John 1: 1-5, 14, 18; John 14: 8-9 Richard A. Rhem Fifth Reformed Church Grand Rapids, Michigan July 3, 2012 Finally home; she is finally home and what shall we say? My words are not adequate to paint a portrait of this extraordinary human being. With you all, I loved her deeply. I have some sense of the void in your hearts. In these later years she really did not want to go out and about nor did she want dear friends in. In a sense she has long been removed from family gatherings and celebrations. Nonetheless she was present in her absence and was still “there.” She, the solid rock, the heart and center of the family, was still with you. But now she is gone. Slowly but surely she was shutting down in those last weeks and final days. Today we gather to worship, to remember and to give thanks for this beautiful life lived out before us. Leading the service as I am, yet I do so as one of you, as family. I can do no other. It would take too long and is not necessary to relate why that is the case – but you know. And so for a few moments let us celebrate her life as the child of God that she was. Louise was deeply traditional in the Christian faith, in the Reformed faith that looked back to Geneva, to John Calvin, and was expressed perhaps most clearly and warmly in The Heidelberg Catechism which opens with the penetrating question, “What is your only comfort in life and in death?” To which the eloquent answer is given, “That I with body and soul, both in life and in death, am not my own, but belong to my faithful Savior, Jesus Christ....” She never wavered from that bedrock trust in the grace of God revealed in Jesus Christ. To her end, one of her favorite hymns was “Blessed Assurance.” “Blessed assurance, Jesus is mine! O what a foretaste of glory divine!” So secure was she in her Christian faith that she had the freedom to question, to wonder. I suspect that is why we grew so close over the years. Spending the © Grand Valley State University   �Gift of Love: The Face of God Richard A. Rhem Page 2   summers on Lake Michigan shores in Grand Haven, the Zevalkink clan found their way to Spring Lake and Christ Community Church. I really don’t know just when that began or what brought you there in the first place, but I remember as summer arrived, year after year, I looked forward to having you fill a pew on my right about two-thirds back. And every so often I raised a question about which I was thinking and invited the people to think with me. Those were days of probing, not of dogmatic statement. And Louise was a natural prober; she loved to think, to wonder, to deepen and broaden her faith and understanding. Sometimes I got a bit too far ahead in the questioning of orthodox Reformed doctrine. Then there would be a conversation at the door – never in panic, certainly never in anger; she never took offense, she had to think about it. She was really quite wonderful: thoroughly engaged, thinking deeply, seeing possible pitfalls but ever gracious, kind and patient. If I were to describe my own pilgrimage and, I think, hers, there was a movement from dogmatic clarity and rational certainty to deep trust in the good and gracious God who holds us securely as we wonder, as we attempt to bring faith understanding into meaningful relationship with growing experience in our evolving human situation. There was a little choral response I haven’t thought of for years, but thinking of Louise I think it describes the passion of her life: To see Thee more clearly, To follow Thee more nearly, To love Thee more dearly. Perhaps that gives you a snapshot of how I knew Louise and I suspect you will recognize her in my description. I read the passage from Exodus. These are Israel’s founding stories – a kernel of history with faith’s embroidering. Moses, Israel’s great leader, brings them to Sinai where God calls him to the mountain and gives him not only the Ten Commandments but extensive direction for Israel’s life and worship. The people grow restive when Moses does not come down to them. They go to Aaron and, in an attempt to calm them, he calls for their gold and jewels and from those casts a Golden Calf – the focus for worship. The story is familiar. Moses returns, is infuriated at the people’s faithlessness and smashes the tables of the Law – fearing God may consume them in His anger. Well, that is the background for Chapter 33. God and Moses in conversation, Moses pleading with God not to abandon Israel but to go with them – and God promises to accompany them on the way of their pilgrimage. I selected this Old Testament story because, as God is reconciled to Israel, Moses makes a request: “Show me Your glory.” © Grand Valley State University �Gift of Love: The Face of God Richard A. Rhem Page 3   And God’s answer – “You cannot see my face; for no one shall see my face and live.” God does, however, instruct Moses to stand in a cleft in the rock as God passes by. God will cover him with His hand until He has passed by so Moses can see God’s back, but the chapter ends with the words “My face shall not be seen.” This biblical story came to me when I heard the news that Louise was shutting down and I began to think about her and her religious pilgrimage. There was in Moses, the story tells us, a longing to see God which I take to mean a longing to know God, to experience God in all His glory and greatness and grace. I can identify with that. I know that is not a common human experience; multitudes, I suspect, go on their way happily or nonchalantly, not worrying much about the source, ground, and goal of the whole cosmic drama. But I do and Louise did. And, as the Hebrew people told their founding story, they were saying from the beginning there has been a hunger for God. But this story ends “My face shall not be seen.” And that brings me to the heart of my reflection. I knew a week before Louise died that my meditation would be “The Gift of Love: The Face of God.” In that title I am trying to say she was a gift of love and she gifted us with love. In Louise, love was embodied and she was our gift of Love. But that’s not all; in her face we saw the face of God. In the Gospel of John and the First Epistle of John there is a fascinating thread that essentially says, “No one has ever seen God” but God is love and those who love abide in God and God in them. “In the beginning was the Word....” (John 1:1); “The Word was made flesh (or human) and lived among us, and we have seen His glory...” (John 1:14); “No one has ever seen God. It is God the only son...who has made Him known.”(John 1:18). In the ancient story God’s word to Moses is “You cannot see my face...you shall see my back; but my face shall not be seen.” But the Christmas gospel is “The Word became flesh...and we have seen His glory.” The gospel writer is well aware that “No one has ever seen God” but now the clue to the mystery of God is a human face. © Grand Valley State University �Gift of Love: The Face of God Richard A. Rhem Page 4   If we move to John 14: 8-9, that this is the writer’s intention is clear. Philip says to Jesus, “Lord, show us the Father, and we will be satisfied.” Jesus’ response is amazing: “Have I been with you all this time, Philip, and you still do not know me? Whoever has seen me has seen the Father.” Quite amazing, isn’t it! Just as the Moses stories were created by later generations trying to grasp their origins in Moses’ encounter with God, so the circle of the Apostle John, probably located in Ephesus, was trying to understand the story of Jesus, his life, death and continuing presence in their midst. What was the message, the truth that came to expression in the life of Jesus? The Gospel is the Good News – in Jesus we have experienced the presence of God; in Jesus we have a clue to the Sacred Mystery from which all has emerged. The writer of the First Letter of John takes us one giant step further. Reading the mystery of God in the life of Jesus he states his fundamental trust. He writes, “God is love.” The Gospel affirms that the mystery of God is revealed in the humanity of Jesus. The writer of the First Letter of John repeats the Gospel’s acknowledgment that no one has ever seen God but, rather than pointing exclusively to the Word made flesh, this writer makes the astounding claim, broadening the Gospel’s claim. He writes, “If we love one another, God lives in us, and His love is perfected in us....God is love, and those who abide in love abide in God, and God abides in them.” Do you understand my title? Do you see why for the funeral meditation for Louise Zevalkink I entitled it “The Gift of Love; The Face of God”? She was the gift to everyone whose life she touched from the intimacy of marriage and family to the wide circle of friends and community – the gift of love – and in her face we glimpsed the face of God. Over these past years Betsy and Peg conspired with me to visit Louise but she was cagey and usually foiled our conspiring. But on March 23 of this year it was arranged. I gained entrance as it were and we had a delightful time. In fact it was so natural and easy that Peg called Betsy to come in with Nancy. We had one more happy hour. I had brought along a copy of a rather new hymn, “I was There to Hear Your Borning Cry.” We even tried to sing it. I chose that hymn because of the final verse: When the evening gently closes in And you shut your weary eyes I’ll be there as I have always been © Grand Valley State University �Gift of Love: The Face of God Richard A. Rhem Page 5   With just one more surprise. Well it was a beautiful moment. And then when it was apparent that Louise was approaching her end I came once more. She had been unresponsive all day but Peg and Betsy were sitting on her bed, Kleenex at the ready. Once again she came to life and was very present with us. She smiled and savored those moments as we sang and prayed. Finally the end drew near but once again with Peg and Betsy present she tried to tell them something – they figured out there was a framed something above her desk. It was a framed prayer I offered at their 50th wedding anniversary celebration. I had the prayer written in calligraphy and she had framed it. The girls read it to her and she said, “Now you may go.” The prayer in part tells the story of this wonderful woman, so full of grace, and the life she shared with her beloved Jim, taken from her too soon: “We give Thee thanks for the love and faithfulness in which they have lived together, worked together, nurtured their family, and been stewards together of the grace of life. We all in various ways are here present to attest to the enrichment our lives have received through them and the model they provide for us, - a model of the joy of living, - of quiet strength and steadiness, - of vivacity and graciousness, - of faith and devotion, - of kindness and gentleness, - of faithfulness and love.” Louise has entered light eternal, united again with the man she loved, caught up in the abyss of love of the God we have glimpsed in her beautiful face. What a gift! What grace! Thanks be to God who gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ! © Grand Valley State University � Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource Richard A. Rhem Collection Description An account of the resource Text and sound recordings of the sermons, prayers, services, and articles of Richard Rhem, pastor emeritus of Christ Community Church in Spring Lake, Michigan, where he served for 37 years. Starting in the mid 1980's, Rhem began to question some of the traditional Christian dogma that he had been espousing from the pulpit. That questioning was a first step in a long and interesting spiritual journey, one that he openly shared with his congregation. His journey is important, in part because it is reflective of the questioning, the yearnings, and the gradual revision of beliefs that many persons in this part of the century have experienced and continue to experience. It is important also because of the affirming and inclusive way his questioning was done and his thinking evolved. His sermons and other written and spoken materials together document the steps in his journey as it took a turn in 1985, yet continued to revolve around the framework and liturgies of the Christian calendar. Subject The topic of the resource Clergy--Michigan Reformed Church in America Christ Community Church (Spring Lake, Mich.) Religion Interfaith worship Sermons Sound Recordings Creator An entity primarily responsible for making the resource Rhem, Richard A. Source A related resource from which the described resource is derived <a href="https://gvsu.lyrasistechnology.org/repositories/2/resources/514">Richard A. Rhem papers (KII-01)</a> Publisher An entity responsible for making the resource available Grand Valley State University. University Libraries. Special Collections & University Archives. Contributor An entity responsible for making contributions to the resource Kaufman Interfaith Institute Rights Information about rights held in and over the resource <a href="http://rightsstatements.org/page/InC/1.0/?language=en">In Copyright</a> Language A language of the resource English Type The nature or genre of the resource Sound Text Identifier An unambiguous reference to the resource within a given context KII-01 Coverage The spatial or temporal topic of the resource, the spatial applicability of the resource, or the jurisdiction under which the resource is relevant 1981-2014 Format The file format, physical medium, or dimensions of the resource audio/mp3 text/pdf Sound A resource primarily intended to be heard. Examples include a music playback file format, an audio compact disc, and recorded speech or sounds. Event Meditation for the Funeral of Louise Zevalkink Scripture Text Exodus 33:17-23, I John 4:7-8, 12, 16, Psalm 16:5-11, John 1:1-5, 14, 18, John 14:8-9 Location The location of the interview Fifth Reformed Church, Grand Rapids Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Identifier An unambiguous reference to the resource within a given context KII-01_RA-0-20120703 Date A point or period of time associated with an event in the lifecycle of the resource 2012-07-03 Title A name given to the resource The Gift of Life: The Face of God Creator An entity primarily responsible for making the resource Richard A. Rhem Rights Information about rights held in and over the resource <a href="http://rightsstatements.org/page/InC/1.0/?language=en">In Copyright</a> Subject The topic of the resource Clergy--Michigan Reformed Church in America Christ Community Church (Spring Lake, Mich.) Sermons Relation A related resource Richard A. Rhem - An Archive of Sermons, Prayers, Talks and Stories: http://richardrhem.org/ Language A language of the resource eng Type The nature or genre of the resource Text Description An account of the resource A sermon given by Richard A. Rhem (Dick) on July 3, 2012 entitled "The Gift of Life: The Face of God", on the occasion of Meditation for the Funeral of Louise Zevalkink , at Fifth Reformed Church, Grand Rapids. Scripture references: Exodus 33:17-23, I John 4:7-8, 12, 16, Psalm 16:5-11, John 1:1-5, 14, 18, John 14:8-9. Format The file format, physical medium, or dimensions of the resource application/pdf Publisher An entity responsible for making the resource available Grand Valley State University. University Libraries. Lemmen Library and Archives Faithful God Grace https://digitalcollections.library.gvsu.edu/files/original/f87585bf5b0e28fda0eadfcce942396a.pdf a4b633acf9c12a277af19d28dadcedac PDF Text Text Present to the Presence Living with Awareness of God in Whom We Trust Psalm 16: 5-11; Romans 8: 31, 35-39 Richard A. Rhem Lakeshore Interfaith Institute and Community, Mother’s Trust Ganges, Michigan July 29, 2012 Prepared text of Talk I am really not being morbid but, of late, when I am trying to determine what to speak about when fulfilling an assignment such as this, I think about what some professors are invited to do: to deliver a lecture they would deliver if they had but one last opportunity. What would one want to say if he or she knew all their learning, all their wisdom and insight, knowledge and passion were to be packed into their final lecture? That is really a great challenge: if this were your last time to address a group of students, what would you say to them? The concept was inspired by the “Last Lecture” delivered at Carnegie Mellon University by Dr. Randy Pausch on September 18, 2007. He had terminal pancreatic cancer – a fact known at the time that he spoke. His lecture was entitled “Really Achieving Your Childhood Dreams.” He died on July 25, 2008. So what would I want to say if I had one last time to bring to expression my deepest truth? I’ve entitled my presentation “Present to the Presence: Living With the Awareness of God in Whom We Trust.” As part of the process of coming to that decision I traveled back over my faith journey, trying to identify those critical moments that have shaped me and brought me to where I find myself at this advanced stage of my journey. And there is no question but I must point to the loving nurture of my childhood, the nurture received from deeply committed Christian parents. There was implanted in me an unquestioned trust in the good and gracious God of Christian faith. Growing up, there was never a question, never a doubt. At my ordination I received a letter from my father telling me when I was in my mother’s womb he dedicated me to God’s service should I turn out to be a boy. (Women’s ordination wasn’t even in the picture at that time.) Of course, that was not a surprise to me for he would often speak of his prayer that I would go into the ministry. Yet I did not know of the moment when he first brought it to expression on his knees. In a sense I never chose my vocation; it seemed as natural as breathing that I would pursue that course. I never questioned nor resisted. Thus, graduating from © Grand Valley State University   �Present to the Presence Richard A. Rhem Page 2   seminary in 1960, I assumed my first pastorate at the First Reformed Church of Spring Lake, Michigan. I came to that wonderful congregation with my childhood faith and piety. Having gone through twenty years of education including the four at college and three at seminary, my childhood faith remained intact; I really had not been educated but remained with the faith and piety I imbibed with my mother’s milk. I began my ministry with an unexamined faith understanding, believing not only that it was true but that it was absolute truth. I was not only very conservative in my Reformed and evangelical faith, I was militantly so. In retrospect I realize that that militancy was the consequence of a deep insecurity. I was defensive but without being really aware of it. A statement put out by the Theological Commission of the Reformed Church on the authority of Scripture stated the Bible was “infallible in what it intended to teach.” I considered that statement was intended to allow that Scripture might be in error in things that were not what it “intended to teach” regarding our salvation. I objected; I insisted that the Bible was inerrant and infallible, period! That is not really important except to indicate where I was as I began my ministry – very conservative and threatened by any challenge to my fervently held orthodox Reformed faith. That is the setting for detailing the long journey that brings me to where I am at present – very comfortable giving expression to my faith understanding in this fine interfaith community. I suspect the long unwinding of that exclusive, absolutist faith was triggered by what may seem a rather trivial occurrence. One of my young people made her Christian confession of faith. The next summer she went away to work with a friend whose mother was a Mormon. She returned to tell me she was going to become a Mormon. I was heartbroken. I gave her Scripture texts. She came back with texts from the Book of Mormon. It was then that I realized if all I had was a text against another text, I was deadlocked. (I shudder to think of my ignorance.) About this time the Reformed Church came out with a new curriculum in conjunction with the Presbyterian Church – The Covenant Life Curriculum. The curriculum was introduced with Foundation Papers. I began to study them, especially regarding the view of Scripture. For the first time I began to open up to a larger view. I taught the opening adult course at Spring Lake and then moved to a congregation in New Jersey that was very conservative. When I brought in that curriculum there, there was resistance. The resistance made me dig deeper. I began to see the closed orthodoxy, from which I stemmed, from the other side. After a brief three-year pastorate there it was time to go back to school. I left for post-graduate study in the Netherlands. © Grand Valley State University �Present to the Presence Richard A. Rhem Page 3   Without going into the details, I made an appointment with Professor Hendrikus Berkhof at the University of Leiden. His study was in his home and I met him there. A most inviting and cordial person. I was impressed though not yet committed to Leiden. But as I arose to leave I noticed a mimeographed paper penned to the drape that separated his study from the rest of his house. I went to read what was written; what was written changed my life. The lines were those of Alfred Lord Tennyson: Our little systems have their day; They have their day and cease to be; They are but broken lights of Thee, And Thou, O Lord, art more than they. I remember the moment vividly. I had found my professor! For those who have been with me for some time, this is a familiar account but I must, in this retrospective, underline it here because I was at a critical point in my life and ministry. My “little system” had hit a wall. My whole “system” was based on the absolute authority of the Bible as the God-breathed, inerrant, infallible truth. I was devoid of any sense of how the critical studies of Scripture had revealed it as a very human product that was a witness to revelation – that is, the report of an experience of unveiling, not the unveiling itself. As mentioned above, my first hint of a critical view of Scripture came in the Foundation Papers of the Covenant Life Curriculum. The first assignment from my new mentor, Professor Berkhof, also my professor of Dogmatics, was to read Karl Barth. I went to my set of Karl Barth’s Church Dogmatics, Vol. I, Part 2 – The Doctrine of the Word of God, and 45 years later I could turn to the page heavily underlined that struck me as I first encountered it: If we take Luther and Calvin together, we can say that the way to that universal and moving view of inspiration which answers to the majesty of God, and as we find it in Scripture itself, was again opened up by the Reformation. The Reformers’ doctrine of inspiration is an honouring of God, and of the free grace of God. The statement that the Bible is the Word of God is on this view no limitation, but an unfolding of the perception of the sovereignty in which the Word of God condescended to become flesh for us in Jesus Christ, and a human word in the witness of the prophets and apostles as witnesses to His incarnation. On their lips and understanding this is the true statement concerning the Bible which is always indispensable to the Church. But the post-Reformation period first of all failed really to take the newly opened road to the meaning and understanding of the statement. And then it obviously took a different and mistaken way: mistaken, because it destroyed the mystery of this statement, because it necessarily resulted in © Grand Valley State University �Present to the Presence Richard A. Rhem Page 4   a denial of the sovereignty of the Word of God and therefore of the Word of God itself. In this connection we cannot pay too much attention to a remarkable parallelism: the development of the original Reformed Protestantism into the newer Protestantism which began in the so-called orthodoxy and became visible about 1700 was admittedly characterised by a gradual growth of uncertainty in the knowledge of the sin and justification of man and the judgment and grace of God. This uncertainty, as it concerned the question of revelation, was followed first by a quiet, then by an increasingly open and direct inflow of natural theology. To this development there corresponded, curiously enough, a stiffening in the understanding of the inspiration of the Bible which also began quietly but then developed no less definitely. The strictly supranaturalistic character of the statements which were the outcome of this stiffening tends to create an optical illusion. We first think that we are faced by a contradiction when we see orthodoxy becoming laxer and laxer in relation to natural theology and in secret to the doctrine of grace, but stricter and stricter in relation to the doctrine of the inspiration of the Bible. In reality the two belong intimately together. The gradually extending new understanding of biblical inspiration was simply one way and, in view of its highly supranaturalistic character, perhaps the most important way in which the great process of secularisation on which post-Reformation protestantism entered was carried through. This new understanding of biblical inspiration meant simply that the statement that the Bible is the Word of God was now transformed (following the doubtful tendencies we have already met in the Early Church) from a statement about the free grace of God into a statement about the nature of the Bible as exposed to human inquiry brought under human control. The Bible as the Word of God surreptitiously became a part of natural knowledge of God, i.e., of that knowledge of God which man can have without the free grace of God, by his own power, and with direct insight and assurance. That the highly supranaturalistic form in which this step was made was only a form used because no better was available is proved by the haste with which it was abandoned almost as soon as it was adopted. It was followed by the enlightenment and the ensuing “historical” investigation and treatment of the Bible, i.e., the character of the Bible as the Word of God was now transformed into that of a highly relevant historical record. And this merely revealed what high orthodoxy had really sought and attained under this apparently supranaturalistic form: the understanding and use of the Bible as an instrument separated from the free grace of God and put into the hands of man. If it should be our aim © Grand Valley State University �Present to the Presence Richard A. Rhem Page 5   today to go back to the better understanding of the Bible which we find in the Reformers and above all in the Bible itself, then it is not a question of renewing the doctrine of inspiration of high orthodoxy in opposition to the Enlightenment and the development which followed it. Rather, we must carefully and consistently avoid the mistake of that orthodoxy – which is all the more dangerous because its supranaturalistic trend can make it appear advantageous. It is only at this root that the evil which broke out later can really be tackled. (Karl Barth, Church Dogmatics, Vol. I.1,p. 522f) Barth’s essential insight was that revelation must be a present experience as the Holy Spirit takes what once was revealed and recorded in Scripture so that it becomes, by God’s grace, a present revelation by the same Holy Spirit that inspired prophets and apostles. God’s revelation is not to be contained between the covers of a book that one can slip in one’s pocket, as it were, carrying around the Word of God. Revelation happened; revelation happens; but it is always a contemporary event by the grace of God’s Spirit. I was fascinated by Barth’s historical analysis that revealed how, as reason’s dominance evolved as the Enlightenment emerged, exalting human rationality, challenging the Bible as the supernaturally inspired Word of God, the orthodox Protestant church increasingly affirmed the Bible as inerrant and infallible. As reason rose in ascendancy, Barth claimed, rather than trusting the Bible as the product of God’s revelation which, by the grace of God, would become ever anew revelation by the same grace of God, the post Reformation Scholastics now set up the Bible as itself the depository of revelation, utilizing the same human reason that Enlightenment thinkers were using to discredit the Bible. I found that movement fascinating and very enlightening. I understood Barth saying the whole approach to “saving” the Bible from its Enlightenment critics by means of counter-reasoned argument was doomed to failure. Now the Bible was in human hands; rather than seeing it as a record of revelations past that may by God’s grace be again a place of revelation, orthodoxy attempted to prove the Bible itself was the revelation – a futile endeavor. I became a convinced Barthian at that point, no longer afraid that turning over the next stone might bring to light some data that would undercut biblical authority. The authority did not reside in “the book” which was a fallible human witness to revelatory experience of the respective writers. With that a huge burden was lifted from my shoulders. Now I had room to think, to question, to wonder. With the wise and gracious guidance of my mentor, Hendrikus Berkhof, I plunged into my study with a voracious hunger. I would read and read, one volume leading to five more and from time to time would call my Professor for an appointment to discuss my progress. Eventually, after a couple years, he would say, “Mr. Rhem, now you must begin to write.” But the next volume lead me to investigate more footnotes and delve further into the bibliography. I was so “hungry” and I could not stop pushing out the frontiers of my evolving grasp of © Grand Valley State University �Present to the Presence Richard A. Rhem Page 6   the historical development of Christian dogma from the Apostolic Age through the early church fathers and the creedal formation that continues to mark Christian dogma. Since Dogmatics was not considered a science in the Netherlands’ university system, Professor Berkhof, though my advisor, could not be the professor of the major study of my program, he being a “Church Professor,” appointed by the Netherlands Reformed Church. He advised a second minor in New Testament, and The History of Dogma as my major. What wise counsel; the history of the development of Christian Dogmatics was precisely what I needed – what I loved. I traced the historical development from the early centuries through the Reformation. It was an exciting time of discovery. After three years I took my testamens – oral exams with each of my three professors in Dogmatics, New Testament and History of Dogma. Having passed those three exams I was ready for the oral exam before the whole faculty for the Doctorandus Degree, which I was granted in April, 1969. Next – deciding on a subject for my doctoral dissertation and the writing of it. I decided to write on the place of history in the theology of Karl Barth and Wolfhart Pannenberg, a young German theologian who was of a school of scholars who were the students of the twentieth-century giants, Barth and Rudolf Bultmann, both of whom in their respective fields had no place for “revelation in history.” For Bultmann, the only “footprint” of revelation in history was the “dass,” the “that” of Jesus – he was an historical person but we can recover no reliable data of his life except that he “was.” For Barth, revelation came “vertically from above;” it was always an event. The only footprint of God’s revelation in history was the thirty-three years of Jesus’ historical existence bracketed by two miracles – the Virgin Birth at the beginning and the Resurrection at the end. The next generation was not satisfied with that conception of revelation that disallowed historical enquiry into the life of Jesus as well as the Old and New Testament history. That debate was the focus of my research and I became intensely interested in the development of historical thinking which emerged in the nineteenth century. But I soon learned that the real watershed that divided theological development from the Apostolic Age to the present was the Enlightenment. My sense was one had to go through the Enlightenment if the ancient faith was to be adhered to in the present. After having chapter one of my dissertation approved, I returned home but I had none. I had spent the last six months alone in the Netherlands, my former wife having left in the summer of 1970. A broken marriage finally came apart and I returned in December of 1970 to see my children, thinking I would return to the Netherlands to finish the dissertation and receive the Doctor of Theology degree which I saw as necessary because I thought my pastoral ministry was finished since divorce was certain and, at that time, I had no hope of receiving a call from a congregation. But I was wrong. © Grand Valley State University �Present to the Presence Richard A. Rhem Page 7   My first congregation, in what I still can only understand as an act of very great grace, invited me to return to be their pastor, knowing that divorce would follow shortly. Returning to Leiden, I packed my books and few belongings and on March 1, 1971, began again to be the pastor of the First Reformed Church of Spring Lake. Again, graciously, I was encouraged to continue to work on my dissertation. But the congregation began to grow and I was fully engaged. I did keep in touch with Professor Berkhof, letting him know what was happening. One day I received a letter from him in which he wrote, Mr. Rhem, I no longer expect you to return to complete your doctoral work. Theology is for the service of the church. God has called you to a more important work. Such a professor! Such grace! Such sensitivity! It is no wonder in subsequent years we, with our spouses, traveled together and twice they were our house guests. But that is another story. The above transitions me to Spring Lake where, three months after beginning again, we re-named ourselves Christ Community Church. Though now a full-time pastor, I could not cease being fascinated by the theological history through which I had traversed. In my preaching I sought to interlace my best understanding of the biblical text but in the present context of our history. Adult Education, however, provided opportunity to share my growing understanding of the Christian faith. In 1974 the Catholic theologian Hans Küng published a book in German entitled Christ Sein, which was translated into English in 1976 under the title On Being a Christian. I found it a marvelous statement of Christian faith in light of all I had learned about the historical development that brought us to the present and I used it with groups of lay folk. In 1978 Küng published Existiert Gott?, an English translation appearing the same year under the title Does God Exist? That book too I consumed and used in an adult education class. For me, it was as though my whole European study was condensed in one 800-plus page volume. It was here that I faced the Enlightenment head-on as it related to the Christian faith. Küng drew together for me in concise form the crisis of modern atheism that arose in the wake of the Enlightenment. In a section entitled “The Challenge of Atheism,” Küng’s sub-sections are: I. God – a projection of man? Ludwig Feuerbach II. God – a consolation serving vested interests? Karl Marx III.God – an infantile illusion? Sigmund Freud. © Grand Valley State University �Present to the Presence Richard A. Rhem Page 8   The next major division Küng entitles “Nihilism – Consequence of Atheism,” dealing with Friedrich Nietzsche. In scholarly fashion with great clarity he sets forth the kernel of the thought of these thinkers. He then offers a critique acknowledging where the thrust of their thought raised valid issues Christian theology must deal with. Küng opens this section, “The Challenge of Atheism,” by setting the stage for his development which follows: Socrates was condemned to death as atheos, as “godless.” But he had by no means rejected any kind of God; he had rejected, like many other educated Greeks, only the customary veneration of the gods of the Greek polis. Atheism properly so-called does not deny merely a plurality of gods or merely a particular way of worshiping God or even simply a personal, ”theistic” God. It denies any God and any divine reality, whether understood mythologically, theologically or philosophically. In both antiquity and the Middle Ages, there were very few who upheld atheism in this sense: a total view of reality assuming that it is possible to do without any God at all. It was only with the radicalized French Enlightenment – in the aftermath of secularization and the Church’s compromising of belief in God by its struggle against both modern science and modern democracy – that atheism, as we saw, became more widespread at first among the educated classes. The new defenders of atheism in the nineteenth century felt, however, that they were far above this “common atheism.” In fact, it was only with Feuerbach and Marx and later – supported by atheistic natural scientists – with Nietzsche and Freud that atheism became a Weltanschauung, threatening belief in God and Christianity at their roots, penetrating all classes of the population and finally reaching global dimensions beyond the frontiers of Europe. (p. 189) The font of this modern (nineteenth century) atheism Küng finds in Ludwig Feuerbach (1804-1872). Of course, Hegelian philosophy had set the stage but in Feuerbach modern atheism found its architect. Küng contends that, With Feuerbach, the tremendous danger to belief in God and Christianity presented by Hegel’s identification of finite and infinite consciousness, of man and God, becomes apparent. (p. 199) What happens to God? Küng explains: And God? What follows, from all this, for the notion of God? The essential presupposition is that “the consciousness of the infinite is nothing else than the consciousness of the infinity of the consciousness.” That is: “In © Grand Valley State University �Present to the Presence Richard A. Rhem Page 9   the consciousness of the infinite, the conscious subject has for his object the infinity of his own nature.” This, then, is how the notion of God emerges, and it seems entirely understandable. Man sets up his human nature out of himself, he sees it as something existing outside himself and separated from himself; he projects it, then, as an autonomous figure – so to speak – in heaven, calls it God and worships it. In a word, the notion of God is nothing but a projection of man: “The absolute to man is his own nature.” The knowledge of God, then, is a gigantic floodlight. God appears as a projected, hypostatized reflection of man, behind which nothing exists in reality. The divine is the universally human projected into the hereafter. What are the attributes of the divine nature: love, wisdom, justice...? In reality, these are the attributes of man, of the human species. Homo homini Deus est, man is God for man: here lies the whole mystery of religion. This becomes particularly clear with the personal (“theistic”) God of Christianity, independent and existing outside man. This God is nothing other than the specific notion of man, given independent existence, the personified nature of man. Man “contemplates his nature as external to himself”; God is the manifest interior of man, his expressed, “relinquished self.” The Attributes of God are really the attributes of the objectified nature of man. It is not, as in the Bible, that God created man in his own image. But, on the contrary, man created God in his own image. God as a ghostly Opposite, existing outside man, stimulated by man himself. Man a great projector, God the great projection. Just test it...and it disappears. God is intellectual being, spirit. In this very way, God appears as a pure projection of human understanding...” (p. 200f) From Feuerbach’s God as Projection idea one can see how that was used by Karl Marx claiming God, thus projected, serves the vested interests of the powerful. From Feuerbach, Freud claimed God to be an infantile illusion. Küng explains Freud’s claim regarding the source of religion. What is the source of religion? First of all we must look at the historical background. For Freud, the question of the origin of the various religions was quite obviously psychological in character. For Christian and Jewish theologians, for centuries it had been a dogmatic question: the pagan religions were distortions, degenerations of the original, pure, revealed religion (with a primordial revelation), as a result of man’s sin as described in the Bible. But, for the rationalist “enlighteners” of the eighteenth century also – David Hume in England, Rousseau, Voltaire and Diderot in France, © Grand Valley State University �Present to the Presence Richard A. Rhem Page10   Gotthold Ephraim Lessing in Germany – it was a dogmatic question: the various religions were distortions and degenerations of the originally pure religion of reason, with its clear belief in God, freedom and immortality – distortions brought about by priestly inventions and popular customs. It was only with the rise of a science of religion, in the nineteenth century that the question of the origin of religion became a historical, philological, ethnological, psychological question. Even in classical Greece, of course, there had been an interest in the history of religions; but a science of religion as a specific field of study has existed only from the nineteenth century onward. In this field, primitive religion itself became a problem. (p. 175f) Freud’s answer to the question of the source of religion? Küng summarizes thus: Religion, then, arose out of the oldest, strongest and most urgent wishes of mankind. Religion is wishful thinking, illusion. “Illusion” means that religion is not a deliberate lie in the moral sense or – and Freud stresses this – error in the epistemological sense; nor is it necessarily illusory in the sense of being unrealistic or contradicting reality. Illusion – and this is typical – is motivated by the need of wish fulfillment: it is a product therefore of sensual-instinctual life and needs for its deciphering the decoding technique of applied psychology. (p. 284) And where did the projection idea of Feuerbach and the various ways projection was utilized by Marx and Freud lead? Küng leads us to the conclusion found in the brilliant Friedrich Nietzsche (1844-1900) – that is to Nihilism. In his parable of the “madman” his atheism comes to expression. There a keen-sighted prophet “who lit a lantern in the bright morning hours” proclaimed the death of God. “Whither is God,” cried the ‘madman’... “I will tell you. We have killed him – you and I. All of us are his murderers.” Küng gives us Nietzche’s understanding of the nihilism which he embraced. Küng writes that Nietzsche used the term nihilism initially with little discrimination, but in his unpublished work he reflected on all aspects of it. “What does nihilism mean?” asks Nietzsche here, and his answer now runs: “That the highest values devaluate themselves. The aim is lacking: ‘why?’ finds no answer.” In another fragment, he expresses it more precisely: “Radical nihilism is the conviction of an absolute untenability of existence when it comes to the highest values one recognizes; plus the realization that we lack the least right to posit a beyond or an in-itself of things that might be ‘divine’ or morality incarnate.” It can be said – and this, too, will be explained in the following pages – that, according to Nietzsche, nihilism means the conviction of the nullity, of the internal contradiction, futility and worthlessness of reality. © Grand Valley State University �Present to the Presence Richard A. Rhem Page11   Nietzsche sees this nihilism as coming in the twentieth and twenty-first centuries: “What I relate is the history of the next two centuries. I describe what is coming, what can no longer come differently: the advent of nihilism. This history can be related even now; for necessity itself is at work here. This future speaks even now in a hundred signs, this destiny announces itself everywhere; for the music of the future all ears are cocked even now. For some time now, our whole European culture has been moving as toward a catastrophe, with a tortured tension that is growing from decade to decade: restlessly, violently, headlong, like a river that wants to reach the end, that no longer reflects, that is afraid to reflect.” Indeed, it must be said: “Nihilism stands at the door,” and we can only ask: “Whence comes this uncanniest of all guests?” Thus Küng charts the nadir of modern atheism. But he does not leave us there. Rather he begins to build his case for a “yes” to reality beginning with an alternative to the emptiness of nihilism – fundamental trust. From there he affirms a “yes to God – alternative to atheism.” Then “yes to the Christian God” – finally, “The God of Jesus Christ.” Küng builds carefully, taking into account all that has been considered in the claims of modern atheism but offering an alternative based in trust. In my own continuing wrestle with the issues raised in the post-Enlightenment modern atheism, I struggled to find a reasonable faith. In my study of the new quest for the historical Jesus I found John Knox particularly helpful in his The Humanity and Divinity of Christ. Writing about the humanity of Christ he makes a statement that defined my own quest for understanding Jesus. There are two conditions under which a significant symbol loses (or, perhaps better, is shown to have lost) its vitality and power. One of these is when our hearts no longer need it, when all we want to say or need to say (or to have said to us) can be said without it. The other is when our minds, failing to discern in it the coherency of truth, are forced to reject it. For our hearts cannot finally find true what our minds find false. If they could, we should be hopelessly divided and any firm grasp of reality would be impossible. What we mean by ‘the heart’ in this connection is not something alien or counter to the mind, but is the mind itself quickened and extended. The wisdom the heart has found, if it be wisdom and not fantasy, is the same wisdom the mind all the while has been feeling after, if haply it might find it. It is a wisdom which, far from bypassing the understanding, enters through the doors of it, fills and stretches the space of it, and only then breaks through and soars above it. (p. 107) That was for me a critically important insight. Yet I was aware that my faith from childhood, which through all the intellectual struggles of my quest for an © Grand Valley State University �Present to the Presence Richard A. Rhem Page12   understanding, was deeper and more expansive than my mind, my rational faculties, could explain or justify before the bar of reason. Only recently was I given a copy of a chapter from the book Walking the Tightrope of Faith. The chapter’s author is Hendrik Hart, a philosopher/theologian who has done much work in post-modern thought. Without doing justice to the careful development of his contention in this chapter, let me simply offer a few lines from Professor Hart: Trust in a spiritually powerful orientation to the existential issues in the face of the boundary conditions of existence is historically not a matter of concepts, propositions, and arguments, but of stories, rituals, prayers, and hymns. (p. 198) Hart is in dialogue with Kai Nielsen as he writes that for which I have been seeking. Closely connected to Nielsen’s insistence that faith-as-trust is logically dependent on propositional belief is his pervasive complaint about religion’s lack of rational coherence (37, 39, 41, 43, 111). One problem with this complaint is that it does not do justice to those Christians who try to nourish faith as a non-intellectual(istic) life-guiding trust, as a form of spirituality. In faith thus developed, rational coherence is not necessarily a relevant concern, the way it is in forms of theology developed to counter the Enlightenment by modelling theology on rational philosophy (38-39). I think Nielsen misses the point when he continually charges that in order to be properly religious these Christians must conform to notions of religion especially developed in Enlightenment-influenced theology. (p. 199) “Enlightenment-influenced theology” – that was the story of my long journey. Finally I come to realize what Hendrik Hart claims defines my ongoing quest while living with fundamental trust. This is the understanding I have been seeking. We all need to trust some orientation to the ultimate questions of life. But “answers” to these questions point in a direction that transcends rational comprehension. These “answers,” that is, point to mysteries, told in myths. If we trust traditions which “tell” what people have experienced when they trusted the life-direction to which the “answers” in the myths point, these traditions provide guidance, especially if we decide to trust the narratives enough to live by them. It is not necessary here to insist on traditional language. If the faithful of some religion are to be in communication again with contemporary naturalists or atheists on equal footing, we can at least temporarily suspend talk about God, or even about some “transcendent revealed,” and for the time being talk only about trust making visible © Grand Valley State University �Present to the Presence Richard A. Rhem Page13   something that comes from beyond the boundaries of our understanding and is related to the boundary issues of existence. To derive hope from a resurrection narrative is not the same thing as insisting on the filmable factuality of a resuscitated corpse walking out of a grave. If our hope depends on the scientific modernization of an ancient faith-language, then hope undermines the nurture of trust. It is possible to “claim” the “truth” of such a resurrection narrative. But that is done, not in the logical space of reasons, or by delivering technologically enhanced evidence, but by actually living the life of hope the narrative inspires, by practically making manifest in action that such a life reveals truth or lights up our path. (p. 216) Finally, after that lengthy excursus I am ready to deliver “My Last Lecture.” There are many places within Scripture to which I might turn but let me select just two – a Psalm and a paragraph from Paul’s Letter to the Romans. Psalm 16 is one of my favorites. Beginning with verse 5, the Psalmist expresses a sense of deep wellbeing. The boundary lines have fallen to me in pleasant places; I have a goodly heritage. He is full of gratitude for his human situation – referring to Israel’s coming into the land of Israel when the tribes divided the land by casting lots. The Psalmist is pleased with his human situation. But his wellbeing is rooted in something deeper. I keep the Lord always before me; because he is at my right hand I shall not be moved. In the Hebrew “before me” is literally “before my face.” That being so he is steadfast whatever human experience brings him. His heart is glad; His soul rejoices. So confident is he that he cannot conceive of being given up to Sheol – the realm of the dead. One commentator writes, It can be read as the general prayer of the faithful who, without any doctrine of resurrection or eternal life to explain just how, nonetheless trust the Lord to keep them with such total confidence that they cannot imagine a future apart from life in God’s presence. (James L. Mays, Interpretation: Psalms, p. 88) © Grand Valley State University �Present to the Presence Richard A. Rhem Page14   Again the Psalmist exclaims, You show me the path of life. In Your presence there is fullness of joy; in Your right hand are pleasures forevermore. Were we to read this poem in the original Hebrew we would see a beautiful juxtaposition. In verse 8, as noted above, “before me” is literally “before my face.” In verse 11, “in Your presence” is literally “before Your face.” God before my face; I before God’s face. Further, God at my right hand keeps me secure. At God’s right hand are pleasures forevermore. The Psalmist lived with a vivid sense of God’s presence. That awareness kept him steady in all the vicissitudes of life. That sense of trust was so strong even the fear of death, of loss, was transcended. He lived with fullness of joy. He was present to the presence of God. We find the same confidence in St. Paul in the wake of his vision of the crucified Christ who was resurrected – living beyond death’s boundary. If God be for us, who can be against us? Who will separate us from the love of Christ? Then he lists a series of negative human experiences – No, he affirms, in all life’s trials we are more than conquerors through Him who loved us. Listing again all possible threats to us he finally declares nothing will separate us from the love of God in Christ Jesus our Lord. Present to the Presence, living in total trust, the Apostle knew a peace which he says in another context is beyond all human understanding. With those two eloquent expressions of trust bringing confidence, joy and deep assurance that All will be well; all will be well; all manner of things will be well. Thus I would keynote my last lecture. I feel deeply blessed to have had the exceptionally rich experience of plumbing the depths of the human record of the quest for God, for the deep probing of our human condition at life’s boundary © Grand Valley State University �Present to the Presence Richard A. Rhem Page15   situations. I have followed rational inquiry to the depths of nihilism and known there was something more. And at the end of my serious quest, what rational inquiry could not deliver, I find in trusting where I cannot know, and “know” all is well. Was the long journey of intellectual quest worth it if, in reality, I end where I first began? Indeed, for I’ve seen it for the first time! Oliver Wendell Holmes said it well: I would not give a fig for the simplicity this side of complexity, but I would give my life for the simplicity on the other side of complexity. © Grand Valley State University � https://digitalcollections.library.gvsu.edu/files/original/d7d2ab3e9fe95a1c6e0451b55ae7da1c.m4v 775e7bea34fbe35091a2e1c11080f2eb Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource Richard A. Rhem Collection Description An account of the resource Text and sound recordings of the sermons, prayers, services, and articles of Richard Rhem, pastor emeritus of Christ Community Church in Spring Lake, Michigan, where he served for 37 years. Starting in the mid 1980's, Rhem began to question some of the traditional Christian dogma that he had been espousing from the pulpit. That questioning was a first step in a long and interesting spiritual journey, one that he openly shared with his congregation. His journey is important, in part because it is reflective of the questioning, the yearnings, and the gradual revision of beliefs that many persons in this part of the century have experienced and continue to experience. It is important also because of the affirming and inclusive way his questioning was done and his thinking evolved. His sermons and other written and spoken materials together document the steps in his journey as it took a turn in 1985, yet continued to revolve around the framework and liturgies of the Christian calendar. Subject The topic of the resource Clergy--Michigan Reformed Church in America Christ Community Church (Spring Lake, Mich.) Religion Interfaith worship Sermons Sound Recordings Creator An entity primarily responsible for making the resource Rhem, Richard A. Source A related resource from which the described resource is derived <a href="https://gvsu.lyrasistechnology.org/repositories/2/resources/514">Richard A. Rhem papers (KII-01)</a> Publisher An entity responsible for making the resource available Grand Valley State University. University Libraries. Special Collections & University Archives. Contributor An entity responsible for making contributions to the resource Kaufman Interfaith Institute Rights Information about rights held in and over the resource <a href="http://rightsstatements.org/page/InC/1.0/?language=en">In Copyright</a> Language A language of the resource English Type The nature or genre of the resource Sound Text Identifier An unambiguous reference to the resource within a given context KII-01 Coverage The spatial or temporal topic of the resource, the spatial applicability of the resource, or the jurisdiction under which the resource is relevant 1981-2014 Format The file format, physical medium, or dimensions of the resource audio/mp3 text/pdf Sound A resource primarily intended to be heard. Examples include a music playback file format, an audio compact disc, and recorded speech or sounds. Event Lakeshore Interfaith Center Gathering Scripture Text Psalm 16:5-11, Romans 8:31, 35-39 Location The location of the interview Lakeshore Interfaith Center, Ganges References Karl Barth. Church Dogmatics, Vol. I, 1932. Hendrik Hart. Walking the Tightrope of Faith: Philosophical Conversations About Reason and Religion, 1999. John Knox. The Humanity and Divinity of Christ, 1967. Hans K Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Identifier An unambiguous reference to the resource within a given context KII-01_RA-0-20120729 Date A point or period of time associated with an event in the lifecycle of the resource 2012-07-29 Title A name given to the resource Present to the Presence - Living with Awareness of God in Whom We Trust Creator An entity primarily responsible for making the resource Richard A. Rhem Rights Information about rights held in and over the resource <a href="http://rightsstatements.org/page/InC/1.0/?language=en">In Copyright</a> Subject The topic of the resource Clergy--Michigan Reformed Church in America Christ Community Church (Spring Lake, Mich.) Sermons Relation A related resource Richard A. Rhem - An Archive of Sermons, Prayers, Talks and Stories: http://richardrhem.org/ Language A language of the resource eng Type The nature or genre of the resource Moving Image Text Description An account of the resource A sermon given by Richard A. Rhem (Dick) on July 29, 2012 entitled "Present to the Presence - Living with Awareness of God in Whom We Trust", on the occasion of Lakeshore Interfaith Center Gathering, at Lakeshore Interfaith Center, Ganges. Scripture references: Psalm 16:5-11, Romans 8:31, 35-39. Format The file format, physical medium, or dimensions of the resource video/x-m4v application/pdf Publisher An entity responsible for making the resource available Grand Valley State University. University Libraries. Lemmen Library and Archives Historical View of the Bible Presence of God Trust https://digitalcollections.library.gvsu.edu/files/original/d7f159f9bc772149c653ef1c5f165beb.pdf 2e3554de0ca536024d8ae79b39df19ff PDF Text Text Rock Solid – Soft Center Meditation for Marvin Bottema Text: Psalm 16: 8; Romans 8: 31, 35-39 Richard A. Rhem Spring Lake, Michigan March 2, 2013 Prepared text of the meditation I suspect, to the extent that you know Marv Bottema well, you will understand why I have entitled my meditation “Rock Solid – Soft Center.” Does that not describe him? Was he not solid as a rock – settled, secure, unmovable when it came to his trust, his values, his commitments? He was the rock solid center of his family and, throughout his life, responsible, dependable faithful. Of course, it was in his genes. Son of Gerrit and Johanna could be no less. But it was more than that; his life was deeply rooted in God, the God of the Psalmist, the God revealed in Jesus Christ. As always, I chose the Scripture lessons that were reflected in his life. They happen to be among my favorite passages as well, but they were chosen because they were lived out concretely in Marvin’s life. Psalm 16:8 – I keep the Lord always before me; because he is at my right hand, I shall not be moved. The English translation misses the image of the Hebrew text which is, literally, “before my face” – I keep the Lord always before my face. What do you suppose the Psalmist is saying? God fully in his consciousness 24/7? Probably not. I don’t even know what that would be, what that would entail. This is poetry and don’t you suppose the poet is trying to bring to expression the fact that his whole being is shaped by his awareness at deep moments that, aware or not, he lives in a “God-shaped” reality? God is the source, ground and goal of all being. The poet believes that, trusts that. Paul on one occasion speaks of God in whom “we live and move and have our being.” God, the unspoken Presence, the backdrop, the foundation that gives us our being so that there is no secular and sacred. And we don’t have to signal in every situation, every conversation, that God fills our mind and heart. © Grand Valley State University   �Rock Solid – Soft Center Richard A. Rhem Page 2   In fact, I’m a bit allergic to those pious ones whose language is replete with God’s latest miracle in their lives. This was not my friend, Marvin. No, his deep-seated spiritual grounding did not need to be expressed; it was simply the constant center of his being. It informed the total experience of his life in labor and leisure, in the family or at Burger King. He got a head start; he chose his parents well. His traditioning, his spiritual formation, was deep; it started early. And, when it is deep and authentic, one never gets away from it. One doesn’t put it on like a Sunday suit (although Sunday suits are not put on so much either anymore!) I am perhaps belaboring the point but, as I too grow older and can see the end, I become acutely aware of the critical importance of early formation, being nurtured through a lifetime of worship in the community of God’s people. That was Marv’s story. A life of faith in family and church and community – in Sunday school, consistory, and keeping the spotlight on the church Bell Tower. He loved the church. He hung in there a long time. On day I was in Grand Haven and received a call on my cell phone. The Cross was coming down. Since I was close I drove over and parked at the edge of the parking lot as the bucket truck was getting into position. I thought of Marv whose scrapbooks were filled with local history of community and church. I called him – 842 2958 – one of the numbers in my mental file. In hardly any time his pickup drove up. He moved with more quickness than I had seen him move for some time. His camera at the ready, he documented the event – for him a cause for great sadness. In Marvin I saw how much so many had invested their lives in the church community. I saw how much he and so many cared. I felt his loss. This is just one vignette illustrative of the deep spiritual rootedness, commitment and devotion of this one whose life we celebrate today. I will think of him on Good Friday when I hear the cross will be placed again on the Bell Tower. He will be pleased – maybe even joining the angel choir for an anthem – Lift High the Cross! I have set the Lord always before me… Thus sang the poet; Marv’s life said an Amen to that. Rock solid he was, immersed as he was in a God-consciousness that needed not to be spoken about because it showed all over. And the story gets even better: He had a soft center. Was there anything he wouldn’t do for his children or grandchildren? Many the times I stopped by and one of you was borrowing or bringing back the pickup or the Pontiac. Or maybe buying a new washer and dryer for the farmhouse. And those are just a couple of © Grand Valley State University �Rock Solid – Soft Center Richard A. Rhem Page 3   instances I can remember, but it was a way of life. He never ceased caring, providing, aiding in any way he could because he was soft at the center – a pushover as it were – and that was no accident. By “Soft at the Center,” I mean there was Love at the Center. The Epistle lesson, Romans 8:31, 35-39, expresses beautifully exactly what we have been talking about from Psalm 16. For the Psalmist – The Lord always before my face – was described by St. Paul as the God who is “for us.” And further: Who will separate us from the love of Christ? And then he lists the possible assaults on our human condition and concludes, No, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him who loved us. And then one of the most beautiful acclamations from the apostle: For I am convinced that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor rulers, nor things present, nor things to come, nor powers, nor height, nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God in Jesus Christ our Lord. Marvin was soft at the center for his whole universe was soft at the center. The center is Love; the last word is love. Love is the final reality – as the writer of the first letter of John affirmed – God is Love. And nothing will separate us from that love – nothing in life, nothing in death. With God always before one’s face, the God who is love, one grows rock solid in all life’s circumstances, while being soft at the center, emulating the God who keeps us in all life’s experience secure in Love Divine. One more thing: I must say to you – sons and daughters, grandchildren – you are a very beautiful family. When I would say to Marv, “You have wonderful kids,” he would say, “That was Thelma’s doing.” And I would suggest he was probably a little bit responsible as well. But my point is you have returned the love and care that you learned from your parents. It always warmed my heart to witness it. I will miss him and I will miss you. We have had some beautiful moments – around the kitchen table, on the deck, in the yard celebrating the sacraments of Baptism and The Lord’s Supper. You are a wonderful © Grand Valley State University �Rock Solid – Soft Center Richard A. Rhem Page 4   family. Stay close. Keep alive those meaningful traditions and celebrations we have shared. I have come to love you very much. And so we say farewell, good and faithful servant – Rock Solid/Soft Center. He has entered into light eternal, into the joy of the Lord, together again with all he loved and lost awhile. Thanks be to God who gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ. © Grand Valley State University � Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource Richard A. Rhem Collection Description An account of the resource Text and sound recordings of the sermons, prayers, services, and articles of Richard Rhem, pastor emeritus of Christ Community Church in Spring Lake, Michigan, where he served for 37 years. Starting in the mid 1980's, Rhem began to question some of the traditional Christian dogma that he had been espousing from the pulpit. That questioning was a first step in a long and interesting spiritual journey, one that he openly shared with his congregation. His journey is important, in part because it is reflective of the questioning, the yearnings, and the gradual revision of beliefs that many persons in this part of the century have experienced and continue to experience. It is important also because of the affirming and inclusive way his questioning was done and his thinking evolved. His sermons and other written and spoken materials together document the steps in his journey as it took a turn in 1985, yet continued to revolve around the framework and liturgies of the Christian calendar. Subject The topic of the resource Clergy--Michigan Reformed Church in America Christ Community Church (Spring Lake, Mich.) Religion Interfaith worship Sermons Sound Recordings Creator An entity primarily responsible for making the resource Rhem, Richard A. Source A related resource from which the described resource is derived <a href="https://gvsu.lyrasistechnology.org/repositories/2/resources/514">Richard A. Rhem papers (KII-01)</a> Publisher An entity responsible for making the resource available Grand Valley State University. University Libraries. Special Collections & University Archives. Contributor An entity responsible for making contributions to the resource Kaufman Interfaith Institute Rights Information about rights held in and over the resource <a href="http://rightsstatements.org/page/InC/1.0/?language=en">In Copyright</a> Language A language of the resource English Type The nature or genre of the resource Sound Text Identifier An unambiguous reference to the resource within a given context KII-01 Coverage The spatial or temporal topic of the resource, the spatial applicability of the resource, or the jurisdiction under which the resource is relevant 1981-2014 Format The file format, physical medium, or dimensions of the resource audio/mp3 text/pdf Sound A resource primarily intended to be heard. Examples include a music playback file format, an audio compact disc, and recorded speech or sounds. Event Meditation for Marvin Bottema Scripture Text Psalm 16:8, Romans 8:31, 35-39 Location The location of the interview Spring Lake, Michigan Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Identifier An unambiguous reference to the resource within a given context KII-01_RA-0-20130302 Date A point or period of time associated with an event in the lifecycle of the resource 2013-03-02 Title A name given to the resource Rock Solid - Soft Center Creator An entity primarily responsible for making the resource Richard A. Rhem Rights Information about rights held in and over the resource <a href="http://rightsstatements.org/page/InC/1.0/?language=en">In Copyright</a> Subject The topic of the resource Clergy--Michigan Reformed Church in America Christ Community Church (Spring Lake, Mich.) Sermons Relation A related resource Richard A. Rhem - An Archive of Sermons, Prayers, Talks and Stories: http://richardrhem.org/ Language A language of the resource eng Type The nature or genre of the resource Text Description An account of the resource A sermon given by Richard A. Rhem (Dick) on March 2, 2013 entitled "Rock Solid - Soft Center", on the occasion of Meditation for Marvin Bottema, at Spring Lake, Michigan. Scripture references: Psalm 16:8, Romans 8:31, 35-39. Format The file format, physical medium, or dimensions of the resource application/pdf Publisher An entity responsible for making the resource available Grand Valley State University. University Libraries. Lemmen Library and Archives Community Faith Love https://digitalcollections.library.gvsu.edu/files/original/a6bf36b4538b54149b42fd49f4298ad3.pdf 4d732d4dd1660be98b9df3fdcc22b20b PDF Text Text LOVE That Loves Us Margaret Feldmann Kruizenga Memorial Ecclesiastes 3: 1-8, 11, 13; I John 4: 7-8, 12, 16, 19; John 1:1-5, 14, 18 Richard A. Rhem Freedom Village, Holland, Michigan May 25, 2013 It is an honor and my privilege to conduct this service of worship and celebration of the life of Margaret Feldmann Kruizenga. I do so as family as much as pastor. When Margaret married Richard she married into a family of Mulders and Kruizengas who were, with a couple of other families, the core of the First Reformed Church of Spring Lake, Michigan. Dick’s parents were baptized on the same day in the First Reformed Church of Spring Lake and, I’m told, Dick’s father winked at his mother across the baptismal font and said, “She’s for me!” The tradition was also Margaret’s, coming, as she did, from Long Island and a Reformed congregation there which steered her to Hope College where she met her husband to be, a marriage of over 60 years. I mention my presence as family because, graduating from Western Seminary in 1960, I was extended a call to the Spring Lake congregation. In the first congregational meeting I ever conducted in the fall of 1960, Dick’s father, Richard J. Kruizenga, was elected once again an elder and proved an early formative influence on me. After a hiatus of seven years, having left for New Jersey and then Europe for post-graduate work, I returned for a visit with a very painful divorce ahead. Dick’s father, with consummate skill, succeeded in leading the congregation to extend a call to me even in the tenuous circumstances of my life at that time. In 1971 I began again in Spring Lake and from that time Dick’s father became a surrogate father to me. And in that almost impossible situation of assuming the pastorate of that fine congregation, divorcing with children 7, 9 and 11 for whom to care, it was primarily Dick’s sister Dorothy and her husband Gordon who “adopted” us and made it all possible. (Gordon is present with us; Dorothy died on the past New Year’s Day.) I relate this history because I want you to sense the personal meaning of this celebration to me. Over many years, Dick and Margaret would return to Spring Lake. I met them but didn’t really know them well until, in retirement, they were summer residents of Spring Lake and Grand Haven. Over these last years we have shared many happy occasions with them and were privileged to come to know their family. © Grand Valley State University   �LOVE That Loves Us Richard A. Rhem Page 2   From that history it is obvious that I did not know the Margaret Dick fell in love with, married and eventually traveled the world with. Even in retirement Margaret’s strength (She was no shrinking flower!), intelligence and acute engagement with current events were clear. She held strong opinions and was not reticent about expressing them. A time or two she straightened me out! But one comment in the Funeral Home Obituary Internet Site caught my eye and I determined I would share it with you because in brief, concise fashion I suspect Margaret could not receive a finer portrait. Her friend Nancy wrote: Margaret was a dear friend for many, many years – and remained so from all corners of the world. I met her when I was just out of college and she was a sophisticated New York wife, mother and world traveler. I always admired and looked up to her for her great taste, wit, intelligence and generosity. My love and thoughts are with her wonderful husband Dick and with Meg, Derek and families. Margaret will always have a special place in my heart. That is the one whose life we celebrate today – and yesterday – at the Ground Breaking for the Kruizenga Art Museum on Hope’s campus. My first serious encounter with Dick and Margaret was many years ago at the Spring Lake cemetery – a graveside service for their child Dwight, a special needs child. In her determined fashion, Margaret sought every possible means to give Dwight a normal childhood but ran into a wall; nothing in science, medicine or technology could bring her child to wholeness. I think it was at that critical juncture that she found in Christian Science spiritual resources that enabled her to cope with human impotence in face of deep human need. Her spiritual quest became her lifelong pursuit. She was serious, engaged and generous in her support of the Church of Christ, Scientist where she found a spiritual community. Through her leadership and support, the church in Irving, Texas, was transformed into a beautiful sacred space and she was very supportive of the church in Grand Haven as well. Margaret was seriously engaged in the spiritual quest for meaning, indeed, for the Sacred Mystery we call God. In the teaching of Christian Science she was pointed to God as Spirit, Mind, Love and the critical importance of prayer and meditation. The Scripture Lessons were chosen in light of Margaret’s spiritual quest. The familiar poetry of Ecclesiastes 3 moves to God has made everything suitable for its time; moreover he has put a sense of past and future into their minds, yet they cannot find out what God has done from the beginning to the end. © Grand Valley State University �LOVE That Loves Us Richard A. Rhem Page 3   One whose knowledge of Hebrew far surpasses mine has rendered those lines thus: God has made everything beautiful in its own time and has put an eternal yearning in our hearts even as we live before the face of Mystery. An eternal yearning before the face of Mystery – my sense is that that might fit Margaret well. It is my sense that in her spiritual pursuit she came to rest in the God of Love – a central biblical teaching underscored in Christian Science – Divine Love come to expression in the life of Jesus. “No one has ever seen God,” declares the writer of the Fourth Gospel in his prologue to his story of Jesus decades after the event itself. But the eternal Word, Creation’s Agent, assumed flesh – humanity – and in that human face, the writer claims, God is revealed. Out of that Johannine Circle, also near the end of the first century as the early Christian community was trying to give expression to the Gospel, the writer of the First Letter of John picked up that statement from the Gospel – “No one has seen God.” For him as for the Gospel writer, the Mystery of God was revealed in Jesus. He opens his letter: We declare to you what was from the beginning, what we have heard, what we have seen with our eyes, what we have looked at and touched with our hands, concerning the word of life. But then later in the letter he calls the community to love one another for “God is love.” He then repeats the acknowledgement of the Gospel – No one has ever seen God.” But he goes on to make a startling claim – If we love one another, God lives in us, and his love is perfected in us. He moves beyond the Gospel’s claim that God is revealed in Jesus – the Word made flesh – to the amazing claim that God is revealed in our love one for another. If we love one another, God lives in us, and his love is perfected in us. God is love, and those who abide in love abide in God, and God abides in them. God is Love, Love known and experienced in our human love. The Hebrew poet sensed an eternal yearning as he lived before the face of Mystery. The writer of the First Letter of John read off the story of Jesus that God is Love. But not only that; God/LOVE is known/experienced in the concreteness of human love – as we love one another. © Grand Valley State University �LOVE That Loves Us Richard A. Rhem Page 4   The human quest for meaning, for some understanding of the mystery of being human, our whence, our whither, and what it means in the meantime is both ancient and contemporary. One of the greatest film directors of our time is Terrence Malick. He produced The Thin Red Line and more recently a film entitled The Tree of Life – a deeply spiritual film starring Brad Pitt and Jessica Chastain. But last month To the Wonder came out, a film in which Malick reveals the deep human hunger and quest for what ultimately grounds us, forms us, calls us to communion. A reviewer writes, Ultimately, for Malick, the experience of falling in love grants us a glimpse of the divine – of a ‘LOVE that loves us.’ Humanity was made for God. And He is present all around us – in the transfiguring, wondrous joy of romantic love, in self-giving sacrifice, in our suffering and the suffering of others, in the charity we offer to those in pain, in the resplendent beauty of the natural world – if only we open our eyes to see Him. That, it seems, is Terrence Malick’s scandalous message….an ecstatic tribute to God. (Damon Linker) The film’s title says it all – “To the Wonder.” I find it fascinating that one of our contemporary film directors should with such artistry cause us to wonder – wonder about the Wonder that is God. In a three-way e-mail conversation in which I engage and, in this instance, about Malick’s “To the Wonder,” one wrote: In this context it makes a lot of sense to me that in wanting to speak redemptively about what grounds us in all that we are Malick wrestles with love as Love. In being Loved I know God and in loving I walk with God (Hendrick Hart) I entitled my meditation the LOVE that Loves Us – loves us into being, undergirds, overshadows ‘til finally we move through death to Eternal Light dwelling in the LOVE that loved us into being! God is love, and those who abide in love abide in God, and God abides in them. Margaret believed that. In her final barely conscious moments she was bathed in it. I stood vigil with Dick. I witnessed his deep love in a final embrace and “I love you,” as well as the heavy grief he felt. Dick violated the Kruizenga canon against showing emotion! It was quite beautiful, moving. God is Love. LOVE loved her into being. Margaret believed that. Now she knows. © Grand Valley State University � Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource Richard A. Rhem Collection Description An account of the resource Text and sound recordings of the sermons, prayers, services, and articles of Richard Rhem, pastor emeritus of Christ Community Church in Spring Lake, Michigan, where he served for 37 years. Starting in the mid 1980's, Rhem began to question some of the traditional Christian dogma that he had been espousing from the pulpit. That questioning was a first step in a long and interesting spiritual journey, one that he openly shared with his congregation. His journey is important, in part because it is reflective of the questioning, the yearnings, and the gradual revision of beliefs that many persons in this part of the century have experienced and continue to experience. It is important also because of the affirming and inclusive way his questioning was done and his thinking evolved. His sermons and other written and spoken materials together document the steps in his journey as it took a turn in 1985, yet continued to revolve around the framework and liturgies of the Christian calendar. Subject The topic of the resource Clergy--Michigan Reformed Church in America Christ Community Church (Spring Lake, Mich.) Religion Interfaith worship Sermons Sound Recordings Creator An entity primarily responsible for making the resource Rhem, Richard A. Source A related resource from which the described resource is derived <a href="https://gvsu.lyrasistechnology.org/repositories/2/resources/514">Richard A. Rhem papers (KII-01)</a> Publisher An entity responsible for making the resource available Grand Valley State University. University Libraries. Special Collections & University Archives. Contributor An entity responsible for making contributions to the resource Kaufman Interfaith Institute Rights Information about rights held in and over the resource <a href="http://rightsstatements.org/page/InC/1.0/?language=en">In Copyright</a> Language A language of the resource English Type The nature or genre of the resource Sound Text Identifier An unambiguous reference to the resource within a given context KII-01 Coverage The spatial or temporal topic of the resource, the spatial applicability of the resource, or the jurisdiction under which the resource is relevant 1981-2014 Format The file format, physical medium, or dimensions of the resource audio/mp3 text/pdf Sound A resource primarily intended to be heard. Examples include a music playback file format, an audio compact disc, and recorded speech or sounds. Event Meditation for Margaret Feldmann Kruizenga Scripture Text Ecclesiastes 3:1-8, 11, 13, I John 4:7-8, 12, 16, 19, John 1:1-5, 14 & 18 Location The location of the interview Freedom Village, Holland, Michigan Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Identifier An unambiguous reference to the resource within a given context KII-01_RA-0-20130525 Date A point or period of time associated with an event in the lifecycle of the resource 2013-05-25 Title A name given to the resource The LOVE That Loves Us Creator An entity primarily responsible for making the resource Richard A. Rhem Rights Information about rights held in and over the resource <a href="http://rightsstatements.org/page/InC/1.0/?language=en">In Copyright</a> Subject The topic of the resource Clergy--Michigan Reformed Church in America Christ Community Church (Spring Lake, Mich.) Sermons Relation A related resource Richard A. Rhem - An Archive of Sermons, Prayers, Talks and Stories: http://richardrhem.org/ Language A language of the resource eng Type The nature or genre of the resource Text Description An account of the resource A sermon given by Richard A. Rhem (Dick) on May 25, 2013 entitled "The LOVE That Loves Us", on the occasion of Meditation for Margaret Feldmann Kruizenga, at Freedom Village, Holland, Michigan. Scripture references: Ecclesiastes 3:1-8, 11, 13, I John 4:7-8, 12, 16, 19, John 1:1-5, 14 & 18. Format The file format, physical medium, or dimensions of the resource application/pdf Publisher An entity responsible for making the resource available Grand Valley State University. University Libraries. Lemmen Library and Archives Family Funeral Love Sacred Mystery Spiritual Quest https://digitalcollections.library.gvsu.edu/files/original/6505688a405d511abb8ccd28dfd7ca7a.pdf 631ebabaf7e5f96faf555414fda32a10 PDF Text Text A Tribute to a Lady Full of Grace In Memory of Barbara Dee Timmer Richard A. Rhem Hope Church Holland, Michigan May 31, 2013 Thank you, Barbara and John, for an invitation to pay tribute to your mother, Barbara Dee. It brings closure for me to the warm and gracious relationship I was privileged to share with your parents. As I reflect back over the years, I’m reminded of so many wonderful moments and experiences. Norm and Barbara showed up at Christ Community one Sunday for worship. The trigger that moved them was their recognition that we needed affirmation and support for the position we took with regard to sexual orientation – not a moral issue, just a matter of the marvelously diverse patterns of creation. We did not decide one day to address the issue, although we should have long before. However, as so often happens, something occurred that put before us an occasion to do the right thing. It was the height of the AIDS epidemic. My pastoral team at Christ Community Church designed a workshop on a Saturday composed of physicians, health care workers, and clergy and invited the community to be present. With no responsibility – simply being present – I noticed a man with a clerical collar whom I did not know. I introduced myself and asked where he was from. He told me he was starting a Metropolitan Community Church in Muskegon. I asked where they met and he said in the basement of a bar on Sunday evening. I asked why such a setting. He said they had contacted a dozen churches in Muskegon but either did not get a response or were turned down. I was shocked. I told him I would bring the matter to our consistory. I remember vividly the meeting when I put forth the request. One of our young deacons said, “What would Jesus do?” Issue settled. The Metropolitan group was offered our chapel on Sunday evenings and a classroom for Bible study during the week. The Muskegon Chronicle learned of the group and wrote a story. They also published with the story a picture of the group in our chapel, telling how we offered them hospitality. That story appeared in the press about a week before the spring meeting of the Muskegon Classis and became the catalyst for an investigation of our ministry to homosexual persons. The rest is history. © Grand Valley State University   �Tribute to a Lady Full of Grace Richard A. Rhem Page 2   I tell you that story because – so typical of their spirit – Barbara and Norm showed up at CCC to encourage, affirm and support. I like to think we borrowed them for a few years as positive signs of grace in the face of some difficult times. On an All Saints’ Day Service in 2002, I preached a sermon that spoke especially meaningfully to Norm. He told Barbara, “I want that sermon preached at my funeral.” Norm’s health broke down. He was taken to The Inn at Freedom Village. Returning home from Florida, I saw I had received an email from John saying that his dad was failing. I called Barbara. She was on the way to The Inn. I met her there. Norm had not been communicating for a day or two. I came to his side and something happened. We had a wonderful conversation – he poured out his life story with the church – a pastor who asked his father, an elder, to tell Norm not to ask questions in catechism, and so on. It was a very meaningful time. I prayed with him and left. That evening a message from Barbara was on our answering machine. I wasn’t clear about what she was saying. In the morning I called her. As she began I interrupted – “Barbara, what are you telling me? Did Norm die?” Yes, Norm had died some time after I left. It was as though he made his last and good confession and passed into Light Eternal. He expressed his gratitude for the “Grace Note” that marked our worship over the past few years. And, of course, he would, for is there any word that describes this wonderful couple more than Grace? And to the end of her long and beautiful life Barbara Dee kept the Grace Note alive and well. My last really good conversation with her was at Rest Haven, in which she was very much herself. We talked about our past times together, about how fortunate we were to have lived in the ambience of Grace, to have found God all-embracing and all-inclusive. Thinking about what I would say today, I reviewed the great women of Scripture; none measured up! But then one of my favorite biblical characters came to mind and immediately I knew I had a match for Barbara – Barnabas! Have you ever taken a magic marker to your Bible as I have to Acts and traced the story of Barnabas? I find it quite amazing how his story in Acts reflects the qualities and character of Barbara Dee. In Acts 4 we read of that early Jesus-Jewish community which held everything in common. Enter a Levite from Cyprus named Joseph. But soon the community gave him a new name, Barnabas, which means “Son of Encouragement.” Obviously there was some magic about him – a bit like meeting Barbara, I suppose. They were taken with him. His first recorded deed was to sell a field and give the proceeds to the community. Those in the Temple leadership were not happy about the growing vitality of the Jesus Jewish group. Persecution ensued and we meet Saul, full of rage at the community. You know the story: he affirms the stoning of Stephen and then goes © Grand Valley State University �Tribute to a Lady Full of Grace Richard A. Rhem Page 3   on his way to Damascus to ravage the community. But he has a vision; he hears a voice and sees a light. Saul is converted and, instead of arresting the Followers of the Way, he preaches, proclaiming Jesus as the Son of God. For that he became the enemy and his life was in jeopardy. Back to Jerusalem he attempted to join the disciples but they were afraid of him. And we read of Barnabas’ first act of grace – he brought Saul/Paul to the apostles and told how Saul was transformed from persecutor to preacher of the Lord. As the story goes on, we will see this was characteristic of Barnabas – full of grace, sensitive, believing a person can change, trusting what he saw. The persecution of the Jesus People scattered them abroad. Antioch became a center and there an amazing thing happened – the Jesus Jews spoke the Good News to non-Jews! And, amazingly, the Gentiles believed! Now what to do? The General Synod leaders in Jerusalem got nervous. They decided to send an envoy to check out this new development. And, by the Grace of God, they sent Barnabas. He came to Antioch and the Acts account tells us, When he came and saw the grace of God, he rejoiced…for he was a good man, full of the Holy Spirit and of faith. So Barbara-like! No big theological dilemma – he saw the Grace! Paul had returned to his home in Tarsus and Barnabas sought him out and together they ministered for a year to that community in Antioch where the disciples “were first called ‘Christians’”! After a year there, the Antioch Church commissioned Paul and Barnabas to go on the road telling the Good News, which they did with great success. They had taken a young believer, John Mark, with them. Half way through their journey he left them, we know not why. Their success created a major crisis for the Church leaders – the General Synod as it were. Could one come into the Grace of God through the Good News of Jesus without becoming a ritualized Jew? How about food laws? How about circumcision? They called a Council – church historians call it the first major church council. There Peter told his story about his Cornelius experience – how, while he was speaking, the Holy Spirit “fell” on the household of this Roman Cornelius. Then Paul and Barnabas told their story – “The signs and wonders that God had done through them among the Gentiles. The evidence was overwhelming – something of global significance was happening and challenging the deepest foundations of Jewish faith, now focused on Jesus. © Grand Valley State University �Tribute to a Lady Full of Grace Richard A. Rhem Page 4   The “General Secretary “of the “General Synod,” James, ruled in favor of recognizing God’s Grace among the Gentiles, who could come to God through Christ without going through Moses. Wouldn’t Barbara Dee have been clapping her hands, pumping her fist, saying, “Yes!” After the Council’s decision Paul said to Barnabas, “Let’s retrace our steps and visit the communities we gathered on our first journey.” Barnabas said, “Great, I’ll invite John Mark.” Paul said, “No way. He deserted us!” Barnabas responded, “He was young. He has really grown up. He’s a great leader!” Paul said, “No way!” The argument was sharp. They parted ways, Barnabas taking John Mark. Who was right? Barnabas, full of grace, of course. He saw deeply into persons. He was sensitive, kind, compassionate, loving. (Don’t you see Barbara Dee in him?) And he was proven right. Check Paul’s letters – in the personal greetings at the end of the letters, Paul mentioned Mark in Colossians, Philemon, and in II Timothy 4:11 Paul writes, “Get Mark and bring him with you, for he is useful in my ministry.” Obviously John Mark lived into Barnabas’ intuitive sense of the quality of his person. Again, Barnabas, full of grace, hope, and sensitivity saw what Paul had missed. Barbara would not have missed what Paul missed and Barnabas saw. Scholars tell us Acts was written to smooth over the tensions and divisions of the early Jesus movement. There I find a portrait of Barnabas. The big names are Peter, James, and Paul but I sense Barnabas was the key. He trusted Paul’s conversion, he saw God’s Grace in Antioch, he made his witness at the Jerusalem Council and he gave John Mark a second chance. Barbara Dee loved deep issues of Bible, theology and issues before the church in the evolving of cultural expression. Would she not have loved to make her witness to St. James! Would she not have stood up to Paul and hugged Barnabas? She was our Barnabas – full of faith and the Holy Spirit, full of grace and sensitivity, full of compassion and love – and all with her beautiful smile. Barbara’s open mind, warm heart, loving presence – inclusive, embracing, enlivening, and enhancing the humanity of all she met… Can you imagine a world created in her image! I can! I do! And she makes me want to work to that end! © Grand Valley State University � Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource Richard A. Rhem Collection Description An account of the resource Text and sound recordings of the sermons, prayers, services, and articles of Richard Rhem, pastor emeritus of Christ Community Church in Spring Lake, Michigan, where he served for 37 years. Starting in the mid 1980's, Rhem began to question some of the traditional Christian dogma that he had been espousing from the pulpit. That questioning was a first step in a long and interesting spiritual journey, one that he openly shared with his congregation. His journey is important, in part because it is reflective of the questioning, the yearnings, and the gradual revision of beliefs that many persons in this part of the century have experienced and continue to experience. It is important also because of the affirming and inclusive way his questioning was done and his thinking evolved. His sermons and other written and spoken materials together document the steps in his journey as it took a turn in 1985, yet continued to revolve around the framework and liturgies of the Christian calendar. Subject The topic of the resource Clergy--Michigan Reformed Church in America Christ Community Church (Spring Lake, Mich.) Religion Interfaith worship Sermons Sound Recordings Creator An entity primarily responsible for making the resource Rhem, Richard A. Source A related resource from which the described resource is derived <a href="https://gvsu.lyrasistechnology.org/repositories/2/resources/514">Richard A. Rhem papers (KII-01)</a> Publisher An entity responsible for making the resource available Grand Valley State University. University Libraries. Special Collections & University Archives. Contributor An entity responsible for making contributions to the resource Kaufman Interfaith Institute Rights Information about rights held in and over the resource <a href="http://rightsstatements.org/page/InC/1.0/?language=en">In Copyright</a> Language A language of the resource English Type The nature or genre of the resource Sound Text Identifier An unambiguous reference to the resource within a given context KII-01 Coverage The spatial or temporal topic of the resource, the spatial applicability of the resource, or the jurisdiction under which the resource is relevant 1981-2014 Format The file format, physical medium, or dimensions of the resource audio/mp3 text/pdf Sound A resource primarily intended to be heard. Examples include a music playback file format, an audio compact disc, and recorded speech or sounds. Event Barbara Dee Timmer Memorial Service Location The location of the interview Hope Church, Holland, Michigan Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Identifier An unambiguous reference to the resource within a given context KII-01_RA-0-20130531 Date A point or period of time associated with an event in the lifecycle of the resource 2013-05-31 Title A name given to the resource A Tribute to a Lady Full of Grace Creator An entity primarily responsible for making the resource Richard A. Rhem Rights Information about rights held in and over the resource <a href="http://rightsstatements.org/page/InC/1.0/?language=en">In Copyright</a> Subject The topic of the resource Clergy--Michigan Reformed Church in America Christ Community Church (Spring Lake, Mich.) Sermons Relation A related resource Richard A. Rhem - An Archive of Sermons, Prayers, Talks and Stories: http://richardrhem.org/ Language A language of the resource eng Type The nature or genre of the resource Text Description An account of the resource A sermon given by Richard A. Rhem (Dick) on May 31, 2013 entitled "A Tribute to a Lady Full of Grace", on the occasion of Barbara Dee Timmer Memorial Service, at Hope Church, Holland, Michigan. Format The file format, physical medium, or dimensions of the resource application/pdf Publisher An entity responsible for making the resource available Grand Valley State University. University Libraries. Lemmen Library and Archives Grace Inclusive https://digitalcollections.library.gvsu.edu/files/original/c2837192ee0376d99115a2b95a1c5149.pdf 57519ee30c733ca623c348bb13f62d81 PDF Text Text A Profile in Love Celebrating the Life of Dorothy Kruizenga Boelens Ecclesiastes 3:1-8, 11, 13; I Corinthians 13; John 14:1-3 Richard A. Rhem St. John’s Episcopal Church Grand Haven, Michigan August 1, 2013 We gather in worship to give God thanks for the life of Dorothy Kruizenga Boelens and to celebrate her life, lived so fully, so well. In preparation for the service I went to my Kruizenga file – Richard and Kathryn, Georgia, Stella, most recently Margaret. I am very much aware that the meditations I have offered all have in the beginning my own story, as my life has been impacted by the Kruizenga family. I am a bit self conscious about that but I cannot help myself – my life has been shaped by the Kruizenga clan and I am, at times like this, so acutely aware that I owe so much to the family and to no one more than Dorothy. Just two months ago I expressed at Margaret’s service how entwined my life has been with this family and I must do so once more for no one has been as responsible for all I have become and the community we shared for so many years as Dorothy Boelens. And making that claim, expressing my debt, my gratitude, my love, I include you, Gord. Without your complete support and full involvement and generous provision, it could not have happened. But on this occasion of the celebration of Dorothy’s life, I say without reservation, she saved my life, was responsible for the wellbeing of my children – for whom it was Aunt Dort and Uncle Gord – and made possible my ministry in Spring Lake and the renewal, rebirth and creation of Christ Community, in which we shared such rich community life. No one was more key than she. Her father, with great wisdom and finesse brought the congregation to the decision to invite me to return, risky decision that it was, given my personal circumstances, facing divorce and custody struggles. But it was Dort who made it work. So many were so gracious and helpful, but Dort filled in all the blanks. I could regale you with story after story but it would take the day. Just one accomplishment – she arranged for me to meet the love of my life – Nancy. She probably knew if her life was ever to return to normal, my life would have to find normalcy. What better way than to lead me to the beautiful lady who would become my wife and a mother to my children. On Christmas Day, 1972, Gord and Dort stood with us as we spoke our vows. But that was only Act I. In the days of explosive growth and renewal, Dorothy was front and center. © Grand Valley State University   �A Profile in Love Richard A. Rhem Page 2   Bob Schuller’s Institute for Church Growth in California was new. I think nine of us went out there, Gord and Dort among the nine. We came home and implemented a plan for renewal and growth. R.J. Kruizenga was our volunteer Business Manager. We went from one to two to three morning services and the congregation voted to change our name from The First Reformed Church to Christ Community Church and on the same evening extended a call to Gordon Van Hoeven whom the congregation had sent into the ministry in the early ‘60’s. The vote for the call was 124 yes, 7 no, and for the next eighteen years Gord tried to discover who the 7 were! And then the name change: Dort’s mother, Kathryn, a consistory wife responsible to cut the pies, wagered I wouldn’t get such a margin on the name change proposal but, wonder of wonders, the vote was 120 yes, 4 no. “Ladies in the kitchen” was the way it was. Consistory and Ministers were men only! It was Dort’s Aunt Stella who broke that threshold, our first woman elder, the first in the Muskegon Classis and one of the first in the RCA and there was no one finer anywhere. With growth in members and growing programs, no way Gordon and I could keep up. At that time the paraprofessional idea was blooming and we formed a paraprofessional team that worked wonders. Dorothy was on the first team and served faithfully and fruitfully for several years. Her Young Moms’ Group was a great success. One blizzardy winter day, school was canceled, roads weren’t plowed, the parking lot wasn’t plowed, but from my study in the parsonage I watched them arrive – young moms with babies in tow. They were not about to miss their weekly gathering. Such was the importance of that group for those young women and Dorothy was their Mother Superior. She was quite amazing in so many ways – very intelligent, with fine gifts of leadership, organization, and vision – and she brought her best gifts and full energy to our ministry at Christ Community. There is an Honor Roll of persons and families who have given their all and given well. That is always the way with social movement, community endeavors and especially congregations. It has been true for our congregation. Familiar names – many of you can list them as you look back on the history of the Spring Lake congregation. But, in terms of dedication, gifts of leadership and tireless service, Dorothy heads the Honor Roll, flanked by her father and Aunt Stella. Where does one go in Scripture to find a portrait of such a remarkable disciple? I begin with the Hebrew poet who penned Ecclesiastes. The familiar third chapter takes in the full scope of life in all of its varied experiences: For everything there is a season And a time for every activity under heaven. … God has made everything beautiful in its own time And has put an eternal yearning in our hearts Even as we live before the face of Mystery. © Grand Valley State University �A Profile in Love Richard A. Rhem Page 3   Like the poet, Dort was a realist; she faced every day and every new experience with a healthy perspective, well traditioned, spiritually open, unafraid. She was well grounded and open to what may be opening on the far horizon. The poet somehow got into the Hebrew Bible canon but sometimes that surprises me when I read some of his wonderings, some of his doubts, some of his questions. He dared to look at life in all its ambiguity and confess in many instances he just didn’t get it – even in the ultimate matter of life and death. He writes, …the fate of humans and the fate of animals is the same; as one dies so does the other. They all have the same breath and humans have no advantage over the animals; for all is vanity. All go to one place, all are from the dust and all turn to dust again. Who knows whether the human spirit goes upward and the spirit of animals goes downward to the earth? He had no doubt that God is and God rules but as for the human situation – he simply couldn’t figure it out and he was honest enough and healthy enough to live with his questions. Yet, he affirms, God has made everything beautiful in its own time And he senses as well that God Has put an eternal yearning in our hearts. Dort was a person of faith, curious, questioning, but not pious. Invite her to a theology class and she would be there. Don’t expect her to start a women’s prayer group. She lived a wholesome spirituality, loved to think, to wonder. She was a healthy model for me, enabling me to move beyond the pietism with which I arrived in Spring Lake in 1960. My primary focus in this reflection is St. Paul’s Love Chapter, I Corinthians 13. I point out the context of Paul’s Love Chapter, not because of the nature of the tensions and divisions in the Corinthian congregation, but rather just the fact that the congregation was in a troubled state and how that stands in contrast to our Christ Community experience. And why? Because of wise and competent lay leadership. Names of beloved friends and leaders come to mind but in the context of the celebration of Dorothy’s life, I think of R.J., her father, Stella, her aunt, to say nothing of her mother Kathryn who kept the consistory wives in order as well as the pizza makers. Dort had a keen sense of where the future lay, what we should be doing, where we should be moving. And she so loved the church community. She would not have been caught up in any proud and ostentatious display of piety; that was not Dort. But no matter what might become an issue in our community life, she was openminded, big-hearted, intelligent, and wise. Paul could have used her in Corinth; I’m thankful I had her here. © Grand Valley State University �A Profile in Love Richard A. Rhem Page 4   Addressing the turmoil in Corinth, Paul wrote a Profile in Love. As chapter 12 ends, Paul writes, But strive for the greater gifts. And I will show you a still more excellent way. (Verse 31). In the first paragraph he declares no spiritual gift amounts to anything if love in its exercise is absent. Have we not all at some time or other witnessed a noisy gong and clanging cymbal Christian piety? We have witnessed ostentatious display of religious knowledge and boastful religious claims or proud offering of gifts. Not Dort. Paul could be describing her practical, caring, everyday living out of her following the way of Jesus as he writes, Love is patient; love is kind; love is not envious or boastful or arrogant or rude. It does not insist on its own way; it is not irritable or resentful; it does not rejoice in wrongdoing, but rejoices in the truth. It bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things. Love never ends. That’s St. Paul’s Profile of Love. I submit to you it is a profile of Dorothy. Perhaps at this point you suspect I am making her some ethereal angel. Not really. Dort was a very remarkable person and in her practical, capable, caring ways she made love concrete. There were no limits to her caring, no hesitancy to her extending concrete care and aid. There was not a negative bone in her body, no pettiness, no jealousy, no negativity. Do I overstate the case? I don’t think so. I knew her intimately over many years in so many concrete situations, professional, personal, social. She was a rare human being. And thus I point you to Paul’s last paragraph – a beautiful expression of the now and the then – our present in the mists of history’s ongoing saga and the then of that future vision that awaits us, which in trust we await for ourselves and celebrate for our dear Dorothy. Remember again the context: St. Paul’s dealing with a congregation divided by rival claims to spiritual superiority. His antidote? Love – deep-down practical love expressed in personal and community relationships – common graces that are so uncommon – kindness, openness, forbearance, delight in the true, the good and the beautiful, never arrogant or rude or negative. And then he says, you know, we really don’t know so much. History is foggy; we see only dimly, in a mirror as it were. In fact, as we all once thought as a child and, thankfully, grew up, matured and put away childish things, so it is in life’s ultimate issues and questions. We who have grown up and put away childish ways remain, as a matter of fact, in our childhood when it comes to the grand scheme of things. We live before the face of Mystery. We do not know; we live by trust if we are wise, mature, aware. So there is no place for arrogant absolutism or too certain dogmatism. Humility befits us. © Grand Valley State University �A Profile in Love Richard A. Rhem Page 5   But that is not Paul’s last word. In terms of the cosmic drama in which we are caught up, we trust; we don’t see clearly – Now we see in a mirror, dimly, But he goes on with this marvelous affirmation: but then we will see face to face. And he continues, I know only in part; then I will know fully, even as I have been fully known. In sum: Faith, hope, love abide…and the greatest of these is love. Our Dorothy knew that, lived that. She lived that. She lived with some questions unanswered and wasn’t ready to accept a preacher’s too easy answers without facing the depth of the issues, and to live with questions, not having all the answers, gave her no pause. She lived by faith! Her trust was in the good and gracious God; she rested there. But Love? Oh my, she loved without limit to one and all – generous to a fault! And as to life’s ultimate questions shrouded in mystery – St. Paul writes, …now dimly…but then face to face! While with us she loved us, living in faith and hope, living the questions. And now she knows! And I suspect it is more than she dared dream of! Thanks be to God who gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ! © Grand Valley State University � Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource Richard A. Rhem Collection Description An account of the resource Text and sound recordings of the sermons, prayers, services, and articles of Richard Rhem, pastor emeritus of Christ Community Church in Spring Lake, Michigan, where he served for 37 years. Starting in the mid 1980's, Rhem began to question some of the traditional Christian dogma that he had been espousing from the pulpit. That questioning was a first step in a long and interesting spiritual journey, one that he openly shared with his congregation. His journey is important, in part because it is reflective of the questioning, the yearnings, and the gradual revision of beliefs that many persons in this part of the century have experienced and continue to experience. It is important also because of the affirming and inclusive way his questioning was done and his thinking evolved. His sermons and other written and spoken materials together document the steps in his journey as it took a turn in 1985, yet continued to revolve around the framework and liturgies of the Christian calendar. Subject The topic of the resource Clergy--Michigan Reformed Church in America Christ Community Church (Spring Lake, Mich.) Religion Interfaith worship Sermons Sound Recordings Creator An entity primarily responsible for making the resource Rhem, Richard A. Source A related resource from which the described resource is derived <a href="https://gvsu.lyrasistechnology.org/repositories/2/resources/514">Richard A. Rhem papers (KII-01)</a> Publisher An entity responsible for making the resource available Grand Valley State University. University Libraries. Special Collections & University Archives. Contributor An entity responsible for making contributions to the resource Kaufman Interfaith Institute Rights Information about rights held in and over the resource <a href="http://rightsstatements.org/page/InC/1.0/?language=en">In Copyright</a> Language A language of the resource English Type The nature or genre of the resource Sound Text Identifier An unambiguous reference to the resource within a given context KII-01 Coverage The spatial or temporal topic of the resource, the spatial applicability of the resource, or the jurisdiction under which the resource is relevant 1981-2014 Format The file format, physical medium, or dimensions of the resource audio/mp3 text/pdf Sound A resource primarily intended to be heard. Examples include a music playback file format, an audio compact disc, and recorded speech or sounds. Event Funeral Service for Dorothy Kruizenga Boelens Scripture Text Ecclesiastes 3:1-8, 11, 13, I Corinthians 13, John 14:1-3 Location The location of the interview St. John's Episcopal Chruch, Grand Haven, Michigan Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Identifier An unambiguous reference to the resource within a given context KII-01_RA-0-20130801 Date A point or period of time associated with an event in the lifecycle of the resource 2013-08-01 Title A name given to the resource A Profile in Love Creator An entity primarily responsible for making the resource Richard A. Rhem Rights Information about rights held in and over the resource <a href="http://rightsstatements.org/page/InC/1.0/?language=en">In Copyright</a> Subject The topic of the resource Clergy--Michigan Reformed Church in America Christ Community Church (Spring Lake, Mich.) Sermons Relation A related resource Richard A. Rhem - An Archive of Sermons, Prayers, Talks and Stories: http://richardrhem.org/ Language A language of the resource eng Type The nature or genre of the resource Text Description An account of the resource A sermon given by Richard A. Rhem (Dick) on August 1, 2013 entitled "A Profile in Love", on the occasion of Funeral Service for Dorothy Kruizenga Boelens, at St. John's Episcopal Chruch, Grand Haven, Michigan. Scripture references: Ecclesiastes 3:1-8, 11, 13, I Corinthians 13, John 14:1-3. Format The file format, physical medium, or dimensions of the resource application/pdf Publisher An entity responsible for making the resource available Grand Valley State University. University Libraries. Lemmen Library and Archives Community of Faith Grace Profile in Love https://digitalcollections.library.gvsu.edu/files/original/d0bc9ca59dd2adf2dfa6fbadaeb752d9.pdf ea4c24f74cc086cfe9e800b20bc42720 PDF Text Text Face To Face, Now and Then A Service of Worship In Celebration of the Life of Norman J. Campbell (October 7, 1937 to January 20, 2014) Psalm 16: 5-8, 11; I Corinthians 13: 4-13 Richard A. Rhem First Congregational Church Muskegon, Michigan January 24, 2014 Transcription of the written sermon Let me begin by expressing my appreciation to First Congregational Church for giving the honor and privilege of sharing in this celebration of the life of Norman J. Campbell and to Pastor Tim Vander Haan for graciously allowing me to share in this service with him. It means a great deal to me to be able to be part of Norm’s funeral service; he was such a dear friend and for many years one of my faithful parishioners at Christ Community Church, with Maureen and their daughters. Over the past year we were in touch, hoping to go out to lunch. We even had a date but as the time came had to cancel; Norm’s health continued to deteriorate and treatments did not have a positive outcome. I think it was December 9 I sat with him and Maureen and Wendy. He had received the dreaded news – his body could not tolerate the only measure that might save him. It was a sober moment. For the first time we spoke of plans for where we are today – celebrating his life, he having gone on before us. Shortly before Christmas Nancy and I stopped in. In the course of our conversation, Maureen said, “Are you going to Florida?” I said, “Yes, only a short get-away, January 4 to 19.” Then I looked at Norm and said, “and you behave yourself!” That’s the way it was with us; even pointing to his end we shared a bit of humor. He was so easy to be with. Well, we went to Florida and returned last Sunday evening. At 8:00 am Monday, Maureen called. Norm had breathed his last at 4:52 am. Maureen said, “He knew you had returned and he could let go.” I found it remarkable. The last week was very difficult but he held on until he knew all would be in order, thinking not of himself but his loved ones. © Grand Valley State University   �Face to Face Now & Then Richard A. Rhem Page 2   Your presence here attests to what I think would be universally agreed on – This was a beautiful human being. Being human, he must have had an imperfection or two but I never detected it. I admired and respected Norm and held him in deep affection. He was so easy to be with, his wry sense of humor and lightness of being. And he was always the same – easy, comfortable, natural – even speaking of what he desired for this service. From the moment I hear of a death and know I will be bringing the funeral meditation, I begin to think of the person and the Scriptures. That’s probably a peculiar preacher’s thing, but I always desire to paint a portrait of the person in the framework of the biblical story that has shaped us. With someone like Norm one could go in many directions but finally one must choose the contours of the character one would paint. I have chosen two scriptural passages from which to reflect with you on the life of this one we loved and have lost awhile. From the Psalms, Psalm 16: 5-8, 11. Psalm 16 is one of my favorites. Beginning with verse 5, the Psalmist expresses a sense of deep wellbeing. The boundary lines have fallen to me in pleasant places; I have a goodly heritage. He is full of gratitude for his human situation – referring to Israel’s coming into the land of Israel when the tribes divided the land by casting lots. The Psalmist is pleased with his human situation. But his wellbeing is rooted in something deeper. I keep the Lord always before me; because he is at my right hand I shall not be moved. In the Hebrew “before me” is literally “before my face.” That being so, he is steadfast whatever human experience brings him. His heart is glad; His soul rejoices. So confident is he that he cannot conceive of being given up to Sheol – the realm of the dead. One commentator writes: It can be read as the general prayer of the faithful who, without any doctrine of resurrection or eternal life to explain just how, nonetheless trust the Lord to keep them with such total confidence that they cannot imagine a future apart from life in God’s presence. (James L. Mays, Interpretation: Psalms, p. 88) Again the Psalmist exclaims, © Grand Valley State University �Face to Face Now & Then Richard A. Rhem Page 3   You show me the path of life. In Your presence there is fullness of joy; in Your right hand are pleasures forevermore. Were we to read this poem in the original Hebrew we would see a beautiful juxtaposition. In verse 8, as noted above, “before me” is literally “before my face.” In verse 11, “in Your presence” is literally “before Your face.” God before my face; I before God’s face. Further, God at my right hand keeps me secure. At God’s right hand are pleasures forevermore. The Psalmist lived with a vivid sense of God’s presence. That awareness kept him steady in all the vicissitudes of life. That sense of trust was so strong even the fear of death, of loss, was transcended. He lived with fullness of joy. He was present to the presence of God. You must sense why I would select such a scripture when thinking of Norm – He lived with God before his face – with a God-consciousness woven into his being from a child, and it made him steady, strong and confident. Like the Psalmist, God-consciousness made him a rock, gave him a place to stand and not be moved. My second text is Paul’s Letter to the Corinthians, chapter 13, verses 4-13. Often called Paul’s Hymn of Love, it is familiar and beloved. Verses 4 to 7 give love’s marks, its aspects – Kind, not envious or boastful or arrogant or rude. It does not insist on its own way; it is not irritable or resentful; it does not rejoice in wrongdoing, but rejoices in the truth. It bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things. Comment is hardly needed; Love’s portrait is Norm’s portrait, is it not? That is simply who he was – Love embodied. But the passage goes on – Love never ends. And then St. Paul speaks of our human situation. What called forth this beautiful portrait of Love was the situation in the Corinthian congregation. There seemed to be a game going on regarding who possessed the greatest spiritual gifts. And Paul does not put those gifts down even though they are causing division in the congregation. Instead he says, © Grand Valley State University �Face to Face Now & Then Richard A. Rhem Page 4   …I will show you a still more excellent way. And that way is the way of Love, a way he contrasts with the various spiritual gifts that were competing with each other in Corinth. Paul writes, “Love never ends.” But that is not so for the other gifts – prophetic gifts, the gift of speaking in tongues, knowledge, prophecy – they are limited and will come to an end. But not Love. Paul compares the present state of the congregation at Corinth to that of childhood, using himself as an example. When I was a child, I spoke like a child, I thought like a child, I reasoned like a child; when I became an adult, I put an end to childish ways. And then he comes to the point I want to make in regard to our beloved Norm. For now we see in a mirror dimly but then we will see face to face. Now I know only in part; then I will know fully, even as I have been fully known. There you have it – Face to Face Now and Then. Norm knew the Psalmist’s secret – The Lord before my face, rock solid, unmovable, steady, deep assurance. He knew as well that all he knew and experienced were partial, in process, a dim glimpse of the Ultimate Mystery. But for him all he glimpsed dimly has come into sharp focus – now he sees fully, clearly, for he sees “face to face.” Face to face – for us who grieve, in trust we see but only dimly – our “now” sees in faith. We long for the “Then” of full vision but, in the meantime, we are confident that our beloved Norm sees clearly and is lost in wonder, love and grace. Face to face in the Presence in fullness of joy. Well done, good and faithful servant! © Grand Valley State University � Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource Richard A. Rhem Collection Description An account of the resource Text and sound recordings of the sermons, prayers, services, and articles of Richard Rhem, pastor emeritus of Christ Community Church in Spring Lake, Michigan, where he served for 37 years. Starting in the mid 1980's, Rhem began to question some of the traditional Christian dogma that he had been espousing from the pulpit. That questioning was a first step in a long and interesting spiritual journey, one that he openly shared with his congregation. His journey is important, in part because it is reflective of the questioning, the yearnings, and the gradual revision of beliefs that many persons in this part of the century have experienced and continue to experience. It is important also because of the affirming and inclusive way his questioning was done and his thinking evolved. His sermons and other written and spoken materials together document the steps in his journey as it took a turn in 1985, yet continued to revolve around the framework and liturgies of the Christian calendar. Subject The topic of the resource Clergy--Michigan Reformed Church in America Christ Community Church (Spring Lake, Mich.) Religion Interfaith worship Sermons Sound Recordings Creator An entity primarily responsible for making the resource Rhem, Richard A. Source A related resource from which the described resource is derived <a href="https://gvsu.lyrasistechnology.org/repositories/2/resources/514">Richard A. Rhem papers (KII-01)</a> Publisher An entity responsible for making the resource available Grand Valley State University. University Libraries. Special Collections & University Archives. Contributor An entity responsible for making contributions to the resource Kaufman Interfaith Institute Rights Information about rights held in and over the resource <a href="http://rightsstatements.org/page/InC/1.0/?language=en">In Copyright</a> Language A language of the resource English Type The nature or genre of the resource Sound Text Identifier An unambiguous reference to the resource within a given context KII-01 Coverage The spatial or temporal topic of the resource, the spatial applicability of the resource, or the jurisdiction under which the resource is relevant 1981-2014 Format The file format, physical medium, or dimensions of the resource audio/mp3 text/pdf Sound A resource primarily intended to be heard. Examples include a music playback file format, an audio compact disc, and recorded speech or sounds. Event Funeral Service for Norman Campbell Scripture Text Psalm 16: 5-8, 11, I Corinthians 13: 4-13 Location The location of the interview First Congregational Church, Muskegon, Michigan Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Identifier An unambiguous reference to the resource within a given context KII-01_RA-0-20140124 Date A point or period of time associated with an event in the lifecycle of the resource 2014-01-24 Title A name given to the resource Face to Face, Now and Then Creator An entity primarily responsible for making the resource Richard A. Rhem Rights Information about rights held in and over the resource <a href="http://rightsstatements.org/page/InC/1.0/?language=en">In Copyright</a> Subject The topic of the resource Clergy--Michigan Reformed Church in America Christ Community Church (Spring Lake, Mich.) Sermons Relation A related resource Richard A. Rhem - An Archive of Sermons, Prayers, Talks and Stories: http://richardrhem.org/ Language A language of the resource eng Type The nature or genre of the resource Text Description An account of the resource A sermon given by Richard A. Rhem (Dick) on January 24, 2014 entitled "Face to Face, Now and Then", on the occasion of Funeral Service for Norman Campbell, at First Congregational Church, Muskegon, Michigan. Scripture references: Psalm 16: 5-8, 11, I Corinthians 13: 4-13. Format The file format, physical medium, or dimensions of the resource application/pdf Publisher An entity responsible for making the resource available Grand Valley State University. University Libraries. Lemmen Library and Archives Funeral Love Presence of God Trust https://digitalcollections.library.gvsu.edu/files/original/c3e890b804d15cee7e538af78c1bc8c0.pdf 3be9dd3ffcb8d8e6620a2f51c05f2e7c PDF Text Text The Grace to Let Go As Death Approaches I Corinthians 15: 42-44, 50, 53-58 Luke 23:32-34, 44-46 Richard A. Rhem Funeral Meditation and Prayer for Richard J. Westhoff VBK Chapel, Grand Haven, Michigan Thursday, February 27, 2014 If I have the timing right, it was three weeks ago today that Rich and family met with the Hospice nurse. Three days later I stopped by to be with Rich and Mary – Kathy was there as well. As always with Rich and Mary, it was very easy, warm, relaxed. We spoke about the doctor’s report, the recognition that the cancer was raging, that Hospice had been engaged. The full seriousness of his failing health was in full view. At one point he looked at me, put his hand on my arm – we were sitting at the dining room table – and he said, “Will you do my funeral?” Our eyes met and I responded, “Of course; I wouldn’t let anyone else do it!” He smiled and I smiled. I’ve been with my people on numerous occasions at their dying. I’ve marveled at the mystery – one minute alive, breathing. Then no more. I’ve thought much about the mystery of life and life moving into death. And, frankly, I guess I would have to say I’m really quite comfortable in those situations. But I must say those moments with Rich were so rich, so honest. I left with that sense so strongly felt. I had affirmed the decisions he made along the way. An awful course of chemo which did not fully free him of the awful disease and his decision: no more! Let me live being myself as well as I can as long as I can. And he did. He found a period of a good quality of life. And then when the cancer came on in full force he had no regrets. When the time came, Hospice was called in. And then it was time to go to the nursing home. Nancy and I went to him when we learned he was there. At the door the nurse said, “First room on the left. We just got him resting. Try not to waken him.” Well, I just smiled at her and we made our way to the room. He was quiet, eyes closed, but I had a little business to do with him…. I took his hand. He opened his eyes and we were in touch; he was with me. © Grand Valley State University   �The Grace to Let Go As Death Approaches Richard A. Rhem Page 2   “The Lord is my shepherd…. He responded at each phrase, affirming the beautiful expressions of trust in the Psalm. And the benediction “The Lord bless you and keep you,” my hand on his forehead and he fully receptive, aware, affirming. And then the words of Julian of Norwich, which have become a mantra for those of us who were Christ Community: All will be well, all will be well, All manner of things will be well. Those were very moving moments. As his pastor I knew I had had closure with this dear man – and there are no holier moments than when there is the grace to let go as death approaches. That is what struck me and I found so beautiful in Rich’s departing from all he loved and those who so dearly loved him. Next Wednesday is Ash Wednesday. I always loved that service. There was such honesty about it, such authenticity – The people came forward, knelt and, as I made the sign of the cross with the ashes on their foreheads, I would say, “Dust thou art and to dust thou shalt return.” Those words come from Genesis 3 and the context is God’s judgment on the first human couple for their disobedience in the Garden of Eden. This, of course, is biblical myth – our stories of origin which had profound truths but also much we have moved beyond. As much as I love those words, “Dust thou art and to dust thou shalt return,” I want to move them out of the context of death as the result of human disobedience. To do so, I must argue with St. Paul who was formed by that biblical story and perpetuated the idea that death was “the last enemy.” He states this in the context of his sense of history’s calendar. Paul thought he was living at the end of history. But, of course, two thousand years later we know he was wrong about history’s course and, I would maintain, about death as the last enemy. He believed death was God’s judgment on human transgression, believing as he did in the biblical story of “the Fall” of our first parents. Let me keep to the biblical story but go to Jesus. As I have said, we stand at the threshold of another Lent. We will follow Jesus to Calvary. Speaking truth to power, he is a threat to the Temple leadership and to Roman power. Condemned to die, he is crucified by the powers that be. How did he die in spite of injustice? Hear him on the Cross: Then Jesus said, “Father, forgive them; for they do not know what they are doing.” © Grand Valley State University �The Grace to Let Go As Death Approaches Richard A. Rhem Page 3   In Luke’s telling of the story, Jesus then is appealed to by one of the criminals at his side and he offers him deep assurance – in a word, “All will be well.” And, as life ebbed, “Father, into your hands I commend my spirit.” In the horror of crucifixion, Luke pictures for us a Jesus, full of grace, forgiving those who are executing him, full of compassion for his fellow sufferer, full of trust as he commends his spirit to God whom he conceived of as Father. Grace, compassion, trust – what a way to go! I bring that to your attention because we witnessed in Rich the grace to let go as death approached. Obviously the circumstances were totally different – Rich having lived fully until his death, surrounded by loved ones at home until less than two days in the hospice unit waiting, still hovered over by those he loved and who loved him. How does that happen? Let me suggest it was no accident, neither for Jesus nor for Rich. One does not suddenly come to one’s end and decide to die well full of grace, compassion and trust. Such a death is the result of a lifetime – a lifetime of love and care, faithfulness and devotion, loving and caring for family and friends – and look at his beautiful family – positive living in community, giving oneself in service and generosity, trust in the God of Grace. God and faithful devotion and commitment to the community of faith. That was Rich’s way. With him it was a steady, quiet way. As I sat with him that day when he asked if I would do his funeral, he told me the story of the snowball that went awry and his “punishment” from his Christian School teacher – memorize the 91st Psalm. He was amused to tell me that the key verse for the teacher was verse 8: “You will only look with your eyes and see the punishment of the wicked.” I suspect having to recite the Psalm before the class gave his classmates the opportunity to see his punishment. But, humorous as that is, the teacher’s sentence forced him to memorize the Psalm and I’m quite certain that Psalm shaped him – Did he not live “in the shelter of the Most High”? Did he not “abide in the shadow of the Almighty”? Did he not live with deep assurance? “Under his wings” he found refuge. © Grand Valley State University �The Grace to Let Go As Death Approaches Richard A. Rhem Page 4   In a word, Psalm 91 formed him, shaped him. And being thus shaped and formed, he lived well, fully and, as death approached, he had the grace to let go. As I have indicated, our conversation at the dining room table was so easy. I said something about his obvious peace as he asked me to do his funeral. I can still see him look at me calmly and say, “I’ve been preparing for this all my life.” And he had and that’s why I entitle this meditation “The Grace To Let Go As Death Approaches” and insist it is not an end-of-life decision – it is a lifetime of preparation. I was moved by his quiet statement. He could let go not in futile resignation but in deep trust that the best is yet to be. Contrary to St. Paul’s contention that death is the last enemy, I sensed Rich entered into death’s shadow with full assurance and trust. St. Paul was really better than the “death is enemy” claim. He goes on in that 15th chapter of I Corinthians to speak of his resurrection faith and there, I sense, he too views death not as punishment, an enemy, but part of the natural process – birth, life, death – and death the gateway to life eternal: What I am saying, brothers and sisters, is this: flesh and blood cannot inherit the kingdom of God, nor does the perishable inherit the imperishable… For this perishable body must put on imperishability, and this mortal body must put on immortality…. Thanks be to God, who gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ. To live with such hope and trust is not to deny the reality of death, not to deny loss, grief, and pain. And such hope and trust does not mean we would not choose rather to live on in health and fullness. It is rather simply to recognize life has its natural end in death and the sting of death, the fear in the face of death, is removed for those whose lives have been marked by trust and grace, love and hope. For such, there is a grace to let go as death approaches, in the assurance that as they have lived to the Lord, they die to the Lord, as St. Paul affirms, concluding, So then, whether we live or whether we die, we are the Lord’s. It is for us to deal with the grief of loss even as we thank God for the gift we’ve shared in his life – but Rich is just fine, experiencing wonders he never dreamed of. Thanks be to God! Let us pray. © Grand Valley State University �The Grace to Let Go As Death Approaches Richard A. Rhem Prayer For these few moments, O God, Sacred Mystery of our lives, Creative Source, Eternal Presence, and our Final Home, grace us with awareness that we are held in the embrace of Love as family and friends and the one we have loved and lost awhile. We remember him – larger than life – adored by family, loved and respected by a network of friends and a broad community. So much was he of Spring Lake, the Village, the school’s athletic association – a true Laker deep down. Quietly touching many lives with kindness and generosity, faithful in family, church and community – solid, one we could always count on. The stories that bring laughter and tears bespeak hidden humor, a delightful spirit. He loomed large in our lives, leaving an emptiness in our hearts. And yet, even in the pain of loss, remembering him, he brings us to laughter and delight. O God, we are grateful that he graced our lives, that he lived fully, choosing to live well until the end approached, which he met with deep assurance and grace. We are grateful, O great Mystery of life, that we have been graced with a fundamental trust, that this cosmic dance into which our lives are woven is not a tale told by an idiot, full of sound and fury, signifying nothing, but a universe whose grain is Love, Whose end is Life and Light © Grand Valley State University Page 5   �The Grace to Let Go As Death Approaches Richard A. Rhem And in such a time as this, in such a place as this, Gracious God, we are grateful above all that the end is not broken health and dreams unfulfilled, swallowed up in death, but rather the confidence that to live is to live unto the Lord, and to die is to die unto the Lord, so then whether we live or die, we are the Lord’s. You uphold us with everlasting arms. You overshadow us with a gracious Presence. You bear us up on eagle’s wings; beneath your sheltering wings we find refuge and peace. Sacred Mystery of all being, of our being, consciously aware of our lives in your light, we worship. We know that all will be well, all will be well, all manner of things will be well. Now, while our hearts are open, our spirits tender, mantle us with Your gentle grace. Assuage deep grief; cover our guilt; heal us, O God; heal us now. And now, as Jesus taught us, we pray, “Our Father, who art in heaven, hallowed be Thy name. Thy kingdom come, Thy will be done on earth as it is in heaven. Give us this day our daily bread, and forgive us our debts, as we forgive our debtors. And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil. For yours is the kingdom and the power and the glory forever. Amen. © Grand Valley State University Page 6   � Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource Richard A. Rhem Collection Description An account of the resource Text and sound recordings of the sermons, prayers, services, and articles of Richard Rhem, pastor emeritus of Christ Community Church in Spring Lake, Michigan, where he served for 37 years. Starting in the mid 1980's, Rhem began to question some of the traditional Christian dogma that he had been espousing from the pulpit. That questioning was a first step in a long and interesting spiritual journey, one that he openly shared with his congregation. His journey is important, in part because it is reflective of the questioning, the yearnings, and the gradual revision of beliefs that many persons in this part of the century have experienced and continue to experience. It is important also because of the affirming and inclusive way his questioning was done and his thinking evolved. His sermons and other written and spoken materials together document the steps in his journey as it took a turn in 1985, yet continued to revolve around the framework and liturgies of the Christian calendar. Subject The topic of the resource Clergy--Michigan Reformed Church in America Christ Community Church (Spring Lake, Mich.) Religion Interfaith worship Sermons Sound Recordings Creator An entity primarily responsible for making the resource Rhem, Richard A. Source A related resource from which the described resource is derived <a href="https://gvsu.lyrasistechnology.org/repositories/2/resources/514">Richard A. Rhem papers (KII-01)</a> Publisher An entity responsible for making the resource available Grand Valley State University. University Libraries. Special Collections & University Archives. Contributor An entity responsible for making contributions to the resource Kaufman Interfaith Institute Rights Information about rights held in and over the resource <a href="http://rightsstatements.org/page/InC/1.0/?language=en">In Copyright</a> Language A language of the resource English Type The nature or genre of the resource Sound Text Identifier An unambiguous reference to the resource within a given context KII-01 Coverage The spatial or temporal topic of the resource, the spatial applicability of the resource, or the jurisdiction under which the resource is relevant 1981-2014 Format The file format, physical medium, or dimensions of the resource audio/mp3 text/pdf Sound A resource primarily intended to be heard. Examples include a music playback file format, an audio compact disc, and recorded speech or sounds. Event Funeral Meditation and Prayer for Richard J. Westhoff Scripture Text I Corinthians 15: 42-44, 50, 53-58, Luke 23:32-34, 44-46 Location The location of the interview VBK Chapel, Grand Haven, Michigan Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Identifier An unambiguous reference to the resource within a given context KII-01_RA-0-20140227 Date A point or period of time associated with an event in the lifecycle of the resource 2014-02-27 Title A name given to the resource The Grace to Let Go As Death Approaches Creator An entity primarily responsible for making the resource Richard A. Rhem Rights Information about rights held in and over the resource <a href="http://rightsstatements.org/page/InC/1.0/?language=en">In Copyright</a> Subject The topic of the resource Clergy--Michigan Reformed Church in America Christ Community Church (Spring Lake, Mich.) Sermons Relation A related resource Richard A. Rhem - An Archive of Sermons, Prayers, Talks and Stories: http://richardrhem.org/ Language A language of the resource eng Type The nature or genre of the resource Text Description An account of the resource A sermon given by Richard A. Rhem (Dick) on February 27, 2014 entitled "The Grace to Let Go As Death Approaches", on the occasion of Funeral Meditation and Prayer for Richard J. Westhoff, at VBK Chapel, Grand Haven, Michigan. Scripture references: I Corinthians 15: 42-44, 50, 53-58, Luke 23:32-34, 44-46. Format The file format, physical medium, or dimensions of the resource application/pdf Publisher An entity responsible for making the resource available Grand Valley State University. University Libraries. Lemmen Library and Archives Community of Faith Funeral Grace Nature of Death https://digitalcollections.library.gvsu.edu/files/original/83336fc2d67eab8ab2adf49e4efe77c7.pdf 1b6b94b679ac6405a5d33f9baa652423 PDF Text Text Reflections on a Life Remembering the Life of William A. Struck, March 17, 1920 – March 6, 2014 I Corinthians 13: 12 Richard A. Rhem Grand Haven, Michigan March 2014 Transcription of the handwritten sermon It is with fondness that I think of Bill Struck. When I learned of his death and the request that I give some reflections on his life, I immediately thought of what brought us together, resulting in a deep friendship. It centered around the theological journal, Perspectives, published by the Reformed Church in America, aimed at its leadership in order to stimulate theological conversation on issues before the church. For most of the nearly twenty years that I served as one of the Board of Editors, I was the only pastor. College and seminary professors and RCA executives made up the Board. What I did not realize going in was that the professors and executives were limited in what they could put in print. Great discussions took place at our stimulating bi-annual Board meetings in New York’s Greenwich Village but, when it was decided who should write on the issue at hand, I got the assignment. When, as could be expected, I wrote addressing the issue, Letters To the Editor came in response and the majority were negative, calling in question my positions. My wife, Nancy, protective of her husband, asked, “Why do you always have to write on themes that create controversy?” My answer was simple: “I’m the only editor that has a ‘safe’ position.” Blessed as I was with a congregation like Christ Community, I could wonder, question and think out loud about issues, questions, theological problems that the church was facing. It was one thing to do it in my safe community that gave me permission to think wonder and question. It was quite another when, by writing in Perspectives, I reached the broader church. I got a lot of negative Letters to the Editor. But worth it all was my meeting Bill Struck. Oh, my, what a bright and shining light he came to be for me! Among other things I wrote over the years of my membership on the Board of Editors, there were especially three pieces that stirred the “theological pot” of the Reformed Church in America. They really form a progress in my own theological © Grand Valley State University ! �Reflections on a Life Richard A. Rhem Page 2! understanding, an understanding stimulated by the criticism I received which caused me to re-visit and dig deeper. I won’t go more into detail here except to say that, at each step I took, Bill Struck was there to affirm, encourage and cheer me on. Thinking about this gathering to remember and celebrate his life, I went back to those old issues of Perspectives to read again – not my essays, but Bill’s responses in the Letters To the Editor column. In the first essays I wrote about the extent of God’s Grace, letting it be known that it was not limited – maybe even universal. Well. “All Hell broke loose,” as you can imagine. But overcoming all the negatives was a letter from Bill. Let me give you a taste of his letter, introduced by the Editor: In the wake of Richard Rhem’s and William Brownson’s articles last autumn on the efficiency of Christ’s atoning work, a substantial volume of comment arrived. Three letters were published in this column last month, and the discussion continues with these excerpts from other correspondents. Perspectives is pleased to be the vehicle for this continuing dialogue. John Stapert I think that Dr. Rhem has done us an important service by jarring our thinking. For too long our theology has been characterized by a comfortable security in tradition and an unwillingness to look honestly at the rapid changes that have occurred in the world, especially in the wake of World War II. To imagine that our religious schema is uninfluenced by experience and by the current historical setting is illusory. ... We, especially in the Reformed tradition, are not fond of ambiguity, so much so that we generally interpret Scripture to fit the premises and structure of our system of beliefs. ... We all crave certainty. But Scripture does not provide what we crave. Wars have been fought over scriptural uncertainties. It seems to me that our fondness for dividing the world into saved and lost is rooted more in historical parochialism and chauvinism than in the clear teaching of Scripture. ... He has called our attention to the possibility of a shift in our state of mind, an alteration in our perspective, a change in our attitude toward the “other,” that could be exciting. Instead of confronting the non-Christian with a demand for agreement, with rejection as the alternative, the relationship could be one of acceptance, leading to mutual growth. William Struck Kalamazoo, Michigan Letter, 02/1989 I!cite!this!letter,!not!because!of!what!Bill!says!of!me,!but!what!the!letter!says!of!Bill.! He!was!deeply!traditioned!–!I!served!a!Reformed!Church!in!that!New!Jersey!hotbed! of!Reformed!fundamentalism!from!which!he!stemmed!and!know!it!well.!That!gave! © Grand Valley State University �Reflections on a Life Richard A. Rhem Page 3! him!a!place!to!stand,!but!not!be!stuck.!Rather!he!was!alive!to!history’s!movement! and!the!evolving!human!situation.! And!more!–!he!was!aware!of!“the!other”!and!welcomed!“a!shift!in!our!state!of!mind”! that!would!enable!us!to!view!the!human!tapestry!with!grace!and!move!toward! inclusiveness.! In!light!of!the!strong!critique!I!received!for!that!initial!article,!I!came!to!see!how! stuck!we!were!in!the!Dutch!Reformed!Church’s!failing!to!engage!our!tradition!with! the!exploding!knowledge!of!the!modern!world.!I!wrote!a!piece!entitled!“Sleeping! Through!A!Revolution.”! Well,!that!article!really!spoke!to!Bill.!He!was!a!scientist!–!worldNclass!–!an! Enlightenment!scholar.!He!wrote!a!great!letter,!two!pages,!underlining!what!I!had! tried!to!say.!From!just!the!opening!lines!you!can!imagine!how!affirmed!I!felt!and,! from!such!a!person,!confirmed!in!what!I!was!attempting!to!say.!His!opening!lines! give!you!a!taste.! Dear!Dick,! Your!lead!paper,!“Sleeping!Through!A!Revolution”!in!the!April!Perspectives!left!me! almost!breathless.!It!is!indeed!a!blockbuster!–!a!paper!that!is!timely,!necessary,!hits! the!nail!on!the!head,!and!expresses!the!thought!of!many!of!the!“best!and!the! brightest,”!as!well!as!of!many!others!in!the!Christian!community!who!haven’t! organized!their!thoughts.! There!are!so!many!comments!that!occur!to!me!that!I!hardly!know!where!to!begin.! But!I’ll!try!by!first!acknowledging!that,!as!a!scientist,!I!am!a!product!of!the! Enlightenment,!in!that!I!take!for!granted!the!assumptions!that!you!delineate.! Letter:!05/20/1991! One!more.!Again,!the!serious!controversy!the!article!elicited!caused!me!to!go!deeper.! What!was!binding!our!Reformed!community!in!a!rigid!dogmatic!structure!that! disallowed!us!to!engage!the!ongoing!explosion!and!knowledge!and!the!dynamic!of! historical!development?!I!wrote!once!more,!sensing!that!a!failure!to!be!open!to!the! critical!study!of!Scripture!made!us!prisoners!of!our!dogmatic!system.!An!inerrant,! infallible!Bible!blocked!us!from!fresh!insight!and!growth!in!addressing!our!dynamic! world!in!process.!Once!again,!contrary!to!the!majority!opinion!of!the!Letters!To!the! Editor,!Bill!came!through!with!a!wonderful!affirmation.!The!opening!line!says!it!all!! Dec.!23,!1992! Dear!Dick,! Bravo!!Bravo!!Bravo!!“The!Book!That!Binds!Us”!in!the!December!Perspectives!finally! says!what!needs!to!be!said.!Some!time!ago,!reading!a!book!on!fundamentalism,!I! © Grand Valley State University �Reflections on a Life Richard A. Rhem Page 4! think!by!Barr,!I!noted!especially!his!recognition!that!fundamentalism!requires!more! of!the!believer!than!the!simple!faith!in!Christ!that!is!so!assiduously!promoted.! Without!it!being!stated,!the!believer!is!also!expected!to!accept!a!certain!view!of!the! Bible,!a!view!which!indeed!takes!the!Bible!to!be!“a!book!of!propositional!truths,! timeless!and!eternal,!covering!the!full!spectrum!of!cosmic!reality,!to!be!applied! objectively!to!questions!of!faith!and!practice.”! Sadly,!this!constricted!view!continues!to!permeate!even!that!segment!of!the! evangelical!community!that!cringes!at!being!called!“fundamentalist.”!This!includes,! of!course,!a!significant!portion!of!the!RCA,!especially!here!in!the!Midwest.!And!we!all! know!the!kinds!of!problems!that!this!view!creates!–!from!“scientific!(sic!)! creationism”!to!the!place!of!women!in!the!church,!not!to!mention!a!host!of!other! contemporary!issues!that!could!never!have!been!anticipated!by!the!Biblical!writers.! I!especially!enjoyed!your!recalling!Tillich’s!category!of!“reactive!literalism”!and!your! explication.!I!have!often!wondered!about!the!psychology!of!the!literalist,!and!find! your!comments!on!“reactive!literalism,”!“lust!for!certitude,”!and!the!fear!of!“looking! into!the!abyss”!to!be!extremely!helpful.! As!I!have!reviewed!again!these!letters!which!meant!so!much!to!me,!I!realize!what!a! rare!person!Bill!was!–!deeply!religious,!faithful,!serious!and!also!open,!desiring!to! grow!in!his!understanding,!bringing!his!Christian!faith!into!relationship!with!an! ongoing!intellectual!journey.! In!his!remarkable!professional!life!he!met!scientists!and!scholars!from!around!the! world!and!I!remember!how!much!it!meant!to!him!for!a!voice!from!his!church! community!to!confirm!his!gracious!openness!to!the!other.! From!my!encounters!with!him!relating!to!our!mutual!spiritual!quest,!I!have! attempted!to!paint!a!portrait!of!this!fine!man….!But!there!is!more!and!you,!dear! family,!know!that!well!–!he!was!a!gentle!man,!gracious,!kind,!of!good!humor.!As!I! thought!of!him,!Paul’s!familiar!hymn!of!love!came!to!mind!–!the!description!of!love! fits!Bill!well.! But!the!last!paragraph!of!the!chapter!reminds!me!of!Bill.!Paul!had!a!problem!with! the!Church!at!Corinth.!There!were!divisions!–!groups!and!individuals!vying!for!the! prize!of!having!the!finest!spiritual!gifts.!Paul!says!–!fine,!all!those!gifts!are!good!and! helpful.!But!let!me!show!you!a!more!excellent!way!–!the!way!of!love.! After!describing!love,!Paul!returns!to!the!problem!of!competing!spiritual!gifts.!He! reminds!the!people!of!that!community!that!in!our!present!historical!moment!we!are! limited.!In!light!of!the!cosmic!scene!we!are!but!children!in!our!understanding!and,! thus,!humility!befits!us!well.!Comparing!our!present!situation!rooted!in!history,!Paul! writes,! For-now-we-see-in-a-mirror-dimly,-but-then-we-will-see-face-to-face.-Now-I-know-only-inpart;-then-I-will-know-fully-even-as-I-have-been-fully-known.- © Grand Valley State University �Reflections on a Life Richard A. Rhem Page 5! Bill!understood!that!so!vividly.!The!reason!dogmatism!and!absolutism!have!no!place! in!our!present!human!situation!is!that!we!see!“dimly”!–!only!partially!do!we!grasp! the!wonders!of!the!cosmic!drama!in!which!we!are!enmeshed.!Thus,!the!best!way!to! live!was!with!humility,!honest!inquiry,!questioning,!wondering,!openness!to!new! insight!and!fresh!perspective.! And,!of!course,!on!this!amazing!human!journey,!there!is!one!ultimate!–!the!Way!of! Love!–! Faith/trust!–!in!the!Eternal!God.! Hope!–!the!best!is!yet!to!be.! Love!–!the!last!word.! ! Love!that!binds!us!together!in!family!and!community!as!we!move!toward!that! moment!when!we!shall!know!even!as!we!are!known!–!face!to!face!with!the!Love!that! loves!us!and!all!eternity!to!explore!the!wonder!of!that!Love.! Thanks!be!to!God!! Let!us!pray.! O!God,!we!would!be!still! and!know!that!You!are!God!!–!Source!of!all!being,! Mysterious!Mover!of!the!ongoing!cosmic!drama,! creatively!breathing!fresh!surprises! into!the!tapestry!of!our!history,! graciously!present!to!us!in!those!moments!of!awareness! when!we!come!to!ourselves,! when!for!at!least!a!brief!time,! light!dawns!upon!us!and!we!are!saturated!with!wonder!–! at!the!sight!of!setting!sun!or!starry!sky,! or!landscape!bathed!in!brilliant!winter!sun! glistening!on!newly!fallen!snow.! ! Then!in!silence!and!solitude! we!know!what!is!beyond!knowing!–! then!a!serenity!sweeps!over!our!souls! and!we!know!all!is!gift,! for!we!did!not!create!ourselves!nor!our!world!–! not!sun!or!moon,! not!the!air!we!breathe,! not!the!restless!surf!locked!under!miles!of!ice,! !unable!to!caress!the!sandy!beach.! Then!we!know!we!are!part!of!something!so!much!larger! than!the!narrow!parameters! © Grand Valley State University �Reflections on a Life Richard A. Rhem !of!our!daily!experience!and!limited!understanding.! ! Before!the!wonder!of!it!all,! we!sense!we!are!embraced,!caught!up! in!something!the!dimensions!of!which!we!cannot!begin!to!take!in!–! that!Mystery!that!has!addressed!us,! eliciting!from!us!in!turn!the!response!of!address,! when!from!our!depths!we!utter,!“O!God.”! Then,!knowing!beyond!knowing,! we!know!we!have!been!found!by!our!Source! and!in!turn!have!found!our!resting!place.! Source!and!resting!place,! present!to!us!in!mysterious!and!gracious!Presence!–! it!is!enough.! Only!gratitude!then!fills!our!being.! ! O!God,!in!moments!of!awareness! when!we!are!attentive,!present!to!the!awesome!gift!of!life,! the!beauty,!the!marvel!of!it!all,! the!potential!of!the!human!creature,! whose!consciousness!is!the!consciousness!of!the!cosmos,! whose!voice!is!the!speech!of!Being,! we!are!lost!in!wonder,!love!and!praise.! ! Such!was!the!way!of!life!of!your!servant,! our!loved!one,!whose!life!we!remember!and!celebrate!today.! This!was!no!ordinary!person!–! rather!extraordinary!in!so!many!ways!–! deeply!rooted!in!Christian!faith! learned!in!his!childhood!home,!church!and!school.! Traditioned!in!a!great!theological!vision,! he!walked!humbly!before!you,!O!God,! faithful!in!worship!and!service.! ! But!he!was!more.! His!brilliant!mind!restless,!desiring!to!broaden! !the!horizon!of!knowledge!and!understanding!–! not!to!escape!from!the!faith,! !but!rather!to!know!its!wonder!more!deeply,! to!stand!in!ever!greater!awe!before!you,!! Eternal!Mystery,!! in!whom!we!live!and!move!and!have!our!being.! Loving!husband,!father,!grandfather!and!friend,! a!gentle!man!of!good!humor!and!restless!mind! to!plumb!the!heights!and!depths!of!our!human!experience.! © Grand Valley State University Page 6! �Reflections on a Life Richard A. Rhem ! We!remember!him,!! images!flowing!through!our!minds,! and!we!give!thanks!that!he!graced!our!lives.! ! We!do!not!deny!our!loss!nor!the!grief!we!feel.! Where!love!looms!large,! loss!is!large!as!well,!and!painful.! We!lift!up!our!eyes!to!You,!O!Eternal!One.! You!uphold!us!with!everlasting!arms;! You!overshadow!us!with!a!gracious!Presence.! You!bear!us!up!on!eagle’s!wings;! beneath!your!sheltering!wings! !we!find!refuge!and!peace.! ! Sacred!Mystery!of!all!being,!of!our!being,! consciously!aware!of!our!lives!in!your!light,! we!worship.! We!know!that!all!will!be!well,! all!will!be!well.! All!manner!of!things!will!be!well.! ! Now,!while!our!hearts!are!open,! our!spirits!tender,! mantle!us!with!Your!gentle!grace.! Hear!our!prayer!through!Jesus!Christ!our!Lord.! Amen.! © Grand Valley State University Page 7! � Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource Richard A. Rhem Collection Description An account of the resource Text and sound recordings of the sermons, prayers, services, and articles of Richard Rhem, pastor emeritus of Christ Community Church in Spring Lake, Michigan, where he served for 37 years. Starting in the mid 1980's, Rhem began to question some of the traditional Christian dogma that he had been espousing from the pulpit. That questioning was a first step in a long and interesting spiritual journey, one that he openly shared with his congregation. His journey is important, in part because it is reflective of the questioning, the yearnings, and the gradual revision of beliefs that many persons in this part of the century have experienced and continue to experience. It is important also because of the affirming and inclusive way his questioning was done and his thinking evolved. His sermons and other written and spoken materials together document the steps in his journey as it took a turn in 1985, yet continued to revolve around the framework and liturgies of the Christian calendar. Subject The topic of the resource Clergy--Michigan Reformed Church in America Christ Community Church (Spring Lake, Mich.) Religion Interfaith worship Sermons Sound Recordings Creator An entity primarily responsible for making the resource Rhem, Richard A. Source A related resource from which the described resource is derived <a href="https://gvsu.lyrasistechnology.org/repositories/2/resources/514">Richard A. Rhem papers (KII-01)</a> Publisher An entity responsible for making the resource available Grand Valley State University. University Libraries. Special Collections & University Archives. Contributor An entity responsible for making contributions to the resource Kaufman Interfaith Institute Rights Information about rights held in and over the resource <a href="http://rightsstatements.org/page/InC/1.0/?language=en">In Copyright</a> Language A language of the resource English Type The nature or genre of the resource Sound Text Identifier An unambiguous reference to the resource within a given context KII-01 Coverage The spatial or temporal topic of the resource, the spatial applicability of the resource, or the jurisdiction under which the resource is relevant 1981-2014 Format The file format, physical medium, or dimensions of the resource audio/mp3 text/pdf Sound A resource primarily intended to be heard. Examples include a music playback file format, an audio compact disc, and recorded speech or sounds. Event Funeral Meditation on the Liife of William A. Struck Scripture Text I Corinthians 13:12 Location The location of the interview Grand Haven, Michigan Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Identifier An unambiguous reference to the resource within a given context KII-01_RA-0-20140306 Date A point or period of time associated with an event in the lifecycle of the resource 2014-03-06 Title A name given to the resource Reflections on a Life Creator An entity primarily responsible for making the resource Richard A. Rhem Rights Information about rights held in and over the resource <a href="http://rightsstatements.org/page/InC/1.0/?language=en">In Copyright</a> Subject The topic of the resource Clergy--Michigan Reformed Church in America Christ Community Church (Spring Lake, Mich.) Sermons Relation A related resource Richard A. Rhem - An Archive of Sermons, Prayers, Talks and Stories: http://richardrhem.org/ Language A language of the resource eng Type The nature or genre of the resource Text Description An account of the resource A sermon given by Richard A. Rhem (Dick) on March 6, 2014 entitled "Reflections on a Life", on the occasion of Funeral Meditation on the Liife of William A. Struck, at Grand Haven, Michigan. Scripture references: I Corinthians 13:12. Format The file format, physical medium, or dimensions of the resource application/pdf Publisher An entity responsible for making the resource available Grand Valley State University. University Libraries. Lemmen Library and Archives Funeral Love of God Reformed Tradition Spiritual Quest https://digitalcollections.library.gvsu.edu/files/original/49c4f2edec6ef7d1a97ce7a3f640402a.pdf dd79361a24ed6b4c1a25ce0f08c8ce6d PDF Text Text Restless Mind and Quiet Heart Quest and Rest Text: Job 23: 1-10; Psalm 42: 1-5; John 3: 1-10; I John 4: 7-8, 12, 16 Richard A. Rhem Freedom Village Holland, Michigan September 28, 2014 Transcription of the written meditation Once in a while in the ministry of preaching I have discovered not only some fresh insight into the biblical faith as I worked on a passage, but some new insight into myself. Now on the threshold of my 80th birthday, it happened again. When I decided on my theme for today I was well aware that I would be probing the question of my life – the God Question. I have lived a “God-obsessed” life and that not surprisingly. On the day of my ordination to the ministry I received a letter from my father relating the fact that, when my mother was carrying me, he prayed that, should I be a boy (women’s ordination not yet in the picture), he would dedicate me to God’s service. Well aware that we don’t choose, God must call, one of my early memories as a child is his telling those who referenced me as a young lad that his prayer was that God would call me to the ministry. As a child I was a bit embarrassed but I got the message! Interestingly, I never considered doing anything else and I never rebelled against the pre-programmed vocational “choice.” However my ministry has been a journey of probing the God Question and the years of my retirement have only given me more time to continue the quest. I still read and wonder, question and probe. And, as I do that, I never doubt being held in the embrace of God’s love as I have come to experience it in the face of Jesus. When I decided on my theme – Restless Mind and Quiet Heart – Quest and Rest, I was well aware that I was describing my own spiritual journey – always wondering, questioning – always securely resting. However, as I began to gather materials and ideas for this meditation, I came to a realization that the God Question goes on and is alive and well to the present. I saw afresh, or for the first time, my own spiritual journey – a restless mind © Grand Valley State University   �Restless Mind and Quiet Heart: Quest and Rest Richard A. Rhem Page 2   seeking to come to a critical, intellectual understanding of the story of religion and, specifically, the Christian faith. But doing so with a quiet heart because of the fundamental trust in which I was spiritually formed. The insight into my own journey had to do with what was happening on the broader cultural scene. I was ordained in 1960 as a very conservative Reformed Christian minister. I’m sure you remember the 60s. Just for fun I googled the term and was reminded of that decade, so tumultuous, as much that had been taken for granted was put in question or simply overturned. The 1960s was a decade that began on I January 1960 and ended on 31 December 1969. The 1960s term also refers to an era more often called The Sixties, denoting the complex of inter-related cultural and political trends around the globe. This “cultural decade” is more loosely defined than the actual decade, beginning around 1963 and ending around 1974. “The Sixties”, as they are known in both scholarship and popular culture, is a term used by historians, journalists, and other objective academics; in some cases nostalgically to describe the counterculture and revolution in social norms about clothing, music, drugs, dress, sexuality, formalities, and schooling. Conservatives denounce the decade as one of irresponsible excess, flamboyance, and decay of social order. The decade was also labeled the Swinging Sixties because of the fall or relaxation of social taboos especially relating to racism and sexism that occurred during this time. From Wikipedia The world was changing around me. Time magazine for April 8, 1966, (the Easter Issue!) had a black cover with the question “Is God Dead? in red letters. The God is Dead theologians created quite a stir. The New Georgia Encyclopedia (August 6, 2013) reports: A popular debate over whether “God is dead” was occasioned by the socalled radical theology propounded in the 1960s by such theologians as William Hamilton, Gabriel Vahanian, and Paul van Buren. The best known of these proponents was Thomas J. J. Altizer, then a professor of religion at Emory University in Atlanta. The controversy reflected many of the broader cultural and political changes in American society often associated with that decade. “We must realize that the death of God is an historical event, that God has died in our cosmos, in our history, in our [existence],” Altizer claimed. His frequently provocative manner of speaking, which masked a more complex discussion taking place among academic theologians, for a brief time made him a minor celebrity in the popular media. Although the German philosopher Friedrich Nietzsche had asserted the “death of God” nearly a century earlier and a theological movement had already adopted the phrase to express the perceived incompatibility © Grand Valley State University �Restless Mind and Quiet Heart: Quest and Rest Richard A. Rhem Page 3   between a modern worldview and belief in a transcendent deity, the controversy did not fully erupt until 1965. For a decade before this, Altizer wrote, he “had been torn between an interior certainty of the death of God in modern history…and a largely mute but nevertheless unshakable conviction of the truth of the Christian faith.” It was in such a time that this very conservative, very traditional, rather insecure and somewhat defensive preacher began. I won’t bore you with the details but, after four years in Spring Lake and three in Midland Park, New Jersey, I had begun to realize that I needed help; I needed to go back to school! Again, without boring you with the details, I went to The Netherlands, the University of Leiden, being accepted as a graduate student by a great theologian and wonderful human being, Professor Hendrikus Berkhof. As I rose to leave his study after our initial meeting, I noticed a piece of paper pinned to a drape. On it in the blue ink of a ditto copy were the words of Tennyson: Our little systems have their day, They have their day and cease to be. They are but broken lights of Thee, And Thou, O Lord, art more than they. It was an epiphany moment. My little system was broken. I desperately needed a new understanding of the Christian Faith if ever I was again to bring the Good News of the Gospel of Jesus Christ. But God was more than my little system that was broken. Four years of intensive study, reading, writing, conversation with my Professor followed. During those years I was not sure if I would preach again, but I was learning and getting the education I never had, not because I didn’t have good teachers but because I was not open to learn. Now with existential hunger I began at least to understand the questions. The Spring Lake congregation invited me to return and I did. And so I began again, this time quite a different person, now preaching and teaching out of my European experience, the restless mind now dealing with faith’s question but, saturated with Grace, a heart at rest. But it hasn’t gotten any easier. If the 60s were revolutionary in society as a whole and the Death of God theologians challenged the very existence of God, there was no possibility of returning to business as usual. The God Question was in play. As I came to my retirement in 2004, a new generation of scholars created the new atheism. New Atheism is a social and political movement in favour of atheism and secularism promoted by a collection of modern atheist writers who have advocated the view that “religion should not simply be tolerated but © Grand Valley State University �Restless Mind and Quiet Heart: Quest and Rest Richard A. Rhem Page 4   should be countered, criticized, and exposed by rational argument wherever its influence arises.” There is uncertainty about how much influence the movement has had on religious demographics, but the increase in atheist groups, student societies, publications and public appearances has coincided with the non-religious being the largest growing demographic, followed by Islam and evangelicalism in the US and UK. The 2004 publication of The End of Faith: Religion, Terror, and the Future of Reason by Sam Harris, a bestseller in the US, marked the first of a series of popular bestsellers. Harris was motivated by the events of September 11, 2001, which he laid directly at the feet of Islam, while also directly criticizing Christianity and Judaism. Two years later Harris followed up with Letter to a Christian Nation, which was also a severe criticism of Christianity. Also in 2006, following his television documentary The Root of All Evil?, Richard Dawkins published The God Delusion, which was on the New York Times bestseller list for 51 weeks. (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/New_Atheism) Recently I have been picking up some well-worn books on my shelves, which I remember were breakthrough books, writings that made a deep impact on me in my quest to understand the mysteries of God, cosmos and human being. The British New Testament scholar John Knox, in his The Humanity and Divinity of Christ, wrote a statement that spoke deeply to me – gave me, I suppose, some self-understanding in my spiritual journey. Knox wrote: For our hearts cannot finally find true what our minds find false. (p. 107) I have on occasion rephrased his claim: The heart cannot rest where the mind cannot follow. In either case Knox’s claim is that heart and mind, though with different functions, must be in harmony. Intellectual quest cannot issue in a heart at peace. A peaceful heart cannot be secured without the mind’s understanding. And such equilibrium is not static, for life is dynamic, on the way. Thus quest and rest – a restless mind and a quiet heart. Religion is the quest for God and the great religions of the world point to the Mystery beyond human comprehension, beyond the change and decay that marks our common experience, the shifting tides of human opinion and practices – the Mystery that is sought as the truly Real, the final resting place of the restless human quest, the source and ground of being and the goal toward which all presses. The human longing for God is well documented in our story, the biblical story. The story of Job in the Hebrew Scriptures is a powerful and eloquent witness to © Grand Valley State University �Restless Mind and Quiet Heart: Quest and Rest Richard A. Rhem Page 5   the struggle to find God in the midst of human suffering. Determined not to yield to the popular theology and conventional wisdom of his day, Job refuses to accept the idea that suffering is the punishment of God for sin and wrongdoing. In the midst of his debate with those miserable comforters who visited him, he cries out, “Oh, that I knew where I might find God; that I might come even to his dwelling! …I go forward, he is not there; or backward, I cannot perceive him. On the left he hides, and I cannot behold him.” “Oh, that I knew where I might find God.” Indeed! Or the Psalmist – again one whose soul is cast down, suggesting that it is most often at life’s extremity that the God Question obtrudes itself – writes: As a deer longs for flowing streams, so my soul longs for you, O God. My soul thirsts for God, for the living God. When shall I come and behold the face of God? Job is a drama, not an historical account; the Psalmist is a poet writing a hymn. This is the stuff of poetry and theater because we are dealing with the depths of human experience, the longing for some clue or glimpse or token that our human existence has meaning, some significance, that it is not simply sound and fury, a tale told by an idiot. But it need not always be triggered by suffering or threat. Sometimes life experience itself simply raises the question – What is the meaning of it all? Nicodemus was a religious teacher, a rabbi, and in his own spiritual quest and questioning he came to Jesus to ask about the God Question, to which Jesus responded with the familiar, “You must be born again,” or “from above,” pointing, of course, to a spiritual illumination beyond the capacity of pure intellectual, rational thinking. And Nicodemus reflected what we must all feel at some time: “How can this be?” My soul longs for God. Oh, that I knew where I might find God. How can this be? Born from above? The God Question – the question that will not go away. What a fascinating quest is this quest for God, and this is a great time in which to be engaged in the quest and question. The God Question is alive and well. It will not go away ever for long, but it is my sense that there is more open discussion about God, about the spiritual life than has been true in my lifetime, and with the vast communication networks of our world, the God question flourishes as never before. © Grand Valley State University �Restless Mind and Quiet Heart: Quest and Rest Richard A. Rhem Page 6   In our human experience, as our minds remain open to new breakthroughs in the understanding of our cosmic journey, we know finally, intellectually we will not uncover the mystery that we call God. Are we then engaged as persons and as a human family in an eternal quest that knows no rest? No, for what we cannot discover intellectually we can experience as we love one another. In John’s Gospel, in The Prologue, we read, “The Word was make flesh and lived among us.” And the writer goes on to declare, “No one has ever seen God.” He then points to the Word become flesh. The writer of the First Letter of John repeats the statement of the Gospel writer – “No one has ever seen God!” But then, in a marvelous expansion of the Gospel’s focus on the Word made flesh as the place of revelation, the writer of the First Letter of John declares, No one has ever seen God; if we love one another, God lives in us, and His love is perfected in us. Again he writes, God is love, and those who abide in love abide in God, and God abides in them. The quest goes on. The cosmic journey continues to amaze us as the mysteries of the universe are opened and the restless human mind will continue to lay bare those mysteries. But in the meantime, a quiet heart rests in the Love of God experienced in our human love. The dynamism of the quest keeps the mind open, alert, full of wonder with never ending questions. Loving another, thus experiencing God who is love, the heart finds rest. From my favorite musical drama, Les Miserables, the moving closing song says it all: “To love another person is to see the Face of God” – and experience a heart at rest! © Grand Valley State University � Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource Richard A. Rhem Collection Description An account of the resource Text and sound recordings of the sermons, prayers, services, and articles of Richard Rhem, pastor emeritus of Christ Community Church in Spring Lake, Michigan, where he served for 37 years. Starting in the mid 1980's, Rhem began to question some of the traditional Christian dogma that he had been espousing from the pulpit. That questioning was a first step in a long and interesting spiritual journey, one that he openly shared with his congregation. His journey is important, in part because it is reflective of the questioning, the yearnings, and the gradual revision of beliefs that many persons in this part of the century have experienced and continue to experience. It is important also because of the affirming and inclusive way his questioning was done and his thinking evolved. His sermons and other written and spoken materials together document the steps in his journey as it took a turn in 1985, yet continued to revolve around the framework and liturgies of the Christian calendar. Subject The topic of the resource Clergy--Michigan Reformed Church in America Christ Community Church (Spring Lake, Mich.) Religion Interfaith worship Sermons Sound Recordings Creator An entity primarily responsible for making the resource Rhem, Richard A. Source A related resource from which the described resource is derived <a href="https://gvsu.lyrasistechnology.org/repositories/2/resources/514">Richard A. Rhem papers (KII-01)</a> Publisher An entity responsible for making the resource available Grand Valley State University. University Libraries. Special Collections & University Archives. Contributor An entity responsible for making contributions to the resource Kaufman Interfaith Institute Rights Information about rights held in and over the resource <a href="http://rightsstatements.org/page/InC/1.0/?language=en">In Copyright</a> Language A language of the resource English Type The nature or genre of the resource Sound Text Identifier An unambiguous reference to the resource within a given context KII-01 Coverage The spatial or temporal topic of the resource, the spatial applicability of the resource, or the jurisdiction under which the resource is relevant 1981-2014 Format The file format, physical medium, or dimensions of the resource audio/mp3 text/pdf Sound A resource primarily intended to be heard. Examples include a music playback file format, an audio compact disc, and recorded speech or sounds. Event Freedom Village Service Scripture Text Job 23: 1-10, Psalm 42: 1-5, John 3: 1-10, I John 4: 7-8, 12, 16 Location The location of the interview Freedom Village Chapel, Holland, MI Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Identifier An unambiguous reference to the resource within a given context KII-01_RA-0-20140928 Date A point or period of time associated with an event in the lifecycle of the resource 2014-09-28 Title A name given to the resource Restless Mind and Quiet Heart: Quest and Rest Creator An entity primarily responsible for making the resource Richard A. Rhem Rights Information about rights held in and over the resource <a href="http://rightsstatements.org/page/InC/1.0/?language=en">In Copyright</a> Subject The topic of the resource Clergy--Michigan Reformed Church in America Christ Community Church (Spring Lake, Mich.) Sermons Relation A related resource Richard A. Rhem - An Archive of Sermons, Prayers, Talks and Stories: http://richardrhem.org/ Language A language of the resource eng Type The nature or genre of the resource Text Description An account of the resource A sermon given by Richard A. Rhem (Dick) on September 28, 2014 entitled "Restless Mind and Quiet Heart: Quest and Rest", on the occasion of Freedom Village Service, at Freedom Village Chapel, Holland, MI. Scripture references: Job 23: 1-10, Psalm 42: 1-5, John 3: 1-10, I John 4: 7-8, 12, 16. Format The file format, physical medium, or dimensions of the resource application/pdf Publisher An entity responsible for making the resource available Grand Valley State University. University Libraries. Lemmen Library and Archives Change Faith Journey God is Love Spiritual Quest https://digitalcollections.library.gvsu.edu/files/original/e7ca3560e05a3241f0a4b24309029741.pdf 66162dd6e8ba24367b8ffee05df7d86c PDF Text Text The Old Story Ever New: Formation and Freedom Richard A. Rhem Park Church Grand Rapids, Michigan November 23, 2014 Transcription of the written talk I created this title, “The Old Story Ever New: Formation and Freedom,” from what Max wrote in the “advertisement” about my “talk:” Rev. Richard A. Rhem will facilitate a discussion on faith, life, heaven, and the human experience. We will talk about classical interpretations of scripture, the progressive perspective, and whatever else comes to mind. Please join us! I was greatly relieved to read that he promised that I would “facilitate a discussion” rather than promise that I would lay bare all the mysteries of our faith and human experience. I was further relieved when our facilitator this morning, Camille, who has long known me from our Spring Lake days, wrote me, “I don’t expect you to formally speechify.” You see, she knows me well; I’ve been known to “speechify” although I had not heard that term before. So I promise I won’t speechify! Camille gave me a brief account of the first two discussions in this series and I’m sure you have had a meaningful time together. From my assignment I sense, when the series was conceived, your leaders were thinking that after two discussions on near death experiences, you might be ready to step back and reflect on human experience in the larger picture – Is this all there is? Is there more beyond death’s pale? What do our classic creeds affirm? How do we interpret the biblical message? How do we reconcile ancient creeds and ever-emerging human knowledge? If I have sensed correctly that these are questions your leaders anticipated in the wake of the first two sessions, then it will not be so much answers we seek today but clarifying the questions with which we live, even as we rest in a fundamental trust. © Grand Valley State University   �The Old Story Ever New: Formation & Freedom Richard A. Rhem Page 2   As I invite you to reflect with me on these questions and the meaning of our human journey, let me say a word about how I approach these ultimate concerns. I see such questions as calling one to serious engagement with the meaning of life – not questions that have answers. That was not always the case for me for I was nurtured and formed within a strong orthodox Reformed dogmatic system. Dogma is such a familiar term in religious parlance that I can probably take for granted that everyone knows the meaning of the term. Yet precisely such familiarity sometimes misses a term’s nuance and depth. I went to the dictionary. Dogma comes from the Greek – “that which one thinks true, an opinion, decree, from dokein, to think, seem.” Meanings listed: 1. a doctrine; tenet; belief (also collectively); 2. a positive, arrogant assertion of opinion; dogmatic utterance; 3. in theology, a doctrine or body of doctrines formally and authoritatively affirmed. Under “dogmatic” – “asserted a priori or without proof; asserting opinion in a positive or arrogant manner.” Checking the synonyms sheds light on the danger of dogma: “imperious, dictatorial, authoritative, arrogant, magisterial, self-opinionated, positive.” While I hope I was not authoritative, magisterial, arrogant, etc., I did believe there were clear answers to ultimate questions and they were to be found in the inerrant, infallible Word of God. Although that may sound like I was confident, assured and certain of the Christian faith I professed and preached, as a matter of fact I was afraid, unsure and defensive. Every new emerging insight, from growing knowledge of historical development, from exploding data about biblical formation, from breakthroughs in the sciences, threatened my neatly formed faith structure. It has been a long and painful journey for me – so deeply formed, so seriously threatened. When the carefully crafted structure of orthodox Reformed faith collapsed in the pursuit of a faith I could rest in, I found there was something deeper than I had ever known – a fundamental trust that God is Love and Love is the grain of the universe. I found it to be true for me what the early 20th century German scholar Rudolph Otto wrote in his book The Holy, where he attempts to analyze “the feeling that remains when the concept fails.” I sense that is what you are about in this discussion group – plumbing the deep questions of meaning in our human pilgrimage. There was a time I would have felt compelled to have answers. Thank God I now know I can only help clarify the questions as together we wonder about this amazing human journey. © Grand Valley State University �The Old Story Ever New: Formation & Freedom Richard A. Rhem Page 3   On further reflection, that early deep formation I experienced was not in vain. The rational system, the dogma – that, I have learned, was a futile effort to define the Mystery of Reality – the Sacred, the Holy. But the community, the symbols, the rituals, the liturgy – the whole religious drama – in my case, the Christian story – moves me still and points me to the Sacred Mystery of the ongoing cosmic journey. In her beautiful book Physics and Faith: The Luminous Web, Barbara Brown Taylor writes, When I am dreaming quantum dreams, the picture I see is more like that web of relationships – an infinite web, flung across the vastness of space like a luminous net. It is made of energy, not thread. As I look, I can see light moving through it like a pulse moving through veins. I know the light is an illusion, since what I am seeing moves faster than light, but what I see out there is no different from what I feel inside. There is a living hum that might be coming from my neurons but might just as well be coming from the furnace of the stars. When I look up at them there is a small commotion in my bones, as the ashes of dead stars that house my marrow rise up like metal filings toward the magnet of their living kin. Where is God in this picture? All over the place. Up there. Inside my skin and out. God is the web, the energy, the space, the light – not captured in them, as if any of those concepts were more real than what unites them, but revealed in that singular, vast net of relationship that animates everything that is. Marvelous imagery! The whole of reality saturated with the Spirit, the Breath, that is the energy of the Sacred Mystery we call God, a Sacred Mystery we describe as Love because, at one moment in the luminous web that enlivens all that is, a face appeared – the Logos (Word) became flesh, and God, the X factor, that abstract Ground, Source and Goal of all there is, became concrete. Now there was a clue as to the nature of the originating, everything-permeating, infinite Mystery that takes our breath away and gives us breathing room. Resting there, I readily recognize I have not “proven” anything rationally. But, of course, that is what I have come to understand – the ultimate mystery of the cosmic web into which our lives are woven is not available to rational analysis but rather only to supra-rational or trans-rational, deeply intuitive fundamental trust before the presence of Mystery. Brilliant scholars in various fields deny this and conclude quite differently. For example, the Nobel Prize winning biologist Jacque Monod writes in his work Chance and Necessity: If he accepts this (negative) message in its full significance, man must at last wake out of his millenary dreams and discover his total solitude, his fundamental isolation. He must realize that like a gypsy, he lives on the © Grand Valley State University �The Old Story Ever New: Formation & Freedom Richard A. Rhem Page 4   boundary of an alien world; a world that is deaf to his music, and as indifferent to his hopes as it is to his suffering and his crimes. Similarly, Erich Fromm, one of the world’s leading psychoanalysts, wrote in Man for Himself, There is only one solution to his problem: to face the truth, to acknowledge his fundamental aloneness in a universe indifferent to his fate, to recognize that there is no power transcending him which can solve his problems for him. If we humans are defined by our reason alone and have to do only with rational argument – Monod and Fromm define our human situation with clarity – we are alone and this is all there is. But there are other thoughtful persons who deny our humanity can be delineated by reason alone. In his major early work, the Catholic scholar Hans Küng describes the advent and development of modern atheism in the thinking of Feuerbach, Marx, Freud and Nietzsche, ending with Nietzsche’s nihilism. A section on nihilism concludes: “Nihilism – possible, irrefutable, but unproved.” From that point, Küng’s next major heading is “Yes to Reality – Alternative to Nihilism.” Within this heading is a subsection he entitles “Fundamental Mistrust or Fundamental Trust? Küng obviously will build a case for religious faith building on fundamental trust. In another work he affirms, To believe in an eternal life means, in reasonable trust, in enlightened faith, in tried and tested hope – to rely on the fact that I shall one day be fully understood, freed from guilt and definitively accepted and can be myself without fear; that my impenetrable and ambivalent existence, like the profoundly discordant history of humanity as a whole, will one day become finally transparent and the question of the meaning of history one day be finally answered. (Eternal Life, p. 231) The late Dag Hammarskjold, a General Secretary of the United Nations, wrote in his spiritual diary, Markings, I don’t know who or what put the question. I don’t know when it was put. I don’t even remember answering, but at that moment I did answer “Yes” to someone or something and from that hour I was certain that existence is meaningful, and that, therefore, my life in self-surrender has had a goal. I love that expression – far beyond the limits of rational control – a deeply felt intuition of the Presence of the Sacred Mystery we call God. © Grand Valley State University �The Old Story Ever New: Formation & Freedom Richard A. Rhem Page 5   In his Opinion column in The New York Times, David Brooks cites the poet Christian Wiman who, in his My Bright Abyss, points to the contemporary sense of cosmic connectedness in reference to the movie “Interstellar”: But in the era of quantum entanglement and relativity, everything looks emergent and interconnected. Life looks less like a machine and more like endlessly complex patterns of waves and particles. Vast social engineering projects look less promising, because of the complexity, but webs of loving and meaningful relationships can do amazing good. As the poet Christian Wiman wrote in his masterpiece, My Bright Abyss, “If quantum entanglement is true, if related particles react in similar or opposite ways even when separated by tremendous distances, then it is obvious that the whole world is alive and communicating in ways we do not fully understand. And we are part of that life, part of that communication….” I suspect “Interstellar” will leave many people with a radical openness to strange truth just below and above the realm of the everyday. That makes it something of a cultural event. (David Brooks, NYT, 11/21/14) As one who began in a serious orthodox understanding of Christian faith which was defensively reacting to the overpowering movement of Enlightenment Rationality – thus entering an arena in which it could never prevail, I’ve come to rest deeply in the fundamental trust in which I was nurtured. With the contemporary sense of an interconnected cosmic dance of Being, I find great peace and rest in a conviction that Heaven is here, heaven is now and the best is yet to be! References: David Brooks, “Love and Gravity,” New York Times, Nov. 20, 2014 Hans Küng. Eternal Life: Life After Death as a Medical, Philosophical, and Theological Problem, p. 231. Wipf & Stock Pub., 2003 Barbara Brown Taylor. Physics and Faith: The Luminous Web. Cowley Publications, 2000. © Grand Valley State University � Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource Richard A. Rhem Collection Description An account of the resource Text and sound recordings of the sermons, prayers, services, and articles of Richard Rhem, pastor emeritus of Christ Community Church in Spring Lake, Michigan, where he served for 37 years. Starting in the mid 1980's, Rhem began to question some of the traditional Christian dogma that he had been espousing from the pulpit. That questioning was a first step in a long and interesting spiritual journey, one that he openly shared with his congregation. His journey is important, in part because it is reflective of the questioning, the yearnings, and the gradual revision of beliefs that many persons in this part of the century have experienced and continue to experience. It is important also because of the affirming and inclusive way his questioning was done and his thinking evolved. His sermons and other written and spoken materials together document the steps in his journey as it took a turn in 1985, yet continued to revolve around the framework and liturgies of the Christian calendar. Subject The topic of the resource Clergy--Michigan Reformed Church in America Christ Community Church (Spring Lake, Mich.) Religion Interfaith worship Sermons Sound Recordings Creator An entity primarily responsible for making the resource Rhem, Richard A. Source A related resource from which the described resource is derived <a href="https://gvsu.lyrasistechnology.org/repositories/2/resources/514">Richard A. Rhem papers (KII-01)</a> Publisher An entity responsible for making the resource available Grand Valley State University. University Libraries. Special Collections & University Archives. Contributor An entity responsible for making contributions to the resource Kaufman Interfaith Institute Rights Information about rights held in and over the resource <a href="http://rightsstatements.org/page/InC/1.0/?language=en">In Copyright</a> Language A language of the resource English Type The nature or genre of the resource Sound Text Identifier An unambiguous reference to the resource within a given context KII-01 Coverage The spatial or temporal topic of the resource, the spatial applicability of the resource, or the jurisdiction under which the resource is relevant 1981-2014 Format The file format, physical medium, or dimensions of the resource audio/mp3 text/pdf Sound A resource primarily intended to be heard. Examples include a music playback file format, an audio compact disc, and recorded speech or sounds. Event Park Street Discussion Group Location The location of the interview Park Church, Grand Rapids, MI References David Brooks, "Love and Gravity," NYT, Nov. 20, 2014, Hans K Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Identifier An unambiguous reference to the resource within a given context KII-01_RA-0-20141123 Date A point or period of time associated with an event in the lifecycle of the resource 2014-11-23 Title A name given to the resource The Old Story Ever New: Formation and Freedom Creator An entity primarily responsible for making the resource Richard A. Rhem Rights Information about rights held in and over the resource <a href="http://rightsstatements.org/page/InC/1.0/?language=en">In Copyright</a> Subject The topic of the resource Clergy--Michigan Reformed Church in America Christ Community Church (Spring Lake, Mich.) Sermons Relation A related resource Richard A. Rhem - An Archive of Sermons, Prayers, Talks and Stories: http://richardrhem.org/ Language A language of the resource eng Type The nature or genre of the resource Text Description An account of the resource A sermon given by Richard A. Rhem (Dick) on November 23, 2014 entitled "The Old Story Ever New: Formation and Freedom", on the occasion of Park Street Discussion Group, at Park Church, Grand Rapids, MI. Format The file format, physical medium, or dimensions of the resource application/pdf Publisher An entity responsible for making the resource available Grand Valley State University. University Libraries. Lemmen Library and Archives Dogma Enlightenment Faith Journey Love at Core of the Universe Sacred Mystery Trust