Posted on 07/15/2010 10:16:31 AM PDT by SmithL
I am impatient with confession. That’s putting it too politely, but the moment I try to state the matter more clearly it just gets messy: I do not enjoy starting my worship experience by reminding myself (and everyone else) that I am sinful.
Well, doesn’t that sound a little suspicious? Isn’t the whole point of confession that we ought to come before God by first acknowledging — confessing — the deepest and most vulnerable truth about ourselves? And doesn’t my discomfort with that merely prove its importance … and reveal my own rebellious nature?
No.
My brothers and sisters who have written Liberation, Feminist, Womanist, Black, and Queer Theology have made a strong case that our God-language has often been pressed into the service of power dynamics that are appalling to the God thus named. And I am persuaded that the same is true of how the Confession functions in our worship. . . .
(Excerpt) Read more at prettygoodlutherans.com ...
I confess that each one of us is a shimmering echo of God’s love.
I confess that we are powerful — beyond measure. Powerful both in our individual uniqueness and creativity, and especially in our united diversity.
I confess that we are good — beyond measure. Gifted with an unlimited — and often untapped — potential for justice, mercy, and compassion.
I confess that each of us is also twisted and distorted by forces within and without.
And that these forces often thwart our power and undercut our goodness.
And yet, these forces are not ultimate, not even in this life.
So I confess that our challenge is less to avoid evil than to embrace good.
Less to confess sin than to confess the truth of our power and our goodness — and to unleash that truth in our lives.
Amen.
I assume that’s a quote from the article, SmithL.
Sure, Why Not?
As long as the ELCA is becoming the Church of Whatever, we can get rid of everything that makes people feel uncomfortable.
You assume correctly.
The humility in his confession is overwhelming. /sarc
He is very proud of his humility.
From the source:
David R. Weiss is the author of “To the Tune of a Welcoming God: Lyrical reflections on Sexuality, Spirituality and the Wideness of God’s Welcome” (2008, Langdon Street Press). A theologian, writer, poet and hymnist committed to doing “public theology” around issues of sexuality, justice, diversity, and peace, David lives in St. Paul, Minnesota and is a self-employed speaker and writer on the intersection of sexuality and spiritualiity">
I don’t even know where to begin...
I suggest someone give the guy his very own cut and paste bible.
Lets see, the entire OT will probably be missing, except for a few happy Psalms and a couple of proverbs - oh, song of solomon will be in there (these types always like that book, but they can never figure out what soft porn is doing in the bible). Get rid of genesis for sure - that noah thing is SO depressing, but leave the rainbow in at the end.
And leave the beatitudes, the nativity story, and I was going to say some epistles. But the epistles are loaded with giving up yourself for everyone else, so he’ll have a good cutting job there. He’ll probably leave most of epistle of John in ,”Hey man, God is LOOOOVE..”
Slim volume. He’ll probably be able to read the whole thing in an evening.
It’s like this guy has tapped into hell’s richest seam of Pharisaical self-delusion while dressed as a rainbow.
That was what I thought too.
I confess that we are good — beyond measure. Gifted with an unlimited — and often untapped — potential for justice, mercy, and compassion.
I guess this guy doesn't need a Savior, does he?
I also confess that I cannot hear the pain and anger of anyone I have hurt, and that I have no responsibility to make amends. If you dont like it, sue the “twisted and distorted forces.” It’s not my problem.
La, La, La,... I can’t hear you...
There’s an eerie similarity between this David Weiss and Grigorii Rasputin, IMO.
The latter also practiced the doctrine of the inseparability of sexuality and spirituality. Left a trail of ravaged women in his wake.
As did the Bible-clutching Bill Clinton.
I was raised Lutheran.
In Minnesota.
Hard to believe what passes for a Minnesota Lutheran now!
Good catch about Rasputin. You’re onto something there.
Yep. Don't make me feel bad (confessing sin) - it lowers my self-esteem. It's the same old "cafeteria" Christianity - just pick the things you like.
I think John Piper said it well when he said that oftentimes our problem is not lack of self-esteem, but rather, lack of "Christ Esteem".
Reputedly so, and the Bagwan Rahjneesh was awfully good at it, too.
His 'followers' (victims) supposedly gave him 90+ Rolls Royce cars.
“If we believe we have no sin, we deceive ourselves and the truth is not in us. But, if we confess our sins, God who is faithful and just will forgive us our sins and cleanse us from all unrighteousness.” 1 John 1:9
We live in an era of much personal and corporate sin right out in the open with people unashamed. This is certainly not the time to water down confession.
This isn't a confession it's a manifesto. "I", "We", "ME", "our" - Completely man centered and nary a word about God. Nothing Christian about this at all.
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