felix hominum

on coffee

"Coffee should be black as Hell, strong as Death, and sweet as Love." - Turkish Proverb

Poul is trying to select a quote to go on some Transcend Coffee bling.   My vote is for the above.

review: The Divine Hours (Prayers for Summertime)

A friend recalls the initial chaos when their first child arrived.  Nothing was organized and life was upside down, until in desperation he called upon the wisest person for help.  His mother arrived, surveyed the situation, and gave him a piece of advice.

"What you need right now", she said, "is some kind of routine, so you can enjoy being parents."

Sometimes having a routine of sorts actually frees us to enjoy.  One of the most consistent routines in the tradition of Christianity, and beyond us into our Jewish roots, is the practice of praying at regular intervals over the course of the day.  In her book The Divine Hours: Prayers for Summertime, Phyllis Tickle has organized a bit of a beginner's manual for regular daily prayer.

After a brief but good introduction to the history of "fixed hour prayer", Tickle gets right into the substance of the practice.  The book is subtitled Prayers for Summertime, and is designed for daily use for the season.  While the history of the divine hours includes 7 "offices", based on the Psalmist's call to praise God seven times a day, The Divine Hours follows the contemporary practice in many places of having 4 daily times of prayer:  the morning office, midday, vespers (early evening) and compline (before sleep).  In each of these patterns of prayer she has followed the tradition of drawing heavily from the Psalms as a way of "shaping" our life of prayer, and has included readings from Scripture, set prayers drawn from a variety of Christian authors and sources, as well as modifications of prayers from the liturgical traditions of the Roman Catholic and Anglican worlds.

You can see a sample of her structure for daily prayer here;  it is built around the principles of simplicity and ease of use.  The variety of readings and prayers is combined with a fixed order and the regular use of such things as the Lord's Prayer and the Gloria.  In the Vespers office she has included a selection of hymns from a wide variety of Christian hymnody, which may be sung, or read as poetic verse.  Like the rhythm of the seasons, or, to quote Paul Simon, the rhythm of the saints, this way of praying brings one into a rhythm of prayer in which life revolves around prayer, rather than the other way around.  It is a way of grounding ourselves amidst busy-ness and distractions.

In my own pilgrimage, I've been using the daily offices from the Anglican Book of Common Prayer for quite some time, so the practice of "divine hours" is not new to me.  For others, perhaps from less liturgical traditions (or none at all) the idea of regular, set prayers might raise the spectre of horrible ball and chain pharisee-ism.  I think this book is an excellent introduction to the whole practice, and a way of entering into the wisdom of the Church beyond our generation.  It will not be for everyone, but if you find yourself looking for a practice that frees you to enjoy your time of prayer, or if you find yourself called to something other than the prayers of the just  - "we just pray, Lord, that you just be with us, Lord just show us, we just ask"  (with apologies to my friend M.S.) then I would encourage you to give this a try.

Seven times a day do I praise thee
Psalm 119: 164

 

Is God made of Soap?

Summa Theologica, I.3.9

Is God made of soap?

We proceed thus to the Ninth Article:

Objection 1: It would seem that God is made of soap. For whatever is highest in a genus must be predicated of God. But the highest in the genus of cleanliness, which the Philosopher says is next to godliness, is soap.

Objection 2: Moreover, Scripture says, "Wash me, and I shall be clean indeed." But it belongs to soap to wash.

Objection 3: Furthermore, Dionysius says in On the Divine Names, "For the being of the Most High, being beyond Being, which is what is, can only be denied, as of foamy lather that surpasses even the most excellent conception." But the principle of foamy lather is soap, and where the effect is found, there must the principle be posited.

On the contrary is the opinion of Saint Augustine, who says, "I did wander long among vain fancies, thinking that thou wert as the soap that cleanseth all things, and that evil was a grimy blot on thy purity."

I answer that, 'Soap' can be said in two ways. In one way, soap is the material principle of cleanliness as such. But we have already shown that there is no material principle in God. Therefore, God is not made of soap. But in another way, 'soap' is said of whatever is highest in the order of efficient causes directed towards cleanliness secundum quid by an order that is less than formal with respect to the finality of an end, simply as such, without respect of quiddity in potentiality to the sensitive appetite. And in this sense all men say that God is made of soap, and that in the highest degree, as is plain from the definition.

Reply Obj. 1:  Soap is not the highest in the genus of cleanliness, as the Saponians heretically maintain, but only in the genus of material ablutions, which is related to cleanliness in the way that principles of natural reason are related to the eternal law, as the Psalmist says, "How shall a young man cleanse his way? By keeping to your law."

Reply Obj. 2: Scripture also says, "I will wipe away every tear from their eyes." But soap is an efficient cause of tears, and not of their remotion. Therefore, God is not made of soap.

Reply Obj. 3: In this place Dionysius understands 'foamy lather' in accordance with the way of remotion, so that it implies only the lack of such qualities as are inconsistent with foamy lather, as shortness of duration and irritation to the skin.

from the genius of Thomas Williams, via the sheepcat,

and the resourceful  Prof Tim O'Keefe.

there's someone I'd like you to meet

There is a pleasant quiet over the campus of the University of Alberta.  In a few days about 35,000 students will arrive, and the place will be buzzing.

Later this week we are having a few hundred international students over for lunch.  It often strikes me in the many conversations I've had over the years that many students come from places where the proclamation of the Gospel is at best hindered, and at worse, results in persecution.  The freedom to explore, to read the Scriptures, to gather as Christians, is often taken for granted by folks like me.

Perhaps we come to think that those in our culture who are not followers of Jesus have made an informed and free choice in that regard.  That may be true.  I would also have to say that the opposite is often true of those who do not come from places where such freedoms are afforded.  For a number of students, this will be the first time they can freely explore the possibility which we have come to call the Gospel.  Some will have a bit of knowledge about  "Christianity", whether technically accurate or in caricature.

We have many students from around the world coming here.  In short, we have a geographically reversed mission field. 

There's someone I'd like you to meet.  You'll find He's more than what you may have heard about Him.

invitation to ministry

Then Jesus came from Galilee to John at the Jordan, to be baptized by him. John would have prevented him, saying, ‘I need to be baptized by you, and do you come to me?’ But Jesus answered him, ‘Let it be so now; for it is proper for us in this way to fulfil all righteousness.’

One of my favorite scenes from the gospel is this interaction between John and Jesus.  This is the most amazing invitation into ministry for every Christian.  We all, like John, recognize that we need Jesus.  And yet, in grace, Jesus says "Yes, but I want you to do something for me."  And Jesus' answer continues not with an "I", but with the word "us".  It is proper for us in this way to fulfil all righteousness.  Jesus didn't say "It is proper for me...", he said it's proper for us. 

I find this to be the way of the kingdom.   We have need of Jesus and yet he comes and invite us into some kind of ministry with him and for him, and even, like John, to him.

Would write more, but must go and water the concrete.

watching concrete set

It's now a little past 4 pm and I've just poured a new walkway.  It's a work of art, a thing of beauty.  Sometimes old summer jobs from my time at King's & Dalhousie come in handy.

The real trick with this stuff is extending the cure time.  The longer the cure time, the stronger the final product.  You need to keep it moist for 72 hours or so.  The best way to do this is to sit back with the beverage of your choice, a good book or two, and a hose.  The hose has a dual purpose:  you replace the moisture as it evaporates, and you can use it to chase away cats and children.

I'll keep everyone updated as the concrete curing progresses.

The fridge is stocked, and I have a lawn chair.

insufficient identity

A friend of mine told a story a number of years ago.  If I remember correctly, it seems he was on the east coast of Canada, at a little church in New Brunswick.  Upon doing the usual meet and greet sort of thing after the service, he met a fellow with a rather interesting Montreal Canadiens hockey tie.

"Nice tie.  You like the Habs?"

"Yup, they're my team."

"Well, I like them too, they are an okay team."

"Well, I really like them, I mean, they're my team."

(enter 3rd person)

"Oh, I see you've met Mr. Molson."

It wasn't so much a case of mistaken identity as it was of what I like to call insufficient identity.  It's not that my friend mistook Molson for someone else, it's just that he didn't know everything about him.  And of course, until something is revealed that you can't guess, how would you know?

One of the things I think Jesus is trying to get across is this idea of "insufficient identity" - it's not so much the case that we mistake him for someone or something else, it's that we begin to discover who he is and then we stop short - we come to a point of insufficient identity and we go no further.  The same thing happens when we write people off by saying "I know all about you", when in fact we don't.

"Is not this Jesus, the son of Joseph, whose father and mother we know? How can he now say, 'I have come down from heaven'?"

They complained because they thought they knew him.  And to a degree, they did.  But it was a case of insufficient identity, which is sometimes more difficult to overcome than mistaken identity.  Insufficient identity has at least a part of the truth about who a person is, and often we can function or content ourselves with partial knowledge.

show me who you fully are

One of the more difficult things about insufficient identity is how we need the wisdom of fellow Christians to remind us of those parts of the Gospel which we might overlook.  We, or at least I, have "preferences".  I would like for all of you to realize how vital "X" is about Jesus, or how "Y" is such a critical part of the Gospel.   Somewhere else is another follower, whose heart responds to the call of A or B.  The fullness of Christ, the fullness of the Gospel (as much as we can know and love in this life) is in some mysterious way dependant upon the Church - by which I mean that rag tag collection of people Jesus has called to himself and forms into his body.

In that group are folks whose emphasis, calling and love is this ministry or that ministry, in study or in prayer or in evangelism, in the works of justice, in knowledge or wisdom or offering even a cup of cold water to one of these little ones...

Is Jesus revealed in Scripture?  Yes.  But lest I fall into insufficient identity, and remember only those words, teachings, challenges which are my "favorites", I must also recall that I need the Church to remind me of the fullness of who Jesus is.

by the numbers

Technorati search for "aids conference" yielded 5018 results.
Google blog search for the same yielded 15,735 results.

In Canada, there are about 58, 000 persons living with HIV/AIDS.

up, stretch, yawn, more coffee... (I'm trying to finish a "carpentry project")

Technorati search for "world down syndrome congress", being held in Vancouver next week, yielded 6 results.
Google blog search yielded 13 results.

In Canada, there are about 38,000 persons living with Down Syndrome.

Estimates of abortion due to genetic testing for T21 range up to 80+%.

I can't count the number of times I've seen a "pro-life" logo on blogs.

Something doesn't add up.

Be pro life, not just pro birth.

ps, for a wider audience:

If you liked Henri Nouwen, you'll love his professors...

sol cafe this sunday

this sunday we will be looking at luke 18: 9-14 - the parable of the pharisee and the tax collector praying.  there's a bit of background here and here.

Harper, AIDS, and the Americanization of Canadian Politics

You may have noticed the amount of press, both paper and digital, that the absence of PM Harper from the AIDS conference has received.   The blogosphere is awash with criticism of Harper for not attending the conference.  Good for those folks who want to exercise their options of public critique.

From what I understand, the Governor General and three federal cabinet ministers, including the minister of health, attended the conference.

Have we forgotten, or are we merely abandoning, the notion that Canada is a parliamentary democracy, and we do not have a President?   It seems to me that people are so used to American style politics that we now assume that our PM is an exact parallel to the US President, in terms of office, political power, and influence.   

Have we begun to treat the PMO as if it were the White House?  Those are two different structures of power and government.

I'm not talking about similarity of policies, I'm talking about the way in which we perceive the operation of power and decision making in a parliamentary system as opposed to the American system.

We need to go back to the "I am Canadian" beer commercial and remember:  "We have a Prime Minister, not a President." 

There is a difference.

I'm just sayin'...

Update:  you can read the Governor General's excellent speech here.

World Down Syndrome Congress

Lest you forget that there are other conferences happening in Canada this August, let me draw attention to the IX World Down Syndrome Congress being held in Vancouver, from August 22-26.

One of the presenters was over at the house earlier today.  Her particular specialty is early literacy in children with Down Syndrome.

You've come a long way, baby.

Poll of the week

It's, ummm, over there somewhere >>>>.

It's deep.

overheard in my head...

In all the assorted commentary on Christian responses to the umm, errr, "T"-word, I've yet to stumble across a Christian blogger who thinks that at least part of the answer might have something to do with the Great Commission.

the autorantic virtual moonbat

HT Drell

Transcend Coffee

Rob and I dropped by a new cafe/ roastery this morning to sample the wares and got to enjoy a tour of the operation from proprietor and bean afficionado and fellow blogger Poul Mark.

The place is called Transcend, at 9869 62 Avenue, and I'll need to come back for another latte/ expresso/ cappacino before I can post a proper review!  Drop by and enjoy.  He has free wireless...

discipleship, marriage & holy matrimony

Of all the themes which are discussed around the topic of marriage, the most neglected, but perhaps the most important, is the role of marriage in the mutual formation and encouragement of Christian discipleship.

I think we have lost that important aspect of the Christian concept of marriage.   Our language has changed so that what is romantic is utterly divorced from what is practical.  Yet marriage is an utterly practical state of life.  Over the past number of years I have seen many couples in love.  I have seen many young folks plot a future together.  And I have even been privileged to be present at the exchange of a few sets of vows.

Marriage is being called upon to bear many burdens.  Yet too often we fail to ask how this state of life, with this particular person, is entered upon with a view to each becoming the human beings God calls us to be.  That is what I mean by encouragement of discipleship.

It is not a question which is always asked in the throes of "being in love".  But it is something which differentiates the civil marriage from what used to be called holy matrimony. 

At its heart is a profound awareness that the other is first and foremost God's beloved, before she or he is my beloved.  If we can play with the parable of the talents and the absent landowner, the spouse is the treasure given into my stewardship for but a time.  What will I do with this treasure who, in truth, belongs first to Another?  How do I "increase"?  Or do I bury it, and leave it as I found it?

reminder to self:  tomorrow marks 10 years for Mrs. Felix & myself.

art & photography in Lebanon

When is a picture worth a thousand words?  When it calls for an apology from a major news source like Reuters.

Seems that a Reuters photojournalist, Adnan Hajj, the same one who brought us assorted pictures of Qana, has done a little bit of extra touch up work on his shots of Beirut.  Which make you wonder about his other work as well.

What level of "trust" and discernment do you need to use when sifting all the various news sources? 

HT to Bene, whose post includes a much bigger picture of our relationship to the media.

I'm going to the garden to pull weeds.

UPDATE:   BBC News website editor Steve Herrmann has a few comments on photos and reporting.

transfiguration

On this eve of the feast of the Transfiguration, I begin by asking why Peter has the urge to immediately head off to Home Depot when he sees Jesus revealed in glory before him.

Mark 9:2-9

Six days later, Jesus took with him Peter and James and John, and  led them up a high mountain apart, by themselves. And he was transfigured before them,  9:3 and his clothes became dazzling white, such as no one on earth could bleach them.

And there appeared to them Elijah with Moses, who were talking with Jesus.

Then Peter said to Jesus, "Rabbi, it is good for us to be here; let us make  three dwellings, one for you, one for Moses, and one for Elijah."  He did not know what to say, for they were terrified.

Why do you need to get so busy when God is trying to get your attention?  A question already addressed by same416 in his take on Blackberry Christianity.   But I digress.

I wonder whether growth or transformation is the better word.  I have been watching our garden grow for some months now.  As an aside, I proudly tell all the hippie-eco types at the U that my vegetable garden is bigger than my house.  Then again, the same is true for farmers...

What I mean is this:  growth seems to produce a bigger version of the same thing.  Transformation, change, produces something new.  Tranfiguration is neither:  it is an external revealing of a truth which is perhaps, hidden and internal. 

The transfiguration is Jesus' modeling of the sacramental life.  The inward and invisible becomes outward and visible.

Maybe I'll save all this for when I'm finished reading the passage...

Church of the Transfiguration, Mt Tabor

Should a Christian serve on jury duty?

I got the notice in the mail a few days ago.  There was a little box at the bottom giving me 3 lines to explain to the judicial system why I think I should be exempt from jury duty.

I casually mentioned it to the pater familias, who recently retired from the bench.  "Oh, just wear you full clerical outfit", he said, "one of the sides is sure to dismiss you from duty."   That in itself is worthy of thought...

The state calls upon me to participate in its mechanisms of justice, and I trust that there are folks who might say this situation is:

a] not participating in 'justice' at all;  the system is corrupt
b] a chance to display grace
c] participating in 'judging' another human being, contrary to "what Jesus told us to do".

At a basic level the state has called me to bring myself into the arena of public discernment, in a way that will affect the lives of others.  After all, isn't that what so many Christians are trying to do?  I'm going to think about this a bit more.

hacking your prof

A couple of enterprising undergrads from California State University at Northridge have found a way to really get on their prof's good side

The students altered their own grades, along with the marks of their classmates, according to Mr. Mateljan. Both Ms. Chen and Ms. Ngan felt that the professor — whose name has not been disclosed — was an unnecessarily harsh grader, Mr. Mateljan said.

But then they couldn't resist pulling pranks: They also used the professor's credit card to place pizza-delivery orders and to purchase subscriptions, in the professor's name, to magazines including Newsweek and Ebony.

the rest here

calling the (non) experts...

I've been reading a work by Crystal Downing, entitled "How Postmodernism Serves (my) Faith:  Questioning Truth in Language, Philosophy and Art".   Fascinating stuff so far, but I'm going to have to call upon the good folks from studiosavant to help me understand a bit of the history of the critique of modernism in art and some ways of approaching this topic in visual arts.   Downing teaches theater and english, and has a great deal of interest in (I hear Hegel in the background) what I might refer to as re-presentation.

art as thing in itself//  art as sign//  does Arthur Danto make sense?  what is the relationship between symbolist poetry (TS Eliot et al) and art // 

sorry, just going with stream of consciousness for a bit.

the joy of sex

                                                               

dude, what's up with the Mr Spock eyebrow thing?
Justin Patrick c. 4 months
ya know, it worked out okay, this procreation thing.  It makes people.

How the Middle East can solve the problems of the Episcopal Church

Watching the life of the Episcopal Church these days is akin to "watching a watermelon being thrown into an overturned running lawnmower", as a friend used to say.  But I have a solution.

It’s really quite simple.  All they need to do is take their own official statements about the situations in Palestine, Israel, Lebanon, with Hamas and Hezbollah, and simply substitute the appropriate designations from various groups and interests in the Episcopal Church:

In the face of ongoing conflict in the Middle East Episcopal Church, we recognize that a 2 state church solution is the only way forward to achieve a lasting and secure peace.  While each group has, at various times and to various extents, claimed sole ownership of all the geographic territory parish property and assets, it is only by a negotiated settlement in which territory church property is divided for just ownership that peace can be served.

We recognize that there are mutually conflicting interests theological positions, and that the sovereignty of both peoples needs to be respected.  As to the thorny issue of the ownership of Jerusalem calling yourself an Anglican, which is claimed by both parties, we will have to wait for further resolutions from the UN Lambeth Palace.

We recognize that the election of Hamas Schori/Bob Duncan has caused great distress.

In the meantime, we call for an immediate ceasefire and recognize that there are various extremist groups who may not wish to see a lasting and secure peace.  The use of weapons lawsuits in this conflict can only lead to further impairment of the peace process communion.  We therefore call upon the UN Lambeth Palace to intervene as necessary.

On second thought... well, I'll work it through a bit more and send it off to the appropriate authorities.