Filling in the blanks

I feel like I have been lied to and cheated. I feel like I my past has been hidden from me and I have been living a shallow, fake life. The world, our culture today has tried and almost succeeded in stripping me of my history. I feel like I've been living an illegitimate life, betraying my own family!

These weeks of learning about Church History have opened my eyes to reality. Before coming here the extent of my knowledge about Christian history started with the Apostles, moved on to persecuted Christians in Rome and then jumped to me and my family today. Granted, I knew a few facts about the Reformation, Martin Luther etc. I'd heard of Wycliffe and Tyndale and knew about the Puritans and such but wow, now the gap is gone! I have filled in that huge hole I never even knew was there! Granted, there are still a lot of blanks but I don't feel so separate from those who began the faith. Moreover, I feel connected! I feel like I am part of a family - these were real people! My own brothers and sisters struggled and were persecuted, fought for their beliefs and were killed for them. People I am going to meet some day - people I am going to talk to gave me my Bible and paid for it with their lives! It makes me sad that I have never studied them before. I have always loved my family so much and now I feel that I have so many more people to love.

When I began this year, I was struck by the family atmosphere of the place and how all of my peers have become so close and precious to me, well that is how I am beginning to see all my Christian brothers and sisters in history. I think we have all really missed out, not getting to know them. I am angry at the way that my secular public school basically lied to me about history. Everything that happened was because of religious struggles and influences. (And I think today more world events than we realize are effected and influenced by that same thing.) It is unfair that we are not taught the truth. I pray that someday it will change but I think it is an impossible hope. I'm thinking it's really only gonna get worse.

Find your inner woman 6: the Hockey player!

Okay, so it wasn't really hockey but, close enough! Last night, after a day of snowboarding, we played broom ball for four hours. Basically it is ice hockey...without skates and with brooms instead of sticks. SO AWESOME! I didn't play last week as I was too tired but it was soooo much fun and I'm so glad I played last night (even though I am SO sore right now - it was totally worth it).

At first, I was like really terrible and awkward. I didn't really know what to do because there were so many people around, like probs 20 people on each team at least and so I kinda just stood and "played" middle pretty much failing at ever hitting the ball. Then Cort made the excellent point that I should uh, turn the broom and actually hit it with the broad side rather than the tip so.... things started getting easier when I actually concentrated on the position of my broom.

As the game went on, I got more into it...perhaps a little too much into it. I fell a whole lot and I've got the bruises to prove it but really, they just prove that I was trying hard and actually getting in there. I stayed playing middle for most the game, checking people and making interceptions. Then I played some defense when we started really losing (plus by this time we had lost like 5 players - Stephen got a concussion, Lish hurt her knee, Nick had to leave early, Tim got cold, and Teresa had left) so then there was even more chaos and then Josh S. pulled my hair...apparently trying to pull on my tassel so I whacked him with my broom and Danilo and I had a little international rivalry going on...until he got switched to my team.

I played offense for the last bit, not very useful by this time as I was exhausted and it hurt to move. (I found out there was 45minutes left and I was like...ughhhhhh, can I just sit here and swing my broom???? but I didn't.) Then, coolest moment ever! I happened to just be positioned in the right place when Cort took a shot, missed and I passed it to Derrick who shot it and SCORED!!! It was perfect! and it tied the game and ended it too as we were out of time. So great ending with a tie game.

Funny note, as we were gathering the stuff, the lights went out (only stay on 'til 10) so we had to make our way back to the cars in pitch blackness as our eyes slowly adjusted. That was fun. Oh, and by this time it was like -18 degrees and we finally started feeling the cold cuz we weren't running around and it was FREEZING!

Anyways, I hadn't done a "Find your inner woman" in awhile so I figured it was high time. Basically I had a blast and I figure my Canadian blood must have been proving itself because I've never been very good at hockey...

And I think there are even some parallels to my spiritual walk here (kinda random but you see these things everywhere when you're in Bible school haha). I'm often nervous and unsure of myself around other outgoing Christians who seem so on fire for God, going on missions, serving others, volunteering and it is really hard for me to find "my place" but really, I don't think there is really a "place" I need to find. God can use me anywhere if I just get in there and work my best for His glory. Sometimes I will fall down or miss the goal but He can always make the most of every swing of my broom and sometimes, I'll be in the right place at the right time and finally realize that God had been moving me all along for just such a time as this.

Wait for it...wait for it...

So we started Church History class yesterday...or well, we kinda sorta started. See Pastor Don REALLY likes this subject and well, we didn't even really get into it because right after the first slide he has a million things to say so we didn't get far yesterday. Today was...well, not much better. We learned a LOT about the organization of the church and then got through the rest of the slides of just intro stuff. We finished off with a movie on the Roman Age so hopefully tomorrow we will be right into the actual history. Here's hoping...

It is so exciting just being in this class because Pastor Don is so excited about it. The first day he told us anyone would love this class..."unless you're hard and cold and...agnostic!" That made us all laugh. I love being in a class full of fellow believers. It really does feel like a family! Only true brothers and sisters can laugh at inside jokes, love as much as we do without judging or fear, and enjoy each other's company for such long periods of time. It is truly an awesome thing to be a child of God!

For class we have to read two Christian History magazines and then write a report on our discoveries. Those who know me well will know that I was SUPER excited for this and truly, I enjoyed every second of my reading and writing the paper. What can I say, I'm a nerd, especially a history nerd! So I though I'd share my "discoveries" with you but I warn you...I learned a lot. I would not be at all offended if you didn't want to read all this but if you are interested in "Heresy in the Early Church" please read on. (I felt this would be a bit much for the "Tidbits" section of the blog, but still wanted to share it with those who would find it interesting).

Heresy in the Early Church

My discoveries

The Council of Nicaea (325)

(From “A Hammer Struck at Heresy” By Robert Payne)

I learned a lot about why and how the council was started from this article as well as what it was about. It was around the year 319 that Arius first suggested that “there was a time when the Son was not”. Both Alexander of Alexandria and Athanasius, his chief deacon immediately stepped in to fight the false doctrine. It seems a simple enough heresy, not too dangerous but I never realized that Arianism defines Christ as lower than the Father and places Jesus as only the mediator not God Himself. It drives a wedge into the core Christian belief of monotheism. It's unbelievable how many dominoes topple and new problems arise with the uttering of this one short statement. 

 

Eventually the disagreement got so hot that Emperor Constantine called for the meeting of Bishops known as the Council of Nicaea. I think the resulting chaotic gathering is such a sad depiction of the disunity that existed. (I can imagine it would be much the same today) On one side, Arius chanted his beliefs which he had put to music, making them popular among the people (though to me, it sounds a little spooky).In contrast the orthodox theologians presented their case through calculated arguments. The two contrasting styles gave the impression of men arguing in completely different languages further adding to the chaos. 

 

Thankfully in the end, the orthodox prevailed. Though few realize it, the original Nicene Creed was a lethal weapon aimed at the Arian heresy. Though it lacked poetry and rhythm, it succeeded through blunt doctrine to prove Christ as one, equal to the Father in substance and power. I think that its blunt style is also a great contrast to the Arian habits of flowing, chants.

Charismatics and Montanists: Heresy or the Holy Spirit

(From “Testing the Prophets” By James D. Smith)

I find the similarities between the Montanism of the Early Church and the Pentecostal Charismatics of today fascinating. Montanus movement as called the “New Prophecy. Him and his followers claimed they had Spirit-given truth revealed to them from God. 

 

Though many were taken in by the idea of new oracles from God and the fascinating ecstasy involved in the revelations, many where wary for multiple reasons. Some objected the women raised up in authority, the abnormal ecstasy, the lack of controls, the worldliness, the extra-scriptural revelation and the false prophecies. Yet it was difficult for others to condemn the Montanists because they feared squashing the work of the Spirit. 

 

I recognize some of the same wariness and confusion today in dealing with Charismatics. Many are drawn to them, and others condemn them outright and yet I think the majority of Christians fear to make a clear decision on the matter. It is hard to discern if the movement is truly the Holy Spirit or something else altogether. 

 

Notorious Heretics of the Early Church

(From “Malcontents for Christ” By Stephen M. Miller)

I find the irony in the lives of these men so startling and a little frightening for they went from high standing in the church, respected leaders to excommunication. It is unnerving to think that some of our leaders today could be included in a list for today's church!

Valentinus started out as a papal candidate but ended as a heretic, excommunicated for his gnostic beliefs. He taught that only a select few were given the knowledge (gnosis) for salvation. Using this “knowledge” he reinterpreted the Bible through allegory and symbolism (right there I see red flags all over). The gnostics rejected the physical incarnation, death and resurrection of Christ. These beliefs lasted for the first few centuries, always persecuted by the church fathers, until they eventually faded.

Novatian went from being an obvious choice for pope to being excommunicated for his uncompromising stance that Christians who had renounced Christ during the persecution could never be readmitted into the church (I find it difficult to see justice in this decision because it would be such a hard situation to deal with). Novatian died a martyr in 251 but his church survived for about 400 years until it was wiped out by the Muslim invaders. 

 

Paul of Samosata was a wealthy “luxury-loving bishop” who ended up being deposed at a council in 268. He believed the Jesus was not God but simply as one of the Old Testament prophets. As such, Paul forbade worship to Him as He was not worthy. He believe the Trinity existed in the form of Father, Wisdom and Word (I don't understand why he would still believe in a Trinity at all!). Paulianists/Samosatines eventually joined Arianism in the following century.

Pelagius was a British monk who tried to purge the Roman Christians of their love for possessions. He had some flawed doctrine rejecting predestination and original sin. He taught that man was born without sin and had the freewill to choose his own path. Augustine and Jerome fought against his teachings, understanding the risk posed to the doctrine of grace (I am again and again astounded at the ripple effect of heresy). Pelagius was excommunicated in 417.

Heresy in Art

(From “Heresy in the Early Church” By Tony Lane)

I find it fascinating that due to the mysterious and unexplainable mystery of the Trinity, any drawings, paintings or other artwork trying to depict the three-in-one usually end up expressing some sort of heresy!

This depiction does the opposite in that it shows God as three completely different beings effectively destroying the concept of unity and depicting polytheism.

This depiction of God as one body with three faces is a representation of modalism, denying the distinctions between the Father, Son and Holy Spirit.

How should we live?

(From “Risky Lifestyles” By Robert A. Krupp)

Heresy in the early church did not just deal with theology and doctrine. Just as today, leaders had to deal with the erroneous daily choices of their congregations as well. One such practice involved monks living with nuns (or spiritual-sisters). The monks thought they could avoid sexual temptation due to their vows but as it turns out, many of the “spiritual-sisters” ended up pregnant and perhaps practised abortion in an attempt to salvage their supposed “virginity”. This seems to me like an obvious problem that should not have been allowed to begin at all. 

 

Another practice came about due to the false doctrine that any sins committed after baptism were unforgivable, exacting a costly penance. This caused many Christians to live their lives without being baptized, waiting until just before death to undergo the process. Though it was steadily criticized, it lasted quite awhile, but it's no wonder. How could the preachers expect their members to live without sinning. The doctrine itself makes no sense!

Further controversy arose over the date on which Easter should be celebrated. Throughout the Empire the date was calculated in different ways so that there were different dates, troubling the bishops greatly. Some where even called heretics for the day the celebrated. It wasn't until the early 800s that a complete agreement was reached. I guess I'm not really able to appreciate this issue as I don't think we have the same reverence for Easter today, though we probably should.

Fighters of Heresy

These men really inspire me and I thank God for each one that stood up for the truth. I never realized that without men like these, we would not have Christianity as it is today. 

 

Athanasius wrote a stirring treatise, “On the Incarnation” developing the doctrine of the deity and humanity of Christ. He stated, “ At one and the same time – this is the wonder – as man, he was living a human life; and as Word, he was sustaining the life of the universe; and as Son, he was in constant union with the Father.” 

 

Jerome condemned Pelagius calling him a “corpulent dog weighed down with porridge”. 

 

Constantine called the council of Nicaea in order to end the Arian controversy. Appalled at the discord in the Church he states, “I entreat you... to remove the causes of dissension among you and to establish peace.” The Nicene creed was essential for defining Christian doctrine. 

 

The Council of Chalcedon effectively shut down many heretical claims about Christ: against Arius – Jesus is God, against Apollinarius – Jesus is man, against Eutyches – Jesus' deity and humanity were not changed into something else, and against Nestorians – Jesus was one person (not divided). They offered no explanation for the “how” but simply affirmed that He is unique and a mystery we will never understand.

Conclusion

Though it seems ironic, I learned that heretics have actually provided a great service to the Church in that the heresies demand a response, forcing Christians to work through doctrine and define true Christian beliefs. Due to heretical ideas, we have a defined Canon, the Nicene Creed, the Chalcedonian Definition of the Faith, a set of principles for godly living and many other accomplishments that have helped the Church to stay strong, united and to grow.

Just call me Superwoman!

So, a bunch of us went snowboarding at Jackson Hole Ski Resort yesterday and had a BLAST! I just bought the beginner lift pass as that was only $25 rather than $91. However, by half-way through the day, Sam (my skiing friend) and I decided to call the pass the "limited-fun" pass. See, we had a lot of fun...it was just SEVERELY limited by having only 2 lifts, and basically 4 runs. We made the most of it though as I dragged her through the trees and over little jumps and it was definitely worth every penny. Even with the warm weather causing the snow to turn all heavy, it was still great.

On one of our last runs, we were going through the trees and we heard this little girl crying and I look ahead and see these two TINY girls on skis stopped beside a marked off area and then I see a little head beyond the poles and I'm like, "Oh man". I quickly whipped off my board and ran over and look into this little hole and there is this poor weeping child inside the hole, her legs spread apart against the sides so she doesn't slip into the water running beneath her (not like hugely dangerous, just a stream). I reached down and grabbed her hand and pulled her out and she is bawling in my arms as I try to comfort her. Sam comes up behind me and goes to get her skis out and I had to hold her just to be sure she didn't slide in. Then one of the instrutors (there were like a million because we were on the beginner hills) comes and checks that everything is okay, fixes the poles and finally the girls dad shows up (he was down the trail just sitting there). He didn't say anything to us or seem at all worried that his child had just fallen down a hole...I was a little miffed at him. And then he walked out with the one girl and left the other two stranded in the trees further down and the instructor had to help them out. Altogether it was an interesting experience and we were just so glad that we had gone down that trail and were there to help her.

Later, going down that same trail, our last run of the day. I'm going pretty fast, heading for the little jump at the end and I'm almost there and then suddenly, not sure what happened but I'm headed for the a trees. Luckily I ducked forward and just slammed my leg but, I've got quite the bruise there now. haha

It was a fun day altogether, but it got even better. After getting home, eating pizza, and showering, we all headed out to play broom ball. Sam and I went together in her car a little after everyone and we filled her car tires with air as they were low. We were pretty proud of ourselves as neither of us had ever done it before. Then, arriving at the rink, I just spent the time snapping pictures of my classmates falling all over the ice. It was hilarious and I can't wait to try it myself when I am not so worn out from snowboarding!

And that is the account of Saturday. After a week of exhausting study of Romans, I was so worn out, but it felt good. Bought my season pass to Snow King today so I may have more random stories from boarding. Stay tuned. :)

The Roman Road

It's a difficult one, that's for sure! We are only two days in but it feels like we've been at it for a month. The professor and Don and so many others have been talking about how difficult Romans is but I like what Lish said, "I never thought it was a hard book until this week!" more specifically today's class. So many different topics and ideas and intricate details of doctrine have been spread before us, it's hard to figure out which goes where. It's like a giant buffet of bizarre foreign food is in front of you, but you are high on a balcony looking down. Most of it looks good, some of it looks questionable and some if it is not even recognizable as food. Then there is someone with you pointing out each thing, explaining what it is, how it is made, all the ingredients and where it originated. It's hard to figure out which dish your helper is even pointing to, never-mind remembering all the details pertaining to each. Then once you get down there and get in line, you are madly trying to remember but you mostly just recall the familiar stuff and so there is a little bit of hesitation and panic when it comes to trying something new.

So I dunno if that illustration made ANY sense whatsoever to any of you but this Roman Road is a trek through steep valleys, wide spread oceans, rapid rivers, imposing mountains and the occasional grassy meadow. There are some parts that I've heard before and I'm enjoying having certain doctrines clarified but then there are parts that I've never before seen in the text and I'm gasping for air as I try to keep up. Mostly in class I just type, type, type. It's only really after dinner, during our group study time that I start to comprehend.

I am thanking God for this difficult class though because it is bringing groups of us together in study of His word. We are learning to work together, to listen to one another, to help and give time to one another and really, that is worth every tedious note I have to take in class. What better way to spend the hours than sitting around with good friends discussing justification, sanctification, glorification, condemnation, God's righteousness, human depravity, etc. That's why I'm in Bible school right?

Back in the Hole

I feel obligated to write a new post as it is my first full day back at JHBC. It's good to be back though it was hard leaving my wonderful family and the two days of traveling really wore out my nerves and I'm still tired (but I guess I better get used to it because it's kind of a regular thing here - being tired).

It was such a cool experience, finally arriving at the school, walking into the lodge and being bombarded by all my friends who had arrived earlier. There is just so much love among these people and I immediately felt more at ease. Now it feels like I haven't even been gone very long as everything is so much the same (besides all the snow). I'm a little nervous to start class tomorrow as I don't think this is going to be an easy one but I'm so excited as well. The book of Romans has SO much in it and I can't wait to dive in and figure some of it out.

It was also great to be back at Community Bible Church, hearing Pastor Don preach (still in 2 Corinthians of course). There is just something about that little church that makes me feel at home.

Well, I haven't much else to report. I've updated the other pages and such on the blog if you wanna take a look around.