How would you interpret sola scriptura in the 21st. century?

On April 16, 1521 Martin Luther appeared before the Diet of Worms expecting there would be a debate about his 95 Theses and the abuses of Indulgences. Instead he discovered that he was being called to recant. The following day, April 17, 1521 he made that now immortalized statement: “Unless I can be instructed and convinced with evidence from the Holy Scriptures or with open, clear and distinct grounds of reasoning...then I cannot and will not recant, because it is neither safe nor wise to act against conscience. Here I stand. I cannot do otherwise. God help me. Amen!”

In the centuries after the Reformation, Fundamentalism has been pitted against Historical Christianity over the words Sola Scriptura.

Three things stand out in Martin Luther's statement, if that is a representation of the Reformers' position: Holy Scriptures, Reason, and Conscience.

It is difficult to imagine that the canon effectively sealed divine revelation. The Holy Spirit continues to work in individual believers and the community of believers – the Church – through the Scriptures, reason and conscience. Divine revelation continues to enlighten successive generations in their time and place.

The message of the Holy Scriptures to the 21^st century world is certainly not that of the 1^st century. Or, what do you think? How is God speaking to you today?

Imagine you were on the Titanic that fateful night a hundred years ago: Continued

You have probably experienced five or ten minutes that felt like hours. May be in a hospital waiting room waiting for word about a child or loved one undergoing surgery! Or watching a house on fire with loved ones inside as you waited for rescue personnel to arrive.

For two and a half hours, from 11:40 pm on April 14, 1912, the engineers and electricians of the Titanic fought to save the ship from sinking. It is said that they actually knew it was sinking but they fought to delay it. It is also believed that the band played Nearer my God to Thee until the ship broke up and sank.

Yes, and even as the Titanic fired flares into the sky, the Californian, which was the last to communicate with her before the accident, failed to respond. Neither were other ships nearby able to respond before she sank.

Those who survived left in half full lifeboats. J. Bruce Ismay, Chairman of White Star Line, the owners of the Titanic, would become the world's most scorned man after he jumped into one of those half full lifeboats and fled from the sinking ship.

Imagine too, that you were one of the residents of Southampton where “night and day that crowd of pale,anxious faces had been waiting patiently for the news that did not come”, according to The War Cry, the newspaper published by the Salvation Army.

What would be your reaction in a similar situation?

Imagine you were on the Titanic that night one hundred years ago

One hundred years ago, on April 14, 1912, the Titanic struck – or was stricken by – an iceberg while on its maiden voyage from Southampton to New York. The name was suggestive of the ship's colossal size and strength. Towering eight stories high, it was the largest vessel ever built by mankind, including Noah's Ark. It's builders believed that “even Almighty God could not sink it”.

The 2,223 on board the ship represented the society of that time and perhaps of today too. On First Class were the wealthiest and on the lower decks were prospective immigrants to North America, leaving poverty and misery behind in search of a better life.

Convinced, as they were, that the ship was invincible, the operators, White Star Line, decided to carry lifeboats enough for only 1,178 people – about one third of all the passengers and crew on board.

Having too many rich people on board was not good either. Though equipped with the best telegraphic systems, the Marconi Room was busy dispatching messages from the rich to their friends and associates around the world. That was how the operator missed the warning about the floating iceberg.

The collision with the iceberg occurred at 11:40 pm and about two and a half later, at 2:20 am, the ship broke into two and sank to the bottom of the Atlantic. There were only 710 survivors.

More about the one hundredth anniversary of the sinking of the Titanic still ahead.

"What I have I give you"

In the Book of Acts 3:1 -10 – the lectionary text for today, Wednesday after Easter – Peter and John are on their way to the temple in Jerusalem for prayers. At the gate they encounter a crippled man who daily sat there begging for “change”. He is not named – he is anonymous – like so many in public places like Fountain Square in Cincinnati, or anywhere else in any major city.

Peter says to the beggar, “Look at us!” Imagine the expectation in the man's eyes! But then Peter says, “We have no change!”. Expectation in the man's eyes changes to disappointment.

Is this not typical of many encounters on the streets of Cincinnati and elsewhere? They are there daily, with expectation in their eyes for a moment, followed by disappointment.

Peter says to the beggar, “We don't have silver or gold, but we will give you what we have”. And what they gave him was larger than the “change” he expected and was used to. He regained wholeness.

There is no denying that relatively, we are a very rich community as a nation. God knows what “change” goes to helping the elderly, the poor, the homeless and the disenfranchised. Yet, our vision continues to diminish as even that “small change” is poised to be cut and even eliminated.

During this National Volunteer Month, we can perhaps dream big and embrace a larger vision that utilizes talents, treasure and time to make life for the weak better.

A time for stories

Yesterday, April 7 was the first day of the 7- day Jewish Passover. For Christians today is Easter, a day very much connected with Passover.

The church has had a complicated formula of calculating the date of Easter and various reasons have been suggested for it. For some though, there has always been suspicion that distancing Easter from the Jewish Passover has been the underlying motive.

Nevertheless, the two belong together and again, this year, they fall on the same date.

On a recent PBS program, Jewish families shared memories of Passover celebrations. They shared stories, thus highlighting a very important aspect of Passover. There are stories, beginning with the Exodus and continuing to this day.

For Christians too, the Easter experience is a time of shared stories, as The Very Reverend Ron DelBene, Interim Dean at Christ Church Cathedral in Cincinnati, powerfully illustrated during the Great Vigil of Easter.

One of those great stories, as DelBene demonstrated, is the experience of facing the raging waters of the Red Sea while fleeing from slavery in Egypt, a picture drawn from Exodus 14:10-31; 15:20-21, the First Lesson of the service. Like the Israelites, we too get terrified and think of going back to Egypt.

But then there are stories of people, just like Moses, who have urged us to dare step into the raging waters. That is the story even today - being courageous to step into the unknown!

Comments and suggestions are welcome.

　

　

　

Like the precious oil running down on the beard of Aaron

For the 93^rd year, Cincinnatians gather today for Opening Day. A very diverse gathering of young and old, men and women, rich and poor, Black, White, Latino, Asian and in between! You can also bet that a good percentage of them may not be Reds fans even when dressed in red.

It is an annual ritual for the people of Greater Cincinnati. It is like worship - people coming together for a common purpose.

There is a sense of spirituality in the whole experience. There is togetherness, agreement of minds and thoughts and mutual expectations.

Whether fans or simply residents, the whole community comes together to send off and cheer their representative in the quest for the World Series. It is like saying, “Go on, you have our backing”. The same way warriors would be sent off to battle with the hopes and aspirations of the whole community.

Thus, “How good and pleasant it is when kindred live together in unity! It is like the precious oil on the head, running down upon the beard, on the beard of Aaron, running down over the collar of his robes” (Psalm 133:1-2).

Indeed, people, in all their diversity can come together and unleash tremendous power.

Mah Nishtanah, or "Why is it different?"

One could possibly also ask, “What is different?” What is different this week?

This is a week full of symbolism for Jews and Christians. In many churches, tomorrow, Thursday, April 5 will be observed as Maundy Thursday. Worshipers will follow the clergy washing each other's feet following the example of Jesus. Celebrations of Holy Communion will recall the Last Supper – even as scholars have not been able to identify the exact day of the Last Supper.

Friday, of course, is the holiest day of western Christianity – if there is such a thing as a holy day. Some Christians in Cincinnati will climb the steep steps to the Holy Cross-Immaculata Church in Mt. Adams. All around the country, Christians will commemorate, in one form or another, the death of Jesus on the cross. Some Christians in the Philippines will even choose to be nailed to crosses, in attempts to experience Jesus' agony and pain.

Had there been nothing after Good Friday, there would not have been Christianity. Easter Sunday, or the Day of the Resurrection is at the center of the Christian faith, and so Saturday will be the Great Easter Vigil in many churches.

Perhaps all this is familiar information for many. Even the fact that Passover for our brothers and sisters of the Jewish faith begins at sunset on April 6 may be common knowledge – and hence the title of this writing.

So, why should this week be any different, or what is different about it? Find out next.