Crypto-Romanists in the Garden

We recently came across an article that created some interest and concern that we felt compelled to comment on. The article in view here is a review of the movie Bella contributed by one Eric Rauch contained in the December 2007 edition of American Vision’s monthly publication Biblical Worldview. In the review, Rauch gives his positive critique of the movie, the content of which is adamantly pro-life, and quite effective in its presentation. Bella, he notes, was produced by a Roman Catholic film production company. However, interlaced with his critique of the movie itself is a not so subtle criticism of the abilities of Protestants to create good cinema.

Rauch complains that Protestants are hamstrung by their emphasis on and commitment to word based faith. This, he says, results in “dry, preachy, and surface-level films”. On the other hand, he admires the Romanist ability to communicate in symbols, ritual, and imagery. He provides some additional support in the form of quotes from a Dr. Thom Parhan, apparently an associate professor of film at Asuza Pacific University, who is likewise enthralled by these abilities which he argues are the result of three tenets of Romanists: an intuitive understanding of iconography, a grasp of the incarnational function of art, and their understanding of the sacramental nature of life. All in all, both men seem to argue for the perceived virtues and world view of Romanism over the dry, dusty, and narrow view of word-based Protestantism.

All of this is quite interesting, especially in view of the similar ideas expressed by Jeffrey J. Meyers in his book The Lord’s Service, in which he lays out his argumentation for what has become known as covenant renewal worship. In his book Meyers argues that rather than worship, and liturgical practices in particular, being informed by the revelation of the Word, our understanding of the Word needs to be defined by, and learned from, our liturgical practices. And where are these practices to be themselves acquired? Why, from Rome, Eastern Orthodoxy, and maybe some Lutherans. There does seem to be something odd going on here.

Historic Protestantism has always been focused on the Word. This is simply because the Bible itself is presented to us in such a fashion, and assumes both the Word Incarnate and the Word inspired as being the harmonious declaration of what God has given us to know about Him and His ways in this life. On the other hand, iconography and other image representations of Him are strictly forbidden. Why do we need some sort of “work around” for this sort of thing? If these men want to argue for the superiority of Rome and others in relation to imagery, ritual, and symbolism, they are going to have to prove far more than they have so far with their critiques of what they consider to be lackluster abilities of Protestants in art and idolatry.

God Owns the Blues

I simply need to deviate from the normal vein of commentary here to make mention of a fine packet of music that was given to me as a gift during the just passed Christmas celebration. What I am referring to is a two CD package titled Trimmed and Burnin & Slow Burn by Glenn Kaiser and Darrell Mansfield. If you are anything like me, the last time you heard or saw anything of Glenn Kaiser was when the Resurrection Band was still touring. Well, Mr. Kaiser has been busy in the interim, and this effort with Mansfield is a winner. The copyright on the back of the CD case says 2002, so I may be doing a bunch of catch up here, but I had no idea that anything like this was being done by Christian musicians.

Trimmed and Burnin & Slow Burn is an acoustic album with the artists performing a collection of Delta style blues. The catch is that the numbers are all what we would normally consider to be “gospel”. And that they are, but done in a wonderful and intense blues format. Kaiser and Mansfield are able to infuse this collection with an intensity and emotion that makes you believe the confessions of faith that underlie all of it. The vocals, guitars, and harp are all well done and demonstrate the skill of these two musicians.

But here is something important. The album makes absolutely no apologies for its church based, gospel roots. After all, historically speaking, the black churches in the South were the incubators for both the blues and jazz. This collaboration demonstrates this without the boring sentimentality of so much “gospel” music, and does so in an intense, masculine, and full-of-faith manner that draws the listener right in. This is quite refreshing, as most of our fellow Reformed brethren are seemingly captivated only by music written in the 16th and 17th century, denying practically that the musical expressions of the Gospel have made any progress or produced any variations worthy of our attentions since that era. So, I heartily recommend that my fellow saints in Reformedom give this one a listen. If this doesn’t affect you to the point that you can at least tap your feet a bit, and enjoy the soulful declarations of faith, then perhaps you should be a little concerned about being one of the frozen chosen.

Drinks on the House!

We want everyone to know that the coupon program for the purchase of digital television converter boxes is now under way. This program will provide the applicant with up to two $40 coupons (per family) to purchase converters for the new digital television transmissions that the Federal government has required to supercede the current analog transmissions in early 2009. We suggest that you hurry up and apply for yours right away. You can locate the program by connecting with www.hdtv.gov. This has got to be too good to be true! Imagine government subsidies of entertainment! Imagine not being able to receive any television images without a new converter!! Hmmmmm….

Talkin’ ‘Bout My Generation

What follows here is primarily intended as being addressed to those who are my peers, that is, those who are in excess of forty years old and up, even those rapidly approaching the sixty year mark. It has been the product of some thinking and assessing over the last several months concerning what we collectively have accomplished over the last forty years. The passage of time provides us with a vantage point that we simply do not have while involved in the thick of things, and yet is quite necessary to avail ourselves of if we are to move forward positively and productively with the remaining time God has allotted each of us.

Much of what is included in the following is not very flattering. The reader is therefore forewarned that while I have attempted to smooth things out a bit, this is not the sort of treatise that is going to give you many strokes.

First, let me say that one of the few areas in which good progress has been made has been in the area of education. I would identify the proliferation of alternative education as generally a substantial move forward. Many of us have self-consciously chosen to provide our children with a specifically Christ centered education as opposed to sending the heritage of the Lord off to the indoctrination camps of Baal. The intent here has been to provide them with an education that affirms the Lordship of Christ with the Bible as the foundation not only of faith and practice, but indeed also as defining all of reality. This hopefully will prepare them to go out and conduct the war of faith with a consistency that we have not attained to. The proof, as the saying goes, will be in the pudding.

In conjunction with our commitment to a better and more godly education, it must be acknowledged that we have almost entirely failed to develop a consistent and faithfully Christian covenantal culture. Have you ever wondered why so many of the youth in our churches seem to only ape the current fads of unbelievers? Why are clothing fads, music, and other cultural expressions of our young people generally thinly disguised copies of the latest pop culture? It seems to me that this can only be the result of our not appreciating and demonstrating that we understand how Christ has separated us, as His people, from the destructive and ungodly society in which we find ourselves. We almost certainly have made some very poor choices along the way from where we started to where we are now. The solution to this problem is not to simply insist on classical music, classical art, classical literature, and so on in such a way that it demonstrates that the contemporary Church is either stuck in the 16th century or, alternately, to compromise with the spirit of our day and become a bunch or rappers, punkers, or death-rockers. In many ways, we ourselves seem to be stuck in some sort of neither-nor place that has caused us to be incapable of constructing a culture that is both faithful and lively while avoiding that which is layered with dust or refuse.

In assessing the last forty years, it is impossible but to conclude that we have been colossal failures in a few very critical areas. These are big, Ten Commandment issues, and not things like determining what color the church carpet should be. Particularly, we have not fully engaged our declining society with the Gospel in such a way that diminishes and punishes theft, that adequately protects life, which affirms biblical ethics and morality, and asserts the actual Lordship of Jesus Christ over all of the earth, here and now, and not just in the world to come.

Here’s a test. Have we exercised our faith and application of the Gospel in such a way that has eliminated or diminished governmental theft and control of nearly every area of life? Can we conduct our lives in the fear of God and in conformity to His laws without running, at some point, afoul of rules that the followers of Baal have enacted and enforce? Have we stood to defend our neighbors as the wicked in our communities have sought to plunder them in schemes which really just redistribute our neighbor’s resources while asserting control over their property? Does truly private property still exist anywhere in this nation? Has the carnage of abortion stopped? Or have we merely been reduced to arguing over issues like parental consent and certain procedural restrictions that still result in a dead baby? Has this shedding of innocent blood been stopped, and has the assured wrath of God in relationship to this great iniquity been assuaged? Have the sodomites returned to the closet, or do we continue to have to defend a biblical definition of marriage rather than debating what punishment is just for those committing such onerous criminal sins? Can we even talk openly, either in public or privately, of the fact that these perversions are morally indefensible? Can the pulpits of Christian churches be used to identify and criticize public officials who, in rebellion against God, traitorously tyrannize and oppress their fellow citizens while perverting justice beyond any recognizable form? Where is the progress that even begins to suggest that we have exercised godly influence and authority in the last forty years? It seems that the evidence of this time period strongly suggests that we are savorless salt. And we all know what that is good for.

How has this all happened? How have we all become convinced that we have been making progress all this time when the current situation provides evidence of just the opposite? I would suggest that this has occurred through a combination of faithlessness, unfaithfulness, and outright unbelief.

First, we have simply not taken God at His word. Jesus Christ is king. His declarations define what reality actually is. We should stop trying to get around it. We need to fully submit ourselves to Him without the reservations we have withheld all of these years. We should believe the things He says to believe, and do the things He says to do. We have, in an ever so subtle manner, slipped into a materialistic slumber that has prevented us from standing for many things we should because we are afraid of the impact on our personal prosperity and security. We have simply refrained in resisting evil in many instances because it is hard work. So our faithlessness has led directly to our unfaithfulness.

Worse (almost) than this is our sad condition of unbelief. We seem to believe that God can do nothing to correct all of this. “This” has become normative for us, and though we complain long and loudly about it, in some circles, we are not willing to do anything about it. In effect we have become the consummate complainers rather than faithful hearers and doers of the Word and work. And any one who suggests that we actually do something is summarily dismissed as a crank or a wing-nut. At best we have become reactionaries when necessary, and not pro-active in much. We need to repent of our denial that a problem exists.

But the Bible insists that if God is for us, who can be against us? If we are seeking to bring all things into conformity to God’s will, according to His Word, what are we to fear? If we are to become dragon slayers, we need to engage the whole critter, and not be confined to our little personal and ecclesiastical ghettos. We must take the Gospel into the public square and declare that Christ is King over what goes on there also. But this will require a substantial shakeup in perception and in how we do nearly everything. Christ is Lord, and when anyone challenges this fact we must repudiate it in word and deed. Only then will we have something of substance to pass on to the next generation.

So, we had better get to work. Most of us in this peer group have only, say, another twenty years of productivity left. Time is shorter now than it was. This should be motivating. But we first need to confess our sins, repent in godly sorrow, reaffirm our faith, and prepare to meet the coming challenges head on. Even if it cost us, and costs us dearly.