What’s in a Name? (by Karen Osborne)

Karen Osborne

 

“You shall not take the name of the LORD your God in vain, for the LORD will not hold him guiltless who takes His name in vain”

 

The word name in Hebrew is shem.  It has a dual meaning:  what a person is called and reputation.  I found this a very interesting concept when considering the third commandment above.  We are usually taught that taking the LORD’s name in vain means to make it into an expletive and swear with it.  Certainly, this is part of it, but I contend the less insidious part.  The far worse part is when we tell lies about God and slander his reputation.  There is a popular book out right now called “God is Not Great”.  This is an instance of taking the LORD’s name in vain.  With the title alone, god is slandered and his reputation is tarred. 

 

This can happen much more subtly as well.  Whenever we represent God as being what he is not or claim that he is something else, we have broken the commandment.  To me, this commandment is about the truth; the truth about God.  If we do not tell the truth, we are ruining his reputation.  When we say, “It is God’s fault”, or insinuate some other theological error of the sort, we are breaking this commandment.  We are not telling the truth about God and giving Him a bad name, thus ruining his reputation amongst believers and unbelievers alike.  This is exactly why the search for the truth is so important.  “The truth shall set you free” is more than just a platitude.  It is a fact, and no more so than the truth about God.  He desires this, not so much for His own good–He knows who He is and what His name represents–but for our good and the good of others. 

 

We have often heard that the two greatest commandments are to love the Lord your God with all you heart, mind and soul and to love your neighbor as yourself and that the whole law is bound up in these two commandments.  When breaking it down, we often distinguish the first few of the Ten Commandments as loving God and the rest as loving neighbor.  I contend that not taking the LORD’s name in vain is loving both your neighbor and God, for by telling the truth about God, we allow our neighbor to love Him as well.  This commandment is part and parcel of the Evangelical process.  Without the truth about the Savior and the Father, no one is redeemed. 

 

This lays a great burden of responsibility on our shoulders.  We must search scripture and do our best to understand the truth.  It could mean the difference in someone else’s salvation. 

 

Karen and Bill Osborne have been leading the Glenwood Inklings for three years.  She enjoys discussing philosophy and apologetics with friends & family and is a voracious reader.  She plans to become a lawyer and last spring spent time touring with the C. S. Lewis Society in Oxford & Cambridge. 

 

Mr. Jacob’s Opus / An Ode to My Wife (by Darren Jacobs)

I write this listening to Brandi Carlile capture the air around her (the white flag is in her lyrics) and body-slam a tune called ‘Dreams’ into my mind, subconscious and waking moments as I watch my wife dance even when the band plays a sad song. My wife knows how to move…in everything she does she finds the beauty of a life lived well under dark skies…with cloud-breaks of celebration.

 

GayLynn’s annual scan had some issues. On the 18^th we’ll address them.

 

Never promise 49 weeks out of your life.  I had bold intentions with traveling together down a road called Christendom…but that’s past.  On October 18^th (Sunday morning) I hope to launch an awareness and prayer group that turns towards the heavens in quiet (and loud) supplication that all is well…and another year with GayLynn is just that.

 I take video footage of GayLynn…and wonder if that’s how I’ll remember her.  When we talk of our future dream of moving to downtown Vancouver, it all filters through a constricted cancer lens that blots out the beauty & hope we have.  When I listen to a song that plays just right, experience a film that not only captures the moment but defines it and walk slowly through a darkened room in the early morning hours to find GayLynn sleeping…light & hope manifest like music & lyrics.    

 In Astoria, on a jaunt from our hotel to the sprawling downtown sector, I took the picture of our shadows.  I wanted to remember that as the Son casts His light on our lives, we leave an image to be seen.  GayLynn’s is defined, hopeful and added beauty to an otherwise perfect day. My Opus is in her eyes; my longing is the very One who fills her being; my Hope is for a day filled with Shadows.

 I have dreams…yes, Ms. Carlile;  I do.

 Darren

 

Away with the King! (by Darren Jacobs)

Christ Carrying the Cross – El Greco

The picture of Christ Carrying  the Cross is by Spanish Renaissance Painter El Greco.  I used the image to open up a class I’m co-teaching at Columbia Presbyterian on Early Church History.  Something about the eyes filled with despair, longing, acceptance and the slap of cold-reality brings to life the impending death of Jesus.  His fingers (looking rather feminine) seem to stroke the beam of the cross with tenderness, as one gently grazing the strings on an instrument, so too this is an instrument…and death will be played on it.

 

Christianity is the only major religion to have as its central event the humiliation of its God. (Bruce L. Shelley, Church History in Plain Language – Pg. 3)

 

My screenwriting instructor always said to start the story at the beginning.  And that’s exactly what Shelley does in his sweeping epic of the Church moving through History like a rolling river rather than the usual depiction of a stagnant pond. In this first chapter he aims his arrow at the center of the center: How is Jesus of Nazareth to be understood?

 First & foremost, Jesus was a Jew, not a Christian.  Understanding Jesus devoid of Judaism (and somehow detached from his cultural, political & religious spheres) is impossible.  Jesus has often been misunderstood (historically speaking) or reinterpreted in a manner vastly different from the person we meet in the New Testament. And so as not to beg the point (concerning the validity of the ancient texts), Mr. Shelley has written a book about the Historicity of the Holy Scriptures that is worth the price.  Depending on the interest in this blog, that might be another completely different road to take together, always with the goal of traveling towards wisdom & enlightenment. Some journeys are worth taking.

 So for the rest of the tour, the Jesus of the Bible is our protagonist.  His character development, audience, message, ministry and lasting influence on the church will provide the dramatic narrative.  And speaking of plot points, there isn’t a better story on which all things…turn.

 Pharisees (the ‘separated ones’ composed of religious scribes enacting the Law to the Letter), Sadducees (the Aristocracy that controlled the High Jewish Court, the Sanhedrin), and Zealots (ushering in the coming Messiah’s rule with the sword) were all part of the infra-structure of Jesus’ world.  For the scholar you’ve probably noticed one group missing; an often overlooked group called the Essenes (not even listed in the spell-check of my word processor).

 The Essenes were an isolated Monastic community that participated in ritual washing which visually explained their stance of repentance and turning back to God.

 In my opinion (and outside the realm of historic fact) I believe John the Baptist was an Essene and Jesus was attracted to his mission statement of repentance and turning to God in mercy… as well as the high-traffic corner where he set up camp (the ford north of the Jordan).

The Baptist had the great privilege of uttering the greatest theological statement in human history:  “Behold, the Lamb of God.”  If you don’t know what that means, then there really is a purpose in blogging rather than creating an internet presence built on volume & exposure. Let’s discuss, argue and find Truth together…shall we?

 This really matters.  John attributed Jesus to the Jewish Passover Lamb.  The Lamb to be slaughtered so the Lord God might passover your household marked by the blood of the Lamb.  Potent stuff…and the audience that John was speaking to would get it; the trick now is for us to ‘get it’ too.

 And now for something completely different (thank you, Monty Python…) The Ministry & Message of Jesus, which for many Christians may seem somewhat foreign as we usually think Jesus went about talking in depth of the crucifixion and atonement.  Remember Jesus was a Jew (the Christian church did not exist yet) who had not died on the cross as of yet (the atonement) and therefore rising from the dead would be a cart before a huge stallion.  Shelley reminds us that one of Jesus’ catch-phrases throughout the New Testament is “Behold, the Kingdom of God is at hand…” and this is His primary Ministry. Shelley realizes the tension created by Jesus’ words:

 “Did he believe in a dramatic intervention of God in the history of the world – or – did he mean the Kingdom is already here in some sense?”

 Shelley responds by using an account in Scripture to show how it can be both.  “But if it is by the finger of God that I cast out demons, then the Kingdom of God has come upon you.”  Dramatic, Divine intervention fused with signs & wonders…here…& now!  It’s almost as if Jesus was saying, “The Kingdom of God is at hand because…God is at hand.”

 What about Jesus’ message?  If his Ministry was  to reveal the Kingdom of God to the world then His Message (Shelley concludes) is to explain how radically different His Kingdom rule is compared to the religious establishment of the day.

 Take a second and read Luke 18: 10-14 aloud.  If you’re a non-believer or atheist I think this passage may speak to you as well.  I’m convinced in every chapter Shelley will bring forth what I call a ‘Keeper’ quote.  Take this one with you…it’s essential in the Church’s understanding of this New Covenant Jesus proclaims. 

 “The contrast between the piety of the Pharisees and the attitude of the Jesus movement could hardly be greater.  One was based on the observance of the hundreds of religious laws of the Jews, the other rested upon a denial of self-righteousness and a trust in the mercy of God.”

So ends chapter one of early church history: Jesus came to show us a new realm; a realm based on mercy, not performance…and forever turned religion (Man’s attempt to merit divine favor) on its head. Only 48 chapters to go.

 Look back to the picture, look in his eyes…all the emotions are playing out and in the coming days as we travel the road with Mr. Shelley…I’m sure some of ours will hopefully find their way to this page. We are free to disagree, agreeably…so let’s act as adults and state our differences with finesse & respect.

 The New Covenant is the forgiveness of sin (the Baptist got it right) and the long awaited fulfillment of God’s promise to a people crippled by sin and separated from God. “By His striped we are healed;” Now, that’s a good story worth telling. Another chapter is right over the hill.

 Wineskins: Old & New

 Blessings,

Darren

 

   

 

 

 

 

 

Reflections from the Lamp-Post (by Darren Jacobs)

Addison's Walk: Where C. S. Lewis & Tolkien met at the crossroads.

Christians are shallow, intolerant and need a lesson in history.  No need to offend, I was talking about me.

 Life’s journey, at appointed times, brings us to crossroads.  You know the deal…you stand in confusion as your line-of-sight moves left to right (and hopefully lands on what’s right).  At the moment I’m waiting for big news, huge news, life changing news.  I might be opening a door of no return in the next few weeks.  More on that down the road.

 

But in the midst of silent revelry and quiet reflection I have made a commitment for the next year to travel with author Bruce Shelley (Church History in Plain Language) with the hope of finding revelation, understanding and clarity through his book and the minds & ideas of the noble people of Columbia Presbyterian and (God willing) those who join our band from Blog-World.

Are you pissed at Christians?  Are we haughty and shallow?  What do we want or gain from our take on past events?  And why are Faith Healers usually bald? Some journeys are simply worth taking.

 Okay, maybe this is a little ‘Julie & Julia’–but in all honesty I didn’t see it coming.  Julia Child liked food & cooking – I like theology & ideas…both tasty and both something good for the soul. Some are nutritious and some seem to slide down the garbage disposal with finesse.   

 It’s really very simple: 49 chapters/weeks covering 2000 years of (at times…oh, such times) thorny, delightful, embarrassing, liberating and all together intoxicating  slices of history served to please with a side of humility and a robust Cabernet.  So-you-yawn…no you won’t…this is going to fun, but for the time being I’m hungry and my wife and daughter Heather have made chicken enchiladas.  I’m taking Julia’s lead.

 First essay: Away with the King – coming tomorrow evening. Did Jesus really have anything to do with the formation of the Christian church? And if He did, what might that mean?

 I don’t mind if you tear into me (as long as your Malice is seasoned with love) as we have much to discuss… 2000 years to be precise.

 Looking at the ‘right’ things, but so intrigued by the left…

Darren

 

Narnians Invade UK; Memories & Mementoes Captured, returned to Colonies (by Jim Lamb)

Fellow Narnians take in the splendor of Ely Cathedral

The sovereign nation of England met her match recently when a hardy band of knurly Narnians invaded her shores ( May 31-June 8 ) under the command of Dr. Tom Woodward. The adventure was affectionately dubbed the Normandy Invasion, nicknamed, as it was, after the Good Doctor’s wife and collegial cohort, the lovely Lady Normandy, who meticulously crafted what was officially termed the 2009 C.S. Lewis Tour.

 The kinetic covey of Narnians swarmed the countryside, visiting cathedrals, pubs, courtyards and shoppes. And, of course, Stonehenge.Cameras of every size, shape and make captured treasured moments to create a very special Chronicle of Narnians — and no highlight was better appreciated than the visit to The Kilns, the cozy cottage of C.S. Lewis, where a generation ago much magic was lovingly brewed to stir the imaginations of children large and small; old and young. To stroll the narrow hallways of this humble abode of dreams and whimsy would have been pleasure enough for any Narnian, but to do so guided by that Great Prince of the Kingdom, Douglas Gresham, was — indeed — a Christmas treat in Spring, well worth its weight in Turkish Delights.

 There are other memories. Here are but a few:

 –Cobblestone streets, curbside treats and the humor of Ross Knox-Holmes, the Jay Leno of tour guides.

 –Penelope and Carolyn’s excursions, Dudley’s economic dissertations and the elegant stature of Salisbury Cathedral.

 –Dinner at the bizarrely uneven-floored Trout Inn, a delightful lunch with D. Gresham at the Eagle & Child in Oxford and Kathy Cutting’s marvelously cool mini-trike.

 –The literary insight of Darren Jacobs, Mercy Lynn creatively eyeing potential photographic scenes and the endearing somber grace of Ely Cathedral.

 –A touching, spirit-filled Sunday morning service at rain-drenched Holy Trinity Church, traipsing through the streets of Cambridge like curious children on an Easter Egg Hunt and listening to Jim & Jackie’s lively tale of Dick Van Dyke filming “Diagnosis Murder” at their home.

 All that, and so much more.

 But, like every fairly told fairytale, all good things must end — though the memories linger on, fondly, like smoky mists swirling slowly in the wake of a spectacularly splendid fireworks display. So we wait, like Children pondering the Ghosts and Gifts of Christmas Past, yearning for that next great Narnian adventure. May it come, and soon.

Jim Lamb is a retired journalist who resides with his lovely wife, Jo-Lynn, in West Central Florida. Jim is a Vietnam Veteran and father of four who accepted Christ as his personal Savior in Da Nang circa 1971. He is a firm believer in the fullness of the Grace of God and a humble fan of C.S. Lewis who provided one of the crucial crumbs leading him to accept Jesus of Nazareth as Messiah, Son of the Living God.

 

The Heart for Eternity Built in Stone (by Karen Osborne)

Karen Osborne & Estera Decean

 

I have now been to both the pyramids in Egypt and Stonehenge and both places have left me awe-inspired.  I do not use that term lightly.  I am not awed so much by their size or the attention to detail or the sophisticated engineering, though all of these things do cause pause for pondering.  I am awe-inspired because of the evidence these pagan cultures left that indeed God lives.

            This is a rather shocking statement on many levels, yet, this is how I see these architectural ancient wonders.  As everyone now knows, the pyramids were burial chambers which revolved around the whole afterlife beliefs of the Ancient Egyptians.  They were elaborately decorated on the inside and there were even dummy tunnels added to confuse would be robbers.  Of course, the building of these things was quite a feat.  Who knows how many people it took, how many hours and how much planning to get each huge block of stone from the quarry into its proper place.  Amazing in and of itself. 

Similarly, many now believe that Stonehenge was used as a funerary facility.  It was built and changed over time, but they have now discovered graves and there are barrows all over that area which are huge mounds of mass graves.  Like the Egyptians, the ancient peoples of England had to use a great deal of ingenuity and planning to get those huge stones to the site and make them stand in their current vertical positions;  again, an amazing feat.

As fascinating as all of this is though, it pales in comparison to the essential purpose of these places.  In Egypt one can see how all of life was based on the beliefs of the people.  How their hopes for eternity influenced every aspect of life.  Of course, we know a great deal more about the Ancient Egypt than we know about Ancient England since there is a written record.  However, all indications are that they had beliefs and hopes for eternity as well.  Perhaps they believed the community would be together always and this is the reason for the mass graves.  Perhaps they thought there was no way for the soul to escape after death buried under ground and this is the reason for the mounds.  Whatever they believed, the facts remain that a great deal of energy and effort was put into preparing for what was to come.

It is this very fact that leaves me awe-inspired.  It is such a forceful demonstration to me that God has written eternity on our hearts and that we all have an undeniable need to come to terms with what happens to us after death.  Human cultures have always devised ways of expressing this need and these expressions have had something of an eternal character of their own.  They have lasted thousands of years; standing there for the rest of us to ponder.

C. S. Lewis loved Mythology for a similar reason.  He saw it as having pieces of the truth which when considered carefully pointed to the reality of Christ.  The Myth breaking into history and becoming a reality; that is what he saw Christianity as being.  This is essentially how I see these ancient sites as well.  Every time I get the opportunity to visit one of these I leave them in a spirit of worship and praise.  I am so thankful that the human heart really is open to His truths, even if it doesn’t quite grasp them. 

I also realize that people are no different today, but are just seeking eternity in different ways.  If we can relate to how they are doing this it will make it easier to impart the truth of the gospel to them, for we will have a common place to begin the discussion.  So what are our Pyramids and Stonehenges today?  How are people living for the afterlife, perhaps without even knowing it?  How are they demonstrating their need that is written on their heart?  If we can answer these questions, I believe that there is one less barrier to the Gospel that we have to overcome when interacting with those around us.

Karen and Bill Osborne have been leading the Glenwood Inklings for three years.  She enjoys discussing philosophy and apologetics with friends & family and is a voracious reader.  She plans to become a lawyer and recently spent time touring with the C. S. Lewis Society in England.

 

Writing in the Dust (by Darren Jacobs)

Darren Jacobs

A woman caught in the relentless snare of sin surrounded by men with stones in hand ready to enact justice. And Jesus writing in the dust. We’re not told what he wrote, but I can only imagine.

I feel a deep sense of despair during this most Holy of Times. Easter saddens me because in the glitz of hidden eggs, dresses taken from the closet for their annual showing and vapid messages of spring and renewed hope…all seems so empty without the empty tomb. Without Christ bloodied & beaten for the hands that will find the eggs, the human forms that will display their Sunday best and the very breath to extol the sermons of a New Dawn…we lose the punch, the Great Plot-Point of History where everything turns on a beam of wood & nails and we’re ushered into an ancient tomb that opens; letting the sun in & the Son out. If we miss that – we miss all. Easter is retroactive…the empty tomb works backward and turns the cross into an exclamation point, “It is accomplished…” Jesus of Nazareth says before dying. So…what was accomplished? What happened that would cause us to celebrate? What is the lost message of Easter that is as plain as the writing on the wall?

For me it is Christ writing in the dust.

There is a tradition that Christ was writing the Sins of the men ready to heave stones. The older/wiser ones got the picture first and left in silence. But for me it goes much deeper: My sins were etched deep into the barren earth; My unfaithfulness; My carnality; My greed, lust, covetousness, Godless ambition and selfish pride…was enough. Enough to warrant the Atonement. Enough to shatter the wood that Christ used to write them. Enough to drive the nails deep into the wood that would hold Him.

Isaiah 53 is my favorite chapter in the Bible, because when I read it an empty tomb makes sense. If it is True that “By His stripes we are healed…” then Easter Sunday becomes much more than a Religious Holiday filled with Pomp and Circumstance. It is a sacred moment of timeless reflection by which we can turn and embrace a Risen Savior who took the brunt of all Sin…for us…in love…and with a greater purpose and meaning than any other event in Human History. The Fall from Grace remedied by the Grace of the Unfallen. That’s something to celebrate. The empty tomb becomes filled with meaning.

 

Shards of Diamond (by Douglas Gresham)

Douglas Gresham

The Inklings have now become an almost legendary Literary Society, a mythical gathering of Great Names who at their serious, formal get-togethers formatted and designed the greatest literature of the 20^th Century. Alchemists of etymology, they sat wreathed in tobacco smoke and the fumes of good beer and better wine and worked their arcane magic with language to enthrall and entrap the minds of future generations and instill their own deep, dark political agendas on the societies of Man.

 

It sounds good doesn’t it? And sadly it is beginning to be almost believed among the hallowed halls of American and other Universities; the trouble is that this slowly encroaching idea of what The Inklings were all about is completely, absolutely and utterly false. Firstly there never was any “Society of the Inklings”. What really existed was a group of friends who enjoyed, first and foremost each other’s company, and also shared many common interests. These men (and very occasionally an exceptional woman) would get together a couple of times a week during some of the darkest and cruellest days of the land in which they lived, and enjoy themselves. Part of the problem of today’s students trying to understand the Inklings, is the simple fact that many of those who got together under this nebulous mantle are today renowned in their academic fields as Great Names. Men like Jack (C.S.)Lewis, Ron (Tollers) Tolkien, Hugo Dyson, Warnie (W.H.) Lewis, Lord David Cecil (whose gown Jack wore for years as they had inadvertently taken each others gowns at some stage and simply never bothered to re-exchange them) Nevill Coghill and others are all men whose minds reach high above the common  fields of their own academic specialities, and thus are all expected today to have been serious, studious men with dour expressions and that strange, distant look in their eyes affected today by far too many of those who would be thought of as “scholars”. The truth is far simpler and much more attractive, though harder to believe for some mind-sets.

If, on a long, Summer Saturday evening, you were to journey along to the local pub in some English country village,  quietly procure a pint of whatever the locals drank and sit unobtrusively in some shadowy corner, you would soon perceive a group of men, perhaps farm hands or a group of plumbers, carpenters  and builders,  all with a pint before them and (in the days before Nannyism had banned tobacco use) pipes or cigarettes well lit, animatedly discussing whatever topics interested them and swapping tall tales, and jokes and living through great storms of laughter. What you would be looking at would be a meeting of a local “Inklings” group, albeit that their interests would be very different from those of the literary academics of Jack’s group. A group of men of good will who gather around the keg at a barbecue to enjoy friendship and shared interests are being “Inklings” in all but the speciality of their fields of intellectual endeavour. In fact they might share even more commonality than you can possibly imagine. I have heard the same bawdy jokes around a Stockman’s campfire in the arid, marginal country of South Australia as from around the table at The White Hart in Headington when The Inklings of 1950s Oxford were meeting there, and the same gales of rich, hearty laughter as well. The forms and rituals of the Inklings were formed only from the general preferences of men of like minds who made up the group, and should some newcomer transgress against some unwritten and usually unspoken custom of the group, he would be quietly and privately told that such behaviour  was not customary amongst these men and that would be that. Men who gather together will by nature discuss their work, their personal interests, the politics of the day and many other common topics, the difference between most groups and the Inklings is that the Inklings were mostly interested in thoughts and thinking and words and writing (and reading). Words were the bricks and thought the mortar of the edifices these men built and books have a habit of outlasting even the greatest cathedrals of man’s making, and have the advantage of being possible to disseminate throughout all the nations.  I attended several Inklings meetings in the years between about 1956 and 1961, and I was always given a half a pint of draught bitter and then left to amuse myself as the men who customarily made Jack the centre of their circle of friendship would arrive one by one or sometimes in pairs and draw chairs up to join the growing group. Soon, pints would be on the table, pipes and cigarettes lit, the roars of laughter which emanated from the Inklings would fill the room, and all could tell that no matter what the topic of conversation, these men were having a great time. They would of course discuss new means of self expression in writing, different metres for poetry and so forth, but the Tuesday (usually but not always) morning meetings at The Bird and Baby, later The Lamb and Flag (chased out of the Bird and Baby by “modernisation” the ruin of all good pubs) or some other pub that they all enjoyed, would be for enjoyment and tall tales some of which would even be true. Equally enjoyable but slightly more serious would be their gatherings in Jack’s rooms at Magdalen, usually on Thursday evenings, when the conversation would be stronger, often more serious, and the delight of reading aloud their current works to each other would be called for. These men were not closed in academics, and Jack was not a man who surrounded himself with lesser minds to avoid being challenged, these were strong men of mind. Jack in fact surrounded himself with men who would challenge him and who would unabashedly criticise each others work with razor sharp wit and rapier fast thrusts and lunges. They burned each others words in a refiner’s fire of conversation that has resulted in us now having some of the finest literature ever written at our fingertips ready to be read. And yet withal these men remained the greatest of friends, for they valued higher than anything else the bonds of true friendship, Philia, that most worthwhile of all the Four Loves.

 

The thing to remember about The Inklings is that they were men of great good will who foregathered to have fun. And you might see that at any back yard barbecue, in any comfortable pub, or at any camping ground, but you should find it, even today, in or around any great university and if you do—and if you are still young enough to hear— listen to the words, listen hard, there may be shards of diamond to be gathered there.

 

Douglas Gresham

 Malta 2008

 

In 1988 Douglas published his autobiographical book “Lenten Lands” and in 2005 his biography of  C.S.Lewis “Jack’s Life”. He now works full time for the C.S. Lewis Company, is the Co-Producer of the Chronicles of Narnia film series, and devotes his spare time to a variety of Christian work including teaching and lecturing, devotional writing, and together with Merrie, their in-house ministry of Christian Hospitality devoted to addressing whatever work the Lord sends them.

 

–First published in “Silver Leaves”. See  www.whitetreefund.org–

 

Jack Lewis (by Estera Decean)

Estera Decean

 

 

 

 

 

There are times something unknown takes hold of me, and takes me way back, to my childhood – and a few seconds later, I identify the mysterious kidnapper – a soft glue-smell, that kindergarten was all about, or a turtle dove song, like the one I used to hear when I woke up at my grandma’s place, surrounded by the vineyard, or something like the ingenuous taste my mom somehow managed to give to the home-made cakes, during the Communist time, when all tiers in stores were empty of sugar, butter, chocolate, and anything else you would need…

A smell, a sound, a flavor…
Children cannot deal with abstract concepts, such as poverty, God, love of God, home. They function with things they can somehow perceive. And I believe we best relate to these, as well.
As I read The Chronicles of Narnia, and the others, I experienced something that only falling in love can be compared with – the sort of deep and profound feeling you simply cannot restrain from talking about, although you know, all the way, that it is far too intimate for anyone to fully understand what you mean!…

How else would I describe what happened to me, as I was on a 8-hour-train-journey, to Bucharest (for the national residency exam), in a cubicle packet with graduated doctors, re-reading The Last Battle in the dark, and simply crying my way through the book? How would I describe the overwhelming joy that stayed with me for days, the incredible intimacy with God, the heartache of not being “home” already, with the Prince of Peace, the longing of being reunited with my King?…

Jack’s writing is all about that smell, that flavor of heaven... so mysterious, so real at times, that you feel you could almost touch it, if only you stretched out your arm…
As Madeleine L’Engle puts it so well, “We are all strangers in a strange land, longing for home, but not quite knowing what or where home is. We glimpse it sometimes in our dreams, or as we turn a corner, and suddenly there is a strange, sweet familiarity that vanishes almost as soon as it comes…”

I was surprised to discover, while reading The Problem of Pain, that unconsciously, as I found in me longings that needed to be answered, I kept assuming it was just natural for the answers to be somewhere, just around the corner, and that I would certainly stumble over them, sooner or later. But turning page after page, another kind of wisdom began to unveil herself before my eyes – a Wisdom whispering with the same familiar flavor, that I was “Created for a place I’ve never known” (Switchfoot, This is Home), and that, as I keep moving forward, one day, “(..the end of all our exploring / Will be to arrive where we started / And know the place for the first time“) (T. S. Eliot) – and there’s where all longings meet in their unique answer – Him!

……………………..

On the other hand, we humans tend to loose the sense of awe once we become familiar with something, be it scenery, a sound, a book or another human being… It is one of my frustrations as I read the Bible! Things that I know to be amazing and miraculous, are often reduced to simple black letters written on a page…
I found out that in order to restore that sense of awe, I need a new vision – a colored glass, a non-conventional image, a different translation, or even reading in a different language.

… Aslan slowly walking towards the stone table… the Lamb welcoming the children,

inviting them to the feast… Aslan Undragoning Eustace – it feels like listening to the symphony of the history of salvation, for the very first time! It is the wonder, the awe, restored!

  And strange enough, at the end of the journey, what you are left with, is not Narnia (though you may choose to call it this), but rather… the Kingdom of Heaven!

Estera Decean is a published Poet, Writer and Medical Doctor living in Romania. Out of her  love and devotion for the writings of C. S. Lewis she formed the Narnia Prayer Movement which believes with conviction that the Narnia film franchise has become a powerful artistic tool to display God’s Truth to those in need of God’s Love & Forgiveness.  Estera is traveling to England this spring to join the C. S. Lewis Society Tour in Oxford & Cambridge. 

 

Salvation: by Faith or Understanding (by Karen Osborne)

Karen Osborne

In the last Inklings we had a very interesting discussion on faith and understanding. The question was whether or not faith comes through understanding, or understanding through faith. Well as you can well imagine, we were divided on this question. There were conversion stories which seemed to support both ideas. There also seem to be Bible passages that support both ideas. So, the question is a difficult one to answer and maybe with many of these sorts of ideas, there is truth whichever way one answers it.

I tend to fall on the side of understanding coming through faith. I believe that until you are willing just to put your trust in the one who truly contains all faith and is the source of faith, that you will not be ready to come to the greater understanding this faith then affords you.

I have to confess that there is some personal bias on this opinion. As I was growing up, I cannot remember a time when I did not believe in God and did not recognize my own sinfulness. It also did not take me long to realize that sin was there to stay no matter how hard I tried to remove it from my life. There was only one answer to this conundrum; the forgiveness of God. I knew I needed him if I was to have any hope at all. Was this not faith? I will grant that there was a certain seed of understanding that went with it, but it was more intuitive than intellectual, emotional than rational. Yet, isn’t this precisely the sort of faith we read about with Abraham? He did not understand who Jesus was, have the writings of the prophets, nor a written doctrinal statement, yet he was attributed righteousness through faith: faith that more directly belonged to God than to him. He was truly a gifted man and he accepted that gift unquestioningly. It was this innocent child-like faith of Abraham that was salvific, not his lofty understanding.

There did come a moment as a teenager when I did hear of the work Jesus had done, and it was a no-brainer for me to believe it. I didn’t have to question, study or ponder. I already knew that this was exactly what I needed and had been counting on. Was that moment really the moment of salvation for me? I don’t believe it was. I believe that moment was the moment that brought me the peace of my salvation. That moment also allowed me to move onto a greater understanding of what that salvation meant for me, for others and for the world.

I have continued to ponder this question beyond my own bias, and have had a hard time getting to the point where I believe that faith comes through understanding, though this stance is easily proof-texted. One problem I have with this is that it tends to make us the judges of men. As Christ said in the beatitudes, “Do not judge, and you will not be judged; and do not condemn, and you will not be condemned; pardon, and you will be pardoned.” It is not our job to judge and by saying one must have an exact doctrine, theology or understanding. This is adding a requirement that I don’t believe exists for us to meet God. Secondly, if we must understand and cannot have a simple child-like faith that is willing to step out in the absence of the proof necessary for true understanding, then those with mental handicaps, children, and many others are automatically excluded. I am not willing to judge whether or not they too have a place in Heaven. I am very willing, however to allow God to make that judgment for us all. Only he can do it righteously and justly.

The other issue is that if understanding brings salvation, then where is the line of understanding drawn? I certainly do not understand many things about God and his ways, and even rail against him at times out of this lack of understanding. Does this mean that I must come to understand all of the things I can ponder before I can truly receive salvation? Most people would say no, but on what grounds? The only answer a person can possibly give to this question is on the grounds of faith.

So, one may ask whether I value understanding and my answer to this would be a resounding yes. I believe that rather than imputing salvation, it brings us sanctification, which in turn improves the lives we lead in this world and allows our witness to grow to the blessing of others through the work of God. As C.S. Lewis once said, becoming a Christian will require and stretch every part of you including your intellect. It is this stretching and testing which is the very process by which God sanctifies us and helps us to grow in the faith. So, do I believe a right understanding of the truth is a good and wonderful thing? Of course I do. I am just not sure that this is what is required for salvation—that being a free gift of God. We can, fortunately, rely on His faithfulness to fill in where ours is lacking if we are willing to accept that He is there and loves us. No amount of absolute proof and understanding is ever going to replace this simple fact, nor are we really going to grow until we can accept Him in this simple way. This is where my faith is grounded—in the very existence of His faithfulness—and it is on that that I will rely.

Karen Osborne is a nearly retired homeschool mom of 4. She plans to become a lawyer to fill the time after her retirement and serve God and others in the process. She loves to read, discuss just about anything, and hang out with Bill, her husband and best friend, her kids and her friends. Together Karen and Bill are Group Leaders of the Glenwood Inklings.