I cannot explain how but starting about five years ago in two thousand and six began to include works of art in our worship guides. So if one of the Bible readings for that day 1 Samuel 3 would include “Samuel and Eli” by Gerrit Dou (1613-1675) just to pick one example. I think this was partly because pictures can help prompt us to think in different ways about biblical texts. Because some people are primarily visual learners/thinkers. And because sometimes the artwork is from non-Western nations and cultures. For example the work of Chinese Christian artist He Qi. Or the stories of Jesus in an African setting/context at Vie de Jesus Mafa. Part of my ministry is to look for ways to communicate effectively across cultures. But more than that to celebrate other cultures which God creates – and that is one of my theological convictions – and the ways biblical stories can be expressed in the artistic conventions of these other cultures.

The response was tremendous. Since then people have frequently expressed how beautiful and interesting is the artwork we include. University Baptist Church – the American church of which Church of the Nations is a ministry – also began to adopt this practice on occasion.

Anyways wanted to share a couple new artists I have discovered. One is Bhanu Dudhat who appears to be an artist in(? from?) Gujarat in north India. He and his wife – also an artist – have an excellent website where one can see many paintings of stories from the Bible but done in an Indian cultural style.

The other is Yoram Raanan who is a Jewish Israeli artist born in the United States and moved to Israel in 1977. He works largely with oils and acrylics but also does collages and paintings on unusual media such as used book covers. He has several paintings of biblical subjects some of which are quite interesting. I commend to you his painting of the Aqedah aka Binding of Isaac in Genesis 22. That is one of the lections for his Sunday and the focus of the sermon I am preparing which is how I came across Raanan in the first place.

Whether it be Bible study or catechism or worship – how can we include all the human senses in the life of the church? What are the many ways we can incorporate visual art?

Notes from Evensong talk on Emmaus narrative from Luke 24 last night May 15 2011. Newly called co-pastors Mike Massar and Griff Martin were present. Got a lot of strong positive feedback on this.

Paradigmatic texts of the Bible – those that summarize or frame life in relationship with God

microcosms – deep rich inexhaustible stories of the Bible
Isaiah 6
Romans 8(?)
Luke 24

Microcosms -> astronomy
color picture = 3 pictures in 3 different colors
not one color picture but 3 combined

Luke 24
3 post-resurrection stories of transformation
3 women :: empty tomb and angels (no Jesus)
2 of them :: recognize Jesus in breaking of bread
11 :: direct encounter of risen Christ

So we can read Walk to Emmaus as one of a series of three stories

3-4 years ago staff meeting
Jay and plan to share vision over 6 months
focusing on Luke 24
his read of the story
my read of the story – not against his but different
cannot remember what I said

If in astronomy take 3+ pictures in 3+ different wavelengths -> what are 3+ ways to look at Luke 24?

1) Relationship

2) Presence

3) Knowledge/Understanding

1) Relationship

2 of them – deliberate ambiguity (men? married couple?)

Jesus is the stranger = paroikos = lives somewhere not their home
2 disciples welcome the stranger
talk with him = questions and listening and answers

note – not we go there but they come here
the paroikoi come to us – what do we do when they come here?

consider Acts and Passover and Pentecost
nations come to Jerusalem
then Jerusalem to the nations
centripetal and centrifugal movements in Christian mission (David Bosch)

conversation
hospitality
welcome to our home
share a meal together
(separation?)

2) Presence

Where is Jesus? -> Where is God present? (main issue of post-resurrection narratives)

dualities of divine presence in Luke 24

1. individual and communal

Jesus and me
Jesus and us – we overlook?

2. Bible and sacrament

word and ritual
is Jesus somehow present in communion?

3. memory and experience

recognize presence in the moment
but also in memory -> now I see how God was there!

3) Knowledge/Understanding

Movement from not knowing/understanding/recognizing -> recognize/understand/know/proclaim

not know – where is Jesus? what now?
not recognize
not understand – here the Scriptures

conversation with questions – although Jesus asks first

kerygma – basic story of Jesus who he is what he did
not theology and not Bible – just telling the basic story
summary of Christian faith ~ Apostles Creed?
for Baptists :: hymnal?

Scripture

Eucharist/Communion/Lord’s Supper -> ritual worship

then they recognize // understand // (memory) // know

the Lord is risen indeed!

testimony -> share what they know (experienced) with others

(Still room for mystery -> Jesus disappears from their sight)

Is there a way to put these 3 pictures together and form one? one pictures that represents the life of the Christian community centered around liturgy (word and ritual)? the story of Emmaus is our story – story of this church family?

We are on a journey. Sometimes a journey to Baton Rouge / always within Baton Rouge / sometimes from Baton Rouge. We have questions. About the news. About life. About God. This is a place where people can ask questions. Where someone listens to us. Is interested in who we are where we are from and what are we doing here. Where we share the basic message about Jesus Christ the Son of God. Where we study the Bible together. Where we worship together. Practice hospitality together. You come to my house. You invite us to your apartment. We share meals together. Friend chicken / beans and spinach / tea eggs and bigos / fufu and Kigali and grapefruit jello. We experience the love and presence of God together. We share our stories with each other. We discover and learn things together. And although it breaks my heart sometimes we get up and return to where we came from. And always we hear and carry with us and share the paschal proclamation It is true! Christ is risen! The Lord is risen indeed! (from sermon on Luke 24 to Church of the Nations in May 2011)

Houston knows we have a problem when Wagner is less exasperating.

Took a group of about 9 people – including 3 from Taiwan 1 from Poland the rest from China – to watch the New York Metropolitan Opera perform “Nixon in China” by the American composer John Adams.

As always the performance was impeccable. The orchestra/music. The costumes. The staging. The singing. The performances. As always the Met delivers the pinnacle of professionalism and quality.

There were times James Maddalena seemed a little shaky in terms of steady and consistent pitch – although I could be wrong and those moments were simply part of the score. Russell Braun was impressive as Chou En-lai. And Kathleen Kim was fantastic as Chiang Ch’ing the wife of Mao Tse-tung. She sang at least three high D’s during “According to the Book” at the end of the second act. Fierce terrifying and utterly loathesome. Just like the historical figure.

As always I especially enjoy the behind the scenes segments before and between the acts. The director Peter Sellers is a trip – flamboyant on steroids complete with psychedelic shirt and beads and hair taller than that of a Centauri official. And Richard Paul Fink who performs Henry Kissinger is a blast – I would invite him to a party any day.

To be frank however I do not care for minimalism. There is almost nothing in the opera that is “singable” – that you would want to hear over and over again on your music player. After a while it all sounds the same and become monotonous. There is simply no comparison between “Your lipstick is crooked. (I know)” and “Ma il mio mistero e chiuso i me”. But it was still important and interesting to see this modern opera by an American composer in the minimalist style.

There were exceptions. It seemed Chou En-Lai had the best parts – the closest thing to lyricism. And it is interesting to see the difference between operas by composers long dead – and operas by composers still living and even conducting the orchestra!

Act 2 is perhaps the strongest and most riveting part of the opera. The entire play-within-the-opera scene is disturbingly powerful. My Chinese friends all said they immediately recognized the play – very famous play from the time of the Communist revolution. Act 3 was just bizarre and tedious. Although again the character Chou En-lai is especially compelling. Here is his greatest moment – and he is in great pain while he is dying from untreated pancreatic cancer. “Is what we did really good?” is one of the key questions the opera poses.

Our Polish friend is a political theorist and explained how the conversation between Nixon and Mao in Act 1 was spot on and revealed much about what Mao Zedong believed at that stage in his life – about Marxism about ideology about history. Apparently a former ambassador to China – and we got to meet him during one of the intermissions – was there and took notes. Nicely done. Although what’s with the creepy aides and their sign language?!?

So it is an important opera. Interesting. It represents a kind of deep reflection upon the universal significance of this historical event. But I cannot say I entirely enjoyed it. Still prefer the classical composers and operatic styles. Give me something I can sing to while driving in my car.

East Shanghai Church

One of the three goals for my journey through China back in May-June was to observe directly what is happening with the Christian church in the People’s Republic of China. I visited both registered churches and house churches. And had long conversations with representatives of both. Also spent an evening with a classmate from graduate school who teaches in Beijing and provides to the Chinese government information and advice on religious affairs.

One of my conversations was with an intelligent and accomplished young man who is active in one of the largest house churches in Beijing. His summary of the situation? Complicated. Changing. But encouraging.

From the Church of England newspaper:

The Chinese government has announced plans to “guide” Protestant Christians worshiping at unregistered “house churches” towards worshiping in the state approved China Christian Council/Three Self Patriotic Movement.

In its agenda for the coming year published on Jan 24, China’s State Administration for Religious Affairs (SARA) said bringing all Protestants into the fold of the CCC/TSPM would help the activities of Protestant churches proceed in a normal and orderly way. However, details of how this guiding would take place have not been revealed, the Peking-based People’s Daily reported.

SARA stated it would also work to “educate” China’s Catholics on the principle of self-governance in church affairs, “guiding” Catholic churches in China to independently select and consecrate bishops, rather than defer to the Vatican.

The agenda said the SARA will strengthen regulation of foreign nationals’ group religious activities in China and resist foreign infiltration under the pretext of religion.

This is not encouraging. And represents a movement in the opposite direction from what some Chinese Christians were beginning to observe.

Could the situation in China be worse? Yes. China is not North Korea or Afghanistan or Saudi Arabia or a host of other nations where it is more difficult and/or dangerous to be a Christian. But also it could be much better. My impression is that the Chinese government allows freedom of religion so long as it does not challenge the authority and power of the Chinese government or threaten what it regards as the stability of Chinese society.

With regard to “foreign nationals’ group religious activities” personally I prefer to conduct Christian missionary work openly and legally. But will not criticize or judge Christians who choose to work secretly or under the pretext of being in China for some other purpose. There may come a time in my life when I live and work in China. And engage in missionary work. And not openly or with the approval of the government. But who knows?

Although in a way one can understand where the Chinese government is coming from – Opium Wars anyone? – the chief problem with their current policy is that they presume to define the limits and parameters of what is acceptable/permissible Christian teaching and practice. One doubts a pastor/priest/preacher serving at a registered church could ever say that elective/forced abortion is bad public policy. Just to pick an example. As one Christian sister said to me the current situation  places Chinese Christians in the position of sometimes having to obey the government rather than God.

H/T Midwest Conservative Journal via Opinionated Catholic

Update:

Well obviously it helps to see the original article in China Daily. Here is link to website of State Administration of Religious Affairs but it is in Mandarin Chinese.

“Slowly and Immediately”
Richard M. Wright
Genesis 18
8th Sunday of Pentecost (C)
Church of the Nations

"Abraham and the Three Visitors" by Marc Chagall

Three sisters garden.

Clark Carlton is a professor of philosophy at Tennessee Tech University. In his podcast last month he takes a break(?) from talking about the relationship between Christianity and philosophy to talk about his garden. His three sisters garden.

Squash. Beans. Corn.

Native Americans understand that these three crops grow well together. One takes nitrogen from the soil. Another gives it. The beans climb the corn. The squash leaves shade the soil help keep water in the soil and help keep stop weeds from growing.

He makes three main points. No matter what – there will always be weeds. It is better to work with nature – three sisters – than against nature. And finally a garden takes time. Weeds. With nature. And time.

In our Bible reading for this morning from the book of Genesis chapter eighteen not three sisters but three men(?) come to visit Abraham while he is sitting at the entrance of his tent in the heat of the day. When he sees them he hurries from the entrance of his tent to meet them and bows low to the ground.

I love this story because it reminds me so much of Church of the Nations. Watch what Abraham does.

If I have found favor in your eyes my lord (or sir) do not pass your servant by. Let a little water be brought and then you can all wash your feet and rest. Let me get you something to eat and then go on your way.

They say, Okay. Sounds good.

Abraham practices hospitality to the stranger. People he does not know who they are where they come from where they are going. Maybe they look different. Talk different. Have different passports. But he welcomes them and invites them to come into his home to rest and eat and drink. Every time I visit the home of an international in Church of the Nations – please! Sit down! Have something to drink. Have something to eat.

So Abraham hurries into the tent to get Sarah his wife. Quick. Make some tea. Cut up a watermelon. And start making noodles.

Now Abraham does not make his wife do all the work. He also gets some meat and something to drink and puts all of this in front of his guests. While they eat he stands near them under a tree. Now the conversation starts.

Where’s your wife Sarah? (Excuse me. Who?)

There in the tent. She’s making lunch for you guys.

Pause for a moment. Who are these people?

Abraham and Sarah are the first internationals in the Bible. They are the first people in the Bible who leave their home country to travel to a new place that God will show them. In the book of Genesis chapter twelve God gives Abraham a great promise that shapes the story of the entire Bible.

I will make you a great nation. I will bless you. I will make your name great. You will be a blessing. Through you all the peoples of the earth will be blessed.

God wants to show himself to the entire world. Have a relationship with all the peoples of the world. Continue to heal the world that is broken because of sin. That is his purpose. But he chooses to do this through one family that leaves their home country.

There are two big problems with this plan. Abraham and his wife have no children. And they are retirement age. In this story about eighty five and seventy five. Keep that in mind when the story continues.

When the Lord says, I will be back about this time next year and Sarah your wife will have a son.

Are you kidding me? What God has promised. What I have wanted to happen. And what I have been waiting to happen for ten years. Finally it is going to happen? No way.

The first thing for us to hear is this. It will happen. What God wants to do with us through us in us will happen. We might think it is impossible. We might think it is too late. Sarah laughs when she hears this. But it will happen.

Think of all the things that we want to see God do with us through us and in us – that we think cannot happen. Will I ever finish my article? My dissertation? Will I ever finish school? Will I ever have enough money to buy that car or that house? Will my children ever grow up? Will I ever experience joy again? Will I ever heal from that bad experience?  Lose that bad habit? Ever speak and write English well? Ever play the piano well? Lose weight? Be physically fit? Write a book? Find a job? Start my own business?

Will I ever be good? Holy? Spiritually mature? Will I ever be the person I want to be? That God wants us to be? Will our church grow and thrive? Will Church of the Nations meet and welcome and befriend new internationals? From even more nations and cultures?

God says to Abraham and Sarah Is anything too hard for the Lord? I’ll come back about this time next year and it will happen. You will see it.

The reason I begin with the story of Clark Carlton and his garden is because while I read and think and pray about this story I think about this time next year. It will happen. But it also takes time.

God does not say Sarah will have a baby – right now! No – it takes nine months. You cannot force your garden to grow faster. It takes time. What we want to see happen and what God wants to do in our lives takes time. Sometimes more and sometimes less. But it always takes time.

There is a tension in the Christian faith. On the one hand we talk about becoming a follower of Jesus Christ the Son of God. Born again. Eternal life. Sins forgiven. Receive the gift of the Holy Spirit. As Paul writes we are a new creation! Transferred from the dominion of evil to the kingdom of light. There is something new and immediate change.

On the other hand spiritual growth takes time. We need to be patient with ourselves. And be careful about trying shortcuts or strange ways to become good and holy and like Jesus. We need to work with nature not against it.

And part of this time is the slow constant discipline of repentance. Of turning back to God every day. Each day pull out the weeds of sin – and there will always always be weeds. A little prayer a little Bible each day. A little Bible study and worship each week. It is immediate. And it happens slowly. But if we are consistent and disciplined it will happen. Because nothing is too hard for God.

Two things from my journey through China.

One of my friends teaches Chinese to foreign students at Northwestern A and F University in Yangling (an hour from Xi’an), Shaanxi province. Apparently the African Student Association organized a big party/cultural celebration. She was invited and took me along. I was looking forward to it partly because my ministry is with foreign academics. For once the Chinese were not the foreign guests but rather the hosts.

There are something like 150(?) foreign graduate students at this predominantly agricultural university in northwest China. Nearly all of them are from Asia or Africa. They came from several different nations in each continent. There were especially large numbers of students from three nations: Pakistan and Cameroon and Egypt.

It is interesting to compare the situation at Louisiana State University and Southern University in Baton Rouge to the situation at Northwestern A and F University. Here in Baton Rouge most of these graduate students would not have to learn English – although they would still have to take and pass English language exams. But they have chosen to study in China where they must spend at least one year learning to speak and even read(!) Chinese before they can begin their graduate study.

That tells you something about how people in other nations view the quality of education in China. The United States is not the only place bright talented people in other nations consider for advanced degrees. For many Africans China – even with its very different language and culture – is an attractive choice.

Hold that thought for a moment.

A few times during my journey I had a chance to catch up on Chinese news. I noticed several articles in China Daily – and yes I am aware it is to some extent a propaganda organ of the Chinese government – that discussed trade relations with Africa. Americans need to realize that the United States is not the only big kid in the global neighborhood. China increasingly is forming strong relationships with other nations. This is especially true in Africa.

One of the articles in China Daily explained that African nations appreciate working with China on trade and development because China understands African priorities and interests more than Western nations such as the United States. American companies emphasize resources – we are interested in oil metal wood and so on. But China emphasizes agriculture and infrastructure – which is exactly what African nations care about the most. They feel that the Chinese are more sensitive to what Africans consider most important. “Help us feed our people. Help us develop our nations. And then we can talk about harvesting all those wonderful resources that the Americans want so much”.

I started wondering “is America missing out on opportunities in Africa – opportunities for trade and business? because we are not listening closely enough to their needs and concerns? Or is this just Chinese propaganda?”

This weekend I talked with our friend from Kenya – who also did most of the preaching for Church of the Nations while I was on leave. His is finishing a PhD in international development at Southern University. He follows politics very closely and would probably know the situation.

He confirmed my impression and concern. Oh yes – Africa is forming very strong ties to China. In fact African nations look to China more than to the United States. China is Kenya’s number one trade partner. China is helping Kenya build roads and highways. And most goods in Kenyan shops and stores are from Chinese companies.

And recently? Has there been any changes with the Obama Administration?

No. In fact President Obama has done very little with regard to Africa besides a trip to Ghana. My Kenyan friend pointed out that many people seem unaware how much President Bush did for Africa – huge amounts of money to fight diseases such as malaria and AIDS. (In President Obama’s defense he probably needs to focus more on domestic crises – at least for a while.) Recently President Obama sent Vice-President Biden to Kenya to pressure the Kenyan government to pass a new constitution. Even to say that America must “approve” the politicians involved in producing the new constitution.

This does not sit well at all with the Kenyan government or people. Kenya is predominantly Christian. And most of those Kenyan Christians are strongly opposed to this new constitution because of (1) its inclusion/recognition of sharia (2) abortion (3) same-sex marriages. Which if you think about it is a perverse contradiction. Give Muslims more social and political power. Oh and let’s have more abortion and same-sex relations. Which Islam – not to mention Christianity – generally disapproves.

So while Africa draws closer to China – because China’s interests align much more closely with African concerns – the United States is missing out on opportunities for trade and to do business in Africa. Partly because what we care about most is not what Africans see as most important. And partly because we expect African governments to do things our way.

It may look like I am just trying to pick on the Obama Administration again. And to be honest yes I am. For all the hyperbolic rhetoric about “resetting” America’s international relations the stark reality is that we are wasting opportunities. And soon it will be too late. Africa increasingly will see China as its big sister nay its auntie – wise and strong and looking out for African interests. As opposed to that petulant teenager across the Atlantic otherwise known at the United States.

Quick note to let gentle readers know I have been a bit busy getting ready for my first trip to China.

After 11 years serving as pastor of Church of the Nations the mother church University Baptist Church has graciously allowed me a mini-sabbatical of 2 months. Technically a 1 month sabbatical plus 1 month study leave. A large part of these 2 months off is a lengthy trip to China. Because more than half of the people with whom I minister are from that nation. The trip itself has 3 main goals:

• Visit some of the people who were part of our activities. And maybe make some new contacts.
• Understand better the nation its people and its culture by experiencing it first hand.
• Learn more about what Christianity in China is like.

I will visit (1) Beijing (2) Taiyuan (3) Xian (4) Nanning (5) Guangzhou (6) Hong Kong (7) Shanghai (8) Qingdao then return to (9) Beijing for the return trip to Louisiana. I will spend 2-4 days in each city depending on how many people there are to visit and how much there is to see and do. The one exception is Hong Kong – that part of the trip is basically just for fun. Although I do know a rabbi who moved there a couple years ago.

I have been surprised at how difficult it is to plan a 4 week trip with 8 different stops visiting something like 30-40 different people and families. Something like 1-2 hours each day for several weeks. Had to create a spreadsheet just to keep track of all the people and their contact information. Have created a master itinerary file that contains all travel contact hotel and activity planning information. It is about 80-90% complete. I still do not know where I will stay or what I will do some days.

I am both excited and nervous about the trip. I used to enjoy flying but now I cannot stand it. I usually adapt quickly and easily to the local culture and language but this will probably be the most challenging so far. But I am looking forward greatly to seeing these people. Including – as of yesterday when I finally got in touch with him again – a biblical scholar at Beijing University who graduated from the same doctoral program at Cornell University. He began his program as I was finishing mine.

Usually when I tell people about this trip they say “oh a mission trip to China! how wonderful!” This is not a mission trip. Not that there would be anything wrong with that. I will not be working with any churches there registered or not. Although I will of course visit a few churches. And believe it or not I will have two opportunities to give a lecture to Chinese university students. Awesome. But basically I am going as a tourist.

I am not sure to what extent I will post publicly about the trip. We will see.

The fanciful story of the sorceress who enthralls men in her island prison of sensual delights.

That is pretty much all I knew about the opera “Armida” by Gioachino Rossini. Sounds like fun! Echoes of The Tempest by William Shakespeare along with one of my favorite stories from the ancient world “The Tale of the Shipwrecked Sailor” which I have read in the original hieroglyphic Egyptian thanks for asking.

With seven friends from China – including a 4 year old boy who miraculously sat still for 2 of the 4 hours – went yesterday afternoon to experience again a live broadcast of a performance by the New York Metropolitan Opera.

Approaching the end of the first act I thought “so where is this magical island?!?” Oh. Second act.

The performance was exceptional. Renee Fleming – most at home with the operatic works of Strauss but here stretching herself to take on difficult coloratura – was magnificent as Armida. Lawrence Brownlee continues to distinguish himself as a powerful tenor with his rendition of the paladin Rinaldo. All of the singers were excellent. As well as the music. The chorus. The sets. The costumes – the demons were delightful! There were some nice bonuses such as the ballet during Act II. Which – if you were paying attention – was very sensual (sexual?) without being dirty.

Some of the passages are not only beautiful they were sung with uncommon sweetness. Such as the duet Amor, possente nome in Act II with Armida (Fleming) and Rinaldo (Brownlee). And the unique terzet for tenors Uniteva a gari in Act III. It was nice to be well prepared for that by the between-acts interview with Brownlee (Rinaldo), Banks (Carlo) and van Rensburg (Ubaldo).

So the performance? 10/10.

But the story itself is weird. Seriously bizarre and difficult to follow. Takes a while to figure out the story is set during the time of the Crusades. When and how did Armida and Rinaldo fall in love with each other? Why does Armida think Crusaders would help her gain back her throne? What is this strange magical island? Who are all these demons and spirits? And the opera ends with Armida embracing rage and the forces of hell?

Wth?!?!?

It helps – boy does it help – to know that “Armida”:

[W]as inspired by the 16th-century epic Gerusalemme Liberata (“Jerusalem Delivered”) by the Italian poet Torquato Tasso. Set in the time of the crusades, it tells of a seductive sorceress who lures Christian soldiers to her island prison.

Yeah I know. Some of you are thinking I was just about to say that! Sure you were.

But my Chinese friends enjoyed it immensely and it generated quite a discussion in the van on the way back to the church then the university.

Forgive my lack of humility but I felt good about this one. It is something I have been wanting to say for years. It is so short because we had Communion that day.

“All the Flowers in God’s Swamp”
Revelation 7

Richard M. Wright
Church of the Nations
4th Sunday of Easter
April 25, 2010

Japan is a swamp?

But let us be honest. If Japan is a swamp – as Professor Yanaibara writes in his introduction to Silence by Shusaku Endo – so is China and Korea and India and Kenya Liberia and Ghana England Canada and Mexico so is every nation of the world including the United States.

So is Louisiana.

And this is not a bad thing. Challenging. Difficult sometimes. But not bad. Indeed it is a very beautiful thing which we celebrate and which brings glory to God.

As we see in our Bible reading from the book of Revelation chapter seven.

After this I [John – the writer] looked and there before me is a great multitude that no one can count from every nation tribe people and language standing before the throne [the throne of God] and in front of the Lamb [who is Jesus]. They are wearing white robes and holding palm branches in their hands. And they cry out in a loud voice: ‘Salvation belong to our God who sits on the throne and to the Lamb’.

Where do I start?

My understanding of the Christian faith and of the Christian church and its relationship to the different nations cultures and peoples of the world has been shaped partly by the writings of Shusaku Endo. For one of my classes in graduate school our professor asked us to read the novel Silence and write a short paper about it. It moved me so much that I read two more books by Endo and wrote about them as well.

One of the main issues that Endo writes about is the relationship between the Christian faith and Japanese culture. But what Endo writes is also true for the relationship between the Christian faith and every culture. In the novel Silence the translator Inoue says Japan is a swamp. The flower of the Christian faith cannot grow in this swamp. And if it does grow in this swamp it will change into something different.

Brothers and sisters I say to you that every nation of the world is a swamp. And this is a very beautiful thing.

Our Bible reading presents us with a vision. A vision of the people of God who stand before the throne of God. And this great crowd that the Lamb who is Christ purchased for God with his blood that no one can count comes from every nation every tribe people and language. They are not all the same. Yes they are one people of God who belong to God in and through and because of Christ. But they still have their distinct ethnic cultural linguistic and national identities.

When we become followers of Jesus Christ the Son of God when we become members of the Christian church which is the body of Christ we do not we must not give up who we are. The purpose of Church of the Nations is not to turn everyone into Americans who think and pray and worship and study the Bible only in English. Be Kenyan. Be Ghanaian. Be Japanese. Be Chinese. Be Korean. Be American. When the flower of the Christian faith grows in the swamp(?) of our different languages nations and cultures it will grow and look and smell a little different. And this is exactly what God wants.

Stephen Freeman is a pastor in Tennessee. He writes that when we translate the Bible into different languages sometimes we discover new meanings when words in the original languages (Hebrew and Aramaic and Greek) clothe themselves in the flesh of the new language. The book of John in the beginning was the word the logos the dao and the dao was with God and the dao was God.

Clark Carlton is a professor of philosophy at Tennessee Tech University. He speaks of the need to form local churches that reflect the local people and their culture. So a Christian church in Japan will reflect the local Japanese people and their culture. In China will reflect the local Chinese people and their culture. Indeed we can take this a step further. In Guangzhou will reflect the local Guanghzou citizens and their culture. In Louisiana will reflect the local Louisiana people and their culture. And so on.

When the Russian Orthodox missionary Innocent of Alaska brought the Christian faith to the native peoples of Alaska he did not try to make them Russian. He became fluent in six of their languages. He translated the Bible and other Christian writings so that the native Alaskan peoples could study the Bible pray and worship in their own languages. Build churches and fill them with artwork that reflect their own cultural traditions. He worked hard to encourage and train native Alaskans to become pastors and teachers and other leaders in their own churches.

So not only what Church of the Nations shares with people of different nations languages and cultures. But also what people of different nations languages and cultures share with each other including Americans.

Japan is a swamp. So is every nation of the world. So is Louisiana. So is Church of the Nations. This is a very beautiful thing.

Had another fascinating conversation last night with a friend and congregant who happens to live in my neighborhood. He is a doctoral student from Kenya and in fact will be doing the preaching for me during my sabbatical/study leave. Excellent preacher. (His father was a member of parliament.)

After we talked about the world soccer scene and the several weeks he will be preaching we somehow got onto the subject of life in Kenya. In late 2007 he headed back to Kenya  to visit family. Very normal for any graduate student away from his home country. Some of you may remember this was right when Kenya was having important national elections. And went through a short period of turmoil unrest and even violence.

Of course we lost touch with our friend and prayed for him. We wondered how close the violence got to wherever he was. Eventually we heard back from him. He was fine.

Not until last night did I realize just how bad it was. His life was in danger. People were getting killed for being from the wrong tribe or the wrong province. He got on one bus hoping to make it to the airport and instead ended up at a hospital that was filling up with the injured and the dying. Here in America we did not realize the extent to which the political unrest was a symptom of tribal conflict. Kenya was this close to becoming another Rwanda.

For one shining moment Secretary General Kofi Annan and the United Nations were genuinely effective in pressuring Odinga and Kibaki into coming to some sort of agreement. And although President Bush was on his way out of office he recognized the critical importance of Kenya to the region and sent Secretary of State Condaleeza Rice with a strongly worded letter. Get your acts together – or else.

Strangely enough President Obama has yet to replace the American ambassador to Kenya. But this may be a prudent move on his part. It is perfectly normal and expected for a new president to appoint new ambassadors. President Obama recognizes that Africa absolutely cannot afford to see Kenya fall into chaos and violence. This is one of those occasions where the best policy is to continue the old policy of his predecessor. Do not change what has been working so far.

It is true that President Obama has been hammering Kenya on its need to live up to certain commitments. And the Kenyan ambassador to the United States has spoken up and asked President Obama to stop lecturing Kenya. On the one hand we can understand the Kenyan ambassador. On the other hand we can appreciate the need for President Obama to make sure Kenyan national leaders live up to the commitments they made in order to move past the crisis of December 2007.

Why am I sharing all this with you? Because it is very interesting to learn about such events from people who went through them and can provide insights not normally available from American news sources.

Addendum: But see rather critical comments by Andy McCarthy in October 2008 at National Review Online.