priests & paramedics

“Ivan Illich was once asked what is the most revolutionary way to change society. Is it violent revolution or is it gradual reform? He gave a careful answer. ‘Neither. If you want to change society, then you must tell an alternative story.” • Tim Costello

30 June 2006

At Least it's for a Noble Cause

This picture had "gotta put that on my blog" written all over it. What you're looking at is a South Korean soccer fan who was upset about his country's 2-0 loss to Switzerland in Group G of the World Cup. The man had just finished watching the match on an outside screen in Seoul, and was protesting against what he considers to be the referee's unfair judgment after South Korea's national team lost.

Say what you will, but we will never be considered a soccer country as long as we lack the passion that demands a partial disrobe in front of tens of thousands of passersby.

28 June 2006

Archdukes, Gunshots, Butterflies, and the Gospel

You may not have noticed, what with the incessant American media coverage of the World Cup, but yesterday marked the 92nd anniversary of the assassination of Archduke Franz Ferdinand. Other than being known for having one of history's coolest moustaches, the Archduke Ferdinand was a fairly inconsequential political figure whose siginfigance to world history is getting plugged by some crazed Serbian anarchist/freedom fighter/terrorist (take your pick) named Gavrilo Princip. "The Assassination in Sarajevo," as it is called, precipitated the Austrian declaration of war against Serbia and was the spark that ignited the fire that began WWI, and eventually drew the world into the "First Great War."

Somehow, this got me to thinking about the myriad little insignficant details that end up culminating (through some sort of interrelated "butterfly effect") in the great movements or events in world history. Those watershed moments where the course of history changed from one moment to the next. Those great "Tipping Points" (thank you, Malcolm Gladwell) that set the course of human events in a different path than before they occurred.

Johannes Gutenberg toiling in his workshop.

The birth of a Middle Eastern boy in Mecca in AD 571.

Julius Caesar crossing the rubicon in 49 BC.

An obscure Saxon friar named Johann Tetzel raising money for the construction of St. Peter's Basilica.

Michael Jackson moonwalking across the stage of the Motown 20th anniversary festivities.

In the Gospels, Jesus promised that his church would progress to the point that "the gates of hell" wouldn't be able to contain it (Matthew 16:18). Likewise, Christ has promised to make "all things new," and has called the church to participate here and now in painting a picture of his coming kingdom. But while the church is growing in Africa and Asia, the North American church has become stagnant, at best. I'm hoping and praying that we are seeing the end of this, and that Christians in the U.S. and elsewhere would embrace their nature as God's sent people - people dependent upon the Gospel, and passionate about the grace and hope that Christ offers.

Like that gunshot in Sarajevo 92 years ago, will historians one day talk about the church making making an impact on the world? And if so, what will that legacy be?

22 June 2006

U2 Churches

I read this article about a church in Tuscon, Arizona that sings U2 songs during its worship service. Apparently it's part of a larger trend to use the u2 canon as the basis for a church's worship.

I don't know what I think about these things. I mean, yeah U2 obviously have a spiritual message - even a Christian message - but come on. For one thing, there's other stuff out there. The church that I pastor has used U2 songs during our services for contemplative purposes – we've even used songs by Death Cab for Cutie, Patty Griffin, Jimmy Eat World, to name a few - but all that was in small doses. Secondly, wouldn't it be appropriate to sing songs that are representative of the larger church (geographically, culturally, historically, etc.), rather than just ones written by four guys from Dublin.

Don't get me wrong, I'm a huge fan of U2. My walls were covered with posters from their "War" and "Joshua Tree" days when I was a kid, but the idea of labeling your service a "U2charist" (honestly, that's what they call it) seems pretty silly to me. It seems like people will look back on this in 10 or 20 years and say, "Remember when we did that U2 mass thing? Man was that lame!" It reminds me of some older friends of mine who told me about a service back in the '80s where someone very sincerely broke into a rendition of the Eagles' classic "Desperado" - you know, Elaine Benes' boyfriend's "song" (she eventually chose "Witchy Woman").

I wonder what Bono, et al think about their apparent deification.

20 June 2006

Americentrism and Sports

If you've been paying even the least bit of attention to what's currently happening in the world of sports, you no doubt are familiar with the World Cup. For those of you in South Florida, like me, believe it or not, there is actually something else going on other than the Heat series. And frankly, if you live outside of the United States, you're reading this and thinking I'm some kind of a rube for even suggesting that you might not be familiar with the World Cup, or that it's currently taking place.

I'll get to my point: Give soccer a chance. It's actually good... and interesting. The most common complaint is the lack of scoring, but that's beside the point (award each score seven points like American football, and The Ukraine beats Saudi Arabia 28-0). I think it boils down to our Americentrism: that oh-so-subtle tendency that we have to look down upon other cultures as quaint at best, and inferior or savage at worst.

So if you haven't already, take some time to watch the world's game. Tune into today's match between Sweden and England, or the U.S. vs. Ghana on Thursday, and be surprised yourself. World Cup. Copa del Mundo. Weltmeisterschaft. Call it what you will, but 500 million people can't be wrong.

07 June 2006

Welcome to the Future

So I've finally caught on to the future of this thing they call the "World Wide Web," and I'm staying ahead of the curve by being the first one on my block to start a weblog (or just "blog" for those of us in the know).

But seriously, I figured it would probably be about time to start one of these self-important sites in order to discuss the things that move me, interest me, or simply just amuse me. Visitors to this blog will experience some of the things I encounter as a minister in an urban tropical paradise, commentaries on the state of our city, the nature of the church as it relates to our culture in the 21st century, or simply some random miscellany.

So to both of you, I say thank you and enjoy.