Patriarch Alexiy II --Memory Eternal

I just read a report that Patriarch Alexiy II of the Russian Orthodox Church has reposed. The entire story can be read here.

While he was a controversial figure for many, he was controversial for many good reasons, and the story does a good job summarizing his life and his importance in Russia.

"He served the church when there were only 40 places of worship in Moscow and now by his grace there are more than 500. So one can only imagine what this tragedy will mean for the church," [a spokesman] told Reuters.

Memory eternal!

Book Review: Field of Blood

I don't read much CBA. Just a few titles here and there, for much of the same reason I don't listen to much CCM: I find a lot of it to be derivative, saccharine, preachy and boring.

Field of Bood is not that--by a long shot. Half a dozen times I shook my head, thinking, "A Christian house published this book?" Not that it's graphic, but there is more sensuality and violence than in all the CBA books I've read combined. That Wilson could pull this off, and that the publisher was brave enough to support him is amazing.

The First through Tenth Commandments for writers has long been "Show, don't tell." Next to this, the advice of Elmore Leonard stands out: "I try to leave out the parts that people skip." Wilson has mastered these two principles. No boring exposition, no masses of overblown description. But the novel falls on these points as well. It's almost as if he was writing in shorthand. There is little sense of place. There is little connection to the characters. A prime example: the horror that the main character's mother subjected her to is so fleetingly drawn that the reader has to constantly fill in the gaps.

I don't do well with this style. It's also why the films of Michael Mann don't normally appeal to me: lots of stylish showing but too little information on what is actually going on.

The premise was strong, his use of Jewish mysticism and Christian tradition was creative, and the pacing was pretty good. In the end, though, the novel didn't work for me for the critical reason that I didn't care about the characters. The protagonist was mean and snarky to everyone around her and showed little redeeming qualities until the very end, and by then it was too late for me.

Tragic Death

Rev. Paul McCain shared some comforting words about suicide on his blog this afternoon. Please go over and take a look.

The post was occasioned by the suicide of one of his seminary classmates. He was in active parish ministry. I immediately thought about one of my predecessors here who committed suicide on a Saturday night, twenty-some years ago.

Suicide is tragic enough without the victim being an ordained pastor. It can be worse, or more scandalous when it is someone "who should know better." In other words, we think the Gospel alone should be antidote enough to depression and hopelessness. We think that men who know and breathe the Gospel should be immune from such tragedy.

That is not the case. Depression is the result of chemical imbalances. It's not an issue of being sad, or weak or whatever. Stress can contribute, but this is a medical condition. Many, many people suffer this problem, and there shouldn't be a stigma attached to it.

I appreciated how Rev. McCain concluded his post:

Finally, if you know a pastor who is struggling, be sure to reach out to encourage him and support him. Don't sit around thinking, "Oh, somebody else is going to say something." No, you say something. Do something. Reach out in Christian love. If a congregation is aware that the pastor is suffering, don't wait, help.

Meaningless Promises

DETROIT – Ford Motor Co. will tell Congress that it plans to return to a pretax profit or break even in 2011 when its CEO appears before two legislative committees this week.

Also, CEO Alan Mulally said he'll work for $1 per year if the automaker has to take any government loan money. (Source)

Why doesn't the guy work for $1 now? Obviously he doesn't need the paycheck.

What is the Big Deal?

My wife couldn't quite pin down what the deal was. She calls the Blessed Virgin "Mary, the mother of our Lord." She said, obviously, that my Lord is God. Quite right.

And this is what St. Elizabeth meant when she created the Virgin Mother: "Blessed are you among women, and blessed is the fruit of your womb! And why is this granted to me that the mother of my Lord should come to me?" (Luke 1:42-43). St. Elizabeth's Lord is, well, the Lord--God.

Lord=God. Kryios=Theos. And in the LXX, kyrios=YHWH.

I have a smart wife. She didn't use the Greek and Hebrew last night, but she knows the score.

So what's the deal, then?

What is wrong in saying that Mary is the Mother of Christ? Absolutely nothing. It's true. What's wrong with saying that Mary is the Mother of our Lord? Nothing. It's great to agree with St. Elizabeth.

But can you, will you, say "Mary is the Mother of God"?

If not, then you don't really believe she is the Mother of our Lord. You mean something different than that. If you can't, won't, don't want to, think it's too confusing, to call her the Mother of God, then when you say that she is the mother of Christ, you mean a different kind of Christ who is somehow not God.

Who do you say He is? Is He God? Was He God in her womb? Or just "the Lord", whatever you mean by that? Was it God on the Cross or just Christ? As if you could separate Him.

Words matter.

Saying of the Day

One day blessed Theophilus the archbishop came to the mountain of Nitria and the abba of the mountain came to meet him. The archbishop said to him, "Father, in this way of life which you follow, what do you find to be best?" The old man said to him, "The act of accusing myself, and of constantly reproaching myself to myself." Abba Theophilus said to him, "There is no other way but this."

Sayings. Theophilus the Archbishop. 1

Random Question of the Day

Formula of Concord, Solid Declaration VIII.24:

On account of this personal union and communion of the natures, Mary, the most blessed Virgin, bore not a mere man, but, as the angel [Gabriel] testifies, such a man as is truly the Son of the most high God, who showed His divine majesty even in His mother's womb, inasmuch as He was born of a virgin, with her virginity inviolate. Therefore she is truly the mother of God, and nevertheless remained a virgin.

Why is August 15 in the Lutheran Service Book called "Mary the Mother of our Lord" and not "Mary the Mother of God"?

Did the Commission on Worship harbor crypto-Nestorians?

Keeping Advent

The blogs I read have been strangely quiet on the tragedy at Walmart this weekend. I suppose there may not be much to say but "Lord have mercy."

In Advent we repent. It is a penitential season, despite the caroling and yuletide cheer. Every time is a season of repentance, though, if you think about it. When do we not have something of which to repent? When are we not something needing repentance?

I know people who don't think about this much, or at all. I write about it, but haven't even started repenting properly. But if you're in need of finding something, think about those who trampled at Walmart.

I know you didn't do it. I know you weren't there. I know that you think you would have rushed to help the person.

But you could have been there. You've felt that mad rush, that compulsion to step on others to get what you want. You've thought that others were no more than obstacles in your path, to be pushed aside.

If you need to repent of something, think about Jdimytai Damour, 34, of Queens.

Lord have mercy.