The Problem with Anti-Traditionalism and Anti-Intellectualism

*Disclaimer: I am and will remain a Charismatic. I believe in the ongoing involvment of the Holy Spirit in the lives of believers and that he continues to empower and enable us today. There are, however, certain aspects of the charismatic movement with which I do not agree. I'm just addressing a couple of those.

The charismatic movement represents a strong reaction against a traditional way of doing church. We've all heard preachers speak out against "religion" or a "religious spirit." Charismatics tend to opt for an understanding of their faith which focuses more on relationship and less on tradition or ritual. This is understandable, of course, the charismatic revelation of the Holy Spirit's presence in our lives and in modern society has powerful implications which underscore the personal relationship aspect of our faith. Still, though, I've never seen the need for an anti-traditional faith. Although faith can become over-traditionalized, and ritual can and sometimes does replace a personal relationship with Christ, this does not necessarily call for a total rejection of tradition or ritual. Such and attitude serves only to cut us off from the past, and does not allow us to learn very much from the generations of Christians who came before. We must own our own faith, and have our own understanding and expression of what we believe, but our spiritual lives can benefit by a participation in the traditions and rituals through which previous generations have worshiped. Additionally, our relationship with God is not the same as our relationship with fellow human beings. His status as Creator and Lord demands that our relationship to him be not only intimate and personal, but also submissive and reverential. Charismatics are right in guarding against tradition replacing our personal relationship to Christ, but "religion" is and has always been relational in and of itself.

Charismatics (and others) also observe that faith can often be over-intellectualized, and frequently advocate a simple "child-like" trust in God. When I chose to pursue theological studies as my degree, I was warned more than once to be very careful not to lose my faith to intellectualism, and was advised by at least one person to go to ministry school instead. Most of us in the theology department have had to struggle with an attitude of anti-intellectualism at some point or another, and we spend a good deal of time talking about it in our lower-level classes. This anti-intellectual attitude is also understandable; the Church under modernism was frequently guilty of believing only that which they could understand (as opposed to the more healthy "faith seeking understanding" Anselm spoke of). But the response to the misplaced intellectualism of previous generations cannot be answered by the anti-intellectualism which is so prevalent today. It can only serve to create the opposite problem: a generation of Christians who can't articulate their faith because they have never bothered to understand it. Instead, a twisted intellectualism must be answered by a redeemed intellectualism. As a part of the Creation, human rational capacity has a divine purpose, a part of which is to reflect on our Creator and our relationship to him, doing our best to understand his nature and action in our lives. As finite and imperfect beings, we can never expect to fully grasp the wondrous mysteries of the infinite and perfect, and we must be careful not to adopt an outlook in which a thing must be proved before it can be believed, but we should test our beliefs (always in conjunction with the Holy Spirit) and use the God-given gift of reason to constantly refine them, in an attempt to bring them more perfectly in line with the Truth.

A prayer from Augustine

"Hear my prayer, O Lord; let not my soul faint under Thy discipline, nor let me faint in confessing unto Thee Thy mercies, whereby Thou hast saved me from all my most mischievous ways, that Thou mightest become sweet to me beyond all the seductions which I used to follow; and that I may love Thee entirely, and grasp Thy hand with my whole heart, and that Thou mayest deliver me from every temptation, even unto the end. For lo, O Lord, my King and my God, for Thy service by whatever useful thing I learnt as a boy-for Thy service what I speak, and write, and count. For when I learned vain things, Thou didst grant me Thy discipline; and my sin in taking delight in those vanities, Thou hast forgiven me. ..."

-Saint Augustine, Confessions

True Worship

Too often we Christians lose sight of who God is for us. We don't so easily forget his existence, or his sovereignty over Creation, as we fail to remember his presence and interaction in our own everyday lives. It is so easy to slip into a mundane existence (or a very busy, exciting, but purely material one), acknowledging the existence of spiritual reality, but failing to maintain the sense of wonder and awe that the incomprehensible reality of God should provoke us to. We can even see his hand in the world and recognize that he is at work building his church in the nations of the world, yet fail to be fully appreciative of his hand in our own lives. I should remember that he is not only the Almighty God who directs the course of history; he is the Almighty God who directs the course of history and is personally and intimately involved in the direction of my life. I should remember, but I don't.

Thankfully, the Holy Spirit has a way of reminding his children of his nature and of his presence in their lives. Today he decided that I needed a reminder.

For those who don't go to school with me, there is mandatory chapel at ORU on Wednsdays and Fridays. My general position regarding chapel is that its mandatory nature reduces its effectiveness in the lives of most students. Most come because they have to, not because they want to. Additionally, as a theology student I feel as though, most of the time, I get more useful spiritual instruction in my theology classes than I do from the Chapel stage. As a result, I have a pretty neutral attitude about chapel attendance, I have no problem being there, but I would just as soon be doing homework.

So today was no different from any other day, I went to chapel prepared to worship, sit, and listen to the speaker, then go about my day. But the Spirit had other plans for me. By the time we had reached the second song, I was overcome by his presence. Wave after wave of the sensation of his love and power brought me to my knees and I sobbed. I have never cried during worship. I lift my hands and sing and fall to my knees and even dance a little bit, but I have never cried. But today I did. Not from sadness or stress or anxiety, but from the realization of who God is, from the realization that the God who created the heavens and earth loves and cares for me, and is personally invested in my life.

How is it that we Christians, who have access to a personal relationship with God, can so easily slip into such a superficial existence? We have amazing religious experiences and personal encounters with the Living God, and then forget, and go about our business. Everything else about our life is secondary. School, work, friendships, love relationships; all of these things lose their meaning when separated from relationship to the Creator. True worship is about submission of every aspect of our lives to the Lord. I have to commit myself to school for the sake of the Lord, do my work as unto the Lord, see Christ in the face of my friends (and all those whom I come into contact with) and love my fiancee as Christ loves the church. Sometimes we need the Holy Spirit to jumpstart our souls, and recommit us to a life of worship, but we must learn to maintain that heart of worship, even when there is no religious experience to pump up our emotions. I must learn to maintain that sense of awe at the power and love of God, who has handed to me everything I have, even the very breath in my lungs. I must learn to breathe for him, for only then does my breath itself have meaning.

On the value of blogging

I've thought recently it was time for a new blog, so here it is. Historically, I've done a rather bad job of posting regularly on blogs, so I'm not sure whether this will be a success or not, but I'll make an effort.

My own shortcomings aside, though, I've been reflecting on the value of blogging, and of journaling in general. It seems to me that to properly know one's own thoughts, it makes sense to write them down on a regular basis. Once on paper, our thoughts can more easily be made the object of reflection. To know one's own mind, one's own beliefs and values, is a noble goal, and journaling can be a useful tool in attaining that goal. It can help us to organize our thoughts, and come to be better able to understand and articulate them.

Journaling in a public setting, on a blog, can yield further benefit for our development as people. Journaling is for ourselves, and provides us with a way to know our own mind and dialogue with ourselves, but a blog connects us with other people, creates a community, in the midst of which the journal-keeper may come into contact with other minds against which his (or her) own might be sharpened. A blog provides a way in which we can discuss our ideas, beliefs, thoughts, and feelings with one another, for the mutual benefit of the community. Through a blog we can critique, contribute, and encourage one another in a unique and meaningful way that cannot be achieved through any other medium.

With that, I present this latest attempt to keep a blog, for my own development and enjoyment, and (hopefully), for yours as well.