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FAITH
East Oregonian
Pastor, am I a Christian?
W
hat does it mean to
the boundary.
be a Christian in
Kristof: Can I ask: Do you
the 21st century?
ever have doubts? Do most
Can one be a Christian and
people of faith struggle at times
yet doubt the virgin birth or
over these kinds of questions?
the Resurrection? I put these
Keller: Yes and yes. In the
questions to the Rev. Timothy
Bible, the Book of Jude (Chapter
Keller, an
1, verse 22) tells Christians
evangelical
to “be merciful to those
Christian
who doubt.” We should not
pastor and best-
encourage people to simply stifle
selling author
all doubts. Doubts force us to
who is among
think things out and re-examine
the most
our reasons, and that can, in the
prominent
end, lead to stronger faith.
evangelical
I’d also encourage doubters
Nicholas
thinkers
of religious teachings to doubt
Kristof
today. Our
the faith assumptions that
Comment
conversation
often drive their skepticism.
has been edited
While Christians should be
for space and clarity.
open to questioning their faith
Kristof: Tim, I deeply
assumptions, I would hope that
admire Jesus and his message,
secular skeptics would also
but am also skeptical of themes
question their own. Neither
that have been integral to
statement — “There is no
Christianity — the virgin birth,
supernatural reality beyond
the Resurrection, the miracles
this world” and “There is a
and so on. Since this is the
transcendent reality beyond
Christmas season, let’s start
this material world” — can be
with the virgin birth. Is that an
proven empirically, nor is either
Rev. Timothy Keller is an evangelical Christian self-evident to most people. So
essential belief, or can I mix
pastor and best-selling author.
and match?
they both entail faith. Secular
Keller: If something is
people should be as open
Keller: I wouldn’t characterize the
truly integral to a body of thought, you
to questions and doubts about their
New Testament descriptions of the risen positions as religious people.
can’t remove it without destabilizing
Jesus as fuzzy. They are very concrete
the whole thing. A religion can’t be
Kristof: What I admire most about
in their details. Yes, Mary doesn’t
whatever we desire it to be. If I’m a
Christianity is the amazing good work it
recognize Jesus at first, but then she
member of the board of Greenpeace
inspires people to do around the world.
does. The two disciples on the road to
and I come out and say climate change
But I’m troubled by the evangelical
Emmaus (Luke 24) also don’t recognize notion that people go to heaven only if
is a hoax, they will ask me to resign.
Jesus at first. Their experience was
I could call them narrow-minded, but
they have a direct relationship with Jesus.
analogous to meeting someone you
they would rightly say that there have
Doesn’t that imply that billions of people
last saw as a child 20 years ago. Many
to be some boundaries for dissent or
— Buddhists, Jews, Muslims, Hindus —
you couldn’t have a cohesive, integrated historians have argued that this has
are consigned to hell because they grew
the ring of eyewitness authenticity. If
organization. And they’d be right. It’s
up in non-Christian families around the
you were making up a story about the
the same with any religious faith.
world? That Gandhi is in hell?
Resurrection, would you have imagined
Keller: The Bible makes categorical
Kristof: But the earliest accounts
that Jesus was altered enough to not be
statements that you can’t be saved except
of Jesus’ life, like the Gospel of Mark
identified immediately but not so much
through faith in Jesus (John 14:6; Acts
and Paul’s letter to the Galatians, don’t
that he couldn’t be recognized after a
4:11-12). I’m very sympathetic to your
even mention the virgin birth. And the
concerns, however, because this seems
reference in Luke to the virgin birth was few moments? As for Mark’s gospel,
yes, it ends very abruptly without
so exclusive and unfair. There are many
written in a different kind of Greek and
getting to the Resurrection, but most
views of this issue, so my thoughts on
was probably added later. So isn’t there
scholars believe that the last part of the
this cannot be considered the Christian
room for skepticism?
book or scroll was lost to us.
response. But here they are:
Keller: If it were simply a legend
Skeptics should consider another
You imply that really good people
that could be dismissed, it would
surprising aspect of these accounts.
(e.g., Gandhi) should also be saved,
damage the fabric of the Christian
Mary Magdalene is named as the first
not just Christians. The problem is that
message. Luc Ferry, looking at the
Gospel of John’s account of Jesus’ birth eyewitness of the risen Christ, and other Christians do not believe anyone can be
women are mentioned as the earliest
saved by being good. If you don’t come
into the world, said this taught that the
eyewitnesses in the other gospels,
to God through faith in what Christ has
power behind the whole universe was
too. This was a time in which the
done, you would be approaching on
not just an impersonal cosmic principle
testimony of women was not admissible the basis of your own goodness. This
but a real person who could be known
evidence in courts because of their low
would, ironically, actually be more
and loved. That scandalized Greek
social status. The early pagan critics
exclusive and unfair, since so often
and Roman philosophers, but was
of Christianity latched on to this and
those that we tend to think of as “bad”
revolutionary in the history of human
— the abusers, the haters, the feckless
thought. It led to a new emphasis on the dismissed the Resurrection as the word
and selfish — have themselves often
importance of the individual person and of “hysterical females.” If the gospel
writers were inventing these narratives,
had abusive and brutal backgrounds.
on love as the supreme virtue because
they would never have put women in
Christians believe that it is those
Jesus was not just a great human being,
them. So they didn’t invent them.
who admit their weakness and need for
but the pre-existing Creator God,
The Christian Church is pretty much
a savior who get salvation. If access to
miraculously come to earth as a human
inexplicable
if we don’t believe in a
God is through the grace of Jesus, then
being.
anyone can receive eternal life instantly.
Kristof: And the Resurrection? Must physical resurrection. N.T. Wright has
argued in “The Resurrection of the Son
This is why “born again” Christianity
it really be taken literally?
of God” that it is difficult to come up
will always give hope and spread
Keller: Jesus’ teaching was not the
with any historically plausible alternate
among the “wretched of the earth.”
main point of his mission. He came to
explanation for the birth of the Christian
I can imagine someone saying,
save people through his death for sin
movement. It is hard to account for
“Well, why can’t God just accept
and his resurrection. So his important
thousands of Jews virtually overnight
everyone — universal salvation?” Then
ethical teaching only makes sense when
worshiping a human being as divine when you create a different problem with
you don’t separate it from these historic
doctrines. If the Resurrection is a genuine everything about their religion and culture fairness. It means God wouldn’t really
conditioned them to believe that was not
care about injustice and evil.
reality, it explains why Jesus can say
only impossible, but deeply heretical. The
There is still the question of fairness
that the poor and the meek will “inherit
best explanation for the change was that
regarding people who have grown
the earth” (Matthew 5:5). St. Paul said
without a real resurrection, Christianity is many hundreds of them had actually seen up away from any real exposure to
Jesus with their own eyes.
Christianity. The Bible is clear about
useless (1 Corinthians 15:19).
Kristof: So where does that leave
two things — that salvation must be
Kristof: But let me push back.
people like me? Am I a Christian? A
through grace and faith in Christ, and
As you know better than I, the
Jesus follower? A secular Christian?
that God is always fair and just in all his
Scriptures themselves indicate that the
Can I be a Christian while doubting the
dealings. What it doesn’t directly tell
Resurrection wasn’t so clear cut. Mary
Resurrection?
us is exactly how both of those things
Magdalene didn’t initially recognize
Keller: I wouldn’t draw any
can be true together. I don’t think it is
the risen Jesus, nor did some disciples,
conclusion about an individual without
insurmountable. Just because I can’t see
and the gospels are fuzzy about Jesus’
talking to him or her at length. But,
a way doesn’t prove there cannot be any
literal presence — especially Mark, the
in general, if you don’t accept the
such way. If we have a God big enough
first gospel to be written. So if you take
Resurrection or other foundational
to deserve being called God, then we
these passages as meaning that Jesus
beliefs as defined by the Apostles’
have a God big enough to reconcile
literally rose from the dead, why the
Creed, I’d say you are on the outside of
both justice and love.
fuzziness?
LIMEY PASTOR
Friday, December 30, 2016
Community
Community
Presbyterian Church
14 Martin Drive,
Umatilla, OR
922-3250
Worship: 10 AM
Sunday School at 11:30
Good Shepherd
Lutheran Church
Faith Center Church
LCMC
541-481-6132
Loving People
108 S. Main • 276-9569
Sunday Worship
10:30 am
Sr. Pastor,
Ray O’Grady
Colin Brown, Pastor
pendletonfaithcenter.org
Sunday worship at
11:00 AM
420 Locust St. • Boardman, OR
Worshiping God
Seventh-Day
Adventist
Church
Saturday Services
Pendleton
1401 SW Goodwin Place
276-0882
Sabbath School 9:20 am
Worship Service 10:45 am
Grace Baptist Church
585 SW Birch,
Pilot Rock, OR 97868
(541) 443-2500
prbconline.blogspot.com
Sunday School: 9:30 am
Worship Service: 10:45 am
Kids’ Club: 6:00 pm
Wednesday Services:
Youth Group: 7:00 pm
OPEN HEARTS – OPEN DOOR
www.graceandmercylutheran.org
Sunday Worship 9:00 a.m.
Sunday School 10:00 a.m. (Nursery
Provided)
Fellowship, Refreshments & Sunday School
Check Out our Facebook Page or Website
for More Information
555 SW 11th, Hermiston
567-9497
Nursery provided for all
services
Sunday School - 9:30 AM
Worship - 10:45 AM
6:00 pm
Wed Prayer & Worship -
7:00 PM
“Proclaiming God’s word,
growing in God’s grace”
St. Johns
Episcopal Church
Join Us
On Our Journey
With Jesus.
Scripture, Tradition and Reason
541-289-4535
Family service 9am Sunday
Tom Inch, Pastor
Grace and Mercy Lutheran Church, ELCA
164 E. Main St. / P.O. Box 1108
Hermiston, Oregon 97838
N.E. Gladys Ave & 7th, Hermiston
Fr. Dan Lediard, Priest. PH: 567-6672
We are an all inclusive Church
who welcomes all.
FIRST PRESBYTERIAN
CHURCH
-Presbyterian Church (USA)-
201 SW Dorion Ave.
Pendleton
Service of Worship - 10:00 am
Children’s Sunday School -
10:20 am
Fellowship - 11:00 am
www.pendletonpresbyterian.com
Open Hearted...
Open Minded
241 SE Second St. Pendleton
(541)276-3809
www.pendletonepiscopal.org
Sunday Holy Communion 9:00 a.m.
Wednesday Holy Communion Noon
Weekly Adults Spiritual Life Group
All Are Welcome
P eace L utheran C hurch
210 NW 9th, Pendleton
Redeemer
Episcopal
Church
ELCA
Come meet Jesus at
PENDLETON BAPTIST
CHURCH
on 1290 KUMA noon each Sunday
3202 SW Nye Ave Pendleton, OR
541-276-7590
Sunday Morning Worship 11:00 AM
Sunday Bible Classes 9:45 AM
Sunday Youth Group 6:00 PM
Mon. Community Women’s Study
9:30 AM & 6 PM
Awana Kids Club (K-6th grade)
Wed Men’s Study 6 PM
MOPS meeting the 1st Thur of the Month 6 PM
FAITH LUTHERAN
CHURCH
First United
Methodist Church
Join us Sundays
9:30
Sunday
Worship
9:30
am am
Sunday
Worship
10:30 am Fellowship
11:00 am Sunday School
& Adult Class
~Come and be at Peace ~
in Mission for Christ LCMC
Bible Study.........9:00 AM
Sunday Worship......10:30 AM
Red Lion Hotel
( Oregon Trail Room )
www.faithpendleton.org
FIRST SERVICE 8:30 AM
SECOND SERVICE 10:30 AM
712 SW 27 TH ST.
541-276-1894
www.fcogpendleton.com
Pendleton/Hermiston
352 SE 2nd Street, Pendleton
Sunday Worship 9am
541-276-2616
Worship Broadcast on
KUMA 1290 @ 11am
191 E. Gladys Ave,Hermiston
Sunday Worship 11am
541-567-3002
Worship Livestream at
herfumc.com
Open Hearts, Open Minds,
Open Doors
Rev. Dr. Jim Pierce, pastor
Shekinah, the covering of God
I
want to share with you two
was there. As was his friend, a
unusual experiences in my
Cabalist (a mystic) from New
adventure with God.
York.
Paul, the apostle, talked
It was a Friday night, a
about the importance of having
Sabbath night, of the full moon.
faith in things unseen. This is
A rare event. We all began to do
indeed true. But, it seems a
our prayers in Hebrew, a pulsing
common belief that there is no
force, with a lot of repetition. We
evidence of God’s presence
would chant for some minutes
Colin
— and the only evidence is
then there would be a pause and
Brown
the record of other people’s
a pregnant expectation. Then
Comment
experience in the Bible and
there would be a continuation of
elsewhere — which of course
this cycle. We did this for at least
breeds a certain skepticism due to the
twenty to thirty times. All of a sudden
antiquity of most of these events. This is we paused, and a massive hush filled the
definitely not true.
air. A colossal something began to fall,
The experiences I am going to
palpable to the skin, like a transparent
recount were witnessed by many, many feather as big as the temple itself. It
people including me.
felt like a rain of feathers and fingers
In 2006, as part of my seminary
that passed through our bodies, reading
education, I traveled to Israel with a party every cell and pore, bringing astonishing
of many pastors and pastoral students.
peace. It was a slow exploration of
My teachers were professor Barbara
our innermost beings, full of love and
Rossing, a teacher of the New Testament, astonishing spiritual healing. After it had
and professor Esther Menn who taught
made its contact with us, we stood in the
the Old Testament. One Friday evening
hush, and then for a while picked up our
with the full moon above us we gathered worshipful chanting.
at the ruins of the Jerusalem Temple, at
Afterwards I asked the Cabalist from
the Wailing Wall. There were thousands
New York, “What was that?”
of worshipers gathered. A curtain was
“That was the Shekinah, the
hung to separate the men from women.
Covering of God,” he said.
Professor Rossing’s cousin, who was in
Several years after, I was taking a
charge of the ritual arrangements for the
group to Holden Village, a retreat center
on Lake Chelan in Washington State as
different faith traditions in Jerusalem,
part of my internship service at Creator
Lutheran Church, and we attended
a Saturday night healing service in
the chapel. A sand-filled cross was in
the center of the room and a gathered
group of people and children were the
congregation. People who felt the need
for prayers for themselves or others
would take a candle, light it and plant
it in the sand of the cross. Some of
us would weep as we did this. Music
played, hymns were sung. I also went
forward to drop to my knees and pray,
and light my candle. I also wept.
Out of the surrounding people, small
children felt impelled to come up and
touch each one of us on our shoulders
as we prayed. We felt tears of cleansing
flowing freely. Jesus lived, in the heart
of the cross.
All of a sudden the same descending
presence I knew from Israel came down
and rained through us like a blissful,
loving breeze. This was also a shared
experience.
Afterwards one of my teen leaders
asked me: “What was that?”
I was able to say: “That was the
Shekinah, the Covering of God.”
■
Colin Brown is pastor of Boardman’s
Good Shepherd Lutheran Church on
Locust Road. Service is at 11 a.m.
Sunday.
Sunday Worship
10:00am
Wednesday Bible Study
6:00pm
Youth Classes:
Nursery - 6th grade Sun & Wed
Jr & Sr High Discipleship Program Wed
Overcomer’s Outreach
Tuesday at 6:00pm - Annex
A Christ-centered, 12-Step
Recovery Support Group
Pastor Sharon Miller
401 Northgate, Pendleton
541-278-8082
www.livingwordcc.com
To share your worship times
call Terri Briggs 541-278-2678