The Rapture: What Would Jesus Do?

I'm not a premillenialist, but here's a really thought-provoking parable for those who are fans of the Left Behind series, and the theology it represents.
Christianity Today, February 5, 2001
http://www.christianitytoday.com/ct/2001/002/33.68.html

The Rapture: What Would Jesus Do? by Glenn Paauw

An end-times pilgrim counts the cost of discipleship.

It was only the slightest instant, but everything had changed. Seth was out of the plane now, and it was as if time was standing still. He looked around, and then he was certain of it. There was something new about how it felt, just being there in that presence. It was Jesus and there was no question. There was thrill and joy and not-believing-but-believing-it all at the same time. And there was a feeling that this moment should never stop, that it was meant to always be.
Yet not everything was right. From somewhere within him came a murmur of dissent. Seth was torn with emotions, but a conviction was rising inside him, making itself more clear.

He wasn't sure what to do with it.

There were others there too. But he saw only Jesus now, and he knew this would have to be faced.

Then he was there with him.

In the silence between them, Seth sensed that everything was transparent. This was not a place for secrets.

"You would stay behind?" Jesus asked him.

"Yes, Lord," Seth admitted.

Silence again. Then Jesus said, "What is coming is a great rebellion. Many will fall under the spell of this magic. It will be difficult not to be deceived. This is a trial. My enemy will have power to make war and to conquer. He always seeks to destroy, and now his anger is aroused. You will not be exempt."

The gravity of this sunk into Seth's mind. He felt himself sweating, realizing that everything hung on this next moment. He didn't want to go back. But something inside kept driving him to go back. Finally he spoke. "Will there be a chance to tell people about you?"

"Yes, those in pain and confusion will seek answers."

"So there will be new Christians?"

"Yes, many."

"Will they suffer?"

"Yes, much."

"But you will be with them yourself, won't you? You are always with your people."

"Of course."

"When I became your follower, I was told to count this cost, as others had before me. I guess I believed in your paradox, that the one who seeks to save his life will lose it, while those who give up their lives for you truly live. I thought this pattern was for me, too."

Seth paused. Then he said simply, "My brothers and sisters will be there, doing your work. Even you will be there. Why shouldn't I be there?"

Jesus gazed steadily at Seth, his eyes speaking a subtle satisfaction. He finally said, "You would stay, then?"

"Yes, Lord."

Again, it was only the slightest of instants, this unrapture, and Seth was back in the plane, heading to London. He looked down. Everything was just as it had been—his clothes, his shoes, even his WWJD bracelet.

Glenn Paauw is the International Bible Society's director of product development.

Mattingly on Star Wars III

Besides Keith Drury, Terry Mattingly is another Christian columnist that I read with some regularity. His latest work, "Star Culture Wars" http://tmatt.gospelcom.net/column/2005/05/25/ develops in much better detail the criticism I wrote about earlier, 'Only Siths have absolutes." Check it out. I think he's right on.

CQUOD: from Martin Luther

Christian Quotation of the Day: June 2, 2005

Rest in the Lord; wait patiently for Him. In Hebrew, “Be
silent in God, and let Him mould thee.” Keep still, and He
will mould thee to the right shape.
... Martin Luther (1483-1546)

Meditation:

Be still before the Lord and wait patiently for Him; do not fret when men succeed in their ways, when they carry out their wicked schemes.
-- Psalm 37:7 (NIV)

Sir John Tavener

Last night on Classic Arts Showcase I once again heard an excerpt from John Tavener's Akathist of Thanksgiving. Tavener wrote this ethereal piece in 1988, after his conversion to Russian Orthodoxy. A choral work, it features repetition, chimes, and a tremendous continuous droning bass line.

Andrew Marr, OSB writes, at http://andrewmarr.homestead.com/files/music/tavener.htm

One of Tavener's characteristics is use of the ison, a drone--usually pitched very low--that sounds throughout a piece, even at the risk of wearying a performer who is assigned this task. Tavener refers to this as the "eternity note," the note that attests to the presence of God. This note does not anchor a piece the way a tonic note does by exerting a gravitational pull on the other notes. Rather, the drone offers a sense of underlying stability that allows other musical voices to move all over the place without becoming unhinged. Theologically, the drone portrays God's sustenance of creation without God exerting a suffocating control over it. That is, God does not pull creatures to the Godhead, God holds all of them in being. But for all this freedom of movement, there is no escape from the underlying divine presence.

At last! I finally understand why Orthodox church music has always captivated me. Tavener describes his music as an icon, except using tones instead of paint. If the Akathist of Thanksgiving is any indication, Taverner's music does indeed provide us a window to God. I must explore more of it.

Questions about "Mystery"

To think about...

1) What is the place of mystery in Christian life? (personally, corporately?)
a. What does the Bible say?
b. how does our worldview affect it?

(This is a metaphysical question. It is assuming such a thing first exists, and is only known after it exists.)

2) What is the relation of faith and mystery?

The classic premodern/modern question was "What is the relation of faith and reason?" The Enlightenment idolized Reason therefore ridiculed faith; but now the Postmodern pendulum has swung to the opposite end. We are now suspicious of reason (ironic, huh, but irony is a postmodern virtue). However, does this mean the pendulum has swung back to faith? If not, what has replaced faith? Is mystery the opposite of reason? What is the relation between faith and mystery? Are there some definitions of faith that have a corresponding definition of mystery, so that there is a matter of equivocation to be dealt with here?

2) Do people have varying degrees of need for mystery? Do denominations?

This is an epistemological/psychological question. It is focusing on the subjective, not the objective aspect of mystery.

Some folks are "nerds" and some folks are "mystics" and still others are "Reformed." ISTM one way to understand the difference is to see it as a matter of their ability to tolerate mystery. Some people just seem to be more open and comfortable with it than others.

I believe that just as individuals have personalities, so do groups. So even though there is not a one-to-one correspondence between persons and denominations, I think that it is possible to make some general statements about churches/denominations and their understandings of mystery, and their consequent place for it corporately.

I'm going to let these questions percolate some. Meanwhile, what do you think?