Tag Archive for 'spirituality'

worship & entertainment (part 2)

A blog post is often pressing home a particular point. But reality is often more complex. More balanced.

My recent post on worship and entertainment is a case in point. I was arguing the dangers of becoming entertainment-focused. Well-known John Michael Talbot sent me this tweet in response: “Worship that doesn’t entertain a bit is boring, and entertainment without worship has no soul. The balance is good liturgy.”

He is, of course, quite right. There is nothing intrinsically good about boring worship!

There is an old joke (not so common in our smoking-is-not-PC world) about a Franciscan, a Dominican, and a Jesuit. The Franciscan and the Dominican asked their superiors if they could smoke while they were praying. Both superiors were outraged: “No, that would be a sin!” The Jesuit asked his superior if he could pray while he was smoking. His superior was delighted: “What a great idea!” [Those who understand Ignatian spirituality will realise deeper truths in this joke].

Please don’t use my blog post as an excuse for continuing leading tedious, dull, dreary, mind-numbing, tiresome, lackluster, unexciting, humdrum, uninspiring worship.

liturgy site in list of top Christian blogs

christian-blog-badge

I have just been informed that this site has been listed with 97 others on christiancounselingdegree.org (OK – mine is number 98, I hope they aren’t listed in order of usefulness, LOL. They don’t appear to be). That American site has as a strapline, “using biblical values to help others.” That site intends to bring together a biblical approach and tertiary counselling qualifications.

I have no idea how this site found mine. It describes this site as, “Rev. Bosco Peters, a priest for the Anglican Church and the chaplain at an Anglican secondary school for boys in New Zealand, regularly updates the Liturgy Blog with resources and reflections for liturgy, spirituality, and worship for individuals and communities.”

I recognise many of the sites on the list, but there are some new ones that I didn’t know about that I have appreciated finding through this list.

lesson from Facebook and Bebo

Church is a social network

An article in our local newspaper described the probable closing down of Bebo:

The site has lost members to Facebook, MySpace and Twitter.

Kaila Colbin, of Christchurch social media consultant Missing Link, compared Bebo to a party that people wanted to leave.

“You go to a party, everyone’s having a good time, but suddenly the momentum changes and someone says, `Let’s go to the pub’,” Colbin said. “And people start flowing out. And when people flow out, there is no way to recover that energy.

“The more you try, the more desperate you look and the more people want to leave.”

Now reread the above, and instead of Bebo think “church” – your parish, diocese, whatever. Any echoes?

Do you see any parishes, dioceses, churches trying one program after another, organising non-church-type events for youth and then being disappointed that the young people aren’t taking the bait-and-switch and turning up to services to help assist members of the congregation up to the altar rails and put money on the plate to maintain the pretty building? Let’s acknowledge there is some truth in the observation that organised religion is looking to produce better programs, spirituality is looking to produce better people.

a million visitors

millionvisitors
The webcounter (at the bottom of each page) has just clicked over the 1,000,000th visitor to this site! (The millionth visitor was from Fort Lauderdale, Florida, United States). Four years ago I had the digital version of my book Celebrating Eucharist which I thought I could make more accessible by purchasing a domain and placing it on there. I had just been asked to give a lecture on worship developments since the publication of the NZ Prayer Book, and, in researching for this, had been horrified at some of what I discovered. Placing the book online was a small step, I hoped, to improve things.

I was very surprised when what I thought then were a lot of people started coming to the site. So I started adding a few more resources. And more people came. After a while I had built up a significant website – but I had done it without really knowing what I was doing. Here is an image of the first page recorded by the internet archive a couple of months after starting the site. After a while the site was growing so much and interest also growing, that I realised I had made a complete messy tangle. I bought new software and took six months to rebuild the site from scratch. Then people started suggesting I add a blog to the website, which I did. But I feared adding a comments facility because I have seen so many sites with fights – including a really good site which in the end closed down because the host could not take the ongoing nastiness. Nearly a couple of years ago I cautiously opened comments. I have been thrilled by the positive culture and community that has built around the site (the spam filter has filtered out 15,737 spam comments in that time!)

The number of visitors continues to grow: 61,330 in the first year 13 April 2006- 13 April 2007. 168,855 in the second year. 270,355 in the third year. 499,460 in this fourth year. I remember discussing visits with internet experts who were enthused when I was heading towards a hundred visits a day. That, they thought, was a good maximum to aim for – there just, they thought, wouldn’t be more interest than that on the internet for this “niche”. Well now there are days with around 4,000 visits.

Associated with this site there is an RSS feed, an occasional email newsletter (see bottom right of that linked page), a facebook page, and a twitter. This website is the most visited Christian site served from New Zealand. And the twitter is the second most followed twitter located in New Zealand. There is clearly a strong interest in worship, liturgy, and spirituality.

I produce all this in my “spare” time and thank you all who visit here for your support and encouragement. Let us continue to pray for each other, and all who visit here.

Another way to look at the interest:
Picture 9

ps. I could see that the counter was going to turn in the middle of the (NZ) night, so I called on some help through twitter and facebook to encourage some more visitors and waited up for it to turn a million. Thanks everyone for your help. And sorry to those whose advice to go to bed I ignored :-)

Saturday in the Second Week of Lent

Read – reflect – respond (in prayer, silence, possibly a comment)

Lectio Divina – sacred reading

Virtual Chapel with daily updates

Luke 15:1-3, 11-32

15:1 Now all the tax collectors and sinners were coming near to listen to [Jesus].

2 And the Pharisees and the scribes were grumbling and saying, “This fellow welcomes sinners and eats with them.”

3 So he told them this parable:

11 [...]“There was a man who had two sons.

12 The younger of them said to his father, ‘Father, give me the share of the property that will belong to me.’ So he divided his property between them.

13 A few days later the younger son gathered all he had and traveled to a distant country, and there he squandered his property in dissolute living.

14 When he had spent everything, a severe famine took place throughout that country, and he began to be in need.

15 So he went and hired himself out to one of the citizens of that country, who sent him to his fields to feed the pigs.

16 He would gladly have filled himself with the pods that the pigs were eating; and no one gave him anything.

17 But when he came to himself he said, ‘How many of my father’s hired hands have bread enough and to spare, but here I am dying of hunger!

18 I will get up and go to my father, and I will say to him, “Father, I have sinned against heaven and before you;

19 I am no longer worthy to be called your son; treat me like one of your hired hands.”’

20 So he set off and went to his father. But while he was still far off, his father saw him and was filled with compassion; he ran and put his arms around him and kissed him.

21 Then the son said to him, ‘Father, I have sinned against heaven and before you; I am no longer worthy to be called your son.’

22 But the father said to his slaves, ‘Quickly, bring out a robe–the best one–and put it on him; put a ring on his finger and sandals on his feet.

23 And get the fatted calf and kill it, and let us eat and celebrate;

24 for this son of mine was dead and is alive again; he was lost and is found!’ And they began to celebrate.

25 “Now his elder son was in the field; and when he came and approached the house, he heard music and dancing.

26 He called one of the slaves and asked what was going on.

27 He replied, ‘Your brother has come, and your father has killed the fatted calf, because he has got him back safe and sound.’

28 Then he became angry and refused to go in. His father came out and began to plead with him.

29 But he answered his father, ‘Listen! For all these years I have been working like a slave for you, and I have never disobeyed your command; yet you have never given me even a young goat so that I might celebrate with my friends.

30 But when this son of yours came back, who has devoured your property with prostitutes, you killed the fatted calf for him!’

31 Then the father said to him, ‘Son, you are always with me, and all that is mine is yours.

32 But we had to celebrate and rejoice, because this brother of yours was dead and has come to life; he was lost and has been found.’”

Grant, most merciful Lord,
to your faithful people pardon and peace,
that they may be cleansed from all their sins,
and serve you with a quiet mind;
through Jesus Christ our Lord,
who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit,
one God, for ever and ever. Amen.

Friday in the Second Week of Lent

Read – reflect – respond (in prayer, silence, possibly a comment)

Lectio Divina – sacred reading

Virtual Chapel with daily updates

Matthew 21:33-43

33 [Jesus said] “Listen to another parable. There was a landowner who planted a vineyard, put a fence around it, dug a wine press in it, and built a watchtower. Then he leased it to tenants and went to another country.

34 When the harvest time had come, he sent his slaves to the tenants to collect his produce.

35 But the tenants seized his slaves and beat one, killed another, and stoned another.

36 Again he sent other slaves, more than the first; and they treated them in the same way.

37 Finally he sent his son to them, saying, ‘They will respect my son.’

38 But when the tenants saw the son, they said to themselves, ‘This is the heir; come, let us kill him and get his inheritance.’

39 So they seized him, threw him out of the vineyard, and killed him.

40 Now when the owner of the vineyard comes, what will he do to those tenants?”

41 They said to him, “He will put those wretches to a miserable death, and lease the vineyard to other tenants who will give him the produce at the harvest time.”

42 Jesus said to them, “Have you never read in the scriptures: ‘The stone that the builders rejected has become the cornerstone; this was the Lord’s doing, and it is amazing in our eyes’?

43 Therefore I tell you, the kingdom of God will be taken away from you and given to a people that produces the fruits of the kingdom.

Grant, O Lord,
that as your Son Jesus Christ prayed for His enemies on the cross,
so we may have grace to forgive those who wrongfully or scornfully use us,
that we ourselves may be able to receive your forgiveness;
through Jesus Christ our Lord,
who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and ever. Amen.

Saturday in the First Week of Lent

Read – reflect – respond (in prayer, silence, possibly a comment)

Lectio Divina – sacred reading

Matthew 5:43-48

43 [Jesus said] “You have heard that it was said, ‘You shall love your neighbor and hate your enemy.’
44 But I say to you, Love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you,
45 so that you may be children of your Father in heaven; for he makes his sun rise on the evil and on the good, and sends rain on the righteous and on the unrighteous.
46 For if you love those who love you, what reward do you have? Do not even the tax collectors do the same?
47 And if you greet only your brothers and sisters, what more are you doing than others? Do not even the Gentiles do the same?
48 Be perfect, therefore, as your heavenly Father is perfect.

O God, by your Word you marvelously carry out the work of reconciliation:
Grant that in our Lenten fast we may be devoted to you with all our hearts,
and united with one another in prayer and holy love;
through Jesus Christ our Lord,
who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit,
one God, for ever and ever. Amen.

George Herbert, Priest, 1633

Our God and King,
who called your servant George Herbert from the pursuit of worldly honors to be a pastor of souls, a poet, and a priest in your temple:
Give us grace, we pray, joyfully to perform the tasks you give us to do,
knowing that nothing is menial or common that is done for your sake;
through Jesus Christ our Lord,
who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and ever. Amen.

The Temple: The Poetry of George Herbert (Christian Classic)

Hymns

  1. Come, My Way, My Truth, My Life
  2. God of Love My Shepherd Is, The
  3. King of Glory, King of Peace
  4. Let All the World in Every Corner Sing
  5. Teach Me, My God and King

Selected poems

Tuesday in the First Week of Lent

Read – reflect – respond (in prayer, silence, possibly a comment)

Lectio Divina – sacred reading

Matthew 6:7-15

7 [Jesus said] “When you are praying, do not heap up empty phrases as the Gentiles do; for they think that they will be heard because of their many words.

8 Do not be like them, for your Father knows what you need before you ask him.

9 “Pray then in this way: Our Father in heaven, hallowed be your name.

10 Your kingdom come. Your will be done, on earth as it is in heaven.

11 Give us this day our daily bread.

12 And forgive us our debts, as we also have forgiven our debtors.

13 And do not bring us to the time of trial, but rescue us from the evil one.

14 For if you forgive others their trespasses, your heavenly Father will also forgive you;

15 but if you do not forgive others, neither will your Father forgive your trespasses.

Grant to your people, Lord, grace to withstand the temptations of the world, the flesh ad the devil, and with pure hearts and minds to follow you, the only True God; through Jesus Christ our Lord, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and ever. Amen.

Polycarp, Bishop and Martyr of Smyrna, 156

O God, the maker of heaven and earth, who gave to your venerable servant, the holy and gentle Polycarp, boldness to confess Jesus Christ as King and Saviour, and steadfastness to die for his faith: Give us grace, following his example, to share the cup of Christ and rise to eternal life; through Jesus Christ our Lord, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and for ever.

50K followers on Twitter

python

Today, Bill Warner became the 50,000th follower of Liturgy on Twitter. And if you understand how twitter works: @Liturgy is included in nearly a thousand lists!

I don’t know if there is a “typical” follower of @Liturgy, Bill has had nearly four decades of experience in the computer industry, with the last two decades as a CEO. His service to the community include board directorships in the Association for Corporate Growth, Leukemia and Lymphoma Society, Cooperación Ortopédica Americano Nicaragüense and the Triangle Community Foundation’s Entrepreneurial Partnership. Liturgy, this site and blog, the twitter site, and the facebook page, are all about making connections between positive, healthy, intelligent spirituality and the various ordinary and extra-ordinary lives we all lead. I was moved and encouraged by a recent comment in the good discussion on the value of the NRSV:

I enjoy your blog immensely. I only started reading it a few months ago, but it has become one of those blogs where every article is a must-read. For a non-liturgical Protestant seeking more liturgical worship, your blog has been a wonderful find. Thank you for providing this excellent resource.

Thanks to all of you for your support and encouragement.

Is this NZ’s most visited Christian site?

Is Christ God’s avatar?

A week before Christmas, when Christians celebrate God’s incarnation in Christ, the 3D movie Avatar (warning: spoilers follow) took movie-going to a new level in a similar way that Star Wars did in 1977. Although there has been criticism of Avatar’s story content, and even Vatican panning of its spirituality, it is IMO worth drawing ideas from it for Christian spirituality. It may also help in clarifying our own positions.

In this movie, set in 2154, an avatar is a remotely-controlled body. This avatar is composed of human DNA mixed with Na’vi DNA. Jake becomes one of the Na’vi in order for them to understand him better and he them. He falls in love with the Na’vi and specifically with Neytiri. He is willing to give the ultimate sacrifice to save them. There are clear allegorical parallels with the incarnation. But some significant differences, also, that can help clarify Christian understanding of the incarnation.

This is an avatar of an other sentient race – not of God (called “Eywa” by the Na’vi). Often there is confusion about Christ’s incarnation. Many think in terms of Jesus being “son of God” because of the virgin birth story – imaging Jesus as being half human, half divine. The early church settled that Jesus is fully human. All 46 of Jesus’ chromosomes (using contemporary understanding unknown to the biblical writers) are fully human chromosomes. In the movie’s avatar, Jack’s DNA is mixed – human and Na’vi. (As a result of this mixing, the avatars are certainly not fully Na’vi. Avatars have five fingers and toes on their hands and feet. Na’vi only have four.)

Many think in terms of Jesus being “God dressed up” – they would image the child Jesus pretending to learn Aramaic at home and pretending to learn the skills of the family trade, while actually critiquing mistakes in Einstein’s Theory of Relativity. The early church settled that Jesus’ full humanity has no “trap door” to his divinity. He learned just like we do – he does not pretend to be human. In the movie the avatar does not have the Na’vi mind, but the human mind. It is here IMO that we need to make the most careful distinction between the Christian concept of incarnation and the movie’s concept of avatar. Jesus has a created human soul and a created human mind, the early church teaches. That the eternal Word replaced the human soul of Jesus (akin to what happens with the avatar) is the heresy of Apollinarianism. Jesus is not God pretending to be human (docetism), not actually Superman pretending to be the mild-mannered reporter, Clark Kent.

Even the death and resurrection sequence that ends the movie can be used in Christian reflection.

There is much more that is worth reflecting on:

  • Our attitude to, unity with, and responsibility to nature and to all creation
  • Greed
  • Love
  • A lot is clearly intended to be allegorical – eg. the title of the moon “Pandora”
  • a holistic spirituality
  • attitudes to and limitations of technology

Quotes:

“Every person is born twice. The second time is when you are part of your people forever.”
Jake Sully: “Everything is backwards now, like out there is the true world and in here is the dream.”
Sully tells Mo’at (the mother) that he is “empty”. This alludes to US Marines calling themselves “jarhead” in part to mean that their heads are empty.
“I see you” – looking inside a person, not just outside. Cf the biblical “know”.

The art of René Magritte is mentioned in Sigourney Weaver’s description of Pandora. Unacknowledged, however, is the art of Roger Dean, particularly “Floating Islands” and “Arches”:

The Na’vi language was created by linguist Paul Frommer. Around 500 words were created. You can find out more about the language here, on the Pandora wiki being developed.

Anglicans will recognise the cartwheel image of ordination at one point in the movie typical in Anglicanism.

For fun, you can make an avatar of a photo of yourself here. For better or worse, here is mine:

avatar_character

Allusions and connections with other movies: Surrogates, the Matrix, Dances with Wolves, Existenz, The Wizard of Oz,

Please add your thoughts and comments…

There’s probably no God?

bus1_marked

New Zealand is following other countries in having an “atheist bus campaign”. Atheists are raising $NZ10,000 to mimic the UK campaign and place “There’s probably no God. Now stop worrying and enjoy your life” on several buses in major New Zealand cities. Approximately 12 buses in Auckland, 8 in Wellington and 4 in Christchurch will feature the ads for 4 weeks. Television presenter Mike Hosking caught organiser Simon Fisher on the hop with his first question “why bother?” Hosking, who thinks there probably is no God, cannot see the motivation or purpose for the campaign – and Fisher reacted as if he had never thought of this most obvious of questions. That was soon followed by Jo Kelly-Moore, the Vicar of St Aidans, in Remuera, clearly running circles around Fisher’s weak points.

Rather than fear, or tut-tut, this campaign, I welcome the opportunity for some serious dialogue. One of my followers on twitter interestingly pointed out that Fisher’s language echoed the Alpha course. Alpha may be OK for introducing people who have no idea about Christianity to it – but please can we not stay at the level of alpha – please can we move on towards kappa or further. The website of the NZ Atheist Bus Campaign, over which (rather than the soundbite TV debate) they have full control – does not appear to give an adequate definition for “God” which the site is dedicated to stating “probably does not exist”. The discussions, which I am welcoming, may help Christians to move beyond rather simplistic definitions of God (alpha) towards the classical definitions in which God is not merely “a supernatural being” alongside other beings (”supernatural” or “natural”) – as if adding God to this coffee cup results in now having two “objects”. And with the rather regularly trite comment that atheists believe in merely one less god than Christians do… Hence, Christians and other theists, may be enriched by this discussion into deepening the expression of their faith, revisiting the apophatic tradition (alongside the more common kataphatic approach) of Christianity, emphasising the transcendent nature of God (alongside God’s at-Christmas-time-particularly-appropriate immanent nature).

Let’s have some nuanced discussion, rather than the popular Richard Dawkins approach of pitting the best of science against the most simplistic, childish, flat-earth theism, where every few sentences Dawkins drops a clanger demonstrating his lack of reading of any theist up to beta, let alone kappa! Let’s acknowledge the great damage that bad religion and bad theology and bad spirituality have done. But I don’t see Dawkins giving up sex or money just because of the great damage that sex and money have done in human history! And let’s not pretend that Stalin, Pol Pot, and Mao Zedong are particularly good exemplars of the USA version of this campaign which had the slogan: “Why believe in a god? Just be good for goodness’ sake.” Are those atheists an explanation of what “good” means in a world without a god? Can you be good for goodness sake? Or do we need help to be good? And might being good (for goodness sake) be a sign of God – rather than a denial? Fisher’s slight of hand without any explanation, that “atheism” means “humanism” certainly needs justification. It seems to me that it is belief in God and the sacredness of God’s creation that leads to valuing human life – it will take a lot more than a tweet-length bus slogan to convince me that atheism naturally leads to people caring for others as a consequence.

There’s also a need to tidy other definitions:
Theist – believes in God
Atheist – believes there is no God
Agnostic (type A) – believes it is not possible to know
Agnostic (type B) – “I don’t know…”

Also the word “belief” can do with some clarification. Belief in God as a solely cerebral affirmation is a relatively new usage. “I believe in God” is originally more about trust, about commitment – in the sense of I believe in democracy, I believe in the All Blacks. Certainly “I believe in Jesus” has nothing to do with the historicity of Jesus of Nazareth which is accepted by all but the most extreme of scholars – yet popularly, and amongst some young people, they equate belief in Jesus alongside belief in the tooth-fairy, or at this time, Santa.

Alongside the atrocities of religion, let’s also list off some of the positives: art, music, science, technology, literature, genetics (Dawkins take note), the concept of the Big Bang (a real shock originally mocked by atheists), Michelangelo, Leonardo da Vinci, Dante, Shakespeare, Mozart, Bach, Beethoven,…

Alongside the need to clarify the definition of “God”, we are invited to clarify the nature of “God”. “Now stop worrying and enjoy your life” is based on an impression of an almighty punishing ogre in the sky. As Kelly-Moore made crystal clear in the TV interview, nothing could (should!) be further from a Christian perspective of God, a God who is love.

So, in summary, let’s not react against these ads – they are a wonderful opportunity not only to deepen our own reflection, but to clarify the misunderstandings between us. Atheists can be prophets, challenging the idols that Christians present. And just as God does not agree with all done in God’s name – however frequently and fervently God’s name is repeated – so God is not absent from atheists’ lives – however frequently and fervently denied.

If you like the image above, you can drag and drop it into your own blog post
or use the following HTML


You can also produce your own (you can give your version in the comments below)

Comments policy

In passing, spend four minutes listening to Johann Sebastian Bach’s Jesu Joy of Man’s Desiring

Jesu, joy of man’s desiring
Holy wisdom, love most bright
Drawn by Thee, our souls aspiring
Soar to uncreated light
Word of God, our flesh that fashioned
With the fire of life impassioned
Striving still to truth unknown
Soaring, dying round Thy throne

Through the way where hope is guiding
Hark, what peaceful music rings
Where the flock, in Thee confiding
Drink of joy from deathless springs
Theirs is beauty’s fairest pleasure
Theirs is wisdom’s holiest treasure
Thou dost ever lead Thine own
In the love of joys unknown

Lectio Divina

A video in which Fr. Matthew Moretz introduces Lectio Divina.
Click to find my take on Lectio Divina an ancient way of using scripture, the Bible, in prayer.

Social media church 2.0

This is a follow-up to my previous post: social media church
If this is the new world in which we live, how then might church change? How does this affect spirituality?

h/t to my e-friend Lori Deschene who writes:

“It’s easier than ever to reach a large audience, but harder than ever to connect with it.”

Of course it’s hard to connect with an audience that’s consuming so much media on a day-to-day basis.

A few other numbers I found:

  • At the rate we’re producing digital content, about 99.93% of it will not be read or used by anyone.
  • Jonathan Spira, Chief analyst at business research firm Basex estimates that lost productivity due to multitasking (emails, websites, etc) costs the US economy roughly $650 billion annually.
  • According to an IDC survey, people now spend 32.7 hours per week online–equivalent to half the time they spend on all media (70.6 hours). That’s 10 hours a day on average.
  • In a study of 18,000 people, Dave N. Greenfield of The Center for Internet Behavior–in conjunction with ABC News–found that 29% of respondents go online to “alter their mood or escape on a regular basis.”

Reid Goldsborough of Information Today suggests we’ve entered a state of “continuous partial attention” in response to information overload. He further explains that as the level of information input increases, our capacity to process and retain that information decreases.

Technological innovation is changing the way people behave – how are we responding? How could we participate and respond?

hair spirituality

Sixty-six teenage lads at Christ’s College, on their own initiative, sought sponsorship and had their head shaved and raised more than $14,000 for the Cancer Society. These are notes preparing for an address to the school about this.

There’s been remarks about how losing your hair means you look more similar to each other – lose some of your individuality. There’s been a mention that having shaved your hair you carry yourself with a stronger assurance. Or maybe it is that those less self-assured were less likely to offer themselves for this. The regular response to my talking with those of you who have had your head shaved is how sensitive it is; how cold it quickly feels. Some of you are wearing a beanie to bed.

There’s a lot to reflect on about hair. If you are later on looking for a doctorate topic – you could easily do one on hair and on the spirituality of hair. Our attitudes to hair, hair length, hair colour, going grey, long hair, going bald, dyeing hair. What is it like belonging to a school which restricts your hair length and style? Why do grown men shave off their facial hair? Presumably evolutionary psychologists should argue facial hair is attractive to women. When men shave are they making themselves look like pre-pubescent males or more feminine – why would they do that? Is male shaving going against nature? Is it going against what God intends?

In the 1960s there was the musical Hair – prior to the 60s men had short hair, women had long hair – now all that demarcation was mixed up. Gender roles were mixed up from that time also. Why is short hair still part of the military?

What about the religious significance of hair. I was in a Buddhist monastery for some days – learning from them – but left before I had to get my head shaven. Buddhist monks shave their heads. Their close relatives, Hindu sadhus, grow their hair long. Rastafarians have dreadlocks, Chassidic and other Jews do not cut their sideboards (uncut sideburns are called payot) and discourage shaving their beards. Sikhs never cut their hair. Christian women traditionally covered their head in worship and men kept heads uncovered.

The Bible has a great deal to say about hair. Samson’s strength was in his hair and he wasn’t to cut it. He lost his strength when his hair was cut. A Nazarite did not cut hair (Numbers 6:1-21). Jesus is generally imaged with long hair and a beard. But Paul calls long hair on a man degrading, and says it is disgraceful for a woman to cut her hair. Women are forbidden to braid or plat their hair.

Jesus reminds us we cannot change by willpower one hair on our head to turn it from white to black or vise versa. He reminds us that the God who names each of the trillions of stars in our universe has also numbered every hair upon your head. God knows each and every hair on your head.

The Lectionary (part 3)

As promised, this post will provide links to some of the best online resources connected to the lectionary.
The first post gave the history of the lectionary. The second post highlighted advantages of using the lectionary.
One of the huge advantages is that the lectionary has such a wealth of supporting resources. This post will highlight some of these.

The Text this week Amazing collection of resources linked to RCL – new each week. The best starting point.

Revised Common Lectionary comments from Montreal Anglican Diocese

Sarah Laughed A wonderful lectionary blog – not currently being added to, but you can search for earlier reflections.

United Methodist Church Wonderful collection of worship resources
includes hymn and song suggestions

Preaching the Revised Common Lectionary (a subscription list)

SAMUEL from the United Church of Christ.

Creating Worship with Deep Soul developed by Marcia McFee.

Strong Center Open Doors is a new worship planning website by Dan Benedict

Worship Tricks a collection of resources by Jonny Baker, pastor of an emerging congregation in the UK

Sacredise (pronounced “say’-cred-ize”) a South African Methodist worship resource by John Van de Laar

Laughing Bird an Australian lectionary-based liturgical worship resource

HymnSite.com is an online source for Free Hymn Texts, Tunes, and Sheet Music; Lectionary and Psalter Resources; Audio and Data CDs; Free Downloads;

Buildingworship.com Worship Resources including Worship Backgrounds Powerpoint Images and Planning Materials

The Painted Prayerbook is a lectionary commentary with weekly art

Hermanoleon clip art based on the lectionary (you will have seen their art on this site)

Churchpowerpoint.com PowerPoint backgrounds and other slides based on the lectionary

The Work of the People video and stills for lectionary-based worship

Vanderbilt Divinity Library texts, prayers, comments, art for the lectionary

I am sure this is only skimming the surface of what is available to enrich lectionary-based worship – online and generally free. A larger collection of links is provided in my worship and lectionary links section of this site. If you have a site related to spirituality and worship and have linked to this site – please let me know. If appropriate I link back to provide as good as possible list of resources for visitors to this site.

If you have or know of an online lectionary-based resource, please add it to the comments section below.