"Progressive" Christianty

Last night, I didn't sleep as well as usual. I was awake at 4:00 AM. Once I realized that I was "up", I turned on my radio and caught a BBC radio documentary on Gretta Vosper, our United Church "atheist minister." I'm not going to go into a long explanation of Vosper's stance. You can find her on Google. Also check our "Progressive Christianity - Canadian style."

It was a very thorough doc, with some good history of how this came about, and where it is currently headed. The bottom line for me is that Vosper has been instrumental in ripping a congregation apart, and rebuilding it in her own image. They apparently love her. Fine with me. What is troubling is that Vosper is very charismatic, attractive, and well spoken. She has been on a long journey from regular UCC minister to her current "atheist" stance. She makes it sound terribly radical, and she attracts people who appreciate her 'radical' stance. She has expressed her concern that the word "God" carries too much baggage to be useful any longer. She apparently doesn't think the word "atheist" also carries baggage.

Her main thesis appears to be that there is no "Supreme Being" who lives beyond the moon and stars, "up there." Rather than articulating a more contemporary view of God, she abandons the word and the concept, and calls this radical. I find myself thinking, "What? This is radical?" I don't believe many "God fearing" people hold such an antiquated concept any longer. Most that I know, who aren't literalists, understand that although at times we use the old language of "up and down", "here and there", none of us understands that in literal terms. Most understand and accept the concept of evolution in  nature, and in religion!

Speaking only for myself, I think of/understand the concept "God" to refer to that Power or Force that is woven through all the universe, creative and sustaining, and that this force is perceived by humans as Love, or at least Benign toward us. Our forefathers and fore mothers in the faith - the ancient Hebrews - grasped that concept as well, but expressed it in the primitive categories of the day as an anthropomorphic, emotional and powerful "person" or "power" beyond their ability to express this. They used language like "fear", "obey", "trust", "worship",  and  other pretty human terms to describe their experience. Moving that inarticulated concept into our day, we understand that language differently, even if we use it routinely. What is so radical about that?

Vosper is a master (mistress?) of getting attention, so she gets headlines because she puts things in dramatic language. The media loves her, and the UCC squirms around the dilemma of what to do with her. Should she be lauded, or defrocked? Can she today say that she is in  any kind of agreement with the faith statements that she acknowledged at her ordination to ministry decades ago? Does she still meet the requirements of a person in ministry in our faith community?

Personally, I think not, on the basis of what I have read (her books) and heard (through the media). I have no quarrel with her continuing in "ministry" in a congregation that is willing to accept her version of "faith." I don't believe that she still qualifies to be a minister within the faith community that originally ordained her. I think we should send her on her way, with good wishes, but not the "imprimatur" of the Church community of which I am a part. She, and some of her devotees raise the spectre  of 'witch hunt' and 'heresy trial.' Nonsense! She has simply moved outside the bounds of the Judeo-Christian community in which she began. Perhaps in another blog, I will describe 'worship' in her congregation - although I doubt Vosper would deign to call it that. It sounds more like a civil rights meeting, with little reference beyond itself!

Enough for this time. I would appreciate comments and questions on this rant, and/or questions it raises. I'd love to dialogue about this.

Into May

The past few weeks have been…different. For one thing, we are having July weather in May, when there is often snow on the ground. Yesterday, it was 30 degrees, unheard of in this climate. The warm weather has also been uncommonly dry, which is producing calamity in our north.

Near the Tar sands projects, there is major northern city in the midst of boreal forest…very DRY boreal forest. Currently, that city, Fort McMurray, is being burned to the ground. A large part of it is gone, with more to come. This has required the evacuation of over 88000 people, the largest evacuation in Canadian history!

People are flooding into Edmonton and Calgary, and they will need to be there for many weeks, as all basic services are GONE from the city. No power lines, no houses, little water, and flattened houses, some 1600 at last count yesterday. The chaos is unbelievable. The orderly movement of all those people, most by the only road connecting  Ft. Mac with the outside world. Today, some flights from industry camps brought a few thousand out. The highway passes through the city, and is not yet clear of fire on both sides of the road. So far, no injuries or deaths via fire - a minor miracle in my view.

By comparison, my life is smooth and easy. I swim every morning, alongside grade school kids taking lessons, and uproarious noise…which is wonderfully reassuring. Last evening I walked through our home and wondered what it would feel like to have ALL of it taken away in an afternoon by a wildfire. It was an overwhelming feeling. I had to stop that. It was unnerving. I felt for those northerners whose lives have been changes irrevocably…all 88000 plus!

If you are to pick up any Canadian CBC stations, you can stay abreast of it all. I posted on my face book page, some photos and videos of the fire. Look for "James J. Strachan" to find it. I will friend you so you can see what I'm talking about. Some of it may be on You Tube as well.

Enough for now. I hope to be back soon with more good stuff next time.

Oh! One more thing…

I forgot to tell you one more thing that has been big in my life for the past two or three weeks. Beatrix has been reading The Obesity Code, which focuses on insulin control, and thus deal with weight gain and loss. She began reading and practicing as a way of managing her weight, which is, apparently, very difficult to manage. She loses weight ever so slowly, or not at all, no matter how she diets.

Part of this practise involves periodic fasting - liquids only, no sugars or solids, for up to 36 hours. She is doing this two days weekly, Mondays and Thursdays. I have not fasted since the days of my running, some thirty years ion the past. I decided to join her. I wanted to lose 7 or 8 lbs. living on liquids alone for a day.

This has been going quite well. What started as a physical practise is turning out to be a much more profound experience. For one thing, living on liquids alone for a day sharpens the mind. It also frees up time and energy - which surprised me. For example, on fast days, I swim  more easily and with less fatigue than on days  when I eat solids! This has been a great surprise to m.

Another learning is that I am able to live quite comfortably on five days food each week. I don't overeat after a day of fasting, and I sleep better. Although I wouldn't call it a spiritual practise yet, there is no doubt that fasting has an impact on me that is far deeper than mere physical "doing without." I will keep you posted on this situation over time.

April

It has been a fantastically warm month - a record for this part of the world. The snow has been gone for weeks, and it has been 20° C more than once, a temperature unheard of in this region. It has been  great month for me, so far. My daily swim has been exciting, since the grade school kids have been taking lessons in the pool tight next to my swimming lane. This has made the pool sound like a day at the beach, with shrieking kids having a ball learning to swim. Some of them actually notice me! One little girl, after watching me swim for 30 minutes, came up to me with an amazed look, and said, "You do really good out there!" I guess she marvelled at such an aged person swimming back and forth, back and forth. Another grade two tyke (7 years old) looked at me intensely and asked, "How old are you?" Like perhaps someone so ancient shouldn't be in the pool. I told her I was very, very old.

The Red Cross swimming instructors, all of them my lifeguards, are terrific with kids. They give lots of themselves to the wee ones. I bring them treats once or twice a week to show them my appreciation. This program will go on until mid-May. I love it! I am swimming more front crawl lengths than earlier, and getting stronger at it. Thirty minutes a day, seven days a week. I do miss walking, but I'm not prepared to give up the pool to walk.

Another bit of excitement for me is my dream life! I haven't dreamt so often and so consistently for years. And the dreams are bazaar and highly symbolic. I tell them to Beatrix as soon as we're up, because they fade from memory very quickly. Sometimes I spend half the day interpreting them for myself. I wish there was a dream group I could join, like in the old days in Winnipeg, when we met every week to share dreams and work on them. My dreams have involved my children horses, people of Turkish extraction, small towns nearby, and road trips. So far, no erotic dreams.( Sorry)

I am looking forward to Jennifer and Balou's visit this August. He and I are cooking up a prank to pull on my conservative and racist coffee mates. Balou being brown, will be my ace! I have missed visiting Caley and Joe and kids this winter. Surgery in February screwed up my normal travel schedule this year. Looking forward to doing better in the coming months, after summer. With Beatrix retiring in June, we are making no vacation plans yet, although we'd both like to visit Lethbridge, since I have only been there for meetings, and Beatrix spent part of her childhood there. On this subject, "more anon", as Grandma Black used to say.

That's about all I have to add at the moment, so I'll stop until the muse hits again.

Hello again…

March 26…over a month since I last wrote. Sloth? Distraction? A lot has been happening in my little life over the past month. We took our teen aged snow shovelers out for dinner, and watched a gorgeous and fit 16 year old swimmer eat a MOUNTAIN of food. We had a great visit, and realized that these two young women are "surrogate grand daughters" for us!

We spent a night in Edmonton, and attended a burlesque show, which included our friend Erin. A whole different world for us, but very enjoyable! We have watched the "winter" act more like spring, encouraging some of our acquaintances to begin GARDENING…in March!

I am keeping up my swimming routine - 30 minutes every day, about 30 lengths, closing in on a kilometre, 40 lengths. I've pretty well stopped walking for the present. Swimming is a lot more strenuous, without prompting any more angina. In fact, my MD is wondering if I have angina at all, given the total absence of attacks since one in November.

Both of us are still culling books and clothes in preparation for a move to Wetaskiwin, even though it is many months in the future. Shucking off books is difficult, when each one…all of them left have been read…are like old friends, marked and noted as they are.

One of the most miserable aspects of being 80 plus is the way pulled muscles heal…or don't. I have 'fragile' shoulders, and regularly pull rotator cuff ligaments. They take forever to heal, and I have to work on them regularly. The upside is that I have a fresh physio, an absolutely gorgeous member of the Butterfield family - local legends in the rodeo field. Getting treatment is a treat!

Nothing much else goes on in my life, other than fascinating reading about the first world war, and another Scandinavian murder mystery. A few weeks ago, I started watching "Suits", a TV series about high-flying New York lawyers. Quite fascinating to tag along in a world which is completely foreign to me. This prompted me to look up the bio on Jian Ghomeshi's lawyer, Marie Henien. She is probably the top criminal defence lawyer in Canada. She is Egyptian born, and an absolute barracuda in the courtroom. Although I am sorry he was not convicted, I can see why when I read about his lawyer's reputation. Perhaps they can catch him in the second sex abuse trial, coming in a few months. Anyone in the witness box will have to be shaking in their boots, to face cross examination by this woman.

Next Sunday - April 3 - I am responsible for worship at Rimbey. Lately, I have been having a very hard time getting down to work preparing for worship - a new experience for me. Perhaps it's my mind and body telling me that it's time to stop this in my advanced years. I have yet to decide if I agree with that. Time will tell. Anyway, I'm off to go to court with Mike Ross, the lead in Suits. More anon, as Grandma Black always said.

Midwinter?

We are closing in on the end of February, and the local temperature is consistently above 0 Celcius by mid day! Not a typical prairie winter, and a bit unnerving. I keep wondering what the weather will be like in April, when it should be spring. One impact of global warming appears to be the distorting of typical weather patterns. I hear people celebrating our current balmy weather, but as one who consistently sees the glass half empty, I keep thinking of the long term outcome of these changes.

February has been a scrambled month so far. Earlier in February, I had some surgery and was in hospital for two and a half days. I wonder how serious the surgery would have to be to keep you in hospital for a week, or two weeks? A few years back, when I had a triple bypass and a valve replacement, I was hospitalized for less than a week! I fantasize at times about drive-through surgery coming in a decade or two!

I have been fussing about my inaction. Post surgery, I am barred from the swimming pool for a month by my surgeon. Strenuous exercise is off the table until mid-March! I'm finding this difficult, as exercise is a mainstay of my life. I'd like some involvement in the community, but feel my lack of energy interfering with that desire. I need to look at options more diligently. I feel like I have something to offer, but don't have the energy for much.

For the last month or so I've been reading fiction. Mostly Ian Rankin and Jo Nesbo, light but interesting stuff. I'm waiting for more Rankin to arrive by mail, but also a new theological book. Perhaps I'll get back into some kind of a groove if I real John B. Cobb for awhile. It's called "Talking about God…" and I'm looking for it to provide some ammo to deal with the current rage of so-called "progressive theology," which sounds  bit like the 70's stuff about God being dead. The more things change, the more they become the same…

Back again, finally!

Can you believe it? A month with no blog. I'm embarrassed. It's not like nothing has been happening. It's just that my "routine" seems to leave little time for writing. Or else I am slothful. Possibly. Actually, for sure!

Let's see…mostly mild weather all month; no -30 days yet. I have kept up the week-day swimming  with no angina mishaps. I just get tired after a half hour. I have rarely attempted a 45 minute swim, although I still have "plans" to do it in two parts, 25 minutes, rest, then 20 minutes. Sounds good when I say it. Feels different in the pool when I get to 25 minutes. I can hardly wait for the next five to be over so I can stop! Sloth? Lack of determination, mostly.

On the medical front, I finally had the cystoscopy, and that confirmed another surgery is coming on February 16, as I suspected. Not exactly major surgery, but serious enough. I've had two of these before, once in 1991, another a few years ago (I can't remember the year). That will mean three of four nights in the Red Deer Hospital - not my favourite place. I imagine a few more days at home, then back to normal. It says here.

Of more concern to me than physical sloth is the fact that I am having a difficult time focusing on anything as far as writing goes. Columns are hard now, as well as preparing for Sunday worship. Perhaps my rain telling me that, at 81, it's time to stop this stuff. I actually don't want to hear that. I'd like to keep on, but I am not sure where to find the motivation, or energy.

I keep looking at the books I need to cull, as well as my closet that needs weeding, but neither get done. I'm reading a lot. At the moment a really interesting book entitled What Soldiers Do. It's about (so far) the bad behaviour of the US army in France after the Normandy invasion in 1944. The researcher maintains that Yankee troops were much more destructive and contemptuous of the French than either the Brits or the Canadians. Lots of robbery, rape and general mayhem, with little intervention by the US military command. The author goes on examine the US attitude to France generally after the 1940 surrender of the French Army. Quite a fascinating read for a history buff.

We are slowly refocusing our attention on the move to Wetaskiwin. That won't happen for awhile, but many of our in-house actions move us in that direction. People who know are AMAZED that we don't plan on staying in Ponoka after Beatrix retires. I have to bite my tongue to keep from saying "What would hold us here, in a community that is so conservative and (frankly) racist?" Wetaskiwin has three big factors in its favour. Our doctor is there, they have a great hospital, and a brand spanking new swimming pool! What more could I want?