persecution complex

http://www.macon.com/mld/telegraph/living/religion/12486522.htm

If the evanjellies ARE being persecuted, they deserve it. But really, I think the whole complex is ridiculous. Being ridiculed for being stupid isn't really persecution...it's being exposed for what you are.

Sola Scriptura

Sola Scriptura is probably the most misunderstood of the Reformation doctrines. One one side you have the papists, who denounce this doctrine with disdain, putting Tradition on a level above Scripture. On the other hand, there are the modern evanjelly churches, who have twisted this doctrine to such an extent that it is unrecognizable. In effect, the modern view of Sola Scriptura, on both sides of the argument, is that the doctrine allows each person to formulate his own views. This is one of the main reasons why there are so many sects today.

This is not, however, the classic understanding, and it is not what the Reformers promoted. The witness and authority of Scripture is to be placed above all other sources, but it is not to be interpreted by each man individually. Scripture is to be interpreted by the collective witness of the Church and the Traditional doctrines passed down through the Fathers and Ecumenical Councils. To do otherwise is to abandon all tradition, which is sadly becoming more common today. Relevance can go to hell. Scripture and the traditional understanding of it must be upheld.

Choir

Since I can't think of anything interesting to write about, you all can read about my life instead. ;-) I auditioned into the civic chorus, as an alto. First rehearsal, the conductor had us learning Mozart's Requiem, as well as one of Bach's Christmas cantatas. (Being able to read music well is a prerequisite for the choir.) That was fun. Also, a trip to DC to sing opera choruses with the National Philharmonic is scheduled over spring break. Now I just have to convince my parents to let me go...

Stamps

Yay! I have internet again. I survived an entire weekend without it. Unbelievable. In the meantime, I decided to use my hours of free time to finish organizing all the loose stamps I had lying in a shoebox under my bed for who knows how long, ever since a friend of my dad's gave me a huge grocery bag of them. I found some awfully old ones. In fact, they looked so old that I checked them against my catalog. One, kind of faded, is from 1894. Another, in excellent condition, is from 1915. w00t.

Picture to go with previous post...

...because I was absent-minded and forgot.

Mary, Mother of God

The Theotokos Mary is probably one of the most controversial saint in the Church. From the Romans who bow down to statues of her, to the Jack Chick types who condemn her as some type of false goddess. Whatever the responses though, she is given an important position in Scripture, beginning with the angel (Hail Mary...). However, we are not to focus on her for her own sake, but that she points to Christ. In Scripture, the few mentions we have of Mary, she is always pointing to her Son. In this way, the most common icon of Mary shows her holding the infant Jesus on her lap, and pointing to Him.

That is what the title "Mother of God" is all about. It is not to elevate Mary to a position higher than God, but to point to Christ Himself, showing that He was indeed a man, and not simply a spirit appearing as a man. It is unfortunate today that so many today have so little respect for Mary, and so little knowledge of the reasons behind her titles. (The utter disrespect of tradition in the modern church is frightening.)

Honor Mary. But above all, honor her Son.

School

Classes start up again next week. I'm ready - summer is getting boring. Class list:

- Organic Chemistry 1
- Biology 1
- Bio Lab 1
- Music Theory 3
- Musical Styles
- Organ
- Accompanying
- Recital Attendance

I'm also going to be trying out for the Civic Chorus.

Another reason I want school to start up again - I'm curious to see what my organ teacher (ELCA) thinks of the new ELCA hymnal that's being proposed. She's just as much a stickler for traditional liturgy and hymns as I am.

ELCA and Gays

Well, the proposition to ordain gay clergy failed. The vote was almost 50-50 though, so it doesn't look like it's the end of the issue. :-(

The resolution on blessing same-sex couples also failed, but in a round-about way. The wording was changed to affirm current practice, and expresses "trust" in pastors ministering to gays and lesbians.

Why can't we just leave this whole stupid issue alone and go on to more important things? Like making sure they don't butcher the hymnal.

Photoshop

I've been fooling around with Photoshop again. :-) (Click on image to see it full size.)

Paradise Lost

I just finished reading Paradise Lost. It's an excellent piece of literature, that everyone should read. If the title isn't obvious, it's a narrative (a very long one) about the fall of Adam and Eve.

The narrative starts in the classic style, in the middle of the action. The first scene in the poem shows Satan and his angels waking up to find themselves in hell, and how they establish a kingdom there, and vow revenge on God. There are flashbacks later that relate the events up to that time. Satan himself is a very three dimensional character, cast in an almost sympathetic light.

It's rather hard to say from what persective Milton is writing from; some parts are very Lutheran, while other parts are more Catholic. Overall, if you can stand poetry and funky spelling, it's a good read.

ELCA Churchwide Assembly

The ELCA Churchwide Assembly is meeting in Orlando this week, beginning tomorrow. Daily updates will be posted on their website. Pray that they will make the right decisions (for once). And maybe also that they'll decide the hymnal they're working on is crap and that they need to start over on it. ;-)

Lutheran Carnival

Lutheran Carnival.

Procrastination

I just spent all after noon watching Lord of the Rings. The 2nd half of FOTR, and all of the Two Towers, to be exact. Consequently, the only thing in my mind is the hotness of Elijah Wood, and I cannot give an interesting post unless you want me to quote the Two Towers verbatim. ;-)

Megachuches

An Interesting take on megachurches.

Cyrillic

I'm bored. I've also had someone tell me that Cyrillic letters look like gibberish. Put them together, and you get this post. You now have no excuse.

Vowels

a = ah
e = eh
i = ee
o = oh
ю = you
и = "i" in "sit"
й = y (hard sound)
є = yeh
ї = yee
у = oo
я = yah

Consonants

Б,б = b
в = v
г = voiced "h"
ґ = g (rarely seen)
д = d
ж = zh
з = z
к = k
л = l
м = m
н = n
п = p
р = r
с = s
т = t
ф = f
х = h (voiced as in "Bach")
ч = ch
ш = sh
щ = shch
ц = ts


Special

ь = "soft sound" - works rather like the symbol above the n in "El nino". Used together with a consonant.

Of course, once you get into cursive script, the letters look completely different. ;-)

Theological Miscellany

I picked up this book at the bookstore a while back: A Theological Miscellany by T.J. McTavish. It includes everything you wanted to know (and didn't) related to Christianity and theology. Including:

- The 5 points of Arminianism and Calvinism
- Major heresies of early Christendom
- Possible outline of the early liturgy
- Nasty popes
- Methodist branches in the US

It's also a lot easier to read than Luther. ;-)

Requiem

I was listening to Mozart's Requiem today. Beautiful piece. The Lacrimosa is particularly moving. It's difficult to understand the words when sung, but looking through the insert on the CD, I found some nice verses. Translation given was more poetically rendered than accurate though. =p

Quid sum miser tunc dicturus?
Quem patronum rogaturus,
cum vix iustus sit securus?

Rex tremendae majestatis
qui salvandos salvas gratis,
salva me, fons pietatis.