Rom 8:12-17 NIV 12 Therefore, brothers and sisters, we have an obligation-- but it is not to the flesh, to live according to it. 13 For if you live according to the flesh, you will die; but if by the Spirit you put to death the misdeeds of the body, you will live. 14 For those who are led by the Spirit of God are the children of God. 15 The Spirit you received does not make you slaves, so that you live in fear again; rather, the Spirit you received brought about your adoption to sonship.[a] And by him we cry, “Abba,[b] Father.” 16 The Spirit himself testifies with our spirit that we are God’s children. 17 Now if we are children, then we are heirs—heirs of God and co-heirs with Christ, if indeed we share in his sufferings in order that we may also share in his glory. Imagine you're back in Sunday School playing a Bible trivia game. You get the question, "Where is the word Trinity mentioned in the Bible?" Feeling stumped, you remember that your church talks about the Trinity, and you figure it's probably somewhere in the New Testament. You guess, "the Gospels?" only to be shocked by the answer: "The Trinity is not explicitly mentioned in the Bible." This revelation can be surprising, not just in a trivia game but at any time. It may be unexpected to learn that the Bible does not mention the word ‘Trinity’ or lays out the exact understanding as we have today. However, thanks to the early Church and many years of councils and theological reasoning, we now understand God as Trinity: Father/Mother, Son, and Holy Spirit. This concept of God as three in one is what we celebrate on Trinity Sunday, and it is a foundational mystery of the Christian Church. The early Church used the Greek word perichoresis (meaning rotation) to describe the interrelationship between Christ’s divine and human natures, and it was later used to describe the relationship within the Trinity. Today, as a reference back to this, many people refer to the “dance of the Trinity,” to represent the three persons of the Trinity rotating so quickly they become one. The dance of the Trinity illustrates perfect love, with all members loving each other since before time began. One of the Trinity’s first acts of love was creation: God the Father spoke the Word, Jesus, and the Spirit hovered over the waters. By God’s Word, through the Spirit, the cosmos, earth, plants, animals, and humans were created. All life is marked by the image of the Trinity and sustained by God's devotion. The Trinity not only creates but also deifies, promising that humans and the earth will be made new again, divine with God. While the Trinity is not explicitly mentioned in the Bible, its presence is woven throughout the Scriptures. In today's lectionary passages, we learn that Jesus is from God and that to enter the Kingdom of God, one must be born of the Spirit (John 3:1-17). We also learn from John 12:41 that in Isaiah’s vision (Isaiah 6:1-8), Isaiah was actually seeing Jesus.
Romans 8:12-17 provides a beautiful image of the Trinity at work. When a person chooses to live by the Spirit and reject the desires of the flesh, they become free from death and sin, living in freedom as children of God. We often think that when we indulge in lust, greed, power, fear, and pride, we are free to make our own choices. In reality, we are enslaved by these sins. The decision to live by the flesh harms all of creation, often by using it for our own personal benefit, exploiting its life and the web of connectedness to it, indirectly harming ourselves as well. True freedom comes from living in the Spirit, characterized by love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control. This freedom in the Spirit makes us adopted children of God, just as Jesus is God’s Son. We become God’s daughters and sons, freed from fear, forgiven of our past, and secure in our future with God through the Holy Spirit in Christ. In this way, we enter into the dance of the Trinity, living as Christ’s representatives in the world, empowered by the Spirit. As children of God, we share in the joy of creating and deification with God, just as creation shares these joys through its constant new life and sustaining presence. Through the Spirit, we can bring the Kingdom of God here and now through every life giving act of love. Romans 8:12-17 reminds us that this love may bring suffering, but it allows us to experience the glory of the Triune God. As we embrace this profound mystery, let us live out the call to be agents of God's love in this divine dance with God and creation, reflecting the unity and love of the Trinity in our daily lives. If you want to learn more about the Trinity: https://www.worldhistory.org/Trinity/#google_vignette Caroline Hiler is a Seminary Intern at Creation Justice Ministries.
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Molly Johnson (MJ) spoke with Sarah Augustine (SA) and Sheri Hostetler (SH) on their work with the Coalition to Dismantle the Doctrine of Discovery. Their leadership is a shining example of action for climate justice and faithful resilience.
MJ: What would you tell someone interested in pursuing a similar vision as you? And how could they get involved in your work? SA: Join us if you want to! Or if you want to do your own thing, how can we support you? We are rapidly growing and work with the Episcopal Church, Methodist Church, United Church of Christ, Evangelical Lutherans, Catholic communities and more. We create resources because we want to change the world, so we want to collaborate with you! Learn more. This blogpost is part of our Faithful Resilience Series. For more resources and information about Faithful Resilience, visit creationjustice.org/resilience.
by Ashtyn Adams Psalm 23 (CEB) |
But there were two ingredients included in the mix that are not always present in such a group of artists – humility and affection. These modern-day psalmists came together and were able to be collaborative co-creators by leaving their egos at the door. Consequently, their interconnected kinship with each other and fellow members of Creation was keenly felt. Perhaps this is the first step for all of us in our own creative responses on behalf of creation justice. Creation is not only waiting for us. Creation believes in us and knows that we are capable of doing what it will take to mend, heal, and repair this farm called Earth. One way we can do that today is by supporting Creation Justice Ministries through a financial gift. Please join me as you are able. |
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Contact:
Rev. Dr. Leah D. Schade, Lexington Theological Seminary
- [email protected] • 610-420-6861
- [email protected] • 207-400-6262
- [email protected] • 785-217-6784
Lexington, Ky. – Lexington Theological Seminary (LTS) has received a $1.25 million grant from Lilly Endowment Inc. for their project, “Compelling Preaching for a Climate-Changed World.” LTS will partner with The BTS Center and Creation Justice Ministries on the initiative that aims to equip preachers with training, resources, support networks, and research for addressing the urgency of the climate crisis and other environmental issues.
The effort is being funded through Lilly Endowment’s Compelling Preaching Initiative. The aim of the initiative is to foster and support preaching that better inspires, encourages, and guides people to come to know and love God and to live out their Christian faith more fully.
The Compelling Preaching for a Climate-Changed World initiative builds on a pilot project in 2022-23 called the EcoPreacher Cohort which engaged more than 100 participants in a year-long program of monthly gatherings equipping preachers for spiritual leadership during this time of climate and environmental crisis. The grant will allow for building and expanding this program over the next five years through sermon coaching groups, peer networks, workshops and webinars, and an online digital resource hub with text studies, preaching helps, and model sermons. The project will also include a research component studying clergy and congregations to better understand how preachers are responding to the challenges of a climate-changed world and how the skills and resources provided by the program can be utilized throughout the church.
Program Coordinator, Leah D. Schade, associate professor of preaching and worship at Lexington, notes, “Christian communities must claim our role in addressing the climate and environmental crisis, and preaching plays a critical part in this effort. This grant will allow us to inspire more robust engagement with preachers and congregations to effectively reach and benefit increasingly diverse audiences both within and beyond congregations.”
Lexington Theological Seminary is one of 142 organizations that are receiving grants through the Compelling Preaching Initiative. Reflecting the diversity of Christianity in the United States, the organizations are affiliated with mainline Protestant, evangelical, Catholic, Orthodox Christian and Pentecostal faith communities. Many of the organizations are rooted in Black church, Hispanic and Asian Christian traditions.
Allen Ewing-Merrill, executive director of The BTS Center, explains, “Preachers need to be equipped with skills, peer support, and resources to address the challenges and opportunities of our time. Our purpose in this project is not just to help clergy preach about climate change well; rather, our purpose is to help preachers preach well in a climate-changed world.”
Avery Davis Lamb, co-executive director of Creation Justice Ministries, notes, “One of the most urgent features of our changing world is the accelerating reality of climate change, manifested ever more concretely in the form of extreme weather events, biodiversity loss, warming temperatures, and rapidly rising levels of climate anxiety, especially among younger generations, all of which disproportionately impacts vulnerable and historically marginalized communities. So, our program is designed to be scalable and sustainably supported by a network of denominational, organizational, and theological education partners.”
Lexington Theological Seminary President Charisse Gillet adds, “As churches face a critical inflection point, we are excited to support this innovative program grounded in the belief that God is inviting Christian leaders to claim a renewed sense of vocation. Thanks to the Lilly Endowment, we will be able to equip and encourage faith leaders and congregations to step into the realities of an evolving church and a changing world with curiosity and faith; to ask big questions about what it means to be the church in a climate-changed world; and to embrace the call to preach the gospel in ways that nurture spiritual and ecological imagination.”
Those interested in applying for the next EcoPreacher Cohort can visit https://www.creationjustice.org/ecopreacher.html to learn more.
About Lilly Endowment Inc.
Lilly Endowment Inc. is a private foundation created in 1937 by J.K. Lilly Sr. and his sons Eli and J.K. Jr. through gifts of stock in their pharmaceutical business, Eli Lilly and Company. While those gifts remain the financial bedrock of the Endowment, it is a separate entity from the company, with a distinct governing board, staff and location. In keeping with the founders’ wishes, the Endowment supports the causes of community development, education and religion and maintains a special commitment to its hometown, Indianapolis, and home state, Indiana. A principal aim of the Endowment’s religion grantmaking is to deepen and enrich the lives of Christians in the United States, primarily by seeking out and supporting efforts that enhance the vitality of congregations and strengthen the pastoral and lay leadership of Christian communities. The Endowment also seeks to improve public understanding of diverse religious traditions by supporting fair and accurate portrayals of the role religion plays in the United States and across the globe.
About Lexington Theological Seminary
Lexington Theological Seminary is an accredited graduate theological institution of the Christian Church (Disciples of Christ). Consistent with the Disciples’ historic commitment to Christian unity, the Seminary is intentionally ecumenical with students, faculty, staff and trustees of various denominations. The mission of Lexington Theological Seminary is to prepare faithful leaders for the church of Jesus Christ and, thus, to strengthen the church’s participation in God’s mission for the world.
About The BTS Center
The BTS Center is a 501(c)(3) private operating foundation in Portland, Maine, building on the legacy of the former Bangor Theological Seminary. Today BTS seeks to catalyze spiritual imagination, with enduring wisdom, for transformative faith leadership.
About Creation Justice Ministries
Creation Justice Ministries is a fiscally-sponsored project of Disciples Home Missions of the Christian Church, Disciples of Christ. With ecumenical roots in the National Council of Churches, CJM’s mission is to educate, equip and mobilize communions and denominations, congregations, and individuals to protect, restore, and rightly share God's creation.
Acts 4:32-35 (NRSV)
32 Now the whole group of those who believed were of one heart and soul, and no one claimed private ownership of any possessions, but everything they owned was held in common. 33 With great power the apostles gave their testimony to the resurrection of the Lord Jesus, and great grace was upon them all. 34 There was not a needy person among them, for as many as owned lands or houses sold them and brought the proceeds of what was sold. 35 They laid it at the apostles' feet, and it was distributed to each as any had need.
At the heart of the liberative movement of the followers of “The Way,” as they were known at the time, was the affirmation of God as Creator of the good creation.
https://sojo.net/magazine/november-2023/good-news-about-money
https://cac.org/daily-meditations/jesus-started-a-movement-2022-11-14/
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Isaiah 25:6-9 (CEB)
6 On this mountain,
the Lord of heavenly forces will prepare for all peoples
a rich feast, a feast of choice wines,
of select foods rich in flavor,
of choice wines well refined.
7 He will swallow up on this mountain the veil that is veiling all peoples,
the shroud enshrouding all nations.
8 He will swallow up death forever.
The Lord God will wipe tears from every face;
he will remove his people’s disgrace from off the whole earth,
for the Lord has spoken.
9 They will say on that day, “Look! This is our God,
for whom we have waited--
and he has saved us!
This is the Lord, for whom we have waited;
let’s be glad and rejoice in his salvation!”
God is neither aloof nor distanced from his creation, but wrapped up in the many layers of it, cozily familiar with the stuff of the land.
Jesus was often accused of being a glutton and a drunkard because the practices and images of feasting were so central to understanding the Kingdom of God.
Norman Wirzba, Food and Faith: A Theology of Eating (New York: Cambridge University Press, 2011).
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John 12:12-16 (NRSV)
12 The next day the great crowd that had come to the festival heard that Jesus was coming to Jerusalem. 13 So they took branches of palm trees and went out to meet him, shouting, "Hosanna! Blessed is the one who comes in the name of the Lord-- the King of Israel!" 14 Jesus found a young donkey and sat on it; as it is written: 15 "Do not be afraid, daughter of Zion. Look, your king is coming, sitting on a donkey's colt!" 16 His disciples did not understand these things at first; but when Jesus was glorified, then they remembered that these things had been written of him and had been done to him.
We must actively remember the kind of King we follow and dispel the myth that humanity is alienated from its material environment, that we can relate to God without it. Sin, as Williams defines it, is willed isolation
* Maria Skobtsova was a pioneer in the French resistance of WWII, working with refugees and destitutes, and courageously defending Jews. She was executed, taking the place of another woman, at the Ravensbruck concentration camp in 1945. Her martyrdom is widely recognized and she was canonized as a saint in the Orthodox Church in 2004.
Books:
Rowan Williams, Looking East in Winter: Contemporary Thought and the Eastern Christian Tradition (London: Bloomsbury Continuum, 2021).
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Psalm 51:1-12 (NRSV)
1 Have mercy on me, O God, according to your steadfast love; according to your abundant mercy, blot out my transgressions. 2 Wash me thoroughly from my iniquity, and cleanse me from my sin. 3 For I know my transgressions, and my sin is ever before me. 4 Against you, you alone, have I sinned and done what is evil in your sight, so that you are justified in your sentence and blameless when you pass judgment. 5 Indeed, I was born guilty, a sinner when my mother conceived me. 6 You desire truth in the inward being; therefore teach me wisdom in my secret heart. 7 Purge me with hyssop, and I shall be clean; wash me, and I shall be whiter than snow. 8 Let me hear joy and gladness; let the bones that you have crushed rejoice.
9 Hide your face from my sins, and blot out all my iniquities. 10 Create in me a clean heart, O God, and put a new and right spirit within me. 11 Do not cast me away from your presence, and do not take your holy spirit from me. 12 Restore to me the joy of your salvation, and sustain in me a willing spirit.
Zenger, Erich, Frank-Lothar Hossfeld, and Linda M. Maloney. “Psalm 51.” In Psalms 2: A Commentary on Psalms 51-100, edited by Klaus Baltzer, 11–25. 1517 Media, 2005. https://doi.org/10.2307/j.ctvb6v84t.9.
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About this Blog
This blog shares the activities of Creation Justice Ministries. We educate and equip Christians to protect, restore, and rightly share God's creation.
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