When It Comes to “Materials”, How Dark Is Too Dark?

Lyra is a little girl, chosen by destiny for some great purpose. Her uncle, Lord Asriel, who is actually her father, has discovered a way to connect the parallel universes and is gathering from all of them an army of angels, witches, armored bears, and who or whatever else will join in his great military campaign. The Church, in all the universes, along with many angels and others, supports the authority of the Authority. And the Authority, as it turns out, is God, or actually a broken down old angel named Yahweh, who has been pretending to be God. You see, he rebelled gazillions of years ago and won the Battle of Heaven and, since then, has devoted his energies to misleading everyone about who he really is, and to ruining everything with all his evil laws. But now he is old and decrepit, and only wants it all to be over. And Lyra’s friend, Will, has been chosen by destiny to kill this pretender God, or actually just free him and allow him to die.

Lyra’s destiny is to let all the souls out of the World of the Dead, the scariest of all the parallel universes, so that they can finally really die and become one with everything. She and Will, and Lord Asriel and his army, manage to win their respective battles. This reverses the Battle of Heaven that we always thought was started by Lucifer (the Devil) who fought against the real God who created the one and only universe, but was actually started by this phony God, Yahweh, who was just an angel who wanted to be the boss of everyone.

In the end, God is dead, Lord Asriel is dead, the souls of the dead, which haven’t been quite dead, are dead and dying, which is a good thing, and Will and Lyra are back in their own separate and parallel universes. Though they are broken hearted to be separated, everything is much better because now there is no God, or at least not one who tries to be the Authority and tell everyone what to do.

If all this sounds complicated, it is. And I left out oodles of stuff that’s absolutely essential to the story such as Mrs. Coulter who is Lyra’s mother, the Gyptians, Mary Malone who has an amber spyglass so she can see Dust, harpies, mulefas who are sort of elephants on wheels, and Dust itself which is actually what started the whole business in the first place and turns out to be sin. At least I think that’s what it turns out to be.

I admit that this description of Philip Pullman’s novel, His Dark Materials, is grossly unfair. It’s a three volume story after all, and like Richard Wagner’s great opera, The Ring of the Nibelung, it’s actually much better than it sounds. It’s also a children’s story and, being an adult, I probably missed the point entirely. At any rate, I doubt if I spoiled the plot for anyone who hasn’t read it yet.

The idea that the God Christians and Jews worship, Yahweh by name, is an evil control freak, and must be destroyed, or at least ignored, if people are to live fulfilled lives, is at least as old as humanity, and some say even older. But to teach it to children by making it the premise of a children’s story is a bit of a new twist. And the fact that this story has been published and is being made into a series of motion pictures indicates that there has been a significant cultural shift in recent years. So, how should Christian people engage an idea of this sort? On one extreme I suppose we might try boycotts and book burnings; on the other perhaps we should just lighten up and take a valium? What do you think?

The Cross and the Lynching Tree

Because in recent generations our preachers have been domesticated, we don’t recognize prophetic preaching when we hear it. It grates upon our ears and seems inappropriate in the pulpit of a church. We speak derisively of “fire and brimstone preaching” because, if we ever hear it at all, it’s mean-spirited and arrogant, focused on matters of little consequence. But, when a real prophet holds forth, under the power of the Holy Spirit, with the passion and compassion appropriate to the enterprise, individual lives and entire societies are challenged, and sometimes changed.

And prophetic words are not the province of the preacher alone. Poets, lyricists, novelists, journalists, all who choose words as their medium of expression, are potential channels of the prophetic voice. This is why we protect words, specifically granting freedom of speech; not because we like to hear those with whom we disagree, but because we know instinctively that we so often need to hear what we don’t want to hear.

James Cone, a professor of Systematic Theology at Union Theological Seminary in New York City, is one of the prophetic voices that has shaped Jeremiah Wright. He is an advocate of Black Liberation Theology and, therefore, says an awful lot of things an awful lot of folks don’t want to hear. But “professor” derives from “prophet” and Dr. Cone takes his calling seriously. His book The Cross and the Lynching Tree is a prophetic call to black and white America to come to term with this bitter history of abuse that divides and unites them, and to find redemption and reconciliation. This is the calling of the prophet.

Again I direct you to an interview by Bill Moyers as he explores The Cross and the Lynching Tree with its author. Check it out: part one and part two. This is the prophetic voice of the church in America. Where is it in our own country?

Burning the Scroll

In the Book of Jeremiah, chapter 36, we read that the prophet dictated a scroll to Baruch, his secretary, and told him to read it to the people in the Temple in Jerusalem. The essence of the message was very harsh; the Lord is displeased with the nation and, as a result, our demise at the hands of the Babylonians is only a matter of time. In other words, our chickens are coming home to roost. Baruch read the words of the prophet to the people and the ensuing commotion was, in due course, reported to Jehoiakim, the King, who commanded that the scroll be brought to the palace and read in his presence. As each portion was read, the king cut it off and burned it in a firepot in the courtyard in the presence of his officials, until the entire scroll had been consumed.

Prophets are a troublesome lot. They declare, “This is what the Lord has said!”, to anyone and everyone. They offend the king and the people alike, because they say the things we do not want to hear. This is the ideal of the prophetic voice; it speaks “truth” to power, and is answerable only to God. And those who, for whatever reason, want to hear a different word, distance themselves from the prophet, and the words of the prophet, just as Jehoiakim did in such a dramatic way.

In recent weeks we have seen this process in action. For years Barack Obama has sat under the and teaching of a prophetic preacher, Jeremiah Wright. Of course they have had their differences – no thoughtful person agrees with anyone all the time – but they have been close enough that Wright conducted Obama’s wedding, baptized his children, and even provide the title for his second book, The Audacity of Hope. Yet, when the people (the media) became offended by the strident declarations of this “Man of God”, Obama distanced himself from his pastor, insisted that he too was offended, and ultimately disowned his pastor, declaring that if he becomes President he will not seek any counsel from Jeremiah Wright. I understand why Obama has done this. One cannot get elected if he offends his constituency, or is associated with people who do. But it’s disappointing nonetheless.

Monarchs, presidents, prime ministers, and nations need the counsel of prophetic voices. When first encountered the truth is often offensive, or at least inconvenient, so they must learn to listen to things they don’t want to hear. And if they don’t receive the counsel of the prophets they become vulnerable to the self serving counsel of those who only seek to please them. These are the “false prophets” the Bible calls the “ticklers of ears”, and that road leads to disaster.

Think of the prophetic voices of history: Saint Francis and Martin Luther for church reform; William Wilberforce and John Newton (Amazing Grace) for the abolition of slavery; Martin Luther King, Malcolm X and Gandhi for the civil wrights movement. We applaud these voices now, but they were despised and rejected in their day.

It would be comforting to think that the person in the White House is receiving some prophetic counsel, but I guess you have to get elected. And, as we all know, democracy would be the perfect form of government if it weren’t for the elections.

A Prophetic Word from Jeremiah, Wright?

In my last posting I mentioned the shock bites we have seen again and again featuring Barack Obama’s pastor, Jeremiah Wright, preaching what appear to be very inflammatory and hurtful things. In one of these snippets he is seen declaring that the attacks of 9/11 were “America’s chickens coming home to roost”. This is a fifteen second clip from a thirty-five minute sermon, and I suggested we take the time to listen to Bill Moyer’s interview with Rev. Wright before drawing any conclusions about the meaning of the clip in question.

Since my last posting I have taken the time to go beyond Bill Moyers and listen to the 9/11 sermon in its entirety, and I must say this is one of the most powerful sermons I have ever heard. It is a prophetic word in a time of urgent need and, as far as this preacher is concerned, it’s a masterpiece.

In recent generations, because most of our preachers have been thoroughly domesticated, few of us have ever heard prophetic preaching. This is an opportunity to hear some. It’s shocking, heart breaking, inspiring, challenging and more than a little scary. But much more than that, I believe it is a word from the Lord. So I encourage you to click on the link below which will take you to Roland S. Martin's website where you can listen to the whole sermon. Compare it to the clip you heard, and see how the media have misled the people by manipulating this preacher's words.

In the next few postings I will continue to reflect on the place of prophetic preaching in the life of church and society, but before we go there give a listen.

Jeremiah Wright’s 9/11 Sermon, September 16, 2001

Can Democracy Survive the Freedom of the Press?

It’s been amazing to follow these historic Presidential Primaries in the United States as they prepare to elect the first woman, the first black, or the oldest person ever elected to a first term. We live in historic times. But it’s also amazing to watch the relentless media coverage, and wonder if democracy can possibly survive the freedom of the press. All of the candidates, abused in the battle, cling to the hope that, through a barrage of petulance and ignorance, thoughtful, fair-minded journalism will eventually prevail.

For weeks the world has been treated to a blizzard of sound bites from old sermons by the Reverend Jeremiah Wright. No, he is not running for office, but he’s the pastor of someone who is. And if, in these enlightened times, you can’t quite get away with calling Barack Obama too black to be President, perhaps you can associate him with someone who is, or who at least can be blackened to order.

This tactic is fearmongering, of course, and it’s ignorant, intemperate and sad. And perhaps the saddest thing of all is that the journalists in question are not even the old, barefaced racists from the 1960s. They’re just sensationalists, looking for a shock bite to grab some attention. So, a preacher’s entire ministry of more than 40 years is summed up in 30 seconds worth of carefully selected images and sound. Most of these journalists have not even taken the time to listen to the sermons, let alone investigate the ministry of Wright’s church. In fact, I heard one of them proudly declare that a patriotic American needs no more information than the sound bites in question.

And the sound bites, of course, are startling and upsetting. But if you take the time to learn the context they are nothing short of amazing. Once you’ve heard a preacher say, “God damn America”, what more do you need to hear? Once you’ve heard him declare that the murderous attacks of 9/11 were “America’s chickens coming home to roost”, what more do you need to know? Well, you need to hear where this man is coming from and what he is about. You need know a little bit about the black church and its wonderful tradition of prophetic preaching. In short, you need to take the time to listen to Bill Moyers' interview with Jeremiah Wright, part 1 and part 2. Just click on the links, sit back and be astounded.

We seldom hear sermons like these in white, middle class churches, mainly because we don’t identify with the poor and the oppressed. But it’s encouraging to think that the most powerful nation in the world might one day be led by someone who, for 20 years, has sat under preaching like this. I just hope Mr. Obama has been paying attention.

Fear-mongering frightens me.

The first thing I want to say about this Tolle/Oprah phenomenon is that I'm always amazed to see how much interest there still is in spiritual things. My generation was told that religion, and spirituality in general, were passing away. Science was taking over and, by now, we were all supposed to be thoroughly secular, happy in the knowledge that empirically testable truth is the only truth, getting all our nourishment from variously coloured pills, and driving flying cars. O well, I tried to tell them that this predicting business was tricky, but they just wouldn’t listen. I’m not surprised that I was right, but I’m astonished to find that I was this right.

Whenever we approach any teaching we should do so in a spirit of kindness and confidence. It’s fine to have points of disagreement, but we should not be disagreeable. And we should remember two particular scripture texts. The first is John 3:17 For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but to save the world through him. So many people know John 3:16 but they use it in such a judgmental way that it seems they have no understanding of the very next verse. Jesus didn't come to condemn everything, and he didn't tell us to go around condemning things either. We need to listen politely and try to understand before we make any comment. Then we should focus on the things we agree with and appreciate. In other words, we should treat people the way we want to be treated. And only then should we express the reservations we have.

The second scripture is John 1:9 The true light that gives light to every man was coming into the world. So often preachers, and Christians in general, talk as though we are the only ones who have any truth from God, or in whom God is working. But the Apostle John is very clear that the Word of God is working in every human being to enlighten him or her, and that this is the very same Word of God who became flesh in Jesus. It should, therefore, hardly surprise us when we find profound truth in the teachings of non Christians. Buddha, Confucius, Moses, Mohamed, Gandhi, as well as Mother Teresa and Billy Graham, all have lots to teach us. And, as Jesus says, "...a tree is recognized by its fruit." (Matthew 12:33), not by its label.

I've been very disappointed, though unfortunately not surprised, to see how many Christians, particularly preachers who should know better, are quick to criticize. And, as noted in my last posting, some have indulged in extreme and uncharitable attacks, particularly on Oprah. Of course Oprah can get it wrong, just like the rest of us, but to say she's the most dangerous woman in the world is not only intemperate and unkind, it’s fearmongering. And fearmongering can get people hurt. Gandhi got shot because people were told he was dangerous. Come to think of it, Jesus got crucified for the same reason. This is a spirit of fear; not the Spirit of Jesus.

Anyway, millions are reading Tolle, and I'm very interested in what you're thinking. I'm fascinated by the spiritual landscape of the post modern world. How are you growing? Who’s influencing your spiritual life? Are you being discipled? Are you part of a spiritual community? All of which is to say: How ya doin’, really?

Wondering What You Think

A few weeks ago a young man asked me what I thought Eckhart Tolle. Well, the name was familiar and I knew he was a writer, but I had to admit I didn’t really know much about him. He went on to say that he was pretty impressed with Tolle, and I went on to say that I’d check him out. Google, a few mouse-clicks, and about 20 minutes revealed oodles.

Tolle lives in Vancouver, at least some of the time, calls himself a “spiritual teacher”, wrote a best seller, The Power of Now, and his latest book is titled A New Earth. All very cool, but as most writers know, you can’t make a living writing spiritual books. O yes, he also knows Oprah, she thinks he’s wonderful, and they’re doing an internet video class together. Somehow I think he’ll do very well.

Now, I’m not promoting Eckhart Tolle particularly, but I am fascinated by the shifts we are seeing in the spiritual landscape of the early 21^st century. Of course it’s too soon to tell if this man will be a significant player, but over two million people have joined the internet class. And when I look at what we’ve done to the old earth, a new earth does sound pretty attractive.

Of course, you can’t please all the people all the time. For example, some organization called “Our Eyes Are Open Ministries”, has a video on YouTube entitled “The Church of Oprah Exposed” in which they vilify Oprah for becoming a new age guru. And an internet evangelist named Bill Keller has actually taken to calling Oprah “the most dangerous woman in the world”. Personally I think that’s a little over the top – he never saw my mother coming at him with a woman spoon in her hand – but, hyperbole aside, he certainly expresses some serious concerns.

I’ve watched a bit now, and I’ve read A New Earth, and I’m beginning to get some idea what Tolle’s about, but what do you think of all this? Have you read any of Tolle’s books? Are you following Oprah’s New Earth Class? Is Tolle teaching good things? Is this something Christians should be particularly worried about? Does any of it matter at all? Pleas share a comment, or if a comment on the web is a bit too public for you just drop me an email.

dan.colborne@gmail.com