When Heaven and Earth Collide

My birthday is Thursday, but I received the present from my wife over a month ago.

As backstory, I built a band with many of my friends when I was in high school. It lasted through college, and even into my adult years. It stands as one of the most important times in my life. It was a time when I got together with other men my age. We spent time praying, sharing our struggles with faith, sex, and the world around us. We rehearsed regularly and played as often as three or four times a week in bars, clubs and churches around Colorado.

The brotherhood created through that band is one of the true treasures of my life. I have a few photographs from our time together on the walls of my office. They are reminders to me of so many things. Things I could express like friendship and pleasure, and things I can’t express but are hinted at by words like joy, thankfulness, regret.

The last show I played with TMJ didn’t end as it should have. I had been in a fight with one of my best friends about how things were being handled in our band. I was transitioning into grad school and marriage, and as the show concluded it suddenly felt like something I had worked to build--had enjoyed for seven years--simply evaporated before me. My best reasonings said it was just time to grow up. But my heart has been saying that things ought to have been different ever since.

Even in regret life moves on. I still saw many of my bandmates regularly, but not in musical settings. As my birthday approached I had some conversations with a few them about old times. On a recent occasion, one of them slipped me a tape from a show we did in 1998. I happened to be going on a retreat that weekend and had 10 hours to fill. Driving there and back I must have listened to that tape 20 times, singing our songs at the top of my lungs and just reliving a show that at the time was just another weekend gig.

Around midnight, as I drove home, I recall praying in my car and briefly asking that when God raised me to life again--when all things were restored and made whole--I would just like to play with my band again. There is very little else in the world I would treasure as much.

I suppose, the ache of joy once experienced, discarded, and now placed in a future hopes is the story that the Bible tells from cover to cover.

As is frequently the case with God, he had begun answering my prayers months before hand, and in the middle of May my beautiful bride assembled all the players from the later days of my band. She drew together people from around the country back into one of our favorite little venues and invited all our closest friends to participate in one last trumpmotherjones show.

Before we began our show, we stopped to pray, and it all struck me. I saw that my prayer had been answered. That my last show was not the one six years earlier that ended so poorly, it was this one which was surrounded by a spirit of joy and togetherness. I stood, there with my brothers, and heaven was engulf all the space around us. We were standing in the presence of our savior, with our friends, with our family. I was experiencing now, what it would be like then. “May your will be done on earth at it is in heaven.”

It was a profound illustration to me of God’s dream for our broken world. One day we will be raised to life, the everlasting life to come, and then all the hints and experiences of fleeting joy will culminate. We will see that we were always in heaven seeing the shadows and the edges breaking into our backstory.

I suppose I won’t have to proposition Jesus for the opportunity to gig with my band again. I have already seen and experienced now, what things will be like then, when all things are restored, even Colorado funk bands. A TMJ reunion is a given even if we don't play again in my lifetime.

The question now is whether or not we get to play for the company of Heaven (which is a whole new request). But the most enjoyable setting I can think to play won't be in that grand arena. It will be in a small practice room somewhere, and in it will seven guys sharing life, reminding each other of times from long ago, just being together.

Creedal Christianity

I'm just pompous enough to think this is a good idea.

This is an attempt to begin a contemporary creed. By no means do I think I could (or should) be the only author of such a statement. Nor do I think it would have much impact if I were. This is more of an experiment. I want to see theologians today draw a map of Christianity. I want to see where we put our own emphases. Where we sketch the lines. The best thing that could happen is that it would go out and folks would begin altering it wikipedia style. Perhaps this will serves as an adequate skeleton.

This initial offering focuses on trinitarian orthodoxy, ecclesiastic unity, and communal redemption. As a beginning point, these seem to me three points of Christianity which are non-negotiable.

The philosophy behind this statement is to affirm Christianity in its most fundamental form. There are many topics worthy of inclusion, but which do not strike me as essential to one being a Christian. I desire this creed to articulate the raw Christian worldview, and allow freedom and openness for exploration in other matters. Theology is an alive science: these are the borders as I see them:

"We are united in these essentials; gracious and tolerant toward other non-essentials, and in all things charitable toward our brothers and sisters who are pursuing God and his wondrous love.

God is real and utterly in love with you and I.

God can be known and enjoyed. God has been known and enjoyed through out history. God can be known and enjoyed through our reason, our experiences, and the experiences of other God-followers. We know God best through the life and teaching of Jesus.

Jesus is God. The Father to whom Jesus prays is God. The Love--—the Spirit--that exists between the Father and Jesus is God. God is three, three personalities who each are God. God is one, one divine essence. God is a diversity of persons: three members; God is a unity of substance: one divine being. Threeness is the way the One God actually is. There is no God but the Father, Son, and Spirit, bound together —in community, devotion, and love throughout eternity.

The universe and all humanity are the creation of God. The universe was made for no other reason than to create a family of loving personalities with God himself as the architect, sustainer, and most glorious inhabitant. We are made to imitate God. In reflecting God, we meet the purpose for our creation: being in community with God and with each other and with God's creation. This community of love, fellowship, and joy will last forever.

Something has gone wrong. Humanity is born into a cycle of failure that has characterized human existence from the beginning. Created by God, we are good. But humanity--—initially, as a whole, and individually--—has chosen to reject the community God offers with himself and with each other. We are made to reflect God'’s love and goodness, but the most essential aspects of ourselves reject this. Our failure to reflect God is known as sin. Sin is essentially that which destroys the community we share with God and with one another. Sin has found lodging within all human beings. We all sin and desire to continue sinning, and are each aware of our personal participation in sin as an outworking of our choices, attitudes and actions.

Because of sin, we have been alienated from God, from real intimacy with one another, from harmony and joy within the creation as a whole, and from the purpose for which God created us. Because of sin, we have been enslaved. Our hearts are dark and our wills are corrupt. Because of sin, we have become depraved, and we are unable to remedy our dire situation. The problem of sin extends to the core of our being and cannot be solved by any effort we might muster.

God desires deeply to free us and set all things right again because, despite our state, each person matters to God. God--the Son--became a human being to free us from sin and its consequences. Jesus'’ death has restored the relationship we were made to share with God; He bears the cost of transforming us from God'’s enemies to his friends. Jesus'’ teaching show us how we may walk in that relationship with God and each other as we are meant to. And Jesus life is the supreme example of a human living in the image of God. By the power of God'’s Spirit, we are each being made more like Jesus that we may love each other and enjoy the community of God.

Jesus reveals God'’s essence and his design for human life; He discloses God's intention for humanity: life-in-community; and in calling His hearers to enter the kingdom of God by repenting and believing the Gospel, Jesus established the foundation for participation in the community of God. Jesus'’ entire life, death, and resurrection mark his work in originating the eternal community of God. Until the day he returns, Jesus continues to unite and lead the community of God through his ongoing presence, and the Spirit of God living in each follower.

Our best response is to give our whole self to Jesus, to love one another, and to live our lives as a wholistic community dedicated to one another, the good of the world, and the God who makes us alive. In doing so, we will fulfill--—as best we can--—the intention God had in creating us, loving us, and dying that we might live."

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Inspiring Humor

This was an article run by The Onion recently. Its humorous. It plays on Christians, and thank God the thing we are being made fun of is not controlling people, scaring people into hell, telling people, "This world is not my home I'm looking forward to being sucked out of it. " No, here it is a group of young men going beyond to make their world beautiful and bless someone else. Thank God.

Christian Rock Band Cleans Up Hotel Room

October 16, 2006 | Issue 42•42

WAYCROSS, GA—Hotel staff at the Highway 82 Best Western found the suite occupied over the weekend by members of the Christian rock band Ruggid Krøss swept, dusted, scrubbed, and readied for immediate occupancy. "Bands have come through here before, but I've never seen anything like this," said housekeeping supervisor Maria Konieczna, who was called to the scene after maids expressed alarm at the carefully mended furniture, retouched bathroom-wall paint, and hospital corners the five-member evangelical group inflicted on the hotel's property. "The television was lifted up, dusted under, Windexed, and placed carefully back in the cabinet. Plus they apparently had our towels professionally laundered at their own expense. There's nothing in the manual about dealing with this type of propriety." Hotel staff are attempting to contact Ruggid Krøss' manager to return the six extra Gideon's Bibles they left in the suite's nightstands.

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Mere Wright

(A Review of "Simply Christian" by N.T. Wright)

You know you are reading a good book when you look back and every other line is highlighted. Though I didn't enjoy this book as much as I have other books by Wright, it is certainly a welcome edition to his works.

The comparisons to C.S. Lewis's "Mere Christianity" are over exaggerated. This is not that book, nor should it be. Expecting Wright to be Lewis is like expecting Spielberg to be Shakespeare. Spielberg is a bad ass of a different sort than Shakespeare, even though they both tell good tales. "Mere Christianity" is C.S. Lewis's Magnum Opus. This is not Wright's. See his "Christian Origins and the Question of God" for that.

This book serves as a wonderful introduction to the thoughts of Wright. He emphasizes those places where contemporary Christians need to think again, while laying out his amazing view of what Christianity is. He re-affirms what we ought to emphasize in our thoughts about Jesus, his Jewish roots, and the Church now. His chapter on Israel is worth the price of the book.

Though this is far more common today in Jesus scholarship, Wright is the king of placing Jesus in historic Jewish, faithful context. Jesus is not a modern or a medieval man. He is a first century peasant who loved the story of Yahweh and found his identity therein.

The most valuable material here is Wright's future perspective. He knows that the Bible does not teach that Christ Followers will be sucked up into some ethereal heaven when they die. He instead makes case for the resurrection of believers and their work now between the resurrection and return of Christ. This is one of the top 3 books I would offer for someone interested in knowing what Christianity is. Read it! It will give you a beautifully grounded perspective that is not just about me and my salvation.

Home Show Article

(From the UNC Mirror 10.11.06)

Church invites community to submit art for charity

Atlas Church, 829 16th St., will host an art show and auction for charity on Friday. The church will donate the proceeds of the auction to a homeless family in Greeley. Event coordinators invite all artists to submit art to auction and the community to attend the show.

by Christina Romero

October 11, 2006

A Greeley church has invited all artists to get their work into the public, join a supportive art community and help the homeless through an art show and auction on Friday.

The Atlas Church, 829 16th St., will hold the art show, donating the proceeds to Habitat for Humanity.

“It’s a chance for artists to make a difference in the world through their works,” Chris Mclean, the director of the art show, said.

The theme for the show is “Home,” and all the money made from the art will go to a homeless family in Greeley. The church invites everyone who can submit art and view the show to participate.

Atlas church pastor Jeff Cook talked about what he wants the students of the University of Northern Colorado to understand about the homeless.

“The biggest thing we would like the student body to know is that there are poor, hurting families less than two or three minutes from UNC who have real needs,” he said. “Each of us have skills that if we are simply available can meet those needs. We long for artists, musicians, dancers, writers to give what they have, not only so we can build an art scene in Greeley, but so we can build a home for the poorest families in our area.”

The art show is set up as an auction where anyone can purchase a piece of art. Anyone who wants to submit art must register with the director of the show, Chris Mclean. There is no registration fee, but tickets will be available for reservation for any potential auctioneers. All artists or spectators must call Chris Mclean at 970-405-2238 or e-mail him at mosaicartshow@gmail.com to participate.

Atlas will also host a food drive at 6 p.m. on Nov. 17. The community is invited to bring canned food and non-perishables to donate to the Weld County Food Bank. The church also invites people to help Greeley’s homeless by donating mittens and coats for children at 6 p.m. on Jan. 5.

In the News

Not that I care much about publicity, nor do I think many of the folks who would get into Atlas read the Greeley Tribune, but our local paper ran an article on a series of concerts we promote in our building. It was unsolicited and very complementary.

The last paragraph is a quote from one of the girls who came to a show, and it expressed precisely what we are seeking to do with the space. She said, "Lots of different kids are drawn because of the music, but it's more than just the music. You get to know people that you may never have known otherwise. It sounds sort of unrealistic, but because of that common ground, I've met some people that have become very close friends."

I found out later that this girl is a Christian, but what if the folks she is interacting with aren't yet. What if the relationships created are meaningful and real commonalities are discovered. What if the Holy Spirit has a chance to work in those relationships because a church simply opens up its doors and created events meaningful to those who are not yet in Christ.

We ought to ask ourselves constantly if the space we take up with our church buildings is good news, no news, or bad news for those in the surrounding area. I have often felt like when Atlas moved into the old Beetle Beanery (one of Greeley's most beloved buildings) that there was a collective groan. It feels like we are just now slowy breaking out of that. I hope for nothing less than a future where the people in and around the university look at our building and the people who occupy it and say, "I am so glad those people are there. They bring so much life, and service, and energy, and blessing to our area."

A Yellow Argument for God's existence

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"All are welcome to come to Jesus and his community as they are. The church should be a hospital for sick sinners, not a museum for saints. But no one is welcome to stay as they are, whatever their particular sins. Nor should they expect the church to baptize their sins and call them good. "

- Ben Witherington

Diamonds and a lot of rough

(I am going to begin doing book reviews at least once a month. This is the first of that series. I realize some of the stuff I read won't be relevant to everyone, but I hope to get a solid mix going.)

Book Review: Confessions of a Reformission Rev. by Mark Driscoll

This book isn’t for everybody, but it is for some. It deserves a medium recommendation because despite the many places this book fails, occasionally Driscoll hits gem insights.

Focusing heavily on the good aspects first, Driscoll’s structure (chapters which focus on different stages of growth: 0-45 people, 45-75, 75-150, etc.) combined with the story of personally wrestling with growth issues make the book enjoyable and highly readable. I finished it very quickly, and I am not a quick reader.

Structurally, the introduction stands alone proposing a series of distinctions in Christian ministry today: some of them are helpful (“Will your church be attractional, missional or both?”), some of them are a step backward (IE – “Will your church be an emergent liberal church or an emerging evangelical church?”). Driscoll is highly gifted in systematic thinking which makes his ability to draw distinctions over and again a common feature of the book. This both helps and hinders his cause. Seeing that one can be both attractional and missional is an original insight which flies in the face of much thinking in emerging circles. On the other hand, his knee-jerk tendency to over-emphasize second tier issues and throw sledgehammers at Christians who do not hold to a boldly conservative hermeneutic destroy his credibility as a first tier leader of emerging churches.

Driscoll’s self-analysis is quite helpful when he deconstructs the role of a senior pastor and redefines how he sees the vocation, for example, “I have accepted that I am not much of a pastor but rather a missiologist studying the city who leads a church filled with missionaries who reach the city with pastors who care for converts” (52).

His analysis of where churches focus their energies—dreaming, managing, justifying failures, and dying—is keen stuff. Driscoll encourages church leaders to never settle in the management comfort zone, but to consistently push the bar higher. If we do not, he rightly asserts, we are inviting stagnation or death.

On the downside, Driscoll is obsessed with his sexuality (a misplaced theme through out this book). He often comes across as the fundamentalist who annoys you most on CNN or Fox News: not because he is wrong, but because he has no tact. His tendency to demean people who have beliefs or behaviors he objects to often leads to dangerous overstatements. An example from the intro was that one’s belief in hell actually has salvific ramifications (“I am particularly concerned with…the questioning of a literal eternal torment in hell, which is a denial that holds up until, in an ironic bummer, you die and find yourself in hell” (22).) I assume Driscoll doesn't think believing in hell gets you into heaven, but if read "literally" his statements leaves that impression. (Who, by the way, doesn't long deeply that hell doesn't exist? It seems that one of the marks of a compassionate individual would be questioning "eternal torment" even if at the end of the day your views look more like Dante than CS Lewis.)

But the book hits its lows when Driscoll starts swinging prescriptive ethics like a club, demeaning people caught in a cycle of sin or theological confusion. He thinks his banter is humorous; it is actually base and cruel. Ironically in the last few pages he feels compelled to put forward all his own struggles asking for sympathy. It seems to be the mark of a particular sort of bad man who fragrantly insults those wrapped in moral failure, then turns and asks for pity for their own sin. I hope I miss read him on this front.

Thankfully, most of the readers of this book will be mature believers, primarily pastors who will easily slide over Driscoll’s over-exaggerations, self absorption, and straight out mean-spiritedness. If you buy it, cherish the good when you find it cause there is much to be discarded.

If I Could Make a Movie

The situation is ripe to make a new movie about Jesus in the style of Luhrmann's Romeo and Juliet. If you remember, Luhrmann took the story with its Shakespearean dialogue and simply placed it in a contemporary European setting. The effect was quite beautiful, and many of the details we might have missed if it were placed in the year 1600 were revealed quite powerfully in the film.

If I had the cash and skills and time and know how, I would make a movie in the same style about Jesus with the setting in Iraq. Though I am not very passionate about the war in Iraq, there are some very interesting parallels that would display the socio-political realities of Jesus own day very well.

Iraq is a country with a rich but broken religious tradition. It is occupied by the world's lone empire. The question on the minds of Iraqis seems to be how do we react to this occupying force. There is a zealot element using violence to promote its end. The religious order is torn between differing responses to the problems. There is a complex relationship between the leaders of Iraq and the ambassadors from the US. Most look and just see a disparaging situation. The backdrop in many ways is amazingly similar.

Imagine a film in which a charasmatic personality from the Muslim community began to speak of a new way of being human, a new way of loving God. Imagine that he spoke of a new Kingdom where bombs and tanks and sabers were irrelevant. Where power was illusory for the world is God's. Imagine that he began to draw people to hear him in the market square, but that he had to hide because of the violent nature of those who opposed him. He in fact had to speak in parable so that he would be understood, but vaguely. We might imagine him saving a woman caught in adultry waiting to be stoned (as is still common). We might imagine him healing those who have been wounded by a dysfunctional world and dysfunctional rulers. Imagine that he went about the streets of Baghdad simply doing good and proclaiming a better way. Perhaps he tells a story of the "Good Jew" who stopped to heal a man on the side of the road who had been beaten and left for dead. Perhaps he stands in the mosques of his day to call Muslims back to the God who is real.

Passion week might be difficult to orchestrate because the US doesn't govern the way Rome did. Handing a man over to the US to be executed would be hard to realistically pull off, but there could be some bad guys in the story. Allowing the zealots to cut Jesus' head off may be too easy. Hanging his body from the highway bridges (as some Americans were in Fallujah) would be more in line with the idea of the cross, surrounded by the mobs, on the traveled road of the day for all to see.

Though my movie may never be made, the long and short is that both the US and the Muslim community need a man of peace to step into their midst to reveal a better way. He will have to be a man of courage for he will be immidiately opposed, but just maybe he will gather followers to his side, and over time his reflection of Jesus will bring new insite and a pattern to follow into that broken region.

Worship as a Means

(Originally written for purposedriven.com)

The last few messages I have heard on worship have discussed the similarity between our praise of God and the union of husband and wife in sexual intercourse. In both activities, the lover is giving all of one's self to the other in passionate devotion. The self-giving of both sex and authentic worship result in a unique happiness we experience no where else. Aristotle rightly saw such happiness as an end in itself. Such experiences are valuable for their own sake.

As a pastor, I have responded to this idea by gearing my teachings to culminate with an entrance into worship. Most of my teachings end with a release of our people to praise God through song, confession, or communion. The worship experience is the goal of all we do on Sundays.

Recently, however, I have found a place for worship not just as an end, but as a means. That is worship also has utility. It is valuable in accomplishing other things of high worth.

Perhaps we could bring back the sex metaphor again. Though there is inherent value in a husband and wife coming together in sexual union, in some instances that union produces a child. That is, the act of sex is both an end (an expression of joy between husband and wife) and a means (an activity which births a human soul). Worship too is valuable for its own sake, but I wonder deeply whether it may in fact be useful in overcoming some of the difficulties we experience as Christ followers.

In my opinion, the most troublesome characteristic of the church today, and through history, has been its infighting and division. Some times this has lead to differing church buildings on the same block. Some times it has lead to gunfire.

Because we have such different lives and such different experiences of the God who is real, it is no wonder that what we hold as primary in our theologies are different. God interacts with us where we are, with our specific baggage, predispositions, and struggles. Often this affects what we see as important in our theologies, what we see as problematic, and what we conclude is most worthy of our time and focus. Aside from irrelevant power structures, it seems that these differences, more than anything else, are what separate Christians of good faith. It is not that one side is wrong and the other is right. It is that God is working on us in deeply relevant ways which effect how we think about him and his activity in the world.

As an example, some of my favorite books recently are those published by Zondervan in which scholars from differing denominational backgrounds debate theological topics (Sanctification, Hell, Law and Gospel, Women in Ministry, etc.). The amazing thing is that all the scholars are absolutely committed to the authority of the Bible. All of their arguments proceed from its pages. In the end, however, these scholars come to differing, some times opposite conclusions about what God affirms.

How is this possible? How is it that we can be united to a common savior, a common history, a common text, common creeds and still find such divisions? Certainly such divisions hurt the very God we love, especially when such differences lead to schisms between Christ followers. How can we resolve this problem?

It seems to me that it is in shared worship that we will unite in ways that are beyond words and ideas. We can, despite our difference, encounter the same God together and find ourselves united in ways that mere concepts cannot provide. Through worship, we can experience God together in ways that are fresh, that transcend many of the places we find ourselves at odds.

NT Wright and Marcus Borg begin their wonderful book "The Meaning of Jesus: Two Visions" by taking communion with one another. Despite their deep differences in their historic understanding of Jesus, theology, and practice, they still could share the same table in common devotion to the Jesus who is real. Many large church conferences offer similar opportunities when laity and clergy from quite different perspectives and theological commitments can sing the same song and worship the same God, even though their theologies may be for the moment incompatible.

It is because we do not worship an Idea--do not worship a systematic theology--that this is possible. We worship a Person: three in fact. The Trinity is alive and active, shrouded in mystery yet vibrantly present to all. Because God is personal and not ideological it is no offense to him if we worship with those who have different thoughts. In the end, our doctrines are simply maps or pictures by which to guide us toward God, but at the end of the day, we must--along side Thomas Aquinas--see them as "just so much straw." It is the actual living God that is important and our shared participation in his life.

May we take more opportunities to receive Communion with our brothers and sisters from different denominations and backgrounds. May we find places to sing together, serve together, and love a broken world together. They will know we are Christians, not because of our unified thought. They will know we are Christians because we love one another. Through out the New Testament, the shared meal--the Jesus meal--is the symbol of love. It is easy to love those who are like us. The real test of our transformation as Christ followers is whether we love those who are different.

As we move into a post-denominational world, it is through worship that Christ followers will find their shared identity.

Pictures by seminary student Mike G here.

Ranting on Things I Know Nothing About...

So I used to listened to political commentary 24/7, but I have been thankfully nauseated by most of American politics recently and it has allowed me to get on with my life. However, the immigration issue--of which I have little knowledge or experience--has come up in a few conversations recently with my good friends and my family.

The polarity between people who's opinions I normally respect has really challenged me here. I hear good folks on each sides speaking with fervor. On the one hand, there seems to be a lot of fear: both in terms of someone from another country taking my job, or someone from another country blowing up my city. I suppose there is the added fear of people who are different changing our culture, sapping governmental resources, and perhaps adding to the crime burden.

On the other side, there are the obvious compassion issues. Those crossing the border are the face of the poor and desperate in our midst. They are the targets of racist angst. If anyone is needy and oppressed in America, certainly it is these people.

My wife was scouring a website for bumper stickers--a new obsession--and it was unreal the amount of shameless hate (exemplified in the mustached picture on the left) making its way into the propaganda on both sides. The website had at least 300 different reactions to this issue. It is worth going there simply to see the energy and passion of both the thoughtful and the perverse. (The American Indian response was some times humorous and can be boiled down to: Illegal immigration began in 1492.)

Because this is such a difficult issue, it is important to self-consciously decide where we begin when addressing it. Where do we start: with the protection of my culture, with the needs of the citizen, with my own needs, with the protection of the poor, where?

Mark Driscoll--who's stuff I normally find bland--actually gets it right on this issue (here) by simply pointing to some key Old Testament passages about how one ought to treat aliens in your country. As it stands, these are some of the best golden rule style passages in the Bible and they are worth digesting.

*Leviticus 19:33-34 says, "When an alien lives with you in your land, do not mistreat him. The alien living with you must be treated as one of your native-born. Love him as yourself."

*God cares for and defends those immigrating to a new nation because He loves them. In Exodus 22:21, 23-24 God says, "Do not mistreat an alien or oppress him. ... If you do and they cry out to me, I will certainly hear their cry. My anger will be aroused."

*Immigrants should be given economic opportunity including fair wages. Deuteronomy 24:14 says, "Do not take advantage of a hired man who is poor and needy, whether he is a brother Israelite or an alien living in one of your towns."

*Deuteronomy 24:17 says, "Do not deprive the alien ... of justice."

But Driscoll also says that God commands strangers immigrating into a nation from other lands to abide by the customs and laws of their new nation. Romans 13:1-7 says that God works through governments to bring justice and social order.

These issues are much more complicated than this, but these are worthy observations with which to begin our thinking on this matter.

Beyond this particular debate, we ought to be aware that the restoration of our world is best showcased when people of different cultures love one another and worship at the same table (see the entirity of Acts). He has choosen the Church to be the great unifer of humanity, with our common language--not English--but faith in the risen Jesus.

May we be faithful in being the people of God for the good of the world.