The Luke-Acts course I’m teaching this semester had to wrestle with this little ditty tonight from Soren Kierkegaard, whom scholars and preachers love to quote, “ . . . sermons should not be preached in churches. It harms Christianity in a high degree and alters its very nature, that it brought into artistic remoteness from reality, instead of being heard in the midst of real life, and that precisely for the sake of conflict (the collision). For all this talk about quiet, about quiet places and quiet hours, as the right element of Christianity, is absurd. So then sermons should not be preached in churches but in the street, in the midst of life, of the reality of daily life, weekday life.”
Is Kierkegaard right?
---------
Kansas/Carolina
Kansas
Duke/Texas
Duke
Kansas over Duke
Is Josh right?
Subscribe to:
Post Comments (Atom)
11 comments:
nope. you aren't right. my bracket will yet again win another year. but i still love you. lots.
We have a term we use when we agree with something someone is saying. "You're preaching to the choir!" In many ways, I see your quote by Captain Kierk ... saying something similar. In the New Testament, preaching was (to my knowledge) without fail delivering the message of the gospel to the lost. What we do in church would have been classified as teaching, admonishing, rebuking and correcting. I don’t really think that what we do in church harms Christianity, but it isn’t really preaching. If you brought the message of the gospel; the death, burial and resurrection of Jesus to the same people week after week after week, then I would probably lean toward agreement with the Kierk-miester. Still though, I would suggest that there is a separation between the right element for preaching, and the right element for Christianity. I seek a quiet place to silence my spirit and kneel before the Almighty God. I need then to take the strength I have from that and share the message of the cross with the lost. Is there a difference between the two? Certainly there is. Are they both parts of Christianity? Sure they are. Is there example and reason for “Teaching” a lesson to the congregants? You betcha.
Thanks for the thought provoking blog. Oh and Happy Birthday.
Tom
Don't do the bracket thing, so you may be right about that! Wouldn't have a clue.
I was interested in your statement from that K-guy! I have heard of him, but not read any of his stuff. I do think I agree with him, though, at least in that statement. I think we have been couped up in our churches for too long and "playing church" with our righteous indignation. If and when we are out among the people, living our lives are we influencial to others to the point of changing their persepective. But the only way to influence others to the point of change in their lives has to be spent with them, not just bringing them to church.
I think we have become lazy, expecting people to come because we are there and expecting them to want it before we do anything!
Pegc,
I agree we've become lazy, but honestly most people still realize that "someone" needs to go out and spend time reaching the lost; they just want it to be "someone else" (most often the preacher or mission team). We need to return to NT Christianity and follow their pattern of letting our personal relationships with God fill us (through prayer and study) to overflowing. When the Word of God so inspires our hearts that we can't help speaking about him, that will cause change. Preachers are that dedicated. Many Christians are that dedicated. There must be a way to draw all people toward that type of dedication.
Tom
No, the Big SK isn't right. Sermons are preached in the midst of the congregation. They are to be LIVED in the midst of the larger community, our society.
As for the round ball bracket thingy... I like pie.
Patrick,
I agree with your comment though my previous comment doesn’t sound like I agree with you afore mentioned comment. I think its semantics. But hey, I'm always up for some antics.
Tom
Kara: you picked a solid tourney. Can't wait to see what happens.
Tom: great thoughts.
Patrick: I thought you loved the NCAA tourney.
In reference to Kierkegaard, I think the church has done itself no favors in regards to not digging deeper into the Bible. We've dumbed it down so much that it has lost its power and authority. Many of the messages today are happy go lucky or it's just the salvation message said a hundred different ways. One of the things that makes the Scriptures interesting is finding new meaning by studying the culture and the Greek and applying it to our everyday lives.
Tourney upsets in first round:
Saint Joe's,S. Alabama, and West Kentucky.
Oh, and yes I picked Oregon, make sure Rex knows. ;)
Final Four:
NC over Wisconsin.
Connecticut over Stanford.
Champs:NC
David M.
I want to agree with you, but I'm not sure that I can. I want to suggest that everyone study enough to get a Bible degree, but I'm not sure it's necessary. The early church didn't have Bibles (much less ones they could fit in their pockets). They were devoted to the Apostles teachings, to the fellowship, to the breaking of bread, and to prayer (Acts 2:42). And they took the knowledge they had and carried it to the streets. I certainly would hope that we would devote ourselves to God's word in the same way. I think perhaps there is something to what Paul says in Philippians 3:15&16 "All of us who are mature should take such a view of things. And if on some point you think differently, that too God will make clear to you. Only let us live up to what we have already attained." The thought goes forward and recommends things like "following my example" and "take note of those who live according to the pattern we gave you".
If we live up to what we have attained and carry that knowledge along with honest love and true concern for them, well, I guess even someone as uneducated as I could be affective.
Sincerely,
Tom
I think Kierkegaard’s quote should serve as a reminder to us all of how important “Christian living” is but I don’t think the extinction of passionate ministers delivering words from God as they stand before Christians is necessary. It would probably serve us good to know that Kierkegaard was at the time observing how corrupt the Danish clergy had become that he was associated with; however the practice of preaching has always played a vast role in God’s continual plan; from creation (God speaking things in existence) to the birth of the bride of Christ (apostles speaking at Pentecost.)
Post a Comment