Don't Ever Take a Course in Wisdom Literature

I haven't been writing much lately, basically because I'm kind of ornery and that tends to be reflected in what I write. Why ornery you may ask? I think a great deal of it has to do with the course in Wisdom Tradition that I had this past semester. Don't get me wrong, it was a fantastic class and Irene Nowell should write a book on how to conduct a web-based learning experience. I read texts that aren't even in the Protestant Bible (Shame on you Martin Luther.. shame on you!). No, I'm ornery, perhaps even angry, because much of what we're dealing with today - economic crises, lack of concern for the poor, the overall lack of concern for creation, and the lack of "fear of God" were the same issues that the writers of the Wisdom books wrote about some two to three thousand years ago. It's rather discouraging to think that during all this time when we've supposedly become more civilized, we truly have failed to learn the lessons and advice given to us by the Wisdom writers. I guess at some point it is just easier to ignore these lessons and go about our daily lives but isn't that being rather disingenuous to scripture?
So, my advice is this, don't take a course in Wisdom literature. Life is much easier that way.
Peace,
Jeff

Where's Jesus?

So, I'm finished up with spring semester and had a little time to read through some blogs that I check on occasion. Well you know how that goes, one link leads to another link and to another and pretty soon I'm an hour into blogdom. I was trying to read up a little on the multitude of Constitutional Amendments that will be voted on by all the annual conferences of the United Methodist Church this year. I was rather ambivalent to most of them and had planned on actually listening to the floor debate at Minnesota's AC later this month. Then I came across a video featuring Maxie Dunham on why United Methodist's should vote against Amendment 1. To be honest, I wasn't so sure about Amendment 1 until I watched the video. Truth be told I wasn't aware of that huge block of gay Methodists that are threatening to take over the church and turn it into a big orgy. Nor was I aware of the multitudes of wife-beaters or the alcoholics or adulterers that are wanting to be members. It sure is a good thing that there aren't any of those kinds of people that attend MY church. I'm going to have to send Rev. Dunham a note thanking him for opening my eyes.
The other blog that I found interesting started off something like this .. "All we get is this Peace Corp ecclessiology garbage wanting us to help everyone. Where's Jesus? Where's talk about our salvation?" This was a rant against the missional attitude of the UMC. I actually had to read it a couple of times to make sure I wasn't missing anything. Turns out I wasn't missing anything, but this blogger certainly was. Help out others? Certainly we can't expect to see Jesus there. Seriously, how can someone read scripture - even literally - and not come to the conclusion that our goal as Christians is lend help and support to others?
When I see and read things like this .. it sure makes me wonder .. just where is Jesus?
Peace,
Jeff