Lifting the Fog

Wednesday, I met with my pastor about some church business. As we were wrapping up, I brought up my issues with Spong. During the course of our discussion, she told me she thought Marcus Borg's writings on God and Jesus might help me understand Spong better.

Both of us agree that Spong has focused much more on his deconstruction of a theistic God without reconstructing who/what God in actuality is for him. It's not difficult in reading Spong to realize he has a deep love for, and spirituality rooted in, God; But his works, at least those read by us, haven't given us what we need to comprehend his view of God in a Post-Christian milieu.

Anyhow, I left that meeting determined to pick up Borg once I've struggled through the Spong work I'm currently reading ("Why Christianity must Change or Die")

Thursday morning, as I drove to work, I prayed about the spiritual dilemma my study has brought me to. It was one of my better prayer experiences of the past few weeks.

Then, yesterday at noon, I met with my Spiritual Director. In no time at all, we were embroiled in discussion about this dilemma, and about Spong. Once again, that name came up: "Read Marcus Borg", Don instructed me. "He's much more focused on a spiritual re-creation of the Divine."

We left, having determined the best course for my next few weeks would be to put Spong aside, and read Borg's "Meeting Jesus Again for the First Time."

So, I dashed off to my favorite bookstore here in Omaha "Soul Desires". Yes, I was informed, they did have 3 copies in stock. But, they were nowhere to be found. Seems one of the owners had taken the entire Stock to some conference.

Man. I wanted that book, and I wanted it THEN. The other owner convinced me NOT to rush off to Borders but to wait until Monday... promising me I could borrow her copy (hopefully tonight). In the meantime, I picked up another Borg book... "A Portrait of Jesus". Thing is, I'm sometimes a bit too focused for my own good... I WANT MEETING JESUS AGAIN FOR THE FIRST TIME AND I WANT IT NOW! :D

In other news, met with the doctor yesterday. I'm having recurring chest pains again. We're going to do some tests and increase the Beta-Blocker I'm on. Probably more nothing!

On another note... years ago in my seminary days, I had a professor, Aurelius, who had a humorous habit of snorting through his nose... a sound totally unrepresentable in writing. He'd end his classes with that snort, followed by "So There!". Gave us all something to chuckle about, and no end of fuel for good hearted mocking in our private moments.

Well, that's about it.

!snort!

So! There!