Christmas Holiday's

With the last youth event of the year having been held last night, i find myself, at least for the next two weeks, on a semi-holiday. Classes at Prov. don't start until January 11, but the youth program kicks in again by the 6th, so technically i only have two weeks off. Of course, once a semester is over, i take time to reflect a bit on what i've learned over the last few months. While i have the opportunity to take a course over the Christmas break, which i will, the work involved should not be that much, so i will plod through that. But that for most is just pointless rambling. What follows is a short list of some of the things i learned over the last few months, in no particular order:

1. The Jewish people are cool. I spent a few Shabbat (Saturday mornings) worshipping with them in one of the synagogues in Winnipeg. The first time i went i realized that what i thought growing up might have been wrong. I was always taught that anyone who is not a Christian needs to become one; they need to be converted. I don't think that anymore. Jews are God's chosen people, and he never breaks a promise, so the covenant he made with Abraham will be held up until the end-of-the-age, when he calls his people, the Jews, and his children, the Christians, into a life of eternity with him.
2. Romans 8 is probably the best portion of scripture in the Bible. Here's the problem. People read Romans 8 and it's good, but they don't read the chapters before that. What i suggest is that when you read Romans, read it all in one sitting, or at the very least two. Read chapters 1-8, then chapters 9-16. Chapters 1-7 talk a lot about the relationship between Jews and Gentiles, and how it doesn't matter what nationality you are, everyone should just get along with everyone. These chapters talk a lot about the law, and about sin. There is almost no reference to Jesus or the Holy Spirit (aside from 1 or 2 references of each). Then Paul writes chapter 8. Can you hear the Angelic Choir singing yet. This is a masterpiece of scripture that can only be followed with the word: Amen! It's stunning. Read Romans like i suggest and see if you can disagree. Chapters 9-16 deal with other relational issues between Jews and Gentiles, and Paul ends in chapter 16 with a long shout out to all the people that have helped him in his ministry up to that point (remember, Romans wasn't the first letter Paul wrote, just the longest, that's why it's at the beginning of his writings). This chapter is a reminder to us that Christianity is not a faith that we live out alone, but rather one of teamwork, togetherness, and community.
3. The third lesson i learnt this semester is that not all writing has to be "Christian" or theological in scope in order for it to be meaningful. I was subjected to some poetry and other writings spanning the last 300-400 years and there is a lot of value in understanding Christianity from these writings. Poets and writers were influenced a lot in their day by the ideas of Christianity floating around. A great example of this is the novel Robinson Crusoe. The author, Daniel Defoe, wrote a wonderful classic, but peppered all throughout are allusions to, and also outright influences of, Christianity. It makes someone think when Defoe writes so openly about slavery, even though today we frown upon such a concept. Remembering the colonial upbringing that Defoe was raised in, it is easy to see the influence of that in his writing of Crusoe. Read, enjoy, and see if your thinking is not challenged by these old writings.
4. Finally, I learned this semester how important it is to have all areas of life balanced spiritually in order to maintain a healthy Christian lifestyle. There is always an importance of reading scriptures and praying, or going to church and worshipping. But, at least in my upbringing, the use of rituals and liturgical readings and how they influence spiritual direction and formation was never stressed. Sure we take part in the Eucharist, and sometimes read The Apostle's Creed, or other such things, but why not more often, or why not different liturgical prayers etc. There are many aspects of Christian living that are not stressed enough (fasting, social justice concerns, mentoring, etc). Over recent years i have begun to see how these are all important aspects of Christian life, but this semester showed me one or two things i had never considered, and certainly clarified many things that i did not have enough information about.

All in all it was an awesome semester, and i look forward to going back again in the new year, to learn, to grow, to be stretched in my thinking. Until then, i'll just have to keep reading other books. First up: Gods and Guitars: Seeking the Sacred in Post 1960's Popular Music, by Michael J. Gilmour, one of my profs.