Sermon given by Ted Graham at St. Saviours Sunday May 29. 2011
Kindergarten Christianity
( week 2)
Today, I am going to need your help in this sermon. To help me, you will need a
sheet that looks like this. Do you have it? you will need it later in the sermon.
Last week, we talked about “kindergarten Christianity” that is the practise that
was once widespread in our churches to tell to young people ---a few of the
famous stories from the Bible, and then---to provide no more education.
Sometimes, the leaders of our churches would then consider such children to be
fully functioning Christians.
Frequently, that assumption led priests, ministers, and Sunday School teachers to
fail to provide any deeper understanding of Christianity. Did I mention to you that
I was a Sunday School teacher and superintendent for 26 years, and have now
been a part time preacher for even more years than that;
so-- when I say that preachers and teachers have failed, I am talking about myself.
I have put over 50 years into spreading the word, and I have failed.
But God will forgive me.
That approach of using Kindergarten Christianity ----may have worked for
hundreds of years, as the religion of Christianity flourished in ever expanding
parts of the world. What started with one man --Jesus-in a backwater country in
the mid east, became the primary force in hundreds of countries, with nearly 2
billion people now having some Christian element in their understanding of the
world.
But is it working now? Is it working for Anglicans in Canada?
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As you know, before I retired from part time preaching—I visited numerous parish
churches to deliver the good word; now—several of those churches sit empty,
and several more seem to be in danger of closing.
It breaks my heart, every time I drive by a closed church. I think of the services
provided by those little churches, many for over 100 years. I think of the
marriages, the funerals, the celebrations for the birth of another child, another
Christian among us;
All that --lost!!
Are those churches now closing because we failed to take Christianity beyond the
Kindergarten stage?
I mentioned last week, several people who were never satisfied with Kindergarten
Christianity.
I reminded you of a fellow Anglican—Charles Darwin WHO WROTE A BOOK THAT
LAUNCHED THE Theory OF EVOLUTION , AND ANOTHER ANGLICAN, A BISHOP NO
LESS ------WHO QUESTIONS ALL THE MIRACLES . He wrote a BOOK which refutes
most of the things we believe.
I ALSO SHARED WITH YOU THE FACT THAT I AM, AT AGE 77, TOTALLY CONFUSED
ABOUT ALL THINGS RELIGIOUS.
As you may be aware , one of my hobbies is to restore old houses, I put in
countless hours and much thought into how the restorations will proceed , and
then Lorna tells me (in about 4 minutes) what is really going to happen.
We now have an 1850 log home, an 1876 house here in Orono, and our new
place, the cottage at Sturgeon Point----which was built in 1895.
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So I travel back and forth between those locations and I do so at odd hours,
usually early in the morning, and I drive alone. For some reason, God chooses
those times to talk to me. Last Monday morning, after I gave the first in this series
of two sermons, I was driving towards the Lake at about 6.15 a.m., I was driving
out of a very heavy rainstorm, and then the sun rose behind the clouds, and
spilled out a thousand golden rays of incredible intensity, promising yet another
remarkable day.
I took that to mean that God was pleased with my sermon.
How is that for egotism? I believed,---- for a moment or two, ----that the all
powerful God , who has created heaven and earth and all the universes, stopped
everything he had to do that Monday morning to set up a sign of surpassed
beauty, simply to tell Teddy Graham “you did good, old fellow!”
It is true however, that I am not alone in my egotism, let’s look at and sing the
thoughts of Maltbie D.Babcock, Shelly will lead us.
I must confess that last week’s sermon was a bit of a surprise to me. As you know,
I am retired from preaching. Padre Saunders somehow roped me into
volunteering for these two Sundays.
In the old days, when I preached more frequently, I would put up to 40 hours of
preparation into each sermon. I failed to do that with either of these two
sermons; so, I was worried that the sermon last week would be a wash out.
You people were kind enough to tell me that you found the sermon worthwhile.
Thank you for that.
What I tried to leave with you last week was my beliefs. After 70 odd years of
bible reading and studying religions; my beliefs have come down to a very few –
and those few beliefs are simple and straightforward.
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in case you don’t remember, I said that;
I believe a powerful loving God created everything we can see and touch,
everything that we can feel, smell or hear.
I said that –in my opinion, the man Jesus had a unique relationship with that
creator God,
and my main point last week was that Jesus brought to us a new religion, a
religion based on love, and particularly on forgiveness.
I was thinking of that recently when my son-in- law—who knows the bible well--asked me—in an e-mail;
"Ted; do you remember the story of the prodigal son"?
I could not believe he would ask such a question. He knows that I was brought up
in a Sunday School, That son-in –law should recognize that I know every story
backwards and forwards.
Moreover, he asked that question of me; in spite of the fact he knows that I am a
father of the father of one son and 4 daughters. How could he do that??
Any father who has ever heard the story of the prodigal so –would remember it.
Do I remember the story of the prodigal son? ---of course I do, I have been living
that story for nearly 40 years.
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So while Bishop Spong and I agree that the stories in the bible were not actual
happenings, and there is no doubt at all that the story of the prodigal son was not
based on one concrete happening—nonetheless--I disagree with the bishop when
he suggests that we throw the bible out. To my thinking, there is more wisdom in
the bible than in any other book which I have read.
Spong is correct that there is much that is wrong with the scriptures, they are not
perfect. There are parts of scripture that are potential harmful, such as Leviticus.
But, on the other hand, the story such as the prodigal son is so wise, so powerful
that it also stops the heart of a reader. A young man turns his back on his family,
takes a part of their wealth, and goes and blows the bundle by using drugs and
prostitutes.
How often today does that happen, maybe sometimes not so dramatically, and
other times –even more tragically? How often today--do children turn their back
on their parents, go their own way and end up damaging themselves and others –
sometimes grievously??
Yet that young man, the one in the biblical story—returned home. Does that
happen today? He asked only to be treated as a hired hand; but his father saw
him from afar, his father had been waiting for the young man, he had watching
for the young man ----for years.
Key to that story, to my mind--- is forgiveness, and the story illustrates just how
difficult it is to forgive. The father in the story was PREPARED TO FORGIVE the
wayward son, The father was enthusiastic about forgiveness, but there was no
way the sibling, ---- the brother, would forgive.
The brother was seriously angry that the wayward and wasteful son had returned.
Does that describe any event in your family history??
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My aunts and uncles are now all passed on, but I had two aunts who refused to
speak to their brother for over 40 years, another aunt refused to speak to me, or
see me, for years-- right up to her death.
Forgiveness is tough, and most Christians –unfortunately—do not even try.
But the much maligned Good book, the book Spong would throw out, but the
book I cling to, says; “ Forgive 70 times 70”
It doesn’t say “you are to forgive those who repent”,
it does not say; “forgive those who are sorry,”
it does not say “forgive those people who are now nice to us,”
The book says; “forgive all people---- even those people who will hurt you again –
in the future”.
Is there any parent here today that does not recognize that situation??
Can you forgive your children--- knowing full well that they will hurt you again –in
the future?
And then here is the really important question , can you forgive people, people
who are not your children, people who may be from a different country, people
who may hate us and hate our Jesus?
Because, you see---my friends; that was, and that is the message of Jesus;
Over the two thousand years since the birth of Jesus –many billions of words have
been tossed around about the virgin birth, the miracles, the resurrection, the
existence of angels. and a thousand other subjects.
Many of the supernatural aspects of Christ credited to Jesus by writers and
priests, were never really claimed by the man Jesus, ----- for example Jesus never
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claimed, or even referred to, the virgin birth. Jesus seemed to have little interest
in most of the supernatural things which now make up so many of the stories of
the bible .
but Jesus did say very very clearly ---- “forgive those who trespass against you,”
Jesus did stress; “forgive those who will hurt you again in the future”
and Jesus died , he died a terrible death on the cross---to make that point clear,
That is the message of Christianity, even though few people want to hear it
Forgive others, so that our father in heaven can forgive you also.
Amen
KINDERGARTEN CHRISTIANITY
Anyone wish to share an understanding of the term with us?
My understanding of the term is THIS;
it describes a situation wherein a young person learns some, or all of the
stories in the Bible, and then decides that HE, OR SHE, need to learn nothing else
about our religion.
Those stories which are learned, frequently include;
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A giant fish swallowing a grown man and later spitting the man out –alive
Bread falling from the skies and thereby saving the Israelites from starvation
And the Red Sea parting to allow Moses and the Jews, fleeing from slavery in
Egypt-- to safely cross the Red Sea to escape their pursuers.
People who learn those stories MAY DECIDE that the stories are factual, and then
give no more thought to the whole subject of Christianity, or religion---Those are
the people who may deserve the label “Kindergarten Christians”
Do you think that is good or bad?
Please understand, I am not calling anyone a kindergarten Christian, NOR AM I
CRITICAL OF PEOPLE WHO LEARN VERY LITTLE ABOUT THE BIBLE, OR ABOUT
CHRISTIANITY, BUT WHO BELIEVE THAT THOSE STORIES ARE FACTUAL.
SOME PEOPLE CAN BELIEVE THAT THE OLD STORIES FROM THE BIBLE ARE
FACTUAL, THAT THINGS HAPPENED EXACTLY AS DESCRIBE IN THE BIBLE. GOOD
FOR THEM!
Incidentally, do you accept those three stories WHICH I MENTIONED actually
happened, in the way those stories are described in the Bible??
I was exposed to Kindergarten Christianity, -------as a child. I learned those three
stories, and many others---at Sunday school, but I am not sure I ever accepted
them literally. Certainly, by the time I reached high school-I COMPLETELY
DOUBTED EACH of those stories.
Now, you may have noticed that the three stories that I have mentioned this
morning –are all from the Old Testament. So, -- really those three stories are not
really a part f our Christian beliefs to do with Christianity. Jesus was not born
when those events took place. Yet, there are churches today that still hold fast to
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the idea that those stories are literally---that is --factual –true, and that the stories
are technically correct descriptions of those events.
Those three stories are a part of what we call the Old Testament. The Old
Testament is the history of the tribes of Judea; those were the people that we
would call “Jews” today.
So, here is a question, why would a follower of Jesus be interested in those very
old Jewish stories?
A book written within the last 40 years has the title “The Sins of the Scriptures”. It
was written by Bishop John Shelby Spong. In that book, Bishop Spong makes the
point that Christianity would be better off –without the Old Testament.
What do you think??
Bishop Spong is an American and a member of the Episcopalian church. As you
know, the Episcopalian church is the sister church to our own Anglican Church of
Canada. So, Bishop Spong is one of us!
He questions whether the virgin birth ever took place, whether Jesus was
resurrected and etc. Further, Bishop Spong completely dismisses the miracles,
both from the Old Testament and from the New Testament.
I read one of his books; he makes a certain amount of sense. Since I have never
really believed in the miracles, it was an easy read for me. Yet, unfortunately —
the book did not seem to go anywhere. Bishops Spong conclusions at the end of
the book –seemed to me --- very weak.
Spong is only one of a long line of people who have questioned the Bible stories.
Likely the best known questioner was Charles Darwin. Darwin who was born 200
years ago---wrote a book which, among other things—suggested that humans (us)
had descended, or evolved, from Apes. That concept caused huge conflict in the
world of 1836, and that concept has been fought –tooth and nail, by some
churches –right up to today.
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Yet from what I read, Charles Darwin was a lifetime member of the Church of
England-, even though his beliefs changed frequently over his lifetime. So Darwin,
and Spong were Anglicans, they were on our side, but they did not believe the
literal stories of the bible.
Does all that confuse you? It certainly confuses me.
So here we have “ole Teddy Graham”, many years removed from Kindergarten
Christianity, and having spent countless hours reading the bible---but now I am
unsure of most aspects of Christianity, or –for that matter of any religion.
I tend to believe that most events described in the bible were not factual, at least
not factual in the way they are described. I have spent many hours debating with
myself-- and with others--- all the key beliefs of Christianity.
About one hundred years ago, one prominent Christian denomination decided
that to be a Christian;
one had to believe;
1) That God created the world in 6 days
2) That the ten commandments were given to Moses, directly by God –on the
top of a mountain
3) That Mary was a virgin when she gave birth to Jesus
4) That Jesus died on the cross as full atonement for our sins
5) That Jesus arose from the dead-three days later, and ascended to Heaven.
Would you –today—qualify as a Christian—if that test was used?
More recently I read a book, written by a minister (or pastor) which put forward
the idea that the stories in the bible are metaphors.
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Metaphors, metaphors.
I had to go to the dictionary to remind myself what is a metaphor.
The dictionary states; “a metaphor is a concept of understanding one thing, in
terms of another.
Does that help you? It did not help me!
So >I looked further’
“
A metaphor is a figure of speech in which a term or phrase is
applied to something to which it is not literally applicable in order to suggest a
resemblance”
Does that help you? Again—it does not help me, but I get the idea that the writer
of the book, whose name may have been Robertson—is telling us that the stories
in the bible did not happen the way they are described.
So, I am left with my lack of belief in almost everything in the bible.
You may ask “Well, Teddy, why do you still show up in church?”
My answer to that is simple; “I like to sing”. Some people like to hear me sing—
others not so much”—but at my age –I haven’t time to worry about those who
don’t like my singing. Basically, you can take it –or you can leave it.
All singers have critics. My wife is not thrilled with my singing, but she also does
not like Johnny Cash or Elvis Presley.
Singing hymns has been so much a part of my life—that when I hear someone say
–“there is no God”---I think maybe music is GOD. While intellectually, I believe
few –if any –of the stories in the bible, yet my whole being lights up when we sing
the corny old hymns , such as “What a friend we have in JESUS” or “The Old
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rugged Cross, and ---especially the Christmas carols; such as O Little town of
Bethlehem and “Silent Night”
I am very confused,
by all the books I have read, by Bishop Spong, by Pastor Robertson, by Billy
Graham, ------ and by what I see on TV with Benny Hinn, Joel Austen and dozens of
others
Some of what I see would drive me away from the old beliefs, yet when I was at
the Billy Graham crusade, and that old song started
“just as I am --without one plea”
That brought me right back again—to a place of belief, of comfort, to a spiritual
home.
So, I ask often ask myself; “what do you believe-you silly old goat?”
Here is my answer;
I believe that the world is an incredibly beautiful place, and only a loving creative
power could have made such beauty.
I believe, as did the Old Testament JEWs, -----that God created this world and this
universe, and all the other universes. Amazingly, those long dead Jews believed
that this all powerful God would listen to their prayers and would, at times take
actions that directly benefitted the JEWS. The Jews believed that God answered
prayers. I think that part of the Old Testament is absolutely true.
I have no choice , I must believe that God answers prayers, that He intervenes in
our lives, because God has intervened –repeatedly –in my life. I know that God
answers prayer.
I believe that the man—Jesus-- had an unusual and unique connection with the
creator God.
I believe that Jesus taught an all new religion----- a religion that said; “Love your
neighbour”.
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The birth of Jesus, however it happened, brought hope to a very trouble world. I
believe Jesus can still bring hope in your times of trouble.
And I believe very strongly that the key to the teachings of Jesus was, and is,
forgiveness. Jesus said ;
And forgive those who will trespass against you, as your father in heaven forgives
your trespasses.
The Lord’s Prayer is centred on that message of forgiveness, pause
we all fail --most of
the time--- to forgive, yet it was the critical part of the teachings of Jesus.
I also believe that Jesus meant it when he said to the thief on the cross ---- “This
day, you will be with me –in Paradise”.
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