Wednesday, August 22, 2007
Review of George Fox & the Book of Revelation, by Arthur Berk, with an introduction by Daniel Berrigan (New Foundation Fellowship publications).
In my experience, no other book of the Bible is as misunderstood, misused, or avoided as the book of Revelation. I can recall my own misguided thinking about this book of the Bible, shaped by the children’s bible study and the preaching in the Baptist churches I attended with my aunt in central Illinois, and the United Church of Christ I attended with my mother near Chicago. In the former, it was seen as conveying a prophesy about a distant future, unrealizable in the present age, and preached upon with a heavy dose of gloom and doom as incentive to get right with the Lord. In the latter, it was referred to as an example of apocalyptic literature, written for those people in that day and age, but having only symbolic meaning for us today at best, or as having no place or value in our enlightened age and time, except as an academic study, at worst. As a young adult, when I lived in Colorado Springs, CO, I overheard many street corner preachers using the images in the book of Revelation to scare their listeners. Sadly, today, we have a world filled with “end-times” theologies, in which this wonderful book of the Bible is used to frighten and enslave, or in the service of a particular geopolitical ideology, and the popular media, which thrives on sensationalism, promotes these misguided views of the book of Revelation. Recently, in a letter, I wrote the following in regard to this: Many Christians, of whatever stripe, have been misled, including myself before my convincement, about the meaning and place of the book of Revelation in our faith, and others avoid it for the same reason, thereby denying themselves a precious volume that, as George Fox pointed out, was written for us. I can recall how radically different, and refreshing, when I first read them, were Fox's openings on this book as recorded in his journal. Arthur Berk, of the New Foundation Fellowship, has written a small booklet entitled George Fox & the Book of Revelation, a work that I highly recommend.
I must say, when I read Fox’s journal for the first time, prior to my convincement, my reaction to his openings on the book of Revelation were that his thinking was so far ahead of others of his time. After my convincement, though, it became clear through my own experience that his openings had nothing to do with him being ahead of his time, and everything to do with being in the Spirit which gave forth the Scriptures. It is only by being in the same Spirit that gave them forth that one may rightly understand them. Arthur’s work is a succinct guide and aid for reflection and study, as it pulls together Fox’s writings on the text and the text of Revelation itself. As said in the excerpt from my letter above, I highly recommend this small but essential work to Friends and others who seek to be turned “from darkness to the marvelous Light of Christ” (p.12)
In my experience, no other book of the Bible is as misunderstood, misused, or avoided as the book of Revelation. I can recall my own misguided thinking about this book of the Bible, shaped by the children’s bible study and the preaching in the Baptist churches I attended with my aunt in central Illinois, and the United Church of Christ I attended with my mother near Chicago. In the former, it was seen as conveying a prophesy about a distant future, unrealizable in the present age, and preached upon with a heavy dose of gloom and doom as incentive to get right with the Lord. In the latter, it was referred to as an example of apocalyptic literature, written for those people in that day and age, but having only symbolic meaning for us today at best, or as having no place or value in our enlightened age and time, except as an academic study, at worst. As a young adult, when I lived in Colorado Springs, CO, I overheard many street corner preachers using the images in the book of Revelation to scare their listeners. Sadly, today, we have a world filled with “end-times” theologies, in which this wonderful book of the Bible is used to frighten and enslave, or in the service of a particular geopolitical ideology, and the popular media, which thrives on sensationalism, promotes these misguided views of the book of Revelation. Recently, in a letter, I wrote the following in regard to this: Many Christians, of whatever stripe, have been misled, including myself before my convincement, about the meaning and place of the book of Revelation in our faith, and others avoid it for the same reason, thereby denying themselves a precious volume that, as George Fox pointed out, was written for us. I can recall how radically different, and refreshing, when I first read them, were Fox's openings on this book as recorded in his journal. Arthur Berk, of the New Foundation Fellowship, has written a small booklet entitled George Fox & the Book of Revelation, a work that I highly recommend.
I must say, when I read Fox’s journal for the first time, prior to my convincement, my reaction to his openings on the book of Revelation were that his thinking was so far ahead of others of his time. After my convincement, though, it became clear through my own experience that his openings had nothing to do with him being ahead of his time, and everything to do with being in the Spirit which gave forth the Scriptures. It is only by being in the same Spirit that gave them forth that one may rightly understand them. Arthur’s work is a succinct guide and aid for reflection and study, as it pulls together Fox’s writings on the text and the text of Revelation itself. As said in the excerpt from my letter above, I highly recommend this small but essential work to Friends and others who seek to be turned “from darkness to the marvelous Light of Christ” (p.12)
Consultation for New Meetings and Worship Groups 8/12/2007-8/14/2007 Friends Center, Barnesville, Ohio.
This consultation, organized and convened by Jack and Susan Smith of Rockingham Monthly Meeting, brought together Friends from near and far, to share, to learn, and to build fellowship with one another. We worshipped, we had Bible reading, we shared in the preparation of our common meals and the clean-up chores, and we also had unstructured time to enjoy the surroundings and one another’s company. There were eight sessions held over the two and a half days of the consultation, with several topics covered in the first six sessions, each led by one of the participants. Among the topics were: The history of new meetings among Conservative friends; What mistakes have happened, how can they be avoided, what does seem to work, and what we have learned; Recognizing and encouraging spiritual gifts, and how much structure is needed? To what extent should new groups be part of a big picture?; What is the role and place in the group of the convener, and the role of the sponsoring established monthly meeting?; What are the responsibilities of the new group? There was time in each session for questions and sharing. The last two sessions were left open for discussion and sharing on previous topics, and the discussion of topics arising as a result of what had taken place in the previous sessions. It became apparent during the sessions, and in our discussions during times of common labor and fellowship, that we shared some common experiences in-spite of having such varied and unique circumstances, and even that which was unique to the experience of another was encouraging to all, for it confirmed that the Lord does not use a cookie-cutter approach to how we develop as branches of the true Vine.
This consultation, organized and convened by Jack and Susan Smith of Rockingham Monthly Meeting, brought together Friends from near and far, to share, to learn, and to build fellowship with one another. We worshipped, we had Bible reading, we shared in the preparation of our common meals and the clean-up chores, and we also had unstructured time to enjoy the surroundings and one another’s company. There were eight sessions held over the two and a half days of the consultation, with several topics covered in the first six sessions, each led by one of the participants. Among the topics were: The history of new meetings among Conservative friends; What mistakes have happened, how can they be avoided, what does seem to work, and what we have learned; Recognizing and encouraging spiritual gifts, and how much structure is needed? To what extent should new groups be part of a big picture?; What is the role and place in the group of the convener, and the role of the sponsoring established monthly meeting?; What are the responsibilities of the new group? There was time in each session for questions and sharing. The last two sessions were left open for discussion and sharing on previous topics, and the discussion of topics arising as a result of what had taken place in the previous sessions. It became apparent during the sessions, and in our discussions during times of common labor and fellowship, that we shared some common experiences in-spite of having such varied and unique circumstances, and even that which was unique to the experience of another was encouraging to all, for it confirmed that the Lord does not use a cookie-cutter approach to how we develop as branches of the true Vine.
