Tuesday, April 9, 2013
How Prepared Will I Be to Serve?
By: Ronald Barnes
I often wonder about my preparation to
serve the community I am being called to serve once I graduate from seminary.
How prepared will I be to address and give constructive input to the issues
people will bring to me? McCormick has a great reputation for training
theologians over the decades. However, the world is changing and the situations
theologians and the church are encountering I believe require more than the
traditional theological preparation.
My commitment to the theory of my
theological training is resolute. My concern is for the practical application
of my theological training and how effective I will be dealing with real life
situations, such as:
1.
Ministering to
the parents after the death of a child.
2.
Ministering to a
world and community plagued problems and violence.
3.
Ministering to
children on matters of peer group pressures (i.e. gang pressure, bullying,
social click pressure, school / grades, achievements situations / personal
issues).
4.
Ministry to
people with a seemingly normal life – maintenance ministry
I would like to think that ministry does
not always have to be about challenging life issues. Ministry that celebrates
happiness and recognizes joy is just as important as Ministry that deals with
challenging and unforeseen situations. How effective can any effort to deal
with the challenges confronting us in life be without a healthy spiritual
foundation?
As a student working to become a
minister, I often wonder how prepared will I be to address people with problems
that will confront me. I believe the Bible addresses the entire range of
issues, challenges and problems that will confront us, many in a manner that
our contemporary society has conflicting views and opinions about. How do we
reconcile the Bible with present day attitudes and be true to our faith and be
true to the people we serve?
I think that before we are ministers and
theologians, we are first human beings created by God who should have a
compassion for the plight of others and a desire to give comfort and direction,
not judgment. This is not to say we should condone unethical, immoral or
illegal behavior, but it is to say we should have Christ-like compassion and
impartial understanding. Is this possible? If we are not capable of this then
we must question and re-evaluate our ability to serve.
I don’t think it matters as much if we
are a masters or PhD level theologians; what matters is how much we care about
the plight of others. What matters is how much we care to serve and how well we
can console others in times of need.
Does a formal theological education
prepare us to deal with the practical matters that may potentially confront us?
Probably not completely, but at least our theological training will give us a
foundation in Christ and the Bible. A Christian faith and spirit is critical as
a foundation to help people. A solid Christian training along with a strong
faith and practical insight and compassion for others will give us the
foundation necessary serve in a manner that helps others and brings
satisfaction into our own life.
Rev. Kosho is coming to Meadville Lombard
Rissho Kosei-kai Coming to Meadville Lombard
March 15, 2013
Rev. Kosho is president-designate of Rissho Kosei-kai, which now has over 2 million member households worldwide. She is the mother of four children and recently published the book, The Buddha in Everyone's Heart; Seeking the World of the Lotus Sutra.
In this inspiring collection of reminiscences, a young religious leader shares the fruits of her personal study of the teachings of Rev. Nikkyo Niwano (1906-99), her grandfather and the founder of the international lay Buddhist organization Rissho Kosei-kai. The teachings of Rev. Nikkyo Niwano are still relevant in our turbulent times. Rev. Kosho bears witness to her grandfather's lifelong dedication to the liberation from suffering for all people through the teachings of the Lotus Sutra, one of the most important Mahayana Buddhist scriptures.
Rev. Kosho will discuss her book on Wednesday, April 24 at 5:30 PM. Following the talk, Rev. Kosho will conduct a book signing and Meadville Lombard will host a reception. All are welcome!
Reservations requested, but not required. Click here to make your reservation, or call (312) 212-0676.
Need directions? Click here.
alternative epistemologies
alternative epistemologies
WEDNESDAY, APRIL 10
4:30-6pm
(+ social hour 6-7pm)
Swift Lecture Hall, 3rd floor
Dr. Emilie Townes
"The Womanist Dancing Mind"
Preeminent womanist ethicist, former president of the AAR, and current president of the Society for the Study of Black Religion, Dr. Emilie Townes will speak on womanist epistemology, drawing from the first chapter of her book Womanist Ethics and the Cultural Production of Evil, in which she sets the epistemological premises for her ethical arguments.
Tuesday, April 2, 2013
National Festival of Young Preachers
In just 9 months, the 2014 National Festival of Young Preachers will convene in Indianapolis, IN.
The Festival will again feature 116 Young Preachers with total attendance exceeding 600 people.
Scholarships are available!
Learn more: www.academyofpreachers.net.
The Festival will again feature 116 Young Preachers with total attendance exceeding 600 people.
Scholarships are available!
Learn more: www.academyofpreachers.net.
Op-Ed: Do Atheists know Religion Better than Believers?
By: Ronald Barnes
Note: The views in articles, blog posts, and opinion pieces are specific to the author and do not necessarily reflect the views of McCormick Theological Seminary or The Herald.
In my opinion, gaining
knowledge of the Bible and the pursuit of Religious practice is a spiritual
journey that leads us to salvation. Understanding the Bible is also a lesson in
History. In my journey to develop my own Christian spirit, I came across some
startling articles that raised question regarding how well Christians and
Religious "believers" know religion. The startling part was the
article stated atheist and agnostics know religion better than
"believers". The conclusion in one article was ""Atheists
and agnostics, Jews and Mormons are among the highest-scoring groups in a
32-question survey of religious knowledge by the Pew Forum on Religion and Public Life.
On average, Americans got 16 of the 32 questions correct. Atheists and
agnostics got an average of 20.9 correct answers. Jews (20.5) and Mormons
(20.3). Protestants got 16 correct answers on average, while Catholics got 14.7
questions right."
A basic foundation of
Christianity is faith, belief in that which has no logical explanation. However
the articles I read made me wonder if Christians use faith as a crutch not to
read, understand or study the Bible. As Theology students and Theology
professionals study of the Bible is what we do. However the articles caused me
to wonder if we have a greater responsibility to develop enthusiasm among
Christian congregations and ("believers") to enhance their knowledge
of the Bible and Religion in general. Faith is an undeniable foundation for our
Christian belief but also I feel that knowledge makes faith stronger. Normally,
Christian "believers" gain religious knowledge through the Sunday
sermon when the minister references and explains bible passages that give a context
to his message. Sunday school and bible study groups are other methods by which
Christians gain knowledge of religion. But how effective are these methods that
give "believers" fragmented impressions of religion without
consistency or continuity to understand how the Bible should frame our daily
lives. I got the impression the article insinuates that atheist take their
non-belief more serious than "believers" take their religious
convictions. I encourage you to read the articles for yourself and let the
Herald know what you think. One of the articles includes a religious quiz. We
encourage you to take the quiz.
The
articles I am referring to are:
"In
US, atheists know religion better than believers. Is that bad?"
The other article includes a quiz that
we encourage all of you to take. This article is entitled: "Are you
smarter than an atheist? A religious quiz" and can be found at:
Please take the test and
respond to the Herald with your score. Let us know how you did. Anonymous
feedback is fine. I think it will be fun. Scores will be posted in the next
issue of the Herald, including our own scores. If you take the quiz more than
once please submit your first score. I realize that sometimes test and quizzes can
be skewed to the disadvantage of some but I found this quiz to be rather
objective and general in nature. Good luck!
In order to broaden your
religious education and knowledge it would make interesting reading to visit
The Pew Forum on Religion and Public Life (http://www.pewforum.org/). They
discuss a wide variety of topics in a religious context. They give results of
studies conducted and opinions on a variety of subject matters as they relate
to religion. The Herald does not endorse any of their opinions or study
conclusions. They describe themselves as a non-partisan religion research
organization. If you visit and check them out draw your own conclusions.
Note: The views in articles, blog posts, and opinion pieces are specific to the author and do not necessarily reflect the views of McCormick Theological Seminary or The Herald.
CPE Experience
Dear McCormick community:
I wanted to share with you my positive CPE residency experience at Cincinnati Children's in Cincinnati, Ohio. I am currently a little over halfway done with my residency. The
I wanted to share with you my positive CPE residency experience at Cincinnati Children's in Cincinnati, Ohio. I am currently a little over halfway done with my residency. The
Having a special place in my heart for McCormick students I wanted to promote this residency. It is solid. I also fell upon this residency almost by accident. Therefore I am being intentional about promoting this residency to quality people. Below are some new video links that tell the story of CCHMC's CPE residency program. The videos also serve as useful tools in explaining what CPE is to someone who may not know. Let me know if you have any issues with the link or questions in general about the residency.
All the Best to you and yours,
Sarah Davelaar (Otieno)
Need a filing cabinet??
"Two sand colored, four drawer, legal size filing cabinets - one of which is lockable. Free to anyone willing to move and transport."
If interested, contact Dean Christine Vogel.
Public Service Loan Forgiveness
 |
| Photo: Images_of_Money, flickr.com. Creative Commons license. |
You may qualify for forgiveness of any remaining balance on your eligible federal student loans thanks to the Public Service Loan Forgiveness (PSLF) Program.
This program was created by Congress to encourage individuals to enter and continue to work full-time in public service jobs. Under the Public Service Loan Forgiveness (PSLF) program, borrowers may qualify for forgiveness of the remaining balance due on their eligible federal student loans after they have made 120 payments on those loans under certain repayment plans while employed full-time by certain public service employers.
Interested? Review the requirements of the Public Service Loan Forgiveness (PSLF) Program at MyFedLoan.org/PSLF today to learn more!
Tuesday, March 26, 2013
Stand up for Peace & Justice in Colombia!
 | |
Ask Your Representative to Stand Up for Peace and Justice in Colombia! For over fifty years, Colombians have suffered through unspeakable violence. They have been forced to flee their homes; they have been kidnapped, raped and killed. Human rights defenders, journalists, and union members have been subjected to death threats and assassinated for the work they do. Indigenous and Afro-Colombian communities have been brutally affected by the war as well as by social and economic exclusion. The internal armed conflict has affected every sector of Colombian society, leaving generations of Colombians knowing only war. Click here to send a message to your Representative today! Representatives McGovern and Schakowsky have drafted a letter to Secretary of State John Kerry asking the State Department to continue supporting peace negotiations, but to also advocate for including victims of violence and civil society in the peace process, to press for an independent truth commission and strong measures to ensure justice for severe human rights abuses by all parties to the conflict, and to transform U.S. aid to Colombia from a budget that supports war to a package that promotes peace. This letter is a great opportunity to make real change, but it will only be effective if we can convince at least 70 members of Congress to join Representatives McGovern and Schakowsky in speaking for peace and justice. Click here to send an email urging your member of Congress to sign on to this important letter!  |
What separates us from God and Jesus Christ?
By: Ron Barnes
Obviously, a great
distance separates us from God. It is written that humans are made in the image
of God. Does God look like us? Do we act like God? Well that’s a no brainer
question. Do we think like God? Likewise this is a no brainer. Hopefully no one
in his or her right mind would consider being on the same level as God the Father.
Face it, man and woman could never compare to the omnipotent and omniscient
Christian God. The Christian concept of Penance, Atonement or Forgiveness for
our sins is one that is ambiguous for most people to understand. It is also one
important thing that separates us from God. I am often amazed at the depth of
God’s forgiveness and God’s ability to give salvation to every person who
simply and sincerely asks God in prayer. In conversation with a friend I was
asked the following questions regarding the issue of penance.
- “What about people that have sinned all of their life? Can they be saved and go to heaven?”
- “What about people that ask for forgiveness on their death beds but throughout their life showed no remorse for unchristian behavior?”
- “How can God forgive unquestionable sin?”
There is often
confusion among Christians regarding entering the Gates of Heaven as it relates
to the forgiveness of sins. I believe the desire to go to heaven is what
motivates many Christians to live a Christian life.
Romans 3 states:
21 But now, irrespective of law, the righteousness of God has been disclosed, and is attested by the law and the prophets, 22the righteousness of God through faith in Jesus Christ for all who believe. For there is no distinction, 23since all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God; 24they are now justified by his grace as a gift, through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus, 25whom God put forward as a sacrifice of atonement by his blood, effective through faith. He did this to show his righteousness, because in his divine forbearance he had passed over the sins previously committed; 26it was to prove at the present time that he himself is righteous and that he justifies the one who has faith in Jesus.
This is one of the
reasons God sent Jesus Christ as our savior. Through Jesus Christ, by the Grace
of God, all of us have the potential for everlasting life in heaven, regardless
of our lifestyle on earth. I think most people tend to complicate this issue
when it is a very simple concept and blessing God bestows upon us as
Christians. Think about it. If God punished us for our sins then he and Jesus
would be in Heaven by themselves. It would be a lonely place for God and Jesus.
God does not hold
grudge. God has love for all men and women. The degree of God’s love for his
children on earth is boundless. I, like other human beings on earth find it
difficult to “wrap my mind” around God’s degree of love for his children. How
easy is it for us to forgive? How easy is it for us to open our hearts to
others regardless of race, religion, creed, color, gender or sexual
orientation? God does not discriminate in these areas. Certainly this type of
love among humanity is uncommon, if at all present. Salvation through faith in
God is given to us without reservation. I believe it is for us to be eternally
grateful for God’s gift. If we don’t fully understand the gift, we should
graciously accept it without question or judgment.
Note:
The views in articles, blog posts, and opinion pieces are specific to
the author and do not necessarily reflect the views of McCormick
Theological Seminary or The Herald.
Screening of "Trigger"
In the United States more than 30,000 people are killed every year by gun violence, and the disaster caused by gun violence is seen in almost every community.
The documentary, “TRIGGER” shares the story of how gun violence impacts individuals and communities. It examines the effect that one shooting has on a survivor, a family, a community, and a society.
The documentary, “TRIGGER” shares the story of how gun violence impacts individuals and communities. It examines the effect that one shooting has on a survivor, a family, a community, and a society.
Come hear from elected officials and church leaders on legislative efforts towards common sense gun laws and to see a screening of “TRIGGER,” a documentary film by McCormick alumnus David Barnhart.
Saturday, April 13th
10:00 a.m. to Noon
Fourth Presbyterian Church
126 E. Chestnut Street, Chicago
10:00 a.m. to Noon
Fourth Presbyterian Church
126 E. Chestnut Street, Chicago
Co-Sponsored by McCormick Theological Seminary and Fourth Presbyterian Church of Chicago.
Upcoming Interfaith Opportunities
Tuesday, April 2nd
“India’s inclusive growth imperative and the strategic partnership with the US” by Dr. Balchandra Mungekar
American Islamic College, 640 W. Irving Park Rd. Chicago, IL 60613
6:00pm – 6:30pm Reception, 6:30pm – 7:30pm Lecture and Q&A
or Watch it Live @ Ustream.tv
Cafe Finjan Features Jewish and Muslim poets, singer-songwriters,
storytellers, comedians, actors, dancers, bands, painters, photographers, and
filmmakers.
American Islamic College
640 W. Irving Park Rd. Chicago, IL 60613,
Free limited parking on 613 Bittersweet Pl
Saturday, April 6, 8pm
Concert For Peace and Reconciliation by the Lira Ensemble
Concert For Peace and Reconciliation by the Lira Ensemble
Commemorating the 70th
Anniversary of the Warsaw Ghetto Uprising Featuring Jewish & Polish Music
K.A.M. Isaiah Israel
Congregation, 1100 East Hyde Park Boulevard in Chicago
ADMISSION IS FREE (free
will donation welcome)
Thursday, April 11, 11:30-1:00
India Seminar Presentation
India Seminar Presentation
J-term students from this
year’s course entitled ‘Indian Christianity in Its Religiously-Plural Context’
will share about experiences and insights gained from this experience in
Hyderabad, India. Indian lunch
provided. Lutheran School of Theology at
Chicago, Room 350, 1100 E 55th St, Chicago, IL 60615
Sunday, Apr 21, 1:30-4:30 pm
Annual Sacred Texts Conference: “Human Diversity: Blessing or Curse?”
Annual Sacred Texts Conference: “Human Diversity: Blessing or Curse?”
Our Saviour’s Lutheran Church, 1234 N. Arlington
Heights Rd, Arlington Heights
What do our scriptures say about our differences? How
do our religions teach us to respect and appreciate the other?
Monday,
Apr 22-26
Interfaith Service Projects
Interfaith Service Projects
We will be participating in at least two interfaith
service projects. One will likely be
with friends at American Islamic College, and the other with the Hyde Park Gardening
at St. Paul the Redeemer. Let Sara know
if you have other ideas: strumm@yahoo.com.
Monday, April 22 at 7 p.m.
Interfaith Earth Day celebration by Hyde Park-Kenwood Interfaith Council
Interfaith Earth Day celebration by Hyde Park-Kenwood Interfaith Council
Our theme this year is "back to
the garden", and we would love to have drawings, paintings and collages
from our children to show in a slide show during the service.
Have images sent to Ms. Carly N., who
is reachable by email at carlynotor@gmail.com by the deadline of April 19th.
Tuesday, April 30,
2013
Spring Shapiro Lecture "Do Jews and Christians Share Jesus and the New Testament" Speaker: Amy-Jill Levine, Ph.D.
Spring Shapiro Lecture "Do Jews and Christians Share Jesus and the New Testament" Speaker: Amy-Jill Levine, Ph.D.
4:00 p.m. – Lecture 5:00 p.m. -
Reception
Catholic Theological Union, 5416 S.
Cornell Ave., Chicago, Second Floor
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