The report card is in from a number of places on the quality of high school students in the USA. Despite what many parents claim about their child being overworked, the evidence is that they have not been overworked in the class room. Maybe it is all those extra curriculum activities, or sports, or parents taking them on vacations before the school gets out, but the evidence says that they are not very good in math and their verbal skills are horrible thanks to the tweets and twitter and social media.
Who knows all of the reasons why our students are failing badly. David Brooks does a report on a study UCLA does every four years. There is trouble in the class room. No wonder it is such a hot political issue. Everybody wants our children to do better, but nobody knows how to make that happen. So every year there is a new effort made. No Child Left Behind, Common Core Curriculum, unlimited Charter Schools, reduce the number of teachers, Race to the Top. This is a partisan issue because both Democrats and Republicans think they have a new answer.
It will not get better as long as we keep changing the game plan every two or three years. It will not get better if we keep insulting the teachers. It will not get better if we do not start demanding that children read and write at 3rd grade level before they get promoted to the next level. We may have to double the size of our elementary schools and create 3B, 3C, 3D levels to hold all of them, but until we do, we are going to have drop out rates, GED, remedial, and all kinds of problems in education.
UNC was terribly upset when Mary Willingham said that a few jocks could not read. Here comes these studies that say most of the High School students can't do math very well. I wonder how they will react to that.
Thursday, May 8, 2014
Friday, February 7, 2014
The Needy
It has been more than twenty years ago, but I remember it well. It was a study of the history of evangelism and the periods of growth for the Christian faith.
The author took the simple description of society. It is a well known division of people. There are the 10 % of the people who make things happen. The movers and shakers of society are this group. The CEO's, the Political leaders, the bankers, doctors, educators and entertainers. We still talk about the top 10 % of society as the major hitters. Then there is a second level of people. Maybe 10% or 15% of the population makes up this group. They are the people who do not make things happen, but they know what is happening and they know some of the people who are making things happen. These do not sit in the meetings and make the decisions but they know the names of the people who do and they feel like they could call up the top 10% and those movers and shakers would talk with them.
And then there are the rest of us. The people who are barely able to remember our own schedules, just getting by on what we have to do, these are the people on food stamps, the people who collect the garbage, these are the people who clean the hospitals, these are the farmers and the truck drivers. These are the people who get called and can make up juries for Oliver North and O.J. Simpson because they don't pay any attention to the news. These people get talked into mortgages that have balloon clauses, and encouraged to charge over their budget. These are the poor, the lower middle class, the struggling people.
The historical evidence is that every revival and growth period of the church has happened when the preaching focused on this lower 75% of the population. Paul told the church at Corinth, not many of you are anybody. God takes the poor and the weak and the nobodies to prove His power and to reject the proud, the powerful who think they can make it on their own. The Reformation was a powerful movement of the peasant whom Martin Luther mobilized. The Great Awakening in the USA was a movement of the people, the settlers, the farmers, the land poor, and the war weary.
This matters because when you look at most of the main line Protestant and Catholic Churches they are made up of the people in the top 25% of the population. At one time there used to be great pride taken in the fact that so many senators and congress people were Presbyterians. Looking at the churches losing members it is the churches who have no interest and would not welcome those in the 75% group.
The Pentecostal revival of the Christian faith around the world is in third world countries where they are appealing to the masses.
When this history was study in a church study group, the people in that study group looked at the facts, acknowledged them and then said, "Next book." The study and the reality of what was said did not make a lick of difference to how they conducted ministry. A friend once laughingly told me, "God got along great for 1500 years without the Presbyterian Church, he can probably do it again." Indeed, He may get the chance.
The author took the simple description of society. It is a well known division of people. There are the 10 % of the people who make things happen. The movers and shakers of society are this group. The CEO's, the Political leaders, the bankers, doctors, educators and entertainers. We still talk about the top 10 % of society as the major hitters. Then there is a second level of people. Maybe 10% or 15% of the population makes up this group. They are the people who do not make things happen, but they know what is happening and they know some of the people who are making things happen. These do not sit in the meetings and make the decisions but they know the names of the people who do and they feel like they could call up the top 10% and those movers and shakers would talk with them.
And then there are the rest of us. The people who are barely able to remember our own schedules, just getting by on what we have to do, these are the people on food stamps, the people who collect the garbage, these are the people who clean the hospitals, these are the farmers and the truck drivers. These are the people who get called and can make up juries for Oliver North and O.J. Simpson because they don't pay any attention to the news. These people get talked into mortgages that have balloon clauses, and encouraged to charge over their budget. These are the poor, the lower middle class, the struggling people.
The historical evidence is that every revival and growth period of the church has happened when the preaching focused on this lower 75% of the population. Paul told the church at Corinth, not many of you are anybody. God takes the poor and the weak and the nobodies to prove His power and to reject the proud, the powerful who think they can make it on their own. The Reformation was a powerful movement of the peasant whom Martin Luther mobilized. The Great Awakening in the USA was a movement of the people, the settlers, the farmers, the land poor, and the war weary.
This matters because when you look at most of the main line Protestant and Catholic Churches they are made up of the people in the top 25% of the population. At one time there used to be great pride taken in the fact that so many senators and congress people were Presbyterians. Looking at the churches losing members it is the churches who have no interest and would not welcome those in the 75% group.
The Pentecostal revival of the Christian faith around the world is in third world countries where they are appealing to the masses.
When this history was study in a church study group, the people in that study group looked at the facts, acknowledged them and then said, "Next book." The study and the reality of what was said did not make a lick of difference to how they conducted ministry. A friend once laughingly told me, "God got along great for 1500 years without the Presbyterian Church, he can probably do it again." Indeed, He may get the chance.
Wednesday, January 29, 2014
What is with this, Abraham?
In a habit of reading the Bible over and over, it is interesting what steps out and gets noticed each time I read it. As I was reading through Genesis this month, one was impressed by the compassion and determination of Abraham to save the cities of Sodom and Gomorrah. Abraham went back and forth with God hard and heavy. Abraham got God down to being willing to save the city if only five people could be found who were faithful and upright.
But then a few chapters later, after we have the miracle of the birth of Isaac, we have this story of God telling Abraham to take Isaac out and sacrifice the child. What struck me as so unusual was that this bold, feisty Abraham does not say a word in behalf of Isaac. Abraham does not try to talk God into accepting five lambs to spare Isaac. Abraham does not negotiate with God about sparing Isaac's life like he did to try to save Sodom and Gomorrah. Would you take five bulls instead? Would you accept twenty? Not a word from Abraham.
There have been lots of discussions about this story. What kind of God puts his friends to that kind of testing? What kind of child will let himself be tied up without a fuss? What kind of promises does God make to Abraham that he hasn't already made to him earlier. Does suggest that God's promises may not be promises if he has to keep making them over and over again? But this morning as I read this story it was the lack of Abraham's resistance, his lack of fight for his son that struck me as disappointing.
But then a few chapters later, after we have the miracle of the birth of Isaac, we have this story of God telling Abraham to take Isaac out and sacrifice the child. What struck me as so unusual was that this bold, feisty Abraham does not say a word in behalf of Isaac. Abraham does not try to talk God into accepting five lambs to spare Isaac. Abraham does not negotiate with God about sparing Isaac's life like he did to try to save Sodom and Gomorrah. Would you take five bulls instead? Would you accept twenty? Not a word from Abraham.
There have been lots of discussions about this story. What kind of God puts his friends to that kind of testing? What kind of child will let himself be tied up without a fuss? What kind of promises does God make to Abraham that he hasn't already made to him earlier. Does suggest that God's promises may not be promises if he has to keep making them over and over again? But this morning as I read this story it was the lack of Abraham's resistance, his lack of fight for his son that struck me as disappointing.
Sunday, December 29, 2013
The Manger Child
The Manger Child: A Christmas Sonnet
The Story once was full of joy
With Angel’s songs and Wise Men’s toys.
“Good News to All and Peace on earth”
A child was born of holy worth.
The Story spread on acts of love,
But Power soon added a glove
And Force became a common part
To bring conversions to the hearts.
The Story struggles yet again
There is a hero without sin
Who maybe asks if you’ve been nice
Yet seems to give without a price.
What happened to the Manger Child?
He’s been replaced by Santa mild.
rick brand, 2013
Sunday, December 8, 2013
One for Pope Francis
I have not seen it or read all of it. I have only heard reports about what it said, but I celebrate the message I heard. I heard that the new Pope, Francis, has issued an 80 page analysis of economic realities. In it he has indicated that he did not believe capitalism is an economic system that was compatible with the Christian faith. I think that that needs to be said more and more. The unregulated pursuit of profit is not an approach to life which those of us who want to follow Jesus ought to support. Even the regulated form of capitalism is not very attractive. There is a reason why so many of the other countries have something called Christian socialism.
Because I have not had a chance to read the whole thing, I do not know what all the major points are that are brought to bear against capitalism, but I would argue that capitalism is built on two major evils: the sin of greed and the sin of selfishness. Capitalism pushes for more and more profits. CEO's set profit goals and eliminate activities that do not reach those goals. One commercial for a bank once had the line "I think my money ought to be making more." More, More, More. In our small town we have seen a number of large company outlets closed; not because they were losing money, merely because they were not growing their profits at the targeted magic number of some CEO in some far away place. Good jobs and nice stores closed because they were not making "more." The movie that had the line "Greed is good" may be an extreme but that is what capitalism pushes for. Why would the wealth want tax shelters in small islands if they were not greedy to keep what they have and want to make more.
Greed and selfishness may be part of the same evil, but the selfishness is manifested in the fact that one only cares about what I make and not what happens to you. Capitalism is focused on each person being out for their own advancement and not caring what happens to others. In fact, the competition in capitalism means that I want to eliminate you or weaken you so that I can make more.
Pope Francis is right, and he has already been vilified by a host of people. Condemned by radio conservative people. There is too much of our American Christian community wrapped up in our flag, our country and our capitalism for there to be too much acceptance or appreciation of what Pope Francis says, but he is right
Because I have not had a chance to read the whole thing, I do not know what all the major points are that are brought to bear against capitalism, but I would argue that capitalism is built on two major evils: the sin of greed and the sin of selfishness. Capitalism pushes for more and more profits. CEO's set profit goals and eliminate activities that do not reach those goals. One commercial for a bank once had the line "I think my money ought to be making more." More, More, More. In our small town we have seen a number of large company outlets closed; not because they were losing money, merely because they were not growing their profits at the targeted magic number of some CEO in some far away place. Good jobs and nice stores closed because they were not making "more." The movie that had the line "Greed is good" may be an extreme but that is what capitalism pushes for. Why would the wealth want tax shelters in small islands if they were not greedy to keep what they have and want to make more.
Greed and selfishness may be part of the same evil, but the selfishness is manifested in the fact that one only cares about what I make and not what happens to you. Capitalism is focused on each person being out for their own advancement and not caring what happens to others. In fact, the competition in capitalism means that I want to eliminate you or weaken you so that I can make more.
Pope Francis is right, and he has already been vilified by a host of people. Condemned by radio conservative people. There is too much of our American Christian community wrapped up in our flag, our country and our capitalism for there to be too much acceptance or appreciation of what Pope Francis says, but he is right
Sunday, November 3, 2013
Where is Rudolph Otto now?
When I was in seminary one of the major works was by Rudolph Otto entitled, The Idea of the Holy. In that work Otto said that there were two major aspects of the experience of the Holy. One, the first was the aspect of mystery. What Bob Dylan said, "Something is happening here, but you don't know what it is, do you Mr. Jones." There was something strange, something unexplained, something that does not fit in the normal rational explanation. Mystery. The second aspect was fear. Otto called them Mysterium and Tremendum. Mystery and Fear. Isaiah in the Temple, Woe, is me. That dimension that has all the angels saying every time, "Fear not." Do not be afraid. But that frightened response to the presence of the Holy. Reinhold Niebuhr once suggested that in the presence of the Holy there is no laughter or silliness.
From what I have seen in worship over the last five years is that neither of those aspects is a part of the current religious celebrations. Worship is now causal, now familiar, there is a sense of competence in the ministry that we can handle this. There is no mystery. There is no trembling when handling holy things. There is joking and laughing. Annie Dillard once said we were children playing with a chemistry set and had no idea of the dangers that existed in playing so lightly with the chemicals. There is a lot of touchy feeling, loving and hugging, and talk about God's as the God of grace and glory, but that there might be righteousness that would consume us and burn up all of our nicely constructed liturgies doesn't seem to have entered the consciousness of any of the churches I have visited or seen.
If Rudolph Otto was doing his research now, he would never have been able to develop that definition of the Holy because neither aspect: mystery or fear seems anywhere near our current religious landscape.
From what I have seen in worship over the last five years is that neither of those aspects is a part of the current religious celebrations. Worship is now causal, now familiar, there is a sense of competence in the ministry that we can handle this. There is no mystery. There is no trembling when handling holy things. There is joking and laughing. Annie Dillard once said we were children playing with a chemistry set and had no idea of the dangers that existed in playing so lightly with the chemicals. There is a lot of touchy feeling, loving and hugging, and talk about God's as the God of grace and glory, but that there might be righteousness that would consume us and burn up all of our nicely constructed liturgies doesn't seem to have entered the consciousness of any of the churches I have visited or seen.
If Rudolph Otto was doing his research now, he would never have been able to develop that definition of the Holy because neither aspect: mystery or fear seems anywhere near our current religious landscape.
Friday, October 25, 2013
Wounded by their own Words
It is well known that Bart Erhman is out for revenge. His constant stream of books and articles, his appearance on television programs, all of which focus on the historical criticism of the scriptures and the New Testament times. His books on the history of the writing of the scriptures and how they were subject to errors and to theological biases are all the response to his anger and frustration at being deceived by the Christian community in which he was reared.
Dr. Erhman was converted, as he has told us, in a very strict evangelical, fundamentalist congregation. He was told and he accepted that the Bible was the word of God and every word in the Bible was inspired and divine. He was told the Bible was the inerrant word of God. He was so devoted to that theology that he wanted to be a Biblical scholar. When in his studies of the Scripture he began to learn the truth about the vast number of manuscripts of the Bible and how many different readings there were to so many different passages, he began to discover that the Bible was not without its human dimension. He discovered that he had been lied to by all those preachers. The Bible was not inerrant as a text. His response has been to engage in attacks upon the Bible and Christianity ever since.
What perhaps is not as well known is that Reza Aslan, who is the author of the much discussed book Zealot: The life and Times of Jesus of Nazareth, was also converted from Islam by an evangelical Christian community. As an adolescent living in the USA he was converted to Christianity in a fundamentalist church. Once again, as an undergraduate he encountered the critical biblical scholarship that exposed the shaky foundations of that fundamentalist message. He abandoned Christianity and returned to his roots as a Muslim. Now he, also, is writing books that criticize the basic message of the Christian faith.
"Hell hath no fury like a woman scorned." but the Christian faith is also discovering that "that woman" has a match in a fundamentalist convert who discovers that the proclamation of an inerrant Bible is a lie. The Bible is indeed, an inspired book, inspired by the faith of the humans who wrote it and the message of the presence of a Holy One in the midst of History is good news, but the text that tells that story is as flawed as any other book that is published.
Dr. Erhman was converted, as he has told us, in a very strict evangelical, fundamentalist congregation. He was told and he accepted that the Bible was the word of God and every word in the Bible was inspired and divine. He was told the Bible was the inerrant word of God. He was so devoted to that theology that he wanted to be a Biblical scholar. When in his studies of the Scripture he began to learn the truth about the vast number of manuscripts of the Bible and how many different readings there were to so many different passages, he began to discover that the Bible was not without its human dimension. He discovered that he had been lied to by all those preachers. The Bible was not inerrant as a text. His response has been to engage in attacks upon the Bible and Christianity ever since.
What perhaps is not as well known is that Reza Aslan, who is the author of the much discussed book Zealot: The life and Times of Jesus of Nazareth, was also converted from Islam by an evangelical Christian community. As an adolescent living in the USA he was converted to Christianity in a fundamentalist church. Once again, as an undergraduate he encountered the critical biblical scholarship that exposed the shaky foundations of that fundamentalist message. He abandoned Christianity and returned to his roots as a Muslim. Now he, also, is writing books that criticize the basic message of the Christian faith.
"Hell hath no fury like a woman scorned." but the Christian faith is also discovering that "that woman" has a match in a fundamentalist convert who discovers that the proclamation of an inerrant Bible is a lie. The Bible is indeed, an inspired book, inspired by the faith of the humans who wrote it and the message of the presence of a Holy One in the midst of History is good news, but the text that tells that story is as flawed as any other book that is published.
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