Fall Thoughts....sort of

Man the chilly weather hit us in a big way this week here in St. Louis. Waking up with temps in the high 40s and low 50s makes this loather(word?) of the cold nervous. But I realize the seasons do have their place. Fall is actually a nice time of year, so I am definitely looking forward to it.

Couple thoughts before I head off to lunch and then class: In the past year we have seen some pretty dynamite things. For one, it was one year ago tomorrow when Phish announced via their website they would be coming back. Okay, I may be the only one who actually cares about this, but it was important to me! But something else, more pertinent to everyone in general, we saw was the utter collapse of the American economy and the United States Dollar.

Yesterday, the Mockingbird blog (which if you are not reading them stop reading me and go there), had an article on the collapse of the economy and human nature. What's funny is how closely related the two are. Now in an economics class and on CNN or FoxNews one would be howled at for getting theological on the present situation the US and the world finds itself in. But nevertheless the two are closely associated. Humans are completely greedy. Even socialists and communists are greedy, their greed just manifests in different ways.

Today we had a convocation on Dietrich Bonhoeffer's book Life Together. Although Bonhoeffer definitely alludes to the idea of Christian community being found in seminary, for that is what he was writing for, his overall idea and exploration of Christian Community can be translated to the local parish. We worship mostly in the mornings to start off the week on the Lord's Day, as the Apostles called it. But every morning belongs to the Lord. So every morning Bonhoeffer writes,

"For Christians the beginning of the day should not be burdened and oppressed with besetting concerns for the day's work. At the threshold of the new day stands the Lord who made it. All the darkness and distraction of the dreams of night retreat before the clear light of Jesus Christ and his wakening Word. All unrest, all impurity, all care and anxiety flee before him. Therefore, at the beginning of the day let all distraction and empty talk be silenced and let the first thought and the first word belong to him to whom our whole life belongs. 'Awake thou that sleepest, and arise from the dead, and Christ shall give thee light' (Ephesians 5:14)."

Life Together, 43

This is the importance of worship for the Christian. The classic argument is, "What I can't be a Christian on my own? I can believe what I want I don't have to go to church." No, I suppose you don't have to but isn't that just the attitude of the American? "I don't need anyone else, I just need myself."

Oh how wrong that is. We need others in this journey we call life. And we also need to hear the Word preach and receive the Sacraments. Because these are God's gifts to the church. So turn over a new leaf, even if it is a dead one since Fall is here, and join with Jesus and the church who by the power of Christ's own death and resurrection the fall has been kicked back and with the light of each new day is the light of Christ to be enjoyed in community with one another.

Re-defining "Church Music"

On September 22nd, the David Crowder* Band dropped their 5th full-length album, and first since 2007, entitled Church Music. I have been really intrigued by this project ever since they announced recording back in either January or February. And I became even more intrigued when I heard that the album was going to be called, Church Music. The concept for this album is a way to re-establish the mission or motives of the band.

If you pre-ordered the album a cool Church Music Magazine came along with it and this magazine shed some light into just what the band was thinking when they were writing/recording. In one of the articles, which was a transcript (with side notes) on a recent talk head guy David Crowder gave, Crowder concluded that the future of "worship music" is this: "It will reconcile order and perceived chaos, that it will point to the chaos, that it will point to the limitlessness of things, that it will point to the irrationality of where we are and in so doing, it will probably point to the most irrational thing of all, which is grace."

As a Lutheran I love that. I love that he recognizes, coming from the "evangelical" world, that worship is about an order amidst what may seem like chaos. The chaos, as he revealed earlier in the article, is usually the world surrounding and what people bring to the table as they come to church. People have chaotic lives, the world is chaotic, and in worship order brings a reconciliation of this chaos driven world. Chaotic sinful human beings engage order in worship done right.

His take on the limitlessness of things caught my eye too. I am someone who outside of faith related things doesn't show very much emotion. And yet while there seems to be a "limited" function in the church service it is really the limitlessness that defines what is all about: Sins are forgiven, the Word is preached, and the Sacrament is given. In conjunction with this being "limitless" it smoothly goes into what he was talking about being irrational. Sins being forgiven, the Gospel being preached, and Jesus being present in the Sacrament are all extremely irrational things.

In 1 Corinthians 1 we see St. Paul talking about how "rational" this all is when he calls the cross "the folly" or "the foolishness" because of how utterly ridiculous it truly all sounds. Yet, amidst the chaos, and amidst the irrationality the cross is "the power" to those being saved.

I could not do the band justice by doing a full blown album review. The album is 17 tracks long and each track flows seamlessly into the next as though the near 90 minute excursion were one big song. This album transcends music period. If you're a fan of music and not even a fan of Christianity you cannot give this album an objective spin and not coming out realizing the genius of it all. Get the album, spend the 11 or 12 bucks it will cost you. You will not be disappointed.

It's a musical and spiritual endeavor that engages a chaotic culture head on and brings with it the very Gospel of Hope that changes the world.

Last Words

Found this on the New York Times website. The op-ed author is Claire Cameron. I was intrigued by the title of the piece and I was even more intrigued by the actual words of those moments from execution. Notice how many look for forgiveness, beg for forgiveness.

Last Words

I add last words from another criminal facing execution:

"Jesus, remember me when you come into your kingdom."

Sem Life 101

One of the biggest positives about being here at Concordia Seminary is the fact that the vast majority of people here, married/engaged/in a relationship/single, are here for the same purpose: To learn and grow together in God's Word and to become ordained pastors in Christ's Church. It's a humbling thing to be going through.

Another big positive is the access to the minds that are here on campus. Some of the best and the brightest "in the business" are on campus here and are extremely accessible. It's important to be able to hang out at "Prof 'N Stein" on Friday afternoons with your professors to talk about theology or anything in life and throw back a couple beers. It's also important that so many of them have an open door policy that makes them that much more accessible.

The idea of fostering community, and not just any community, but a community centered around Jesus Christ and His Church is an awesome thing to be experiencing. Exciting times for sure here at Concordia Seminary, and I am grateful for the opportunity. I imagine that in some way similarities abound in graduate studies altogether: The material and course work is intense but it is very intentional and specific. After being in college and majoring something that you choose but still having to take classes you don't want to, it is a joy to be straight up taking classes that in some form or another interest you. I don't feel like I am laboring to go to class. That's a good thing, in my estimation.

My favorite part so far has been daily chapel where at 9:40am Monday through Friday we gather as a community around the Word, and on Wednesday's The Sacrament, to be enriched by God's fulfilling means of grace. It is great to hear the different preaching styles/perspectives each member of the faculty brings to the pulpit as they preach. Each homily is meaningful to the situation the student is dealing with. What I am finding is that seminary is very much real life. The campus is an easy walk away from Forest Park, a city park BIGGER than Central Park, as well as a short drive or a long walk from Washington University St. Louis, "The Loop," and other neighborhood areas with coffee shops, wine bars, and restaurants.

What we're learning at seminary is about digesting it and bringing it to the world, just as we would with anything we learn at church normally. It's good to hear we are encouraged to get off campus and to explore what is "out there" in a fun little city full of people and culture.

The Gospel is at the very center of how Lutherans operate so it should come as no surprise that engaging the world with the Gospel of hope is what we do.

The Rising

Every year on this date I am brought to tears thinking about what transpired. The thing that bothered me most was that I woke up well after the first national moment of silence at 8:46 am (I have always made sure I was awake throughout college to observe), and that I was utterly clueless as to what day it was until I looked at the upper right corner of my computer which told me the date: September 11, 2009.

September 11, 2001 I was sitting in lunch as a freshman in high school. When the seniors from lunch started coming back and breaking the news to us it did not seem real. The entire cafeteria was fired up with loud talking and wondering what truly happened. wild rumors were flying around: The Empire State Building and Statue of Liberty were gone too. As I said, none of it seemed real. Then after the second (1st WTC) fell lunch had ended, yes we ate that early, off to Design, Drawing, and Production I went. As I got close to the classroom I noticed an eery silence and saw no light coming from the classroom. As I entered for the first time it hit me. I watched in numbness as I saw two beloved buildings completely collapse. I saw the horror on faces of classmates whose parents worked in the city, whose parents worked at the World Trade Center complex. I sat with a childhood friend who wondered if his father, who had gone in that day, was indeed still alive. Thank God he was.

Not all of my friends and not all of my school mates at Islip High School on Long Island, NY were so lucky. Many of them lost loved ones that day. Each and every September 11th those people and their families are in my thoughts and prayers.

I remember that the only place I wanted to be that day was in Mr. Brown's social studies class. Surely Mr. Brown would know what had happened and why, and surely his classroom was a safe place to be. As I got there for the second to last period of the day I had never seen the man so sad in my life. I'm glad I was spared having him when the news was broken to his 4th period class that our nation was under attack. We read an article, an op-ed, by Thomas Friedman of The New York Times which was written from the viewpoint of Osama bin Laden that past summer. In it Friedman wrote as bin Laden mocked Americans and said we would run from all places of the world as al-Qaeda attacked. He stopped short of saying al-Qaeda would strike on American soil.

Osama bin Laden never being caught is a drastic reminder to us that evil exists and is still very real. Many try to write off the attacks of September 11th as something less than pure evil. What al-Qaeda did that day was evil, plain and simple. But 9/11 should also serve as a reminder that evil exists in many forms and Satan prowls around looking to devour. Because of sin this world is full of hate, it is full of pain, and it is full of anger. There is anger and madness from people all over the world this day. The anger is not just from America to terrorists hiding in caves in Afghanistan, the anger is also from those in the Middle East to the United States of America. The anger and madness comes from within America as there are those who believe it was an inside job by the government. Satan is all about evil and is all about creating chaos in the world. What al-Qaeda did that late summer Tuesday morning was create chaos. Death, sadness, fright, horror, madness, and chaos all ruled that day and in many ways it seems like they rule everyday.

In 1 Corinthians 15:55 St. Paul asks two questions one right after the other: "O death, where is your victory? O death, where is your sting?" Those who die in Christ are the ones with the real victory, they are the ones carrying the sting to bring to death. Jesus came to earth to die for sadness, for those frightened, for horror, for those engulfed in madness, for chaos, and finally for death. All of these things and more are the very embodiment of sin. Sin is going against the perfect will of God, and death is its punishment. Death is a separation, it is a very real and very troubling thing that humanity goes through. But because of what the ultimate man, Jesus Christ, went through it has no victory, and it carries no sting.

Jesus went to the cross knowing about death and was willing to experience it for the sake of humanity. Jesus went to the cross knowing about 9/11/01 and all days when people from all places would die. Jesus hung on the cross for our salvation, He defeated sin, death, and the devil.

During the summer of 2002, Bruce Springsteen came out with an album called The Rising. It is a wonderful album with a collection of songs telling the story of those let behind because of the 9/11 attacks. The lyrics to the title track, The Rising, parallel a biblical story/concept that sometimes gets lost in the shuffle, believe it or not:

There's spirits above and behind me,

Faces gone black, eyes burnin bright,

May their precious blood bind me,

Lord, as I stand before your fiery light...

Come on up for the rising,

Come on up, lay your hands in mine

Come on up for the rising,

Come on up for the rising tonight

The rising. Not only did Jesus the Christ die for our sins, but he also rose for them. Jesus not only conquered sin, death, and the grave through dying, but through rising. The rising that Christians can look forward to and sing shouts of joy about is the rising we will receive on the last day. On that glorious day we will be reunited with those who died before us and those of us who die ourselves will be raised in body to the sounds of trumpets.

My prayer this September 11th, all September 11th's, and all days is that those who suffer loss and tragedy be comforted in the glorious hope of the resurrection. Just as death is real, resurrection is real. And more than that, unlike in this world where death seemingly has the final say, in the new world resurrection has the final and everlasting say.

Come on up for the rising!

Album Review: "Joy" by Phish

One of the best things about having your own blog, whether or not people care is another story, is having the luxury to write about anything you want. In an attempt to relate theology more culturally I begin by embarking on a journey to review and relate a brand new album dropped today by my all time favorite musical act, Phish.

The sound of Phish is extremely eclectic. They began in 1983 at the University of Vermont and over the course of 25-plus years have toured extensively and have sold out some of the greatest venues in the world numerous times. They also have had hundreds of thousands of people show up to their 6 2-day festivals over the years (their next festival will be a 3 day stay in the desert of southern california over Halloween). Phish is most definitely known for it's prowess of a live act. They inherited the throne left by the Grateful Dead in 1995 when Jerry Garcia passed. Each concert is something new where songs are rarely repeated and when they are, many of them do not sound the same. It's an adventurous 3 hours going to a Phish show, and I always enjoy it.

The story of the Phish scene however, much like their predecessors the Grateful Dead (It's worth noting that Phish and the Grateful Dead actually do have remarkably different sounds, but are oft compared due to their ever changing set lists and extensive jamming), is one of tragedy. The role of drugs sunk Phish at their "breakup" in 2004. Drugs most notably took a toll on frontman, Trey Anastasio. He was arrested in upstate NY in 2006 for possession of heroin. Trey had hit rock bottom, and before that "Phish" collectively had hit rock bottom.

On October 1, 2008, Phish announced a comeback weekend March 6,7, and 8th at the Hampton Coliseum in Hampton, VA. Trey had cleaned up his act, served some time (mostly community service) and the band followed suit showing up the reunion acts sober. Shortly thereafter Phish announced a new album and full summer tour in which every show sold out within a couple of minutes of tickets being released. This post is about Phish' new album, Joy. It is a story of tragedy and triumph, a story of falling and flying, and I figured I could relate the theological elements to their story. Phish is by no means a Christian act, none of the band members to my knowledge are Christians. But in a culture so seduced by getting so far ahead and leaving others behind it is refreshing to listen to music that tells a story lyrically AND musically. Joy fits that very paradigm. Without further ado, here it is:

Backwards Down the Number Line: While in the very thick of his troubles with the law on account of a drug addiction, Trey Anastasio (last name from the Greek word "resurrection") received a poem from his longtime friend and longtime Phish lyricist, Tom Marshall. The lyrics tell the story opening up with the first two words being, "Happy, happy." There are those Phish phans who would hear this song and say it is pop crap. But there are much more, most I would say, who cherish the song for the message it contains in the lyrics. "We pushed through hardships, tasted tears, made a promise one to keep." Marshall wrote the poem for Anastasio on his birthday. The song speaks of remembering your friends and giving them a loving ring on their birthday. The chorus rings with new beginning, "resurrection" as it were. "You decide what it contains, how long it goes, but this remains, the only rule is it begins, happy happy oh my friends." From there the song dives into an incredible guitar solo which many are saying is Jerry-esque (that is Jerry Garcia). The solo goes on for a good 2 and a half to 3 minutes and never becomes tiresome. It captures the lyrics by continuing on with a fun, and full sounding jam that speaks of new beginnings. It was the song of the summer on tour, and was debuted at the start of the second set their very first night back March 6th, I was there, you could tell the band was serious about starting again. The only rule is it begins is a great way to start their first studio album in over 5 years.

Stealing Time from the Faulty Plan: From the outset the song let's you know the direction it is taking, "I've got a blank space where my mind should be..." I also saw this songs debut at Jones Beach Ampitheater on Long Island in June. Although the main chorus of the song, Gotta blank space where my mind should be, will no doubt be heralded by some phanners into "the scene" I think Trey and the band were writing about failure. The songs somewhat upbeat nature does not lend to this, but lines like that and "I've got memories of being free" lead me to believe Phish is showing us the blank spaces of their past while forging ahead to an unknown but hopefully a profitable (in the sense of "life) future. This song is also complete with a dirty guitar solo and jam that swings quite nicely back into the refrain. Phish has to steal time from their faulty plan of the past to fill that emptiness or that "blank space where my mind should be."

Joy: The title track is a beautiful ballad with strong emotional meaning. Just this past summer Anastasio's sister, Kristie Anastasio Manning, died of brain cancer. Trey wrote this song for his sister as she was in the final days of battling the disease. This song shows a lot of the struggle between despair and well, joy. The words of the chorus, "We want you to be happy, don't live inside the gloom, we want you to be happy, come step outside your room, we want you to be happy cause this is your song too" drip with emotion. Trey is singing to himself as much as he is singing to others. The band is looking also to find its own Joy. "When we were young we thought life was a game, but then somebody leaves you and you're never the same." This song shows the incredible struggle life can be, how it is unfair and how it is difficult to overcome. But at the end of it all is a hope, and that hope is Joy, as St. Paul writes in Philippians chapters 3 and 4.

Sugar Shack: Written by Phish bassist, Mike Gordon, it is one of my favorite tracks on the album. "Standing on the edge of a cliff, I start to slip. Don't mind if I slide off." Have you ever been at that moment in time where you just wanted to give up and really couldn't care any less? Mike is showing us where he was during the Phish breakup. The chorus talks about running through the dark woods to that sugar shack. Sugar gives us energy, it is quite biological and essential to "life" as it were. "I was followed and chased and caught up and tied by the hay right until I made my escape." Run to that old sugar shack for some rejuvenation.

Ocelot: A fun "dead-like" (Grateful Dead) tune that talks about finding oneself again. The opening line, "Ocelot, Ocelot, where have you gone?" It's a journey through ordinary days of life and wondering where the goodness of life has gone. "Don't be the only one left on the block" seems to indicate not to be left behind in what life was but to step outside your door and experience life as it is coming. "Ocelot, Ocelot, where are you now?" Well, where are you now? Are you up? Are you down? Are you prancing "with the beast that parades every night," or are you with the "herd and float(ing) with the flock?" Phish seems to be exploring their creativity with this song that turned into somewhat of a fun jam vehicle over the summer. Almost as if Phish is calling to their old friends, the phans, and themselves asking everyone, "won't you come out to play?" You'll have to give the tune a live listen to really understand its potential.

Kill Devil Falls: This is the ultimate song about hitting the bottom and falling flat on your face. Trey is no doubt channeling his drug addiction and trouble with the law as he sings each word. It's a fun rocker that lit up the Long Island sky the night it was debuted at Jones Beach.

"How could you leave me, you heard what I said I’d be at the waterfall clearing my head Soaking up nature and thinking of you And leavings the last thing I thought you would do I did not plan to stop at the bar But Kill Devil Falls is really so far Who knew a day would turn into a week But I learned my lesson And I can still remember the last one But this time will be different Until I do it again." Trey is writing as a warning to himself physically and to Phish metaphorically, "Don't go back to Kill Devil Falls." That is to say, it's time to go on and not stay behind where you once were.

Light: In terms of theological relatability, this is my favorite. Jesus is the Light of salvation unto the world, so this comes as no surprise. "In fending off fears, and hearing the call" sings Trey, as he can see his past memories far behind of an old and fallen life, and the Light is growing brighter now. Musically I love this song as well, it starts off ambiguous and strange with no real connection to how the songs develops. But then it drops into certainty and something that shows how for Phish and for the fallen Trey, a new day has dawned. The last lyrics of the song, "Guide us to our goal, purify our soul" obviously clinches why I think this song fits best in relation to theology. The Light of Christ is what purifies our soul. I bet the band did not realize they were being so prophetic!

I've Been Around: This short, fun song, sung by the pianist/keyboardist Page McConnell quickly tells a story of where somebody's been. It starts off with Trey asking Page where he's been, and Page triumphantly tells him, "I've been around a while, I lived in town a while, I threw it down a while, and the town threw down on me." Yet here he is, back in triumphant fashion, ready to take on whatever comes next. In our lives we can sometimes get lost in where we've been and lose sight of how far we've come and where we are headed.

Time Turns Elastic: This piece is a 13 minute plus "progressive rock" song written originally to be accompanied by an orchestra. Yet like most of Anastasio's compositions, they turn into Phish songs and Phish classics (Divided Sky, You Enjoy Myself, Fluffhead, Guyute). Many phans dislike the song for its seemingly awkward changes, mostly due to awkward lyrics. But if there is one thing that can be related in this tune it is that time is very much so elastic. In and out of focus, time turns elastic." This is no doubt, critique it however you want, a song both lyrically and musically about where Trey Anastasio has been and where he is now. And in a common double meaning, it shows where Phish is headed. Phish is a living, breathing organism willing to take on new challenges, and whether or not you like the song, Phish does just that with Time Turns Elastic.

Twenty Years Later: I had the pleasure of seeing four of these songs debuted live. Unfortunately, I did not see any of the other six performed at all. But you take what you can get for sure! I really like this song and especially liked it's placement toward the middle end of the second set during a rain drenched night at the beach. Twenty Years Later shows you where Phish is now. It can be applied by how it speaks of the past in terms of experience, whether good or bad experiences. "Twenty years later, I'm still upside down." Despite all the experiences of life, you are still upside down, and will always be upside down on your own without the intervention of God in your life. This of course is NOT where the band was going with it (again I at least don't think so). "We build a foundation, but where do we stand?" Where do you stand? On a house built on a foundation of rock, the Rock, or sand? Phish built their previous life on a foundation of sand, "where all air is water and all water is land." Yet they look ahead to a new day and a new way that shows building a strong foundation, and how it almost has to occur outside of themselves. Their egos and their drug habits are what brought them down yet, "Feel it turn in circles and you're never the same again." The song takes on a musical edge that shows the road onward and upward. "Inside this silence see, all are free, all are free, the second time around..." The second time around. The first time around, like "Phish" despite the "greatness" or perceived greatness of humanity we failed and were doomed to live in failure, in sin and death. The first man the first time around could not handle it. No we needed the second man, Jesus, the second time around to free us from sin and bondage.

The album begins with "happy, happy" and ends with "the second time around." How true for us to find our happiness, our Joy, the second time around in the second man, Jesus Christ!

Welcome to the Big Leagues

So I guess you could say I am all settled in at Concordia Seminary in St. Louis, MO. After three long winded days of orientation I am definitely ready to start hitting the pavement running with classes and modules. The thing that is especially exciting for me is that my dad is in the Synod's new distance education program called the "Specific Ministry Pastoral Program" (SMP). So Dad has been out here all week orientating as well, most people react to that with words like, "sweet," "awesome," "cool," etc, etc. In fact, the coolest thing for the two of us is that we will both be enrolled in Intro to Pastoral Ministry beginning Tuesday. We just may have to compare notes!

In all honesty the most interesting and lasting things that we heard from orientation were on day one. Dr. Hartung talked about how Satan comes after seminarians because we are deep into the study of God's Word and are preparing to be ordained ministers of the church. That is no small task evidently. President Meyer spoke to us first thing Wednesday morning and stressed the importance of getting off of this 72 acre gothic campus and hitting the surrounding neighborhoods and seeing all of the things St. Louis has to offer.

What I've heard from many pastor mentors here as well for SMP orientation is that those two things that Dr. Hartung and Pres. Meyer brought up were beyond refreshing because in their time at the seminary they were never spoken about or encouraged. I feel excited to be at a crossroads for this seminary and how they are looking to awaken the sleeping giant that is the LCMS and bring the world's best theology, that which is the teachings of the church, into the brokenness of the world.

Buckle up....and keep us in prayer.