Philip Jahnke

For this week's assignment I chose What Shall I Do with My Life? by Howard Thurman. Howard was born in Florida and was raised through out his poverty stricken childhood by his grandmother. He was a pastor in San Francisco and a Dean at Boston University. He was committed to non-violence, and his commitment influenced Martin Luther King Jr. and many other civil rights leaders. Thurman answers the two questions from this section differently. The first question is how do I simply live as a Christian, and the second question is, is my life's work a "calling" or a "job?" To the first question Thurman responds by writing that Jesus throws a shaft of light across the pathway of those who ask the question, "What shall I do with my life?" (pg 388). The second question Thruman does not really answer, but it could be construed that when Thurman writes "Feed the hungry? Yes, and always. But I must know that man is more than his physical body. There is something in him that calls for beauty and comradeship and righteousness," he is talking about a person's work as a "calling" instead of a "job."

In this sermon, Howard Thurman talks about the three temptations of Jesus. He has a few mainpoints about the third temptation. The first is that Jesus' passion is "to bring society under the acknowledged judgement of God and thereby insure its purification" (pg 387). His next point is that the Devil shocks Jesus by bringing him to the realization that the Devil created the relationships between men and not God. Another point is what he says that Jesus does with this significant fact. He writes, "Jesus subsequently cautioned his disciples, 'Behold, I send you out as lambs among wolves. You must be as wise as serpents and as harmless as doves" (pg 387-388). These are all good points that Thurman makes because they all apply to us as Christians in today's world.

Thurman also writes about Christianity in the public square in this sermon. He says the world can become good when all men individually become good (pg 388). He also writes that men's good deeds become tainted by the evil framework of their relationships (pg 388). These two things point that the only way that society can become good is to save the souls of men (pg 388). Here Thurman comes to the conclusion that without Christianity the public square has no chance of ever being good.

For this week's assigned blog, I chose to use A Declaration from the Poor Oppresed People of England by Gerrard Winstanley. Gerrard Winstanley had occupations of a very wide range. He started as a tradesman but went bankrupt. Then he became a Baptist lay minister until he found it too limiting. He then proceeded to start his own religious journey. He is remember for starting the "Diggers" he and other people dug up the common land in Surrey and planted crops there. This sparked controversy in England. He wrote a "Declaration" telling why he and the poor of England had a right to do this to the common land and why the lords should just keep their noses out of it. Winstanley and the "Diggers" continued to agitate England until the 1650's but after that little is known about Gerrard Winstanley. It is known that he eventually became a Quaker. Winstanley is very good at answering one of the questions for this time period. He answers " To what particular work is God calling me?" really well. He writes that people are called to work for the betterment of all. The lords should give up their ill-gotten lands for use by the poor common folk. The poor folk should not disturb the lord's land but should plow up and plant the common ground that is available and then distribute the food that they grow to everyone in need.

Gerrard gives a number of reasons for the actions that he and the "Diggers" have taken. The first reason that he gives is that the earth was made for the common livelihood of all. He says that the buying and selling of the fruits of the earth has cause war, murder, and theft to the world (pg 301). Another reason that he gives is that he and the "Diggers" have heard the groans of the people and the love that God has implanted in their hearts bids them to dig up the common land and plant it (pg 301). The main reason that Gerrard gives is because they are seeking for the livelihood of others. This ties the other two reasons together. Since the earth was made for the livelihood of others and God has implanted love in their hearts to hear the groans of the poor, Gerrard writes that it is the call of the "Diggers" to plow and seed the common land for the good of all the poor.

I see a number of similarities between Winstanley's challenge to the societal structure then and Shane Claiborne's challenge of today. Both were pushing for a better life of people who were of the lowest social class. Both have used controversial methods, though not necessarily illegal methods. Claiborne and others went to Wall Street and poor money all over the place. Winstanley went to the common ground and plowed it up and planted it with crops. Both Claiborne and Winstanley questioned the higher social statuses for their removement and their aloofness from the proble. They also wrote controversial if not inflamitory books and other printed documents.

For this weeks assigned blog, I read Directions about Our Labor and Callings. It is written by Richard Baxter. He was a Puritan that lived in England from 1615-1691. He fought on the side of the Parliamentarians during the English Civil War. He seemed to always support the person that was not in power. He was critical of the Church of England's choice to have bishops. He was also a strong supporter of finding common ground between differing religious parties in England. There are two major question posed in this time period. The answer to the first question, "To what particular work is God calling me?", seems to be quite obvious. From what Baxter says, all people should labor as they are able, doing so gladly and without complaint.Baxter says that all people are called to do physical labor. He also writes that each man is gifted with skills that enable him to perform different callings better. These he says are the callings which we shouls pursue. The second question, "How can I serve God through family life?", is not really answered by Baxter. He does say that you should choose a calling to which you and your children are the fittest for, but does not say much else about it.

Baxter provides guildlines through out the reading for how to choose a calling or vocation. He writes that one should choose a calling based on how it affects the public good. If a calling is beneficial to many or even to a few that is the type of vocation that should be taken up. If a trade or labor harms people or leads them into sin then it should be avoided. Then Baxter writes about the relationship between vocation and the good of your soul. He says that a vocation should not tempt a person beyond what they can bear. Baxter writes, "The calling of a vinter and ale-seller is lawful and needful; and yet it is so very dangerous that (unless it be in extraordinary place or case) a man that loves his soul should be loath to meddle with it, if he can have a safer way to get his bread by." (pg 282). Another of Baxter's guides to choosing a calling is bodily health. He writes that a calling should exercise both the mind and the body, but that it should not tax them beyond the point where a person cannot consider and ponder heavenly things. One of my favorite guides that Baxter writes about is complaining about one's calling. He says that no matter how poor the labor is or how poor the laborer is that he should not complain but work cheerfully because you are still working in God's service. To this guide Baxter writes, "But see that thou do it all in obedience to God..." (pg. 285).

Baxter's emphasis on serving "the public good" and my project intersect both nicely and don't intersect much at all. I find that my project intersected with serving the public good. I was able to help people, maybe not directly as I would have liked but indirectly by freeing other people from labors that may have prevented them from serving "the public good." Through my calling I was able to provide some youth and adults with an example of how to go about your calling or vocation with a joyful and cheerful attitude.  My project doesn't intersect with what Baxter is saying because I didn't have any direct impact on "the public good." I didn't not help anyone learn anything. At least that is what I think. I don't think that I had a direct impact on "the public good" but maybe I did and I don't know it. I may never know it.

This week's blog assignment was on the Poehler Lecture. This year's Poehler Lecture was given by Dr. Loma Meyer. One interesting fact about Dr. Meyer is that Meyer Hall is named in honor of her. She and her husband both grew up in similar fashions. Both Loma and her husband grew up in Christian homes in Kansas or Nebraska. Educationally, they both attended a Christian grade school, 2 years of public high school, and 2 years of high school at Concordia Seward high school. She and her husband both became educators and eventually both became faculty and administrators at Concordia University St. Paul. Mrs. Dr. Meyer has served either as a faculty member or as an administrator under every President since President Poehler in 1946. She has seen a large number of changes in Concordia's history and has been a part of most of the ones that have happened since she began and ended her tenure here.

Dr. Meyer had a number of main points that she stressed throughout the lecture. One of those points is that the integration of faith and learning is a lifelong task. We should never stop learning and so we must daily and continually integrate our faith and learning. Another of Dr. Meyer's points that I found interesting was that Faith is the base from which all other academic areas are built. Faith should be the foundation and then the other areas shall follow. A futher point from her lecture was vocation. Here Dr. Meyer turned to Martin Luther. She talked about how each and every profession, not just the church worker, is a vocation. Instead of being a nurse or a teacher, a person should be a Christian nurse or a Christian teacher. Here Dr. Meyer stated that the faculty is the heart of the University and they are the ones that integrate faith and learning in the classroom. Dr. Meyer had a number of good points in her lecture about integrating faith and learning.

I see a couple of connections between the integration of faith and learning that Dr. Meyer talked about and the faith and learning of the Honor's Program. One of the connections that I see is the vocation portion of Dr. Meyer's address. Both the Honor's Program and Dr. Meyer stressed that each and every profession can be a Christian vocation. Another connection that I saw between Dr. Meyer's address and the Honor's Program of faith and learning was the spirit of inquiry that she mentioned. As Christians we must be constantly inquiring about things and how they can affect or be affected by our faith. We must also be constantly asking questions to be learning so we must also be working to integrate our faith with the learning that we are gaining through that inquiry. To be honest I did learn as much about integrating my faith with learning during this Poehler Lecture as I did the last one.

On Wednesday March 3, the Honors Class attended a convocation with the featured speaker being Dr. Raheb. The Doctor is from Palestine. He was born in Bethlehem and became a Lutheran pastor in Germany. He speaks a number of different languages. He is a founder of the International Center in Bethlehem. He is the director of the this center and was an integral part of the opening of the Health and Wellness Center that was opened by the International Center in Bethlehem in 2003. Dr. Raheb has written countless books, essays, and articles on a large number of topics. Dr. Raheb's topic for this convocation was Christians and Muslims in Palestine.

Dr. Raheb started by giving some background as to how Muslims came to control the Middle East. He talked about how there has continuously been a Christian presence in Palestine that presence has been declining. In the early years, that presence did not start to decline until the Muslims instituted a tax on all the people that were not Muslim, so to avoid paying the tax many Christians converted. Many people assume that every person that is Arabic is a Muslim which is just not the case. Dr. Raheb has mentioned many times that he has been asked when he converted to Christianity. His response to people is that he was born right across the street from where Jesus was born. Another big reason that Christianity decreased in Palestine is the Crusades. Many Crusaders didn't like the Arab Christians because they didn't look Christian. Dr. Raheb told how Christians make up less than 2% of the population in Palestine but they play an integral role in the modernization of Palestine. He also mentioned that this statistic is nearly the exact opposite of Europe and America. Christians run 45.4% of NGO's, which are Non-Governmental Organizations. Christians also are the heads of just over 1/3 of the major organizations in Palestine.Dr. Raheb spoke about how the Prime Minister, who is a Muslim, said that Christians are an integral part of Palestine. This is because Christians are the vehicle for modernity in Palestine. Christians are the ones that push for modernization of many things in Palestine.

I gained a few insights from Dr. Raheb. I came to the realization that Christianity is truly not a white religion. But from what Dr. Raheb said I regret what seems to be the case with Christianity. From what Dr. Raheb said about European and American Christianity, it seems that Christianity is only for white people. This is something that I truly regret because this is not what Christ desired. When he told us the statistics and how they were reversed in Europe and America, the question as to why this is popped into my head. I also asked my self, "How do we as Christians change this perception and how do we draw more people to Christ regardless of the color of their skin?" Another insight that I got from Dr. Raheb's talk was that there is hope in Palestine for more of the people that are Muslim to become Christians. Dr. Raheb and the Christians have opened a University in Bethlehem. The make up of the student body is 60% Muslim and 40% Christian. I think that this is a good thing because while Muslims are a majority in the school, there is a strong number of Christians that can both oppose the majority but also befriend them and reveal the Gospel to them.

                For this week's assignment, I chose to read The Gospel for the Early Christmas Service and Trade and Usury. Both of these readings are written by Martin Luther. The first, The Gospel for the Early Christmas Service was written by Luther during his time in hiding in the Wartburg Castle. It was written to address what a Christian's actions and disposition should be towards their job or vocation, when they become Christian as opposed to being a pagan. The second reading, Trade and Usury, was written in 1524 to address the ethical issues that arise in the business world and how a Christian should respond to these issues and pursue a calling in the business world. According to Luther, the particular work which God is calling you, one of the questions from this time period, is whatever work is before you and whatever work you have been doing. Becoming a Christian does not affect the external position of a person; it changes the internal disposition of a person. These readings do not directly answer the second question of this time period but do say that serving God is done through doing fair trade and through doing the external work which God has given a person with an inner disposition that will allow them to do the things which others disdain.

            Luther writes that a true "Christian life, in regard to the external aspects:" shows very little on the outside but on the inside is full of happiness, joy, and bliss. In regard to business, Luther writes that people who do trade should price their goods at a fair price. This price should reflect the work, time, and risk in procuring the goods they sell. Both of these ideas were quite foreign to the way that the world worked at the time of Luther. Most business people used their position to try and make as much money as possible. They sold their goods at exuberant prices. Many times these prices were just within the reach of poor customers, whom bought them and then had no money left over for other necessities.

            From the way that I understand Luther's writings, Christianity should improve how a person works. It does not elevate the person above those around him or her, but, provided the person is a true Christian, will cause the person to be willing to do any work. A Christian should go about their work with a cheery disposition, on the inside. From any others person's point of view, a true Christian should look like a fool for doing the work that they do. Luther's writings also lead me to believe that a person's faith should influence their work. For example, Luther's take on people who do trade. A man should price his goods fairly, considering his time, risk, and work that was put into the goods, acquiring the goods, or moving the goods. At the same time the man should also consider the needs of his neighbors and their means. This would be how Luther view's Christianity in the public square and how Luther would view that Christianity should influence me in my project site.

This week's assigned reading was by Thomas Aquinas. I chose to write my blog about the first question. The whole reading is titled Summa Theologiae. This book is written between 1250 and 1274. The book is written to construct a combination of Aristotle's philosophy and between biblical revelation. In answer to the question of the section, Aquinas believes it is better to be one who prays, part of the monastic society. He also says that the religious life should be ordered as a Benedictine.

The question that I have selected is "Q. 182, a.1: Whether the active life is more  excellent than the contemplative?" Thomas Aquinas answers this question in the section titled "I answer that,". Aquinas says that there are eight reasons given by Aristotle and a ninth given by Jesus. The eight reasons have to do with sitting at the Lord's feet and resting in his presence. The ninth reason that Jesus adds is that Mary has chosen better, speaking of the time when Jesus went to the house of Mary and Martha.

I disagree with Aquinas that the contemplative life is better than the active life. Are not we as Christians called to go to all nations, baptizing in the name of the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit? How is it possible for Christians to go to all nations and baptize if we are supposed to be contemplative, sitting in a monastery? From my understanding it is better to go and do as the disciples and spread the Good News instead of sit on my butt and read the bible and the theological works of the Church Fathers.

For this week's blog I decided to use The Mission of Joan of Arc. It is written by an unknown author. The reading is about two things, first comes the trial of Joan at Poitiers. The next part is the story of Joan's decision to go to Chinon to meet with the Dauphin, the heir to the kingdom of France. These two things happen between 1429 and 1431. The interesting thing is that the author decided to present these two things out of chronological order. Joan goes to Chinon to present herself to the Dauphin and to take control of the army of France and drive the English out of Orleans and the rest of France. Joan is eventually captured by the English, tried as a witch, and then burned at the stake. In relation to the question of the section, what kind of Christian should I be? Joan chose to be one who fights, a noble, but is by social status a peasant, one who works.

                The trial testimony presents Joan as a fraud and a deceitful person. The English are skeptical of Joan. They do not trust her or believe her when she says that the voices she hears are angels. In contrast the French seem to more willing to believe Joan. They use the test that she suggest they use because she suggests them from a biblical reasoning. The French are also willing to accept her because the Dauphin has asked for a sign from God as to whether or not he should believe her. Joan tells him that he will have his sign at Orleans.

                I think that others view me with respect. I am not paid but I show up when I say I will and I do each and every job that is asked of me without complaining. In relation to Joan, I am not as zealous or as confident in what I am doing. Many times I question whether or not I am making a difference. Then, I remind myself that either what I am doing could benefit a poor or marginalized person or it could free up a person that would be doing the job that I am to help a poor or marginalized person. I think that I would pass the king's test but I think that I would still be viewed with suspicion. Many people will think that I am working just for my grade. In some sense I am, but I still think that what I am doing is the right thing. I am being compensated for my time not with money but with a grade. I would compare myself to a social worker. They help people every day by what they do, so they are doing the right thing. But they are also being paid. Does this mean that they should be viewed with suspicion because they are being paid to do a job or are they doing it because they truly want to make a difference?

For this post, I am going to use The Flowing Light of the Godhead by Mechthild of Magdeburg. This book. or books since it is a couple of entries from another book, is about the visions of Mechthild of Magdeburg and her reflections on them. The author also believed that the religious life should be ordered like that of the mendicant orders. I found that while I did not relate to many of the entries. It was relatively simple to view them from her perspective and time frame and thereby understand what she was saying.

The quotation that I have chosen from this book is,

"Whoever wants to follow God in faithful toil should not stand quietly. He should often rouse himself. He should consider what he was in sin, how he is now in virtue, and what can yet become of him if he falls. He should lament and praise and pray day and night. When the faithful bride awakens, she thinks of her lover. If she cannot possess him, then she begins to weep. Alas, how often this happens spiritually to God's brides!"

I read this paragraph three or four times before I can even remotely close to understanding any part of what the author is saying. After the third or fourth time, I started to get a small understanding of what the author is saying and how it pertains to my project. The first sentence, I find seems to be aimed directly at me. God wishes that we Christians faithfully toil beside him in the field that is this world. We should work towards sharing the good news with others that they too may become part of the bride that is the church. In my project I did not get started on time, and while there were extenuating circumstances, I feel that I did not fulfill my calling as a Christian in this part. The second sentence is what each Christian should do daily in bringing himself to repentance. It is something that we as Christians now must teach to the next generation and the new Chrstians that join us. The third sentence is the most simple but is the one that I have the most trouble with. I do not lament, praise, or pray nearly as much as I should now, but when I read that I should be doing those things day and night I find it difficult to think that I can do that or even meet half of those expectations. With the last couple of sentences, I think more of God as the bride, but from the author's stand point we, as Christians, should think only of God daily. When I look at my project from the scope of this section of The Flowing Light of the Godhead, I see that I am falling far short of the expectations of me as a Christian. I do not feel that people see me and say, "Hey, he's definitely a Christian." This is what I really want through my project. I want to be the best possible witness that I can through this project.

I read Confessions by Augustine. Confessions is aptly named because that is exactly what it is. The book, or books as it seems, to be is Augustine confessing the sins of his youth and of his adult days. Augustine gives his confession through telling the story of his conversion. Confessions is written after 313 AD, so the question that is posed for this section is "Being a Christian can't be that easy, can it?" From the reading I garnered that it was not "easy" per say to be a Christian. There were still people that looked down on Christians and viewed them as lunatics, but it was less dangerous than being a Christian nearer to the time of Jesus' death. Augustine says that for him becoming a Christian meant that he didn't have the desire to take a wife or to make money.

Augustine was a very restless man until he became a Christian. He worked hard to become a teacher of rhetoric, the art of speech making. Upon becoming a teacher, he was a teacher for some time in Carthage, then in Rome, and finally Milan. Spiritually, Augustine was never satisfied because he tried a number of different religions. He was Christian at first because his mother was, but he moved on because for him Christianity was not intellectually complicated enough. He then studied Platonic philosophy, and after reaching Rome he became involved with Manicheanism. One of Augustine's vices was sex. He talks at length about how it was one of the things that held him back from becoming a Christian. He also says that he had the desire for money, power, and honor.

As a young adult growing up in the consumerist society of America, I can identify with Augustine quite easily. There are many times when, I find myself speaking lies and using profanity, and then realize that those are things which God has commanded me not to do for not only the sake of myself but also for the people that I am around. As a teenager, I did things that I was not proud of. All of those times that I sinned and thought that I was being "cool" or making a name for myself, I now realize that I was sorely mistaken. Being an athlete, I can truly relate with Augustine over the desire for honor. Many times, even today, I find myself saying, "Philip that was a great play. Way to go." Then I realize that it wasn't me who made the body that can make that play or it wasn't me that made the earth that holds the baseball fields that I play on.