Some people (like my Dad) think of me as a controversialist.  In other words, some think that I like controversy.  Not really.  I really don't.  Well maybe I do, but I don't want to argue about it.  (But) I did want to bring up the topic of Tim Keller's new book, "The Prodigal God".  It has garnered some controversy on its own.  The controversy did not come from me, for I did not give the book its title.  Pastor Keller did that.  Now what would be so controversial about this upcoming book?  What would be so controversial about a book that hasn't even been read yet?  Well two things:  What Dr. Keller has said about the book is interesting and the title to be sure is good enough to cause a stir.  But his publisher also said something interesting about the book.  But what about the title?  According to Tim Keller the sub-title is going to be changed.  The subtitle was going to read, "Christianity Redefined through the Parable of the Prodigal Sons."

Uh..oh..that sounds like trouble to me.  But Dr. Keller stated in an interview that the subtitle is going to change.  Dr. Keller says, "The new subtitle will be something like 'recovering the heart of the Christian faith."  -Wow, that was close.  (Wiping sweat off my bald head)...The subtitle in my opinion was going to bring a fire storm of controversy along the lines of N.T. Wright epic proportions.  I'm glad we at least avoided that controversy.

Okay but what about the title?  I've asked the question at the top of this post, Is God lost?  Of course not, everyone knows that.  He is not lost in any sense.  He is not in need of salvation or direction.  He needs no one to give him a purpose.  He has no void in the depths of his heart that he's trying to fill.   So what does Dr. Keller mean when he titles his book, the Prodigal God? 

Dr. Keller says, "so many use the word 'prodigal' to mean 'wayward' when actually the word means to spend extravagantly. In the end, the father (who represents God) outspends his prodigal younger son, in order to bring him home."  So Dr. Keller doesn't necessarily equate "prodigal" with "wayward" but instead uses it to say "spend extravagantly". 

Hmmm...This is very strange indeed to me.  Have we have gone for many many years and "actually" misunderstood the word "prodigal"?  So it doesn't mean "lost"?  It doesn't mean "wayward"?  It means to outspend someone else? Seriously?  That is a S-T-R-E-T-C-H - I think.  I read a discussion on Steve Camp's Blog where someone said, "This reminds me of the Outer Limits episode years ago when the man woke up one day and every word he normally used had been redefined to mean something else."  Seriously, that is the quote of the year in my opinion. 

Are we actually to believe that all this time, prodigal didn't mean prodigal?  I mean it can mean "wayward" but in this case it doesn't?  Right?  WRONG!  You don't have to be a language expert to see with a concordance that prodigal means "wayward", "lost" etc.  And now Dr. Keller is telling us that we are to believe that the word "prodigal" can be a good way of describing God?  Let's see how does the Bible view the term "prodigal"?  Only the NKJV uses the English word "prodigal" in Luke 15.  But the other translations use words that wouldn't explain God's character very well. 

• KJV - riotous living
• NASB - loose living
• NIV - wild living
• ESV- reckless living

You see in my mind, Dr. Keller is actually associating a term with God that is always used in the negative.  Dr. Keller has to work real hard at trying to defend the language.  He does so by basically saying, we all misunderstand the word.  But unfortunately that won't do for me.  Dr. Keller is a better wordsmith than that.  He is having the subtitle changed, he should also change his main title.  God is not lost.  He is not wayward.  God is not the one who had to come to his senses.  It  is you and I that are lost and wayward. 

I haven't read the book yet.  It doesn't even come out until October.  But the publisher said something interesting about the book.  ""Taking his trademark intellectual approach to understanding Christianity, Keller uncovers the essential message of Jesus, hidden in plain sight for centuries."

You see this tells me that there are some out there who think God is lost and wayward and that he is the one who is to be found.  Am I being a controversialist?  I don't think so.  I feel like Michael Corleone in the Godfather 3, "every time I want to get out, they keep pulling me back in".  I'm not trying to be a controversialist.  But you know when I see weird, and at best un-clear, post-modern titles of books that make people think about God as some kind of "prodigal", well that brings out the (cranky-britches) in me.  Shouldn't we be careful when describing God?  Or should we use new methodologies to trick interest people into buying our book?

 So what is the purpose of parables anyway?

The Purpose of the Parables - Matthew 13:10-17

Then the disciples came and said to him, “Why do you speak to them in parables?” And he answered them, “To you it has been given to know the secrets of the kingdom of heaven, but to them it has not been given. For to the one who has, more will be given, and he will have an abundance, but from the one who has not, even what he has will be taken away. This is why I speak to them in parables, because seeing they do not see, and hearing they do not hear, nor do they understand. Indeed, in their case the prophecy of Isaiah is fulfilled that says: “‘You will indeed hear but never understand, and you will indeed see but never perceive. For this people's heart has grown dull, and with their ears they can barely hear, and their eyes they have closed, lest they should see with their eyes and hear with their ears and understand with their heart and turn, and I would heal them.’ But blessed are your eyes, for they see, and your ears, for they hear. For truly, I say to you, many prophets and righteous people longed to see what you see, and did not see it, and to hear what you hear, and did not hear it.

Gage Browning

Post Tenebras Lux

P.S.- I probably won't be posting again for a couple of days...the holidays you know...but I will be checking for responses and getting back with you on the responses as much as I can.

"If you are in a church where the flag falls out of the ceiling on the Fourth of July, and an honor guard comes down the isle with flags for each branch of the service. And if you are singing God bless America on ANY Sunday on real estate owned by God. If this is the stuff you tolerate on the Lord's Day, it's not far off from Asherah poles" (idols in the Old Testament). - Michael Horton

A few years back I was at a meeting of the men, and we had a local PCA Pastor come and talk about the relationship between our Church and the State.  He asked the questions about what message does it send that we have an American Flag on the platform.  He asked if we celebrated the 4th of July during a Worship service.  It sparked a lively debate.  To be sure we had no American Flag on the platform and we had not had a July 4th celebration during Worship.  However, that did not necessarily sit well with all in attendance.  This Pastor went on to show that when we put our flag on the platform, when we celebrate July 4th in Worship, we confuse the real mission of the Church, and that mission is not distinctly American.  According to this Pastor, the mission of the Church was the proclamation of Word and Sacrament. That mission according to him is not a particularly American idea.  It is a Christian idea.  Our brothers and sisters around the globe who worship the One True and Living God can attest that the Church is not distinctly American.  It is distinctly Christian however.  While we may be activists and patriots outside the walls of the Church, it does seem to me that to be so inside the Church walls is to not only confuse the message (is it an American gospel or just the gospel?) but to also confuse the mission of the Church, which is to proclaim Word and Sacrament.  In other words it is not an American Word and Sacrament.

Gage Browning

Post Tenebras Lux

 

Since I have been showing some of my favorite hymns, this one is just for fun. Brings me back to JH and HS. Who is it? None other than Stryper! (Remember kids...this is for fun)and probably won't be played at my funeral. At least if any of my family is there.

10. Deny that God made male and female equal but with distinction when it comes to roles in the home and church.

9. The moderator of your General Assembly prays with the Pope.

8. Become so diverse and tolerant that giggles and laughs are at the expense of those who believe their Bibles.

7. Relegate the Scriptures to myths and fables.

6. Celebration of a marriage ceremony between those of the same sex at your General Assembly.

5. Ordain women for the sake of tolerance and diversity.

4. Those same women ordain homosexuals for the sake of tolerance and diversity.

3. Deity of Christ is no longer important.

2. Deny the exclusivity of Christ.

1. Accept and promote the worship of Allah and other false gods for the sake of tolerance and diversity.

In the words of that great post-modern philosopher...

"Am I bugging you...don't mean to bug ya." - Bono

Any others you care to add to my 10?

Note: I borrowed a couple of these from Mark Driscoll.

Gage Browning

Post Tenebras Lux

I would prefer to have this song sung at my funeral but I already have a very long set-list. I would probably also be willing to be more into exclusive psalmnody if it was a song like Psalm 40 by U2. Okay I'm just kidding, kinda. Here are the lyrics: I waited patiently for the Lord He inclined and heard my cry. He brought me right out of the pit, out of my miry clay. I will sing a new song, How long to sing this song? He set my feet upon a rock, and made my footstance firm. Many will see, Many will see and fear. I will sing, sing a new song. How long to sing this song?