Archive for category: Musings

The root problem when public discourse is motivated by fear is that the conversation partners (CPs) never arrive at mutual understanding, mutual trust, and learning from each other, all three of which should characterize conversations about contentious issues regarding which the CPs have strong disagreements.

Since we all believe we have good reasons for the positions we take regarding a contentious issue, the problem with not seeking mutual understanding because of fear is that the CPs never come to an adequate understanding of the reasons the person who disagrees has for holding to their position.

This failure to arrive at mutual understanding then eliminates the possibility of developing the mutual trust that is needed to enable each CP to learn from other CPs with whom they disagree.

This Musing consists of three parts. Part 1, written by me (Harold Heie), reflects on my “conversion” experience at age 13, and my subsequent thoughts about whether that early experience comprises all of what it means to be “saved.” This first part is written from the perspective of a lay-person who is not a biblical scholar. As you will read, I raise a series of questions about my report regarding this personal experience that I call for a biblical scholar to answer.

Enter Paul Borgman, a long-time friend, who is a professor of English emeritus at Gordon College (MA), who is an astute biblical scholar. In Part 2 of this Musing, Paul reports on his personal experience of what it means to be “saved,” in addition to responding to the “Leading Questions” that I pose (but leave unanswered), in my Part 1 essay.

Part 3 of this joint Musing consists of the conclusions I draw from the Part 1 and Part 2 essays, which includes my recommendations for what Christian churches now need to do.

Read more

I use the word “boss” in a broad sense, as referring to anyone who has one or more persons who work under his/her leadership.

My passionate belief about what I believe to be the primary skill needed to be an effective “boss” is deeply informed by the following foundational teaching from Parker Palmer, a renowned sociologist committed to a Quaker expression of the Christian faith.

Jesus exercises the only kind of leadership that can evoke authentic community – leadership that risks failure (and even crucifixion) by making space for other people to act. When a leader takes up all the space and preempts all the action, he or she may make something happen, but that something is not community. Nor is it abundance, because the leader is only one person, and one person’s resources invariably run out. But when a leader is willing to trust the abundance that people have and can generate together, willing to take the risk of inviting people to share from that abundance, then and only then may true community emerge.  (FN # 1)

Read more

My last Musing (“Formulate Your Own Set of Christian Values”) proposed a broad view of God’s redemptive purposes for our world. It left some important questions unanswered, such as “how” one can “partner with God” toward the realization of these values, and, since no one Christian can focus on all of God’s redemptive purposes, how does one choose a focus or two.

What follows is an in-depth response to these unanswered questions that emerged from a series of four conversations with Northwestern College (IA) students who live in the Hospers Hall Residence on the theme “A Contentious 2024 Election Season.” In our last session, I presented the following set of five  recommendations, with the hope that attendees will give serious consideration to implementing these recommendations in the future as they aspire to live out their understanding of Christian values.. These recommendations could also be helpful to all readers of this Musing; especially to upper-class High School students who are considering eventual choices of vocation.

#1: EMBRACE THREE BACKGROUND CHRISTIAN PRINCIPLES

As you aspire to live out, each day, your commitment to your understanding of foundational Christian values, I recommend that you embrace the biblical teachings presented in the following three passages of scripture:

For you were called to freedom, brethren; only do not use your freedom as an opportunity for the flesh, but through love be servants of one another. For the whole law is fulfilled in one word. “You shall love your neighbor as yourself” (Galatians 5: 13-14, RSV).

Let each of you look not to your own interests, but to the interests of others (Philippians 2:4, NRSV).

Every one to whom much is given, of him will much be required; and of him to whom men commit much they will demand the more (Luke 2:48, RSV).

Read more

My last Musing (“Seeing Through Partisan Politics or the Eyes of Jesus”) raised some important questions that were left unanswered; questions that beg for more in-depth analysis. What follows is a coherent set of four essays that provide this “deeper” analysis

The first essay by Harold Heie poses and reflects on the overarching question posed as the title for thisMusing, at the end of which Harold confesses that, being neither a biblical scholar nor theologian, he doesn’t know the answer. The second essay by Ben Lappenga, a biblical scholar, is Ben’s response to Harold’s essay. The third essay, by Cambria Kaltwasser, a theologian, is her response to both Harold’s essay and Ben’s essay. The fourth essay, by Harold, is the final conclusion he arrives at from his consideration of the first three essays: There is an enormous need for educating Christian laity regarding biblical interpretation.

Ben Lappenga currently serves as a Visiting Associate Professor of Religion at Hope College (MI) and Cambria Kaltwasser currently serves as Associate Professor of Biblical and Theological Studies at Northwestern College (IA).

Jesus clearly taught that he came to earth to fulfill the Old Testament law and the prophets: “I have come not to abolish them, but to fulfill them” (Matthew 5:17).

It appears to me that there are two differing strands of thought in the Old Testament as to the nature of this “fulfillment,” one of which is consistent with my understanding of Christian values, with the other strand, in my estimation, being extremely destructive of Christian values.

Read more