October 11, 2024
Celebrating Disciplines
In 1978, Quaker theologian Richard Foster wrote a book that changed the Christian landscape, particularly that of evangelical Protestants, entitled Celebration of Discipline. In this book Foster reintroduced a large part of North American Christianity to traditional practices that were inward, outward, and corporate which had been lost or abandoned. In many ways he was popularizing the work that had begun in the early part of that century by scholars who wrote for Catholic and Anglican audiences. It also shaped the formation programs of many seminaries. Ironically it had little impact on North Park Seminary’s faith formation, because as a pietist tradition, we had not lost much of what Foster was trying to restore.
One of the corporate disciplines that Foster explored was worship. Of the discipline (or practice) of corporate worship Foster wrote, “Worship is not for the timid or comfortable. It involves an opening of ourselves to the adventurous life of the Spirit.” I mention all of this because one of the worship practices we celebrate as a congregation is the discipline of following the church year and the lectionary that accompanies it. Foster’s description of the challenges of worship in general is particularly appropriate to the practice of the church year.
We are currently in the last weeks of the season of Pentecost. This Sunday begins the 21st week of Pentecost, with six weeks left to go. The season of Pentecost accounts for about half of the church year, and focuses on the life of the church as the Body of Christ filled with the Spirit. The early lessons read in Pentecost celebrate the power of the Spirit embodied in the faithful church. But as the season progresses the texts become more challenging. And the texts for this Sunday are challenging; as Foster wrote, not for the timid and comfortable. But these texts are exactly what we need to hear right now as these times are not for the timid or comfortable in faith. I invite you to be prepared to be honest to yourself and to God in worship this Sunday and the Sundays that follow, a journey that will lead us at Pentecost’s end to conclude that God in Christ rules over all that opposes the life that God would have us to live. Beware, however, as this will open yourself to the adventurous life of the Spirit, a life that is a lifelong process of transformation in becoming more like Christ.
With audacious hope,
~ Pastor Todd