Documente Academic
Documente Profesional
Documente Cultură
and
Magic
A
Christian
Perspective
John Everett
1
Dedication
2
Copyright notice
johneverettbooks.co.uk
3
Introduction
4
came in the second week of the second month of the
calendar year of my second year there. I had met a
young lady, and she had introduced me to a parson
of the church next to my college. I had bragged that I
thought Christianity a load of rubbish and would
happily prove this in debate with anyone. The
parson accepted my challenge, and suggested we
agree on a topic to discuss. How could I refuse when
he suggested I read the Gospel of John and then
come back to discuss the book with him? It is
important for me to state exactly what happened. I
read the Gospel of John and entirely by surprise
found myself now convinced that Jesus was real.
The word 'real' is the only word I can use. There was
no theology at all in my reaction, simply the concept
that Jesus was a real person, who had done and said
the things narrated in the gospel story I had read.
When I met with the parson I admitted this, and at
his invitation, using the imagery of the figure with
the lamp knocking at the door (taken from the
words addressed to an early church in the book of
Revelation) I knelt in his room and invited Jesus to
come into my life. His advice to me then was to take
the first opportunity I had to tell any friend of mine
what I had done. Within hours I had done this, and
now the word went round that Everett had got
religion.
5
would probably be defined as fundamentalist. I was
even warned against reading theology at the
university as the modernism I would have to study
would destroy my faith. My response was that if
there were arguments against Christianity I needed
to study them. As it happened a year of theology did
not lessen my conviction of the reality of Jesus, and
the many Christian friends in CICCU helped me
enormously.
6
to find in various directions how the Lord was
wanting me to get involved in local church activity;
rather a long way from my Anglican roots. The next
step of what is bound to seem a very muddled
journey was to become involved in the 'house
church' movement. I was one of four trustees when
we established a 'house church' locally. This soon
grew in numbers and, as is often the case, we hired a
local school hall on Sundays for our worship
meetings. One key component typical of this group
was called shepherding. The idea is that every
member of the group looked to another, hopefully
wiser and more experienced, member for guidance
through all life's decisions. The idea is taken through
to the leader(s) who looked to another person
outside the group for his shepherding. Eventually I
came to believe that this was not the structure that
would make sense to me, and so parted company
from the group.
7
Eucharist. I believe its ritual is even more full of
activities than some Roman Catholic churches use.
To use the jargon: bells and smells.
8
house church, high Anglican. Now that I am retired I
have the leisure to do the research that I hope to
record in the pages that follow.
9
Priests
Any study of the religions of the world will find
that priests figure very frequently in any religion in
which a deity is worshipped. The priest in such a
religion will be the offerer of sacrifices, the reciter of
prayers, the doer of rituals, on behalf of ordinary
people. The ordinary people are deemed to be laity,
in contrast to the priesthood.
10
Priests were often seen as diviners, able to give
inspired answers to questions. They were also often
the teachers that people could look to for help. They
relied for their livelihood on the gifts people left
when they visited the temple. Monks in Buddhism
perform much the same function as priests in other
religions, again relying exclusively on the gifts of
devotees. In ancient Greece and Rome, priests were
often elected and, if so, were seen simply as part of
the civic administration.
11
We meet the name Melchizedek again in the New
Testament Letter to the Hebrews, where the
prophecy from the Psalm quoted is applied to Jesus.
12
priesthood, no more than an introduction to the
topic. The Christian perspective on priesthood is
being saved for later analysis. It does, however, rely
on the Jewish idea that a priest is an intermediary
between the deity and the people. The Latin words
for priest, sacerdos and pontifex, emphasise this
concept: the former means 'giver of the sacred' and
the latter 'builder of a bridge'. One of Julius Caesar's
power bases was that he was appointed pontifex
maximus for life.
13
Magic
The core idea behind magic is that of power. The
power that is being exercised is beyond what is
purely natural. The further thought of magic is that
the power has a direct cause and effect: if this, then
automatically, that.
14
to achieve the required outcome, whether it be to
alter physical conditions or to declare special
messages by divination.
15
not caused by gods being angry or witches casting
spells. But even now in our supposedly scientific age
we find people touching wood to ward off a disaster,
or finding fictional schools for magicians immensely
attractive.
16
Christian
These early chapters are intended to define the
meaning of the words in the title. So far we have had
'priest' and 'magic' so now we come to 'Christian'.
17
like Simon Peter, to accept that YHWH was now
going to include Gentiles (non-Jews) into the
covenant family. There was a group among the early
Christians who wanted any convert to their Messiah
flock to accept the full Torah, including ― for males
― circumcision. Luke's record describes how the
most active preacher of the new religion, Paul, would
usually first attend a local gathering of Jews, at their
synagogue, and proclaim the good news that YHWH
had sent them their Messiah. The typical pattern
was that some would accept the message, but that
others would reject it. Paul's opponents then usually
drove him out of the town, with varying degrees of
violence.
18
The first Christians believed that YHWH had,
through Jesus, established a New Covenant, as had
been promised by one of their prophets, Jeremiah.
The word Testament means Covenant, and that is
how our English bibles are divided. The writings we
find in what we call the New Testament are those
that early Christians recognised as authoritative,
having the authorship or stamp of approval of the
original apostles. Again there is a lot of detail in
understanding how this 'canon' of authoritative
scripture was agreed upon.
19
Covenants
We have shown how Christianity is essentially a
development of the covenant relationship YHWH
had with his people, Israel. With the coming of the
Messiah there came a new covenant, one not based
on ethnic terms (descendants from Abraham, Isaac
and Jacob) but rather on acceptance of the Messiah.
Those who believed in Jesus the Messiah were now
the members of the covenant community, regardless
of race. So how do we define this New covenant? The
prophecy of Jeremiah is key here.
20
they would receive his holy spirit. Second, there will
be no longer any need for intermediaries: for all
members of the new covenant will know their god
directly. Finally, no longer any need for priests to
offer sacrifices for sin, as the problem of sin will have
been taken care of, and members receive needed
forgiveness directly.
21
spiritual sacrifices, acceptable to God through Jesus
Christ. . . .You are a chosen race, a royal priesthood,
a holy nation, a people for God’s own possession,
that you may proclaim the excellence of him who
called you out of darkness into his marvellous light.
(1 Peter 2:5-9)
22
been thus prepared, the priests go in continually
into the first tabernacle, accomplishing the services,
but into the second the high priest alone, once in the
year, not without blood, which he offers for himself,
and for the errors of the people. The Holy Spirit is
indicating this, that the way into the Holy Place
wasn’t yet revealed while the first tabernacle was
still standing. This is a symbol of the present age,
where gifts and sacrifices are offered that are
incapable, concerning the conscience, of making the
worshipper perfect, being only (with meats and
drinks and various washings) fleshly ordinances,
imposed until a time of reformation. But Christ
having come as a high priest of the coming good
things, through the greater and more perfect
tabernacle, not made with hands, that is to say, not
of this creation, nor yet through the blood of goats
and calves, but through his own blood, entered in
once for all into the Holy Place, having obtained
eternal redemption. For if the blood of goats and
bulls, and the ashes of a heifer sprinkling those who
have been defiled, sanctify to the cleanness of the
flesh, how much more will the blood of Christ, who
through the eternal Spirit offered himself without
defect to God, cleanse your conscience from dead
works to serve the living God? For this reason he is
the mediator of a new covenant, since a death has
occurred for the redemption of the transgressions
that were under the first covenant, that those who
have been called may receive the promise of the
eternal inheritance. (Heb. 9:1-15)
23
the good news, and the High Priest is Jesus himself,
and the once-and-for-all sacrifice for sins has been
made by him, of himself.
24
Leadership
Keeping with the idea of stating definitions, we
move on to the way the Christian church is
organised. Paul describes the Christian church thus:
25
Now you are the body of Christ, and members
individually. God has set some in the assembly: first
apostles, second prophets, third teachers, then
miracle workers, then gifts of healings, helps,
governments, and various kinds of languages. Are
all apostles? Are all prophets? Are all teachers? Are
all miracle workers? Do all have gifts of healings?
Do all speak with various languages? Do all
interpret? (1 Corinthians 12:27-30)
26
examples of the activity of prophets in Luke's
account of the early church in the Acts of the
Apostles.
27
Overseers
Beginning as always with a definition, I cite this
extract from the Online Etymology Dictionary
(http://www.etymonline.com) w h e r e t h e w o r d
searched for was 'bishop':
28
of the original of Acts 1:20. Here the English
translation is more usually rendered as 'office'. But
N. T. Wright in his New Testament for Everyone has
the much more literal 'overseeing task'.
29
God’s steward, not self-pleasing, not easily angered,
not given to wine, not violent, not greedy for
dishonest gain; but given to hospitality, a lover of
good, sober minded, fair, holy, self-controlled,
holding to the faithful word which is according to
the teaching, that he may be able to exhort in the
sound doctrine, and to convict those who contradict
him. (Titus 1:5-9)
30
Elders
Elder is the natural translation of the Greek
presbyteros, and is the comparative of the Greek
word that simply means 'old'. It also is sometimes
simply transliterated into the English presbyter.
31
disciples was multiplying, a complaint arose from
the Hellenists against the Hebrews, because their
widows were neglected in the daily service. The
twelve summoned the multitude of the disciples and
said, “It is not appropriate for us to forsake the word
of God and serve tables. Therefore select from
amongst you, brothers, seven men of good report,
full of the Holy Spirit and of wisdom, whom we may
appoint over this business. But we will continue
steadfastly in prayer and in the ministry of the
word.” These words pleased the whole multitude.
They chose Stephen, a man full of faith and of the
Holy Spirit, Philip, Prochorus, Nicanor, Timon,
Parmenas, and Nicolaus, a proselyte of Antioch;
whom they set before the apostles. When they had
prayed, they laid their hands on them. (Acts 6:1-6)
32
Further references to elders occur in Paul's
travels.
33
Stewards
We saw that when Paul wrote to the Philippians
he addressed his letter to the overseers there, and
another kind of leader: the Greek word used for this
second class of leader is diakonos. My preferred
translation is 'steward' while the translation quoted
earlier from the World English Bible has 'servant'.
34
then let them serve if they are blameless. Their
wives in the same way must be reverent, not
slanderers, temperate, and faithful in all things. Let
stewards be husbands of one wife, ruling their
children and their own houses well. For those who
have served well gain for themselves a good
standing, and great boldness in the faith which is in
Christ Jesus. (1 Tim. 3:8-13)
35
Early Christian Worship
The evidence from the New Testament is quite
surprisingly sparse as to how the early Christians
met together. Much has to be surmised bearing in
mind that some assemblies would be either entirely
or predominantly Jewish. They would have almost
certainly simply made appropriate changes to the
usual practice of a Jewish synagogue services. So
there would have been readings from the scriptures
(all of course from what we call the Old Testament),
preaching, unaccompanied singing, and formal and
informal prayers. They might have had the leading
of a cantor (singer) and in one letter Paul refers to
the wearing of head-covering, which was standard
for Jewish worship.
36
together in the assembly, I hear that divisions exist
amongst you, and I partly believe it. For there also
must be factions amongst you, that those who are
approved may be revealed amongst you. When
therefore you assemble yourselves together, it is not
the Lord’s supper that you eat. For in your eating
each one takes his own supper first. One is hungry,
and another is drunken. What, don’t you have
houses to eat and to drink in? Or do you despise
God’s assembly and put them to shame who don’t
have enough? What shall I tell you? Shall I praise
you? In this I don’t praise you. For I received from
the Lord that which also I delivered to you, that the
Lord Jesus on the night in which he was betrayed
took bread. When he had given thanks, he broke it
and said, “Take, eat. This is my body, which is
broken for you. Do this in memory of me.” In the
same way he also took the cup, after supper, saying,
“This cup is the new covenant in my blood. Do this,
as often as you drink, in memory of me.” For as
often as you eat this bread and drink this cup, you
proclaim the Lord’s death until he comes. Therefore
whoever eats this bread or drinks the Lord’s cup in
a way unworthy of the Lord will be guilty of the body
and the blood of the Lord. But let a man examine
himself, and so let him eat of the bread, and drink of
the cup. For he who eats and drinks in an unworthy
way eats and drinks judgement to himself if he
doesn’t discern the Lord’s body. (1 Cor. 11:17-29)
37
no reference to the bread and the wine, giving
instead lots of detail about what Jesus said to them
on this occasion. Paul's account here is very close to
that of Matthew, Mark, and Luke. Given that it is
very probable that none of the gospels had yet been
written when Paul wrote this letter to the Christians
at Corinth, we can be sure that the words he uses are
very much part of what was being handed down to
each newly established Christian community.
38
Early Christian Writings
So far we have looked at the New Testament
sources for our understanding of original Christian
leadership and worship. Now we must turn to the
writings that were not included in the canon, and
see what we find there.
39
impending End of the Age and Final Judgment (16).
One useful way to read the document is to note as
much what it does not say as what it does say. The
opening chapter says that there are two ways: the
way of Life and the way of Death. Describing the way
of life we find many references to the teachings of
Jesus; almost a summary of the Sermon on the
Mount to be found in Matthew's Gospel. Alongside
these quotations are a repetition of the Ten
Commandments and a list of other evil things to
avoid doing.
40
which, thou didst make known to us through Jesus
thy child; to thee be glory for ever."
And concerning the broken Bread: "We give thee
thanks, our Father, for the life and knowledge which
thou didst make known to us through Jesus thy
Child. To thee be glory for ever. As this broken bread
was scattered upon the mountains, but was brought
together and became one, so let thy Church be
gathered together from the ends of the earth into
thy Kingdom, for thine is the glory and the power
through Jesus Christ for ever." But let none eat or
drink of your Eucharist except those who have been
baptised in the Lord's Name. For concerning this
also did the Lord say, "Give not that which is holy to
the dogs." (Ch. 9)
41
false prophet. And when an Apostle goes forth let
him accept nothing but bread till he reach his night's
lodging; but if he ask for money, he is a false
prophet. Do not test or examine any prophet who is
speaking in a spirit, "for every sin shall be forgiven,
but this sin shall not be forgiven." But not everyone
who speaks in a spirit is a prophet, except he have
the behaviour of the Lord. From his behaviour, then,
the false prophet and the true prophet shall be
known. And no prophet who orders a meal in a spirit
shall eat of it: otherwise he is a false prophet. And
every prophet who teaches the truth, if he do not
what he teaches, is a false prophet. But no prophet
who has been tried and is genuine, though he enact a
worldly mystery of the Church, if he teach not
others to do what he does himself, shall be judged by
you: for he has his judgment with God, for so also did
the prophets of old. But whosoever shall say in a
spirit `Give me money, or something else,' you shall
not listen to him; but if he tell you to give on behalf
of others in want, let none judge him. (Ch. 11)
42
to, and one notes that just two classes of leader are
defined, which seems to confirm that the very early
church used overseer and elder interchangeably.
* * *
43
* * *
44
Does the fact that a letter came from Rome to
Corinth imply that Rome was recognised as having
some sort of authority over other local churches?
The letter itself makes no such claim
45
* * *
46
who has charged him with this duty. Plainly, then,
we should look upon the bishop even as we would
upon the Lord Himself. (Eph. 4 … 6)
To the Philippians:
47
I cried out while in your midst: “Give heed to the
bishop, and to the presbytery and deacons”. Now,
some suspected me of having spoken this because I
had previous knowledge of the division caused by
some. But He is my witness, I did not learn this from
any human source. No, it was the Spirit who kept
preaching these words: “Apart from the bishop do
nothing, preserve yourselves as shrines of God;
cherish unity, shun divisions, do as Jesus Christ did,
for He too, did as the Father did.” (Phil. 7)
To Polycarp:
To the Smyrnaeans:
48
To sum up what we learn from these letters, it is
clear that we have the apparently first instance
where there is an advocate for a hierarchy of
Christian leaders, with the bishop seen as having a
higher level of authority over the other presbyters,
and both of them higher than deacons. There is also
the hint that oversight of the Eucharist was very
important, even the concept of a valid one, so
suggesting there might be invalid ones. The trouble
with all this is that there are scholars who question
whether these letters are genuine, counting them
rather as later forgeries. Part of the problem is that
they exist in both shorter and longer versions,
which makes it obvious that they have been worked
on after the originals were written.
49
Heresy
The Apostle Paul had warned that heresy would
manifest itself as an opponent of the Christian truth.
Urging Timothy to preach constantly he says:
For the time will come when they will not listen
to the sound doctrine, but having itching ears, will
heap up for themselves teachers after their own
lusts, and will turn away their ears from the truth,
and turn away to fables. (2 Tim. 4:3-4)
50
now. Thus were excluded the 'gospels' of Thomas,
Truth, Judas, Peter, Mary, Philip, and the Egyptians,
all being dated as written in the second century.
51
Persecution
Speaking of the polytheism of the Roman world in
the first century Edward Gibbon memorably said
that the various modes of worship were all
considered by the people as equally true; by the
philosopher as equally false; and by the magistrate
as equally useful. To begin with there was a natural
tendency towards tolerance, and Christianity was
treated as a sect within Judaism, which was a religio
licita (a permissible religion).
52
as a criminal by Pontius Pilate, procurator of Judea,
in the reign of Tiberius, but the pernicious
superstition - repressed for a time, broke out yet
again, not only through Judea, - where the mischief
originated, but through the city of Rome also,
whither all things horrible and disgraceful flow from
all quarters, as to a common receptacle, and where
they are encouraged. Accordingly first those were
arrested who confessed they were Christians; next
on their information, a vast multitude were
convicted, not so much on the charge of burning the
city, as of "hating the human race." (Annals 15)
53
who were executed became known as martyrs, a
word which means witness. They gave witness to
their faith by refusing to conform, even knowing this
would result in their death, sometimes by various
means of torture.
54
there were several churches claiming to possess his
foreskin, which would have been removed on the
eighth day in Jewish circumcision.
55
The Eucharist
The question I am now going to address in more
detail is how the 'breaking of bread', to give it its
early name, became a set liturgy called the
Eucharist. What did this liturgy consist of?
56
cup of wine mixed with water; and he taking them,
gives praise and glory to the Father of the universe,
through the name of the Son and of the Holy Ghost,
and offers thanks at considerable length for our
being counted worthy to receive these things at His
hands. And when he has concluded the prayers and
thanksgivings, all the people present express their
assent by saying Amen. This word Amen answers in
the Hebrew language to γενοιτο [so be it]. And when
the president has given thanks, and all the people
have expressed their assent, those who are called by
us deacons give to each of those present to partake
of the bread and wine mixed with water over which
the thanksgiving was pronounced, and to those who
are absent they carry away a portion.
And this food is called among us Ευχαριστια [the
Eucharist], of which no one is allowed to partake but
the man who believes that the things which we teach
are true, and who has been washed with the
washing that is for the remission of sins, and unto
regeneration, and who is so living as Christ has
enjoined. For not as common bread and common
drink do we receive these; but in like manner as
Jesus Christ our Saviour, having been made flesh by
the Word of God, had both flesh and blood for our
salvation, so likewise have we been taught that the
food which is blessed by the prayer of His word, and
from which our blood and flesh by transmutation
are nourished, is the flesh and blood of that Jesus
who was made flesh. For the apostles, in the
memoirs composed by them, which are called
Gospels, have thus delivered unto us what was
enjoined upon them; that Jesus took bread, and
when He had given thanks, said, “This do ye in
remembrance of Me, this is My body;” and that,
after the same manner, having taken the cup and
57
given thanks, He said, “This is My blood;” and gave it
to them alone. Which the wicked devils have
imitated in the mysteries of Mithras, commanding
the same thing to be done. For, that bread and a cup
of water are placed with certain incantations in the
mystic rites of one who is being initiated, you either
know or can learn.
58
The people respond:
It is proper and just.
The bishop then continues:
We give thanks to you God,
through your beloved son Jesus Christ,
whom you sent to us in former times
as Savior, Redeemer, and Messenger of your Will,
who is your inseparable Word,
through whom you made all,
and in whom you were well-pleased,
whom you sent
from heaven into the womb of a virgin,
who, being conceived within her, was made flesh,
and appeared as your Son,
born of the Holy Spirit and the virgin.
It is he who, fulfilling your will
and acquiring for you a holy people,
extended his hands in suffering,
in order to liberate from sufferings
those who believe in you. Who, when he was
delivered to voluntary suffering,
in order to dissolve death,
and break the chains of the devil,
and tread down hell,
and bring the just to the light,
and set the limit,
and manifest the resurrection,
taking the bread, and giving thanks to you, said,
"Take, eat, for this is my body which is broken for
you."
Likewise the chalice, saying,
This is my blood which is shed for you.
Whenever you do this, do this (in) memory of me.
Therefore, remembering his death and resurrection,
we offer to you the bread and the chalice,
giving thanks to you, who has made us worthy
to stand before you and to serve as your priests.
And
59
we pray that you would send your Holy Spirit
to the oblation of your Holy Church.
In their gathering together,
give to all those who partake of your holy mysteries
the fullness of the Holy Spirit,
toward the strengthening of the faith in truth,
that we may praise you and glorify you,
through your son Jesus Christ,
through whom to you be glory and honor,
Father and Son,
with the Holy Spirit,
in your Holy Church,
now and throughout the ages of the ages.
Amen.
60
Historical Milestone
As the years went on the Christian communities
all over the Roman Empire grew in number and in
strength. There was something different about
Christians compared with pagans, and the difference
was noted. Christians did not steal from you, they
could be trusted in commerce, they did not abuse
their servants. As one pagan writer noted: 'they not
only look after their own poor, they look after our
poor too.' Many local leaders, for good reason, often
failed to carry out the sporadic persecution of
Christians even when ordered by an emperor to do
so.
61
in world history. The story is told by Eusebius, who
wrote the first biography of Constantine soon after
the emperor’s death. He knew Constantine well and
said he had the story from the emperor himself.
Constantine was a pagan monotheist, a devotee of
the sun god Sol Invictus, the unconquered sun.
However before the Milvian Bridge battle he and his
army saw a cross of light in the sky above the sun
with words in Greek that are generally translated
into Latin as In hoc signo vinces (‘In this sign
conquer’). That night Constantine had a dream in
which Christ told him he should use the sign of the
cross against his enemies. He was so impressed that
he had the Christian symbol marked on his soldiers’
shields and when the Milvian Bridge battle gave him
an overwhelming victory he attributed it to the god
of the Christians.
62
emperor and a believer but not yet baptized, who
called and chaired the very important gathering of
all bishops in Nicea (on the eastern coast of the
Aegean Sea) in A.D. 352. From this we have the
creed which is commonly recited in the service of
the Eucharist. Its main purpose was to settle all the
disputes as to how precisely to define the
relationship between the Father, the Son, and the
Holy Spirit. These plenary gatherings of bishops
were very important, and are called ecumenical
councils. Christianity now had the means to become
organised and structured in a way that applied to all
Christians; this is exactly what 'catholic' means: it
applies to all.
63
Eucharistic Theology
In this chapter I am going to look at the question:
what did the Early Church believe happened during
the Eucharist?
64
blessing is greater than that of nature, because by
blessing nature itself is changed. . . . For that
sacrament which you receive is made what it is by
the word of Christ. . . . Why do you seek the order of
nature in the Body of Christ, seeing that the Lord
Jesus Himself was born of a Virgin, not according to
nature? It is the true Flesh of Christ which was
crucified and buried, this is then truly the
Sacrament of His Body. The Lord Jesus Himself
proclaims: "This Is My Body." Before the blessing of
the heavenly words another nature is spoken of,
after the consecration the Body is signified. He
Himself speaks of His Blood. Before the consecration
it has another name, after it is called Blood. And you
say, Amen, that is, It is true. Let the heart within
confess what the mouth utters, let the soul feel what
the voice speaks. (Ch. 50-54, date c. 380 A.D.)
65
bring us to the best understanding of what is true. I
also cannot fail to notice the misuse of the doctrine,
whereby it was taught that the Eucharist could
achieve a number of things per se, such as the relief
of so much time in purgatory, itself a much disputed
doctrine. It is in this territory that one is merging
towards magic, alas.
66
Magic in the Bible
Magic is a word that is not actually used very
often, if at all, in English translations of the original
Hebrew and Greek of the Bible. Magicians, however,
do occur, but the usage seems to refer to them as a
type of trickster. In Exodus we read of the magicians
of Egypt, whose tricks turned out to be inferior to
those of Moses (see Exodus ch. 7-9). The word the
Bible often uses is sorcery, and here we find the
practice totally forbidden.
67
We find references to sorcery in the Acts of the
Apostles. Consider this event.
68
iniquity.”
Simon answered, “Pray for me to the Lord, that
none of the things which you have spoken happen to
me.” (Acts 8:9-24)
69
a spirit of divination met us, who brought her
masters much gain by fortune telling. Following Paul
and us, she cried out, “These men are servants of
the Most High God, who proclaim to us a way of
salvation!” She was doing this for many days. But
Paul, becoming greatly annoyed, turned and said to
the spirit, “I command you in the name of Jesus
Christ to come out of her!” It came out that very
hour. But when her masters saw that the hope of
their gain was gone, they seized Paul and Silas, and
dragged them into the marketplace before the
rulers. (Acts 16:16-19)
70
Idolatry
We are very familiar with the opening three of the
Ten Commandments:
71
It is not enough simply to be worshipping the
right god either. It is how we worship that matters.
72
words from Jesus, responding to a question about
the right place for worship. The principle about form
of worship is covered perfectly here.
73
A far greater danger of idolatry in modern times
is the placing of an inappropriate value on material
objects. Worship means giving worth to something.
As a Christian I must give exclusive 'worth-ship' to
God alone. I need money just to keep alive, but I
must not worship it. I need clothes to keep warm,
but I must not have too much regard for what I look
like in them. One can say the same about so many of
the 'things' in our lives: cars, houses, gardens, you
name it. There is a balance to keep. Each of us needs
to be sure we are holding this balance well.
74
Worship
Worship is not an easy concept. What is the right
way to worship your god? Many different societies
offer varying answers. Even in the Bible there are
rather puzzling indications of what is right. The
heart of worship, of course, is offering something of
value to one's god. Pouring a little wine on the floor
as a libation is one way of doing it. But the most
obvious way is to build an altar and offer life there in
some form. Some societies have felt that the only
really satisfying offering their god wanted was
human life, but most have settled for animal life.
This story is not an easy one to understand.
75
“What are the multitude of your sacrifices to me?”,
says the LORD.
“I have had enough of the burnt offerings of rams
and the fat of fed animals.
I don’t delight in the blood of bulls, or of lambs, or of
male goats.
When you come to appear before me, who has
required this at your hand, to trample my courts?
Bring no more vain offerings.
Incense is an abomination to me.
New moons, Sabbaths, and convocations:
I can’t stand evil assemblies.
My soul hates your New Moons and your appointed
feasts.
They are a burden to me.
I am weary of bearing them.
When you spread out your hands, I will hide my eyes
from you.
Yes, when you make many prayers, I will not hear.
Your hands are full of blood.
Wash yourselves. Make yourself clean.
Put away the evil of your doings from before my
eyes.
Cease to do evil.
Learn to do well.
Seek justice.
Relieve the oppressed.
Defend the fatherless.
Plead for the widow.”
(Isaiah 1:11-17)
76
Sing to the LORD!
Bless his name!
Proclaim his salvation from day to day!
Declare his glory amongst the nations,
his marvellous works amongst all the peoples.
(Psalm 96:1-3)
77
Conclusions
This has been a very personal project, prompted
by moving house and finding myself in a parish with
a different liturgical practice compared with what I
previously had been used to. The resident leadership
of the church here have opposed the ordination of
women, and therefore of female bishops too. The
main service on Sunday is the Eucharist, which in
the church notices is referred to as Mass. I think
anyone used to a Roman Catholic order of service
would find what takes place here virtually
indistinguishable from their usual services:
vestments, church furniture, all the visible things;
the words used in all the prayers, and the actual
order of service.
78
what is worn matter? How far has what we do today
moved from what the first generations of Christians
did? The title of this small work was deliberately
provocative, implying that the dangers I have just
outlined may be very real.
79
guilty of the body and the blood of the Lord. But let a
man examine himself, and so let him eat of the
bread, and drink of the cup. For he who eats and
drinks in an unworthy way eats and drinks
judgement to himself if he doesn’t discern the Lord’s
body. (1 Corinthians 11:23-29)
80
created all sorts of problems. The idea that the
recitation of the Eucharist so as to provide a benefit
which could be bought with money is something the
reformers rejected, rightly in my view.
81