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Tag Archives: Bill Loader

Markathon!

20 Monday Feb 2012

Posted by wonderingpilgrim in Spirituality, theology, Wembley Downs

≈ 2 Comments

Tags

Bill Loader, Gospel of Mark, Lent, public reading

First page of the Gospel of Mark, by Sargis Pi...

Image via Wikipedia

“Let’s do a public community reading of Mark’s gospel!”

“Oh yeah!” I thought. “Who’s going to come?”

So 40 people aged from 7 to 90 gathered on a hot Sunday evening for our first public community reading of Mark’s gospel. It took 90 minutes, three narrators, and about 12 voices to read various characters. (For some reason I was allocated the voices of the unclean spirits and Judas!)

By the time the women fled the open tomb (we used Mark’s short ending), several observations could be made:

  • the event had a strong effect on all gathered , from youngest to oldest – some commented that they had come to appreciate Mark’s gospel in a new light
  • although Mark is an action gospel, Jesus still had plenty to say – lots of “red letter” words.
  • Mark’s gospel has a continuity of narrative that is easily missed through a habitual selective focus on its many vignettes.
  • Immersion in a total public reading of the gospel leads to a sense of participation in the flow of the narrative.

Some will wonder whether this non-analytical approach short changed us. No worries –  internationally renowned New Testament scholar, Professor William (Bill) Loader will be conducting a series on Mark’s gospel over the weeks between now and Easter. We combine with the Wembley Downs Uniting Church who will be hosting the series.  The topics are:

26 February – “Good News” according to Mark – what does salvation and faith and eternal life look like in Mark – in comparison with others?

4 March – Mark on Scripture – looking at the controversy stories and how they reflect different approaches to Scripture.

11 March –  An evening with Herod the Great: Sex and Power in the world of Jesus and Mark (a lot of fun as well as informative)

18 March – Mark on Miracles – looking at the problems and possibilities posed by miracle stories for Mark and other NT writers.

25 March – Mark on being human and being God – looking at the conflicting models of humanness, Jesus and God between Jesus and the disciples.

Should be fun!

 

 

 

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Advent Reflection: Peace – not absence of conflict

05 Monday Dec 2011

Posted by wonderingpilgrim in Ministry, Wembley Downs

≈ 4 Comments

Tags

Advent, Bill Loader, Holy Spirit, John the Baptist, peace

Jan Brueghel the Elder, John the Baptist preaching

Image via Wikipedia

It may strike one as absurd that a day given to reflecting on peace revolves around that fiery wild figure that stormed out of the Judaean desert preaching repentance and baptism for the forgiveness of sins. John the Baptist seems an incongruous figure for what we imagine to be peace – serene narcosis wrapped in fluffy cotton wool where the daily grind can’t “get at us.”

Consider the elements of true peace however, based on the Semitic languages shalom (Hebrew) or salaam (Arabic and its derivatives), alluding to wholeness in relationship with self, others, the environment and the Divine. It seems to me that one has to navigate some conflict to achieve each of those summits.

Well known New Testament scholar Bill Loader, at the local Uniting Church commissioning service for their local minister, noted three surprises in Mark’s use of the John the Baptist episode to open his discussion of  what the “good news” of Jesus was all about. I summarise and paraphrase, hopefully accurately, his points as I heard them. But go here for Bill’s online commentary on this passage.

First, there is the lack of apocalyptic judgement often associated with John the Baptist’s ministry. Change is in the wind, people are being called to change, but the use of Isaiah’s words are couched in the language and context of comfort and strength. The world is full of people bearing a heavy weight of oppression , poverty and injustice, but change is possible and imminent.

The second surprise is the universality of John the Baptist’s message. All are invited to the baptism he offers – poor and rich, sick and well, Jew and Greek, peasant and soldier. There is no particularity, the invitation to change is for all. It begins with “repentance”, literally “turning to face a new direction,” or we might think of starting again with a blank page. The word used by Mark is metanoia (Koine Greek) “renewing of the mind”.

The third surprise is the incompleteness of his ministry – forgiveness is a beginning, but completeness comes with one who baptises with the Holy Spirit and who demonstrates the presence of God’s reign amongst us through the ministry of the Spirit. Those who wear the name of Christ must get past acting as if it was only about forgiveness and get on with the Spirit ministry of teaching, reconciling, healing and helping build a world that is whole.

It sounded to me a little bit like shalom, salaam, peace.

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