Renewal and Reform

Tuesday, October 9, 2007 -- Week of Proper 22
(Robert Grosseteste, Bishop of Lincoln, 1253)

"Morning Reflections" is a brief thought about the scripture readings from the Daily Office of Morning and Evening Prayer according to the practice found in the Book of Common Prayer of the Episcopal Church.

Morning Prayer begins on p. 80 of the Book of Common Prayer.
Evening Prayer begins on p. 117
An online resource for praying the Daily Office is found at www.missionstclare.com
Another form of the office from Phyllis Tickle's "Divine Hours" is available on our partner web site www.ExploreFaith.org at this location -- http://explorefaith.org/prayer/fixed/index.html

Audio Podcasts of today's "Morning Reflection" and those from the past week are available from http://www.stpaulsfay.org/id244.html (go to St. Paul's Home Page www.stpaulsfay.org and click "Morning Reflection podcast")

Today's Readings for the Daily Office (p. 986)
Psalms [120], 121, 122, 123 (morning) 124, 125, 126, [127] (evening)
2 Kings 22:1-13
1 Corinthians 11:2, 17-22
Matthew 9:1-8

Mannasseh is believed to have reigned longer than any king of Israel or Judah, for over a half-century during the 600's. He was reputed to have reversed many of the reforms of Hezekiah, restoring the syncretistic worship of Canaanite and other gods. His son Amon succeeded to the throne, but was assassinated after only two years. Amon's son Josiah was named king. Since he was only eight years old, his mother Jedidah exercised significant authority, presumably along with "the people of the land" who killed the participants in the plot that removed Amon.

Luck was with the young king Josiah. Assyria was in decline; Egypt was recovering from the Assyrian wars; Babylon had not yet risen as the new empire. There was a significant period of time when Judah was able to govern its own land without outside interference.

In the eighteenth year of his reign (c. 622/620 BCE), Josiah initiated a thorough religious reform, reasserting the worship of YHWH alone. He authorized the repair and upgrade of the Temple. During the construction, the high priest Hilkiah found a previously lost scroll of the Torah. Scholars believe the scroll to be the book of Deuteronomy. (Some scholars believe the scroll may have been written at the time of Josiah to promote his reforms.) The writing was brought to the king who had it read aloud to him. King Josiah's reaction was one of great repentance and distress, because the people had not kept this law of God. He believed them to be vulnerable to divine punishment for their failure. The reform of Josiah proceeded with great vigor.

Imagine the drama. What if archeologists found the tomb of the apostle Paul and there discovered an unknown manuscript -- maybe of one of his letters; or better still, an unknown gospel dating from the time of Paul. What if the writing revealed that the teaching and practice of the faith had significant differences from what we have been teaching and practicing. What might happen?

Josiah led a reform of Judaism in accordance with the prescriptions given in the book of Deuteronomy. It was a significant period of renewal.

Usually when we attempt reform, we try to rekindle a vision of the way it should have been from the beginning. We look at our sources and re-vision a new way of going forward that will change some patterns that we disagree with and institute new ways that are faithful to a new understanding of the old.

The 16th century reformation attempted to strip away ecclesial accretions and restore Christian practice based on a new reading of scripture. Every time a church separates from its source, it claims to have rediscovered the "true" intent of Christ.

In some sense, our faith is continually renewed and challenged by new interpretations of old truths. One of the most challenging renewal events in recent history was the abolitionist movement of the 19th century. Anti-slavery reformers and preachers looked to the ideals of the scripture and imagined an expanded, universal freedom as they challenged the institution of slavery. Pro-slavery traditionalists and preachers had an easy time showing the presence of slavery as a normal part of ancient culture throughout Biblical times. Jesus did not speak against it; the law and both Testaments presume its presence, and even give instruction about the just administration of master-slave relationships.

Reforms are challenging. Josiah's reform took many years and caused great conflict. Sadly, just as he had reestablished a form of faithfulness that most of his Jewish descendants would applaud, he died in battle and international events began a terrible motion toward the destruction of Jerusalem and exile of the people.

The abolitionist movement contributed to a political divide in this nation that led to our most tragic war, a War Between the States. A century later we were still trying to deal with the promise of full and equal civil rights for the descendants of slaves.

Renewal and reform is a continuing characteristic of living religions and nations. What is God leading us toward in our lifetime?

Lowell