Spring Break has sprung!

He was born a pauper to a pawn on a Christmas Day
When the New York Times said God is dead*
And the war's begun
Alvin Tostig has a son today --from Elton John's song Levon (lyrics by Bernie Taupin), 1971
*on March 24, 1968, the New York Times ran story under this headline: 'God Is Dead' Doctrine Losing Ground to 'Theology of Hope'

As I sit here in my sanctum sanctorum (which now doubles as a guest room, more on that shortly), three quarters of seminary behind me, the only obstacle to my spring nirvana is a pesky bout of intermittent back spasms (which, I'm certain are guest room-related, more on that, too, shortly). So I've had a day or two to contemplate the world around me without the demands of the monastery like a crop on my haunches. And, frankly, I'm beginning to feel as if I've been reborn into another time and place, like I'm becoming a stranger in a society whose operating system runs on hedonism, narcissism, social media grandstanding, fake news (and "alternative facts") and a purpose of existence that is nothing more than aleatory, at best. This is planet I will be beamed down to upon ordination...

The last couple of weeks and, really, this past weekend, have brought forth some troubling issues, presented here (in no particular order):

‘Glitter Ash Wednesday’ hopes to sparkle for LGBT Christians, supporters

Transgender wrestler Mack Beggs identifies as a male. He just won the Texas state girls title.

Organizing for Action choreographs chaos at GOP town halls

Video shows off-duty California cop fire weapon in struggle with 13-year-old

Emma Stone makes political statement with Planned Parenthood pin at 2017 Oscars

Millennials: Rise of the 'Nones'

Florida college promotes polyamory as ethical alternative to cheating during annual ‘Sex Week’

At Jewish Cemetery, Seeking Answers Amid Heartbreak

Southern Poverty Law Center says American hate groups are on the rise

Saturday morning I assisted in a funeral for one of the members in our congregation here (my field work church)-- it was very cathartic for me. I felt like a servant serving others, being part of doing what the church does best, coming together to honor, grieve, and rejoice in the passing from death to life (John 5:24) of a brother (in this case) or sister in Christ. It was freezing cold on Saturday, on-and-off snow and a stiff west wind. I had never experienced a processional from the sanctuary to the church cemetery; I and the officiating pastor were behind the "crucifer" (an Elder leading with the Cross), and the hearse followed slowly behind us, and others walking behind it. We were robed up and when we turned into that wind there was some serious flapping going on (I was certain that there was going to be a "wardrobe malfunction" or a Flying Nun incident).

The service was very moving for me, for many reasons. The lonely sound of taps being played in that cold wind and the honor guard removing the American flag from the coffin and folding it ceremoniously in front of me nearly did me in...

Then Sunday morning between the services I filled in for the confirmation class instructor and spent 45 minutes talking with three 7th-graders about apologetics. One feisty girl told me that it makes her mad when other kids make fun of her for believing in Jesus; I told her that the best defense is not an offensive, to get so mad you want to punch them in the nose (to which she replied "I'm a girl and girls aren't supposed to punch anyone in the nose."). I also had the children's sermon at both services-- four little kiddos at the 8 o'clock service and, because of a kid's choir performance, a gazillion at the 10:30 one. And the topic was The Transfiguration, which is not an easy one to explain to little ones, what with the and he was transfigured before them, and his face shone like the sun, and his clothes became white as light and and behold, there appeared to them Moses and Elijah, talking with him and He was still speaking when, behold, a bright cloud overshadowed them, and a voice from the cloud said, "This is my beloved Son, with whom I am well pleased; listen to him" and when the disciples heard this, they fell on their faces and were terrified and all that. It was quite the scene.  :)

After the funeral on Saturday, I put together (all by myself, for those of you who know me) a full-size futon that arrived in 3 boxes, had more than a dozen wood pieces and way too many screws, bolts, rollers, and sundry other small metal parts to count...and an Allen wrench. It took at least a couple of hours and I thought my back was going to give out. Thus the aforementioned back spasms. And I haven't really gotten used to the thing yet-- it's a though I'm typing this in somebody else's room.

So I'm on sabbatical from the seminary until Monday, March 13. As a diversion from the world and its ills, as well as from seminary studies (that have whittled my brain down to a toothpick), I've started to watch the old soap opera Dark Shadows through Netflix from the first episode. I'm up to episode 9, I think. You're probably thinking to yourself, why a creepy series like that? It's campy and overly dramatic sometimes, but I like spooky stuff, creaky old houses, misty cemeteries, etc. And when I'm starting to stress out, I can remind myself that at least I don't a vampire in the family to deal with (that I'm aware of, anyway)...

And I may have gotten my wife into Jimmy Stewart movies. We've been watching them on Friday night over the last few weeks. We watched Mr. Hobbs Takes a Vacation last Friday.

And there's always family history to dabble in... It's so addictive, though! I can spend hours sifting through documents and trees on ancestry.com. But it's also cathartic and relaxing-- it's like working on a ginormous jigsaw puzzle.

And I'm reading a new book entitled The Hallmarks of Lutheran Identity. It's an easy read (not why I'm reading it, though it is a break from the assigned readings I wade through for my classes). If curious about what a Lutheran is, you ought to read it... Even if you yourself are Lutheran. And on that note...

Spring break has sprung! Woo-hoo!!

P.S. At the risk of being tarred and feathered as a heretic, I call your attention to the excerpt from the song at the top of this post and the asterisked note beneath it. We're not too far removed, today, from the "God is Dead" movement of the late 60s (reflected starkly on Time magazine's cover for the April 8, 1966 issue, shown below). That same year another publication, The Ministry, which is still published by the Seventh Day Adventist Church, included a response to this movement in the article If God is Dead. It is worth a read and is every bit as relevant to our 21st century ideas as it was in 1966 (when I was but a towheaded lad o' four...I am Irish, remember?).