Sabbath Rest

I believe Americans are a deeply fatigued people. One of my learnings on my Sabbatical is that congregations where the Sabbath rest is observed seem to be quite vibrant (despite what I would call “dismal theology”).

A United Methodist pastor who is also a medical doctor has written about fatigue and Sabbath rest. Interesting. Check it out (follow the “Keeping Sabbath” in the Blogroll link on the right).

Senator Joseph Lieberman has written a new book on observing the Sabbath. Here is part of what he says: “The Sabbath is a gift from God for all people,” he writes. “In our time, I believe, it is a gift that is desperately needed.”

The senator’s book is one of several published in recent years extolling the virtues of the Sabbath observance. Lieberman says that’s no accident: Despite — or perhaps because of — the demands of the modern world, with its relentlessly chirping electronic devices and 24/7 news cycle, people crave downtime.

“Even though in the book I am essentially escorting the reader through a traditional Sabbath according to Jewish practice, I am really writing the book not just for Jewish people but for people of all faiths or no particular faith in the hope that the book may encourage the reader to put some more Sabbath into their own lives,” he said. “I think we all need it. We’re working very hard and we tend not to make distinctions between one day and another. We never get away from our Blackberries and cellphones and iPads.”

I strongly encourage the reader to observe God’s command to “Remember the Sabbath day and keep it holy.” “The Sabbath,” Jesus observes, “was given to humankind, not humankind for the Sabbath.” (Mark 2:27) It is, as the Senator says, “a gift from God.” I believe many lives could be happier, less stressful, more productive, and that the Christian church in this land would be revived, if we did as God invites us to do: “Observe the Sabbath day and keep it holy.”

Sunday, July 31 (Part Three)

I believe it is best not to shop or conduct business on Sunday–the Lord’s day.  I refuse to make business phone calls, eat at a restaurant, or do anything that might make another work instead of worship.  I’m pretty hypocritical about this because if there’s something I really need or want, I’ll shop.

Today I had to pick up a video at a Red Hat video arcade at Wal Mart.  Even though it was Sunday morning, the church of Wal Mart was open for worship and the aisles were filled.  I should not have been surprised, but I guess I was.

I don’t believe in blue laws outlawing business on Sunday (like they would ever return anyway!), but I do believe shopping has become a sub set of our cultural religion.

Can you imagine if we could reserve the Lord’s day for worship, rest, recreation and family?  I think much of the stress on modern American live would be ameliorated.  “Then Jesus said, ‘The Sabbath was meant to serve us: we weren’t made to serve the Sabbath.'” (Mark 2:27, The Message)

UPDATE:  Monday I was at Lowes to pick up some mulch.  As it was being loaded into my car two employees were talking about a special event Wednesday.  “Don’t they know that’s church night?” the one said.  “Well,” said the other employee, “Sunday is church day and that’s our biggest day.”  He summed it up this way, “Church night really doesn’t make any difference.”

The Sabbath really doesn’t make any difference either.  Should it?  Would we be better if it did?

A Blog You Need to Read

By pressing the “Internetmonk” link on the right you will find Allen Krell’s excellent guest blog “Why Lutheran Churches Can’t Attract a Crowd (or How to grow a Lutheran church)”.

It is such a joy to see good theological thinking!  As I have visited many different kinds of religious worship expressions, I cannot help but notice the “crowd” and the often parallel “Theology of Glory”.  Churches with some bad biblical theology pack ’em in and churches with great theology seem to lack the “crowd” (compare the mega-churches of my blog with my most recent post concerning Incarnation Lutheran).

My main attraction to Lutheranism has always been the sound theology that seems so lacking in many worshiping communities.

One of the thoughts that has been brewing in my mind since beginning this Sabbatical is starting a class when I return to St. Mark’s on the Augsburg Confession–to help Lutherans understand Lutheranism.