Baptized into the Work of Christ

Jesus, as we remember your baptism this morning and reflect on your work in this world, guide us into our place in your redemption of the world. Amen.

This morning is the day in the church calendar when we remember the baptism of Jesus. We began the liturgical year of the church back in November, with the first Sunday of Advent being the first Sunday of the new Christian year. And it is appropriate that we begin the Christian year with the birth of Christ and the beginning of his life. Without the incarnation, without God taking the first steps to come down to earth and meet us in our stubbornness, our brokenness, and our restlessness, we wouldn’t have a Christian year to begin. The birth God in our world changed everything.

But there are other days and events in the Christian calendar that changed everything as well. This morning, we celebrate the baptism of Jesus and the beginning of his public ministry, the day when he is first revealed to those around him as the Son of God. Another day that changed everything. The first act of Jesus was to leave Galilee, travel to the Jordan River where John was baptizing people, and be baptized himself.

Let’s read together Matthew 3, beginning in verse 13.

The Jesus came from Galilee to the Jordan to be baptized by John. But John tried to deter him, saying, “I need to be baptized by you, and do you come to me?” Answering, Jesus said, “Let it be so now; it is proper for us to do this to fulfill all righteous action.” Then John consented.

Having been baptized, Jesus immediately came up out of the water, and behold, the heavens were opened, and he saw the Spirit of God descending like a dove and coming upon him. And a voice from the heavens said, “This is my son, the beloved one, with him I am well pleased.”

This is an interesting first act of Jesus. He could have done anything, gone over to the temple to talk with the leaders of his day, begin teaching in the desert himself, or challenge the political rulers. He did none of those things. Instead, Jesus leaves Nazareth, walks south past the sea of Galilee out to meet John, who is making quite a stir of his own in the desert, baptizing people for the repentance of their sins and challenging them to live holy lives in anticipation of Christ’s coming into their lives.

And John has more than a few hesitations about baptizing Christ. Just before this, John has promised that one will come after him “who is more powerful than [John], whose sandals [he is] not worthy to carry.” This one “will baptize…with the Holy Spirit and fire. His winnowing fork is in his hand, and he will clear his threshing floor, gathering his wheat into the barn and burning up the chaff with unquenchable fire.” The moment Jesus arrives at the river, John seems to know that Jesus is this one who comes to bring justice on the earth. Who is he to baptize the chosen one of God?

I can only imagine what John felt like, but I remember back to a time in seminary when I was in a class, studying the book of John. It’s a memory that normally comes up in Lent, around the time of Easter, but as I thought of John’s reaction to Jesus’ request for baptism, I couldn’t help but think of this story here too. It was close to the end of the semester, and we had been studying the gospel of John together for several months. The professor was very deliberate in his teaching, bringing a candle to class and turning off the lights as we read the Scripture, so that we would have a better understanding of the first readers of John, hiding because of persecution. We left the classroom to read in locations that would evoke images of the events in the gospel. But the day that really stands out in my mind is the day we studied Jesus washing the disciple’s feet. Our professor removed his suit jacket, poured water into a basin, gathered a towel, and one by one, knelt at each student’s feet, washing them carefully and then praying over each student. I vividly remember understanding how Peter felt that day, as I thought that this tenured Duke professor, at the top of his field of study, had very little place kneeling on the floor to wash my feet. I should be washing his instead.

This morning, I imagine that John felt very similar as Jesus came to him for baptism. Here was God’s anointed, standing before him, submitting himself to John for baptism, because it was necessary for the righteous action of God to be fulfilled. John knew that he was called to live in submission to Jesus, to glorify and prepare the way for this man standing in front of him. How could he possibly be the one to baptize Jesus?

Yet, Jesus convinces John that this baptism is necessary. Can you imagine his response when Jesus comes up from the water? If he had ANY doubts that Jesus was the one he was proclaiming, they would have been instantly squashed upon seeing the heavens open up and the Holy Spirit descend upon Jesus in the form of a dove, and upon hearing the voice from the heavens proclaim that Jesus is God’s Son. He must have wondered how in the world he had been chosen to baptize Jesus.

As I think of John, and consider his hesitation, I am struck by Jesus’ steadfast knowledge of what was necessary. When John hesitates, Jesus reassures him that it is right for Jesus to be baptized by John. Jesus says, “It is proper for us to do this to fulfill all righteous action.” John consents, and we are left with a puzzle and a clue. Why is it that Jesus needs to be baptized? If John is baptizing for repentance, and Jesus is sinless, why does he need to repent? Jesus comes to fulfill the law, but the law doesn’t require baptism. What righteous action needs to be fulfilled?

As I pondered over this question, wondering why Jesus came to be baptized in the first place, I suddenly realized that Jesus’ response to John also raises an answer to the question that it provokes. Jesus doesn’t tell John that he needs to repent, that he had sins to confess, or that he is worried he will be cut off from the Father. His answer is not about himself. Instead, his answer is about what is necessary, about what it is right for God himself to do. He is fulfilling the right action of God, the action of taking upon himself the history of humanity and redeeming it all in himself. The right action of defeating the powers that have bound his children since the fall. Jesus is fulfilling the redemption of his people, accomplishing the task set before him by the Father.

As we read the prophets, we can’t help but see Jesus written across the pages of their words. In chapter 42, Isaiah declares:

Here is my servant, whom I uphold, my chosen one in whom I delight; I will put my Spirit on him, and he will bring justice to the nations. He will not shout or cry out, or raise his voice in the streets. A bruised reed he will not break, and a smoldering wick he will not snuff out. In faithfulness he will bring forth justice; he will not falter or be discouraged till he establishes justice on earth. In his teaching the islands will put their hope.

This is what God the LORD says – he who created the heavens and stretched them out, who spread out the earth with all that springs from it, who gives breath to its people, and life to those who walk on it: “I the LORD have called you in righteousness; I will take hold of your hand. I will keep you and will make you to be a covenant for the people and a light for the Gentiles, to open eyes that are blind, to free captives from prison and to release from the dungeon those who sit in darkness.

“I am the LORD; that is my name! I will not yield my glory to another or my praise to idols. See, the former things have taken place, and new things I declare; before they spring into being I announce them to you.

If there is any doubt that the prophet is speaking of Christ, we need only turn to Jesus’ own words for affirmation. In the synagogue, Jesus took the scroll of Isaiah, and read, “The Spirit of the Lord is on me, because he has anointed me to proclaim good news to the poor. He has sent me to proclaim freedom for the prisoners and recovery of sight to the blind, to set the oppressed free, to proclaim the year of the Lord’s favor.” When John’s followers come to Jesus asking, “Are you the one who was to come, or should we expect someone else?” Jesus tells them, “Go back and report to John what you hear and see: The blind receive sight, the lame walk, those who have leprosy are cleansed, the deaf hear, the dead are raised, and the good news is proclaimed to the poor.”

Jesus is called by the Father and sent out into the world for a specific purpose. Repeatedly, God shows Isaiah that Jesus, the one on whom God’s Spirit rests, will establish justice on the earth. And when Jesus has been sent out, the Lord promises that he will make Jesus a covenant for the people and a light for the Gentiles, to (and this should sound familiar) “open eyes that are blind, to free captives from prison and to release from the dungeon those who sit in darkness.” For a people who understand captivity, for a people who are bound in sin, and who so often fail to see that there is bright light shining all around us, this is truly Good News. God has come, and taken it upon himself to deliver and redeem creation.

But this morning, as we remember the baptism of Christ, let us not think for a moment that the work of God in the world lets us off the hook and frees us of any responsibility. We have been called by the Father in the name of the Son and the power of the Spirit, to be sent out by the Father for the work of God. Paul reminds us that “Just as a body, though one, has many parts, but all its many parts form one body, so it is with Christ. For we were all baptized by one Spirit so as to form one body” (1 Cor). Christ is “the head of the body, the church” (Col 1:18) and our lives “are now hidden with Christ in God” (Col 3:3) because “all of us who were baptized into Christ Jesus were baptized into his death[.] We were…buried with him through baptism into death in order that, just as Christ was raised from the dead through the glory of the Father, we too may live a new life...” and we will “be united with him in a resurrection like his” (Rom 6: 3-5).

Because we live in Christ, because we are part of his body, we are called and sent to continue the work that Christ began, as we live and act in the power of the Holy Spirit. That can be a frightening prospect, considering that Jesus is sent to establish justice on earth, be a covenant for the people, a light for the Gentiles, and to open the eyes of the blind and release the captives. No small tasks for those of us who now live in Christ, yet, our participation in the body of Christ means that the Father’s charge to the Son is now also the Trinity’s charge to us.

Where are there people around you who live in darkness, who are unable to see the light of the glory of Christ and live without hope? What injustices surround you and require that you take a stand for justice? What people around you live in literal or figurative captivity? A friend of mine, Rachel, has been meeting weekly with a young man in prison for a year and a half now. This young man is incarcerated for murdering his parents and siblings. While there is some measure of mental disease, he is certainly coherent in their conversations, but he is a man without hope or knowledge of God who has spent many long days in solitary confinement. At times, his cell is searched and everything, letters or photos from the outside world, any personal object, including any object which brings hope, is taken from him never to be returned. There is often little reason given for the various punishments this man endures at the hands of his guards, except for their ability to use their position of power to remind him that he is nothing. Into this place, Rachel has steadfastly prayed with and cried with this young man, proclaiming the light, forgiveness, and transformation of Jesus Christ. She is quite literally taking a stand against injustice and proclaiming the release of God from the internal captivities which bind this young man, even as he lives out his days in physical confinement.

Rachel is living out the call of God to live in the power of the Holy Spirit and continue the work of Christ. Where are you faithfully living out the call of God to establish justice, be a light in darkness, open the eyes of the blind, and release the captives? Where in your life are you acting like the statues of the four people – one with hands over his eyes, one with hands over his ears, one with hands over his mouth, and one sitting on his hands – pretending you don’t see or hear the call of God and trying to ignore his call to speak or act the hope of God?

It is no accident that the baptism of Jesus comes at the beginning of the year. This is a time when we evaluate our lives and determine if there are things that need to be changed in the coming year. People everywhere are making New Year’s resolutions to change the way they look or the way they act. The baptism of Jesus offers us an opportunity to do something different, to remember his baptism and remember or anticipate our own, knowing that as we participate in the life of Christ we participate in his baptism which draws us into his body and connects us with his plans and purposes for the world. As we live in Christ, we are drawn into his ministry, establishing justice, caring for the broken, living as a light for those around us who walk in darkness, opening the eyes of the blind, and proclaiming release for the captives. As we live in Christ as part of his body, we too are sent by the Father in the name of Christ, by the power of the Holy Spirit.

This morning, we are going to close with a special service to either remember or anticipate your own baptism as we remember the baptism of Christ. This service is a time to affirm the covenant of baptism and seek the ways in which God is sending you into the world to continue the ministry of Christ in the world through the power of the Spirit. After the liturgy, please come forward to either station as you are ready. The altar is also open if you would like to kneel with the Lord. You don’t have to be baptized to participate in this act of worship, nor do you have to be a member of this church or any church. If you are open to how God might call and empower you to continue his work, you are welcome.

The Leaders Among Us

I’ve been thinking a lot this week about the needs of our church leaders. I’ve had several conversations in the last three days that have made me realize just how much prayer our leaders need. Of course, I’ve always known that, and I’ve coveted those prayers for myself as I lead various groups and churches.

Leadership isn’t easy, and our leaders are isolated in so many ways. Think about the last time you had a conversation with a pastor or professor when you really heard what is happening in their lives, both joys and struggles. It doesn’t happen often. Our shepherds cannot lay their burdens on the shoulders of the sheep. That is not the call God has given to them. That also means that the shepherds rely on each other for strength and support. Hopefully they get the support they need. Either way, they really need our prayers.

I’ve been blessed by shepherds who were willing to be vulnerable (in appropriate ways of course) with their sheep. But that vulnerability reveals the spiritual warfare that they face every day. Temptation to rely on their own strength. Temptation to seek the glory of men instead of the glory of God. Temptation to lose focus and get carried away into sin or absurdity. Attacks from people who disagree with the decisions they make. Attacks from people who want to maintain control over others. Attacks from people who don’t understand the church or Christianity. Attacks from people who think that using gifts for the service of the church (either as pastors or professors) instead of to further an academic career is a waste of time. The loss of loved ones. Pressure to perform. Personal illness. Doubts. Demands to publish. Committee requirements. Family sacrifices. Mourning. Constant accessibility.

Even when we don’t know what is happening in the lives of our shepherds, they need our constant prayers. They need God’s protection over them to be healthy. So many of our shepherds struggle with major health problems. Perhaps like Paul, this is just a thorn in the flesh. But if these are attacks of the devil, we need to pray for release. I’m thinking about one of the church leaders who almost died five times shortly before he was supposed to answer a call to run a charitable foundation. This was no ordinary illness. We need to pray that God will sustain our leaders’ health to be able to fulfill the commissions God has given them.

We need to pray for renewal and rest for our shepherds. They serve on committees, make decisions, do research and study, spend hours in conversations with their sheep, and pour out themselves in the service and love of God and their neighbors. They are fulfilling a call, and they are blessed to be able to serve in their roles, but even a call can end in burnout if our shepherds do not have the space and resources to be renewed themselves. We need to pray that God will continually refresh them with the joy of their call. We need to pray that they will have the discipline to spend time seeking God and waiting on his voice. We need to pray that they will experience daily the life- and joy-giving presence of God in their lives.

We need to pray for the constant guidance and direction for our leaders. It is so easy to lose sight of whom we are serving and why. Too many of our shepherds “fall from grace.” It isn’t just the media cases who struggle with these temptations. Any one of our leaders can get too caught up with the praise or criticism of others. Any one of us can begin to think that we are important and draw attention to ourselves instead of pointing to God. Any one of us can choose paths that are easy instead of paths that are faithful. The kings of Israel provide ample examples of people who ended up falling themselves and often bringing most of Israel with them in the process. We need to pray that God will give our leaders the strength to resist temptation.

The last couple of days at WTS/SPS have been difficult as I have been faced with my own negligence in prayer for these shepherds in my own life. I have too easily assumed that things were smooth sailing because I did not know that they were difficult. I’ve watched the pain, uncertainty, and resilience in these shepherds faces as they shared their lives with me. I’ve heard the brokenness of people who watched their friends and colleagues fall into sin. I’ve seen the struggles of church leaders who work with churches in crisis after pastors make destructive decisions. Their stories speak volumes to their own need. Our shepherds need us to place them on our permanent prayer list and to pray for them by name every day. If we doubt that, we need only think of the prayers we would desire if we were in similar situations.

Notes on the Anglican Communion

I have been meaning to write up my notes from when Lord George Carey, the 103rd Archbishop of Canterbury from 1990-2002, came to speak at Duke Divinity School last year. The title of his talk was "The Anglican Communion: Past Blessings, Present Challenges, Future Hopes." I found his perspective very interesting, especially as he deliniated the many reasons why the worldwide Anglican Communion could not support the American election of Bishop Robinson. Here are my notes from the day.

The Anglican Communion: Past Blessings, Present Challenges, Future Hopes
Lord George Carey

Past Blessings

The Lambeth Conference of 1867 was gathered to deal with a crisis in the church over the uneasy growth of the Church of England. It was called by the colonies, and it eventually led to reformation in the Church of England. There were 76 bishops present with only one black bishop, and the Bishops of London and York were abstaining. The 16th century church was profoundly broken by the break with Rome, and the 17th century had seen excessive violence. By the 19th century, the church was debating theology. By the 1920 conference, women were included on the platform.

Present Challenges

The juridicial structure has been resisted, leading to the increasing independence of the various communions which had only to follow the Book of Common Prayer. The Bishops meet together for various functions such as overseeing liturgical development, but there are many strong leaders and indiginous pastors now which have often abandoned the Book of Common Prayer and a common ministry.

There are serious threats to the unity of the Communion. The move to ordain women was so gradual and so discussed that schism was avoided. The Church of England still does not recognize women bishops in England, for example, and there is still great discussion over the ordination of women versus the ordination of women as bishops; however, the church still remains in communion.

Fast footwork and close communion are needed to prevent schism in the current emergency, the debate over homosexuality. This debate has been quick. The debate has been going on since before 1990 when Lord Carey became Archbishop, and he was a controversial figure in the debate. At the 1998 Lambeth Conference, Resolution 110 clarified the position of the Anglican Communion stating that practicing homosexuality was incompatible with Holy Scripture. Five years later, the United States' decision to accept an openly gay priest threw the church into debate (August 2003). There have been many meetings in the Anglican Communion for discussions with homosexuals, but unfortunately, the discussion with the General Synod in the U.S. was "dead in the water."

The debate over homosexuality is an emergency and causing division because it is a bigger issue than just the acceptance of homosexual priests. There are five major theological and ecclesial reasons why the Anglican Communion could not agree with the U.S.'s decision. 1)The acceptance of homosexuals was a departure from the ordinal and theological teaching of ministry that priests have to be either celibate or married. 2)It was a departure from the orthodox interpretation of the Bible which is universal in its condemnation of homosexuality. Every group, even those supporting homosexual ordination, with which the Anglican Communion has been in communication agrees that Scripture speaks against homosexuality. 3)It was a departure from the Anglican understanding of the sacramentality of marriage. 4)It was a departure from the understanding of unity. By choosing to forsake the discussions and accept an openly homosexual priest, the United States was proclaiming that they had no need of the rest of the Anglican Communion. 5)It was a departure from the Anglican understanding of authority because the United States church ignored the Communion's decisions.

Hope for the Future

Pray for resolution that does not involve schism. The leaders and parishioners need to engage with the conflict and with the problems of the world to avoid the worst possibility, that the minority leaves. Once churches divide, union is rare, and the split between the Church of England and the Methodists is an example. Hope can be sustained if groups stop threatening to leave and realize that the conservative voice is not always heeded and that some behavior done in disagreement is un-Christian.

Unfortunately, increasing schism seems to be the reality, so Lord Carey's fears about division in the Anglican Communion are more and more real. He is correct that once churches divide, they tend to remain divided, even when the churches eventually come to align closely in their theology. Issues such as the validity of ordination and leadership tend to keep them separated. While the Wesleyan Methodists, Free Methodists, and Nazarenes divided from the Methodist Episcopal (current United Methodist Church) for different reasons, none of them have united with each other or reunited with the UMC. Attempts at reconciliation between the Wesleyans and Free Methodists were hindered by different positions on the ordination of women. Attempts at reconciliation between the Free Methodists and United Methodists would be greatly hindered by the pluralism and hesitancy to follow Biblical discipline by some leaders in the United Methodist Church as well as the historic theological "conservativism" (for lack of a better term) by the Free Methodists. While I do not fault the founders of Free Methodism for their actions following the removal of their ordination credentials by the Methodist Episcopal Church when the Free Methodists spoke out against slavery and discrimination against Blacks and the poor, our division is still a hindrance to our witness to the Kingdom of God and to a Savior who has come to reconcile us with God and one another. All of our prayers should be with the Anglican Communion and for reconciliation within our divided churches.

Reduce, Reuse, Recycle? Complicated Science

Environmentalism seems to be the popular cause these days, and it is not a poor cause to fight. The commercials on TV in Los Angeles right now are showing American stars, whether athletes or actors, who have taken up the cause and have "gone green." Their dedication to the earth is admirable, but I wonder what theology or philosophy is guiding their decisions.

Genesis teaches us that God entrusted the earth to humans, and we are to be stewards of God's creation. God placed humans upon the earth and told them to care for and work in the garden (Gen 2:15), and he instructed Adam to name the animals (Gen 2:19-20). Those of us in the Western world live in a pattern of consumption instead of stewardship, but I doubt that many people disagree with that claim.

I have lost track of the number of times my Divinity School professors, classmates, and fellow church workers have named particular environmental or social evils. They are abundant: deforestation of Africa, North Carolina pork industry, nuclear weapons, fossil fuels, automobiles, television. Most recently it was the FMCSC superintendent who told the staff that the US could have powered the entire country through solar power with the amount of money that we have spent on the Iraq War, and using solar power would solve a lot of our issues. Setting aside all arguments for and against the war, this answer frustrated me by its simplicity. Thanks to friends, I knew enough science to know that solar power is a more complex issue, and I wonder if the other problems are also more complex.

Environmental issues are scientifically and ethically complex, and it takes the research and expertise of our brothers and sisters in the sciences to begin to reach solutions. This past weekend, I received the blessing of being taught by a friend at UC Berkeley. He told me how solar panels are constructed and that solar energy cannot produce the needed energy to create a new solar panel. He taught me that a solar panel takes as much energy to produce as it will put out during its entire "lifespan." Scientists continue to work to improve the efficiency of solar energy and may soon produce solar panels that produce more energy than they require to make; however, I also learned that there is a limit to the efficiency of chemical processes. At some point, scientists will have reached the maximum efficiency of that process. A car can only achieve a limited efficiency of miles per gallon. In his words, "saying 'let's go solar!' or 'let's put all our money into wind to solve all our problems' is too simple. It doesn't mean that we shouldn't try to improve energy sources; it does mean that we should have a firm grasp of feasibility and reality as we go about it." My world was complicated; these issues include the ratio of energy put into and produced by reactions, environmental impact, chemical compositions and reactions. Above all my friend taught me how much the church needs scientists.

Unfortunately, the modern church tended to cast away or blindly accept science. Far too many fundamentalists and evangelicals viewed science as an enemy to be fought; science "destroyed faith" and "contradicted scripture." The gospel "required" that they reject science in favor of Jesus Christ. On the other hand, far too many mainline protestants looked at only the popular science presented in the media or accepted science at the expense of Biblical Christianity. They viewed science as true and cast away 1800 years of church tradition. Both sides failed to truly understand the science. We cannot solve the problems of our environment without actually understanding the causes. Solar power sounds wonderful before you know how much energy from fossil fuels it requires to make the panels. A first step is reducing our energy consumption, not changing energy forms. Recycling paper is a necessity before you learn that it takes huge amounts of resources to recycle an object that is both biodegradable and easily reproducible. It should be reused but not recycled. Recycling cans may be optional until you learn how much more energy efficient and environmentally friendly it is; aluminum should always be recycled to reduce our need to extract more. These problems are complicated, and faithful responses require an understanding of the science involved. The popular solutions may not be the correct solutions, and our lack of scientific knowledge may result in our creation of different problems instead of our solution of existing ones.

Our pastors spend years in school before they are ordained, and there are good reasons for doing so. They have to indwell the tradition before they can teach it. They will have to preach on 66 books of Scripture, teach church history and theology, and shepherd people in Christian discipleship. There is a wealth of information that pastors learn in school, and the same is true of those in the sciences. These men and women spend years in classes and research to learn their traditions, and they have a wealth of information to teach the church. Christians are to be stewards of the earth, but we need science to tell us how our lifestyles affect the planet. We need science to help us find solutions.

How can the church join with the scientific community to be faithful stewards of the earth? Be willing to listen. Invite the local scientists into the church as members of your community. Sit in Bible studies and discipleship groups with them, and learn together how to faithfully follow Christ. Have conversations with these men and women and learn the science behind the headlines. Choose to keep expanding your knowledge and be a life-long learner. In between the novels and theology books, pick up a chemistry textbook, or a biology, math, or computer science book. Learn the introductory basics, so you can engage scientific journals. Then visit your local college library and read the journals. At first you may only understand small parts of the articles, but as you read more, you will understand more. As stewards of the earth who understand the problems and solutions, the church will be equipped to come up with creative ways to live faithfully and to take care of God's creation.

*Many thanks to my friends in the sciences who patiently endure my lack on knowledge and understanding but who remain willing to engage in conversations with me.

Theology IS Practical

I had a discussion tonight that made me think that there is another reason that I am at Duke was this: Another student in the Div School was telling me that the theology we learn in the classroom is theoretical, and there is a disconnect between that and what happens in the church. She also informed me that she doesn't like professors who preach about moral issues in class because she can't stand that. (Granted, this was in reference to a professor who is rumored to speak against homosexuality, and that is a hot button issue, but still....)

I am so tired of people who tell me that theology isn't practical and who think that it is acceptable to express their own morals but is not permissible for others to express theirs. Granted, it was Telford Work at Westmont who challenged me to accept the non-modern paradigm, but he accomplished it through discussions on the writings of others, and many times those people were Duke professors. For those people who took Telford's classes, these books (with chapters written by Duke profs) may sound familiar: Practicing Theology, The Art of Reading Scripture, Knowing the Triune God, and The Theological Interpretation of Scripture. I don't believe that theology can be unpractical. It can be good theology or bad, but theology is never unpractical.

Our lives are governed by our beliefs, whether we acknowledge that or not. Perhaps that is why I was frustrated by the conversation at church. This student disagrees with the professors morals, so she says that it is inappropriate for him to preach those morals. At the same time, she enrolls in classes in feminist theology and refuses to recognize that those professors are preaching their morals in the same way. They research the topics that are interesting to them, and their approach to those topics is governed by their beliefs. We witness the ways that beliefs determine actions in the church as well. For example, pastors who do not believe that the Eucharist is a vital practice of the church where we glimpse the eternal God will not worry when the Eucharist is left out of the church. Scholars who do not believe that Christian faith is necessary for the proper understanding of Scripture will give priority to secular scholars.

I chose Duke because of the scholars who teach here, but I was looking for non-modern scholars who refuse to divide faith and reason, theory and practice, and the academy and the church. Thus far, I have been completely satisfied with the level of scholarship that has been available here. I have been pushed by professors who are not afraid to tell us that it is important to learn the history of the church councils because you can hear heresies preached from many church pulpits in America every Sunday. They teach us how belief in the doctrine of the Trinity governs the way we pray. Likewise, disbelief in the Trinity also governs the way we pray, preach, baptize, deal with sickness and death; the list is infinite. Perhaps this is the real reason why I love Duke; it is certainly the reason I came here in the beginning.