Daily pages of reflection...for knowledge, understanding, to wisdom
Section of The Last Supper, Leonardo Da Vinci Section of The Last Supper, Leonardo Da Vinci

Natural/Supernatural

June 14, 2017
Year 2, Day 165 | No Comments
Section of The Crucifixion, Pedro Orrente, ca. 1625–30

A highly appreciated part of my education has been to learn how to decipher that part that is secular, belonging to a mortal life and habitation, and that which is spiritual, belonging to an immortal life and habitation.  The twain, existing together, and if valid, comprise the most important consideration of the functioning of the mind and soul of a person.  One is concerned with nature’s evidence, the other with spiritual evidence.  There is an overlap so that the two venues provide wholeness for one’s life, a matter demonstrated as complete in the incarnation of Jesus Christ.  In Christ, the two factors that encompass our lives and experience are demonstrated, even to birth, growth, life and death, and the recovery… Read more

Divine Mystery

June 13, 2017
Year 2, Day 164 | No Comments
Section of The Descent from the Cross, Rogier van der Weyden, c. 1435

We return to the theme of mystery.  The word mystery is common in the discussion of theology.  Several religions are listed as mystery religions, and Christianity, by dint of its affirmation, is chief among them.  It is likely that most persons do not pursue and benefit from what this means.  The mystery deepens in the uniqueness of Christianity.  The Apostle Paul acknowledged that God is somewhat shrouded in mystery, but that there is enough known, revealed from the otherwise unknown, that mankind’s needs are met.  The full story envelops both the known and unknown, so is captured in the term and experience known as faith.  Faith is the clasp for us on the known and the unknown about God.  What… Read more

Celebrity Religion

June 12, 2017
Year 2, Day 163 | No Comments
Section of The Last Supper, Leonardo Da Vinci

For this day in Volume 1 of Today’s Page, written eight years before this one, I recited the story of a movie star, who telephoned Billy Graham in 1950 asking him to fly from Minneapolis to Los Angeles, and hold a Bible Study in her home.  In our discussion, Graham and I agreed the project would be too distracting from other proposals on the schedule, and we both feared the possible whiplash that might arise from the situation damaging his effort to cultivate Christian world mission and evangelism.  Hollywood was less acceptable to churchgoers in 1950 than today, especially because of differences identified with racy, sexual accents, and celebrity poor habits.  Even so, the film industry is not greatly appreciated,… Read more

Respect to Disrespect

June 11, 2017
Year 2, Day 162 | No Comments
Section of The Taking of Christ, Caravaggio, 1602

Today’s newspaper included an article related to respect.  A summary, in the ending paragraph, identified a major problem – loss of meaning that may turn on language shifts.  The writer wondered if persons can rediscover respect, in that the decay of language has reduced meaning of respect for personhood.  The old meaning, attractive to relationships and society, is diluted or lost so that depth and breadth of some meanings no longer fit.  The writer might have extended the observation to many language terms that formerly expressed life nobility, but not currently.  Another source attached some of the problem to talking to gadgets, rather than persons in relating directly in mutual presence.  Other situations are added – persons driving alone for… Read more

Accusation

June 10, 2017
Year 2, Day 161 | No Comments
Section of Adoration of the Magi, artist unknown

One of the ways some persons up their own stock, and lower the perceptions of others is to find fault, alleged or real, in better functioning persons – better may be real or alleged.  We see this in the children of a family, where sibling rivalry introduces the process, later refined and extended for family members or others in some close relationship, or occupations, or social circumstances.  A person must pay negatively and affirmatively for what they are, both for good and ill.  Hard-working, humble, committed persons, even if loving, and of good will, are sometimes psychologically, even spiritually, pilloried by some family members and/or others for their conduct, values and motives.  Peter reminds us that we ought to take… Read more

Slavery

June 9, 2017
Year 2, Day 160 | No Comments
Section of Noli me Tangere by Hans Holbein the Younger

It is likely that the balanced story of human slavery is yet to be told.  Much has been glossed over as though no longer important, even though related to human history.  We have some selected accounts of old African-American slaves and their children, stories of hope, repression, aspiration and sacrifice.  One of the first books I read of my own choice, mentioned on another Page, was the story of the life of George Washington Carver, who became a scientist and devoted his life to teaching students at Tuskegee Institute.  The story, read in my teens, has never left me.  Squanto, the American Indian so valuable to the Pilgrims, ranks with Carver for me from the narratives I have read.  I… Read more

Point of View

June 8, 2017
Year 2, Day 159 | No Comments
Section of Noli me Tangere by Hans Holbein the Younger

We tend to shy away from serious discussion with Christian anti-intellectuals.  If given the privilege, I minister to anyone holding any attitude, but I am especially embarrassed with those who put down the serious searches of society seeking either truth for truth’s sake, or to resolve problems human and/or spiritual – no matter what their context.  We want to search for any truth.  Truth is not easy to know and chart when the secular and the sacred overlap in the mind of this or that individual – or community.  Factors commonly overlap for persons of faith.  We ought to live holistic lives.  Informed Christians ought to follow holistic concepts.  A bit of insight in life search, is that secular student/scholars… Read more

Mystery and Confusion

June 7, 2017
Year 2, Day 158 | No Comments
Section of The Descent from the Cross, Rogier van der Weyden, c. 1435

Persons desiring to face life realistically, and to be agents for problem solving, must be clear about mystery.  Mystery is a major matter that rightly relates to nearly everything in some degree.  It is cause for genuine humility of ignorance.  Recognition of the pervasiveness of mystery ought to be a prerequisite for counselors, parents, indeed anyone who has influence on human beings, starting with self.  It is basic to the common phrase: Know thyself.  So it is that mystery affects all – impartially and importantly.  As God is shrouded in mystery, so is mankind.  Without adequate faith the whole life context can be aggravating. Serious books, newspapers, magazines, and other communication media occupy me.  A motivation is to discover what… Read more

Three-In-One

June 6, 2017
Year 2, Day 157 | No Comments
Section of The Crucifixion, Pedro Orrente, ca. 1625–30

The Trinity of God is at least a semi-mystery.  Rather than leave the Trinity to faith, and get on with life, many persons, pagan and Christian, mentally wrestle with the concept of Three-In-One God.  The concept is rather common in reality.  We easily say that a person (one) is body, soul and spirit (three) and have no difficulty with that.  The three human dimensions appear in only one place in Scripture from which we receive again the idea of three together in one. (1 Thessalonians 5:23)  Scripture adds more in other passages, such as heart, soul, mind and strength. (Mark 12:30 from Jesus)  In the Mark passage the contextual reference is made to the first commandment of the Ten Commandments. … Read more

Intelligent Design

June 5, 2017
Year 2, Day 156 | No Comments
Section of Adoration of the Magi, artist unknown

This Page is being written seven years or so after the Page of date for Volume 1.  I have just read, The Language of God, by Francis S. Collins, a Christian and a scientist.  He is eminent for his work in the genome project that includes studies in DNA, and the general background for the physical sciences.  He believes the evolutionary theories are convincing, generated from research.  He finds more evidence for intelligent design in that context than in any other about which details may be uncovered in the natural world.  Where other evolution believers use argument against design, he finds design.  Whether God used nature to gain the tribe of mankind, or we arrived by some other divine processing,… Read more

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