There is an old joke
which attempts to speak to the complexity of all
things:
Long ago, a king went to a
wise person and asked, "How is it that the earth
doesn't fall down?" The wise person answered, "The
earth is resting on a lion." The king then asked,
"What then is the lion resting on?" "The lion is
resting on an elephant" "What is the elephant resting
on?" "The elephant is resting on a turtle."
"What is the…" "You can
stop right there, your majesty. It's turtles all the
way down."
That is a joke among
theologians as it speaks to some of the complex issues
of our existence and our faith: how can God create
something out of nothing? How can human free will and
accountability be reconciled with pre-destinarianism
and salvation by grace? How did evil enter into a good
creation? Why is there suffering?
"Well, it's just turtles all
the way down!"
All of this comes to my mind
because Nancy and I are off to the annual
pastors/spouses conference in Chiang Mai, Thailand,
for the second half of February. And we look at
theological issues at these annual gatherings. Our
theme this year is to look at cyberspace and to ask is
there grace out there? Is God active on the internet?
Is the post-modern, technological era revealing
something more about creation, the divine and
ourselves? And how does the church prepare itself for
a cyperspace world?
Is developing a web site like
this one part of our way forward?
While we are gone, Community
Church will have two superb visitors in the Rev. Scott
Lawson and the Rev. Jake Fisher. These are the two
finalists between whom the church council will choose
my successor. I have not met either man, but I have
listened to their sermons and tapes of interviews
between them and our search committee, and I am
confident the congregation is going to meet two
impressive pastors in my absence.
Scott Lawson will preach on
February 20 and Jake Fisher on Feb 27 and there are
several lunch, dinners, walks planned for everyone who
is so inclined to meet these men and their families.
Meanwhile I'm off to Thailand
where it's turtles all the way down!
Pastor Gene
Preston