I don't normally agree with triablogue - I don't like the tone or content. But if you follow the link you will find a good explanation that Irenaeus {redited with initiating the doctrine of Apostolic succesion} considered that the Scriptures written by the Apostles take precedence over those installed by the Apostles and furthermore that with Apostolic Succesion comes the responsibility to continue faithful to the Apostles' written word rather than to 'develop' the teaching as the Gnostics claimed.
I do encourage you to read it.
[Edit: in 'normally disagreeing' with Triablogue's 'tone and content' I am primarily objecting to the attitude of their dispute with Arminians, although I too lean towards Calvinism. For clarification: They also write some anti-racist stuff which I do agree with!]
Thursday, July 5
The Theology of Sewage Works
My project reviewer commended my ‘Capacity Statement’ [A statement of the hydraulic capacity of the seven feed pipes for a complicated bank of 24 filters at a sewage works]
He said it was ‘very professional’ and ‘inspired trust’.
This was mainly based on the opening paragraphs, which I quote for you below with certain ‘fudge’ words highlighted.
Statement of Capacity of Existing Filter Feed System
July 2012
Selection of calibration models
The calibration exercise considered four flow survey cases and produced up to three possible calibrated models for each of the individual lines corresponding to relevant flow survey cases.
Uncertainties regarding flow measurement at the site resulted in a need to review the possible capacities for ‘low’ and ‘high’ flow measurement interpretations.
A pragmatically selected collection of the more realistic calibration models for the individual lines (while still reflecting a conservative approach particularly with respect to flow measurement) was combined into a system model which was then tested across a range of flows up to FTFT [the maximum]. Variant models were made and tested for different flow split design cases.
If you read between the lines of the above, you will perceive that we haven’t really got much clue as to what is going on.
We went to the site for four separate flow surveys in different conditions. They were fairly dry days and there simply wasn’t enough water to test all of the pipelines each time. Then we found out that the site’s main flow meter had broken down and we didn’t really know what we were testing with at all. We spent moths trying to match the contradictory surveys to each other and trying to build a believable computer model of the system – one where the model predictions would match the realities we observed on the site so that we could build future designs on. Some of the more extreme conclusions implied that the site’s original designers had been so totally incompetent as to only get half of the design flow through it. My reviewer said that this could not be true, and we should not include that particular survey result in our conclusions. Even with the more credible surveys, the results were contradictory. We think that some of the outlet pipes are too close to the weirs so that air bubbles are being sucked in which then accumulate in the pipe and reduce its effective size. You would have a different amount of bubble each day, hence the variation in survey results.
The scientific answer would be to spend years on site surveying every possible parameter, spending £xx,000 on equipment, and interfering with the operation of the site as we tweak the valves to test all different options. The reality is that you can’t do that. The Environment Agency is likely to prosecute the water company if the site’s problems are not resolved within the current Asset Management Plan, which ends in 2014 and it takes at least two years to implement a solution. We have to do it now.
Science is limited – by time and budget - in its ability to answer the question. We have to make a judgement call, and write a statement of capacity that gives a reasonable degree of confidence in the results without hiding [too much] the considerable uncertainties we have in it.
It’s not perfect, but its as good as its ever going to be, and based on that limited information we have to make a decision as too how to proceed.
Don’t worry – it’s only a £20million project that we are exercising this guesswork on!
So my capacity report I use words like ‘Uncertainty’, ‘Interpretation’, ‘Conservative’ (ie guessing on the safe side), ‘Pragmatic’.
This is like our faith, isn’t it?
In our life we see a lot of evidence that Christianity is true.
But a lot of that evidence is incomplete. Muddled. Contradictory. Based on assumptions. Based on data that turns out to be incorrect. And yet on this incomplete data we have to make a decision – reject or accept the message.
Now, if this level of evidence is sufficient for my water company client to spend £20million, then I don’t think its unreasonable for a similar level of evidence to allow us as individuals to decide in favour of Christianity.
We can’t prove it scientifically. But it is sufficiently reasonable to proceed, cautiously, and build our lives on it. And we have to preach with a reasonable degree of confidence that we are right but also with honesty about the uncertainty. Hopefully such a presentation of the gospel will be ‘very professional’ and ‘inspire trust’
He said it was ‘very professional’ and ‘inspired trust’.
This was mainly based on the opening paragraphs, which I quote for you below with certain ‘fudge’ words highlighted.
Statement of Capacity of Existing Filter Feed System
July 2012
Selection of calibration models
The calibration exercise considered four flow survey cases and produced up to three possible calibrated models for each of the individual lines corresponding to relevant flow survey cases.
Uncertainties regarding flow measurement at the site resulted in a need to review the possible capacities for ‘low’ and ‘high’ flow measurement interpretations.
A pragmatically selected collection of the more realistic calibration models for the individual lines (while still reflecting a conservative approach particularly with respect to flow measurement) was combined into a system model which was then tested across a range of flows up to FTFT [the maximum]. Variant models were made and tested for different flow split design cases.
If you read between the lines of the above, you will perceive that we haven’t really got much clue as to what is going on.
We went to the site for four separate flow surveys in different conditions. They were fairly dry days and there simply wasn’t enough water to test all of the pipelines each time. Then we found out that the site’s main flow meter had broken down and we didn’t really know what we were testing with at all. We spent moths trying to match the contradictory surveys to each other and trying to build a believable computer model of the system – one where the model predictions would match the realities we observed on the site so that we could build future designs on. Some of the more extreme conclusions implied that the site’s original designers had been so totally incompetent as to only get half of the design flow through it. My reviewer said that this could not be true, and we should not include that particular survey result in our conclusions. Even with the more credible surveys, the results were contradictory. We think that some of the outlet pipes are too close to the weirs so that air bubbles are being sucked in which then accumulate in the pipe and reduce its effective size. You would have a different amount of bubble each day, hence the variation in survey results.
The scientific answer would be to spend years on site surveying every possible parameter, spending £xx,000 on equipment, and interfering with the operation of the site as we tweak the valves to test all different options. The reality is that you can’t do that. The Environment Agency is likely to prosecute the water company if the site’s problems are not resolved within the current Asset Management Plan, which ends in 2014 and it takes at least two years to implement a solution. We have to do it now.
Science is limited – by time and budget - in its ability to answer the question. We have to make a judgement call, and write a statement of capacity that gives a reasonable degree of confidence in the results without hiding [too much] the considerable uncertainties we have in it.
It’s not perfect, but its as good as its ever going to be, and based on that limited information we have to make a decision as too how to proceed.
Don’t worry – it’s only a £20million project that we are exercising this guesswork on!
So my capacity report I use words like ‘Uncertainty’, ‘Interpretation’, ‘Conservative’ (ie guessing on the safe side), ‘Pragmatic’.
This is like our faith, isn’t it?
In our life we see a lot of evidence that Christianity is true.
But a lot of that evidence is incomplete. Muddled. Contradictory. Based on assumptions. Based on data that turns out to be incorrect. And yet on this incomplete data we have to make a decision – reject or accept the message.
Now, if this level of evidence is sufficient for my water company client to spend £20million, then I don’t think its unreasonable for a similar level of evidence to allow us as individuals to decide in favour of Christianity.
We can’t prove it scientifically. But it is sufficiently reasonable to proceed, cautiously, and build our lives on it. And we have to preach with a reasonable degree of confidence that we are right but also with honesty about the uncertainty. Hopefully such a presentation of the gospel will be ‘very professional’ and ‘inspire trust’
Wednesday, July 4
Mum needs a new pacemaker.
It's ten years old and worn out. The amazing British NHS will replace it.
I told her to ask for a new rythm - maybe jazz or rock
I told her to ask for a new rythm - maybe jazz or rock
My Dad is going to die soon
He's 89.
He's virtually blind.
He's hard of hearing.
He is very weak. He walks very slowly with a zimmer frame, but his knees keep giving way and he ends up in hospital form falls. He now has NHS nurses coming to the house to dress him and bathe him - which is a great relief to my Mum who has her own weakness and health problems, but is a great loss of dinity for him.
He spends increasing amounts of time asleep. With his mouth open. My Mum keeps thinking he has died.
The kindest thing would be for that to be true - to pass in his sleep from weakness and blindness into the dazzling blaze of glory with a new young fit body and many many crowns for his hard service to the Lord.
I am increasingly divergent from the narrow theology he taught me as a child. But I owe to him my excellent childhood and upbringing, my values, my personality, my preaching gift, and above all my faith.
See not the frail old man - see the mighty hero of the faith, and salute him.
He's virtually blind.
He's hard of hearing.
He is very weak. He walks very slowly with a zimmer frame, but his knees keep giving way and he ends up in hospital form falls. He now has NHS nurses coming to the house to dress him and bathe him - which is a great relief to my Mum who has her own weakness and health problems, but is a great loss of dinity for him.
He spends increasing amounts of time asleep. With his mouth open. My Mum keeps thinking he has died.
The kindest thing would be for that to be true - to pass in his sleep from weakness and blindness into the dazzling blaze of glory with a new young fit body and many many crowns for his hard service to the Lord.
I am increasingly divergent from the narrow theology he taught me as a child. But I owe to him my excellent childhood and upbringing, my values, my personality, my preaching gift, and above all my faith.
See not the frail old man - see the mighty hero of the faith, and salute him.
Quiet
I'm blogging a lot at present because I've not got much on at work.
My one project is waiting for approval to proceed to the next phase. When it gets approval I will suddenly become very busy and not blog for ages. Meanwhile, I have asked for more work but they won't give it to me because they know the main project is due to get going again soon. The one bit of work they did give me was a bit of checking on a colleague's work - but he hasn't given it ot me yet.
Of course, soon, I will find out all the things I should have been doing in this quiet period and will be in trouble for not doing and will have no excuse for not doing but haven't done becasue I can't thin what they are.
So typing into a blog looks marginally better to a passing colleague than lying abck in my chair snoring with my mouth open and dribble running down my cheek.
My one project is waiting for approval to proceed to the next phase. When it gets approval I will suddenly become very busy and not blog for ages. Meanwhile, I have asked for more work but they won't give it to me because they know the main project is due to get going again soon. The one bit of work they did give me was a bit of checking on a colleague's work - but he hasn't given it ot me yet.
Of course, soon, I will find out all the things I should have been doing in this quiet period and will be in trouble for not doing and will have no excuse for not doing but haven't done becasue I can't thin what they are.
So typing into a blog looks marginally better to a passing colleague than lying abck in my chair snoring with my mouth open and dribble running down my cheek.
Out of touch with Worship
While I was in my 16-month self-imposed exile from my church I experienced a variety of worship styles.
My starting point:
The singing in my church is based on modern worship songs and choruses, led by a band of competent musicians. In fact, we have four bands that play on different weeks. The band leader is in effect the worship leader during the songs, deciding on rhythm, style, what verse to do next, etc. Generally they are very good. I am biased of course, since my children are involved playing acoustic and base guitars and singing. But my favourite instrument is the drums – they somehow convey the power and majesty of God more than the other instruments.
Next:
The music at my next church was predominantly hymns. Within each service some hymn would be played on the organ and led by a choir of three shrill women. Other songs would be either modern worship songs or hymns led by a poorly amplified band of acoustic guitar, singer, and perhaps something else. The overall impression was of a predominantly traditional approach to music being dragged slowly reluctantly and ineffectively with too many compromises into the 21st century.
Then:
The next church was much smaller and much more limited in its pool of resources. There would be three reasonably good singers with microphones at the front, and the organ or piano would be played by someone shipped in from outside the church – a different person each week. In family services the curate’s children were let loose with recorders and tiny tom-toms. Before the service started there would be some worship songs, but during the service it was all hymns.
‘Before the service started there would be worship songs’ – how self-contradictory and just plain wrong is that?
Analysis
During the third church I started to pine for the modern worship songs I used to sing. Hymns are all very well, but they tend to be ‘about’ God, rather than ‘to’ God. It was much harder to get into them, to sing them with passion. In one focus group activity I asked ‘how can we move from just singing songs to worship?’ The hymns were not doing it for me. But my comment was rebuffed. We do worship. I began to change my view – not necessarily of the hymns themselves but at least of the people singing them and their sincerity and spirituality.
And as often happens, without you really knowing it, you find yourself actually liking it. The rhythm of the services, the atmosphere, etc. And I was happy.
Except of course for all the trouble with my wife and the Sunday School and the curate’s attitude to children I the church making it very difficult to bring our daughter, and the whole thing of being called/sent back to our original church and the mess around all of that.
And I found myself back singing the worship songs I had pined for.
This should be great. But there is something broken about it – it’s not the way it was before. Partly this is from what I call this the Rip Van Winkle effect.
Some of those who used to be band-leaders have moved on, while new ones have come in. They lack the same skill and experience, it doesn’t flow so well. Also one of the bright rising stars is the son of he-whom-we-still-have-trouble-forgiving and it hurts every time his offspring – unfairly guilty by association – is in the limelight.
It’s also partly because I have separately developed a taste for Gregorian chant. I love the mood it creates. I just wish there was more variety in the songs sung in Gregorian chant (and Russian and Greek Orthodox chant or Byzantine chant and even some Anglican chant) – but most of the limited repertoire that there seems to be on YouTube is too Mariolatrously Catholic for me to really enter into.
But setting aside all those transient things, I still find it hard to get into the music again. I guess it is all part of the sense of unsettledness resulting form all the moves and a psychological reluctance to get too involved again in case it all flares up again and we move again in six months. God forbid!
But even deeper than that is a changed perception of the worship songs and the way we sing them. Somehow it seems a little too shallow and fluffy. And yet I know it is not shallow and fluffy. When you engage with it, it is deeply moving and God has often spoken to me through it. But there is something ‘not there’ in my worship at present.
Maybe I just don't love God at present. But I think I do. And anyway Evangelical theology is that Salvation is not about our temporary 'feeling-state'.
I’m just thinking aloud.
Overall, I think it is mostly the scars from all the moves and from hurts that set the moves off.
My starting point:
The singing in my church is based on modern worship songs and choruses, led by a band of competent musicians. In fact, we have four bands that play on different weeks. The band leader is in effect the worship leader during the songs, deciding on rhythm, style, what verse to do next, etc. Generally they are very good. I am biased of course, since my children are involved playing acoustic and base guitars and singing. But my favourite instrument is the drums – they somehow convey the power and majesty of God more than the other instruments.
Next:
The music at my next church was predominantly hymns. Within each service some hymn would be played on the organ and led by a choir of three shrill women. Other songs would be either modern worship songs or hymns led by a poorly amplified band of acoustic guitar, singer, and perhaps something else. The overall impression was of a predominantly traditional approach to music being dragged slowly reluctantly and ineffectively with too many compromises into the 21st century.
Then:
The next church was much smaller and much more limited in its pool of resources. There would be three reasonably good singers with microphones at the front, and the organ or piano would be played by someone shipped in from outside the church – a different person each week. In family services the curate’s children were let loose with recorders and tiny tom-toms. Before the service started there would be some worship songs, but during the service it was all hymns.
‘Before the service started there would be worship songs’ – how self-contradictory and just plain wrong is that?
Analysis
During the third church I started to pine for the modern worship songs I used to sing. Hymns are all very well, but they tend to be ‘about’ God, rather than ‘to’ God. It was much harder to get into them, to sing them with passion. In one focus group activity I asked ‘how can we move from just singing songs to worship?’ The hymns were not doing it for me. But my comment was rebuffed. We do worship. I began to change my view – not necessarily of the hymns themselves but at least of the people singing them and their sincerity and spirituality.
And as often happens, without you really knowing it, you find yourself actually liking it. The rhythm of the services, the atmosphere, etc. And I was happy.
Except of course for all the trouble with my wife and the Sunday School and the curate’s attitude to children I the church making it very difficult to bring our daughter, and the whole thing of being called/sent back to our original church and the mess around all of that.
And I found myself back singing the worship songs I had pined for.
This should be great. But there is something broken about it – it’s not the way it was before. Partly this is from what I call this the Rip Van Winkle effect.
Some of those who used to be band-leaders have moved on, while new ones have come in. They lack the same skill and experience, it doesn’t flow so well. Also one of the bright rising stars is the son of he-whom-we-still-have-trouble-forgiving and it hurts every time his offspring – unfairly guilty by association – is in the limelight.
It’s also partly because I have separately developed a taste for Gregorian chant. I love the mood it creates. I just wish there was more variety in the songs sung in Gregorian chant (and Russian and Greek Orthodox chant or Byzantine chant and even some Anglican chant) – but most of the limited repertoire that there seems to be on YouTube is too Mariolatrously Catholic for me to really enter into.
But setting aside all those transient things, I still find it hard to get into the music again. I guess it is all part of the sense of unsettledness resulting form all the moves and a psychological reluctance to get too involved again in case it all flares up again and we move again in six months. God forbid!
But even deeper than that is a changed perception of the worship songs and the way we sing them. Somehow it seems a little too shallow and fluffy. And yet I know it is not shallow and fluffy. When you engage with it, it is deeply moving and God has often spoken to me through it. But there is something ‘not there’ in my worship at present.
Maybe I just don't love God at present. But I think I do. And anyway Evangelical theology is that Salvation is not about our temporary 'feeling-state'.
I’m just thinking aloud.
Overall, I think it is mostly the scars from all the moves and from hurts that set the moves off.
Chicken and Egg
We asked our three year old which came first, the chicken or the egg.
"The nest" she replies.
"The nest" she replies.
Tuesday, July 3
First house viewers
Well, they didn't say 'wow'.
But they were Christians. We suspect they were sent to us by the church we want to buy a house from.
I won't hold my breath.
But they were Christians. We suspect they were sent to us by the church we want to buy a house from.
I won't hold my breath.
The Authority of Scripture
NT Wright said all this back in '89. But I've only just discovered it, and I think it's really really good. I adopt it into my life.
http://ntwrightpage.com/Wright_Bible_Authoritative.htm
http://ntwrightpage.com/Wright_Bible_Authoritative.htm
Monday, July 2
Ordination quest
Following last week's church where we went forward for prayer about ordination, Mrs has a previously arranged meeting with our assistant minister today (to talk about difficulties she is having with setting up a cell group she has been asked to do), and she reports that during this meeting she floated with the assistant minister the idea of Mrs being ordained together with me. This is the first time we have mentioned it in such a formal way with our current church.
She tells me that it went down well - "she could see us both in ministry".
She was also helpful to Mrs in terms of shared expereinces of being hed back by sexism.
So, she is very encouraged.
There is the possibility that the assistant minister is just being polite, given that she is one of those we rowed with before and so she may be trying too hard to avoid furthre upsets. But on balance I think it was right.
She also suggested that in her view, our ideas for the house we were going to swap with were probably incompatible with training for ordination. I'm not sure why really - finance probably. Maybe that is still going to be a future thing,. But it does make it hard for us to know when we are and when we are not hearing form the Lord.
She tells me that it went down well - "she could see us both in ministry".
She was also helpful to Mrs in terms of shared expereinces of being hed back by sexism.
So, she is very encouraged.
There is the possibility that the assistant minister is just being polite, given that she is one of those we rowed with before and so she may be trying too hard to avoid furthre upsets. But on balance I think it was right.
She also suggested that in her view, our ideas for the house we were going to swap with were probably incompatible with training for ordination. I'm not sure why really - finance probably. Maybe that is still going to be a future thing,. But it does make it hard for us to know when we are and when we are not hearing form the Lord.
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