The stem of pastoral problems
We started a sermon series on Romans in church last night, which is looking to be great. I do like Romans. The introductory point was made that it’s a pastoral letter, but that it’s theological, because pastoral problems always stem from theological issues. That called to mind this quote I read recently (H/T on Michael Jensen):
One reason why we Christians argue so much about which hymn to sing, which liturgy to follow, which way to worship is that the commandments teach us to believe that bad liturgy eventually leads to bad ethics. You begin by singing some sappy, sentimental hymn, then you pray some pointless prayer, and the next thing you know you have murdered your best friend.
- Stanley Hauerwas
And I think you can join a few dots to this haiku, from Laurel:
