Julian of Norwich: A Different View of Life

All shall be well, and all shall be well. And all manner of things shall be well.

Julian of Norwich lived most of her life sealed inside a room and yet held a very positive and upbeat Christian view of life. Julian was the author of Revelations of Divine Love, the first English-language book written by a woman. Yes, she was the first woman to write a book in English!

Julian lived a large part of her life as an Anchoress in a secluded room in a church in Norwich, England. The church she lived in is now called St. Julian’s church and is still in existence today. An Anchoress (or Anchorite) committed their lives to serve Jesus and agreed to be sealed in a room attached to a church for the balance of their lives. In theory, their only human contact would be as they received, food, water, and other items through a small opening. Their rooms would have windows so they could see the outside world. Their only companion would be a cat—this was a practical necessity to keep small rodents away.

Julian’s view of life came from a small window.

While anchorites were confined to a life of seclusion, in reality, they ministered and were connected to their local community through these windows. They offered prayers to those needing comfort or advice to those who were troubled. Locally, they were an important part of town. A common saying in these towns was: “if you want to know the latest news, you either speak to the local barkeep or the town’s Anchorite.”

Norwich, during Julian’s time, was second only to London in terms of commerce and religious activity. Julian wasn’t alone in her life as an Anchoress. Of the sixty-three churches in Norwich, thirty-six had an Anchorite in residence. Julian became the most famous.

Her book, Revelations of Divine Love, written late in the 14th century, did not receive much fame until 1670 when it was finally published. It continued to be reintroduced over the next few centuries and can still be bought today on Amazon.

Because there are no references to her in the local priory, Julian is believed to have been a young, widowed mother and not a nun. Little else exists that gives much background about her.

Much of what we know comes from her writings.

Prior to writing Revelations of Divine Love, and perhaps after the death of her family, she prayed that she could experience the same pain that Jesus had on the cross. Later, she became deathly ill for seven days. During this period, she had sixteen visions from God. The most famous is called the walnut vision. From these visions, she wrote her book.

Her theology of a loving God and the condition of humankind is often used in theological schools as an alternate view of the essence of God and humankind. Her most famous quote: All shall be well, and all shall be well, and all manner of things shall be exceedingly well, reflects this condition of a loving God.

Julian believed that sin would always be overcome and that, while humankind would be tempted and travailed, God would never let us become overtaken by sin. She believed that sin itself was worse than hell but that it’s value eventually led to an acceptance of God and a certainty of God’s love.

She also saw God similar to a parent. She even referred to Jesus’s role as part of the trinity as the mother who is loving, merciful, and wise.

Julian contended that God saw humankind’s potential as perfect and waits for the day when we mature to the point where sin and evil no longer affect us. She described this attachment by God to humankind by saying, God is nearer to us than our own soul. This is certainly a positive view of our relationship with God.

Recognition well deserved

It was only in the 20th century that Julian of Norwich became a darling of scholars and theologians. Even then, her fame seldom escaped beyond the halls of academia. We can theorize that her writings remained in her secluded room and were only discovered after her death. Any promotion of her ideas would have necessarily come later when others discovered her writing. Maybe the original document or book was put in a church warehouse and was later stumbled upon by a researcher before finally being published in 1670.

The Catholic church has not made her a saint, but she is included in the studies of the Catechism. In theological schools, she is part of Church history classes.

But there she resides in relative obscurity.

Revelations of Divine Love does not have a high Amazon ranking, partially because of Julian’s relatively small fame and because the book is very dense. It is more a book of reflection that is to be savored and not devoured. It is the kind of book where you read a paragraph and can meditate on just that paragraph for the whole day, like a companion who has given you an intriguing but difficult question.

But what if Julian’s theology is right?

That God is filled with love for humankind. That God will constantly pursue us and never give up on us. That the very essence of God is love. That God doesn’t judge or condemn, but instead provides hope and love.

It gives me hope—not only for myself—but for humankind. Reading her book can be hard, but perhaps a few of her quotes will give you a deeper understanding of Julian of Norwich. Just click this link, and you will be transported to a different and optimistic theology.

Blessings, until next time,
Bruce L. Hartman

Dr. Bruce L. Hartman is the author of Jesus & Co. and Your Faith Has Made You Well.

Photo by irvin Macfarland on Unsplash

 

Mitch, A Life Described in the Beatitudes

Blessed are the meek for they will inherit the earth.

Matthew 5:5

I received a call back from Mitch. I wasn’t available to take the call at the time, so he left a message. In it, he confirmed he could move us from our house in eastern North Carolina to our new home in Asheville. His tone was simple and professional. At the end of the message, he said, “God Bless.”

I was struck by his frankness in expressing his Christian values and the warmth that “God Bless” brings. In this age of political correctness, it surprised me that he was so bold in leaving this message. But it told me a lot about Mitch that, through subsequent conversations, I would confirm.

He is humble

He is a humble businessperson who respects his customers and is committed to doing a professional job. I had received Mitch’s name from my trusted friend Larry, who told me Mitch was the only person he would trust moving his clients. Larry warned me that Mitch was in high demand and might not be available.

I had called two other moving companies to see if they could help—large national companies with big advertising budgets. They were “just okay” in their effort to help. As with most large companies, I knew I would have to do a lot of follow up to make sure I got all the answers I needed. As I expected, when I discussed my move with these firms I was doing all the follow-up and pushing them to give me complete answers. It was at this point I stopped calling around and decided on Mitch.

Mitch was amazing.

He took pictures of every piece of furniture and of the contents in every drawer. His quote was detailed and thorough. There was no item left out. He even asked for a picture of the street in front of our new home so that he could make sure where to park on moving day.

What you should know is that Mitch was a person who came from very meager beginnings. As an African American who grew up in the South during the fifties and sixties, he was subjected to segregated schools and restrooms. He knew what to say to avoid being harassed. He minded his place—not because he agreed with being forced to take leftovers, but because his parents had taught him the values of Christianity.

While he knew his early life was wrong, it didn’t change the way he treated others – He didn’t give into the evil of others; he chose a different path. His path was that of following Jesus.

Mitch started his business with just a truck and a few friends. There was no grand strategy or business plan. Only that he worked as if he was working for the Lord. Every customer was treated the way Mitch thought they should be treated. He doesn’t lose his cool with angry people; he always keeps his smile.

His smile and Christian values helped make Mitch a busy man.

Soon, word spread about him and his business. Local real estate agents began to recommend him. The locals knew and trusted him. He didn’t have a big advertising budget to attract new customers, he only had his smile and a desire to earn his customers’ trust. Now he is in high demand.

In this day of political correctness, it was refreshing for a businessperson to say, “God Bless.” You won’t hear that on most of your voicemails, probably not this year or next.

But Mitch built his business on his values, which are those of Jesus. This is Mitch’s stronghold and place of refuge.

Jesus’s first great sermon is called The Sermon on the Mount. It is fully available to be read in Matthew 5-7. It states Jesus’s mission and purpose. Included first in this sermon is the section called the Beatitudes, from Matthew 5:3-11. They are called the Beatitudes from the Latin word, beati, which means blessed. There are nine Beatitudes—four are blessings, and four are woes, which mirror the blessings. The last refers to the perseverance of being Christian.

The Beatitudes are also in Luke as part of Jesus’s Sermon on the Plain, Luke [6:20]-22. The Sermon on the Plain is Luke’s version of Jesus’s first sermon. It is similar but was directed more to the poor of the Judean world.

A direct connection

When I read these Beatitudes and think about Mitch and his life, I see a direct connection. It is almost as if Jesus knew Mitch and how his faithful life would turn out. He was meek and will inherit the kingdom of God. He is pure of heart and, surely, he will see God.

I could never describe Mitch and his life as accurately as it is expressed in the Beatitudes. Listed below are the exact words from the Sermon on the Mount.

The Beatitudes

He said:

³ Blessed are the poor in spirit,
for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.
⁴ Blessed are those who mourn,
for they will be comforted.
⁵ Blessed are the meek,
for they will inherit the earth.
⁶ Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness,
for they will be filled.
⁷ Blessed are the merciful,
for they will be shown mercy.
⁸ Blessed are the pure in heart,
for they will see God.
⁹ Blessed are the peacemakers,
for they will be called children of God.
¹⁰ Blessed are those who are persecuted because of righteousness,
for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.
¹¹ Blessed are you when people insult you, persecute you and falsely say all kinds of evil against you because of me.
¹² Rejoice and be glad, because great is your reward in heaven, for in the same way, they persecuted the prophets who were before you.

Blessings, until next time,
Bruce L. Hartman

Dr. Bruce L. Hartman is the author of Jesus & Co. and Your Faith Has Made You Well.

Photo by Markus Spiske on Unsplash

 

The Apostle Paul: Three Journeys That Would Change the World: Part II of III

After some days Paul said to Barnabas, “Let us return and visit the brethren in every city in which we proclaimed the word of the Lord, and see how they are.”

Acts [15:36]

In our previous blog about Paul, he was converted to serve Jesus and went on three extensive missions throughout the ancient Mediterranean world. We pick up the story where Paul has now retreated to Tarsus, his hometown, and is waiting for a sign of what to do next. As a professional tent-maker, he was kept busy tending those who needed his services. For a zealous person like Paul, sitting and waiting for his next path in service to Jesus was certainly hard. But events had to line up before Paul could precede.

Peter, the leader of The Way, had a dream that showed him the next step—it was time to spread the word about Jesus beyond the confines of Judea. Peter began to visit other cities outside Judea and realized that the message of the Gospel was a universal one by saying:

“Truly I understand that God shows no partiality, but in every nation, anyone who fears God and does what is right is acceptable to him.”

All the world needed to hear the story of Jesus.

Also, by now, people outside of Judea had heard about Jesus and had begun to believe on their own. Peter felt they needed help with the message of Jesus and Peter turned to Barnabas.  So Barnabas went to Antioch to help investigate this phenomenon of the growing desire to know Jesus outside of Judea. Realizing he needed more than himself, he went to Tarsus to get Paul.

Finally, Paul had a way to pitch in and work for Jesus.

The last few years had humbled Paul and cut away the clumsiness of his overly exuberant approach. He was ready and now was his time. Thus began the first missionary trip of Paul.

On this trek, Barnabas and Paul first went to Antioch. They continued to minister to the faithful there but eventually left to go Cyprus and then on to southern Asia Minor before finally returning to Antioch.

While in Antioch, they were invited to speak at the local synagogue on Sundays. Paul took the lead and accurately depicted the history of Israel—from the wanderings of Abraham to King David. Paul then introduced Jesus as the continuation of this story. He explained the life, death, and resurrection of Jesus. Many were amazed, and Paul and Barnabas were invited back the next Sunday to preach. The next Sunday, most of the town showed up to hear Paul. Again, many were converted. This upset the local Jewish officials, who spoke against Paul.

For Paul, this led to an important decision.

No longer would he preach in front of the traditional Jewish community, but only to the Gentiles. This left Paul with a problem to solve.

Many of the followers of The Way in Judea viewed themselves as a sect of Judaism and, as such, all those who converted must also agree to continue the prevailing Jewish customs—things like circumcision and eating only kosher foods. Paul’s argument was that Jesus wasn’t looking for obedience, but for a conversion of the heart. True belief didn’t rest with adherence to customs, but to a heart that loved God.

It was hard for those in Jerusalem to agree with Paul.

After a lifetime of following the prescribed rituals, this was a big hurdle. At a council meeting, of which there was much debate, they eventually agreed to let Paul proceed.

Paul’s first Journey is estimated to have lasted as long as eight years. But in this journey, two thoughts developed that clarified Paul’s direction. First, his mission was to convert the Gentiles. The second was that a heart for God was more important than following local customs and traditions.

Paul’s second journey would take him further.

Starting in Jerusalem, he would visit places like Athens, Corinth, and Philippi. Before the start of this second trek, Paul and Barnabas went back to Antioch. There they had a disagreement about a fellow traveler—John Mark. Paul was disappointed that John Mark had left them during the first journey when things got tough and didn’t believe he should join them on the next trip. Barnabas disagreed with Paul. They agreed to part ways, and now Paul was on his own. The last vestige of connection to the group in Jerusalem was now gone. Paul would join up with Silas and Timothy on his subsequent journeys.

But Paul thrived.

In Athens, he was invited to speak at the famed Areopagus—a place where the intellectual elite of Greece gathered to hear speakers and philosophers of great reputation. As Paul roamed the city of Athens, he noticed the many statues of the Greek Gods. One of these statues was of the unknown God. The statue of the unknown God became the centerpiece for Paul’s message to the Greeks. After he presented the history of Israel and the story of Jesus, Paul asserted that because they didn’t know the story of Jesus, perhaps this unknown God was Jesus. The full sermon can be read in Acts [17:22]-31.

While not all were converted, all were amazed at Paul’s gift for oratory. Later, the Greek Orthodox church became an important part of Christian history. In fact, during the Dark Ages, many of the forward movements of Christianity came as a result of the Greek church’s involvement.

In Philippi, Paul met a fortune-teller of great repute. She was the servant of a few locals and generated a substantial amount of income. Paul converted her, and she immediately gave up telling fortunes, which naturally upset her masters. They turned the city against Paul and his companions, who were jailed. An earthquake opened the doors to the jail, and Paul escaped, converting more people, including the jailor who was an eyewitness to the doors being opened by the earthquake.

During his second journey, Paul established himself as an independent street preacher who converted many around the Mediterranean world.

Paul went back to Antioch to rest before he started his third journey. From here, he went back to many of the communities he had previously visited to strengthen their faith.

The importance of the third journey was that many of Paul’s writings come from this period. Notably, Paul’s great letter to the Romans. While Paul didn’t visit Rome, he knew that there were many who believed there, and the letter was instructional. But it stands today as the first book in the New Testament after the book of Acts. Its placement is symbolic of the encompassing story of our faith.

Paul returned to Jerusalem after the third journey, where he was initially warmly received. This would be his fifth and last visit.

To be continued….

Blessings, until next time,
Bruce L. Hartman

Dr. Bruce L. Hartman is the author of Jesus & Co. and Your Faith Has Made You Well.

Photo by Alexander Andrews on Unsplash

We love giving credit to budding photographers

 

Heart for Lebanon

Grace and peace be multiplied to you in the knowledge of God and of Jesus our Lord.

2 Peter 1:2

On a recent Sunday in a refugee camp in Lebanon, 300 people of Muslim and Lebanese heritage showed up at a worship gathering (church), many saying they had never heard the story of Christ. These refugees were part of the 2 million people who have fled Syria and are now semi-permanent residents in refugee camps throughout Lebanon.

We all have read about war-torn Syria and the devasting impact of ISIS there. Many of its citizens have fled to other countries. After eight years of war, more than half of the pre-war population— eleven million people—have left their homeland. They are now nomadic people looking for a place to live. Many hoped that, by now, they could have returned to their native land, but after eight years, hope is abating that they can ever go home.

Time for change

In 2011, Lebanon adopted an open-border policy, and two million people flocked there. But things changed in 2014 as the amount of people fleeing to Lebanon grew. Their borders are now more tightly watched, and refugees now have to promise they won’t work and are required to pay for a six-month residency permit.

So here they sit, in tent communities, in the Bekaa Valley and southern Lebanon. Many have been there for all of the last eight years. There are few regulations controlling local practices. Many work without pay and the women are exposed to gender violence. The children are not allowed to go to local schools and after so long, many have fallen far behind.

There are no formal UN camps, and help only comes from the non-profits of other nations.

These are desperate people—three quarters live below the poverty line. Half live in substandard housing, and 75 percent do not have a legal residency. Women and children are the majority of those who reside in these camps. Husbands and fathers—the main protectors within the Syrian culture—have been lost to the war or have abandoned their families.

So why would 300 of them show up to a worship gathering, especially when you consider they are Muslim and, in their culture, Christians are not looked upon favorably? They came because of the wonderful work of an organization called Heart For Lebanon. Based in Asheville, North Carolina, Heart For Lebanon has set up a very sophisticated network of relief in Lebanon, paid for through the donations of many in our country.

Their Vision

Their vision states: “Driven by the compassionate heart for Jesus Christ, Heart for Lebanon exists to see lives changed and communities transformed.” They live this vision every day. They distribute mattresses, diapers, hygiene items, clothes, rugs, and food through their on-the-ground support network.

They also run a program called Hope On Wheels that provides a safe environment for children to play and learn, allowing them to just be children again. A majority of these children are orphans, and their only source of schooling is through this wonderful organization. They are trying to help these children lift themselves up out of poverty through education.

At the same time, Jesus is introduced to them through Bible studies and local chapels. Just attending a Christian church can be dangerous for them.

What is also remarkable about Heart For Lebanon, is that almost 90 percent of the money they raise goes directly to help the refugees. The remaining amount largely pays for the administrative efforts of organizing the relief and the cost to raise money. They have received a perfect four-star rating from a national charity evaluation firm.

There are many things we see and hear on the news about the refugees. They are desperate people and mostly the weakest of their society. These people aren’t marauding pilferers or criminals, they are just dads, moms, and children like those of us in America. They got caught up in a cruel game of power and lost their homes.

They all want to go home but can’t.

Thankfully, Americans are coming to their aid and trying to help, and donors are hearing the story of their plight and ignoring the image portrayed by some. They are giving of both their time and money.

Will, a friend of mine, told me about this organization, so I visited their facility in Asheville and came away impressed with the faithful commitment of the staff. They are sensible and humble people who believe in the mission of mercy that is requested of us by Christ. They blush when you say how wonderful they are. They are a connected team committed to the mission of service in the name of Christ. They aren’t looking for personal glory but for the glory of helping Christ tend the flock.

If you want to know more please visit https://heartforlebanon.org/

Blessings, until next time,
Bruce L. Hartman

Dr. Bruce L. Hartman is the author of Jesus & Co. and Your Faith Has Made You Well.

 

Jesus and the Parables: What was Their Purpose?

All these things Jesus spoke to the crowds in parables, and he did not speak to them without a parable.

Matthew [13:34]

When Jesus spoke to the crowds, or even to small groups, he would tell stories called parables. These stories were rich in vivid imagery to reinforce the listeners’ memories. In total, there are forty-five parables. Most are found in the first three books of the Gospel: Matthew, Mark, and Luke. There is only one parable in John.

So why did Jesus use this vehicle to convey his message?

The primary reason was to create a lasting memory. Most communication in the first century was done orally. Scholars put the literacy rate in Judea at just three percent in the first century. Not because the average Judean was inferior in intellect, but because the format of language in the first century was far different than what exists today. Hebrew was written right to left, as opposed to today where almost all languages flow left to right. Secondly, Hebrew didn’t use vowels. The last and final impediment was that there was no spacing between words. So the sentence, “See Jane Run,” would be expressed as “NRNJS.”

The hurdle to become literate was much higher in the first century. Speakers of this generation would use vivid stories to convey their message, like Aesop’s fables. Likewise, Jesus used parables. Jesus knew that for the masses to receive his message, he had to use a vehicle that could be easily understood and, as importantly, retained.

Thus the use of parables.

Jesus also used everyday life in the parables to explain the messages of God. Jesus didn’t talk above the heads of the masses but instead spoke in ways by which they could identify. Thirty-five of these parables related to people’s occupation. For instance, in Matthew [9:16], Jesus says, “No one sews a patch of unshrunk cloth on an old garment, for the patch will pull away from the garment, making the tear worse.” Jesus is making a point that his message is new and a matter of the heart, and that attaching it to the legalism of the Pharisees would not work.

Thus the comparison to cloth.

Certainly, the crowds would have understood that rough wool would not create a reliable patch. By connecting a common and understandable metaphor of sewing to the message of transitioning one’s faith from legalism to one coming from our hearts, Jesus made it accessible and relatable to the masses.

Consider perhaps the most famous parable—The Prodigal Son—found in Luke [15:11]-32. We all know the story of the son who received his inheritance in advance and then wasted the money only to later return embarrassed and dejected. Fully expecting to be admonished and punished, his father instead throws a party to welcome him back. Jesus’s point in this story was to describe how God treats those who fall from faith and return.

A classmate describes her understanding of the story by saying, “I immediately felt welcomed and have come to realize that our Father’s love is perfectly described in the person of the father of the Prodigal Son. Not only was he ready to welcome me back, he was waiting for me, greeting me with unconditional love—not dismissing my absence, but celebrating my return, and fully embracing me, whether I deserved it or not!” Ditto for me.

What is the universal message and purpose of the Parables?

Thomas Rauch, in his book Who Is Jesus?, explains this as follows: “They challenge our customary way of seeing our world, draw us out of our complacency, force us to ask questions, to rethink our values.” They create imaginative thoughts from hearing or reading them. They aren’t long texts that require extensive time to be set aside to absorb and analyze them. They become visual by connecting our daily lives with short bursts of insight.

This was Jesus’s way of talking and speaking. He didn’t use long theological, polysyllabic words – He used common words and expressions. He didn’t come to convert the Pharisees, he came to speak to the masses. Jesus definitely was not an elitist.

He showed he cared about the people enough to speak their language, not to talk down to them. He was their shepherd and wanted them to know that he heard their voices.

Jesus knew that people want to be respected and not talked down to. He knew the way to their hearts was through their ears. No, Jesus wasn’t an elitist seeking power. He already had the power; he wanted to share the message.

This was God speaking to the people of God.

What is remarkable, is that the Parables still are that way for the twenty-first-century reader. Perhaps an interesting Bible study would be to read all forty-five in forty-five days. In this short amount of time, we will get the messages Jesus delivered in a year’s time in a little over a month.

Blessings, until next time,
Bruce L. Hartman

Dr. Bruce L. Hartman is the author of Jesus & Co. and Your Faith Has Made You Well.

Photo by Baard Hansen on Unsplash

We love to give exposure to budding photographers