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Two Concordia Journal Articles that I thought are worth commenting on. First is David Schmitt's article on Devotion from the summer 2020 issue.
What this article does is produce a better definition of devotion. Somehow in religious circles devotion has
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What this article does is produce a better definition of devotion. Somehow in religious circles devotion has
http://search.ebscohost.com/login.aspx?direct=true&db=lsdah&AN=ATLAi5IE201026000104&site=ehost-live
been reduced to its second and third dictionary meaning "religious observance or prayers". Those can be devotions, but the primary definition of devotion is "love, loyalty or enthusiasm for a cause". In order to do devotions it helps to have devotion.
Schmitt then covers three current traps to having devotion: distraction, disenchantment and disillusion.
The distraction is easy, it is this website. It is whatever prevents you from actually doing what you love. Classically I'd call this the world or our sinful nature.
The distraction is easy, it is this website. It is whatever prevents you from actually doing what you love. Classically I'd call this the world or our sinful nature.
To have devotion is the break free - to be freed - from our slavery to distraction.
Disenchantment is what I think would more popularly be called narrative. We all live our lives in some type of narrative. We can't help it. We are limited creatures that tell stories.
Disenchantment is what I think would more popularly be called narrative. We all live our lives in some type of narrative. We can't help it. We are limited creatures that tell stories.
Often times, because we lack devotion, we just accept a default narrative. Other times we might have devotion, but it is to the wrong story. The purpose of Christian devotion is to live our lives by the Christian story.
Devotion builds the thickness of the the narrative.
Devotion builds the thickness of the the narrative.
The last trap, disillusion, might be the one that I am most susceptible too. The stats are bad, the world is bad, everything is bad. Why not just quit?
Schmitt here turns the disillusioned to ritual. The thing that the American church most disdains. It is the rituals that
Schmitt here turns the disillusioned to ritual. The thing that the American church most disdains. It is the rituals that
allow us to foster devotion when our otherwise sinful hearts aren't in it. And if we needed our hearts to be in it, we'd be in trouble, because our hearts are sinful. The rituals build up the devotion of the new heart. The are the refuge of the defeated.
The call of the article in my reading was for the church to rediscover true devotion.
I this is something I run across all the time in congregational life. Many of those devoted, often ask how so many can make themselves so absent. Especially in this COVID time. Personal
I this is something I run across all the time in congregational life. Many of those devoted, often ask how so many can make themselves so absent. Especially in this COVID time. Personal
devotions (which we all know we skip too much) just don't cut it. We need each other. But to need each other one must have a devotion.
Devotion is not just believing, although that is where it starts. Devotion is deciding that this is the one basket with all my eggs.
Devotion is not just believing, although that is where it starts. Devotion is deciding that this is the one basket with all my eggs.
And let's face it. There are lots of people with a devotion to technology, to politics, to design (I see you church of TED). There are lots of devotions in the world. But does the church ever ask for it any more? Even though Jesus certainly does. "Who are my mother..."
