The lead piece is from "Amazing Grace by Kathleen Norris. In this book she takes many of the words and images of the faith and attempts to put some reality and life to them.
HELL (revisited)...for the Lutherans among us...and all of us
Years ago...I interviewed a local undertaker who had grown up in the business... This man was about to retire after more than fifty years, and he told me that the worst experience he had had in all that time was with a Lutheran pastor - for any reader who keeps track of Lutheran schisms, I should add that he was a pastor in a branch of the church that had broken off from the Wisconsin Synod because it was far to liberal. An infant, the first child of a young couple, had died, but when the minister came to help plan the funeral and learned that the child had died without being baptized, he said, "There's nothing for me to do. That baby's in hell," and walked out. The outraged undertaker was left to counsel the parents, and he quickly called the pastor of a mainstream Lutheran church who provided the family with funeral services.
Yes, though it happens less and less, there are many people who still view baptism as "fire insurance." This is quite odd. For within this view of baptism, we are more focused on death than life. Baptism is for life!!! What kind of a God was the first pastor trying to hold up...prop up? Obviously it was a small god of his own making. For the God of the scriptures is the "God Most High" whose love for us will not be based on our willingness to love back or our adherence to rituals of any kind. In another section on "hell" Norris makes a note about some Christians that I think is wild and, unfortunately, dead on. She writes: "that people become convinced that the Bible is loaded with little trap doors to hell. Sometimes they pull bit and pieces of scripture together to prove their point, constructing an elaborate, almost talismanic conviction that is intended to leave them secure, among the saved, but that will allow them to condemn other people." Wouldn't be refreshing to know that people looked at Christians not as people who tried to "scare the hell out of folks" but rather were some of the most compassionate and loving people in their lives!?!
Connection: When you hear someone trying to scare the Hell out of someone, go ahead and rescue them with a word of unbounded love and unconditional promise of abundant life.
Lord God, it is by your promise that we are able to turn this day into an opportunity to flourish and grow and anticipate the many surprises that come our way within the many dynamics of this day. Keep us mindful of the vastness of your blessed reign that beckons us to come and dance for joy. Amen.
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