I've been doing a lot of reading regarding the omission of some of the 'darker' psalms being omitted from church liturgy. According to Brueggemann these Psalms would be groped as 'Psalms of Disorientation' and would fit within the genre of the lament.
Some of these would be Psalm 58; 83; 88; 109; 21 - there are plenty more.
I like contextualise things... So similarly I found the controversy surrounding Michael Jackson's song 'They Don't Care About Us' very very interesting on a few levels.
You can read about it here .
there's no real train of thought here just a jumble of thoughts really.
peace.
nh
Thursday, August 27, 2009
Monday, August 24, 2009
Tuesday, August 18, 2009
prayers.
A friend sent me a link to the website of a faith community in Canada and I came across a list of prayers that are prayed in the community that went beyond ego and ethnocentricism (not sure if thats a word) yet still son intimatley involved and connected to the individuals and the community.
enjoy.
enjoy.
Monday, August 17, 2009
psalm.
Not sure how many still read this... sadly - i do.
This semester at uni, I'm doing a unit focussed around wisdom writings of hebrew scripture - Job, Psalms, Proverbs, Ecclesiastes, Song of Songs. It's fun!
Psalms are incredibly interesting, at the moment i'm absorbed with the humanity present in them. My traditional view of psalms as the 'ancient hebrew equivalent of contemporary church worship songs' is being challenged as I get to understand the role of poetry and liturgy in ancient near eastern context - I told you it was fun!
I am admittedly biased toward the laments. I like the idea that Brueggemann suggests, that they are the result of moving from a world of orientation where perhaps one might feel life is quite simple; God is king; I am righteous and God loves me - simple... to a world of disorder, where things are ambiguous; is God distant, or not present; there is pain and confusion resulting in the psalmist being quite paranoid about everyone out to get them or feeling as important as a worm - disoriented!
I like the laments - they're real, it's also nice to know (or at least assume) there are other depressed creative types out there.
To end on a happy note there is another movement from disorienation to the new orientation - which to me, says a lot about hope and the importance disorientation which takes us beyond living in a state of denial.
Hooray for laments! hrmmmmmmmmmmmmm...
Watch this!
This semester at uni, I'm doing a unit focussed around wisdom writings of hebrew scripture - Job, Psalms, Proverbs, Ecclesiastes, Song of Songs. It's fun!
Psalms are incredibly interesting, at the moment i'm absorbed with the humanity present in them. My traditional view of psalms as the 'ancient hebrew equivalent of contemporary church worship songs' is being challenged as I get to understand the role of poetry and liturgy in ancient near eastern context - I told you it was fun!
I am admittedly biased toward the laments. I like the idea that Brueggemann suggests, that they are the result of moving from a world of orientation where perhaps one might feel life is quite simple; God is king; I am righteous and God loves me - simple... to a world of disorder, where things are ambiguous; is God distant, or not present; there is pain and confusion resulting in the psalmist being quite paranoid about everyone out to get them or feeling as important as a worm - disoriented!
I like the laments - they're real, it's also nice to know (or at least assume) there are other depressed creative types out there.
To end on a happy note there is another movement from disorienation to the new orientation - which to me, says a lot about hope and the importance disorientation which takes us beyond living in a state of denial.
Hooray for laments! hrmmmmmmmmmmmmm...
Watch this!
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