Non-Canonicals Online

There are some beautiful presentations/introductions to these "new, ancient" texts online. Check these out:

https://youtu.be/YM_rsBwPRJ4 Natalie Perkins -- "Diva Does Divinity" on Acts of Paul & Thekla

The Nag Hammadi Discovery After 70 Years

A recent colloquium was held at l'Université Laval in Québec City on May 29-31 on the discovery of the Nag Hammadi texts after 70 years. Andre Gagne and Calogero Miceli were among the list of presenters at this event. On the Inquisitive Minds Podcast, they share a few words on the importance of this discovery for scholars who study the history of early Christianity, as well as a brief overview of their own conference papers. The podcast is no longer online.

Thunder Perfect Mind - a Prada Film starring Daria Werbowy from M G on Vimeo.

Advent 4 -- December 20, 2015

Advent 4   

Micah 5:2-5a • Luke 1:46b-55 or Psalm 80:1-7 • Hebrews 10:5-10 • Luke 1:39-45, (46-55)

 "My soul magnifies the Lord, and my spirit rejoices in God my Savior,  --Luke 1:46b (NRSV)

MEDITATIVE READING                         Odes of Solomon 40 (ANNT)
As drops of honey from the honeycomb of bees, And the flow of milk from the one who loves her children, So also is my hope upon you, my God.
As a fountain gushes forth its waters, So also my heart pours forth the praise of the splendor of the Lord, And my lips send out praise to him.
Then my tongue becomes sweet in his anthems, And my members become fat in his odes.
Also my face beams with his exultation, And my spirit rejoices in his love, And my entire self shines.
And all who are afraid can rely on him, And salvation will  be confirmed in them.
His abundance is immortal life, And the ones who receive it are without devastation.
Halleluiah.

CALL TO WORSHIP (Hebrews 10:5-7)

Leader: When Christ came into the world, he said, "Sacrifices and offerings you have not desired, but a body you have prepared for me;

People: in burnt offerings and sin offerings you have taken no pleasure.

    Leader: See, God, we have come to do your will.

    People: Let us worship God.

PRAYER OF CONFESSION  (Hebrews 10:8-10)
ALL: Giving and forgiving God, you have neither desired nor taken pleasure in sacrifices and offerings and burnt offerings and sin offerings. Set free from the law, we have often failed to do your will. in you We have everything we need . Yet we look everywhere else for contentment. Abundant life begins and ends with you. Yet we demand perfection; we are intolerant of flaws. Help us to be easier on others and find peace within. Teach us that to find contentment we must rest in you; we must accept what we cannot change and allow ourselves to be molded in positive ways by negative experiences, even the sins we confess here and now.

(silent prayer)

Leader: It is by God's will that we have been sanctified through the offering of the body of Jesus Christ once for all.

ALL: In Jesus Christ, we are forgiven. Thanks be to God!  Amen.

Advent 3 -- December 13, 2015

Advent 3   

Zephaniah 3:14-20 • Isaiah 12:2-6 • Philippians 4:4-7 • Luke 3:7-18

7 John said to the crowds that came out to be baptized by him, "You brood of vipers! Who warned you to flee from the wrath to come? ...
10-11 And the crowds asked him, "What then should we do?" In reply he said to them, "Whoever has two coats must share with anyone who has none; and whoever has food must do likewise." ...
18 So, with many other exhortations, he proclaimed the good news to the people.    --Luke 3 (NRSV)

MEDITATIVE READING                 (The Prayer of Thanksgiving, Nag Hammadi)                     

We give thanks to you, every life and heart stretches toward you, O name untroubled, honored with the name of God, praised with the name of Father. To everyone and everything comes the kindness of the Father, and love, desire. And if there is a sweet and simple teaching, it gifts us mind, word, and knowledge: mind, that we may understand you; word, that we may interpret you; knowledge, that we may know you. We rejoice and are enlightened by your knowledge. We rejoice that you have taught us about yourself. We rejoice that in the body, you have made us divine through your knowledge.

CALL TO WORSHIP  (from The Prayer of Thanksgiving, Nag Hammadi)

Leader: The thanksgiving of the human who reaches you is this alone: that we know you. People: We have known you, O light of mind. O light of life, we have known you. 
Leader: O womb of all that grows, we have known you. 
People: O womb pregnant with the nature of the Father, we have known you. 
Leader: O never-ending endurance of the Father who gives birth,
People: So we worship your goodness.

PRAYER OF CONFESSION  (adapted from Evangelii Gaudium by Pope Francis)

Gracious God, we have surrendered to a world pervaded by consumerism. We have succumbed to the desolation and anguish born of a complacent yet covetous heart, the feverish pursuit of frivolous pleasures, and a blunted conscience. Our interior life is caught up in its own interests and concerns, and there is no longer room for others, no place for the poor. We no longer hear your voice, or feel the quiet joy of your love, and our desire to do good fades. We end up resentful, angry and listless.

(silent prayer)

Leader: God, help us to live a dignified and fulfilled life--
ALL: the life in the Spirit which has its source in the heart of the risen Christ. Amen.

PRAYER FOR ILLUMINATION  (Odes of Solomon 9)

Listen to the Voice of Wisdom:
   1 Open your ears,
      And I will speak to you.
   2 Give your entire self to me,
      So that I may give my entire self to you.
   3 The word of the Lord and his desires,
      The holy thought which he has considered about his Anointed One.
   4 For your lives are in the will of the Lord,
      His consciousness is the life of eternity,
      And your fullness is without corruption.
      Amen!

Additional Music:

"The First Song of Isaiah" ("Surely it is God who saves me...")

Advent 2 -- December 6, 2015

Advent 2   

Baruch 5:1-9 or Malachi 3:1-4 • Luke 1:68-79 • Philippians 1:3-11 • Luke 3:1-6

And this is my prayer, that your love may overflow more and more with knowledge and full insight to help you to determine what is best, so that in the day of Christ you may be pure and blameless, having produced the harvest of righteousness that comes through Jesus Christ for the glory and praise of God.      --Philippians 1:9-11 (NRSV)

MEDITATIVE READING                                      Gospel of Thomas 88 (ANNT)

Jesus said: "The messengers and the prophets will come to you. They will give you what is yours and you will give them what you have. You will say to yourselves: 'When will they come and take what is theirs?'"

CALL TO WORSHIP Odes of Solomon 21:1-3 (ANNT)

Leader: Let us lift up our arms to the height.

People: To the compassion of the Lord.

Leader: Because God cast off our chains from us.
People: And our helper lifted us up according to the Divine compassion and redemption.
Leader: Let us strip off the darkness and put on light.
People: Let us worship God!

PRAYER OF CONFESSION  (from Luke 2-3 NRSV)

Gracious God, we come together today as your baptized people to recommit ourselves to changing our hearts and lives and once more experience the forgiveness of our sins. We echo the words of Isaiah the prophet,

A voice crying out in the wilderness:

    “Prepare the way for the Lord;

        make his paths straight.

Every valley will be filled,

    and every mountain and hill will be leveled.

The crooked will be made straight

    and the rough places made smooth.

All humanity will see God’s salvation.”

(silent prayer)

Leader: Lord, let your servants rest in peace according to your word,

ALL: Because our eyes have seen your salvation, prepared in the presence of all peoples, the perfect expression of your light and love . Glory to God in the highest heaven, and on earth peace, goodwill among people! Amen.

PRAYER FOR ILLUMINATION (adapted from Luke 3:1-2)

Today in the seventh year of the presidency of Barack Obama, while Andrew Cuomo is governor of New York, and Rob Astorino is executive of Westchester, and Jonathan Mark is mayor of Scarsdale, during the General Assembly moderatorship of Ruling Elder Heath K. Rada, let us listen for the word of God addressed to us in the wilderness of our lives.

AFFIRMATION OF FAITH                  The Acts of Paul and Thecla 5:1-6:7 (ANNT)

 Leader: When Paul entered into Onesiphorus’s house, there was great joy and kneeling and breaking of bread, and the word of God concerning self-control and resurrection.As Paul said,

ALL: “Blessed are the clear of heart, for they will see God.

            Blessed are those who observe purity in flesh, for they will become a temple of God.

            Blessed are the self-possessed, for God will speak to them.

            Blessed are those who set themselves apart from this world, for they will please God.

            Blessed are those who have wives as if they do not, for they will be heirs of God.

            Blessed are those in awe of God for they will become messengers of God.

            Blessed are the ones who tremble at God’s words, for they will be called.

            Blessed are the ones who receive the wisdom of Jesus Christ, for they will be called children of the Highest.

            Blessed are the ones who keep their baptism, for they will rest with the Father and the Son.

            Blessed are those on the journey to uniting with Jesus Christ, for they will be in the light.

            Blessed are the ones who have departed the form of the world through God’s love, for they will judge angels and, at the right hand of the Father, they will be praised.

            Blessed are the compassionate, for they will receive compassion and will not see the day of grievous judgment.

            Blessed are the bodies of maidens, for they will have favor with God and will not lose the reward for their holiness; for the Father’s word will be a work of salvation for them until the day of his Child, and they will have rest forever.”

Additional Music:
"Love Divine, All Loves Excelling"

Advent 1 - November 29, 2015

Advent 1   

Jeremiah 33:14-16  • Psalm 25:1-10  •  1 Thessalonians 3:9-13  •  Luke21:25-36

"Be alert at all times, praying that you may have the strength to escape all these things that will take place, and to stand before the Son of Man."  --Luke 21:36  (NRSV)

MEDITATIVE READING                                      Gospel of Thomas 18 (ANNT)

His followers said to Jesus, "Tell us how our end will be."

Jesus said, "Have you discovered the beginning, that you ask about the end? For, in the place where the beginning is, there the end will be. Blessed is the one who takes a stand in the beginning. That one will know the end, and will not experience death."

CALL TO WORSHIP (Psalm 122:1-2 and Odes of Solomon 36)

Leader: I was glad when they said to me, “Let us go to the house of the Lord!”

People: And now here we are, standing inside your presence, O Foundation of Peace!

Leader: I rested on the Spirit of the Lord,

People: and She raised me up on high;

Leader: And caused me to stand on my feet

People: in the high place of the Lord,

ALL: She gave birth to me before the face of the Lord,

Leader: And while I was the Child of Humanity,

People: I was called the Light, the Child of God;

Leader: And my mouth was opened like a cloud of dew,

People: And my heart gushed forth a fountain of justice.

Leader: And my approach was in peace,

People: And I was established in the Spirit of Instruction.

ALL: Hallelujah.

PRAYER OF CONFESSION (Psalm 25:1-10)

Leader: Let us lift up our souls to the Lord and put our trust in God.

No one who looks to the Lord will be put to shame. Let us pray.

ALL: Show me your ways, O Lord, and teach me your paths.

Lead me in your truth and teach me, for you are the God of my salvation.

Remember, O Lord, your compassion and love, for they are from everlasting.

Remember not the sins of my youth and my transgressions;

remember me according to your love and for the sake of your goodness, O Lord.

(silent prayer)

Leader: Gracious and upright are you, O Lord; therefore you teach sinners in your way.

ALL: You guide the humble in doing right and teach your way to the lowly.  All your paths, O Lord, are love and faithfulness to those who keep your covenant and your testimonies. Amen.

Additional Music:  "Higher Ground" (Iris Dement/traditional)

"I Rested on the Spirit of the Lord (Ode 36)" Jeff Macaré The Odes of Solomon, Vol. 2

Why I'm Interested...

One of the reasons I’m so interested in these new, ancient texts, is that they may illuminate some of
the stranger parts of the Christian Testament. There are some really peculiar ideas that were clearly circulating in the days of the early Christ Movement. Some are criticized by Paul, and others are affirmed. Most of these strange texts never make it into the lectionary, so we rarely consider them. They're like that cognitive dissonance that our gestalt-oriented minds simply screen out and fail to notice.

But consider:

Affirmed (at least partially) by Paul: 

• Being baptized on behalf of the dead (a practice continued today by Mormons). 1 Corinthians 15:29 (ESV) — "Otherwise, what do people mean by being baptized on behalf of the dead? If the dead are not raised at all, why are people baptized on their behalf?" 
• Celibacy 1 Corinthians 7 "from now on, let even those who have wives be as though they had none…For the present form of this world is passing away. I want you to be free from anxieties. The unmarried man is anxious about the affairs of the Lord, how to please the Lord; but the married man is anxious about the affairs of the world, how to please his wife, and his interests are divided. And the unmarried woman and the virgin are anxious about the affairs of the Lord, so that they may be holy in body and spirit; but the married woman is anxious about the affairs of the world, how to please her husband. I say this for your own benefit, not to put any restraint upon you, but to promote good order and unhindered devotion to the Lord….So then, he who marries his fiancée does well; and he who refrains from marriage will do better. A wife is bound as long as her husband lives. But if the husband dies, she is free to marry anyone she wishes, only in the Lord. But in my judgment she is more blessed if she remains as she is." 
• Jesus' teaching that we are all divine (John 10:34) Romans 8:29 For those whom he foreknew he also predestined to be conformed to the image of his Son, in order that he might be the firstborn among many brothers. 
• Etc. 

Rejected by Paul: 

• Belief that the Resurrection has already happened. 2 Timothy 2:17–18 (ESV) — "Hymenaeus and Philetus…have swerved from the truth, saying that the resurrection has already happened. They are upsetting the faith of some." 
• Immortality of the Soul 1 Corinthians 15:22-23, 50-52 "as all die in Adam, so all will be made alive in Christ. But each in his own order: Christ the first fruits, then at his coming those who belong to Christ….What I am saying, brothers and sisters, is this: flesh and blood cannot inherit the kingdom of God, nor does the perishable inherit the imperishable. Listen, I will tell you a mystery! We will not all die, but we will all be changed, in a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trumpet. For the trumpet will sound, and the dead will be raised imperishable, and we will be changed." 
• Etc.

I'll be looking for parallels and contrasts in the extra-canonical texts.

--Jack Lohr

Welcome to Liberating Lectionary

I am convinced that the Gospel of Thomas, and other non-canonical texts from the first two centuries of the Christ Movement  can help us re-engage with the spirit of Jesus.  This blog will seek to connect these texts to a worship life focused in the Revised Common Lectionary.

This project grows out of study with Hal Taussig and friends using as a textbook A New New Testament: : A Bible for the 21st Century Combining Traditional and Newly Discovered Texts, (ANNT) conceived and edited by Dr. Taussig. He brought together a team of scholars to select non-canonical texts that can illuminate the world of early Christianity when read alongside the Christian Bible.

Since our New Testament did not exist for at least the first three hundred, if not five hundred, years after Jesus, the "other" texts that didn't make the cut existed alongside our familiar "Matthew, Mark, Luke, John, Acts..." etc.

As Taussig says, "The assumption that the existing New Testament was always the privileged authorized book about Jesus is not true."

There are many online resources to open up these texts, assembled from a variety of perspectives. Some possible places to explore further would include:

http://www.ftsr.ulaval.ca/fileadmin/theo/fichiers/recherche/activites/evenements/nag-hammadi-70-ans-programme-ftsr.pdf (International colloquium: Nag Hammadi at 70: What Have We Learned? Agenda for an event this past summer. Papers are scheduled to appear in print in 2019. http://www.peeters-leuven.be/boekoverz.asp?nr=10672)

http://www.theodesproject.com/read-the-odes// ("A legacy of worship passed down from the first believers. Now all the mystery and majesty of the Spirit-led vision has been re-voiced in The Odes Project.") After reading the odes, be sure to listen to the beautiful adaptations for singing in today's churches. Notice that all of the feminine imagery for God has been left out. So not quite "all the mystery and majesty...", but still remarkable!

http://gnosis.org/welcome.html ("The Gnosis Archive, a vast collection of primary texts and resources relating to Gnosticism and the Gnostic Tradition, both ancient and modern.") There you will find excerpts from the popular book which introduced me to this subject: The Gnostic Gospels by Elaine Pagels (http://www.gnosis.org/naghamm/Pagels-Gnostic-Gospels.html)

--Jack Lohr