Grace Lutheran Church: March 2014

Nebraska District President Russ Sommerfeld sent the following notice from Synod that might be of interest to you.

That question is at the heart of the Journal of Lutheran Mission, a new e-publication available for your use from the Synod’s Offices of National and International Mission.

The scholarly journal, published digitally, exists to encourage discussion between you and your congregation, your fellow pastors, colleagues and social media friends on the interwoven nature of mission and Church.

Why take the time to read this journal? “The journal matters because mission matters,” said the Rev. Bart Day, executive director of the Office of National Mission. “Christ has given all things to the Church, and the Church shares those gifts with the world.”

In addition, “The desire of the Journal of Lutheran Mission is to move beyond words (a missiology of rhetoric) to reflect the work of Christ through His Church globally,” the Rev. Randy Golter, executive director of the Office of National Mission, explained. “His words are performative, and so the mission exists, is ongoing and is accomplishing His purpose. In this lies the confidence of Lutheran mission and every Lutheran missionary.”

The journal’s list of contributing editors is extensive, including faculty from both seminaries; clergy from Germany to Madagascar, Ethiopia to Siberia; Synod staff as well as two district presidents. Day and Golter serve as executive editors.

The debut issue of the journal features papers from the Synod’s Summit on Lutheran Mission, held in San Antonio, Texas, in November 2013. A first-of-its-kind event, the conference served as a venue to discuss the question, “What is our Lutheran identity when it comes to mission?”

Published three times a year, the journal can be downloaded in a variety of formats at www.lcms.org/journaloflutheranmission. Individual articles from the journal are also available so that you can share them – and continue the conversation – through social media.

“It is our desire to follow the tradition of mission that led to the founding of the Missouri Synod, to highlight and expound good examples of Lutheran missiology and to raise the height and breadth of discussion on mission so that every member of the Missouri Synod prays for the mission of the church, engages in it him/herself and supports it each according to their vocation,” LCMS President Matthew C. Harrison explained.

We hope you’ll join in the discussion. Download the journal, share it with your friends and email your thoughts to the editors at journaloflutheranmission@lcms.org.

A new “biblically based” movie is scheduled for release March 28: “Noah” starring Russell Crowe as Noah. When such religious movies come out people often ask me about them. Viewing the trailer and promotional videos for the movie peaked my interest, for it looks very interesting. As I write this the movie has not been released, so I have not seen the movie. However, the reviews leading up to this movie have been mixed. Even the Pope has gotten in on the action, refusing to have an audience with Russell Crowe who plays Noah. Muslims, who share a version of the story of Noah have banned Muslims from seeing the movie, because it depicts the “prophet Noah.” Before reading on, and especially before going to this movie, please read the Biblical account of Noah in Genesis chapters 6-9.

The Filmmaker

The movie is directed by Darren Aronofsy [known for Requiem for a Dream (2000), Pi (1998), The Fountain (2006), and Black Swan (2010)]. I find it interesting that he was chosen or chose to do such a movie for he has described himself as an atheist. In one interview he said, “...I'm Godless. And so I've had to make my God, and my God is narrative filmmaking…” In another interview on his movie The Fountain he said: “I think the themes of The Fountain, about this endless cycle of energy and matter, tracing back to the Big Bang... The Big Bang happened, and all this star matter turned into stars, and stars turned into planets, and planets turned into life. We’re all just borrowing this matter and energy for a little bit, while we’re here, until it goes back into everything else, and that connects us all. The cynics out there laugh at this crap, but it’s true. [Laughs] The messed up thing is how distracted we are and disconnected from that connection, and the result of it is what we’re doing to this planet and to ourselves. We’re just completely killing each other and killing the planet, and it’s a state of emergency right now, I think. All of my charity work has always been about the environment. There are 15,000 species on the endangered species list.” These two quotes ought to give the Christian who believes in “God the Father almighty, maker of heaven and earth” pause. Can one who denies the faith, direct a faithful rendition of the Biblical account?

The Controversy

The United Kingdom newspaper The Telegraph ran an article on the movie with the headline: “Noah Epic Awash in Flood of Controversy for Green Agenda and Taking Liberties with Bible.” That headline points out the two major criticisms of the movie (1) the Green (environmentalist) depiction of the story, and (2) the liberties it takes with the story. Let’s look a little deeper at each of these in reverse order.

First, the liberties taken. In a movie a movie that takes over two hours and covers a mere 3 chapters in the Bible, liberties have to be taken. The three chapters can’t and don’t tell the whole story. In fact, when you examine the three chapters of the Genesis account there are only two who speak -- God and Moses (who narrates the account as the writer of Genesis). Noah, his wife, his son’s, his daughter’s in law, and the people do not say a word. Therefore any words in the movie other than God or a narrator have to be made up. You couldn’t produce a movie without having Noah and his family speak. Therefore, know in advance that whatever words are spoken in the movie (other than God’s, if Aronofsky uses the Bible’s words) are made up by Aronofsky himself (who is not a Christian). The viewer should be warned. From what I have read in the media, there is much in the movie that will cause you to scratch your head, wondering “where did that come from?” In an effort to smooth over early Christian reviewers concerns, Paramont Pictures agreed to add the following to all publicity of the movie:

"The film is inspired by the story of Noah.

While artistic license has been taken, we believe that this film is true to the essence, values, and integrity of a story that is a cornerstone of faith for millions of people worldwide.

The biblical story of Noah can be found in the book of Genesis."

Second, let us examine the movie’s environmental agenda. In one movie trailer online, there is a discussion of Noah in his tent telling his family about the upcoming flood (such a conversation is not recorded in the Bible). The conversation goes like this:

Noah: “Our family has been chosen for a great task - to save the innocent.”

Noah’s older son: “The innocent?”

Noah: “The animals.”

Noah’s older son: “Why are they innocent?”

Noah’s younger son: “Because they still live as they did in the Garden.”

Noah: “Yes. We will need to save enough of them to start again.”

Noah’s older son: “But what of us?”

Noah: “I guess we get to start again too. A new and better world. But first, we have to build.”

Here you can clearly see both liberties taken and the environmentalism of the Aronofsky. According to Aronofsky the chief reason for building the ark was to save the innocent animals. The animals are seen as higher than man. In the Bible, God’s chief concern is man. God created man in His image. Man fell in sin. Mankind became increasingly wicked. God sought to destroy mankind and start over with Noah and his family. The Bible clearly states the reason for the flood, “The LORD saw that the wickedness of man was great in the earth, and that every intention of the thoughts of his heart was only evil continually. 6 And the LORD regretted that he had made man on the earth, and it grieved him to his heart. 7 So the LORD said, “I will blot out man whom I have created from the face of the land, man and animals and creeping things and birds of the heavens, for I am sorry that I have made them.” (Genesis 6:5–7)

The reason God saved Noah is then stated in the next verses, “But Noah found favor in the eyes of the LORD. 9 … Noah was a righteous man, blameless in his generation. Noah walked with God.” (Genesis 6:8-9) The writer the Hebrews explains this further saying, “By faith Noah, being warned by God concerning events as yet unseen, in reverent fear constructed an ark for the saving of his household. By this he condemned the world and became an heir of the righteousness that comes by faith.” (Hebrews 11:7) Noah was not perfect (which the movie will portray, read Genesis 9:18ff). He was a sinner just like all the rest of us. Where Noah was different is he believed in God, he had faith. By faith -- trust in God -- Noah was accounted righteous and blameless, just as all who believe in Jesus Christ today. That faith is seen in Noah’s actions in the book of Genesis. While Noah never speaks in the Genesis account, we learn much from him. He walked with God in faith, just as Adam and Eve (Genesis 3:8) and Enoch (Genesis 5:22, 24). Noah feared and loved God. Noah’s faith was seen in his actions. At the end of chapter 6 where God gives Noah the instructions, we are told, “Noah did this; he did all that God commanded him.” (Genesis 6:22). In Genesis 7:5 we are told, “And Noah did all that the LORD had commanded him.” (as well as 7:9) The first thing that Noah does when he exits the ark is to build an an altar and offer a sacrifice to God in thanksgiving (as Abel in Genesis 4). Noah follows God’s commands. Noah walks with God. Noah has faith, unlike all the rest of mankind. It was God’s intent to save righteous Noah and his household (Hebrews 11:7) as He condemned the rest of mankind in the Flood.

Why the animals on the ark? The animals were saved for the sake of Noah, his family, and the future of mankind. Man was the final crown of God’s creation originally made in the image of God. It wasn’t until God created man that He said “very good.” (Genesis 1:31) Man was made to rule the animal and care for them (Genesis 1:28). Some reports suggest that in the movie Noah thinks of eliminating mankind, so that the peaceful innocent animals can live together.

Reaction

So, would I encourage you to see “Noah”? I would not encourage children seeing the movie. There is just too much that can be misunderstood. If you do take your children, much teaching needs to take place before and after the movie. If you decide to see the movie and have questions, please feel free to ask me. I love answering questions.

The account of Noah is much more than what people usually think - Noah saving the nice animals. Rather the account is of God’s judgment and grace.

This movie can be a teaching point for much discussion that you might have with those who you would see it with (especially if you were with a non-Christian). God’s judgment plays a major role in the Biblical account of Noah. God’s judgment is a theme that does not get much attention today. God has and will punish evil (because of man’s wickedness He destroyed all mankind with the flood). God will stand as judge at the end of time. Those who do not believe in Him will go to hell. The account of Noah is not just a made up story, it actually happened.

The account of Noah is also an account about grace. Like Noah, each of us also are sinful and deserving of God’s judgment. But, God has told us that those who trust in Him and His grace will be forgiven. When God, in grace, gave Noah a way through the flood, Noah trusted God. God Himself tells us that in Hebrews 11:7, “By faith Noah, being warned by God concerning events as yet unseen, in reverent fear constructed an ark for the saving of his household. By this he condemned the world and became an heir of the righteousness that comes by faith.” God’s grace extended to Noah and Noah’s faith in that grace, brought Noah into the ark. The same waters that destroyed the world, saved believing Noah with the ark of God’s grace.

Martin Luther saw the wonderful parallel of Noah and Baptism. He wrote a prayer (often called the “Flood Prayer”) that we still use in our Baptisms today that bring out this association. It goes like this:

Almighty and eternal God, according to Your strict judgment You condemned the unbelieving world through the flood, yet according to Your great mercy You preserved believing Noah and his family, eight souls in all….We pray that You would behold name(s) according to Your boundless mercy and bless him/her/them with true faith by the Holy Spirit, that through this saving flood all sin in him/her/them, which has been inherited from Adam and which he himself/she herself/they themselves has/have committed since, would be drowned and die. Grant that he/she/they be kept safe and secure in the holy ark of the Christian Church, being separated from the multitude of unbelievers…” (Lutheran Service Book, pages 268-269)

One article I read had the following advice

Compare everything you read, hear, or see with the Word of God. Be like the Jews in Berea who were praised by Luke for comparing Paul’s teachings to Scripture on a daily basis (Acts 17:11).

For the truth about Noah, read the following passages of the Bible:

The historical account of the Noah, the Ark, and the Flood: Genesis 5:28–9:29

Other details about Noah’s character: Ezekiel 14:14, 20; Hebrews 11:7

Other details about the time in which he lived: Matthew 24:37–38; Luke 17:26–27; 2 Peter 2:5

I hope this gives you some fact about the movie to make an informed decision on whether to see it and helps prepare you if you do decide to see Noah. To find out more about the movie Noah you can check out the following links:

http://www.christianitytoday.com/edstetzer/2014/march/noah-application-for-christians-and-hollywood.html

http://www.glennbeck.com/2014/02/14/was-noah-the-worlds-first-environmentalist-a-new-big-screen-adaptation-wants-you-to-think-so/

http://godawa.com/movieblog/darren-aronofskys-noah-environmentalist-wacko/