Action

So the weekend was interesting, we were blessed with a visit from my brother in laws, sister in law and my new nephew. It was a challenging weekend in one respect, though. Changing Baby Sleep patterns........my heart ached for the intreped new parents as they very sweetly navigated the harrowing sleep deprived nights of baby- little Will in a new place.As sleep deprived as I was, I probably looked worse for the wear than they did, being a sleep whimp, seeing that my card carrying status of newborn sleep warrior had been revoked about two years ago. I now have massive problems making it through Mystery! on Sunday nights. But, I digress.

This all affected Church on a very different level than I had expected. When I arrived in Church, I remembered that it was Trinity Sunday and I knew the sermon would be based on very dense Athanasian Theology sprinkled with a dab of Augustine, with a garnish of Patrick's Shamrock (like Porterhouse, Mashed Potatoes, Cheesecake, with a milkshake- good while going down, but rough on the system- albeit theological- 15 minutes later). My mind was already racing when my Priest climbed into the pulpit, I braced for the theological valium and was in fear for my lucidity. But, I was so surprised and awakened by what my Priest said that I was moved to think about the Trinity and God's trinitarian nature.

So, here goes some electronic valium from me to you-To contemplate the Trinity I am finding that I must get away from the idea of three seperate beings. In many protestant traditions, including the Methodism of my youth, you hear "sweet Jesus" and "my lord Jesus" not a lot of God the Father mentioned. In more Pentacostal groups I hear a lot about the Holy Spirit moving through them- but not alot of the God the Father. With Pentacostals this makes perfect sense, their "denomination" takes it's founding theology from the book of Acts which is very heavy on the Holy Spirit. these are very wonderful views of God and valid. But, I wonder if when we identify, through either theology or tradition, with a certain Trinitarian incarnation of God we, I think, are putiing God into a mighty "small box" as Presiding Bishop Katharine Jefferts Shori called it.When I say that we are putiing God into a box we are limiting God's capabilities, or at least not recognizing them.

The Trinity that demands that we attempt to take in all of the aspects and grandness of God and God's omnipetience is a concept of action not of being. The deed or "factum" basis for understanding the Trinity is one of recognizing the actions of God- the things that touch us and our being to the core. These actions bring the cold theology of being into the action of creation, turning water into wine, the raising of the dead, the feeding of the multitude, the reedemption and sacrifice, and hopefully the eradication of poverty in our lifetimes. When we speak of God the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit; are we not speaking of God the Creator, the Son as the Advocate, Mediator and Redeemer, and the Holy Spirit as Speaker and Mover? So how does this explanation that sounds like a corporate mystical job description define our triune God? If we take all of the water in the Universe and try to water down the Trinity (and Im sure no amount would do it, but indulge me) we can see the difference.

We have all heard the adage "that is what I do, not who I am". When one examines the Triune God through the lense of "factum" we can see how when one is at work he or she is a teacher, soldier, doctor etc., but they still maintain a reality that is seperate from what they do. I was once in the Coast Guard, so at one time I was a rescuer, I am also a father, and at the same time I am a teacher, but I am and always will be "me". If we take this very pale analogy and apply it to the Trinity, we can see the Father and the Acts of Creation, and the Acts of Judgement, We see Christ and we see the God through the action of incarnation into the flesh and the action of redeeming the world, we can see, or more accurately feel, the Holy Spirit teach move and speaking to us. When we accept God' s role as an active part in our lives, not just a thing on the perifiery that gives laws and judges us at the end, we can act and work for the creation of God's Heaven on Earth. We can understand that our God is a god of Action and as his people we are a people of action. If the easier and literal definition of God from the Gospel of John is "God is Love", let's put the love of God into Action and get to work.