Thinking About... Volume 1, Issue 3 - October 2010
The teaching faculty of Ministry, Theology, and Culture at Tabor Adelaide are committed to serving the church by thinking about the gospel. We believe that individuals and the church can be transformed by the renewing of our/ their minds. Too often college lecturers are characterized as “living in an ivory tower” and “being too theoretical.” This stereotype doesn’t apply at Tabor; we are part of the church, and we want to see it grow in faithfulness to Jesus. This is why we have committed ourselves to producing this themed magazine for free distribution to the churches of South Australia. We trust you will find this edition helpful. We will value your feedback and your contributions; please email me at sspence@adelaide.tabor.edu.au.
Rev Dr Stephen Spence Head of Ministry, Theology, and Culture
Thinking About... Lament
I
I
remember vividly my first encounter with
deep,
debilitating
grief.
I
had been called to Bonnie’s home less than 1 month after becoming a pastor. Her 21 year old son had committed suicide, leaving her, his partner and their young daughter, and his 6 brothers and sisters lost in a world of pain and anger. Bonnie was sitting on the side of her bed, rocking slowly back and forward in some
n situations of grief, only those schooled in pastoral care by “The
Friends of Job” will deny the right of the individual access to a God who “weeps with those who weep” (Rms 10; see John 11). However, too often it seems that the church when it comes together to worship will not weep with those who weep. We are too busy with our up-tempo praise songs to get caught up in the emotional downer that is grief. Our actions suggest that grief is a personal emotion: only joy
vain attempt to find comfort, her
(and its like) is the corporate emotion.
hand unconsciously rubbing furiously
he heroes of Scripture knew that
at her leg. She wanted to cry out to
why can’t our churches?
T
he subjects that we teach here at Tabor Adelaide attempt to bring
the student into dialogue with the Christian faith and with the reality of daily life. We can’t avoid the reality of grief and lament. Neither can you. Thinking About Lament with... David McGregor; Aaron Chalmers; David Turnbull; Stephen Spence; Graham Buxton; Bruce Hulme; Matthew Gray; and Lesley Houston.
T
lament was a legitimate expression
God, but she didn’t have words. Nor,
of faith; why don’t our churches? The
it seemed, did she have permission
Psalms express corporate lament;
to express her pain. Her piety had always restricted her to speaking words of praise, of thanksgiving, of joy towards God; not words of lament.
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