And I Believe...

I am smack in the middle of a two-week intensive course right now on Presbyterian Creeds. Four hours a day, five days a week, for two weeks. Old documents. A lot of theological words. I know what you are thinking--that sounds like torture! But, I've been very pleasantly surprised (okay, downright shocked) to find out that this class has been amazing, and fascinating! One of the things I have appreciated most has been the opportunity to actually dive into and read the Presbyterian Book of Confessions, which I have to vow someday to agree to be led and guided by as a pastor. Reading through them, really looking at them has been SO encouraging and affirming that I really AM Presbyterian! I knew that, of course, but looking at the way that our forefathers have articulated the way we understand and talk about God has been awesome. Two week intensives are a little stressful, that's pretty much all I get to think about and do right now, but I am just thankful this class has been such a great experience.

One of the things I've thought was the greatest so far is something our professor found and shared with us. A CS Lewis scholar, Paul Ford, who loves The Chronicles of Narnia, has re-written The Apostles Creed in Narnian "language." He probably did it just for fun at one point but we were talking about how you really could use this with kids, or others who are familiar with Narnia to help teach the concepts of the Apostles Creed, a statement that articulates the faith of the universal Christian church. I kind of fell in love with it (seeing as how I'm kind of crazy about Narnia, Chuck and I have made it through 3 books and are now reading The Voyage of the Dawn Treader, my personal favorite). So, I thought I'd share it with all of you. Here you have it, The Apostles Creed in Narnian Terms by Paul Ford:

I believe in the Emperor-beyond-the-Sea who has put within time the Deep Magic, and, before all time, the Deeper Magic.

I believe in his Son Aslan who sang into being all the worlds and all that they contain: Talking Beasts and humans, dumb animals and shining spirits. And I believe that Aslan was a true beast, the king of beasts, a Lion; that for Edmund, a traitor because of his desire for Turkish Delight, he gave himself into the power of the White Witch, who satisfied the requirements of the Deep Magic by killing him most horribly. At the dawn following that darkest, coldest night, he was restored to full life by the Deeper Magic, cracking the Stone Table and, from that moment, setting death to work backwards. He exulted in his new life and went off to rescue all those who had been turned into stone by the Witch’s wand and to deliver the whole land from everlasting winter. He will be behind all the stories of our lives; and, when it is time, he will appear again in our world to wind it up, calling all of his creatures whose hearts’ desire it is to live “farther in and farther up” in his country which contains all real countries.

I believe that upon us all falls the breath of Aslan and that ours are the sweet waters of the Last Sea which enable us to look steadily at the sun. I believe that all who have thrilled or will thrill at the sound of Aslan’s name are now our fellow voyagers and our fellow kings and queens; that all of us can be forever free of our dragonish thoughts and actions; and that one day we will pass through the door of death into “Chapter One of the Great Story, which no one on earth has read; which goes on for ever; in which every chapter is better than the one before.”

I'll write more later, more reflecting on experiences I have had in this class and more updates on the rest of life, but I have to get up early and read The Heidelberg Catechism so I should get some sleep :).