WWMI...Prayer and the Logic of Love (3)

Today we get deep into the weeds about God's 'all-knowingness' - what is the 'all' that God knows and what type of future does God know? What are the consequences for prayer? Again, we apply the 'logic of love' to our understanding of these questions and explore how this relates to our grasp of what is certain and what is possible.

Looking at examples of the lived experience of the rest and wrestling of faith, this talk explores attitudes towards both experiences and how they can hold together in the paradoxical dance that is faith.

We have been using the phrase, 'The Logic of Love' to describe God's actions in the world and the role of prayer to bring about his will. Love 'pre-conditions' God's power and knowledge. Love is the only form of God's power. If love is first in God's nature, then his will and actions in the world will allow and consent to creaturely freedom. God is subject to the variables and 'say-so's' in a creation made in love and by love. How then does God work and why is the variable of prayer so important?

Why do we pray? How does God intervene in our lives and world? If we want to have confidence in prayer and in a God who works in the world, we need to address these questions. To gain a glimpse into the possibilities that exist in prayer, we introduce here two concepts that will define our response: the nature of God and the type of world that we live in. In the disenchanted culture of our predominantly scientific, secular and sceptical Western world, how can the Logic of Love help us navigate challenging questions?

This sermon focuses its attention on the paradox of us being wise by being fools. Taking texts from 1 Corinthians 1,2 and 3, it reflects on the questionable wisdom of the Corinthian church in following different leaders, notes the contrasts between God's wisdom in Christ and human wisdom through the Word, Christ who became a "Fool" and gives examples of Holy fools and the role of fools in royal courts as helpful aids.

The Christian life is truth in paradox - a faith which can seem nonsensical and confusing, but at the same time one which reveals deep spiritual truths. We will explore some common cultural examples of paradox and then consider one given to us by Jesus - "Whoever wants to become great among you must be your servant, and whoever wants to be first must be your slave", taken from Matthew's gospel chapters 19, 20.

Jesus' testing and temptation in the wilderness represent an assault on his identity and calling. By placing this event at the start of Jesus' career and after his baptism, Matthew anticipates the battle and combat with evil forces and voices that will define Jesus' mission. This event is rich in Old Testament allusions and meaning - what does it say about Jesus' identity and his relationship with his Father and what echoes are there for us to learn from?

Ruth chapter 4 is a complicated end to a complicated book. This finale answers some questions and raises some more. We are introduced to new characters and more names, this only heightens the sense of where the drama is heading. What more can we learn about family, kinship, love and loyalty from this story and how do these themes resonate beyond this ancient setting?

This week we delve into the world of Cancel Culture. What is the Christian response to this cultural phenomenon? it is a complex and unnerving topic, where we might find ourselves on either side of an experience of being cancelled or doing the cancelling.