Disorientation

In his book "The Psalms and the Life of Faith" Old Testament scholar Walter Brueggemann employs Paul Ricoeur's study and understanding of the use of language in the life of faith. Brueggemann reports Ricoeur describing "life as movement, dialectic but not regular or patterned, of disorientation and reorientation."

In our worship gatherings for the last two weeks we having been engaging the Psalms as a means of developing a fully-orb vocabulary of faith. Brueggemann then broadly categorizes psalms in one of three possible locations: psalms of orientation, disorientation, and reorientation. The first week we interacted with Psalm 145 as a psalm of orientation. This last Sunday we warily approached Psalm 88 as a psalm of disorientation. It was a powerful and moving experience for me, and based on my observations, for many others as well. My premise has been that as Americans consumed with success and the realization and actualization of our selves in our circumstances, we have no way to engage God and/or the life of faith when such things are frustrated. We don't know how to faithfully complain, lament, etc. This pattern of engagement is missing from our worship lexicon. Not so in the psalms.

Today Eric Hurst IMd me this link with the message: "So I read this Monday morning. I wish you had it for Sunday's teaching." The artist is Chris Harding, a local KC artist apparently. I think it describes the dilemma most of us feel but that hopefully we are undercutting as we build our worship vocabulary to include the same kinds of sentiments and realities present in Psalm 88.

Give a listen here.

Comments

[Cody]

Tim, The piece of art really resonates with me. I know I have struggled with complaining and feeling like I am being less than faithful for doing so. Whats even more difficult is when you have religious leaders giving you three step, rhyming perscriptions for every struggle you have. Thanks for the post...