One month later

It really has been a full month since I last blogged. Some interesting events have occurred: The Liberals won three of four by-elections in seats they have held since the last federal election. Speculation is still rife as to what this means for Stéphan Dion's leadership or the likelihood of general election in the near future. SOme pundits have begun to predict once again that there will and there won't be. The US primary schedule has moved on without conclusive results for either Obama or Clinton. The former has more of everything, including momentum. Today he made an important speech about racism and the need for Americans to put old stereotypes behind them. Most significantly, however, the US economy is in a 'fear of disaster' state as the fifth largest investment bank has failed and been bought by a larger, richer competitor for a minor fraction of its worth just fifteen months ago. Its stock value fell from $170 in January 2007 to $2 last weekend. The final tumble was from $30 last Friday at the close of the market to $2 paid for it. Now the pundits are likening the situation to the pre-Depression era of September 1929 and President Bush is being compared to President Hoover of the same period.

Personally, Helen has been dealing with what might best be described as uncomfortable health issues. Helen has been diagnosed with DeQuervain's tenosynovitis,a painful inflammation of the sheaths of the tendons used to manipulated the thumb of the left hand. She will be taking physiotherapy for the next ten weeks or more and has already spent over $100 on supports which do not really give her much comfort.

On March 3rd I had my consultation with Dr. Kirby, the sleep specialist, persuant to the sleep apnea test I had last November. I have a moderate form of the syndrome and am now using CPAP equipment which pumps a steady flow of air into my nostrils to keep my throat muscles from closing and causing me to snore. So far, I have been able to tolerate the machine operating for close to eight hours on average. I do not sleep all that time, having to get up to the bathroom twice as usual. Best of all, perhaps, the sound of the machine is not a bother to Helen, as was both my snoring and stopping breathing while asleep due to the apnea. I do still have quite lurid dreams, nonetheless, some of which are quite entertaining, as last night's for instance.

The Bible Study group I have been leading at Glen Abbey Church has been having a very interesting time with the Passion story in John's Gospel. For my own enrichment and to add content to the discussions, I have been reading Raymond E. Brown's classic on the subject. He is exhaustive in his treatment of the wide variety of interpretations and exegesis published in several languages during the 20th century. His own conclusions are also quite succinct. For instance, he says that John presents Jesus at his trial before Pilate as the king and judge before whom his accusers among the Jewish authorities and Pilate himself are themselves on trial. In the end, Jesus was executed for political sedition, but in going to his death he exemplified his own power and glory as the Christ and Son of God, so fulfilling the purposes of God for his mission.

Another of Brown's conclusion stands out in my mind. The empty tomb was not an interesting detail about the victory over death, but essential to understanding a major aspect of Johannine theology: what God creates is not destroyed but re-created and transformed. The intersection of history and theology in John's narrative fits a theology of resurrection and ascension with no time and space into a narrative that is necessarily sequential. This presentation of the Passion story increases my faith
mainly because it removes the issue of historicity into a larger context of truth.
I am beginning to think of a further blog on why I believe in the resurrection.