Vicar's View

May 2008

My Dad and I recently went to an Athletes in Action Luncheon featuring Green Bay Packers Pro-Bowler and former Hawkeye great Aaron Kampman. I did a feature story on Aaron when I was at KCRG. I know him to be an intelligent person, a loving father, and a man of great faith. He gave a few remarks about faith that I feel compelled to share with you.

So many athletes today believe in something called the "Theology of Glory." The theory goes like this: If I pray hard enough for something, and I work hard enough at it, and I’m a good enough person, God will reward me either with money or fame, or in many athletes case, more victories. The catch is…if there are athletes on both teams praying to God to help them beat the other team, who does God "choose" to give the victory? More importantly, what criteria does God base it on - who He likes more? That’s ridiculous. God loves us all equally and unconditionally.

No, I heard something different from Aaron. Although he’s not Lutheran, he expressed his faith with a very Lutheran concept. It’s something we call the "Theology of the Cross." It says sometimes bad things happen in life just happen, not necessarily that God causes them. It rains on both the righteous and the wicked. But through it all – good times and bad – God is always faithful. So much so, that he sent his son, Jesus Christ, to die on the cross for our sins. As a result of Christ’s loving act of suffering on the cross for us, God can truly say I understand your pain. I’ve suffered it as well. I’m suffering and weeping alongside of you when tragedy strikes. And I am there with you as well to rejoice in your victories. As Aaron said, "it’s a small teak in our thinking that takes the burden off of us, and makes us more dependent on a trustworthy God" through good times and bad. May the Lord be with you this day!

Vicar Craig