A Personal Relationship with the Lord that Reeks

The expression "a personal relationship with the Lord" is often well meant by Christians. By that we want to point to the fact that our relationship with God is something personal that demands your heart. To be a Christian is not a philosophy or a code of conduct. No, to be a Christian means that the core of your being is seized upon and that there is a wonderful, intimate and real relationship between you and God. That is kindergarten categesis, you would think. As long as our children catch this, as long as this is engraved onto their hearts, everything is okay. Catechesis with all its dogma and doctrines can so easily only hinder this process. Personal relationship, personal relationship, personal relationship - that's all that matters. Thus saith postmodern categesis, Postmodern Cats 101, 201 and 301.

But don't the Heidelberg Cats (Heidelberg Categism) have an answer to this? They do, but apparently people won't listen any more. Perhaps we the reformed are to blame for that. Often we serve up the HC in such rationalistic dry colours and are as abstract and existentially poor as possible - nearly an unforgivable sin if you take into account the lively commentaries on the Cats available today. However, it is said that reformed theologian  Abraham Kuyper could hold children spellbound on the tip of their chairs when he catechized them. The fishermen of his congregation even took his commentary on the HC, E Voto Dordraceno, with them to sea during the week.

I want to expose myself with a statement. If you don't make an effort to portray the truth of the H-Cats with passion and colour, or at least within a context of love, warmth and security - and here I am ready to hang for this- rather leave it alone. Rather let an Arminian who believes the Bible lead the little ones with fire to the throne of grace than let them become part of the frozen chosen.

When Our Ears are Opened

This picture is well known, the story is not. It is the painting that was later used as the logo for the notorious company His Master's Voice. It was painted by Francis Barraud who painted his dog Nipper listening to a gramophone. In the original painting the dog was actually listening to a phonograph cylinder while seated on a coffin. The suggestion was that his master was inside. Barraud adopted Nipper when his brother died. He was fascinated when one day he saw how attentively Nipper was listening to the phonograph when he recognized the voice of his deceased master. Barraud painted the picture and later sold the copyright to Gramophone Company. It grew to one of the most successful logos in history and the brand name today is shared by various companies worldwide.

His Master's Voice's painting speaks to your heart. But long before, this image was already used by theologians to describe the relationship of Christians with their Lord. Calvin had already said:

"A dog barks when his master is attacked. I would be coward if I saw that God's truth is attacked and yet remained silent." (Inst. 4.16.21). Kohlbrugge also used the picture of a master and his dog surprisingly effective. In his commentary on the Heidelberg Catechism he gives this pithy explanation:

Question: What is the most thankful creature that God created?

Answer: The dog.

Question: How then will your thankfulness be manifested?

Answer: Therein, that I shall dwell with grace as a dog dwells with his master and always strive again towards this grace ... the dog crawls especially to his master when he gets chastised.

With this in mind, Karl Bark, I mean Barth, had once ammended the above by pointing out that the dog in Calvin not only humbly crawls to his master, but also should jump up, bark and bite when his master calls and commands.

The painting of Barraud reminds us that true interpretation begins when your Master is truly heard. That was exactly why the Protestants could celebrate the Reformation. it was a time when God's truth was heard once again - loud and clear.

A Framework for Song of Songs

Various hermeneutical frameworks for Song of Songs have been proposed: allegorical, typological, literal (drama - with either two or three main characters, depending if Solomon and the shepherd are seen as two persons or not, or love poetry) and even political. This post chooses for a literary-typological method that is implicitly theological in its basic approach. In some circles this is called a biblical theological approach within the reformed tradition. It is an intertextual approach that takes the canon of the scriptures seriously in their literary as well as historical meaning. The basic outline of this hermeneutic is worth some consideration.