Author: Halldór Guðmundsson

Vision and Mission for Þjóðkirkjan

The Icelandic Church went through an interesting process, creating a vision and mission document for the years 2004-2010. It was both interesting to see who participated in the creation of this overall document and who did not.

I have not spent a lot of time in Iceland since this document was formed and I wonder about its impact, but in 2010 it will be re-assessed and hopefully in an honest way.

Website in Icelandic about the Document.

The official document.

Reactive or Proactive

When addressing leadership model, I have to come to the issue of reactive vs. proactive again and again. It is especially important when it comes to the question of the Icelandic Church and how it is going to respond to the question of separation of church and state.

Does that call for a reaction, trying to slow the pace of the discussion, or are we going to be proactive and take over the discussion.

Reminder: Modern Western Concept we take for granted

The separation of religions and religious ideologies on one hand and secular thoughts and ideologies on the other is a modern western concept and completely meaningless to most people that have lived on this Earth. One could even claim that it is meaningless for many Constantine Christians still living in the Empire of Christian thought in the western world.

Jesus through Muslim eyes

I was in the beginning, and in the beginning was Poverty.
I died that bread may be eaten in my name; that they plant me in season.
How many lives will I live! For in every furrow of earth
I have become a future, I have become a seed.
I have become a race of men, in every human heart
A drop of my blood, or a little drop.
After they nailed me and I cast my eyes towards the city
I hardly recognised the plain, the wall, the cemetery;
As far as the eye could see, it was something
Like a forest in bloom. Wherever the vision could reach,
there was a cross, a grieving mother
The Lord be sanctified! This is the city about to give birth.

via BBC – Religion & Ethics – Jesus through Muslim eyes.

Alternative Community

It is interesting to think about alternative communities. One could claim that an interesting social experiment took place in Iceland from 930-1262, a community without a king. In 1Sam 8.9 and 8.17-18, we see another vision of community without a king.
Are the thoughts in 1Sam 8 relevant when we think about the situation in Israel today, “the slavery” and walls.

David and the evil nature of Power

For a very long time I have had a memo on various notebooks that it would be interesting to look to the story of David in light of and Icelandic saying: “Vald spillir, algjört vald gjörspillir”, or absolute power leads to absolute corruption. It is something about a young and beautiful boy playing a harp, turning into a monster that is interestingly exciting.

However, I have been attending Bible Study at Redeemer Lutheran, were the teacher, a former professor in OT, seems to think that perhaps David always was a spoiled brat. He uses the phrase “a teflon politician”. You can throw anything at him, nothing sticks.

I wonder whether that is more helpful, than my thoughts of the good and innocent turning bad, probably.