Theology, Comedy, and Reality

Theology:

I took a class a couple of years back titled The Scandal Of the Cross that had two parts.  The first part of the class was focused on different theologies of the atonement (what happens at the cross and how they impact the practice of ministry) and the second part was about the Biblical practice of Lament.  During the class I was drawn to the atonement theology part (because I am a nerd) of it and had very little interest in the lament portion of the program (because I am Dutch).  Strange how things change.  In recent months I don't think I have thought about atonement theology once, but I am recalling a great deal about lament.  When you boil it all down lament is truth telling - naming feelings and saying it like it is.

One of the ways you can break down the Psalms is into the categories of orientation, disorientation and reorientation.  Laments often take the form of disorientation.  However, the Psalms are not the only place we see laments in scripture. They are also found in Jeremiah (weeping prophet), Lamentations, Job, other prophets, and even in Paul's writings.

I believe that modern day monk Richard Rohr is right when he states "all religion is pain management" and "if you are not transforming your pain you are transmitting it."

In other words we NEED to lament.

One really interesting thing I remember is that in the Book of Lamentations God never speaks.  God is silent.  We expect God to speak in the Bible – it's His book - but as His people cry out in pain He is wordless.  In our world we all expect, in fact we feel entitled, to express our voice, but God stays silent in lament.  God gives space for our pain, disorientation, grief, etc.  In a space where we get defensive and aggressive, God does not.  God honors our pain in His silence.  If God relinquishes His voice and gives space to ours in the middle of His story – then Lament must be important.

So we must name names. We must call a thing what it is.  Lament uses the often abrasive language of frustration and crying out as well as silence, grunts, and the weird utterances of being that show up in the space of not knowing what to say.  No matter how we express our lament we all know, like the psalmist, that God can take it.  God can handle the truth.

Comedy:

This week Stacey and I discovered a great example of lament on the radio.  It was a lament delivered by comedian Tig Notaro.  We heard her on NPR talking about this stand-up she did days after being diagnosed with breast cancer and a number of other tragedies in her life. After hearing the interview (and the one with Louis CK who talks about her performance) I downloaded the entire stand-up act (available for $5 at https://buy.louisck.net - worth every cent).  Her 30 minute set is one of the most real things I have ever heard.  It is in fact/effect a sermon on lament.  Tig handles many aspects of cancer in a funny, but honest way that causes the crowd to beg her not to switch to lighter material - which speaks to our cultures need for truth telling, the very thing at the heart of lament. Tig tells the truth.

The radio interviews can be heard at:
http://www.npr.org/2012/10/08/162514763/standup-comic-tig-notaro

http://www.npr.org/2012/10/08/162514765/louis-c-k

Reality:

I don’t like to share my emotions...in fact I'm beginning to wonder how in touch I am with anything I feel.  I'm a  Dutch stoic, who is reserved and reluctant to share anything too deep.  It has become clear to me in the past couple weeks that I'm having a hard time keeping the car that is me, between the lines on the road that is my life.  While this blog is about Stacey's journey through cancer, let me assure you the things I am lamenting are far beyond that single topic.  It seems that seemingly every area of my life right now is uncertain and challenging.  I have been lamenting a good deal of the time.  I feel angry, lost, tired, overwhelmed, helpless, sad, and blessed often in the span of 30 seconds.  That is the reality

Joel K