Above: John Calvin
Image Source = Library of Congress
(http://www.loc.gov/pictures/item/2003663995/)
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Blessed Lord, who caused all holy scriptures to be written for our learning:
Grant us so to hear them, read, mark, learn, and inwardly digest them,
that we may embrace and ever hold fast the blessed hope of everlasting life,
which you have given us in our Savior Jesus Christ;
who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit,
one God, for ever and ever. Amen.
–The Book of Common Prayer (1979), page 236
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The Assigned Readings:
Zechariah 10:1-11:3 (January 31)
Zechariah 11:4-17 (February 1)
Psalm 116 (Morning–January 31)
Psalm 85 (Morning–February 1)
Psalms 26 and 130 (Evening–January 31)
Psalms 25 and 40 (Evening–February 1)
2 Timothy 3:1-17 (January 31)
2 Timothy 4:1-18 (February 1)
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Some Related Posts:
2 Timothy 3-4:
http://ordinarytimedevotions.wordpress.com/2011/08/02/week-of-proper-4-friday-year-2/
http://ordinarytimedevotions.wordpress.com/2011/08/03/week-of-proper-4-saturday-year-2/
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The readings for January 31 and February 1 make more sense together then spread across two days. That is my conclusion, at least.
“False prophets” is the unifying theme. In Zechariah the speak lies, console with illusions, and lead members of the flock astray. Thus God, angered, vows to punish these bad shepherds and provide proper leadership for the human flock. To continue the theme, we read that, in the Last Days,
There will be some difficult times. People will be self-centred and avaricious, boastful, arrogant, and rude, disobedient to their parents, ungrateful, irreligious; heartless and intractable; they will be slanderers, profligates, savages, and enemies of everything that is good; they will be treacherous and reckless and demented by pride, prefering their own pleasure to God. They will keep up the outward appearance of religion but will have rejected the inner power of it.
–2 Timothy 3:1b-5a, The New Jerusalem Bible
(Human nature has at least been constant. The past, present, and future seem identical in this regard.) Anyhow, we read in 2 Timothy to follow the truth, accept sound teaching, and be on guard against harmful people.
We–beginning with the author of this post–must always be careful not to confuse disagreement with one (in my case, myself) as proof positive that the other person is a bad shepherd, a false prophet, a harmful individual. Maybe the other person is all those things, but perhaps he or she just has some different opinions. I am convinced, for example, that early Church leaders were correct to insist that Gnosticism constituted false doctrine. The main problem with Gnosticism is that it denies the Incarnation, without which there is no Christianity. That one was easy. Law and theology are easy at the extremes. But what about opinions regarding certain points of Calvinism, for example? Christians of good will can–and do–disagree strongly. And all follow Jesus.
Speaking of Calvinism, one aspect of it offers a nice and good way out of many disputes. John Calvin spoke and wrote of a category called “Matters Indifferent.” Anything in that category is optional. The Incarnation is vital, but whether one observes Christmas is a Matter Indifferent, for example. So, with Calvin’s category in mind and a well-honed sense of theological humility before us, may we avoid idolizing our own opinions. We might change them one day, after all. And we are imperfect.
KENNETH RANDOLPH TAYLOR
APRIL 11, 2012 COMMON ERA
THE FEAST OF SAINT DIONYSIUS OF CORINTH, ROMAN CATHOLIC BISHOP
THE FEAST OF SAINT ANTHONY NEYROT, ROMAN CATHOLIC MARTYR
THE FEAST OF GEORGE AUGUSTUS SELWYN, ANGLICAN PRIMATE OF NEW ZEALAND
THE FEAST OF SAINT STANISLAUS, ROMAN CATHOLIC BISHOP OF KRAKOW
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Adapted from this post:
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BLOGA THEOLOGICA 
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