Rev. Dr. Daniel C. Wilburn

Single-Issue Voting

Posted by Rev. Dr. Daniel C. Wilburn | May 11, 2012 | Uncategorized |

Yesterday I read the Kansas City Star’s article that President Obama endorses gay marriage. I thought to myself, “That’s it. I will never vote for Obama.” The knee-jerk reaction echoed of my past single-issue voting record. I was always against abortion as a constitutional right (Roe v Wade). I was against it until I realized I was a political pawn. The conservative Republican and religious right have not been able to repeal Roe v Wade since 1973. And they never will, nor do they really want to do so. Repealing Roe v Wade is just power politics. What a goof I am – I was a single-issue voter. Am I still? This gay marriage thing is cast out there and I bite – at first. Of course states determine marriage laws so Obama’s opinion is cultural ideology. While very important, it lacks any force. And by the way, my thoughts about homosexuality these days are sourced out of John Milton’s Paradise Lost, and the modern philosophical split between symbol and the thing signified, nomena and phenomena when we talk about love. For “love” these days is only thought of in subjective terms – this also goes for heterosexuality, and marriage between two genders as well. I question if “love” is really “love” without the objectivity of procreation? Not even parenting is objectified – but the nomena of love is...

I Am Just Happy To Be Here

Posted by Rev. Dr. Daniel C. Wilburn | Jan 25, 2012 | An Unbidden Life, Uncategorized |

I dragged in to Kunming around midnight. Here’s what I journaled… “Looks like I will be “making retreat.” I came to support several young men and their ordination, but for the next couple of days I was shuffled off to a very cold hotel room across the street from KTV and its six-story tall dancing LED girl out my window. The first night I slept in my leather coat and knit stocking cap – under the comforter. Oh man! The window was open all night, and I didn’t realize it. I was so blasted after traveling for a couple of days I didn’t even check out the window. I got to breakfast about five minutes before it closed at 9:30 a.m. I ate fried eggs with my chopsticks. Its a talent. Jack called. They are really busy and if I can just sit tight at the hotel… Somehow, I loved being sidelined. I came just to be with them. Now I will just BE. I am now making retreat. I brought Teresa of Avila’s Interior Castle. I sat down in my cold room (window is shut now), a hot cup of tea, which is quickly cooling, and began going through the mansions. The basement entrance to the Castle of His Majesty, the first mansion, is nothing but a Grace. It has to be because it is full of poisonous...

The Canticles of Christmas and the Spiritual Journey: Awakening, Purgation, Illumination & Union – Part 3

Posted by Rev. Dr. Daniel C. Wilburn | Dec 16, 2011 | An Unbidden Life, Uncategorized |

(PREFACE) There are three classic songs or “Canticles” of Christmas: The Magnificat (Mary’s Song), The Benedictus (Zechariah’s Song), and The Nunc Dimittus (Simeon’s Song). We usually add a fourth with the Song of the Angels to the shepherds. Lakeland is walking through these four Canticles this Advent Season. Go to www.lakelandcommunitychurch.org for more about our resources for celebrating Advent at home. Coincidentally, there are four classic stages to the spiritual journey: 1) Awakening 2) Purgation 3) Illumination and 4) Union. For a nice presentation of these four stages consult M. Robert Mulholland Jr.’s Invitation To A Journey, Formatio IVP, 1993. This is the third week of Advent. We come to Simeon’s Song, Nunc Dimittus, found in Luke 2:25-35. 28 Simeon was there. He took the child in his arms and praised God, saying, 29 “Sovereign Lord, now let your servant die in peace, as you have promised. 30 I have seen your salvation, 31 which you have prepared for all people. 32 He is a light to reveal God to the nations, and he is the glory of your people Israel!” It is difficult to place Simeon’s Song (Nunc Dimittus) within the classic four stages of the spiritual life. Simeon certainly belongs to the later stages, Illumination and/or Union. But which one is he? Is he both? He is supposedly old since he is near the end of...

The Canticles of Christmas and the Spiritual Journey: Awaken, Purgation, Illumination & Union – Part 2

Posted by Rev. Dr. Daniel C. Wilburn | Dec 3, 2011 | Uncategorized |

(PREFACE) There are three classic songs or “Canticles” of Christmas: The Magnificat (Mary’s Song), The Benedictus (Zechariah’s Song), and The Nunc Dimittus (Simeon’s Song). We usually add a fourth with the Song of the Angels to the shepherds. Lakeland is walking through these four Canticles this Advent Season. Go to www.lakelandcommunitychurch.org for more about our resources for celebrating Advent at home. Coincidentally, there are four classic stages to the spiritual journey: 1) Awakening 2) Purgation 3) Illumination and 4) Union. For a nice presentation of these four stages consult M. Robert Mulholland Jr.’s Invitation To A Journey, Formatio IVP, 1993. This is the second week of Advent. We come to Zechariah’s Song, The Benedictus, found in Luke 1:67-79. Let’s think of the progress of the Canticles this way: Mary is young and innocent. She is “the vibrant, enthusiastic awakened beginner.” Mary is obedient and submitted. So she receives G-d’s favor and blessing. Next comes Zechariah. He is an old experienced priest. But Zechariah fails to trust G-d and so he is “purged.” Luke 1:18 – Zechariah asked the angel, “How can I be sure of this? I am an old man and my wife is well along in years.” Purged? Yes, “purgation” is the old-fashioned spiritual term for “cleansed” or purification. Zechariah, John the Baptist’s father, should be identified with the middle stage of Purgation. The angel Gabriel...

The Canticles of Christmas and the Spiritual Journey: Awaken, Purgation, Illumination & Union

Posted by Rev. Dr. Daniel C. Wilburn | Nov 26, 2011 | An Unbidden Life, Uncategorized |

There are three classic songs or “Canticles” of Christmas: The Magnificat (Mary’s Song), The Benedictus (Zechariah’s Song), and The Nunc Dimittus (Simeon’s Song). We usually add a fourth with the Song of the Angels to the shepherds. Lakeland is walking through these four Canticles this Advent Season. First is Mary’s Song, the Magnificat found in Luke 1:46-55 for November 27th. Go to www.lakelandcommunitychurch.org for more about our resources for celebrating Advent at home. Coincidentally, there are four classic stages to the spiritual journey: 1) Awakening 2) Purgation 3) Illumination and 4) Union. For a nice presentation of these four stages consult M. Robert Mulholland Jr.’s Invitation To A Journey, Formatio IVP, 1993. Speaking with musician Chris Lea about the Canticles, I noticed an overlap between the classic four stages of the spiritual life and the four canticles of Christmas. Curiously, each stage corresponds to each of the Canticles exactly how I arranged to preach them. Go figure. Each of the four weeks of Advent I will post a new article about each stage in the spiritual journey and its canticle. Here’s the first installment. Mary’s Song, The Magnificat and Awakening Mary is a young betrothed peasant woman. The angel Gabriel visits her and tells her she will conceive by the Spirit of g-d and give birth to the world’s Savior. Awakening is always an encounter with...