People Used to be Weird!

I am working on a class on Monasticism for a church history intensive at Kings College and Seminary. First, let me say what a joy and honor it is to teach those who are training for ministry. It is a noble - and difficult - calling. One cannot study Monasticism without talking about two of the first, and, to modern ears, weirdest monks - St. Anthony and St. Simon the Stylite. Anthony was weird enough - he lived alone in the bottom of a well for decades and only ate the simplest of fare. But Simon - now there was one weird puppy. He lived for 36 years on the top of a pillar, which was increased in height from nine to fifty feet. Now that sounds just plain - well, weird - to me. What is the point of living on the top of a pillar? And yet, to the people of his day he was a saint who was widely sought out for his advice and prayers. Now we could just chalk it all up to the credulity of the ancients. And yet, I can't help but wonder - what is it that we believe and accept that will be chalked up to our credulity? Or, will people in the future see something even worse - a people so incredulous that we couldn't see what is clear about God and His work to those who live in the future? Of course, I am a child of my generation, so I probably have no idea. But I wonder.

Pastor Ken