Ancient Paths Blog

Can You Say, "New World Order"? - Unfolding Reaction to the Global Financial Crisis

The phrase "new world order" has been in use at least since the aftermath of the first world war gave rise to the League of Nations, and post-WWII agreements formed the United Nations.  After the first Gulf War President George H. Bush used the phrase in a speech lauding the expulsion of Iraq from Kuwait.

What these 20th century new world orders represented however seemed to be neither new nor worldwide.  While the maps were redrawn the world remained divided between east and west; between nations based on freedom and democracy (in politics and economy) and those not so.  Even as the crashing surf changes the beach - it's still sand and water in the morning.

But what has, or is in the process of emerging in the wake of the recent global financial crisis seems to be genuinely something new; something genuinely worldwide in scope; and something which will order every life.

Ancient Paths - Why That Name?

Having sent out notice of my blog's revamping I immediately received an inquiry about the significance of the name.  My wife asked, "...Ancient Paths instead of Path?  Isn't there only one path?  Or do you mean something different?"  Some explanation is called for.

First, the name alludes to a scripture passage out of Jeremiah (6:16) where the LORD addresses His people through the prophet saying, "Stand at the crossroads and look; ask for the ancient paths, ask where the good way is, and walk in it, and you will find rest for your souls."

In this verse both the Hebrew and the Greek for "paths" is plural.  This clause is in parallel with "the good way," which is singular.  Whatever the significance behind this shift in number it seems to be a common one in old testament wisdom literature.

The wise father warns his son about keeping company with sinners saying, "...my son, do not walk in the way (singular) with them; hold back your foot from their paths (plural)" Proverbs 1:15 ESV.

Similarly, Wisdom calls out "On the heights beside the way (singular), at the crossroads (or 'paths,' plural) she takes her stand" Proverbs 8:2 ESV.

Both a reference to the covenant, which is the one way of fellowship with God and therefore to life; and a reference to the Torah, the covenant's law and its manycommandments may be implied.  I wouldn't be surprised if this underlies the variation in some way.  At any rate the prophet is calling God's people to the way of wisdom instead of folly.

Secondly though, I wanted to raise the banner of continuity with that ancient "faith once for all delivered to the saints" (Jude 1:3) and so dissent from the chronological snobbery of today's Evangelicalism, which only values what it has produced in the last five minutes.

The Case For Creeds - What Could Be More Relevant?

If I may continue my discussion on the use of the creeds, especially the Apostles' Creed, in evangelical worship: another objection that is often raised is that of relevance (...overused and annoying word) - how could something so old speak with any freshness to our present situation?

As cliche as this objection is I admit we do need to consider whether some topic is relevant to discipleship and so worth the Church's time to consider.  If I proposed to our church that we gather to read through the city phone book name by name, or that we monitor the wholesale price fluctuations of fresh tuna in the Tokyo fish markets I would be guilty of leading the church into activities that are not relevant to discipleship.

But I suggest that the Apostles' Creed has never been more relevant to the Church than today; and a grasp of its teaching would invigorate us for the present and prepare us for what lay ahead.  In what way?