I am currently reading Miroslav Volf's book 'Exclusion and Embrace'. In this book Volf quotes Cornelius Plantinga as saying that at the heart of sin "lies the persisent refusal to tolerate a sense of sin".
I think this is a really important idea. I'm not suggesting that I've totally embraced this understanding in my own devotional life, but I have a sense that human beiings are powerfully released to grow in holiness when each of us is willing to live with the idea that we are sinners. When I can really embrace the idea that I am a sinner but that God loves me 'anyway' - through the life, death and resurrection of Christ - then I become free to acknowledge my sins before God and to be changed by the Spirit. I will no longer need to hide from myself that I am sinful and I will no longer need to try to hide from God the fact that I'm sinful - as if I could do that.
15 May 2006
14 May 2006
Yes but....
This is a question 'into the airwaves' and it will be interesting to see whether anyone answers the question.
I grew up believing that God hated my guts and wanted me to burn in hell. It wasn't until I finally understood that God really loved me that I was able to begin to have an honest relationship with God and to grow in my discipleship.
My question is why, when I testify to God's love, that there is always someone who feels compelled to say 'Yes, but...' and try to minimise God's love in someway. Sort of 'Yes, God loves you, but don't be fooled into thinking that God loves you too much.'
What is the idea behind this?
Are there are too many people in the world who think that God loves them?
Or that if people are threatened with God's anger that the world will be a more ethical place and that people will want to be Christians?
I grew up believing that God hated my guts and wanted me to burn in hell. It wasn't until I finally understood that God really loved me that I was able to begin to have an honest relationship with God and to grow in my discipleship.
My question is why, when I testify to God's love, that there is always someone who feels compelled to say 'Yes, but...' and try to minimise God's love in someway. Sort of 'Yes, God loves you, but don't be fooled into thinking that God loves you too much.'
What is the idea behind this?
Are there are too many people in the world who think that God loves them?
Or that if people are threatened with God's anger that the world will be a more ethical place and that people will want to be Christians?
13 May 2006
Women in the Ordained Ministry
One some of the Blogs I read, there has recently been a brou-ha-ha over a conference in the States which seems to have decided that the non-ordination of women is a central Christian theological essential. Apparently the belief that women may not lead men in the church is as essential as any of the theological affirmations in the Nicene Creed.
The first thing I want to do is to offer the following weblinks as an antidote:
The God’s Word to Women blog spot
The God’s Word to Women website
and
The Christians for Biblical Equality website
As a woman who is training for ministry, I'm not going to be strident about this issue. I do think I understand why people hold the view that woman may not be ordained; I think I understand it because the denomination of my childhood holds this view. I understand, also, why I do not agree with it.
If those who believe in women's ordination believe that there will someday be a 'victory' in the sense of all Christians coming to accept the idea of women as ministers, then I have to say that I don't believe that the day will ever come. All we can do is to support one another - and by 'we' I don't just mean women in ordained ministry but all people who support them.
The first thing I want to do is to offer the following weblinks as an antidote:
The God’s Word to Women blog spot
The God’s Word to Women website
and
The Christians for Biblical Equality website
As a woman who is training for ministry, I'm not going to be strident about this issue. I do think I understand why people hold the view that woman may not be ordained; I think I understand it because the denomination of my childhood holds this view. I understand, also, why I do not agree with it.
If those who believe in women's ordination believe that there will someday be a 'victory' in the sense of all Christians coming to accept the idea of women as ministers, then I have to say that I don't believe that the day will ever come. All we can do is to support one another - and by 'we' I don't just mean women in ordained ministry but all people who support them.
28 April 2006
Encouragement
This week I've been reminded about the power of encouragement as two people gave me words of encouragement. It doesn't matter who they were and it doesn't matter what they said. The point is simply that what they said was true, it was genuine and it encouraged me.
Reminder to self: When someone does something nice, or does something well. Let them know.
Reminder to self: When someone does something nice, or does something well. Let them know.
18 April 2006
Just a Small "Thank You", God
Lord, as I was driving through the countryside this afternoon, I noticed how beautiful the Spring is this year. I heard someone say the other day that the daffodils have flowered about a month late, but what a difference a month makes. Seas of daffoils everywhere along with the trees in bloom: lime green shoots here, pink apple blossoms and pinker cherry trees there and those bushes with the yellow flowers (I have no idea what they are).
Thank you for your creation and for the riot of colour this year. It took awhile, but it was worth it.
Thank you for your creation and for the riot of colour this year. It took awhile, but it was worth it.
17 April 2006
God and Sinners Reconciled
(The following thoughts came to me on Good Friday. Although it's now Easter Monday, better late than never, I guess.)
From 2 Corinthians 5:19 - In Christ God was reconciling the world to himself, not counting their trespasses against them, and entrusting the message of reconciliation to us. (NRSV)
From 2 Corinthians 5:19 - In Christ God was reconciling the world to himself, not counting their trespasses against them, and entrusting the message of reconciliation to us. (NRSV)
Since reading Richard Lischer's book, The End of Words, I have decided that 2 Corinthians 5:19 is a better 'sound bite' for communicating the Gospel than the ubiquitous John 3:16. I'm not saying I disagree with John 3:16, but I don't think it speaks easily to people today.
Here's how I'd unpack 2 Corinthians 5:19:
In Christ God was reconciling the world to himself - In a world where humanity is alientated from God, it is God who makes the first move towards us. God does this in the incarnation - in Christ.
not counting their trespasses against them - This is the really important bit to me. God forgives us. Full stop. Period. No strings attached. That's what is meant by Grace. Forget about all the good Christian people who say that you have to repent before God forgives you. That's not the way it works. God forgives us and, in consequence of that forgiveness, we repent. It is in being forgiven that we know we are sinful, not in recognising our sinfulness that we obtain God's forgiveness. That's another reason why the Gospel is a scandal and another reason why it is 'upside down'.
Imagine this. A family member comes up to me and says: 'I forgive you.' I am am not aware of having offended this person but when they explain what happened I realise that I have indeed offended them. Then I apologise and thank them for their forgivness. Sound good? But how many times do I respond instead by saying 'What do you mean, you forgive me?! I have done nothing to you! How dare you forgive me!' If I'm honest, I react in the second way far too often. I suspect it's because many of us react in this second way that we either don't see that God has forgiven us already or that we are offended by the idea of a God who forgives someone before they have repented.
Finally, 2 Corinthians 5:19 tells us that God has entrusted the message of reconciliation to us. When we have been reconciled with God, we are then in a position to proclaim to others that reconciliation with God is on offer to them too.
As James Alison puts it, what we find difficult is not asking to be forgiven, what we find hard is receiving God's forgiveness before we even ask for it.
To me, this is the scandalous message of the cross.
++++++++++
Credit for ideas in this post to: James Alison, Paul Fiddes and Richard Lischer.
14 April 2006
Calling all Amateur Photographers
A friend drew my attention to the fact that the BBC are sponsoring a photographic competition over the Easter weekend based on the theme 'What Easter Means to Me'. I'm not a photographer, but wouldn't it be great to have a winner with a Christian theme? Seeing as Easter is a Christian holiday and all. Get snapping, folks!
05 April 2006
Writer's Strop and Book Temptation
Writer's Strop
I have 'writer's strop' at the moment. If you're American, you're probably wondering what a 'strop' is. It's a temper-tantrum of the sort that two-year olds have.
I have a paper for theology college that is due in two weeks' time and I simply don't want to write it. I'm able to write it. I have all the information to write it. But my psyche is saying 'No! I'm not going to do it! So there!' And that makes it practically impossible to do. 'My subconscious threw a strop' doesn't strike me as the kind of excuse that will wash with the tutors, though.
Someone paid me a lovely compliment today in saying that I write clearly. The problem is that I've spent the last ten years writing and writing and writing and there is a part of me that just doesn't want to do it any more. This was happening during the last year of my employment as well. I was finding it increasingly difficult to get down to writing reports whereas I used to love to write.
Book Temptation
I just found out about a new book that NT Wright has published. He's one of my favourite theology writers. The book is called Simply Christian and it is supposed to be an introduction to the basics of Christianity.
I think Tom Wright is an excellent scholar, but he's got a real gift for communicating theology to the person in the pew.
I have 'writer's strop' at the moment. If you're American, you're probably wondering what a 'strop' is. It's a temper-tantrum of the sort that two-year olds have.
I have a paper for theology college that is due in two weeks' time and I simply don't want to write it. I'm able to write it. I have all the information to write it. But my psyche is saying 'No! I'm not going to do it! So there!' And that makes it practically impossible to do. 'My subconscious threw a strop' doesn't strike me as the kind of excuse that will wash with the tutors, though.
Someone paid me a lovely compliment today in saying that I write clearly. The problem is that I've spent the last ten years writing and writing and writing and there is a part of me that just doesn't want to do it any more. This was happening during the last year of my employment as well. I was finding it increasingly difficult to get down to writing reports whereas I used to love to write.
Book Temptation
I just found out about a new book that NT Wright has published. He's one of my favourite theology writers. The book is called Simply Christian and it is supposed to be an introduction to the basics of Christianity.
I think Tom Wright is an excellent scholar, but he's got a real gift for communicating theology to the person in the pew.
27 March 2006
Ordination of Males?
The world and her dog has already linked to the Top Ten Reasons Why Men Should not Be Ordained on Maggi Dawn's excellent blog which I found by reading my friend Dave Warnock's blog (pace, Dave!). But what the heck, this is brilliant parody which I think really points out how our perspective helps us to 'spin' what we already think to be true. And yes, I know I do it too!
23 March 2006
Alienating People from Christ
There are some times I think I'm Alice and that I have fallen down the rabbit-hole. I've been feeling that way these last few days.
On one of the Christian discussion groups I frequent, I have read the following statements from two different people:
1) One was a person who considered themself a heretic for having a hard time with the belief that God sends people to a torturous hell in the next life as punishment for not being a Christian. This person reckoned that they stood on the fringes of our denomination for not believing this.
2) Another was a person who reckons that they cannot be a Christian because Christianity demands the belief that God needed to hurt someone in order to satisfy his wrath and forgive humanity. Since the person could not conceive of God in this way, they reckoned that they cannot be Christian.
Frankly, it angers me no end that people have got the idea that being a Christian demands believing that God is angry and wrathful and into torture. Of course, the Church did teach about 'God The Angry and Wrathful' for centuries and we have to bear our responsibility for our history, whether or not we are personally implicated in propogating those beliefs.
But secondly, I have to wonder whether mainstream Christians like myself have been too silent in not putting these horrible beliefs to rest. Like many, I know that I've been (perhaps still am) too afraid at 'what people will think' if I get up and explicitly say that I don't believe in a God who uses violence as a means of keeping order and that I don't believe in a God who uses the threat of violence and torture as a way of getting people to behave.
Right now, I'm angry. One person has exluded themself from the Church because they can't believe in penal substitutionary atonement and the other is lurking on the margins of the church nursing a secret fear that their disbelief in a torturous hell is heretical and possibly unChristian.
Mainstream Christian preachers have to preach the Good News. *I* have to preach the Good News. We have to preach systematic theology and let people know that not only is it 'OK' to believe in a God of Grace and Mercy, but that this God is precisely what being a Christian is about. The idea that 'no-one admits that they are a sinner unless they are threatened with punishment' isn't a Christian idea, it's an idea born of sin. As Scripture says, 'the devil' is a liar and one way that Evil lies is to perpetuate the idea that God is evil and that humanity cannot be forgiven unless violence is done first. May God forgive us.
On one of the Christian discussion groups I frequent, I have read the following statements from two different people:
1) One was a person who considered themself a heretic for having a hard time with the belief that God sends people to a torturous hell in the next life as punishment for not being a Christian. This person reckoned that they stood on the fringes of our denomination for not believing this.
2) Another was a person who reckons that they cannot be a Christian because Christianity demands the belief that God needed to hurt someone in order to satisfy his wrath and forgive humanity. Since the person could not conceive of God in this way, they reckoned that they cannot be Christian.
Frankly, it angers me no end that people have got the idea that being a Christian demands believing that God is angry and wrathful and into torture. Of course, the Church did teach about 'God The Angry and Wrathful' for centuries and we have to bear our responsibility for our history, whether or not we are personally implicated in propogating those beliefs.
But secondly, I have to wonder whether mainstream Christians like myself have been too silent in not putting these horrible beliefs to rest. Like many, I know that I've been (perhaps still am) too afraid at 'what people will think' if I get up and explicitly say that I don't believe in a God who uses violence as a means of keeping order and that I don't believe in a God who uses the threat of violence and torture as a way of getting people to behave.
Right now, I'm angry. One person has exluded themself from the Church because they can't believe in penal substitutionary atonement and the other is lurking on the margins of the church nursing a secret fear that their disbelief in a torturous hell is heretical and possibly unChristian.
Mainstream Christian preachers have to preach the Good News. *I* have to preach the Good News. We have to preach systematic theology and let people know that not only is it 'OK' to believe in a God of Grace and Mercy, but that this God is precisely what being a Christian is about. The idea that 'no-one admits that they are a sinner unless they are threatened with punishment' isn't a Christian idea, it's an idea born of sin. As Scripture says, 'the devil' is a liar and one way that Evil lies is to perpetuate the idea that God is evil and that humanity cannot be forgiven unless violence is done first. May God forgive us.
12 March 2006
Us and Them
Someone has started a website on one of my favourite theologians: James Alison.
I have to confess that I am not yet able to talk about his work in 'easy sound bites', but one of the reasons I like his theology is that I believe he is able to express orthodox Christian doctrine in thought-forms that are more readily accessible to the 21st century person than the old Protestant sound bite of 'Jesus died on the cross to pay the price of your sins.'
Underpinning Alison's theology is the anthropology of Rene Girard. In very simplistic terms, Girard believes that every society in history has maintained internal cohesion by a continuing process of identifying and expelling a scapegoat. Without the mechanism of identifying a 'them', there would be no 'us' because interpersonal rivalry inside the society would destoy it. US versus USSR anyone? How about US versus Iraq / Iran / Radical Islam?
Alison sees the rivalries that would tear apart society without a scapegoat and the scapegoatting process itself as the manifestation of Original Sin. Where 'the world' (my term, not Alison's) would see the scapegoat as fully deserving of divine wrath, Jesus' resurrection turned the entire paradigm upside down. The resurrection is God's 'yes' to life and God's identification with the victim rather than the victimiser.
I cannot do his theology justice, but I would encourage a reading of his works. For my money, The Joy of Being Wrong is the most interesting, but it is also his PhD thesis and so rather academic in tone. Knowing Jesus is probably his most accessible work and Faith Beyond Resentment: Fragments Catholic and Gay is very moving.
My favourite idea from The Joy of Being Wrong is that one can be forgiven for being wrong, but it is the insistance on being right that initiates a pattern of sinful violence. Fundamentalism, anyone?
I have to confess that I am not yet able to talk about his work in 'easy sound bites', but one of the reasons I like his theology is that I believe he is able to express orthodox Christian doctrine in thought-forms that are more readily accessible to the 21st century person than the old Protestant sound bite of 'Jesus died on the cross to pay the price of your sins.'
Underpinning Alison's theology is the anthropology of Rene Girard. In very simplistic terms, Girard believes that every society in history has maintained internal cohesion by a continuing process of identifying and expelling a scapegoat. Without the mechanism of identifying a 'them', there would be no 'us' because interpersonal rivalry inside the society would destoy it. US versus USSR anyone? How about US versus Iraq / Iran / Radical Islam?
Alison sees the rivalries that would tear apart society without a scapegoat and the scapegoatting process itself as the manifestation of Original Sin. Where 'the world' (my term, not Alison's) would see the scapegoat as fully deserving of divine wrath, Jesus' resurrection turned the entire paradigm upside down. The resurrection is God's 'yes' to life and God's identification with the victim rather than the victimiser.
I cannot do his theology justice, but I would encourage a reading of his works. For my money, The Joy of Being Wrong is the most interesting, but it is also his PhD thesis and so rather academic in tone. Knowing Jesus is probably his most accessible work and Faith Beyond Resentment: Fragments Catholic and Gay is very moving.
My favourite idea from The Joy of Being Wrong is that one can be forgiven for being wrong, but it is the insistance on being right that initiates a pattern of sinful violence. Fundamentalism, anyone?
07 March 2006
Real Girls Don't Buy Cars
I want to buy a 1-year old Ford Fiesta. I have rung a purveyor of cars that is well-known in 'the circles in which I move'. I'm not naming names. So i've rung this place and told them what I want. No problem, madam, I'll ring you back.
A week later, I ring again. May I speak to John Smith. He's on holiday this week, may I help you? He was going to find a Ford Fiesta for me. I'll find out what is happening and ring you back, madam.
Nothing.
You'd think I'd rung them and said I wanted to turn into a pink elephant.
Maybe I'm being too much of a prima-donna. Maybe it's unreasonable to think that someone would tell me what is going on. But why do I think that if my husband rings them that they might act like we exist?
I think that Real Girls Don't Buy Cars. We drive them, but we don't buy them.
A week later, I ring again. May I speak to John Smith. He's on holiday this week, may I help you? He was going to find a Ford Fiesta for me. I'll find out what is happening and ring you back, madam.
Nothing.
You'd think I'd rung them and said I wanted to turn into a pink elephant.
Maybe I'm being too much of a prima-donna. Maybe it's unreasonable to think that someone would tell me what is going on. But why do I think that if my husband rings them that they might act like we exist?
I think that Real Girls Don't Buy Cars. We drive them, but we don't buy them.
28 February 2006
Julian of Norwich, Moi?
Here's a bit of fun.
You are Julian of Norwich! It's all about God, to
you. You're convinced that the world has a
happy ending. Everyone else is convinced that
you're a closet hippie, but you love them
anyway.
Which Saint Are You?
brought to you by Quizilla
You are Julian of Norwich! It's all about God, to
you. You're convinced that the world has a
happy ending. Everyone else is convinced that
you're a closet hippie, but you love them
anyway.
Which Saint Are You?
brought to you by Quizilla
27 February 2006
Blog Tag - Four Things
Apparently, people are playing blog-tag and I’ve been tagged by Dave
Four Jobs I've had (in no particular order)
• Filing clerk
• Hotel front desk assistant
• European equity manager
• Pensions consultant
Four movies I can watch over and over
• The Wizard of Oz
• It’s a Wonderful Life
• Nemo
• Any Harry Potter film
Four TV shows I love to watch
• The Simpsons
• Family Guy
• Charmed
• Have I got news for you
Four places I’ve been on vacation
• San Francisco
• Northern Michigan
• Delhi
• Lanzarote
Four favourite dishes
• Pasta Pomodoro
• Pizza Margarita
• Asparagus Rizotto
• Chocolate Chip Ice Cream
Four Web sites I visit daily
• Ship of Fools
• Beliefnet
• Connexion.net
• Google
Four places I’d rather be
• I think I’m where I’m supposed to be at the moment.
Four bloggers I am tagging
• Lutheran Chick
• Rev Rad
• Sally
• Lorna
Four Jobs I've had (in no particular order)
• Filing clerk
• Hotel front desk assistant
• European equity manager
• Pensions consultant
Four movies I can watch over and over
• The Wizard of Oz
• It’s a Wonderful Life
• Nemo
• Any Harry Potter film
Four TV shows I love to watch
• The Simpsons
• Family Guy
• Charmed
• Have I got news for you
Four places I’ve been on vacation
• San Francisco
• Northern Michigan
• Delhi
• Lanzarote
Four favourite dishes
• Pasta Pomodoro
• Pizza Margarita
• Asparagus Rizotto
• Chocolate Chip Ice Cream
Four Web sites I visit daily
• Ship of Fools
• Beliefnet
• Connexion.net
Four places I’d rather be
• I think I’m where I’m supposed to be at the moment.
Four bloggers I am tagging
• Lutheran Chick
• Rev Rad
• Sally
• Lorna
26 February 2006
Thirst for Life
On a somewhat lighter note, the organisation Thirst For Life is asking people give up drinking alcohol for Lent.
I was teasing a friend about signing up a few weeks ago, since my friend is teetotal. I'm not a teetotal Methodist, but I drink so little alcohol (probably less than 20 units / year), that I might as well be. But, as I thought about it, I realised that binge drinking is a huge issue in our society and that giving up alcohol might very well be a witness to some people.
I used to work in the City of London, and drinking after work was a way of life for many people there. Yet, several of my colleagues 'gave up alcohol for Lent' although they were not Christians. Christians might think it odd that non-Christians know about Lent, but I say let's use all the witnessing tools at our disposal. I think that witnessing by our actions is far more effective than anything we can say. I believe in St. Francis' old chestnut: 'Preach the Gospel as often as possible. If necessary, use words.'
The knowledge that they can get through 40 days without alcohol may well be Good News for someone you know.
I was teasing a friend about signing up a few weeks ago, since my friend is teetotal. I'm not a teetotal Methodist, but I drink so little alcohol (probably less than 20 units / year), that I might as well be. But, as I thought about it, I realised that binge drinking is a huge issue in our society and that giving up alcohol might very well be a witness to some people.
I used to work in the City of London, and drinking after work was a way of life for many people there. Yet, several of my colleagues 'gave up alcohol for Lent' although they were not Christians. Christians might think it odd that non-Christians know about Lent, but I say let's use all the witnessing tools at our disposal. I think that witnessing by our actions is far more effective than anything we can say. I believe in St. Francis' old chestnut: 'Preach the Gospel as often as possible. If necessary, use words.'
The knowledge that they can get through 40 days without alcohol may well be Good News for someone you know.
How Far for a Cause?
Today's edition of The Washington Post carries this article which got me thinking - to say the least. Archbishop Peter J. Akinola, primate of the Anglican Church of Nigeria, is supporting a law in Nigeria that criminalises same-sex unions and denies homosexuals the right of assembly. He is supported by a number of conservative Christian groups in the US as well as by a number of socially-conservative private US enterprises.
How far does one go for the sake of a cause? Whether one is 'pro-tradition' or 'pro-gay', how can anyone condone restricting the civil rights of another human being? Most of the pro-tradition Americans and British people I know would claim that they do not promote the restriction of gay people's civil rights, but aren't we all complicit in their restriction if we tolerate this sort of action or turn a blind eye to it for the sake of a cause? At least they think homosexual acts are sinful, which is the most important thing. Or is it?
It seems to me that whenever I point out to people that Jesus did not call down punishment or damnation on the sinners he encountered in his ministry, someone chimes in with something like 'Yes, but he did tell the woman caught in adultery to "go and sin no more"'. Yes, indeed, he did. But that doesn't excuse us from picking up the stones and stoning her ourselves.
It seems to me that criminalising gay people is picking up the stones to stone them. I don't see how the Christian communion can turn a blind eye to this.
How far does one go for the sake of a cause? Whether one is 'pro-tradition' or 'pro-gay', how can anyone condone restricting the civil rights of another human being? Most of the pro-tradition Americans and British people I know would claim that they do not promote the restriction of gay people's civil rights, but aren't we all complicit in their restriction if we tolerate this sort of action or turn a blind eye to it for the sake of a cause? At least they think homosexual acts are sinful, which is the most important thing. Or is it?
It seems to me that whenever I point out to people that Jesus did not call down punishment or damnation on the sinners he encountered in his ministry, someone chimes in with something like 'Yes, but he did tell the woman caught in adultery to "go and sin no more"'. Yes, indeed, he did. But that doesn't excuse us from picking up the stones and stoning her ourselves.
It seems to me that criminalising gay people is picking up the stones to stone them. I don't see how the Christian communion can turn a blind eye to this.
25 February 2006
Collect for Justice
I've been using Common Worship Daily Prayer for my private devotions for a few years now. (You can find a free daily feed here.) Each Psalm in Daily Prayer ends with a Collect.
Today's Collect for Psalm 76 really moved me, especially in this period of fear and violence that we seem to be living through:
Majestic and gracious God,
more awesome than the agents of war,
more powerful than the wrath of nations,
restrain the violence of the peoples
and draw the despised of the earth
into the joyful life of your kingdom,
where you live and reign for ever and ever.
© The Archbishops' Council of the Church of England, 2002-2003.
Today's Collect for Psalm 76 really moved me, especially in this period of fear and violence that we seem to be living through:
Majestic and gracious God,
more awesome than the agents of war,
more powerful than the wrath of nations,
restrain the violence of the peoples
and draw the despised of the earth
into the joyful life of your kingdom,
where you live and reign for ever and ever.
© The Archbishops' Council of the Church of England, 2002-2003.
24 February 2006
Fresh Expressions / Changing Church?
At college the other night, we were privileged to have a presentation by Steve Croft of Fresh Expressions.
None of this is new to a fellow student who works as an evangelist to New Agers, but for an old fogey like me, some of the "Fresh Expressions" that we heard about were gratifyingly fresh. When I hear the term 'new ways of being church', it usually seems to be connected with old ways of being church with a few Graham Kendrick songs and a guitar. None of what I saw before looked to me to be the kind of thing that the unchurched would connect with.
Whilst this might be old hat to people like my colleague Sally, old fogeys like me need to see what real 'fresh expressions' look like. And some of this stuff doesn't fit easily into our old categories of 'church'. For example, there was a community skateboarding project with an intentional youth church at the centre; most of the attendees of the skateboarding centre do not attend the intentional worship, but some do (we did not see what their worship looked like).
There was some talk amongst students after Steve left that these Fresh Expressions are quite threatening to ministers who are engaged in ministry in the traditional mode. I think the Fresh Expressions are threatening to the tradtional-minded and not just to ministers/priests/presbyters. It seems to me that the reason that most Christians these days want to reach out to the unchurched is so that more people will join our club and we'll be able to fill our buildings.
It was quite clear to me the other night that the Fresh Expressions are inherently fragile in that they are likely to change with time and fashion - will the world still want coffee shops in 50 years' time? It also seemed clear to me that the church is simply going to have to learn to deal with this situation instead of whining about post-modern culture. We seem to think that because God is unchanging (and that's a whole separate discussion!) that the church should be unchanging as well. Sometimes I think the church worships Inertia instead of the Living Trinity.
None of this is new to a fellow student who works as an evangelist to New Agers, but for an old fogey like me, some of the "Fresh Expressions" that we heard about were gratifyingly fresh. When I hear the term 'new ways of being church', it usually seems to be connected with old ways of being church with a few Graham Kendrick songs and a guitar. None of what I saw before looked to me to be the kind of thing that the unchurched would connect with.
Whilst this might be old hat to people like my colleague Sally, old fogeys like me need to see what real 'fresh expressions' look like. And some of this stuff doesn't fit easily into our old categories of 'church'. For example, there was a community skateboarding project with an intentional youth church at the centre; most of the attendees of the skateboarding centre do not attend the intentional worship, but some do (we did not see what their worship looked like).
There was some talk amongst students after Steve left that these Fresh Expressions are quite threatening to ministers who are engaged in ministry in the traditional mode. I think the Fresh Expressions are threatening to the tradtional-minded and not just to ministers/priests/presbyters. It seems to me that the reason that most Christians these days want to reach out to the unchurched is so that more people will join our club and we'll be able to fill our buildings.
It was quite clear to me the other night that the Fresh Expressions are inherently fragile in that they are likely to change with time and fashion - will the world still want coffee shops in 50 years' time? It also seemed clear to me that the church is simply going to have to learn to deal with this situation instead of whining about post-modern culture. We seem to think that because God is unchanging (and that's a whole separate discussion!) that the church should be unchanging as well. Sometimes I think the church worships Inertia instead of the Living Trinity.
17 February 2006
Global Warming Project
The BBC is conducting a project on global warming and is asking PC owners to participate by downloading a program that acts as a screen-saver, but which also harnesses your PC's processing power.
This is a simple way of helping and the process is explained on the the BBC's website.
This is a simple way of helping and the process is explained on the the BBC's website.
12 February 2006
A Lack of Civility
The Church Times carries this article by Archbishop Rowan Williams regarding the current brou-ha-ha over 'freedom of speech'.
The Archbishop characterises the publication of cartoons of the Prophet Mohammad (PUBH) by the Western media as 'a lack of civility'. As is often the case, the Archbishop speaks wisely, in my view.
I appreciate that many Westerners and many Christians will likely disagree with me, but I believe that - at least from the point of view Christian theology - scripture itself is quite clear that the Godly use of 'freedom' is 'freedom for' not 'freedom from' (See Paul's first letter to the Corinthians).
As Christians, we are set free from sin in order to love; we are set free from selfishness in order to give service to God's Kingdom.
When a society sees 'freedom' as 'freedom to say things we know are inherently insulting to another culture, just because we can', then society is acting like a petulant teenager. This is not a responsible use of freedom, it is a gratuitous and pointless use of freedom to tear down rather than to build up.
I cherish the freedom of speech that we have in the West. There are certainly instances where, as Christians, it is legitimate to speak out against an extreme form of Islam that nurtures and engages in terrorism. But it is only a responsible use of our freedom of speech when we stand up for what we believe to be the Truth. 'Freedom to be offensive' is not, in my view, a Christian way to utilise free speech.
The Archbishop characterises the publication of cartoons of the Prophet Mohammad (PUBH) by the Western media as 'a lack of civility'. As is often the case, the Archbishop speaks wisely, in my view.
I appreciate that many Westerners and many Christians will likely disagree with me, but I believe that - at least from the point of view Christian theology - scripture itself is quite clear that the Godly use of 'freedom' is 'freedom for' not 'freedom from' (See Paul's first letter to the Corinthians).
As Christians, we are set free from sin in order to love; we are set free from selfishness in order to give service to God's Kingdom.
When a society sees 'freedom' as 'freedom to say things we know are inherently insulting to another culture, just because we can', then society is acting like a petulant teenager. This is not a responsible use of freedom, it is a gratuitous and pointless use of freedom to tear down rather than to build up.
I cherish the freedom of speech that we have in the West. There are certainly instances where, as Christians, it is legitimate to speak out against an extreme form of Islam that nurtures and engages in terrorism. But it is only a responsible use of our freedom of speech when we stand up for what we believe to be the Truth. 'Freedom to be offensive' is not, in my view, a Christian way to utilise free speech.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
