The Conversation begins....

Well, Monday evening the conversations series began. It was interesting to hear this guy talking about his experience with Christian Music as an agnostic. The author attended cornerstone, which I did a number of years ago. When he mentioned cornerstone, I was transported to another world. At one point in my life, I was 'into' christian music. I remember those days, but over the last 7 years I have realized that most christian music is bad, both spiritually and emotionally. I find it hard to see integrity and honest in their music. I just wanted to share some interesting thoughts from the first night.

- The author describes as a twelve year old, a girl took him to a bible study of sorts and he encountered Christian music for the first time in the form of Petra, thus securing his agnostic belief forever.

- After Bush won re-election his book got more offers due to the influence evangelicals had on the election.

- All true art is incarnational

- The Christian subculture has reversed Paul' teaching we are not 'in but not of the world' rather 'of but not in the world'. I am finding this a true statement. Christians are off the world, but due to an attempt at segregating ourselves from the 'other' we are safe. Some how the Powers of the world have a grip on our life that we do not even realize.

Well more to come as the conversation continues.....

What is your Master Status?

Recently, at Providence College we had a faculty forum to discuss Christian Sexuality. I think the time was very good. The one thing that I am realizing how in talking about sexuality and also with a conversation over homosexuality is that we need to understand our master status. I first encountered this idea of master status through a sermon on sex by Erwin McManus. McManus sees one of interesting parts of the conversations regarding homosexuality is how we talk about using master status. I don't go around introducing myself as Chris the Heterosexual, and I have never meet a gay or lesbian that talks like that, but I am sure that exists. During the forum, Dr. Tim Perry gave a great insight regarding master status that for Christian( gay, straight, bi, etc.) our master status or identity is not found through our sexuality or maybe more precisely who we want to have sex with( also how naive is it to define sexuality through the sex of our sexual partner). Most Christian believe that through baptism we are united with Jesus. I think as we continue to dialogue about homosexuality as it regards to the church, we need to recognize our master status is in Jesus not our sexual behaviour/orientation.

Peter Rollins - Heretical Orthodoxy

Well the last little while I have been writing a bit on idol. This tangent is largely due to Peter Rollins. In "How (Not) to Speak of God" this is a theme. So I thought I'd due some sharing on this book. I will do my best to share my thoughts and beliefs using Rollins.

Well, in the introduction Brian McLaren calls the book one of the best theology books he has read in the past 10 years and Rollins story telling 'compares' to Jesus' parable. I must admit such a claim made me a bit skeptical, but I must say McLaren' praise is very accurate. Rollins slits he small masterpiece into two section the first called Heretical Orthodoxy: From Right Belief to Believing in the Right Way.

I think over the last year with the help of Karl Barth, I believe that God is utterly transcendent. This is one of the premises of Rollins, to remember when we talk about God that we talk about our understanding of God, not God. I think this is sort of of obvious, but I think in discussion this is easily forgotten that we can never talk about attributes of God as they are, because any language can not grasp God. For me a good reminder is intellectual idolatry, often wars or division were started due to understanding of God. I feel how we understand God when designated as divine attributes of God are idols, we can hold to our understanding of God but once we assume our words equal God we are on a slippery slope. I encounter this kind of thinking often in modern evangelism/apologetics. While I am sure these forms of communicating the good news were useful at one point in time, however this time is long over. I am convinced all they are attempting to so is to convert people to a system of beliefs, this is not convincing and not the reason I am still a Christian.

One of the interesting things is how traditional methods of conversion conveyed that after saying a pray one is a christian Rollins believes we should recognize that Christianity involves a process of journeying and becoming. I think this is correct, but also requires many to reevaluate our words. I personally think definitive words create problems for Christians. We talk about what my friend Bryan calls 'Christian Myths' that everything will be better once we say this prayer, i think the prayer is the beginning. Unfortunately like McLaren says evangelical race to the start line of the Christian life. I reject these kind of binary notions of faith. I think it makes things nice and neat, but life is messy.

I think it is funny when people in my class talk about God in a singular view and other ways of God are heretical. I think we all view God, Jesus, and the Bible different due to our social upbringing. Can we recognize that a North American understanding of God will inevitably be different than a South American view, I think this is obvious, but we tend to forget what we bring to life and a text.

I've talked a lot about idol, but what exactly do I mean by this loaded word. "Like aesthetic idol (such as the Golden calf in the book of Exodus), the conceptual idol refers to any system of thought which the individual or community takes to be a visible rendering of God. The only significant difference between the aesthetic idola dn the conceptual idol lies in the fact that the former reduces God to a physical object while the latter reduces God to an intellectual object. Does 'holiness' not have strong connotations of a God who is beyond all finding out.

It is my experience that my understanding of God is constantly changing, consewualty we do not do theology but are rather overcome and transorbed by it: we do not master it but are mastered by it. Augustine encourages us to bear in mind that God transcends all terms and escapes every conceptualization --even that of being beyond conceptualization. I think God is changing my view of everything. Recently in a class my prof said those of us who identify with the emerging movement are being prepped for some work that God has in store for us, I find that reassuring as I am sure many of these thoughts may seem pointless, but for me I need the mystery, answers do not provide my hunger.

Recently, the senior pastor at my church has been talking about how doubts are from the evil one. I wonder what would have happened if Martin Luther that his doubts about church were view as from the evil one. Rollins believes doubts should be understood as a virtue. In contrast to the modern view that religious doubt is something to reject, fear, or merely tolerate, doubt not only can be seen as an inevitable aspect of our humanity but also can be celebrated as a vital part of faith.

One of my big problems with modern expressions of Christianity is apologetics. I must say for many years, I wonder what these people really thought they were accomplishing, but I must say all I think they are attempting is to convince people of a system of beliefs, which is a false assumption. I don't think people follow Jesus because he is convincing, but because encounter the living God not a logical reason, how reasonable is it deny our self and pick up our cross. I think in our postmodern age apologetics is falling away for the much better belief that the community is our apologetics. One of the primary reasons is that apologetics is a form of 'power discourse', which I find to dehumanizing. Rollins talks about 'Iconic God talk', I am a firm believer in this. 'To treat something as an icon is to view particular words, images, or experiences as aids in contemplation of that which cannot be reduced to words, images or experiences. Not only this, but the icon represents place where God touches humanity.' God stands outside our language regimes and cannot be colonized via any power discourse. This emphasis embraces the mystery and complexity of life. Life is not neat , but mysterious and beautiful. 'God is not revealed via our words but rather via the life of the transformed individual', hence community is apologetics.

During postmodernism one of the main idols of modern evangelical Christianity Truth has been attacked. I have often found this debate peculiar, not sure what the need to hold on to this tenet in much an emotional way. Rollins say 'the judeo-christina view of truth is converned with having a relationship with the Real(God) that results in us transforming reality. The emphasis is thus not ondescriptions but on transformation. This perspective completely short-circuits the long-redundant debate as to whether turh is subjective or objective, for here Truth is the ungraspable Real (objective) that transforms the individual (subjective). I don't think Truth can described, but it can be experienced. I know many are weary of 'experience' of God, but i don't know how else to state it I do not conceptualize God, I encounter and experience God when I attend St. Benedict's Table.

'In the Epistle of John, he equates the existence of religious knowledge with the act of love. Knowledge of God (the Truth) as a set of propositions is utterly absent; instrad he claims that those who exhibit a genuine love know God, regardless of their religious system, while those who do not love cannot know God, again regardless of their religious system. Truth is thus understood as a soteriologyical event. This word 'soteriological' is derived from the term soteria, from which we get the word 'salvation'. In precise terms the word refers to a cure, remedy or helaing.' Love is a tricky word, mostly because it has been raped by pop-songs and hallmark cards, that any time one uses this word one is skeptical of the sincerity of the words. But it is obvious that love is central to being a follower of Jesus, so what do we do? I think we need to understand love very broad. During the 80's forms of friendship evangelism emerged as a new way to 'win those for Christ.' The problem with this form of evangelism is that people befriend people of the motive to 'convert' them. This naturally has an agenda, can sacred love have an agenda? I don't think it can when we add a 'should' to love it becomes something other than love. I think any form of evangelical tool is worthless, without growing into being deeper followers of Christ. Maybe it is the easy answers we are after to share our faith, but somehow this isn't possible. One who love all(do not read tolerate all) shows God, by living out our life as Eucharistic people being broken in the world.
I think we can go into the world and be broken, without the need to convince others we are right.

Food for Thought...

Deeper into Lenten territory...


I'm increasingly uncomfortable with current images of God found in books and workshops that mix popular psychology with a theology wholly devoted to self-realization. I really don't want a God who is solicitous of my every need, fawning for my attention, eager for nothing in the world so much as the fulfillment of my self-potential. One of the scourges of our age is that all our deities are house-broken and eminently companionable. In a society that emphasizes the limitless possibilities of the individual self, it comes as a strange freshness to be confronted by an unfathomable God, indifferent to the petty, self-conscious needs that consume us.


Beldon Lane, The Solace of Fierce Landscapes

Tim Keller and Deconstructing Defeater Beliefs

This week in the Emerging generation class we listened to a lecture by Tim Keller. The lectured was title 'Supremacy of Christ and the Gospel in the Postmodern World' it was a thought provoking. I liked how Keller acknowledges that traditional evangelism and apologetics are utterly useless anymore. I was a bit surprised by this but it was nice to hear an 'older' person state this particularly with having Franklin Graham giving a traditional evangelistic speech. Keller also is a firm believer of process of conversion, which speaks against the traditional evangelism. I also appreciated that Keller acknowledges past abuses of Christians. The latter portion of Keller revolves around that many people will not accept a gospel message for the simple reason of 'implausibility structure.'

The theory that Keller calls propositional apologetics revolves around looking at a persons worldview and deconstructing false notions within their worldview. Keller states in an article "Many books on reaching post-moderns today give the impression that people now need virtually no arguments at all. The 'apologetic' is a loving community.' While I tend to disagree with Keller that this form of apologetics is better than a loving community, but nonetheless intriguing.

Keller did a survey of non-Christians under 25 in NY and concluded that six primary 'defeater beliefs' exist and till these are engaged that any christian message will be ignored.

The six defeater beliefs are:

1. The other religions
2. Evil and suffering
3. The ethical straitjacket
4. The record of Christians
5. The angry God
6. The unreliable Bible

I would say that these are fairly accurate. Some of his answers are quite adequate, some I feel Keller grossly underestimates the situation. One of the huge problems I see is #4. I think in order to move forward to deeper Christianity, which Keller sees as the solution. While I do agree this is the case, but I think the standard communication of the Christians render this point to a problematic step. In my experience particularly among young adults, Christianity is about going to heaven, so to have a deeper Christianity doesn't make sense due to the over emphasis on sinners prayer as the 'finish line' of faith. I actually would say that some of these defeater beliefs, I actually agree with and are part of the reason i struggle with the church.

Either way I found the lecture thought provoking, but I don't know if postmodern apologetics is any better on paper than classical apologetics. However, I sense that seeing this task done in person might convince me more. The other problem of this post-modern apologetics is that often in Christianity people are told that evangelism is one of the central activities of Christians. This method is very intellectual, which if evangelism is an activity we all participate in, if this method is graspable by an entire congregation.

Is God in every religion?

I think due to the pluralistic nature of western culture, this is an dilemma. Naturally this questions many of the tenets of American Evangelical Christianity. Many of the exclusive claims within Christianity are being questions due to many finding many similarities between the various religions. I think this is a positive trend, but also requires a person to know their own religion better.

Recently, I listen to "Finding our God in the Other" a sermon by Samir Selmanovic(http://samirselmanovic.typepad.com/). Selmanovic is a pastor in Manhattan, he grew up Muslim became an Atheist and now is a Christian pastor. That in itself is profound. At times I wonder where I would be if I didn't grow up in a Christian family. Selmanovic proses an interesting question, in Acts 17, Paul is in Athens. Where people are worshiping an unknown God and Paul proceeds to show them they are worshiping the God of Israel. This is a unique take on the passage, but i don't think it is bad hermeneutics. Selmanovic delves into whether we can acknowledge good in other religions. If we can not this naturally is a problem, I have meet many people of other faiths that are wonderful people, can we be better followers of God by seeing good in other religions. I tend to think so. The problem is whether Christianity can become an idol. Many of the Christian doctrines or tenets are not about preaching the resurrection of Christ, but have to do with cultural accepted forms within the church.

I think Christians are guilt for many abuses, as every religion is, but I think those serious about living faithful to God , need other religious communities to hold us in check. The problem I have encountered is that we as Christians do not admit to those abuses. I have little knowledge about other religions, but I know Christianity is based on repentance and forgiveness. In that theme let us ask forgiveness from all the people Christians have demonized and hurt over the years.

If any of you are interesting the sermon it is the Emergent Podcast from February 11/07

I love music

I must say that i have quite an affinity for music. Every since my high school years I have enjoyed music that crossed many genres. Over the past two years I have been exposed to the wonderful world of indie and folk music. I truly enjoy these genres. Recently, I have noticed how this music is becoming the norm in my ipod. Just thought I'd share a few of the artists that I have discovered.

Bright Eyes: Often compared to a young Bob Dylan. Of all the indie artists I have discovered Bright Eyes is by far the best. His best album in my estimation is I'm Awake, its Morning.

Broken Social Scene: Is a great compilation of many different artists. Very unique, but are becoming well known. They won best alternative album at last years Juno. 'You forgot it in the people' is a gem of an album. Very easy listening, good for a long drive.

Stars: Is a indie-pop band that sprung forth from Broken Social Scene. Very melodic and light. They have great songs about life and relationships.

Amy Millan: Is the lead singer from Stars. She has a beautiful voice, a very folky feel.

The Decemberists: This band is very unique much on the line with Broken Social Scene, very mellow. I find this band very 'intellectual'. I find their early work to be Superior to their newer releases, "Her Majesty, The Decemberists" is my favorite CD.

Derek Webb: I first encountered Webb with Caedmon Call, but his solo projects really speak to me. Particularly the problem of nationalism with in western Christianity. Also with being the only Christian artist I really connect with speaks to the significance of his music.

The Mountain Goats: I am not sure what i like about there mellow tone, but in the last couple weeks they are constantly played during my blogging/reading time.

Neko Case: Is a folk goddess. I don't use that word often, but its hard to describe her any other way. Her latest release 'Fox confessor brings the flood' is great through and through.

As well this year I found the music of Snow Patrol and The Frays, but I expect many of you are familiar with those house hold names.

The ugly side of the emerging church...

A couple weeks ago I posted about how my home church is very draining for me. This is mostly due to theological disagreement and also due to its modern leaning. In reading 'Emerging Churches', I am encountering a negative side of the emerging church that gives me hope. By no means is emerging 'saintly' in their description of the modern church. Actually I am coming to the point where many emerging leaders need to repent of their description of a modern church. Brad Cecil calls that once he was 'enlightened' he could no long go back to a modern church, many in the book refer to the modern church as being dead and meaningless. I don't think that is entirely true across North America. I think there is place for the modern church, not that everything they have done over the last 20-30 years in vain. Many people, twentysomes included, find the modern church a source of hope. The problem is that many do not find hope in a modern expression of church. Due to this lack of hope of church, new churches need to emerge without writing off 'older' churches. I agree with the sentiment that I could not be satisfied in a modern church, but that does not mean it is dead for everyone.

'Our' God as idol.

I think whenever someone mentions idol, I think of worshiping something other than God. I am realizing while this is an idol, do we worship our understanding of God. Do we believe we really got it all figured out. Is anyone capable of figuring God out? I think our minds will never grasp God fully, due to God's otherness. Not that this means we stop talking about God, but that we stop talking about God in way that we've got it all figured out. Are we not involved in idol worship when we stubbornly view our understanding of God as right.

Maybe this would be a good time for repentance of our iconic view of God.

'Lord, we offer up our images of you, acknowledging that while they are important, you stand over and above all our understanding. In love and faithfulness we offer you these fragments as we recognize the poverty of our understanding before the wealth of your presence. Amen.'(taken from "How (Not) To Speak Of God)

Books I am mulling over....

It's weird to think that most of my assignments are done already. It's only mid-february and I only have a 5-pager left. On the plus side to this I am able to dive back into book reading. Last semester my reading was a bit scarce due to the internship and class. I am pretty pumped at the prospect of reading books for fun again. Here are a couple I am working through:

How (Not) To Speak Of God by Peter Rollins

Emerging Churches by Eddie Gibbs

Gilead by Marilynne Robinson

The Gottingen Dogmatics by Karl Barth

Jesus and the Victory of God by N.T. Wright

I am finding these books to be a great influence in rethinking church, espeically Emerging Churches because it is a class text.

Happy Reading

Words of Wisdom

Did not the Lord share the table of tax collectors and harlots? So then - do not distinguish between the worthy and the unworthy. All must be equal in your eyes to love and to serve.

A great Colbert Report

Well as many of you know I am huge Stephen Colbert fan. The February 8th installment was great. The guest on the show was Chris Hedges. Hedges is the author of "American Fascists: The Christian Right and the War on America", I am intrigued by his ideas. Well if you are interested in these kind of things check it out. I want to leave you with one quote from Hedges, "Augustine said hope had two children anger and courage." I liked that....

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=feebdxbUhkY

http://www.alternet.org/story/47679/

Enjoy

Scary Christians

This past week I watched the "Jesus Camp." Ever since i saw the trailers this summer i was intrigued. In general, i was scared at this version of Christianity. I think the ties were too close to a political/military American Christianity. I guess when the trailer opens with the pastor talking about the enemy(referring to Islam), but i wanted to check it out anyways.

The movie is about a charismatic summer camp in North Dakota. Maybe its due to my unfamiliarity with the charismatic church, but the whole idea made me uncomfortable.

Well at times it was funny. In one scene this 8 year old girl talks about dead and alive churches. She basically says any church where people sit calmly are dead(so any Baptist, Mennonite church). God 'likes' churches where people are pumping up and down. So basically the bad church are not inviting God into church. I thought that was funny/sad.

Well check it out if you get a chance.

Homosexuality....

A close friend of mine has been having some really good discussion on homosexuality. I think ever since attending at prov this question has been going around my mind. Some conclusion that I have come to:

1. The gay gene hypothesis is not conclusive.
2. Many studies have shown that those who live homosexually are at a greater risk for various diseases or conditions.
3. The church misunderstands the few passages speaking on homosexuality.
4. We really don't understand definitively why people decide on a homosexual relationships.
5. Many people actually leave a gay lifestyle with the help of counselling.
6. The church generally has a hateful attitude towards gays and lesbians.
7. One of Jesus' goals was to deconstruct the purity code of the Pharisees.
8. Often the church resembles the Pharisees on the 'gay issue.'

It is hard to understand the hatred towards gays and lesbians. While, working on the cruise ship I experienced genuine concern and love from gays and lesbians. I think this is hard to come to grasp with how the church wants to portray gays and lesbians as 'weird.' No matter the amount any one is fallen, they are still in relationship with God. God created human as good. This cannot be taken away, creation is first and foremost 'Good'.

My conclusion over thinking about a response to homosexuality is do our best to the way of Jesus is to embrace any and all interested in searching after God in a community of faith. This naturally includes many excluded by the church, not just gays and lesbians. If we believe church is to be transformative communities, I believe we need to change things, and not maintain the status quo of church membership.

there is no truth.....

So today in my 'Ministry with the Emerging Generation' class, i had a group presentation using a form of media to discuss spritualailty. We choose a Bright Eyes song. I have been a huge fan of Bright Eyes, since March 2005...i think he is brillant.

Back to the class, the song we used questions life and particularly church. I think the church often make a lot of 'truth statements.' I am sure some think this is vital for the church to do. However, we live in a time when there is no one version of Christianity. We have too many denominations to count. Further for more, I believe that relgions will be evaluated on what they do not what they say. Words are nice, but faith without works is dead. Truth capital "T" does not make one faith or another true.

We live in a pluralistic age, where relgions appear to have less in common then we'd like to make a clear distiction over the 'keepers of truth.' The 'Daily Show' had a hilarious skti a while back where they debated Islam vs. Christianty. Each side would say the same thing about truth statements, where they would use their own texts to prove their relgion to be true. It's funny because of how many arugment have a heard that went 'God is true, because the bible says so and the bible is true because God says so'. Funny to write it out, but so many people argue religons from this point of view.

I think I am still a christian because i have encoutnered God throughout mylife, not because someone says this or that about God.

I'm pretty pumped!!!

So I recently found out about The Conversation Series on the Intersection of Faith and Culture taking place @ Booth College. The conversation series is an activity of St. Benedict's Table. This one will be in dialogue with Andrew Beaujon(author of Body Piercing Saved My Life: inside the phenomenon of Christian rock) It should be very interesting. This semester, I've been diving deeper into those issue of faith and culture. I don't believe we escape to church or our faith is an escape from the messiness of life. I just found out that the conference is on during my reading week, so i am pumped. Should be an interesting experience.

Good Christian Music.

Well for much of my life I've thought 'good christian music' was a joke of sorts. I have been exposed to so much crappy Christians music, sad really. A week ago, I bought music from St. Benedict's Table. I must say it is amazing, its been playing nonestop since i got it. For those interested check out http://www.stbenedictstable.ca/ for some info. If anyone would like me to pick you up a copy, let me know the cost is $15. Happy listening.

What is church?

This thought has been brewing in mind for the last couple years. What exactly is church. What is the function, purpose, goal, etc. This past week I have been reading Emerging Churches. In the appendix it has 50 stories of emerging leaders. The interesting thing about all the leaders is how they felt alienated by the church or came to a crisis. This required a rethinking of church.

I resonate a lot with the vision given by these leaders. But, this naturally brings me to a question what is church here for. Too often, I have heard that your life will be better if you are with a church. However, the sad fact is that in church I feel I encounter people who wear masks, but when I am outside the church I meet honesty and authentic people. I find this odd. What is it about the church that requires being fake. Many of these churches sprung up merely by a couple people connecting, because they are asking many of the same questions. What happened to the church. Often, the church is an organization like a business. This is a terrible fact. Have we given away the church to capitalism? Is church a product we sell? Like a salesmen trying to trick someone into a product and its benefits?

Church is a passion in my life, but also a cause for pain and frustration. Why is that the most authentic people i know do not feel at home at church. Why is working on a cruise ship, known for its hedonism, has a more authentic community than many churches. This is sad. Most of the beautiful people from the ship, would not be accepted at church due to not abiding to the 'rules' of church.

One thing that I am wondering, can the church be the church with 200 members? I am growing in my skepticism. Can we be authentic with so many people, while small groups do work, they seem forced. Like we need to get along and share stuff because we are Christians.

I have often wondered, this year every since i started attending St. Benedict's Table (http://www.stbenedictstable.ca/). The most revealing things i have realized this year is that i feel more at home at a church where i have no real relationship with anyone there than i do at a church I've attended for almost 12 years. Not that I don't have friends, which i cherish. Rather, I get a sense that whatever St. Benedict's has or their ethos that is what church is meant to be. Broken people running to God, living life together, answering questions, not hiding living life together. When did church become an institution that one can no longer be honest and real.

Well that is a bit of a rant, sorry. Maybe it is because church is so important to myself that it is frustrating to see it selling out.

First Session....

Well i went to my first counselling session Friday afternoon. I think it went well it was more a get to know you ..why are you here? stuff like that. I am hopeful to see how i will be able to have a place to talk things through with my counsellor...well hope everyone is having a good week...

Pagitt on Creeds

Well I just listened to Doug Pagitt's podcast. The topic was basically a 3-4 minute rant on creeds. More specifically on what creeds are: They are not summation of Christian faith..creeds are understanding within a certain contextual context.

I think that is one of the better understanding of creeds that i have come across.

Children of Men

In the last couple years I have lost hope in finding great movies. I am typically disappointed with movies or maybe my standards have been on a decline over the years. However, recently I heard about Children of Men. I am not a Sci-fi fan, but the premise of a world that has become mysteriously infertile. I found the movie to be very creative, which is very rare in this age. The movie took a interesting look at 'political activist' that becomes a form of terrorism. The scene that continually runs through my head is when the main characters attempt to escape a battle scene between the army and political activist while holding a baby. What is profound of this scene is that when each group encounters the baby(hope) they stand in awe, but as soon as the baby passes them they have this gut reaction to continue killing. I found this scene very truthful. That the reason people are fighting is often forgotten( or unknown). If you've got a chance check it out, trust me you won't be disappointed.

Who is Peter Rollins?

Well as those close to me know I am a pretty big Brian McLaren fan. However, McLaren has gotten so popular that he gives recommendations/forewords to many books. This has made it hard to distinguish between the good and ordinary books. A little while back my good friend Joey(http://www.joeyroyal.blogspot.com)mentioned that many in the Emergent friendship were raving about 'How (Not) to speak of God' by Peter Rollins. So i figured I'd check it out. In reading the foreword by McLaren, I am amazed at the praise McLaren gives. McLaren states, "I would say this is one of the two or three most rewarding books of theology I have read in ten years." So needless to say McLaren is becoming a huge fan of Rollins. McLaren takes it further "Peter's effective and creative use of parables comes as an added surprise, evoking the practice of a communicator who, many of us believe, spike of god as no other person ever has, to such a degree that he himself was named the Word made flesh." So, Rollins tells stories like Jesus. That is a bit hard to take. But, after reading Rollins introduction I am very excited to see what I am in store.

Here are some of the gems from the introduction.

"they balked at the presumption of those who would seek to colonize the name 'God' with concepts."

"they(Christian mystics) wrote elegantly concerning the limits of writing and spoke eloquently about the brutality of words."

"the Word of God has mystery built into its very heart."

"Against the idea that we can speak of God I argue that we must embrace an a/theological approach that acknowledges the extent to which our supposed God-talk fails to define who or what God is."

Well that is just a taste...happy reading.

An Interesting week.....

Well, it has been a hard start to the semester. I think good for the long run, but hard in the short term. Hard to be in right now. Well how do i start...Well I got back from Korea pretty sick and drained. Not the way one should start a semester. Maybe i have been running from stuff going on in my life. Well, I think my journey to do this youth stuff has been a long one. I think i've had a lot of questions regarding leadership and teaching gifts. I think these questions have been abound since i've come to Prov. So i've been rethinking lots. It hasn't been a fun week. I've been struggling with being very heavy and even somewhat depressed about my situation. I think i am in a better place right now, but i still have issues with where my life is going.

I think i get down a lot about my weakness in ministry and also a lot of weaknesses in regards to my social skills in the public space. I think a lot of these questions have led me to aknowledge that unless i change as a person I won't work in a church in the role of youth pastor. i think a lot of questions about having a passion, but not having the gifts to work in the church. So I am questioning a lot of things...which i think is fine, but it is hard working in a church and coming to these realizations.

So i am doing my best to make my semester as good possible. So, next friday I am beginning to go to counselling to work out these problems i am having. well that is my life in a nutshell. Not so fun, but I feel God is in this process. I find that God is the source i rely on more, reading my Bible gives me hope and peace. Just some thoughts on the journey. I am still finding that it is hard to work a lot on my days off.

well hope your life is filled with a little less stress then mine...all the best

A further thought on redemptive stories....

As I've been working through the idea of being involved in redemptive stories, i find that these stories are hard to hear. I think that is because they sound similar to the kingdom of God. A kingdom that for the most part is foreign to our world. So when we hear these stories we do not recognize them for what they are: Redemptive stories. Sort of till we tune our ears to this different world we will not hear God in these stories.

I wonder if we are not all or have the opportunity to be involved in redemptive stories. I think we all have the opportunity to be involved in the kingdom of God on earth. Often when i listen to Rob Bell, i feel that Mars Hill Bible Church is focused on being involved in redemptive stories in their community. It is truly beautiful the vision of this church.

Just a further explanation of redemptive stories...

Just when you thought it couldn't get worse....

Well, when i heard that George Bush had called a news conference to describe a new strategy for Iraq, I was hopeful. Finding out his plan, I now realize that my hope was very naive. I am saddened by his response, not surprised but saddened. Jim Wallis(http://www.beliefnet.com/blogs/godspolitics/) does an excellent job in summarizes why people around the world should be scared of Bush. Bush exemplifies a belief in redemptive violence. Very sad day. All I really can do is pray for the situation..I am at a loss for words in my fear of this 'just war'.

What's in a name....

So the last little while I have been watching some football movies. I must admit I have a weakness for football movies, mostly due to my high school football days. Maybe it is a form of reliving my past. Anyways the theme i find in these movies is what i am called 'redemptive stories.' Not sure if that is a phrase, but in post-modern/emergent fashion one is able to simply make up words.

In watching these movies(Gridiron Gang, Invincible, and We are Marshall) I am constantly brought to tears, which seems a bit messed up since they are fairly cheesy and the acting is not great by any stretch of the imagination. But I think redemptive stories are at the core of these movies...and to add to that is that my blog is called 'Another World is Possible.' This phrase I became aware of in reading The Irresistible Revolution by Shane Claiborne, which is basically a testimony of Claiborne. The phrase 'another world is possible' comes from a project Claiborne is involved of exposing some of the justice issues in the world such as war, poverty, etc. I think what this phrase has grown to mean to me is stories that show a redemptive power in this world. I by no means believe these redemptive stories are only for the church. I find the Holy Spirit is at work in many ways in this world and many of those place are beyond the walls of the church. I imagine some would be uncomfortable with this idea, but I feel this is glaringly true in our age. Or maybe there are redemptive stories taking place, like those stories we find of Jesus redeeming people, in place that do not fit into the categories of agendas of the church.

Brian McLaren touches on what I mean by redemptive stories in his story of what it means to be a worker for the kingdom of God. In The Secret Message of Jesus, McLaren talks about a taxi driver that is not your normal taxi driver but a taxi driver with a kingdom purpose. I find forms of redemption are in these stories. In the Old Testament I get the sense of a cycle of people calling/crying to God and God responding. I wonder if God would limit a working to the people of God who are crying or finding a creative way to make the world better or shall i say find a way to redeem a broken people.

I think in the story of Invincible the city of Philadelphia is redeemed,given hope in a time of despair when many people were on strike and losing their livelihoods. These people are given hope when one of their native sons joins the team and gives the people hope. While that might seem like a stretch of a 'redemptive story.' I would suggest that possible our idea of redemption has been put in a straight jacket by the North American Church. The redemption is something to do with sin. Well i find this having to do with social sins or as Walter Wink calls them The Powers That Be. The city is involved in a sin of capitalism of dehumanizing the people working at plants arguing over money. But I think the movie Gridiron Gangs reveals a stronger story of redemption in the lives of people.

Gridiron gangs is about social workers working at a youth detention centre realizing that their method are not really reforming the youth since almost all the youth leave the detention and fall back into their lifestyle that brought them to the detention hall. The social workers feel that maybe forming a football team would give them a better chance to reform and teach these youth that seem to be caught in this cyclical life of living in poverty leading to crime leading to prison and thus leaving their kids to a life of poverty and so forth. This team by the end of the movie have learnt to live for something better. People who were forever called 'losers' are given a chance to be something different. This chance that i sense a lot of us feel is a right in a 'democratic' country, but is lost due to the life sucking force of poverty. These youth are transformed and 75% of the youth actually go onto a higher education or some kind of part of society. I find that these stories of youth brokenness being restored or given hope in a life of despair. If that isn't redemption...then i don't know what redemption is.....

I think while I watch these movies on a plane recently...I wondered if the glaring truth of these stories were not ordinary people acting extraordinarily. I know that may sound like a form of romanticizing on my part. While, I acknowledge truth in this statement I think the deeper thing is that Jesus is involved in giving people another way of doing things. Anyways it is late and i am drained...but God is good and faithful. Amen!

The Greatest Truth Ever!!!!!

So I am still listening to those emergent podcast and just heard the greatest truth ever. I found such truth in this sentence...i am still thinking it through..but felt a need to share it with you (and by you i mean the maybe 4-9 that actually read this).

The saying is from David Wood:

You cannot possible be theologically orthodox if you are not first a friend.

Wow!!! Such a great phrase! I am just gonna let that idea sit with you...what do you thing??

A day with Miroslav Volf.....

So over the past two days I have been catching up on listening to some pod casts. So I am in the stages of listen to the Emergent Theological conversation from this past February ( I know that I am almost a year behind, sorry). But, I have found these discussions to be helpful. This past year, probably the most difficult, thought provoking, mind changing book I read was Exclusion & Embrace by Miroslav Volf. Well he is the speaker at last years theological conversation. I am finding these conversation to be beyond helpful in working through his ideas of exclusion and embrace. I think this is one of the most important books that encompass a lot of the struggles of community in our world.

I am constantly amazed at his honesty, insights, respectfulness of other religions. I am almost giddy as i listen and inhale all the wisdom Volf and the others at these discussions give. What is particularly interesting is a discussion on homosexuality as how that fits within the idea of excluding people from the church. Jesus is often seen as including everyone into the body, but this seems to exclude homosexuals. If the church is inclusive this seems odd. I think the church has falsely adopted a purify yourself first attitude to those who do not fit within their moral understandings of what is required of the church. I find this is flawed and rooted in making us 'accept' Jesus to be saved. I find it interesting if salvation is a free gift of grace from God to humans, why does the church require people to do something? Is this not reverting back to a work based system pre- Martin Luther. Does the protestant church really want to reject the most fundamental reason for their formation. I imagine Luther rolls over in his grave every time the sinners prayer is said at a summer camp.

Has anyone listen to these podcast? if so please feel free to tell me your thoughts on them or anything on miroslav volf...

Thoughts on Walter Wink....

I don't think I am a very violent person. Actually, if anything I find I very passive in nature. I've never punched anyone. I would say pacifism is a natural way of life. However, pacifism as a way of life that avoids parts of life that requires force or violence is not really a pacifism that Jesus talks about. I think my thinking on pacifism have evolved to a thinking that Jesus wasn't a pacifist in a passive sense. Rather, in a very proactive sense. In reading The Powers That Be by Walter Wink, I have been mulling over what does it mean to act non-violently in a world that seemingly blindly accepts what Wink calls "The Myth of Redemptive Violence." What this myth deals with is the idea so violence brings peace. That when we confront problems of justice that we are able to use violence since our ends are valid.

However, Gandhi always said that if your end is a good end your means must be equally good. In this I find the truth that reveals the inherent sinfulness in any form of 'just war theory.' While some may say this is merely my pacifism shining through. I acknowledge this however Gandhi is by no means a pacifism but merely recognizes the lie that is found in the myth of redemptive violence. Gandhi even said that violence is preferred to cowardice. The fact that any kind of peace can come through violence is void and our world is a glaring example of this truth. Wink give countless examples of how in World War 2 how there were people within this war resisted to fight through violent measure and many were saved from concentration camps through these kind of non-violent methods.

Winks words still haunts me. How violence is so easy to give into. Wink however gives a quite good argument to that Jesus came to die for the worlds sins and this idea of redemptive violence is something of the world and the Powers are holding onto this lie of violence with all its might. However, that the cross exposes the lie of violence in its most dehumanizing form of cruxifiction, and reveal that it hold no real weight.

A question that I continually struggle with is the seemingly shift of talk of violence between the Old Testament and the New Testament. While the Old Testament, almost canonizes violence as God's ordained way of working through problems and Jesus, talks about violence as have no power in the Kingdom of God. Wink gives the idea that this violent God of the Old Testament is merely due to that the people of the Old Testament was violent. While that may be the case, i find this conclusion a bit escapist. Then how can these violent stories be part of the christian story, if they are mere people being violent thus inferring violence on God. I struggle with the conquest narrative in Christian Canon as merely a form of inferring violence on God. It seems that there needs to be a deeper discussion on this. Just a thought....

Thoughts on Rodney Clapp...

Well the last little while there have been many things going on in mind. I am not sure if that is always a good thing. I am in a time of questioning many things in life. Particularly the next step in life. This is mostly done by what I read. One of the books I just finished is A Peculiar People by Rodney Clapp. As I was wondering about the book I was struck by the sense that this book is 10 years old, but spoke so deeply and profoundly to this journey I find myself on in a post-modern age.

The idea that Clapp often works on is how the Church ceased being the Church when Constantine made Christianity the state religion. This thought seems so prevalent and truthful to me and our age. I often cringe at how the church in America and to a lesser extend in Canada feels they are the morality police. I find that simply makes the church more irrelevant(sorry i can't think of a more precise and less trite term). The way Clapp describes why some believers feel the need to be morality police or in a post-Constantine age becoming more distant from speaking anything pertiant or valuable to the world. I find this more true in very 'Right' sectors in the states. I find this solution not a real solution. I believe that the world has truth in it, and by the church attempting to distance them selves and showing others their faults of others is somehow not helpful in the journey of many people trying to understand what it means to live faithfully to God in a post-modern time.

I think Clapp gives me hope. He seems to make church important in this age that no longer sees anything the church/bible/ Christians believes as normative . I believe we are the first age that is confronting these issues since the early church. I believes these times are confusing and frustrating, especially for myself when we have certain sectors wanting to hold onto a Constantine worldview. When I read Clapp I just want to stand up and say 'Amen'! It lets me breath in the midst of my former evangelical worldview crumbling apart. Not that this crumbling is a bad thing, but i seem to have a hard time having conversation what i can do to restore hope or someways that all this crumbling isn't a bad thing.

Clapp and a lot of emergent dialogue give me hope. The only problem is that i find this dialogue to be almost exclusively American. Its funny i go to this 'emergent' type of church in Winnipeg. Ever week it seems that i run to that service every Sunday night at 7, since I need God and what this service holds that every week i need it to sustain my life. Maybe that is due to my ever evolving theology of communion. But I find that i enjoy dreaming of a post-Constantine church, because i sense that what the church gave away to Constantine, we can now take back.

Lastly, a bit of a radical thought( i think at least). In the last chapter, Clapp proposes that what the church/christian are meant to be at the most fundamental level is to be friends. I find this to be beautiful, true , and simple. I think we are all friends or have the capability of being a friend. I assume that many would reject the notion that being a friend can be the root of the christian life. But, somehow i believe it is true. I am sure some evangelical that would want to suffocate me with some misguided notions of pieity(sp?) as the root of authentic Christians.

I often find that we hear notions that people feel alone in this time. We are all looking for a group of people to share life with. This sounds simple/profound. But I feel that friendship encompasses what the world needs. I get the sense that is what Jesus did, he made friends giving them life in the process freeing them from the bondage of the purity system. Just a thought. If we struggle to be christian in these post-modern times maybe beginning at being a friend without an agenda to evangelize other would bring some beautiful that doesn't need more people pushing agendas.

Korea.....

So I got back from South Korea on Saturday. I sort of had a 'odd' experience. So how shall I say this...I hope I never step foot in that country ever again!

I'm not sure what it was about Seoul and S. Korea, but it rubbed me the wrong way. First off..the pollution in Seoul is disgusting. The worst part is that it effected my mind so i couldn't think straight...or even be outside walking in Seoul for more than 5 hours before my mind would get really foggy. I remember talking with Trisha in her apartment and I had a hard time even putting sentences together..without hurting.

Secondly, I was surprised at the materialism. It makes the US and Canada look like poor countries with there emphasis on having the name brand stuff. I know we have that in N. America, but not to the degree as the Koreans have it.

Thirdly, I feel bad for women in Korea. I got this overwhelming sense that women's top priority is getting married. A lot of the women I meet were obsessed with this fact. Also the way people talked about marriage is that the men choose the women. I was often congratulated on my 'choice' of Trisha. Since, Trisha had no say in the matter it was my mere choosing of her. That really rubbed me badly.

Well those are just a few of the things I didn't like about the Korean culture. All in all I am glad I don't have to live there. I think I'd kill myself. Canada Rules!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Best Books of 2006

Well 2006 has been a good year for books. I felt i have learned a lot this year from many amazing author. I thougth i'd share a couple of the highlights.

The Call to Conversion: Jim Wallis
Repenting of Religion: Gregory Boyd
Through Painted Desserts: Donald Miller
The Post-evangleical: Dave Tomlinson
Why Men are the Way they are: Warren Farrel
The Secret Message of Jesus: Brian McLaren
Are Women Human: Dorothy Sayers
The Beauty Myth: Naomi Wolf
Meeting Jesus again for the First Time: Marcus Borg
The Search to Belong: Joseph Meyers
The Younger Evangelicals: Robert Webber
The Prophetic Imagination: Walter Bruggemann
The Jesus Creed: Scot McKnight
Practicing Passion: Kenda Creasy Dean
Exclusion & Embrace: Miroslav Volf
Velvet Elvis: Rob Bell
The Great Giveaway: David Fitch
Evangelical Theology-An Introduction: Karl Barth
Tortured Wonders: Rodney Clapp
The Irresistible Revolution: Shane Caliborne

Where do you sit on the Evangometer?

Well you might be wonder what a 'Evangometer' is..and asking why is Chris making up words. Actually, I found the word in an article 'An evangelical body, broken for you . . . into six convenient types' by Anna Bowen found in the recent issue of Geez Magazine(http://www.geezmagazine.org/issue4/anevangelicalbody.html). An 'evangometer' is tells how evangelical you are. This is an interesting point as in the last couple years the word evangelical has become harder to define.

I feel Bowen does a good job. I have a couple of interesting points. Under Liberal Evangelicals she puts Rick Warren, C.S. Lewis, and Bono. Wow that is quite a contrast of people..first off don't think anyone has called Warren a liberal before, but i have realized he has been critized by the religious right for his involvement in Africa with a AIDS pandemic. The other interesting point is that both Bono and Lewis are really controversial. Bono some think is a universalist, and Lewis..is one of those people that evangelicals revere..but as Brian McLaren pointed out in his brillant book 'A New Kind of Christain' that people sometimes don't want to hear it in a sermon.

The other interesting point is the 'emergent evangelical' first off..i am impressed that Bowen put the emergetn type relevtively high on the evangometer. But i have no idea what the Vintage Church is. I feel i am fairly fluent in emergent lingo..and have yet to come across this term. But all in all i feel that Bowen assess the group fairly.

But, my main criticsm for Bowen is to do with Christian Leftists. I think the people she lumps into this group is a bit rash. I feel the distinction she makes between the Christian Leftist and the Social Justice Folks. I guess my main disagreement is with her putting Jim Wallis and John Shelby Spong in the same group. Personally, i feel Wallis is a modern-day Prophet. I don't know what distinguishes him from the socail justice folk. So yeah..just a brief summary of the article..if you get a chance to pick up Geez, it is definately worth it...espeically if you feel uncomfortable in the conservative church...probably feel...i have found a home. Hope you enjoy...

Are we getting ready.....

So recently I have been thinking how hard it is to practice or participate in Advent. I was in Best Buy today and got this overwhelming sense that the emphasis on Gifts creates a world in which the real reason for Christmas is subverted. Currently I am preparing a small 'talk' for the College and Career Christmas Banquet and am having a hard way concentrating on what to say. While in the line today....any idea of waiting, which is what advent is for...is lost..can a christian practice or participate in advent with all the emphasis on buying, hurry, etc. Just wondering...if anyone has some thoughts on this...please share...

Do you hear it....

Recently i had a chance to attend something called 'Hearing the Silence' at providence college. It was an event that was put on by St. Benedict Table. The event is based that "at the heart of Christian worship lies silence, and in that stillness we, like the prophet Elijah before us, learn to attend to the power of the still, small voice."

I think i have been drawn to silence and stillness more and more over the last couples years. I find the power that lies with in silence penetrates my soul. The space created by silence I believe is a place where God can speak to us. In Rob Bell' Nooma video 'Noise' ..he identifies with this silence. "Does my schedule , my time, my life look like that of a person who wants to hear God's voice." I think this is a dilemma. We live in a world that tells us we need to be busy doing things...while Jesus constantly took time to be still before God. Do the actions of Jesus lead us towards reorienting our Life around our savior...and listening to our creator?

Is there a trend in our world that emphasises doing over being. Like our worth is found in what we do not who we are? One of the most profound times in my life is when i was still before God...not knowing where my life was going..almost feeling like i was aimlessly wandering...as i walked a long the white cliffs in Dover..not talking..not thinking..just being...I heard God' voice. God spoke in a way..that penetrated my soul...so deeply that all i can do was cry. Be in the presence of God. Knowing that was enough. I think in my life i struggle with that...idea..having to do stuff..fill my life with stuff..to gain 'worth' in God's eyes...but i am constantly reminded that this is not the case.

Just want to close with what the essence of this time is...and actually what i feel every time i go to St. Benedict's...i feel they create space...to commune with the Holy God....
The quiet, contemplative singing of Biblical texts
is a kind of centering prayer.
Often the text of a song will be sung repetitively in order to let
the words sink into out minds and then out hearts

We are freed in this kind of worship
to still our hearts and appreciate the presence of
the living God in the midst of His people.
We gather to enjoy the presence of
the Blessed Trinity
Father, Son, and Holy Spirit.

The incense is an outward and visible sign of the
prayers of God's people ascending
to His heavenly throne.
Icons are used in the eastern Christian tradition
as windows which point beyond themselves
to the transcendence of the Holy Trinity.

Let God speak to your hearts this day.

Hauerwas - part two

Well figured I'd conclude my thoughts on Hauerwas.

I think this is typical Hauerwas humor: A couple years back the world was confronted by a great illness. But, the medical profession found a cure..and the TV was flooded with ads about the relief we could all have from this dire medical epidemic...baldness. Now when did being bald become a medical problem? It so odd how physical limitations require cures. We have an entire industry of 'medicine' to heal physical 'illnesses' : We have surgeries for breast enhancement...aging is an illness. It seems that people are afraid of getting old..or maybe more accurately our bodies aging. The interesting thing that Hauerwas notes is that we come to the medical profession to heal these diseases that they have no real cure.

Hauerwas thinks that due to the way we view the medical industry, people have lost a vital skill: how to die. We do everything in order that we don't die....or maybe more percisely die when we choose...take for example Dr. Kevorkian. People went to him for permission to die. We are the ones who can determine our time of death. Hauerwas doesn't really blame Kevorkian for this..merely giving people what they want. Not that Hauerwas think Kevorkian was a good person...he says.."if i wasn't a pacifist i go and kill him".

Hauerwas believes that the modern story..has created a culture where we have nothing in common...we share no goods in common..so we can't say what it means to die well..we don't really know each other. To add to the problem..a stages of death was created. The stages consist of denial, anger, bargaining, grief,/apathy, and acceptance...the problem is that this process has become so normative that the medical profession almost keeps people alive to go through the process...Hauerwas disagree with this...he believes if we live a crappy life we deserves a crappy death(i guess just part Hauerwas humor..or maybe honesty).

Hauerwas believes a hope in an after life is foreign to the history of Christianity. It like the modern age has this notion of 'rights' to life. But, life is a gift from God. But, Christians have a hope that distinguishes us from the world. While the modern story of having no story is not adequate. We have a story given to us by God...to hope in the after life..is wrong..we hope in God. It the same reason why Christian need to be non-violent..its not that Christians are anti-war..but that we can't imagine anything else for this world that is so violent.

Hauerwas believes that part of being a christian almost requires us to die early, because of all the things required of Christians. Christians have fears a coward never knows of..The main difference between Christians and others with the modern story is that we don't know our story till God tells us...death doesn't determine our story..God does.

The christian life points to the grace and goodness of God. Christians are joyfully dependant on a community..we don't want to be autonomous. The Devil wants us to stare at death...Jesus wants us to look to him. To die in a christian understanding is not abandonment..its is presence with one another..not avoidance. For Hauerwas dieing is a Christian privelge..they are part of us..friends do not give us hope..they are our hope. Death is never to be done in isolation..but with loved ones..God gave us Christ. Our hope is real ..we die looking to Christ.

In the Q&A afterwards...Hauerwas mentioned his contentment for fertility clinics. I think this was classic Hauerwas...calling fertility clinics..pagan..since it is all about our genes keeping 'US' alive....thinking that we are so bent on keeping our genes..while there are so many kids in the world looking for a home..but we need our child to be our own flesh and blood. Hauerwas believes this idea is perverse....What do you guys think about that? Hauerwas was so irate at the thought..you could tell he just wanted to curse, which by the way is when i believe Hauerwas is at his best. Not sure what you think of Hauerwas..but i think every time i read or hear his stuff..i feel like i am wiser...and can face the problems of living this life with a better understanding of what it means to be 'Resident Aliens: Life in the Christian Colony.'

Do yourself a favor....

Hey fellow winnipegers....

So this week I had a great opportunity to go to the Winnipeg Art Gallery. I must admit this is my first time attending, which is a sad statement considering I have been living in Winnipeg for the last 10 plus years. Well this week i went to the see "Rodin: A magnificent Obsession." I must I was taken back by Rodin. Some of his sculptures are quiet haunting. I have long found that a face can express things without saying a word.

I just found the whole experience ..fulfilling. I am a believer that God is present in beauty. It is my duty as a believer in God to experience art. There are a couple 'faces' at the exhibit that are rooted in the human experience. You see Rodin..sculpted a couple french men that made a deal with the British that if they would come and rescue their village...in return they would basically be in service to the British. The expression on their faces ...gave me a sensation that i could experience everything they were...the stubborn, pride, anguish. Some of these faces still are in my mind..thinking on things we do for the betterment of humanity.

Well that is just a glimpse of the many works of Rodin...i guess i am writing this...so if any of you winnipeggers need something to fill your time..spend 10 bucks and check it out...it is definitely worth your time and money.

Thank You, Stan. - Part 1

Well, Stanley Hauerwas was in Winnipeg last night. To give you a glimpse of the scene..the church was packed by 6:20, which meant there was a lot of interest in what Hauerwas had to say, which is hopeful. I must say i did expect something else...i mean when ever i read his books...i imagine i big man, or at least hefty. But he is the opposite. He is a small balding man with a Texas accent.

I think this surprise just added to the night. He started with a poetic reading that expressed a world that wished to escape suffering. That people in this time had an eagerness to avoid pain if at all possible. The interesting part is that this was a speech given by Pope Leo the Thirteen. I would say this is still the case today, we avoid suffering....interesting how in the last 100 years not much has changed on that regard.

The opening remarks turned into a questioning on how we want to die. Many people responded by stating some form of 'sudden death', which probably would be the consensus in the world. We desire to go quickly.

Hauerwas stated that in the medieval times it was always the priest before the physician, which seems to have reversed. That the reason of death was to have time to reconcile with the world. However, the sudden death world we live seems to point to the opposite..we no longer have time to be with our love ones and get right with God and others.

Sudden death is not a christian practice says hauerwas....where is the hope in that? If Christian are people of hope...how does our way of dying depict what is central to our lives.

He pointed out the difference between secular and divinity schools( divinity students are only there because they have failed in another line of work). That typically at med. school one has a specifics set out that one needs to know( you can't become a doctor if you fail at certain disciplines..that's just common sense). But at divinity school we let people go around..if you aren't into christology this year you can take something else. The view this gives is that its ok to have incompetent priests but not doctors. Stating that this points north America in a form of practical atheism...that if it is more important for our doctors to be trained than priests. I think that maybe sheds light on the state of the church in North America.

I think this point is important to notice. I have had many discussions with friends about people they allow to go through seminary. In one instance there was a friend of our who had major issues with telling the truth..and even after confronting him on this it seemed that he continued to lie. But, at no point did anyone in the seminary confront him on this or tell him he would not be allowed to go on. I just question the integrity of that. Maybe what is more hilarious is that the counselling program in the seminary kicks people out of the program if they don't feel the person can cut it...or might do people harm. Wonder why that is not the case for other program?

Medical professionals were always there for care..but hauerwas believes we have actually given them the authority of cure...if that is not practical atheism i don't know what is....i think part one will stop here...i hope to make this a 3 part series..hope this give some insight into what hauerwas is getting at..feel free to question me or hauerwas...

Belonging....

So today i started reading "The search to belong: Rethinking intimacy, community, and small groups", by Joseph Myers. It was very eye opening and truthful. I think over the last couple years i have thought about where i feel i belong. I think my experience working on the cruise ship maybe makes my understanding of belonging different than most. Since, I would have to say the group of people i felt more open about life, and felt heard was with those group of amazing people, most women, that you feel like you've known each other for ages. The last time i saw my good friend Kari, she said this is not good bye its till next time. In my life i have experienced very few people who could say that without it sound true and honest.

I find our world has created a need for belonging since modernity believed that the individual was the most important entity in life. This lie has been exposed over the last couple of years. Now we come to a point where everyone feels along and searches for this place where we can be heard and feel at home. Myers notes his life changed while hearing Brian McLaren and Len Sweet propose the idea that postmodern people wish to "belong before they believe." Now to some people that sounds heretical. How can we have them in our fellowship if they don't believe in certain doctrines. While there are doctrines that are important to the church..the simple fact is that is not how people experience God. It is by encountering God in people. Rob Bell says that to be a a kingdom of priest as is stated in Exodus 19 is to display the divine…so to show people God. So like the people are to show to God…the action of the people show people who God is like.

I guess that is a bit off topic but i think in this age words are nice, but the real work happens when we show them stuff..when people feel like we want to be here...where without coersion they come willing. Myers says "A church of small groups? Sounds like forced relational hell to me." This idea that since the people are in the church your gonna naturally have something in common with them and feel heard.

I think the last little while I've realized that I don't have a sense of belonging in my home church. A church where i have attended for over 10 years now..and am currently interning at. I have great friends there, people who i love dearly that have a great effect on my life. But, someone i don't think i feel heard. Maybe what intensifies this feeling is that there is a 'out of the box' anglican church i have been attending the last 3-4 weeks. I have no real relationship there, but i have a sense of belonging. St. Benidicts Table...speaks and embodies what is beautiful about church. Sometimes i wonder if it is worth it to get up sunday morning and go through the motions. At St. Benidicts Table..i feel inspired , challenged, and honestly at times during song, the message , or a part of liturgy i am on the verge of tears. I feel I belong I feel accepted. I think this is odd...or maybe reveals a misunderstanding within the church of what it means to belong to a community. Well this has went on longer than i thought..just some random thoughts.

Now i just want to conclude by saying that my home church is not that bad. I think I am in a place where many evangelicals who identify themselves more with the emergent movement than with their own traditions. I think that is mainly due to this modern/post-modern shift that is taking place in culture..what happens when one is stuck in a church that has fully heartedly accepted a modern understanding of life...and for some reason you have grown into a person who thinks completely post-modern. It like your in a world that doesn't understand you and thus...if north americians desire to belong that is near impossible. So my church is great lots of friends that i love and respect dearly meet God among the wall at my church..the only problem is that i don't. I guess it's like Tony Jones, National Coordinator of Emergent Village , recently shared in his an emergent village email...i have been told from many people in the last couple years that "Emergent saved my life."...not sure if i would say saved my life..but i would say the life that the modern church was attempting to suck out of me has been restored..it has given me passion and vision for life. To put it but it in basic words..I have a place to belong.

The Ambiguity of Life/Faith.....

In the last little i have been reading my friend Joey's blog and a reoccurring theme is talks with people stemming from a reformed theology background. The onc thing that i notice is how it seems to be an understanding of certainty is at the focus of faith. However, somehow certainty and faith seem to contradict one another. It seems that this idea that one can not believe in something without absolute certainty. I find a tendency for people not allowing for a hint of doubt in people faith system, but this week one of my profs said that the opposite of faith is not doubt but sight.

Along that line, I was reading "Faith Shaping" by Stephen Jones where he points out that ambiguity is something that adults take for granted in life since it is assumed. However, this ambiguity of life seems to be missing in certain sectors of Christianity...they attempt to avoid this question of ambiguity. Jones states "Biblical faith is an address to life's inherent ambiguities, not a diversion from them." Faith needs to be given room to explore this ambiguity and lack of neatness in life. I pray that these people who i have never meet may meet a God of mystery. And meet the God, Job encounters...that will not be put into a system but welcomes our passion for understanding life. Just want to close with another Jones quote, "If we can affirm that the ambiguity of life is universal, and if we choose to affirm that life is God's gift, then in some way we must reconcile faith in such a way that it addresses rather than avoids the ambiguity."

Let's Welcome Stan...

So I feel it is my duty to inform all you people living close to Winnipeg that we have a great chance to meet a real theologian. On November 6th at 7pm at St. Margaret's Anglican Church, Stanley Hauerwas will be giving a lecture titled 'Why Most North American are Afraid to Die." In the last years i have been encourage by his honesty. When i was an Resident Assistant at Providence College i read "Resident Aliens" which really helped me along in understanding the church. So if you do have Monday free please attend i promise you won't be disappointed. As for me i am still trying to figure out how to attend as i have Monday evening class and a paper due ..but i am still holding out that i might be able to make it...if not and any of you attend please fill me in on the details of Stan's lecture...

The $ 1.6 Million Christian Concert...

So we had the Franklin Graham thing this weekend..it went by fairly well..still think it is a waste of money. I think if we evaluate it as an evangelistic outreach..it was clearly an utter failure. For the simple reasons that about 85-90% of the audience was clearly christian. So if the purpose of spending all this money was to reach out to people clearly the festival failed. While that maybe more apart of the people in Winnipeg. Also in a class today one of the guys mentioned something that is very true...that truth without love..doesn't hold truth. This was in a response to how Graham communicated the message..he made some remarks that people would call 'bold' or frankly sounding hateful at times. I guess the whole conference doesn't really have a overall ring of sharing the love, which Graham stresses in his speech before calling people murders. but i do hope that people who did respond to the 'alter call' can meet christian that can love them..and bring them up in a loving community....

Well it's finally here...

Well this weekend the Franklin Graham Festival comes to Winnipeg. I think I have mixed emotions about the weekend. I think great things can/are happening through the organization..my only fear is that churches see the festival as the ones doing all the work, that the wok is done after the they leave..people have said the sinner's prayer and are going to heaven...i find this the huge downfall of conferences such as these. As well often that is the message given to people, say these words and life is good no more commitments. I was talking with a deacon at my church yesterday and she asked what the church can do to make people have a 'deeper' faith..and i was responded well there first experience with the gospel they were told basically just say this pray...so its hard now to go back and tell them well actually its a life long thing. Gorden T. Smith in "Beginning Well", does an excellent job in exploring christian conversion and authentic transformation. This book has helped me refine what it means to live the christian life. I know the Grahams and others have always said that they only have one message, but what happens when this message creates a culture where people don't have a great knowledge of the Bible, i think we need to reevaluate what the message we are sending while I think the Grahams do great work, but I just find that there words create a Christians who view the sinners prayers as the end...not the beginning.

A different mood...

This past week...i had one of those strange experiences one that illuminates something special. This week my baptist church had communion, we do it every 4 weeks. I think the odd thing was the mood sort of depressing. As we took the wine and the bread, everyone was told to look inside themselves and remember what Jesus did for them. I think it was odd that basically everyone was told to feel ashamed and grateful for what Jesus had done. I think this is odd or maybe it is a result of a misunderstanding of a word. Often times remembering is seen as looking in our individual self and feel repetitive.

While, i don't think that in itself is wrong, but it turns communion about us, not about Jesus or what Jesus is inviting us to. I feel the root of the baptist form of communion springs from the most problematic nature of Paul’s Eucharist discourse in 1 Corinthians is the Greek word anamnesis. While anamnesis in verse 25 renders “remembrance”, the true meaning behind the word is lost due to the difference behind the English and Jewish meaning of the word. In the twentieth century, “remembering is a solitary expierence involving mental recalling. However, for ancient Jews and early Christians remembrance was a corporate act in which the event remembering through ritual repetition. To remember was to do something, not to think about something.” This fundamental difference gives insight into the ‘do’ nature of Jesus and the early Christians. Modern Christians enjoy the discussion and contemplation too much. Therefore missing out in the Eucharist involvement in of a person’s entire being. So an over individualizing of what taking part of the communion means for the early church distorts the fullness of communion.

In the past year, i have been at odds with the typical protestant version of communion. But, i feel that this past week, this idea of be depressed/ feel bad about yourself during communion should be more celebratory, not you feeling bad, should we be happy that we have part in this life with Jesus and what the blood and the wine transforms us not to think but to act. But, later that Sunday I went to a unique kindof Anglican church, St. Benidicts Table(http://www.stbenedictstable.ca/">http://www.stbenedictstable.ca/). I think i've been desiring to go to St. Benedicts for the last six months, so i was really anticipating going. I would say it is everything i had hoped it would be particulary the communion element of the service. I got a sense that I was celebrating with people not condeming people.  I wonder what the different messages about communion/eucharist is the wine and the bread a call to repentence or celebration. I question if people in the early church would have meet daily to condem and remember there sins or rather celebrate the life Jesus gives us through the blood and the wine...just some thoughts...a rant that i am sure will continue over my life. But, I feel that to feel sad during communion is at odds with the message i see in the Gospel and New Testament.

A Strange Holiday...

So sometimes I hear a thought that rejuvenates a thought that you feel needs to repeated due to its significance. So I was listening to Democracy Now! the other day and much of the discussion revolved around a group of people who are protesting Columbus Day. I found the conversation intriguing on how when certain people in society get idolized that it permeates a thought into society that goes unknown since it so linked to national pride. I believe this is the case of Columbus. Why do we celebrate his day, i guess the standard answer would be since he discovered America, right? Well I guess that's how it is told in History..but is that really what happened and what about this man should be idolized. Well, first off Columbus was a slave trader not exactly a trait we should want to emulate, also by putting Columbus on such a Peddlestool in elementary school it gives off an impression that his action were fine. So the actions of Columbus which can't be seen as anything other than genocide and rape.

I don't think Columbus really liberated the land from the demonized/ barbaric Native people, but was more based out of greed and wanting to oppress a people who were the rightful owners of the great country. I think the lie that is at the root of this story is that all progress is good. It seems that the action of Columbus and the people who 'liberated' this paradise we live in from the evils of Native people. The idea of progress seems to tell us that since Columbus and the 'enlightened' European knew what was best for America. Naturally since they knew what was best for the people, even if that meant killing off the people who were living there peacefully before that is fine. Since, it is all in the name of progress. I guess when we see the history like that, we recognize...i hope, that maybe its not something to be celebrated rather requires repentance. That my status as a European and that i am blessed in my culture is due to people being killed.... it strikes me deep that this status I have is because of the blood of others...needs to be used to restore my brothers and sisters to a rightful status along side me. And all I can really say or ask them is for forgiveness. As we American and Canadians celebrate our holidays, Thanksgiving and Columbus Day, may we realize the atrocities that were committed to our fellow humans. Something we need to deal with and not neglect but a reality of anyone who would have status in this country because of the oppression of other......