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Prodigal
Mon, 06/21/2010 - 14:20 — Kelvin WrightI was back at St. John's Roslyn on Sunday morning. It was my first episcopal duty; that is, the first time I was doing something that only a bishop can do. I was confirming 7 people, all of whom I knew and some of whom I knew very well indeed. Two of them I had baptised and several of them I had companioned for some years as they walked the narrow path. I entered that familiar physical space, where everything was so familiar: the way the morning sun plays through the glass, the shapes of doors and candlesticks, which pews were in the church when I arrived in 1999 and which ones I brought back over the hill from Mosgiel on Alan Dunbar's trailer. I entered an emotional space as well, and one which was paradoxical.... READ MORE.
"I see you out walking your dog in the morning..."
Tue, 06/01/2010 - 10:09 — Diane RothAbout twelve years ago, when I moved here, I thought I was moving from the claustrophobic microscope of small-town living to a relatively anonymous life in the big city. The retired couple who lived across from the parsonage used to greet me in the morning with words like these: "Your light usually goes on at about 7:00 in the morning, but it didn't come on until 7:30 today. Is everything okay?" One day, at the post office, one of the farmers said, "I saw you leave town the other day and I thought your car was going to turn left, but it turned right. Where'd you go?"... READ MORE.
Believing by proxy
Wed, 04/07/2010 - 10:53 — Marvin LindsayA short passage in Volume Three of Tillich's Systematic Theology sparked a lively discussion Tuesday. Tillich maintains that what it means to be a Christian at the most basic level is not believing that Jesus is the Christ, but wishing to affiliate with a community that does believe he's the Christ. Tillich wants to assure people who are struggling with the whole symbol-system that is Christianity that their doubts do not disqualify them from Church fellowship.
In other words, If you can't believe, rest assured that the Church can believe for you.
There's something right and true and proper about this. It agrees with the observation that my friend David once made in a sermon on Doubting Thomas.... READ MORE.
The church as the woman at the well
Thu, 01/14/2010 - 10:51 — Rachel HackenbergI've been pondering what makes any given congregation feel vital and vibrant, a living and active part of the Body of Christ. Now, an abundance of programs and professionals currently thrive on the business of shaping & encouraging life within congregations---my home congregation participates in one such program, with valuable insights gained and wonderful results seen. Although I am a church professional, I am not one of these Church Professionals, so I offer these observations primarily as a church goer and church lover (though my "pastor voice" is never far behind!).
On occasion, I have the opportunity to worship outside of my own congregation. Although I'm prone to extreme academic analysis (during worship, naturally) of a congregation's homiletic and liturgical traditions, I also pay close attention to my personal, emotional & spiritual experience of worship and the church's environment. How do I feel in this space? How do the words and hymns settle in my spirit? What resonates, and what does not? How do I experience the interactions with people here?... READ MORE.
Reframing ecumenical theology in local churches
Mon, 01/11/2010 - 10:42 — Chris SissonsI was asked in a comment to my last post: how might we reframe our theology of ecumenism in real life terms for the average person in the pew? This is of course in the context of the Global Christian Forum and the increasing sense of Christianity as a global movement of people.
In my last post, I suggested local ecumenism in Britain might have more in common with global than national ecumenism. This means local churches are perhaps less interested in the faith and order approach to ecumenism than they are in the practicalities of joint mission.
The question is not an easy one to answer... READ MORE.
I have not accepted Jesus as my personal savior. Have you?
Mon, 11/16/2009 - 10:33 — Steven WoolleyI attended a day long evangelism workshop yesterday and learned quite a bit. One person was bold enough to give her testimony about when and how she accepted Jesus as her personal savior. That’s a bit unusual for us non-evangelically minded Episcopalians. I’ve known this woman for years and know her faith to be real and deeply held, and her intentions without guile. But I also know that, for many people, accepting Jesus as one’s personal savior has become a formula for the one correct way to become a Christian. Case in point; I got an e-mail just recently from an occasional reader who knows that I am an Episcopal priest and wanted to know the story of how I came to accept Jesus as my personal savior. I doubt if it occurred to her that there was any other question to ask of a Christian. I have some problems with that.... READ MORE.
If this were a REAL church...
Wed, 10/14/2009 - 12:30 — Will WillimonIn spite of Jesus’ repeated warning that if we faithfully follow him we were sure to be crucified with him we keep thinking that the Christian faith is a technique for smooth sailing in life (Joel Osteen).
During a recent discussion with a conflicted congregation one of the leaders said, “If this were a truly Christian church, we wouldn’t be having these problems.” The assumption was that the congregation’s crisis was due to a failure to be real Christians.
Sometimes that’s the case. But not always. Sometimes we find ourselves in a painful, conflicted and difficult mess not because we’re not faithful to Jesus but because we are following Jesus!... READ MORE.
Ditch the religion?
Wed, 09/16/2009 - 16:45 — Doug KingsFrom two very different places on the religious spectrum come similar ideas: maybe we should just ditch the religion part.
Over on Belief.net’s Buddhism blog "One City", Jerry Kolber has created a bit of a stir by suggesting American Buddhism really needs to consider its branding. Specifically, it needs to pare down all the stuff that shouts EASTERN RELIGION, which can turn off Westerners. By its own teaching, much of this is just accessories to Buddhism: the robes, bells and even Buddha statues. The essential core is meditation practice, which he believes can be promoted in a way to appeal to anyone.
With the right branding and advertising Buddhism can be the iPod of philosophies, cool first then available and Walmart three years later.
From another corner comes Anne Graham Lotz, the daughter of evangelist Billy Graham. She is promoting her new book which, among other things, recounts her many frustrating experiences with churches. In interviews with both TIME and Newsweek she frankly says that religion is one of the greatest impediments to finding God.
And by "religion," I don't mean "faith." I mean rituals, creeds, traditions, and often leaders--all of our means of trying to connect with God.
Lotz somewhat confusingly still thinks Christians should belong to a church.... READ MORE.
Re-Membering
Thu, 07/16/2009 - 07:58 — Carol Howard MerrittSo, a while back, we were talking about membership on the God Complex, and whether it’s something that we should do away with. I have wonderful friends who think that membership is irrelevant in a 21st Century church. But, I tend to think that we should keep the concept around. I like it.
When I look at things generationally, I realize that I am part of Generation X. On the whole, many of us were not and are not joiners. Just about every social construct, from political parties to church, used to decry the fact that we weren’t engaged enough.
There was a huge drop-off. I think, partly, because people were used to the large number of Boomers, and we are a much smaller generation. So, if organizations grew a lot because young Boomers were joining them, there was going to be a downturn in the numbers when Gen X came of age, because there are simply not as many of us.
And, because, as I mentioned, we’re not joiners. Many of us are pretty cynical. And we’re very innovative. So, often, we would rather start something than join something.
Yet, I see something different happening with the college students I work with. One of them recently asked if we could start a Protestant Club.... READ MORE.
The benefits and pitfalls of denominations
Wed, 07/15/2009 - 09:33 — Chris BrundageBob Cornwall defends denominations against those who consider them old baggage in a new ’postdenominational’ world. He agrees with Michael Kinnamon and Jan Linn that to be vital churches must affirm their heritage embodied in a particular tradition. He used to discount denominations, but now Cornwall embraces the Christian Church (Disciples of Christ).
He gives no other reasons, though, for embracing a particular tradition, nor does he discuss the pitfalls they present. The relevance of denominations is more ambiguous than this.
The earliest form of Christian community is the congregation, the ecclesia. Anything beyond this came later. In the Presbyterian Church, where my ordination lies, congregations in America first joined together to form presbyteries, and presbyteries joined together to form larger synods and a national church. But the matter began with local congregations. As for other traditions, no matter what structure or polity exists now, the movement began in Palestine with a loose collection of house churches. The roots of things are in the local congregation.... READ MORE.
