What do you think of this? What would you add? Subtract? Do you track with this? With something else?
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What Would Jesus Deconstruct?
The early church is a lot like the characters in the hit TV series Lost - the title is appropriate! - waiting to be "saved," which is the soteriological significance of that show where everyone is given a new being, a fresh start. At first, the survivors hang around on the beach waiting to get "picked up" (in a cloud, St. Paul said). After a while, they conclude that the rescue is not going to happen anytime soon and so they reluctantly decide to dig in and prepare for the long haul. Hence the existence of the church is provisional - like a long-term substitute teacher - praying for the kingdom, whose coming Jesus announced and which everyone was expecting would come sometime soon.
On a Child-Like Faith
When I was little, there were many magical moments. One such moment happened when I entered the living room and found presents under the Christmas tree. Call it Santa Claus, Kris Kringle, or whatever you want – but it was mysterious, and I was in.
The Monastery Experience
Lent is about making space for God. This morning, we have created a monastery-like setting in which you are invited to consider the ways you can empty yourself, and create more space for God. There are eight stations setup in the lower mercato area. Imagine you are entering a monastery. Act with the reverence you would have on such an occasion. Some stations will work best by yourself, others will work better in a group. Instructions will be provided at each station. You may want to experience each station, or a few, or some more than once. Don’t worry about rushing from one to the next – be present in each space.
Tomorrow’s Theology. Today’s Task.
A recent article in The Banner, the online and print magazine of the Christian Reformed Church, began with the following: I suspect that a thousand years from now Christians will look back at the 21st century and say, “How could Christians have let themselves think that?” They’d have in mind our theology—some of the doctrines that are so precious to us and that we consider to be the backbone of Christianity. Some saw this as provocative. Some as overstating the case. Others as unthinkable. My thought was, “People are already saying this now.” The article more or less centers around the issue of evolution, which, at least in one form or another, has attained a near consensus status among scientists as being part of the process of the development of life on earth, including all animal life. Animal life includes people, which is in many ways where the rub is. Are we, as C.S. Lewis puts it in the Chronicles of Narnia, the “sons of Adam and daughters of Eve”?
STATION: Vox
Choose a reader to read the regular type, communal response in bold. Brigid of Ireland Brigid is believed to have been the daughter of a pagan Scottish king and a Christian Pictish slave. Even as a child, she was known to have a generous spirit and a compassionate, tender heart and was drawn to help the poor, the hungry, and the cold. Eventually Brigid’s father decided she must be married or taken into someone else’s household, because he could no longer afford to keep her (especially in light of her excessive giving to the poor, which he feared would be the ruin of him). Brigid refused marriage and became a nun with seven other women. At Kildare, she founded a double monastery for monks and nuns, assisted by a bishop. The perpetual fire at the monastery became a symbol of its hospitality and constant, undying devotion to God and the poor.
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I would add a commitment to Jesuslike peacemaking–practicing nonviolence, addressing injustices with nonviolent resistance, and working for reconciliation.
I agree, Josh! Thanks for adding that in.
The Dali Lama said, “If science demonstrated Buddism is wrong, then Buddism needs to change.”
I think Christianity needs to consider the truth of this statement and re-think some of it’s theology. Process Theism is one example of a theology that is in line with science.
What is progressive Christianity?
Of course, I had to Google “progressive Christianity” and I found this: “Seek community that is inclusive of ALL people.” This goes along with affirmation of human diversity. Does this include reaching out to help human diversity (community) or does it only speak about acceptance?