Season 3, Episode 2
A New Post - A New Approach (sorta) - A New Day!
In connection with our recent episode, I wanted to offer a
summary of what it is that we are trying to offer. Again, I feel that we are
still in the early stages of really articulating the kind of Christianity that
we are practicing, so this is not an angry and well-articulated manifesto, but
that might be a good thing. One of the neat things about the Spirit is that it
is never really ordered and tidy and well organized so it is ok that we often
are not clear about what we are doing. With all that said, here is an
encapsulation of our Angry, Arrogant,
Humble Christianity:
v
Clear
about our Christian identity
o
There are lines that need to be drawn, we need
to be clear that we are Christians not Jedis without swords, but to do it with
compassion and humility
v
Pro Jesus
o
This means we should have an evangelical
desire/passion for Jesus Christ in our lives and in the lives of others. We
really like Jesus.
v
Not
opposed to the institution of the church
o
Christianity and Christians needs
"religion," i.e. a deliberate community to belong to.
v
Not
dogmatic
o
It is important that we are clear about our
identity, but beyond the basics of our faith we cannot dictate what is “right,”
especially with the hot-button issues (like which kind of herbal tea Jesus
would have used).
v
Evangelical
o
Understanding that evangelism needs to happen in
a overt, sometimes embarrassing way, not just in a missonal way that “shows”
Jesus but sometimes actually tells about Jesus with words and stuff.
v
Local
o
With our food, spirituality, etc. We cannot prescribe
one way of doing things, one spirituality, one form of church growth because
every part of the nation and the world is different.
o
packages do not work, and national movements do
not work (and here we are trying to describe a different way of being Christian…kinda
like starting a movement)
v
Organic
o
All the sacred cows are grown here and will be
killed here – kidding!
o
There is not “the way” to be a Christian but
instead a way that is shown to us by the Holy Spirit one step at a time. That
calls for a lot of trust.
v
Mantra:
There has to be a better way
So there you have it – a kind of declaration
of something that isn’t clear and not really focused but does have a sense of
direction. Hopefully it gives you something to chew on.
Railage:
Jonathan commented on the AlphaSeries banner “Got Questions? We Have Answers.” He already spewed about this in
his blog.
Charley found a tasty but not
violent irony in a seagull’s attack of a peace dove. Remember Benedict XVI –
you do not speak for Charley or his seagulls!
A Liturgical Exegesis
We looked at one of the lectionary
texts for the Transfiguration: 2 Corinthians 3:12-4:2. Remember, it is not an
anti-Jewish text but speaks to something else. Don’t get stuck on the apology.
Watcha Into?
Jonathan is listening to his
hippy, protest, folk music of America on the 3 disc set Song of America. He hears a story that is seldom told –
think of Howard Zinn’s A People’s
History of the United States
Charley is appropriating Taoism
into Christianity through the writings of William C. Martin’s The Art of
Pastoring – give it a read, or let the words read you…
So…. What do you think? Are you
angry? Do we need to do more things to make you angry?
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