the church is not a building

wieght of the world

2005-12-01T16:51:00.000-08:00

The reason why I choose to be a part of the Religious Fundamentalism group is because I personally believe this is the root of our social evils. Christianity should not be a facet that is influenced by the economic, political, or social pressures but rather an influencing agent for God. For example, a majority of Fundamentalist will lament the day that prayer was disallowed in public schools, the Ten Commandments were removed from public institutions, and the overall decline in moral ethics. Well I contend that if Christians (all of us) lived as Jesus lived, there would still be prayer in schools, the Ten Commandments in public institutions, and a universal morality. Think about it. The reason why prayer was removed from our schools was because Christians weren’t praying – because our lifestyles were not influencing non-Christians. The same can be true for our society as well. The moral degeneration is the direct result of the lack of morality within the church.

That is why I’m so saddened by Pierre Bourdier’s observations in Weight of the World. Their analysis motivates me to pray harder and more earnestly for God’s mercy. While pursuing their upper middle class lifestyles, fundamentalist (myself included) have literally prostituted the gospel for our own pleasures. The social suffering that characterizes our contemporary societies is inexcusable. Instead of engaging the problems we’ve swept them under the rug for others to deal with. This course of action has only led to greater problems that must be dealt with.

I found the following excerpt of particular interest and thought of the white flight epidemic that allowed these conditions to thrive in our urban communities:

I tape-recorded this interview with Ramon in the middle of the night in late
August, 1989. We were across the street from the crack house-cum-botanica
where for the past several years I had been spending most of my nights. It
is located two doors down from the leaky, rat-filled tenement where I lived at
the height of America’s “crack epidemic” (1985-91) with my family in the
primarily Puerto Rican community of Spanish Harlem, New York – referred to
locally as El Barrio. (Weight of the World 170).

What came to my mind was that loyalty and selflessness of Christians who stayed in the plagued ridden cities of the early centuries. Instead of fleeing for their lives, these Christians cared for the terminally ill and embodied the love of Christ. Naturally their “witness” influenced the world. Yet today the only influence that fundamentalist have on our society is perceived to be negative. When followers of Christ lose the strategic plans, marketing campaigns, and consumerist ideologies, then maybe we’ll begin the process of being the church. I said it before and I’ll say it again, if all the Christian institutions (denominations, churches, seminaries, para-church organizations, etc) sold all of its property and released all of their employees we may be ready to make a difference in the world. Then by allowing the laity of pastors, teachers, apostles, prophets, and evangelist equip others for the work of ministry we would influence the world.

week 9 inventing popular culture

2005-11-24T14:29:00.000-08:00

Interestingly, it appears that while North American Christian Religious Fundamentalist have subconsciously endorsed Multinational Corporations, Global Technology, Trade and Finance, we’ve taken an outside position against the Globalization of Popular Culture. I think Storey summarized our fears by stating, “Popular culture as mass culture is attacked because it threatens cultural standards and social authority” (Inventing Popular Culture 30). Fear is a natural reaction to change and Christians have not handled this very well. Instead, as previously noted, Religious Fundamentalist have taken an “us versus them” approach to the changing trends within society and therefore have ostracized themselves from the conversation.

Biblically, we witness Jesus engaging culture and influencing it toward the kingdom of God. Ironically, in my opinion, Religious Fundamentalist eventually do find themselves appropriating what society has already deemed acceptable but the lag time is about 20-30 years. For example, with the advent of records, popular music (swing, rock and roll, country, blues, etc.) became mainstream during the 40’s and 50’s. The church began to experiment and introduce musical instruments into worship in the 60’s and 70’s. The same can be said of the business models adopted by the church within the past twenty years. Businesses have been talking about servant leadership since the 70’s and matrix organizations in the 80’s but the church is only now talking about team leadership with the possibility of allowing women to use their giftings - unbelievable.

Religious Fundamentalist need to understand, as Storey points out, “part of what is postmodern about western societies is that fact that the old is not simply replaced by the new, but is recycled for circulation together with the new” (Inventing Popular Culture 71). Rather than hesitate and try to play catch up, we need to drop our imperialist mindset and adopt the willingness to allow the gospel to go before us. This strategy will prevent our biases from giving God a bad image but instead give Jesus and opportunity to speak for himself. What I’m finding is that people are full of curiosity and seeking a spiritual relationship but are turned off by hypocrites, namely Christians.

Rather than impose our fundamentalist agenda, we need to remember that “Globalization is producing two contradictory effects, sameness and difference – that is, a sense that the world is becoming similar as it shrinks under the pressure of time-space compression, but also that it is characterized by an increasing awareness of difference. What on the surface may look like the export of sameness always involves the global being articulated with the local, and in the process having to compromise with local culture and tradition” (Inventing Popular Culture 115). North American Christians can no longer push their way around the world thinking that their way is the right way – thank God. Instead, as Ryan says, we’re swimming in culture so we need to be missional and engage as Jesus did.

week 8 GT and Culture

2005-11-18T16:01:00.000-08:00

168 hours later I find myself drawn back to the question I raised last week. As mature followers of Christ, how shall we proceed? What do we need to do to redeem the structures and realign the powers that have brought us to this point? To simply ignore the problem is unacceptable. To rally the masses and create greater awareness (as a reactionary approach) just creates other challenges. Instead, how can we analyze our dilemma without feeling paralyzed?

As followers of Christ, we can begin by evaluating our effectiveness in what we were commissioned to do. From what I remember, I’d assign the early church (33 A.D. to 315 A.D.) a grade of A+ for their ability to share the love of Christ to the, then, hostile world. Then Constantine came along and made Christianity the official state religion and things got all out of whack (350 – 1200 A.D.) so in my estimation, the dark ages deserves a C- / D+. The reformers (1300 – 1700 A.D.) had great intentions but since they didn’t really have to focus on missions they may slip by with a B-. Fast forward the tape a couple of hundred years and I’d give the present church with its thousands of denominations a C-. Maybe I’m being a little hard in my grading and overtly facetious, but maybe just maybe it’s not the message that I’m struggling with, but the model. When we adopted the didactic model of preaching / teaching under Constantine, the church ceased to be the church – at least that’s what I’m contending. Instead we became a social club for Jesus and continue to operate in that model even today.

Rather than influencing the world through relationships, we've adopted the practices of the world and become MNCs. Our denominations are run like multinational corporations, and the sad thing is that no one has a problem with it. What would happen if all Christian churches (including their denominations) sold its assets (physical property, investments, etc.) and used those monies to invest into the needs of their communities? What would happen if weekly tithes and offerings were used to help the needy instead of paying for a mortgage? What would non-Christians think of the church being organic and free flowing? What would happen if we approached missions as missionaries? Would “hybridity” overtake our McDonaldization approach?

Realistically, I know that I’m a dreamer. But as I ponder the concepts within Globalization and Culture, especially:

Powerful interests are invested in boundaries and borders, affecting the fate of classes, ethnic groups, elites; while borders and boundaries are a function of differentials of power, they are social constructions that are embedded and encoded in cultural claims. The distinction, then, does not run between conflict and culture, for conflict itself is a cultural exercise…Hybridity does
not preclude struggle but yields a multifocus view on struggle and by showing multiple identity on both sides, transcends the “us versus them” dualism that prevails in cultural and political arenas. (Globalization and Culture 117)

I’m prone to believe that the gospel was designed to transcend the Religious Fundamentalist stance of “us versus them.” Maybe, just maybe, if we revert to an organic model (like a house church network) that addresses the needs of its particular community, we may correct a lot of the abuses that we have overlooked – such as:

What’s more, snapped the Lorax. (His dander was up)
Let me say a few words about Gluppity-Glupp.
Your machinery chugs on, day and night without stop
Making Gluppity-Glupp. Also Schloppity-Schlopp.
And what do you do with this leftover goo?...
I’ll show you. You dirty old Once-ler man, you!

You’re glumping the pond where the Humming-Fish
hummed!
No more can they hum, for their gills are all gummed.
So I’m sending them off. Oh, their future is dreary.
They’ll walk on their fins and get woefully weary
in search of some water that isn’t so smeary.

And then I got mad.
I got terribly mad.
I yelled at the Lorax, Now listen here, Dad!
All you do is yap-yap and say,
Bad! Bad! Bad! Bad!
Well, I have my right, sir, and I’m telling you
I intend to go on doing just what I do!
And, for your information, you Lorax, I’m
figgering on biggering
and Biggering
and Biggering
and Biggering,

turning MORE Truffula Trees into Thneeds
which everyone, EVERYONE, EVERYONE needs!
(excerpt from The Lorax by Dr. Seuss)

week 7 global transformations

2005-11-10T19:27:00.000-08:00

As we continue our exploration of Global Transformations - specifically Global Trade, Markets, and Finance - I’d like to revisit the thoughts of one of the greatest theologian I know. In his unique manner, he once proclaimed:

Way back in the days when the grass was still green and the pond was still wet and the clouds were still clean, and the song of the Swomee-Swans rang out in
space…
One morning, I came to this glorious place. And I first saw the
trees! The Truffula Trees! The bright-colored tufts of the Truffula
Trees! Mile after mile in the fresh morning breeze.

And, under the trees, I saw the Brown Bar-ba-loots frisking about in their
Bar-ba-loot suits as they played in the shade and ate Truffula
fruits.

From the rippulous pond came the comfortable sound of the
Humming-Fish humming while splashing around.

But those trees! Those trees! Those Truffula Trees! All my life I’d been searching
for trees such as these. The touch of their tufts was much softer than
silk. And they had the sweet smell of fresh butterfly milk.

I felt a great leaping of joy in my heart. I knew just what I’d do! I
unloaded my cart.

In no time at all, I had built a small shop. Then I chopped down a Truffula Tree with one chop. And with great skillful skill and with great speedy speed, I took the soft tuft. And I knitted a Thneed!

The instant I’d finished, I heard a ga-Zump! I looked. I saw something pop out of the stump of the tree I’d chopped down. It was sort of a man. Describe him?...That’s hard. I don’t know if I can.

He was shortish. And oldish. And brownish. And mossy. And he spoke with a voice
that was sharpish and bossy.

“Mister!” he said with a sawdusty sneeze, “I am the Lorax. I speak for the trees.” I speak for the trees, for the trees have no tongues. And I’m asking you, sir, at the top of my lungs” – He was very upset as he shouted and puffed – “What’s that
Thing you’ve made out of my Truffula tuft?”

“Look, Lorax,” I said. “There’s no cause for alarm. I chopped just one tree. I
am doing no harm. I’m being quite useful. This thing is a
Thneed. AThneed’s a Fine-Something-That-All-People-Need! It’s a
shirt. It’s a sock. It’s a glove. It’s a hat. But it has
other uses. Yes, far beyond that. You can use it for carpets.
For Pillows! For sheets! Or curtains! Or covers for bicycle seats!”

The Lorax said, “Sir! You are crazy with greed.
There is no one on earth who would buy that fool Thneed!”

But the very minute I proved he was wrong. For, just at that minute, a chap came
along, and he thought that the Thneed I had knitted was great. He happily
bought it for three ninety-eight.

I laughed at the Lorax, “You poor stupid guy! You never can tell what some people will buy…”

Dr. Seuss, in my mind, is clearly one of the world’s most provoking theologians. In his depiction of greed and remorse, we witness the embodiment of the observations played out in Global Transformations. The basic contention of chapters 3 & 4 is:

Trade is a key mechanism for moving goods, and increasingly services, around the
globe, and it is also central to technology transfer. At the very least it
connects domestic markets to international markets, while historically opening
up national markets to trade has often had radical effects in unleashing new
competitive forces and transforming domestic economies. (Global Transformations
149)

I’ve come to discover that nothing is as simple as it seems and as I sit here in the comforts of my home to type on my relatively new laptop with its wifi capabilities to post this blog, I find myself wanting to rant and rave about how religious fundamentalist have neglected their role in preserving the very creation that God has entrusted us. Then I realize that I’d just be another hypocrite bashing the system who is part of the structure proliferating it.

Instead, I think it would be more constructive for me to analyze my observations in light of chapters 3 & 4 and then get on my knees and repent for my involvement. Hopefully in the process I’ll receive guidance for obvious next steps. Yes, I am aware of the abuses that take place in the Global Markets because of my propensity to want the finer things in life at the greatest bargain. I’m a product of our society and honestly, the North American Church never once taught me of the ills of my lifestyle. Rather, we’ve adopted the attitude that God’s creation is God’s gift to us, for us, and at our disposal. I know, I know, I’m beginning to rant so let me get to the point about the complexity of it all.

In this Global Economy, everything is interconnected. When we demand companies to give us great products at reasonable prices, the companies cut corners – usually at the expense of foreign labor – to make us happy. When we discover their abusive labor practices we threaten them with boycotts but those foreign laborers are then tri-angled and fear the possibility of losing their means of survival. It’s such a mess because it’s all interconnected and there is no simple “one shot” solution. No wonder the church wants to stay out of it. Yet, that’s where the problem lies.

As “believers” of God, it seems as if we’re no different from the average secular consumer who is “in it” for themselves – we’re just trying to make ends meet every month. As mature followers of Christ, we’re accountable for our involuntary abuse of our fellow human beings and also responsible to do something about the powers and structures dominating the situation. How? I really don’t know but I do know that I’ve said enough and it’s time for me to get on my knees.

week 6 global transformations analysis

2005-11-04T15:19:00.000-08:00

Whoa, after four weeks of scouring the web and McAlister for weekly resources my mind went into shock this week as I struggled through the first 2 chapters of Global Transformations. The task of integrating our reading with the team project seemed irreconcilable as I spiraled into the negative abyss of “me, myself, and I-ism” but as I began to throw things on the wall, I noticed that some of it stuck. Here’s a look at what didn’t fall down.

I was fascinated with the authors’ observation,

Globalization concerns the expanding scale on which power is organized and
exercised, that is, the extensive spatial reach of networks and circuits of
power…Indeed, power is a fundamental attribute of globalization

as it related to Church structures and Religious Fundamentalism. Not surprisingly, it appears that the Church, more or less, resembled the political structures of the ages or should I say that the political systems were first influenced by the existing Church structures. What struck me, was the fact that as empires transformed into modern nation-states, the church did as well.

As the medieval structures of politics began to crumble Global Transformations contend that two dominant forms of political regimes began to emerge: absolute versus constitutional monarchies. Roughly during the same time, the church experienced its own diversification in dealing with the Reformation. The Papacy and the Holy Roman Empire was no longer in “absolute” control of the church and had to deal with external influences in their decision making process. Sadly, in my opinion, it was during this era that we first witness the seeds of religious fundamentalism taking root. Rather than assess the situation and take decisive steps to insure its relevance, the church buried its head in the sand like it did in the Renaissance and Enlightenment.

As the Roman Catholic Church gradually relinquished its supremacy, we witness the multiplication of Protestant denomination – like the emergence of European society of states. Based on their observations, the Westphalian model:

depicts the development of a world order consisting of territorial, sovereign
states in which there is no supreme authority: states settle their differences
privately and by force is necessary; they engage in diplomatic relations but
otherwise there is minimal cooperation; they seek to place their own (national)
interest above all others; and they accept the logic of the principle of
effectiveness, that is, the principle that might eventually makes right in the
international world – appropriation becomes legitimation.

In reference to the church, if we were to view denominations as sovereign states the similarities are profound. Like modern nation states, the various denominations within the church have had to adapt to the emergence of a global perspective. In doing so, many alliances have been formed that mimic the role of organizations like the UN. Hopefully, it’s in these alliances that the ‘emerging’ church will build the relationships to convert religious fundamentalist toward a global perspective.

week 5 analysis

2005-10-28T15:54:00.000-07:00

If Jesus were to visit us today (no, not to initiate the second coming but just a visit) what would he be doing? Where do you think he would go and who do you think he would visit? Would he head straight to the Vatican to get a picture with the Pope? Or would he instead visit Angola, Calcutta, or Baghdad? Would he come to the United States? Would he even want to come to the United States? Would he have any reason to? If so, “why” and if not, “why not?” I know, I know, I’ve cross that boundary and I’m being sacrilegious but since I’ve already stepped over the line, let me indulge myself for a while longer.

Ryan’s lecture pretty much confirmed that I’m rapidly approaching the end of my quest. Although I don’t have the time or space to expound my thoughts, I’d like to parlay the focus of this week’s lectures and one of my resources to summarize what’s been happening in the space between my ears. As we were introduced to the various communities living in the so called “practices of Jesus,” I was particularly drawn to Levi’s Table. It shouldn’t have surprised me, but it did, almost to the effect that I thought to myself, “Hey, that’s what we’re going to do.” Instead of using the weekly tithes and offerings to pay for a mortgage banker’s new car or swimming pool, Levi’s Table invests it back into the community. What a novel idea.

I know I’m treading on thin ice, but while I’m already here, let’s ask the question "what would happen if all the churches around the world sold all of their property and in the name of Jesus invested it back into our communities?" No, not like a social services organization, but instead as the body of Christ investing into peoples lives. Rather than maintain the existing institutions lets become authentic communities of Christ followers as we practice what we believe. Mike Breen, former Rector of St. Thomas Church in Sheffield, England nailed it when he said, “I think the average Christian knows too much of the bible. The problem is that they aren’t applying what they know.”

I posted this week’s resources before Tuesday’s lecture and if I had known that this would be our last week of external resources, I definitely would have taken a different direction. This week’s resources affirm what we’ve been saying all along and several of them could be useful in our wiki, however, my last resource is what I'm excited about. It’s a link to Sarah McLachlan’s music video “World On Fire,” she totally rocks. If every Christian were as committed to sharing the love of Jesus as Sarah is to the helping the powerless, we wouldn’t be having this discussion. Instead of preaching a 40 minute message about tithing, or our responsibility as Christians to serve the world, congregations should just show her video. Rather than preach, let the members discuss with each other what they just saw, what it meant to them and what they plan to do about it. End of service - send them off in teams to serve the world.

week 5 resources

2005-10-25T14:42:00.000-07:00

Mission-shaped Church

CHANGING CONTEXTS
Social trends in the last 30 years
The context in which the Church of England ministers in the new millennium paints a picture of increasingly fragmented lives:
· the average household size has fallen from 2.9 to 2.4
· more people own their homes, and spend Sundays improving them more people work outside the home, especially lone women with children, and people work longer hours
· the annual distance traveled in cars and vans has doubled from 313 to 624 billion kilometres.
· the number of divorced people has risen from one to eight per cent of the population, not including those who have remarried. 22 per cent of children now live in lone-parent families.
· the number of single men has risen from three to ten per cent of households.
· adults now spend an average of 20 hours a week watching television.
The Power of Networks
The western world today is a “network society”, a fundamentally new social structure. Mobility, the ability to navigate the flows around which the emerging society is structured, has become the major marker of inclusion or exclusion. The gospel has to meet people where they are, both among the mobile and among
the excluded `poor', before it can enter and affect their lives.
"To live in one place no longer means to live together, and living
together no longer means living in the same place" Ulrich Beck
There are two distinct processes at work.
1. Community is being re-formed around networks a change in the structure of community, with which the church
must engage.
2. People are more reluctant to make lasting commitments a corrosive force that the church must resist, because it undermines all community.
Consumer culture
We were once shaped by what we produce; now we are shaped by what we consume. The core value of society has moved from `progress' to 'choice'. Even truth is a personal choice, because in the marketplace, we have no way of rejecting a dogma as false, we can only `buy into' a belief or `not buy it'. The church has no alternative but to work in a consumer society, although it must avoid being of it. An important way to do this is to remember
the poor, because "For the first time in history the poor are un-functional & useless." Zygmut Bauman
Our call is clear:
· · to proclaim the gospel within these different structures
· · to repentance that we have allowed the church to drift apart from culture
RESPONSE / TASK
Make a list of geographical groups, people groups and networks
operating in your community. Compare this against a list of networks with which your local church is involved. Are there places where the church is not involved, but should be? What might be done about this?

LivingRoom

Context - The Church
We are seeing significant trends emerging in churches that we can no longer ignore and need to grapple with. They include:
· Overall decline in Church Attendance - The percentage of the Australian population that identifies themselves with a denomination or local church is continuing to decline.
· Non church going Christians as a growing segment of the Christian population. (this is a fast growing segment of the Body of Christ)
· Young Adults haemorrhaging from the church. We are ok at doing relevant youth ministry, but the transition to young adulthood sees large numbers of people leaving the church. The stats show us that in previous decades they would return to the church as they had families (in their 20s and 30s), recent indications are that this is no longer so – they are staying away.
· ‘The Church is a Joke’. Yes I shared my previous entry – ‘Jo’s Joke’. This represents message that I’m hearing more and more. In the past month I’d been told the same thing by three separate individuals.
· There is a growing segment of the population in Australia (and across the West I suspect) that are culturally distanced from the Church and the way in which it operates. 30% of
our population are associated with church on some level. 10% of the population are ‘like us’ culturally – ie they talk like us, are open to some of the things we do like group singing to contemporary easy listening light pop music, they have similar moral codes to us. This leaves around 60% of the population here in Australia are culturally closed off or removed from the way the majority of the churches in our country operate. They are people like ‘Jo’.
· Most of the Church’s effort goes into reaching out to those who are ‘like us’. Where do the majority of churches put most of their energies, resources and mission? Well apart from the
vast amount of energy that we put into the already churched (just ask yourself how much time we put into the preparation of our services, pastoral care etc), most of us are doing mission that aims at the 10% who are ‘like us’. I’m no business person, but this doesn’t seem like a very smart strategy. Very few
churches are experimenting with ways of connecting with the vast majority (and growing segment) of the population.
Context - The Church’s Response
How has the church responded to the changes in our world and the growing cultural distance? There have been a number of movements that come to mind:
· Contemporary Worship – Worship in the language of the people. New styles of music that people can relate to, more every day language being used in songs etc.
· Seeker Sensitive Services – Communicating the gospel in a language that the ordinary person will understanding. Using multimedia and the arts (often secular) to communicate the
messages of Jesus.
· Alpha like programs – systems of explaining the gospel in relevant language.
· Alternative worship – exploring new (and ancient) and creative forms of worship that are more indigenous to culture.
Now hear me right please – I am not attacking or downgrading the importance of any of these methods. I have personally been deeply affected by each of these approaches and know of many others who have come to faith and grown in their understanding of God through each. They are each valid responses to the
post-modern world we find ourselves living in.
However (there is always a ‘but’), I wonder (please hold back your stones now) if perhaps these above approaches might still be largely aiming their efforts on the 10% of the population that are ‘like us’ culturally.
You see the interesting thing about each of the above movements/approaches is that they all seem to be about improving the way we do things with the hope that if we do,
people will come to us. They all seem to me to be rather attractional – if we build it – and its good enough – they will come.
Jesus says – ‘Go into all the world and make disciples’. He says, ‘You will be my witnesses in Jerusalem, Judea, Samaria and to the Ends of the Earth’.
I’m struggling to find a place where he says, ‘build it and they will come’.

The Ooze

We can we learn a lot from Albert Ellis who is a well-known psychologist and atheist. What a shame it is that the life- giving, living organism, the church, instead of bringing freedom and life, has brought much death. I don’t think we can totally blame modernity for the way Christianity has wrapped chains around
people’s souls and forced them into bondage but modernity has certainly not been a great help.
It seems that modernity has molded Christianity into everything that it was not meant to be: An individualistic, consumeristic, hedonistic, moralistic, mechanistic, humanistic and other harmful “istics” which are contrary to love, community, relationships and “others-centric” instead of “me-centric” living.

StormFront: The The Good News of God (Gospel and Our Culture)
by James V. Brownson (Foreword), Inagrace T. Dietterich, Barry A. Harvey, Charles C. West

ISBN: 0802822258

“North American Christianity has difficulty living out the gospel because the church has become all too captive to a consumerism that focuses attention on meeting needs, on personal growth, and personal choice.”

The (Magic) Kingdom of God: Christianity and Global Culture Industries by Michael Budde

ISBN: 0813330769

In The (Magic) Kingdom of God, Michael Budde offers a multidisciplinary analysis of the "global culture industries"-increasingly powerful, centralized corporate
conglomerates in television, advertising, marketing, movies, and the like-and their impact on Christian churches in industrialized countries. Utilizing ideas from contemporary and classical schools of political economy, the author explains why the study of global culture industries is essential for understanding the current era of global capitalism.

The Barna Group - great resource to map trends within the church

Dawn European Network - resources for house churches

The Order of Mission

The Order of Mission is a community committed to each other, under God, for the purpose of mission. Established in 2003 by the Archbishop of York, members of the Order are working in partnership with a variety of churches and denominations around the world, to raise up, equip and support missional leaders who will pioneer new expressions of church for our day and in our cultures.

The Missional Church - an article by a Presbyterian pastor who recognizes the inbalance between today's church and the gospels.

Sarah McLachlan – World on Fire - musical artist who is teaching the world to live missionally.

thoughts about the new perspectives on jesus and the jewish people

2005-10-20T21:10:00.000-07:00

i'm supposed to post a paragraph describing what i learned from the discussion today. what did i learn? hum. it was interesting to see the two perspectives raised today. from the "how do i incorporate these two presentations into my team blog" (religious fundamentalism) viewpoint, it seemed as if chosen people ministries fit right in with the hierarchical institution, while hashivenu had more of a missional approach. dr. glaser (chosen people) presented all the right answers, but i'm not so sure that people are asking those questions anymore. dr. dauermann, instead, provided a "here are some core values" approach and although i may not totally agree with his exegesis, it's definitely something to think about.

week 4 analysis

2005-10-20T20:36:00.000-07:00

This week’s resources are prime. While thinking about the existing power structures that have created and continue to advance Christian fundamentalism, I’ve gathered a spectrum of responses that have engaged the challenge in not so subtle ways.

The first time I heard Erwin McManus speak was at the 2003 Willow Creek Leadership Summit. His passion for God was so contagious that I immediately thought to myself, “I want what he has.” He spoke as if God was really on his side and that nothing was going to stand in his way as he shared the good news of Jesus.

His insatiable passion to see the Church fulfilling her role in this world has infected the very core of my being. The two books that I’ve listed as resources not only engage the power structures of religious fundamentalism, they help us to reassess our role (as Christians) in our struggle with ourselves. This guy just motivates me. After reading a couple of chapters, I really do believe that I can do all things in Christ who strengthens me – we all can. Here’s a sample of what I mean:

One could almost predict that the development of the Master of Divinity degree would serve as the religious equivalent to the M.B.A. Seminaries began to produce what local churches perceived they needed: godly men who had a professional understanding of theology, pastoral care, and management.
Pastors were valued for their ability to bring and keep order rather than for their ability to bring and lead change. The reality was that pastors were being equipped to preserve the past rather than to create the future. We became known for being known for being traditional rather than transformational. The ritual replaced the radical. The pastor/teacher replaced the apostle/evangelist.

The Church soon lost her momentum and had less and less to manage. Seminaries were producing pastors who were ready for their pulpits but not for the challenge. Pastors found
themselves experts in Biblical exegesis, but novices in cultural exegesis. The rapid shifts in society only added to their dilemma. We knew something was wrong, but we couldn’t quite place it. America was turning from a Christian-friendly nation to, at best, Christian-indifferent. The playing field was definitely changing, and we were unprepared for the new rules.

Barna’s new book “Revolution” gives us a glimpse of the turmoil within the power structures of religious fundamentalism and Christianity as a whole. He exposes the cracks in our infrastructure and reveals the discontent of what he sees as a growing minority (20 million revolutionaries). As the movement (against the institutional church) gains momentum, it’ll be interesting to see fundamentalism’s reaction to the “reshaping of the way people experience ‘church’ in America.”

That reshaping is discussed by Guder in his book Missional Church. Instead of the traditional approach to missions, Guder argues that the church is itself a missional community. This approach contradicts the Constantinian model and provides a renewed emphasis on relational structures.

On a practical level, what would a missional church look like? It would look like St. Thomas. While serving as their rector for 10 years, Mike Breen and his leadership team transformed a tradition Anglican parish into a missional community. By going back to the gospels, Breen discerned that instead of trying to birth small groups from one great group, there are significant advantages of allowing them to grow organically into what he calls “clusters” (groups of 30-120). He discovered that within the clusters, peoples began to gain their sense of identity and were willing to contribute their gifts and resources to the group’s mission. They also fine tuned a discipleship “program” (lifeshapes) which served as the lifeblood of their communities.

Then two years ago, God orchestrated the events in Mike’s life to lead him to a mega church in Glendale, Arizona. Mike and a smaller leadership team from St. Thomas are in the process of infiltrating lifeshapes into Community Church of Joy. Their first year was challenging, but their faithfulness to God's mission is producing results.

I’ve always thought it was easier to give birth than to resurrect the dead, but it seems that there is hope yet for churches in America. With that, I think that resources 1-9 would make a significant contribution to our wiki.

week 4 resources

2005-10-17T21:12:00.000-07:00

Toto, I don’t think we’re in Kansas anymore. Ironically, that’s how I’ve been feeling since we’ve begun to look at different reactions to fundamentalism. It’s exciting, but also a bit scary.

This week’s first resource is a book by Erwin McManus. He is a strong advocate of “if God is for us, who can be against us?” It’s a great read for us timid culturally illiterate types. His basic premise is that church has radically misinterpreted her role in the world.

1. An Unstoppable Force: Daring to Become the Church God Had in Mind by Erwin Raphael McManus

ISBN: 0764423061

He believes that "institutions preserve culture, while movements create
culture.... There is a radical difference between leading one person to faith
and leading a people to faith. The former produces a follower of Jesus Christ;
the latter produces a movement of Jesus Christ. A genuine movement is a
leadership culture." "It is more important to change what people care about than
to change what they believe! You can believe without caring, but you can't care
without believing." "If you're not willing to create problems, you're not
willing to lead. Leaders create problems by changing expectations."

The second resource is another book by Erwin that is purely motivational. It’s like a Rocky movie for Christians.

2. The Barbarian Way : Unleash the Untamed Faith Within by Erwin Raphael McManus

ISBN: 0785264329

"God steers us in the direction of His kingdom, His purpose, His passions. His
desire is not to conform us, but to transform us. Not to make us compliant, but
to make us creative. His intent is never to domesticate us, but to liberate us."
"The entire focus of our faith has been the elimiation of sin, which is
important but inadequate, rather than the unleashing of a unique, original,
extraordinary, wonderfully untamed faith." "To have the Spirit of God dwelling
within the heart of someone who chooses a domesticated faith is like having a
tiger trapped within a cage. You are not intended to be a spiritual zoo where
people can look at God in you from a safe distance." "People who are fully alive
look out of their minds to those who simply exist." "While barbarians travel
together, they do not march in single file. There is no forced conformity. They
are not required or expected to keep in step. They walk together as free
individuals joined not by standardization, but by spirit."

My third resource is George Barna’s newest book. As a researcher, he basically confirms what we’ve been feeling and reveals some trends that will revolutionalize church structures in the next 25 years.

3. Revolution by Barna Research

ISBN: 1414307586

"Revolution", George Barna's new book, will be published in September. Barna
leads a church research institute, and is currently the most-quoted person in
the Christian church in the USA because of his statistical work. To summarize
the book's most important conclusions:

* The number of Christians
attending local church in the USA is declining
rapidly. Today, 70% of
Christians attend traditional churches, but this
will sink to 30-35% in 20
years;
* The number of followers of Jesus who do not attend a local church
will
grow from 30% to 70% in the next 20 years;
* Alternative fellowship
forms (house church/simple church, post-modern
churches etc.), currently
home for 5% of USA Christians, will grow to
make up 30-35%; another 30-35%
will live out their faith in the fields
of media, arts and culture; the
remaining 5% of Christians attending
non-traditional forms of church will
have a family-based spiritual life;
* Conclusion: a minority group presently
not even noticed by many will
become the mainstream of North American
Christianity in only two
decades.

Here is an excerpt from Barna's
pre-manuscript called "Revolution":

As we journey together, I want to
show you what our research has uncovered regarding a growing sub-nation of
people, already well over 20 million strong, who are what we call
Revolutionaries.

What "established systems" are they seeking to
"overthow or repudiate" and "thoroughly replace," in Webster's words?

They have no use for churches that play religious games, whether those
games are worship services that drone on without the presence of God or ministry
programs that bear no spiritual fruit. Revolutionaries eschew ministries that
compromise or soft sell our sinful nature to expand organizational turf. They
refuse to follow people in ministry in leadership positions who cast a personal
vision rather than God's, or who seek popularity rather than the proclamation of
truth in their public statements, or who are more concerned about their own
legacy than that of Jesus Christ. They refuse to donate one more dollar to
man-made monuments that mark their own achievements and guarantee their place in
history. The are unimpressed by accredited degrees and endowed chairs in
Christian colleges and seminaries that produce young people incapable of
defending the Bible or unwilling to devote their life to serving others. And
Revolutionaries are embarrassed by language that promises Christian love and
holiness but turns out to be all sizzle and no substance.

In fact, many
Revolutionaries have been active in good churches that have biblical preaching,
people coming to Christ and being baptized, a full roster of interesting classes
and programs, and a congregation packed with nice people. There is nothing
overtly wrong with anything taking place at such churches. But Revolutionaries
innately realize that it is just not enough to go with the flow. The experience
provided through their church, although better than average, still seems flat.
They are seeking a faith experience that is more robust and awe-inspiring, a
spiritual journey that prioritizes transformation at every turn, something
worthy of the Creator whom their faith reflects...

Revolutionaries
zealously pursue an intimate relationship with God, which Jesus Christ promised
we could have through Him...

In this book I will describe what The Barna
Group has learned about this under-the-radar but seminal renaissance of faith
that will remake the religious contours of this country over the coming
quarter-century.

Barna goes on to predict the complete re-shaping of the
way people experience "church" in America:

Whereas "Christian community"
has generally been limited to the relationships facilitated within a
congregation, the Revolution is bursting open the walls of the worldwide Church
to birth a truly international network of relationships...

The U.S. will
see a reduction in the number of churches, as presently configured (i.e.
congregational-formatted ministries). Church service attendance will drop...
Donations to churches will drop... Churches' already limited political and
cultural influence will diminish even further at the same time that Christians
will exert greater influence through more disparate mechanisms. Fewer church
programs will be sustained in favor of more communal experiences among
Christians...

To some, this will sound like the Great Fall of the
Church. To Revolutionaries, it will be the Great Reawakening of the Church. New
scenarios do not mean mayhem and dissipation. In this case, they represent a new
day in which the Church can truly be the Church--different than what we know
today, but more responsive to and reflective of God.

Fourth, Darrell Guder pretty much affirms what Barna reveals but provides through a theological viewpoint.

4. Missional Church: A Vision for the Sending of the Church in North America (The Gospel and Our Culture Series) by Darrell L. Guder (Editor), Lois Barrett (Editor)

ISBN: 0802843506

Toward a Missional Ecclsiology, November 28, 2004
Reviewer: Halden Doerge (Portland, OR United States)

This book offers an excellent treatment of the relationship between Church life
and missional practice. Essentially, it argues that the church does not have a
mission, but is a missional community itself. This leads to a total revamping of
the traditional approaches that churches have taken to "missions." Typically,
missions have been seen as something that takes place in areas outside of
Western cultures which are not "Christianized." The authors of Missional Church
show profoundly well how the church is always in a missionary situation in every
culture, and indeed it cannot consider itself "at home" in any culture. To do so
is to succumb to the Constantinian temptation wherein the church, in seeking
cultural legitimacy uses the power of the state to achieve it's ends, thus
violating the way of power offered in the Cross and Resurrection (cf. Yoder, The
Politics of Jesus).

The authors offer some excellent discussion of the
relation between Christ and culture(s), showing how these discussions cannot
take place in the abstract, the way that Niebhur framed his argument in the
famous book, "Christ and Culture." The relationship between Church and Cultures
is always a dynamic, not a static one that must be determined contextually,
taking into account the nuances of the culture in which the church finds itself.

The authors then go on to examine church as representative of the reign
of God. This concept of the church as centered in the kingdom of God paves the
way for the authors to talk about how the church must offer an alternative to
the dominate culture. Thus, the church has an alternative politics, an
alternative economics and an alternative vocabulary. All of these discussions
are excellent and go a long way toward grounding Christian ethics in a
thoroughly christological context that is centered on the kingdom of God and
embodied in the church as a community.

In sum, this is an excellent
volume which significantly seeks to rework and reorient the defunct consumer
church in North America. I certainly hope that the important call of this book
is heeded by a largely compromised and unfaithful church. Highly recommended

The next three resources were integral in shifting my paradigm from the mega church focus to a missional church focus. Resource number 5 was a model of a church which grew small groups into larger networks.

5. St. Thomas’ Church – Sheffield, England

Resource 6 was the discipleship model they used to disciple their congregation.

6. LifeShapes

Resource 7 is a real-time experiment where a leadership team from St. Thomas is attempting to convert a mega church into a missional church.

7. Community Church of Joy

Ryan’s Blog provides a wealth of resources for alternative church structures. His recent post was most excellent.

8. TheBolgBlog
Ryan Bolger's musings about following Jesus within post-Western cultures

Recent Post:
Please, no more doing church for 'them'

“I just received a question from an associate that asked how to start a service to attract people from outside the church. I encouraged her to give up on this idea. But what could possibly be wrong with starting a relevant church service directed to spiritual seekers? Relevant churches are rarely even closely relevant.”

Great resource for alternative churches.

9. HouseChurchBlog

Another resource supporting the alternative movement.

10. Youth and Family Church Network: Bill Reed

week 3 analysis

2005-10-14T00:14:00.000-07:00

God certainly does have a sense of humor. As I sit here attempting to synthesize this week’s resources with our group topic (reactions to religious fundamentalism), and Ryan’s lecture, I find myself laughing at the absurdity of my religious experience. Not only was I affected by the practices of religious fundamentalism, I was so deeply entrenched in them that I perpetuated the existence of certain idolatrous practices. Ryan’s lecture hit me like Katrina whooping on FEMA. Even though I knew what was coming, all I could do was sit there till it was over and assess the damage.

The resources gathered this week (especially numbers 1, 3, 6-10) illustrate a particular social order within Christian fundamentalism that has been nurtured by specific practices. The first three struck me as being relevant in so many different ways, yet their similarities fostered many practices to develop its common social order.

I stumbled onto Stephanie Simon’s article “A Voice That Carries,” in the Los Angeles Times last Friday. The quick synopsis revealed the overwhelming influence that evangelical psychologist James Dobson has across the country, especially in Washington D.C. Dobson and his organization, Focus on the Family, adamantly upholds a literal interpretation of the bible and believes that it is their mission to defend traditional family values and the integrity of the nuclear family. With this intent, Dobson wields his influence to his full advantage. Although I do not adhere to every principle that he promotes, I believe that he is sincere and that if every Christian fundamentalist lived their life as he does, then there wouldn’t be a discrepancy between the our current social order and the biblical text. The challenge is that the majority of Christian fundamentalist profess one thing but live by an entirely different set of standards. Our actions betray our motives. Christians have a shared understanding of attending Church services on Sundays and a bible study during the week (to develop their agency) but these practices have become idolatrous. Statistically, the church cannot differentiate itself from the world. We have the same number of divorces, workaholics, teenage pregnancies, etc. Fundamentalist experience the same challenges that non-Christians do – but in this particular social order we are clueless. It's not that I dislike Dr. Dobson, it's his prescription that I find faulty. His exclusivist stance prevents a missional approach to reaching the world.

My second resource is an article that depicts the key factors that influenced the disestablishment of churches in Europe and North America. These major cultural forces prescribed much of our social order today: 1) The Renaissance; 2) The Reformation; 3) The Rise of Nationalism; 4) The Rise Science; 5) The Enlightenment; 6) Urbanization; 7) Church’s Response

Resource number 3 brilliantly illustrates the effects of demonic asymmetries within a social order. Ironically, this order is based on Christian fundamental values. As Caine (main character) perpetuates the practices of the social order to survive, he becomes an accomplice to murder, is shot by car-jackers, retaliates by killing his attackers, is kicked out of his home by his Christian grandparents, and in the end is killed in a drive by shooting. The movie screams throughout, “Where is God in all of this?” A poignant scene depicts Caine talking with a childhood friend and the friend’s father (who was a high school teacher). In the classroom, the three discuss Caine’s options in life. The magnitude of the scene is experienced when the parent discusses the importance of religion with the two boys. His son (Caine’s friend) had converted from Christianity to living as a Muslim and the father was ok with it. In his eyes, Allah was able to do what Christian fundamentalism couldn’t – it got his son off the streets and give him a future. The Christian church was unable to make a difference in this young man’s life but his father (who was a Christian) was willing to do everything in his power to keep his son alive – even if that meant letting him go.

After all that heaviness, I just had to list the Simpson’s Bible stories as resource number 4. The episode is sacrilegious but I think that it pretty much reveals what the non-Christian world thinks of us Christians.

For resource number 5, I found another book by Brian McLaren. The title alone should help us shake up the practices of religious fundamentalism.

Resources 6-10 are websites of the more prominent and recognizable Christian Fundamentalist in North America. I thought it would provide a basis for our transition to reactions to fundamentalism.

week 3 resources

2005-10-13T00:40:00.000-07:00

1. Recent Newspaper Article (10/07/05): A Voice That Carries

Millions of people hang on the advice of evangelical psychologist James C. Dobson. With that much clout, he's got Washington's ear too.

By Stephanie Simon, LA Times Staff Writer

Excerpt:

They call because they feel afraid and alone, and because the voice on the radio is kind.

My husband is addicted to gambling. My sixth-grader refuses to study. My aunt is an alcoholic. My daughter hears voices. A cousin molested me when I was a boy.

"My son talks so ugly. Today he said, 'stupid mommy.' It breaks my heart, and I don't know what to do." A sob escapes the young mother on the line.

"I know he's a busy man, but I was wondering, would it be possible for me to ask Dr. Dobson a few questions?" she asks. "I want to apply the Bible in how I raise my boys. But I'm really struggling."

It is calls like these — by the thousands each week — that have transformed plain-talking child psychologist James C. Dobson into a formidable political force.

http://www.latimes.com/news/printedition/la-na-focus7oct07,1,4193426.story

reader’s response to article: http://www.latimes.com/news/printedition/opinion/la-le-monday10.5oct10,1,141683.story

2. Article entitled “What Time is it?” by Diettrich - Transformation Vol. 1, No. 3, Fall 1994

Excerpt:

Historians and other scholars tell us that the cultural and political “disestablishment” of the churches in Europe and North America arose from the confluence of seven major cultural forces, including the churches’ own reponses, spanning several centuries and coming to fruition in Europe in the 1950s and in North America in the early 1960s. While the following discussion does not do them justice, it will remind us of the “big picture” facing the churches today.

(1) The Renaissance. This intellectual and cultural movement redirected people’s attention from God and the kingdom of heaven to humans and humanity’s progress in this world. It gave people another option than just the Church’s worldview for understanding life and the world. It thereby introduced pluralism and a new source of doubt to western minds. It created the cultural soil out of which humanism eventually emerged as a major competitor to Christian truth claims and ethics.

(2) The Reformation. From the time of Constantine in the fourth century, it was assumed that the unity of religion was indispensable as the foundation of the unity of society. In the wake of the confessional wars that shattered Europe for more than a century after the Reformation, “the contesting and mutually exclusive claims of the confessional churches had to be reduced to a matter of only private concern, lest they would continue to disrupt the social system.” Christian faith became, for most people, a private and domestic matter strictly separated from the public worlds of politics and economics. The Church’s attention turned away from “managing society” to “institutional renewal, reorganization, and theological matters.”

(3) The Rise of Nationalism. Independent nations arose in what had once been a comparatively united Europe. Nationalism swept across Europe beginning in the sixteenth century and undercut the understanding of a common humanity that had previously prevailed. Nationalism led to unprecedented warfare among the peoples of Europe, including two world wars in this century. The experience of modern war induced disillusionment and doubts about human institutions, including the Church, since those wars pitted Christians against Christians.

(4) The Rise of Science. The rise of science challenged the Church’s prescientific assumptions about the universe and human life. The structure of the solar system, the theory of gravity, the theory of evolution, all called into question the Church’s traditional interpretation of creation and the providence of God. A contrast and separation was established between the “natural” and the “supernatural.” Only those insights gained through the five senses could be termed really “true.” No statements were to be taken for granted without systematic, empirical, and rational evidence. The secrets of nature and of history were to be uncovered through scientific investigation, not by discerning the creative and dynamic activity of God.

(5) The Enlightenment. The philosophers of the 17th and 18th centuries (Bacon, Descartes, Newton, Locke) built upon the scientific approach to change radically our understanding of the external world and of the character and destiny of human beings. They assumed that human beings are intrinsically good and reasonable, that morality and society could be based on reason alone, and that science, technology, and education would deliver inevitable progress. While not intended to be unreligious, the Enlightenment encouraged doubt about Christian beliefs. Through rational investigation, the autonomous human mind could discover the meaning and purpose of human life. Autonomy became the goal and meaning of human identity.

(6) Urbanization. The Industrial Revolution initiated the demise of a rural agriculture-based society. In the eighteenth century, Great Britain became the world’s first urban country, but other European nations were not far behind. In the United States, only 20% of the population was urban in 1870 but today it is close to 90%. Urbanization has encouraged isolation from family and community, an emphasis on individual initiative and achievement, primary trust in human plans and accomplishments, and the separation of persons from interaction with and appreciation of the basic elements of creation.

Response of the Churches
The Churches did not respond well to these six forces. In fact, in most cases, the churches placed their trust in past structures and achievements, rather than being open to the living activity of God. They most often sought safety and security by trying to maintain the status quo. By not interacting in a critical yet constructive manner with these historical and cultural movements, they responded in ways that undermined their credibility and distanced people from their life, wisdom, and witness.

3. Movie - Menace II Society

Editor’s Review:

Tyrin Turner may not have broken out into stardom as was initially expected, but his work in Menace II Society is one of the more powerful cinematic debuts. The film, from the brother writer-director team of Allen and Albert Hughes, chronicles life in the Los Angeles 'hood. Similar territory was covered in the equally commanding Boyz N the Hood, but what makes this cautionary tale stand out is not only the Hughes brothers' forceful story, (written with their friend, Tyger Williams) and direction, but the naturalness of then-newcomer leads Turner as Caine, Larenz Tate as O-Dog, and Jada Pinkett as Ronnie. They are so credible--occasionally frighteningly so--that the repressive universe of violent ghetto life is captured effectively. Life as portrayed here--and no doubt accurately so--is both figuratively and literally narrow. As a very young boy, Caine witnesses his dad murdered over something inconsequential, and his mom OD. His is a world where respect comes from intimidation, power from violence. Despite his understanding of right and wrong (values passed on by a good friend, his kind grandparents, a caring teacher), his life and its entrapments are too much to overcome. --N.F. Mendoza

4. Simpson’s Bible Stories Episode

Production Number: AABF14
Original Air Date: April 4, 1999

Synopsis:

It is a hot and dull Easter at church, and no one is interested in Reverend Lovejoy's sermons. The Simpsons are especially bored, and have dreams of being characters in religion. Marge dreams Homer and her are Adam and Eve. They peacefully live in the Garden of Eden until Adam eats an apple from the tree. Lisa imagines she and all the other Springfield Elementary students are Israelites in ancient Egypt, with the Pharaoh (Principal Skinner) making them build a pyramid. Only Moses (Milhouse) can liberate the Israelites. Homer pictures himself as King Solomon, who can solve disputes over objects by cutting each object in half. In one part, Lenny and Carl fight over ownership of a pie. King Solomon cuts it in half, sentences Lenny and Carl to death, and then eats the pie.

The last story is an action-packed one when Bart sees himself as King David, who killed Goliath, but hasn't won the war yet: Nelson is Goliath II, Goliath's son. In the end, King David defeats Goliath, but is arrested for murdering him, because many believed Goliath to be a great king. As the family wakes up, they realize that the Apocalypse has come. Although Lisa can go to Heaven, Homer takes her down to Hell with the rest of the family.

5. Book entitled, A Generous Orthodoxy: Why I Am a Missional, Evangelical, Post/Protestant, Liberal/Conservative, Mystical/Poetic, Biblical, Charismatic/Contemplative, Fundamentalist/Calvinist, Anabaptist/Anglican, Methodist, Catholic, Green, Incarnational, Depressed-yet-Hopeful, Emergent, Unfinished CHRISTIAN by Brian McLaren

ISBN: 0310257476

Book Description
By celebrating strengths of many traditions in the church (and beyond), this book will seek to communicate a “generous orthodoxy.”

From the Back Cover
A confession and manifesto from a senior leader in the emerging church movement—A Generous Orthodoxy calls for a radical, Christ-centered orthodoxy of faith and practice in a missional, generous spirit. Brian McLaren argues for a post-liberal, post-conservative, post-protestant convergence, which will stimulate lively interest and global conversation among thoughtful Christians from all traditions.
In a sweeping exploration of belief, author Brian McLaren takes us across the landscape of faith, envisioning an orthodoxy that aims for Jesus, is driven by love, and is defined by missional intent. A Generous Orthodoxy rediscovers the mysterious and compelling ways that Jesus can be embraced across the entire Christian horizon. Rather than establishing what is and is not "orthodox," McLaren walks through the many traditions of faith, bringing to the center a way of life that draws us closer to Christ and to each other.

Whether you find yourself inside, outside, or somewhere on the fringe of Christianity, A Generous Orthodoxy draws you toward a way of living that looks beyond the "us/them" paradigm to the blessed and ancient paradox of "we."

6. Focus on the Family Website – advancing Christian fundamentalism
http://www.family.org

7. Website of Christian Research Institute – advances Christian fundamentalism
http://www.equip.org

8. Official Website of Pat Robinson – advances Christian fundamentalism
http://www.patrobertson.com

9. Website of Jerry Falwell – advances Christian fundamentalism
http://www.falwell.com

10. Website of Answers in Genesis – advances Christian science
http://www.answersingenesis.org

comment for Gus

2005-10-10T00:09:00.000-07:00

wes and ryan,

i tried posting the following comment on gus' analysis but was denied so i thought i'd just leave it here...

Gus,

Interestingly as I read your analysis for some strange reason I thought to myself, “If fundamentalism is the result of a reaction to the enlightenment, then what would our reaction to fundamentalism be called?” Whatever our title, I appreciated Newbigin’s response to the challenge. As we come to realize that we’ve been missing the point in the whole debate, I hope we also come to the conclusion that maybe, just maybe we’ve been missing the point about missing the point. The religious movements website really confirmed for me that fundamentalism as a reaction would not have been necessary if Christianity was not taught didactically. I’ll elaborate more this week in my resources and posting.

catalina9

2005-10-07T12:16:00.000-07:00

catalina9,
originally uploaded by jonpak.

week 2 analysis

2005-10-07T11:58:00.000-07:00

Week 2: Analysis

15 He is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn of all creation; 16 for in him all things in heaven and on earth were created, things visible and invisible, whether thrones or dominions or rulers or powers—all things have been created through him and for him. 17 He himself is before all things, and ini him all things hold together. 18 He is the head of the body, the church; he is the beginning, the firstborn from the dead, so that he might come to have first place in everything. 19 For in him all the fullness of God was pleased to dwell, 20 and through him God was pleased to reconcile to himself all things, whether on earth or in heaven, by making peace through the blood of his cross. Colossians 1:15-20

We’ve got to start somewhere so without rehashing the whole lecture, let’s just say that Ryan is correct in his interpretation of Colossians 1:15-20. Jesus Christ is (for lack of an appropriate all encompassing term) the beginning and the end – and everything in between (sorry, as a recovering fundamentalist I’ve been so out of touch with the world that I really don’t know how to properly articulate what I want to say without “christian-ese” language, so bear with me).

Therefore, if all things are held together ultimately in Jesus, where did religious fundamentalism come from? How can Dr. James Dobson have an audience of 30 million Americans (not that I have anything against Dr. Dobson per se, but)? What the heck is going on? Where did this huge disparity between the spiritual and concrete come from? If all the earth is the Lord’s when did being right take precedence over loving God and loving our neighbors? Whoa I’m confused. Somewhere along the line we’ve obviously missed the point (resource #10).

Allegedly, Brian McLaren never went to seminary. Instead, he was an English professor teaching at a college when he was asked by his church to become their pastor. Seemingly it appears that bypassing seminary saved Brian from the “powers” of religiousity. He didn’t have to deal with any demons of fundamentalism, tradition, or pride. Instead he was at liberty to follow Jesus and share God’s message. It almost makes me want to ask Fuller for a refund.

Looking at my resources, I noticed that every single one of them is entrenched in some sort of system that is a byproduct of the dynamic interaction of the spiritual and concrete. Whether at the world, national, or local level the existing power systems of religious fundamentalism are thriving. Everyone is affected, no one is exempt. Even our president is held captive to its grip. Sadly, even if Jesus wanted to use the Simpsons and South Park to shake us up a little, I doubt American Christianity could handle it (at this point anyways).

If God’s heart really is for redemption at all levels of society, then where does that leave us? For not, I’m not really sure, but I do know that doing the same thing and expecting different result is called insanity. I can’t wait for Ryan to give us the answers in next week’s lecture =O).

Week 2 Resources

2005-10-06T16:42:00.000-07:00

1. Being clueless as to where I should start, I got this book from McAlister Library. It provided a general overview of fundamentalism and more specifically, opened my narrow perspective (see excerpt).

Shea, William M., The Struggle Over the Past – Fundamentalism in the Modern World (New York: University Press of America, 1993)

ISBN: 0819179205

Book Description (per Amazon.com)The Struggle Over the Past contains essays on three facets of fundamentalist religion: its international character, its American Protestant form, and its appearance in Roman Catholicism. The papers range in methodological perspective from textual commentary, to history, to philosophical and theological argument. They are critical as well as descriptive. The papers that comprise this volume are written by leading scholars in the field: Islamicist John Esposito, R. Scott Appleby of the Fundamentalist Project, theologian Francis Fiorenza of Harvard Divinity School, William Dinges of Catholic University, Mary Jo Weaver of Indiana University, and Terrence Tilley of the Florida State University. Additional commentary by three noted scholars of American evangelical religion-Samuel Hill, Jr., E. Glenn Hinson, and Bernard Ramm-rounds out the examination of modern fundamentalism. Co-published with the College Theology Society.

Excerpt: “In contemplating the future of fundamentalism one should recognize a second way in which fundamentalists are shrewdly selective, namely, in their evaluations and appropriations of modernity. As should be clear by now, they are not naifs: they know how the game is played, and they play it with increasing sophistication. Drawn from the university educated middle and upper middle classes, many have backgrounds in engineering and the sciences…Fundamentalist are intelligent, and their perceptions are often accurate. To millions of people who cannot tolerate the complexity and seemingly random character of modern existence they offer satisfying diagnoses and explanations for society’s ills – and complete and direct prescriptions for recovery.” p.27-28

2. Don’t blame me for being unoriginal – God made me that way. Obviously I got this from McAlister Library as well. It serves as a secondary resource covering the broad spectrum of fundamentalism.

Hughes, Richard T., The Primitive Church in the Modern World (Chicago: University of Illinois Press, 1995)

ISBN: 0252021940

Excerpt: “Fundamentalist are preoccupied with modernity, they are among its shrewdest and most perceptive observers, and they are growing exceedingly skilled in imitating its behavioral patterns and appropriating its instrumentalities.” p. 21

3. After depleting all of McAlister Library’s resources I turned to Google and found this website. It provides a succinct summary of the movement.

Excerpt: Defining Fundamentalism: Given the many disparate uses of the concept, it is not surprising that fundamentalism has not been easy to define.

http://religiousmovements.lib.virginia.edu/nrms/fund.html

4. This is a second Google website that caught my attention. The author blasts Christian fundamentalist for their blind allegiance to Israel.

US Christian Right's Grip on Middle East Policy
By Stephen Zunes

Excerpt: After the Bush administration's initial condemnation of the attempted assassination of militant Palestinian Islamist Abdel Aziz Rantisi in June 2003, the Christian Right mobilized its constituents to send thousands of e-mails to the White House protesting the criticism. A key element in these e-mails was the threat that if such pressure continued to be placed on Israel, the Christian Right would stay home on election day. Within 24 hours, there was a notable change in tone by the president. Indeed, when Rantisi fell victim to a successful Israeli assassination in April this year, the administration - as it did with the assassination of Hamas leader Sheik Ahmed Yassin the previous month - largely defended the Israeli action.
When the Bush administration insisted that Israel stop its April 2002 military offensive in the West Bank, the White House received more than 100,000 e-mails from Christian conservatives in protest of its criticism. Almost immediately, Bush came to Israel's defense. Over the objections of the State Department, the Republican-led Congress adopted resolutions supporting Israel's actions and blaming the violence exclusively on the Palestinians.
When Bush announced his support for the roadmap for Middle East peace, the White House received more than 50,000 postcards over the next two weeks from Christian conservatives opposing any plan that called for the establishment of a Palestinian state. The administration quickly backpedaled, and the once-highly touted roadmap in essence died.

http://www.globalpolicy.org/empire/terrorwar/fundamentalism/2004/0708zuneschrist.htm

5. Ok, I admit that I got this idea from another classmate (sorry I can’t remember who’s blog I got the idea from), but examining current issues in fundamentalism sounded pretty relevant so I took this article off MSN’s search.

Listening To Salman Rushdie By Sandip Roy, Pacific News Service. Posted October 6, 2005.

Excerpt: “In the end I don't want this to be a story of what the West is doing to the East. Because I found all my life as a writer it was too easy to make that statement. The more interesting thing to say is suppose this is our own fault, supposing we are doing this to ourselves. The reason why I try to stress the need for changes inside the Muslim world is not that I don't believe there is racism, of course there is racism, it's not that I don't believe there is oppression, of course there is oppression. What I am saying is that to take responsibility for your life is a better way to live than to assume you are an endless victim.”

http://www.alternet.org/story/26418/

6. It worked above, so I thought to myself, “What the heck.” Besides, the excerpt kind of contradicts what the previous resources cite as an embracement of technology so I thought that it may be interesting.

Theologian presents overview on fundamentalism, Commentary Editor Tim West's column is published on Tuesday, Thursday and Sunday. Contact him at west@scn1.com or (630) 416-5290.
Excerpt: Religious fundamentalism is a hot topic these days, particularly since at least a small number of the Muslims who would be considered fundamentalists have turned to violence and engaged in all-too-successful attempts to kill those whose world view has come up against theirs.
Fundamentalism, Marty explained, can occur in any religion and generally is a response to moderate or liberal movements or other factors that seem to threaten solidarity.
It's a response to modernity, a modernity that these days is spread via the mass media.
In other words, when television, the Internet and other media bring words and pictures that upset people's moral codes into their living rooms, the response is to fight back with more force than it came with originally.

http://www.suburbanchicagonews.com/opinions/columnists/west/n29west.htm

7. Got this link off the wikipedia site. It’s a real eye opener – detailing the negative effects of religious fundamentalism, especially toward women.

Reality with a Bite

http://www.geocities.com/realitywithbite/index.htm

8. I was so inspired by Wendy’s blog, I thought to myself, “Why not!” I first heard about this South Park episode in my Acts exegesis class and then got to see it in Barry Taylor’s Theology and Pop Music. I couldn’t stop laughing… I thought it was a riot. I laughed so hard I purchased a copy for myself. The creators of South Park rip on the Christian music industry and fundamentalist in general. It was interesting to see what non-Christians think of Christians.

Be warned - if you are easily offended, you will be offended.

South Park – "Christian Rock Hard" episode 7.09

When the other boys kick Cartman out of their band, Cartman pulls his own group together to make music for Jesus. Meanwhile, Stan, Kyle and Kenny are arrested for downloading music from the Internet.

Quote: Kyle: "You don't know anything about christianity Cartman!"
Cartman: "I know enough to exploit it"

9. Interestingly enough, even when we (Christians) get ripped on, we still try to look for the good in the situation. Here’s an article from Christianity today about Ned Flanders, Homer Simpson’s neighbor.

Saint FlandersHe's the evangelical next door on The Simpsons, and that's okily dokily among many believers.

http://www.christianitytoday.com/ct/2001/002/1.28.html

10. This book was integral in swinging my pendulum from the right to a healthier position. I don’t exactly see myself as a liberal, but at least at this moment, not knowing where I am is not that big of a deal.

Mclaren, Brian and Tony Campolo, Adventures in Missing the Point: How the Culture Controlled Church Neutered the Gospel (California: EmergentYS, 2003)

ISBN: 0310253845

From Publishers WeeklyMany Christians, argue McLaren and Campolo, have missed-and keep missing-the point of the very Gospel they are called to proclaim. They mistake the Bible for a simple answer book. They mistake salvation for political liberation or celestial fire insurance. They mistake worship for feelings of personal intimacy. But the emerging postmodern culture provides an opportunity and an impetus for the church to revisit some of these topics and discover again what the Gospel is all about. In this volume, McLaren (A New Kind of Christian) teams up with Campolo (20 Hot Potatoes Christians Are Afraid to Touch) to opine and stimulate thought and discussion among their conservative colleagues. They take turns writing chapters about a variety of topics that are sometimes mundane (sin, culture, seminary) and sometimes more controversial (homosexuality, the Bible). Not every chapter includes an actual "missed point," and several contain straw men. Sometimes a favorable uptick on the accessibility meter is matched by a corresponding downturn in the one measuring theological depth. Still, the book offers much sharp insight, is solidly biblical and is helpfully illustrated by stories-it's easy to see why both authors are sought-after preachers. The writing is lively, and the back-and-forth between Campolo and McLaren is often quite interesting. They aren't afraid to disagree with each other, which encourages the reader to think a bit harder about being a Christian today-which is probably the point. Copyright 2003 Reed Business Information, Inc.From BooklistLiberal evangelicals McLaren and Campolo share chapters on topics related to, as the three section titles indicate, "God" (religious philosophy), "World" (society), and "Soul" (personal spirituality). In each chapter, one man offers his perspective on a topic, and the other briefly concurs, dissents, or differs. Never is there sharp disagreement, since McLaren and Campolo always agree that too many evangelicals miss the Christian point involved in the topic under discussion. For instance, on evangelism McLaren opines that most people don't know how to evangelize, so he offers some do's and don'ts; Campolo endorses this advice but regrets McLaren's failure to emphasize that the most important element in evangelizing is personal testimony. Such a thumbnail description may make the dialogue seem drier than it really is, and on such subjects as the kingdom of God, prophecy, homosexuality, women and ordination, sin, worship, doubt, and truth, McLaren and Campolo's exchanges are so compelling that anyone interested in contemporary American Christianity might profitably take them to heart for their own reflections on the issues. Ray OlsonCopyright © American Library Association. All rights reserved

brief intro

2005-09-28T22:13:00.000-07:00

aloha from pasadena,

my name is jon pak and i'm a third year (hopefully my last) student in the mdiv program. prior to coming to fuller i was on staff as the assimilations director of a large (10,000 + every week)pentecostal church in hawaii. frustrated, i came to fuller seeking answers. after taking some great classes this past summer, i needed a venue to sort it all out (beyond the theology) and map out a strategic gameplan. i had heard that ryan was the emerging church guru so i figured this class would help me to work out some kinks prior to actually launching it.

blessed.