I happened to read the dust jacket of McLaren's book "A New Kind of Christian" today and although I think I've probably read it before, I hadn't remembered it - or maybe it just struck me in a new way tonight.
Do you ever have that situation where you read something time after time, and then one time you read it it just stands out, as if you're reading it for the first time? Well that's how it was with this piece.
Here's what it says, and I'll let it speak for itself:
'This stirring fable captures a new spirit of Christianity - where personal, daily interaction with God is more important than institutional church structures, where faith is more about a way of life than a system of belief, where being authentically good is more important than being doctrinally "right," and where one's direction is more important than one's personal location.'
This sums up brilliantly how I feel...I think I may take this week to mull over each part of this paragraph and see what comes as I meditate on it.
More soon...
Friday, March 30, 2007
Monday, March 26, 2007
Talking genetic engineering with a 15 year old
Tonight I was helping my son do some homework on genetics and their influence on behavior. He had to research some of the human traits that are now thought to be influenced to some extent by genetics. He chose stammering, and looked at some of the research that's been done looking at bio-markers in the human genome.
It inspired some interesting and challenging conversation regarding our ability to manipulate genetics and whether we have a moral right to do so.
I really want Matt to be able to think through his own position on these kinds of issues without me laying on my own interpretation. As a parent I find it hard to convey my own moral compass whilst also allowing my children to reach their own conclusions on what's right and wrong. At some point strong guidance has to give way to being a sounding board.
I hope that in my discussions I reflect an image of life influenced and guided by a faith in the creator.
It inspired some interesting and challenging conversation regarding our ability to manipulate genetics and whether we have a moral right to do so.
I really want Matt to be able to think through his own position on these kinds of issues without me laying on my own interpretation. As a parent I find it hard to convey my own moral compass whilst also allowing my children to reach their own conclusions on what's right and wrong. At some point strong guidance has to give way to being a sounding board.
I hope that in my discussions I reflect an image of life influenced and guided by a faith in the creator.
Monday, March 12, 2007
How does the world look from where you are?
In McLaren's book, Neo presents to a group of students, and much of his talk is centered around the last major shift in world views - from the 15th century when the Medieval gave way to the modern world view.
It's interesting to think about how big an impact our worldview has on how we perceive things around us, and yet I know I spend little time thinking about that fact - that I'm viewing everything through the eyes of a white, middle class, 40+ year old (yes I know - I cringe typing that - somewhere in side my head I still think I'm in my 20's...).
If you had talked to someone in the 15th century and described your view of the world, and church, you would have been labeled a lunatic, or a heretic - and maybe you would have been tortured or killed for your views. Our view of spirituality would have been so foreign to someone then - as would our views of science or culture. And yet people living then were at the height of the Medieval era - they were the most enlightened people that had existed up until that point in history - they were making new discoveries in science and astronomy, the church was at the height of its influence - and yet everything they understood was about to be turned on its head...maybe that's where we are today?
It seems that the emergent conversation is based around a shift in world view - from seeing things through a modern, christian-centered world view, to viewing them in the context of a post modern, post Christendom world.
The challenge for me personally is how I shake off the old and embrace the new - thoughts or ideas on a post card (or via my guest book...!!)
It's interesting to think about how big an impact our worldview has on how we perceive things around us, and yet I know I spend little time thinking about that fact - that I'm viewing everything through the eyes of a white, middle class, 40+ year old (yes I know - I cringe typing that - somewhere in side my head I still think I'm in my 20's...).
If you had talked to someone in the 15th century and described your view of the world, and church, you would have been labeled a lunatic, or a heretic - and maybe you would have been tortured or killed for your views. Our view of spirituality would have been so foreign to someone then - as would our views of science or culture. And yet people living then were at the height of the Medieval era - they were the most enlightened people that had existed up until that point in history - they were making new discoveries in science and astronomy, the church was at the height of its influence - and yet everything they understood was about to be turned on its head...maybe that's where we are today?
It seems that the emergent conversation is based around a shift in world view - from seeing things through a modern, christian-centered world view, to viewing them in the context of a post modern, post Christendom world.
The challenge for me personally is how I shake off the old and embrace the new - thoughts or ideas on a post card (or via my guest book...!!)
Saturday, February 24, 2007
Kiva.org
A friend at work sent me a link to one of the best sites I've seen in ages - http://www.kiva.org/
It's a way of investing money in entrepreneurs who are working in their own developing countries in places such as Africa, Central and South America. You can invest as little as $25, and choose which project you wish to invest it. Once enough money has been raised, a loan is given to the individual, who then repays it over a 6-18 month period. At the end of the loan repayment, you get your money back, which you can take out, or re-invest in another project.
What a fantastic way to invest in the lives of other people and make a real difference!
I'm sure if Jesus was alive today, you'd find his profile on kiva.org - I wonder what his user name would be...?
It's a way of investing money in entrepreneurs who are working in their own developing countries in places such as Africa, Central and South America. You can invest as little as $25, and choose which project you wish to invest it. Once enough money has been raised, a loan is given to the individual, who then repays it over a 6-18 month period. At the end of the loan repayment, you get your money back, which you can take out, or re-invest in another project.
What a fantastic way to invest in the lives of other people and make a real difference!
I'm sure if Jesus was alive today, you'd find his profile on kiva.org - I wonder what his user name would be...?
Tuesday, February 20, 2007
We were meant to live for so much more
I was in the gym last week and this song by Switchfoot came on in the spin-class and I got hooked on the tag line in the chorus:
"We were meant to live for so much more - have we lost ourselves?"
And that line kept churning over in my mind - we were meant to live for so much more...we were meant to live for so much more...I was meant to live for so much more...
Last week I heard that a friend of ours in the UK had lost her mum to cancer after she had been ill for a number of months, and the week before my parents lost a close friend of theirs, and the dad of my first girlfriend, to cancer too.
"We were meant to live for so much more - have we lost ourselves?"
And that line kept churning over in my mind - we were meant to live for so much more...we were meant to live for so much more...I was meant to live for so much more...
Last week I heard that a friend of ours in the UK had lost her mum to cancer after she had been ill for a number of months, and the week before my parents lost a close friend of theirs, and the dad of my first girlfriend, to cancer too.
Sometimes in the past I've felt like I've lost myself - but with so much pain and heartache around, it makes me more determined to ensure that I don't end my life wondering if I was meant to live for so much more...
Monday, February 05, 2007
A Short History of Time...
In McLaren's book, Neo introduces Dan to his view of history, and its progression from Prehistory to Postmodernity.
This goes from Prehistory, through the Ancient World (2500 B.C.), to the Medieval World (A.D. 500) to the Modern World (A.D. 1500) and finally to the Postmodern World (A.D. 2000).
Although this is probably an over-simplification I found it helpful in understanding that each period in history is an evolution from the previous - it's not that one is better than another, it's just different. The Modern World grew out of the Medieval World, the Postmodern out of the Modern.
I was thinking about this as it relates to my understanding of the bible - and my interpretation of it.
Having attended mainly evangelical/fundamentalist churches, I have grown up accepting the Bible as the infallible word of God. I still believe it is the word of God - inspired by the Holy Spirit, but I am growing in my understanding that it was written by people in the Ancient World, who had an Ancient World view. I think that I have interpreted the Bible, and read it, from a Modern/PostModern World view - with my whole frame of reference being different to those who wrote it. This probably then applies to how we have used the bible to base much of what we do as Christians, especially in relation to church (both its structure and content).
This doesn't invalidate the Bible at all - rather it opens up a richer way of interpreting what was written.
This may seem very straight forward to you - depending on your view of the Bible, but this is actually a pretty radical shift for me, so bear with me...this means I have to reassess a lot of areas that I probably accepted without really questioning them before.
I can feel the battle inside because I do believe that the bible is inspired by God, and I don't believe in complete relativism - if there is no absolute truth we are completely adrift, and that is a hopelessness that doesn't feel like Good News.
I need to think this through more - I feel like I'm looking through a glass, dimly, so if you have any thoughts on this area that you feel may be helpful, I would love to hear them.
More later...
This goes from Prehistory, through the Ancient World (2500 B.C.), to the Medieval World (A.D. 500) to the Modern World (A.D. 1500) and finally to the Postmodern World (A.D. 2000).
Although this is probably an over-simplification I found it helpful in understanding that each period in history is an evolution from the previous - it's not that one is better than another, it's just different. The Modern World grew out of the Medieval World, the Postmodern out of the Modern.
I was thinking about this as it relates to my understanding of the bible - and my interpretation of it.
Having attended mainly evangelical/fundamentalist churches, I have grown up accepting the Bible as the infallible word of God. I still believe it is the word of God - inspired by the Holy Spirit, but I am growing in my understanding that it was written by people in the Ancient World, who had an Ancient World view. I think that I have interpreted the Bible, and read it, from a Modern/PostModern World view - with my whole frame of reference being different to those who wrote it. This probably then applies to how we have used the bible to base much of what we do as Christians, especially in relation to church (both its structure and content).
This doesn't invalidate the Bible at all - rather it opens up a richer way of interpreting what was written.
This may seem very straight forward to you - depending on your view of the Bible, but this is actually a pretty radical shift for me, so bear with me...this means I have to reassess a lot of areas that I probably accepted without really questioning them before.
I can feel the battle inside because I do believe that the bible is inspired by God, and I don't believe in complete relativism - if there is no absolute truth we are completely adrift, and that is a hopelessness that doesn't feel like Good News.
I need to think this through more - I feel like I'm looking through a glass, dimly, so if you have any thoughts on this area that you feel may be helpful, I would love to hear them.
More later...
Tuesday, January 30, 2007
Living With Uncertainty
Last week the company I work for announced a major reorganization that will result in plant closures, job cuts and a lot of uncertainty for thousands of people.
At this stage my own job looks ok - although I'm not naive enough to think that I will remain unaffected. As I listened to our CEO address analysts, and then other senior leaders of my organization meet with our department, and gradually smaller and smaller groups, I understood that there had clearly been much work going on in parallel before this announcement was made. Sure there were rumors - and in the absence of the truth people fill the void with all kinds of rumors - but there was a whole team of people working away, constructing a new future, and we got occasional glimpses of it, but didn't fully comprehend what was happening until last Monday.
As I was driving in to work today I was thinking about that, and realized that that's a lot like what I think has been happening with my life. I had glimpses of an alternative way of living as a Christian - I read something on the Internet, or listened to a podcast - but all along there was a parallel way of being that I didn't fully comprehend until recently (and even now, saying I fully comprehend it is crazy...).
I know that at work things will never be the same - this is true for my own spiritual journey too.
I know that there will be much uncertainty and angst at work as people try and assimilate the messages and work though the question of "what does this mean for me, in my situation." This is also true for my spiritual life.
Although this current time is painful at work, I believe that it was the right decision for the company, and will result in a healthier future. I see this mirrored in my life as a Christian too.
There's a line from a Kevin Prosche song that says "the natural things, speak of the invisbible..." and the truth of that line struck me again as I drove in to work.
Peace.
At this stage my own job looks ok - although I'm not naive enough to think that I will remain unaffected. As I listened to our CEO address analysts, and then other senior leaders of my organization meet with our department, and gradually smaller and smaller groups, I understood that there had clearly been much work going on in parallel before this announcement was made. Sure there were rumors - and in the absence of the truth people fill the void with all kinds of rumors - but there was a whole team of people working away, constructing a new future, and we got occasional glimpses of it, but didn't fully comprehend what was happening until last Monday.
As I was driving in to work today I was thinking about that, and realized that that's a lot like what I think has been happening with my life. I had glimpses of an alternative way of living as a Christian - I read something on the Internet, or listened to a podcast - but all along there was a parallel way of being that I didn't fully comprehend until recently (and even now, saying I fully comprehend it is crazy...).
I know that at work things will never be the same - this is true for my own spiritual journey too.
I know that there will be much uncertainty and angst at work as people try and assimilate the messages and work though the question of "what does this mean for me, in my situation." This is also true for my spiritual life.
Although this current time is painful at work, I believe that it was the right decision for the company, and will result in a healthier future. I see this mirrored in my life as a Christian too.
There's a line from a Kevin Prosche song that says "the natural things, speak of the invisbible..." and the truth of that line struck me again as I drove in to work.
Peace.
Sunday, January 28, 2007
Fundamentally flawed...?
Dan (the pastor in Brian McLaren's book, A New Kind of Christian), is having coffee with his friend Neo, and he's talking about where he is. He says to Neo:
"Well, I feel like a fundamentalist who's losing his grip - whose fundamentals are cracking and fraying and falling apart and slipping through my fingers. It's like I thought I was building my house on rock, but it turned out to be ice, and now global warming has hit, and the ice is melting and everything is crumbling."
I found myself able to identify pretty strongly with that. The churches I've been part of would be termed fundamentalist - although the term is a label that might not have sat easily with us.
Fundamentalist - so sure of what I believed - everything seemed very certain. I think that my Christian Spirituality to this point was based around being able to put everything into neat little boxes and come up with biblical answers to everything. There was a formulae for everything (ok - that seems a bit harsh, and I know that that wasn't the intent, so I'm just as culpable in this, but looking back, that's how it was).
When I was confronted with big issues - war, sickness, sexuality, there was a standard answer - I didn't really have to think too hard, just talk to someone, or read a book, or listen to a tape, and I would get the easy to understand, biblically backed-up, nicely wrapped answer.
There was never really a need to think things through too deeply myself - and that suited me fine. I let others do the thinking, and then took what I was told pretty much at face value.
But I've started realizing over these last few years that life is too complex - people are too complex, get get it all down to pat answers and compartmentalized Christianity. There is so much I don't understand - so much that I used to be so sure of that now I question.
Some things are certain - I'm certain there's a God, I'm certain that I want to follow Jesus, I'm certain I don't want to repeat the mistakes I've made in my faith and my involvement in mainstream church again, I'm certain I married my soul mate, I'm certain I have so much to learn, I'm certain that my spirit gets stirred when I worship (but also when I listen to great music - not just Christian music, but some great harmonies in a James Taylor song, or a piano riff in a Deacon Blue song).
Life was so much simpler when I just accepted what I was taught, or what I read. I think it's part of modernity that we want to have neat answers for everything in our lives. But my post-modern spirit doesn't want to just accept the old answers any more. It's time to do more myself - time to do more talking - time to do more blogging.
When we had a fire in our house in the US and had to have most it re-built, it was really interesting, that it smelled of smoke even when they had ripped out all the walls and ceilings - but the framework still smelled of smoke. But when the new framework was put in - much of it new timber, the whole smell of the house changed. The smell of smoke was replaced with the smell of timber. Some of the old frame stayed, but a lot was renewed - some in the same shape but with new timbers, and in other places the shape was changed too.
So may be that's where I am - in the process of being re-framed? If so, then I want to smell the fresh timber. Oh, and I hope it doesn't take as long as it took our builders!
Peace.
"Well, I feel like a fundamentalist who's losing his grip - whose fundamentals are cracking and fraying and falling apart and slipping through my fingers. It's like I thought I was building my house on rock, but it turned out to be ice, and now global warming has hit, and the ice is melting and everything is crumbling."
I found myself able to identify pretty strongly with that. The churches I've been part of would be termed fundamentalist - although the term is a label that might not have sat easily with us.
Fundamentalist - so sure of what I believed - everything seemed very certain. I think that my Christian Spirituality to this point was based around being able to put everything into neat little boxes and come up with biblical answers to everything. There was a formulae for everything (ok - that seems a bit harsh, and I know that that wasn't the intent, so I'm just as culpable in this, but looking back, that's how it was).
When I was confronted with big issues - war, sickness, sexuality, there was a standard answer - I didn't really have to think too hard, just talk to someone, or read a book, or listen to a tape, and I would get the easy to understand, biblically backed-up, nicely wrapped answer.
There was never really a need to think things through too deeply myself - and that suited me fine. I let others do the thinking, and then took what I was told pretty much at face value.
But I've started realizing over these last few years that life is too complex - people are too complex, get get it all down to pat answers and compartmentalized Christianity. There is so much I don't understand - so much that I used to be so sure of that now I question.
Some things are certain - I'm certain there's a God, I'm certain that I want to follow Jesus, I'm certain I don't want to repeat the mistakes I've made in my faith and my involvement in mainstream church again, I'm certain I married my soul mate, I'm certain I have so much to learn, I'm certain that my spirit gets stirred when I worship (but also when I listen to great music - not just Christian music, but some great harmonies in a James Taylor song, or a piano riff in a Deacon Blue song).
Life was so much simpler when I just accepted what I was taught, or what I read. I think it's part of modernity that we want to have neat answers for everything in our lives. But my post-modern spirit doesn't want to just accept the old answers any more. It's time to do more myself - time to do more talking - time to do more blogging.
When we had a fire in our house in the US and had to have most it re-built, it was really interesting, that it smelled of smoke even when they had ripped out all the walls and ceilings - but the framework still smelled of smoke. But when the new framework was put in - much of it new timber, the whole smell of the house changed. The smell of smoke was replaced with the smell of timber. Some of the old frame stayed, but a lot was renewed - some in the same shape but with new timbers, and in other places the shape was changed too.
So may be that's where I am - in the process of being re-framed? If so, then I want to smell the fresh timber. Oh, and I hope it doesn't take as long as it took our builders!
Peace.
Prologue
Being part of the conversation - I guess that's what this Blog is about. It's a way of processing my thoughts and feelings and hopefully entering into some dialogue with other people that are perhaps where I am, or have been, and have moved on.
I've just started reading A New Kind of Christian, by Brian McLaren, and my thinking at the moment is that I'll write an entry for each chapter I read, as a way of thinking through the ideas that McLaren outlines.
Will it work, who knows? I hope so. I've tried journaling before, not very successfully, but I hope that this is helpful for me - and if it's helpful for you too, then that will be a bonus!
So, here's to the start of the journey...
Peace.
I've just started reading A New Kind of Christian, by Brian McLaren, and my thinking at the moment is that I'll write an entry for each chapter I read, as a way of thinking through the ideas that McLaren outlines.
McLaren's subtitle for the book is "A Tale of Two Friends on a Spiritual Journey". The narrative is in the form of a conversation between Dan, a pastor, and Neo, his daughter's high school science teacher.
Will it work, who knows? I hope so. I've tried journaling before, not very successfully, but I hope that this is helpful for me - and if it's helpful for you too, then that will be a bonus!
So, here's to the start of the journey...
Peace.
Saturday, January 27, 2007
Recipe for a curious heart...
Step 1: Take one human being
Step 2: Have them grow up attending Church of England church in a stable, middle-class home in the UK
Step 3: Add a few high school friends who said they were "Christians" but acted very differently from me
Step 4: Stir in a growing desire to follow Jesus radically (NB - a 13 year-old's idea of "radical" may be different to yours)
Step 5: Transfer to 150 year old Baptist congregation with great leaders, a great youth group, where long-lasting friendships are established. Add a good dose of the Holy Spirit
Step 6: Remove from baptist church after 4 years and transfer to central London
Step 7: Join house church - all late teens, early 20's
Step 8: Meet and marry the most beautiful woman in the world when we are both 20
Step 9: Get into leading worship and home groups
Step 10: Move to Kent, have 2 children, continue to do the church thing - realizing that it's possible to do church, without really engaging with God or other people
Step 11: Church group we were a part of implodes - realize that there was sexual immorality happening in some of the national leaders who I knew and respected. Local church congregation continues
Step 12: Become part of the church leadership team - serve for 5+ years, but realize that there is an element of control within the church. As a team we must bear part of the responsibility for this, and eventually we confront the pastor - the man who was my spiritual mentor and closest friend. Over the next few months we decide that we are unable to continue being part of the church - there is too much hurt and confusion inside
Step 13: Leave church - disillusioned that what should have been so good, could actually turn out to hurt so much
Step 14: Attend other churches, still having a desire to follow God, but attending mostly on my own
Step 15: Relocate to Eastern US with my company - a new opportunity to start again
Step 16: Join small house church - stay for a year, but begin to realize that it's just the same - male dominated, middle-class, controlling (that sounds too bleak - I loved the people, which made it hard to leave)
Step 17: Continue to want to follow God, but realize that I don't find an easy fit into mainstream churches - I have questions and doubts that I try to express, but am seen as having "lost my faith..." It's not lost - it's just trying to figure out where everything around me fits in, and how to communicate my love for God and his mission to people who have a very different perspective on life and spirituality
Step 18: Hear about Brian McLaren from somewhere...read A Generous Orthodoxy. Realize that this guy puts into words so much of what I've thought and been feeling! There's hope :-)
Step 19: Start reading A New Kind of Christian
Step 20: Start this blog as a way of thinking through where I am in my faith, my life, and how I can become more engaged in the emergent conversation...
Peace.
Step 2: Have them grow up attending Church of England church in a stable, middle-class home in the UK
Step 3: Add a few high school friends who said they were "Christians" but acted very differently from me
Step 4: Stir in a growing desire to follow Jesus radically (NB - a 13 year-old's idea of "radical" may be different to yours)
Step 5: Transfer to 150 year old Baptist congregation with great leaders, a great youth group, where long-lasting friendships are established. Add a good dose of the Holy Spirit
Step 6: Remove from baptist church after 4 years and transfer to central London
Step 7: Join house church - all late teens, early 20's
Step 8: Meet and marry the most beautiful woman in the world when we are both 20
Step 9: Get into leading worship and home groups
Step 10: Move to Kent, have 2 children, continue to do the church thing - realizing that it's possible to do church, without really engaging with God or other people
Step 11: Church group we were a part of implodes - realize that there was sexual immorality happening in some of the national leaders who I knew and respected. Local church congregation continues
Step 12: Become part of the church leadership team - serve for 5+ years, but realize that there is an element of control within the church. As a team we must bear part of the responsibility for this, and eventually we confront the pastor - the man who was my spiritual mentor and closest friend. Over the next few months we decide that we are unable to continue being part of the church - there is too much hurt and confusion inside
Step 13: Leave church - disillusioned that what should have been so good, could actually turn out to hurt so much
Step 14: Attend other churches, still having a desire to follow God, but attending mostly on my own
Step 15: Relocate to Eastern US with my company - a new opportunity to start again
Step 16: Join small house church - stay for a year, but begin to realize that it's just the same - male dominated, middle-class, controlling (that sounds too bleak - I loved the people, which made it hard to leave)
Step 17: Continue to want to follow God, but realize that I don't find an easy fit into mainstream churches - I have questions and doubts that I try to express, but am seen as having "lost my faith..." It's not lost - it's just trying to figure out where everything around me fits in, and how to communicate my love for God and his mission to people who have a very different perspective on life and spirituality
Step 18: Hear about Brian McLaren from somewhere...read A Generous Orthodoxy. Realize that this guy puts into words so much of what I've thought and been feeling! There's hope :-)
Step 19: Start reading A New Kind of Christian
Step 20: Start this blog as a way of thinking through where I am in my faith, my life, and how I can become more engaged in the emergent conversation...
Peace.
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