The Jacket Fits

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...

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.

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...!!)