• Philosopher and theologian Philip Clayton is writing a new monthly column for Religion Dispatches. His first offering is Religion and Science: Toward a Postmodern Truce. “In the American public square today, it’s hard to find discussions of the interplay between science and religion that achieve what our society most needs: genuine self-criticism on both sides, born of the recognition that both sides will have to do some bending if any sort of truce is to be achieved.” His new book, Transforming Christian Theology: For Church and Society, is available for pre-order. 09/12/2009

Sullivan on religious authority

Winnifred Fallers Sullivan, director of the Law and Religion Program at SUNY’s University at Buffalo Law School, discussing one of the themes in her new book:

“[There is] a new openness to seeing Americans as naturally ‘faith-based,’ enabled, I believe, by a convergence between a broad range of humanistic critiques of scientistic understandings of the person, social scientific and biological; social and political movements that originated in the mid-twentieth century; and a contemporaneous shift in religious authority and anthropology from the church to the individual. The exclusivity of materialist/medicalized understandings of the entire range of human capabilities and experience, as well as ecclesiastical capacity to insist on orthodoxy and particularity, are both fast eroding in the face of these changes. It’s a next step in the radical disestablishment of religion in this country. This shift toward locating authority in the individual means that it’s much easier for people to move among religious communities, religious ideas, and religious practices in a much more ambiguous way, a way that is less determined by someone outside oneself.”

Sullivan doesn’t say whether this shift in authority from corporate to individual is bad, she just say that it is. So what do you think?

Do you sense a shift in religious authority from corporate to individual?

Is this affecting “ecclesiastical capacity to insist on orthodoxy and particularity” (think ELCA Churchwide Assembly)?

Is it creating a new generation of religious nomads?

Chime in!

Getting on in a post-ELCA Churchwide Assembly world

Unless you’ve been living under a rock this past week, you’re aware that the ELCA voted to “open the ministry of the church to gay and lesbian pastors and other professional workers living in committed relationships.” It’s been all over the mainstream media (although the MSM is possibly biased and/or misinformed) and there’s still lots of chatter on Twitter about it.

I haven’t ever spoken explicitly on this blog about my views on GLBT issues, but I’ve hinted a couple of times that I am in fact pro-GLBT. And in the interest of full disclosure, had I been at the Churchwide Assembly as a voting member, I would have voted “For” both the social statement and all four recommendations on ministry policies.¹

But I’m not writing this post to defend my position or debate those who disagree with me. I’m writing it because my heart breaks at how quickly some of our brothers and sisters in Christ are willing to erect walls and further splinter an already fractured Protestant Christianity.

I was reading David Dark’s The Sacredness of Questioning Everything yesterday, and this passage seemed to me particularly prescient with respect to the Churchwide Assembly and the reactions it has generated:

[The] refusal to question, to listen, and to think past a certain point has tragic consequences, easily discerned in the morning headlines. Self-described people of God are wreaking havoc in our world. They revere their own faith, but their irreverence for the faith of others is the loudest voice in the room… Instead, we’re called to wrestle with a God more complex and more deeply affectionate toward all of life than whatever God we have in mind. Due reverence toward other people, in this sense, is a work that is never complete, a work that is ever before us. Anything less is bad worship, bad theology, and a plain old bad idea. As that very famous prayer involving debts and trespasses reminds us, the peace we make (or don’t make) with others — those who vote differently or believe differently or who happen to have been born in a different country — is the same peace we have (or don’t have) with our Maker. Peace with God and peace with others are never separate issues. When we say we love God while hating others, we lie and the truth is not in us.²

That’s it. I know for a fact that Matt Cleaver — someone whom I deeply respect — and I disagree on these issues. But the fact is, we’re called not only to love one another despite our disparate viewpoints but also to assist one another in the advancement of the kingdom of God, i.e., being the church. Wouldn’t it be a massive waste of kingdom-time to spend all my energy defining myself or my church as pro-GLBT? Or, worse yet, anti-anti-GLBT?

As I watched the tweets and blog posts roll in last week during the Assembly, it took a concerted effort on my part to not be reactionary. It wasn’t easy, because our sinful tendency is to vilify those with whom we disagree. But as Dark reminds us, “we’re called to wrestle with a God more complex and more deeply affectionate toward all of life than whatever God we have in mind.” In actually listening to those whose views differ from mine, I am able to see a broader picture of God’s kingdom than my narrow vision normally allows. And for better or for worse, I believe that’s a good thing.

So here’s the deal: Because of its nature, the mainstream media is all over this issue. It’s no exaggeration to say that the world is watching. What if we took the opportunity and ran with it? What if we showed the world how we have a rich and ancient knowledge of what it truly means to be bi-partisan,³ for we are one body in Christ?

In her sermon this week, Nadia Bolz-Weber concluded with these words:

So let’s again look to Christ and not ourselves because in the end there are no winners and losers, there is just what there has always been: the good news of Jesus Christ the Holy One of God. To whom else shall we go? He has the words of eternal life and offers all the inexplicable gift of his own self — body, blood, and word. And bids all come and eat.

Amen.

1. Please be reminded that my About page says, “The views and opinions expressed on this blog are strictly mine and have not been reviewed or endorsed by St. Mark [the church where I work]“ ↩
2. Dark, David. The Sacredness of Questioning Everything. Grand Rapids: Zondervan, 2009. 23-24. ↩
3. Or poly-partisan, for that matter ↩

Andrew Root’s new book, “Relationships Unfiltered”

Relationships Unfiltered: Help for Youth Workers, Volunteers, and Parents on Creating Authentic Relationships

Last week I shared a quote from Andrew Root’s book “Revisiting Relational Youth Ministry” (RRYM) and added, “for my money [it] is the absolute best youth ministry book out there right now.”

Good news: He’s got a new book coming out on September 1 titled Relationships Unfiltered: Help for Youth Workers, Volunteers, and Parents on Creating Authentic Relationships. It looks to me like Relationships Unfiltered will be two things: 1) a more accessible version of RRYM, which leaned heavily on the theology of Dietrich Bonhoeffer; and 2) an answer to the question that all youth ministry leaders want: “How!?” (Root does answer the “how” question in RRYM, but Relationships Unfiltered seems aimed solely at that point).

If you’ve never read any of Root’s material, here’s a quick YouTube video of him explaining the “third way” (and if you’re hungry for more after that, the full interview is available here):

Dr. Root has graciously agreed to an interview on this blog, which I’ll post as soon as I finish the book and write some questions. If YOU have any questions for him, leave a comment and I’ll see what I can do!

Responses to approval of “Human Sexuality: Gift & Trust”

Here’s a quick roundup of some of the recent responses to the approval of the ELCA social statement on human sexuality, “Human Sexuality: Gift & Trust”. Oh, and there was a tornado. Anyway, if you know of any great responses/articles/etc., leave a comment and let me know. Here you go:

Minneapolis Star-Tribine: ELCA validates ‘chaste’ same-sex relationships

The margin was so close that Bishop Mark Hanson, the ELCA leader who presided over the vote, hesitated before announcing the outcome. Rules required the social statement to pass by a two-thirds vote; the final result was 66.67 percent.

Queerty: God Sent a Tornado to Deal With the Evangelical Lutherans’ Gay Vote. Yes, Really

Well, it’s good news — but not OMG AMAZING news. It’s sort of an “agree to disagree” statement, but it’s particularly notable because its wording took a more inclusive approach to gays (i.e. can’t we all just get along?) rather than exclusionary (i.e. get the F out).

The Lutheran Forum: The Dissenters Speak

The ELCA is a church deeply divided on the issue of human sexuality. The recommendations of the majority of the task force represent a radical change that not only is contrary to Scripture and the apostolic faith, but is one that will splinter our congregations, alienate many of our members, further divide the unity of this church and, we believe, grieve the heart of God. We pray this tragedy will not occur.

Erik Ullestad: Sex or Scripture?

Based on what I’ve heard and read, the Lutherans seem to find themselves in one of three groups…

Don Heatley: So We Still Believe In A Storm God?

If God uses tornados for this sort of thing, why wasn’t there one at a similar meeting the Episcopal Church had last month? For that matter, why do tornados seem occur in areas of the country where people are more likely to be Evangelical Christians? We rarely see them in “liberal strongholds” like NY, California, or Europe.

Adam Walker Cleaveland: John Piper Contributes to Culture of Fear

And then leave it to John Piper to help explain exactly why the tornado came to Minneapolis. And of course, it was because of the gays.

Christian Scharen: Mass prayer and discernment

Whatever the outcome on Friday, if this atmosphere continues, the media will loose interest. They were expecting an ecclesiastical food fight. So far, the church is doing its deliberation on the toughest of subjects with great respect and prayer. It’s been a strong witness so far – especially to ourselves.

Word Alone: ELCA assembly passes social statement by one vote

A supporter of the social statement typified the storm as a mighty wind of the Holy Spirit and as a positive message. Some WordAlone Network members heard a different message, a warning of God’s anger at the ELCA in the wind.

Goodsoil: Social Statement on Human Sexuality Adopted

We celebrate in particular the emphasis of the Social Statement on the centrality of family in the life of the church and society – all families without differentiation. For too long the church has failed to recognize the centrality of family and acceptance in the lives of its LGBT members. Now, the healing of the rift that leads to wholeness can begin.

Religion Dispatches: Lutherans Reap the Whirlwind (HT: Blake Huggins)

If this was a warning from God, the ELCA didn’t hear it – or they deeply understand it when the Bible says that God is not in the whirlwind, but instead in the still, small voices that seek full inclusion in God’s realm.

ELCA approves “Human Sexuality: Gift & Trust”

From the official press release:

The 2009 Churchwide Assembly of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America (ELCA) adopted “Human Sexuality: Gift and Trust” with a vote of 676 (66.67 percent) to 338 (33.33 percent) on Aug. 19. The passing of the social statement on human sexuality required a two-thirds vote.

Read the press release for all of the details, and then watch this video of the vote itself:

Best part? The clapping/cheers beginning around 1:50.

What is youth ministry?

How’s that for a loaded question?

But seriously, I’d like you to ponder a quote from Andy Root’s Revisiting Relational Youth Ministry, which for my money is the absolute best youth ministry book out there right now.

[Youth] ministry is not about helping these kids be better Christians; it is about helping them be what God created them to be — human.¹

What’s your reaction/response to that? Leave a comment and let me know! I’ll post the paragraph the quote is taken from to provide a bit more context if there’s interest.

1. Root, Andrew. Revisiting Relational Youth Ministry. City: IVP Books, 2007. 15. ↩

• The Bait and Switch of Contemporary Christianity provocatively dissects the fine line between spiritual disciplines and becoming a “more decent human being.” “The point is that one can fill a life full of spiritual activities without ever, actually, trying to become a more decent human being. In fact, much of this activity can distract one from becoming a more decent human being. Worse, some of these activities make you worse, interpersonally speaking. Many churches are jerk factories.” 08/10/2009
• Twitter Theology: 5 Ways Twitter Has Changed My Life and helped me be a better Disciple of Jesus by Leonard Sweet (@lensweet). “Jesus was a master at sound bytes that bite with terseness and immediacy. In fact, he was always twittering the gospel in pithy, memorable phrases, and even expressed his gospel in The Great Tweet: ‘Love one another as I have loved you.’ I suspect his followers would be well advised to RT (ReTweet) everything he said.” 08/05/2009

On the sovereignty of God

I had the honor of being invited by Tyler Braun to participate in his Sovereignty of God blog series along with some blogosphere heavyweights like Adam Walker Cleaveland, Rhett Smith, Anne Jackson, and Andrew Jones. Here’s a little taste of what I wrote:

Why the caveat? Because today I’m not going to attempt any grand theological statements about the sovereignty of God. I’ll try my best to avoid theological jargon, especially words beginning with “omni-”. You see, for me the issue of God’s sovereignty is less about theo-logy and more about anthropo-logy, that is, the posture I take as a disciple-in-response to God’s sovereignty is in some ways more important than any named attributes of our God.

Head on over to Tyler’s blog to read the rest of the post!

• God and Majors from Inside Higher Ed. summarizes some new research about the correlation between college majors and religious observance. “Being a humanities or a social science major has a statistically significant negative effect on religiosity — measured by either religious attendance and how important students consider the importance of religion in their lives. The impact appears to be strongest in the social sciences.” 07/30/2009

Kester Brewin on theology and the new physics

Kester Brewin (@kesterbrewin), provocative thinker and author of Signs of Emergence: A Vision for Church That Is Always Organic/Networked/Decentralized/Bottom-Up/Communal/Flexible/Always Evolving, is currently writing a series of blog posts that falls flawlessly in line with much of my recent thinking and research. The series, called Theology and the New Physics has two posts thus far: Uncertainty and Dimensions, with more forthcoming. UPDATE: The third post, Engaging The Maze, is now available.

If theology is even a casual pursuit for you, this is a series you must read. Here’s a snippet of what Brewin says in the first post:

What are the implications [of the new physics] for theology? Primarily, I think the argument between classical and quantum physics parallels quite nicely with the interaction between ‘classic’ and ‘emerging’ church. My experience in the 90’s, with Toronto etc. was that people in the charismatic, evangelical wing of the church really believed that they would soon achieve total immanence with God. God was almost touchable. If only we could sing that bit harder and be zapped that tiny bit more we would actually achieve full communion. When this didn’t happen, it precipitated a crisis among many of those of my generation. We felt cheated, and retreated into ‘alt.worship’ where we explored a ‘quantum theology’ where God was pure equations, transcendent and immensurable.

It seems now that both positions are wrong. While Einstein is yet to be vindicated, most physicists are skeptical about the ‘hard’ quantum model, and feel that some new theory will supersede it, even though Heisenberg’s principle is unbreachable. God, I think we are learning again, is both immanent and transcendent, but never entirely one or the other. Uncertainty remains.

In the second post, he talks about Flatland, which Rob Bell discusses in his Everything Is Spiritual lecture; but think of this blog series as Everything Is Spiritual with balls (to borrow from Stephen Colbert).

Anyway, if you’re eccentric like me and you think this stuff is really kinky (to borrow from a beloved college professor), I also recommend John Polkinghorne’s brief and relatively easy-to-read Quantum Physics and Theology: An Unexpected Kinship. Happy reading!

• Following in the footsteps of The Boston Globe’s The Big Picture and The Wall Street Journal’s Photo Journal, Christianity Today has launched Imago Fidei, a photoblog that bills itself as “a daily view of Christian life.” While not strictly photos, there are some gems in the archives. 05/15/2009

Bonhoeffer on youth ministry

Dietrich Bonhoeffer writes these words on Christian community, which are rather applicable to smaller youth ministries:

In the Christian community thankfulness is just what it is anywhere else in the Christian life. Only he who gives thanks for the little things receives the big things. We prevent God from giving us the great spiritual gifts He has in store for us, because we do not give thanks for daily gifts. We think we dare not be satisfied with the small measure of spiritual knowledge, experience, and love that has been given to us, and that we must constantly be looking forward eagerly for the highest good. Then we deplore the fact that we lack the deep certainty, the strong faith, and the rich experience that God has given to others, and we consider this lament to be pious. We pray for the big things and forget to give thanks for the ordinary, small (and yet really not small) gifts. How can God entrust great things to one who will not thankfully receive from Him the little things? If we do not give thanks daily for the Christian fellowship in which we have been placed, even where there is no great experience, no discoverable riches, but much weakness, small faith, and difficulty; if on the contrary, we only keep complaining to God that everything is so paltry and petty, so far from what we expected, then we hinder God from letting our fellowship grow according to the measure and riches which are there for us all in Jesus Christ.

Bonhoeffer, Dietrich. Life Together. San Francisco: HarperSanFrancisco, 1978. 29.

Words that are just as convicting as when they were penned 71 years ago.

May we have the courage and humility to give thanks daily for the ministries we find ourselves in, however modest.

• C. Wess Daniels, a Quaker, discusses Denominations and Traditions: Thoughts on Differences. Just for the fun of it, I’ll replace the word ‘Quaker’ in a section of his post with ‘Lutheran’: “I have very little interest in Lutheranism, in as much as it is an ism. These things that are the “way we’ve always done them” can actually becomes obstacles to our believing in the power of God’s Spirit. The denominational nitty gritty, when it is left to its own devices and not rooted within the life of the tradition, only sustains structures often reinforcing the church’s role as a placeholder for our belief rather than a bottom-up community of people following God’s mission in the world. I want to be a part of a community that not only tells but also lives into the stories of those we call Lutheran.” 04/30/2009

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