Pluralism, Progressivism, Pragmatism: A Protestant Pastor in a Postmodern World
In my family mourning was not done publicly. Therefore, I, as a child, assumed it was not done at all. Both sets of grandparents died and I recall hidden tears, the quick turn away to look out a window, the closing of a door. This mysterious behavior seemed to commence with the announcement of death and end immediately after the funeral. Of course, if mourning is private, almost secretive as though shameful, there can be no comforting. Now I discover that, if honest emotion is … [Read more...]
Like many fly fishermen in western Montana where the summer days are almost Arctic in length, I often do not start fishing until the cool of the evening. Then in the Arctic half-light of the canyon, all existence fades to a being with my soul and memories and the sounds of the Big Blackfoot River and a four-count rhythm and the hope that a fish will rise. Eventually, all things merge into one, and a river runs through it. The river was cut by the world's great flood and runs over rocks from the … [Read more...]
This past week I had the privilege of attending a conference focused on the future of children and youth ministry, which was inspired by Brian McLaren's book A New Kind of Christianity. To learn more about the conference or to see supplementary opportunities, visit http://children-youth.com. (The website also features more information about the speakers listed below: http://children-youth.com/speakers). The following are some of the highlights from the conference. Caveat: Because I was … [Read more...]
For Advent, I preached through the four parts of Matthew Fox's landmark book Original Blessing: A Primer in Creation Spirituality Presented in Four Paths, Twenty-Six Themes, and Two Questions. The following are the sermon titles and a brief summary: Embracing Christianity and Evolution: Matthew Fox, Original Blessing, and Creation Spirituality (Advent 1) What would Christianity look like if the focus were Original Blessing, not Original Sin; Creation Spirituality, not the Fall/Redemption … [Read more...]
I recently had the chance to catch up in person with a friend who wants to plant a church at the intersection of the Emergent Church Movement and the Creation Spirituality of Matthew Fox, Thomas Berry, and others. In addition to some of the obvious choices, she asked me to recommend some resources that came to mind, and I'm sharing them here for others who may be interested. Possible Congregational Studies The Hope: A Guide to Sacred Activism by Andrew Harvey Darwin, … [Read more...]
I said to my soul, be still, and let the dark come upon you Which shall be the darkness of God. As, in a theatre, The lights are extinguished, for the scene to be changed With a hollow rumble of wings, with a movement of darkness on darkness, And we know that the hills and the trees, the distant panorama And the bold imposing facade are all being rolled away — Or as, when an underground train, in the tube, stops too long between stations And the conversation rises and slowly fades into … [Read more...]
Follow Patheos on
Copyright 2008-2013, Patheos. All rights reserved. Terms of Service | Patheos Privacy Policy | Site developed by Avalon Consulting, LLC
Follow Patheos: