2012-02-12T08:31:26-06:00

Last updated on: February 12, 2012 at 8:31 am   By

Not long ago I was interviewed on radio by an intelligent design creationist who kept insisting, “There is absolutely no evidence for evolution!” I was amazed that this person was either unaware or dismissive of what God has revealed in recent centuries about cosmic, Earth, geological, biological, and human history (known collectively as “big history” or “the epic of evolution” or “The Great Story“). Before the interview ended, I determined to write this blog post that offers links to some of the... Read more

2012-02-11T06:52:54-06:00

Last updated on: February 11, 2012 at 6:52 am   By

For years she had cultivated her faith in her father’s house. And for years she looked out the windows across the fences, the barriers at the other side…wondering about those people the ” other.” One evening, just as the curtains were falling on another day all here questions and wondering errupted like a volcano. It all came spewing out and filled the space around her. There was no way she could shove and poke it all back in. It finally... Read more

2012-02-10T18:09:18-06:00

Last updated on: February 10, 2012 at 6:09 pm   By

I am thrilled to introduce the Emergent Village community to the work of singer-songwriter Peter Mayer, who presents a sacred view of our evolving universe and our human journey in emotionally powerful and bridge-building ways. My wife, Connie Barlow, periodically collaborates with Peter by turning some of her most evocative photographs (gathered during our ten years of traveling North America) into moving images to illustrate his lyrics, and then posting the finished music video on YouTube. To date, she has... Read more

2012-02-08T14:46:42-06:00

Last updated on: February 8, 2012 at 2:46 pm   By

This is a series I am working on (this video is a rough cut; sorry about the lighting!!) – we will be working on these with camera crews. But wanted to give you a taste. – It is a challenge to see the crucial necessity of theology to reinvent itself, work alongside other ideologies (politics, economics, philosophy and etc.) or it might not otherwise survive. Also, it is a challenge to see God in a completely different light – a... Read more

2012-02-08T10:28:23-06:00

Last updated on: February 8, 2012 at 10:28 am   By

Connie Barlow, my science writer wife, and I have been traveling North America for ten years as evolutionary evangelists. We have addressed more than 1,600 religious and non-religious groups—ranging from Catholic, Protestant, and Evangelical Christian churches, to New Thought, New Age, and Eastern spirituality groups, to Unitarian Universalists and secular high school, college, and university students. Our passion, our calling, is showing how a science-based view of human nature, death, and the trajectory of big history can inspire us to cooperate across political... Read more

2012-01-31T19:04:14-06:00

Last updated on: January 31, 2012 at 7:04 pm   By

It seems the concept of American Exceptionalism has made a comeback. This is especially notable if you listen for even just a few minutes to the Republican Primary debates. The term is kind of new, but the concept began many years ago. Basically, it translates to mean God favors America more than God favors (at least most) other nations. The early Puritans had a similar spiritual vision to build a “city upon a hill” as a sign for God’s will... Read more

2012-02-07T08:26:01-06:00

Last updated on: February 7, 2012 at 8:26 am   By

I’m excited to be able to share my recent interview with Anthony Smith (a.k.a. Postmodern Negro). February is, after all, African American History Month, and, I must confess, Anthony was my first real African American friend, who has taught me much of what I now know about black history and my own white privilege. I’m deeply indebted to him for that! Anthony has been a great friend for the past seven years, and I’ve had the privilege of collaborating with... Read more

2012-02-06T14:40:44-06:00

Last updated on: February 6, 2012 at 2:40 pm   By

Here is a bit from my radio show where I suggest that evangelism should be about friendship and partnering with people and actually liking them. I suggest that our problem is not the Christians don’t love people, it is that we don’t like people. This material is discussed in greater detail in my book Read more

2012-02-06T12:05:29-06:00

Last updated on: February 6, 2012 at 12:05 pm   By

Process and Emergence in Creative Transformation Creative transformation is at the heart of process theology.  With the apostle Paul, process theology counsels us, “be not conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing your mind.”  Healthy spirituality involves a constant process of growth and renewal, of growing like young Jesus, in wisdom and stature – in awareness of God’s presence in the small and the large; in ability to embrace as much reality – and novelty and diversity... Read more

2012-02-02T22:29:01-06:00

Last updated on: February 2, 2012 at 10:29 pm   By

The annual Emergent Village Theological Conversation has been going on this week at Claremont School of Theology in Claremont, California (January 31-February 2, 2012). The theme of this year’s conference was “The Living and Life-Giving God in a World of Transition.” Claremont is the bastion of what is known as process theology, and the main speakers are prominent process theologians — Monica Coleman, Phillip Clayton, John Cobb, etc. — in conversation with emergent church practitioners. Many of the sessions were... Read more

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