What E.B. White, that great writer called the big syllable, can be seen in what Purple Theology will see in ecclesiology. If we are to move beyond the ageless denominational bickering so typical of the Church, we will have to move from independence to interdependence. The addition of “ter” is a big syllable with big ramifications for all of us in the emerging movement. Will we seek independence or will we foster interdependence? Read more
Sometimes life is confusing and we tell God that it is. This can take some practice because we think speaking harshly to God is somehow wrong. But if we are confused, we need to tell God about it. Life, as Walter Brueggemann states, “is also savagely marked by incoherence, a loss of balance, and unrelieved asymmetry.†(more…) Read more
Laura finished her half-marathon. Here she is near the finish. Both Laura and Lukas ran a half-marathon this week. Great going! It was a sultry day, and she was strong to the finish. Read more
If you haven’t seen Tall Skinny Kiwi’s charts, do so. There are worth thinking about. No chart says it all, but these two say things that need to be said. Read more
The recent interview of Brian McLaren in Sojourners made a slight plea for purple politics — neither red nor blue but purple. I have for a long time talked about how theology in the 80s became Reaganology, and by that I only meant to provoke thought. The 80s saw many evangelicals switch from the Democrats to the Republicans. It can just as easily be argued that theology and politics are inseparable. Are they? And what will that say for those... Read more
Sometimes life is wonderful and we tell God that it is. Autumn leaves that turn the countryside into images even Monet couldn’t paint, neighborhood picnics in the summer that create trust not previously known, churches that have good preaching and worship and that respond to needs and that create environments of grace and that make participation the climax of the week, gifts given to persons that empower them with meaning and direction, social institutions that empower the poor and distribute... Read more
Just found Jim Martin’s blog; he’s a pastor with some nice vulnerability. Good to visit with his site. Read more
This little series on prayer comes out of Praying with the Church: Developing a Personal Prayer Life, which I am hard at work on my off days now. The section I wrote yesterday, on hope, will be changed, as may this section today, on honesty. But here it is in its present shape. (more…) Read more
In this last in a (and Kris would say too) long (of a) series on how Jesus would understand being missional, I want to look at what is perhaps the most profound of all the ideas mentioned in Matthew 9:35-11:1. Those who are involved in missional work (which is really all of us to one degree or another) and who are especially in the frontiers called liminality are the presence of Christ to others. |inline Read more
The Psalms provide for us a complete picture of life’s journey before God. Walter Brueggemann sees three “phases” in the journey of life. Brueggemann calls these three phases orientation, disorientation, and new orientation. The important word for Brueggemann was disorientation, as I think both “orientation” and “new orientation” are bland descriptions for what we are actually going through. (more…) Read more
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