I had the privilege of going to a talk today that noted Indiana author and conservationist Scott Russell Sanders gave here in Indy. At the heart of the talk was the comparison between a culture of consumption and a culture of caretaking. Here’s a picture I took of the key slide summarizing this comparison: (more…) Read more
John and I agree that the practice of reading is essential to our understanding of Slow Church. Indeed, it was a mutual love of books that connected us in the first place. In the age of talking heads, the soundbite and the two-minute YouTube video, reading is a practice that can be useful for slowing churches down and guiding us into meaningful conversations. Here at Englewood Christian Church, we are blessed to have many people who are deeply committed to... Read more
[ On July 5-7, The Ekklesia Project will hold its annual gathering in Chicago, which will be on the theme of Slow Church. Between now and July, we will be running a series of lguest reflections here by folks connected with the E.P. We’ve asked guest posters to reflect on the meaning of Slow Church from their own local contexts. More info on the E.P. gathering. ] Today’s reflection, the third in the series, is by Edwin Searcy. Read... Read more
This is the second in my promised series of reflections on Liberty Hyde Bailey’s poetry. [ Bailey’s collection of poems Wind and Weather, has just been released by The Englewood Review of Books as a bargain-priced Kindle ebook. It’s well worth it! ] Read the first post in the series here: Cultivating Wonder. Wind and Weather Passengers on the cosmic sea We know not whence nor whither, — ‘Tis happiness enough to be Complete with wind and weather. This first... Read more
[ On July 5-7, The Ekklesia Project will hold its annual gathering in Chicago, which will be on the theme of Slow Church. Between now and July, we will be running a series of lguest reflections here by folks connected with the E.P. We’ve asked guest posters to reflect on the meaning of Slow Church from their own local contexts. More info on the E.P. gathering. ] Today’s reflection, the third in the series, is by Jason Fisher. Read the... Read more
This is the first in my promised series of reflections on Liberty Hyde Bailey’s poetry. [ Bailey’s collection of poems Wind and Weather, has just been released by The Englewood Review of Books as a bargain-priced Kindle ebook. It’s well worth it! ] Miracle Yesterday the twig was brown and bare; To-day the glint of green is there To-morrow will be leaflets spare; I know no thing so wondrous fair No miracle so strangely rare. I wonder what will next... Read more
Thom Turner is a friend and regular contributor to The Englewood Review of Books. Thom is also an adjunct lecturer of English at Nyack College and the Senior Editor and Publisher of GENERATE Magazine. He has recently been doing a wonderful series on his blog on a Christian ethic of eating, which has some important connections to our Slow Church project. I invited him to guest post here, and he offered the following reflection. Last night as I was ladling... Read more
Everything that rises must converge. Well, here is a fun convergence of interests. I am writing a chapter on hospitality for the Slow Church book. I have reference volumes stacked ten-high on my desk at home. But in the car to and from work I have been listening to audiobooks by Ernest Hemingway. The first audiobook I listened to is my favorite Hemingway book: A Moveable Feast, which is about Hemingway’s time as a young writer in 1920s Paris. In fact, the Hemingway... Read more
I have an unusually long commute these days, a burden I am taking steps to alleviate. The commute is redeemed somewhat by the opportunity to listen to audiobooks. If someone sets out to be a writer, the first piece of advice they get to is to keep writing. The second is to keep reading. I would append the second bit of advice to say “Keep reading. When possible, read out loud or be read to.” There is something special about... Read more
Thanks to my friend Kevin Rains for calling this article to my attention… [ See also the Catholic News Service piece on this study, which spells out its results in greater detail… ] WASHINGTON (CNS) — Harvard public policy professor Robert D. Putnam has a tongue-in-cheek suggestion for pastors: “Spend less time on the sermons, and more time arranging the church suppers.” That’s because research by Putnam and Chaeyoon Lim, assistant professor of sociology at the University of Wisconsin-Madison, shows... Read more
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