As Rose French reports in the StarTribune, the only black congregation that is officially “open and affirming” now hovers on the brink of closure: The Rev. Oliver White knew not everyone at his St. Paul church was going to agree with his support for gay marriage. But he never imagined that nearly two-thirds of his congregation would leave. And now, Grace Community United Church of Christ, the only UCC church in Minnesota with a predominantly black congregation, is in desperate... Read more
Scott left a lengthy comment defending himself. I am hereby promoting it to a post: Well, this is what I get for opening my big mouth! Having read through the thread there’s no way I could possibly do justice to all of the insights that Tony’s other readers are offering here. Let me offer a few off the cuff remarks to put some of what I wrote on my blog in a bit more context. 1. First of all, I... Read more
I’ll admit, a couple neighbors gave me odd looks. Not because I tore up a bunch of my lawn and planted a big vegetable garden, but because when they asked where I learned how to do it, I responded, “My blog readers.” Thanks to everyone who gave me advice. I’ve tried to follow it. Here’s what we did: More pics below the fold: (more…) Read more
I’ve responded to Andy Campbell’s review of my book: Objectivity in the social sciences is a unicorn. It never existed. Just ask Christian Smith, who after years of researching his fellow evangelicals converted to Catholicism. Anyone who does research is affected by that research. And, if they’re paying attention, the object of the research is similarly affected. I pray that evangelicals read Smith’s books and are chastened, and that people in the Vineyard will closely read T.M. Luhrmann’s masterful new... Read more
Scott Paeth says it more succinctly that I have: If God is within the univere or an emergent quality of the univere, then God is contingent as the universe is contingent. Yet, a contingent God is no God at all, for that God is not free of the limitations and constraints of the universe of which he is a part. Rather, God becomes a being among beings. This is the central flaw in process theology, as attractive as it may... Read more
Chad Lakies’s review of my book, The Church Is Flat, is up at The Other Journal. He’s generally positive, though gently critical of my research. Here’s the critical part: I appreciate Jones’ offering in The Church is Flat. To my knowledge it is the first serious academic treatment of the ECM to come from within the movement. More are surely needed. As I mentioned above, Jones employs a phenomenological methodology in an attempt to mitigate his close proximity to his... Read more
I can’t find it on the Fuller website yet, but here’s the announcement that was emailed to alumni last evening: I have the highest respect for Rich Mouw, and a deep love for Fuller. This will be a tricky search process, however, since Fuller occupies a precarious spot on the Protestant landscape: centrist evangelical. It’s a bit like being a political independent these days — you’re a person without a party. Read more
Here it is, from the site of the search firm running the search: The Vanderbloemen Search Group is thrilled to partner with the leadership of Mars Hill Bible Church to find a full-time Teaching Pastor to join their community in Grandville, Michigan. With the transition of founding pastor Rob Bell this January, Mars Hill is seeking a full-time teaching pastor to join in the ongoing mission and program of Mars Hill. This person will teach 35 – 40 weekends per... Read more
Tripp has done me a great favor by posting a new HBC podcast from AAR last year — a debate in the Open and Relational Theologies Group about the doctrine of creatio ex nihilo. It follows up on our debate of last week. I tend to think that Phil Clayton’s opening remarks are spot on: this is really about the very nature of God — but if it can be proved that creatio ex nihilo is really responsible of monarchial... Read more
My dear friend (and camp counselee, circa 1984), Shane Hipps, announced yesterday that he will be leaving Mars Hill Bible Church in Grand Rapids, Michigan, when the Board of Elders selects a new teaching pastor. Here’s part of Shane’s announcement: I came face to face with one of the most powerful and difficult ingredients in discovering call — the role of limits. In this process I kept bumping up against two limits. First, I bumped up against the decision the... Read more
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