theEclecticSoul

New Blog

2007-03-27T12:27:00.000-04:00

Beginning today I began a new Typepad blog. For the foreseeable future you can find me blogging here.
Peace,
E

I Love Me My iMac

2007-03-26T23:03:00.000-04:00

I just took my new iMac out of the box tonight and set it up. I must admit that I want to hug this machine. Not only is it beautiful but it is amazingly functional in it's use of space. I'm speechless and want to cry [OK maybe not cry, but it's beautiful]. I feel as though I've come home again. Thank you to my fellow Mac lovers and supporters who have shown me the light, especially Father Alan. I will never go back I say....NEVER!!!

MadTV - iRack

2007-03-25T00:09:00.001-04:00

This is funny!

I Did It....FINALLY!

2007-03-09T15:34:00.000-05:00

Back in "the day" [college that is] I was a rabid Mac user. In seminary, I got lured to the dark side of the PC world, a world I have pretty much resented these many years. Having invested quite a bit in some programs I have longed to return home but every time heard the "cha-ching" of dollar signs.

My D--- computer [I'm trying to protect the guilty] finally crapped out for the last time. I have been researching Macs again over these last several months a finally said, "enough is enough!"

It arrives on the 14th, a beautiful iMac. I can't wait to get it out of the box.

Pray for me Father Alan, I may call you for advice.

Peace,

Just In Case You Ever Wondered...

2007-03-07T11:21:00.000-05:00

Yeah, I work more than just an hour on Sunday.

Some Important Reading for Those Who Lead God's People

2007-02-16T22:08:00.000-05:00

Thanks to Andrew Jones I came across a webstite called "Lettersfromleavers." These are letters from people who have just about given up on the church although many express a sincere love for God.

Now, before we bicker about our ecclesiology and what these people's theology is about. Just read them and be disturbed and hopeful at the same time.

What do you think?

Peace,

E

Thaw out the Pagitt's Campaign

2007-02-13T11:21:00.000-05:00

Doug Pagitt's furnace died over the last week and I'm beginning the "Thaw out the Pagitt's" Boby Prayer book campaign. To help thaw a brother out purchase a copy of Body Prayer...a great book for a great cause.

Peace,

E

Brrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrr

2007-02-02T23:42:00.000-05:00

Look to the Weather Channel icon at the right....yeah it's that cold! And, tomorrow we're supposed to have a HIGH of -2.

Scott McKnight on the Emerging Church

2007-01-20T23:42:00.000-05:00

Here you'll find a great article by Scot McKnight on the five streams of the emerging church. For all of you out there who ever wondered...this is worth the read.

Peace,

E

24...The Journey Begins.

2007-01-20T22:22:00.000-05:00

I'm sort of a latecomer to this 24 craze. I've caught a few episodes here and there and I must admit they were pretty captivating. Doug Pagitt was here this past week [sacrificing part one of the 4 hour premiere...thanks Doug] and we talked a bit about the phenomena. I went to the video store to rent season one only to find out they were missing the first disk..what the !?!?!? So when I happened upon season one at Walmart for the low low price of $16.00 you can only imagine my delight. So the journey begins. Jack Bauer.....here I come.

Peace,

Reflections of a Pagittarian

2007-01-18T20:09:00.000-05:00

As promised here are some additional reflections on my time with Doug Pagitt…

I’ve been thinking for some time now about what happens when a specific religious expression, namely my own, Christianity, gets encapsulated in the interpretative lens of one primary cultural expression. For me the cultural level embodies, technological, industrial, sociological and scientific[al] (hey I had a run going with the ---al words) discoveries and advances, just to name a few. To be sure, at least in my observation, our cultural context has had a significant influence on the expressions of the Church throughout the centuries, and that I think, is to be expected. But what happens when we start interpreting the Scriptures, doctrines and traditions of our within the context of those primary influences alone and without critical evaluation?

You see I really don’t think that we, particularly in the western world, understand the degree to which the way we do theology and even read and understand the Scriptures has been influenced by the larger cultural developmental processes.

From the introduction of Greek philosophical dualism, to, as Pagitt would put it, the influence of Newtonian physics with regard to the ways in which we understand the nature of faith and the nature of God, how we have understood, appropriated and shared our faith has been hijacked at times by these ideals.

For me, the problem isn’t that this happens, in fact it’s natural. What is problematic is when the influences seep in and we are oblivious to them; we become comfortable and complacent with the way our faith has, as we have come to believe, has always been expressed.

As men and women, created in the image of God, when we attempt to speak of God we are properly “doing” theology; attempting to, as feeble as our attempt may be, to speak an accurate and meaningful word[s] as best we can about the being that we believe to have relationship with.

For me the question becomes, why is it that we become so afraid to re-imagine [to be sure a loaded and dangerous word to some] our theological constructs. That’s not to suggest that we toss out hundreds if not thousands of years of church history. Rather, we, like those who came before, wrestle with the textus receptus, with the understandings of women and men who went before us, with the traditions of the catholic Church, in order to speak of God [do theology] into our own cultural context.

To me this gets at this whole idea of “what” we believe versus “why” we believe. You and I can and probably do believe a great many things for which we really don’t have a good answer to the question of why we believe them. To suggest that we are simply the recipients of the hard and arduous task of our ancestors seems to allow us off the hook too easily.

Now, before anyone crucifies me, I am not suggesting that everything is up for grabs. During our time together, we spoke at great length about a “core” or central set of truth during our time together. For me, that truth is not as much propositional [the way we are most prone to understand it and defend it] as much as it is relational. What I mean is this: I don’t believe in God because I hold to a set of propositional truth statements about who God is and who Jesus is in relation to God [although they may be true enough]. I believe in God because I have a vital, ongoing and passionate relationship with him through Christ that I experience in some real way every day. The “truths” may be true well enough, but in the end, if our relationship with God is just that a relationship one – one that can be experienced and shared – then conceding belief to a mental assent to a set of propositional truths will never fill the bill.
I think I can safely say that nowhere within at least the Gospels, do I see Jesus imploring others to believe in him or his ministry through the appropriation of a certain set of propositional truths about him.

For me, the central core – the hinge pin of our faith – is the love of God expressed in the life and ministry, death and resurrection of God’s son Jesus the Christ. This in and of itself is relational in nature in that God’s action in Jesus reconciles the world to himself so that you and I might have, what, relationship with God.

Well, that’s enough for know. These are just some random thoughts starting to congeal in by brain. Stay tuned for more…

Peace,

E

The Day Doug Pagitt Came To Town

2007-01-17T20:27:00.000-05:00

Monday and Tuesday the pastors in our District of the UMC had the opportunity to sit at the feet of Doug Pagitt to "git us some learnin' 'bout Emergent and the emerging church." It was a truly great experience. If any of you have the chance to book Doug to do a retreat then you best do it.

Most of the pastors in my area knew little or nothing about Emergent or the emerging church [yep it's true] so they got indoctrinated proper.

One thing that I really appreciated about Doug, besides his keen and quick mind, was his ability to roll with the culture of a given group, giving time to chase rabbits that people feel they needed to chase. I think that all of us gathered appreciated that.

We began and ended each session with a Body Prayer [if you haven't yet bought the book then get out and by it] which was really and great way to remind us that prayer is so much more than a mere mental exercise. We covered everything from Newtonian physics and its influence on the evangelistic models of most of the later part of the last century [I know, it just blows your mind doesnt it?] to examining and talking about what it looks like to truly be a incarnational and relational model of the kingdom of God as we live together in our various faith communities.

I'm still reflecting on a lot of what we covered so stay tuned for more posts.

Oh, yeah, since I haven't posted since Christmas...happy new year to y'all.

Peace,

Merry Christmas

2006-12-24T16:13:00.000-05:00

Just wanted to wish all my faithful readers [however many or few] a very Merry Christmas.

Peace,

Budding Catholics

2006-12-16T21:52:00.000-05:00

Believe it or not, in addition to the Disney Channel and Nick Jr. a new favorite channel has emerged in our home among our youngest members. So, what channel is it you ask? E W T N. Yes, that's right the Catholic Channel.

On more than one occasion over the last several weeks as my wife and I have "surfed" both of my boys [4 and 2] have begged us to stop and watch EWTN. They just don't like it, they are mezmerized by it; eyes bulging and all, desperately trying to take it all in.

This morning was no exception. Calvin was watching Mother Angelica, an older nun [who I can't remember if is now deceased or not, it seems to me I read something somewhere that said she had suffered a stroke] who was simply reciting the rosary; a beautiful Catholic prayer.

As she recited it, she would come to those places where she would say "amen." And, in reply, without missing a beat Calvin would say "amen." When Lisa went down to our TV room to see what the kids were doing, Calvin begged her to sit with him. And, continuing to watch Mother Angelica recite the rosary, he would say "amen" at the appropriate time [mind you he's only 2 1/2]. When Lisa, my wife failed to say "amen" with him, he looked at her grabbed her arm and said, "Amen, Mommy...Amen." Lisa would agree in prayer, saying "amen" and then all was right with the world. This went on for several minutes and then finally Calvin succumbed to the pull of his toys.

I don't know, maybe this Methodist pastor is raising a couple of Catholic priests. It was hilarious to watch Brennan and Calvin so caught up in Mother Angelica and other EWTN offerings. But as they say, perhaps "a child shall lead them."

Grace & Peace,

E

Lutheran Advent Calendar

2006-12-15T00:43:00.000-05:00

Fellow blogger Steve McCoy posted this today. It was so funny I had to make it my own. So I raise my glass to all my Lutheran sisters and brothers!

Anderson Cooper 360

2006-12-15T00:24:00.000-05:00

Just finished watching AC 360 on CNN featuring the question: What Is A Christian. In a word, at least according to the potrait painted the answer is clear: DIVERSE.

It's always amazing to see what news shows and the like choose to highlight and not highlight in a segement or special report regarding the Christian faith. All in all I must say that at this point [at 12:10 a.m. immediately following the show] I felt that although many vital expressions of our faith were left out, especially those more post-modern in nature such as the emerging or emergent church which were almost absent save for a brief segment featuring Imago Dei in Portland and a soundbite from Erwin McManus, it was fairly even handed it its potrayal.

It seemed to me that it portrayed a faith that is diverse as it is deep. From the fundamental right [in which they seemed lump together anyone who would label themselves evangelicals] to the religious left to the name-it-and-claim-it movement each segment was interesting and provocative.

One of the most interesting segments was the part dealing with the birth of Christian Zionism; a passionate support of Israel as a state and a people by a portion of the Christian church. There seemed to be no distinction made between Israel as God's chosen people through whom God desires to bless the world [via the convenant with Abraham] and the nation or national identity of what is the culture of modern Israel.

Another interesting segement dealt with the passionate preaching of the first featured pastor [who I will admit, I'm so tired his name escapes me] who when asked by the reporter if he really thought that the state of "war" between Christ and the culture was truly as embittered as it is, proceeded to quote Jesus' rebuke to the Scribes and Pharisees in telling them that despite how good they looked on the outside inside they were full of dead mens bones. It seems to me that Jesus was talking to the religious elite of his day - the church if you will allow me that comparison - and not the world at large that is authentically steeped in brokeness. It's always amazing how often Jesus gets quoted out of context. The word there clearly isn't for the world - the "evil" culture. Rather its offered toward a religious system that had largely yielded to the disease of spiritual amnesia.

Well. that's all I got for now...I'm tired.

Peace,

E

Just in you case you ever wondered...

2006-12-13T09:30:00.000-05:00

You scored as Chalcedon compliant. You are Chalcedon compliant. Congratulations, you're not a heretic. You believe that Jesus is truly God and truly man and like us in every respect, apart from sin. Officially approved in 451.

Chalcedon compliant

83%

Nestorianism

33%

Adoptionist

33%

Pelagianism

33%

Monophysitism

33%

Apollanarian

17%

Monarchianism

Arianism

Docetism

Donatism

Albigensianism

Modalism

Gnosticism

Socinianism

Are you a heretic?
created with QuizFarm.com

2006-12-10T10:19:00.002-05:00

I'm a Christ Follower (Mac vs. PC Parody) Part 04

...Part 4...and my favorite!

2006-12-10T10:19:00.001-05:00

I'm a Christ Follower (Mac vs. PC Parody) Part 03

...Part 3

2006-12-10T10:19:00.000-05:00

I'm a Christ Follower (Mac vs. PC Parody) Part 02

Part 2

2006-12-10T10:18:00.000-05:00

I'm a Christ Follower (Mac vs. PC Parody) Part 01

Check out this funny series of Apple parody videos regarding life and faith. They're hysterical!

I've Been "Southparked"

2006-12-08T15:00:00.000-05:00

2006-11-07T10:55:00.000-05:00

'Nough said!

E

Spidey & His Sidekick Elmo Battle the Forces of Evil

2006-11-01T09:43:00.000-05:00

Changing of the Guard

2006-10-30T14:16:00.000-05:00

I just spent the last several minutes watching an address by J. Elsworth Kalas, the new interim president of my alma mater, Asbury Theological Seminary [find it here].

The change in leadership that has taken place at the seminary over the last few days has been embroiled in some controversy as the direct reasons for a presidential shift haven't really been forthcoming. They [the Board and the powers that be] have ruled out the "biggies:" sexual immorality, fiscal irresponsibility and the like. Nevertheless, the Board of Trustees of the seminary, and their new interim president, Dr. Kalas, have felt as though silence is the best way ahead at least for now.

If we were honest, most of us are not fond of silence. We feel as though we ought to have a right to know about the inner workings of a group of people who hold power; whether it be at the levels of local, state or national government, the church, and certainly institutions that have come to mean so much to us, so much that we have supported them with our hard earned dollars.

As I watched the address and really listened to the words what I found was a sincere, prayerful and heartfelt address by a gentleman I believe that God has his hand upon. I felt as though I could trust in his leadership and trust that as he felt fit, we as alumni would have the information that we need when we need it. And, at the end, Dr. Kalas did what few public figures really do well: he empathized with a community that had be kept in the dark.

To be sure, in the church [and in its parachurch organizations] we like to claim that we live by Matthew 18. However, I think that when a public figure, like a seminary president, works the matter out with the person or the party involved, instead of having an issue[s]dragged before the "church" our imaginations are in danger of getting the best of us because we haven't been involved in a dialogue that we really have no business in in the first place.

Everybody likes scandal...we all stop to watch the train wreck. But perhaps instead of taking the posture of a gawker, might I suggest that we assume the posture of a pray-er; trust, believe, and continue to support until the information we are given leads us in other directions.

Praying & Trusting,

E