Jesus in China

There has been a lot of reporting on the church in China the past couple of months. The cover page article in Christianity Today, May 2008, and as well the main theme of Christian History & Biography, Spring 2008, currently available on news stands in most local B&N and Borders. And I just found out that FRONTLINE/World, on PBS, this Tuesday at 8pm, will have a feature Jesus in China. With the Olympics coming up, and with all the focus on China, as well as China’s rapid economic growth, and the surprising growing affluence and influence of the church there, it will be interesting to watch developments there.

Our next meeting June 25th

We don’t have any specific topic set up, but I thought we might discuss theology, spiritual, and philosophical books… what we’re reading now, what we’ve read, our favorites, recommended, and what we want to read and why. So of course we will probably whined up talking about all sorts of things.

Also, I’ve decided to go back to school. I plan to audit a course at our local Salt Lake Theological Seminary, the class The Message of the Psalms: God’s Rule in a World of Trouble, I’ve already anteed up the class fees and ordered the books. [Unfortunately, my class was just cancelled] (Check out there summer course schedule for classes if you’re interested.)

Be prepared to go on a book buying apocalypse after this get together. :^)

The Hope That You Have

I had some more thoughts on hope and why I feel it may be more useful than beliefs.

Peter said:
But in your hearts set apart Christ as Lord. Always be prepared to give an answer to everyone who asks you to give the reason for the hope that you have. But do this with gentleness and respect,

I believe Peter was very specific with his choice of words. Notice he did not ask us to be prepared to give reasons for our beliefs.

One reason hope tends to be more useful is because it is not a matter of right or wrong. I could believe with my whole heart that something is true... then find out it isn't. How often has this happened to us?

Hope speaks to our desires and where our heart is going. I think scripture shows that God tends to focus on our hearts.

Hope allows me to fellowship. I just had a great walk and conversation with a good friend of mine. He is LDS and I am not. Many people find it difficult to fellowship with someone of a different faith. My friend and I do not have this problem and I think it is due to Hope. We have beliefs that are very different and we often candidly discuss them. However, above our beliefs we find that we share a common Hope - That God is a loving God who wants us to grow in Him. That Goodness will triumph. That this will all end in a way better than either of us can imagine.

Some upcoming plans

Emergent Village will be having their theological conversation event, Reclaiming Paul: The Apostle in the Emerging World, in late October. If any of us can go, great. But I know I can’t go, and I would still like to participate in some way. So we had discussed reading the books the conversation will be going over and doing some of our own conversing over them, and then participate in some of the blogging and the podcasts that will probably be periodically made available on Emergent Village after the conversation.

Here’s a possible itinerary we could do, following along with the reading material that goes with this theological conversation:

For our August meeting we can read and discuss the article “Crucified Lord or Conquering Saviour: Whose Story of Salvation” by Sylvia C. Keesmaat, and Philippians & Romans in the Net Bible Translation.

For September, we can discuss The Lost Letters of Pergamum, by Bruce W. Longenecker.

The conversation is set to start on the same day our get together is scheduled (fourth Wednesday), so we can discuss the book by one of the events main speakers, Reading Paul, by Michael Gorman.

What do you guys think? If this is a go then you’ll want to order the books now and have the book read before the meeting for that book so we can discuss.

Reminder

Our discussion get together is this Wednesday, 7pm, over at High Point Coffee, at 1735 West 7800 South, in West Jordan.

Also, I thought I’d mention that the emerging church and Brian McLaren (not the Salt Lake Emergent Cohort) were in today’s Religion/Ethics section of the Deseret News. It’s a reprint of an earlier AP interview with Brian McLaren that’s been circulating for a few weeks now. It’s good to see our local paper pick it up.

In the same section of the paper they also mention a film/presentation that will be showing down at the main library this Tuesday. The documentary film Conviction, at 7pm, Tuesday, free; one of the nuns in the film, Sister Jackie Hudson, who went to prison for her protest, will be speaking there and taking questions as well. I plan to go, so if anyone wants to join me.

Great Brueggemann Quote

"When serious people of good faith disagree, they've got to go back into the narratives and come at it again. One of the problems in the church is that people are not willing to do that. People have arrived at a place where they think they have got the answer." ~ Walter Brueggemann

From a talk on Leviticus, given at First Presbyterian Church of Knoxville. Click here to listen.

Believe or Hope?

My beliefs, due to various circumstances, have been under the microscope lately. This causes me to turn them in the light and try to view them from different angles.

I notice I have few solid beliefs. I see many things with a kind of dual vision. I hear opposing persons speak, and I see validity in both opinions. I read apparently contradicting scripture and am comfortable maintaining both views. This does not always go over well in Christian circles. I end up making one side or the other uncomfortable.

I came across a response I had given to a friend who had recently de-converted. He posted this question on his blog, "How do you, as a christian, maintain faith in a belief where there is no concrete proof?" My response to him is below and I think it articulates why, though I love theology, I don't put much stock in having "the right beliefs".
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I can only speak for me, but I don't feel a need to get around a lack of proof. Maybe because, technically, I don't really have beliefs. Probably what I have could be more accurately described as a conglomeration of hopes.

• The thought that death would simply bring on my non-existence depresses me. A hundred years or so from now, no one would really even know I ever existed. It would be as if I were never here.
• When I look at my son or daughter sleeping at night, the thought that they too will go into the void is even worse. My heart sinks at the thought.
• When I see art, music, technology, stories and life... my heart overflows. It brings me to despair to think that could ALL be snuffed out by one poorly timed comet.
  

I HOPE the God I knew as a child does not exist. This god seems to see most of humanity in torture for eternity an acceptable response to their not believing He was standing behind the curtain.

I HOPE the God of 1 Cor 13 exists, one who always trusts, always perseveres, never keeps records of wrongs, and never fails.

I HOPE God is a cross between Aslan and Willy Wonka (the Gene Wilder version). One who has all the bases covered, even if we aren't aware of it yet. Who really wants you to do what is right, but will let you chew the gum if you are bound, set, and determined.

I HOPE when this story comes to a close, everyone lives happily ever after (even if the start of their story was fairly shitty).

I HOPE there is a God out there who feels about us the way I do about my son and daughter.

I HOPE the source of my love is a God who shares that love.

I am aware that this may be an empty hope in the end, but it is the one I cling to.
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I am finding hope to be a much more satisfying thing to cling to than belief.

For in this hope we were saved. But hope that is seen is no hope at all. Who hopes for what he already has? But if we hope for what we do not yet have, we wait for it patiently. ~ Romans 8:24-25

A couple of movies to make you thirsty

The SLC Film Center will be showing a couple of interesting films this week on the commoditization of water. The price is right (they’re free), so I plan to go to both. If you’re interested in joining me, let me know, email me or comment below.

Sed (Thirst) - Monday, May 05 2008 - 7:00PM
Salt Lake City Main Public Library - in the Auditorium

Flow: For Love Of Water - Thursday, May 08 2008 - 7:00PM
The Post Theatre, 110 S. Fort Douglas Blvd, University of Utah Campus

We had our first get together, and here’s a little on what we’re going to do next

Well, it was a great start, the three of us who came had a great conversation, learned more about one another, and became friends. I had brought a camera to get some pictures, but I forgot to take it out.

We have adjusted our meeting times so as to try to accommodate more who want to come, we plan to meet on the fourth Wednesday of every month over at High Point Coffee, at 1735 West 7800 South, in West Jordan. That will make our next meeting on May 28th, at 7pm.

Of course not everyone still can make that time, so we plan to use this blog and the facebook group to coordinate some of the other things we’ll do.

First, we plan to use this blog to announce events we learn of that might be of interest for the rest of the group, and coordinate rides, meet-ups, whatever for those of us who might like to make it. Events like the “An Evangelical and a Mormon in Conversation” event that Standing Together occasionally puts on, going and seeing the head of the Episcopal Church, Bishop Jefferts Schori, who was out here last week, or going to our local Beer Festival.

Brent and I are planning on using the facebook group’s discussion forum for some of the early church writings we hope to read and discuss here soon.

Also, I plan to start blogging through a few books on my personal blog, I figure it will help me retain the stuff I’m reading better, and, who knows, it may generate a good conversation or two. So I’ll post a link to them here when I start them up. First up will be Post-Modernism 101, by Heath White.

What is an Emergent Cohort?

Emergent Village has just posted a YouTube video that captures a little bit of what we are trying to do.

Our First Meeting

Our first meeting will be Thursday evening, April 24th, 7:00 pm, at High Point Coffee, located at 1735 West 7800 South, West Jordan, UT 84088

You don’t have to bring anything except maybe a little money to buy a coffee, and an appetite for theological conversation. Since it’s our first meeting I’m sure we will spend some of the time figuring out what we will want to do in future meetings and where we’ll want to take things.

Starting up an Emergent Cohort in Utah

I’d like to announce that a few friends and I have decided to start up one of these here Emergent Cohort thingies. We figured it’s about time Salt Lake had one so we’re putting one together. So far it looks like we might have five, there is Andrew and a couple of his friends from over at K2, and then there is Michael and I from over at Southeast Christian Church.

We are also interested in knowing what other emergent things are going on up and down the Wasatch Front. So if you know what the heck we are talking about when we use the word “emergent”, and you’re doing something related to it (or would like to), well, let us know, because we’d like to know.

BTW, we are still working out a date for our first meeting, so if you’re interested do let us know now and we maybe able to work out a time to help meet your schedule.

Now what was the name of that movie… Field of Dreams? …build it and they will come. Hmm… let’s see what happens.