Following on from my earlier post about this word ’emerging’, I thought I would get hold of this book, that has been doing the rounds for a few months, by the wonderfully named Phyllis Tickle. I think I passed it by earlier as it seemed to be engaging with an issue- the step shifts in culture, and how faith engages with it- that was one I felt I had talked to death.
However, I came across a post today (thanks Corbus!) that contained a publicity clip, and so I hit Amazon. Here is the clip;
And for a bonus- here is a bit of dsicussion between Pete Rollins and Phyllis…
And finally- this one is very much worth listening to- it captures something that I have been chewing on for a while.
There seems to me to have been a retreat from the early radicalism of the ’emerging church discussion’. Is the’missional’ thing a way of making this safe- bringing it into the safe folds of organisation, and so neutering those who would bring disruption?
Or is ‘missional’ rather a conduit for life giving fresh air for the body of Christ?
Over the weekend we had a meeting of our embryonic ‘Emerging Scotland’ group. This began on Facebook, and has slowly gathered momentum towards real connections as well as on-line ones. If you are interested in such things tartan, there is an account of our last meeting here.
One of the issues at hand has been what on earth we should call ourselves? The name ‘Emerging Scotland’ was coined prior to the time when many of the earlier users of the word emerging began to distance themselves from it. Do we start to use this new word ‘Missional’?
Here is a selection of answers to a questionnaire;
4. What’s in a name? We set out using this word ‘emerging’- although it seems to be a word that is being abandoned by many of its early users. What does the word mean to you?
“A useful word to catch lots of different ideas and activities.”
“New ways of doing things.”
“Living life with people where they are and in the course of life, and living/sharing the gospel.”
“A label that speaks about what we are not, but not what we are. It evokes an emotional response.”
“The birth of something new from an old foundation.”
“Exploring/questioning/seeking.”
If this network is to call itself anything, is it time to find a new name- ideas?
“Emerging- necessary as an interim description- we can’t denote ourselves until we can define ourselves.”
“ Possibly need new name- but most names that convey significant meaning will become outdated as things move beyond them.”
“It’s fine for now.”
“Emerging implies something is HAPPENING.”
“ It speaks to me of hope, whereas ‘missional’ speaks to me of obligation, and organisation.”
So we will stick with ‘Emerging’ for now- even if what we encourage is activity that might also be described as ‘missional’.
How about you- are there others out there who are also wanting to stick with the E word? Is it still meaningful as a descriptor of something?
Mins of the meet yesterday- get in touch if you wnat to know more- or if you have your own answers to the questionnaire!
Emerging Scotland meeting, Starbucks, 24th January 2009.
This was the second meeting, with an open invite using messages to members of the Facebook group, as well as spreading the word using blogs and word of mouth…
ATTENDANCE
10 people attended.
Dunoon- 5
Kilwinning- 1
Irvine- 1
Easterhouse, Glasgow- 1
Edinburgh- 1
Several other people sent apologies, or were unable to make it at the last moment.
FORMAT
Informal social meeting, with a chance to share stories and encouragement. We also used a short questionnaire to inform the potential future shape of the group. I think it is important to check and recheck this as we go along…
QUESTIONNAIRE A summary of answers given;
1. What brought you to the meeting?
“A desire to meet with other Christians wandering and wondering on the edge of established church.”
“Hoping to meet folk- share ideas and find mutual support etc”
“A few years back read ‘A new kind of Christian’.”
“To speak with people without having to spend 80% of my time justifying/repeating the argument.”
“Needing to connect.”
“To give and get support.”
“To find out what’s going on elsewhere.”
2. What use might a network be to you? e.g. companionship, theological discussion, sharing of ideas, practical support for project, retreats, website and contact lists, other stuff…
“All of the above.”
“Sharing, encouraging, pulling together.”
“Discussion, ideas sharing, meeting point.”
“Meeting other parents of kids not in organised church.”
“Safe place to explore ideas free from fear of guilt and accusation.”
“A sense of not being alone.”
3. Do you have skills you might offer? Hospitality, organisation skills, webmaster skills, mentoring, prayer guiding, counselling, carpentry, mime, cake baking, whatever- please be brave, we will not impose unless you are more than willing!
Counsellors
Youth workers
House church pastor
Music, writing, alt worship
Theological training/university education (“might make me a liability”!)
Experience of weird and wonderful things over the last 30 years.
Mentoring young leaders, missions consultant.
Modesty!
4. What’s in a name? We set out using this word ‘emerging’- although it seems to be a word that is being abandoned by many of its early users. What does the word mean to you?
“A useful word to catch lots of different ideas and activities.”
“New ways of doing things.”
“Living life with people where they are and in the course of life, and living/sharing the gospel.”
“A label that speaks about what we are not, but not what we are. It evokes an emotional response.”
“The birth of something new from an old foundation.”
“Exploring/questioning/seeking.”
If this network is to call itself anything, is it time to find a new name- ideas?
“Emerging- necessary as an interim description- we can’t denote ourselves until we can define ourselves.”
“ Possibly need new name- but most names that convey significant meaning will become outdated as things move beyond them.”
“It’s fine for now.”
“Emerging implies something is HAPPENING.”
“ It speaks to me of hope, whereas ‘missional’ speaks to me of obligation, and organisation.”
(The consensus of the people at the meeting is that we should stay with EMERGING SCOTLAND for now.
WHAT NEXT?
There is still a formal request for people to host events in their locality. Chris is happy to gather info about these and circulate them.
The dates we have so far are as follows;
28th– 29th March- Weekend retreat/open house- Chris and Michaela’s house, Dunoon. Tel 01369 707009, or contact Chris on chris@goan.fsnet.co.uk
Come for the weekend or for the day.
1st May weekend- an open invitation to the more hardy of us to a wild camping weekend on Scarba with Aoradh. Again- contact Chris for more info.
16th May weekend- family weekend- TBC- hosted by Nick Smith- details to follow
We pencilled in other dates- and though several people have said they offer something, we have not filled these yet-
27th June.
12th September
21st November
If you have other stuff that will ‘fit in’ already happening, or if you want to suggest an alternative date- let Chris know.
Hopefully we will pursue some of the broader organisational things as we go along…
I met with some friends yesterday as part of our on-going attempt to get a supportive network for people who are interested in emerging/missional stuff in Scotland (details here for those who are interested- I will post an account of our meeting later.)
It was a great day- with many interesting conversations, and capped off with a visit to Glasgow to see some live music (Welsh language band 9Bach and The Broken Family Band- brilliant both.)
One conversation we had was about kids and church. Like me, quite a few of my friends have grown up in church situations in which narrow belief systems and codes for living were espoused. For me it was to be part of an evangelical/Charismatic tradition, in a difficult family context. For a couple of other friends, their history comes from Lewis, and the stern austere, almost puritan, Free Church of Scotland. Then there are a few Baptists, or Pentecostals, and Catholics.
For many of us, the journey of faith ever since has contained an attempt to come to terms with some aspects and attributes of God- and what he expected of us- that were given to us by our backgrounds. When I say ‘given’, I include things we were told, and a wider way of seeing things that we just internalised though socialisation, if not indoctrinisation.
Some of my friends came to a point where they rejected church, because they could no longer live with some of the narrow and judgmental views that it represented for them. In losing church, it was difficult not to lose God too- at least for a while. Add the abusive actions of some of the servants of Jesus in churches we are familiar with, and it perhaps makes it all the more difficult for people to find church again, or even to hold on to faith at all. (There is some more stuff about abuse in churches here and here and here.)
But my friends and I- we remain drawn by the wonderful person of Jesus- and he leads us back to God the Father, God the Spirit- and the ecclesia- the collectives of the agents of the Kingdom of God.
As previously mentioned, yesterday, the discussion turned to children in Church. We all grew up with Sunday schools, and weekends regulated by attendance at a series of mostly boring services. The question concerned how much of this we felt we could inflict on our own kids?
Can we protect them from our experiences?
Where our experiences actually bad?
If so, in the balance of things- was there more bad than good?
The interesting thing was that all of us came to the conclusion that despite the difficulties, our church backgrounds, with all their guilt-and-confusion-inducing narrow viewpoints, brought to us mostly good and positive things.
Perhaps this was because we are a limited sample- people who still try to follow Jesus, rather than the many who have lost him entirely. These people are the prodigal lost sheep the Church may never return to the fold. My prayer is that Jesus will still bring them to him…
But I wonder if there is also something of a generational passing of the baton towards the new post-modern generation. We represent a punk generation, who later find an ironic pleasure in prog-rock, whilst also being drawn to Madrigals and Gregorian chant. There has been the necessary rebellion- but ultimately, there is nothing new under the sun, and the next generation will need their points of departure from ours!
Time will tell whether what they inherit from understudying the whole missional/emerging experiment equips them for their own journeys of faith more than our own childhoods.
I am just getting ready for an Emerging Scotland meet up @ Starbucks, Glasgow Fort, tomorrow @ 2.00 PM- hope to see some of you there!
Sorry that some of the other originators can’t make it- Stewart and Thomas for instance. Thomas has been operated on this week- so prayers for a swift recovery for him!
You may remember that the plan (as blogged a few times, and discussed at a previous meeting) was for something like this;
What?
“It is clear in my mind that the proposal is for a facilitated network, which imposes few restrictions or obligations on members. We need to decide pretty early on what we would seek to embrace and include. My preference is for a very ‘generous orthodoxy’- and again, this seems to fit in with those who returned the questions.
The object is to support and sustain one another as we seek to follow Jesus into Scottish towns and cities. Hopefully we will share ideas, resources and find companionship and encouragement, and there may be grounds for formal/informal mentoring or partnership arrangements.
People may be part of existing church situations in which they are seeking new ways of being or doing, or they might be planting something new- or perhaps just dreaming of doing…”
How?
“By a variety of means: websites, blogs, on-line networking, but also face to face meetings, retreats, information sharing events etc.
We are clear that the development of a website is a priority, but only to facilitate real human contact! Stewart has a possible way of making this happen- but might appreciate input from anyone who has skills/interest.
Sharing ideas/ skills/ resources – labyrinths, prayer rooms, musicians, poets, and people who know how to support and empower through prayer. Not to forget preachers and evangelists etc etc!”
What next?
Well, I am still on the look out for people who are prepared to host events in their locality– these might be
More coffee shop meets
Open house things
Creative prayer/worship things
Stuff around themes- theology, kids, sectarianism, rural stuff, social justice, etc
I have some info about current plans, and we have set some dates for other potential events (which are entirely negotiable, and simply arranged around my own calendar!)
I watched Obama’s inauguration yesterday with interest, but considerable detachment. American politics always seem so different from our own- the hype, the necessity of huge financial resources and all sorts of power-brokeridge that we can only just guess at. Americans seem to have a reverence and deference for (and towards) whoever hold the office of President that British people never feel for their rulers.
I am also scarred by 1997, when the incoming Labour government promised so much in the UK, after so many damaging years of Tory government. I remember the hope for something new and genuinely different. And the creeping realisation that Blair’s government seemed unable to ever elevate principle over popularism and the manipulation of image.
But Obama made a good start. I enjoyed the moment when his jaw set a little firmer and he began to talk about how his government would have a totally different human rights agenda. The Camera cut to a close up of out-going president Bush.
Then today, I heard that one of the Obama’s first acts as President- on his first day in Office, was to suspend all the ‘trials’ of inmates currently contained in the infamous Guantanamo bay (Here is what the Guardian had to say.)
He had promised as much- so it should not have been a surprise
In particular, some thoughts about Omar Khadir, the 15 year old boy abducted and held in Guantanamo bay ‘interrogation centre’ . It is his trial that has been suspended today following the Presidents intervention. Here is footage from his interrogation, released by his defence team-
This is partly because I have not written any recently- these things tend to come in batches. I have also been busy writing some other stuff.
I thought it time to post an old poem though…
For my day job, I work with people who have mental health problems. In one of the towns where I manage staff, there have been a spate of suicides recently. This time of year, when the days are short and stormy, and the nights are dark and cold- it can be fatal for those of us for whom life already is hard.
Each and every time this happens, the impact on the whole community is dreadful.
A few years ago, we lost someone I knew well- another victim of a life caught up in alcohol use. I watched him slowly washed away- work, family, home, cognition- all that he had been- and each and every role dissolved, until all that was left was his fragile humanity.
And this was beautiful. He would have given away his last penny. He would have shared his last sip and last drag of rolling tobacco.
And one day, we broke down his door because he had not been seen for a while. And what was left of him had become part of the bed he died in.
I was one of the few mourners at his funeral, and wrote this poem;
Brothers and sisters, life is short
A magical, miracle thing
That marches by- at first all shiny buttons
Then ragged worn, battle done.
So, in drab but polished municipality
I watch as a man is laid to rest
As his empty husk is processed- be it kindly
And hear a minister talk of faith and love
And speak some tender words to family
Who gather to say goodbye to a man they hardly knew
And I am grateful
Thankful that in this weary way
We humans still value dignity in death
For life is precious
Light flickers, then goes dark
Neville lived and now is gone
And father, lover, brother, son
Soldier, husband, drinking man-
Will be seen no more.
And as the blue velour curtains close
I think of the man entering eternity
Leaving few ripples, no disturbance
Needing no fanfare to his passing
Just sadness for a gentle soul
Time gone, now in everlasting
I thought it worth checking out as there seem to be some parallels between Canada as a culture and Scotland. And because these clips suggested it might be worth while…
The next one kind of hits the spot with me- the reason why I blog and use a website, and why I am persevering with the Emerging Scotland thing
Ron Heather, a bus driver from Southampton turned up for work last week, and found himself faced with a vehicle emblazoned with advertising paid for by an Atheistic campaign, with the slogan- ‘There is probably no God, now stop worrying and enjoy your life.’ Ron, as a Christian, found this objectionable, and so told his employers that he could not drive the bus. Ron seems to be a good bloke from the little we can see of him, and his dilemma heart felt and honest. Check out the story here.
But the story of the campaign is a fascinating one for many of us. It seems to shine a light on the place of faith and belief in our time and context, and perhaps it may yet enable healthy debate and discussion.
So- what is it all about?
Step forward the first protagonists- atheist campaign.org (It is well worth checking out their website.)
The campaign, interestingly enough, seems to have started as a REACTION to bus campaigns about judgment and sinners burning in lakes of fire run by Christians! Here is some footage from the launch;
Toynbee and Dawkins- the heavy hitters behind this campaign- are interesting figures. One a broadsheet columnist, and intellectual- the other a scientist who has a brilliant but flawed reputation. Neither of them are people who could be thought to have their finger on the pulse of post modern Britain. In fact, Dawkins in particular seems to me to be regarded as a severe and arrogant figure, whose rationalistic determinism is particularly modern.
Then we have the counter reaction from Christian Voice. Here is a quote from their director Stephen Green
‘According to one national newspaper, ‘some atheist supporters of the campaign were disappointed that the wording of the adverts did not declare categorically that God does not exist, although there were fears that this could break advertising guidelines.’
‘Well, I believe the ad breaks the Advertising Code anyway, unless the advertisers hold evidence that God probably does not exist.
‘The ASA does not just cover goods and services, it covers all advertising. The advertisers cannot hide behind the ASA’s ‘matters of opinion’ exclusion, because no person or body is named as the author of the statement. It is given as a statement of fact and that means it must be capable of substantiation if it is not to break the rules.
‘There is plenty of evidence for God, from peoples’ personal experience, to the complexity, interdependence, beauty and design of the natural world. But there is scant evidence on the other side, so I think the advertisers are really going to struggle to show their claim is not an exaggeration or inaccurate, as the ASA code puts it.
The Christian evangelist is not concerned by fears that his complaint will lead to atheists complaining about Christian adverts. ‘I am sure many of them have complained about Christian advertising already,’ he said, ‘but a statement such as “The Bible says ‘the wages of sin is death but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord'” is entirely factual. The Bible does say that. The statement “Jesus said, ‘I am the way, the truth and the life – no-one comes to the Father but by me,'” to take another example, is a Biblical quote, from the same Bible which is part of our Christian Constitution and upon which witnesses promise to tell the truth in Court. The Bible is, to coin a phrase, our Bible.’
So, the battle is joined over whether you can ‘prove’ God exists, and predictably, for some Christians the proof is to be found in the didactic statements taken from the Bible(the King James version of course)- and so that is enough. For others, this argument is akin to believing in Klingons because we saw them on Star Trek.
Again- it is well worth checking out the Christian voice website. The message given is that Britain is a land that is sliding into a cess pit of sin, promiscuity, perversion and homosexuality. Christian voice casts itself as a lone voice speaking for the truth of God in the middle of a the Godless heathen, who are all heading for the fires of hell, lest they heed the warning.
In reading it I find myself, even as a Christian, alienated and ashamed of what these people have made of the Gospel of Jesus. I find myself disagreeing with both the substance and the tone of the message. It sits at such odds with everything that I understand the Gospel of Jesus to be about.
But what might be the outcome of this little splash of media attention given to we people of faith, and the militant evangelists of atheism?
I have mixed feelings- and feel another list coming on!
As a Christian, I find the atheist slogans upsetting- but think that they have as much right to display them as Christians have to display our evangelical messages.
Some of the Christian slogans make me feel just as uncomfortable!
I wonder whether this is a real opportunity for people to think again about God, and rather than a negative campaign, this might encourage people to ask questions and in fact, draw them closer to God?
This battle seems to belong to an earlier age- a time of Christendom and modernism. It seems to me to engage with a debate about spirituality that most people have no interest in at all. It is as likely to alienate people from Dawkins and his disciples as it is to turn them from God.
Is our role as Christians to ‘defend the faith’ or to ‘defend God’? Is it to set ourselves up as moral arbiters for our society- pointing the finger at the ungodly and the sinful wherever we see it? Or is it rather to let others know our allegiance by the love we show for one another?
this fragile tent 