Week 10: Wednesday

In today’s class Ryan spent time wrapping up several of the loose ends and discussions that we have had during the class this quarter. The most enjoyable aspect of today’s class was a discussion that I have been having with several people for quite sometime, and that is the idea of “presence evangelism” and this is the idea that when we present the gospel, coupled with other works of service, “gifts”, or “charity”, is it still truly the gospel, because what we are in fact presenting is the acceptance of an idea motivated out of reciprocation or commerce. Instead when we present the gift of presence, the gift of “charity”, without the caveat of gospel presentation and acceptance, then in actuality what we are presenting is a quite subversive ideal that will, in its counter-cultural nature, spark conversation and the presentation of gospel, but this presentation resembles more of a conversation, rather than a cold-call during family dinner. It is only with a free gift that we can adequately present the gospel, because we ourselves received this gospel freely.

Week 10: Monday

In today’s class Wes gave us a good definition of the questions surrounding the relevancy struggle within Christian communities, and how this desire has sometimes led us to forego several key tenets of ancient Christian tradition mainly because they are ancient. The struggle with relevancy today is how the Church has become marginalized currently in this postmodern paradigm, and that it continues to combat this marginalization with “relevant” worship, bible study, etc. but the Church must begin to realize that it can no longer re-claim its position of power and authority in society, but must instead return to the incarnational or missional engagements of Jesus. These engagments are not based on the church’s ability to again become cultural center, but are instead to point to something greater than the establishment, the kingdom itself. This discussion is something extremely difficult for the Church to engage with because it must first admit its inability to be the “kingdom police” and must instead be involved in the critiquing and affirming of aspects and areas of society that point to the existence and movements of God already in society. The Church, to become truly “relevant” it must first admit that the kingdom lies not only within its walls, but outside them as well.

Week 9: Wednesday

In today’s class Ryan hammered out the details, myths, and criteria surrounding conversations about the Emerging/Emergent movement. This was interesting and helpful for us as we enter into this dialogue as future pastors, leaders, etc. and that we dialogue both intelligently and passionately, but also doing so with charity. If we begin to analyze the words and motivations for many of those within the Emergent Movement, we quickly discover a spirit of charity, charity in the appropriation and inclusion of both new and old ideas. One also discovers this lack of charity oftentimes in the critiques surrounding the Emergent movement, critiques lacking charity, and oftentimes intelligence. These vitrolic responses serve only to strengthen the resolve many opposed to the Church in general, and the traditional church specifically, due in large part to the lack of inclusion and charity in dialogue. This is why many refuse to discuss spirituality in our current contexts, because we as Christians don’t really desire to listen, and if so with motivation only to refute.

Week 9: Monday

In today’s class Ryan gave an interesting lecture on his work both about and within the Emerging Church. The most engaging aspect of this lecture, was his discussion on the work of many Emerging leaders and how they incorporate the charisms of their community in a way that fosters realization. This seems to me, a very difficult idea, especially in the way of moving these high, esoteric ideas, into a routinized, modern church. The real debate arises when one begins questioning structure and ecclesiology, and that is, What is worth fighting for? What is our motivation? and Are we fighting for a more authentic presentation of the gospel, or are we merely attempting to be different than the traditions of the past? These questions to this day continue to serve as accountability both within and outside this movement.

Week 8: Wednesday

In today’s class it was refreshing to hear several different viewpoints on the debate between nationalism and kingdom citzenship. This debate is something that is very nuanced in both its presentation and interpretation for many different peoples, and ultimately is likely, among all other things, based upon context rather than a hard and fast rule. A question that arose for me during this debate was where, as Christians bound to the illumination of the gospel for others, should we draw the line in terms of resisting and oppossing things, that for most people, appear peripherial? Where should we ultimately become all things to all people in the sense of choosing the importance of gospel illumination over principled discussion and argument winning? I most appreciated the comments that Ryan made about his daughter’s oppositional stance to the current hegemonic nationalism, but oppositional in the sense of non-participatory instead of outright revolt, which I would argue, is the third path that both Stassen and Jesus proclaim.

Week 8: Monday

In today’s class we spent a significant amount of time discussing the praxis of trinitarian mission in terms of how they affect the contexts with which we are working. This time was helpful as it continues to allow us as a class to work practically through forming a coherent and interesting paper. The second half of the class is what I really enjoyed as Ryan spent time developing the idea of Kingdom of God, as inaugurated by Jesus, and how this kingdom speaks to the inclusion of marginal voices, specifically forming a bridge between those on the outside of ethnic and moral binarisms that did and continue to exist in our past and present contexts. The interesting aspect of this is how the language of the kingdom of God can bring with it so many different emotions and interpretive strategies, be it ones of anti-kingdom, anti-imperial rhetoric, as well as pro-imperial rhetoric and fatalism. This reclaimation on the part of Jesus of the work kingdom is something one sees consistently in his message, by using what was once an oppressive or marginalized voice as something to be esteemed or as something that brings with it liberation.

Week 7: Wednesday

In today’s class a discussion arose on the appropriateness of cross-cultural engagement by Christians. This discussion was part of a larger one on our occupancy within a monolithic empire, and the characteristics of this empre that we bring with us during our missional engagements. While I see the necessity and the validity of this debate, a valid conclusion appears to be our responsiblities as Christians to present the most adequate picture of Jesus through our conversations and actions with the world. To cease this activity for fear of the imperialism rooted in our identities is as inappropriate as pulling our children from public schools for fear of their corruption, contributing both to the conception of Christian ghettos as well as the loss of opportunities for our own children to missionally engage the contexts with which they find themselves. A third path, similar to the ministry of Jesus, must be found in this discussion.

Week 7: Monday

In today’s class we spent time watching a documentary on Jesus in historical context, especially with regard to a post-colonial lens. An interesting statement in the documentary was the concept that Jesus was charged and crucified for political insurrection and sedition, and to view his death as merely a spiritual and redemptive death would be to lose the depth of what he stood for and against. A historical understanding also helps to understand the kind of imperial resistance that Jesus was standing for, one in which he gives up his rights as Son of God, takes on violence and oppression, and in doing this doesn’t perpetuate its spread, but in his nonviolent death, he stands in opposition to the Pax Romana, or a cheap form of peace…bringing peace authentically, through sacrifice, leading to resurrection and fulfillment.

Week 6: Wednesday

In today’s class we continued our discussion on the Missio Dei and the Trinitarian mission of the church, with a large block of time being paid to personal reflection on our experience with our own churches in their context. An interesting idea that was raised in my group discussion was the effect of binomial “in/out groups” in current Church thought and how this perception guides and shapes mission as well as ideas such as inclusion and diversity. A comment that was made amongst our group was that if the church hopes to live out the Trinitarian mission then one thing we have to do is to affirm truth no matter the context, especially if we hope to affirm and represent a God who is in fact “all truth”.

Week 6: Monday

In today’s class we spent the majority of time discussing the Missio Dei and the church’s incorporation of this idea as opposed to the earlier framework of the Missio Ecclesiae. The most interesting aspect of today’s session was the discussion of how the Church practically joins God in his already occuring mission, rather than inaugurating a mission and hoping that it is in line with “God’s will”. This discussion helps me as I begin to work through the values, ideas, and identity of a church that I would like to be a part of. Is it one who is missionally engaging the surrounding community? Is it reflective of its current context in makeup and identity? Are the resources of the staff being spent on the continuance of the iternal structure and its “sunday show” or are they being allocated toward joining God’s already ocurring mission in its current context? These are questions that any church today must seriously grapple with in order to determine its role and effectiveness in the Kingdom.