Bigbulkyanglican

Advent is here

Advent starts today on Advent Sunday - not as several of Advent resources and a number of colleagues (who should now better) seem to assume yesterday which was purely December 1st.

Together with a whole bunch of people in various churches and christian groups locally, I am using Maggi Dawn's Advent to Epiphany readings called Beginings and Endings.

Some folk at Imagine are meeting each week to reflect and discuss together.

My Advent Calendar is paperless this year see here

and I have given up buying CDs for Advent.

How will you keep Advent?

Mission and evangelism and Affirming Catholic perspectives

How often the words "mission" and "evangelism" become interchangeable in ways that fail to do justice to the biblical record, or our understanding of the divine as expressed in The Trinity.

I believe that The Trinity leads us directly to the creedal expression of mission which is " Holy, Catholic and Apostolic" - there is a "primary agency" link:

The Father in the development of holiness
The Son in the development of catholicity
The Spirit in the development of apostolic-ness

What has particularly encouraged me is how so much good thinking about mission which emphasises the importance of evangelism is now coming from clergy and theologians within the Anglo Catholic tradition of the Anglican Church.

Stephen Conway, Bishop of Ramsbury in the Salisbury Diocese, writes about Mission and Evangelism for his Diocese and highlights the following key point about the place of evangelism:

So, God’s mission has many facets; but mission would be incomplete without its cutting edge, which is evangelism. Christ is made known in all sorts of ways in our service of the wider compass of mission; but we must not get lost in other activity as an avoidance strategy so that we do not take up the challenge and the joy to bring people to personal faith in Jesus Christ so that they come to share with us in the continuing transformation of life in the Spirit. The true under-girding of justice and peace is found as human beings come to share in that deep communion of Father, Son and Holy Spirit.

Read the full article here

Stephen has been one of the key thinkers behind a renewed style of Affirming Catholicism within the Anglican tradition which is contemporary in its outlook, inclusive in its membership, and missional in its focus.

It has at last something approaching a coherent website, which it would be worth having a look at for a sense of how this tradition is emerging into new ways of being.

Willow Creek and after thoughts

There has been much blog-speak in recent weeks about the "Cornelius" moment which has been experienced by Bill Hybels and The Willow Creek community see  summary write-up and here from Willow Creek themselves if you haven't a clue what I am writing about .

I have always admired their work while retaining some concerns about their model of Church and clearly many churches here in the UK have gained immense benefit from the model and fellowship.

I have been irritated by how some people have written up their new insight and change of heart in a "told you so" way.

I would want to welcome and endorse the changes that they are proposing for themselves and the thousands of churches around the world that have experienced renewal through their example and ministry.

One of the best reflective articles is by Diana Butler Bass see here.

One of the most exciting prospects is that this will open up new possibilities for co-operative ministry as Willow Creek learn new models of Church from other people, and that this public and brace admission removes one of the barriers and questions that other churches have held about Willow Creek.

What remains interesting ( and as a Brit challenging) is how they then respond to the new insight - they propose a multi-million dollar programme to share this " new insight" with other churches - I can't help wondering whether it might have been more appropriate to call a moratorium on spending and invite their partner churches to spend time listening to other churches who have experience of this kind of work?

Perhaps the "American business enterprise model" and its inherent weaknesses is the next Cornelius moment?

More important for my own Church is how we ensure that in the flurry of fresh expressions etc and obsession with attendance statistics, we do not neglect those who have faith and need opportunity and encouragement to deepen it further.

Are we Anglicans also in danger of focusing on members rather than disciples?

Rediscovering Reinhold Niebuhr

Reinhold Niebuhr was one of my theological heroes during my theological undergraduate years in the mid 1970s, but he has since seemingly drifted from the focus of liberal theological studies.

Now his "Christian realism" is making something of a comeback in missional theology here in the UK , so I was interested to read recently of a similar ascendency in the US.

Among the resources that I have traced over the past week is this excellent interactive material from the American Public Media network which features resources and recording about Niebuhr's life and contemporary influence by Krista Tippett in her "Speaking of Faith" web radio series.

While some would question the relevance of Niebuhr's thinking in post-Christendom Britain, if you can read beyond the implicit reservations which arise from him being a man of his time and place (which the photo graphically illustrates), then there is many an insight into the theology of public place which translates into our own contemporary context.

Leadership in the Church

Two Paul's have informed my priestly task during this past week.

I have had an interesting email correspondence from across the Pond with Paul an Episcopal priest  who had found a link to my blog and had rejoiced that there was another person living the dilemmas which come from being a mission priest in a traditional parish.

Its very emerging and missional to have this new relationship across the Internet and by the wonders of technology I was able to participate in one of his Home groups last night - its all done by computer with his parishioners who travel for work during the working week - so they were literally contributing from across the USA and the Far East

Nearer to home and in the same Diocese, Paul Walker and I met in real life on Monday at the HQ of the inherited Church (Bishop's House no less), and he writes a revealing post about the tensions of  leading across the boundaries of inherited and missional Church.

Where I seem to differ from some of the central Church of England thinking on the twin tracks of "inherited" and "fresh expressions" is that I don't believe that the former represents the past, and the latter the future. The missional perspective transcends such bleak separations.

I am sure that the Spirit is working in "inherited" patterns in such a way that not only will they "survive", but be  a resource for the future.

To give a very crude liturgical example I feel quite confident that there will be missional Christians in coming years who in their search for integrity and insight in worship will discover the joys of Book of Common Prayer evensong which has so enriched the Christian lives of countless generations across the world - BUT it will not be their core worship and there will be lots of other patterns and places happening as well. But BCP Evensong could be part of the liturgical repertoire which offers a meeting point for hugely varied sorts of Christians.

The distinctive insight which is emerging for me is that missional is a way of " being" rather than a way of "doing" - its about attitudes rather than rules - and it may be about doing considerably less "Church" in order to be more "faithful". Those who form the leadership of the missional Church will of course need many of the leadership skills with which we are familiar - but most of all it will be an attitudinal change that will be needed - that of recognizing and tolerating the quirks and insights of other people of different theological, faith and social backgrounds.

Searchers and travellers

In my summer readings of John's Gospel, it was verses 9 and 10 of  Chapter 1 which came to inhabit my understanding of so much of my sabbatical experience.

The Message version of the Bible offers what I had always understood these verses to mean:

The Life-Light was the real thing:
      Every person entering Life
      he brings into Light.
   He was in the world,
      the world was there through him,
      and yet the world didn't even notice.

But the Good News version provides a different tone:

This was the real light - the light that comes into the world and shines on all mankind. The Word was in the world and though God made the world through him, yet the world did not recognize him  

The former seems to imply some criticism, while the latter seems to imply some future potential - one is world denying, while the other is world affirming as a place of potential.

I guess it is a missional instinct that forms me to see the possibility/potential for recognition in the people, places situations and art forms which speak unconsciously of The Word and the Creator.

Indeed I meet people outside the Church who seem to be asking the Christ-like spiritual questions in a way that Christians who have found "the answer" have long since forgotten.

I am delighted that the Scripture Union's  Wise Traveller network now has books available which will speak to people on this level - not as "convert or else" but as "carry on the journey or pilgrimage".

Luke 16:1-13

I rarely write about sermons or post actual scripts - tending to the view that there are specific to a situation and rarely translate across the Internet to other people's situations.

But today's Gospel reading from Luke stimulated some irresistible questions about how we read and understand parables in the Gospels.

It made me realise that people still tend to take parables literally as morality tales (and so essentially about people and how we should behave) rather than stories which point to the love and purposes of God.

Howard Jameson at gatheringgrace has written well about the challenge of the parable of The Shrewd Steward as is it described in The Good News Bible.

So what does this tricky story,difficult context, and problematic exegetical diagnosis (- does it really fit here or do the succeeding verses more properly relate to the preceding Chapter) really offer us as a picture of the love and purposes of God.

Firstly the context is important - the passage begins with the vital clause that hints that this teaching addressed to the "disciples"

1. That God will offer forgiveness even when it is neither deserved nor expected - indicating perhaps something in favour of a "universalist" view of salvation - and in contrast with the attitude of the Prodigal Son - who "came to his senses" realised his guilt and returned in expectation of forgiveness

2. That the Masters peculiar praising of the stewards action seems to come from the stewards willingness to "forgive" the debtors.

This perhaps indicates that our forgiveness of others will always be incomplete, frequently founded on base motives, often seeking some "compensation" from those we forgive - but that ultimately our forgiveness however "corrupted" is valued by God.

Perhaps there is a link here with Desmond Tutu's perspective that if we can bring ourselves to forgive then we (as the forgiver) ultimately gain more than the forgiven in the divine scheme of things .

3. That God has offered us his gifts and has expectations are that we be good stewards of them - the key feature of this story being that the servant was "caught out" not using the given resources.

4. The value of a "fixed lectionary" within Church tradition - would a preacher willing choose this parable otherwise - or would we not succumb to "easier" parts of Holy Scripture?

If nothing else it ensures that many preachers will have worked hard in the past week - and preached today with a particular humility which says " I can only take a stab" at what this means - and invaluably says to congregations "you must arrive at your own conclusions". It reminds us that preaching is a matter of the "heart and soul" rather than of the "head or intellect" - though the latter are clearly important.

Buldings and Theology - Faith at Work

I have started reading one of my Christmas presents which is Tim Gorringe's book

A Theology of the Built Environment - justice power and redemption - see details here

Tim is Professor of Theology at Exeter University and has written widely on social theology as well as being a Barth fan and expert which is a interesting combination.

As the title suggests this book focuses on the theology of the built environment - so if you are interested in social architecture and regeneration and anything to do with how buildings contribute ( or otherwise) to the lives we lead it is rare book on the topic. To quote a certain advert " and it does what it says on the tin"

His writing style is very readable for a theologian (ie he avoids long sentences with sub-clauses and Rowan Williams type multiple qualifications), and it is as interesting for what he says about theology as for what is said about buildings. In short it is a genuine interaction between two disciplines which for many of us have profound implications for our everyday lives.

For example the following quote struck me early on:

" In his work in Finnish cities Seppo Kjellberg has sought to understand theology as a science of reconciliation, promoting inter-disciplinary dialogue, brining all concerned with questions of the built environment together, but offering as its own perspective (BBA I would add not that we are not just honest brokers!) and understanding of the overall purpose of humankind in creation. We can accept this if we understand  "reconciliation" in Barth's sense , as the vivifying and revolutionary action of God within human community seeking the realisation of life in all its fullness for all people.

This seems ( to date) just one example of where theology informs planners and architects and vice versa. Professional reviews have said

Professor Gorringe's book gives us plenty to think about.' Church Times
'This is a brilliant, creative, sustained, wide ranging and enormously erudite contribution ...'. International Journal for the Study of the Christian Church
'This is clearly a most important book, which, it is to be hoped, will spur other writers to pursue this vital subject, which affects every member of the world population.' Evangelical Quarterly

If you are into this kind of practical theology - or you are a Christian architect, planner, or into community regeneration I commend the book to you as a resource for Faith at Work.

Retreat and Holy Land

Returned to the blog from a three day reading retreat where I have been reading:
"Struggling to the Holy"  by Judy Hirst which has been a very helpful look at living out the faith in everday circumstances
The Complex Christ by Kester Brewin which for all its ever generalistions about the existing church is inspiring in terms of what might be next.
Palestine: Peace not apartheid by Jimmy Carter - I gave up 1/2 way through becuase it never really gets further than its ineptly provocative title - quite depressing that some-one with such knowledge should be prepared to trade in such generalistions just to ensure that the title sells the book
Leaving Church by Barbara Brwon Taylor which I am part way through - but is a hugely moving account of her journey of faith - which I will encourage others within ministry in the Church to read as a way of understanding where many people are.

While I have been away my recent posts on Israel /Palestine have been picked up with a chain of comments and stacks of emails linked to this post here and its comments. Perhaps its time to call a grateful halt on those wishing to defend my reputation and knowledge about the offensive post which only goes to illustrate my point in this post. Those who have read my blogs in the past will know that it is not the first time that I have been "flamed" in this way on this topic. The suggestion that I "share company" with President Ahmedinajad of Iran in my hatred of Israel is a first -  and would actually be quite offensive if it were not so hysterical and ill-informed.

I will respond as best I can in due  course!

Tele-evangelists and healing

I am more than ever convinced that we need to take the important healing role of US telly evangelists more seriously in the UK - we need to get behind the cultural barriers and lay aside our innate cynicism.

After a fairly miserable past week struggling with a stinky cold and sore throat when I haven't laughed too much, this  video has really cheered me - which goes to prove how the good Lord's healing really does work through his faithful servants.

HT to Matt Stone at Eclectic Etchings - a really great blog worth adding to your favourites.