It has happened again. The word ‘the’ has become a stumbling block. The first incident occurred on TNT when I spoke up about my friendship with ‘Al’ - as in incarnational, etc. - and Tripp professed his love for the word ‘the’. ?Tripp wants to talk about the incarnation and the resurrection. ?I … Read more about Drop ‘The’
Body and Embodied Practices (final imagining ourselves)
Body and Embodied Practices In the context of a hyper-real social atmosphere (from part 7), it is imaginable that individuals would become dislocated from their rootedness connected to any place, have difficulty indentifying themselves within a framework of physicality and feel distant … Read more about Body and Embodied Practices (final imagining ourselves)
Simulation and Stimulation: How We Imagine Ourselves part 7
Yesterday we looked at Madan Sarup’s notions around identity. Some of that work overlaps with the work of French social critic and lapsed sociologist Jean Baudrillard. In order to properly receive Baudrillard’s perspective – and address how it relates to contemporary conceptions of identity and … Read more about Simulation and Stimulation: How We Imagine Ourselves part 7
Imitation, Simulation, and Repetition – How We Imagine Ourselves part 6
Imitation, Simulation, and Repetition Madan Surap’s Identity, Culture and the Postmodern World is the most expansive and impressive examination that I have encountered around the issues of societal conception and cultural identities. His basic assertion, which is expanded as the work progresses, … Read more about Imitation, Simulation, and Repetition – How We Imagine Ourselves part 6
How We Imagine Ourselves part 5: technology
Yesterday we looked at conceptions of a 'people' and a 'nation' through historic transitions in the past 2 centuries. More recent authors extend that concern beyond just text to the escalated pervasiveness of electronic media. Appiah frames it this way: The worldwide web of information – radio, … Read more about How We Imagine Ourselves part 5: technology
No Need for Sunday: A Theory on the Making of Donald Millers
Far be it from me to theorize about a person, or make that person a type...but I'm going to for the sake of trying to process a couple things that appear to be endemic to evangelicalism as a church culture. I should say that while I haven't read much of his work, I like Donald Miller and this post … Read more about No Need for Sunday: A Theory on the Making of Donald Millers
Doing Theology in the 21st Century. or why Aquinas is a footnote
We are going to have to agree to disagree about some things. One thing that I would ask (in my generous orthodoxy style) is that we both acknowledge those things that we agree on as well as those we don’t. The reason that is important is because of something that Phyllis Tickle points out … Read more about Doing Theology in the 21st Century. or why Aquinas is a footnote
Oh Lord! You can’t say ‘Oh’ instead of ‘Lord’? (nature of language)
On the TV show ‘The Voice’ last night, the final 8 contestants did a rendition of the popular hymn “Will The Circle Be Unbroken?” The controversy came, not because they were singing a religious song but because the producers of the show changed a word - an important word. They swapped out … Read more about Oh Lord! You can’t say ‘Oh’ instead of ‘Lord’? (nature of language)
‘Atheist Churches’ are more traditional than Emergents
I am loving the conversations that have come out of the publicity tour of Sunday Assemblies. The feedback and pushback that is being generated by these 'atheist churches' is proving very informative. I am actually learning a lot about how people think of church, atheism, tradition, and … Read more about ‘Atheist Churches’ are more traditional than Emergents
Atheist Churches: a fad or the future?
My newsfeed has seen a steady stream of articles about the new trend of ‘atheist churches’ racing by this past week. Much of it seems to revolve around a successful publicity tour by British comedy duo Sanderson Jones and Pippa Evans, who are currently: on a tongue-in-cheek "40 Dates, 40 Nights" … Read more about Atheist Churches: a fad or the future?
Invitation To Conversation: Ancient Future Faith
An 'Ancient-Future' faith is an idea that gripped me more than a decade ago and, even as I have emerged into a very different expression of my faith, I can not shake. As I have revisited and revised my participation and understanding of the Christian faith, this concept has haunted me in the best of … Read more about Invitation To Conversation: Ancient Future Faith
Apple Updates and the Church
I have been thinking about the church and technology a lot lately. Part of it comes from planning to update a sanctuary constructed in 1951. Some of it has to do with recruiting a team to handle all the tech stuff at 'church plant'. A bit of it came from the odd analogy that was used repeatedly … Read more about Apple Updates and the Church