Faith Resources and More

The juxtaposition of these two would-be opposites, popularized by Robert Webber in his numerous writings on the effects of the early church on contemporary worship, describes one important aspect of the emerging church movement. Ancient Faith, Future Mission: Fresh Expressions in the Sacramental Tradition (c2010, Seabury Books), edited by Stephen Croft, Ian Mobsby and Stephanie Spellers, draws another term ‘fresh expressions’ into the mix. While ‘Emerging Church’ has its roots in the evangelical movement, ‘Fresh Expressions’ has erupted out of the Anglo-Catholic tradition originally in England and a bit later in the Episcopal Church in the United States. With a host of distinguished contributors including Rowan Williams, Brian McLaren, Phyllis Tickle, and a foreword by Katherine Jefferts Schori, the book served for me as a primer of what emerging church looks like in the Anglican tradition. It offers a history of the U2charist movement, from one of its earliest designers; descriptions of many permutations of ‘Fresh Expressions’ communities in England and the US; and even an article on how buildings inform worship and specifically how two churches transitioned their congregation by imaginatively redesigning their century-old sanctuaries. Every contributor had a story to tell and the total encourages hope for a tradition that has long struggled with the public perception as the ‘frozen-chosen.’ The inclusion of numerous websites for further study enriches the book even further. Ancient Faith, Future Mission will be on my short list of suggested reading.

Karen Armstrong is a highly respected author whose spiritual journey has taken her from life as a Catholic nun to an exploration of all the major faith traditions. Her commitment to understanding the three Abrahamic faiths more thoroughly has led her to become a spokesperson for peace. In her recent book, The Case for God, Armstrong does not make a case for the God that we might easily recognize. Through a meticulous examination of the history of faith, the author argues that the God of Antiquity who we identify as the Hebrew God of scripture is a far more transcendent God than the idolatrous god that the Western Enlightenment first created and that subsequent generations of scholars have sought to confine , define, and ultimately disprove. We would do well to abandon the latter god in a search of a richer experience of God.

Lacking the degree of scholarship and praxis that some of the theologians she references demand, I found myself struggling to fully absorb the nuances. Nevertheless, I have already recommended it to a colleague. The deficit is mine, not the author’s. Her analysis of the new atheism and of the fundamentalism of present-day Judaism, Christianity & Islam is astute and relevant in light of the ‘hardening of hearts’ that we see on all sides of these perspectives. Her wisdom is a great gift to the international debate on religion and peace.

I confess. I had high hopes for Saving Paradise: How Christianity Traded Love of this World for Crucifixion and Empire by Rita Nakashima Brock and Rebecca Ann Parker (c2008, Beacon Press). It appeared to be just my cup of tea, or shall we say dose of religion & art. But two months later, I have had to abandon my quest. I have read at least 4 books in the time that I consumed about 100 pages of Saving Paradise… not an impressive show for my effort.

Some of the things that defeated me are, I admit, fairly quirky. I enjoy a book that feels good in my arthritic hands. If it is too heavy or awkwardly-shaped, it discourages me. At nearly 600 pages in an approximately 6” x 9” format, the book is by no means small. But I have, in the past, overcome that obstacle if I have had sufficient motivation. Unfortunately authors Brock and Parker stifled the significant motivation that I had to consume their book. The problem is that they destroyed my enthusiasm with minutiae. One-hundred pages into the tome, I determined that the authors couldn’t bear to edit out of their treatise one morsel of their painfully-researched material. I suspect that that weakness will doom it to the dusty shelves of academic libraries or seminary bibliographies. It’s a pity, because I wanted to be with them through this interesting journey. But I can’t give it the attention the authors would like me to give… not now, maybe sometime. I will let you know if I blow the dust off of it and try again.

Rarely have I willingly read a book that describes the intricacies of war and the strategies or horrors of battle. On the other hand, I love books on history, religion and art, devouring them with great joy. The Saint and the Sultan: The Crusades, Islam and Francis of Assisi’s Mission of Peace by Paul Moses combines two polar extremes of my affections in a remarkably engaging volume. The author’s point is well rendered; that is, that though St Francis is universally respected as one of the premiere figures of Christendom, his aversion to war and hunger for peace is often overlooked. In the medieval world enamored of chivalry and honor, Francis had his fill at a young age and chose a life of humility, poverty and obedience that drew ridicule and alienation. Eventually gaining the respect and sanction of the pope, the future saint was honor bound to support him.

And yet, Francis chose to seek a peaceful alternative to the Fifth Crusade, directly defying the aspirations of the Innocent III and his successor. The monk’s mission to Egypt was a journey of conscience. In this book, the dominant characters and their motivations come alive with well-chosen contemporary quotes from biographers, correspondence and slanderous propaganda. Most importantly, the author, whose professional background is in journalism, adeptly reminds us that little has changed 800 years later. Religious extremism and underlying motivations of greed and power remain commanding obstacles to peacemaking today. Scholarly but approachable, The Saint and the Sultan offers a rich story and moral dilemmas to ponder after the pages are closed.

Last Friday before dinner, I relaxed in the lounge of a convention center with a glass of wine & my current read: Quitting Church: Why the Faithful Are Fleeing and What to Do about It by Julia Duin. It was quiet in the lounge & my server stopped to talk, indicating his curiosity about the title of my book. I explained to him that there was a growing number of authors who are reporting & commenting on the hemorrhaging of members from faith communities. I told the young man, who had attended a private Christian school, that church leadership is starting to take notice… not all, mind you, but many prestigious leaders are.

The incident served to heighten & reinforce everything that I had heard that past 24 hours in sessions with author & distinguished pastor Adam Hamilton. His message was clear… people are hungry for authentic Christianity that does what Jesus called us to do; that is, put people first… all people, not just our members. Pastor Adam mentioned his new small group study that will be released in August titled When Christians Get It Wrong. I will be eager to read it & put it on our shelves because it is sure to provide clarity on this sensitive subject.

Unfortunately our conversation in the lounge was too brief… certainly for me, if not for my young server. If we had had more time, I would have thanked him for the openness he exhibited in approaching me. It is just such encounters that remind me that the Holy Spirit’s presence can be made known anywhere. May God bless this young man on his journey.

By his own admission, Brian McLaren has sought to compile a comprehensive statement of the theology of emergent church in his latest book A New Kind of Christianity. It is thorough and, to a great extent, approachable to the average lay person who has not had the benefit (some might say disadvantage) of a seminary-trained grasp of theology. Anyone who has caught glimpses of emerging church conversation and asked for a definition will likely get more than they were bargaining for. But if you find your heart stirring with the excitement of seeing the Christian faith in a new light, you may well find this is the book that answers that stirring heart.

This was by no means my first foray into this transitional understanding of the Christian faith, nor is it my initiation into McLaren’s cutting edge works. Although the author has visited the Delmarva Peninsula twice in as many years, I unfortunately have not had the opportunity to hear him speak. Others have told me his presentations are every bit as powerful as his books are challenging. He has, after all, taken the brunt of traditional criticism directed toward the movement’s ideas. Honed in that crucible, his thought have developed a clarity of purpose perhaps lacking in others. Probably most valuable to me was his list of cautions on how to proceed with the change of heart this movement engenders. Cautiously, he tells us, for the strident enthusiasm with which one might approach others  in your own community of faith may lead to anger, misunderstanding, and alienation. Instead, join a cohort. I’ll let you know how it goes. http://harpercollins.com/books/9780061853982/A_New_Kind_of_Christianity/index.aspx

It makes sense. When you truly read the Bible, there is no doubt that early Christians, including Paul and the evangelists, believed in a physical resurrection of Jesus. And yet many strands of Christian and secular traditions help to paint a far different picture of death and the promise of resurrection that overwhelm those Biblical reports. Tom (aka N.T.) Wright argues for a re-evaluation of those traditions and an honest look at the Resurrection in his book and companion DVD study Surprised by Hope. I have wrestled with Dr. Wright’s book for the past two weeks, at times cheering him on and at other times, finding myself very challenged by his perspective. He has been a favorite author of mine since I began my tenure at the Interfaith Resource Center. As one of the finest contemporary theologians of our day, he is amazingly approachable for those of us who are not trained in that potentially difficult discipline.

But what about this pivotal resurrection experience? What does hope of a transformed body in resurrection look like? And what does it all mean? I have often felt a certain dis-ease as I look at the Gnostic world-view (and heaven-view) and notice its similarity to our own contemporary understanding. Not because Gnosticism was declared heresy many thousands of years ago and therefore I am obliged to dismiss it. Rather I recognize the dangers inherent in that path, not the least of which is a blatant disregard for this world and a haughty superiority about the next. That is precisely Wright’s point; that an other-worldly view of what God did in Christ inherently leads to a self-serving view of the Church’s mission. I, for one, will allow the challenges of Dr. Wright’s book to confront my calcified view of Christ’s resurrection and our call to mission. That may include what, on Brian McLaren’s Passion Week blog, he calls “courageous risks” (http://www.brianmclaren.net/archives/blog). It calls for action, not merely theological reflection. And that’s truly what it’s about.  Now am I ready to meet the challenge? Have a blessed Easter.

Ever wonder what it felt like to live during the period of the Renaissance and the Reformation? According to author Phyllis Tickle, we know very well what it felt like because we are living in just such a tumultuous era now. That seismic shift underneath contemporary society’s feet has happened before; in fact,  it has happened about every 500 years since the time of David. And with each transitional shift in culture, the great Abrahamic faiths have emerged with fresh vision. It’s not just about religion, as it wasn’t exclusively about religion during that last great upheaval, but religion undergirds much of human culture. Religion provides the raison d’être for culture as a whole and subsequently, religion and its institutions cannot ignore the quaking that is beneath our feet.

At the Diocese of Easton Convention this past Saturday, I had the privilege of hearing the author talk about changing Christianity and the culture that is changing around it. My compliments to Bishop Shand who made it happen and served as our delightful host. Fortunately I had read the book allowing me the privilege of wrestling with her thesis before she stood before me. Her style of presentation is energetic, delivered with great wit, clarity and ultimately hope. I invite you to visit her website and to view the You-tube link. (http://www.thegreatemergence.com/)  She has nailed a generation many years her junior.

What is all this about? Ms. Tickle gives a delightful and sometimes frightening overview of 21st sensibilities and what the organized church faces as we address many local issues, struggle to address many parochial issues and move toward a vital journey forward. In it, she addressed the impact of the internet and it’s myriad opportunities for anonymous community development. She highlighted the public personae that Christianity possesses… the cultural perception of Christians are intolerant, judgmental, and mired in the past. And she noted that the coming generations are no less spiritual, but they are less likely to commit to faith communities, especially those structured with modern frameworks.  For me, the challenge to address the new epoch is exciting. We are, after all, part of the wave and can no more stand in opposition to it than we can stand firm against a tsunami. Some things are not to stand against but to ride. I encourage you to read The Great Emergence: How Christianity is Changing and Why. I guarantee that you will never look at church quite the same way again.

Deep Church: A Third Way Beyond Emerging and Traditional by Jim Belcher may be the book that I needed to read at this time. It’s hard to say but sometimes a writing is simply right for the moment, but my guess it goes beyond that. Dr Belcher composes a compelling analysis of the struggle between the Emerging Church and the forces of the traditional evangelical movement. He is in the midst of the dialogue, knowing many of the major spokespeople personally. He does what no other author, to my knowledge, has done. He has interviewed many of the significant voices of the emerging church movement and tackled the criticisms laid down by their opponents. He lays out seven points for discussion and deeper exploration that acknowledge the disparity of both sides and proposes a more profound and rewarding path toward wholeness.

Dr Belcher is an acknowledged evangelical in the Reformed tradition. As I explored what he had to say on the current clash of cultures, I reflect on what this dialogue means for a thoroughly mainline Episcopalian. Am I out of the loop? Does my tradition engage culture in the same way or have we stepped out of the interaction entirely? We are, after all, talking about the same faith, the same Lord, the same tradition? Interestingly enough, many of the third way paths that Dr Belcher articulates resonate with my ‘middle way’ psyche. For example, he raises up the deep worship of the church and it’s components including the full engagement of the Nicene Creed as measure of the Deep Church to which he aspires. The Nicene Creed is at the core of my faith… a statement I affirm weekly with great warmth. And yet, when he discusses Deep Culture or Deep Evangelism, I know that my tradition has it’s work cut out for it.

And so I ask, is the paradigm envisioned in this powerful book the third way or one of several ‘third ways?’ How do the mainline churches glean the best of what the emerging church movement has to offer while remaining true to their own tradition? Or are only the evangelical churches at liberty to fully address the shift in culture that challenges the Christian faith to revisit who Jesus really called us to be. As I queried in the last entry, ‘Who do you say that He is?” The emerging culture says that the Lord Jesus brought a message as relevant to this world as to the next. We need only hear that, embrace the paradigm shift and find a way to exhibit that truth to the culture at large.  I will come back to this book again because I believe that it holds key truths with which to wrestle if we care about our faith.

I was recently given a copy of For Heaven’s Sake! Parenting Preschoolers Faithfully, by Marilyn Sharpe. I have found it a delightful read. It captures what is for me the essence of the parenting experience… that is, that no other experience in life quite surpasses the spiritual journey of sharing your life with children. The author helps us feel the inspiration that makes raising children very much a two-way street… you point out God-moments to them while they share God-moments with you. Ms. Sharpe’s suggestions for parenting are gentle, full of the serendipity of life, while offering practical applications for life’s common challenges  to living with young souls who need encouragement and correction. This would be a great gift for a new mother or grandparent.

As I look into the delighted eyes of my two-year-old grandson, I understand that knowing God is one of the unique treasures that I can share with him. I am again enjoying the spiritual journey as I once did with my own daughter and son. I’ll keep you posted.