Authors Audrey Scanlan and Linda Snyder have addressed that issue with a special needs program in Connecticut called Rhythms of Grace and a curriculum and worship book by the same name. They describe their approach as ‘full-bodied’ because it engages the whole child in developmentally-appropriate activities and because it includes the whole body of  Christ. Worship is integral to their concept of curriculum. Parents and adult caregivers are included in the program which provides much needed support for this easily isolated population. With complete plans for monthly gatherings and special feast days, this curriculum resource provides everything you need to get started including suggestions on how to nurture your fledgling group. I predict the experience will be rewarding.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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

Among the resource news to anticipate is a wealth of new curricula and adult formation resources from Church Publishing Incorporated (www.churchpublishing.org). Some are in book form, others are downloadable. One new program that I will mention here is Rhythms of Grace, a book-based curriculum intended for church programs and worship for the special needs communities. Rather than being intended as a mainstreaming vehicle, this resource targets churches that offer separate regularly scheduled programs for special needs children and their families. Such programs provide an ability-appropriate opportunity for special needs families to fellowship and worship together. Having worked many years ago in a special education resource center in which mainstreaming was the rage, I welcome hearing your comments on this interesting new program.

I will more thoroughly review the book at a future date but briefly here I would like to highlight an example of an early Christian theme rarely seen today. Catacomb and sarcophagus artists of this early period loved the story of the Three Hebrews. Thomas Mathews, in his book The Clash of Gods: A Reinterpretation of Early Christian Art (c1993, Princeton University Press), provides several excellent examples and a more thorough explanation than I can give here. Briefly, the story of the Three Hebrews from the book of Daniel (Daniel 3:1-18) became a bridge story, relating the Hebrew scriptures to the Gospels. These three young men in their distinctive Persian attire are seen rejecting the worship of an idol of King Nebuccadnezzar (portrayed as a Roman emperor) , for which they were sentenced to perish in the fiery furnace. God saved them and their survival was understood by the Christians to prefigure Christ’s resurrection. Even more startling, these images are paired with imagery of the adoration of the Magi, who are identified as the same three young men who endured the fiery furnace. (Sarcophagus lid relief, at left above, depicting the 3 Hebrews rejecting the idol & in the broken portion of the lid on the right the same 3 men taking their gifts to the baby Jesus.)  I invite you to explore these ancient images and discover all the nuances of meaning in their visual storytelling.