Preparing for Discussion - Church: An Imperfect Family

This week's video challenged us to think about why we go to church and what the church really is. Naturally then, the first question to ask ourselves is why do we go to church? Why do YOU go to church? Have you had periods of time in your life when you have chosen not to attend church? Why or why not? Where do your ideas of what church is and what it should or shouldn't be come from?

A 2007 gallup survey gives us some interesting information about church attendance in the United States. Check it out here: Just Why Do Americans Attend Church?

There is a strong relationship between age and church attendance, with older Americans much more likely to attend than younger Americans. There is a strong gender effect, with women of all ages more likely than men to attend. There are region-specific effects, with residents of Southern states and of Utah much more likely to attend than New England or West Coast residents. There is a race effect, with black Americans much more likely to attend church services on average than white Americans. And there is an effect within specific religious denominations, with members of evangelical non-Catholic Christian denominations and Mormons more likely to attend than those who identify with traditional mainline Protestant denominations.

Another interesting article on church attendance can be found here: Here is the Church, Here is the Steeple, Open the Doors and... This article is cited in the facilitator guide and references the nursery rhyme on p111 of the journal book.

Atheists and agnostics, Jews and Mormons are among the highest-scoring groups on a new survey of religious knowledge, outperforming evangelical Protestants, mainline Protestants and Catholics on questions about the core teachings, history and leading figures of major world religions.

How do you feel about Bruce Reyes-Chow's statement on page 105 of the journal book, " Whether new to the church, a longtime member, or even the pastor - there are times when not being part of a church seems like the best option for expressing and living one's faith." Does that ring true for you?

Pages 104 & 105 of the journal book ask us to write on both sides of a scale the pros and cons of attending church. Take some time to write those things down for yourself.

How does Hebrews 10:23-31 speak to our need to meet together in community? What is the role of church community, according to this passage? Why does the author encourage people to continue meeting together?

Further explore WHAT the church is intended to be using these passages:
1 Corinthians 12:1-11
1 Corinthians 14: 1-5, 26
Ephesians 4:11-16

How do church buildings contribute to how we view the church? Look at the drawings on pages 110-111 of the journal book of different types of church buildings? How does the building contribute to how we understand church? What does it communicate about who is welcome, who has authority, and what role the church plays in the community?  For extra credit, imagine how you would design a church building! :) What would be different and what would be the same as your current church building?

Bruce Reyes-Chow mentions a number of metaphors for the church: social club, classroom, sporting event, theater, hospital... Why are the pros and cons of each metaphor? Look up these scriptures for more metaphors (listed on p111of the journal):

1 Corinthians 12:12-27
John 15:5
Ephesians 5:25-27
Matthew 18:20
Ephesians 2:17-22

What metaphors appeal to you most? What about church as family? In what ways does the church resemble family for you? Has the church been a place of love and support? Of mess and dysfunction? Both? What would your ideal church family look like (see p112 of the journal book)?

It has been said that you can choose your friends but you can't choose your family? In what ways does this apply to church as family? Do you think it ought to apply more? We do have the ability to choose our church, but that seems to have led to a lot of division within the church. It is said that there are over 41,000 Christian denominations around the world (wikipedia). What if we treated church more like family? How would that change things?

Who is Bruce Reyes-Chow?

Bruce Reyes-Chow is the presenter of the 7th and final session of Animate: Faith, entitled "Church: An Imperfect Family."

Bruce was the founding pastor of Mission Bay Community Church, San Francisco, and was the moderator of the 218th General Assembly of the Presbyterian Church (USA). He now earns his keep as a writer, speaker, and consultant/coach with the Center for Progressive Renewal.

He is the author of the eBook, The Definitive-ish Guide for Using Social Media in the Church and "But I don’t see you as Asian": Curating Conversations about Race.

Five fast facts

1. Lives in San Francisco and has three daughters
2. Started an online church in 2012
3. Contributes to Patheos and The Huffington Post
4. Rides a motorcycle
5. Has a BA in Asian American Studies, sociology, and religion from San Francisco State University, and an MDiv from San Francisco Theological Seminary

(Bio from: http://wearesparkhouse.org/adults/animate/faith/voices/bruce/)

See Bruce Reyes-Chow's own website here: http://www.reyes-chow.com/

Preparing for Discussion - Bible: A Book Like No Other

Bible: A Book Like No Other

·         Let’s take a look at what the Bible, itself, tells us about the Word of God. What adjectives are used to describe scripture in these passages?

o   Psalm 119:103-105

o   Isaiah 40:8-9

o   Hebrews 4:12

o   2 Timothy 3:16-17

·         What has been your experience of Scripture reading, both personally and in church? Lauren Winner describes the way that her church community reads the Bible ove rand over again, and she couldn’t figure out why. I’m not sure that this has actually been my experience of church? Has it been your experience that the church reads the Bible over and over again? Have you ever read the Bible all the way through? 

·         Page 94 in the journal book references Lauren’s experience of reading scripture in locations other than church or home. Have you ever done this? Did it change how you thought of that passage of scripture to read it in a new place?

·         If you have not ever had that experience of “dislocated” reading, where might you consider taking your Bible to read it? What passages might you choose for this new location?

·         Page 95 of the journal book pictures an egg, like the one Lauren Winner speaks of in the video. If you were to write a scripture passage on a egg, symbolically “injesting” that scripture, what passage or verse would you choose? What scriptures are that meaningful to you?

·         Have you had powerful experiences with scripture, experiences that seem to move it our of the realm of being just an ordinary book? On pages 96-97 of the journal book, we see the Thomas Merton quote from the video: “By reading the scriptures I am so renewed that all nature seems renewed around me and with me. The sky seems to be a pure, a cooler blue, the trees a deeper green. The whole world is charged with the glory of God and I feel fire and music under my feet. ” 

·         Lauren Winner asks, “So, is the sky bluer?” Do we have that experience of scripture? Why or why not?

·         Pages 92-93 of the journal book suggest some of the baggage that might come with scripture for people that might help answer the question above. Scriptures have been used “as a word of hope, a warning sign, a weapon, and a status symbol,”  both to “liberate and oppress.”  When have you seen scripture used in these ways? 

·         How might we go about our lives “singing” the scriptures, as suggested in the video? How do we make the words of God part of our daily lives and who we are? How might it change us to do that?

When Truisms Are True

This New York Times article takes an interesting look at how our experience of something changes depending on our surroundings, just as Lauren Winner suggests that our understanding of scripture might be changed or challenged by reading in a new location. Check it out:

When Truisms Are True

Interview with Lauren Winner

For anyone who wants to see more of Lauren Winner and what she's all about:

Bible: A Book Like No Other

Lauren Winner is the presenter of the 6th session of Animate: Faith, entitled "Bible: A Book Like No Other."

Lauren broke onto the Christian scene with her 2002 book, Girl Meets God, in which she chronicles her conversion first to Orthodox Judaism, then to Christianity. She is an assistant professor of Christian spirituality at Duke Divinity School, and a priest associate at St. Luke’s Episcopal Church in Durham, North Carolina.

She has appeared on PBS’s Religion & Ethics Newsweekly and has written for The New York Times Book Review, The Washington Post Book World, Publishers Weekly, Books and Culture, and Christianity Today.

Five fast facts

1. Lives in Durham, North Carolina
2. Can usually be found with a novel in hand
3. Owns 30 pairs of cat-eye glasses
4. Fellow at the Institute of Sacred Music at Yale University
5. Has a BA from Columbia University, an MPhil from Cambridge University, an MDiv from Duke Divinity School, and a PhD in history from Columbia University

(Bio from: http://wearesparkhouse.org/adults/animate/faith/voices/lauren/)

Visit Lauren Winner's own website here: http://laurenwinner.net/

Preparing for Discussion - Cross: Where God Is

There's no intro necessary for the 5th speaker of the Animate: Faith series. We met Nadia Bolz-Weber already when we studied Animate: Bible. If you missed the post, check it out here: Who is Nadia Bolz-Weber? Check out more info about her here: Interview, Blog & Sermon Links. 

In the Animate: Faith series, Bolz-Weber presents the session entitled, "Cross: Where God Is." In this session we are challenged to think about what the cross really symbolizes, in contrast with the human messages and explanations we may have traditionally used to understand the cross.

What is your experience with various representations of the cross? Is there a cross in the room with you right now? Do you wear a cross? How do you feel about the way the cross is used in pop culture? If you have the journal book, take a look at page 75, and answer the question about which crosses you find appealing & which you don't.

Then flip over to pages 76 & 77 in the journal and take a look at the 4 views of the cross (atonement theories) presented there. For more information on each of those interpretations (and a few others), check out the following link:

Atonement of Christ

For reference, these are the theories listed in the journal book along with their corresponding "titles" in the Atonement article (linked above) and the person most responsible for developing that theory:

• Ransom Theory - held by many of the early church leaders, further developed by Gustav Aulen, Origen of Alexandria and Gregory of Nissa
• Moral Lesson/Moral-Example/Moral-Influence - Peter Abelard
• Substitution/Scapegoat/Satisfaction/Commercial - Anselm of Canterbury
• Transformation/Recapitulation - Irenaeus

Do you see the differences in these views of atonement? Do you see the differences and similarities between these perspectives and that of Nadia Bolz-Weber?

It seems to me that Bolz-Weber is more interested in making a point about the ways in which we put our human characteristics and understandings on God than in the exact correct interpretation of atonement (though the way we understand the cross changes how we view God).

Pages 78 & 79 of the journal book depict a movie projector and a screen, and we are left a blank space on the screen to write about the human images we project onto God. What "images," both positive and negative, do you see people (including yourself) projecting onto God? Bolz-Weber talks about the "Angry Daddy" image of God and the "Cigar Chomping Loan Shark" image of God. What are some others?

The facilitator guide invites us to explore further the idea of an angry God. Is God ever angry? What kinds of things do/should make God angry?  What is the difference between God's anger at the injustices of the world and God's anger toward individual people? How do God's love and God's anger fit together? Can we be satisfied with the idea of God sending Jesus to the cross to mediate his anger toward humanity?

Find scriptural support for both God's wrath/anger and God's love.

What images or beliefs about God have been used by Christian people to justify particular events, beliefs and actions? How have these ideas contributed to both the positive and negative actions of Christian people over time?

Pages 80 & 81 of the journal book encourage us to think about "our own twisted roads of faith" and the "symbols and ideas that become sacred to us." We are asked to draw our own icons and symbols into the picture on page 80 and to add our own life events that have shaped our faith and our "image of God" to the road on page 81. Think about where your ideas have come from, how they have developed over time, and what it might mean to challenge some of those long-held beliefs and ideas.

For an interesting debate on roadside memorials, such as the one drawn in the journal book on page 80, check out this forum hosted by the New York Times:

Should Roadside Memorials Be Banned?

After a pretty thorough exploration of our own thoughts and beliefs, of what scripture has to say about who God is, and of the various schools of thought on atonement, consider the following scriptures in a discussion of what it really means to live a "cruciform"  life?

• 1 Corinthians 1:18-21
• 2 Corinthians 4:5-12
• Galatians 2:15-21
• Philippians 2:1-8
• Luke 9:18-26 

Atheist Churches

Here's a link to the article Beth mentioned about atheist churches:

Athiest 'Mega-Churches' Take Root in the US, World

During the service, attendees stomped their feet, clapped their hands and cheered as Jones and Evans led the group through rousing renditions of "Lean on Me," "Here Comes the Sun" and other hits that took the place of gospel songs. Congregants dissolved into laughter at a get-to-know-you game that involved clapping and slapping the hands of the person next to them and applauded as members of the audience spoke about community service projects they had started in LA.

At the end, volunteers passed cardboard boxes for donations as attendees mingled over coffee and pastries and children played on the floor.

Preparing for Discussion - Salvation: Abundant Life Now

Shane Hipps challenges us in session 4 of Animate: Faith to think of salvation as something that happens in the here and now as we're living life in this world, rather than something that we are looking forward to when this life is over. How have you understood the meaning of "salvation?"

A large portion of the discussion guide for this week is devoted to an exploration of the word "salvation," where it is used in scripture, and what it means. Let's start by just taking a look at several Old and New Testament verses regarding salvation (note: 2/3 of the references to salvation in the Bible come from the Old Testament):

Exodus 15:2
2 Chronicles 6:41
Psalm 27:1
Psalm 62:5-6
Luke 1:77
Acts 13:47
Romans 1:16

What is salvation in these scriptures? Does it differ from Old Testament to New Testament? 

If salvation is something happening in our lives now and something that we can see in specific moments in our lives, what does it mean to "be saved?" The jailor asked Paul & Silas this question in Acts 16:16-40.

What does this understanding of salvation mean about "tent revivals" and televangelists, about groups of people coming forward to "be saved" at an event? How does this understanding of salvation apply to the question of whether or not a person can lose their salvation?

How does James 2:14-26 inform this discussion? What do these verses say about salvation?

In our previous discussion we read the story of Zacchaeus, as a radical, risky act of Jesus. Now read it with this conversation about salvation in mind. (Luke 19:1-11) Verses 9-10 say:

⁹ And Jesus said to him, “Today salvation has come to this house, since he also is a son of Abraham. ¹⁰ For the Son of Man came to seek and to save the lost.”

What does THAT mean? Is salvation a one time event here? Was Zacchaeus saved from then on? Or is salvation something that is unfolding throughout the story? Is "salvation" what is meant my Zacchaeus' response to Jesus? As in, "Today you are experiencing salvation," versus, "Salvation has come to you today once and for all."

In Luke 4:16-21 Jesus quotes the words of the prophet Isaiah and declares that he is the fulfillment of these words:

¹⁶ And he came to Nazareth, where he had been brought up. And as was his custom, he went to the synagogue on the Sabbath day, and he stood up to read. ¹⁷ And the scroll of the prophet Isaiah was given to him. He unrolled the scroll and found the place where it was written,

¹⁸ “The Spirit of the Lord is upon me,
    because he has anointed me
    to proclaim good news to the poor.
He has sent me to proclaim liberty to the captives
    and recovering of sight to the blind,
    to set at liberty those who are oppressed,
¹⁹ to proclaim the year of the Lord's favor.”

²⁰ And he rolled up the scroll and gave it back to the attendant and sat down. And the eyes of all in the synagogue were fixed on him. ²¹ And he began to say to them, “Today this Scripture has been fulfilled in your hearing.”

Jesus describes in this passage the work he has come to do, his "saving work," the salvation he brings. These things are very present, not future, oriented. Do you think these verses describe what is meant by salvation? Are these verses literal or figurative? (Fun fact: The "year of the Lord's favor" is in reference to the Year of Jubilee, described in Leviticus 25, which adds another layer of meaning to the words of Jesus.)

Hipps tells a story of a moment of salvation in his own life when his father laid hands on him and prayed silently for him. Take a look at these moments in scripture, which may also be described as "salvation moments" or "God moments:"

John 4:29
John 8:10-11
John 3:1-10
John 21:15-19

Do you think these moments describe salvation? Is this what salvation is? Why or why not?

Have their been moments of salvation in your own life like those described above?

Shane Hipps also links up the idea of time and salvation, speaking of the time we have hear on earth as a valuable opportunity to experience salvation and to share salvation experiences with others. Take a look at these verses and think about how they might apply to this time/salvation concept:

Romans 13:11-12
2 Corinthians 6:1-3
Ephesians 5:15-16
1 Peter 4:7-11
1 John 2:15-17

Lastly, read Ephesian 4:26-5:2. What is the Day of Redemption? And what does it mean to be "sealed" for it? Is it possible that the time is BOTH now AND later?

Fruit of the Spirit song

Here's a great kids song that goes really well with the scriptures and discussion we had during Week 3: Spirituality is Not Enough. Go Fish now does kids music, but I find myself singing this song throughout the day, too!

5 Uncomfortable Issues the Church Needs to Start Talking About

A girlfriend of mine posted a link to this article on facebook from Relevant Magazine. I thought it was pretty relevant to the conversations we've been having:

5 Uncomfortable Issues the Church Needs to Start Talking About

Who is Shane Hipps?

Shane Hipps is the presenter of the 4th session of Animate: Faith, entitled "Salvation: Abundant Life Now."

Shane is a sought-after speaker and former teaching pastor at Mars Hill Bible Church in Grand Rapids, Michigan. He also served as the lead pastor of a small Mennonite church in Arizona. He came to ministry from the world of high-end advertising, so it’s not surprising that he has a knack for unpacking the deeper layers of the gospel message. He has written three books, is featured in three films, and has hosted hundreds of podcasts.

Five fast facts

1. Lives with his family in Grand Rapids, Michigan
2. Worked on a multimillion-dollar communications plan for Porsche
3. Went to seminary as a Calvinist and is now a Mennonite
4. Wears Vibram Five Fingers when he runs
5. Has a BA from Texas Christian University and an MDiv from Fuller Theological

(bio from: http://wearesparkhouse.org/adults/animate/faith/voices/shane/)


Visit Shane Hipps' website here: http://shanehipps.com/

Preparing for Discussion - Jesus: The Revolution of Love

Mark Scandrette challenges us in session 3 of Animate: Faith to put actions to our faith, to live out what we say we believe. Take a look at 1 Timothy 4:4-16. What actions do these verses suggest that believers should take?

What are some beliefs of the Christian faith that are especially important to you? In what ways have you already put those beliefs into action? How would you challenge yourself to more fully live out your faith?

Scandrette mentions how putting our beliefs into practice can be a risk. We risk an honest look at our own lives, and we risk doing things that are difficult and unpopular, that may not necessarily have immediate positive outcomes for ourselves. Jesus took many risks to live out the Kingdom of God here on earth:

John 4:1-42
Luke 19:1-10
John 11
John 9

How might the risks Jesus took in those passages look in our current times? What would be a "modern" version of these stories? How were Jesus' actions revolutionary? And what do/would you find most challenging about living your life in the "way of Jesus."

John 17:14-18 is part of  the prayer that Jesus prays for those who follow him. Clearly, it isn't expected to be a comfortable life. If you have time, read the whole chapter. I find this prayer both troubling and comforting.

The following scriptures are yet another set of challenges for those who endeavor to follow Jesus:

Matthew 18:21-35
Matthew 5:43-48
Luke 10:25-37
Matthew 25:31-40

This calling is scary, difficult, and risky. And it holds the additional risk of leading believers to become focused on works and motivated by guilt, driven to do the "right" thing but always falling short. Jesus intended us to be motivated by love (John 13:34-35) and carried by the indwelling of the Spirit (John 14:15-17).  Have you seen this tension play out in your own life? What feelings come up for you when we begin talking about being "doers of the Word and not hearers only?"  Do you feel guilty? Worried? Do you begin making a plan for how you're going to start doing the right thing? How do we rely on our connection to Jesus and the strength of the Holy Spirit as we live out a calling to be like Jesus?

Who is Mark Scandrette?

 Mark Scandrette is the presenter of the 3rd session of Animate: Faith, entitled "Jesus: The Revolution of Love."

Mark is the founding director of ReIMAGINE, a center for integral Christian practice, where he leads an annual series of retreats, learning labs, conversations, and projects designed to help participants integrate the teachings of Jesus into every aspect of life.
A sought-after voice for creative, radical, and embodied Christian practice, he speaks nationally and internationally at conferences, universities, and churches, offering training and coaching to leaders and organizations.
He is the author of FREE: Spending Your Time and Money on What Matters Most, Practicing the Way of Jesus, and Soul Graffiti.

Five fast facts

1. Lives with his wife in the Mission District of San Francisco
2. Has three young adult children
3. Enjoys running, biking, cooking, and home coffee roasting
4. Was a child evangelist
5. Has a BA in applied psychology from Bemidji State University and studied towards an MDiv at Bethel Theological Seminary

(bio from: http://wearesparkhouse.org/adults/animate/faith/voices/mark/)

See Mark Scandrette's website here: http://markscandrette.com/

Preparing for Discussion - Religion: Spirituality is not Enough - Part 3

For a recap of Lillian Daniel's thoughts on religion and spirituality, visit her blog post here: Spiritual But Not Religious? Please Stop Boring Me. It's pretty short. Go ahead. Look it up.

Now consider these passages of scripture as you continue to sift through your ideas of religion and/or/vs spirituality:

-> Matthew 13: 1-43 This is the parable of the sower and the seeds. What does this passage mean about putting down roots? How does one put down roots and grow into a flourishing, fruit-producing plant?

-> Hosea 14 This is a passage about God renewing Israel, causing them to "bloom" again. The facilitator guide asks: Where is God in this passage? What is God doing? What are the qualities of God? And what insights does this text offer with regard to God's role in our blooming and growth?

-> 1 Corinthians 12:12-26 

-> Romans 12:3-8

These last two passages deal with "the body of Christ," the community of believers that make up the church. What does it mean that the we are all members of one body? Does this mean that we cannot possibly practice faith on our own? What about people, who find themselves unable to be part of a community of believers?

The facilitator guide also asks some questions for more personal reflection: What is your part in the body of Christ? What gifts do you bring? How do/could you contribute to the strength of the community? How challenging would it be to try to create a community with only your own personal gifts and strengths?

One final question that I continue to find myself asking: Why does the church community consider the early New Testament church to be the beginning of our religious and spiritual tradition? Is it not true that our tradition goes all the way back to Genesis? Why doesn't the church (as a general whole) celebrate Yom Kippur, Sukkot, Passover, etc..., but we readily embrace Advent, Christmas, and Easter? When and why did this shift happen?

I thought it might also be fun and interesting to include this article on the role of traditions in families: Direction: Rituals and Family Strength. The role of traditions and rituals are much the same in the church "family," as they are in each of our individual families. Food for thought...

Peace!

Preparing for Discussion - Religion: Spirituality is Not Enough - Part 2

This is the definition of religion according to the Merriam-Webster Dictionary online:

1a :  the state of a religious <a nun in her 20th year of religion>

1b (1) :  the service and worship of God or the supernatural (2) :  commitment or devotion to religious faith or observance

2:  a personal set or institutionalized system of religious attitudes, beliefs, and practices

3 archaic :  scrupulous conformity :  conscientiousness

4 :  a cause, principle, or system of beliefs held to with ardor and faith

 And the definition of spirituality:

: the quality or state of being concerned with religion or religious matters : the quality or state of being spiritual

1 :  something that in ecclesiastical law belongs to the church or to a cleric as such

2:  clergy

3:  sensitivity or attachment to religious values

4:  the quality or state of being spiritual

If we go by these definitions, it is nearly impossible to have spirituality without religion. Is this how you would define these words? 

Lillian Daniel makes a case for being rooted in church history and tradition, grounded in community. Do you think it is possible to have a religion or spirituality that is not rooted in church tradition? Do you agree that developing your own individual practice of faith and spirituality amounts to a bouquet of wilting flowers? How might you go about choosing your own faith practices outside of church tradition?

And what happens when church tradition is wrong? We see, even as early as the New Testament writings of Paul, that the church has always had scruples over traditions and practices. Many of Paul's writings seem intended to address those things.  When is it right to stick with tradition, and when is the time to make a stand against something you believe to be wrong? How do we avoid dismantling the entire ship when we remove planks here and there?

Reflect on these verses about spiritual growth, religion and spirituality:

James 1:19-27
Galatians 5:13-25
2 Peter 1:3-8
Romans 12

How do these passages inform this discussion?

Preparing for Discussion - Religion: Spirituality is Not Enough

In the first session of Animate: Faith, Brian McLaren, describes faith as a boat with travelers on a quest to experience God...the God, who is the sea and the wind and the source of the whole quest itself. He describes our beliefs as the planks that hold the boat together and theology as the necessary maintenance of the ship. He is careful to point out that theology/maintenance is NOT the point, the point is the quest, the journey, the experience of and with God.

Lillian Daniel addresses the "issue," if you will, of other travelers on the ship, on the quest...of the travelers that have come before us and those that will come after us, the "great cloud of witnesses" from Hebrews 12. These travelers have formed the planks of our beliefs that hold our boat together...or, in Lillian Daniel's flower plant/analogy, these travelers formed the roots of tradition, our faith. It's roots that hold the plant together, planks that hold the ship together. Without these things, we have a pretty bouquet of wilting flowers with no roots.

How does that analogy sit with you? Do you think of church tradition in this way? In what ways do church traditions nurture your faith? Have you gathered things from other traditions that have made your journey more meaningful?

What do you think of when you hear the word "religion?" Do you tend to think of yourself as religious? What other words and images come to mind when you think of religion? What comes to mind when you hear the word "spirituality." Have you been one of those people who describes themselves as, "spiritual but not religious?"

Our journal books include a Venn diagram with spiritual people on one side, religious people on the other, and people who are both spiritual and religious in the middle. Where do you fit? Where do you think Jesus fits?  Consider these verses from the gospel of Luke:

Luke 9:1-6
Luke 11:1-4
Luke 11:37-44
Luke 13:22-30
Luke 14:1-6
Luke 17:11-19
Luke 18:9-17
Luke 21:1-6
Luke 24:13-35

(Link to Book of Luke: here Use the arrows at the top - above the chapter heading - to skip from chapter to chapter.)

Who is Lillian Daniel?

Lillian Daniel is the presenter of the 2nd session of Animate: Faith, entitled "Religion: Spirituality is Not Enough."

Lillian is a pastor, writer, speaker and teacher. She has served as the Senior Minister of the First Congregational Church of Glen Ellyn since 2004. Her book, When Spiritual but Not Religious Is Not Enough: Seeing God in Surprising Places, Even the Church is a provocative case for why religious community matters.
She is the editor-at-large for the Christian Century Magazine, and contributing editor at Leadership Journal. She has taught preaching at Yale Divinity School, Chicago Theological Seminary, and the University of Chicago Divinity School.

Five fast facts

1. Lives in Illinois and has two teenaged children
2. Has more than 20,000 subscribers to her daily email devotionals at www.ucc.org
3. Co-hosts weekly TV program in Chicago called 30 Good Minutes
4. Won the distinguished alumni award at Yale Divinity School
5. Has a BA from Bryn Mawr College and an MDiv from Yale Divinity School

(bio from: http://wearesparkhouse.org/adults/animate/faith/voices/lillian/)

Check out Lillian Daniel's website here: http://www.lilliandaniel.com/

Who are the folks behind Animate?

On the front pages of our journals, it tells us that the writers are Carla Barnhill and Tony Jones. Just who are these folks in the background of our spiritual journey?

WHO IS TONY JONES?

According to his web site, http://tonyj.net, Tony Jones is the author of The Church Is Flat: The Relational Ecclesiology of the Emerging Church Movement and is theologian-in-residence at Solomon’s Porch in Minneapolis and teaches at Fuller Theological Seminary and St. Cloud State University. Tony serves as a senior acquisitions editor at sparkhouse. He’s developed an iPhone app called Ordain Thyself.

Tony is the author of many books on Christian ministry and spirituality, including The New Christians: Dispatches from the Emergent Frontier and The Sacred Way: Spiritual Practices for Everyday Life, and he is a sought after speaker and consultant in the areas of emerging church, postmodernism, and Christian spirituality.

He co-owns a social media consulting and event planning company.  Tony is married, has three children, and lives in Edina, Minnesota. In his spare time, he trains his yellow lab, Albert, and takes Albert hunting for ducks, grouse, and pheasants.

He has a blog housed at Patheos: http://www.patheos.com/blogs/tonyjones/

WHO IS CARLA BARNHILL?

According to twincitieslive.com, Carla Barnhill has been a writer and editor for more than fifteen years, working in both magazine and book publishing. She is the author of numerous articles and several books, including The Myth of the Perfect Mother and Shaping Your Family's Future. She teaches College Writing at Bethel University in St. Paul and often speaks to women's groups about issues such as motherhood, spirituality, and keeping your sanity in the midst of family life. She was recently chosen as one of four finalists to be the Advice Guru on Good Morning America and is a regular guest on Twin Cities Live, where she gives advice on everything from wedding etiquette to friendship problems to workplace drama.

Carla is a native of Alexandria, MN, a graduate of Concordia College in Moorhead, MN, and a fan of all things Minnesota. Between writing projects, Carla loves to camp, hike, ski, or just sit on the end of a dock with a cold Diet Coke. She's a reader, a writer, a mother, a wife, a daughter, a sister, a talker, a listener, and a minivan driver.

She blogs with another woman at: http://themommyrevolution.com/.

According to her blog, Carla Barnhill has been in Christian publishing for 15 years. She is the former editor of Christian Parenting Today magazine. She also served as Associate Editor of Campus Life magazine. Carla now works as a freelance editor and writer, working for publishers such as Zondervan, WaterBrook, Baker, Tyndale, HarperOne, and Sparkhouse. She is the author of Blessings Every Day and The Myth of the Perfect Mother.

Carla has also spoken to thousands of mothers at MOPS conventions, women’s retreats, and churches around the country. She is a sought-after source of new ideas about motherhood, parenting, and the spiritual formation of children.

Preparing for Discussion - God: Faith is a Quest

Next Wednesday we will be discussing session 1 of Animate: Faith,  God: Faith is a Quest, presented by Brain McLaren.

The following are some questions from the dvd and our books to help get us started in the conversation:

McLaren talks about not even being able to recognize the God that some people speak of, because they describe a God that doesn't seem anything like the God he knows. Are there "images" of God that you once had that you have since let go?

What Biblical images of God speak to you most? If you have time, look up these images in Scripture and come prepared to share them with the group.

Are there other images of God, like McLaren's boat, that are not found in scripture but that also speak to you? Do these come from books or teachers or your own imagination?

Do you, personally, tend toward a more fortress castle idea of God or a castle in the sky? Why do you think that is? And do you have more trouble with one or the other when relating to other people?

Do you tend more toward the kataphatic (cataphatic) or apophatic traditions? I did a quick google search to see if I could find some simple definitions or an article explaining the difference between the two. This is what I came up with: Kataphatic and Apophatic Theology. I don't really know who the blog author is (Green Baggins?), but it was a relatively succinct explanation of the terminology. Basically:

Kataphatic theology assumes that we can know something about God as He truly is. Especially it assumes that the revelation of the Bible describes God truly as He is. However, the danger is an arrogance that we can know God fully, and find out everything there is to know about Him. Apophatic theology assumes much more mystery about God. Oftentimes, it assumes that we cannot know God as He truly is. The danger here is complete agnosticism about God, that we cannot know anything truly about God.

In other words, kataphatic tradition is that we can say something true about who God is. Apophatic tradition is that words are always limiting and God cannot be contained in words or images.

Another helpful little blurb I found was this one here: Kataphatic or Apophatic Prayer. It's very short. Follow the link. I can't seem to copy & paste from this one.

Peace!

“Kataphatic” prayer has content; it uses words, images, symbols, ideas. “Apophatic” prayer has no content. It means emptying the mind of words and ideas and simply resting in the presence of God. - See more at: http://www.ignatianspirituality.com/2026/#sthash.FLJWxf1q.dpuf