the journey

A Christianity Worth Believing on-line book club

Here's a message from Doug Pagitt:

This Fall I am going to host a six week online book club for A Christianity Worth Believing. I would like your help in determining the best day for the poll.

I am going to use the poll on the right side of blog http://dougpagitt.com to determine the best date.

The clubs will run an hour. The timing will be determined after the best day is selected.

I will use Ustream so there will be one-way video, audio and two-way chatting options. If you are interested in being part of this weekly club, or having me join in on a book club you are doing with your own group please let me know.

So, if you are up for head over to my blog and let me know your preference.

Here's a link to the book at Amazon.
Here's a link to the book's web site.

HT: Facebook post

Tags: Doug Pagitt, A Christianity Worth Believing

The tough sayings of Jesus

This looks very interesting.

Check it out for yourself.

Click here to view the promo video, to download a sample, etc.

Technorati Tags: Threads, The tough sayings of Jesus, Jesus

Jesus for the non-religious (part 2)

Here's a look at the second characteristic of Jesus made by Spong.

• Jesus, breaker of tribal boundaries
• Jesus, breaker of prejudices and stereotypes
• Jesus, breaker of religious boundaries
• And the Cross, a human portrait of the love of God

I would be one of the first to admit that women. . .

have been relegated to second class citizens, with the Christian church validating that definition as God- inspired and God-imposed

And we've seen this fleshed out by churches who refuse to ordain women (as pastors or deacons), others who refuse to allow women in leadership and other who confidently contend that women should not teach men.

Yet, when we look at the entourage of disciples following Jesus, a number of women are strangely present.  Then there are those sobering words of Paul:  

"There is no longer Jew or Greek, there is no longer slave or free, there is no longer male and female; for all of you are one in Christ Jesus." (Galatians 2:28)

It would seem, therefore, that Paul (and presumably Jesus) didn't hold any of our modern prejudices concerning women.

Enough said.

If I weren't already sold on he equality of women and the viability of women-in-ministry, I might wonder why Spong rejects the vast majority of the biblical portraits of Jesus (i.e., Spong rejects anything that is remotely miraculous or supernatural), yet doesn't question the the historicity/authenticity of Galatians 2:28.

It might seem like he had an axe to grind or an agenda to push on us. 

Technorati Tags: John Shelby Spong, Jesus for the non-religious

Jesus for the non-religious (part 1)

In a previous post I noted that John Shelby Spong characterizes Jesus in the following manner:

• Jesus, breaker of tribal boundaries
• Jesus, breaker of prejudices and stereotypes
• Jesus, breaker of religious boundaries
• And the Cross, a human portrait of the love of God

Here's what he says about Jesus, the breaker of tribal boundaries:

"The missionary imperative at the heart [of the gospel]. . .is a call to share with all people the life-giving power of love that always enhances human life and that frees us to cross constricting security barriers.  That is what the Jesus experience was and is all about.  When we turn to Luke this theme of inclusiveness and the need to lay aside our security blankets of tribal thinking in order to become fully human is laid out . . ."

By eliminating anything miraculous (or supernatural) about the life and ministry of Jesus, the man of Nazareth becomes little more than a means of self-acualization, self-improvement or wholeness (if you prefer that word).

In other words, he transforms Jesus into, well, someone like Joel Osteen.

Tags: John Shelby Spong

Jesus for the non-religious

I just finished reading John Shelby Spong's most recent book.

Taking a predictable tack, Spong methodically rejects most of the historical teachings about Jesus and leaves us with a fully human man of Nazareth in whom God most fully revealed himself.  Hmmm.

As a result, we have a legendary man--Jesus-- who is characterized in the following ways:

• Jesus, breaker of tribal boundaries
• Jesus, breaker of prejudices and stereotypes
• Jesus, breaker of religious boundaries
• And the Cross, a human portrait of the love of God

I find it interesting that he considers Jesus more of a "breaker" than a "builder."

In upcoming posts I'll say a word or two about each of these descriptors.

Tags: John Shelby Spong, Jesus for the non-religious, Jesus

Miracles in the New Testament

An interesting thought by Spong:

Miracles in the New Testament are, time after time, simply a literary device to enable the gospel authors to talk about the in-breaking kingdom that is available to those who have eyes to see.  Miracles are part of the vision of wholeness that inspires us human beings to press the limits of our humanity in the eternal search for the transcendence that we feel is our destiny.

Source: Jesus for the Non-Religious by John Shelby Spong, p. 94.

Tags: John Shelby Spong, Jesus, Jesus for the non-religious

They like Jesus but not the church

I've been previewing the DVD curriculum for this book and have been left with this initial impression:  The author (so far) has simply provided nothing more than hackneyed evangelical dogma (I came very close to using the word "drivel,") with a thin layer of emergent icing to give it a slightly different flavor.

Therefore, I've been deeply disappointed with the curriculum so far.  I'll start reading the book within the next few days & will provide impressions along the way.  I'm hoping it will be much better.

Technorati Tags: Dan Kimball, emergent, They like Jesus but not the church

Creating God in your own image

Something interesting from one of my favorite authors, Anne Lamott:

You can safely assume that you've created God in your own image when it turns out that God hates all the same people you do.

Traveling Mercies; although on page 22 of Bird by Bird she attributes this quote to "my priest friend Tom"

 

Technorati Tags: Anne Lamott

I became a Christian and all I got was this lousy t-shirt

A new book, a new curriculum, sermon ideas, and hopefully, a new t-shirt!  ;-)

It looks interesting and I've added it to my Amazon wish list.  Click here to check it out for yourself.

HT:  The Ooze

Tags: Vince Antonucci, I became a Christian and all I got was this lousy t-shirt

Jesus for President

Posted below is a YouTube video of Shane Claiborne talking about his latest book, Jesus for President, a book I am currently reading.

If you'd like to see what thoughtful, progressive Christians are saying (and doing), you might enjoy this book.

Updated on Wednesday:

If you're still unconvinced & are looking or other reasons to examine this book for yourself, here's a discription of the book in-a-nutshell:

Amid all the buzz of politics and elections, Jesus for President is a refreshing reminder that our ultimate hope lies not in partisan political options but in the Jesus who gave his life for us. Politics for ordinary radicals who want to love the world into the kingdom of God.

Jesus for President is a radical manifesto to awaken the Christian political imagination, reminding us that our ultimate hope lies not in partisan political options but in Jesus and the incarnation of the peculiar politic of the church as a people “set apart” from this world...

Also, to hear Shane in person during The Jesus for President Tour click here for more information.

Tags: Shane Claiborne, Jesus for President, Jesus for President Tour