Lama's log

I've just come back from Greenbelt and frankly, it was brilliant. I thought I'd mention some good bits. I really enjoyed hearing for the first time a guy called Frank Schaefer, a son of a founder of the religious right in America. He was great although was obviously still struggling with some of the stuff he grew up with. A couple of things that he talked about which resonated were around Christians doing things well and for their own sake rather than with the hidden agenda of propaganda.

That hit home and if we follow through on this would impact mission well. So, write a song but primarily set out to write a good one not necessarily one which must advertise Jesus. Feed people, but not in order to get them into church etc etc. It sounds like common sense but how much of our church work really is about propaganda and how much is about excellence through the love of Christ?

He also talked about returning to the language of belief rather than knowing and this theme was picked up in a session with Ikon and with Brian Mclaren. The speakers wanting people to move away from Christianity as a rational and towards Christianity as a lifestyle and 'being'. Ikon described an activity they had done to try and enable people to hold their most precious beliefs 'lightly' and there give room for God to move and for transformation.

Brian Mclaren talked about the knowledge you gain through apprenticeship which you would be unable to gain through a book. My own example for this was my Grandmother who was from Italy. She would often make gnocchi and as a child I would help her. When I would ask how to know when the dough was ready she would frustratingly tell me, ' it will feel right'. I eventually learned but it wasn't through rational. If we read the Bible we can know about salvation, Mclaren made the point that if we live it we can be saved. We 'get it' in a way beyond our constructs, structures and denominations.

Frank Schaefer too talked about a moment of realisation for him when he was questioning someone about the validity and appropriateness of giving a child communion. He asked how this could be OK when a child cannot understand what they are doing. He was asked if he understood what he was doing when he took communion. Our self imposed rules then become absurd.

So, I was thinking...... is all this discipleship angst really necessary? Perhaps a bit of undercover following would be just fine. Gaining a bit of power and influence so you can pull it out of the bag now and again to do the odd good thing, even brave thing. For the rest of the time though, you could be .... well...... incognito so to speak.

Joseph of Arimathea would be a precedent. Member of the Sanhedrin involved in the decision to crucify but at the point of death, uses his clout to get the body and do (quite literally) the world a favour. (For this interpretation you have to ignore Mark's account, as he makes it out to be a rush job before the Sabbath so the Jewish authorities can bury the bad news).

I have had the conversations which tell me you need influence and money in order to make a difference. I understand that declaring yourself Christian can be counter productive in an environment that thinks it outdated, unintellectual and inhibitive.

So, take seriously a call to follow provocatively and counterculturally, or go the way of Joseph and try make it through with some walking in the shadows?

asbojesus.com

This may be an unwise post but while on holiday I thought a lot about Christian reactions to homosexuality. My conclusion? I think it's one of the issues which makes me ashamed of my context. I don't mind that people disagree with me. I don't mind that people think homosexuality sinful or against God etc etc. I mind that people are abused and sidelined because of their relationships. I mind that homosexuality is talked about in the same conversation that paedophilia is mentioned. I mind that church communities, whatever they think, do not campaign vigorously for gay rights, because no one should be discriminated against. I mind that a newly accredited minister is not supposed to get involved in civil partnerships because it may jeopardise their accreditation (this last one makes me madder than I am able to communicate). I mind that church communities often side with harsh reactions rather than graceful. I mind, I mind, I mind.

I have read the biblical verses. I know the arguments. But then I've read lots of Biblical arguments for lots of things and I engage in enough Biblical interpretation to have a mass of humility before declaring that I know the mind of God, and God must think like me. The study of doctrine taught me that we can try and define God all we want but God is beyond our boxes and our perspectives and we would do well to hesitate before we declare a body of people innately sinful and more importantly, we declare them worthy of our scorn and wrath.

I want to see our churches a little bit fuller of gay people, why aren't I breaking bread with more homosexuals? I don't think I want you to tell me the answer, I'm too aware of the reality.