A Look at Redeeming the Routines

This isn't really a book review, more of a book thought. I'm in the middle of a pretty good book by Robert Banks called Redeeming the Routines: Bringing Theology to Life. Its a book about lay theology, or what he prefers to call "Theology of Everyday Life". It's a very L'Abri-esque book, one that tries to bridge the gap between what we believe and how we live out our lives with an emphasis on the 'routine' side of life where we spend most of our time. I hopefully will do a full book review one of these days but for now I wanted to share what he's talked about so far and maybe start some thoughts along these lines. In chapter 2, The Credibility Gap, he formulates ten theses that have their basis in the experiences of a wide range of people who have corroborated or extended his own conclusions about the relationship between belief and the routines of everyday life.

1. Few of us apply or know how to apply our belief to our work, or lack of work
2. We make only minimal connections between our faith and our spare time activities
3. We have little sense of a Christian approach to regular activities
4. Our everyday attitudes are partly shaped by the dominant values of our society
5. Many of our spiritual difficulties stem from the daily pressures we experience
6. Our everyday concerns receive little attention in the church
7. Only occasionally do professional theologians address routine activities
8. When addressed, everyday issues tend to be approached too theoretically
9. Only a minority of Christians read religious books or attend theological courses
10. Most churchgoers reject the idea of a gap between their belief and their ways of life

That's a pretty good list. He goes into pages of detail for each point which I won't discuss here but I thought it was a good overview of the problem and a good articulation of the state of Western Christianity. I think number 10 is the kicker here. After reflecting on 1-9, I came to the realization that most people would either give you the blank i-don't-have-a-clue-what-you're-talking-about-i-just-want-to-enjoy-my-sermon stare, or deny that this was a problem all together and falling into their dualistic-American private religion worldview that has been nestled into their minds. But thankfully Banks addresses this problem and I look forward to reading how he might deal with it. Maybe I'll post a follow-up.

I feel a deep resonance with the problems addressed in this list. The ideas represented here have fueled a lot of my passion and desire for teaching or being in some type of a vocational/equipping ministry. When I became a Reflective Christian sometime near the end of college, what sparked a flame in me was the disconnect I saw between the story of the people of God in the scriptures and the lives of the Christians all around me (granted, I may have had a skewed perception). There just didn't seem to be much difference in the daily lives of the people who claimed to be 'saved' and those who the 'saved' claimed were 'lost' (The Dude has issues with even using these words). I thought to myself, along the lines of what CS Lewis once wrote, If this whole thing is true then it should make a difference to every aspect of my life, not just some 'religious' part...and if it's not true, it doesn't make a hell of a difference. That has been the essence of my questioning for the last few years; thinking about and exploring why those differences are there, how can they be connected, and how the issues can be raised and dealt with among nominal Christians and devoted Christians alike.

Ranald Macaulay says that spirituality is the restoration of humanity to the image of God. When we are truly spiritual, we are truly human. The movement away from super-spirituality where praying, singing, and bible reading have precedent over the rest of life begins with an understanding that with the exception of sin, all of life is sacred. Of course praying, singing, and bible reading is spiritual, but no more or less than appreciating music, washing dishes, or listening to a friend. This book should make us aware of how small a part of our lives are actually being engaged in this movement towards restoration.

Along these lines, there is a great story about Madeline L'Engle. She was listening to a young friend explain that he felt like he had no time to pray during the day. He was so busy and tired that praying just didn't fit in his schedule. She asked him if he ever considered praying while on the toilet. He answered quickly, "I don't really think thats an appropriate place to do that." She snapped back, "That's not very incarnational of you!"

This book is a good place to start if you want to think that joke is funny(kind of), and a better place to start if you want to bridge the gap between belief and behavior.

By the way, Dennis Haack of Ransom Fellowship did a very short review of this book here.

L'Abri

I miss L'Abri...

Sucker

I'm a sucker for websites like this: Badcorp.org. With a tagline like "Stop funding your own oppression" how can I not immediately fall in love? How else will I relieve my middle class guilt if not through bashing the corporations I can't live without? Seriously, this stuff can excite me.

Websites like this along with magazines like Adbusters (by the way, The Dude is a fan of Adbusters campaigns like "buy nothing day" and "slow down week"--check them out.)seem to bring out the cynic in me as well. If you know me, he's in there and he can be found driving The Dude at least a few hours a day. You've probably seen some of his blogs. This is the part of me that hates the Man, the part of me that wants to buy a hybrid, the part of me that found this website.

Many times my initial reaction to the corruption and oppression in the world is along the lines of Fight Club and I think "if what we have created so far is destroying us, then destroying what we have created may be the most meaningful(and useful) act of creation we can participate in." (this is The Dude's personal interpretation of Fight Club). But does that really free us from oppression and corruption? I don't think so.

There must be constructive deconstruction. I think that we must recognize the brokenness in the world, see the systematic injustice we are currently participating in and grieve over it--even become angry over it. But we mustn't stop there, we must begin to look for new ways of doing things--while always realizing that change won't be immediate and until the Kingdom comes we will be a perpetually broken people living in a perpetually broken world. But redemption has to fit in here somewhere. We can't just scrap what we have created and try again--that's not the way God does things at least. That's where I begin to see the flaws with Adbusters and BadCorp--there is no redemption.

So, here is what I am going to do: go to www.badcorp.org and read the corporate shit-list; try to understand what these guys are saying and do my best to discern what is true and false; see how and in what ways am I contributing to systematic injustice in the world; grieve; be angry; embrace the hope that Jesus brings with Kingdom of God; begin to work on the injustices I am causing against those nearest to me; begin to work on the injustices I am causing against those farthest from me; never settle for the way things are; continue to look for new ways of doing things in alignment with the teachings of Jesus and the will of God.

Of course none of this is possible without holding on to grace and hope. Optimism and pessimism will always leave us wanting. So www.badcorp.org, if you're reading this, go read the bible and gain an understanding of redemption. See what Jesus is talking about when he talks about "making all things new." Destruction is not the answer, redemption is.

Just Enough

Found this here, got there from here, and ironically saw it here, too.

1) Living with just enough is an act of discipleship - Jesus soundly condemned the wealth-seeking of his own day. He called his disciples to seek first the Kingdom and not to worry about what they would eat, drink and wear. He called the poor blessed and uttered "woes" against the rich, telling stories to illustrate his point. He declared that mammon (love of wealth) prevented people from serving God. He warned against "laying up treasures on earth" and told people to give away their possessions. A commitment to Jesus led members of the early church to share their goods with one another. Those who claim to be Christ's faithful followers must grapple with his clear call to live simply.

2) Living with just enough encourages generosity - Jesus honoured the poor widow who placed two copper coins, her entire living, into the synagogue treasury. He recognized that, oftentimes, it is the poor who demonstrate the greatest spirit of generosity. The more stuff we humans acquire, it seems, the less we are willing to part with it. A commitment to living with just enough encourages us to be more generous. When we are less attached to "our" money and "our" possessions, we are freed to share them with others. And when we give more freely and generously, we in turn find ourselves less concerned to acquire more things.

3) Living with just enough demonstrates resistance - Our economy is driven by a culture of consumerism. Marketers and advertisers continually make us feel ashamed if our clothes are out of style, our car is old or we don't have the latest electronic gadgets. Living with just enough is a way of resisting this insanity. It is a way of being conscientious objectors to a society and an economy that depends on people being kept in a state of perpetual dissatisfaction. Someone has written that "conformity to a sick society is to be sick." A tradition of nonconformity has historically been an important piece of the Anabaptist-Mennonite heritage. That tradition, especially as it applies to the culture of consumerism, is worth rediscovering.

4) Living with just enough fosters sustainability - It preserves God's creation. Extravagant and wasteful lifestyles contribute to environmental depletion. Indeed, scientists with the ecological footprint movement indicate that if everyone consumed in the way that most North Americans do, we would need 2 to 3 additional planets to provide the resources and process the waste. The earth cannot sustain such a level of consumption. A commitment to live with just enough is a necessary part of valuing and helping to preserve God's creation.

5) Living with just enough invites discernment - Sometimes the pressures of time and busy schedules force us to act in unsustainable ways. We opt for fast or processed food rather than a simple nutritious meal. We drive to the corner store rather than walk or bike, or simply do without. A commitment to live with just enough makes us consciously confront the stresses and pressures in our lives. It pushes us to make intentional choices about those things which are truly life-giving, perhaps even limiting involvements that are good and worthy. It helps us to be discerning about our lives.

6) Living with just enough is an act of witness - A friend chooses to take a bus rather than an airplane, not because the bus is cheaper, but because it uses less fuel and therefore is less harmful to the environment. A family with teenagers chooses to live without a car. Yet another family chooses to shop at a downtown independent grocer than at the big superstore in the suburbs, therefore paying considerably more for their groceries; they say they can better support local producers this way. All of these people are witnesses to a more just world. You can be a witness too.

7) Living with just enough invites celebration - Much of the impulse for the simple living movement has been middle class guilt. But guilt has little staying power. Moreover, guilt-motivated living will likely find expression in legalism and rigidity. We will find ourselves judging those who buy a certain house or take a certain vacation. Spirit-filled simple living, on the other hand, is characterized by joy, freedom and peace. It is grounded in God's promise of abundant living and enough for all people. It is the outward expression of a life focused on seeking first God's Kingdom.

I love the Mennonites. I've only known one Mennonite in my life, when I lived in Washington. They seem like they are a community of people who take this stuff seriously. I used to think I was becoming Catholic because of Nouwen, Merton and Mother Teresa, but now I feel like the Mennonites are in the running. The simlilarities are obvious: a spiritual awareness of the world and an understanding of the radical nature of true Christian living.

Found in Translation

What a great title. Unfortunately I didn't make it up and ironically I didn't steal it from Brimas' Blog. I posted this last summer on that same blog and although I don't really think it's a good post, I was referring to the Kingdom of God language and how I was beginning to see it pop up in mainstream Christianity. I discussed the Willow Creek Leadership Summit and some of the statements made there by Rick Warren. (by the way--The views and opinions of Willow Creek are probably not shared by The Dude) I also mentioned Brian McLaren's blog and his new book The Secret Message of Jesus (Due out April 4).

So fast forward to today to the latest Sojourners email and the article titled Found in Translation, by Brian Mclaren. In it he discusses language of the Kingdom of God and how that language may need to be adapted to the culture to make sense in our world today.

When Jesus spoke of the kingdom of God, his language was charged with urgent political, religious, and cultural electricity. But if we speak of the kingdom of God today, the original electricity is largely gone, and in its place we often find a kind of tired familiarity that inspires not hope and excitement, but anxiety or boredom.

Why is kingdom language not as dynamic today? First, in our world, kingdoms have given way to republics, democracies, and democratic republics. Where kings exist, they are by and large anachronisms, playing a limited ceremonial role in relation to parliaments and prime ministers, evoking nothing of the power and authority they did in Jesus’ day.

Another ironic point (for me) is that this same topic came up in my 6:30 am bible study yesterday. I was ranting about the problem with the American church while we were discussing the idea of being born again from John chapter 3. I was complaining about the same thing that McLaren seems to hit on in the first sentence: the language we use today in the American Church (with exceptions of course--I know I'm generalizing) isn't the exciting, political, revolutionary language meant by the Kingdom of God. We talk about 'Heaven' and 'Salvation' as far off realities separated from this life that really don't have much to do with how I live my life here and now as long as I have 'accepted Jesus in my heart' and live out some form of conservative American morality (forgive the polemic). I think the message of the Kingdom should shatter any ideas we have about 'going to heaven when I die' (thanks NT Wright) and should challenge us to see our role as the people of God in a new light.

Sorry for the rambling...now to my point...

Here is a list of the six metaphors McLaren says 'have special promise' for translating the message of the Kingdom to our own culture:

1) The Dream of God - This language suggests a more personal, less mechanistic relationship between God and our world. It would resonate, for example, with a mother who has great dreams for her child, or an artist who has great dreams for a novel or symphony he is creating.

2) The Revolution of God - For people like Martin Luther King Jr., attuned to fighting injustice, corruption, oppression, racism, and other forms of social evil, the “revolution” or “revolutionary movement” of God naturally flows from the metaphor of the dream of God for creation....perhaps we need a modifier in front of revolution to show how the goals and tactics of this regime are radically different: the peace revolution of God, the spiritual revolution of God, the love revolution of God, the reconciling revolution of God, the justice revolution of God. In these ways, we get much closer to the dynamic hidden in Jesus’ original language of kingdom of God.

3) The Mission of God - The Latin term missio dei has long been used to describe God’s work in the world. Its etymology (the root miss means “send”) reminds us that God sends us into the world to be agents of change: We have a task to do for God. True, there is more to the kingdom than mission; being in relationship is essential to life in the kingdom, so kingdom life is not just doing work. But this metaphor still has great value, as long as we complement it with more relational language.

4) The Party of God - Jesus often compared the kingdom to parties, feasts, and banquets. Today we could say that God is inviting people to leave their gang fights, workaholism, loneliness, and isolation and join the party, to leave their exclusive parties (political ones, for example, which win elections by dividing electorates) and join one inclusive party of a different sort, to stop fighting, complaining, hating, or competing and instead start partying and celebrating the goodness and love of God.

5) The Network of God - A promising new metaphor works with the idea of a network or system. God is inviting people into a life-giving network. First, God wants people to be connected, plugged in, in communication with God, so God can transfer to them what they need—not just information but also virus-debugging software, along with love, hope, empowerment, purpose, and wisdom. As well, each person who is connected to God must become integrally connected to all others in the network. In this way, the network of God breaks down the walls of smaller, exclusive networks (like networks of racism, nationalism, and the like) and invites them into the only truly worldwide web of love. The network becomes a resource for people outside the network as well, and of course, people are always invited to enter the connectivity themselves.

6) The Dance of God - In the early church, one of the most powerful images used for the Trinity was the image of a dance of mutual indwelling. The Father, Son, and Spirit live in an eternal, joyful, vibrant dance of love and honor, rhythm and harmony, grace and beauty, giving and receiving. The universe was created to be an expression and extension of the dance of God—so all creatures share in the dynamic joy of movement, love, vitality, harmony, and celebration. But we humans broke with the dance. We stamped on the toes of other dancers, ignored the rhythm, rejected the grace, and generally made a mess of things. But God sent Jesus into the world to model for us a way of living in the rhythm of God’s music of love, and ever since, people have been attracted to the beauty of his steps and have begun rejoining the dance.

Despite what you or I may think of these 'new' metaphors, I think that McLaren is doing the important work of imagination in order to see God's Kingdom become a fuller reality. What metaphors can we come up with in our own communities to convey the idea of reconciliation, peace, love and justice to the culture? Brian has the last word here:

There are many other metaphors we could explore. In a sense, Jesus’ creative use of parables sets an example for us to follow. It inspires us to ongoing creative communication—seeking to convey the kingdom through the symbolism of words as he did in the short fictional form of parable, and also in poetry, short story, novel, or essay. But it doesn’t stop with the symbolism of words. People have been inspired to express the kingdom through the symbols of space and form, color, and texture—in architecture and interior design. They have used the symbolism of movement and gesture in dance and drama. They’ve used the visual languages of painting, sculpture, collage, flower arranging, or gardening. Even the symbolic language of taste can express the kingdom in cooking. Come to think of it, we might say that the kingdom of God is like an arts colony.

Howdy

Sarah: so I just turned the corner at the div school and I practically run into Stanley Hauerwas and he says 'Howdy.'
me: no way. to me?
Sarah: oh right to you
me: NO WAY
Sarah: he said, 'howdy to your friend kc'

What wonderful news to hear on a dull Monday morning (Thanks Sarah!) Stanley Hauerwas (also here and here) is a giant in the world of Christian Ethics and Theology and, in my opinion, one cannot not read Stanley Hauerwas and be an informed, thoughtful Christian who is serious about the his or her own calling as well as the Church's true calling. Narrative Theology, The Church as Social Ethic, A Community of Character, On Being a Christian And A Texan...Some of the Hauerwasian lingo that has found its way into the big conversations. And he's friends with Garber. Don't feel bad if you haven't read him--just get on it. Seriously.

Reading List

Garber, whom I mention every once in a while is a man who wears many hats. One of them is as the Director of the Washington Institute. Here is a reading list recommened by the Washington Institute that you would be wise to make your own. Great minds, great ideas...

Washington Institute Reading List

Ugly World

The Ugly Face of Crime
So apparently, ugly people are more likely to commit crimes than attractive people. Thank you for the information.

I have a lot of problems with this article.

"Mocan and Tekin aren't sure why criminals tend to be ugly. Other studies have shown that unattractive men and women are less likely to be hired, and that they earn less money, than the better-looking. Such inferior circumstances may steer some to crime, Mocan and Tekin suggest. They also report that more attractive students have better grades and more polished social skills, which means they graduate with a greater chance of staying out of trouble."

To me the connection is a little more obvious than Naci and Erdal (Mocan's and Tekin's first names) see. Our culture has put superficial beauty on a pedestal. So it follows, clearly to me, that anyone who conforms to our society's notion of what is 'good' (in more ways than just the so-called attractiveness) will 'succeed' more than people who don't quite live up to the standards that society has imposed on them.

Tom Wolfe’s “Hooking Up” is brought to mind here along with Garber’s theme of the sexualization of American Culture. What are we doing as the church to overcome this? What are we doing as the people of God to recognize injustice (which I would definitely call this) and fight it? Free the slaves, give sight to the blind, the lame can walk. The ugly are made beautiful. The outcasts are given the best seat in the house. Imagine.

Good Quote, Again

I posted this a while back but I wanted to post it again in order to give context to how I think about the world. It's by my favorite theologian and Anglican Bishop, N.T. Wright.

Some find a burning need to begin their kingdom-task by
challenging injustice and oppression in the wider world.
That is a vital and non-negotiable aspect of Christian work.
How we go about that is of course a matter of debate and
discernment. That we must go about it is part of the deal.
It comes with the territory - with the territory, so to
speak, of Galilee. That's not a bad place to start

Some find their chief desire as Christians is to create
beauty and truth through art, or music, or scholarship, so
that the beauty and truth of God may shine into the ugliness
and untruth of the world. That, too, is a vital and God-given
part of kingdom-work. It, too, goes with the territory. It
is part of the battle: speak the truth and shame the Devil.

Others find that their initial Christian vocation is to
challenge the contesting claimants in their own heart and
life. When they hear the gospel message they realize just
how far they have fallen short, how much they are blind to
the things of God, and dumb to speak his word; and they find
themselves called to a holiness of life, a struggle against
sin within themselves, planting the flag of the kingdom in
their daily words and deeds. That too, I suggest, comes
with the territory. People often use the season of Lent
as a time for special reflection and renewed effort along
these lines. We can even reclaim parts of that old hymne:
'Reclothe us in our rightful mind, in purer lives they
service find, in deeper reverence praise.'

But whichever place you start, make sure you go on to the
others. Break into the circle of holiness somewhere, it doesn't
matter where, and continue right around it. Don't use a strong
social concern as an excuse for not facing up to the personal
battles that you have to fight; don't fall in love with your
own creativity so strongly that you lose sight of the call to
justice and holiness; equally, don't get so focused on your
private holiness that you forget God's passion for justice
and truth, his compassion for the widow, orphan and oppressed,
his passion and compassion which came together in the person
of Jesus, which blossomed and flowered and bore fruit in the
fertile soil of Galilee, and which went to Jerusalem to be
enthroned. This is true kingdom-spirituality, Galilee-spirituality
if you like. The Son of God was revealed, says St John, that he
might destroy the works of the Devil. We who celebrate his
victory are required, in our pilgrimage, to implement it.

--N.T. Wright

1. Justice
2. Beauty
3. Holiness

That's a good list of things to care about. And it is amazing how easily we pick just one to hold up as 'the right' one. The Liberals choose justice while the Conservatives choose holiness; and from what I've seen the artists and writers find themselves left all alone and have to go to L'Abri to make sense of their calling. There is hope: we can learn to love what God loves. Steve Garber, my friend and teacher in Washington, DC, showed me that.

That's what I want in my life: wholeness, and to care about what God cares about.

Do It Again

I never thought I would find myself back here. The blank walls, the depressing spill-proof patterns on the carpet, the lifeless half-smiles offered by passers-by on the way to the copy machine, the pseudo-professionalism attempted by people who have all but given up on achieving anything in life...

Ok, that last line was a low-blow but my point is that I'm back in an office. "Working for the man" as some like to call it. How did I end up here? After years of bad-mouthing the man and vowing to "never do that again" I find myself staring at a computer screen watching my back to make sure the man doesn't see me writing a blog instead of...well...doing whatever it is I was supposed to do today to make sure the wheels of Acme Corporation are running smoothly, and Americans are continuing to buy things, thereby keeping our economy strong. Wow, I didn't realize how important my job was until I put it on paper.

We Christians like to call this "tent-making". We frequently use this phrase (referring to Paul making tents in order to have money while he travelled and preached) when trying to justify our jobs that give us the monetary resources in which to participate in other things that are seemingly more important and give us a true sense of self. I don't disagree entirely. We must work; it is essential to life and, I believe, a part of the ordered creation (See Genesis 1-2). Work isn't the problem--toiling in our work is (See Genesis 3).

So what, you ask? Well, am I really tent-making? I am a tax accountant for a large, international, pipeline engineering company. Some would argue that the oil & gas industry has done much more to hurt the world than help it. Tents protect people from the scorching sun and cold rains--i'm not sure a tent has ever hurt anyone. But I'm not making tents, I'm making pipelines. The ethical questions abound and unfortunately there are more questions than people are willing to admit. Sure, I may just be pipeline-making to pay for food right now, but is what I'm doing (in the big picture) honoring God, creation, the Kingdom? It would be one thing if I didn't have a choice, but I do. And everyday I fear I've chosen poorly.

Unfortunately this is a post without resolve. I will come to work again tomorrow, make my $$$, and go home. Then I will find meaning.