Picking Up Pieces from Here and There

In my last post, I mentioned the blog Philosophy Over Coffee and the author's beginning discussion about UCC identity.  He continues the conversation here.

I'm not sure there's any new ground being trod, but he's right about the sense of ambiguity in our denomination's identity - "God Is Still Speaking" campaign notwithstanding.

As he correctly notes, it's tough to have a clear, cohesive identity when you are - and want to be - embracing of diversity.  But he's also correct in identifying a certain unwillingness to do anything, for fear that someone might be offended by it.

There's a big streak of what Brian McLaren calls "benign" religious identity in the UCC - we don't want to offend anyone else by being too clear about or too committed to our own identity.  And McLaren rightly denounces that as just as big a problem as "hostile" religious identity - "my God is real and yours isn't" sort-of thing.

What McLaren suggests - and I think my blogging colleague would agree with - is a third way of being, one that holds proudly to one's own tradition but is hospitable to others' differences.

And I continue to return to and reflect on these themes because I think they're particularly relevant to my own congregation.  We're a very diverse group of people - politically and theologically - and I believe that's really what a local church ought to be.

But it is possible, in such a setting, to water down or cover over one's own beliefs so much that they become invisible to others and uninfluential in the world.  The question is, how do we practice being clear about our own values in a way that does not belittle the differing values of others?  How can one congregation support diverse views on issues and practices?

The idea of identity was also raised by ColumbiaFAVS colleague Kelsey Gillespy in an article on confusions about the Roman Catholic "brand."  The sorts of misconceptions she relates are not unlike the ones I encounter every day - in the community as new people discover I'm either a Christian or a minister, and have preconceived (and often incorrect) notions about what that means, and online as I engage with persons of other faith and no faith.

And speaking of ColumbiaFAVS, Ariel Morrison's review of Brian McLaren's book Why Did Jesus, Moses, the Buddha, and Mohammed Cross the Road? is here.  And my latest contribution, on faith and fashion, is here.

Finally, it's graduation season, and friend and blogger Wes Ellis has some thoughts about what our graduates might be expecting.  I particularly like his penultimate paragraph:

      Now go into the world with the freedom in Christ to become nothing...to do no great
      things... to dedicate yourself to insignificance. Be free from the burden of expectation
      and requirement. Be only what grace requires of you and respond to grace with love.

Where Am I?

I sorta felt like that when I woke up this morning - where am I?  Not that the scenery was unfamiliar - my cozy comforter was just the same, as were the olive-green walls (not the best color description, really) and the picture on my side of the bed.

But I woke up on the other side of a HUGE event at our church yesterday - if you missed it, we hosted Brian McLaren for an afternoon of conversation.  And it was AWESOME!

His reflections were spot-on.  We had about 250 people there, from around the community.  Our people were as welcoming and gracious as any I've ever seen anywhere.  (Thank you, dear friends!)

You can read a quick recap and interview here, thanks to Ariel at ColumbiaFAVS.  Check there later in the week; she'll be reviewing Brian's book Why Did Jesus, Moses, the Buddha, and Mohammed Cross the Road?

I also got to do some pre-event music with current and former alternative-service musicians/singers.  As I said yesterday, I've always wanted a band and back-up singers!

All around, just a great, great afternoon!  I'm still riding the energy today, after driving Brian to the airport last night.

We had a chance to talk about denominations - structures, directions - with particular attention to my own, the United Church of Christ.

It's no secret that mainline denominations aren't in the healthiest shape; in fact, Brian was heading west to speak to a group of denominational officials from another tradition, to explore options for their future.

We talked particularly about the role of regional/state leaders, some new ideas for their work that are starting to be discussed, and how flexible, loosely bound organizations will tend to have more ability to succeed in the future.  (We both affirmed the wisdom in Ori Brafman and Rod A. Beckstrom's The Starfish and the Spider.)

In that light, it was interesting to read Coffeepastor's reflections on his recent visit to a college campus.  I'm looking forward to his thoughts on the UCC and our identity and practice.

And Wes Ellis has further reflections on the ministry of presence, as he reads Henri Nouwen.

Don't Tell Anyone I'm Here

Yeah, there's too much going on right now for me to be doing this.  I've got a sermon to finish, a week FULL of meetings next week, and a huge event on Sunday afternoon, for which I'm not sure I'm remembering everything I need to do.

Shameless plug:  Internationally known author, speaker, and "public theologian" Brian McLaren will be "in da house" at 3:00 on Sunday afternoon, sharing thoughts from his latest book Why Did Jesus, Moses, the Buddha, and Mohammed Cross the Road?

It's been in the planning stages - or the waiting stages - for months.  And now it's finally here, and to be honest, a wee bit o' panic is starting to set in.  'Cause we want this to go smoothly, to impress the visiting dignitary and show off for our guests from around town.

But geez, it's a lot of work!

Nevertheless, I try to check several blogs on a regular basis (Brian's among them).  And I saw some stuff today that deserved passing along.

First, friend Wes Ellis writes - during finals week! and I thought I had troubles - about a different approach to pastoral care.  I'm not sure how much of a "new direction" this is, although it's definitely taking "presence" about as serious as you can.  I really like the idea, and I'm glad Wes wrote about it.  It'll have me thinking in the days ahead.

Coffeepastor, over at Philosophy Over Coffee, is one of the first bloggers I read regularly.  He shares some important thoughts from a Christian singer-songwriter about being in the spotlight and its effects on personal growth.  Again, it's going to have me thinking for days - and I'm hoping I remember it when it comes time to discuss a sabbatical.

Finally, Tony Jones writes about titles and his desire to avoid them in the life of the church.  I'm not sure I can jump into that pond with both feet, but I definitely like the example he uses, of the company LiquidNet.

Now, back to work....

Once Again, Terror

I shared some thoughts on the Boston Marathon bombing on ColumbiaFAVS (Faith And ValueS).

And I'll be reflecting on how our faith responds in both our services (8:05 & 10:30 am) this Sunday.

I've already seen some of the best and worst of human reactions on the internet.  Worst:  a news headline suggesting that needed immigration legislation will be derailed by this tragedy, and a Facebook comment encouraging massive, indiscriminate bombing of all our nation's "enemies."

Best:  repeated Facebook sharing of quotes by Mister Rogers, Martin Luther King, and actor/comedian Patton Oswalt.  Plus, lots and lots of prayers.

As I write on ColumbiaFAVS, "We ourselves will be among the wounded if we give in to hatred, to desires for retribution.  But if we work for peace and reconciliation instead, we will begin to bring healing into the midst of suffering."

In Lieu of "Reply"

Last Monday's post received a comment questioning the negative impression of "religion" suggested by Rob Bell and Shane Hipps in various writings by/about them.  I've been having trouble posting replies to comments, so this might be the next best thing.

My intended reply suggested that the real issue is one of perspective.  Bell and Hipps (and Brian McLaren, for that matter) come from more conservative traditions than mine, and they're generally writing/speaking to people in those same "evangelical" circles.

As such, my impression is that they're reacting against church-as-country-club and grace as restricted only to a certain group, people who jump through certain hoops (saying or doing specific formulaic things in order to be "saved").

So to them, "religion" is a pale imposter of a more authentic "faith."  Hipps, for one, strongly suggests in Selling Water by the River, that religious institutions and leaders get in the way of people's authentic faith as often as they aid it.

So in some ways, it depends on your starting point, and what you're looking for that you perceive is "not there."  Bell and Hipps seem to have discovered an authentic "faith" that is bigger than their previous, limited experience of "religion," while others may see the thing differently.

Friend Wes Ellis recently reflected on an experience in, of all places, the DMV.  And I think this treats both approaches generously and connects them pretty astutely.  It's not that churches are filled with hypocrites or acting like country clubs for "the right people," (as so many anti-religion accusations go); it's that they're trying to hard to appear "holy" rather than human, and therefore losing the possibility of genuine connection with the frail people we all are.