Three is a Magic Number

I think Progressive Christianity has a problem.   Progressive Christians like to talk about social justice, learn about justice, and complain about injustice a whole bunch, but when it comes to “doing justice”… well, in my opinion, some of us stink.   Preferring to keep our heads in books and griping about all that’s bad in the world, we avoid building relationship or doing anything about injustices. This issue became clear to me in a course I took this semester.   In order to fulfill my seminary’s global justice requirement, I needed to complete a field experience which confronted global justice issues.   Most students at my seminary meet this requirement by going on a global justice trip, studying justice issues in other parts of the world—like poverty in South America made worse by the US market or apartheid in South Africa.   My understanding of these trips is that students study, do advocacy, build relationships, and confront how their own privilege neg...

It happened again.   I have a stack of papers to correct and several papers to write.   ‘Tis the season in the teaching and learning semester.   While these papers pile up, I find myself in the midst of Holy Week angst.   Like last year , my mind keeps churning away on the cross.   Ugh! What does it mean? Here’s what God has challenged me with this year: The cross is not about the need for violence , but instead about the need for understanding. So much of current Christianity is obsessed with violence.   This week, we will hear how our sins nailed Jesus to the cross.   We will hear how our sins need violent punishment and how Jesus took the punishment for us so we don’t have to experience it.   We apparently are so bad that violence is required to be used against us.   On Friday, we will be urged to think about how the nails were made for us. But what if violence isn’t required to conquer that which keeps me separated from God? ...

I'm at a church planting event in Chicago.  The model is rubbing me a bit, not because it's a bad model, but because I'm realizing I see "church" differently than the presenter.  I've realized this is a great opportunity for me articulate my own ecclesiology (i.e. "What is the church?").  I wrote this awhile ago and decided it was time to put it up. ------------ I want to pastor a church which is created and recreated, over and over again,      as a flexible and changing expression of the community’s faith.      out of the community’s cultural context.      with the purpose of bringing the Kingdom of God to the here and now. I want to pastor a church where people explore their spirituality,      on the journey of creating the church together, not at the destination of finishing the church.      by asking questions of themselves and of others.   ...

At airport with Paul Raushenbush I was driving down Interstate 70 with Paul Raushenbush , senior religion editor at the Huffington Post, and Romal Tune , social advocate for at-risk youth.   Helping with a national conference called Christianity21 over the last week, I had the privilege of spending many hours airport-shuttling authors and organizers whom I admire.  Romal Tune at restaurant  I asked Paul if he would be writing about the event at Huffington, and he replied, “I’m not sure.   Maybe.   I’d have to think about the angle to write from.”   This launched the Romal, Paul, and I into a conversation about the different lens Christianity21 could be viewed from.   Paul has many really important topics to write about—like the Pope—so I don’t know if something will show up at Huffington or not, but here’s my stab at a reflection on the event. ----- At Christianity21, we didn’t agree.   Twenty-one authors, activi...

At the end of each seminary semester, I’ve written a reflection of my biggest learnings.   Here's the previous ones:   http://christensenshare.blogspot.com/2013/05/its-not-always-been-like-we-think-it-has.html http://christensenshare.blogspot.com/2013/01/end-of-semester-update.html http://christensenshare.blogspot.com/2012/05/view-from-rooftop.html http://christensenshare.blogspot.com/2011/12/so-how-is-seminary-going.html During this semester, I only had one class.   The course is linked to my internship, so I did a lot of examination of and reflection on my internship site, Solomon’s Porch in Minneapolis. Solomon’s Porch is an independent church plant.   Because it’s independent , the founders didn’t have to follow denominational requirements for functioning, organization, or doctrine.   And because it’s a church plant , the founders got to make it up as they went.   It’s a little bit like an open shop at an art studio.   You just go ...

When I explain psychological theory to students, I draw the analogy between theory and a computer’s operating system.   The operating system runs in the background, and for the most part, we are barely aware of it.   Yet, it influences everything we do on the computer.   Only when a PC user gets on a Mac machine (or vice-a-versa) does one become aware of the operating system.   I tell students, “You all have a theory—an operating system working in you.   You may or may not be aware of it, but you have beliefs/assumptions about why humans do what they do.   And these beliefs/assumptions affect how you approach and interact with others and how you make your way through your life.   My goal is to help you raise these assumptions to your awareness and maybe call some into question. My goal is to help you become aware of your operating system, maybe forcing you to try on another theory for a bit so you realize which one you are functioning under.”   Ho...

Today I'm thankful for... 1. These three people.  The little one reminds me I know how to play and reminds us all that life is about being present with each other.  The middle one is the most thoughtful person I know, and has incredible sense of herself, which I hope she holds onto forever.  And the oldest one has taught me that raising a child is a process, not destination, and has provided me with intense joy and pride in his new found maturity.  2. This guy.  He is a source of energy for me.  He makes me a better person, and helps me express who I am. 3. Teaching an online class this term, which has been an incredible challenge for me.  But I have learned a ton about my teaching style and pedagogy through this experiment.  I still don't buy into the model and think it is an incredibly inefficient method of teaching and learning, but I am learning from my younger colleagues who "get i...