Marv Levy takes his dry humor around the globe in the comedy series The Reluctant Traveler. Levy’s travels leave him perplexed and curious. His episode-ending reflections include themes he picks up along the way. Often sounding surprised, he finds that folks living in Finland enjoy life outdoors, even if it is cold. Smiles greet him, and he cannot figure out why. After a few episodes, you get the feeling that he may enjoy a habit he never dreamed he would. Maina Mwara describes his recent book as a project that called him. And after our conversation, I wondered if Howard Hendricks could be described as The Reluctant Mentor. Not resistant but reluctant.  Mentoring hit the craze level some years ago in Christian leadership circles. Books on mentoring, how to be a mentor, and successful mentoring became the rage. I recall receiving a free book or two at a conference on the subject. The desire to be a mentor has a dark side. It feeds a nascent narcissism that may be latent in all of us. “You need to listen to me.” Like Hendricks to those who saw him as their mentor, my mentors have not self-identified as such. I have recognized they are my mentors. The relationship developed into a mentoring relationship. Rick did not tell me one day as Darth told Luke, “I am your mentor.” Reluctant does not mean resistant. Influential does not always mean intentional. Relationships predicated on a contractual arrangement seldom reach the depths of mentoring relationships. And lack of intention does not mean accidental. Christian discipleship is organic, not programmatic. “Don’t pluck the weeds lest you pluck the wheat also.” Time and interactions are the soil in which mentoring relationships emerge. Howard Hendricks’s story as an influential mentor rises from within an uncomfortable context, reaching diverse people, and results in an investment that yet survives his short sojourn. Remember, no matter how long we live; it is like a vapor. Pick up a copy and observe what it means to be an influential mentor. You don’t need a program. You only need an interest in people. The post An Influential Mentor first appeared on patheological: The Podcast for the Pastor-Theologian.The post An Influential Mentor appeared first on patheological: The Podcast for the Pastor-Theologian. Related posts: He Didn’t Know My Name: An Interview with Teer Hardy

Marv Levy takes his dry humor around the globe in the comedy series The Reluctant Traveler. Levy’s travels leave him perplexed and curious. His episode-ending reflections include themes he picks up along the way. Often sounding surprised, he finds that folks living in Finland enjoy life outdoors, even if it is cold. Smiles greet him, and he cannot figure out why. After a few episodes, you get the feeling that he may enjoy a habit he never dreamed he would. Maina Mwara describes his recent book as a project that called him. And after our conversation, I wondered if Howard Hendricks could be described as The Reluctant Mentor. Not resistant but reluctant.  Mentoring hit the craze level some years ago in Christian leadership circles. Books on mentoring, how to be a mentor, and successful mentoring became the rage. I recall receiving a free book or two at a conference on the subject. The desire to be a mentor has a dark side. It feeds a nascent narcissism that may be latent in all of us. “You need to listen to me.” Like Hendricks to those who saw him as their mentor, my mentors have not self-identified as such. I have recognized they are my mentors. The relationship developed into a mentoring relationship. Rick did not tell me one day as Darth told Luke, “I am your mentor.” Reluctant does not mean resistant. Influential does not always mean intentional. Relationships predicated on a contractual arrangement seldom reach the depths of mentoring relationships. And lack of intention does not mean accidental. Christian discipleship is organic, not programmatic. “Don’t pluck the weeds lest you pluck the wheat also.” Time and interactions are the soil in which mentoring relationships emerge. Howard Hendricks’s story as an influential mentor rises from within an uncomfortable context, reaching diverse people, and results in an investment that yet survives his short sojourn. Remember, no matter how long we live; it is like a vapor. Pick up a copy and observe what it means to be an influential mentor. You don’t need a program. You only need an interest in people. The post <a href="http://www.toddlittleton.net/an-influential-mentor" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">An Influential Mentor</a> first appeared on <a href="http://www.toddlittleton.net" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">patheological: The Podcast for the Pastor-Theologian</a>.The post <a href="http://www.toddlittleton.net/an-influential-mentor" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">An Influential Mentor</a> appeared first on <a href="http://www.toddlittleton.net" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">patheological: The Podcast for the Pastor-Theologian</a>. Related posts:<ol> <li><a href="http://www.toddlittleton.net/he-didnt-know-my-name-an-interview-with-teer-hardy" rel="bookmark nofollow" target="_blank">He Didn’t Know My Name: An Interview with Teer Hardy</a></li></ol>

An Influential Mentor

We deconstruct everything so why the bugaboo? Mark Driscoll famously attacked deconstruction, or Deconstruction, with the caricature that the goal is to reduce everything to its nub so it may be dismissed. He used the schtick to strike fear in those who dared question what they had been taught, particularly at Mars Hill.  We all know how that turned out. Just this week, I listened to a sermon where Driscoll was the illustration for the need to deconstruct what preachers say. “God hates sin and the sinner.” It is as if the Serpent returned upon hearing that “God so loved the world” and whispered in the congregation’s ear, “Did Jesus really say he loved the world?” My friend Greg Hortin joins me for another conversation on deconstruction, or Deconstruction. When we listen to policymakers and elected officials, how do we discern what they are saying, or not, with the words they choose? This has become important in Oklahoma, given the rhetoric of our State School Superintendent and his constant use of “woke ideology.” Listeners need to interrogate the language – that is, deconstruction or Deconstruction. https://traffic.libsyn.com/patheological/HortonDeconstruction.mp3 The post Interrogate the Language first appeared on patheological: The Podcast for the Pastor-Theologian.The post Interrogate the Language appeared first on patheological: The Podcast for the Pastor-Theologian. Related posts: Jesus Spit In Your Soup: An Interview with Tripp Fuller The Rapture Betrays the Incarnation: An Interview with Jeffrey C. Pugh Mr. Miyagi, Joan of Arc and God: An Interview with Eric E. Hall

We deconstruct everything so why the bugaboo? Mark Driscoll famously attacked deconstruction, or Deconstruction, with the caricature that the goal is to reduce everything to its nub so it may be dismissed. He used the schtick to strike fear in those who dared question what they had been taught, particularly at Mars Hill.  We all know how that turned out. Just this week, I listened to a sermon where Driscoll was the illustration for the need to deconstruct what preachers say. “God hates sin and the sinner.” It is as if the Serpent returned upon hearing that “God so loved the world” and whispered in the congregation’s ear, “Did Jesus really say he loved the world?” My friend Greg Hortin joins me for another conversation on deconstruction, or Deconstruction. When we listen to policymakers and elected officials, how do we discern what they are saying, or not, with the words they choose? This has become important in Oklahoma, given the rhetoric of our State School Superintendent and his constant use of “woke ideology.” Listeners need to interrogate the language – that is, deconstruction or Deconstruction. <a href="https://traffic.libsyn.com/patheological/HortonDeconstruction.mp3" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">https://traffic.libsyn.com/patheological/HortonDeconstruction.mp3</a> The post <a href="http://www.toddlittleton.net/interrogate-the-language" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Interrogate the Language</a> first appeared on <a href="http://www.toddlittleton.net" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">patheological: The Podcast for the Pastor-Theologian</a>.The post <a href="http://www.toddlittleton.net/interrogate-the-language" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Interrogate the Language</a> appeared first on <a href="http://www.toddlittleton.net" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">patheological: The Podcast for the Pastor-Theologian</a>. Related posts:<ol> <li><a href="http://www.toddlittleton.net/jesus-spit-in-your-soup-an-interview-with-tripp-fuller" rel="bookmark nofollow" target="_blank">Jesus Spit In Your Soup: An Interview with Tripp Fuller</a></li> <li><a href="http://www.toddlittleton.net/the-rapture-betrays-the-incarnation-an-interview-with-jeffrey-c-pugh" rel="bookmark nofollow" target="_blank">The Rapture Betrays the Incarnation: An Interview with Jeffrey C. Pugh</a></li> <li><a href="http://www.toddlittleton.net/mr-miyagi-joan-of-arc-and-god-an-interview-with-eric-e-hall" rel="bookmark nofollow" target="_blank">Mr. Miyagi, Joan of Arc and God: An Interview with Eric E. Hall</a></li></ol>

Interrogate the Language

Greg Horton

Claims that the Woke Left is indoctrinating students in Oklahoma Public Schools have been a talking point of Oklahoma State School Superintendent Ryan Walters since he began his campaign. Once elected, erasing the Woke Agenda has been his ongoing mantra. My friend Greg Horton posted about the claims of indoctrination on his Facebook Page, to which I remarked everyone indoctrinates. We decided to have a conversation about the subject. *Greg suggested a warning that he uses salty language in our conversation. Some editing has been done. Other words remain.  The post #DEI and Indoctrination?! with Greg Horton first appeared on patheological: The Podcast for the Pastor-Theologian.The post #DEI and Indoctrination?! with Greg Horton appeared first on patheological: The Podcast for the Pastor-Theologian. Related posts: Goliath, David, and South Carolina Whose History? Whose Independence? An Interview with Alan Cross So the RNC Finds It Hard to Reign in The Donald or, Reality TV’s Presidential Nomination Edition

Claims that the Woke Left is indoctrinating students in Oklahoma Public Schools have been a talking point of Oklahoma State School Superintendent Ryan Walters since he began his campaign. Once elected, erasing the Woke Agenda has been his ongoing mantra. My friend Greg Horton posted about the claims of indoctrination on his Facebook Page, to which I remarked everyone indoctrinates. We decided to have a conversation about the subject. *Greg suggested a warning that he uses salty language in our conversation. Some editing has been done. Other words remain. The post <a href="http://www.toddlittleton.net/indoctrination-with-greg-horton" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">#DEI and Indoctrination?! with Greg Horton</a> first appeared on <a href="http://www.toddlittleton.net" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">patheological: The Podcast for the Pastor-Theologian</a>.The post <a href="http://www.toddlittleton.net/indoctrination-with-greg-horton" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">#DEI and Indoctrination?! with Greg Horton</a> appeared first on <a href="http://www.toddlittleton.net" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">patheological: The Podcast for the Pastor-Theologian</a>. Related posts:<ol> <li><a href="http://www.toddlittleton.net/goliath-david-and-south-carolina" rel="bookmark nofollow" target="_blank">Goliath, David, and South Carolina</a></li> <li><a href="http://www.toddlittleton.net/whose-history-whose-independence-an-interview-with-alan-cross" rel="bookmark nofollow" target="_blank">Whose History? Whose Independence? An Interview with Alan Cross</a></li> <li><a href="http://www.toddlittleton.net/so-the-rnc-finds-it-hard-to-reign-in-the-donald-or-reality-tvs-presidential-nomination-edition" rel="bookmark nofollow" target="_blank">So the RNC Finds It Hard to Reign in The Donald or, Reality TV’s Presidential Nomination Edition</a></li></ol>

#DEI and Indoctrination?! with Greg Horton

Kevin Driver

“Is healthcare a right or privilege?” Maybe the question needs a better frame.  Recently I was talking with my friend Marty about healthcare, high deductibles, and treatment costs. Amidst the ongoing cultural battles occupying congressional talking points I wondered on Twitter when would our legislators take up one of the more crucial human needs. Dr. Kevin Driver was quick to respond. He included a willingness to have a podcast conversation on the intersection of theology/ethics and healthcare. I dusted off the mic, reminded myself of the best recording settings, and set up the Zoom conversation. What resulted is today’s podcast.  When we think of the ideas that undergird talking Christian about healthcare what comes to your mind? Give us a listen and hear what Dr. Driver offers. If you find the podcast helpful, share it with your friends. Share it with your pastor friends as well as folks you know involved in leadership that touches on the pastoral. Also, consider heading over to iTunes, login, search for patheological and give us a five-star rating and a kind review.The post Healthcare, Theology and Ethics: A Conversation with Dr. Kevin Driver first appeared on patheological: The Podcast for the Pastor-Theologian.The post Healthcare, Theology and Ethics: A Conversation with Dr. Kevin Driver appeared first on patheological: The Podcast for the Pastor-Theologian. Related posts: Anger Can’t Live Alone: A Conversation with Scott Curry Marking Time: A Conversation with Kenneth Tanner Counterfeit Forgiveness? A Conversation with Scott Curry

“Is healthcare a right or privilege?” Maybe the question needs a better frame. Recently I was talking with my friend Marty about healthcare, high deductibles, and treatment costs. Amidst the ongoing cultural battles occupying congressional talking points I wondered on Twitter when would our legislators take up one of the more crucial human needs. Dr. Kevin Driver was quick to respond. He included a willingness to have a podcast conversation on the intersection of theology/ethics and healthcare. I dusted off the mic, reminded myself of the best recording settings, and set up the Zoom conversation. What resulted is today’s podcast. When we think of the ideas that undergird talking Christian about healthcare what comes to your mind? Give us a listen and hear what Dr. Driver offers. If you find the podcast helpful, share it with your friends. Share it with your pastor friends as well as folks you know involved in leadership that touches on the pastoral. Also, consider heading over to iTunes, login, search for patheological and give us a five-star rating and a kind review.The post <a href="http://www.toddlittleton.net/healthcare-theology-and-ethics-a-conversation-with-dr-kevin-driver" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Healthcare, Theology and Ethics: A Conversation with Dr. Kevin Driver</a> first appeared on <a href="http://www.toddlittleton.net" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">patheological: The Podcast for the Pastor-Theologian</a>.The post <a href="http://www.toddlittleton.net/healthcare-theology-and-ethics-a-conversation-with-dr-kevin-driver" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Healthcare, Theology and Ethics: A Conversation with Dr. Kevin Driver</a> appeared first on <a href="http://www.toddlittleton.net" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">patheological: The Podcast for the Pastor-Theologian</a>. Related posts:<ol> <li><a href="http://www.toddlittleton.net/anger-cant-live-alone-a-conversation-with-scott-curry" rel="bookmark nofollow" target="_blank">Anger Can’t Live Alone: A Conversation with Scott Curry</a></li> <li><a href="http://www.toddlittleton.net/marking-time-a-conversation-with-kenneth-tanner" rel="bookmark nofollow" target="_blank">Marking Time: A Conversation with Kenneth Tanner</a></li> <li><a href="http://www.toddlittleton.net/counterfeit-forgiveness-conversation-scott-curry" rel="bookmark nofollow" target="_blank">Counterfeit Forgiveness? A Conversation with Scott Curry</a></li></ol>

Healthcare, Theology and Ethics: A Conversation with Dr. Kevin Driver

Brad Mason

I tried to work in one of my favorite lines from Cold Mountain into the title.  I imagine God is weary of being called down on both sides of an argument. Inman, Cold Mountain Next week Messengers to our denominations’ annual meeting may hear proposed Resolutions on Critical Race Theory and Intersectionality. One feature of the debate over the past couple of years has been working out just how the conception of race as a social construct should inform our awareness of the way racialization has become part of the legal structures of the U.S. legal system thereby making it normal to subordinate non-white people. Some disagree with this assertion having opted for a derivative definition of CRT.  In this episode, Brad and I talk about my own difficulty understanding and agreeing that race is, in fact, a social construct. What caught my attention is that both those who see the benefit of CRT analysis and those opposed agree – race is a social construct. Even Christians agree. However, at that point it is a matter of disagreement as to who’s side God is on when it comes to the usefulness of such a conclusion. It is here where I would echo Jude Law’s character, Inman.  Where interests intersect is what some refer to as common places.  Bradly Mason joins me as we continue our series of conversations on Critical Race Theory. On this episode we discuss the common places, areas where shared interests converge in search of understanding, if not action. I should note here that I have been helped, and indebted to, Brad for taking time out of his schedule to have these conversations.  In the past week a couple of friends, pastor types, who resisted any benefit of CRT, have found these conversations helpful and admit to drawing conclusions without exploring the original sources and ideas. One young friend sent along a document dated to the Wilberforce era where the conditions that gave rise to CRT, the organized subordination of others, existed before Derrick Bell’s seminal essay just more than 30 years ago.  If you missed our previous episodes you will find them here:The Danger of Mediating IdeasWhen the Law Does Not DeliverCan Two Walk Together  If you find the podcast helpful, share it with your friends. Share it with your pastor friends as well as folks you know involved in leadership that touches on the pastoral. Also, consider heading over to iTunes, login, search for patheological and give us a five-star rating and a kind review.The post Common Places: A Conversation with Brad Mason first appeared on patheological: The Podcast for the Pastor-Theologian.The post Common Places: A Conversation with Brad Mason appeared first on patheological: The Podcast for the Pastor-Theologian. Related posts: When the Law Does Not Deliver: A Conversation with Bradly Mason What Happened to the Podcast?! Missional Theology – Not Just An Adjective: A Conversation with John Franke 

I tried to work in one of my favorite lines from Cold Mountain into the title. <blockquote>I imagine God is weary of being called down on both sides of an argument. Inman, Cold Mountain</blockquote> Next week Messengers to our denominations’ annual meeting may hear proposed Resolutions on Critical Race Theory and Intersectionality. One feature of the debate over the past couple of years has been working out just how the conception of race as a social construct should inform our awareness of the way racialization has become part of the legal structures of the U.S. legal system thereby making it normal to subordinate non-white people. Some disagree with this assertion having opted for a derivative definition of CRT. In this episode, Brad and I talk about my own difficulty understanding and agreeing that race is, in fact, a social construct. What caught my attention is that both those who see the benefit of CRT analysis and those opposed agree – race is a social construct. Even Christians agree. However, at that point it is a matter of disagreement as to who’s side God is on when it comes to the usefulness of such a conclusion. It is here where I would echo Jude Law’s character, Inman. Where interests intersect is what some refer to as common places. Bradly Mason joins me as we continue our series of conversations on Critical Race Theory. On this episode we discuss the common places, areas where shared interests converge in search of understanding, if not action. I should note here that I have been helped, and indebted to, Brad for taking time out of his schedule to have these conversations. In the past week a couple of friends, pastor types, who resisted any benefit of CRT, have found these conversations helpful and admit to drawing conclusions without exploring the original sources and ideas. One young friend sent along a document dated to the Wilberforce era where the conditions that gave rise to CRT, the organized subordination of others, existed before Derrick Bell’s seminal essay just more than 30 years ago. If you missed our previous episodes you will find them here: <a href="http://www.toddlittleton.net/the-dangers-of-mediating-ideas-a-conversation-with-bradly-mason" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">The Danger of Mediating Ideas</a> <a href="http://www.toddlittleton.net/when-the-law-does-not-deliver-a-conversation-with-bradly-mason" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">When the Law Does Not Deliver</a> <a href="http://www.toddlittleton.net/can-two-walk-together-more-with-bradly-mason-on-crt" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Can Two Walk Together</a> If you find the podcast helpful, share it with your friends. Share it with your pastor friends as well as folks you know involved in leadership that touches on the pastoral. Also, consider heading over to iTunes, login, search for patheological and give us a five-star rating and a kind review.The post <a href="http://www.toddlittleton.net/common-places-a-conversation-with-brad-mason" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Common Places: A Conversation with Brad Mason</a> first appeared on <a href="http://www.toddlittleton.net" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">patheological: The Podcast for the Pastor-Theologian</a>.The post <a href="http://www.toddlittleton.net/common-places-a-conversation-with-brad-mason" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Common Places: A Conversation with Brad Mason</a> appeared first on <a href="http://www.toddlittleton.net" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">patheological: The Podcast for the Pastor-Theologian</a>. Related posts:<ol> <li><a href="http://www.toddlittleton.net/when-the-law-does-not-deliver-a-conversation-with-bradly-mason" rel="bookmark nofollow" target="_blank">When the Law Does Not Deliver: A Conversation with Bradly Mason</a></li> <li><a href="http://www.toddlittleton.net/what-happened-to-the-podcast" rel="bookmark nofollow" target="_blank">What Happened to the Podcast?!</a></li> <li><a href="http://www.toddlittleton.net/missional-theology-not-just-an-advective-a-conversation-with-john-franke" rel="bookmark nofollow" target="_blank">Missional Theology – Not Just An Adjective: A Conversation with John Franke</a></li> </ol>

Common Places: A Conversation with Brad Mason

Bradly Mason

Near the end of our last conversation on the subject of Critical Race Theory, Bradly Mason remarked that race is a social construct for the subordination of other human beings. His statement did not go without notice. One listener sent a series of questions. If Mason asserted that race was a social construct and Founder’s Ministry agrees with that assertion, then how is it Founder’s views CRT different than Mason. Or, how is it that two agree but cannot walk together? Here are a couple of the questions: When did race become a social construct in the United States? When did it stop in the United States? During this third episode in our ongoing series on the subject of CRT, we utilize these questions to talk about how race has been used. You might find it interesting that Mason points to a source that describes how the category of race is used by one European group to subordinate another European group where skin color was not the issue. Subordinating one group to another was the economic goal. How is that not what occurred in the United States, I wondered? One gnawing matter for me is that when we discover a habit that is inconsistent with the life of Jesus, no matter how I come to learn of its presence within me, how is it I don’t see that as an occasion for sanctification? In other words, if CRT exposes the way other humans beings have been subordinated and that laws intended to change that reality are ineffective, what is wrong with the question, “How did this happen?” Isn’t this the same question post-holocaust philosophers and theologians asked after the efforts to exterminate, subordinate, one group of people by another? It is clear that a movement is at work to empty CRT of its origins, its history, and infuse it with all perceived cultural evils that must be avoided at all costs. This has actually been stated as a goal. Most call this obfuscation or watch the hand over here so you don’t see what the hand over there is doing. Even some in my denomination seem firmly entrenched in this position. I have yet to see any leaders address the origins and aspects of CRT. Really all we see is an attempt to make this analytical tool the worst thing to come along. And yet, those same Christian people claim to find analytical value in an atheistic worldview. Confounding, I know.  If you find the podcast helpful, share it with your friends. Share it with your pastor friends as well as folks you know involved in leadership that touches on the pastoral. Also, consider heading over to iTunes, login, search for patheological and give us a five-star rating and a kind review.The post Can Two Walk Together? More with Bradly Mason on CRT first appeared on patheological: The Podcast for the Pastor-Theologian.The post Can Two Walk Together? More with Bradly Mason on CRT appeared first on patheological: The Podcast for the Pastor-Theologian. Related posts: When the Law Does Not Deliver: A Conversation with Bradly Mason The Dangers of Mediating Ideas: A Conversation with Bradly Mason Anger Can’t Live Alone: A Conversation with Scott Curry

Near the end of our <a href="http://www.toddlittleton.net/when-the-law-does-not-deliver-a-conversation-with-bradly-mason" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">last conversation</a> on the subject of Critical Race Theory, Bradly Mason remarked that race is a social construct for the subordination of other human beings. His statement did not go without notice. One listener sent a series of questions. If Mason asserted that race was a social construct and Founder’s Ministry agrees with that assertion, then how is it Founder’s views CRT different than Mason. Or, how is it that two agree but cannot walk together? Here are a couple of the questions: When did race become a social construct in the United States? When did it stop in the United States? During this third episode in our ongoing series on the subject of CRT, we utilize these questions to talk about how race has been used. You might find it interesting that Mason points to a source that describes how the category of race is used by one European group to subordinate another European group where skin color was not the issue. Subordinating one group to another was the economic goal. How is that not what occurred in the United States, I wondered? One gnawing matter for me is that when we discover a habit that is inconsistent with the life of Jesus, no matter how I come to learn of its presence within me, how is it I don’t see that as an occasion for sanctification? In other words, if CRT exposes the way other humans beings have been subordinated and that laws intended to change that reality are ineffective, what is wrong with the question, “How did this happen?” Isn’t this the same question post-holocaust philosophers and theologians asked after the efforts to exterminate, subordinate, one group of people by another? It is clear that a movement is at work to empty CRT of its origins, its history, and infuse it with all perceived cultural evils that must be avoided at all costs. This has actually been stated as a goal. Most call this obfuscation or watch the hand over here so you don’t see what the hand over there is doing. Even some in my denomination seem firmly entrenched in this position. I have yet to see any leaders address the origins and aspects of CRT. Really all we see is an attempt to make this analytical tool the worst thing to come along. And yet, those same Christian people claim to find analytical value in an atheistic worldview. Confounding, I know. If you find the podcast helpful, share it with your friends. Share it with your pastor friends as well as folks you know involved in leadership that touches on the pastoral. Also, consider heading over to iTunes, login, search for patheological and give us a five-star rating and a kind review.The post <a href="http://www.toddlittleton.net/can-two-walk-together-more-with-bradly-mason-on-crt" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Can Two Walk Together? More with Bradly Mason on CRT</a> first appeared on <a href="http://www.toddlittleton.net" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">patheological: The Podcast for the Pastor-Theologian</a>.The post <a href="http://www.toddlittleton.net/can-two-walk-together-more-with-bradly-mason-on-crt" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Can Two Walk Together? More with Bradly Mason on CRT</a> appeared first on <a href="http://www.toddlittleton.net" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">patheological: The Podcast for the Pastor-Theologian</a>. Related posts:<ol> <li><a href="http://www.toddlittleton.net/when-the-law-does-not-deliver-a-conversation-with-bradly-mason" rel="bookmark nofollow" target="_blank">When the Law Does Not Deliver: A Conversation with Bradly Mason</a></li> <li><a href="http://www.toddlittleton.net/the-dangers-of-mediating-ideas-a-conversation-with-bradly-mason" rel="bookmark nofollow" target="_blank">The Dangers of Mediating Ideas: A Conversation with Bradly Mason</a></li> <li><a href="http://www.toddlittleton.net/anger-cant-live-alone-a-conversation-with-scott-curry" rel="bookmark nofollow" target="_blank">Anger Can’t Live Alone: A Conversation with Scott Curry</a></li></ol>

Can Two Walk Together? More with Bradly Mason on CRT

In our best Schwarzenegger voice, “We said we’d be back!” Sojourner’s interviewed Nathan Cartagena on teaching Critical Race Theory to Evangelicals. When asked about the different assumptions students have when taking a class on critical race theory now that CRT is such a lightning rod subject he noted, Oh yes. When I first started teaching, most people had never heard of critical race theory, and they certainly weren’t familiar with an acronym. Now, the teaching is harder. People are carrying a whole host of ideas about CRT, the overwhelming majority of which are completely false.Why Nathan Cartagena Teaches Critical Race Theory to Evangelicals What would it mean if pastors and church leaders paused to explore the roots of a theory that grew out of trying to answer the question, “How is it the new law did not make the difference it promised?” Wouldn’t there be a bit more sympathy knowing that this is also a question that could have well originated with the Apostle Paul who wrote to Roman Christians pointing out that, For what the law was powerless to do because it was weakened by the flesh, God did by sending his own Son in the likeness of sinful flesh to be a sin offering.Romans 8:3 On today’s podcast I am joined once again by Bradly Mason, @AlsoaCarpenter. We take up the task to give a genealogy of ideas, the “Where did this come from?” by looking at Derrick Bell’s essay, Serving Two Masters: Integration Ideals and Client Interests in School Desegregation Litigation found in Critical Race Theory: The Key Writings That Formed the Movement. For those, like me, that recall when your public school district desegrated, you know that desegregation did not necessarily obtain integration. If you carry that further, one may realize that the educational goals aimed for in desegregation rules did not materialize. Civil Rights advacates, and Critical Legal Scholars, began wondering how is it the law did not accomplish its aim. Litigation ensued to insist the goals remain at the forefront and not the simple satisfaction that white and black students attended school in the same building. Going back to legal decisions led to a critical look at laws past that seemed unable to achieve their end and a theory as to what happened resulted. Nothing nefarious. But, the questions remain uncomfortable in light of the annual statistics that leave some wrongly concluding that the issue rests solely with the person and not with the structure. And this will hopefully whet your appetite to understand the intellectual history that developed in light of our social history. For pastors wondering about the helpfulness, or not, of the insights into our legal system consider again what enabled the Apostle to see the ineffectual nature of the law to overcome the Powers of Sin and Death. Until Revelation came, Saul was content to let things be as they were. What if, the way things are, keep us from seeing what could be when a legal theory revealed to us ways we ourselves were blind to the other, to our neighbor? At least give us a look-see or listen. if you missed our first conversation, here is the link: The Dangers of Mediating Ideas: A Conversation with Bradly Mason   If you find the podcast helpful, share it with your friends. Share it with your pastor friends as well as folks you know involved in leadership that touches on the pastoral. Also, consider heading over to iTunes, login, search for patheological and give us a five-star rating and a kind review.The post When the Law Does Not Deliver: A Conversation with Bradly Mason first appeared on patheological: The Podcast for the Pastor-Theologian.The post When the Law Does Not Deliver: A Conversation with Bradly Mason appeared first on patheological: The Podcast for the Pastor-Theologian. Related posts: Trolling Christian Twitter for Nuggets of Gold The Dangers of Mediating Ideas: A Conversation with Bradly Mason Not Just a Nerdy Endeavor: A Conversation with Eric Hall and Nathan Gilmour

In our best Schwarzenegger voice, “We said we’d be back!” Sojourner’s interviewed Nathan Cartagena on teaching Critical Race Theory to Evangelicals. When asked about the different assumptions students have when taking a class on critical race theory now that CRT is such a lightning rod subject he noted, <blockquote>Oh yes. When I first started teaching, most people had never heard of critical race theory, and they certainly weren’t familiar with an acronym. Now, the teaching is harder. People are carrying a whole host of ideas about CRT, the overwhelming majority of which are completely false.<a href="https://sojo.net/articles/why-nathan-cartagena-teaches-critical-race-theory-evangelicals" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Why Nathan Cartagena Teaches Critical Race Theory to Evangelicals</a></blockquote> What would it mean if pastors and church leaders paused to explore the roots of a theory that grew out of trying to answer the question, “How is it the new law did not make the difference it promised?” Wouldn’t there be a bit more sympathy knowing that this is also a question that could have well originated with the Apostle Paul who wrote to Roman Christians pointing out that, <blockquote>For what the law was powerless to do because it was weakened by the flesh, God did by sending his own Son in the likeness of sinful flesh to be a sin offering.Romans 8:3</blockquote> On today’s podcast I am joined once again by <a href="https://alsoacarpenter.com" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Bradly Maso</a>n, @AlsoaCarpenter. We take up the task to give a genealogy of ideas, the “Where did this come from?” by looking at Derrick Bell’s essay, Serving Two Masters: Integration Ideals and Client Interests in School Desegregation Litigation found in <a href="https://amzn.to/3o9xTio" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Critical Race Theory: The Key Writings That Formed the Movement</a>. For those, like me, that recall when your public school district desegrated, you know that desegregation did not necessarily obtain integration. If you carry that further, one may realize that the educational goals aimed for in desegregation rules did not materialize. Civil Rights advacates, and Critical Legal Scholars, began wondering how is it the law did not accomplish its aim. Litigation ensued to insist the goals remain at the forefront and not the simple satisfaction that white and black students attended school in the same building. Going back to legal decisions led to a critical look at laws past that seemed unable to achieve their end and a theory as to what happened resulted. Nothing nefarious. But, the questions remain uncomfortable in light of the annual statistics that leave some wrongly concluding that the issue rests solely with the person and not with the structure. And this will hopefully whet your appetite to understand the intellectual history that developed in light of our social history. For pastors wondering about the helpfulness, or not, of the insights into our legal system consider again what enabled the Apostle to see the ineffectual nature of the law to overcome the Powers of Sin and Death. Until Revelation came, Saul was content to let things be as they were. What if, the way things are, keep us from seeing what could be when a legal theory revealed to us ways we ourselves were blind to the other, to our neighbor? At least give us a look-see or listen. if you missed our first conversation, here is the link: <a href="http://www.toddlittleton.net/the-dangers-of-mediating-ideas-a-conversation-with-bradly-mason" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">The Dangers of Mediating Ideas: A Conversation with Bradly Mason</a> If you find the podcast helpful, share it with your friends. Share it with your pastor friends as well as folks you know involved in leadership that touches on the pastoral. Also, consider heading over to iTunes, login, search for patheological and give us a five-star rating and a kind review.The post <a href="http://www.toddlittleton.net/when-the-law-does-not-deliver-a-conversation-with-bradly-mason" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">When the Law Does Not Deliver: A Conversation with Bradly Mason</a> first appeared on <a href="http://www.toddlittleton.net" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">patheological: The Podcast for the Pastor-Theologian</a>.The post <a href="http://www.toddlittleton.net/when-the-law-does-not-deliver-a-conversation-with-bradly-mason" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">When the Law Does Not Deliver: A Conversation with Bradly Mason</a> appeared first on <a href="http://www.toddlittleton.net" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">patheological: The Podcast for the Pastor-Theologian</a>. Related posts:<ol> <li><a href="http://www.toddlittleton.net/trolling-christian-twitter-for-nuggets-of-gold" rel="bookmark nofollow" target="_blank">Trolling Christian Twitter for Nuggets of Gold</a></li> <li><a href="http://www.toddlittleton.net/the-dangers-of-mediating-ideas-a-conversation-with-bradly-mason" rel="bookmark nofollow" target="_blank">The Dangers of Mediating Ideas: A Conversation with Bradly Mason</a></li> <li><a href="http://www.toddlittleton.net/not-just-a-nerdy-endeavor-a-conversation-with-eric-hall-and-nathan-gilmour" rel="bookmark nofollow" target="_blank">Not Just a Nerdy Endeavor: A Conversation with Eric Hall and Nathan Gilmour</a></li></ol>

When the Law Does Not Deliver: A Conversation with Bradly Mason

Pastor, do you have time to read the near 500 pages of Critical Race Theory: The Key Writings That Formed the Movement?” Maybe you have time between weekly sermon preparation, pastoral responsibilities, and any administrative tasks that accompany your particular ministry setting. Try as we might to be aware and versed in every developing subject, it is not possible. Think of it like this. Many of us entered seminary with the goal of learning the Biblical languages. We enter small church pastorates where the time needed to translate and exegete those passages diminished as we served as preacher, pastor, music leader, and discipleship coordinator while giving time to our families. Bible software like Accordance and Logos provide us with quick tools, shortcuts, to those textual resources. We trust the developers to take account of the most recent scholarship with regular updates of our preferred Greek New Testament, for example. Should we learn their product offers shoddy parsing or less than robust dictionary entries, we look elsewhere; or not. At this point we are assigning those sources with an authority on which we plan sermons, Bible studies, and other writing where we will take up textual nuance as important. We do this with other subjects about which we know little.  Take for instance the current controversies circulating around Critical Race Theory. We look for those from whom we may learn since we don’t have the time to give to reading original sources. What matters is who we choose as our authority on the subject. If our authority has never read an original source then maybe we should look for another.  Enter Bradly Mason. The pandemic gave Mason the opportunity to give a year to reading original sources related to Critical Race Theory. EDIT: Bradly has been writing on Critical Theory and Critical Race Theory for at least two years. This past year provided more time than usual given the pandemic restrictions. It should also be noted here that per my last podcast episode with Carl Raschke, Critical Theory and Critical Race Theory have different genealogies (origins). Armed with a degree in philosophy and logic he has assessed the brouhaha over CRT and found it lacking in substantive critique. The issue: many are critiquing something about which they know too little. As you will find in our first conversation, it seems quite an ethical tar baby to at once offer a critique of something you read about from secondary sources who utilize ideas for an altogether different purpose. Think of bearing false witness. Mason wants no part of breaking that commandment, even if @Asloacarpenter has been accused of such in the Twitterverse. Most of the pushback on Mason has come from those who have read his articles. And, it is also true that his critics have inspired him to respond with posts that address specific issues. Here are some places you may find Bradly’s writing: Bradly Mason’s personal website: https://alsoacarpenter.comFront Porch Series on CRT begins here: The Christian and Critical Race Theory (A Series)Bradly Mason on Twitter  If you find the podcast helpful, share it with your friends. Share it with your pastor friends as well as folks you know involved in leadership that touches on the pastoral. Also, consider heading over to iTunes, login, search for patheological and give us a five-star rating and a kind review.The post The Dangers of Mediating Ideas: A Conversation with Bradly Mason first appeared on patheological: The Podcast for the Pastor-Theologian.The post The Dangers of Mediating Ideas: A Conversation with Bradly Mason appeared first on patheological: The Podcast for the Pastor-Theologian. Related posts: Pariah, Corporatist News, and Literacy, An Interview with Marty Duren Intersecting Jon Stewart Without Derailing the Subject: An Interview with Natalie Burris Man-Crushing Tuesday or, When Jason Micheli and Teer Hardy Flip the Script on Me 

Pastor, do you have time to read the near 500 pages of Critical Race Theory: The Key Writings That Formed the Movement?” Maybe you have time between weekly sermon preparation, pastoral responsibilities, and any administrative tasks that accompany your particular ministry setting. Try as we might to be aware and versed in every developing subject, it is not possible. Think of it like this. Many of us entered seminary with the goal of learning the Biblical languages. We enter small church pastorates where the time needed to translate and exegete those passages diminished as we served as preacher, pastor, music leader, and discipleship coordinator while giving time to our families. Bible software like Accordance and Logos provide us with quick tools, shortcuts, to those textual resources. We trust the developers to take account of the most recent scholarship with regular updates of our preferred Greek New Testament, for example. Should we learn their product offers shoddy parsing or less than robust dictionary entries, we look elsewhere; or not. At this point we are assigning those sources with an authority on which we plan sermons, Bible studies, and other writing where we will take up textual nuance as important. We do this with other subjects about which we know little. Take for instance the current controversies circulating around Critical Race Theory. We look for those from whom we may learn since we don’t have the time to give to reading original sources. What matters is who we choose as our authority on the subject. If our authority has never read an original source then maybe we should look for another. Enter Bradly Mason. The pandemic gave Mason the opportunity to give a year to reading original sources related to Critical Race Theory. EDIT: Bradly has been writing on Critical Theory and Critical Race Theory for at least two years. This past year provided more time than usual given the pandemic restrictions. It should also be noted here that per my last podcast episode with Carl Raschke, Critical Theory and Critical Race Theory have different genealogies (origins). Armed with a degree in philosophy and logic he has assessed the brouhaha over CRT and found it lacking in substantive critique. The issue: many are critiquing something about which they know too little. As you will find in our first conversation, it seems quite an ethical tar baby to at once offer a critique of something you read about from secondary sources who utilize ideas for an altogether different purpose. Think of bearing false witness. Mason wants no part of breaking that commandment, even if @Asloacarpenter has been accused of such in the Twitterverse. Most of the pushback on Mason has come from those who have read his articles. And, it is also true that his critics have inspired him to respond with posts that address specific issues. Here are some places you may find Bradly’s writing: Bradly Mason’s personal website: <a href="https://alsoacarpenter.com" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">https://alsoacarpenter.com</a> Front Porch Series on CRT begins here: <a href="https://thefrontporch.org/2020/06/the-christian-and-critical-race-theory-part-1-a-survey-of-the-traditional-civil-rights-discourse/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">The Christian and Critical Race Theory (A Series)</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/AlsoACarpenter?ref_src=twsrc%5Egoogle%7Ctwcamp%5Eserp%7Ctwgr%5Eauthor" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Bradly Mason on Twitter</a> If you find the podcast helpful, share it with your friends. Share it with your pastor friends as well as folks you know involved in leadership that touches on the pastoral. Also, consider heading over to iTunes, login, search for patheological and give us a five-star rating and a kind review.The post <a href="http://www.toddlittleton.net/the-dangers-of-mediating-ideas-a-conversation-with-bradly-mason" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">The Dangers of Mediating Ideas: A Conversation with Bradly Mason</a> first appeared on <a href="http://www.toddlittleton.net" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">patheological: The Podcast for the Pastor-Theologian</a>.The post <a href="http://www.toddlittleton.net/the-dangers-of-mediating-ideas-a-conversation-with-bradly-mason" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">The Dangers of Mediating Ideas: A Conversation with Bradly Mason</a> appeared first on <a href="http://www.toddlittleton.net" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">patheological: The Podcast for the Pastor-Theologian</a>. Related posts:<ol> <li><a href="http://www.toddlittleton.net/pariah-corporatist-news-and-literacy-an-interview-with-marty-duren" rel="bookmark nofollow" target="_blank">Pariah, Corporatist News, and Literacy, An Interview with Marty Duren</a></li> <li><a href="http://www.toddlittleton.net/intersecting-jon-stewart-without-derailing-the-subject-an-interview-with-natalie-burris" rel="bookmark nofollow" target="_blank">Intersecting Jon Stewart Without Derailing the Subject: An Interview with Natalie Burris</a></li> <li><a href="http://www.toddlittleton.net/man-crushing-tuesday-or-when-jason-micheli-and-teer-hardy-flip-the-script-on-me" rel="bookmark nofollow" target="_blank">Man-Crushing Tuesday or, When Jason Micheli and Teer Hardy Flip the Script on Me</a></li> </ol>

The Dangers of Mediating Ideas: A Conversation with Bradly Mason

Carl Raschke

“The just shall live by faith,” represents the Scriptural hammer of the Reformation. Five hundred years later many Evangelicals have decided they are the hammer and everything else is a nail. Rooting out the greatest dangers to Christianity has become a favorite past time, if not as cottage industry, among some in my own Christian tribe. It calls back to the days of my childhood and youth where we were always on the lookout for the Antichrist, never reasoning with John’s description that antichirsts have already gone out into the world. Numerology and a hermeneutic given to fearing the worst rather than facing the future with love and trusting God for our future meant advertising signs and symbols and backward masking on LPs were scrutinized while hunger and racial conflict were for others to solve. Seventeen years ago Carl Raschke sought to get the attention of Evangelicals with his book, The Next Reformation: Why Evangelicals Must Embrace Postmodernity. Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary reviewed the book in an edition of its journal. Introducing post-structural thought and how it could be useful when speaking to wider culture was strongly resisted. Today the gravest issue to threaten the Church today, according to some, is Critical Race Theory (CRT). Enter Carl Raschke, again. Five years ago Carl wrote, Critical Theology: Introducing an Agenda for an Age of Global Crisis. Last year InterVarsity Press remaindered this little book and I was able to catch it on the cheap. Circumstances beyond Carl’s control left this project dwindling in obscurity. Sad. I reached out to Carl to talk about this book that offers a great intellectual history of Critical Theory (CT). Many today conflate CT with CRT. As Carl and I were discussing what to talk about he made a point to note this and suggested our conversation might be more profitable to talk about CRT, the Church and a new trend in global conversations, decoloniality.  Thanks to Carl for coming on the podcast to discuss these issues and challenge us toward a Radical Incarnation characterized by listening and forgiveness. And you thought philosophers had nothing to contribute to a theology that supports faith. Here are some titles from Carl that are worth checking out, including a soon to be released book. The End of TheologyThe Next Reformation: What Evangelicalism Must Embrace PostmodernityGloboChrist: The Great Commission Takes a Postmodern TurnCritical Theology: Introducing an Agenda for an Age of Global CrisisPostmodern Theology: A BiopicNeoliberalism and Political Theology: From Kant to Identity Politics (Soon to be released)  If you find the podcast helpful, share it with your friends. Share it with your pastor friends as well as folks you know involved in leadership that touches on the pastoral. Also, consider heading over to iTunes, login, search for patheological and give us a five-star rating and a kind review.The post Listening and Forgiveness: A Conversation with Carl Raschke first appeared on patheological: The Podcast for the Pastor-Theologian.The post Listening and Forgiveness: A Conversation with Carl Raschke appeared first on patheological: The Podcast for the Pastor-Theologian. Related posts: Anger Can’t Live Alone: A Conversation with Scott Curry Counterfeit Forgiveness? A Conversation with Scott Curry Living in Sin: A Conversation with Jason Micheli 

“The just shall live by faith,” represents the Scriptural hammer of the Reformation. Five hundred years later many Evangelicals have decided they are the hammer and everything else is a nail. Rooting out the greatest dangers to Christianity has become a favorite past time, if not as cottage industry, among some in my own Christian tribe. It calls back to the days of my childhood and youth where we were always on the lookout for the Antichrist, never reasoning with John’s description that antichirsts have already gone out into the world. Numerology and a hermeneutic given to fearing the worst rather than facing the future with love and trusting God for our future meant advertising signs and symbols and backward masking on LPs were scrutinized while hunger and racial conflict were for others to solve. Seventeen years ago Carl Raschke sought to get the attention of Evangelicals with his book, <a href="https://amzn.to/2OTbwAI" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">The Next Reformation: Why Evangelicals Must Embrace Postmodernity</a>. Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary reviewed the book in an edition of its journal. Introducing post-structural thought and how it could be useful when speaking to wider culture was strongly resisted. Today the gravest issue to threaten the Church today, according to some, is Critical Race Theory (CRT). Enter Carl Raschke, again. Five years ago Carl wrote, <a href="https://amzn.to/2OZhQXA" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Critical Theology: Introducing an Agenda for an Age of Global Crisis</a>. Last year InterVarsity Press remaindered this little book and I was able to catch it on the cheap. Circumstances beyond Carl’s control left this project dwindling in obscurity. Sad. I reached out to Carl to talk about this book that offers a great intellectual history of Critical Theory (CT). Many today conflate CT with CRT. As Carl and I were discussing what to talk about he made a point to note this and suggested our conversation might be more profitable to talk about CRT, the Church and a new trend in global conversations, decoloniality. Thanks to Carl for coming on the podcast to discuss these issues and challenge us toward a Radical Incarnation characterized by listening and forgiveness. And you thought philosophers had nothing to contribute to a theology that supports faith. Here are some titles from Carl that are worth checking out, including a soon to be released book. <a href="https://amzn.to/3gilA1l" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">The End of Theology</a> <a href="https://amzn.to/3wYlQbU" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">The Next Reformation: What Evangelicalism Must Embrace Postmodernity</a> <a href="https://amzn.to/3tsFCtT" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">GloboChrist: The Great Commission Takes a Postmodern Turn</a> <a href="https://amzn.to/3e7NzhB" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Critical Theology: Introducing an Agenda for an Age of Global Crisis</a> <a href="https://amzn.to/3ahtIvz" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Postmodern Theology: A Biopic</a> <a href="https://amzn.to/2Qc1YBB" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Neoliberalism and Political Theology: From Kant to Identity Politics</a> (Soon to be released) If you find the podcast helpful, share it with your friends. Share it with your pastor friends as well as folks you know involved in leadership that touches on the pastoral. Also, consider heading over to iTunes, login, search for patheological and give us a five-star rating and a kind review.The post <a href="http://www.toddlittleton.net/listening-and-forgiveness-a-conversation-with-carl-raschke" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Listening and Forgiveness: A Conversation with Carl Raschke</a> first appeared on <a href="http://www.toddlittleton.net" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">patheological: The Podcast for the Pastor-Theologian</a>.The post <a href="http://www.toddlittleton.net/listening-and-forgiveness-a-conversation-with-carl-raschke" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Listening and Forgiveness: A Conversation with Carl Raschke</a> appeared first on <a href="http://www.toddlittleton.net" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">patheological: The Podcast for the Pastor-Theologian</a>. Related posts:<ol> <li><a href="http://www.toddlittleton.net/anger-cant-live-alone-a-conversation-with-scott-curry" rel="bookmark nofollow" target="_blank">Anger Can’t Live Alone: A Conversation with Scott Curry</a></li> <li><a href="http://www.toddlittleton.net/counterfeit-forgiveness-conversation-scott-curry" rel="bookmark nofollow" target="_blank">Counterfeit Forgiveness? A Conversation with Scott Curry</a></li> <li><a href="http://www.toddlittleton.net/living-in-sin-a-conversation-with-jason-micheli" rel="bookmark nofollow" target="_blank">Living in Sin: A Conversation with Jason Micheli</a></li> </ol>

Listening and Forgiveness: A Conversation with Carl Raschke

John Franke

One of my friends once pointed out that any time -al is added to describe a theological perspective the emphasis is on the adjective more than on talk about God. Practically time is given to explain the adjective and what often gets obscured is the god/God under consideration. Enter John R. Franke. In his new book, released last year, John R., Franke proposes that the nature of God is missional, or put another way, Mission is God’s nature. While John would not argue that it is all that we can say about God, he would suggest that when we look at God’s activity we discover that God has always been on mission. Thus for John, -al, in missional does not detract from talk about God but instead is central to assessing the activity of God from beginning to end – from the Garden to the Eschaton. Today on the podcast I take up a conversation with John. We met in the early 2000s while he was at Biblical Seminary. One of the last times we were together was during a special installation service held for him at Biblical. There were two keynote speakers – Darrel Guder and Scot McKnight. Franke leans heavily on Guder who may be the instigator of the missional turn with his book, The Missional Church. My introduction to Guder was in his book, The Continual Conversion of the Church. McKnight was encouraging. When John’s book dropped, Scot remarked in his blog post, “Finally!” That is exactly how I felt. We never know whose path we will cross along the way. I am glad that our paths crossed those years ago. I found this interview the best way to shake off the cobwebs of the podcast with a view to getting back on track, or on mission if you will. Here are some titles from John that you may want to check out AFTER you order his newest book, Missional Theology: An Introduction. Beyond Foundationalism (with the last Stan Grenz) Manifold Witness Barth for Armchair Theologians  If you find the podcast helpful, share it with your friends. Share it with your pastor friends as well as folks you know involved in leadership that touches on the pastoral. Also, consider heading over to iTunes, login, search for patheological and give us a five-star rating and a kind review.The post Missional Theology – Not Just An Adjective: A Conversation with John Franke first appeared on patheological: The Podcast for the Pastor-Theologian.The post Missional Theology – Not Just An Adjective: A Conversation with John Franke appeared first on patheological: The Podcast for the Pastor-Theologian. Related posts: Love Can’t: An Interview with Thomas J Oord Counterfeit Forgiveness? A Conversation with Scott Curry Resident Exile: A Conversation with Bill Borror

One of my friends once pointed out that any time -al is added to describe a theological perspective the emphasis is on the adjective more than on talk about God. Practically time is given to explain the adjective and what often gets obscured is the god/God under consideration. Enter John R. Franke. In his new book, released last year, John R., Franke proposes that the nature of God is missional, or put another way, Mission is God’s nature. While John would not argue that it is all that we can say about God, he would suggest that when we look at God’s activity we discover that God has always been on mission. Thus for John, -al, in missional does not detract from talk about God but instead is central to assessing the activity of God from beginning to end – from the Garden to the Eschaton. Today on the podcast I take up a conversation with John. We met in the early 2000s while he was at Biblical Seminary. One of the last times we were together was during a special installation service held for him at Biblical. There were two keynote speakers – Darrel Guder and Scot McKnight. Franke leans heavily on Guder who may be the instigator of the missional turn with his book, The Missional Church. My introduction to Guder was in his book, The Continual Conversion of the Church. McKnight was encouraging. When John’s book dropped, Scot remarked in his blog post, “Finally!” That is exactly how I felt. We never know whose path we will cross along the way. I am glad that our paths crossed those years ago. I found this interview the best way to shake off the cobwebs of the podcast with a view to getting back on track, or on mission if you will. Here are some titles from John that you may want to check out AFTER you order his newest book, <a href="https://amzn.to/3qUkACu" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Missional Theology: An Introduction</a>. <a href="https://amzn.to/3qUkACu" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Beyond Foundationalism</a> (with the last Stan Grenz) <a href="https://amzn.to/3vzLeUP" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Manifold Witness</a> <a href="https://amzn.to/3bRGZMd" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Barth for Armchair Theologians</a> If you find the podcast helpful, share it with your friends. Share it with your pastor friends as well as folks you know involved in leadership that touches on the pastoral. Also, consider heading over to iTunes, login, search for patheological and give us a five-star rating and a kind review.The post <a href="http://www.toddlittleton.net/missional-theology-not-just-an-advective-a-conversation-with-john-franke" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Missional Theology – Not Just An Adjective: A Conversation with John Franke</a> first appeared on <a href="http://www.toddlittleton.net" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">patheological: The Podcast for the Pastor-Theologian</a>.The post <a href="http://www.toddlittleton.net/missional-theology-not-just-an-advective-a-conversation-with-john-franke" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Missional Theology – Not Just An Adjective: A Conversation with John Franke</a> appeared first on <a href="http://www.toddlittleton.net" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">patheological: The Podcast for the Pastor-Theologian</a>. Related posts:<ol> <li><a href="http://www.toddlittleton.net/love-cant-an-interview-with-thomas-j-oord" rel="bookmark nofollow" target="_blank">Love Can’t: An Interview with Thomas J Oord</a></li> <li><a href="http://www.toddlittleton.net/counterfeit-forgiveness-conversation-scott-curry" rel="bookmark nofollow" target="_blank">Counterfeit Forgiveness? A Conversation with Scott Curry</a></li> <li><a href="http://www.toddlittleton.net/resident-exile-a-conversation-with-bill-borror" rel="bookmark nofollow" target="_blank">Resident Exile: A Conversation with Bill Borror</a></li></ol>

Missional Theology – Not Just An Adjective: A Conversation with John Franke

Exploring the intersection of pastoral work and theology.

Such a great podcast, Todd is awesome! I want more episodes!

Need more!

Always challenging to listen as your own thought is challenged for change and understanding.

Insightful Learning

patheological: The Podcast for the Pastor Theologian

Peter Enns

If I had known Peter‘s birthday was Tuesday, I would have dropped this podcast then. After all, what better birthday gift for Pete than for our conversation to drop on the Interwebs! You know he will agree. The Bible Tells Me So Jesus loves me. In the 1860 novel, Say and Seal, the words of the song many of us grew up singing aimed to soothe a dying child. Not just a few adults today worry when they read certain parts of the Bible, and wonder how to make sense of it, does Jesus indeed love them questions and all. Maybe you would dismiss this concern out of hand. Sure Jesus loves us, questions and all. Yes, he does. The real question is will my pastor, mentor, parent or peers love me when his or her interpretation is different. Rightly dividing the Word of Truth has come to be a shibboleth intended to enforce a new law. Jesus plus a preferential interpretation equals fellowship for many. Could be you have never encountered such dispositions. Many of us have. The Sin of Certainty Take Five Views on Biblical Inerrancy (Counterpoints: Bible and Theology). Each of the five contributors represents differing positions. Reading the different authors and their opinions the reader picks up an air of confidence from each one. It may even come across as certain. Each writer, even if nuanced, finds the Bible to hold authority. How that gets meted out and what the particular writer views as a threat to that authority differ. Enns may suggest that is how the Bible works. In a recent video at Work of the People, Enns notes the Bible resists human control. One way control manifests itself, at least following Enns’ assertion, is the way human beings hold the Scripture and require certainty rather than faith. People are to be loved not get bludgeoned by the Holy Book. The Myth of Disrespect Maybe you have been on the receiving end of that friend, fellow pastor, pastor or peer who accused you of a low view of Scripture, or a disrespect of the Word of God. One more illustration of bludgeoning with the Bible. None of the authors, though they have differing opinions about how or if inerrancy works, disrespects the Sacred Text. Though we did not talk about it in this conversation, I think Enns’ reading would be something like Tremper Longman’s Christotelic hermeneutic. You would find this in Longman’s commentary on Ecclesiastes, The Book of Ecclesiastes (The New International Commentary on the Old Testament). Enns’ proposal comes into full view when we talk about teaching the Bible, particularly the Old Testament, to children. In fact, he offers a guide for parents interested in how to teach children whose grasp of the abstract is not yet fully developed. You can find those resources here. Though Pete thinks his podcast is the greatest on the Internet, throwing a little shade on all others, it does offer a resource for what he and his sidekick Jared Byas, The Bible for Normal People. One of the key things that resonated with me as I have followed Pete and engaged him in conversation – Pete to practices “faith seeking understanding” as he reads the Scriptures. In that, he follows in the footsteps of Anselm’s well-known motto. If you find the podcast helpful, share it with your friends. Share it with your pastor friends as well as folks you know involved in leadership that touches on the pastoral. Also, consider heading over to iTunes, login, search for patheological and give us a five-star rating and a kind review.The post Reading the Bible: A Conversation with Peter Enns first appeared on patheological: The Podcast for the Pastor-Theologian.The post Reading the Bible: A Conversation with Peter Enns appeared first on patheological: The Podcast for the Pastor-Theologian. Related posts: The Rapture Betrays the Incarnation: An Interview with Jeffrey C. Pugh When In Romans: A Conversation with Beverly Gaventa and Jason Micheli Surviving the Bible: A Conversation with Christian Piatt

If I had known <a href="https://peteenns.com/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Peter</a>‘s birthday was Tuesday, I would have dropped this podcast then. After all, what better birthday gift for Pete than for our conversation to drop on the Interwebs! You know he will agree. <h2>The Bible Tells Me So</h2> <a href="https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0062272039/ref=as_li_tl?ie=UTF8&amp;camp=1789&amp;creative=9325&amp;creativeASIN=0062272039&amp;linkCode=as2&amp;tag=justtodd-20&amp;linkId=d66046d205d4e0685bcb574659bbeea7" rel="noopener nofollow" target="_blank"></a>Jesus loves me. In the 1860 novel, <a href="https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jesus_Loves_Me" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Say and Seal</a>, the words of the song many of us grew up singing aimed to soothe a dying child. Not just a few adults today worry when they read certain parts of the Bible, and wonder how to make sense of it, does Jesus indeed love them questions and all. Maybe you would dismiss this concern out of hand. Sure Jesus loves us, questions and all. Yes, he does. The real question is will my pastor, mentor, parent or peers love me when his or her interpretation is different. Rightly dividing the Word of Truth has come to be a shibboleth intended to enforce a new law. Jesus plus a preferential interpretation equals fellowship for many. Could be you have never encountered such dispositions. Many of us have. <h2>The Sin of Certainty</h2> <a href="https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/006227208X/ref=as_li_tl?ie=UTF8&amp;camp=1789&amp;creative=9325&amp;creativeASIN=006227208X&amp;linkCode=as2&amp;tag=justtodd-20&amp;linkId=247ce1231a4e508021f671c9c0200573" rel="noopener nofollow" target="_blank"></a>Take <a href="https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0310331366/ref=as_li_tl?ie=UTF8&amp;camp=1789&amp;creative=9325&amp;creativeASIN=0310331366&amp;linkCode=as2&amp;tag=justtodd-20&amp;linkId=725186474d90356c8dd885f127d96d5d" rel="noopener nofollow" target="_blank">Five Views on Biblical Inerrancy (Counterpoints: Bible and Theology)</a>. Each of the five contributors represents differing positions. Reading the different authors and their opinions the reader picks up an air of confidence from each one. It may even come across as certain. Each writer, even if nuanced, finds the Bible to hold authority. How that gets meted out and what the particular writer views as a threat to that authority differ. Enns may suggest that is how the Bible works. In a recent <a href="http://www.theworkofthepeople.com/bundle/the-bible-tells-me-so" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">video at Work of the People</a>, Enns notes the Bible resists human control. One way control manifests itself, at least following Enns’ assertion, is the way human beings hold the Scripture and require certainty rather than faith. People are to be loved not get bludgeoned by the Holy Book. <h2>The Myth of Disrespect</h2> Maybe you have been on the receiving end of that friend, fellow pastor, pastor or peer who accused you of a low view of Scripture, or a disrespect of the Word of God. One more illustration of bludgeoning with the Bible. None of the authors, though they have differing opinions about how or if inerrancy works, disrespects the Sacred Text. Though we did not talk about it in this conversation, I think Enns’ reading would be something like Tremper Longman’s Christotelic hermeneutic. You would find this in Longman’s commentary on Ecclesiastes, <a href="https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0802823661/ref=as_li_tl?ie=UTF8&amp;camp=1789&amp;creative=9325&amp;creativeASIN=0802823661&amp;linkCode=as2&amp;tag=justtodd-20&amp;linkId=05dc5910bd8958b3307ecab558d1ece1" rel="noopener nofollow" target="_blank">The Book of Ecclesiastes (The New International Commentary on the Old Testament)</a>. Enns’ proposal comes into full view when we talk about teaching the Bible, particularly the Old Testament, to children. In fact, he offers a guide for parents interested in how to teach children whose grasp of the abstract is not yet fully developed. You can find those <a href="https://www.amazon.com/Telling-Gods-Story-Parents-Teaching/dp/1933339462" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">resources here</a>. Though Pete thinks his podcast is the greatest on the Internet, throwing a little shade on all others, it does offer a resource for what he and his sidekick Jared Byas, <a href="https://peteenns.com/podcast/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">The Bible for Normal People</a>. One of the key things that resonated with me as I have followed Pete and engaged him in conversation – Pete to practices “faith seeking understanding” as he reads the Scriptures. In that, he follows in the footsteps of Anselm’s well-known motto. If you find the podcast helpful, share it with your friends. Share it with your pastor friends as well as folks you know involved in leadership that touches on the pastoral. Also, consider heading over to iTunes, login, search for patheological and give us a five-star rating and a kind review.The post <a href="http://www.toddlittleton.net/reading-bible-conversation-peter-enns" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Reading the Bible: A Conversation with Peter Enns</a> first appeared on <a href="http://www.toddlittleton.net" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">patheological: The Podcast for the Pastor-Theologian</a>.The post <a href="http://www.toddlittleton.net/reading-bible-conversation-peter-enns" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Reading the Bible: A Conversation with Peter Enns</a> appeared first on <a href="http://www.toddlittleton.net" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">patheological: The Podcast for the Pastor-Theologian</a>. Related posts:<ol> <li><a href="http://www.toddlittleton.net/the-rapture-betrays-the-incarnation-an-interview-with-jeffrey-c-pugh" rel="bookmark nofollow" target="_blank">The Rapture Betrays the Incarnation: An Interview with Jeffrey C. Pugh</a></li> <li><a href="http://www.toddlittleton.net/when-in-romans-a-conversation-with-beverly-gaventa-and-jason-micheli" rel="bookmark nofollow" target="_blank">When In Romans: A Conversation with Beverly Gaventa and Jason Micheli</a></li> <li><a href="http://www.toddlittleton.net/surviving-the-bible-a-conversation-with-christian-piatt" rel="bookmark nofollow" target="_blank">Surviving the Bible: A Conversation with Christian Piatt</a></li></ol>

Reading the Bible: A Conversation with Peter Enns

Jeffrey C. Pugh

“There must be some way out of here,” said the joker to the thief. “There’s too much confusion I can’t get no relief . . ..” Learning to read the Bible as a child and a young adolescent meant always looking up and hoping to get out of here. This world that is. Betrayal Mention the word in Christian conversation and one might think of Peter denying Jesus. The outright denial of knowing Jesus ranks among the obvious betrayals. Are there more subtle and more substantive ways we betray Jesus? Today on the podcast I interview Jeffrey C. Pugh. Jeffrey is professor of religious studies at Elon University in North Carolina. His books include Religionless Christianity: Dietrich Bonhoeffer in Troubled Times, and he has been involved in dialogues around interfaith work and religion and science. (from the back cover of his latest book, The End Times: Theology After You Have Been Left Behind.) One of the memorable lines from our conversation is that, “the Rapture is a betrayal of the Incarnation.” Though you will want to listen for it, Pugh considers it more than irony that in the mid-1800’s this novel idea gained traction until such a time it was taken up into certain modes of thinking. Put another way, this particular view often associated with eschatology became its own hermeneutic, or way of reading the Bible. Jeffrey does not write about what he does not know. His early influences came from Hal Lindey’s, The Late Great Planet Earth. Listen in to find out how it is that Pugh suggests the rapture is a betrayal. Imperial vs. Prophetic The Revised Common Lectionary alternate text for this coming Sunday is in 2 Timothy. The Holman Christian Standard Bible, or for we Southern Baptists the Hard Core Southern Baptist Bible, translates the last line of 2 Timothy 4:3, “… because they have an itch to hear something new.” Novelty. Learning the history behind the lens I was given to read the Bible I am left thinking some were itching for something new. Maybe we do need something new that is not new. Think of it like the line in 1 John that describes a new commandment but it is really an old commandment. When we think of the greatest commandment some often connect that with Jesus. But, it is clearly the admonition in the Hebrew Scriptures. So, it is new to those who have not been paying attention. It is old as it relates to the vision of God for human beings. It is new but not new. What if we recaptured reading Scripture in the prophetic tradition over against a reading steep in am imperial tradition? Put another way, an Imperial reading interprets the Text from the position of power – think Christendom. Reading the Text prophetically is listening to/from the margins – think widow, orphan, stranger/immigrant/refugee. Consider the way Willard read the Sermon on the Mount in The Divine Conspiracy. Rather than spiritualize the Beatitudes, Willard contends that Jesus was calling to those on the margins, those whose cries have gone up from their disadvantaged position, and inviting them, even them, into the Kingdom of God. This is an illustration of the prophetic over against the imperial. You will pick this up from our conversation and you will get more of this if you pick up the book. Consider Those Left Behind The real challenge lies in including those normally left behind. Pugh suggests eschatology offers a telos while apocalyptic offers us imagination. Read Revelation again. This time read it from the standpoint of the role of economics. Consider it a reading from another direction. Practically, the intersection of life/faith/theology/pastoring, we need to chart a course listening to the voices muffled by the machine of power/the powerful. Jesus did . . . and does. Other books by Jeffrey C. Pugh …  Books recommended in the podcast . . .   The post The Rapture Betrays the Incarnation: An Interview with Jeffrey C. Pugh first appeared on patheological: The Podcast for the Pastor-Theologian.The post The Rapture Betrays the Incarnation: An Interview with Jeffrey C. Pugh appeared first on patheological: The Podcast for the Pastor-Theologian. Related posts: Not Just Tornadoes and Drought – Earthquakes Too Zhand, Sobrino, and Editing Isaiah Poverty, American Christianity, and The Church, An Interview with Ryan Abernathy

“There must be some way out of here,” said the joker to the thief. “<a href="http://genius.com/Bob-dylan-all-along-the-watchtower-lyrics" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">There’s too much confusion I can’t get no relief </a>. . ..” Learning to read the Bible as a child and a young adolescent meant always looking up and hoping to get out of here. This world that is. <h2>Betrayal</h2> Mention the word in Christian conversation and one might think of Peter denying Jesus. The outright denial of knowing Jesus ranks among the obvious betrayals. Are there more subtle and more substantive ways we betray Jesus? <a href="https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/145149954X/ref=as_li_tl?ie=UTF8&amp;camp=1789&amp;creative=9325&amp;creativeASIN=145149954X&amp;linkCode=as2&amp;tag=justtodd-20&amp;linkId=1374307cd2eebe8e3780734757999b3c" rel="nofollow" target="_blank"></a>Today on the podcast I interview <a href="http://www.elon.edu/e-web/academics/presidents_report/pugh.xhtml" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Jeffrey C. Pugh</a>. Jeffrey is professor of religious studies at Elon University in North Carolina. His books include Religionless Christianity: Dietrich Bonhoeffer in Troubled Times, and he has been involved in dialogues around interfaith work and religion and science. (from the back cover of his latest book, The End Times: Theology After You Have Been Left Behind.) One of the memorable lines from our conversation is that, “the Rapture is a betrayal of the Incarnation.” Though you will want to listen for it, Pugh considers it more than irony that in the mid-1800’s this novel idea gained traction until such a time it was taken up into certain modes of thinking. Put another way, this particular view often associated with eschatology became its own hermeneutic, or way of reading the Bible. Jeffrey does not write about what he does not know. His early influences came from Hal Lindey’s, The Late Great Planet Earth. Listen in to find out how it is that Pugh suggests the rapture is a betrayal. <h2>Imperial vs. Prophetic</h2> The Revised Common Lectionary alternate text for this coming Sunday is in 2 Timothy. The Holman Christian Standard Bible, or for we Southern Baptists the Hard Core Southern Baptist Bible, translates the last line of 2 Timothy 4:3, “… because they have an itch to hear something new.” Novelty. Learning the history behind the lens I was given to read the Bible I am left thinking some were itching for something new. Maybe we do need something new that is not new. Think of it like the line in 1 John that describes a new commandment but it is really an old commandment. When we think of the greatest commandment some often connect that with Jesus. But, it is clearly the admonition in the Hebrew Scriptures. So, it is new to those who have not been paying attention. It is old as it relates to the vision of God for human beings. It is new but not new. What if we recaptured reading Scripture in the prophetic tradition over against a reading steep in am imperial tradition? Put another way, an Imperial reading interprets the Text from the position of power – think Christendom. Reading the Text prophetically is listening to/from the margins – think widow, orphan, stranger/immigrant/refugee. Consider the way Willard read the Sermon on the Mount in The Divine Conspiracy. Rather than spiritualize the Beatitudes, Willard contends that Jesus was calling to those on the margins, those whose cries have gone up from their disadvantaged position, and inviting them, even them, into the Kingdom of God. This is an illustration of the prophetic over against the imperial. You will pick this up from our conversation and you will get more of this if you pick up the book. <h2>Consider Those Left Behind</h2> The real challenge lies in including those normally left behind. Pugh suggests eschatology offers a telos while apocalyptic offers us imagination. Read Revelation again. This time read it from the standpoint of the role of economics. Consider it a reading from another direction. Practically, the intersection of life/faith/theology/pastoring, we need to chart a course listening to the voices muffled by the machine of power/the powerful. Jesus did . . . and does. Other books by Jeffrey C. Pugh … <a href="https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0800698142/ref=as_li_tl?ie=UTF8&amp;camp=1789&amp;creative=9325&amp;creativeASIN=0800698142&amp;linkCode=as2&amp;tag=justtodd-20&amp;linkId=c8f85a02194287e01fb5430160a68081" rel="nofollow" target="_blank"></a><a href="https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0567032590/ref=as_li_tl?ie=UTF8&amp;camp=1789&amp;creative=9325&amp;creativeASIN=0567032590&amp;linkCode=as2&amp;tag=justtodd-20&amp;linkId=a6b8ef22a0e4b1eb03aaca19344c500e" rel="nofollow" target="_blank"></a> Books recommended in the podcast . . . <a href="https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0802872794/ref=as_li_tl?ie=UTF8&amp;camp=1789&amp;creative=9325&amp;creativeASIN=0802872794&amp;linkCode=as2&amp;tag=justtodd-20&amp;linkId=c076e9bf1656ab425a8424e06dd397bb" rel="nofollow" target="_blank"></a><a href="https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0674048369/ref=as_li_tl?ie=UTF8&amp;camp=1789&amp;creative=9325&amp;creativeASIN=0674048369&amp;linkCode=as2&amp;tag=justtodd-20&amp;linkId=40a4b66c3a83956f100db6a233b60184" rel="nofollow" target="_blank"></a> The post <a href="http://www.toddlittleton.net/the-rapture-betrays-the-incarnation-an-interview-with-jeffrey-c-pugh" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">The Rapture Betrays the Incarnation: An Interview with Jeffrey C. Pugh</a> first appeared on <a href="http://www.toddlittleton.net" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">patheological: The Podcast for the Pastor-Theologian</a>.The post <a href="http://www.toddlittleton.net/the-rapture-betrays-the-incarnation-an-interview-with-jeffrey-c-pugh" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">The Rapture Betrays the Incarnation: An Interview with Jeffrey C. Pugh</a> appeared first on <a href="http://www.toddlittleton.net" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">patheological: The Podcast for the Pastor-Theologian</a>. Related posts:<ol> <li><a href="http://www.toddlittleton.net/not-just-tornadoes-and-drought-earthquakes-too" rel="bookmark nofollow" target="_blank">Not Just Tornadoes and Drought – Earthquakes Too</a></li> <li><a href="http://www.toddlittleton.net/zhand-sobrino-and-editing-isaiah" rel="bookmark nofollow" target="_blank">Zhand, Sobrino, and Editing Isaiah</a></li> <li><a href="http://www.toddlittleton.net/poverty-myths-and-the-church-an-interview-with-ryan-abernathy" rel="bookmark nofollow" target="_blank">Poverty, American Christianity, and The Church, An Interview with Ryan Abernathy</a></li></ol>

The Rapture Betrays the Incarnation: An Interview with Jeffrey C. Pugh

Carlton Pearson

No matter what else goes on during a week in the life of a preacher, a pastor, Sunday always comes on time. For many, likely most, Sunday anxiety does not come with wondering who will fuel the jet, maintain the vacation house, or gas up the boat at the marina. Often any inner conflict is repressed. On occasion, it breaks out. Faithful Are the Wounds of a Friend Tell that to the Reverend Carlton Pearson. When caught between the twin emotions of grief and guilt, sometimes what one needs in a friend is forbearance. Recently my friend Ryan provided me the opportunity to pre-screen the now released Netflix movie, Come Sunday. Part of that opportunity included the occasion to have a conversation with the subject of that movie, the Reverend Carlton Pearson. On a Friday a few weeks ago Reverend Pearson called and we shared a conversation over themes in the movie that portrayed an important period in his life. The delay in posting was a result of a production error. I failed to turn on my mic. Never have I had to work so hard to edit a conversation. It might be analogous to attempting to tell a complicated story in such a short time as was undertaken in Come Sunday. If there is any doubt that Ira Glass knows how to tell a story, this movie illustrates the skill transcends This American Life. Rooted in a 2005 episode of This American Life, Glass and John Marston combine to explore the myriad ways a shift in theology impacts a pastor, his family, friends and congregation. Friend of the Famous, If Not Famous Himself Not a few in Tulsa, Oklahoma know what is meant by, Higher D. My friend Mitch posted on Facebook that his friends should watch that movie by noting he had attended Higher D a time or two back in the day. As we talked about the impact of time and friendship, Reverend Pearson told stories of conversations with Oral Roberts and Billy Graham.  Reverend Pearson pointed to the reflections of ministers who were well past their prime and had become more reflective. It is clear in the film that the once famous Reverend Pearson struggled mightily with the shrinking and loss of his congregation. There is a poignant moment where the contents of Higher D is being auctioned off. The sight and experience are too much for the once famous, prodigy of Oral Roberts. Serious, If Not Literal My friend Barry Taylor, who has spent not a little time with theology and culture, once taught a class how to watch a movie. Watching Come Sunday he would surely point to the opening scene of a well-worn Bible. My last question for Reverend Pearson centered on how serious he took the Bible. My aim was to draw out that even if you disagree with Reverend Pearson’s theological move and his new understanding of grace, one cannot so easily dismiss him for not caring about the Scriptures. Rather than write about his response, I will leave that hanging hoping you will go listen. In the end, Come Sunday is worth your time. If you are interested in how well a story is told, watch Come Sunday. If you have ever come to different conclusions about something as passion-stirring as the Scriptures and God’s love, watch Come Sunday. If you wonder what it is like to experience the rise and fall of fame in, at least, Pentecostal Christian circles, watch Come Sunday. If you are interested in the very human experience of life between grief and guilt, watch Come Sunday. Thanks again to Ryan Parker for the privilege. Thanks to Revernd Pearson for his time. If you find the podcast helpful, share it with your friends. Share it with your pastor friends as well as folks you know involved in leadership that touches on the pastoral. Also, consider heading over to iTunes, login, search for patheological and give us a five-star rating and a kind review. Featured ImageThe post Come Sunday: A Conversation with the Reverend Carlton Pearson first appeared on patheological: The Podcast for the Pastor-Theologian.The post Come Sunday: A Conversation with the Reverend Carlton Pearson appeared first on patheological: The Podcast for the Pastor-Theologian. Related posts: The Rapture Betrays the Incarnation: An Interview with Jeffrey C. Pugh Counterfeit Forgiveness? A Conversation with Scott Curry Pride and Prejudice – Thoughts from the Edge

No matter what else goes on during a week in the life of a preacher, a pastor, Sunday always comes on time. For many, likely most, Sunday anxiety does not come with wondering who will fuel the jet, maintain the vacation house, or gas up the boat at the marina. Often any inner conflict is repressed. On occasion, it breaks out. <h2>Faithful Are the Wounds of a Friend</h2> Tell that to the Reverend Carlton Pearson. When caught between the twin emotions of grief and guilt, sometimes what one needs in a friend is forbearance. Recently my friend Ryan provided me the opportunity to pre-screen the now released Netflix movie, <a href="https://www.netflix.com/title/80152625" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Come Sunday</a>. Part of that opportunity included the occasion to have a conversation with the subject of that movie, the Reverend Carlton Pearson. On a Friday a few weeks ago Reverend Pearson called and we shared a conversation over themes in the movie that portrayed an important period in his life. The delay in posting was a result of a production error. I failed to turn on my mic. Never have I had to work so hard to edit a conversation. It might be analogous to attempting to tell a complicated story in such a short time as was undertaken in Come Sunday. If there is any doubt that Ira Glass knows how to tell a story, this movie illustrates the skill transcends This American Life. Rooted in a 2005 episode of This American Life, Glass and John Marston combine to explore the myriad ways a shift in theology impacts a pastor, his family, friends and congregation. <h2>Friend of the Famous, If Not Famous Himself</h2> Not a few in Tulsa, Oklahoma know what is meant by, Higher D. My friend Mitch posted on Facebook that his friends should watch that movie by noting he had attended Higher D a time or two back in the day. As we talked about the impact of time and friendship, Reverend Pearson told stories of conversations with Oral Roberts and Billy Graham.  Reverend Pearson pointed to the reflections of ministers who were well past their prime and had become more reflective. It is clear in the film that the once famous Reverend Pearson struggled mightily with the shrinking and loss of his congregation. There is a poignant moment where the contents of Higher D is being auctioned off. The sight and experience are too much for the once famous, prodigy of Oral Roberts. <h2>Serious, If Not Literal</h2> My friend Barry Taylor, who has spent not a little time with theology and culture, once taught a class how to watch a movie. Watching Come Sunday he would surely point to the opening scene of a well-worn Bible. My last question for Reverend Pearson centered on how serious he took the Bible. My aim was to draw out that even if you disagree with Reverend Pearson’s theological move and his new understanding of grace, one cannot so easily dismiss him for not caring about the Scriptures. Rather than write about his response, I will leave that hanging hoping you will go listen. In the end, Come Sunday is worth your time. If you are interested in how well a story is told, watch Come Sunday. If you have ever come to different conclusions about something as passion-stirring as the Scriptures and God’s love, watch Come Sunday. If you wonder what it is like to experience the rise and fall of fame in, at least, Pentecostal Christian circles, watch Come Sunday. If you are interested in the very human experience of life between grief and guilt, watch Come Sunday. Thanks again to Ryan Parker for the privilege. Thanks to Revernd Pearson for his time. If you find the podcast helpful, share it with your friends. Share it with your pastor friends as well as folks you know involved in leadership that touches on the pastoral. Also, consider heading over to iTunes, login, search for patheological and give us a five-star rating and a kind review. <a href="https://www.bustle.com/p/photos-of-the-real-come-sunday-people-make-the-netflix-movie-feel-even-more-powerful-8773222" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Featured Image</a>The post <a href="http://www.toddlittleton.net/come-sunday-a-conversation-with-the-reverend-carlton-pearson" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Come Sunday: A Conversation with the Reverend Carlton Pearson</a> first appeared on <a href="http://www.toddlittleton.net" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">patheological: The Podcast for the Pastor-Theologian</a>.The post <a href="http://www.toddlittleton.net/come-sunday-a-conversation-with-the-reverend-carlton-pearson" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Come Sunday: A Conversation with the Reverend Carlton Pearson</a> appeared first on <a href="http://www.toddlittleton.net" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">patheological: The Podcast for the Pastor-Theologian</a>. Related posts:<ol> <li><a href="http://www.toddlittleton.net/the-rapture-betrays-the-incarnation-an-interview-with-jeffrey-c-pugh" rel="bookmark nofollow" target="_blank">The Rapture Betrays the Incarnation: An Interview with Jeffrey C. Pugh</a></li> <li><a href="http://www.toddlittleton.net/counterfeit-forgiveness-conversation-scott-curry" rel="bookmark nofollow" target="_blank">Counterfeit Forgiveness? A Conversation with Scott Curry</a></li> <li><a href="http://www.toddlittleton.net/pride-and-prejudice-thoughts-from-the-edge" rel="bookmark nofollow" target="_blank">Pride and Prejudice – Thoughts from the Edge</a></li></ol>

Come Sunday: A Conversation with the Reverend Carlton Pearson

Solomon the Wise King faced the impossibility of ethics. The story is well known. His response to the dilemma came in rooting out the true mother. When the baby’s mother declared, “Give her the living baby but please don’t have him killed,” Solomon knew the true mother would love the child more than another’s mother. The two sides of the ethical dilemma show up in our current conversation regarding the issues of safety, terror, and refugees. On the one hand no one wants to ignore those fleeing war torn countries looking for sanctuary. On the other hand the potential risk pushes some to err on the side of keeping them off American shores. Christians face division, often deep, over this issue. These and other ethical questions do not so easily fit an either/or binary. Hey They Are Not Fictional Characters Recently I met some folks I had only listened to or interacted with online. Eric Hall, here is my interview with him, teaches philosophy in Helena, Montana. Nathan P. Gilmour teaches in the English Department at Emmanuel College and is the founder of The Christian Humanist Podcast. Jeffrey Carter is a Facebook friend. It is always fun to meet people in real-time, in the flesh, that you have only seen on Skype, listened to via podcast or explored on Facebook. Eric, Nathan, Carter and myself sat down for breakfast at Catalina and Coffee and continued a conversation Nathan and I had begun on the subject of ethics. It was Eric who noted that he was thinking about writing a book titled, The Impossibility of Ethics. Interesting for a Christian philosophy professor who seems to fit within a Virtue Ethics framework. Doesn’t he know that with God all things are possible? Our current cultural climate reveals how hard it is for people to understand nuance. When we choose hardened positions it is hard to hear questions as anything other than criticism. The result shows up in building walls to keep other people and their opinions out. We Need More Conversations Our goal over breakfast was to think out loud about how we might offer another option in a Country divided. We approached the subject as a pastor, philosophy professor, literature professor and lay person. We looked to learn from each other. We did not come to a conclusion. Maybe we ran out of time. More likely the subject requires ongoing conversation lest we ourselves decide to wall off all others who share differing opinions. Is it really that ethics is impossible? No, but ethics is not easy. Christians live in the tension between at least temporal human responsibilities and eschatological hope and vision. Skirting this tension, and there are likely others, results in either an overly temporal emphasis or an over-realized future vision. Both run the risk of slighting the other, our neighbors. Give the episode a listen. What do you think of Eric’s framing of the condition of ethics as a potentially human impossibility? Featured Image If you find the podcast helpful, share it with your friends. Share it with your pastor friends as well as folks you know involved in leadership that touches on the pastoral. Also, consider heading over to iTunes, login, search for patheological and give us a five star rating and a kind review.The post The Impossibility of Ethics? – A Conversation Over Breakfast first appeared on patheological: The Podcast for the Pastor-Theologian.The post The Impossibility of Ethics? – A Conversation Over Breakfast appeared first on patheological: The Podcast for the Pastor-Theologian. Related posts: The Rapture Betrays the Incarnation: An Interview with Jeffrey C. Pugh Zhand, Sobrino, and Editing Isaiah Beauty May Liberate Us From the Cul-De-Sac: An Interview with Bill Walker III

Solomon the Wise King faced the impossibility of ethics. The story is well known. His response to the dilemma came in rooting out the true mother. When the baby’s mother declared, “Give her the living baby but please don’t have him killed,” Solomon knew the true mother would love the child more than another’s mother. The two sides of the ethical dilemma show up in our current conversation regarding the issues of safety, terror, and refugees. On the one hand no one wants to ignore those fleeing war torn countries looking for sanctuary. On the other hand the potential risk pushes some to err on the side of keeping them off American shores. Christians face division, often deep, over this issue. These and other ethical questions do not so easily fit an either/or binary. <h2>Hey They Are Not Fictional Characters</h2> Recently I met some folks I had only listened to or interacted with online. <a href="https://www.carroll.edu/person/hall-eric" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Eric Hall</a>, <a href="http://www.toddlittleton.net/mr-miyagi-joan-of-arc-and-god-an-interview-with-eric-e-hall" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">here is my interview with him</a>, teaches philosophy in Helena, Montana. <a href="http://www.ec.edu/academics/english/faculty2" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Nathan P. Gilmour</a> teaches in the English Department at Emmanuel College and is the founder of The Christian Humanist Podcast. Jeffrey Carter is a Facebook friend. It is always fun to meet people in real-time, in the flesh, that you have only seen on Skype, listened to via podcast or explored on Facebook. Eric, Nathan, Carter and myself sat down for breakfast at Catalina and Coffee and continued a conversation Nathan and I had begun on the subject of ethics. It was Eric who noted that he was thinking about writing a book titled, The Impossibility of Ethics. Interesting for a Christian philosophy professor who seems to fit within a Virtue Ethics framework. Doesn’t he know that with God all things are possible? Our current cultural climate reveals how hard it is for people to understand nuance. When we choose hardened positions it is hard to hear questions as anything other than criticism. The result shows up in building walls to keep other people and their opinions out. <h2>We Need More Conversations</h2> Our goal over breakfast was to think out loud about how we might offer another option in a Country divided. We approached the subject as a pastor, philosophy professor, literature professor and lay person. We looked to learn from each other. We did not come to a conclusion. Maybe we ran out of time. More likely the subject requires ongoing conversation lest we ourselves decide to wall off all others who share differing opinions. Is it really that ethics is impossible? No, but ethics is not easy. Christians live in the tension between at least temporal human responsibilities and eschatological hope and vision. Skirting this tension, and there are likely others, results in either an overly temporal emphasis or an over-realized future vision. Both run the risk of slighting the other, our neighbors. Give the episode a listen. What do you think of Eric’s framing of the condition of ethics as a potentially human impossibility? <a href="https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/1/1e/William_Blake_-_The_Judgment_of_Solomon.jpg/250px-William_Blake_-_The_Judgment_of_Solomon.jpg" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Featured Image</a> If you find the podcast helpful, share it with your friends. Share it with your pastor friends as well as folks you know involved in leadership that touches on the pastoral. Also, consider heading over to iTunes, login, search for patheological and give us a five star rating and a kind review.The post <a href="http://www.toddlittleton.net/the-impossibility-of-ethics-a-conversation-over-breakfast" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">The Impossibility of Ethics? – A Conversation Over Breakfast</a> first appeared on <a href="http://www.toddlittleton.net" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">patheological: The Podcast for the Pastor-Theologian</a>.The post <a href="http://www.toddlittleton.net/the-impossibility-of-ethics-a-conversation-over-breakfast" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">The Impossibility of Ethics? – A Conversation Over Breakfast</a> appeared first on <a href="http://www.toddlittleton.net" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">patheological: The Podcast for the Pastor-Theologian</a>. Related posts:<ol> <li><a href="http://www.toddlittleton.net/the-rapture-betrays-the-incarnation-an-interview-with-jeffrey-c-pugh" rel="bookmark nofollow" target="_blank">The Rapture Betrays the Incarnation: An Interview with Jeffrey C. Pugh</a></li> <li><a href="http://www.toddlittleton.net/zhand-sobrino-and-editing-isaiah" rel="bookmark nofollow" target="_blank">Zhand, Sobrino, and Editing Isaiah</a></li> <li><a href="http://www.toddlittleton.net/beauty-may-liberate-us-from-the-cul-de-sac-an-interview-with-bill-walker-iii" rel="bookmark nofollow" target="_blank">Beauty May Liberate Us From the Cul-De-Sac: An Interview with Bill Walker III</a></li></ol>

The Impossibility of Ethics? – A Conversation Over Breakfast

Rachel Held Evans

Just two days after Stan Grenz died, David Dockery began his concluding paragraph warning Baptists, specifically Southern Baptists, that Grenz might lead his readers into orthodox inconsistency.Unfortunately, his pietism didn’t translate into evangelical coherene or orthodox consistency. That was fourteen year ago. Reading some of the responses to the death of Rachel Held Evans reminded me of that incident. In fact, to demonstrate how this works, the same thing happened after the death of Jerry Falwell. No matter your theological convictions you may be sure someone will take advantage of the news of your death to point out all the error of your ways. It makes us feel better about our chosen perspective on the spectrum.Among we Southern Baptists it appears that orthodoxy is now tied to how one interprets the Scriptures regarding women in ministry – preaching or pastoring. But, one of the oldest creeds of the Christian faith does not make that issue a matter of Christian orthodoxy. What’s more, it now appears that after claiming to be a confessional denomination, Southern Baptists indeed have a Magisterium that weighs theological positions in the balance. Welcome to the new SBC. Entity heads take your bow.Could we benefit from splitting the hair between Christian Orthodoxy and doctrinalism? I think so. Take this simple test. If Stan Grenz, Jerry Falwell and Rachel Held Evans all would affirm the Nicene Creed, then they would be considered within the bounds of Christan orthodoxy. But, given their doctrinal differences, they would likely not share a home in the same denomination. That is the difference between orthodoxy and doctrinalism.When Grenz and Evans moved beyond the doctrinalism of Evangelicalism that did not mean they were now unorthodox. What’s more, if Grenz identified as a Pietist with a PhD then, he is echoing what my friend Bill Borror recently described on a podcast. Bill used the imagery of Isreal leaving Egypt for his own move out of Evangelicalism and into a different Christian stream most would consider Mainline. He noted that he felt like he had left Egypt carrying with him some plunder. Listening to Rachel Held Evans and reading her books reveals much the same. While she left her Baptist, Evangelical roots, she maintained the fervor of an Evangelical even if she found her home in the Episcopalian branch of the Christian tree. Think the late Robert Weber who followed the Canterbury Trail later in his life.Tommie Marshell joins me on this podcast episode. We talk about her response to Rachel, public responses on social media and in major publications. We work to distinguish between orthodoxy and doctrinalism. Take a listen and leave your thoughts in the comments. Be nice. Featured ImageIf you find the podcast helpful, share it with your friends. Share it with your pastor friends as well as folks you know involved in leadership that touches on the pastoral. Also, consider heading over to iTunes, login, search for patheological and give us a five-star rating and a kind review.The post Plundering Egypt: A Conversation on the Passing of Rachel Held Evans first appeared on patheological: The Podcast for the Pastor-Theologian.The post Plundering Egypt: A Conversation on the Passing of Rachel Held Evans appeared first on patheological: The Podcast for the Pastor-Theologian. Related posts: A Complicated Pregnancy: A Conversation with Kyle Roberts Sheer Silence – Thoughts from the Edge Don’t Scratch the Devil: An Interview with Richard Beck

Just two days after Stan Grenz died, David Dockery <a href="http://www.bpnews.net/20348/firstperson-when-piety-is-not-enough" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">began his concluding paragraph</a> warning Baptists, specifically Southern Baptists, that Grenz might lead his readers into orthodox inconsistency.<blockquote>Unfortunately, his pietism didn’t translate into evangelical coherene or orthodox consistency. </blockquote>That was fourteen year ago. Reading some of the responses to the death of Rachel Held Evans reminded me of that incident. In fact, to demonstrate how this works, <a href="http://www.toddlittleton.net/falwell-and-grenz-strange-comparison" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">the same thing happened after the death of Jerry Falwell</a>. No matter your theological convictions you may be sure someone will take advantage of the news of your death to point out all the error of your ways. It makes us feel better about our chosen perspective on the spectrum.Among we Southern Baptists it appears that orthodoxy is now tied to how one interprets the Scriptures regarding women in ministry – preaching or pastoring. But, one of the oldest creeds of the Christian faith does not make that issue a matter of Christian orthodoxy. What’s more, it now appears that after claiming to be a confessional denomination, Southern Baptists indeed have a Magisterium that weighs theological positions in the balance. Welcome to the new SBC. Entity heads take your bow.Could we benefit from splitting the hair between Christian Orthodoxy and doctrinalism? I think so. Take this simple test. If Stan Grenz, Jerry Falwell and Rachel Held Evans all would affirm the Nicene Creed, then they would be considered within the bounds of Christan orthodoxy. But, given their doctrinal differences, they would likely not share a home in the same denomination. That is the difference between orthodoxy and doctrinalism.When Grenz and Evans moved beyond the doctrinalism of Evangelicalism that did not mean they were now unorthodox. What’s more, if Grenz identified as a Pietist with a PhD then, he is echoing what my friend Bi<a href="https://npw.fireside.fm/266" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">ll Borror recently described on a podcast. </a>Bill used the imagery of Isreal leaving Egypt for his own move out of Evangelicalism and into a different Christian stream most would consider Mainline. He noted that he felt like he had left Egypt carrying with him some plunder. Listening to Rachel Held Evans and reading her books reveals much the same. While she left her Baptist, Evangelical roots, she maintained the fervor of an Evangelical even if she found her home in the Episcopalian branch of the Christian tree. Think the late Robert Weber who followed the Canterbury Trail later in his life.Tommie Marshell joins me on this podcast episode. We talk about her response to Rachel, public responses on social media and in major publications. We work to distinguish between orthodoxy and doctrinalism. Take a listen and leave your thoughts in the comments. Be nice. <a href="https://mediadc.brightspotcdn.com/dims4/default/ed1bb6b/2147483647/strip/true/crop/1060x600+0+0/resize/1060x600!/quality/90/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fmediadc.brightspotcdn.com%2F8a%2F19%2Fe560c9f5456bade2c1f949134ecc%2Funtitled-1.jpg" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Featured Image</a>If you find the podcast helpful, share it with your friends. Share it with your pastor friends as well as folks you know involved in leadership that touches on the pastoral. Also, consider heading over to iTunes, login, search for patheological and give us a five-star rating and a kind review.The post <a href="http://www.toddlittleton.net/plundering-egypt-a-conversation-on-the-passing-of-rachel-held-evans" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Plundering Egypt: A Conversation on the Passing of Rachel Held Evans</a> first appeared on <a href="http://www.toddlittleton.net" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">patheological: The Podcast for the Pastor-Theologian</a>.The post <a href="http://www.toddlittleton.net/plundering-egypt-a-conversation-on-the-passing-of-rachel-held-evans" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Plundering Egypt: A Conversation on the Passing of Rachel Held Evans</a> appeared first on <a href="http://www.toddlittleton.net" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">patheological: The Podcast for the Pastor-Theologian</a>. Related posts:<ol> <li><a href="http://www.toddlittleton.net/complicated-pregnancy-conversation-kyle-roberts" rel="bookmark nofollow" target="_blank">A Complicated Pregnancy: A Conversation with Kyle Roberts</a></li> <li><a href="http://www.toddlittleton.net/sheer-silence-thoughts-from-the-edge" rel="bookmark nofollow" target="_blank">Sheer Silence – Thoughts from the Edge</a></li> <li><a href="http://www.toddlittleton.net/dont-scratch-the-devil-an-interview-with-richard-beck" rel="bookmark nofollow" target="_blank">Don’t Scratch the Devil: An Interview with Richard Beck</a></li></ol>

Plundering Egypt: A Conversation on the Passing of Rachel Held Evans

James Younger

Many of us read about how others view the world, reality and God. Few of us are able to talk and interact with those whose view of things religious is different than our own. If you had the opportunity to learn from those who are, say, Hindu, would you? Last April National Georgiaphic launched, The Story of God with Morgan Freeman. Recently I was invited to sit in on an interview episode for the Crackers and Grape Juice podcast. Jason and Teer interviewed James Younger, the Executive Producer of National Geographic‘s, The Story of God with Morgan Freeman. Who isn’t a fan of Morgan Freeman? Maybe you have him etched in your memory as Red in Shawshank Redemption as he guides Andy in the way to survive prison life. Or, it could be you consider Morgan to have the prefect voice for God. You recall him leaving things in the hands of Bruce in Bruce Almighty. It could be you found him an interesting sidekick to Clint Eastwood in Unforgiven. No matter the movie that comes to mind when you think of Morgan Freeman, you will find him weaving his personal story with his exploration of the way people around the world talk about and experience God. If you are a pastor, you may have read plenty on the various world religions. Maybe you even know a person who holds to one of those faiths different than your own. My hunch is we have done more reading that relating. You will be helped to put some real life stories with what you have read about other faiths around the world. Do not expect this to be an apologetic exercise. It is not even a polemic. Instead, it is more investigative than anything else. Take some time and get into Season 2 that began January 16. There are ways to catch up. I recommend taking advantage of those. On a side note, I confess that the highlight for me was meeting Jason and Teer in real-time. We have talked and kept in touch in the various ways one might over the Interwebs. But, I am here to testify they are real people. You never know how it will turn out to meet someone in the flesh you only know through avatars. I think I can say my expectations were more than met. Friendship may be considered odd that develops as our has. But, it is no less real. Maybe watching The Story of God with Morgan Freeman would inspire you to come to know someone you have only read about. Even more, Freeman’s approach and questions may provide a model whereby you may be helped to listen for understanding. In this episode you will hear James Younger, the Executive Director tell how the project began, his favorite episode, and if and what kind of opposition they faced with the project. If you find the podcast helpful, share it with your friends. Share it with your pastor friends as well as folks you know involved in leadership that touches on the pastoral. Also, consider heading over to iTunes, login, search for patheological and give us a five star rating and a kind review.  The post Special Episode: James Younger and The Story of God first appeared on patheological: The Podcast for the Pastor-Theologian.The post Special Episode: James Younger and The Story of God appeared first on patheological: The Podcast for the Pastor-Theologian. Related posts: Pariah, Corporatist News, and Literacy, An Interview with Marty Duren The Value of Religion, Choosing Ignorance, and Identifying Arguments: An Interview with Greg Horton Beauty May Liberate Us From the Cul-De-Sac: An Interview with Bill Walker III

Many of us read about how others view the world, reality and God. Few of us are able to talk and interact with those whose view of things religious is different than our own. If you had the opportunity to learn from those who are, say, Hindu, would you? Last April National Georgiaphic launched, <a href="http://channel.nationalgeographic.com/the-story-of-god-with-morgan-freeman/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">The Story of God with Morgan Freeman</a>. Recently I was invited to sit in on an interview episode for the Crackers and Grape Juice podcast. Jason and Teer interviewed James Younger, the Executive Producer of National Geographic‘s, The Story of God with Morgan Freeman. Who isn’t a fan of Morgan Freeman? Maybe you have him etched in your memory as Red in Shawshank Redemption as he guides Andy in the way to survive prison life. Or, it could be you consider Morgan to have the prefect voice for God. You recall him leaving things in the hands of Bruce in Bruce Almighty. It could be you found him an interesting sidekick to Clint Eastwood in Unforgiven. No matter the movie that comes to mind when you think of Morgan Freeman, you will find him weaving his personal story with his exploration of the way people around the world talk about and experience God. If you are a pastor, you may have read plenty on the various world religions. Maybe you even know a person who holds to one of those faiths different than your own. My hunch is we have done more reading that relating. You will be helped to put some real life stories with what you have read about other faiths around the world. Do not expect this to be an apologetic exercise. It is not even a polemic. Instead, it is more investigative than anything else. Take some time and get into Season 2 that began January 16. There are ways to catch up. I recommend taking advantage of those. On a side note, I confess that the highlight for me was meeting Jason and Teer in real-time. We have talked and kept in touch in the various ways one might over the Interwebs. But, I am here to testify they are real people. You never know how it will turn out to meet someone in the flesh you only know through avatars. I think I can say my expectations were more than met. Friendship may be considered odd that develops as our has. But, it is no less real. Maybe watching The Story of God with Morgan Freeman would inspire you to come to know someone you have only read about. Even more, Freeman’s approach and questions may provide a model whereby you may be helped to listen for understanding. In this episode you will hear James Younger, the Executive Director tell how the project began, his favorite episode, and if and what kind of opposition they faced with the project. If you find the podcast helpful, share it with your friends. Share it with your pastor friends as well as folks you know involved in leadership that touches on the pastoral. Also, consider heading over to iTunes, login, search for patheological and give us a five star rating and a kind review. The post <a href="http://www.toddlittleton.net/special-episode-james-younger-and-the-story-of-god" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Special Episode: James Younger and The Story of God</a> first appeared on <a href="http://www.toddlittleton.net" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">patheological: The Podcast for the Pastor-Theologian</a>.The post <a href="http://www.toddlittleton.net/special-episode-james-younger-and-the-story-of-god" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Special Episode: James Younger and The Story of God</a> appeared first on <a href="http://www.toddlittleton.net" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">patheological: The Podcast for the Pastor-Theologian</a>. Related posts:<ol> <li><a href="http://www.toddlittleton.net/pariah-corporatist-news-and-literacy-an-interview-with-marty-duren" rel="bookmark nofollow" target="_blank">Pariah, Corporatist News, and Literacy, An Interview with Marty Duren</a></li> <li><a href="http://www.toddlittleton.net/the-value-of-religion-choosing-ignorance-and-identifying-arguments-an-interview-with-greg-horton" rel="bookmark nofollow" target="_blank">The Value of Religion, Choosing Ignorance, and Identifying Arguments: An Interview with Greg Horton</a></li> <li><a href="http://www.toddlittleton.net/beauty-may-liberate-us-from-the-cul-de-sac-an-interview-with-bill-walker-iii" rel="bookmark nofollow" target="_blank">Beauty May Liberate Us From the Cul-De-Sac: An Interview with Bill Walker III</a></li></ol>

Special Episode: James Younger and The Story of God

Jason Micheli

“I forgive you.” We generally think those words follow, “I’m sorry.” The Good News of the Gospel is that God’s, “I forgive you,” comes first. That is how Jason Micheli describes Grace. God’s one-way love.Many couples at one point or another have reached for a book on marriage to help negotiate those difficult periods. Reading with a highlighter in hand pages of these books are scourged for the Holy Grail of marital success. Lists are made. Habits are rehearsed. Often these to-do’s become a greater burden than imagined. Frustration becomes the norm. What if the better way to look at marriage is to consider it a parable for the love God has for the Church? For you? Micheli takes us on just such a journey. Equipped with a reprieve from stage-serious cancer Jason breaks open our defenses with self-deprecating humor, gut-wrenching episodes of fear and uncomfortable discoveries so that his encounter with God’s grace becomes fuel for a book we all need.Today on this episode of Patheological, Jason comes on the podcast to talk about his new book. I suspect you will pause the interview and click over to purchase yourself a copy. Friends and family members may come to mind and you could buy a copy to give away. For pastors who happen on to this post or the podcast, let me encourage you to consider this a resource in your work with couples and others who could use a window into God’s grace that could well be the place where their lives are turned around by the Good News words, “I forgive you.”If you find the podcast helpful, share it with your friends. Share it with your pastor friends as well as folks you know involved in leadership that touches on the pastoral. Also, consider heading over to iTunes, login, search for patheological and give us a five-star rating and a kind review.The post Living in Sin: A Conversation with Jason Micheli first appeared on patheological: The Podcast for the Pastor-Theologian.The post Living in Sin: A Conversation with Jason Micheli appeared first on patheological: The Podcast for the Pastor-Theologian. Related posts: Anger Can’t Live Alone: A Conversation with Scott Curry Counterfeit Forgiveness? A Conversation with Scott Curry Resident Exile: A Conversation with Bill Borror

“I forgive you.” We generally think those words follow, “I’m sorry.” The Good News of the Gospel is that God’s, “I forgive you,” comes first. That is how Jason Micheli describes Grace. God’s one-way love.Many couples at one point or another have reached for a book on marriage to help negotiate those difficult periods. Reading with a highlighter in hand pages of these books are scourged for the Holy Grail of marital success. Lists are made. Habits are rehearsed. Often these to-do’s become a greater burden than imagined. Frustration becomes the norm. What if the better way to look at marriage is to consider it a parable for the love God has for the Church? For you? Micheli takes us on just such a journey. Equipped with a reprieve from stage-serious cancer Jason breaks open our defenses with self-deprecating humor, gut-wrenching episodes of fear and uncomfortable discoveries so that his encounter with God’s grace becomes fuel for a book we all need.<a href="https://www.amazon.com/Living-Sin-Making-Marriage-between/dp/1506425526/ref=as_li_ss_il?crid=FIHWF9L6GL3E&amp;keywords=living+in+sin+micheli&amp;qid=1559531210&amp;s=gateway&amp;sprefix=Living+In+Sin,aps,300&amp;sr=8-2&amp;linkCode=li2&amp;tag=justtodd-20&amp;linkId=a65e10ab4f9a05ccf1de892737c5144d&amp;language=en_US" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" target="_blank"></a>Today on this episode of Patheological, Jason comes on the podcast to talk about his new book. I suspect you will pause the interview and click over to purchase yourself a copy. Friends and family members may come to mind and you could buy a copy to give away. For pastors who happen on to this post or the podcast, let me encourage you to consider this a resource in your work with couples and others who could use a window into God’s grace that could well be the place where their lives are turned around by the Good News words, “I forgive you.”If you find the podcast helpful, share it with your friends. Share it with your pastor friends as well as folks you know involved in leadership that touches on the pastoral. Also, consider heading over to iTunes, login, search for patheological and give us a five-star rating and a kind review.The post <a href="http://www.toddlittleton.net/living-in-sin-a-conversation-with-jason-micheli" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Living in Sin: A Conversation with Jason Micheli</a> first appeared on <a href="http://www.toddlittleton.net" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">patheological: The Podcast for the Pastor-Theologian</a>.The post <a href="http://www.toddlittleton.net/living-in-sin-a-conversation-with-jason-micheli" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Living in Sin: A Conversation with Jason Micheli</a> appeared first on <a href="http://www.toddlittleton.net" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">patheological: The Podcast for the Pastor-Theologian</a>. Related posts:<ol> <li><a href="http://www.toddlittleton.net/anger-cant-live-alone-a-conversation-with-scott-curry" rel="bookmark nofollow" target="_blank">Anger Can’t Live Alone: A Conversation with Scott Curry</a></li> <li><a href="http://www.toddlittleton.net/counterfeit-forgiveness-conversation-scott-curry" rel="bookmark nofollow" target="_blank">Counterfeit Forgiveness? A Conversation with Scott Curry</a></li> <li><a href="http://www.toddlittleton.net/resident-exile-a-conversation-with-bill-borror" rel="bookmark nofollow" target="_blank">Resident Exile: A Conversation with Bill Borror</a></li></ol>

Living in Sin: A Conversation with Jason Micheli

Alan Noble

Business disruptors. Sports disruptors. How about Church disruptors?  The story is told of a pastor who, while preaching, noticed his son chewing gum. He is said to have stopped the sermon and instructed his son, “Paul, go spit out your gum!” It Will Take More Than Gum More than 50 years later, gum is the least likely disruption in a Sunday worship gathering. You have not lived until someone stands up and begins shouting at the preacher. It does not matter that the person was barely coherent. The experience is decentering. Accelerated change in the cultural surroundings left, and leaves, churches with few options. Often it felt, and feels, a losing battle to other choices available to church-goers and potential attendees. Many have already identified the condition as a loss of privileged status. Christendom, as some refer to it, described the period when, for example, schools would not plan extra-curricular events on Wednesday evenings in deference to local church schedules. Today, winning churches succeed, or so it seems when they market themselves as a positive lifestyle option. Christianity is not a lifestyle option no matter the marketing prowess. If Christianity has become one lifestyle option among many, how would a formerly radical message be renewed?  Who Will I Send? Not just a few theologies offer a critical analysis of Christianity as lifestyle option – Liberation Theologies, Womanist Theologies, Radical Theologies, and Radical Orthodoxy, to name a few. Dismissed by some as merely perspectivist theologies, voices from within these theological movements have identified the secularizing influences often missed by dominant culture theologies. Who might help identify the trajectory that led us to the place where the Church, churches, seem as susceptible to secularizing forces it has so vocally battled? If you answer someone like Charles Taylor, then be prepared for pushback. Not many would wade through an 800-page tome like Taylor’s A Secular Age. More importantly, how would one appropriate the insights Taylor provides that result in descriptive phrases like buffered self, immanent frame and expressive individualism? Particulary how might the Church, churches, and pastors/leaders identify the ways discipleship to Jesus is affected by these trends? The Definite Article  Enter Alan Noble, @TheAlanNoble. In his new book, Disruptive Witness: Speaking Truth in a Distracted Age, Alan answers the aforementioned questions for the Church, churches, and contemporary forms of Christianity. Pastors, this is a most helpful resource. It is not a cliff notes version of Taylor’s work, though you will find it an excellent introduction to Taylor’s assessment of the secularization hypothesis and its failing. More than that, Disruptive Witness calls attention to the Church, and churches, as the needed disruptive witness for a world turned inward. Voices of hope are needed in a world represented by persons reduced to individuals that express themselves in hopes their chosen identity becomes the transcendent for which they long having been told truth resides within. Disruptive Witness calls the Church, and churches, to forego assuming themselves closed off to what Darrell Guder described as the Continuing Conversion of the Church. Take a listen. Share the podcast. Buy the book.  If you find the podcast helpful, share it with your friends. Share it with your pastor friends as well as folks you know involved in leadership that touches on the pastoral. Also, consider heading over to iTunes, login, search for patheological and give us a five-star rating and a kind review. The post Disruptor(s) Needed: A Conversation with The Alan Noble first appeared on patheological: The Podcast for the Pastor-Theologian.The post Disruptor(s) Needed: A Conversation with The Alan Noble appeared first on patheological: The Podcast for the Pastor-Theologian. Related posts: The Circles of Faithful Presence: An(other) Interview with David E. Fitch Community Witness Diagnosing the Current Normal of the Church: An Interview with Tom Ingram 

Business disruptors. Sports disruptors. How about Church disruptors?  The story is told of a pastor who, while preaching, noticed his son chewing gum. He is said to have stopped the sermon and instructed his son, “Paul, go spit out your gum!” It Will Take More Than Gum More than 50 years later, gum is the least likely disruption in a Sunday worship gathering. You have not lived until someone stands up and begins shouting at the preacher. It does not matter that the person was barely coherent. The experience is decentering. Accelerated change in the cultural surroundings left, and leaves, churches with few options. Often it felt, and feels, a losing battle to other choices available to church-goers and potential attendees. Many have already identified the condition as a loss of privileged status. Christendom, as some refer to it, described the period when, for example, schools would not plan extra-curricular events on Wednesday evenings in deference to local church schedules. Today, winning churches succeed, or so it seems when they market themselves as a positive lifestyle option. Christianity is not a lifestyle option no matter the marketing prowess. If Christianity has become one lifestyle option among many, how would a formerly radical message be renewed?  Who Will I Send? Not just a few theologies offer a critical analysis of Christianity as lifestyle option – Liberation Theologies, Womanist Theologies, Radical Theologies, and Radical Orthodoxy, to name a few. Dismissed by some as merely perspectivist theologies, voices from within these theological movements have identified the secularizing influences often missed by dominant culture theologies. Who might help identify the trajectory that led us to the place where the Church, churches, seem as susceptible to secularizing forces it has so vocally battled? If you answer someone like Charles Taylor, then be prepared for pushback. Not many would wade through an 800-page tome like Taylor’s A Secular Age. More importantly, how would one appropriate the insights Taylor provides that result in descriptive phrases like buffered self, immanent frame and expressive individualism? Particulary how might the Church, churches, and pastors/leaders identify the ways discipleship to Jesus is affected by these trends? The Definite Article<a href="https://www.amazon.com/Disruptive-Witness-Speaking-Truth-Distracted/dp/083084483X/ref=as_li_ss_il?ie=UTF8&amp;qid=1533828349&amp;sr=8-2&amp;keywords=Disruptive+Witness&amp;dpID=61-uU2zMKUL&amp;preST=_SY344_BO1,204,203,200_QL70_&amp;dpSrc=srch&amp;linkCode=li2&amp;tag=justtodd-20&amp;linkId=cc1c3ad696a170e289110f64e8d63ddd&amp;language=en_US" rel="noopener nofollow" target="_blank"></a> <a href="https://www.amazon.com/Disruptive-Witness-Speaking-Truth-Distracted/dp/083084483X/ref=as_li_ss_il?ie=UTF8&amp;qid=1533828349&amp;sr=8-2&amp;keywords=Disruptive+Witness&amp;dpID=61-uU2zMKUL&amp;preST=_SY344_BO1,204,203,200_QL70_&amp;dpSrc=srch&amp;linkCode=li2&amp;tag=justtodd-20&amp;linkId=cc1c3ad696a170e289110f64e8d63ddd&amp;language=en_US" rel="nofollow" target="_blank"></a> Enter Alan Noble, @TheAlanNoble. In his new book, Disruptive Witness: Speaking Truth in a Distracted Age, Alan answers the aforementioned questions for the Church, churches, and contemporary forms of Christianity. Pastors, this is a most helpful resource. It is not a cliff notes version of Taylor’s work, though you will find it an excellent introduction to Taylor’s assessment of the secularization hypothesis and its failing. More than that, Disruptive Witness calls attention to the Church, and churches, as the needed disruptive witness for a world turned inward. Voices of hope are needed in a world represented by persons reduced to individuals that express themselves in hopes their chosen identity becomes the transcendent for which they long having been told truth resides within. Disruptive Witness calls the Church, and churches, to forego assuming themselves closed off to what Darrell Guder described as the <a href="https://amzn.to/2KKWpBu" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Continuing Conversion of the Church</a>. Take a listen. Share the podcast. Buy the book.  If you find the podcast helpful, share it with your friends. Share it with your pastor friends as well as folks you know involved in leadership that touches on the pastoral. Also, consider heading over to iTunes, login, search for patheological and give us a five-star rating and a kind review. The post <a href="http://www.toddlittleton.net/disruptors-needed-a-conversation-with-the-alan-noble" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Disruptor(s) Needed: A Conversation with The Alan Noble</a> first appeared on <a href="http://www.toddlittleton.net" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">patheological: The Podcast for the Pastor-Theologian</a>.The post <a href="http://www.toddlittleton.net/disruptors-needed-a-conversation-with-the-alan-noble" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Disruptor(s) Needed: A Conversation with The Alan Noble</a> appeared first on <a href="http://www.toddlittleton.net" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">patheological: The Podcast for the Pastor-Theologian</a>. Related posts:<ol> <li><a href="http://www.toddlittleton.net/the-circles-of-faithful-presence-another-interview-with-david-e-fitch" rel="bookmark nofollow" target="_blank">The Circles of Faithful Presence: An(other) Interview with David E. Fitch</a></li> <li><a href="http://www.toddlittleton.net/community-witness" rel="bookmark nofollow" target="_blank">Community Witness</a></li> <li><a href="http://www.toddlittleton.net/diagnosing-the-current-normal-of-the-church-an-interview-with-tom-ingram" rel="bookmark nofollow" target="_blank">Diagnosing the Current Normal of the Church: An Interview with Tom Ingram</a></li> </ol>

Disruptor(s) Needed: A Conversation with The Alan Noble

Bill Borror

Recently a young friend mused in a text message, “Where are our (SBC) theologians?” His angst was palpable even if the question appeared on my phone. My friend Alan, who will be on my next podcast episode, expressed genuine concern. From his vantage point, working for the Evangelical Immigration Table, the responses to immigration issues from leaders within his, our, denomination have been more political than theological. They have been more Party, and Partisan, than theological. He implies the response might be different if the issues were arrived at through rigorous theological reflection. Not Everyone Is a Theologian You did not click over to read about the internecine debates going on in the Southern Baptist Convention, whether public or private. That really is not the aim of the post. The illustration that captures the lack Alan finds is not confined to one denomination. Saying things, or words, about God, does not make one a theologian. Serving as a pastor does not mean a person will naturally be interested in theology. Yes, that does read oddly. I have sat at the table with more than one pastor whose eyes glazed over when conversations turned theological. Had we been talking about guns, that would have resuscitated the near comatose. Bill Borror applies a measure of scrutiny to the subject of the pastor-theologian. Not Finished Learning There is nothing wrong with thinking about how organzations function, what leadership skills are essential and how to set up important means for evaluation. Church leaders err when failing to set these in place without reference to morality and ethics centered on Jesus pattern. Ignoring the Way of Jesus may mean forcing the new wine of grace into an old wineskin of pragmatics. Another young friend has been challenging me with conversations around Martin Luther’s Heidelberg Disputation. There is a specific nuance, it seems, in what is entailed in the description *Theologian of the Cross*. Despite three degrees from Christians institutions of higher education, I have spent little time with Luther. It shows. Yet, I have been energized not only to read up in that area but also to discover other authors who demonstrate the applicability to the human condition with savvy. Yes, I am a nerd. Not a New Law I don’t want to slip into creating a new law for every pastor. See, I am learning. Instead, I hope that our conversation inspires and alerts you, especially pastors, to recognize the work of the Spirit already in you. If anyone needs to always be alert to grace, it is we pastors. We don’t need to be alert so that we may point it out to others, even if that helps. No, we need it for those times when we sit alone on Mondays taking an honest assessment of the sermon preached the day before and what sort of Gospel we proclaimed. We need it when we reflect on those times where our conversations were not laced with grace. In short, we need to be aware that we need grace. Always. Maybe you will be gracious and share this episode. Could be your grace could super-abound and you would leave a review and rating on iTunes. However, you express grace toward this little project, I will be grateful. Be sure to check out Bil’s website, Resident Exile. Catch he and Scott Jones in their Theo-Conversations by listening to New Persuasive Words. Whatever you do may I encourage you to think theologically. They risked their reputation to have me on for one of their *Bull* Sessions. If you find the podcast helpful, share it with your friends. Share it with your pastor friends as well as folks you know involved in leadership that touches on the pastoral. Also, consider heading over to iTunes, login, search for patheological and give us a five-star rating and a kind review.The post Resident Exile: A Conversation with Bill Borror first appeared on patheological: The Podcast for the Pastor-Theologian.The post Resident Exile: A Conversation with Bill Borror appeared first on patheological: The Podcast for the Pastor-Theologian. Related posts: Imprisoned Souls, They Don’t Know It: Cross-podcast featuring Jeffrey C. Pugh Love Can’t: An Interview with Thomas J Oord When In Romans: A Conversation with Beverly Gaventa and Jason Micheli

Recently a young friend mused in a text message, “Where are our (SBC) theologians?” His angst was palpable even if the question appeared on my phone. My friend <a href="https://itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/when-heaven-and-earth-collide-with-alan-cross/id1136243239?mt=2" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Alan</a>, who will be on my next podcast episode, expressed genuine concern. From his vantage point, working for the Evangelical Immigration Table, the responses to immigration issues from leaders within his, our, denomination have been more political than theological. They have been more Party, and Partisan, than theological. He implies the response might be different if the issues were arrived at through rigorous theological reflection. <h2>Not Everyone Is a Theologian</h2> You did not click over to read about the internecine debates going on in the Southern Baptist Convention, whether public or private. That really is not the aim of the post. The illustration that captures the lack Alan finds is not confined to one denomination. Saying things, or words, about God, does not make one a theologian. Serving as a pastor does not mean a person will naturally be interested in theology. Yes, that does read oddly. I have sat at the table with more than one pastor whose eyes glazed over when conversations turned theological. Had we been talking about guns, that would have resuscitated the near comatose. Bill Borror applies a measure of scrutiny to the subject of the pastor-theologian. <h2>Not Finished Learning</h2> There is nothing wrong with thinking about how organzations function, what leadership skills are essential and how to set up important means for evaluation. Church leaders err when failing to set these in place without reference to morality and ethics centered on Jesus pattern. Ignoring the Way of Jesus may mean forcing the new wine of grace into an old wineskin of pragmatics. Another <a href="http://tamedcynic.org" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">young friend</a> has been challenging me with conversations around Martin Luther’s Heidelberg Disputation. There is a specific nuance, it seems, in what is entailed in the description *Theologian of the Cross*. Despite three degrees from Christians institutions of higher education, I have spent little time with Luther. It shows. Yet, I have been energized not only to read up in that area but also to discover other authors who demonstrate the applicability to the human condition with savvy. Yes, I am a nerd. <h2>Not a New Law</h2> I don’t want to slip into creating a new law for every pastor. See, I am learning. Instead, I hope that our conversation inspires and alerts you, especially pastors, to recognize the work of the Spirit already in you. If anyone needs to always be alert to grace, it is we pastors. We don’t need to be alert so that we may point it out to others, even if that helps. No, we need it for those times when we sit alone on Mondays taking an honest assessment of the sermon preached the day before and what sort of Gospel we proclaimed. We need it when we reflect on those times where our conversations were not laced with grace. In short, we need to be aware that we need grace. Always. Maybe you will be gracious and share this episode. Could be your grace could super-abound and you would leave a review and rating on iTunes. However, you express grace toward this little project, I will be grateful. Be sure to check out Bil’s website, <a href="https://www.residentexile.com" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Resident Exile.</a> Catch he and <a href="http://www.scottkentjones.com" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Scott Jones</a> in their Theo-Conversations by listening to <a href="https://itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/new-persuasive-words/id1028152108?mt=2" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">New Persuasive Words</a>. Whatever you do may I encourage you to think theologically. They risked their reputation to have me on for one of their <a href="https://npw.fireside.fm/206" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">*Bull* Sessions</a>. If you find the podcast helpful, share it with your friends. Share it with your pastor friends as well as folks you know involved in leadership that touches on the pastoral. Also, consider heading over to iTunes, login, search for patheological and give us a five-star rating and a kind review.The post <a href="http://www.toddlittleton.net/resident-exile-a-conversation-with-bill-borror" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Resident Exile: A Conversation with Bill Borror</a> first appeared on <a href="http://www.toddlittleton.net" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">patheological: The Podcast for the Pastor-Theologian</a>.The post <a href="http://www.toddlittleton.net/resident-exile-a-conversation-with-bill-borror" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Resident Exile: A Conversation with Bill Borror</a> appeared first on <a href="http://www.toddlittleton.net" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">patheological: The Podcast for the Pastor-Theologian</a>. Related posts:<ol> <li><a href="http://www.toddlittleton.net/imprisoned-souls-they-dont-know-it-cross-podcast-featuring-jeffrey-c-pugh" rel="bookmark nofollow" target="_blank">Imprisoned Souls, They Don’t Know It: Cross-podcast featuring Jeffrey C. Pugh</a></li> <li><a href="http://www.toddlittleton.net/love-cant-an-interview-with-thomas-j-oord" rel="bookmark nofollow" target="_blank">Love Can’t: An Interview with Thomas J Oord</a></li> <li><a href="http://www.toddlittleton.net/when-in-romans-a-conversation-with-beverly-gaventa-and-jason-micheli" rel="bookmark nofollow" target="_blank">When In Romans: A Conversation with Beverly Gaventa and Jason Micheli</a></li></ol>

Resident Exile: A Conversation with Bill Borror

David Zahl

Are you spiritual but not religious? Maybe you are religious but not spiritual. What do those categories even mean? Are we always going to find ourselves in an Inigo Montoya moment, “You keep using that word . . . “Religion observers and Christian leaders have for some time been offering explanations for a decline in church attendance in the West. Some contend we are experiencing an end of Christendom, a period where Christianity played a socio-cultural role in nearly every area of civic life. Others viewed the shift as a move away from religion altogether. New descriptions like the Nones and Dones have become new sociological categories used when conducting surveys of the religious habits of Americans. Is that too narrow?Meet my new friend David Zahl. His new book, Seculosity: How Career, Parenting, Food, Politics, and Romance Became Our New Religion and What To Do About It, offers a different perspective on the religiosity of Americans. It is not that his idea would not have explanatory power in the West or even other parts of the world. But his personal context is the United States. One of my friends uses the phrase to describe his departure from Christianity, “I left the building.” If you are a literalist you may miss the layers of this self-description. I have contended that some leave the building without leaving the Faith. After reading David’s book, I am left wondering if Religion has left the building. And, if it has, that is a good thing. Christianity may be classified, categorized, as a religion. But, I would argue, at its core is anti-religion. That religion has left the building should be good news for the Church, for Christianity. Here I use Religion as a set of rules to live by. Christianity may be, and certainly has been, used or practiced by some as a Rule of Life. Doing so makes of Christianity the very thing that Jesus came to liberate human beings from. Bookkeeping according to a set of rules is not grace at any level. Submitting to a new set of rules for life is merely exchanging one capricious task master for another. Jesus offers something different – grace.If you have not been persuaded by my little blog blurb to head over and order a copy of Seculosity, give our conversation a listen. Then, I hope you will get your copy!David Zahl is the director of Mockingbird Ministries and editor-in-chief of the Mockingbird blog. Born in New York City and brought up elsewhere, David graduated from Georgetown University in 2001, and then worked for several years as a youth minister in New England. In 2007 he founded Mockingbird in NYC. Today David and his wife Cate reside in Charlottesville, VA with their three boys, where David also serves on the staff of Christ Episcopal Church. His first book, A Mess of Help: From the Crucified Soul of Rock N’ Roll,appeared in 2014. Most recently, David co-authored Law and Gospel: A Theology for Sinners (and Saints) with Will McDavid and Ethan Richardson. Even after all these years, he’s still mourning the end of Calvin and Hobbes (and hoping that Morrissey and Marr will bury the hatchet). His favorite theologian is probably a cross between Johnny Cash, Flannery O’Connor and his brother Simeon.If you find the podcast helpful, share it with your friends. Share it with your pastor friends as well as folks you know involved in leadership that touches on the pastoral. Also, consider heading over to iTunes, login, search for patheological and give us a five-star rating and a kind review.The post Seculosity: When Religion Leaves the Building, A Conversation with David Zahl first appeared on patheological: The Podcast for the Pastor-Theologian.The post Seculosity: When Religion Leaves the Building, A Conversation with David Zahl appeared first on patheological: The Podcast for the Pastor-Theologian. Related posts: Beauty May Liberate Us From the Cul-De-Sac: An Interview with Bill Walker III The Rapture Betrays the Incarnation: An Interview with Jeffrey C. Pugh Pride and Prejudice – Thoughts from the Edge 

Are you spiritual but not religious? Maybe you are religious but not spiritual. What do those categories even mean? Are we always going to find ourselves in an Inigo Montoya moment, “You keep using that word . . . “Religion observers and Christian leaders have for some time been offering explanations for a decline in church attendance in the West. Some contend we are experiencing an end of Christendom, a period where Christianity played a socio-cultural role in nearly every area of civic life. Others viewed the shift as a move away from religion altogether. New descriptions like the Nones and Dones have become new sociological categories used when conducting surveys of the religious habits of Americans. Is that too narrow?Meet my new friend David Zahl. His new book, <a href="https://amzn.to/2Upe4aG" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Seculosity: How Career, Parenting, Food, Politics, and Romance Became Our New Religion and What To Do About It</a>, offers a different perspective on the religiosity of Americans. It is not that his idea would not have explanatory power in the West or even other parts of the world. But his personal context is the United States. One of my friends uses the phrase to describe his departure from Christianity, “I left the building.” If you are a literalist you may miss the layers of this self-description. I have contended that some leave the building without leaving the Faith. After reading David’s book, I am left wondering if Religion has left the building. And, if it has, that is a good thing. Christianity may be classified, categorized, as a religion. But, I would argue, at its core is anti-religion. That religion has left the building should be good news for the Church, for Christianity. Here I use Religion as a set of rules to live by. Christianity may be, and certainly has been, used or practiced by some as a Rule of Life. Doing so makes of Christianity the very thing that Jesus came to liberate human beings from. Bookkeeping according to a set of rules is not grace at any level. Submitting to a new set of rules for life is merely exchanging one capricious task master for another. Jesus offers something different – grace.If you have not been persuaded by my little blog blurb to head over and order a copy of Seculosity, give our conversation a listen. Then, I hope you will get your copy!<a href="https://www.amazon.com/Seculosity-Parenting-Technology-Politics-Religion/dp/1506449433/ref=as_li_ss_il?crid=2E6SVI5BVC2H0&amp;keywords=seculosity&amp;qid=1554137343&amp;s=books&amp;sprefix=Seculos,aps,154&amp;sr=1-1&amp;linkCode=li3&amp;tag=justtodd-20&amp;linkId=fe0b6e6b79b2f35fc31c0488d4f7744e&amp;language=en_US" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" target="_blank"></a>David Zahl is the director of Mockingbird Ministries and editor-in-chief of <a href="https://mbird.com/blog/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">the Mockingbird blog</a>. Born in New York City and brought up elsewhere, David graduated from Georgetown University in 2001, and then worked for several years as a youth minister in New England. In 2007 he founded Mockingbird in NYC. Today David and his wife Cate reside in Charlottesville, VA with their three boys, where David also serves on the staff of <a href="http://www.christchurchcville.org/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Christ Episcopal Church</a>. His first book, <a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0990792706/ref=as_li_tl?ie=UTF8&amp;camp=1789&amp;creative=390957&amp;creativeASIN=0990792706&amp;linkCode=as2&amp;tag=themockblog-20&amp;linkId=IONUYOMQUCFYPGFA" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">A Mess of Help: From the Crucified Soul of Rock N’ Roll</a>,appeared in 2014. Most recently, David co-authored <a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0990792722/ref=as_li_tl?ie=UTF8&amp;camp=1789&amp;creative=390957&amp;creativeASIN=0990792722&amp;linkCode=as2&amp;tag=themockblog-20&amp;linkId=5UHYONHJ7YB7E3JJ" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Law and Gospel: A Theology for Sinners (and Saints)</a> with Will McDavid and Ethan Richardson. Even after all these years, he’s still mourning the end of Calvin and Hobbes (and hoping that Morrissey and Marr will bury the hatchet). His favorite theologian is probably a cross between Johnny Cash, Flannery O’Connor and his brother Simeon.If you find the podcast helpful, share it with your friends. Share it with your pastor friends as well as folks you know involved in leadership that touches on the pastoral. Also, consider heading over to iTunes, login, search for patheological and give us a five-star rating and a kind review. The post <a href="http://www.toddlittleton.net/seculosity-when-religion-leaves-the-building-a-conversation-with-david-zahl" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Seculosity: When Religion Leaves the Building, A Conversation with David Zahl</a> first appeared on <a href="http://www.toddlittleton.net" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">patheological: The Podcast for the Pastor-Theologian</a>.The post <a href="http://www.toddlittleton.net/seculosity-when-religion-leaves-the-building-a-conversation-with-david-zahl" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Seculosity: When Religion Leaves the Building, A Conversation with David Zahl</a> appeared first on <a href="http://www.toddlittleton.net" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">patheological: The Podcast for the Pastor-Theologian</a>. Related posts:<ol> <li><a href="http://www.toddlittleton.net/beauty-may-liberate-us-from-the-cul-de-sac-an-interview-with-bill-walker-iii" rel="bookmark nofollow" target="_blank">Beauty May Liberate Us From the Cul-De-Sac: An Interview with Bill Walker III</a></li> <li><a href="http://www.toddlittleton.net/the-rapture-betrays-the-incarnation-an-interview-with-jeffrey-c-pugh" rel="bookmark nofollow" target="_blank">The Rapture Betrays the Incarnation: An Interview with Jeffrey C. Pugh</a></li> <li><a href="http://www.toddlittleton.net/pride-and-prejudice-thoughts-from-the-edge" rel="bookmark nofollow" target="_blank">Pride and Prejudice – Thoughts from the Edge</a></li> </ol>

Seculosity: When Religion Leaves the Building, A Conversation with David Zahl

Emily Hunter

Who knew the sloganeering of a Presidential campaign would afford us a way to highlight the great mystery of the Incarnation? Consider it much like the Apostle Paul flipping, “Ceasar is lord,” to, “Jesus Is Lord.” Here we are one year later and my friend Tripp, along with Mike Morrel and John Pavlovitz, decided to flip, Make America Great Again in order to help us Make Advent Great Again. The creative juices are rewarded with a ready-made hashtag – #MAGA. Can it get any better? Positivity Shmositivity No amount of spin will help us when we face the stark realities of our lived experience. Take the news out of Liberia. Sold into slavery is not a thing of the past. We like to think this only happens over there. My friend David Trotter worked on the documentary, In Plain Sight, that reveals the ongoing sex trafficking, read modern slave trade, here in the United States. The covers are off on the long accepted treatment of women by the powerful. It exposes what we all know is the underside of power. We did not learn much from David and Bathsheba. Cover-ups generally don’t cover enough. Too many want the reporting to stop. Admittedly it is exhausting to take in all the new stories. Remember, we are only hearing what hits the media, centered on the rich and famous. No one believes they are the only ones who treat women poorly. We could go on. Instead, some prefer a therapeutic approach. We are not that bad. Telling the Truth Means Facing Reality If everything is great, then what needs to be made great? If we are so tired of winning, what is left to win? No matter how the rhetoric is employed, the truth is desperation for a win does not make the currently proposed Tax Reform measure great. The long-term consequences will linger long after many in the House and Senate are no longer in office. We need good news. We need something great. If we have learned anything in the history of our young Country it is that we cannot rescue the world. We barely can manage ourselves. Making America Great Again is a placebo. Making Advent Great Again reminds that in the midst of hopelessness, peacelessness, joylessness, and lovelessness, But God . . . The Jesse Tree and Waiting Emily Hunter McGowin takes a mic as we discuss Advent. Many of us did not grow up observing the Season of Advent. Emily describes how her family discovered Advent, what it has come to mean and how they find the Season of Advent a help to the Church of the Resurrection that she and her husband Ronnie lead. We talk to Make Advent Great Again! Have you ever heard of, The Jesse Tree? I had not. What music helps ring in the Season of Advent if it is a time of waiting? Waiting Songs from Rain for Roots.  We talk about the darkness that many people face, often suffering in the dark alone. And, of course, we discuss what it means, But God . . .. What might you do to Make Advent Great Again for a world captive to darkness? Extra!  You will want to get Emily’s book when it comes out in May. Here is a link to a conversation I had with Emily on the subject of her forthcoming book. If you find the podcast helpful, share it with your friends. Share it with your pastor friends as well as folks you know involved in leadership that touches on the pastoral. Also, consider heading over to iTunes, login, search for patheological and give us a five-star rating and a kind review. The post Making Advent Great Again #MAGA: A Conversation with Emily Hunter McGowin first appeared on patheological: The Podcast for the Pastor-Theologian.The post Making Advent Great Again #MAGA: A Conversation with Emily Hunter McGowin appeared first on patheological: The Podcast for the Pastor-Theologian. Related posts: The Rapture Betrays the Incarnation: An Interview with Jeffrey C. Pugh Do You Believe In Magic? Or, More Sign Than Miracle The Sequel? or Living the End(ing) of Mark

Who knew the sloganeering of a Presidential campaign would afford us a way to highlight the great mystery of the Incarnation? Consider it much like the Apostle Paul flipping, “Ceasar is lord,” to, “Jesus Is Lord.” Here we are one year later and my friend Tripp, along with Mike Morrel and John Pavlovitz, decided to flip, Make America Great Again in order to help us Make Advent Great Again. The creative juices are rewarded with a ready-made hashtag – #MAGA. Can it get any better? <h2>Positivity Shmositivity</h2> No amount of spin will help us when we face the stark realities of our lived experience. Take the <a href="http://gnnliberia.com/2017/11/26/cruelty-libya-african-immigrants-sold-slaves-400/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">news out of Liberia</a>. Sold into slavery is not a thing of the past. We like to think this only happens over there. My friend David Trotter worked on the documentary, <a href="http://www.inplainsightfilm.com/#sthash.tM23rnUO.dpbs" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">In Plain Sight</a>, that reveals the ongoing sex trafficking, read modern slave trade, here in the United States. The covers are off on the long accepted treatment of women by the powerful. It exposes what we all know is the underside of power. We did not learn much from David and Bathsheba. Cover-ups generally don’t cover enough. Too many want the reporting to stop. Admittedly it is exhausting to take in all the new stories. Remember, we are only hearing what hits the media, centered on the rich and famous. No one believes they are the only ones who treat women poorly. We could go on. Instead, some prefer a therapeutic approach. We are not that bad. <h2>Telling the Truth Means Facing Reality</h2> If everything is great, then what needs to be made great? If we are so tired of winning, what is left to win? No matter how the rhetoric is employed, the truth is desperation for a win does not make the currently proposed Tax Reform measure great. The long-term consequences will linger long after many in the House and Senate are no longer in office. We need good news. We need something great. If we have learned anything in the history of our young Country it is that we cannot rescue the world. We barely can manage ourselves. Making America Great Again is a placebo. Making Advent Great Again reminds that in the midst of hopelessness, peacelessness, joylessness, and lovelessness, But God . . . <h2>The Jesse Tree and Waiting</h2> <a href="https://www.emilymcgowin.com" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Emily Hunter McGowin</a> takes a mic as we discuss Advent. Many of us did not grow up observing the Season of Advent. Emily describes how her family discovered Advent, what it has come to mean and how they find the Season of Advent a help to the <a href="http://rezarvada.com" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Church of the Resurrection</a> that she and her husband Ronnie lead. We talk to Make Advent Great Again! Have you ever heard of, <a href="https://s3.amazonaws.com/media.cloversites.com/ef/ef8997c1-1a68-4ba4-9a7a-d6a9448b5d6f/documents/2017-_Rez_Arvada_Advent_Devotional_Guide.pdf" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">The Jesse Tree</a>? I had not. What music helps ring in the Season of Advent if it is a time of waiting? <a href="https://rainforroots.bandcamp.com/album/waiting-songs" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Waiting Songs</a> from <a href="https://rainforroots.bandcamp.com" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Rain for Roots</a>. We talk about the darkness that many people face, often suffering in the dark alone. And, of course, we discuss what it means, But God . . .. What might you do to Make Advent Great Again for a world captive to darkness? <h2>Extra!</h2> <h1></h1> You will want to get <a href="https://www.amazon.com/dp/150642760X/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_ep_dp_2P39zbTH8X5B2" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Emily’s book</a> when it comes out in May. Here is a <a href="http://www.toddlittleton.net/what-we-learn-from-the-extreme-may-surprise-us-or-an-interview-with-emily-hunter-mcgowin-on-the-quiverfull-movement-and-american-evangelicalism" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">link to a conversation</a> I had with Emily on the subject of her forthcoming book. If you find the podcast helpful, share it with your friends. Share it with your pastor friends as well as folks you know involved in leadership that touches on the pastoral. Also, consider heading over to iTunes, login, search for patheological and give us a five-star rating and a kind review. The post <a href="http://www.toddlittleton.net/making-advent-great-again-maga-a-conversation-with-emily-hunter-mcgowin" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Making Advent Great Again #MAGA: A Conversation with Emily Hunter McGowin</a> first appeared on <a href="http://www.toddlittleton.net" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">patheological: The Podcast for the Pastor-Theologian</a>.The post <a href="http://www.toddlittleton.net/making-advent-great-again-maga-a-conversation-with-emily-hunter-mcgowin" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Making Advent Great Again #MAGA: A Conversation with Emily Hunter McGowin</a> appeared first on <a href="http://www.toddlittleton.net" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">patheological: The Podcast for the Pastor-Theologian</a>. Related posts:<ol> <li><a href="http://www.toddlittleton.net/the-rapture-betrays-the-incarnation-an-interview-with-jeffrey-c-pugh" rel="bookmark nofollow" target="_blank">The Rapture Betrays the Incarnation: An Interview with Jeffrey C. Pugh</a></li> <li><a href="http://www.toddlittleton.net/do-you-believe-in-magic-or-more-sign-than-miracle" rel="bookmark nofollow" target="_blank">Do You Believe In Magic? Or, More Sign Than Miracle</a></li> <li><a href="http://www.toddlittleton.net/the-sequel-or-living-the-ending-of-mark" rel="bookmark nofollow" target="_blank">The Sequel? or Living the End(ing) of Mark</a></li></ol>

Making Advent Great Again #MAGA: A Conversation with Emily Hunter McGowin

Scott Curry

The idols we create become burdens too heavy to bear. Scott Curry references Walter Brueggemann on Isaiah 46 to point out the caricatures we create for God become the idols in our heads that let us down when suffering comes. Not Speculative Suffering comes. When we least expect it. At the most inopportune times. To us all. Though he is working on his Ph.D. from the University of Durham, Scott comes to the subject of suffering out of his own personal experience. Like most pastors, he knew something did not seem right, did not feel right. Depression, the Black Dog, showed up unannounced but also with a family history. Darlene showed up which is to say that God showed up. Any idols Scott may have once had could not bear up under the weight of the dark cloud. No, Darlene is not a god or a demi-god. Darlene is Scott’s wife. She showed up and through her the God about whom Scott had preached revealed himself faithful. Wisdom Job took on the form of more than just a text to study, a figure to interrogate. Harnessing the tools learned in Old Testament studies, Scott began to mine the story for what it reveals about God. Insights pressed him to consider the themes of suffering, anger and forgiveness as human experiences through which we may be relieved of our idol images hanging out in our heads. They take up real estate in our brains and lives unable to offer any way to see reality and how to keep punching despite the pain. You will find our conversation personal and pastoral. Mysterious Scott and I have not seen each other for quite a long time. In fact, it may now be 22 years. Technology provided us the window to catch up. One of the mysteries of friendship is the ability to pick up where we left off. It is not that we have not talked over the phone, but that medium lacks. And, when Scott pointed out that our pursuits to know exactly where Uz is, Job’s hometown, miss the point. That we do not know where to locate Uz, is, for Scott, a pointer that life is full of mysteries. Any attempt to wrap God up into a neat box is to mistake the revealed God for an idol. More to Come We could not possibly consider all that is offered in Job in one episode. We are making plans for a regular segment on the Pastor-Theologian from the Old Testament, Hebrew Scriptures. Look for this regular feature in the coming weeks. If you find the podcast helpful, share it with your friends. Share it with your pastor friends as well as folks you know involved in leadership that touches on the pastoral. Also, consider heading over to iTunes, login, search for patheological and give us a five-star rating and a kind review.The post This Is Uz: A Conversation with Scott Curry first appeared on patheological: The Podcast for the Pastor-Theologian.The post This Is Uz: A Conversation with Scott Curry appeared first on patheological: The Podcast for the Pastor-Theologian. Related posts: The Circles of Faithful Presence: An(other) Interview with David E. Fitch Black Olive or Green Olive, What Color Was Jesus?: An Interview with Adam Clark The Greatest Spiritual Discipline: An Interview with Philip Nation

The idols we create become burdens too heavy to bear. Scott Curry references Walter Brueggemann on Isaiah 46 to point out the caricatures we create for God become the idols in our heads that let us down when suffering comes. <h2>Not Speculative</h2> Suffering comes. When we least expect it. At the most inopportune times. To us all. Though he is working on his Ph.D. from the University of Durham, Scott comes to the subject of suffering out of his own personal experience. Like most pastors, he knew something did not seem right, did not feel right. Depression, the Black Dog, showed up unannounced but also with a family history. Darlene showed up which is to say that God showed up. Any idols Scott may have once had could not bear up under the weight of the dark cloud. No, Darlene is not a god or a demi-god. Darlene is Scott’s wife. She showed up and through her the God about whom Scott had preached revealed himself faithful. <h2>Wisdom</h2> Job took on the form of more than just a text to study, a figure to interrogate. Harnessing the tools learned in Old Testament studies, Scott began to mine the story for what it reveals about God. Insights pressed him to consider the themes of suffering, anger and forgiveness as human experiences through which we may be relieved of our idol images hanging out in our heads. They take up real estate in our brains and lives unable to offer any way to see reality and how to keep punching despite the pain. You will find our conversation personal and pastoral. <h2>Mysterious</h2> Scott and I have not seen each other for quite a long time. In fact, it may now be 22 years. Technology provided us the window to catch up. One of the mysteries of friendship is the ability to pick up where we left off. It is not that we have not talked over the phone, but that medium lacks. And, when Scott pointed out that our pursuits to know exactly where Uz is, Job’s hometown, miss the point. That we do not know where to locate Uz, is, for Scott, a pointer that life is full of mysteries. Any attempt to wrap God up into a neat box is to mistake the revealed God for an idol. <h2>More to Come</h2> We could not possibly consider all that is offered in Job in one episode. We are making plans for a regular segment on the Pastor-Theologian from the Old Testament, Hebrew Scriptures. Look for this regular feature in the coming weeks. If you find the podcast helpful, share it with your friends. Share it with your pastor friends as well as folks you know involved in leadership that touches on the pastoral. Also, consider heading over to iTunes, login, search for patheological and give us a five-star rating and a kind review.The post <a href="http://www.toddlittleton.net/this-is-uz-a-conversation-with-scott-curry" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">This Is Uz: A Conversation with Scott Curry</a> first appeared on <a href="http://www.toddlittleton.net" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">patheological: The Podcast for the Pastor-Theologian</a>.The post <a href="http://www.toddlittleton.net/this-is-uz-a-conversation-with-scott-curry" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">This Is Uz: A Conversation with Scott Curry</a> appeared first on <a href="http://www.toddlittleton.net" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">patheological: The Podcast for the Pastor-Theologian</a>. Related posts:<ol> <li><a href="http://www.toddlittleton.net/the-circles-of-faithful-presence-another-interview-with-david-e-fitch" rel="bookmark nofollow" target="_blank">The Circles of Faithful Presence: An(other) Interview with David E. Fitch</a></li> <li><a href="http://www.toddlittleton.net/black-olive-or-green-olive-what-color-was-jesus-an-interview-with-adam-clark" rel="bookmark nofollow" target="_blank">Black Olive or Green Olive, What Color Was Jesus?: An Interview with Adam Clark</a></li> <li><a href="http://www.toddlittleton.net/the-greatest-spiritual-discipline-an-interview-with-philip-nation" rel="bookmark nofollow" target="_blank">The Greatest Spiritual Discipline: An Interview with Philip Nation</a></li></ol>

This Is Uz: A Conversation with Scott Curry

Jimmy Doyle

Most lands us in trouble. The word most gets us in trouble, not most people. When we want to lay claim to the popular position or opinion we use most; even if we know it runs into the wall of fallacies. Sweeping generalization or not, Jimmy Doyle’s conversation with Israelis and Palestinians led him to conclude most want peace. Not Always Convinced Like those of us who grew up in conservative Evangelical churches, Jimmy embraced the all or nothing commitment to Israel as a Christian. He grew up knowing the prevailing U.S. policy included a commitment to defend Israel even if standing alone. The story was always narrated, and in many places still is, that the conflict is one-sided. Never the aggressor, Israel deserves arms and money. Then one day in college he met a Palestinian Christian. On this side of the world, one narrative dominates. Talking to someone from that part of the world introduced another way of seeing. We all are given a way to see the world. Stay close to home, don’t venture beyond the scope of your homogenous surroundings and it will be easy to think there is only one way to see the world, the one you were given. Jimmy ventured out too many times. Travel Not Tour Scan the Facebook and you will be provided a tour of all thing a given person wants you to see. If you are on the Facebook you will do the same. You will post what you think is interesting, might garner lots of shares or stir a raging debate. Have you ever posted a mundane video where you are rolling your poly cart full of trash to the curb? No, who would Share a video like that?! Exactly. Growing up my pastor took many groups to the Holy Land. Travel Agents target pastors, who most often cannot afford such a trip, to sign up a group to tour Israel. If they sign up enough they will be given a ticket maybe two. I admit it. One day I want to go to Israel. After talking to Jimmy though, I don’t want to go on a Tour, I want to travel. There is a difference in the experience you will have. Breaking Bread Those of us who are familiar with Southern Hospitality have a fair grasp on how to welcome and entertain guests. After listening to Jimmy, and confirmed by other friends who have traveled and not toured, those in the Middle East tend to take hospitality to another level. In our first conversation that ended up on the cutting floor, Jimmy shared the story from one of his trips to the Middle East. He and his friend got in late. They were staying at an Airbnb. Hungry and in hopes of food late they queried the host. One problem. It was Passover. When Jimmy asked if there were any Muslim restaurants open, the answer came back, “Everything is closed.” Rather than stop there, the host went on to say, “You can come share Passover with me and my family.” It was a bit of a shock. They shared Passover with a family that was thoroughly secular, Atheist Jews if you will. Yet, they enjoyed the culture of hospitality that exceeds what we tend to find when looking for Southern Hospitality. Still Learning Tacking the subject of the Palestinian-Israeli Conflict may be more difficult than Nik Wallenda at Niagra Falls. One of the greatest tightrope feats would be to find a footing between the accusation of anti-Semitism or Zionism. Jimmy hopes to continue to learn a way forward as he has found friends among Palestinian Christians, Muslims, and Israelis who all want peace. Jimmy suggested several more books: Palestinian Memories Whose Land? Whose Promise?: What Christians Are Not Being Told about Israel and the Palestinians. Jesus and the Land: The New Testament Challenge to “Holy Land” Theology If you find the podcast helpful, share it with your friends. Share it with your pastor friends as well as folks you know involved in leadership that touches on the pastoral. Also, consider heading over to iTunes, login, search for patheological and give us a five-star rating and a kind review.The post Most Want Peace In Israel and Palestine: A Conversation with Jimmy Doyle first appeared on patheological: The Podcast for the Pastor-Theologian.The post Most Want Peace In Israel and Palestine: A Conversation with Jimmy Doyle appeared first on patheological: The Podcast for the Pastor-Theologian. Related posts: Goliath, David, and South Carolina Whose History? Whose Independence? An Interview with Alan Cross Andrew, You Can’t Do That! 

Most lands us in trouble. The word most gets us in trouble, not most people. When we want to lay claim to the popular position or opinion we use most; even if we know it runs into the wall of fallacies. Sweeping generalization or not, Jimmy Doyle’s conversation with Israelis and Palestinians led him to conclude most want peace. <h2>Not Always Convinced</h2> <a href="https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0801015731/ref=as_li_tl?ie=UTF8&amp;camp=1789&amp;creative=9325&amp;creativeASIN=0801015731&amp;linkCode=as2&amp;tag=justtodd-20&amp;linkId=fe1526ae4bc252544eaa0645681b8f7b" rel="noopener nofollow" target="_blank"></a>Like those of us who grew up in conservative Evangelical churches, Jimmy embraced the all or nothing commitment to Israel as a Christian. He grew up knowing the prevailing U.S. policy included a commitment to defend Israel even if standing alone. The story was always narrated, and in many places still is, that the conflict is one-sided. Never the aggressor, Israel deserves arms and money. Then one day in college he met a Palestinian Christian. On this side of the world, one narrative dominates. Talking to someone from that part of the world introduced another way of seeing. We all are given a way to see the world. Stay close to home, don’t venture beyond the scope of your homogenous surroundings and it will be easy to think there is only one way to see the world, the one you were given. Jimmy ventured out too many times. <h2>Travel Not Tour</h2> <a href="https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0385521715/ref=as_li_tl?ie=UTF8&amp;camp=1789&amp;creative=9325&amp;creativeASIN=0385521715&amp;linkCode=as2&amp;tag=justtodd-20&amp;linkId=0e65f3eab82a884d953b5168f58374b1" rel="noopener nofollow" target="_blank"></a>Scan the Facebook and you will be provided a tour of all thing a given person wants you to see. If you are on the Facebook you will do the same. You will post what you think is interesting, might garner lots of shares or stir a raging debate. Have you ever posted a mundane video where you are rolling your poly cart full of trash to the curb? No, who would Share a video like that?! Exactly. Growing up my pastor took many groups to the Holy Land. Travel Agents target pastors, who most often cannot afford such a trip, to sign up a group to tour Israel. If they sign up enough they will be given a ticket maybe two. I admit it. One day I want to go to Israel. After talking to Jimmy though, I don’t want to go on a Tour, I want to travel. There is a difference in the experience you will have. <h2>Breaking Bread</h2> Those of us who are familiar with Southern Hospitality have a fair grasp on how to welcome and entertain guests. After listening to Jimmy, and confirmed by other friends who have traveled and not toured, those in the Middle East tend to take hospitality to another level. In our first conversation that ended up on the cutting floor, Jimmy shared the story from one of his trips to the Middle East. He and his friend got in late. They were staying at an Airbnb. Hungry and in hopes of food late they queried the host. One problem. It was Passover. When Jimmy asked if there were any Muslim restaurants open, the answer came back, “Everything is closed.” Rather than stop there, the host went on to say, “You can come share Passover with me and my family.” It was a bit of a shock. They shared Passover with a family that was thoroughly secular, Atheist Jews if you will. Yet, they enjoyed the culture of hospitality that exceeds what we tend to find when looking for Southern Hospitality. <h2>Still Learning</h2> Tacking the subject of the Palestinian-Israeli Conflict may be more difficult than <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nik_Wallenda" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Nik Wallenda</a> at Niagra Falls. One of the greatest tightrope feats would be to find a footing between the accusation of anti-Semitism or Zionism. Jimmy hopes to continue to learn a way forward as he has found friends among Palestinian Christians, Muslims, and Israelis who all want peace. Jimmy suggested several more books: <a href="https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0978783905/ref=as_li_tl?ie=UTF8&amp;camp=1789&amp;creative=9325&amp;creativeASIN=0978783905&amp;linkCode=as2&amp;tag=justtodd-20&amp;linkId=8a9a7c0b3843bf7fed531ac0c28d27a3" rel="noopener nofollow" target="_blank">Palestinian Memories</a> <a href="https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0829819924/ref=as_li_tl?ie=UTF8&amp;camp=1789&amp;creative=9325&amp;creativeASIN=0829819924&amp;linkCode=as2&amp;tag=justtodd-20&amp;linkId=2ad19776be0e3bcdee0e1392c6302031" rel="noopener nofollow" target="_blank">Whose Land? Whose Promise?: What Christians Are Not Being Told about Israel and the Palestinians.</a> <a href="https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0801038987/ref=as_li_tl?ie=UTF8&amp;camp=1789&amp;creative=9325&amp;creativeASIN=0801038987&amp;linkCode=as2&amp;tag=justtodd-20&amp;linkId=a81e9bad88d6aa5a81484e5686c08111" rel="noopener nofollow" target="_blank">Jesus and the Land: The New Testament Challenge to “Holy Land” Theology</a> If you find the podcast helpful, share it with your friends. Share it with your pastor friends as well as folks you know involved in leadership that touches on the pastoral. Also, consider heading over to iTunes, login, search for patheological and give us a five-star rating and a kind review.The post <a href="http://www.toddlittleton.net/want-peace-israel-palestine-conversation-jimmy-doyle" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Most Want Peace In Israel and Palestine: A Conversation with Jimmy Doyle</a> first appeared on <a href="http://www.toddlittleton.net" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">patheological: The Podcast for the Pastor-Theologian</a>.The post <a href="http://www.toddlittleton.net/want-peace-israel-palestine-conversation-jimmy-doyle" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Most Want Peace In Israel and Palestine: A Conversation with Jimmy Doyle</a> appeared first on <a href="http://www.toddlittleton.net" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">patheological: The Podcast for the Pastor-Theologian</a>. Related posts:<ol> <li><a href="http://www.toddlittleton.net/goliath-david-and-south-carolina" rel="bookmark nofollow" target="_blank">Goliath, David, and South Carolina</a></li> <li><a href="http://www.toddlittleton.net/whose-history-whose-independence-an-interview-with-alan-cross" rel="bookmark nofollow" target="_blank">Whose History? Whose Independence? An Interview with Alan Cross</a></li> <li><a href="http://www.toddlittleton.net/andrew-you-cant-do-that" rel="bookmark nofollow" target="_blank">Andrew, You Can’t Do That!</a></li> </ol>

Most Want Peace In Israel and Palestine: A Conversation with Jimmy Doyle

I am more near retirement than Scott. I have grandchildren older than his newborn. He has more hair. And, fortunately for me, he did not turn the old guy away when he reached out for a conversation on the Twitter platform. Who In the World is Scott M. Coley Not long after Scott and I were talking about a podcast episode and discussing his work, I received a call from my friend Ben Cole. He dispensed with the pleasantries. Ben got straight to the point. Though not unusual, what he had to say caught me off guard. “You better leave that Scott Coley alone.” While I was thinking of what to ask next, Ben began to laugh. Had I been playing, “Where in the world is Carmen San Diego?”, I would not have guessed that Ben was in the same room with Scott. He was. If the world is smaller due to increased population, social media shrinks the degrees of our separation.  Scott is a Lecturer in the Department of Philosophy at Saint Mary’s. His areas of study and lecture work include Epistemology (how we know), Ethics and Political Philosophy. His bio is not what caught my attention when I saw his comment on a Twitter thread I was following. It was Scott’s response. What to do? Troll. I discovered Scott’s blog, faith, philosophy &amp; politics: social systems and Christian ethics. A broader bio is offered there, Scott M. Coley holds a Ph.D. in philosophy from Purdue University and a Master’s degree in systematic theology from the University of Notre Dame. His research focuses primarily on philosophy of religion and ethics. He teaches courses in moral and political philosophy, history of philosophy and logic at a liberal arts college on the East Coast. In addition to presenting at academic conferences, Scott has published his work in the peer-reviewed International Journal for Philosophy of Religion and served as a peer reviewer for the journal Faith and Philosophy. Scott’s most recent post became a launching point for our conversation on this episode of patheological: the podcast for the pastor-theologian. We finish by talking about a book project he has in the works. Shamelessly I am hoping someone with publishing contacts with reach out to me so that I could make introductions and see if we could help get his book published. Stay Young My Friends My working definition for leaders has been, “Leaders are always learning.” I came to this conclusion when I was barely Scott’s age. Of the publishing of books there is no end. Quoeleth said something close in Ecclesiastes. For those of us in Christian ministry, I think particularly of pastors, of conversations with young people, young thinkers, there should be no end (for us).  Scott is now part of that orbit for me. Damien. Tripp. Jason. Emily. Natalie. Scott. Tommie. Lori. KrisAnne. Johnnie. Jeremy. Phil. (At my age I know I am leaving out many young people who inspire me.) Twitter is a dangerous place. Maybe not quite like the Devilbook. But, it can be a treacherous place to troll. If you dare,  you may also discover some nuggets of gold along the way. I did. If you find the podcast helpful, share it with your friends. Share it with your pastor friends as well as folks you know involved in leadership that touches on the pastoral. Also, consider heading over to iTunes, login, search for patheological and give us a five-star rating and a kind review. The post Trolling Christian Twitter for Nuggets of Gold first appeared on patheological: The Podcast for the Pastor-Theologian.The post Trolling Christian Twitter for Nuggets of Gold appeared first on patheological: The Podcast for the Pastor-Theologian. Related posts: No Better Time for Public Theology: An Interview with Kyle A. Roberts Preaching As Resistance A Complicated Pregnancy: A Conversation with Kyle Roberts

I am more near retirement than Scott. I have grandchildren older than his newborn. He has more hair. And, fortunately for me, he did not turn the old guy away when he reached out for a conversation on the Twitter platform. <h2>Who In the World is Scott M. Coley</h2> Not long after Scott and I were talking about a podcast episode and discussing his work, I received a call from my friend Ben Cole. He dispensed with the pleasantries. Ben got straight to the point. Though not unusual, what he had to say caught me off guard. “You better leave that Scott Coley alone.” While I was thinking of what to ask next, Ben began to laugh. Had I been playing, “Where in the world is Carmen San Diego?”, I would not have guessed that Ben was in the same room with Scott. He was. If the world is smaller due to increased population, social media shrinks the degrees of our separation. Scott is a <a href="https://directory.msmary.edu/people/scott-coley.html" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Lecturer in the Department of Philosophy at Saint Mary’s</a>. His areas of study and lecture work include Epistemology (how we know), Ethics and Political Philosophy. His bio is not what caught my attention when I saw his comment on a Twitter thread I was following. It was Scott’s response. What to do? <a href="https://twitter.com/scott_m_coley?lang=en" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Troll</a>. I discovered Scott’s blog, <a href="https://faithphilosophyandpolitics.org/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">faith, philosophy &amp; politics: social systems and Christian ethics</a>. A broader bio is offered there, <blockquote>Scott M. Coley holds a Ph.D. in philosophy from Purdue University and a Master’s degree in systematic theology from the University of Notre Dame. His research focuses primarily on philosophy of religion and ethics. He teaches courses in moral and political philosophy, history of philosophy and logic at a liberal arts college on the East Coast. In addition to presenting at academic conferences, Scott has published his work in the peer-reviewed International Journal for Philosophy of Religion and served as a peer reviewer for the journal Faith and Philosophy.</blockquote> Scott’s most recent post became a launching point for our conversation on this episode of patheological: the podcast for the pastor-theologian. We finish by talking about a book project he has in the works. Shamelessly I am hoping someone with publishing contacts with reach out to me so that I could make introductions and see if we could help get his book published. <h2>Stay Young My Friends</h2> My working definition for leaders has been, “Leaders are always learning.” I came to this conclusion when I was barely Scott’s age. Of the publishing of books there is no end. Quoeleth said something close in Ecclesiastes. For those of us in Christian ministry, I think particularly of pastors, of conversations with young people, young thinkers, there should be no end (for us). Scott is now part of that orbit for me. Damien. Tripp. Jason. Emily. Natalie. Scott. Tommie. Lori. KrisAnne. Johnnie. Jeremy. Phil. (At my age I know I am leaving out many young people who inspire me.) Twitter is a dangerous place. Maybe not quite like the Devilbook. But, it can be a treacherous place to troll. If you dare, you may also discover some nuggets of gold along the way. I did. If you find the podcast helpful, share it with your friends. Share it with your pastor friends as well as folks you know involved in leadership that touches on the pastoral. Also, consider heading over to iTunes, login, search for patheological and give us a five-star rating and a kind review. The post <a href="http://www.toddlittleton.net/trolling-christian-twitter-for-nuggets-of-gold" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Trolling Christian Twitter for Nuggets of Gold</a> first appeared on <a href="http://www.toddlittleton.net" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">patheological: The Podcast for the Pastor-Theologian</a>.The post <a href="http://www.toddlittleton.net/trolling-christian-twitter-for-nuggets-of-gold" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Trolling Christian Twitter for Nuggets of Gold</a> appeared first on <a href="http://www.toddlittleton.net" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">patheological: The Podcast for the Pastor-Theologian</a>. Related posts:<ol> <li><a href="http://www.toddlittleton.net/no-better-time-for-public-theology-an-interview-with-kyle-a-roberts" rel="bookmark nofollow" target="_blank">No Better Time for Public Theology: An Interview with Kyle A. Roberts</a></li> <li><a href="http://www.toddlittleton.net/preaching-as-resistance" rel="bookmark nofollow" target="_blank">Preaching As Resistance</a></li> <li><a href="http://www.toddlittleton.net/complicated-pregnancy-conversation-kyle-roberts" rel="bookmark nofollow" target="_blank">A Complicated Pregnancy: A Conversation with Kyle Roberts</a></li></ol>

Trolling Christian Twitter for Nuggets of Gold

Alan Cross

Martin Luther King Jr. is something of a Rorschach Test for Southern Baptists. Enter the recent MLK50 event co-sponsored by the Ethics and Religious Liberty Commission of the SBC as evidence. On the 50th Anniversary of the assassination of Martin Luther King Jr., the Ethics and Religious Liberty co-sponsored the MLK50 event. Here is a link to the Conference – Main Sessions and Break Out Sessions too. If you are unfamiliar with the history of the Southern Baptist Convention, this is a big deal. Big. Deal. What Does Immigration Have to Do with Race? Just. About. Everything. Alan Cross returns to the podcast to talk about the MLK50 event. Alan works for the Evangelical Immigration Table. He is the author of When Heaven and Earth Collide: Racism, Southern Evangelicals, and the Better Way of Jesus. Alan offers a sometimes podcast by the same title. Joined by Travis Wussow and Rondell Trevino for a workshop titled, Immigration, Refugees, and Ministry to the Vulnerable, Alan drew on his experience as a pastor in Montgomery, Alabama and the research for his book to invite participants to think about the ways Christians might serve those at risk in our Country. Why a Rorschach Test? Those who place a high emphasis on personal responsibility often find it hard to understand the idea of systemic issues. Poverty, for example, is often understood as a result of laziness. Those of us who insist on aid for the working poor know full well this is a horrible fallacy. My friend Ryan Abernathy, who works with the Regional Food Bank of Oklahoma, regularly pounds the table when legislators assert that those on the margins are there based solely on their poor choices. Martin Luther King Jr. serves as a sort of Rorschach Test for Southern Baptists, and most Southern Christians. Imagine criticism for the MLK50 event where Conservative Evangelicals gathered to listen and consider how to continue to overcome the long history of racism propped up by a variety of institutions including the church. Yes. It happened. Some questioned King’s faith. Others dismissed him as a Liberal. More only know what someone else told them to think about King. How one responded to this event was largely predicated on where they line up in their view of King. I am told there were event tensions at the event related to how quickly to move. For some the exhortation was to move slowly, that is let things continue to progress naturally. Others insisted the issues are too great. There is need to work harder and do more now, not later. Dr. B is Still Ringing in My Ears If you have followed the blog and the podcast since it was rebranded as patheological, then you have read about Dr. B. Dr. B is shorthand for Dr. Barbara Holmes. Those of you may be new here. I heard Dr. B at an event a couple of years ago where an older gentleman raised his hand. When called on he said, “I need you to come tell my people these stories [so they will understand racism].” Dr. Holmes response has stuck with me. She said, “You go tell your people.” Congregations need to hear from their pastors and leaders that there is an issue and how the Way of Jesus calls us to be and do differently. This is another of my attempts to do just that. If you find the podcast helpful, share it with your friends. Share it with your pastor friends as well as folks you know involved in leadership that touches on the pastoral. Also, consider heading over to iTunes, login, search for patheological and give us a five-star rating and a kind review.The post MLK50: An SBC Rorschach Test – A Conversation with Alan Cross first appeared on patheological: The Podcast for the Pastor-Theologian.The post MLK50: An SBC Rorschach Test – A Conversation with Alan Cross appeared first on patheological: The Podcast for the Pastor-Theologian. Related posts: Whose History? Whose Independence? An Interview with Alan Cross Poverty, American Christianity, and The Church, An Interview with Ryan Abernathy Black Olive or Green Olive, What Color Was Jesus?: An Interview with Adam Clark

Martin Luther King Jr. is something of a Rorschach Test for Southern Baptists. Enter the recent <a href="http://mlk50conference.com/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">MLK50</a> event co-sponsored by the <a href="https://erlc.com/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Ethics and Religious Liberty Commission of the SBC</a> as evidence. On the 50th Anniversary of the assassination of Martin Luther King Jr., the Ethics and Religious Liberty co-sponsored the MLK50 event. <a href="https://www.thegospelcoalition.org/article/mlk50-conference-media-available/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Here is a link</a> to the Conference – Main Sessions and Break Out Sessions too. If you are unfamiliar with the history of the Southern Baptist Convention, this is a big deal. Big. Deal. <h2>What Does Immigration Have to Do with Race?</h2> Just. About. Everything. Alan Cross returns to the podcast to talk about the MLK50 event. Alan works for the <a href="http://evangelicalimmigrationtable.com" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Evangelical Immigration Table</a>. He is the author of <a href="https://www.amazon.com/When-Heaven-Earth-Collide-Evangelicals/dp/1603063501/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&amp;qid=1527630610&amp;sr=8-1&amp;keywords=when+heaven+and+earth+collide&amp;dpID=51joxL%252BD9uL&amp;preST=_SY344_BO1,204,203,200_QL70_&amp;dpSrc=srch" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">When Heaven and Earth Collide: Racism, Southern Evangelicals, and the Better Way of Jesus</a>. Alan offers a <a href="https://itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/when-heaven-and-earth-collide-with-alan-cross/id1136243239?mt=2" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">sometimes podcast</a> by the same title. Joined by Travis Wussow and Rondell Trevino for a workshop titled, <a href="https://www.thegospelcoalition.org/conference_media/ministry-margins-immigration-refugees-ministry-vulnerable/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Immigration, Refugees, and Ministry to the Vulnerable,</a> Alan drew on his experience as a pastor in Montgomery, Alabama and the research for his book to invite participants to think about the ways Christians might serve those at risk in our Country. <h2>Why a Rorschach Test?</h2> Those who place a high emphasis on personal responsibility often find it hard to understand the idea of systemic issues. Poverty, for example, is often understood as a result of laziness. Those of us who insist on aid for the working poor know full well this is a horrible fallacy. My friend Ryan Abernathy, who works with the Regional Food Bank of Oklahoma, regularly pounds the table when legislators assert that those on the margins are there based solely on their poor choices. Martin Luther King Jr. serves as a sort of Rorschach Test for Southern Baptists, and most Southern Christians. Imagine criticism for the MLK50 event where Conservative Evangelicals gathered to listen and consider how to continue to overcome the long history of racism propped up by a variety of institutions including the church. Yes. It happened. Some questioned King’s faith. Others dismissed him as a Liberal. More only know what someone else told them to think about King. How one responded to this event was largely predicated on where they line up in their view of King. I am told there were event tensions at the event related to how quickly to move. For some the exhortation was to move slowly, that is let things continue to progress naturally. Others insisted the issues are too great. There is need to work harder and do more now, not later. <h2>Dr. B is Still Ringing in My Ears</h2> If you have followed the blog and the podcast since it was rebranded as patheological, then you have read about Dr. B. Dr. B is shorthand for Dr. Barbara Holmes. Those of you may be new here. I heard Dr. B at an event a couple of years ago where an older gentleman raised his hand. When called on he said, “I need you to come tell my people these stories [so they will understand racism].” Dr. Holmes response has stuck with me. She said, “You go tell your people.” Congregations need to hear from their pastors and leaders that there is an issue and how the Way of Jesus calls us to be and do differently. This is another of my attempts to do just that. If you find the podcast helpful, share it with your friends. Share it with your pastor friends as well as folks you know involved in leadership that touches on the pastoral. Also, consider heading over to iTunes, login, search for patheological and give us a five-star rating and a kind review.The post <a href="http://www.toddlittleton.net/mlk50-an-sbc-rorschach-test-a-conversation-with-alan-cross" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">MLK50: An SBC Rorschach Test – A Conversation with Alan Cross</a> first appeared on <a href="http://www.toddlittleton.net" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">patheological: The Podcast for the Pastor-Theologian</a>.The post <a href="http://www.toddlittleton.net/mlk50-an-sbc-rorschach-test-a-conversation-with-alan-cross" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">MLK50: An SBC Rorschach Test – A Conversation with Alan Cross</a> appeared first on <a href="http://www.toddlittleton.net" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">patheological: The Podcast for the Pastor-Theologian</a>. Related posts:<ol> <li><a href="http://www.toddlittleton.net/whose-history-whose-independence-an-interview-with-alan-cross" rel="bookmark nofollow" target="_blank">Whose History? Whose Independence? An Interview with Alan Cross</a></li> <li><a href="http://www.toddlittleton.net/poverty-myths-and-the-church-an-interview-with-ryan-abernathy" rel="bookmark nofollow" target="_blank">Poverty, American Christianity, and The Church, An Interview with Ryan Abernathy</a></li> <li><a href="http://www.toddlittleton.net/black-olive-or-green-olive-what-color-was-jesus-an-interview-with-adam-clark" rel="bookmark nofollow" target="_blank">Black Olive or Green Olive, What Color Was Jesus?: An Interview with Adam Clark</a></li></ol>

MLK50: An SBC Rorschach Test – A Conversation with Alan Cross

Many resist preaching, listening to preachers, that is. Preachers may be the worst. I have attended denominational meetings and watched folks get up and leave when the preaching begins. Imagine thinking mundane business to be more interesting than the preacher you may not have heard before.Over the past thirty years, I have read less than a handful of preaching books. I have only listened to a few sermons over those same years outside of attending meetings where preaching placed prominently on the conference agenda. It has not been a practice to read many sermons either.Over the past couple of years that has changed. I think Joe Thorn is correct that most of us preach to ourselves before preaching to or with a congregation. Podcasts have helped to provide the means to listen to a variety of preachers and sermons.Last Fall I attended an event at my Alma Mater, Oklahoma Baptist University. The one-day conference was on Black Preaching. After that event, I ordered several suggested books on preaching and committed to reading or listening to a sermon a day this year. There are some resolutions I may have dropped quickly, this is not one of them. The practice has been good for me.I caught up with Phil Snider recently. We talked about a book of sermons he recently edited, Preaching As Resistance: Voices of Hope, Justice, &amp; Solidarity.   Rather than a book on the mechanics of preaching, Phil set out to address the craft as public theological discourse,Crafting sermons that invite listeners to faithfully imagine, embody, and experience the transformation harbored in the gospel of Christ is among the most difficult of all vocational tasks.p.1If you read sermons, this is a book for you. And, if you are interested in thinking about preaching as public theological discourse, get the book for the Introduction and Afterword by Richard W. Voelz. In the meantime, listen in to our conversation and hopefully you will give more thought to the theological content of your preaching.If you find the podcast helpful, share it with your friends. Share it with your pastor friends as well as folks you know involved in leadership that touches on the pastoral. Also, consider heading over to iTunes, login, search for patheological and give us a five-star rating and a kind review.The post Preaching As Resistance first appeared on patheological: The Podcast for the Pastor-Theologian.The post Preaching As Resistance appeared first on patheological: The Podcast for the Pastor-Theologian. Related posts: A Complicated Pregnancy: A Conversation with Kyle Roberts On the Other Side of the Ash Heap Pledging Allegiance to People: An (Almost) Interview with George E Young Sr

Many resist preaching, listening to preachers, that is. Preachers may be the worst. I have attended denominational meetings and watched folks get up and leave when the preaching begins. Imagine thinking mundane business to be more interesting than the preacher you may not have heard before.Over the past thirty years, I have read less than a handful of preaching books. I have only listened to a few sermons over those same years outside of attending meetings where preaching placed prominently on the conference agenda. It has not been a practice to read many sermons either.Over the past couple of years that has changed. I think <a href="https://www.amazon.com/Note-Self-Discipline-Preaching-Yourself/dp/1433522063/ref=sr_1_4?crid=CX8VIIDI6KRL&amp;keywords=note+to+self+book&amp;qid=1552491568&amp;s=gateway&amp;sprefix=Note+to+Self%2Caps%2C158&amp;sr=8-4" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Joe Thorn is correct</a> that most of us preach to ourselves before preaching to or with a congregation. Podcasts have helped to provide the means to listen to a variety of preachers and sermons.Last Fall I attended an event at my Alma Mater, Oklahoma Baptist University. The one-day conference was on Black Preaching. After that event, I ordered several suggested books on preaching and committed to reading or listening to a sermon a day this year. There are some resolutions I may have dropped quickly, this is not one of them. The practice has been good for me.I caught up with Phil Snider recently. We talked about a book of sermons he recently edited, <a href="https://amzn.to/2TENHy1" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Preaching As Resistance: Voices of Hope, Justice, &amp; Solidarity</a>. Rather than a book on the mechanics of preaching, Phil set out to address the craft as public theological discourse,<blockquote>Crafting sermons that invite listeners to faithfully imagine, embody, and experience the transformation harbored in the gospel of Christ is among the most difficult of all vocational tasks.p.1</blockquote>If you read sermons, this is a book for you. And, if you are interested in thinking about preaching as public theological discourse, get the book for the Introduction and Afterword by Richard W. Voelz. In the meantime, listen in to our conversation and hopefully you will give more thought to the theological content of your preaching.If you find the podcast helpful, share it with your friends. Share it with your pastor friends as well as folks you know involved in leadership that touches on the pastoral. Also, consider heading over to iTunes, login, search for patheological and give us a five-star rating and a kind review.The post <a href="http://www.toddlittleton.net/preaching-as-resistance" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Preaching As Resistance</a> first appeared on <a href="http://www.toddlittleton.net" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">patheological: The Podcast for the Pastor-Theologian</a>.The post <a href="http://www.toddlittleton.net/preaching-as-resistance" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Preaching As Resistance</a> appeared first on <a href="http://www.toddlittleton.net" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">patheological: The Podcast for the Pastor-Theologian</a>. Related posts:<ol> <li><a href="http://www.toddlittleton.net/complicated-pregnancy-conversation-kyle-roberts" rel="bookmark nofollow" target="_blank">A Complicated Pregnancy: A Conversation with Kyle Roberts</a></li> <li><a href="http://www.toddlittleton.net/on-the-other-side-of-the-ash-heap" rel="bookmark nofollow" target="_blank">On the Other Side of the Ash Heap</a></li> <li><a href="http://www.toddlittleton.net/pledging-allegiance-to-people-an-almost-interview-with-george-e-young-sr" rel="bookmark nofollow" target="_blank">Pledging Allegiance to People: An (Almost) Interview with George E Young Sr</a></li></ol>

Preaching As Resistance

Who needs me? That may be a more helpful question today than, Who is my neighbor?  Familiarity may breed contempt. It also may create indifference. Neighbor or Friend? The Good Samaritan became the means for one of Jesus’ conversation partners to consider, “Who is my neighbor?” We hear Good Samaritan stories often. A person in distress is helped by a complete stranger. That Good Samaritan Laws exist point to the way this story has become part and parcel of the rules that govern our social contract. Is it possible we have become so familiar with the story that we forget the question that prompted its telling? Scott Curry points to a central question underlying the Story of Job, “Who will be Job’s friend?” Curry invites us to look at the intersection of Luke 10 and Job. When pressed further Scott wonders if we could not reframe the question of neighborliness to one of friendship, “Who needs me?” Thinking through The Good Samaritan Story it is not hard to make the connection. The shift from discerning the category neighbor toward the awareness of need may be more helpful for our intention to live as Jesus did. What happens when friends need forgiveness? When It Is Not Forgiveness One of the important features of my recent conversation with Scott Curry, pastor at First Baptist Church, Gruver, Texas, and Ph.D. candidate in Old Testament studies, centered on what forgiveness is not. Maybe Scott was inviting us to look at forgiveness through an apophatic, negative, lens. Listen for three counterfeit forms of forgiveness. You maybe be both surprised and guilty that many times some of the stock phrases we use to tell someone we have forgiven them may not be forgiveness at all. Suppression and repression become the escape routes away from real forgiveness. A chief obstacle to forgiveness and an avenue we travel to avoidance is what Scott terms, “the caricature of our innocence.” We do not take full stock of our own situation thereby creating a fiction of our innocence that is then used to continue telling ourselves a grievance story we tell over and again, recreating an occasion for anger rather than restoration and forgiveness. We Will Keep Working to Get There This ongoing conversation will continue. Early on Scott insists that we define forgiveness. We don’t quite get there. Our plans include more conversations where we turn from the apophatic, negative statements, to the cataphatic, positive statements. Looking at forgiveness from both the negative statements and positive statements may produce a more fully functioning definition that will help us avoid the counterfeit versions and embrace what would be healthy forgiveness. Theology carries a couple of traditions that help us make statements about God. Apophatic, Negative, Theology relies on stating what God is not like. Cataphatic Theology depends on stating what God is like. Applying this sort of framework to a conversation about forgiveness may help the listening see the need for both when working toward a good understanding of what is getting done when we talk about a process of forgiveness. All that to say, we will have more conversations on the subject so stay tuned to the podcast. Thank you for listening! If you find the podcast helpful, share it with your friends. Share it with your pastor friends as well as folks you know involved in leadership that touches on the pastoral. Also, consider heading over to iTunes, login, search for patheological and give us a five-star rating and a kind review.The post Counterfeit Forgiveness? A Conversation with Scott Curry first appeared on patheological: The Podcast for the Pastor-Theologian.The post Counterfeit Forgiveness? A Conversation with Scott Curry appeared first on patheological: The Podcast for the Pastor-Theologian. Related posts: Anger Can’t Live Alone: A Conversation with Scott Curry This Is Uz: A Conversation with Scott Curry Love Can’t: An Interview with Thomas J Oord

Who needs me? That may be a more helpful question today than, Who is my neighbor?  Familiarity may breed contempt. It also may create indifference. <h2>Neighbor or Friend?</h2> The Good Samaritan became the means for one of Jesus’ conversation partners to consider, “Who is my neighbor?” We hear Good Samaritan stories often. A person in distress is helped by a complete stranger. That Good Samaritan Laws exist point to the way this story has become part and parcel of the rules that govern our social contract. Is it possible we have become so familiar with the story that we forget the question that prompted its telling? Scott Curry points to a central question underlying the Story of Job, “Who will be Job’s friend?” Curry invites us to look at the intersection of Luke 10 and Job. When pressed further Scott wonders if we could not reframe the question of neighborliness to one of friendship, “Who needs me?” Thinking through The Good Samaritan Story it is not hard to make the connection. The shift from discerning the category neighbor toward the awareness of need may be more helpful for our intention to live as Jesus did. What happens when friends need forgiveness? <h2>When It Is Not Forgiveness</h2> One of the important features of my recent conversation with Scott Curry, pastor at First Baptist Church, Gruver, Texas, and Ph.D. candidate in Old Testament studies, centered on what forgiveness is not. Maybe Scott was inviting us to look at forgiveness through an apophatic, negative, lens. Listen for three counterfeit forms of forgiveness. You maybe be both surprised and guilty that many times some of the stock phrases we use to tell someone we have forgiven them may not be forgiveness at all. Suppression and repression become the escape routes away from real forgiveness. A chief obstacle to forgiveness and an avenue we travel to avoidance is what Scott terms, “the caricature of our innocence.” We do not take full stock of our own situation thereby creating a fiction of our innocence that is then used to continue telling ourselves a grievance story we tell over and again, recreating an occasion for anger rather than restoration and forgiveness. <h2>We Will Keep Working to Get There</h2> This ongoing conversation will continue. Early on Scott insists that we define forgiveness. We don’t quite get there. Our plans include more conversations where we turn from the apophatic, negative statements, to the cataphatic, positive statements. Looking at forgiveness from both the negative statements and positive statements may produce a more fully functioning definition that will help us avoid the counterfeit versions and embrace what would be healthy forgiveness. Theology carries a couple of traditions that help us make statements about God. Apophatic, Negative, Theology relies on stating what God is not like. Cataphatic Theology depends on stating what God is like. Applying this sort of framework to a conversation about forgiveness may help the listening see the need for both when working toward a good understanding of what is getting done when we talk about a process of forgiveness. All that to say, we will have more conversations on the subject so stay tuned to the podcast. Thank you for listening! If you find the podcast helpful, share it with your friends. Share it with your pastor friends as well as folks you know involved in leadership that touches on the pastoral. Also, consider heading over to iTunes, login, search for patheological and give us a five-star rating and a kind review.The post <a href="http://www.toddlittleton.net/counterfeit-forgiveness-conversation-scott-curry" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Counterfeit Forgiveness? A Conversation with Scott Curry</a> first appeared on <a href="http://www.toddlittleton.net" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">patheological: The Podcast for the Pastor-Theologian</a>.The post <a href="http://www.toddlittleton.net/counterfeit-forgiveness-conversation-scott-curry" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Counterfeit Forgiveness? A Conversation with Scott Curry</a> appeared first on <a href="http://www.toddlittleton.net" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">patheological: The Podcast for the Pastor-Theologian</a>. Related posts:<ol> <li><a href="http://www.toddlittleton.net/anger-cant-live-alone-a-conversation-with-scott-curry" rel="bookmark nofollow" target="_blank">Anger Can’t Live Alone: A Conversation with Scott Curry</a></li> <li><a href="http://www.toddlittleton.net/this-is-uz-a-conversation-with-scott-curry" rel="bookmark nofollow" target="_blank">This Is Uz: A Conversation with Scott Curry</a></li> <li><a href="http://www.toddlittleton.net/love-cant-an-interview-with-thomas-j-oord" rel="bookmark nofollow" target="_blank">Love Can’t: An Interview with Thomas J Oord</a></li></ol>

Counterfeit Forgiveness? A Conversation with Scott Curry

David Fitch

How many times have you read a Facebook/Blog post that insists, “If your pastor didn’t say anything about [most recent social injustice], you need to find a new church?” Maybe you have used this lede in an attempt to raise attention to the latest illustration of failed immigration policy, how racism has gone underground or the ways our current economic structures insist on an indentured debtor class. All of these issues and more are important. But is it possible calling out the lack of attention given in some churches gives fuel to existing antagonisms that further divide?  David Fitch’s recently published, The Church of Us vs Them: Freedom from a Faith That Feeds on Making Enemies, takes aim at the antagonisms that distract the church from its call to be God’s faithful presence. It is a reversal of the reversal. Rather than live out allegiance to Jesus is Lord, discerning the faithful responses to conflicts with wisdom and grace, the church has often been caught up in antagonisms that deepen division. Fitch remarks that when he wrote, The End of Evangelicalism, ten years ago, never would he have imagined we would be where we are today in need of disassembling the enemy-making machinery in the church. If you are new to David Fitch, he is the, B. R. Lindner Chair of Evangelical Theology at Northern Seminary Chicago, IL. He is also the founding pastor of Life on the Vine Christian Community, a missional church in the Northwest Suburbs of Chicago. He coaches a network of church plants in the C&amp;MA linked to Life on the Vine. He writes on the issues the local church must face in Mission including cultural engagement, leadership and theology and has lectured and presented on these topics at many seminaries, graduate schools, denominational gatherings and conferences.  In The Church of Us vs Them, Fitch brings together ideas from at least two of his previous books, The End of Evangelicalism and Faithful Presence. The former is more academic analysis of Evangelicalism while the latter is more specifically an on mission ecclesiology. If there ever was a time for a work like this, it is now. We need someone to help us unwind the antagonisms that has left the church captive to ideologies of the Right and the Left as we deal with important issues that tend to bring out the worst in all of us. Today on the podcast, David and I have a conversation about The Church of Us vs Them and more. I hope you will check out David’s other books. I think you will find an underlying trajectory that brings us to his current book. Check these out while you are ordering your copy of The Church of Us vs Them. For other of David’s books click here.      If you find the podcast helpful, share it with your friends. Share it with your pastor friends as well as folks you know involved in leadership that touches on the pastoral. Also, consider heading over to iTunes, login, search for patheological and give us a five-star rating and a kind review. The post Can’t We All Just Get Along? The Church of Us vs. Them: A Conversation with David Fitch first appeared on patheological: The Podcast for the Pastor-Theologian.The post Can’t We All Just Get Along? The Church of Us vs. Them: A Conversation with David Fitch appeared first on patheological: The Podcast for the Pastor-Theologian. Related posts: Disruptor(s) Needed: A Conversation with The Alan Noble Reading the Bible: A Conversation with Peter Enns Pastors Fail? A Conversation with Taylor Mertins

How many times have you read a Facebook/Blog post that insists, “If your pastor didn’t say anything about [most recent social injustice], you need to find a new church?” Maybe you have used this lede in an attempt to raise attention to the latest illustration of failed immigration policy, how racism has gone underground or the ways our current economic structures insist on an indentured debtor class. All of these issues and more are important. But is it possible calling out the lack of attention given in some churches gives fuel to existing antagonisms that further divide? <a href="https://www.amazon.com/Church-Us-vs-Them-Freedom/dp/1587434148/ref=as_li_ss_il?keywords=David+Fitch&amp;qid=1564589366&amp;s=gateway&amp;sr=8-3&amp;linkCode=li3&amp;tag=justtodd-20&amp;linkId=835be3bff2aeb021eaaaa16a6fad8fc6&amp;language=en_US" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" target="_blank"></a> <a href="https://www.amazon.com/Church-Us-vs-Them-Freedom/dp/1587434148/ref=as_li_ss_il?keywords=David+Fitch&amp;qid=1564589366&amp;s=gateway&amp;sr=8-3&amp;linkCode=li3&amp;tag=justtodd-20&amp;linkId=835be3bff2aeb021eaaaa16a6fad8fc6&amp;language=en_US" rel="noreferrer noopener nofollow" target="_blank"></a><a href="https://www.amazon.com/Church-Us-vs-Them-Freedom/dp/1587434148/ref=as_li_ss_il?keywords=David+Fitch&amp;qid=1564589366&amp;s=gateway&amp;sr=8-3&amp;linkCode=li3&amp;tag=justtodd-20&amp;linkId=835be3bff2aeb021eaaaa16a6fad8fc6&amp;language=en_US" rel="noreferrer noopener nofollow" target="_blank"></a>David Fitch’s recently published, The Church of Us vs Them: Freedom from a Faith That Feeds on Making Enemies, takes aim at the antagonisms that distract the church from its call to be God’s faithful presence. It is a reversal of the reversal. Rather than live out allegiance to Jesus is Lord, discerning the faithful responses to conflicts with wisdom and grace, the church has often been caught up in antagonisms that deepen division. Fitch remarks that when he wrote, The End of Evangelicalism, ten years ago, never would he have imagined we would be where we are today in need of disassembling the enemy-making machinery in the church. If you are new to David Fitch, he is the, <blockquote>B. R. Lindner Chair of Evangelical Theology at Northern Seminary Chicago, IL. He is also the founding pastor of Life on the Vine Christian Community, a missional church in the Northwest Suburbs of Chicago. He coaches a network of church plants in the C&amp;MA linked to Life on the Vine. He writes on the issues the local church must face in Mission including cultural engagement, leadership and theology and has lectured and presented on these topics at many seminaries, graduate schools, denominational gatherings and conferences.</blockquote> In The Church of Us vs Them, Fitch brings together ideas from at least two of his previous books, The End of Evangelicalism and Faithful Presence. The former is more academic analysis of Evangelicalism while the latter is more specifically an on mission ecclesiology. If there ever was a time for a work like this, it is now. We need someone to help us unwind the antagonisms that has left the church captive to ideologies of the Right and the Left as we deal with important issues that tend to bring out the worst in all of us. Today on the podcast, David and I have a conversation about The Church of Us vs Them and more. I hope you will check out David’s other books. I think you will find an underlying trajectory that brings us to his current book. Check these out while you are ordering your copy of The Church of Us vs Them. For other of David’s books click here. <a href="https://www.amazon.com/Great-Giveaway-Reclaiming-Organizations-Psychotherapy/dp/080106483X/ref=as_li_ss_il?keywords=David+Fitch&amp;qid=1564589230&amp;s=gateway&amp;sr=8-8&amp;linkCode=li2&amp;tag=justtodd-20&amp;linkId=90983ac237d0cdd3dcdced2ea290a3ab&amp;language=en_US" rel="noreferrer noopener nofollow" target="_blank"></a> <a href="https://www.amazon.com/Faithful-Presence-Disciplines-Church-Mission/dp/083084127X/ref=as_li_ss_il?keywords=David+Fitch&amp;qid=1564589366&amp;s=gateway&amp;sr=8-4&amp;linkCode=li2&amp;tag=justtodd-20&amp;linkId=09edcab30b2e8491cbb786bf15815626&amp;language=en_US" rel="noreferrer noopener nofollow" target="_blank"></a> <a href="https://www.amazon.com/Evangelicalism-Discerning-Faithfulness-Mission-Theopolitical/dp/1606086847/ref=as_li_ss_il?keywords=David+Fitch&amp;qid=1564589366&amp;s=gateway&amp;sr=8-6&amp;linkCode=li2&amp;tag=justtodd-20&amp;linkId=94e79516d00c86e640ffc28bd848de3c&amp;language=en_US" rel="noreferrer noopener nofollow" target="_blank"></a> If you find the podcast helpful, share it with your friends. Share it with your pastor friends as well as folks you know involved in leadership that touches on the pastoral. Also, consider heading over to iTunes, login, search for patheological and give us a five-star rating and a kind review. The post <a href="http://www.toddlittleton.net/cant-we-all-just-get-along-the-church-of-us-vs-them-a-conversation-with-david-fitch" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Can’t We All Just Get Along? The Church of Us vs. Them: A Conversation with David Fitch</a> first appeared on <a href="http://www.toddlittleton.net" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">patheological: The Podcast for the Pastor-Theologian</a>.The post <a href="http://www.toddlittleton.net/cant-we-all-just-get-along-the-church-of-us-vs-them-a-conversation-with-david-fitch" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Can’t We All Just Get Along? The Church of Us vs. Them: A Conversation with David Fitch</a> appeared first on <a href="http://www.toddlittleton.net" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">patheological: The Podcast for the Pastor-Theologian</a>. Related posts:<ol> <li><a href="http://www.toddlittleton.net/disruptors-needed-a-conversation-with-the-alan-noble" rel="bookmark nofollow" target="_blank">Disruptor(s) Needed: A Conversation with The Alan Noble</a></li> <li><a href="http://www.toddlittleton.net/reading-bible-conversation-peter-enns" rel="bookmark nofollow" target="_blank">Reading the Bible: A Conversation with Peter Enns</a></li> <li><a href="http://www.toddlittleton.net/pastors-fail-conversation-taylor-mertins" rel="bookmark nofollow" target="_blank">Pastors Fail? A Conversation with Taylor Mertins</a></li></ol>

Can’t We All Just Get Along? The Church of Us vs. Them: A Conversation with David Fitch

Over time Dietrich Bonhoeffer has become something of a Rorschach Test for Christians. That is, everyone finds something in Bonhoeffer’s corpus to claim for their theological project. Jeffrey C. Pugh says not so fast. Instead of thinking that Bonhoeffer passed through phases, like early and late, one might better understand the German theologian as always answering the question, “What does Christ mean for this concrete time in history? Think not that this is a cover for relativism. Instead consider the question one that always kept Bonhoeffer focused on Jesus, the Christ. Jeffrey C. Pugh returns to Patheolgoical for a conversation around his book, Religionless Christianity: Dietrich Bonhoeffer in Troubled Times. Pugh’s book has been in the to-read stack for quite some time. I don’t exactly recall what it was the pushed Jeffrey’s book to the top but I am glad it did. Once finished I wished I had read it years ago. It seems so prescient for our day today. Many of you know that I really enjoy a good conversation. This may be one of the best conversations I have had in a long, long time. Pick up a copy of Religionless Christianity. You will be glad you did. You may be as thankful for the recommendation to pick up the book as you are to listen in as we talk about it. If you find the podcast helpful, share it with your friends. Share it with your pastor friends as well as folks you know involved in leadership that touches on the pastoral. Also, consider heading over to iTunes, login, search for patheological and give us a five-star rating and a kind review.The post Self Protection Is Not the Center of the Christian Faith: A Conversation with Jeffrey C. Pugh first appeared on patheological: The Podcast for the Pastor-Theologian.The post Self Protection Is Not the Center of the Christian Faith: A Conversation with Jeffrey C. Pugh appeared first on patheological: The Podcast for the Pastor-Theologian. Related posts: The Rapture Betrays the Incarnation: An Interview with Jeffrey C. Pugh A Complicated Pregnancy: A Conversation with Kyle Roberts Disruptor(s) Needed: A Conversation with The Alan Noble

Over time Dietrich Bonhoeffer has become something of a Rorschach Test for Christians. That is, everyone finds something in Bonhoeffer’s corpus to claim for their theological project. Jeffrey C. Pugh says not so fast. Instead of thinking that Bonhoeffer passed through phases, like early and late, one might better understand the German theologian as always answering the question, “What does Christ mean for this concrete time in history? Think not that this is a cover for relativism. Instead consider the question one that always kept Bonhoeffer focused on Jesus, the Christ. Jeffrey C. Pugh returns to Patheolgoical for a conversation around his book, Religionless Christianity: Dietrich Bonhoeffer in Troubled Times. Pugh’s book has been in the to-read stack for quite some time. I don’t exactly recall what it was the pushed Jeffrey’s book to the top but I am glad it did. Once finished I wished I had read it years ago. It seems so prescient for our day today. Many of you know that I really enjoy a good conversation. This may be one of the best conversations I have had in a long, long time. Pick up a copy of Religionless Christianity. You will be glad you did. You may be as thankful for the recommendation to pick up the book as you are to listen in as we talk about it. If you find the podcast helpful, share it with your friends. Share it with your pastor friends as well as folks you know involved in leadership that touches on the pastoral. Also, consider heading over to iTunes, login, search for patheological and give us a five-star rating and a kind review.The post <a href="http://www.toddlittleton.net/self-protection-is-not-the-center-of-the-christian-faith-a-conversation-with-jeffrey-c-pugh" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Self Protection Is Not the Center of the Christian Faith: A Conversation with Jeffrey C. Pugh</a> first appeared on <a href="http://www.toddlittleton.net" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">patheological: The Podcast for the Pastor-Theologian</a>.The post <a href="http://www.toddlittleton.net/self-protection-is-not-the-center-of-the-christian-faith-a-conversation-with-jeffrey-c-pugh" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Self Protection Is Not the Center of the Christian Faith: A Conversation with Jeffrey C. Pugh</a> appeared first on <a href="http://www.toddlittleton.net" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">patheological: The Podcast for the Pastor-Theologian</a>. Related posts:<ol> <li><a href="http://www.toddlittleton.net/the-rapture-betrays-the-incarnation-an-interview-with-jeffrey-c-pugh" rel="bookmark nofollow" target="_blank">The Rapture Betrays the Incarnation: An Interview with Jeffrey C. Pugh</a></li> <li><a href="http://www.toddlittleton.net/complicated-pregnancy-conversation-kyle-roberts" rel="bookmark nofollow" target="_blank">A Complicated Pregnancy: A Conversation with Kyle Roberts</a></li> <li><a href="http://www.toddlittleton.net/disruptors-needed-a-conversation-with-the-alan-noble" rel="bookmark nofollow" target="_blank">Disruptor(s) Needed: A Conversation with The Alan Noble</a></li></ol>

Self Protection Is Not the Center of the Christian Faith: A Conversation with Jeffrey C. Pugh

Kenneth Tanner

Wall calendars. Day planners. Bullet journals. Birthdays. Anniversaries. Holidays. School schedules. Fiscal years. Just some of the ways we mark time. Bruce Hornsby lyrically wrote about marking time because “that’s just the way it is.” If all we do is buy into the way things are, then shouldn’t we expect life to be viewed as it always is? Making Advent Great Again Round 2 We are just days away from the last Sunday of Advent 2017. The day will serve double duty. It is also Christmas Eve. Two Christian celebrations when observing the Christian Calendar. Some churches will choose between the two. Others will observe Advent on Sunday morning and Christmas Eve on Sunday evening. Others will combine the two in one service. If the Julian Calendar may become routine. so may the Christian Calendar. It too is always in need of renewed greatness. But not for its own notoriety. Renewing an interest in the Christian Calendar reminds us to mark our time by the life of Jesus. Kenneth Tanner offered this insight in our recent conversation. I think it is worth repeating. If we are not careful, we will let our normal calendars dictate what is important and who our gods are. Making Advent Great Again, #MAGA, reminds us that God acts. Is There Any Good News on Facebook? Ever changing algorithms mean regular shifts in what you read on your Facebook feed. Attempts to provide the sort of stories and ads grow increasingly accurate every time we click. Reinforcing our predispositions leaves us the same. Enter Kenneth Tanner. Rather than await his feed suggestions, Kenneth utilizes Facebook as a means to reflect theologically about the Story of God and our human experiences. He is not preaching. Kenneth is engaging. Rather than depend on others for an angle on life, Kenneth creates content that opens up conversations. Pastor, lay leader, listen in as Kenneth describes what he has learned interacting on Facebook. It may provide insight into how Facebook could become the very place where simple reflections on life, faith and thinking about God open up space for listening and learning. Get Out More Go for a walk. Take your phone. You never know what conversation might trigger new relationships. It is too easy for pastors to either stay in the office or choose only to spend time out of the office with just a few people. Kenneth takes to the street. He meets more than those in his congregation. In fact, he is engaging his parish. For some, the notion of a parish may need to be recovered. Others may want to explore what it may mean for their engagement with a larger community as a faith leader. Kenneth offers helpful thoughts here too. If you find the podcast helpful, share it with your friends. Share it with your pastor friends as well as folks you know involved in leadership that touches on the pastoral. Also, consider heading over to iTunes, login, search for patheological and give us a five-star rating and a kind review. The post Marking Time: A Conversation with Kenneth Tanner first appeared on patheological: The Podcast for the Pastor-Theologian.The post Marking Time: A Conversation with Kenneth Tanner appeared first on patheological: The Podcast for the Pastor-Theologian. Related posts: How We Talk About Authority and Submission Matter #AltonSterling: An Interview with Geoff Holsclaw Reading Dead People, Leading Life Giving Community: An Interview with Wade Burleson Making Advent Great Again #MAGA: A Conversation with Emily Hunter McGowin

Wall calendars. Day planners. Bullet journals. Birthdays. Anniversaries. Holidays. School schedules. Fiscal years. Just some of the ways we mark time. <a href="http://www.metrolyrics.com/the-way-it-is-lyrics-bruce-hornsby.html" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Bruce Hornsby lyrically wrote</a> about marking time because “that’s just the way it is.” If all we do is buy into the way things are, then shouldn’t we expect life to be viewed as it always is? <h2>Making Advent Great Again Round 2</h2> We are just days away from the last Sunday of Advent 2017. The day will serve double duty. It is also Christmas Eve. Two Christian celebrations when observing the Christian Calendar. Some churches will choose between the two. Others will observe Advent on Sunday morning and Christmas Eve on Sunday evening. Others will combine the two in one service. If the Julian Calendar may become routine. so may the Christian Calendar. It too is always in need of renewed greatness. But not for its own notoriety. Renewing an interest in the Christian Calendar reminds us to mark our time by the life of Jesus. Kenneth Tanner offered this insight in our recent conversation. I think it is worth repeating. If we are not careful, we will let our normal calendars dictate what is important and who our gods are. Making Advent Great Again, #MAGA, reminds us that God acts. <h2>Is There Any Good News on Facebook?</h2> Ever changing algorithms mean regular shifts in what you read on your Facebook feed. Attempts to provide the sort of stories and ads grow increasingly accurate every time we click. Reinforcing our predispositions leaves us the same. Enter Kenneth Tanner. Rather than await his feed suggestions, Kenneth utilizes Facebook as a means to reflect theologically about the Story of God and our human experiences. He is not preaching. Kenneth is engaging. Rather than depend on others for an angle on life, Kenneth creates content that opens up conversations. Pastor, lay leader, listen in as Kenneth describes what he has learned interacting on Facebook. It may provide insight into how Facebook could become the very place where simple reflections on life, faith and thinking about God open up space for listening and learning. <h2>Get Out More</h2> Go for a walk. Take your phone. You never know what conversation might trigger new relationships. It is too easy for pastors to either stay in the office or choose only to spend time out of the office with just a few people. Kenneth takes to the street. He meets more than those in his congregation. In fact, he is engaging his parish. For some, the notion of a parish may need to be recovered. Others may want to explore what it may mean for their engagement with a larger community as a faith leader. Kenneth offers helpful thoughts here too. If you find the podcast helpful, share it with your friends. Share it with your pastor friends as well as folks you know involved in leadership that touches on the pastoral. Also, consider heading over to iTunes, login, search for patheological and give us a five-star rating and a kind review. The post <a href="http://www.toddlittleton.net/marking-time-a-conversation-with-kenneth-tanner" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Marking Time: A Conversation with Kenneth Tanner</a> first appeared on <a href="http://www.toddlittleton.net" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">patheological: The Podcast for the Pastor-Theologian</a>.The post <a href="http://www.toddlittleton.net/marking-time-a-conversation-with-kenneth-tanner" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Marking Time: A Conversation with Kenneth Tanner</a> appeared first on <a href="http://www.toddlittleton.net" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">patheological: The Podcast for the Pastor-Theologian</a>. Related posts:<ol> <li><a href="http://www.toddlittleton.net/how-we-talk-about-authority-and-submission-matter-altonsterling-an-interview-with-geoff-holsclaw" rel="bookmark nofollow" target="_blank">How We Talk About Authority and Submission Matter #AltonSterling: An Interview with Geoff Holsclaw</a></li> <li><a href="http://www.toddlittleton.net/reading-dead-people-leading-life-giving-community-an-interview-with-wade-burleson" rel="bookmark nofollow" target="_blank">Reading Dead People, Leading Life Giving Community: An Interview with Wade Burleson</a></li> <li><a href="http://www.toddlittleton.net/making-advent-great-again-maga-a-conversation-with-emily-hunter-mcgowin" rel="bookmark nofollow" target="_blank">Making Advent Great Again #MAGA: A Conversation with Emily Hunter McGowin</a></li></ol>

Marking Time: A Conversation with Kenneth Tanner

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