tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10881824.post114203963926309958..comments2024-02-17T07:44:05.334-08:00Comments on Sinning Boldly: Reason and ImaginationAnonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17835278970174444409noreply@blogger.comBlogger11125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10881824.post-1142623181571282982006-03-17T11:19:00.000-08:002006-03-17T11:19:00.000-08:00Good point. I was worshipping at the ELCA church i...Good point. I was worshipping at the ELCA church in my hometown last weekend and the pastor quoted Tillich in his sermon. And it was a really good quote - but, well, that was what, 50 years ago? So I suspect another issue is that many pastors simply don't have the time and/or inclination to keep up with academic theology, especially when so much of it has become so specialized.Leehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02047956333181611381noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10881824.post-1142622152539451702006-03-17T11:02:00.000-08:002006-03-17T11:02:00.000-08:00Lee,Absolutely. That's kind of what I meant in sy...Lee,<BR/><BR/>Absolutely. That's kind of what I meant in syaing that we were keeping it to ourselves. In fact, we're not even really sharing it among ourselves.<BR/><BR/>I know a lot of pastors are careful to guard against putting egghead/church-geek content in their sermons, and rightly so. A typical quote from Moltmann would leave 99 percent of the parish scratching their heads and the other 1 percent nodding and saying, "Ah, Moltmann..." But if there were someone who could do a good Moltmann-to-English translation it could really be amazing.Andy Kaylorhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01863052203418450397noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10881824.post-1142613869187662422006-03-17T08:44:00.000-08:002006-03-17T08:44:00.000-08:00Mel, I agree with what I think you're saying. In f...Mel, I agree with what I think you're saying. In fact, I think there's been a kind of renaissance of mainline theology in the last few decades. But it seems (at least in my experience) that so little of that has "trickled down" to the parish level, much less found a voice in the broader public discussion of Christianity in the U.S. I wonder why that is?Leehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02047956333181611381noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10881824.post-1142552258985090302006-03-16T15:37:00.000-08:002006-03-16T15:37:00.000-08:00Lee,What I mean by that statement (and I stand by ...Lee,<BR/><BR/>What I mean by that statement (and I stand by it) is that there are traditional Christians who have a great understanding of what historic Christian doctrines mean for real life. The trouble is they are theologians and I think even many of our pastors are afraid of them.<BR/><BR/>A great example is the recent work on the Trinity. Theologians such as Leonardo Boff and Catherine Mowry LaCugna have explored and expounded the implications of the doctrine of the Trinity as applied to everything from the ecology to social power structures. But who reads their work?<BR/><BR/>Another example I would cite is Jurgen Moltmann and his eschatological theology. Though about two-thirds of the time I have no idea what Moltmann is talking about, when I read his work an image emerges of what it means to confess Jesus as the one seated on the throne who is making all things new.<BR/><BR/>Douglas John Hall is another Christian writer who has expounded on what the Christian faith means in a modern North American context.<BR/><BR/>This is the issue. American culture has so exulted the idea of the individual that we have this absurd notion that for something to be relevant it has to be relevant to what goes on in my kitchen, living room and bedroom. And I think one of the things that traditional Christians need to be shouting from the rooftops is that this simply isn't so.<BR/><BR/>Besides, once you really understand what Christianity is about, applying it to what goes on in your kitchen is pretty straightforward. The trouble is we (humans) tend to be more interested in what's going on in our neighbor's bedroom.<BR/><BR/>But you're right that there are some good things going on in some conservative Christian circles. I wouldn't want to paint with too broad a brush.Andy Kaylorhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01863052203418450397noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10881824.post-1142552192960307072006-03-16T15:36:00.000-08:002006-03-16T15:36:00.000-08:00p,You asked, "What don't you like about the 4 spir...p,<BR/><BR/>You asked, "<I>What don't you like about the 4 spiritual laws, besides that they are not the whole story and are very individualistic?</I>"<BR/><BR/>Do I need more than that?<BR/><BR/>Well, I have more. I think I smell a new post coming on, check back tomorrow.Andy Kaylorhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01863052203418450397noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10881824.post-1142527261298746402006-03-16T08:41:00.000-08:002006-03-16T08:41:00.000-08:00Good post, M. I might take issue with this though:...Good post, M. I might take issue with this though: <I>We who consider ourselves "traditional Christians" have done a marvelous job keeping the faith passed on through the one, holy catholic and apostolic Church fresh and relevant....</I><BR/><BR/>I'd like to think that was true (and I'd be interested in hearing what areas of the churches life - theology? preaching? spirituality? - you have in mind here), but mightn't part of the cause of the decline of the mainline be precisely that it hasn't managed to keep the faith "fresh and relevant"? Surely part of the appeal of non-denominational churches (and the mainline churches that imitate them) is that people <I>do</I> find their message fresh and relevant?<BR/><BR/>Also, I'd want to distinguish between the fringy fundamentalist types and the mainstream evangelicals who populate many of the nondenominational churches. I don't think the latter are necessarily peddling a false gospel that we mainliners need to combat; in many cases I think we could stand to learn from them (and vice versa, of course).Leehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02047956333181611381noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10881824.post-1142463880226672812006-03-15T15:04:00.000-08:002006-03-15T15:04:00.000-08:00This is so true. How do we as Lutherans or other C...This is so true. How do we as Lutherans or other Christians find our voices?Rev. Kiddhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/13589654860570606783noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10881824.post-1142461270639325502006-03-15T14:21:00.000-08:002006-03-15T14:21:00.000-08:00I heard a report on the radio about the type of pe...I heard a report on the radio about the type of people who become Republicans vs Democrats. Supposedly the Reps like to have a Father Figure. <BR/><BR/>I've wondered if this in some way explains the parallel and even linking of the so called Conservative Christians with the political right. They may both be groups that like to be told what to think and what to believe.<BR/><BR/>The lack of use of the intellect by some people (many people??) who lean toward the right disturbs me for two reasons. God gave us our minds AND it is a sad demonstration of the decline of much of the education system in this country. <BR/><BR/>Why did "traditional Christians" concede the word Conservative to the Right???<BR/><BR/>And I'll say it...What don't you like about the 4 spiritual laws, besides that they are not the whole story and are very individualistic?LoieJhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08083454353846306345noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10881824.post-1142458363180519042006-03-15T13:32:00.000-08:002006-03-15T13:32:00.000-08:00Great post. Thanks. Maybe the distinction b/w "i...Great post. Thanks. Maybe the distinction b/w "infighting" and the "refutation of heresies" is more akin to inbreeding. While "conservative" Christianity is the conventional path (in the US) and "liberal" Christianity offers a counter path, we might be well served to find a creative way to transcend both.Kevin Beckhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/12135958272742618081noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10881824.post-1142271040964658172006-03-13T09:30:00.000-08:002006-03-13T09:30:00.000-08:00lc,Lewis' comments regarding those who create a cl...lc,<BR/><BR/>Lewis' comments regarding those who create a climate favorable to reason and imagination reminded me of your ministry as apostle to the Christians, though in the case of the firm fundies I think perhaps an apostolate <I>contra</I> "the Christians" but not directed to them is in order. You and I have both learned the futility of discussing the faith with some of these people.Andy Kaylorhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01863052203418450397noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10881824.post-1142045653630198722006-03-10T18:54:00.000-08:002006-03-10T18:54:00.000-08:00I think we've had this conversation before, but to...I think we've had this conversation before, but to me we traditional Christians suffer from a sort of split-personality disorder that manifests itself on one hand through a profound lack of self-confidence in our message -- variations on the theme, "No one wants to hear what we have to say, so why even try"; giving up evangelism before we even start -- and on the other hand through a sort of arrogance that deals with fundamentalists as if they don't exist -- "Oh, they're just a minority of loud ignoramuses." Whether or not that is always a fair or accurate assessment -- I think the example of our Islamic friends demonstrates what happens when moderates and progressives cede the religious and social <I>agora</I> to the aggressive fundamentalist minority.<BR/><BR/>We need to find our voice. Now.LutheranChikhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02685566332651377907noreply@blogger.com