Chp. 1
Practical theology is theology rooted in praxis – in other words, practical theology does not have its starting point in the minds of men, but in the experience of people. As I see it, this sort of theology has the benefit of allowing for the Holy Spirit to do as he pleases, which can defy rational logic. Theology that is based on the systematic approach of the mind tends to quench the work of the Spirit. On the other hand, relying too much on what can be experienced may be dangerous in constructing doctrine because what can be experienced may or may not be of the Spirit of God.
Chp. 2
Latino practical theology is rooted in culture, since culture is thought to be the creation of the Spirit of God. This is no doubt true when the Spirit of God directs people in creating the culture of the Spirit (i.e. the church – p. 67). Yet it cannot be true that the Spirit creates all that is to be found in a culture – humans inevitably create things apart from the direction of God. Moreover, these elements of culture inevitably interact with the church, making it delicate to determine what is of the Spirit within the church of God; thus, a theology rooted in culture is rooted in an environment of confusion.
Chp. 3
Latino/a practical theology of the Spirit ought to embrace the narrative of the Pentecost along with the cruciform life of Jesus. Pentecost serves as a reminder that the Spirit of God speaks in multiple languages to a multiplicity of cultures. In other words, the narrative of Pentecost is an affirmation for the diversity present amongst cultures in our day as well as the diversity present within a culture such as Latino/a culture. The cruciform life of Christ is a reminder of sufferings that one is to go through in life and is helpful for Latinos (actually all individuals) to remember who are experiencing the banes of a disadvantaged life.
Chp. 4
Latino/a theology embraces the concept of mañana, a futuristic outlook towards change coming to the community – such an outlook inspires hope. I would agree that a futuristic/ eschatological outlook can be very beneficial because it inspires hope and because it can (and must) inspire action. If an outlook towards tomorrow is grounded in fatalism, it can be deadly because it will not inspire any change. When change fails to happen, hope eventually loses its significance. Yet, if the outlook towards tomorrow is grounded in the concept of free will and the dreams of men who desire to make a difference, then change can occur and the hope will not disappoint.
Thursday, December 10, 2009
Wednesday, December 2, 2009
Reflections on 12-2
Bolger: "Pentecostalism is a non-Western faith that has come to the West"; this then provides a partial explanation of the growth of Pentecostalism in the West
Nevertheless, when we look back to a history of Pentecostalism, we see that it started in the West - specifically in Kansas with a white man, Charles Parham. William Seymour, the son of a slave and an early proponent of Pentecostalism may provide some fodder for those describing Pentecostalism as a non-Western faith; truthfully, however, it would be difficult to say that Pentecostalism was brought to the West. Pentecostalism is not Western in its practice or logical foundation, but neither was it an import from the East. Hence, one might say that Pentecostalism is not culturally grounded - instead it is grounded in the Spirit.
Nevertheless, when we look back to a history of Pentecostalism, we see that it started in the West - specifically in Kansas with a white man, Charles Parham. William Seymour, the son of a slave and an early proponent of Pentecostalism may provide some fodder for those describing Pentecostalism as a non-Western faith; truthfully, however, it would be difficult to say that Pentecostalism was brought to the West. Pentecostalism is not Western in its practice or logical foundation, but neither was it an import from the East. Hence, one might say that Pentecostalism is not culturally grounded - instead it is grounded in the Spirit.
Monday, November 30, 2009
Emerging Churches by Eddie Gibbs and Ryan Bolger - My Reflections
Chp. 1
Culture has shifted dramatically within the last 60 years in the West. This shift in culture from modernity to postmodernity and Christendom to post-Christendom necessitate that churches in today's Western world shift as well from their cultures rooted in the practices of the past to practices that reflect the needs of the people of today.
Chp. 2
The emerging church exists under a variety of forms today in the US and Britain yet there are a few common distinctive such as identification with Jesus, transformation of the secular space, and living in community.
Chp. 3
The emerging church focuses on the kingdom of God as its missional duty. Therefore, those in the emerging church try and emulate Jesus wherever they are in society, with the hopes that such a display will attract those who are in the world. This model of "doing church" is drastically different from having people come to a building on Sundays.
Chp. 4
Bringing the kingdom of God to earth as Jesus did means bringing it to the part of society that is secular. For those in the emergent church, the sacred/secular divide is something that adherents try to erase, precisely by being Jesus whether they find themselves in church or not.
Chp. 5
Emerging churches view church as family and not an institution – in other words, church is meant to be highly relational, a place where people can come as they are, be welcomed and not shunned. This conception of church as family runs against the prevailing Western emphasis on the individual.
Chp. 6
Emerging churches go to great lengths to include the outsider in their churches. Some emerging churches will visit holy sites of other religions or else invite holy men of other religions into their church services to share about their pagan practices and religion. In my opinion, some of these practices (cf. p. 132-3) go too far, and by mixing the religions of Yahweh and the pagans, the truth becomes muddied.
Chp. 7
Serving is a core practice of those participating in the emerging churches. Emerging churches stress that serving is meant to be a lifestyle and not a random practice. Furthermore, the type of serving advocated does not amount to the social gospel; instead, the serving is meant to be a more intentional reflection of Christ in the individual serving.
Chp. 8
Emerging churches desire that all would participate in their services. Instead of a select few that are designated within the church to lead the meeting, each person ought to be allowed to display their gifts – this is assumed to be in line with Paul's discussion of the gifts in 1 Cor 12-14.
Chp. 9
Worship is a creative event in the emerging churches. Beyond creating music, participants are encouraged to contribute art in the form of media, drawings, paintings, sculptures, spoken word, etc. as their expression of worship to God.
Chp. 10
Emerging churches move away from the hierarchical model of leadership to a model of leadership that is open, team-based, and volunteer. This flat model of leadership is an attempt to encourage the "priesthood of all believers."
Culture has shifted dramatically within the last 60 years in the West. This shift in culture from modernity to postmodernity and Christendom to post-Christendom necessitate that churches in today's Western world shift as well from their cultures rooted in the practices of the past to practices that reflect the needs of the people of today.
Chp. 2
The emerging church exists under a variety of forms today in the US and Britain yet there are a few common distinctive such as identification with Jesus, transformation of the secular space, and living in community.
Chp. 3
The emerging church focuses on the kingdom of God as its missional duty. Therefore, those in the emerging church try and emulate Jesus wherever they are in society, with the hopes that such a display will attract those who are in the world. This model of "doing church" is drastically different from having people come to a building on Sundays.
Chp. 4
Bringing the kingdom of God to earth as Jesus did means bringing it to the part of society that is secular. For those in the emergent church, the sacred/secular divide is something that adherents try to erase, precisely by being Jesus whether they find themselves in church or not.
Chp. 5
Emerging churches view church as family and not an institution – in other words, church is meant to be highly relational, a place where people can come as they are, be welcomed and not shunned. This conception of church as family runs against the prevailing Western emphasis on the individual.
Chp. 6
Emerging churches go to great lengths to include the outsider in their churches. Some emerging churches will visit holy sites of other religions or else invite holy men of other religions into their church services to share about their pagan practices and religion. In my opinion, some of these practices (cf. p. 132-3) go too far, and by mixing the religions of Yahweh and the pagans, the truth becomes muddied.
Chp. 7
Serving is a core practice of those participating in the emerging churches. Emerging churches stress that serving is meant to be a lifestyle and not a random practice. Furthermore, the type of serving advocated does not amount to the social gospel; instead, the serving is meant to be a more intentional reflection of Christ in the individual serving.
Chp. 8
Emerging churches desire that all would participate in their services. Instead of a select few that are designated within the church to lead the meeting, each person ought to be allowed to display their gifts – this is assumed to be in line with Paul's discussion of the gifts in 1 Cor 12-14.
Chp. 9
Worship is a creative event in the emerging churches. Beyond creating music, participants are encouraged to contribute art in the form of media, drawings, paintings, sculptures, spoken word, etc. as their expression of worship to God.
Chp. 10
Emerging churches move away from the hierarchical model of leadership to a model of leadership that is open, team-based, and volunteer. This flat model of leadership is an attempt to encourage the "priesthood of all believers."
Reflection on 11-30
It is interesting to me that so many groups identify with the Exodus story - the Puritans being one of them. Groups that identify with this story often do so because they are being persecuted. Nevertheless, self-identification with the Israelites (groups that identify with the Exodus story usually align themselves with the Israelites rather than Egypt)entails that the group be the special people of God. This sort of self-identification can (and often does) lead to an elitist mentality within the group that will manifest itself in the actions of the group towards outsiders; the result is not a compelling Christian witness of forgiveness and inclusion but rather creates a negative image of the group.
Monday, November 23, 2009
Reflection on 11-23
It is interesting that some would see the refocusing of the Reformers' thought on the "priesthood of all believers" as the start of individualistic devotion and practice apart from the community. Perhaps the Reformers' belief stressing individual ability to commune with God is actually the reason, since "priesthood" as a concept must involve the presence of others - the one acting as priest atones for the sins and communicates with God on behalf of others. Without others, there could be no priesthood.
Wednesday, November 18, 2009
Reflection on 11-18
I find Dr. Bolger's comment interesting regarding the New Monastic desire to have both republicans and democrats living and reconciling together. It would seem to me that New Monastics are quite liberal on their theology regarding war as well as their beliefs concerning economics - how does this then entice a republican?
Monday, November 16, 2009
God's Missionary People by Charles Van Engen - My Reflections
Chp. 1
During the 60s social activism began to rise and the church began to consider mission in all of its duties. This stress on mission began to overtake some of the religious elements of the church such that the church was now focused on changing society, whether their message to society contained the gospel or not. Still, today this is a problem within the church. Rather than preach an unfiltered message, preachers and congregations are watering down the gospel in order to be politically-correct and inoffensive in the hopes of buttering up individuals to join their ranks.
Chp. 2
In opposition to this emphasis on politically-correct social activism, Van Engen stresses a new paradigm of church in mission where the church is actually built up into an entity that expresses its faith in the mission it carries out.
Chp. 3
Van Engen looks to the book of Ephesians in order to define the essence of the local church. He defines the local church as one member of the entire Body of Christ, which is the ekklesia. Thus, one member is wholly independent, but it can only be fruitful when it is tied to other members of the body.
Chp. 4
Van Engen contends that the four elements of the Apostolic Creed ought to be reworked for mission and not simply the inward workings of the church. For example, catholic implies that the church ought to grow (geographically, culturally, numerically, etc.).
Chp. 5
Van Engen identifies other values that the church should embrace alongside with (and related with) those of one, holy, catholic, and apostolic. The church ought to identify with the oppressed, witness, carry out works of mission, yearn for numerical growth, and live for the good of the world.
Chp. 6
Van Engen offers a redefinition of the mission of the church using the words koinonia, kerygma, diakonia, and martyria. Kerygma stands for the proclamation that "Jesus is Lord" in the midst of society. Our message needs to be direct when we state that "Jesus is Lord" in the midst of a pluralistic, "coexist", religious society.
Chp. 7
Local churches are not "ends in themselves" but are "tools of the kingdom of God." Thus, churches are the conduits of the Holy Spirit and not the resting places of the Holy Spirit. The Holy Spirit is given preeminence and will use churches for His glorification.
Chp. 8
Van Engen argues that the ministry of the church must reflect the ministry of Jesus. Van Engen focuses on the prophetic, priestly, kingly, healing, liberating ministries of Jesus most – but this wasn't all Jesus was. In short, the church needs to embody Jesus – every aspect of Him and every ministry he performed!
Chp. 9
The church ought to set missional goals that are reasonable for it to attain. The means by which these goals are attained ought not to be so radical as to lead to alienation; yet they ought not to be so worldly that they fail in leading to salvation.
Chp. 10
Van Engen vehemently opposes "factor Beta" (i.e. having 10% of the church interested and doing all of the work leaving the other 90% disinterested and uninvolved) yet he fails to offer any real convincing strategies to avoid this situation in churches.
Chp. 11
Leaders are to be both servants and authority figures. Focusing too much on one or the other will lead to abuse – on the one extreme by the congregation feeling and acting as if they are the power-holders and on the other extreme as the leader "lording his authority", leading to a dissatisfied congregation.
Chp. 12
In order to link the visions of the church to missional contact with the world, the practice of biblical, spirit-led administration is a must. This task is all-too-often overlooked by those in leadership positions.
During the 60s social activism began to rise and the church began to consider mission in all of its duties. This stress on mission began to overtake some of the religious elements of the church such that the church was now focused on changing society, whether their message to society contained the gospel or not. Still, today this is a problem within the church. Rather than preach an unfiltered message, preachers and congregations are watering down the gospel in order to be politically-correct and inoffensive in the hopes of buttering up individuals to join their ranks.
Chp. 2
In opposition to this emphasis on politically-correct social activism, Van Engen stresses a new paradigm of church in mission where the church is actually built up into an entity that expresses its faith in the mission it carries out.
Chp. 3
Van Engen looks to the book of Ephesians in order to define the essence of the local church. He defines the local church as one member of the entire Body of Christ, which is the ekklesia. Thus, one member is wholly independent, but it can only be fruitful when it is tied to other members of the body.
Chp. 4
Van Engen contends that the four elements of the Apostolic Creed ought to be reworked for mission and not simply the inward workings of the church. For example, catholic implies that the church ought to grow (geographically, culturally, numerically, etc.).
Chp. 5
Van Engen identifies other values that the church should embrace alongside with (and related with) those of one, holy, catholic, and apostolic. The church ought to identify with the oppressed, witness, carry out works of mission, yearn for numerical growth, and live for the good of the world.
Chp. 6
Van Engen offers a redefinition of the mission of the church using the words koinonia, kerygma, diakonia, and martyria. Kerygma stands for the proclamation that "Jesus is Lord" in the midst of society. Our message needs to be direct when we state that "Jesus is Lord" in the midst of a pluralistic, "coexist", religious society.
Chp. 7
Local churches are not "ends in themselves" but are "tools of the kingdom of God." Thus, churches are the conduits of the Holy Spirit and not the resting places of the Holy Spirit. The Holy Spirit is given preeminence and will use churches for His glorification.
Chp. 8
Van Engen argues that the ministry of the church must reflect the ministry of Jesus. Van Engen focuses on the prophetic, priestly, kingly, healing, liberating ministries of Jesus most – but this wasn't all Jesus was. In short, the church needs to embody Jesus – every aspect of Him and every ministry he performed!
Chp. 9
The church ought to set missional goals that are reasonable for it to attain. The means by which these goals are attained ought not to be so radical as to lead to alienation; yet they ought not to be so worldly that they fail in leading to salvation.
Chp. 10
Van Engen vehemently opposes "factor Beta" (i.e. having 10% of the church interested and doing all of the work leaving the other 90% disinterested and uninvolved) yet he fails to offer any real convincing strategies to avoid this situation in churches.
Chp. 11
Leaders are to be both servants and authority figures. Focusing too much on one or the other will lead to abuse – on the one extreme by the congregation feeling and acting as if they are the power-holders and on the other extreme as the leader "lording his authority", leading to a dissatisfied congregation.
Chp. 12
In order to link the visions of the church to missional contact with the world, the practice of biblical, spirit-led administration is a must. This task is all-too-often overlooked by those in leadership positions.
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