interesting question …
I just received this email from a chaplain ...
I am a chaplain in a minimum security prison for women, and I am looking for good Bible study materials that would support the "New Kind of Christian." I have one inmate in particular who was reared by parents who were atheists, and Brian McLaren's books are having a tremendous influence on her life as she is coming to a new-found faith. Most Bible study material, particularly anything that is free to inmates, is definitely not of a "generous orthodoxy!"
Two things struck me as I thought about this question. First, I've been noticing more than ever how many chaplains are "ahead of the curve" in dealing with the "great emergence" we're part of. Many (not all!) pastors, professors, and denominational officials can stay in their comfortable echo chambers in a way that chaplains can't - whether they're serving in hospitals, prisons, universities, retirement centers, or elsewhere.
Second, whether it's for adult Bible study or kids and youth curriculum, we need some creative people to generate "a new kind of curriculum" to help folks.
Maybe this thread should be picked up elsewhere - maybe at the emergentvillage.com blog, which, if you haven't checked it out lately, is better-than-ever. A number of questions come to mind - what's unhelpful about existing curricula, what heuristic changes are needed, and what content innovations are needed so the Bible can be liberated from the modernist, colonialist, chauvinist, individualist, etc. etc. biases under which it is often held captive?
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Tonight’s VP Debate … Civility?
As I watch tonight's debate, I'm going to keep this pledge in mind ...
I hereby pledge:
1) To take into account a candidate's civility when voting. I understand that electoral politics requires offense, defense, and sharp elbows, but I will consider personal attacks made by candidates and their surrogates to be marks of dishonor and warning signs of a divisive leader to come.
2) To model civil politics in my own life. I will argue for what I believe in and against those with whom I disagree, but I will show respect for my opponents by assuming that they are as sincere in their beliefs as I am in mine. Knowing how moralistic and self-righteous we all are, I will refrain from assuming the worst about the motives and character of those I disagree with. I will criticize their ideas instead.
You can learn more about this pledge here ...
Also - Jonathan Haidt's TED video on the underlying differences between liberals and conservatives is well worth the 18 minutes to watch it. (Thanks, Paul Harder!)
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How do you see the world?
The first image portrays war casualties in the latter half of the twentieth century, and the second projects wealth distribution by nation for 2015. Note especially the relative sizes of Africa.
Source: Andrew Sullivan.
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So much for open inquiry …
Here's an email I received today ...
I guess this is a comment, although it may be more accurate to entitle it as a report. I am part of a home group ... As a group, the members chose to read and discuss Everything Must Change. Prior to finishing the book and our discussion of it we received a letter from the lead pastor which forbade us to finish the book ...
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