sustain:if:able kiwi

postmodern preaching

james from the place is phoning this morning. he is doing a research project on the placing of preaching in the emerging church. will post up any highlights of our conversation.

autumnal spirituality

passion(ate) letter to mel

My article on Mel Gibson and the passion, they one that caused so much trouble (see here and here) has been published and is now also published on the web.

Headings include;
My movie of disbelief
The framing
The framing of violence
Gender relationships
Over-hyped
Evangelism by art

Please, if you are a Kiwi and you read it, why not also go and buy a copy of the magazine, as they have kindly put this online a monthly earlier than normal, due to the circumstances surrounding it.

lest we forget

Sermon from Sunday; titled lest we forget, a reflection on Anzac Day (Remembrance Day: headings include
unity
spirituality
mission

[not to be reproduced in any form, including verbal, without permission. ie. creative commons does not apply to this post]
Today is Anzac Day. April 25.
All around New Zealand sleepy Kiwis will have dragged themselves out of their cosy nest of blankets for the dawn parade.

Anzac Day used to be old fashioned, a dying memorial for the dead.

Today it’s increasingly popular

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postcards on the emergent

I am in the process of placing my book draft – my take on the practices, theology and mission angles of the emergent church – before various respected practioners, listening to their feedback from where they sit.

Some of the comments are gratifying;
great project;
flattered that you want me to reflect on the precious nuggets you have dug from many earths;
spot on … an amazing resource…

leadership

community development + spiritual leadership + entreprenurial re:emergence =
the leadership task at opawa

it is a significant challenge that demands a wide skill set. i loved planting graceway, which equalled a similar blend. some initial differences include my observation that opawa requires community development across a wider age range, on a wider scale, in a more settled context. spiritual leadership demands more respect for historically formed spiritualities. entreprenurial re:emergence requires a need to lay foundations of missional and cultural understanding.

integrity in a diverse world

Met with Tim Barnett for coffee.

My current thinking on the Civil Unions Bill.

1. God applauds the seeking of justice and the end to discrimination.
2. In a pluralistic society, rights of those we disagree with must be respected. Thus Christians must respect gay-rights, while gay-rights must respect Christian rights.
3. So Christians need to respect the gay right to have their relationships treated with societal integrity. Equally the gay community must respect the sacred and historical understandings that underpin Christian ideals of marriage.

unsettling the crevices

In reponse to here and the question; “Now is the world any different?” This is not a question of flushing away attempts at defecation. This is not a dismissal of child play, the elegant caress of a goodnight kiss. This is not an assertion of superiority around gradients of success. This is not a rhetorical ruse to dismiss the ontotheologic of the magna carta, the butterfly flap of the opaque obscurity of a verbal email exchange, as an irrelevant game of words.

It is a simple reflection on justice and a personal reminder in the everdayness of my life, that, in the deconstructive words of Caputo; a “Settling into the crevices and interstices of the present … the provocation of what is to come … with bearing an ethico-political witness to justice.”

textures of worship

How much of our worship is flat walled and mono-coloured?
What would it mean to create textured worship, multiple layers, unexpected swirls, differently weaved and woven patterns.

autumn spirituality

fall : drop : let go : release : abandon : farewell : blow :

weddings are a civil union

Some talk in New Zealand about a civil union legislation, to give same sex marriages full legal equality. I did a radio rant on the top; arguing weddings are a civil union anyhow, under 3 headings.

great theatre
a civil process of love
a wedding is good ritual

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don binney: standing in front of spirituality

I walked around the Auckland Art Gallery yesterday, and particularly appreciated the work of New Zealand artist Don Binney.

I have seen his work in books. His work is so much bigger in real life. He also uses textures superbly.

The large size and stylised format suggested for me transcendence, the biggness and boldness of God and life.

Yet Binney is a New Zealander who paints very New Zealand themes, landscapes and birds. So the contextual nature suggested for me immanence, God close and engaged with our world.

Often the bigness (transcendence) of God and the closeness (immanence) of God are juxtaposed. Groups/churches/people do well at one but not the other. It was nice to see both mixed.

wedding sermon with thanx

here is someone’s personal spirituality in response to the wedding semon , read below.

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opawa
re:emerging