sustain:if:able kiwi

Living libraries: Embodiment and transformation in the context of e-learning (Conference paper abstract)

A few hours in the air between Adelaide and Sydney gave me time to put together a potential paper for the Learning and Teaching Theology Conference: The Way Ahead. It is being held in Sydney, September 27th- 28th, 2013. It looks a really worthwhile attempt to keep theological colleges thinking about theological education. Since I’ve been involved in a review of distance education here at Uniting College, which has caused me to think theologically about distance education, I scratched together the following abstract.

Living libraries: Embodiment and transformation in the context of e-learning

This paper, in considering the way ahead for Australian theological education, will apply the theological motif of transformation to the task of e-learning, using the notion of “living libraries” as a conceptual bridging strategy.

Recent research by the Transforming Theology project cited the Adelaide College of Divinity (ACD) Bachelor of Ministry as an example of good practice in curriculum design for transformative learning. “The innovative Bachelor of Ministry of Adelaide College of Divinity quite intentionally included a number of such independent and supervised Guided Studies in the final year … In these units an attempt is made to model the process of transformative integration.”

This paper will use a practical theology methodology. It will begin with a case study from recent ACD activity, the participation through video conferencing of a New Zealand church leader in a supervised Guided study “Church Re-think” class.

This moment will be brought into conversation with “living libraries,” an approach to learning that began in Denmark in 2000. Rather than produce a written resource, a youth movement provided people to libraries who had experienced violence. Rather than borrow a book, the community could book a person, and through conversation explore the perspective of another. An independent audit has recorded benefits including new learning and improved levels of community cohesion and engagement.

Returning to the case study, the potential of “living libraries” for new learning in theological education will be analysed under headings of context, lecturer and learner.

This will allow a three fold argument. First, that “living libraries” provide a fruitful way to understand selected pedagogical factors in transformation. Second that “living libraries” provide a way to foreground theologies of embodiment. Third that “living libraries” provide a way bring an explicit theology to bear in regard to pedagogy and digital technologies.

Rev Dr Steve Taylor
Principal, Uniting College for Leadership and Theology

wood remembers

I’m sure there are connections between this –

Many violinists and violinmakers insist that violins grow into their beautiful throaty sounds, and that a violin played exquisitely for a long time eventually contains the exquisite sounds within itself … In down-to-earth terms: Certain vibrations made over and over for years, along with all the normal processes of aging, could make microscopic changes in the wood; we perceive those cellular changes as enriched tone. In poetic terms: The wood remembers. Thus, part of a master violinist’s duties is to educate a violin for future generations. (Diane Ackerman, A Natural History of the Senses, 204)

– and the task of discipling and forming leaders.

Isn’t mentoring “part of a master [mentors] duties is to educate a [?] for future generations”? Can’t teaching theology be “part of a master [theologians] duties is to educate a [?] for future generations?

beaming in the bishop: technology and formation

Technology is amazing. So are creative minds who explore ways to connect technology to formation of leaders.

On Friday, Anglican Bishop, Justin Duckworth (I’ve blogged about his appointment here), came to Uniting College. Not physically, but via video conferencing. He sat with a group of post-graduate students, mainly church ministers in our Master of Ministry – Missional Leadership cohort. Again, not physically, but via video conferencing, because these leaders are spread all over Australia.

They share a passion for mission, within their established church structures. To help facilitate their growth, a group of them are doing a combined learning exercise, called Church Re-think. Spread all over Australia, they gather together regularly, again using video conferencing to share resources.

Books are one resource they share, reading in community, gleaning wisdom for the missional journey.

People are also a resource (see my reflections on the place of living libraries in leadership and ministerial formation here and here). In the case of Bishop Justin, he’s a leader with many years experience of mission on the edge of the church, with that charism now invited into the structures of the church.

Who better to resource a group of ministers thinking about mission inside and outside their own structures?

But he is busy and Adelaide to Wellington is a day of travel.

Enter technology, in which the bishop is beamed in, digitally, to resource a group of leaders, who are also gathered digitally. Together, for a few hours, they wrestle with leadership and mission today. All organised and facilitated by the creative mind of Dr Rosemary Dewerse, Post-graduate Co-ordinator at Uniting College.

Festival spirituality, mission and ministry

I’m speaking tomorrow at the National Uniting Church Rural Ministry Conference, at Barmera, which is about 3 hours drive north of Adelaide, in the Riverlands.

My topic is festival spirituality. It’s a significant development of some ideas I sketched in my The Out of Bounds Church?: Learning to Create a Community of Faith in a Culture of Change. I will begin by looking at Old Testament patterns of gathering and how it relates to worship, mission, community and interconnection. I will then do a drive by of a number of articles from Rural Theology, contemporary research on belonging and participation, along with research into current festival patterns in the UK.

Here’s my conclusion.

I have wanted to engage with two problems. First, the perception of Christianity as urban, a move which can downplay the vitality of rural ministry. Second, the perception of church as building, geographic and Vicar led.

I have deployed the Old Testament to suggest different modes of gathering, around sacred sites, on pilgrimage, in festivals, around tables. I would suggest these are more congruent with the needs of rural folk, in current patterns of belonging, in ways of participation and the existence already of festivals.

Finally, two examples have been provided, which show current examples of rural churches embracing these new/old forms. My suggestion is that these patterns are more likely to be life-giving for a rural church. Rather than a weekly habit, they provide ways to participate in the rhythm of a community, to embrace sense of place and to offer spirituality for the road trips so integral to rural life.

It should be a fun day.

Studies in Ecclesiology and Ethnography series: a “down under” perspective

Today I took a break from the Sustainability in fresh expressions book project. I’ve written about 26,000 words, plus transcribed 10 hour long interviews in the last month, and I’m a bit knackered. Lacking sustainability! Plus there were a number of pressing tasks on my academic “must-do” list.

• some lyrical editing (out) of a co-authored paper, with colleague Liz Boase, on Public lament, a conversation between Biblical lament and live concert performances by U2 and Paul Kelly, in order to meet 10% copyright fair use
• complete two book reviews for International Journal of Practical Theology on the initial volumes in the Eerdmans Studies in Ecclesiology and Ethnography series: Perspectives on Ecclesiology and Ethnography and Explorations in Ecclesiology and Ethnography (the latter which will be a must read in my Theology of Ministry Practice Masters class next semester, two wonderful chapters on reading baptisms at a worship service and reading ministry metaphors used by street pastors working with the homeless)
• provide an abstract for the Australia New Zealand Association of Theological Studies (ANZATS) Christians in Communities – Christians as Communities conference in Auckland in July.

It was good, in the midst of a major book writing project, to pause and actually get something done. For those interested here is my conference paper abstract for the Christians in Communities – Christians as Communities conference (more…)

It looks fantastic

“It looks fantastic. Opening ourselves to new ways of encountering Scripture has got to be a good thing. Having had a tantalising taste of Sense Making Faith for myself (see here and here), I’m keen for other ministers and Christian leaders to experience it. We will distribute this to all our ministers and key leaders with a hearty endorsement – Dr Greg Elsdon”

A very supportive comment from Dr Greg Elsdon, State Minister. Churches of Christ in SA & NT, when he saw the Sense Making Faith publicity.

“Sense making faith” is a course specially designed to help participants be more aware of God through all their senses. It is an experiential course that takes you on a spiritual journey. Each session will uncover Biblical resources, the church tradition and our world today. Space will be given to reflect on the implications for mission, church and discipleship. Specific coaching in relation to application to speaking and worship leading in the context of the local church and its ministries will be available if wanted.

Ten weeks of journey facilitated by three guides:
Steve Taylor – Principal of Uniting College, writer, blogger
Mark Hewitt – Minister at The Corner UC, visual artist, photographer, with a passion for creating spaces that are worshipful and allow spiritual exploration
Sarah Agnew – a poet and Biblical storyteller. She leads the church with biblical storytelling, workshops in storytelling, poetry, worship and public speaking, teaching biblical studies and writing stories, prayers and liturgy.

So if you would like to deepen your spirituality and/or to help lead others in worship, preaching or devotions in ways that are engaging and inspirational, then “Sense making faith” is for you.

Wednesday evenings 7pm for 7.30-9.00pm, commencing April 24 through to June 19, The Corner Uniting Church, Warradale

Audit fee: $275.00. (Or can be taken for credit as a Guided Reading in the Diploma or Bachelor of Ministry)

For more information download brochure from Sense Making Faith April web or contact Eloise Scherer at Uniting College: 08 8416 8420.

education changes

This would make a great discussion starter for an organisation, for a church leadership retreat, or for a group of ministers, who are all, after all, in the educating line.

Hat tip Scot McKnight.

Two of the points: Point 1 – from physical and digital and Point 6 – from isolation to connectivism were actually wonderfully illustrated in an interaction I had with Scot back in early 2011. At the time, I was writing a distance learning topic, on Jesus Christ today. Scot has a wonderful story, in his excellent book, A Community Called Atonement: Living Theology, which I had used it one Easter and it struck a chord with many folk.

The story mentioned a song, the lyrics of which had inspired a nurse in her care for a disadvantaged human. Wondering, for the sake of a distance learning topic, in case a student asked, what the full lyrics of the song might be, in a random moment, I emailed Scot, as the author, to ask if he knew.

Overnight he replied, saying he didn’t know, but providing the contact details for the nurse.

Whom I then emailed, now able to not only ask for a detail, but to also tell her about the impact of her story on the other side of the world!

She replied, grateful, with a few more details which I was able to add to the distance learning topic. All of this happened within 36 hours: made possible because of the shift from physical and digital, bringing about not isolation but connectivism. It provided feedback and encouragement for Scot and the nurse, added needed detail to the distance topic for students, plus some richer information for them in the communication of the story.

sense making faith: an invitation to play

I’m playing at the edges in Adelaide after Easter. I’m using the senses to offer a journey of exploration, over 10 weeks. Start with experiences of God through sight, sound, smell, touch, taste and in light of those experiences, what might it mean for church, discipleship and mission.

People engage faith and mission in many ways. Some begin with the head. Others begin with the stories. All are valid. This is about beginning with the body.

I’ve gathered some learning guides – Mark Hewitt, Sarah Agnew – to help me play. It’s in a local church, but can be done for University credit through the channels.

A downloadable PDF is here – Sense Making Faith web.

leadership as health intensives

Very excited about our two upcoming November leadership intensives – exploring leadership as health, and the practices needed to make possible communities that are mission-driven, innovative, discerning and culturally engaged.

Heathy Church / Healthy Organisation – For leaders, lay or ordained, on building healthy, missional churches or organisations. Lecturers: Craig Bailey, Carolyn Kitto, Steve Taylor. 12-23 November. Weekdays 9am-12pm

Leadership as Discernment: Participants will apply a communal discernment process to their own context, engage key readings in communal discernment and mission, and explore the Manual for Meetings as a discernment tool. Lecturer: Beatrice Panne. 27-29 November, 9am-1pm.

It’s a continued roll out of from our Leadership stream, wanting to take leadership beyond pragmatics and theory and into a spirituality grounded in life. For more information go here.

Campfire 2012

I’ve spent the weekend in Western Australia, speaking at an event called CampFIRE. It’s been great fun, joining with around 150 folk to explore mission as the people of God.

It is located at Yearlering, which is about 3 hours drive out of Perth. So it’s rural, with all the beauty that involves.

It’s a unique approach to a camp in that it’s self-catering. You rock up with your tent or caravan – with the constant encouragement to hospitality, to share meals, pool with other families.

The campsite is located beside Lake Yearlering, which provides a gorgeous backdrop for connecting with people and engaging with God.

A standout was the number of children and teenagers, a sign that this part of the Uniting church is in great health, with a bright future being passed onto another generation.

My sessions all seemed to go well, with some great questions asked and what folk experienced as a blend of challenge and hope.

third time rural

This weekend I’m heading rural once again. It’s the 3rd Refresh. There’s been one in Robe for the churches in the south west, there’s been one in Eyre Peninsula. Now Laura, in the mid-North, about 3 hours drive away.

Once again, I’ll be using mission postcards to invite a conversation between Bible, art and us about the breadth of mission today.

Somewhere in that conversation will emerge what we really need to talk about and I’ll go from there.

Once again I’ll also lead worship and preside at communion. What a privilege to press bread and wine into the hands of God’s people spread around South Australia.

The events are called Refresh and they’ve certainly been that for me, I’ve found it so lifegiving to be among folk wrestling with mission.

One church is bringing 12 people. It might not seem much until you realise their are only about 24 in the church. And that they’ve planted a fresh expression in the form of a coffee shop in their town.

How refreshing is that – 50% of a church turning up to explore next steps in their fresh expression journey of mission!?

rich, full but stuffed: the Melbourne Manningham mission

The weekend in Melbourne with Manningham Uniting was a great experience – rich and full. I travelled with Team Taylor and it was great to be able to sneak some rest and relaxation in Melbourne with them. Thursday night included discovering a fabulous book shop in Lygon St. Like a moth to the flame!! Since I was speaking all day Saturday, we took time on Friday to go shopping. Each of us drew the name of another member of Team Taylor out of the hat and away we went. Fun!

Then a relaxed Father’s Day breakfast in the Melbourne sun on Sunday morning was just lovely.

At Manningham, I did about 7.5 hours of input, spread over 4 sessions

• structures and leadership for mission
• defining mission today
• the local church in mission
• engaging the community

There was excellent interaction at all of the sessions, some quality pushback and some very perceptive questions.  Their work on the Biblical texts around mission was some of the best I’ve experienced, as the Bible subverted agendas of colonisation and imperialism. Very rich.

I also preached Sunday afternoon. The story of Manningham Uniting is worth watching closely. It is 4 churches combining. Not because of decline, which is a common reason for merger. But rather because they sensed that together their mission might be enhanced. The shared resources are impressive, although to date the process has required a huge amount of internal listening and syncing. But the hope, the promise, the possibility, was expressed so eloquently to me on Sunday, by a recent retiree.

Being in mission is no longer sending money overseas. I’ve realised that being in local mission means being in relationships. It’s so exciting because it’s changed me.

That’s a gold quote, a reminder that in mission we as the church become more fully human. I flew back Sunday evening, feeling rich and full. But stuffed.

taking the sense making faith challenge

I was most pleased with how the Magarey lectures whole Bible, whole people, whole mission series of retreat reflections ended. I concluded by pointed out how the whole time had been a risk. They had trusted me and they I had trusted them. Together we had trusted God and it had been rich.

So why not continue this pattern of risk together? In preparation I had identified 5 “sense” projects (gathered from Sense Making Faith Body Spirit Journey). I had typed them up, photocopied them and cut them into separate cards. I walked around the room, inviting folk to take one.

Here was the risk. That rather than me give them some options that they might or might not to when they got back home, that they would commit to do whatever sense project was on the card they chose.

And the next time they gather, to be accountable by telling the stories of what happened.

And then I played the scene from Lion, Witch and the Wardrobe, when Lucy steps through the wardrobe into another world. It’s a wonderful 2 minutes of taking a risk, to discover a whole new world. A wonderful invitation, a great ending.

Here were the 5 sense challenges. Dare you to take close your eyes, place your finger on the screen and just do whatever one your finger is closest to ….. (more…)

whole Bible, whole people, whole mission – Magarey lectures 2012

I’m privileged over the next few days to be working with the Churches of Christ. I’ve been asked to deliver the Magarey lectures, which means two days of input. In discussion with the organisors last year, we’ve agreed on the theme of:

whole Bible, whole people, whole mission

Over the weekend, I asked my traveling companion what were the 3 best things the College could do for the church in South Australia. The reply was immediate

• form missional agents
• lead us to engage Scriptures as experiential and alive
• provide fresh understandings of being church

They then cheated and slipped in two more

• be of the Synod not apart from the Synod
• encourage a vital, living, church-facing faith among the College team

It provided a frame in helping me understand what I’ll be doing over these days with the Churches of Christ – engaging the Scriptures as experiential and alive. I will begin with some stories of my mission experience and then one by one, explore our God-given senses – introducing them to this resource.

DAY 1 21st August

1030-1145 Session 1 – whole Bible, whole people
1330-1500 Session 2 – Journey into seeing
1530-1700 Session 3 – Journey into hearing
1930-2100 Session 4 – Journey into smell

DAY 2 22nd August

0900-1015 Session 5 – Journey into touch
1045-1200 Session 6 – Journey into taste
1400-1500 Session 7 – Journey into whole mission