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Beyond Emerging Church and Absolute Truth
Submitted by bill on Thu, 05/10/2007 - 22:25. absolute truth emergent Emerging Church postmodernismIs Truth absolute? Is Church emerging? While conservative Christianity struggles to be relevant in a world that has passed it by, church leaders cook the seed corn on the coals of roof support beams while the rest of the world continues on outside the battened doors and windows. Can they see outside?
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Jesus and the Christian Life
Submitted by reido on Sun, 12/03/2006 - 12:46. cwow Emerging Church faith General DiscussionThought I would share this for discussion...found it at explorefaith.org
[Lenten Noonday Preaching Series
Calvary Episcopal Church
Memphis, Tennessee
March 16, 1999
Jesus and the Christian Life
Dr. Marcus J. Borg
Hundere Professor of Religion and Culture
Oregon State University
Corvallis, Oregon
I want to begin with a brief centering prayer. The prayer I'm going to use comes from Celtic Christianity, that form of Christianity that flourished in Ireland and Scotland and, to some extent, Wales, beginning in the Sixth Century. This is from the Celtic Book of Daily Prayer.
Counterfeit Faith
Submitted by bill on Thu, 09/28/2006 - 19:17. church Emerging Church faith General Discussion religion society and cultureThe Valentinian Gnostic idea of a counterfeit world or religion developed by the minions of an arrogant, ignorant creator god is just too useful to cast aside.
While reading the threads started by Chip and Brian and the comments, I was reminded again of how humankind tends to turn faith into religion, and the real thing into the counterfeit. Faith morphs into burdensome religion from liberating truth.
What is Art? What is Truth? And Who Desides?
Submitted by bill on Fri, 09/22/2006 - 11:06. Christianity church Emerging Church philosophy society and cultureWhat exactly is art? Is it pretty, or just an expensive rarity? Is it merely the output of someone who claims to be an artist? Or is art only art when the art authorities declare it to be so? Similar questions could be asked about spiritual truth. Do we need “experts” to tell us what is truth? Is truth spoken only by those with the proper training? Can truth only be recognized by those with special training or titles? The answer to all is NO. And I hope to convince you that you not only have the ability to recognize truth and true creativity, but that Christianity started off as a heresy that claimed just this.
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Some of My Favorite Discussions From the Past
Submitted by bill on Fri, 08/25/2006 - 08:47. Christianity church Emerging Church postmodern Web SiteWe've had some great discussions at faithCommons over the past twenty months or so. Speaking for myself at least, I'll say that I've grown quite a bit from the discussion and through the insight of others here. Now seems a good time to reflect and remember some of those threads.
There are many new readers that have come our way recently. Thousands of first time visitors found faithCommons over the past several weeks. So, for these new readers, and for nostalgia's sake, I thought I'd list some of my favorite discussion threads from the past.
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Comparing Creeds and Power With Commitment and Purpose
Submitted by bill on Thu, 08/17/2006 - 11:53. Christianity church Early Christianity Emerging ChurchHave you ever taken a vow or made a significant promise, a promise that would determine how you lived the rest of your life? How did you feel about it? Was it life changing? On the other hand, have you ever been handed an ultimatum? Was making a promise or taking a vow different than facing an ultimatum? Did either experience leave you feeling empowered to make a difference in your life or the lives of others? Did either leave you in a spirit of powerlessness as if you'd been forced to give away a part of yourself?
One of these, taking a vow or reacting to an ultimatum, is a choice and a commitment that we often make after much consideration. The other is a choice—often between bad and worse—demanded of us by another person, or group. One is empowering, the other constraining. One is likely to leave you with a new sense of purpose while the other leaves you feeling ravaged. One is your choice and the other is really no choice at all.
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Divergent Church
Submitted by bill on Sun, 08/13/2006 - 20:23. Christianity church Emerging ChurchDon't get me wrong. I'm not a critic of Emerging Church. Well, I wasn't before. I've read hundreds of screens full, plus several books on the subject, over the past two or three years. But I'm beginning to tire of it all. Perhaps it's time to go on to something else. How about “Divergent Church?”
From church of the churchless...
Submitted by reido on Wed, 08/09/2006 - 11:23. Emerging ChurchThis quote from a person I assume is named Hines (please inform me if you are aware of the full identity) at The Church of the Churchless website.
Often people say, “I’m spiritual but not religious.” Understandable. Religion, after all, has some notorious drawbacks. Intolerance, divisiveness, sanctimoniousness, irrationality—to name a few.
Unity Through Love
Submitted by bill on Mon, 08/07/2006 - 18:26. Christianity church Emerging Church ParadoxIt's hard to read John 17 without noticing the repeating themes of love and unity. The love comes from God to humankind. And the unity comes through love. This is a great mystery. That love, not law, produces obedience, loyalty and unity.
O righteous Father, even though the world does not know you, I know you, and these know that you have sent me. I made known to them your name, and I will continue to make it known, that the love with which you have loved me may be in them, and I in them. (John 17:25-26)
This unity is not the standardization of doctrine that we're accustomed to thinking of when we hear unity spoken of in religious circles. It is not a contrived unity nor a compromise between opposing views. It is the unity of spirit that's manifest in sharing love with one another. It cannot be bought nor debated nor cajoled nor commanded. It is the result of love.
Church Without Walls - The Sermon
Submitted by bill on Sun, 08/06/2006 - 20:55. Christianity church Emerging Church Islam JudaismAn excellent post from Will
Humes explores A
Church Without Walls. This sermon explores the propensity we
humans have for building walls. Using St. Paul's words from the book
of Ephesians,
Robert Frost's poem Mending
Walls, and illustrations from the Great
Wall of China and the Iron
Curtain, Humes exposes the walls that we build to keep others out
and to trap ourselves within. 
This
post is aptly titled and affirms the wisdom and insight that Reido
illuminated in his online book Church
Without Walls.
