3. A society that no longer recognizes
that nature and human life have a
sacred dimension, an intrinsic value
beyond monetary value, commits
collective suicide. Such societies
cannibalize themselves until they die.
This is what we are undergoing.
Chris Hedges, Adbusters
https://www.adbusters.org/magazine/88/chris-hedges.html
10. 4 Crises: The Human
Situation: What
Conventional View
God created the world as perfect,
but because our primal
is the story that
ancestors, Adam and Eve, did
Emerging View
God created the world as good, but
human beings – as individuals, and as
groups – have rebelled against God and
we find not maintain the absolute filled the world with evil and injustice
ourselves in? perfection demanded by God, like a terrible disease. God wants to save
God has irrevocably determined humanity and heal it from its sickness,
that the entire universe and all it but humanity is hopelessly lost and
Planetary crisis (Prosperity)
contains will be destroyed, and
the souls of all human beings –
except for those specifically
exempted – will be forever
punished for their imperfection
in hell.1
confused, like sheep without a shepherd,
wandering farther and farther into
lostness and danger. Left to themselves,
human beings will spiral downward in
sickness and evil.
Basic Since everyone is doomed to Since the human race is in such desperate
Questions: What hell, Jesus seeks to answer these trouble, Jesus seeks to answer this
questions did questions: how can individuals question: what must be done about the
Jesus come to be saved from eternal mess we’re in? The mess refers both to
Poverty crisis (Equity)
answer? punishment in hell and instead the general human condition and its
go to heaven after they die? How specific outworking among his
can God help individuals be contemporaries: living under domination
happy and successful until then? by the Roman empire, and divided into
various competing sects.
Jesus’ message: Jesus says, in essence, “If you Jesus says, in essence, “Other people and
How did Jesus want to be among those groups – including your own religious
respond to the specifically qualified to escape leaders - are leading you farther and
crisis? being forever punished for your farther astray. I have been sent by God
sins in hell, you must repent of with this good news – that God loves
your individual sins and believe humanity, even in its lostness and sin.
Peace-making crisis (Security) that my Father punished me on
the cross so He won’t have to
punish you in hell. Only if you
believe this will you go to
heaven when everyone else is
banished to hell.”2 This is the
God graciously invites everyone and
anyone to question and reject what they
have been told and instead follow a new
path. Trust me and become my disciple,
and you will be transformed, and you will
participate in the transformation of the
good news. world, which is possible, beginning right
now.”3 This is the good news.
Religious Crisis (Spirituality)
1
Of course, there are many modern western non-religious ontologies and framing stories too,
plus Eastern ontologies and framing stories – both religious and irreligious.
2
This reflects a Calvinistic Evangelical protestant version of the message. The popular Roman
Catholic version might say, “You must believe in the teachings of the church and follow its
instructions, especially those regarding sacraments.” The popular mainline or liberal Protestant
11. Public worship as bonding to
Conventional View Emerging View
the biblical narrative ...
The Human
Situation: What
we find
ourselves in?
God created the world as perfect,
but because our primal
is the story that
ancestors, Adam and Eve, did
not maintain the absolute
perfection demanded by God,
God created the world as good, but
human beings – as individuals, and as
groups – have rebelled against God and
filled the world with evil and injustice
like a terrible disease. God wants to save
God has irrevocably determined humanity and heal it from its sickness,
that the entire universe and all it but humanity is hopelessly lost and
contains will be destroyed, and confused, like sheep without a shepherd,
the souls of all human beings – wandering farther and farther into
except for those specifically lostness and danger. Left to themselves,
exempted – will be forever human beings will spiral downward in
punished for their imperfection sickness and evil.
in hell.1
Basic Since everyone is doomed to Since the human race is in such desperate
Questions: What hell, Jesus seeks to answer these trouble, Jesus seeks to answer this
questions did questions: how can individuals question: what must be done about the
Jesus come to be saved from eternal mess we’re in? The mess refers both to
answer? punishment in hell and instead the general human condition and its
go to heaven after they die? How specific outworking among his
An act of defiance against the
can God help individuals be contemporaries: living under domination
happy and successful until then? by the Roman empire, and divided into
various competing sects.
Jesus’ message: Jesus says, in essence, “If you Jesus says, in essence, “Other people and
How did Jesus want to be among those groups – including your own religious
respond to the specifically qualified to escape leaders - are leading you farther and
crisis? being forever punished for your farther astray. I have been sent by God
dominant cultural narratives:
sins in hell, you must repent of with this good news – that God loves
your individual sins and believe humanity, even in its lostness and sin.
that my Father punished me on God graciously invites everyone and
the cross so He won’t have to anyone to question and reject what they
punish you in hell. Only if you have been told and instead follow a new
believe this will you go to path. Trust me and become my disciple,
heaven when everyone else is and you will be transformed, and you will
banished to hell.”2 This is the participate in the transformation of the
good news. world, which is possible, beginning right
now.”3 This is the good news.
affiliation with an alternative
1
Of course, there are many modern western non-religious ontologies and framing stories too,
plus Eastern ontologies and framing stories – both religious and irreligious.
2
This reflects a Calvinistic Evangelical protestant version of the message. The popular Roman
Catholic version might say, “You must believe in the teachings of the church and follow its
instructions, especially those regarding sacraments.” The popular mainline or liberal Protestant
kingdom
12. Jesus didn’t claim to start a new
religion. He proclaimed a new
kingdom....
14. The Roman Empire was
very tolerant of new
religions … but not of new
kingdoms. Proclaiming a
new kingdom could get
you killed.
15. Our contemporary understanding of Christian faith is …
MEMBERSHIP IN A
TROUBLED, CONFLICTED,
CHANGE-AVERSE, AND
EXPENSIVE INSTITUTION
with a large taboo against holding certain political and social
convictions.
with a bias toward being good citizens
with a concern for religious education
with a seldom-spoken of dream of joining God in the healing of the world.
16. Or …
INFORMATION ON
HOW TO GO TO HEAVEN
AFTER YOU DIE
with a large footnote about increasing your personal
happiness and success through God.
with a small footnote about character development
with a smaller footnote about spiritual experience
with a smaller footnote about social/global transformation.
17. heaven
self
church
Self-enhancement world
in this life and the
next
20. May your kingdom come ...
May your will be done on earth as it is
in heaven.
21. Conventional churches of personal
spirituality or institutional tradition.
Two
Denominations:
Intentional Churches dedicated to
saving creation from human evil,
beginning with us.
22. We may have rightly lost confidence
in the privatized/institutionalized
gospel …
Two
Denominations:
We need to (re)gain confidence in
Jesus’ gospel of the kingdom of
God.
23. This approach has powerful
implications for what it means to
gather for public worship.
26. Did Jesus come to create “Christians”
or to form disciples who would join
God in healing our world?
27. Clearly, for the early
disciples, the church was
an expanding circle of
disciples. It was “the
embodiment of Christ.”
They saw themselves as
learners in his way.
28. come, follow me
Learn of me, take my
yoke upon you
I have given you an
example
Make disciples,
teaching them to
practice everything I
have taught you
29. Be conformed to the image of
Christ. Romans 8
Be transformed by the renewing
of your mind. Romans 12
… that Christ may be formed in
you. Galatians 4
Learn Christ… Be made new in
the attitude of your minds
Ephesians 4
Christ in you, the hope of glory
… everyone fully formed in
Christ Colossians 1
Let this attitude be in you which
was also in Christ… Philippians 2
30. The sermon on the mount
Explains how disciples of the kingdom are characterized by a “right/just
way of living” which “surpasses that of the scribes and Pharisees.”
Different attitudes: blessed are …
Different role - salt and light
Beyond “no murder” to no hatred, anger, insult, or grudges
Beyond “no adultery” to no lust or divorce
Beyond no lying to no exaggeration
Beyond no excessive revenge to no retaliation
Beyond loving friends to loving enemies
Beyond harsh religious “perfection” to God’s compassionate
perfection.
31. How are disciples formed?
Through practice(s).
___public worship ___solitude ___sabbath
___meditation ___eucharist ___silence
___study ___spiritual direction
___practicing God’s presence ___prayer journaling
___fixed-hour prayer ___contemplative prayer
___service ___submission ___simplicity ___feasting/
fasting ___pilgrimage ___self-denial
___identifying with Jesus ___reconciliation
___giving ___confessing sin ___reciting creeds
32. How are disciples formed?
Through practice.
___public worship ___solitude ___sabbath ___eucharist
___silence
___study ___spiritual direction
___practicing God’s presence ___prayer journaling
___fixed-hour prayer ___contemplative prayer
___service ___submission ___simplicity ___feasting/
fasting ___pilgrimage ___self-denial
___identifying with Jesus ___reconciliation
___giving ___confessing sin ___reciting creeds
But this is only half the story …
35. Jesus calls disciples -
men and women who
will learn to live a new
way of life and
experience
transformation.
Then he sends them out
as apostles … people
who would bring
transformation to the
world.
36. the well-formed disciple/apostle
Love God
Love neighbor, enemy
Via Contemplativa
Via Activa
Good heart
Good works
Trust
Obey
Transforming (1)
Transforming (2)
Disciple
Apostle
“interior castle”
kingdom of God
godliness
otherliness
37. the well-formed disciple
patient kind not envious
doesn’t boast not proud not rude
not self-seeking not easily angered
no record of wrongs doesn’t
delight in evil rejoices with
truth always protects always trusts
always hopes always perseveres
never fails
38. The purpose of
personal
formation is
social
transformation
39. And social
transformation
requires personal
transformation.
40. There must be ongoing
transformation at every
level:
Economic, political,
social, familial,
community, artistic,
ecological, legal,
business, military,
scientific,
educational, etc.
41. How are disciples formed?
Through personal practices.
___public worship ___solitude ___sabbath
___eucharist ___silence
___study ___spiritual direction
___practicing God’s presence ___prayer journaling
___fixed-hour prayer ___contemplative prayer
___service ___submission ___simplicity
___feasting/fasting ___pilgrimage ___self-denial
___identifying with Jesus ___reconciliation
___giving ___confessing sin ___reciting creeds
42. How are apostles formed?
Through missional practices.
___forgiving ___hospitality ___praying for healing
___not judging ___confronting evil ___serving
___listening ___associating with the lowly
___holy kiss ___speaking truth in love
___neighborliness ___loving enemies
___preferring poor ___speaking for justice
___proclaiming good news in word and deed
___giving to poor ___throwing parties for poor
___walking to other side of street to serve
___giving ___encouragement ___empathy
43. How do we
maximize the
effectiveness of
public worship in
missional
formation?
47. So … the church is the community
that joins God for global
transformation on every level …
It is a community of transforming
individuals who participate with
God in the transformation of the
world: the coming of the
Kingdom of God.
49. Spiritual formation is the
development of people who are
agents of God’s healing …
Agents of peace, reconciliation,
creativity, courage, patience,
urgency, generosity, solidarity with
the poor and oppressed, truth-
telling …
50. Working out the dynamic tension …
Social movements:
Confront social institutions, call for change
Social institutions:
Conserve gains made by previous social
movements
Oppose current social movements
