High Contexts and Dialogue, "Bush was Blazing"

We discussed the second half of Erik Law's book, especially with regard to inter-denominational dialogues and inter-faith.

Next week, we read the section of the RRG 78-95, including the challenge to find an image for a single most interesting passage. 

Our TRs are briefly summarized on the TR page (see right-hand column).

The book about "brickianity" by the non-denominational preacher Rob Bell is Velvet Elvis.  My reflection on it Seeing Through Brick Walls is on my blog The Word Sanctuary.

Our responses to "The Bush was Blazing..."

As the temperature dropped, we met for Epiphany and pizza.  Our discussion of Law's The Bush Was Blazing but Not Consumed yielded enough material to keep us raising new ideas for an hour.  We reached some consensus on the ideas that the book so far focuses more on ethnic differences than on religious ones; that the "win/lose" approach distorts relationships; that "we're all basically the same" overlooks important differences.

From this discussion, we thought of times when we felt powerless or powerful.  A wide-ranging TR resulted.

Next week, we finish the book.  Bill and Jenni will do dinner; Jeff brings the TR; and Smoot does the worship.

Look here soon for a reflection by Wayne. 

I wrote a reflection on Law, combined with McCulloch and some other sources:  Anglican Exceptionalism.

Reading "The Bush was Blazing..."

Our meeting before a two-week Christmas break covered Joshua, Judges, Acts, and the births of the Anglican Church ("They may be Angles, but they look like Angels") and Holy Roman Empire.

We'll meet again on January 6.  Smoot does the dinner, Lynne, worship; our TR will emerge from our responses to the common reading, the paperback book by Law. 

Week Thirteen Coming Up

Thanks to Jeff and Sally for great chili and lemon-coconut pie with salad!  So many were absent that we discussed third year matters, saw some of the harp concert, and left with plans for next week.


We'll read texts assigned on pp. 67-68 in our Reading Reflection Guide (RRG).  TR will still be presented by Scott T.;  Susan, who didn't get to use the worship she'd planned, will provide both worship and dinner next week. 

Quicksand

"Save me, O God,
for the waters have risen up to my neck.

I am sinking in deep mire,
and there is no firm ground for my feet."

The opening of Psalm 69, appointed for Friday, November 7

Apropos of wandering children

Steve shared this portion of an article that relates to his TR and our shared memories of roaming our childhood neighborhoods:

Outside of pockets of extreme deprivation, children’s society is severely restricted by our practice of placing children under the equivalent of house arrest. In only three generations, children in the British Isles as well as the United States have lost their freedom to roam, their independently explorable territories shrinking from hundreds of acres to the dimensions of each child’s own back yard. This is not an accusation toward parents; their decisions reflect their judgments about their children’s safety in the world. Specifically, parents judge that there is no community beyond their doors that they can rely on to keep their children safe. Christopher Alexander’s Pattern 57: Children in the City (A Pattern Language) states that “If children are not able to explore the whole of the adult world around them, they cannot become adults. But modern cities are so dangerous that children cannot be allowed to explore them freely.” Unfortunately, this has become the case not just in large cities, but in small towns and even rural areas.The Monster with the Iron Teeth

Link to EFM glossary

Here's a link that Sue Hannan, mentor for the other St. James' class, just sent. It was compiled over the years by a long-time EFM mentor. Should be helpful as we move along.
ajackson.org/glossary
  Susan