Romans

Read the assignment and enjoyed the Author's perspective.  Never thought about the Gentiles taking over when the Romans kicked the Jews out.  Apparently they ran the Roman Christian Church while they were gone.

I also enjoyed the "shout outs" to women in Rome as major players.  Wonder what happened in the Roman Catholic church?  Popes in the coming years seemed to have relegated women's role to secondary and that continues to this day.

Bill

Psalms, Paul, and Parishes

The first year cohort's favorite psalms brought out favorites from others.  Second year's discussion of Paul also brought out our favorite sides to him.  Discussion of the use of Hebrew Scriptures by Jesus and Paul gave us an answer to those who say that the New Testament supersedes the Old.  In Pauls' day, even more, now, wisdom was created by communities over the ages as they lived with these texts.

For reasons that had more to do with a shift in economics, a system of parish churches arose, analogous to the system of serfdom.   Pastoral care and personal salvation became more important than sponsorship by patrons.

Dinner next week is by Bill and Jen; Worship is Bill L.; S. Thompson brings the T.R.

See the TR page for a bit more about the TR.

That Underground River of Emotion

Last night we discussed the article by Rt. Rev. Steven Charleston in our Reading and Reflecting Guide.  He surveys the rise of "spirituality" in America as a line on a graph that splits apart from "religion" during the same late-20th century period.  He foresees reintegration and conflict as our quests for spirituality break barriers in our "compartmentalized" Enlightenment lives.

For theological reflection, we worked from one image in Charleston's text, of spirituality as a "river of emotion" that breaks through the "crust" and wreaks havoc.

Next week, Bill and Lynne do dinner, Steve brings in the TR, and I have worship. 

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.