Join us Thursday, June 25 at 7:00 PM

We will meet at Escape at 7:00 PM and kick off our conversation by talking about your summer reading. Susan and Joseph agreed at the last meeting to get the ball rolling. Haven't had time to read anything? Just show up and chime in.

May 28, 2009

We've got so much to talk about Thursday night. Hope you can join us. We want to hear from JD about the meeting at SMU in April. We can continue our discussion of Tickle's book, The Great Emergence (see the post from April 13th, below, for details and links to resources.) Then J.D. has two interesting posts we can discuss - see his posts from May 9, Faith and Torture, and May 18, Worrying about Tomorrow. Finally, Emergent Village is undergoing change and we can share what we know/think about that.

That's more than we can cover in a couple of hours, but it is a good way to get started on the summer. Bring your calendars and we'll set our summer schedule for June, July and August.

We'll meet at 7:00 PM at Escape. Directions are listed in the right hand column of this blog.

Worrying About Tomorrow

Here's something that has given me angst for some time but which I have never shared with anyone. At the end of Matthew 6, we have Jesus' teaching about not worrying about tomorrow because today has enough worries of its own.

We often read this in an individualistic fashion. I suggest we need to read more of Scripture in a collective fashion. To me, this saying points to the fact that there is not just so much in my own life to worry about today but there is enough to worry about in my community today so that my concerns about tomorrow on the backburner.

This becomes more evident when we see the preceding verses include teachings on treasures and wealth. We do not store up treasures on earth by hoarding what we've got but by using it to help others. Love of God and love of neighbor go hand in hand.

So what gives me angst is the concept of saving for retirement. I've been taught it's important so you are not a burden on anyone. I have been unable to save for it up to now, but as my children outgrow daycare and I get further cost of living wage increases there will be money available. The question is do I do what I've been told my entire life or do I view this as the ultimate tomorrow?

I wonder what would happen if churches lived for today. What we would save for retirement we go to help people in need today. Kids going to college. People needing healthcare. People unable to pay mortgages. I tend to think this would live rather close to the picture of the church in the first chapters of Acts.

The challenge is vulnerability. It's a scary thing. By committing to other people's todays we are risking our tomorrow hoping our needs will be met when our tomorrows become our todays. It also looks weak to our dominant cultural ethos to not provide for oneself.

Extremely curious to know your thoughts.

Faith and Torture

So I saw the Pew Report on people's acceptance of torture and was dismayed. Some of the debate resulting from this report has led to theological considerations about why white evangelical Americans stand more in favor of torture than white mainline Christians.

It's an important and insightful discussion, but the more troubling numbers are those that point to the fact that non-religious Americans are less likely than Christian Americans to support torture. It's even more disturbing when you read this post by Brian McLaren.

Interested to hear your thoughts.

April 2009 meeting change

JD has suggested that we postpone our discussion of The Great Emergence for a month and that we head down to SMU for a discussion of The Employee Free Choice Act. A majority of our regulars agreed and so we'll enjoy a change of pace in April. Here is an excerpt from the "Perkins News" with more about the program, including the room number:


Human Rights Violations in the United States:
The Employee Free Choice Act
April 30, from 6-8 p.m., The Perk

Unlike most industrialized countries, the United States imposes severe limitations on the rights of workers, including the right to organize freely. Some of our current laws and regulations on this matter are in clear violation of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights that supports the freedom of workers to join trade unions in order to make their voices heard (article 23). Many faith traditions also support the freedom of workers to organize. The Social Creed of the United Methodist Church, for instance, explicitly supports the right of collective bargaining. This matter affects all of us, as injuries to some quickly tend to become injuries to all.

The current situation in the U.S. could be improved through the passage of the “Employee Free Choice Act” that is now before Congress. We invite you to join us in discussing this bill from various perspectives, including the perspectives of workers, organizers, community leaders, people of faith and theologians, and human rights activists. Co-sponsors include Dallas Jobs with Justice, the Progressive Christian Center in the South, the Dallas Area Christian Progressive Alliance the SMU Human Rights Program, and the Wendland-Cook Professorship at Perkins School of Theology, SMU.

The event will be held on April 30, from 6-8 p.m., at Perkins School of Theology, in 106 Selecman Hall. Refreshments will be served. For further information, please contact Dr. Joerg Rieger, Wendland-Cook Professor of Constructive Theology, at jrieger@smu.edu.
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We'll plan to pick up our continuing conversation about emergence in May...

April 30, 2009 Meeting

At our next meeting we'll continue our discussion of Phyllis Tickle's The Great Emergence. Check out this link for a free download of part of the book, a free discussion guide and some video clips of Phyllis discussing the major points of her book.

You don't need to run out and get the book before the meeting just to participate in our conversation. You can download and read the excerpt (it is on "The Book" tab at the bottom of the page) and/or listen to the videos.

I am running behind in getting a summary of the last meeting posted to the blog, but may be able to get that done this week.

Hope everyone had a blessed Easter (or for our Orthodox friends, will have a blessed Easter) and I hope you'll be able to join us on the 30th!

Next Meeting March 26

Next time we'll begin a discussion of Phyllis Tickle's The Great Emergence. Check out this link for a free download of part of the book, a free discussion guide and some video clips of Phyllis discussing the major points of her book.

You don't need to run out and get the book before Thursday in order to participate in our conversation. You can download and read the excerpt (it is on "The Book" tab at the bottom of the page) and/or listen to the videos. See you Thursday!