I’ve decided to do things a little differently this year and just continually updating this page with the new sessions in order. Would love to hear any questions or comments you might have!
A World Absorbing Text or a Text Absorbed by the World?
Introduction – Cultural Saturation
Interpreting Overlapping Realities: Gospel and Culture
Misconceptions
Micro and Macro Stories
The Gospel as Theological Framework and Theological Vision
Culture as Macro and Micro Stories
Pre and Post – Modernity
Defining Narratives
Democratic Consumerism
Technological Rationalism
Social Pluralism
The Great Irony
Reading Our Times
Beginning Clues
Reading the Scriptures as a Canon
Being Read by the Scriptures
Christian Faithfulness in the Face of Ancient Cultural Challenges
- Christian Faithfulness in the Face of Persecution
- The Accusations of the Culture
1. Christians were being accused by a culture that was very religious, the culture saw Christians as atheists. This was the main motivation for Roman persecution.
2. Christians didn’t make good Roman citizens.
3. Romans viewed Christians as incestuous
4. Communion is viewed as cannibalistic
- The Faithful Responses of the Christians
1. They explained in literature and conversation. Showed how monotheism was something allowed even among the Romans, pointing to poets and scholars (Plato in particular) to show that monotheism was already accepted.
2. Pointed to their care for others (orphans, neighbors, hungry) as their appeal to how they were good citizens.
3. They said they were a family and that’s just the way they refer to themselves.
4. Eucharist was the reason they came together. They explained to the community what they were doing and why.
Christianity is a very gory religion, characterized by the sloppiness of blood.
- Christian Faithfulness in the Process of Scriptural Definition
- The Proposed, Erroneous Models of Scripture
On the one hand you had Marcion who cut most things out of the Bible, and then the other hand had add everything.
- The Faithful Responses of the Christians
The sacred text, if nothing else, included the Old Testament Hebrew Bible.
So they said nothing gets into the Bible unless it’s in harmony with the OT. And if they are universally embraced by Christians throughout the world. We don’t accept any text that doesn’t put the slaughter of Jesus as its’ focus.
Where is the Lord’s supper in your meetings?
The Opportunity to Learn from the Challenge of Race
Mandela’s Death and movies like 12 Years a Slave show us the problem of apartheid and puts the legacy of racism right in front of us. Thought it may be in front of us, we may be tempted to avert our gaze.
- “Our” Issue and Our Mission: A commitment to Bible and the obligations of the gospel
Using the issue of race to enslave people is completely missing the idea of the greatest commandment: love God and love others. The Bible talks about it.
- Dancing with history: facing the world and society we have inherited in the modern West; why race remains a challenge for all of us in spite of improvements
These issues don’t simply disappear.
- Considering the Experience of Minorities: What can the church learn…and perhaps anticipate in the future.
The question of a lack of power. People become accustomed to accepting the fact that they are lacking in power. There’s also the question of hope.
- Considering Some Core Beliefs: How does our Christology, Soteriology and Ecclesiology lead us toward persistent and patient progress on the lingering question of race and the prospect of the evangelical church as a cultural minority?
Theology and ethics need to be seen together. Which Jesus do you emphasize? Which text do you go to when talking about Jesus? What do people experience at your church that helps deal with the issue of race?
If you’re going to be people of the book, are you considering all the book teaching us? Or are we just pragmatists?
- What Posture Should We Take: Faithful Presence, or something else?
Your context makes a huge influence as to what your suggestions can be.
- To Consider: What vision might we have for the future?
At one level, Christians out to be a counter-cultural people practicing a counter-cultural reality. People will notice this because it’s not typical for people to live with other people who are not like them.
Need to have a disposition of massive patience.
Regression happens within the church as well (the crisis of marriage is also taking place within the church)
A commitment to public engagement without messianic ideas.
Understanding the Times and Understanding the Places: Theological Localism
Dr. Fred Sanders
- Theology with a local accent
It’s just a matter of fitting in – the message of the cross should offend, not our way of talking about it (i.e. sports)
- Two methods: correlation and proclamation
Correlation: identified in Paul Tillick – philosophy raises the questions, theology answers them. Explains the contents of Christian faith using questions.
Proclamation: identified in Carl Barth
I suggest using theological localism.
- Taking action: Men of Issachar in every place
See 1 Chronicles 12:32. Seen in Augustine’s City of God.
- “Theological Engagement with California Culture”
Evangelicals in 21st Century American Culture
Introduction
- Living in challenging times
We get caught up in our time and forget about previous times issues
- Theology of Culture
Do you consider culture to be the friend, or the enemy of Christ?
- Matthew 13:24-30 – parable of the weeds
Looking back – where we came from
- Liberalism & Fundamentalism
Scopes vs Monkey trial in 1925, fundamentalists increasingly marginalized. Most of the world didn’t even think of fundamentalists, then along came Billy Graham
- Billy Graham & today
Evangelicals are now ¼-1/3 of all people in the US, so what do we do with that?
Looking around – where we are
- Globalization of Christianity
Now the largest & fastest growing religion. 20,000 new believers in China every day
- Evangelicals in America
We are the dominate Christian force
- Demographics
Segregation in America remains strong
- Theology
Homosexuality and the exclusivity of Christ
- Church in adversarial circumstances
Conclusion: How then shall we live?
Speak the truth, but always in love
Don’t be quick to come to conclusions
TRUST GOD
As long as people have the Bible and the Holy Spirit they’ll be ok.
Pastor Mike's Musings 