In and out of Season, plus ethical shopping

Christina secretly has been doing a new blog without me knowing! In and out of season. Her last post was based on a workshop on ethical trading. A workshop which we did at Rusty Springs festival, it was in many ways an eye opener. Christina brought the ethical apple app. It added about half an hour to her shopping time, but the shopping was done with a clear conscious...

What's happening when what I believe is not what I used to believe...

This title was the name of the workshop conducted by Chris Brown, a psychologist and in pastoral care at Rusty Springs festivel.

Chris basically went though James Fowler's 'Stages of Faith', which Chris categorized as a part of developmental psychology.

The Wikipedia summarised these stages of faith as such::

• Stage 0 – "Primal or Undifferentiated" faith (birth to 2 years), is characterized by an early learning of the safety of their environment (i.e. warm, safe and secure vs. hurt, neglect and abuse). If consistent nurturance is experienced, one will develop a sense of trust and safety about the universe and the divine. Conversely, negative experiences will cause one to develop distrust with the universe and the divine. Transition to the next stage begins with integration of thought and languages which facilitates the use of symbols in speech and play.

• Stage 1 – "Intuitive-Projective" faith (ages of three to seven), is characterized by the psyche's unprotected exposure to the Unconscious.

• Stage 2 – "Mythic-Literal" faith (mostly in school children), stage two persons have a strong belief in the justice and reciprocity of the universe, and their deities are almost always anthropomorphic.

• Stage 3 – "Synthetic-Conventional" faith (arising in adolescence) characterized by conformity

• Stage 4 – "Individuative-Reflective" faith (usually mid-twenties to late thirties) a stage of angst and struggle. The individual takes personal responsibility for their beliefs and feelings.

• Stage 5 – "Conjunctive" faith (mid-life crisis) acknowledges paradox and transcendence relating reality behind the symbols of inherited systems

• Stage 6 – "Universalizing" faith, or what some might call "enlightenment".

Some insteresting points brought out on the workshop on these stages were::

:: Fowler belives that %20 of Americans are in Stage 2
:: Fowler belivied that only 1.6% ever get to Stage 6
:: Some examples of Stage 6 given are Mother Teresa, Dietrich Bonhoeffer and Martin Luther King.
::The stages of faith is cross cultural, so it could be for a Buddhist or some other faith.

For me all this made a lot of scene. It filled a lot of gaps. It is interesting that part of the conversation was regarding fundamentalism/evangelicalism. It was agreed that this aspect of Christianity is in the stages 2-3. This would be what I saw in the Vineyard denomination. Although at Ranges I would say I saw people enter the church who where Stage 4 and 5, that they had not much Church background.

Interestingly a 'Crisis' is often the catalyst for people moving though a Stage. In my opinion they either go to Stage 5 or go backward to where things are safe Stage 3 or 4.

So what about myself. Well I reckon I'm Stage 4-5. A 'Critical self-evalutation' is taking place without the crisis. As my friend Bob says over at View from a Room, "I've sacked Jesus and looking for the real one."

 

Posted with Blogsy

Triumph of the Nomads by Geoffrey Blainy

I think this book is a must for anyone who values Australian history. It puts a perspective on how small a part the white settlement is part of Australian history. A few points that had me thinking::

• The Aboriginals had a better standard of living especially in regards to nutrition than most of Europe at the time of the invasion. Food was never an issue for these nomadic people
• Looking at aboriginal history it is ancient. It would be very hard to reconcile a Christian 'young earth' theory with these people.
• Aboriginals where around when prehistoric beasts were roaming in Australia.
• The aboriginals had an amazing and elaborate way of using dams and weirs in there catching of fish.
• It is a sad the loss of knowledge, especially that of bush foods and other ways of Aboriginal survival since Australian white settlement.

The Gap, where Forge once was....

One of the things that surprised me over the weekend at the Rusty Springs festival was the amount of people who had been through or connected to Forge. I suppose there are a number of feelings expressed.

• That Forges Message of 'Mission' is now common language to the major Churches. 
• That 'Main stream Churches' have diluted Forges message with there own spin.
• That now there is no, independent 'Space' for like minded people in Australia.
• A disappointment at the hype of 'Forge' in the USA, while Australia effectively shut its doors, especially in its birth place of Victoria.
• That Forge once a radical movement on the edge is now, especially in the USA, now appealing to the main stream middle. 

Some of these things I agree with, others I don't.

I think Forge has planted important seeds in Australia; yet I think in many ways, people and the idea will never be ignited in the same way. It was a sort of home, which you will look back with fondness yet know that you have grown up and can't go back.

Rusty Springs

Got Back from Rusty Springs yesterday so a bit of an update.

I went to a few things, but not as much as I would have liked. The first night was a shocker in the tent, rain rain rain. We were dry but if you wanted to go to the toilet etc etc leaving the tent was a terrible especially with kids. So we ended up at a beautiful B&B that liked kids so it worked out well (except for the $$$).

I got to three workshops which I will blog on in a bit more detail.

• Whats happening when what I believe is not what I used to believe.
• Ethical Shopping
• Slow food

We also spent a lot of times with the 'Rusty Kids' and families. This was great, We did stuff with kids and we also chatted and got to know other parents.

There was also a fair bit of music but I didn't get to any of it. I was just to stuffed at night. 

Overall we will try to get there again next year and be a bit more prepared with camping arrangements.
 

Magic/The Spirit

Seth Goldin writes about Steve Cohen (I've never heard of him) and how he does his magic.

1. He sells to a very specific group of people, people who are both willing to hear what he has to say and able to pay what he wants to charge them.
2. He tells a story to this group, a story that matches their worldview. He doesn't try to teach non-customers a lesson or persuade them that they are wrong or don't know enough about his art. Instead, he makes it easy for his happy customers to bring his art to others.
3. He intentionally creates an experience that is remarkable and likely to spread. "What did you do last night?" is a great question when it's asked of someone you entertained the night before, particularly if you can give the audience an answer they can give. That's how the word spreads.
4. He's extremely generous in who he works with, how promiscuous he is about sharing and in his attitude.
5. He's very good at his craft. Don't overlook this one.

Strangely I see parallels between that and the Pentecostal/Charismatic movements of the Church....

Integrity and paid ministry

Here it is. I don't think you can have personal integrity and be paid in ministry. Here is my top 10 list, let me know if you think of some more...

• You are expected to belive in things that you don't, from a congregation to denomination level.
• Not only do you not belive some things, ministers actually preach what they don't believe.
• Friendship, inside of most ministers there is a "strategically" make friends with this person menality. The best reward, for the human investment.
• You lead most people to believe you are there best friend, especially good tithers.
• Your life can be a sham. Up the crap. Yet the Sunday response is I'm doing ok....
• Most ministers don't realise how much they like giving the monologue, they are the Sunday pinnacle. Take it away and often self worth is gone as well.
• The whole families involved. Children are often the ones who see the difference between a Sunday and the rest of the week.
• Minsitry is run like a bussiness. (A can of worms here!)
• Business have more checks and balances than ministers and money.
• Its easier to stay a minister, than to look for another job.

I do admit that this looks pretty negative. Yet I do think there is hope and that is in the small house group/church. That is in the next post...(If I get around to it)

"Love the Sinner....

My good friend Scott White has given good preachy tongue lashing to the term
"Love the sinner hate the sin" especially in regards to homosexuality:

This statement is so intrinsically flawed particularly in its application to homosexuality that it deserves some treatment. So in good ‘sermon’ mode here’s 3 simple points to get us thinking. (else this will end up being a very long post).

So go over and check out his post....

A few snippets

A few interesting blog snippets



Anthony Flew, at one stage one of the world leading Athiests. Who then went and changed his mind has died. From Christinity today

Flew died, apparently still a deist, April 8. As he told Christianity Today in 2005, he hoped that would be the end of it. “I don't want a future life,” he said. “I have never wanted a future life.”

I still have his book on the to read list....

Again from Christinity Today, a women was awarded damages after been slain in the 'spirit' and injured.

Dadd, who is in her 50s, sued the church and its pastor after she was injured while "slain in the Spirit" - falling backward after being "overcome by the Spirit of the Lord" - during a rally at Mount Hope Church in Delta Township in 2002.
Dadd claimed Pastor Dave Williams defamed her when he accused her of insurance fraud, faking her injuries and renouncing her faith. A jury awarded her more than $317,000 damages for her injuries, as well as libel, slander and false light in a 2007 trial.

I always thought this would happen at some stage. It is a rather silly practice.

Rusty Springs

Next weekend the family are off to "Rusty Spring festivle" in Dalesford.

The festival is about exploring lifestyle, well-being and spirituality. These things are all interconnected and there’s no expectation of anyone.

Some of the work shops I'm eying are::

• An exploration towards the meaning of life
• What's happening when what I believe is not what I used to believe
• What's all this about Ignatian spirituality
• Finding Spiritual tradition that is right for you
• Slow food

And most importantly the *kids* program.

'Solace EMC Inc, the auspicing organization for the festival, is a religious not-for-profit company which has a Christian heritage. Both Christina and myself have been along to Solace in Fairfield a few time so we are looking forward to what is in store. (It will also be nice not having the Vineyard sandwich)

Cannibalism and Christianity...

Reading Triumph of the Nomads by Geoffery Blainy and came accross this:

In that century (18th Century) cannibalism was often regarded as the antithesis of civilization, and so viewed even by many who regularly took Holy Communion and believed they were thereby eating the body and drinking the blood of Christ. In fact, may aboriginals ate human flesh in the same spirit, believing that they thus acquired some of the strength of those who had died.

It is interesting that this ancient people had this belief; that in a strange way some similarity to Christianity...

Facebook

Facebook has brought a strange reality to our world. Where once we just were 'friends' with some people. Now there is a moving for some to thrust upon us an element of 'close friends'. It spews forth on my 'wall'.
A friend who is going though courtship, details, I'm not sure I want to know.
The bereavement of a husband by the loss of his wife. Incredibly moving.
The strange suggestion by facebook to be a dead persons 'friend'. As if to keep the memory alive.

I ask myself can I  truly be there friend? There is an element of friendship now missing face to face interaction.

I ask myself is this real?
I suspect it is now verging on entertainment, and I am the consumer.

Rowland Croucher's Review of Marcus Borg, The heart of Christianity

Rowland Croucher, from his site John Mark's ministry has put up a favorable review of Marcus Borgs book "The heart of Christianity". I really like where Rowland comes from so I thought I'd make a link.

You may not agree with everything here, but I would now put this book in the Top 10 thoughtful Christians, 'ex-Christians' and 'wannabe Christians' should read. Borg is irenic and respectful: a few times he says 'If your paradigm works for you, fine. You don't have to agree with what I say and buy into this Emerging Paradigm. But at least give it some thought.' He's also humble enough to say from time to time (e.g. about the after-life) 'I don't know'. Theologically he's to the left of Brian McLaren, and to the right of Spong. (See McLaren's A Generous Orthodoxy for an equally important book offering an intelligent purview of contemporary Christianity. [1] Borg says McLaren's thinking is a 'form' of the Emerging Paradigm).

On the side. I was reading this book in a waiting room in a medical clinic at Cowes. A lady came up to me and I think had read the front cover of the book 'The heart of Christianity'.
She said to me 'Your on the right train....'
Interesting considering I think I'd spotted her while checking out the local pentecostal Church, and I bet she would not cope with some of Borg's conclusions.
Maybe her comment was prophetic?

The Naked Pastor.

It was with a bit of sadness for me that the "Naked Pastor" David Hayward announced on his blog that he is no longer pastoring a church.

I’ve left the professional ministry. I was ordained 25 years ago. I was a student minister before that. It has been a long hard haul. But I’ve gradually come to the realization that I can no longer work inside of the system. I no longer seem to fit within the institution.

The reasons I'm sad is that David is one of the few really alternate voices within the Vineyard denomination. While I had given up on the denomination, he was a voice which gave me hope. 
Anyway it will be interesting in following him where the next part of his journey leads. It will be rather exciting!

Politics :: Bass

With changing enrollment details, I received a welcome letter and a survey if I wanted to fill out by our local state memeber "Ken Smith". I filled out the survey noting I thought it was a concern with an elderly population which is growing that there were no 24hr emergency or bulk billing medical services on Phillip island. I got an answer to this question::

If the Liberal Party regain power in November this year, we will  be working with the Federal Government to set up a 24 emergency care facility at Cowes to cater for some of your urgent health needs

It sound positives but....
1) The Federal government is Labor. I couldn't imagine them working with the Libs on this one.
2) Health is a State responsibility.
3) I didn't do the typo "24 emergency", I suspect he means 24 hour emergency.  

Now the Federal election is also around the corner, so I wonder what the opposition environment member Mr Greg Hunt offers.

House Building ::13

Lots of action....

Cladding starting to go up today.

The Garage roof is now on.

Prior to the cladding they put this green shinny insulation stuff up. Not really sure what it does.

The rear deck now has the sliding doors in place.

The heart of Christianity, Marcus Borg

The heart of Christianity, Marcus Borg,

Some times you will read a Christian book and it just fits with what you need to read. This was one such book for me. One aspect that I wanted to get a bit better grip on was 'liberal' Christinaity, or as Borg would put it 'progressive'. I have for a short while trying to read Bultman and Tilich. But I found them  hard going, to the extent I would just get bogged down in the first couple of pages and just give up. So for the first time I was able to understand what was meant by 'metaphorical' and 'Sacrament'.

For me the book gave important glimps into

: The idea of metaphorical and sacrement

: pluralism of religions

: panthiesm in Christinity

: The different meanings of 'Faith', not necessarily a literal interpretation.

: Salvation and Sin

: The Kingdom of God, mainly in regards to a political social justice and equality.

It is interesting that Borg attends the American equivalent of an Anglican Church. I can now understand how there is such a great divide between the Anglican communion.

I also think that this writing is valuable. Especially for people who come from a evangelical or fundemental background and find a litural understanding as unbelievable. That they find there only option; to throw in Christiantiy all together. This book is truely a way forwards for these people.

I'm looking forward to the getting my hands on his co-authored book with NT Wright, 'The meaning of Jesus'. It will I hope contrast and bring more clarity to evangelical and liberal theology.

Un-sync-able

A good friend of mine Scott White has started to blog. I got to know Scott through Tabor Bible study as well as through the Vineyard denomination. The last ten years or so have been an amazing story for him. So I'm interested in some of his reflections on gender and spirituality.

You can check out his blog here

Un-sync-able

deception

http://www.flickr.com/photos/jacbt/ / CC BY 2.0

In reading the book 'The Heart of Christianity' by Marcus Borg, he makes the point about deception in regards to an 'open' or 'closed heart':

A closed heart affects the mind, the reasoning process itself. Rather than the mind being in charge of this deeper layer of the self, the heart controls the mind. The heart can even deceive the mind in the process we call "rationalization," that is, self-interested self-justification. We often believe our own deceptions. The phenomenon of self-deception (always easier to recognize in others than in ourselves) is fascinating: there is something "in me" that can deceive me. Thus the closed heart is associated with lack of understanding and a darkened mind.

I found this insightful as well frightful. It can have implications in regards to true love, to fundamentals in a personal faith. All that is near and dear.

It caused me to pray.:

Lord give me an open heart
Where motives are pure
Where yes means yes
Not only for me,
but for those around me.
Yes an open heart.

House Building ::12

Lots has happened this week....

The Majority of the frame is up. All that needs to be done is the roof for the garage.The garage also got a slab of concrete (no picture sorry).
The bottom of the house got a skirting board from the ground to the floor.

About half the windows are now in.

Lastly a look from the rear. The decking flooring still looking like it needs to be done.

God in Cup

God in a Cup 

by Michaele Weissman

I couldn't help but be disappointed with this book. It seemed to be just a lot of name dropping of North Americans in the specialist coffee industry. I did learn a bit, how coffee was sourced. The poverty and corruption in the industry especially at the farmers end.
I would have liked to have heard about the coffee industry in Australia or probably more realistically Europe. To read about who won the world Barista championship. Not the American who came second!
Yep I suspect if you are interested in coffee and want to read more and don't live in the US. This book will miss the mark.