I realise there are several approaches, but when I do a jigsaw…
As I pour the pieces out of the box there may be some pieces that are still stuck together from the last time the puzzle was done, or even from manufacture. I may also spot certain attractive pieces that I recognise from the finished picture. I may even put these to one side. But the first real step is to sort out the edge pieces and do the edge. Once I have the edge done I can place those few pieces that are still stuck together and even those pieces that are easy to place because of their colour or texture.
I have this same technique when doing jigsaws with my kids. I tend to focus on getting the edge done which means that they then find it very easy to place the inside bits.
I find theology very similar.
There are lots of interesting bits, colourful and attractive - Jesus on the cross, heaven, feeding the 5000, love in 1 Corinthians… These bits in and of themselves obviously have depth and meaning and can be sources of inspiration and life change, but can become disconnected stories and theories without an edge. As with the jigsaw, the edge defines the relationship between the individual aspects of the picture and the stories those parts represent. It also provides a way into the picture as a whole. If the top of the edge is blue and the bottom is green these are clues as to the setting of the whole picture. The relationship between the blue and green tells us where the horizon is which in turn is a clue as to the content of the picture. It may even allow us to begin to tell what is in the foreground and what is in the background. The few exciting colourful pieces of the puzzle that together hold a picture of, say a hot-air balloon, are put in their place by the edge. The extent to which this hot-air balloon controls the whole picture is defined by the edge.
By now this metaphor and its insight into theology may be apparent. We can so often get caught by the beauty of a few pieces of the puzzle that we forget to do the edge and thus allow those pieces to be put in their place. In so doing we can become so blinded to the whole picture that the story of the few pieces become slightly distorted and disconnected.
I remember the time clearly when I realised this and stopped trying to think about the exciting pieces I had in my hand and started to focus on finding the edge pieces and putting the frame together.
What then are the edge pieces?
My starter for ten is Trinity.
emerging church, theology
So not yet a formal proposal! For the Research Degrees Panel I only need a ‘rationale for the proposed research’ and I am just about there. I have put the pdf to the right but here is the main flow:
• There is little doubt that something is happening in the evangelical wing of the church. Recent publications and events have both revealed and catalysed this: Post Evangelical; New Kind of Christian (trilogy); Lost Message of Jesus. Despite a lot of activity there is a sense of conversations going round in circles.
• This diversification within a relatively homogenous wing of the church provokes interesting questions concerning the current extent and depth of this diversity; is it just around particular issues like vocabulary of atonement and truth or is it broader than that, around issues of crucicentrism and biblicism? Is the resurgence of mission a redefining of evangelical activity or a rediscovery of bygone years and biblical perspectives? To what extent has the evangelical cornerstone of ‘conversion’ being watered down by metaphors of journey and discovery?
• Besides the usual catalogue of texts, articles and books, this research project proposes that by hearing and digesting evangelical conversion narratives it may enable the emergence of a clearer picture of late-modern evangelicalism and thus be part of charting its potential metamorphism. As well as offering insights into how a large homogenous group is dealing with issues of historical unity and growing contemporary diversity.
If this project gets any confirmation from Ministry Division then I will be looking for people from the last 20 years or so to tell me how they became a Christian.
I would welcome any comments…
theology
This week is an Integrated Study Week; where a particular subject is looked at through the whole range of subject s covered in a normal weeks lectures. Along side this there are sessions with a guest speaker bringing experience and wisdom on the subject.
This current ISW is on Health and Healing and we have Rev Chris Mackenna from St Marylebone Healing and Counselling Centre.
It has been a fairly full week since my particular course has only 2 sessions a week normally and this ISW means I need to attend doctrine, OT, NT etc etc. Aside from that it has been a thought provoking week in all kinds of ways. The low point and high point was watching a recording of a series that I think was broadcast on TV a few years back. This documentary followed a two people who claim that miracles of healing occur in their ministires; Benny Hinn and Reinhard Bonnke. Showing these videos in a college of students primarily from liberal / catholic / low evangelical churches was a brave thing to do and it took the student body the best part of 24 hours to debrief themselves and calm down. I am sure there will be some long term damage for some of us!!
For myself; even though I have seen this kind of ministry before, although have never been to either a Hinn or Bonnke rally / service, I still found the experience quite disturbing.
The parts of the video that we watched concluded by showing that the 5 people they had names and addresses for from the Hinn meeting had not actually been healed as was claimed on stage. In many ways this affirmed our groups belief that this sort of ministry ought to be legislated against.
However, my question is what if one, even one of those claimed to be healed on stage were in fact healed!! As was said by Chris Mackenna; I am sure there are people who have been blessed greatly at such meetings. My point is that grace does not justify. Even if someone was healed at such a meeting it does not justify the way Benny or Richard conduct their meeting or ministry. In the same way that it would not justify mine or yours either!
God, it seems to me, does not wait for us to get it right before he visits in his sovereignty.
More reflections about this ISW week of health and healing later.
formation, theology
Went to hear Elaine Graham (prof of Social and Pastoral Theology at the University of Manchester) at Regents park Tuesday night talking about her recent book co written with Heather Walton and Francis Ward.
She was brilliant and was very fair in her presentation about where her thoughts were and where the limitations and the lacking in her thoughts were. Apart from that she described (almost) exactly what I (am many others i’m sure) have and are doing at the cutting edge of leadership in church life.
Essentially - what is theology if it is not doing it! What is pure theology? does it exists? Surely theology is talk about GOD at the point where it really matters - in real lives.
In suggesting we reclaim ancient and traditional focus of formation of character and community identity ‘pastoral / practical / applied theology’ is put back in the driving seat of theologcal education.
I will try and put post a link to my notes later
MTh Applied Theology, reading theology, theology
A choice question since this is the title of the MTh I am currently reading for!!
But not so obvious as it seems at first……
Surely there is no such thing as ‘pure’ theology - is there!Cann we really talk about GOD outside of our interpretive cultural framework of time,languagee, space, hope?Ii don’t think so. But if that is the case then is all theology ‘applied’ in the sense that it is what we say today.
My first systematic theology lecturer had a phrase - ‘all theological statements are interim statements’.Whatt I say today might be different tomorrow, but on what criteria are they allowed to change. Justbecausee I feel good today and bad / depressed tomorrow does that mean I can change my theology? Just because we are current in boom but when tomorrow comes we find ourselves in crash, does that mean we can change our theology?
What is the process of discerning our theology?
MTh Applied Theology, theology
