tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4009348.comments2023-11-02T07:47:10.433-04:00VindicatedKylehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14641068117855718120noreply@blogger.comBlogger4965125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4009348.post-19925253734347255072012-09-10T10:53:16.242-04:002012-09-10T10:53:16.242-04:00I've been looking for an article like this. I...I've been looking for an article like this. I hated being in the "singles" "ministry". It was degrading. It was nothing but a meat-market for people who were afraid they'd go to hell if they met someone in a bar. I'm 37, never been married, but I'm recently engaged. I feel no different as a "couple" than as a "single". Now that I plan to get married, will I still be a pariah when they find out I never plan to have children..?Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4009348.post-16051833014726871252011-08-02T15:50:33.040-04:002011-08-02T15:50:33.040-04:00I never thought of it as a nerdy question, as it w...I never thought of it as a nerdy question, as it was a big question in the faith community I grew up in, which was connected to the academy and university I grew up in. Maybe we were all nerds, but I don't think so!<br /><br />Or course the word "ecclesiology" itself could smack of nerdiness, I suppose, and I didn't hear it nearly as much as I heard the word "eklesia" referred to. (Now that I think of it, maybe it was a nerdy church, since I'm sure I knew the Greek word and the definition "called out" by seventh grade....Hmm.)<br /><br />Anyway, I'm glad I found your blog and look forward to reading this series.Sheilahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/03592157819188364751noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4009348.post-74900255258307581422011-04-18T04:29:53.618-04:002011-04-18T04:29:53.618-04:00It may not be quite so nerdy a question as you sug...It may not be quite so nerdy a question as you suggest (though I do take your point). As someone with a long-time love/hate relationship with the idea of Christianity (I am currently an unbaptized "seeker", though I don't especially care for that term), the idea of "which church?" seems non-trivial. It <i>seems</i> clear that a Christian should be a member of some Christian community, and that a Christian needs to be baptized by <i>someone</i> with the authority/qualifications to do so, but which and whom? [rhetorical]Where is the line between <i>adiaphora</i> (or personal taste) and the necessary foundations of the faith? Is <i>any</i> Christian community better than none at all?[/rhetorical]<br /><br />Difficult questions, and perhaps not only for an outsider. I will read your upcoming posts with interest.<br /><br />No One In Particular<br /><br />PS: If you need a somewhat less-anonymous identification, I can provide one.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4009348.post-12547466984440941672011-04-10T15:08:28.878-04:002011-04-10T15:08:28.878-04:00This is easily said, but I wonder if part of it is...This is easily said, but I wonder if part of it is communicating an infectious passion for theology that helps to lift it beyond academia. So often we can sign up to study a subject that we're passionate about, only to have that curiosity smothered or stifled by the reality of papers and exams. <br />I agree too that good teachers don't necessarily have the 'right' answers, but instead encourage students to think for themselves, equipping them with skills they can apply beyond the classroom. And the way in which teachers relate to their students and encourage and facilitate debate between them is also important.Emmahttp://www.emmascrivener.netnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4009348.post-8427941693153696422011-04-08T14:57:31.381-04:002011-04-08T14:57:31.381-04:00I think that is the key--getting students to under...I think that is the key--getting students to understand why something is worth thinking about. Too often, teachers are concerned with answering questions. Instead we should be concerned with pursuing the right questions *and*, in the case of theology, trusting God to do the answering.Bobnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4009348.post-29513329438502279942011-04-08T11:55:41.615-04:002011-04-08T11:55:41.615-04:00This is important for us to think about as the loc...This is important for us to think about as the local ordinary of Rome reasserts his claim that the one true church is only to be found by taking a missionary position with him. (Guess who gets to be on top?)<br /><br />PS for the Latin geeks, the word verification is apparently mocking me. It was patientur!Chris Larimerhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01770607122746467750noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4009348.post-62805686068847566732011-04-08T10:04:16.234-04:002011-04-08T10:04:16.234-04:00Bob, I appreciate your thoughtful words as I refle...<b>Bob</b>, I appreciate your thoughtful words as I reflect upon my own work. It helps me to focus on getting one... small... point... across, in the hopes that I provide them enough context to know why it's worth thinking about, and some way to move forward with God. We'll see if it happens!Kylehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14641068117855718120noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4009348.post-74744874618398121322011-04-08T08:28:25.752-04:002011-04-08T08:28:25.752-04:00Kyle,
Good question. I love the "minutely r...Kyle,<br /><br />Good question. I love the "minutely religious using big words for a small lifestyle."<br /><br />I think the difference should be apparent when the church assembles and it's really hard to describe--something you <i>feel</i> rather than hear. But, if a church were really living as church they should have some really tough questions coming out of their lives. To live as a Christian is counter-cultural. As such, you should frequently run into "difficulties" in all areas of your life that are hard to coalesce with day-to-day relationships. Times where the culture tells you one thing and your faith tells you another--and most often these aren't black and white questions but are every shade of gray. People in this situation would be holding tenets of Scripture in their hands and be in a struggle to understand how they apply. They are thirsty.<br /><br />It goes way beyond trite, Sunday-school answers.Bobnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4009348.post-20085312310941900192011-04-08T07:56:57.947-04:002011-04-08T07:56:57.947-04:00Thanks, friends.
Sarah, one of the reasons it can...Thanks, friends.<br /><br /><b>Sarah</b>, one of the reasons it can be such a difficult question for so many people different ideas about why it matters - might we find out we are "fake" Christians, or accidental apostates? Might we merely find that Christian living is actually harder than it could be, because of our hypothetical error? Or if we decide we're in the right church, how do we articulate that to others? Should we? Do we have to?<br /><br /><b>Bob</b>, God bless you. What do you think the difference might be between living the the Church and "playing church"? When I think about my own experiences, I remember minutely religious people using big words to describe a really small lifestyle. For example, "I'm missional, because I don't think it's bad to drink beer. I also talk about politics a lot." :0)Kylehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14641068117855718120noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4009348.post-84524080103582554372011-04-07T21:26:07.273-04:002011-04-07T21:26:07.273-04:00Yes, I think about what it means to "believe ...Yes, I think about what it means to "believe in one Holy, catholic, and apostolic church". It bugs me daily. But most of all it bugs me as I drive past 8 churches to go to one that smacks of a small group of people "playing church".Bobnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4009348.post-48483166832969783082011-04-07T16:03:07.384-04:002011-04-07T16:03:07.384-04:00Kyle, I think we know the answer to the nerd quest...Kyle, I think we know the answer to the nerd question. <br /><br />And yes, I think about "right" and "wrong" churches all the time. As someone in the process of working out her own Christian beliefs (with the aid of Christ and other Christians, of course), I think about what makes a congregation "right" or what makes a paticular gathering "wrong." I also think about salvation a lot, but that's a different ball of wax.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4009348.post-10923696472707142332011-03-29T08:15:45.891-04:002011-03-29T08:15:45.891-04:00I've taught before. The part for me that is t...I've taught before. The part for me that is the most challenging is to take an idea that can only be felt by the spirit, translating it into words that can be understood by the mind, and then trusting that God will take those words from the mind to the hearts of the listeners.<br /><br />It's far too often that I sit with a concept of Scripture and am moved to tears. Then I try to articulate it (which is where reading attempts by others is very helpful). But it loses a little. Then it is presented in an organized fashion to a class and loses a little more. Distractions, differing backgrounds, differing personalities of students strip the message a little more. <br /><br />In the end, the huge thought that moved me to tears has been reduced to the size of a mustard seed in the minds of the students.<br /><br />But that is enough.Bobnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4009348.post-63958854180318224752011-03-28T15:14:11.442-04:002011-03-28T15:14:11.442-04:00Asking questions and getting answers. It's wha...Asking questions and getting answers. It's what we do in REL 257!Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4009348.post-29133712342670907842010-05-17T12:11:50.158-04:002010-05-17T12:11:50.158-04:00(Yes I know this is an old post and I'm commen...(Yes I know this is an old post and I'm commenting late in the day, but I've only just read it.)<br /><br />I very much like your clear statement of the Christian gospe in this post.SaintSimonhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14067501906240885393noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4009348.post-84915865361795978942010-03-16T09:03:44.987-04:002010-03-16T09:03:44.987-04:00Thanks, Jim!Thanks, Jim!Kylehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14641068117855718120noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4009348.post-39237925382740145322010-03-16T09:01:31.813-04:002010-03-16T09:01:31.813-04:00links for hearing hymns that are in the catholic c...links for hearing hymns that are in the catholic christian prayer liturgy of the hours http://christianprayerhymns.blogspot.comJimhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/03849405445000363793noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4009348.post-13049363145245904192010-03-04T14:15:13.265-05:002010-03-04T14:15:13.265-05:00"there are worse things than letting this hap..."there are worse things than letting this happen again"<br /><br />Amen.<br /><br />Looking forward to hearing more on this.byron smithhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17938334606675769903noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4009348.post-88336452499879563242010-02-26T11:36:06.157-05:002010-02-26T11:36:06.157-05:00Amen.
There is a good collection of Anglican Pray...Amen.<br /><br />There is a good collection of Anglican Prayer Books (inluding the 1662, its predecessors of 1549, 1552, 1559 and 1604, plus a wide range of modern revisions) <a href="http://justus.anglican.org/resources/bcp/" rel="nofollow">here</a>.byron smithhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17938334606675769903noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4009348.post-18073509935114802702010-02-26T11:13:11.450-05:002010-02-26T11:13:11.450-05:00Hello Kyle,
Thanks for this post! I have a soft s...Hello Kyle,<br /><br />Thanks for this post! I have a soft spot for the 1928 BCP:)...Rebeccahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/04005793994542317964noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4009348.post-60810509941279185042010-02-26T11:10:18.317-05:002010-02-26T11:10:18.317-05:00This comment has been removed by the author.Rebeccahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/04005793994542317964noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4009348.post-88296777476827010562010-02-26T09:36:01.308-05:002010-02-26T09:36:01.308-05:00There are some excellent combo editions published,...There are some excellent combo editions published, containing the BCP 1979 and the NRSV Bible in a handy breviary size. I pray the offices from this daily (or almost daily).<br /><br />http://tinyurl.com/ydshgp9<br />...is an example on Amazon.Scotthttps://www.blogger.com/profile/06523262033055211718noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4009348.post-53482183893735011752010-02-25T02:25:58.682-05:002010-02-25T02:25:58.682-05:00All these prayer books are good options. Thank you...All these prayer books are good options. Thank you for telling us of them.<br /><br />May I also suggest the "Treasury of Daily Prayer", which is published by Concordia Publishing House?<br /><br />It has daily Scripture readings, quotes from fathers in the Faith, hymns, daily prayers, etc. Also includes things like Matins and Vespers, the Great Litany, and if I remember correctly, Luther's Small Catechism.Timhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/09157748079129752535noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4009348.post-35191799548854775152010-02-24T23:08:49.270-05:002010-02-24T23:08:49.270-05:00Thank you for this. Your thoughts on the book are ...Thank you for this. Your thoughts on the book are similar to mine. Also, although it provides short offices, they're not so short as some "fixed-hour prayer" books (I'm thinking of The Divine Hours). Prayed at a "prayerful" pace, the CDP offices are surprisingly substantial and not that much shorter than a standard CW:DP office.<br /><br />Which makes CDP an excellent "travel breviary," and I've often used it that way. Everything needed is in there.Scotthttps://www.blogger.com/profile/06523262033055211718noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4009348.post-63313714049830485382010-02-19T07:44:03.486-05:002010-02-19T07:44:03.486-05:00Sorry to hear you are unwell.
May God heal you bo...Sorry to hear you are unwell.<br /><br />May God heal you body and soul, and walk with you in your illness.byron smithhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17938334606675769903noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4009348.post-30762569177500360292010-02-19T00:34:54.925-05:002010-02-19T00:34:54.925-05:00This is an impressive list. I want to read! Some o...This is an impressive list. I want to read! Some of these are even available in Lithuanian.+ simonashttps://www.blogger.com/profile/16819645160867324283noreply@blogger.com