Tuesday, May 31, 2005

Theology of Public Presence

about a year ago over at open source theology Andrew started a thread entitled "towards a theology of public presence" i immediately responded with some questions which were answered in the following quote.

"""Paul, thanks for your comments – it’s certainly good to push this in a more practical direction. Let me just make it clear, though, that we are complete novices at this. We have taken a couple of steps forward and seen some small things begin to happen – but it could all die tomorrow. So I’m reluctant to draw too many practical lessons from our experience at this stage – still, here are some bits and pieces of ideas, values, principles, that are beginning to coalesce in our minds.

Be there:
it may simply be that we have had to learn the hard way by going right back to square one, but I think that we must get it into our heads that being there is far more important than doing things; we have tried to arrange ‘events’ that haven’t come off and as a result we were simply left there with nothing to do – except buy a few drinks and talk to people.

Be consistent:
I don’t think we will get very far if we regard this as a means to an end; it may be that church-like gatherings will emerge out of this sort of public presence, but I would suggest that the long-term objective is still just to be there, a puzzling, godly presence in people’s lives. In my view, the overriding need at this point is for the church to regain trust (relationally, ethically, intellectually) – which means that the church must become trustworthy (relationally, ethically, intellectually), and this takes time.

Be accessible, open, friendly: again, we have sometimes felt torn between doing something that we had planned and responding to whatever happens relationally on the night. But really it’s not that difficult to keep a balance between maintaining a sense of identity as a distinct body of believers and being open to developing friendships with others.

Be transparent: this is hard – Christians can get very secretive and underhand in their relations with the world. We are looking for a ‘discourse of faith’ that works both amongst believers and between believers and non-believers. We don’t want to be perceived as having ulterior motives, a hidden agenda. As it is, I feel uncomfortable writing even in such very general and vague terms about what we have been doing: I don’t really want to treat these friendships as an experiment in mission, create a meta-dialogue around them from which the people themselves are excluded.

Be underwhelming: we have rarely had more than seven or eight of us round a table: I would like to see it grow, and there may also be ways of bringing a larger group (from an established church, for example) into this sort of environment on a regular basis, but for now I suspect a larger group would disturb the fine balance between inward and outward relationships: either the group would close in upon itself and become a clique (get too many Christians together and they will stop talking normally and start speaking their own peculiar religious language) or it would become a rather overbearing, disruptive Christian presence. Perhaps we just need fragments of Christian community that will feel incomplete until they have connected with people around them.

Be creative:
we are always on the look out for creative ways of stimulating thought, engaging people in conversations, discussions: for example, we passed round some questionnaires on personal happiness that elicited some interesting responses, opened some windows into people’s lives; we’re thinking about planning an evening of short entertainment items with some of the regulars. This will be a big part of the challenge – finding the paths that will get people walking across a spiritual landscape."""

The whole discussion can be found here
and why reinvent the wheel when a fellow canadian has done further work on this. you can find a pdf at this link

Monday, May 30, 2005

E word part 2

1. from conversion to contribution
2. from battle to banquet
3. from giving answers to asking questions
4. from conquest to cooperation
5. from "repent" to "re-present"

oh I just can't come with as many from to statements as old Leonard Sweet. go ahead, go to his fancy site, see if i care. ha ha

i think something that many of us who have been part of the evangelical subculture have come to realize is that all this time we've been selling "bottled water" we been standing in front of the RIVER.

God is just so much more present and available than we've given him credit. We don't come as anyone's personal savior, we must develop eyes to see what he's already doing and contribute, bring life and peace wherever we can.

Another analogy to the redundancy and futility of some "evangelism" is it's like holding a candle after the sun has come up. The candle takes us through the night but when the true light has come there is no longer a need of the candle's light.

It's amazing how many opportunities there are to serve others. I like Tim King's daily meditations which include "ministry mondays".

anyways it's getting late and i'm fresh out of profound words... well actually that occured some time ago.

I read to my son Luke tonight for the 1st time in a long while. A book about the journey of black slaves into canada. The underground railway and all the wonderful acts of courage and kindness. underground it is! Anyways it got me thinking about some books i've read so perhaps i will blog about it in following posts.

peace

Sunday, May 29, 2005

The "E" word: Part 1

Yes i let the word slip a few nights ago. EVANGELISM. does it have any meaning in our post christian world? getting folks "saved", "outreach", preaching to "the lost", things that I grew up believing were fundamental to any definition of the christian life. concepts and constructs which have not survived very well in my journey beyond modernity.

Along that avenue here in Edmonton which I referred to a couple posts back ("Whyte Ave.") there are die hard steeet "evangelists" one of which literally stands on a soap box and warns passersby of the impending doom should they not repent. others are not so overt (or irritating) and will attempt "outreaches". a popular acivity of local youth groups and organizations. these may involve prayer walks, handing out literature or sharing with people the "good news". depending on the groups predominant world view this could take on many forms and degrees of silliness. in our north american culture most established churches prefer to just run their in house programs and maybe people on the "outside" will come check out their parellel christian culture, maybe not, it doesn't really matter. but anyways i sure don't want to get into arguements on the church doorstep, i just don't have that kind of time or energy. bottom line is i along with others am a "post evangelical" but none the less evangelical. like i've said before my faith in jesus has survived the deconstruction process whereas for many it leads to agnostisism or even atheism.

what i'd like to focus on is positive ways to create a public presence where the story of god's love is made known to the nations. giving up our "conversion" mentalities for "contibuting" ones. and naturally my focus is in the arts, being a creative redemptive community within and upon this earth now.

what sorts of creative culture can be cultivated and released into human consciousness in the public forum?

to be continued

Saturday, May 28, 2005

Tomorrow

yay, it's tomorrow so i can bloggy blog again. it's about 2:30 a.m. saturday. am i insane? i spent some time on whyte ave tonight (trying to find my daughter and friends) which i eventually did but in the meantime i walked around what's probably the most popular party street in Alberta.

was reminded again of some of the visions i've had and the sense of god's heart beat for the people in the area. perhaps it's the abundance of drugs and alcohol in people's systems but i find that folks are very easy to talk to.

at one point i came across a black man with sun glasses and a cheesy plaid suit. i glanced into the darkness of his shades and then kept walking. on my way back i saw him again. I'm a casual smoker (one or two a week) so i asked him for a cigarette. He obliged and then commented after having seen me the first time that i looked like a "hunter". like one who was "on the hunt". I told him I was hunting for my daughter. it's interesting how acutly he had observed my eyes and expression. I am on a hunt, and it's for more than my daughter.

Over the past year or so there have been various times in which i felt sort of "submerged" into the culture, or at least like God was giving me a sense of being planted. Having spent time in the homeless shelters (not as a client), pubs, restauants, parks, coffee shops and having become aware of other jesus followers who simply "be there" I am very comfortable and unafraid. Add to that the view of the fulfilled presence of god with mankind I hold great hope for societal transformation.

Of course "party night" isn't really the best time for engaging others in meaningful spiritual conversation. Other times of the day and week are more condusive to....oh dare i say it...dare i?...EVANGELISM.

Ah, now the title "tomorrow" really has meaning, for I will NOT tackle "that word I uttered" until.... "tomorrow, tomorrow, i love ya tomorrow you're only a day away."

night

Friday, May 27, 2005

Creation Based Worship

How to create intentionally creative worship gatherings? I like the term"Creation based worship", (no not pantheism) but rather a colaborative gathering which actualizes what we've already realized in the spirit.

Peter Senge in his book "The Fifth Discipline" writes: "The best ideas fail to actualize because of deeply held internal images of how the world works"

Henri Nouwen in "reaching out" (I think) writes "Ritual is the minister's way of broadcasting his vision, it is his instructive offering. If his work is successful the community's sense of reality will become expansive" and he goes on to say "Search for ways and channels, forms and rituals, songs, dances and gestures that enable man to come into vibrant contact with the Holy without fear"

As you see something evolve, if it begins to look familiar, try not to turn it into what you already know. No need to force our way of seeing and knowing. Just let it be. I'm into free exchange of ideas.

The prevalent modern paradigm for "worship" is to sing songs together, or listen to a rock band or whatever and go either individually or corporately into an altered state commonly referred to as "entering the presence of God" blah blah blah. voices are raised, hands are lifted, people bow or dance or whatever and generally get off on god. That's all fine but what is left from the experience? A buzz? A nice feeling about your fellow man? A new zeal for the "things of God"?

what I'm proposing in creation based worship is that something actual, touchable, watchable, listenable etc.able is deposited in our midst. The impetus for these creations are too numerous to count: sounds, internal images, revelations, realizations, love peace, anger, longing, yearning, truth, lonliness, words, pictures, etc

Materials: musical instruments, voices, body, paint and canvas, computer and software, clay, paper, furniture, walls, food, wine....

creations include, songs, beats, paintings, poems, stories, scultptures, murals, blogs, web page, animation, film...

It's all "worship" all of life is sacred if we are willing to see it so. It's not about one or two making a palatable song list, it's about making the space and material available for full participation. We could call them "living workshops". It's about experimenting, coming togther with the bits and pieces of maps we've gathered and jouneying together, not coming wiht a predetermined photo of what worship is supposed to be and posing for a picture. (god damn the commercialization of culturally christianized homogenous worship music with it's absolute lack of dominant 7th chords).. did i say that?

I'd love to multitrack a worship gathering. Have the recording software running on about a 15 minute loop. Record the musical and other events of the 1st 15 minutes and then play it back while another layer is added. say 4 times. It might begin with a simple drum beat, like the heart beat/pulse of the gathering. This may be followed by some chanting or guitar work, then some synth stuff or other loops. the next pass could include guitar, more percussion, whatever, all done while sharing communion together. Perhaps some ancient text or scripture has really come alive and can be read over the now ambient and rich texture of spontaneous music. We've spent an hour and a half or so growing a beautiful audio tapestry. say 10 minutes are really good. mix it down, upload it and do some "podcasting". Of course the whole evening could be webcast and the content be interacting with other communities around the globe.

Just a few quick thoughts, I look forward to yours

good night

Thursday, May 26, 2005

The Blogdom of God

I'm already enjoying this strange mix of journalling, web publishing and online conversation. After an online course I took last fall, where i got sucked into yahoo!, i've been realizing the potential that exists and will continue to evolve. I do hope some of my cross Canada and international friends will drop by, we are afterall, all part of the same "Blogdom".

Me thinks if Andrew who is now in Korea ever comes around that things will just never be the same. May his poet's pen never run dry and laughter continue to follow him wherever he goes, though in those moments of deep thought as I remember him sitting in our living room, finger tips joined, eyes filled with such knowing, may he speak with prophet's tounge of the pain of the less fortunate.

And what if "vitbrev" my nameless friend who works with Refugees in Thailand begins to unravel his or her wisdom in our midst. What kind of blog would this be?

Dear John Mark, oh the unspeakable treasure of music and sweet anointing. Play on your harp (Larivee) as you pour out your offering...your whole heart. The on-line, off line, upline (and every other kinda line) CONCERTS and CAFE's will come, in time dear brother, in time. (I know missing me in Alberta was hard, but I was very messed up....IM me)

And what of the drumming Tribe (Lyle) from British Columbia? What reverie and mysteries would unlock and come forth were he and Mark and Andrew to join in one space. The Bishop of Durham? how graciously he lent an ear to my sound work round the natural cadence of his voice. The list goes on and on and on.

Close with a song Paul.

It's always over but it's never gone

Beyond this veil
there lies a hidden world
old colors start to pale
tumble and fall in nature's swirls

round and round and round we go
where we stop nobody knows

behind the eyes
a sacred dwelling place
not to be despised
by shallowness of face

round and round and round we go
where we stop nobody knows
on and off the window sill
always moving
sometimes still

circles join in every place
this is where we can embrace

It's always over but it's never gone
Like the freeway and the setting sun

Wednesday, May 25, 2005

Going deep but keeping it light

Hey,

why radiance creative? I used to own a record company called radiance records. I was poised to dominate the world music industry. (tehe) it crashed. i'm involved in a lot more than records now, i've had some wild dreams, some deep visions. my philosophy of life, theology and understanding of micro and macro worlds has undergone shift after shift leaving me feeling like the "silver surfer"

As a child we sang "on christ the solid rock i stand, all other ground is sinking sand" Well one thing's true. christ is the rock but I've discovered that he can be like "liquid rock"..............

otherwise known as lava i suppose. this phrase has found it's way into at least 2 of my recent songs. i'm pretty sure that's OK. all the talk and conversation about the "emergent church". yes there is something emerging. it is literally "new ground". but damn is it ever hot to stand on, well really it's impossible to stand on, so you gotta dance. just keep dancing while it cools down.

-------I just had to go run a baseball glove to my son and I seized the opportunity to run to IGA for some coffee grounds. A sign at catholic school read, "A new journey, go with God". OK, I'll do it--------

back to "why radiance?" There is a radiant energy and light that comes from liquid rock. the new territory comes from within. the new place that we have in christ is brought into actuality by having somewhere we can "erupt".

Since January 2005 i've been on a new journey. a journey I wanted to share with the whole world. i became over extended in my imagination of what was possible. it's all good but i became frustrated and depressed when reality kept rearing it's ugly head.

so this is why i want to "go deep" but "keep it light". not everyone is interested in dancing on hot lava but some folks might want to watch and then come check it out after things have cooled down a bit. sharing a deep message with fun and light music..cool

so instead of trying to give you a photograph of just what the hell i'm talking about. i'm going to give a series of maps. bits and pieces of the journey. how presumptuous of me to ever have thought that I had a photograph anyways. i'm such an old fool!

I do have a series of video and audio clips which could act as maps, if not just good entertainment. I'll naturally be posting lyrics and music here as that's what I'm best at.

later

An "old guy" like me

41 years old. I've read tons of blogs and spent way more time than I should have at message boards and forums around the web. google my name Paul Seburn and you'll see me scattered about. when I click my bookmark tab (in Netscape BTW) it naturally fills my 17" monitor. to get to the latest bookmark I point the mouse at the little arrow at the bottom and go for coffee. of course there is no coffee in the house cause I forgot to let my partner know were out. me without coffee..not so good.

bottom line is I've been searching, scanning, absorbing and compressing for some time now. i've often thought about starrting a blog but i wanted it to be big right away cause...well as bruce cockburn says "you get bigger as you go" "bails of memory like boats in tow". ya I've got one shit load of memory, but memories are meaningless without moments.

"living in the moment and the memory, each one a sacred destination"

well it's time to swallow my pride (and believe me it's gonna take either a really huge mouth or a very long series of bites) and start a blog, to give back to the world over this digital canvas. you know it's like we are all neighbors now, this thing being a glorified version of a wire and tin cans. I had a web site once, it was pretty good and i enjoyed the feeling of creating a space to share songs, stories, pictures etc. that was back in the late 90's.

this is my place to "de-compress" and i'm just not gonna think too hard about the effect that may have cause that's what i always do. i have something to share, i project into the future (with my pea sized brain) what could or should happen, get scared or nervous or whatever and then do nothing. so here we go, there are some local bloggers who i want to alert to this decompression of mine. radiance creative.

paul seburn