emerging or receding?
there are many who would agree that there is something new "emerging" in our world. "
i've been a part of "the conversation" for a few years now and my personal history dates back 40 years within the evangelical community. What biblical narrative captures and lends maps for this time in human evolution and history? For me, Noah comes to mind. If something truly is emerging then there must be a receding to expose new land.
Even after the rain there was a time of waiting for the waters to recede. 2 years ago I felt like I had connected with several other "ministries" (for lack of a better word) who didn't seem to have any apparant connection with oneanother. It was as if they were on different islands with gulfs of doctrine, belief structures between them. Now it seems there has appeared some dry land where ideas, theologies, etc are now able to be shared. this is encouraging to me because it opens up vistas of possibilities within my human circles.
Could it be the recent floods and storms and the following "emergence" are being mirrored in our social / spiritual consciousness? If there is a better day coming it's time we realize it emerges where we live. Perhaps is also time we realize and actualize that we are all in this together. The old rational for seperation from one another have been washed away leaving a mess, but a mess from which can and must spring a renewed and tranformed vision of what's really important.
My hairline, however, is NOT receding...that picture from 1973 proves it. I've just always had a large forehead.
i've been a part of "the conversation" for a few years now and my personal history dates back 40 years within the evangelical community. What biblical narrative captures and lends maps for this time in human evolution and history? For me, Noah comes to mind. If something truly is emerging then there must be a receding to expose new land.
Even after the rain there was a time of waiting for the waters to recede. 2 years ago I felt like I had connected with several other "ministries" (for lack of a better word) who didn't seem to have any apparant connection with oneanother. It was as if they were on different islands with gulfs of doctrine, belief structures between them. Now it seems there has appeared some dry land where ideas, theologies, etc are now able to be shared. this is encouraging to me because it opens up vistas of possibilities within my human circles.
Could it be the recent floods and storms and the following "emergence" are being mirrored in our social / spiritual consciousness? If there is a better day coming it's time we realize it emerges where we live. Perhaps is also time we realize and actualize that we are all in this together. The old rational for seperation from one another have been washed away leaving a mess, but a mess from which can and must spring a renewed and tranformed vision of what's really important.
My hairline, however, is NOT receding...that picture from 1973 proves it. I've just always had a large forehead.
posted by Paul Seburn at Sunday, November 13, 2005
5 Comments:
I think a huge key to the "receding" is to remove ideas of denomination. While that sounds really easy to do (uh huh) we need to realize that we are all Christians, who share Christ and that we can't simply dismiss someone because they have a different view of marriage or baptism or carpet color.
Paul,
Nice observations. Instead of the "Emerging Church," perhaps emerging consciousness would/will bring about the Receeding Church.
I'm with ya on the hairline thing. My emerging forehead and baldspot is replacing my receeding hairline.
yeah chuck...let's talk about the carpet colour at "the house".
Hey, we're starting to grow into the horrible, horrible "that 70's show" color theme alright? (where 'growing into' really means that the black mould is slowly takig over my body as I sleep at night, much like that silvery stuff in the matrix)
Anyhow, I think we should really be discussing the purpose driven upholstery with you, paul. I mean, with only 3 seconds per day for fourty days, we can bleach your carpet into some horrible shade of baby-poop green too!
The Noah analogy is apt... with the emergence/receding comes a promise of restoration, of new beginnings.
As for the hairline... just give it up. Shave.
Post a Comment
<< Home