I have been reading The Fire Next Time by James Baldwin this week. A stunning, profound, essential work. I have written some thoughts and questions on it which I will be happy to email to the truly brave, bored, and inclined.
For my esteemed readers with a normal human schedule, I post this video for your consideration.
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Here are the last two paragraphs of W.E.B. DuBois' telling of the life of Alexander Crummell, an Episcopal priest and abolitionist whose efforts encountered huge resistance from the racist establishment.
This rocked me. What poetry, and what a picture of Jesus Christ. (Read the whole thing here.)
| He sat one morning gazing toward the sea. He smiled and said, “The gate is rusty on the hinges.” That night at star-rise a wind came moaning out of the west to blow the gate ajar, and then the soul I loved fled like a flame across the Seas, and in its seat sat Death. | 22 |
| I wonder where he is to-day? I wonder if in that dim world beyond, as he came gliding in, there rose on some wan throne a King,—a dark and pierced Jew, who knows the writhings of the earthly damned, saying, as he laid those heart-wrung talents down, “Well done!” while round about the morning stars sat singing. |
for all my ppl interested in religion, culture, and philosophy, check out the immanent frame blog. it is hosted by something called the social science research council (which i know nothing about) and has posts by really interesting and important voices...charles taylor, robert bellah, tracy fessenden, and others.
check it.
or, if you're not so into it, go and look at a video of a kitten playing guitar.
brevard childs, sterling professor of divinity emeritus at yale divinity school, died saturday, june 23rd in new haven, connecticut. a pioneer in "canonical interpretation" of the scripture, he argued that the canons of scripture were shaped by God to speak a reforming word to the church and the world. throughout his work, childs was unwilling (even unable) to divide exegesis and theology. it has been said that he sought to "give the bible back to the church."
in my biblical studies at yale, it was his work that spoke most deeply to me about the way that scripture works in the church for the sake of the world.
read more about him here.
check out this book if you're interested.
who doesn't love shane claiborne and the simple way community? franciscan spirit...
see below for their news.
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From The Simple Way
6/20/07 12:30PM
This morning, a 7-alarm fire consumed an abandoned warehouse in our Kensington neighborhood in Philadelphia. The Simple Way Community Center at 3200 Potter Street was destroyed as well as at least eight of our neighbors' homes. Over 100 people were evacuated from their homes, and 400 families are currently without power. Despite this developing tragedy, we are incredibly thankful to share that all of our community members and every one of our neighbors is safely out of harm's way.
This fire will forever change the fabric of our community. Eight families are currently homeless, and in many cases have lost their vehicles as well as their homes. One of our neighbors, the Mahaias Family, lost their three cars as well as the equipment one family member uses for her massage therapy business. Teenager Brian Mahaias is devastated not because he has lost his belongings, but because he fears that this fire will force him to move away from this neighborhood that is his family as well as his home.
The Simple Way has lost a community center that was home to our Yes! And… afterschool program, community arts center, and Cottage Printworks t-shirt micro-business as well as to two of our community members. Community members Shane Claiborne and Jesce Walz have lost all of their belongings, Yes! And…'s after school studio and library were ruined, and community member Justin Donner's Cottage Printworks equipment and t-shirts were destroyed.
We are thankful that we are able to help each other during this time of need, and we will continue to keep your informed about today's events.
We have established funds to support the families who have lost their homes, the Yes! And… afterschool program, and the Simple Way community.
A fund to support the families has been established through a partner organization, EAPE. Tax-deductible donations can be made at https://www.tonycampolo.org/online_donation.php . Please make sure to put "Kensington Families Fund " in the memo section.
Donations to the Rebuilding Fund can be made via PayPal to contribute@awip.us.
-The Simple Way Community
UPDATES HERE
very interesting interview with Oscar Muriu, pastor of the Nairobi Chapel. it is part of Andy Crouch's Christian Vision Project. here's the link to the whole thing.
but here's a sample:
Is church leadership different in slum areas than it is in educated areas?
For me, planting churches among the university educated is easy. They
are like me. I only need to be myself to be like them. The challenge
comes when I cross the social divide of status and wealth. That's been
hard.
My hope had been that we could be a multi-economic church, where the poor, the rich, and the middle class were together. But it's not turning out that way. Partly because of the location, partly because we communicate in English, partly because of what the different groups understand. When I deal with university students and the educated elite, I'm using statistical evidence, I'm quoting historic figures and world leaders, I'm citing books and movies.
Well, that doesn't work with the poor. They do not understand statistical references; they do not know who Einstein was; they do not understand a reference to a movie; they've rarely seen a movie. So the language of the educated elite excludes them. What they understand, what persuades them, are real-life stories and parables like Jesus told.
We have tried to develop a multi-economic church, but I've not been able to do that....
Besides bringing an agenda, what tends to distinguish the American personality?
Americans have two great things going for them culturally. One is that
Americans are problem-solvers. Every time I come to the U.S., I like to
spend a couple hours in a Wal-Mart. I find solutions to problems that I
never thought of!
The rest of the world, even Europe, isn't so intent on solving inconveniences. We tend to live with our problems. In America you almost never go into a house where the sinks have two taps, a cold water tap and a hot water tap, because that means you have to mix the water in the sink to get it to the right temperature. You have these single faucets that mix the water before it comes out. It makes perfect sense. But that's a problem the rest of the world wouldn't even think to solve.
Americans don't easily live with a problem—they want to solve the problem and move on. The rest of the world is more willing to live with the problems.
The second great thing for Americans is that your educational system teaches people to think and to express themselves. So a child who talks and asserts himself in conversation is actually awarded higher marks than the one who sits quietly.
How are these traits seen, say, in Africa?
Those two things that are such great gifts in the home context become a
curse when you go into missions. Americans come to Africa, and they
want to solve Africa. But you can't solve Africa. It's much too complex
for that. And that really frustrates Americans.
And the assertiveness you are taught in school becomes a curse on the field. I often say to American missionaries, "When the American speaks, the conversation is over." The American is usually the most powerful voice at the table. And when the most powerful voice gives its opinion, the conversation is over.
So what should talkative, problem-solving Americans do?
I tell Americans: "We're going into this meeting. Don't say anything!
Sit there and hold your tongue." When you sit around a table, the
people speaking always glance at the person they believe is the most
powerful figure at the table. They will do that with you when you're
the only American. And at some point, they will ask you: "What do you
think?"
Don't say anything. If you say anything, reflect back with something like "I have heard such wisdom at this table. I am very impressed." And leave it at that. Affirm them for the contribution they have made. Don't give your own opinion.
Americans find that almost impossible. They do not know how to hold their tongue. They sit there squirming, because they're conditioned to express their opinions. It's a strength at home, but it becomes a curse on the field.
In a sense western missions has been marked by that. But isn't it strange that Jesus not only entered society incarnate at the weakest point, as a defenseless child who needed the care of his host community, but he also told his disciples: "Do not go with money; do not go with a second pair of shoes; go in a stance of vulnerability; be dependent on the communities you visit"? Isn't it interesting that for 30 years he doesn't speak out; doesn't reveal himself; he remains quiet, and only after 30 years of listening and learning the culture does he begin to speak.
