6.11.08
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A little background reading so we might mutually flourish when there are different opinions
A little background reading so we might mutually flourish when there are different opinions
6 comments:
Awesome - the ultimate "action song"
PS I'd have gone to the dentist as it would have given me more to blog about pain!
Would value your thoughts on the conversation I'm having with Jody at the mo'
Hi Tim
I don't actually have the article so feel as though I can't comment precisely on the conversation you are having about it with Jody. I would have to see it in the context of the magazine as a whole.
I was speaking, though, to someone at college on similar issues. What the guy said reminded me of the vicar here in Derbyshire (where I live), who once shared with me his concerns over whether there was anything to really attract men into the church. He said we can't go around singing songs about how 'Jesus is my girlfriend' - I'll always remember that phrase because I was unsure how to respond to it. Anyway, this guy at college works in men's ministry and he feels as though the church is dominated by women. We parted company on a few of the things he was saying; reflections on how female-heavy prayer groups are dominated by concerns over family etc and the men seem to be more comfortable praying about politics. I thought this something of a generalsiation and told him I would have been quite happy to contribute to prayers about Obama and McCain if I'd been present. He also said that part of what the orthodox community fear will occur if women become bishops is an increased liberalism based on the fact that women are more sympathetic in their dispositions towards the marginalised like homosexuals - this is what had happened in America under Jefforts Schori - I wasn't sure about this either but he did make some good points. He said we have to think of fresh ways to reach men and I think that this is what you are saying was the article's aim, in your latest response to Jody, - that this might have been the aim of the article you are both discussing, despite its weaknesses.
I think we need to see the clegy with an equal balance of male and female and the laity too and hopefully we will move in that direction. We have always had a dominant male clergy and female laity and it's all about how we redress that balance so that we more truly come to represent God's people - male and female in every aspect of the body of Christ. Personally, I am not comfortable with a theology which goes as far as Mark Driscoll's for example. Peter Ould had some interesting things to say about how he feels God calls him to be a man and I'm not comfortable with everything he says either but I'm sure that there is some wisdom to be taken from these two men about how to reach men - I guess we need to look for the light in what everybody is saying, I know only too well how easy it is to take offense - I continue to explore and react and I guess this is an important part of finding our way.
Excuse the waffle - I must turn my mind now to the Peter Ould transcript.
thanks Rachel
how are the teeth?
Tim
Yeah - I was rather 'going off on one'at Jody's site (I take it these are the teeth you're referring to) - did I even make any sense? Probably not. I'd had a bit of an epiphany you see whilst working through the Peter Ould lecture - I'd realised for the first time I think - that for men - it isn't very easy being men. I've always been so obsessed with 'women's lot' - for a moment there I captured something about what it might feel like to be a man in the world and the church today and why perhaps yes, men's groups are important.
I don't know what's happened to me lately. i used to be jealous of people who went on great holidays or had the trendiest pair of jeans, these days I'm jealous of people who hint that they might be going to NEAC5 or other such conferences. See my post http://hrht-revisingreform.blogspot.com/2008/10/wish-list-conference-attendance.html. Is my post here referencing Neac5 or is that a separate thing? Do you know where will be the best place to find out about the 'goings-on' on Sat 15th - transcripts etc
Thanks
Rachel
Like what you're doing there with the ref to teeth, when by teeth - you could of course be referring to my Dentist/Peter Ould dilemma but more likely to what I was waffling on about to Jody... dear me...the blogosphere and 'thinking out loud' eh!?...
To nobody in particular
Yep - it was time for a photo-make-over-
sorry girl - the makeup helps glam you up a bit
It's just a natural glow I've developed since starting theological college!!! ;)
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