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Theology that sits at the center, supporting the realities of everyday life where the rubber meets the road.
Or,
Theology conversations that take place at The Hub in San Francisco.
Either way, it’s what Mark Scandrette and I are collaborating on this summer. The first episode is up. We talked forgiveness.
The point of these round-tables is to bring theology and practice into closer connection. Take a listen and let us know what you think.
I realize that if this gets serious we’ll need a different format so that we can RSS feed to the iTunes store and all that. But please accept this, our baby step and first offering, as a token of what we hope will be good things to come.
Theology Hub Episode 1: Forgiveness
Enjoyed it. How frequently do you plan on doing this?
We’ll be doing a few this summer, and then think about ramping up a more regular podcast in the fall. Perhaps every week for 10 or 12 weeks? We’re playing it by ear, working on an RSS / iTunes feed, etc.
Good to hear. You’ll have at least one faithful listener here.
Daniel, inspired by your post and the idea that it’s “Theology that sits at the center, supporting the realities of everyday life where the rubber meets the road, Or, Theology conversations that take place at The Hub in San Francisco” and, also, David Fitch’s idea about “a better way to do theology”, some sort of “alternative theological coalition” (see http://www.reclaimingthemission.com/rob-bell’s-frenzy-why-we-need-other-ways-to-do-theology-and-some-other-off-the-cuff-observations/)
At any rate, our community (Dwell Missional Church in Burlington Vermont: http://dwellchurch.com/church-mission-burlington.html) has decided to begin a theological get together called “Downtown Theology” in, remarkably, downtown Burlington, Vermont.
In my thinking, it’d be a once monthly informal gathering of like minds in an open area discussing theology specifically from a new perspective. A place where folks can talk about theology (without being guilted into thinking they are being “too theological”). Where we can discuss the incorporation of mission into a new theological framework, one that looks at Scripture not as systematic, but as story, where historical contingencies matter. We”ll try to overcome obstacles to solid interpretation, taking into account the hermeneutical distance between the world or horizon of the text and the world or horizon of the reader.
It’ll be dialog but thinking not just random. It’ll be largely focused on two major developments that have, very broadly speaking, impacted modern Western evangelicalism over the last decade:
1. With regard to praxis the missional church,
2. With regard to theology, a fresh biblical perspective that (through New Perspective scholarship and its extensions) argues (at least in part) that we might want to examine our modern theological lenses through which we read (or misread) the Bible.
We figure these two developments need each other. That quite possibly (without getting too grandiose) the future of the church after Christendom lies with the convergence of these two powerfully creative forces, missional church and a new perspective theology, resulting in a change of theological perspective and missional practice.
But, and here’s the rub, we need some help, some guidance, some suggestions and some questions to consider answering before we do this. For instance, why did you decide to undertake this? What topics are you covering and why? How do you begin/facilitate your discussions? We’ve got people just beginning to cut their teeth on, say, Chris Seay and Frost and Hirsch, and others well into N.T.Wright, Gordon Fee, Michael Gorman and Richard Hays…but with NO dialog, no outlet, frustrated because there is no conversation. Do you have outlines or are your get togethers just spontaneous and organic, pure conversation? Who attends? Who leads? I could go on but you’re getting the drift. If this sparks anything in the way of advice or assistance or as the Beatles put it,”Help in any way”, be great to hear from you. Thanks for taking the time to read this (long) post. Really enjoy your blog.
We’ve only done this once! So I’m not sure what we “do,” in general.
Mark and I are doing this, in part, to give us an excuse to collaborate in a way that capitalizes on both of our gifts. We gather with friends around a table, Mark facilitates the conversation, and off we go. Mark is good like that–asking questions that get people talking about the right things.
We brainstormed a batch of conversation topics, but I’m sure we’ll stray from those and find ourselves surprised at various things along the way.
I think that gathering with your folks to decide what things you think are interesting or important is a good first step. Then see if anyone is a natural facilitator of discussion (I’m not, Mark is). Let that person step up to lead.
A brief intro of who’s at the table is a nice way to start the recording, and then off you go.
Listen to a few different podcasts, and figure out what sounds like you!
JRDK,
Thanks. I listened earlier this week. I enjoyed it, found it to be interesting and thought provoking, and look forward to more soon. The MTN Goats even got a shout out!
PDR
Any chance you continued this and have an rss field somewhere?
Dead.
Well, I appreciate the intent!