Vol IX No.7
*****
GLOBAL AND ECUMENICAL IN SCOPE
CANADIAN IN PERSPECTIVE
CANADIAN IN PERSPECTIVE
Wayne A. Holst, Editor
"Quicklinks" are included with many items
at the beginning of this issue.
at the beginning of this issue.
To get a more complete picture, however,
scroll down to find your special selection
in the body of the blog.
scroll down to find your special selection
in the body of the blog.
*****
Dear friends:
as we welcome back our students
to schools and churches.
My Special Item this week is a book
--
Colleague Contributions:
"Are We Making an Idol of Pope Francis?"
"The Life and Poetry of George Herbert"
http://tinyurl.com/lm3f79b
Wayne
***********************************
MY AUTUMN PROGRAMS AT
THE CHURCH AND UNIVERSITY
UPCOMING ACTIVITY AT THE CHURCH
FALL MONDAY NIGHT STUDY
ST. DAVID'S UNITED CHURCH
"Immortal Diamond - The Search
for the True Self"" by Richard Rohr
Description of the Book:
http://tinyurl.com/n9ymr59
Mondays, 7:00PM - 9:00PM
September 16th - November 25th, 2013
SESSIONS BEGIN THIS WEEK
Team Taught With Jock McTavish
Books on sale at the church --
Registration, Hospitality and Book - $50.00
Book only - $20.
--
THURSDAY MORNING BIBLE STUDY
.Knowing how to nurture faith in young people is
It comes as no surprise, then, that I get the same
--
CANADIAN FAMILIES ARE CARE-GIVING
A NEW VISION FOR THE CHURCH
ARE WE MAKING AN IDOL OF FRANCIS?
Washington Post
ANGLICANS FACE DECLINE, DEEP DIVISIONS
*****
My Special Item this week is a book
notice entitled -
"Faith Forward:
A Dialogue on Children, Youth and
A New Kind of Christianity"
It presents a contemporary update on
how faith is formed and shared among
our children and youth so that they can
help to shape faith communities of the
future.
--
Martin Marty - writes on the challenges
facing Christians in the Middle East -
"Syria's Christians at Risk"
"Preach it, Putin!" - while we may have
good reason to question the motives of
this man, we might also do well to listen
"The Bible Made Impossible" - modern
young evangelicals are looking for
guidance on reading the scriptures.
We should all take heed, I think
(Englewood Review of Books)
"From the Mouths of Rapists" - When
freshmen mouth repulsive slogans on
our campuses, we might wonder where
they got it from. Find out (Sojourners)
"Holocaust Survivor Shares Hope" -
what do you get when you blend victims
of the Nazis with those of good Canadians?
This article will shed some light
(Anglican Journal)
"Canadian Families are Care-Giving" -
while we may not realize it, much good
care-giving is provided by our families
(Northumberland Views)
"Extensive Interview With Pope Francis" -
the most complete look so far into the mind
and heart of the new pope is provided in his
sharing with Jesuit journals from around the
world (the pope is himself a Jesuit)
(America Magazine, the Guardian, UK)
--
--
"Too Much Talk About Gays and Abortion"
- Francis feels that his church has been too
concerned about too few, and too limiting,
things (New York Times)
--
"Are We Making an Idol of Pope Francis?"
- a timely question and some thoughtful
responses are provided here (Washington
"The Life and Poetry of George Herbert"
- read from the contributions of a classic
English priest and writer (The Tablet, UK)
http://tinyurl.com/lm3f79b
--
"Anglicans Face Decline, Deep Divisions"
- a look at the Canadian church, fifty years
since it was at peak of prestige, influence
*****
Wisdom of the Week:
Provided once more from Sojourners -
Here are insights from Patricia Hampl
Juliana Horatia Ewing, Joseph Chorpenning
--
On This Day:
No selections offered this week.
--
Closing Thought - Thomas Merton
--
Thanks for reading Colleagues List.
I hope you will share your thoughts
with me.
Wayne
THE CHURCH AND UNIVERSITY
ST. DAVID'S UNITED CHURCH
for the True Self"" by Richard Rohr
http://tinyurl.com/n9ymr59
September 16th - November 25th, 2013
Books on sale at the church --
Registration, Hospitality and Book - $50.00
Book only - $20.
"Major and Minor Prophets of Israel "
(Isaiah, Jeremiah, Hosea, Amos, Jonah, Micah)
Two Six Week Series:
Weekly from September 26th - December 5th
10:00 - 11:00AM
*****
UNIVERSITY CHAPLAIN'S GROUP
FAITH AND SPIRITUALITY CENTRE
FALL BOOK STUDY
Presented by the Christian Chaplains
For Faculty, Staff and Students -
A Six Week Series on the Book:
"Jesus, Moses, the Buddha and Mohammed:
Christian Identity in a Multi-Faith World"
(title shortened)
Six sessions - Fridays October 18th
through November 22nd, 2013
12 Noon to 1:00PM
Native Centre Board Room
MacEwan Student Centre
******
SPECIAL ST. DAVID'S LINKS
Contact us at: asdm@sduc.ca (or) admin@sduc.ca
St. David's Web Address - http://sduc.ca/
Listen to audio recordings of Sunday services -
http://sduc.ca/St_Davids_United_Church/Audio.html
*****
STUDY ARCHIVES
An accumulation of thirty-five books studied
since 2000 can quickly be found at:
http://tinyurl.com/6oxmyj4
This collection of study resources represents
more than a decade of Monday Night Studies at
St. David's, plus extra courses too!
You are welcome to use our course outlines,
class notes and resource pages in your personal
and group reflections.
*****
10:00 - 11:00AM
FALL BOOK STUDY
For Faculty, Staff and Students -
Christian Identity in a Multi-Faith World"
(title shortened)
through November 22nd, 2013
12 Noon to 1:00PM
MacEwan Student Centre
******
St. David's Web Address - http://sduc.ca/
http://sduc.ca/St_Davids_United_Church/Audio.html
since 2000 can quickly be found at:
http://tinyurl.com/6oxmyj4
more than a decade of Monday Night Studies at
St. David's, plus extra courses too!
class notes and resource pages in your personal
and group reflections.
SPECIAL ITEM
Book Notice -
FAITH FORWARD
A Dialogue on Children, Youth
and a New Kind of Christianity
Edited by David M.Csinos
and Melvin Bray
Copperhouse/Wood Lake Publishing
2013. Paper. 288 pp. $24.00 CAD.
Kindle Edition $9.99.CAD
ISBN #978-1-77064-574-5
Publisher's Promo:
a challenge, particularly when we want to encourage
a faith that is generous, innovative, and contextual.
Faith Forward gathers 21 presentations from the
2012 “Children, Youth, and a New Kind of Christianity”
conference held in Washington, D.C., and makes
them available for those in ministry with children
and youth, pastors, parents, professors – anyone
called to help young people on their journey of faith.
Authors and attendees alike came from several
countries and many denominational inflections.
Likewise, the chapters express various
contemporary takes on Christian faith and
discipleship.
This book is a gold mine of information and
inspiration for those seeking to engage children
and youth in respectful conversation, exploration,
and learning in today's complex world. If you are
seeking grassroots, forward-thinking, ecumenical,
innovative, and collaborative ways to do children
and youth ministry, then this book provides the
material to move you in that direction.
a faith that is generous, innovative, and contextual.
Faith Forward gathers 21 presentations from the
2012 “Children, Youth, and a New Kind of Christianity”
conference held in Washington, D.C., and makes
them available for those in ministry with children
and youth, pastors, parents, professors – anyone
called to help young people on their journey of faith.
Authors and attendees alike came from several
countries and many denominational inflections.
Likewise, the chapters express various
contemporary takes on Christian faith and
discipleship.
inspiration for those seeking to engage children
and youth in respectful conversation, exploration,
and learning in today's complex world. If you are
seeking grassroots, forward-thinking, ecumenical,
innovative, and collaborative ways to do children
and youth ministry, then this book provides the
material to move you in that direction.
--
Writers' Intro:
When we asked some young non-Christians to describe
their perceptions of Christians some of the top answers
were that Christians were anti-gay, judgmental, and
hypocritical - and the list doesn't get much better from
these.
Clearly, we've got an image crisis on our hands and much
of it is well-deserved. These perceptions are what people
have seen and tasted and heard from Christianity.
The deep irony is that these aren't the perceptions that
people walked away with when they met Jesus... They
walked away fascinated by his love.
We've tried fear tactics and sloganeering but these
approaches have deformed Jesus' message instead
of forming people who love and live by that message.
We need to recapture what it means to do formation
and to grow up young people into the way of Jesus...
the path of discipleship.
The gospel, the good news spreads best not through
force but through fascination.
We held a conference in Washington DC at Christ
Baptist Church entitled: "2012 Children, Youth and
a New Kind of Christian." We were seeking a
Christianity that we can touch and see and feel.
We need to cultivate holy habits in chrildren and youth,
the disciplines of love and grace. We need to talk with
young people about what it looks like to live as
God's holy counterculture in the world. We need to
talk about what it means not to conform to the patterns
of this world, but to imagine new ways to live.
"Faith Forward" talks about what it means to raise
up young disciples and the kind of faithfulness that's
formed in community.. It advocates new patterns
for our communities too, through which children and
youth become fascinated with the beauty of Jesus.
--
My Thoughts:
My early Christian education was catechetical -
where carefully selected questions were answered
with proper responses. The good student was the
one who most accurately answered as he or she
was expected to answer.
I now know that I had very little say in how the
great meanings of Christian faith became mine.
Fifty-five years ago, when I was first involved
in teaching Sunday School and working with
our church's youth group, I was determined not
to follow blindly the models offered by the adult
generation of the time. I wanted my faith to grow
in my way and to be shared with others like me.
I also had to learn that I did not have to re-invent
the wheel, but that great Christians have always
had to discover their rich tradition as well as
their own experience.
As I learned my way through college and seminary,
my world expanded and I grew more convinced
that the times required different ways of forming
and sharing my faith.
impression from many of those who write essays
in "Faith Forward." Now, the times are again
quite different - we're digital; we're global;
we're post-denominational; we're interfaith;
we live in a world where those who doubt
must be respected, not marginalized.
Editors of "Faith Forward" have tried to capture
the essence of presentations and discussions
at the "2012 Children, Youth and a New Kind of
Christian." conference. They call the contributions
"potluck" and "travel journals" - to "image" the
nature of this book's contents. These are meant
as "road signs" rather than definitive directions.
They try to scope the current landscape rather
than provide the latest and best theories out there
or suggest how the "real ministries" are doing it
today.
Back in my early ministry I began reading
the books of an Episcopalian priest and
teacher named John H. Westerhoff III. He
wrote texts like "Will Our Children Have
Faith?" which went through many editions.
His focus was on helping us to better read
the times so we could contribute to the faith
formation of our children. Then they could
share faith that reflected their own experience
rather than mere rote.
It was great to read Westerhoff again in the
summery chapter of this book - half a
century later - to be reminded that the
great themes of his seminal writings have
not really changed, but only the modern
context continues to evolve.
I commend Wood Lake Books for
publishing the results of this important
conference in readily readable ways.
It reminds me that the emerging church
is made of many different kinds of people
from many different spiritual backgrounds.
That speaks to me as Westerhoff once did.
--
Buy the Book from:
Wood Lake Website:
Amazon.ca:
*****
COLLEAGUE CONTRIBUTIONS
MARTIN MARTY
Chicago. IL.
Sightings
September 16th, 2013
"Syria's Christians at Risk"
*****
NET NOTES
PREACH IT, PUTIN!
He Offers Something
He Offers Something
Sightings
September 19th, 2013
September 19th, 2013
--
THE BIBLE MADE IMPOSSIBLE
Toward a Healthier Approach to Scripture
Englewood Review of Books
Amazon.com Summary
September 20th, 2013
--
FROM THE MOUTHS OF RAPISTS
We Need to Learn Where It Comes From
Sojourners Online
September 20th, 2013
--
HOLOCAUST SURVIVOR SHARES HOPE
Message to First Nations School Victims
Message to First Nations School Victims
Anglican Journal
September 19th, 2013
September 19th, 2013
--
CANADIAN FAMILIES ARE CARE-GIVING
EXTENSIVE INTERVIEW WITH FRANCIS
Not a Narrow-Minded Pastor
Not a Narrow-Minded Pastor
America Magazine
September 19th, 2013
September 19th, 2013
--
TOO MUCH TALK OF GAYS AND ABORTION
Pope Seeks to Draw Church to Large Vision
New York Times
September 19th, 2013
--
A NEW VISION FOR THE CHURCH
The Guardian, UK
September 20th, 2013
--
ARE WE MAKING AN IDOL OF FRANCIS?
Standing Back from the Current Frenzy
Washington Post
September 18th, 2013
--
THE LIFE AND POETRY OF GEORGE HERBERT
An Early English Visonary
The Tablet, UK
--
ANGLICANS FACE DECLINE, DEEP DIVISIONS
Far Cry from Former Era of Status, Influence
The Globe and Mail
September 21st, 2013
WISDOM OF THE WEEK
Provided by Sojourners Online
"We do not, after all, simply have experience;
we are entrusted with it. We must do something
- make something - with it. A story, we sense is
the only possible habitation for the burden of
our witnessing."
we are entrusted with it. We must do something
- make something - with it. A story, we sense is
the only possible habitation for the burden of
our witnessing."
- Patricia Hampl
--
"Just as a mother would not love a child better for
its being turned into a model of perfection ... but
does love it the more deeply every time it tries to
be good, so do I hope and believe our great [God]
does not wait for us to be good and wise to love us,
but loves us, and loves to help us in the very thick
of our struggle."
its being turned into a model of perfection ... but
does love it the more deeply every time it tries to
be good, so do I hope and believe our great [God]
does not wait for us to be good and wise to love us,
but loves us, and loves to help us in the very thick
of our struggle."
- Juliana Horatia Ewing
--
"Human experience has an intrinsically narrative,
or story, quality about it. The story is the most
common and universal means of communicating
human experience, and human beings are
essentially story listening/reading and storytelling
begins, with story listening/reading being a
precondition for storytelling."
- Joseph Chorpennin
*****
CLOSING THOUGHT - THOMAS MERTON
"The beginning of love is the will to let those we love
be perfectly themselves, the resolution not to twist
them to fit our own image."
(end)
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