Addendum: More thoughts about Mission & Theology

More ?proof? that theology flows from mission.

Our current idea of the mission field, of the mission we have to do is that it is out there, in some distant land, far away from us, far away from this place. It is a place that is only visited by the bold, the people called to uproot themselves and be changed. The people that are called to explore.

Our current theology is a God that is far away from us, think Bette Midler's song, "From A distance, God is watching us". God is distant doling out punishment and forgiveness upon other people, people we do not know. God's work here is done, we have civilized this country and made it in the image of God and therefore God is no longer needed, at least no longer needed in an intimate way.

So what if the mission field is in our back yard. What if the mission field is here and now, what if we are surrounded by the other, surrounded by people and places that have never experienced the Good News of God in Christ? Or have never experienced mission as a relational, sacramental imaginal and wonderful presence?

Would the theology that flows out of that be about a God who is close to us, working among us, changing and transforming us? Would our theology be about an intimate relational experience of Christ and the Holy One? Would we seek and serve Christ in all people differently? Loving our neighbor as our self? Would we respect the dignity of every human being differently? What would repentance and reconciliation look like? What would our mission and ministry, what would our communities look like if we believed that God was close to us, among us, here and now.

Mission is the mother of theology. Theology flows out of our mission. Mission is not just what we DO, it is who we are. What does it mean then, to BE mission?

I love my job.
Be well,
A+

Comments

Unknown said…
Perhaps reviewing your grandfather's notes might help to determine if mission was present in this diocese or others... :)
1:22 PM
Monica said…
What if the mission field is our back yard - as in literally our back yard & all the other places we carry on our daily lives? Then what if we didn't separate the mission field into us (the missionaries) and the other (those we believe haven't experienced something we have). Then we could think of that mission field as the place where each of us who has an inkling of the vision to, seeks to live out the mission of being both givers & receivers of the gifts of the Spirit and the blessings of God - openly shared among all. We would be thinking of mission as "from everywhere to everywhere" (a phrase from the BCMS theological position paper on mission). We could live out & live into the reign of God through "existing and new relational webs" (BCMS paper p12)for perhaps the reign of God is truly close at hand!

To further borrow & adapt words from the recent BCMS position paper & from the baptismal covenant, this would involve large and small daily expressions, with God's help, of living in a way that is part of just and peacful human flourishing; that is concerned with right relationships; that seeks unity without erasing differences; that moves toward fullfillment of a vision of a communion of all, from which no person or part of creation is meant to be excluded; that involves concrete tasks of reconciliation; that helps us to learn to dwell imaginatively in the stories of our Scripture, that continue in the apostles' teaching and fellowship, the breaking of bread & prayers; that persists in resisting evil; that proclaims by word and example good news of God in Christ; that seeks and serves Christ in all persons loving our neighbors as ourselves; that strives for justice and peace among all people, respecting the dignitiy of every human being.

What would this look like very specifically and tangibly in my life today? Or in yours? (Tell me to help me see and understand the possibilities.)

I think effectively being part of this mission involves being both guests and hosts, repenters and forgivers, talkers and listeners, givers and receivers. In other words, it involves being in mutual relationship.

We are on and part of a mission field where the Spirit is moving in and around us and our neighbors. May we have eyes to see and ears to hear, along with the heart, mind and where-with-all to respond, constantly aligning ourselves more deeply with the ways and reign of God, that reign which is close at hand...in my back yard in the very next hour.
1:45 PM
Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Beautiful Impartiality. Easter Day Sermon

“Then that little man in black there, he says women can't have as much rights as men, 'cause Christ wasn't a woman! Where did your Christ come from? Where did your Christ come from? From God and a woman! Man had nothing to do with Him. If the first woman God ever made was strong enough to turn the world upside down all alone, these women together ought to be able to turn it back, and get it right side up again! And now they is asking to do it, the men better let them.” So spoke Sojourner Truth in December 1851, just 5 years before this parish was founded, at a Women’s Convention in Akron, Ohio. She began her brief and eloquent speech with the words, “Well, children, where there is so much racket there must be something out of kilter.” There has been a lot of racket in our world, in our Church in our lives. Something is out of kilter that is for sure. Each year during Holy Week, all the clergy in the Diocese are invited to attend a service of the reaffirmation of our ...
Read more

An interesting Observation

I was sitting on the pew out in front of the Church on 4th Avenue waiting for my lovely and beloved wife to pick me up. Our other car was in the shop and due to rushed-ness we had to just drop me off at Church today. Anyway, I was sitting out there for about 15 minutes waiting for Sara to come and pick me up and I noticed something very odd. I didn't keep a number tally in my head, but I bet half of the people walking toward me crossed the street, not in the crosswalk at the corner, but at some other point before arriving at where I was sitting. Now, I was wearing my collar and sitting in the pew reading a book. The pew has been used frequently I have noticed by many passersby, I even saw a young man take off one of the round parts of the pew, it had kind of fallen off, so no longer attached, but just stare at it and look it over as he walked on. So the pew has not been an intimidating thing, it was definitely me and my collar, and no, I didn't smell, because many others w...
Read more

Having Faith

Image
Today I want to talk a little bit about having faith, particularly the faith we will all need this summer, particularly the faith we will need from June 9th to July 9th... Faith is kind of like a little caterpillar, in the hands of a child who has never seen a caterpillar. I love this picutre of Eliot, and mostly needed an excuse to post it, but I also needed to tell folks about the faith that will be required this summer. After a couple of days off the United States Men's National Team will be leaving for Germany for the World Cup . The World Cup is the greatest sporting event in the world. Greater than the Super Bowl, greater than the World Series and definitely greater than the NBA Finals. It is one of the only sporting events that lives up to its name as a WORLD CHAMPIONSHIP! The US Men will be heading over to Germany to take on the world, literally, their first game, June 12th, is against the Czech Republic, second they take on mighty Italy on June 17th and finally they ...
Read more