a great handle on the mission/liturgy challenge, I cannot recommend highly enough this paper by Pr. Heath Curtis. Read the whole thing - it will fill you with great joy! Seriously!
I'm glad you liked the paper. It was a long time in coming - one of those where your own thoughts clarify as you are forced to put it down on paper - you know what I mean.
That's a great idea. Heath - you should PRESENT this paper at our next Winkel. I'll ask Mike about it. Do you think that would be okay, given where the question arose about Haiti? I'm thinking so.
I think it would be fine - we can introduce it gently and the brethren we serve with (the ones who actually show up!) are always gracious and open-minded even when we disagree.
Next time Fr. Walther needs somebody to fill a gap in the schedule I'll volunteer.
I liked it too and found it understandable as a mere layman. I did detect one use of "there" where it looked like it should have been "they're," but the concept is great. There has been an artificial urgency with TCN and other initiatives when throwing out liturgical worship. Functional Arminianism is a great name for it.
Yes, the thing that exudes from the paper is that the mission proceeds out of the peace, the joy of forgiveness. It doesn't have that pitched fevered intensity that always betrays the presence of the law chasing after you.
The TCN guy specifically told our circuit that we needed to create a sense of urgency - and didn't just tell it to pastors, told it to a group of pastors and laity.
I've been ranting and raving for around 2 weeks now.
And it is interesting to note wrt the sense of urgency, that for the past several years our district convention has had a rolling number counter up on the stage which is supposedly keeping track of the world population as it grows. The message? Get off your duffs and evangelize!
Apparently the only time it is okie dokey to sit on our duffs is at district and syndical conventions.
I can see no difference between the theology underlying this paper and Calvinism. "Grace alone" is not equivalent to "election". And even if it were, that would not mean that we are to preach only to the elect. The Gospel is to be preached to every creature, not just to the elect.
I concur - a good document - I recommended it to all the guys in my circuit.
ReplyDeleteI'm glad you liked the paper. It was a long time in coming - one of those where your own thoughts clarify as you are forced to put it down on paper - you know what I mean.
ReplyDelete+HRC
Eric,
ReplyDeleteThat's a great idea. Heath - you should PRESENT this paper at our next Winkel. I'll ask Mike about it. Do you think that would be okay, given where the question arose about Haiti? I'm thinking so.
I think it would be fine - we can introduce it gently and the brethren we serve with (the ones who actually show up!) are always gracious and open-minded even when we disagree.
ReplyDeleteNext time Fr. Walther needs somebody to fill a gap in the schedule I'll volunteer.
+HRC
I liked it too and found it understandable as a mere layman. I did detect one use of "there" where it looked like it should have been "they're," but the concept is great. There has been an artificial urgency with TCN and other initiatives when throwing out liturgical worship. Functional Arminianism is a great name for it.
ReplyDeleteYes, the thing that exudes from the paper is that the mission proceeds out of the peace, the joy of forgiveness. It doesn't have that pitched fevered intensity that always betrays the presence of the law chasing after you.
ReplyDeleteSaid another way: pressure, coercion, guilt, and you doing the verbs is just law. No matter how it is dressed up as Gospel.
ReplyDeleteThe TCN guy specifically told our circuit that we needed to create a sense of urgency - and didn't just tell it to pastors, told it to a group of pastors and laity.
ReplyDeleteI've been ranting and raving for around 2 weeks now.
And it is interesting to note wrt the sense of urgency, that for the past several years our district convention has had a rolling number counter up on the stage which is supposedly keeping track of the world population as it grows. The message? Get off your duffs and evangelize!
ReplyDeleteApparently the only time it is okie dokey to sit on our duffs is at district and syndical conventions.
I'm so confused.
Tom Fast
I can see no difference between the theology underlying this paper and Calvinism. "Grace alone" is not equivalent to "election". And even if it were, that would not mean that we are to preach only to the elect. The Gospel is to be preached to every creature, not just to the elect.
ReplyDeleteI'm so glad that I am a synergist.