For all my friends in Alberta, I’m coming to Calgary to present the Downey lectures at Ambrose University College as well as do some other stuff February 16, and 17. Why not come over and join in the discussion with me?
The two public lectures are largely based on my forthcoming book (it’s coming any day now!) The End of Evangelicalism? Discerning a New Faithfulness for Mission. In the first lecture I will show how traditional evangelical theology shapes the church for a hostile defensive presence in the culture . Our traditional evangelical theology made sense when we (in N America) were comfortably living in Christendom, but now these ways of articulating our beliefs have turned against us in the way they “shape us” as a people for Mission in the culture. So I’m critiquing evangelicalism in the 1st lecture. The 2nd lecture then addresses the reaction to evangelicalism in the last ten years via Emergent, Missional, McLaren, Hirsch, etc. Here I try to show how the instincts were good, and some right moves were made to take us in the right direction. Nonetheless some lurking dangers persist which stand to derail the whole post evangelical renewal taking shape out of these movements. In both lectures, I’m addressing evangelicalism’s drive for a “high view of Scripture,” a “conversionist soteriology” and an “activist evangelical engagement of culture,” affirming each of these emphases but asking how do we articulate them and practice them in a way that shapes us for participation in God’s Mission in a culture which we can no longer assume is Christianized.
I am asking does evangelicalism have a future in N America? and what can evangelicals learn from emergent/missional thinkers that can take us there. I’m looking forward to it! Hope to see you there!!
Missio Alliance Comment Policy
The Missio Alliance Writing Collectives exist as a ministry of writing to resource theological practitioners for mission. From our Leading Voices to our regular Writing Team and those invited to publish with us as Community Voices, we are creating a space for thoughtful engagement of critical issues and questions facing the North American Church in God’s mission. This sort of thoughtful engagement is something that we seek to engender not only in our publishing, but in conversations that unfold as a result in the comment section of our articles.
Unfortunately, because of the relational distance introduced by online communication, “thoughtful engagement” and “comment sections” seldom go hand in hand. At the same time, censorship of comments by those who disagree with points made by authors, whose anger or limited perspective taints their words, or who simply feel the need to express their own opinion on a topic without any meaningful engagement with the article or comment in question can mask an important window into the true state of Christian discourse. As such, Missio Alliance sets forth the following suggestions for those who wish to engage in conversation around our writing:
1. Seek to understand the author’s intent.
If you disagree with something the an author said, consider framing your response as, “I hear you as saying _________. Am I understanding you correctly? If so, here’s why I disagree. _____________.
2. Seek to make your own voice heard.
We deeply desire and value the voice and perspective of our readers. However you may react to an article we publish or a fellow commenter, we encourage you to set forth that reaction is the most constructive way possible. Use your voice and perspective to move conversation forward rather than shut it down.
3. Share your story.
One of our favorite tenants is that “an enemy is someone whose story we haven’t heard.” Very often disagreements and rants are the result of people talking past rather than to one another. Everyone’s perspective is intimately bound up with their own stories – their contexts and experiences. We encourage you to couch your comments in whatever aspect of your own story might help others understand where you are coming from.
In view of those suggestions for shaping conversation on our site and in an effort to curate a hospitable space of open conversation, Missio Alliance may delete comments and/or ban users who show no regard for constructive engagement, especially those whose comments are easily construed as trolling, threatening, or abusive.