I start this blog for the purpose of conversations engaging the issues of being the church in postmodernity. In particular may the thoughts blogged here and the accounts of everyday doing church described herein, promote the furthering of Christ’s church among evangelicals as we seek to figure out what it means to do church at the end of modernity. As the influence of the Enlightenment wanes and the presumptions we have based our lives upon decline, let us engage seriously and with humor, what it means to be evangelicals as modernity crashes and burns.
The blog’s title is The Great Giveaway, after the recent book of mine released by Baker. It reminds of the accusation that we have “given away” being the church to techniques, democratic and republican politics, democracy and capitalism, consumerism and other modern maladies. We have packaged and commoditized our faith in Christ. And so I aim to blog, in conversation with many I am already hearing from who have read the book, and those who have not, how can we receive back what it means to do and be Christ’s church in North America.
I do not aim to publish papers on this blog. I will hold my entries to one or two large paragraphs at most. This is the Web for St. Pete’s sake (although I doubt he cares that much). I will try to put enough to summarize a key issue and make a point. I invite any all comments as conversation. This is a blog and I will do my best to keep it a blog.
For Christ, His Kingdom and His church.
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.