Theology in Overalls
"N.T. Wright gets back to basics" by Gregory Crofford
Bishop N.T. Wright is arguably the most prolific biblical theologian of our time. Capable of treatises that challenge long-cherished interpretations of doctrines - such as his expansive Paul and the Faithfulness of Godaddressing justification- Wright's versatility shows through in a different approach targeted both to the believer and to the intelligent seeker. Simply Christian: Why Christianity Makes Sense(Harper Collins, 2006; Amazon Kindle edition) is one such book.
Part One, "Echoes of a Voice," invites the reader into a conversation. By examining injustice (and the human desire to correct it), the "hidden spring" of an undeniable thirst for spirituality in the human heart, relationships between persons and the role of beauty for meaningful existence, Wright examines longings common to all human beings, asking important questions for whom the only sensible answer is God.
Part Two launches into a review of who God is and how God has chosen to related to creation. He briefly reviews (pp. 60-63)- and dismisses - traditional approaches to God, including what he calls "Option 1," namely, pantheism ("all is God and God is all"), panentheism ("all is in God"), and "Option 2," deism (where God creates then removes himself). In its place, he proposes Option 3, a scheme where heaven and earth are "overlapping and interlocking" (p. 63). The biblical narrative of both Old and New Testaments bear witness to this engagement between Creator and Creation, but why is such engagement necessary? Wright clarifies (p. 66):
In particular, this God appears to take very seriously the fact that his beloved creation has become corrupt, has rebelled and is suffering the consequences.
With this premise given, much of the rest of the book (including Part 3) falls into place as a solution to a problem. The Kingdom of God (chapter 7), Jesus as the one who rescues and renews (chapter 8) and New Creation (chapter 16) can be viewed in this light. Other themes include worship (chapter 11), prayer (chapter 12) and the nature of Scripture (chapter 13), to name a few. In each case, Wright keeps things simple, remaining faithful to his goal of helping those who are new to faith or considering following Jesus.
Bishop N.T. WrightA great strength of the book is its stories. Wright is quick to spin a tale, such as the powerful dictator who decided to control the unpredictability of springs and the floods they cause by paving them over. In their place, he introduced a complicated system of pipes from which water would flow. What happens when people realize that there is far better water to drink than the bland brew that comes out of rusty pipes? Religion taps the deep wells that authorities have forbidden and that many have forgotten, springs that - when tapped - can produce unexpected results. Wright (p. 20) concludes:
September 11, 2001, serves as a reminder of what happens when you try to organize a world on the assumption that religion and spirituality are merely private matters, and that what really matters is economics and politics instead. It wasn't just concrete floors, it was massive towers, that were smashed to pieces that day, by people driven by 'religious' beliefs so powerful that the believers were ready to die for them. What should we say? That this merely shows how dangerous 'religion' and 'spirituality' really are? Or that we should have taken them into account all along?
Where Wright shines is his treatment of the meaning of resurrection. While he fleshes out his eschatology in greater detail in Surprised by Hope: Rethinking Heaven, the Resurrection and the Mission of the Church (Harper Collins, 2008), in Simply Christian(p. 114), he previews his later thoughts: "Resurrection isn't a fancy way of saying 'going to heaven when you die.' It is not about 'life after death' as such. Rather, it's a way of talking about being bodily alive again after a period of being bodily dead." In any case, Wright places his accent in the same place as the New Testament, namely, on resurrection as the cornerstone of Christian faith and the basis of Christian hope.
(Read my review of Surprised by Hope by clicking here.)
Simply Christian isn't flawless. A survey like Wright's doesn't have the space to delve too deeply into topics. One example is his description of King Saul's reign as a "false start" (p. 77). There's no acknowledgment that Saul's reign has been estimated as having lasted between 10 and 40 years. By comparison, David ruled for 40 years (1 Kings 2:11) so Saul's reign was a healthy duration by any measure.
This is the second book I've read by N.T. Wright. His writing appeals are appealing in large part because they major on interpreting the biblical witness, avoiding a speculative, philosophical approach to theology. Though he doesn't allude to John Wesley, one can't help but think that Wesley would have been a fan of the former Bishop of Durham.
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Photo credit (N.T. Wright): Patheos.com
Gregory Crofford | January 31, 2016 at 7:10 pm | Categories: Uncategorized | URL:http://wp.me/p1xcy8-1iB
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Theology in Overalls "Ray Bakke’s winsome theological vision for the city" by Gregory Crofford for Friday, 9 January 2016
Theology in Overalls
"Ray Bakke’s winsome theological vision for the city" by Gregory Crofford
Part One, "Echoes of a Voice," invites the reader into a conversation. By examining injustice (and the human desire to correct it), the "hidden spring" of an undeniable thirst for spirituality in the human heart, relationships between persons and the role of beauty for meaningful existence, Wright examines longings common to all human beings, asking important questions for whom the only sensible answer is God.
Part Two launches into a review of who God is and how God has chosen to related to creation. He briefly reviews (pp. 60-63)- and dismisses - traditional approaches to God, including what he calls "Option 1," namely, pantheism ("all is God and God is all"), panentheism ("all is in God"), and "Option 2," deism (where God creates then removes himself). In its place, he proposes Option 3, a scheme where heaven and earth are "overlapping and interlocking" (p. 63). The biblical narrative of both Old and New Testaments bear witness to this engagement between Creator and Creation, but why is such engagement necessary? Wright clarifies (p. 66):
In particular, this God appears to take very seriously the fact that his beloved creation has become corrupt, has rebelled and is suffering the consequences.
With this premise given, much of the rest of the book (including Part 3) falls into place as a solution to a problem. The Kingdom of God (chapter 7), Jesus as the one who rescues and renews (chapter 8) and New Creation (chapter 16) can be viewed in this light. Other themes include worship (chapter 11), prayer (chapter 12) and the nature of Scripture (chapter 13), to name a few. In each case, Wright keeps things simple, remaining faithful to his goal of helping those who are new to faith or considering following Jesus.
Bishop N.T. WrightA great strength of the book is its stories. Wright is quick to spin a tale, such as the powerful dictator who decided to control the unpredictability of springs and the floods they cause by paving them over. In their place, he introduced a complicated system of pipes from which water would flow. What happens when people realize that there is far better water to drink than the bland brew that comes out of rusty pipes? Religion taps the deep wells that authorities have forbidden and that many have forgotten, springs that - when tapped - can produce unexpected results. Wright (p. 20) concludes:
September 11, 2001, serves as a reminder of what happens when you try to organize a world on the assumption that religion and spirituality are merely private matters, and that what really matters is economics and politics instead. It wasn't just concrete floors, it was massive towers, that were smashed to pieces that day, by people driven by 'religious' beliefs so powerful that the believers were ready to die for them. What should we say? That this merely shows how dangerous 'religion' and 'spirituality' really are? Or that we should have taken them into account all along?
Where Wright shines is his treatment of the meaning of resurrection. While he fleshes out his eschatology in greater detail in Surprised by Hope: Rethinking Heaven, the Resurrection and the Mission of the Church (Harper Collins, 2008), in Simply Christian(p. 114), he previews his later thoughts: "Resurrection isn't a fancy way of saying 'going to heaven when you die.' It is not about 'life after death' as such. Rather, it's a way of talking about being bodily alive again after a period of being bodily dead." In any case, Wright places his accent in the same place as the New Testament, namely, on resurrection as the cornerstone of Christian faith and the basis of Christian hope.
(Read my review of Surprised by Hope by clicking here.)
Simply Christian isn't flawless. A survey like Wright's doesn't have the space to delve too deeply into topics. One example is his description of King Saul's reign as a "false start" (p. 77). There's no acknowledgment that Saul's reign has been estimated as having lasted between 10 and 40 years. By comparison, David ruled for 40 years (1 Kings 2:11) so Saul's reign was a healthy duration by any measure.
This is the second book I've read by N.T. Wright. His writing appeals are appealing in large part because they major on interpreting the biblical witness, avoiding a speculative, philosophical approach to theology. Though he doesn't allude to John Wesley, one can't help but think that Wesley would have been a fan of the former Bishop of Durham.
-------
Photo credit (N.T. Wright): Patheos.com
Gregory Crofford | January 31, 2016 at 7:10 pm | Categories: Uncategorized | URL:http://wp.me/p1xcy8-1iB
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Theology in Overalls "Ray Bakke’s winsome theological vision for the city" by Gregory Crofford for Friday, 9 January 2016
Theology in Overalls
"Ray Bakke’s winsome theological vision for the city" by Gregory Crofford
The world is moving to the city.
The tipping point came in 2010 when 52% of the world's population lived in cities. Estimates are that by 2050, 2/3 of planet Earth's human beings will be urban dwellers.
Ray Bakke is a prominent Chicago pastor and professor who has wrestled with the implications of rapid urbanization for the church. In A Theology as Big as the City (IVP, 1997) - a follow-up to his acclaimed The Urban Christian (IVP, 1988) - Bakke emphatically answers the mistaken notion that the Bible views cities uniformly in a negative light. Instead, he systematically surveys both Old and New Testaments, painting a picture of cities that are the object of divine love and concern. The implication is clear: If God loves cities and the people who live in them, can the church do any less?
While there are many themes raised in Theology as Big as the City, let's take a look at three key ideas advanced by Bakke:
1) God's hands are in the mud;
2) Jesus as an agent of personal and social transformation;
3) The role of an urban pastor.
God's hands are in the mud
Ray Bakke begins his biblical survey of urban themes by looking at the creation narratives in Genesis 1-2. Genesis 2 depicts God as one down in the dirt, using his hands to form Adam from the "dust" of the earth (2:7).
Urban ministry is not aloof but engaged. It acknowledges hard realities yet works toward change. Bakke (p. 37) affirms:
We acknowledge that inner-city neighborhoods are often ugly, and the systems are broken. We all know a healthy person needs a healthy family, and a healthy family needs a healthy community...Yet there's a sense that if Christ is with me in the midst of the slum, the neighborhood is a slum no longer. For Christ lives in me, and his kingdom agendas confront the neighborhood.
Our motive to work alongside God in "the mud" is not the need that exists. Rather, ministry in cities is fueled because "God has done a work of grace in my life that compels me to share. It overflows"(p. 36).
Read more of this post
"Ray Bakke’s winsome theological vision for the city" by Gregory Crofford
The tipping point came in 2010 when 52% of the world's population lived in cities. Estimates are that by 2050, 2/3 of planet Earth's human beings will be urban dwellers.
Ray Bakke is a prominent Chicago pastor and professor who has wrestled with the implications of rapid urbanization for the church. In A Theology as Big as the City (IVP, 1997) - a follow-up to his acclaimed The Urban Christian (IVP, 1988) - Bakke emphatically answers the mistaken notion that the Bible views cities uniformly in a negative light. Instead, he systematically surveys both Old and New Testaments, painting a picture of cities that are the object of divine love and concern. The implication is clear: If God loves cities and the people who live in them, can the church do any less?
While there are many themes raised in Theology as Big as the City, let's take a look at three key ideas advanced by Bakke:
1) God's hands are in the mud;
2) Jesus as an agent of personal and social transformation;
3) The role of an urban pastor.
God's hands are in the mud
Ray Bakke begins his biblical survey of urban themes by looking at the creation narratives in Genesis 1-2. Genesis 2 depicts God as one down in the dirt, using his hands to form Adam from the "dust" of the earth (2:7).
Urban ministry is not aloof but engaged. It acknowledges hard realities yet works toward change. Bakke (p. 37) affirms:
We acknowledge that inner-city neighborhoods are often ugly, and the systems are broken. We all know a healthy person needs a healthy family, and a healthy family needs a healthy community...Yet there's a sense that if Christ is with me in the midst of the slum, the neighborhood is a slum no longer. For Christ lives in me, and his kingdom agendas confront the neighborhood.
Our motive to work alongside God in "the mud" is not the need that exists. Rather, ministry in cities is fueled because "God has done a work of grace in my life that compels me to share. It overflows"(p. 36).
Read more of this post
"Ray Bakke’s winsome theological vision for the city" by Gregory Crofford
The world is moving to the city.
The tipping point came in 2010 when 52% of the world’s population lived in cities. Estimates are that by 2050, 2/3 of planet Earth’s human beings will be urban dwellers.
Ray Bakke is a prominent Chicago pastor and professor who has wrestled with the implications of rapid urbanization for the church. In A Theology as Big as the City (IVP, 1997) – a follow-up to his acclaimed The Urban Christian (IVP, 1988) – Bakke emphatically answers the mistaken notion that the Bible views cities uniformly in a negative light. Instead, he systematically surveys both Old and New Testaments, painting a picture of cities that are the object of divine love and concern. The implication is clear: If God loves cities and the people who live in them, can the church do any less?
While there are many themes raised in Theology as Big as the City, let’s take a look at three key ideas advanced by Bakke:
1) God’s hands are in the mud;
2) Jesus as an agent of personal and social transformation;
3) The role of an urban pastor.
God’s hands are in the mud
Ray Bakke begins his biblical survey of urban themes by looking at the creation narratives in Genesis 1-2. Genesis 2 depicts God as one down in the dirt, using his hands to form Adam from the “dust” of the earth (2:7).
Urban ministry is not aloof but engaged. It acknowledges hard realities yet works toward change. Bakke (p. 37) affirms:
We acknowledge that inner-city neighborhoods are often ugly, and the systems are broken. We all know a healthy person needs a healthy family, and a healthy family needs a healthy community…Yet there’s a sense that if Christ is with me in the midst of the slum, the neighborhood is a slum no longer. For Christ lives in me, and his kingdom agendas confront the neighborhood.
Our motive to work alongside God in “the mud” is not the need that exists. Rather, ministry in cities is fueled because “God has done a work of grace in my life that compels me to share. It overflows”(p. 36).
Jesus as agent of personal and social transformation
Moving to the New Testament, Ray Bakke mines the life and ministry of Christ for lessons for those serving in cities. Bethlehem and Nazareth were small towns yet the cities where Jesus worked are sometimes overlooked. These included 10 cities in the Decapolis (p. 131). His disciples followed him to places both rural and urban.
How may the message Jesus announced in city and countryside be summarized? It was Good News, including not only personal salvation through the Cross but also kingdom building, a willingness to engage in what Bakke calls “power issues” (p. 135). Bakke explains (ibid.):
Jesus presupposed that we don’t have power; we are power. The gospel unleashes in us processes that can’t be stopped, short of social transformation.Though Bakke does not address the issue of corruption, it is a huge concern internationally and fought against by organizations such as Transparency International. Though often framed as “paying a bribe,” it is better characterized as the abuse of office by officials who extort money from those who must seek government approval for commercial or other activities. On the other hand, if government functionaries who are also followers of Christ band together to swim against the tide, could they not become agents of transformation, reducing the suffering of the people?
The role of the urban pastor
A third topic that Ray Bakke touches upon is the role of the pastor living in the city. He clarifies (pp. 80-81): “Personally, I am committed to the vision of a local church and its pastors with two basic functions: pastor to the faithful and chaplain to the whole community.” It is not a distraction from the pastor’s work to be involved with parent/teacher organizations in the public schools, service clubs such as Rotary International or the Lion’s Club, or as a part-time chaplain at the local hospital, police precinct or fire station. Rather, this is an extension of his/her presence in the community.
A fascinating model of taking ministry into the community is being pioneered by Trevecca Nazarene University. Located in an urban section of Nashville, Tennessee that has been identified as a “food desert,” TNU has been awarded a grant to expand its urban farming program. The farm uses students to teach gardening methods to nearby city residents, helping them locally produce fruits and vegetables not readily available in their neighborhoods.
While Bakke is writing about the city, his description of the pastor’s work applies equally to small towns or rural areas. No matter the setting, effective pastors find bridges to interact with their community, making themselves visible at community celebrations and breaking down the perception that “clergy” are somehow different than others.
Summing it up
This brief review has only scratched the surface of excellent material contained in A Theology as Big as the City. Though 19 years old – since it not only tells stories from the author’s experience but also grapples with biblical materials – it has aged well. As God leads the church to engage in both personal and social transformation in urban settings, it’s helpful to have a guide who has gone before. Bakke’s is not the last word but his is an important word. May his writing be an inspiration to Christian urbanologists from areas outside North America to advance the conversation in their own cities.
——–
Credits
Photo of Ray Bakke is from YouTube.com (via Duck Duck Go).
---------------------
Gregory Crofford | January 9, 2016 at 9:53 am | Tags: A Theology as Big as the City, Ray Bakke,urban ministry | Categories: book reviews | URL: http://wp.me/p1xcy8-1i0---------------------
The tipping point came in 2010 when 52% of the world’s population lived in cities. Estimates are that by 2050, 2/3 of planet Earth’s human beings will be urban dwellers.
Ray Bakke is a prominent Chicago pastor and professor who has wrestled with the implications of rapid urbanization for the church. In A Theology as Big as the City (IVP, 1997) – a follow-up to his acclaimed The Urban Christian (IVP, 1988) – Bakke emphatically answers the mistaken notion that the Bible views cities uniformly in a negative light. Instead, he systematically surveys both Old and New Testaments, painting a picture of cities that are the object of divine love and concern. The implication is clear: If God loves cities and the people who live in them, can the church do any less?
While there are many themes raised in Theology as Big as the City, let’s take a look at three key ideas advanced by Bakke:
1) God’s hands are in the mud;
2) Jesus as an agent of personal and social transformation;
3) The role of an urban pastor.
God’s hands are in the mud
Ray Bakke begins his biblical survey of urban themes by looking at the creation narratives in Genesis 1-2. Genesis 2 depicts God as one down in the dirt, using his hands to form Adam from the “dust” of the earth (2:7).
Urban ministry is not aloof but engaged. It acknowledges hard realities yet works toward change. Bakke (p. 37) affirms:
We acknowledge that inner-city neighborhoods are often ugly, and the systems are broken. We all know a healthy person needs a healthy family, and a healthy family needs a healthy community…Yet there’s a sense that if Christ is with me in the midst of the slum, the neighborhood is a slum no longer. For Christ lives in me, and his kingdom agendas confront the neighborhood.
Our motive to work alongside God in “the mud” is not the need that exists. Rather, ministry in cities is fueled because “God has done a work of grace in my life that compels me to share. It overflows”(p. 36).
Jesus as agent of personal and social transformation
Moving to the New Testament, Ray Bakke mines the life and ministry of Christ for lessons for those serving in cities. Bethlehem and Nazareth were small towns yet the cities where Jesus worked are sometimes overlooked. These included 10 cities in the Decapolis (p. 131). His disciples followed him to places both rural and urban.
How may the message Jesus announced in city and countryside be summarized? It was Good News, including not only personal salvation through the Cross but also kingdom building, a willingness to engage in what Bakke calls “power issues” (p. 135). Bakke explains (ibid.):
Jesus presupposed that we don’t have power; we are power. The gospel unleashes in us processes that can’t be stopped, short of social transformation.Though Bakke does not address the issue of corruption, it is a huge concern internationally and fought against by organizations such as Transparency International. Though often framed as “paying a bribe,” it is better characterized as the abuse of office by officials who extort money from those who must seek government approval for commercial or other activities. On the other hand, if government functionaries who are also followers of Christ band together to swim against the tide, could they not become agents of transformation, reducing the suffering of the people?
The role of the urban pastor
A third topic that Ray Bakke touches upon is the role of the pastor living in the city. He clarifies (pp. 80-81): “Personally, I am committed to the vision of a local church and its pastors with two basic functions: pastor to the faithful and chaplain to the whole community.” It is not a distraction from the pastor’s work to be involved with parent/teacher organizations in the public schools, service clubs such as Rotary International or the Lion’s Club, or as a part-time chaplain at the local hospital, police precinct or fire station. Rather, this is an extension of his/her presence in the community.
A fascinating model of taking ministry into the community is being pioneered by Trevecca Nazarene University. Located in an urban section of Nashville, Tennessee that has been identified as a “food desert,” TNU has been awarded a grant to expand its urban farming program. The farm uses students to teach gardening methods to nearby city residents, helping them locally produce fruits and vegetables not readily available in their neighborhoods.
While Bakke is writing about the city, his description of the pastor’s work applies equally to small towns or rural areas. No matter the setting, effective pastors find bridges to interact with their community, making themselves visible at community celebrations and breaking down the perception that “clergy” are somehow different than others.
Summing it up
This brief review has only scratched the surface of excellent material contained in A Theology as Big as the City. Though 19 years old – since it not only tells stories from the author’s experience but also grapples with biblical materials – it has aged well. As God leads the church to engage in both personal and social transformation in urban settings, it’s helpful to have a guide who has gone before. Bakke’s is not the last word but his is an important word. May his writing be an inspiration to Christian urbanologists from areas outside North America to advance the conversation in their own cities.
——–
Credits
Photo of Ray Bakke is from YouTube.com (via Duck Duck Go).
---------------------
Gregory Crofford | January 9, 2016 at 9:53 am | Tags: A Theology as Big as the City, Ray Bakke,urban ministry | Categories: book reviews | URL: http://wp.me/p1xcy8-1i0---------------------
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