Andy Rowell | Church Leadership Conversations

Catalyst Conference, Fuqua, Willimon, Publishing, Newbigin and Rosetta Stone: my 62 tweets from the last month

2009-11-07T11:30:37-05:00

I have been using Twitter to write down micro-blog posts. I post about two "tweets" per day on average. I highlight articles worth reading and share quotes and ideas on my mind. I have tried to keep my tweets focused around the theme of church leadership like this blog. Each “tweet” is only 140 characters. I try to provide something of value and not just tell you what I had for breakfast. Anyway, I just thought I would post the last 62 here so you can see what has been on my mind the last month.

You can follow me by setting up a Twitter account. You yourself need not actually post any tweets, you can just follow people.
Or, you can subscribe to my tweets by RSS feed such as Google Reader.
Or you can just click on my Twitter page and scroll through my posts.
I have given you my Twitter glossary at Preaching, mission, Barth and Duke: recent Twitter micro-blog posts
I use bit.ly to shorten my links. In other words, it is much too long to put http://www.andyrowell.net/andy_rowell/2009/11/catalyst-conference-fuqua-willimon-publishing-newbigin-and-rosetta-stone-my-60-tweets-from-the-last-.html as the link in Twitter so instead I use http://bit.ly/3ZJf3d which directs the person to the same place.

The tweets descend from most recent November 7th at the top to October 5th at the bottom.

Dave Travis of Leadership Network @leadnet helpfully collates a list of 13 (mostly megachurch-oriented) church trends http://bit.ly/30Rr5t about 3 hours ago from bit.ly
Duke Divinity's @faithleadership has published my "Liturgical and Free Church leaders can learn from each other" http://bit.ly/2bErZC 4:36 PM Nov 5th from web
On any given day, 95% of U.S. adults watch TV, Nielsen reports. http://bit.ly/3xw3ed 1:45 PM Nov 5th from bit.ly
RT @DeadlyViper: TOWARD RECONCILIATION - http://shar.es/aAy1z update from @mikefoster @judwilhite @profrah #dvca 10:17 AM Nov 5th from web
I recommend the earnest post by @edcyzewski on the recent evangelical Asian protest against racial insensitivity http://tinyurl.com/ya33tpd 10:14 AM Nov 5th from web
Newbigin: Congregation should be known for (1) praise, (2) truth, (3) locality, (4) integrity, (5) mutuality, (6) hope. http://bit.ly/42J84f 1:25 PM Nov 4th from web
Newbigin "the only hermeneutic of the gospel, is a congregation of men and women who believe it and live by it." http://bit.ly/3KgaZa 1:07 PM Nov 4th from web
We are reading for class today Newbigin's "Evangelism in the Context of Secularization" (readable at Google Books) http://bit.ly/3bW9ej 12:29 PM Nov 4th from web
I have become a big believer in Rosetta Stone and have reviewed it at my TheologicalGerman.com http://bit.ly/mO9fv 12:08 PM Nov 4th from bit.ly
I commented on post by @FaithTheology about AAR paper "Apocalyptic gospel: J. Louis Martyn on Galatians" http://bit.ly/tx4c5 12:06 PM Nov 4th from bit.ly
I have responded to all the comments at @OutofUr about my post "Catalyst, Liturgy, and Innovation" http://bit.ly/4CRx5l 3:51 PM Nov 3rd from bit.ly
My post about the Catalyst Conference is up at @OutofUr: "Catalyst, Liturgy, and Innovation" http://bit.ly/4CRx5l 1:26 PM Nov 2nd from bit.ly
Great to c 79 y.o. OT scholar Bruce Waltke furthering evangelical conversation on evolution. http://bit.ly/2m0UzE via: http://bit.ly/1dRdH0 11:37 AM Nov 2nd from bit.ly
My two comments on U2 @TheJesusCreed #31 pre-evangelism and #35 Lyrics of "I still haven't found" http://bit.ly/3DH57K 11:30 AM Nov 2nd from bit.ly
I commented on Douglas Campbell's interview about his new book Deliverance of God. http://bit.ly/49g8FF 11:22 AM Nov 2nd from bit.ly
Changed all our clocks for "fall back" but I put them all 7-10 minutes fast following @scotmcknight comment about that http://bit.ly/3O5fcY 11:32 PM Oct 31st from web
I have posted my Microsoft Publisher document with my blog banner and Twitter profile background. http://bit.ly/1QXTkk 2:25 PM Oct 31st from bit.ly
You can now watch the whole Oct 25 U2 concert from the Rose Bowl on YouTube. http://bit.ly/3ZLUcc Setlist: http://bit.ly/3vhOoz 10:55 AM Oct 30th from bit.ly
Earth (rated G) is a wonderful new nature documentary. Some animals do eat other animals--shocking I know--so some parts a bit disturbing.10:37 AM Oct 30th from web
I have added Scott Calhoun's Books & Culture article comments to my "Resources for Theological Reflection on U2" http://bit.ly/SBSwv 8:55 PM Oct 29th from bit.ly
The dangers of syncretism & irrelevance and God's work in spite of us. See Lesslie Newbigin on Communicating the Gospel http://bit.ly/2BABOo 9:24 AM Oct 29th from bit.ly
Foolishness to the Greeks by Newbigin yesterday in class. He critiques modern presuppositions especially scientism & privatization.8:51 AM Oct 29th from web
I posted my notes from today: Tim Morgan @CTmagazine “A Journalist’s Observations of the Anglican Communion” http://bit.ly/Bncfs 9:45 PM Oct 28th from bit.ly
Someone post your notes from #story09 http://www.historytellers.org/ See good photo of opening from @FenderCat84 http://twitpic.com/n9gbu 10:17 AM Oct 28th from web
I posted my notes from Publisher Panel tonight @DukeDivinity: “I want to publish a book someday. What do I do now?” http://bit.ly/2BqZp8 10:34 PM Oct 27th from bit.ly
Kavin Rowe, today at Duke, "Habituation in specialization can cause the scholar to screen out the big questions humans need addressed."4:40 PM Oct 27th from web
Jon Pott, Editor-in-Chief at Eerdmans at Duke today: "Publishers do not want books that evaluate a theologian; instead, be constructive."4:30 PM Oct 27th from web
Christianity Today's new women's digizine @KyriaDigital launched today. Technologically cool. http://bit.ly/2HdPSM @carolynezer #KyriaNov09 8:55 PM Oct 26th from web
My notes from “Cardinal Yves Congar: Ecclesiologist and Ecumenist” @DukeDivinity with Paul Philibert and Gerard Austin http://bit.ly/3FuocM 2:32 PM Oct 26th from bit.ly
Personal interview with the most feared NT prof @DukeDivinity and expert on Mark, Jewish-Christian Joel Marcus http://bit.ly/MqSzI 12:00 PM Oct 26th from web
Prof David Steinmetz @DukeDivinity reflects on the differences between "The pope and the Anglicans" http://bit.ly/26mbry 11:44 AM Oct 26th from bit.ly
The average Ph.D. in the Graduate Program in Religion at Duke is 5.7 years. http://bit.ly/2x5tmb 11:51 AM Oct 23rd from web
Craig Heilmann is the first Duke Th.D. graduate ever. He did it in 3.25 years but is amazing. Some people do indeed finish! Here's hoping.11:50 AM Oct 23rd from web
A bunch of new blog posts at my blog: Greg Jones, Willow Creek preaching, Tim Keller, and Will Willimon. http://www.andyrowell.net/ 10:13 PM Oct 22nd from web
I put forth the Nicene Creed and Marks of the Church as criteria for evaluating the "Virtual" Church at @OutofUr http://bit.ly/3jPVfP 5:49 PM Oct 22nd from bit.ly
Willimon's 2 new: The Early Preaching of Karl Barth http://bit.ly/10lWHw and Undone by Easter: Keeping Preaching Fresh http://bit.ly/2EldYe 2:47 PM Oct 22nd from bit.ly
Will Willimon, "Some biblical texts are all gospel or all law. I preach them in their onesidedness and then let communion balance it out."2:41 PM Oct 22nd from web
Reacting to excesses in own tradition, Willimon (Methodist) stresses exegesis, while Campbell (Presbyterian) stresses more time with people.2:38 PM Oct 22nd from web
Will Willimon, "By their 50's, pastors need theologians. Ministry is too peculiarly demanding. You need more than just liking people."2:32 PM Oct 22nd from web
Will Willimon today at Duke, "As a pastor, it helps to be an intellectual. Amidst the ordinary, getting excited about ideas helps."2:29 PM Oct 22nd from web
New Leadership Journal @OutOfUr arrived today in the mailbox with space/building theme and announcing http://kyria.com/ @kyriadigital 11:01 PM Oct 21st from web
Geoffrey Wainwright scoured Vatican website in Italian after reading: "Vatican Plan to Ease Conversion of Anglicans" http://bit.ly/c90RI 10:46 PM Oct 21st from web
RT @PastorMark: 150 Tim Keller sermons online now for free http://bit.ly/19ev2a via @drjohnjackson 10:41 PM Oct 21st from web
At Duke NT Colloquium, Brad Trick argued Galatians is about legal adoption, not covenant. J. Louis Martyn, S. Eastman, D. Campbell asked Qs.10:37 PM Oct 21st from web
My notes on James F. McCaffrey on Leadership in a Technology Disrupted Organization http://bit.ly/2IMNaS #coachkconference 12:37 PM Oct 21st from bit.ly
My notes from panel: Leading the Next Generation of Workers and Customers: the Social Network http://bit.ly/1KiKIL #coachkconference 11:38 AM Oct 21st from bit.ly
I just posted my notes from Jim Whitehurst of Red Hat: Competing as a 21st century Enterprise http://bit.ly/60FAq #CoachKConference 10:17 AM Oct 21st from bit.ly
Tomorrow I'm attending The Fuqua School of Business & Coach K Leadership Conference http://bit.ly/21ZAZ0 #CoachKConference 9:07 PM Oct 20th from bit.ly
Tim Keller "I give 15+ hours a week to preparing the sermon. I would not advise younger ministers to spend so much time" http://bit.ly/Y4jtg 1:43 PM Oct 15th from bit.ly
Today in class: Newbigin's Open Secret. Addresses liberation theology/Marxism (ch. 8) and church growth (ch. 9) with solid Trin theology.2:04 PM Oct 14th from web
Tweets at Gordon-Conwell's Renewing the Evangelical Mission conf today: @jborah @andyatpeace @grahambuck @gideonstrauss http://bit.ly/2bIu4K 11:29 AM Oct 14th from web
Spring 2010 Duke Divinity School classes released. http://www.divinity.duke.ed... Hauerwas, Hays, Rowe, Carter, Hall, etc.11:13 AM Oct 14th from web
#cat09 speaker @MattChandler74 shares verbatim what he says in his welcome from the pulpit @villagechurchtx http://bit.ly/17trA5 1:38 PM Oct 13th from web
Bill Mounce, Greek textbook writer and New Testament Chair of ESV Committee, Will Join NIV 2011 Trans Team @ctmagazine http://bit.ly/H8Ohr 12:32 PM Oct 13th from web
I commented on Michael Bird's post Euangelion: Evangelical Ecclesiology - Apostolicity http://bit.ly/2v8IOQ 7:04 PM Oct 10th from bit.ly
Best sources for Catalyst talk summaries are http://blog.christianitytod... and http://churchrelevance.com/ #cat09 7:52 AM Oct 9th from web
Day1 Highlights #cat09 @AndyStanley on falling facedown, @Gladwell on overconfidence, @realrobbell on self-care, @MattChandler74 on gospel.12:02 AM Oct 9th from web
"Nehemiah said 'If you do this again, I will lay hands on you' (Neh 13:21). I can identify with that." @perrynoble #cat09 9:43 PM Oct 7th from web
Tales of massive attendance growth is ministry pornography: unrealistic depiction of what is never going to happen to you. @edstetzer #cat09 9:01 PM Oct 7th from web
"Samuel went to meet Saul, but he was told, 'Saul has gone to set up a monument in his own honor'" (1 Sam 15:12) @MarkBatterson #cat09 8:54 PM Oct 7th from web
Funniest line today #cat09 @perrynoble "Some pastors talk about closing the back door of the church but the Bible calls the church a body."8:42 PM Oct 7th from web
Off to Catalyst @realrobbell @AndyStanley @reggiemcneal @MattChandler74 @edstetzer @mafeinberg @ahc @MarkBatterson @PastorChrisSeay #cat09 9:03 PM Oct 5th from web

Free Churches and Liturgical Churches: Behind the Numbers

2009-11-02T13:29:47-05:00

My post is up at Christianity Today's Leadership Journal Out of Ur blog:

Catalyst, Liturgy, and Innovation What liturgical church leaders and the Catalyst Conference can learn from each other.

It has also been published in a slightly different form at Duke Divinity School's Faith & Leadership website on the Call & Response blog:

What Liturgical and Free Church leaders can learn from each other.

Make your comments there. Thanks.

Free Churches and Liturgical Churches: Behind the Numbers

The first two sentences in the post attempt to show that there is a significant split in the United States between liturgical churches and free churches.

According to data from the National Congregations Study (2006-2007), 38% of people in the United States associate themselves with liturgical churches (Roman Catholic, Lutheran, Episcopal, etc.); while 46% associate themselves with free churches (Baptist, Pentecostal, non-denominational, etc.). The 14% of people associated with Methodist and Reformed/Presbyterian churches sit atop this watershed—some sliding down the liturgical slope, others down the free church slope.

The data I draw from in these sentences is from the following chart. I have marked the liturgical numbers yellow, free church numbers pink and Reformed/Methodist green.

Explore the Data: Wave 2 - 2006/07

Denomination
Response	Frequency	Percent	Valid Percent	Cumulative Percent
ROMAN CATHOLIC	421	27.9	27.9
BAPTIST	312	20.7	20.7	48.7
METHODIST	136	9.1	9.1	57.7
LUTHERAN	77	5.1	5.1	62.9
PRESBYTERIAN OR REFORMED	68	4.5	4.5	67.3
PENTECOSTAL	84	5.6	5.6	73.0
OTHER MODERATE OR LIBERAL PROTESTANTS	26	1.7	1.7	74.6
EPISCOPAL CHURCH	43	2.9	2.9	77.5
OTHER CONSERVATIVE, EVANGELICAL, OR SECTARIAN PROTESTANTS	97	6.5	6.5	84.0
OTHER CHRISTIAN, NOT OTHERWISE SPECIFIED	191	12.7	12.7	96.7
NON-CHRISTIAN	50	3.3	3.3	100.0

NOTE: this table reflects the number of persons in congregations.

To get it:

I went to the National Congregations home page.
Clicked explore the data
Clicked on Basic Findings for each Variable in the Surveys: Wave 2: 2006-2007 data
Clicked under the Variables. "Denomiation."
Clicked: "I want my tables to reflect the number of persons in congregations"
Clicked: Create Frequency Table.

The same information is presented slightly differently on page 27 of The National Congregations Study report "American Congregations at the Beginning of the 21st Century" by Mark Chaves

RELIGIOUS TRADITION:
Percent with no denominational affiliation 13.9

    Percent associated with each denomination or tradition:
Roman Catholic                                                                 27.9
Baptist conventions/denominations                                   20.7
Methodist denominations                                                    9.1
Lutheran/Episcopal denominations                                     7.9
Pentecostal                                                                         5.6
Denominations in the reformed tradition                             4.5
Other Christian                                                                  20.9
Jewish                                                                                  1.6
Non-Christian and Non-Jewish                                             1.7

I reflected on the Report at:

Two new reports: Thumma / Bird on Megachurches and Chaves on American Congregations

Duke sociologist Mark Chaves has written the 2004 Harvard University Press book:

More raw unweighted data is available at:

National Congregations Study, Cumulative Dataset (1998 and 2006-2007)

From this type of data (if it was properly weighted), one would begin to form the chart above.

9) Denominational affiliation (collapsed 1) (DENCODE)

	TOTAL	%
0) No denomination	313	11.4
1) Roman Catholic	663	24.2
2) Southern Baptist Convention	285	10.4
3) Black Baptist	91	3.3
4) American Baptist Churches	26	0.9
5) Other Baptist	120	4.4
6) United Methodist Church	245	8.9
7) Black Methodist	23	0.8
8) Other Methodist	9	0.3
9) Evangelical Lutheran Church in America	111	4.1
10) Lutheran Church - Missouri Synod	52	1.9
11) Other Lutheran	19	0.7
12) Presbyterian Church (USA)	82	3.0
13) Other Presbyterian	9	0.3
14) Assembly of God	48	1.8
15) Other Pentecostal	54	2.0
16) Church of God in Christ	21	0.8
17) Disciples of Christ	17	0.6
18) Episcopal Church	77	2.8
19) United Church of Christ	51	1.9
20) Reformed Church in America	8	0.3
21) Church of the Brethren	7	0.3
22) Jehovah's Witness	28	1.0
23) Mennonite	7	0.3
24) Church of the Nazarene	20	0.7
25) Seventh-day Adventists	15	0.5
26) Unitarian Universalist Association	16	0.6
27) Eastern Orthodox	13	0.5
28) Church/Churches of Christ	16	0.6
29) Various Church of God	26	0.9
30) Latter-day Saints (LDS, Mormon)	45	1.6
31) Jewish	45	1.6
32) Non-Christian/non-Jewish	53	1.9
35) Evangelical	13	0.5
36) Christian and Missionary Alliance	13	0.5
37) Other Mainline/Liberal	9	0.3
38) Other Conservative/Evangelical	34	1.2
39) Other Christian, nec	56	2.0
TOTAL	2740	100.0

[ Add to Question Bank | View Question Bank ]

Lesslie Newbigin on Communicating the Gospel

2009-11-01T09:19:00-05:00

I am a teaching assistant in Geoffrey Wainwright's class on Newbigin at Duke Divinity School. (Wainwright wrote Lesslie Newbigin: A Theological Life). Yesterday we dealt with Lesslie Newbigin's book Foolishness to the Greeks.

At the beginning of the book, Newbigin explains the importance of communicating the gospel "in the language of the receptor culture" (5) But the gospel should also "radically call into question" that receptor culture (6). In the final analysis, conversion "can only be the work of God" (6). Some of us fail to communicate the gospel in language people can understand and others of us are not sufficiently aware of the way we have capitulated to the culture around us. Thanks be to God for working through us in spite of our shortcomings. Here is Newbigin's marvelous longer explanation of this concept.

The same threefold pattern is exemplified in the experience of a missionary who, nurtured in one culture, seeks to communicate the gospel among people of another culture whose world has been shaped by a vision of the totality of things quite different from that of the Bible. He must first of all struggle to master the language. To begin with, he will think of the words he hears simply as the equivalent of the words he uses in his own tongue and are listed in his dictionary as equivalents. But if he really immerses himself in the talk, the songs and folk tales, and the literature of the people, he will discover that there are no exact equivalents. All the words in any language derive their meaning, their resonance in the minds of those who use them, from a whole world of experience and a whole way of grasping that experience. So there are no exact translations. He has to render the message as best he can, drawing as fully as he can upon the tradition of the people to whom he speaks.

Clearly he has to find the path between two dangers. On the one hand, he may simply fail to communicate: he uses the words of the language, but in such a way that he sounds like a foreigner; his message is heard as the babblings of a man who really has nothing to say. Or, on the other hand, he may so far succeed in talking the language of his hearers that he is accepted all too easily as a familiar character--a moralist calling for greater purity of conduct or a guru offering a path to the salvation that all human beings want. His message is simply absorbed into the existing world-view and heard as a call to be more pious or better behaved. In the attempt to be "relevant" one may fall into syncretism, and in the effort to avoid syncretism one may become irrelevant.

In spite of these dangers, which so often reduce the effort of the missionary to futility, it can happen that, in the mysterious providence of God, a word spoken comes with the kind of power of the word that was spoken to Saul on the road to Damascus. Perhaps it is as sudden and cataclysmic as that. Or perhaps it is the last piece that suddenly causes the pattern to make sense, the last experience of a long series that tips the scales decisively. However, that may be, it causes the hearer to stop, turn around, and go in a new direction, to accept Jesus as his Lord, Guide, and Savior.

Lesslie Newbigin, Foolishness to the Greeks: The Gospel and Western Culture (Grand Rapids: Eerdmans, 1986), 7-8.

This section from Newbigin is also excerpted in the excellent book:

I have also reviewed some other Newbigin books:

My Microsoft Publisher document with my blog banner and Twitter profile background

2009-10-31T14:11:06-04:00

I just thought I would post my Microsoft Publisher document with my blog banner and Twitter profile background.

In other words, with the Publisher document above, you can make your own version of these:

My Twitter profile background:

and my blog banner

Many of you probably have Microsoft Publisher on your computers with Microsoft Office (Word, PowerPoint, Excel, etc.) You could modify my document in Publisher and make your own.

In Publisher, you have to learn to group and ungroup objects.

1. You ungroup the objects.

2. Then you make any changes.

3. Then you hold down the shift key and select all of the objects that form your header and then click "Group."

4. Then you right click and "Save as Picture."

Twitter background photos have to be less than 700 KB (or 800 KB?) or Twitter will not upload them. Mine is 657KB.

You can change your Twitter background by going to Settings / Design / Change Background Image.

I am no designer but I just thought I would share with you how I've muddled through.

Another option that Michael Hyatt used is to pay a small fee for a template at tweetpages.com

I also like the twitter profile backgrounds of Tony Morgan and Kent Shaffer and Andy Crouch.

Tim Morgan on “A Journalist’s Observations of the Anglican Communion”

2009-10-28T15:34:04-04:00

Here are my notes from:

“A Journalist’s Observations of the Anglican Communion”
Date: Wed., Oct. 28
Time: 12:20 p.m.
Location: 0015 Westbrook
Duke Divinity School
Tim Morgan of Christianity Today will speak on “A Journalist’s Observations of the Anglican Communion” at a brown bag lunch seminar hosted by the Anglican Episcopal House of Studies.

Disclaimer. These are not exact transcription or exact quotes but rather just my rough notes. Still, I know many of you would love the chance to get a glimpse into discussions like these that are happening around Duke Divinity School so I think it is worth posting the notes.

Jo Bailey Wells: Introduction: Tim has worked for Christianity Today for 17 years. He does features and cover stories and travels the globe. 1/2 of CT’s staff is Anglican/Episcopalian. He covered Lambeth. He did undergraduate degree at Gordon College and MS in journalism at Boston University.

Tim Morgan

It is difficult to keep up with everything. People experience information overload and get disoriented and anxious.
When I was at Lambeth, the leaders were in constant state of anxiety but they were in denial and would never say that. E.g. People said, “I can’t do an interview with you but I like the Bible studies.”
Global snapshot: In Africa, we see tremendous turn inward. Sudan . . . Kenya . . . Uganda . . . Nigeria—tremendous change. In America and Europe too. There is turn inward in large organizations. The exception is in Asia.
The greatest global opportunities are in Asia: India, China, Pakistan, Singapore. We need to be asking ourselves, “How are we engaging with Asians?”
A big story in foreign policy is China’s influence in Africa.
I’m glad you are passionate about Sudan as I am. Sudan and Madagascar are both ordaining new bishops. There it is moving outward.
From outside the Anglican Communion, people don’t understand it. Within the Anglican Communion, people in the church want to know what they should do if they disagree.
What is my mission? My mission is to shape the response of Christians to change through truth-revealing stories.
I went to GAFCON event with conservatives and then went to Lambeth.
When I was working on the story about all the events, my editors wanted me to do 1200 word story because most readers of CT aren’t Anglican. I thought—I did 6 weeks of my life covering this!
Canterbury Cathedral is falling apart. A buff guy was cutting stones in half with handsaw. He was rebuilding the cathedral. That became a metaphor for me. The way the Anglican communion functions—the power is at Lambeth but the culture is at Canterbury. The culture of Canterbury was being side-stepped. We are called to culture of martyrdom and pilgrimage of Canterbury.
Jo Wells: There is Canterbury Court in the summer which Duke students can attend.
Elise: I went on the program. It was beautiful—bringing young priests and seminarians from all over the world—so it was symbolic. The people at the Cathedral call everyone pilgrims and not tourists. Everyone is a pilgrim even if they don’t know it. There is an attitude of service there.

TM continues: Pilgrimage in Jerusalem or Canterbury is an immersion experience. It is like a Christian summer camp—plucked out of your setting and put in the Christian community. Immersion experiences can be negative.
I have been to Rwanda 4 times. The East African Revival is one of the most important revivals in Christian history—this was Anglican revival.
Anglicanism is reshaping itself. My job is to think and imagine the new shape of Anglicanism. The old shape has failed it. Anglicanism and Anglican Communion were coming together but after 1998 there was divergence—slowly coming apart.
Pope and his new overture toward Anglicans. Anglicans have new relationship with other parts of Christendom. Rick Warren is way ahead of the game. He has been meeting with other denominations since 2004. I have interviewed him many times and traveled with him. Primate of Anglican church in Africa who represents 5 million Anglicans is asking Rick Warren how he can do his job better. Primate has humility and Warren is taking time to say, “This is how I do it.” Now Catholics want Anglicans.
Metropolitan Jonah—major conference between Anglicans and Orthodox in Wisconsin—a few weeks ago. Metropolitan Jonah was raised in the Episcopal church. There is lessening of ties within Anglican Communion and increasing ties with other Christians.
Anglican Communion is functioning more like a network.
Technology is driving change a lot in the church. From the top to Christian education.
Networking is powerful and dangerous.
Who are you in communion with? And who are you networked with?
Now I can be directly in contact with an African leader.
Archbishop Bob Duncan and Bishop Mins are on Facebook.
The shape must be Trinitarian.
Graham Pulkingham.
A few specific observations about the church in the UK.
The amazing thing to me is the silence by top Anglican leaders.
Rowan Williams: I didn’t know until the last minute. That is like “the dog ate my homework.” We knew this was coming. The Archbishop of York, Wales or Scotland have not commented.
Story in Times of London—Roman tanks on Lambeth lawn. They are sensationalizing it.
The biggest challenge before us is relation to state.
Every day I get emails about inhibiting of freedom of religion. It poses the greatest threat and challenge.
The genius of the first amendment from interference of the state and giving license.
You may see disestablishment of religion in UK—stranger things have happened in British history. What is the state doing? is a critical question. Is there a consensus about diestablishment? Some say, “Bring it on” others would be horrified.

Questions and Answers:

Q: What does Canterbury being the center have to do with GAFCON networking? Where do we get creative ideas from—perhaps from Rick Warren and Metropolitan Jonah?
Tim Morgan: This is what we call “creative tension.” The culture of Canterbury is enriching perspective—your journey as a Christian is a pilgrimage.
Q: Culture of Canterbury? Technology and disembodiment?
TM: People in history had awareness of martyrdom and their spiritual lives were enriched by physical journey. It has mystical quality but sense of sacrifice—speaking truth to power and the quest for justice and the embodiment of the gospel. There is an incarnational quality that is very powerful and palpable. It is leaving your place of comfort.
Jo Wells: Canterbury is very beautiful but there is no money.
TM: If it is all technological and disembodied, we lose something. But technology can be used for the furthering of the gospel. Consider Billy Graham.
Q: Some people see Canterbury as culture of oppression and dominance.
TM: In its past, it was the place of standing against power, the throne, the king. I went to Zanzibar with Archbishop of Canterbury and celebrate the abolition of slavery. (That is another cathedral that is falling apart). In India, there are many stories of oppression in the name of Christianity.
Q: Rick Warren. Is Anglicanism capable of producing such a person and would we want to?
TM: It is is not beyond the capacity of the global church. It is hard for people in UK and USA to understand that we are not in the majority. In Rwanda, they use Anglican prayerbook but sing no Western hymns but rather dance to Rwandan songs. Great Anglican leadership in Israel, Egypt, Malaysia and Singapore.
Q: Sensory overload. Do Christians perpetuate the noise? Should we resist to keep the reverence for the sacred? Do we need to be extremely countercultural?
TM: When technology begins to damage relationships, we are in the red zone. Firing off angry email, etc. When local churches, use technology, e.g. they set up auto-debit for tithe—it can be a problem. The tangibility will sometimes do us some spiritual good. Part of it is self-awareness and generational. My 13 year old daughter is using technology in ways different from my parents who have trouble with email. I am interested in the subject of intimacy. God wants to have intimate relationships with us but because we are fallen, that is distorted. We should be countercultural.
Q: Is Canterbury a way to say what is essential to Anglicanism? Are you using Canterbury in iconic way to express what is deepest about Anglicanism?
TM: Bishop Lyons from Wheaton College is a bishop in Bolivia. What can Anglicans offer in Bolivia with Roman Catholics and Pentecostals? Lyons: “We bring balance.” Charismatic Anglicans, Confessing Anglicans, Anglo-Catholic—coalescence. Re-awareness of idea and meaning of Canterbury is a common experience. Often among clergy they say there is conflict around vision. Before you have shared vision, there must be shared experience. Before you have common language, there must be shared experience. The experience of gospel of God—Father, Son and Holy Spirit. At Lambeth, people talked past each other because there is no communion.
Q: GAFCON tried to trump Canterbury with Jerusalem.
TM: It is true that we have to get back to Jerusalem but we also have to get Canterbury. Peter Jenson—very reformed and not charismatic. But he is meeting with people influenced by East African Revival.
Q: Christianity Today tries to bring people together. There is decline of Anglicanism in North America. Anglicans in US influenced by Pope on one side and Rick Warren on the other.
TM: I would describe myself as a family man—kids, nephews, uncles, aunts. It is important in my faith to do delabeling. I have learned this from my son—he hates the labels on his shirt so we take them off before he wears them. I take off the labels. I see you as a brother or sister or aunt. I grant you a visa to come into my house—to be in relationship with you. Nation-states keep close control of the borders. We are in the family of God and this is profoundly counter-cultural.

Here are a few articles by Tim Morgan:

Conservative Anglicans Create Rival Church
Top leader Duncan expects to see Episcopal Church 'displaced.'
by Timothy C. Morgan in Wheaton | posted 12/14/2008

Defending the Faith
Conservatives face huge obstacles in putting Anglicanism back together.
by Timothy C. Morgan in Canterbury and Jerusalem | posted 10/13/2008

The Come-Back Bishop
Ousted conservative sees a new center emerging in the Christian West.
Interview by Timothy C. Morgan | posted 10/13/2008

Global Ultimatum
The larger meaning of Anglican leaders' demand that the Episcopal Church change its ways.
Timothy C. Morgan in Tanzania and Zanzibar | posted 3/16/2007 09:35AM

Ready to Walk Apart?
Episcopal bishops reject oversight from "distant" prelates.
Timothy C. Morgan | posted 3/22/2007 09:04AM

Global Anglicans Flex Muscle
Conservative bishops join forces to counter potent revisionist wing.
Timothy C. Morgan | posted 1/01/2006 12:00AM

Anglicans 'Severely Wounded'
At a top summit in Egypt, conservatives call for a Scripture-affirming covenant.
by Timothy C. Morgan in Ain Sukhna, Suez

Purpose Driven in Rwanda
Rick Warren's sweeping plan to defeat poverty.

by Timothy C. Morgan in Kigali, Rwanda | posted 9/23/2005 12:00AM

Why We're Losing the War Against HIV/AIDS
Harvard's Edward C. Green says health officials undermine abstinence and fidelity programs in Africa.

Interview by Timothy C. Morgan | posted 3/07/2005 12:00AM

The China Paradox

Timothy C. Morgan | posted 5/09/2008 08:15AM

Egypt's Identity Impasse
Former Muslims seek to change their government-issued cards as outreach gains ground.

Timothy C. Morgan in Cairo | posted 4/14/2008 08:50AM

After the Aloha Shirts
Retooling Saddleback's international work and hosting a presidential forum serve a common purpose, says Rick Warren.

Interview by Timothy C. Morgan | posted 10/01/2008 07:28AM

Publisher Panel: “I want to publish a book someday. What do I do now?”

2009-10-27T22:17:46-04:00

Here are my notes from a panel this evening at Duke Divinity School entitled “I want to publish a book someday. What do I do now?” with participants Mickey Maudlin from HarperOne, Lil Copan from Paraclete Press, Jon Pott from Eerdmans, and Jana Riess from Westminster/John Knox.

Tuesday, October 27, 2009. 7:00 pm

Jana Riess from Westminster/John Knox.

Don’t write a memoir for your first book.
You probably won’t get rich.

10 Things You Can Do Now to Help You Get Published Later

Take a wide variety of classes.
Don’t be a jerk. Be eager to be edited by your editor.
Build your platform now.
Write blog. Write op-eds. Write book reviews. Practice writing for the public.
Create a social media profile.
Don’t make your dissertation a narrow topic.
Study the market very carefully before you write your book proposal. How to Write a Book Proposal. What are the competing books out there?
Stay up to date on technology.
Test your ideas on real people outside the ivory tower.
Read, read, read. Popular fiction to popular nonfiction. Writer’s Market Guide to Getting Published.

Lil Copan from Paraclete Press

Some writers write because they want to get published. It is not about what they need to say. They are disappointing to work with.
Robert Olen Butler at Florida State—head of writing program: “writing from the white hot center.” Wait for a calling.
People who write from place of great passion and it is unexplored have passion.
If they know everything about the topic, then it is a dull topic.
Sets of homilies do not turn well into books. The spoken word and written text are different. You must rewrite it for readers.
Anecdote is different from narrative.
Learn from Ellen Davis [who gave inaugural lecture “The Poetry of Care and Loss” as the Amos Ragan Kearns Distinguished Professor of Bible and Practical Theology earlier this evening].

Jon Pott from Eerdmans

You don’t have to write in life to be a success. There is an itch among students to write. It is a high calling. Don’t feel too burdened to write. It is advice I believe in. Students today feel more obliged to write than they did 10 years ago. There are good sermons to preach and articles to write.
The need to know your publisher. We are distinctively different. A lot of what I am involved is in the academic world. Don’t send to Eerdmans a book that should go to John Knox/Westminster. We are eclectic. I’m astounded how many I get that are not apt for us.
Dissertations. If you are going to write an academic book, one strong piece of advice, know from the start whether it is going to be a publishable subject. You write for your committee. Afterward, you hope to just make cosmetic changes and shorten it. Your committee does you a disservice unless it will finally be publishable book.
E.g. a comparative study of Barth and Schleiermacher. The constructive third part is of interest but the rest is not.
Two audiences with two goals. For your committee, you want to demonstrate competence. For your publisher, you want easiest ticket to tenure. But the subject is not suited to the second taskmaster.
Practice writing. Today’s writing because of email, people stand less behind their words. Expressiveness but not thoughtfulness is a problem.
Study the markets—who else is out there.

Mickey Maudlin from HarperOne

In New York, one of the top 5-6 in New York publishers.
But religion books in San Francisco since 1970’s.
How are we different? Who do we reach and how do we reach them?
We are general trade publishing not church and academia.
We work closely with culture and religion. You probably won’t start with us.
Colbert, Time, Newsweek, Oprah—national media drives our books.
Not so much the content but the person has a platform.
We rarely do first time authors.
Lauren Winner, Barbara Brown Taylor, Jack Spong, Richard Foster, Dallas Willard, Bart Ehrman, N. T. Wright.
Barnes and Noble, Borders, and Amazon. Take 10,000 copies. We are going to promote it.
Our authors are curious people.
Learn to write in first person but it is not about you.
You become people who have something to say. You pioneered something. Dyslexic? I will find a way to get them in print if they have something to say.
People think it is all about content. Content question is: What is this book going to give to the reader after they’ve read it? We have to spell out the takeaway on cover, in title, and how we describe it in marketing copy. E.g. Misquoting Jesus: The Story Behind Who Changed the Bible and Why by Bart D. Ehrman.

Questions and Answers:

How do you get published? What is the etiquette?

Riess: People submit manuscripts. See instructions on the website of the publisher and follow them closely. Relate your proposals to books who have done well with that publisher.

Potts: Query letter. Who you are, why you want to do it, market, how does it fit with other books. Who are the intellectual influences?

Riess: Some want proposal mailed and some emailed. I want it emailed because I live in a different city from the publisher.

Maudlin: Be shrewd—who was the editor of previous books. How did the book do? Good proposal shows you are willing to hustle the book too. It is not easy today to get noticed.

Does academic quality matter?

Potts: Yes. The academic factor is important. We like work that breaks new ground, is creative, well done, and adds something to the discussion. Our publishing house is built for some books with few copies (1500 reader books). Print on demand is a help there. We’re finding we do more books digitally. 700 copies—print on demand. 1000 copies we print it the classic way. You can scarcely tell the difference nowadays.

Riess: Explain with academic books where you will be speaking, journals you are on board on, and what classes might use it.

Timetable?

Copan: We expect book to be in a year. Once finished and manuscript in, it is 6-8 months until release date.

Potts: For us it takes a year once we get it.

Maudlin: After finished manuscript, it is 12-14 months to get media ready.

Control?

All: Publisher has freedom with regard to design and even title but they try to work with authors.

How early should you contact a publisher?

Maudlin: Sample chapter.

Riess: Have a proposal ready to back up your query.

How do you study the market?

Maudlin: Publisher’s Lunch. Publisher’s Weekly newsletter. http://www.publishersmarketplace.com/lunch/subscribe.html

Riess: You need to show that you have done some market research.

Potts: Look at Amazon or bookstores and know what else is out there.

Riess: Depression and African-Americans—a niche there.

What are the advantages of getting into religious publishing?

Riess: You can be a generalist.

What is a proposal?

Maudlin: Sell the book.

Potts: Make it easy for us.

Coauthoring?

Copan: Many relationships tested by the process.

Maudlin: How do you tell stories? That is another hurdle.

How many proposals come to fruition?

All: The attrition rate is very high because most never do basic research about the publisher and a proper book proposal.

Maudlin: We accept no unsolicited manuscripts.

Copan: 2-3 a year.

Potts: 5% unsolicited.

Maudlin: Don’t despair about the future of the book. Books will be with us. It is the golden age of reading. There is lots of reading being done by kids and youth and new venues for reading.

Notes:

I thought it was interesting to view this list as a background to what they were saying tonight: Publisher's Weekly Christian Marketplace Bestsellers: November 2009 (H/T Michael Hyatt)

And I thought this article was very humorous about book marketing: The New Yorker Subject: Our Marketing Plan by Ellis Weiner October 19, 2009

I would also bet Michael Hyatt's book Writing a Winning Book Proposal is good. http://michaelhyatt.com/products/ebook-writing-a-winning-book-proposal

“Cardinal Yves Congar: Ecclesiologist and Ecumenist” with Paul Philibert and Gerard Austin

2009-10-26T14:24:05-04:00

I thought I would post my notes from this fascinating discussion by some Roman Catholic theologians about the ecclesiology of Roman Catholic theologian Yves Congar (1904-1995). Based on their description of Congar, I would think many Protestants would appreciate him.

“Cardinal Yves Congar: Ecclesiologist and Ecumenist” with Paul Philibert and Gerard Austin

Date: Mon., Oct. 26

Time: 12:20 - 1:30 p.m.

Location: 0012 Westbrook

Duke Divinity School

Description of event: Philibert, Order of Preachers (OP), has held various academic positions including most recently as the resident scholar at Collegeville Institute in Minnesota. He has published extensively on ecclesiology and the religious life. Austin, OP, teaches liturgics at the Rice School for Pastoral Ministry in Florida and has published widely on liturgical and ecclesiological topics.

Paul Philibert has held various academic positions, most recently resident scholar at the Collegeville Institute in Minnesota; he has also served as a Visiting Professor at the University of Fribourg (pastoral theology) and at Aquinas Institute of Theology (church and society). He has published extensively on ecclesiology and religious life.

Gerald Austin teaches liturgics at the Rice School for Pastoral Ministry in Arcadia, Florida. He taught theology, ministry and liturgics for thirty-one years at The Catholic University of America. He has taught at various other universities, including Aquinas Institute of Theology, and the University of Notre Dame. He has published widely on liturgical and ecclesiological topics.

This event is sponsored by the Warren Chair of Catholic Theology at Duke Divinity School (omnes cognitiones theologiae famulantur).

Paul Griffith: Introduction.

It is my pleasure to introduce two Dominicans. (See descriptions above).

Gerald Austin: Paul Philibert’s book is really good: Priesthood of the Faithful.

I’m on sabbatical this semester to celebrate 50 years of teaching. So I went back to Paris and Paul’s book was there in French too.

The seeds of Congar’s ecclesiology lie in his great theology of baptism and Eucharist. All his life he insisted on not treating all sacraments on the same level. We have main sacraments: baptism and Eucharist.

Congar’s article in volume 31—Baptism and Eucharist are the major sacraments.

This is not how many Catholics think.

Ordination is a minor sacrament.

Congar affected me very much.

He is most known for 1953 French book—Signposts for a Theology of the Laity. Translated into English as —Laypeople in the Church. 1957 French revised edition and in English 1965 are what you should read.

The Priesthood of the Baptized. The participation of all the faithful in Christ’s priesthood. 1 Peter 2.

I was on a sabbatical and I told Congar I was using his book and he told me to read his corrections in an article. It got translated into English in The Jurist. 1971 in French; 1972 Volume 32 169-188.

Congar, "My Path-Findings in the Theology of Laity and Ministries," The Jurist 32 (1972): 169-88.

Congar says humbly how he would do it differently.

I was ordained a priest in 1959. 50 years ago. I taught undergrads for four years and then they asked you if you were happy in academia, then you would or would not go on to do a doctorate. I was sent to Paris to do doctorate—1964-1968. I defended during the revolution.

I had Congar as a teacher and lived with him in the same community. He changed my life.

When I arrived in 1964, I would have said I am a Roman Catholic priest. After Congar, I would have answered quite differently: I am a baptized Christian who happens to be ordained.

On the intellectual level, it changed my whole life—making me more compassionate. I just finished a retreat this weekend—emphasizing Eucharist and baptism—shaking up some people.

The Church is first and foremost the body of Christ. Book in 1965.

Two familiar terms from St. Paul: Christ in us; and we in Christ.

The Orthodox have always stressed this—theosis, deification, divine-human, divinization.

17 books I have written but now I have my students reading about divinization.

Congar says in the Jurist article, “I was not true to my vision in the book.”

Avery Dulles said Vatican 2 could be called Congar’s Congress.

Liturgical constitution was first. Then constitution on the Church (Lumen Gentium)—they reversed the chapter order after reflection—putting hierarchy later.

Two Americans were working on this: Godfrey ________ and _________

Congar—it was the community.

Paul Philibert’s new book: At the Heart of Christian Worship—essays by Congar. Congar’s essay on community will finally be in English.

Congar says, I was going to write about “total ecclesiology” constitutional, hierarchical and “everything we do” –the latter we have lost track of it.

In the Jurist article, Congar says “the coupling is the laity vs. ordained doesn’t work. It is better to say, ministries or services vs. the whole community.”

Congar says in Jurist article, I didn’t go through with that in the book. I didn’t write a book about “total ecclesiology.”

Congar said, The door you open to the subject determines what you will discuss. I opened the wrong door. I opened the door of hiearchy rather than the door of community.

The Vatican haven’t got it yet but they are getting closer: the new catechism—the priesthood is a means for the priesthood of the faithful.

Congar: I can give you the definition of the laity, I can give it to you in a second. But a definition of the ordained priest, is more complicated and difficult.

I owe a great debt to this man—he made me do an ecclesiological flipflop.

I like to go to the Wafflehouse late at night and they flip over the omelet for me. Congar flipped my omelet.

Intellectually I owe the most to Congar.

Paul Philibert knows much more than I about Congar.

Paul Philibert: Thanks for allowing us to share our interest in and passion for Congar.

Born in 1904 in NE City of Sudan. He grew up in a city where Protestants and Catholics were fond neighbors.

WWII marked his youth. He told the story in 4-5 books about how the Catholic church was destroyed and the Reformed church let the Catholics use their facility. This left a big impact on him.

He met Jacque Maritian. The invited the great intellectuals of Paris—literary, cultural, theologians to discussions

Because of interest in Aquinas, Congar became a Dominican.

1925 Novice. 1930 Priest.

Congar says, I came to ecclesiology and ecumenism—in 1929—reading Gospel of John. Unity of the church and Christians—John 17. My vocation to the unity of the church and unity of Christians—since winter 1929-1930, I have been oriented that way.

Only religious experiences was that one and in third conference of Vatican II. Congar said to God, I don’t know why I am here but I know you are doing something. This is a mystery beyond what I can understand.

Vatican II was the largest council and crucially had delegates from the Reformed Churches.

Congar saw himself as a chaplain to the Protestant representatives. There was a Protestant study group who brought recommendations.

Given permission to do 3 month trip to Germany—where he went to Dusseldorf.

In Paris, Congar used to visit Oscar Cullman. Neighbors were worried about their bad influence on each other.

1930—he was given the Treatise on the Church. In 1930-32, it was an insignificant tract. It was something you do in a couple of weeks. He wanted to refound ecclesiology. He had to go back to Robert Bellaman.

Four marks of the church: one, holy, catholic, and apostolic. This is not just Roman Catholic church. How can we draw parts together?

1950 True and False Reform in the Church. Within 9 months, it was forbidden to be translated or distributed. In 1968, he emerged from Vatican as respected and Paul Philibert has translation of revised edition coming out.

1953 Lay People in the Church. One important ecumenical development: uses prophet, priest and king. He acknowledges this is from John Calvin.

Congar says, I don’t know if the Fathers led me to John Calvin or Calvin led me to the Fathers.

This caught the attention of ecumenical theologians.

Christians in Dialogue (French) Dialogue between Christians (English). “I wanted to gain respectability and support by publishing by theologically important and incontestable works because Roman Catholic church was afraid of ecumenism.”

Four principles from Congar about theology:

1. Primacy of charity and pastoral. Reform in the church is based on charity—the concrete needs of souls.

Most important thing in 1940’sJoseph Cardin—young Christian workers: observe, judge, act. Small groups of young people were taught that they can look, judge and do something.

The ordinary is important.

2. Remain within the community of all.

Congar believed, If Luther had stayed and put up with the absurdity of papal delegates, there would have been more faithful church. Luther is one of the top 4 Christian geniuses with Augustine and Aquinas.

He says he would not have liked Luther much. But there is a complementarity—every continent—this is Catholicity. John Henry Newman—this appeals to Newman as well.

Guardians of the tradition let deformities go on under business as usual—they should have been more impatient.

3. Patience and respect for delays.

He had to endure Vatican correctives of his work. Congar was forbidden to do something but then found better way to do it.

4. Begin by returning to principles of Catholicism. It is a living reality. Continuity of development.

In True and False Reform—the church exists as the body of Christ whose responsibility is to preserve the unity of the body through approval, correction and administration. This is apostolic gift of the church. But there is the periphery and they have gifts of the Holy Spirit—every language, philosophy and culture. We look to the periphery for creativity. If the center does not respect periphery, or periphery does not respect center, that is not healthy.

Three principles of Congar that summarize ecclesiology and ecumenical vision:

1. Church is apostolic yeast of kingdom of God but is not the kingdom of God itself.

Church is servant and sign of the Kingdom.

2. Church is an ordered society with structure but has periphery to express tradition with creativity and faithfulness.

3. Christ’s own priesthood was not essentially liturgical or priestly. Christ was not a priest—only eschatologically (Hebrews 4:11). Neither should the baptized faithful be priestly.

Congar’s use of the word “real” –the realized mystery of the Eucharist—the union and gifts of the people who have taken the Eucharist. Not 15 minutes on Sunday at church but expressed in the ordinary of daily life. He joined Lutheran and Calvinist perspectives—and was respected by Cullman and Swiss pastor/theologian.—You have restored our hope in the church.

Geoffrey Wainwright: Question: “I was most influenced by French title—resourcement. Congar made it explicit for Catholics and Protestants.”

Philibert: He read incessantly in the Church Fathers. I translated 2,500 footnotes—most are Church Fathers. Tradition capital T and small t: (1) Scriptures are living reality as proclaimed and taught in the church, the fathers in the church in dialogue with each other and us; (3) . . .

Stanley Hauerwas: 1962-1965 we were reading Congar in seminary. We were surprised to read about Eucharist and Baptism. Did he try to come up with general account of sacrament and then try to figure out how many there are?

Austin: This was all in the Fathers. I had him as a teacher. Start with God and then Christ sacrament of that, and then Church sacrament of that. Then sacraments seem quite small. Vows are sacrament. Only 11th century, they limited it to 7.

I teach everything because it is a small school. I’m teaching theology of ministry. Sacraments are a gift to the church. The whole church is the proper locus of apostolicity. Christ institutes the eucharist through priest—NO!

Philibert: Radically patristic. Not orders but baptism. Not popes, priests but baptism. Baptism awakens people who raise up leaders. There is no privilege of holiness for ordination.

Hauerwas: Christological center.

Philibert: As an old man, one of the last interviews with young Croatian. If I were to look for your theology, where do I look? Congar replied, Look in Council documents.

This is very touching from diary at council. Congar wrote, I am filled to overflowing because all of the things I gave special attention to at Council are in the documents: ecclesiology, mission, return to sources . . .

To Congar: Your theology has had to evolve, right? We are all disciples of Christ.

Congar replied: I couldn’t agree more but the church is not ready to hear it yet.

Certainly he thought RC church had gift of apostolicity.

Paul Griffith: The church has moved on since Congar. The controversy is trying to understand the council documents (which is normal). Contrast ecumenical vision vs. John Paul II encyclical 1995 about ecumenism. Would you agree there is a difference in tone? It is not altogether in Congar’s direction.

Philibert: Congar was dead at that time. When he started in 1937, he never dreamed there would be another council, a document on ecumenism. He did not lose interest but his last years were full of gratitude. The biggest difference between Congar and Vatican is Congar’s interest in the periphery and local church. Vatican wants to subsume local in the larger church.

Austin: To add to that, John Paul II is going at things in a very different way. He is opening the door at ordained ministry. Read the Holy Thursday addresses—a radically different approach.

But for Congar, in that Jurist article, the whole church is apostolic succession. Raymond Brown made people nervous—ordained ministry is not in the New Testament.

Griffith: I am not disagreeing with you—I think that is mostly right. But I want to ask about the development of doctrine. How now should (normatively) we as Catholics think about these things—like proper doctrine of apostolicity?

Austin: Raymond Brown was never disciplined by the Church. Was the Last Supper the first ordination? John Paul thought it was but most New Testament scholars would disagree.

Philibert: Magisterium. Even with development of doctrine, you look to the periphery says Congar and I agree. Church does not exist so that priest can say mass in church. Rather, that the church can be benign contagion in their daily lives. Congar thought that was Augustine’s vision. A missionary ecclesiology rather than a client ecclesiology.

Griffith: That sounds hyper dialectic. We can have both/and.

Hauerwas: I was struck at Notre Dame that Catholics had fine hierarchical understanding but didn’t give a toot for local congregation. I take that to be a pastoral challenge. Do you think my characterization is fair? Any congregation in Ireland would count.

Philibert: I think that is the great challenge. You can see Gerry (Austin) and I have bought this. You could say Congar is an egghead not a parish priest. Most people go to church for 15 minutes and they feel good about themselves—5000 families in one parish. That is probably going to be the majority but church has responsibility to proclaim prophetic gift of community.

Austin: Read I Believe in the Holy Spirit.

We have bright former MIT prof. She said I am so glad I read I believe in the Holy Spirit because now I read Congar with new set of glasses. Early church would call it baptismal theology. To the Father, through the Son in the Spirit; but early church included mention of the church.

Reinhard Huetter: Thank for for this fascinating introduction. I was constantly thinking about local parish—St. Joseph’s in Raleigh. It could be described in Congar’s terms in many ways. All races and people—diversity. Small: 400-500 families. They sing well—even the Latin. Strong community. Still vast majority would reject Congar’s theology. They would reject it because Eucharist is revered over baptism. Ordination is indispensable. I agree with Griffith that this is not either/or. The healthy church life is flowing from a deeper center. It is servant and ordained priesthood. One could get Congar’s church life without his theology. He became Cardinal under John Paul II. I would press continuity between Congar and Vatican on core issues.

Austin: Yes, on core issues there is no difference.

Griffith: The tradition book by Congar book--I have profited from it greatly. I would say start with it.

Will Willimon on intellectual curiosity, theology, preaching and communion

2009-10-22T20:31:32-04:00

I thoroughly enjoyed getting to meet Will Willimon today. Probably everyone who reads my blog has their own pastor/scholar heroes. Dietrich Bonhoeffer, Lesslie Newbigin, Eugene Peterson, and Will Willimon are some of mine.

Today I had the opportunity to hear him interact with some Duke Divinity School students in Ken Carder’s Introduction to Christian Ministry course (of which I served as the Teaching Assistant last year).

Here were three of my favorite ideas Willimon shared today:

"As a pastor, it helps to be an intellectual. Amidst the ordinary, getting excited about ideas helps."
“By their 50's, pastors need theologians. Ministry is too dangerous, too peculiarly demanding. At that point, you need more than just liking people.”
"Some biblical texts are all gospel or all law. I preach them in their onesidedness and then let communion balance it out."

Willimon was Dean of Duke Chapel for 20 years and had now been a United Methodist Church bishop in Alabama for five years. He blogs at http://willimon.blogspot.com/ and has two new books out.

The Early Preaching of Karl Barth: Fourteen Sermons with Commentary by William H. Willimon by Karl Barth and William Willimon (Paperback - Sep 2, 2009)

Undone by Easter: Keeping Preaching Fresh by William H. Willimon (Paperback - Oct 2009)

See also Bishop Willimon's Podcast -- The iTunes link will only work if you have iTunes, which is free program that works on PC's and Macs, installed on your computer.