Brian MacLaren's Address to Diocese of Washington
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Susan Snook
Jul 20, 2009, 5:20:05 PM7/20/09
to Episcopal Evangelism
Here is a link to a very thought-provoking address that Brian MacLaren
gave to the Episcopal Diocese of Washington recently:
http://convention.edow.org/article.php?id=50
He does a great job of outlining the challenges and opportunities that
lie before us as Episcopalians. What do you all think of his ideas?
Is this an "Episcopal Moment"?
Blessings,
Susan
gave to the Episcopal Diocese of Washington recently:
http://convention.edow.org/article.php?id=50
He does a great job of outlining the challenges and opportunities that
lie before us as Episcopalians. What do you all think of his ideas?
Is this an "Episcopal Moment"?
Blessings,
Susan
joiner1
Jul 21, 2009, 8:05:25 AM7/21/09
to Episcopal Evangelism
Yes, the moment never really left us, we left the moment, and now
maybe we will rejoin it, with others.
Peace and blessings,
Joe
St. John's, Elizabeth, NJ
maybe we will rejoin it, with others.
Peace and blessings,
Joe
St. John's, Elizabeth, NJ
joiner1
Jul 21, 2009, 8:06:05 AM7/21/09
to Episcopal Evangelism
JamieP
Jul 21, 2009, 5:01:54 PM7/21/09
to Episcopal Evangelism
While I experienced poor quality and missed some finer points, I loved
his outline of our advantages and feel that the disadvantages we need
to address more than any are the BiPolar Liberal /Conservative Coldwar
we are in the midst of as well as the idea that coming to church is
normative. Younger generations no longer see church as normative. I
witness children of priests, my age or younger with families who are
not regular attendees. They are involved but their involvement is very
tentative. I see the attempt to include younger people on Vestries as
a sort of "see we are involving younger folk" but they don't attend
church and don't involve their children in the activities offered.
The elitism he didn't mention that has disturbed me is the one that
thinks kids are second class citizens not capable of expressing a
spiritual character. It's no wonder we are aging with no younger
generation to follow.
As for the intellectual elitism, well I'm a bit less flexible there.
Only in so far as I can't see TEC becoming a check your brains at the
door, do as I say, not as I do, kind of Church. He points out our
participatory nature, one must be willing to accept the beauty of
liturgical worship if they are to be grounded in our "Advantages"
I hope this makes sense. I'm coming from the perspective of a 15 year
Episcopalian, ex-Roman Catholic church brought up with a wonderful
understanding of the mystical and spiritual.
On the cold-war front - until both are willing to hold the middle,
there isn't a lot that can be done. I am reminded of the spinning ride
at the playground where I grew up: it was about 12 feet in diameter
with a large horizontal wheel in the center. Several folks needed to
man this wheel if the others were to have a good ride. So those in the
middle would spin and spin until some on the outside were spun off the
equipment. It was only fun if someone wasn't hurt when they flew off.
What we tried to teach newcomers was this: if they hold their bar
closer to the center they would stay on the ride better and, perhaps
get a chance to spin the wheel.
That said I think the ones that remain in the Episcopal Church are
ones who listen, until you learn the ropes it can be a treacherous
ride. After that it's grand and I for one will not change unless the
equipment breaks! So our structure is sagging and needs maintenance. I
believe that this GC was step in a restorative direction.
With Peace and my wish for you: all good blessings,
Jamie Peabody
his outline of our advantages and feel that the disadvantages we need
to address more than any are the BiPolar Liberal /Conservative Coldwar
we are in the midst of as well as the idea that coming to church is
normative. Younger generations no longer see church as normative. I
witness children of priests, my age or younger with families who are
not regular attendees. They are involved but their involvement is very
tentative. I see the attempt to include younger people on Vestries as
a sort of "see we are involving younger folk" but they don't attend
church and don't involve their children in the activities offered.
The elitism he didn't mention that has disturbed me is the one that
thinks kids are second class citizens not capable of expressing a
spiritual character. It's no wonder we are aging with no younger
generation to follow.
As for the intellectual elitism, well I'm a bit less flexible there.
Only in so far as I can't see TEC becoming a check your brains at the
door, do as I say, not as I do, kind of Church. He points out our
participatory nature, one must be willing to accept the beauty of
liturgical worship if they are to be grounded in our "Advantages"
I hope this makes sense. I'm coming from the perspective of a 15 year
Episcopalian, ex-Roman Catholic church brought up with a wonderful
understanding of the mystical and spiritual.
On the cold-war front - until both are willing to hold the middle,
there isn't a lot that can be done. I am reminded of the spinning ride
at the playground where I grew up: it was about 12 feet in diameter
with a large horizontal wheel in the center. Several folks needed to
man this wheel if the others were to have a good ride. So those in the
middle would spin and spin until some on the outside were spun off the
equipment. It was only fun if someone wasn't hurt when they flew off.
What we tried to teach newcomers was this: if they hold their bar
closer to the center they would stay on the ride better and, perhaps
get a chance to spin the wheel.
That said I think the ones that remain in the Episcopal Church are
ones who listen, until you learn the ropes it can be a treacherous
ride. After that it's grand and I for one will not change unless the
equipment breaks! So our structure is sagging and needs maintenance. I
believe that this GC was step in a restorative direction.
With Peace and my wish for you: all good blessings,
Jamie Peabody
Thomas
Jul 23, 2009, 12:53:08 PM7/23/09
to Episcopal Evangelism
'Because teh quality of the online video is lacking, I offer the
following outline and some of my own questions, to boot. Hope it
helps . . .
Brian McLaren’s presentation to the
Episcopal Diocese of Washington
(slightly edited by Reverend Tom Brackett)
Online location of video footage: http://convention.edow.org/article.php?id=50
Brief Overview:
“The Episcopal Moment” – a moment of opportunity and possibility
-- precisely because of the challenges.
Many of us in church life are living in three worlds simultaneously:
Premodern (Table and sword),
Modern (Book and the gun) and the
Postmodern (The screen and the bomb).
Four distinct advantages that Episcopalians have in 21st century
United States
A "Via Media" Mindset: Many Anglicans never surrendered to the modern
mindset.
A Celtic Mindset: We have vestiges of non-Roman Christianity in our
makeup.
A Diverse Mindset: We give people space to differ in their opinions.
A Liturgical Mindset: Space to experience God, bonding to meaning,
beauty of worship, participatory.
Four dis-advantages that Episcopalians have in 21st century United
States
An Upper Class Mindset: Elitist, "civilized", older, one-size fits
all.
An Institutional Mindset: Centralized, controlled, change-resistant,
risk averse, bureaucratic -- averse to charismatic leaders.
A Christendom Mindset: Parish/geography, people ought to come to us.
(Christendom is the mindset that Christianity is “normative” and that
people just ought to behave and come to church – it’s their job!)
A Bi-polar Mindset: Cold war between Liberals and Conservatives – a
horrible distraction from our higher calling to the Mission of God.
Here are the elements that Brian McLaren says are required for us to
seize this Episcopal Moment!
1) A "bring them in" spirit (not merely welcoming within our “caste”):
Diversity, innovation, welcoming all seekers (especially the young!),
inviting friends, relatives, associates, neighbors.
Question: What would it take for you to be excited about inviting your
friends to church? What embarrasses or concerns you about inviting
your friends to attend a service with you?
2) A "let's experiment" spirit (not institutional): Entrepreneurial,
self-organizing, evolutionary, experimental – adding experiments (for
4 to 8 weeks), adding new services, planting new congregations (inside
existing?), adding new models or examples (Fresh Expressions, Mixed
Economies and Anglimergent?).
Question: Who is in a position to say "yes" to new ideas in your local
area of ministry? Who can bring new ideas? Are there new ideas that
you believe need to be explored there in your Diocese? Who are the
artists and Cultural Creatives to whom you think we should pay
attention? Is there music you wish you could bring into your church’s
worship service?
3) A "we're beginning again" spirit (renewing, not conserving, a
history): Demography, adaptive, agile--a huge rummage sale "What needs
to be put on the curb?", getting rid of the junk in "cleaning house",
changes in physical, social, and/or spiritual architecture.
Question: Would you rather be motivated by desperate necessity or
surging creativity? What would your Diocese or Parish look like if it
could seize the possibility of a total makeover? What would you be
willing to put on the curb to make space for Fresh Expressions of
Church? Can you name any specifics?
4) A "transcend and include" spirit (above liberal and conservative):
Where is the via media? Which future do you prefer (conservative,
liberal, centrist, or transcendent inclusive)? The Via Media way of
being includes and it invites all to transcend!
...and
5) The Holy Spirit! People aren't seeking religion, they are seeking
spirituality. You can't give what you don't have (you have to smoke
what you're selling). People need to experience God, worship,
transformation, belonging, participation in God's creative and healing
mission in our world...
Question: How are you being called to be a "sample" of what God wants
to do in the lives of others?
McLaren goes on to cast a vision for the church as a collection of
individuals in partnership with God for the transformation of the
world.
Closing Prayer:
Loving God, we seek the way, helping, watching, learning, leading,
each step forging new links, each dialogue opening further the
channels of peace and understanding. We stand poised on the brink of
greatness, drawn by the Spirit into new realms of hope and trust. The
barriers and crutches of past centuries are slowly crumbling. We pray
the skeletons of division and discord will be laid to rest, and that
the people of God will be truly mobilized. For these and all your
mercies, we thank you and praise you, O God. AMEN
following outline and some of my own questions, to boot. Hope it
helps . . .
Brian McLaren’s presentation to the
Episcopal Diocese of Washington
(slightly edited by Reverend Tom Brackett)
Online location of video footage: http://convention.edow.org/article.php?id=50
Brief Overview:
“The Episcopal Moment” – a moment of opportunity and possibility
-- precisely because of the challenges.
Many of us in church life are living in three worlds simultaneously:
Premodern (Table and sword),
Modern (Book and the gun) and the
Postmodern (The screen and the bomb).
Four distinct advantages that Episcopalians have in 21st century
United States
A "Via Media" Mindset: Many Anglicans never surrendered to the modern
mindset.
A Celtic Mindset: We have vestiges of non-Roman Christianity in our
makeup.
A Diverse Mindset: We give people space to differ in their opinions.
A Liturgical Mindset: Space to experience God, bonding to meaning,
beauty of worship, participatory.
Four dis-advantages that Episcopalians have in 21st century United
States
An Upper Class Mindset: Elitist, "civilized", older, one-size fits
all.
An Institutional Mindset: Centralized, controlled, change-resistant,
risk averse, bureaucratic -- averse to charismatic leaders.
A Christendom Mindset: Parish/geography, people ought to come to us.
(Christendom is the mindset that Christianity is “normative” and that
people just ought to behave and come to church – it’s their job!)
A Bi-polar Mindset: Cold war between Liberals and Conservatives – a
horrible distraction from our higher calling to the Mission of God.
Here are the elements that Brian McLaren says are required for us to
seize this Episcopal Moment!
1) A "bring them in" spirit (not merely welcoming within our “caste”):
Diversity, innovation, welcoming all seekers (especially the young!),
inviting friends, relatives, associates, neighbors.
Question: What would it take for you to be excited about inviting your
friends to church? What embarrasses or concerns you about inviting
your friends to attend a service with you?
2) A "let's experiment" spirit (not institutional): Entrepreneurial,
self-organizing, evolutionary, experimental – adding experiments (for
4 to 8 weeks), adding new services, planting new congregations (inside
existing?), adding new models or examples (Fresh Expressions, Mixed
Economies and Anglimergent?).
Question: Who is in a position to say "yes" to new ideas in your local
area of ministry? Who can bring new ideas? Are there new ideas that
you believe need to be explored there in your Diocese? Who are the
artists and Cultural Creatives to whom you think we should pay
attention? Is there music you wish you could bring into your church’s
worship service?
3) A "we're beginning again" spirit (renewing, not conserving, a
history): Demography, adaptive, agile--a huge rummage sale "What needs
to be put on the curb?", getting rid of the junk in "cleaning house",
changes in physical, social, and/or spiritual architecture.
Question: Would you rather be motivated by desperate necessity or
surging creativity? What would your Diocese or Parish look like if it
could seize the possibility of a total makeover? What would you be
willing to put on the curb to make space for Fresh Expressions of
Church? Can you name any specifics?
4) A "transcend and include" spirit (above liberal and conservative):
Where is the via media? Which future do you prefer (conservative,
liberal, centrist, or transcendent inclusive)? The Via Media way of
being includes and it invites all to transcend!
...and
5) The Holy Spirit! People aren't seeking religion, they are seeking
spirituality. You can't give what you don't have (you have to smoke
what you're selling). People need to experience God, worship,
transformation, belonging, participation in God's creative and healing
mission in our world...
Question: How are you being called to be a "sample" of what God wants
to do in the lives of others?
McLaren goes on to cast a vision for the church as a collection of
individuals in partnership with God for the transformation of the
world.
Closing Prayer:
Loving God, we seek the way, helping, watching, learning, leading,
each step forging new links, each dialogue opening further the
channels of peace and understanding. We stand poised on the brink of
greatness, drawn by the Spirit into new realms of hope and trust. The
barriers and crutches of past centuries are slowly crumbling. We pray
the skeletons of division and discord will be laid to rest, and that
the people of God will be truly mobilized. For these and all your
mercies, we thank you and praise you, O God. AMEN
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