I have been working on a book review of Stephen Toulmin's COSMOPOLIS, and it's been hard to quantify exactly what I think or feel about what I've read.
The subtitle of Stephen Toulmin’s book is “The Hidden Agenda of Modernity.” The essence of what Toulmin argues is that Modernity rests upon three pillars, “certainty, systematicity, and the clean slate” (179). Modernism was a reaction to the Catholic-Protestant 30 Years' War in the early 17th Century, and resulted in the build-up of the nation-state as the ideal. This led to all sorts of abuses, argues Toulmin. Apparently, in order to be "certain" you have to be oppressive. So, post-Modernism is a welcomed change for Toulmin. What does this have to do with Christianity or the church? Well...
When Modernism started to crumble and the humanism of the Renaissance reappeared in the post-Modern era, Toulmin says it was a necessary corrective to the misuse of Jesus’ words and teachings. He writes, “Throughout the 1970s, all the inequalities built into the modern society came under attack in turn: women, the elderly, the handicapped, lesbians and gays, all spoke up one group after another. Those who never questioned the rights and wrongs of modern nationhood found it a terrible shock. Jesus said, ‘The poor ye have always with you’—i.e., deserving objects of charity are always near at hand. Now, many believers in ‘traditional values’ understood Him to mean, rather, that it is the business of the poor to stay poor, of blacks to stay deferent, of women to stay home, of the handicapped to stay in the back room, and of the homosexuals to stay in the closet” (166). Ouch. Really?!?
For a post-Modern viewpoint that is supposed to shy away from certainty, Toulmin appears as though he is pretty sure that traditional values are rubbish.
I am a strong believer in learning from those from whom you don't agree with at first blush, I think there is something to this critique of Modernism. However, it will take some work to "get outside myself" and my presuppositions enough to explore what truth may be here.
Friday, April 23, 2010
Friday, April 9, 2010
John Franke: What is Missional Church? from Allelon on Vimeo.
Jesus said, "As the Father has sent me, so I am sending you..."
God is Missional. God sent the Son. The Son returned to the Father and Father and Son sent the Spirit to the church. The Church is sent into the world.
The institutional church is not the "end user." It is the instrument and witness of God to the whole of creation! What a challenge to our western consumer mentality when it comes to spirituality and the church.
Monday, April 5, 2010
Slogging Through...
Just finished Stephen Toulmin's Cosmopolis and Ervin Laszlo's A System's View Of The World... been a while since I worked my brain out this hard trying to digest what I am reading.
Toulmin's book was an eye-opener in regards to the "hidden agenda" of moderism... the historical setting of the rise of modernism in the early 17th Century and the revival of modernism in the early 20th century that led to an intolerance of ambiguity and the ultimate ideal of certainty. The punch-line? That post-modernism looks a lot like the humanism of the 16th century... a period of time that birthed the Reformation. Perhaps a new Reformation is needed to change the modern institutionalized church into a missional organization that will remain relevant in the western post-modern world???
Laszlo's book was a lot harder to like... a lot of talk about the intricacies of evolutionary theory as it relates to systems theory... the idea that we are interrelated with that which is larger than us. Biblical world-views were regarded as myth that we need to transcend. The end of Laszlo's thinking seems to lead to something other than nihilism, but still doesn't seem very satisfying. Humanism is again the idea of the day... the idea that world systems and governments can be relevant as they help individuals achieve self-actualization. Serving self to promote the collective good? I don't see it happening as neatly as Laszlo suggests.
On to a book called WHO'S AFRAID OF POSTMODERNISM? We'll see how that one reads... hopefully a bit easier than these last to books!
Toulmin's book was an eye-opener in regards to the "hidden agenda" of moderism... the historical setting of the rise of modernism in the early 17th Century and the revival of modernism in the early 20th century that led to an intolerance of ambiguity and the ultimate ideal of certainty. The punch-line? That post-modernism looks a lot like the humanism of the 16th century... a period of time that birthed the Reformation. Perhaps a new Reformation is needed to change the modern institutionalized church into a missional organization that will remain relevant in the western post-modern world???
Laszlo's book was a lot harder to like... a lot of talk about the intricacies of evolutionary theory as it relates to systems theory... the idea that we are interrelated with that which is larger than us. Biblical world-views were regarded as myth that we need to transcend. The end of Laszlo's thinking seems to lead to something other than nihilism, but still doesn't seem very satisfying. Humanism is again the idea of the day... the idea that world systems and governments can be relevant as they help individuals achieve self-actualization. Serving self to promote the collective good? I don't see it happening as neatly as Laszlo suggests.
On to a book called WHO'S AFRAID OF POSTMODERNISM? We'll see how that one reads... hopefully a bit easier than these last to books!
Wednesday, March 31, 2010
Agenda VS Mission
This is Easter Week. Busyness at churches is the norm across this country. Our church family is no different.
The week started well... Palm Sunday was fun, kids waving branches, singing with the Praise Team, afternoon spent with Family.
Monday was the syllabus shock day, and the realization that I was REALLY going to have to get serious about getting reading done. That afternoon, a homeless woman walked in off the street looking for help.
Decision time.
Do I brush her off and brush her out the door and get on with my list of to-do's? Or, do I meet with her, listen to her, and try and do my best to embody Christ?
My agenda VS God's mission.
Thankfully, I had the good sense to realize that I could at least listen to her story and try and help. There was a legitimate need, that was clear. We had food in the refrigerator, and some in the pantry that I could pass on. We have a comfortable library, warm and out of the cold. There were things I could do immediately to show the love of Christ.
Then, as I made phone calls to local social service agencies, it was becoming readily apaprently that this endeavor was going to eat up the rest of my afternoon and make me late for dinner at home. A call to explain the situation to my wife, a few more calls to church members and church agencies. Finally, a plan of action formed and a decision was made. She got a room for the night, and had an appointment with a crisis counselor the next morning. Money for bus fare, food to eat. I think she's on her way to getting back on her feet... if she's willing to follow through.
She seemed shocked at the compassion shown her. Having worked with, in, and for churches and social service agencies for my entire adulthood, I can understand why. I was "this close" (picture thumb and finger a millimeter apart) to brushing her off myself and getting on with my day... my agenda.
Tuesday had another occurrance that showed my that God is more interested in my openness to his mission than in helping me cross off things on my to-do list.
This Sunday, at 1 am, 5 area youth died in a tragic car accident. I was called to a meeting hosted by the School District to see what could be done as a community to support families and youth struggling with this horrible event (it is Spring break here, so the kids don't have the usual network of support available through the schools). I learned about this meeting 4 hours before it was happening.
Decision time AGAIN.
So, to try and shorten this post a little... the end result was that our church will be opening its doors for a joint effort of area churches, the schools, and the mental health community to provide a safe place to reflect, pray, cry, laugh, mourn... whatever they need to do to come together and find community in this difficult time.
Let me tell you... none of this was on my agenda to start the week. But, I'm glad I crumpled up my to-do list and took time to listen to God.
The week started well... Palm Sunday was fun, kids waving branches, singing with the Praise Team, afternoon spent with Family.
Monday was the syllabus shock day, and the realization that I was REALLY going to have to get serious about getting reading done. That afternoon, a homeless woman walked in off the street looking for help.
Decision time.
Do I brush her off and brush her out the door and get on with my list of to-do's? Or, do I meet with her, listen to her, and try and do my best to embody Christ?
My agenda VS God's mission.
Thankfully, I had the good sense to realize that I could at least listen to her story and try and help. There was a legitimate need, that was clear. We had food in the refrigerator, and some in the pantry that I could pass on. We have a comfortable library, warm and out of the cold. There were things I could do immediately to show the love of Christ.
Then, as I made phone calls to local social service agencies, it was becoming readily apaprently that this endeavor was going to eat up the rest of my afternoon and make me late for dinner at home. A call to explain the situation to my wife, a few more calls to church members and church agencies. Finally, a plan of action formed and a decision was made. She got a room for the night, and had an appointment with a crisis counselor the next morning. Money for bus fare, food to eat. I think she's on her way to getting back on her feet... if she's willing to follow through.
She seemed shocked at the compassion shown her. Having worked with, in, and for churches and social service agencies for my entire adulthood, I can understand why. I was "this close" (picture thumb and finger a millimeter apart) to brushing her off myself and getting on with my day... my agenda.
Tuesday had another occurrance that showed my that God is more interested in my openness to his mission than in helping me cross off things on my to-do list.
This Sunday, at 1 am, 5 area youth died in a tragic car accident. I was called to a meeting hosted by the School District to see what could be done as a community to support families and youth struggling with this horrible event (it is Spring break here, so the kids don't have the usual network of support available through the schools). I learned about this meeting 4 hours before it was happening.
Decision time AGAIN.
So, to try and shorten this post a little... the end result was that our church will be opening its doors for a joint effort of area churches, the schools, and the mental health community to provide a safe place to reflect, pray, cry, laugh, mourn... whatever they need to do to come together and find community in this difficult time.
Let me tell you... none of this was on my agenda to start the week. But, I'm glad I crumpled up my to-do list and took time to listen to God.
Monday, March 29, 2010
Rushmorean Leadership Axioms
From pg. 14-15 of Christ-based Leadership by David Stark...
Rushmorean refers to the leadership styles of our great leaders... Washington, Jefferson, Lincoln, Roosevelt:
1. People are by nature a mixture of potential for great good or great harm, and they thrive in an environment of trust and accountibility.
2. Human groups tend toward self-ordering states, given the right parameters and resources.
3. Progress comes from vision and values given as parameters, where self-discipline, creativity, and passion are allowed to stretch people forward.
4. Order arises from common commitments to mission and common understandings of values.
5. There are many types of leadership and leaders within an organization.
6. Different leadership energies are needed at different times to keep an organization moving to its prime.
7. Leadership is an exercise in stewardship, where everyone shoulders the trust given to the organization.
8. Weakness and vulnerability on teams create an atmosphere of trust, where members feel needed for their strengths as well as needing others for the areas where they do not have strengths.
(here ends the quote)
Isn't that great stuff? I know I resonate with a lot of what is here. The impact of knowing and believing these things about organizations necessitates a shift from top-down management to team-building and something more... organic. I hesitated, because that word is overused. But, the church is to be the Body of Christ, and we live together as an organism of sorts. We need each other.
Moreover, the Spirit of God has the right and the ability to change our roles within the organization at any time. In many churches those who are "leading" are not necessarily those who have been give the mantle of leadership. I endeavor to be the type of leader in the church that gives others the freedom to lead and to exercise their gifts as God calls them... even when I am threatened, a little envious perhaps... or when the collective vision doesn't line up exactly with "my" vision.
What do you think of these Rushmorean Leadership axioms?
Rushmorean refers to the leadership styles of our great leaders... Washington, Jefferson, Lincoln, Roosevelt:
1. People are by nature a mixture of potential for great good or great harm, and they thrive in an environment of trust and accountibility.
2. Human groups tend toward self-ordering states, given the right parameters and resources.
3. Progress comes from vision and values given as parameters, where self-discipline, creativity, and passion are allowed to stretch people forward.
4. Order arises from common commitments to mission and common understandings of values.
5. There are many types of leadership and leaders within an organization.
6. Different leadership energies are needed at different times to keep an organization moving to its prime.
7. Leadership is an exercise in stewardship, where everyone shoulders the trust given to the organization.
8. Weakness and vulnerability on teams create an atmosphere of trust, where members feel needed for their strengths as well as needing others for the areas where they do not have strengths.
(here ends the quote)
Isn't that great stuff? I know I resonate with a lot of what is here. The impact of knowing and believing these things about organizations necessitates a shift from top-down management to team-building and something more... organic. I hesitated, because that word is overused. But, the church is to be the Body of Christ, and we live together as an organism of sorts. We need each other.
Moreover, the Spirit of God has the right and the ability to change our roles within the organization at any time. In many churches those who are "leading" are not necessarily those who have been give the mantle of leadership. I endeavor to be the type of leader in the church that gives others the freedom to lead and to exercise their gifts as God calls them... even when I am threatened, a little envious perhaps... or when the collective vision doesn't line up exactly with "my" vision.
What do you think of these Rushmorean Leadership axioms?
Syllabus Shock!
Just got my syllabus for the Missional Leadership Cohort I am joining through Fuller's Northwest branch...
4,500 pages of reading to do and respond to via internet, papers, etc. before August's Face-to-Face in Vancouver, B.C.
Wow. Even as a recovering English Education major in college, and survivor of Seminary this amount of reading seems more than a little daunting. But, it is all GREAT, thought-provoking stuff... thus, the impetus to blog.
Maybe you will find the insights I share from these materials interesting. I hope so, because I would welcome your thoughts and interactions in the comment section. Regardless, it will serve as a journal of sorts for me to process what I am experiencing as I go through my Doctorate studies and try to apply what I am learning to my ministry every day.
Blessings,
Chris
4,500 pages of reading to do and respond to via internet, papers, etc. before August's Face-to-Face in Vancouver, B.C.
Wow. Even as a recovering English Education major in college, and survivor of Seminary this amount of reading seems more than a little daunting. But, it is all GREAT, thought-provoking stuff... thus, the impetus to blog.
Maybe you will find the insights I share from these materials interesting. I hope so, because I would welcome your thoughts and interactions in the comment section. Regardless, it will serve as a journal of sorts for me to process what I am experiencing as I go through my Doctorate studies and try to apply what I am learning to my ministry every day.
Blessings,
Chris
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