Well, even if you only made it for 1 of the 4 nights of wineskin talks at BCNZ, you no doubt sense that your time was not wasted. Last night, Mark spoke from his heart about Paul, yes, but even more so about Jesus.
I appreciated his sweeping review of the last 3 nights, highlighting things that may have implications for us as the Church today.
He focused on how Paul saw the Dying and Rising of Christ...
-a Historical Event
-an Act on behalf of the people of God
-the Turning Point of all history
-the Explanation of Paul's change of life
-the Pattern of his subsequent life
-the Pattern of knowing Christ
Next was Paul on 'ekklesia'
-the Reference Point for the New Humanity
-the Focal Strategy for building up believers
-it reversed the meaning of the 'body' metaphor
-came with the idea of gifting >> brilliant innovation
-members gathered "to [verb] one another"
-Christ was the central figure, the meal was the central event
-the whole body had all the gifts neccessary
-one had the 'gift' to 'teach,' but each one taught
-immediacy, inimacy, innovation and order
Then he covered his take on Paul's style of leadership
-Never stop telling the story
-Maintain the central conversation
-Subvert abstract ideas by story
-Craft new meaning around story
-Embody the story
-Rework rank with grace
-Subvert status with grace
-Aim at congruence, not conformity
-Aim at maturity
Before opening the floor for response/questions/thoughts, Mark summarised his convictions on the challenge of imitating Paul
-Grasping the breadth / depth of vision of Jesus Christ and therefore also of life
-Grasping the counter-intuative and counter-cultural nature of Grace
-Translation between worlds
-Seeing the simplicity and profundity of vision for gathering and community
-Seeing the ruthless transparency of his life
Now. I think we had all (at least some of us) been waiting for Mark to give us 'marching orders' as to... well... what is wrong with 'church' today. He didn't go there. Personally, I think I really needed to hear a lot of the wise perspectives he shared. I tend to be a 'let's blast the whole thing down' kind of personality, and Mark sharply warned against that attitude. It would be easy (I suppose) for this blog to become a place for us to spout all of our opinions about what our communities could do differently, etc., and I really DO think that we have to keep imagining (and re-imagining) what this 'thing' can look like. I just hope that as we imagine, we are respectful of our brothers and sisters in the Lord who don't see things like us. And as we imagine, I hope we recognise that God is able to use even the things we may not like.
I felt encouraged and hopeful as we wrapped things up. God Spirit is very much alive and we need not grow disgruntled. Certainly, I don't think for a split-second that Mark was in any way trying to simply and positivistically affirm all of church life and practise. Far from it. He had subtle warnings against gatherings styled after 'motivational seminars' and/or 'rock concerts.' He admitted leaning personally toward something of a house-church model. But he was careful not to prescribe what was appropriate for every context.
Change is needed... badly. Yes. But waging war on the structures of 'church' is not the answer. As he quoted his father as saying, "Big doors swing on little hinges." Big change can start small. Another quote I found quite helpful went something like this... "the way to subvert the system is to ignore it..." The idol is nothing. The church-structure document is nothing! The obsessive culture of stirring up religious activity for the sake of having religious activity is nothing! I think many of us may find refuge in taking up the practise of (dare I suggest it in these terms) 'non-violent resistance.' If someone is pressuring you into leading a ministry, programme, study, service or anything else that you don't have genuine passion for - don't give in. Just a thought. I liked what he said about just 'having people over for dinner and a chat about Jesus.' May we be agents of change. In our faith communities, in our workplace environments, in our social lives, in the wider world... everywhere we go.
Comments please!
-d-
Paul at Corinth - Night 3
I won't be able to post a summary of night 3 until after I get back from Pastors Retreat this Friday, so I'll put this up for now, that way people can comment and raise questions specifically about Night 3 - 2 Corinthians. When I get back, I'll edit this.
For now, based on hearing Mark at other times and reading 'Reframing Paul', I'm guessing he will (among other things) highlight the growing tension between the rugged apostle and the cosmopolitan Corinthians, showing from the text of Paul's 2nd letter just how vulnerable Paul was with them. It seems that they (at least some of them) wanted Paul to be a Christian version of their prized sophist/lawyers. Paul doggedly refuses to boast, and insists on his alternate way of life, shaped by the dying and rising of Jesus. This turns into a battle. An important one, with the subversive power of the Gospel at stake. As Mark suggests in 'Reframing Paul,' - the Corinthians won this battle.
Then again, he totally may not take this track at all!
:)
Should be exciting! Can't wait!
Comment away!
For now, based on hearing Mark at other times and reading 'Reframing Paul', I'm guessing he will (among other things) highlight the growing tension between the rugged apostle and the cosmopolitan Corinthians, showing from the text of Paul's 2nd letter just how vulnerable Paul was with them. It seems that they (at least some of them) wanted Paul to be a Christian version of their prized sophist/lawyers. Paul doggedly refuses to boast, and insists on his alternate way of life, shaped by the dying and rising of Jesus. This turns into a battle. An important one, with the subversive power of the Gospel at stake. As Mark suggests in 'Reframing Paul,' - the Corinthians won this battle.
Then again, he totally may not take this track at all!
:)
Should be exciting! Can't wait!
Comment away!
Paul at Corinth - Night 2
Last night, Mark outlined the format of content of the 4 lectures as follows:
Night 1 - Overview & setting the scene
Night 2 - 1 Corinthians (Themes and 'problem' passages)
Night 3 - 2 Corinthians (Themes and 'problem' passages)
Night 4 - "What does this mean for today's 'church'?"
I'm particularly anticipating night 4, and have really enjoyed the first 2 nights.
Night 2 consisted of a sweep through the chapters of 1 Corinthians from bird's eye view. Mark shared inscriptions and papyri from the Roman world that shed much light on the text. After the supper-break, he covered as many of the 'difficult' passages as he could. Indeed, time was not on our side as he had to skip over much of what he had prepared, much to his frustration. Here were a few things that stuck out for me.
-The way the Gospel way of life stands out against the Roman lifestyle, particularly their contrasting values (wisdom, honour, the body, rights, the earth, identity, virtue, society, the future.)
-Mark repeated his clear opposition to the immortal soul being a Christian idea. This time, he widened his statement to say that the Scriptures don't teach this. (last week, he had only mentioned the New Testament)
-The depiction (textual, not visual!) of Corinthian sexuality was particularly 'vivid.' I appreciated not only his clarity with which he addressed this issue - which included the reality that Paul was opposed to homosexuality - but even more so, I was glad that he did so with sensitivity.
-His suggestion that Paul wanted the women to wear veils so as not to draw undue attention to the community, and that the 'angels' were human spies, messengers or ancient private-investigators who were paid to and ready to report any suspicious behavour. Duane and I have been chatting about this one.
-His comments about the 'women keeping silent' passage. Not only about translation issues (which suggest that it was loud arguements that were the problem), but also asserting that the underlying reason was (again) not to draw undue attention to the community.
-The insight he gave into the passage about being 'baptised for the dead.' His paraphrase was something like this: "You don't think your baptism was into death, do you? Of course not! It was a baptism into life!"
Night 1 - Overview & setting the scene
Night 2 - 1 Corinthians (Themes and 'problem' passages)
Night 3 - 2 Corinthians (Themes and 'problem' passages)
Night 4 - "What does this mean for today's 'church'?"
I'm particularly anticipating night 4, and have really enjoyed the first 2 nights.
Night 2 consisted of a sweep through the chapters of 1 Corinthians from bird's eye view. Mark shared inscriptions and papyri from the Roman world that shed much light on the text. After the supper-break, he covered as many of the 'difficult' passages as he could. Indeed, time was not on our side as he had to skip over much of what he had prepared, much to his frustration. Here were a few things that stuck out for me.
-The way the Gospel way of life stands out against the Roman lifestyle, particularly their contrasting values (wisdom, honour, the body, rights, the earth, identity, virtue, society, the future.)
-Mark repeated his clear opposition to the immortal soul being a Christian idea. This time, he widened his statement to say that the Scriptures don't teach this. (last week, he had only mentioned the New Testament)
-The depiction (textual, not visual!) of Corinthian sexuality was particularly 'vivid.' I appreciated not only his clarity with which he addressed this issue - which included the reality that Paul was opposed to homosexuality - but even more so, I was glad that he did so with sensitivity.
-His suggestion that Paul wanted the women to wear veils so as not to draw undue attention to the community, and that the 'angels' were human spies, messengers or ancient private-investigators who were paid to and ready to report any suspicious behavour. Duane and I have been chatting about this one.
-His comments about the 'women keeping silent' passage. Not only about translation issues (which suggest that it was loud arguements that were the problem), but also asserting that the underlying reason was (again) not to draw undue attention to the community.
-The insight he gave into the passage about being 'baptised for the dead.' His paraphrase was something like this: "You don't think your baptism was into death, do you? Of course not! It was a baptism into life!"
Paul at Corinth - Night 1
What an exciting night! The 300+ crowd was brimming with enthusiasm as Mark painted a vivid, full-colour picture of what life was like in ancient Corinth. Already many texts in Paul's Corinthian letters seem either less confusing or much more meaningful, radical and vibrant! Please comment with topics or insights you found particularly interesting. Here's mine...
-Getting a sweep of the timeline of history leading up to and surrounding the writing of the Corinthian letters was very helpful.
-Unpacking the dualistic worldview of Greek philosophy was incredibly helpful to understand how they viewed nature, reason, progress, rank, status, relationships, etc.
-I had never heard anyone so strongly discount the idea of the immortality of the soul, and was challenged by Mark's clear assertion that the New Testament does not teach this. As I think further about it, this idea does seem to 'fit' quite nicely in the dualistic Greek worldview as Mark said. But this raises lot's of questions about the soul...
-I was glad that he distributed the hand-out. It was good not to have to try and scribble down what he was talking about.
Comments welcome! Tell me what you took away from it!
Dale
-Getting a sweep of the timeline of history leading up to and surrounding the writing of the Corinthian letters was very helpful.
-Unpacking the dualistic worldview of Greek philosophy was incredibly helpful to understand how they viewed nature, reason, progress, rank, status, relationships, etc.
-I had never heard anyone so strongly discount the idea of the immortality of the soul, and was challenged by Mark's clear assertion that the New Testament does not teach this. As I think further about it, this idea does seem to 'fit' quite nicely in the dualistic Greek worldview as Mark said. But this raises lot's of questions about the soul...
-I was glad that he distributed the hand-out. It was good not to have to try and scribble down what he was talking about.
Comments welcome! Tell me what you took away from it!
Dale
Join the Conversation...
This address on the web has been created to un-pack and discuss various topics that relate to the Wineskin Lectures given by Mark Strom at Bible College of New Zealand.
This is intended to be a place of learning, dialogue and sharpening, so CHALLENGE each other!!! However, please remember to try and respect the person while you may be challenging their ideas...
Cheers,
Dale
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