DLGP

Doctor of Leadership in Global Perspectives: Crafting Ministry in an Interconnected World

The Holy Spirit is through grace awakening true faith.

By: on May 13, 2017

Thomas C Oden in his educational book How Africa Shaped the Christian Mind is an advocate for the recognition of Africa as a contributor to the history and future of Christianity.  The phrase seedbed of early Christian thought is throughout and Oden makes a strong argument for the foundation of key principles straight from Africa. …

5 responses

We Are Jews, Gentiles and Africans

By: on May 12, 2017

We are Jews, Gentiles, and Africans. “This is what the book is about: to state the African seedbed hypothesis in a measured way and begin to sort out the facts that support it” (p. 31). Oden’s intent is to challenge each reader to appreciate Africa’s role in shaping Christianity. He believes Africa’s role was significant…

6 responses

Intellectual Prejudice

By: on May 11, 2017

Thomas C. Oden graduated into heaven last year, after a journey of spiritual inquiry and academic career that led him to write several books. Among them was the Ancient Christian Doctrine Series. Through that research Oden realized how much of our Christian theological heritage comes from ancient African theologians. This discovery surprised him, because he…

6 responses

African Roots

By: on May 11, 2017

Introduction While living in New York, an Egyptian Coptic Church built (1990) a new temple in Woodbury, New York.  I was amazed at their architecture and location to build their gathering place.  Of great interest is the name of the church:  St. Mark Coptic Orthodox Center/ St. Abraam Church.  This double name ties them back…

12 responses

African Theology Matters

By: on May 11, 2017

African Theology Matters The stated thesis of How Africa Shaped The Christian Mind by Thomas Oden is simple. African theology matters because, “Africa played a decisive role in the formation of Christian culture” (P9). I think the real impetus for this book though is a call to young Africans to rediscover the importance and influence…

9 responses

Western Christianity and the African Seedbed

By: on May 11, 2017

Thomas Oden—How Africa Shaped the Christian Mind: Rediscovering the African Seedbed of Western Christianity   Introduction The late Thomas Oden was a theologian affiliated with the American United Methodist Church.  He was a prolific author of major theological works relating to Christian doctrine, orthodoxy, and spirituality. Oden was formerly the director of the Center for…

12 responses

The Christian Mind

By: on May 11, 2017

How Should a Christian Think?             “Just as the twinkle of stars was reduced to nuclear explosions, and life itself to biochemical reactions, so the brain may one day be explained by the same forces that run the rest of the universe.”[1] “What’s the matter? Never mind. What is mind?…

6 responses

Theology and Western Contextualism

By: on May 11, 2017

A few years ago I was invited to speak at a pastor’s conference in Rwanda.  Hundreds of pastors attended from the Congo, Tanzania, Uganda and of course Rwanda.  I had prepared a topic that was theological.  I spoke on the role of the Holy Spirit in both the Old Testament and the New Testament.  After…

14 responses

Ancestry.com?

By: on May 11, 2017

It has become very popular recently to submit personal DNA to ancestry.com in order to explore one’s origins. Should the Church wish to engage in this process the search through our theological DNA must begin with How Africa Shaped the Christian Mind: Rediscovering the African Seedbed of Western Christianity, written by Thomas C. Oden. Oden’s…

9 responses

Discerning how to Love with Grace and Truth

By: on March 24, 2017

Andrew Marin has written an insightful book. Just like an anthropologist can help us increase our cultural intelligence, Marin gives us insights into the GLBT community that can increase our ministry intelligence. In his book Love is an Orientation, the author challenges the evangelical church to engage the hurting lives of the GLBT community with…

11 responses

Experience Matters

By: on March 24, 2017

My daughters, Clara and Ellie, sleep in the same room although Ellie does have her own room.  Being ten and six, they go through the same routine.  They brush their teeth, we pray and tuck them in to bed.  I always forget some of the routine, and it happened again last night.  As I tucked…

16 responses

What?

By: on March 23, 2017

Life is filled with issues.  What if?  What if I am? What will people think about me?  What will others say about me?  What will I worry about the most?  Whose opinions really matters?  What is love?  What is an orientation?  Who determines what is right or wrong?  Is there such a thing as truth…

11 responses

Building a Bridge to Brokenness

By: on March 23, 2017

Introduction The “lens” that we look at life through, are “prescribed” by a myriad of practitioners:  family dynamics, socio-economics, religious involvement/affiliation, and a host of other catalytic influences.  We embrace the fact that we cannot control to whom and where we are born.  We express our DNA through skin, hair and eye color, detached/attached ear…

9 responses

I Have A Friend…

By: on March 23, 2017

Summary: Love Is an Orientation, Elevating the Conversation with the Gay Community by Andrew Marin is a contemporary approach to the intersection of same-sex attraction and the Church. Marin skillfully lays out the opposition and the tension that lie on both sides of this issue. He does not shrink back from ultimately answering bottom line…

6 responses

L. G. P. + G. L. B. T. = L. O. V. E.

By: on March 23, 2017

Introduction I am nearly convinced that the Samaritans for conservative Christians today are the GLBT community. I suspect that if honest, conservative Christians would express the same disdain for this community as the Jews of Jesus’ day did for the Samaritans. To move to righteous resolution should we not be challenged by the fact that…

9 responses

Can You Change Your Biblical Doctrine?

By: on March 23, 2017

  As we ended our Zoom session last Monday, Dr. Mary Pandiani challenged us with this haunting question, “Can you change your biblical doctrine?” Of course, I also heard in my head the implied follow-up question, “If yes, what would it take for you to change it?”  I couldn’t help but notice that her provocation…

8 responses

There Is Now No Condemnation . . .

By: on March 23, 2017

Andrew Marin—Love Is An Orientation: Elevating the Conversation With the Gay Community Introduction “Andrew Marin founded the Marin Foundation for the purpose of systematically building a bridge between the broader gay, lesbian, bisexual, transgender (GLBT) and conservative Christian communities through scientific research and biblical and social education.” [1] The net result being peaceful, productive, and sustainable…

6 responses

No Longer Closed-ended

By: on March 22, 2017

In my last semester of full academic work and the last blog posting for the semester, it seems appropriate for another controversial interpretation of sexuality. Frankly, it’s ingenious of Dr. Jason Clark to have the cohort read about the secular age and then back to back readings on how the church interprets human sexuality. Homosexuality…

8 responses

Stop the Fight, Understanding the Differences!

By: on March 22, 2017

Introduction The book Love Is an Orientation: Elevating the Conversation with the Gay Community by Andrew Marin exhibits the meaning of the Gospel’s real teaching. The book quotes Billy Graham, “It is the Holy Spirit’s job to convict, God’s job to judge, and my job to love,” to highlight its controlling idea that being loving…

8 responses

Informative but not Compelling

By: on March 17, 2017

Agender, androgynous, cisgender, genderqueer, intersex, transgender, bi-gender, male, female. These are the gender identities included in a recent issue from National Geographic entitled The Gender Revolution. In 2015, Frontline produced a documentary entitled Growing up Trans, which explored the lives of five families with transgender children, revealing the hormonal treatments available for children who desire…

11 responses