By: Christal Jenkins Tanks on May 18, 2017
This week we read the book Shaping The Church: The Promise of Implicit Theology, Explorations in Practical, Pastoral and Empirical Theology by Martyn Percy, he explores Implicit Theology and its impact on shaping ecclesial life. He writes “Only by understanding implicit theology can theologians gain an understanding of ecclesial evolution, pastoralia and faith development. The…
By: Jennifer Dean-Hill on May 18, 2017
Through reassurance, hope, and practical steps, Percy consistently reminds the reader of the significance of religion and how to make subtle, yet distinct changes in an ever-changing church culture. His nurturing tone flows throughout his analogies, as he persuades the reader to pay attention to the implicit messages that shape the purpose of church and…
By: Stu Cocanougher on May 18, 2017
Seminary students and others who want to study the history and current forms of Christianity are often drawn to creeds and conventions such as the Apostle’s Creed, the Nicene Creed, The Anglican Catechism, the Augsburg Confession, The Baptist Faith and Message, etc. Much time is spent on debating Calvinism versus Arminianism, the nature of the…
By: Lynda Gittens on May 18, 2017
SHAPING THE CHURCH, THE PROMISE OF IMPLICIT THEOLOGY Dr. Percy approaches the Churches’ views and practices of Implicit Theology. He identified ‘Implicit Theology’ as “examining the basic theological habits of the daily life of churches, congregations, and denominations and guessing at the hidden meanings in structures and practices that on the surface appear to be…
By: Katy Drage Lines on May 18, 2017
In his book, Shaping the Church, Martyn Percy introduces us to the concept of “implicit theology,” the idea that hidden, often unreflected practices, habits, and culture are not simply “benign and innocent,” but offer a great deal of value to understanding the ecclesiology of a particular expression of the church (both local congregations and broader…
By: Jim Sabella on May 18, 2017
Summary “Christianity is about much more than beliefs, propositions and formally sanctioned practices. Indeed, this is a deep misunderstanding about the nature of Christian life. The belief that God is Father, Son and Holy Spirit is not an arid set of directives, but rather a faith that is embedded in a community of praxis…
By: Geoff Lee on May 18, 2017
In examining the “basic-but-nascent theological habits (e.g. language, culture, worship, practice etc.) that more properly account for the daily life of churches, congregations and denominations”[1], Dr Martyn Percy examines what he calls “implicit theology”, which is where theology and sociology, or Christian and contemporary cultures, meet. Implicit theology “notices and gives due attention to the…
By: Mary Walker on May 16, 2017
“But the central foci with which we are concerned is how might we locate an implicit theology within a church, denomination or congregation, particularly if it is hidden?”[1] Shaping the Church is a collection of essays on ecclesiology, ministry, and sacraments particularly within the Anglican Communion in England with a view towards answering this question.…
By: Geoff Lee on May 14, 2017
This work resonated with me at several levels. Here are some of my key thoughts and take-aways: I have an inherent dislike of social media – always have. I am only on Facebook for this course. I do not tweet, use Snapchat, Instagram or anything else. This is not a value judgment. I…
By: Jennifer Dean-Hill on May 12, 2017
Deep Thoughts about Deep Work As I write, I am struggling to enter into deep work. Distractions yank my concentration away from my writing, as email alerts spontaneously appear on the screen, movie background noises interrupt my thoughts, and my dog peers longingly through the glass door at me. Although I have cocooned myself…
By: Chip Stapleton on May 12, 2017
One of first things on my ‘must do’ list when we moved to Boston was visiting Walden Pond, Henry David Thoreau’s iconic retreat. I initially encountered Thoreau’s Walden because the paperback version of ‘On the Duty of Civil Disobedience’ that I wanted to read as a slightly rebellious and intellectually curious middle schooler, came as part of…
By: Kristin Hamilton on May 11, 2017
There are worse places to write about deep work than sitting by the pool at a house just outside of Palm Springs, CA. Honestly, though, I struggled to concentrate this week despite finding so many things within Cal Newport’s book that could eventually be life changing for me. When I opened the book and saw…
By: Lynda Gittens on May 11, 2017
DEEP WORK: Rules for Focused Success in a Distracted World by Newport Words by Iyanla Vanzant When reading this book, Newport mentioned the phrase ‘do the work.’ (111) The words “you must do the work” kept speaking to me. It’s a phrase often used by Iyanla Vanzant. Iyanla is a Life coach for many…
By: Stu Cocanougher on May 11, 2017
Memo: As you probably know, I have been working in a church office for over 25 years. During this time, serving in youth ministry and in missions ministry fit my personality. For the most part, I can regulate my own workload. With an inbox that is always full, I can choose to move back and…
By: Christal Jenkins Tanks on May 11, 2017
“Whether you’re a writer, marketer, consultant, or lawyer: Your work is craft, and if you hone your ability and apply it with respect and care, then like the skilled wheelwright you can generate meaning in the daily efforts of your professional life.”[1] My Challenge: My workday begins when my alarm wakes me up at…
By: Jim Sabella on May 11, 2017
Newport, Cal. Deep Work: Rules for Focused Success in a Distract World. Grand Central Publishing, 2016. Summary We face distractions today that ten years ago did not exist. According to Newport, being distracted is a trend to be resisted; it is a trend that it hinders us from functioning and creating at a high level…
By: Mary Walker on May 11, 2017
“A commitment to deep work is not a moral stance and it’s not a philosophical statement – it is instead a pragmatic recognition that the ability to concentrate is a skill that gets valuable things done.”[1] Cal Newport’s book is based on the hypothesis that performing deep work is becoming increasingly rare at the same…
By: Katy Drage Lines on May 9, 2017
By page 8 I had deleted Facebook and Twitter from my phone. By the end of an evening’s read (with my sons’ video games as background accompaniment), I’d resolved the following: silence, not news or music on my drive to work, and walking to work once I move; removing the Facebook tab on my work…
By: Chip Stapleton on March 24, 2017
Leadership is an Art by Max De Pree is one of those rare, wonderful books that is a quick and easy read – but a book that you find yourself not wanting to get through too quickly, because you worry that you might miss something good. And there is certainly a lot of good in this…
By: Geoff Lee on March 24, 2017
The Art of Leadership – Max DePree In “An Hour on Sunday”, Nancy Beech quotes Gordon MacKenzie on the tension between creative types and management types: “He asks the reader to imagine a serene pasture where a dairy cow is quietly eating grass, chewing her cud, and swishing her tail. Outside the fence stands ‘a…
