{"id":335,"date":"2014-02-14T06:31:00","date_gmt":"2014-02-14T06:31:00","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/beta.dminlgp.com\/?p=335"},"modified":"2014-08-12T22:34:35","modified_gmt":"2014-08-12T22:34:35","slug":"posture-mine-and-yours-and-toward-one-another","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/blogs.georgefox.edu\/dlgp\/posture-mine-and-yours-and-toward-one-another\/","title":{"rendered":"Posture – Mine and Yours and Toward One Another"},"content":{"rendered":"

Public theology, civil theology and private theology resemble intersections that connect with one another.\u00a0 But rather than a convergence of streets into a shared one way space, such as Trafalgar Square in London or traffic roundabouts designed to ease traffic flow in urban spaces, these resemble networks with hubs linking one to the other.\u00a0 It can be difficult to determine where one ends and the other begins.\u00a0 This is especially challenging in my own country, the United States of America. Drawing upon the work of David Tracy, Duncan Forrester defined public theology as one \u201cwhich seeks the welfare of the city before protecting the interests of the Church, or its proper liberty to preach the Gospel and celebrate the sacraments.\u201d[1]<\/a> To seek the welfare of something and someone other than yourself brings forward the biblical concept of serving.\u00a0 Jeremiah spoke to the Jewish exiles in Babylon to seek the welfare of the city, to settle, to marry, plant gardens, and pray for the city, for in seeking the welfare of the city they would find their welfare.[2]<\/a>\u00a0 Jesus expanded the concept of neighbor in the story of the Good Samaritan.[3]<\/a> He drew together worship of God with all one\u2019s heart, mind and strength and transformed it by listing the 2nd<\/sup> commandment alongside it, to love our neighbor as we love self.[4]<\/a> To seek the welfare of another before the welfare of your task or mission requires a change of posture and a new way of seeing and hearing. Forrester rightly recognizes the challenges of such a posture.\u00a0 Things that were issues and concerns in prior years or even in prior generations may once again raise there head, leaving some bewildered and others scratching their heads, \u201cSome public theologies, or more generally systems of religious symbols, which seem to be challengingly relevant for a time may not disappear so much as go into hibernation and awake centuries later and once more present themselves as guides for construing the world and for action.\u201d[5]<\/a>\u00a0 Perhaps this is what is happening within our civil discourse or lack of civil discourse, which may be more closely associated with civic theology.\u00a0 Just this week I read a post focusing on President Obama\u2019s personal faith in Jesus Christ as his Savior.[6]<\/a>\u00a0 The United States is a country that has a conservative political and religious element where such an affirmation is expected.\u00a0 Max Stackhouse picks up on this sentiment, \u201cCurrent evangelicalism in the US lacks an articulate political or social theory except for a generalized patriotism.\u201d[7]<\/a>\u00a0 The challenge, of course, is that we are a diverse nation in world that is shrinking with technological and global economies.\u00a0 Christians engaged in public theology, Chris Marshall reminds us, do not need to defend their right to be present; \u201cthey only need to defend the credibility<\/em> of what they wish to say.\u201d[8]<\/a> But to get public theology \u201cright\u201d we have to recognize that it is contextual.[9]<\/a>\u00a0 This again invites us to consider our posture.\u00a0 It provides us with the opportunity to recognize that context influenced theological praxis in the past; therefore contextual theology is rooted in history and tradition.\u00a0 Just as I carry certain familial characteristics and resemblances, so does our theology.\u00a0 Our present experiences, personal, societal and cultural,[10]<\/a> may affirm or bring our history and tradition into question.\u00a0 But rather than provide us with a stiff posture of resistance or accommodation, we have an opportunity to embrace the process of what Stephens Bevans refers to as \u201cbecoming particular.\u201d[11]<\/a>\u00a0 He is referring to the continuing process of incarnation in which \u201cthe divinity could become visible and in some way (not fully but in some way) become graspable and intelligible \u2026 we have somehow ourselves to continue the incarnation process.\u201d[12]<\/a> Two years ago my husband and I had an opportunity to live in Melbourne, Australia while he was on a short-term work assignment.\u00a0 Through a friend\u2019s connection we found our way to worship at Collins Street Baptist Church[13]<\/a>, the oldest Baptist church in Australia.\u00a0 Inside its white Greek columns we found a generous people, committed to being a church for the city.\u00a0 Our shared English language had different meanings. \u00a0We had to get to know one another.\u00a0 Our posture was one of observing, listening, coming alongside and joining in. We saw through the ministries and people of Collins Street a strong, yet gracious presence engaging with the city at a place of need in their partnership with Urban Seed[14]<\/a> and daily provisions for those in the city along with a Sunday evening congregation that included among its gathering some of the most marginalized in the city.\u00a0 They also are creating a path of civic engagement in step with the city.\u00a0 They work intentionally to develop and foster relationship. \u201cConscious on Collins\u201d provides an opportunity to bring civic and faith leaders together on a panel discussion with subjects of mutual concern.\u00a0 When we were there that discussion centered on sustainability.\u00a0 Timely, as Melbourne had just been recognized as the most livable city in the world.\u00a0 By standing with and loving Melbourne, Collins Street is allowing its prophetic voice to be heard by working for the welfare of the city.\u00a0 What we witnessed through the leadership and people at Collins Street embodied exactly what Clive Pearson seems to be looking for when he asked, \u201cWhat strategies might best be used for establishing faith\u2019s \u2018right to be heard?\u201d[15]<\/a> We are in a program that intentionally brings us into a global perspective.\u00a0 After our reading this week I am wondering if we do not need to reframe our understanding of missional.\u00a0 Bevans referred to Jos\u00e9 de Mesa\u2019s insight that we need \u201cintraditionality <\/em>in theology, whereby one comes to a deeper understanding and articulation of one\u2019s own tradition in a conversation with other traditions.\u201d[16]<\/a>\u00a0 I am realizing conversation with others is the key.\u00a0 It is about posture.\u00a0 Will we receive from the other?<\/p>\n

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<\/a>\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 [1] Duncan B. Forrester, \u201cThe Scope of Public Theology.\u201d Studies in Christian Ethics <\/em>\u00a017, no 2 [2004]: 6,<\/a><\/div>\n
\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 [2] \u00a0Jeremiah 29. 4-7 \u201cThus says the Lord of hosts, the God of Israel, to all the exiles whom I have sent into exile from Jerusalem to Babylon: Build houses and live in them; plant gardens and eat what they produce.\u00a0 Take wives and have sons and daughters; take wives for your sons, and give our daughters in marriage, that they may bear sons and daughters; multiply there, and do not decrease.\u00a0 But seek the welfare of the city where I have sent you into exile, and pray to the Lord on its behalf, for in its welfare you will find your welfare.\u201d (New Revised Standard Version).<\/div>\n
<\/a> [3] Luke 10:25-37<\/div>\n
<\/a> [4] Shema is found in Deuteronomy 6:4-5 \u201cHear, O Israel, the Lord our God, the Lord is one. Love the Lord our God with all your heart, with all your soul, with all your mind, and with all your strength.\u201d \u201cLove your neighbor as yourself\u201d is from Leviticus 19:18.\u00a0 Jesus structuring can be found in Matthew 22:37-40: \u201cYou shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, and with all your soul, and with all you mind.\u00a0 This is the greatest and first commandment. And a second is like it: \u2018You shall love your neighbor as yourself.\u2019\u00a0 On these two commandments hang all the law and the prophets.\u201d (New Revised Standard Version).<\/div>\n
<\/a>\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 [5] Forrester, 6.<\/div>\n
<\/a><\/p>\n

\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 [6] Mark Ellis, \u201cObama Affirms Jesus as His Savior and Lord, Stands for Religious Freedom,\u201d GodReports, <\/em>February 6, 2014, accessed February 11, 2014. http:\/\/blog.godreports.com\/2014\/02\/obama-affirms-jesus-as-his-savior-and-lord-stands-for-religious-freedom\/<\/a> \u201cIn my life, He directed my path to Chicago and my work with churches who were intent on breaking the cycle of poverty in hard-hit communities there.\u00a0 And I\u2019m grateful not only because I was broke and the church fed me, but because it led to everything else.\u00a0 It led me to embrace Jesus Christ as my Lord and Savior.\u00a0 It led me to Michelle \u2014 the love of my life \u2014 and it blessed us with two extraordinary daughters.\u00a0 It led me to public service.\u00a0 And the longer I serve, especially in moments of trial or doubt, the more thankful I am of God\u2019s guiding hand.\u201d<\/a><\/h2>\n<\/div>\n
\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 [7] Max Stackhouse, \u201cCivil Religion, Political Theology and Public Theology: What\u2019s the Difference\/\u201d Political Theology<\/em> 5:3, [2004]: 279.<\/div>\n
<\/a> [8] Christopher Marshall, \u201cWhat Language Shall I Borrow?: The Bilingual Dilemma of Public Theology\u201d Stimulus <\/em>\u00a013, no 3 [2005]: 12.<\/div>\n
<\/a> [9] Forrester, 6.<\/div>\n
<\/a> [10] Stephen B. Bevans, Models of Contextual Theology<\/em> (Maryknoll, NY: Orbis Books, 2011), 8.<\/div>\n
<\/a> [11] Ibid., 12.<\/div>\n
<\/a> [12] Ibid.<\/div>\n
<\/a> [13] Collins Street Baptist Church: http:\/\/www.csbc.org.au\/<\/a>.<\/div>\n
<\/a>\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 [14] Urban Seed is a non-profit, initially started by Collins Street Baptist Church.\u00a0 For more information: http:\/\/www.urbanseed.org\/<\/a>.<\/div>\n
<\/a>\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 [15] Clive Pearson, \u201cThe Quest for a Glocal Public Theology.\u201d International Journal of Public Theology. <\/em>1, no. 2 [2007]: 164.<\/div>\n
<\/a> [16] Stephen B. Bevans, \u201cWhat Has contextual Theology to Offer the Church of the Twenty-First Century?\u201d in Contextual Theology for the Twenty-First Century<\/em>, ed. Stephens B. Bevans and Katalina Tahaafe-Williams (Eugene, OR: Pickwick Publications, 2011), 16.<\/div>\n<\/div>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Public theology, civil theology and private theology resemble intersections that connect with one another.\u00a0 But rather than a convergence of streets into a shared one way space, such as Trafalgar Square in London or traffic roundabouts designed to ease traffic flow in urban spaces, these resemble networks with hubs linking one to the other.\u00a0 It […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":26,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"_monsterinsights_skip_tracking":false,"_monsterinsights_sitenote_active":false,"_monsterinsights_sitenote_note":"","_monsterinsights_sitenote_category":0,"footnotes":""},"categories":[1],"tags":[2,13],"class_list":["post-335","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-uncategorized","tag-dminlgp","tag-garner","cohort-lgp4"],"acf":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/blogs.georgefox.edu\/dlgp\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/335","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/blogs.georgefox.edu\/dlgp\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/blogs.georgefox.edu\/dlgp\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blogs.georgefox.edu\/dlgp\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/26"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blogs.georgefox.edu\/dlgp\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=335"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/blogs.georgefox.edu\/dlgp\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/335\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":1660,"href":"https:\/\/blogs.georgefox.edu\/dlgp\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/335\/revisions\/1660"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/blogs.georgefox.edu\/dlgp\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=335"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blogs.georgefox.edu\/dlgp\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=335"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blogs.georgefox.edu\/dlgp\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=335"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}