day 16, "earth(ly)"

Day 16 of the Lenten photo-a-day challenge on rethink church.

day 16, "earthly." plants, trees, grass, sidewalks, streets, buildings growing out of the urban ground.

day 15, "hear"

Day 15 of the Lenten photo-a-day challenge on rethink church.

for day 15, "hear," the sky at about 6 pm /1800 hrs tonight.

day 13, "cover(s)"

Day 13 of the Lenten photo-a-day challenge on rethink church.

for day 13, "cover(s)," one of my milk crate book shelves. Cover is so very suggestive, could have been many things: quilts; canopies; roofs; grace; a star-filled sky; warm coat; cozy sweater; mercy; tree branches; love of a friend; love of God...

day 12, "vision"

Day 12 of the Lenten photo-a-day challenge on rethink church.

for day 12, "vision," the Star of India from the Festival of Sail 02 September 2012. Stars, seas, skies, worlds, imaginings, visions...

day 11, "live"

Day 11 of the Lenten photo-a-day challenge on rethink church.

day 11, "live"; I'm not sure if that's a long or a short "i" or maybe both.

day 10, "spirit"

Day 10 of the Lenten photo-a-day challenge on rethink church.

day 10, "spirit"

Illustrating Jamie Owens' "Sweet Dying Lamb."

day 9, "love"

Day 9 of the Lenten photo-a-day challenge on rethink church.

day 9, "love"

For today's love word prompt, colors, flowers, and memories that bring me joy—profound simplicity.

day 8, "evil"?

Day 8 of the Lenten photo-a-day challenge on rethink church.

day 8, "evil?" noooooooooo... "live!"

day 7, "wonder"

Day 7 of the Lenten photo-a-day challenge on rethink church. No pics this time, so I'll make "wonder" my writing prompt.

day 7, "wonder"
Yes, this is about me, wondering how it ever happened that I reached a point in life (both in terms of life's happening/ not happening, and of writing this openly) of posting Sunday's Facebook status update:

I've yet to meet a real mind-reader, so let me explain—blog readers and Facebook "likes" have become such a major concern (distress, devastation) for me because I'd imagined maybe I could create something of an online life, since the real, local one still wasn't happening for me. In other words, theology blog, design page, aren't simply something extra I decided to try for fun or as an addition to what I was doing here in town; they became almost the whole entire thing. I realize most of the (art / design / theology, etc.) peeps who get a lot of online action also have an offline life that enriches and informs their online activity, which is the reason their stuff is (more) worth "likes." I'm also aware nothing I've been doing for the past few years has been my very best, but I also believe it's respectable.

I wonder a lot, and I fear, I fear still more months, years, decades of aimless drifting. Here's my number—so call me, maybe? Tomorrow's prompt is "evil..." I'll try to snap a pic for that one.

Good night, world, may your days be wonder-filled and wonderful.

The Message and the Kingdom

The Message and the Kingdom: How Jesus and Paul Ignited a Revolution and Transformed the Ancient World, by Richard A Horsley and Neil Asher Silberman on Amazon.

Some of us who inhabit the world of the church distinguish between "Jesus Christians" (frequently Roman Catholics, people in "just peace" churches, other activist Jesus emulators), who follow the Jesus of the synoptic gospels and the Didache, and "Pauline Christians" (usually stereotyped as Protestants in church bodies of continental European Reformation heritage), who love to theologize the Pauline and deutero-Pauline epistles.

Scholars Horsley and Silberman offer economic, political, social, cultural, and sometimes religious considerations of Jesus of Nazareth's influences in a turbulent Ancient Near East during his time on earth and after his death; they also bring an overview of Paul/Saul of Tarsus' varied influences on early Jesus-followers. They caution us popular assumptions and shorthands aren't always so!

It wasn't all about peasant revolts, rural poverty, urban exploitation, or even oppressive empire, but for most groups, following Jesus or The Way of Jesus began as a hopeful attempt to regain some control over an existence slammed by dehumanizing religious and/or imperial injustices. The authors describe the why and the where of texts and trajectories of Mark, Matthew, John, and Luke-Acts; they remind us St Paul was far from a "this is how it needs to be / one size fits every group" teacher and missionary. (We don't need another proof-text...) "Within seventy-five years of the crucifixion of Jesus in Jerusalem, the signs of the Kingdom were unmistakable wherever the assemblies of the saints gathered. The most important rituals of every Christian's life―baptism, Lord's Supper, and collections―seemed to gird the assemblies scattered through the eastern Mediterranean..." [page 224] Sacraments and works of mercy are central to today's church assemblies, also.

The Message and the Kingdom is solidly scholarly, yet reads like listening to an interesting lecture series that respects those with an academic bent, doesn't confuse or demean those without. I love the multicolored perspectives woven through the chapters! "Jesus Christians" tend to emphasize Jesus the teacher, healer, transformer of society, and prophet; "Pauline Christians" love to dig into theology, Christology, eschatology, sin, death, and redemption. This book works well for both groups, and though neither the ecclesiastical nor the spiritual dominates the book, Silberman and Horsley don't exclude them, either! End matter includes narrative bibliographical notes on each chapter, a big bibliography, and an index.

my amazon review: many perspectives on Jesus and Paul

day 6, "world"

Day 6 of the Lenten photo-a-day challenge on rethink church. Instead of currents from out in the world beyond here, here's a collage I cobbled together in a former city:

day 6, "world"

day 5, "settle"

It's day 5 of the Lenten photo-a-day challenge on rethink church. No picture for today, so here's a song:

Day 5, "settle"

Settle Down (Goin' Down That Highway) | Mike Settle / Essex Music Inc. ASCAP

Why don't you help me brother, I'm a stranger in your town?
Why don't you help me sister, and then maybe I'll settle down.

Never been contented no matter where I roam
It ain't no fun to see a settin' sun when you're far away from home.

Why don't you help me brother, I'm a stranger in your town?
Why don't you help me sister, and then maybe I'll settle down...

day 4, "injustice"

Day 4 of the Lenten photo-a-day challenge on rethink church. So far I've been taking pics on the actual day, but may or may not continue doing so, esp if I already have something so perfect for the prompt; I'm still thinking of possibly writing on one day or another, or of fancying, grungifying, or otherwise presenting the photo of the day.

day 4, "injustice"

day 3, "see"

This is day 3 of the Lenten photo-a-day challenge on rethink church; I'd love you to join me and all the many many others in this discipline!

3, "see"