Lex Orandi, Lex Credendi

Here’s to the strange and convoluted world of the blogosphere:

• I “met” Mel on a website called MenWhoKnit.com, which is a collection of blogs by male knitters from around the world.
• Of course, what little I know about him, I liked, so I started reading his blog (Cabezalana).
• Apparently, he occasionally reads my blog.
• The other day he turned me on to a blog by a Rabbinical student named Rachel Barenblat called The Velveteen Rabbi.
• In her most recent post Rachel put on her blog was entitled Super Tuesday Eve and linked to a website called NeoHasid.org which printed a wonderful “Prayer for Voting” in both English and Hebrew.
• All of which is a long way of saying “If you live in one of the ‘Super Tuesday’ states, check this out, it’s cool. Heck, even if you don’t, it’s worth your time.”

Sometimes I wonder if computers make things easier or more difficult!

Have a blessed, fattening, pre-Lenten, “super,” Tuesday.

Grace and Peace,

`tim

I’ve been asked a couple of times what the difference between a D.Min. and a PhD are and so, although I’m no expert, I thought I’d give it a shot.  I am working on my D.Min. (Doctor of Ministry) which, unlike a PhD, is a ministry-based degree.  What I mean by that is that a D.Min. is intended to be directly related the specific ministry the individual is engaged in.  In other words, if I were to leave Dunningville today, I would have to come up with a different thesis project than the one I’ve been developing since it was in direct relation to the peculiarities of my current setting.

A D.Min. is a “real” doctorate, but it’s realm is primarily ministry, not academia, whereas a PhD’s main area of focus is the world of academics.  That means that whereas a PhD’s research may be fully based in the area of theory, a D.Min. is based primarily in practice, so the thesis I’m working on is directly related to a specific practical project that we will be doing at Dunningville.  In this case, a project related to the development of integration and discipline.

Integration, in this case, refers to the concept of having one’s faith fully integrated in one’s life.  Or, to put it differently, to ensuring that there is integrity between the different areas of our lives.   It’s based on the most basic belief that I cannot accept the idea that it’s appropriate for someone to be a completely different person when they’re at church than when they’re at school or work or home.  Jesus saved some of his harshest criticisms for hypocrites - those who said they believed one thing but acted contrary to their confessed beliefs.

The project is intended to foster that integration and to promote the self-discipline needed to “live out” what we say we believe.  Christianity cannot simply be a faith of words… it must also be a faith of “being” and “doing.”

I hope that makes sense.

On another note, let me level a public condemnation against QueerJoe for providing a link to the Sue Knitting Game on his blog.  The instructions are entirely unhelpful (as they are in Japanese); it’s music is mind-numbingly annoying; the game is a ridiculous waste of time; and it’s far too infantile for the energy I’ve spent on it….

[For those of you without a sense of humor, note tongue fully lodged in cheek.]
Grace and Peace,

`tim

I promised to update you when there was something to update.  You may recall that my thesis proposal (for my Doctor of Ministry) was denied in December.  No surprise - that’s pretty common.  Anyhow, judging by the comments, it seemed that several of the concerns were based on issues that were tangential to the project, rather than fundamental to it, so I revised the proposal and explained that to my adviser.  Unfortunately, I wasn’t convinced it was going to be enough, but I simply didn’t have time for more over the past month.

Anyhow, to make a long story short, I just got an e-mail from my adviser and the committee approved my proposal this afternoon! There are a few things they want tweaked, but this means I can get started on the project!  Seems this is turning out to be a memorable birthday!

To add to the excitement, my wife bought me an indoor cycle trainer (upon which to mount my bicycle) and Sophia played outside in the snow for the first time (quickly learning that snow is “yummy” — without any prodding from her father… REALLY!)

Grace and Peace,

`tim

Yep… I’ve done it again; it’s been weeks since I last posted.  That’s meant a lot of church, a lot of reading, and a lot of knitting that’s gone entirely unreported (I can tell you’re really missing it, huh!?)

Well, here’re a couple of updates:

• I knit another Koolhaas hat (this one for JJ) — all done.  Turned out pretty well, maybe I’ll get a picture of it for you.
• Also picked up some “recycled” silk yarn from the Hunger Site Store that will eventually work it’s way into being a “Brittany Jumper” for Sophia.  It’s discontinued, but they have some left if you’re interested - it’s a much better price than I’ve seen elsewhere… it’s for a good cause… and, well, it’s cool! (Smells a little “musty” but I think that’ll go away when I wash it.)
• I’ve picked up the Labyrinth that I was knitting and started working on it again… it’s getting closer - I’ll post pics when it’s done rather than bore you with step by step updates.
• I’ve been reading a lot about community.  Perhaps the most enlightening book I’ve just finished is called School(s) for Conversion: 12 Marks of a New Monasticism (by the Rutba House).   It’s a pleasant change from the pop-oriented lit. that’s so common in “post-modern” and “new monasticism.”  I highly recommend it.  Particulalry, I’d point you to the chapters on “Intentional Formation in the Way of Christ and the Rule of the Community Along the Lines of the Old Novitiate” (Mark 6), and “Peacemaking in the Midst of Violence and Conflict Resolution Along the Lines of Matthew 18″ (Mark 11).
• My Thesis proposal is still up in the air.  They required more to be done on it than I was expecting and seem to have latched on a couple of weak spots that weren’t particularly integral to the concept.  I’m hoping to have clarified that in the newest version, but I’m not certain.

Perhaps the most interesting thing to happen lately is that we’ve finished studying the Isaiah Vision in our Adult Sunday School class and are going to be re-working our way through the Heidelberg Catechism (by request.)  What’s so interesting about it is that, although I’ve worked in several congregations, I’m actually convinced that Dunningville has the potential to live into the Isaiah Vision really well.  I’ve been tired and rather worn out lately, but the congregation is doing well and starting to engage some questions about justice/ministry/faithfulness/etc. that many congregations never even bother to notice.

Anyhow, I thought I’d at least touch bases.  I hope and pray you are each well.

Grace and Peace,

`tim

Well, here I go… mentioning the “h-word” and the “e-word” in the same post…

[disclaimer: I haven't done any real research on this at all... these observations may simply be examples of my own life stages at work.]

A little story for you: when I was in high school, “everyone” was ridiculously obsessed with evolution. I know that’s the nature of high schools and that the evolution/creation debate tends to get hashed over in them every handful of years, but the obsession was definitely there and everyone fit into one of two categories. Either they were a) Bible-believing, faithful, conservative, true Christians or they were b) liberal, no-good, satanists who degraded the scriptures and blasphemed God.

(In some communities, I suppose the groups were “a) Bible-believing, faithful, well-educated, liberal, true Christians or b) conservative, no-good, satanists who degrade the scriptures and blaspheme God” but my community was avowedly conservative.)

Each threated excommunication and church discipline on the other. Neither was willing to admit that both sides occasionally made good points. (I suppose I may have given in to a bit of hyperbole here, but you probably know what I mean.)

Time passed. Some people continue to obsess over evolution. Most of us don’t. Those who believe in 7 literal days of creation and those who have a more flexible interpretation of the scriptures/doctrine/theory/concept for the most part get along and let one another live without threat of excommunication or discipline.

When I was in seminary, the same polarizing tendency began showing up around homosexuality in the church. Again, people were shuttled into one of the two above-mentioned groups. Again, threats and mistrust abounded.

Time is passing.

Is it possible that “homosexuality” will be the next “evolution.” I say this because I recently received my latest copy of Perspectives: A Journal of Reformed thought (November) and there is, once again, an article (essay) on sexuality. Now don’t get me wrong, I certainly don’t think the church has adequately addressed issues of heterosexuality, let alone issues of homosexuality, and I do think we must address them and address them well, but my reaction when seeing the article (long before ever reading it) was… “ho hum… another sexuality article.” Which felt exactly like “ho hum… another evolution article.”

The feeling surprised me. I have my own personal agnosticisms regarding how the church ought to handle sexuality issues, but I didn’t expect that response. I find myself wondering if we’re teetering on the brink of coming to the same approach toward non-heterosexuality that many of us have come to with evolution. (An intentionally moderate view that probably terrifies people in both extremes).

hmmm… I wonder.

Grace and Peace,

`tim