DISQUS

Here we get into the Q of who is the intended audience for a book. We need books for scholars and non-scholars alike. It can be a challenge to find Christian books that can appeal to someone who doesn't have a masters degree and yet wants to read something a bit more challenging than say "Your Best Life Now." Books like Mere Christianity (C.S. Lewis) and Simply Christian (NT Wright) have a readership that reaches folks ranging from PhDs to high school dropouts but they are the exception not the rule.

LOL - BTW, I'm not saying don't use social networking tools - these are amazingly valuable resources that give us the opportunity to connect globally in ways we could not have imagined even five years ago. I just found that these tools can be used in some unhealthy ways that I outlined above where the cult of personality runs roughshod over the gospel. Hence, I decided to take a break from this during Lent - I broke the fast VERY shortly because I had to log on and capture some screenshots for a parody I'm doing in which I'm designing Judas' Facebook page. But I didn't do anything other than capture screenshots.

After Lent, I will return hopefully with a much better perspective and thus able to laugh off the online antics that can bring out the inner high school student in us all.

Like the look ... cool

Thanks for directing me here - If I was in Seattle, I would definitely catch this ...

Thanks Shane for adding to the dialogue.

My experience though is that all too often someone or a small group comes into a community and launches a ministry or new nonprofit to help "the least of these" thereby appointing themselves as the spokespersons replete with speaking gigs, book deals, press releases. This strikes me as continuing a colonial model of missions that often de-evolves into turf wars that end up doing more harm than good. Or worse, a group comes in, sets up an organization and then claims leadership of programs started by those already working in the community, thereby taking the credit while others do the work - this ends up further beating down the very people who are already marginalized. How do we steer them towards the more holistic model that you describe?

It pains me when a ministry with potential becomes fodder for the Wittenburg Door because then I know that Wormwood is running the ship.

Handing over the mic represents a hurdle that I many (myself included) find challenging. One of the frustrations I sense in US emergent/progressive circles is that despite all the talk of opening up the kingdom via "grassroots initiatives," the end result so far has been a cottage growth industry of nonprofits, conferences and the like. Once again, those in charge position themselves as the spokesmen. I'm tried to attending gatherings that claim to be diverse but yet when I walk into the room, the people in attendance tend to be predominately male, white with the bulk of those in attendance possessing an masters degree of above. (In some progressive circles, you'll find a higher percentage of women and a bit more racial diversity but the groups still tend to be pretty well educated).

Why do we set up initiatives to help "the least of these" and then not invite them to our gatherings, conferences, etc.? It's time we all started demanding that when we gather together in His name that we reflect His people. Otherwise, all our talk about unifying the church, it just that ... talk.

Thanks again for starting to walk the walk and challenging us all to join in.

Slight point of clarification - I did an obituary for the late Senator Jesse Helms not Jerry Falwell or James D. Kennedy.

BTW, if anyone skims through the archive section of The Wittenburg Door, they'll see that we hammered on the Clintons for years - and a quick skim of John Bloom's (the webmaster) columns will should demonstrate that we will satirize whoever ends up in the White House as need be. Also, I did a piece that's posted on the website titled "Today's Theologians Rock With the Oldies" that isn't exactly friendly to the democrats.

www.wittenburgdoor.com

I got a note from Bob re: this announcement sent via Ole Anthony.

Harry Guetzlaff passed away about 2:00 AM this morning. He died peacefully and for the last several days he has had no pain. Please pray that his natural family including him mother Peg and his brother David and sister-in-law Mary will be comforted. We will miss him dearly.

Contact the filmmakers via their website to see when a DVD will be available.

I asked Robert Darden and he said that 30 second clips are available on the website I listed. Also, I know some of NPR interviews include song selections. The priority now appears to be collecting these items before they're lost forever.

We at The Wittenburg Door have done our share of satire re: the sillier aspects of Emergent Church (TM)
and that includes poking fun at myself (one of the many gifts I learned from Mike Yaconelli, founder of this rag). I single out Greenbelt and Soularize as they were two events where I have seen friendships and projects actually take root and blossom post-event. The Door has satirized church festivals/conferences -- I'm working on a few ideas on this topic and hopefully one will take root . You're spot on - one can easily couch surf from Christian conference to Christian conference in search of the next Jesus high without having to actually get one's hands dirty in the messiness of real life.

There's a difference between international emerging church and Emergent Church (TM) that has been pointed out on numerous blogs - check out Andrew Jones (http://tallskinnykiwi.typepad.com) for starters. It is not within the scope of this posting to debate the points.

I have stated my view, you've stated yours - I'm happy to agree to disagree and then go out for libations.

As a satirist, I am seeing the start of a slippery slope here and simply sounding a warning bell for us all to be careful here.

Once one enters into the public arena as an author, teacher, pastor, speaker, etc., then one no longer speaks as a private citizen. I was counseled about this back in 1994 when I sold my first article. I admit that walking this line is very tricky - I cited the dilemma that Dobson found himself in when he endorsed Huckabee as the consequences here.

And BTW, given that Roger Williams left the Baptist church almost as soon as he founded it, methinks he wasn't pretty much a solo wanderer that wouldn't want to be tied to any organization whatsoever.

My error - the sentence should read "Why then should the same criteria NOT apply to those who are designated as spokesmen of other religious organizations."

BTW-I am so closely identified with The Wittenburg Door that if I endorsed a candidate it would reflect on both the magazine, as well as my ability to satirize any religious figure who as Campolo notes mixes manure with the ice cream. And trust me, I see ample fodder no matter who moves into the White House come January 2009.

I repeat - like it or not "once you are seen as a published author/pastor/spokesman of any religious enterprise, your words carry weight when uttered in any public forum, be it book or blog."

One cannot market oneself as a spokesman for (Insert name of religious organization) and then say one speaks as a private citizen. This was the dilemma Dobson faced because as it's been aptly noted, no one believed that his endorsement didn't carry the stamp of approval from Focus on the Family. Why then should the same criteria should apply to those who are designated as spokesmen of other religious organizations?

As a religious satirist, I cannot remain objective if I endorse a particular candidate - that's why I've been a registered independent since 1994 (the year I sold my first article).

I am a religious satirist not an Emergent Church leader. I am expressing a concern that I've noticed as I cover the 2008 election that a number of Emergent Church leaders have publicly endorsed a particular candidate on their blog.

The Q regarding what Emergent Village/Emergent Church believes needs to be directed towards Tony Jones.

BTW-I was referencing the formation of a slippery slope on the left as well. Sorry if that wasn't clearer.

I stand corrected - it was John not Joe. My apologies. Honeydripper is one of his more overtly spiritual films. Hope you get to see it.

If you subscribe to the Wittenburg Door's free newsletter (www.wittenburgdoor.com), you can be keep posted re: when the interivew will run and if it'll be print/online or just print.

Thanks for sharing this - prayers with you and those who knew John well during this very difficult time.

I stand corrected - they looked like zombies to the untrained eye. BTW-the film is being marketed as an updated zombie flick.

Don is accurate in his assessment - Some books such as D'Souza's led me to rediscover my faith as a young adult back in the '80s. So they had a definite role in my faith formation. But when I pick up these same books today, they leave me hungry. I wish they did feed me - the self-confidence I had in my twenties fueled me into doing a lot of very productive church projects.

Around the time I went to Yale Divinity School, I started wandering around in the wilderness -Mother Teresa's book was like an oasis in the desert that fed me. This post was written to help fellow wanderers know that I found a book that might refresh their soul as well.

Jennifer - towards the end of my article, I suggest that readers looking for alternative gifts check out Alternatives for Simple Living. I also gave a listing of a few gifts from the Holy Land where the proceeds go to help those living in the area. Hope that gets you started on your journey.

Only 8 or so ministers were on stage offering prayers because if you had say 80+ people that each said a prayer followed by speeches, songs and worship, that would have made for a day-long event not an evening gathering. Having said that, this was far more ecumenical than most other anti-poverty gatherings I've seen where only the liberal end of the faith spectrum is represented. I saw several ministers on stage that I'm pretty certain would be supportive of Dr. Dobson and Company.

The "offending secular counterparts" was my critique of liberal religious groups who don't talk about their biblical basis for their actions.

Also, this was one of the more biblically based discussions about poverty - I was reminded me the discussions I've been having lately about what it means to live our lives in accordance with the scriptures?