Occasio

Bloggin from The Hype and The Feedback, the first academic conference on U2

This weekend I'm attending The Hype and The Feedback, the first-ever academic conference on the work and influence of the popular rock band U2. Five featured speakers and over 40 presentations will focus on the music and activism of the band wandering through topics like social justice, rhetoric, philosophy, religion, theology, history, communication, music industry, fandom, and so much more.

I'm presenting a paper I co-authored with Jessica Mast, a Fresno Pacific University student who helped as a teaching assistant the last time I taught "Theology, Culture and U2." The paper is titled, "Teaching U2: the classroom as theological learning space." In the paper we lay out a framework for the course and then demonstrate the transformation in students' understanding of theology as they study U2. We conclude that students in the course move from seeing theology as a cold, sterile and irrelevant discipline, to an ongoing process that is lived out and experienced in everyday life.

I'll post the paper at a later point, but for now, see the Wordle below to get an idea of some of the major concepts in the paper.

 
 
  
  

My Ego is not the Enemy (or, why I haven't blogged in four months)

Sounds and smells. Those are the two senses that scientists say are directly wired to the brain circumventing some of the physiological processes that the other senses go through. That’s why a song or a smell can take us instantly back to a powerful memory. Listen to an oldies station or an album from high school and prepare for a wave of emotion.

The recent release by U2, No Line on the Horizon, (NLOTH) will be locked in for me as one of those powerful catalysts of the memory. There are a number of songs that will always remind me of where I have been over the last year. There is one lyric in particular that could describe and summarize my entire summer:

I gotta stand up to ego but my ego's not really the enemy
It's like a small child crossing an eight lane highway, On a voyage of discovery

About eight months ago I began seeing a therapist on a weekly basis. I’d previously gone to a counselor on individual occasions to consult about important decisions, but I have never invested so much time learning to know myself. Why did I decide to do this? Was it due to a mid-life crisis (I’m in my mid-40s), poor health (I contracted hepatitis last year), work environment, family history, insomnia, other? I’m sure it was a combination of these – a perfect storm.

Therapy is hard work. It’s hard to stand up when the soul is tired. It’s hard to listen when the spirit has been ignored. But the work was worthwhile, like a good run on the treadmill. What was once head-knowledge has now been lived out, experienced.

During my journey I journaled. I talked to my soul and then listened for responses. And then I listened some more. What I heard was meant for me, not for others, so that will remain private. But I experienced what I’ve always “known” – journaling is a powerful conduit for soul and spirit.

I also read a lot from an unlikely trio of sources: Epictetus, Jung and Jesus. Epictetus taught me about Stoicism, about disconnecting from the materialism of this world and about influencing that which is within my control (and forgetting about the rest). Jung reintroduced me to concepts like ego, shadow, archetype, and symbolism. I learned about the conflict that emerges when the inner and the outer worlds are not congruent, and how dreams (for me) become special channels for the spirit. The title of one of Jung’s seminal works says it all: Modern Man in Search of a Soul. That’s what I am. And then there’s Jesus. What a friend, teacher, mentor, savior (in ways I never anticipated). I hope you know him.

Back to NLOTH. For the first months after its release I was completely stuck on "Moment of Surrender." That was what I needed. And I learned to find it in the most ordinary of places.

I was punching in the numbers at the ATM machine
I could see in the reflection A face staring back at me
At the moment of surrender Of vision over visibility
I did not notice the passers-by And they did not notice me

I was speeding on the subway Through the stations of the cross
Every eye looking every other way Counting down 'til the pentecost

At the moment of surrender Of vision of over visibility
I did not notice the passers-by And they did not notice me

I played with the fire, and it played with me. I was listening and hearing that my body was begging to get back "To the rhythm of my soul / To the rhythm of my unconsciousness / To the rhythm that yearns / To be released from control." I was on a journey to relinquish control, listen to heart and soul, bring unconsciousness and consciousness into sync. Still am.

Then came "Unkown Caller." On my journey I have learned to be silent and still before God, before soul. The Spirit was saying “Escape yourself and gravity.” The soul was begging, “Hear me, cease to speak.” I learned of the peace that passes all understanding when I “don’t move or say a thing.” Surrendering leads to stillness.

The third song from NLOTH in my therapeutic trilogy is “I’ll Go Crazy if I Don’t Go Crazy Tonight.” I could not sing this song at the start of my journey. I knew “the sweetest melody is the one we haven’t heard,” but I couldn’t imagine it. Bono cries, “It's not a hill, it's a mountain / As you start out the climb / Do you believe me, or are you doubting.” Doubt abounded, and all I saw was the mountain and the hard climb ahead. There was a point when I simply couldn’t listen to the last chorus of “Crazy.” There is a darkness so strong that light can’t escape, not even a glimmer, not even a spark.

Now I stand having experienced this truth: “A change of heart comes slow.” It comes through stillness and surrender. Maybe that’s why I’m looking forward to a couple of U2 concerts on my horizon. Many of my friends can't understand the experience some of us have had with this band, and I don't expect them to until they've had similar experiences. But there will be a very special moment on the NLOTH tour, probably an emotional one, and one very important lyric,

It's not a hill, it's a mountain
As we start out the climb
Listen for me, I'll be shouting
Shouting to the darkness, squeeze out sparks of light

You know we'll go crazy
You know we'll go crazy
You know we'll go crazy if we don't go crazy tonight

Looking forward to the craziness.... And ego.... And journey.... And discovery....

A Wild Pentecost

On May 31 North Fresno Church celebrated Pentecost Sunday. As worship leader for our contemporary service I took a risk with our little conservative congregation and it seems to have worked.

As everyone came into the sanctuary they were handed a red, orange or yellow balloon (colors of fire). During the first two songs each attender blew up his/her balloon and then took a wide-tipped marker and wrote on a balloon completing the following sentence: "Come Holy Spirit and...." On the chorus of the third song ("Come and Fill Me Up") we launched our balloons as prayers to the heavens. God's breath to our breath and back again!

What ensued was a wild, chaotic, unpredictable balloon fest -- a real celebration of the Spirit. Perfect!

After a crazy free-for-all of 200+ bouncy balloons, everybody grabbed one and then shared what was written on it as a way of meeting and greeting one another. The only problem we had was that we used "washable" markers and they tended to smudge a bit. As a result, everyone's hands were inked with different colors. That was an easy explanation. "You've been marked with the colors of the Spirit," I said.

Check out this video if you're interested in the vantage point of someone in the congregation. It might take a few minutes to load.

It's hard to get in the door: Christians endorse torture?

"It's hard to get in the door" is a series of posts illustrating why those searching for Christ often have a hard time accepting the church. If you have been raised in the church, try imagining what this piece would look like if you had grown up in a world without it. If you are unfamiliar with the culture of church, this will probably seem pretty absurd. All comments are welcome!

Last week there was a report from a recent survey that indicated church goers are more committed to and approving of torture than those who don't go to church. The correlation was remarkable: the more likely one is to attend church, the more likely one is to say that torture of of terrorists is justifiable.

From the Pew Research Center:

The poll found that fifty-four percent of those who attend weekly services say the use of torture on terror suspects in order to gain important information can "often" or "sometimes" be justified. That's twelve percent higher than the 42 percent of those who seldom or never attend such services who say the same.

And guess which demographic group is most likely to support the use of torture? White evangelical Protestants - sixty-two percent of them find it justifiable.

Non-Christians certainly see a contradiction here. Founded on the legacy of a man who was convicted of terrorism against the Roman government and Jewish establishment and then tortured to death by way of beatings and crucifixion, a majority of regular church-going Christians still support torture in greater numbers than those who do not have any religious affiliation. Does this mean that atheists end up looking more Christian than the Christians? That's the way some will interpret it.

On a related note, have you seen the recently released cover pages Donald Rumsfeld used on daily Pentagon Iraq briefings to the president? Carefully chosen verses proof-text select war photos giving the impression that America's war in the Mideast is a holy crusade. Click here for the full slide show of images.

Here are a few selected documents.

 

 

 

Need yet one more reason why non-Christians might like Christ but not want the church? Check out this video of soldiers in Afghanistan carrying a gun in one hand and a Bible in the other.

It's hard to get in the door....

Psalm 23 provides clues for dealing with uncertain times

Here's a brief article I just published through Fresno Pacific University's "Scholars Speak" feature. Click on he link below if you want to read the rest of the piece.

The most famous ancient Hebrew poem is Psalm 23, “The Lord is my shepherd…” and the main context for its reading is funerals. But like the most popular prayer (“Our Father who art in heaven”) and the most popular verse (“For God so loved the world”) this psalm is often recited without much reflection. Though it may be customary to use Psalm 23 at a memorial service, it is even more appropriate as an expression of hope and life in the troubled here-and-now.

Read the full article here.

U2 St. Patrick's Day Party at the Neufeld's

Bono says that every good Irishman knows Lent ends on St. Patrick's Day.

We'll I'm not sure about the theology of that statement, but we're calling all friends and students who are U2 fans/crazies/theologians to an Irish meal. We'll listen to the new album, yak about favorite songs and try to answer whether there is or isn't a line on the horizon.

Interested in joining? Let me know.

BTW, here's the standard St. Patrick's Day greeting from U2 when they were just kids. Happy St. Paddy's day!

No Line on the Horizon: =

  

"...on earth as it is in heaven."

This is the album cover for U2's new release, No Line on the Horizon. Beatuiful.

Photograph by Hiroshi Sugimoto.

FPU Ministry Forum with Ray Bakke

I’m blogging from the annual Ministry Forum at Fresno Pacific University today. Our keynote speaker is Ray Bakke, a pastor, teacher, and professor of urban theology. Ray is the chancellor of the Bakke Graduate University. Our theme for the forum is “One Church, One City.” Ray is a brilliant theologian with provocative and relevant thoughts for the urban church. Rather than editorialize, I thought I’d just share a cluster of ideas he’s been sharing today. These are loose paraphrases of his comments.

In 1800 2%, 1900 8%, 2000 50% of the planet lives in cities
Cities are growing by 100,000 per day; ½ by birth, ½ by relocation

Ray’s most shocking experience was to watch churches flee the cities in the 60s. Those who sang “red and yellow, black and white” bought into “white flight.”

Christians fled L.A. and Chicago and met in Colorado Springs

Evangelicals think they can’t survive in the cities because there’s a belief that gardens are good and cities are evil; there is an exodus theology in play

In the bible: 1250 texts regarding the city, 141 individual cities mentioned. Ez 16: cities are families (this is the part of focusing on the family that Dobson has left out). Biblical idea of family - hooked to geography and history.

Paul’s use of contextualization in the city:
Philippi - Lydia and women in an upper class city lead the church
Athens - quoted Greeks at Mars Hill
Corinth - he made tents, the crossroads the marketplace/commerce (urban and rural)
Ephesus - went to synagogue to dialogue (Socratic method)
Paul adjusts his message, methods and meaning places to meet people where they where
A theology as big as the city includes all of these

Luther and Calvin had a marketplace theology
Common Grace: taking care of schools, hospitals, public sector
Saving Grace: in the churches paid for by tithes
Tax money or tithe money - it’s all God’s
Why have Christians removed themselves from Common Grace theology? (This comes largely through American revivalism and personal piety movements)

God is bringing the nations to the city neighborhoods
The Lord of history is bringing the nations to California - why is he doing this? what does this mean?
This is not the time to flee the city in favor of gated communities. We need common grace.

Four worlds people live in: biological, geographical, relational, recreational worlds
The task of the pastor is not to get 10% growth this year but to get congregants into their four worlds as missionaries
“Evangelism is scratching people where they itch in the name of Jesus”
“Church growth” is about getting a hundred people into four hundred worlds touching thousands of people
Church Growth strategies have typically encouraged a pastor to build a church in his/her own image and then attract others to it creating homogeneous cultures
“I had to decide if I wanted to be a come-structured pastor or a go-structured pastor”

Form the second century in Epistle to Diognetus: what the soul is to the body, the Christian is to the city

Jesus died in the city and the church was born in the city at Pentecost

Does any of this get you thinking about Christianity, ministry and the urban context? I’d love to hear your thoughts.

My favorite Super Bowl commercial

Somedays....

Another day at Fuller

Day 3 -- Today I presented my dissertation proposal. I was on the hot seat in front of my colleagues and doctoral advisers for about 80 minutes. Pastor James Bergen was able to make it down from Fresno to show support, ask questions and help me with the presentation. Thanks James!

My proposal was dismantled fairly thoroughly, but a number of elements survived. I’ll now have to work hard at reshaping the eleven-page document and then resubmitting it. In general, I’m proposing to help North Fresno Church begin to think about diffusing the kinds of things we’ve been doing in the church neighborhood into the neighborhoods of individual congregants. We have engaged in such wonderful missional practices on North Fresno Street, we need to understand how members of NFC can engage their own neighbors. My plan is to gather several families from different areas of town and begin some simple experiments with missional practices on their blocks. The practices might include walking and reading a neighborhood, Appreciative Inquiry interviews, lectio divina in their homes, and the practice of hospitality. The actual practices will be decided on by the families who covenant together to participate in this project. One of the outcomes will be a Sunday school class that is taught by the participants. Hopefully that will be a way to pass on what we have learned.

A lot of the details are missing because my next task is to redesign my proposal and fill in the blanks. If you would like to follow my progress or are from NFC and would like to participate in this project just let me know. Say a prayer for me to if you think about it as well.