{neurotribe.net}: ::Rants-Theologising for the Emerging Church

::Rants-Theologising for the Emerging Church

I have used this section of Amos in a number of presentations for all sorts of age groups. It is taken from Eugene Peterson's "The Message" paraphrase of the bible.

"I can't stand your religious meetings. I'm fed up with your conferences and conventions.

I want nothing to do with your religion projects, your pretentious slogans and goals. I'm sick of your fund-raising schemes, your public relations and image making. I've had all I can take of your noisy ego-music. When was the last time you sang to me?

Do you know what I want? I want justice—oceans of it. I want fairness—rivers of it. That's what I want. That's all I want.
Amos 5:21-24

As you can imagine, it generates strong feelings and great debates.

I am often struck by paraphrases like Peterson's.

Recently, I had to address an "Emerging Church" gathering. (I use quotation marks because I find it is not that helpful a phrase and consequently I do not use it anymore).

I thought, "how could I structure the passage so it would be as striking and prophetic to this crowd, as Peterson's is to his?" So here was my rendition of the same phrase.

"I can't stand your cool cafe gatherings. I'm fed up with your networks and conversations.

I want nothing to do with your social justice programs, your global trade rhetoric and fair trade purchases. I'm sick of your candles, your art installations, your alt.worship services and deep spirituality spin. I've had all I can take of your clever narrative theology. When was the last time you obeyed me?

Do you know what I want? I want justice—oceans of it. I want fairness—rivers of it. That's what I want. That's all I want.
Amos 5:21-24

What do you think?

Labels: Emerging Church, Lifestyle, Mission, Rants, Theology

Posted by Stephen @ 11:43 AM

Comments:

Tough, but true.

I've been guilty of reading Peterson's rendition and thinking, "yep, those megachurches really have missed it..."

This is a great corrective, to look at ourselves and ask - am I, personally, seeking God's justice here, today? Am I, in direct relationship with both God and the poor, not through association, making a personal effort to be obedient and responsive?

# posted by

Rohan : 10:58 PM

Wondering if obedience, and acting justly (ie. justice and fairness) might need some mechanisms to make it happen? How do we become fair in our purchases if we don't think about/discuss fair trade, etc.?

Or am I missing it?

# posted by

wilsonian : 4:32 AM

Wilsonian, you are right. In my mind, the reflection was questioning a couple of things.

The first being, just how long does one need to talk, before one begins to act?

Secondly, there has been a massive move in contemporary culture to commodify "social justice". Its cool to some degree in contemporary culture to be "into social justice". How superficial is the changes we make in response to the state of the world? Is it simply another form of "keeping up with the Jones'" or is it Godly inspired and motivated response to the brokenness of God's creation?

Yes we all do things with mixed motives, that's a given. But at some point, our obedience to God has to be motivated by his grief over our collective greed rather than a desire to fit in with where our culture is at.

Does that help?

# posted by

Stephen : 12:08 PM

I wonder if the point God is trying to make is that anyone who thinks their structures are going to make a difference without doing things are misguided.
If we just come up with "cool" ways of doing church but don't actually seek God and do stuff then we are just doing what God hates.

Perhaps the phrase that you use, "don't emerge until you're missional" rings true.

Something for me to think about.

# posted by

Gareth Williams : 5:01 PM

Steve...thankyou, thankyou, thankyou for that "translation". One of my key frustrations with any of the movements I've been a part of is that...well, human beings seem so quick to identify the speck in others' eyes and miss the log in their own!!

Re: the fair trade etc stuff...I think that the rubber really hits the road when money gets involved. Most of us are happy to cut all, or most, meat out. However how many of us buy organic? And if the prices of organic produce kept rising, would we still be prepared to buy it? Would we catch trains over plans if trains were just as expensive? Am I riding my bike more than driving the car for ecological reasons, or because it saves me money?

I know that when we're standing in the supermarket aisle looking at hot chocolate, we nearly always end up with the $3.00 Cadburys Hot Chocolate over the $12.00 fair trade hot chocolate. Then we justify it on the basis that we're living on one income. It's funny how we avoid the question of whether we really need the hot chocolate in the first place!!

# posted by

Rebecca : 6:31 PM

thanks stephen,
it is not enough for us to read scripture....your 'translation' shows that if we have ears to hear, scripture will read us. keep going.
peace and grace,
geoff

# posted by

geoff and sherry : 10:03 AM

Have just had another read through, and latched onto your word 'programs' this time. Yes, that frames it well. If it's not all done within relationship (with God and others), then it's really rather meaningless.

Though to be honest... I'd be happy if a few million folks decided to sponsor a child overseas (while nursing a crap attitude) than to continue to watch so many starve to death. Seems to me there's lots of room to "fake it 'till we make it".

# posted by

wilsonian : 11:47 AM

About Me

Translate {neurotribe.net}

{neurotribe.net}

When it all seems too much...

Linkage

My other blogs

Recommended reading

Misseo Dei Bloggers...

Blogs I read regularly

Faith communities web sites...

Bio...

Blogerly stuff

Archives