The purpose of this forum is to facilitate communication and mutual support and edification among those who strive toward gender justice in Churches of Christ. If you would like to join the forum, send an e-mail (including your first and last name) from your primary address to forum@gal328.org.
When did I become the godfather of the forum? That has rather ominous connotations. I didn't get to cast my vote for Joe. Do we have a godmother too?
I'm reading a couple of things right now and was wondering if any other bloggers had seen these. First is a book on preaching by Stephen Webb, called The Divine Voice. He has a chapter on gender called "Freeing the Christian Voice." Second is Miroslav Volf's Exclusion and Embrace, which has a really powerful chapter on gender and identity. Anybody else read these and have thoughts?
In an item of news, and speaking of godfathers, some bloggers might have heard that the French philosopher Jacques Derrida recently passed away. While Derrida is best known as the father of deconstruction, and though his legacy will no doubt be contested for some time, he was one of a group of 20th-century thinkers that helped challenge the philosophical status quo of the modern era (of which Churches of Christ are heirs). When asked about his religion, he said that he "could rightly pass for an atheist"...which of course is amusing since his later writings took an expressly theological turn. I mention this here as many writers interested in gender took some inspiration from Derrida. For better or worse, read and unread, his writings significantly shaped the conversations around meaning and identity in our culture. So this is my little nod and Adieu (literally, "to God") to Jacques.
Peace,
Chad
:::posted by Chad on 10/26/2004 11:28:28 AM
Seeing several women serving communion at Highland this Sunday was encouraging. Bob Randolph was visiting and noted to Mike how he didn't think he would see something like that in the south. I hope it was as much of a blessing to him as it was to the rest of us. It was lunch with several of the members (Copes, Rankins, Loves), however, that gave me a lot of hope about the future of gender justice, even in Abilene, Texas.
Oh, and for those of you who haven't met Julie, she's even cooler in person. Highland is blessed to have her as part of the church family.
:::posted by TKP on 10/25/2004 08:30:35 AM
Teresa, I would love to meet. We don't have a usual place yet where we sit. Tell me what you look like...you saw us bigger than life...maybe you can find us. You know that it will be crowded with the homecoming crowd. grace, Julie
:::posted by julie on 10/20/2004 01:15:51 PM
Julie-Hey, I wasn't at Highland last Sunday, but I should be there this weekend. Would you like to meet up at second service?
Chad-what's the matter? I thought you were the godfather of this forum.
:::posted by TKP on 10/18/2004 05:24:24 PM
Teresa, we are a late service family...not very good at early mornings but will do them if necessary. Maybe you could go to Sunday dinner with us very soon. We are in temporary housing for two more weeks and then we will have a house to invite you to. But we do go out to lunch every Sunday...would love for you to join us anytime.
grace, Julie
:::posted by julie on 10/14/2004 01:20:35 PM
Frederick Aquino, Ph.D. systematic theology from SMU, author of recently published Unveiling Glory, a book on Christology for Churches of Christ.
Not sure why he's of such interest here, but a nice guy nonetheless.
peace -- Katie
:::posted by Katie on 10/13/2004 01:43:23 PM
Friends who don't know Fred,
Let me cordially invite you to get to know Fred! In fact, if you ever find yourself on the ACU campus, just take the initiative to go batter down his office door and demand to know why he is not on the forum. (Make him really paranoid by mentioning that people talk about him here and that ought to do the trick.) Fred was my major professor at ACU where I got an MA in Theology. And, apparently, now Teresa's Philosophy of Religion prof as well.
Jen
:::posted by Jennifer on 10/13/2004 01:01:04 PM
Indie, you mean you don't know Fred, our imaginary Blog-professor? ;-)
:::posted by Chad on 10/13/2004 09:37:48 AM
I'm coming out of lurkdom to say, "Who the heck is Fred?"
:::posted by Indie on 10/13/2004 01:31:17 AM
Julie- Yes, I saw your family's lovely picture on the screen Sunday. Do you attend first or second service? We should definitely get together sometime.
Jen- Fred says you had full knowledge that your paper was in circulation. You'll have to take it up with him if you disagree. :)
Chad- You're not supposed to go swimming for at least an hour after the miracle pill, you know. Besides, I hear an MLT is better anyway.
:::posted by TKP on 10/12/2004 11:34:06 AM
Hey Teresa, welcome!!! I talked about you yesterday. Mike Cope thought I would know you but I don't...would love to though. We just moved to Abilene and it would be so good to get together with like-minded women. Look for me at church...we were the family that place membership yesterday...big picture up on powerpoint and they it up there just a little too long for my family's comfort. grace to you, Julie
:::posted by julie on 10/11/2004 01:01:49 PM
Teresa,
Don't believe everything you hear - I've got everyone fooled! ;-) Welcome to the blog, the place where when we are mostly dead we need a miracle pill. Coated in chocolate, of course, which is easier on the digestion than writing papers for Fred or reading Dead German Theologians. (I prefer wacko French philosophers, myself.)
Blessings,
Chad
:::posted by Chad on 10/11/2004 09:35:49 AM
Teresa, I had no idea that was in circulation. Writing for Fred is a delicate brain-wrenching thing and you have my full sympathy.
Well, Wiley, like everyone else I despise hearing my voice on tape but I'm sure someday we will meet and then you can discover how much better I sound in person. :)
For general consumption, a quote from my Dead German Theologian of the Semester:
"If the prevailing treatment is really church doctrine, then it must be obviously mine that is heterodox. I am firmly convinced, however, that my position is an inspired heterodoxy that in due time will eventually become orthodox..." (Friedrich Schleiermacher, On the Glaubenslehre, 53).
Not talking about women, of course, but it seems quite appropriate to take the spirit of the sentiment to heart in our own situation...here's to "inspired heterodoxy!"
Jen
:::posted by Jennifer on 10/10/2004 09:58:03 PM
Jennifer,
I now have a voice that goes with the typing :>) Very good! I also enjoyed the remaining part of the service that followed your time (what I could hear of it). Felt very natural (and it was a terrific way to kill some time here at work all by myself in the alarm station!!!!!).
Katie,
one of these days Linda and I will show up at yours and Lance's doorstep--probably during the Fall folliage changing colors! We just got back from Colorado taking photos of the aspens in full color near Pagosa Springs. Always heard area up there is just as beautiful.
Wiley
:::posted by Wiley on 10/10/2004 07:43:36 PM
It feels like I should have some sort of initiation into this blog. Chad, I know we haven't met, but I've heard great things about you from friends in CT and NY. I spent this summer interning with the Stamford church in Connecticut and got to pass a weekend with Lance and Katie and the gang in W. Islip. One of the many blessings this summer was being given the opportunity to give a Sunday morning sermon at Stamford. What a wonderful experience. I've just returned from church at Highland in Abilene and the elders announced that starting next week women were welcome to volunteer to serve communion. Jennifer, congrats on the sermon at West Islip. All of us in Philosophy of Religion are benefiting from your instructions on "How to write a paper for Fred."
Peace,
Teresa
:::posted by TKP on 10/10/2004 01:32:00 PM
Wow! My mind is going in so many different directions lately...too many books that have been making me think of ourcontinual struggle. I already posted about The Dance of the Dissident Daughter but all weekend I was reminded of it and continue to be now that I am home. Brian McLaren talked about God so loving the world...not just the people but the world...Sue Monk Kidd also addresses this in Dance. Opening up ourselves to the feminine of God opens up more than most people bargain for. Brian and Sue would agree with each other on many points...the dance, the art of Christianity, the approach we have taken and the pain that has been inflicted. I will ask again that you read this book...would love to have some discussion with all of you.
Now in the last two weeks I have read Madeleine L'Engle's first novel and now am reading The Good Earth. The Good Earth has been such a contrast to Sue Monk Kidd. Sue tells of one of the most loving moments in her life. She comes from a family that values the paternal line and especially the first born males. She is very small and already loves words, books and the implements that those are done with. Her grandmother has already begun to talk about what will belong to who when she dies and Sue asks for the big writing desk. She is informed that this will go to a firstborn male grandchild and she will get the buffet and all the dishes. She is the firstborn grandchild...just female. She is crushed and realizes early on that she is valued less or so she thinks. Later she gives her grandmother a gift of Russian dolls...you know the kind...they all fit inside each until you come to a tiny baby one. She sends it with a note talking about the feminine divine and how we are all a part of the women who came before us. The next time she visits her bedridden grandmother she has them displayed open in a line from biggest to smallest right beside her bed. She tells Sue that these are the women in their family and then points to the baby and says that is the daugther yet unborn. She then tells Sue that she remembers the day she was born and how happy she was that she was a girl and how she stood outside the nursery window and said over and over to herself...it's a girl! it's a girl! it's a girl!
Now reading The Good Earth....I read it in High School but now am rereading it....I am struck with how the women are treated and how they are disposable. They don't rejoice with their birth and they call them slaves. They will sell them if they need money and killl them if they can't afford them when they are born. It is making me feel anger again about how women have been treated and I haven't been there for awhile. Maybe God knew I needed to revisit that anger for some reason.
Thanks for letting me ramble....
grace, Julie
:::posted by julie on 10/06/2004 01:50:21 PM
Julie, you make me smile. Nothing much to tell on my mending heart, just that I didn't check the blog for a few days and thought it was funny and nice that I seemed to be missed. Sorry I missed you all at Zoe this year - I hope McLaren was good.
Peace,
Chad
:::posted by Chad on 10/04/2004 02:14:00 PM
hey friends, just got back from the Zoe conference and it was awesome and will share more on that later. I just reread the last few blogs and what keeps popping out to me is how Chad started his blog....he was dealing with a broken heart....I don't know the story Chad but I hurt for you. Prayers will be said and I know that God has been listening to that heart already.
grace, Julie
:::posted by julie on 10/04/2004 01:21:55 PM
Jen, Tim, and Katie - thanks for your thoughts and encouragements. Hopefully will see some of you at Conversations this weekend and will look forward to talking more!
Peace,
Chad
:::posted by Chad on 10/04/2004 11:09:18 AM
I really like Chad's vision of restoration. I especially like the eschatological flavor in it--the sense that, while we look back in order to "restore," that what we're really doing is reaching for the kind of life God intends for human beings to have, which is a present- and future-oriented act. There's nothing static in that. It involves us in understanding the past, sure, but with the purpose of regaining a present and a future worth having. Cool.
Jen
:::posted by Jennifer on 10/01/2004 09:45:09 AM
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