Jesse A. Schroeder

Tweet

Tweet
...and Truth

I'm reading a short e-book on my iPod touch whenever I find myself sitting around (yes, I read in the bathroom) and one of the main points of the book is that if we read Scripture with a different emphasis, the meaning can totally change. A short quote:

"It’s even more than that. The truths revealed in and through Scripture and not independent objects. They’re not artifacts outside Plato’s cave waiting for us to climb to the surface. Instead, the truths emerge as we tell the story. Truth is narratively experienced and always contextual." (pg. 11)

The author has started getting into some stuff about "Transmillenialism" (which I haven't heard of, and am a little suspicious of right now) but the above idea corresponds with a very interesting post from the pastor of Disciples Fellowship in Alabama. He states,

"For many fidelity to scripture is not being true to what it actually says, but being true to an interpretation of what we were taught it says. To take the scriptures seriously for what they say, and to see another very reasonable way of understanding them, even in a small matter like how the disciples interacted with Jesus, then sounds like one is not being faithful to the teaching of scripture.

Unfortunately Christian history is littered with stories of how people came to hold as inspired particular interpretations, disallowed other plausible perspectives, and so eliminated the type of discussion that can actually lead to growth. Holding to interpretations is not the same as holding to scripture as inspired, while acknowledging the possibilities that the text itself allows."

So what story, what interpretation, what preconceived image of who God/Jesus/Spirit/life is am I holding onto in my own head/heart/mind/body? What truth do I need to betray in order to be more faithful to the Truth?

Tweet

Tweet
This is especially common in Christian schools:


- thanks again to ASBO Jesus

Tweet
Oddly enough, as I was listening to a podcast of Fresh Air yesterday in which the discussion was robots in war. Briefly, the writer being interviewed mentioned "war porn," and the idea he was talking about is very similar to my previous post on "poverty porn" - both of which I don't think are actual terms (at least they aren't on wikipedia yet). Here are some of the statements P. W. Singer made during the interview in regards to robots, the Iraq war, and "war porn":

"I call it "YouTube War" because it is the first war you can watch but you don't have to be there. The robots see all, so we are taking clips, watching from afar. There are some 7,000 clips of the Iraq war, and soldiers call it "war porn." They aren't only being watching, but emailed and passed around. The worry is that it connects people to war but it actually widens the gap, it creates a further distance, they watch war but they experience less."

The last statement is what really strikes me - that we are more and more "connected" but we are experiencing less and less. The causes could be traced to any number of trends in the "digital age" - television as a dominant medium of communication; internet and YouTube; and even more basically the impact consumerism has to fundamentally separate the consumer from the product. We enjoy the benefits, without experiencing or realizing the cost in any real way. The efforts and the energies necessary to produce the products we consume are completely covered when all we see is a small price tag - and in the same way, the real human sacrifice, the suffering, the emotions and the feelings are wiped away when we experience war through the a robotic lens.

So as I was waiting for Kellye to get out of her graduate class, I walked into the bathroom of the library, thinking about this whole "porn/detachment" idea. First, I wondered if the connection to the word "porn" was really appropriate - the word comes from "porne" (prostitute) and "graphe" (to write), and basically means printed forms of sexual pleasure. However, the final line in my little widget dictionary seemed to fit:

intended to stimulate erotic rather than aesthetic or emotional feelings

And that's what happens when we begin to view human life as entertainment - we are detached, and we lose the aesthetic and the emotions. We want to be stimulated. We want to be entertained - no matter what the cost.

- Stay tuned for a post on "mission porn" -

Tweet

Tweet

Tweet

I've been surveying a lot of Peter Rollins lately, in part because he has been putting a lot out on the web, and also in anticipation of him visiting the cohort next week. I just watched the YouTube video above, and it reminded me of several themes and questions I've been rolling around in my own head an in my classroom for a few months now.

Last year I read a chapter of Shane Claiborne's "Irresistible Revolution" with a senior class, and we came across the question he takes from Tony Campolo, "Would you still be a Christian if there was no heaven or hell?" I find it to be such a compelling question - one that strips away all of my ulterior motives and gets the real heart of what I am doing as a Christian, and more importantly, why I am doing it.

When I read "Fidelity of Betrayal" last May, I was fascinated by the idea of God being an event that shakes up my world and causes me to desire more and to desire to explore. Rollins talks about God as the eruption of a volcano - he says, "Revelation enters our world as a wound of unknowing. It ruptures our present in the guise of an eschatological 'to come.' ... we do not encounter a revelation that makes God manifest, nor a revelation that places God at an absolute distance; rather, God's distance is maintained in overwhelming presence." (pgs. 121, 123)

In the YouTube clip above, Rollins compares this idea to a ship in the bottom of the ocean - the ocean contains all of the ship but the ship only has part of the ocean. I also think about the overwhelming presence of the mountains we saw in Utah - they are right in your face, right in front of you, but yet their magnitude makes them feel so far away, so distant and other worldly. Even when you are literally on top of the mountain (wondering how your little snowboard will carry you down), you are most in awe of the magnitude, and you feel the most overwhelmed.

When I listen to and read Rollins work, I'm challenged to think about God more as an encounter, a relationship, a living and inspiring being, and less like the list of doctrinal ins and outs that separate and make me better than the person next to me. It also makes me think of a God that is much bigger than my experience; a God that is rupturing all over the world at any given point.



----------------
Now playing: Thursday - Between Rupture And Rapture

Tweet
While in Utah last weekend, we were able to stop by the Mormon Temple square. The Mormons were incredibly welcoming - much more so than other religious tourist spots I've been to in Europe. They were open until 9pm, welcomed visitors into almost every building (except the temple, to be explained more in a minute), and didn't charge a penny (except meter parking on the street).

The visit was interesting and we learned a lot of information. For example, the temple itself (which was the main reason I wanted to visit), is off limits, even to Mormons. It is only used for four specific purposes: 1) Weddings, 2) Baptisms, 3) Teachings, 4) Prayer. When I asked one of the "sisters" if they worshiped there on Sundays, she sort of laughed, and said "no," they worship at the various "chapels" (read churches) across the city. So the temple is not like a grand cathedral and gathering point for Mormons, but has very specific purposes in the religion.

I asked one of the sisters a lot about her "calling" and how she came to work at the temple square. She said it was not required, but Mormons from around the world can apply to be "missionaries." Their application is received and reviewed by the highest "prophet" in the religion, who then determines if the individual should be accepted, and where they will serve, which could be anywhere around the world. At the temple square, there were about 160 sisters serving (they were literally around every corner) and they came from all over the world: Brazil, Philippines, Argentina, U.S.A. They also "served" in pairs, I guess to be more accommodating or helpful? The women serve for 18 months; the men who receive a call serve for 2 years, and can do similar work or can be door-to-door evangelists (although it was basically all younger, fairly attractive women at the temple square, which struck me as very odd).

The Tabernacle was first a hall for preaching, and now is used for concerts - it has incredible acoustics as demonstrated by one of the sisters in a somewhat humorous manner: tearing newspaper and dropping pins and a nail. They also have the home of Brigham Young, but we didn't visit it.

In the visitor centers there was a lot of information. One had many pictures and stories of Jesus, and even a bigger-than-life-size statue of him with stars and planets painted on the ceiling and an audio "invitation." Apparently the conference center (which seats about 21,000 - I didn't visit it), has many pictures and stories of Joseph Smith. Another visitor center had information about their living prophets: There are twelve (to correspond with the disciples) and one head prophet, or "president" (who seems to function much like the Roman Catholic Pope). He makes official prophecies twice a year, preaches regularly, and his words are taken as straight from God.

I guess my main impression of the visit was that the religion (I guess it is no longer viewed as a cult because of the many members), seemed pretty strange. The sisters were all trained to ask the same questions, and it was clear they wanted you to learn about Joseph Smith. Although they were open to other questions, and weren't too pushy, it seemed obvious that the reason the temple square is so open to visitors is that they hope for converts. They all carried around a Book of Mormon in a plastic bag, and seemed somewhat robotic. Not being able to go in the temple gave it a real mystery (see NPR article), but for such a big building, you really wondered what went on inside. The sisters always referred to it as a "house of God," like a cathedral or church, but those are open to anyone who wants to pray or connect with God.

What is interesting to me is to think about what it must be like for a non-Christian to see Christians doing their "religious" activities, whether that is in a church, or evangelizing, or events or whatever. It must look so strange and peculiar, just like the Mormons seem to me. What is unknown and not understood seems odd at first glance. And when there is not the apriori acceptance of religious doctrine, it all seems pretty goofy. Why believe that this guy is a modern prophet and his word is God's word? Why focus so much on Brigham Young and Joseph Smith? But the same questions could be asked about Jesus of Nazareth, the Pope, and any pastor in any Christian church.

Another question that my friends and I discussed while we walked across the frozen temple square, was whether or not Mormons should be considered Christians at all. For some this answer may be obvious, or it may be irrelevant - but for me its really interesting. I have always been taught that Mormonism was a Christian cult, a deviant from the truths of Scripture, primarily in their use of the Book of Mormon and misunderstanding of the Trinity, specifically Jesus Christ. But being right in the middle of their religion, I had the following thoughts:

1) It really boils down to a question of continuing revelation. Protestants believe God's revelation ended with the apostles. Roman Catholics believe it continues with apostolic succession. Muslims believe it continued and changed drastically with Mohammad, and Mormons believe Joseph Smith offered a new revelation (hence the subtitle of the Book of Mormon: Another Testament of Jesus Christ). This might seem like a conversation stopper for Protestants, but ours is essentially a continuing revelation as well - we believe Jesus offered a new (and final) revelation that continued, fulfilled and completed the Hebrew Scriptures. So when comparing all religions, it seems an important question is, "When and where does the story end?" (and obviously, "why there and not somewhere else?")

2) Mormons really believe in Jesus. It seemed to me that despite all the aberrant practices and quirks, the center of the religion is Jesus Christ. So we might ask, how much do you have to "get right" to be a Christian? Do you have to fully and properly understand the Trinity? (Tony Jones discussed this a bit.) Do you have to fully and properly understand "the Scriptures?" (which ones? Hebrew? Greek? Apocryphal?) I'm not sure if faith and relationship with God is about an entrance exam, and so I'm hopeful that as Mormons center their faith around Jesus Christ, they really are connecting with the living God.

3) All religions are really funky and peculiar. Not sure what else to say about that - I love religion. I love watching Muslims circle the Kaaba in prayer. I love hearing the Muslim call to prayer. I was in awe of the Mormon Temple. I love Christian worship - but when you step back and look at it all from a somewhat objective standpoint, there is a certain part of you that just thinks it is plain weird. Perhaps that is indicative of something else? Like an "echo" of another life, another purpose, another existence? Or maybe it's just that humans do a great job contaminating the spiritual life.

Tweet
http://www.brianmclaren.net/archives/blog/generational-shift.html

McLaren really has an ability to tie things together. He takes some of
the best quotes from Obama's address and makes connections to the
church and Christianity. I really agree with his 8 points.

Tweet

Tweet

Tweet
I finished reading Presence-Centered Youth Ministry by Mike King on the plane out to Utah, and I thought I'd jot down some of things that stood out to me. First of all, I felt it was an excellent book, and much needed in the area of youth ministry. It was an easy read because King doesn't beat around the bush or tell a bunch of worthless stories - he gets to the point, states it clearly, and then moves on.

The first half is essentially a critique of the typical (modern) way of doing youth ministry - program driven, numbers focused, behavior modification, segregated from the rest of the church, over emphasizing salvation decisions, and lacking much real or lasing spiritual formation. I thought King succinctly outlined the difference b/w the typical model and the changes he was proposing by juxtaposing two scenarios:

• "You're well equipped to challenge and convince youth to live a mature Christian life. You accomplish this through great programming and powerful messages. You've constructed an environment where positive peer pressure creates an atmosphere where non-Christian beahvior is looked down on so that righteous behavior prevails among your youth. The parents are happy; the deacons are happy; the pastor is happy. Life is good...Inside you wonder if it's all real.
• "You're convinced you'll have to be patient and lead youth on a path of Christian formation so they own their faith. You know they have serious questions about the Christian faith that you're not willing to ignore, but you allow them to live in their doubts, protecting their discovery process. You stand by adolescents who have made huge mistakes...You sense, however, that the Holy Spirit is at work in the lives of many of the young people."

I'm sure you can tell from the italics that I would choose the second scenario every time - and in fact, this is how I try to teach and work as a "youth minister" (although I have a bit of a resentment for that term). In the second half of the book King proposes that more important than programs are people who are genuinely finding and communing with God in their every day life, and honestly introducing youth to real and practical ways to connect with God in their life. He describes practices like imaginative prayer, using tradition, stories and multi-sensory experiences, and essentially taking a hands-off, Holy Spirit-filled approach.

Most significant to me were King's warnings against introducing contemplative practices as the newest program. Instead, he challenges readers (youth leaders) to take their own walk with Christ seriously, to adopt some contemplative practices in their own life, and only after they have become significant and real in their own life, then introduce them to students gradually. The book is filled with quotes from students, and many express the need for youth workers who have a genuine and vibrant faith.

This reminded me of times in my life when I met people who I could tell had spent real time with God. Professors in college, certain pastors, and even just friends or acquaintances - but people that when I was around them, they made me want to be more like Jesus, and I almost felt like I was around Jesus when I was around them. But it wasn't forced; it was natural and it was real. It's always been my goal to be that type of teacher to my students. That I don't teach them so much by the words that come out of my mouth and the curriculum that we cover, but that my passion for God and for life and for justice will simply rub off and be contagious - they will want more of God because they experience God through me in a real way.

But I realize that at the most basic level that means I have a call to face every day with the severity and seriousness that I am going to impact a student's life in a very real way. I tend to look ahead, to hope for the weekend, to blow off an unimportant day like it's not a big deal, and not really prepare or focus spiritually - whether that means skipping times of prayer or listening or meditation, or being over indulgent in television or food or internet or something else.

One chapter in the book that was particularly challenging and I think could apply to this tendency to take the "normal" days for granted is developing a "rule" for my life, similar to that of the monastic rules and traditions, but particular to the core values and practices that I want to define my life. Being intentional about what I do and who I am every day. This is an idea that I want to reflect upon more and perhaps write about and even put into practice in the coming weeks.

Tweet

Tweet

Tweet

At the airport-everyone is watching and cheering as obama was just sworn in

Tweet
Here's the Picasa Album:

Tweet
Here are a few pictures from our weekend in Utah - we were at Solitude on Saturday, and Snowbird yesterday. Today we're going to Snowbird again cause there is still a lot of the mountain we haven't seen. I'll try to do a Picassa album soon, and upload the small video I did last night as well -

Tweet

Tweet

Tweet
It's clear the "face" of our government is changing, most obviously with president-elect Obama and his secretary of state, Hillary Clinton. And while I have some skepticism like the best Americans, I am also excited because I see signs that these new faces will allow their personal identities and history to inform their political agendas - which in some cases can be a really good thing.

First, in Clinton's recent confirmation hearings, she confessed to hold a deep interest in the cause of women around the world, especially those held in slavery and prostitution. She stated:

"I take very seriously the function of the State department to lead our government through the Office on Human Trafficking, to do all that we can to end this modern form of slavery. We have sex slavery, we have wage slavery, and it is primarily a slavery of girls and women...So we’re going to have a very active office on trafficking, we’re going to be speaking out consistently and strongly against discrimination and oppression of women, and slavery in particular. Because I think that is not only in keeping with American values, as we all recognize, but American national security interests as well."

While she doesn't state it specifically, I don't think it is too far of a jump to see that as a woman who has fought for years to earn her place in government, she has a personal concern for issues regarding women's rights and justice. I have never been a huge fan of Clinton, but if these words are more than just pre-inauguration rhetoric, then she'll earn a spot in my fave-five.

Second, Obama is a beacon for those struggling with multi-race relations. On NPR yesterday, I heard the tail end of an open letter to the president-elect (I just searched for it, but couldn't find it), from a middle-eastern politician. He expressed hope that Obama would have more empathy for the complicated situation between Israel and Palestine because he comes from a bi-racial family himself.

IMO (which doesn't count for much when it comes to international politics), I see a lot of potential for Obama in situations like this. I would disagree with Victor David Hanson, who while admitting that Obama's "nontraditional pedigree offers America advantages abroad" was still doubtful that this would result in much real change in policy. (BTW, I don't read the National Review every day, but saw this article linked from here).

Instead, I think it is easy for us to understimate the power of solidarity. In some situations, I hope Obama will work harder and with more passion simply because he personally knows how important the issue is. I am hopeful that as we see the face of the administration changing in gender and color we will see significant changes around the world as well.

Tweet
I ran across Missional Tribe last week, and it seems like a really cool community of bloggers. I'm a little frustrated that, from I can tell, you have to create a new blog, and can't just easily link to one you are already writing, but perhaps that how it is all linked together, I'm not sure.

Anyway - I'm a little uncertain about this, because I don't think I'm writing very much on here as it is, but I started a new blog on Missional Tribe: In Search of Coffee. The purpose of this blog will be specifically to talk about missional / postmodern Christianity in the Christian school. There are so many blogs going on out there, but I rarely (read "never") see anything written about Christian schools. I might just be somehow surfing in circles around the Christian school blog network, but I doubt it.

So anyway, my hope is to get some new readers, some new feedback, some new input, and perhaps some new ideas and insights into being a Christian school teacher.

Tweet

Tweet
Here's one more version of the same video. This one starts with the kids singing, and then ends with some shots of the kids -


Guatemala Interview ver. 2 from Jesse Schroeder on Vimeo.

Tweet
Below are two different videos for Hearts for Heaven, using footage I took while in Guatemala this past Christmas. They start the same, but the second one is longer and shows Roger and Beth talking about the ministry. The background song is "God of this City" by Chris Tomlin. It'll give you a good idea of what the awesome work they are doing there, and how you can help out.

Feel free to leave comments and suggestions so I can make final changes before sending the DVD off. Also, I obviously used two different video streaming services, so tell me which one you like better. For what it's worth, I think I prefer Vimeo.



Guatemala Kids 2008 from Jesse Schroeder on Vimeo.

Tweet

Tweet

Tweet


I'm incredibly stoked that our little cohort has been in contact with Peter Rollins, and he will be visiting Columbus February 1st and giving a little presentation. Rollins was one of the first truly emergent authors I read, and his books are short, but very challenging. He is a master of pulling paradoxes out of common turns of phrase, and challenging what it really means to be a Christian. Recently, I've really enjoyed his parables, and I'd recommend reading "The Rapture" for a brief introduction to his thought and style.

This will be an open event, everyone is welcome, and I'd love it if you would be able to come! So plan on coming out to hear Peter Rollins speak, have your faith and understanding of Christianity challenged, and enjoy some great conversation and interaction.

Tweet

Tweet
Now that I have my computer back, I've been able to look through the rest of the pictures from our trip to Guat - below are a few of my favorites of the many beautiful kids we saw there. And you can see the last Picasa photo album here:







----------------
Now playing: The Dodos - Fools

Tweet
...shoes - TOMS. If you haven't seen this, they come in really fun styles, and are a great idea to help kids around the world, and great example of 21st cent., independent and creative businesses. Jon got me this pair for xmas -
...music - MAE is trying to do something really cool w/ their music. It's not quite streamlined enough for me, and I haven't been as into their newer songs, but the idea of paying what you want for music, direct from the artist, and then artists connecting their music to important causes is really cool.

...more music - NPR has a list of 10 great unknowns from 2008. Easy to listen to the full tracks and see if you like the tunes.