heresy is necessary

[We] must move from the idea that there is an Orthodox Christian stance and a heretical positioning that transgresses it, to the point in which we see Orthodoxy itself as heretical...[T]here is no absolute foundation to orthodoxy, that it was formed contingently over time through debate, discussion and argument and that its necessity was then retroactively constructed and maintained by the victor. A point that almost any non-partisan historian of religion will attest to.
--Pete Rollins

god on the small screen

One of the most popular sitcoms on television is Two and a Half Men. It's a show about two brothers and one's son who live together in a fabulous house, make poor life choices, and hijinks ensue. My husband notes, "they're horrible empty people living horrible empty lives with no glimmer of hope and nothing ever changes." Certainly it's fiction, but fiction tells us a lot about ourselves. The show fills me with despair because the emptiness never changes--it's the definition of nihilism.

A lot of folks wouldn't watch the reboot of the show Battlestar Galactica because it was too dark. Dark it is, but never empty. The decisions people face are difficult, ethically and emotionally. People learn and change. And they care about their learning and changing--they are real people living complex, full lives whose choices, while often ridiculously impossible offer hope. These people make the best choices they can given the situation, not the choice that garners the most canned laughter.

Maybe Battlestar Galactica isn't your cup of tea, but I challenge you to consider what you watch with an eye for God's presence in it. We are given both comfort (escapism?) and challenge in the gospel--how does what you watch embody those gifts?

good stuff

Any college ministry that quickly settles on its target audience, mission statement, core group of students, major goals, or other fundamentals should question whether it has done sufficient work to learn the campus tribe, build meaningful relationships, and develop the ministry strategy.
--Reaching the Campus Tribes by Benson Hines

disaster relief

You may all be wondering what you can do in the aftermath of the earthquake in Haiti. Here are some options:
  • give blood, either today on UC's campus or next week--blood banks are ALWAYS in need of blood. Plus, if you give on campus today, the Red Cross gets $5 per person which will go towards earthquake relief.
  • give money. Places like Episcopal Relief and Development, Lutheran Disaster Relief, LCMS World Relief, and Nazarene Compassionate Ministries send funds and personnel to disaster areas with very little overhead, meaning your money has more bang.
  • give time. Sites of natural and man-made disaster across the world still need help rebuilding years later. Consider going with us on Spring Break to New Orleans to help with rebuilding there. Call or email me if you would like to go.
  • pray, that those suffering might find hope, healing, or an easy death. Pray for the relief workers and military personnel who are clearing the rubble and caring for the wounded. Pray that we may find it in our hearts to love our neighbors of all stripes.
  • keep your eyes open. The UC Campus Ministries Association is hoping to offer some sort of prayer rally/action in the coming weeks.

book thoughts

You may have heard about the Fifty Books Project--it's a viral, communal challenge to read fifty books in one year, approximately one book per week. I've done it in years past and was surprised to find I broke fifty each year. Last year, pregnant and then a new mom, I failed completely. Unless you count multiple, nuanced readings of Pajama Time and Mama, Do You Love Me?

This year, I'm determined to beat fifty books with a mix of theology and fiction. Follow along, won't you?

1 Irresistible Revolution, Shane Claiborne
Challenging book suggesting that we take Jesus' words seriously rather than neutering them--what if he meant for us to make peace and sell our belongings? At times abrasive and often deeply moving, it convicted me and the complacence I've fallen into.

2 Kidnapped Santa Claus by Alex Robinson
Fun, graphic novel take on the L Frank Baum short story--pretty, pretty art and elves with schoolgirl crushes. Plus, bad-ass Repentance--fun for the whole family!

sobering post

From Cheryl Lawrie, one of my favorite bloggers and worship curators, comes this brief conversation about life inside and outside prison. Food for thought.