Oct 21

Oct 21 Reflection Roundup: Soul Fire

Each week we gather news stories, notable pieces, and other important items for Christian leaders today. As always, listening broadly draws together differing perspectives from which we can learn but may not concur. Here are 10 things worth sharing this week.

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We must give ourselves over to letting what’s burning on the inside show on the outside. Otherwise, we miss an opportunity to warm someone else and may wind up consumed by our own flames.

1. Faith Communities Today, “a multireligious and collaborative research initiative that has been tracking trends in the U.S. religious landscape since 2000,” presents a free and comprehensive report, “Twenty Years of Congregational Change” (PDF download). Their report “summarizes the findings of the largest national survey of congregations ever conducted in the U.S. It captures a pre- and early pandemic picture of America’s faith communities and affirms many of the trends evident over the past few decades, while also highlighting some distinct areas of change.”

2. In “Working Through to the Early Hours,” Sandy Ovalle Martínez asks, “Is this the price we must pay for entrance into delight, rest, or relationships?” Writing for Sojourners, Martínez highlights her practice of preparing the food of her ancestry in “the old ways” that require slowing and appreciating the process. She reminds the reader of the presence of Jesus to those who were in process during his ministry life on earth, and relates this to his presence with us in the Spirit even now. Martinez’s inherent admonition is that we honor life as a process, as Jesus did, morning by morning, allowing ourselves and others to experience grace upon grace.

3. Please join the ACU community and the Center for the Study of Ancient Religious Texts (CSART) in welcoming Dr. Nijay Gupta of Northern Seminary for the 35th annual Carmichael-Walling Lectures. Whether attending on campus or online, this session is a no-miss, true to form, and historically consistent with all of the strong CSART offerings. In two weeks, on Thursday, November 4, the topic will be “Strange Religion: How the First Christians Were Weird, Dangerous and Attractive.” Contact csart@acu.edu for information about streaming access.

4. As life requires, the topic of resilience has been circulating more and more recently and is one about which the Van Gogh family has something to say. For Brain Pickings, Maria Popova writes “How Van Gogh Found His Purpose: Heartfelt Letters to His Brother on How Relationships Refine Us,” a story of two brothers who won’t let go of each other in hard times. Before Van Gogh became the creative impressionist history portrays him to be, he was a high school dropout turned humble preacher, so meek in fact that his parish thought him a spectacle and fired him. Much dialog from Van Gogh in this piece proves that, whether within families or churches, no relationship is expendable. All are key to our ability to live a healthy life.

5. “Are Churches Behaving Like Malls in the Age of Amazon, Just Hoping for People to Shop Again?” Packed with common sense, this blog by Carey Nieuwhof points to truth. Crisis accelerates change. Many things in our lives, in our churches, have accelerated in painful ways. Yet might these ways be useful, even necessary? Online connectivity, while much different than in-person and less than ideal on many counts, does offer access in a way that is helpful in many instances. The methods are different, but we serve a God whose mission is all-encompassing. In actuality, we have more momentum than ever. “Breakthroughs are ahead; we’ve really only just begun.”

6. Robert P. Jones, author of White Too Long: The Legacy of White Supremacy in American Christianity and the CEO and founder of the Public Religion Research Institute, writes “7 things white Christians can do to address white supremacy at church” for Religion News Service. While addressing this issue is overwhelming, responding with inaction is unacceptable. Jones offers practical suggestions, beginning with simply taking a look around and within our churches to see what the space, the materials, and the web presence communicate about racial supremacy. Here are seven concrete starting places too simple to ignore or excuse.

8. Caitlin Gibson writes “It’s a scary time to be growing up. Teens and parents are bonding over that” for the Washington Post, articulating something we all know is true. “Racism, climate change and political volatility have made both generations anxious,” and Gibson posits, “It has also got them talking.” As parents, what has been true in any time period still holds true in today’s world: we serve our children well when we tell them the truth. Honest conversations are more difficult as reality strays from our ideals, but honesty is kind nonetheless. Gibson’s piece chronicles some sweet relational fruit of these brave conversational spaces.

9. Dorothy Littell Greco writes “How Doubt Helps Us Pray” for Christianity Today, reminding the reader of the inherent nature of faith and doubt. Where one is present, the other is also. What would faith be without doubt? The honest confession of doubt deepens the intimacy possible within our prayers and propels us deeper into the reality of God.

10. Doubt’s role in faith is exemplified in the life and writings of C.S. Lewis as told cinematically in The Most Reluctant Convert, a one-night-only feature film screening on November 3 in theaters nationwide. Abby Perry writes “Doubt That Led to Devotion” for Christianity Today, unpacking the story of Lewis behind the movie, and the strengthening of his faith. We all have circumstances in our lives that test our faith. Lewis is no different. Reading or watching Lewis’s slow dealings with doubt and growing faith reminds us we are not alone, nor are we isolated by our doubts and circumstances.