Imaginative Relational Worship

​Now that I've dissed the human practices of baptism and prayer to emphasize relationship and action as faithful expressions of vocation, I need to deconstruct the lurking dichotomy before it leads to a misunderstood autolaborological or morphological fundamentalism. If my thinking is on a solid trajectory, which will have to prove out, then the connection between the actions of vocation and the practices of worship meet in the relationships of baptism and prayer that expand imagination for discernment. Said (hopefully) more clearly, our worship practices shape our imaginations for seeing and hearing how God is calling us to help our neighbor.

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The New Modern Public

The central move of Modernity was to separate facts and values. Facts, which we can all agree on because they are provable, measurable, and repeatable, are fair game for public conversation. Values, which we cannot prove, should be kept for private moments. With this turn, events like the Thirty Years War and the Hundred Years War found ends through renegotiating the grounds for conversation.

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How Do You Get To Carnegie Hall?

Given my mini-rant against self-chosen Lenten disciplines, I should probably spend some time doing what will seem like talking out of the other side of my mouth and reflect on practices. They are, after all, both how our communities are created and identified, and also how we are formed and equipped to live in the world. And of course... well... Do I really have to type it!?Read More