Chapters 8 & 9

We come to the end of Christianity After Religion.  Thank you for reading along with us.  We did not generate much discussion, at least not in this forum.  We do know, however, that there were a number of you reading and discussing in other ways and places.  If you have suggestions, we would welcome them.

Here are this week's discussion starters.

On page 225, Diana said that her graduate adviser’s remarks made her “understand how much some people fear change and flee to leaders who promise to restore glory of the past when the future is uncertain. Although it is impossible to do, people will often try to go back to what was in times of loss and uncertainty.”  Have you seen evidence of this in your congregation’s experience?

How do you react to Diana’s conclusion and the quoting of Isaiah 2:2-4 (pp. 268-9)?

What will you take from this book?

Chapters 6 and 7

1.       I was struck by Diana’s description of mainline congregations, “…although they are not always open to change, that’s not the primary feeling in the congregations.  Their primary emotion is grief.  They are grieving the fact that their churches are declining, that their children are going away, and that the traditions they love might disappear.  They are in mourning” (p. 172).  Discuss.

2.       In Chapter 6, “Belonging,” Diana makes this statement:  “Church is no longer membership in an institution, but a journey toward the possibility of a relationship with people, a community, a tradition, a sacred space, and of course, God”  (p. 192).  What thoughts do you have about what Diana says?

3.       I drank my morning coffee from a mug that was given to me by a congregation of our synod.  On one side of the mug is the congregation’s logo and name.  On the other side is the website , phone number and the slogan, “A place to belong, believe and become.”  I am sure that the order was chosen quite deliberately.  It has made me stop and think on many mornings.  Diana suggests that Western Christianity traditionally ordered faith from belief to behavior to belonging (p. 201).  Now, she says, we need to reverse the order to belonging, behaving, and belonging (p. 204ff).  Does this make some sense to you?  How might that change your congregation?

4.       Diana sums up the chapter, “The Great Reversal,” by saying this:  “Relational community, intentional practice, and experiential belief are forming a new vision for what it means to be Christian in the twenty-first century, a pattern of spiritual awakening that is growing around the world” (p. 214).  How would you respond to Diana’s assertion and do you see this trend developing in your congregation?

Chapters 4 and 5

Here are the discussion starters for this week's reading.  To answer a question, yes, it is perfectly alright to go back and comment on any previous week.  Keep on reading! Keep on talking!

In Chapter 4, Diana talks at length of what she describes as the movement from “What do I believe?” to “How do I believe?”  Would you agree or disagree that traditionally, Lutherans have placed greater emphasis on the “what” of faith and seemingly less so on the “how” of faith as described by Diana and why?  Ascribing to her argument, what are some ways that we can be innovators in helping our church and congregations build connecting bridges between the “what” of faith and the “how” of faith?

As a synod staff person, one who comes into congregations without strong personal connections to the people with whom I am to work, this quote caught my eye.  “Authority comes through connection, personal investment, and communal accountability, rather than submission to systems or structures of expertise” (p. 115).  How do you react to this statement?

Diana titles Chapter 5 as “Behaving”.  In this chapter, Diana argues that there is what she calls a “practice gap” in the tension between “religion’ and “spirituality”.  Have you observed a “practice gap” in your congregation?  If so, what are some things we might do to address a “practice gap” in our church?

As I have witnessed the “spiritual bricolage” of which Diana speaks, I sometimes wonder why Lutherans look to the other great religions of the world for new practices rather than more deeply exploring Christian practices.  Thoughts?

Chapters 2 and 3

Happy Memorial Day!

We are off and running with our book discussion.  We had a couple of great comments/contributions last week.  Thanks to Sharon and Robin.  How about just checking in and letting us know what you're thinking too?  There is no trick to it.  Just click on comments below  If you don't have a google ID, just use the anonymous option and end your comment with your name.  Thanks!  --Kurt and Jeff

This week's discussion starters:

Diana presents statistics suggesting that, as she says, “American beliefs about the Bible, the book from which many people draw their conceptions of God, faith, and salvation, have changed considerably in recent decades.” (p.51)

Have you experienced in your congregation, any impact from religious pluralism and diversity among people and their understanding of Scripture, religion, and spirituality?  If so, perhaps you could share and experience or two.

Pastor Paul expressed his discontent as he reported that he had left the church. (p. 76)  Does anything in his statement resonant with you?

Diana describes 2000 to 2010 as “the horrible decade.”  She describes five major events, which “revealed the ugly side of organized religion.”  How did you react to her assessment?  See pages 76 to 83.

Have you observed in your congregation the tension between “religion” and “spirituality” as describe by Diana?  If so, how has it manifested itself?

Away We Go

This week we are discussing pages 1 - 37 of Christianity After Religion.  Here are a few questions to get the discussion started.

1.  Diana tells the story of Ellen and her journey to and from mainline churches and evangelical churches.  In each instance, Ellen finds the church lacking in “living out the love of God”.  Diana says:”…Ellen criticized churches for being too inner- directed and institutionally absorbed.  Religion, she contended, fails when it forgets the oppressed, the marginalized, the poor, and the dispirited.  Although she eventually found herself on an individual spiritual path, Ellen is still reaching for connection” (p. 25)

How are we as a denomination and as congregations providing ways for people to make connections with their faith?  In other words, how is a transition taking place from being an institution to a faith community?

2.  Diana suggests that we are in a time of paradigm change.  But the change is not one of endings but of awakenings.  What signs of awakenings do you see in your congregation?

3.  "We live in a time of momentous historical change that is both exhilarating and frightening" (p. 31).  Does the prospect of momentous change exhilarate or frighten you? Why?

4.  Did you find yourself going back to Dietrich Bonhoeffer's quote?  In the context of this book, did "religionless Christianity" startle you?

Add your comments, your own questions, and your observations below. If you are commenting without your identity, please add your name to your comment.  Let the discussion begin!

Schedule

Here's what we are thinking in terms of our discussion of Christianity after Religion.

For the week of May 21 - May 27:  The Beginning and Chapter 1

For the week of May 28 - June 3:  Chapters 2 and 3

For the week of June 4 - 10:  Chapters 4 and 5

For the week of June 11 - 17: Chapters 6 and 7

For the week of June 18 - 24: Chapters 8 and 9

Starter questions will be posted on Mondays.

Are you reading yet?  We start next week!

Ready, Set, Almost

We will be kicking off our book discussion next Monday, May 21.  This is how we are envisioning it.  Kurt Nordby and I will generate a couple of questions to get the discussion going, but you are free to offer whatever questions, comments, observations and applications that you see fit to share.  Because this is an open forum, we will be moderating the comments so nothing is posted that shouldn't be public.  Therefore, there will be a delay between the time you post and the time your comment is posted.  It also means that you will need to take a look at the comments on a regular basis.

We are hoping this will be a workable way of handling an online book discussion.  It will be a work in progress and we will make adjustments as we go along.

Remember, we're reading Christianity After Religion, Diana Butler Bass, 2012.  We're starting off with the introductory material and Chapter 1.

Welcome!

We have created this blog for book discussions.  Our first attempt will be taking a look at Christianity After Religion written by Diana Butler Bass.  Pastor Kurt Nordby, the Northern Illinois Synod's Director of Evangelical Mission and Pastor Jeff Clements will take a lead role in this discussion, but we intend for this to be an open discussion among rostered leaders and others of the Northern Illinois Synod.  So, get reading and we'll begin talking about this book on May 21, 2012!  Please read "The Beginning" and Chapter 1.