Thesis the Second

To quote the legendary singer-songwriter Alan Jackson, "it's alright to be little-bitty." The Christian community does not need to be sizable to be real. In fact, smaller units of Christian community are more effective in helping people to become followers of the teachings of Jesus, as evidenced by the data from the small group movement even within the largest churches. Literally, where two or three are gathered in Jesus' name, spiritual growth happens. The advantages of small units of Christian community include accountability, intimacy, lack of bureaucratic snarls, ability to act quickly in response to the movement of the Spirit, and connecting others deeply in the midst of our increasingly individualistic world. Therefore, Christian community is as small as possible, and larger communities should strive at all times to form into smaller units so that members may experience the best opportunities for spiritual growth.

Some Large Number of Theses (Number one of.....

I figure, in honor of the event that kicked off the whole reformation thing (not necessarily in actuality, but in popular perception, and as we all know, sometimes perception is just as/more important than reality), I should nail some theses to my proverbial door. Not having a virtual door, of course I will just post them on my blog, much as Luther also may not have nailed his theses to any sort of door whatsoever, but instead mailed them to some of his friends and contemporaries. My list will begin here, but will likely continue as a regular column, and I feel no numerical obligation due to the original number of 95, but instead will "thes-ify" as the spirit so moves me.

Thesis 1: Christianity was not born as an institution but a spiritual path, and most of the terrors wrought on society and other Christians over the years were perpetrated by Christian institutions. Therefore, we should avoid institutionality whenever possible: through organic and local community development, through radical and broad decision-making in those communities and any broader associations, by choosing partnership models of leadership and facilitation instead of hierarchical models, by valuing every single voice over the time it takes to listen to them, and favoring consensus building over majority-rule on all levels of community or association.

This is the one I am feeling strongest about today, but this list will be in no strategic order. I hope it will evolve organically from my observations and impressions. The reason for its occupation of the forefront of my mind is my recent attendance at the Alliance of Baptists convocation, at which I saw Diana Butler Bass whose words inspired this blog. At that convocation, I was also able to be a part of broad-based and participatory decision making and visioning, where every voice was heard and valued and transparency was unceasing. Also, discussions and examples of partnership models of ministry were everywhere, from the new leadership partnership of the Alliance to the church hosting us which is pastored by a married couple as a team of equal partners. In that convocation, I saw much hope for the future of Christianity.

About this blog

At a conference in April 2009, I heard author and speaker Diana Butler Bass state that the current period in Christian history is the most like the Protestant Reformation of the 16^th and 17^th centuries C.E. Of all the strands of that reformation, the radical reformation has always been my favorite, not only because it spawned all of the modern traditions and denominations with which I claim and feel affinity, but also because of the sheer outrageousness of some of the protests against institutional Christianity enacted by the radical reformers and their followers.

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Radical Re-reformation will explore how Christianity is again being radically reformed as we speak, to both get closer to the original teachings of Jesus and meet the current and future developments of science and philosophy head-on. Both of these pursuits are vital to the continuing relevance of Jesus’ “way” to those who are seeking a spiritual life and community for themselves, in this 21^st century and beyond. Evidence of this new reformation can be found in Christian thought, writings, and communities from the left to the right, from the blue to the red, and from the evangelical to the mainline.

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Some writings will be philosophical, combating the prevailing wisdom about Christian spirituality and church with insights ancient, modern, and postmodern. Other writings will examine current events and trends in Christianity through the lens of radical reformation. Still others will merely share thoughts and questions about the future of Christianity to hopefully stimulate discussion. I also hope to share my experiences of radical reformation where I find it, in congregations, worship services, the practices of other faiths, and throughout my own faith explorations.

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The emergent church, the mainline exploration of ancient spiritual disciplines, the growing awareness of the insights of non-white, non-male, non-straight, and non-Western Christianities, the growing dialogue between Christians and those of other religions and no religions, and the awakening of interest in spirituality even among those who express no interest or outright disdain for the Christian church all serve as guideposts on this journey amidst the radical reformation of the 21^st century.

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I’d like to invite you to join me on my journey if you will, pipe up with comments and feedback whenever possible, suggest sources or topics for me to explore, volunteer to share your own voice as a guest or co-author, or simply read along. Ready to ease on down this rereformation road together? Let's go!