It all started with a comment. Rick Davis, a.k.a. Aintsobad, continues to offer his reflections on the current election cycle – Election 2012. Soon he will be found at a new location on the interwebs but we will work to make him easily accessible for those of you who have come to enjoy his writing and our little skirmish over the merits of voting for the franchise.
The truth is I have been reading David Fitch since taking an online class with he and Geoff Holsclaw. David often writes on the politics of the Church in relationship to popular culture. He sits squarely in the Anabaptist Tradition and applies a bit of his own radical revisioning to the mission of God in the world. The good Canadian living in Chi-town mixes it up with his regular reading of the current popular Continental Philosophers. As such he may be blamed for thinking about different ways to say “No” to the power structures institutionalize disadvantaging “the other.”
Thinking through my own reading and sense of now to address the current political decisions, I left a comment at Aintsobad that was picked up as anarchist and chaositist. If you love neologisms as I do, then you should tip Davis for chaositist. From that point on we have been trading barbs over the different possibilities as good friends would who could, by virtue of proximity, banter over coffee. But, since he is mired in Bevo Country we settle for virtual sparring.
I hinted at what was to come with this line in the first post of the week – There Is No God Party, Privilege and Justice, and More On Aintsobad,
Despite the best attempts of the left and the right to lay claim to God, insider information reveals the intention to stay away from pure and undefiled religion.
My week began a bit busy and so I did not get to the first of these “to come” posts until Wednesday with, There Is (Not) a God Party. Some of my readers are not accustomed to bracketing “not” in a title or sentence. It is not that they cannot read, but without explanation sometimes the title is quickly assume to mean one or the other rather than both. So, it could have easily read in two parts – There Is a God Party, There Is Not a God Party. This seems to have led to some interesting responses.
For my purposes, bracketing “not” is an attempt to get beyond the normal either/or that dominates our landscape, even more political conversations. A shorter version of the post would be Republicans and Democrats do not, despite their inclusive attempts, represent a “God” party, but the Church should and does. As such, the Church does contribute to politics, albeit from a different direction.
What seemed to be lost in the comments was a rudimentary understanding of our social relationships and the present of the poor. Some preferred to attack a system that seems, and does indeed, enslave the poor. But, from the perspective of the God Party represented in the Church, we must offer a pirate community intent to carry out the vision of caring for the least in spite of and despite what our two parties in the system choose. Here is how I hoped to expose the lack of a God party represented in the Democratic and Republican Parties,
Last week I listened to an interview that included Cathleen Falsani. One of Cathleen’s achievements is to have obtained the first, and arguably only, lengthy interview with, then Senator, President Barak Obama on the subject of faith and politics. During the podcast where politics took center stage, she made a compelling statement. Cathleen told listeners that insiders from both parties have been contacted and these insiders shared that neither party will raise the subject of the poor during what is left of the run up to Election 2012.
The first post on Thursday pointed to a solid piece by Pete Enns – Pete Enns Suggests You May Have a Theological Problem, Not a Political Problem. I began with,
The prospect of a cataclysmic event is on the lips of the left and the right.
Enns, I believe, helped get underneath the fear of what may come to point to what should guide Christians in the face of any challenge. Rather than fear what might happen if this or that candidate wins or loses, we form out actions and render our opinions from a different location, or not. We do have a theological problem.
Again on Thursday, I knew many were/are planning to participate in Back to Church Sunday. In, David Fitch Gets His Back to Church Sunday On, I noted I am for the intent and interest if the aim is what David Fitch described in his post, Two Reasons to “Go to Church,” I enjoy reading thoughtful writing,
Writing like this is what captures my imagination whenever I read the word missional. And, if you have not signed up for Sentralized you should. Why? David will be there. Not just David, but at least David.
My Friday Photo showed up this morning, Candid Camera. I included a candid shot of Patty and a photo of Wagon Wheel Gap from about 11,200 feet.
Enjoy!
Coming Next Week – Phil Snider’s, Preaching After God.
