Content of the workshops
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During the course of the conference there will be an opportunity for each person to participate in two workshops out of a total of six. Tom Wright will speak on three main topics: the person and mission of Jesus; the gospel; and the purpose of the people of God. The aim of these workshops will be to take his theological input and begin to work out, in conversation with him, how it might be developed and implemented in the life and ministry of the church. We think these workshops will be more effective if we can all do some work in advance. We would like participants, therefore, to help us clarify i) the scope of their interest in the work of Tom Wright, and ii) the sort of problems, issues, challenges, etc., that they see confronting the emerging church. These questions can be addressed in general terms, but it could be really helpful if you were to share something of your personal journey and experience. What are the questions that you want answered? What do you want to get out of this? The six proposed workshop themes are:
We will happily modify these categories in response to arguments and suggestions put forward in this discussion board. We want to make sure that we connect not only with the theology of Tom Wright but also with the actual circumstances faced by Christians and Christian communities today. We hope that this approach will demonstrate the power and value of practical, adventurous, community-based theological reflection. To contribute to the discussion log in and either post a new topic on the Workshops discussion board or add a comment to an existing post. If you are not coming to the conference but wish you were, you are welcome to add your views to this discussion. |
Comments
Workshops
I am looking forward to the conference immensely. I’d love to hear about post-modern motifs for salvation within the context of a community praxis and how they relate to ordinary people. Do we see the church as place of belief before belonging? Or is it a place where people can feel as if they belong before they believe? Also can we legitmately pull forgotten images of salvation, relationship with God and sense of believing community from the OT, the NT and the early church fathers that fit more with our culture?
I’d love to hear the themes of ‘family’ ‘adoption’ journeying’ ‘growth’ ‘belonging”forgiveness as the beginning of exploration of who we really are’ and some of these open ended symbols explored and expounded.
I’d also love to explore the themes of leadership around the challenge that there are many different forms of leadership that might be appropriate to the emerging church. Will one size fit all, or does that concept itself contradict the very fundamentals of emerging church.
For those who have begun to deconstruct traditional church models in their heads, is their a way to ensure they remain in true and living relationship and communion with other believers whilst at the same time being positively critical of the models of Christian community that those around them subscribe to? How can one avoid the terms ‘loose canon’ ‘spiritual nomad’ etc without becoming defensive and reactionary? Should we be concerned at all about such criticisms?
How do we develop safe places for those of us engaged in emerging church? Is there a way we can grow together [the conference and the web are good examples but have we any other points of reference or meeting] How do we ensure that we develop our theologies, our doxologies, our ecclesiologies and our Christologies in an integral and holistic way?
What does post modernity look like in modern Britain and has the Christian community really begun to address the issues that post -modernity raises? In a culture that is changing so quickly, how do we remain true to the message, but adapt our methods of delivery so that we are effective.
what are the missing traits of the character of Christ that will serve as witnesses to our generation and how do we authentically embrace them.
What does a neo-evangelical or an open-evangelical look like and does it matter?
These and the comments I have posted on other parts of the website are things that I look forward to discussing.
Workshop Questions
I am one of those who REALLY wanted to attend but can’t because of a surgery my wife is having the week or so before the event. So I will be with all of you vicariously (or looking backward after I get the notes:). I would love to hear Tom talk about how he sees his retelling of the story effecting our, and those we serve in the body of Christ’s, praxis. Does the retelling help the church in living as Christ would in our modern world? If so, how does he see or dream of seeing this played out? How has it played out in his own life? I am captivated by his retelling of the story and would love to find or think about ways to make it practical or transformative for the church. This may get covered in another section but I would love to hear his take on this.