Update

So . . . this is probably the blogging pattern I will follow now that summer is here. I see it's been over a week since I've updated. Since I last posted . . . we had a big garage sale at the church to benefit the youth ministry. We earned over $700 so we were very pleased with that. That was last Saturday, but the work usurped my entire week. It was alot of work. My brother is cruising somewhere out in the middle of the English Channel right now. He was docked in Belgium for a bit - the thought of my little brother wandering around random European countries is a little funny. He seems to be having a great time, which is encouraging. Finally, yesterday, I turned 26. Now if there was ever an uneventful birthday year to celebrate 26 has to be it . . . Half way to 52 . . . One year past 25 . . . one to pretty much gloss over.

With little time to blog, I've also had little time to read. I am working my way through Brian McLaren's work. It is an enjoyable read, but I don't see why everyone has gone so crazy about it. It sounds pretty much like all his other books, just oraganized a little differently. He apologizes for his lack of theological training, and in some ways his works (this one especially) leave me a little lacking more depth theologically. I am not even sure what that means, but there is something about his points that lack some theological technicality that would probably be pointless, but would take me a little further with some of his points.

I'm about half way through it and there is nothing new that really stands out to me. He does a good job of asking questions that most in churches are scared to death to ask, but doesn't give answers (intentionally . . . and I don't really want answers). I think this book would be a great book to read in a small group setting and explore some of the implications of the different faith traditions that he expresses. As I read through I can't help but think that many Christians would not object (too harshly at least) to most of his thinkings on the various traditions he explores, but they have no idea where to go from there - practically, I mean.

If we widen our doors of fellowship, then who do we include? If we find truth in other Christian faith traditions, then how do we incorporate them into our understanding of truth? If there is truth outside of the Christian faith tradition, then how do we understand God in that and how are we to interact with those traditions (that is one question that especially intrigues me). These are interesting questions that need dialogue in our churches, and I don't see much dialogue happening.

Clark is deciding to scream his head off . . . so I'm done.