Solidarity not Prayer; an intense critique of Progressive Christian leadership HT @MicahBales #occupytheology #wgf11

Wow.  This was the first article I read today.  Agree with all except the assessment of Campolo and Wallis.  Both are well aware of “systems” that must be dismantled and challenged.  But also,  there is a disturbing lack of actual particpation, support,  and aid to the Occupy movement that I think is needed from the churches who are not asleep. And due Continue Reading

OWS: What’s It About? – UMC Unofficial Layman’s Open Forum #occupytheology

Here I try to edit out the noise of chaos in the Occupy Wall Street (OWS) movement and watch for the light of God’s truth during times of strife, change, and confrontations. I filter this through a Methodist – conservative upbringing, in context of values learned more through personal experience than through any church dogma. http://umc-unofficiallaymanopenforum.ning.com/forum/topics/occupy-wall-street-ows-what-s-it-about

Advent’s Economic Good News- Jonathan Wilson-Hartgrove #occupytheology

All of a sudden, we are awake. We’ve been given eyes to see God’s economy as the alternative we need. http://www.patheos.com/blogs/emergentvillage/2011/12/advents-economic-good-news/ Reading this post from Jonathan also reminds me of Matthew’s recounting of the vision of Isaiah : “The people who sat in darkness have seen a great light”  (Mt 4:16, Is.9:2)

Occupy Wall St. – Žižek’s Act or Badiou’s Event? #occupytheology

From The Church and PostModern Culture.  Excellent. Badiou calls these eruptions ‘events’, an event (in this case a political event) is the revealing or acknowledging of something within the situation that had not been previously represented by the state, and not only not represented by also repressed by the state.  In this way, an event disrupts the smooth functioning of Continue Reading

Occupied Bishop: Wall Street Feeds Off of Everyone #occupytheology

This retired Episcopal bishop, George Packard,  has been blogging about his advocacy for the Occupy Movement.  He quotes from the “Tidal”  ,  an Occupy journal: We wouldn’t be here if Wall Street fed off itself; we are here because it is feeding off everyone. http://bishopsnotebook.blogspot.com/2011/12/what-occupy-is-read-tidal.html Another choice bit from Tidal: If the phantoms of Wall Street are confused by our presence Continue Reading

More on Participatory Church from @knightopia #occupytheology

Can we truly collaborate with religious “Nones” in the co-creation of new kinds of religious/faith communities? Or will our commitments to institutional structures or ecclesiological/denominational traditions keep us from experimenting together?http://knightopia.com/blog/2011/12/13/pushback-on-participatory-church/ I have thought about this, and if there is a possibility of saying YES, I see opportunity in the Occupy movement. This is a movement where it seems to Continue Reading

Will Willimon: Ayn Rand and Christmas

Will Willimon on Ayn Rand.  Excellent. Rand’s “Fountainhead” and “Atlas Shrugged” repudiate family and community. Their major characters’ families and spouses are leeches whose communities are filled with sponges attempting to live off the powerful, brilliant few. And what about this,  that Rand abhors the very concept of God.  Whaaaa?   GOP?  Christian prsperity gospel fundies?  Athiest?  OH,  I see why Continue Reading

UM clergy, local churches join in Occupy protests #occupytheology

From the United Methodist Reporter: The Rev. Paige Eaves, pastor of Crescenta Valley UMC in Montrose, Calif., acknowledged she hesitated about getting involved in Occupy Los Angeles, “trying to figure out what the message of the movement was and if I could align myself with it as a clergyperson.” But soon she had concluded affirmatively. “It is obvious to me Continue Reading

Ordinary people doing extraordinary things – UMC.org

The Rev. Sandy Gess: I find much in common from our faith tradition with the Occupy Movement. And, as an active participant and organizer with the Interfaith Tent @ Oakland, I draw inspiration from the Methodist tradition and our founder, John Wesley: “The world is my parish.” Wesley faced similar challenges as he responded to the crying needs of those Continue Reading

#occupyTheology and Advent | NCatholic Reporter

Deen Thompson posted this on his Facebook page this morning.  This is a great article, directly challenging the church to “wake up” to realize that in OWS we have something of great significance breaking in upon us.  And the church,  in its American domesticated state,  is oblivious to the THEOLOGICAL significance of it.  Here’s a direct call to join with Continue Reading