Jason Clark

I'm teaching on the Kingdom of God, The Holy Spirit and Spiritual Gifts

Sun, 26 Feb 2012 23:07:51 -0800

I'm still a card carrying charismatic, who believes that the Holy Spirit works today. I'm taking our church through a series these next few months on the Kingdom of God, The Holy Spirit and Spiritual Gifts.

All my sunday teaching/talks will be online here.

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Climate Change: "Shrug Culture' challenged by Ash Wednesday declaration

Thu, 23 Feb 2012 08:08:23 -0800

"Operation Noah launched The Ash Wednesday Declaration on 22nd February 2012 at the start of the Christian season of Lent. The Declaration, written by Operation Noah’s theology think tank, challenges the church to realise that care for God’s creation – and concern about climate change - is foundational to the Christian gospel and central to the church’s mission.

Operation Noah see this Declaration as a call of considerable significance. It marks a definitive line for the church: if we are Christians these are key issues which we need to respond to – as individuals, as local churches and as a national Church."

You can take part as an individual or as a church here. Our Church has signed up to this and will be taking part as suggested.

Glad to see one of my oldest friends, Nick Mercer (who I have known since I was 17), involved in this. I love the caption on the photo, with Nick: 'Bishop Richard Chartres explains the significance of the Ash Wednesday Declaration to Revd Nick Mercer outside St Paul's.'

Nick is one of the smartest people I've ever met, so that's rather ironic ;-)

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Your help with Atheism, what should I be reading? #dminlgp

Mon, 20 Feb 2012 10:06:35 -0800

Given my previous posts and the exploration the D.Min students I lead will be making next term/semester of Atheism, I wondered what resources you might recommend?

Dr Peter Boghossian and Matt Casper have made their suggestions, all pro atheism books and materials, and we will engage with some of those. I've been looking for critiques of atheism, those by Christians and those from atheists themselves.

So far my top picks for students to engage with are:

1. Reason, Faith and Revolution: Reflections on the God Debate, by Terry Eagleton.

Eagleton comes from Catholic background, and understands faith, but he won't admit to being a Christian. His critique of the 'straw man' of religion that Dawkins and Hitchens use, is key to critiquing new-Atheism.

2. The Devil's Delusion: Atheism and its Scientific Pretensions, by David Berlinksi.

Berlinksi is a secular jewish and mathematician who critiques the science of the new atheists and their philosophy, and finds it very wanting.

3. The Dawkins Delusion?: Atheist Fundamentalism and the Denial of the Divine, By Alistair McGrath.

McGrath once an atheist with a PhD in science/chemistry, and then working at Cambridge University, ends up with a PhD in theology, becomes a theology lecturer at Oxford university, and then one of the most well known critics of the new-Atheism. Not to mention now being one of the most well known theologians in the UK.

So anything you'd recommend?

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Matt Casper, joins our discussions on atheism #dminlgp

Wed, 15 Feb 2012 23:43:00 -0800

Matt Casper threw his atheism under the capitalist bus, and let Jim Henderson pay him to visit Church in the USA. What followed was a retelling of those visits in Jim & Casper Go to Church.

Jim is an old and good friend, and Matt I have yet to meet. But Matt has offered to interact with our students on the Leadership and Global Perspectives D.Min, as we explore atheism next term/semester.

We already have Peter Boghossian ready to interact with us. Peter is a philosopher and lecturer, who wants to convert his students away from faith, which he diagnoses as a 'cognitive sickness'.

Matt is a different kind of atheist. He's not a philosopher, scientist or academic. But he is an atheist who has spent time listening and interacting with the subjects of many atheist polemics.

Matt stands out as an atheist who has spent some time in conversation with people of faith, i.e. trying to understand them directly instead of through straw man caricatures. His interactions with Christians, does not seem to have led to any conversion of Matt to faith. But it does seem to have led to some other things for Matt.

Firstly his observations of faith in action, are far closer to the real thing. And as a result make for far more uncomfortable reading. Matt get's under the skin of Christians and faith in a way that the scientific naturalism used by many popular atheists, in an attempt to bludgeon religion to death never will.

Secondly Matt has some observations about the methods and nature of atheism, that it seems many atheists find unpalatable. In this guest blog post Matt as an atheist criticises Hitchens and Dawkins methods of interacting with religion.

Reading the couple of hundred comments in response to Matt, is like reading a religious web site, where the doctrines and the main proponents of faith have been called into question, before the defenders of that faith. It would seem to be analogous to heresy for an atheist to question the canon of Hitchen and Dawkins.

Anyhow, as we try to get under the skin of atheism, Matt will add another dimension to our conversations. You can follow those in the early summer, when they happen here. I'll post notice about them on my site here when that takes place.

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Understanding philosophy through donuts? #dminlgp

Tue, 14 Feb 2012 00:43:00 -0800

Doug Ray explained so superbly the nature and differences between social media, through the medium of the donut.

Andy Campbell mashed up that post along with some of his course reading on the history of ideas and philosophy. In short, how might we understand the main idea of key philosophers, through their relationship to donuts.

Take a look and see if you agree with the summaries and anyone else you might add to the list.

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I'm speaking on "The Hallmarks of a Maturing Missional Church' at the C.A Leadership Summit 29 Feb #dminlgp

Fri, 10 Feb 2012 01:18:25 -0800

Christian Associates have asked me to speak at their 2012 Leadership Summit, on the 29th February, taking place at High Leigh, just north of London.

I've been asked to speak to the conference theme; what are the marks of a maturing missional community? As well as offering something on that topic, I'm looking forward to catching up with some old friends, and making some new ones from C.A

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An atheist on a mission, speaking to the LGP D.Min #dminlgp

Wed, 08 Feb 2012 01:31:00 -0800

Peter Boghossian is an atheist on a mission. Peter is a Philosopher and professor, who believes that faith is a 'cognitive sickness', that he wants to convert his students away from. You can listen to Peter speaking about this here.

Thanks to an idea by and the initiative of my friend and colleague Cliff Berger, we've invited Peter to interact with the students on the D.Min in Leadership and Global Perspectives, that I lead for George Fox. Peter has kindly agreed, and is immediately surprised that a group like ours would want to listen to him.

I think within that we are already bumping into the issue of how atheists often miss understand the religions they attack and the nature of faith. The explorations of the problems of faith are intrinsic rather than inimical to Christian faith, at least for many of us. I don't have faith that helps me avoid science, reason, suffering, but one that embraces and integrates it as my whole faith position.

So Peter will be recommending some books for us to read, and online media, and then he will take part in an online chat with our students this coming summer term/semester. You will be able to join in with that reading, and the follow up discussions by the D.Min students here.

I'll also post updates here on my blog. A wonderful chance for us to try to understand the New Atheism better and I hope an opportunity for Peter to understand faith with us.

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Understanding Christian A/Theism #dminlgp

Sat, 04 Feb 2012 05:50:44 -0800

I reviewed Pete Rollins latest book a few weeks ago, for The Church & Pomo site, and that prompted a good discussion. I noted there that I wished someone with a better grasp of philosophy would respond to Pete's philosophical method.

In particular the A/Theism (a form of Christian atheism) undergirds a lot of Pete's work. You can catch Pete talking about it here.

James K. A. Smith, offered a lecture at the University of Ottawa in 2010 entitled “Beyond A/Theism: Postmodernity and the Future of God.” It offers a direct introduction to understanding the philosophers behind the A/Theism project, and indirectly sheds some light on where people like Pete Rollins are coming from.

You can catch some more info and the video at the Church & Pomo site. I've direct linked to the video in my post too.

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Why bother with theology? #dminlgp

Tue, 31 Jan 2012 03:44:19 -0800

My denomination (http://www.vineyardchurches.org.uk/) is now coming up on being 25 years old in the UK.

With most of our churches planted by people with no theological training, we are trying to find helpful ways to introduce, and integrate theology into the training of our leaders. Within this I was invited just before last Christmas, to teach a group of our church leaders, meeting in Leicester (http://www.hubtraining.org.uk/about-hub-training).

I took as my topic the question, why bother with theology? I responded not with a lecture but a personal account. I made that with suggestions about why we might be excited about doing theology, and how it can connect to everyday church ministry and leadership.

The session was recorded and is available here:

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Away Find: How to stop checking email and never miss an urgent message #dminlgp

Mon, 30 Jan 2012 02:33:41 -0800

I've just stumbled across this email plug in, Away Find. I can be away from my emails, but Away Find, reviews them for me and sends me messages in other locations I want, for things I might want to know about.

Interesting to see the solutions people are coming up with to help with the problems of email.

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The evangelical mind? #dminlgp

Fri, 27 Jan 2012 01:23:00 -0800

The Doctor of Ministry students in the Leadership and Global Perspectives cohort that I lead, have moved into some reading about the place the mind/intellect in Faith.

We are doing that through reading and discussing two books by Mark Noll, The Scandal of the Evangelical Mind (1994) and his latest book Jesus Christ and the Life of the Mind (2011). You are welcome to read along with their discussions and join in conversation with them on their posts.

In The Scandal of the Evangelical Mind, Noll wrote that "The scandal of the evangelical mind is that there is not much of an evangelical mind". Noll highlights all the good Evangelicals might be engaged in but then shines a light on why there was and still is an anti-intellectual atmosphere amongst Evangelicals.

I remember reading Noll 10 years ago and finding within, some help in understanding why so many of my Evangelical friends were resistant to thinking about faith, and for any place for disciplined thinking as a part of faith. I also found in Noll some comfort for why thinking about my faith, and theology were vital to my own spirituality.

Noll's latest book, Jesus Christ and the Life of the Mind, provides an update nearly 20 years later, to that assessment. You need to jump to after the last chapter, for the Postscript: How Fares the "Evangelical Mind"? (Amazon will let you take a peek at that section with their take a look facility).

In that Noll highlights how things remain very much the same for Evangelicals, whilst at the same time there have been large developments by Evangelicals addressing this problem.

But the book is not just an update of The Scandal, and is not a direct follow up or updating. Instead it offers an outline of how through an understanding of Jesus (Christology) how we might understand and practice an intellectual life for and with faith. In other words what might an Evangelical life of the mind look like and why?

Noll writes:

Because of a series of contingent events over the last two centuries, it has become conventional to think that belief in the Christian story opposes serious commitment to intellectual explorations of the world. There are no good reasons for this opinion. It rests on misreadings of the Christian story and misapprehensions of the intellectual life. That Jesus Christ who saves sinners is the same Christ who beckons his followers to serious use of their minds for serious explorations of the world. It is part of the deepest foundation of Christian reality ñ it is an important part of understandings of who Jesus is and what he accomplishes ñ to study the world, the human structures found in the world, the human experiences of the world, and the humans who experience the world. Nothing intrinsic in that study should drive a person away from Jesus Christ. Much that is intrinsic in Jesus Christ should drive a person to that study (p. 41).

When I started my theology degree aged 19, as a very new Christian, I fell into the trap of not thinking about my faith very much. The pragmatics of my church planting location, the scepticism of many around me about theology, along with a youthful attention to anything other than study, led to much of that. But my lecturers at the London School of Theology had modelled a life of the mind, and the need for critical thinking within faith. It was just that I had largely missed it.

So I'm glad that later in life that when I need the consolation of theology for my faith, with some of what life had thrown at me, Graham McFarlane, Conrad Gempf and Antony Billington were willing to engage me with my mind and my faith.

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6 in 10 young people will leave the church permanently or for an extended period starting at age 15 #dminlgp

Tue, 24 Jan 2012 23:35:58 -0800

Good summary of David Kinnaman in You Lost Me: Why Young Christians are Leaving Church … and Rethinking Faith. Apparently Six in 10 young people in the US will leave the church permanently or for an extended period starting at age 15 (according to new research by the Barna Group).

That caught my eye, after having read data and commentary on the even bleaker state of religion and faith in the UK from the British Social Attitudes Survey. With most young people in the UK having no church contact at all, 94% of them will never find their way into any faith, let alone Christianity.

My church community is stuffed with young children at an intense ratio of 1 child for every 2 adults in the church. We've been focusing again recently on the challenges they face as they enter the 13-15 year tweenage years. Seems these surveys confirm what we already new anecdotally.

-----------------

Isolationism. One-fourth of 18- to 29-year-olds say church demonizes everything outside church, including the music, movies, culture, and technology that define their generation.

Shallowness. One-third call church boring, about one-fourth say faith is irrelevant and Bible teaching is unclear. One-fifth say God is absent from their church experience.

Anti-science. Up to one-third say the church is out of step on scientific developments and debate.

Sex. The church is perceived as simplistic and judgmental. For a fifth or more, a "just say no" philosophy is insufficient in a techno-porno world. Young Christian singles are as sexually active as their non-churched friends, and many say they feel judged.

Exclusivity. Three in 10 young people feel the church is too exclusive in this pluralistic and multi-cultural age. And the same number feel forced to choose between their faith and their friends.

Doubters. The church is not a safe place to express doubts say over one-third of young people, and one-fourth have serious doubts they'd like to discuss.

—Adapted from a list by David Kinnaman in You Lost Me: Why Young Christians are Leaving Church … and Rethinking Faith

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Alain de Botton: Atheism 2.0. A kinder more religious atheism?

Mon, 23 Jan 2012 07:29:46 -0800

A fascinating Ted.com video with Alain Botton here. He seems to pushing ahead with his request that atheists might consider understanding they are religious and what they might learn from religion. The video blurb asks, 'What aspects of religion should atheists (respectfully) adopt? Alain de Botton suggests a "religion for atheists" -- call it Atheism 2.0 -- that incorporates religious forms and traditions to satisfy our human need for connection, ritual and transcendence.'

Watching it a few things struck me:

1. It seems to make for kinder less arrogant and exclusive atheism. Atheists with humility.

2. He misses that religions already have ways for people to engage with them without holding to any beliefs, i.e very liberal anglicanism. There are lots of religions full of atheists culturally, already.

3. He misses that the culture he wants to fund this atheism 2.0 arises from religious convictions and beliefs. Western culture alone is full of Christianity, although most people think it isn't. For example Shakespeare.

4. Then he seems to think you can separate beliefs from practices. The process of commodification might make that possible, but some of the things he is reaching for are embedded in belief. The beliefs give rise to the practices, or rather they can't be separated. What happens when you strip mine religions for cultural artefacts? Then again if atheists adopt this, they might find these are a gateway drug into theism ;-)

5. Catechism and education in religions does show how we are formed 'religiously'. But there are already religious practices, habituated practices atheists already have, they can't just take them up, they already have them around their beliefs. There is a religious calendar that we already live by in consumerism for example.

6. Sermons: he gets that sermons at their best are about changes lives, not information/lectures

7. I think he would say that there is something about religion that is part of how human beings work, that atheists can't ignore. I'd say he's bumping into something more about religion, that is more than just an artefact of human life, it is a real part of human life.

Make sure you listen to lecture before commenting, otherwise my comments below will be very out of context!

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David Fitch on: The Mark Driscoll Fiasco: What the Latest Flap Teaches Us About The Neo-Reformed Movement #dminlgp

Fri, 20 Jan 2012 07:24:00 -0800

A very comprehensive post by David Fitch (as you'd expect), on understanding theologically some of what is at stake in the latest Mark Driscoll debate. There are very important theological distinctives and concerns that David gets to, that provide an alternative to some of the more recent emotional hyperbole and "gaslighting" on all sides.

Something to help take a look at issues, instead of just the personalities.

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Your invitation to Vince Cable on 'Responsible Capitalism' #dminlgp

Wed, 18 Jan 2012 23:33:00 -0800

The on-going global economic crisis has led to calls from many that the system needs to change.

Join Rt Hon Vince Cable MP along with Richard Paton, a member of Occupy LSX and Sir Stuart Etherington CEO of National Council for Voluntary Organisations (NCVO), as we explore what steps need be taken to ensure that capitalism begins to contribute to mending, instead of breaking, our society.

In his keynote speech Dr Cable will set out his vision for the future. Richard Paton and Sir Stuart Etherington will respond and then it’s your chance to put your questions and express your point of view as Steve Chalke chairs the debate.

So take your seat for what will be a thoroughly engaging and highly provocative evening.

Making Capitalism Responsible
What kind of capitalism will mend our broken society?

Wednesday 22 February 2012
7.00pm – 8.30pm (Doors open 6:30pm)
The Oasis Centre, 75 Westminster Bridge Road, SE1 7HS
Book now for your free place

Please forward to a friend or another charity

"Making Capitalism Responsible" will provide a platform for informed debate with lots of audience participation around the big issues and financial questions raised by recent world events.

Contributors include:

Rt Hon Vince Cable MP -
Secretary of State for Business and Innovation and President of the Board of Trade. Vince is also the Liberal Democrat MP for Twickenham and has published several books on international economics and trade.

In December 2011 Dr Cable warned "whingeing bankers" that the coalition was determined to reduce their hold on the economy and went on to suggest splitting high street banks from more risky investment banks.

Richard Paton -
A member of Occupy London, the ongoing protest against economic inequality, social injustice and corporate greed. Occupy LSX is part of a global movement that began in solidarity with Occupy Wall Street.

Sir Stuart Etherington -
Chief Executive of the National Council of Voluntary Organisations (NCVO). Prior to his current role Sir Stuart was Chief Executive of the Royal National Institute for Deaf People.

Stuart is also pro-Chancellor of Greenwich University and a member of the Economic and Social Committee of the European Union. Stuart was knighted in 2010 for services to the voluntary sector.

Steve Chalke
Founder of Oasis Charities Parliament

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Float like a butterfly and sting like a bee

Tue, 17 Jan 2012 06:11:07 -0800

When I think of my early childhood Muhammed Ali is one of those magical characters in the background, along with Hong Kong Phooey, Elvis and Evil Knieval.

I have memories of my dad talking about Ali's fight's, but always reminding me that Henry Cooper had that one perfect punch that had taken Ali to the floor and the ropes. I also remember aged 5 trying to get my head around a man with two names; the Cassius Clay Henry Cooper hit so well, and the Muhammad Ali of the Rumble in the Jungle.

Happy 70th birthday Muhammad Ali.

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Superb graphic guides to people and ideas, complete with iPhone/iPad app #dminlgp

Tue, 17 Jan 2012 02:12:00 -0800

A picture is worth a thousand words.

Check out these graphic guides and iPhone/ipad app for a series of books that introduce philosophers, famous people, and ideas. These are superb!

http://www.introducingbooks.com/book/group/Graphic

also iOS app for viewing the books:

http://www.introducingbooks.com/page/apps

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Love Is an Orientation: Elevating the Conversation with the Gay Community? #dminlgp

Mon, 16 Jan 2012 04:30:05 -0800

Last week I had the D.Min students I lead, read an academic theological text on sexuality and gender issues; God, Sex, and Gender: An Introduction, by Adrian Thatcher. This week I have them reading something less academic and more about sexuality as lived and experienced in church contexts; Love Is an Orientation: Elevating the Conversation with the Gay Community, by Andrew Marin.

I was going to offer a summary of Marin's work. But one of my students, Tim Buechsel, a young german pastor ministering in Hong Kong has written such a good post about the book, I thought I'd direct you there.

And if you want to read along and discuss with any of the students in the program, you can do so at our main Leadership and Global Perspectives site.

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Hand only CPR: the power of memory association and Vinnie Jones #dminlgp

Fri, 13 Jan 2012 22:47:00 -0800

Whoever thought this up for the British Heart Foundation was a genius. I will never forget this and now know hands only CPR.

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Mark Driscoll takes aim at the ‘cowards’ in the British church #dminlgp

Thu, 12 Jan 2012 23:06:00 -0800

Mark Driscoll;

“Let’s just say this: right now, name for me the one young, good Bible teacher that is known across Great Britain. You don’t have one – that’s the problem. There are a bunch of cowards who aren’t telling the truth.” (source)

I have to infer that either my bible teaching friends are too old, or are just a bunch of 'cowards'. Part of me just sighs and thinks move on and ignore this, don't give air time to what seems such crass pusillanimity. But I think my friend Krish Kandia is right when he says, 'if we don’t engage in conversation nothing will change. I'll let the rest of his careful post be my more detailed response.

Some of what Mark says on his 'blog post for Brits' is more constructive. Krish does seem to have done his research, and Mark's words are as above. And Mark claims that someone who is egalitarian and has any issue with penal substitution is likely to edit him out of context, which seems rather crude and ad hominen. Justin Brierly who interviewed Mark has responded to this claim by Mark.

I've given my life to Church planting in the UK, gladly. But this kind of thing is so enervating. Mark you can do better than this, and us 'Brits' deserve better as brothers and sisters in Christ.

To look at the claim above, and realise how and why it might be offensive and unhelpful, and to simply apologise without reservation, equivocation or qualification, would take some 'courage'.

Otherwise people who dislike Mark have more fuel for that fire, and those who want to listen to him, will find it harder to do so.

(16th January update)

Chris Massey, a 30 year old trial lawyer, abd blogger has taken the time to pull out some of the interview with Mark by Justin. It is staggeringly stupefying.

'Who you are speaks so loudly I can't hear what you're saying', Ralph Waldo Emerson

p.s for those commenting, please be polite and do not compound one round of impoliteness and rudeness with another.

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