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January 2017
- 1 participants
- 26 discussions
More from Standing Rock...
Ellie
elliestock(a)aol.com
January 18
Standing Rock/DAPL Updates: 4 legal developments
UPDATE: At least 22 water protectors were snatched by law enforcement last night. Some were taken to a hospital.
Today saw four significant legal developments in the Dakota Access Pipeline campaign as rubber bullets and tear gas rains on water protectors in Standing Rock: 1) Judge Boesberg denied DAPL's request for a Temporary Restraining Order, which sought to block the process for the Environmental Impact Statement (EIS). 2) the Army Corps of Engineers officially published ...a notice of intent to prepare a partial EIS. This is great news, except the proposed scope fails to include the entire length of the pipeline or downstream impacts of other tribes of the Great Sioux Nation. It is open to public comment through February 20. 3) The US Circuit Court of Appeals dismissed the Standing Rock Sioux Tribe’s appeal for their preliminary injunction, declaring the case moot as construction is nearly complete. 4) The ND Supreme Court partially granted a petition allowing non-North Dakota licensed lawyers to more easily represent the more than 600 water protectors facing criminal charges. #NoDAPL
See More
Four Major #NoDAPL Legal Developments As Clashes Continue
Today saw four significant legal developments in the Dakota Access Pipeline campaign as rubber bullets and tear gas rains on water protectors in Standing…
sacredstonecamp.org
1
0
Dear Friends of Standing Rock:
<div id="AOLMsgPart_2_ea567a84-9793-44ce-86a7-9d8707212673">
<div class="aolReplacedBody">STANDING ROCK UPDATE
As we have entered the new year and the eve of a new presidential administrations, Water Protectors are still in the Standing Rock Camps. While numbers are fewer, as many have returned home to rest for while during the harsh winter, the commitment to protect the earth and its water and air is as strong as ever and has spread across the country and globe as Water Protectors are taking their prayer actions to the financial institutions of the globe. See the information below. Consider what you can do to be part of this growing movement:
-divest from fossil fuels,
-invest in renewable energy,
-divest from banks that support fossil fuels and pipelines,
-invest in credit unions,
-financially support the Sanding Rocks Protectors and environmental efforts in your area, particularly those affecting Native American land,
-contact the president, members of Congress and state legislatures.
Join with others and make a difference!
Also, continue to study the issues and how and where Native Americans and indigenous communities around the world continue to be on the front lines of protecting the earth from environmental degradation caused by political oppression, economic exploitation, and religious legitimation.
Suggested resources:
-Book: PAGANS IN THE PROMISED LAND: DECODING THE DOCTRINE OF CHRISTIAN DISCOVERY, by Steen T. Newcomb
-Video: "The Doctrine of Discovery, Unmasking The Domination Code. A story of historical truth, spirituality, and resistance, told on behalf of the original nations and people's of Great Turtle Island, and elsewhere on Mother Earth. We are still here, and still rightfully free. (Based on PAGANS IN THE PROMISED LAND)
-News articles and other resources: Indian Country Media Network - Official Site: indiancountrytodaymedianetwork.com
<div>Indian Country Today Media Network is your essential Native American news and information site offering superb online services in the areas of education, business and ...
-Facebook: Standing Rock/Sacred Stones Camp facebook tracking: https://www.facebook.com/CampOfTheSacredStone/?hc_ref=NEWSFEED&fref=nf
</div>
<div>Elie Stock
<a href="mailto:elliestock@aol.com">elliestock(a)aol.com</a>
Sent: Thu, Jan 19, 2017 03:15 PM
Subject: Flood the BANKS
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min-width: 100%; mso-table-lspace: 0pt; mso-table-rspace: 0pt;"><tbody><tr><td class="aolmail_aolmail_image-td" align="left" valign="top" width="625"><a style="margin: 0; outline: none; padding: 0; color: #045FB4; display: block; min-width: 100%;" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" href="http://unify.acemlnd.com/lt.php?s=9ad566cb83ed2ebe1e17d2b2c13fa2e8&i=10A19A…"><img alt="" width="851" style="display: block; border: none; outline: none; width: 851px; opacity: 1; max-width: 100%;" src="http://unify.imgus4.com/public/66403d49fad40f6715fbe72c8a8ff23b.jpg?r=93067…"></a></td>
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<div style="margin: 0; outline: none; padding: 0; text-align: center;"><br style="color:#2f2f2f; font-family: arial, helvetica, sans; font-size: 16px;"></div>
<div style="margin: 0; outline: none; padding: 0; color: #2f2f2f; font-family: arial, helvetica, sans; font-size: 18px; text-align: center;"><span style="color: #222222; font-size: 16px; font-weight: 400; line-height: inherit; text-decoration: none; text-align: inherit;">Thank you for your commitment to our collective future.
<span style="color: inherit; font-size: 16px; font-weight: inherit; line-height: inherit; text-decoration: inherit;">Standing Rock</span></span><span style="color: inherit; font-size: 16px; font-weight: inherit; line-height: inherit; text-decoration: inherit; text-align: inherit;"> is <span style="color: inherit; font-size: inherit; font-weight: bold; line-height: inherit; text-decoration: inherit;">still standing strong</span> through freezing temperatures, bravely holding the prayer for our water, our earth and our children's future - <span style="color: inherit; font-size: inherit;font-weight: bold; line-height: inherit; text-decoration: inherit;">And they need our help.</span></span></div>
<div style="margin: 0; outline: none; padding: 0; text-align: center;"><br style="color:#2f2f2f; font-family: arial, helvetica, sans; font-size: 16px;"></div>
<div style="margin: 0; outline: none; padding: 0; color: #2f2f2f; font-family: arial, helvetica, sans; font-size: 17px; text-align: center;"><span style="color: #2f2f2f; font-size: inherit; font-weight: inherit; line-height: inherit; text-decoration: inherit; font-family: arial, helvetica, sans; text-align: inherit;"><span style="color: #2f2f2f; font-size: inherit; font-weight: normal; line-height: inherit; text-decoration: inherit; font-family: arial, helvetica, sans;">YOU ARE INVITED TO JOIN A</span><span style="color: #f31111; font-size: inherit; font-weight: 700; line-height: inherit; text-decoration: inherit; font-family: arial, helvetica, sans;"> GLOBAL SYNCHRONIZED PRAYER ACTION ON JANUARY 28th </span><span style="color: #2f2f2f; font-size: inherit; font-weight: normal; line-height: inherit; text-decoration: inherit; font-family: arial, helvetica, sans;">TO CARRY </span></span><span style="color: #2f2f2f; font-size: inherit; font-weight:inherit; line-height: inherit; text-decoration: inherit; font-family: arial, helvetica, sans; text-align: inherit;"><span style="color: #2f2f2f; font-size: inherit; font-weight: inherit; line-height: inherit; text-decoration: inherit; font-family: arial, helvetica, sans;">THE</span><span style="color: #f31111; font-size: inherit; font-weight: 700; line-height: inherit; text-decoration: inherit; font-family: arial, helvetica, sans;"> PRAYER </span><span style="color: #2f2f2f; font-size: inherit; font-weight: inherit; line-height: inherit; text-decoration: inherit; font-family: arial, helvetica, sans;">FROM</span><span style="color: #f31111; font-size: inherit; font-weight: 700; line-height: inherit; text-decoration: inherit; font-family: arial, helvetica, sans;"> STANDING ROCK </span><span style="color: #2f2f2f; font-size: inherit; font-weight: inherit; line-height: inherit; text-decoration: inherit; font-family: arial, helvetica, sans;">TO</span><span style="color: #f31111; font-size: inherit; font-weight: 700; line-height: inherit; text-decoration: inherit; font-family: arial, helvetica, sans;"> BANKS WORLDWIDE</span></span></div>
<div style="margin: 0; outline: none; padding: 0; color: #2f2f2f; font-family: arial, helvetica, sans; font-size: 16px; text-align: left;"><span style="color: #2f2f2f; font-size: inherit; font-weight: inherit; line-height: inherit; text-decoration: inherit; font-family: arial, helvetica, sans; text-align: inherit;">
<a target="_blank" style="margin: 0; outline: none; padding: 0; color: #045FB4; text-decoration: underline;" rel="noopener noreferrer" href="http://unify.acemlnd.com/lt.php?s=9ad566cb83ed2ebe1e17d2b2c13fa2e8&i=10A19A…"><span style="color: ; font-size: inherit; font-weight: inherit; line-height: inherit; text-decoration: inherit;">The Global Prayer Action</span></a> is carrying</span><span style="color: #2f2f2f; font-size: inherit; font-weight: inherit; line-height: inherit; text-decoration: inherit; font-family: arial, helvetica, sans; text-align: inherit;"> the prayer and request from Standing Rock to the steps of the Banks around the
World who are funding Oil Pipelines, sending a clear message of solidarity and demand for change - The frontline is now everywhere. </span></div>
<span style="color: #2f2f2f; font-size: 18px; font-weight: inherit; line-height: inherit; text-decoration: inherit; font-family: arial, helvetica, sans;"><span style="color: inherit; font-size: inherit; font-weight: inherit; line-height: inherit; text-decoration: inherit; font-family: arial, helvetica, sans;"><span style="color: inherit; font-size: 16px; font-weight: inherit; line-height: inherit; text-decoration: inherit;">
<span style="color: #000000; font-size: inherit; font-weight: inherit; line-height: inherit; text-decoration: none; font-style: normal;"><span style="color: inherit; font-size: inherit; font-weight: bold; line-height: inherit; text-decoration: inherit;">There will be a live prayer broadcast</span> shared from Standing Rock camp - a prayer for all water, for all life - led by indigenous elders. You can join from wherever you are!
This is an opportunity to be a part of history by uniting our global community
to support the water protectors at Standing Rock through local actions at banks.</span></span>
<span style="color: #000000; font-size: 14.6667px; font-weight: 400; line-height: inherit; text-decoration: none; font-style: normal;"> </span><br style="font-size: 14px;"></span><div style="margin: 0; outline: none; padding: 0; text-align: center; font-size: 16px; color: #b40404;"><span style="color: #b40404; font-size: inherit; font-weight: bold; line-height: inherit; text-decoration: none; font-family: arial, helvetica, sans;"><span style="color: #f31111; font-size: inherit; font-weight: inherit; line-height: inherit; text-decoration: inherit;">"Let us put our hearts and minds together and<br style="color:#f31111;"> see what future we can make for our children." </span>
<br style="color:#b40404;"><span style="color: #000000; font-size: inherit; font-weight: inherit; line-height: inherit; text-decoration: inherit;">- Sitting Bull
(Hunkpapa Lakota Oyate)</span></span></div>
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<tr><td id="aolmail_aolmail_layout-row-margin135" valign="top"><table width="100%" border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" style="font-size: 13px; min-width: 100%; mso-table-lspace: 0pt; mso-table-rspace: 0pt;"><tbody><tr id="aolmail_aolmail_layout-row135" class="aolmail_aolmail_layout aolmail_aolmail_layout-row aolmail_aolmail_widget aolmail_aolmail__widget_text aolmail_aolmail_" style="margin: 0; padding: 0;"><td id="aolmail_aolmail_layout-row-padding135" valign="top"><table width="100%" border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" style="font-size: 13px; min-width: 100%; mso-table-lspace: 0pt; mso-table-rspace: 0pt;"><tbody><tr><td id="aolmail_aolmail_text_div116" class="aolmail_aolmail_td_text aolmail_aolmail_td_block" valign="top" align="left" style="color: inherit; font-size: inherit; font-weight: inherit; line-height: 1; text-decoration: inherit; font-family: Arial;"> <div style="margin: 0; outline: none; padding: 0; font-size: 16px; color: #222222; font-family: arial, helvetica, sans;"><div style="margin: 0; outline: none; padding: 0; font-size: 16px; text-align: center;"><span style="color: #222222; font-size: inherit; font-weight:inherit; line-height: inherit; text-decoration: none; font-family: arial, helvetica, sans; text-align: inherit;">One week after inauguration we are taking this action to show that </span><span style="color: #222222; font-size: inherit; font-weight: bold; line-height: inherit; text-decoration: none; font-family: arial, helvetica, sans; text-align: inherit;">this is not over. </span></div>
<span style="color: #222222; font-size: 16px; font-weight: inherit; line-height: inherit; text-decoration: none; font-family: arial, helvetica, sans;"><br style="font-weight: bold;"><div style="margin: 0; outline: none; padding: 0; text-align: center; font-size: 17px;"><span style="color: #222222; font-size: inherit; font-weight: bold; line-height: inherit; text-decoration: none; font-family: arial, helvetica, sans; text-align: inherit;">Empowered as one, we can make change. </span></div>
We will stand, pray and meditate to elevate the consciousness of the financial institutions, administration and corporations funding oil extraction around the world by asking that they <span style="color: inherit; font-size: inherit; font-weight: bold; line-height: inherit; text-decoration: inherit;">make the choice to invest in clean renewable energy and the future of our planet.</span></span>
<span style="color: #222222; font-size: 16px; font-weight: 400; line-height: inherit; text-decoration: none; font-family: arial, helvetica, sans;"> </span><br style="font-size: 16px; color:#045fb4;color:#045fb4;"><div style="margin: 0; outline: none; padding: 0; text-align: center; font-size: 16px; color: #045fb4;"><span style="color: #045fb4; font-size: inherit; font-weight: bold; line-height: inherit; text-decoration: inherit; text-align: inherit;">We are also looking at our own desires and choices for short-term gain over long term sustainability
to heal this pattern within ourselves, to heal the earth. </span></div>
<span style="color: #222222; font-size: 16px; font-weight: inherit; line-height: inherit; text-decoration: none; font-family: arial, helvetica, sans;">
<span style="color: inherit; font-size: inherit; font-weight: bold; line-height: inherit; text-decoration: inherit;">Through this prayer action we ask our governments</span> to incentivize the banks to make long terms investments that <span style="color: inherit; font-size: inherit; font-weight: bold; line-height: inherit; text-decoration: inherit;">benefit our grandchildren and our planet of </span><span style="color: inherit; font-size: inherit; font-weight: bold; line-height: inherit; text-decoration: inherit;">corporate profits. </span></span>
<span style="color: #222222; font-size: 16px; font-weight: inherit; line-height: inherit; text-decoration: none; font-family: arial, helvetica, sans;">We are connecting activists, advocates, actors, musicians, artists, media,
environmental organizations, educators and prayerful people to join our Indigenous Leaders and Water Protectors.
<span style="color: inherit; font-size: inherit; font-weight: bold; line-height: inherit; text-decoration: inherit;">
The prayer will broadcast live from Standing Rock on January 28th </span>as we simultaneously carry the prayer to the steps of banks worldwide.
<div style="margin: 0; outline: none; padding: 0; text-align: center;"><span style="color: #222222; font-size: inherit; font-weight: inherit; line-height: inherit; text-decoration: none; font-family: arial, helvetica, sans; text-align: inherit;">Let your heart shine and our prayers be heard.</span></div>
</span><span style="color: #222222; font-size: 16px; font-weight: 400; line-height: inherit; text-decoration: none; font-family: arial, helvetica, sans;"> </span>
<div style="margin: 0; outline: none; padding: 0; font-size: 16px; text-align: center;"><span style="color: #222222; font-size: inherit; font-weight: inherit; line-height: inherit; text-decoration: none; font-family: arial, helvetica, sans; text-align: inherit;"><span style="color: inherit; font-size: inherit; font-weight: bold; line-height: inherit; text-decoration: inherit;"><a target="_blank" style="margin: 0; outline: none; padding: 0; color: #045FB4; text-decoration: underline;" rel="noopener noreferrer" href="http://unify.acemlnd.com/lt.php?s=9ad566cb83ed2ebe1e17d2b2c13fa2e8&i=10A19A…"><span style="color: ; font-size: inherit; font-weight: inherit; line-height: inherit; text-decoration: inherit;">Click Here to Join</span></a>: </span><a target="_blank" style="margin: 0; outline: none; padding: 0; color: #045FB4; text-decoration: underline;" rel="noopener noreferrer" href="http://unify.acemlnd.com/lt.php?s=9ad566cb83ed2ebe1e17d2b2c13fa2e8&i=10A19A…"><span style="color: ; font-size: inherit; font-weight: inherit; line-height: inherit; text-decoration: inherit;"></span></a><a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" href="http://www.GlobalPrayerAction.com">www.GlobalPrayerAction.com</a></span></div>
<span style="color: #222222; font-size: 16px; font-weight: 400; line-height: inherit; text-decoration: none; font-family: arial, helvetica, sans;">You can join the prayer broadcast from wherever you are or find a prayer action happening at a local bank near you!
If there is no prayer action on the Global Prayer Action near you on the world-wide interactive map, please consider creating an event in your community.</span>
<span style="color: #222222; font-size: 16px; font-weight: 400; line-height: inherit; text-decoration: none; font-family: arial, helvetica, sans;"> </span>
<div style="margin: 0; outline: none; padding: 0; font-size: 16px; text-align: center;"><span style="color: #222222; font-size: inherit; font-weight: bold; line-height: inherit; text-decoration: none; font-family: arial, helvetica, sans; text-align: inherit;">Mitakuye Oyasin ~ We are All Related</span></div>
<div style="margin: 0; outline: none; padding: 0; font-size: 16px; text-align: center;"><span style="color: #222222; font-size: inherit; font-weight: bold; line-height: inherit; text-decoration: none; font-family: arial, helvetica, sans; text-align: inherit;">Mni Wiconi ~ Water is Life
On behalf of the Global Prayer Action campaign</span></div>
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At UNIFY we share virtual and in-person transformational experiences that support your most passionate, peaceful, purposeful, and amazing life. </span>
<span style="color: #000000; font-size: 16px; font-weight: inherit; line-height: inherit; text-decoration: inherit; font-family: arial, helvetica, sans;">We also organize global synchronized meditations and days of social action. We now have more than 7,500 organizers that bring their communities together for campaigns we launch on Peace Day, Earth Day, Water Day, and more. Thank you for doing your part every day!</span>
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1/19/17, Forrester: Jack Spong – A Teacher Whose Words Offer Life
by Ellie Stock via Dialogue 19 Jan '17
by Ellie Stock via Dialogue 19 Jan '17
19 Jan '17
HOMEPAGE MY PROFILE ESSAY ARCHIVE MESSAGE BOARDS CALENDAR
Jack Spong – A Teacher Whose Words Offer Life
Even before our children were born, my wife, Rïse, and I, like many a parent, sang and read to our children. Later, nestled between us in bed and then resting upon our laps, they listened intently as we read about rabbits, moons, gardens, fingers, toes and smiles. Bit by bit, these little beings began to imitate us, holding the book precariously in tiny hands; looking first at the pages and next at the words as if reading, and eventually, eagerly, albeit clumsily, turning the book’s leaf. And then one day it happened, as if by magic – they themselves were reading. They had taught themselves to learn how to read. Such pride in their newly discovered competence. And the truly magic sojourn into the land of truth had begun in earnest. They were experiencing the exhilarating freedom of moving beyond the two-dimensional landscape of imitation into the endless world of exploration, made possible by following the Spirit’s invitation to learn how to learn. Imitation is a fine and necessary beginning, but as an ending it is claustrophobic, and stultifying as death.
One of my deepest appreciations about Jack Spong is that he is anything but an imitator. Even more, it has been his vocation to invite not only Christians, but those whose hearts and minds and bodies are captivated by the human journey, to listen and respond to the deepest stirrings of the Spirit. We are to become creatures, little less than gods, who explore, probe, and inquire so as to understand more deeply, more truly, who and what we are about as human beings – beings for whom trust in the Ground of Being actually matters as a matter of life.
I have always admired Jack’s ability to draw upon the best scholarship the academy has to offer and to teach this material with concise clarity, challenging our penchant to become pale imitations of a rich past we often do not even understand. Jack is constantly teaching because he is continually learning. We need to appreciate that curiosity is a divine virtue.
What Jack does so effectively is dissemble the dominant preconceptions of Christian teaching – be they a virgin birth, a three-tiered universe, a “God” who is a being existing out there some where, a crude understanding of incarnation and trinity, a belief in a satanic figure, an adherence to destructive atonement Christology, a belief in literal resurrection, or a literally conceived spatial place such as a heaven or a hell. Because of his love for truth he deconstructs those misleading literal truths contained in doctrine, hymnody, preaching and prayer. He reminds us that it is not enough – indeed there is no longer credibility to be found here – to repeat creedal formulas and adhere to them because they have been reiterated through the centuries. Historical precedent and practice should never be confused with truth.
Even more, all too often we do not even know our own history or the complex human origin of our central texts. Jack’s writing has excelled in plunging the reader into often groundbreaking and liberating encounters with the scriptures. The point is not for the reader to agree or disagree with Jack. The point is not for the reader to capitulate to Jack’s argument. The point is not for the reader to imitate Jack. No, the point is to invite the reader to become, like Jack, someone whose heart is on fire to discover what is true. The point is to become someone who, like Jack, loves to learn how to learn. The point is to become a curious and courageous disciple of study and inquiry. But more, to become someone who is willing to share the fruits of their journey with the wider world. Because for so long such teaching as that embodied in the life and writing of Jack Spong, and completely familiar to theological faculties, has been all too absent within the congregation; feared as unsettling and too probative.
Jack’s courage lies in his willingness to speak. He does not allow the word about the Word to remain silent. Herein is the power, the prophetic substance, of Jack. Oddly, often times what is new in Jack’s writing is not what he has to say, but that he has the heart to say it, say it well, say it clearly, and say it repeatedly. And he has suffered abuse because of his faithful heart.
The gathered bishops of the Episcopal church not only failed to stand by him as a teacher and leader, but effectively dissociated themselves from him. My own community, St. Paul’s of Marquette, Michigan, is one of a handful of Episcopal congregations even willing to welcome Jack into our midst to teach. This past autumn, as Jack returned to northern Michigan and was preparing to offer two lectures in our church and at Northern Michigan University, is when he suffered his stroke.
I am reminded of the trailblazing courage of another Christian theologian, Meister Eckhart. Eckhart suffered abuse from the bishops of the church because he had the temerity to teach the same word to the laity as well as the clergy. This German master was inspired by the realization that one of the great mistakes of Christian theology and spirituality is the conviction that God became present only long ago in Jesus of Nazareth. But it is this same divine Presence that is manifesting here and now, indeed in every present moment. Each and every creature; even more, each and every thing, is a magnificent word of God. The amazing gift of sentient beings such as ourselves is that we can become aware of this truth of who we are.
For too long, this vivifying, or as the tradition would say, quickening, spiritual truth has not simply lain dormant, but has deliberately been put to sleep. Jack’s attunement to the far reaching debilitating effect of this somnambulating Christianity, I believe, has drawn his heart and mind and body forth as a clarion call to awaken. Otherwise, Christianity must and surely will die – at least as an embodiment of the Christic wisdom path of Rabi Jesus.
It is no longer enough, nor has it ever been, for Christianity to remain a parody of itself. The truth about a caricature is that the substantive character of Mysterious Reality is lost. The result is that doctrine replaces direct experience; piety replaces dynamic faith; belief replaces inquiry. Harvey Cox, in The Future of Faith, captures the dilemma in words that resonate with Jack’s spirit:
The parody of Christianity that took shape in the fourth century was not only a radical subversion of the teaching of Jesus and the apostles, albeit carried out in their name. It also resulted in an equally radical subversion of the original meaning of the word “faith.” Students of the history of language know that changing contexts alter the meaning of words, and this is what happened to the word “faith.” Along with the “imperialization” of the church and the glorification of the bishops, now “faith” came to mean obeying the bishop and assenting to what he taught. Faith had been coarsened into belief, and this distortion has hobbled Christianity ever since. But the worst was yet to come. The skid from faith to belief, from trusting in God to assenting to propositions about God, was now under way, at least among the bishops.
There is such perfect irony in Jack being a bishop. For he seeks neither assent nor a coarsening of experiential faith into doctrinal belief. He invites personal and communal exploration. He invites us into an encounter with the living Ground of our Being. He asks that we never forget to learn how to learn.
That marvelous Sufi mystic, poet, and yes, theologian, Rumi, warns us that “theologians mumble rumble-dumble.” There is no theological mumble or dumble in Jack’s speech. Although, I must admit, he does at times rumble with his magnetic southern drawl, like a storm cloud portending a refreshing spring downpour. Jack’s words offer life because they invite us to learn to know truth as living Mystery and to experience reality as loving Being.
~ Kevin G. Thew Forrester, Ph.D.
Read the essay online here.
About the Author
Kevin G. Thew Forrester is an Episcopal priest, a student of the Diamond Approach for over a decade, as well as a certified teacher of the Enneagram in the Narrative Tradition. He is the founder of the Healing Arts Center of St. Paul’s Church in Marquette, Michigan, and the author of five books, including “I Have Called You Friends“, “Holding Beauty in My Soul’s Arms“, and “My Heart is a Raging Volcano of Love for You” and “Beyond my Wants, Beyond my Fears: The Soul’s Journey into the Heartland“.
Question & Answer
Todd from Atlanta, GA writes:
Question:
Do you believe in Christ’s Resurrection? If not, what distinguishes you as a Christian vs. something else?
Answer:
Dear Todd,
I don’t believe in the literal resurrection of Christ. I do believe—and I’m showing some influence from Buddhism here, which forewarns you already that I can’t in any way be a purist in my definition of “Christian”—that a person’s physical touch and presence extends beyond the body. Since even the air is not merely “nothing” but rather is composed of atoms that mingle with the atoms of my skin in touch, it is easy to imagine how one could really be said to “touch” a distant person or place. Close your eyes and appreciate that we exist as an ocean of molecules all nestled together. No wonder both violence and healing reach so far. How much the more so when we have instruments like the human memory, voices, art, and texts to aid in extending our reach?
Jesus is one of those rare human beings whose reach extends very far in this sense. For all that the Christian tradition may be indicted for diluting or distracting from the teachings of its founder, even so I believe his teachings and on some deep level his presence are still with us, such as in his parables and sayings and in the itinerant spirit of many aspects of the Christian movement. To the extent that a person welcomes that reach and presence, and is guided by it, that person can be called a Christian. This, as I understand it, never has to extend beyond a secular understanding of Jesus.
This definition, however, can never be “pure” in the sense of creating walls and borders. It is not a sturdy foundation for an ethics of us versus them. If by “Christian” we are trying to mean “good,” that’s a losing battle. I’m only willing to see it as a descriptive term, not a moral one.
~ Cassandra Farrin
Read and Share Online Here
About the Author
Cassandra Farrin is the Editor of Polebridge Press and Marketing Director of the Westar Institute, for which she hosts the Ethics and Early Christianity blog. A US-UK Fulbright Scholar, she has an M.A. in Religious Studies from Lancaster University (England) and a B.A. in Religious Studies from Willamette University. Her poetic retelling of the Nag Hammadi text "On the Origin of the World" is forthcoming in Gender Violence, Rape Culture, and Religion (Palgrave MacMillan).
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For those not one Caperton’s Facebook page, this appeared this morning for Elizabeth:
"Thank you dear friends for all your prayers. As I was unconscious for 2 wk it was my family & friends who had to deal with the stress. They were an amazing marshaling of forces to support my cats & out of town visitors. Emory 's wifi wouldn't let me send anything the last 2 days. Now I need to rebuild my strength. Will be discussing possibles with doc this morning. Love you guys!”
Thought everyone would want to know.
George Holcombe
14900 Yellowleaf Tr.
Austin, TX 78728
Mobile 512/252-2756
geowanda1(a)me.com
"Whatever the problem, community is the answer. There is no power greater than a community discovering what it cares about." Margaret Wheatley
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Hello, all.
I am so pleased to report that Elizabeth Caperton is improving. She is no longer in intensive care and has been taken off the ventilator. It will certainly take time and work to restore her health, and it is good to know that she is starting down that path. She is still in the hospital, but is able to receive visitors now.
You can email her directly at elizabeth(a)ehcaperton.com. Please allow time for her to respond; it will be "baby steps" for a while. You can also send cards to her home:
Elizabeth Caperton
915 Winfield Ave SE
Atlanta, GA 30316
Thank you for your prayers and thoughts of love and support.
Marsha Hahn
Sent from my iPad
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12 Jan '17
good idea, will beat my drum, too!
Ellie
elliestock(a)aol.com
-----Original Message-----
From: Hampton, Stuart via OE <oe(a)lists.wedgeblade.net>
To: Order Ecumenical Community (oe(a)lists.wedgeblade.net) <oe(a)lists.wedgeblade.net>
Sent: Thu, Jan 12, 2017 2:42 pm
Subject: [Oe List ...] When the Saints go marching in
With the death of Bill Bailey, I am reminded as to how our OE Saints are all marching in as their names are called. Beyond condolences, it is often hard to know what else to do.
Here’s a cultural idea to think about. At soccer matches in Europe, to recognize the death of someone who was dear to the sports club, at a designated time the fans in the crowd at the stadium are encouraged to participate in one minute of ….. applause.
That’s right, not silence, applause. A full throated, noisy ovation of appreciation for that recently departed person.
What if we picked a designated time after each of our Saints march in and stop what we are doing, say their name, and give them one last sustained round of global, collective applause for being?
Way to go.
Cheers,
Stuart
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Re: [Dialogue] [Oe List ...] Celebrating the completed life of Bill Bailey
by Ellie Stock via Dialogue 12 Jan '17
by Ellie Stock via Dialogue 12 Jan '17
12 Jan '17
Our prayers are with you, Marianna, and the whole family as you both mourn the death and celebrate the completed life of Bill. One of the songs he used to refer to was "Don"t Fence Me In". Nothing can fence in the legacy of his spirit now. Blessings and peace be with you all.
Ellie and Carleton Stock
elliestock(a)aol.com
Sent from AOL Mobile Mail
-----Original Message-----
From: Marianna Bailey via OE <oe(a)lists.wedgeblade.net>
To: Order Ecumenical Community <OE(a)wedgeblade.net>
Sent: Thu, Jan 12, 2017 12:27 PM
Subject: [Oe List ...] Celebrating the completed life of Bill Bailey
This is Bill and Marianna's daughter, Lynn. I want to let you know that Dad completed his life early this morning with his family by his side. We love him and will miss him dearly.
Grace and Peace,
Lynn
Sent from my iPhone
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Dear Friends,
This is the last letter from Bishop Spong, as he has decided to discontinue the column due to health and energy issues related to his recovering from his 9/16 stroke. New writers will be doing the column in the future. I will be evaluating whether to continue subscribing.
Ellie ☺
elliestock(a)aol.com
Sent: Thu, Jan 12, 2017 04:00 AM
Subject: A Letter from Bishop Spong
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<div style="color: #000000;font-family: Georgia;font-size: 16px;line-height: 150%;text-align: left;"><h1 style="color: #003d4a;display: block;font-family: Georgia;font-size: 34px;font-weight: normal;line-height: 100%;margin-top: 0;margin-right: 0;margin-bottom: 10px;margin-left: 0;text-align: left;">A Letter from Bishop Spong</h1>
<p>Dear Friends,</p>
<p>As you may have heard, while visiting in Marquette, Michigan I suffered a stroke. The date was September 10th. Since that time I have worked hard to regain my strength. I have been quite successful in that and now have no trouble walking or using my arms. It has been a learning experience. Health is a major demand of my life. I still use my running track each day for about three miles, so I feel most fortunate. The book I was writing on “Charting a New Reformation” will meet its deadline and be at Harper by the due date, the first of March, 2017. I entertained returning to my column, but as the time goes by I no longer have the strength to keep up that schedule, so I have informed Fred Plumer of ProgressiveChristianity.org that I will not be able to return to that task. I write to notify you, my readers, and to enable Fred to begin the process to choose a successor.</p>
<p>That is not an easy thing to do for I have loved that column and the relationship I have had with so many of you. I realize that I can no lo longer write, edit and send a column a week out to my readers. I have written this column for sixteen years and it demands an intensity that I no longer profess. Even aided by my wife, who edited every column I ever wrote, cannot make up the difference. So we have decided to give it up.</p>
<p>I want to thank you all for the many letters I have received. More than thirty thousand letters have come to me since the stroke. There was no way I could acknowledge them or even respond to them, but I read every one of them and was warmed by the experience. I am now in my 86th year of life. It has been a good life and I am proud of it all. I wish I could have finished on my schedule, but that was not to be.</p>
<p>I ask you to give your attention to the following letter written with my blessing by my colleagues at ProgressiveChristianity.org about the future. I hope it will be the start of a major new contribution to religious journalism.</p>
<p>Sincerely,</p>
<p>John Shelby Spong</p>
<p style="text-align: left;">***********************************************************************</p>
<p>Dear Friends,</p>
<p>Over the last few months we have had time to think about what we could do if Jack Spong could not return to writing his regular column for us. We have worked with our team to consider what we might do if this became the eventuality, and I am very excited about what we’ve been able to put together. As a subscriber to the newsletter you have been on the inside circle as we have charted this new reformation. It has been fun, challenging, and sometimes even a little scary going into these uncharted waters. I hope you have gained great value out of it.</p>
<p>The next big step in the new reformation is to put what we have been talking about into widespread practice, and that’s where the next phase of this subscription newsletter comes into play. We have been able to assemble a team of some of the best and brightest authors / theologians / and movement leaders out there today who are taking these bold concepts and enlightenments and putting them into practice in the streets, pews, and on social media.</p>
<p>We have a few well known national lecturers and authors such as Rev. Dr. Matthew Fox, Rev. Gretta Vosper, Rev. David Felten, and a close personal friend to Bishop Spong, Rev. Kevin Thews Forrester, who was the first person elected bishop in the Episcopal to have his election turned down by the house of Bishops since 1875 on strictly theological grounds. In addition to those veteran voices, we have some of the most compelling leaders of the social media movement out there today, such as “Science” Mike McHargue, Rev. Mark Sandlin, Cassandra Farrin, Eric Alexander, and Rev. Roger Wolsey. If you haven’t heard of any of these folks I assure you they are out there in a big way helping to lead the next generations along the new reformation. These authors will be on a regular rotating schedule to write a series of columns that will not be published anywhere else, for our new Bishop Spong inspired and endorsed series, called <em>A New Reformation</em>. We envision this series forming a virtual society around the world that serves to perpetuate and expand upon his thoughts.</p>
<p>Next week we will resume the newsletter with one of our new authors and over the coming weeks you will hear more from my team about this exciting new transition, and our cast of contributors. We will continue to repost some of the Spong essays of the past and maybe even an occasional new one if that becomes possible.</p>
<p>From here I welcome you to grow with us through our next phase as I believe it will be greatly valuable and entertaining to you; and also because I know your support will be <strong>essential</strong> in growing our message exponentially around the world from here on out. You will be supporting the infinitely important work that Bishop Spong has shared with our world and you will have exclusive access to Bishop Spong's Essay Archives. These hundreds of essays, written by John Spong exclusively for this site over a 16 year period are excellent for use in research, in churches, study groups, and education.
We will continue to repost some of the Spong Q & As of the past and maybe even an occasional new one if that becomes possible. This is also an opportunity for you to let us know what you would like to see on this column, moving forward — which authors are inspiring you these days or what topics you would like to see discussed and we invite you to send us those suggestions, as well as your questions that you would like our authors to respond to.
Let me close by saying that working with Bishop Spong and his wife, Christine, to produce the Bishop Spong column over the last six years, has been one of the most rewarding experiences in my life. I knew of Jack since my seminary days in the early 1980s. I even had brief contact with him several times at various conferences. But admittedly, I had some concerns about entering into a financial relationship with this famous theologian, a giant by most standards. Jack put those concerns to bed very quickly and we forged, not only an excellent working relationship, but he has become a wonderful and respected friend as has his wonderful wife. I will miss our regular contact, especially those around our kitchen bar top, more than most people could understand. So let me say from all of us, thank you Jack and Christine. And thank you our devoted readers.</p>
<p>Sincerely,</p>
<p>Fed C. Plumer</p>
<p>Read online <a target="_blank" style="color: #4487cf;font-weight: normal;text-decoration: underline;" rel="noopener noreferrer" href="http://johnshelbyspong.us2.list-manage1.com/track/click?u=b51b9cf441b059bb2…">here</a>.</p>
<p style="text-align: center;"><img align="none" height="186" style="width: 400px;height: 186px;margin: 0px;border: none;font-size: 14px;font-weight: bold;line-height: 100%;outline: none;text-decoration: none;text-transform: capitalize;display: inline;" width="400" src="https://gallery.mailchimp.com/b51b9cf441b059bb232418480/images/e65e5470-faf…"></p>
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Guess this is going to be my favorite Christmas song this year . . . who would have thought . . take popular music and write different words?
by James Wiegel via Dialogue 10 Jan '17
by James Wiegel via Dialogue 10 Jan '17
10 Jan '17
"A Hallelujah Christmas" by Cloverton
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"A Hallelujah Christmas" by Cloverton
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Jim Wiegel
“If you want an adventure . . . what a time to be alive!”. Joanna Macy
401 North Beverly Way,Tolleson, Arizona 85353623-363-3277jfwiegel(a)yahoo.comwww.partnersinparticipation.com
Upcoming ToP training opportunities in Arizona
More info on:
ToP® Facilitation Methods ToP® Strategic Planning: Mastering the Technology of Participation
Register on line / see the ToP National ScheduleAICP Planners: 14.5 CM for all ToP® courses
The AZ ToP® Community of Practice meets the 1st Friday, of every month, 1-4 pm, at ACYR, 648 N. 5th Avenue, Phoenix, AZ 85003
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10 Jan '17
CITIZEN’S SONG
Tune: Prinz Eugen
Whether given high position
Born to rank or the condition
Of the poorest of the poor
Whether wearing clothes of fashion
Or old rags you couldn't cash in
These things, these things don't endure.
If we work hard, gain high placement
Or for years toil in the basement
Or we have no work that's sure
Even if we turn out lazy
Damned by all the world as crazy
These things, these things don't endure.
Whether gladly into battle
We march forth, or more like cattle
We are driven to the war
Even if we think we're victim
If the outcome is we've licked 'em
These things, these things don't endure.
But if we build new tomorrows
Gladly taking on the sorrows
Which accompany the cure
Or if all we do is chatter
'Bout ideals that just don't matter
These things, these things do endure.
Whether we are implementers
Social pioneers, inventors
Future vision to ensure
Or if we take the position
That it is another's mission
These things, these things do endure.
If we dare act out our passion
For those left out and to fashion
Ways their gifts can be assured
Or if like a sheltered flower
Frightened in a hole we cower
These things, these things do endure.
Therefore colleagues in our caring
Launch the journey with your daring
With your hearts and spirits pure
Join your hands with one another
Every human's now your brother
These things, these things will endure.
Jim Wiegel
401 North Beverly Way, Tolleson, Arizona 85353
Tel. 011-623-936-8671 or 011-623-363-3277
jfwiegel(a)yahoo.com
www.partnersinparticipation.com
"We are no longer living in an era of change. We are living in a change of era." Francis
Upcoming public course opportunities click here
http://partnersinparticipation.com/?page_id=10
For online registration go to http://www.top-training.net
The AZ ToP® Community of Practice meets the 1st Friday, 1-4 pm, starting again on Sept 5th at ACYR, 648 N. 5th Avenue, Phoenix, AZ 85003
AICP Planners: 14.5 CM for all ToP® courses
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