July 2020 - Dialogue - lists.wedgeblade.net

To George and Wanda
by David Rebstock 31 Jul '20

31 Jul '20

We remember you fondly from the beginning of our involvement with the O:E which was the consult in Majuro in 1974? or 5. It was our first experience of the human development aspect of the ICA and lead to our joining the order. David also remembers you from the World's Fair in Je Ju Do, Korea. Your calm and thoughtful presence was an enduring example of leadership. Thank you for your mentorship on our journey. Grace and Peace, Ellen and David Rebstock

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Fwd: George Holcombe
by Timothy Wegner 31 Jul '20

31 Jul '20

>From Wanda ... From: Holcombe Wanda <wandah70(a)gmail.com> Date: Thu, Jul 30, 2020 at 7:39 PM Subject: George Holcombe Please Post the following on the OE & EI, & WSR East & West listserv for me & the Holcombe Family: George Roland Holcombe Born in Mystery....Died in Mystery Born: March 11, 1933 In Houston, Texas Died: in Georgetown, Texas July 30, 2020 at 8:30am Thank You from the Family for sharing your stories about your experiences with George that we read to him as part of the Living Memorial for George. Grace & Peace, On behalf of ALL

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Living Memorial for George Holcombe NOW
by Timothy Wegner 30 Jul '20

30 Jul '20

Wanda asked me to post this on OE and DIALOGUE Tim On Sat, Jul 25, 2020 at 4:39 PM Holcombe Wanda <wandah70(a)gmail.com> wrote: > Living Memorial for George Holcombe NOW > > > One of George’s greatest pleasures in life was sharing & hearing stories > about other people. He built his life around understanding diverse cultures > and caring for others. We would like to honor this by asking YOU to > participate in Creating a LIVING MEMORIAL by sharing your favorite memories > of George so we can share these with him NOW. > > > George has been battling Pancreatic Cancer for almost 3 years. He has > chosen to begin his last life’s Journey with the care of Hospice & family. > > > Please send a voice message, text, email and photos to George through > Wanda or by posting on George’s Facebook or send via regular mail. > > The Family will read, show or play it to him....time is of the essence to > receive your response🦋🌠 > > > Please include: > > *Your Name > > * How you know George > > * Share a story about George and the experience you had with him > > *Share photos > > 😇 > > Grace & Peace > > Wanda & George Holcombe > > 201 East 17th Street > > Georgetown TX 78626 > > Wanda Cell: 512-619-3469 > > Email: wandah70(a)gmail.com >

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Living Memorial
by Mary Kurian D'Souza 30 Jul '20

30 Jul '20

My very dear George and Wanda, When I was in Chicago for a meeting three years ago I looked at the *postage stamp garden* from our Uptown Five days in 1974 at the corner of Sheridan and Lawrence. We had the Uptown Fire Department water the garden during that summer. In its place now is a beautiful Japanese garden. It survived all these years and is a beautiful spot. That space is still beckoning people to live their lives in beauty and compassion. The Aragon Valentine's Ball. That was gutsy. To take such a huge, closed up building and revive its role as a community space. As priors on my floor at 4750 North Sheridan you and Wanda kept a watch over me. I remember going to a store to buy soap in the evening. You stopped me right there at the entrance and said "never go out on your own after dark". We (Heng Tsu Chen and I) knew that we could come to you to sort out our concerns. I remember the ITI in Mumbai. You were the dean of the programme. The large hall with the huge decor pieces in a school at Andheri. That is where I experienced the depth of who the Ecumenical Institute was. Those were formative years of mine also. You have played a key role that has given me a base for any and all the work I am now engaged in. I now teach women so they can finish formal schooling. More importantly, I empower them to create their space and role in a changing society. I plant small forests of native trees to slow down climate change and hold water in the ground. I counsel women who have been abused by friends or family. And I am a mother to two young adults I constantly yearn to live out of my deeps All of this has been influenced by who you are and have been in my life. Dear Giant of the Deeps, I wish you well on the journey here and across the river of transition. My deepest gratitude and respect. Mary Pune, India This is a report I have yet to complete to mark our achievement of this year. *Celebrating the achievement of our learners.* Aditi Learning Centre Class 12 results We are particularly pleased with the results of Trupti and Nilima. Trupti was with us for only 7 months. The atmosphere and approach to learning at our centre made a huge difference to her grades and her life. The other 4 learners have huge issues at home. A sick and bedridden mother, dysfunctional families and unstable financial situations at home. Yet, they have all passed their class 12 examinations. Arpita Machinder Lalgude 300/650 46% Dipali Chinku Gaykhe 377/650 58% Nilima Balu Pingale 437/650 67% Sapna Vishwas Gaikwad 311/650 47.8% Trupti Ravinder Katke 460/650 70.7% Ujwala Bopal Mormare 311/650 47% Class 10 results Gauri Pramod Bhadale Marathi 68% Mathematics 60% Social Science 57% Tai Andre Khandu English 53% Mathematics 47% Vaishali Kanhu Balgude English 35% Mathematics 54% These are three women who are married and all three of them have 2 children going to school. They are returning to learn and complete their class 10 examinations after a break of over 10 years. One, who is in a joint family situation, kept her return to learning as a secret from her in -laws with whom she is resident. Another had to appeal to her grandmother to request her parents-in-law to protect her decision and her participation in the learning process They attended classes over 7 months while managing and fulfilling all their responsibilities at home. They are all breakers of cultural stereotypes that keep women confined to the home. All three of them anticipate studying and completing their class 12 examinations. Gauri was introduced to the Aditi Learning Centre program by another learner who was unable to finish her studies for class 10 because of financial instability at home. Shwetha Andre Subash English 62% Pooja Ravinder Gaikwad Mathematics 49% These two students had not completed their 10th grade in the previous academic year and had kept it a secret from their parents. Here the reason for the secrecy is more to protect themselves from the anger of the parents and an inability to communicate with them. One of them was in such great despair that she would just stay in bed. A teacher visited her at home, combed her hair and counseled her to re-engage in learning. Both of them plan to prepare and appear for class 12 examinations

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Living Memorial
by Mary Kurian D'Souza 30 Jul '20

30 Jul '20

My very dear George and Wanda, When I was in Chicago for a meeting three years ago I looked at the *postage stamp garden* from our Uptown Five days in 1974 at the corner of Sheridan and Lawrence. We had the Uptown Fire Department water the garden during that summer. In its place now is a beautiful Japanese garden. It survived all these years and is a beautiful spot. That space is still beckoning people to live their lives in beauty and compassion. The Aragon Valentine's Ball. That was gutsy. To take such a huge, closed up building and revive its role as a community space. As priors on my floor at 4750 North Sheridan you and Wanda kept a watch over me. I remember going to a store to buy soap in the evening. You stopped me right there at the entrance and said "never go out on your own after dark". We (Heng Tsu Chen and I) knew that we could come to you to sort out our concerns. I remember the ITI in Mumbai. You were the dean of the programme. The large hall with the huge decor pieces in a school at Andheri. That is where I experienced the depth of who the Ecumenical Institute was. Those were formative years of mine also. You have played a key role that has given me a base for any and all the work I am now engaged in. I now teach women so they can finish formal schooling. More importantly, I empower them to create their space and role in a changing society. I plant small forests of native trees to slow down climate change and hold water in the ground. I counsel women who have been abused by friends or family. And I am a mother to two young adults I constantly yearn to live out of my deeps All of this has been influenced by who you are and have been in my life. Dear Giant of the Deeps, I wish you well on the journey here and across the river of transition. My deepest gratitude and respect. Mary Pune, India This is a report I have yet to complete to mark our achievement of this year. *Celebrating the achievement of our learners.* Aditi Learning Centre Class 12 results We are particularly pleased with the results of Trupti and Nilima. Trupti was with us for only 7 months. The atmosphere and approach to learning at our centre made a huge difference to her grades and her life. The other 4 learners have huge issues at home. A sick and bedridden mother, dysfunctional families and unstable financial situations at home. Yet, they have all passed their class 12 examinations. Arpita Machinder Lalgude 300/650 46% Dipali Chinku Gaykhe 377/650 58% Nilima Balu Pingale 437/650 67% Sapna Vishwas Gaikwad 311/650 47.8% Trupti Ravinder Katke 460/650 70.7% Ujwala Bopal Mormare 311/650 47% Class 10 results Gauri Pramod Bhadale Marathi 68% Mathematics 60% Social Science 57% Tai Andre Khandu English 53% Mathematics 47% Vaishali Kanhu Balgude English 35% Mathematics 54% These are three women who are married and all three of them have 2 children going to school. They are returning to learn and complete their class 10 examinations after a break of over 10 years. One, who is in a joint family situation, kept her return to learning as a secret from her in -laws with whom she is resident. Another had to appeal to her grandmother to request her parents-in-law to protect her decision and her participation in the learning process They attended classes over 7 months while managing and fulfilling all their responsibilities at home. They are all breakers of cultural stereotypes that keep women confined to the home. All three of them anticipate studying and completing their class 12 examinations. Gauri was introduced to the Aditi Learning Centre program by another learner who was unable to finish her studies for class 10 because of financial instability at home. Shwetha Andre Subash English 62% Pooja Ravinder Gaikwad Mathematics 49% These two students had not completed their 10th grade in the previous academic year and had kept it a secret from their parents. Here the reason for the secrecy is more to protect themselves from the anger of the parents and an inability to communicate with them. One of them was in such great despair that she would just stay in bed. A teacher visited her at home, combed her hair and counseled her to re-engage in learning. Both of them plan to prepare and appear for class 12 examinations

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8/30/20, Progressing Spirit, Toni Anne Reynolds: Apocalypse Strong; Spong revisited
by Ellie Stock 30 Jul '20

30 Jul '20

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.yiv1575821878mcnTextContent, #yiv1575821878 #yiv1575821878templateHeader .yiv1575821878mcnTextContent p{ font-size:16px !important;line-height:150% !important;} }@media only screen and (max-width:480px){ #yiv1575821878 #yiv1575821878templateBody .yiv1575821878mcnTextContent, #yiv1575821878 #yiv1575821878templateBody .yiv1575821878mcnTextContent p{ font-size:14px !important;line-height:150% !important;} }@media only screen and (max-width:480px){ #yiv1575821878 #yiv1575821878templateFooter .yiv1575821878mcnTextContent, #yiv1575821878 #yiv1575821878templateFooter .yiv1575821878mcnTextContent p{ font-size:12px !important;line-height:150% !important;} } | | | | View this email in your browser | | | | | | | | | | | | | | Apocalypse Strong | | | | | | | | | | Essay by Toni Anne Reynolds July 30, 2020 A dear friend of mine was recently pursuing ordination when she asked me to sit as a member of her discernment committee. Along the way I got to learn many beautiful and profound things about my friend. During one session she explained why she was sure Christianity was the tradition for her. She said, among the other traditions she had practiced in her life “[Christianity] is unique in that it has a clear vision for the future - a world where all have some and none have too much.” Despite my own spiritual preferences for another tradition, I was compelled. It got me thinking about the scope of “vision” that exists in religious and spiritual traditions. What do they say about what’s to come? How do they intend for practitioners to endure the changes and make it to the stages of manifesting that vision? In my own movement through Christianity I was petrified of the idea of the rapture. The ever-imposing threat of the Apocalypse. It seemed like every year produced mountains of evidence that the plagues had been unleashed, and the prophecies of Revelation were being fulfilled. With some distance from the center of that particular flavor of Christianity, I have noticed that the world is always ending. We just pay attention to life in such a way that we can evade that fact. Our imagination is so colored by Hollywood depictions of calamity (and scripture) that we think an apocalypse can look only a few ways. In reality, you’ve probably endured at least one end to the world. Maybe a divorce, a miscarriage, a forced displacement, unparalleled violence, there are so many options. When the world ends for us alone it can seem hyperbolic to use a word like apocalypse. I think that’s because certain words in our English vocabulary are reserved for collective experiences, even if our grammar doesn’t indicate it the way other languages do. Apocalypse being one of them. It’s a word that means the world has, or will, end for many, if not all of us (non-human creatures included). This moment feels so tense because the gameboard has been set up to make most people in this country think that they are immune to apocalypse, unless it’s coming by the hand of God. People here have the degrees, the 401k’s, the house, the kids, the logic, the professional mannerisms. The only force that could end the comfort and control is the force of God. Hurricanes and earthquakes are devastating, but we somehow manage to place them in a box title “natural disaster”, finding a way to regain control and establish some type of power during the post event problem solving phases. The world is ending. For many people on the planet this is not a new feeling or a new reality. So, in case this is your first time enduring an apocalypse, welcome to the club. What makes apocalypse so interesting to me begins with the Book of Revelation. Not because I’m any kind of expert on the text, I’m very far from that. Instead, it’s because the bible was the first to prompt me to consider not just how the world will end, but that it will end at all; like everyone, everything, except tardigrades and maybe cockroaches. It’s a scene that still lives a bit beyond my imagination. What I didn’t realize during my early days of nightmarish reveries about The End, is that Christianity was playing a similar (emphasis on “similar”) game to so many other spiritual and religious traditions around the world. The idea of a reality ending moment is not unique to Christianity, yet stepping outside of it to explore other traditions is what has helped me appreciate the invaluable impact of knowing the potential for apocalypse as a collective end, and that it can be endured. #apocalypsestrong Spiritual narratives are to be understood in the wider context of the culture of the people who live with them. Spiritual stories, creation myths, apocalyptic prophecies, all the things in between, they’re all meant to be known alongside the rest of a people’s cosmology. So, why do we focus on one or two aspects of religious narratives and examine them with microscopic, fine tooth combing type analyses? I personally hold the post-enlightenment flavor that covers so many things in US culture responsible for this myopic tendency. In just about every other tradition the people who belong to the tradition relate to spiritual stories as if they were but one bloom on an entire rose bush. The story of where we’re headed lives just in front of us, under and around a few thorns, mid bloom. The end, the apocalypse, may be a bloom that’s slowly wilting, dropping a petal every day and reminding us of impermanence. The way to endure is a story held in a bloom still low to the ground; a bud still green and hardly ready to reveal its shape and color to the outside world. This entity, this bush of stories is to be understood in its full form. The creation only makes sense next to rest of the blooms and soon-to-be-blooms, attached to the branches, still in the ground, extensions of resilient roots. Plucking and separating and placing them in new environments, without the rest of the plant births confusion. A confusion that manifests in wild ways during moments like these. What’s amazing is that a fail-safe is built into the best of the traditions. A way to be and remain “Apocalypse strong”. The practice of the faith, not just the faith itself, is the way to endure. And, because every religious/spiritually based apocalypse narrative I’ve encountered is but a chapter in the wider story of the people, it becomes clear that looking to the practice is the best way to endure the meantime in order to get to the next chapter. Something else is always coming, for so many traditions the world has ended at least twice before. New humans were formed, new deities forged in the struggle of cosmic reconstruction. Even Christianity’s Genesis includes an apocalypse at the very beginning of the story. Something else is always coming. In the meantime, though, your practice is key. What’s the first thing you do when you wake up? What’s the first focus that you elect to set your mind on? Is there a prayer, a breath of gratitude? How do you continue to re-orient yourself throughout the day so that you remain in alignment with the values and hopes and VISION of your tradition? Your action is everything. Without it, you’re like that inflatable flailing arm tube thing that sits outside of car dealerships - at the mercy of the strongest bursts of hot air. But your tradition wants better for you. There are psalms and prayers and hymns and verses and books outside the canon and… there are no excuses. In 536 AD an incredible volcano in Iceland erupted, blanketing the sky in darkness for almost two years. For many, the world ended. In 2010 an oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico leaked 3.19 million barrels (that’s 42 gallons in 1 barrel) of oil into the ocean. For so many, including non-human creatures, the world ended. On August 6 and August 9 of 1945, atomic bombs were dropped on Hiroshima and Nagasaki, Japan. Most definitely, the apocalypse occurred on those days. We can think of so many other apocalyptic moments, each of them valid and true to the meaning - the world having ended for the Creator’s children. The world seems to always be ending. Since March, if not prior, we have been wildly navigating a global pandemic. The world is ending. Yet, here you are. With a choice to make for the direction your heart faces. With something to do about what you fix your vision on. Not to pretend like the present moment isn’t happening, but to anchor yourself in something that has endured many more apocalypses than we can count. Something else is coming. When it gets here, hindsight will be your friend as you attempt to make a different sense of today. What will you notice of yourself? Will you have been committed to the practices of loving justice as your tradition asks you? Will you have grieved and mourned the way your tradition teaches you to? Will you have been like that flailing tube guy? You get to make a choice. It’s the most powerful privilege you could never think to ask for. Apocalypse is happening now and you get to choose what you do while it happens to all of us. Somehow, someway, we get to practice being apocalypse strong, one day at a time. With lots of love, here are some sources that have served as deep wells of refreshing drink as I navigate this End: - Zulu Shaman by Vusamazulu Credo Mutwa - Falling Out of Grace by Sobonfu Somé - Earthseed: The Complete Series by Octavia Butler - Ritual: Power, Healing, and Community by Malidoma Patrice Somé - Into the Inferno, documentary by Werner Herzog - Engaging the Powers by Walter Wink - The Gospel of Mary, found in A New New Testament edited by Hal Taussig - The Thunder: Perfect Mind, found in A New New Testament edited by Hal Taussig ~ Toni Anne Reynolds Read online here About the Author Minister Toni Anne Reynolds is committed to singing flesh onto the bones of the Christian tradition by incorporating recently found texts of the ancient world into liturgy, sermons, and poetry. Toni’s Christianity forms a holy trinity with the psychological medicine of Tibetan Buddhism and the eternal Life found in Yoruba traditions. Balanced in an eclectic faith and focused in theology, Toni’s ministry offers a unique perspective on life, theology, and spirituality. | | | | | | | | Question & Answer Q: By Jim I am a Progressive Christian and have been so for 7-8 years (I’m 82). Two questions have weighed heavily on me and I learn as much as possible about my new journey. 1. What is/Where is God since “He’s” no longer an interventionist God who lives out there somewhere? 2. What is the role of prayer for the Progressives? In our church, who is VERY progressive, prayer sounds the same as it always did. It doesn’t seem appropriate, but if I’m correct, what is prayer, and quite frankly, Why? I just completed the book, "Jesus for the Non-Religious". Incredible read! Question 1 was dealt with extraordinarily well. But prayer was never discussed. Is there any resource I can go to that would enlighten me? Love the journey, but it’s a challenge. A: By Rev. Roger Wolsey Dear Jim, It is an honor to address your question, though with humility since you are my elder by a few years. You’ve had more time on the planet to ponder these matters and I no doubt have much to learn from you! Regarding your first question, many progressive Christians reject supernatural theism and instead have come to embrace a more mystic experience of God, and many understand this Mystery through the lens of something called panentheism. This is different than pantheism which posits that God is essentially certain material things on the planet (mountains, forests, animals, rivers, etc.) or equated with the universe itself. In panentheism, God is understood as being fully immanent within all Creation as well as fully transcendent from it. It’s a both/and approach that is surprisingly in sync with Christian orthodoxy – even though fundamentalists tend to deny this. So, this means that God is within you, me, your loved, ones, your enemies, the air you breathe, the water you drink, as well as within the past and future and any other dimensions known and unknown to us. Basically, everyone we meet is a manifestation of the holy and everywhere we go is sacred. Your second question pertains to prayer. Some progressive Christians have shed intercessory or petitionary prayer all together for fear of treating God as some sort of "Cosmic Bellhop/Waiter" in the sky. Many progressive Christians have come to adopt centering prayer or other forms of contemplative prayer or meditation as their primary form of prayer. Others pray through making art or music, gardening, walking in nature, etc. Some progressive Christians have reclaimed intercessory prayer, but held loosely, and understood a bit differently. The shift has more focus on how to help us discern and sense how we can make a positive difference in the world. From a process theology perspective, God works with the world as it is, and a world where prayer is taking place is different than one where it isn't. God, "the Field/Force", has more to work with. “God works with the world as it is in order to bring it to where it can be. Prayer changes the way the world is, and therefore changes what the world can be. Prayer opens the world to its own transformation.” Marjorie Hewitt Suchocki, from In God's Presence - an excellent book that helps share how this view of prayer “makes sense” in a process theology perspective. Highly recommended. You might also enjoy the chapter on prayer and spiritual practices in my book Kissing Fish: christianity for people who don’t like Christianity. Blessings to you on your continually evolving journey in and with the Divine. ~ Rev. Roger Wolsey Read and share online here About the Author Rev. Roger Wolsey is a United Methodist pastor who resides in Grand Junction, CO. Roger is author of Kissing Fish: Christianity for people who don’t like Christianity and blogs for Patheos as The Holy Kiss and serves on the Board of Directors of ProgressiveChristianity.Org. Roger became “a Christian on purpose” during his college years and he experienced a call to ordained ministry two years after college. He values the Wesleyan approach to the faith and, as a certified spiritual director, he seeks to help others grow and mature. Roger enjoys yoga; playing trumpet; motorcycling; and camping with his son. He served as the Director of the Wesley Foundation campus ministry at the University of Colorado in Boulder for 14 years, and has served as pastor of churches in Minnesota, Iowa, and currently serves as the pastor of Fruita UMC in Colorado, and also serves as the "CRM" (Congregational Resource Minister/Church Consultant) for the Utah/Western Colorado District of the Mountain Sky Conference. | | | | | | | | Please continue to send us your feedback… we are listening. We aim to give voice to many different perspectives that are relevant and inspiring along this spiritually progressing path. We are not here to tell you what to believe or how to act. We are here to support your journey, to share and learn together.Thank you for being a part of this community! | | | | | | Join our FB community today! Spread the word, share with friends. Thanks! | | | | | | | | Bishop John Shelby Spong Revisited The Origins of the New Testament, Part III: Placing the New Testament Onto the Grid of History Essay by Bishop John Shelby Spong October 1, 2009 The books of the New Testament did not drop from heaven, fully written, in the King James Version! Yes, that is a caricature, but it still has a tenacious hold on the minds of many Christians. This conviction guarantees that current, competent biblical scholarship will always be a source of much controversy in traditional religious circles. The facts, however, are these. We have no original words of Jesus in the language in which he spoke. We have no firsthand accounts of the things he is supposed to have done. Even the earliest narrative describing the crucifixion is a creation of at least the second generation of Jesus’ disciples and it is constructed not on eyewitness testimony, but on the interpretive use of the Hebrew Scriptures to portray Jesus as the fulfillment of all of their expectations. In the column last week we located the life of Jesus in terms of history, suggesting that the most informed guess for the date of his birth is 4 BCE and for the date of his death is 30 CE. With those dates in mind, let me line up today the books of the New Testament on a time grid of the first century and allow you to see how the New Testament developed. By doing that we can trace such things as when new claims, heightened accounts of the miraculous and the developing layers and traditions of the Jesus story were added to the narrative. Assume that the life of Jesus was lived between 4 BCE and 30 CE. We face the fact that from the years 30 CE to about 50 CE, there is not a single word preserved of anything Jesus said or did. A tunnel of total silence exists, into which only speculation is possible. In the years between 50 and 64 CE we come to the writings of Paul. Not all the epistles that bear his name are actually Pauline, but we are generally convinced that I Thessalonians, Galatians, I and II Corinthians, Romans, Philemon and Philippians are authentic. Almost all scholars dismiss the Pauline authorship of Hebrews, I and II Timothy, Titus and Ephesians, while the Pauline authorship of Colossians and II Thessalonians is still debated. The four gospels were written between 70 and 100. The Book of Acts, the pseudo-Pauline epistles, the General Epistles (I, II, III John; I and II Peter; James and Jude) and the book of Revelation would all be dated between the 7th and 10th decades. With that dating system in mind let me go back and chronicle how the story developed between Paul, our earliest New Testament writer, and John, the last gospel writer. Paul is the first person to give us any writing details about the life of Jesus, but these details are scanty indeed. Letter writer that Paul was, it was not his agenda to relate the words of Jesus, stories about Jesus or even the major events of his life, except inadvertently. Paul has no sense of Jesus having had a miraculous birth. He says of Jesus only that he was “born of a woman” like all human beings and that he was “born under the law” like all Jews. He does suggest that he is linked by heredity to King David, but since that was a popular messianic claim, it is hard to judge its historicity. Paul also indicates that he knows James, the brother of Jesus, but he never mentions the names of Jesus’ parents nor shares any knowledge about them. Paul records no account of Jesus as a miracle worker. He reveals no knowledge of the tradition that Jesus was betrayed by one of his disciples. All he says is that “On the night in which Jesus was handed over, he took bread” and instituted the Christian Eucharist. The words handed over became the fragile basis upon which the betrayal story was constructed. Paul does not suggest that this “handing over” was done by one of his disciples, nor does he identify this “last supper” in any way with the Passover. Paul makes no mention of the content of Jesus’ teaching, nor does he reveal any familiarity with any of the parables. When Paul comes to the final events in Jesus’ life, his knowledge is equally scanty. The fact that Jesus was crucified is central to Paul, but none of the familiar details of that event are noted. All that Paul says is: “He died for our sins in accordance with the scriptures.” Paul never mentions Pilate, Herod, the soldiers, the two thieves crucified with him, any words that Jesus was supposed to have spoken from the cross or what his death might have looked like. To say that Jesus “died for our sins,” appears to be an allusion drawn from the synagogue liturgy of Yom Kippur, while his words “in accordance with the scriptures” may relate to the way that early Christians interpreted the Hebrew prophets as having their words find literal fulfillment in the life and death of Jesus. We do know that the image of the “servant” drawn by II Isaiah (40-55) and of the “shepherd king” drawn by II Zechariah (9-14) were popular images for interpreting Jesus by the time the gospels were written. When he comes to the burial of Jesus Paul writes only “that he was buried.” There is no tomb, no Joseph of Arimathea, no angels, no guards, no women visitors. Dead people are buried is all he claims. About the resurrection Paul says only that “on the third day” Jesus was raised “in accordance with the scriptures,” but he does not say into what he was raised. Was it into the life of this world or into the life of God? Was the resurrection a resuscitation of a dead body or an ascension into heaven? There were three stories in Jewish tradition in which a holy man (Enoch, Moses and Elijah) is victoriously translated into heaven. Paul would have been familiar with each of them. Most of Paul’s later writing points to the understanding that he believed that Jesus was raised into the eternity of God, rather than being physically resuscitated back into this life. Paul goes on to give a list of those people to whom the raised Christ was “made manifest.” He includes “the twelve,” which seems to say that Judas was still among them. He also includes himself, claiming his experience of the risen Christ was like all the others except that his was last. When Paul’s epistles, written between 50 and 64, were all that the Christian Church had in writing, the fact is that the remembered details on Jesus’ life were few indeed. The first gospel was Mark, written in the early 70’s, followed by Matthew in the early 80’s and Luke in the late 80’s and finally by John in the late 90’s. Both Matthew and Luke copied large portions of Mark into their works, with Matthew utilizing about 90% of Mark’s content and Luke utilizing about 50%. John appears to be aware of the first three gospels, but he was not dependent on them, except very slightly. So when we line up the books of the New Testament, in the historic order of their writing we can see the developing story line quite clearly. Mark in the 8th decade is the first to introduce John the Baptist, to say that Jesus performed miracles or to suggest that his mother’s name was Mary. None of those things had ever been mentioned before. He never refers to a father figure at all, much less one named Joseph. Mark is the first writer to introduce Judas as the traitor and the first to write a narrative of the cross. In that narrative, now-familiar details such as Peter’s denial, the crown of thorns, the crucified thieves and the cry of dereliction, “My God, why have you forsaken me?” enter the tradition. Mark also is the first to introduce Joseph of Arimathea and to relate the story of Jesus’ burial. When Mark gets to Easter, he portrays only an empty tomb and a messenger who makes a resurrection announcement, but never in the first gospel is the raised Christ seen by anyone. That is all we have until the 9th decade. Matthew, writing about a decade after Mark, adds other touches. He is the first to provide a genealogy, the first to introduce the virgin birth story of Jesus and the first to weave the story of Jesus around the narrative of Moses. Only in Matthew is there a Moses story about a wicked king trying to destroy Jewish male babies, but now told about Jesus, and only in Matthew does Jesus preach the Sermon on the Mount, re-interpreting the Law of Moses in a new way from on top of a new mountain. Matthew adds the parable of the sheep and the goats found nowhere else. He also copies all of Mark’s miracles, adding none of his own. Finally, Matthew is the first gospel to portray Jesus as physically raised from the dead, though he is quite ambivalent. The raised Christ is physical with the women in the garden, but not with the disciples in Galilee. Luke, writing a little less than a decade after Matthew, builds on the miraculous birth story, adding details that do not harmonize with Matthew. In Luke angels replace the star and shepherds replace the magi. He adds two new miracle stories to the tradition, the healing of the ten lepers and the raising from the dead of a widow’s only son in Nain. Luke is also the source of the best known of Jesus’ parables: the Good Samaritan, the Prodigal Son and Lazarus and the Rich Man, which appear in no other gospel. Luke adds words to the cross unheard of before and he makes the resurrection quite physical. The stories of Ascension and Pentecost are also Lucan. John adds two new miracles: turning of water into wine and raising Lazarus from the dead. He expands the teaching of Jesus, frequently turning it into long, highly developed theological monologues. He prefers the word “sign” to the word “miracle” and makes the ascension something that occurs before Jesus appears to the disciples, not afterwards. This very brief analysis gives us a sense of how the Jesus story grew as the New Testament developed. We will return to look at this in more detail later. For now, however, I simply want my readers to be aware of how dramatically the story grows between 70 and100 as the gospels are written. Then I ask you to wonder with me about how the story might have grown from 30 to 70, where we have little or no data for comparison. That will prepare us to enter that dark oral only tunnel where no written data exists when this series continues. ~ John Shelby Spong | | | | | | | | Announcements Two New eCourses from Spirituality & Practice Both classes start on August 3rd and run through August 28th. As It Is: Spiritual Journaling – 2020 Whatever spiritual path you are on, this e-course will equip you to explore interior, interpersonal, social, and sacred realities. Dark Nights of the Soul This e-course shows you how to fit dark nights into a life of beautiful shades of happiness and sadness. It is realistic and positive. | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |

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Re: [Dialogue] [Oe List ...] Living Memorial for George Holcombe NOW
by Sunny Walker 27 Jul '20

27 Jul '20

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For George
by isobeljimbish＠optusnet.com.au 26 Jul '20

26 Jul '20

Hello Wanda and George, One of the absolute treasures of our lives was the marvellous advice that you gave us, George. Jim and I came to you one summer after our corporate time was over. We had decided to travel on a paddle boat down your great Mississippi River eventually working our way to Louisiana and New Orleans. We had long admired your music making ! We asked you where we should go in New Orleans to hear the best Jazz. 🌠🎼 You suggested the Plantation Hall. Well 😊🎼🥁🎷🎺🎸! To this day Jim and I have lived that couple of hours as one of the most moving and memorable times in our lives. When we remember it now George we think of you, always. Full stop, or period, as you say! We sat in a medium sized hall on what appeared to be old Church wooden pews, and listened to the beauty and grace of the musicians. So George, if you recall us, please also reflect on what a gem you have been to ‘strangers ‘ and how much you so willingly have offered to give people happiness and unforgettable occasions. 🙏🐨 Thank you to you and Wanda for being part of our journey of the spirit. Thank you for the way in which you expended your lives on behalf of our First Peoples as others have already mentioned. Our loving wishes to you dear George, as you see the sun rise and the sun set. Isobel and Jim Bishop Sent from my iPhone

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Dear George Holcombe
by Nancy Trask 26 Jul '20

26 Jul '20

>From Nancy Trask, now living in Winterset Iowa. In 1989, I landed in TX with John Rader and our 2 youngsters, Austin and Ashleigh. It was a foreign-land experience for me, because it was TX and because we had just left our corporate life in NYC. I remember quite a few colleague gatherings, which were always helpful in remembering ‘who am I anyway?’ After a house church at George and Wanda’s, I felt a common bond and observed their ever-faithful integrity. From then onward, though I didn’t have the chance to conduct programs with them, we were nevertheless colleagues of the spirit. One specific memory of George is a conversation with him while he made noodles and veggies in the wok in their kitchen. George, you will always stand out to me for your generous kindness and moral support. Thank you for your many years of love and care for the world and for each one of your spirit colleagues. Grace and Peace to you, Nancy Trask

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Last post-stroke update re daughter, Eva
by Ellie Stock 25 Jul '20

25 Jul '20

Dear Friends, Greetings from St. Louis! I wanted to share a last post-stroke/post-surgery update regarding our daughter, Eva. The Ides of 2020 began for us December 30 when we were shocked to learn that our daughter Eva had a stroke, was in ICU, her left side paralyzed and unable to speak. Driving back to Pittsburgh from St Louis, we didn't know what her prognosis was. The stroke was caused by at 95% blockage of her right carotid artery which would need surgery as soon as possible but was postponed three times due to medical insurance issues. In retrospect, that was for the better, as I don't know how she could have coped with recovering from the stroke and surgery at the same time. We reached out to you, our friends and colleagues, asking for prayers, encouragement, support, and you responded graciously with your prayers, emails, thoughts, words of encouragement, lighted candles, and cards for Eva and also words of wisdom for how to navigate the medical and medical financial aid systems. Some of you shared medical issues that your own families were experiencing, and others of you have lost loved ones during this time, and so our prayers also went out to and continue to be with you. January through March I was commuting between Pittsburgh and St. Louis as Eva gradually but steadily, recovered from the stroke and surgery, I returned home in time to begin sheltering-in-place due to the beginning of the coronavirus pandemic which, all too soon, was followed by multiple manifestations of another pandemic in our country/world, racism and the killing of Breonna Taylor, George Floyd, and subsequent racial events leading to protests and demonstrations--the 60s deja vu all over again. Since then, both pandemics have alternately been grabbing news headlines and spotlights and changing the world and our everyday lives, suffering from the incredible illness and death toll and exacerbating already present racial and economic disparities. At the same time we have been in awe of the those on the front lines of both the medical, research, and essential needs battles, and also those who continue to be on the front lines working for racial justice and equality. During these months until June, Eva continued with doctors' appointments, scans, tests, neurological evaluations speech/physical/occupational therapy and home exercises. She is walking well--(not running yet), her speech is slightly slower but good but her voice lacks endurance for longer conversations. The use of her left hand has improved but is not yet 100% in sensitivity or functioning for which she is still having occupational therapy. Part of her self-therapy at home is getting back to playing the piano--challenging her left hand to cooperate. She is an avid reader but finds it difficult to read for long periods of time. Doctors say full recovery could take 12-18 months. The second week of July she returned to her job very part time, 2 hours/day, where she works at a child care learning center. The classroom she entered seemed strange as she was shocked that all of her décor had been removed from the walls due to disinfecting the rooms. So, as an imaginal educator, she started again with new décor and getting to know mostly new children wearing masks. Next week she will work 3 hours/day and will gradually increase her hours as her energy and stamina allow. Considering where she was in December, we are so grateful for the progress she has made and continues to make. And we are very grateful for the prayer and other support you have generously shared. Our prayers continue with all you during these uncertain times of the spreading coronavirus pandemic and addressing the continuing pandemic of racism/white supremacy. Take care, be well, and stay safe. Grapes and peas and blessings, Ellie (and Carleton, too :)elliestock@aol.com

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