Well, that is a good and interesting question, Zoe. And probably many people might have answers . .
Here are a couple possible ones that come to my mind.
The Fifth City Project and, later human development projects and town meetings had a lot more visceral excitement for us than the slow work of congregational renewal. This might have been more particularly true for us younger, non clergy folks who came right after you all . . .
The Local Church Experiment with Galaxies and all did not produce exciting enough results to be sustained, and we never got sufficiently strong and widespread support from the denominational heirarchies to keep it going. It may well also have been the case that the "risks" that the Galaxy leadership and clergy families in the order and movement sort of derailed their career prospects in Ecclesiastical circles.
God chose fundamentalism and the charismatic approach over existential theology. I was struck, travelling cross country several years ago, on 2 lane highways, that it seems as though only the conservative churches have had heart and passion to root themselves in many local places. Music and broadcast christianity as well.
With our focus on "globality", staying within the framework of Historical Christianity became increasingly relative as we engaged in countries not dominantly Christian
In looking at old documents, like the Declaration of the Spirit Movement, I can see one could say that the primary concern was to address the "cultural revolution of the 20th century", ("renewal of the church FOR THE SAKE OF THE WORLD")
Even the contextual documents on the local church describe it as an anthropological phenomenon and not a Christian reality
From a practical (and economic) perspective, at some point, participation in RS-1 peaked and we needed something else to keep the "movement" moving. While we talked of ourselves as an "Order" -- Religious Order, Historical Order, Global Order, seems we depended a lot on keeping momentum going. Sustainability and slowness were less important than Expenditure and transformation.
“If you want an adventure . . . what a time to be alive!”. Joanna Macy
401 North Beverly Way,Tolleson, Arizona 85353
AICP Planners: 14.5 CM for all ToP® courses
Why did the Order abandon the church?
Spong's latest sure calls for what began lo these many years ago.
Sent from my Verizon Wireless 4G LTE smartphone
-------- Original message --------
From: James Wiegel via OE <oe@lists.wedgeblade.net>
Date: 2016/10/02 5:14 PM (GMT-07:00)
To: Frank Knutson <f.knutson@earthlink.net>, Order Ecumenical ICA-USA <oe@lists.wedgeblade.net>, Order Ecumenical Community <oe@lists.wedgeblade.net>
Subject: Re: [Oe List ...] THE DECLARATION OF THE SPIRIT MOVEMENT
like what is an example, Frank?
“If you want an adventure . . . what a time to be alive!”. Joanna Macy
401 North Beverly Way,Tolleson, Arizona 85353
AICP Planners: 14.5 CM for all ToP® courses
Searching through old documents I found THE DECLARATION OF THE SPIRIT MOVEMENT OF THE PEOPLE OF GOD IN CENTURY TWENTY. I am amazed, at over 50 years ago, how on target it is today. It provides a lot for today’s discussions.
"We can't solve our problems with the same level of thinking (or consciousness) that created them."
~Albert Einstein
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