New Series: Dialoging With The Society of Vineyard Scholars

Scroll down for a link directory of all profiles in the series.

Some of you know that last month I was privileged to present a paper at the first annual Society of Vineyard Scholars conference in Houston, Texas. It was a terribly rewarding experience for me, and I’m grateful for the opportunity. There were a total of 18 papers presented in a variety of panel categories including Bible, Culture, Theology, Mission, Religion and Science, and The Vineyard. The Plenary speaker (and the respondent for my panel) was Ron Sider, which was an amazing opportunity to have an outside voice speak into the Vineyard movement.

As one of the presenters, Jason Clark, recently pointed out on his blog, Vineyard USA National Director Bert Waggoner set the tone of the conference well with his observation of “4 Things The SVS Is Not:”

• Smart: We are not the smartest people in vineyard showing each other how smart we are.
• Critical: This is not a venue to show the vineyard it’s weaknesses, and to give the leaders a list of things that we think it needs to change.
• Position: The papers and discussions are not necessarily the position of vineyard churches. The work here is not an official expression, unless later approved by the movements leaders. It’s a creative space and time, for an honest exchange of ideas about the vineyard movement and theology.
• Elitism: This is not a place to develop an elite smug intellectualism. We are a group of Christians wanting to be submitted to Christ and be real with each other. Let’s keep it real, to have earthly engagements on subjects of interest to us and hopefully to God.

This reflects one of the wonderful characteristics of the Vineyard: it creates gracious space for freedom and exploration. SVS was no different. Even though it was a “scholars” conference, it was full of diversity and humility. Most of the participants (myself included) weren’t professional academics; they were first-and-foremost practitioners of ministry, whose experiences in the field have ignited and informed their theological imaginations. I’m grateful to the Vineyard for creating a space where young leaders can be encouraged in their pursuits and nurtured in their theological thinking, and it was thrilling to see people pushing their own boundaries in an environment where ideas could be presented and challenged in a dialog of grace.

I would like to extend that dialog here at Pastoralia and invite you to join it. I think the SVS presenters will benefit from ongoing dialogue concerning their ideas, and I think the Vineyard at large could benefit from more voices joining that dialog, including voices from outside the movement.

Starting Monday, March 8th, I’m going to be profiling a different SVS presenter every day, Monday through Friday. There will be an abstract of their paper along with a little Q&A from me to open the dialog. Then, I’d like to invite you to join in by asking questions and providing thoughts. The presenters themselves will be available to interact with you in the comments.

One important request: I work hard to maintain an irenic and civil space here. Some of the presenters are intentionally advancing ideas and topics that are edgy and challenging because that is part of the learning process. Again, the presenters views do not represent official Vineyard beliefs and doctrine and none of them are proposing conclusive doctrinal perspectives. Hence, this is not the place for condemnation. Feel free to ask (on topic) questions;  feel free to challenge. But do so with grace and respect. Otherwise, your comments are subject to my moderation.

So, I hope you’ll join the dialogue starting next week. We’re looking forward to your contributions!

Schedule:

3/8 – David Kushner: “Echoes in Scripture”
3/9 – Steve Hamilton: “Signs & Wonders: Wisdom & and the Reign of God”
3/10 – Jason Clark: “Consumerism, Social Imagination, and Ecclesiology”
3/11 – Jason Coker: “The Begging Bowl: Toward a Kingdom Economy of Gifts, Power, and Justice”
3/12 – Elisa Berry: “Beauty and the Practice of the Kingdom of God”

3/15 – Orion Edgar: “Justice and the Kingdom of God: Atonement and New Creation”
3/16 – Ryan McAnally-Linz: “The Problem of the Contested Center”
3/17 – Jared Boyd: Naming Injustice: “Doing Theology That Does Something”
3/18 – Jonathan Rutz: “The Case For Creation Care as a Defining Paradigm For the Vineyard Movement”
3/19 – Naomi Forrester: “Science vs. Christianity: A Battle To Be Won or Lost?”

3/22 – Cathy Zellmer: “The Divine Perichoretic Mission of Love”
3/23 – Steve Burnhope: “Culture, Worldview, and the Cross: Penal Substitutionary Atonement and 21st Century Mission”
3/24 – Steven Schenk: “Power and Purpose in a Cross-Shaped Community: Examining the Contradictions Between Theology and Praxis”
3/26 – Jon Bialecki & Jamie Wilson: “Surprise, Return, and Futurity: Social Science Analysis of the Vineyard’s Temporal Imaginary of the Kingdom, and a Theological Rejoinder”

3/29 – Doug Erickson: “Advice to Vineyard Theologians (and Philosophers and Scholars…)”
3/30 - Matt Croasmun: “The Cross, Eucharist, and Imitation in the Gospel of John”

Technorati Tags: Christianity, Society of Vineyard Scholars, SVS, Theology, Vineyard Churches