New Website Format for Precipice

Precipice is now 9 months old. Overall the experience has been a great one- even if it has been a lot of work. This website/magazine is truly what one would refer to as a "labor of love". The writing, preparation and publication of the monthly issues can get a little hectic, but always feels worthwhile once the latest issue is live.

If you've visited here a few times over the last 275 days or so, you've probably noticed that the site's colors and banner change from month to month. Or maybe you haven't noticed- but that's been the case nevertheless! That monthly shift has coincided with the publication of each new issue - in which we have included four new feature articles as well as a new "current" section for each new calendar month.

After some feedback and some thoughtful consideration we've decided (the "we" to which I refer mainly being myself- Darren King, the senior editor) that a few changes will help to make the process a simpler one- for all involved. The long and the short of it boils down to the fact that starting now we're shifting to an ongoing "publish as you go" format- rather than a month to month issue format.

This change makes sense for a couple of reasons. The first being that, considering this isn't print media- there's no reason why we shouldn't publish new articles and feature pieces as they come available- rather than waiting for the 1st of each month. Secondly, this new format will save me a lot of time in re-design work; allowing me to focus on writing and editing the articles and section pieces themselves.

So, all that is to say, the new theme you see- is the theme we're going to stick with for awhile. Five articles will be published to the homepage at a time. Those articles will rotate out over time as they are replaced by new articles. "Current" will also shift to a rotation format. When the page gets too long, we'll simply archive it. Speaking of which, remember that you can always check out previous articles and commentaries in our archives section, or by clicking on the "articles" tab of the top navigation bar.

This month brings a couple of new authors to our midst. Greg Arthur offers a review of David Fitch's book, The Great Giveaway and Mike Swalm brings us an article about what he refers to as "open door theology". Also, keep your eyes posted for a new interview with Leonard Sweet - to be published over the next couple of weeks.

Lastly, if you're a blogger/writer who would like to submit an article to Precipice, we're always happy to accept new offerings. Just check out our common-sensical guidelines and fire away. Also, for those of you who have thoughts you'd like to share about pretty much anything pertaining to Precipice, postmodernism, the Emerging Church, or what have you- feel free to send an email- we'd love to hear from you. We'll be continuing to post some of these emails in our "community" section on an ongoing basis.


Shalom,
Darren King (Senior Editor)





Bonhoeffer on Community

In the midst of all the important and necessary conversations we in contemporary North America are having about church and its 21st century evolution, it's sometimes helpful to step back from the recent dialogue and listen to a historical witness. This process of stepping back from our own setting helps us to reengage it with new clarity.

It's for this reason that I personally try and read one book from outside our contemporary milieu for every two that I read from within it. Having recently finished Len Sweet's Jesus Drives Me Crazy! (which by the way is a little known but very dynamic read) and George Barna's Revolution, I decided on something from Dietrich Bonhoeffer for my next read.

Of course Bonhoeffer is most known for his Christian classic The Cost of Discipleship (which I would most certainly recommend to anyone who has yet to come across it) but since I've already read that a couple of times I decided upon another one of his books, Life Together.

It was a good and engaging read. Bonhoeffer certainly offers a very developed sense of ecclesiology. And that's clearly on display in the book. I wouldn't say that I agree with everything that Bonhoeffer purports as being essential to Christian community. But I do agree with much of it. And even the parts I don't agree with prompt important questions about alternatives.

What is most striking about Bonhoeffer's book, and this is often the case of any author who suffered martyrdom, is its seriousness. None of Bonhoeffer's thoughts are idle musings. These are beliefs forged in the oven of an underground seminary in Nazi Germany. The opening chapter puts it pointedly:

It is not simply to be taken for granted that the Christian has the privilege of living among other Christians. Jesus Christ lived in the midst of his enemies. At the end all his disciples deserted him. On the cross he was utterly alone, surrounded by evildoers and mockers. For this cause he had come, to bring peace to the enemies of God. So the Christian, too, belongs not in the seclusion of a cloistered life but in the thick of foes. This is his commission, his work.

In the midst of our sometimes heated debate about the future of the Church we would do well to remember this simple, yet profound, yet difficult call to missional living. As the translator of this book (which was originally written in German) makes note of, one thing that really stands out about Bonhoeffer is that he never once fell into the modern fallacy of separating orthodoxy from orthopraxy. The translator, John Doberstein, writes,

From his father, as he wrote in his last letter from prison, he learned, what characterizes all that he wrote, an insistent realism, a "turning away from the phraseological to the real." For (Bonhoeffer) Christianity could never be merely intellectual theory, doctrine divorced from life, or mystical emotion, but always it must be responsible, obedient action, the discipleship of Christ in every situation of every concrete everyday life, personal and public.





The Da Vinci Controversy

It seems that there is no end to the controversy (and free press) circling around the soon to be released cinematic version of Dan Brown's the Da Vinci Code. There are several Catholic groups in particular who are up in arms about the inaccurate and unflattering portrayal of the Church in this story.

From other Christian groups I have heard a variety of responses. Some are concerned and/or angry that without a disclaimer, some people might actually see this movie as portraying real historical events.

Others look at this situation and see a double-standard at play. These people suggest that a major Hollywood studio would never get away with making a movie that criticizes historic Islam or Judaism in the way that the Da Vinci Code undermines historic Christianity.

Still others see this as an opportunity. An opportunity to spring board into discussions about true faith and the real Jesus. From my point of view, those most concerned with Evangelistic opportunity fall into this latter category. Rather than defending our history (which is a dodgy exercise at best- even when one uses real history) our focus should be towards bringing the conversation around to who Jesus was/is- and what he means to us in the here and now.

Just like Paul naming the unknown God to the Greeks, this movie invites our response by bringing spirituality and religion front and center in the public square (be that around water coolers, classrooms, coffee shops, etc). No matter what one thinks of the movie, I think the opportunity it affords us is undoubtedly a good one.





Vintage Faith Revisited

While many only loosely familiar with postmodern expressions of faith often assume that the emerging church conversation is all about doing church unlike its ever been done before, the truth is that "ancientfuture" practices (i.e. early Christian traditions that predate modernism) are very popular with postmodernly sensitized Christians.

In many ways the postmodern journey is as much about re-discovery as it is about blazing new trails. Many early Christian practices were designed to enhance the experience of worshipping God. And of course, the experience of the Divine (as opposed to the abstract reasoning about it) is a treasure to postmoderns. Thus it's easy to understand why we are seeing a resurgence in the popularity of these practices this side of the 3rd millennium.

Marcia Ford has a new book out designed to help introduce 21st century Christians to some of these ancient Christian practices. The book, titled Traditions of the Ancients: Vintage Faith Practices for the 21st Century details 28 different forms of ancient worship disciplines, including: sacred reading, pilgrimage, Christian meditation, fixed-hour prayer, spiritual direction, praying the scriptures, manual labor and the Jesus Prayer. If you're looking for a helpful introduction to a broad assortment of ancient faith disciplines then Ford's book is a great resource to get you started.






Hope for Darfur?

It seems that the increasingly global outrage towards the humanitarian crisis taking place in Darfur in Sudan has helped to induce change. As many have hoped and prayed the US government is now planning on taking a more direct role in the crisis.

Recently Secretary of State Condoleeza Rice sent her deputy to help broker a peace deal in the area. Without wanting to "step on the toes" of the African Union attempting to handle to crisis up until now, many recognize that a larger international role is likely necessary in order to maintain regional stability.

Deputy Robert Zoellick is now on the ground in Nigeria and will shortly join discussions amongst the African Union aiming to extend a relative peace now holding in the area. The long term strategy is for the US, via Zoellick, to lobby strongly for an international peace keeping presence (read: UN) in the region.

If this were to happen it would undoubtedly be a welcome change to the largely free license marauding bands have had up until now.





Getting Real About Energy Issues

It seems that, without fail, every time the price of gas raises above a certain arbitrary level you can guarantee that various interest groups and government bodies will raise a fuss about possible "price gouging" amongst the major oil companies. I'd be a rich man if I had a nickel for every time someone suggested a "study" aimed at determining whether price gouging is at play should take place.

And without fail every one of these studies comes back with results that suggest that there are a number of geopolitical factors, as well as basic supply and demand issues, that cause the rise and fall of crude oil prices. In other words, I have yet to hear of a study that is able to confirm price gouging.

It seems to me that these "studies" only serve to distract us from the reality that oil is a diminishing, non-replenishable resource for which there is an ever-increasing global demand. No matter how you look at it, the numbers here suggest, all the "studies" in the world will not deliver us from this reality.

Why not invest the money that goes into these studies into creating alternative energy resources and infrastructure? CNN recently ran a story that detailed how Brazil did exactly this following the last energy crisis of the 1970's. Today that means that Brazil runs 75% on alternative fuel- primarily sugar-cane based Ethanol.

There is absolutely no reason why we (meaning those of us in North America) do the same. All it takes is a little forethought, and some rather meager short term sacrifices. If we were to invest in alternative energy like this we could make the debate about drilling in Alaska a mute one.

Why be forced to choose between protecting the environment or being a slave to foreign oil, when there is a third option that is superior? As Christians I feel like we should be at the front of the line lobbying for this third and higher option. We should expect nothing less of ourselves as stewards of God's Creation.

Let's hope wisdom wins out this time around. If it does, these high, summertime gas prices may very well turn out to be a blessing in disguise.





Catholicism in China

The Vatican's claim to unversal authority amongst the Catholic Church was put to the test recently when Chinese Catholic leaders from the state-sanctioned church, the Chinese Patriotic Catholic Association, went ahead and ordained two Roman Catholic Bishops- against direct orders from the Vatican to the contrary. The Vatican and a "saddened" Pope Benedict XVI quickly reacted to the news by excommunicating those involved in the event.

This news received plenty of press from the secular media who jumped on the "hardline" reaction of the Pope. What went underreported was the fact that such an act by the Chinese representatives demanded automatic excommunication according to Catholic Church law.

Now it seems a pragmatic compromise has been reached. While underlplaying the drama of last week's events, Chinese officials moved to name another bishop. The difference this time around is that the Pope has approved this nomination.





Prince Caspian Delayed

Several months ago I announced a Precipice ban on all mention of the Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe and all things Narnian. I am prepared to lift that ban now that the hoopla has finally died down. For many of us diehard Lewis fans, the extreme commodification of the Narnian enterprise was a little like watching Christmas turn into the consumer orgy it has become over the last 20 years.

Anyway, now that the ban has been lifted we can announce that Walden Media is going ahead with a cinematic version on Prince Caspian- but that the movie release has been pushed back into 2008; a full year later than was originally planned. Apparently this second Narnian installment is relying heavily on CGI- and this is causing the production delay.

Beyond Prince Caspian, Walden and Disney have already committed to making at least two more pictures after that- The Voyage of the Dawn Treader and The Silver Chair. And if all goes well there, its more than likely that all seven C.S. Lewis classics will see the silver screen.

That's good news. Even if it does mean that we have to suffer the marketing overdose that is bound to arise every two years or so with the release of the future films.






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