how can we listen you...

when we know your talk is cheap.

A new thing:

For Advent RoboPreacher is going to try something new; brief vignettes talking about things I am waiting on. After all, advent is the season of waiting.

Why:

Theology is ultimately a joke. Yeah, I said it. Theology that sits in a book on a shelf doesn’t matter. As Paul says, without love any and all speech is noise. So much theology is noise, or a joke.

It doesn't have to be, though.

I have a friend, let’s call him Joe. Joe is a theologian. He is a theologian who designs shit. His design is awesome. He is a theologian because when he designs, he thinks about how it serves God and God’s creation. He is a theologian, because when he loves his wife, he thinks about how it serves God and God’s creation. Joe is a theologian.

I am a seminary. I am not a theologian.

I want to be though. I am waiting…

Joe is one of my many sources of my inspiration. That is why RoboPreacher is going to try something new.

The impetus:

The most important theological conversation I ever had was with Joe one night.

It was a work night, and we were sitting on his deck, drinking beer and talking way too loudly. I don’t know why his wife didn’t come out and punch me in the face for being noisy and keeping her husband up.

Did I mention his wife is a theologian, too? She is. She is a theologian because she understands that love deserves its place in this world, and although she was undoubtedly going to wake up to a mess created, largely, by me, she was going to make me breakfast that morning before she left for work (helping people find jobs).

So, there we were in North Minneapolis, drinking beer and talking about why the story of Jesus matters. Talking about how I hoped it would make me good and brave and kind. Talking about how we didn’t understand how people would use faith as a tool of exclusion. Talking about how the denomination we are a part of (the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America) can be so awesome on the one hand and such a bummer on the other. Talking about why people in churches don’t say hello to visitors. Talking and talking.

We went to bed after 3 a.m.

That conversation has haunted me…

And so…

And so, I am waiting. That is why RoboPreacher is going to be reflecting about waiting during this season of Advent.

When will this faith change me?

When will this faith give people the courage to step past their own prejudices?

When will this faith put a spark in all our hearts so that instead of feeling awkward when we notice a visitor in the congregation, we feel awesome and tell them how we thinks it’s awesome that they are here?

That is going to be the project. Pretty simple, right?

Not so simple.

My lenses are that of a male, middle class, white, twenty-something. I am part of a privileged class.

If all this blog is about is how I hope the church serves me better, this blog will be a lot of noise. It won’t be theology; and it won’t matter.

In other words, RoboPreacher need your help.

What are you waiting on? Share your thoughts. RoboPreacher will try to incorporate them into this blog and think about what it means to wait (expectantly) together.


I am privileged. I do not think, however, that invalidates my waiting. Ultimately, I think God can give us all a heart that waits on something worthwhile. I guess I am trying to say I hope God can teach me to wait with those who are underprivileged, underserved, oppressed.

So that is the project. Let’s see how it goes, eh?

Share your thoughts.

All are welcome.

Comments

  1. KelseyDecember 1, 2011 at 9:07 AM

    Holy cow, I love this so much. This is such a great post. Good words, m'dear. Not noise.

    I've been thinking about waiting this week, and I keep hitting road blocks. I remember when I was a kid, during Advent in church we had these banners that said different words and what I remember most is that before "WAIT" there was "WATCH." So I've settled into this: I'm still on "watch," trying to discern what to wait for.

    ReplyDelete
  2. SarahDecember 1, 2011 at 8:34 PM

    Perfect perfect perfect day for me to read this. Not that that's the point--I find that lately too much of my own waiting is focused on myself--but thank you for posting and inviting us to join you in this contemplation.

    ReplyDelete
  3. Andy J. GravesDecember 10, 2011 at 11:13 PM

    Good word my friend. I have been struggling with waiting, taking action, and everything in between for the past month or so... Not that this is pertinent to the season of Advent, but it kind of fits. So often I find myself waiting for a great revelation from the great "I am" but then lose sight of the little things in life that shouldn't be waiting on. It's never the wrong time to love, and I fall into the trap of waiting for my own benefit rather than being active in the meantime... Just a nugget of a contribution.

    ReplyDelete

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