Big Tent Christianity 2011 Roundup ☀
Herein lies a chronicle of Big Tent Christianity 2011, a conference about “convergence of new and old ways of being and becoming the Church”, that I attended last week (Thursday and Friday).
BTX brings people together from across the country to proclaim what unites us as followers of Jesus in this modern world. More than a dozen leading Christian voices will break through boundaries to share new and innovative forms of ministry and renewal. You will be inspired by their visions of how we can speak even more powerfully in and to the world of the 21st century.
The published words here at this online ranch splatter all over the political map, though predominately sway to left of center, but theologically speaking, however, I am much more in the conservative camp. Not a fire and brimstone inerrantist fundamentalist by any stretch, but I do believe in the sacredness of the bible text. And not that it’s a collection of misty fairy tales, but a central theological motif based on the Kingdom of God. Just trying to establish my bias and perspective heading in.
So for two days, I was treated to bunch of “leading Christian voices” speaking on “big tent Christianity”; here goes my roundup of all the chatter and prattle.
Who was on stage
Tripp Fuller — Did not put together that Tripp is the proprietor of Homebrewed Christianity podcast where I have listened to some fantastic interviews with various theologians. Tripp served up some of the musical interludes too.
Carol Howard Merritt — Gave an impassioned talk on Healing the Wounds of Religion. In particular, some touching words on women wounded, who often blame themselves for the harm dealt by others, particularly “the church”.
Philip Clayton — Just not able to grok Philip’s takes at all.
Rachel Held Evans — Wanted to tell Rachel in person how much I enjoyed reading Evolving in Monkey Town but every time I attempted to approach, she was speaking to somebody else.
Gary Kinnaman — The “token” evangelical conservative on the panel, also conducted a breakout session on immigration that was rather interesting: Gary has taken this issue up, compiled evidence, and even visited lawmakers in support of immigration reform. His presentation, however, seemed more suited for folks at my church, and not this crowd, who are not the flock of the conservative pastor who frequently tune into right wing talk radio. I felt bad for Gary, that the audience is unaware of the shit storm Gary entered as I imagine that a good number of his former flock pan him as a turncoat. He also had one of the best lines of the conference: “you know you arrived when people ask you to sign your son’s book”
Eliacin Rosario-Cruz — Eliacin served as cochair with Gary Kinnaman in the immigration breakout session. Would have liked to have heard more from Eliacin!
Derek Webb — Prior to conference, I was not acquainted with the music of Derek Webb. Wow, what an incredibly gifted musician. /em heading off to iTunes to hear more :)
Brian McLaren — Have read a number of Mr. Brian McLaren’s books, including his latest, A New Kind of Christianity. They’re all OK, I don’t see what the all fuss is about, from either detractors or adherents. Here, his talk seemed to be flat. It could just be me, though, I confess.
Marcus Borg — Found it be rather curious that a conference would bill itself as “big tent” and then feature a keynote speaker that would completely dis the foundational tract all a bible believing Christian holds dear — that Jesus resurrection, along with a whole bunch of other stuff in the Gospel, is just a fable. The audience cheered his pronouncements of panentheism and belittling of Christians who see things differently. As I’ve read a few of Borg’s books, I know where he is coming from, but this evening sounded more like “how stupid them that believe this are” rather than “big tent” unity and professions of Christian love. Just saying.
Brian Ammons — Delivered a very eloquent talk on sexuality and gender. Asking the question: “Why, as people of faith, must we assume that the gender of my partner choice is the defining aspect of my sexual identity?” Brian also recited his open letter to the Bishop.
Mark Scandrette — Mark shared the Jesus Dojo with the crowd. Full of energy and passion, Mark’s zeal for speaking on practicing the way of Jesus seemed to be unbound by the constraints of time. While the conference featured a lot of intellectual theorizing, Mark struck me as an elder Shane Claiborne, just out there doing the Gospel, instead of merely talking about it.
Nadia Bolz-Weber — Hot damn, a tattooed, cussing, traditional liturgy embracing evangelical Lutheran pastor that tells it just like it is. She is real, no hesitation in sharing her own foibles and I enjoyed listening to her speak on both her life journey and praxis at the church she has built and grown. Even if she professed dislike for conservative evangelical folk like me. ;)
Shane Hipps — Been a big fan of Shane, dating back to when he served as a Mennonite pastor of a church just down the road from me. Ever since reading Flickering Pixels, he was entered into my iTunes podcast subscriptions, and when he matriculated to Mars Hill, I did not have to add another feed, as Rob Bell was already in there. After some back and forth dialogue in a breakout session on Technology and Soul, he called me a technophile (in contrast to someone he termed a technophobe, sitting behind me). It did strike that what Rob and Shane are doing at Mars Hill is much more in tune with “Big Tent Christianity” than most of what I observed at this conference.
Richard Rohr — The Naked Now has been on my Amazon wish list for some time now, based on recommendations read elsewhere. His talk was intriguing, and I felt shorted as Rohr just seemed to be getting in the groove of sharing his numinous take on spirituality before he was interrupted for panel crosstalk. Nabbed a copy of The Naked Now over the weekend, started devouring and thus far, am totally enraptured.
Anthony Smith — just like in the case of Richard Rohr, wish I could have heard more from postmodernnegro.
What I observed
A great bit of discussion about prayer but almost zero practice. That is in vivid contrast to other church conferences I have attended where prayer and ministry are integral part of the proceedings.
A continual refrain that mainline ministers and pastors constantly confess that they cannot be honest and truthful with their congregations. At least until the point they terminate their service. I did not understand this assertion and I queried folks sitting next to me but did not receive a satisfactory answer. Is this “fear” due to the authority hierarchy in the mainline or was it fear of alienating the flock?
Lots of grumpy old farts devoid of any joy. Say what can be said about the dogmatic and intransigent nature of some conservative Christians, but on the whole, they seem to retain a sense of humor.
A great deal of intellectualization about the Gospel and the Kingdom, but outside of a few voices, little in the way of doing the stuff. Or sharing putting the Gospel into action.
With exception of a few stray voices, on stage and in the audience, a dearth of conservative evangelicals. I realize that those in the extreme fundamentalist vein or hardcore reformed crowd chafe at the notion of breaking bread with emergent (whatever that word means now) and progressive heretics, but conservative Christians are far from uniform in composition and I definitely envision many in a “center set” working together on the things we Christians can agree about. Maybe it’s a foolhardy conviction, this “big tent” conception, that the founders are targeting a more “bounded set” than I envisaged.
What I learned
Mainline churches are still aging and dying.
Progressive Christians appear to be upfront about their political leanings. In conservative evangelical churches, politics rarely takes center stage, but there were numerous references to political doings here. And not just in a global “empire” sense, but specific politicians and policy planks.
That both mainliner liberal and fundamentalist Baptist alike loathe the megachurch. Or, as it was referred to, by some, as “movie theater” churches.
Though I feel at times that I do not fit in well with the church I belong to (A Vineyard church), the churches represented at this conference I would even be far more unsuited for. Except for the new monastics, for which put me in awe and beset with inadequacy over my own path as a follower of Jesus way.
Conclusion
I am completely supportive of the “big tent Christianity” idea. It saddens me that Christians exert so much energy quibbling with each other over doctrine and theological constructs. Defining themselves by what they are against instead of what they are for. Even worse, Christians seeking redress in secular courts to “win” their way over other Christians (i.e, marriage equality), despite biblical instruction against taking intra-Christian squabbles into the public court. When there is so much that most all Christians are down with — living out the Gospel, feeding the hungry, clothing the naked, healing the sick, attending to the imprisoned, cultivating rich soil, advancing the Kingdom, bringing hope, bearing love, etc.…
While I expressed some dismay over the “big tent” incompleteness, I still applaud the endeavor and hope that successive events deliver more. More voices. More light. More transformation.
