why is "truth"--or the lack thereof--so scary?

"Brian McLaren scares me. It isn't his ambiguity on the question of [you name it] that worries me so much as it is his reckless passion for ambiguity in the first place, and his utter fear that someone, anyone, will take offense for any reason; the larger disease of which the first is a symptom."

i hereby post this comment from a blog...and i post it out of context. but it seems to speak to one of the things about "truth" that i find interesting. why is it that "truth," or perhaps "uncertainty about truth" (maybe those are two completely different things), is such a scary thing. why are we so afraid of those who claim to know it? and why are we so afraid of those who claim not to know it?

Cohort Makes the News!

Hey, if you're reading this today we're going to be on TV at 4:00 on channel 2.
Jamey Tucker (the new religion and ethics reporter from News 2 (abc)) came out to visit our cohort gathering today to talk about forgiveness, the pope and the emerging church among other things. Jamey is a very cool guy and it was good to meet him, although having the camera trained on us while we conversed was a new experience. The story airs today at 4:00 and could feature a good interview with Jay and a bad one with me :) Check it out.

See you all in February when we talk about truth!
Peace,
Dixon

Radical Orthodoxy Resources

At the last Cohort we discussed a developing theology called Radical Orthodoxy. Here are some resources if you want to investigate. Please add more than you all find.
Peace,
Dixon

Books:
1.) James K. A. Smith’s Introducing Radical Orthodoxy
2.) John Milbank et al. Radical Orthodoxy

Radio

1.) Graham Ward. Interview with David Inge. Focus 580. WILL-AM. 11 March 2002. (Thanks Jonathan)Graham Ward Interview

Internet and Blogs

1.) R. Reno from First Things in 2000. ” The Radical Orthodoxy Project
2.) Dixon’s Limited Blog Summary )here.

Another Sign, or Someone to Look Up To

Maybe one day some of us can be like this guy.

Top 10 Signs You Might Be Emergent

In the lecture series I linked to in the comment below, Michael Wittmer (author of Heaven Is a Place on Earth) gives the following 10 signs you might be Emergent. I offer them here for laughs and to encourage you to listen to the series.

10. If you have never read Left Behind, never said The Prayer of Jabez, and never led the 40 Days of Purpose
9. If you think you saw a megachurch on VH1's I Love the 80s
8. If you wouldn't be surprised to find Gandhi in heaven, but would be floored to find Jerry Fallwell
7. If in a debate with Jack Van Impe you'd likely argue that the bear is America and the AntiChrist is Pat Robertson
6. If your preacher just cussed and it seemed appropriate
5. If you honored your pastor with a box of fine cigars and beers on the house
4. If your cool hair resembles a midwestern Ryan Seacrest and if you have no hair and still look cool, you just might be a leader of Emergent
3. If you use the word "groove" as a verb and don't sound like a dork
2. If you purchase church supplies from a Buddhist bookstore
1. If your favorite Carson is Johnny

Sacred Cows and Radical Orthodoxy December 1

We're going to have our last Cohort gathering of 2005 next Thursday December 1 11:30-1:00 at the Flying Saucer.

In a postmodern ethos where nothing is unquestionable we are going to look at Emergent itself. Is this a legitimate response to post-modernity and helpful in suggesting a new way forward (I think it is) or is it more a group of evangelicals who have discovered liberalism (Thomas Mackenzie's position).

It's a question worth asking and we'll do so (with Thomas and I presenting our positions for conversation) on the 1st. We'll also have some discussion around a burgeoning new theology known as Radical Orthodoxy and contemplate it's implications on our conversation as well.

Should be good.
See you there,
Dixon