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To All the Pastors Quitting: Welcome Home. We’ve Been Waiting for You.
Peter Wehner’s article in The Atlantic, Evangelicalism is Falling Apart provides no new insights to the ongoing cultural struggle for the heart of the Evangelical Church, but it has eloquently packaged together a handful of critical issues facing Evangelicalism in America.
We might well look back on this season and see Evangelicalism in the throes of what has already been labeled by some as a post-Evangelical season. Dave Tomlinson wrote about the struggle of The Post Evangelicals in 1995 as he defined and talked to those who were leaving the fold to remain faithful to God.
Is the current refocus upon this the result of the Trump season and the rise of political interests over the foundational Evangelical concern for the salvation of souls? Perhaps, but Molly Worthen’s book Apostles of Reason outlines other earlier political tensions American Evangelicalism was torn by. The dynamics of the pro-life movement, and the Religious Right did their best to simultaneously martial Evangelical forces, and divide the church, but today, things seem even angrier than the 80s to many of us who were there. Issues of Women’s rights and equality are outlined in Wehner’s piece and those topics continue to be foundational to the Evangelical struggles. Of course, it may be that the church will be most deeply affected by a post-COVID season.
But perhaps, as some have suggested, these many and competing experiences are simply highlighting and bringing to light the problems already inherent to the system. Wehner’s article highlights the fact that the contributing external forces to Evangelicalism’s crumbling state is already found in ourselves. Perhaps we are responsible for the momentum toward a post-Evangelical America, and Evangelicalism is the largest contributing factor to its own demise.
There are many of us who have felt that we did not leave Evangelicalism as much as Evangelicalism left us. I am one of those. Even while I championed its most valuable resources in the small churches across America, and the ability to navigate cross cultural relationships for the purpose of introducing the Nazarene to a new generation of spiritual but not religious people, I was treated as a heretic for calling us back to our roots of radical relational evangelism. I was not alone in being rejected, and discovering that there were powerful forces in the leadership of the church afraid to live like our Evangelical and Early Christian forefathers.
If you are one of those who is ready to give up, because the people in the pews and the leaders in the lodges of power seem to have moved away from the simplicity of Christ, welcome back home. There are a number of us out here in the desert, and we will gladly welcome you in.
Traveling Toward Cymru (Wales)
Since my last email update there is much to report. I spent time in Texas. I am now in North Carolina, Salem is coming up, and my first trip in the transition to Wales has been booked.
Let’s walk backwards through this story:
Leaving for Wales – Part 1
Yesterday, I booked a flight to Wales for arrival on August 19th. I will spend my first two weeks in South Wales helping my friends Andrew Thomas and Dawn Wood prepare for Between the Trees festival, which is a mixture of music, science, philosophy, and spirituality. It doesn’t get any better than that for a festival focus, does it?
After Between the Trees, I plan on spending the rest of my time in and around Caernarfon, North Wales. The focus of this part of the trip is to prepare for my move, which I am hoping will happen at the beginning of this coming year, and to set up plans for all the crazy ideas that fill my head with how to be a positive influence in this town that has captured my heart so deeply.
It is my goal to hit the ground running wherever I go, and of course, this means much of the preparation for ministry must happen long before one lands on the ground. Before moving to Salem, Massachusetts, I sent some years traveling there, and bringing my friends with me, before we all moved. Fortunately, I have made friends and acquaintances throughout Wales over many journeys to the land of my heart, and I have been preparing the way to be able to start working in ministry as quickly as possible.
North Carolina
Right now, I am in Greensboro, NC with my dear friends Gail and Charles Bretan. I so deeply appreciate their kindness to host me in their home as I jaunt about the state. I have spent long hours with Charles talking about life, religion, philosophy, politics and just about every bunny trail of thought. His Jewish/English professor’s views on the world are always a challenge and encouragement to whatever I happen to be studying and writing. During this time, I have hung out with his podcast partners, Chris Henson, and Rev. Helena––the ampersand of reason. We even did a podcast together, which is a good thing since my own podcasts have come to a halt during this traveling season. This will be posted on their podcast page: A Jew and a Gentile Walk into a Bar…Mitzvah. ––> https://charlesandchris.net
Papy has graciously loaned me the use of his car, and I have been able to spend a couple days with him. I was able to hang out with his parents who are wonderful and dong well, and then we’ve twice now with Robert and Kelly Williams. It was like old home time with one of the Salem outreach teams.
I spoke on Sunday morning at Fellowship of Christ in Cary, NC. I am grateful to have spent time with this wonderful church. You can access the message online at their website ––> https://www.fellowshipofchrist.org/sermons. On the sermon page, you can find the morning I spoke on the 2021/07/25 video in the right column of the page, and I begin at about the 30-minute mark. Spending time with Pastor David MacLean, John Craichy, and other friends from Fellowship of Christ was the real highlight of my time with them. I always feel as though I receive more edification from others than I give, and I am so grateful for all the good people I know around the world.
Before going to Cary, I spent some of my first days in Asheville. Asheville has been a home away from home for a long time. My son, Elijah, used to live here. I have Burner friends, Emergent friends from the Wild Goose Festival, Rainbow Gathering friends, and assorted others. Most of my time was spent with the Deifell family. There was a memorial service for Jey, the patriarch of the family, and fortunately, I was able to be there for this event. It was great to spend time with the whole family. My initial contact with them was Burning Man, where I first met Hope and her brother Tony. Since then, I have done several mission activities in which Hope has been a vital part of the organization and outreach. My time in Asheville is often at Heather and Richmond’s house, which is just too fun. I am quite sure that Richmond and I start laughing as soon as we see each other, and we don’t stop laughing until I leave. It’s scary how close his humor mirrors my own…hmm, perhaps I should feel bad for the poor guy.
While in Asheville/Black Mountain, I met with a variety of other people. Hope Deifell introduced me the Dean of Spiritual Formation at Montreat College where she works, and it turns out that Rachel Toone and I had several friends in common. I spent time with fellow hippie ministers: Joshua and Shallyn Hanson, of the Rainbow Gathering Jesus Kitchen, at their new Nomads Land property outside Asheville; and then it was tacos and ice cream with Cate, who has worked in places like Rainbow Gatherings, Haight Ashbury, and the Goa. I also saw my Wild Goose festival friends Mike and Jasmin Morrell, and Steve Knight (for a second time). To top of a great time in Asheville, I got to see one of my Salem peeps who moved to Asheville a couple years ago––yes, the famous Glenn French!
Texas
My first landing place after leaving California was Texas, and quickly I was swept away from the airport by David Brown, and we made our way to College Station. I caught the 4th of July fireworks at Texas A&M on that first night. Over the next 10 days I would also travel to Brownwood and Austin. I spent time with Chai, Shalom, and Zoe, and David, but Chris Gaston who is usually in Brownwood had already left for the Pacific Coast Trail which he is walking in full this summer.
I was headed toward Houston to see Paul and Joy Burwell, but Joy called and said they were in contact with someone exposed to COVID. Although, I am not concerned for myself, I needed to be wary for those I was visiting, because it included families and elders across the country. So, I missed the opportunity to see and pray with my good friends, the Burwells. At the end of the Texas trip I spent the days in Austin. I stayed with Robert, Kimberly, and Ian Watson-Hemphill. I was treated to some of the notable places of Austin, and Robert and I visited the Immersive Van Gogh exhibit, which is traveling around the country.
I spent a couple days with Cathryn Camisa as she in process of leaving one place for another, which was wonderful to see since it represented a season of deliverance for Cathryn. Cathryn and I met with Mike Clawson and Steve Knight, who flew in from Asheville and I would see once again in North Carolina.
Defending Befriending with John W. Morehead from MultiFaith Matters
John Morehead and I are partners in the crimes of trying to do good works that are not always perceived as good works in Evangelical circles. We've taken some hits for befriending the "radical other" - those who think and live differently than ourselves. We think that's what Jesus would do, but not everyone appears to agree.
Wild Theology Poetry Shorts #1 – From the RS Thomas Literary Festival – Wild Theology
The Following poems were read at the RS Thomas Literary Festival as part of a competition and open reading on September 18, 2022:
The Learner’s Eisteddfod
Siarad Cymraeg?
Ydw, I say. But, it’s barely true
One clumsy American. 100,000 Celtic warriors…faces painted blue. Or so I imagined.
But it’s only Taid a Nain and snotty Johnny Bach crying in the rain.
Dewi lifts his cup. Baptize the night in Bitters. Rhiannon dons the holy national garb… Wellies and short–shorts. A squabble of pubescent poets whistle and squawk around Rhiannon as she floats on mud and plastic pavements.
Despite the chiming of her birds, no one living slept that night.
The rains came hard. Sanctified our canvas homes, and everything we owned
was dipped in wind and water. This is my immersion, a festival of song and strange
tongues, far from my home of sun and surf.
In the Pavilion, a domesticated rebellion, a dream of crowns and thrones. We clap
the sword of peace. Does Bakhtin observe bemused from heaven as we inaugurate
this formal carnival with robed and solemn clowns?
Back at the old Welsh capel, their prayers break upon me, not just for these few hours,
nor for the days, but for the years…for eternity.* This is my home now…my Jerusalem.
Yet I will wake tomorrow, still that other, a stranger in this land of song and hwyl
and soft sorrows framed in yr hen iaith hir.
Siarad Cymraeg?
Ydw, I say. Leaning in.
* paraphrased from RS Thomas ‘The Other’, t. 457
Sonnet #5
In response to R.S. Thomas ‘The Lesson': “Return migrant, so your listeners arising on some May morning of the spirit may hear you whistling again softly…”
This God unseen, He hides beneath the robes
of cloud and sky and cracking thunderous nights
Behind the starry skies and sun’s stiff light
and winds that blow toward edge of curve of globe
He ever moving hides and then disrobes
a ghost who moves from in to out of sight
He hides I seek. I hide He seeks each night
and then upon hope’s door I pierce my lobe
I slave my ear to hear, my eye to see,
my mouth to cry in supplicating groans
I go to search, but stay to find my way
in paradox: in slavery I am free
to see, to hear, to cry these baleful moans
which celebrate the loss, the find, each day
- Wild Theology Poetry Shorts #1 – From the RS Thomas Literary Festival
- Wild Theology Podcast: The One Who Names Himself Part 1
- Love Big or Go Home with John W. Morehead
- Wild Theology Podcast – The Tattered Robes of Life: a song, a pre-Easter meditation
- Wild Theology Podcast -The Beginnings of Love Big or Go Home
Halloween for Christians: How to Respond to It
Reposting this article from 5 years ago. Yes, we still need to remind ourselve to stop freaking out, and start redeeming the time. 😉 For more information about rethinking Halloween see my book The Reformation of Halloween available on Amazon
Halloween has become one of the largest, most influential holidays in America, and is gaining ground in other countries as well. It is a day filled with costuming, horror images, candy, and community openness. That combination seems strangely out of synch with sensibility at first glance, but those issues may not be as far apart as we might assume.
If you come from the conservative to fundamentalist spectrum of Evangelical Christianity, you may have been raised with a fear of Halloween. You have heard stories of its supposed Pagan beginnings, and the dark sinister things occurring on Samhain (pronounced Sow-en). The Fundamentalist mind runs rampant with human and kitten sacrifices on October 31st. Churches hold Harvest Fairs, or 24-hour prayer vigils to combat the dark intentions of the Evil One on this night.
Meanwhile, families are getting dressed up in costumes ranging from bloody zombies to Disney Princesses, and they are traveling the neighborhood knocking door-to-door like vacuum cleaner salesman looking for candy for their children. The neighbors open their doors, cheerily accept a “Trick-or-Treat!” shout, give out candy, and close the doors to declare how cute the kids look. To these neighbors, your concern about keeping your kitty indoor on Halloween, or avoiding a demonic intrusion into your child’s soul seems as distant as Pluto.
Now, I will be so bold as to declare, that I know a bit more about Halloween and its intersection with Christianity than just about anybody reading this blog post. You see, I am a Christian Pastor. But not only that, I am a Christian Pastor who lives and pastors in Salem, Massachusetts, and in our little city, Halloween is a one-month-long experience. But, not only that, I have been running an outreach on the streets of Salem for nearly an entire month each year during our month-long Halloween season. And not only that, our city has real live practicing Witches, and I know many of them well. So, here goes my take on Halloween. I will not give you the supposed history of the event. You can find that elsewhere on the internet, and some of it is sensationalist (stay away from that stuff – it’s just dumb and wrong), and some of it is honest enough to say that we do not really know the origins or activities on this night back in early Pagan history.
Here are some suggestions I have for you:
1) Don’t get freaked out by the gory aspects of Halloween. Yes, some people go overboard, but then again so did Grimm’s Fairy Tales, and so did some of the descriptions of war, sickness, depravity and suicide in the Bible. There is a strong connection between death and apocalyptic scenarios in literature and film, and these connections carry spiritual meaning. From stories of zombies to vampires to monsters to antichrists we find interesting correlations to finding safety in God during apocalyptic crisis in literature and film, and social commentary is ripe in story lines like The Walking Dead.
2) Take advantage of the community openness. What other day of the year will people happily open their doors to a knock from a strangely dressed stranger saying funny things to them? In fact, they will be so happy to see you, they will give you a gift of candy. How often does that happen? You couldn’t get that to happen on Christmas Day while everyone is excitedly opening packages under the decorated piney tree.
3) Don’t get all caught up in the supposed dark intentions of the night. How many Witches do you actually know? My guess is that most people reading this will answer “none.” I know hundreds – literally hundreds. That is because I live in Salem Massachusetts, and have friends from the Neo-Pagan Witchcraft community from around the world. I have yet to encounter any dead kitty cats, or sacrificed babies. I have found very few examples of curses upon churches or individual Christians. I am not saying that there are not any examples of curses by Witches, but the Witches I know are generally kind people who want the world to be a better, more peaceful place. For this reason, I do not have to hide on Halloween to pray the darkness away.
4) Join someone doing something both fun and redemptive, if you can. Because I am in Salem, and 500,000 to a million people will visit our city in October, we will provide live music on the streets, give away free hot cocoa, free hugs, and will set up booths to offer a variety of spiritual counseling. This is our way of connecting to a searching world during a searching season.
I believe that Halloween is the most open and community oriented holiday in our culture. It is filled with wild creativity, and offers Christianity the best moment in the year to shine with its own creativity, love and giving. Don’t let that moment pass you by, because you are afraid of some bogey man of urban myth in fundamentalist garb.
Wild Theology Podcast #55 – Jim Hogue talks about why he is NOT a Trump Supporter
In this podcast, I visit the intersection of Evangelical Christians and politics. Jim Hogue talks about how his spirituality influences his vote, and why he feels unable to vote for Trump.
Monthly Update from Mom’s in Long Beach
I am still in Long Beach, California taking care of mom. I have been here since November, and will be here through May (at least – perhaps longer). Mom still needs lots of care, and that is not likely to change. Meanwhile, Charlie – her begging little Miniature Doberman is a senior citizen as well, and his health is not the best. So, I am taking care of two little old persons.
Charlie would eat himself to death, if we were to allow it. He begs for food all day long. When I am in the kitchen, he dances around my feet, making it difficult to cook and not step on him.
Meanwhile, I am beginning to get back to a somewhat regular rhythm of writing, podcasting and playing music. I have been reunited with my acoustic guitars, as well as now having a beautiful (and beautiful sounding) graphite travel-sized guitar which I shall be able to use during backpacking, train and bus travel, and working in festivals in the UK. This graphite Cargo guitar was given to me by a friend, and I can not be more thankful for the generosity. It solves the problem I’ve had over the last few years needing a guitar I could travel with that was impervious to the extreme elements I am often found in.
I have completed a couple podcasts recently. The first podcast is with Edmundo Santiago, and follows his ideas on politics and the Christian life. His thoughts fall between, or perhaps more accurately – outside the parameters of our polarized two-party system. The second podcast is my first video-podcast, and it is a discussion with my good friend Jim Hogue on developments in the Burning Man Gathering, and how that relates to the struggle Christianity has with the incursion of consumerist culture upon the church.
I am looking at talking to Trump supporting Christians, and Christians who are planning on voting Democrat in the next election, in my future podcasts. I am looking for people who can talk about difficult issues in a friendly manner. This is meant to be part of series that breaks down the polarization between extreme positions. Does this describe you? Contact me, if so.
Wild Theology Podcast #54 – Burning Man Developments with Jim Hogue
To Long Beach, California, and a Season of Caring for Mom
Hey Gang, It has been a crazy time, and after a different kind of October with some fruitful outreach in Salem, I am now in Long Beach, California.
I am staying with my mom, and for a season, I am becoming her full-time caretaker. She has come to the point that she cannot take care of herself on most days, and consequently, she needs some regular care. My brother and sister have done their best to try and hold it together, but are unable to devote full time to it, so they have done it on evenings after work and weekends.
She had a season of falling with some regularity, but somehow has been able to do so without hurting herself. On the flip side of that, she also could not get up afterwards, and the place she lives is a retirement community, but it is not licensed for elder care. So, if she falls they have to call 911, even if she is not hurt. She had fallen enough over the course of a couple months to make it questionable whether she can stay there on her own. So, enter stage left – me. I will be taking care of her full-time for a season. I have had to register with the state of California as her In Home Social Services Caretaker. This morning, I went to an orientation as the last official part of this preparation. Now, this is a good thing that I am able to do this at this time, but there is no question that it will be a difficult season. I’ve had two days off in the last month-and-a-half, and caring for mom is a pretty much a 24/7 on-call type of job right now.
It looks like I will be here until early May at the least. At that time, I need to travel to Austin for the MultiFaith Matters gathering, where I hope to see some of you. At this point, my schedule after that is still up in the air, so in a very real way, my commitment here is an indefinite affair.
Help with dressing, bathing, cooking, cleaning, and other assorted duties are all a part of this season. One day, mom can seem limitedly independent, and the next day requires that all the basic care items are in need of help: dressing, toileting…. My life is filled with cleaning, walking her little Miniature Dobie – Charlie, cooking, bathing mom, administering meds, and being there enough hours to make sure she does not get herself into trouble. I am also staying at her place, which is quite small. Consequently, if she gets up so do I. And yes, she gets up a couple times a night.
Prayer is welcome. It has been an exhausting month-and-a-half as I adjust to the new schedule, which, as it turns out, can only be semi-scheduled, and is full-time in the truest sense.
I am trying to keep my writing and podcasting going, and am hoping to have an occasional free weekend to develop a speaking and outreach schedule. I have posted most of my Wild Theology Podcasts on YouTube and you can follow me there at this link.
I am grateful for the opportunity to be able to be here now, and hope to get to a point where study and writing can continue, and preparation for the next season of outreach can begin. An example of how busy this has been, I’ve wanted to get this email out for at least a month, but by the time I have a few free moments they are either interrupted, or my brain has turned to mush. So, belated Happy Guy Fawkes Day, Thanksgiving, and Merry Christmas to you all!
Wild Theology Podcast with Diana Greenfield
A new episode of the Wild Theology Podcast comes from the George and Pilgrim Pub in Glastonbury, England. This is a discussion with Diana Dingles Greenfield aka The Goth Vicar of Glastonbury. We both have just returned from the 3 Wishes Fairy Festival followed by the Glastonbury Festival, and I am staying with Diana and her husband Sedge in the village of Street next door to Glastonbury.
Link to Podcast: https://www.patreon.com/posts/wild-theology-39-28150190
The Gathering 