Friday, January 30, 2009
questions I’m searching for answers too
0. Spiritual formation in our world today
– How do themes of “journey and discovery” fit with the realities of life today?
– How do we foster life processes when church is shaped around a regular gathering? And when people are at such a range of stages and places, from no-faith to set-in-faith?
1. Emerging church and indigenous non-Western voices
– How do groups find enough space to find their own unique voice again?
– Can a culture find their own voice in isolation, or must their be wider conversation to find full identity?
– How to have mutual conversations when the history has been of powerlessness?
– What habits might I bring to the table that might in fact simply continue oppression (and is the very fact I am engaging with the issue actually in fact a continuation of marginalisation)?
– And finally, why, if this is about full-participation, are there only men on this video?
2. Time and focus
– How do I find time to attend to my own passions and life gifts, when there are so many worthy causes to engage with in our world today?
There is actually a repeated thread that runs through these 3 headings and all of these questions. (Praise God for the gift of journalling – that as I write, clarity emerges.) It is that of life gifts – of how to be part of environments (whether church, tribe or individual) in which each identity can most fully nourish their unique charism?
)
Steve,
I think the reason there are only men on the video has to do with Sojourners, as it’s their footage. On the other hand, there are female voices in the Native North American context (Andrea Smith as an example; Jeanine and Jennifer LeBlanc [both Mi’kmaq] as two other examples; along with Michelle Nieviadomy [Cree]). In New Zealand, there is Thelma Chapman (Maori), Hannah Haui (Maori), Jade and Jodie Hohaia (Maori). All female voices that can help to add to the working out/living into the answers of your questions.
I need to hook you up with my family in New Zealand.
I desperately appreciate your honesty, Steve.
Peace.
Dan
Comment by Dan Lowe — January 30, 2009 @ 10:30 am
Paulo Friere says that language is power, especially technical language. Until people master the language they are excluded from the conversation, which can be just another form of oppression and exclusion (and not only for indigenous people).
Comment by kerry — January 30, 2009 @ 4:28 pm