Session 7: Peter Rollins - Parables and the Lost Art of Provocation

This talk was awesome.  Pete was really on and the crowd ate it up.  Nothing very new for me, since I’ve heard him talk so many times.  But it was thorougly enjoyable to watch Pete do his thing and to watch the crowd really enjoy it.  I was just really happy for Pete the whole time.  I want his voice to be heard more widely.  I think this could be a major step in that direction.  Here are the notes I took:

Before Pete came out, Zach Lind of Jimmy Eat World came out with Rob.  One good quote from him: “You can become what you’ve been taught to despise, and everything will still be ok.”  He said this in the context of having grown up in a Christian environment that demonized rock music.

Pete comes out on a Segway!  Fantastic!  I can’t believe he didn’t kill himself though.  I seriously thought he was going to go flying off the stage!

“Your job is to resist my attempt to turn you into me.”

“Please disagree with me.  Fight with what I say.”

“Christianity is fundamentally violent.  Look at Mother Theresa, Ghandi, MLK.  They ruptured their systems.”

“Revelation - we think it’s God whispering in our ear.”

“Question is not ‘Is Christianity true?’ Rather, what does Christianity claim when it claims to be true.”

I can’t wait to see how in the world Jeremy Bouma live blogs Pete’s talk!  Impossible task.

Basically Pete is doing the greatest hits show.  Good stuff.  But I’m not taking notes.  Too fun to just watch.

“God is a trauma - an event that happens that doesn’t fit into your current conceptions.”

“God’s name names us.”

“God’s name is a presence, a blessing.”

“With Jesus the mystery is deepened.  The mystery touches us with flesh and blood.”

Pete always speaks like he may never have another chance to speak to anyone else again.

“Sermons should be about bedazzlement, not description.”

“We are the insurrectionaries!”  Oh boy, he is going at it now!

“Parables don’t describe but are performative - they do something.”

“The point is to rupture the person listening.”

Pete ends with great passion - standing ovation!  No other talk has anywhere near this kind of reaction from the audience.  Wow.  Rob comes out stands with him, puts his arm around him while everyone is standing up and applauding.  Pete looks completely overwhelmed by it.  I won’t forget this.  I’m so glad I was here.  So happy for Pete.

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Reflections on Poets, Prophets, & Preachers

  1. Sunday Morning at Mars Hill
  2. Session 1: Rob Bell - The Original Guerilla Theatre
  3. A list of who is blogging at PPP
  4. Session 2 (part 1): Rob Bell - The Story We’re Telling
  5. Session 2 (part 2): Rob Bell - The Story We’re Telling
  6. Session 3: Peter Rollins - Introduction to Transformance Art
  7. Session 4: Shane Hipps - How Technology Shapes the Sermon
  8. Session 5: Rob Bell - The Fig Tree and the Failure of Language
  9. Session 6: Rob Bell - Fumbling Around With Your Radar
  10. Session 7: Peter Rollins - Parables and the Lost Art of Provocation
  11. Concluding Sessions (when I completely abandon my duties)
  12. Poets, Prophets, & Preachers: Twitter Highlights
  13. Poets, Prophets, & Preachers: Final Thoughts