Poets, Prophets, & Preachers: Final Thoughts
So here’s my final post on Poets, Prophets, & Preachers. Just some reflections.
1. Are Rob Bell and Peter Rollins saying opposing things? I came across an interesting post on Twitter by Tony Jones jokingly(?) wondering if Rob Bell and Peter Rollins’ thoughts would directly contradict each other. Of course they aren’t complete opposites. In fact, they have lots in common. But it’s hard to miss Pete’s call for radical structural change. For example, “We think Sunday morning is the site of resistance, but what if it’s the necessary air vent to keep things going.” And, “We are the insurrectionaries!” Anyways, I wonder how this fits with Mars Hill and Rob’s work. Don’t get me wrong, I love what Rob is doing, but he hasn’t changed the structures quite like Pete has. Just something I’ve been thinking about…please don’t read this as criticism.
2. Down with the sermon! I wasn’t convinced that it’s time to reclaim the sermon. In fact, I am leaning even more in the other direction. Rob’s first talk really had me fired up that he was going to talk about a broader vision for the sermon. But that just didn’t materialize. I’m sorry, but we can’t compare any modern day sermons (even the great sermons Rob does) to Ezekiel cooking over human excrement. A bunch of words strung together does not a prophetic act make. I am interested in going beyond the sermon. I think Rob is too, but I wanted to hear more about it. And Shane just convinced me all the more that the sermon is dying - our times are looking for something else. The spoken word is not dead, but the primacy and centrality of the sermon is on its way out.
3. Sermons as public display. On a similar note, Rob spoke of sermons as public displays in his first talk. He talked about the power of doing something in public. I agree. But I’m not sure the church sermon is a public space anymore. It certainly was when everyone went to church. But that is becoming less and less the case. So I think the question is how does the church and Christianity take on a new kind of public voic? Or perhaps, whether it should at all…
4. Is Rob Bell a human? I’m not sure. He may be a god among us. And if that’s the case, Peter Rollins might be a devil among us. Rob Bell is just plain the best communicator I’ve come across within Christianity. He’s brilliant.
5. The story of Christianity. I really appreciated Rob’s telling of the Christian story from the perspective of Genesis 1 (creation as good), rather than Genesis 3 (the fall). His presentation of this was the best I’ve heard. However, I wonder what the repercussions are within Christianity as this shift occurs. People get very upset with Rob for “neglecting the cross,” etc. While I thoroughly disagree with those critics, I also think they’re on to something. How can we claim Christianity as a universal religion (a message needed by all) when we no longer start from the central problem of the fall, with the cross being the answer to the problem? When this focus changes, so does so much else. Now don’t get me wrong, I’m completely with Rob, but I just think most Evangelicals aren’t seeing the implications for how this shift impacts Christianity.
6. Creativity and life. I am totally inspired to move forward and create. Even though I don’t give sermons, so much of what Rob said inspired me in the work I want to do. In addition, the conversations I had at PPP were invigorating. I want to continue moving forward, creating, acting, and connecting with others who are doing the same.
7. Peter Rollins. So great to see the reaction Pete got at PPP. I hope this pushes him into new places of influence. And I’m seriously glad he didn’t kill himself (or someone else) when he came out on the stage on a Segway.
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Reflections on Poets, Prophets, & Preachers
- Sunday Morning at Mars Hill
- Session 1: Rob Bell - The Original Guerilla Theatre
- A list of who is blogging at PPP
- Session 2 (part 1): Rob Bell - The Story We’re Telling
- Session 2 (part 2): Rob Bell - The Story We’re Telling
- Session 3: Peter Rollins - Introduction to Transformance Art
- Session 4: Shane Hipps - How Technology Shapes the Sermon
- Session 5: Rob Bell - The Fig Tree and the Failure of Language
- Session 6: Rob Bell - Fumbling Around With Your Radar
- Session 7: Peter Rollins - Parables and the Lost Art of Provocation
- Concluding Sessions (when I completely abandon my duties)
- Poets, Prophets, & Preachers: Twitter Highlights
- Poets, Prophets, & Preachers: Final Thoughts
