Rowan Williams: Lecture given at the Building Bridges Conference, Singapore
This lecture should have been in Kuala Lumpur but that’s another story 😛
“… what this hopeful fantasy conceals is an assumption that talking about truth is always less important than talking about social harmony; and, since social harmony doesn’t seem to have any universal self-evident definition, it is bound to be defined by those who happen to hold power at any given time – which, uncomfortably, implies that power itself is more important than truth. To be concerned about truth is at least to recognise that there are things about humanity and the world that cannot be destroyed by oppression and injustice, that no power can dismantle. The cost of giving up talking of truth is high: it means admitting that power has the last word.”
How to Use a Notebook to Make 2008 the Best Year Ever
Good 15minute idea. I’ll try it tomorrow.
An attempt on a realistic take?
“Simple living, therefore, should not be about asceticism, but about getting rid of (or preferably avoiding) distractions that prevent us from enjoying a modern, luxurious life. It’s about smart consumption, not no consumption. As Albert Einstein said, “Things should be made as simple as possible, but not any simpler.””
Looks like one series I’m likely to follow. I have a similar concern with Scot on this:
” …many today have chosen to prefer “kingdom” over “church” in a way that is not unlike this idea: as I like Jesus instead of the Church, so I like kingdom instead of Church. This concerns me, and it concerns me deeply. It plays off the distinction between kingdom and church in a way that is out of line with what the New Testament says.”
A comment caught my attention:
“I’m really excited about this series, Scot. I used to believe that the Kingdom was something that the church “advanced.” The notion here is that the Kingdom can be seen in the lives of people and institutions submitted to Jesus. The church, then, is that organization that calls people and institutions (and governments) to submit to the Lordship of Christ.
As I “emerged” I began to reject that view. Instead, I liked the idea that the kingdom is a sort of mystical idea that the church points to.
When, about five years ago, I sharted embracing Anabaptism, I slowly began to see the Kingdom and the Church in much closer relations. I’m not at all convinced they are different things–any more than “ekklesia” and “oikos” are separate things. The Kingdom of God is a relational reality. The Church is the Kingdom. In the church, the world can not only encounter God’s people, but the presence of God himself. We are the Temple of the Spirit and the Body of Christ. I’m not sure that there is any sense of “Kingdom” apart from the reality of the Church.
Comment by Mark Van Steenwyk — January 7, 2008 @ 1:25 am”
The Delightful Terror of Reforming Theology
Looking forward for some disturbing and comforting good theological conversations when LeRon comes to Kuala Lumpur.