Driving into Berkeley there are signs that say that this city is a nuclear free zone.  What that means I don’t exactly don’t know. So I did what any self respecting person would do when they are looking for information and can’t find it. I wen to wikipedia. It says that a nuclear free zone is somewhere where nuclear weapons/power is banned. I can understand how a city would like to stay nuclear power free, I don’t understand how they can tell the federal government that they don’t want nuclear weapons in it. It seems like it is the perogative of the government to do what they need to do for national security.

For more on this issue you can go to this wiki: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nuclear-free_zone

Having completed my M.Div at another Seminary I find myself not wanting to take classes in Paul or Systematic Theology again. Instead I would like to take classes that are of personal interest to me. So, I registered for: Latino Religious Expression, and a class in Augustine.  Today I have to make sure that that is ok with my advisor and prove that I am exempt.

I know I haven’t used this blog very much this last year and I wanted to make amends for it.  Since I am now living in Berkeley, alone, I have decided to try to keep everyone abreast of what is going on in my life and what adventures I am on.

Yesterday was orientation day.  This is the day where you get a lot of information of which 50% does not apply to you. Meeting new people is also interesting. I find my insecurities are masked by making myself meet new people.  Today is more orientation. I get a new library card and lock in what classes I am going to take.

I saw this post and was reminded that I should be praying for our world leaders.

Gabe T. and I decided that we wanted to read a book together and talk about it. We agreed on “The New Christians” by Tony Jones.  I thought blogging about this book and interacting with it on this blog might help all of you who are wondering what happened to Josh while in Seminary.  For all of you who I went to Seminary with or know where I am coming from, you can just enjoy and dialog..if you want.  It will also give me something focused to blog about.

In this book Tony lists a series of dispatches from what the emerging church is about and is becoming. These dispatches tell of what beliefs/thoughts emerging types are aligning themselves with. The first and second dispatches are found in chapter 1. The first dispatch relates that emerging types care little for denominational differences (including the non-denominational denomination) and instead are appreciated the vast spectrum of Christianity.  I have come to really appreciate this for myself having gone to Seminary where to my left I sat next to a Greek Orthodox and to my right I sat next to a Church of God in Christ (Pentecostal).

The second dispatch relates that emerging folk reject the politics and theologies of left and right because they are both formed by modernity. Instead emerging folk are more interested in the nuances and complexity that is what makes up reality.  Perhaps some more clarification is needed.  Both Liberalism and Fundamentalism comes from the philosophical premise called Foundationalism. Tony defines this as”The theory that at the bottom of all human knowledge is a set of self-inferential or internally justified beliefs; in other words, the foundation is indubitable and requires no external justification.”Fundamentalist made this foundation the Bible.  Catholics finally made the Pope infallible with the First Vatican council around the same time.  Both were reactions to theories of Darwin in the middle and late 19th century.  Liberals made their foundation human experience, which, for those who care, comes from the theologian Friedrich Schleiermacher and his belief that our utter dependence on God was the foundation of faith.  Gary Dorrien names the foundation of Liberal theology reason and experience.

So, emerging types reject foundationalism instead relying on more complex systems in order to form their beliefs. Faith doesn’t just come from experience, the Bible, external or internal authorities, tradition, history, signs, symbols, but on different streams leading to  the author and perfecter of our faith.

Disclaimer: If you find anything that is factually incorrect, please let me know. I am open to criticism.

Tony Jones, The New Christians Dispatches From the Emergent Frontier (San Francisco: Jossey-Bass, 2008).

So I haven’t blogged in a while, as you can see. What has been up with me? Well, I started my CPE with a hospice care. I wasn’t prepared for the my first visitation. I felt like my mind went blank. I had nothing to say. I was just there.

I have been reading like 5 books:

A biography of William James

I, Thou by Martin Buber

Christianity for the Rest of Us by Diana Butler Bass

Who Dies? by Stephen Levine

The New Christians by Tony Jones

I haven’t been reading much theology. I am slowly finding my mind want to be reading more other things. I might try to get some focus soon.

blessings,

Josh

Christian Moueix

Bordeaux Superieur

Vintage 2005

Price: Under $20

Enrique needed to have Jessica, a good friend of ours, proctor an exam for her final classes at Fuller Seminary. We decided to make a night of it. Jessica and Gabe hosted a beautiful dinner of kabobs, green beans and tomatoes, peppers and onions. They also had this decent bottle of wine. Gabe bought the wine at Beverages and More during a “buy one get another for .05.” It was a nice way to end the school quarter.

Bordeaux is a region in France were this wine is made. It is a table wine with a blend of red grapes. This particular one was 70% Merlot and 30% Cabernet Franc.

This particular wine was very light bodied. It was low on tannins and had a great fruity taste. It was also nutty with hints of mocha.  There was hardly any taste of alcohol.  I don’t think that I would ever buy this wine because it wasn’t very balanced. I prefer more full-bodied wines with a mild alcohol aftertaste.

All-in-all it was a good night. I look forward to drinking more wine with them in the future.

Borg’s Jesus is a Jewish mystic not God incarnate. It seemed as though God were something out there that could be accessed through mystical experiences but not a God who comes to us as affirmed by orthodox Christiantity. His perception of history is also questionable in certain parts. I believe he betrays his own assumptions.

I was challenged that following the way of Jesus is more important than who we believe Jesus was and is. If many of my Christian brethren would understand this there would be more dialog and less name calling. All-in-all I would recommend this book.

So, I went to San Diego on Tuesday to visit family, get a haircut, move boxes, and have dinner with some friends. Looking for a job is pregnant with anxiety. As it stands I am looking for a part time job that will accommodate my financial needs and work around an internship that I will be doing with a hospice care provider. I think an unnamed Seattle based coffee provider will give me a job and meet these needs.

I have also been extremely been disappointed with some news about a former congregation and how they are treating some friends of mine. I am not going to say much, but know that it has to do with the congregation “protecting” its theology and authority structure.

Finally, here are some books I plan on reading in the next few months:

Jesus by Marcus Borg

Christianity for the rest of us by Diana Butler Bass

a biography on William James (I forget the author and exact name)

a biography on Martin Luther (Again I don’t have the info in front of me)

I was reading a book called Crazy Talk by Rold A. Jacobson. It is a funny book on theological terms.

Here is the entrance on Inerrancy

“The idea that something other than God is perfect- as only God is. If you’ve ever played cards, you may be familiar with trump-not Donald, but hearts, spades, diamonds, clubs. In Theology the ultimate trump is the idea of inerrancy-the claim that something is without error. Different people try to play the trump by claiming the papal office, the Bible, or the Qur’an etc., is without error. But life ain’t cards. And only God is perfect. Besides, even if, say, the Bible is innerant, imperfect humans are still the ones understanding and applying it to life. Life is a no trump-game.”

To this I say Amen.

Blessings.