Posts Tagged ‘Mark’

Jesus and Conflict in a Proclamation of God’s Reign

Jesus of Nazareth’s public life and ministry were burdened with an absurd amount of conflict because of his incredible commitment to an ideological view of God and God’s place in a life wherein social, political, and religious aspects were inseparably fused. The final climax of this conflict - Jesus’ crucifixion - can be seen in all four canonical Gospels (Matt. 27.35; Mk. 15.24; Lk. 23.33; Jn. 19.18). The multiple layers and deep dynamics characteristic of the conflict leading up to this quadruple Gospel attestation are, however, most vividly displayed in the Gospel of Mark. Read More »

December 14, 2007 | Tags: , , ,

House Church, Lectio Divina, and Markan Sandwiches

Our weekly house church gathering is built around the practice of Lectio Divina. Yes, house churches can take many, many shapes, forms, and identities; many methodologies can be tracked in these intimate and sacred gatherings. House churches are as diverse as the communities from which they spring. This is a good thing! Our gathering centers upon group Lectio Divina, or the spiritual reading/praying of scripture. This particular spiritual practice is an ancient one. It is a spiritual practice dedicated to silence, prayer, scripture, and the individual engagement of God, in a group setting. It offers participants a time wherein they chatter less about God, and instead actually listen for God in extended periods of reading, re-reading, and silence. It is an awesome group experience. Read More »

July 27, 2007 | Tags: , , , ,