you search for love notes in the corners of my room
hidden in boxes and for rainy days
but i tell you honestly, you will not find them there
i’ve written them under your skin
I’m Not There
This fantastical journey through the biography and biology of Dylan’s soul is like a visual symphony, a poem of ideas, colours and landscapes. The moods are swerving, at times colliding with each other but the music consistently pulls together the threads of a tapestry full of life like no other. Such a feast. Mark said he felt that he needed more Dylan to contextualise it, but I as a Dylan fan, still had to process and reference to see only some of the nuance. Screenings 2 & 3 will be worth it, as well as a revival of some of Dylan’s earlier works, although Time Out Of Mind remains a favourite, if later and less protest-y album.
Rain, Wind, Fire
The long night time conversation in front of the fire with deep eyes and heartfelt real life on the table is holding me steady under the wind.
Saying Goodbye To Theology?
Interesting anonymous comment on the last post in regards to abandoning theology here. Of course not = and yes, my interpretation is possibly a little incendiary. But so it suits me to illustrate the point. Theology is ever-present, inescapable. If I think, if I write, if I consider God in any way – then theology is present.
But there is a breed of theologian that I consider to be dangerous to my generation and the future of youth ministry, not to mention the future of the church. Hierarchal theologians who categorize wisdom, knowledge and qualification in such a manner that the honest conversation of the follower is swayed from left to right by man’s words and not by a truthful measure of the Gospel. Theologians who separate the understanding of truth from the common people are dangerous folk.
Example: confusing the context of language and culture for theologial statements. For your average 18 year old, the manner of clothing they wear and the media they consume on a daily basis is not a concise or well-concluded theological statement. Trying to ascertain it as such and then provoke a changed response as a result.
Example: the derivation of preferred behaviour as contextualised biblical imperative.
Whilst unity is spoken about in Scripture, I have not perceived it in my time to be a foundational issue in regards to understanding or applying the Grace of Christ to an everyday life. Especially when we teach unity as a behaviour in regards to church – a unified church that looks like full participation, never missing worship, never questioning leadership or authority and being governed in a bi-partisan manner. This is sociological instruction or at worst, experimentation when it pervades the priorities of our Christian communities.
Example: constructing societal norms within a cultural subset according to unique rules.
The rules of living explicit in Scripture, and are broadbrush stroke for a reason I believe, which is that the principles of this life are the key and most important aspect of our behavioural adaption. We do this adaption in relationship with other followers and with Christ as center. This fluidity demands wrestle, which expands relevance and accessibility but hinges everything on relationship not rulebooks. An idealistic approach yes, but one that encourages everyday young people to interact with a living God within the pages of Scripture and the Spirit living within individuals and communities. Too often and too easily, we study scriptures and then apply them with our own social constructs. They are of course, designed to make it easier for people to apply them in their own lives but truthfully – can lead to behaviour modification based on pre-constructed societal norms (drinking, alcohol, clothing, music style etc etc ).
Goodbye to theology? Not at all. If anything, a deeper embrace of everyday theology with everyone involved. I continually try to encourage those around me to be engaging in this practice for themselves.