Open handed. Giving and receiving.
That is the posture of this space. This space exists to give and receive. It was my intent then and is my continued intent now.
You see, in May 2005 I launched my blog—at the time called novus•lumen, latin for “fresh clearness” or “new understanding”—with the desire to explore, open handedly, the newness I was experiencing in every area of my life, but especially my spiritual self.
After emerging into a period of faith-deconstruction, I set out to offer new ideas and receive fresh understanding on a whole range of things: god, church, jesus, culture, the republican party, social responsibility, etc.
For the first time I was giving serious thought to how this world worked, my place in it, and how God and faith (if in any way) fit into this new epoch of terrorism, polarity, consumerism, globalization, diversity, power, despair, greed… And launching this blog was a way for me to digitally ink-out what I was experiencing while living in the tension of an emerging faith and postmodern America.
I re-entered my blog space in June 2007 hoping to do the same again after I was forced to leave. Much happened in the two years since re-launching this blog, especially in the short span of 10 months preceding it’s resurrection
While I thought I was experiencing novus lumen back then, that was nothing compared to what’s been happening over the last several years.
In July 2006 I was kicked out of ministry, subsequently having my identity crumble around me; I lost another job and was reduced to administrative work to humble me for a season; I moved to the hometown I fled 5 years ago; finished a Master of Divinity degree to train to be a pastor, an idea I once labeled as the ‘p-word’ out of fear and derision; finished a Master of Theology in Historical Theology; journeyed into, through, and beyond the Emerging Church movement; and now I’m pastoring and seeking to help my generation and the Church of West Michigan rediscover the historic Christian faith.
As you can see: quite the journey!
Like back then, I continue to experience a new, fresh clearness and understanding in faith, life, and everything in between. And so I continue to use this space to reflect upon, muse about, and chronicle this continued change and emergence.
So open handed I come, before you, God, and the world. I come to give—thoughts, reflections, helpful information, encouragement. And I come to receive, because I know that true clearness and understanding occurs in community, in conversation.
I use this space to create and curate content within the tension of spirituality and culture, politics and theology, existing and emerging forms of church, the Kingdom of God and America, modern and postmodern thought, and the gritty drama that is our collective pilgrim story.
This plot on the digital landscape is my participation in the world as a giver and receiver, and I hope you’ll join me, ready with cupped hands.
Be His,
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