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A nd is this true for the church too? I n this issue we do just that with I n this example the answer is easy; yes, I members of the faculty of Tabor Adelaide. www.taboradelaide.edu.au call Scotland at the time the church was born in Jerusalem my (much shorter) life would have had a totally different shape. But would I have been different? My hopes and fears; my values and character? Volume 3, Issue 2 - May 2012 their way down to the deepest level of who we are - for good or for ill?
Citation preview
Technology
Volume 3, Issue 2 - May 2012
Thinking About...
The teaching faculty of Ministry, Theology, and Culture at Tabor Adelaide are committed to serving the church by thinking about the gospel. We believe that individuals and the church can be transformed by the renewing of our/their minds. Too often college lecturers are characterized as “living in an ivory tower” and “being too theoretical.” This stereotype doesn’t apply at Tabor; we are part of the church, and we want to see it grow in faithfulness to Jesus. This is why we have committed ourselves to producing this themed magazine for free distribution to the churches of South Australia. There are three issues of Thinking About... each year; we trust you find them helpful. We value your feedback and your contributions; please email me at [email protected].
Rev Dr Stephen SpenceDeputy Principal (Academic)
their way down to the deepest level of who we are - for good or for ill?
And is this true for the church too? The church of today is on many
levels unrecognizable from the first Jerusalem church. But is it, beneath the outward changes that time brings, the same in essence and character now as it was then? And if it is not, to what extent is that the result of the technologies that it uses? Has using technologies changed who the church is? Is the change for better or for worse? We need to Think About...Technology.
In this issue we do just that with members of the faculty of Tabor
Adelaide.
Are we shaped by our technology? It is easy to see that what we do
has been massively shaped by changing technologies. Our jobs, the way we amuse ourselves, and how far we travel from the place of our birth have all seen massive shifts in the last 50 years and massive massive shifts in the last 500 years.
If I had been born in the land they now call Scotland at the time the church
was born in Jerusalem my (much shorter) life would have had a totally different shape. But would I have been different? My hopes and fears; my values and character?
In this example the answer is easy; yes, I would have been different because the
coming of the gospel to Scotland changed our culture and so would have changed me. But while we can see how religion and culture change us, the question we
are Thinking About in this issue relates to technology: does technology change who we are in the same way it changes what we do? Are we shaped by the tools we use to shape our world?
Most of us will readily admit to some level of superficial change
in who we are caused by our use of changing technologies. On the negative side we are a bit lazier; we are a bit more self-indulgent. On the positive side we are more informed and more engaged. (Studies suggest that social-media rather than allowing people to isolate themselves from others actually increases their likelihood of engaging in social events.)
But when it comes to changing ourselves, are there any changes
which remain superficial? Do not the cracks that appear first on the surface eventually allow real changes to worm
Thinking About...Technology
www.taboradelaide.edu.au
Did you observe April 29 as Internet Evange-lism Day? Naturally, it had its own web page:
www.internetevangelismday.com. It is worth look-ing at the website and reflecting on how internet and digital/social media provide opportunities for creative and sustainable evangelism. These oppor-tunities will only increase as the number of people with mobile devices increase. For the first time “anonymous intimacy” – the ability to access the web in private – allows enquirers to read evangelis-tic articles and scriptures and ask deep questions in relative privacy.
The Internet is an economical means of procla-mation, and Internet missionaries do not need visas!
If you google “Mobile Ministry Forum” you’ll discover a coalition of ministries working
towards the goal of giving every unreached person a chance to encounter Christ and His kingdom in a compelling, contextualized fashion through their personal mobile device by 2020.
Church leaders have important roles to play in equipping and preparing faith communities
to seize opportunities to be salt and light online. As cultural brokers, church leaders can help those who are hesitant to understand the importance of the need to respond and grapple with the ministry issues.
You can get ideas from Global Media Out-reach, Jesus Central, Top Chretien, and
GodRev.com. You will need to provide training for church members in how to creatively use social media and avoid the use of jargon. Find resources at mobileadvantage.org or kioskevangelism.com.
Does your church have an Internet evange-lism strategy? Has it appointed a specialist
to help people in Internet evangelism? You might be surprised by who volunteers for this role. How many in your church are already blogging? On facebook? On twitter?
Yes, there are limitations and difficulties, but they should not deter us. Many stories exist
of the impact of such participation by believers which should encourage action.
David Turnbull, Senior Lecturer in Intercultural Studies. He is enrolled in the PhD program at Flinders University.
In 2nd semester, David is teaching Christians in a Multicultural World and Evangelism.
Rev Melinda Cousins is a Lecturer in Biblical Studies and will help lead our first study tour to Israel in June.In 2nd semester Melinda is teaching Introduction to the New Testament and Reading the Bible Faithfully.
2Facilitating Internet Evangelism
Check out @TweetTheBible. It tweets one Bible verse a day (they will finish in 2097).
But just like putting a verse of Scripture on a calendar or wall hanging, a tweeted verse runs the risk of being taken out of context, potentially twisting its meaning.
God’s Word wasn’t originally written in bite-sized chunks, even though the 16th century
addition of verse numbers might sometimes give that impression. In my class this year, we had an interesting discussion about how
taking a single verse as a kind of “divine oracle” might be like basing your whole view of someone on one status update. While it’s accurate, it’s also incomplete.
But could insights from our social media experience actually help us read the Bible?
One Jewish rabbi suggests thinking of Old Testament narratives as tweets and facebook status updates that might help us engage with the text afresh.
David: Jst saw d most btiful wmnFriend 1: Serisly man, ur married!
David: Jst lookin…Friend 2: Go 4it man! ur king, w/e u do is cool.
Certainly, Hebrew narratives are known for their brevity, leaving us to discern people’s
motivations and how we should respond. They teach implicitly, and so entering into the story to figure out where God might be speaking can be a useful exercise.
The Bible was written to be heard by a community rather than read by isolated
individuals, and so reading the Bible in community (even a digital one) might help us hear God speak anew. It would depend on whether we’re really willing to listen to one another, or as too often seems to happen in my news feed, simply seeking to get other people to agree with what we already think.
In the end, social media is a tool which could be useful for hearing the Bible. But the Word
of God seeks not just to be heard, or even understood, but to transform us. And that can only happen when we let it come off the page/screen, and into our lives.
The Bible and Social Media
Many Christians are debating the value of web-based social media, such as Facebook,
Twitter, and Google services. Most of the debate is around what these get us to do: eg, do they stop us meeting people face-to-face? But let’s go deeper.
Here is a 3D visualisation of internet usage in September 2009, called the “Experian Map”
(This was shown on the excellent documentary series, the Virtual Revolution). In it, traffic flow between sites is displayed by the width of the “beam” between them, and overall usage is displayed by the size of each “planet”:
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It’s early Church History 101 that, at the perfect time, God sent His Son (Galatians
4:4). But why was the time of the Roman Empire so perfect? Because it had some key technologies that helped the gospel spread, including a common language (Greek), ease of transportation (roads), and urbanisation (cities).
Missionaries could consistently speak in a way people understood, travel to people more easily, and talk to large groups of people simultaneously.
The same is happening now with the internet – as the Experian map shows, it has become urbanised, with virtual “cities” being linked together by easily travelled “roads”, most of which have a common language or increasingly effective translation software.
We can thus look to the Church in that period, examining how they utilised those
technologies in mission, and apply those lessons to ourselves. (This is just one example of how fruitful finding historical resonances could be missiologically.)
Facebook is the second biggest “planet” behind Google. And if we change the metaphor, we
have here “roads” and “cities”.
Matthew Gray is Lecturer in Church History. He is enrolled in the PhD history program at Adelaide University.
In 2nd semester, Matt will teach and Exploring the Christian Faith and Early Church History.
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The Old Lessons of New Technologies
4
The most challenging aspect of thinking about technology is the sheer scope of potential
topics to think about. • Should I explore the enormous benefits
technology has brought to my own field of education, for example?
• Should I think about the vast store of knowledge from all corners of the planet available at the click of a mouse?
• Or the ways in which technology facilitates embracing the myriad of cultural diversities in Christianity worldwide?
• Or the amazing opportunities for evangelism...apologetics...discipling...education...new ways of doing church...being church, or...???
Thinking about what to write brought me to the realisation that, while technology has a
multitude of benefits, there is also a tiny warning bell sounding.
Technology can be an avenue of blessing, but it can also be a hindrance and a potential trap.
Becoming immersed in searching for more information, more knowledge, more friends on Facebook, more Tweets to follow, more
technologies with which to engage...and the tiny warning bell becomes a cacophony. • Does the blessing of instant knowledge
threaten my ability to become immersed in silence waiting to hear the voice of God?
• Does the blessing of instant communication threaten my ability to wait for God’s answers?
• Does the vast array of knowledge available at the click of the mouse threaten my reliance on God for wisdom and knowledge?
I thank God for the blessings technologies have brought to my professional and private life; the
time saved, the ease of communication, the vast array of knowledge at my fingertips. But, I have heard the tiny warning bell.
Father, thank you for the blessing of technology,
but please do not allow it to fill my life and
leave no place for the silence in which to hear
your voice, or make me too impatient to wait
for your answer, or turn me away from reliance
on your wisdom and knowledge. Let me always
hear the warning bell sound loud and [email protected]
Tiny Warning Bells are Ringing
Lesley Houston is the director of Tabor’s TESOL program - Teaching English to Speakers of Other Languages. She is enrolled in a PhD program at Flinders University.
TABOR ADELAIDE 2012 Professional Enrichment Seminars Enrich your Ministry with World-Class ScholarsJune 28 and 29 (Thursday and Friday), 9:30am-3:00pmPreaching Masterclass with Dr John Goldingay
In a workshop setting, John will walk us through the interpretative issues involved in moving from studying the OT as literature to preaching the OT as God’s word to us. Outcome: 4 great new sermons!cost: $100 for 2-days (including lunch)RSVP before June 22 to Samantha, [email protected]
August 4 (Saturday), 9:30am-3:00pmPraying the Psalms with Dr David Baer
Led by an OT Scholar with a particular interest in drawing out the importance of the Psalms, this one-day retreat will give you the opportunity to better ground your worship in the Bible’s Prayer book – the Psalms.cost: $60 (including lunch)RSVP before July 27 to Samantha, [email protected]
John writes:I was brought up on that classical form of expository preaching that works by seeking to explain systematically and explicitly the central message of a text and the way its various parts contribute to this message, addressing people’s minds as clearly and directly as possible. It remains a powerful and effective means of opening up the significance of Scripture. But it’s mainly appropriate for Bible texts that are themselves directly expository (such as the Prophets, the Sermon on the Mount, and the Epistles).I came to realize I needed an approach to preaching that works the way that stories themselves work and didn’t just make the story the jumping-off point for direct teaching. The first time I tried this, I quaked at the knees, feeling I was taking people back to an old-fashioned Sunday School. Yet I don’t remember ever receiving more appreciative comeback from a sermon. I proved to myself that there is a power about stories that reaches adults as profoundly as it reaches children. I subsequently came to realize that the Psalms communicate in a different way again. They teach people about worship and prayer, but they do so not by telling them how to worship and pray, but by showing them what worship and prayer are like. In the sessions at Tabor Adelaide I will be talking about different approaches to preaching different kinds of texts. But of course I come as an Old Testament guy, so I will combine that question with some consideration about preaching on the Old Testament. We’ll look at preaching on...• the Old Testament story• Old Testament Law• Old Testament prophecy• the PsalmsFor each session I will talk for half the time then send you off to think in small groups about a passage you might preach on. I hope you may go home with four sermons!
Masterclass: Preaching from the OT
Rev Dr John Goldingay is the David Allan Hubbard Professor of Old Testament at Fuller Theological Seminary (USA).
Preaching Masterclass with Dr John Goldingay28th and 29th June 2012, 9.30am-3:00pm
Thursday and Friday at Tabor Adelaide (Millswood)Register: [email protected]: $100 for 2 days (including lunch)
John joined Fuller in 1997. Before that he was Principal and a professor of Old Testament and Hebrew at St John’s Theological College in Nottingham, England. He is the author of Old Testament Theology, vols. 1-3 (2003-2009), Walk On (2002), Men Behaving Badly (2000), To the Usual Suspects (1998), After Eating the Apricot (1996), Models for the Interpretation of Scripture (1995), and Models for Scripture (1994), as well as commentaries on Daniel, Isaiah, and Psalms. Most recently, he published Genesis for Everyone (Parts 1 and 2), the first two volumes of the Old Testament for Everyone commentary series (Westminster John Knox, 2010). He holds membership in the Society of Biblical Literature and serves on the editorial board for the Library of Hebrew Bible/Old Testament Studies.
John Goldingay is also an associate pastor at St. Barnabas Episcopal Church, Pasadena.
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Technology might reasonably be described as God’s gift to the human race in helping us to
fulfil his mandate to work in and with his creation. The technological revolution has brought improved health and welfare to many throughout the world. In recent years, it has also opened up spectacularly powerful opportunities for people to communicate their ideas and their knowledge – and their personal lives – to others in a variety of forms.
It is self-evident that these developments represent significant opportunities for those who are
engaged in Christian ministry and evangelism. If Christians are to have a realistic impact upon today’s e-generations, then it is appropriate to discern how the church might respond sympathetically to the opportunities presented particularly by the revolution in electronic communication. So, I am a fan of technology … but not an uncritical one!
Though technology is neutral in itself, how we use it isn’t always beneficial, and can be evil,
most obviously in such activities as the production of chemical warfare agents.
Over twenty years ago, members of the Plymouth Brethren asked that their children
be removed from lessons involving computers, describing technology as “the hand tool of the devil.” Clearly such a view lies at the far end of a spectrum of attitudes regarding the value of technology. At the other end of the spectrum is the view that all we need today is technology to fix all our problems – as a human race and in our personal lives
As Christians we need wisdom to ensure that technology does not replace the human
need for real community and deep, meaningful personal contact with each other. In a comment on technology in church today, Brian McLaren once asked “In what ways is technology subtracting or amputating just at the moment we think it’s adding and empowering? We should always use it with care, remembering that Jesus modelled personal incarnation, not projection and amplification.”
Yes, the opportunities for using technology in ministry are exciting...but perhaps we need to
allow God to redeem technology, so that it remains our servant and not our master in church life and in our ministry to the world. As consumers of technology, we all need to know when and where to draw the line. [email protected]
Technology as God’s Gift to Us
Graeme Clark Research Institute
WANT DETAILS?
contact Graham
(08) 8373 8777
www.taboradelaide.edu.au
Rev Dr Graham Buxton (PhD, Flinders) is the Director of Post-Graduate Studies for the School of Ministry, Theology, and Culture. He is also the Director of the Graeme Clark Research Institute.
The Graeme Clark Research Institute (GCRI) is a new initiative that is being established to conduct, facilitate and promote research and development within Tabor Adelaide in the broad context of Christian service to the community. The mission of the GCRI is to build a community of research scholars working together to foster and engage in activities that stimulate informed understanding and discussion of issues that concern the harmonious relationship between science and faith, and (more broadly) the role of spirituality in family, society, education, culture and politics.
The institute will engage in the following key activities:• Scholarly publication of monographs, peer-reviewed journal articles and occasional
papers.• The provision of short courses, conferences, lectures and talks, appealing to both
Christian and non-Christian audiences.• The provision of up-to-date, accurate data on science, faith and social affairs for the
media and the wider public.• articipation in national and international collaborative research programs.
The GCRI is named after the distinguished Australian scientist and surgeon, Professor Graeme Clark, 2010 recipient of the prestigious Lister Medal and many other national and international honours.
http://www.taboradelaide.edu.au/about/gcri.php
7
My life among the Amish in North America and Switzerland rendered me conscious of
an essential lifestyle element known as Gelassenheit, or submission to God’s will. It is based directly on Jesus’ words, “...not my will but thine be done.” Through abstinence from selfishness and individuality, they embrace God’s word by serving others and submitting to him. Any technology that does not uphold Gelassenheit principles is not permitted.
Mains electric power is a connection with the outside world (the ‘English’!) thus violating
the Amish principle of separation from worldly society. Electricity also promotes household appliance use, such as television and desktop computers, which imports outside (‘English’) values of decadence, sloth, vanity and luxury to infiltrate the household. Medical technology is seen as ‘neutral’ and is therefore acceptable.
In reality, only the strictest Amish practice this to the letter and their stance ought not to be
interpreted as them being ‘dinosaurs’ or Luddites, just very faith focused. More liberal ‘ordnungs’ offer an honourable alternative of refusal, and their lives are actually quite removed from being anti-technological. In fact, my observations and wider reading on the subject reveals them to be ingenious
hackers and tinkerers of technology, the supreme do-it-yourselfers and quite pro-technology.
The Internet was used to help run farm and other production businesses: small scale
by traditional standards but very efficient and involving nation-wide high-demand products. Amish-grown tobacco and conventional farm produce commanded premium prices in the wider community, as did Amish real estate. Perhaps this remains true today.
As far as I am aware, the Amish are slowly but steadily adopting various technologies, but
probably not for personal entertainment – only for operational purposes. The lack of alacrity to keep up with ‘the latest and greatest’ is not a bad thing. It is instructive and allows opportunity for appropriate management of the technologies to occur: something the wider community (’English’) fail to do – the gentle washing from the tides of progress versus the tsunami of modern capitalist living. So who are the smart ones? You may be the judge.
Living Among the Amish
Dr David Wescombe-Down is the Education Postgraduate Studies Coordinator at Tabor Adelaide, an Adjunct Associate Professor at the University of Adelaide, and leads research projects in Aboriginal Education in the NT and Educational Ergonomics.
Recently, in The Advertiser...The Religious Affairs Reporter for The Advertiser,Tom Bowden, reported online (May 06, 2012 11:00PM) on Online virtual prayer room for parishioners. This article was too timely to leave out of this edition of Thinking About...
Chuches are going online to reach the faithful and the curious who may not occupy the pews on Sundays. Uniting Church SA webmaster Josh Curtis said the church's Quiet Place was an online virtual prayer room where people could take time out to focus on their lives."The church was looking for ways ... to reach people who weren't necessarily going to walk into a church on a Sunday but still have some spiritual beliefs," he said. "We wanted to engage people in something they might be familiar with in terms of lighting a candle or posting a prayer and to be able to share that publicly."In the Quiet Place prayer room, a person
can choose a virtual setting to pray in, post a prayer, and have others share that prayer. "It's allowed people who have found church daunting to still engage in that part of their faith," he said. The Uniting Church plans to revamp the program and make it compatible with mobile devices and possibly allow people to Tweet prayers to the Quiet Place through a hash tag.Mr Curtis, who attends City Soul church in the city, said a church's online profile said a lot about the congregation. "The number of people that are members of our church's Facebook group outweigh the number of people who attend our meeting each week," Mr Curtis said. "Checking out a church's social media profile gives you a preview of the interactions that you might have there."Rostrevor Baptist Church worship and community life pastor Dan Beasy uses Facebook and Twitter to encourage
friends and congregation members. "It's a great way to to get out new ideas and new thinkings on the faith and to share the faith in short and clear ways," he said. "It's where the young people, in fact people of all ages, are, and it's a great place to share some insights of mine and also to make links with other pastors or key thinkers."Mr Beasy said a helpful Bible verse, word of encouragement or a challenge from a sermon posted online could help keep Sunday's message fresh throughout the week."As a pastor I think if we're going to be followers of Jesus in the 21st century then we also need to understand our culture and we can learn a lot about culture from what's happening in our young people's lives online," he said.
[Note: Dan Beasy is a recent graduate of Tabor Adelaide.]
Want to simplify? Try reading Almost Amish by Nancy Sleeth (Tyndale, 2012)
8Locating Ministry, Theology, and Culture on Social Media...Tabor Adelaide’s School of Ministry, Theology, and Culture has signed up to social media because it allows us to further two of our key values.
The first is our commitment to provide useful and accessible resources to churches and church leaders. The second is our commitment to being a community of learning in which people get to explore issues together in dialogue.
Social Media, when used well, can help to further these two goals. We know we are new to this and we have had some mis-steps; and, we are still not as consistent in how we use it as we should be. None of us are true digital natives, although we have enough youth and creativity in the faculty to help pioneer a way forward for the rest of us. We have made a start, and we invite you to join us in shaping the future of our expanded, digital, community of learning. Sign up, link up, and get involved. Social Media is about forming community together, so if you have suggestions for improvements or comments on what is happening, contact Samantha, [email protected]
facebook: MTC has its own page, TaborMTC. (Also, check out Tabor Adelaide and Tabor Alumni.)twitter: The MTC faculty contribute to a common twitter account, @TaborMTCblogging: Dr Stephen Spence blogs at revdrsspence.wordpress.com . Matt Gray contributes regularly to the Wondering Fair blog (wonderingfair.com).vimeo: vimeo.com/taboradelaide includes video of public lectures by faculty and invited scholarsThinking About...: online copies of this magazine can be found at issuu.com/taboradelaide
Study Online with Ministry, Theology, and CultureIt is now possible to study fulltime or part-time for accredited degrees in Theology, Ministry, or Intercultural Studies with Tabor Adelaide. To explore whether online study will work for you, contact Samantha, [email protected].
Online is different from on-campus subjects: • schedule lectures to
suit your schedule• accessible from
anywhere in the world
Online is just like on-campus subjects: • fully accredited• eligible for FEE-HELP
Online subjects offer• discussion with other
students via forums• personal access to
lecturers by email, phone, or skype
• online library access
9
How do we live well with technology? Jacques Ellul, the author of The Technological Society,
a classic study written back in the 1950s, warned of “technology’s bluff.” By this he meant that it promises more than it delivers. Yes it delivers much, and who is not grateful for all the technological benefits that we enjoy? But technology also has a way of taking over, diminishing us in the process.
Ellul believed that we do not simply use technology. It is not merely a tool in our hands
but a power seeking its own autonomy, driven by its own internal logic. Karl Barth also spoke of it as one of the “lordless powers” - originally created by God to serve and facilitate human life (Col 1:16) but now in our fallen world is bent on usurping and dominating us. Yes we employ technology to shape our world, but we are also shaped by it. In The Abolition of Man, C.S. Lewis warned that this may be much more than we realize.
We live in a ‘technopoly’– to use Neil Postman’s phrase. Just as Ellul predicted,
every aspect of life has become technological. Behind all our technological products, devices and systems is a way of thinking that has become dominant– la technique is what Ellul called it.
Technological thinking is inherently reductionist. Its internal dynamic is the relentless drive for efficiency and utility. It prioritizes process over purpose, production over persons, possible over principle, convenience over character, information over wisdom, knowledge over discernment, digital connection over personal engagement – in short: means over ends.
The Christian message reverses this logic. It reminds us that
there is more to life than la technique! The central issues of life are issues of the heart - they are relational not technological.
Because Jesus has overcome the powers that be (Col 2:15) - including the power of fallen
technology - we can embrace its benefits gratefully without succumbing to the reductionism inherent in its thinking. Ethicist Paul Lehmann used to say: “God is at work in the world creating human life and keeping it human.” In the light of this, the Christian response is not to say “no” to technology per se, but “yes” to this redeeming, humanizing God at work in the midst of our fallen technological world. We look to him and not to technology for our human flourishing.
Technology and Human Flourishing
David McGregor is Senior Lecturer in Theology. He is enrolled in the PhD Theology program at Newcastle University
In 2nd semester, David will teach Creative Living, The Church, and Twentieth Century Theology.
SEMESTER TW0 2012Study Opportunities at Tabor AdelaideTM1101 Creative Living (with David McGregor) Introductory level; suitable for new and exploring Christians
TM1102 Communication Skills (with Lesley Houston) Introductory level; suitable for all
TM1103 Christians in a Multicultural World (with David Turnbull) Introductory level; suitable for the curious Christian
TM3110 Exploring the Christian Faith (with Matt Gray) Introductory level; suitable for those exploring their calling
TM2111 Reading the Bible Faithfully (with Melinda Cousins) Introductory level; suitable for Bible Study leaders
TM2116 Introduction to the New Testament (with Melinda Cousins) Introductory level; suitable for Bible Study leaders
TM4217 Evangelism (with David Turnbull) Introductory level; suitable for the curious Christian
FEE-HELP may be available if a subject is studied as part of a diploma or degree.
Semester Two at Tabor Adelaide23 July - 16 November
181 Goodwood Road, Millswood
WANT DETAILS?
contact Samantha
(08) 8373 8777
www.taboradelaide.edu.au
As a youth growing up in a Baptist church in Melbourne, the carrying of a large,
black, leather-bound book embossed in gold leaf proclaiming to all “Holy Bible” was taken as a sign of spirituality. It meant that the person carrying it could read along as the Scriptures were being read, or see for themselves the verses that the preacher referred to; whereas the less spiritual could only listen to the Bible as it was read. We took for granted that the private reading of a text is more in accord with the way the Spirit speaks than listening as the text is proclaimed afresh to the community of God’s people.
But this assumption was based upon our blindness to the technology involved in
carrying a book. Almost all of the first hearers of Paul’s letters would have been illiterate.
If we are to hear Paul’s words in the manner he would have expected them to have been heard, we need to close our Bibles and listen to them being read.
(This makes the reading of scripture a key skill in
any worship team; “Blessed is the one who reads aloud the words...”, Rev 1:3) This causes us to give attention in a different way than we are used to. The eye scans a text in a different way than the ear processes information. The reader can look back and look ahead, the hearer has only the now. The reader sees words as shapes, the hearer as sounds and rhythms that make connection with similar sounds heard previously. There have been times when I have worked all week preparing a sermon only to discover something new as I listened to the text being read aloud in the service. D’oh!
And among those who could read, we can be fairly certain that none of them could
afford their own copy. The private ownership of Scripture creates a sense of the private ownership of interpretation of Scripture. Because I own a copy of the book and can read it in private in my own home, I can lose a sense that the text was written to a “we” and not to a “me.” We are to listen and respond to Scripture collectively. I need to be prepared to ask, what did you hear God saying to us?
Rev Dr Stephen Spence (PhD, NT, Fuller) is Deputy Principal (Academic).
In 2nd semester, Stephen will teach TM2231 Luke’s Gospel.
Stephen blogs at revdrsspence.wordpress.com
Blessed are those who hear what is written
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Tabor Adelaide brings to Adelaide a number of internationally respected scholars whose research and writings have greatly contributed to the church. These are rare opportunities to hear from people who are helping the church think through its life and mission.
more details from Bruce at [email protected]
TABOR ADELAIDE 2012 Enrich your Ministry with World-Class ScholarsPostgraduate Studies (MMin, MTh, DMin, ThD)
Dr David Baer, Praying the Psalms (M-F, August 6-10)How should we pray when we have no words? The question flows from human hearts and communities in times of deepest sorrow and in moments of joy which seems to us unspeakable. The biblical anthology of psalms offers to believers - in both solitude and good company - words which we are invited to pray back to the Lord. This subject offers the opportunity to cohabitate thoughtfully and prayerfully with the psalms in the presence of the Living Lord, not primarily as the inventors of new words but as the inheritors of sturdy old ones that remain ever new.Dr Baer (CEO, Overseas Council) is an OT scholar and author of When We All Go Home: Translation and Theology in LXX Isaiah 56-66 (T&T Clark, 2001).
Dr. Mark Worthing, Apologetics and Contemporary Culture (M-F, September 24-28)This intensive will enable students to appreciate the nature and importance of Christian apologetics in the light of historical, biblical, theological and cultural considerations. Areas receiving considered focus will include the contemporary spiritual and multi-faith climate, the science/faith conversation, and the creative arts. Rev Dr Mark Worthing, an ordained Lutheran pastor, has a long-standing interest in science and theology, ethics, apologetics, English literature and creative writing. He holds two doctoral awards, is a prize-winning author and a regular conference and radio presenter on a wide range of topics within the faith-culture dialogue. Dr Worthing is currently a Senior Research Fellow with the Graeme Clark Research Insititute.
11
Social media is reshaping the way we relate to each other and to organisations, so we need to
be thinking about how it intersects with ministry. Here are just a few potentials and pitfalls:
Recent stats reaffirm social media as an increasingly important ‘space’ inhabited by
Australians (59% have used a social network in the past 12 months, while one in four log on several times per day). Such common usage opens the way for faith communities to creatively minister to those within and beyond their network.
Faith communities, just like businesses, need reminding: social media is not a ‘magic bullet’.
Web 2.0 platforms are employed best as tools for relating, not disseminating unchallengeable propaganda. If it becomes more about creating an image than serving community formation, we’ve missed the point. Social media needs to serve the mission and vision of a faith community, not the other way around.
Social media holds tremendous potential for pastoral care. Recently I’ve been following
posts from a friend sharing the difficulties of a family member’s serious illness with his circle of friends. I can’t do much to help his situation, but offering a simple encouraging comment, or even
just a ‘Like’, can show my support and foster connection.
As businesses have found, social media can easily backfire – your church’s page, or
your own, can quickly become an avenue for the venting of multiple spleens, especially if representatives of your church aren’t wise in their posting. Has your church developed a social media policy?
One of my pastoral care students recently identified his online gaming community
as his a key context for witness and care. Who can you affirm and resource in your community whose sphere of mission online is breaking new ground?
Despite the increasing currency of image and video clips in communication, social media
still relies heavily on text. As such, non-verbals and voice inflexion in communication are mostly absent. Text can be cold and easily misunderstood – post with care!
If you haven’t already, think carefully about employing social media in your ministry
context. You might find the site church mag a helpful resource, and in particular, the easy to read series 10 part guide to social media for pastors.
Ministry and Social Media: ?
Bruce Hulme is a lecturer in Practical Theology. He is completing his MTh and has begun training as a spiritual director.
In 2nd semester, Bruce is responsible for the Spiritual Formation Program and the Supervised Field Education Program.
As we navigate the age of social media, it has become necessary to develop some guiding
questions for faithful networking. Among the questions we might ask are the following: • How can Facebook be used for healthy
interaction, but not overused as a substitute for actual (as opposed to virtual) community?
• How can social networking be harnessed for lively interchange that stops short of malicious gossip?
• How can people of faith create an online environment for engaging the central questions of their tradition, as opposed to watching the latest voyeuristic video on YouTube?
With all of these questions, the message of the Bible on taming our tongues is a
useful guide.
The book of Proverbs declares that "A word fitly spoken is like apples of gold in a setting
of silver" (25:11). One can never doubt the power of words to change the world, from the biblical
writers, to the amazing complexity of the rabbinic literature, the theological insights of John Calvin and the prophetic message of more recent figures like Martin Luther King, Jr. In the age of social media, a "word fitly spoken" can have lasting resonance, lifting up friends and strangers, and fostering mutual understanding among people of different backgrounds and beliefs.
As we engage Facebook, Twitter and other avenues for online interaction, the ancient
sages and prophets in the Bible can be a voice in our ears, encouraging us to seek community and tame our tongues, to gather our thoughts before we type, to think even more carefully before we post, and to be thoughtful, constructive participants in a world that has been forever changed.
The full blog (posted 17 May 2012) can be found at http://www.huffingtonpost.com/samuel-l-adams/facebook-netiquette-and-the-bible_b_1510759.html?ref=email_share
This is an extract from a blog “Facebook, Netiquette, and the Bible,” written by Dr Samuel L. Adams who is Associate Professor of Biblical Studies, Union Presbyterian Seminary.
Old Advice for Using New Technology
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Master of DivinityFollowing an accreditation process with the government, Tabor Adelaide has been awarded the right to teach the Master of Divinity (MDiv). This degree in Ministry and Theology is the standard first degree for those heading towards professional church-based ministry and/or postgraduate studies in North America and in many parts of Asia.
It has been available in Brisbane, Sydney, Perth, and Melbourne; now it is available in Adelaide at Tabor.
The MDiv is a graduate-entry degree. To qualify for entry you must already have completed a Bachelor degree at an Australian University (or equivalent) in a non-theological discipline (e.g., BA, BSc, BEd). MDiv students cover similar content to students enrolled in the BMin and BTh programs, but they do so at graduate rather than undergraduate level. This means that their study and assessment is at a deeper and a broader level of enquiry.
Graduates from an MDiv program often seek ordination with their church or continue their studies by entering into a post-graduate Theology of Ministry course (e.g., MMin or MTh).
Students eligible for FEE-HELP can use it to pay for their MDiv study.
Previous editions available:
1.1 Kingdom of God; 1.2 Discernment; 1.3 Lament; 2.1
Giving; 2.2 Vocation; 2.3 the Mind; and 3.1 Play.
Dr Aaron Chalmers (PhD, OT, Flinders University) is Head of the School of Ministry, Theology, and Culture.
In 2nd semester, Aaron will teach Introduction to Biblical Interpretation.
In the world of ancient Israel, horses and chari-ots were a relatively new military technology,
having made their debut in Egypt and the Hittite kingdom during the mid-second millennium BC. Overall, however, the OT displays an ambivalent, if not openly hostile, attitude towards them. Why? Is the OT simply anti-technology? Or is there more at work?
Perhaps the main and best-known reason for this negative perspective is the potential for
idolatry which such technology embodies. All too often, Israel was tempted to place its trust in such force of arms, rather than the Lord himself who had promised to protect and deliver the people (cf. Ps 20: 7 and Isa 31: 1).
Walter Brueggemann, however, has sug-gested another possible reason for the OT’s
antagonistic stance towards such military accouter-ment based on a sociological reading of the text of the OT. He argues that horses and chariots were characteristically connected with Canaanite (and Israelite) inequitable and exploitative royal power
and thus “symbolize and embody oppression. They function only to impose harsh control on some by others…horse and chariot are tools of domination” (“Revelation and Violence: A Study in Contextu-alization,” in A Social Reading of the Old Testament, p. 300, 303).
This recognition of the social dimensions of technology and, in particular, its potential for
use as a tool of oppression raises important consid-erations for how we approach technology.
In addition to considering how such develop-ments might impact our relationship with God (the issue of idolatry), we also need to consider how it could impact our relationship with our neighbor (the issue of oppression), and especially the potential social costs that might be involved.
Of course, the wonderful thing about many recent technological developments (e.g. the internet, lap-tops, smart phones and social media) is that they have the potential to democratize information, thereby helping to liberate rather than oppress people as well as subverting attempts at domina-tion by others.
When “Horses and Chariots” were New
