In case anyone stumbles on this, I'm adding a note to say that the Barbarian reading group has run its course. It could pick up again in the future, but for now it's over. It was a good run and very helpful to discuss these weighty topics.
To all, God bless...
Monday, July 19, 2010
Wednesday, May 26, 2010
Chapter 9 redux...
Some additional discussion questions for chapter 9 of "The Jesus of Suburbia":
1) What negative aspects of the current culture has the church surrendered to? Where have I given in? (p 154)
2) Which of the groups from Jesus's time do I most closely align with, Pharisees, Sadducees, Essenes, or Zealots? (p 155-156)
3) Page 157 says that "redemption occurs when something that previously had no value is made valuable". Ironically, the Evil One specializes in the opposite. He likes to take things of value and make them useless or worse. Can you think of some examples of each?
4) What do you think of Erre's feminist discussion on pages 161-162? Can you think of any other issues that the church has abdicated but about which Jesus cares a great deal?
5) This chapter talks a great deal about where truth is found. Can you think of truths that are God's even though they have become identified with other faiths?
6) Although we covered this briefly on Sunday, I think it deserves greater thought. When is it valid or not to slap the "Christian" label on something? Can anything but a human being be considered Christian? What does it mean for an organization, a book, a song, or anything else to be called Christian?
7) Brainstorm some examples of truths that are found in "non-Christian" sources as the author does on the bottom of page 168. It's a good discipline to always be discerning of messages found in songs, movies, commercials, or wherever, even if they are considered Christian.
8) At the very bottom of page 169, it says that the early church council determined that "the church should not make it difficult for those who do not know God to come to him." Are there any ways that the 21st century western church has pulled back from that stance? How have we made it difficult for people to come to Christ "just as they are"?
9) At the top of 171, Erre claims that the boundaries of God are more expansive than ours. If that's true - and I believe it is - why would we do so?
10) Consider the non-negotiables - the "center", if you will - of your faith. Are your boundaries broader or narrower than God's? Which of your beliefs, if challenged, would rock your faith?
Feel free to add your thoughts to the comments section of this post, below.
1) What negative aspects of the current culture has the church surrendered to? Where have I given in? (p 154)
2) Which of the groups from Jesus's time do I most closely align with, Pharisees, Sadducees, Essenes, or Zealots? (p 155-156)
3) Page 157 says that "redemption occurs when something that previously had no value is made valuable". Ironically, the Evil One specializes in the opposite. He likes to take things of value and make them useless or worse. Can you think of some examples of each?
4) What do you think of Erre's feminist discussion on pages 161-162? Can you think of any other issues that the church has abdicated but about which Jesus cares a great deal?
5) This chapter talks a great deal about where truth is found. Can you think of truths that are God's even though they have become identified with other faiths?
6) Although we covered this briefly on Sunday, I think it deserves greater thought. When is it valid or not to slap the "Christian" label on something? Can anything but a human being be considered Christian? What does it mean for an organization, a book, a song, or anything else to be called Christian?
7) Brainstorm some examples of truths that are found in "non-Christian" sources as the author does on the bottom of page 168. It's a good discipline to always be discerning of messages found in songs, movies, commercials, or wherever, even if they are considered Christian.
8) At the very bottom of page 169, it says that the early church council determined that "the church should not make it difficult for those who do not know God to come to him." Are there any ways that the 21st century western church has pulled back from that stance? How have we made it difficult for people to come to Christ "just as they are"?
9) At the top of 171, Erre claims that the boundaries of God are more expansive than ours. If that's true - and I believe it is - why would we do so?
10) Consider the non-negotiables - the "center", if you will - of your faith. Are your boundaries broader or narrower than God's? Which of your beliefs, if challenged, would rock your faith?
Feel free to add your thoughts to the comments section of this post, below.
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