Kyle Potter just used the term, "world-view," something he vowed never to ever say.

In a recent conversation with Mr. Potter he was describing the differences in perception by Lexington's Episcopalians and more traditional (c)atholics when ideas of social justice were brought to the table. Episcopalians, in that location, tend to speak about sexual diversity and the need to put this above other pursuits the church may take interest in. The orthodox believers in the area, however, usually think of things such as local poverty, spiritual formation, minority rights, etc. Sexuality is not in "the top ten" on their list of things-to-do.

When discussing how these two groups believe and live their ideologies, I said that I tend to think of sweatshop labor, free trade, poverty, homelessness, etc. and then Kyle said, "Well, that's an entirely different world-view."

I caught him saying it.

That's all.

If I were to be moving, say in December '07/January '08, where should I move to and why?

I have a few thoughts, if I were to move, and I have reasons for all of them:

Boise, ID: I could stay in my home state and be payed slightly more for the work I already do if not find a better job. Moving expenses would be cheap and I could find a place very easily. This is probably the safest of all my options but it's also not too much of a move. It's just a larger version of the city I'm already in.

Portland, OR: I have a group of friends in Portland that would be fun to hang out with and it wouldn't be that hard to get some roomies (I might even get to keep my current roomie, Brian) I love the city and the culture but I don't know what I would do for school. I could get there for little money and if there were to ever be some sort of emergency back home, I would be able to fly round trip for 100 bucks.

Louisville, KY: I love this city and the people in it. It's a beautiful place with its own unique culture and attitude. I have many friends here and finding a place to stay wouldn't be hard at all. I would more than likely live with my good friend, David. The only downside is how much it would cost to move there.

Lexington, KY: I have only been here once, for a liturgical prayer seminar with Vine & Branches Christian Community. I stayed with my Anglican friend, Kyle (infamous for his e-yapping) and his roomie, Jesse Pack. I don't know where I would live but I think that this would be a good place. It seemed like a nice city and it's only a short driving distance from the school I want to go to. Moving expense would be about the same as for Louisville. Expensive.

Well, those are the 4 main places I'm considering. Also, for much lesser reasons, I'm thinking about Durham, NC and Philadelphia, PA. But I don't know what I would do for a job or anything. I just try to make a common life alongside of people who I have never met and try to survive that way.

It seems that I have been feeling the need to buy some books for sometime. I have enough saved up to where I can fund this disorder without being in a financial pickle. I decided that I needed a few reference texts (systematic theology) and was really not feeling like buying any Grudem or Swindoll & Zuck. So, in the spirit of my last posts title, I bought myself Thomas Oden's complete systematic theology series as well as Ancient and Postmodern Christianity - Paleo-Orthodoxy in the 21st Century, The Rebirth of Orthodoxy: Signs of New Life in Christianity, and Theology for the Community of God (by Grenz. Not Oden.)

Last week I ordered more Merton, Hauerwas, Wright, Allison, and Peterson.

I need help.

Hmmm...

So, I've gotten a bit further into the book Kyle recommended that I read, "Cruelty of Heresy," and I'm finding it fascinating. It certainly seems to me that the Orthodox teachings of the Christian Church are not little bits of history we can ignore. I am convinced that Orthodoxy is a good thing and heresy is a bad. It really doesn't seem that difficult to understand.

Wrong belief leads to wrong action. Wrong action leads to wrong institutions. And wrong institutions just aren't very pretty.

I see myself attracted, at some level, to the results certain heresies promise but I know they can't deliver. Allison highlights two major types of heresy, Adoptionism and Docetism. He says that nearly all other heresies fit in one of these two categories.

I think that at times some of my thoughts on Theology and Christology nearly fit in the Adoptionist model. Now, I am learning that this is a bad thing. I am, again, not certain of what exactly I think on this. I was fairly certain I had a good idea till I found out that someone already came up with it. His name was Theodotus. And he was declared a heretic.

Crap.

I guess I'm back to square one all over again.

Just when you feel you know a thing or two about Theology...

I am sorry that posts here have been few and far between. I don't get much reader feedback these days so it's a bit hard telling whether or not a post is read by anyone at all. I will be sure to put up some of my thoughts on "The Cruelty of Heresy" when I get a bit further through the book.

My days are now filled with times amongst my friends. I am extremely grateful to all of them for who they are and what they are doing for me but I am still constantly in a place of sadness. Some points it is more obvious than others but I feel that sometimes I bring somewhat of a "dark cloud" with me into the room. I am hurting more than I would like to admit and when I sleep, I have dreams. And I wake up upset and angry at myself. Within an hour or two I can usually correct most of it but I am nonetheless, throughout the day, constantly visited by these ghost of my imagination. I don't know what to do with myself.

I am not trying to gain sympathy but rather, for any of you who may be frequent readers, give an explanation as to why my posts look the way they do.

I am looking for beauty. I am looking for truth. I am looking for forgiveness.

I don't want to repost the whole text on my blog. Please click the link below to read something I wanted my friends to know but am having a bit of trouble typing twice.

Click here for my myspace blog.

Archbishop Rowan Williams will, in fact, be meeting with the leaders of the Episcopal Church in the US this September to discuss issues that are dividing the Communion and looking to grasp a better understanding of what the US church is trying to get across. There have been opinions that Williams would not be attending the meeting in New Orleans but he has come out saying, "never been any suggestion" that he would not be there.

He still maintains that these issues cannot be overlook but also that they are not the focal point of our faith. According to the Christian Century, Williams is, "strongly and consistently opposed to anything which suggests that gay and lesbian Christians are less than human, less than fully baptized, good-faith members of the church."

We are in desperate need of a "third-way" but that seems to not be coming about anytime soon. These things need to be sorted out with the question Williams proposed to the Canadian church,
"What is for the health of the body of Christ, both locally and globally?" This seems to be in line with his Anglo-Catholic theology that the Communion ought to be listening to and living in rather than vilifying tactics employed by both the "developed" liberal West as well as the poor traditionalist Global South.

When speaking to the Canadian Anglican Journal, William said, It is not, "just about nice people who want to include gay and lesbian Christians and nasty people who don't. It is a question on which there is real principled disagreement. What are the forms of behavior the church has the freedom to bless, and be faithful to Scripture, tradition and reason? That is the question that is tearing us apart at the moment because there are real differences of conviction."

Hopefully, true progress will result from this meeting. We are in the need to submit to our Catholic faith (that is, not endorse things which threaten the unity of our Communion) yet also maintain our rights as a church in a federation of churches that are theologically, culturally, and sociologically diverse. I pray that our Bishops will be given wisdom in handling the situation and that this issue may find a resolution, however long and hard it may be.

Amen.

I am interviewing Mr. Mike Morrell, President of the National Pacifist Rifle Association. Mr. Morrell, amongst other things, is also the webmaster of "ZoeCarnate.Com", the earth's mightiest Christian alternative site (whatever that means) I have asked Mr. Morrell if he would be willing to do an interview on a subject of increasing controversy here on "MikeNoakes.Com", that is, gun ownership and pacifism. Graciously, he has agreed to the interview on one simple condition: I do not publish his residential address. And I will not. So, let us begin out interview for mutual education and edification.

Me: Thank you for joining us, Mike. Now, is it true that you find it consistent to be both a pacifist, that is, a practitioner of the Jesus way, as well as own an air rifle?

Mike: Absolutely! Jesus and air rifles go together like peanut butter and pork bellies...as my mother used to say.

Me: Interesting… so what you're saying is that there really is nothing inconsistent in owning a firearm as long as you are not harming a human being, correct?

Mike: I actually fire my air rifle immediately before beginning my daily session of centering prayer...immediately after my selection of lectio divina. Psalm 137 has been providing much fodder lately, for a very rich time with the Lord.

Me: What about those who maintain that gun ownership is a sign of a violent culture that gives little care to the dignity of human life, friend or foe?

Mike: Friends and foes are but two sides of the same coin; we have friend and foe within as well as without. Safe firearm practices allow us to "Kill 'em all, and let God sort 'em out." Metaphorically, of course.

Me: There is still the argument that "weapons" of any sort are not to be held by those who claim the peaceable way of Jesus. How do we, as gun owners, show that we are both committed to our way of peace as well as committed to safe firearm practices?

Mike: Are you saying that you don't believe in spiritual warfare? Look, I learned to use an air rifle during a "Silencing the enemy" bootcamp back in '99. It was a large charismatic church, interpreting Sun-Tzu's The Art of War according to 2 Corinthians 10:4. We were brandishing our weapons all over the sanctuary! Every Christian should try it.

Me: Well, that certainly is a great idea. Now, if only it were more prevalent in the Christian community. Do you think that if this were actually practiced, organizations such as the NRA would dis-band and join your group?

Mike: Listen, you know how Larry Norman asked Why does the Devil get all the good music? What I want to ask is, Why does the Devil have all the good firearms? It's because the children of God--the King's Kids--have not claimed their weapons in Jesus' name. The only reason the NRA and those other secular organizations even exist is because the Church hasn't showed 'em how to do it under the anointing. Let me put it to you this way: When guns are baptized, only Christians will have guns!

Me: Fantastic. Well, it certainly has been on honor to conduct this interview, good sir. Thank you very much.

Mike: You're quite welcome. Now if you'll excuse me, I must get going. I have a 2:00 lecture with the Lutheran Sisterhood Gun Club.

Labels: non-violence, pacifism, silly