On God's Side: September 26, 2013

In the first part of chapter 3, Wallis provides an exposition of the Beatitudes as found in Matthew. Do you find his exposition helpful, thought-provoking, stimulating? Did any of the Beatitudes strike you in a new way as a result of Wallis's exposition? In the second part of the chapter, Wallis describes his own transition from an "atonement-only" theology to a one emphasizing both personal conversion and the coming of God's reign. What struck you about his journey? What parallels do you see between his faith journey and your own?

On God's Side: September 18, 2013

In Chapter 2, Wallis criticizes conservative churches for preaching only individual salvation in heaven and liberal churches for neglecting the Risen Jesus and seeing Jesus only as an inspiring teacher. Do these distinctions ring true to you? Where in these camps would place your parish? The Episcopal Church? Do you find Wallis's use of the figure of Aslan convincing in explaining his understanding of Jesus?

On God's Side: Sept. 11, 2013

The first chapter of On God's Side is an introductory chapter, in which Wallis lays out the issues and questions that he will engage in the rest of the book. In the second half of the chapter, I was particularly struck by his reminder that, "The common good comprises the best of both ideas -- we need to be personally responsible and socially just." Is this another way of saying that the true spiritual life involves both love of God and love of neighbor? I was also struck by his hopeful observation that younger Christians and other believers or seekers "really want to change their societies, and their question is how.... How can faith communities play a key and even catalytic role in creating and sustaining the kind of movements that changed things in the past?" What particularly struck you? Which of the questions Wallis poses resonates for you? What are waiting for him to address in the rest of the book? Feel free to use the comment function of the blog to weigh in. Blessings on all readers!

On God's Side: Sept. 5, 2013

Sept. 5, 2013: Based on pp. 1-14 (halfway through first chapter). On p. 11 Wallis writes, "Power is both the means and the end of politics in Washington, DC, but God's politics is most concerned with the powerless -- the least of those among us, whose interests are the most absent in election years and yet are the very ones Jesus would always have us 'voting' for." What does this statement mean to you in the current political climate? Who are those "powerless" people for us, and how do we "vote" for them?