The long awaited conference, Friends in Conversation: A Quiet Revolution in Hope started today at Christian Life Gospel Centre, Petaling Jaya. The first session is on the Gospel (9.15am-12 noon).
Brian McLaren started the plenary session by sharing his thoughts about the different versions of the gospel. One version is "You can get saved and go to heaven and to hell with the rest." Another version is about the Kingdom of God coming to earth. He used his circle illustrations. One is of three separate circles; one for self, one for the world and one for church. That he says is one of the ways some people perceive doing church. The next illustration shows one large circle: the world, and two small circles inside the large circle: self and church. Brian has used these illustrations in the chapter on "Why I am Missional" in Generous Orthodoxy.
Brian then went on to explain the kingdom of God, based mainly on the gospel. In this talk, he drew on what he has written in his book, The Secret Message of Jesus. He concludes by illustrating that the way they proclaim Jesus as King is in the same format that the Romans proclaim Augustus Caesar as god.
After his presentation, the conversation partners, Sherman Kuek, Dr. Ng Kam Weng, and Elder Tan Kong Beng were invited to give their responses and views. Alwyn is a good faciliatator who kept the conversation going. Actually with Kam Weng and Kong Beng ( who is in his lecturer mode), he did not have any problem getting the conversation going! The emphasis is on the definition of the gospel and the kingdom of God. Kong Beng made a good point about compassion in sharing the gospel. Sherman raised a few eyebrows with his Eastern Orthodox view about theosis and continuing salvation.
The questions from the floor are good questions too. One person raised the statement that if the church is growing at 30% annually, why should they bother about anything else? This led to some responses about spiritual growth, gospel and more about kingdom of God.
This promises to be a good start for the conference. This posting is mainly about my immediate impressions. I shall post my reflections on this conference later. BTW they are videotaping the sessions who emergent Malaysia shall be selling for RM 20.00. Check their website for more information.
Glad that you gave a summary so quickly. I was hoping to attend but could not find time from work and furbishing a new house.
ReplyDeleteAnd I am quite glad to hear McLaren's view on the gospel being similar to Wright's. Good that the sessions are recorded because this means I could catch them on VCD.
Please keep the summaries coming for those who could not attend. Thanks.
wow ... you are fast! Thanks
ReplyDeleteSHALOM!
yup, you're fast! fantastic! I tried bloggin my thoughts but just couldn't put it down coherently.
ReplyDeleteindeed - given the sharpness of my conv partners, i think i could've just sat with the audience! ;>)
thanks for the sharing yr thoughts on modern, postmodern and asian spiritual formation. i would've liked to explore if discipleship would look differently (or the same) under these three models.
and now, it's time to crash - session 4 tomorrow, :)
Hi Alex,
ReplyDeleteIt was a very nice summary that you have done. Like Alwyn said, you have a knack at putting a clear and concise handle on things!
I had dinner with Mr. Lek of SKS Books yesterday and found him to be a nice and interesting chap! What are the chances of meeting a graduate in philosophy and anthropology? Keep up the good work with the summaries.
Hi Israel,
ReplyDeleteGlad you like the summaries. But do get the DVD, it is worth the watching.
Sivin,
SHALOM
hi alwyn,
ReplyDeleteYou did a good job as a facilitator. It is good to meet you in the flesh.
Blessings
hi ej,
ReplyDeleteIt is also great to meet you in the flesh.
Yes, it's wonderful who you meets. It is so intersting about Lek. He was on duty at SKS bookstore in Singapore when I walked in looking for a book by C.A. Carson. We get to talking and I told him about the conference and here he is. He must be the first Singaporean to hear about the conference.
Blessings
wow .. the videos are cool
ReplyDelete