I picked up Critical Dilemma expecting a predictable culture-war critique of Critical Race Theory and social justice ideology, but found a far more nuanced and serious treatment than expected.
That would certainly explain the lack of urgency about membership decline, as increasingly stringent purity tests are imposed on the members who do remain. If the gospel has been reduced to "we're from the Mainline and we're here to offer land acknowledgements and pronouns," who needs historic Creeds and Confessions anyway?
On a less bitter note, I hope: What could express "equity" more forcefully than the one who is equal to God humbling himself in the form of a man - even unto death on a cross? Why do we keep averting our eyes from what is already complete?
I got mixed up between CRT and CCT. I don’t know what the second one is. I think the real theological question is What is power? And What kind of power are we talking about?
I’m curious because I don’t find a lack of urgency about membership decline. I think it alternates between an obsession with membership decline and endless strategies that may or may not have much to do with the gospel, and a deep depression which is not the same as “lack of urgency.”
It might not be as prevalent in the ELCA, but it is very much in the Disciples. Twenty years ago, there was a big push for planting new churches and now our new church ministry is more interested in protesting. It has even said that new churches are a part of colonization.
Well it’s true that we don’t plant new churches like we should but I’m really out of the loop so I don’t know if people think it’s because of colonization. I’m more of the mind that we are trying too harder to preserve a scarcity of funds and sadly funding new churches gets cut.
Yes, your analysis makes unfortunate sense. The white liberal or woke person must move from virtue signaling to self-hatred to self-destruction. It’s not enough to use your privileges and benefits to help other people or to build positive relationships- one must actively destroy the sources of good things in ones life. Sign me up!
That would certainly explain the lack of urgency about membership decline, as increasingly stringent purity tests are imposed on the members who do remain. If the gospel has been reduced to "we're from the Mainline and we're here to offer land acknowledgements and pronouns," who needs historic Creeds and Confessions anyway?
On a less bitter note, I hope: What could express "equity" more forcefully than the one who is equal to God humbling himself in the form of a man - even unto death on a cross? Why do we keep averting our eyes from what is already complete?
Yes, exactly.
I got mixed up between CRT and CCT. I don’t know what the second one is. I think the real theological question is What is power? And What kind of power are we talking about?
CCT is a term the authors use as an umbrella description
Thanks
I’m curious because I don’t find a lack of urgency about membership decline. I think it alternates between an obsession with membership decline and endless strategies that may or may not have much to do with the gospel, and a deep depression which is not the same as “lack of urgency.”
It might not be as prevalent in the ELCA, but it is very much in the Disciples. Twenty years ago, there was a big push for planting new churches and now our new church ministry is more interested in protesting. It has even said that new churches are a part of colonization.
Well it’s true that we don’t plant new churches like we should but I’m really out of the loop so I don’t know if people think it’s because of colonization. I’m more of the mind that we are trying too harder to preserve a scarcity of funds and sadly funding new churches gets cut.
Yes, your analysis makes unfortunate sense. The white liberal or woke person must move from virtue signaling to self-hatred to self-destruction. It’s not enough to use your privileges and benefits to help other people or to build positive relationships- one must actively destroy the sources of good things in ones life. Sign me up!
?
I sort of wish we could remember the original context of woke in African American history.