Tuesday, June 30, 2009
Sunday, June 28, 2009
'Holy leisure' in the Helderberg Mountains!
This afternoon once things had settled a bit at home and the chores were done, we'd had a lovely lunch together as a family and everyone was settling down for a rest, I decided to head up into the mountains for a good cycle!
Saturday, June 27, 2009
The beautiful game! Rugby!
Today we had tickets to watch the Springboks playing against the British Lions as Loftus Versfeld. It was an incredible atmosphere! Go to http://www.qik.com/digitaldion for a nice little video to get some of the incredible atmosphere at the stadium! It was a sea of Red! I was so impressed with the Lions supporters - fantastic guys and ladies!
Well, now we are ready to head home. I am so thankful for the many blessings that I have in life!
I am looking forward to having time with my family tomorrow!
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Tuesday, June 23, 2009
A recorded lecture by Professor John de Gruchy on doing theology in South Africa
I am still at the Joint conference for academic societies in theology and religion that is taking place in Stellenbosch. It is such a joy to catch up with old friends. And, it is always a pleasure to have the opportunity to be challenged, inspired, and stretched by the research, passion and insights of others.
Monday, June 22, 2009
Is the secular state to blame for a decline in morals and values (in South Africa)?
This afternoon I had the pleasure of listening to a most challenging lecture by Professor Martin Prozesky, a retired professor of ethics from the University of Kwazulu Natal, at the Joint Conference for Academic Societies in Religion and Theology.
Acceptance, a simple and effective means of building God's Kingdom
Last night I preached at my friend Kevin Needham's Church in Bergvliet. It was wonderful to be with him. I spoke about the ministry of acceptance (called 'Hospitality' in some circles). So, today when I recorded my next program for my radio broadcast on Radio Pulpit (http://www.radiopulpit.co.za just look for 'the ministry and me') I decided to follow the same theme.
Here's a sneak preview. In this episode we explore the notion of overcoming our struggles with people who are different form ourselves (whether that is a loved one, or even a group of people). I have found this to be such a powerful insight on establishing God's Kingdom in a simple and effective way.
Sunday, June 21, 2009
Back to the Academy! This week's Joint Conference of societies in the fields of religion and theology in Stellenbosch
I am a member of three academic societies in South Africa. First there is the TSSA, the Theological Society of Southern Africa (mainly aimed at Systematic Theologians, Philosophers of religion and ethicists). Then, I am a member of SASRF (the South African Science and Religion Forum), and lastly I belong to and contribute to the Church History Society. In the past I have also belonged to the New Testament Society. But I have not made any academic contributions to that society in the past year.
This week I'll be attending, and presenting a paper, at the Joint Conference of Academic Societies in the fields of Religion and Theology in Stellenbosch! I am so looking forward to having the chance to hear of the research of friends and scholars in the academy, to cross pollinate with scholars from other disciplines, and of course to have my own ideas tested and tried by fair brighter and insightful theologians than myself.
Participating academic societies
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Association for the Study of Religion in Southern Africa
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Catholic Theological Society of Southern Africa
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Church History Society
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Church Law Society of South Africa
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Circle for Concerned African Women Theologians
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New Testament Society of South Africa
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Old Testament Society of South Africa
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Society for Practical Theology
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South African Academy of Religion
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South African Missiological Society
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South African Science and Religion Forum
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Southern African Society for Near Eastern Studies
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Theological Society of South Africa.
The title of my paper for the conference is: Red versus green, and what matters most: Deconstructing the conflict between spirit and matter in the contemporary African Christian context.
Here's my abstract: Red (social issues) has taken greater prominence in African Christianity than green (environmental) issues. However, as changes in the global climate, as a result of inadequate care for the earth and the earth?s resources, affect the poorest citizens of the earth there is a need for the development of a responsible theology that maintains a balance between red and green issues. This paper discusses why red issues are more prominent than green issues in African Christianity. It is argued that this is because of the dominance of socio-economic problems that afflict the lives of so many South Africans, a false dualism that has been created between ?red? and ?green? issues that has resulted in a destruction of natural resources in the interest of social justice. Such a reality is foreign to the traditional African notion of harmony between people and the planet. It is argued that there is a need for a return to the notions of botho and ubuntu in African Christian theology to rectify the current theological anomaly. A balanced African Christian theology the only sustainable and responsible approach to spirit and matter in the African (and the global) context.
I'll be posting updates on the conference here (as I have time) and will also post pictures, video and commentary on my Twitter feed (you can follow me on twitter @digitaldion if you're interested). I am looking forward to being in the halls of Stellenbosch University again. I was nominated to the Theological Society there, and of course that was where I spent my first year of my doctoral study leave reading towards my PhD!
I will miss my friend, Dr Wessel Bentley, he is recovering from some serious surgery! But, we'll be together next year!
Sickness, suffering and hope
My son Liam has been very ill again this weekend. It gets quite scary. The fear comes both from the present and the past.
Of course the fact that he was born so premature and has been in hospital so many times, and has come close to dying, leaves a kind of fear in a parent's heart that is difficult to explain. This evening when I preached at my friend Kevin Needham's Church (Bergvliet in Cape Town) he prayed the most beautiful prayer of intercession - in it he mentioned something to the effect of 'God, offer comfort and hope to those who are sick, and courage and hope to those who know that their ilness will lead to their death'. I gave thanks that Liam is beyond that point! He is strong and healthy enough to not have to be rushed to the hospital every time he catches a cold, or gets an infection. It has been about 9 months since he has needed that kind of intervention - so I gave thanks that the 'fear' that I feel when he gets sick is nothing more than an irrational fear based on memory and not reality.
Then there is the fear of the present. We have built up quite a stock of useful medical equipment (stuff to help him breath, medicines of all kinds, and some equipment that helps us to monitor and diagnose his condition). This stuff is useful since it helps us to discover the truth of his condition fairly quickly, but, it can also be scary. Liam has been bordering on an infection for the last week or so (thankfully he was healthy while I was in Hong Kong and while Megie was in Korea). So yesterday when he suddenly got sick we were prepared. He woke from an afternoon nap and sad that he was very cold. When we checked his temperature he was sitting at 41.8 degrees C... such a high temperature always comes with some convulsions and that 'the shakes'. It breaks my heart to see him so sick - many parents will know the suffering of holding a very sick child. It can be quite overwhelming. But we quickly treated the fever and then got the family together to pray with him. He likes it when we pray! Tonight when I was out at Church he was telling Megie and Courts that daddy is praying to Jesus. Good lad!
Today Liam is doing better. His fever is up and down, but the doctor has told us how to treat him and we can see the light at the end of the tunnel. He normally bounces back quite quickly (within a few days). I am also so thankful that Megan has relative flexibility in her work schedule so that she can take care of him when he is so sick.
I would apprecaite your prayers - both prayers for his recovery, and prayers of thanks for his growth and general health!
I remember how small he was, and when I see him now I cannot help but give thanks for the miracle!
Very special indeed! We have the blessing of experience to informs our hope!
I remembered my father, Donald Ian Forster
Today is father's day. I took some time early this morning to remember my late dad. This is the second father's day since his death on the 31st of December 2009. This morning I thought a bit about how it feels to live without a father. I do miss having the security of knowing that there is someone that you can turn to for advice, understanding and a helping hand. Of course it was sad to see my dad struggle after his strokes. It was particularly sad to see him so frustrated with his arm and leg that were paralyzed as a result of the injury to his brain. I remember a time when he was a bodybuilder, strong and healthy! He was probably a year or two older than I am now.
Time sure passes quickly.
Well, I thank God that I have a wonderful 'father in law', Brian. I love Megan's dad like my own father. He is such a good friend, a wise counselor and a source of constant inspiration. I have many other 'father figures' in my life as well - I'm truly fortunate. I see my friend Graham Power as a father. He teaches me things about myself and the world that cannot be found in books... Well not with the kind of practical knowledge that I get from him.
This week I'll be meeting another one of my 'father figures' - Prof Neville Richardson. He became such a close friend and mentor in the three years we overlapped at John Wesley College while I served as Dean at John Wesley College. Neville is also a mentor. He is one of the most gentle men I know. He is humble in spite of his great learning and depth of knowledge. He is kind, affirming and patient. I saw him suffer a great deal while he was ill, and I was thankful to love him and know his fatherly love.
So, as I prayed this morning I thanked God for all of these wonderful men, and for the imprint that each of them has left on me, and on the world around them (long before I was born!) I asked God to help me to grow to be the kind of man that would look out for the interests of others above my own (Phil 2:5) since this is a quality that each of these men has in common - certainly in relation to me. I also asked God to help me to be a good father to my children, Courtney and Liam.
So, I thank God for fathers today. If your dad is alive, appreciate him!
Saturday, June 20, 2009
A video of our family mountain bike ride in Jonkershoek Stellenbosch
A video of our family mountain bike ride in Jonkershoek Stellenbosch
Originally uploaded by digitaldion
We live in the most incredible place! We drove 20 minutes from our home in Somerset West to go for a family ride with Malan and his family from Maverick cycles. It was a perfect day! Jonkershoek has some incredible track - although we we stuck to the jeep tracks. In this video you can see my daugther Courtney, my wife Megie is on the extreme right with the rest of the group. I was filming from the back with my son Liam in a baby seat on the back of my bike.
Good times!
Why lie?
Why lie?
Originally uploaded by merlinmann.
Yup, honesty is the best policy! Oh, and so is marketting, and healthy gearing (if you have to use the bank's money to float your business), oh and good equity before interest and tax (EBIT) makes quite a big difference as well...
Ha ha!
There's that business course coming through again...
A family cycle in Jonkershoek, Stellenbosch
Courts had an absolute ball! Megie enjoyed the exercise, and Liam... Well, he just wanted to drink water from my water bottle!
Well, thanks to my wonderful family! And, happy father's day to all the dads that read my blog! May you be loved as lavishly as my family love me!
Tuesday, June 16, 2009
Hong Kong 09: Call2All
It was estimated that more than 400 million people across the world parcipated in GDOP events.
After GDOP we stayed on for a conference with one of our partner organisations, the Call2All. This is a very interesting strategic network of mission organisations - their intention is to ensure that the Gospel of Christ os brought to every region of the earth in contextually relevant ways through strategic partnerships and the use of technology.
The partnership element aims to ensure that mission organisations position themselves strategically across the globe so that their particular emphasis can best be applied in the most necessary region. So, for example, if a particular organisation has a strong emphasis on mission as social transformation they will seek out those areas that need their skills as a priority. In doing so it is hoped that we will avoid having a saturation of mission agencies and missionaries in certain areas and none in others. And, that the Gospel will be brought to bear in a particular context in a manner that is transformative and socially and culturally effective.
The use of technology is a second emphasis - the Call2All movement has enlisted the skills of computer experts, theologians, sociologists and a host of other experts to plot the work of mission agencies and missionaries all over the world. This done using GIS mapping. Then they have also plotted the presence of Christian communities on the map (and places where there is very little effective Christian witness and work). Such a tool is invaluable for strategically planning mission work.
The intention behind the Call2All is the completion of the great commission (Matthew 28:19 forward). Now this is one area that I am still working my way through. I am a little concerned that there are some persons (particularly evangelical groups from North America) that assume when the Gospel has been proclaimed in every language and every region then the work of evangelism is done.... I am not so sure about that.
I have a different view on the purpose and intention of mission and evangelism. My perspective is that mission and evangelism are supposed to bring about the kind of change that makes the values and principles of God's Kingdom a reality across the world - persons are reconciled with God and one another, there is peace and blessing, the community is stable, there is a just and fair political system, there is food, work and adequite health care for all persons etc., In short the presence of God's wholes and peace, the eternal Shalom, is a reality.
Mission that doesn't transform individuals and society in accordance with the will of God is not truly 'effective' in my view. Steve Hayes, what is your perspective? Wessel, what do you think? Pete, I'd love to hear your ideas on social justice!
Thankfully it is only a small portion of the group that has the 'completion by proclaiming' mindset. And, thankfully we (GDOP and our team) have direct input into the theology and structure of the network. I do believe that it will make some significant strides for God's Kingdom! Do take a look at the Call2All website http://www.call2all.org - by the way also check out how quick some Muslim person have been... They got the domain call2all.com and set it up as an Islamic information site (even the style, fonts and graphics are similar). I had quite a laugh when I saw it!
So, the picture in this post is of the HUGE world map that they used at the Call2All conference in Hong Kong. It was used to give some perspective on the world (population density, presence of the Church, presence of missionaries and mission organisations, and where persons need to be sent or go for the sake of the Gospel of Christ reaching people and bringing healing and transformation). To give an idea of the size of the map (about the size of a football field) you can see some of the thousands of Chinese delegates in the background.
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Hong Kong 09: A television interview
Next year we'll be hosting the GDOP from Cape Town where it all began 10 years ago. See http://www.gdop2010.com for more details.
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Hong Kong 09: The Apex Church
We joined a number of local Christians to pray for the city. An experience of a lifetime, that's for sure!
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Saturday, June 13, 2009
The importance of the Christian calendar: the significance of All Saints day
I spend a great deal of my time engaging with people of very diverse theological and faith perspectives. From the most social justice oriented (activists for justice and social transformation) to some of the most mystical and spiritual (these include monks such as the Benedictine brothers and sisters, and the 24/7 prayer houses and 'boiler rooms' that are springing up across the world). Then there are the wonderful sisters and brothers whose approach to the scriptures and doctrine of the Christian faith are as varied as their spiritual practices - orthodox Christians in Africa, Europe and Asia, Catholics, Pentecostals, Evangelicals and members of the so called 'mainline' denominations.
Flannery O'Conner said, "What people don?t realize is how much religion costs. They think faith is a big electric blanket, when of course it is a cross."
The first Sunday after Pentecost is dedicated to the commemoration of all the saints. The writer to the Hebrews lists all that the saints have gone through and the blood they shed and then says, "Therefore, since we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses, let us also lay aside every weight, and sin which clings so closely, and let us run with perseverance the race that is set before us." Our commemoration of All Saints teaches us at least two things:
1. We are called to be saints. Saintliness is not an abnormal or exceptional state: it is, on the contrary, the normal flowering of every Christian life. This call to holiness is address to each of us. Saint Paul addressed his letters to the faithful in Rome, Corinth, Ephesus, Phillipi and Collosae as saints. Do we have the will to follow Christ when it is costly? That?s why the Flannery O'Conner quote hits me. I want the electric blanket of doing what I want, when I want, with who I want. I read today (Matthew 5:42) "Give to him who begs from you..." I can almost 100% guarantee the Lord is bringing me my homeless today. Will I respond like a man who thinks faith is an electric blanket or like a man who believes that faith is a cross?
2. We don't believe that we are the Church without those who have gone before us. If those who have died are non-existent (as many describe death) than how is it that Moses and Elijah were speaking with Jesus on the mountain of transformation? Jesus has trampled down death by death and bestowed life to those in the tombs. Those who have died are alive in Christ. We remember the departed and they remember us.
1 Corinthians 1:2 To the Church of God, which is at Corinth, to those sanctified in Christ Jesus, called to be saints together with all those who in every place call on the Name of the Lord Jesus Christ. Why remember all the saints? Because they are us, we are them.
All Saints Sunday readings in the Orthodox Church: Hebrews 11:33-12:2 and St. Matthew 10:32-33, 37-38; 19:27-30
Bureau of communication: Observance of weekend!
In about 15 minutes we'll be leaving to fetch Megie from the airport. She left Korea 20 hours ago (stopping in Hong Kong and Johannesburg)... Then, the weekend begins!
Here's the 'official communication' to that fact... (filled in triplicate of course ;-)
I got this great form and many others from the Bureau of Communication!
Long live corporate oppression by 'the man' (or maybe not!!!)
Saturday, June 06, 2009
Evolution, religion, schizophrenia and the schizotypal personality
This evening after I had put the kids to bed and done the dishes I sat down to scan through my the RSS feeds of my favourite blogs. I came across this very interesting post.
The lecture (which you will need broadband to watch) is quite superb! I don't agree entirely with everything that Dr Sapolsky says about the relationship between cognitive and social evolution, the biological functioning (and pathology) of certain brains and the relationship of these factors to religion. However, it is fascinating to see these concepts tied together in this manner. There is little doubt that persons with schizotypal personalities are more open to religious stimuli (whether they internally created or triggered by external factors). However, that such stimuli are indicators of a form of abnormality or pathology is a matter of some debate!
I find many things that are regarded as fairly normal to be quite absurd - and in many cases quite unhealthy and even indicative of some form of pathology... The general propensity towards transcendent belief is not one of these.
Anyway, here's the lecture. I'd love to hear your feedback.
Stanford's Robert Sapolsky, one of the most interesting anthropologists I've heard lecture, gives us 90 minutes on the evolutionary basis for literal religious belief, "metamagical thinking," schizotypal personality and so on, explaining how evolutionarily, the mild schizophrenic expression we called "schizotypal personality" have enjoyed increased reproductive opportunities.
Sapolsky on Religion (Thanks, Avi!)
Constructing memories...
I am frequently bemused at what I remember from my childhood. There are many things I have forgotten! But, there are a few strange things that I remember because they are so vivid (sometimes because they were very good experiences, at other times because they were bad experiences).
One thing I remember is my late dad teaching me to ride a bicycle. My mom and dad were divorced when I was 2 years old. We would visit my dad on certain holidays - this particular holiday must have been around Christmas and it was in Zimbabwe. I can remember that I got a bicycle for Christmas, one of those really little ones that small children get that you can remove the training wheels from. Since I had already been riding a cousin's bike for a week or two with training wheels my dad decided to teach me how to ride my new bike without training wheels. This was quite a feat! So, he first got on the bike and showed me how to do it. I can remember that he was large on the little bike, and that has he peddled his knees knocked against the handlebars and brakes. It was a good day.
Today Courtney, Liam and I put a swing in the tree in our back yard. I think it is important to build memories with your children. We bought the swing on the way back from dropping Megie at the airport - she is currently on a 20 hour flight to Korea.
The swing itself is quite simple, yet very effective for its purpose. It is simply two pieces of very strong rope (nylon if I am not mistaken), and a car tyre that has been cut so that it makes a seat.
We climbed into the tree, fastened the ropes and started swinging straight away (even though it was very cold and wet in Cape Town today!)
I love my kids, I give thanks to God for them each and every day! I'm sure we'll look back on this photo in years to come and laugh at the silly clothes we wore, but remember that swing with fondness.
By the skin of my teeth! More to follow...
I got back from Hong Kong yesterday (5 June). It was such an amazing trip to be at the international broadcast for the Global Day of Prayer and then to move on to the Call2All conference.
We flew back from Hong Kong at midnight and arrived in South Africa yesterday just before noon. Then it was a quick shower and off to a short meeting (Megie was at work and the kids were at school, so I thought I'd make the most of the spare time).
Today Megie left for Korea where she is attending the arrangements committee meetings for the Lausanne Congress on World evangelisation - we were almost there together, but I am here with the kids and have also got some other meetings here in Cape Town this week. I rejoice that she has the opportunity to travel (I frequently feel guilty that I get to see so much of the world while she keeps the home fires burning).
So, I am feeling a little bit pressed, having returned from just short of two weeks away, with quite a lot on my plate for this week, and missing Megie already! Courts and Liam are a great source of blessing and joy! However, I do pray that I am able to give them as much time and attention as they require this week!So, the long and the short of it is that I will write some news on the Call2All and Global Day of Prayer trip as soon as I have some time - it may well be that I fit some time in tonight once the kids get to bed, but it may only be later in the week.
Family first!
As a little teaser here's a photo I took of Hong Kong from Victoria Peak with my little 'point and shoot' Sony Camera. Isn't it a lovely city?