Term
| 6 Streams of Christianity |
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Definition
-Contemplative Stream
-Holiness Stream
-Charismatic Stream
-Social Justice Stream
-Evangelical Stream
-Incarnational Stream |
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Term
| Contemplative Stream- Historical Paradigm |
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Definition
St. Antony- 3rd/4th century Egypt
-sold all belongings,
-20 yrs. of solitude in desert
-temptations, spiritual warfare, prayer, visions, fasting, self mastery
-later had remarkable teaching, healing ministry |
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Term
| Contemplative Stream- Biblical Paradigm |
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Definition
John the beloved
disciple of Jesus
-mediated on Jesus' life/ministry
-part of Jesus' inner circle
-the disciple whom Jesus loved
-focus on divine love (heart of comtemplative tradition) |
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Term
| Contemplative Stream- Contemporary Paradigm |
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Definition
Frank C. Laubauch- 20th century, American
-missionary in Philippines for 10yrs
-many struggles, time of solitude and renawal
-God spoke to him through his own lips
-life was an experience of prayer |
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Term
| Contemplative Stream- Definition |
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Definition
-prayer filled life
-beautiful of soul (purging and purifying)
-fundamental characteristics
-love
-peace
-delight (joy)
-emptiness (yearning for more)
-fire (God's purifying love)
-wosdom
-transformation |
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Term
| Contemplative Stream- Strengths |
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Definition
-fans the flame of our first love
-beyond an intellectual religion
-stresses centrality of prayer
-emphasizes solitariness of our life with God |
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Term
| Contemplative Stream- Perils |
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Definition
-tendency to separate from ordinary life
-consuming asceticism
- may devalue intellectual efforts to articulate faith
-may neglect importance of community |
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Term
| Contemplative Tradition- Practicing |
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Definition
-experiment with varied venues of solitude
-pray the scripture
-have intentional times of holy leisure (walks, naps etc) |
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Term
| Holiness Stream- Historical Paradigm |
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Definition
Phoebe Palmer, 19th century
-began weekly meetings in her home that transcended denomination/gender differences
-"altar theology"- Christ is the altar on which we sacrifice our all, everything that touches it is holy, we are holy when we place everything on the altar
-founded innercity ministry, missions to China, influenced many leaders of univsersities and religious groups |
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Term
| Holiness Stream- Biblical Paradigm |
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Definition
James (blood brother of Jesus)
-has status of apostle, presided over Jerusalem Council, guided growing church
-"James the Just" spent hours alone in temple praying for others
-letter James focus on formation of moral character, having a heart of virtue
-a divinely transformed heart will produce right action |
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Term
| Holiness Stream- Contemporary Paradigm |
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Definition
Dietrich Bonhoeffer, 20th century
-theologian, student, debater, teacher, activist against Aryan clause and actions of German Christians
-6 ways he modeled Holiness-
-took Jesus seriously
-took call to discipleship seriously
-took spiritual discipline seriously
-took responsible/obedient action seriously
-took purity of church seriously
-took the world seriously |
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Term
| Holiness Stream- Definition |
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Definition
-ability to do what needs to be done (responsibility)
-sustained attention to the heart
-world-affirming
-bodily spirituality
-striving (effort) NOT works
-progress in purity/sanctity
-loving unity with God |
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Term
| Holiness Stream- Strengths |
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Definition
-goal is personal transformation
-wellspring of action coming from purity of heart
-assurance of progress in character transformation
-fosters growth in grace (allowing Spirit to move but also being disciplined) |
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Term
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Definition
-legalism- attention shifts from hearts to externals
-pelagianism- attmepting to attain righteousness by works
-perfectionism- a result of the first two, focus on externals and feeling that I am the one who has attained them leads to temptation to see oneself as perfect |
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Term
| Holiness Stream- Practicing |
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Definition
-train, practice the disciplines
-journey with others (accountability, mentoring, discipling etc)
-get up again when you fall, press on |
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Term
| Charismatic Tradition- Historical Paradigm |
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Definition
St. Francis of Assisi, middle ages, Italy
-left Father's estate to wander, poor and preaching
-believed God told him to rebuild church
-story of meal in a church, God's power/love there so much church appeared to be on fire to observors
-tamed a wolf by ordering it to stop attacking in Jesus name
-integrated empowering gifts of the spirit with fruits of spirit (known for his joy) |
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Term
| Charismatic Tradition- Biblical Paradigm |
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Definition
Apostle Paul
-balance between rational and charismatic (speaking in tongues but with love)
-encountered Holy Spirit (transformation from Saul to Paul)
-journeys guided by Holy Spirit
-exorcisms, conversions, "power encounters" |
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Term
| Charismatic Tradition- Contemporary Paradigm |
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Definition
William Joseph Seymour, 19/20th century, Southern States, LA
-felt called to be preacher
-God outpoured Spirit in prayer groups, signs followed
-joined by hundreds of followers
-starts Azusa St. interracial church
-started "Apostolic Faith" newspaper
-focus on genuine Christian love above all else |
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Term
| Charismatic Tradition- Definition |
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Definition
-life in/through the Spirit of God
-spiritual giftings
-divine love central to spiritual giftings
-essential principles needed for exercising spiritual gifts:
-taking responsibility
-accepting limitations
-esteeming others
-maintaining unity within diversity |
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Term
| Charismatic Tradition- Strengths |
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Definition
-stops us from putting God in a box
-rebukes our weak practice
-develops us spiritually
-offers a life of gifting/empowering for witness and service |
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Term
| Charismatic Stream- Perils |
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Definition
-trivialization (focus on gift not giver)
-rejecting rational/intellectual
-separating gifts of spirit from fruits of spirit
-linking walk in the spirit to speculative end time scenarios |
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Term
| Charismatic Stream- Practicing |
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Definition
-draw near to people experienced in this area
-don't let fear that what you're doing is in the flesh hold you back
-follow your leadings without fear of being misled
-test your leadings/experiences with those you trust |
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Term
| Social Justice Stream- Historical Paradigm |
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Definition
John Woolman, 18th century, USA
-against slavery
-preached against it at Quaker meetings
-circulated anti-slavery documents
-North Carolina Quakers released slaves despite struggle to enforce anti-slavery laws |
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Term
| Social Justice Stream- Biblical Paradigm |
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Definition
Amos, pre-Exile prophet
-brought prophetic message re: injustice and misuse of power to Israel
-confronted people on empty worship, called them to acts of justice and righteousness
-Amos' judgment oracles show God's passion for justice in society |
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Term
| Social Justice Stream- Contemporary Paradigm |
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Definition
Dorothy Day, 20th century, New York
-worked as journalist as young adult, sensitivity to issues of justice/poverty
-immersed in radical/intellectual scene, became activist
-spiritual awakening led to her co-founding Catholic Worker Movement
-developed strategies of action: newspaper, hospitality houses, communal farms, discussions, spiritual retreats, agronomic Universities (worker could become scholar, scholar could become worker) |
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Term
| Social Justice Stream- Definition |
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Definition
-life committed to compassion and justice
-love God and love others
-themes: expansive justice, compassion/loving kindness, peace/harmony
-3 arenas:personal (weapon is prayer), social (weapon is Christian community), institutional structures (weapon is prophetic witness) |
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Term
| Social Justice Stream- Strenghts |
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Definition
-calls us to a right ordering society
-enhances our ecclesiology (doctrine of the church)
-provides a bridge between personal and social ethics
-gives relevance to the language of Christian love
-gives us a foundation for ecological concerns
-holds before us the relevance of the impossible ideal |
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Term
| Social Justice Stream- Perils |
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Definition
-tendency to become an end in itself (fails to meet hear/spirit needs)
-strident legalism (judging others' living standards)
-danger of identifying yourself too closely with a particular political agenda |
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Term
| Social Justice Stream- Practicing |
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Definition
-open ourselves to possibility of God using us
-become global citizens who have the facts
-become advocates for powerless and exploited
-support relief agencies
-become involved politically
-use literary skills for the cause of the poor
-take the work of prayer into social arena |
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Term
| Evangelical Stream- Historical Paradigm |
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Definition
Augustine, 4th century, bishop of Hippo
-examined various philosophies before encountering God in a garden in Milan
-took 6 month retreat for studying scriptures/preparing for baptism
-became bishop of Hippo, wrote many sermons
-aplogist battling Manichaeism, Donatism and Pelagianism
-many writings, including "city of God," and "confessions"
-40 yrs of ministry |
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Term
| Evangelical Stream- Biblical Paradigm |
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Definition
disciple Peter, fisher of men
-sermon at Pentecost follwed by conversion/baptism of 3000 people
-had a steep learning curve, often running ahead of the Spirit
-constantly held forth the word of life
-instructed by Jesus to look after his sheep, build the church |
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Term
| Evangelical Stream- Contemporary Paradigm |
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Definition
Billy Graham, 20th century, USA
-preacher/evangelist to numerous countries, crusades
-practiced preaching alone, studied scripture
-conrtibutions
-brought moral inegrity to itinerant evangelism
-advocated cooperative evangelism
-worked towards racial reconciliation
-used all communication tools
-trained itinerant evangelists
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Term
| Evangelical Stream- Definition |
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Definition
-themes:
-faitful proclamation of gospel
-centrality of scripture
-confessional witness of early Christian community as a faithful interpretation of the gospel |
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Term
| Evangelical Stream- Strengths |
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Definition
-call to conversion
-missionary mandate
-committment to biblical fidelity
-evangelical witness to sound doctrine |
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Term
| Evangelical Stream- Perils |
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Definition
-fixating on nonessential matters
-tendency toward sectarian mentality
-presenting too limited a view of salvation
-tendency to bibliolatry (worshipping the bible) |
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Term
| Evangelical Stream- Practicing |
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Definition
-get to know bible
-get to know others |
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Term
| Incarnational Stream- Historical Paradigm |
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Definition
Susanna Wesley, 17th century, England
-committed mother of 19 children
-intensive home-schooling of children
-called a "preacher of righteousness"
-held church services in her home when her husband was away
-wrote extensively to her son John when he was away for school
-many of her works written for publication |
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Term
| Incarnational Stream- Biblical Paradigm |
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Definition
Bezalel, OT artisan
-filled with the spirit of God
-what he produced gave the people a continual visual of God
-imaginative, articulate, effective administrator
-demonstrated presence of God through his vocation |
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Term
| Incarnational Stream- Contemporary Paradigm |
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Definition
Dag Hammarskjold, 20th century, Swedish
-secretary general of UN, died in plane crash 1961
-left his private journal to be published
-saw all men as equals as children of God
-transformed UN from forum for conference into agency of creative action for peace
-never boasted about distinguished career or important people he met- humble |
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Term
| Incarnational Stream- Definition |
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Definition
-concerned with relationship between Spirit and matter
-a function of matter is to mediate the presence of an infinite God to finite minds
-2 dimensions: everday life, religious life
-everyday: sacramental living in our families/homes/work
-religious: material and human forms to expres worship of God (liturgy) |
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Term
| Incarnational Stream- Strengths |
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Definition
-underscores the fact that God is truly among us in our earthly existence
-roots us in everday life
-gives meaning to our work
-valuable corrective to Gnosticism
-constantly beckons us Godward
-makes our body a sanctuary through whic we experience the presence of God
-deepens our ecological sensitivities |
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Term
| Incarnational Stream- Perils |
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Definition
-idolatry
-the way we seek to manage God through externals |
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Term
| Incarnational Stream- Practicing |
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Definition
-invocation of God's manifest presence into this material world of ours (inviting God in)
-recover a Christian spirituality of work: sense of calling, responsibility, freedom from the burden of the workaholic, creativity, dignity, community, solidarity with the poor, meaning and purpose
-recovery of marriage/family life/the home |
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