Jesuits in Space...

Just read a book called "The Sparrow" by Mary Doria Russell and it blew my mind! I am still in recovery. Jesuits in Space... I don't even know what to say because I don't want to give anything away. This is such an amazing look at faith and doubt, cross cultural communication and life, reverse culture shock, post traumatic stress disorder, community, Catholicism, globalization, technology, science...

When life on another planet is discovered... the first to go are Catholic missionaries... not so much to make converts but to bear witness and to meet God's other children...to know them and love them - ad majorem Dei gloriam: for the greater glory of God. It was, of course, as is so often the case, a heartbreaking disaster...

The pages expose us to the horrifyingly difficult questions and challenges of cross cultural engagement with beautiful tenderness. A must read!

I begin the sequel immediately.

Halloween

I read an article called "Is the Reformation really over?" - Evangelicals and Catholics Together (ECT). This was a series of conferences which worked to create dialogue between the two groups, to establish common ground and also learn from differences. The outrage over the first conference and subsequently published document was such that people resigned, people removed their signature and a public debate was held within evangelical circles. Of the two sides: those opposed entered the discussion with demand/desire/expectation that those who had participated would fully recant. All I could think about when I read that was of the various reformers hauled before church courts and authorities and demanded to recant. I was bemused to discover that "we" have become the oppressive establishment ready to place those who do not fall within our lines or boxes on trial and to "excommunicate" those we disagree with (a la John Piper to Rob Bell via twitter). Something has gone terribly wrong...

On this day Martin Luther nailed the 95 theses to Wittenburg. The Reformation fractured the church into a thousand pieces which we hope that God will pick up... Out of the reformation came the unchallengable priority of right belief. Our communities are defined by confessions. Is a confession the best way to define Christian community? In contrast the Catholic and Orthodox churches would define community through participation in the sacraments and liturgy... I think I like this idea better because what we believe changes so much during our lifetime and I don't want to switch communities every time I am uncertain about a piece of the confession.