Purging my soul…one blog at a time.

Hello TFUMC!

 

Hey there, First Methodist people! Welcome to my personal blog. It’s a place for me to write about a host of topics – from theological rantings to everyday musings. Rest assured, you are nowhere in the pages… :)

Though I love Methodist doctrine and enjoy being a part of the program staff at TFUMC, not everything you find on this blog will be Methodist or TFUMC sanctioned. That’s not necessarily a bad thing. Sometimes I like to think outside the box and this blog gives me a place to do that. I hope you find the posts here amusing, thought-provoking, and (hopefully) liberating. Feel free to comment, disagree, or ask questions about anything you find here…

Sam

4 Comments »

  1. Sam –

    I’ve been skimming through your posts for the past 20 minutes or so and couldn’t help but wonder if you were of the Wesleyan persuasion. It’s always funny to be able to pick that sort of thing out.

    I grew up pretty conservative (Northern) Baptist but have been attending a Free Methodist college for the past four years and have found it deeply enlightening. It’s only been recently that I’ve found myself slightly disenamored with the quadrilateral as it seems to either 1) neglect faith, or 2) attempt to replace faith altogether. It was actually in reading The Shack that I came to this realization.

    My mom has been on my case for several months to read this book. I finally did over Christmas break and found myself much in the same place as you: liking most while still suffering from the neck ache of a cocked head and squinty eyes. I think what I liked the most was that it can speak to a large audience and meet them where they’re at, with or without theological training. My mother and I coming from two distinctly different traditions both got some good stuff from the book.

    I’m not quite sure what the point of me posting this comment is/was, but if you wouldn’t mind, I’d love to hear where you did your studies and how you would tackle the issue of faith and the Wesleyan Quadrilateral. That’s been bugging me for several weeks now.

    Thanks for the wonderful blogs!

    -Mark

    Comment by Markanthonylbc | January 6, 2009 | Reply

  2. Hi Mark -

    Thanks for commenting – glad you’re enjoying the blog. Yes, I’m Wesleyan to the hilt. :) And I’m cool with that, though that may be unbalanced to others – I just see the Wesleyan model as most applicable to pastoral endeavors.

    I can understand your concerns about the quadrilateral. It’s worth noting that Wesley never really called it that – that’s Outler’s term he coined in the last century. Wesley was merely making that point that 1) no one comes to scripture in a vacuum – we all have a “context” of experience and teaching that informs the way we read scripture. Now, other groups don’t like that idea – as if a “pure” reading of the bible is possible. Even those who hide behind “original language” still choose the one that makes most sense to them – for as accurate as Greek is, it’s still somewhat ambiguouos – just like Hebrew (which is almost impossible to pin down). The quadrilateral is actually a very postmodern idea – one that fits well in our current theological climate.

    We’ll take The Shack as an example since you and I both enjoyed it so much. Mack’s understanding of God and scripture is radically changed when his context – the kidnapping, the “visions” at the shack, the interactions with the Trinity, etc. – changed his understading drastically. We all have watershed moments that redefine us. And Wesley was just smart enough to own up to that and include those elements from the beginning of his theology.

    As far as faith, Wesley certainly believed that faith was essential to salvation. But what’s so great (unlike other models) is he didn’t sit back and leave the Christian walk at that. He pressed forward, looking for a practical way to integrate that faith across the spectrum of life – marriage, job, parenting, community, etc. That’s where the “human” element of Wesleyan theology kicks in. And that makes “purists” nervous because they believe human involvement cancels out faith. But who ever said that was the caase? If anything human response and action validates the faith we feel in our hearts. Faith after salvation is “belief with legs,” walking out what scripture, tradition (context), reason, and experience represent. Hope that helps – your welcome to comment back if I raised more questions than I answered. :)

    I attended Beeson Divinity School and International Seminary. I spent the majority of my doctoral studies in a specific area of historical theology – the value and importance of spiritual experience in anchoring faith. In other words, rather than spending my time studying the Lateran councils in the 12th century, I studied all the 12th century mytics and the experiences that got them in trouble with the church. Much more interesting, I think… :)

    Sam

    Comment by Sam | January 7, 2009 | Reply

  3. Just wanted to say hi, Sam. I have been a Free Methodist pastor for 15 years and like you, have 3 daughters. My girls are 16, 14, and (as of last Saturday) 13.

    I enjoy the content of your blog and the even-handedness you bring to your discussions of theology. My blog attempts to do the same thing, only I lack doctoral education in theology. I am a Licensed Professional Counselor and teach for Spring Arbor University in both graduate and undergraduate programs. So the counseling/relational thing shapes my theology quite a bit.

    Anyway, just thought I’d say hi and let you know that you’re on my blogroll and I know a few people have headed over to your blog after reading mine, so I’ll keep sending people your way. You’ve got some good stuff here. Keep up the great work.

    Dave Flowers
    p.s. I have especially appreciated the way you have responded to criticisms leveled at you and your theology, particularly your handling of the guy who was coming down pretty intensely on you for appreciating The Shack and recommending the work of Malcolm Smith.

    Comment by wildwinddave | September 21, 2009 | Reply

    • Hi Dave –

      It’s nice to make your acquaintance! I really like the Free Methodist church and your website is great – I really like what you have got going on over there at Wild Wind! It’s good to know that it’s possible to survive while parenting three girls – I may be calling you for support… :) when I found out Jeff VanVonderen had four daughters, I knew there was hope. :)

      I saw that you had linked to my blog the other day – thanks. I’ll return the favor. I appreciate your encouragement about the topics here. Sometimes you’re not sure anyone is out there reading along, then comments like yours pop up and I’m reminded why I started the time-intensive task of blogging to begin with. The counseling perspective you bring to your ministry I’m sure is quite effective. I read counseling books in my spare time, trying to keep up. When you weigh in on people’s life decisions, the responsibility is overwhelming sometimes.

      Thanks again for the encouragement and feel free to comment anytime. God bless your minsitry at Spring Arbor and at Wild Wind…

      Sam

      Comment by Sam | September 22, 2009 | Reply


Leave a comment