Almost two weeks ago now, the NuDunkers had another hangout conversation, this time with the authors of Prodigal Christianity, Geoff Holsclaw and David Fitch. In my world in the mean time, finals happened, along with the quilting-hibernation-letdown of the weekend after. While I’ve been away, the discussion has continued… You can catch some of this discussion at the first five blogs listed in my sidebar, including a post about how to join in with the NuDunker thing, if you’re interested. You can also watch the hangout itself here: NuDunker Chat: David Fitch and Geoff Holsclaw
Much of the conversation (and reflections on it) revolved around language, especially Lordship language for Jesus and Kingdom / Kin-dom language, and many have contributed eloquently to that discussion. I don’t wish to explore that too much more here, except to say that one particular statement I made during the conversation has since plagued me and struck me as untrue. I said that Kin-dom language is incapable of bringing about the transformation it seeks. I do have strong feelings about the well-intentioned impulse to declare certain words off limits in the name of tolerance and forward-thinking (see Authenticity for really beautiful articulation of the need for poetry in response), but I know many people for whom Kin-dom language is creatively transformative, and the proof’s in the pudding on that one! My own reasoning for Lordship and Kingdom language is in my previous post about the book. Also, I appreciated the various reminders that language is always contextual and always provisional. See also a previous post here about cataphatic and apophatic ways of knowing that get at some of my beliefs about the importance and slipperiness of language in chasing after this elusive God of ours.
I’ll soon be posting a couple of different musings that have arisen for me in the “aftermath” of the conversations, but for now, consider this a long, overdrawn, and sophisticated *ahem*. 😉
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