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Am Donnerstag haben wir Besuch bekommen von Shelley und Doug Pagitt.
Die beiden sind bei Salomons Porch in Minneapolis. Doug hat auch 3 Bücher geschrieben (Church reimagined, Preaching Reimagined und Bodyprayer), aber das ist bei ihm irgendwie nicht so wichtig. Die beiden sind einfach nett. Wir haben gute Gespräch gehabt, tiefe Sachen und einfach normales. Er mochte meinen Kaffee, obwohl er mir verraten hat, dass Solomons Porch keine Kaffeemaschine hat (Frevel – wie kann man eine ) Wie denken die Amerikaner über die Europäer? Die Amerikaner denken, dass die europäischen Ausdrucksformen vermutlich mehr dem entsprechen werden, wie es in Amerika bald aussehen wird.
Sie wollen von den Europäern lernen. Sie glauben nicht mehr dass die Zukunft der Christenheit ein „amerikanisches“ Christsein sein wird. Sie schauen auf Europa und wollen lernen. Wir sollten aber von einander lernen.
Gottes Aktivität in der Welt ist erkennbar, egal wo man sich auf der Welt befindet.(Zitat Doug) Er wird einen Podcast darüber machen für die Leute zuhause, die immer denken, dass er Ferien macht überall wo er ist. Was er natürlich nicht tut.
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We had a visit from Doug and Shelley Pagitt, they are founders of solomons porch in Minneapolis. Doug wrote a couple of books, but that’s not the big thing with him – he just is. Both are really nice persons one likes to have around. We had good conversations, real deep ones.
What do Americans think about europeans? Americans tend to think, that the answer to some of american church problems lies in rethinking church and they look to europeans to help them in that. All because we work longer under a non christendom mode in postmodern enviroment. They want to learn from that. Being European I’d say we have to learn from each other a lot. He will do a podcast about his time in Europe and the lectures he gave, so watch out. It’s good stuff….
I don’t think about the overall church much. Actually, very little. To me thinking about it seems overwhelming. I’m comfortable doing what I can in my own small world, and the times that I get uncomfortable have been when I try to leave my small world (i.e. try and create things for or give direction to people I don’t know). I do realize that someone has to do it, but it isn’t me. I’m much better at causing trouble it seems.
Because I am an American who has lived in Europe I will say this difference between the culture’s relationship to church. The biggest difference is reverence for history. In America we have very little history. The little history that we have we tend to count it as irreverent, unless we can turn it into a museum and make some money off it. When an American goes to Europe typically history’s presence in the buildings is confusing. If America had buildings that historic and grand we wouldn’t continue to use them. The fact that many churches still meet in very old buildings is strange. Sure they will also allow tourist, but they will continue to have services, even if it is only a few regular members. Also, we tend to be afraid of the history. Many times Americans will come back from Europe and they will recall the Black Plague or some other terrible event and point out that they were too busy building to help out. Which, of course, is silly. It is a way for them to justify the absence of these great works of art, works of worship.
The lack of history has a great spiritual impact as well. Because we lose the history and somewhat reject it, Americans lose the acceptance of ones roots. This gives them the impression that they are the first to do anything and a very individualistic ignorance.
I just reread your post and I don’t think my comment answered your question. I don’t know if Americans look to Europeans to see how Church functions in a postmodern setting, because on a whole I think Americans are trying to push postmodernism to the future. They would rather it wait, or they can be too embracing of it. Which makes sense with my favorite definition of post-modernism (given to me by Chris of TNC), „if there is anything we can say about postmodern culture, it is that it is an age of over-correction.“ I find this to be very true.
So after not answering your question at all, I’m going to stop for now.