Friends:

We have several administrative groups in the Consortium.
A very important one is the Registrars Group.

The Registrars make the cross registration happen.
[we have 180-220 cross registrations each semester]

I tell all new students--talk to your Registrar, cross-registrations go through him or her,
after your advisor/Dean has approved.

The Registrars meet regularly to clarify their work together.
I update them on various happenings in the Consortium--especially those which might impact their work.

This meeting saw a review and initial approval of a Handbook for Registrars.
The Handbook details responsibilities and processes--this will be especially helpful to new Registrars as they are learning their responsibilities.

Thanks to Marguerite Connolly in the Consortium office for putting this Handbook together.
And to Mitchell Bond of Wesley and Bart Merella of WTU for commenting on the first draft.

Peace,
John

"An Educated Man"

Friends:

I found the sermon given yesterday afternoon by Rev. William W. Bennett at the HUSD Alumni Chapel Service most thought-provoking. The part that 'spoke to me' was about Gamaliel. The educated man had the sense to see what was going on--the Apostles spoke with power. He counseled leaving them alone.

The deeper point is that we must change when God calls us to change. Gamaliel realized that change was imminent. Rev. Bennett notes that we will need to continue to change throughout life.

Now I can be resistant to change. I like some things to remain constant. I want some control.
But the reality of the spiritual life is that I have to change to become more like Christ!

I have to keep open to change--I learn this over and over--including yesterday.

Peace,
John

Emerging Church

Friends:

Last Thursday I heard a dynamic, post-modern, anecdotal and most interesting address by Dr. Peter Rollins of Dublin. Peter is a young leader in the Emergent Church movement and founder of Ikon--an experimental collective.

The John Leland Center for Theological Studies sponsored this lecture and discussion. Rev. Dr. Bill Smith, Pastor of Memorial Baptist in Arlington hosted the lecture and reception. Rev. Dr. Mark Olson, president of Leland provided the introduction. I offered the prayer.

This was not an address for the faint-hearted. Peter question many contemporary church approaches--and called, as he does in his books, for radical change. Rev. Dr. John Lee of Leland offered a spirited and much more analytical response.

I always think that it is good to have my presuppositions challenged once and awhile.
Peter's lecture challenged the role of the priest; it stressed personal relationships.
It was personal--and in parts compelling [e.g. take responsibility for your choices!].

I forgot to mention--the crowd was overflowing!

Peace,
John

The Theologian is One Who Prays

Friends:

I was happy to receive a paper from Dr. Tim Sedgwick, the Vice President of VTS.
The paper is a revised version of one he presented to the Lay Formators Group of Consortium faculty and staff at WTU last spring. I believe that this revised version is about to be published.

He begins by quoting Evagrius Ponticus: " The theologian is the one who prays truly, and on who prays truly is a theologian."

He goes on to say a little later: "Perhaps...theology as a divine science is more like poetry than the natural or social sciences. The knowledge of God is personal knowledge." This statement is thought-provoking. I'm not sure that all in our Consortium would agree!

After this provocative start, Tim discusses spiritual practices at length.
He and I have discussed these over many years.

I will enjoy seeing the published version!

Peace,
John